This Qur’an explains to the Children of Israel most of that over which they disagree. And it is indeed guidance and mercy to those who believe. Your Lord will judge between them in His wisdom; for He alone is Almighty, All-Knowing. So, place your trust in God; for yours is surely the path of the clear truth. Indeed you cannot make the dead hear; and you cannot make the deaf hear your call when they turn their backs and go away. Nor can you lead the blind out of their error. You can only get those who believe in Our signs to listen; and they will then submit themselves (to God).(The Ants; Al-Naml: 27: 76-81)
We spoke at length last week about the description of the Qur’an in this passage as guidance and mercy before adding a brief word about its unique method of remolding hearts and souls in accordance with pure, undistorted nature. It establishes harmony between human life, the universe and the major laws of nature operating in it. This enables man to live in peace and reassurance because he realizes that he lives in a world whose laws and forces are at peace with him. He knows that the overall law that runs the universe is the same as that which controls his life. With such harmony and peace between man’s soul and the great existence around him, peace is generated within the community and among humanity at large. Reassurance and stability become a reality in human life. This is ‘mercy’ in its most comprehensive form.
This quick reference to God’s grace represented in the revelation of the Qur’an is followed by an assurance to the Prophet (peace be upon him) that God will judge between him and his community on the basis of His perfect knowledge: “Your Lord will judge between them in His wisdom; for He alone is Almighty, All-Knowing.”
God has made the triumph of the truth a natural law similar to that of the creation of the heavens and the earth and the succession of night and day. It never fails. It may be slow in coming, but this will only be because of a particular purpose to ensure the fulfillment of certain goals. Both purpose and goals are known to God Almighty. But the law remains in operation, and God’s promise is certain to be fulfilled. Indeed, no one’s faith is complete unless one believes in its certainty. What we need to know is that God’s promise will come to pass at the moment appointed for it, and it will neither be hastened nor delayed: “So, place your trust in God; for yours is surely the path of the clear truth.” (Verse 79)
The surah continues to comfort the Prophet so that he would bear with patience the stubborn rejection by the unbelievers, despite his strenuous efforts giving them sound advice and addressing them with the Qur’an. He is told that he has not slackened in his duty, but he can make only those with beating hearts hear. These are the ones who listen attentively, and their hearts are moved so as to respond to the Prophet who gives them honest and sound counsel. By contrast, those whose hearts are dead and who are blind to all the pointers to the truth of faith are a lost case. There is simply no access to their hearts. Therefore, the Prophet should not worry over their persistence in error: “Indeed you cannot make the dead hear; and you cannot make the deaf hear your call when they turn their backs and go away. Nor can you lead the blind out of their error. You can only get those who believe in Our signs to listen; and they will then submit themselves (to God).” (Verses 80-81)
The Qur’anic style paints here a lively image of a mental condition that renders hearts, souls and feelings frozen, unresponsive. We see them first as dead, with the Prophet calling on them but they do not hear him. The second image shows them deaf, moving away from the person who is calling them. Thirdly they are shown as blind who cannot see the guide trying to set them on the right course. These three images interact to give us a profound description of their situation.
In contrast to the dead, blind and deaf we see the believers who are alive, with tuned faculties of hearing and seeing: “You can only get those who believe in Our signs to listen; and they will then submit themselves (to God).” These are the ones whose hearts are ready to receive God’s revelations. They have life and they feel its presence. They benefit by what they hear and see. Such are the believers and the Prophet’s duty is to make them hear, pointing out the signs God has placed all around us. They will then accept what he tells them and submit themselves to God.
Islam is simple, clear and very close to pure human nature. Once the heart gets to know it, it will submit to it. Thus the Qur’an describes those hearts which are prepared to listen and to be guided to the truth. They do not indulge in any futile argument. Once God’s Messenger call on them, pointing God’s signs and reciting His revelations, they respond and submit.
The surah then takes us on another round previewing some of the forerunners of the Day of Resurrection, and portraying some of its scenes. It mentions the appearance of a beast to speak to those who do not believe in God’s signs that are placed in the universe. It paints a scene of the resurrection and the rebuke leveled at those who deny God’s signs, while they stand speechless. It then quickly refers to the two signs that are always there to see, namely the night and the day, before taking us back to the scene of great horror when the trumpet is blown and the mountains are made to move like clouds. It shows us the good believers safe of all this horror while the errant ones thrown on their faces in hell.
