Overview (Verses 39 - 44)
 
Conjecture Preferred to Fact!
 
“If they say: ‘He has invented it,’ say: ‘Produce, then, one sūrah like it, and call for help on all you can other than God, if what you say is true.’” (Verse 38) At this point, with the sūrah presenting this challenge, all argument is stopped and a clear statement is made to establish the fact that they rely only on conjecture, judging what they do not know.
 
Right judgement must be preceded by thorough knowledge, and not rely on personal preferences or unproved views. What they are judging is the revelation of the Qur’ān and the truth of its promises and warnings. They have denied all these without having any firm knowledge to justify their denial, and without waiting for its true interpretation: “Indeed they disbelieve what they cannot grasp, particularly since its inner meaning has not become clear to them.” (Verse 39) In this they have followed in the footsteps of former communities who rejected God’s revelations and associated partners with their Lord. They should consider the fate of those earlier communities in order to know what awaits them if they continue to reject the faith. “Likewise did those who lived before them disbelieve. But see what happened in the end to those wrongdoers.” (Verse 39)
 
Although most of them deny something of which they do not have certain knowledge, and instead follow conjecture and caprice, there are those who do believe in the truth of this revealed book: “Some of them do believe in it, while others do not. But your Lord is fully aware of those who spread corruption.” (Verse 40) These spreaders of corruption are the unbelievers. Corruption on earth is certainly caused and mostly spread by turning away from belief in the true Lord. Indeed all corruption starts by submission to beings other than God, including the evil that follows such submission. This is the root cause of following one’s desire in what affects oneself or others. It is this which leads to the rise of false gods which corrupt everything so that they can maintain their false lordship. They corrupt people’s morals, spirits, thinking, concepts, as well as their interests and property, seeking only to preserve their own power. The history of mankind, old and new, is full of examples of such corruption spread by those who are devoid of faith.
 
Having explained their attitude to the Qur’ān the sūrah addresses the Prophet, telling him not to let himself be affected by their rejection of the truth. He is to disown them and their deeds, declaring that he has nothing to do with them, and by sticking to the truth, stating it clearly and decisively: “If they disbelieve you, then say: ‘I shall bear the consequences of my deeds, and you your deeds. You are not accountable for what I do and I am not accountable for your doings.’” (Verse 41)
 
This directive to the Prophet is also meant to touch their consciences. They and their actions are disowned by the Prophet. Now they can face the fate they have been told about without his support. It is yet another way of awakening their hearts, just like a child stubbornly refusing to walk with his parents being left alone to face the consequences of having lost their support in an unexpected eventuality. Such warnings are often successful.
 
The sūrah goes on to portray how they behave with the Prophet. They listen to him and look at him, but they have already sealed their hearts and minds. Hence their faculty of perception cannot make any sense of what they hear and see: “Yet some of them [pretend to] listen to you; but can you make the deaf hear you, incapable as they are of using their reason? And some of them [pretend to] look towards you; but can you show the way to the blind, bereft of sight as they are?” (Verses 42-43)
 
Those who cannot use their reason to understand what they hear or appreciate what they see are always present in large numbers everywhere. The Prophet (peace be upon him) cannot do anything for them because they refuse to learn how to discern and reason. The Prophet cannot make the deaf hear or the blind see. Only God can do that. He, however, has set a law in operation and left His creatures to reap the results of their dealings according to this law. He has given them ears, eyes and minds to hear, see and reason with, so that they may follow the true guidance He has sent them. If they decide to put these faculties out of order, they will reap the consequences according to His law. Such consequences are their fair reward, for God does not treat anyone with injustice: “Indeed, God does not do the least wrong to mankind, but it is men who wrong themselves.” (Verse 44)
 
These last few verses are meant to reassure the Prophet and relieve his sorrow at their stubborn rejection of the truth. God reassures him that their rejection is not the result of any lack of effort on his part, or lack of conviction on the part of his message. It is simply that they behave as though they were deaf and blind. It is only God who gives ears and eyes their faculties. It has nothing to do with the message itself or the person who preaches it. These verses also provide a clear definition of the nature of servitude to God. The Prophet himself is a servant of God, and all his abilities remain within the limits of God’s servants. The final say belongs to God alone.