يٰۤـاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تُبۡطِلُوۡا صَدَقٰتِكُمۡ بِالۡمَنِّ وَالۡاَذٰىۙ كَالَّذِىۡ يُنۡفِقُ مَالَهٗ رِئَآءَ النَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤۡمِنُ بِاللّٰهِ وَالۡيَوۡمِ الۡاٰخِرِ​ؕ فَمَثَلُهٗ كَمَثَلِ صَفۡوَانٍ عَلَيۡهِ تُرَابٌ فَاَصَابَهٗ وَابِلٌ فَتَرَكَهٗ صَلۡدًا ​ؕ لَا يَقۡدِرُوۡنَ عَلٰى شَىۡءٍ مِّمَّا كَسَبُوۡا ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ لَا يَهۡدِى الۡقَوۡمَ الۡـكٰفِرِيۡنَ‏ ﴿2:264﴾

(2:264) Believers! Do not nullify your acts of charity by stressing your benevolence and causing hurt as does he who spends his wealth only to be seen by people and does not believe in Allah and the Last Day.³⁰³ The example of his spending is that of a rock with a thin coating of earth upon it: when a heavy rain smites it, the earth is washed away, leaving the rock bare;³⁰⁴such people derive no gain from their acts of charity. Allah does not set the deniers of the Truth on the Right Way.³⁰⁵

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Notes

303. The desire to display one’s good deeds itself proves that the person concerned does not truly believe in God and the Hereafter. One who does good merely in order to impress people with his righteousness clearly regards those persons as his god. Such a person neither expects reward from God nor is he concerned that his good deeds will some day be reckoned to his credit. 

304. In this parable, ‘heavy rain’ signifies charity, and ‘rock’ the wicked intent and motive which lie behind external acts of charity. The expression, ‘with a thin coating of earth upon it’ signifies the external aspect of charity which conceals the wicked intent and motive of a man. These explanations make the significance and purport of the parable clear. The natural effect of rainfall should be the growth of plants and harvest. But if the earth, which is the repository of fertility, is insignificant in quantity, for example only a coating of it on some rock, the result will be that instead of yielding any beneficial result the rainfall may even prove harmful. Similarly, charity has the capacity to generate goodness and benevolence in human beings. Man’s potential for goodness, however, is conditional on sincerity. Devoid of that charity leads to sheer loss and waste. 

305. Here the term kafir is used in the sense of the ungrateful person who refuses to acknowledge benevolence. People who either make use of the bounties of God in order to seek the gratitude of God’s creatures rather than God’s good pleasure, or who spend on others and then hurt them by stressing their acts of benevolence and kindness, are ungrateful to God for His bounties and favours. Since such people do not seek to please God, God does not care to direct them to the way that leads to His good pleasure.

مَثَلُ الَّذِيۡنَ يُنۡفِقُوۡنَ اَمۡوَالَهُمۡ فِىۡ سَبِيۡلِ اللّٰهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ اَنۡۢبَتَتۡ سَبۡعَ سَنَابِلَ فِىۡ كُلِّ سُنۡۢبُلَةٍ مِّائَةُ حَبَّةٍ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ يُضٰعِفُ لِمَنۡ يَّشَآءُ​ ؕ وَاللّٰهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيۡمٌ‏ ﴿2:261﴾ اَلَّذِيۡنَ يُنۡفِقُوۡنَ اَمۡوَالَهُمۡ فِىۡ سَبِيۡلِ اللّٰهِ ثُمَّ لَا يُتۡبِعُوۡنَ مَاۤ اَنۡفَقُوۡا مَنًّا وَّلَاۤ اَذًى​ۙ لَّهُمۡ اَجۡرُهُمۡ عِنۡدَ رَبِّهِمۡ​ۚ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:262﴾ قَوۡلٌ مَّعۡرُوۡفٌ وَّمَغۡفِرَةٌ خَيۡرٌ مِّنۡ صَدَقَةٍ يَّتۡبَعُهَاۤ اَذًى​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ غَنِىٌّ حَلِيۡمٌ‏ ﴿2:263﴾

