Overview (Verses 106 -108)

Well-Defined Attitudes
 
This is followed by a divine order to the Prophet to follow what God has revealed to him and to turn away from pagan people who associate partners with Him. He is not to pay any attention to them or their petty arguments and not to worry about their stubborn rejection of his message. His task is to implement his message by moulding his life and the attitudes of his followers on the basis of the divine message. He is to care nothing for the unbelievers: “Follow what has been revealed to you by your Lord, other than whom there is no deity, and turn your back on those who associate partners with God.” (Verse 106)
 
Had God so willed, He would have imposed His guidance on them. He could, if He so willed, have created them knowing no way other than that of His guidance, in the same way as angels are bound always to obey Him. He, however, has created man with the ability to follow either right guidance or error. He has left him to choose his way and has held him accountable for his choice. All this is, of course, within the framework of God’s absolute free will which governs everything that occurs in the universe, without imposing a choice on any human being. God has created man in this fashion for a purpose He knows. He has a role to play assigned to him by God, using his abilities and talents: “Had God so willed, they would not have associated partners with Him.” (Verse 107)
 
The Prophet is not responsible for their actions, and he has not been assigned as a watchdog over their hearts: “We have not made you their keeper, nor are you responsible for them.” (Verse 107) This instruction to the Prophet defines the area around which he should concentrate his efforts. The Prophet’s successors and those who advocate his faith in every generation and every community are also made aware of their area of activity and its limits.
 
An advocate of God’s message must not attach too much importance to, or pin his hopes on, those who turn their backs on His call and who do not respond to the pointers to faith and divine guidance. He should give top priority to, and concentrate his hopes on, those who listen and respond to his call. These are the ones who need to mould their whole existence on the basic rule of faith, which is the cornerstone of their religion. They also need to formulate a total concept of existence and life, and to regularize their moral values and conduct, and indeed all the affairs of their community, on the same basis. These tasks require and deserve all efforts the advocates of Islam can exert. Those who choose to remain in the opposing camp after having had God’s message conveyed to them, deserve nothing but to be ignored. As the cause of the truth acquires strength, the rules God has set in operation complete their cycle when God hurls the truth at falsehood, and when the truth triumphs and falsehood is no more. What is extremely important is that the truth should exist in its completeness. When it does, falsehood has no sway: it just disappears, totally.
 
Moreover, the believers are instructed to adopt, as they turn away from the unbelievers, an attitude of propriety, decency and refinement which suits those who believe in God. They are instructed not to revile the idols or deities of the unbelievers so that the latter do not start to revile God, without knowing His true position and His majesty. Thus any abuse by the believers of their worthless deities would be taken as an excuse to abuse God, the Almighty: “Do not revile those whom they invoke instead of God, lest they revile God out of spite, and in ignorance. Thus have We made the actions of every community seem goodly to them. Then to their Lord shall they all return, and He will explain to them all that they have been doing.” (Verse 108)
 
It is human nature that when a person does something, whether good or bad, he thinks that he has done well and he defends his actions. If he follows guidance, he finds it good; and if he is in error, he still believes that his error is good. The unbelievers ascribed partners to God and appealed to them instead of appealing to Him; yet they accepted that God is the One who creates and provides sustenance. If the Muslims had reviled the unbelievers’ deities, the latter would have disregarded what they believed of God’s position and abused God Himself in order to defend their concepts and worship of other deities. Hence, the believers are required to let them alone: “Then to their Lord shall they all return, and He will explain to them all that they have been doing.” (Verse 108)
 
This is the sort of decent attitude which is worthy of a believer who is sure that the faith he follows is that of the truth and who does not indulge in what is useless or unbecoming. Abusing the deities worshipped by unbelievers will not put those unbelievers on the course of guidance. Instead, it will only add to their stubbornness. Why, then, should believers engage in what is useless, when it could lead them to hearing what they do not like, as the unbelievers begin to retaliate by abusing God?