[11] Prophethood - The Foundation of a Tawheed-Oriented Society
A series of discussions on the teachings of Imam Sadiq (6th Imam of the Muslims), from the book Misbah ash-Sharia (The Lantern of the Path)
In His Name, the Most High
This is part eleven of an ongoing series of discussions on the book by Imam as-Sadiq titled ‘Misbah ash-Sharia’ (the Lantern of the Path). This is also the sixth part of our discussions on prophethood.
It is strongly recommended that the previous parts are read, before proceeding with this one; to avoid any confusion or misunderstanding within the subject matter.
The nature of the subject matter, and the style of discourse requires that each part build upon those that came before it, so once more, I strongly recommend that the reader, read the previous parts, and then continue with this one.
The previous parts, can be found here:
Video of the Majlis (Sermon/Lecture)
This write up is a companion to the video majlis (sermon/lecture) found below:
Contents
Majlis - Misbah ash-Sharia - Servitude - Part 11
Nasheed: Saaqa Ya Haram (Swahili Nasheed about Abul Fadhl al-Abbas with English Subtitles)
Munajaat: Munajaat Sha'baniyyah - Shaykh Husayn al-Akraf
Ziyarah: Ziyarat Aal-i-Yaseen
Recap
In the previous sessions - we continued our journey of discovery regarding the subject of Prophethood. We had previously discussed the philosophy of prophethood, the mission of the prophets, the prophetic resurrection of society. the goal of the prophets, and in the last session we discussed the starting point of the prophetic mission.
The notions that we discussed in the previous sessions are very nuanced and extremely important for us to have a good, correct and accurate understanding of the subject of prophethood.
In this session, we will be looking at opposition to the prophetic mission. How, who and why there was opposition; and furthermore, why in these days, is there opposition to the notion of building a tawheed-oriented society - unfortunately, both from some quarters that declare they are following the prophet, and from those who are latter-day idolators.
These subjects are extremely important to our understanding of - and implementation of - these lessons from the subjects that we have been covering within these series of discussions.
Therefore, let us build our resolve to continue our journey, to continue learning and building ourselves and our understanding, and let us collectively beseech the Lord of all Knowledge, the One who is the Most Beloved of the Lovers; and let us, with His Most Beautiful Names embark on our discussion on opposition to the prophetic mission.
In His Name, the Destroyer of Tyrants, let us proceed.
Nubuwwah (Prophethood) - Part 6
Introduction
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا شَيَاطِينَ الْإِنسِ وَالْجِنِّ يُوحِي بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ زُخْرُفَ الْقَوْلِ غُرُورًا ۚ وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ مَا فَعَلُوهُ ۖ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ
وَلِتَصْغَىٰ إِلَيْهِ أَفْئِدَةُ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ وَلِيَرْضَوْهُ وَلِيَقْتَرِفُوا مَا هُم مُّقْتَرِفُونَThis is how for every prophet We appointed as an enemy the devils from amongst the humans and the jinn, who inspire each other with flashy words, deceptively. Had your Lord wished, they would not have done it. So leave them, with what they fabricate, so that toward it may incline the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter, and so that they may be pleased with it and commit what they commit.
- Quran, Surah al-An’aam (the Chapter of the Cattle) #6, Verses 112-113
The Foundation of a Tawheed-Oriented Society
Previously, we had discussed that prophethood is a social resurrection, a social revolution, which has as one of its core principles the abolishment of social classes. Social classes where one class - the poor, weak, exploited and dispossessed people, and the other being the rich and powerful; where the rich would exploit the poor.
Prophethood seeks to create a new social order based on the foundation of divine unity - on the foundation of Tawheed.
This is not only a teaching that Islam espouses; rather this is a teaching within all the divine religions, a teaching that, even the weakest of people should be able to obtain his or her legitimate rights.
The Rights of the Weak in an Islamic Society
It is inconceivable, within an Islamic government, in a society founded on the precepts of Tawheed, that even the weakest should be denied their rights.
This is why we read in a tradition:
“No nation is sanctified, unless the weak can claim their rights without stuttering”
In other words, if you find a society in which the weakest member cannot demand his rights without fear from the most powerful member, especially when the latter is in a position of importance or influence, then you should know that such a society is not flourishing or successful.
This means, that if the weak member of the society, tried to claim his rights, he would stutter out of fear, and this is not a good situation.
When someone is in their home, do they feel any shame in going to the kitchen to find food for themselves? Of course they don’t! What Islam teaches is that the situation in any society, should be the same.
All members of the society should have an equal share in the benefits of the given society. Each and every member of an Islamic society - a truly Islamic society - has the same rights as the ruler of the society, just as was the case with the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (the first Imam of the Muslims), and those rights must be respected to the same degree also.
