Many times have We explained this (in the) Qur’an to them, so that they may take it to heart, but most people refuse to be anything but ingrate.
Had We so willed, We could have sent a warner to every city. Do not obey the unbelievers, but strive most vigorously against them with this Qur’an. (The Standard, Al-Furqan: 25: 50-52)
The surah has referred to several scenes of the universe which confirm God’s power of creation and His total control of everything in the universe. These include aspects we see everyday in our world, such as the alternation of day and night, winds, rain and how it causes the growth of plants to provide food for man and animals.
At this point the surah refers to the Qur’an which, like the pure rain water, descends from on high to purify people’s hearts and souls. It wonders how man warms up to rain, which is essential for physical life, but does not warm up to the Qur’an which gives life to hearts and souls.
“Many times have We explained this (in the) Qur’an to them, so that they may take it to heart.” We have put it to them in a great variety of forms, styles and presentations, addressing it to their minds, hearts, souls and feelings. We sought to awaken their consciences to its import in numerous ways, employing different methods to ensure that they interact with it. All it needs from them is that they should ‘take it to heart.’ The point is that the Qur’an aims to remind people of a truth that is well established in their nature, even though they often forget it. What makes them heedless of it is the fact that they submit to their desires: “But most people refuse to be anything but ingrate.”
This means that the mission entrusted to God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) is a very hard one. He faces all mankind when the great majority of them choose to follow their desires, insisting on unbelief, remaining ingrate, despite the presence of numerous signs pointing to the truth of faith.
“Had We so willed, We could have sent a warner to every city.” Such a course would have divided the task and made it easier to carry out. God, however, chose one of His servants, the last of His messengers, and required him to address all mankind, so as to give them the same message which remains free from local variations. God also gave His Messenger the Qur’an, so as to make it the address he tries hard to drive home to them: “Do not obey the unbelievers, but strive most vigorously against them with this Qur’an.”
This Qur’an has great power and influence. It is irresistible. When God’s Messenger addressed the Arabs with it, it shook their hearts and consciences. They tried hard to counter its effects, employing every means at their disposal, but all their efforts were useless. The Quraysh elders used to say to their people: “Do not listen to this Qur’an, but rather talk frivolously about it, so that you might gain the upper hand.” (41: 26) This betrayed their profound fear that the Qur’an could touch their own hearts and the hearts of their followers and they would accept Islam. They were aware that it took only reading a couple of verses, or may be a surah or two, by Muhammad, and the listeners would be so affected that they would accept his message. To them, that seemed like a magic effect the Qur’an had on people.
Those elders of the Quraysh were themselves touched by the power of the Qur’an. It was only because they were keenly aware of its profound effect that they resorted to such tactics, warning their people against listening to the Qur’an and encouraging them to take it frivolously. Indeed, their statement is indicative of how worried they were about the effect of the Qur’an.
Ibn Ishaq reports that three of the Quraysh elders, Abu Jahl, Abu Sufyan and Al-Akhnas ibn Shariq went out one night to listen to the Qur’an being recited by the Prophet as he prayed in his home during the night. Every one of them was on his own, thinking that no one would know about his action. As the day began to break, they went back. However, the three of them inevitably met. There was no need to ask each other what they were doing. Therefore, they remonstrated with one another and felt that their action was inadvisable: “Should some of your followers see you,” one of them said, “you would stir doubts in their minds.”
The following night they did the same, and once again they met at the break of day. Again they counseled each other against their “irresponsible” action. Nevertheless, the third night each of them went to sit outside the Prophet’s home and listen to the Qur’an. When they met in the morning, they felt ashamed of themselves. One of them suggested that they should give each other their word of honor not to come again. They did so before going home.
Later that morning Al-Akhnas ibn Shariq went to see Abu Sufyan in his home. He asked him what he thought about what he heard Muhammad reciting. Abu Sufyan said: “I heard things which I know and recognize to be true, but I also heard things whose nature I cannot understand.” Al-Akhnas said that he felt the same. He then left and went to Abu Jahl’s home to put the same question to him.
Abu Jahl’s answer was totally different. For once, he was candid and honest with himself and his interlocutor: “I will tell you about what I heard! We have competed with the clan of Abd Manaf (the Prophet’s clan) for honors: They fed the poor, and we did the same; they provided generous support to those who needed it and we did the same. When we were together on the same level, like two race horses running neck and neck, they said that one of their number was a Prophet receiving revelations from on high! When can we attain such an honor? By God, we shall never believe in him.”
This is just an example of how strongly they felt attracted to the Qur’an. They felt that it was too powerful for them. Hence, they needed to pledge their word of honor that they would not listen to it again. What they feared most was that some of their subordinates might see them so attracted to the Qur’an, and they would then be unable to resist it.
