The Table (Al-Ma’idah)

Commentary

(a) The Children of Israel faced this downfall, but that did not stop them from making self-righteous utterances and the elect among them went on making fine speeches. But they were not serious about rushing to intervene when they saw somebody indulging in tyranny and evil, or about trying to prevent such actions. David (Dawud) said of the Children of Israel of his period that not one of them was righteous, and from his discourses it is clear that the Jews used to talk peace with their neighbours, describing the law of God and reaffirming their pledge to God, when their hearts were actually full of ill intent. Jesus likewise castigated the Jews of his time, calling them hypocritical scholars who had usurped the dwellings of widows, while at the same time prolonging their prayers. He lamented the fact that they paid the tithes of mint leaves, anise and cummin seeds, while ignoring the weighty provisions of the shariat, i.e. justice, mercy and faith. He called them ‘blind guides’ who ‘strain at a gnat and swallow a camel’. He scorned them for being apparently righteous, while from within they were entirely hypocritical and faithless. (Matthew 23). The Jews did as Jesus said—they used to describe the law of God, offer prolonged prayers and paid their tithes from their crops. But all that was purely lip service. They used to carry out harmless commands with a show of piety, but when the question arose of treating others with justice, or when they were required to have mercy on a down-trodden person, or when there was the need to crush self-interest in order to carry out God’s command, then they used to be guilty of backsliding. And if anyone pointed out their mistakes, they became his enemies. It was such behaviour which caused them to incur God’s wrath and curses. (a) In this verse paradise is declared the reward for certain ‘words’ uttered by people (fa athabahumu’llah bima qalu). But what were these ‘words’ which made the speakers of them entitled to eternal paradise? What they said represented and gave expression to their entire being. It was the sound of the outflow of their personality. They heard God’s message in such a way that they found the whole truth enshrined in it. It penetrated their hearts and minds. It caused in them a revolution which changed the entire focus of their wishes and aspirations—to the extent that all barriers of prejudice and interests broke down. They identified themselves with Truth in such a way that they lost their separate identity. They became its witness and to become a witness meant truth embedding itself within them. The Quran was not a mere book for them but a living sign of the Lord of the Universe. This Divine experience, although expressed in words, was not just a matter of words: it was a turmoil, an earthquake which affected their entire existence. So much so that tears flowed from their eyes. Words spoken about reality do not merely make a statement: they are the highest form in which to give meaningful shape to a man’s actions and feelings, and, in the entire known universe, only man has the capacity to comprehend the refinement and significance of words and to use them to the best effect. ‘Words’ are the best of man’s being. ‘Word’ is eloquent action. Therefore, when a man proves and expresses his servitude to God at the level of ‘words’, he establishes a certain entitlement to paradise. The strongest reasons for non-acceptance of Truth by a man are his ego and pride. Those who have pride hidden in their hearts show the strongest reaction against the call for Truth, refusing to accept it at any cost and going so far as to become its most dangerous antagonists. On the other hand, those who are not filled with pride, while they may be flawed by any other evil, they cannot oppose the Truth to this extent.