Translation:
Those who ignore God’s message—are they waiting for God to reveal Himself to them in the shadow of the clouds with angels, though by then all matters (disputes) would have been settled? (Be reminded that) all matters return to God (for final arbitration).
Ask the children of Israel how many clear messages God had given them. Whoever fails to appreciate the favor of God after it is given to them, then God is serious in taking accountability. The life of this world is made attractive to those who lack faith, and they make fun of those who believe. But those who are responsibly faithful will be ahead on the Day of Resurrection. God rewards whomever He pleases beyond measure. 102
Mankind is but a single nation! 103 God sent prophets as messengers and warners and revealed Books with truth for people to judge on matters in which they differed. Yet, people who were given the revelations (earlier) are the very people who disagreed, out of envy, when clear messages (and arguments from the Qur’an) came to them. Truly, God guides by His will those who believe in the truth, refraining from the difference (unnecessarily). God guides whom He pleases to the Right Path.
Interpretation:
102 The examples of the Jews is an apt application to any people, including Muslims and Christians, of those who were favored by God in certain times and given an abundance of materials and spiritual sustenance and who, after giving initial recognition and gratefulness, were indifferent and forgot the essence of the true message. Essentially, our faith and sense of responsibility become less sincere, and we become less committed to organize and prioritize our lives. If we, as Muslims, today feel distraught by our current situation, we should listen carefully to God’s message to the Jewish people and to the followers of Jesus Christ and realize that if we behave in the same way that they did after their prophets, then our condition and God’s displeasure with us will be the same. God has repeated many times in the Qur’an that He is consistent in the way He deals with his creations. Throughout the ages different groups (be they Jewish, Christian, or of another group) felt that somehow God would favor them just because of who they were and not because of their conduct. Too many Muslims feel the same way these days without proving their worth to God.
103 Mankind as a truly single nation is the grand vision of God, and all people of faith should strive for that reality. Muslims, being the nation created for the benefit of mankind, should take on the leadership role to make it happen. But are we ready and capable to do this like the earlier Muslims were? And is it an option or an obligation for us? Are we serious about our obligations and responsibilities to create this single nation? Only through knowledge, wisdom, and productive engagement of people of all faiths and ethnicities will we be able to begin to shape the world toward such a unified vision.
Reflection:
We need to analyze the behavior and activities of Muslims at the individual and collective levels and recognize our failings as similar to those the Jews, Christians, and people of earlier faiths fell victim to. While we have maintained the integrity of our faith, we have fallen short in our commitment to serve others and nurture a just society, especially during the last several centuries.
Action:
If we truly aspire for God’s favor, then we need to analyze our situation individually and collectively and initiate changes without delay and with adequate deliberation and broad-based agreements among all Muslims regarding the fundamentals of social justice, education, and freedom. We also need to reach out to our neighbors and nations of all faiths and ethnicities and strive to create and implement this global vision of oneness and solidarity.