Essence of the Holy Qur’an — Page 96
96 Chapter 46 Al-A h q a f ? (Revealed before Hijrah) Date of Revelation and Context This is the last S u rah of the Ha M i m group. Like other Chapters of this group it was revealed at Mecca towards the middle of the Holy Prophet’s ministry before Hijrah. Noldeke places its revelation immediately after Chapter 7. The S u rah seems to resemble its sister S u rahs of the Ha M i m group in tone and tenor. The preceding S u rah had ended on the solemn declaration that 'God is the Mighty, the Wise. ' In the present S u rah the claim made in these words is sought to be justified. The S u rah claims that the Qur’ a n has been revealed by the Wise and Mighty God. God is Wise in the sense that the Qur’ a nic teaching is based on sound and solid foundations, and is supported by reason, common sense and accumulated human experience; and He is Mighty in the sense that by living up to its ideals and principles Muslims will gain ascendancy and predominance over their opponents. Subject-Matter Like the preceding six Chapters this S u rah opens with the subject of the Qur’ a nic revelation and Divine Unity which constitutes its main theme, and gives the following arguments in refutation of idolatry: (a) Only that Being can command and demand of us that we should adore and worship Him Who, besides being our Creator and Sustainer, is Almighty and All-Powerful and can therefore compel obedience to His laws and commandments. (b) Idolatry finds no support in any revealed Scripture. (c) Human knowledge, reason and experience repel it and revolt against it. (d) A deity which cannot, and does not, answer our prayers is of no use and the so-called gods of idolaters are incapable of responding to the prayers of their votaries. The S u rah next says that the Holy Prophet’s claim to Prophethood is no new phenomenon. Divine Messengers have been appearing at all times and among all peoples to teach them Unity of God and their duty to their fellow-beings. It then dismisses as foolish and unfounded the plea which the disbelievers generally put forward as an excuse for rejecting the Divine Revelation, viz. 'If there had been any good in the revelation presented to us, we, being better informed and better placed in life, would have been the first to accept it. ' The S u rah further says that whereas disbelievers, being proud of their great material resources and social status, reject the Divine Message, others who are endowed with faith and spiritual wealth, accept it and stick to it under the severest trials and tribulations. It then refers to the fate of ‘ A d, a people who had flourished in the neighbourhood of the Meccans, to show that disbelief never prospers. The Adites were so