In the Shade of the Qur'an - Surah # 98
In the Shade of the Qur'an - Surah # 98
Syed Qutb
THE CLEAR PROOF
AL BAYYINAH
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Those who disbelieve among the people of the earlier revelations and the polytheists could have never departed (from
their erring ways) until there had come to them the Clear Proof: A Messenger from Allah reciting purified
pages, containing books of high value and importance. Nor were the people of the earlier revelations divided until
the Clear Proof had been given to them. Yet they are ordered to do nothing more than to serve Allah,
to worship Him alone with sincerity, and with purity of faith, to attend to their prayers and to pay the purifying
alms (zakat). That is surely the faith of the upright nation. Those who disbelieve among the people of
the earlier revelations and the polytheists shall burn forever in the fire of Hell. They are the worst
of all creatures. But those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of all creatures. Their Lord will reward
them with the gardens of Eden underneath which rivers How, where they shall dwell forever. Allah is
well pleased with them and they with Him. This is the reward of the god fearing.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
As stated in our copies of the Qur'an and according to the greater number of reports,
this surah is a Medinan revelation. There are, however, some reports which classify it as Makkan. Although its classification
as Medinan carries more weight in view of these reports and its mode of expression and style, yet the possibility of its
being Makkan cannot be ruled out. The fact that it mentions "the purifying alms" (zakat) and "the people of earlier
revelations" is not clear cut argument against the Makkan possibility. Some surahs which are indisputably Makkan mention
the people of earlier revelations. Also, there were some of these people in Makka; some of them adopted Islam and some
did not. Moreover the Christians from Najran came to the Prophet when he was still in Makka, and they accepted the Islamic
faith, as it is known. Moreover, "zakat" or "the purifying alms" is mentioned in some Makka surahs.
This surah deals
in a positive manner with a number of facts relat- ing to history and faith. The first fact is that the sending of the
Mess- enger, Muhammad (peace be on him), was essential to the transformation of those of the people of the earlier revelations
and the polytheists who had ended up in disbelief. They could not have departed from their erring ways without thc help
of this prophetic mission: " Those who disbelieve among the people of the earlier revel- ations and the polytheists
could have never departed (from their erring ways) until there had come to them the Clear Proof: a Messenger from Allah
reciting purified pages containing books of high value and import- ance.
The second fact is that religious discord
and conflict among the people of the earlier revelations did not arise out of their ignorance of, or from any obscurity
or ambiguity in, their religion. On the con- trary, they ran into discord after they had received true knowledge and
the clear proof: "Nor were the people of the earlier revelations divided until the Clear Proof had been given to them.
"
The third fact is that, in regard to its origin, religion is one. Its fun- damentals are simple and clear and
do not, by themselves and by their plain and easy nature, make for divisions or conflicts: " Yes they are ordered to
do nothing more than to serve Allah, to worship Him alone with sincerity and with purity of faith, to attend to their prayers
and to pay the stated alms. That is surely the faith of the upright nation. "
The fourth fact is that those who
disbelieved after receiving the clear proof are the worst creatures of all, while those who believe and do good deeds
are the best creatures. Hence the rewards of the two types are totally different: " Those who disbelieve among the people
of the earlier revelations and the polytheists shall burn forever in the fire of Hell. They are the worst of all creatures.
But those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of all creatures. Their Lord will reward them with the gardens
of Eden underneath which rivers flow, where they shall dwell for ever. Allah is well pleased with them and they with Him. This
is the reward of the godfearing.
All these four facts are greatly valuable for the full understanding of the role
of the Islamic ideology which is the final Divine message, as well as for the formulation of one's concepts of faith.
Those who disbelieve among the people of the earlier revelations and the polytheists could have never departed (from
their erring ways) until there had come to them the Clear Proof: a Messenger from Allah reciting purified
pages, containing books of high value and import- ance.
The world was terribly in need of a new message.
Corruption had spread around the whole world to the extent that there was no hope of reform except by means of a new
message, a new method of orien- tation and a new movement. Disbelief crept into and became the characteristic of all
creeds and doctrines whether those of the people of earlier revelations (i.e. the Jews and the Christians) who pre- viously
knew the Divine religions and distorted them or those of the polytheists in the Arabian Peninsula and beyond, all alike.
