“ I am convinced about the veracity of my opinions, but I do consider it likely that they may turn out to be incorrect. Likewise, I am convinced about the incorrectness of the views different from mine, but I do concede the possibility that they may turn out to be correct.” — Imam Shafa’i

The index ayah reads “whose hearts tremble with awe whenever God is mentioned”. This is not how I would like to approach my Creator. I would like love and admiration to be the link between us. But HE is telling me otherwise in this ayah which is what should and does matter. Obviously a contradiction. There is another angle to this debate. This is a strong basis for the non-Muslims to censure and malign Islam. The God of Islam is harsh and sadistic, they exclaim. I therefore selected this ayah for our discussion to day.

I have included for our dialogue today the next two ayahs following the index ayah in the Quran.

“Those who are constant in prayer and spend on others out of what We provide for them as sustenance”[3]

 “It is they, they who are truly believers! Theirs shall be great dignity in their Sustainer’s sight, and forgiveness of sins, and a most excellent sustenance.”[4]

 Together these three ayahs, bring forth the Essential Qualities of Believers— an outline of the qualities of true faith, as God wants it to be. The resulting rewards are also announced. These attributes are critical to give credence to our claim of Faith. Without them the claim is empty and futile. This knowledge should be a great help for us to navigate through our life on this earth on the lines and directions if Islam.

Let us work out the character and personality of a human being that emerges from the application of these index ayahs in our lives. Obviously, every Muslim—man or woman—will be eager to achieve it.

I begin with the various  translations offered for the critical word وَجِلَت قُلوبُهُم : 

“their hearts become fearful, hearts feel fear—feel a tremor in their hearts—hearts become full of fear—begin to feel fear of Him in their hearts— feel a fear in their hearts— their hearts quake—their hearts quake—whose hearts tremble with awe—feel a tremor in their hearts”.

A total of four different words have been used to render this phrase: fearful—tremor—quake—tremble with awe. Of these “fear “is the commonest.

Let us now dwell on the various Qualities recommended in these ayahs for Muslims.

First,  إِنَّمَا المُؤمِنونَ الَّذينَ إِذا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَت قُلوبُهُم ie “Believers are only they whose hearts tremble with awe whenever God is mentioned.” The lexicon meaning of the word “awe” is very comforting to me and resolves my ambivalence to a great extent.  It seems to be very befitting rendering of the word وَجِلَت قُلوبُهُم . “Awe” is described in the lexicon as:

“A feeling of respect and reverence mixed with dread and wonder, often inspired by something majestic or powerful”.

This completely alters the approach. The point under consideration is not the fear one gets on seeing a tiger but the respectful feeling on visualizing majesty, magnificence and loftiness of the the most exalted, the Creator and his love for HIM. This is awe and not fear and quite consistent with the peace and tranquility of the heart. Whenever something is said to them from God they pay heed to it confidently as coming from HIM. This is the first sign of true believers that they are aware of God’s majesty, so whatever word of God is presented to them, they listen to Him with the full confidence that it is from Him or something is being said in His name; “whose displeasure should be feared in every human being so that his heart starts trembling because of this strong realisation” adds the research scholar and mentor Javed Ahmed Ghamdi in his educational tafseer Al Bayan.

By the way, the heart (qalb) in Quran is the organ associated not only with sentiment but also with consciousness, knowledge, and faith. For example, the Quran states  “the heart is the locus of the Divine Revelation to the Prophet; it can be veiled to prevent understanding; covered with rust or hardened; it can fail to understand, be confounded along with sight, or go blind.”

Mufti Mohammed Shafi elaborates in his classical tafseer “Ma’aarif-ul-Quran” thus: “It has been called وَجِلَت (wajala) which does not mean fear (khawf) in the absolute sense. Instead, it is the awe, a respectful feeling of fear which emerges in the heart because of the majesty of the most exalted.”

It is very tempting to quote and ayah with a very similar message and much more:

“all whose hearts tremble with awe whenever God is mentioned, and all who patiently bear whatever ill befalls them, and all who are constant in prayer and spend on others out of what We provide for them as sustenance.”[5]

Second, وَإِذا تُلِيَت عَلَيهِم آياتُهُ زادَتهُم إيمانًا ie “and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith”.

