134. What is being said here is that even though they might be their offspring
in terms of blood - relationship they had, in fact, no true relationship with
them. What right did they have to pretend to belong to them when they had departed
far from their way? For God would not ask people what their forefathers did;
it was rather about their own conduct and action that they would be questioned.
' Theirs is what they have earned ' is a characteristically Qur'anic expression.
What we ordinarily characterize as either 'action' or 'doing' is termed by the
Qur'an as 'earning'. The reason is that each and every human action has its
ultimate effect, whether or not it is good, and will have its manifestation
in God's approval or disapproval. It is this ultimate effect which is a man's
earning. Since the Qur'an considers this to be of paramount importance, it characterizes
man's actions as his 'earning'.