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M-AI-C 10

(That day) when you were at one end of the valley, (the unbelievers) at the other, and the caravan below you (on the lowland by the coast), you would surely have declined to fight if (the Makkans) had offered you battle. (But the battle did take place) that God may end the matter which had been accomplished, so that he who had to die may perish after a clear demonstration, and he who had to live may survive in the light of positive proof, for God hears all and knows everything.

When you were on the near bank and the disbelievers on the far bank, and the caravan below you; and had you made an agreement between one another, you would have failed to reach on the appointed time – but this is in order that Allah may complete a thing that must be done – that he who dies may die by a clear proof and he who lives may live by a clear proof; and indeed Allah is surely, All Hearing, All Knowing.

when you were on the nearer bank, and they were on the farther bank, and the cavalcade was below you; and had you made tryst together, you would have surely failed the tryst; but that God might determine a matter that was done, that whosoever perished might perish by a clear sign, and by a clear sign he might live who lived; and surely God is All-hearing, All-knowing.

[Remember that day] when you were at the near end of the valley [of Badr], and they were at its farthest end, while the caravan was below you. And if you had known that a battle was to take place, you would indeed have refused to accept the challenge: but [the battle was brought about none the less,] so that God might accomplish a thing [which He willed] to be done, [and] that he who would perish might perish in clear evidence of the truth, and that he who would remain alive might live in clear evidence of the truth. And, behold, God is indeed all-hearing, all-knowing.

And recall what time ye were on the hither side and they were on the yonder side and the caravan below you. And if ye had mutually appointed ye would surely have failed the appointment. But the action wao brought about in order that Allah may decree an affair already enacted, so that he who was to perish, should perish after an evidence and he who was to remain alive may remain alive after an evidence. And verily Allah is Hearing, Knowing.

(And remember) when you (the Muslim army) were on the near side of the valley, and they on the farther side, and the caravan on the ground lower than you. Even if you had made a mutual appointment to meet, you would certainly have failed in the appointment, but (you met) that Allah might accomplish a matter already ordained (in His Knowledge); so that those who were to be destroyed (for their rejecting the Faith) might be destroyed after a clear evidence, and those who were to live (i.e. believers) might live after a clear evidence. And surely, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.

Recall when you were on the nearer bank, and they were on the further bank, and the caravan was below you. Had you planned for this meeting, you would have disagreed on the timing, but God was to carry out a predetermined matter, so that those who perish would perish by clear evidence, and those who survive would survive by clear evidence. God is Hearing and Knowing.

And recall when you were encamped at the nearer end of the valley (of Badr) and they were at the farther end and the caravan below you (along the seaside). Had you made a mutual appointment to meet in encounter, you would have declined. But encounter was brought about so that Allah might accomplish what He had decreed, and that he who was to perish should perish through a clear proof, and who was to survive might survive through a clear proof. Surely Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

(And remember) when you (the Muslim army) were on the near side of the valley, and they on the farther side, and the caravan on the ground lower than you. Even if you had made a mutual appointment to meet, you would certainly have failed in the appointment, but (you met) that Allah might accomplish a matter already ordained (in His knowledge), so that those who were to be destroyed (for rejecting the faith) might be destroyed after a clear evidence, and those who were to live (believers) might live after a clear evidence. And surely, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.

When ye were on the near bank (of the valley) and they were on the yonder bank, and the caravan was below you (on the coast plain). And had ye trysted to meet one another ye surely would have failed to keep the tryst, but (it happened, as it did, without the forethought of either of you) that Allah might conclude a thing that must be done; that he who perished (on that day) might perish by a clear proof (of His Sovereignty) and he who survived might survive by a clear proof (of His Sovereignty). Lo! Allah in truth is Hearer, Knower.

When you were on the nearer side, and they on the farther side, while the caravan was below you, and had you agreed together on an encounter, you would have certainly failed to keep the tryst, but in order that Allah may carry through a matter that was bound to be fulfilled, so that he who perishes might perish by a manifest proof, and he who lives may live on by a manifest proof, and Allah is indeed all-hearing, all-knowing.

And when you were encamped on the nearside and they (the unbelievers) on the farther side, with the caravan below, had you made an appointment with them, you would have surely failed to keep it; but Allah sought to accomplish what He had ordained, so that by clear evidence, he who was destined to perish might perish, and he who was destined to live might live. Surely, Allah is Hearing, Knowing.

[Remember] when you were on the near side of the valley, and they were on the farther side, and the caravan was lower [in position] than you. If you had made an appointment [to meet], you would have missed the appointment. But [it was] so that Allah might accomplish a matter already destined - that those who perished [through disbelief] would perish upon evidence and those who lived [in faith] would live upon evidence; and indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.

Recall when your army was positioned at the less defensible brink of the valley, (the pagans') army had the more defensible higher side of the valley and the caravan was led (out of your reach) below. This situation did not take place according to your previous plans, otherwise, everything would have been different. (It was God's plan) to place you in a vulnerable position, exposed to the enemy and it was His plan to lead the caravan out of your reach) so that His decree that you would be granted a victory by a miracle would become a doubtless fact and so that those who were to be destroyed would face destruction with a clear knowledge of the Truth and those who were to survive would also survive with a clear knowledge of the Truth. God is All-hearing and All-knowing.

When you were on the nearer side (of the valley) and they were on the farthest side, while the caravan was in a lower place than you; and if you had mutually made an appointment, you would certainly have broken away from the appointment, but-- in order that Allah might bring about a matter which was to be done, that he who would perish might perish by clear proof, and he who would live might live by clear proof; and most surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing;

I<u>th</u> antum bi<b>a</b>lAAudwati a<b>l</b>dduny<u>a</u> wahum bi<b>a</b>lAAudwati alqu<u>s</u>w<u>a</u> wa<b>al</b>rrakbu asfala minkum walaw taw<u>a</u>AAadtum la<b>i</b>khtalaftum fee almeeAA<u>a</u>di wal<u>a</u>kin liyaq<u>d</u>iya All<u>a</u>hu amran k<u>a</u>na mafAAoolan liyahlika man halaka AAan bayyinatin waya<u>h</u>y<u>a</u> man <u>h</u>ayya AAan bayyinatin wainna All<u>a</u>ha lasameeAAun AAaleem<b>un</b>

You were on the nearer side of the valley, and they were on the farther side, and the caravan was below you. Had you wished to set a time by mutual agreement, you would certainly have disagreed on the timing. However, the encounter took place, so that God might settle a matter which had already been ordained, so that he who was to perish might perish after clear evidence of the truth, and he who was to live might live in clear evidence of the truth. Surely, God is all hearing and all-knowing.

Remember ye were on the hither side of the valley, and they on the farther side, and the caravan on lower ground than ye. Even if ye had made a mutual appointment to meet, ye would certainly have failed in the appointment: But (thus ye met), that Allah might accomplish a matter already enacted; that those who died might die after a clear Sign (had been given), and those who lived might live after a Clear Sign (had been given). And verily Allah is He Who heareth and knoweth (all things).

8

إِذْ أَنتُم بِٱلْعُدْوَةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَهُم بِٱلْعُدْوَةِ ٱلْقُصْوَىٰ وَٱلرَّكْبُ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ وَلَوْ تَوَاعَدتُّمْ لَٱخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِى ٱلْمِيعَٰدِ وَلَٰكِن لِّيَقْضِىَ ٱللَّهُ أَمْرًا كَانَ مَفْعُولًا لِّيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَنۢ بَيِّنَةٍ وَيَحْيَىٰ مَنْ حَىَّ عَنۢ بَيِّنَةٍ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَسَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

Remember, O believers, when you were on the near side of the valley that was facing Medina, the idolaters were on the far side that was facing Makkah and the caravan was at a spot lower than you facing the Red Sea. If you and the idolaters made an appointment with each other to meet at Badr, neither of you would have kept to it: your lack of numbers as compared to your enemy would have kept you back, and the fear of facing Allah’s Messenger would have kept them back. But Allah, may He be glorified, gathered you at Badr without an appointment, so that He may carry out a matter that was already determined: the victory of the believers and the defeat of the disbelievers – bringing honour to His religion and humiliation to idolatry. This was so that those who died from amongst them would die after evidence was established by the believers’ victory against them, despite their lack of numbers and preparation, and so that those who lived would live with clear evidences that Allah made obvious to them, and no one would have any evidence against Allah that they could use as an argument. Allah hears the statements of everyone and knows their actions. Nothing is hidden from Him and He will repay them for that.

Remember, O believers, when you were on the near side of the valley that was facing Medina, the idolaters were on the far side that was facing Makkah and the caravan was at a spot lower than you facing the Red Sea. If you and the idolaters made an appointment with each other to meet at Badr, neither of you would have kept to it: your lack of numbers as compared to your enemy would have kept you back, and the fear of facing Allah’s Messenger would have kept them back. But Allah, may He be glorified, gathered you at Badr without an appointment, so that He may carry out a matter that was already determined: the victory of the believers and the defeat of the disbelievers – bringing honour to His religion and humiliation to idolatry. This was so that those who died from amongst them would die after evidence was established by the believers’ victory against them, despite their lack of numbers and preparation, and so that those who lived would live with clear evidences that Allah made obvious to them, and no one would have any evidence against Allah that they could use as an argument. Allah hears the statements of everyone and knows their actions. Nothing is hidden from Him and He will repay them for that.

<p>Commentary</p><p>The battle of Badr was the first confrontation of Kufr and Islam which registered a practical proof of the superiority and veracity of Islam, even visibly and materially. Therefore, the Holy Qur'an has taken special steps to describe its details which appear in the verses cited above. Besides the many considerations of wisdom behind these details, one such consideration is to assert that there was just no possibility, either visibly or technically, that Muslims will win and that the disbelievers of Makkah will be defeated. But, the unseen power of Allah Ta` ala overturned all superiority of men and materials as well as its obvious causes. To give a clear picture of this event, the Holy Qur'an has virtually outlined in these verses a whole map of the battlefront at Badr. Now, before we explain these verses, let us glance over the lexical explanation of some words.</p><p>The word: عُدْوَةِ ('udwah) refers to a side and the word: دُنیَا (dunya) is derived from: اَدنٰی (adna) which means nearer. When compared to the Hereafter, this world of ours is also called: دُنیَا (dunya) because, as related to the universe of the Hereafter, it is closer at hand for human beings. And the word: قُصْوَىٰ (quswa) is a derivation from: اَقصٰی (aqsa) which means farther.</p><p>In verse 42, death has been mentioned against life. The Arabic words used here do not carry the outward sense of death and life. Instead, meant here is spiritual death and life, or destruction and salvation. Spiritual life is Islam (belief in Allah and the Messenger) and 'Iman (faith), and spiritual death is Shirk (polytheism) and Kufr (disbelief). The Holy Qur'an has used these words at several places in this very sense. For instance, earlier in Surah al-Anfal, it was said:</p><p>يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّـهِ وَلِلرَّ‌سُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ</p><p>O those who believe, respond to Allah and the Messenger when He calls you to what gives you life. (8:24).</p><p>The life mentioned here is the real and eternal life which one is blessed with in return for 'Iman and Islam. Now, we can move to a detailed explanation of the cited verses.</p><p>Opening with almost a cartographic view of the war front at Badr, verse 42 tells us that Muslims were on the nearest cliff (عُدْوَةِ الدُّنْيَا) and the disbelievers were on the farthest one (عُدْوَةِ الْقُصْوَىٰ ). The spot occupied by Muslims was on the side of the terrain closer to Madinah, while the disbelievers had taken the other side of the terrain which was farther from Madinah. As for the trade caravan of Abu Sufyan, the main cause of waging this Jihad, that too was closer to the army of disbelievers which had come from Makkah but was out of the range of attack by Muslims and moving by the sea shore at a distance of three miles. The purpose of focusing on this battle plan is to say that Muslims were located at a spot totally unsuitable and wrong strategically, a spot from where they had no chance of overpowering the enemy, in fact, no chance of even saving their own lives - because, the 'side of the terrain which was closer to Madinah happened to be a big sandy patch walking through which was hard and heavy. Then, they had no access to water around the spot they were in, while the side farther from Madinah where the disbelievers had set up their camps was smooth terrain with a supply of water close by.</p><p>Then, by pointing out to the two edges of the sides occupied by the two armies, it was made much too clear that the two forces were standing face to face, under which condition, it was not possible to conceal the strength or weakness of one party from the other. In addition to that, it was also indicated that the army of the disbelievers of Makkah was already at peace with the realization that their trade caravan had moved away from the attacking range of Muslims. Now, if they needed them at some stage, they too could come out to help them. As compared to them, Muslims were in trouble in terms of their location where they had no probability of getting support of men and materials from anywhere. Then, it is already settled, and known to every educated Muslim, that the total count of Muslim 'army' was three hundred and thirteen, while that of the disbelievers was one thousand. Muslims did not have sufficient number of mounts, nor did they have enough weapons. Against that, the army of the disbelievers was laced with everything.</p><p>Besides, Muslims simply had not embarked on this Jihad as some armed force ready to fight a war. Being an emergency measure to block the passage of a trade caravan and to lower the morale of the enemy, only three hundred and thirteen Muslims had started off ill-prepared, ill-equipped. It was only all of a sudden that there they stood having to confront a thousand-strong force of armed men.</p><p>This verse of the Qur'an tells us that this event, though it came to pass accidentally, with no intention behind it, but the truth. is that all that happens in this world, accidentally and involuntarily - though, it looks like some plain accident in terms of its level and form - is, in the sight of the Creator of the universe, nothing but the well-set chain of a formidable system. There is nothing in this system which can Be called abrupt or out of place. It will take the whole system to unravel itself to man, only then, man could find out the full range of wisdom hidden behind what was, supposedly, an accidental happening.</p><p>Take this event of the battle of Badr as a test case. That it came to pass in an accidental and involuntary manner had its own wise considerations as stated in: وَلَوْ تَوَاعَدتُّمْ لَاخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِي الْمِيعَادِ (And had you rearranged it with each other, you would have deviated from the appointment - 42). It means that, had this battle also been fought like common battles around the world, fought with all possible survey of available options, mutual arguments and crisis resolutions, then, given the dictates of circumstances, this battle would have never been fought. In fact, differences would have crept in one way or the other - either, Muslims themselves would have started thinking otherwise because of their being few and weak against adversaries who were many and strong; or that both parties, the disbelievers and the Muslims, might have not shown up on the battle ground as appointed mutually. As for Muslims, they would have not had the courage to initiate action in view of their being few and weak - and the disbelievers, in whose hearts Allah Ta` ala had already put the awe of Muslims, would have been scared to come out against them despite their superiority in number and strength.</p><p>Therefore, that formidable Divine system created such conditions on both sides as. would not allow them time and occasion to think and understand. The people of Makkah were so overwhelmed by the disturbing plaint from the trade caravan of Abu Sufyan that they were ready to march out without much deliberation. The Muslims were prompted by the thought that they were going to take care of an ordinary trade caravan and not a formal armed force arrayed against them. But, Allah, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, so willed that a war starts between them so that the consequences of the victory of Islam which are to emerge from behind this war become visibly manifest. Therefore, it was said: وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَقْضِيَ اللَّـهُ أَمْرً‌ا كَانَ مَفْعُولًا (But [ it happened like this ] so that Allah might accomplish what was destined to be done - 42). It means that, despite conditions being what they were, the war had to be fought so that Allah might accomplish what was destined to be done. And destined to be done was that arrayed against an army of armed and equipped young men a thousand-strong, a motley group of three hundred and thirteen ill-equipped and hunger-stricken Muslims - and that too out of place in terms of the demanding war front – rams itself against what was a virtual mountain for them, then, the unbelievable happens. The mountain turns into smithereens. This insignificant group of men wins. This is nothing but an all too visible demonstration of the fact that some big power was operating behind them, something that thousand-strong army missed. Then, it is also evident that Muslims were supported because of Islam and the disbelievers remained deprived because of their disbelief, something which gave every sensible human a criterion to distinguish truth from evil and genuine from the fake. Therefore, at the end of the verse, it was said: لِّيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَن بَيِّنَةٍ وَيَحْيَىٰ مَنْ حَيَّ عَن بَيِّنَةٍ (so that whoever is going to die may die knowingly, and whoever is going to live may live knowingly - 42). It means that the loud and clear veracity of Islam vis-a-vis the falsity and horror of Kufr and Shirk was exposed for ever so that anyone who opts for destruction should do so while fully realizing the consequences of his or her action, and anyone who goes on to live should also live with full realization of the choice so made. The caveat is: Let nothing be done unknowingly and mistakenly, so be on guard.</p><p>The word: هَلَاكَت (halakah: death, destruction) in this verse means Kufr or disbelief while حَیَات (hayat : life) denotes Islam. In other words, once the truth has come out in the open, the probability and excuse of misunderstanding stand eliminated. Now, whoever takes to disbelief as his or her life style is going towards destruction with open eyes. And whoever takes to Islam takes to eternal life knowingly, consciously and deliberately. Then, it was said: وَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَسَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ (And Allah is indeed All-Hearing, All-Knowing - 42) that is, He knows the secrets in everyone's heart, even the nature of everyone's belief and disbelief, as well as the due reward and punishment for it.</p>

CommentaryThe battle of Badr was the first confrontation of Kufr and Islam which registered a practical proof of the superiority and veracity of Islam, even visibly and materially. Therefore, the Holy Qur'an has taken special steps to describe its details which appear in the verses cited above. Besides the many considerations of wisdom behind these details, one such consideration is to assert that there was just no possibility, either visibly or technically, that Muslims will win and that the disbelievers of Makkah will be defeated. But, the unseen power of Allah Ta` ala overturned all superiority of men and materials as well as its obvious causes. To give a clear picture of this event, the Holy Qur'an has virtually outlined in these verses a whole map of the battlefront at Badr. Now, before we explain these verses, let us glance over the lexical explanation of some words.The word: عُدْوَةِ ('udwah) refers to a side and the word: دُنیَا (dunya) is derived from: اَدنٰی (adna) which means nearer. When compared to the Hereafter, this world of ours is also called: دُنیَا (dunya) because, as related to the universe of the Hereafter, it is closer at hand for human beings. And the word: قُصْوَىٰ (quswa) is a derivation from: اَقصٰی (aqsa) which means farther.In verse 42, death has been mentioned against life. The Arabic words used here do not carry the outward sense of death and life. Instead, meant here is spiritual death and life, or destruction and salvation. Spiritual life is Islam (belief in Allah and the Messenger) and 'Iman (faith), and spiritual death is Shirk (polytheism) and Kufr (disbelief). The Holy Qur'an has used these words at several places in this very sense. For instance, earlier in Surah al-Anfal, it was said:يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّـهِ وَلِلرَّ‌سُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْO those who believe, respond to Allah and the Messenger when He calls you to what gives you life. (8:24).The life mentioned here is the real and eternal life which one is blessed with in return for 'Iman and Islam. Now, we can move to a detailed explanation of the cited verses.Opening with almost a cartographic view of the war front at Badr, verse 42 tells us that Muslims were on the nearest cliff (عُدْوَةِ الدُّنْيَا) and the disbelievers were on the farthest one (عُدْوَةِ الْقُصْوَىٰ ). The spot occupied by Muslims was on the side of the terrain closer to Madinah, while the disbelievers had taken the other side of the terrain which was farther from Madinah. As for the trade caravan of Abu Sufyan, the main cause of waging this Jihad, that too was closer to the army of disbelievers which had come from Makkah but was out of the range of attack by Muslims and moving by the sea shore at a distance of three miles. The purpose of focusing on this battle plan is to say that Muslims were located at a spot totally unsuitable and wrong strategically, a spot from where they had no chance of overpowering the enemy, in fact, no chance of even saving their own lives - because, the 'side of the terrain which was closer to Madinah happened to be a big sandy patch walking through which was hard and heavy. Then, they had no access to water around the spot they were in, while the side farther from Madinah where the disbelievers had set up their camps was smooth terrain with a supply of water close by.Then, by pointing out to the two edges of the sides occupied by the two armies, it was made much too clear that the two forces were standing face to face, under which condition, it was not possible to conceal the strength or weakness of one party from the other. In addition to that, it was also indicated that the army of the disbelievers of Makkah was already at peace with the realization that their trade caravan had moved away from the attacking range of Muslims. Now, if they needed them at some stage, they too could come out to help them. As compared to them, Muslims were in trouble in terms of their location where they had no probability of getting support of men and materials from anywhere. Then, it is already settled, and known to every educated Muslim, that the total count of Muslim 'army' was three hundred and thirteen, while that of the disbelievers was one thousand. Muslims did not have sufficient number of mounts, nor did they have enough weapons. Against that, the army of the disbelievers was laced with everything.Besides, Muslims simply had not embarked on this Jihad as some armed force ready to fight a war. Being an emergency measure to block the passage of a trade caravan and to lower the morale of the enemy, only three hundred and thirteen Muslims had started off ill-prepared, ill-equipped. It was only all of a sudden that there they stood having to confront a thousand-strong force of armed men.This verse of the Qur'an tells us that this event, though it came to pass accidentally, with no intention behind it, but the truth. is that all that happens in this world, accidentally and involuntarily - though, it looks like some plain accident in terms of its level and form - is, in the sight of the Creator of the universe, nothing but the well-set chain of a formidable system. There is nothing in this system which can Be called abrupt or out of place. It will take the whole system to unravel itself to man, only then, man could find out the full range of wisdom hidden behind what was, supposedly, an accidental happening.Take this event of the battle of Badr as a test case. That it came to pass in an accidental and involuntary manner had its own wise considerations as stated in: وَلَوْ تَوَاعَدتُّمْ لَاخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِي الْمِيعَادِ (And had you rearranged it with each other, you would have deviated from the appointment - 42). It means that, had this battle also been fought like common battles around the world, fought with all possible survey of available options, mutual arguments and crisis resolutions, then, given the dictates of circumstances, this battle would have never been fought. In fact, differences would have crept in one way or the other - either, Muslims themselves would have started thinking otherwise because of their being few and weak against adversaries who were many and strong; or that both parties, the disbelievers and the Muslims, might have not shown up on the battle ground as appointed mutually. As for Muslims, they would have not had the courage to initiate action in view of their being few and weak - and the disbelievers, in whose hearts Allah Ta` ala had already put the awe of Muslims, would have been scared to come out against them despite their superiority in number and strength.Therefore, that formidable Divine system created such conditions on both sides as. would not allow them time and occasion to think and understand. The people of Makkah were so overwhelmed by the disturbing plaint from the trade caravan of Abu Sufyan that they were ready to march out without much deliberation. The Muslims were prompted by the thought that they were going to take care of an ordinary trade caravan and not a formal armed force arrayed against them. But, Allah, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, so willed that a war starts between them so that the consequences of the victory of Islam which are to emerge from behind this war become visibly manifest. Therefore, it was said: وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَقْضِيَ اللَّـهُ أَمْرً‌ا كَانَ مَفْعُولًا (But [ it happened like this ] so that Allah might accomplish what was destined to be done - 42). It means that, despite conditions being what they were, the war had to be fought so that Allah might accomplish what was destined to be done. And destined to be done was that arrayed against an army of armed and equipped young men a thousand-strong, a motley group of three hundred and thirteen ill-equipped and hunger-stricken Muslims - and that too out of place in terms of the demanding war front – rams itself against what was a virtual mountain for them, then, the unbelievable happens. The mountain turns into smithereens. This insignificant group of men wins. This is nothing but an all too visible demonstration of the fact that some big power was operating behind them, something that thousand-strong army missed. Then, it is also evident that Muslims were supported because of Islam and the disbelievers remained deprived because of their disbelief, something which gave every sensible human a criterion to distinguish truth from evil and genuine from the fake. Therefore, at the end of the verse, it was said: لِّيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَن بَيِّنَةٍ وَيَحْيَىٰ مَنْ حَيَّ عَن بَيِّنَةٍ (so that whoever is going to die may die knowingly, and whoever is going to live may live knowingly - 42). It means that the loud and clear veracity of Islam vis-a-vis the falsity and horror of Kufr and Shirk was exposed for ever so that anyone who opts for destruction should do so while fully realizing the consequences of his or her action, and anyone who goes on to live should also live with full realization of the choice so made. The caveat is: Let nothing be done unknowingly and mistakenly, so be on guard.The word: هَلَاكَت (halakah: death, destruction) in this verse means Kufr or disbelief while حَیَات (hayat : life) denotes Islam. In other words, once the truth has come out in the open, the probability and excuse of misunderstanding stand eliminated. Now, whoever takes to disbelief as his or her life style is going towards destruction with open eyes. And whoever takes to Islam takes to eternal life knowingly, consciously and deliberately. Then, it was said: وَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَسَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ (And Allah is indeed All-Hearing, All-Knowing - 42) that is, He knows the secrets in everyone's heart, even the nature of everyone's belief and disbelief, as well as the due reward and punishment for it.

