Let’s recap some points regarding this Section Jinn of the Qur’an which seems to be addressing Jinn and their response back to God. This is true but we cannot limit it to Jinn only as we are reading these verses. We see that these verses are also addressing me at the same time as being transferred to humanity through the Prophet’s tongue in human language and then recited and written in the form of a Book which is called “Mushaf” and now is presented to me. This section Jinn of the Qur’an is directly related to me where the address is general, not only to Jinn but to human beings as well and their relationship with their Lord.
Let’s continue with our discussion of the section bearing in mind that we should read the verses as directly related to our daily living:
وَأَنَّ ٱلْمَسَـٰجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدًۭا
72:18: The places of worship are only for God, so do not invoke anyone besides Him.
The translations usually introduce the content of the verse to give a rough idea. It is impossible to provide details in the translations of verses. The nature of translations do not allow for detailed meaning in the verses which is why we must study further to reflect on them.
The phrase “وَأَنَّ ٱلْمَسَـٰجِدَ لِلَّهِ” is translated as “the places of worship are only for God”. This means that the places of worship must be respected, regarded as directly from God. The verse continues with “فَلَا تَدْعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدًۭا” which is translated as “so do not invoke anyone besides Him”. This means that do not expect any response or justification from anything else but from Him.
We should remind ourselves that this section was revealed during the prophetic time in Mecca. During that period of prophet’s life in Mecca, there was no masjid as we have now. Through the Revelation till then, prayers were prescribed but not in the form of congregation that are held nowadays. Everyone was recommended to perform their personal prayer as part of the believer’s practice. The above verse is using the word “ٱلْمَسَـٰجِد” which is the plural form for “مسجد” a place of worship, a place of making prostration (sajdah). Performing the prostration was a common practice in Mecca usually occurring when they heard the poets who sounded great and people prostrated to express their appreciation and admiration of them. The people had been accustomed to practicing prostration during the prophet’s lifetime. When this Revelation came, the prophet (pbuh) started informing people to prostrate only in Ka’ba which the people found very strange, a new custom was being introduced that the Meccan’s were unfamiliar with.
Nowadays, we understand the word “mosque” or “مسجد” in Arabic as a structural building where congregational prayers are held. The meaning of the word was not understood in this way earlier which meant to be a place where one is expressing their admiration of something. The verse mentions that appreciation, admiration of any of God’s qualities must take place in the “ٱلْمَسَـٰجِد”, places of worship. Where was it at that time? There was no proper building where we can present our admiration, a place of worship where something wonderful, amazing, and miraculous is taking place, which we are admiring. We should understand that anything that is presented to us in this universe is nothing but God’s presentation of His Absolute qualities which we should admire and make that thing as my place of prostration, i.e., express my appreciation wherever I am and whenever I receive a manifestation of something that attracts my attention and for which I am grateful for. For example, when I perceive the sun as being arranged to serve me, by my Lord. I am benefitting from the rays and heat during the cold winter. The existence of the sun is a sign out there in the universe manifesting the Absolute qualities of its Creator; I should admire His qualities and bow down in prostration. Every place could become the place of manifestation for us, as everything in the universe is created manifesting His Absolute Perfect qualities.
For example, I pick up a pomegranate from the store, I look at it and see how perfectly it is packaged. I cut it open and see another miraculous presentation of each seed placed perfectly inside the aril like shiny ruby crystals and packed with sweet juice. The One who created this is manifesting His Absolute qualities to me that I admire and appreciate. The pomegranate becomes the place of manifestation for me, i.e., use it as the means for performing prostration to its Creator. And also, in its own way of being created the pomegranate itself is a place “مسجد” of prostration for the representors of its angels who declare through the meaningful side of the manifested forms of the Creator’s absolute qualities by executing the Will of the Creator.
The verse mentions “do not invoke anyone besides Him” using the word “تَدْعُوا۟” which has meanings: to call, invite, and make invocation. When creation is presented to me and when I become aware of creation, I should not attribute its creation to anything except God. I should direct my invocation to God alone, expressing my appreciation of His Absolute qualities of which I have become aware of.
