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Juz 25 Takeaway: Forgiveness and Human Accountability
In Juz 25 of the Holy Quran, God has revealed four surahs or chapters — Surah Ash-Shura (The Consultation), Surah Az-Zukhruf (The Ornaments of Gold), Surah Ad-Dukhan (Smoke), and Surah Al-Jathiyah (The Kneeling).
Within all three chapters in this Juz, there exists a common theme of God describing His infinite mercy, His glorious bounties, what awaits the believers and disbelievers after they depart from this world, and how God has made His signs abundantly clear, yet emphasizes that there are those who choose to be arrogant and ignorant, and those who want to remain firm on the path of righteousness.
Turning away from Allah after receiving your blessings
The 25th part of the Quran begins with the conclusion of Surah Fussilat (Explained in Detail), and one verse in particular that stood out to me is this:
When we show favor to someone, they turn away, acting arrogantly. And when touched with evil, they make endless prayers for good.
– Quran (41:51)
I think we all have encountered this specific situation at least once in our lives where God has given us great blessings, and amazing days, and life seems to be going perfectly (until it’s not). We become engrossed in the worldly pleasures and the highs of success, giving little to no attention or thanks to the entity that has caused us to see such glory. However, when life falls apart, that’s when we go running back to Him. It is strange how before the creation of mankind God was aware of how humans would think and act so alike in the same situation.
Yet that comes as no surprise as God speaks about Himself and how He is All-Aware and All-Knowing in the following chapters.
Allah (SWT) is always Observant and at the same time Forgiving
Surah Ash-Shura was revealed in the holy city of Makkah, and it was sent down to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) because the disbelieving Meccans were adamantly rejecting the message of Islam as taught by the Prophet (PBUH).
Here are five verses from this chapter that stood out to me:
- “The heavens nearly burst, one above the other, in awe of Him. And the angels glorify the praises of their Lord and seek forgiveness for those on earth. Surely Allah alone is the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” — Quran (42:5)
- “Had Allah willed, He could have easily made all humanity into a single community of believers. But He admits into His mercy whoever He wills. And the wrongdoers will have no protector or helper.” — Quran (42:8)
- “He is the One Who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons their sins. And He knows whatever you do.” — Quran (42:25)
- “He is the One Who sends down the rain after people have given up hope, spreading out His mercy. He is the Guardian, the Praiseworthy.” — Quran (42:28)
- “It is not possible for a human being to have Allah communicate with them, except through inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger-angel to reveal whatever he wills by His permission. He is surely Most-High, All-Wise.” — Quran (42:51)
A common theme between these five verses would have to be that Allah (SWT) is always observant, and forgiving (provided that you make the effort to repent to Him). I look at such verses in the Quran and often wonder how is it that God has emphasized so much that He is forgiving, but many of us Muslims have been taught to believe that if you make any mistake, that is the “end all be all,” and God will be furious with you, and He won’t forgive you? How has culture ingrained such a toxic idea into our minds when God is showing us that He doesn’t want us to be afraid to ask for forgiveness? Why has society aided in the distance people have from their Creator when He repeatedly describes how much He loves when His creations come near Him?
Another interesting thing that has stood out to me is that the angels of God ask for forgiveness for us. It makes me think a lot about how vast our Creator’s majesty must be in the Heavens and how intense His wrath must be in Hell if we continuously ignore His warning signs and allow ourselves to stray from the right path.
Heedlessly following traditions and being unreceptive to Allah’s revelations
Surah Az-Zukhruf was revealed in the holy city of Makkah, except for verse 45, and was sent down during the same period of Surah Ash-Shura because of how the disbelievers were rejecting the Prophet (PBUH)’s message, and even plotting against his life as explained its verses 79-80. A fun fact about this surah and the chapters appearing consecutively before this one is that they all begin with the Arabic detached letters ha-mim.
Here are two verses from this chapter that stood out to me:
- “In fact, they say, “We found our forefathers following a particular way, and we are following in their footsteps.” — Quran (43:22)
- “Can you make the deaf hear, or guide the blind or those clearly astray?” – Quran (43:40)
Within the first verse, God explains how the polytheists’ ancestors were those who built their beliefs on primarily superstition, and no factual evidence from either history or logic that support their claims. As a result, any wise person would know to not trust those whose belief systems are built upon ignorance. However, that’s not to say that we human beings don’t blindly trust others in certain circumstances.
