Chapter 3: Surat Aal-'Imran (The House 'Imran), verse 23-27
Translation:
Do but consider those who have received a portion of the Scriptures. When they are called on to accept the judgment of God's Book, some turn their backs and pay no heed. For they declare: 'We shall endure the Fire for a few days only.' In their religion they are deceived by their own lies. What will they do when We gather them all together upon a day which is sure to come, when every soul will be given what it has earned with no injustice? Say: 'Lord, Sovereign of all sovereignty, You bestow sovereignty on whom You will and take it away from whom You please. You exalt whomever You will and abase whomever You please. In Your hand lies all that is good; You have power over all things. You cause the night to pass into the day, and the day to pass into the night; You bring forth the living from the dead and You bring forth the dead from living. You give with stint to whom you will. (23-27)
Commentary:
God’s
guidance is one and the same revealed to various prophets from time to time in
various languages. The same guidance is revealed to the Final Prophet in the
form of the Qur’an. Due to this uniformity in content, recognizing the call of
the Qur’an is not difficult for the people of the Book/believers in other
revealed scriptures. The only difference between Qur'anic call and former divine
scriptures lies in the fact that the Qur’an has purified the religion of god
from all human interpolations. Then why is it that many people deny the call of
the Qur’an. The reason being that the Qur'anic call does not appear to them to
be a serious matter. Because of their self-styled concepts they feel that they
have secured themselves from the fire of hell. It is as a result of this
psychology that they think that their salvation is not in danger if they do not
recognize truth. But when the divine scales are put in place they will realize
how they were deluded by their wishful thinking. All kinds of honor and power
lies in the hand of God. Those who are considered insignificant by the
‘bigs’ (akabirs) of the time can be entitled to the highest honor and
eminence by the grace of God. In the eyes of God those are deserving of honor
and power who think it to be purely the gift of God. The most undeserving of honor
and power are those who consider it to be their own acquisition. In the vaster
universe God is daily showing the miracle, on a large scale, of developing
darkness upon light and light upon darkness (referring to the alternation of day
and night). He brings into existence life from dead elements and changes live
things to dead elements. There is nothing surprising about it if this same power
of God manifests among human beings. Those who are exchanging falsehood in the
name of truth always turn against the call of truth. The caller to truth is
rendered homeless. His economic sources are cut off. But such a caller is always
under the direct guardianship of God who provides for him. His special succor.
While others are provided according to their efforts, a caller is provided for
by God without measure.