(6:155 &156) Quran is Allah's proof against it's creation
The word Mubarak has been used for the Qur’an this denotes that it has many blessings. It gathers everything in it. It has details, mercy, guidance and abundant benefits. All characteristics in one.
The Ayah calls to following the Qur’an. Allah encourages His servants to follow His Book (the Qur’an) and orders them to understand it, adhere to it and call to it. He also describes it as being blessed, for those who follow and implement it in this life and the Hereafter, because it is the Firm Rope of Allah.
A person who recites and understands the meaning of the Qur’an is happier than a person who doesn’t recite it.
Then Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala gives the reason for sending the Qur’an. The People of the Book had their Books which were written in their language. They would recite it among themselves and not share the knowledge with others that is the Arabs. The Arabs didn’t know Hebrew. Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala sent a Book towards the Arabs that was in “their” language [Arabic] so that on the Day of Judgment they don’t come up with the excuse, “We were not given a Book,” or that “The Book was not in our tongue,” or that “We were unaware of the message” or even “We didn’t know there is a Book that is to be read, understood and taught”.
(6:157) Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala also refuted this excuse, had they used it, that if a Book was revealed to us, just as the People of the Book received, we would have been better guided than them because our sharpness or intellect. The Arabs were proud of their memory and comprehension.
Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala now there has come to you from Me a Glorious Qur’an revealed to Muhammad, the Arab Prophet. In it is the explanation of the lawful and unlawful matters, guidance for the hearts and mercy from Allah to His servants who follow and implement it. It’s up to you whether you accept it or reject it.
If you reject it “Then who is more unjust than one who denies the Ayaat of Allah and turns away from them?” This refers to the ones who neither benefit from what the Messenger [sallAllahu `alayhi wa sallam] brought nor followed what he was sent with by abandoning all other ways.
The word Sadafa means to avoid something or to turn away from something. The ones who didn’t accept the Qur’an not only turned away from the Qur’an themselves but also discouraged and hindered people from following it.
(6:158) The disbelievers await the commencement of the Hereafter.
Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala sternly threatens the disbelievers, those who defy His Messengers, deny His Ayaat, and hinder from His path. Are these people waiting to believe only when the angels of death reach them, or are they waiting to be on the plains of Resurrection when Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala will come to decide destinies, or are they waiting to see some last signs of the coming of the fateful Day. That the Most Exalted Rabb of all shall appear on the Judgment Day has been mentioned in several Ayaat of the Qur’an.
About the coming of the signs, Ibn Katheer writes before the commencement of the Day of Resurrection, there will appear signs and portents of the Last Hour that will be witnessed by the people living at the time. In a section about this Ayah, Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Huraira radhiAllahu `anhu said that the Messenger of Allah said,
لَا تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا فَإِذَا رَآهَا النَّاسُ آمَنَ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَذَلِكَ حِين“The Last Hour will not commence until the sun rises from the west. When the people witness that, they will all believe. This is when: ‘no good will it do to a person to believe then, if he believed not before.’”
Ibn Jareer recorded that Abu Huraira said that the Messenger of Allah said,
ثَلَاثٌ إِذَا خَرَجْنَ لَا يَنْفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَانُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ آمَنَتْ مِنْ قَبْل أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِي إِيمَانِهَا خَيْرًا، طُلُوعُ الشَّمْسِ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا وَالدَّجَّالُ وَدَابَّةُ الْأَرْض“Three, if they appear, then a soul will not benefit from its faith, if it had not believed before or earned good in its faith: when the sun rises from the west, Ad-Dajjal and the Beast of the earth.”
(6:159) Criticizing division in the religion.
Allah sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth so that He makes it victorious and dominant above all religions. His Law is one and does not contain any contradiction or incongruity.
Therefore, those who dispute in the religion, and break up into sects then Allah has purified His Messenger from their ways. What is the correct religion? It was said in Surah al-Hajj Ayah 78, “[It is] the religion of your father, Ibraheem. Allah named you “Muslims” before [in former scriptures] and in this [revelation] that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people.”
All the Messengers have brought the same message of worshipping Allah alone without partners and adhering to the Law of the last Messenger. All other paths are types of misguidance, ignorance, sheer opinion and desires, and as such, the Messengers are free from them. All the previous nations were ‘Muslims’ then they deviated and became Jews, Christians and polytheists. They became so fond of what they have invented that they went out of the true Deen. Therefore, Allah subhanahu wa ta `ala said to the Prophet Muhammad, “You are not [associated] with them in anything.”
