Surah Takaathur (102: 5-6)
كَلَّا لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ الْيَقِينِ (٥) لَتَرَوُنَّ الْجَحِيمَ (٦) ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيْنَ الْيَقِينِ (٧) ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِيمِ (٨) You would never have been heedless to it; [11] never indeed, had you known that you would surely see the fire of Hell, [12] then [known that] you would observe it by the certainty of sight, then you would certainly be questioned about all these favours [of the world] on that day. [13] (102:5-8) (Excerpt from Quranic Exegesis: Javed Ahmed Ghamidi) (Translated by Dr. Shehzad Saleem) ______________________________ [11] . The words لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ الْيَقِينِ occur ahead. They occur with the particle لَوْ . This parenthetical expression is actually the answer to the conditional clause (apodosis) of this particle which the Qur’an has suppressed as a requisite of eloquence. Till the end of the surah, all verses are governed by this particle. There are many instances in the Quran in which the apodosis is suppressed where it is clearly understood to have been present. [12] . Ie., knew in the light of the arguments in favour of reward and punishment drawn from the world inside and outside man and which have been stated by the Qur’an that one day Hell will be encountered. It is evident from this that intellectual arguments can only make us reach a certain reality by reflecting on the arguments that lead to it (‘ilm al-yaqin). As far as observing a reality is concerned (‘ayn al-yaqin), this will only be possible in the Hereafter, as is specified by the verse ahead. [13] . A natural obligation a person owes to these favours is that he be held accountable for them. Imam Amin Ahan Islahi writes: … A person’s eyes, ears, heart, brain, and indeed all his organs and limbs are a blessing of God. Similarly, all the latent and apparent skills and abilities that he has been blessed with, as well as all his means and resources are a gift of God. It is the natural right of these blessings that God should be thanked for this bestowal, and that they should be used within the limits prescribed by Him. At the same time, a person must not become so possessed with them that he actually starts worshipping them, forgetting the real Creator. Those who commit such excesses will be severely dealt with on the Day of Judgement. (Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, vol. 9, 525)