7. Al-A'raaf

When Moses came down from the Mountain and saw the Israelites worshipping the golden calf, he held Aaron responsible for this, under the impression that he had neglected his duty as a reformer. Moses caught hold of him in anger but Aaron clarified his position and told him that he had done all he could to show them the right path. But they had not listened to him. So Moses checked himself, and started praying to God for Aaron. Many misunderstandings take place between believers, but after clarification they return to normalcy, just as if no misunderstanding had ever taken place.

This action of the Israelites has been called false representation (iftira). Why was it so called? The reason is that they had committed this wrongful act in the name of Truth. Their case was not of the rejection of truth but of the exploition of Truth in order to gain material benefits. They used to justify such acts in religious terms. Like the polytheists, they said that God had become incarnate in the form of the idol they had made themselves, so they believed that worshipping it was as good as worshipping God. Moreover, Samiri also fabricated a dream, saying that in it he had seen Gabriel and collected a handful of earth from the footprint of his horse and put it in the statue of the calf, which caused a sound to come from its mouth. Samiri and his companions fabricated falsehoods and attributed them to God. Such action amounted to the making of false allegations (iftira) about God. When the People of the Book indulge in such irreligious acts in the name of religion, they incur the wrath of God. Such people are punished not only in the Hereafter but also in this life. As for the Israelites, Moses instructed the leaders of each tribe to find out those who were initially responsible for this wrongdoing. The guilty were thus caught and put to death by their own tribesmen. Only those who, greatly ashamed of their actions, admitted their guilt and sincerely repented, were not punished. The Israelites were punished for their wrongdoing by their own people. However, such punishment is sometimes meted out by other people or communities, especially when they can also inflict humiliation or ignominy. Being truly ashamed of sin is the real essence of repentance (tawbah). This strong feeling of shame is a guarantee that the individual resolves in the innermost recesses of his heart that he will never indulge in such an act in future. When a sinner displays this feeling of shame and proves his determination never to repeat the act in question, it is as if he has embraced the faith afresh. After a period of backsliding, he re-enters the fold of God’s religion.

This action of the Israelites has been called false representation (iftira). Why was it so called? The reason is that they had committed this wrongful act in the name of Truth. Their case was not of the rejection of truth but of the exploition of Truth in order to gain material benefits. They used to justify such acts in religious terms. Like the polytheists, they said that God had become incarnate in the form of the idol they had made themselves, so they believed that worshipping it was as good as worshipping God. Moreover, Samiri also fabricated a dream, saying that in it he had seen Gabriel and collected a handful of earth from the footprint of his horse and put it in the statue of the calf, which caused a sound to come from its mouth. Samiri and his companions fabricated falsehoods and attributed them to God. Such action amounted to the making of false allegations (iftira) about God. When the People of the Book indulge in such irreligious acts in the name of religion, they incur the wrath of God. Such people are punished not only in the Hereafter but also in this life. As for the Israelites, Moses instructed the leaders of each tribe to find out those who were initially responsible for this wrongdoing. The guilty were thus caught and put to death by their own tribesmen. Only those who, greatly ashamed of their actions, admitted their guilt and sincerely repented, were not punished. The Israelites were punished for their wrongdoing by their own people. However, such punishment is sometimes meted out by other people or communities, especially when they can also inflict humiliation or ignominy. Being truly ashamed of sin is the real essence of repentance (tawbah). This strong feeling of shame is a guarantee that the individual resolves in the innermost recesses of his heart that he will never indulge in such an act in future. When a sinner displays this feeling of shame and proves his determination never to repeat the act in question, it is as if he has embraced the faith afresh. After a period of backsliding, he re-enters the fold of God’s religion.

The Book of God is one of guidance and grace. It is the best guide for man in the life of this world and a certain source of God’s grace in the Hereafter. But the Book of God can benefit only those who fear God, who constantly think of how their fate will be decided by God. These are the people who are the real seekers after Truth. So when the Truth comes before them, they accept it without suffering from any psychological complexes. God becomes the centre of their hopes and fears. Their lives and their possessions are all then devoted to God. Their fear of God awakens their consciousness. All barriers are removed from their eyes. They do not fail to recognize God’s signs when these appear before them. In short, they live in fear and not in contentment and complacency.

