Al-Hadid (The Iron)

25. Verily, We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs and sent with them the Scripture and the Balance that mankind may keep up justice. And we brought forth iron wherein is mighty power as well as many benefits for mankind that Allah may test who it is that will help Him and His Messengers in the unseen. Verily, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Invincible.

As mentioned in the preceding blessed Verses, racing toward Divine Mercy, Forgiveness, and Paradise requires the leadership of Divinely appointed leaders, the blessed and most significant Verse in question treats the same and precisely elucidates the goal behind sending the Prophets and their Prophetic calls, saying:

"We sent down Our Messengers with clear proofs and sent with them the Scripture and the Balance that mankind may keep up justice." "Clear proofs"

(bayyinat) covers a broad semantic range embracing the miracles and intellectual arguments of Divinely appointed Messengers.

The singular noun 'Book' (kitab) connoting Scriptures reflects the unity of their spirit and truth, although their contents are further perfected with the passage of time and human development. The word 'Balance' (mizan) denotes the means of weighing but undoubtedly herein connotes its immaterial significance, namely something by which all human deeds may be assayed.

The word balance reflects Divine Commands and Laws thereby a distinction may be made between truth and untruth and good and bad. The Holy Qur’an is the clear proof and the Scripture and it elucidates Divine Laws and Commands. In other words, the Holy Qur’an constitutes three dimensions.

The goal of sending the Prophets, such great men, with such perfect equipment, is to keep up equity and justice.

It is worthy of note that the clause:

"that mankind may keep up justice"

reflects moves on the part of mankind rather than the Prophets making people keep up justice.

In other words, the blessed Verse is saying that people must grow such that they keep up justice themselves. Nonetheless, despite the exalted state of ethics, belief, and fear of God Almighty in any society, there are still people who disobey to God Almighty and stand in the way of keeping up equity and justice.

Thus, the blessed Verse proceeds to say:

"And we brought forth iron wherein is mighty power as well as many benefits for mankind that Allah may test who it is that will help Him and His Messengers in the unseen. Verily, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Invincible." Thus, the three means of Divinely appointed Messengers may lead to their final goal when supported by the guarantee of making use of iron and its mighty power."

However, some maintain that the expression

"We have sent down"

reflects the alien origin of iron, but the fact is that such expressions connote the bounties bestowed from higher to lower levels and since all resources are with God Almighty and He created iron for different benefits of it, the expression:

"We have sent down"

is used herein.

In this vein, it is narrated from the Commander of the Faithful, Imam ‘Ali (as):

"Sending down connotes its creation."1

It is worthy of note that the Arabic word ba’s denotes severity, intensity, power, and might and it connotes war and struggle as well. Thus, some Qur’an exegetes maintain that it signifies military equipment employed for invasion and defense.

Thus, it is narrated from the Commander of the Faithful, Imam ‘Ali (as) that the word in question connotes weaponry and other things.¹ Such instances clearly reflect its applicability. The word 'benefits' (manafi‘) reflects any use made by man of iron.

We know that iron makes many a contribution in human life and its discovery made a new epoch in the history of mankind knows as the Iron Age.

The discovery altered all spheres of human life reflected in the dimensions of the word 'benefits' in the blessed Verse in question that also refers to another goal behind sending the Prophets and sending down Scriptures and the creation of certain means like iron, saying that God Almighty sent them to know who assist Him and His Messengers in the Unseen.

Divine Omniscience herein reflects the objective actualization of His Knowledge, namely it reveals that who will rise to render support to God Almighty and His religion and thus rise toward the upkeep of equity and justice and who will refrain from acting upon such great obligation. Thus, one of the main goals is to test mankind and screen and purify them.

"Assisting God Almighty undoubtedly reflects support His religion and Messengers and propagation of truth, equity, and justice, although God Almighty is in need of no one but all beings are in need of Him.

Thus, the blessed Verse ends with:

"Indeed Allah is All-Mighty, All-Invincible."

He may turn the entire world upside down in one single moment and cause the perdition of all enemies and the triumph of His friends. However, the main goal of sending down the Messengers is the growth and development of mankind, thus they are called to assist the religion of truth.

Thus, it is narrated from the Noble Prophet (S):

"Only swords may make people rise and swords are the keys to Paradise and Hell."

Thus, Divinely appointed leaders hold the Scripture in one hand and the sword in the other. They begin with calling people to truth and justice by logical arguments, but if they fail to acknowledge the truth, they have to use force to make them believe.