A Historical Example of Justice in an Islamic Society
Even those in the highest ranks of a society, should not be allowed to push ordinary people around. Even after the Islamic Society diverted from its proper path - from the guidance given by the Prophet and the Imams - this principle was still observed.
If the son of a governor whipped an Arab in the desert, the Arab could, in theory, go all the way to the Caliph in the capital and lodge a complaint against that person.
The Caliph would write a letter summoning this governor and his son. He would not tell him to just send his son so that he could make an excuse, like saying he was ill or something, no, he would tell and ensure that the governor would also come.
Indeed, this actually happened on one occasion.
So, when the governor and his son presented themselves to the Caliph, he would ask them why they whipped this Arab.
The son might say:
“Does he have any proof?”
The Caliph would answer:
“His proof is that he came all this way to see me and lodge a complaint. Where would he find witnesses in the desert? If you hadn’t struck him, he would never have thought to come all this way to complain!”
So, the Caliph orders the governor to lay down on the floor to be whipped. The son stands up and objects:
“You are going to whip my father?!”
The governor, who was non-other than Amr ibn al-’Aas, stands up and says:
“Why am I being whipped? My son is the one who committed the offence!”
The Caliph answered:
“Because, your son was only able to commit this crime by using your power and authority! If you had no power or if he did not have your protection, he would never have struck this Arab in the first place!”
Keep in mind, this is not from the time of the Prophet or the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali. This was during the time when the Muslim nation had strayed from the path of God.
This was during a time when the person who ruled as caliph is someone who we do not accept as a legitimate caliph. Regardless of that, this principle still applied.
The most powerful people in society were accountable to even the weakest!
The Prophet’s Vision for a Just Society
So, this is what an Islamic society looks like. Now, the reason for mentioning this particular historical event, this story, was for a specific reason; and that is that in our discussion today, I am not going to draw any conclusions, rather you - the reader - are going to do that.
You will, God willing, arrive at the point of our discussion, our topic today, before I do.
This is the kind of society that Islam and all other tawheed-oriented religions want. A society in which there is no tyranny, no exploitation, no gross inequalities of wealth, no class divisions.
The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali, may the peace and blessings of God be upon him, was expressing exactly this viewpoint when he said:
“I have never seen copious wealth without their being unpaid dues beside it”
- Nahjul Balagha, Saying 328
If wealth was equally divided between people, you would not have ultra rich folk like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, George Soros and their ilk; who use their wealth to manipulate and control the people.
The reason why men like this have so much wealth in the first place is because they have not only taken their own fair share, but the fair share of tens, if not hundreds, of millions of others!
That is what the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali, meant when he said:
“I have never seen copious wealth without their being unpaid dues beside it”
According to the logic of tawheed-oriented religions, an Islamic society - or perhaps we should say, an ideal society - should be one in which there is no exploitation and no bullying. Even if someone was to attempt to bully another, such a person would not be permitted to do so. They would be actively prevented from such behaviour.
If someone wanted to sow the seeds of class division into a society governed by an Islamic system - a truly Islamic system - he would not be allowed to do so.
Why?
Because the Islamic system is the one instituted by the Prophet.
Look at the stitching on the clothes you wear, these clothes could be tattered and torn and full of holes, but the stitches will not come apart.
The same is true of the threads that the Prophet stitched into the ideal Islamic society.
The maker, the founder of such a society is non-other than the Messenger of God. It is a divinely-oriented and divinely-made society.
When such a system exists, it prevents wrongdoing, exploitation and tyranny.
It is not the government of one man, or one group of men over others. It is a society that is entirely structured by God, where God decides how it is structured and built.
It is not a society founded on ignorance or superstition.
In this society, people are made to think. It is necessary that they should all find the path of God, to God, and when they have found it, they must follow it.
In such a society, everyone is expected to stand up for the rights of the weak and dispossessed, for the oppressed. In this society, no one can say they only care about their interests, about their own problems, about their own work.
No one can say they are too busy to worry about others.
This is because they are all together as one. They are all parts of a single whole. They are all organs of a single body.
If this is the case, could they ever say such a thing?
There is no laziness in such a society. There is no disunity or difference in this society. There is no superstition or blind obedience to anyone in this society.
This is the society that the Prophet wanted to created.
Reflect on this, ponder on it.
The kind of values that the Prophet wanted to instil in this society through God’s revelation to him.
The most fundamental feature of this society - one might say the bedrock upon which it’s structure rests - is knowledge and understanding. Justice and equanimity, equality and the absence of class divisions, the abolition of exploitation, hoarding and tyranny.
The abolition of partnerships in the name of falsehood and the establishment of partnerships for truth and truthfulness.
These are the values that the Prophet stood for in society.
Who Opposes the Prophets?
Now, let us return to the main subject for this session.
If a prophet enters an ignorant society and proclaims his message, announces his mission and explains what kind of society and world he wants to create. If he tells people how he wants to organise society - who will oppose him in an ignorant society?
The Four Categories of Opponents to the Prophetic Mission
Since, we have already described the kind of society that this prophet wants to create, it should be obvious what kind of people will oppose him.
The Elite (Mala’) – The Powerful Class
His foremost opponents will be the people who benefit from these class divisions. The people who benefit because they are able to exploit others. Because they are able to utilise other people’s labour for their own ends unjustly.
If everyone is equal, who will they have to exploit? Who will they have to use? Therefore, it stands to reason that the exploiters of society will oppose a prophet.
The Wealthy Class (Mutrifin) – The Economic Oppressors
The second group of people that will oppose the prophet in his mission to create a new kind of society are those who have become wealthy under the old order. Those who have amassed their wealth on the backs of others.
Such people take from this shopkeeper or that shopkeeper, and put it in their bottomless pocketbooks. These are the ones who create interest-based institutions that can profit from loaning out others money to others, and thereby benefit from all the trade and economic activities without having to do anything themselves.
Is this not the case? When someone earns a living through business, why should only a percentage of his earnings belong to him, and a percentage to this bank or that? When someone has to pay interest on a loan, they are no longer working for themselves!
When you have a usurious - an interest-laden - system like this in any given society, it means that everyone in society is paying interest, and a small group are amassing great wealth.
In other words, all the business people, in fact, the whole economy is structured for the benefit of the usurious institutions and those who own and control them.
Now, if you then come to a society, where being wealthy is revered above all things, where usury is considered noble and where someone is making money without needing to produce anything, and a prophet or reformer comes and says that usury is forbidden, it is clear that someone who benefits from usury and the charging of interest is going to oppose such a prophet or reformer.
This is the second group.
The Tyrants and Dictators (Taghut) – The Political Oppressors
So, as well as those who benefit from class divisions and the practice of usury, another group that will oppose the prophet are the tyrants and autocrats. This is because when the principle of “no god, except God” truly enters society, this means that such a society has no Pharaohs; they must either leave the society, or they must submit to being equal to all of its other members.
This is the social manifestation of “no god, except God”. When a society is founded and raised upon this principle, the head of that society is God, not Pharaoh.
God is the one who rules, not Pharaoh, not Nimrod.
Therefore, it is clear that Pharaoh, Nimrod, Muawiyyah and other tyrants like them will do everything in their power to destroy the prophetic message.
These are yet another group of opponents to the prophets and to the prophetic mission.
The Religious Authorities (Ahbar & Ruhban) – The Priestly Class
Yet another source of opposition to the prophets are the priests and rabbis. Those who control the people’s belief and ideas. The clergy preserve their own social position through the religious teachings they disseminate to the people.
If, on the other hand, the people were taught the truth, if they were taught things that would awaken their minds, make them think and enlighten them, then the clergy would lose their positions of privilege, their spiritual leadership, and the material benefits that go along with this.
Throughout history, the priests and rabbis have done everything in their power to keep the people ignorant.
When Jesus came, he did not have to fight the Roman Emperor - rather he had to fight the Jewish priests, the Rabbis. Who were those that didn’t want the teachings of Jesus to take root amongst the Israelites of that day and age? It was the priesthood, even though it was the very same priests who recognised Jesus for who he was.
So, at the advent of Islam, who was it that opposed the Prophet’s mission? Who was it that wanted to destroy his movement? It was those people who would lose the most if the Prophet was allowed to come and spread his teachings amongst the people, to enlighten their minds and open their eyes, to free them from superstitions and ignorance.
It was obvious, that where there is Islam, there is no room for fables and myths. Where the light of truth and guidance shines into the human mind, it banishes the shadows of superstition and ignorance.
This is because a prophetic society is one founded on knowledge and understanding - on learning and free-thinking. It is a divine and tawheed-oriented society.
Therefore, when the first notes of the prophetic symphony rang out, the first groups who sensed the danger to their own positions and privileges are the priests and rabbis - those who depend on keeping people in the dark so that they can control them.
For such people, the Prophet is a threat to their power. In fact, anyone who holds power in a society, whether this is religious power or political power, will see the Prophet as a threat.
This reminds me of the letter written by Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn, Zayn al-Abedeen (Imam as-Sajjad), who’s birth anniversary we commemorate in these days, to Muhammad ibn Shihab al-Zuhri.
Muhammad ibn Shihab al-Zuhra was a scholar who lived during the time of Imam as-Sajjad, and indeed the time of the Imams prior to him; and was aware of the epic of Ashura; yet he chose to allow himself to be used by the Umayyads and provided them ‘religious’ cover for their crimes.
The Umayyads used the likes of al-Zuhri to legitimise their rule, as well as to keep the population docile and to ensure their subjugation to the will of the Umayyad regime.