(2:261) The example of those²⁹⁸ who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah²⁹⁹ is like that of a grain of corn that sprouts seven ears, and in every ear there are a hundred grains. Thus Allah multiplies the action of whomsoever He wills. Allah is Munificent, All-Knowing.³⁰⁰ (2:262) Those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah and do not follow up their spending by stressing their benevolence and causing hurt, will find their reward secure with their Lord. They have no cause for fear and grief.³⁰¹(2:263) To speak a kind word and to forgive people’s faults is better than charity followed by hurt. Allah is All-Sufficient, All-Forbearing.³⁰²

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Notes

298. Here the discourse turns to the subject touched upon in verses 244 ff. above. Believers were urged to sacrifice life and property for the sake of the great cause in which they believed. It is difficult, however, to persuade those whose standard of judgement in respect of economic matters has not completely changed, to rise above either personal or narrow group interests and dispense their wealth wholeheartedly for the sake of a righteous cause. People who have a materialistic outlook and whose life constitutes an uninterrupted pursuit of money, who adore every single penny they have, and who can never stop thinking about their balance sheets can never have the capacity to do anything really effective for the sake of higher ideals. When such people apparently do spend money for the sake of higher moral ideals, it is merely an outward act which is performed after carefully calculating the material benefits which are likely to accrue either to them, to their group or to their nation. With this outlook a person cannot go one step forward along the path of that religion which requires man to become indifferent to considerations of worldly profit and loss, and constantly to spend time, energy and money to make the Word of God reign supreme. 

To follow such a course requires a moral outlook of an altogether different kind; it requires breadth of vision and magnanimity and, above all, an exclusive devotion to God. At the same time it requires that man’s collective life should be so re-moulded as to become conducive to the growth of the moral qualities mentioned above rather than to the growth of a materialistic outlook and behaviour. Hence the three succeeding sections i.e. (verses 261-81 – Ed.)are devoted to enunciating instructions designed to foster such an outlook. 

299. A great many expenditures fall under the category of spending ‘in the way of Allah’, as long as this is done according to the laws of God and with the intention of seeking His good pleasure. This includes spending one’s wealth to fulfil one’s legitimate needs, to provide for one’s family, to look after the needs of relatives, to help the needy and to contribute to the general welfare and to spread the true religion and so on. 

300. The greater the sincerity and the more intense the feeling with which one spends for the sake of God, the greater will be God’s reward. It is not difficult at all for God, Who blesses a grain so that out of it seven hundred grains grow, to allow one’s charity to grow in like manner so that the unit of money one spends will return seven hundred fold. This statement is followed by a mention of two of God’s attributes. First is His munificence. His Hand is not clenched so as to restrain Him from recompensing man for his deeds to the fullest extent that he deserves. Second, God is All-Knowing. He is not unaware of what one spends and the spirit in which one spends. So there is no reason to fear that one will not receive one’s due reward. 

301. They need not fear that they will not be amply rewarded or that they will have any reason to feel remorse for spending in the way of God. 

302 This implies two things. First, Allah does not stand in need of anybody’s charity, for He is Self-Sufficient. Secondly, He likes those people who are generous and large-hearted, but does not like frivolous and narrow-minded people, for He Himself is Generous, Clement and Forbearing. How, then Allah, Who bestows on the people the necessities of life without stint, and forgives and pardons them over and over again in spite of their errors, would like those who mar the self-respect of a person by sending repeated reminders of their charity and making pointed references to it even though they might have given only a farthing. A Tradition of the Holy Prophet says that on the Day of Resurrection, Allah will neither speak a word nor even so much as look at a person who makes pointed references to the gift he gave to some one.

وَاِذۡ قَالَ اِبۡرٰهٖمُ رَبِّ اَرِنِىۡ كَيۡفَ تُحۡىِ الۡمَوۡتٰى ؕ قَالَ اَوَلَمۡ تُؤۡمِنۡ​ؕ قَالَ بَلٰى وَلٰـكِنۡ لِّيَطۡمَـئِنَّ قَلۡبِىۡ​ؕ قَالَ فَخُذۡ اَرۡبَعَةً مِّنَ الطَّيۡرِ فَصُرۡهُنَّ اِلَيۡكَ ثُمَّ اجۡعَلۡ عَلٰى كُلِّ جَبَلٍ مِّنۡهُنَّ جُزۡءًا ثُمَّ ادۡعُهُنَّ يَاۡتِيۡنَكَ سَعۡيًا ​ؕ وَاعۡلَمۡ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ عَزِيۡزٌ حَكِيۡمٌ‏﴿2:260﴾