<h2 class="title">Some Details of the Battle of Badr</h2><p>Allah describes Yawm Al-Furqan, (i.e. the day of Badr), </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِذْ أَنتُم بِالْعُدْوَةِ الدُّنْيَا</div><p>((And remember) when you (the Muslim army) were on the near side of the valley,) camping in the closest entrance of the valley towards Al-Madinah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُمْ</div><p>(and they), the idolators, who were camped, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">بِالْعُدْوَةِ الْقُصْوَى</div><p>(on the farther side), from Al-Madinah, towards Makkah. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالرَّكْبُ</div><p>(and the caravan), that was under the command of Abu Sufyan, with the wealth that it contained, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ</div><p>(on the ground lower than you), closer to the sea, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ تَوَاعَدتُّمْ</div><p>(even if you had made a mutual appointment to meet,) you and the idolators, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لاَخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِي الْمِيعَـدِ</div><p>(you would certainly have failed in the appointment) </p><p>Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "Yahya bin `Abbad bin `Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr narrated to me from his father about this Ayah "Had there been an appointed meeting set between you and them and you came to know of their superior numbers and your few forces, you would not have met them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَـكِن لِّيَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ أَمْراً كَانَ مَفْعُولاً</div><p>(but (you met) that Allah might accomplish a matter already ordained,) Allah had decreed that He would bring glory to Islam and its people, while disgracing Shirk and its people. You the companions had no knowledge this would happen, but it was out of Allah's compassion that He did that." In a Hadith, Ka`b bin Malik said, "The Messenger of Allah and the Muslims marched to intercept the Quraysh caravan, but Allah made them meet their (armed) enemy without appointment." Muhammad bin Ishaq said that Yazid bin Ruwman narrated to him that `Urwah bin Az-Zubayr said, "Upon approaching Badr, the Messenger of Allah sent `Ali bin Abi Talib, Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas, Az-Zubayr bin Al-`Awwam and several other Companions to spy the pagans. They captured two boys, a servant of Bani Sa`id bin Al-`As and a servant of Bani Al-Hajjaj, while they were bringing water for Quraysh. So they brought them to the Messenger of Allah , but found him praying. The Companions started interrogating the boys, asking them to whom they belonged. Both of them said that they were employees bringing water for Quraysh (army). The Componions were upset with that answer, since they thought that the boys belonged to Abu Sufyan (who was commanding the caravan). So they beat the two boys vehemently, who said finally that they belonged to Abu Sufyan. Thereupon companions left them alone. When the Prophet ended the prayer, he said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إَذَا صَدَّقَاكُمْ ضَرَبْتُمُوهُمَا، وَإِذَا كَذَّبَاكُمْ تَرَكْتُمُوهُمَا، صَدَقَا وَاللهِ إِنَّهُمَا لِقُرَيْشٍ ، أَخْبِرَانِي عَنْ قُرَيْش»</div><p>(When they tell you the truth you beat them, but when they lie you let them go They have said the truth, by Allah! They belong to the Quraysh. (addressing to the boys He said:) Tell me the news about Quraysh.) </p><p>The two boys said, `They are behind this hill that you see, on the far side of the valley.' The Messenger of Allah asked, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«كَمِ الْقَوْمُ؟»</div><p>(How many are they) </p><p>They said, `They are many.' He asked, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«مَاعُدَّتُهُمْ؟»</div><p>(How many) They said, `We do not know the precise number.' He asked, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«كَمْ يَنْحَرُونَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ؟»</div><p>(How many camels do they slaughter every day) </p><p>They said, `Nine or ten a day.' The Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«الْقَوْمُ مَا بَيْنَ التِّسْعمِائَةِ إِلَى الْأَلْف»</div><p>(They are between nine-hundred and a thousand.) He asked again, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«فَمَنْ فِيهِمْ مِنْ أَشْرَافِ قُرَيْشٍ؟»</div><p>(Which chiefs of Quraysh are accompanying the army) They said, `Utbah bin Rabi`ah, Shaybah bin Rabi`ah, Abu Al-Bakhtari bin Hisham, Hakim bin Hizam, Nawfal bin Khuwaylid, Al-Harith bin `Amir bin Nawfal, Tu`aymah bin Adi bin Nawfal, An-Nadr bin Al-Harith, Zam`ah bin Al-Aswad, Abu Jahl bin Hisham, Umayyah bin Khalaf, Nabih and Munabbih sons of Al-Hajjaj, Suhayl bin `Amr and `Amr bin `Abd Wadd.' The Messenger of Allah said to the people, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«هَذِهِ مَكَّةُ قَدْ أَلْقَتْ إِلَيْكُمْ أَفَلَاذَ كَبِدِهَا»</div><p>(This is Makkah! She has brought you her most precious sons (its chiefs)!)" </p><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لِّيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَن بَيِّنَةٍ وَيَحْيَى مَنْ حَىَّ عَن بَيِّنَةٍ</div><p>(So that those who were to be destroyed might be destroyed after a clear evidence.) 8:42 </p><p>Muhammad bin Ishaq commented, "So that those who disbelieve do so after witnessing clear evidence, proof and lessons, and those who believe do so after witnessing the same." This is a sound explanation. Allah says, He made you meet your enemy in one area without appointment, so that He gives you victory over them.' This way, `He will raise the word of truth above falsehood, so that the matter is made clear, the proof unequivocal and the evidence plain. Then there will be no more plea or doubt for anyone. Then, those destined to destruction by persisting in disbelief do so with evidence, aware that they are misguided and that proof has been established against them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيَحْيَى مَنْ حَىَّ</div><p>(and those who were to live might live), those who wish to believe do so, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">عَن بَيِّنَةٍ</div><p>(after a clear evidence), and proof. Verily, faith is the life of the heart, as Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَوَمَن كَانَ مَيْتًا فَأَحْيَيْنَـهُ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُ نُورًا يَمْشِي بِهِ فِى النَّاسِ كَمَن</div><p>(Is he who was dead (without faith by ignorance and disbelief) and We gave him life (by knowledge and faith) and set for him a light (of belief) whereby he can walk among men ...) 6:122. </p><p>Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَسَمِيعٌ</div><p>(And surely, Allah is All-Hearer), of your invocation, humility and requests for His help, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">عَلِيمٌ</div><p>(All-Knower) meaning; about you, and you deserve victory over your rebellious, disbelieving enemies. </p>

Some Details of the Battle of BadrAllah describes Yawm Al-Furqan, (i.e. the day of Badr), إِذْ أَنتُم بِالْعُدْوَةِ الدُّنْيَا((And remember) when you (the Muslim army) were on the near side of the valley,) camping in the closest entrance of the valley towards Al-Madinah, وَهُمْ(and they), the idolators, who were camped, بِالْعُدْوَةِ الْقُصْوَى(on the farther side), from Al-Madinah, towards Makkah. وَالرَّكْبُ(and the caravan), that was under the command of Abu Sufyan, with the wealth that it contained, أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ(on the ground lower than you), closer to the sea, وَلَوْ تَوَاعَدتُّمْ(even if you had made a mutual appointment to meet,) you and the idolators, لاَخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِي الْمِيعَـدِ(you would certainly have failed in the appointment) Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "Yahya bin `Abbad bin `Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr narrated to me from his father about this Ayah "Had there been an appointed meeting set between you and them and you came to know of their superior numbers and your few forces, you would not have met them, وَلَـكِن لِّيَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ أَمْراً كَانَ مَفْعُولاً(but (you met) that Allah might accomplish a matter already ordained,) Allah had decreed that He would bring glory to Islam and its people, while disgracing Shirk and its people. You the companions had no knowledge this would happen, but it was out of Allah's compassion that He did that." In a Hadith, Ka`b bin Malik said, "The Messenger of Allah and the Muslims marched to intercept the Quraysh caravan, but Allah made them meet their (armed) enemy without appointment." Muhammad bin Ishaq said that Yazid bin Ruwman narrated to him that `Urwah bin Az-Zubayr said, "Upon approaching Badr, the Messenger of Allah sent `Ali bin Abi Talib, Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas, Az-Zubayr bin Al-`Awwam and several other Companions to spy the pagans. They captured two boys, a servant of Bani Sa`id bin Al-`As and a servant of Bani Al-Hajjaj, while they were bringing water for Quraysh. So they brought them to the Messenger of Allah , but found him praying. The Companions started interrogating the boys, asking them to whom they belonged. Both of them said that they were employees bringing water for Quraysh (army). The Componions were upset with that answer, since they thought that the boys belonged to Abu Sufyan (who was commanding the caravan). So they beat the two boys vehemently, who said finally that they belonged to Abu Sufyan. Thereupon companions left them alone. When the Prophet ended the prayer, he said, «إَذَا صَدَّقَاكُمْ ضَرَبْتُمُوهُمَا، وَإِذَا كَذَّبَاكُمْ تَرَكْتُمُوهُمَا، صَدَقَا وَاللهِ إِنَّهُمَا لِقُرَيْشٍ ، أَخْبِرَانِي عَنْ قُرَيْش»(When they tell you the truth you beat them, but when they lie you let them go They have said the truth, by Allah! They belong to the Quraysh. (addressing to the boys He said:) Tell me the news about Quraysh.) The two boys said, `They are behind this hill that you see, on the far side of the valley.' The Messenger of Allah asked, «كَمِ الْقَوْمُ؟»(How many are they) They said, `They are many.' He asked, «مَاعُدَّتُهُمْ؟»(How many) They said, `We do not know the precise number.' He asked, «كَمْ يَنْحَرُونَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ؟»(How many camels do they slaughter every day) They said, `Nine or ten a day.' The Messenger of Allah said, «الْقَوْمُ مَا بَيْنَ التِّسْعمِائَةِ إِلَى الْأَلْف»(They are between nine-hundred and a thousand.) He asked again, «فَمَنْ فِيهِمْ مِنْ أَشْرَافِ قُرَيْشٍ؟»(Which chiefs of Quraysh are accompanying the army) They said, `Utbah bin Rabi`ah, Shaybah bin Rabi`ah, Abu Al-Bakhtari bin Hisham, Hakim bin Hizam, Nawfal bin Khuwaylid, Al-Harith bin `Amir bin Nawfal, Tu`aymah bin Adi bin Nawfal, An-Nadr bin Al-Harith, Zam`ah bin Al-Aswad, Abu Jahl bin Hisham, Umayyah bin Khalaf, Nabih and Munabbih sons of Al-Hajjaj, Suhayl bin `Amr and `Amr bin `Abd Wadd.' The Messenger of Allah said to the people, «هَذِهِ مَكَّةُ قَدْ أَلْقَتْ إِلَيْكُمْ أَفَلَاذَ كَبِدِهَا»(This is Makkah! She has brought you her most precious sons (its chiefs)!)" Allah said, لِّيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَن بَيِّنَةٍ وَيَحْيَى مَنْ حَىَّ عَن بَيِّنَةٍ(So that those who were to be destroyed might be destroyed after a clear evidence.) 8:42 Muhammad bin Ishaq commented, "So that those who disbelieve do so after witnessing clear evidence, proof and lessons, and those who believe do so after witnessing the same." This is a sound explanation. Allah says, He made you meet your enemy in one area without appointment, so that He gives you victory over them.' This way, `He will raise the word of truth above falsehood, so that the matter is made clear, the proof unequivocal and the evidence plain. Then there will be no more plea or doubt for anyone. Then, those destined to destruction by persisting in disbelief do so with evidence, aware that they are misguided and that proof has been established against them, وَيَحْيَى مَنْ حَىَّ(and those who were to live might live), those who wish to believe do so, عَن بَيِّنَةٍ(after a clear evidence), and proof. Verily, faith is the life of the heart, as Allah said, أَوَمَن كَانَ مَيْتًا فَأَحْيَيْنَـهُ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُ نُورًا يَمْشِي بِهِ فِى النَّاسِ كَمَن(Is he who was dead (without faith by ignorance and disbelief) and We gave him life (by knowledge and faith) and set for him a light (of belief) whereby he can walk among men ...) 6:122. Allah said next, وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَسَمِيعٌ(And surely, Allah is All-Hearer), of your invocation, humility and requests for His help, عَلِيمٌ(All-Knower) meaning; about you, and you deserve victory over your rebellious, disbelieving enemies.

God showed (the Makkans) to be few in your dream, for if He had shown them to be many you would surely have lost courage and disagreed about the (wisdom) of the battle. But God spared you this, for He surely knows what is in the hearts of men.

When O dear Prophet, Allah used to show the disbelievers in your dream as only a few*; and O Muslims, had He shown them to you as many, you would have certainly lost courage and disputed over the affair, but Allah rescued (you); indeed He knows what lies within the hearts. (* They numbered more but their actual strength was equal to only a few.)

When God showed thee them in thy dream as few; and had He shown them as many you would have lost heart, and quarrelled about the matter; but God saved; He knows the thoughts in the breasts.

Lo! God showed them to thee in a dream as few: for, had He shown them to you as many, you would surely have lost heart, and would surely have disagreed with one another about what to do. But God saved [you from this]: verily, He has full knowledge of what is the hearts [of men].

And recall what time Allah shewed them few unto thee in thy dream. And had He shewn them numerous unto thee, surely ye would have flagged and surely ye would have disputed over the affair but Allah saved you. Verily He is the Knower of that which is in the breasts.

(And remember) when Allah showed them to you as few in your (i.e. Muhammad's SAW) dream, if He had shown them to you as many, you would surely have been discouraged, and you would surely have disputed in making a decision. But Allah saved (you). Certainly, He is the All-Knower of what is in the breasts.

God made them appear in your dream as few. Had He made them appear as many, you would have lost heart, and disputed in the matter. But God saved the situation. He knows what the hearts contain.

And recall when Allah showed them to you in your dream to be few in number. And had He showed them to you to be numerous, you would have flagged and disagreed with one another about fighting them. But Allah saved you. Surely Allah knows what is hidden in the breasts.

(And remember) when Allah showed them to you as few in your dream; if He had shown them to you as many, you would surely have been discouraged, and you would surely have disputed in making a decision. But Allah saved (you). Certainly, He is the All-Knower of that is in the breasts.

When Allah showed them unto thee (O Muhammad) in thy dream as few in number, and if He had shown them to thee as many, ye (Muslims) would have faltered and would have quarrelled over the affair. But Allah saved (you). Lo! He knoweth what is in the breasts (of men).

When Allah showed them to you as few in your dream, and had He shown them as many, you would have lost heart, and disputed about the matter. But Allah spared you. Indeed He knows well what is in the breasts.

And when Allah made them appear to you in a vision as a small band, had He showed them to you as many, your courage would have failed you and you would have quarreled over the affair. But Allah saved; He knows the inner most thoughts in the chests.

[Remember, O Muhammad], when Allah showed them to you in your dream as few; and if He had shown them to you as many, you [believers] would have lost courage and would have disputed in the matter [of whether to fight], but Allah saved [you from that]. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.

In your dream, God showed (the pagans' army) as being only a few in number, for if He had showed them as a great number, you would have lost courage and would have started to quarrel among yourselves concerning this matter. But God saved you from that condition; He knows what is in your hearts.

When Allah showed them to you in your dream as few; and if He had shown them to you as many you would certainly have become weak-hearted and you would have disputed about the matter, but Allah saved (you); surely He is the Knower of what is in the breasts.

I<u>th</u> yureekahumu All<u>a</u>hu fee man<u>a</u>mika qaleelan walaw ar<u>a</u>kahum katheeran lafashiltum walatan<u>a</u>zaAAtum fee alamri wal<u>a</u>kinna All<u>a</u>ha sallama innahu AAaleemun bi<u>tha</u>ti a<b>l</b><u>ss</u>udoor<b>i</b>

God showed them to you in your dream as small in number. If He had shown them to you as many, you would have lost heart and disputed about the matter; but God saved you. He has full knowledge of what is in the human heart.

Remember in thy dream Allah showed them to thee as few: if He had shown them to thee as many, ye would surely have been discouraged, and ye would surely have disputed in (your) decision; but Allah saved (you): for He knoweth well the (secrets) of (all) hearts.

8

إِذْ يُرِيكَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِى مَنَامِكَ قَلِيلًا وَلَوْ أَرَىٰكَهُمْ كَثِيرًا لَّفَشِلْتُمْ وَلَتَنَٰزَعْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَلَّمَ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ

Remember, O Messenger, Allah’s favour upon you, and upon the believers, when He showed you a dream in which the idolaters were few in number. You informed the believers about this and they took it as a good sign, and their determination to face the enemy in battle was strengthened. If Allah had shown the idolaters to you to be many, the determination of your Companions would have become weak and they would have become afraid of fighting. But Allah saved you all from that and protected them from losing courage. He therefore made them seem few in number in the eye of His Messenger (peace be upon him). He knows what the hearts contain and what the souls hide.

Remember, O Messenger, Allah’s favour upon you, and upon the believers, when He showed you a dream in which the idolaters were few in number. You informed the believers about this and they took it as a good sign, and their determination to face the enemy in battle was strengthened. If Allah had shown the idolaters to you to be many, the determination of your Companions would have become weak and they would have become afraid of fighting. But Allah saved you all from that and protected them from losing courage. He therefore made them seem few in number in the eye of His Messenger (peace be upon him). He knows what the hearts contain and what the souls hide.

<p>Mentioned in verses 43 and 44, there is particular marvel of Divine power which was designed to take place at the battle of Badr for the express purpose of making sure that none of the two armies were to put an end to the war itself by deserting the battlefield - because, it was as a result of this very war that the manifestation of the veracity of Islam was destined even as a ground reality, all earthy, material.</p><p>Such was the nature of this Divine marvel that the army of the disbelievers which was though three times larger than that of Muslims, yet Allah Ta` ala, by His perfect power alone, made their, number appear much less to Muslims so that it may not cause any difference of opinion or sense of weakness to affect them. This event took place twice. Once, it was shown to the Holy Prophet ﷺ in a dream which he related to all of them and which renewed their courage and resolve. The second time, when the two groups stood facing each other on the battlefield itself, their number was shown to Muslims as being small. The event mentioned in verse 43 relates to the dream and that in verse 44 to a state when they were wide awake.</p><p>Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Masud ؓ says: In our sight, the army facing us looked as if - as I said to the man next to me - these people would be ninety in number. That man said: No, they must be a hundred.</p>

Mentioned in verses 43 and 44, there is particular marvel of Divine power which was designed to take place at the battle of Badr for the express purpose of making sure that none of the two armies were to put an end to the war itself by deserting the battlefield - because, it was as a result of this very war that the manifestation of the veracity of Islam was destined even as a ground reality, all earthy, material.Such was the nature of this Divine marvel that the army of the disbelievers which was though three times larger than that of Muslims, yet Allah Ta` ala, by His perfect power alone, made their, number appear much less to Muslims so that it may not cause any difference of opinion or sense of weakness to affect them. This event took place twice. Once, it was shown to the Holy Prophet ﷺ in a dream which he related to all of them and which renewed their courage and resolve. The second time, when the two groups stood facing each other on the battlefield itself, their number was shown to Muslims as being small. The event mentioned in verse 43 relates to the dream and that in verse 44 to a state when they were wide awake.Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Masud ؓ says: In our sight, the army facing us looked as if - as I said to the man next to me - these people would be ninety in number. That man said: No, they must be a hundred.

<h2 class="title">Allah made each Group look few in the Eye of the Other</h2><p>Mujahid said, "In a dream, Allah showed the Prophet the enemy as few. The Prophet conveyed this news to his Companions and their resolve strengthened." Similar was said by Ibn Ishaq and several others. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ أَرَاكَهُمْ كَثِيراً لَّفَشِلْتُمْ</div><p>(If He had shown them to you as many, you would surely, have been discouraged,) you would have cowardly abstained from meeting them and fell in dispute among yourselves, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَـكِنَّ اللَّهَ سَلَّمَ</div><p>(But Allah saved), from all this, when He made you see them as few, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ</div><p>(Certainly, He is the All-Knower of that is in the breasts.) 8:43. </p><p>Allah knows what the heart and the inner-self conceal, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَعْلَمُ خَآئِنَةَ الاٌّعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِى الصُّدُورُ </div><p>(Allah knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal) 40:19. </p><p>Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِذْ يُرِيكُمُوهُمْ إِذِ الْتَقَيْتُمْ فِى أَعْيُنِكُمْ قَلِيلاً</div><p>(And (remember) when you met, He showed them to you as few in your eyes) demonstrates Allah's compassion towards the believers. Allah made them see few disbelievers in their eyes, so that they would be encouraged and feel eager to meet them. Abu Ishaq As-Subai`i said, that Abu `Ubaydah said that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "They were made to seem few in our eyes during Badr, so that I said to a man who was next to me, `Do you think they are seventy' He said, `Rather, they are a hundred.' However, when we captured one of them, we asked him and he said, `We were a thousand."' Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir recorded it. Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيُقَلِّلُكُمْ فِى أَعْيُنِهِمْ</div><p>(and He made you appear as few in their eyes,) Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِذْ يُرِيكُمُوهُمْ إِذِ الْتَقَيْتُمْ</div><p>(And (remember) when you met. He showed them to you...), He encouraged each of the two groups against the other, according to `Ikrimah, as recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim. This statement has a Sahih chain of narrators. Muhammad bin Ishaq said that Yahya bin `Abbad bin `Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr narrated to him that his father said about Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لِّيَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ أَمْراً كَانَ مَفْعُولاً</div><p>(so that Allah might accomplish a matter already ordained, ) "In order for the war to start between them, so that He would have revenge against those whom He decided to have revenge (pagans), and grant and complete His favor upon those He decided to grant favor to, His supporters." The meaning of this, is that Allah encouraged each group against the other and made them look few in each other's eyes, so that they were eager to meet them. This occurred before the battle started, but when it started and Allah supported the believers with a thousand angels in succession, the disbelieving group saw the believers double their number. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ ءَايَةٌ فِي فِئَتَيْنِ الْتَقَتَا فِئَةٌ تُقَـتِلُ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَأُخْرَى كَافِرَةٌ يَرَوْنَهُمْ مِّثْلَيْهِمْ رَأْىَ الْعَيْنِ وَاللَّهُ يُؤَيِّدُ بِنَصْرِهِ مَن يَشَآءُ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لاوْلِى الاٌّبْصَـرِ </div><p>(There has already been a sign for you (O Jews) in the two armies that met (in combat, the battle of Badr). One was fighting in the cause of Allah, and as for the other, (they) were disbelievers. They (disbelievers) saw them (believers) with their own eyes twice their number. And Allah supports with His aid whom He wills. Verily, in this is a lesson for those who understand.) 3:13 </p><p>This is how we combine these two Ayat, and certainly, each one of them is true, all the thanks are due to Allah and all the favors are from Him. </p>

Allah made each Group look few in the Eye of the OtherMujahid said, "In a dream, Allah showed the Prophet the enemy as few. The Prophet conveyed this news to his Companions and their resolve strengthened." Similar was said by Ibn Ishaq and several others. Allah said, وَلَوْ أَرَاكَهُمْ كَثِيراً لَّفَشِلْتُمْ(If He had shown them to you as many, you would surely, have been discouraged,) you would have cowardly abstained from meeting them and fell in dispute among yourselves, وَلَـكِنَّ اللَّهَ سَلَّمَ(But Allah saved), from all this, when He made you see them as few, إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ(Certainly, He is the All-Knower of that is in the breasts.) 8:43. Allah knows what the heart and the inner-self conceal, يَعْلَمُ خَآئِنَةَ الاٌّعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِى الصُّدُورُ (Allah knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal) 40:19. Allah's statement, وَإِذْ يُرِيكُمُوهُمْ إِذِ الْتَقَيْتُمْ فِى أَعْيُنِكُمْ قَلِيلاً(And (remember) when you met, He showed them to you as few in your eyes) demonstrates Allah's compassion towards the believers. Allah made them see few disbelievers in their eyes, so that they would be encouraged and feel eager to meet them. Abu Ishaq As-Subai`i said, that Abu `Ubaydah said that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "They were made to seem few in our eyes during Badr, so that I said to a man who was next to me, `Do you think they are seventy' He said, `Rather, they are a hundred.' However, when we captured one of them, we asked him and he said, `We were a thousand."' Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir recorded it. Allah said next, وَيُقَلِّلُكُمْ فِى أَعْيُنِهِمْ(and He made you appear as few in their eyes,) Allah said, وَإِذْ يُرِيكُمُوهُمْ إِذِ الْتَقَيْتُمْ(And (remember) when you met. He showed them to you...), He encouraged each of the two groups against the other, according to `Ikrimah, as recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim. This statement has a Sahih chain of narrators. Muhammad bin Ishaq said that Yahya bin `Abbad bin `Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr narrated to him that his father said about Allah's statement, لِّيَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ أَمْراً كَانَ مَفْعُولاً(so that Allah might accomplish a matter already ordained, ) "In order for the war to start between them, so that He would have revenge against those whom He decided to have revenge (pagans), and grant and complete His favor upon those He decided to grant favor to, His supporters." The meaning of this, is that Allah encouraged each group against the other and made them look few in each other's eyes, so that they were eager to meet them. This occurred before the battle started, but when it started and Allah supported the believers with a thousand angels in succession, the disbelieving group saw the believers double their number. Allah said, قَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ ءَايَةٌ فِي فِئَتَيْنِ الْتَقَتَا فِئَةٌ تُقَـتِلُ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَأُخْرَى كَافِرَةٌ يَرَوْنَهُمْ مِّثْلَيْهِمْ رَأْىَ الْعَيْنِ وَاللَّهُ يُؤَيِّدُ بِنَصْرِهِ مَن يَشَآءُ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لاوْلِى الاٌّبْصَـرِ (There has already been a sign for you (O Jews) in the two armies that met (in combat, the battle of Badr). One was fighting in the cause of Allah, and as for the other, (they) were disbelievers. They (disbelievers) saw them (believers) with their own eyes twice their number. And Allah supports with His aid whom He wills. Verily, in this is a lesson for those who understand.) 3:13 This is how we combine these two Ayat, and certainly, each one of them is true, all the thanks are due to Allah and all the favors are from Him.