 Can Faith fluctuate? It has been a continuing controversy. The solution is to divide Faith into two levels or grades. First, the initial grade, a legal and jurisprudential faith by which the rights and duties of people are determined. This qualifies one to be called a Muslim for census purposes. This level of Faith is static. Second, the real faith which can and will raise one to be a Momin. This type of Faith can and does vary in strength and quality. It increases by remembering Allah and reciting his ayahs. In another place, the Holy Quran has likened it to a tree whose roots are deep in the earth and whose branches are spread in the vastness of the sky. 

For matters of census or other temporal needs and requirements, it is the initial level of Faith that is relevant. Maulana Maudoodi explains: “However, when belief and unbelief are mentioned as a basis for membership of the Muslim community or in connection with legal rights and responsibilities as necessary corollaries of that membership, a clear line of demarcation has to be drawn between those who believe and those who do not.” For this purpose the determination of who is a believer will depend only on the basic minimum of belief regardless of its quality. In an Islamic society all those who believe will be entitled to the same legal rights and will be required to fulfil the same duties again regardless of the the quality of their faith.

The Quran focusses elsewhere  very clearly and  firmly on these two levels of Eemaan or Faith:

“The bedouin Arabs have said, “We are believers.” Tell them, “You are not believers, but you should say that you are Muslims. In fact, belief has not yet entered your hearts.”[6]

Getting back to the subject, it is commonly agreed that the verses of the Divine Book referred to in the index ayah are those in which the commandments and laws of God are explained. It is a common experience that good deeds give a feeling of strength for the eemaan; failure to do this leaves one with a feeling of something missing. Once faith has taken roots in the heart, good deeds follow as a habit; acts of worship become a delight and ecstasy. “The faith can be considered as the root, and the etiquette, rules and regulations are the branches that sprout from this root along with the leaves that appear from them. As if the entire Shariat is the consequence of faith and details of its implications” explains Maulana Ahsan Ahmed Islahi in his tafseer “tadabbur-ul-Quran” .

A note of caution. The  prevalent mode of recitation—mere muttering the words of Quran without any idea of its meaning or awareness of the God Almighty cannot and do not produce these effects. I always thought that this attitude insults and denigrates the Holy Book. God Almighty is trying to address us and converse with us in the Quran but we quickly and unashamedly gloss over it. I felt sort of lonely in my view. Some of my colleagues brushed if off. But I was recently reassured when I heard the famous Islamic  scholar Dr. Israr Ahmed saying the same thing in his popular video tafseer of Quran. He declared that this is insulting the Quran; he was discussing recitation without understanding it. Unfortunately this obviously irrational and illogical if not silly and absurd practice of recitation continues to this day because of Islamic scholarly support. Listen to Mufti Mohammed Shafi about this ayah in his classical and voluminous tafseer the “Ma’aarif-ul-Quran: “This also helps us realize that the way Muslims at large recite and listen to the Qur’an – paying no heed to the due etiquette and reverence of the Qur’an nor having any idea of the greatness of Allah Ta’alaa – produces a recitation which is not what is desired, and certainly not what could be expected to generate the best of results, even if that too may not be devoid of thawab (reward).” Please note that understanding the meaning is referred to as “due etiquette and reverence of the Qur’an” and reading the Quran without understanding continues to earn thawab (reward).

Third, وَعَلىٰ رَبِّهِم يَتَوَكَّلونَ ie “and who in their Sustainer place their trust”. These sort of phrases are fairly common at the end of meaningful ayah. They are not placed at random but have definite relevance and meaning. The word “Tawakkul” means trust. The trust and belief in Allah has to be exact, complete and meaningful. It should not be theoretical only but should be the basis of all our actions in life—all conceivable situations, states and conditions. A note of caution: Action should always precede trust. It has become a common debatable subject: where action stops and trust begins? A very wrong question, I would say, begin with both and persist with both as long as needed. Keep going under the umbrella of trust in HIM. “The point is that one should not consider material means and instruments as sufficient for real success”. In a sound Hadith, the Holy Prophet has said: “This does not mean that one should abandon material causes and means when it comes to taking care of one’s legitimate needs.” In another Hadith, he said: “Make a moderate effort to procure what you need through material means, and then place your trust in Him.” One can see  here a criticism of those who tend to ignore the demands of religion if these clash with their wishes and interest. The believers have complete faith that there is total welfare for them in all the orders and tests from God Almighty. They are convinced that there has to be some hidden wisdom and expediency behind all this which will be revealed to them sooner or later Ibn Kathīr explains the significance of this statement fully; he says: “They place their hopes in none other than Him, turn to no one other than Him, seek no one else’s protection, address their appeals only to Him and turn for help to no one other than Him. They know that whatever He wishes will be accomplished and what He does not will never take place. They also know that He alone has complete control over the whole universe, with no one needed to endorse, ratify, or confirm His judgement. He is also fast in reckoning. For this reason, Saīd ibn Jubayr says: “True reliance on God is the net sum of faith.”