(2:260) And recall when Abraham said: “My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead,” Allah said: “Why! Do you have no faith?” Abraham replied: “Yes, but in order that my heart be at rest.”²⁹⁶ He said: “Then take four birds, and tame them to yourself, then put a part of them on every hill, and summon them; they will come to you flying. Know well that Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.”²⁹⁷

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Notes

296. That is, the rest and inner peace that one attains as a result of direct personal observation. 

297. People have subjected this incident and the one above to very strange interpretations. If one bears in mind, however, God’s dealings with the Prophets, one will not feel any need to strain one’s energies in hammering out such artificially-contrived interpretations. The truth of the matter is that the kind of function that ordinary believers are required to perform requires of them no more than believing in certain truths without perceiving them through their senses. The function entrusted by God to the Prophets is such that they ought to have direct knowledge of the truths, the acceptance of which they are required to invite others to. 

Thanks to the nature of their mission, the Prophets had to tell the world that while others resorted to conjecture and fancy, they spoke from personal direct observation and experience; that while others could claim to possess only imagination, they possessed reliable knowledge; that while others were blind, they alone had the God-given capacity to perceive the Truth. It is for this reason that the angels come to the Prophets and they see them with their own eyes. It is for the same reason that the Prophets were allowed a glimpse of the system of governance of the heavens and the earth. It is for the same reason, again, that they were enabled to observe Heaven and Hell and witness scenes of resurrection.

The Prophets are in possession of faith in the Unseen at the time they are invested with prophethood. After being designated to prophethood, they are further honoured by special favours and privileges, and initiated into what may be termed as ‘faith in the seen’ (for the ‘Unseen’ is changed for them to the ‘seen’). This favour is a special prerogative of the Prophets. (For a further explanation see (Surah 9, nn. 17, 18, 19 and 34.)

اَوۡ كَالَّذِىۡ مَرَّ عَلٰى قَرۡيَةٍ وَّ هِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلٰى عُرُوۡشِهَا ​ۚ قَالَ اَنّٰى يُحۡىٖ هٰذِهِ اللّٰهُ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَا ​ۚ فَاَمَاتَهُ اللّٰهُ مِائَةَ عَامٍ ثُمَّ بَعَثَهٗ ​ؕ قَالَ كَمۡ لَبِثۡتَ​ؕ قَالَ لَبِثۡتُ يَوۡمًا اَوۡ بَعۡضَ يَوۡمٍ​ؕ قَالَ بَلۡ لَّبِثۡتَ مِائَةَ عَامٍ فَانۡظُرۡ اِلٰى طَعَامِكَ وَشَرَابِكَ لَمۡ يَتَسَنَّهۡ​ۚ وَانْظُرۡ اِلٰى حِمَارِكَ وَلِنَجۡعَلَكَ اٰيَةً لِّلنَّاسِ​ وَانْظُرۡ اِلَى الۡعِظَامِ كَيۡفَ نُـنۡشِزُهَا ثُمَّ نَكۡسُوۡهَا لَحۡمًا ​ؕ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهٗ ۙ قَالَ اَعۡلَمُ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدِيۡرٌ‏ ﴿2:259﴾

(2:259) Or consider him by way of example who passed by a town that was fallen down upon its turrets.²⁹³ He exclaimed: “How will Allah restore life to this town that is now dead?”²⁹⁴

Allah then caused him to remain dead for a hundred years and then raised him to life, and asked him: “How long did you remain in this state?” He replied: “I remained so for a day or a part of a day.” Allah rejoined: “No, you have rather stayed thus for a hundred years. But look at your food and your drink, there is no deterioration in them. And look at your ass (how its entire skeleton has rotted)! And We did all this so that We might make you a token of instruction for people.²⁹⁵ And see how We will put the bones (of the ass) together and will clothe them with flesh.” Thus when the reality became clear to him, he said: “I know that Allah has power over everything.” 

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Notes

293. It is irrelevant to ask who the person was and the place where this incident occurred. The real purpose in mentioning this event is to show how God showed light to the one who had chosen God as his protector and supporter. As for determining the name of the person and the locality, we neither possess the means to do so, nor is such an endeavour in any way beneficial. What seems to be evident from the statement that follows is that the person concerned must necessarily have been a Prophet. 