The making of a calf by the Israelites for the purposes of worship revealed that they did not have that conviction and faith in God that they should have had. So they were called by God to Mount Sinai to which Moses, along with seventy representatives of the Children of Israel, once again went at the appointed time. There God created conditions by means of thunder, lightning and earthquakes such as made them turn to God in total submission. The Children of Israel cried and wailed before God and repented collectively. They vowed that they would truly carry out the commandments of the Torah. On this occasion, Moses prayed, ‘O, my Lord, ordain for us good in this world and in the Hereafter.’ God said, ‘I inflict My punishment on whomsoever I will and My mercy embraces all things.’ Moses’ prayer was for his entire community, in general, but in His reply God made it clear that salvation and success did not depend on belonging to any particular community. This would be decided in respect of every individual on the basis of his deeds. God is the most merciful, yet one who does not perform righteous deeds cannot escape God’s chastisement, irrespective of his belonging to any special group

The making of a calf by the Israelites for the purposes of worship revealed that they did not have that conviction and faith in God that they should have had. So they were called by God to Mount Sinai to which Moses, along with seventy representatives of the Children of Israel, once again went at the appointed time. There God created conditions by means of thunder, lightning and earthquakes such as made them turn to God in total submission. The Children of Israel cried and wailed before God and repented collectively. They vowed that they would truly carry out the commandments of the Torah. On this occasion, Moses prayed, ‘O, my Lord, ordain for us good in this world and in the Hereafter.’ God said, ‘I inflict My punishment on whomsoever I will and My mercy embraces all things.’ Moses’ prayer was for his entire community, in general, but in His reply God made it clear that salvation and success did not depend on belonging to any particular community. This would be decided in respect of every individual on the basis of his deeds. God is the most merciful, yet one who does not perform righteous deeds cannot escape God’s chastisement, irrespective of his belonging to any special group

To the knowledge of the Israelites, whatever prophets had come, had all without exception been from their own community. Now, according to God’s plan the last prophet was to be appointed from the Children of Isma‘il, a fact which God had already conveyed to the Israelites through their prophets. They were given these tidings, so that when the last prophet appeared, they should not have to undergo any great trial, but be able to recognize him readily and rally to his cause. Many predictions on this subject are still extant in their Books. The Prophet Muhammad was unlettered, so that no one might doubt his credibility. If he had been educated, people would have had their doubts that he had invented everything himself, while attributing it to God. Furthermore, according to Jewish tradition, it was predicted in the scriptures that the Final Prophet would be unlettered, so that people would have no difficulty in recognizing him as a prophet of God. The real spirit of religion is the fear of God and concern for the Hereafter. But in the later generations (of a prophet or a reformer) when the inner spirit became less ardent, and the utmost importance was attached to the form, the Prophet Muhammad brought the pure religion, free of all human additions and interpolations. When a prophet appears, the greatest virtue lies in believing in him. But this Faith does not simply mean reciting a few words as if performing a ritual. It, in fact, amounts to abandoning the soulless structure of rituals in favour of a living religion, having direct appeal to human nature. Man’s links with the former religious structure rest simply on the strength of historical traditions and racial customs. But when he accepts a new religion (of a new prophet) it involves a conscious decision on his part. He leaves behind him soulless rituals and opts for the reality. This appears to be a simple matter, but this has proved to be the most difficult step to take in every age. (That is, people find it most difficult to see beyond appearances).

‘Say, “People, I am God’s Messenger to you all,”’ does not mean that all other prophets were sent to their own community while the Prophet Muhammad was sent to all the nations. This statement is not meant to compare one prophet with any other, but is simply a statement of fact. In fact, the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad has two distinct aspects. One is direct and the other through his community, the ‘ummah’. He was sent to convey the divine message directly to people living in Arabia (

6:92

) and he was to convey the message indirectly to the whole world (

22:78

). In principle, this was the nature of the task assigned to all the prophets of God. But the religion brought by other prophets did not remain in its original, pristine condition, hence it was not possible for them to become the givers of good tidings or to warn the people of the consequences of their actions in the life to come, that being the main duty of a prophet. About the Arab Prophet there is a prediction in the Bible that all the tribes of the earth will be blessed through him (Genesis, Ch.

