This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Keys to the Divine Compass. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Previous in the series: Juz 1 Juz 2 Juz 3 Juz 4 Juz 5 Juz 6 Juz 7 Juz 8 Juz 9 Juz 10 Juz 11 Juz 12 Juz 13 Juz 14 Juz 15 Juz 16 Juz 17 Juz 18 Juz 19

Juzʾ 20: Who Responds to the One in Distress?

In verses 59-66 of Sūrah al-Naml, Allah ﷻ reminds us about all of these amazing signs, proofs, and evidence spread throughout the universe that prove the existence, oneness, might, majesty, power, magnificence, and glory of Allah ﷻ. We are asked to look towards the Heavens above us, the world all around us, ourselves, and then asked to reflect on the reality of creation. It is an amazing, powerful, profound, and beautiful passage that highlights the existence, oneness, might, power, glory, and magnificence of Allah ﷻ spread throughout the universe. It is a very beautiful, eloquent, and powerful passage designed to stir people’s hearts and minds and connect them to their Lord and Creator. It is a passage centered around the concept of faith, īmān, firm unshakeable belief in the existence and oneness of Allah. It is a passage that asks us to contemplate and reflect upon what we see all around us and also what is within ourselves. It makes us realize that it is impossible for this universe to exist without us acknowledging the existence of the Creator.

In this passage Allah ﷻ asks a series of questions, one after the other. Who created the heavens and the earth? Who brought rain from the skies to bring forth pleasant gardens? Who has stabilized the earth, caused rivers to run through it, placed mountains on it, and a barrier between seas? Who responds to a supplicant praying in desperation and removes harm? Who causes human succession on earth? Who guides you in the darkness on land and at sea? Who sends the wind bringing His grace? Who originates and repeats creation? Who provides sustenance for you from the heavens and the earth? Time after time they are hammered with the question: can there be another deity alongside God? The answer to this series of questions is obvious: no, there can be no other deity along with Allah. These verses give us a very good introduction and understanding of who Allah ﷻ truly is.

Verse 62: Or, who is it that responds to the one in distress when he calls out to Him, and who removes the ill, and makes you inherit the earth? Could there be any deity alongside God? Little do they reflect!

Allah ﷻ again is posing the same rhetorical question aiming directly at the hearts and minds of those who either don’t believe in Him or associate partners with Him. Is it better to worship idols, statues, wealth, or anything else that can’t cause harm or benefit, or the One who responds to those in distress when they call out to Him, and who removes evil, and makes mankind vicegerents of the Earth? Allah ﷻ starts by describing Himself as the One who responds to and answers the one in distress when they call upon Him. This is a very powerful and profound description of Allah ﷻ. When we as human beings find ourselves in real distress, in a situation that seems hopeless, helpless, and desperate, we instinctively turn towards Allah ﷻ, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. Even those who don’t believe in God, who stubbornly refuse to accept the existence of an Almighty Being, when they find themselves in a hopeless situation, they call out to Allah ﷻ.

The person is being described as a mudtar; someone in a hopeless, helpless, and desperate situation. Who is coerced and compelled to turn towards Allah. Syed Quṭb beautifully writes, “This is especially so when the distress is too much to cope with; when the help one had been expecting from friends and relatives fails to materialize; when one looks around only to find oneself in a hopeless situation with no means of escape; when no power, not even one’s own, is able to do much to relieve one’s distress; when whatever one has prepared for hard times proves useless. In such a situation human nature wakes up and appeals to the only power that can provide help and support. Man then appeals to God, even though he had forgotten Him in times of ease and plenty.” In situations like that it is Allah and Allah alone who responds and assists the one in distress.

That is why Allah ﷻ then says, “and removes the evil.” Allah ﷻ alone is the One who responds and removes the evil, ill, or hardship. He alone removes the illness, poverty, financial difficulty, fear, or whatever difficulty or hardship there was. Allah ﷻ then continues to direct our attention towards undeniable truths and realities. “And makes you inherit the Earth.” Another translation reads, “and Who make you vicegerents of the Earth?” Allah ﷻ is reminding us that He is the One who has placed us on this Earth and made us its caretakers. He has placed us in charge of the Earth and we are responsible for looking after it. He has placed us here and makes us succeed one another, generation after generation. 

After reminding us of all of these undeniable truths and realities Allah ﷻ asks again, “Could there be any deity alongside God?” Once again, the answer is obvious. But Allah ﷻ tells us, “Little do you reflect!” Unfortunately, human beings don’t use their minds to reflect and ponder over these absolute truths and realities. They become preoccupied and distracted by the life of this world and deceived by their own limited minds and abilities.