Forth, (this is the second ayah of the three we are discussing) الَّذينَ يُقيمونَ الصَّلاةَ وَمِمّا رَزَقناهُم يُنفِقونَ ie “Those who are constant in prayer and spend on others out of what We provide for them as sustenance”

I do not think the importance, benefits, effects and blessings of Salah needs a discussion among Muslims. In this practice we find a visible aspect of faith. It is regarded as a sign and emblem of our Faith. As a matter of fact, prayers and almsgiving are the inevitable outcome of the qualities of Faith discussed herein; action is, therefore, the practical aspect of faith. The drill and movements required for this practice are performed with meticulous care and regularity in our society. However there is a purpose and an underlying message in prayers which are usually ignored. Total and complete attention and devotion to Allah Ta’aala Subhaanahoo should be the sole motivation; any other instead of this would be tantamount to shirk. “It is not the mere recitation, movement, bowing and prostration when one’s mind is totally oblivious to what one is actually doing. In its proper performance, prayer is a true evidence of faith”. This has been explained and demonstrated by the Holy Prophet through his word and deed. Mufti Mohammed Shafi suggests that this feature is stressed in the ayah by using the word “Iqamah” instead of “making, saying, offering or performing Salah”. Literally, Iqamah means “to make something stand straight.

Fifth, (this is the second part of the same ayah) وَمِمّا رَزَقناهُم يُنفِقونَ ie “and spend on others out of what We provide for them as sustenance”

This again is a widely accepted duty of Muslims to spend in the way of Allah. Mufti Mohammed Shafi has enumerated the different channels for this: “It is inclusive of all charitable spendings (sadaqat and Khairat), endowments (Waqf) and gifts and grants to relatives. Also included under this category are Islamic legal obligations such as Zakat and the Sadaqatul-Fitr, and voluntary charities, donations and contributions as well as any financial assistance amiably provided to guests, friends and respected elders.”

Lastly, to the third ayah in our present  discussion  أُولٰئِكَ هُمُ المُؤمِنونَ حَقًّا ۚ لَهُم دَرَجاتٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِم وَمَغفِرَةٌ وَرِزقٌ كَريمٌ ie    “It is they, who are truly believers! Theirs shall be great dignity in their Sustainer’s sight, and forgiveness of sins, and a most excellent sustenance.” 

As this ayah follows after five virtues of a model believer have been described, it attempts to specify the rewards for each of them.

The first part of the ayah buoys up them as “It is they, who are truly believers!……” They mean what they say; it is not just verbal.Their views are reflected in their action on the ground. There is an emotional angle to their beliefs generating a passion for obedience to the Holy Prophet. Believers who are devoid of these attributes are just claimants of Faith rather than true believers. The famous Hasan al-Basri was asked “O Abu Sa’id, are you a believer?” He replied: “Brother, there are two kinds of Imaan (faith). If you are asking whether or not I am a believer in Allah Ta’aala and His angels, Books and Messengers, and in Paradise and Hell, and in the accounting and retribution of the Last Day, then, my answer is: Of course, I am a believer. And if you are asking whether or not I am the perfect believer mentioned in the verses of Surah Al-Anfal, (this is the ayah under discussion) then, I just do not know whether or not I am one of those.”

In an authentic ĥadīth, a man from the Anşār named al-Ĥārith ibn Mālik is reported to have met the Prophet who asked him: “How do you feel this morning, Ĥārith?” The man said: “I feel myself to be a true believer.” The Prophet said: “Reflect on what you say, for everything has an essence. What is the essence of your faith?” He answered: “This world is no longer of much appeal to me. Therefore, I am staying up at night and enduring thirst by day. (This means that he spent much of his nights in worship and he frequently fasted voluntarily.) I feel as though I am looking at my Lord’s throne in full view. I almost see the dwellers of heaven visiting one another there, and the people of hell uttering cries of anguish. “The Prophet said: “Ĥārith, you have come to know the facts, so maintain your attitude.” He repeated his advice three times.

The other part of the ayah stipulates and guarantees three rewards for the true believer:

   High status and standing

   Pardon and acquittal

   Excellent sustenance and provision

Dr. Mohammed Asad in his eminent tafseer “The Message of Quran” clarifies that the status and standing referred to here will be seen in the paradise. He further states “According to Razi, however, the “most excellent sustenance” is a metonym for “the spiritual raptures arising from the knowledge of God, the love of Him, and the self-immersion (istighraq) in worshipping Him”. In Razi’s interpretation, this expression refers to the spiritual reward of faith in this world. Some commentators (cf. Manar IX, 597) regard the above definition of true believers as the most important passage of this surah.”

 “Sustenance: again in both the literal and the metaphorical sense” declares Yousuf Ali in his popular tafseer.

Tafsir Al-Bahr Al-Muhit has tried to draw a correlation between the endeavors of a believers and the rewards offered for them. It narrates “the attributes of true Muslims mentioned in the previous verses are of three kinds: (1)Those which relate to one’s heart, the inward human dimension, such as, belief in Allah, fear of Allah and trust in Allah. (2)Those which relate to physical deeds, such as, Salah etc., and (3) Those which relate to one’s wealth, such as, spending in the way of Allah.

Counter-poised against these three kinds, three rewards have been mentioned. High ranks have been set for inward and spiritual attributes; forgiveness has been placed for deeds which are related to outward human physique, like Salah and Sawm. Salah, as in a hadith, becomes the Kaffarah (expiation) of sins. Finally, “dignified provision” has been set for spending in the way of Allah, that is, one would get what is much better and much more than what one has spent in the mortal life.”

The Prophet’s Companions were indeed models of true believers. The Qur’ān had a special effect on them, enhanced by the general atmosphere in their community in which people tried their best to practically live by the Qur’ān and not just give lip service.

I have great respect for Sayyid Qutb for his scholarship and the service he has rendered to the Muslims. However I was really disturbed when he says “Modern jāhiliyyah which describes itself as `scientific’……. “ It is a very misleading statement. We Muslims had our heydays when we were the torch bearer of civilisation for centuries. Then we wavered and faltered, tottered and tumbled and finally went into oblivion. But God Almighty’s design and planning is not centered on Muslims alone. HE brought other nations one after another to lead the world till the modern age when the “West” dominates humanity with their hold on science and technology. To label this science as “jāhiliyyah” seems to betray a very narrow and selfish view of history. It seems Muslims have placed themselves in a bubble of their past glory. They are quite content to be there and refuse to see that time has moved on as planned by the Creator. However, after this opening remark, Sayyid Qutb very ably defends the Divine origins of Universe as against the “inevitability of natural laws”.

With the background of true believers defined here, the fate of the present Ummah appears very bleak. But the eminent scholar Sayyid Qutb offers hope and a path to redeem the situation in his marvelous tafseer “Fee dhilalil Quran.” He states “…….yet the type of interaction with the Qur’ān that characterized the community of the Prophet’s Companions can certainly be repeated. It only requires a community of believers to try to establish this religion of Islam in practical life just like the first Muslim community did. Such a community of believers will certainly have the same type of appreciation of the Qur’ān and will have their faith increased whenever it is recited, because, to start with, it is a believing community. For them, true faith requires that they take action to establish this religion in practice after jāhiliyyah had regained control over the whole world. To them, faith is not confined to wishful thinking, but it means something that is deeply rooted in one’s heart and to which credence is given through action.”

To sum up, my dear fellow Muslims, let us be conscious of our Lord as factual and existent, recite the Holy Text to understand and implement, put all our credence and confidence in God Almighty, perform the daily prayers with care and concentration and spend generously in the way of Allah. If we succeed, we will be honored as “True Believers” and duly rewarded with high status and standing, pardon and acquittal and lastly excellent sustenance and provision. Hopefully!!!

……..and Allah knows best.

May Allah Ta’aala bless us with true understanding–“fahm”–of our Deen, Aameen.

Dr. Khalid Mitha