Surah Maryam (Mary) 19 : 73

Overview (Verses 73 - 74)

What Gives Better Returns
 
Now the sūrah leaves with us this scene of the Day of Judgement to paint an image of this world in which the unbelievers are shown behaving arrogantly towards the believers, branding them as poor and weak, and boasting about their own wealth and petty social values.
 
“When Our revelations are recited to them in all their clarity, the unbelievers say to those who believe: ‘Which of the two sides has a better position and a superior community?” (Verse 73) These people have their own social clubs demonstrating all the material values which the wealthy and powerful are keen to emphasize in their corrupt world. By contrast, we see humble gatherings where there are no such material riches or adornments. Instead, there are only the values of faith which unite people in these other groups. The two are juxtaposed so as to fully demonstrate their contrast.
 
The first side stands out with its wide variety of temptations: wealth, beauty, power and influence. It uses all these to serve people’s interests, and provide them with all manner of pleasures. The second side appears too humble by comparison, yet it looks with disdain at wealth and beauty and it ridicules power and influence. It calls on people to join its ranks, without offering them any personal gain, material interest or favours that rulers and governments can provide. It simply offers them the faith, pure and simple, without adding to it any adornment. It seeks strength through being on God’s side, nothing else. In fact, it makes clear to mankind that accepting it will involve hardship, effort and struggle. Also clear is the fact that none will be rewarded for anything in this life. The reward to be expected will be in the form of being close to God, enjoying His pleasure in the life to come.
 
The elders of the Quraysh at the time of the Prophet used to listen to God’s revelations being recited to them, but then they would say to the believers who lacked all riches: “Which of the two sides has a better position and a superior community?” (Verse 73) Which side: the elders who denied Muĥammad’s message, or the humble who responded to him? Al-Nađr ibn al-Ĥārith, ‘Amr ibn Hishām, al-Walīd ibn al- Mughīrah and their powerful clique, or Bilāl, `Ammār, Khabbāb and their brothers, poor and deprived as they were? Had the message preached by Muĥammad been any good, would his followers be those who had no power or influence in the Quraysh society? Would they have met in a humble place like al-Arqam’s house? Would his opponents be those who enjoyed all the luxuries and social prominence?
 
Such is worldly logic, advanced by those who have no aspiration to any truly high horizon. It is divine wisdom that keeps faith free of all adornment and superficial attraction, offering no temptation. Thus, only those who take it for its real value, without hope of immediate gain, will accept it. By contrast, those who are after wealth, worldly interests, pleasures and the like will turn away from it.
 
The sūrah comments on the boasts of those arrogant unbelievers, speaking proudly about what they enjoy in this life of pleasures and luxuries. The comment draws their attention to how earlier peoples were destroyed, despite the great riches they enjoyed: “How many a generation have We destroyed before their time, who were superior in material riches and in splendour.” (Verse 74) They benefited nothing by all their splendour, nor were their material privileges of any avail to them when God visited His punishment upon them.
 
Human beings always forget! Had they remembered and reflected, they would not have been deceived by appearances. The end suffered by one generation after another of the unbelievers of old should serve as a clear warning but people remain heedless. They continue to ignore the destiny awaiting them, should they follow in the footsteps of those who preceded them. After all, those earlier unbelievers were of greater strength and enjoyed larger followings and more wealth.