When you faced them He made (the enemy) seem few to you in numbers, and made you appear fewer in their eyes, (it was) so that God could accomplish what had been decreed; for all things rest with God.

And when at the time of fighting He made the disbelievers seem few to you, and you as few in their sight, in order for Allah to conclude the matter that must be done; and towards Allah is the return of all matters.

When God showed you them in your eyes as few, when you encountered, and made you few in their eyes, that God might determine a matter that was done; and unto God all matters are returned.

And so, when you met in battle, He made them appear as few in your eyes -just as He made you appear as of little account in their eyes - so that God might accomplish a thing [which He willed] to be done: for all things go back to God [as their source].

And recall what time He shewed them few in your eyes when ye met and lessened you in their eyes in order that Allah might decree an affair already enacted; and unto Allah are all affairs returned.

appear And (remember) when you met (the army of the disbelievers on the Day of the battle of Badr), He showed them to you as few in your eyes and He made you as few in their eyes, so that Allah might accomplish a matter already ordained (in His Knowledge), and to Allah return all matters (for decision).

When you met, He made them appear as few in your eyes, and made you appear fewer in their eyes, so that God may conclude a predetermined matter. To God all matters revert.

And recall when He made them appear as few in your eyes when you met them in the battle just as He lessened you in their eyes so that Allah might accomplish what had been decreed. To Allah are all matters referred for decision.

And (remember) when you met, He showed them to you as few in your eyes and He made you appear as few in their eyes, so that Allah might accomplish a matter already ordained, and to Allah return all matters (for decision).

And when He made you (Muslims), when ye met (them), see them with your eyes as few, and lessened you in their eyes, (it was) that Allah might conclude a thing that must be done. Unto Allah all things are brought back.

And when He showed them to you as few in your eyes, when you met them [on the battlefield], and He made you [appear] few in their eyes, [it was] in order that Allah may carry through a matter that was bound to be fulfilled, and to Allah all matters are returned.

And when you met them, He showed them in your eyes as being few, and decreased (your number) in their eyes so that Allah might determine what was ordained. To Allah all matters return.

And [remember] when He showed them to you, when you met, as few in your eyes, and He made you [appear] as few in their eyes so that Allah might accomplish a matter already destined. And to Allah are [all] matters returned.

When you met the pagans' army, God made them appear fewer in your eyes and you appear fewer in their eyes so that His miracle of granting you (an incredible) victory could easily be fulfilled. To God do all things return.

And when He showed them to you, when you met, as few in your eyes and He made you to appear little in their eyes, in order that Allah might bring about a matter which was to be done, and to Allah are all affairs returned.

Wai<u>th</u> yureekumoohum i<u>th</u>i iltaqaytum fee aAAyunikum qaleelan wayuqallilukum fee aAAyunihim liyaq<u>d</u>iya All<u>a</u>hu amran k<u>a</u>na mafAAoolan wail<u>a</u> All<u>a</u>hi turjaAAu alomoor<b>u</b>

When at the time of your encounter He made them appear few in your eyes, and made you appear few in their eyes, it was so that God might bring about that which had been decreed. Everything returns to God.

And remember when ye met, He showed them to you as few in your eyes, and He made you appear as contemptible in their eyes: that Allah might accomplish a matter already enacted. For to Allah do all questions go back (for decision).

8

وَإِذْ يُرِيكُمُوهُمْ إِذِ ٱلْتَقَيْتُمْ فِىٓ أَعْيُنِكُمْ قَلِيلًا وَيُقَلِّلُكُمْ فِىٓ أَعْيُنِهِمْ لِيَقْضِىَ ٱللَّهُ أَمْرًا كَانَ مَفْعُولًا وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ ٱلْأُمُورُ

Remember, O believers, when Allah showed the idolaters to you, when you met them, as few and made you bravely go forward towards fighting them; and He made you seem few in their eyes, so that they came forward to fight you, without thinking of leaving. This was so that Allah could bring about a matter that was predetermined by taking retribution from the idolaters by them being killed or taken prisoners, and by favouring the believers with victory and defeat of their enemies. All matters are returned to Allah alone and He will repay the one who does evil for his wrongdoing and the one who does good for his good deeds.

Remember, O believers, when Allah showed the idolaters to you, when you met them, as few and made you bravely go forward towards fighting them; and He made you seem few in their eyes, so that they came forward to fight you, without thinking of leaving. This was so that Allah could bring about a matter that was predetermined by taking retribution from the idolaters by them being killed or taken prisoners, and by favouring the believers with victory and defeat of their enemies. All matters are returned to Allah alone and He will repay the one who does evil for his wrongdoing and the one who does good for his good deeds.

<p>In the last verse, along with this, it has also been mentioned: وَيُقَلِّلُكُمْ فِي أَعْيُنِهِمْ (and reduced your number in their eyes - 44). This could also mean that Muslims were, in reality, already few in number, thus, what was shown to disbelievers was their number as it was. And it could also mean that the number shown to them was much reduced than it really was - as it appears in many narrations that Abu Jahl on seeing the Muslim 'army' said to his compatriots: The number of these people does not seem to be any more than the number who would eat a camel as their daily ration. In Arabia of those days, the measure used to find out the number of men in an army was to first guess the number of animals slaughtered for their meals. One camel was understood to be sufficient to feed one hundred people. Right here on this battle site of Badr, the Holy Prophet ﷺ in his effort to find out the number of men in the army of the Quraysh of Makkah, had asked some local people: How many camels are slaughtered in their army camp every day? The answer given to him was: Ten camels daily. This led him to estimate the number of men in their army as being one thousand. In short, the total number of Muslims was shown as being one hundred in the sight of Abu Jahl. Here too, the wisdom of showing them in a reduced number was that the awe of Muslims may not so adversely affect the hearts of disbelievers ahead of the actual confrontation that they bolt from the battlefield itself.</p><p>Special Note</p><p>From this verse, we also find out that there are occasions when, as a matter of miracle and supernatural happening, optical observation may prove incorrect - as it transpired here.</p><p>For this very reason, the statement: لِيَقْضِيَ اللَّـهُ أَمْرً‌ا كَانَ مَفْعُولًا (so that Allah might accomplish what was destined to be done - 44) was repeated here. It means that the Divine marvel and the phenomenon of super-imposition on optical observation was manifested for the reason that the will of Allah stands accomplished right upto the end, that is, by giving Muslims victory despite their lack of numbers and materials, the central objectives of this war, that is, the veracity of Islam and the expression of unseen Divine support, should be fully achieved and established for ever.</p><p>At the end of the verse, it was said: وَإِلَى اللَّـهِ تُرْ‌جَعُ الْأُمُورُ‌ (And to Allah all matters are returned - 44). It means that He does what He wills and He commands as He wills. He can make a minority overcome a majority and weakness overtake strength. He may make less become more and more become less.</p>

In the last verse, along with this, it has also been mentioned: وَيُقَلِّلُكُمْ فِي أَعْيُنِهِمْ (and reduced your number in their eyes - 44). This could also mean that Muslims were, in reality, already few in number, thus, what was shown to disbelievers was their number as it was. And it could also mean that the number shown to them was much reduced than it really was - as it appears in many narrations that Abu Jahl on seeing the Muslim 'army' said to his compatriots: The number of these people does not seem to be any more than the number who would eat a camel as their daily ration. In Arabia of those days, the measure used to find out the number of men in an army was to first guess the number of animals slaughtered for their meals. One camel was understood to be sufficient to feed one hundred people. Right here on this battle site of Badr, the Holy Prophet ﷺ in his effort to find out the number of men in the army of the Quraysh of Makkah, had asked some local people: How many camels are slaughtered in their army camp every day? The answer given to him was: Ten camels daily. This led him to estimate the number of men in their army as being one thousand. In short, the total number of Muslims was shown as being one hundred in the sight of Abu Jahl. Here too, the wisdom of showing them in a reduced number was that the awe of Muslims may not so adversely affect the hearts of disbelievers ahead of the actual confrontation that they bolt from the battlefield itself.Special NoteFrom this verse, we also find out that there are occasions when, as a matter of miracle and supernatural happening, optical observation may prove incorrect - as it transpired here.For this very reason, the statement: لِيَقْضِيَ اللَّـهُ أَمْرً‌ا كَانَ مَفْعُولًا (so that Allah might accomplish what was destined to be done - 44) was repeated here. It means that the Divine marvel and the phenomenon of super-imposition on optical observation was manifested for the reason that the will of Allah stands accomplished right upto the end, that is, by giving Muslims victory despite their lack of numbers and materials, the central objectives of this war, that is, the veracity of Islam and the expression of unseen Divine support, should be fully achieved and established for ever.At the end of the verse, it was said: وَإِلَى اللَّـهِ تُرْ‌جَعُ الْأُمُورُ‌ (And to Allah all matters are returned - 44). It means that He does what He wills and He commands as He wills. He can make a minority overcome a majority and weakness overtake strength. He may make less become more and more become less.

O believers, when you meet an army, stand firm, and think of God a great deal that you may be blessed with success.

O People who Believe! When you meet an army, hold firm and remember Allah profusely, in order that you succeed.

O believers, whensoever you encounter a host, then stand firm, and remember God frequently; haply so you will prosper.

[Hence,] O you who have attained to faith, when you meet a host in battle, be firm, and remember God often; so that you might attain to a happy state!

O Ye who believe! when ye meet a party, stand firm and remember Allah much, that haply ye may fare well.

O you who believe! When you meet (an enemy) force, take a firm stand against them and remember the Name of Allah much (both with tongue and mind), so that you may be successful.

O you who believe! When you meet a force, stand firm, and remember God much, so that you may prevail.

Believers! When you encounter a host in battle, stand firm and remember Allah much that you may triumph.

O you who believe! When you meet (an enemy) force, take a firm stand against them and remember Allah much, so that you may be successful.

O ye who believe! When ye meet an army, hold firm and think of Allah much, that ye may be successful.

O you who have faith! When you meet a host [in battle], then stand firm, and remember Allah greatly so that you may be felicitous.

Believers, when you meet an army stand firm and remember Allah abundantly, in order that you are prosperous.

O you who have believed, when you encounter a company [from the enemy forces], stand firm and remember Allah much that you may be successful.

Believers, stand firm when you meet a band of your enemy and remember God often so that you may have everlasting happiness.

O you who believe! when you meet a party, then be firm, and remember Allah much, that you may be successful.

Y<u>a</u> ayyuh<u>a</u> alla<u>th</u>eena <u>a</u>manoo i<u>tha</u> laqeetum fiatan fa<b>o</b>thbutoo wa<b>o</b><u>th</u>kuroo All<u>a</u>ha katheeran laAAallakum tufli<u>h</u>oon<b>a</b>

Believers! When you encounter a party, remain firm and remember God much, so that you may succeed.

O ye who believe! When ye meet a force, be firm, and call Allah in remembrance much (and often); that ye may prosper:

8

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا لَقِيتُمْ فِئَةً فَٱثْبُتُوا۟ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

O you who have faith in Allah and follow His Messenger, when you fight against a group of disbelievers be patient when you meet them and do not become cowardly. Remember Allah much and call on Him, because He is the One Who can help you against them; and pray to Him to grant you what you desire and protect you from what you fear.

O you who have faith in Allah and follow His Messenger, when you fight against a group of disbelievers be patient when you meet them and do not become cowardly. Remember Allah much and call on Him, because He is the One Who can help you against them; and pray to Him to grant you what you desire and protect you from what you fear.

<p>Commentary</p><p>Qur'anic Instructions for Success in Jihad</p><p>Given in the first two verses cited above is a special set of instructions for Muslims when they confront enemies on the battlefield. These instructions from Allah Ta` ala are for them the master prescription of success and ascendancy in the present world as well as that of salvation and prosperity in the eternal life to come. In fact, the secret of unusual successes and victories achieved by Muslims in all wars fought by them during the early period lies hidden behind their adherence to these very golden guidelines - and they are:</p><p>1. Be Steadfast</p><p>The Arabic word used by the Qur'an is ثَبات thibat which means to stand firm, hold the ground, be steadfast. This includes firmness of the feet and firmness of the heart both because a person whose heart is not strong and firm can hardly be expected to have the rest of his body hold the ground. This is something everyone knows and understands, believer or disbeliever. Every nation of the world gives high priority to this strength in its wars because all experienced people know it well that the first and foremost weapon in the theater of war is nothing but the firmness of heart and feet. Without these, all weapons are rendered useless.</p><p>2.Remember Allah</p><p>The second principle is the Dhikr of Allah which is a weapon in its own right, special and spiritual, something known to Muslims only and not known to or neglected by the rest of the world. The world as we know it today would do anything to get together state-of-the-art weapon systems for their war plans, the latest in logistics and morale boosting sessions to inculcate combat firmness among forces - but, strangely enough, it is unaware and unexposed to this spiritual weapon of Muslims. This is the reason why Muslims, wherever they had to confront some other nation while following these instructions precisely as given, they were able to demolish superior forces of the adversary laced with men, weapons and war materials. As for the inherent spiritual benediction of the Dhikr of Allah, they have a place of their own in our lives, nevertheless, it is also difficult to deny its efficacy in enabling one to continue to hold on and remain standing firm on his feet. To remember Allah and to be confident about it is like a highly charged electronic energy which makes a weak person run through mountains. No matter what the odds be against, personal discomfort or emotional anxiety, this remembrance of Allah shoos all that into thin air making the heart of man strong and his feet firm.</p><p>At this stage, let us keep in mind that the time of a raging battle is usually a terrible time when no one remembers anyone and everyone is consumed with the thought of self-preservation. Therefore, the poets of pagan Arabia take great pride in insisting that they remember their beloved even during the heat of the battlefield. To them, this was a proof of the power of heart and the firmness of love. A pagan poet has said: ذکرتک والخطی یخطر بیننا (I remembered you even at a time when spears were swinging dangerously between us).</p><p>The Holy Qur'an has prompted Muslims to engage in the Dhikr of Allah even in this dangerous situation, and that too with the emphasis on: کَثِیراً (kathira : much).</p><p>Also worth pondering over at this point is the fact that no other act of worship (` Ibadah), except the Dhikr of Allah, has been commanded in the entire Qur'an with the instruction that it be done abundantly and profusely. Expressions like (making صَلوٰۃً کَثِیراً Salah much) and: صِیاماً کثیرا (fasting much) have not been mentioned anywhere. The reason is that the Dhikr of Allah is easy to do, a convenient act of worship indeed. You do not have to spend a lot of time and labour doing it, nor does it stop you from doing something else on hand. On top of that, this is an exclusive grace from Allah Ta` ala who has not placed any precondition or restriction of وُضُو Wudu (ablution), طَہَارَت Taharah (state of purity from major or minor impurities), dress and orientation to قِبلَہ Qiblah (facing the direction of Ka'bah) etc., in its performance. This can be done by anyone under all states, with وُضُو Wudu or without, standing, sitting or lying down. And if we were to add to it the higher investigative approach of Imam al-Jazri appearing in the famous collection of authentic Islamic prayers, Hisn Hasin, where he states that the Dhikr of Allah is not limited to the act of remembering Allah only verbally or by heart, instead of which, any permissible act which is performed by re-maining within the parameters of obedience to the Holy Prophet ﷺ shall also be counted as the Dhikr of Allah, then, given this approach, the sense of Dhikr of Allah becomes so common and easy that we could call even a man in sleep a Dhakir (one who remembers Allah). This is supported by what is said in some narrations: نَومَ العَالِم عِبَادَۃ (The sleep of the ` Alim is included under ` Ibadah) because an ` Alim or scholar of Islam who lives and acts in accordance with the demands of his عِلم ` Ilm or knowledge of Islam is duty-bound to see that all his states of sleeping and waking must remain within nothing but the boundaries of obedience to Allah Ta` ala.</p><p>In the present context, the command to remember Allah abundantly while on the battlefield may give the impression of being an addition of one more duty assigned to the mujahidin, something which may usually demand concentrated hard work. But, certainly unique is the property of the Dhikr of Allah. It does not subject its performer to what would be hard labour. Instead, it brings in a kind of pleasure, energy and taste which actually goes on to help one accomplish a lot of things one does in life. For that matter, there is nothing unusual about it as we commonly notice that people who handle hard labour would habitually take to a set of words or some beat or jingle or song and are heard humming it while working. The Holy Qur'an has blessed Muslims with an alternate for it, something which is based on countless advantages and wise considerations. Therefore, towards the end of the verse, it was said: لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (so that you may be successful - 45). It means if you went on to master these two tested techniques of standing firm and remembering Allah - and used it on the battlefield - then, you can be sure that prosperity and success are all yours.</p><p>One method of remembering Allah on the battlefield is what we generally recognize as the well-known battle cry of 'Allāhu-Akbar' (the Na'rah or cry of Takbir which is a positively voiced statement of belief in the greatness of Allah in the setting of a battlefield). saying: 'Allahu-Akbar' is also a form of Dhikr or remembrance of Allah. In addition to this, it also includes the attitude of keeping the thought of Allah always in sight, having confidence and trust in Him and remembering Him with all your heart in it. As such, the term Dhikr of Allah includes all that.</p>

CommentaryQur'anic Instructions for Success in JihadGiven in the first two verses cited above is a special set of instructions for Muslims when they confront enemies on the battlefield. These instructions from Allah Ta` ala are for them the master prescription of success and ascendancy in the present world as well as that of salvation and prosperity in the eternal life to come. In fact, the secret of unusual successes and victories achieved by Muslims in all wars fought by them during the early period lies hidden behind their adherence to these very golden guidelines - and they are:1. Be SteadfastThe Arabic word used by the Qur'an is ثَبات thibat which means to stand firm, hold the ground, be steadfast. This includes firmness of the feet and firmness of the heart both because a person whose heart is not strong and firm can hardly be expected to have the rest of his body hold the ground. This is something everyone knows and understands, believer or disbeliever. Every nation of the world gives high priority to this strength in its wars because all experienced people know it well that the first and foremost weapon in the theater of war is nothing but the firmness of heart and feet. Without these, all weapons are rendered useless.2.Remember AllahThe second principle is the Dhikr of Allah which is a weapon in its own right, special and spiritual, something known to Muslims only and not known to or neglected by the rest of the world. The world as we know it today would do anything to get together state-of-the-art weapon systems for their war plans, the latest in logistics and morale boosting sessions to inculcate combat firmness among forces - but, strangely enough, it is unaware and unexposed to this spiritual weapon of Muslims. This is the reason why Muslims, wherever they had to confront some other nation while following these instructions precisely as given, they were able to demolish superior forces of the adversary laced with men, weapons and war materials. As for the inherent spiritual benediction of the Dhikr of Allah, they have a place of their own in our lives, nevertheless, it is also difficult to deny its efficacy in enabling one to continue to hold on and remain standing firm on his feet. To remember Allah and to be confident about it is like a highly charged electronic energy which makes a weak person run through mountains. No matter what the odds be against, personal discomfort or emotional anxiety, this remembrance of Allah shoos all that into thin air making the heart of man strong and his feet firm.At this stage, let us keep in mind that the time of a raging battle is usually a terrible time when no one remembers anyone and everyone is consumed with the thought of self-preservation. Therefore, the poets of pagan Arabia take great pride in insisting that they remember their beloved even during the heat of the battlefield. To them, this was a proof of the power of heart and the firmness of love. A pagan poet has said: ذکرتک والخطی یخطر بیننا (I remembered you even at a time when spears were swinging dangerously between us).The Holy Qur'an has prompted Muslims to engage in the Dhikr of Allah even in this dangerous situation, and that too with the emphasis on: کَثِیراً (kathira : much).Also worth pondering over at this point is the fact that no other act of worship (` Ibadah), except the Dhikr of Allah, has been commanded in the entire Qur'an with the instruction that it be done abundantly and profusely. Expressions like (making صَلوٰۃً کَثِیراً Salah much) and: صِیاماً کثیرا (fasting much) have not been mentioned anywhere. The reason is that the Dhikr of Allah is easy to do, a convenient act of worship indeed. You do not have to spend a lot of time and labour doing it, nor does it stop you from doing something else on hand. On top of that, this is an exclusive grace from Allah Ta` ala who has not placed any precondition or restriction of وُضُو Wudu (ablution), طَہَارَت Taharah (state of purity from major or minor impurities), dress and orientation to قِبلَہ Qiblah (facing the direction of Ka'bah) etc., in its performance. This can be done by anyone under all states, with وُضُو Wudu or without, standing, sitting or lying down. And if we were to add to it the higher investigative approach of Imam al-Jazri appearing in the famous collection of authentic Islamic prayers, Hisn Hasin, where he states that the Dhikr of Allah is not limited to the act of remembering Allah only verbally or by heart, instead of which, any permissible act which is performed by re-maining within the parameters of obedience to the Holy Prophet ﷺ shall also be counted as the Dhikr of Allah, then, given this approach, the sense of Dhikr of Allah becomes so common and easy that we could call even a man in sleep a Dhakir (one who remembers Allah). This is supported by what is said in some narrations: نَومَ العَالِم عِبَادَۃ (The sleep of the ` Alim is included under ` Ibadah) because an ` Alim or scholar of Islam who lives and acts in accordance with the demands of his عِلم ` Ilm or knowledge of Islam is duty-bound to see that all his states of sleeping and waking must remain within nothing but the boundaries of obedience to Allah Ta` ala.In the present context, the command to remember Allah abundantly while on the battlefield may give the impression of being an addition of one more duty assigned to the mujahidin, something which may usually demand concentrated hard work. But, certainly unique is the property of the Dhikr of Allah. It does not subject its performer to what would be hard labour. Instead, it brings in a kind of pleasure, energy and taste which actually goes on to help one accomplish a lot of things one does in life. For that matter, there is nothing unusual about it as we commonly notice that people who handle hard labour would habitually take to a set of words or some beat or jingle or song and are heard humming it while working. The Holy Qur'an has blessed Muslims with an alternate for it, something which is based on countless advantages and wise considerations. Therefore, towards the end of the verse, it was said: لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (so that you may be successful - 45). It means if you went on to master these two tested techniques of standing firm and remembering Allah - and used it on the battlefield - then, you can be sure that prosperity and success are all yours.One method of remembering Allah on the battlefield is what we generally recognize as the well-known battle cry of 'Allāhu-Akbar' (the Na'rah or cry of Takbir which is a positively voiced statement of belief in the greatness of Allah in the setting of a battlefield). saying: 'Allahu-Akbar' is also a form of Dhikr or remembrance of Allah. In addition to this, it also includes the attitude of keeping the thought of Allah always in sight, having confidence and trust in Him and remembering Him with all your heart in it. As such, the term Dhikr of Allah includes all that.

