Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 209

(Ayah 210, 209) ➊ The fundamental belief of Islam is to accept the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) as the true Messenger of Allah, and to have faith in the unseen realities he has conveyed. In the Hadith of Jibreel (peace be upon him), having faith in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Day of Judgment, and good and bad destiny is called faith. [ مسلم، الإیمان : ۸ ] The test in this world is precisely who believes in these without seeing them and acts upon Allah’s command without any compulsion. Thus it is said: «لِيَعْلَمَ اللّٰهُ مَنْ يَّخَافُهٗ بِالْغَيْبِ» [ المائدۃ : ۹۴ ] “So that Allah may know who fears Him unseen.” See also Surah Al-Anbiya (49), Fatir (18), Surah Ya-Sin (11), Surah Qaf (33), and Hadid (25).

The demand of the disbelievers was that these realities should appear before their eyes, then they would believe, otherwise not. Sometimes they demanded to see Allah and the angels, saying, “Why are angels not sent down upon us, or we see our Lord.” [ الفرقان : ۲۱ ] Sometimes they set the condition for faith, “So bring Allah and the angels before us.” [ بنی اسرائیل : ۹۲ ] Sometimes they demanded the establishment of the Hour. The Children of Israel did the same, as it is said: «وَ اِذْ قُلْتُمْ يٰمُوْسٰى لَنْ نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتّٰى نَرَى اللّٰهَ جَهْرَةً» [ البقرۃ : ۵۵ ] “And when you said, O Musa! We will never believe you until we see Allah openly.” Allah has left no deficiency in presenting proofs of Islam’s truth through His books and messengers. Now, if someone, after the truth has become clear, does not believe in it and keeps demanding miracles, he should know that there will be no benefit in believing after the unseen realities become manifest, because then there will be no choice but to believe. Thus it is said: «هَلْ يَنْظُرُوْنَ اِلَّاۤ اَنْ تَاْتِيَهُمُ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةُ اَوْ يَاْتِيَ رَبُّكَ اَوْ يَاْتِيَ بَعْضُ اٰيٰتِ رَبِّكَ يَوْمَ يَاْتِيْ بَعْضُ اٰيٰتِ رَبِّكَ لَا يَنْفَعُ نَفْسًا اِيْمَانُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ اٰمَنَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ» [ الأنعام : ۱۵۸ ] “What are they waiting for except that the angels should come to them or your Lord should come or some sign of your Lord should come? The day your Lord’s sign comes, no soul will benefit from its faith if it had not believed before.” In the verses under commentary, the same point is made: after such clear proofs, only this remains—that Allah Himself comes to them in canopies of clouds and the angels too, but then the matter will be finished. And in this world, apparently, matters are taken to others as well, but at that time, all matters will be presented to Allah alone.

➋ The mention of Allah and the angels descending to the earth on the Day of Judgment is made in several places in the Qur’an, as it is said: «وَ جَآءَ رَبُّكَ وَ الْمَلَكُ صَفًّا صَفًّا» [ الفجر : ۲۲ ] “And your Lord will come and the angels in rows upon rows.” And it is said: «هَلْ يَنْظُرُوْنَ اِلَّاۤ اَنْ تَاْتِيَهُمُ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةُ اَوْ يَاْتِيَ رَبُّكَ» [ الأنعام : ۱۵۸ ] “What are they waiting for except that the angels should come to them or your Lord should come.” All the Companions and Tabi'in believed in the descent of Allah and were certain that just as it befits His majesty that He descends to the lowest heaven every night, He will also descend to the earth on the Day of Judgment. They also believed in all other attributes according to their apparent wording; they neither interpreted them (which is called ta’weel), nor did they ask how He descends or how He is on the Throne (which is called takyeef), nor did they liken His being on the Throne or His descent to themselves or any creature (which is called tashbeeh), nor did they say that we do not know the meaning of these words, only Allah knows (which is called tafweed). Later people, influenced by non-Muslims, some denied these attributes altogether, some interpreted them, some determined a modality from themselves, and some likened them to the creation. All these forms are, in reality, forms of denial. See also the footnotes of Surah Al-Haqqah (16–18) and Surah Al-Fajr (22).