Ghafir (The Forgiver)

56. Indeed those who dispute about the Ayat (Verses, Signs) of Allah without any authority having come to them, there is nothing else in their breasts except pride. They will never have it [nor shall they reap the fruits of their disputes]. Therefore, seek refuge in Allah. Indeed it is He Who is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.

Disputation with the Truth springs from vanity rather than sensibility and the vain obdurate may not achieve their goal which is leadership.

Thus the blessed Verse says:

“Indeed those who dispute about the Ayat (Verses, Signs) of Allah without any authority having come to them, there is nothing else in their breasts except pride.” As mentioned above, the word mujadala indicates “disputation and illogical discussions,” though the same is also employed in the semantically broader sense of truth and falsehood.

The expression:

“any authority having come to them”

lays emphasis on the meaning of disputation since authority (sultan) designates the argument substantiating a claim which leads to one’s superiority over the other party.

The phrase:

“having come to them”

alludes to the arguments revealed by God Almighty and the emphasis on Revelation is due to the fact that it is the most assuring way of substantiating the true claims.

Divine Ayat which were subject to disputation refers to the miracles and Verses of the Holy Qur’an and the relevant discussions regarding Origin and the Hereafter, at times referred to as sorcery, madness, stories of the ancients (asatir al-awwalin)!

Therefore, the blessed Verse bears witness to the fact that disputes Originate from vanity and arrogance, since the arrogant and the vain, owing to their keen interest in themselves are indifferent to others and regard their own thought and words true and those of others as false hence their persistence in the veracity of their baseless claims.

The Arabic particle:

inna (“indeed”)

indicates that the such claims originate from vanity and arrogance; otherwise, how may one insist on one’s claims without producing evidence and arguments?

The word:

“breasts” (sudur) refers to hearts which in turn designates “soul, thought” recurrently attested in Qur’anic Verses.

Some Qur’anic exegets interpret the word:

kibr (“arrogance, vanity”) in the aforesaid blessed Verse as hasad (“envy, jelousy”) and maintain that disputants envy the Noble Prophet’s (S) exalted spiritual and worldly station and rank; however, the word kibr does not denote hasad but it may connote it, since the vain and the arrogant are usually envious as well and wish all bounties for themselves and grieve when others enjoy them.

The blessed Verse further adds:

“They will never have it [nor shall they reap the fruits of their disputes].”

They intend to satisfy their own vanity and arrogance and rule the society, but they shall not reap anything but degradation and debasement. They will neither achieve their vain goals nor will they be able to nullify the truth through their baseless disputes.

The blessed Verse closes with Divine Injunction to the Noble Prophet (S):

“Therefore, seek refuge in Allah. Indeed it is He Who is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.”

God Almighty hears their baseless disputes and sees their vicious deeds and conspiracies. The point is that not only the Noble Prophet of Islam (S) but also all believers treading the Path of Truth are supposed to seek refuge in God Almighty in the vicissitudes of life and against insensible disputants.

It is for the same reason that against the tempest of Zulaykha’s lust, Joseph (as) says:

“I seek refuge in Allah! Truly, he [your husband] is my master! He made my living in a great comfort! Indeed wrong doers will never be successful”1 .

Verse 27 of the Chapter in question reads:

“Moses (as) said: ‘Indeed I seek refuge in my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant person who believes not in the Day of Reckoning!’”2 .