<h2 class="title">Manners of War</h2><p>Allah instructs His faithful servants in the manners of fighting and methods of courage when meeting the enemy in battle, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ إِذَا لَقِيتُمْ فِئَةً فَاثْبُتُواْ</div><p>(O you who believe! When you meet (an enemy) force, take a firm stand against them) In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that `Abdullah bin Abi Awfa said that during one battle, Allah's Messenger waited until the sun declined, then stood among the people and said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ لَا تَتَمَنَّوْا لِقَاءَ الْعَدُوِّ، واسْأَلُوا اللهَ الْعَافِيَةَ فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُوهُمْ فَاصْبِرُوا وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ تَحْتَ ظِلَالِ السُّيُوف»</div><p>(O people! Do not wish to face the enemy (in a battle) and ask Allah to save you (from calamities). But if you should face the enemy, then be patient and let it be known to you that Paradise is under the shadows of the swords.) </p><p>He then stood and said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«اللَّهُمَّ مُنْزِلَ الْكِتَابِ، وَمُجْرِي السَّحَابِ، وَهَازِمَ الْأَحْزَابِ، اهْزِمْهُمْ وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَيْهِم»</div><p>(O Allah! Revealer of the (Holy) Book, Mover of the clouds, and Defeater of the Confederates, defeat them and grant us victory over them.) </p><h2 class="title">The Command for Endurance when the Enemy Engaging</h2><p>Allah commands endurance upon meeting the enemy in battle and ordains patience while fighting them. Muslims are not allowed to run or shy away, or show cowardice in battle. They are commanded to remember Allah while in that condition and never neglect His remembrance. They should rather invoke Him for support, trust in Him and seek victory over their enemies from Him. They are required to obey Allah and His Messenger in such circumstances adhering to what He commanded them, and abstaining from what He forbade them. They are required to avoid disputing with each other, for this might lead to their defeat and failure, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ</div><p>(lest your strength departs), so that your strength, endurance and courage do not depart from you, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاصْبِرُواْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّـبِرِينَ</div><p>(and be patient. Surely, Allah is with the patients.) </p><p>In their courage, and obedience to Allah and His Messenger, the Companions reached a level never seen before by any nation or generation before them, or any nation that will ever come. Through the blessing of the Messenger and their obedience to what he commanded, the Companions were able to open the hearts, as well as, the various eastern and western parts of the world in a rather short time. This occurred even though they were few, compared to the armies of the various nations at that time. For example, the Romans, Persians, Turks, Slavs, Berbers, Ethiopians, Sudanese tribes, the Copts and the rest of the Children of Adam. They defeated all of these nations, until Allah's Word became the highest and His religion became dominant above all religions. The Islamic state spread over the eastern and western parts of the world in less than thirty years. May Allah grant them His pleasure, as well as, be pleased with them all, and may He gather us among them, for He is the Most Generous, and Giving. </p>

Manners of WarAllah instructs His faithful servants in the manners of fighting and methods of courage when meeting the enemy in battle, يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ إِذَا لَقِيتُمْ فِئَةً فَاثْبُتُواْ(O you who believe! When you meet (an enemy) force, take a firm stand against them) In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that `Abdullah bin Abi Awfa said that during one battle, Allah's Messenger waited until the sun declined, then stood among the people and said, «يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ لَا تَتَمَنَّوْا لِقَاءَ الْعَدُوِّ، واسْأَلُوا اللهَ الْعَافِيَةَ فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُوهُمْ فَاصْبِرُوا وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ تَحْتَ ظِلَالِ السُّيُوف»(O people! Do not wish to face the enemy (in a battle) and ask Allah to save you (from calamities). But if you should face the enemy, then be patient and let it be known to you that Paradise is under the shadows of the swords.) He then stood and said, «اللَّهُمَّ مُنْزِلَ الْكِتَابِ، وَمُجْرِي السَّحَابِ، وَهَازِمَ الْأَحْزَابِ، اهْزِمْهُمْ وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَيْهِم»(O Allah! Revealer of the (Holy) Book, Mover of the clouds, and Defeater of the Confederates, defeat them and grant us victory over them.) The Command for Endurance when the Enemy EngagingAllah commands endurance upon meeting the enemy in battle and ordains patience while fighting them. Muslims are not allowed to run or shy away, or show cowardice in battle. They are commanded to remember Allah while in that condition and never neglect His remembrance. They should rather invoke Him for support, trust in Him and seek victory over their enemies from Him. They are required to obey Allah and His Messenger in such circumstances adhering to what He commanded them, and abstaining from what He forbade them. They are required to avoid disputing with each other, for this might lead to their defeat and failure, وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ(lest your strength departs), so that your strength, endurance and courage do not depart from you, وَاصْبِرُواْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّـبِرِينَ(and be patient. Surely, Allah is with the patients.) In their courage, and obedience to Allah and His Messenger, the Companions reached a level never seen before by any nation or generation before them, or any nation that will ever come. Through the blessing of the Messenger and their obedience to what he commanded, the Companions were able to open the hearts, as well as, the various eastern and western parts of the world in a rather short time. This occurred even though they were few, compared to the armies of the various nations at that time. For example, the Romans, Persians, Turks, Slavs, Berbers, Ethiopians, Sudanese tribes, the Copts and the rest of the Children of Adam. They defeated all of these nations, until Allah's Word became the highest and His religion became dominant above all religions. The Islamic state spread over the eastern and western parts of the world in less than thirty years. May Allah grant them His pleasure, as well as, be pleased with them all, and may He gather us among them, for He is the Most Generous, and Giving.

Obey God and His Apostle, and do not disagree among yourselves or you will be unmanned and lose courage. Persevere, for God is with those who endure.

And obey Allah and His Noble Messenger, and do not dispute with one another for you will lose courage again and your strength will be lost, and patiently endure; indeed Allah is with those who patiently endure.

And obey God, and His Messenger, and do not quarrel together, and so lose heart, and your power depart; and be patient; surely God is with the patient.

And pay heed unto God and His Apostle, and do not [allow yourselves to] be at variance with one another, lest you lose heart and your moral strength desert you. And be patient in adversity: for, verily, God is with those who are patient in adversity.

And obey Allah and His apostle, and dispute not, lest ye flag and your predominance depart, and be patient. Verily Allah is with the patient

And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength depart, and be patient. Surely, Allah is with those who are As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.).

And obey God and His Messenger, and do not dispute, lest you falter and lose your courage. And be steadfast. God is with the steadfast.

And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not quarrel with one another lest you should lose courage and your power depart. Be steadfast, surely Allah is with those who remain steadfast.

And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength departs, and be patient. Surely, Allah is with the patients.

And obey Allah and His messenger, and dispute not one with another lest ye falter and your strength depart from you; but be steadfast! Lo! Allah is with the steadfast.

And obey Allah and His Apostle, and do not dispute, or you will lose heart and your power will be gone. And be patient; indeed Allah is with the patient.

Obey Allah and His Messenger and do not dispute with one another lest you should lose courage and your resolve weaken. Have patience Allah is with those who are patient.

And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute and [thus] lose courage and [then] your strength would depart; and be patient. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.

Obey God and His Messenger. Do not quarrel with each other lest you fail or lose honor. Exercise patience; God is with those who have patience.

And obey Allah and His Apostle and do not quarrel for then you will be weak in hearts and your power will depart, and be patient; surely Allah is with the patient.

Waa<u>t</u>eeAAoo All<u>a</u>ha warasoolahu wal<u>a</u> tan<u>a</u>zaAAoo fatafshaloo wata<u>th</u>haba ree<u>h</u>ukum wa<b>i</b><u>s</u>biroo inna All<u>a</u>ha maAAa a<b>l</b><u>ssa</u>bireen<b>a</b>

Obey God and His Messenger, and avoid dissension, lest you falter and are no longer held in awe. Have patience: God is with those who are patient.

And obey Allah and His Messenger; and fall into no disputes, lest ye lose heart and your power depart; and be patient and persevering: For Allah is with those who patiently persevere:

8

وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَلَا تَنَٰزَعُوا۟ فَتَفْشَلُوا۟ وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ وَٱصْبِرُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ

Observe Allah’s obedience and the obedience of His Prophet in all of your statements, actions and circumstances. Do not argue with one another because dispute leads to weakness, cowardliness and the diminishing of your strength. Be patient when facing the enemy because Allah supports and assists the patient. Whoever Allah is with will definitely be victorious.

Observe Allah’s obedience and the obedience of His Prophet in all of your statements, actions and circumstances. Do not argue with one another because dispute leads to weakness, cowardliness and the diminishing of your strength. Be patient when facing the enemy because Allah supports and assists the patient. Whoever Allah is with will definitely be victorious.

<p>Moving to verse 46, we see that believers have been prompted to follow a third instruction and that أَطِيعُوا اللَّـهَ وَرَ‌سُولَهُ (obey Allah and His Messenger) - because, help and support from Allah Ta` ala can be expected to come only through obedience to Him. Negligence and disobedience can only be the causes of the displeasure of Allah and a certain deprivation from whatever grace could come from Him. Thus, we have before us three articles of the Qur'anic code of conduct for the battle-field: (1) Firmness (2) Dhikr of Allah (3) Obedience. After that, it was said: وَلَا تَنَازَعُوا فَتَفْشَلُوا وَتَذْهَبَ رِ‌يحُكُمْ ۖ وَاصْبِرُ‌وا (and do not dispute, lest you should show weakness and should lose your predominance, and be patient -46).</p><p>Given here is a warning against negative aspects of conduct which must be avoided. As for the negative conduct which impedes successful war effort, it is nothing but mutual difference and disputation. Therefore, it was said: وَلَا تَنَازَعُوا (and do not dispute - 46) for mutual dissension and discord would breed cowardice among them and they would soon lose their image of dominance.</p><p>The verse points out to two end-products of this mutual dissension: (1) That you would become personally weak and cowardly and (2) that you would lose your predominance and turn low in the sight of the enemy. The fact that mutual disputation would make disputants appear low in the sight of others is obvious, but how does it affect one's own strength to the limit that it turns into weakness and cowardice? The reason is that, given mutual unity and trust, everyone is backed up by the strength of a whole group. Therefore, one individual feels the relative strength of his whole group in himself and once that mutual unity and trust is gone what remains behind is no more than his own solitary strength - which, obviously, means nothing in a killing field.</p><p>After that, it was said: وَاصْبِرُ‌وا (and be patient - 46). Looking at the context of the statement, this appears to have been suggested as a successful prescription of remaining safe from getting involved in dissension and disputes. To elucidate, it can be said that no matter how united in thinking and objectives a group may be, but physical traits of human individuals remain different after all. Then, the divergence of opinion among the informed and experienced in the process of achieving a certain purpose is also inevitable. Therefore, in order to go along with others and to keep them together, there is no alternative but that one should be used to remaining patient over counter-temperamental matters of concern and being accustomed to ignoring them when necessary. In other words, one should not be so rigid and uncompromising over his personal opinion that, in the event it was not accepted, he would explode and fight. Sabr or patience is just another name for this quality of resilience. These days everyone knows and says that mutual dispute is very bad, but the master stroke of remaining safe from it - that one trains himself to become used to remaining patient over what does not match his physical temperament and that he does not worry about making people say yes to his view and see that they go by it - is something very few people have learnt to employ successfully. As a result, all sermons of unity and harmony are rendered useless. So, it can be conceded that one does not normally have the capability to make the other person surrender to his view, but two things still remain pos-sible: (1) That he himself accepts what the other person has to say (2) and should the dictate of his reason and justice goad him not to accept it, then, the least he could still do is to say nothing for the sake of averting a possible dispute. This much is, after all, within one's power and control. Therefore, along with the instruction to avoid dissension and dispute, the Holy Qur'an has also exhorted every individual of a group to observe patience so that avoiding disputes becomes easy in practice.</p><p>Also worth pondering at this stage is the statement made in the Qur'an when it has said: لَا تَنَازَعُوا (and do not dispute - 46). Here, it has stopped mutual disputation, not any difference of opinion or its expression. Difference of opinion which is prompted by honesty and sincerity never develops into disputation. Quarrels and disputations are generated when things go beyond ordinary difference of opinion, particularly when gripped by the emotional attitude of making the other person accept what one says and not to accept what the other person does. And this emotional attitude is what the Holy Qur'an has eliminated by saying: وَاصْبِرُ‌وا (and be patient - 46). Then, at the end, by pointing out to the most sublime gain to be made from the observance of patience, it removes whatever unpalatable there may be about it. It was said: إِنَّ اللَّـهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِ‌ينَ (Allah is with the patient - 46). That they have the company of Allah Ta` ala all the time and under all conditions is so great a wealth that wealth of the world and beyond, as we do or do not know, are just nothing as compared to that honour.</p><p>It was to make these very instructions become their ever-present response, the Holy Prophet ﷺ delivered the following sermon right there on the site of combat during many a battles of Islam:</p><p>"0 my people, do not look forward to fight the enemy in a combat. Rather, pray that Allah keeps you in a state of peace and well-being. However, when the inevitable happens and you have to confront them, then, stand firm and be patient and be assured that Paradise lies under the shade of swords." [ Muslim ]</p>

Moving to verse 46, we see that believers have been prompted to follow a third instruction and that أَطِيعُوا اللَّـهَ وَرَ‌سُولَهُ (obey Allah and His Messenger) - because, help and support from Allah Ta` ala can be expected to come only through obedience to Him. Negligence and disobedience can only be the causes of the displeasure of Allah and a certain deprivation from whatever grace could come from Him. Thus, we have before us three articles of the Qur'anic code of conduct for the battle-field: (1) Firmness (2) Dhikr of Allah (3) Obedience. After that, it was said: وَلَا تَنَازَعُوا فَتَفْشَلُوا وَتَذْهَبَ رِ‌يحُكُمْ ۖ وَاصْبِرُ‌وا (and do not dispute, lest you should show weakness and should lose your predominance, and be patient -46).Given here is a warning against negative aspects of conduct which must be avoided. As for the negative conduct which impedes successful war effort, it is nothing but mutual difference and disputation. Therefore, it was said: وَلَا تَنَازَعُوا (and do not dispute - 46) for mutual dissension and discord would breed cowardice among them and they would soon lose their image of dominance.The verse points out to two end-products of this mutual dissension: (1) That you would become personally weak and cowardly and (2) that you would lose your predominance and turn low in the sight of the enemy. The fact that mutual disputation would make disputants appear low in the sight of others is obvious, but how does it affect one's own strength to the limit that it turns into weakness and cowardice? The reason is that, given mutual unity and trust, everyone is backed up by the strength of a whole group. Therefore, one individual feels the relative strength of his whole group in himself and once that mutual unity and trust is gone what remains behind is no more than his own solitary strength - which, obviously, means nothing in a killing field.After that, it was said: وَاصْبِرُ‌وا (and be patient - 46). Looking at the context of the statement, this appears to have been suggested as a successful prescription of remaining safe from getting involved in dissension and disputes. To elucidate, it can be said that no matter how united in thinking and objectives a group may be, but physical traits of human individuals remain different after all. Then, the divergence of opinion among the informed and experienced in the process of achieving a certain purpose is also inevitable. Therefore, in order to go along with others and to keep them together, there is no alternative but that one should be used to remaining patient over counter-temperamental matters of concern and being accustomed to ignoring them when necessary. In other words, one should not be so rigid and uncompromising over his personal opinion that, in the event it was not accepted, he would explode and fight. Sabr or patience is just another name for this quality of resilience. These days everyone knows and says that mutual dispute is very bad, but the master stroke of remaining safe from it - that one trains himself to become used to remaining patient over what does not match his physical temperament and that he does not worry about making people say yes to his view and see that they go by it - is something very few people have learnt to employ successfully. As a result, all sermons of unity and harmony are rendered useless. So, it can be conceded that one does not normally have the capability to make the other person surrender to his view, but two things still remain pos-sible: (1) That he himself accepts what the other person has to say (2) and should the dictate of his reason and justice goad him not to accept it, then, the least he could still do is to say nothing for the sake of averting a possible dispute. This much is, after all, within one's power and control. Therefore, along with the instruction to avoid dissension and dispute, the Holy Qur'an has also exhorted every individual of a group to observe patience so that avoiding disputes becomes easy in practice.Also worth pondering at this stage is the statement made in the Qur'an when it has said: لَا تَنَازَعُوا (and do not dispute - 46). Here, it has stopped mutual disputation, not any difference of opinion or its expression. Difference of opinion which is prompted by honesty and sincerity never develops into disputation. Quarrels and disputations are generated when things go beyond ordinary difference of opinion, particularly when gripped by the emotional attitude of making the other person accept what one says and not to accept what the other person does. And this emotional attitude is what the Holy Qur'an has eliminated by saying: وَاصْبِرُ‌وا (and be patient - 46). Then, at the end, by pointing out to the most sublime gain to be made from the observance of patience, it removes whatever unpalatable there may be about it. It was said: إِنَّ اللَّـهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِ‌ينَ (Allah is with the patient - 46). That they have the company of Allah Ta` ala all the time and under all conditions is so great a wealth that wealth of the world and beyond, as we do or do not know, are just nothing as compared to that honour.It was to make these very instructions become their ever-present response, the Holy Prophet ﷺ delivered the following sermon right there on the site of combat during many a battles of Islam:"0 my people, do not look forward to fight the enemy in a combat. Rather, pray that Allah keeps you in a state of peace and well-being. However, when the inevitable happens and you have to confront them, then, stand firm and be patient and be assured that Paradise lies under the shade of swords." [ Muslim ]

Do not be like those who went out of their homes full of their own importance, ostentatiously, trying to hinder others from the way of God. But God encompasses all they do.

And do not be like those who came out from their houses proudly, and to be seen by men, and they prevent people from Allah’s way; and all their actions are within Allah’s control.

Be not as those who went forth from their habitations swaggering boastfully to show off to men, and barring from God's way; and God encompasses the things they do.

And be not like those [unbelievers] who went forth from their homelands full of self-conceit and a desire to be seen and praised by men for they were trying to turn others away from the path of God -the while God encompassed all their doings [with His might].

And be not like unto those who came forth from their homes vaunting and to be seen of men and hindering others from the way of Allah; and Allah is the Ecompasser of that which they work.

And be not like those who come out of their homes boastfully and to be seen of men, and hinder (men) from the Path of Allah. and Allah is Muhitun (encircling and thoroughly comprehending) all that they do.

And do not be like those who left their homes boastfully, showing off before the people, and barring others from the path of God. God comprehends what they do.

And be not like those who came forth from their homes exulting, with a desire to be seen of men, and hindering others from the way of Allah. Allah encompasses all that they do.

And be not like those who come out of their homes boastfully and to be seen of men, and hinder (men) from the path of Allah; and Allah is Muhit (eneompassing and thoroughly comprehending) all that they do.

Be not as those who came forth from their dwellings boastfully and to be seen of men, and debar (men) from the way of Allah, while Allah is surrounding all they do.

Do not be like those who left their homes vainly and to show off to the people, and to bar [other people] from the way of Allah, and Allah comprehends what they do.

Do not be like those who left their homes elated with insolence and showing off to people, barring others from the Path of Allah but Allah encompasses what they do.

And do not be like those who came forth from their homes insolently and to be seen by people and avert [them] from the way of Allah. And Allah is encompassing of what they do.

Do not be like those who marched out boastfully to show off their strength to people and hinder people from the way of God. God encompasses everyone's activities.

And be not like those who came forth from their homes in great exultation and to be seen of men, and (who) turn away from the way of Allah, and Allah comprehends what they do.

Wal<u>a</u> takoonoo ka<b>a</b>lla<u>th</u>eena kharajoo min diy<u>a</u>rihim ba<u>t</u>aran wari<u>a</u>a a<b>l</b>nn<u>a</u>si waya<u>s</u>uddoona AAan sabeeli All<u>a</u>hi wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu bim<u>a</u> yaAAmaloona mu<u>h</u>ee<u>t</u><b>un</b>

Do not be like those who left their homes full of conceit and showing off to others. They debar others from the path of God: but God has knowledge of all their actions.

And be not like those who started from their homes insolently and to be seen of men, and to hinder (men) from the path of Allah: For Allah compasseth round about all that they do.

8

وَلَا تَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ خَرَجُوا۟ مِن دِيَٰرِهِم بَطَرًا وَرِئَآءَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ

Do not be like those idolaters who left Makkah full of pride, showing off to people, and who prevent people from Allah’s religion and stop them from entering into it. Allah is All-Aware of what they do. No action of theirs is hidden from Him and He will repay them for that.

Do not be like those idolaters who left Makkah full of pride, showing off to people, and who prevent people from Allah’s religion and stop them from entering into it. Allah is All-Aware of what they do. No action of theirs is hidden from Him and He will repay them for that.

<p>Another negative and detrimental aspect of conduct against which warning has been given in verse 47 and from which abstinence has been advised is that believers should not wax proud over their strength and numbers nor should they be guilty of nursing some per-sonal interest of theirs rather than remaining sincere to their mission at hand, because these two approaches would usually bring down great powers of the world on their knees.</p><p>Embedded in this verse, there is an allusion to the circumstances under which the Quraysh of Makkah who had marched off from their city to give military cover to their trade caravan with the heavy backing of men and materials and waxing proud over their number and strength. And even when the trade caravan had passed far beyond the range of any possible attack by Muslims, they elected not to return even then - because, they had other axes to grind by giving a little demonstration of their valour on the site of combat.</p><p>According to authentic reports, when Abu Sufyan succeeded in getting past the range of Muslim attack with his trade caravan, he sent a courier to Abu Jahl bearing the message that there was no need for him to go any further and that he should better return. Many other Quraysh chiefs had also concurred with this advice. But, driven by his pride, arrogance and the desire for recognition, Abu Jahl declared on oath that they would not return until they reach the site of Badr and celebrate their victory there for a few days.</p><p>The outcome was that he and his well-known accomplices found themselves dumped there forever. Muslims have been instructed to abstain from the methods adopted by them.</p>

Another negative and detrimental aspect of conduct against which warning has been given in verse 47 and from which abstinence has been advised is that believers should not wax proud over their strength and numbers nor should they be guilty of nursing some per-sonal interest of theirs rather than remaining sincere to their mission at hand, because these two approaches would usually bring down great powers of the world on their knees.Embedded in this verse, there is an allusion to the circumstances under which the Quraysh of Makkah who had marched off from their city to give military cover to their trade caravan with the heavy backing of men and materials and waxing proud over their number and strength. And even when the trade caravan had passed far beyond the range of any possible attack by Muslims, they elected not to return even then - because, they had other axes to grind by giving a little demonstration of their valour on the site of combat.According to authentic reports, when Abu Sufyan succeeded in getting past the range of Muslim attack with his trade caravan, he sent a courier to Abu Jahl bearing the message that there was no need for him to go any further and that he should better return. Many other Quraysh chiefs had also concurred with this advice. But, driven by his pride, arrogance and the desire for recognition, Abu Jahl declared on oath that they would not return until they reach the site of Badr and celebrate their victory there for a few days.The outcome was that he and his well-known accomplices found themselves dumped there forever. Muslims have been instructed to abstain from the methods adopted by them.

