Back2Quran Ramadan Series: Short Summary of Chapter 11 (Hud)

Chapter theme:

• The theme is based upon the fact that oppressive systems based on corruption are bound to perish. The messengers warned their respective communities, however they were not to listen. Eventually, their oppressive systems collapsed.
• It describes different aspects of societies that were corrupt but the chiefs among them resisted change, perhaps because they could not exploit people under the system which the messengers brought.

 

A very short summary of the chapter can be found in the following verses:

Among the generations before your time, only a few were virtuous enough to discourage disorder in the land. We saved those few, whereas those who continued to violate human rights only pursued material riches. And they were guilty of stealing the fruit of others’ labor (and they were requited). V116

Your Sustainer never unjustly destroys a community (for wrong beliefs alone) as long as its people are reformers, setting right their own, and one another’s condition. V117

Chapter Notes:

• The chapter starts and ends with urging the reader to serve God.
• More than half of the chapter narrates the account of Nooh, Hud, Salih, Ibrahim, Loot, Shoaib, and Musa. This is the second chapter after Ch 7 to follow such a pattern.
• Many commandments resemble those found in Ch 10.
• While chapter 10 was theoretical, Ch 11 outlines the onground reality when you preach God’s system.
• The chapter starts off by asking the reader not to turn away (Tawalla) and ends with asking him to establish connection (Salat). This shows that Tawallao and Salat are opposites, also confirmed in 75:31-32
• Nooh’s son was not noble, and thus Nooh could not save him from the punishment. Lut’s wife was not noble, and this Lut could not save her from the punishment. How on earth can we expect prophets to intercede on our behalf then?

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Passage Breakdowns:

Passage 1 (1-24)

• The chapter starts off by reminding the reader to not serve anyone besides God. This sets the tone for the chapter.

 

• Since every creature on this Earth depends on God for sustenance, It can provide abundantly for everyone if we implement It’s laws. However, we must be honest in our approach because God knows our innermost thoughts. We must not profess belief, rather apply it.

 

• It is God’s mercy that His Law of Requital does not grasp the oppressors instantly: He gives them time to mend their ways. However, the oppressors deem this delay as a sign that they are not going to be held accountable for their actions, and thus oppress people to gain power. Furthermore, they complicate God’s system by changing it to their benefit, giving them an additional tool to oppress people though religion, and thus disregard their souls.

 

• Moreover, they wonder why the messenger does not possess treasures or show them ‘angels’. That is where the fundamental problem lies: They equate spiritual abundance to accumulation of material possessions.

 

• The attitude of these people is that if a trial comes to them, they abandon all hope in god and reject it. However, if that trial is removed, they are boastful about it as if they themselves were the ones to remove it. This shows their very self-centered approach to life!

 

• Passage ends by asking: Can the blind and seeing be equal? Or can the deaf and listener be equal? Then how could they receive similar treatment?

 

Passage 2 (25-49)

• Narration of the account of Nooh: How he tried to reform his community but was met with rejection.

 

Passage 3 (50-60)

• Narration of the account of Hood: How he tried to reform his community (Aad) but was met with rejection.
• I believe, Aad represents the religious part of a society that invents dogmas and exploits people for their own benefit.

 

Passage 4 (61-68)

• Narration of the account of Salih: How he tried to reform his community (Thamud) but was met with rejection.
• Unique aspect is the ‘she camel’ metaphorically used to represent the poor working class people. It focuses upon the exploitation of these people in a society by restricting them land and it’s produce which should be available to every citizen.
• Thamud seem to have placed great hopes in Salih which means that he was a respectable and honored person among them. However, that was quickly to change after he preached against their oppressive system.

 

Passage 5 (V69-83)

• Narration of the account of Ibrahim and Loot: How Loot tried to reform his community but was met with rejection.

 

Passage 6 (V84-95)

• Narration of the account of Shoaib: How he tried to reform his community but was met with rejection.
• This focuses on trading justly and equitably. Systems that cheat others eventually collapse.

