Its verses cause man to remember Allah and Resurrection...

Its verses cause man to remember Allah and Resurrection, and its sentences make man acquainted with the values of his own self. The next holy verse implies that if you see that they do not surrender to the awakening verses of the Qur’an, it is not for the sake that there has been fallen a curtain over the words of truth, but the disbelievers have a kind of pride which hinders them from accepting the truth, and their enmity and disobedience prevent them to accept the invitation of the Prophet (S).

The verse says: “Nay, those who disbelieve are in false pride and opposition.” As Raqib says in Mufradat, the Arabic term /‘izzat/ is a state which hinders man to defeat, and originally it is derived from /‘izaz/ in the sense of a solid, firm, and impenetrable land.

It is of two kinds: sometimes it is the acceptable and worthy honour like when we attribute the pure Essence of Allah with the word ‘Aziz (Mighty); and sometimes it is the blameworthy honour, and it is the impenetrable state against the Truth and being proud to accept the realities, and this honour is, in fact, an abasement.

The Arabic word /šiqaq/ from the point of etymology is derived from /šiq/ and originally means: ‘To cleave’, then it has also been used in the sense of ‘difference’, because difference causes that every group to be separated into a section. Here the Qur’an has counted the subject of impenetrability, pride, and paving the path of separation dispersion, and disunity as the factor of unhappiness of the pagans.

Yes, these are some ugly and evil qualities which cast a curtain over the man’s eyes, ears, and understanding and take the sense of recognition from him. How painful is that the eye and the ear of man are valid, yet he is blind and deaf. Surah Al-Baqarah, No. 2, verse 206 says: “And when it is said to him: ‘Hear Allah’, pride drives him toward sin.

So Hell shall be sufficient for him and it is an evil abode in deed.” Then, in order to awaken these proud and negligent people, the Qur’an takes them to the past history of man and shows them the evil end of the proud, haughty and obstinate nations, perhaps they take a lesson.

It says: “How many a generation We destroyed before them, then they cried, but time was none to escape.” The day when the Divine prophets and the saints advised them and warned them of the evil end of their deeds, they not only did not hearken, but also mocked and hurt the believers and even they killed them.