The central theme of Surah Al-Jathiyah addresses the two primary reasons for rejecting Allah’s message, along with Allah’s response to them. These two groups are:

1. Those who reject the truth out of arrogance, refusing to submit even when they recognize what is right.
2. Those who reject the truth because they follow their own desires and whims as their sole guide.

The surah begins by introducing the Quran as Allah’s book and presents several signs as evidence that the Quran is indeed from Him.

حمٓ (١) تَنزِيلُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡحَكِيمِ (٢)

Ha, Mim. (1) The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. (45:1-2)

Note: The Quran is the only religious book in the world for which Allah explicitly declares that He is the one who revealed it.

Following this introduction, Allah explains how arrogance serves as a primary reason for some people’s rejection of the Quran.

وَيۡلٌ۬ لِّكُلِّ أَفَّاكٍ أَثِيمٍ۬ (٧) يَسۡمَعُ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِ ثُمَّ يُصِرُّ مُسۡتَكۡبِرً۬ا كَأَن لَّمۡ يَسۡمَعۡهَا‌ۖ فَبَشِّرۡهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ۬ (٨)

 وَإِذَا عَلِمَ مِنۡ ءَايَـٰتِنَا شَيۡـًٔا ٱتَّخَذَهَا هُزُوًا‌ۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ۬ مُّهِينٌ۬ (٩)

“Woe to every sinful liar, (7) who hears the Verses of Allah recited to him and persists in his arrogance as if he never heard them. So, give him the “good news” of a painful punishment! (8) And when he learns anything of Our Verses, he takes them as a mockery. For such there will be a humiliating punishment. (45:7-9)

Arrogance is the most destructive disease of the human heart. The Prophet (PBUH) warned of its severe consequences, saying:

لا يَدْخُلُ الجَنَّةَ مَن كانَ في قَلْبِهِ مِثْقالُ ذَرَّةٍ مِن كِبْرٍ ]الراوي: عبدالله بن مسعود | المصدر : صحيح مسلم[

No one will enter paradise if he has an atom’s weight of arrogance in his heart.  (Muslim)

Since arrogance is a main cause for rejecting Allah’s revelation, warning against is repeated in the Surah:

وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ أَفَلَمۡ تَكُنۡ ءَايَـٰتِى تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فَٱسۡتَكۡبَرۡتُمۡ وَكُنتُمۡ قَوۡمً۬ا مُّجۡرِمِينَ (٣١)

But as for those who rejected the truth (disbelieved) [it will be said], “Were not Our verses recited to you, but you showed arrogance, and you were criminals?” (45:31)

Arrogance leads a person to feel superior to others which is a blatant falsehood, as no one can claim superiority except Allah. Only Allah possesses perfect might and wisdom. Notably, this Surah starts and ends with these two attributes of Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise (ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡحَكِيمِ).

تَنزِيلُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡحَكِيمِ (٢)

The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. (45:2)

وَلَهُ ٱلۡكِبۡرِيَآءُ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ (٣٧)

“And unto Him (Alone) belongs the Majesty in the heavens and the earth, and He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” (45: 37)

Allah (ٱلۡعَزِيزِ), the All-Mighty, signifies that no one can ever defeat Him, and (ٱلۡحَكِيمُ), the All-Wise, means that all His decisions and actions are perfect and appropriate for their circumstances. Therefore, only Allah is the sole possessor of Majesty (ٱلۡكِبۡرِيَآءُ), a point enforced by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in hadith Qudsi:

قال رسول الله ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏قال الله عز وجل‏” الكبرياء ردائي والعظمة إزاري فمن نازعني واحدا منهما قذفته في النار) ” سنن أبي داود  (

 “Majesty is my garment and greatness is my cloak, whoever claims any of them, I’ll throw him in Hell”.

The other group of people reject the Quran because they rely solely on their desires for guidance, treating their desires as their gods.

أَفَرَءَيۡتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُ ۥ هَوَٮٰهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٍ۬ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمۡعِهِۦ وَقَلۡبِهِۦ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِۦ غِشَـٰوَةً۬ فَمَن يَہۡدِيهِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ (٢٣) وَقَالُواْ مَا هِىَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا ٱلدُّنۡيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحۡيَا وَمَا يُہۡلِكُنَآ إِلَّا ٱلدَّهۡرُ‌ۚ وَمَا لَهُم بِذَٲلِكَ مِنۡ عِلۡمٍ‌ۖ إِنۡ هُمۡ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ (٢٤)

Have you seen he who has taken his desires as his god, and Allah has let him go astray knowingly [that the mind of this person is closed to all guidance], and whose hearing and heart He has sealed, and upon whose sight He has placed a veil? Who, then, could guide him after Allah [has abandoned him]? Will you not, then, take lesson? (23) And they say: “There is nothing beyond our life in this world. We die as we come to life, and nothing but time destroys us.” But they have no knowledge whatever about that: they do nothing but guess.” (45:23-24)

Since arrogance and the pursuit of personal desires are reasons for people to reject the Quran, Allah directs all people to study His creations to recognize the truth of the Quran. Allah poses a rhetorical question: Where else would you find guidance if not from the Quran?

