Surah 11. Hud ............. [123 Verses]

[kalamazoo]

[96-99]

And indeed We sent Moses with Our signs and with a clear authority to Pharaoh and his nobles. But they obeyed the command of Pharaoh even though Pharaoh's command was not rightly-directed. He shall stand at the head of his people on the Day of Resurrection, and will bring them down to the Fire. *104 What a wretched destination to be led to! They were pursued by a curse in this world and so will they be on the Day of Resurrection. What an evil reward will they receive!

---

---

*104. It clearly emerges from this verse as well as from other verses of the Qur'an that those who lead a nation or a group of people in the present world will also be their leaders on the Day of Resurrection. If the leaders had directed their people to truth, virtue and righteousness their followers will gather under their banner on the Day of Resurrection and will march to Paradise under their leadership. On the other hand, if these leaders called their people to erroneous beliefs, to immorality, or to false ways of conduct, they will continue to follow them even on the Day of Resurrection and until they end up in Hell.

This seems evident from the remark made by the Prophet (peace be on him) about Imr al-Qays: 'Imr al-Qays will bear the standard of the poets of Jahiliyah to the Fire.' (Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 2, p. 228 - Ed.)

Now everyone can visualize what kind of procession both these would be, each pressing on to their destined goal. There would be the procession of those who had been misled by their so-called leaders. On that Day they would be fully conscious of the dangerous end to which they would be in due course dragged. They would, therefore, quite naturally look upon those leaders as the ones responsible for all their suffering and misfortune. In the front line of the procession would be the so-called leaders and behind them would be throngs of their followers hurling abuses and curses at them. In sharp contrast, will be the other procession, the one led by those whose leadership made their followers merit entry into Paradise. With this blissful end in view, the followers will joyously press ahead, lavishing prayers and grateful tributes on their leaders.

 

[kalamazoo]

[100-101]

That is an account of some towns which We recount to you. Of them some are still standing and some have been mown down. We did not wrong them; it is rather they who wronged themselves. And when the command of your Lord came to pass, the gods besides Allah whom they had called upon, did not avail them in the least. They added nothing to them except ruin.

---

---

 

[kalamazoo]

[102-108]

Such is the seizing of your Lord that when He does seize the towns immersed in wrong-doing, His seizing is painful, terrible. Surely in that is a sign for him who fears the chastisement of the Hereafter. *105 That will be a Day when all men shall be mustered together; that will be a Day when whatever happens shall be witnessed by all. Nor shall We withhold it except till an appointed term. And when the appointed Day comes, no one shall even dare to speak except by the leave of Allah. *106 Then some will be declared wretched, others blessed. As for the wretched, they shall be in the Fire, and in it they shall sigh and groan. They shall abide in it as long as the heavens and the earth endure, *107 unless your Lord may will otherwise. Surely your Lord does whatsoever He wills. *108And as for those who are blessed, they shall abide in the Garden as long as the heavens and the earth endure, unless your Lord may will otherwise. *109 They shall enjoy an unceasing gift.

---

---

One may well ask, what are the signs in human history which indicate that there is an After-life, one in which people are liable to suffer punishment? These signs can easily be appreciated by those who do not consider history to consist merely of a series of unrelated events and who are inclined to reflect over the underlying logic of those events and so derive some conclusion from them.

What is most conspicuous in the long record of history is the constantly recurring phenomenon of the rise and fall of nations. Moreover, this rise and fall seems to be tied up with certain moral factors. The way in which certain nations have encountered significant falls and have suffered destruction clearly indicates that man, in this universe, is under a dispensation in which blind physical laws do not predominate. Instead, under that dispensation a moral law is also in operation. The result is that the nations which maintain a given minimum level of adherence to moral principles are rewarded.

Those who slide below that minimum level of adherence to moral principles, are granted a temporary respite. However, once a nation falls perceptibly below that minimum level, it meets its tragic end and is made a lesson of for future generations. The occurrence and repetition of these events at regular intervals leaves no doubt whatsoever that retribution is a permanent feature, a fully-fledged law that operates in human history.
​

Moreover, were one to carefully reflect upon the different forms of punishment which visited these different nations of the world, one would also realize that those punishments only partially accord with the requirements of justice and retribution. Were total justice to be meted out, it would be necessary to do a great deal more.

