The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 798
After making a brief reference to the central theme of the Unity of God in its opening verses, and by way of introduction making an emphatic prediction that the forces of evil will suffer defeat and disgrace and the votaries of the One God will be given power, wealth and distinction, the Surah gives a somewhat detailed description of the great glory and prosperity which the Israelite nation had attained in the reigns of two of their Prophet- Kings David and Solomon. It also refers to the plots that had been hatched in David's glorious reign to undermine his power and influence and to the seeds of decay and disintegration that had become sown during Solomon's reign when the Israelites rolled in wealth and were at the peak of material prosperity. The Holy Prophet, by implication, is told that, consumed with jealousy at his growing power, his enemies will also hatch plots to take his life, and so he should always be on his guard against them. Similarly, reference to Israelite prosperity in the reigns of David and Solomon implies a prophecy that the enemies of Islam, by plotting to kill the Holy Prophet, will seek to nip the tender plant of Islam in the bud, but they will fail in their wicked designs and Islam will continue to gain power and strength till it will attain the heights of grandeur and prosperity. But if Muslims did not take proper care, they would find, to their cost, that in the very heyday of their glory, forces were at work seeking to undermine the solidarity and stability of Islam. After this a brief mention is made of Prophet Job who had to suffer great hardships, but the temporary phase of his tribulation quickly passed and he came into his own and his loss was doubly made up. The reference to Job is followed by a fleeting allusion to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Prophets Ishmael, Elisha and Dhul-Kifl. All these were honoured servants of God, says the Surah, whom He chose for the bestowal of His grace because they worked in the ways of righteousness and preached and propagated piety in the world. Next, we are told that those good people who copy the example of the noble Prophets of God and follow in their footsteps will receive God's favours which know no decrease or diminution. But those who oppose truth and adopt evil ways will burn in the fire of Hell. After referring to some of the Prophets who suffered great hardships at the hands of their enemies and after dealing with the subject that opposition to God's Messengers never goes unpunished or their acceptance unrewarded, the Surah reverts to its main subject, namely, Divine Unity. It closes on the note that whenever men stray away from the path of rectitude, and begin to worship false gods, a Divine Messenger is raised among them to bring them back to the worship of the One True God, and all the angel-like men are bidden to believe in him and help him in the furtherance of his cause. The sons of darkness seek to put all sorts of obstacles and impediments in the Prophet's way, and deceive and beguile men away from God. But truth overcomes all hindrances, and triumphs and prevails in the long run. 2712