[Mughal]

Surah 57 AL-HADEED–The solid foundation for mankind to build their proper human community upon

This surah is named AL-HADEED from root HAA, DAAL and DAAL. Concrete meaning of this root is something that is solid. Other meanings include tough, sword, strength, power, enduring, iron, standard, base, foundation, criterion, limit, boundary, something that goes through something, sharpen, hone, define, distinguish, to become angry, to stop someone from doing something, to distinguish one thing from another, to prevent one thing from reaching another thing, to prohibit, to be critical, to be against something, to be sharp with tongue, to taunt, to provoke, to mourn, to oppose, to act against, to be clever or sharp etc etc.

This surah is named AL-HADEED because the Quran talks about establishing a blissful and dignifying kingdom in the name of Allah. To have such a kingdom established need for solid criterion for its ideology becomes fundamental for giving people solid foundation in their minds. In order to do that the Quran uses words like AYAATIM BAYINAAT here and there which mean concrete or solid things or reason based explanations that are rock solid or both. In other words the Quran is talking about what proof and proving is all about. Proof is simply put just an explanation that makes sense about some claim or accusation. It explains how available ideas or thoughts or concrete facts connect together in a way that makes perfect sense. In other words proof and proving is about putting thoughts or actual things together in such a way that they make logical sense to an end or demonstrate the end product works. For example, if we are going along a road and we come across a dead body, a gun and a note etc etc. Dead body, gun and note are solid things and as things they are just lying there on the ground. In order to make sense of these things we will have to come up with some explanations. If any of these explanations connects these solid objects in such a way that no better explanation can be found then that explanation of facts is called a proof. Likewise just ideas and thoughts that connect together and make sense in such a way that they cannot be refuted by any other better explanation then just that explanation on its own can be taken as a proof for the end objective. Likewise evolution is a fact in a context. Proof provides the context because it explains how observed things connect together on basis of reason and become understandable. For example, we have some piles of pebbles and some hammers and some piles of broken pebbles. Does it mean anything on its own? No. Why not? Because it lacks explanation. Once we have some explanation by someone telling us that hammers are used to break pebbles for laying a concrete floor, we have the proof because available evidence now makes sense through showing us the connection between things along with their purpose.

The Quran tells us that to believe in existence of creator is not a matter of faith but a matter based on evidence that is provable because existence of creator does have a rational proof. The existence of finite universe is proof that it has been brought into existence by someone who existed always. For example, if we retrace existence of things going back in time then it leads us to a finite chain that ends at its beginning. This forces us by reason to think that there is someone there who has initiated the process of creation. This is not just energy but an intelligent being. Someone capable of planning things and executing the plan the way we observe things as they are today. The chain of origin of things could not be infinite because in that case nothing will come to existence ever because before the end product could come to existence its creator had to come to existence before it and before that creator could come into existence its own creator had to come into existence. If we carry on looking for creator of creator then when will the chain end going backward so that the end product could come about? After all parents have to be there for children to be born. If parents have not yet come about then how can their children? If creating causes are not there how can the created causes be there? This is why to refute the idea of existence of God rationally is impossible. So the Quran in this surah explains that Allah is ever existing being who planned and created the universe using his wisdom. This is why we are forced to assume God exists. This is therefore not a matter of blind faith but of rational proof that cannot be refuted no matter what. The problem begins when we start talking about purpose of creation ie why would God create things? Now you have your assumption that God created things for this reason and I have my assumption that he created things for that reason and yet others come up with their own assumptions or reasons.

This is what we need to sort out ie why God created things? This is something people should argue about and try to find out. This leads us to arguments whether God ever communicated with mankind to tell them things they need to know about God and his purpose for creation. The whole world is full of claims that God did communicate with mankind. In order to prove this claim various people bring up their scriptures. Since people make claims and counter claims things become a lot worse particularly for a human being who is born knowing nothing at all. How to solve this riddle? The easy answer is, let us do all we can to educate each other so that then together we could study scriptures properly and see how they make proper sense. Once we do that our problem about God and his purpose for creation will be solved. It is because without proper study of allegedly divine scriptures we cannot make sense of this world and our God given role in it. We in no way can determine all by ourselves why the creation is brought about by God. In order to decide this issue for good, we will have to solve it properly. To solve it properly we will have to give up our make belief based ideas that lead us nowhere. This means we need to fully rely on science for as much as we can and likewise we need to rely fully on scriptures as much as we can. Here first rule is self awareness. That is because a human baby is born knowing nothing at all and it takes him years to become self aware. The while one is not yet self aware it will be stupid for us to expect him to be able to know scriptures and be able to examine and judge them. The second rule is awareness of the environment in which a human baby is born. Unless a person becomes aware of universal realities, one is in no position to make sense of anything. Again it takes decades for people to become educated provided they make the needed effort for it. Till people enable themselves to be able examine and judge things properly they are in no position to be able to judge the alleged divine scriptures. So whatever they claim about science and scriptures while they are ignorant about things is of no importance. Our life experience is the only truth which we can use to judge any other truth and if our life experience is not sufficient to judge something then we are in trouble because we then can never know what the truth might be in a case. The while we are ignorant about judging things we need to do all we can to learn the skill for examining things and judging them properly. Meanwhile we can only go by what others may tell us and what others tell us could be true or false so ultimately we are not in a position to say anything definite about it till we educate ourselves to that level. So blind faith is not the answer at all and rational faith holds the key but only in light of facts.

