Tafsir of Surah Aal Imran - Verse 191

The Proofs of Tawhid for People of Understanding, their Characteristics, Speech, and Supplications

Allah said,

إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ

(Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the Earth,) 3:190, referring to the sky in its height and spaciousness, the earth in its expanse and density, the tremendous features they have of rotating planets, seas, mountains, deserts, trees, plants, fruits, animals, metals and various beneficial colors, scents, tastes and elements.

وَاخْتِلَـفِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ

(And in the alternation of night and day), as one follows and takes from the length of the other. For instance, at times one of them becomes longer than the other, shorter than the other at times and equal to the other at other times, and the same is repeated again and again, and all this occurs by the decision of the Almighty, Most Wise. This is why Allah said,

لاّيَـتٍ لاٌّوْلِى الاٌّلْبَـبِ

(there are indeed signs for men of understanding), referring to the intelligent and sound minds that contemplate about the true reality of things, unlike the deaf and mute who do not have sound comprehension. Allah said about the latter type,

وَكَأَيِّن مِّن ءَايَةٍ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ يَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضُونَ - وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلاَّ وَهُمْ مُّشْرِكُونَ

(And how many a sign in the heavens and the earth they pass by, while they are averse therefrom. And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him) 12:105,106.

Allah then describes those who have good minds,

الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَـماً وَقُعُوداً وَعَلَى جُنُوبِهِمْ

(Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides) 3:191.

Al-Bukhari recorded that `Imran bin Husayn said that, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«صَلِّ قَائِمًا، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ فَقَاعِدًا، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ فَعَلَى جَنْب»

(Pray while standing, and if you can't, pray while sitting, and if you cannot do even that, then pray lying on your side.) These people remember Allah in all situations, in their heart and speech,

وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِى خَلْقِ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ

(and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the Earth), contemplating about signs in the sky and earth that testify to the might, ability, knowledge, wisdom, will and mercy of the Creator. Allah criticizes those who do not contemplate about His creation, which testifies to His existence, Attributes, Shari`ah, His decree and Ayat. Allah said,

وَكَأَيِّن مِّن ءَايَةٍ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ يَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضُونَ - وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلاَّ وَهُمْ مُّشْرِكُونَ

(And how many a sign in the heavens and the Earth they pass by, while they are averse therefrom. And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him) 12:105,106.

Allah also praises His believing servants,

الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَـماً وَقُعُوداً وَعَلَى جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِى خَلْقِ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ

(Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth), supplicating;

رَبَّنَآ مَا خَلَقْتَ هَذا بَـطِلاً

("Our Lord! You have not created this without purpose,")

You did not create all this in jest and play. Rather, You created it in truth, so that You recompense those who do evil in kind, and reward those who do righteous deeds with what is better.

The faithful believers praise Allah and deny that He does anything in jest and without purpose, saying,

سُبْحَـنَكَ

("glory to You,"), for You would never create anything without purpose,

فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

("Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire."), meaning, "O You Who created the creation in truth and justice, Who is far from any shortcomings, or doing things without purpose or with jest, save us from the torment of the Fire with Your power and strength. Direct us to perform the deeds that make You pleased with us. Guide us to righteous work from which You admit us into the delightful Paradise, and save us from Your painful torment."

They next supplicate,

رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ مَن تُدْخِلِ النَّارَ فَقَدْ أَخْزَيْتَهُ

("Our Lord! Verily, whom You admit to the Fire, indeed, You have disgraced him;), by humiliating and disgracing him before all people on the Day of Gathering,

وَمَا لِلظَّـلِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ<

("and never will the wrongdoers find any helpers."), on the Day of Judgment, who would save them from You. Therefore, there is no escaping whatever fate You decided for them.

رَّبَّنَآ إِنَّنَآ سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِياً يُنَادِى لِلإِيمَـنِ

("Our Lord! Verily, we have heard the call of one calling to faith,"), a caller who calls to faith, referring to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ,

أَنْ ءَامِنُواْ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَـَامَنَّا

(`Believe in your Lord,' and we have believed), accepted his call and followed him.

رَبَّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا

("Our Lord! Forgive us our sins"), on account of our faith and obeying Your Prophet

فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا

("Forgive us our sins"), and cover them,

وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّئَـتِنَا

("and expiate from us our evil deeds"), between us and You, in private,

وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الاٌّبْرَارِ

("and make us die along with Al-Abrar."), join us with the righteous people.

رَبَّنَا وَءَاتِنَا مَا وَعَدتَّنَا عَلَى رُسُلِكَ

("Our Lord! Grant us what You promised unto us through Your Messengers") for our faith in Your Messengers, or, and this explanation is better; grant us what You promised us by the words of Your Messengers,

وَلاَ تُخْزِنَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ

("and disgrace us not on the Day of Resurrection,"), before all creation,

إِنَّكَ لاَ تُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ

("for You never break (Your) Promise."), for surely, the promise that You conveyed to Your Messengers, which includes us being resurrected before You, shall certainly come to pass.

It was the Prophet's tradition to recite the ten Ayat at the end of Surah Al `Imran when he woke up at night for (voluntary) prayer. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "I slept one night at the house of my aunt, Maymunah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ spoke with his wife for a while and then went to sleep. When it was the third part of the night, he stood up, looked at the sky and recited,

إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَاخْتِلَـفِ الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لاّيَـتٍ لاٌّوْلِى الاٌّلْبَـبِ

(Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding) 3:190.

The Prophet then stood up, performed ablution, used Siwak (to clean his teeth) and prayed eleven units of prayer. When Bilal said the Adhan, the Prophet prayed two units of prayer, went out (to the Masjid) and led the people in the Dawn prayer." This was also collected by Muslim.

Ibn Marduwyah recorded that `Ata' said, "I, Ibn `Umar and `Ubayd bin `Umayr went to `A'ishah and entered her room, and there was a screen between us and her. She said, `O `Ubayd! What prevents you from visiting us' He said, `What the poet said, `Visit every once in a while, and you will be loved more.' Ibn `Umar said, `Tell us about the most unusual thing you witnessed from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.' She cried and said, `All his matters were amazing. On night, he came close to me until his skin touched my skin and said, `Let me worship my Lord.' I said, `By Allah I love your being close to me. I also love that you worship your Lord.' He used the water-skin and performed ablution, but did not use too much water. He then stood up in prayer and cried until his beard became wet. He prostrated and cried until he made the ground wet. He then laid down on his side and cried. When Bilal came to alert the Prophet for the Dawn prayer, he said, `O Messenger of Allah! What makes you cry, while Allah has forgiven you your previous and latter sins' He said,

«وَيْحَكَ يَا بِلَالُ، وَمَا يَمْنَعُنِي أَنْ أَبْكِيَ، وَقَدْ أُنْزِلَ عَلَيَّ فِي هذِهِ اللَّيْلَة»

(O Bilal! What prevents me from crying, when this night, this Ayah was revealed to me,)

إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَاخْتِلَـفِ الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لاّيَـتٍ لاٌّوْلِى الاٌّلْبَـبِ

(Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding.)

(Woe to he who recites it but does not contemplate it.)."

That human intentions and plans keep failing everywhere all the time is a matter of common experience. These cannot be called the prime movers and operators of this universal system. Therefore, the outcome of the deliberation into the creation of the heavens and the earth and into what has been created in them is, as wisdom dictates, living to know, obey and remember Allah. Anyone unmindful of it does not deserve to be classed as wise. Therefore, the Holy Qur'an has given the following sign of the wise:

الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُ‌ونَ اللَّـهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ

That is, the wise are those who remember Allah - standing and sitting and (lying) on their sides (191).

In other words it means that they are engaged in the remembrance of Allah under all conditions and at all times.

From here we find out that the thing which our modern world takes as the criterion of reason and good sense is simply a deception. Catering to greed, some people take accumulation of money as their ideal of intelligence. There are others who love to equate human intelligence with scientific inventions and electronic applications and for them, these are the power. But, real good sense lies in the message brought by the prophets and Messengers of Allah Almighty, for they, proceeding through knowledge and wisdom and advancing from the low to the high in the chain of causation, skipped the intermediary stages. Granted that human beings moved from raw materials to machines and science gave them access to power through utilization of energy generated in many ways. But, higher intelligence demands that human beings take that real giant step farther ahead so that they can discover that the main agent of human accomplishment is certainly not the water or clay or iron or copper or some other material, not even the machines that generate power. This function was accomplished by none else but the One who created the fire, the water and the air through which human beings were enabled to control technology and energy:

کارزلفِ تست مشک افشانی اما عاشقان

مصلحت راتہمتے برآّھُوے چین بستہ اند

Spreading the scent of musk is the function of Your tresses

But, those who love You have, out of expediency, ascribed the credit to the Chinese deer!

