Fussilat (Explained in detail)

53. We will show them Our Signs in the universe, and in their own selves, until it becomes manifest to them that this [the Qur’an] is the Truth. Is it not sufficient in regard to your Lord that He is a Witness over all things?

54. Know that they are in doubt concerning the Meeting with their Lord on the Day of Resurrection. Verily! He it is Who is surrounding all things!

Divine Manifestations of His Omnipotence and Omniscience are innumerable.

“We will show them Our Signs in the universe”

indicates that besides the Signs perceptible to man, he will be shown further Signs in future. These two blessed Verses closing the Chapter in question make mention of two important points which in fact include a summation of the points raised herein. The first Verse treats of Divine Unity and the Holy Qur’an and the second one makes mention of Resurrection.

Verse 53 says:

“We will show them Our Signs in the universe, and in their own selves, until it becomes manifest to them that this [the Qur’an] is the Truth.”

Signs of the horizon (ayat afaqi) include creation of the sun, the moon, and the stars with the order governing them, creation of all kinds of animals, plants, mountains, and seas with their innumerable wonders and mysterious creatures whose novel mysteries are unraveled in time and each of which demonstrates the Truth of His Pure Essence.

Signs of the soul (ayat anfusi) include creation of different systems of human body, the order governing the wondrous mechanisms of brain and the systematic movements of heart, blood vessels, textures, and bones, and coagulation of semen and growth of embryo in the womb, and above all, the mysteries and wonders of human soul each aspect of which reveals the Omniscience of God Almighty, the Creator of the world.

It is true that these Signs have already been sufficiently manifested by God Almighty, but taking into account the verbal form:

sanurihim (“we show unto them”),

one notices that this present verb is in the progressive mode indicating that such manifestation is an ongoing process and even if man lives for hundreds of thousand years, he will discover many a novel mystery and will notice Divine Signs in time, since the mysteries of this world is endless.

All books on natural sciences and anthropology in all their dimensions including anatomy, physiology, psychology, and psychiatry, and also the sciences of botany, zoology, mineralogy, astronomy and so on all serve as expositions of Divine Unity and knowing God, since they generally unravel wondrous mysteries which demonstrate the Omniscience and Omnipotence of the Creator of this world.

At times, a scientist devotes all his life to one of these sciences, or one branch from amongst tens of branches of one of these sciences, but at the end of his life, he regrets that he knows nothing about that branch and his limited knowledge has made him perceive the depth of his ignorance.

The blessed Verse 53 is complemented with a beauteous and meaningful sentence:

“Is it not sufficient in regard to your Lord that He is a Witness over all things?”

What Signs are more evident than the Manifestation of His Omnipotence through Creation of all creatures, leaves of trees, petals of flowers, mysterious layers of brain, delicate multilayer membranes of eyes, the face of the sky, the heart of the earth, and in short all creatures demonstrate the Signs of Divine Unity and bear witness to Divine Creation of the world.

The above constitutes one of the well-known interpretations of the blessed Verse in question according to which the blessed Verse solely treats of Divine Unity and the manifestation of the Signs of Truth in horizons and souls.

The other interpretation treats of the inimitability of the Holy Qur’an which may be summed up thus:

“We show Our Diverse Signs and Miracles in different regions of the Arabian Peninsula as well as other regions of the world and We show Our Signs regarding these polytheists and disbelievers so that they may know that the Holy Qur’an is Divine Revelation.”

Signs of horizon also include the triumph of Islam in different battlegrounds, in the arena of logical arguments produced in debates and also in different regions conquered by the Islamic faith prevailing thoughts.

The Muslim community formed a minority at the time of the Revelation of these Verses in Mecca. They enjoyed no opportunities to engage in propagation activities.

Consequently, upon Divine Command, they emigrated and in a short while were able to conquer many a land and their religion was embraced by a large number of people throughout the world. Signs of souls also include the triumph of Muslims over Meccan polytheists and disbelievers in the battle of Badr and the conquest of Mecca and penetration of the light of Islam into the hearts of many of the conquered.

These Signs of the horizon and the soul demonstrated that the Holy Qur’an is Divine Revelation. Thus God Almighty Who is the Witness of all things bore witness to the Truth of the Holy Qur’an as Divine Revelation.

The last Verse treats of the origin of the adversities of this polytheist, corrupt, and tyrannous group of people, saying:

“Be aware that they are in doubt and suspicion regarding their meeting with their Lord on the Day of Resurrection.”

They commit all crimes and disgracing deeds since they do not believe in Divine Reckoning and Recompense. Their hearts are wrapped up in veils of neglect and arrogance and forgetting the fact that they shall meet their Lord on the Day of Resurrection has denigrated them from the zenith of humanity to nadir of humility.

However, they should know that

“God surrounds all things.”

He is All-Aware of their intentions, words, and deeds all which are being recorded for that great Tribunal. The Arabic word mirya designates entertaining doubt in making decisions and some Qur’anic exegets maintain that it indicates great doubt and suspicion.