The Review of Religions is honoured to present the translation of Sūrah al-Nās, chapter 114 of the Holy Qur’an, from Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad’s (ra) magnum opus, Al-Tafsīr Al-Kabīr.
In this installment, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra) explains how one can seek refuge from evils of different levels of society, in light of the verses of Sūrah al-Nās.
(2) The verse وَمِنْ شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ in Sūrah al-Falaq indicates that in the latter days when Islam would be in a weakened state, Allah Almighty would raise a person to reform mankind and reinstate the lost glory of Islam. Allah shall manifest heavenly signs in his support, one of which is the solar and lunar eclipses. Sūrah al-Nās explains that at the time of the advent of the reformer, three trials would be rampant:
1. The trial of the family
2. The trial of governance
3. The trial of religion
These three factors contribute to mankind’s progression; however, they can also lead to the destruction of mankind. Accordingly, the Holy Prophet (sa) states, that every newborn child is born according to a natural state [of Islam], فَأَبَوَاهُ يُهَوِّدَانِهِ أَوْ يُنَصِّرَانِهِ أَوْ يُمَجِّسَانِهِ and it is his parents who make him a Jew or Christian or a Magian.
The mother who is willing to sacrifice her life for her child and stays up all night worrying that her child may catch a cold; when she ruins her sleep [and comfort] to protect him from illness, at the same time, she may also be killing him by instilling idolatrous ideas in his heart. The father who does not hesitate to put himself in harm’s way for his child’s sake, and who toils to earn a living so that he can feed his son, can also become a means of ruining his child forever by teaching him things that lead him astray from God Almighty. The same family that hastens to tend to their children’s needs when they fall ill, and the same nation that takes pride in them and shapes them, can at times become the means of their ruin [by corrupting] their religious affairs.
The same is true of kingship, for a king who safeguards the life, wealth and honour of all his subjects; or the kingdom that strives day and night to bring security and comfort to its subjects often becomes a means of destroying their faith. In the same way, إِلَهِ النَّاسِ [the God of mankind] can bring about destruction. At times, religious leaders and guides devise thousands of supposed welfare policies and endeavour for the betterment of their people and strive to help them, but in reality, these very schemes may become the reason for their destruction. Pundits, clergymen and other religious leaders teach their people many good things and urge them to act accordingly, forbid them from lying, cheating, deceiving, murdering, and misappropriating trusts, and tell them to adopt truth and honesty. All religious leaders throughout the world give such instructions; however, where they seek to reform a segment of society, they are destroying others at the same time.
Where one is given the teaching of: If someone slaps you on your cheek, turn to them the other also, or to bear the burden of the poor, and become meek and pure at heart, and to take alms from the wealthy to be spent on aiding the poor, so that virtue may be established in the earth; on the other hand, this edifice of virtue is razed to the ground by their claiming that Jesus is the Son of God.
Thus, Allah Almighty instructs: قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ * مَلِكِ النَّاسِ * إِلَهِ النَّاسِ.,meaning: ‘Say: “O God, there are those who rule over others, but their rubūbiyyah [providence] is a double-edged sword; for on the one hand, it strikes Your enemy, but on the other, my neck is smitten as well. And, O God, the kings of the world protect my life, wealth, honour and dignity, and they provide for my every comfort and ease, but sometimes their hidden schemes and machinations may lead to my downfall and destroy me. O God, there are religious leaders in the world whom I must obey in one form or another.’” Thus, Allah states in the Holy Qur’an that some people take their religious leaders as أَرۡبَابٗا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ [lords besides Allah]. In fact, they are certainly serving humanity, for every religious leader in the world imparts teachings of progress to their people. People are not foolish enough to follow one who does not teach them anything useful. Yet still, one may be afflicted by the evils of such religious leaders, and they can destroy a person. But does there really exist a Rabb [lord] from whom one only ever receives good and no evil? Does there really exist a Malik [king] from whom one only ever receives good and no evil? Does there really exist an Ilāh [deity] from whom one only receives good and no evil? Indeed, that is God Almighty alone.
Therefore, He states that we should say:
أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ * مَلِكِ النَّاسِ * إِلَهِ النَّاس
meaning, ‘I have shifted my focus away from all my family members, brothers and sisters, parents and other relatives, as well as my nation, and turned to God alone, Who is رَبِّ النَّاسِ [the Lord of mankind]. I cannot survive in this world without having a government, but I am vulnerable to their harms at all times. Therefore, I turn to that King of Whom all other kings are a reflection, and I seek refuge only with Him. Furthermore, in religious terminology, there are those who are referred to as “the Reflections of God Almighty” whom some people have taken as أَرۡبَابٗا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ [lords besides Allah].They may benefit me or may possibly cause me harm. Therefore, I look unto the One from Whom only goodness emanates.’
If one offers this supplication with these meanings in mind, they will not be subject to the dangers of their family, or the harm of their king’s disorder, nor weakened as a result of their religious leaders. The verses أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ * مَلِكِ النَّاسِ * إِلَهِ النَّاس explain that if governments threaten you and refuse to listen to you, oppress you and seek to harm you, then you must go forth and enter My divine court for I am your Lord. If you are wronged by your country, nation or family, then take refuge in My court, for I am your Lord, and [know that] your family and nation are in My hands. If ever a religious leader seeks to mislead you, you must come to My court because I am your Ilāh [God], and I am responsible for your guidance. If you do come to Me, then no harm can come your way, neither in the form of Rubūbiyyah, Malikiyyah, nor Ulūhiyyah.
Just as mothers say to their children to come and tell them if someone teases or annoys them, in the same way, Allah Almighty instructs: ‘I have sent you to this world to live among your kinsmen, friends, dear ones, relatives and people of your country and nation, but if they seek to harm you in any way, you must not worry. Instead, come to Me, because they can be a source of both good and evil to you. However, if they ever harm you, then you must come to Me. Similarly, there will be governments aiming to establish order in the world, but they can cause you both good and harm. If they ever harm you, then you must come to Me. Moreover, there are spiritual leaders throughout the world who may provide you with moral training, but in a way that harms you instead of benefitting you, and thus destroy your soul and spirit. In the event that this happens, you should not grieve, for I am your True Spiritual Leader and Guide. If you come to Me, nobody will harm you. In essence, with respect to all the evils that would arise in the latter days from the opponents of Islam in relation to Rubūbiyyah, Mulūkiyyah and Ulūhiyyah, God Almighty has taught the Ummah a comprehensive supplication in the words: أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ * مَلِكِ النَّاسِ * إِلَهِ النَّاس
Serialisation of Sūrah al-Nās will continue in the next edition.
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