<h2 class="title">The Idolators leave Makkah, heading for Badr</h2><p>After Allah commanded the believers to fight in His cause sincerely and to be mindful of Him, He commanded not to imitate the idolators, who went out of their homes </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">بَطَراً</div><p>(boastfully) to suppress the truth, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَرِئَآءَ النَّاسِ</div><p>(and to be seen of men), boasting arrogantly with people. When Abu Jahl was told that the caravan escaped safely, so they should return to Makkah, he commented, "No, by Allah! We will not go back until we proceed to the well of Badr, slaughter camels, drink alcohol and female singers sing to us. This way, the Arabs will always talk about our stance and what we did on that day." However, all of this came back to haunt Abu Jahl, because when they proceeded to the well of Badr, they brought themselves to death; and in the aftermath of Badr, they were thrown in the well of Badr, dead, disgraced, humiliated, despised and miserable in an everlasting, eternal torment. This is why Allah said here, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاللَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ</div><p>(and Allah is Muhit (encompassing and thoroughly comprehending) all that they do.) He knows how and what they came for, and this is why He made them taste the worst punishment. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi commented on Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ تَكُونُواْ كَالَّذِينَ خَرَجُواْ مِن دِيَـرِهِم بَطَراً وَرِئَآءَ النَّاسِ</div><p>(And be not like those who come out of their homes boastfully and to be seen of men,) "They were the idolators who fought against the Messenger of Allah at Badr." Muhammad bin Ka`b said, "When the Quraysh left Makkah towards Badr, they brought female singers and drums along. Allah revealed this verse, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ تَكُونُواْ كَالَّذِينَ خَرَجُواْ مِن دِيَـرِهِم بَطَراً وَرِئَآءَ النَّاسِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ </div><p>(And be not like those who come out of their homes boastfully and to be seen of men, and hinder (men) from the path of Allah; and Allah is Muhit (encompassing and thoroughly comprehending) all that they do.) </p><h2 class="title">Shaytan makes Evil seem fair and deceives the Idolators</h2><p>Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِذْ زَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَـنُ أَعْمَـلَهُمْ وَقَالَ لاَ غَالِبَ لَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَإِنِّي جَارٌ لَّكُمْ</div><p>(And (remember) when Shaytan made their (evil) deeds seem fair to them and said, "No one of mankind can overcome you today and verily, I am your neighbor.") </p><p>Shaytan, may Allah curse him, made the idolators' purpose for marching seem fair to them. He made them think that no other people could defeat them that day. He also ruled out the possibility that their enemies, the tribe of Bani Bakr, would attack Makkah, saying, "I am your neighbor." Shaytan appeared to them in the shape of Suraqah bin Malik bin Ju`shum, the chief of Bani Mudlij, so that, as Allah described them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَعِدُهُمْ وَيُمَنِّيهِمْ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمْ الشَّيْطَـنُ إِلاَّ غُرُوراً </div><p>(He Shaytan makes promises to them, and arouses in them false desires; and Shaytan's promises are nothing but deceptions)4:120. </p><p>Ibn Jurayj said that Ibn `Abbas commented on this Ayah, (8:48) "On the day of Badr, Shaytan, as well as, his flag holder and soldiers, accompanied the idolators. He whispered to the hearts of the idolators, `None can defeat you today! I am your neighbor.' When they met the Muslims and Shaytan witnessed the angels coming to their aid, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">نَكَصَ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ</div><p>(he ran away), he went away in flight while proclaiming, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنِّي أَرَى مَا لاَ تَرَوْنَ</div><p>(Verily, I see what you see not.)" </p><p>`Ali bin Abi Talhah said, that Ibn `Abbas said about this Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لاَ غَالِبَ لَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَإِنِّي جَارٌ لَّكُمْ</div><p>("No one of mankind can overcome you today and verily, I am your neighbor') </p><p>"Shaytan, as well as, his devil army and flag holders, came on the day of Badr in the shape of a Suraqah bin Malik bin Ju`shum, man from Bani Mudlij, Shaytan said to idolators, `None will defeat you this day, and I will help you.' When the two armies stood face to face, the Messenger of Allah took a handful of sand and threw it at the faces of the idolators, causing them to retreat. Jibril, peace be upon him, came towards Shaytan, but when Shaytan, while holding the hand of a Mushrik man, saw him, he withdrew his hand and ran away with his soldiers. That man asked him, `O Suraqah! You claimed that you are our neighbor' He said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنِّي أَرَى مَا لاَ تَرَوْنَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّهَ وَاللَّهُ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ</div><p>(Verily, I see what you see not. Verily, I fear Allah for Allah is severe in punishment) </p><p>Shaytan said this when he saw the angels." </p><h2 class="title">The Position of the Hypocrites in Badr</h2><p>Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِذْ يَقُولُ الْمُنَـفِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ غَرَّ هَـؤُلاءِ دِينُهُمْ</div><p>(When the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was a disease (of disbelief) said: "These people (Muslims) are deceived by their religion.") </p><p>`Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas commented, "When the two armies drew closer to each other, Allah made the Muslims look few in the eyes of the idolators and the idolators look few in the eyes of the Muslims. The idolators said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">غَرَّ هَـؤُلاءِ دِينُهُمْ</div><p>(These people (Muslims) are deceived by their religion.) because they thought that Muslims were so few. They believed, without doubt, that they would defeat the Muslims. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ</div><p>(But whoever puts his trust in Allah, then surely, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.) Qatadah commented, "They saw a group of believers who came in defense of Allah's religion. We were informed that when he saw Muhammad and his Companions, Abu Jahl said, `By Allah! After this day, they will never worship Allah!' He said this in viciousness and transgression." `Amir Ash-Sha`bi said, "Some people from Makkah were considering embracing Islam, but when they went with the idolators to Badr and saw how few the Muslims were, they said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">غَرَّ هَـؤُلاءِ دِينُهُمْ</div><p>(These people (Muslims) are deceived by their religion.) </p><p>Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ</div><p>(But whoever puts his trust in Allah), and relies on His grace, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ</div><p>(then surely, Allah is All-Mighty), and verily, those who take His side in the dispute are never overwhelmed, for His side is mighty, powerful and His authority is All-Great, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">حَكِيمٌ</div><p>(All-Wise) in all His actions, for He places everything in its rightful place, giving victory to those who deserve it and defeat to those who deserve it. </p>

The Idolators leave Makkah, heading for BadrAfter Allah commanded the believers to fight in His cause sincerely and to be mindful of Him, He commanded not to imitate the idolators, who went out of their homes بَطَراً(boastfully) to suppress the truth, وَرِئَآءَ النَّاسِ(and to be seen of men), boasting arrogantly with people. When Abu Jahl was told that the caravan escaped safely, so they should return to Makkah, he commented, "No, by Allah! We will not go back until we proceed to the well of Badr, slaughter camels, drink alcohol and female singers sing to us. This way, the Arabs will always talk about our stance and what we did on that day." However, all of this came back to haunt Abu Jahl, because when they proceeded to the well of Badr, they brought themselves to death; and in the aftermath of Badr, they were thrown in the well of Badr, dead, disgraced, humiliated, despised and miserable in an everlasting, eternal torment. This is why Allah said here, وَاللَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ(and Allah is Muhit (encompassing and thoroughly comprehending) all that they do.) He knows how and what they came for, and this is why He made them taste the worst punishment. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi commented on Allah's statement, وَلاَ تَكُونُواْ كَالَّذِينَ خَرَجُواْ مِن دِيَـرِهِم بَطَراً وَرِئَآءَ النَّاسِ(And be not like those who come out of their homes boastfully and to be seen of men,) "They were the idolators who fought against the Messenger of Allah at Badr." Muhammad bin Ka`b said, "When the Quraysh left Makkah towards Badr, they brought female singers and drums along. Allah revealed this verse, وَلاَ تَكُونُواْ كَالَّذِينَ خَرَجُواْ مِن دِيَـرِهِم بَطَراً وَرِئَآءَ النَّاسِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ (And be not like those who come out of their homes boastfully and to be seen of men, and hinder (men) from the path of Allah; and Allah is Muhit (encompassing and thoroughly comprehending) all that they do.) Shaytan makes Evil seem fair and deceives the IdolatorsAllah said next, وَإِذْ زَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَـنُ أَعْمَـلَهُمْ وَقَالَ لاَ غَالِبَ لَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَإِنِّي جَارٌ لَّكُمْ(And (remember) when Shaytan made their (evil) deeds seem fair to them and said, "No one of mankind can overcome you today and verily, I am your neighbor.") Shaytan, may Allah curse him, made the idolators' purpose for marching seem fair to them. He made them think that no other people could defeat them that day. He also ruled out the possibility that their enemies, the tribe of Bani Bakr, would attack Makkah, saying, "I am your neighbor." Shaytan appeared to them in the shape of Suraqah bin Malik bin Ju`shum, the chief of Bani Mudlij, so that, as Allah described them, يَعِدُهُمْ وَيُمَنِّيهِمْ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمْ الشَّيْطَـنُ إِلاَّ غُرُوراً (He Shaytan makes promises to them, and arouses in them false desires; and Shaytan's promises are nothing but deceptions)4:120. Ibn Jurayj said that Ibn `Abbas commented on this Ayah, (8:48) "On the day of Badr, Shaytan, as well as, his flag holder and soldiers, accompanied the idolators. He whispered to the hearts of the idolators, `None can defeat you today! I am your neighbor.' When they met the Muslims and Shaytan witnessed the angels coming to their aid, نَكَصَ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ(he ran away), he went away in flight while proclaiming, إِنِّي أَرَى مَا لاَ تَرَوْنَ(Verily, I see what you see not.)" `Ali bin Abi Talhah said, that Ibn `Abbas said about this Ayah, لاَ غَالِبَ لَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَإِنِّي جَارٌ لَّكُمْ("No one of mankind can overcome you today and verily, I am your neighbor') "Shaytan, as well as, his devil army and flag holders, came on the day of Badr in the shape of a Suraqah bin Malik bin Ju`shum, man from Bani Mudlij, Shaytan said to idolators, `None will defeat you this day, and I will help you.' When the two armies stood face to face, the Messenger of Allah took a handful of sand and threw it at the faces of the idolators, causing them to retreat. Jibril, peace be upon him, came towards Shaytan, but when Shaytan, while holding the hand of a Mushrik man, saw him, he withdrew his hand and ran away with his soldiers. That man asked him, `O Suraqah! You claimed that you are our neighbor' He said, إِنِّي أَرَى مَا لاَ تَرَوْنَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّهَ وَاللَّهُ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ(Verily, I see what you see not. Verily, I fear Allah for Allah is severe in punishment) Shaytan said this when he saw the angels." The Position of the Hypocrites in BadrAllah said next, إِذْ يَقُولُ الْمُنَـفِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ غَرَّ هَـؤُلاءِ دِينُهُمْ(When the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was a disease (of disbelief) said: "These people (Muslims) are deceived by their religion.") `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas commented, "When the two armies drew closer to each other, Allah made the Muslims look few in the eyes of the idolators and the idolators look few in the eyes of the Muslims. The idolators said, غَرَّ هَـؤُلاءِ دِينُهُمْ(These people (Muslims) are deceived by their religion.) because they thought that Muslims were so few. They believed, without doubt, that they would defeat the Muslims. Allah said, وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ(But whoever puts his trust in Allah, then surely, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.) Qatadah commented, "They saw a group of believers who came in defense of Allah's religion. We were informed that when he saw Muhammad and his Companions, Abu Jahl said, `By Allah! After this day, they will never worship Allah!' He said this in viciousness and transgression." `Amir Ash-Sha`bi said, "Some people from Makkah were considering embracing Islam, but when they went with the idolators to Badr and saw how few the Muslims were, they said, غَرَّ هَـؤُلاءِ دِينُهُمْ(These people (Muslims) are deceived by their religion.) Allah said next, وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ(But whoever puts his trust in Allah), and relies on His grace, فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ(then surely, Allah is All-Mighty), and verily, those who take His side in the dispute are never overwhelmed, for His side is mighty, powerful and His authority is All-Great, حَكِيمٌ(All-Wise) in all His actions, for He places everything in its rightful place, giving victory to those who deserve it and defeat to those who deserve it.

Satan made their deeds look alluring to them, and said: "None will prevail over you this day, for I shall be near at hand." Yet when the two armies appeared face to face, he turned back and fled, saying: "I am not with you, for I can see what you cannot perceive. I fear God, for His punishment is severe."

And when Satan made their deeds seem good in their sight and said, “This day no one can overpower you, and you are under my protection”; so when the two armies came face to face, he scrambled back and said, “I am unconcerned with you – I can see what is not visible to you – I fear Allah”; and Allah’s punishment is severe.

And when Satan decked out their deeds fair to them, and said, 'Today no man shall overcome you, for I shall be your neighbour.' But when the two hosts sighted each other, he withdrew upon his heels, saying, 'I am quit of you; for I see what you do not see. I fear God; and God is terrible in retribution.'

And, lo, Satan made all their doings seem goodly to them, and said, "No one can overcome you this day, for, behold, I shall be your protector!" but as soon as the two hosts came within sight of one another, he turned on his heels and said, "Behold, I am not responsible for you: behold, I see something that you do not see: behold, I fear God-for God is severe in retribution!"

And recall what time the Satan made their works fair- seeming unto them and said: there is none of mankind to overcome you to- day, and verily I am your neighbour. Then when the two parties faced each other, he turned on his heels, and said: verily I am quit of you, verily I behold that which ye behold not; verily I fear Allah: and Allah severe in retribution.

And (remember) when Shaitan (Satan) made their (evil) deeds seem fair to them and said, "No one of mankind can overcome you this Day (of the battle of Badr) and verily, I am your neighbour (for each and every help)." But when the two forces came in sight of each other, he ran away and said "Verily, I have nothing to do with you. Verily! I see what you see not. Verily! I fear Allah for Allah is Severe in punishment."

Satan made their deeds appear good to them, and said, “You cannot be defeated by any people today, and I am at your side.” But when the two armies came in sight of one another, he turned on his heels, and said, “I am innocent of you; I see what you do not see; I fear God; God is severe in punishment.”

And recall when Satan made their works seem fair to them and said: 'None shall overcome you today. and I am your supporter.' But when the two armies faced each other, he turned on his heels, and said: 'Surely I am quit of you for I behold that which you do not. Indeed I fear Allah, and Allah is stern in punishment.'

And (remember) when Shaytan made their (evil) deeds seem fair to them and said, "No one of mankind can overcome you this day (of the battle of Badr) and verily, I am your neighbor (for each and every help)." But when the two forces came in sight of each other, he ran away and said "Verily, I have nothing to do with you. Verily, I see what you see not. Verily, I fear Allah for Allah is severe in punishment."

And when Satan made their deeds seem fair to them and said: No-one of mankind can conquer you this day, for I am your protector. But when the armies came in sight of one another, he took flight, saying: Lo! I am guiltless of you. Lo! I see that which ye see not. Lo! I fear Allah. And Allah is severe in punishment.

When Satan made their deeds seem decorous to them, and said [to the faithless], ‘No one shall overcome you today from among all mankind, and I will stand by you.’ But when the two hosts sighted each other, he took to his heels, saying, ‘Indeed I am quit of you. I see what you do not see. Indeed I fear Allah, and Allah is severe in retribution.’

And when satan made their foul deeds seem fair to them. He said: 'No one shall conquer you this day. I shall be your savior' But when the two armies came within sight of each other, he took to his heels, saying: 'I reject you, for I can see what you cannot. I fear Allah, Allah is Stern in retribution'

And [remember] when Satan made their deeds pleasing to them and said, "No one can overcome you today from among the people, and indeed, I am your protector." But when the two armies sighted each other, he turned on his heels and said, "Indeed, I am disassociated from you. Indeed, I see what you do not see; indeed I fear Allah. And Allah is severe in penalty."

Satan made their (pagans') deeds seem attractive to them and said to them, "No one today is more powerful than you and I am your supporter." But when the two armies confronted one another and the pagans were defeated, then satan betrayed his friends saying, "I am not with you any more; I see what you do not see and I am afraid of God." God is severe in His retribution.

And when the Shaitan made their works fair seeming to them, and said: No one can overcome you this day, and surely I am your protector: but when the two parties came in sight of each other he turned upon his heels, and said: Surely I am clear of you, surely I see what you do not see, surely I fear Allah; and Allah is severe in requiting (evil).

Wai<u>th</u> zayyana lahumu a<b>l</b>shshay<u>ta</u>nu aAAm<u>a</u>lahum waq<u>a</u>la l<u>a</u> gh<u>a</u>liba lakumu alyawma mina a<b>l</b>nn<u>a</u>si wainnee j<u>a</u>run lakum falamm<u>a</u> tar<u>a</u>ati alfiat<u>a</u>ni naka<u>s</u>a AAal<u>a</u> AAaqibayhi waq<u>a</u>la innee bareeon minkum innee ar<u>a</u> m<u>a</u> l<u>a</u> tarawna innee akh<u>a</u>fu All<u>a</u>ha wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu shadeedu alAAiq<u>a</u>b<b>i</b>

Satan made their deeds seem fair to them and said, "None of the people shall prevail against you this day; I shall be your protector!" But when the two forces came in sight of each other, he turned on his heels, saying, "This is where I leave you: I see what you do not, and I fear God -- God is severe in His punishment."

Remember Satan made their (sinful) acts seem alluring to them, and said: "No one among men can overcome you this day, while I am near to you": But when the two forces came in sight of each other, he turned on his heels, and said: "Lo! I am clear of you; lo! I see what ye see not; Lo! I fear Allah: for Allah is strict in punishment."

8

وَإِذْ زَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ وَقَالَ لَا غَالِبَ لَكُمُ ٱلْيَوْمَ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَإِنِّى جَارٌ لَّكُمْ فَلَمَّا تَرَآءَتِ ٱلْفِئَتَانِ نَكَصَ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ وَقَالَ إِنِّى بَرِىٓءٌ مِّنكُمْ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰ مَا لَا تَرَوْنَ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ ٱللَّهَ وَٱللَّهُ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ

Remember, O believers, Allah’s favour on you when Satan made the actions of the idolaters seem good to them and encouraged them to face the Muslims in battle by saying to them, ‘No one can defeat you today because I am your supporter and I will protect you from your enemy’. When the two parties – the believers who had the angels as their support and the idolaters who had Satan who was going to desert them – met, Satan turned back fleeing and said to the idolaters: I have nothing to do with you. I can see the angels who have come to support the believers and I am afraid that Allah will destroy me. Allah’s punishment is harsh and no one is able to bear it.

Remember, O believers, Allah’s favour on you when Satan made the actions of the idolaters seem good to them and encouraged them to face the Muslims in battle by saying to them, ‘No one can defeat you today because I am your supporter and I will protect you from your enemy’. When the two parties – the believers who had the angels as their support and the idolaters who had Satan who was going to desert them – met, Satan turned back fleeing and said to the idolaters: I have nothing to do with you. I can see the angels who have come to support the believers and I am afraid that Allah will destroy me. Allah’s punishment is harsh and no one is able to bear it.

<p>Commentary</p><p>Since its beginning, Surah al-Anfal has been dealing with the actual events and attending circumstances of the battle of Badr along with subsequent lessons learnt and related injunctions given.</p><p>One such event from here relates to the Shaitan who misled the disbelievers of Makkah, exhorted them to go to battle against Muslims and then he disengaged, and left them all by themselves right there in the middle of the battlefield. This event has been mentioned at the beginning of verse 48.</p><p>Did this deception of the Shaitan take the form of scruples put into the hearts of the Quraysh? Or, did the Shaitan come to them in human form and talked to the Quraysh face to face? Both probabilities exist here. But, the words of the Qur'an seem to support the second eventuality - that the Shaitan misled them by appearing in a human form before them.</p><p>According to a narration of Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ reported by Imam ibn Jarir, when the army of the Quraysh of Makkah marched out from the city, they were terribly worried about a possible danger from their neighbouring tribe of Banu Bakr, also an enemy. They apprehended that once they went out to confront Muslims, this tribe hostile to them may find an opportunity to attack their homes and hurt their women and children there. No doubt, they had demonstrated their readiness to respond to the plaintive appeal for help made by Aba Sufyan, the leader of their trade caravan, but they were dragging their feet because of this danger. In this perplexing situation, all of a sudden, the Shaitan appeared in the form and guise of Suraqah ibn Malik holding a flag in his hand and flanked by a regiment of tough fighting men. Suraqah ibn Malik was a big chief who controlled the tribal area from where that danger of attack was expected. He stepped forward and addressed the army of Quraysh young men through which he misled them in two ways. First, he said: لَا غَالِبَ لَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ مِنَ النَّاسِ (None of the people is to overpower you today - 48). By this, he meant that he had a good idea of the strength of their adversary and he could also see their own physical and numerical superiority, there-fore, he assured them that they should stop worrying, march ahead and prevail, for no one is going to prevail against them.</p><p>Then, he said: إِنِّي جَارٌ‌ لَّكُمْ (I am a protector for you - 48). By saying this, he was referring to their apprehensions against the tribe of Banu Bakr who might attack their homes and families in Makkah during their absence. Here, he was taking the responsibility that nothing of this sort was going to happen as he was their supporter and caretaker. The Quraysh of Makkah already knew about Suraqah ibn Malik being a known and influential personality of the area. Hearing this assurance from him, they became emotionally stable. They dismissed the threat from the tribe of Banu Bakr from their hearts and became all set to go and confront Muslims.</p><p>Thus, by employing this dual deception, the Shaitan drove these people to their killing field and what he did for himself is described by the Holy Qur'an in the following words: فَلَمَّا تَرَ‌اءَتِ الْفِئَتَانِ نَكَصَ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ (So, when the two groups [ the disbelievers of Makkah and Muslims ] saw each other [ at Badr ], he turned back on his heels - 48).</p><p>Since a force of Shaitans had also assembled in support of the disbelievers of Makkah at the battle of Badr, therefore, Allah Ta` ala sent a force of angels under the command of Jibra'il and Mika'il (علیہما السلام) to meet their challenge. According to a narration of Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ reported by Imam Ibn Jarir and others, when the Shaitan who was commanding his force in the human guise of Suraqah ibn Malik at that time saw Arch angel Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) and the force of angels with him, he lost his nerves. At that time, he was standing hand in hand with a Qurayshi warrior, Harith ibn Hisham. All of a sudden, he tried to free his hand clasped into the hand of Harith. When Harith asked him as to why he was doing that, he whacked his chest with a blow and threw him down. Now unchecked, he bolted out from the battlefield. Harith - under the impression that he was Suraqah - shouted at him: 0 Suraqah, chief of Arabia, you had said that you will support us and here you are doing this to us in the middle of a battle! The Shaitan - in the guise of Suraqah - replied: إِنِّي بَرِ‌يءٌ مِّنكُمْ إِنِّي أَرَ‌ىٰ مَا لَا تَرَ‌وْنَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّـهَ (I have nothing to do with you. I am seeing what you do not see. I am scared of Allah - 48). Thus, he disengaged himself from the earlier compact because he was seeing a force of angels and parted ways with the disbelievers on the plea that he feared Allah.</p><p>When the Shaitan saw the force of angels, he virtually saw trouble for him as he knew their power. As for his statement that he was scared of Allah, says Tafsir authority Qatadah, this was a lie forged by him. Had he feared Allah, why would he disobey Him? But, other Commentators have suggested that his fear is justified in its own place because he is fully aware of the perfect power of Allah Ta` ala and that He is severe at punishment. Therefore, there is no reason for not fearing. However, bland fear without faith and obedience is useless.</p><p>Abu Jahl, when he noticed signs of weakness showing up in his army because of the withdrawal of Suraqah and his force, he tried to avert the awkward situation by appealing that they should not feel being affected by the sudden retreat of Suraqah for he had a secret understanding with Muhammad to do that. In short, after the retreat of the Shaitan, what was due to happen to them did. It was on their return to Makkah that one of them met Suraqah ibn Malik. This person scolded Suraqah telling him that he was responsible for their defeat in the battle of Badr and certainly for all the losses that followed in its wake because he had broken the backs of their fighting men by retreating from the action on the battlefield. Suraqah said: I never went with you, nor did I ever take part in anything you were doing there. In fact, I heard of your defeat only after you had reached Makkah.</p><p>After having reported all these narrations in his Tafsir, Imam Ibn Kathir said: It is the customary practice of Shaitan, the accursed, that he would cause man to become involved with evil and then leave him off in the middle of it. The Qur'an has mentioned this habit of the Shaitan repeatedly. One such verse says:</p><p>كَمَثَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِذْ قَالَ لِلْإِنسَانِ اكْفُرْ‌ فَلَمَّا كَفَرَ‌ قَالَ إِنِّي بَرِ‌يءٌ مِّنكَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّـهَ رَ‌بَّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿16﴾</p><p>It is like the Shaitan when he tells man: "Disbelieve." Then, after he becomes a disbeliever, he says: "I have nothing to do with you. I am scared of Allah, the Lord of all the worlds". (59:16)</p>

CommentarySince its beginning, Surah al-Anfal has been dealing with the actual events and attending circumstances of the battle of Badr along with subsequent lessons learnt and related injunctions given.One such event from here relates to the Shaitan who misled the disbelievers of Makkah, exhorted them to go to battle against Muslims and then he disengaged, and left them all by themselves right there in the middle of the battlefield. This event has been mentioned at the beginning of verse 48.Did this deception of the Shaitan take the form of scruples put into the hearts of the Quraysh? Or, did the Shaitan come to them in human form and talked to the Quraysh face to face? Both probabilities exist here. But, the words of the Qur'an seem to support the second eventuality - that the Shaitan misled them by appearing in a human form before them.According to a narration of Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ reported by Imam ibn Jarir, when the army of the Quraysh of Makkah marched out from the city, they were terribly worried about a possible danger from their neighbouring tribe of Banu Bakr, also an enemy. They apprehended that once they went out to confront Muslims, this tribe hostile to them may find an opportunity to attack their homes and hurt their women and children there. No doubt, they had demonstrated their readiness to respond to the plaintive appeal for help made by Aba Sufyan, the leader of their trade caravan, but they were dragging their feet because of this danger. In this perplexing situation, all of a sudden, the Shaitan appeared in the form and guise of Suraqah ibn Malik holding a flag in his hand and flanked by a regiment of tough fighting men. Suraqah ibn Malik was a big chief who controlled the tribal area from where that danger of attack was expected. He stepped forward and addressed the army of Quraysh young men through which he misled them in two ways. First, he said: لَا غَالِبَ لَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ مِنَ النَّاسِ (None of the people is to overpower you today - 48). By this, he meant that he had a good idea of the strength of their adversary and he could also see their own physical and numerical superiority, there-fore, he assured them that they should stop worrying, march ahead and prevail, for no one is going to prevail against them.Then, he said: إِنِّي جَارٌ‌ لَّكُمْ (I am a protector for you - 48). By saying this, he was referring to their apprehensions against the tribe of Banu Bakr who might attack their homes and families in Makkah during their absence. Here, he was taking the responsibility that nothing of this sort was going to happen as he was their supporter and caretaker. The Quraysh of Makkah already knew about Suraqah ibn Malik being a known and influential personality of the area. Hearing this assurance from him, they became emotionally stable. They dismissed the threat from the tribe of Banu Bakr from their hearts and became all set to go and confront Muslims.Thus, by employing this dual deception, the Shaitan drove these people to their killing field and what he did for himself is described by the Holy Qur'an in the following words: فَلَمَّا تَرَ‌اءَتِ الْفِئَتَانِ نَكَصَ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ (So, when the two groups [ the disbelievers of Makkah and Muslims ] saw each other [ at Badr ], he turned back on his heels - 48).Since a force of Shaitans had also assembled in support of the disbelievers of Makkah at the battle of Badr, therefore, Allah Ta` ala sent a force of angels under the command of Jibra'il and Mika'il (علیہما السلام) to meet their challenge. According to a narration of Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ reported by Imam Ibn Jarir and others, when the Shaitan who was commanding his force in the human guise of Suraqah ibn Malik at that time saw Arch angel Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) and the force of angels with him, he lost his nerves. At that time, he was standing hand in hand with a Qurayshi warrior, Harith ibn Hisham. All of a sudden, he tried to free his hand clasped into the hand of Harith. When Harith asked him as to why he was doing that, he whacked his chest with a blow and threw him down. Now unchecked, he bolted out from the battlefield. Harith - under the impression that he was Suraqah - shouted at him: 0 Suraqah, chief of Arabia, you had said that you will support us and here you are doing this to us in the middle of a battle! The Shaitan - in the guise of Suraqah - replied: إِنِّي بَرِ‌يءٌ مِّنكُمْ إِنِّي أَرَ‌ىٰ مَا لَا تَرَ‌وْنَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّـهَ (I have nothing to do with you. I am seeing what you do not see. I am scared of Allah - 48). Thus, he disengaged himself from the earlier compact because he was seeing a force of angels and parted ways with the disbelievers on the plea that he feared Allah.When the Shaitan saw the force of angels, he virtually saw trouble for him as he knew their power. As for his statement that he was scared of Allah, says Tafsir authority Qatadah, this was a lie forged by him. Had he feared Allah, why would he disobey Him? But, other Commentators have suggested that his fear is justified in its own place because he is fully aware of the perfect power of Allah Ta` ala and that He is severe at punishment. Therefore, there is no reason for not fearing. However, bland fear without faith and obedience is useless.Abu Jahl, when he noticed signs of weakness showing up in his army because of the withdrawal of Suraqah and his force, he tried to avert the awkward situation by appealing that they should not feel being affected by the sudden retreat of Suraqah for he had a secret understanding with Muhammad to do that. In short, after the retreat of the Shaitan, what was due to happen to them did. It was on their return to Makkah that one of them met Suraqah ibn Malik. This person scolded Suraqah telling him that he was responsible for their defeat in the battle of Badr and certainly for all the losses that followed in its wake because he had broken the backs of their fighting men by retreating from the action on the battlefield. Suraqah said: I never went with you, nor did I ever take part in anything you were doing there. In fact, I heard of your defeat only after you had reached Makkah.After having reported all these narrations in his Tafsir, Imam Ibn Kathir said: It is the customary practice of Shaitan, the accursed, that he would cause man to become involved with evil and then leave him off in the middle of it. The Qur'an has mentioned this habit of the Shaitan repeatedly. One such verse says:كَمَثَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِذْ قَالَ لِلْإِنسَانِ اكْفُرْ‌ فَلَمَّا كَفَرَ‌ قَالَ إِنِّي بَرِ‌يءٌ مِّنكَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّـهَ رَ‌بَّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿16﴾It is like the Shaitan when he tells man: "Disbelieve." Then, after he becomes a disbeliever, he says: "I have nothing to do with you. I am scared of Allah, the Lord of all the worlds". (59:16)

The hypocrites, and those who had doubts in their hearts, said: "Their faith has misled them." But whoever places his trust in God will find God mighty and wise.

