Quran Garden

What if I told you that one of the biggest spiritual dangers isn't sin, but thinking you're already good enough?  The Quran exposes a trap that has fooled religious people for centuries: convincing themselves they are pure, chosen, and guaranteed God's favor.  In today's tafseer, we'll uncover why Allah rejects self-righteousness and when it's actually okay to speak positively about yourself.

Session 634

Chapter 4

Verse 49

Have you not seen those who regard themselves as pure?  No!  God purifies whoever He will: no one will be wronged by as much as the fiber of a date pit. (Chapter 4:Verse 49)

We previously explained that when God begins a verse with the expression, "Have you not seen," it may carry one of two meanings.  The first refers to events that Prophet Muhammad physically witnessed, in which case the seeing is literal and direct.  The second refers to matters the Prophet did not witness with his own eyes but came to know only through revelation in the Qur'an.  In such cases, God informed him directly.  Knowledge that comes from Allah is more certain and truthful than what is perceived by your sight.  Why?  Because your eyes can sometimes misunderstand or be deceived, but Allah's knowledge is always perfect and true.

God says, "Have you not seen those who regard themselves as pure?" Self-purification, translated from the Arabic term tazkiyah, begins when a person claims freedom from faults and deficiencies, presenting himself as cleansed.  From there, it can progress to self-praise, righteousness, and the promotion of one's own virtue and status.  Listen to these examples from the Quran:

The Jews and Christians say, "We are God's children and His loved ones." (from 5:18).

Allah responds with the following,

Say: "Why, then, does He punish you for your wrong actions?  No, you are merely human beings among those He has created.  He forgives whoever He wills, and He punishes whoever He wills.  The kingdom of the heavens and the earth and everything between them belongs to God.  He is our final destination."

Would God punish His beloved children?  Never!  Thus, this is a false claim.  We ask: What is the benefit of saying such nonsense to us?  If you want to tell a lie about God, tell it directly to Him.  Do not involve us in such matters.  This is a case of self-purification and glorification.  You praise yourself, acquit yourself of any faults, and claim that you are the chosen children of God.  All false.  Here is another example,

And they say, "None will enter Paradise except one who is a Jew or a Christian." That is their wishful thinking.  Say, "Produce your proof, if you should be truthful." (2:111)

That too is a false claim.  

Let us look more closely at the issue of self-purification.  Is it always wrong for someone to speak positively about themselves?  If a person mentions good qualities that are genuinely true and can be proven, is that still considered blameworthy?  The answer depends on the reason.  If someone praises themselves out of pride and arrogance, or to make others feel inferior, it is rejected.  But in some situations, speaking about one's own virtues, abilities, or good character may actually be necessary and even required.  Take the example of people traveling on a boat.  The captain is young and only moderately experienced.  Then a powerful storm strikes, and it becomes obvious that the situation is beyond his ability to manage safely.  At that point, one of the passengers, a retired ship captain, steps forward and says, "Move aside, son.  I understand this situation better and have far more experience.  I've spent hundreds of hours sailing through storms like this."  He takes control of the ship to save everyone on board.  Technically, he spoke highly of himself and his abilities, which could be called tazkiah, self-purification.  But in this case, it was not wrong at all; it was necessary.  He did not boast out of pride, but stated the truth to protect people's lives.

We find another example when the Prophet was dividing the spoils of war.  One of the hypocrites said to him, "Be fair, O Muhammad!" He, peace be upon him, replied, "By God, I am trustworthy in heaven, trustworthy on earth." That was a tazkiah self-purification, and it came from our beloved Muhammad.  We ask: When is self-purification encouraged?  First, it must be the truth, and second, it must have a clear purpose higher than yourself.  God says,

To whoever avoids the major sins and indecencies, except for minor lapses, truly your Lord is vast in forgiveness.  He has the most knowledge of you when He first produced you from the earth, and when you were embryos in your mothers' wombs.  So do not claim purity for yourselves.  He knows best those who are mindful of him.  (53:32)

It is pointless to engage in self-purification before Allah, the One who knows everything about you, and in His hands are the reward and punishment.  Self-promote your skills and advantages only in situations where you can clearly be of service to those around you.   God says,

Have you not seen those who regard themselves as pure?  No!  God purifies whoever He will: no one will be wronged by as much as the fiber of a date pit. (Chapter 4:Verse 49)

Some people boast about themselves and can keep up appearances to back their false claims; you and I may be fooled and never discover the ugly truth.  Yet, Our Lord knows all, so when He purifies a person, His purification is grounded in true knowledge. 

How does God treat those who falsely claim purity?  Does He deprive them of the reward for their good deeds?  No, Allah is fair and merciful; He never deals unjustly with anyone.  A person who falsely self-purifies will be punished for their lies and arrogance, and rewarded for whatever good they do.  Allah is perfectly fair and infinitely generous.  He says, "No one will be wronged by as much as the fiber of a date pit." This is absolute justice.

The Quran was sent down in Arabic, and the first recipients were the Arab tribes, so God addressed them in a manner harmonious with their environment.  One of the most iconic plants in Arabia is the date-palm tree.  The Arabs loved it and mastered using every part of the tree for food, building, carpeting, brooms, roofing, and much more. 

Nowadays, most people are familiar with the sweet date fruit.  The phrase "the fiber of a date pit" refers to the fine thread running along the cleft of the pit.  When studying the Quran, we discover that Allah mentions three distinct parts of the date pit: the fiber mentioned here, the "groove" (naq?r), which is the tiny depression on the back of the pit, and the "husk" (qa?m?r), the delicate outer skin that envelops the pit.  Listen to the following Ayat,

Do they have any share of what He possesses?  If they did, they would not give away so much as the groove of a date stone.  (4:53)

And in another chapter,

He makes the night merge into the day and the day into the night; He has subjected the sun and the moon- each runs for an appointed term.  Such is God, your Lord: all control belongs to Him. Those you invoke beside Him do not even control the skin of a date pit.  (35:13)

When Allah presents spiritual realities, He often illustrates them through tangible things from everyday life.  In the Quran, Allah uses three parts of the date pit as examples taken from something familiar to the Arabs, who saw and ate dates every day of their lives.  The next time you eat a date, pause to study its pit carefully and consider how each part is referenced in the Quran and how it connects to lessons about ourselves and our relationship with God.

Today, we learned that Allah condemns self-purification that is false.  But does that mean a believer should never speak about his strengths?  Join us next week as we discover how our beloved Yusuf, openly spoke about his gifts, promoted his qualifications, and even sought a position of leadership, all with God's approval.  Join us next time for this remarkable story.