In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

16- Has not the time come for those who believe to have their hearts (qalb) humbled (khashi?) to the remembrance of God and the truth that has come down [so that they will] not be like those who received the Book before? But the span of time was too long for them, and thus their hearts hardened.Many of them were iniquitous (fisq).

17- Know that God gives life to the ground after its death. We have indeed made the signs clear for you, that perhaps you may apply reason (ta?qilun) (in order to understand them).

18- Charitable men (muta?addiqin) and women (muta?addiqat) who give charity and lend God a goodly loan will have it multiplied and thus receive a generous reward.

19- Those who believe in God and His messengers are the truthful ones (siddiqun) who will bear witness (shuhada) before their Lord. They have their reward and their light (nur). As for those who disbelieve (kafir) and deny Our signs, they are the inhabitants of the hellfire.

20- Know that the life of this world is surely (innama) only a game (la?ib), diversion (lahw), pageantry, boasting (tafakhur) among yourselves, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children. This resembles vegetation (nabat) after rain (ghayth), for its growth is pleasing (a?jaba) to the farmers (kuffar).But afterward it dries up (yahiju), turns yellow, and then became straw (hutam). In the Hereafter there is severe punishment and [also] forgiveness from God,as well as contentment, whereas the life of this world is butthe enjoyment (mata?) of delusion (ghurur).

21- Race (sabiqu) with one another for forgiveness (maghfirah) from your Lord and a garden whose breadth (‘ard) is as the breadth of the Heavens and Earth, which is prepared for those who believe in God and His messengers. Such is His bounty, which He bestows upon whom He wills and is infinite.

22- Nothing of disaster befalls Earth or yourselves unless it is in a Book before We bring it into being.Truly that is easy for God.

23- Do not grieve for the sake of what escaped you (fatakum), nor exult (farah) because of what has been given. God does not love vainglorious boasters (mukhtal fakhur),

24- [or] Those who are miserly and enjoin others to be miserly. Whoever turns away, still God is the Self-Sufficient (Ghani), the Praised (Hamid).

25- We sent Our messengers with clear proofs (bayyinat) and revealed with them the scripture (al-kitab) and the balance (al-mizan) so that humanity may observe (qiyam) right measure.And He revealed iron, in which is a mighty power (ba’s shadid) and [many] uses for humanity, so that God may know those who will help Him and His messengers, although He is unseen (bi-l-ghayb). Truly God is Strong, Mighty.

26- We sent Noah and Abraham and placed prophethood and the scripture among their offspring, some of whom were rightly guided; however, many of them were iniquitous.

27- Then We sent Our messengers to follow (qufa) in their footsteps. We sent Jesus son of Mary with the Gospel (Injil) and placed kindness (ra’fah) and mercy (rahmah) in the hearts of his followers.They invented monasticism – We did not ordain it for them – only to seek God’s pleasure. Yet they did not observe it properly. We gave those who believed their reward; however, many of them were iniquitous.

28- O you who believe! Be mindful of your duty to God and have faith in His Messenger. He will double His amount of mercy for you, appoint for you a light in which you shall walk,andforgive you becauseHe is Forgiving, Merciful,

29- so that the People of the Book may know that they control nothing of His bounty, all of which is in His hand,[and He will] give His bounty to whomever He wills, for it is infinite.