When the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease were saying, “These Muslims are proud of their religion”; and whoever trusts Allah, then indeed Allah is Almighty, Wise.

When the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts was sickness, said, 'Their religion has deluded them'; but whosoever puts his trust in God, surely God is All-mighty, All-wise.

At the same time, the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was disease were saying, "Their faith has deluded these [believers]!" But he who places his trust in God [knows that], verily, God is almighty, wise.

And recall what time the hypocrites and these in whose hearts was a disease said: their religion hath be gulfed those. And whosoever relieth on Allah then verily Allah is Mighty, Wise.

When the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was a disease (of disbelief) said: "These people (Muslims) are deceived by their religion." But whoever puts his trust in Allah, then surely, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

The hypocrites and those in whose hearts is sickness said, “Their religion has deluded these people.” But whoever puts his trust in God—God is Mighty and Wise.

And recall when the hypocrites and those whose hearts were diseased said: 'Their faith has deluded these (believers). But he who puts his trust in Allah shall find Allah All-Mighty. All-Wise.'

When the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was a disease (of disbelief) said: "These people (Muslims) are deceived by their religion." But whoever puts his trust in Allah, then surely, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

When the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease said: Their religion hath deluded these. Whoso putteth his trust in Allah (will find that) lo! Allah is Mighty, Wise.

When the hypocrites said, and [also] those in whose hearts is a sickness, ‘Their religion has deceived them.’ But whoever puts his trust in Allah, then Allah is indeed all-mighty, all-wise.

And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was sickness said: 'Those, their religion has deceived them' But whosoever puts his trust in Allah, indeed Allah is Mighty, Wise.

[Remember] when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was disease said, "Their religion has deluded those [Muslims]." But whoever relies upon Allah - then indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.

The hypocrites and those whose hearts are sick, say, "The (believers') religion has deceived them." Those who trust in God will find Him Majestic and All-wise.

When the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was disease said: Their religion has deceived them; and whoever trusts in Allah, then surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.

I<u>th</u> yaqoolu almun<u>a</u>fiqoona wa<b>a</b>lla<u>th</u>eena fee quloobihim mara<u>d</u>un gharra h<u>a</u>ol<u>a</u>i deenuhum waman yatawakkal AAal<u>a</u> All<u>a</u>hi fainna All<u>a</u>ha AAazeezun <u>h</u>akeem<b>un</b>

The hypocrites and those whose hearts were perverted said, "These people [the believers] must be deluded by their religion." But he who places his trust in God [knows that], God is Almighty and Wise.

Lo! the hypocrites say, and those in whose hearts is a disease: "These people,- their religion has misled them." But if any trust in Allah, behold! Allah is Exalted in might, Wise.

8

إِذْ يَقُولُ ٱلْمُنَٰفِقُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ غَرَّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ دِينُهُمْ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

Remember when the hypocrites and those of weak faith were saying: The religion of these people – which promised them victory over their enemies despite their lack of numbers and preparation as compared to the huge number and the strength of their enemies – has deceived them. They have not understood that the person who places reliance upon Allah alone and who has faith in the victory that Allah has promised, Allah will assist such a person and will never desert them no matter how weak they may be. Allah is Mighty and no one can overcome Him. He is Wise in His decree and sacred laws.

Remember when the hypocrites and those of weak faith were saying: The religion of these people – which promised them victory over their enemies despite their lack of numbers and preparation as compared to the huge number and the strength of their enemies – has deceived them. They have not understood that the person who places reliance upon Allah alone and who has faith in the victory that Allah has promised, Allah will assist such a person and will never desert them no matter how weak they may be. Allah is Mighty and no one can overcome Him. He is Wise in His decree and sacred laws.

<p>The Anatomy of Shaitanic Deception and Personal Defence</p><p>There are some elements of guidance we receive from what has been mentioned in this verse:</p><p>(1) That the 'Shaitan' is man's enemy who employs all sorts of tricks, guises and stratagems to bring loss to him. There are occasions when he would simply inject a scruple in the heart and harass his victim and there are times when he would deceive man by appearing before him.</p><p>(2) That Allah Ta` ala has given him the ability to appear before man in various guises. There is a well-known book of Hanaf'i jurisprudence called آکام المرجان فی أحکام الجان : 'Akam al-Marjan fi Ahkam al-Jann where it has been proved in detail. Therefore, authorities among mystic scholars who are recognized as masters in illumination کَشف (kashf) and eye-witness شُہُود (shuhud) have warned people that it is dangerous to start following a person simply by seeing him or hearing him say something without taking the trouble of finding out his antecedents and circumstantial conditions. There could be couched Shaitanic inputs even in what is known as illumination کَشف (kashf) and inspiration اِلھام (ilham). So, the ideal method of remaining safe against Shaitanic deceptions is to follow Divine Revelation faithfully.</p><p>Success Comes By Actually Being on the Straight Path and Not By Simply Having Sincere Intentions</p><p>(3) That the most frequent reason why people get involved in disbelief, polytheism or other impermissible doings is no other but that the Shaitan, by making their evil deeds appear handsome, desirable and beneficial, turns their hearts away from truth, as it is, and its consequences, as they would be. Once so brain-washed, they would start taking their false as the epitome of truth and their loss as the ultimate gain, so much so that, very much like the votaries of truth, they would be all set to lay down even their lives for the sake of their false notions. It was for this reason that the army and the chiefs of Quraysh, when they were departing from the Baytullah بَیتُ اللہ ، had already supplicated before it by saying: اللھم انصر اھدی الطایٔفتین (0 Allah, help the better-guided group between the two of us) (See pages 183-184). Such was the level of their unawareness that they simply walked into the snare of the Shaitan and started taking themselves to be the ones better-guided and truth-oriented and, unbelievably enough, they would go to the outer limits of sacrificing their lives and possessions in support of their false stand - and that too with all 'sincerity' at their command!</p><p>From here we find out that bland sincerity is never sufficient unless the direction of deeds is correct.</p><p>In the verse which follows (49), mentioned there is a common saying of the hypocrites of Madinah and the polytheists of Makkah. It was almost in a strain of combined sympathy and contempt that it was said about Muslims: غَرَّ‌ هَـٰؤُلَاءِ دِينُهُمْ (The belief of these people has deluded them). It means that those handful of Muslims had come all the way to the battlefield of Badr to challenge an army so powerful and well-equipped as if those poor people have been deluded by their faith which seems to have thrown them into the jaws of death. Responding to them, Allah Ta` ala said: وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّـهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ (And whoever places his trust in Allah, then, Allah is Mighty, Wise). The sense of the statement is that one who places his total trust in Allah never runs into disgrace because Allah is all-dominating and when it comes to wisdom, there is no plan or intelligence or insight into the future which can hold before it. In other words, those who know no more than what is material would only place their trust in nothing but the material. How would they know the secret power which lies in the treasures of the One who has created everything material. This power accompanies those who believe in Allah Ta` ala and place their total trust in Him.</p><p>Even in our day, there are those religiously observing and innocent-looking Muslims who would become ready targets for those who claim to have advanced rationally and intellectually and who would benignly dismiss them as old-timers who might as well be left alone. But, should such people be armed with perfect faith and trust in Allah, no harm can touch them - even if intended and tried.</p>

The Anatomy of Shaitanic Deception and Personal DefenceThere are some elements of guidance we receive from what has been mentioned in this verse:(1) That the 'Shaitan' is man's enemy who employs all sorts of tricks, guises and stratagems to bring loss to him. There are occasions when he would simply inject a scruple in the heart and harass his victim and there are times when he would deceive man by appearing before him.(2) That Allah Ta` ala has given him the ability to appear before man in various guises. There is a well-known book of Hanaf'i jurisprudence called آکام المرجان فی أحکام الجان : 'Akam al-Marjan fi Ahkam al-Jann where it has been proved in detail. Therefore, authorities among mystic scholars who are recognized as masters in illumination کَشف (kashf) and eye-witness شُہُود (shuhud) have warned people that it is dangerous to start following a person simply by seeing him or hearing him say something without taking the trouble of finding out his antecedents and circumstantial conditions. There could be couched Shaitanic inputs even in what is known as illumination کَشف (kashf) and inspiration اِلھام (ilham). So, the ideal method of remaining safe against Shaitanic deceptions is to follow Divine Revelation faithfully.Success Comes By Actually Being on the Straight Path and Not By Simply Having Sincere Intentions(3) That the most frequent reason why people get involved in disbelief, polytheism or other impermissible doings is no other but that the Shaitan, by making their evil deeds appear handsome, desirable and beneficial, turns their hearts away from truth, as it is, and its consequences, as they would be. Once so brain-washed, they would start taking their false as the epitome of truth and their loss as the ultimate gain, so much so that, very much like the votaries of truth, they would be all set to lay down even their lives for the sake of their false notions. It was for this reason that the army and the chiefs of Quraysh, when they were departing from the Baytullah بَیتُ اللہ ، had already supplicated before it by saying: اللھم انصر اھدی الطایٔفتین (0 Allah, help the better-guided group between the two of us) (See pages 183-184). Such was the level of their unawareness that they simply walked into the snare of the Shaitan and started taking themselves to be the ones better-guided and truth-oriented and, unbelievably enough, they would go to the outer limits of sacrificing their lives and possessions in support of their false stand - and that too with all 'sincerity' at their command!From here we find out that bland sincerity is never sufficient unless the direction of deeds is correct.In the verse which follows (49), mentioned there is a common saying of the hypocrites of Madinah and the polytheists of Makkah. It was almost in a strain of combined sympathy and contempt that it was said about Muslims: غَرَّ‌ هَـٰؤُلَاءِ دِينُهُمْ (The belief of these people has deluded them). It means that those handful of Muslims had come all the way to the battlefield of Badr to challenge an army so powerful and well-equipped as if those poor people have been deluded by their faith which seems to have thrown them into the jaws of death. Responding to them, Allah Ta` ala said: وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّـهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ (And whoever places his trust in Allah, then, Allah is Mighty, Wise). The sense of the statement is that one who places his total trust in Allah never runs into disgrace because Allah is all-dominating and when it comes to wisdom, there is no plan or intelligence or insight into the future which can hold before it. In other words, those who know no more than what is material would only place their trust in nothing but the material. How would they know the secret power which lies in the treasures of the One who has created everything material. This power accompanies those who believe in Allah Ta` ala and place their total trust in Him.Even in our day, there are those religiously observing and innocent-looking Muslims who would become ready targets for those who claim to have advanced rationally and intellectually and who would benignly dismiss them as old-timers who might as well be left alone. But, should such people be armed with perfect faith and trust in Allah, no harm can touch them - even if intended and tried.

If you could only see the infidels as the angels draw away their souls and strike their faces and their backs, (saying): "Taste the torment of burning

And if you see the angels when they are removing the souls of the disbelievers, hitting them on their faces and their backs; “Taste more of the punishment of the fire!” (Punishment in the grave is proven by this verse.)

If thou couldst only see when the angels take the unbelievers, beating their faces and their backs: 'Taste the chastisement of the burning --

AND IF thou couldst but see [how it will be] when He causes those who are bent on denying the truth to die: the angels will strike their faces: and their backs, and [will say]: "Taste suffering through fire

And couldst thou behold when the angels take away the life of those who disbelive striking their faces and their backs: taste the torment of burning.

And if you could see when the angels take away the souls of those who disbelieve (at death), they smite their faces and their backs, (saying): "Taste the punishment of the blazing Fire."

If only you could see, as the angels take away those who disbelieve, striking their faces and their backs: “Taste the agony of the Burning.”

And if you could only see when the angels took away the souls of the unbelievers, striking them on their faces and backs, saying: 'Taste the torment of burning.

And if you could see when the angels take away the souls of those who disbelieve (at death); they smite their faces and their backs, (saying): "Taste the punishment of the blazing Fire. "

If thou couldst see how the angels receive those who disbelieve, smiting faces and their backs and (saying): Taste the punishment of burning!

Were you to see when the angels take away the faithless, striking their faces and their backs, [saying], ‘Taste the punishment of the burning.

If you could see the angels when they carry off the souls of the unbelievers, beating their faces and their backs, saying: 'Taste the punishment of Burning!

And if you could but see when the angels take the souls of those who disbelieved... They are striking their faces and their backs and [saying], "Taste the punishment of the Burning Fire.

Would that you could have seen the angels taking the souls of the unbelievers away from their bodies and smiting their faces and their backs saying, "Suffer the burning torment.

And had you seen when the angels will cause to die those who disbelieve, smiting their faces and their backs, and (saying): Taste the punishment of burning.

Walaw tar<u>a</u> i<u>th</u> yatawaff<u>a</u> alla<u>th</u>eena kafaroo almal<u>a</u>ikatu ya<u>d</u>riboona wujoohahum waadb<u>a</u>rahum wa<u>th</u>ooqoo AAa<u>tha</u>ba al<u>h</u>areeq<b>i</b>

If you could see, when the angels take the souls of those who are bent on denying the truth [at death], how they strike their faces and backs: saying "Taste the punishment of the Burning!

If thou couldst see, when the angels take the souls of the Unbelievers (at death), (How) they smite their faces and their backs, (saying): "Taste the penalty of the blazing Fire-

8

وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذْ يَتَوَفَّى ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَٰرَهُمْ وَذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابَ ٱلْحَرِيقِ

If only you, O Messenger, could see those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers at the time when the angels remove their souls, striking their faces when they face towards them and striking their backs when they try to run away, and saying to them: Taste, O disbelievers, the burning punishment! If you had to see that, you would see a serious heart-wrenching sight.

If only you, O Messenger, could see those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers at the time when the angels remove their souls, striking their faces when they face towards them and striking their backs when they try to run away, and saying to them: Taste, O disbelievers, the burning punishment! If you had to see that, you would see a serious heart-wrenching sight.

<p>Commentary</p><p>Mentioned in the first two of the verses cited above is the punishment of disbelievers at the time of their death and the warnings given to them by the angels. Here, addressing the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، it has been said that had he seen the condition of the disbelievers at that time when the angels of Allah were beating their faces and backs as they extracted their souls and telling them to have a taste of the punishment of burning in the Fire, then, he would have seen some-thing awesome.</p><p>Some of the leading Commentators have declared this statement to be about the particular disbelievers from among the Quraysh who had come out to confront Muslims at the site of Badr where Allah Ta` ala had sent an army of angels to help Muslims. Thus, the meaning comes to be that the Quraysh chiefs who were killed in the battle of Badr were killed at the hands of the angels who were hitting them from the front on their faces and from the rear on their backs and were killing them in this manner while giving them the dark tidings of the punishment of Hell in the Hereafter.</p><p>Then, there are other Commentators who have kept the sense of this verse general in view of the generality of the words used in it. According to them, the verse means: When a disbeliever dies, the angel of death beats his face and back while taking out his soul. In some narrations, it appears that they have lashes of fire and maces of iron in their hands which they use to strike at the disbeliever condemned to death. But, as this punishment is not related to this world of elements, rather, is related to the universe of the grave which is known as Barzakh بَرزَخ (the post-death---pre-ressurrection state), therefore, this punishment is not generally seen optically.</p><p>Therefore, the modality used to address the Holy Prophet ﷺ was: 'And only if you were to see,' you would have seen a scene full of sobering lessons. This tells us that, after death, punishment is given to disbelievers while they are in the state of Barzakh, but that phenomenon is related to the universe of the Unseen کلام الغیب (` clam al-ghayb), therefore, it is not seen usually. The punishment of the grave finds mention in several other verses of the Holy Qur'an as well, while Hadith narrations on this subject just abound.</p>

CommentaryMentioned in the first two of the verses cited above is the punishment of disbelievers at the time of their death and the warnings given to them by the angels. Here, addressing the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، it has been said that had he seen the condition of the disbelievers at that time when the angels of Allah were beating their faces and backs as they extracted their souls and telling them to have a taste of the punishment of burning in the Fire, then, he would have seen some-thing awesome.Some of the leading Commentators have declared this statement to be about the particular disbelievers from among the Quraysh who had come out to confront Muslims at the site of Badr where Allah Ta` ala had sent an army of angels to help Muslims. Thus, the meaning comes to be that the Quraysh chiefs who were killed in the battle of Badr were killed at the hands of the angels who were hitting them from the front on their faces and from the rear on their backs and were killing them in this manner while giving them the dark tidings of the punishment of Hell in the Hereafter.Then, there are other Commentators who have kept the sense of this verse general in view of the generality of the words used in it. According to them, the verse means: When a disbeliever dies, the angel of death beats his face and back while taking out his soul. In some narrations, it appears that they have lashes of fire and maces of iron in their hands which they use to strike at the disbeliever condemned to death. But, as this punishment is not related to this world of elements, rather, is related to the universe of the grave which is known as Barzakh بَرزَخ (the post-death---pre-ressurrection state), therefore, this punishment is not generally seen optically.Therefore, the modality used to address the Holy Prophet ﷺ was: 'And only if you were to see,' you would have seen a scene full of sobering lessons. This tells us that, after death, punishment is given to disbelievers while they are in the state of Barzakh, but that phenomenon is related to the universe of the Unseen کلام الغیب (` clam al-ghayb), therefore, it is not seen usually. The punishment of the grave finds mention in several other verses of the Holy Qur'an as well, while Hadith narrations on this subject just abound.

<h2 class="title">The Angels smite the Disbelievers upon capturing Their Souls</h2><p>Allah says, if you witnessed the angels capturing the souls of the disbelievers, you would witness a tremendous, terrible, momentous and awful matter, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَـرَهُمْ</div><p>(they smite their faces and their backs), saying to them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَذُوقُواْ عَذَابَ الْحَرِيقِ</div><p>("Taste the punishment of the blazing Fire.") </p><p>Ibn Jurayj said that Mujahid said that, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَدْبَـرَهُمْ</div><p>(and their backs), refers to their back sides, as happened on the day of Badr. Ibn Jurayj also reported from Ibn `Abbas, "When the idolators faced the Muslims in Badr, the Muslims smote their faces with swords. When they gave flight, the angels smote their rear ends." </p><p>Although these Ayat are describing Badr, they are general in the case of every disbeliever. This is why Allah did not make His statement here restrictive to the disbelievers at Badr, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ يَتَوَفَّى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَـرَهُمْ</div><p>(And if you could see when the angels take away the souls of those who disbelieve (at death); they smite their faces and their backs,) </p><p>In Surat Al-Qital (or Muhammad chapter 47) there is a similar Ayah, as well as in Surat Al-An`am, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الظَّـلِمُونَ فِى غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ بَاسِطُواْ أَيْدِيهِمْ أَخْرِجُواْ أَنفُسَكُمُ</div><p>(And if you could but see when the wrongdoers are in the agonies of death, while the angels are stretching forth their hands (saying): "Deliver your souls!") 6:93 </p><p>The angels stretch their hands and smite the disbelievers by Allah's command, since their souls refuse to leave their bodies, so they are taken out by force. This occurs when the angels give them the news of torment and Allah's anger. There is a Hadith narrated from Al-Bara' that when the angel of death attends the disbeliever at the time of death, he comes to him in a terrifying and disgusting shape, saying, "Get out, O wicked soul, to fierce hot wind, boiling water and a shadow of black smoke." The disbeliever's soul then scatters throughout his body, but the angels retrieve it, just as a needle is retrieved from wet wool. In this case, veins and nerve cells will be still attached to the soul. Allah states here that angels bring news of the torment of the Fire to the disbelievers. Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ذلِكَ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ</div><p>(This is because of that which your hands forwarded.) meaning, this punishment is the recompense of the evil deeds that you have committed in the life of the world. This is your reckoning from Allah for your deeds, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَيْسَ بِظَلَّـمٍ لِّلْعَبِيدِ</div><p>a(And verily, Allah is not unjust to His servants.) </p><p>Certainly, Allah does not wrong any of His creatures, for He is the Just, who never puts anything in an inappropriate place. Honored, Glorified, Exalted and Praised be He, the All-Rich, Worthy of all praise. Muslim recorded that Abu Dharr said that the Messenger of Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ: يَا عِبَادِي إِنِّي حَرَّمْتُ الظُّلْمَ عَلَى نَفْسِي وَجَعَلْتُهُ بَيْنَكُمْ مُحَرَّمًا فَلَا تَظَالَمُوا، يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّمَا هِيَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ أُحْصِيهَا لَكُمْ فَمَنْ وَجَدَ خَيْرًا فَلْيَحْمَدِ اللهَ وَمَنْ وَجَدَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَلَا يَلُومَنَّ إِلَّا نَفْسَه»</div><p>(Allah, the Exalted, said, `O My servants! I have prohibited injustice for Myself, and made it prohibited to you between each other. Therefore, do not commit injustice against each other. O My servants! It is your deeds that I am keeping count of, so whoever found something good, let him praise Allah for it. Whoever found other than that, has only himself to blame.) </p><p>This is why Allah said, </p>

The Angels smite the Disbelievers upon capturing Their SoulsAllah says, if you witnessed the angels capturing the souls of the disbelievers, you would witness a tremendous, terrible, momentous and awful matter, يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَـرَهُمْ(they smite their faces and their backs), saying to them, وَذُوقُواْ عَذَابَ الْحَرِيقِ("Taste the punishment of the blazing Fire.") Ibn Jurayj said that Mujahid said that, وَأَدْبَـرَهُمْ(and their backs), refers to their back sides, as happened on the day of Badr. Ibn Jurayj also reported from Ibn `Abbas, "When the idolators faced the Muslims in Badr, the Muslims smote their faces with swords. When they gave flight, the angels smote their rear ends." Although these Ayat are describing Badr, they are general in the case of every disbeliever. This is why Allah did not make His statement here restrictive to the disbelievers at Badr, وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ يَتَوَفَّى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَـرَهُمْ(And if you could see when the angels take away the souls of those who disbelieve (at death); they smite their faces and their backs,) In Surat Al-Qital (or Muhammad chapter 47) there is a similar Ayah, as well as in Surat Al-An`am, وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الظَّـلِمُونَ فِى غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ بَاسِطُواْ أَيْدِيهِمْ أَخْرِجُواْ أَنفُسَكُمُ(And if you could but see when the wrongdoers are in the agonies of death, while the angels are stretching forth their hands (saying): "Deliver your souls!") 6:93 The angels stretch their hands and smite the disbelievers by Allah's command, since their souls refuse to leave their bodies, so they are taken out by force. This occurs when the angels give them the news of torment and Allah's anger. There is a Hadith narrated from Al-Bara' that when the angel of death attends the disbeliever at the time of death, he comes to him in a terrifying and disgusting shape, saying, "Get out, O wicked soul, to fierce hot wind, boiling water and a shadow of black smoke." The disbeliever's soul then scatters throughout his body, but the angels retrieve it, just as a needle is retrieved from wet wool. In this case, veins and nerve cells will be still attached to the soul. Allah states here that angels bring news of the torment of the Fire to the disbelievers. Allah said next, ذلِكَ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ(This is because of that which your hands forwarded.) meaning, this punishment is the recompense of the evil deeds that you have committed in the life of the world. This is your reckoning from Allah for your deeds, وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَيْسَ بِظَلَّـمٍ لِّلْعَبِيدِa(And verily, Allah is not unjust to His servants.) Certainly, Allah does not wrong any of His creatures, for He is the Just, who never puts anything in an inappropriate place. Honored, Glorified, Exalted and Praised be He, the All-Rich, Worthy of all praise. Muslim recorded that Abu Dharr said that the Messenger of Allah said; «إنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ: يَا عِبَادِي إِنِّي حَرَّمْتُ الظُّلْمَ عَلَى نَفْسِي وَجَعَلْتُهُ بَيْنَكُمْ مُحَرَّمًا فَلَا تَظَالَمُوا، يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّمَا هِيَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ أُحْصِيهَا لَكُمْ فَمَنْ وَجَدَ خَيْرًا فَلْيَحْمَدِ اللهَ وَمَنْ وَجَدَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَلَا يَلُومَنَّ إِلَّا نَفْسَه»(Allah, the Exalted, said, `O My servants! I have prohibited injustice for Myself, and made it prohibited to you between each other. Therefore, do not commit injustice against each other. O My servants! It is your deeds that I am keeping count of, so whoever found something good, let him praise Allah for it. Whoever found other than that, has only himself to blame.) This is why Allah said,

For what you have brought upon yourselves." God is surely not unjust to His creatures, (they are unjust to themselves).

