One of the purposes of the Prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was the recitation of divine signs. This means that Allah sent His messenger equipped with the proofs and evidences mentioned in the Quran. The Quran uses the phrase ‘َٰا ٰی ِت َۡع َل ۡی ِہ َی ۡت ُل ۡوا’ (recite unto them Your signs) for this purpose. This refers to the act of reciting the signs of Allah. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited the contents of the Quran, he was fulfilling this purpose. In essence, he was reciting the speech that conveys the signs of Allah’s power, wisdom, creation, and other attributes through the evidence in the universe and the self. Every sentence of the Quran serves as proof and evidence that informs us about Allah’s attributes, His commands, and His will. In this respect, the words and statements of the Quran are also considered signs and are thus referred to as ‘ayat’ (signs).
The phrase ‘َٰا ٰی ِت َۡع َل ۡی ِہ َی ۡت ُل ۡوا’ appears in Surah al-Baqarah as part of the supplication of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). It is stated:
Javed Ahmed Ghamidi’s Stance [Taken from a dialogue with Mohammad Hassan Ilyas]
Lord! And send forth to them a messenger from amongst them who reads out to them Your revelations, instructs them in the law and in wisdom and in this manner purifies them. Truly, You alone are the Mighty, the Wise One. (Q 2:129)
In explanation of this, Javed Ahmed Ghamidi writes: “The term ‘ayat’ in Arabic refers to something that serves as evidence for something else. Every sentence of the Quran serves as proof and evidence for a certain truth. The word ‘ayat’ is used in this sense. The term ‘َْع َل ْی ِھ َی ْت ُل ْوا’ (recite to them) actually highlights the authority and power with which the messenger of Allah, as His ambassador, reads out His command to people and then, as God’s judge, enforces His decision upon them.” (Al-Bayan 1/131)
Maulana Syed Abul A’la Maududi, while explaining the words ‘ِۤب ٰا ٰی ِت َن َک َّذ ُب ۡوا َ َک َف ُر ۡوا ََوا َّل ِذ ۡی’ (those who disbelieve and deny Our signs) from Surah Al-Baqarah, highlights this aspect of the term ‘ayat.’ He writes:
“The original meaning of ‘ayat’ is a sign or mark that leads to something… In some places, the verses of the Book of Allah are referred to as ‘ayat’ because they not only guide towards truth and righteousness but in fact, the contents of any divine book, including its words, style of expression, and mode of composition, vividly reflect the personality of its glorious Author.” (Tafheem-ul-Quran 1/69)
Thus, there are numerous examples in the Quran where Allah uses the term ‘ayat’ for both the signs in the universe and the self, as well as for the sentences and statements of the Quran. For example, in Surah Al-Ahqaf, it is stated:
When Our clear revelations are recited out to them, these disbelievers say about the truth when it has come to them: “It is plain magic.” (Q 46:7)
However, it should be noted that when the Quran uses this term for its own sentences, the original meaning and concept of ‘ayat’ (sign) remains intact. That is, when the Quran uses the word ‘ayat’ for its text, the meaning of proof and sign is inherent within it and is not separated from it.
Consider the following passage from Surah Al-Jathiyah. It will become evident that the word ‘ayat’ is used for the verses of the Quran, but it fully encompasses the meaning of the signs in the universe and the self:
These are God’s revelations which We are reciting out to you with the truth. So, what thing will they believe in after God and His revelations! Devastation is for every liar and wrongdoer who hears God’s revelations being recited out to him; still he arrogantly adheres to his stubbornness, as if he has not even heard them. [This is his attitude.] So, give glad tidings to him of a painful
رَبَّنَا وَٱبْعَثْ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًۭا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
torment. And from Our revelations when he [similarly] comes to know of anything, he makes fun of it. It is for these people for whom there is a humiliating punishment. In front of them is Hell and whatever they have earned [in this world] will not be of slightest benefit to them. And neither those who they have made guardians besides God will be of any avail to them and for them is a great punishment. This Quran is the real guidance and those who disbelieve in the revelations of their Lord, for them is a painful punishment; such which causes shudders.
Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi has elucidated this passage in such a way that the true meaning of the Quranic term ‘ayat’ (sign) becomes fully apparent. He writes:
“‘َِت ۡل’ refers to the very signs in the universe and within ourselves (anfus wa afaq) mentioned in the preceding verses. It is stated that these are the signs of Allah’s oneness, His power and wisdom, and His retribution, which We recite to you through this Quran, explaining their true outcomes and implications. These signs are so clear that no rational person can deny them. The Quran invites you to acknowledge the real implications of these signs. If your opponents are not ready to accept the obvious conclusions of these signs, then what could be more rational and convincing for them to believe in?
‘ِبا ۡل َح ِّق ََع َل ۡی َن ۡت ُل ۡو َہا’ means that these are the definitive and true outcomes that emerge from pondering these signs. This phrase indicates that although others may also contemplate these signs, they do so from a very limited and specific perspective, often failing to reach the inherent truths within them. Even if they do reach them, they avoid acknowledging them because these truths contradict their desires. For example, astronomers and geologists study the signs in the heavens and the earth, anatomists investigate human creation, zoologists research various aspects of animals, and meteorologists study the rotation of day and night, the timing and effects of rain, and the changes in wind. However, their narrow-mindedness often limits their vision to the minor details they observe through their telescopes and microscopes, failing to see the greater reality beyond.
Meteorologists might predict that the weather will remain hot and dry for the next twenty-four hours and might offer some explanation for it, which may be correct in many cases. However, they confine their understanding to the immediate causes and effects of the weather changes without considering the ultimate cause behind these phenomena and the responsibilities that come with recognizing this cause. All these changes and variations in the universe occur to lead humans to this fundamental question: to identify the true orchestrator behind these changes and to fulfill the responsibilities toward Him. If a servant of God provides a satisfactory solution to this question, it should be accepted and acted upon. The Quran exposes these very aspects of the signs that shed light on the ultimate truth, hence it is described as ‘natlu uhaalay kabil-haqq’.
This brings to light a significant fact that the Quran’s invitation is not based on coercion or authoritarianism but on the clear evidence from the universe and the self, and on the obvious truths of reason and nature. Those who do not accept them do so not because they are hidden, but because they find them against their desires and thus want to avoid them. People afflicted with this malady will not accept anything contrary to their desires, even if it is as evident as the sun.
Another fact that becomes clear is that the most evident and fundamental truths in this universe are Allah and His signs. Those who deny them are not capable of accepting any truth. They are mere slaves to their desires, worshippers of their stomachs and bodies. The demands of such people for new signs and miracles are not worthy of attention. Even the greatest miracle cannot open the eyes of such blind individuals.”(Tadabbur-e-Quran 7/306-307)
To be continued…..