The Clear Proof (Al-Bayyinah): (7) Indeed, those who believed...

Issues Arising from This Verse:

There are several reasons for placing the warning (mentioned previously) before this promise:

1. The Medicine Analogy: The warning is like medicine, and the promise is like food. Medicine must be administered first so that the body becomes pure; only then can it benefit from food. If the body is impure, every nourishment only increases its harm. This was stated by Hippocrates in The Aphorisms.
2. Preparation for Use: Leather only becomes suitable for sandals or shoes after it has been tanned (processed). Similarly, when a person faces tribulation or hardship, they turn back to God. But once they attain worldly comfort, they turn away, as stated: "But when He saves them to the land, behold, they associate others [with Him]."
3. A Concluding Good Omen: It serves as good news. It is as if God is saying: Since both outcomes (warning and promise) were inevitable, I concluded with the promise, which is a reassurance from Me that I will conclude your affair with goodness. Did I not bring you out of the womb—a place of impurity—into the world in a state of purity? Will I not then bring you out into Paradise in a state of purity?

Those who argue that righteous deeds are not included in the meaning of Iman (faith) use this verse as evidence. They argue that righteous deeds are conjoined (via wa'w) to faith in this verse, and a conjoined element is distinct from the element it is conjoined to.

God said, "Indeed, those who believed" (إن الذين ءامنوا) and did not say, "Indeed, the believers" (إن المؤمنين).

This indicates that they actively established the cause of Islam when it was in decline, spending their wealth and lives for its sake. For this reason, they deserved the greatest virtue, just as God said: "Those among you who spent and fought before the Conquest are not equal [to the rest]."

The word "believed" (ءامنوا) implies the action of bringing faith into existence once.

Note: Those who emphasize the necessity of final perseverance (Muwafah) use this verse as proof. It indicates that whoever performs the act of faith even once receives this reward, and whoever dies upon disbelief does not receive it. This proves that true faith did not truly originate from them before that point (i.e., their final state is what matters).

The phrase "and did righteous deeds" (وعملوا الصالحات) is an instance of matching the plural with the plural. Therefore, one person is not obligated to perform all righteous deeds. Rather, every accountable person has their share: the rich person's share is giving, and the poor person's share is receiving.

Some scholars used this verse to argue for the superiority of humankind over angels. They cite the narration from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Do you marvel at the station of the angels near God? By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, the station of the believing servant near God on the Day of Resurrection will be greater than that. If you wish, recite: 'Indeed, those who believed and did righteous deeds—those are the best of creation.'"

However, this deduction is weak for several reasons:

1. Linguistic Exclusion: It is narrated from Yazid al-Nahwi that al-Barriyyah (creation) refers to the descendants of Adam, derived from al-Barr (dust/earth). Angels are never included in this category.
2. Inclusivity of the Term: The statement "Indeed, those who believed and did righteous deeds" is not exclusive to humans; angels are also included in this description.
3. Superiority Established by Other Proofs: Angels are distinguished from humans by other clear textual proofs:
   • Innate vs. Acquired Virtue: If virtue is innate (Mawhubah), their origin is from light, while your origin is from molded clay. Their dwelling is a place where your father was not left with error, while your dwelling is the earth, the dwelling place of devils.
   • Dependence: Our affairs are managed through them; our sustenance is in the hands of some, and our souls are in the hands of others. They are the scholars, and we are the learners.
   • Aspiration: Observe the greatness of their ambition; they do not incline toward minor sins. God only recounted an instance where they claimed divinity: "And whoever of them should say, 'Indeed, I am a god besides Him,'" implying that if they were to commit any sin, their ambition would reach a height only suitable for claiming Lordship. In contrast, you are perpetually the slave of your belly and private parts.
   • Worship: They are more devoted to worship than the Prophet (PBUH), whom God praised for spending two-thirds of the night in prayer. Regarding the angels, God says: "They glorify the night and the day, not ceasing," and "They are never weary."

The complete discussion on this matter was previously presented in Surat al-Baqarah.