“This is the recompense of what your own hands have sent ahead, and Allah does not oppress His bondmen.”

that, for what your hands have forwarded, and for that God is never unjust unto His servants.'

in return for what your own hands have wrought - for, never does God do the least wrong to His creatures!"

This, because of that which your hands have sent forth, and verily Allah is never unjust unto His creatures.

"This is because of that which your hands had forwarded. And verily, Allah is not unjust to His slaves."

“That is because of what your hands have committed, and because God is not unjust to the servants.”

This is your punishment for what your hands wrought. Allah is not unjust in the least to His creatures.'

"This is because of that which your hands forwarded. And verily, Allah is not unjust to His servants."

This is for that which your own hands have sent before (to the Judgment), and (know) that Allah is not a tyrant to His slaves.

That is because of what your hands have sent ahead, and because Allah is not tyrannical to the servants.’

That is for what your hands have forwarded, Allah is not unjust to His worshipers'

That is for what your hands have put forth [of evil] and because Allah is not ever unjust to His servants."

This is the result of their deeds. God is not unjust to His servants."

This is for what your own hands have sent on before, and because Allah is not in the least unjust to the servants;

<u>Tha</u>lika bim<u>a</u> qaddamat aydeekum waanna All<u>a</u>ha laysa bi<i><u>th</u></i>all<u>a</u>min lilAAabeed<b>i</b>

This is the punishment for what your hands committed -- for, God never does the least wrong to His servants."

"Because of (the deeds) which your (own) hands sent forth; for Allah is never unjust to His servants:

8

ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَيْسَ بِظَلَّٰمٍ لِّلْعَبِيدِ

The cause of that painful punishment at the time when your souls are taken out and the burning punishment in your graves and in the Afterlife is because of the evil actions you performed in the world. Allah does not wrong people, but passes judgement on them with fairness. He is not unjust to His slaves.

The cause of that painful punishment at the time when your souls are taken out and the burning punishment in your graves and in the Afterlife is because of the evil actions you performed in the world. Allah does not wrong people, but passes judgement on them with fairness. He is not unjust to His slaves.

<p>Addressing the disbelievers in the second verse (51), it was said that the punishment of this world and that of the Hereafter was nothing but what they had earned with their own hands. Since things done usually take their shape through the work of hands, therefore, mention was made of hands. The sense is that the punishment coming to them was a direct outcome of their own deeds. And as for Allah Ta` ala, He was not the kind of authority who would bring injustice upon His servants and go about subjecting someone to punishment just for no reason.</p>

Addressing the disbelievers in the second verse (51), it was said that the punishment of this world and that of the Hereafter was nothing but what they had earned with their own hands. Since things done usually take their shape through the work of hands, therefore, mention was made of hands. The sense is that the punishment coming to them was a direct outcome of their own deeds. And as for Allah Ta` ala, He was not the kind of authority who would bring injustice upon His servants and go about subjecting someone to punishment just for no reason.

Their case is like that of Pharaoh's people, and of those before them, who denied the revelations of God, and were punished for their sins by God, and God is all powerful and Severe His punishment.

Like the ways of Firaun’s people, and those before them; they disbelieved in the signs of Allah – therefore Allah seized them on account of their sins; indeed Allah is Most Powerful, Severe in Punishing.

Like Pharaoh's folk, and the people before him, who disbelieved in God's signs; God seized them because of their sins; God is strong, terrible in retribution.

[To them shall happen.] the like of what happened to Pharaoh's people and those who lived before them: they denied the truth of God's messagesand so God took them to task for their sins. Verily, God is powerful, severe in retribution!

Like are they unto the wont of the house of Fir'awn and those before them. They disbelieved in the signs of Allah, wherefore Allah laid hold of them for their sins. Verily Allah is strong, Severe in retribution.

Similar to the behaviour of the people of Fir'aun (Pharaoh), and of those before them; they rejected the Ayat (proofs, verses, etc.) of Allah, so Allah punished them for their sins. Verily, Allah is All-Strong, Severe in punishment.

Like the behavior of the people of Pharaoh, and those before them. They rejected the signs of God, so God seized them for their sins. God is Powerful, Severe in punishment.

Their case is like that of the people of Pharaoh and those before them. They denied the signs of Allah and so Allah seized them for their sins. Surely Allah is All-Powerful, Stern in retribution.

Similar to the behavior of the people of Fir`awn, and of those before them -- they rejected the Ayat of Allah, so Allah punished them for their sins. Verily, Allah is All-Strong, severe in punishment.

(Their way is) as the way of Pharaoh's folk and those before them; they disbelieved the revelations of Allah, and Allah took them in their sins. Lo! Allah is Strong, severe in punishment.

Like the precedent of Pharaoh’s clan and those who were before them, who defied Allah’s signs, so Allah seized them for their sins. Indeed Allah is all-strong, severe in retribution.

Like Pharaoh's family and those who have gone before them, they disbelieved the signs of Allah. Therefore, Allah seized them in their sinfulness. Mighty is Allah and stern in retribution.

[Theirs is] like the custom of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them. They disbelieved in the signs of Allah, so Allah seized them for their sins. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and severe in penalty.

The same thing happened to the people of Pharaoh and those who lived before them. They rejected the revelations of God and, because of their sins, His retribution struck them. God is All-powerful and stern in His retribution.

In the manner of the people of Firon and those before them; they disbelieved in Allah's communications, therefore Allah destroyed them on account of their faults; surely Allah is strong, severe in requiting (evil).

Kadabi <u>a</u>li firAAawna wa<b>a</b>lla<u>th</u>eena min qablihim kafaroo bi<u>a</u>y<u>a</u>ti All<u>a</u>hi faakha<u>th</u>ahumu All<u>a</u>hu bi<u>th</u>unoobihim inna All<u>a</u>ha qawiyyun shadeedu alAAiq<u>a</u>b<b>i</b>

Like Pharaoh's people and those that have gone before them, they rejected God's signs and God seized them for their sins. God is strong, and severe in punishment!

"(Deeds) after the manner of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them: They rejected the Signs of Allah, and Allah punished them for their crimes: for Allah is Strong, and Strict in punishment:

8

كَدَأْبِ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ

These disbelievers were not the only ones to be punished this way; rather, it is Allah’s way of dealing with disbelievers in every time and place. The people of Pharaoh and the communities before them were also punished like this when they disbelieved in Allah’s words. Allah punished them for their sins with His might and power. Allah is Strong and cannot be overpowered or defeated. His punishment for those who go against Him is severe.

These disbelievers were not the only ones to be punished this way; rather, it is Allah’s way of dealing with disbelievers in every time and place. The people of Pharaoh and the communities before them were also punished like this when they disbelieved in Allah’s words. Allah punished them for their sins with His might and power. Allah is Strong and cannot be overpowered or defeated. His punishment for those who go against Him is severe.

<p>The third verse (52) tells us that the punishment of Allah visiting these criminals is not something totally unprecedented. In fact, it is nothing but the customary practice of Allah that He would give reason and understanding to His servants so that they could act as guided. Then, all around them, they have countless things they can think about and go on to know Allah Ta` ala and recognize His great power, and then do not stoop to the level of taking the weak ones from among His creation as His partners, associates or equals and, after that, He sends His Books and Messengers for additional warning. When the Messengers of Allah come, they leave no stone unturned in making people understand the message. They even go to the outer limits of demonstrating the manifestations of the inalienable subduing power of Allah Ta` ala in the form of miracles. Now, if a person or a people were to close their eyes to all these things, give no ear to any of these Divine warnings, then, for such people, there is the inevitable practice of Allah Ta` ala: That they are visited by punishment in this world too, and that they are subjected to the everlasting punishment of the Hereafter as well. It was said: كَدَأْبِ آلِ فِرْ‌عَوْنَ ۙ وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ' (Their way is) like the way of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them - 52.' The Arabic word: دَأْبِ (da'b) used in the text means habit or way. Thus, the sense is that the world already knows the customary practice of Allah Ta` ala vis-a-vis the haughty and the contumacious like Pharaoh and his people and has seen its manifestation when Pharaoh was made to drown in the sea with all his power and people, and similar was the fate of those before him, the people of ` Ad and Thamud, who were hit by many kinds of punishment which eliminated them totally. Then, it was said: كَفَرُ‌وا (52) which means when these people belied the verses and signs of Allah Ta` ala, He seized them with His punishment because of their sins. After that, the verse ends with the statement: إِنَّ اللَّـهَ (52) which gives the reason why it happened the way it did - that Allah Ta` ala is Strong. No one claiming any kind of strength and valour can, on that basis alone, get away from His punishment. And then, certainly very severe is the punishment which comes from Allah Ta` ala Himself.</p>

The third verse (52) tells us that the punishment of Allah visiting these criminals is not something totally unprecedented. In fact, it is nothing but the customary practice of Allah that He would give reason and understanding to His servants so that they could act as guided. Then, all around them, they have countless things they can think about and go on to know Allah Ta` ala and recognize His great power, and then do not stoop to the level of taking the weak ones from among His creation as His partners, associates or equals and, after that, He sends His Books and Messengers for additional warning. When the Messengers of Allah come, they leave no stone unturned in making people understand the message. They even go to the outer limits of demonstrating the manifestations of the inalienable subduing power of Allah Ta` ala in the form of miracles. Now, if a person or a people were to close their eyes to all these things, give no ear to any of these Divine warnings, then, for such people, there is the inevitable practice of Allah Ta` ala: That they are visited by punishment in this world too, and that they are subjected to the everlasting punishment of the Hereafter as well. It was said: كَدَأْبِ آلِ فِرْ‌عَوْنَ ۙ وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ' (Their way is) like the way of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them - 52.' The Arabic word: دَأْبِ (da'b) used in the text means habit or way. Thus, the sense is that the world already knows the customary practice of Allah Ta` ala vis-a-vis the haughty and the contumacious like Pharaoh and his people and has seen its manifestation when Pharaoh was made to drown in the sea with all his power and people, and similar was the fate of those before him, the people of ` Ad and Thamud, who were hit by many kinds of punishment which eliminated them totally. Then, it was said: كَفَرُ‌وا (52) which means when these people belied the verses and signs of Allah Ta` ala, He seized them with His punishment because of their sins. After that, the verse ends with the statement: إِنَّ اللَّـهَ (52) which gives the reason why it happened the way it did - that Allah Ta` ala is Strong. No one claiming any kind of strength and valour can, on that basis alone, get away from His punishment. And then, certainly very severe is the punishment which comes from Allah Ta` ala Himself.

<p>Allah says, `The behavior of these rebellious disbelievers against what I sent you with, O Muhammad, is similar to the behavior of earlier disbelieving nations. So We behaved with them according to Our Da'b, that is, Our behavior or custom and way, as We did with them with what We often do and decide concerning their likes, the denying people of Fir`awn and the earlier nations who rejected the Messengers and disbelieved in Our Ayat,' </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ</div><p>(so Allah punished them for their sins.) </p><p>Because of their sins, Allah destroyed them </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ</div><p>(Verily, Allah is All-Strong, severe in punishment.) </p><p>none can resist Him or escape His grasp. </p>

Allah says, `The behavior of these rebellious disbelievers against what I sent you with, O Muhammad, is similar to the behavior of earlier disbelieving nations. So We behaved with them according to Our Da'b, that is, Our behavior or custom and way, as We did with them with what We often do and decide concerning their likes, the denying people of Fir`awn and the earlier nations who rejected the Messengers and disbelieved in Our Ayat,' فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ(so Allah punished them for their sins.) Because of their sins, Allah destroyed them إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ(Verily, Allah is All-Strong, severe in punishment.) none can resist Him or escape His grasp.

God does not withdraw a favour bestowed upon a people unless they change themselves, for God hears all and knows everything.

This is because Allah does not change the favour He has bestowed upon any people until they first change themselves, and indeed Allah is All Hearing, All Knowing.

That is because God would never change His favour that He conferred on a people until they changed what was within themselves; and that God is All-hearing, All-knowing.

This, because God would never change the blessings with which He has graced a people unless they change their inner selves: and [know] that God is all-hearing, all-seeing.

This, because Allah is not one to change His favour wherewith He hath favoured a people until they have changed that which is in themselves; and verily Allah is Hearing, Knowing.

That is so because Allah will never change a grace which He has bestowed on a people until they change what is in their ownselves. And verily, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.

That is because God would never change a blessing He has bestowed on a people unless they change what is within themselves, and because God is Hearing and Knowing.

This happened because Allah is not one to change the favour which He has bestowed upon a people until they have changed their attitude., Surely Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

That is so because Allah will never change a grace which He has bestowed on a people until they change what is in themselves. And verily, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.

That is because Allah never changeth the grace He hath bestowed on any people until they first change that which is in their hearts, and (that is) because Allah is Hearer, Knower.

That is because Allah never changes a blessing that He has bestowed on a people unless they change what is in their own souls, and Allah is all-hearing, all-knowing:

This is because Allah would never change His favor that He bestowed upon a nation until they change what is in their hearts. Allah is Hearing, Knowing.

That is because Allah would not change a favor which He had bestowed upon a people until they change what is within themselves. And indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.

God does not change the favor that He has bestowed on a nation unless that nation changes what is in its soul. God is All-hearing and All-knowing.

This is because Allah has never changed a favor which He has conferred upon a people until they change their own condition; and because Allah is Hearing, Knowing;

<u>Tha</u>lika bianna All<u>a</u>ha lam yaku mughayyiran niAAmatan anAAamah<u>a</u> AAal<u>a</u> qawmin <u>h</u>att<u>a</u> yughayyiroo m<u>a</u> bianfusihim waanna All<u>a</u>ha sameeAAun AAaleem<b>un</b>

God would never withdraw a favour that He had conferred upon a people unless they change what is in their hearts. God is all hearing and all-knowing.

"Because Allah will never change the grace which He hath bestowed on a people until they change what is in their (own) souls: and verily Allah is He Who heareth and knoweth (all things)."

8

ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَمْ يَكُ مُغَيِّرًا نِّعْمَةً أَنْعَمَهَا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا۟ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

That severe punishment is because when Allah favours a people, He does not take it away from them until they change themselves from their pure state of faith, righteousness and gratitude to a bad state of disbelief in Allah, sin and ingratitude – Allah hears the statements of His servants and knows about their actions; nothing is hidden from Him.

That severe punishment is because when Allah favours a people, He does not take it away from them until they change themselves from their pure state of faith, righteousness and gratitude to a bad state of disbelief in Allah, sin and ingratitude – Allah hears the statements of His servants and knows about their actions; nothing is hidden from Him.

<p>Stated in the fourth verse (53) there is a standing rule which spells out the condition under which Allah Ta` ala allows a people to continue enjoying blessings bestowed by Him. It was said: بِأَنَّ اللَّـهَ لَمْ يَكُ مُغَيِّرً‌ا نِّعْمَةً أَنْعَمَهَا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُ‌وا مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ (because Allah is not to change a favour He has conferred on a people unless they change their own selves - 53).</p><p>The first thing worth pondering about at this place is that Allah Ta` ala has not set forth any rule as to the bestowal of blessing and favour, nor has He put any restriction and condition for it, nor has He made it to be dependent on some good deed - because, had this been so, then, the foremost favour bestowed on us is our very existence. Placed in this marvelous menagerie of the power of Allah are thousands and thousands of additional blessings which, it is all too obvious, were conferred on us at a time when we did not exist nor any of our deed did.</p><p>If blessings and favours from Allah Ta` ala were to wait for good deeds from His servants, our being itself would have not materialized.</p><p>The blessing and the mercy of Allah Ta` ala is there all by itself as an outcome of His being the Lord of all the worlds and the One who is All-Merciful and Very-Merciful. However, what has been described in this verse is a rule which governs the continuity of this favour and mercy. According to this rule, when Allah Ta` a1a favours a people with His blessing, He does not take it back until such time that the people themselves bring about changes in their conditions of living and ways of doing things and thus become the very agency which invites the punishment of Allah.</p><p>The change of conditions referred to here means a shift or change from good deeds to bad deeds and from good 'states of being to bad states of being, or that a person who, at the time of the coming of blessings, was involved in certain sins and evils, then, once he had re-ceived those blessings, he stoops lower and gets involved in deeds far more evil.</p><p>It becomes evident from the details given above that peoples mentioned in previous verses, that is, the Quraysh disbelievers and the people of Pharaoh, have their relevance to the present verse on the grounds that these people were not all that good in their states of living even at the time the blessings came. They were still the polytheists and disbelievers they were. But, after having been blessed with favours, these people became far more dauntless in their evil deeds and acts of wickedness.</p><p>The people of Pharaoh started inflicting all sorts of injustices against the Bani Isra'il. Then they rose in hostility against Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) which was a grave addition to their past crimes. Through these doings, they brought changes in their living conditions which led them to more evils and when this happened, Allah Ta` ala too brought a change in His blessing by changing it into retribution and punishment. Similarly, the Quraysh of Makkah were though involved in polytheism and other evil practices, yet they did have a few good deeds to their credit, such as, regard for kinship, hospitality, service of Hajj pil-grims, respect for Baytullah etc. Allah Ta` ala showered on them many material and spiritual blessings. On the material plane, great impetus was given to their trading activities. In a country where no trading caravan belonging to anyone could pass through safely, their trade caravans would go to Syria in the north and Yemen in the south and return in safety and with success - something mentioned by the Qur'an in Surah al-Quraysh (106) under: رِ‌حْلَةَ الشِّتَاءِ وَالصَّيْفِ (they used to make alternate trading visits in winter and summer -106:2).</p><p>Then, on the spiritual plane in terms of their religion, they were blessed with a favour so great as was never conferred upon any of the past peoples - that the foremost among prophets, the last of the line, sallallahu ` alaihi wa sallam, was destined to rise among them, and Qur'an, the last, the comprehensive Book of Allah Ta` ala was sent to them through him.</p><p>But, these people, rather than correct themselves through gratitude and appreciation for these blessings of Allah Ta` ala, went on to make a mess of their moral condition, making it far worse than it al-ready was. They stopped treating their near relations well and started inflicting savage injustices against their own brothers and nephews who chose to embrace Islam. Rather than keep to their tradition of hospitality, pledges were written and promulgated that a total boycott of such Muslims be made, even to the limit of holding back the supply of food and water to them. Instead of providing essential services for Hajj pilgrims which they once considered to be their duty, they started preventing Muslims from entering the Haram. These were the standing conditions on the ground which brought about a change in the disbelievers of Quraysh - as a result of which came the counter-change from Allah Ta` ala. He transformed His favours and blessings into retribution and punishment, thus making them have a taste of disgrace in the mortal world too, and then, it was through the noble person sent as mercy for all the worlds that they invited their own destruction.</p><p>As based on trustworthy books of history, it has been said in Tafsir Mazhari that Kilab ibn Murrah, who is the grandfather of the third grandfather of the Holy Prophet ﷺ genealogically, was a staunch adherent of the faith of Sayyidna Ibrahim and Ismail (علیہما السلام) right from the beginning, and he retained the role of leadership in this faith, generations after generation. It was during the period of Qusayy ibn Kilab that idol-worship started as a practice among people. Before him, Ka'b ibn Lu'aiyy was their religious leader. He used to deliver a sermon before everyone on the day of Jumu'ah which was called ` Arubah in their dialect and tell his audience that the last among prophets I ﷺ would rise from among their progeny. Everyone will be bound to follow him. Whoever fails to have faith in him, no deed of his shall be acceptable with Allah. Well-known are his poetic compositions about the coming of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، as part of pagan poetry. Then, Qusayy ibn Kilab used to make arrangements of food and water for all Hajj pilgrims, so much so, that these things continued to be within the family of the Holy Prophet ﷺ until his blessed period. Given this historical perspective, it could also be said that the change which affected the mass behaviour of the Quraysh may as well mean that they had forsaken the faith of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) and taken to idol-worship.</p><p>However, a return to the subject of the verse tells us that there are occasions when Allah Ta` ala would bestow His favour also on people who do not seem to be deserving of it in view of their deeds. But, should they start, after having received that favour, committing ex-cesses and indulging in evil deeds more frequently, rather than turn the direction of their deeds towards correction and betterment, then, this favour is taken away from them and they become deserving of Divine punishment.</p><p>At the end of the verse, it was said: وَأَنَّ اللَّـهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ (and that Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing - 53). It means that Allah Ta` ala is the one who hears everything they say and knows everything they do, there-fore, there is no probability of some error or misunderstanding in the decision He finally takes.</p>

Stated in the fourth verse (53) there is a standing rule which spells out the condition under which Allah Ta` ala allows a people to continue enjoying blessings bestowed by Him. It was said: بِأَنَّ اللَّـهَ لَمْ يَكُ مُغَيِّرً‌ا نِّعْمَةً أَنْعَمَهَا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُ‌وا مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ (because Allah is not to change a favour He has conferred on a people unless they change their own selves - 53).The first thing worth pondering about at this place is that Allah Ta` ala has not set forth any rule as to the bestowal of blessing and favour, nor has He put any restriction and condition for it, nor has He made it to be dependent on some good deed - because, had this been so, then, the foremost favour bestowed on us is our very existence. Placed in this marvelous menagerie of the power of Allah are thousands and thousands of additional blessings which, it is all too obvious, were conferred on us at a time when we did not exist nor any of our deed did.If blessings and favours from Allah Ta` ala were to wait for good deeds from His servants, our being itself would have not materialized.The blessing and the mercy of Allah Ta` ala is there all by itself as an outcome of His being the Lord of all the worlds and the One who is All-Merciful and Very-Merciful. However, what has been described in this verse is a rule which governs the continuity of this favour and mercy. According to this rule, when Allah Ta` a1a favours a people with His blessing, He does not take it back until such time that the people themselves bring about changes in their conditions of living and ways of doing things and thus become the very agency which invites the punishment of Allah.The change of conditions referred to here means a shift or change from good deeds to bad deeds and from good 'states of being to bad states of being, or that a person who, at the time of the coming of blessings, was involved in certain sins and evils, then, once he had re-ceived those blessings, he stoops lower and gets involved in deeds far more evil.It becomes evident from the details given above that peoples mentioned in previous verses, that is, the Quraysh disbelievers and the people of Pharaoh, have their relevance to the present verse on the grounds that these people were not all that good in their states of living even at the time the blessings came. They were still the polytheists and disbelievers they were. But, after having been blessed with favours, these people became far more dauntless in their evil deeds and acts of wickedness.The people of Pharaoh started inflicting all sorts of injustices against the Bani Isra'il. Then they rose in hostility against Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) which was a grave addition to their past crimes. Through these doings, they brought changes in their living conditions which led them to more evils and when this happened, Allah Ta` ala too brought a change in His blessing by changing it into retribution and punishment. Similarly, the Quraysh of Makkah were though involved in polytheism and other evil practices, yet they did have a few good deeds to their credit, such as, regard for kinship, hospitality, service of Hajj pil-grims, respect for Baytullah etc. Allah Ta` ala showered on them many material and spiritual blessings. On the material plane, great impetus was given to their trading activities. In a country where no trading caravan belonging to anyone could pass through safely, their trade caravans would go to Syria in the north and Yemen in the south and return in safety and with success - something mentioned by the Qur'an in Surah al-Quraysh (106) under: رِ‌حْلَةَ الشِّتَاءِ وَالصَّيْفِ (they used to make alternate trading visits in winter and summer -106:2).Then, on the spiritual plane in terms of their religion, they were blessed with a favour so great as was never conferred upon any of the past peoples - that the foremost among prophets, the last of the line, sallallahu ` alaihi wa sallam, was destined to rise among them, and Qur'an, the last, the comprehensive Book of Allah Ta` ala was sent to them through him.But, these people, rather than correct themselves through gratitude and appreciation for these blessings of Allah Ta` ala, went on to make a mess of their moral condition, making it far worse than it al-ready was. They stopped treating their near relations well and started inflicting savage injustices against their own brothers and nephews who chose to embrace Islam. Rather than keep to their tradition of hospitality, pledges were written and promulgated that a total boycott of such Muslims be made, even to the limit of holding back the supply of food and water to them. Instead of providing essential services for Hajj pilgrims which they once considered to be their duty, they started preventing Muslims from entering the Haram. These were the standing conditions on the ground which brought about a change in the disbelievers of Quraysh - as a result of which came the counter-change from Allah Ta` ala. He transformed His favours and blessings into retribution and punishment, thus making them have a taste of disgrace in the mortal world too, and then, it was through the noble person sent as mercy for all the worlds that they invited their own destruction.As based on trustworthy books of history, it has been said in Tafsir Mazhari that Kilab ibn Murrah, who is the grandfather of the third grandfather of the Holy Prophet ﷺ genealogically, was a staunch adherent of the faith of Sayyidna Ibrahim and Ismail (علیہما السلام) right from the beginning, and he retained the role of leadership in this faith, generations after generation. It was during the period of Qusayy ibn Kilab that idol-worship started as a practice among people. Before him, Ka'b ibn Lu'aiyy was their religious leader. He used to deliver a sermon before everyone on the day of Jumu'ah which was called ` Arubah in their dialect and tell his audience that the last among prophets I ﷺ would rise from among their progeny. Everyone will be bound to follow him. Whoever fails to have faith in him, no deed of his shall be acceptable with Allah. Well-known are his poetic compositions about the coming of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، as part of pagan poetry. Then, Qusayy ibn Kilab used to make arrangements of food and water for all Hajj pilgrims, so much so, that these things continued to be within the family of the Holy Prophet ﷺ until his blessed period. Given this historical perspective, it could also be said that the change which affected the mass behaviour of the Quraysh may as well mean that they had forsaken the faith of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) and taken to idol-worship.However, a return to the subject of the verse tells us that there are occasions when Allah Ta` ala would bestow His favour also on people who do not seem to be deserving of it in view of their deeds. But, should they start, after having received that favour, committing ex-cesses and indulging in evil deeds more frequently, rather than turn the direction of their deeds towards correction and betterment, then, this favour is taken away from them and they become deserving of Divine punishment.At the end of the verse, it was said: وَأَنَّ اللَّـهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ (and that Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing - 53). It means that Allah Ta` ala is the one who hears everything they say and knows everything they do, there-fore, there is no probability of some error or misunderstanding in the decision He finally takes.

