Interpretation of a verse from Surah Yunus

By: Sayyed Ahmad Al-Hassan

Vicegerent and Messenger of Imam Al-Mahdi, Upon him Peace.

In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful, The Almighty said:

{And We took the Children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them in tyranny and enmity until, when drowning was to overtake him, he said, "I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims."} (1)

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(1) The Holy Quran Surah Yunus: 90

In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful, All Praise to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad, the Imams and the Mahdis.

O sons of Adam, remember Me in the midst of your anger and I shall remember you in the midst of my wrath and save you from ruin. When someone oppresses you, remember my retribution. For verily, My retribution is better than your revenge. (1)
O Allah, I am a needy weak and vulnerable slave, I have accepted Your Retribution for those whom have wronged me.

In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful,

{And indeed, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes when they hear the message, and they say, "Indeed, he is mad." * But it is not except a reminder to the worlds.} (2)

Prior to beginning the inner meaning of this verse: First: I convey certain words of Al-Sarkhi with which he attacked me: And with this the claimant has gone against the intellect and the intellectuals and violated the customs of the people of tradition and violated the rights of the common humans and of humanity Verily, this ignorant dark claimant.. He claims these claims [which are] false, corrupt, misguided, straying, and misleading.. Absurdity and foolishness and hastiness and ignorance and dark thoughts of the mind and the heart and the self are with the claimant.. What was written by the claimant is insignicant insignicant insignicant irrelevant irrelevant irrelevant and he is more insignicant and more irrelevant than you think The irrelevant thoughts of the claimant and his sickened mind and his psychological deviation. Etc.

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(1) Al-Ka: Part 2, p. 304; and The Pillars of Islam: Part 2, p. 537. (2) The Holy Quran Surah Al-Qalam (The Pen): 51 & 52

This method and these words, which were written by Al-Sarkhi, are far removed from ethics and any author whom has little manners would distance himself from it. Let alone those whom claim to write a scientic response. By Allah, Al-Sarkhi reminded me of Ibn al-Aas when he revealed his private parts in order to save himself. There is not power nor strength save in Allah, the Great, the High, and this sufces disparity between us, for each pot grows by what is in it. And Al-Sakhri released the envy that he bore in his chest through his developing words, thus, adding with his envy to the evidences for the blessed call of the Yamani, for verily, we are the family of Muhammad, Upon him and his Progeny Peace, and are envied by the people, the Almighty said:

{Or do they envy people for what Allah has given them of His bounty? But we had already given the family of Abraham the Scripture and wisdom and conferred upon them a great kingdom.} (1), (2) Secondly: Sarkhi conveyed the following phrase from the Book Enlightenment from the calls of the Messengers: As for the compelling/tangible miracle, it is not possible for it [the compelling miracle], alone, to be the path towards the faith of the people, rather, Allah is not satised with this [type of] faith in what is purely perceptible/physical, otherwise He would have accepted Pharaohs acceptance of faith after witnessing the compelling/tangible Miracle [which could] not be construed, which is the splitting of the sea, and witnessed each part like a great towering mountain, and touched it with his hand, so he said: {I believe.} (2). Which is a comment on the Quranic verse and is not a full
interpretation of it, for I was not explaining the verse, but rather, I mentioned it as a witness upon the [fact that] believing/faith is not accepted when it is due to a compelling miracle which could not be construed. My speech is clear and it is not possible to understand, with regard to the verse of Surah Yunus, except, as follows: Which is that Pharaoh said I believe, as stated in the Quran, after he witnessed and touched with his hand the water from the sea, which was like a great towering mountain, and that Allah did not accept the faith of Pharaoh, for verily, for [Pharaoh] was pushed to it by a compelling miracle which could not be construed. _________________________
(1) The Holy Quran Al-Nisa (the women): 54 (2) And Kilani narrated in his book: From Muhammad bin Muhammad, from Muhammad bin Abi Ameer, from Seef bin Ameera, from Abi Al-Sabah Al-Kani, who said: Abu Abdullah, Peace be Upon him, said: We are the people whom Allah, the Glorious, the Almighty, enforced obedience [to], the spoils of the

wars is for us, and for us is the described [amount of] money and we are the ones whom are rmly grounded in knowledge, and we are those whom are envied, whom Allah said: {Or do they envy people for what Allah has given them
of His bounty?} Al-Ka V. 1, p. 186 (3) Enlightenment V. 2, P. 24.

