Welcome to our weekly program “Path Towards Enlightenment” in which we present you a fluent and easy-to-understand explanation of the ayahs of the holy Qur’an.

We start from where we left you last Friday and here is ayah 46 of Surah Ankabut:

وَلَا تُجَادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَقُولُوا آمَنَّا بِالَّذِي أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَإِلَـٰهُنَا وَإِلَـٰهُكُمْ وَاحِدٌ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ

“Do not dispute with the People of the Book except in a manner which is best, barring such of them as are wrongdoers, and say, ‘We believe in that which has been sent down to us and has been sent down to you; our God and your God is one [and the same], and to Him do we submit.”

If you might recall, last week while explaining ayahs 41 to 45 of this Surah, we said God has likened the contention of the infidels on their beliefs to a cobweb, that is, the home weaved by the spider, which is indeed the most weakest of houses. In other words, the object of worship of the idol-worshippers are considered weaker than the spider’s web. This ayah refers to the manner of discussion with the People of the Book that is, to those who claim to follow monotheistic religions since God had revealed heavenly scriptures to the Prophets they claim to follow, although they have deviated from the original message. In the ayahs under discussion, the words are about the disputation with the ‘People of the Book’ which must be milder, because, at least, they had heard a part of the Divine Prophets' instructions and they had some more receptivity for a logical debate. The point is every one must be talked with according to the standard of his wisdom, knowledge and morals. This is proof of the fact that Islam accepts exchange of ideas, correct debates between the followers of different schools of thought, cultures and nations. A dispute is accepted that the content of which and the style of its words are the best. In continuation, the ayah refers to the commonalities among the monotheistic creeds and says those who claim to be followers of divine religions should be asked to submit to God and His Commandments.

From this ayah we learn that:

1. In discussion with the followers of the creeds, we should refrain from insulting and ridiculing them. These talks should be based on reasoning and logic.

2. Exchange of views and proper discussion among followers of Divine religions and that too on the basis of commonalities has been recommended by Islam.

3. The claim to faith in God and Prophets is not sufficient, but one should precisely follow their instruction and submit to Divine commandments.

Now we listen to ayah 47 of Surah Ankabut:

وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ ۚ فَالَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ ۖ وَمِنْ هَـٰؤُلَاءِ مَن يُؤْمِنُ بِهِ ۚ وَمَا يَجْحَدُ بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَّا الْكَافِرُونَ

“Thus have We sent down the Book to you; and those to whom We have given the Book believe in it, and of these there are some who believe in it, and none contests Our signs except the faithless.”

God Almighty, Who had revealed heavenly scriptures to the prophets of the past, such as the Torah to Moses and the Evangel to Jesus, has sent the holy Qur'an to the Last and Greatest Messenger, Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny). Thus, there is no contradiction among the contents of the heavenly scriptures, and on the basis of logic and reasoning, those who claim to be followers of monotheist religions, ought to accept the holy Qur'an as the Final World of God Almighty. At the end, God says that none opposes what He has revealed, except the faithless, who deprive themselves of the rays of divine guidance.

From this ayah we learn that:

1. While respecting the books of previous Prophets, the holy Quran invites the followers of other religions to Islam.

2. The one who submits to God is called Muslim, which the one who completely accepts the truth of divine commandments.

Now let us listen to ayahs 48 and 49 of Surah Ankabut:

وَمَا كُنتَ تَتْلُو مِن قَبْلِهِ مِن كِتَابٍ وَلَا تَخُطُّهُ بِيَمِينِكَ ۖ إِذًا لَّارْتَابَ الْمُبْطِلُونَ

بَلْ هُوَ آيَاتٌ بَيِّنَاتٌ فِي صُدُورِ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ ۚ وَمَا يَجْحَدُ بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَّا الظَّالِمُونَ

“You did not use to recite any scripture before it, nor did you write it with your right hand, for then the beliers would have been skeptical.”

“Rather it is [present as] manifest signs in the breasts of those who have been given knowledge, and none contests Our signs except wrongdoers.”

Another sign of righteousness of the holy Qur'an is the personality of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), who was neither taught by anybody in the world, nor had any teacher from among mankind. In other words, he did not write it with his own hands, and it was divine revelation to him. To be more precise, God had enlightened his mind, heart and soul with divine knowledge beyond the comprehension of human beings, and thus anyone who belies him, is actually skeptical of God's commandments. The fact that a person who was seemingly unlettered could present such sublime teachings that dumfounded the Arabs who used to be proud of their eloquence, is another proof of the divine source of the holy Qur'an. Another undeniable fact, is the timeless wisdom and unmatched eloquence of the holy Qur'an. The next says explicitly that disputes God's signs and commandments, except the wrongdoers.

From these ayahs we learn that:

1. The personality of the Prophet of Islam and the proof that he was not taught by anyone, confirms the divine nature of the holy Qur'an, which no human being could compose or write.

2. Those who are really people of knowledge understand the righteousness of the holy Qur'an with all their heart.

AS/MG