al-Ghāfir

مَا يُجَادِلُ فِي آيَاتِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَلا يَغْرُرْكَ تَقَلُّبُهُمْ فِي الْبِلادِ

4. None disputes in the Ayat (Verses, Signs) of Allah but those who disbelieve. Therefore, let not their ability of going about here and there through the land deceive you.

The Arabic word jadal literally designates “twisting a rope” but it is figuratively applied to disputations in which the parties attempt to defeat the other party through twisting in disputes. It is better avoided in scholarly and doctrinal issues unless the parties make use of proper arguments. Following making reference to the Revelation of the Holy Qur’an by God Almighty and making mention of Divine Attributes that arouse fear and hope, the blessed Verse in question treats of those who resort to disputation and aggression against Divine Verses thus depicting their fate:

It is true that they may possess force and power, but:

They may have pomp and hue and cry for a few days, but they shall tread the road to perdition like bubbles or ashes against gale. It is worthy of note that the word mujadala does not connote a pejorative sense at all times, but it is worthy of praise in case it is applied within the context of following the path of Truth substantiated by sensibility for expressing realities and guiding the ignorant. Nevertheless, it is evil in case it happens to rely on false arguments stemming from prejudice, ignorance, and vanity aiming at deceiving people. It would be of interest to say that it is employed in the Holy Qur’an in both senses.

It is once used in 16:125:

It is also employed in its pejorative sense in the Verse in question and elsewhere in the Holy Qur’an. The Arabic word taqallub derives from q-l-b “change, alter, transform,” but the former is employed ad hoc in the sense of dominance and conquest of lands and regions and also frequentation in them. The blessed Verse in question suggests that the Noble Prophet (S) and early Muslims the majority of whom were from the deprived stratum of the society are not supposed to attribute to tyrant disbelievers their financial, political, and social power and influence as tokens of their truthfulness or real might since the passage of time reveals that such people have been so weak against Divine chastisement like withered leaves against autumn gale.

Arrogant and tyrant disbelievers today try to intimidate the oppressed and the deprived of the world through resorting to a series of attempts, political visits, propaganda, conferences, military maneuvers, pacts and contracts with their allies so as to create the requisite atmosphere for achieving their vicious goals. However, believers are supposed to be aware of their plots rather than being deceived by such stratagems nor are they supposed to be intimidated by them.