[57:16] Has not the time come for those who believe to have their hearts(qalb) humbled(khāshiʿ) to the remembrance of God and the truth that has come down [so that they will] not be like those who received the Book before? But the span of time was too long for them, such that their hearts hardened.Many of them were iniquitous(fisq).
These are some of the Qur’an’s best-known verses, because countless people have found themselves transformed after hearing or reading them. A well-known story concerns Fudayl the burglar, who heard this verse being recited in the house next door to the one he was burglarizing. Profoundly affected, he changed on the spot and made a new life for himself by becoming a great worshipper and ascetic.So this verse is not addressed to the polytheists, the faithless, or those who are ignorant of Islam, but to the believers, those who claim to know about Islam and profess their belief in it while continuing to behave like the faithless. Here, the Qur’an asks them if it is not time to finally change their ways?
A heart’s humbleness is inversely proportional to its hardness, forwhen a heart hardens it can no longer be drawn toward good things. Some hearts are like sponges, for they soak up truth and are very open to change.But others can become so hardened that even hearing God’s most beautiful verses will not affect them.The Qur’an, which speaks about this hardness, states that the heartis the very core of our personality and thus must always be receptive and impressionable to truth,always ready to be transformed by it. As one’s heart slowly loses its inherent qualities and sensitivity, its ability to connect with God slowly disappears until, in a general sense, that person no longer has any “presence of heart.”
This verse asks if it is not time for the hearts of the faithful to become humble. But in relation to what? In relation to the remembrance of God and the truth that He has revealed, lest they become like those who were sent scriptures before (i.e., the Jews and the Christians). He gave them ample time and respite, and yet their hearts nevertheless hardened and gradually forgot the divine message that had been sent to them.
Sometimes the additional time and respite has no effect, but only makestheir heartsharder and causes them to move further awayfrom God. Most people squander their God-given potential by pursuing worldly goals, prosperity, and a comfortable life and thus end up ignoring the bounds and laws He established for humanity as a whole.
In Arabic, fisq means to go beyond God’s laws. In Persian, it signifies sexual misconduct.

[57:17] Know that God gives life to the groundafter its death. We have indeed made the signs clear for you, that perhaps you may apply reason (taʿqilūn) (in order to understand them).
The Qur’an informs us that God “gives life to the ground after its death.” Here, God wants us to ponder and draw a moral from one example of nature’s transformation: how the cold, frozen (i.e., dead) ground of winter gives way to the live ground of spring. We could be in a spiritual “winter,”meaning that the very core ofourbeing has frozen andthus has lost its former access to the warmth of faith.However, God can revive our spirit through His revelation. Just as rain revives a barren land, the “rain” of God’s mercy can water and revive our spirit. This potential iswithin every person right now.
God says: “We have indeed made the signs clear for you.”But for what purpose? “That perhaps you may apply reason(taʿqilūn) (in order to understand them).”Taʿqilūn, whichis derived from iʿqāl, means “that which you can use to restrain yourselves.”Observing the natural order enables you to revive yourselves,just as the warmth ofspring revives the barren ground. In Nahj-ul-Balāghah, Imam Ali says that the Qur’an “is surely the spring of the hearts.” So if you want to bring spring into your heart and have its scent fill your being, live according to the Book of God and strive to understand its verses’ meanings instead of being content withmindless – in the sense that you do not understand their context and meaning(s) – memorization and recitation.

[57:18] Charitable men(mutasaddiqīn) and women(mutasaddiqāt) who give charity and lend God a goodly loan will have it multiplied and thus receive a generous reward.
“Charitable men and women”refers to those who spend their wealth for God’s sake. Here, sadaqah means the same as “spending” (infāq). So why do we call it sadaqah,when sadaqah, ihsān (kindness or lit. to make beautiful), and infāq all mean the same thing?Helping someone financially is called ihsān because you are doing something beautiful, is called infāq because you are closing the wealth gap between yourself and those less fortunate, and is called sadaqah because you are implementing your faith. You have claimed to be Muslim and that you have sincere faith and submit to God. Giving charity provesthat you were telling the truth, for helping others makes your faith visible. If you do not assist othersyour claims are false, forsadaqah means that your deeds match your words. If people have faith and believe in the afterlife but do no good deeds, their behavior reveals a deep-seated contradiction in the very core of their being. In fact, such behavior is ultimately no more than a form of self-deception.
The martyrs (shuhadā) are also called “the truthful” (siddīqīn) because they have proven that their faith is sincere. The Qur’an states that Abraham and Mary belongto these people. Thus, a siddīq is someone whose behavior, life, and very being are identical with his or her belief. This chapter was revealed at a time when Muslim society was in dire need of people to contribute to its defense, for enemies were besieging it from virtually every direction.
Such people are described as those who have givena “goodly loan”to God: “If you spend out of your wealth for the sake of defending your community, it is as though you have given Me a loan.” He promises to pay this loan back several-fold and give the donor a noble reward, one that is both material (as with an ordinary loan) and spiritual that will endow them with dignity.

