4. An-Nisaa

A man steals something, but when faced with the possibility of getting caught, he hides it in someone else’s house. He then raises the alarm that so and so has committed a theft. Similarly, a man may intend to outrage the modesty of a woman, but when that pious woman does not relent, he defames her with all sorts of fabricated stories. Again, two persons start a business in partnership. After some time, one of them feels that his personal interests are being harmed in the venture and, therefore, manages to get it closed down, putting the blame on his partner. All such activities are deliberate efforts to implicate others in order to lay the blame at their door. But these misdemeanours only increase the guilt of the person concerned; they do not absolve him of his responsibility. To such wrongdoers God gives the opportunity to reform; through His immense bounty they are advised to accept their faults without argument, not to be arrogant in their dealings because of the strength of their supporters, but to remain humble out of fear for God, and if there happens to be any chance of retaliation, not to exult, but to pray that God may save them from becoming tyrants.

A man steals something, but when faced with the possibility of getting caught, he hides it in someone else’s house. He then raises the alarm that so and so has committed a theft. Similarly, a man may intend to outrage the modesty of a woman, but when that pious woman does not relent, he defames her with all sorts of fabricated stories. Again, two persons start a business in partnership. After some time, one of them feels that his personal interests are being harmed in the venture and, therefore, manages to get it closed down, putting the blame on his partner. All such activities are deliberate efforts to implicate others in order to lay the blame at their door. But these misdemeanours only increase the guilt of the person concerned; they do not absolve him of his responsibility. To such wrongdoers God gives the opportunity to reform; through His immense bounty they are advised to accept their faults without argument, not to be arrogant in their dealings because of the strength of their supporters, but to remain humble out of fear for God, and if there happens to be any chance of retaliation, not to exult, but to pray that God may save them from becoming tyrants.

The issuing of a genuine call to the truth amounts to the establishment of God’s balance of justice on the earth. Everyone feels that he is being weighed in its scale. Such a call removes the veneer from man and leaves him as he actually is. This state of affairs is so hard upon those who are thus exposed that they become infuriated to an extreme degree. The preacher of God’s word has to bear the brunt of this. People who find themselves valueless in the scales of truth are overcome with feelings of haughtiness and pride. They lose no time in opposing and obstructing any move that casts doubt on their being lovers of the truth. They spread all kinds of rumours against the call and the caller. They dissuade others from extending any financial help to the dayees. They relentlessly try to discourage God’s servants from rallying around the conveyor of the divine message by creating doubts about his message. On the other hand, to those who have kept their consciences alive, God gives the ability to surrender before the preacher of God’s word, to extend their full support to him and mould their lives in accordance with his guidance. For them their God-given faculty of speech is used to openly acknowledge the truth; they urge people to expend their time and wealth on that mission, they encourage people to use their energies in charity and welfare activities and strive to persuade them to extinguish personal enmities and grievances. The acknowledgement of truth awakens a positive psychology within them as a natural result of which they feel disposed to engage in positive activities.

The issuing of a genuine call to the truth amounts to the establishment of God’s balance of justice on the earth. Everyone feels that he is being weighed in its scale. Such a call removes the veneer from man and leaves him as he actually is. This state of affairs is so hard upon those who are thus exposed that they become infuriated to an extreme degree. The preacher of God’s word has to bear the brunt of this. People who find themselves valueless in the scales of truth are overcome with feelings of haughtiness and pride. They lose no time in opposing and obstructing any move that casts doubt on their being lovers of the truth. They spread all kinds of rumours against the call and the caller. They dissuade others from extending any financial help to the dayees. They relentlessly try to discourage God’s servants from rallying around the conveyor of the divine message by creating doubts about his message. On the other hand, to those who have kept their consciences alive, God gives the ability to surrender before the preacher of God’s word, to extend their full support to him and mould their lives in accordance with his guidance. For them their God-given faculty of speech is used to openly acknowledge the truth; they urge people to expend their time and wealth on that mission, they encourage people to use their energies in charity and welfare activities and strive to persuade them to extinguish personal enmities and grievances. The acknowledgement of truth awakens a positive psychology within them as a natural result of which they feel disposed to engage in positive activities.

Opposition to the call of truth and victimization of the followers of the giver of that call are unforgivable offences in the eyes of God. While all other sinful acts may have been committed out of human weakness, the act of opposing the call of Truth is entirely due to insolence and haughtiness: insolence and rebellion are crimes that God will not forgive unless man confesses his mistakes and gives up his rebellious stance. Whenever the call of truth is brought to people in its pure and original form (without making concessions to people’s whims and wishes) it always is a divine mission supported by the special succour of God. To oppose such a mission is to stand in opposition to God Almighty. And can any individual succeed if he takes a stand against God? One who firmly believes in God has his actions rooted in Him. He may err occasionally but, when he turns to God, he rejoins his real roots. On the other hand, one who has associated himself with anyone besides God, is as if deprived of the true base in this universe. An individual who has not established his roots in the one God may perform some good actions, but such actions do not emanate from the divine source; they have only a surface value and are easily nullified by the slightest jolt. That is why a good action based in monotheism unfolds its results in the Hereafter, whereas that based in polytheism is swept away in this world itself.

Man’s real challenge in this world is from Satan. Though Satan has no real power, he can lure human beings with fanciful promises to fulfil wishful, imaginary desires and thus manage to make them deviate from the straight path of truth. Satan’s way of misguiding is of two main types: one is superstition and the other is interference in God’s creation. Faith in superstition means expectation of such results from something as have no relation with that thing. For instance, on the basis of self-styled suppositions, one may believe that someone other than God is the controller of the affairs of the world, while it is a well-established fact that no one enjoys any power save God. Superstition can also take the form of being fully involved in worldly activities and then, by wishful thinking, hoping to achieve success in the Hereafter without having worked hard for it.

Man’s real challenge in this world is from Satan. Though Satan has no real power, he can lure human beings with fanciful promises to fulfil wishful, imaginary desires and thus manage to make them deviate from the straight path of truth. Satan’s way of misguiding is of two main types: one is superstition and the other is interference in God’s creation. Faith in superstition means expectation of such results from something as have no relation with that thing.

Man’s real challenge in this world is from Satan. Though Satan has no real power, he can lure human beings with fanciful promises to fulfil wishful, imaginary desires and thus manage to make them deviate from the straight path of truth. Satan’s way of misguiding is of two main types: one is superstition and the other is interference in God’s creation. Faith in superstition means expectation of such results from something as have no relation with that thing.

Man’s real challenge in this world is from Satan. Though Satan has no real power, he can lure human beings with fanciful promises to fulfil wishful, imaginary desires and thus manage to make them deviate from the straight path of truth. Satan’s way of misguiding is of two main types: one is superstition and the other is interference in God’s creation. Faith in superstition means expectation of such results from something as have no relation with that thing.