Al-Jumu'a (Friday)

5. The similitude of those who were entrusted with the Torah, but who subsequently failed in it, is as that of a donkey which carries a huge burden of books [though they fail to understand them]. How bad is the example of the people who deny Allah's Àyat (“Verses, Signs”). And Allah guides not the people who are wrong-doers.

The preceding Verses treated of the Prophetic Call, but the blessed Verse in question deals with the Jews who could recognize the Noble Prophet (S) on the basis on their Scripture, the Torah, but they were too obstinate to acknowledge his Prophetic Call. The Arabic word asfar is the plural form of sifr connoting a book that reveals the truth.¹

The Torah consists of different books each of which, termed sifr, resembles a Qur’anic Chapter. The blessed Verse criticizes the Jews but it also alludes to the Muslims warning them against hearing the Qur’anic Verses but failing to act upon them.

According to some traditions, the Jews said that Muhammad's Prophetic Call was not addressed to them. Thus, the blessed Verse 4 is warning them that had you had read your Scripture carefully and have acted upon it, you would not have said such words, since the Torah bears the glad tidings of the Prophetic Call of the Noble Prophet of the Islamic faith (S).

The blessed Verses 5 and 6 are saying that those upon whom the Torah was sent and they were entrusted with it but failed to understand and act upon it resemble a donkey carrying the burden of books, but it may merely feel the burden. It is not different for it to carry rocks and wood or books containing the most precise secrets of Creation and the most fruitful lessons for a better life.

Such obstinate people contented themselves contented themselves with the recitation of the Torah without reflecting upon its contents and acting upon them, the similitude of such people is the animal proverbial for ignorance. It is the most telling similitude for those who claim to know something but fail to act upon their pretended knowledge, since they carry the burden of knowledge without being blessed by its blessings.

Those who deal with the words of the Holy Qur’an without being aware of it contents and fruitful lessons are like those mentioned herein. It is a warning to the Muslims to be aware such that they do not end up like the Jews.

Such Great Divine Bounty is not for merely keeping at home without reading it and reflecting upon it or pass beneath it before traveling or send it with a mirror to a new home. Thus, they degrade their Scripture to such extent. Their utmost efforts may be to recite it beautifully and commit it to heart without any reflection in their individual and social live through reflecting upon its Verses and acting upon its Injunctions.

The similitude proceeds to say that the people who denied Divine Verses and Signs will have a dire fate. Such people are likened to donkeys since they denied Divine Verses and Signs by their words and deeds.

It is in a similar vein that we read elsewhere in the Holy Qur’an² concerning the Jews:

“Is it that whenever there came unto you a Messenger against your concupiscent desires, you turned arrogant? Some [of the Messengers] you denied and some you slew.”

The blessed Verse 5 closes with a terse sentence:

“And Allah guides not the people who are wrong-doers.”

It is true that Guidance is Divine Work, but it requires a certain background, which is the spirit of seeking the Truth that should be engendered by man and wrong-doers are far from it.

Finally, it would be of interest to read some traditions concerning the Jewish schlars and others who failed to act upon their knowledge:

It is narrated from Imam Sadiq (as) that the preaching and admonitions of the scholars who fail to act upon their knowledge are effaced from the hearts in the same manner that rain drops fail to stay on rocks.

It is narrated from Imam Sajjad (as) that it was mentioned in the Bible that a scholar who failed to act upon his knowledge would not accrue anything but disbelief and being far from God Almighty.

In Mizan al-Hikma it is narrated from the Imam that a scholar who fails to act is likened to a candle from whose light other benefit but he perishes himself.³