Luqman (Luqman)

32. “And when a wave covers them like the canopy (of clouds), they call upon Allah in sincere devotion unto Him, but when He has delivered them to the land, some of them follow the middle course, and none denies Our signs, except every perfidious, ungrateful one.”

Man naturally is godly, but some material means may cover the nature like a curtain, and the occurrence of some events and dangers may disclose this curtain.

After stating the movement of ships in the seas which have been the greatest and the most useful means for many men to transport and carry their loads both in the past and today, through this verse the Qur’an refers to one of other features of the same subject, where it points to the time when people embark a ship and in the midst of the sea they may encounter a storm.

It says:

“And when a wave covers them like the canopy (of clouds), they call upon Allah in sincere devotion unto Him…”

The Arabic word /zulal/ is the plural form of /zullah/ for which the commentators have mentioned several meanings. Raqib in Mufradat says:

“The term /zullah/ means the cloud that is shady, and it is often used in the cases that there is an unpleasant matter in the affair.”

Some commentators have also rendered it into ‘canopy’, derived from /zill/.

Some others have taken it with the sense of ‘mountain’.

Though in relation to the verse under discussion these very meanings do not differ very much with each other, regarding that this word has repeatedly been used in the Qur’an with the meaning of Shady clouds, and regarding that the application of the Qur’anic term /qašiyahum/ (covers them) is more fitting with the sense of ‘cloud’, this interpretation seems closer to the fact.

Then the verse means that the great waves of the sea will arise and surround the ship so violent that as if a cloud had cast a shadow over them, a shadow which is fearful and horrible.

It is here that man, with the whole apparent powers that he has gained and gathered for him, now sees himself weak, naught, and unable. He receives no help from anywhere, and all spiritual and material means becomes useless for him. There will remain no hope for him except the light which glitters from inside his soul and from the depth of his nature.

It discloses the curtains of negligence and brightens his heart and tells him that there is someone Who can save you. The same One Whose command the waves of the sea obey.

It is here that the pure Monotheism fills his whole heart, and he considers religion, faith, and worship specific to Him.

Then the verse adds:

“…but when He has delivered them to the land, some of them follow the middle course…”

But there are another group of people who forget everything and the army of polytheism and paganism overcome the country of their heart.

Some of the commentators believe that the above holy verse refers to ‘Akramat-ibn-’Abijahl who became Muslim.

At the time of the conquest of Mecca, the Prophet of Islam (S) forgave all people of Mecca except four persons, one of whom was ‘Akramat-ibn-’Abijahl.

The Prophet (S) had issued the order of execution against them and had said wherever they could be found they should be killed, (because these four vicious persons had fulfilled every kind of hindrance, enmity, and crime that they could against Islam and the Muslims).

Therefore, ‘Akramah had to flee from Mecca.

He came to the bank of the Red sea and embarked a ship. In the middle of the sea, a dangerous storm threatened the ship.

The people in the ship told each other:

“Let us say fair well to the idols and only ask help from Allah, the Merciful, because our gods can do nothing.”

‘Akramah said:

“If but Monotheism does not save us in the sea, it will not save us in the land either.”

He continued saying:

“O’ Allah! I may covenant with You that if You deliver me from this affliction I will go to Prophet Muhammad (S) and shake hand with him for I know him a forgiver and gracious.”

At last, he was delivered and went to the Prophet (S) and embraced Islam. This very event has also been recorded in ’Usd-ul-Qayah fi Ma‘rifat-is-Sahabah, Vol. 4, P. 5.

It has also been cited in some Islamic history books that later ‘Akramah was counted in the row of the true Muslims and he got to be a martyr in the Battle of ‘Yarmuk’ or ‘’Ajnadin’.

At the end of the verse, the Qur’an adds:

“…and none denies Our signs, except every perfidious, ungrateful one.”

The Arabic term /xattar/ is derived from /xatr/ in the sense of perjury. This term in Arabic is an amplification form. The polytheists and the guilty repeatedly turn to Allah for their afflictions and covenant with Him or make vows, but when the affliction is removed, they often breach their covenants one after another and are ingratitude to the bounties of Allah.

Indeed the Qur’anic words /xattar/ (perfidious) and /kafur/ (ungrateful) that have occurred at the end of the verse are the opposite points of the Qur’anic terms /sabbar/ (patient) and /šakur/ (grateful) which were mentioned in the previous verse; (the term ‘Ungrateful’ is opposite of ‘grateful’, and perjury is opposite of ‘patience’ and to be loyal to one’s covenant.)

For, fulfilling the promise is possible only by applying patient. It is they who, when the flame of natural faith is enlightened inside their soul, try to keep this Divine light and not to be quenched any more as the result of being covered by curtains and barriers.