[57:19] Those who believe in God and His messengers are the truthful ones (siddiqūn) who will bear witness(shuhadā) before their Lord. They have their reward and their light (nūr). And as for those who disbelieve (kāfir) and deny Our signs, they are the inhabitants of the hellfire.
Those who believed in God and His messengers are also counted among the truthful(siddiqūn). Some commentatorshave said that the Qur’an uses “martyrs”for those believers who died on the battlefield. However, upon further reflection, we see that it refers to anyone killed in the path of truth. The related word shahīd means someone who is present, bears witness, and is a model for others. Martyrs are the best of people, because they meet all of these qualifications.They do not retreat into their own shells and remain unaware of people’s suffering and what is going on in the world; rather, they try to initiate change, to make a difference. They will receive their reward and their lightin full. Faith is compared to light because, just as physical light shines upon the people’s path and allows them to progress on their journey, the light of faith shinesupon humanity’s path toward progress, happiness, and felicity.
A “disbeliever” (kāfir) is someone who actively covers (from the verb kafara, meaning “to cover”) the truth and refuses to acknowledge it. This verse is speaking aboutthe companions of hellfire. To accompany something means to be of the same kind and to have the same thoughts as it, and, as a result, to be attached to it (musāhaba). Thusthevery being of such people is similar in nature to that of Hell.In general, the Qur’an uses this idea of musāhabafor whatever people are deeplyattached to. For instance, the “companions of the elephant” (ashābu-l-fīl) refers to the army whose base of strength was the war elephant in its ranks. The Qur’an also refers toa people who lived in a forest as ashābu-l-aykā (“companions of the thicket”) and others who lived in the mountains as ashābu-l-hijr (“companions of the stones”).
The next verse describes the life of this world so that we canponder what it is that we love about it and why we are so attached to it.

[57:20] Know that life of this world is surely (innamā)only a game(laʿib), diversion (lahw), pageantry, boasting(tafākhur) among yourselves, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children. This resembles vegetation(nabāt) after rain(ghayth), for its growth is pleasing(aʿjaba)to the farmers (kuffār).But afterward it dries up(yahīju), turns yellow, and then became straw(hutām). In the Hereafter there is severe punishment and [also] forgiveness from God, as well ascontentment, whereas the life of the world is butthe enjoyment(matāʿ) of delusion(ghurūr).
This is how the Qur’an sums up the truth about this world in a single passage. It is nothing more than this. The preposition innamāsignifies exclusivity. This verse describes our world in terms that correspond to the different stages of human existence. Life is “a game” (laʿib) because all children born into it only play games until they become youths aware of the types of enjoyment surrounding them. This is the “diversion” (lahw), namely, the fancies and imaginings that slowly begin to consume them. Youths pursue beauty, for this is the time when the desire for sexual enjoyment, self-presentation, and physical beauty is strongest in them. After they get married, the competition, showing-off, and boasting begins (tafākhur).
Tafākhur, a form VI verb derived from the root F-KH-R (pride), conveys a sense of mutual competition that manifests itself in boasting. As they choose a profession and find their place in the world, they begin to compare theirposition to that of others. As they grow older and lose their youthful vigor, they begin to accumulate wealth, property, and savings on the grounds that this is what life is all about. Some people will stop at one of these levels, while others will continue pursuing them well into their old age.Others will never stop trying to amass wealth and property.
“Downpour” (ghayth) means rains, and aʿjabameans to impress or amaze someone. In this context, kuffār means farmers because they cover the ground with all types of crops. When the rains come and make the land verdant, theyare pleased. Nabāt means “vegetation” and can apply to any flower and plant.
Yahījis derived from hījān (“excitement”). These initially young and small plants gradually grow and sprout leaves and flowers. They struggle and put forth new growths. In fact, you could describe them as being in a state of excited movement, forthey cause the ground to come to life and shake with greenery.Then, one day all of this greenery turns yellow, and on another day it withers and crumbles. Hutām means a dried-out and disintegrated leaf.
Human beingsare no different. Those who are currently enjoying the spring of their life should closely observe what happens in nature. This cycle of life and death continues without end;these periods of excitement and youth inevitably end and are replaced by desiccation, weakness, and old age. After that, all that is left for them are withering away, dying, and disintegrating.
Only two conditions exist in the hereafter:severe punishment or forgiveness. Of course God is not standing there with a burning rod waiting to punish you if you did not believe. Human beings are either admitted to this “school” or not. Those who are admitted passed the entrance exam because they had a good teacher who only wanted what was best for them; those who failed itdid not study or prepare for it. But there is also “forgiveness from God” (maghfirah mina-l-lāh).Maghfirahmeans “to conceal” or “to cleanse.”Ridwān means “satisfaction; [His] pleasure.”Does God need to be pleased with our deeds? Is He influenced like we are? Does God, who is unencumbered with personal feelings, become happy or angry? The God to whom the Qur’an introduces us is unaffected by any factors external to Himself.
Whenever the Qur’an uses terms like “pleasure” in connection with God, they are allegorical. Whatever pleases us is compatible with our spiritual and physical makeup or with our wants and feelings. Thus, whateverpleases God is in harmony with the system He has created; whatever displeases Himis not in harmonywith thissystem and its laws. After all, what could be more sublime than a human being harmonizing himself or herself with this system?
The life of this world is nothing but deceptive enjoyment. Matāʿ means something that is used or enjoyed. The root of ghurūr means “ephemeral.” In other words, these enjoyments have no depth, for they are superficial,temporary, and fleetingin nature.Based on the previous verses, we should wake ourselves up, humble our hearts,observe closely what happens in nature, and revive ourselves, knowing full well that this world is nothing more than a deception. But what must we do after this?