For the punishments which struck the nations of the world in the past, struck only those generations which lived at the time when the punishment visited them. But there are generations of men who sowed the wind of wickedness but disappeared when that wind developed into a whirlwind. The consequences of their evil deeds were faced by the generations that followed after them. It is obvious in this case that the real culprits escaped retribution

Now, if we are able to grasp the inner workings of this universe by our study of history, this should lead us to the conclusion that the unfulfilled requirements of justice call for a new order of existence to be brought into being. It is only then that those transgressors and wrong-doers who escaped divine punishment in the worldly life can be duly punished and their punishment will be much more severe than that suffered by the evil-doers in the world. (See Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. Ill, al-A'raf, n. 30, pp. 23-6 and vol. IV, Yunus 10, n. 10, p. 9.)

*106. Some people entertain the misconception that their saintly patrons will intercede on their behalf and obtain salvation for them on the Day of Resurrection. They believe that some of the saints will simply stage a sit-in protest before God, and will thus virtually extract from Him a pardon for their devotees. All this, of course, is sheer nonsense. For in God's majestic court, everyone - howsoever great they may otherwise be, including angels - will be in a state of spellbinding awe. At that awe-inspiring moment - the Day of Judgement - none will even dare speak until God Himself permits him to do so.

There are of course many in this world who make offerings at the altars of many beside God in the belief that they will simply have an overwhelming influence with God. Many people continue to commit misdeeds in the hope that the intercession of such beings will bring about their rescue. Such people will face utter disappointment on that Day.

*107. There are two possible interpretations for the words, 'as long as the heavens and the earth endure'. One possibility is that they refer to the heavens.

*108. There is no power other than God's that can prevent the sinners from
suffering eternal punishment. However, God may Himself will that someone may be spared His unending punishment. He may also decide to pardon such a person after he has been made to suffer a period of punishment in the After-life. In such cases, God certainly has both the authority and the power to do that. For if there is any law, it is God Who has made it, and hence that law can set no limit upon His power and authority.

*109. A person's permanent stay in Paradise is equally not contingent upon some higher law that would compel God to facilitate this. On the contrary, people will be able to stay there permanently only by dint of God's grace and mercy. If God were to act otherwise, He obviously has both the power and the authority to do so.

 

[kalamazoo]

[109]

[O Prophet!] Have no doubt about what they worship. For they worship what their fathers worshipped before. *110 And (yet) We shall grant them their due portion in full, diminishing of it nothing.

*110. This does not mean that the Prophet (peace be on him) entertained any 'doubts' concerning the deities whom the unbelievers associated with God in His divinity. Though this verse is ostensibly addressed to the Prophet (peace be on him), it is really aimed at conveying a message to the people of Makka. The thrust of the verse is that no sensible person should entertain the notion that those who worship false gods and pray to them have any plausible grounds for doing so and for expecting some benefit from such worship.
The fact of the matter is that the worship of false deities and the offerings, sacrifices and invocations addressed to them were supported neither by knowledge, careful observation, nor any scientific experimentation. The only basis for such worship was blind imitation of their ancestors.

The same shrines found amongst today's polytheists were also found among several past nations of the world. The same miraculous feats which are popular today were equally popular in the past among other nations. However, when God's punishment seized those nations which worshipped false deities, they were utterly destroyed. Their shrines proved altogether unavailing.

 

[kalamazoo]

[110-115]

And We certainly gave Moses the Book before, and there arose disagreements about it (even as there are disagreements now about the Book revealed to you). *111 Had it not been for a decree that had already gone forth from your Lord, the matter would have long been decided between them. *112 Indeed they are in a disquieting doubt about it. Surely your Lord will recompense all to the full for their deeds. For indeed He is well aware of all what they do. So remain, (O Muhammad), you and those who have returned with you (to the fold of faith and obedience from unbelief and rebellion) steadfast (in adhering to the straight way) as you were commanded. And do not exceed the limits of (service to Allah). For certainly He is aware of all what you do. And do not incline towards the wrong-doers lest the Fire might seize you and you will have none as your protector against Allah; and then you will not be helped from anywhere. And establish the Prayer at the two ends of the day and in the first hours of the night. *113 Indeed the good deeds drive away the evil deeds. This is a Reminder to those who are mindful of Allah. *114And be patient; for indeed Allah never lets the reward of those who do good go to waste.

