Central Theme and Relationship with the
Previous Sūrah
The previous sūrah ended on the answer
to the objection raised by the People of the Book against jihād. The reason for
giving this answer was that the objections raised by the opponents of the
Prophet (sws) would be picked up by the Hypocrites and secretly spread among the
Muslims in order to weaken their faith and repress their zeal for jihād. It
seems that these activities of the Hypocrites had gained great momentum at the
time of revelation of this sūrah. The situation demanded that this clandestine
propaganda be checked. Consequently, in this sūrah, the Hypocrites are severely
reprimanded for indulging in such subversive activities, and in order to curb
them, Muslims are also directed to adopt certain measures. Simultaneously, by
presenting a very effective practical example, Muslims are taught how to deal
with a difficulty they might face in following Islam: they should sincerely
present the issue to the Prophet (sws). It is hoped that the Almighty will find
out a way for them. The people who initiate a propaganda campaign against Islam
by making an excuse of a hypothetical or real difficulty they might be facing
are the ones who want to open a war-front with God and His Prophet (sws). Such
people should remember that they will be humiliated. It is the incontestable
decision of God that success and dominance is only reserved for God and His
prophets.
Analysis of the Sūrah’s Discourse
Verse (1-4): A reference is made to an
incident in which a pious woman had to face a severe difficulty regarding a
religious issue; instead of becoming frustrated and showing distrust in the
Almighty, she presented her case before Him and His Prophet (sws) with all the
confidence and purity of intention she could muster. The Almighty resolved her
difficulty and set her forth as an example in the Qur’ān: the example of a
person who adopted the correct attitude when troubles came her way. This was in
sharp contrast with the attitude of the Hypocrites who would show hostility and
indulge in a covert and hostile propaganda against the Almighty and His Prophet
(sws) when a particular directive of the sharī‘ah proved adverse to their
desires and wishes.
Verses (5-8): Disgust is expressed at
the attitude of the people who, instead of showing trust in the Almighty and His
Prophet (sws), were busy whispering evil suggestions to others and maligning the
cause of Islam. They were showing disrespect to the Prophet (sws) and were
presenting the lenience the Almighty was showing them by not punishing them as a
proof of their correct attitude. They are warned that they shall not only be
humiliated in this world as history testifies, but will also face a grievous
torment in the Hereafter.
Verses (9-10): Muslims have been
forbidden from sin and excesses and directed that their secret conversations
should not be against the Prophet (sws); their intimate exchanges should be
clean and pious. They are told that they should ignore the whispering campaign
which the Hypocrites have launched against them, for such whispering cannot harm
anyone unless the Almighty permits it. It is befitting for them to trust their
Lord and rest assured instead of worrying and being aggrieved by such
insinuations. The Almighty shall protect them from the evil of the evil-doers.
Verses (11-12): The believers have been
directed to follow certain manners when they are in the company of the Prophet (sws),
and forbidden to carry out clandestine conversation when they are gathered
around him. Certain emergency directives are given to curb the whispering
campaign undertaken by the Hypocrites.
Verse (13): After the achievement of the
desired results, the emergency directives have been repealed and the believers
have been directed to establish those forms of worship which shall put an end to
this malady of the whispering campaign and secret conversation; these forms have
been spelled out for them.
Verses (14-22): An indication is made of
the fact that the Hypocrites are actually the agents of the Jews who have
incurred the wrath of the Almighty; their real allegiance rests with them. Their
glibness and their trait of swearing during conversation effectively conceals
their real character and they are able to outwardly show themselves as Muslims.
Their allegiance is actually with the enemies of Islam; they have been
overwhelmed by the love of wealth. Satan has made them unmindful of Allah and
they have joined his party to impair and obstruct the Prophet’s mission;
ultimately their efforts shall fizzle out, for it is the absolute judgement of
the Almighty that only He and His prophets shall always prevail. True believers
are those who sever their ties of relationship from the enemies of Allah and the
Prophet (sws) even if they are their fathers, sons, brothers and tribesmen. The
Almighty shall only be happy with such people; they are the people of His party
and only they shall achieve success.
Section I (Verses 1-4)
Text and Translation
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
قَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ قَوْلَ الَّتِي تُجَادِلُكَ فِي زَوْجِهَا
وَتَشْتَكِي إِلَى اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ يَسْمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ
سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ (١) الَّذِينَ يُظَاهِرُونَ مِنكُم مِّن نِّسَائِهِم مَّا هُنَّ
أُمَّهَاتِهِمْ إِنْ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ إِلَّا اللَّائِي وَلَدْنَهُمْ وَإِنَّهُمْ
لَيَقُولُونَ مُنكَرًا مِّنَ الْقَوْلِ وَزُورًا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ
(٢) وَالَّذِينَ يُظَاهِرُونَ مِن نِّسَائِهِمْ ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا قَالُوا
فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَتَمَاسَّا ذَلِكُمْ تُوعَظُونَ بِهِ
وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ (٣) فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ
مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَتَمَاسَّا فَمَن لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَإِطْعَامُ
سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا ذَلِكَ لِتُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ
اللَّهِ وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (٤)
God has heard the words of the lady who
argued with you about her husband and was complaining to God and God was hearing
your conversation. God hears all and observes all. (1)
Those of you who divorce their wives by
declaring them to be their mothers should know that they do not become their
mothers. Their mothers are those only who have given birth to them. In fact,
such people utter words which are very despicable and false. And God pardons and
forgives. And those who divorce their wives by declaring them to be their
mothers, and afterwards return to what had been prohibited, shall free a slave
before they touch each other again. This is what you are being counselled of.
And God is aware of all that you do. Thus, he who has no slave available to him
shall fast two successive months before they touch one another. And he who does
not have the capacity to do this shall feed sixty of the destitute. This is
enjoined on you so that you may have deep faith in God and His Messenger. These
are the bounds set by God and for the disbelievers there is a grievous
punishment. (2-4)
Explanation
قَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ قَوْلَ الَّتِي تُجَادِلُكَ فِي زَوْجِهَا
وَتَشْتَكِي إِلَى اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ يَسْمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ
سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ (١)
The words قَدْ
سَمِعَ اللَّهُ do not merely signify hearing as is
evident from the occasion of the discourse; they also signify acceptance. It has
been used in this meaning in the Qur’ān, and this meaning is common in the
Arabic language as well. In our language too, hearing is used to refer to
acceptance.
Before the word
تُجَادِلُكَ, a suppression of an
incomplete verb has occurred as per the general principles of Arabic language.
It is evident from this that the lady whose incident is mentioned here came many
a time to the Prophet (sws) to relate it.
The word
مجادلة is used in the Qur’ān in both its positive and
negative meanings. When used negatively, it refers to quibble and to quarrel.
When used positively, it refers to convince someone through affection, pleading,
insistence and fondness; here the element of quarrel is present too; however,
this quarrel is with love and trust the way children try to convince their
elders by quarrelling with them all the while trusting their affection. The best
example of such an affectionate quarrel is that of Abraham (sws) which he had
with His Lord regarding the people of Lot (sws). The Almighty praised it a lot.
I have already referred to it in this tafsīr. The argument of the lady mentioned
in this verse was of precisely this nature as well. I could not find an
appropriate translation of this word in Urdu; so I have rendered it as jhagarnā
(to quarrel). However, this quarrel has a special connotation, and in this
connotation it is used in Urdu as well on the condition that a person realizes
its occasion and background.
Narratives mention the name of the lady
referred to in this verse as Khawlah bint Tha‘labah. Her husband’s name was Aws
bin Sāmit al-Ansārī. Once when he was angry, he uttered he following words to
his wife: أَنْتَ عَلَيَّ كَظَهْرِ أُمَِي
(if I now become sexually intimate with you, it will be as if
I came near my mother for this purpose). In the days of jāhiliyyah, such words
would separate a wife permanently. For this reason, Khawlah (rta) became very
anxious about her fate and that of her children if this separation took place.
