In the name of God, the Merciful, the Beneficent
Nay, We have revealed to them the truth; and yet, they are certainly lying.
Never did God take unto Himself any offspring, nor has there ever been any deity alongside Him. (Had there been any) each deity would surely have taken away his own creation, and they would surely have tried to establish superiority over one another. Limitless in His glory is God, far above all that which they attribute to Him.
He knows all that is beyond the reach of human perception, and all that is manifest. Sublimely exalted is He above anything they associate as a partner with Him.
Say: “My Lord! If it be your will to show me that which they are warned against, then, my Lord, do not let me be one of those wrongdoing folk.”
We are most certainly able to show you that which We promise them. Repel evil with that which is best. We are fully aware of all that they say.
And say: “My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the promptings of the evil ones; and I seek refuge with You, my Lord, lest they come near me.”
(The Believers, Al-Mu’minoon, 23: 90-98)
Having refuted all the claims the idolaters state about God, assigning to Him a son or partners, the surah states in all clarity the true principle of God’s oneness as explained by God’s Messenger, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): “Nay, We have revealed to them the truth; and yet, they are certainly lying. Never did God take unto Himself any offspring, nor has there ever been any deity alongside Him. (Had there been any) each deity would surely have taken away his own creation, and they would surely have tried to establish superiority over one another. Limitless in His glory is God, far above all that which they attribute to Him. He knows all that is beyond the reach of human perception, and all that is manifest. Sublimely exalted is He above anything they associate as a partner with Him.”
We note how the statement uses different methods and styles. First, all argument with them is closed, and an emphatic assertion of their lying is given: “Nay, We have revealed to them the truth; and yet, they are certainly lying.” This is followed by some details of their lies: “Never did God take unto Himself any offspring, nor has there ever been any deity alongside Him.” An irrefutable proof is then stated rendering all their claims false and showing the absurdity of the pagan beliefs based on associating partners with God: “(Had there been any) each deity would surely have taken away his own creation.” Each deity would stress his independence and conduct the affairs of his creation according to his own law. Thus, every part of the universe, and every group of creatures would have different basis and laws. No common code will apply to them all. Hence, those deities “would surely have tried to establish superiority over one another.” Such superiority could take the form of a more sophisticated law operating in a particular part of the universe. However, the universe as a whole cannot function properly unless it is subject to a single law that applies to all its parts and all creatures living in it.
None of this multiplicity is found in the universe, where consistency of structure proves the oneness of its Creator, and inner harmony testifies to its being run by a single will. Indeed, we clearly see that all parts of the universe function in perfect harmony: “Limitless in His glory is God, far above all that which they attribute to Him.”
“He knows all that is beyond the reach of human perception, and all that is manifest.” None other than God has any authority over any part of His creation, knowing anything that is unknown to God. “Sublimely exalted is He above anything they associate as a partner with Him.”
At this point, the surah stops addressing them or speaking about them. It now addresses God’s messenger, commanding him to appeal to God that he may not be placed with such people, if he were ever to witness the fulfillment of the warnings they have been given, which threaten them with painful suffering. He is further instructed to seek refuge with His Lord from being fed up with all that they represent: “Say: ‘My Lord! If it be your will to show me that which they are warned against, then, my Lord, do not let me be one of those wrongdoing folk.’ We are most certainly able to show you that which
“We promise them. Repel evil with that which is best. We are fully aware of all that they say. And say: ‘My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the promptings of the evil ones; and I seek refuge with You, my Lord, lest they come near me.’”
The Prophet is certainly not going to be with the wrongdoers when God inflicts on them a severe punishment in fulfillment of His warnings. But this prayer which he is instructed to repeat serves as a further precaution. It is also meant as a lesson to all believers so that they may not slacken. They should also be on their guard, attending to their duties and seeking refuge with God and praying Him to bestow His grace on them.
God is certainly able to fulfill what He has warned the wrongdoers against, and to make it all happen during the lifetime of His messenger: “We are most certainly able to show you that which We promise them.” He certainly showed him some of it in the Battle of Badr and then when Makkah surrendered to Islam.
However, at the time of the revelation of this surah in the Makkan period, the policy followed by the Muslim community was to repel a bad thing with something better. Muslims had also to demonstrate their patience in the face of adversity, leaving their destiny entirely to God: “Repel evil with that which is best. We are fully aware of all that they say.”
The Prophet was certainly immune to any promptings or persuasion by the evil ones. However, here he is instructed to pray for protection against all that in an urgent appeal for further immunity against all their evil. Being the perfect role model for all Muslims in all generations, his appeal provides a lead for them to follow. They also should seek refuge with God against all temptation put in their way by the evil ones. Indeed the Prophet is instructed to appeal to God for protection against those evil ones coming near him in any way. “I seek refuge with You, my Lord, lest they come near me.” This may be also interpreted as an appeal lest they should come near him at the time of his death. This sense is strengthened by the following verse: “When death approaches any of them, he says: My Lord! Let me return (to life).”
We will be discussing the next passage, beginning with this verse, next week, God willing.
Arab News Islam 6 June 2003