When mullahs and scientists will get to that level of thinking, our understanding of world will change drastically. The same will happen when mullahs and secularist are able to think out the link between human population and resources and their proper management for the good of mankind. Till then we will do ourselves a great favour to keep on learning things and helping each other learn instead of stopping each other from learning by putting obstacles in the way of each other such as copyright etc. When it comes to understanding of the allegedly divine scriptures, it is of vital importance that people work according to a comprehensive criterion. So that if anything fits that criterion then they should accept it true but if anything does not then leave it aside. Make beliefs as I have explained already cannot give us any solid basis to work from if anything they stop us from inquiry and therefore proper conclusion based upon evidence and reason. I cannot accept the claim that the Quran teaches us blind faith because it is full of verses that urge mankind to use their brains and bodies to act as proper human beings. If the Quran does not teach us blind faith then we have no choice but to make rational sense of the Quranic text. Blind faith leaves us vulnerable to all sorts of use and abuse by people who promote such a thing because it suits them that way. It is blind faith that people lie down in front of things that are below human dignity and such a thing is obvious in India and other backward tribes in the world. Even people who claim to be Muslims if we look at their populations in backward areas, we see the very same thing ie people worshipping people. This very thing is also obvious in so called advanced secular societies as well where powerful man is preying on weaker people than himself using social, political or economic mechanisms to use and abuse them. All this too is blind faith because if people approached life sensibly, they will stay clear of use and abuse of each other. This is why rational explanations of evidences are of utmost importance so that man could see what is right for him to do and why and what is wrong for him to do and why.

Human dignity suffers gravely when one man dominates another or when one man submits to another as a slave. It makes both look stupid and causes huge damage to humanity itself. This is why people must educate themselves out of all this nonsense. This is why we should not accept anyone as a scholar (be it about study of divine revelation or study of the universe) who is not even self aware. Even if one is self aware yet one has to be aware of environment in which one is born ie the universal realities. It is people who lack proper moral foundation be they religious or secular who go for use and abuse of others for their personal interests and gains. So you can see life experience is basis for science therefore science is basis for judging whatever we come across in our life. We cannot escape this reality no matter what. The Quran is only fit for being divine revelation because it is consistent within itself. Not only that but it is also free of contradicting any known real world reality therefore its claims of divine origin are true. If it contradicted itself or self evident facts or did not provide definite answers to most important questions or answers to human problems then it could not be a divine revelation. This shows the Quran is a book worth studying. Moreover because the Quran does have a proper way for its interpretation, it is wrong to misinterpret it deliberately on basis of make beliefs and other nonsense. This is what mullahs have done ie they have deliberately misinterpreted the Quran in order to make personal gains and that is why their interpretations are not acceptable where they go off the proper track in Quranic interpretation. The truth is these wrong interpretations of the Quran are responsible for divisions in the ummah and lack of progress and prosperity in human world. However, ummah is not that learned so they cannot see what is right or wrong and those who are a bit literate they try to use and abuse each other instead of helping each other out of ignorance.

Since the Quran can be shown to be rational and free of faults in its own context therefore Quran becomes a criterion for judging all other sources of information in Islam eg any Hadith is fine which fits the Quranic framework and context and so is fine any law or historical fact. Hadith reports are not sound just because we have chains of people who report them but we must also cross examine them to see if their texts as they are reported are sound as well. Just because someone tells us this is what the prophet said or did is not proof in itself that that is really the case. People can make up stories in the name of anyone and spread them for so many different reasons of their own. More so people in power through those whom they string along for this purpose through bribery and corruption. This is why we must be careful in accepting or rejecting reports attributed to the prophet and the very same is true in case of so called historical facts. Because historian themselves do not agree on everything in history books. Nothing in real world has any real basis save the Quran and even that is only so because the Quran can be proven to be consistent within itself and with self evident facts.

