Most Gracious Believers:

Look how the Quran is giving a glimpse of this emancipated one:

verson A

Let us see what kind of elements this one possess to be called ‘most gracious’ by God.

This is a person with humility, unaltered faith in God’s workings, and unbeatable compassion and goodwill for all human beings. He/she does not judge others, even the ones who are the wrong doers. Because this one knows that judgment is the exclusive domain of God, and a human being has no business of judging other. Others’ cruelty, ignorance, malicious attitudes, nothing makes this person loose his/her essential goodness of heart or goodwill toward the others, nothing makes him/her strength of faith or graciousness compromised or diminished. This person has submitted to the Will of God, and he/she is determined to walk through the path, no matter how difficult the path is or how difficult the tests and trials are along that path, to remain compassionate and undisturbed. This is the person whose spirit and hope remain undiminished. This is the person of peace, the peace, Islam exhorts.

Verson B

Let us see what kind of elements this one possess to be called ‘most gracious’ by God.

This is a person with humility. He/she does not judge anyone, even the wrong doers.

Because this one knows that judgment is the exclusive domain of God, and a human being has no business of judging others. The struggle or hardship of life or other peoples’ pettiness, prejudice, or hatred, none of these diminishes his/her essential goodness of heart and goodwill and compassion toward fellow human beings. This person’s heart is fixed on God, and his/her submission complete to His Will. This is the person of ‘peace’, the peace, Islam means.

25. [al-Furqan, mecca 42]

وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا...

... وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا ﴿٦٣﴾

Asad’s Version:

25:63 And the servants of (God) most gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, “Peace !”

(25:64) and who remember their Sustainer far into the night, prostrating themselves and standing;

(25:65) and who pray: "O our Sustainer, avert from us the suffering of hell - for, verily, the suffering caused by it is bound to be a torment dire:

(25:66) verily, how evil an abode and a station!" -;

25:67

and who, whenever they spend on others, 51 are neither wasteful nor niggardly but [remember that] there is always a just mean between those [two extremes];

(25:68) and who never invoke any [imaginary] deity side by side with God, and do not take any human being's life - [the life] which God has willed to be sacred - otherwise than in [the pursuit of] justice, 52 and do not commit adultery. And [know that] he who commits aught thereof 3 shall [not only] meet with a full requital

(25:69) [but] shall have his suffering doubled on Resurrection Day: for on that

[Day] he shall abide in ignominy.

25:70 Excepted, however, shall be they who repent and attain to faith and do righteous deeds: for it is they whose [erstwhile] bad deeds God will transform into good ones - seeing that God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace, (25:71) and seeing that he who repents and [thenceforth] does what is right has truly turned unto God by [this very act of] repentance.

25:72 And [know that true servants of God are only] those who never bear witness to what is false, 54 and [who], whenever they pass by [people engaged in] frivolity, pass on with dignity; (25:73) and who, whenever they are reminded of their Sustainer's messages, do not throw themselves upon them [as if] deaf and blind; 55 (25:74) and who pray: "O our Sustainer! Grant that our spouses and our offspring be a joy to our eyes, 56 and cause us to be foremost among those who are conscious of Thee ! "

25:75 [Such as] these will be rewarded for all their patient endurance [in life] with a high station [in paradise], and will be met therein with a greeting of welcome and peace, (25:76) therein to abide: [and] how, goodly an abode and [how high] a station!

25:77

SAY [unto those who believe] : "No weight or value would my Sustainer attach to you were it not for your faith [in Him]!" 57 [And say unto those who deny the truth:] "You have indeed given the lie [to God's message], and in time this [sin] will cleave unto you!" 58

[[ Asad’s notes - 51 In the Qur'an, the verb anfaqa (and the corresponding noun nafaqah) has usually this connotation.

52 See surah 6, note 148.

53 Lit., "he who does that (dhalika)", i.e., any of the three sins referred to in this verse. (For my translation of zina as "adultery", see surah 24, note 2.)

57 Lit., "were it not for your prayer", which term Ibn 'Abbas (as quoted by Tabari) equates in this context with "faith". [ Ruby disagrees, faith here is the conviction about God and His moral laws]

58 I.e., "unless you repent, this sin will determine your spiritual destiny in the life to come. ]]

[[ Asad’s note

54 Implying that neither do they themselves ever bear false witness (i.e., in the widest sense of this expression, tell any lie), nor do they knowingly take part in anything that is based on falsehood (Razi).