For example, you may blindly trust a physician with your health concerns because they have spent years building their knowledge, credibility, and reputation to give the best treatments to their patients. Similarly, you put your trust in a pilot when you’re flying in an aircraft that will safely transport you to your destination. Or, putting your trust in the most vital organ, your heart, that even during the deepest of sleeps, it continues beating and pumping blood throughout your body.
However, when I read this verse, I was instantly reminded of a famous saying by Ameer ul Momineen, Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) where he said, “Learn your religion, do not inherit it.” Whether it’s about Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, or even the centuries-long sectarian debates between the Shia and Sunni sects, there’s no benefit when we sponge knowledge from our forefathers that could likely be incorrect, especially in an era where we have endless resources readily available at our fingertips.
The second verse is one of my favorites so far because God has clearly stated that those who wish to be ignorant will not open their minds or their hearts for any sort of academic or insightful dialogue, and you cannot change someone who doesn’t want to be changed. Many people would spew the most vile comments against our beloved Prophet (PBUH), but God continued reminding him to keep his focus committed to the mission of Islam and continue moving forward.
Allah is merciful as long as you do not insist on remaining ignorant
Surah Ad-Dukhan was revealed in the holy city of Makkah and was sent down as a warning to the nonbelievers who would doubt the Quran and God’s clear signs.
In this chapter, God explicitly states the consequences of those who are willing to remain ignorant:
Surely the fruit of the tree of Zaqqum will be the food of the evildoer. Like molten metal, it will boil in the bellies like the boiling of hot water. It will be said, “Seize them and drag them into the depths of Hellfire. Then pour over their heads the torment of boiling water.” The wicked will be told, “Taste this. You mighty, noble one! This is truly what you all used to doubt.
— Quran (44:43-50)
I think this verse is a great example to use when explaining to others the clear signs of God in the Quran on what will happen to an individual if they choose to remain ignorant even if the truth is placed in front of them. As difficult as the above verse may sound, people have to realize that this isn’t the fate of people who have rejected God and the Quran just one time. Like Surah Ash-Shura kept emphasizing God’s forgiveness and mercy, it is only when you repeatedly show your ignorance or commit the same sins that His mercy begins to dwindle.
These verses remind me of a saying from the son of Imam Ali (as), Imam Hussain ibn Ali (as) where he beautifully said, “Intellect reaches perfection only by following the truth.”
Refuting disbelievers’ claims about the Day of Judgment
The 25th juz of the Quran concludes with Surah Al-Jathiyah, a chapter revealed in Makkah after the revelation of Surah Ad-Dukhan.
Here are two verses from this chapter that stood out to me:
- “Or do those who commit evil deeds simply think that We will make them equal — in their life and after their death — to those who believe and do good? How wrong is their Judgment!” — Quran (45:21)
- “And they argue, “There is nothing beyond our worldly life. We die; others are born. And nothing destroys us but the passage of time. Yet they have no knowledge in support of this claim. They only speculate.” — Quran (45:24)
The first verse stood out to me because God shows us how flawed the thinking is of those who disbelieve and cause corruption/injustice within the world. He makes it clear that there is no room for any form of misguidance, treachery, or sin in the haven He has created for the believers, and it also gives us an idea on how focused people are on this temporary world, and ignorant of the next. This verse forces the reader to reflect on where they want to stand, and makes them reflect on the reality that every intention and action has some type of reward and punishment prepared by God. It makes a person hold themselves accountable, and work towards a more purposeful and fulfilling life.
It’s interesting how in the second verse, God addresses a common belief people have, and rejects the entire idea in one statement. It addresses the lack of knowledge, points out to denial, and again, a very materialistic outlook on life. From the very first verse in the Quran, God has repeatedly reminded us that each and every piece of His creation has a significant purpose to fulfill in their lifetime, and depending on how they have utilized their life, God will punish or reward them on the Day of Judgment. It forces one to think if their beliefs are based on mere speculation or concrete scientific evidence (and we all know that the Quran’s scientific evidence stems far beyond what has already been researched in academics).
By analyzing all these verses, it’s clear that God is always with us, hears us, treats us fairly, and wants us to remember Him every step of the way this Ramadan.
What about you? Feel free to slide into our DMs with your favorite takeaways and reflections for Juz 25!