So, she presented her case before the Prophet (sws), and with insistence and
assertion pleaded to him to solve her issue. Since the Prophet (sws) did not
have before him a clear-cut guidance in this regard, it seems that he delayed
responding to her. For this reason, she had to come to the Prophet (sws) time
and again to resolve her issue.
It is also evident from the Qur’ān that
in this matter Khawlah (rta) defended her husband to some extent. It is evident
from some narratives that Aws (rta) had a harsh disposition as a result of which
he uttered this inappropriate sentence. He had absolutely no intention of
divorcing his wife; for this reason, both husband and wife became very worried.
Khawlah (rta) must have also related this situation to the Prophet (sws) so that
it could become fully clear that while uttering this sentence, her husband had
no intention of divorcing her. He uttered it inadvertently out of anger.
Zihār is also mentioned in Sūrah Ahzāb;
however, that mention is only as a passing reference by the words:
وَمَا جَعَلَ أَزْوَاجَكُمُ اللَّائِي تُظَاهِرُونَ مِنْهُنَّ
أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ (٤:٣٣) (He does not regard the wives
whom you divorce through ziihār as your mothers, (33:4). Nevertheless, in the
first place, it is not necessary that Sūrah Ahzāb should have been revealed
before Sūrah Mujādalah. In the second place, even if it was revealed before it,
what is only evident from these words is that by pronouncing zihār, a person’s
wife does not become his mother; they do not say what responsibility such a
declaration entails and what a person should do for its atonement. So even
though this verse of Sūrah Ahzāb had been revealed to the Prdophet (sws), he
could only have decisively resolved the issue of Khawlah (rta) after being
divinely guided. So he waited until a revelation came to guide him. Finally, he
was provided this divine guidance and because of her affectionate complaints not
only was her problem resolved, this guidance also showed the way out to
countless men and women from this absurd ritual. Consequently, by praising her
in the Qur’ān, the Almighty eternally preserved her affectionate complaint, and
guided people that when they face some hardship in a matter of religion they
should present it before their Lord the way this believing lady had done; like
the Hypocrites, one should not make it an excuse to raise objections, launch a
whispering campaign and a matter of confrontation with God and His Prophet (sws).
وَاللَّهُ يَسْمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَا:
Since this complaint was specifically addressed to God, He kept on listening to
it with great affection and attention. He finally resolved the issue of Khawlah
(rta). It is evident from this that those who speak out their problems to God
should rest assured that the Almighty listens to them very attentively. He sees
and knows all. And when He listens and also has power over everything, why
should a person lose hope and harbour evil thoughts in his mind?
Here it should be kept in mind that like
the case of material and mundane hardships, the most successful way in combating
spiritual and intellectual confusions is to present them to God. At times, a
person is faced with an intellectual problem which seems irresolvable to him,
and this raises a lot of doubts about religion. In such circumstances, if a
person presents his problem to God and asks guidance from Him, God willing, he
will be blessed with peace of mind on the condition that he patiently asks God’s
help. True seekers always adopt this behaviour; however, the mean and the hasty
instead of adopting this behaviour either make doubts and superstitions into
religion itself or by making religion an object of objection show confrontation
to it. The result of this is what is stated later in this sūrah.
الَّذِينَ يُظَاهِرُونَ مِنكُم مِّن نِّسَائِهِم مَّا هُنَّ
أُمَّهَاتِهِمْ إِنْ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ إِلَّا اللَّائِي وَلَدْنَهُمْ وَإِنَّهُمْ
لَيَقُولُونَ مُنكَرًا مِّنَ الْقَوْلِ وَزُورًا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ
(٢)
In this regard, the first principle
guidance is that by uttering such words, wives do not become mothers of such
people. Their mothers are only those who have given them birth. These mothers
are prohibited to them in marriage because of this relationship and this
prohibition is a natural and an eternal one. Such a prohibition cannot be
regarded to be present in some other woman merely because a person had likened
her or a limb of her to his mother. Those who utter such words utter what is
vicious and false on which they are indeed worthy of being punished; however,
this utterance does not make his wife prohibited to him.
The implication of the words
وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ
is that if a person while being overcome with anger uttered such an evil and
untruthful statement and later realized his folly, then God is Gracious and
Forgiving. Consequently, in the case under discussion as well, since the
perpetrator of this mistake realized the wrong he had done, the Almighty forgave
him.
It needs to be kept in mind here that in
the age of jāhiliyyah, just as the Arabs had given adopted children the same
status as real children, similarly in case of zihār too, they were extremely
strict. If a person uttered such words for his wife, then as per the general
practice she would become prohibited to him like his own mother. Never could a
person have sexual intimacy with his wife after this. If any person dared to do
it, he was looked upon as a person who had married his mother. For this reason
Islam, while reforming such unnatural customs, has at all places directed man’s
attention to put each thing at its place as prescribed by the laws of nature. He
should not try to pervert this natural religion by making such changes. This
issue has been discussed at length in the tafsīr of Sūah Ahzāb. Here too, while
reforming this evil custom in order to silence the objectors it is said in the
very beginning that such inappropriate utterances do not change the laws of
nature. A wife does not become a person’s mother merely by such a false
utterance of his.
A question arises about a declension in
the expression:مَا هُنَّ أُمَّهَاتِهِمْ.
Why is the word أُمَّهَاتِهِمْ
declined in the accusative. In my opinion, the wordمَا
here connotes لَيْسَ.
Examples of this usage exist in the Qur’ān. Thus it is said in Sūrah Hāqqah:
فَمَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ عَنْهُ حَاجِزِينَ (٦٩:
٤٧)
(then no one among you could have withheld Us from
this, (69:47)
وَالَّذِينَ يُظَاهِرُونَ مِن نِّسَائِهِمْ ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ
لِمَا قَالُوا فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَتَمَاسَّا ذَلِكُمْ
تُوعَظُونَ بِهِ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ (٣)
Mentioned in this verse is the way out
for a person who has done zihār with his wife, and wants to undo it: he must
liberate one slave as atonement of this sin.
The implication of the verse is that
though his wife will not become prohibited to him as his mother is yet, since
marriage and divorce have lasting effects on social life, in their matter both
solemnity and jest carry great significance. As a result, such a person should
be admonished and punished in some way so that he remains careful in future, and
others too learn a lesson from this. Thus it is essential for him to liberate a
slave before he becomes intimate with his wife. The word used here is
رَقَبَةٌ (neck). It is evident from
this word that no distinction is to be made in this regard between a slave-man
and a slave-lady. Some jurists do not even make a distinction between a Muslim
and non-Muslim in this regard. Whoever is available can be used to atone for the
sin. The only thing is that if a Muslim slave is available, he should be
preferred.
Here it needs to be kept in
consideration that the emancipation of a slave has been stated as the first
option. If a slave is not available the two other alternatives mentioned later
can be opted for. This reinforces my view stated in Sūrah Nūr that Islam opened
the doors to slave emancipation in the widest sense. So much so, it regarded
this emancipation to be an atonement of small or big sins so that the campaign
of slave liberation is given impetus from every aspect.
There is a little ambiguity in the
words: ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا قَالُوا.
The reason for this ambiguity is that what they allude to is self-obviously
evil. The Qur’ān has also regarded it to be مُنكَر
and زُور. It was
inappropriate to mention an evil in explicit terms. For this reason, the Qur’ān
referred to it in vague terms. The meaning of the expression thus is that if
they want to do the same thing which they had prohibited upon themselves like
the prohibition of their mothers, then they must liberate a slave before being
intimate with their wives.
This ambiguity, in the first place, also
stands clarified by the words: مِن قَبْلِ أَن
يَتَمَاسَّا. Moreover, this very style is employed in
verse eight of this sūrah: ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا
نُهُوا عَنْهُ (then do what they have been forbidden).
Similarly, here too, it will mean that they undertake what they had pledged to
abstain from or which they had forbidden upon themselves. A very exquisite
example of the ambiguity found in the use of قَالُوْا
andقَالَ etc keeping in
view brevity and eloquence can be seen in verse eight of Sūrah Maryam. For more
details, its tafsīr can be looked up.
