In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful

Say: ‘My Lord gives in abundance, or gives in scant measure, to whomever He wills; but most people do not understand.’

It is neither your riches nor your children that can bring you nearer to Us: only he who believes and does what is right (comes near to Us). To these multiple reward will be given for all that they have done. They will dwell in safety in the mansions of paradise; whereas all who strive against Our revelations, seeking to defeat their purpose, shall be given over to suffering. Say: ‘My Lord gives in abundance, or gives in scant measure, to whomever He wills of His servants; whatever you give for His sake He will replace it for you, for He is the best of providers.’

On the day He gathers them all together, He will say to the angels: ‘Was it you that these people worshipped?’ They will answer: ‘Limitless are You in Your glory! You alone are Our patron, not they. In fact they worshipped the jinn and most of them believed in them.’ Today none of you has any power to benefit or harm another. We will say to the wrongdoers: ‘Taste now the suffering through fire which you persistently denied.’

(Sheba; Saba’: 34: 36-42)

The Qur’an puts in front of mankind the standard of values God wants. It explains to them that whether God grants provisions in plenty or makes them scanty is no indication of God’s being pleased or displeased with a person. It has nothing to do with the correct standard of values; it neither prevents punishment nor induces it. It is totally separate from the question of accountability, reckoning, requital and God’s pleasure. It is subject to a totally different divine rule: “Say: My Lord gives in abundance, or gives in scant measure, to whomever He wills; but most people do not understand.”

This question of wealth and property, and how much someone has of the means of luxury and pleasure, is one that makes many people wonder. They are troubled when they see that the wicked, the corrupt and the perpetrators of evil have whatever they wish for of wealth and power, while those who are virtuous, good and honest are deprived of it all. Some tend to think that God only gives in abundance to someone who enjoys a privileged position with Him. Others may even doubt whether goodness, honesty and virtue have any real value, since they often go hand in hand with poverty and deprivation. Therefore, the Qur’an separates the riches and luxuries of this world from the values, which God approves of. It states that God grants sustenance in abundance or scant measure to whomever He wills, and this has nothing to do with Him being pleased or displeased with anyone. God may indeed give riches in abundance to someone with whom He is displeased as well as to one who has earned His pleasure. Likewise, He may stint the provisions of anyone, good or evil. Most certainly the actions they do will not lead to the same result.

God may give in plenty to the perpetrators of evil, giving them the chance to delve further into evil, compound their corruption and increase their record of sin and crime. He will then punish them for their evil in this life or in the life to come as He, in His infinite wisdom, may determine. On the other hand, He may give them sustenance in a tight and scanty measure, and as a result they may go further on the loose, adding to their crimes and sins, despairing of ever receiving God’s grace. Again their record of sin and evil will mount.

By contrast, God may bestow His favors in abundance on good and virtuous people so as to enable them to do many more good things that they would not have been able to do without having plentiful provisions. Thus, they will show their gratitude to Him by feeling, word and action. Their record of good things will then grow in accordance with their actions and with the goodness of their hearts, which is known to God. Alternatively, He may grant them sustenance only in small measure to test their perseverance, trust in their Lord, reassurance and acceptance of whatever lot is assigned to them. Again, if they prove themselves, there will be a manifold increase in their record of goodness.

Whatever the reasons for giving people in plenty or in limited measure are, the whole question is entirely separate from people’s respective positions with God. A person’s wealth, position or offspring in this life bear no indication of that person’s standing with God. Such standing is determined on the basis of how people behave. If God grants someone wealth and children, and he uses both in a good way, God may give him double reward for this good action in connection with the blessings received from Him. It is their conduct that gives them double reward, not the wealth, power or offspring.

“It is neither your riches nor your children that can bring you nearer to Us: only he who believes and does what is right (comes near to Us). To these multiple reward will be given for all that they have done. They will dwell in safety in the mansions of paradise; whereas all who strive against Our revelations, seeking to defeat their purpose, shall be given over to suffering.” The rule concerning people’s provisions and whether they are given in abundance or small measure is restated, making it clear that it is subject to God’s wisdom. It tells us that whatever of our provision is spent for God’s sake is the portion that remains and grows. We need to keep this fact clear in our minds: “Say: My Lord gives in abundance, or gives in scant measure, to whomever He wills of His servants; whatever you give for His sake He will replace it for you, for He is the best of providers.”

The present passage concludes with a scene from the Day of Judgment, where we see them gathered, and God confronts them with the angels they used to worship instead of Him. It ends with them suffering the torment they used to hasten, as the surah has already mentioned: “On the day He gathers them all together, He will say to the angels: ‘Was it you that these people worshipped?’ They will answer: ‘Limitless are You in Your glory! You alone are Our patron, not they. In fact they worshipped the jinn and most of them believed in them.’ Today none of you has any power to benefit or harm another. We will say to the wrongdoers: Taste now the suffering through fire which you persistently denied.”

These are the angels they used to worship, or hope would intercede for them with God: they are brought face to face with them, but the angels glorify God, stating that He is exalted above all that these people allege. They disassociate themselves from such false worship, as though it had not taken place. They are indeed in Satan’s service, either worshipping him and appealing to him for help, or obeying him by associating partners with God. In fact, when they worshipped angels, they were actually worshipping Satan. Indeed worship of the jinn was practised by some Arabs. Some of them actually addressed their worship to the jinn, while others sought their help. Hence, the surah says: “They worshipped the jinn and most of them believed in them.” This explains the relevance of Solomon’s story with the jinn to the major issues discussed in this surah.

As this scene concludes, the mode of expression changes from narrative to address. The blame is squarely put on them, and they are severely reproached: “Today none of you has any power to benefit or harm another.” Neither can the angels benefit people, nor can those unbelievers benefit one another. The fire the wrongdoers used to deny is now in front of them. It is an undoubted reality: “We will say to the wrongdoers: Taste now the suffering through fire which you persistently denied.”

Like all previous passages, this one concludes with further emphasis on the question of resurrection, accountability, reckoning and reward.