[57:21] Race(sābiqū) with one another for forgiveness(maghfirah) from your Lord and a garden whose breadth(‘ard) is as the breadth of the Heavens and Earth, which is prepared for those who believe in God and His messengers. Such is His bounty, which He bestows upon whom He will and is infinite.
Here, God uses the language of competition and speed: Sābiqū (“take the lead”). This word comes from the root S-B-Q(to precede). Musābaqahis derived from Form III verb that means “to overtake one another.” In this case, God says: “Overtake one another in good deeds.”Vie with one another to reach your Lord’s forgiveness (maghfirah). Remember thatmaghfirah cleanses the human being. Compete with others to reach paradise, whose extent is that of the Heavens and Earth. Here, ʿard (“width”) is not opposed totuwāl (“length”),for it is to be understood in the sense of expansiveness. In other words, paradise is the size of the cosmos.
So is paradise a garden in some corner of Earth or orbiting a distant star to which the faithful will eventually go? Where is it?God says it is the cosmos itself, forit extends to the very limits of His creation. This phrase is repeated twice in the Qur’an; here, it refers to the paradise promised to the faithful (muʾminūn), and elsewhere it refers to the paradise promised to the God-conscious (muttaqūn).
Given that the Qur’an tells us that Paradise is limitless, it cannot be described as being “here” or “there.” The verse addressed to the God-conscious says “hasten,” while this verse – addressed to the faithful – says “take the lead” (sābiqū).Both involve competing with and overtaking each other. This is like the Oscars ceremony, during which artists sometimes compete intensely to win, as if they want to see who will be the most successful and prosperous in their career and their life. Does our life in eternity not have at least as much value as this?So should we not prepare ourselves for it and do our best to attain it?
The Gospels contain an interesting discussion about this. Jesus says “Don’t just stand and watch as others compete, for you must also compete and try to be the best.” [Source]What a wonderful comparison this is.He tells us to direct our efforts toward a purpose. Equally, the Qur’an urges us to try our hardest to win the race to eternity, for each of us was made for eternity. Our brief sojourn here cannot be compared to what awaits us there. This future is guaranteed, a reward for those who believed in God and His messengers, which in itself is a form of divine grace and generosity.God bestows this grace according to His will and His decrees to those who are steadfast on His path and who are therefore worthy of it.