When people will reach this level of thinking they will come to accept the Quran and when they will come to accept the Quran it will give them solid basis for judging everything else they will ever come across. This is why not only mullahs are wrong about the Quranic interpretations but also the scientists and philosophers, politicians as well as economists. This is why rulers, money lenders and mullahs are all in the same boat when it comes to having information and the skills to making sense of it. The Quran is not an ordinary book but that can only be realised when people educate themselves regarding matters the Quran talks about. The Quran is not only a challenge to religion but also to secularism. Nothing in this world has any solid basis save the creation and the revelation but to realise this fact both need our proper observation for understanding and many of us are trying our best to get to know them as much as we can. It is going to take time but we the human beings will get there in the end.

Proclaim! In the name of Allah, the provider of psychological, sociological and biological needs of mankind that

1] Strives hard to fulfil program of Allah all that is in the heavens and the earth because He is mighty wise ruler of this universe.

2] To Him alone belongs the sovereignty of the kingdom of the heavens and the earth therefore His set-up systems and laws regulate rise and fall of nations because He has set-up systems and laws to govern disposal of all affairs regarding everything.

3] He is the first and the last, the evident but hidden Who makes all things obvious for mankind to learn and do.

This verse is one of those that have parallel meanings eg Allah is ever existing as well as his word is final because it is perfect for its purpose. There is no trial and error in his word like people. Not only that but he is evident through visible world as evidence and its explanation and hidden yet provable by way of rational explanation.

4] It is He Who created the heavens and the earth in tapered stages that is how He established His right of rule over the kingdom. He makes obvious to you the mankind all that goes into the earth and all that comes out of it as well as all that comes down from the heaven and all that rises to it. So His guidance should be with you no matter where you are because He has proper understanding of what you ought to be doing.

5] To Him alone belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth that is why it is up to set-up systems and laws of Allah to deal with all affairs.

6] Thereby He changes the dark period of time for a people with the bright period of time and the bright period of time with dark period of time whereby He makes motives of people obvious for mankind through results of their own actions.

As explained already such verses convey various parallel ideas eg here the Quran is telling us that day and night happen due to set-up systems and laws of Allah as well as it is actions of people themselves whereby they end up in good or bad times. People who plan properly and act upon their plans create a bright future for themselves but those who ignore proper education and planning end up in dark future. Here people are conveyed the message that understanding universal realities is vital for human progress and prosperity.

7] Therefore commit to working for peace, progress and prosperity of mankind according to program, constitution and law of Allah as delivered by His messenger and make useful for the mankind all that you have been made responsible to properly manage by Allah for the benefit of humanity, so all those who will commit to working for peace, progress and prosperity of mankind by making proper use of all that is provided for mankind they will be rewarded greatly.

This like verses are telling people that having proper foundation for properly organising and regulating human community and then properly planning and executing the plan has great rewards for humanity. The opposite can only lead to troubles. This is why proper education of people is that which serves this goal any other idea of education is can prove very damaging over a period of time.

8] O you who claim to be committed to working for peace, progress and prosperity of mankind, what is the matter with you that you do not commit to working for peace, progress and prosperity of mankind according to guidance of Allah in deeds when His messenger is calling upon you to commit to working for peace, progress and prosperity of humanity according to guidance of your Creator and Sustainer by your actions even though you have already declared your commitment to working for peace, progress and prosperity of mankind by your word if you really are committed to working for peace, progress and prosperity of mankind?

This is one of those verses that explain what is meaning of commitment to Islamic way of life. People who claim to be committed to cause of Islam but do nothing to help bring about the blissful and dignifying kingdom are not being faithful to their commitment to Islam or humnaity. This is again what mullahs have done to the ummah by telling people just saying some words makes people Muslims. The Quran tells people that real Muslims are those who understand the message properly and plan their actions properly and execute the plan properly till the objectives are achieved. The world is hell on earth and people are not paying the needed attention to the message of the Quran. No wonder humanity is very confused and full of people who lack knowledge ie needed information and its proper understanding. When are we the humans going to do something about it? People say they love their children but what kind of legacy are they leaving them with? A world full of hatred and destruction through wars for personal gains? Is this the right way for people to raise their future generations? This is why over a period of time things start breaking in societies because each and every person becomes aware of his use and abuse by others and that person also start doing the same for himself as he sees others doing. The very people who start this road end up being victim of it.

9] It is He Who has bestowed upon His messenger clear goals and guidelines so that thereby He leads you out of depths of darknesses of ignorance into the light of knowledge. This is how Allah shelters you from harm and destruction through blissful and dignifying program.