294. This question does not signify that the person concerned denied or entertained any doubts regarding life after death. His enquiry merely indicates his wish to have direct knowledge of reality, like the Prophets of the past. 

295. The restoration of life to a man considered to have died a hundred years ago was in itself sufficient to make him, for his contemporaries, a living testimony.

اَلَمۡ تَرَ اِلَى الَّذِىۡ حَآجَّ اِبۡرٰهٖمَ فِىۡ رَبِّهٖۤ اَنۡ اٰتٰٮهُ اللّٰهُ الۡمُلۡكَ​ۘ اِذۡ قَالَ اِبۡرٰهٖمُ رَبِّىَ الَّذِىۡ يُحۡىٖ وَيُمِيۡتُۙ قَالَ اَنَا اُحۡىٖ وَاُمِيۡتُ​ؕ قَالَ اِبۡرٰهٖمُ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَاۡتِىۡ بِالشَّمۡسِ مِنَ الۡمَشۡرِقِ فَاۡتِ بِهَا مِنَ الۡمَغۡرِبِ فَبُهِتَ الَّذِىۡ كَفَرَ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ لَا يَهۡدِى الۡقَوۡمَ الظّٰلِمِيۡنَ​ۚ‏ ﴿2:258﴾

(2:258) Did you not consider the case of the person²⁸⁹ who remonstrated with Abraham²⁹⁰about who was Abraham’s Lord just because Allah had granted him dominion?²⁹¹

When Abraham said: “My Lord is He Who grants life and causes death,” he replied: “I grant life and I cause death.” Abraham said: “But surely Allah causes the sun to rise from the east; now you cause it to rise from the west.” Thereupon the denier of the Truth was confounded.²⁹² Allah does not direct the wrong-doers to the Right Way. 

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Notes

289. It was stated earlier that God is the protector and supporter of the man of faith and brings him out of darkness into light whereas the protectors and supporters of the unbelievers are taghut who lead him out of light into darkness. It is to illustrate this that three examples are cited here. The first is that of a person before whom truth was put with such clear and impressive arguments that he could not refute it, but since he had placed his reins in the hands of taghut, he still could not believe in it. The two subsequent examples are those of two people who clung to God as their support, and God drew them out of darkness so that they were enabled to perceive directly those realities which are beyond the reach of man’s perception. 

290. Here the reference is to Nimrod the ruler of the land of Abrahams birth, Iraq. The event which is referred to here is not mentioned at all in the Bible. However, the whole story occurs in the Talmud and is largely in harmony with the Qur’anic version. In the Talmudic version it is said that the father of Abraham occupied the highest office in Nimrod’s government. When Abraham denounced polytheism, preached the doctrine of the unity of God and smashed the idols of the temple, his own father lodged a complaint against him before the king. This was followed by a conversation which is mentioned here. 

291. The dispute was over the question: Whom did he acknowledge as his Lord? The reason why this dispute arose was that God had granted kingship to the remonstrator, namely Nimrod. In order to comprehend fully the nature of the dispute hinted at in these statements, it is necessary to bear in mind the following: 

(1) All polytheistic societies from the earliest times till today share one characteristic: they acknowledge God to be the Lord of lords, the greatest of all deities. They are unwilling to acknowledge Him, however, as the only God, the only object of man’s worship and service. 

(2) Polytheists tend to divide godhead into two categories. One of these belongs to the supernatural stratum. The being invested with godhead at this stratum rules over the entire system of causation and is the one to whom man turns for the fulfilment of his needs and for solutions to his problems. With this godhead the polytheists associate spirits, angels, jinn, heavenly bodies and several other beings. To them they address their prayers. They regard them as the objects of their worship. It is at their altars that offerings and sacrifices are placed. The second category of godhead belongs to the social and political stratum, and refers to the being who has the privilege of absolute sovereignty: the one who is entitled to make the rules of conduct for human life, the one who is entitled to unreserved obedience, the one who has unlimited authority to command in worldy matters. Polytheists of all ages have either wrested this godhead from God altogether, or they have had this godhead distributed, in addition to God, among many others such as royal dynastics, religious divines and the venerated personalities of society, whether they belonged to the past or to their own times. Many royal families have laid claim to godhead of the second category and, in order to consolidate their claim, they have pretended to be the offspring of gods in the former sense. In general there has been collusion between the religious and the ruling classes on this question. 