However, Al-Sharkhi tried to delude the reader into thinking that I have said that Pharaoh said I believe upon witnessing the miracle, although the presented speech which he conveyed on my authority from the Book of Enlightenment from the calls of the Messengers was very clear that I said: and he saw every split/part like a great towering mountain , and touched it with his hand.} Verily, Al-Sarkhi also tried to delude the reader [into thinking] that I stated that Pharaoh did not follow the children of Israel. What came next from the talk of Al-Sarkhi was farther from both credibility as well as a scientic argument.

Thirdly: Al-Sarkhi said: For the importance of the issue and the seriousness of it and for clarifying the request and establishing it, there is nothing wrong with diagnosis in order to highlight and conrm the truth through divine Quranic certainty and peremptory. And that is that Pharaoh did not utter nor did he say I believe upon [witnessing] the splitting of the sea, and that his utterance and saying I believe was not incidental to the miracle of the splitting of the sea, meaning, the miracle of the splitting of the sea was not the reason [for Pharaoh saying I believe..], nor was it the motivation [for Pharaoh to say I believe...], nor was it what forced or compelled Pharaoh to say I believe... End.
Two things must be noted from this talk: 1 The issue pertaining to Pharaohs faith reaching him once he witnessed the splitting of the sea, verily, this matter is clear from the words Al-Sarkhi conveyed, that I did not state this matter, unless, the envy has blurred his vision and prevented him from reading touched with his hand, the Almighty said: {Or do they envy people for what Allah has given them of His bounty? But we had

already given the family of Abraham the Scripture and wisdom and conferred upon them a great kingdom.} {The Holy Quran Al-Nisa: 54}
2 Al-Sarkhi, as well, said: That Pharaoh saying I believe was not incidental to the miracle of the splitting of the sea and that this divine miracle did not push Pharaoh to say I believe. Has Al-Sarkhi considered that what prompted Pharaoh to say I believe was the awareness of drowning. Verily, Al-Sarkhi cannot distinguish between drowning overtook him/awareness of drowning and drowning itself, for if he understood the difference between them he would know that the belief/faith of Pharaoh was a consequence to the [fact that] he realized drowning, thus meaning that Pharaohs faith was due to the miraculous splitting of the sea, meaning, after he touched the two mountains of water which were surrounding him and his army, and he learned with absolute certainty that the splitting of the sea was real and was not magic as they had accused Moses of before. The difference between [being] overtaken by drowning/realizing drowning and drowning itself is as follows:

Verily, drowning overtaking Pharaoh/Pharaoh realizing drowning means [drowning] approached him and caught up with him , meaning: the event of drowning was approaching Pharaoh, and had not fallen [on him] yet. While drowning means the occurrence of the event of drowning. So do you understand now, O Al-Sarkhi, that upon Pharaoh saying I believe the event of drowning had not yet occurred. Therefore, nothing remained except for the miracle (splitting of the sea), which he touched with his hand and ascertained that it was a miracle, to be the reason for him saying: I believe. Also, what claries that Al-Sarkhi cannot differentiate between realizing drowning and drowning, is [him concluding that] Pharaohs faith was due to the drowning itself, as Sarkhi said: Rather,

that which prompted him to say I believe... was drowning, and the awareness of drowning, and the signs of his death?
Here are questions by Al-Sarkhi and how he answered them: 1 Did Pharaoh believe before he drowned or before drowning overtook him/realizing drowning? 2 Did Pharaoh utter and say I believe before he was drowning or before drowning overtook him/he

became aware of drowning?

3 Did Pharaohs belief come before he was drowning and he uttered and said I believe after

he was drowning? Rather it can be said that he remained upon his tyranny and injustice and aggression/ enmity even after drowning overtook him/realizing drowning, and he remained upon this character and condition untill he said I believe (with the observation that saying I believe comes after drowning overtook him/realizing drowning or after the beginning of it.) Rather what prompted him to say I believe was drowning and realizing drowning/drowning overtaking him, and the indications and signs of his death)
Thus Al-Sarkhi is also clear-cut for those who read his words that he cannot distinguish between drowning and becoming aware of drowning/being overtaken by drowning. And if he could distinguish between them he would learn that the awareness of drowning came once Pharaoh and his army descended to the bottom of the sea which its water was receded to two mountains, and before Pharaoh said I believe. As for the drowning it came after Pharaoh said I believe, meaning: Pharaohs saying: I believe preceding his awareness of drowning and came after drowning [itself].