[57:22] Nothing of disaster befalls Earth or yourselves unless it is in a Book before We bring it into being.Truly that is easy for God.
Anyone who sets out on thispathshould expect to face problems. It is said that all believers, in their capacity as unique individuals, are tested according to the level of their faith. Therefore, the prophets and the awliyā(saints) are tested more than anyone else. And yet despite this, some people become despondent, abandon hope, and lose their trust in God.
Whatever trials people face, such as natural or personal disasters, these were all written in the Book that existed before the world was made, before you or anyone else walked upon this planet. Although these trials may seem random or unexpected to us, this is not the case with God,for He is the one who created and then implemented the single set of laws that determines everything that happens. The Qur’an says that even a falling leaf, an atom in the depths of the Heavens or in the bowels of Earth is written in a Clear Book (kitāb mubīn) and contained in God’s knowledge. Thus,He cannot be absent or unaware of what is going on.Given this reality, sincere believers understand that whatever happens to them has been foreseen by God andis good for them, although they may not understand exactly why or how.
God says: “Whatever affliction may visit you does so because of what your own hands have earned” (42:30).The Qur’an proclaims the existence of two kinds of afflictions:(1) those thatflow from our own behavior, actions, and mistakes (e.g.,becoming sick after eatingspoiled food) and (2) a universal set of laws and principles that govern the cosmos and are utterly beyond our powers to influence (i.e., the systems that God has set in motion since time eternal, which produce various afflictions). In short, we should not become overly distressed when struck by misfortune because God has already foreseen it and planned for it. After all, He is absolutely good and does not will anything evil to happen.
But perhaps one might ask: How can God possibly plan all of this in advance? The Qur’an answers: “Truly that is easy for God.”

[57:23] Do not grieve for the sake of what escaped you (fāta-kum), nor exult (farah) because of what has been given. God does not love vainglorious boasters (mukhtāl fakhūr),
The word fāta-kum (“escapes you”) is derived from fawt (“loss”), a word that refers (as it does in Persian) to the “loss” of people (e.g., they die) and of wealth or status. God wants us to know that we should not expect our material and social possessions to remain with us until we die or be overly gladdened by the things that He gives us. Farah does not refer to everyday happiness, but rather to exulting; becoming conceited and immoderate because of these blessings. The Qur’an says we should steer a middle and balanced course toavoid these two extremes.
Imam Ali cites this verse in his explanation of zuhd (“renunciation”). Zuhdis often translated as living in poverty or as a poor wandering mendicant, when in reality such a person (zāhid) could be very wealthy. But what really makes one azāhid is that one’s attitude to life does not change, even if he or she literally loses everythingovernight. Having always perceived personal wealth as no more than aninstrument to be used in His service,a truezāhidis not concerned with its disappearance. In a general sense, zuhdis the freedom from covetousness.
In any case, all human beings are surrounded byunavoidable difficulties, for such things are part of the divine governing system. Knowing that these events are neither random nor devoid of purpose prevents us from becoming so attached to this world that we grieve when we lose something or become overjoyed when we obtain the same thing. Basically, we need to have goals that are beyond this world.
God does not like the“vainglorious boasters” (mukhtāl fakhūr). Mukhtāl means thoseovercome by their own imaginings (khayālāt), who think that they are very important because they hold such-and-such a position or status. Consumed by their imaginings,they have no idea that such things have no basis in reality. Fakhūrrefers to those who show off by flaunting their achievements and possessions.
When Imam Ali sent his companion Mālik-ul-Ashtar to govern Egypt, he wrote the following advice in a letter: “If the authority with which you are vested causes you to feel conceit or vanity, then consider the greatness of God’s dominion above you and His might, the like of which you do not even possess over yourself. This will curb your haughtiness, cure you of your delusion, and bring you back to your senses.”

