The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 465
PT. 7 AL-AN'ĀM CH. 6 وَجَعَلُو اللَّهِ شُرَكَاءَ الْجِنَّ وَخَلَقَهُمْ And they hold the jinn to. 101 b be partners with Allah, although وَخَرَقُوا لَهُ بَنِينَ وَبَنتٍ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ He created them; and they falsely ascribe to Him sons and daughters without any knowledge. Holy is "2:117; 9:31; 10:19. سُبْحَنَهُ وَتَعَلَى عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ & the main points, differ from one then see how sweet and delicious are another in minor details, some tasting sweeter than others and some varying in colour or size. The same is the case with those who believe in the Prophets and follow Divine guidance. Although they bear great resemblance to one another, yet there differences between them, some being morally and spiritually more advanced than others. Again, some are advanced in one phase of spiritual growth, while others are advanced in another. Among the Companions of the Holy Prophet, too, we see that one became an Abū Bakr, another an 'Umar, and another an 'Uthman and yet another an ‘Alī and so on. They attained to different stages of spirituality and developed different phases, according to their respective natural capacities and dispositions. The words, the ripening thereof, refer to an implied objection that might be raised by the deniers of revelation namely, that even those who accept Divine revelation do not all become pure and holy. The above- quoted words answer this objection by pointing to the analogy of the ripening of fruit. The people are asked first to note the condition of fruits when they are yet unripe and 905 they become after becoming ripe. Just as it is unfair to judge a fruit by an unripe specimen, similarly, it is unfair to find fault with the fruits of revelation on the basis of such individuals as are yet in the process of development and have not attained to perfection. The verse points out that in the beginning there are bound to be weaknesses and shortcomings even in believers, just as there is bound to be sourness in the taste of an unripe or undeveloped fruit. So it is not just to deny the usefulness of revelation on the basis of weaknesses that are to be met with in believers whose spiritual condition is not yet fully developed. The verse most beautifully draws attention to three important points that can be deduced from the analogy of the various kinds of vegetation that grow as a result of rain: (1) that rain brings forth both good and bad vegetation (believers and disbelievers); (2) that even in good fruits (believers) some variety is to be found, i. e. points of similarity and dissimilarity; and (3) that in the early stage of development even good fruits are not sweet and may even be sour.