The Parable of the Hypocrites (4/5)

Ash-Shanqiti on al-Baqarah (2): 19-20

Allah, Exalted is He, says in Surah al-Baqarah concerning the hypocrites:

19. “Or that of a storm-cloud in the sky, full of darkness, thunder and lightning. They thrust their fingers in their ears against the thunderclaps, fearful of death. Allah encompasses the disbelievers.”

20. “The lightning all but snatches away their sight. Whenever they have light, they walk therein but whenever darkness covers them, they halt. If Allah wished, He could take away their hearing and their sight; for Allah has power over all things.”

The saying of the Exalted, 'Or that of a storm-cloud’ ‘Sayyib’ means rain, Allah has set forth a parable in this verse for the guidance and knowledge that the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) came with, likening it to rain. It is likened so because knowledge and guidance is a source of life for the souls just as water is a source of life for the bodies. This aspect of the parable was indicated by Allah in His saying,

 “It is He who sends out the winds as heralds of good tidings going before His mercy so that when they have lifted up heavy clouds, We dispatch them to a land that is dead and send down water to it ... the vegetation of a good land comes forth by the permission of its Lord, but that which is bad only yields scantily.” [Surah al-A’raf (7): 57-58]

The Messenger (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) explained this aspect of the parable clearly in the hadlth of Abu Musa (radiyAlldhu ‘anhu) recorded by Bukhari and Muslim wherein he (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said,

'The similitude of the guidance and knowledge that Allah has sent me with is like abundant rain falling on the earth; some of which has fertile soil that absorbed the rain water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance; and another portion of it was hard and held the rain water and Allah benefited the people with it and they utilised it for drinking, making their animals drink from it, and for irrigation of the land for cultivation; and a portion of it was barren which could neither hold water nor bring forth vegetation. This similitude betokens the one who understands the religion, benefits from what Allah has sent me with, learns and teaches it; and the one who pays not heed and does not accept the guidance with which I have been sent.'

'Full of darkness,’ Allah has set forth a parable in this verse regarding the doubts and suspicion that have afflicted the hypocrites with respect to the Qur'an - comparing these to the darkness in the storm-cloud which in turn has been set forth as a similitude to the Qur'an. Allah has illustrated a number of occasions, in other verses, which are like darkness for them because they increase them only in blindness. He says,

“We only appointed the Qiblah which you used to face in order to know those who follow the Messenger from those who would turn on their heels. Though in truth it was a very hard thing - except for those Allah has guided.” [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 143]

The abrogation of the Qiblah from Jerusalem to the Ka’bah made the people having weak conviction think that the Messenger (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was not certain of his message: for one day he was facing one direction in prayer and another day another direction! This is why Allah has said,

 “The fools among the people will ask, What has made them change from the Qiblah they used to face?”  [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 142]

So Allah has made clear that the abrogation of the Qiblah was hard upon those whom Allah did not guide and strengthen his conviction in His saying, 'Indeed it was a great test except for those whom Allah guided.'

Another example lies in His saying,

“We made not the vision which We showed you and the accursed tree in the Qur'an but a trial for mankind. We warn and frighten them but it increases them only in excessive insolence.” [Surah al-Isra’ (17): 60]

What he (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was shown on the night of Isra’ and Mi’raj was from amongst the miracles and wonders bestowed him, therefore it was a means of strengthening the belief of the disbelievers that he (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was a liar because they thought that what he was informing them of could not possibly occur. Hence, this event was a means by which the misguided increased in misguidance.

Likewise, the accursed tree in the Qur'an, which is the tree of Zaqqum, was also a means of increasing the misguided in misguidance, for when they heard the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) reciting,

 “Indeed it is a tree that springs out of the depths of the Blazing Fire.” [Surah as-Saffat (37): 64]

They said, 'His lie has become clear: a tree will not grow in a desert so how can one grow in the bottom of Hellfire!'

Another example lies in His saying,

 “We have only specified their number as a trial for the disbelievers.” [Surah al-Muddaththir (74): 31]

When he (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) recited the verse,

“There are nineteen in charge of it.” [Surah al-Muddaththir (74): 30]

Some of the people said, 'This is such a small number guarding this Fire that Muhammad (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) thinks that we shall enter that we are capable of killing them and then taking Paradise by force!'

Allah, Exalted is He, did this as a test for them, and He has an all-encompassing wisdom behind doing so, and He is Exalted.

(Continued)