12

) It has been possible for his blessings to reach all nations because the religion brought by him has been preserved in its original state. The religion brought by Moses and Jesus Christ has been distorted. Therefore, its voice may reach everybody, but its blessings will not. A number of Jewish tribes were settled in Arabia, who were proud of having God’s holy Book. Such people resist accepting any external truth. Their feeling that they are in possession of the greatest Truth hinders them from accepting any Truth brought to them by any other. The large majority of the Jews were blinded by obstinacy and prejudice, except for a few people like ‘Abdullah ibn Salam, who could look upon Islam with an open mind. They vouched for its veracity without caring for their worldly honour and surrendered themselves wholeheartedly to it. ‘The unlettered prophet who believes in God and His words.’ This statement indicates the difference between the philosopher’s concept of God and the prophet’s concept of God. The philosopher’s God is an abstract spirit. Accepting Him is like accepting the force of gravity in the universe. But the force of gravity neither speaks nor gives commands, whereas the God of the prophet is a living and conscious God. He speaks to human beings; He commands His subjects and decides on reward or punishment on the basis of obedience or disobedience to His commands.

‘Say, “People, I am God’s Messenger to you all,”’ does not mean that all other prophets were sent to their own community while the Prophet Muhammad was sent to all the nations. This statement is not meant to compare one prophet with any other, but is simply a statement of fact. In fact, the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad has two distinct aspects. One is direct and the other through his community, the ‘ummah’. He was sent to convey the divine message directly to people living in Arabia (

6:92

) and he was to convey the message indirectly to the whole world (

22:78

). In principle, this was the nature of the task assigned to all the prophets of God. But the religion brought by other prophets did not remain in its original, pristine condition, hence it was not possible for them to become the givers of good tidings or to warn the people of the consequences of their actions in the life to come, that being the main duty of a prophet. About the Arab Prophet there is a prediction in the Bible that all the tribes of the earth will be blessed through him (Genesis, Ch.

12

) It has been possible for his blessings to reach all nations because the religion brought by him has been preserved in its original state. The religion brought by Moses and Jesus Christ has been distorted. Therefore, its voice may reach everybody, but its blessings will not. A number of Jewish tribes were settled in Arabia, who were proud of having God’s holy Book. Such people resist accepting any external truth. Their feeling that they are in possession of the greatest Truth hinders them from accepting any Truth brought to them by any other. The large majority of the Jews were blinded by obstinacy and prejudice, except for a few people like ‘Abdullah ibn Salam, who could look upon Islam with an open mind. They vouched for its veracity without caring for their worldly honour and surrendered themselves wholeheartedly to it. ‘The unlettered prophet who believes in God and His words.’ This statement indicates the difference between the philosopher’s concept of God and the prophet’s concept of God. The philosopher’s God is an abstract spirit. Accepting Him is like accepting the force of gravity in the universe. But the force of gravity neither speaks nor gives commands, whereas the God of the prophet is a living and conscious God. He speaks to human beings; He commands His subjects and decides on reward or punishment on the basis of obedience or disobedience to His commands.

God took the Israelites from the polytheistic atmosphere of Egypt and settled them in the desert of Sinai. Here they were organised and divided into twelve groups. Each group had a leader and all were under the charge of Moses. Then, the Children of Israel were specially provided with all the necessities of life. Water was provided for them from mountain springs. For their food, ‘manna and quails’ were sent down and these were readily available to them right in front of their tents. For their regular settlement one entire city, Ariho, (in the Jordan valley) was given to them. God then advised them that He had arranged for all their necessities and that they should therefore desist from being greedy for the pleasures of the world and the flesh and should not rush towards unholy things; instead, they should adopt the way of contentment and gratefulness towards God.