55 Explaining this verse, Zamakhshari remarks that whereas the average run of people approach the divine writ with a mere outward show of eagerness, "throwing themselves upon it" for the sake of appearances but, in reality, not making the least attempt to understand the message as such and, hence, remaining deaf and blind to its contents - the truly God-conscious are deeply desirous of understanding it, and therefore "listen to it with wide-awake ears and look into it with seeing eyes".

56 I.e., by living a righteous life. ]]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا...

25: 63. And the servants of (Allah) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility,

... وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا ﴿٦٣﴾

and when the ignorant address them, they say, "Peace!"

C3123. Ignorant: in a moral sense.

Address: in the aggressive sense.

Their humility is shown in two ways:

- to those in real search of knowledge, they give such knowledge as they have and as the recipients can assimilate;

- to those who merely dispute, they do not speak harshly, but say "Peace!", as much as to say,

"May it be well with you, may you repent and be better"; or

"May Allah give me peace from such wrangling"; or

"Peace, and Good-bye; let me leave you!"

وَالَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمْ سُجَّدًا وَقِيَامًا ﴿٦٤﴾

25: 64. Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord prostrate and standing;

C3124. Humble prayer brings them nearer to Allah.

وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اصْرِفْ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ...

25: 65. Those who say,

"Our Lord! avert from us the Wrath of Hell,

... إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا ﴿٦٥﴾

for its Wrath is indeed an affliction grievous --

C3125. This is a prayer of humility:

such a person relies, not on any good works which he may have done, but on the Grace and Mercy of Allah; and he shows a lively sense of the Day of Judgment, when every action will weigh for or against a soul.

إِنَّهَا سَاءتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا وَمُقَامًا ﴿٦٦﴾

25: 66. "Evil indeed is it as an abode, and as a place to rest in;"

C3126. The misery which results from sin is not only grievous to live in ("an abode") but also grievous "to rest in" or "to stand in", if it be only for a short time.

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَنفَقُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا...

25: 67. Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly,

... وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ قَوَامًا ﴿٦٧﴾

but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes);

C3127. In ordinary spending this is a wise rule. But even in charity, in which we give of our best, it is not expected that we should be extravagant, i.e., that we should either do it for show, to impress other people, or do it thoughtlessly, which would be the case if we "rob Peter to pay Paul".

We should certainly not be niggardly, but we should remember everyone's rights, including our own, and strike a perfectly just balance between them.

وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ...

25: 68. Those who invoke not, with Allah, any other god,

وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ...

nor slay such life as Allah has made sacred, except for just cause,

not commit fornication --

C3128. Here three things are expressly condemned:

- false worship, which is a crime against Allah;

- the taking of life, which is a crime against our fellow-creatures; and

- fornication, which is a crime against our self-respect, against ourselves.

Every crime is against Allah, His creatures, and ourselves, but some may be viewed more in relation to one than to another.

The prohibition against taking life is qualified: "except for just cause,": e.g., in judicial punishment for murder, or in self-preservation, which may include not only self-defence in the legal sense, but also the clearing out of pests, and the provision of meat under conditions of Halal.- see n. 698 to 5:5. After this comes a long parenthesis, which ends with verse 71 below.

... وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا ﴿٦٨﴾

and any that does this (not only) meets punishment.

يُضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِ مُهَانًا ﴿٦٩﴾

25: 69. (But) the Penalty on the Day of Judgment will be doubled to him, and he will dwell therein in ignominy-

C3129. The three crimes just mentioned are specially detestable and infamous, and as ignominy will be added to other punishments, the penalty will be double that of ordinary punishment.

إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا...

25: 70. Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds,

... فَأُوْلَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ...

for Allah will change the evil of such persons into good,

... وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا ﴿٧٠﴾

and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

C3130. But even in the case of great crimes, if there is true repentance as tested by a changed life in conduct, Allah's Mercy is available, and it will transform the repentant's nature from evil to good.