The language employed in the verse is usually taken as a command from God. The Qur’an is expected to teach us what truth is in my living in this universe; to learn and follow that truth. In a way the verse is teaching me not to invoke anyone else besides God because if I do, I will be in trouble by doing something wrong. I should not be admiring anyone besides God, the Creator of the universe. The existence of anything that I deem admirable must be the means for me to appreciate and invoke its Creator. There is no way of explaining the existence by attributing it to anything else besides the Creator of the whole universe.
The Qur’an is generalizing the message to everyone and making the places of worship general to everything in the universe. Including my own existence, my feelings, I must experience within myself this form of prostration. Declaring God’s Greatness. I declare the glory, the perfect qualities of my Creator who is my Lord and the Lord of the whole universe, who is beyond the limitations of this universe, unlike anything in the universe.
Prostration in prayer, putting our head down is declaring that I have no claim of anything. I know my own existence and also the existence of anything belonging to Him. By using our bodily expression of prostrating is declaring our reality that I hold no claim. We are representing the reality of human beings as conscious beings accepting their reality and surrendering to it. I am declaring not only myself but declaring that the whole universe is prostrating to your grandeur beyond imagination, or any description.
وَأَنَّهُۥ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ ٱللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا۟ يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًۭا
72:19 Yet when God’s servant stood up calling on Him, the [the unbelievers] overwhelmed him with their crowds.”
When someone stands up for the truth among a group of people, those who don’t admit to the truth feel disturbed. For example, a group of people are planning a crime together and one member may disagree by not joining the activity. The other members would be disturbed and may try to attack this opposing member.
In the life of the prophet (pbuh), he was going to Ka’ba to spread the message of God. There was no instruction to perform congregational prayer for the believers at that time which came later in Medina. The custom at that time was that every tribe had symbols (tamaathul) called in the Qur’an “andad,” “asnam” which are translated as “idols” representing their tribe in the Hejaz area where people would come and prostrate, bow down, salute before this tribal representative. These symbols were regarded by them as the source of their security, protection, provision without which they thought they would not survive, although they claimed to believe that the universe is created by God. This is the reason why the Qur’an calls them “mushrik” (anyone who assigns partners, that is, who believes in God as the Creator but whatever he benefits all come from any part of this universe. In that civilization people identified themselves with their tribe. They didn’t have any real understanding of God, but a general concept which refers to the Creator of the universe who does not really have any connection to their lives; He does not have any effect on their lives Every tribe was proud of themselves and believed that their tribe had the best history, customs,heroes and their representative symbol or “idol”. They did not have any concept of the equality of every tribe before God regardless of their tribal customs, historic heroes, symbols (idols) except their virtuous values . The Qur’anic message brought in the message that: “all human beings are created by God, why do you make these divisions between tribes, i.e. nations in today’s reality? It doesn’t matter where they were born and what tribe or nation they belong to, they are all equal before God, the only exception is in being conscious of God and being aware of His graces in every aspect of their lives. Take these tribal or national symbols away.” We notice that the ancient nations and the present day nations now identify themselves with their nationality and their customary living conditions. tThe people who do not follow the Qur’anic teachings identify themselves with the tribal or national symbol, i.e., their tribe or nation gave them their identity, refuge, and strength. If someone was not affiliated with a tribe in those centuries, no one would protect or defend him, and he would be subject to being captured and enslaved by anyone. The custom necessitated everyone to be affiliated with a tribe for protection because of the lack of a teaching of the Qur’an. The same problem of misconceptions still are prevalent all over the present day world.
