Juz 17: Al-Anbiyāʾ and Al-Ḥajj
Section 15 of 18 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
15. Theological Beliefs and Different Religious Communities
Allah (swt) addresses the various theological communities that existed during the time of revelation, highlighting their ultimate destiny in the Hereafter. In verse 17, Allah (swt) categorizes the major faith groups:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالصَّابِئِينَ وَالنَّصَارَىٰ وَالْمَجُوسَ وَالَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ
“Surely, those who believe and those who are Jews and the Sabians and the Christians and the Magians and those who ascribe partners to Allah, Allah will judge between them on the Day of Judgment. Surely, Allah is witness to everything.”
This verse presents a comprehensive catalog of the major theological communities that existed during the prophetic era. The believers (al-ladhīna āmanū) refers to the Muslims who accepted the message of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Jews (al-ladhīna hādū) are the followers of Musa (peace be upon him) who adhered to the Torah. The Sabiʾīn (Sabians) were a religious community that existed at the time of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and were known for their worship of celestial bodies, particularly stars.
The Christians (al-Naṣārā), also called Nazarenes, were the followers of Isa (peace be upon him). The Majūs refers to the Magians or Zoroastrians who practiced dualistic worship, and finally, those who committed shirk (polytheism) were the pagans who associated partners with Allah (swt).
The verse emphases that Allah (swt) will be the ultimate judge between these diverse communities on the Day of Judgment. This demonstrates the comprehensive knowledge and justice of Allah (swt), who is witness to everything including the actions, beliefs, and intentions of all people belonging to these different faith traditions.
This discourse serves multiple purposes. First, it establishes that theological diversity has existed throughout human history. Second, it affirms that ultimate judgment regarding the truth of various beliefs rests solely with Allah (swt). Third, it prepares the foundation for the establishment of true monotheism that would be practiced at the House of Allah, which is discussed in subsequent verses.
After mentioning these diverse theological communities, Allah (swt) describes the prostration of creation to Him, emphasizing the universal reality of divine sovereignty that transcends theological divisions:
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَسْجُدُ لَهُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ وَالشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ وَالنُّجُومُ وَالْجِبَالُ وَالشَّجَرُ وَالدَّوَابُّ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنَ النَّاسِ ۖ وَكَثِيرٌ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِ الْعَذَابُ ۗ وَمَن يُهِنِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِن مُّكْرِمٍ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ
“Did you not see that to Allah prostrates whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth, and the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the moving creatures, and many from mankind? And many are those upon whom punishment has become due. And the one whom Allah disgraces, there is none to give him respect. Surely, Allah does what He wills.”
This verse constitutes a sajdah (prostration) verse, where recitation calls for actual physical prostration by the believer. It illustrates how the entire creation, both animate and inanimate, submits to Allah's will, either voluntarily through conscious worship or involuntarily through their very existence following divine laws.
The mention of prostration serves as a powerful transition to the discussion of the House of Allah, where prostration and other acts of devotion are performed. It establishes that while different theological communities may have varying beliefs and practices, the underlying reality is that all creation is subject to Allah's sovereignty.
This section concludes the discussion of diverse theological beliefs and sets the stage for the detailed explanation of the rites of Hajj and the symbolic significance of the Ka'bah as the central point of worship for the monotheistic community, which will be elaborated in the following verses.