Surah al-Anbiya' (The Prophets ) 21 : 105

Overview (Verses 105 - 107)

Who Inherits the World
 
Having drawn a strong image showing the end of the universe and all living creatures, the sūrah now makes clear the divine law that determines who inherits the earth. In the end it is God’s righteous servants who will be the masters of the earth. The two scenes are interlinked: “We wrote in the Psalms, after the Reminder [given to Moses] that ‘the righteous among My servants shall inherit the earth.’” (Verse 105)
 
As it is given in Arabic, this verse may be read in two ways. The first considers the Psalms as certain scriptures given in particular to the Prophet David (peace be upon him). In this case, the reminder’ is a reference to the Torah which was revealed earlier than the Psalms. The other reading makes of the term zabūr a description of every revealed book, which is a portion of the original book recorded in the guarded Tablet, which in this case would be what the word ‘reminder’ refers to. This Tablet, thus, represents the complete version and the final authority to which all divine laws refer.
 
Be that as it may, the statement, ‘We wrote in the Psalms, after the Reminder,’ is made here to explain the established rule God has put into operation concerning the succession to the earth. This means that ‘the righteous among My servants shall inherit the earth.’ But what does this inheritance entail, and who are the righteous among God’s servants?
 
God gave the earth to Adam so that he could fulfil his charge of building the earth, setting it on its right course so it could develop. This included utilization of its resources and treasures, and the exploitation of its apparent and concealed potentials so as to attain the highest possible standard that could be reached.
 
God set out a complete code or way of life for mankind to implement in their life on earth. This is based on faith and good action. God’s final message includes a detailed account of this way of life, together with laws that ensure its freedom from distortion and which provide balance and harmony in its every step.
 
This code does not make the development of the earth and the use of its resources and utilization of potentials an aim in itself. It should rather be coupled with taking good care of man’s conscience, so that man attains the highest standard he is capable of achieving. It protects man from sinking to the level of animals in the midst of a blooming material civilization. There must be no drop in the human side of man’s life while great strides are made in the exploitation of apparent and latent resources.
 
On the way to achieving such balance and harmony the scales may tilt one way at one time and the other on a different occasion. It may happen that tyranny prevails, or that power may be concentrated in the hands of some unbelievers who are able to materially exploit the resources and wealth of the earth. All these will remain experiences that mankind has to go through at one stage or another, but the ultimate inheritance will fall to God’s righteous servants who combine faith with good action. These two elements go hand in hand in their lives.
 
Whenever faith in the heart combines with the will to work in any community, it inherits the land. But when these two elements separate, then the scales tilt the other way, and tyranny or exploitation ensue. Power may fall to those who are keen to utilize all material resources, if those who claim to be believers neglect their utilization. This happens when believers are devoid of the true and genuine type of faith that provides the motivation to do good and build a proper human life on earth. It should be remembered that it is through such good work that man discharges the task assigned to him by God.
 
All the believers need do is bring into practice the full meaning of their belief, which is good action and the fulfilment of their duty, in order that God’s promise of inheriting the earth is fulfilled. It is active and conscientious workers among believers that are described as God’s righteous servants.
 
As the sūrah draws to its close, its rhythm takes on a similar note to that of its opening: “In this, there is a message for people who worship God. We have sent you as a [manifestation of Our] grace towards all the worlds.” (Verses 106-107) This Qur’ān, and the laws it reveals of nature, the universe, human destiny both in this present life and in the life to come, and the rules that govern action and reward, provide a clear message. This message is appreciated by those who are ready to receive God’s guidance. These are the ones who are described here as ‘people who worship God.’ For, a true worshipper is the one who has a soft heart, ready to receive a message, ponder over it and make use of it in his life.
 
A Manifestation of Grace
 
God has sent His last Messenger as a manifestation of His grace to all mankind. He takes them by the hand to show them divine guidance. It is only those who are ready to receive such guidance that benefit by it, but God’s grace is bestowed on believers and unbelievers alike.
 
