Essence of the Holy Qur’an — Page 86
86 Chapter 40 Al-Mu’min F4 (Revealed before Hijrah) Date of Revelation and Context With this S u rah begins a group of Chapters all of which have the same abbreviated letters, Ha M i m , affixed to them and which open with the subject of the revelation of the Qur’ a n, and belong to the same period. According to Ibn ‘Abb a s and ‘Ikrimah, all these S u rahs were revealed at Mecca at a time when opposition to Islam had become persistent, organized and bitter (vv. 56 & 78) and the Holy Prophet’s enemies were even seeking to kill him (v. 29). Towards the close of the last S u rah the Holy Prophet was comforted with the assurance that very soon Divine judgment will issue forth between him and his enemies. The forces of darkness will be routed; idolatry will disappear from Arabia, and the whole country will reverberate with the praises of God. The present S u rah opens with the most welcome declaration that the Great and Mighty God has revealed the Qur’ a n in order that Divine Majesty and Holiness be established in the world and disbelief obliterated from it. Subject-Matter As mentioned above, the S u rah opens with a firm declaration that the time has come when truth will triumph over falsehood and righteousness over evil, and the praises of God will be sung in the land where idolatry had been rampant. This great consummation will be brought about by means of the Qur’ a n. The enemies of truth will strain every nerve and use their influence and powerful resources to nip the tender plant of Islam in the bud. But they will fail in their evil designs and endeavours. The Holy Prophet is told not to be deceived and overawed by the glamour of power and great material resources of disbelievers, because they are destined to come to a sad end. He is further told that his opponents are not the only and the first people to oppose truth. There have been people before who also sought to kill their Prophets and exterminate their missions. But God’s punishment overtook them. So will punishment seize his opponents. The S u rah then refers to the case of Moses as an illustration of the sad end to which the opponents of the Holy Prophet are bound to come. While Pharaoh rejected Moses’s invitation to truth, a 'believing man' from his own household gave a most pathetic but convincing speech, exhorting his people not to seek to kill a man (Moses) whose only fault was that he said that All a h was his Lord, and who possessed sound and solid proofs to support and establish his case. He further warned them that they should not be misled by their wealth, power and material resources, for all these were transitory things. But instead of benefiting by his sincere advice Pharaoh mocked at him. Next,