 

Passage 7 (V96-100)

• Narration of the account of Musa: How he tried to reform his community but was met with rejection.
• Firaun represents a tyrant dictator who exploits people. Musa’s encounter with Firaun is the ultimate and holistic challenge against an unjust society.

Passage 8 (101-124)

• God did not wrong these communities, but they were wronging themselves! Ultimately, they collapsed.
• God’s law of requital never fails.
• Do not follow your forefathers blindly!
• Had God willed, He would have made you one community. Do not divide yourselves over the interpretations of the Quran, like Musa’s people did.
• Stand firm as you are commanded, and be moderate in all your actions.
• Do not be intimidated by the oppressors.
• Establish connection with God (Salat)
• The accounts of messengers are given to firm your resolve.
• Labor in God’s cause, and disregard others.
• Serve and put your trust in Him alone.

 

 

2 Extremely Valuable Lessons Everybody Ought To Learn From The People of Musa!

Very early in the Quran (2:49 onwards), we encounter the narrative of Musa and his people. In my view, his people demonstrate some of the most fundamental errors religionists commit when approaching religion. Reflecting upon these short-comings, and thereby gaining wisdom and inspiration from them is the purpose of this blog.

If you’ve read the Quran, you would be well aware that it delves extensively on the narratives of previous communities. The purpose of this is not to provide history for the sake of it, but so that we, as readers of the Quran, benefit by not making the same mistakes people have been making for centuries. As the prime focus of the Quran is the evolution of humankind, these narratives encourage us to reflect upon the actions of historic people, thereby transcending their paradigms.

However, reflecting upon the condition of the contemporary Muslim Ummah, it comes as no surprise that we have horribly failed in that task, and are in actuality, no different from them. Naturally, until there is an active effort to acknowledge our mistakes, change seems like a distant possibility.

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Musa (Salutes and respect) was no ordinary man. He was a revolutionary figure, and a very holistic example of taking a stand against oppression, no matter the resistance at hand. Such was the caliber of the man, that not only was he a spiritual activist, he was a political activist too; a role model for all of us to emulate and draw inspiration from. Yet, his people — the children of Israel — come off as extremely hypocritical and ungrateful for his service; constantly nagging him by making unreasonable demands (Quran 33:69) against the moral code (Deen) he brought forward.

So, here are the 2 lessons that I would encourage you to reflect upon.

 

Lesson No. 1: Giving preference to secondary sources over the primary source

“You said, “O Moses! We are weary of the same kind of food, so ask your Lord on our behalf to bring forth for us plant food such as herbs, cucumbers, garlic, lentils and onions.” He said, “Would you exchange something superior for something inferior? Go back in shame to Egypt and you will get what you demand…” (Part – Quran, 2:61)

Let me start off by announcing that I disagree with the traditional interpretation here. It certainly goes against reason that God would condemn somebody just because they asked for some vegetables. Clearly, the matter at hand seems to be of a greater significance. Alas, when you interpret metaphors literally, it’s always bound to come off as somewhat absurd.

In my humble opinion and rendering of the Quran, food, here, symbolizes nourishment. Even in English, we use idioms like “food for thought”, “chew on that”, “meaty discussions” and so forth. Therefore, one must be observant of the style of language that is being used, and not interpret everything literally. Even God warns against a completely literalistic interpretation in 2:26 and 3:7.

Now, what is obvious from the verse is that they were not satisfied with one food, and that Musa was quite annoyed with this demand of theirs. There can be multiple interpretations drawn from this, but the way I see it is that they were trying to substitute the primary source of nourishment (one food) that Musa brought (Scripture) with other ideologies. This was not a unique occurring, mind you. Even Mohammad was asked to “alter the Quran” or bring a new book altogether (Quran 10:16). Viewing it in this light, of course, justifies the anger and disappointment of Musa, considering how much he had done for his people.