They were not to turn away trom this disbelief into which they had sunk except by means of this new message and at the
hands of a messenger who would himself be a clear proof, distinctive and specific. "A Messen- ger from Allah reciting
purified pages", that is, purified of all idola- tory and disbelief, "containing books of high value and importance. " The
term "book" is used for reference to the subject discussed, for example, book of purity, book of prayers, book of destiny
and book of resurrection. These pure pages are indeed the Qur'an which contains valuable and important books.
Hence
this message and the messenger came at a perfectly suitable time. These scriptures also came with all that they contain
of books and facts to bring about a far reaching reform of this world. As to how badly the world needed this message
and messenger we shall be content to indicate by quoting some inspiring remarks from the valuable book written by the
Muslim author Sayyid Abul- Hassan Ali Nadwi and entitled "Islam and the World ". This book is the clearest as well as
the briefest that we have read on this subject. The author writes in chapter one:
The sixth Century of the
Christian era, it is generally agreed. represented the darkest phase in the history of our race. Humanity
had reached the edge of the precipice, towards which it had been tragically proceeding for centuries, and there
appeared to be no agency or power in the whole world which could come to its rescuc and save it from crashing
into the abyss of destruction .
In his melancholy progress from God forgetfulness to self- forgetting,
man had lost his moorings. He had grown indifferent to his destiny. The teachings of the prophets had been forgotten:
the lamps that they had kindled either had been put out by the storms of moral anarchy or the light they shed had
become so feeble that it could illumine the hearts of but a few men, most of whom had sought refuge in
passivity and resignation. Having been vanquished in the battle between spiritualism and material- ism,
they had shut themselves up in monasteries or gone into wilderness Such of them as were still left in the whirlpool
of life had aligned themselves with the ruling classes of their lands. They helped them in the satisfaction
of their sensual desires and in the maintenance of unjust political and economic systems and co- operated
with them in reaping unlawful benefits out oi the wealth of the people ...
Great religions became
playthings in the hands of debased ecclesiastics who corrupted and twisted them beyond recognition, so
much so that if it were possible for their founders to return to the physical life, they could not have recognised
them. In con- sequence of the moral debasement of the great centres of civilisation and general disorder
and unrest, people everywhere got entangled in their internal problems. They had no message to offer to the
world The world had become hollow from within; its life-springs had dried up. It possessed neither the light of
religious guidance for their personal conduct nor any abiding and rational principles for running a state.
This
outlines briefly the condition of mankind and religions just before the advent of Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). The Qur'an
refers in various parts to the aspects of this disbelief which spread amongst the people of the earlier revelations as
well as the polytheists. Among these references to the Jews and Christians are: "The Jews say. 'Ezra is the son of Allah"
[1], and the Christians say. ' the Messiah is the son of Allah" and "The Jews say, 'the Christians follow nothing true',
and the Christians say. 'the Jews follow nothing true'." [2] The Qur'an also refers to the Jews: "The Jews have said, 'Allah
's hand is fettered '. Fettered are their hands, and cursed they are f or what they say. His hands are outspread: He bestows
as He wills." [3] It says about the Christians: "They are surely disbelievers who say, 'Allah is the Messiah, son of
Mary" [4] and, "They are surely disbe- lievers who say, "Allah is one of a trinity" [5] The Qur'an also speaks about
the polytheists: "Say: "Disbelievers! I do not worship what you worship. Nor do you worship what I worship. I shall never
worship what you worship, neither will you worship what I worship. You have your own religion and I have mine'. " [6]
There are many other statements in the Qur'an which support this view.
In addition to this disbelief, there were
backwardness, divisiors, ruin as wel I as other evils spread all over the world.
In short there was no nation
on earth with an upright thinking. There was neither a society built on a foundation of morality and virtue,
nor a government based on justice and mercy, nor a leader- ship founded on knowledge and wisdom, nor a true religion
that came through the prophets. [7]
Hence, the Divine grace extended to mankind required that a Messenger
be sent from Him reciting purified scriptures containing valuable and important books. There was no way of putting an end to
the widespread corruption except by the sending of this Messen- ger, the deliverer, the guide and himself the Clear Proof.