Let us understand this through the commonplace example of an ignorant dweller of some distant jungle who reaches a railway station and notices that such a huge railway train stops at the flash of a red flag while it starts moving at the flutter of a green one. Then, should he say that these red and green flags must have super power as they can stop and move such a powerful engine of the big train. Obviously, all sensible people would dismiss the ignoramus telling him that no power is vested in these flags. Instead, power rests with the person who is sitting in the engine room and stops or moves the train by watching these signals. But, someone smarter might reject the assumption that the engine driver had any instrinsic power to move or stop the train. His strength had nothing to do with it. He will go a step farther and attribute this power to the mechanical parts of the engine. But, a scientist would bypass cold mechanics of the engine and ascribe the real power to the steam which has been generated in the engine through heat and water. But, that is as far as the so-called scientific thinking goes. At this point, comes the thinking of the prophets, may peace be upon them, who would be telling these tyrants of their intellect: If the ignoramus who took the flags or the driver or the engine parts as the respository of power was in error, so are those who take sources of energy powerful by themselves - intellectually, they too are in error! The prophets would ask them to take yet another step forward so that they could lay their hands on the lost end of this tangled ball of string. May be, by doing so, they could have access to the final link of the great chain of caused things and there they could find the answer that the ultimate master of all power is none else but the One who created all forces which were harnessed to achieve human models of power.

It is not difficult to deduce from what has been said here that those who get to know Allah and remember Him at all times and under all conditions are the only people who deserve to be called 'the wise'. It is for this reason that the Holy Qur'an has defined the 'People of Wisdom' as ... الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُ‌ونَ اللَّـهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ those who remember Allah standing and sitting, and (lying) on their sides.'

It is on this basis that Muslim jurists have answered the case of a deceased person who, before his death, made a will that his property be given to the wise. As to who will be given this property, they have ruled that those who will deserve this are abstaining scholars who do not seek unnecessary material resources and are averse to the blind pursuit of the worldly, for they are the wise ones in the real sense. (al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Mitabul-Wasiyyah)

Also worth attention at this point is the fact that the Shari` ah of Islam has not enjoined abundance in any other mode of worship except ذِکر Dhikr. But, about ذِکر Dhikr, the command is: وَاذْكُرُ‌وا اللَّـهَ كَثِيرً‌ا (Remember Allah remembering abundantly). The reason is that all modes of worship, other than ذِکر Dhikr, have some conditions and rules without observing which those acts of worship are not considered to have been duly performed. This is contrary to ذِکر Dhikr which can be performed at all times and under all conditions whether standing, sitting and lying with or without وضُو wudu. Perhaps, this verse is indicative of this element of wisdom.

The second sign of the people of wisdom given in this verse is that they deliberate in the creation of the heavens and the earth:

يَتَفَكَّرُ‌ونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْ‌ضِ

And ponder on the creation of the heavens and the earth - 191.

Here we need to determine the. meaning of this act of 'pondering' and the level at which it operates.

The Arabic words, فِکر Fikr and تَفَکُّر Tafakkur, literally mean to ponder, to deliberate and think about something which is an effort to arrive at its reality. From this verse we find out that this act of pondering is also an act of worship and very much like the ذِکر Dhikr (Remembrance) of Allah. The difference is that the objective of ذِکر Dhikr is the remembrance of the Being and Attributes of Almighty Allah while the objective of فِکر Fikr and تَفَکُّر Tafakkur or thinking and deliberation relates to His creations. This is because the perception of the reality of the Divine Being and the Attributes is beyond human reason. Deliberation of this aspect results in nothing but wonder. The great poet, Rumi said:

دور بینان بارگاہِ الست

غیر ازیں پٔے نبردہ اند کہ ہست

Expert watchers of the Court of the Being of the Covenant Found out nothing but that He is.

