Commentary
The Surah and Its Subjects
Beginning here is Surah Ibrahim, the fourteenth Surah of the Holy Qur'an. This Surah is Makki. It was revealed before Hijrah with the exception of some verses about which difference exists whether they are Makki or Madani.
In the beginning of the Surah, there is a description of the attributes of the mission of messengers and prophets which is followed by the theme of Tauhid, the Oneness of Allah, and its proofs. It was in this connection that the story of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) was introduced and it was in this context that the Surah was named: Surah Ibrahim.
The Surah opens with the words: الر ۚ كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ لِتُخْرِجَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ (Alif, Lam, Ra. This is a book We have sent down to you, that you may take the people out of (all sorts of) darkness into the light with the will of their Lord). The initial letters - Alif, Lam, Ra - are from among the Isolated Letters (al-huruf al-Muqatta’ at) about which it has been said time and again that there is a standard policy and practice pursued by the most righteous elders in this matter. Their method is the safest and totally doubt-free. It tells us that we should firmly believe and have faith that whatever they mean or signify is true - but, stay away from launching deeper investigations into their meanings.
In the sentence which follows immediately: كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ (This is a book sent down to you), it is appropriate and clearly justified in terms of the syntactical construction that it should be taken as the predicate of the word: ھَذَا (hadha: this) understood here, and the sentence should mean that 'this is a book which We have sent down to you.' By attributing the revelation of the book to Allah Ta’ ala here, and the address to the Holy Prophet ﷺ a hint has been released which points out to two things. First, it says that this book is great as it was revealed by Allah Ta` ala Himself, and then it is suggestive of the personal high station of the Holy Prophet ﷺ as he has been made its first addressee.
Said in the next sentence was: لِتُخْرِجَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ (that you may take the people out of (all sorts of) darkness into the light with the will of their Lord). The word: النَّاسَ (an-nas : people) is used for human-kind. It means all human beings who are present or will come in the future. The word: الظُّلُمَاتِ (az-zulumat), the plural of ظُلُمَات (zulmah) which means darkness is well-known. Here, 'zulumat ' refers to the darkness of Kufr (infidelity, disbelief) and Shirk (the ascribing of partners to Allah) and the darkness of evil deeds - and the word: النُّورِ (an-nur) means light, the light of faith. Therefore, the word: الظُّلُمَاتِ (az-zulumat: many a darkness) has been used here in its plural form, because there are many kinds and shades of Kufr and Shirk. And similarly, there are countless evil deeds too. But, the word: النُّورِ (an-nur: the light of faith) has been introduced in the singular form, because faith and truth are one and the same.
The sense of the verse is: We have sent this book to you so that, through it, you may deliver all peoples of the world from the multiple forms of darkness of Kufr and Shirk and evil deeds, and bring them out into the light of faith and truth, with the will of their Lord. Here, the particular use of the expression: رَبِّهِمْ (Rabbihim : their Lord) indicates that there is no other reason or intention behind this universal blessing of Allah Ta` ala, but that He would let human beings of the world be de-livered from every such darkness through His Book and Messenger. Indeed, it is the compassion and mercy which the Creator and Master of the entire humankind has, under the imperative of His being their Lord, always kept beaming on them. Otherwise, Allah Ta ala owes nothing to anyone, nor there is a right due against Him, nor is there anyone who can force Him to do anything.
Guidance is an Act of God
In this verse, taking people out from darkness into the light has been declared to be the act of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، although giving Hidayah or guidance is, in reality, an act of Allah Ta` ala alone - as it has been said in another verse of the Qur'an: إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ اللَّـهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ that is, you cannot, on your own, give guidance to anyone, but it is Allah alone who gives guidance to whom He wills - 28:56). Therefore, by adding: بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ (with the will of their Lord), this doubt was eliminated because the sense the verse now carries is: This act of bringing people out from the darkness of Kufr and Shirk into the light of faith and good deeds is, though not in your hands originally, but it shall be with the will and permission of Allah Ta’ ala that you could do so.'Rules of Guidance
This verse tells us that there is only one way all children of Adam, the humankind on this earth, can be rescued from the evil layers of darkness into light, and the only alternative which can save humanity from the dual destruction in this world and in the Hereafter is no other but that of the Holy Qur’ an. The closer people come towards it, the luckier they would find themselves to be. They will find peace and security and relief and happiness in their present life as well as in the life to come with success at its best. And similarly, the farther they remain from it, the more exposed they shall be to living self-destruct lives both in this world, and in the Hereafter.