Imam as-Sajjad, the fourth Imam of the Muslims, wrote a strong rebuke to al-Zuhri, in a letter that can be found in the book Tuhaf al-Uqul (Masterpieces of the Intellects).
When we read the contents of this letter today, and we study the history of Islam, and we learn how the political and religious authorities have used their power to oppress people, to exploit their potential, and to deprive them of their rights, we realise that the Imam was explaining something that we have only just begun to understand today, and that too with the gift of hindsight.
Imam as-Sajjad says:
“Know that the least thing you hid, and the lightest burden you carry is that you know the terror of the oppressor but smoothed for him the way of deviation through your proximity to him when you approached him, and were responsive to him when you were summoned.”
- Tuhaf al-Uqul
So, one of the groups who were worried about the coming of a prophet were the scholars of religion, those purveyors of the false faith and the promoters of superstition.
This group have always done everything in their power to oppose the prophets and to stifle their call for liberation.
An example of this can be found in the story of Abraham (Ibrahim), when the attendants of the temple found all their idols smashed, they asked:
“How did this happen?”
After much arguing and disputation, they asked Nimrod to punish Abraham by throwing him into the fire. These were not ordinary people - the ordinary people did not even know what was happening in the temple where the idols were kept - rather these were priests and attendants from the temple.
We see the same thing in the story of Moses (Musa) in Egypt, when the priests persuaded Pharaoh to let them use their magic to overcome the miracles of Moses.
We see the same thing in the story of Jesus (Isa), where Jewish priests were his strongest opponents and the biggest obstacle to his mission.
Indeed, anyone who reads the Bible today, even with its many inaccuracies, omissions and additions, you can find this historical detail recorded within it.
So, when it comes to the Prophet of Islam, Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of God be upon him, his pure family and righteous companions, it was the same group - the priesthood - that opposed our Prophet. Look at the account of the Christians from Najran, and the event of Mubahela.
Do you see how strongly people cling to their ancient traditions?
When a new idea enters a society, one which causes people to think, to reflect and to understand, it is only natural that people young and old will flock to hear it. People love new things and new ideas, and whatever is more acceptable to their minds is more acceptable to them.
Remember. Superstitions are false. Distortions of faith are false.
When someone gives a clear explanation of an idea and backs it up with reason and evidence, these superstitions are exposed as falsehoods and superstitions, and people readily accept the new idea.
On the other hand, it is always this priestly class who, throughout history and despite the clarity of the prophetic message, tried to prevent the ordinary people from following the prophets. The prophets brought clear authority and manifest proofs. The prophets brought enlightenment to people wherever they went.
They never spoke in riddles, or adopted the language of philosophers to bedazzle and befuddle the masses. They always spoke clearly and in a straight-forward manner.
Therefore, the people should have been quick to understand and accept what the prophets of God were saying.
So why was this not always the case?
Why did people react with prejudice and hostility to the prophets?
Because the priestly class - whom the Quran refers to as the ‘scribes’ (ahbar - أحبار) and ‘monks’ (ruhban - رُهْبَان) - wanted to prevent them from doing so. They told people to hold on to their false ideas, maintain the traditions of their ancestors and believe in their inherited superstitions.
They were terrified of the prophets because they knew that if a prophet came to them from God, and this prophet created a society in which knowledge and enlightenment were prized, a society in which new thoughts and ideas flourish, a society in which everyone is either a student or a teacher, then there will no place left for them in such a society to lead people astray through ignorance and falsehoods.
That is why these priests did everything they could to resist the prophets, their message and their mission to resurrect society.
So, there are four classes of people who tend to oppose the prophets, and this can be seen when you refer to the Quran.
Thus far, we have not referred to verses from the Quran, rather we have explained how the prophets want to change the world, and we have sketched out for you the kind of world that the prophets are sent to create, and the kind of society that exists within it.
Then, we asked what kind of people would be afraid of such a society?
Clearly the wealthy will be afraid of a society in which hoarding wealth is not allowed, clearly the upper classes will be afraid of a society in which class divisions are abolished and not allowed to exist.
After all, if someone is used to living in the upper echelons of society and such a person is transplanted into a system where he is treated the same as a cleaner, or where a cleaner is treated the same as him, he will feel that he has lost status.
This is because him having status depends on other people not having status.
After all, if everyone has status, then what value is status to him? Therefore, he will oppose this change.
Then there are tyrants and dictators, those whom the late Mirza Na’ini, described in his Tanbih al-Ummah wa Tanzīh al-Millah (The Awakening of the Nation and the Purification of the Religion) as:
“Doing whatever they wish and ruling how they please”
Or, in the words of the Quran:
لَا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ
He is not questioned concerning what he does, but they are questioned"
- Quran, Surah al-Anbiyaa (the Chapter of the Prophets) #21, Verse 23
Whatever they do, whatever they say - no one can ask them: “Why?” And this is why they are opposed to the mission and message of the prophets and the government of the Prophet, because they know that if the Prophet succeeds, they will no longer be able to do whatever they want.
And then there are the priestly class, of whom we spoke earlier.
How the Quran Describes These Opponents
So, these are the four classes, that we have analysed. We find them named in the Quran.
Those individuals who occupy positions of leadership and power within a nation that the Quran refers to as the ‘elite’ (mala’ - مَلَأ).
For example:
قَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن قَوْمِهِ إِنَّا لَنَرَاكَ فِي سَفَاهَةٍ وَإِنَّا لَنَظُنُّكَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ
The elite of his people who were faithless said, ‘Indeed we see you to be in folly, and indeed we consider you to be a liar.’
- Quran, Surah al-A’raaf (the Chapter of the Heights) #7, Verse 66
The elites are those people who inspire awe and reverence in others. The word mala’ - مَلَأ - comes from yamla’u al-‘ayn - يَمْلَأُ العَيْن - which literally means “to fill the eye”.
Wherever they go, people are humbled and submissive before them. And these are one of the classes that oppose the Prophet.
As an example, in Pharaoh’s system of government, Hamaan would be one of these:
وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ يَا هَامَانُ ابْنِ لِي صَرْحًا لَّعَلِّي أَبْلُغُ الْأَسْبَابَ
And Pharaoh said “Oh Hamaan, build for me a tower so that I may reach the routes”
- Quran, Surah al-Ghafir (the Chapter of the Forgiver) #40, Verse 36
See how Pharaoh turns to Hamaan to fix things for him? Pharaoh is at the top of the structure. He is the ruler. But in return for his service and devotion to Pharaoh, Hamaan is given power over everyone else. Hamaan is weak. By himself, he is just one man. But with Pharaoh’s support, he becomes all powerful.
That is why when he walks in the streets, it is as though no moral person can look upon him and live, because he has this power behind him.
When we look at Muawiyyah’s system of governance, we see that these elites are men like Mughairah ibn Shu’bah and Ziyad ibn Abih. They are the ones who do Muawiyyah’s bidding.
They are the ones who advise him and support him. They are the ones whom the Quran calls ‘the elite’. Below them are the ‘well off’ or ‘affluent’ (mutrifin - مُتْرَفِينَ); they have status and wealth, and they will do anything to preserve these.
When we look in the Quran, we are told that, in every nation that a prophet is sent to, it is the well-off who are the first to oppose the prophet. They are the first to object to his preaching. These are another group.
As for the class of those who are the leaders of thought, whom the Quran refers to as ‘scribes’ and ‘monks’:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الْأَحْبَارِ وَالرُّهْبَانِ لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
O you who have faith! Indeed many of the scribes and monks wrongfully eat up the people’s wealth, and bar [them] from the way of Allah. Those who treasure up gold and silver, and do not spend it in the way of Allah, inform them of a painful punishment
- Quran, Surah at-Tawbah (the Chapter of the Repentance) #9, Verse 34
We shall discuss the meaning of this verse, and according to Imam Khamenei, he feels that it is this group to which the Quran is referring to directly with the term ‘rebel’ (taghut - طَاغُوت), that we mentioned in the previous session - meaning those forces that are in rebellion against God.
We also mentioned that even our own souls can be taghut as per the tradition:
“Your most impeccable foe is the self you find between your own two flanks”
By extension, it could apply to your wishes and desire, your children, your spouse, your friends - all of these could be taghut - in opposition to God. But this term could also refer to greater things.
In this sense, taghut has a very broad meaning.
However, when we look at the Quran, we see that the taghut is always juxtaposed with God and performs a number of important functions. Taghut represents the head of an ignorant system.
In one verse we read:
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۖ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ الطَّاغُوتِ فَقَاتِلُوا أَوْلِيَاءَ الشَّيْطَانِ ۖ إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا
Those who have faith fight in the way of God, and those who are faithless fight in the way of taghut. So fight the friends of Satan; indeed the stratagems of Satan are always flimsy.
- Quran, Surah an-Nisa (the Chapter of the Women) #4, Verse 76
Elsewhere the Quran says:
اللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ ۖ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَوْلِيَاؤُهُمُ الطَّاغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ النُّورِ إِلَى الظُّلُمَاتِ ۗ أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
God is the guardian of the faithful: He brings them out of darkness into light. As for the faithless, their patrons are the taghut, who drive them out of light into darkness. They shall be the inmates of the Fire, and they will remain in it [forever].
- Quran, Surah al-Baqarah (the Chapter of the Cow) #2, Verse 257
We find the word ‘taghut’ can be found eight times in the Quran, and in seven out of the eight, the way in which the word is used, makes clear to the reader that what this term signifies is the head of the tyrannical forces in society.
Lessons for Today
So, these are the four classes of people who stand against the prophets, not only in the time of Moses, not only in the time of our Prophet, Prophet Muhammad, not only in the time of Abraham, but at all times throughout history.
Wherever the truth is proclaimed, wherever the call of the prophets of God and the Heavenly Scriptures are announced, these four classes array themselves against it, whether all at once, or one after another.
The Universal Struggle Between Truth and Falsehood
This is a universal principle of history, and there is a lesson in this that we can find in the verses that make up the heading of our discussion today:
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا شَيَاطِينَ الْإِنسِ وَالْجِنِّ يُوحِي بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ زُخْرُفَ الْقَوْلِ غُرُورًا ۚ وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ مَا فَعَلُوهُ ۖ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ
وَلِتَصْغَىٰ إِلَيْهِ أَفْئِدَةُ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ وَلِيَرْضَوْهُ وَلِيَقْتَرِفُوا مَا هُم مُّقْتَرِفُونَThis is how for every prophet We appointed as an enemy the devils from amongst the humans and the jinn, who inspire each other with flashy words, deceptively. Had your Lord wished, they would not have done it. So leave them, with what they fabricate, so that toward it may incline the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter, and so that they may be pleased with it and commit what they commit.
- Quran, Surah al-An’aam (the Chapter of the Cattle) #6, Verses 112-113
In the first part of the verse, God says: “This is how for every prophet We appointed”. The verse begins by saying ‘like this’ (kadhaalik - كَذَٰلِكَ).
What does ‘like this’ denote? It means ‘as with you’, or ‘as is the case with you’. It is addressed to the Prophet:
“Oh Prophet, do you see how ‘for every prophet, We appointed as an enemy the devils from amongst the humans and the jinn’”
In Quran, God speaks of Satan, and warns the children of Adam - humanity - against following or worshiping him:
أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يَا بَنِي آدَمَ أَن لَّا تَعْبُدُوا الشَّيْطَانَ ۖ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ
‘Did I not exhort you, O children of Adam, saying, “Do not worship Satan. He is indeed your manifest enemy.
- Quran, Surah Yasin (that Chapter of Yasin) #36, Verse 60
Satan here does not necessarily refer to Iblis or some other malevolent force that you cannot see or touch, but that follows man wherever he goes.
The meaning of ‘Satan’ is much broader than this.
‘Satan’ denotes any baleful power that exists outside of the human being. An evil power, but only one that is outside of a person’s own existence.
This is what ‘Satan’ means here.
In the same way, the lower self (nafs), which is the partner of Satan, his servant, and one of the tools at his disposal could be defined as follows:
Evil forces that exist within the human being. The self which prompts man to evil (an-nafs al-ammaratu bi’su - النَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌۭ بِٱلسُّوٓءِ) and Satan - one is a power inside a human being, one is a power outside him.
These two powers corrupt a person, lead them astray and cause them to become fallen in nature.
Satan refers to anything that is outside of your own being, that tries to lead you away from perfection, to prompt you to commit evil, to kindle wrongdoing; the thorns, wolves and thieves that lie in wait for the unwary traveller, or that, which calls these harmful beings - this is Satan.
So ‘Satan’ in this sense is very broad indeed.
This verse confirms what we have just said, namely that a ‘devil’ is any malevolent force from outside a human being. One such devil is Iblis, who would not bow to Adam. He is the most infamous of all the devils, and so he is blamed for everything the devils do - the poor fellow!
Whatever evil or misdeed any devil does in this world, whether the devil is a human or a jinn, people blame Iblis for it and curse him, when some of these other devils are so evil they could teach even Iblis a thing or two!
“This is how for every prophet We appointed as an enemy the devils from amongst the humans and the jinn, who inspire each other”- they teach each other. Sometimes the priestly class teach the elite, and sometimes the elite teach the priestly class.
Sometimes the well-off teach both the priests and the elite.
Usually, however, all three of these classes learn from the taghut whom they serve.
“Who inspire each other”, these enemies teach and inspire one another “with flashy words”, with beautiful, pleasing words.
In a previous session, we had pointed out Pharaoh’s eloquence of speech. Was it not Pharaoh who said ‘Let me slay Moses”? Why does he ask this?
وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ ذَرُونِي أَقْتُلْ مُوسَىٰ وَلْيَدْعُ رَبَّهُ ۖ إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَن يُبَدِّلَ دِينَكُمْ أَوْ أَن يُظْهِرَ فِي الْأَرْضِ الْفَسَادَ
And Pharaoh said, ‘Let me slay Moses, and let him invoke his Lord. Indeed I fear that he will change your religion, or bring forth corruption in our land.’
- Quran, Surah al-Ghafir (the Chapter of the Forgiver) #40, Verse 26
Pharaoh says that he is afraid Moses is going to misguide people and lead them astray - is this not something that sounds good on the outside?
