Two note worthy points
So let us focus
our attention on the first ayah that reads:
Believers! Heed Allah as He should be heeded, and
see that you do not die except in the state of Islam.
see that you do not die except in the state of Islam.
Here two points
are noteworthy before we embark upon an in-depth analysis of the contents of
the ayah: First, almost two-third of the Qur’an consists of Makkan Surahs in
which the expression “0 Believers!” has not been used even once. This way of
address was employed in the Medinan period when the Muslims had formally became
a community. Thus this expression marked the formation of Muslim Ummah and
Allah Almighty (SWT) used these words while addressing all the members of the
Islamic polity.
Secondly, a
major portion of Surah Aal-e-Imran was revealed in the third year after Hijrah,
immediately after the battle of Uhud (Shawwal, 3 A.H.). If one tries to
visualize, with the help of authentic historical accounts, the state of the
Muslim community at that time in Medinah, one sees that the faith and belief of
the community presented a wide spectrum. At the one end of that spectrum were
true, staunch, and pious believers (among both Ansar and Muhajiroon) the depth
of whose inner certitude and unflinching belief (Iman) was fathomless, whereas
at the other extreme were those who lacked firm commitment and dedication to
Islam — the vacillating and faint-hearted among the Prophet’s (SAW) followers.
The highest degree of this attitude was exhibited by those whom the Qur’an
terms as Munafiqun — people who had rancor or hatred against true Muslims and
suffered from incredulity, impiety, shiftlessness, and dissimulation. The important
point to note, however, is that these people were never treated as a separate
group; rather they were included among the Muslims and the address starting
with the expressions “0 Believers!” also covered them. This point has far
reaching implications. Legally, even the hypocrites are to be treated as
Muslims in an Islamic society as they profess the Oneness of Allah (SWT) and
prophethood of Muhammad (SAW). That is why in the whole of the Qur’an we do not
read even once the words “0 Hypocrites!” even though a complete Surah entitled
“Al-Munafiqun” (the Hypocrites) deals with the wiles, plots, and false pretexts
of the dissemblers, whom the Holy Book likens to propped-up timbers. At other
places the hypocrites, faint-hearted, and weak-willed Muslims are described as
a menace to military discipline, quislings under pressure and vacillators
always guessing at their shifting fortunes. All those who profess to have Iman,
the Qur’an says, are not necessarily true believers; many have diseases of
feebleness or hypocrisy in their hearts:
And there are some men who say: We believe in God and the Last Day; but they are not really believers …in their hearts is disease…. (Al-Baqarah 2:8-10)
The Bedouins
say, We believe. Say: You do not (truly) believe, rather say, “We have
(outwardly) surrendered” — for faith has not yet entered your hearts.
(Al-Hujurat 49:14)
0 Messenger, let those who vie with one another in
(the way of) kufr not grieve you, from among those who say with their mouths
“We believe” while their hearts believe not…. (Al-Ma’ida 5:41)
So, here in
this world, true and staunch believers as well as weaklings and hypocrites are
all mixed together. However, Almighty Allah (SWT) will make a clear division between
them on the Day of Judgment, when everybody will be rewarded on the basis of
his belief and deeds (see Al-Hadeed 57:13). In other words, in this world a
man’s being Muslim (i.e., his verbal attestation of the basic beliefs of Islam
and outward actions) is all that matters; but in the Hereafter only true and
sincere belief — Iman —and deeds performed with the sole intention of pleasing
Allah (SWT) will save one from the torments of hell-fire.
to be continued....
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