The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 623

insignificant beginnings Islam will grow in strength, expand and spread and will become a mighty force. The illustration is taken from the creation of man who is brought into being from mere clay and after passing through a long process of development becomes a full-fledged human being, the acme and pride of the whole creation and God's noblest handiwork. Further on, we are told that when a new Divine Message comes into the world, those to whom it is addressed become split up into two distinct groups. Those who accept and follow that Message become the recipients of Divine favours and blessings and those who reject it meet with disappointment, frustration and defeat. Incidentally the Surah sheds some light on the nature of rewards and punishments of the life to come, which are spiritual representations of the deeds and works done by man in this life. The words that describe their form and nature are used in a metaphorical sense. The rewards of Paradise are not material because as the Holy Prophet has said, "No eye has seen them, nor has any ear heard of them, nor can human mind conceive or form an idea of them" (Bukhārī, Kitāb Bad'ul-Khalq). Towards its close the Surah sums up its central theme, viz. that the cause of Islam will grow and prosper because, not only is the Holy Prophet a true Messenger of God and not a forger and fabricator, but also because his advent has been foretold by Moses, the great Israelite Prophet (Deut. 18:18). The Surah further says that the advent of the Holy Prophet is not anything novel. Just as in the physical world when the earth becomes parched and scorched, God sends down rain and it begins to vibrate with a new life, in the same way, in the spiritual realm, when mankind gropes and flounders in spiritual darkness, a Divine Messenger is raised and a spiritually dead people receive a new life through him. All the Prophets of God were raised when their peoples became spiritually dead, and so has the Holy Prophet of Islam come in the fulness of time. 2537