This verse tells mankind the purpose of divine revelation ie to get people out of living a confused life into living a purposeful life.

10] So what is the matter with you that you do not work hard for the betterment of mankind according to this blissful and dignifying program of Allah despite the fact that the heavens and the earth belong to Allah alone? Those of you who did use whatever they had and struggled through really hard to overcome all kinds of opposition and adversity before you did not get the same results as you who did not do as good as they did. Surely they ended up with greater blissful and dignified outcome even than those who used what they had for the good of others and struggled through hard times after them. However Allah promises all who work hard to accomplish His program a good outcome for their struggle, that is how Allah makes evident the result of all that you do.

This verse explains a lot of thing as to what Islam is all about and who are people who can be thought of as Muslims. Islam is just guidance about goals and Muslim is only he who works faithfully for achieving or accomplishing God set goals according to set out guidelines.

11] So who is there that will work hard for accomplishing program of Allah in the hope of a better world as the end result and so that He may add more reward to it for his benefit?

This verse is making a very important point which is who is there who is willing to work for the plan given by Allah in the hope of ending up with what is promised by Allah. I would also like to clarify a point here which is about loan to Allah. What it means is, who trusts program of Allah that if he worked according to it then he will be rewarded for it. It is just like you work for someone trusting him that he will pay you when you have completed his work. So in a way you are loaning your labour to someone till you get paid for it at the end of job. This requires trust of one party in another party and that is what this like verses mean in the Quran. The reward promised is manifold because a human works and God also has much greater part in it because he is the one who has provided all things to the worker. So when it comes to reward, it involves extra reward for which man did not work but God did. Yet reward for God also is given to man with the condition that whatever is above his normal needs he will give it away for others to benefit from it as a duty, without thinking that it is his because all things belong to creator not him.

12] One day when the program of Allah becomes established you will see the managers and the managed communities committed to working for peace, progress and prosperity of mankind how the light of knowledge from Allah will be shining before them guiding them to the right course of action, heralding good news about the day when things people need will flow in their blissful and dignifying kingdom like rivers wherein they will land, and that will be a great achievement for them.

The Quran keeps telling people that if they want a better world then they will have to work hard for it. Allah only provides guidance for humanity he does not go ahead and also do things for them. This is why sitting on prayer mat and keep asking Allah for things is not going to work and it never did. If it was only matter of people asking Allah for things and he giving them, the Quran did not need to be the way it is. In other words the Quran is trying to persuade mankind to work towards their own better future. Failure is not an option because that will land mankind into lots of troubles. So people who want better future yet do not work for it are called hypocrites by the Quran.

13] One day when they will see followers of program of Allah successful, the confused chiefs and their confused followings will say to those who would have committed to working for peace, progress and prosperity of mankind, could you overlook our actions against you and let us have share in your success due to light of knowledge that you have? They will be told, first look back on your past and take steps to reconcile it otherwise carry on living by light of your own knowledge as you have been because that is the way you thought things will be better for you. Thus a clear wall of distinction will be set up between them allowing in only those who are deemed deserving. Inside the wall will be community living on basis of caring and sharing out of hard work and compassion and outside all along there will be communities living in hell of their own making tearing each other apart in rage against each other.

14] They will shout out to the people living in peace, were we not on your side? Yes, they will reply, but you led yourselves into conspiracies against us because you were suspicious about our motives and you doubted the program of Allah so you were deceived by your harmful and destructive ambitions and desires until there came the time Allah warned us all against the while your destructive leadership deceived you concerning revelation of Allah till the last moment before you were hit by consequences of your actions.

15] So today no redemption is possible for you or for the open opponents of guidance of Allah unless you repent and reform. Your abode is fire of hatred among yourselves that you yourselves have ignited and that is a very bad state of affairs to be in.

16] So has time not arrived for those who claim to be committed to working for peace, progress and prosperity of mankind to act with fervent hearts on program of Allah for the purpose it is has been revealed so that they do not become like those who were given the book before this because as time went on for them they gradually lost their fervour for acting on their commitment to working for peace, progress and prosperity of mankind for which they were given the book? That is how most of them ended up causing divisions by inflicting harm and destruction upon each other.

17] However you should remember always that message of Allah inspires and motivates human world back to life after it has fallen apart due to its ignorance and arrogance. That is why We have made clear Our lessons for you so that you could become sensible.

18] Surely the managers and the managed communities who work for fulfilment of Our set goals therefore lend Allah fruits of their labour for bringing about the beautiful world will have the outcome manifold and even more than that when the goals are accomplished.

