Living The Quran
From Issue: 963 [Read full issue]
Upon a Brink
Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage) Sura 22: Verse 11
"And among mankind some worship God upon a brink: if good befalls him, he is content thereby, but if a trial befalls him, he is turned over upon his face, losing this world and the Hereafter. That is the manifest loss."
Upon a brink is understood to mean "in a state of doubt" or that one's belief is superficial, on the outer reaches of one's consciousness and not in the heart. According to al-Tabari, this refers to people like the Bedouin of the Prophet's time, who would come and embrace Islam if there were some material benefit to be had, but who would go back to their old ways once that benefit was no longer available. If their lives were going well, with material wealth and sons, they would affirm the Prophet's veracity, but if they were afflicted with bad economic conditions and having only daughters, they would go back to their former ways.
For others, this verse provides a general description of hypocrites, whose religion is informed by a superficial notion of what is good for them. They are upon a brink in that the slightest discomfort topples them from faith. They lose both this world — because the material goods they thought they would attain will be lost — and the Hereafter — because they were heedless of the true nature and rewards of faith.
Compiled From:
"The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary" - Seyyed Hossein Nasr