This directive is issued to the believers, requiring them to be forbearing toward those who do not look forward to God’s days. Theirs should be an attitude of forgiveness that combines generosity with power and dignity. The truth is that such people deserve pity and sympathy because they are deprived of the benefit of believing in God, which is a rich treasure of grace, strength, wealth, reassurance and kindness. It provides true protection in moments of stress and weakness. They are also deprived of true knowledge that understands the nature of universal laws and what they can bring of power and riches for man’s benefit. Those who enjoy the wealth of grace and benefits that come with faith are the ones who should be forbearing. They should forgive the slips and errors of the ones who are deprived of them.
On the other hand, the believers should leave the matter to God and He will requite all as they deserve. He will then credit them with their forbearing attitude and reward them for it as a deed of goodness. Such forgiveness naturally applies to what does not spread corruption on earth and does not constitute a transgression of the bounds set by God: “It is for Him alone to requite people for whatever they may have earned.” (Verse 14) This is followed by an assertion about every person’s individual responsibility and about fair judgment for all. It further confirms that all will return to God: “Whoever does what is right benefits himself; and whoever does evil causes himself harm. In the end to your Lord you will all return.” When this is made clear, a believer is able to be forbearing and to overlook personal offenses, but this forbearance is not out of weakness. Instead, he is the one who is strong and magnanimous. He holds the torch of guidance to enable the ones deprived of light to see. He comes forward with the cure for those who are ill. He will be rewarded according to his deeds, unharmed by those who do evil. All matters are ultimately judged by God, to whom all shall return.
The surah then speaks of the leadership of humanity and how it has ultimately been assigned to believers in the Islamic message. It refers to the divisions that split the children of Israel after God had given them scriptures, wisdom and prophethood. The mantle of leadership has now been given to the Messenger advocating God’s final message. This was clearly stated when the Prophet was still in Makkah, suffering with his followers from persecution by the unbelievers. Yet this tells us something about the nature of the Islamic message, right from its very beginning, and the mission it is expected to fulfill: “To the children of Israel We gave revelations, wisdom and prophethood; and We provided them with wholesome things and favored them above all other nations.”
Before the advent of Islam, the leadership of mankind was assigned to the children of Israel. They were the community entrusted with the divine faith God laid down for a certain period of time. Mankind needs a leadership enlightened with divine guidance. When human leadership is based on earthly considerations alone, with no reference to divine guidance, it is pulled in different directions whether by desire, ignorance or commonplace failings. God alone, the Creator of mankind, is the One who gives people a law that is free from the pressures of desire, ignorance or failing. He is the One who knows best what suits His creation.
“To the children of Israel We gave revelations, wisdom and prophethood.” They were given the Torah, containing God’s law, and they had a state where they were required to implement this law. They were also given prophethood after Moses so as to ensure the continued and right implementation of this divine law. Prophets were sent to them in succession over a relatively long period of history. “We provided them with wholesome things and favored them above all other nations.” Their kingdom was in the holy land, which yielded rich harvests of all types, stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates.