(3) Nimrod’s claim to godhead belong to this second category. He did not deny the existence of God, and he did not deny that He was the creator of the heavens and the earth, and that He alone governed the entire universe. Nimrod did not claim for himself that he held the reins of the entire realm of causation in his hands; he claimed rather that he was the absolute sovereign of Chaldaea and its inhabitants, that in his realm his word was law, that there was no authority superior to his own to which he was answerable. Any Chaldaean who did not either acknowledge him to be his lord or took anyone other than him to be so, was a rebel and a traitor. 

(4) Abraham asserted that he acknowledged none else but the creator of the universe as his God, the only object worthy of his worship. He also denied categorically the godhead and overlordship of anyone else. This raised the question of how far the new creed could be tolerated, in so far as it was opposed to the tenets of the national religion and rejected the current ideas regarding the deities it worshipped. It also alerted the establishment in so far as Abraham’s ideas might constitute a serious threat to the national state and to the position and privilege of its ruling coterie. 

292. Even though it was clear from Abraham’s very first sentence that none other than God could legitimately be regarded as the Lord, Nimrod resorted to an unreasonable reply. But Abraham’s second statement left no room even for Nimrod’s brazenness. He knew well enough that the sun and the moon were subjected to the overlordship of the same God as Abraham had acknowledged as his Lord. What, then, could he say in reply? To accept the Truth which Abraham had made crystal clear by his argument meant that Nimrod ought to part with his absolutist despotism. The devil within him was not prepared for that. Hence he was left wonderstruck, unable to get out of the darkness of self-adoration to the light of Truth. If he had taken God rather than the Evil One as his patron and supporter, the true path would have been opened to him after Abraham’s preaching. 

According to the Talmud, Abraham was interned in prison on the orders of this king. He remained in prison for ten days, after which the king decided to have him burnt alive. It was then that the famous incident of Abraham being thrown into the fire took place see Qur’an (21:51 f f).; (29:16); (37:83).

لَاۤ اِكۡرَاهَ فِى الدِّيۡنِ​ۙ  قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشۡدُ مِنَ الۡغَىِّ​ۚ فَمَنۡ يَّكۡفُرۡ بِالطَّاغُوۡتِ وَيُؤۡمِنۡۢ بِاللّٰهِ فَقَدِ اسۡتَمۡسَكَ بِالۡعُرۡوَةِ الۡوُثۡقٰى لَا انْفِصَامَ لَهَا​​ ؕ وَاللّٰهُ سَمِيۡعٌ عَلِيۡمٌ‏ ﴿2:256﴾ اَللّٰهُ وَلِىُّ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا يُخۡرِجُهُمۡ مِّنَ الظُّلُمٰتِ اِلَى النُّوۡرِ​ؕ  وَالَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡۤا اَوۡلِيٰٓـُٔهُمُ الطَّاغُوۡتُۙ يُخۡرِجُوۡنَهُمۡ مِّنَ النُّوۡرِ اِلَى الظُّلُمٰتِ​ؕ اُولٰٓـئِكَ اَصۡحٰبُ النَّارِ​​ۚ هُمۡ فِيۡهَا خٰلِدُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:257﴾

(2:256) There is no compulsion in religion.²⁸⁵The Right Way stands clearly distinguished from the wrong. Hence he who rejects the evil ones²⁸⁶ and believes in Allah has indeed taken hold of the firm, unbreakable handle. And Allah (Whom he has held for support) is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (2:257) Allah is the Guardian of those who believe, He brings them out of every darkness into light.²⁸⁷

And those who disbelieve, their guardians are the evil ones;²⁸⁸ they bring them out of light into all kinds of darkness. These are destined for the Fire, and there shall they abide. 

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Notes

285. Din here signifies the belief about God embodied in the above ‘Verse of the Throne’ and the entire system of life which rests upon it. The verse means that the system of Islam, embracing belief, morals and practical conduct cannot be imposed by compulsion. These are not things to which people can be yoked forcibly. 

286. Literally taghut means anvone who exceeds his legitimate limits. In the Qur’anic terminology, however, it refers to the creature who exceeds the limits of his creatureliness and arrogates to himself godhead and lordship. There are three stages of man’s transgression and rebellion against God. The first stage is that one acknowledges in principle that obedience to God is right, but disregards it in practice. This is fisq (transgression). The second stage is that one not only disobeys but also rejects obedience in principle, and thus either refuses to become the subject of anyone at all or adopts someone other than God as the object of service and devotion. This is kufr (infidelity). The third stage is that one not only rebels against one’s Lord but also imposes one’s own will (in disregard of the Will of God – Ed.) on God’s world and God’s creatures. Anyone who reaches such a point is termed taghut and no one can be a true believer in God unless the authority of such a taghut (evil one) is rejected.

