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He is the One who supports you, as well as His angels,
to bring you out of darkness and into the light.
33:43
Before studying the significance of this glorious Quranic verse, let us first contemplate on the following theoretical scenario:
The President of the USA appoints the American Ambassador to China. Before his departure to China to take on his new post, the Ambassador has a meeting with the President who gives him a document to present to the Chinese officials and the Chinese people. This document contains a complete outlay of the USA policies, laws and tribunal system. The Ambassador is then required to spend his appointed time there bringing these policies to the attention of the Chinese people in the hope that they would abort their decadent communist charter and adopt the free open market values.
The Ambassador then heads for China and spends a number of years working hard to promote the document he brings to the Chinese people.
At the end of his appointed term he heads home.
The Chinese people first reject the Ambassador and his document. The main reason being that it is drastically different from what they were born to believe in and regard as the true ways. But after his departure, they gradually start to take in to the document and the personal work he left behind.
A number of years later, the Chinese people completely accept the Ambassador and elevate him to being an idol and god-like figure. They built a large statue of him in the biggest square and publish all his personal speeches and personal interviews in a separate document that becomes their principle law inspiring source.
The name of the Ambassador is commemorated every day and in all official events his name and work is highly praised.
Sadly, this fictitious story is not very different in concept from what happened in the case of prophet Muhammad and the Quran and many other messengers of God. God gave Muhammad a Scripture (Quran) to deliver to the people of the world. At first, the Quran and Muhammad were greatly rejected since they necessitated drastic changes to the ways of the people of Arabia. However, at a later stage, Muhammad was accepted as the prophet of God. After his death, Muhammad was made into an idol besides God, and loved by millions as they love God!. His name is placed next to the name of God in all writings and in all masjids as if he is a partner with God!
Muhammad himself came to the world to command his people to praise God constantly for God alone is worthy of all praise (45:36). However, it is a sad fact that among many Muslims today the name of Muhammad is commemorated and praised (Sali Ala Al-Nabi) much more frequently than the name of God!
If the reader is in doubt of this alarming fact, he/she is advised to count the times they hear praise for Muhammad "Sala Allah Alayhee wa sallam" and in contrast, count the times they hear praise for God "sobhan Allah".
Yes, these two stories are very similar except for one major difference; the President of the USA and his Ambassador to China are both human beings and equal to one another. However, Muhammad is a human being but the One who sent him is truly Almighty and His Greatness is way beyond our comprehension.
Now, we can study verse 43 and its great significance. To do that, we must read all 3 verses, from 40 to 43.
Muhammad was not the father of any of your men, but he was the messenger of God and the seal of the prophets. God is Knowledgeable of all things. O you who believe, remember God frequently, and glorify Him morning and evening. He is the One who supports you, as well as His angels, to bring you out of darkness and into the light. He is Merciful towards the believers. 33:40-43
From these glorious words we are told the following:
1- Muhammad is not our father or the father of any of our sons, but the messenger of God and the last prophet.
2- Immediately after this, we are told to remember God frequently and glorify Him morning and evening.
3- God follows this by telling us that it is HE who is worthy of all praise and commemoration since it is HE who helps us with His angels to lead us from the darkness to the light.
The message in these words is loud and clear. The message is directed to all those who spend all their days praising and commemorating their idols when they should be commemorating the name of God alone, for God alone is worthy of all praise (45:36), and it is God alone who has the power to guide us (28:56), and it is God alone who has the power to harm or benefit us (10:106, 48:11).