Fourthly: Al-Sarkhi said: Notice, O wise reader, notice O equitable, notice O proper man. Notice how he branched Pharaoh's words I believe, where the claimant said {so he said: I believe} he divided [Pharaoh's words] to be the splitting of the sea and Pharaoh's witnessing of the miracle, and him

touching it with his hands, and he expressed [the miracle] to be compelling and can not be construed. And this understanding of this Quranic verse and their meanings are contrary to the certainty of the divine truth that we have proven. And by this fact, the claimant has gone against the mind and the intellect and violates tradition, and the family of tradition, and opposed the common people and humanity, and violated the Quran, and its verses, and the essential meaning. The end.
Meaning, that Al-Sarkhi considers that the miracle of the splitting of the sea with regards to Pharaoh after he saw it and touched the two mountains of water with his hand, to be not compelling and is possible for Pharaoh to construe. I leave it to the reader to ask Al-Sarkhi the question which he will never nd an answer for, which is, how can you interpret the miracle of the splitting of the sea with, with regard to Pharaoh, after it became a trace before their eyes, when Pharaoh touched it with his hands or after he descended to the bottom of the sea and became between the mountains of water, while walking on a ground which water receded from into two mountains on his right and his left??!! Fifthly: What Al-Sarkhi considered to be a research or a book as his spokesman declared to the media in response to Ahmed Al-Hassan - contains only these lines presented in fourthly which Al-Sarkhi imagined to be a response. And had he known how to avoid dull redundancy and indecent talk, he could have summarized what he imagined to be confusion about a Qur'anic verse, which came as a witness in Enlightenment from the calls of The Messengers in only one line. So is this one (false) line called a Book in response to Ahmed Al-Hassan. But there is no harm, for you are the heirs of the drums of Mu'awiya and Ibn Al-'Aas. And long time ago it was said: if you weren't shy/embarrassed then do whatever you want. In any case, verily Sarkhi and many others who preceded him imagined an interpretation of this Quranic verse. And I shall clarify their mistakes in the interpretation and understanding which they went to, for its lack of validity will be seen through the interpretation of the Quranic verse and the inclusion of the erroneous possibilities in the interpretation and its response.

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The Interpretation of a verse from Surah Yunus

The Almighty said: {And We took the Children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh and his soldiers

pursued them in tyranny and enmity until, when drowning was to overtake him, he said, "I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims."} (1)
In the Almightys saying: {"I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims."} When did Pharaoh come to believe?? The answer here has different possibilities:

1 That the belief of Pharaoh came only upon him witnessing with his eyes the miracle of the
splitting of the sea.

2 That the belief of Pharaoh came only after he descended to the bottom of the sea while in
pursuit of Bani Israel, however before the water enclosed him and he drowned in it.

3 That the belief of Pharaoh came after the water enclosed him and he was drowning in it,
however before death over took him completely. This is the possibility which Al-Sarkhi considered to be the case according to Quranic certainty. Al-Sarkhi said: (..

Rather what pushed him to say I believe was drowning..)

Let us put the three possibilities under scientic criticism based on the presented Words of Allah, the Glorious, the Almighty, and the physical reality of talking or the utterance of words by humans. The order will likely be the rst possibility and then the third and then return to the second possibility.

The rst Possibility: It is that Pharaoh believed only upon witnessing the splitting of the
sea. While this possibility is incorrect, for the Almighty said: {And We took the Children of Israel across

the sea, and Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them in tyranny and enmity until, when drowning was to overtake him, he said, "I believe} So Pharaoh followed Bani Israel, meaning, he was not
satised with witnessing the splitting [of the sea], and he commanded his army to the bottom of the sea in pursuit of Bani Israel: { and Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them}. ______________________
(1) The Holy Quran Surah Yunus: 90