The prophet (pbuh) did not prostrate before any of the tribal symbols (idols) but before Ka’ba as representing the house of God (Baitullah) declaring that I am worshiping God only, nothing else. I am not associating myself with any tribal identity but with God alone. This was difficult to digest for people as he (pbuh) belonged to the Quraysh tribe. This was seen as a call to others that they should not identify themselves with a tribe; every tribe and everyone is equal; we are all human beings. This message of the prophet (pbuh) was seen as a threat to their culture. Nowadays, we can see the resemblance to our current civilization where the identity is given by nations, titles, professions, or corporations. If someone says that I don’t identify myself with any tribe, but I identify myself with the Creator of the universe whose Oneness, Absoluteness are all defined by the Ka’ba, an empty simple building, with no structural significance. The emptiness of the Ka’ba represents that you cannot find God here within the universe. I have to admit that there is no Creator within the universe, I understand that there must be a Creator of this universe who is called God. My identification is no longer with anything within the universe but with the Source Of Existence of the universe. The Prophet, by praying only in front of Ka’ba and refusing to kneel down before any tribal symbols, renounced all the other sources of identification and thus paved a path for the people that they must question their millennium-old culture. This challenging action of the prayer of the Prophet, considered by the chieftains of the Quraish as causing friction in their tribal unity.
In history, particularly the biography of the prophet (pbuh) (sirah or seerah) mentions about the prophet (pbuh) being surrounded by people threatening him not to declare this message. Although those that surrounded him claimed to be believers in God but did not want him to mention this message of God which gives human beings equal identification: Everyone is God’s creatures and equal in God’s eyes, except their virtues which inevitably differ according to their choices. They felt threatened that he is influencing many others. To believe in the Creator is different from identifying one’s existence to the Creator only and not anything else. The Qur’an mentions “لا إله إلا الله”, there is no way to identify one’s existence except by attributing it to the Source of one’s existence, the Creator of the universe. The message implies that there is no difference between human beings and this was a big threat to the society who assembled together to protest. We see similar circumstances prevalent in our civilization as well.
For example, an expert in science is being honest in his research on some element and comes up with the statement: “I have investigated creation of a particular element, which is happening in such a miraculous fashion, it is inexplicable within the conditions of matter only.” Everyone who does not want to submit their existence to the Creator of the universe would attack him and expel him from scientific research, accusing him of not being a scientist. Every human being, if not biased, can recognize that it is impossible to explain the existence of the element as happening randomly. Just look at the cell, the properties of the cell, structures of the particles of the cell, look at the DNA, they are just blind matter. For the deniers to say that the particle exists randomly is like saying a book with meaningful sentences developed and evolved in this way by accident; the meaningful sentences are the accidental result of ink and paper. Any honest person knows that the ink and paper exist as they are made to exist, they have no conscious choice to adapt themselves as they want.
Another example where the DNA in a cell is like a written book. It is like the blueprint of an architect who is indicating his plan for building a thing in that blueprint. In the cell’s DNA are written all the past, present, and future state of the thing. All this information in the DNA is nothing but the knowledge of the Creator of the Universe recorded there. They say the DNA (blueprint) is adapting itself. What they do not want to see is the fact that every moment is a new creation, a new existence which needs a source of existence to bring the thing into existence.
The overwhelming crowd happens to the individual speaking the truth that you must explain the research results to be the result of random happenings, otherwise you are not a scientist. Of course, any open minded scientist has the right to raise the question: Explain that the DNA is randomly happening. I am a conscious being where I can decide on the way which is best for me, whereas the elements and particles of the DNA cannot choose such. I observe in the creation of a cell that every moment it has been given existence in a very slightly different way but this process of existence is taking place in a perfect order. I do not see any disorderly accidental existent being. Anyone who brings this to light is immediately attacked within their community. During the prophet’s life in Mecca, they attacked him as well. However, after a while they had to surrender to his message as being correct.
In the narrations it is mentioned that Abu Bakr, who was regarded as one of the honorable people of Quraish, was reciting the verses of the Qur’an in his house loudly which attracted many people to listen to him. The message in his recitation resonated to them to be amazing and true. The Quraysh tribal leaders warned Abu Bakr to not recite the verses loudly otherwise he will lose his honor. In the case of the prophet (pbuh), he was not only doing it for himself, but he also stood up behind the message he was delivering to people. The arrogant leaders were aware of the recitation of the Qur’an delivered by prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and its influence in society. When he started praying and prostrating to God in the vicinity of Ka’ba, his practice triggered them further to attack him as is well narrated in the biography books.