In fact, this is an area of inquiry where excessive deliberation in the Being and Attributes of Almighty Allah could, at times, cause one's imperfect reason to stray into error. Therefore, the greatest among spiritual masters have emphatically advised:

تَفَکروا فی اٰیاتِ اللہ ولا تتفَکروا فی اللہ

Deliberate in the signs of Allah, but do not deliberate in Allah.

It means that there are signs in what Allah has created. One should think about these signs. But, one should not deliberate into the very Being and Attributes of Almighty Allah for that is beyond one's reach. One can see everything in the light of the sun. But, should one wish to see the sun itself, his eyes would get dazzled. Who is Allah? What is He like? These are questions all wise thinkers and spiritual masters have answered by suggesting:

نہ ہرجاۓ مرکب تواں تاختن

کہ جاہا سیر باید انداختن

You do not have to mount an assault on every field of inquiry

For, there are places where you should simply surrender.

However, thinking about creation inevitably leads one to realize the presence of its Creator. Look at the enormous expanse of the sky above us with the sun, the moon and the many planets and stars bound with the solar and lunar system under firm and predetermined laws working so well for thousands of years without being serviced or refurbished in some workshop. Then, there is this earth of ours, its rivers and mountains holding many marvels of creation, the trees, animals and hidden minerals, and the air that circulates in between the heavens and the earth and the rains that come and the electricity generated therein. This whole system so elaborately set up leads every sane person who is willing to think and understand that there is some special Being which is far ahead of everyone in power and control. This is what معارفت Ma'rifat is, the stage of knowing, realizing. So, this kind of deliberation which leads to the discovery of the Divine is an act of worship, a great one indeed. For this reason, Hadrat Hasan Basri (رح) said: تَفَکَّرُ ساعۃ خیر مِّن قیام لیلۃ (Ibn Kathir) which means: An hour spent in thinking about the signs of Allah is better and far more useful than a whole night standing in worship.

Hadrat ` Umar ibn ` Abdul-` Aziz (رح) has characterized this deliberation as a superior act of worship (Ibn Kathir).

Sayyidna Hasan ibn ` Amir ؓ said that he had heard from many noble Companions that deliberation is the light of faith.

Hadrat Abu Sulayman al-Darani said: When I go out from my house, everything I cast my glance on makes me realize that it contains one or the other blessing of Allah for me and that in its presence I have a good source of learning my lesson (Ibn Kathir). So, the knowers of the secrets of the self have always maintained:

Every blade of grass sprouting from the earth

Says: He is One and in Him there is no partner.

Hadrat Sufyan ibn ` Uyaynah has said: One who thinks a lot will under-stand reality, and who understands will arrive at sound knowledge, and who has sound knowledge is bound to act accordingly (Ibn Kathir).

Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Umar ؓ said: A pious man saw an ascetic sitting at a spot with a graveyard on one of his sides and a garbage dump on the other. The passing pious man remarked - You have two treasure troves before you, one of them is the human treasure known as graveyard and the other is the treasure of wealth and property turned into refuse and filth. These two treasures are enough to learn your lesson (Ibn Kathir).

Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Umar ؓ ، used to go out of the city into some wilderness with the express purpose of training and teaching his heart. When he reached there, he would ask the spot of land: Where are those who lived here? (ابن اھلک) ۔ After that he would answer his own question by saying: Everything must perish save the presence of His being (كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ ) . (Ibn Kathir). This was how he summoned and preserved the remembrance of Afterlife in his heart.

Hadrat Bashar al-Hafi said: If people pondered over the greatness of Almighty Allah, it would have become impossible for them to remain sinful and disobedient.

Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) said: 0 you who were created weak, fear God wherever you are. Live in the world like a guest. Make prayer places your home. Let your eyes weep fearing God, let your body remain patient and let your heart keep reflecting. Used to this, worry not about tomorrow's bread.

