ḥāsid — the double-edged sword of religious devotion

Since studying the Qur’an as literature, I have been fascinated by the use of terminology common to the Bible and yet distinct in Qur’anic application. Due to the closeness of Hebrew and Arabic, it can be striking when the same triliterals conjure opposite results in either language. The question must be asked if the Qur’anic authors were purposefully using loaded Hebraic/ Syriac language in order to vex the Jews and the Christians they were so clearly critiquing. One common example is the Hebrew חָנֵף ḥanef and its Syriac counterpart ܚܢܦܐ ḥanpa both referring to someone “godless” or profane. In Arabic, we have حَنِيف ḥanif which refers to the opposite: someone inclining towards righteousness, or a monotheist generally.

This is a pattern I have noticed a few times in my studies. One of the most impressive for me is the Arabic حَسَد ḥasad referring to envy and malice. It is decidedly a negative term in all of its Qur’anic occurrences. In contrast, this root is mostly used in a positive way in the Bible, although occassions similar to its Qur’anic counterpart can be found. The Hebrew חָסַד ḥasad is typically indicative of God’s steadfast love for his people. It has a broad semantic range covering devotion and loyalty on the positive end, and reproach and shame at the negative end (see Lev. 20:17). The function as “devotion” can be seen in the name of the mystical branch of Orthodox Judaism known as חסידות ḥasidut (Hasidic Judaism). There, the term ḥasid refers to religious piety in prayer and other service to God.

In Al-Baqarah, the second surah of the Qur’an, this word is levied directly against the Jews and the Christians for their religious sectarianism:

وَدَّ كَثِيرٌ مِّنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَوْ يَرُدُّونَكُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ إِيمَـٰنِكُمْ كُفَّارًا حَسَدًا مِّنْ عِندِ أَنفُسِهِم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلْحَقُّ فَٱعْفُوا۟ وَٱصْفَحُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِىَ ٱللَّـهُ بِأَمْرِهِۦٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Many of the People of the Book wish to turn you back into unbelievers after you have believed, out of envy (حَسَدًا) on their part, after the Truth has become clear to them. But pardon and overlook, until God brings His command. God has power over all things. — Q. 2:109

The terminology of this verse is quite interesting and the concept of “envy” is rather strange here. Why would the communities of the previous revelations envy the community of Muḥammad? What would the ’ahl bayt have that the Jews and the Christians wouldn’t have? Based on the context of this ayā, I believe it to be religious fundamentalism. Two verses later we hear:

وَقَالُوا۟ لَن يَدْخُلَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ إِلَّا مَن كَانَ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَـٰرَىٰ تِلْكَ أَمَانِيُّهُمْ قُلْ هَاتُوا۟ بُرْهَـٰنَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ

The Jews and Christians each claim that none will enter Paradise except those of their own faith. These are their desires. Reply, “Show your proof if what you say is true.” — Q. 2:111

And later in this passage we hear:

وَلَن تَرْضَىٰ عَنكَ ٱلْيَهُودُ وَلَا ٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى ٱللَّـهِ هُوَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَلَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَآءَهُم بَعْدَ ٱلَّذِى جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ مَا لَكَ مِنَ ٱللَّـهِ مِن وَلِىٍّۢ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ

Never will the Jews or Christians be pleased with you, until you follow their faith. Say, “God’s guidance is the only guidance.” And if you were to follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, there would be none to protect or help you against God. — Q. 2:120

This forms the basis not only of Al-Baqarah but of the entire Qur’an. The religions that eminated from Abraham grew to worship their own groups, especially their rabbis and priests (9:31), and set a boundary in the faith that God had not set — namely the arbitrary distinction between the various sects of Christianity and Judaism. I have written at length many times of the response of the Qur’an against the sectarianism following the Christological controversies and the Byzantine-Sasanid war in the 7th century. What makes this particular surah so fascinating is that it traces the root of this problem to 1) arrogance and 2) and obstinate refusal to obey God in the simplest way.

Its first examples is that of Iblis, the Qur’anic name corresponding to the Greek διάβολος, refusing to prostrate himself before the newly created Adam. According to Gabriel Said Reynolds, this story is likely borrowed from a similar tale in the Syriac Christian epic The Cave of Treasures and has its roots in Psalm 8:5.