وَمَن تَابَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَإِنَّهُ يَتُوبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَتَابًا ﴿٧١﴾

25: 71. And whoever repents and does good has truly turned to Allah with an (acceptable) conversion --

وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ الزُّورَ ...

25: 72. Those who witness no falsehood,

C3131. Witness no falsehood has two significations, both implied in this passage:

- those who give no evidence that is false; and

- those who do not assist at anything which implies fraud or falsehood.

... وَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِاللَّغْوِ مَرُّوا كِرَامًا ﴿٧٢﴾

and, if they pass by futility, they pass by it with honorable (avoidance);

C3132. There is not only condemnation of positive falsehood or of being mixed up with things implying falsehood; but futilities -vain random talk, unedifying jokes, useless show, etc.- are all condemned.

If a good man finds himself in such an affair, he must withdraw from it in an honourable, dignified way, not in a fussy arrogant way.

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِّرُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ لَمْ يَخِرُّوا عَلَيْهَا صُمًّا وَعُمْيَانًا ﴿٧٣﴾

25: 73. Those who, when they are admonished with the Signs of their Lord, droop not down at them as if they were deaf or blind:

C3133. Kharra may mean:

- to fall down,

- to snore,

- to droop down as if the person were bored or

inattentive, or

did not wish to see or hear or pay attention.

وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ...

25: 74. And those who pray,

... رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ...

"Our Lord! grant unto us wives and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes,

C3134. We must also pray for the maintenance of Allah's Law after us, through our wives and descendants: in our eyes they should not be mere accidents or play-things, but a real comfort and fulfilment of our spiritual longings.

Perhaps, through them, as well through ourselves, we may, by Allah's grace, be able to give a lead for truth and righteousness.

... وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا ﴿٧٤﴾

and give us (the grace) to lead the righteous."

C3135. Let us recapitulate the virtues of the true servants of Allah:

1. they are humble and forbearing to those below them in spiritual worth;

2. they are constantly, by adoration, in touch with Allah;

3. they always remember the Judgment in the Hereafter;

4. they are moderate in all things;

5. they avoid treason to Allah, to their fellow-creatures, and to themselves;

6. they give a wide berth not only to falsehood but to futility;

7. they pay attention, both in mind and manner, to the Signs of their Lord;

8. their ambition is to bring up their families in righteousness and to lead in all good.

A fine code of individual and social ethics, a ladder of spiritual development, open to all.

أُوْلَئِكَ يُجْزَوْنَ الْغُرْفَةَ بِمَا صَبَرُوا...

25: 75. Those are the ones who will be rewarded with the highest place in heaven, because of their patient constancy;

... وَيُلَقَّوْنَ فِيهَا تَحِيَّةً وَسَلَامًا ﴿٧٥﴾

therein shall they be met with salutations and peace,

خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا...

25: 76. Dwelling therein --

... حَسُنَتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا وَمُقَامًا ﴿٧٦﴾

how beautiful an abode and place of rest!

قُلْ مَا يَعْبَأُ بِكُمْ رَبِّي لَوْلَا دُعَاؤُكُمْ...

25: 77. Say (to the rejecters):

"My Lord is not uneasy because of you if ye call not on Him,

C3136. Let not the wicked think that it causes Allah any annoyance or uneasiness if they do not serve or worship Him. He is high above all needs. But He turns in His Mercy to all who call on Him.

For those who arrogantly reject Him, the evil consequences of their rejection are inevitable, and must soon come to pass. (R).

... فَقَدْ كَذَّبْتُمْ فَسَوْفَ يَكُونُ لِزَامًا ﴿٧٧﴾

but ye have indeed rejected (Him), and soon will come the inevitable (punishment)!"

[[ Asad’s notes - 51 In the Qur'an, the verb anfaqa (and the corresponding noun nafaqah) has usually this connotation.

52 See surah 6, note 148.

53 Lit., "he who does that (dhalika)", i.e., any of the three sins referred to in this verse. (For my translation of zina as "adultery", see surah 24, note 2.)

57 Lit., "were it not for your prayer", which term Ibn 'Abbas (as quoted by Tabari) equates in this context with "faith". [ Ruby disagrees, faith here is the conviction about God and His moral laws]

58 I.e., "unless you repent, this sin will determine your spiritual destiny in the life to come. ]]