إِنَّ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ لَأَيَـٰتٍ۬ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ (٣) وَفِى خَلۡقِكُمۡ وَمَا يَبُثُّ مِن دَآبَّةٍ ءَايَـٰتٌ۬ لِّقَوۡمٍ۬ يُوقِنُونَ (٤) وَٱخۡتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّہَارِ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن رِّزۡقٍ۬ فَأَحۡيَا بِهِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِہَا وَتَصۡرِيفِ ٱلرِّيَـٰحِ ءَايَـٰتٌ۬ لِّقَوۡمٍ۬ يَعۡقِلُونَ (٥) تِلۡكَ ءَايَـٰتُ ٱللَّهِ نَتۡلُوهَا عَلَيۡكَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ‌ۖ فَبِأَىِّ حَدِيثِۭ بَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ وَءَايَـٰتِهِۦ يُؤۡمِنُونَ (٦)

Indeed, in the heavens and earth are signs for the believers. (3) And in your creation and in what He disperses of moving creatures are signs for people who are certain [in faith]. (4) And in the alternation of night and day and in what Allah sends down from the sky of provision and gives life thereby to the earth after its death, and [in His] directing of the winds are signs for a people who reason. (5) These are the verses of Allah which We recite to you in truth. Then in which speech (discourse, statements) after Allah and His verses will they believe? (45:3-6)

Note that the rhetorical question is directed at Muslims as well.  Unfortunately, we often ignore what Allah says in the Quran and follow what is written in other books.

 Allah also touches people’s hearts by directing them to His blessings and asks them to reflect on their complete dependence on Him.  This should stop their rejection of His message.

ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى سَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡبَحۡرَ لِتَجۡرِىَ ٱلۡفُلۡكُ فِيهِ بِأَمۡرِهِۦ وَلِتَبۡتَغُواْ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ (١٢) وَسَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعً۬ا مِّنۡهُ‌ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَأَيَـٰتٍ۬ لِّقَوۡمٍ۬ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ (١٣)

Allah is the One who subjugated to you the sea so that ships may sail upon it by His command and that you may seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful. (12) And He has subjugated to you whatever there is in the heavens and whatever there is on the earth – all from Him. Surely, in that there are signs for a people who think (reflect, ponder). (45:12-13)

For those who continue to reject Allah’s message, Allah reminds them of what they will face on the Day of Judgment.

وَلِلَّهِ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۚ وَيَوۡمَ تَقُومُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ۬ يَخۡسَرُ ٱلۡمُبۡطِلُونَ (٢٧) وَتَرَىٰ كُلَّ أُمَّةٍ۬ جَاثِيَةً۬‌ۚ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ۬ تُدۡعَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ كِتَـٰبِہَا ٱلۡيَوۡمَ تُجۡزَوۡنَ مَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ (٢٨) هَـٰذَا كِتَـٰبُنَا يَنطِقُ عَلَيۡكُم بِٱلۡحَقِّ‌ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا نَسۡتَنسِخُ مَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ (٢٩)

To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and the Day when the Hour will take place.  On that Day the adherents of falsehood shall lose. (27) And you will see every nation kneeling down. Every nation will be called to its book: “This Day you will be recompensed for all what you used to do. (28) “This is Our book that speaks against you in all truth: for We used to get recorded all that you used to do.” (45:27-29)

The choice of the word (نَسۡتَنسِخُ), which is translated as “record,” also means “clone,” implying an exact replica of one’s actions. This may suggest that the book of records will not merely be a text of what one said and did, but rather an actual video recording, as if it is a clone of the person in the record.

While we understand that each individual will be judged based on their personal record, could this Ayah suggest that there is also a separate record that documents the deeds of every nation? Could this imply that we will be judged not only for our personal actions but also for the collective actions of our community? If so, this would mean we bear a personal responsibility for the actions of the nation in which we live. This idea may be reinforced by several other Ayat that I listed in the appendix, at the end of the talk, for your consideration to draw your own conclusion.

After the judgement, every nation will be divided in two groups, a group of the righteous and a group of the criminals as Allah says:

فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ فَيُدۡخِلُهُمۡ رَبُّہُمۡ فِى رَحۡمَتِهِۦ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ هُوَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡمُبِينُ (٣٠) وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ أَفَلَمۡ تَكُنۡ ءَايَـٰتِى تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فَٱسۡتَكۡبَرۡتُمۡ وَكُنتُمۡ قَوۡمً۬ا مُّجۡرِمِينَ (٣١)

“Then, as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, their Lord will admit them to His mercy. That is the evident triumph. (30) And as for those who disbelieved (it will be said to them): Were Our revelations not recited to you? But you showed arrogance and were a guilty people.” (Al-Jathiya 45:30-31)

As in several other Surahs, Allah advises believers on how to respond to those who reject the Quran.