[57:24] [or]Those who are miserly and enjoin others to be miserly. Whoever turns away, still God is the Self-Sufficient (Ghanī), the Praised (Hamīd).
The Qur’an now reveals the goal for which human beings were brought into being:

[57:25] We sent Our messengers with clear proofs(bayyināt) and revealed with them the scripture (al-kitāb) and the balance(al-mīzān)so that humanity may observe(qiyām) right measure.And He revealed iron, in which is mighty power (ba’s shadīd) and [many] uses for humanity, so that God may know those who will help Him and His messengers, although unseen(bi-l-ghayb). Truly God is Strong, Mighty.
God says He sent messengerswith bayyināt(“clear proofs”), either a miracle or a scripture that showed the person in question had been sent by God.God also sent them “the book” (al-kitāb) and “the balance” (al-mīzān) to represent these “clear proofs.” These terms are supposed to give us two qualities of the same thing.One quality is “the book”(i.e., laws they contained), as in “written for you is fasting” (kutiba ʿalaykumu-s-siyām) (2:183) or “written for you is retribution” (kutiba ʿalaykumu-l-qisās) (2:178). “The book” refers to the religion’s laws and all of its teachings that possess a legal dimension, both the religious and cosmic laws (i.e., the laws of nature). The Qur’an, as a scripture, is also called al-Mīzān(scale or balance) or al-Furqān(distinguisher or criterion), both of which reflect its different aspects. Thus it can be used to measure other things because it represents the gold standard by which the measure of moral values can be known. The book and the balance were sent so that the messengers could establish justice in allnations.
These well-known verses are incredibly important because they explain why God sent messengers. In this verse, qiyām(lit. standing) is used not only in the purely political sense of “uprising,” although this is one part of it, but also in opposition to quʿūd (lit. sitting). Thus it has an additional meaning: to stand up, to make an effort. Butwhy should people stand up? They should stand up for the sake of and on the basis of justice, which means to giveall individuals their fair due. Therefore, God sent messengers to establish social justice to confront men like Pharaoh, tyrants, oppressors, and the arrogant, who arealways ready to subvert and undermine justice.
After this, God says that He sent down iron (hadīd). Of course this is not to be taken literally, but allegorically – that He created it in the natural world for people to use.Iron, which contains “great might”(i.e.,is very strong, firm, and durable)can also be used to describe violence or power on the battlefield. Consider all of the industries that depend upon it and the beneficial alloys used in various industries and crafts, such as making armor and other protective items to defend the cause of justice and, according to God,provide other “benefits for humanity.” The same verse indicates that He creatediron to see who would use it for these purposes and to defend the spiritual values taught by Himself and His Messenger. That being said, God also reminds us that He is All-Strong (Qawwī) and All-Mighty (ʿAzīz), and thus is beyond defeat and any need for human assistance.God onlywants to demonstrate with proofs those who will support Him and His messengers in the cause of truth.
Bi-l-ghaybrefers to the fact that God is unseen, that His messengers are rarely seen, and that their messages are only heard, not seen.
Even though He is All-Powerful and All-Mighty, God wants you to endure these hardships so that you will be purified, refined, and cleansed of all negative aspects. The chapter nowinforms us of examples from history and the earlier prophets.

[57:26] We sent Noah and Abraham and placed the prophethood and the scripture among their offspring, some of whom were rightly guided; however, many of them were iniquitous.
Two of those who stood up for justice were Noah and Abraham.God says that He ordained prophethood and scripture for their descendants, some of whom were also appointed as prophets.Prophethood (nubuwwah),from the root naba,means to bring news. Nabī (pl. anbiyāʾ) refers to the one who received knowledge from the unseen world, namely, about God, the immutable laws that govern morality and the cosmos, and the afterlife – knowledge of the higher realities that far exceeded their own knowledge of the world around them. Some of the people followed these prophets and were guided as a result; many others rejected them. Fisq means to have gone outside the bounds of obedience.

