Section Al-Furqan – Part 29
We are continuing with our study of Section Al-Furqan of the Qur’an. We last studied the verse mentioning caprices that one may worship as his god to reject the message that is presented by the prophets. We also looked into the responsibility of the prophet which is to deliver the message. However, the one who holds on to his caprices cannot be helped unless he lets go of his caprices. In such a case, the one delivering the message is not responsible because the person with caprices is free to choose whatever he wants to do and must let go of his caprices to benefit from the message.
The next verse continues in the same line of reasoning:
أَمْ تَحْسَبُ أَنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ أَوْ يَعْقِلُونَ ۚ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا كَٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ ۖ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا
25:44 Or do you think that most of them listen or use their reason? They are but like cattle, no, they are even far worse astray.
Interestingly, the verse is mentioning that some human beings who have been following their caprices are worse than cattle and uses the term “كَٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ”. Does this verse insult those who just make their caprices their god or is it a statement of reality? When the verse says they are like cattle and even far worse, is it the case? When one insults someone, it doesn’t really have a positive effect but more of a reaction and animosity towards them. The purpose of the Qur’an is not to push people away. By principle, the Qur’an states the severest case to draw people’s attention, clarify the seriousness of the situation one may put themselves in. It is not an insult but a teaching by stating in a way: “I created you as a human being and you are behaving like cattle. By following your caprices, you are making your life worse than cattle.” Animals such as cattle are all happy in their life when left alone. Look at a squirrel, do you see any depression or stress on it? They are happily jumping and entertaining us.
The Qur’an uses the severest language describing Hell and the situation of people there by using very heavy language relating to people who reject the prophetic message. It is not because they didn’t believe in his message, they couldn’t stand hearing the message delivered by the prophet (pbuh). They tried to expel the followers of the prophet from the town, boycotted them, harmed and tortured them. The prophet (pbuh) is not saying that I am going to take over your property, nor asking to be appointed as the chief or get some position. He is just saying to be careful, your position is deserving eternal punishment, just accept your reality and be saved. The Qur’an uses harsh language to describe the result of unbelief where God may appear as if He is angry. This severe language of the Qur’an describing the result of disbelief is misunderstood by many.
When we read the phrase “you are like cattle”, we may be taking it as if God and I are on the same equal terms. Under equal terms, it would be regarded as an insult. How about God being my Creator saying: “what have you done as my creation with what I have given to you as your human senses? I have given them to you freely and you just spoiled them”. I must understand that I am a created being and my Creator is not like me or in equal terms to me. He has a purpose in using such language to guide me.
For example, if I receive a precious gift which I break and trash in front of the one who gifted it to me. What would this person say? He would use some strong language to make me realize what I did wrong with the precious gift and would not give me a gift again since I didn’t appreciate the gift. To draw my attention to the severity of the case, he would say: “are you crazy or what? You made me mad!”. These expressions are meant for me to pay attention to the wrong I have done and draw my attention to the seriousness of the case. That is how my Creator uses this language to draw my attention not to waste the qualities given to me freely as a precious gift.
If one goes on to take their caprices as their god, they will define themselves as a corporeal being only, not as a human being. They would only be concerned with satisfying their bodily life and ignore their spiritual/human side, rejecting their reality. They cannot sit comfortably to think what their purpose of existence is. They are given great human capacity which they trash by reducing themselves to a living being only. Their Creator has the right to grab their attention: “what are you doing living like an animal when you are not an animal.” This is not an insult, but to grab one’s attention about the severity of the situation which cannot be expressed in a soft tone. Those who define themselves solely as physical beings and live accordingly are compelled to live like animals, focusing only on satisfying bodily needs and pursuing physical pleasures. This is why God uses the analogy of animals—to highlight that their chosen way of life mirrors that of animals. However, as human beings, attempting to find fulfillment in ways that contradict the deeper expectations of their human qualities, especially feelings, ultimately leaves them feeling worse than animals. Thus, God’s comparison of such people to animals is not an insult but a statement of reality. That is why severe language is needed and used to describe the situation of Hell. The Qur’an must use this language to draw my attention where my Creator is speaking to me in order to guide me in a way when I go astray, He will draw me back to the right way.