Having
made this fact clear at the outset, the surah goes on to state that the people of the earlier revelations in particular
did not experi- ence religious conflicts and divisions as a result of ignorance on their part or confusion or complicaiion
on the part of their religion. Their divisions occurred after the true knowledge and the clear signs of their religion
were delivered to them through the Messengers sent to them: "Nor were the people of the earlier revelations divided unril
the Clear Proof had been given to them."
The first division was among the Jews who split into sects and groups
before the prophethood of Jesus. Although their prophet was Moses and the Torah was their book, they split up into five
main sects, namely, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the Asians, the Extrem- ists and the Samaritans. Each had their own
characteristics and their own ways. Later on the division between the Jews and the Christians took place in spite of
the fact that Jesus is the last prophet sent to the Children of Israel. He came to endorse the Torah and confirm it. Nevertheless,
the quarrel between the Jews and the Christians reached the level of violent enmity and wicked hatred. History tells us
about the horrifying massacres that took place between the two parties.
The mutual jealousy and hatred between
the Christians and the Jews, which did not permit them to forego any opportunity of set- tling an old
score was brought to its climax towards the close of the sixth century. In 610 A.D. the Jews of Antioch rebelled
against the Christians, and the Emperor Phocas sent his famous general Bon- osus to put down the uprising,
who set about his business with such enthusiasm that the whole of the Jewish population was wiped out.
Thousands of Jews perished by the sword, while hun- dreds of them were drowned or burnt alive or thrown to the wild
beasts. [8]
This was repeated again and again between the Jews and the Christians. Al-Maqrizi says
in his Book of Plans (Al Khitat), "During the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Phocas, Chosroes, the Shah
of Persia, dispatched his armies to Syria and Egypt. They destroyed the churches of Jerusalem, Palestine and the
rest of the Syrian land. They wiped out all the Christians and pursued them to Egypt, where they slaughtered
them in large numbers and enslaved an unimaginable number. The Jews helped them in fighting the Christians
and destroying their churches. They poured from all directions to help the Persians and came from Tiberia, the Mount
of Galilee, Nazareth village and the City of Tyre and all around Jerusalem. They committed all sorts of atrocities
against the Christians, organised ghastly massacres, destroyed two Christian churches in Jerusalem, burnt
their places, stole a piece of the pillar of the Cross and captured the Patriarch of Jerusalem and a great
many of his friends and companions ..." Al-Maqrizi goes on to relate the Persian conquest of Egypt; then he writes:
"At that time, the Jews in the City of Tyre rebelled and sent messengers from among themselves to other
cities and towns and all agreed to lay a trap for the Christians and kill them. A war broke out between the
Jews and Christians in which the number of the Jews was around 20,000. They destroyed the Christian churches around
Tyre. But the Christians surrounded them and raised much greater numbers, so the Jews suffered a ghastly
defeat and a great number of them were killed. At the time Heraclius ascended to power in Con- stantinople.
He defeated the Persians by setting a trap for the Shah, who left him eventually and went away. Then he marched
from Constantinople to re-establish his authority over Syria and Egypt and to renew what the Persians had destroyed.
The Jews from Tiberia and other places went out to meet him. They pre- sented him with precious gifts
and begged him to guarantee their security and to take an oath to this effect. He granted their request.
He went on to Jerusalem where he was received by the Christian population holding up their Bibles, crosses, and
incense, and burn- ing candles. He was very much displeased at seeing the city and its churches destroyed.
He expressed his sorrow to the local Chris- tians who told him about the uprising by the Jews and their siding
with the Persians, the massacre of the Christians and the destruc- tion of their churches. They told Heraclius to
level a blow to the Jews but he protested that he had already guaranteed their security and had taken
an oath to that effect. Their monks, cardinals and priests gave their judgement that the killing of the Jews was
justi- fiable on the grounds that they had played a trick in order to win that assurance from him before
he knew what they had done. The clergy also pledged to atone for Heraclius' oath by committing themselves
and all Christians to fast a certain Friday every year for the rest of time. Thus he leaned to their argument and
wreaked such a savage vengeance upon the Jews that in the Byzantine prov- inces of Syria and Egypt those
alone could save themselves who could take to flight or go into hiding.