In our present day, we are bombarded with the message that all of science approves that things are happening naturally. In a tricky way they present that the technology that we produce works and they misplace this with their naturalistic interpretation and claim that this interpretation also works. Their interpretation misses the point that technology works because it follows the order of the universe. They misrepresent this by saying that the order is functioning by itself as if it is independently existing although they investigate the order of the universe and only then by obeying this order they can do rearrangements within the limitations of what the order allows them. They ignore that the existence of the order cannot be attributed to disorderliness, i.e. chaos. How can an unconscious particle establish a universe wide operating order? There is no exception to the rule where every particle, every being must obey the order in the universe. For example, if anyone is building a brick wall they must decide with their conscious choice and, by obeying the order, place the bricks where they need to be. The bricks cannot arrange in order by themselves. We also need to keep in mind that this analogy of the brick wall is static whereas the creation of the universe is dynamic and continuously changing.
قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَدْعُوا۟ رَبِّى وَلَآ أُشْرِكُ بِهِۦٓ أَحَدًۭا
72:20 Say: I invoke my Lord alone, for I do not ascribe divinity to anything except Him.”
Whatever the arrogant ones do, whatever sarcastic language they use, whatever attack one receives from them, don’t rebel, or take any physical action against them but say that “I invoke my Lord alone, for I do not ascribe divinity to anything except Him.” This is the way the Qur’an teaches us. I cannot ascribe divine qualities to any created thing but to the Lord of the universe.
These verses that start with “قُلْ”, translated as “Say” as if God is asking Muhammad (pbuh). Yes, first revealed to prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and now addressing me who is reading this verse. The phrase “إِنَّمَآ أَدْعُوا۟ رَبِّى” translated as “I invoke my Lord alone”. I should check myself and see if it is possible for me to ascribe any created power to anything. I should use my reasoning. The phrase “وَلَآ أُشْرِكُ بِهِۦٓ أَحَدًۭا “ translated as “I cannot ascribe divinity to anything except Him”. This means that it is impossible to ascribe divinity or creative power to anything but Him. We should practice this message in our lives not only by saying it but by witnessing the whole universe.
قُلْ إِنِّى لَآ أَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ ضَرًّۭا وَلَا رَشَدًۭا
72:21 Say, “It is not in my power to harm you nor guide you rightly.”
In this verse as well, I should declare and practice this. It doesn’t only mean that I will use some force, power on you to do this, i.e., I am also not forcing this upon you to accept this message as I did. It is not like I believe in this way, so you must believe in this way as well. I should openly declare that it is not in my power to harm you, I cannot do anything. This is the truth that I believe in, and I submit to this truth. In a way it means to leave me alone on this. However, the arrogant ones don’t leave the believers in this message alone. The truthful ideas are contagious and appealing to those who are looking for it.
Careless people who do not take their life seriously get influenced by ideas that go against their reality, human feelings, and reality of the universe. They want to steer away from having any responsibility of any kind to their Creator. They are just following fashion, whatever is currently practiced by the general public. They are not aware of, really convinced about what they are doing to be true and humanly acceptable. No one can demonstrate that following fashion is rationally acceptable. It is practical as they just go with the flow and identify themselves with some artificial community values. If someone says that you are doing something meaningless, the whole community will be against that person. It is difficult to stand up for the truth which needs courage. Standing up for the truth is not to force it upon someone or impress someone but present it as best as one could to the society. We should be careful not to appear as the center of power to impose our ideologies on other people.
What were the prophet and his companions doing then?
They were just presenting the message and practicing it in their lives. There are lots of events related in history and biography of the prophet about many wars. We must be careful about the wars that were for only defensive purposes, not to empower anyone or impose power of the Muslim community over them. These verses are revealed in the Meccan period where the prophet was not using any physical power on anyone at all. He advised people to be patient, not to trigger them or use any physical power. Faith cannot be imposed on people by force.