It is this kind of thoughtfulness and concern that these verses identify as the superior quality of wise people. Pondering over the creation of Almighty Allah, such people get to know their Creator and are personally convinced of the temporality of the physical world. This is a superb act of worship resplendent with the light of faith. Similarly, those who ` see and experience the signs of Almighty Allah yet get entangled with the superficial glamour of what has been created - as a result of which they fail to know their real master - is rank heedless-ness and very much juvenile. Sages have warned that whoever fails to learn a lesson from the universe before his eyes will find that the ability of his heart to realize the truth has corroded in proportion to his heedlessness. The eager protagonists of scientific progress all too engrossed in their breakthroughs fail to pay heed to their own ultimate fate. Consequently, the speed with which developments in scientific inquiry unfold the secrets of Allah's creation is also the speed at which they are receding farther away from reality and God. Commenting on the post-industrial revolution thinking, Akbar of Allahabad, poet, humourist, said:

بھول کر بیٹھا ہے یورپ آسمانی باپ کو

بس خدا سمجھا ہے اس نے برق کو اور بھاپ کو

Europe has forgotten the Father in the Heaven For them,

electricity and steam are as good as God.

It is about such visionless people with the dead weight of education and culture on their backs, the Holy Qur'an says:

وَكَأَيِّن مِّنْ آيَةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْ‌ضِ يَمُرُّ‌ونَ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِ‌ضُونَ ﴿105﴾

And there are so many signs in the heavens and the earth which these people pass by with faces turned askance paying no heed to them - 12:105 .

Now, as we move to the last part of this verse (191), مَا خَلَقْتَ هَـٰذَا بَاطِلًا (Our Lord, You have not created all this in vain), we can clearly see that this is the outcome of pondering over the signs of Allah's power. It means that there is nothing purposeless in Allah's creation. On the contrary, there are thousands of wise considerations behind it. Things have been harnessed to serve human beings with man being the user of resources in the whole universe. This should make human beings see that the universe has been created for their benefit and in their interest. Likewise, every human being has been created to obey and worship Allah. This is his or her purpose of life.

Further on, from verses 192 to 194, there appears a set of pleas and prayers from such people, people who realized that this universe is no exercise in futility and that is is brimming with open proofs of the great power and wisdom of its Creator. So, once they knew their Creator and Sustainer, they submitted before Him.

1\. The first request they make is: فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ‌ Save us from the Fire.

2\. The second request is: Save us from the disgrace of the Here-after for whoever is condemned to the Fire stands humiliated before the whole world. Some scholars have said that humiliation on the plains of Ressurection will be so disgraceful a punishment that one would wish to be cast into the (fire of) Hell but that the multitudes present on that fateful day do not get to hear about his or her misdeeds.

3\. The third request is: We have heard the message given by the herald sent by You, that is, the message of the Messenger of Allah and we believed in him. So, forgive our major sins and expiate our shortcomings and misdeeds and give us death in the company of the righteous, that is, make us a part of their group.'

These three requests were aimed at safety against punishment and pain and loss. The fourth request is about promised blessings, the blessings of Paradise promised through the noble prophets. This prayer for blessings is being made with the added request that there be no disgrace on the Day of Judgment. In other words, the request is to be excused from the torturous procedure of accounting (for all of one's deeds), disgrace (as a result of misdeeds) and then forgiveness (on account of Allah's mercy). The prayer is for outright forgiveness for Allah does not go back on His word. What is the purpose of this submission and re-submission? The purpose is to say: 0 Allah, enable us to become deserving, and a beneficiary of this promise (made by You), and enable us to remain steadfast so that we breath our last in this world with faith in our heart (ایمان) and busy doing what is good in Your sight ( عمل صالح).

The universe with its whole existence is a silent declaration of God’s presence. When man removes the man-made veils from his eyes and unstops his ears, he starts seeing and hearing this silent announcement all around him. It then appears improbable to him that, in a universe where the stars and the planets have continued to exist for millions of years, man may cease to exist within fifty or a hundred years, taking with him to his grave all his desires and aspirations. In a world which abounds in the beauties of nature, with the fragrance of flowers, where countless meaningful blessings, like air, water and the sun have been provided, should man’s end be nothing but only sorrow and suffering? Then he also finds it unthinkable that, in a world of limitless possibilities where, just by sowing seeds in the ground, a whole forest of trees comes into existence, one should fail to receive the fruits of virtuous actions; that in a world where the sun shines daily after the dark night, centuries go by without being illuminated by the lustre of fairness and justice; that in a world where earthquakes and tempests lie dormant, man should continue to perpetrate tyranny and oppression without ever being checked.