The stress in the words
مِنْ قَبْلِ أَن يَتَمَاسَّا is that
this atonement should be made before being intimate with the wife. In this next
verse, this condition is repeated which shows its emphasis. For this reason, it
is not allowed that a person while being overcome with desire should be intimate
with his wife before he has atoned for it. If this is done, then it would be
considered as exceeding the limits of God, as will be mentioned later.
The words
ذَلِكُمْ تُوعَظُونَ بِهِ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
sound a warning that the advice being handed out is from God. If a person
secretly disobeys it, then he should remember that God is well aware of all his
deeds. The implication is that if He is aware of these deeds, then the
perpetrators of these deeds will not be able to save themselves from His grasp.
The word ذَلِكُمْ refers to
all what is said above. In other words, neither should a person insist on the
custom of zihār belonging to the age of jāhiliyyah nor invent excuses and legal
subterfuges to escape the directive of atonement; each directive must be obeyed
in its true spirit. This will bring success both in this world and in the next.
فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ مِن
قَبْلِ أَن يَتَمَاسَّا فَمَن لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَإِطْعَامُ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا
ذَلِكَ لِتُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ
وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (٤)
If a slave is not available to a person,
he should fast consecutively for two months, and if this is not possible for
him, he should feed sixty indigent people. In these times, only these two
options practically remain after the eradication of slavery which has been
achieved exactly as per the intent of Islam.
It is evident from the word
مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ (consecutive) that
if before the termination of two months, a person becomes intimate with his
wife, then he will have to begin the count again.
Here, though the condition of
مِنْ قَبْلِ أَن يَتَمَاسَّا is not
mentioned with فَإِطْعَامُ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا
(feeding sixty indigent), yet it is understood to be implied.
The reason for not mentioning it is that this option is not the primary one, it
is only its corollary; when it was mentioned with the primary one, it was not
needed to be mentioned with the corollary.
The words
ذَلِكَ لِتُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ mention the
benefit of these directives: they have been given so that one’s faith is
strengthened in God and in His Prophet (sws). Here the word
لِتُؤْمِنُوا as per common
linguistic principles of Arabic denotes completeness, examples of which can be
seen in previous sūrahs. If a person bears some hardship to atone for his
mistake or shortcoming, then he not only atones for the mistake, it also
reinforces him with regard to the real objective.
The words
وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ sound a warning the way the
words ذَلِكُمْ تُوعَظُونَ بِهِ
sounded a warning earlier: these are the limits set by God; a
person should not dare cross them otherwise the consequence will be very grave.
The words
وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ imply that those who
cross the limits of God are disbelievers and a grievous punishment awaits them
in the Hereafter. So unfortunate are people who in spite of claiming to be
adherents to Islam join the disbelievers.
Some other questions do arise about
zihār. However, they relate more to fiqh than to tafsīr. For this reason, I will
not touch upon them. Those who want to look up the details should study books of
fiqh to study these related issues.
Section II
(Verses 5-11)
After the issue of mujādalah-i hasan
(affectionate argument), the character of people who were inflicted with the
ailment of muhāddah (enmity with Islam and the Prophet (sws)) is mentioned.
Though these people were apparently included among the Muslims, they were
nurtured and supported by the Jews, and were working among the Muslims as their
agents. Their special modus operandi was that they would start a whispering
campaign against Islam and the Prophet (sws) among the Muslims by making some
excuse in order to shake their beliefs and to make them lose hope in the future
of Islam. Here these connivances of theirs are unveiled, and they are warned
that the Almighty is aware of each and every whisper of theirs and soon they
will face its consequences. At the same time, Muslims are informed of various
measures to protect themselves from their evil and to cleanse the gatherings of
the Prophet (sws) from their whispering campaigns.
Readers may now proceed to recite these
verses:
Text and Translation
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحَادُّونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ كُبِتُوا
كَمَا كُبِتَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَا آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ
وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ (٥) يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا
فَيُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوا أَحْصَاهُ اللَّهُ وَنَسُوهُ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ
شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ (٦) أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ مَا يَكُونُ مِن نَّجْوَى ثَلَاثَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمْ
وَلَا خَمْسَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ سَادِسُهُمْ وَلَا أَدْنَى مِن ذَلِكَ وَلَا أَكْثَرَ
إِلَّا هُوَ مَعَهُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كَانُوا ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوا يَوْمَ
الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ (٧) أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى
الَّذِينَ نُهُوا عَنِ النَّجْوَى ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا نُهُوا عَنْهُ
وَيَتَنَاجَوْنَ بِالْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَمَعْصِيَتِ الرَّسُولِ وَإِذَا
جَاؤُوكَ حَيَّوْكَ بِمَا لَمْ يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ اللَّهُ وَيَقُولُونَ فِي
أَنفُسِهِمْ لَوْلَا يُعَذِّبُنَا اللَّهُ بِمَا نَقُولُ حَسْبُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ
يَصْلَوْنَهَا فَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ (٨) يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا
تَنَاجَيْتُمْ فَلَا تَتَنَاجَوْا بِالْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَمَعْصِيَتِ
الرَّسُولِ وَتَنَاجَوْا بِالْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي
إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ (٩) إِنَّمَا النَّجْوَى مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ لِيَحْزُنَ
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَيْسَ بِضَارِّهِمْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَعَلَى
اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ (١٠) يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا
قِيلَ لَكُمْ تَفَسَّحُوا فِي الْمَجَالِسِ فَافْسَحُوا يَفْسَحِ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ
وَإِذَا قِيلَ انشُزُوا فَانشُزُوا يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ
وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ (١١)
Those who are confronting God and His
Messenger shall be humiliated the way those before them of their sort have been.
And We have sent down clear warnings, and an utterly disgraceful torment awaits
the disbelievers. They should remember the day when God raises them all to life
and will inform them of all their deeds. God has counted these and they have
forgotten them. And God is present near all things. (5-6)
Don’t you understand that God knows
everything which is in the heavens and the earth? Three men do not converse
secretly except God is the fourth; neither between five except He is the sixth;
whether fewer or more, wherever they be, He is with them. Then, on the Day of
Judgement, He will inform them of all their doings. Indeed, God has knowledge of
all things. (7)
Have you not seen those who though
forbidden to converse secretly do what they have been forbidden, and these
people converse secretly of sin, transgression and disobedience to the
Messenger. And when they come to you, they pay salutations to you in words which
God does not greet you with, and say in their hearts: “Why does God not punish
us for what we say?” Hell alone is sufficient for them. They shall enter it;
Thus, it is an evil abode! (8)
Believers! When you converse secretly,
do not converse of sin, transgression and disobedience to the Messenger;
converse what is virtuous and pious. And fear God before whom you all shall be
brought together. (9)
These secret conversations are from
Satan so that he inflicts sorrow on the faithful. Yet he cannot harm them in any
way except by the will of God. And let the faithful put their trust in God. (10)
Believers! Make room in your gatherings
when you are bidden do so; God will make room for you. And rise up when you are
told to rise. God will elevate to high ranks those that have faith and knowledge
among you. And God is fully cognizant of all that you do. (11)
Explanation
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحَادُّونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ كُبِتُوا
كَمَا كُبِتَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَا آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ
وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ (٥)
The word
مُحَادَّة means “conflict and enmity”. It is the
opposite of مُوَادَّة. Both
these words are used very aptly in one verse of the sūrah, and shed light on the
meaning of one another: لَا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ
بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ (58:
22) (you shall not find people who believe in God and
in the Last Day on friendly terms with those who oppose God and His Messenger,
(58:22)).