Not elaborated within the words of the verse is the manner in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ will deliver people from the many kinds of darkness and bring them into the light through the Qur'an. But, this much is fairly evident that the usual method of correcting a people through a book is that the teachings of that book be spread out among those people and they be convinced to abide by it.
The Recitation of the Holy Qur'an too is a Standing Objective in its own right
Apart from what has been stated above, there is yet another characteristic of the Holy Qur'an, that is, its recitation and the reading of its words, even without understanding them, registers a positive effect on the human self. It helps its reciter to stay safe against evils. At least in the case of Kufr and Shirk, no matter how attractive their traps may be, a reciter of the Qur'an, even though he may be reciting it without under-standing it, can never fall into those traps. This has been witnessed in the current history during the Hindu movement of Shudhi Sanghtan. In this mass effort to convert Muslims, some of those who fell a victim to their trap were strangers even to the recitation of the Qur’ an. In our day, Christian missionaries maintain an inviting network fortified by many incentives and rewards in almost every region where Muslims live.
But, their success, if any, is restricted only to households and families which are heedless even to the recitation of the Qur'an - whether because of illiteracy and ignorance among them, or because of the perverted influence of what passes as new education (pseudo-westernized).
Perhaps, it is to point out to this spiritual influence that wherever the Holy Qur'an has described the basic functions of the Holy Prophet t, Recitation (Tilawah) has been mentioned separately and ahead of the need to teach its meanings: يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ (3:164; 62:2). It means that the Holy Prophet has been sent to accomplish three tasks. The first task is the recitation of the Holy Qur'an, and it is obvious that Tilawah or Recitation is related to words. As for meanings, they are understood, not recited. The second task is to cleanse people pure from evils. And the third task is to teach the Holy Qur'an, and Wisdom, that is, teach the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ .
In short, the Holy Qur’ an is a Book of Guidance the basic purpose of which, no doubt, is to understand its meaning and act in accordance with it. It is also clear that its essential effect is to reform the whole human life, but along with it, the reciting of its words too, brings about a distinct effect in the correction and strengthening of the human self, though in an invisible manner.
As partly stated a little earlier, this verse attributes the act of bringing people out from all sorts of darkness into the light with the will of their Lord to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . In order to further refine the explanation, it can now be said that by this attribution, it has also been established that the giving of guidance is though the act of Allah Ta’ ala in re-ality - but, it cannot be received or acquired without the medium of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The fact is that only that sense or interpretation of the Holy Qur'an is trustworthy which has been communicated to us by the Holy Prophet ﷺ through his word or deed. Any interpretation contrary to it is not reliable. at has been said in the last sentence of verse 1: إِلَىٰ صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ (to the path of the Mighty, the Praiseworthy,) which goes on to verse 2: اللَّـهِ الَّذِي لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ (Allah, the One to whom belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth) refers back to the statement appearing in the beginning of verse 1.
It is obvious that the mention of darkness and light in the above verse is not referring to the darkness and light which could be seen with naked eyes as a physical phenomenon. Therefore, it was to make it clear that it refers to the way of Allah. Whoever adopts this way would not stray away like the one who walks in darkness, nor do his or her steps falter, nor do they fail to achieve the objective set. So, the way of Allah means the way walking on which human beings could reach their Creator and achieve the ultimate degree of success which is His pleasure.
It will be noticed that, at this place, the word: al
J1 (Allah) has been pre-ceded by two of His attributes: الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ (Al-` Aziz and Al-Hamid ). Lexically, Al-` Aziz means Mighty, Overpowering - and Al-Hamid denotes the Being who is deserving of praise. By bringing these two attributes before the basic name of Allah Ta’ ala the hint given is that the Pure and Sacred Being to whom this way is going to lead is Mighty, and Overpowering too, and deserving of all praise as well. Therefore, one who takes to this way will never falter or stumble anywhere enroute, nor the effort made on it will ever go waste. In fact, one is certain to reach the destination - only if one does not abandon this way.
