Overview (Verses 6 - 9)

The Other Party
 
On the other side stand a totally different type of people: Among people there are some who would pay for idle talk, so as to lead people astray from the path of God, without knowledge, and thus they turn it to ridicule. For such people there is shameful suffering in store. When Our revelations are conveyed to such a person, he turns away in his arrogance as though he had not heard them, as though there were heaviness in his ears. Give him, then, the news of painful suffering. (Verses 6-7)
 
Idle talk is any type of talk that distracts hearts and kills time without yielding any benefit to man or his mission on earth. Let us remind ourselves that man’s mission is to build human life on the basis of goodness, justice and righteousness. Islam defines this mission, its nature, limits and means, charting the way it should follow. The Qur’ānic statement here is general describing a type of person that always exists. There are, however, reports that suggest that the Qur’ān is describing a particular incident that took place in the early years of Islam. These reports speak of al-Nađr ibn al-Ĥārith who used to buy books recording the legends and stories of Persian heroes. He made every effort to get people to listen to his narratives instead of listening to the Prophet reciting the Qur’ān. This statement, however, is more general and wider in scope than this. It describes a type of person with clear characteristics. This type is seen in every generation just as they were evident in Makkah among the first community addressed by the Qur’ān.
 
“Among people there are some who would pay for idle talk.” (Verse 6) Such people would pay money, time and life to buy such idle talk. How high the price, and cheap the commodity in which such people spend their lives. They buy such talk “so as to lead people astray from the path of God, without knowledge, and thus they turn it to ridicule.” (Verse 6) They are truly ignorant. Their action is neither based on sound knowledge, nor aims for a wise objective. They have bad intentions and aims. They want to use such idle talk to lead themselves and others astray from God’s path. They are ill-mannered, ridicule God’s path, and mock the way God has laid down for people’s lives. Hence, the Qur’ān issues a strong warning to such people. It shows them as contemptible, even before it completes their picture: “For such people there is shameful suffering in store.” (Verse 6) The description of their suffering as shameful is deliberate for this replies to their mocking of the divine way of life.
 
Painting the image of this other party is then resumed: “When Our revelations are conveyed to such a person, he turns away in his arrogance as though he had not heard them.” (Verse 7) The image here is full of movement, showing this person as arrogant, turning away in pride. He is, therefore, decorated with shame and this makes us look at him with contempt: “as though there were heaviness in his ears.” (Verse 7) It is this heaviness that stops him from listening to God’s verses. No person listens to these divine verses and then turns away so arrogantly. This description is completed with further ridicule: “Give him, then, the news of painful suffering.” (Verse 7) As explained in the Prologue, the verse uses here the term bashshir, which connotes the giving of happy news. Its usage adds further ridicule.
 
By way of contrast, the sūrah speaks of the reward to be given to the good believers who act on the basis of their faith. It also provides some details of their success to which earlier reference was made: “Those who believe and do righteous deeds shall have gardens of bliss in which to abide in accordance with God’s true promise. He alone is Almighty, Wise.” (Verses 8-9)
 
Whenever the Qur’ān mentions reward, it precedes this by mentioning faith and good action. It is in the nature of the Islamic faith that it must never remain an idle belief that triggers no action. It must always be a living, active reality. Indeed, Islam hardly settles in a person’s heart before it begins to establish itself in action and behaviour. It reflects its nature and what it does to believers’ consciences through its clear effects on people’s lives.
 
Those believers who have translated their faith into good action “shall have gardens of bliss in which to abide.” (Verse 9) Their admission to heaven and their abode there simply fulfils God’s true promise. The grace God bestows on His servants means that He commits Himself to reward them generously for what they do for themselves, not for Him, as He is in no need of anyone. “He alone is Almighty, Wise.” (Verse 9) He is certainly able to fulfil His promise, and He is wise in all that He does, including creation, promise and fulfilment.