Surah al-A`raf (The Elevated Places) 7 : 202

Overview (Verses 202 - 203)

The Means for Clear Insight

The God-fearing, then, remind themselves of God whenever they experience an evil thought that may tempt them away from the right path. But this is given as a side issue that intervenes between the divine order to the Prophet to turn away from ignorant people and an explanation of who and what motivates them to adopt ignorance which determines all their behaviour. When the attitude of the God- fearing has been explained, the sūrah goes back to explaining the motivation of the ignorant: “Their [evil] brethren try to draw them into error with unceasing determination. When you do not bring them a sign, they say: `Why do you not seek to have one?’ Say: ‘I only follow what is revealed to me by my Lord: this [revelation] is a means of clear insight from your Lord, and a guidance and grace for people who will believe.’” (Verses 202-203)

Their brethren who try to sink them deeper into error are the satans from among the jinn. They may well be the satans of human beings as well. These satans never tire of driving them deeper into error. Hence they continue to act in folly, unaware of where they are being led.

The unbelievers were very persistent in demanding miracles from God’s Messenger (peace be upon him). The sūrah quotes here some of their statements that betray their ignorance of the nature of God’s message and the role of His Messenger: “When you do not bring them a sign, they say: ‘Why do you not seek to have one?’” (Verse 203) They suggest to the Prophet that he should pray to God to give them a miracle, or they even suggest to him that he himself should perform a miracle. To them, he should be able to do so, since he claims to be a Prophet. This shows that they do not understand the Prophet’s role. They certainly could not appreciate his humble attitude towards his Lord, nor that he only takes what God gives him. He does not suggest approaches or measures to his Lord, nor does he initiate matters at his own behest. God orders him to explain this to them: “Say:’ I only follow what is revealed to me by my Lord.’” (Verse 203) I am not one to suggest to Him or to invent matters. I only have what is revealed to me, and I only do what I am commanded. For their part, they could only think of those impostors who claimed to be prophets in every period of ignorance. Hence, their demands.

The Prophet is also commanded to explain to them the nature of the Qur’ān that has been revealed to him. If they would only consider the plain guidance that is contained in the Qur’ān, they would certainly stop making foolish requests for signs and miracles: “This [revelation] is a means of clear insight from your Lord, and a guidance and grace for people who will believe.” (Verse 203) It provides clear insight and it is an aspect of overflowing blessings and grace. But that is the case only for those who believe and avail themselves of its unending blessing.

The Qur’ān is ignored today by its people who know it only as hymns to be chanted and charms to be worn. They have been diverted away from it for centuries and driven deep into a state of jāhiliyyah that corrupts minds and hearts. The people of old jāhiliyyah used to divert the masses away from the Qur’ān, demanding physical miracles. The people of modern jāhiliyyah try to divert the masses away from the Qur’ān by putting in its place a false bible which they promote through all mass media and information channels. Yet it is the Qur’ān that is described in these words by God who knows all: “This [revelation] is a means of clear insight from your Lord, and a guidance and grace for people who will believe.” (Verse 203) It is then a means of clear insight, providing true guidance and abounding grace and blessings for true believers. It is only those who truly believe that find all this in the Qur’ān.

In their ignorance, the Arabs at the time of the Prophet turned away from the Qur’ān and sought to have a physical miracle like the ones given to earlier prophets. Those earlier prophets preached the divine message when humanity was still in its infancy, and were sent to certain communities, not to mankind as a whole. Their miracles could serve their purpose only at the time and place they were given, and could be appreciated only by those who witnessed them. What can be said about later generations and nations?

No physical miracle can be as superb or miraculous as the Qur’ān, no matter what type of miracle people required. Besides, it gives its message to all mankind in all generations till the end of time.

Given the importance the Arabs attached to fine, literary style, which was a source of pride for them, the artistic expression of the Qur’ān was perhaps the most immediately apparent aspect of its miraculous nature. But the Qur’ān remains a book of surpassing excellence, posing a challenge that defies human ability. God challenged the Arabs then, and the challenge continues today, to produce anything similar to it. Human beings who have the gift of fine expression and appreciate the depth of human ability in this field are the ones who can best recognize that the Qur’ānic style is uniquely superb, refined, outstanding. This applies to all people with a natural taste for fine speech, whether they believe in Islam or not. The challenge is based on objective criteria that challenge believers and unbelievers alike. In their ignorance, the elders of the Quraysh found themselves utterly powerless when faced with the Qur’ān. They hated such a position but they could not help it. The same thing is experienced today and will continue to be experienced by everyone who adopts the same attitude.

Beyond that great secret of this unique book and its excellence, there remains its overpowering attraction to human nature, once it is allowed to put its address freely to people. Even those who are hardened in their opposition to the Qur’ān often find its logic too powerful. They cannot but recognize its truth when they listen to it.

Many are those who speak out with eloquence. They may express principles, doctrines, ideas and philosophies of all sorts. But the Qur’ān has a unique and overpowering appeal to human nature in everything that it says. The elders of the Quraysh used to say to their followers, and indeed to themselves: “Do not listen to this Qur’ān, but cut short its reciting with booing and laughter, so that you may gain the upper hand.” (41: 26) They did so because they felt that the Qur’ānic logic was irresistible. Many of those in power today try to turn people away from the Qur’ān, offering them instead their own ideas. But in spite of all this, the Qur’ān remains overpowering. Whenever a verse or passage of the Qur’ān is quoted in the context of human speech, it stands out by its rhythm and logic, appealing directly to the hearts of its audience. The rest of human speech that might have been finely composed seems, by comparison, of little use.

But beyond all this, the subject matter of the Qur’ān remains its outstanding strength. A few pages in this book cannot aspire to give justice to explaining the subject matter of the Qur’ān. Whatever we may say here is too little. Besides, how much can we say in a few pages? We can possibly give a brief outline, but a fair treatment takes volumes.