“With flashy words, deceptively”. Because these words spread delusion and ignorance.
The Strategies Used to Oppose the Prophets
This is how people deceive one another.
“Had your Lord wished, they would not have done it.” They would not have been able to do it, if God had not let them. If God had willed it, all four of these classes of people who oppressed the Prophet, could have been turned to dust in a second.
God could have done this, but this is not how God does things.
What God does is to allow those to oppose the Prophet so that the faithful and the faithless will be distinguished from one another. God makes the path a little bumpy so that those with strength and stamina will be made known, because only they will be able to traverse it.
Anyone can walk a smooth asphalt road!
The Quran’s Response to Opposition
“Had your Lord wished, they would not have done it.” If God had willed, if your Creator had willed, you would not have been able to fight against the Prophet, but God never goes against His tradition (sunnah).
“So leave them, with what they fabricate”. Leave them be with whatever lies they concoct. What does this mean? It means not to become upset or disturbed by the things they say. Not to react to them.
“So that toward it may incline the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter”. The result of the things they say, of those pleasing deceptive words they utter, is that the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter will fall under the influence of their false propaganda - the propaganda they concoct against the Prophetic mission.
The propaganda they make up to counteract the call of truth and divine unity, the lies an deceptions they fabricate to win people’s hearts.
Whose hearts?
“So that toward it may incline the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter”. Those who do not believe in the afterlife.
Therefore, those who do believe in the Hereafter, will not be so easily led astray.
“And so that they may be pleased with it and commit what they commit.”
So, the first verse offers a general explanation that each and every prophet has enemies, that these enemies are both human and jinn, manifest or hidden, and these enemies inspire and assist one another, they teach one another.
Now let us look at another series of verses:
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَىٰ بِآيَاتِنَا وَسُلْطَانٍ مُّبِينٍ
إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَقَارُونَ فَقَالُوا سَاحِرٌ كَذَّابٌ
فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُم بِالْحَقِّ مِنْ عِندِنَا قَالُوا اقْتُلُوا أَبْنَاءَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ وَاسْتَحْيُوا نِسَاءَهُمْ ۚ وَمَا كَيْدُ الْكَافِرِينَ إِلَّا فِي ضَلَالٍCertainly, We sent Moses with Our signs and a manifest authority.
To Pharaoh, Hamaan and Qarun, but they said, ‘A magician and a mendacious liar.’
So when he brought them the truth from Us, they said, ‘Kill the sons of the faithful who are with him, and spare their women.’ But the stratagems of the faithless only go awry.- Quran, Surah al-Ghafir (the Chapter of the Forgiver) #40, Verses 23 to 26
“Certainly, We sent Moses with Our signs and a manifest authority.”, as we had previously discussed this ‘manifest authority’ (sultaan mubin - سُلْطَانٍ مُّبِينٍ) could refer to a clear proof, or a visible power.
And what was this?
His powerful logic, his true speech, his staff which transformed into a serpent, his hand which shone bright - those things which mean that everyone, whether they are an ordinary person or something more, must accept what he says.
God says that He ‘sent’ Moses. Who did he send him to? Whom did he send him to confront? And for whom was he sent? Whose side was Moses on in this society?
If we reflect on these verses a little, the matter becomes very clear indeed.
Social issues of this importance are discussed in the clear verses of the Quran - in the verses whose meanings are apparent.
Who was Moses supposed to fight? To whom was he sent?
“To Pharaoh”, and who else? ‘and Hamaan’, Pharaohs chief minister one of his lieutenants and a member of the elite.
And who else? “And Qarun”. Who was Qarun? He was a man of great wealth. He was not one of Pharaoh’s underlings, nor was he a leader. In fact, he survived Pharaoh, but God says that he sent Moses to him as well!
In other words, for Moses, Pharaoh and Qarun are one and the same.
Just as Moses fights against Pharaoh, he also fights against Hamaan and Qarun.
Qarun’s wrongdoing was that he hoarded riches, that he extracted wealth from the people for his own benefit, and then he squandered it on extravagance and excess.
He would have a feast prepared that could easily fill the stomachs of fifty people without finishing, and then sit by himself to eat from it and then leaving the food that could have fed others.
So while forty-nine people might have to make do with one person’s share of food between them, this Qarun was taking the share of forty-nine other people, as well as himself, for himself.
That is why Moses came to fight him also.
What is remarkable and indeed amazing, is that Pharaoh was the head of the regime. He was from one class. Hamaan, his trusted advisor, was from another class.
Qarun had nothing to do with these two, he was a man of wealth, so he was another class still.
But even though these people come from three different social classes, they each responded to Moses in the same way as each other.
All of them adopted the same stance vis-a-vis Moses.
All of them spoke the same words; indeed, the Quran literally has them speaking as one: “they said, ‘A magician and a mendacious liar.’”