The phrase “يَسْمَعُونَ أَوْ يَعْقِلُونَ” translated as “listen or use their reason” invites people to either listen to the message of the prophets, or listen to one’s own human side, or at least reason about the creation of the universe. However, the deniers of the message do not listen to the prophet, they even react to prevent him from spreading the message. They don’t listen to their human side because they are denying their human qualities by being only concerned with their bodily existence. The early message of the Qur’an described that this world is transient, it will be destroyed and that there will be a Hereafter. People are free to listen to the message and if they don’t understand they could ask. However, the rejectors are deliberately rejecting as they don’t want to hear this message. They reflect their caprices on the universe as well by making an unfounded claim that the “universe follows their own nature”, as if the things are the creator of themselves. People’s understanding of the universe, their own psyche, is the reflection of their own definition of their existence. No one can say that I am created, and the universe is not, and vice versa. If I don’t accept that I need to be created, I am needy then the other beings don’t need to be created and exist by themselves. If someone says this, we can ask them to consider their own being, how do they define themselves, their existence and their feelings? We can ask them to start by considering themselves first. Some people do define themselves as elevated animals. However, the Qur’an mentions that they are worse than animals. The phrase “أَضَلّ” translated as “far worse astray” is when one does not take notice of their human feelings, live just to satisfy their bodily existence. They are described as being “worse than animals”, astray as in far away from their reality as a created human being.
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ ٱلظِّلَّ وَلَوْ شَآءَ لَجَعَلَهُۥ سَاكِنًۭا ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا ٱلشَّمْسَ عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلًۭا
25:45 Do you not see how your Lord lengthens the shadow? If He had willed, He could have made it stand still. Then We made the sun its guide.
This is another example of a verse which seems as if the subject changed suddenly. What does this verse have to do with the previous sequence of verses? What does the shadow have to do with those who worship their caprices and are far worse than animals as the previous verse mentioned? This is a method in the Qur’an to bring in a sort of conclusion on the sequence of verses that preceded it. Here it is inviting me to examine my practical life while living in the universe so that I will take notice of the creation and check my understanding to revise my conclusion that I exist purposelessly. It invites me to reflect on my practical life within the universe, encouraging me to observe creation and reassess my understanding. This reflection helps me reconsider the conclusion that my existence lacks meaning and purpose.
The phrase “your Lord lengthens the shadow” means something that we should take notice of. Figuratively, it gives the concept of time and how things are changing. It gives a visual that we can see in the universe telling me that I must not condition myself that I am an accidental being. Take notice of the universe in which I am in and listen to it. At least see how I exist, see how the universe exists. Something is going on beyond my capacity within me and the universe, which I cannot control. The phrase of lengthening the shadow is a sign that something is going on that I must pay attention to, someone is putting my shadow down for me to take notice that my existence is under the control of someone else. I cannot stop the sun and the globe of earth from moving.
Why does the verse say, “If He had willed, He could have made it stand still”? Is it telling us what He willed? It is telling me that the universe is not acting by itself, but someone is deliberately consciously bringing things into existence. Everything is arranged according to the will of someone else.
Why does the verse mention the sun? Is it just teaching me that the sun is the reason for the shadow? There must be something meaningful to mention this. Observing the sun’s movement, I realize it’s guided by a conscious external Agent who must be the One who gives existence to everything in a perfect order. This leads me to conclude that the entire solar system, and therefore the whole universe, while in motion, are similarly governed by this Agent.
