Chapter 2: Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow), verse 165-167
Translation:
Yet there are some who worship idols, bestowing on them the adoration due to God (though the love of God is stronger in the faithful). But when they face their punishment the wrongdoers will learn that might is God's alone, and God is stern in retribution. When they face their punishment those who were followed will disown their followers, and the bonds which now unite them will break asunder. Those who followed them will say: 'Could we but live again, we would disown them as they have now disowned us.' Thus will God show them their own works. They shall sigh with remorse, but shall never emerge from the Fire.
(165-167)
Commentary:
By their nature
and circumstances human beings always look for an external support—a being,
which may compensate for their feelings of helplessness, and may serve as a
source of confidence and conviction. To make someone a part of one’s life in
this capacity is akin to accepting that being as a deity. When a being (or an
object) is taken as a deity it is assumed to be someone or something worthy of being worshipped. It
necessarily entails that all one’s feelings of love and devotion become
exclusively reserved for that being or object. Their own nature compels human
beings to have some focus for all their feelings of love, devotion and
reverence. And whenever or whatever becomes the focus of these emotions it is
held as god by that person. (That is, that object has been accorded the status
of divinity). Since God remains invisible in this present world, one who judges
things by appearances tends to accord some visible being the status due only to
the Almighty. Such beings are generally leaders who, because of certain marks of
distinction, become the center of public attention. This vacuum in human nature
was in actual fact to be filled by God Almighty, but many people chose something
or someone other than God for this purpose.
This happens when
ordinary human beings, seeing someone surrounded by visible pomp and splendour,
are impressed by certain special talents or qualities; when they find certain
individuals occupying ‘seats’ sanctified by centuries-old traditions; when
at times they are impressed by the large following which certain people enjoy;
when they see public figures surrounded with the halo of mysterious legends.
Being ordinary mortals themselves, they come thus to regard certain persons as
possessing extraordinary power and therefore superior to common man.
But the truth is
that in this universe of God, none save God possesses any power or greatness.
Man may continue to receive the status of divinity only for so long as God
remains invisible. When God appears on Doomsday, the state of affairs will
change so drastically that people will flee from one another. Today people take
great pride in their association with and devotion to great men. They think that
they are clinging to a firm rock which will surely help them in the Hereafter.
Such association will prove meaningless on Doomsday—as if they had never
existed at all.
Man will look at
his past life in despair but he will be utterly helpless to rectify the
situation. He will be able to do nothing but regret his past deeds.