Quite ironically, Muslims have done the same thing. Instead of sticking to the Quran as the sole source of guidance and nourishment pertinent to Islam, we have opted for the herbs, cucumbers, garlic, lentils and onions – these being the in-numerous teachings taken from secondary sources that have no basis in the Quran whatsoever! Now don’t get me wrong, my problem is not with literature and diversity in thought! Rather, the problem obviously lies in giving preference to these secondary sources over and above the Quran, thereby attributing teachings like blasphemy & apostasy laws, child marriage and death by stoning to Islam.

Yes, in Musa’s words, exchanging the superior for the inferior. 

 

The verse continues:
So, humiliation and misery were stamped upon them and they had to face God’s requital. That was because they kept rejecting God’s messages. And they persisted in opposing and even killing some Prophets against all right. They did all this, because they chose to rebel and went on transgressing.” (Quran 2:61)

Can there be any truer reflection of the condition of the “Muslim Ummah” today? Quite incredibly, the verse portrays its timelessness. Without a doubt, we have incurred humiliation and misery because Islam, like any other ideology, has been grossly misused and turned into a political tool to manipulate people in the name of God, all the while denying God’s words in the Quran.

And instead of reforming, we persist in defending these barbaric laws in the name of Islam and consciously assassinate the characters of our Prophets by attributing downright disgraceful stuff to them. The problem, to a large extent, is internal. And God does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves! (Quran 13:11)

 

Lesson No. 2: Substituting substance for form.

And remember, Moses said to his people, “Indeed, God commands you to sacrifice a cow.” They said, “Do you mock us?” He replied, “I seek shelter with God from being among the ignorant who mock people.”

(Now, they started making excuses.) They said, “Ask your Sustainer on our behalf to enlighten us as to what kind of a cow she is.” He answered, “Indeed, He says that she is a cow neither too old nor too young. She is between the two conditions. Do, then, as commanded.”

(Then) they said, “Ask for us your Sustainer that He enlighten us as to what color she is.” He answered, “He says that she is a yellow cow. Bright is her color, pleasing to beholders.”

(Again) they said, “Call upon your Sustainer that He make it clear to us what exactly she is. To us all cows are much alike. If God so wills, we shall be rightly guided.”

He answered, “Indeed, He says it is to be a cow that has not toiled in tilling the land nor in watering the crops and it is whole and healthy, unblemished.” They said, “Finally, you bring out a concrete description!” So they sacrificed her, although they would rather not have done it. (Quran 2:67-71)

This passage, quite remarkably, covers the phenomenon of being obsessed with meaningless and irrelevant details on part of religionists – painfully failing to observe the bigger picture.

Let’s take the example of prayer. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had some pretty horrible experiences in mosques. There’s always that guy who wants to correct others on “the right way” to pray. The right way to stand, the right way to bow, the right way to prostrate, the right way to fold your hands and so forth. I mean, it’s absolutely ridiculous to think that God wants us all to be robots! By focusing all your attention on these ridiculously useless and minute details, the fundamental purpose of Salat (read: connection) is often overlooked; unfortunately becoming a mundane, mechanical way of fulfilling your obligations.

I, at least, wouldn’t look forward to such an autonomous prayer where every move of yours had to be calculated. Prayer should be a natural extension of ourselves, not an obligation to get done within 5 minutes. That, after all, defeats the whole purpose of Salat; for if there is no spiritual connection, how would it contribute to our betterment?

Sometimes, I’m just amazed at the irony.

Final Thoughts

I have always marveled at these two teachings of the Quran, and how simply they outline some of the major errors people fall prey to, when it comes to religion. It would be an understatement to say that these two passages have had an enormous affect on me. But you’ve got to give the book a chance for that to happen! It wouldn’t happen magically, while your Quran rests on your cupboard.

They say, “History repeats itself.” Well, of course! And it will not cease to repeat until we change the way we approach religion: perhaps it is time we stop being penny wise, and pound foolish.

 

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