A Few Points Upon Sincerity

Sincerity is the case that an action is perfectly performed for the cause of Allah, so much so that even if one percent of it, or less than it, is for other than Allah (s.w.t.) that worship is nullified or it has problem.

If we take the place of keeping up the prayer for other than Allah, for instance, we try to stand somewhere that so other people see us, or the camera shows us, our prayer is kept up for other than Allah.

If we choose the time of worship for other than Allah, for example, we establish prayer in time in order to attract the attention of people, it will be the same.

If the gesture and our appearance in which we establish prayer is for other than Allah, for example, we may wear a shoulder-mantle; or have a change in our voice, and have an aim other than the pleasure of Allah (s.w.t.), in all these instances our prayer is null and void, and for hypocrisy we have committed sin, too.

In other words, sincerity is in that we do not heed our sensual desires, carnal wishes, false deities, political adherences, and the wrong demands of individuals, but our motive is only one thing: obeying the command of Allah and fulfilling our duty.

Verily obtaining sincerity is not possible but with the help of Allah.

The Qur’an by the verse under discussion says:

“And when a wave covers them like the canopy (of clouds), they call upon Allah in sincere devotion unto him, but when He has delivered them to the land, some of them follow the middle course…”

The Ways of Obtaining Sincerity

1- We must be attentive to the knowledge and Power of Allah. If we know that all glories, powers, and provisions are in His authority, we never refer to other than Him in order to gain glory, power, and provision.

If we note that the creatures are created by the will of Allah and by His will every thing will be vanished; if we know that He both produces the causes and nullifies the causes, that is, He appoints the dry palm tree the cause of fresh date for Mary, and turns the fire, which could cause Abraham to be burnt, to become cold for him, we do not betake ourselves to other than Him.

There are hundreds verses and stories in the Qur’an that invite people to pay attention to Allah’s Providence in order that haply they may leave out other than Him and go sincerely toward Him.

2- We must note the blessings of sincerity: A sincere person has only a single aim which is ‘gaining the content of Allah’, and the one whose aim is only that, does not seek the encouragement of this one or that one. He does not fear of blames.

He does not scare of loneliness. He never retreats in his way. He never rues. For the sake of people’s heedlessness, he never loses hope. In paving the path of the Truth he never tends to majority and minority.

The sincere believers do not afraid that:

“…they fight in the way of Allah, so they slay and they are slain…”

In the threshold of his journey to Karbala, Imam Hussayn (as) said:

“We go to Karbala whether we become martyr or become victorious. Our aim is to fulfil the duty.”

3- We must regard to Allah’s favours: Another way which causes us to approach to sincerity is the remembrance of the favours of Allah. We must not forget that we did not exist. The life-germ was made of soil and food stuff and was put inside the darkness of the mother’s womb.

It passed the development stages one after another and it was born in the form of a perfect human being. At that time this baby did not know anything save sucking the mother’s milk, a complete food which provides all the needs of the body.

The mother’s milk, accompanied with mother’s affection, was almost always at his service. Does any aware conscience let that after reaching to those abundant bounties, power, and knowledge we incline to others? Why may we sell ourselves to some human beings who neither have any right on us nor have they done us any favour?

4- We must always seek the will of Allah. If we know that people’s hearts depend on Allah’s will and that He is the converter of the hearts, we will perform any action for Him, and wherever we need the people’s supports, we ask Allah to bestow it on us the necessary love, amiability, and position in people’s hearts and opinions.

Hadrat ’Ibrahim (as) elevated the basis of Ka‘bah in the hot and blazing deserts of Arabia and invoked that He would tend the people’s hearts toward his progeny. Now, after thousand years that that event has passed, every year millions of people circumambulate amorously around that House, more exciting than a butterfly.

How many a man that try hard to make some people fairly content, but these people still do not love them, and there are many persons that without having hope to people, properties, name, wealth and position rely on Allah and sincerely fulfil their duty while they are also honoured in the eyes of people. Therefore, the aim must be Allah’s pleasure and they ask people’s pleasure from Allah, too.

5- We must note to the duration of affairs. If an action is done for Allah its result will remain, since it has a godly colour. But if it is not done for Allah, soon or late it will be vanished.

The Qur’an says:

“What is with you comes to an end, and what is with Allah will endure…”

6- We must compare the recompenses. There are kinds of restrictions in people’s recompense. For example, if people decide to give recompense to a prophet, they may give him the best clothing, food, and residence, while all these bounties are limited, and the evil people possess them, too. The wrong doers can also use kinds of ornamentations, palaces, gardens and glorious private mounts.

But when an action is done in the cause of Allah, there will wait some unlimited recompenses for it, whether material and spiritual. Here, too, if we think correctly, wisdom does not allow us to exchange infinite and inclusive recompenses for some limited ones from the side of human beings.