The message is not only inviting the deniers but is also prompting me to pay attention when I look at the universe to see that it is all perfectly arranged by the Owner, Lord of the Universe, who knows every being. Such wonderful demonstrations are happening in front of our eyes which we don’t even realize. The simple arrangements of the solar system that we take for granted are so amazing that I must ask, can this arrangement happen by itself? It is impossible for me to accept that these wonderful things exist randomly, by themselves. I need to humble myself before the wonderful acts of creation happening all around me.
The Qur’an does not make the statement that I will give you the evidence to show you that your conclusion is wrong, but it makes the connection to the previous verses and allows the readers to fill in the blanks to realize what they are missing and need to learn.
ثُمَّ قَبَضْنَـٰهُ إِلَيْنَا قَبْضًۭا يَسِيرًۭا
25:46 We then draw the shades towards Us in gradual stages.
The phrase “قَبْضًۭا يَسِيرًۭا” is translated as “gradual stages” can be understood as something coming easily and smoothly. The original meaning of the word “يَسِيرًۭا” is “easy”. Why is the mentioning of “gradual stages” important? It indicates that the shadow is drawn closer to me in a smooth way. I don’t notice that it is moving. However, when I see it in a larger time lapse, I would be able to see that the thing is moving or changing. Things in the universe grow gradually and smoothly. We grow and learn gradually, the plants grow gradually, our metabolism adjusts gradually, etc. We cannot get addicted to something suddenly, but it happens gradually. After doing something a few times, it becomes my habit, and I get used to it. The movements of the earth and moon are gradually happening, signifying that it is a conscious arrangement, smooth arrangement fitting to our being. Someone is kindly, respectfully changing so that it does not surprise me suddenly or disturb me. Very rarely do we experience an event such as a sudden earthquake that would shake us. Most of the time we experience a gradual and smooth creation which gives us the opportunity to think about it.
Why does the Qur’an use different pronouns for God such as “He” and “We”. The usage of different pronouns mean God is not definable. Another aspect is that there is no reason to mention gender differences when using pronouns for an Absolute Being. The pronouns for gender differences are only used to describe created beings, God cannot be defined in this way. The usage of “We” is also described as Royal “We” that is used to show His Greatness, beyond imagination. This is also to draw our attention to His infinite Qualities and to see that everything is created with the manifestation of these Qualities of God, being the Creator, Administrator, Organizer, and Planner for example. We must try to see those Qualities in every being.
The Qur’an uses various ways to indicate who the Owner of the universe is. Sometimes, it uses “Lord” (Rab) and “your Lord”, sometimes “Allah”, sometimes directly addressing those deniers who are preventing the spread of the message, the Qur’an uses “God is swift to take account” (3:19) to show His direct interference in handling them. In another verse to emphasize direct power, it uses “Me and My Messenger” (5:111) and another saying, “My Messenger will be successful” (58:21). Sometimes, to get His message across indirectly, the phrase would address the prophet to tell the people that “their Lord” (9:21) is giving them the good news. Another verse asks them how can you argue about your Lord by describing God as “our Lord and your Lord (2:139) . Depending on the context, different ways and pronouns are used to indicate God, the Owner of the universe. Many scholars have worked to explain how different meanings are derived from the pronouns and words used.
What does it mean for the shade to go back to God? Everything is under His control where things are created by Him and act according to His Will. You are experiencing your shade in front of you moving gradually, smoothly demonstrating that the solar system is perfectly arranged by a conscious Being. There is also a strange description of this phrase of “the shade goes back to God” explained by the prophet (pbuh) on the setting of the sun: “When God sets it down every day, it goes back to its Creator and makes prostration before Him.” One can visualize it as the sun is setting, disappearing and making a physical prostration before God. In this verse the Qur’an also explains the same with this verse which means that everything is under the Will of their Creator, they cannot have any other option at all. Through their movements, they display signs of their Creator; this is their prostration before God. Through the act of prostration in prayer, we too declare our recognition of His Lordship.
Tags: Al-Furqan, Belief, Feelings, Furqan Series, human qualities, Life, Worship