قُل لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ يَغۡفِرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ لَا يَرۡجُونَ أَيَّامَ ٱللَّهِ لِيَجۡزِىَ قَوۡمَۢا بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ (١٤) مَنۡ عَمِلَ صَـٰلِحً۬ا فَلِنَفۡسِهِۦ‌ۖ وَمَنۡ أَسَآءَ فَعَلَيۡہَا‌ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمۡ تُرۡجَعُونَ (١٥)

Tell those who have believed that they should forgive those who do not believe in the (coming) Days of Allah, (since) He [alone] will recompense people for whatever they have earned. (14) Whoever acts righteously, it is for his own benefit; and whoever does evil, it is against his own self; Then to your Lord, you will be returned. (45:14-15)

Allah draws the attention of Muslims to the reason for the division among Bani Israel. The cause was not a lack of knowledge of Allah’s clear guidance but rather the desire to transgress against one another.

وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا بَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡحُكۡمَ وَٱلنُّبُوَّةَ وَرَزَقۡنَـٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ وَفَضَّلۡنَـٰهُمۡ عَلَى ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (١٦) وَءَاتَيۡنَـٰهُم بَيِّنَـٰتٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡرِ‌ۖ فَمَا ٱخۡتَلَفُوٓاْ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡعِلۡمُ بَغۡيَۢا بَيۡنَهُمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقۡضِى بَيۡنَہُمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُواْ فِيهِ يَخۡتَلِفُونَ (١٧)

And indeed, We had given the Children of Israel the Scripture, and the wisdom and the Prophethood; and provided them from the good things, and We preferred them above all the world (16) And we gave them clear proofs in matters of our commands. They did not differ except after the knowledge came to them out of transgression among themselves. Surely, Your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection in the matters in which they used to differ. (45:17)

Division arises when envy and hatred take root, leading to transgression among different groups. Unfortunately, Muslims did not heed Allah’s warning and have fallen into the same trap of transgressing against one another. The cause of this transgression is the pursuit of one’s own desires (هَوَٮٰهُ) that leads away from the clear truth. Allah says to every one of us:

ثُمَّ جَعَلۡنَـٰكَ عَلَىٰ شَرِيعَةٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡرِ فَٱتَّبِعۡهَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ أَهۡوَآءَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ (١٨)

And now We have set you on a clear way of (Our) commandment; so, follow it, and do not follow the whims/desires of those who do not know. (45:18)

The choice is clear: You will either follow the commands of Allah in all your relationships and activities, or you will follow your own desires or the desires of others who manipulate you.

Appendix:  A possible justification is that our judgment may be based on a combination of our personal actions and the actions of the community to which we belong.

1/ In our recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha, we express our commitment in the plural form to worship and rely solely on Allah, and we pray for guidance, even when praying alone.

إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ (٥) ٱهۡدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٲطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ (٦)

“You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help. (5) Guide us to the straight path.” (Al-Fatiha 1:5-6)

2/ Allah cursed the Children of Israel as a community because they did not prevent evil when they saw it.

لُعِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ مِنۢ بَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ عَلَىٰ لِسَانِ دَاوُ ۥدَ وَعِيسَى ٱبۡنِ مَرۡيَمَ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ بِمَا عَصَواْ وَّڪَانُواْ يَعۡتَدُونَ (٧٨) ڪَانُواْ لَا يَتَنَاهَوۡنَ عَن مُّنڪَرٍ۬ فَعَلُوهُ‌ۚ لَبِئۡسَ مَا ڪَانُواْ يَفۡعَلُونَ (٧٩)

“Those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of David, and of Jesus, son of Mary. That was because they disobeyed and transgressed. (78) They did not forbid each other from the wickedness they did. Indeed. evil was what they have been doing!” (Al-Maeda 5:79)

3/ In Surah Al-Araf, when some people advised the sinners in their community to stop, they justified taking on this responsibility to absolve themselves before Allah:

وَإِذۡ قَالَتۡ أُمَّةٌ۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوۡمًا‌ۙ ٱللَّهُ مُهۡلِكُهُمۡ أَوۡ مُعَذِّبُہُمۡ عَذَابً۬ا شَدِيدً۬ا‌ۖ قَالُواْ مَعۡذِرَةً إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمۡ وَلَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَّقُونَ (١٦٤)

“And when a group among them said: Why do you advise a people whom Allah is about to destroy or punish with a severe punishment, they said: In order to absolve ourselves before your Lord, and perhaps they may fear Allah.” (Al-Araf 7:164)

4/ Advising with goodness and warning against evil appears to be obligatory for everyone (fard ‘ayn) (فرض عين), even if a group is already fulfilling this duty (fard kifaya) (فرض كفاية). The end of the following verse in Surah Al-Imran implies this:

وَلۡتَكُن مِّنكُمۡ أُمَّةٌ۬ يَدۡعُونَ إِلَى ٱلۡخَيۡرِ وَيَأۡمُرُونَ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَيَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ‌ۚ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ (١٠٤)

“There must be a group from among you who invite to goodness, enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong. They are the successful.” (Al-Emran 3:104)