Quran Garden

Session 410

Chapter 3

Verses 81 & 82

God took a pledge from the prophets, saying, "If, after I have bestowed scripture and wisdom upon you, a messenger comes confirming what you have been given, you must believe in him and support him. Do you affirm this and accept My pledge as binding on you?" They said, "We do." He said, "Then bear witness, and I too will bear witness." (Chapter 3: Verse 81)

We start with the question, who is the witness and what is being witnessed in the phrase "Then bear witness, and I too will bear witness"?  We answer that, since God said to the prophets, "bear witness," then they are in the position of the witness.  So, what is being witnessed? Do the prophets bear witness against themselves? Does every prophet bear witness against others? Or does each prophet testify that he delivered the covenant to his nation? God's covenant is inclusive of all the meanings above.  Each prophet vows to support future heavenly messages and promises to teach his people the necessity of believing subsequent messengers and Holy Scriptures. 

The word "binding" is translated from the Arabic root الإصر (Al-Isr), which is the strongest bond.  It is followed by "We do," which is the strongest affirmation.  This pledge is then documented by multiple witnesses: the prophets, who bear witness to one another and their nations, and God, Who bears witness above all the others.  This leaves no room for doubt or claims of misunderstanding. 

Hence, when the followers of previous heavenly religions display fanaticism against a later one, rest assured that they have intentionally betrayed God's covenant.  Allah wants the call to faith to be in complete harmony.  Hence, a messenger cannot be a fanatic to himself or his nation.  Likewise, the people should not be zealots in their community or religion.  The only one we should follow is Allah.  In this manner, all heavenly religions are consistent in source and united in goal.  They all share the creed of "There is no God but God."  Allah says in the next verse of Al Imran:

Then whoever after this turns away, those are the transgressors. (Chapter 3: Verse 82)

The phrase "turn away" is translated from the Arabic origin تولى (Tawalla).  It is similar to the common expression "He gave me his back." When you support God's messengers, you turn towards the All-Merciful Lord.  As for people who fight them, they are the ones turning their back to the Lord.  Allah says, "Those are the transgressors," translated from the Arabic origin الْفَاسِقُون (Al Fasiqoun).

The word فُسُوقٌ  (Fusuq) originated from the desert environment where the Arabs lived at the time of the Prophet.  When a date ripens on a palm tree, its skin stays attached to the fruit and protects it from the elements.  As the date ages, the skin separates from the fruit, making it easy to peel.  The word فسق (Fasaqa) describes the detachment of the protective skin from its natural place, exposing the fruit to harm and causing it to spoil.  Similarly, Allah used the same word فسق (Fasaqa) to describe a person who distances him or herself from God's teachings, thus exposing him or herself to harm and ruin.  Since God's teachings are the shield protecting you in life, you expose your soul to rot whenever you abandon them.  

What kind of transgression are we facing in this verse? Is it a major fisq, or a minor one? A minor transgression is when you have faith in God but weaken and commit a sin.  As for the fisq referred to in the verse "Whoever after this turns away, those are the transgressors," it is the ultimate transgression because it represents defiance against God and rejection of faith at its core.  It is a rejection of the covenant that was affirmed by the people, the prophets, and then confirmed by the Almighty.  Does that leave any excuse for you to turn your back?

If you reject God's teachings, then you have to follow a system set by other people.  Keep in mind: such people are your equal, and they have the same abilities as you.  None of us is perfect, and none of us has superpowers. 

However, when the legislation comes from God, things are different.  As a Muslim, you declare faith in God and have conviction in His ultimate wisdom and perfect knowledge; you entrust that He is free of need and that has your best interest at heart.  It is from God's grace that He sent us messengers armed with miracles and scriptures, so no man has to follow another human being.  Allah saved you from slavery and exploitation and gave you the ultimate freedom in this world and the next. 

So now we ask, why would any person turn their back on a system that was approved by God, the prophets, and the messengers?  The answer is simple: people abandon God's teaching to follow their desires.  They want money, fame, and the opposite sex regardless of the cost to themselves or the society around them.  A thief does not care about those he steals from.  A drunk driver wants to have fun with complete disregard for endangering the lives of others.  Similarly, a person who abandons God does not care about the corruption they will cause.  God says:

Had the truth been subject to their whims, the heavens and the earth and all those within them would have been ruined. In fact, We had sent them their reminder, but they turned away from good advice. (23:71)