Salaam and welcome to another episode of our weekly series titled “Path towards Enlightenment” which is an endeavour to make you and us familiar with an easy and fluent explanation of God’s Final Scripture to all mankind, the holy Qur’an that was revealed to the Last and Greatest of all Messengers, Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny).

We continue from where we left you last week and here are Ayahs 31 and 32 of Surah Najm:

“To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, that He may punish those who do evil for what they have done, and reward those who do good with the best [of rewards].

“Those who avoid major sins and indecencies, excepting (minor and occasional) lapses; indeed your Lord is expansive in (His) forgiveness. He knows best since (the time) He produced you from the earth and when you were fetuses in the bellies of your mothers. So do not flaunt your piety: He knows best who are Godwary.”

If you might recall, in our explanation of the previous Ayahs of this Surah last Friday, we referred to the limited knowledge and perception of those who are unmindful of God Almighty and have exchanged their human dignity and honour with mundane possessions. We also said that conjecture regarding faith and vital matters, results in irreparable loss, and the Omniscient Lord knows best who have gone astray from the Path of Truth and who deserve guidance.

The Ayahs that we recited you today, point to the Infinite Power of the Almighty Creator, to Whom belong whatever exists in the heavens and the earth, and therefore He solely deserves to be worshipped. The main purpose of the creation of the world is to test the obedience of the best of creation, that is, mankind who unlike other creatures has been given the intellect and the power of speech to discern good from evil in order to be guided toward the path of perfection through existential, legislative, and didactic methods applied by the Prophets. Thus, Ayah 31 means to say that those who indulge in disbelief and sins bring punishment upon themselves after having been given respite and shown mercy, while for the virtuous God Almighty has reserved the best of rewards.

Ayah 32 says God Almighty bestows further favours upon those who refrain from committing grave sins, and this abstention from committing grave sins leads to forgiving of lesser sins, but persistence in committing lesser sins turns them into grave sins. Our Creator is best aware of our inner feelings and even thoughts that flash across our minds. He is so Merciful that He forgives minor sins because of abstention from committing grave ones, which could also be forgiven through sincere repentance. Towards its end the Ayah cautions the virtuous as well against flaunting their piety or doing of good, since ostentation, pretension, reproach and the like are negative qualities.

These Ayahs teach us the following points:

1. Creation is not without aim; hence we are accountable to God for our deeds.
2. Righteous people are also prone to lapses, but the purity of their character makes them repent and seek forgiveness.
3. Never should we consider ourselves to be immune from evil deeds; since vanity and self-conceit leads to error.
4. The Almighty Creator is aware of every minute thing, even thoughts that flash across our minds.

Now let us listen to ayahs 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, and 38 of the same Surah:

“Did you see him who turned away?

“Gave a little and held off;

“Does he have the knowledge of the Unseen so that he sees?

“Has he not been informed of what is in the scriptures of Moses?”

“And of Abraham who fulfilled [his summons]:

“That no bearer shall bear another’s burden.”

These Ayahs stress each and every person’s responsibilities in a different way, and are a warning to those who think they can place the burden of their sins on others by giving them something meagre in the mortal life of the transient world on the assumption of being relieved of their heavy burden on Judgment Day. Some of them are so niggardly that they are not inclined to help the needy from the wealth that God has given them, and try to shrug off their responsibility for the evil they thus commit.

If Ayah 35 puts the rhetoric question whether such a person has knowledge of the Unseen, Ayahs 36 and 37 refute these false beliefs by pointing out that even the previously revealed heavenly scriptures, such as the books given to Moses and Abraham (peace upon them), God had clarified that no person may take the responsibility of others and each and every person stands accountable for his own sins. Prophet Abraham is cited as an example of supreme obedience to God, since he fulfilled such difficult tribulations as being content with Divine Will while being thrown by the tyrant Nimrod into the huge fire that miraculously turned into a cool garden for him, and his steadfastness in sacrificing his son Ishmael as commanded by the Lord Most High, Who at the last moment substituted a ram for the equally obedient youth.

These Ayahs teach us the following points:

1. We must help the poor and the needy without being niggardly from what God has given us, since whatever we possess is nothing but a trial for us.
2. Prophet Abraham was the role model of self-sacrifice and fulfillment of duties.
3. We should be on guard against the deception of those who entice us with sins, saying they would take the responsibility.
4. Every person is responsible for his/her deeds, and no one takes the burden of another’s sin.

In conclusion of this week’s episode, let us listen to Ayahs 39, 40, 41, and 42 of Surah Najm:

“And that nothing belongs to man except what he strives for;

“And that he will soon be shown his endeavour;

“Then he will be rewarded for it with the fullest reward;

“And that the terminus is towards your Lord.”

It is clear from these Ayahs that nothing belongs to us except what we strive for, whether good or bad, which means everyone enjoys the fruits of their efforts. The one who perseveres in the fulfillment of his/her tasks not only will soon receive the reward of his/her righteous good deeds in full but also will reap further rewards for the same, because of God’s Mercy. It is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an that each and every righteous good deed will accrue tenfold rewards, while some Godwary believers will receive rewards several times as much.

Ayah 42 means to say that everything shall indubitably return to the Almighty Creator, since He is the Final Cause and the Pivot of the world of creation. The world’s beginning and its end rests on God’s Pure Essence alone.

These Ayahs teach us that:

1. Our duty is to fulfill our responsibilities without bothering about results.
2. No deed is perishable, and it is the immortality of deeds and the just system of reward and punishment that encourages believers to do good deeds.
3. God is Aware of our deeds and efforts and grants countless rewards.
4. The belief that the end is with God makes us strive for good deeds.

RM/AS/SS