Al-A'raf: (184) Have they not reflected...

And know that when the Almighty severely threatened those who turned away from His signs and were heedless of contemplating His proofs and clear evidences, He returned to address their doubts. He said: {Have they not reflected that their companion has no madness?}

Reflection (Tafakkur) is the seeking of meaning with the heart. This is because the heart's contemplation is what is termed Nazar (gazing/consideration), deep thought (Ta'aqqul), pondering (Ta'ammul), and reflection (Tadabbur) upon a matter.

Just as sight (Ru'yah) by the eye is a specific state of unveiling and clarity, and it has a prerequisite—turning the pupil toward the seen object to attain that visual sight—so too is sight by insight (Basirah), which is termed knowledge ('Ilm) and certainty (Yaqin). This insight has a prerequisite: turning the pupil of the intellect toward various aspects, seeking that unveiling and manifestation. This is what is called the gaze (Nazar) of the intellect and its contemplation (Fikrah).

Therefore, His saying, {Have they not reflected?} is a command for contemplation, pondering, reflection, and deliberation to seek the true and complete knowledge of things as they truly are.

There is an omission in the wording. The implied meaning is: "Have they not reflected, so that they may know that their companion has no madness?"

The word {madness} (Jinnah) is a state of insanity. The inclusion of the preposition {from} (min) in {from madness} implies that he is not afflicted by any type of madness.

Know that some of the ignorant people of Mecca attributed madness to him for two reasons:

1. His actions contradicted theirs: The Prophet (peace be upon him) turned away from the world and inclined toward the Hereafter, dedicating himself to calling people to God. His conduct was contrary to their way, so they assumed he was mad. Al-Hasan and Qatadah narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) stood one night on Mount Safa calling out to every clan of Quraysh, warning them of God's might and punishment. One of them said: "Your companion is surely mad; he has persisted in shouting all night." Then God revealed this verse, urging them to reflect upon the Prophet's affair so they would know that he was only calling them to warn them, not for what the ignorant attributed to him.

2. His state during revelation: When revelation descended upon him, he would experience a strange state where his face would change, his complexion would turn pale, and he would experience a condition resembling fainting. The ignorant people claimed this was madness.

God, the Almighty, clarified in this verse that he was not afflicted by any type of madness because:

• He was calling them to God.
• He presented decisive proofs and dazzling clear evidences with eloquent words that surpassed the ability of all past and present people to match.
• He possessed excellent character, pleasant companionship, a praiseworthy path, and a pure history.
• He consistently performed good deeds, becoming a role model for the wise and knowledgeable people.

It is self-evident that such a person cannot be described as mad. Once this is established, it becomes clear that his striving in calling to the religion was only because he was a manifest warner sent by the Lord of the Worlds to frighten the disbelievers and encourage the believers.

Since the consideration of prophethood is contingent upon establishing the proofs of monotheism (Tawhid), it is appropriate that what indicates Tawhid was mentioned immediately after.

{Have they not looked into the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and at the things which Allah has created, and that it may be that the end of their lives has drawn near? Then in what statement after this will they believe?}