וַתְּחַסְּרֵ֣הוּ מְּ֭עַט מֵאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְכָבֹ֖וד וְהָדָ֣ר תְּעַטְּרֵֽהוּ׃

And you made him little less than God and crowned him with glory and honor.

Being created less than God (מְּ֭עַט מֵאֱלֹהִ֑ים) signifies that the station of Adam is higher than the angels (jinn) as being created in God’s image, or as the Qur’an puts it, his khalifa (viceroy).

وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

And when your Lord said to the angels, “I am going to place a viceroy on earth.” They asked God, “Will You place in it someone who will spread corruption there and shed blood while we glorify Your praises and proclaim Your holiness?” God responded, “I know what you do not know.” — Q. 2:30

This introduces a dynamic wherein Iblis refuses to be humbled, and becomes the cause of Adam’s stumbling later on. The other angels exhibited correct behavior by saying that their knowledge only comes from God’s instruction:

قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَكَ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَآ إِلَّا مَا عَلَّمْتَنَآ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ

They replied, “Glory be to You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. You are truly the All-Knowing, All-Wise.” — Q. 2:32

This is the key lesson that the Jews and the Christians forgot, and it is emblematic of the broader issues with religious fundementalism. In verses 40–50, we are reminded of God’s blessings to the Israelites — how he chose them from among the nations, and how he delivered them from the house of bondage in Egypt. But despite this favor, verses 51–66 relate how they continuously disobeyed, persecuted, and even killed some of the prophets that were sent to them (2:61). All of this leads to the pivotal moment where the Israelites are commanded to sacrifice a heifer (baqarah) — this one seemingly simple commandment takes a whole discourse and conciliar dialogue before the command can be (reluctantly) delivered:

وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تَذْبَحُوا۟ بَقَرَةً قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُوًا قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِٱللَّـهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْجَـٰهِلِينَ
قَالُوا۟ ٱدْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا هِىَ قَالَ إِنَّهُۥ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَّا فَارِضٌ وَلَا بِكْرٌ عَوَانٌۢ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ فَٱفْعَلُوا۟ مَا تُؤْمَرُونَ
قَالُوا۟ ٱدْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا لَوْنُهَا قَالَ إِنَّهُۥ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ صَفْرَآءُ فَاقِعٌ لَّوْنُهَا تَسُرُّ ٱلنَّـٰظِرِينَ قَالُوا۟ ٱدْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا هِىَ إِنَّ ٱلْبَقَرَ تَشَـٰبَهَ عَلَيْنَا وَإِنَّآ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّـهُ لَمُهْتَدُونَ قَالَ إِنَّهُۥ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَّا ذَلُولٌ تُثِيرُ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَلَا تَسْقِى ٱلْحَرْثَ مُسَلَّمَةٌ لَّا شِيَةَ فِيهَا قَالُوا۟ ٱلْـَٔـٰنَ جِئْتَ بِٱلْحَقِّ فَذَبَحُوهَا وَمَا كَادُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ

And when Moses said to his people, “God commands you to sacrifice a heifer.” They replied, “Are you mocking us?” Moses responded, “I seek refuge in God from acting foolishly!” They said, “Call upon your Lord to clarify for us what type heifer it should be!” He replied, “God says, ‘The heifer should neither be old nor young but in between. So do as you are commanded!’” They said, “Call upon your Lord to specify for us its color.” He replied, “God says, ‘It should be a bright yellow heifer— pleasant to see.” Again they said, “Call upon your Lord so that He may make clear to us which heifer, for all heifers look the same to us. Then, God willing, we will be guided.” He replied, “God says, ‘It should have been used neither to till the soil nor water the fields; wholesome and without blemish.” They said, “Now you have come with the truth.” Yet they still slaughtered it hesitantly! — Q. 2:67–71

While this story is not in the Bible, it is clearly corresponding to the behavior of the golden calf incident which is retold in the Qur’an (2:51, 20:88). In fact, the emphasis on the heifer being “yellow” seems to tie in with the golden makeup of the cow idol. This reticence to follow basic commands, rather than just submitting to the wisdom of God being the source of all knowledge, is the source of the problem that the Qur’anic writers are combatting.