In the previous paragraph, as is
evident, the character of those people has been described who come only
to God and His Prophet (sws) when they are faced with some hardship and
affectionately plead before them. Now the character of people who though claimed
to have faith yet opposed God and His Prophet (sws) is being portrayed. They
would start a whispering campaign and clandestine propaganda against any
directive of Islam which they felt was against their benefit and interest. Their
objective would be to shake and unsettle the faith of sincere Muslims by these
evil promptings. All their sympathies, as will become evident later, were with
the enemies of Islam, in particular the Jews. They were the agents of the Jews
among the Muslims, and under their guidance would continually be on the look out
to find an opportunity to harm the Muslims. Details of the turmoil they caused
in the matters of ‘Ā’ishah (rta) and Zaynab (rta) have already been mentioned in
Sūrah Nūr and Sūrah Ahzāb. The issue of zihār was also among the ones in which
they could have made the concession given by the Qur’ān a target of objection in
order to create misconceptions in the mind of simpletons. In the age of
jāhiliyyah, as referred to before, zihār signified a
permanent divorce between a husband and wife. These miscreants could have easily
begun the whispering campaign that Islam had, God forbid, allowed its followers
to contract marriage with their mothers. This situation required that these
miscreants be totally unveiled so that any mischief they tried to spread could
be curbed.
The word كَبَتَ means “to destroy
someone by humiliating him”. The verse كُبِتُوا كَمَا كُبِتَ
الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ says that these people will be doomed after
being humiliated the way others, before them, of similar character were. The
words وَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَا آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ (and
We have sent down [in the Qur’ān] clear arguments to validate this claim)
refer to the historical facts which have been mentioned in detail in the Qur’ān
to show that those who oppose God’s prophets are ultimately humbled.
The words
وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ say that for these
disbelievers too a disgraceful punishment lies in store ultimately. The
reference is to those disbelievers who were proactive in opposing the Prophet (sws).
The verse says that they too will be humiliated eventually the way others like
them before were. If their character is the same, there is no reason that their
fate be different. The law of God is the same for all.
This warning of the Qur’ān materialized
when the power of the Quraysh was also humbled, and the Jews too met their fate.
At that time, no refuge remained for the Hypocrites who would indulge in
intrigues under the patronage of the Jews. They met the same fate as their
guides: the Jews. The succeeding sūrahs mention the details of the exemplary
fate they met.
The punishment they were given has been
called humiliating because they had to encounter punishments of execution, exile
and slavery, and no one showed any sympathy to them; everyone, on the other
hand, cursed them.
يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا
عَمِلُوا أَحْصَاهُ اللَّهُ وَنَسُوهُ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ (٦)
The accusative form of
يَوْمَ can be because the words
عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ mentioned
in the previous verse; however, in my opinion, it is because of a suppressed
verb as per common linguistic principles of Arabic. The implication is that
whatever punishment will befall them will only be a prelude; they should also
remember the day when the Almighty will raise them to life again and bring up
before them their actions. The word جَمِيعًا
points to the fact that all the components and motives of the conspiracies and
whispering campaigns which are taking place today shall be gathered, and the
Almighty will unveil to each person his secrets and inform him of who suggested
what and who complied in what manner.
By the word
فَيُنَبِّئُهُم obviously is implied its consequences:
The Almighty will inform them of all their deeds so that they face their
consequences.
The words
أَحْصَاهُ اللَّهُ وَنَسُوهُ are meant to dispel a
great misconception: people should not think that if they have forgotten
everything they had done, the Almighty too will forget it. Since they were not
punished because of their mischief, they thought that the Almighty too had
forgotten it; in fact the Almighty has noted each and every act of theirs, and
has fixed a day for reward and punishment on which the good and evil deeds done
by each person will come up before him.
The words
وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ substantiate what
is just said: The Almighty is not absent from anywhere; whatever happens in the
heavens and the earth happens before Him and He is omnipresent.
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ مَا يَكُونُ مِن نَّجْوَى ثَلَاثَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمْ
وَلَا خَمْسَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ سَادِسُهُمْ وَلَا أَدْنَى مِن ذَلِكَ وَلَا أَكْثَرَ
إِلَّا هُوَ مَعَهُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كَانُوا ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوا يَوْمَ
الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ (٧)
This is a further explanation of the
fact that each and everything in the heavens and the earth is in the knowledge
of God. He will present to each person all his deeds. The address
أَلَمْ تَرَ is general in nature,
and on this occasion, this style refers to the fact that this is something which
should be evident to everyone. When God is the Creator of the heavens and the
earth and when He alone is running all their affairs and each and every object
moves because of His permission and because of His leave living beings continue
to live, then how is it possible that He remain unaware of anything belonging to
the heavens and the earth? In Sūrah Mulk, it is said:
أَلَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ خَلَقَ (67: 14) (would He not know
Who has created? (67:14))
The rest of the verse from
مَا يَكُونُ مِن نَّجْوَى ثَلَاثَةٍ
to the end implies that when the knowledge of God is all-embracing, then these
people who connive and whisper against God and His Prophet (sws) should remember
that when three of them are conversing in private, the fourth is God, and when
five of them are conversing in private, the sixth is God. Thus, whether less
from this number or more God is necessarily present alongside them. The words
أَيْنَ مَا كَانُوا imply
that these people should remember that wherever they converse in secret, God
will be with them. They cannot find any place in the heavens and the earth in
which they can hide from the omnipresent God.
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ نُهُوا عَنِ النَّجْوَى ثُمَّ
يَعُودُونَ لِمَا نُهُوا عَنْهُ وَيَتَنَاجَوْنَ بِالْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ
وَمَعْصِيَتِ الرَّسُولِ وَإِذَا جَاؤُوكَ حَيَّوْكَ بِمَا لَمْ يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ
اللَّهُ وَيَقُولُونَ فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ لَوْلَا يُعَذِّبُنَا اللَّهُ بِمَا نَقُولُ
حَسْبُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ يَصْلَوْنَهَا فَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ (٨)
This verse expresses amazement at their
state: they are repeatedly indulging in the very clandestine conversation from
which they have been stopped. Moreover, they are audacious enough to indulge in
secret conversation which is sinful and relates to transgression and
disobedience to the Prophet (sws). They are neither ashamed on this nor have any
fear of God.
It seems that when their whisperings
began, the Almighty tried to stop them; however, they never desisted; in fact,
their mischief only increased. Ultimately, these verses sounded a final warning
to them.
The words
وَيَتَنَاجَوْنَ بِالْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَمَعْصِيَتِ الرَّسُولِ
express the fact that there is nothing good in their private conversation, even
though such conversation can relate to good things, as is mentioned in the
succeeding verses. Their hearts are absolutely devoid of goodness. Thus their
secret talks relate to sin, transgression and inciting people to rebellion
against the Prophet (sws). The word إِثْم
(ithm) refers to sins in which the element of usurping rights is dominant, andعُدْوَان
(‘udwān) refers to sins in which the element of
transgression, rebellion and arrogance is dominant. When used together, these
words embrace all types of sins.
The words
وَمَعْصِيَتِ الرَّسُولِ express the real objective of
these malicious campaigns of the miscreants: they want to incite Muslims to
rebel against the Prophet (sws) in order to dismember their lot.
These Hypocrites, as has been indicated
earlier, were nurtured and guided by the Jews. The purpose of all their
activities was to create such mischief among the Companions (rta) that they were
ruined before becoming an impregnable force. The details of this mischief are
found in the previous sūrahs and will also be referred to in the coming ones.
However, the Almighty humiliated them, and the faction of God which was
organized by the training and education of the Prophet Muhammad (sws) humbled
all the enemies of the truth.
The words
وَإِذَا جَاؤُوكَ حَيَّوْكَ بِمَا لَمْ يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ اللَّهُ
state an example of the malice these miscreants have for the Prophet (sws). When
they come to the Prophet (sws), they pay salutations to him in exactly the
opposite words prescribed by God. God and His angels send mercy and peace on
him,
and these wretched people twist their tongues and instead of saying
السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ (peace be to
you) to him, say السَّاَمُ عَلَيْكَ
(death be to you).
The words
بِمَا لَمْ يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ اللَّهُ are meant to express
their callousness: what doubt remains of their wretchedness who pray for death
of the holy person on whom the Almighty and the angels send peace and blessings?
Also concealed in these words is assurance for the Prophet (sws): if they people
desire death for him, then let them; for God desires mercy and His angels send
blessings on him; so he should not care about what prayers these people make.