The code of living given to us through the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is one that ensures the happiness f all mankind, and which will lead to the highest level of perfection humanity can attain. Muhammad’s message was given to mankind at a time when it attained its full mental maturity. Hence, it is a book open to all minds across all generations. It includes the unchangeable fundamentals of human life, and it is ready to meet changing needs that are known only to the One who created man, and who knows His creation well. He is most kind and aware of all things.
 
This book sets out the principles and the framework of a permanent code for an ever-renewing human life, leaving to human beings the task of deducing detailed rules necessary for organizing their relations as life progresses. It is also up to human beings to determine the methods and the means of implementation, according to their different situations and circumstances, without conflict with the principles of the permanent code.
 
Having guaranteed the right to freedom of thought and established the society that allows the human mind to think, this book also allows the human mind the freedom to determine what actions need to be taken. Thus, under Islam and within its fundamental principles, man is free to develop and progress towards the highest attainable standard of human life.
 
All human experience, up to the present moment, confirms that the Islamic system, in general, remains ahead of man’s progress, able to provide the environment that ensures steady human progress in all directions. It will always be ahead of human life, providing the lead, and never restraining its march. In meeting human desire for development and progress, Islam never suppresses any human potential whether of individuals or the community. Nor does it deprive them of their ability to enjoy the fruits of their efforts or the pleasures of life.
 
The most important aspect of this code of living is that it is both balanced and coherent. It neither advocates physical torment in order to elevate man’s spirit, nor does it neglect the spiritual dimension in order to indulge in physical pleasures. It neither imposes restrictions on the individual and his healthy, natural desires in order to serve the interests of the community or the state, nor does it give rein to the individual’s deviant desires at the expense of the safety of the community.
 
It is clear that all the tasks the Islamic code of living assigns to man are within his ability and serve his interests. Moreover, he has been given the means and faculties that help him fulfil these tasks, looking at them as desirable, even though he may at times have to contend with difficulties and hardships in order to achieve them.
 
The message of Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a manifestation of grace to his own people and to humanity at large. The principles he laid down sounded strange at first because humanity was then far removed from a truly sound practical and spiritual life. After the revelation of the message of Islam, humanity drew gradually closer to these principles, which then started to sound familiar, acceptable and easy to implement.
 
Islam calls for a humanity in which there is no room for ethnic or geographical distinction, united by its single faith and social system. To the human mind and in the prevailing conditions at the time, this sounded very strange. Noble classes then were accustomed to thinking of themselves as having a different make up to that of ordinary human beings. Yet humanity has been trying for nearly fourteen centuries to follow the lead of Islam, but it stumbles along the way because it does not benefit by the full light of Islam. It achieves only limited standards of the Islamic code, at least in what it professes to advocate. Still we find European and American countries holding on to disgraceful racial values which Islam removed at its very outset.
 
Islam advocated full equality between all people under the law. It did this at a time when all humanity used to divide people into classes with a different law for each class. In fact a master’s will was the law in the age of slavery and feudalism. At that time it was very strange for humanity to hear a voice advocating the principle of full and universal equality under the law. Yet gradually humanity continues to try to achieve, at least theoretically, a measure of what Islam put in practice nearly 1,400 years ago.
 
Numerous other aspects confirm that Muhammad’s message was a manifestation of divine grace for all humanity, and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was certainly sent to bring mercy and grace to mankind, including those who did not believe in him. All humanity has been influenced, willingly or unwillingly/, knowingly or unknowingly, by the code of living he outlined. This grace continues to be available in plenty for anyone who wishes to benefit by it. Its implementation enables humanity to enjoy the lovely breeze of heaven to dispel the burning heat of the earth, especially these days.
 
Today, humanity most urgently needs a fresh taste of this grace. Yet it persists in confusion as it gropes along in the maze of materialism, in the endless wars, and in the spiritual void in which it finds itself.