[57:27] Then We sent Our messengers to follow(qufā) in their footsteps. We sent Jesus son of Mary with the Gospel(Injīl) and placed kindness(ra’fah) and mercy(rahmah) in the hearts of his followers. They inventedmonasticism – We did not ordain it for them – only to seek God’s pleasure. Yet they did not observe it properly. We gave thosewho believed their reward; however, many of them were iniquitous.
Qufā means “to come after,” just as the rhyme scheme of anArabic-languagepoem that consists of the endings of each line is called a qāfiyah. So the prophets came one after another,just as the lines of a poem come one after another. In more mundane terms, each teacher’s lesson builds upon and strengthens an earlier teacher’s lesson, all of whom are following a single curriculum and coordinating their efforts. God gave the Gospel, which literally means “the good news” and denotes a scripture that brought glad tidings, to Jesus the son of Mary.
God put two things in the hearts of those who followed histeachings and emulated his practices: kindness (raʾfah) andmercy (rahmah). Raʾfa is a kind of sympathy for those who are suffering, whereasrahmah has more affirmative connotations; raʾfa means to repel harm, whereas rahmah means to bring benefit. In other words, the prophets and their followers were kind and sympathetic toward others, especially the less fortunate.
The Qur’an asserts that monasticism (ruhbāniyyah) was an innovation (bidʿah) copied from the Christians. A bidʿah is any man-made idea that conflicts with His will for humanity. In this case, to become a monastic meant to renounce marriage. Rahba means to be in a state of continuous fear. These monastics said: “Because we live in fear of God, we should not get married; instead, we should dedicate all of our time and ourselves to Hisservice.” However, God says that He only ordered them to seek Hispleasureby acting in accord with the divine will. Because they did not do so in this case, they failed to earn His pleasure despite their strict lifestyle and became fixated on religiosity’s outward appearance (i.e., a state of deprivation).
“We rewarded those who truly believed in God, but many of them were sinful.” Here, fāsiq(sinful) stands in opposition to muʾmin (believer).

[57:28] O you who believe! Be mindful of your duty to God and havefaith in His Messenger. He will double His amount of mercy for you, appoint for you a light in which you shall walk, and will forgive you because He is Forgiving, Merciful.
God addresses and admonishes those who have faith to also have God-awareness and God-consciousness (taqwā; self-control), as well as to believe in His prophets.In return, He will double His mercy upon them. Some say this refers to His mercy in this world and the next, or to the mercy He shows to such people. Thus this is an increase in mercy rather than two different kinds of mercy. His appointing a light to illumine their path suggests that their path in life will be clear and that their interactions with others, regardless of belief, will be guided.
One verse says: “Is he who was lifeless…” – spiritually rather than physically “…then We gave him life and provided him with a light by which he walks among the people, like one who dwells in a profounddarkness thathe cannot leave?” (6:122).Some say that this light is the Qur’an; others say it is those people who have true faith and God-awareness.
Now why does God give this promise and hope to Muslims during such difficult times, namely, when they were surrounded with hostile forces, especially the nearby Jewish tribes,who were plotting to extinguish this light? The Jews and Christians (People of the Book) who should have been in agreement with the Qur’an, were rejecting it with every fiber of their being.
God says He will efface the effects of your sins and past misdeeds because He is the All-Forgiving, the Most-Merciful.

[57:29] So that the People of the Book may know that they control nothing of Hisbounty, all of which is in His hand, [and He will] give to whomsoever He wills, for it is infinite.
The People of the Book need to realize that they cannot accomplish anything on their own. This verse indicates that God has sent a new prophet with a new “lesson” for humanity, and that humanity cannot just cancel the “class.” In another verse, God proclaims: “They desire to put out the light of God with their mouths, but God is intent upon perfecting it even though the disbelievers hate it” (9:32). The faithless can neither conceal nor extinguishthis light (i.e., the Truth).This is just one of the graces that God has bestowed upon you.As all grace is in God’s hand, He bestows it as He wills and through the systems He has created.

Reflecting on everything we have just read, we must abandon the narrow confines of our sectarian prejudices. Given that God has willed that the world should be filled with light, those who are doing their best to prevent this cannot succeed.And therefore, despite all of these hardships and tribulations, truth will inevitably prevail.

Translator: Alexander Hainy (Khaleeli)
Editor: Hamid Mavani