These reports give us an idea about
the degree of savagery the two parties, the Christians and the Jews, had reached, their watch- ing for a chance to strike
against the enemy and their heeding no rules in all that. [9]
Then divisions and differences broke out amongst the
Christians themselves in spite of the fact that their book is one and their messen- ger is one. They were divided first
in matters of faith; then they split up into hostile and warring sects. The differences were concerned with the nature
of Jesus and whether he had a Divine or a human nature, and with the nature of Mary, his mother, and also with the nature
of the Trinity which constitutes God, as they claim. The Qur'an relates two or three of their sayings on these issues:
"They are surely disbelievers who say. 'Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary'" [10], "They are surely disbelievers who
say: 'Allah is one of a trinity'" [11] and, "Allah said: 'Jesus, son of Mary! Did you eversay to people. " Worship me
and my mother as gods beside Allah "? [12]
The most violent of doctrinal divisions was that which erupted between
the Byzantine State and the Christians of Syria and the Christians of Egypt, or, in a more accurate definition, the Melkites and
the Monophysites. The main dispute was over the alleged combination of the Divine and the human natures in Jesus. The Melkite
Christians of Syria held that he was both Divine and human, while the Monophysites of Egypt insisted upon his being truiy
Divine, the human part of his nature having lost itself in the Divine as a drop of vinegar loses its identity in the ocean.
The dis- pute between the two parties became much stronger in the sixth and seventh centuries so that it looked as if
it was a ceaseless war between two rival religions, or a dispute between Jews and Christians. Every group kept saying
to the other that its stand was without foundation.
Emperor Heraclius (610 641) tried after his victory over the Persians
in 638 to reconcile the contending creeds in his state and to unite them by compromise. This compromise took the shape
of a general ban on indulging in any argument on the nature of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and whether he had a single
or dual nature. But everyone had to accept the doctrine of a single energy in Christ. [13] Agreement on this was established
at the beginning of 631, and thus the Menothelian creed was declared the official creed of the state and all those of
its populations who belonged to the Christian church. Heraclius was determined to give the new creed overall supremacy,
and he utilised all means for this end. But the Copts disputed his authority and declared their totai re- jection of
this innovation and deviation. They took the opposing stand and sacrificed their all for their old faith. The Emperor tried once
again to unite all the creeds and settle the differences. He was content that people should accept that there is a single
will for Christ.' As for the other issue, namely, the realisation of that will by action, he deferred taking a stand
on it altogether. He also banned all people from indulging in arguments and debates on these issues. He included all
that in an official message which he delivered to all parts of the Eastern world. But the message failed to end the
storm. Instead, brutal persecution was administered by the Emperor in Egypt for ten years which witnessed what would send
a shiver of terror into any mortal being. Men were tortured savagely before being put to death by drowning. Big torches
were lit and directed to the miserable prisoners until the fat ran from both sides of their bodies to the floor. Prisoners
were put in sacks which were then filled with sand and thrown into the sea. These and other ghastly brutalities were
committed. [13]
All these disputes among the people of earlier revelations took place after "the Clear Proof had
been given to them". They were not lacking in knowledge and proof, but they were blindly driven by their desires into
deviation.
Yet religion is clear in its original form and the faith is simple in its essence: " Yet they are ordered
nothing more than to serve Allah, to worship Allah alone with sincerity, and with purity of faith, to attend to their
prayers and to pay the purifying alms (zakat). Thal is surely the faith of the upright nation. " This is the basis of the
Divine religion through- out the ages and in all its forms. It is simply the worship of Allah alone, sincere and pure
submission to Him, detachment from poly- theism and the polytheists, the establishment of regular worship and payment
of the prescribed alms: " That is surely the jaith of the upright nation.' It is a pure and sincere faith in the heart,
worship of the Divine Being which is a translation of this faith, and spending money for the cause of Allah as He has
stated. He who fulfils these injunc- tions has met the requirements of faith, as the people of the carlier revelations
were commanded to do, and as these requirements are outlined in all the forms of the Divine religion. It is one religion,
the same faith in all the successive messages and as preached by the suc- cessive messengers of Allah. It is a religion
free from all ambiguity and complication; a faith which gives no reason for division and dis- pute. It is very clear
and very simple. How completely different this religion is from those complicated and confusing concepts and from those
lengthy polemics.
