Essence of the Holy Qur’an — Page 45
Ta H a 45 them. The S u rah emphatically declares that this event will certainly come to pass and Christian nations of the West will be seized with a terrible visitation; lofty mountains shall crumble and become like scattered dust (vv. 106, 107). Then the subject with which the S u rah has opened is rehearsed, viz. that the Qur’ a n easily yields to understanding and comprehension because it has been revealed in the national tongue of the people who are its first addressees. Like the Christian Scriptures it usually does not talk in parables and metaphors, thus leaving the subject confused and lacking in clarity, but explains its teaching in an easily comprehensible language. The importance of the Law is driven home by strong and forceful arguments and it is shown to be not an unmitigated curse but a great Divine blessing. Then mention is made of the expulsion of Adam from "the garden. " This incident on which the whole fabric of the Christian doctrine of atonement stands is either misunderstood or deliberately misinterpreted and misrepresented by Christians. The truth is that the birth of Adam took place according to a fixed Divine plan, and Divine plans never miscarry or fail in their object. While according to the Bible, God created Adam in His own image (Gen. 1:27) and then, beguiled by Eve, Adam fell into sin, the Qur’ a n declares that having been created in God’s own image and likeness, Adam could not possibly have been guilty of any such fall. It describes him as only having slipped into an inadvertent lapse (v. 116). The S u rah ends with a stern warning to disbelievers that Signs and miracles of their own devising will never be shown to them and that if, in spite of having seen many heavenly Signs, they still persisted in denying the Divine Message, they will be punished as were punished the disbelievers of the former Messengers of God.