Here is a stern warning against making additions in established religion. According to Tafseer Mazhari, included here are the peoples of the past communities as well, those who had abandoned their basic religion and had added to it things on their own – and with them, there are the deviators and innovators of this Ummah too, who keep adding baseless things, on their own, into Islam.
About this, the Prophet salAllahu `alayhi wa sallam said, “My Ummah will face the same conditions faced by the Bani Isra`eel. The kind of evil practices in which they got involved will also affect the people of my Ummah. The Bani Isra`eel had split into seventy two sects. My Ummah will break up into seventy three sects – all of them will go to Hell, except one.” The Sahabahs asked about the group which would be so blessed with salvation. He said, “Maa ana `alayhi wa ashabi.” Meaning that on which I am and my Companions. [Reported by At-Tirmidhi and Abu Daw`oud from Ibn `Umar]
Based on a narration from Al-`Irbad ibn Siriyah, Imam Ahmad, Abu Daw`oud, At-Tirmidhi and others have reported the Prophet said,
“Those who live after me will see many differences. Therefore, (I order you that) you should, abiding by my Sunnah and the Sunnah of my rightly guided successors strictly, keep doing what you do while adhering to nothing but these, avoid the temptation of falling for new methods because everything introduced anew into the religion is Bid`ah, and every Bid`ah is error and straying.”
(6:160) The Good Deed is Multiplied Tenfold, While the Sin is Recompensed with the Same
Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala mentioned His kindness in His decisions and His justice on the Day of Resurrection.
In the previous Ayah the punishments were stated for those who turn away from the straight path and the Sunnah of Rasoolullah. Now, Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala mentions the procedure of reward and punishment in the Hereafter. It has been said that a person who does one good deed will get ten times more in return – and a person who commits one sin, the return for him will be equal to that one sin.
There are several ahadeeth that are in agreement with the apparent wording of this honorable Ayah. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah said about his Lord,
إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ رَحِيمٌ مَنْ هَمَّ بِحَسَنَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كُتِبَتْ لَهُ حَسَنَةً فَإِنْ عَمِلَهَا كُتِبَتْ لَهُ عَشْرًا إِلَى سَبْعِمِائَةٍ إِلَى أَضْعَافٍ كَثِيرَةٍ. وَمَنْ هَمَّ بِسَيِّئَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كُتِبَتْ لَهُ حَسَنَةً فَإِنْ عَمِلَهَا كُتِبَتْ لَهُ وَاحِدَةً أَوْ يَمْحُوهَا اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَلَا يَهْلِكُ عَلَى اللهِ إِلَّا هَالِك
“Your Lord is Most Merciful. Whoever intends to perform a good deed and does not do it, it will be written for him as a good deed. If he performs it, it will be written for him as ten deeds, to seven hundred, to multifold. Whoever intends to commit an evil deed, but does not do it, it will be written for him as a good deed. If he commits it, it will be written for him as a sin, unless Allah erases it. Only those who deserve destruction will be destroyed by Allah.”[Al-Bukhari, Muslim and An-Nasa’i also recorded this hadeeth]
While Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala will recompense for a good deed ten times, seven hundred times or even more but for bad deed He will only recorded as one bad deen which too can be erased by true repentance and enthusiasm to do more good deed. This tells us how merciful Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala is.
(6:161) Islam is the straight path
Allah commands His Prophet salAllahu `alayhi wa sallam to convey the news of being guided to Allah’s straight path. Notice that the Ayah says, إِنَّنِى هَدَانِى رَبِّى إِلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ “Indeed, my Lord has guided me to a straight path,” meaning that he has not taken this path prompted by his own ideas or under the weight of ancestral customs but rather he was guided to this path by his Rabb. Those whoseek guidance will be guided by Him.
This path is neither wicked, nor deviant. It is established on firm grounds and the way of Prophet Ibraheem `alayhi salaam, and he was not an idolator. The reason that Prophet Ibraheem `alayhi salaam was mentioned was that every sect from the Jews, the Christians and the Mushrikeen tried to prove that they were staunch adherents of the religion of Ibraheem. To remove their misgiving it was said that he was ‘Haneef’. He has the distinction of always abstaining from bowing before anyone other than Allah and he had distaste for all kinds of Shirk.
In Surah an-Nahl Ayaat 120 – 123 Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala describes Ibraheem `alayhi salaam in the following manner,
“Indeed, Ibraheem was a [comprehensive] leader, devoutly obedient to Allah, inclining toward truth, and he was not of those who associate others with Allah. [He was] grateful for His favors. Allah chose him and guided him to a straight path. And We gave him good in this world, and indeed, in the Hereafter he will be among the righteous. Then We revealed to you, [O Muhammad], to follow the religion of Ibraheem, inclining toward truth; and he was not of those who associate with Allah.”