Since clear proof has been given to them formerly in their own re- ligions through their own prophets,
and since clear proof had been given to them again, full of life, in the form of a Messenger from Allah reciting purified
pages, and offering them a clear and simple faith, then the true path becomes very clear. So does the destiny of the
disbelievers, and that of the believers: "Those who disbelieve among the people of the earlier revelations and the polytheists
shall burnforever in the fire of Hell; they are the worst of all creatures. But those who believe and do righteous deeds
are the best of all creatures. Their Lord will reward them with the gardens of Eden underneath which rivers flow where
they shall dwell forever. Allah is well pleased with them and they with Him. This is the reward of the godfearing."
Muhammad
(peace be on him) was the last messenger, and Islam, which he preached, the final message. Messengers from Allah came successively
every time corruption spread in the world. Their objec- tive was to make mankind return to righteousness. Those who deviated
from the right path had one chance after another to correct their behaviour. But now that Allah has willed to close His
messages to earth by this final, comprehensive, perfect and accomplished mes- sage, then the last chance has been given.
It is either the adoption of faith and salvation, or the denial of faith and destruction. For disbe- lief now is an
established evidence of unlimited evil, while accepting the faith is proof of goodness which goes to its absolute end.
"Those
who disbelieve among the people of the earlier revelations and the polytheists shall burn forever in the fire of Hell.
They are the worst of all creatures." It is a clear and absolute verdict which gives no room for argument of dispute.
It is applicable even if some of their actions, values or systems were good, since these are not based on be- lieving
in this final message and final messenger. No appearance of goodness will make us entertain even the slightest doubt in
this judgement, since this apparent goodness is detached from the up- right method of living laid down by Allah.
"Those
who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of all crea- tures. " This is also an absolute verdict that makes for no
dispute or argument. Its condition is also clear, free from any ambiguity or de- ception. The condition is faith, not
merely being born in a land which claims to be Islamic, or in a family which claims to belong to Islam. Neither is it
a few words which one repeats again and again. It is the acceptance of faith which establishes its effects on the actual
life, "and do righteous deeds. " It is entirely different from the words that go no further than the lips. As for the
"righteous deeds", these are everything Allah has commanded to be done in matters of worship, behaviour, action and
day-to-day dealings. The first and most im- portant of these 'righteous deeds " is the establishment of Allah's law on
this planet, and the government of people according to what Allah has legislated. Those who act accordingly are the best
creatures of all .
"Their Lord will reward them with the gardens oJ Eden underneath which riversflow, where they
shall dwell forever. " These gardens are a specially prepared, permanent and happy dwelling. The happiness is symbolised
here by security against death and by the prevalent feel- ing of contentment as against the feelings of anxiety which mar
and disrupt all earthly comforts. It is also symbolised by the rivers flow- ing underneath these gardens; a picture
which adds a sense of ease, life and beauty.
The surah then adds some refined touches to the picture it portrays of
their perpetual happiness: "Allah is well pleased with them and they with him." This pleasure of Allah with them is much
more exalted and far more enjoyable than any happiness. Moreover, in their inmost souls they feel their pleasure with
their Lord. They are well pleased with the destiny He has set for them, delighted with the grace He has granted them,
enchanted with this relationship with their Lord. It is a pleasure which fills the heart and soul with security and contentment
as well as delight and happiness, deep and pure. It is an expression which suggests unique connotations: "Allah is well pleased
with them and they with him. "
"This is the reward of the godfearing. " This is the final assertion. It stresses
that all that has been said is dependent on the nature of the relationship between man's heart and Allah. It also depends
on man's having a feeling Of Allah which urges him to all sorts of good deeds and militates against all sorts of deviation.
It is a feeling which removes the barriers, lifts the curtains and makes man's heart stand bare before Allah, the One,
the All Powerful. It is a feeling which helps make worship and submission to Allah pure and purges human actions from
all elements of hypocrisy and polytheism. in all norms. So he who truly fears his Lord cannot allow his heart to en- tertain
the slightest shred of influence by any being other than Allah. the Creator of all beings. Such a man knows that Allah
rejects any deed by which the doer seeks any being beside Allah. For Allah is in no need of partners. Every action must
be pure for Him or else He rejects it.
1. 9:30 2. 2:113 3. 5:64 4. 5:72 5. 5:73 6. 109:1-6 7.
Abul Hasan Ali NAdwi, Islam and the World. 8. Ibid. pp. 17-18 9. Ibid pp. 9-11 10 5:72 11 5:73 12 5:116 13
Nadwi, Ibid, pp. 3-5
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