Examples of how the Jews and their
agents would twist their tongues to distort words have been mentioned in Sūrah
Baqarah. I have already described them in detail while explaining the words
رَاعِنَا and
سَمِعْنَا وَ أَطَعْنَا of verse 104.
They would similarly twist their tongues to make
السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ sound like
السَّاَمُ عَلَيْكَ and the listener
would think that they have said the former whereas the matter would be the
reverse.
The words
وَيَقُولُونَ فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ لَوْلَا يُعَذِّبُنَا اللَّهُ بِمَا نَقُولُ
refer to their delusion because of which they continued spreading mischief on
not being chastened for it.
The Qur’ān says that since they are not
immediately punished for their mischief, they think that they are correct in
rejecting the Prophet (sws) and in making fun of him; they reckoned that had he
been the messenger of God, then they would necessarily have been punished for
this conduct; however, since no such thing is happening, it means that his claim
is only a bluff.
The words
حَسْبُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ يَصْلَوْنَهَا فَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ
say that Hell is sufficient for such people in which they shall necessarily be
cast, and what an evil abode it is. In its presence, if no punishment visits
them in this world, then it does not matter. Hell suffices for every latitude
given.
These miscreants are threatened of
punishment not only in this world as is alluded to in verse five above and is
also mentioned further ahead in the sūrah, but fact of the matter is that they
have to face Hell, and there is no reason for them to rest assured if any of
them is not seized in this world.
It should be kept in mind that the
greatest thing which increases arrogance and rebelliousness in a person is the
delusion mentioned above. When he observes that he is not being punished in this
world for his mischief, he becomes assured that he will never be punished, and
the warnings sounded by the preachers are mere blackmail; they have no reality.
In fact, this is mere lack of vision. If the results of deeds become immediately
evident to a person, who would dare to do evil? One would only adopt virtue;
everyone would be pious and virtuous as a result. The real secret of this world
is that it is not a place of reward and punishment; it is a place of trial and
test. It is the Hereafter which is the place of reward and punishment, which is
the most evident and indubitable fact of this universe. In its absence, the
whole universe is rendered meaningless and purposeless and its creator a
merry-maker. The fact of the matter is that he is not a merry-maker; He is an
obviously powerful and wise being.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا تَنَاجَيْتُمْ فَلَا
تَتَنَاجَوْا بِالْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَمَعْصِيَتِ الرَّسُولِ وَتَنَاجَوْا
بِالْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ (٩)
These verses inform the Muslims that
najwā (secret conversation) in itself is nothing bad. There are a lot of
occasions in our social lives when the need to mutually consult one another
arises. Consultation is one of the foundations of collective life, and it may
also need to be kept a secret. If such a consultation relates to virtue, piety
and mutual correction and reformation, then it is a means of blessing. So
whenever Muslims consult in secret, they should do so for a noble purpose.
However, secret consultation in which the Hypocrites indulge and which relates
to sin, transgression and disobedience to the Prophet (sws) is satanic in
nature. Believers should abstain from it and keep fearing the God in Whose
presence everyone will be gathered, and Who is fully aware of their secret
consultations, as is stated earlier.
إِنَّمَا النَّجْوَى مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ لِيَحْزُنَ الَّذِينَ
آمَنُوا وَلَيْسَ بِضَارِّهِمْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ
فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ (١٠)
This verse assures the sincere believers
that the source of all these secret conversations of the Hypocrites is the
incitement of Satan, and what best Satan can do is to inflict some sorrow and
grief on the hearts of the Muslims. He can do nothing beyond this. Without the
permission of God, he cannot harm people; so the believers should disregard
these evil suggestions and provocations of Satan and adhere to their stance;
they should trust God that He will protect them from the mischief of every
miscreant.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا
إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمْ تَفَسَّحُوا فِي الْمَجَالِسِ فَافْسَحُوا يَفْسَحِ اللَّهُ
لَكُمْ وَإِذَا قِيلَ انشُزُوا فَانشُزُوا يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا
مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
خَبِيرٌ (١١)
These secret conversations of the
Hypocrites would take place in every place and gathering, however they would
specially indulge in them in the gatherings of the Prophet (sws) because it was
here that they found the greatest opportunities to cast aspersions on Islam, to
inflict sorrow and dismay in the hearts and to make fun and show disrespect to
the Prophet (sws). Consequently, they would sit in groups in these gatherings
and would not allow others to sit among them so that they could easily and
freely comment on the conversation of the Prophet (sws). At times, when he would
leave these gatherings or when the end of these gatherings would be announced,
they would keep sitting to accomplish their evil objectives; in this way, they
would get the opportunity to spread evil suggestions among the people present or
make schemes of some new trick. This situation called for some directives for
the gatherings of the Prophet (sws) so that the Hypocrites could be stopped from
their satanic whisperings.
It is evident from the context that the
word مَجْلِس in
إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمْ تَفَسَّحُوا فِي الْمَجَالِسِ فَافْسَحُوا
refers primarily to the gatherings of the Prophet (sws); however, since the word
is used in its plural form in the verse, the purpose is to guide Muslims to
manners and etiquette they should observe in all gatherings so that each of
their gatherings becomes a reflection of the gatherings of the Prophet (sws).
Similarly, at some instances, the word مساجد
used is in the plural form; though it primarily refers to the Baytullāh as in
إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللهِ (9: 18)
yet since the word occurs in the plural what is intended to
be conveyed is that the guidance given relates to all mosques because they are
subservient to this great mosque.
The implication is that when the head of
the gathering directs the people to sit with spaces between them, then this
directive should be obeyed without any hesitation and people should sit at a
distance from each other so that it is easier for others who would join to sit
comfortably and it becomes difficult for the Hypocrites to sit together and
indulge in whispering. I have stated earlier that the Hypocrites would sit
closely together in the form of a group in the gatherings of the Prophet (sws)
so that no one from outside them was able to infiltrate their groups; this would
make it easier for them to show whatever response they wanted without any
external interference; in this way, they would also be able to conceal their
whisperings, gestures and sarcastic comments. At times, with this attitude they
were able to create a lot of commotion the details of which can be seen in
history books and the Qur’ān has also referred to them. At the time of
revelation of this sūrah, their mischief had spread a lot. In order to curb it,
it was told that when the head of the gathering asks people to sit at a
distance, then this directive should be obeyed without any hesitation.
The wordsفَافْسَحُوا
يَفْسَحِ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ say that if people make room
for others, the Almighty will make room for them. The apparent sense of these
words is that the Almighty will create room for them in Paradise; however, the
truth of the matter is for the person who widens his heart for others, the
Almighty widens the hearts of others for him. Every deed of a person whether
apparent or hidden, good or evil has a natural impact; its true manifestation
will take place in the Hereafter yet its consequences are also seen in this
world as well provided a person has eyes to see them.
The words
وَإِذَا قِيلَ انشُزُوا فَانشُزُوا say that if in a
similar manner, the head of the gathering asks for people to disperse, then this
directive too should be obeyed without any hesitation and without any feeling of
inferiority.
The nature of this directive can be
individual as well as collective. The implication is that when all the gathering
is dispersed, people should whole-heartedly accept this, and should not think
that they have been disgraced or that the Prophet’s personal comfort has been
given preference to a need of the collectivity and that they were not allowed to
express themselves.
Similarly, if a person is individually
asked to get up and sit at some other place or leave the gathering or give up
his place to someone else, then he should obey this directive without
complaining. If out of respect for the collective system he behaves in this
altruistic manner, the Almighty will accept his sacrifice and elevate him as a
result.
The words
فَانشُزُوا يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا
الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
occur in contrast to فَافْسَحُوا يَفْسَحِ اللَّهُ
لَكُمْ. Even if this standing up and giving up one’s
place may seemingly be humiliating, the Almighty will make this a means of
elevation for the believers.
The words
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ
here are very meaningful. The implication is that the Hypocrites who have
infiltrated in the ranks of the Muslims will definitely raise objections against
such a directive; they will regard giving space to others by getting up as
tantamount to disgracing them. Some of them would even think that they are
inferior to others with regard to knowledge and deeds because of which they have
been given preference over them; however, men of knowledge and the faithful who
will whole-heartedly obey this directive will be greatly rewarded in the
Hereafter by the Almighty.
