The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 517
and can lead men to progress and prosperity. In the next two verses the Meccans are exhorted to accept and benefit by the light of prophethood of which they have had an ample share and not to make themselves the object of Divine punishment by rejecting it. In vv. 55-59 it is said that all divine plans work gradually. As in the material world, so in the realm of the spirit, all progress is subject to the law of evolution and it is by a process of progressive evolution that the spiritual development of man has taken place from the time of Adam to that of the Holy Prophet of Islam, and the new mission that has come into force through the Holy Prophet, in which greater attention has been given to the betterment and organization of the community than to that of the individual, will also find its consummation after going through a process of evolution. Muslims should, therefore, conform to the Divine will and purpose and should strive to fulfil this great mission. They should always keep in mind that from small seeds grow big trees and that even great objects seem very insignificant in the beginning and remain hidden from the eyes of the people. So it behoves them to keep their eyes open and not let this grand object remain hidden from their sight because, if once it were allowed to become hidden, it would remain hidden forever. With v. 60 begins a brief account of the life history of some Prophets of antiquity whose mission it was to take man as an individual back to the blissful heavenly existence from which he was expelled. This account extends to v. 172. In vv. 173-178 it is stated that good is ingrained in human nature and constitutes an integral part of it while evil comes later and is the result of external influences. In vv. 179-184 we are told that, in spite of the instinctive goodness of man, he cannot attain perfection without the help of Divine revelation. By rejecting Divine guidance he becomes deprived of his instinctive goodness and is ruined. In vv. 185-187 reference has again been made to the mission of the Holy Prophet, and his opponents are admonished not to ignore the patent fact that his intellect is sound and motives pure and that his teachings are in perfect harmony with human nature and natural law and that the testimony of the time also is in his favour. In vv. 188-199 some misgivings and doubts of disbelievers have been removed, and it is stated that disbelievers will put up a very strong opposition to the Holy Prophet but God will protect him from all harm. The idols of idolaters will not be able to help them. In vv. 200-203, however, Muslims are admonished not only to endure patiently the opposition of disbelievers, (because all this opposition is the result of lack of true knowledge), but also to pray for them. Then in v. 204 the Holy Prophet is told that, like the opponents of former Prophets, his opponents also will continue to demand Signs, but he should tell them that the showing of signs lies 957