Araf 172-174 | aamsaafank's Blog

Araf 172-174

172- AND YOUR LORD TOOK THE OFFSPRING OF THE CHILDREN OF ADAM FROM THEIR BACKS, AND MADE THEM BEAR WITNESS UPON THEMSELVES SAYING: “AM I NOT YOUR LORD?”  THEY SAID: “YES INDEED, AND WE BEAR WITNESS”.  SO THAT ON THE DAY OF RESURRECTION YOU MAY NOT SAY: “WE WERE UNAWARE OF THIS”. 

173- OR SAY: “OUR PARENTS WERE IDLE WORSHIPPERS BEFOREHAND, AND WE WERE THE OFFSPRING WHO FOLLOWED THEM, WILL YOU DESTROY US BECAUSE OF WHAT THE WRONG DOERS DID”.

174- THIS IS HOW WE MAKE OUR AYAHS DETAILED, SO THAT THEY MAY RETURN (TO ALLAH).

Allah the Highest created all human beings in a pure form, ready to believe and worship him, creating this faith in us since we were but microscopic cells in our father’s bodies.  From this basic pure form, our parents and societies change us.  Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “Every child is born good and pure, and then his parents make him Jewish, Christian or Fire-worshipper”.  (Muslim)

Allah the Highest made us testify to Him being our Lord at such early stage of our existence, but how did this happen, and how did such communication take place, we do not know. 

We invent new means of communication by sound, picture and other means every day.  We also discover ways in which animals, birds, fish, whales, insects and even cells communication with each other.  We should not deny the fact that Allah the Highest communicated with us when we were cells and we responded at that stage of our being.

Whenever a person seeks to know their Lord sincerely, they will find the grains of the truth deep inside them, for it has been planted there long before they became full human beings.

The second issue is for a person to disclaim responsibility for their disbelief or for idle worshipping, because his/her parents were such and brought him up this way.  On Judgement before Allah the Highest, everyone will be responsible for their own deeds, and not one will be able to blame his sins on others.  This does not relieve those who misguided others from the responsibility of misguiding them.

Allah the Highest said: “AND NO ONE WILL CARRY THE SIN OF ANOTHER”.  (S: 17 A: 15)

And said: “AND IF A HEAVILY LADEN PERSON (WITH SINS) CALLS OTHERS TO CARRY SOME OF HIS LOAD, NONE OF IT WILL TAKEN TO BE CARRIED FOR HIM, EVEN IF HE WAS A CLOSE KIN”.   (S: 35 A: 18)

This is because those we follow in sin will deny any responsibility for us or our sins.  Allah the Highest said: “THEN THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED SHALL DISSOCIATE THEMSELVES FROM THOSE WHO FOLLOWED THEM, AS THEY WILL SEE THE PUNISHMENT, AND THEY WILL BE CUT OFF FROM ALL”.  (S: 2 A: 166)

Therefore, following on the footsteps of our forefathers in doing sin, is no excuse or defence for us on the Day of Judgment.

As for those following their believing and righteous forefather’s footsteps, Allah the Highest lets them, the offspring, join their righteous fathers in Paradise.  Allah the Highest said: “AS FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE AND THEIR OFFSPRING FOLLOWING THEM WITH BELIEF, WE LET THEIR OFFSPRING JOIN THEM”.  (S: 52 A: 21)