فَما لَهُم لا يُؤمِنونَ
وَإِذا قُرِئَ عَلَيهِمُ القُرآنُ لا يَسجُدونَ
So what is the matter with them that they will not believe?
And when the Quran is recited to them they will not prostrate?
EXPOSITION
The address once again changes as these two verses put forth twin rhetorical questions to the reader, aimed to highlight the obstinate stubbornness of the faithless, who despite all the opportunities and reminders, have chosen to remain steadfast in their rebellion.
Like much of this surah, this portion is similar to Sūrat al-Infiṭār, where God asks, O man! What has deceived you about your generous Lord (82:6). The question is not answered, but followed up with, No indeed! Rather, you deny the retribution (82:9), just as the next verse in this surah. The purpose of these rhetorical questions is to invite the reader to reflect on the reasons of denial. Why would someone deny the message of God, despite the clear proofs presented in the Quran? Despite the noble generosity of God? What are those reasons, and are they convincing or sufficient? And when the Quran is recited to them they will not prostrate hints that the reason for that denial is rooted in obstinate pride; a refusal to submit and prostrate to God, to accept a higher authority and the obedience that it would then necessitate. Rather, man desires to go on living viciously (75:5), he desires to live as he wishes and wants, unrestrained by any moral constraints imposed upon him by God, to formulate his own sense of right and wrong that suits his own personal wants and desires.
Therefore, prostration in this verse should not be understood to mean simply physical prostration, but rather a manifestation of the state of submission in the heart of a person.
Verse 21 is also an important reminder of the awesome station of the Quran and its holy sacredness, which compels us to treat it with the utmost respect. It also highlights how the words of the Quran have the power to move every heart to be shaken with humility. Compare it to the verse, Had We sent down this Quran upon a mountain, you would have surely seen it humbled [and] go to pieces with the fear of Allah (59:21).
When the Quran is recited to them also suggests a communal setting rather than a private reading. In such a context, refusing prostration has an aspect of social significance as well. If they were to bow with the believers, they would bring themselves to the same level as those they consider beneath them. Compare this to the earlier verse, Indeed he used to be joyful among his folk (verse 13). In such gatherings, they laugh and feel secure, but in a gathering where the Quran is recited, they stiffen, refuse to bow, and demand formality and respect for themselves, and they say: ‘Shall we believe like the fools who have believed?’ (2:13).
INSIGHTS FROM HADITH
- From Washshāʾ, that Imam al-Riḍā (a) said: ‘The closest that a servant can be to God is when he is prostrating, and that is the meaning of His word: but prostrate and draw near [96:19].’
- From Abū Baṣīr, that Imam al-Bāqir (a) said: ‘O Abū Muhammad, adhere to piety, diligence, the fulfilling of trusts, truthful speech, and good companionship toward those who keep your company, and prolong your prostration, for that is among the practices of the penitent.’
INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS
- ‘Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our maker! For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.’
- ‘Therefore God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth.’
[1] See Munyah, 30/94.
[2] Kafi, 3/264-265; Faqih, 1/209, h. 628; Wasail, 6/379-8233. See also Kafi, 2/483, 3/324; Tahdhib, 2/77, h. 287.
[3] Ayyashi, 2/286; Nur, 3/153.
[4] Psalms 95:6-8.
[5] Philippians 2:9-10.