*111.
If people launch scurrilous attacks on the Qur'an, this is not altogether novel. The same happened before. When Moses (peace be on him) was granted the scripture, people raised a variety of objections against it. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) should not, therefore, feel disheartened that his people rejected the teachings of the Qur'an despite their lucidity.

*112. This is being said in order to comfort the Prophet (peace be on him) and his Companions. They are being asked to be patient and not to seek a hasty judgement from God concerning those who differ about the Qur'an. For God will soon come forth with His judgement. He has determined that this judgement will neither come a moment before, nor a moment after the expiry of the term. It is true human beings wish God's judgement to come hastily. As for God, He never judges hastily.

*113. The 'two ends of the day' refer to the morning and the sunset. Similarly, the 'first hours of the night' refer to the time of the 'Isha' Prayer. We thus learn that this Qur'anic verse dates back to the time when the five daily Prayers had as yet not been prescribed. The Prophet's ascension took place at a later time than the revelation of these verses and it is then that the five daily Prayers were prescribed. (For further explanation see alIsra 17, n. 95; Ta Ha 20: 111; and al-Rum 30: 124.)

*114. The Qur'an informs the believers of the best way to drive away the evils which are rampant in the world and how to obliterate the wrongs perpetuated by the inveterate enemies of Islam. It counsels the believers to become increasingly righteous. For the righteousness of the believers will ultimately overwhelm evil and corruption. Now, since Prayers constantly remind people of God, they are the best means of making people righteous. The power that the believers receive from Prayer will not only enable them to repulse the onslaught of the organized forces of evil, but also to establish a righteous and benevolent order in the world. (For further elaboration see al-'Ankabut 29, nn. 77-9.)

 

[kalamazoo]

[116-119]

Why were there not, out of the generations that passed away before you, righteous men who would forbid others from causing corruption on the earth? And if such were there, they were only a few whom We had saved from those generations, or else the wrong-doers kept pursuing the ease and comfort which had been conferred upon them, thus losing themselves in sinfulness. And your Lord is not such as would wrongfully destroy human habitations while their inhabitants are righteous. *115Had your Lord so willed, He would surely have made mankind one community. But as things stand, now they will not cease to differ among themselves and to follow erroneous ways except for those on whom your Lord has mercy. And it is for this (exercise of freedom of choice) that He has created them. *116 And the word of your Lord was fulfilled: 'Indeed I will fill the Hell, with men and jinn, altogether.'

*115. These verses bring out, in a significantly instructive manner, the real factors which caused the destruction of those nations whose history has been narrated earlier (see verse 36 ff. above). Reviewing that history, the Qur'an points out the single common denominator of all those nations which met their doom in the past. All those nations had formerly been favoured with God's blessings. But drunk with affluence, they resorted to mischief on earth. Their collective conscience was also completely vitiated. The result was that no righteous person was left among them to prevent them from committing evils. And if any such person did exist, their number was either too small, or their voice too feeble to prevent evils from predominating. This situation eventually invited God's wrath upon them. Had they not been so evil, there was no reason why God should punish them. After all, He bears no such grudge against His creatures that would prompt Him to punish people even when they act righteously.

The above statement is intended to underscore three points.
Firstly, that it is imperative that there should always be a good number of righteous people in every society; those who would invite people to righteousness and prevent them from evil. For God likes to see that there is righteousness in the world. And if God does tolerate the existence of evil in human society, He does so since the potential for righteousness continues to exist in that society. But such tolerance endures only as long as that potential remains. However, if the condition of a community deteriorates, rendering it altogether devoid of good people, or if the good people in that community become an insignificant minority, too weak to prevent it from proceeding along its evil ways, then God's chastisement begins to loom large over it. That much can be said for sure. However, it is difficult to say with any precision when God's chastisement will actually smite that community and destroy it.

Secondly, a community that is prepared to put up with everything except a group of righteous people in its midst - people that call men to do good and forbid them from doing evil - is certainly destined for self-destruction. The attitude of that community clearly shows that it cherishes all that would lead to its destruction, and that it is intolerant of all that would ensure its survival.

Thirdly, God's final decision whether to punish a community or not depends on the extent to which that community is possessed of the elements that would enable it to respond to the call of truth. If it has such people in good numbers that would suffice to extirpate evil and establish a righteous order, such a community is spared the kind of chastisement which embraces whole communities and totally destroys them. If it is subjected to some partial rather than an all-embracing chastisement, the purpose of it is to enable its righteous elements to mend their ways.
It is possible, however, that in spite of continued efforts, the community will be unable to throw up a sufficient number of good people needed to bring about its reform. It is also possible that the community will demonstrate by its action that it is full of corrupt people and altogether bereft of virtuous ones. The community, in such a case, has obviously become a heap of coal in which no diamonds are left. When such a stage is reached God causes a fire to erupt, a fire that reduces this heap of coal to a heap of ashes. (For further elaboration see al-Dhariyat 51, n. 34.)

*116. This is being said in order to remove misconceptions which are often put forward under the appellation 'fate'. The explanation of the destruction of those ancient nations mentioned above is liable to give rise to serious objections. For, in the context of the above explanation it might be pointed out that the non-existence of righteous persons in a nation, or their existence in very small numbers, depends entirely on God's will. If such is the case, how can any blame be directed at those nations'? For, after all, why did God not create a large number of good people in those nations?
In the course of clarifying this misconception, it is pointed out here that God's will with regard to human beings does not consist of binding them to follow an inalterable course of conduct in the manner of plants, animals and other similar living beings who, as we know, have no choice except to follow the course determined for them either by the laws of nature or their instincts. Had such been the case, there would be no point in inviting human beings to believe, to raise Prophets, to reveal scriptures. All human beings would have been born as ones who would believe and submit to God's command. However, it was God's will regarding man that he should be granted free will and be vested with the power to follow the ways of his choice. It was God's will that the ways leading both to Paradise and Hell should remain open to him, and that everyone be provided with the opportunity to make a choice between them. Thus, whatever one is able to acquire is the fruit of his own labour.

Now, the very scheme of man's creation consists of granting him free will and providing the opportunity to choose between belief and unbelief. In such a case it is simply inconceivable that a nation would wilfully decide to go astray and God compel it to righteousness. If a nation decides to set up a system that produces rogues who try to excel one another in their evil, wrong-doing and sin, how can God forcibly direct them, by means of His direct interference, to the course of righteousness? Such an interference is simply not apart of God's scheme of things. Members of a community become good or bad as a result of the measures taken by that nation itself. But a time may come when a community immerses itself so deeply in evil that no sizeable group of good people are left in it to champion righteousness. Alternatively, the social system of that community may be so geared as to leave no room for reform. When such a stage is reached, God simply lets that community proceed to the tragic end that it has chosen for itself.
Those nations which deserve God's mercy are possessed of altogether different characteristics. Such nations abound in persons who respond to the call of righteousness. Moreover, their social values make it possible for righteous people to carry on their efforts to bring about reform. (For further elaboration see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. II, al-An 'am o, n 24, pp. 228-9.)

 

[kalamazoo]

120]

(O Muhammad!) We narrate these anecdotes of Messengers to you that We may strengthen through them your heart. In these anecdotes come to you the truth, and an exhortation, and a reminder for the believers.

 

[kalamazoo]

[121-123] Last verses of the Surah

As for those who are bent on not believing, tell them: 'Work according to your way and we are working according to our way. And do wait for the end of things; we too are waiting. All that is hidden in the heavens and the earth lies within the power of Allah. To Him are all matters referred for judgement. So do serve Him, and place in Him all your trust. Your Lord is not heedless of what you do. *117

Sadaqa Llah



<span style="color:#a9a9a9;"><strong><em>[video=youtube;G-1WzPe4wdI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-1WzPe4wdI[/video]

*117. God is cognizant of all that is being done by the two panics engaged in the encounter between belief and unbelief. It is simply inconceivable that there should be chaos and disorder in God's realm.
​

​

For God's realm is not the realm of a negligent, heedless sovereign who is unaware of what is going on, However, since God is Wise and Forbearing, He does not resort to punishing people hastily.

However, justice is eventually meted out and those who deserve punishment are ultimately punished.
Thus, all those who are engaged in the effort to bring about reform, should feel reassured that their efforts will not be wasted.


​