The words assure the men of knowledge
and faith that the Almighty is aware of all their deeds. In order to become
aware of them, He does not need that an advertisement of their deeds and
services be published in newspapers. Whatever sacrifice they make for the
betterment of faith and the Muslim ummah and for the respect of the collectivity
is fully in the knowledge of God and He will duly reward them for this.
Though this etiquette has been spelled
out for the gatherings of the Prophet (sws), it should be observed in all
gatherings, as has been indicated earlier. Today while blindly following the
West, the ways which have been adopted are regarded to be very modern and
developed, however, it is because of them that our parliaments and council have
become more of places of duels. In them, various parties form factions only to
defeat one another, make evil gestures, indulge in secret conversation and pass
sarcastic remarks. At times, matters reach the extent that they even engage in
brawls and hurl shoes and chairs at one another and the leader of the house,
instead of reminding them of congregational etiquette, has to seek the help of
the police.
Section III (Verses 12-13)
Just as in the previous verses, certain
measures have been suggested to shield prophetic meetings from clandestine
talks, in the same manner, in the succeeding verses a measure has been suggested
in order to shield the person of the Prophet (sws) from the evil of those who
indulge in these clandestine talks,. When this mischief spread and the Qur’ān
condemned it, many Hypocrites started having long meetings with the Prophet (sws)
to try to prove themselves to be innocent and incriminate others for their own
crimes. These people did not have the courage to do this in open gatherings and
hence each of them would try to meet the Prophet (sws) in private. This
situation demanded that certain restrictions be imposed on meeting him in
private so that each person should not waste his time. This was an emergency
directive. When the objective was achieved, this directive was abrogated and the
abrogated verses were placed right before the abrogating ones so that one does
not have any difficulty in appreciating the coherence in the discourse.
Readers may now continue to study the
succeeding verses.
Text and Translation
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نَاجَيْتُمُ الرَّسُولَ
فَقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ نَجْوَاكُمْ صَدَقَةً ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَطْهَرُ
فَإِن لَّمْ تَجِدُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ (١٢) أَأَشْفَقْتُمْ أَن
تُقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ نَجْوَاكُمْ صَدَقَاتٍ فَإِذْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا وَتَابَ
اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ
وَرَسُولَهُ وَاللَّهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ (١٣)
Believers! When you confer in secret
with the Messenger, give some charity before such conversation. This is best and
more noble for you. But if you lack the means, God is Forgiving and Merciful.
(12)
Have you become apprehensive that you
will have to give in charity before conversing secretly with him? So, when you
did not do this, and God had mercy on you, then be diligent in your prayer and
pay the zakāh and show obedience to God and His Messenger. And God is well aware
of all that you do. (13)
Explanation
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نَاجَيْتُمُ الرَّسُولَ
فَقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ نَجْوَاكُمْ صَدَقَةً ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَطْهَرُ
فَإِن لَّمْ تَجِدُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ (١٢)
As indicated before, this directive was
given at the time when the epidemic of a whispering campaign was at its height;
the purpose was to stop the Hypocrites from interfering with the cherished time
of the Prophet (sws). When these people were taken to task for this attitude,
each one of them wanted to meet the Prophet (sws) in private to satisfy him with
his obsequious talk, and if possible to attribute the burden of his sins to
some other person. Since the Prophet (sws) had not imposed any condition on
meeting in private, such selfish people would take undue advantage of his
generosity. In this period also, they must have triedp
to specially take advantage of it. For this reason, a condition was imposed on
them by the Almighty: anyone who wanted to meet him in private to talk secretly
with him, would first have to spend in charity in the way of God. The indigent
were exempted from this directive so that this should not become a burden for
the poor among the Muslims. Similarly, the amount of charity was also not
determined so that people should not feel its burden.
The real purpose of this directive, as
indicated earlier, was to discourage the ever-increasing campaign of whispering
and secret conversation launched by the Hypocrites. They were generally plagued
with the malady of greed and stinginess. The Qur’ān has pointed out this malady
of theirs at various places. For this reason, the Qur’ān imposed this condition
so that meeting the Prophet (sws) in private became a serious affair. Such
people because of their miserliness would in the first place not even have the
courage to do it, and if they did, their spending became a means of their
spiritual purification and they were blessed with the urge to refrain from
mischief.
The words ذَلِكَ
خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَطْهَرُ state the purpose of this
directive: if they sincerely followed it, it would become a means for their
betterment and success both in this world and in the Hereafter, and a source of
cleansing their hearts. Thus the words also indicate that this directive was not
given for the personal comfort of the Prophet (sws); it was meant to show them
the path to success and salvation provided they gave it due importance.
The words
فَإِن لَّمْ تَجِدُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
say that as before the poor and the indigent can continue to meet the Prophet (sws)
in private for their conversation without any such restriction.
أَأَشْفَقْتُمْ أَن تُقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ نَجْوَاكُمْ
صَدَقَاتٍ فَإِذْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا وَتَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا
الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَاللَّهُ خَبِيرٌ
بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ (١٣)
This verse was revealed some time later
to abrogate the previous directive mentioned in the preceding one. It was placed
right after the previous verse in the middle of the sūrah so that the abrogated
and abrogating verses are adjacent to one another. Obviously, a period of time
must have elapsed between the two verses that the objective of the initial
directive would have been fulfilled; in other words, the mischief of secret
conversations of the Hypocrites must have ceased for which the above-mentioned
directive of paying charity before meeting the Prophet (sws) had been revealed.
Some exegetical narratives show that the two verses were just separated by
morning and evening. Probably, the reason for this could be that both verses
occur adjacent to one another. However, this cannot be the reason for saying
that there is little or no difference between the time of revelation of the two
verses. There are examples found in the Qur’ān such that the abrogating verse
was revealed after sometime; however, it was placed right after the abrogated
verse. A very clear example of this exists in Sūrah Muzzammil.
As explained earlier, the restriction
imposed on meeting the Prophet (sws) in private was given in a certain period of
time and was meant to curb a specific type of mischief. This restriction must
have been lifted when this mischief had been checked or when the feeling of
abstaining from it arose in the people. This purpose cannot be achieved in a few
hours. Some time must have necessarily elapsed, and for this reason there must
been such time difference between the two directives as is necessary to achieve
an objective.
It is evident from the words
أَأَشْفَقْتُمْ أَن تُقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ نَجْوَاكُمْ
صَدَقَاتٍ that the increasing tendency of speaking in
private with the Prophet (sws) was curtailed after this directive. The
Hypocrites must have desisted because of their miserliness, while the sincere
must have desisted not only due to their poverty but also because they must have
realized that the Almighty does not approve of conversing in private with the
Prophet (sws). Nevertheless when the objective of giving this contingent
directive was fulfilled, it was abrogated.
What is firstly evident from the words
فَإِذْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا وَتَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ
is that neither did the people dare to talk in private
with the Prophet (sws) nor did the event of paying charity for it arise. The
second thing which is evident from it is that people generally felt ashamed that
what they had hitherto being doing was not approved by God, and for this reason
they were rebuked by Him. The expression تَابَ اللَّهُ
عَلَيْكُمْ means “God accepted your repentance”.
Obviously, this acceptance by God must have been after they had proved worthy of
it by being ashamed of this behaviour. It is possible that there could have been
some hard-hearts who did not take heed even after this warning; however, it is
evident from the verse that generally people were ashamed of their behaviour. It
is the practice too of the Almighty that when a good sentiment is found in most
individuals of a community, then He values this attitude. Consequently, the
restriction was lifted.
The words
فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ
وَاللَّهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ are said as a
caution: though the restriction has been lifted, yet as a watchful measure
Muslims must specially be diligent in the prayer, in paying zakāh and in obeying
the Prophet (sws) so that the society does not face any more crisis and Satan is
not provided with another opportunity to spread the menace of whispering.