However, it was the unbelievers who used power to suppress the believers; they have done that in history, trying to eradicate the believers from the face of the earth, to protect their status of dominance in society. The nobles of the country were the leaders doing this, the innocent people were just following them without knowing much. The Quraysh were not destroyed, even they expelled the prophet (pbuh) from his town although the Qur’an tells that God destroys the people who expel their prophets. The reason for Quraish people not being destroyed revealed that among the Quraish people they were many secret believers but they were afraid of the chieftains to declare their belief because they were so aggressive upon the poor, defenseless people and especially on the orphans and slaves. After a few years most of the Meccan populations including their leader, known as Abu Sufyan, declared their belief in the message of the Prophet.
We should understand that the prophet and his companions were defending their physical life only during the period of Medinean life of the Prophet, from the attack of others. Because the believers were attacked physically, so they had to defend their body by physical means. The unbelievers couldn’t attack belief, the message of the Qur’an or present a counter argument to the message. The followers of the prophet could attack ideologically, presenting the reason for worshiping God alone and not following tribal values which represented no truth; they had their evidence. The other party of disbelievers did not have any evidence to counterattack the truth which is why they attacked the physical body of the believers.
Nowadays some emotional people who are not completely satisfied with the truth attack the bodies of people by calling them disbelievers. They say that we must reject them. However, what we should do is to present them with the idea that rejects their idea by using the power of belief (presenting it properly in the form of reasonably confirmable belief in Truth) and not physical attack.
There are some narrations that misrepresent the presentation of the prophetic message in a way that the believers attempted offensive wars against the neighboring tribes. We should understand that the representatives of the prophet (pbuh) were going with the message to tell others and transfer the message to them. Some mindless people described this event as going to war in a zealot way to demonstrate the valor of the companions of the Prophet. This goes against the teachings of the Qur’an which mentions to spread the message but not by force. There are at least a hundred verses emphasizing that the prophet has no mission or responsibility but to deliver the message clearly. Speak to them at their level, at the human level of understanding. These kinds of offensive war narrations that are presented in books as such were true as far as the spreading of the message is concerned because in fact a handful of people went to the neighboring tribes to deliver the message, but the way these events presented as wars are not true. It does not make sense at all that 1–20 companions were going to the neighboring tribes in their own place and numbered 500-1000 with no war swords and armor to the people without even declaring war.
In one example, when the prophet (pbuh) heard and got the message from neighboring tribes that they were getting ready to make an alliance to attack Medina, he took precautions by telling his companions to get ready and spoil their plan. This is sometimes described as an offensive war, not defensive. If the prophet waited until they got their alliances together then it would not be wise to wait until they attacked. Their intention is there to attack so one must get ready to defend themselves in order to take preemptive measures. For example, why do we secure our houses with an alarm system? Just in case someone attacks. Most of these kinds of precautions are taken as deterrents. Anyone thinking of robbing would be cautious in being recorded and caught and he will be impeded.
We must be careful when reading the biography (seerah) of the prophet, many of which have been written carelessly in order to say that the prophet (pbuh) and his companions were so brave. Whereas the Qur’an mentions not to use physical force to spread the message.
Another example, in one of the Jewish tribes, someone was going around inciting the Meccan pagans against believers telling them that if they attacked from outside, his tribe would attack from inside. This man was going around the tribe writing poems which was then like the social media these days. He was asking to make an alliance among themselve to finish the Muslims and share the abundant booties of Madinah. The prophet said that this man must be stopped, and he was killed. The orientalists pick up on this single example and say that the prophet was killing his enemies. There were many Jewish people in and around Mecca but only this man was killed as he was an influential poet inciting hate and betraying the treaty between the Medinah administration and their tribe. The way he was behaving is worse than a physical attack. He was encouraging people of the neighboring tribes to make an alliance among themselves who did not yet believe in the message of the prophet, emotionally playing with them.