Surah Al An'aam Notes (69-73)

 (69) Those who fear Allah, keep their duty to Him and avoid evil are not responsible for them (the disbelievers) in any case, but (their duty) is to remind them, that they may avoid that (mockery at the Quran). [The order of this Verse was cancelled (abrogated) by the Verse 4:140].

(6:69) When we see people talk negatively about Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala, we feel guilty that may be we are not doing enough. Here, Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala gives us a comfort that those who had Taqwa are not accountable for what the wrongdoers do. However, it does remain our duty that we should tell them what is right and true which may perhaps help them take the right path.

We have been commanded to avoid and ignore their gatherings so that they become aware of their error and the wrong action that they are doing. Perhaps, they may avoid that behavior and never repeat it again.

 (70)And leave alone those who take their religion as play and amusement, and are deceived by the life of this world. But remind (them) with it (the Quran) lest a person be given up to destruction for that which he has earned, when he will find for himself no protector or intercessor besides Allah, and even if he offers every ransom, it will not be accepted from him. Such are they who are given up to destruction because of that which they have earned. For them will be a drink of boiling water and a painful torment because they used to disbelieve.

 (71)Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Shall we invoke others besides Allah (false deities), that can do us neither good nor harm, and shall we turn on our heels after Allah has guided us (to true Monotheism)? - like one whom the Shayatin (devils) have made to go astray, confused (wandering) through the earth, his companions calling him to guidance (saying): 'Come to us.' " Say: "Verily, Allah's Guidance is the only guidance, and we have been commanded to submit (ourselves) to the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists);

 (72)And to perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat)", and to be obedient to Allah and fear Him, and it is He to Whom you shall be gathered.

(73)It is He Who has created the heavens and the earth in truth, and on the Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) He will say: "Be!", - and it shall become. His Word is the truth. His will be the dominion on the Day when the trumpet will be blown. All-Knower of the unseen and the seen. He is the All-Wise, Well-Aware (of all things).

(6:70) The End of Those Who Mock Religion

In this ayah, Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala narrates the destruction of those who have made their religion an amusement. During the times of the Prophet salAllahu `alayhi wa sallam the idolators of Makkah used to whistle, clap and dance around the Ka`abah. They considered that to be an act of their worship. Today people observe days to visit shrines and temples of dead saint and dance to the beat of the drum. Nasheeds, qawwali and naats are being sung with music and words that denote shirk.

Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala reminds us of the consequences of such acts. 

In the ayah, we have been given two instructions that we should not only avoid the people described above but also act positively and remind them of Allah’s revenge and painful torment by continuing to preach through the Qur’an and keep putting the fear of Allah’s punishment in their hearts.

The word tubsal [تُبْسَلَ] in the ayah has been translated by the mufasireen as“being submissive, being exposed, being recompensed or being reckoned”. This means exposure to destruction, being kept away from all that is good, and being restrained from attaining what is desired. Such people will find no protector or intercessor besides Allah and no compensation will be accepted from them.

Towards the end of the Ayah, Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala gives details of their punishment. Should they continue doing what they were doing, they are bound to fall a victim to their own evil conduct.

The parable of those who revert to disbelief after faith and good deeds.

(6:71) Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala explains by the help of an example that if you revert to disbelief after you believed you are like a man who went with some people on a road, but he lost his way and the devils led him to wander in confusion over the land. Meanwhile, his companions on the road were calling him to come to them saying, ‘Come back to us, for we are on the path.’ But, he refused to go back to them. This is the example of he who follows the devil after recognizing Muhammad [salAllahu `alayhi wa sallam], and Muhammad is the person who is calling the people to the path, and the path is Islam. Such a person doesn’t use his mind and he is perplexed. He is going this way and that way while his friends are calling him to the right path. Such is the state of a person who leaves the path of Allah.

The word is’tahwathu [اسْتَهْوَتْهُ] is from the root letters ha-wau-ya which means“desire or being fond of”. Literally, it means to fall from a height. When something falls from a high point one doesn’t know where it will fall. Is’tahwa is an expression for someone who has been made to lose his way. This description is of a person who is mentally insane. In the Arab culture whenever someone showed psychological problems he was known to be possessed by the devils [this is not always the case but this is what the mushrikeen thought].

A misguided person is baffled and does not know where to go. He follows the devils’ call thinking that is the path of guidance, but by the morning he will find himself destroyed and perhaps they eat him. The devils will then let him wander in a wasteland where he will die of thirst. This is the example of those who follow the false gods that are being worshiped instead of Allah, the Most Honored.

The guidance of Allah given through the Messenger salAllahu `alayhi wa sallam is the only guidance and whatever goes against it is misguidance. Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala says in Surah az-Zumar Ayah 37, “And whomsoever Allah guides, for him there will be none to misguide him.”

(6:72 & 73)  Allah says here, your example, if you revert to disbelief after you believed, is that of a man who went with some people on a road, but he lost his way and the devils led him to wander in confusion over the land. Meanwhile, his companions on the road were calling him to come to them saying, `Come back to us, for we are on the path.' But, he refused to go back to them. This is the example of he who follows the devil after recognizing Muhammad , and Muhammad is the person who is calling the people to the path, and the path is Islam. Muslims are commanded to worship Allah in sincerity to Him alone, without partners and to perform the prayer and to fear Allah in all circumstances,.