Overview (Verse 55)

Tearing Off the Masks of Evildoing
 
Now we come to the conclusion of this passage which has outlined very clearly the nature of the last message revealed by God and the task assigned to His last Messenger. It has further outlined the essentials of faith as they are, unadorned, giving us an insight into the values and principles Islam wants to establish in human life and those it wants to abolish. At the conclusion of this passage we are reminded that this detailed outline is given on purpose in order to lay down everything very clearly and to leave no room for confusion. Thus, the truth will be known to everyone, without any need for miraculous proofs. Such clarity is provided by the Qur’ānic approach, of which this passage is an example.
 
The final verse in this passage is expressed in two short clauses: the first refers to all signs of guidance, pointers to faith and statements of the truth that have been given so far in this sūrah: “Thus do We make plain Our revelations”. The second clause in this short verse fills us with wonder: “So that the path of the evildoers may be clearly distinct.” (Verse 55)
 
This statement tells us that the Qur’ānic approach endeavours to clarify the truth and states it very plainly, but its purpose is not merely to make the path of the believers clearly distinct. It also endeavours to clearly and plainly portray falsehood so that the path of the evildoers is also clearly distinct. Clarity of the one necessitates clarity of the other.
 
This approach of the Qur’ān has been chosen by God as it is most effective with the human mind. God knows that believing in the truth requires knowledge of falsehood and adding total certainty to faith requires a clear-cut distinction between falsehood and evil on the one hand and truth and goodness on the other. The momentum a believer requires in his advocacy of the truth is not merely generated by his feeling that he follows the truth. The extra power is given by realizing that opposition to his efforts comes from falsehood, advocated by the evildoers, who have always been the ones to oppose prophets. As God states in another verse: “Thus, against every prophet We have set up an enemy from among the evildoers.” (25: 31) Thus, the Prophet Muĥammad and the believers know for certain that those opposing them are none other than evildoers.
 
It is an important objective of the Qur’ānic approach that evil and falsehood be very clearly identified, so that the truth and goodness become clear and distinct. Confusion about the first may lead to confusion about the second because the two move along paths that cannot meet. Therefore, every Islamic movement should begin with a clear identification of the methods and features of the believers, as well as those of the evildoers. This identification should be based on what we see in the real world, not confined to theories and an abstract world. The advocates of Islam should be able to know who are the believers in their community and who are the evildoers.
 
Such total clarity and complete distinction was witnessed when Islam confronted the unbelievers in Arabia. The path of Muslims was that marked out by God’s Messenger and those supporting him. Those who did not join them followed the path of the unbelievers and evildoers. Even with this clear demarcation, the Qur’ān was being revealed, in absolute clarity, to make the path of the evildoers readily apparent and clearly distinct. Moreover, whenever Islam confronted polytheism, atheism or other creeds that have deviated from earlier religions distorted by human beings, each of the two paths was clearly marked out. No confusion was possible.
 
The greatest difficulty that confronts the Islamic movements of today is represented by what we see in the lands that used to belong to Islam, where the Islamic faith was supreme. We find all over this area people of Islamic descent, but both the land and its people have abandoned Islam in reality, although they continue to claim to be Muslims. They disown the basic Islamic principles in faith and practice, although they may think that they still believe in Islam as a faith. We know that Islam is essentially the belief outlined by the declaration that there is no deity other than God. This declaration entails an unshakeable belief that God alone is the Creator of the whole universe who manages all its affairs, and that to Him alone all acts of worship, and indeed all human activities, should be addressed. From Him alone should people receive their laws and according to His wishes they should conduct all their affairs. Anyone who does not declare his belief that there is no deity other than God, realizing the full significance of this declaration does not actually bear witness to this fact and has not yet become a Muslim, although he may have a Muslim name. Any land that does not implement the declaration that, “There is no deity other than God”, in its full significance is not a land which submits to Islam.
 
The real difficulty encountered by the Islamic movements of today is represented by the ambiguity and lack of clarity associated nowadays with the concept of God’s oneness as the basic principle of Islam. This has led to a corresponding ambiguity of what constitutes this belief. Thus, the path of the true believers is not as clearly distinct from the path of the evildoers as it should be. Titles and features have been muddled up. No clear demarcation of ways and methods is made.
 
The forces hostile to Islam are aware of this and they are busy adding to the confusion and deepening it. Thus, when Muslims nowadays raise their voices advocating clear distinction, a grave accusation is levelled at them, namely, that they consider fellow Muslims as unbelievers! They face severe punishments for their `crime’, as social tradition is given the final say on who is a Muslim and who is not. Needless to say, the ultimate arbiter in all this is God and His Messenger.
 
The greatest difficulty facing the advocates of Islam in every new generation is represented by this first stumbling block. Advocacy of a faith must begin by making the path of the believers clearly distinct from that of the evildoers. The advocates of Islam must raise their voices loud with the word of the truth. They must fear no blame or reproach. They must pay no attention to anyone who claims that they classify Muslims as unbelievers.
 
Islam is not as wet as some people think. It has its clearly distinctive features. It is represented by the declaration that there is no deity other than God, bearing fully the significance we have just outlined. Anyone who does not believe in it fully, and does not implement it in human life as it should be, runs the risk of being judged by God and His Messenger as unbeliever, evildoer and transgressor: “Thus do We make plain Our revelations; so that the path of the evildoers may be clearly distinct.” (Verse 55)
 
The advocates of Islam must pass this hurdle and must have a clear view of the basic issues. This enables them to pool all their efforts and use all their potential in the service of the call they advocate, unimpeded by any confusion or ambiguity. They cannot achieve this unless they believe with full certainty that they themselves are the Muslims and those who oppose them and turn people away from God’s path are evildoers. The point is that they will not be able to endure the difficulties along their way unless they are clear in their minds that they are fighting the battle of faith against unfaith. They must realize to the full that they follow one religion while the rest of their people follow another: “Thus do We make plain Our revelations; so that the path of the evildoers may be clearly distinct.” (Verse 55) God always tells the truth.