19] Those who commit to working for peace, progress and prosperity of mankind by their actions according to program, constitution and law of Allah along with His messenger they are the ones in the sight of their Lord true to their commitment and are true example to the world to witness about His program. For them is outcome according to the degree of their enlightenment and actions. As for those who deny benefits of Our guidance to mankind and oppose Our goals and guidelines they are bound to end up in the hell of their own making.

20] You will come to realise in time that the life of this world without the guidance of Allah is only a do as you like and a show off and boasting among yourselves against each other and a quest for greater power and riches and more children for fighting against each other for dominance. The similitude of such way of living is like that of vegetation that flourish after rain the growth of which delights the tillers then it withers and you see it turn yellow and soon after it becomes dry and crumbles away into dust. So what counts in the end is living a life in terrible agony in the future or living a life that is secure according to program of Allah, a life of peace and prosperity. The life of this world is nothing less than harmful and destructive without mankind following guidance of Allah.

21] Therefore commit to working for life of peace and security according to program of your Lord in order to turn the world into a blissful kingdom that is vast enough to accommodate the heavens and the earth, it is a program prepared for those who will commit to working for peace, progress and prosperity of mankind along with His messenger. Such is the blissful revelation of Allah understanding of which He bestows on such as are happy to make effort for it, for Allah is bestower of the great plan for peace and prosperity of mankind.

22] No harm or destruction takes place in the world among yourselves which is not told about in the book already before it strikes according to Our set-up systems and laws that operate throughout the universe, surely Allah’s purpose for revelation is to make such things easy for mankind to overcome.

This verse is very important in the sense that it explains what is meant by harm and destruction coming from Allah. It means the forewarning as told in the revealed scripture not something that is written in destiny book as mullahs have told people. Mullahs are wrong because Allah never sends any punishment for any people and there is no reason for Allah to do so as it is told in the Quran repeatedly. The point is that if people do not educate themselves properly and learn how to live their lives properly then harm and destruction will be the result as outcome of their own doing.

23] It is done so that you the mankind do not become hopeless and lost within yourselves or be completely over taken by grieve for things that you miss due to your ignorance and arrogance forgetting others who can help, or be completely over taken by joy at what you gain forgetting others that need your help out of arrogance, for Allah does not support any such people who are hopeless or are vainglorious boasters who oppose His program due to arrogance,

24] who are stingy themselves and encourage others to be stingy also. He that pays no attention to program of Allah should realise that Allah is free of all needs and that sovereignty of the universe belongs to Him alone.

People should never be selfish or the consequences could be very serious ie people instead of becoming a caring and sharing brotherhood will end up worse enemies of each other and so life will become a living hell for all in the community over a period of time.

25] Surely We sent Our messengers for mankind with clear goals and guidelines therefore we sent with them Our books as the standard to measure against all that people may say and do so that people could conduct themselves with fairness for the benefit of humanity. We have sent this solid criterion as a foundation for humanity because therein is sure protection and many benefits for the mankind and so that Allah makes obvious to people those who along with His messenger really support His program the outcome of which is not yet obvious to them. Surely guidance of Allah is mighty powerful if acted upon by mankind to bring about the promised outcome by means of His set-up systems and laws that take care of all affairs.

26] We sent Noah and Abraham and bestowed among their descendants prophet-hood and the book. Some of them adopted the program that was proper but most of them rejected and opposed it and therefore transgressed against each other and thereby ended up divided.

27] After them We sent other messengers one after the other and followed them with Jesus the leader of community of Mariam. We gave him the Injeel whereby We wanted to put compassion and reconciliation into the hearts of his supporters so that they become a brotherhood. As for monasticism, they invented it themselves, We did not impose upon them anything other than seeking the establishment of blissful and dignifying kingdom consistent with plan of Allah which they bothered not to accomplish as they were supposed to. So We rewarded those from among them who committed to working for peace, progress and prosperity of mankind according to Our program, constitution and law but most of them were transgressors who inflicted harm and destruction upon each other therefore ended up falling apart.

28] O you the people of the book who claim to be committed to working for peace, progress and prosperity of mankind, be consistent with guidance of Allah and with each other by committing to working for peace, progress and prosperity of mankind along with His messenger so that you are rewarded with double the share in His blissful and dignifying program and so that He makes for you another supporting light to walk with and secures you, for He protects mankind through His blissful program.

29] For those people of the book who refuse to work for peace, progress and prosperity of mankind along with this messenger let them be aware that they do not have the monopoly over the guidance of Allah rather it is entirely up to Him to bestow it on whoever desires to work for it because Allah is capable of bestowing great gifts on humanity through His blissful and dignifying program for them.