287. The ‘darkness’ mentioned here means the darkness of Ignorance, which throws man off the path of salvation and well-being and directs his energies and efforts to wrong directions in defiance of reality. ‘Light’ here means the knowledge of Truth with the help of which man comes to know his own reality and that of the universe; this knowledge also shows him the purpose of his life, and thus leads him consciously, to adopt the Right Way. 

288. Here taghut see( n. 286) above has a plural connotation. It implies that by turning away from God a man is subjected not to the tyranny of one, but to the tyranny of many tawaghit (evil one). One of these is Satan, who throws up new temptations and allurements. Another potential taghut (transgressor) is man’s own animal self, which seeks to subjugate him to his appetites and desires. There are many more taghut in the world outside oneself ; one’s wife and children, one’s relatives, one’s family and one’s community, one’s friends and acquaintances, one’s social environment and one’s people, one’s leaders and guides, one’s government and rulers are all potential taghut, each one of whom seeks to have his purposes served. Man remains subjected to these innumerable masters throughout his life, not knowing precisely whom he should please and whose displeasure he should avoid.

اللّٰهُ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ الۡحَـىُّ الۡقَيُّوۡمُۚ  لَا تَاۡخُذُهٗ سِنَةٌ وَّلَا نَوۡمٌ​ؕ لَهٗ مَا فِى السَّمٰوٰتِ وَمَا فِى الۡاَرۡضِ​ؕ مَنۡ ذَا الَّذِىۡ يَشۡفَعُ عِنۡدَهٗۤ اِلَّا بِاِذۡنِهٖ​ؕ يَعۡلَمُ مَا بَيۡنَ اَيۡدِيۡهِمۡ وَمَا خَلۡفَهُمۡ​ۚ وَلَا يُحِيۡطُوۡنَ بِشَىۡءٍ مِّنۡ عِلۡمِهٖۤ اِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرۡسِيُّهُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضَ​​ۚ وَلَا يَـُٔوۡدُهٗ حِفۡظُهُمَا ​ۚ وَ هُوَ الۡعَلِىُّ الۡعَظِيۡمُ‏ ﴿2:255﴾

(2:255) Allah, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting by Whom all subsist, there is no god but He.²⁷⁸ Neither slumber seizes Him, nor sleep;²⁷⁹ to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth.²⁸⁰ Who is there who might intercede with Him save with His leave?²⁸¹

He knows what lies before them and what is hidden from them, whereas they cannot attain to anything of His knowledge save what He wills them to attain.²⁸² His Dominion²⁸³ overspreads the heavens and the earth, and their upholding wearies Him not. He is All-High, All-Glorious.²⁸⁴

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Notes

278. Irrespective of the number of gods or objects of worship set up by ignorant people, the fact remains that godhead in its entirety, belongs exclusively to the Eternal Being, Who is indebted to no one for His existence. In fact, He is not only self-existent, but upon Him rests the entire order of the universe. He alone wields all sovereign authority over His dominion. None shares either His attributes or His power and might, and no one has the same claims against the creatures as He. Hence, if anywhere in the heavens or the earth someone sets up anything or anybody as an object of worship and service (ilah) either instead of or in addition to the One True God this amounts to declaring war on reality. 

279. This is a refutation of the ideas of those who, in formulating their concepts of God, are inclined to consider God analogous to their own imperfect selves and hence ascribe to God the weaknesses characteristic of human beings. An instance at hand is the famous Biblical statement that God created the heavens and the earth in six days and on the seventh day He rested (see Genesis, chapters 1 and 2). 

280. To God belongs the heavens and the earth and everything therein. There is no one who shares anything with God in governance either of the heavens or of the earth. Any conceivable being other than God would necessarily be a part of the universe and thus belong to, and be a subject of, God rather than His partner and equal. 