“So when he brought them the truth from Us”. When Moses made clear the truth to these opponents of his, what did they do? Did they go silent? Did they stand aside while Moses tore down the system that they benefitted from?
Of course not!
As soon as they realised what changes Moses was proposing, they did everything they could to stop him. What did they say?
“They said, ‘Kill the sons of the faithful who are with him’”. They decided to kill the sons of anyone who believed in the new ideas propounded by Moses. They killed these sons so that they would not grow up to threaten their position in the future. Kill their sons to break their spirit and deprive them of hope.
“And spare their women.”. Why do they say to spare the women? There is a reason for this. This is so that they will have to intermarry with other peoples and their descendants will no longer be fully Israelite, to promote indecency, and to use them to satisfy their own desires, to humiliate them.
There are many reasons why Pharaoh and his supporters did this.
Then God says: “But the stratagems of the faithless only go awry.”. These plots and schemes of the faithless are always awry, meaning they always stray, they never achieve their goals. Like an arrow you shoot towards a target or enemy, but then the wind blows your arrow off it’s course.
When the divine wind blows, all these arrows are thrown in different directions - so go ahead and plot against Moses!
Notice again, in this verse, that the three classes - Pharaoh, Hamaan and Qarun - are all mentioned as though they are one and the same.
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِي قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَا إِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُم بِهِ كَافِرُونَ
وَقَالُوا نَحْنُ أَكْثَرُ أَمْوَالًا وَأَوْلَادًا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَWe did not send a warner to any town without its affluent ones saying, ‘We indeed disbelieve in what you have been sent with.’
And they say, ‘We have greater wealth and more children, and we will not be punished!’- Quran, Surah as-Saba (the Chapter of Sheba) #34, Verses 34 to 35
Another verse - from Surah as-Saba - mentions the ‘well-off’ (mutrifin - مُتْرَفِينَ) - the class to which Qarun belongs. It says “We did not send a warner”, meaning a prophet, “to any town without it’s affluent ones …”, the well off, the aristocracy and the hoarders of wealth, “saying: ‘We indeed disbelieve in what you have been sent with’”.
Why do they disbelieve in it?
“And they say, ‘We have greater wealth and more children’”, they tell the prophet that they have more money and offspring than you; this is why they disbelieve? Do you see how low their level of thinking is? “‘And we will not be punished!’”.
There is yet another verse in Surah at-Tawbah on this topic about the priestly class:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الْأَحْبَارِ وَالرُّهْبَانِ لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
O you who have faith! Indeed many of the scribes and monks wrongfully eat up the people’s wealth, and bar [them] from the way of God. Those who treasure up gold and silver, and do not spend it in the way of God, inform them of a painful punishment
- Quran, Surah at-Tawbah (the Chapter of Repentance) #9, Verse 34
Therefore, from these and other verses of the Quran, we can recognise the four different social classes who are united in their opposition to the prophets, whom God sends to guide humanity.
Conclusion
We have now covered in some detail, those who oppose the prophetic mission. It’s important to understand that this opposition is not confined to just opposition to an explicit prophetic mission; rather this is an opposition to anyone or any group that is attempting to work towards the establishment of a tawheed-oriented society.
This is not something locked in history; or locked only within the times of the prophets.
Rather, and building on what we discussed in the previous session, it should be clear that these are lessons, that while being from history; apply across all of time, including the time that we live in today.
These concepts and lessons are important so that we can understand the opposition to those who are working for justice, for truth; and where such opposition comes from.
If we simply look at the current geo-political situation - we can see very easily the four classes of opponents; and to understand who stands on the side of truth; we need to simply examine who these four classes are opposed to.
In the next session; we will be looking at - across two sessions, due to the length of this subject - the outcome of prophethood.
We ask the Lord of the Universes, to ensure that we never fall into the category of the four opponents to the prophetic mission; and that we are always ranked alongside the prophets and those who are allied with them.
And from Him alone is all ability and He has authority over all things.
To He, Who’s Quran, had it been revealed upon a mountain, you would see the mountain rent asunder, from its awe of Him
To He, Who is the knower of all secrets, and Who is the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
To He, besides Whom there is no Sovereign, Who is the Most Sacred, Who is Peace, Who is the Source of Belief, Who is the Most Magnanimous, Who is the Most Perfect, and Who is immune to all those who they associate with Him.
To He, Who is the Creator, the Maker, Who is the First, and Who is the Last.
To He, Who has the Best of Names, Who is the Mighty, the Wise and Who is the Lord of Love and the Most Beloved of those who see Him.
To He, Who is the Disposer of all affairs, and the Solver of all issues, and the Uniter of the Hearts of the Lovers.
To He, We beg You to protect the righteous leadership, and to hasten the return of the relief, and to alleviate our suffering.