Marriage is yet another of God's great gifts and is a mean for the preservation of the human race. But how deeply have people truly valued its sanctity and preserved it from the crippling and unnecessary traditions, rituals, and demands of human society?
And Allah hath given you wives of your own kind, and hath given you, from your wives, sons and grandsons, and hath made provision of good things for you. Is it then in vanity that they believe and in the grace of Allah that they disbelieve? (72)
One of the most intriguing features of human beings is their capacity to manufacture and believe in falsehoods. Instead of serving the One true God who has bestowed all manner of blessings upon them, they would rather turn their attention to the worship of concocted gods, both animate and inanimate:
And they worship beside Allah that which owneth no provision whatsoever for them from the heavens or the earth, nor have they (whom they worship) any power. (73) So coin not similitudes for Allah. Lo! Allah knoweth; ye know not. (74)
Judgement is a certainty which every single human being will face. They have to stand alone before God and be witness to what they had done in this life, and for Allah this shall occur in the twinkling of an eye: " And unto Allah belongeth the Unseen of the heavens and the earth, and the matter of the Hour (of Doom) is but as a twinkling of the eye, or it is nearer still. Lo! Allah is Able to do all things "(77).
The surah continues in a similar vein: "And Allah brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers knowing nothing, and gave you hearing and sight and hearts that haply ye might give thanks "(78). The process of growth from babyhood to manhood is an amazing and fascinating one. Man's transformation from a small, vulnerable, and defenseless creature into a grown, mature, and independent adult is a magnificent manifestation of God's immense power and creativity.
From the secrets of the womb to the functions of the planet and the universe, God is fully aware and in control of everything. Nothing exists or happens on land, sea, or air without His knowledge, command, or power: "Have they not seen the birds obedient in mid-air? None holdeth them save Allah. Lo! herein, verily, are portents for a people who believe "(79). Unfortunately, familiarity has blunted our fascination with the mysteries of God's creation and dulled our senses to the signs of His existence everywhere.
And Allah hath given you in your houses an abode, and hath given you (also), of the hides of cattle, tent-houses which ye find light (to carry) on the day of migration and on the day of pitching camp; and of their wool and their fur and their hair, caparison and comfort for a while. (80) And Allah hath given you, of that which He hath created, shelter from the sun; and hath given you places of refuge in the mountains, and hath given you coats to ward off the heat from you, and coats (of armour) to save you from your own foolhardiness. Thus doth He perfect His favour unto you, in order that ye may surrender (unto Him). (81)
Reading ayat after ayat one is quickly and deeply led to understand and appreciate that the number of favors bestowed by God to mankind is as vast as the stars in the sky and that: "And if ye would count the favour of Allah ye cannot reckon it. Lo! Allah is indeed Forgiving, Merciful "(18).
At this point the surah turns to talk about the Qur'an itself but with reference to the Day of Judgement.
And (bethink you of) the day when We raise in every nation a witness against them of their own folk, and We bring thee (Muhammad) as a witness against these. And We reveal the Scripture unto thee as an exposition of all things, and a guidance and a mercy and good tidings for those who have surrendered (to Allah). (89)
The same scene is cited in An-Nisa' which says:
But how (will it be with them) when We bring of every people a witness, and We bring thee (O Muhammad) a witness against these? (41) On that day those who disbelieved and disobeyed the messenger will wish that they were level with the ground, and they can hide no fact from Allah. (42)
It is reliably reported that when this verse was revealed to the Prophet he was driven to tears, suddenly understanding the weight of the responsibility placed upon his shoulders. The revelation received by Prophet Muhammad contained within it the key to understanding everything in this world. He delivered it intact and with honesty, and raised a nation which would go on to create a civilization that would change the whole course of human history and lead humanity along the true path to God. Today, this same revelation lies abandoned and the Muslim people, once the creators of empires, now do no more than pay lip service to its message and as a result languish in a climate of backwardness, defeat, apathy, and humiliation. What can the possible reasons for such failure be? Are these Qur'an's instructions so difficult to implement that we fail to execute them ? The answer is an emphatic NO! Those who find such lofty principles difficult to live by have only themselves to blame for living in misery and suffering. For Allah says: "Lo! Allah enjoineth justice and kindness, and giving to kinsfolk, and forbiddeth lewdness and abomination and wickedness. He exhorteth you in order that ye may take heed "(90).
Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazali
[ 1917 - 1996 ]
" A Thematic Commentary On The Qur'an "
Reflection and commentary by Shaykh Dr Yusuf Ziya Kavakci,
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