Section IV (Verses 14-22)
The abrogating and abrogated verses
which came in between were of the genre of a parenthetical sentence. As soon as
it ends, the discourse once again returns to the discussion regarding the
Hypocrites. It is said that their real association is not with Islam; it lies
with the Jews, who are the enemies of Islam. They befriend them, and on the
basis of their false oaths have infiltrated among the Muslims. Their real malady
is love for this world because of which they have become accomplices of Satan,
and it is the inalterable verdict of God that He and His messengers shall always
prevail and the faction of Satan will be vanquished. Faith in God cannot be
combined with friendship with the enemies of religion. True believers are those
who sever all ties with such people even if they are their close relatives. It
is they who are the faction of God, and they only will succeed.
In the light of this background, readers
may now proceed to the next section of verses.
Text and Translation
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ
تَوَلَّوْا قَوْمًا غَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مَّا هُم مِّنكُمْ وَلَا مِنْهُمْ
وَيَحْلِفُونَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ (١٤) أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ
عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا إِنَّهُمْ سَاء مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ (١٥) اتَّخَذُوا
أَيْمَانَهُمْ جُنَّةً فَصَدُّوا عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ
(١٦) لَن تُغْنِيَ عَنْهُمْ أَمْوَالُهُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ
شَيْئًا أُوْلَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ (١٧) يَوْمَ
يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا فَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ كَمَا يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ
وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ (١٨)
اسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَأَنسَاهُمْ ذِكْرَ اللَّهِ أُوْلَئِكَ
حِزْبُ الشَّيْطَانِ أَلَا إِنَّ حِزْبَ الشَّيْطَانِ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ (١٩)
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحَادُّونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ أُوْلَئِكَ فِي الأَذَلِّينَ (٢٠)
كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَأَغْلِبَنَّ أَنَا وَرُسُلِي إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ (٢١)
لَا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ
حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءهُمْ أَوْ
إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ أُوْلَئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْإِيمَانَ
وَأَيَّدَهُم بِرُوحٍ مِّنْهُ وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا
الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ
أُوْلَئِكَ حِزْبُ اللَّهِ أَلَا إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ (٢٢)
Have you not seen those who befriend
people who incurred the wrath of God? They belong neither to you nor to them.
And they intentionally swear to falsehood. God has prepared for them a grievous
torment. Evil indeed is that which they are doing. They use their oaths as a
shield, and have desisted from the path of God. So a humiliating punishment
awaits them. (14-16)
Their wealth and children shall in no
way be able to protect them from God. They are the inmates of Hell. They shall
abide in it forever. On the day when God raises them all to life, they will
swear to Him as they now swear to you and will think that they have a basis. Be
informed that they are absolute liars. Satan has gained possession of them. Thus
he has made them forget God’s remembrance. They are the faction of Satan; Listen
up! The faction of Satan will surely be the losers. (17-19)
Those who oppose God and His Messenger
shall be humiliated. God has decreed: “I Myself and my Messengers will surely
triumph.” Indeed, God is Powerful and Mighty. (20-21)
You shall not find any community who
believes in God and in the Last Day on friendly terms with those who oppose God
and His Messenger, even though they be their fathers, their sons, their
brothers, or their family. It is these people in whose hearts God has stamped
faith, and strengthened them with a special blessing of His own. And He will
admit them to gardens watered by running streams, where they shall dwell
forever. God is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him. They
are the faction of God: and listen up! God’s faction will surely triumph. (22)
Explanation
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْا قَوْمًا غَضِبَ اللَّهُ
عَلَيْهِم مَّا هُم مِّنكُمْ وَلَا مِنْهُمْ وَيَحْلِفُونَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ وَهُمْ
يَعْلَمُونَ (١٤)
This is an expression of wonder on these
Hypocrites; on the one hand, they are friends to those who have incurred the
wrath of God, and on the other hand, they testify on oath that they are with the
Muslims. The fact of the matter is that they are neither with those who have
incurred God’s wrath nor with the Muslims. They are not with the Muslims because
professing faith in God and His Prophet (sws) in simultaneity with befriending
the enemies of God are two opposites; they can never exist together. They are
also not with those who have incurred God’s wrath because their friendship
revolves around their own interest. If they are faced with trying circumstances,
these Hypocrites will never be ready to bear any assault and will only declare
their dissociation like Satan.
The words
وَيَحْلِفُونَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ say
that they fully know that they are with no one except with their interests;
however, by swearing false oaths they want to please both the Muslims and these
people.
The words
غَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم refer to the Jews who are
alluded to by the words مَغْضُوْبِ عَلَيْهِم
in the very first sūrah of the Qur’ān. Though these Hypocrites were also
friendly with the Idolaters of Makkah, the details of which will be found in the
coming sūrahs, however, here reference is specifically to their friendship with
the Jews. I have indicated earlier that these Hypocrites were primarily reared
and guided by the Jews, and had infiltrated among the Muslims as their agents.
أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا إِنَّهُمْ سَاء مَا
كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ (١٥)
The implication of the verse is that
these unfortunate people think that they have behaved very wisely by satisfying
both through their oaths; In actual fact this is not wise policy they have
adopted; it is a trick which lead them to doom. As a result of it, the Almighty
has prepared a very grievous punishment for them which they will face. They will
encounter the punishment in this world reserved for the enemies of God and His
Prophet (sws) besides the punishment of the Hereafter.
اتَّخَذُوا أَيْمَانَهُمْ جُنَّةً فَصَدُّوا عَن سَبِيلِ
اللَّهِ فَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ (١٦)
These Hypocrites have made their oaths
as their shields. Whenever they are called to account on any of their mistakes,
they make use of their fake oaths to assure others of their innocence, and in
this way they think that they have saved themselves. They have sought refuge in
these oaths in order to save themselves from the demands of religion. They have
retracted from the step they had taken for the cause of God by declaring faith,
and now instead of moving forward, they want to feign religiosity by swearing
oaths; however, till when will they be able to do continue with this? At last,
they will have to face a humiliating punishment.
The word صَدٌّ
is used both transitively and intransitively. Here it is used in the latter
sense implying that they have desisted from moving towards God.
لَن تُغْنِيَ عَنْهُمْ أَمْوَالُهُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُهُم مِّنَ
اللَّهِ شَيْئًا أُوْلَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ (١٧)
This verse refers to the yokes which
have hampered their advance to God: they have been lured away by the love of
their wealth and of their wives and children, and for this reason they are not
finding in them the courage to proceed to the path of religion. They do not know
that their wealth and children will not be able to save them in the slightest of
ways from the torment of God. The governing noun (mudāf) is ellipsed in the
expression:
مِنَ اللَّهِ ie.مِنَ
عَذَابِ اللَّهِ . The implication is that if they
remain entrapped in the love of their wealth and children in this way, then this
thing will lead them to Hell where they will abide forever.
يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا فَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ كَمَا
يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ
الْكَاذِبُونَ (١٨)
If these people keep running from the
demands of their faith while being lured away by the love of wealth and
children, then they should remember the day when God will raise them and their
children, and on that day too they will have no refuge but their false oaths on
which they depend today. On that day, they will swear oaths to exonerate
themselves from blame the way they are today swearing oaths before the Muslims.
It is mentioned in verse 23 of Sūrah An‘ām that when the Idolaters will see
their imminent punishment, they will swear to their innocence:
قَالُواْ وَاللّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ (23:6)
(By God! Our Lord, we were never among those who
worshipped other gods. (6:23)
The implication of the words
وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ
is that by swearing false oaths they will think that they have furnished a very
strong argument in favour of their innocence, and will think that just as in
this world they had deceived many people through their false oaths, this
deception of theirs will also work in the Hereafter; however, their deception
will be of no avail to them. On that day, the Almighty will seal the tongues of
the criminals, and their hands and feet and other limbs will themselves bear
witness to their crimes after which no possibility of offering any excuse by
anyone will remain.
