Surah 42
(Consultation)
(Makkan Period)
Title
The title is taken from the phrase (verse 38 of the surah) in which the word shūrā occurs.
Period of Revelation
Although it is not clearly stated in any authentic tradition when this surah was revealed, reflection over its content indicates that it was revealed after Ḥā Mīm al-Sajdah (Sūrah 41). This becomes further evident if the two surahs are read in sequence. Indeed, such a reading would make the present surah appear to be a supplement to the former one.
It is noteworthy that the present surah vehemently denounces the blind opposition to Islam that had been propelled by the Quraysh chiefs. This was done with a view to prick the consciences of those living in and around Makkah: if they had any vestige of moral sensitivity, decency and reasonableness left in them, for that would make them appreciate that the way in which they were treating the Prophet (peace be on him) was utterly unjustified.
Their atrocious treatment of the Prophet (peace be on him) was in sharp contrast to his own discourse which was marked by a dig- nified seriousness. Furthermore, his standpoint was consummately reasonable, and his attitude singularly gracious and decent. The note of disapproval contained in the earlier surah, Surah 41, was followed by the revelation of the present one, a surah which ren- dered a yeoman's service to elucidating the message of Truth and articulating the Prophet's Mission so persuasively that people in general could hardly resist being favourably impressed by it. It was only those who were altogether devoid of any love for Truth or who had been blinded by their fascination with the ways of Ignorance who could resist being attracted to the Prophet's Mission.
Subject Matter and Theme
The surah commences with a comment about the Prophet's discourse. It expresses surprise at the hostility shown to it by the Quraysh, for neither was the Prophet's discourse something altogether novel and unprecedented nor was it bizarre that Prophets were raised and provided with revelation so as to guide human beings. In the past God had raised a series of Prophets (peace be on them) and had endowed them with the same kind of revelation and guidance. It is not at all weird that the Lord of the heavens and the earth should be recognised as the Deity and the Sovereign. What indeed is weird is that despite being God's born servants, and while living in His dominion and deriving sustenance from Him, people should acknowledge the Godhead of any other than the One True God. The unbelievers were amazed at those who call people to monotheism. The fact, however, was that their acceptance of others as God's associates in His Divinity is a monstrosity, one grave enough to cause the sky to be rent asunder. Angels are aghast at their brazenness and ever apprehensive that some scourge might overtake them.
From here on, it is stressed that the designation of any person as a Prophet and his introducing himself to people in that capacity does not at all mean that people's destinies have been entrusted to him and that he may make or mar them at his pleasure. The fact is that men's destinies lie entirely with God. A Prophet's task is no more than to arouse people from their heedlessness and negligence and direct to the Straight Way those who have strayed from it. The task of holding to task those who do not pay heed to a Prophet's call, and to punish or not punish them, are matters that lie totally in God's Hand; such matters have not been entrusted even to Prophets. Hence people should disabuse their minds of all false perceptions that Prophets appear on the public scene with the kind of tall claims often made by religious clergy or charlatans who parade their holiness and go about swaggering that they will reduce to dust all those who do not follow them or are insolent to them. It is made very clear that Prophets are not sent to destroy their peoples. On the contrary, they are their people's well-wishers, warning them that they are pursuing a road that leads to their doom.
It is also explained why God did not make all human beings to compulsively follow the Right Way, and why He kept the other option open to them. As a result of that, men are traversing numerous erroneous paths. This arrangement, however, also enables them to have access to God's special Grace, which is denied to other creatures who cannot choose any other options. This unique opportunity is available only to man who has been granted free will. Once man resolves to turn to the Straight Way, God supports and guides him, enables him to do good deeds and this makes him deserving of God's special favour. This is a privilege enjoyed only by humans who consciously take God as their Patron and Guardian. On the contrary, anyone who misuses his freedom of choice and takes as his Patron and Guardian those who are not and can never be his Patron and Guardian, is deprived of this favour. In this regard it is made clear that in the true sense of the term God alone is the Patron and Guardian of man and no other creature has any rightful claim to this position, nor the power to function as such. Man's success lies in his not committing any mistake while exercising his freedom to choose his Patron and Guardian: he should opt for God alone.