The Third Possibility: That Pharaohs belief came after the water enclosed him and he was
drowning in it, however, before death over took him completely. And this possibility which Sarkhi imagined to be valid is incorrect. For the people to say in this physical world means the utterance of words, and this cannot be achieved without a medium in which he utters through, which is the air. So with the occlusion of water the utterance of Pharaohs voice was made absent due to the closure of the pathway of air, thus it is not possible for him to say anything. It should also be noted that the water surrounding Pharaoh was two mountains. {Then We

inspired to Moses, Strike with your staff the sea, and it parted, and each portion was like a great towering mountain.} (1) You must envision how much time was actually required, overall, for the
collapse of the two Great Mountains to rise to a human beings maximum height, in a width that does not exceed several meters only. And one who has studied physics knows that the pressure of the water in the base of the two mountains of water was tremendous. Thus, the occlusion of water on Pharaoh and his soldiers during the collapsing of the mountains does not need minutes or even seconds, rather, the matter does not need more than a very small portion of a second, this is not enough time for a person to utter in it several words. So then how is the possible to conceive his words to more than one sentence, {he said, "I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims."}. Also, the condition of Pharaoh during the event when the water engulfed him should be noted, for [Pharaoh] was weighed down with iron [armor], as was the case with his soldiers, for they came out with the intention of ghting Bani Israel so it is impossible to imagine him oating or swimming and having the opportunity to say anything, for verily the iron prevents him from that. Thus, because he was weighed down with the iron, getting his body out of the water was a sign from Allah; because the iron should have kept him at the bottom of the sea.

{So today We will save you in body that you may be to those who succeed you a sign. And indeed, many among the people, of Our signs, are heedless} (2)
Thus, it is not possible for any wise person to think that after the mountains collapsed and the water covered him, {he [Pharoah] said, "I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the

Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims."}

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(1) The Holy Quran Surah Ash-Shu`ara: 63 (2) The Holy Quran Surah Yunus: 92

Also what emphasizes the lack of the validity of this possibility is that Allah the Glorious, the Almighty, did not say: when drowning he said: I believe, but rather He said: {when drowning was to overtake him, he said: I believe} Meaning, the drowning was near him and close to him, but he was not actually drowning. Thus, Pharaoh had been made aware of his drowning by touching the mountain of water., and touching the reality of his situation while walking on a ground at the bottom of the sea, between the two mountains of water that surrounded him. To further clarify the difference between the awareness of drowning and drowning itself I turn to this verse, the Almighty said: {And when the two companies saw one another, the companions of Moses

said, "Indeed, we are to be overtaken!"}

Thus, they afrm that Pharaoh and his army would overtake them {Indeed, we are to be overtaken!}, even though Pharaoh and his army only approached them to the extent that the two companies saw one another, and they did not actually reach them.

The Second Possibility: It is that Pharaohs belief came only after he descended to the
bottom of the sea while in pursuit of Bani Israel, however before the water enclosed him and he drowned in it. And this is the correct [explanation], for Pharaoh and his soldiers descended to the bottom of the sea following Bani Israel. However, while in pursuit of Bani Israel Allah Commanded the winds to strike the face of the water causing the falling of some water upon Pharaoh and his soldiers. So he turned around and came to realize that he was walking between two mountains of water which could engulf him at any moment, so he touched the two mountains of water with his hand, thus it was made clear for him the signs of his destruction and [that was the point] when his army became aware of this compelling miracle, and when it became impossible to say that this is magic or anything else about it { he said, "I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims."}. And faith is ranks: the rst of them is Ratication; and this statement of Pharaohs is a ratication which no one can deny, after it was mentioned by the Powerful Heavens and the Earth in His Holy Book, and then, He afrmed later by His, the Almighty, saying: {Now? And you

had disobeyed [Him] before and were of the corrupters?}

Meaning, now you believe after the receiving of a compelling miracle while before this you were rejecting faith {And you had disobeyed [Him] before}, and simply any person can understand why did Pharaoh say: I believe if he wasn't requesting to be rescued by Allah in this world and in ______________________
(1) The Holy Quran Surah Ash-Shu`ara: 61 (2) The Holy Quran Surah Yunus: 91

