What the Qur’an teaches: God in heaven and on earth
Published: Aug 4, 2011 22:37 Updated: Aug 4, 2011 22:37
In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever MercifulSay: ‘If the Lord of Grace had a son, I would be the first to worship him.’ Limitless in His glory is the Lord of the heavens and earth, the Lord of the Throne: He is far above their false descriptions. Leave them to indulge in idle talk and play until they face the Day they have been promised. It is He alone who is God in heaven and God on earth; He alone is the Wise, the All-Knowing. Blessed is He to whom sovereignty over the heavens and the earth and all that is between them belongs, and with whom the knowledge of the Last Hour rests, and to whom you shall be brought back. Those whom they invoke besides Him have no power of intercession, unlike those who know the truth and bear witness to it. Yet if you ask them who created them they are sure to answer, ‘God.’ How is it, then, that they are so misled? And (the Prophet) says: ‘My Lord, these are people who will not believe.’ Still, bear with them and say, ‘Peace,’ for in time they will come to know.(Gold; Al-Zukhruf: 43: 81-89)
In this final passage, the surah directs the Prophet (peace be upon him) to say something to them and to leave them to face the destiny which has already been described to them: “Say: ‘If the Lord of Grace had a son, I would be the first to worship him.’ Limitless in His glory is the Lord of the heavens and earth, the Lord of the Throne: He is far above their false descriptions. Leave them to indulge in idle talk and play until they face the Day they have been promised.”
They alleged that the angels whom they worshipped were God’s daughters. Had God had any offspring, the first one to know this and act on the basis of this knowledge was God’s Prophet and Messenger. He was close to Him and was quick to comply with His orders. He would have been the first to offer his respects to His offspring, had He had any as they alleged. He, however, worships none but God. This in itself is evidence confirming that their allegation has no basis. All glory belongs to God who is totally unlike what they allege. “Limitless in His glory is the Lord of the heavens and earth, the Lord of the Throne: He is far above their false descriptions.”
When we contemplate the heavens and the earth, looking at their systems and harmony, we feel the greatness and sublimity of the One who controls all this, referred to as, ‘the Lord of the Throne,’ and we realize the absurdity of any such claim. By our nature we know that the Maker of the universe can have no similarity to creatures who procreate. Therefore, attributing sons and daughters to Him appears to be no more than idle talk and play, which deserve no answer. It only merits a stern warning of what happens on the Day of Resurrection, an image of which has already been given: “Leave them to indulge in idle talk and play until they face the Day they have been promised.
The surah continues its glorification of God, the Creator, attributing to Him what is worthy of His Lordship of the heavens and the earth as well as the mighty throne: “It is He alone who is God in heaven and God on earth; He alone is the Wise, the All-Knowing. Blessed is He to whom sovereignty over the heavens and the earth and all that is between them belongs, and with whom the knowledge of the Last Hour rests, and to whom you shall be brought back. Those whom they invoke besides Him have no power of intercession, unlike those who know the truth and bear witness to it.”
This statement confirms the unity of Godhead throughout the universe, making it clear that no one shares this with God Almighty who does everything according to His infinite wisdom and perfect knowledge. The Arabic word tabarak, translated here as ‘blessed’, carries connotations of greatness and exaltedness above all their perceptions. It is He who is ‘the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all in between’. He alone knows the timing of the Last Hour and to Him all creation returns. On that day, when all return to Him, none of those whom they allege as His offspring or partners will have the power of intercession for anyone. None can intercede with Him other than one who knows the truth and bears witness to it. A person who testifies to the truth will not intercede on behalf of any who ever stood in opposition to it.
The surah then confronts them with something that is ingrained in their nature and concerning which they have no doubt. That is, their Creator is God. How, then, can they associate partners with Him in their worship, and how can they expect that anyone will intercede on behalf of anyone who associated partners with Him: “Yet if you ask them who created them they are sure to answer, ‘God’. How is it, then, that they are so misled?” How can they ignore the truth testified to by their own nature? How can they allow their behavior to be in conflict with its inevitable result?