The religious devotion ḥāsid was not exercised in the cause of God, but on the egos of the religious doctors. This is the same behavior expressed by the Rabbinical Jews in their Talmud, the Christians in their destructive councils and anathemas, and eventually the Muslims who also split along sectarian lines. When the Sunni criticizes the Shia for “abandoning the sunnah” because the Shia prays a slightly different way, they are actualizing the critique of 2:120, worth repeating:

وَلَن تَرْضَىٰ عَنكَ ٱلْيَهُودُ وَلَا ٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى ٱللَّـهِ هُوَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَلَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَآءَهُم بَعْدَ ٱلَّذِى جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ مَا لَكَ مِنَ ٱللَّـهِ مِن وَلِىٍّۢ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ

Never will the Jews or Christians be pleased with you, until you follow their faith. Say, “God’s guidance is the only guidance.” And if you were to follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, there would be none to protect or help you against God. — Q. 2:120

This is a topic I have had in mind lately as the Byzantine churches enter into the Triodion period of “Pre-Lent”. Two weeks ago we liturgically reflected upon the story of Zacchaeus, whose name comes from the Hebrew זַכַּי zakaymeaning “pure” or “innocent”. Luke’s gospel introduces him as a tax collector, who repents and sells half of his wealth to the poor (19:8), truly following the command of the Gospel. Interestingly, the Qur’anic term for charity to the poor is زكاة zakāt from the same triliteral root. This link between purity and charity to the poor calls to mind James’ beautiful words in his letter:

θρησκεία καθαρὰ καὶ ἀμίαντος παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ αὕτη ἐστίν, ἐπισκέπτεσθαι ὀρφανοὺς καὶ χήρας ἐν τῇ θλίψει αὐτῶν, ἄσπιλον ἑαυτὸν τηρεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ κόσμου.

Religion, pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, to keep oneself unspotted from the world. — Jas. 1:27

This week, we hear the story of the Publican and Pharisee, critiquing the arrogance of the religious establishment. Next week, we get to the Parable of the Prodigal Son. While most commentators focus on the son that goes astray and finds his way back to the father, the parable also makes a sober point about the son that stays the entire time. He becomes jealous (ḥāsid) of his brother, and figures that he deserves more of his father’s love since he has never gone astray.

‘O δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὅτι Ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἥκει, καὶ ἔθυσεν ὁ πατήρ σου τὸν μόσχον τὸν σιτευτόν, ὅτι ὑγιαίνοντα αὐτὸν ἀπέλαβεν. ὠργίσθη δὲ καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν εἰσελθεῖν· ὁ δὲ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ἐξελθὼν παρεκάλει αὐτόν. ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν τῷ πατρὶ Ἰδοὺ τοσαῦτα ἔτη δουλεύω σοι καὶ οὐδέποτε ἐντολήν σου παρῆλθον, καὶ ἐμοὶ οὐδέποτε ἔδωκας ἔριφον ἵνα μετὰ τῶν φίλων μου εὐφρανθῶ· ὅτε δὲ ὁ υἱός σου οὗτος ὁ καταφαγών σου τὸν βίον μετὰ πορνῶν ἦλθεν, ἔθυσας αὐτῷ τὸν σιτευτὸν μόσχον. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Τέκνον, σὺ πάντοτε μετ’ ἐμοῦ εἶ, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐμὰ σά ἐστιν· εὐφρανθῆναι δὲ καὶ χαρῆναι ἔδει, ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου οὗτος νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἔζησεν, καὶ ἀπολωλὼς καὶ εὑρέθη.

And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.” — Lk. 15:26–32

This is the envy the Qur’an speaks of, which is in turn the same envy that the Apostle Paul levies against his his Jewish brethren who wish to keep themselves separated from the “unclean” gentiles (Rom. 11:11). True religious devotion is not one that is puffed up and arrogant, ready to make arbitrary separations of “us versus them”. It is love and mercy to the needy neighbor, the simple command of God that we are just unable to set aside our own egos to actualize.

I will leave with the words of my colleague Matt Cooper, who summed up the criterion of Judgment Day quite succinctly.