Translation
O People of Faith, if you are mindful of God and your responsibilities to each other, God will endow you with capacities to distinguish (truth vs. falsehood), give you distinction, remove your evils and protect you. God is without limit in His grace. People without faith (your adversaries) were devising a plan to restrain you in your place or kill you or drive you away—this they planned and God planned as well. (Know always that) God is a better planner. 405
When Our [God’s]revelations and guidance are presented to them, they say: “We have heard. If we wish, we could produce similar things—these are nothing but ancient stories.” Then they say: “God, if is this truly from You, can bring on us a calamity from the sky or inflict on us a chastisement that is severe.”
God would not chastise them while you [Prophet of God] were among them; and God would not chastise them while giving them opportunity to seek forgiveness. Notwithstanding, they have no reason to feel secure from displeasure of God when they actively restrain people from worshiping at the Sacred Mosque [Kabah] and they are not its legitimate guardian. Such guardianship belongs to those who are mindful of God and responsible to fellow human beings, but they are mostly ignorant (of such ideals). Their worship in this House is nothing but whistling and clapping of hand (devoid of mindfulness and understanding). 406
Interpretation
405 This is the articulation of a natural law that our capacity to distinguish between truth and falsity, justice and injustice, is intimately related to our ability to develop faith in God, imbibe His characteristics in our characters, and develop and commit to a deep sense of respect and responsibility to fellow human beings. There is a natural adversarial relationship between faith and denial of faith, between goodness and evil, and a continuous struggle to control our lives and our world by the adherents of these opposing forces and worldviews.
406 Every faith group or groups of religious affiliates have developed rituals and practices, especially regarding their modes of worship, which they claim to develop relationships with God. We are asked to examine such practices from within (if you are part of the group) and from outside (if you do not belong to the group) with a genuine level of objectivity and distance so that its purpose, meaning, and efficacy are discussed, debated, and understood by the practitioners (more so than the preacher) to generate any meaningful impact on the community and to advance the human condition for the better. Too many blind and meaningless rituals and practices can distort legitimate faith over a long period of time and can also create misgivings about faith itself.
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REFLECTION
While God assures us that if we are genuine in our faith and develop and demonstrate responsible conducts with fellow human beings, He will improve our condition and endow us with the necessary knowledge and resources to accomplish our purpose in our lives. On the contrary, there will also exist groups who will deny such commitment, question human purpose to make a mockery of our lives, and force on society norms, lies, and rituals that will challenge those who wish to have faith and practice goodness for all.
ACTION
Each one of us must figure out where and how we can be effective in ensuring the common good and preserving our faith in God in the most pristine way. A practical way forward is to develop, in my view, close affinity with God’s ninety-nine attributes (as mentioned in the Qur’an and other books of revelations) in our character and daily conduct and establish our social norms around these human and godly attributes.