As the surah comes to its close, it highlights the fact that the Prophet turns to his Lord complaining of their rejection of the truth and their disbelief: “And (the Prophet) says: ‘My Lord, these are people who will not believe.’” This is given in a special form that implies how keenly the Prophet felt this and how well God received it. The answer from on high is a directive to the Prophet to bear with them and not to care for their rejection. On the contrary, he should forbear and feel his heart content. To this is added an implicit warning to those determined opponents of the truth: “Still, bear with them and say, ‘Peace,’ for in time they will come to know.” The time will come when everything is exposed and they will then know the dreadful fate that awaits them.
They alleged that the angels whom they worshipped were God’s daughters. Had God had any offspring, the first one to know this and act on the basis of this knowledge was God’s Prophet and Messenger. He was close to Him and was quick to comply with His orders. He would have been the first to offer his respects to His offspring, had He had any as they alleged. He, however, worships none but God. This in itself is evidence confirming that their allegation has no basis. All glory belongs to God who is totally unlike what they allege. “Limitless in His glory is the Lord of the heavens and earth, the Lord of the Throne: He is far above their false descriptions.”
When we contemplate the heavens and the earth, looking at their systems and harmony, we feel the greatness and sublimity of the One who controls all this, referred to as, ‘the Lord of the Throne,’ and we realize the absurdity of any such claim. By our nature we know that the Maker of the universe can have no similarity to creatures who procreate. Therefore, attributing sons and daughters to Him appears to be no more than idle talk and play, which deserve no answer. It only merits a stern warning of what happens on the Day of Resurrection, an image of which has already been given: “Leave them to indulge in idle talk and play until they face the Day they have been promised.
The surah continues its glorification of God, the Creator, attributing to Him what is worthy of His Lordship of the heavens and the earth as well as the mighty throne: “It is He alone who is God in heaven and God on earth; He alone is the Wise, the All-Knowing. Blessed is He to whom sovereignty over the heavens and the earth and all that is between them belongs, and with whom the knowledge of the Last Hour rests, and to whom you shall be brought back. Those whom they invoke besides Him have no power of intercession, unlike those who know the truth and bear witness to it.”
This statement confirms the unity of Godhead throughout the universe, making it clear that no one shares this with God Almighty who does everything according to His infinite wisdom and perfect knowledge. The Arabic word tabarak, translated here as ‘blessed’, carries connotations of greatness and exaltedness above all their perceptions. It is He who is ‘the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all in between’. He alone knows the timing of the Last Hour and to Him all creation returns. On that day, when all return to Him, none of those whom they allege as His offspring or partners will have the power of intercession for anyone. None can intercede with Him other than one who knows the truth and bears witness to it. A person who testifies to the truth will not intercede on behalf of any who ever stood in opposition to it.
The surah then confronts them with something that is ingrained in their nature and concerning which they have no doubt. That is, their Creator is God. How, then, can they associate partners with Him in their worship, and how can they expect that anyone will intercede on behalf of anyone who associated partners with Him: “Yet if you ask them who created them they are sure to answer, ‘God’. How is it, then, that they are so misled?” How can they ignore the truth testified to by their own nature? How can they allow their behavior to be in conflict with its inevitable result?
As the surah comes to its close, it highlights the fact that the Prophet turns to his Lord complaining of their rejection of the truth and their disbelief: “And (the Prophet) says: ‘My Lord, these are people who will not believe.’” This is given in a special form that implies how keenly the Prophet felt this and how well God received it. The answer from on high is a directive to the Prophet to bear with them and not to care for their rejection. On the contrary, he should forbear and feel his heart content. To this is added an implicit warning to those determined opponents of the truth: “Still, bear with them and say, ‘Peace,’ for in time they will come to know.” The time will come when everything is exposed and they will then know the dreadful fate that awaits them.
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