In sharp contrast to him, you are all soaked in Shirk. Everyone has taken someone as a partner with Allah. The Jews did with `Uzair radhiAllahu `anhu, the Christians did with Prophet `Eesa `alayhi salaam, and the Mushrikeen are so intelligent that they have made rocks their gods.
(6:162) Command for sincerity in worship.
Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala commands the Prophet to inform the idolators that he opposes them in all that they do. The word nusuk [نُسُك] used in the Ayah means ‘sacrifice’. Everything that one does in Hajj is also called nusuk. The rite of Hajj are known as manasik and the plural is nusuk. This word is also used for `Ibadah or worship of Allah in the absolute sense.
In the Ayah, the Prophet is being told to convey that his rituals are for Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala alone, and he doesn’t associate a partner for Him in worship.
(6:163) Islam is the religion of all Prophets
This ayah again reinforces the concept of Tawheed and ends with the affirmation by the Prophet salAllahu `alayhi wa sallam, “I am the first of the Muslims.”Qatadah said that this means from ‘this Ummah’.
This is a sound meaning, because all Prophets before our Prophet were calling to Islam, which commands worshipping Allah alone without partners.
(6:164) The command to sincerely trust in Allah.
The Prophet salAllahu `alayhi wa sallam says should I take someone/thing else as my god when Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala has created everything. It is He Who protects and saves me and governs all of my affairs. I only trust in Him and go back to Him because He is the Lord of everything, Owner of all things and His is the creation and the decision. This Ayah commands sincerely trusting Allah, while the Ayah before it commands sincerely worshipping Allah alone without partners. These two meanings are often mentioned together in the Qur’an.
Then it was said, “And every soul earns not [blame] except against itself…”thus emphasizing Allah’s reckoning, decision and justice that will occur on the Day of Resurrection. The souls will only be recompensed for their deeds, good for good and evil for evil. No person shall carry the burden of another person, a fact that indicates Allah’s perfect justice.
Meaning, every person will be tied to his evil deeds. But, for those on the right — the believers — the blessing of their good works will benefit their offspring and relatives, as well.
Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala said in Surah at-Tur Ayah 21,“And those who believe and whose offspring follow them in faith, to them shall We join their offspring, and We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in anything,” meaning, We shall elevate their offspring to their high grades in Paradise, even though the deeds of the offspring were less righteous, since they shared faith with them in its general form. He did not decrease the grades of these righteous believers so that those (their offspring and relatives) who have lesser grades, can share the same grades as them. Rather Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala elevated the lesser believers to the grades of their parents by the blessing of their parents’ good works, by His favor and bounty.
Then it was said that the disbelievers will return to their Lord therefore they should work for the Hereafter. Both the believers and disbelievers will be gathered to Allah and He will inform everyone of their deeds and about the matters that people used to dispute about in the life of this world.
Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala ends the Surah by reminding entire mankind that He has assigned everyone various grades. Some are above others while some below others. This has been done so that people can be tried by one another.
(6:165) Allah Made Mankind Dwellers on the earth, Generation After Generation, of Various Grades, in order..
He made us dwell on the earth generation after generation, century after century and offspring after forefathers. He has made us different from each other with regards to provision, conduct, qualities, evilness, shapes, color of skin, and so forth, and He has the perfect wisdom in all this.
Why was this division done? So that Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala could test us in what He has granted us, for Allah tries the rich concerning his wealth and will ask him about how he appreciated it. He also tries the poor concerning his poverty and will ask him about his patience with it.
Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala ends this by saying, “Indeed, your Lord is swift in penalty; but indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful.” This is both discouragement and encouragement, by reminding the believers that Allah is swift in reckoning and punishment with those who disobey Him and defy His Messengers. And then He gives them hope that He is Ghafoor and Raheem for those who take Him as protector and follow His Messengers in the news and commandments they conveyed.
Qur’an often mentions encouragement and discouragement together. When He mentions the Paradise and describes its content, this is His way of calling His servants to Him with encouragement, making them eager for what He has with Him. When He mentions the Fire and its torment and punishment, as well as, the Day of Resurrection and its horrors, it is His way of discouraging His servants from committing the wrong that they do. Sometimes Allah mentions both so that each person is affected by it according to his or her qualities.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,
“If the believer knew Allah’s punishment, no one will hope in entering His Paradise. And if the disbeliever knew Allah’s mercy, no one will feel hopeless of acquiring Paradise. Allah created a hundred kinds of mercy. He sent down one of them to His creation, and they are merciful to each other on that account. With Allah, there remains ninety-nine kinds of mercy.” [Saheeh Muslim, At-Tirmidhi]
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