GOD WILL GUIDE WHOM HE WILL

    The aforesaid verses pointed to two group of people: The first group of them were the pagan Arabs and particularly Quraish, who were from the same race and family that the prophet himself was. It is evident that the prophet was most desirous to guide them, but they obstinately stood firm against our prophet who loved so tenderly to lead them, and remained non-believers.

      On the other hand, there were a second group of whom we made a mention in the previous passages. They were the group of Christians who came from Abyssina and without causing any trouble converted, and hence the verse (NO.56), in its general sense of meaning:-

      ``You cannot guide whoever you like. It rather is Allah Who guides whom He will.''

      Here the word ``guidance'' does not mean to show some one the right way, because such a guidance is a part of the duties of all the apostles.

      ``GUIDANCE'' here will rather mean to join somebody to his desired object, and this is only the work of God, who can sow the seed of faith and fidelity, in the field of those hearts that have the necessary merits.

      In other word, we must know that all those whom we love tenderly, do not necessarily share our ideas about everything. God alone knows the inner nature and the hidden motives of all His servants, and therefore He will guide whom He will. So, by the verse; the prophet is consoled not to grieve if he could not improve the spiritual conditions of his dear citizens, because this matter is for God to decide upon.

      As to the next verse, it has been narrated that HARITH-IBN-NUFELL a chief of the tribes, came to the prophet and said:- ``We do believe that what you say is mere truth, but if we disclose our belief in you, the pagans will attack us, and drive us out of our land, and will compel us to leave our home and hearth and go away, and we have not enough power to resist them.''

      They said so because they were not aware enough of the Infinite power of the All-mighty Lord. They had not enough faith that Allah would easily vanquish His enemies and raise up those whom He will. The All-mighty who established for them such a secure sanctuary as Mecca, to which is brought the fruits of everything as a sustenance from Him.

THE FAITH OF HAZRAT ABUTALIB

      All the Muslims have unanimously testified that, HAZRAT ABUTALIB, the prophet's uncle, was his most sincere supporter, most faithful protector, and more loving him than any father could love his son.

      Why then some of the narrators have tried to present him as a faithless and even non-Muslim. And this is while they are so tolerant and careless about others who played no effective role in the scenery of Islam and yet they pulled themselves to the top of affairs without any right.

      This will lead us to know that the head of such dangerous strings of political play was in the hand of the rivals and antagonists of Hazrat Imam Ali (AS). They have always insisted to deny his natural and religious virtues and instead of that, forge some weak points for him.

As a matter of fact, they have always been throwing ashes upon the face of light, in order to conceal it, but the light has always jumed upon the surface of the ashes.

      Certainly, the Ommayids nasty dynasty did their best in this regard, and came no short; and such traditions that we still hear them, are nothing but the traces of their dirty worldly endeavours in this respect.

      The above phrase (you cannot guide whoever you like) has therefore nothing to do with HAZRAT ABUTALIB, and as we said; was revealed on the occasion of a group of pagan Arabs who stubbornly rejected the Message of God, and contrary to them, a group of Christians who studied deeply and by FREE WILL accepted and supported the Message.

      It also is worthy of note that the fanatic Sonni commentator, (FAKHR-RAZI) who has narrated the said occasion of revelation with successive witnesses, has also stipulated that the verse has nothing to do with ABUTALIB.

      The only reason that Sonni expounders of Qurän have used to prove that Abutalib died non-Muslim, is what they have called it, the collective opinion of all Muslims; while this proof is not true, and there has not ever been a consensus of opinion on this issue among all sects of Muslims.

      Another important Sonni commentator is ÄLOSI, who has written in his famous ROOH-AL-MAANI, that, those who have said there is a broad consensus of opinion on this issue are wrong, because Muslims do differ widely on this respect, among whom we may name are all the Shiites and also the infallible Imams.

      The most important narrator of this tradition is said to have been ABUHORAIREH. They say he has personally witnessed Abutalib's death bed, when Mohammad (SA) said to his uncle; testify that there is no god save Allah, and the uncle answered; if Quraish would not reproach me and accuse me of having testified by fear, I would announce my faith in Monotheism to please you!!!

      This is while we are sure that ABUHORAIREH declared to be a Muslim at the conquest of KHAIBAR. This event was seven years after Emigration, while Abutalib died several years before Emigration (HIJRAT). And if you say ABUHORAIREH was not present at Abutalib's death bed, but might have heard that from some one else, the question then shall be:- ``Who the some one else was?''

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THIS

      As it was mentioned in the commentary above, some of the fanatic Sonni have said that the immediate occasion for the above verse (NO.56), was the death of Hazrat Abutalib; Imam Ali's father, and an uncle whom the prophet loved tenderly, and who had supported the prophet sincerely and protected him throughout his life.

      They say that the pagan Arab's leaders persuaded him to remain true to the faith of his ancestors, and so he died a non-Muslim! If so, this incident must have been an occasion of disappointment and grief for our prophet.

      But no Muslim can ever doubt that ABUTALIB was the strongest support, and the most effective protector of Mohammad among mankind, against his enemies for life. A Persian proverb is:- ``That will come out of a JAR which the JAR contains.''

      How could then a non-Muslim be so sincere, so faithful and so protective to someone who had come to corrupt his religion.

      On the other hand, our Sonni brothers have said that the Pagans persuaded Hazrat Abutalib to stay firm with the religion of his ancestors. Will they tell us who were the ancestors of Abutalib and what was their creed? Was he not the true offspring of Abraham and Ishmael (AS)? Were his father's creed idolatry? Was their religion not called, ``HANIF'' which implies pure Monotheism?

      Childish zeal and ignorance like anything else should have a limit. Why are there some people who deliberately close their eyes not to see, and shut their ears not to hear the truth. Why do some people seek to forge false weakpoints for the lasting, infinite, super man, whom God has praised and Qurän is the explanation of his virtues, and the word of God has called him the soul of Mohammad our prophet.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE