Surah Al-A'raf • Ayah 181

وَمِمَّنْ خَلَقْنَآ(And of those whom We have created), in reference to some nations,أُمَّةٍ(a community), that stands in truth, in words and action,يَهْدُونَ بِالْحَقِّ(who guides (others) with the truth), they proclaim it and call to it,وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ(and establishes justice therewith), adhere to it themselves and judge by it. It was reported that this Ayah refers to the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ. In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Mu`awiyah bin Abi Sufyan said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,«لَا تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ مَنْ خَذَلَهُمْ وَلَا مَنْ خَالَفَهُمْ حَتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَة»(There will always be a group of my Ummah who are apparent on the Truth, unabated by those who fail or oppose them, until the (Last) Hour commences.) rIn another narration, the Messenger ﷺ said,«حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللهِ وَهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِك»(Until Allah's command (the Last Hour) comes while they are still like this. ) and in yet another narration,«وَهُمْ بِالشَّام»(And they will dwell in Ash-Sham (Greater Syria).)

امت محمد صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کے اوصاف ٭٭یعنی بعض لوگ حق و عدل پر قائم ہیں۔ حق بات ہی زبان سے نکالتے ہیں، حق کام ہی کرتے ہیں، حق کی طرف ہی اوروں کو بلاتے ہیں، حق کے ساتھ ہی انصاف کرتے ہیں اور بعض آثار میں مروی ہے کہ اس سے مراد امت محمدیہ ہے۔ چنانچہ قتادہ رحمہ اللہ فرماتے ہیں: مجھے یہ روایت پہنچی ہے کہ نبی کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم جب اس آیت کی تلاوت فرماتے تو فرماتے کہ یہ تمہارے لیے ہے۔ تم سے پہلے یہ وصف قوم موسیٰ علیہ السلام کا تھا۔ [الدر المنشور للسیوطی:272/3:ضعیف] ‏ ربیع بن انس رحمہ اللہ فرماتے ہیں کہ نبی کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کا ارشاد ہے: میری امت میں سے ایک جماعت حق پر قائم رہے گی یہاں تک کہ عیسیٰ بن مریم علیہ السلام اتریں، وہ خواہ کبھی بھی اتریں۔ [الدر المنشور للسیوطی:272/3:ضعیف] ‏ بخاری و مسلم میں ہے، آپ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم فرماتے ہیں: میری امت کا ایک گروہ ہمیشہ حق پر ظاہر رہے گا۔ انہیں ان کی دشمنی کرنے والے کچھ نقصان نہ پہنچا سکیں گے یہاں تک کہ قیامت آ جائے۔ [صحیح مسلم:1923] ‏ ایک اور روایت میں ہے کہ یہاں تک کہ اللہ کا امر آ جائے گا، وہ اسی پر رہیں گے۔ [صحیح مسلم:174] ‏ ایک روایت میں ہے: (‏اس وقت) وہ شام میں ہوں گے۔ [صحیح بخاری:7460] ‏صفحہ نمبر3145

آیت 181 وَمِمَّنْ خَلَقْنَآ اُمَّۃٌ یَّہْدُوْنَ بالْحَقِّ وَبِہٖ یَعْدِلُوْنَ ۔ یقیناً ہر دور میں کچھ لوگ حق کے علمبردار رہے ہیں اور ایسے لوگ ہمیشہ رہیں گے۔ جیسے حضور ﷺ نے ضمانت دی ہے : لَا تَزَالُ طَاءِفَۃٌ مِنْ اُمَّتِیْ ظَاھِرِیْنَ عَلَی الْحَقِّ 1 میری امت میں ایک گروہ ضرور حق پر قائم رہے گا۔

The previous verses offered a remedy of calling Allah by His good names to those who were neglectfully not making proper use of their faculties. Now the verse 181 speaks of those who followed the right path. The verse said, “ And among those we have created, there are people who guide with truth and do justice thereby”. That is, they are a people who guide others to the straight path and decide all their matters according to the dictates of truth (the divine law).Ibn Jarir has reported from his own sources that the Holy Prophet ﷺ recited this verse and said, The people referred to in this verse are my people who shall decide their controversies according to justice and truth and observe justice in all their dealings."`Abd ibn Humaid has reported that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said addressing his companions, "This verse has been revealed in your favour and prior to you there has been a group of people bearing the same attributes." Then he recited this verse:وَمِن قَوْمِ مُوسَىٰ أُمَّةٌ يَهْدُونَ بِالْحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ ﴿159﴾"And among the community of Musa there are people who guide with truth and do justice thereby." (7:159)That is to say, there was a group of people among the Israelites who had the attributes referred to in this verse, of guiding other people to the truth and deciding their matters according to the law of the Torah. Similarly, the Muslim Ummah has the same attributes as their distinct feature.The essence of the message is firstly, to guide people to the right path in accordance with the dictates of the Shari` ah, and secondly, to decide all their controversies according to the law of Islam. The above two features offer, in fact, the guaranteed way of success, both in this world and in the Hereafter. Any group or individuals who follow the truth and justice in all their modes of life, and do not exhibit their personal prejudices while making judgments even for their enemies, are the people of truth refered to in this verse. The same has been the main characteristic of the Muslim Ummah who strictly observed the demands of truth and justice in all their dealings and overlooked their personal priorities when making judgments between people. The history has recorded unique examples of such truthful practices from the lives of the blessed Companions and their disciples.From the day the Muslims started to show disregard to these two distinctive features of their character, an evident regression started to show itself in every sphere of their life. Remorsefully though, we have to acknowledge that majority of the Muslim Ummah have fallen prey to their personal desires. All their activities, their political, social and educational set ups are motivated by downtrodden worldly gains. Their guidance to other people is mainly aimed at getting some worldly benefits. Most of their family ceremonies are not only devoid of Islamic character, but demonstrate a behaviour opposed to Shari'ah. There are some family traditions designed in the name of religious ceremonies. Any one going against or showing dislike to these innovations has to face active opposition on their part. People are no more interested in organizing themselves purely for the propagation of truth and justice.There is none to make them realize that this course of thought and action has to bring disaster to the Muslims at large. The only way to restore the dignity of the Muslim Ummah and to bring them back to the path. of progress and prosperity is to follow the way of truth and justice suggested by this verse. Conscious efforts should be made to create an awareness of these values among the Muslims.