281.This is a refutation of the ideas of those polytheists who consider either saints, angels or other beings to be so influential with God that if they were adamant in demanding something of Him, their demand would prevail. They are being told that, far from anyone having the power to impose his will on God, none – not even the greatest Prophets and the most highly esteemed angels – will dare utter one word in the majestic court of the Lord unless they are expressly permitted to do so. 

282. Here another blow is struck against polytheism. On the basis of the concept of God’s unlimited sovereignty and omnipotence it was stressed, in the foregoing verses, that no one shares independently in God’s governance of the universe, and no one is so powerful with God that his intercession would decisively influence His judgement. The same point is stressed here but in a different manner. It is pointed out that no one possesses the knowledge that would enable him to comprehend the order of the universe and the considerations underlying it, so no one can legitimately interfere in its governance. The knowledge of human beings, of jinn, of angels and of all other creatures is limited and imperfect. No one’s knowledge embraces all the facts of the universe. If someone did have the right to interfere even in only a part of the universe, and if his suggestions were of necessity to be put into effect, the entire order of the universe would be disrupted. Creatures are incapable of understanding what is best for them, and do not have the capacity to know how best the universe should be governed. It is God alone Who knows everything. 

283. The Arabic term kursi signifies sovereignty, dominion and authority.

(The word Kursi has been variously interpreted by Muslim scholars. The literal meaning is obvious; it signifies that which one sits on. Scholars have differed, however, as to whether the word has been used in the Qur’an literally or figuratively. They have also disagreed whether the Kursi and ‘Arsh Which occur in the Qur’an have one and the same meaning or are different. The main opinions expressed by the scholars are the following: (i) that Kursi signifies God’s knowledge, a view attributed to Ibn ‘Abbas; (ii) that it is identical with ‘Arsh (Throne), a view attributed to Hasan al-Basri; (iii) that it signifies God’s power (iv ) in opposition to such views a large number of scholars insist that Kursi should be considered a reality rather than be understood figuratively. In addition to many earlier scholars, this was vigorously championed by Ibn Taymiyah. It should be remembered, however, that Ibn Taymiyah and others who hold this opinion, side by side with affirming that Kursi is a reality, also emphasize that man has no knowledge about the nature and modality of Kursi and that it ought to be treated as something unique, being related to God Who is unique both in His essence and attributes. (See the commentaries of Alusi. Tabari, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir and Shawkani on this verse. See also Ibn Taymiyah, Majmu al-Fatawa 1bn Taymiyah, vol. 5, pp. 55-8 and vol. 6, pp. 584-5. It is interesting to note that Sayyid Qutb, (martyred 1386 A.H/966 C.E.), a contemporary of Mawdudi and one of the most influential Islamic thinkers of our time, has interpreted the verse exactly, as Mawdudi did – Ed.) 

284. This verse is generally known as the ‘Verse of the Throne’ and it provides in one piece a knowledge of God without parallel. 

The question that arises here is: What is the occasion for describing the Lord of the Universe and His attributes? In order to appreciate this one should rehearse the discourse beginning with( verse 243) and continuing up to this point. In this discourse the believers were urged to strive with their lives and belongings to establish the true faith and were warned to get rid of the weaknesses which had characterized the conduct of the Israelites. A fundamental fact about war – that victory and success do not depend upon superiority in either numbers or weapons – was then indicated. They depend rather on faith, fortitude, discipline and firm resolution. Thereafter the Divine wisdom underlying fighting was disclosed, namely that God removes one set of people by means of another in order to maintain the good administration of the world. For were one group’s dominance to be assured in perpetuity, the lives of all other human beings mould become miserable.

This was followed by the clarification of a misunderstanding which often arises in the minds of ignorant people. This misunderstanding arose from the false assumption that God had sent His Prophets so that all diversity and disagreement might come to an end. The people who accepted this premise, however, saw considerable diversity and disagreement, and were aware that falsehood existed side by side with Truth. They were agitated by the thought that this state of affairs might suggest helplessness on God’s part, that He had failed to stamp out the evils He wanted to. In reply to this it was pointed out that it was not God’s will to compel all human beings to follow one and the same way. Had it been so, man could not have deviated from the course set for him by God. This observation was followed by a passing reference to the subject with which the discourse opened. Finally, the point is made that no matter how many divergent beliefs, viewpoints, ways of life and conduct exist in actual life, the reality underlying the order of the universe is the one stated in this verse, and it remains unaffected by the misconceptions of people. On the other hand, however, it is not God’s purpose to compel people to accept it. Whoever accepts it will find it to his own benefit; whoever rejects it, will find the result harmful.

يٰۤـاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اَنۡفِقُوۡا مِمَّا رَزَقۡنٰكُمۡ مِّنۡ قَبۡلِ اَنۡ يَّاۡتِىَ يَوۡمٌ لَّا بَيۡعٌ فِيۡهِ وَلَا خُلَّةٌ وَّلَا شَفَاعَةٌ ​ ؕ وَالۡكٰفِرُوۡنَ هُمُ الظّٰلِمُوۡنَ‏﴿2:254﴾

(2:254) O you who believe! Spend out of what We have provided you²⁷⁶ before there comes a Day when there will be no buying and selling, nor will friendship and intercession be of any avail. Indeed those who disbelieve are the wrong-doers.²⁷⁷

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Notes

276. This means spending in the way of God. The instruction given here is that those who have adopted the cause of the true faith should undertake financial sacrifices for its sake. 

277. Here the expression ‘they who disbelieve’ signifies either those who refused to obey God and held their property to be clearer than God’s good pleasure, or those who did not believe in the Day of which they had been warned, or those who cherished the false i11usion that in the Hereafter they would somehow be able to secure their salvation and that their association with men devoted to God would stand them in good stead for they would intercede with God on their behalf.

تِلۡكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلۡنَا بَعۡضَهُمۡ عَلٰى بَعۡضٍ​ۘ مِنۡهُمۡ مَّنۡ كَلَّمَ اللّٰهُ​ وَرَفَعَ بَعۡضَهُمۡ دَرَجٰتٍ​ؕ وَاٰتَيۡنَا عِيۡسَى ابۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ الۡبَيِّنٰتِ وَاَيَّدۡنٰهُ بِرُوۡحِ الۡقُدُسِ​ؕ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ مَا اقۡتَتَلَ الَّذِيۡنَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَتۡهُمُ الۡبَيِّنٰتُ وَلٰـكِنِ اخۡتَلَفُوۡا فَمِنۡهُمۡ مَّنۡ اٰمَنَ وَمِنۡهُمۡ مَّنۡ كَفَرَ​ؕ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ مَا اقۡتَتَلُوۡا وَلٰـكِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَفۡعَلُ مَا يُرِيۡدُ‏﴿2:253﴾

(2:253) And these Messengers (who have been designated to guide people), We have exalted some of them above the others. Among them are such as were spoken to by Allah Himself, and some He exalted in other respects. And We granted Jesus, son of Mary, Clear Signs and supported him with the spirit of holiness. Had He willed, those who had seen these Clear Signs would not have fought one another thereafter. But (it was not the will of Allah to prevent people from disagreement by compulsion, hence) they differed among themselves whereby some attained faith and others denied the Truth. Yet had Allah so willed they would not have fought one another. Allah does whatever He wills.²⁷⁵

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Notes

275. The main cause of the differences which arose after people had received true knowledge through the Prophets, and which were even aggravated into feuds and wars, is not that God was helpless, and lacked the power to put an end to the fighting. Had He willed so, no one would have had the power to defy the teachings of the Prophets, to take the course of disbelief and rebellion against Him, and to spread mischief and corruption in His world. But it was not His will to deprive human beings of their free-will and choice, and to compel them to follow a particular course. He has created human beings on earth in order to test them and hence endowed them with the freedom to choose from the various alternative courses of belief and action. 

God did not appoint the Prophets as policemen to force people to faith and obedience. He sent them, instead, with reasonable arguments and clear signs in order to invite people to righteousness. Hence the cause of all the differences and wranglings and fighting which took place was that people, in exercising the free-will granted to them by God, followed divergent courses. In short, people follow divergent ways precisely because of God’s omnipotent will that men should have a choice. It would be a grave misunderstanding to hold that people follow different paths because God failed to persuade people to follow the path which He wanted them to choose.

تِلۡكَ اٰيٰتُ اللّٰهِ نَـتۡلُوۡهَا عَلَيۡكَ بِالۡحَـقِّ​ؕ وَاِنَّكَ لَمِنَ الۡمُرۡسَلِيۡنَ‏ ﴿2:252﴾

(2:252) These are the Signs of Allah which We recite to you in Truth, for indeed you are one of those entrusted with the Message. 

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Notes