Translation
These people say [who are responsible], “Our Cherisher, we have faith; therefore, forgive our sins and save us from the torment of the fire”—these are the people who are patient and truthful and mindful of God’s greatness, serve others, and passionately seek righteousness and God’s protection from the inner core of their hearts. God Himself declares that there is no god but Him, a reality that angels and those who possess knowledge confirm with justice. Indeed, there is no God but He Who is Mighty and Wise.170
Islam [peaceful coexistence and submission to God] is the way of life in the eye of God, but those who were given the message earlier [Jews, Christians, and others] differ from the current knowledge [Islam] only out of envy [not based on facts]. [They should know that] God is prompt in seeking accountability from those who persistently deny the truth.171
Interpretation
170. This refers to the first fundamental truth that God is the source of all creation, and He is the Sole Cherisher for this universe. Angels bear witness to this. People who are endowed with knowledge and seek to establish justice also bear witness to this fundamental truth. This fact has to be understood with all its dimensions, ramifications, implications, and nuanced rights and obligations to bring out the best in human societies. The evils we see rampant all around us in most countries—corruption, lack of justice, racial and ethnic prejudice, rising income gaps, religious intolerance, preemptive war, rise of terrorism, environmental degradation, and so on—are the consequences of having limited and less-than-meaningful understanding of God and His design for our world. Faith-based (or inspired) societies (be they Christian, Jewish, or Islam as practiced by many Muslim countries) and societies not based on religion, such as communists and secular humanists, all have shown their limitations and glaring failures as evidenced in our past and current global conditions. Faith and social consciousness have to go hand in hand to create better human conditions.
171. This is the second fundamental truth about the proposed guidance for our well-being on this earth—both material and spiritual. While Islam (faith in God and establishing social justice) is declared the proper guidance and system to operationalize our lives and societies on this planet, this has to be understood with all its dimensions, both religious and secular; its uncompromising stand on truth, justice, freedom, human equality, and absolute intolerance for falsehood, oppression, and human indignity; its call for patience and perseverance; its call for humility and forgiveness; and its call for service to humanity and negation of selfishness, ignorance, and arrogance.
REFLECTION
Two fundamental aspects of our lives are declared here without any sense of uncertainty by God, who is the ensurer of certainty: God is the source of our existence, and Islam as it manifests itself in peaceful coexistence within the created world and a true submission to God is the only accepted condition for humankind in God’s eyes.
ACTION
It is important that we seek to understand all religious, moral, philosophical, and economical aspects of our existence and reconcile our differences based on knowledge, wisdom, science, and fact-based realities rather than dogma, envy, mutual distrust, and greed.
Key Arabic Terms
59. As-Sabirina: One who is patient
60. As-Sadiquina: One who is truthful
61. Al-Quanitina: One who is committed
62. Al-Munfiquina: One who serves
63. Al-Mustaghfirin bil Ashar: One seeking forgiveness from the inner core of his or her heart consistently