Page 32 - The Basic Concepts in the Qur’an

up (and they cannot see). And We have put a bar in front of them and a bar behind
them, and We have covered them up, so that they cannot see. It is the same to them
whether you admonish them or you do not admonish them: they will not believe. You
can only admonish such a one as follows the Message and fears the (Lord) Most
Gracious, unseen: give such a one, therefore, good tidings, of Forgiveness and a
Reward most generous.
(Yaseen, 7-11)

As to those who reject faith, it is the same to them whether you warn them or do not
warn them; they will not believe. Allah has set a seal on their hearts and on their
hearing, and on their eyes is a veil; great is the penalty they (incur).
(Al-Baqara, 6-7)

Truly you cannot make the dead listen, nor can you make the deaf hear the call,
(especially) when they turn back in retreat. Nor can you be a guide to the blind, (to
prevent them) from straying: only those will you get to listen who believe in Our
Signs, and bow in surrender to Us.
(Al-Naml, 80-81)

Besides unbelievers whose hearts are hardened and who have lost their wisdom, there are
some people, whose hearts are sensitive, yet they are ignorant of religion. When religion is
communicated to them, these people instantly recognize the truth and believe in Allah and His
religion. These two groups of people are distinguished from each other by their respective
arrogance and modesty. (In the following pages, modesty and arrogance will be studied in
detail). Jews and their arrogance are mentioned in the Qur’an as an example. On the other
hand there are Christians who are modest. On this the Qur’an says:
Strongest among men in enmity to the believers you will find the Jews and Pagans;
and nearest among them in love to the believers you will find those who say, “We are
Christians”: that is because amongst them are men devoted to learning and men who
have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant. And when they listen to the
revealation received by the Messenger, you will see their eyes overflowing with tears,
for they recognise the truth: they pray: “Our Lord! we believe; write us down among
the witnesses”.
(Al-Maeda,82-83)

When the message of the Qur’an is communicated to people with a natural inclination
towards religion, they merely say, “Our Lord! we have heard the call of one calling (Us) to
Faith: ‘Believe in the Lord,’ and we have believed...” (Al-Imran, 193). Unbelievers, on the other
hand, oppose believers and even feel enmity towards them.