[39].Surah Al-Zumar [The Groups]: Ayat 17-19

১৭. যারা শয়তানী শক্তির পূজা-অর্চনা থেকে দূরে থাকে এবং আল্লাহ অভিমুখী হয়, তাদের জন্যে রয়েছে সুসংবাদ। অতএব, সুসংবাদ দিন আমার বান্দাদেরকে।

১৮. যারা মনোনিবেশ সহকারে কথা শুনে, অতঃপর যা উত্তম, তার অনুসরণ করে। তাদেরকেই আল্লাহ সৎপথ প্রদর্শন করেন এবং তারাই বুদ্ধিমান।

১৯. যার জন্যে শাস্তির হুকুম অবধারিত হয়ে গেছে আপনি কি সে জাহান্নামীকে মুক্ত করতে পারবেন?

Ayat 17. Those who avoid At-Taghut (false deities) by not worshipping them and turn to Allah in repentance, for them are glad tidings; so announce the good news to My servants,

Ayat 18. Those who listen to the Word [good advice La ilaha ill-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah) and Islamic Monotheism, etc.] and follow the best thereof (i.e. worship Allah Alone, repent to Him and avoid Taghut, etc.) those are (the ones) whom Allah has guided and those are men of understanding (like Zaid bin 'Amr bin Nufail, Salman Al-Farisi and Abu Dhar Al-Ghifari).

Ayat 19. Is, then one against whom the Word of punishment justified (equal to the one who avoids evil). Will you rescue him who is in the Fire?

Tafseer of Surah Al Zumar Ayat 17. There is always the danger that Evil may seize us even if we approach it out of mere curiosity. If we take an interest in it we may become its worshippers or slaves. The wise man eschews it altogether, and so he enrolls among the Servants of Allah, and gets the good news of His Mercy and Good Pleasure. Ayat 18. Those who listen to the Word, and follow the best (meaning) in it: those are the ones whom Allah has guided, and those are the ones endued with understanding. The commentators construe this clause in two alternative ways. {1) if "word" be taken as any word, the clause would mean that good men listen to all that is said and choose the best of it. (2) If "word" be taken to mean Allah's Word, it would mean that they should listen reverently to it, and where permissive and alternative courses are allowed for those who are not strong enough to follow the higher course, those "endued with understanding" should prefer to attempt the higher course of conduct. For example, it is permitted (within limits) to punish those who wrong us, but the nobler course is to repel evil with good (23:96), we should try to follow the nobler course. I prefer the latter construction: it accords better with my interpretation of the last verse: Ayat 19. Is, then, one against whom the decree of Punishment is justly due (equal to one who eschews Evil)? Wouldst thou, then, deliver one (who is) in the Fire? If a man is already steeped in sin and has rejected Allah's Grace, how can we expect Revelation to work in his soul?

Hazrat Abu Musa (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah  [SAWW] (PBUH) said, "The relationship of the believer with another believer is like (the bricks of) a building, each strengthens the other.'' He  [SAWW](PBUH) illustrated this by interlacing the fingers of both his hands. [Al-Bukhari Volume 3, Book 43, Number Hadith 626)

Lesson: as mentioned above in Surah Al-Zumar Ayat 18. Those who listen to the Word [good adviceLa ilaha ill-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah) and Islamic Monotheism, etc.] and follow the best thereof (i.e. worship Allah Alone, repent to Him and avoid Taghut, etc.) This Hadith enjoins unity in the Muslim community, each member of which is like a brick, which, when they are all combined, lend strength to each other. Similarly, Muslims are like hands and arms, which physically joined together, are bound to co-operate with one another.