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the hereafter., or at least as understood by some of them, in this world only and specically from drowning? And how can he be hopeful for the Glorious Allah to deliver him when he does not believe in His existence? Therefore, Pharaohs faith (belief) can not be denied by anyway, rather, in more than one tradition did the Imams testify upon the faith which did not benet him. And in Wasail Al-Shia, from Musa bin Ja`far, Upon him Peace, he said: .Did you not hear Allah say: {until, when drowning

was to overtake him, he said, "I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims."} Verily, his faith at that point was not accepted by Allah and He said: {Now? And you had disobeyed [Him] before and were of the corrupters?}. (1)
Rather, at the beginning of Allahs dispatching of Moses, Peace be Upon him, to Pharaoh (l.a), He, the Glorious, the Almighty, pointed out that Pharaoh will remember and become fearful. Although, at that point, this remembrance and fearfulness of Allah did not benet him, for verily, his faith (belief) came due to the presence of a compelling miracle, which forced him to believe (ratication). Muhammad bin Amara narrated from his father who narrated from Sufyan bin Saeed who said: I heard Abi Abdullah Ja`far bin Muhammad Al-Sadiq, Peace be Upon him, say: `By Allah, he was Truthful as he was named., Sufyan said: I said to him: `O son of the Messenger of

Allah, is it possible for the slave of Allah, the Most Gloried, to [make] his servants covetous of that which is not to be? He, Peace be Upon him, said: `No. So he said: `If this is so, then how can Allah, the Glorious, the Almighty, say to Moses and Aaron, Peace be Upon them: {that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [ Allah ]."} (2) when it is known that Pharaoh did not remember [Allah] nor was he fearful? So he, Peace be Upon him, said: `Verily, Pharaoh remembered and feared [Allah], however, he became fearful when faith no longer beneted him. Do you not hear Allah, the Glorious the Almighty saying: {until, when drowning was to overtake him, he said, "I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims."} So Allah, the Most Gloried, at that point, did not accept his faith and He said: {Now? And you had disobeyed [Him] before and were of the corrupters? * So today We will save you in body that you may be to those who succeed you a sign.} He says: We will preserve/throw [your body] on the Earth to serve as a sign and a lesson to those after him. (3)

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(1) Means of Shiites (Ahlul-bayt): Chapter 16, p. 90. (2) The Holy Quran Surah Taha: 44 (3) Ma`any al-Akhbar: p.385

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And the fear of Pharaoh, as Imam Al-Kazim, Peace be Upon him, said: Not that he fell in it for

until he had said I believe.... no fear had fallen upon him). It [the fear] is the compelling miracle which brought on his faith, and it is the Mountains of water which surrounded him, and by which Pharaoh was made to realize that their collapse would cause his destruction {until, when he became aware of drowning, he said, "I believe}.
And if it were not for this compelling miracle, which Pharaoh touched with his hand and which caused his belief, verily Allah, the Glorious, would have accepted the faith of Pharaoh, and lifted fear out of him and brought him out of the sea unharmed, or at the very least, He would have only accepted his faith. For verily, Allah, the Almighty, accepts repentance from the people even up until the last moments of their life. It should also be noted that Pharaoh had heard from Moses, Peace be Upon him, and he had accepted debating Moses, Peace be Upon him, and what Moses, Peace be Upon him, had brought forth from Allah, the Glorious. So Pharaoh was less evil than the dictators and the Pharaohs of this time, May Allah curse them and put them to shame in this world and the Hereafter.

{And Moses said, "O Pharaoh, I am a messenger from the Lord of the worlds * [Who is] obligated not to say about Allah except the truth. I have come to you with clear evidence from your Lord, so send with me the Children of Israel." * [Pharaoh] said, "If you have come with a sign, then bring it forth, if you should be of the truthful." * So Moses threw his staff, and suddenly it was a serpent, manifest. * And he drew out his hand; thereupon it was white [with radiance] for the observers. * Said the eminent among the people of Pharaoh, "Indeed, this is a learned magician * Who wants to expel you from your land [through magic], so what do you instruct?" * They said, "Postpone [the matter of] him and his brother and send among the cities gatherers * Who will bring you every learned magician."}
Thus, the issue of non-acceptance of repentance and faith, and returning back to the recognition of the Wilaya (guardianship) of the Guardian of Allah and His proof upon His creation when a compelling miracle which can not be construed comes such as the worldly torment (fear) is a matter that is mentioned in the Qur'an, not only in the case of Pharaoh's faith and [Allah's] nonacceptance of his faith, but rather, [it is mentioned] in other places and this is one of the examples:

{Do they [then] wait for anything except that the angels should come to them or your Lord should come or that there come some of the signs of your Lord? The Day that some of the signs of your Lord will come no soul will benet from its faith as long as it had not believed before or had earned through its faith some good. Say, "Wait. Indeed, we [also] are waiting."} (1)
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(1) The Holy Quran Surah Al-AnAm: 158

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{Say, "On the Day of Conquest the belief of those who had disbelieved will not benet them, nor will they be reprieved."} (1) {And when they saw Our punishment, they said," We believe in Allah alone and disbelieve in that which we used to associate with Him." * But never did their faith benet them once they saw Our punishment. [It is] the established way of Allah which has preceded among His servants. And the disbelievers thereupon lost [all].} (2)
The question here is: Why: {no soul will benet from its faith as long as it had not believed before or had earned through its faith some good. Say, "Wait. Indeed, we [also] are waiting."}?? Whereas, Allah accepts the repentance of His slave until he [realizes his death/he sees the reality of death and the Hereafter] as stated in narrations? It is narrated that Abi Abdullah, Peace be Upon him, said: The Messenger of Allah, Peace be Upon him and his family, said: The repentance of one who repents a year before his death is accepted

from him. And a year is a long time, so even if he repents a month before his death, it is accepted. And a month is a long time too, so even if he repents a week before his death, it will be accepted from him. And a week is a long time too, so even if he repents a day before his death, Allah will accept his repentance. And a day before is a long time, so even if he repents just before he sees the reality of death and the Hereafter, Allah will accept his repentance. (3)
It is narrated in a tradition from Muawiyah bin Wahab: An old man who was an opponent of the Ahl al-Bayts, Peace be Upon them, and who harbored enmity towards them was on his death bed, when his nephew urged him to embrace the love and authority of the Ahl al-Bayt, Peace be Upon them. The old man accepted, and then immediately fell into a swoon and died. Subsequently this story was narrated to Imam Jafar Al-Sadiq, Peace be Upon him, who upon hearing it, said: He is of those who will enter Paradise. One of his companions retorted: But apart from that one moment, he never acknowledged your viceregency! Imam, Peace be Upon him, replied: Well, what more do you want from him? By Allah he has entered Paradise. (4) Al-Sudouq said: And Al-Sadiq, Peace be Upon him, was asked about the saying of Allah, the Gloried,

the Exalted: {But repentance is not [accepted] of those who [continue to] do evil deeds up until, when death comes to one of them, he says, "Indeed, I have repented now,"} He, Peace be Upon him, said: `That is if he sees the Hereafter [punishment]. (5)
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(1) The Holy Quran Surah As-Sajdah: 29 (2) The Holy Quran Surah Ghar: 84 & 85 (3) Al-Kar: V. 2, P. 440. (4) Al-Ka: V .2, P. 440. (5) Min La Yuhazru al-fuqee: v. 1, p. 133

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The answer for the presented question is clear and is located in the same presented verse, the Almighty said: {The Day that some of the signs of your Lord will come no soul will benet from its

faith as long as it had not believed before or had earned through its faith some good. Say, "Wait. Indeed, we [also] are waiting."} (1)
So when: {no soul will benet from its faith as long as it had not believed before or had earned through its faith some good. Say, "Wait. Indeed, we [also] are waiting."}?? The Answer: {The Day that some of the signs of your Lord will come}. It is now clear that with the coming of divine verses: meaning, some miracles, faith/belief does not benet, and the truth is that it is not accepted. For [by that] it is subjugation and compelling upon faith and surrendering to the existing reality, and it is not belief and submission and acceptance; because these miracles they are compelling miracles and can not be construed. As for [with] the rest of the miracles and divine signs, faith will be accepted if they came, because it left room for faith in the unseen, for the stick which Moses, Peace be Upon him, brought forth, and the whiteness of his hand, were construed by the interpreters, even though Moses defeated the magicians, but:{They said, "[They are but] two works of magic supporting each other, and indeed we are, in both, disbelievers."} (2) and Pharaoh said: {Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic,} (3), thus there remained an area for faith in the unseen with the presence of the miracle. But when Pharaoh believed while he was between the mountains of water, verily, there was not any area left for faith in the unseen, rather it was physical faith (ratication) by one hundred percent, for what he saw was compelling power which made the sea to split into two halves, and he did not witness it with his eyes only to say that it was magic, but rather he descended to the bottom of the sea and touched the two mountains of water with his hand. Thus, it was not possible for Pharaoh to construe while he was in this degree of being aware of it and verifying it. Therefore, he stopped confused in the middle of the sea and did not nd except for faith and ratication in order to survive. Thus, the faith of Pharaoh was not accepted, for verily, it was physical faith and ratication one hundred percent. By Allah, no [faith] is accepted unless it is faith in the unseen:

- {Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them,} (4)

- {Who fear their Lord unseen, while they are of the Hour apprehensive.} (5) ______________________
(1) The Holy Quran Surah Al-`An`Am: 158 (2) The Holy Quran Surah Al-Qasas: 48 (3) The Holy Quran Surah Taha: 71 & Surah Al-Shu`ara: 49 (4) The Holy Quran Surah Al-Baqarah: 3 (5) The Holy Quran Surah Al-Anbya: 49

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{You can only warn those who fear their Lord unseen} (1) {You can only warn one who follows the message and fears the Most Merciful unseen. So give him good tidings of forgiveness and noble reward.} (2) {Who feared the Most Merciful unseen and came with a heart returning [in repentance].} (3) {We have already sent Our messengers with clear evidences and sent down with them the Scripture and the balance that the people may maintain [their affairs] in justice. And We sent down iron, wherein is great military might and benets for the people, and so that Allah may make evident those who support Him and His messengers unseen. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might.} (4) {Indeed, those who fear their Lord unseen will have forgiveness and great reward.} (5)

And for the benet [of this talk] to be completed, I convey the lines written by the hands of this poor slave [seeking] the Mercy of his Lord, in the book (The Strife is the door of Heaven), on the issue of the confusion of miracles: (.. However, I will only discuss the [issue of] miracles partially, by which I support the Prophets, for their importance and the negligence of the people of them. Which is: the issue of confusions in miracles and the purpose of it..) So the people know that the Miracle of Moses, Upon him Peace, was the stick which turned into a snake and it was during a time when Magic was widespread. And the Miracle of Jesus, Upon him Peace, was healing the sick during a time when the practice of medicine was widespread. And the Miracle of Muhammad, Upon him and his Progeny Peace, was the Quran during a time when eloquence was widespread. And here those who are ignorant of the truth justify the reason as to why the miracle was similar to that which was widespread during that time was to outperform the magicians, physicians, rhetoricians (or eloquent ones), and as such the inimitability [of the miracles] may get proven. But the truth which is hidden from people although it is mentioned in the Qur'an, is that the perceptible/physical Miracle came as such to cause confusion to those who do not know except the visible/physical, for Allah, the Glorious, does not accept the faith in the perceptible/visible, rather it must be faith in the unseen:

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(1) The Holy Quran Surah Al-Fatir: 18 (2) The Holy Quran Surah Yasin: 11 (3) The Holy Quran Surah Qaf: 33 (4) The Holy Quran Surah Al-Hadeed: 25 (5) The Holy Quran Surah Al-Mulk: 12 15

{Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them,} (1) {You can only warn one who follows the message and fears the Most Merciful unseen. So give him good tidings of forgiveness and noble reward.} (2) {Who feared the Most Merciful unseen and came with a heart returning [in repentance].} (3) {We have already sent Our messengers with clear evidences and sent down with them the Scripture and the balance that the people may maintain [their affairs] in justice. And We sent down iron, wherein is great military might and benets for the people, and so that Allah may make evident those who support Him and His messengers unseen. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might.} (4)
Verily, faith in the unseen is what is required and that which is desired by Allah the Glorious, and the Miracles which are sent by Allah, the Glorious, must leave an area for faith in the unseen. For this, it contains within it that which causes uncertainty/confusion, and for this, in many cases it was similar to that which was widespread during the time of its sending:

{And if We had made him an angel, We would have made him [appear as] a man, and We would have covered them with that in which they cover themselves.} (5)
And for this, the people of the perceptible [who do not believe except with visible or physical proof] who do not know except it, found in the similarity/confusion an excuse for their error:

{But when the truth came to them from Us, they said, "Why was he not given like that which was given to Moses?" Did they not disbelieve in that which was given to Moses before? They said, "[They are but] two works of magic supporting each other, and indeed we are, in both, disbelievers."} (6)
Therefore, the similarities/confusions between them has become an excuse for them to say: {"[They are but] two works of magic supporting each other} and {and indeed we are, in both, disbelievers."}. And the Prince of the Believers, Upon him Peace, said when he was describing one of the hypocrites: ...he made confusions/suspicions an excuse for his errors" (1). ______________________
(1) The Holy Quran Surah Al-Baqarah: 3 (2) The Holy Quran Surah Yasin: 11 (3) The Holy Quran Surah Qaf: 33 (4) The Holy Quran Surah Al-Hadeed: 25 (5) The Holy Quran Surah Al-`An`am: 9 (6) The Holy Quran Surah Al-Qasas: 48 (7) The Prince of Believers, Upon him Peace, said to Ammar ibn Yasir - and heard Mughirah ibn Shu'bah heard revise words - "Leave him O Ammar, for he has taken nothing from religion except that which drew him

closer to this dunya (this world), and intentionally he confused himself in order to make suspicions/confusions an excuse for his errors"- Nahjul Balagha, by the explanation of Muhammad Abdu, volume 4, page 95.

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But if the Miracle was compelling/clear and there was nothing similar to it, then there does not remain, in any area, faith in the unseen, and the matter becomes compulsion and subjugation of faith. This is not believing nor is it Islam (submission), rather it is surrender/defeat, while this is inadequate and not what Allah wants nor will it be accepted by Him: {And We took the Children of

Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them in tyranny and enmity until, when drowning overtook him, he said, "I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims."} (1)
For verily, Pharaoh believed and submitted [to Allah], or said he surrendered, and this was before his death, however, Allah is not pleased with nor does He accept this [type of] faith and this [type of] submission, and Allah, the Glorious, the Almighty, answered him [Pharaoh] with this answer: {Now? And you had disobeyed [Him] before and were of the corrupters?} (2) And this was because his faith occurred [only] due to the compelling Miracle, [and there is] no way for those who do not know, except for by this perceptible/physical world to interpret, or cause confusion/suspicion about it, and by that, there was no room remaining for the unseen, which Allah requires faith in it and through it, thus, at this point faith is not accepted, for it becomes compulsion and subjugation and this is not faith: {Do they [then] wait for anything except

that the angels should come to them or your Lord should come or that there come some of the signs of your Lord? The Day that some of the signs of your Lord will come no soul will benet from its faith as long as it had not believed before or had earned through its faith some good. Say, "Wait. Indeed, we [also] are waiting."} (3) , {Say,"On the Day of Conquest the belief of those who had disbelieved will not benet them, nor will they be reprieved."} (4)
And if it was that Allah wanted the compulsion and subjugation of the people regarding their faith [He would have] sent with His Prophets compelling miracles, leaving no area with it for the people to say: {"[They are but] two works of magic supporting each other} or {"[The revelation is

but] a mixture of false dreams; rather, he has invented it; rather, he is a poet. So let him bring us a sign just as the previous [messengers] were sent [with miracles]."} (5), and the Almighty said: {And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed - all of them entirely. Then, [O Muhammad], would you compel the people in order that they become believers?} (6), and the Almighty said: {And if their evasion
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(1) The Holy Quran Surah Yunus: 90 (2) The Holy Quran Surah Yunus: 91 (3) The Holy Quran Surah Al`An`Am: 158 (4) The Holy Quran Surah Al-Sajda: 29 (5) The Holy Quran Surah Al-Anab`aya: 50 (6) The Holy Quran Surah Yunus: 99

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is difcult for you, then if you are able to seek a tunnel into the earth or a stairway into the sky to bring them a sign, [then do so]. But if Allah had willed, He would have united them upon guidance. So never be of the ignorant.} (1)
So All Praise is for Allah, Whom is pleased with faith in the unseen, and Whom made faith in the unseen, and through the unseen and Whom is not satised with faith through that which is physical/perceptible/visible, and did not make it physical/perceptible/visible, in order for those with living hearts and insightful visions to be distinguished from those with blind visions and sealed hearts. (2) All Praise is for Allah, Lord of the Worlds. I ask of Allah for all those who read these few words [to be given] guidance, and knowledge of the truth, and supporting it, for He is my guardian and He is who guards the righteous.

Ahmad Al-Hassan
Muharram 1429

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(1) The Holy Quran Surah Al-An`am: 35 (2) The strife is the door of Heaven, p. 47, Second Edition

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