This is followed by enunciating the religion promulgated by Muḥammad (peace be on him). The very first foundation of this religion is that since God is the Creator of both the universe and mankind, as well as mankind's Lord and Patron and Sovereign, He alone has the right to provide man with the right system of belief and conduct. He also has the right to resolve all matters on which men differ and to definitively lay down what is right and what is wrong. No other creature has the right to be the lawgiver for mankind. In other words, God alone enjoys legal-prescriptive sovereignty even as He enjoys sovereignty over the domain of nature. No human being nor any other creature is possessed of this sovereignty. Any person who does not subscribe to God's legal sovereignty, and merely accepts Him as sovereign over the natural domain, falls short of what is needed.
It is on this basis that God has prescribed from the very beginning a religion for mankind. The religion so prescribed has been one and the same religion that was entrusted to Prophets in their respective times. No Prophet was the founder of any specific religion of his own. It is the one and same religion that was prescribed by God for all mankind and all Prophets adhered to it, calling people to the same.
This religion was not bestowed on people merely for passive acceptance. It was rather given to them in order that it might be made operative on earth and prevail in human affairs. It was meant that God's religion, rather than the systems devised by others than God, should hold sway. Prophets had been raised not simply to propound this religion but also to establish it.
This was the true original religion of mankind. Yet it constantly happened that selfish people, after the demise of Prophets, were swayed by their own opinions and the desire to achieve prominence, succumbed to schisms and gave rise to ever new religions. All the religions presently found in the world are in fact distortions of the one original religion prescribed by God.
Then came the era when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) was raised to expound this original faith to the followers of these multifarious ways, counterfeit cults and man-made religions. Furthermore, apart from expounding this religion, it was also his task to translate it into practice. People should have been grateful to God for this great favour. Instead, they were annoyed, hostile and belligerent. This is nothing but rank folly. However, their stupidity will not deter the Prophet (peace be on him) from pursuing his mission. He is mandated to stick to his way with constancy and perseverance and to accomplish the task entrusted to him. The unbelievers should entertain no hope that he will give up his task and will allow the same corruptions, superstitions and Jāhilī usages to penetrate and corrupt the body politic of God's religion, as they had done in the past. How brazenly audacious of them to cast aside the religious faith prescribed by God and accord preference to a faith and way of life sanctioned by others than God! They consider this an ordinary matter which scantly deserves any blame. In God's sight, however, it is the worst kind of polytheism and a very grave offence. It is so grave that all those who were guilty of operationalising the religions of their contriving, and all those guilty of following them, will have to face a terrible punishment.
Thus, after having expounded a clear, unequivocal concept of religion it was pointed out that the best possible means to direct the unbelievers to the Right Way had already been adopted. On the one hand, God had revealed His Book in their own language, enunciating the Truth in the most appealing form. Additionally, there were the illustrious lives of the Prophet (peace be on him) and his Companions. These provided role models par excellence of humanity as their lives were moulded primarily under the influence of the Qur'an. If all these failed to direct them to the Right Way, nothing could. Their inability to mend themselves clearly showed that they should be left mired in error, as they had been for centuries. They should face the woeful end ordained for those immersed in error and misguidance.
Alongside enunciating these truths, sufficient proofs are brought forth in support of monotheism and the Afterlife. Moreover, the dire consequences of excessive worldliness have also been brought out in order to impress upon people the need to hold in dread the punishment of the Hereafter. They are also reproached for having lapsed into moral weakness as a result of aversion to Divine Guidance.
While concluding the discourse, two important points are made: (i) During the entire 40 years of his life prior to being designated a Prophet, Muḥammad (peace be on him) was totally unaware of the concepts of the Heavenly Book and unacquainted with matters pertaining to religious faith. The fact that all of a sudden he began to expound the Book and expatiate on matters of religious faith is clear evidence of his being a genuine Prophet. (ii) The Prophet (peace be on him) does not claim to be in direct, face-to-face interaction with God. Like all other Prophets, God communicated with him in the following three ways: (a) by revelation, (b) by address from behind a veil, and (c) by communication of messages to him through an angel (see verse 51). This clarification sought to forestal the opponents' accusation that the Prophet (peace be on him) claimed to have a direct, face-to-face communication with God. It also informed believers as regards the modes through which God communicates with those who are elevated to the august office of Prophethood.