The words
أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ say that everyone
should listen that if anyone has regarded them to be veritable, he should dispel
this thought. They are the real liars, and have deceived others in this world
because of their lies and in the Hereafter too will be audacious enough to try
to deceive God.
اسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَأَنسَاهُمْ ذِكْرَ
اللَّهِ أُوْلَئِكَ حِزْبُ الشَّيْطَانِ أَلَا إِنَّ حِزْبَ الشَّيْطَانِ هُمُ
الْخَاسِرُونَ (١٩)
The expression
اسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ means
تَسَلَّطَ عَلَيْهِمْ. Satan has
taken complete hold of them. People who are seized by Satan become indifferent
to God because of him, and those who forget God become members of the faction of
Satan. Here one should remember that as far as implanting evil suggestions is
concerned, Satan tries to attack every person through them; however, only those
who open their hearts to them, and regard Satan to be their guide and counsel
are led away by these suggestions. The hearts of those who become his disciples
in this way become devoid of God’s remembrance, and they entrust their reins to
Satan while disregarding the Hereafter. All such people become members of
Satan’s faction and Satan becomes their leader; he makes them wander wherever he
wants them to. The real protection of a person is God’s remembrance. After being
deprived of it, he is lured away by Satan and then he does not find a way to
escape from his clutches.
The words
أَلَا إِنَّ حِزْبَ الشَّيْطَانِ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ
signify that though every person has been given a period of respite in this
world as per the law of the Almighty and as a result even the faction of Satan
has this time to spread whatever mischief it can, yet everyone must know that
ultimately the faction of Satan is destined to doom.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحَادُّونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ أُوْلَئِكَ
فِي الأَذَلِّينَ (٢٠)
The real work of Satan’s faction is to
oppose God and His Prophet and to show rivalry to them. The verse says that the
more respite they are given, the more they show antagonism against God and His
Prophet (sws); however, they will end up among those who had been humiliated
earlier on by showing this attitude.
كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَأَغْلِبَنَّ أَنَا
وَرُسُلِي إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ (٢١)
The Almighty has declared his
established practice in this verse which He has ordained from the very
beginning: in the struggle between God and the Prophet (sws) and between the
faction of Satan, God and His Prophets shall always prevail. The faction of
Satan will be humiliated. I have explained this established practice of God at a
number of places in this tafsīr that every messenger (rasūl) (as opposed to nabī
(prophet)) sent by God to his people is a symbol of divine justice. He
necessarily decides their fate in this world. If collectively these people
denied their messenger, the Almighty destroyed them through some natural
calamity after sifting out the messenger and those who professed faith in him.
In case the believers were in substantial numbers, then after conclusive
communication of the truth to the people, the believers were asked to wage war
against them and shatter their power so that the world is cleansed of their
mischief. It is evident from the history of messengers presented by the Qur’ān
that most messengers encountered the first of the above-mentioned situation:
after migration of the messenger and companions, a torment befell the people. It
was only in the case of Muhammad (sws) that the second situation arose: after
migration he was directed to wage jihād, and his companions were humbled by the
swords of his companions until they were totally routed.
The words
إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ substantiate the premise
why God and His messengers should necessarily prevail. God is not a weak being:
He is Powerful and Mighty. When He sends His messenger to His people, then that
messenger is His envoy who comes to people to inform them of the directives of
their real king. If people rise to obey the directives of their real master,
they are granted sovereignty by Him in the land and are blessed with His
favours. On the other hand, if they take to opposing God, they are regarded as
rebels, and once the truth is conclusively communicated to them, the Almighty
cleanses the earth of them.
لَا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ
يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءهُمْ أَوْ
أَبْنَاءهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ أُوْلَئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي
قُلُوبِهِمُ الْإِيمَانَ وَأَيَّدَهُم بِرُوحٍ مِّنْهُ وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ
تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ
وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ أُوْلَئِكَ حِزْبُ اللَّهِ أَلَا إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ
الْمُفْلِحُونَ (٢٢)
Here at the end, a very clear standard
is put forth before the Hypocrites so that no confusion remains between the
faction of God and the faction of Satan, and whoever they choose, they can do so
by conscious consideration. The implication is that they can only adopt one of
the two. It is not possible that they side with both at the same time. The verse
says that it is impossible that a people believe in God and in the Hereafter and
then befriend people who oppose God and His messenger. If a group befriends such
people and also claims faith, then it is not true to this claim at all. The
reason is that both these are opposites and cannot co-exist. A person only has
one heart not two and he cannot harbour two opposing and contradictory things in
one heart.
The words
وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ
signify that what to speak of other relations, even
the father, the son, the brother and other close of relatives of the family
to whom a person has a natural affiliation also do not have
the status that they can have a place in his heart if they oppose his faith.
The words
أُوْلَئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْإِيمَانَ وَأَيَّدَهُم بِرُوحٍ مِّنْهُ
say that people who are ready to evaluate themselves or who let others evaluate
them as per this standard are in fact the very people in whose hearts the
Almighty has etched faith and has helped them with a special spiritual blessing
of His. As far as people who claim to be adherents to faith, and also have ties
with the enemies of God and His messenger are concerned, they are Muslims in
name only; their hearts are not conversant with the faith.
The words
وَأَيَّدَهُم بِرُوحٍ مِّنْهُ refer to the fact that a
person’s relationship with his father, son, brother, family and tribe is deeply
rooted in his heart. It is not easy at all to sever it. However, when people
whose hearts are alive with the sanctity and honour of faith are faced with such
a delicate trial, the Almighty helps them with His special spiritual blessings,
and they come out of this test with flying colours:
فیض روح القدس ار باز مدد فرماید
دیگراں ہم بکنند آنچہ مسیحا کرد
(If the blessings of the Holy Spirit are
at hand, then a person can do what Jesus was able to.)
It was as a result of this spiritual
blessing that in the battle of Uhud, Abū ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrāh (rta) raised his
sword against his father ‘Abdullāh al-Jarrāh, Abū Bakr (rta) challenged his son
in the battle of Badr, Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr killed his brother ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr,
‘Umar (rta) killed his maternal uncle ‘Ās ibn Hishām, and ‘Alī (rta), Hamzah (rta)
and Abū ‘Ubaydah (rta) sent ‘Utbah, Shaybah and Walīd ibn ‘Utbah respectively to
the gallows.
The words
وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا
signify that these people were blessed by God with strong faith and spiritual
gains and made them persevere in the path of truth and after their death will be
admitted by Him to Paradise where they will abide forever.
The words
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ depict the
greatest reward they will reap. The Almighty will be pleased with them because
they duly fulfilled the obligations of the faith they laid claim to and passed
in each trial they were put through and they displayed the very character in all
the trials that the Almighty required of them. For this reason, the Almighty
will congratulate them on the fact that He is happy with them. They did what He
wanted them to do. They will now get from God whatever they desire.
The fact that they were pleased with God
means that the promises on which they lived and died in this world will be
fulfilled in a far better manner than what they expected or imagined, and as a
result they will be very happy because all their desires will be fulfilled.
The words
أُوْلَئِكَ حِزْبُ اللَّهِ أَلَا إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
say that it is these people who will be worthy of being counted among the
faction of God, and it is they only who will succeed. The characteristics of the
faction of Satan have been delineated earlier. Now with the mention of the
faction of God, this sūrah comes to it end. فَلْحَمْدُ
لِلهِ عَلَى ذَالِك (gratitude be to God for this) and
اللّهُمَّ اَرِنَا الحَقَّ حَقّاً وَارْزُقْنَا
اِتِّبَاعَهُ وَاَرِنَا البَاطِلَ بَاطِلًا وَارْزُقْنَا اِجْتِنَابَهُ
(God! Show us the truth the way it is and make us follow it
and show us falsehood the way it is and make us abstain from it.)
Rahmānābād,
10th January, 1978 AD
29th Muharram al-Harām, 1398 AH
(Translated from
Tadabbur-i Qur’ān by Shehzad Saleem)
________________
إِنَّ
اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا (56:33)
The Prophet is blessed by God and His angels. Bless
him, then, you believers, and greet him with a worthy salutation. (33:56)
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