<p>Allah affirms His perfect justice and fairness in His decisions, for He decided that He will not change a bounty that He has granted someone, except on account of an evil that they committed. Allah said in another Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُواْ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ وَإِذَآ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوءًا فَلاَ مَرَدَّ لَهُ وَمَا لَهُمْ مِّن دُونِهِ مِن وَالٍ</div><p>(Verily, Allah will not change the (good) condition of a people as long as they do not change their state (of goodness) themselves. But when Allah wills a people's punishment, there can be no turning it back, and they will find besides Him no protector.) 13:11 </p><p>Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">كَدَأْبِ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ</div><p>(Similar to the behavior of the people of Fir`awn,) meaning, He punished Fir`awn and his kind, those who denied His Ayat. Allah destroyed them because of their sins, and took away the favors that He granted them, such as gardens, springs, plants, treasures and pleasant dwellings, as well as all of the delights that they enjoyed. Allah did not wrong them, but it is they who wronged themselves. </p>

Allah affirms His perfect justice and fairness in His decisions, for He decided that He will not change a bounty that He has granted someone, except on account of an evil that they committed. Allah said in another Ayah, إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُواْ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ وَإِذَآ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوءًا فَلاَ مَرَدَّ لَهُ وَمَا لَهُمْ مِّن دُونِهِ مِن وَالٍ(Verily, Allah will not change the (good) condition of a people as long as they do not change their state (of goodness) themselves. But when Allah wills a people's punishment, there can be no turning it back, and they will find besides Him no protector.) 13:11 Allah said next, كَدَأْبِ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ(Similar to the behavior of the people of Fir`awn,) meaning, He punished Fir`awn and his kind, those who denied His Ayat. Allah destroyed them because of their sins, and took away the favors that He granted them, such as gardens, springs, plants, treasures and pleasant dwellings, as well as all of the delights that they enjoyed. Allah did not wrong them, but it is they who wronged themselves.

This was the case with the people of Pharaoh and those before them, who rejected the signs of their Lord and were destroyed for their sins, and We drowned the people of Pharaoh as they were oppressors.

Like the ways of Firaun’s people and those before them; they denied the signs of Allah – We therefore destroyed them on account of their sins and We drowned the people of Firaun; and they all were unjust.

Like Pharaoh's folk, and the people before him, who cried lies to the signs of their Lord, so We destroyed them because of their sins, and We drowned the folk of Pharaoh; and all were evildoers.

[To those sinners shall happen] the like of what happened to Pharaoh's people and those who lived before them: they gave the lie to their Sustainer's messages - and so We destroyed them in return for their sins, and caused Pharaoh's people to drown: for they were evildoers all.

Like are they Unto the wont of the house of Fir'awn and those before them. They belied the signs of their Lord; wherefore We destroyed them for their sins, and drowned the house of fir'awn; and all of them were wrong-doers.

Similar to the behaviour of the people of Fir'aun (Pharaoh), and those before them. They belied the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), of their Lord, so We destroyed them for their sins, and We drowned the people of Fir'aun (Pharaoh) for they were all Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.).

Such was the case with the people of Pharaoh, and those before them. They denied the signs of their Lord, so We annihilated them for their wrongs, and We drowned the people of Pharaoh—they were all evildoers.

Their case is like that of the people of Pharaoh and those before them: they rejected the signs of their Lord as false and so We destroyed them for their sins, and caused the people of Pharaoh to drown. For they were wrong-doers all.

Similar to the behavior of the people of Fir`awn, and those before them. They belied the Ayat of their Lord, so We destroyed them for their sins, and We drowned the people of Fir`awn for they were all wrongdoers.

(Their way is) as the way of Pharaoh's folk and those before them; they denied the revelations of their Lord, so We destroyed them in their sins. And We drowned the folk of Pharaoh. All were evil-doers.

Like the precedent of Pharaoh’s clan and those who were before them, who denied the signs of their Lord; so We destroyed them for their sins, and We drowned Pharaoh’s clan; and they were all wrongdoers.

Like Pharaoh's family and those who have gone before them, they belied the signs of their Lord, and so We destroyed them for their sins and drowned Pharaoh's family. They were all harmdoers.

[Theirs is] like the custom of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them. They denied the signs of their Lord, so We destroyed them for their sins, and We drowned the people of Pharaoh. And all [of them] were wrongdoers.

Like the people of the Pharaoh and those who lived before them, (the unbelievers) rejected the revelations of God. We destroyed them for their sins and drowned the people of Pharaoh. They were all unjust.

In the manner of the people of Firon and those before them; they rejected the communications of their Lord, therefore We destroyed them on account of their faults and We drowned Firon's people, and they were all unjust.

Kadabi <u>a</u>li firAAawna wa<b>a</b>lla<u>th</u>eena min qablihim ka<u>thth</u>aboo bi<u>a</u>y<u>a</u>ti rabbihim faahlakn<u>a</u>hum bi<u>th</u>unoobihim waaghraqn<u>a</u> <u>a</u>la firAAawna wakullun k<u>a</u>noo <i><u>th</u></i><u>a</u>limeen<b>a</b>

Like Pharaoh's people and those who went before them, they denied their Lord's signs: We destroyed them for their sins, and We drowned Pharaoh's people -- they were all evil-doers.

(Deeds) after the manner of the people of Pharaoh and those before them": They treated as false the Signs of their Lord: so We destroyed them for their crimes, and We drowned the people of Pharaoh: for they were all oppressors and wrong-doers.

8

كَدَأْبِ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ فَأَهْلَكْنَٰهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَآ ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَكُلٌّ كَانُوا۟ ظَٰلِمِينَ

The case of these disbelievers is like that of others who disbelieved in Allah, such as the people of Pharaoh and the communities who rejected Allah before them. They rejected the verses of their Lord so Allah destroyed them because of the sins they committed. Allah destroyed the people of Pharaoh by causing them to drown in the sea. The people of Pharaoh, as well as the communities before them, were all disobedient because of their disbelief in Allah and their association of partners with Him. They therefore deserved the punishment Allah imposed on them.

The case of these disbelievers is like that of others who disbelieved in Allah, such as the people of Pharaoh and the communities who rejected Allah before them. They rejected the verses of their Lord so Allah destroyed them because of the sins they committed. Allah destroyed the people of Pharaoh by causing them to drown in the sea. The people of Pharaoh, as well as the communities before them, were all disobedient because of their disbelief in Allah and their association of partners with Him. They therefore deserved the punishment Allah imposed on them.

<p>Commentary</p><p>The words used in the first of the verses cited above are almost the same as have appeared a verse earlier in: كَدَأْبِ آلِ فِرْ‌عَوْنَ ۙ وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِ رَ‌بِّهِمْ فَأَهْلَكْنَاهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ ' (Their way is) like the way of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them - 52.' But, the purpose behind these two statements differs in both. The purpose in the first verse (52) was to state that the disbelief of those people became the cause of their punishment while, in the present verse (54), the purpose is to state that, according to the common law of Allah Ta` ala - when the blessings of Allah Ta` ala descend upon a people and they fail to recognize their worth and value and refuse to bow down before Him - then, His blessings are transformed into misfortunes and punishments. When the people of Pharaoh and the peoples before them failed to appreciate the blessings of Allah Ta` ala as due, blessings were taken away from them and they were seized 'by punishment instead. Apart from this difference in purpose, changes have also been introduced in words used at some places which serve to release particular hints in the text. For example, in the first verse (52), the words used were: كَفَرُ‌وا بِآيَاتِ اللَّـهِ (They disbelieved the signs of Allah) while here, the words used are: بِآيَاتِ رَ‌بِّهِمْ the signs of their Lord - 54). Thus, by mentioning the attribute: رَبّ (Rabb: Lord) instead of the name, 'Allah,' hint was given that these people were terribly unjust and insensate against truth, people who would just go ahead and start belying the signs of the very Being who was their Rabb رَبّ (sustainer, nourisher, cherisher) under whose blessings they all, from their dawn of existence to their present condition, have been brought up.</p><p>In addition to that, in the first verse (52), said there was: فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّـهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ (so, Allah seized them for their sins) while what has been said here is: فَأَهْلَكْنَاهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ (so, We destroyed them for their sins - 54). This explains the brevity in the first statement because, in the first verse, mentioned there was their being seized in punishment which could take different forms. May be, they are overtaken by misfortunes with-in their lifetime on this earth, or that their very existence in eliminated outright. In the present verse (54), by saying: أَهْلَكْنَاهُم (We destroyed them), it was made clear that the punishment all those peoples deserved was the punishment of death, therefore, they were destroyed. The destruction of every set of such people took different forms. Since the Pharaoh from among them claimed godhood and his people attested to his claim, therefore, he was mentioned particularly: وَأَغْرَ‌قْنَا آلَ فِرْ‌عَوْنَ (and drowned the people of Pharaoh - 54). As for the forms in which destruction came upon other peoples, it has not been described here. However, details pertaining to these too have appeared in other verses where it has been said that some of them were overrun by an earthquake, some others were made to sink into the earth, or transformed into animals, or seized by wind storms - and finally, came the punishment for the disbelievers of Makkah at the hands of Muslims in the battle of Badr.</p>

CommentaryThe words used in the first of the verses cited above are almost the same as have appeared a verse earlier in: كَدَأْبِ آلِ فِرْ‌عَوْنَ ۙ وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِ رَ‌بِّهِمْ فَأَهْلَكْنَاهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ ' (Their way is) like the way of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them - 52.' But, the purpose behind these two statements differs in both. The purpose in the first verse (52) was to state that the disbelief of those people became the cause of their punishment while, in the present verse (54), the purpose is to state that, according to the common law of Allah Ta` ala - when the blessings of Allah Ta` ala descend upon a people and they fail to recognize their worth and value and refuse to bow down before Him - then, His blessings are transformed into misfortunes and punishments. When the people of Pharaoh and the peoples before them failed to appreciate the blessings of Allah Ta` ala as due, blessings were taken away from them and they were seized 'by punishment instead. Apart from this difference in purpose, changes have also been introduced in words used at some places which serve to release particular hints in the text. For example, in the first verse (52), the words used were: كَفَرُ‌وا بِآيَاتِ اللَّـهِ (They disbelieved the signs of Allah) while here, the words used are: بِآيَاتِ رَ‌بِّهِمْ the signs of their Lord - 54). Thus, by mentioning the attribute: رَبّ (Rabb: Lord) instead of the name, 'Allah,' hint was given that these people were terribly unjust and insensate against truth, people who would just go ahead and start belying the signs of the very Being who was their Rabb رَبّ (sustainer, nourisher, cherisher) under whose blessings they all, from their dawn of existence to their present condition, have been brought up.In addition to that, in the first verse (52), said there was: فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّـهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ (so, Allah seized them for their sins) while what has been said here is: فَأَهْلَكْنَاهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ (so, We destroyed them for their sins - 54). This explains the brevity in the first statement because, in the first verse, mentioned there was their being seized in punishment which could take different forms. May be, they are overtaken by misfortunes with-in their lifetime on this earth, or that their very existence in eliminated outright. In the present verse (54), by saying: أَهْلَكْنَاهُم (We destroyed them), it was made clear that the punishment all those peoples deserved was the punishment of death, therefore, they were destroyed. The destruction of every set of such people took different forms. Since the Pharaoh from among them claimed godhood and his people attested to his claim, therefore, he was mentioned particularly: وَأَغْرَ‌قْنَا آلَ فِرْ‌عَوْنَ (and drowned the people of Pharaoh - 54). As for the forms in which destruction came upon other peoples, it has not been described here. However, details pertaining to these too have appeared in other verses where it has been said that some of them were overrun by an earthquake, some others were made to sink into the earth, or transformed into animals, or seized by wind storms - and finally, came the punishment for the disbelievers of Makkah at the hands of Muslims in the battle of Badr.

Verily the worst of creatures in the sight of God are those who deny (the truth), and will not believe.

Indeed the worst beasts in the sight of Allah are the people who disbelieve and do not accept faith.

Surely the worst of beasts in God's sight are the unbelievers, who will not believe,

Verily, the vilest creatures in the sight of God are those who are bent on denying the truth and therefore do not believe.

Verily the vilest of moving creatures with Allah are those who disbelieve-wherefore they shall not believe-

Verily, The worst of moving (living) creatures before Allah are those who disbelieve, - so they shall not believe.

The worst of creatures in God's view are those who disbelieve. They have no faith.

Surely the worst moving creatures in the sight of Allah are those who definitively denied the truth and are therefore in no way prepared to accept it;

Verily, the worst of living creatures before Allah are those who disbelieve, -- so they shall not believe.

Lo! the worst of beasts in Allah's sight are the ungrateful who will not believe.

Indeed the worst of beasts in Allah’s sight are those who are faithless; so they will not have faith.

Indeed, the basest creatures before Allah are the unbelievers for they will not believe;

Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah are those who have disbelieved, and they will not [ever] believe -

The most wicked creatures in the sight of God are the unbelievers who never have faith,

Surely the vilest of animals in Allah's sight are those who disbelieve, then they would not believe.

Inna sharra a<b>l</b>ddaw<u>a</u>bbi AAinda All<u>a</u>hi alla<u>th</u>eena kafaroo fahum l<u>a</u> yuminoon<b>a</b>

The worst creatures in the sight of God are those who reject Him and will not believe;

For the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are those who reject Him: They will not believe.

8

إِنَّ شَرَّ ٱلدَّوَآبِّ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

The worst of those who walk on the earth are those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers, and who would not believe even if every sign was to come to them – they would still persist in disbelief. The means of guidance – such as intellect, hearing and sight – are of no use to these people.

The worst of those who walk on the earth are those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers, and who would not believe even if every sign was to come to them – they would still persist in disbelief. The means of guidance – such as intellect, hearing and sight – are of no use to these people.

<p>In the verse which follows immediately, it was said about the same disbelievers: إِنَّ شَرَّ‌ الدَّوَابِّ عِندَ اللَّـهِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا (Surely, the worst of all the living, in the sight of Allah, are those who reject Faith - 55). Here, the word: دَوَابّ (dawabb) is the plural form of dabbah which literally means creatures who walk on the earth. Therefore, this word covers human beings and whatever of the animals walk on the earth. But, in common usage, this word is used particularly for quadruped animals. Since they were far below animals in their state of insensitiveness, they were identified with that expression in the language. Thus, the meaning of the verse is clear - that these people were the worst of animals from among all animals and human beings. At the end of the verse, it was said: فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ (so they do not believe - 55). The sense is that these people have allowed their God-given abilities to go waste by making the satisfaction of their physical needs the very purpose of their life, therefore, having access to the refinements of Faith was just not possible for them.</p><p>Sa’ id ibn Jubayr said that this verse was revealed about six men from the Jews about whom Allah Ta` ala has declared in advance that they will never enter the fold of Faith.</p><p>In addition to that, through this word, the aim is to grant an exemption from punishment for people who were though engaged at that time, in tandem with disbelievers, in their struggle against Muslims and Islam but the likelihood was that, in future, a time will come when they will repent their past mistakes and embrace Islam. The fact is that this is how it came to be. A very large group from among them became, by embracing Islam, not only personally pious and righteous, but rose to be - in word and deed alike - leaders among men and women of the world as heralds of moral betterment and paradigms of responsible conduct of life before the Creator.</p>

In the verse which follows immediately, it was said about the same disbelievers: إِنَّ شَرَّ‌ الدَّوَابِّ عِندَ اللَّـهِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا (Surely, the worst of all the living, in the sight of Allah, are those who reject Faith - 55). Here, the word: دَوَابّ (dawabb) is the plural form of dabbah which literally means creatures who walk on the earth. Therefore, this word covers human beings and whatever of the animals walk on the earth. But, in common usage, this word is used particularly for quadruped animals. Since they were far below animals in their state of insensitiveness, they were identified with that expression in the language. Thus, the meaning of the verse is clear - that these people were the worst of animals from among all animals and human beings. At the end of the verse, it was said: فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ (so they do not believe - 55). The sense is that these people have allowed their God-given abilities to go waste by making the satisfaction of their physical needs the very purpose of their life, therefore, having access to the refinements of Faith was just not possible for them.Sa’ id ibn Jubayr said that this verse was revealed about six men from the Jews about whom Allah Ta` ala has declared in advance that they will never enter the fold of Faith.In addition to that, through this word, the aim is to grant an exemption from punishment for people who were though engaged at that time, in tandem with disbelievers, in their struggle against Muslims and Islam but the likelihood was that, in future, a time will come when they will repent their past mistakes and embrace Islam. The fact is that this is how it came to be. A very large group from among them became, by embracing Islam, not only personally pious and righteous, but rose to be - in word and deed alike - leaders among men and women of the world as heralds of moral betterment and paradigms of responsible conduct of life before the Creator.

<h2 class="title">Striking Hard against Those Who disbelieve and break the Covenants</h2><p>Allah states here that the worst moving creatures on the face of the earth are those who disbelieve, who do not embrace the faith, and break promises whenever they make a covenant, even when they vow to keep them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُمْ لاَ يَتَّقُونَ</div><p>(and they do not have Taqwa) meaning they do not fear Allah regarding any of the sins they commit. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَإِمَّا تَثْقَفَنَّهُمْ فِى الْحَرْبِ</div><p>(So if you gain the mastery over them in war), if you defeat them and have victory over them in war, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَشَرِّدْ بِهِم مَّنْ خَلْفَهُمْ</div><p>(then disperse those who are behind them,) by severely punishing the captured people according to Ibn `Abbas, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi, `Ata' Al-Khurasani and Ibn `Uyaynah. This Ayah commands punishing them harshly and inflicting casualties on them. This way, other enemies, Arabs and non-Arabs, will be afraid and take a lesson from their end, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ</div><p>(so that they may learn a lesson. ) </p><p>As-Suddi commented, "They might be careful not to break treaties, so that they do not meet the same end." </p>

Striking Hard against Those Who disbelieve and break the CovenantsAllah states here that the worst moving creatures on the face of the earth are those who disbelieve, who do not embrace the faith, and break promises whenever they make a covenant, even when they vow to keep them, وَهُمْ لاَ يَتَّقُونَ(and they do not have Taqwa) meaning they do not fear Allah regarding any of the sins they commit. فَإِمَّا تَثْقَفَنَّهُمْ فِى الْحَرْبِ(So if you gain the mastery over them in war), if you defeat them and have victory over them in war, فَشَرِّدْ بِهِم مَّنْ خَلْفَهُمْ(then disperse those who are behind them,) by severely punishing the captured people according to Ibn `Abbas, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi, `Ata' Al-Khurasani and Ibn `Uyaynah. This Ayah commands punishing them harshly and inflicting casualties on them. This way, other enemies, Arabs and non-Arabs, will be afraid and take a lesson from their end, لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ(so that they may learn a lesson. ) As-Suddi commented, "They might be careful not to break treaties, so that they do not meet the same end."

As for those with whom you have made a treaty and who abrogate it every time, and do not fear God,

Those with whom you made a treaty, then they break their agreement each time and do not fear.

those of them with whom thou hast made compact then they break their compact every time, not being godfearing.

AS FOR THOSE with whom thou hast made a covenant, and who thereupon break their covenant on every occasion, not being conscious of God-

They with whom thou covenantedest, then they break their covenant every time, and they fear not.

They are those with whom you made a covenant, but they break their covenant every time and they do not fear Allah.

Those of them with whom you made a treaty, but they violate their agreement every time. They are not righteous.

(especially) those with whom you entered into a covenant and then they broke their covenant time after time, and who do not fear Allah.

They are those with whom you made a covenant, but they break their covenant every time and they do not have Taqwa.

Those of them with whom thou madest a treaty, and then at every opportunity they break their treaty, and they keep not duty (to Allah).

—Those with whom you made a treaty, and who violated their treaty every time, and who are not Godwary.

those with whom you have made a treaty, then break their treaty with you every time; having no fear (of Allah),

The ones with whom you made a treaty but then they break their pledge every time, and they do not fear Allah.

who make promises but break them every time, and who have no piety.

Those with whom you make an agreement, then they break their agreement every time and they do not guard (against punishment).

Alla<u>th</u>eena AA<u>a</u>hadta minhum thumma yanqu<u>d</u>oona AAahdahum fee kulli marratin wahum l<u>a</u> yattaqoon<b>a</b>

those with whom you have made a covenant, and who break their covenant on every occasion and have no fear [of God].

They are those with whom thou didst make a covenant, but they break their covenant every time, and they have not the fear (of Allah).

8

ٱلَّذِينَ عَٰهَدتَّ مِنْهُمْ ثُمَّ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَهُمْ فِى كُلِّ مَرَّةٍ وَهُمْ لَا يَتَّقُونَ

Some of these Jewish disbelievers agreed a treaty to not fight against you, O Messenger, nor support any one else in fighting against you. They, then, break this treaty every time you make it with them. They have no fear of Allah so they do not fulfil their oaths and do not honour the promises taken from them.

Some of these Jewish disbelievers agreed a treaty to not fight against you, O Messenger, nor support any one else in fighting against you. They, then, break this treaty every time you make it with them. They have no fear of Allah so they do not fulfil their oaths and do not honour the promises taken from them.

<p>The third verse (56):</p><p>الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتَّ مِنْهُمْ ثُمَّ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَهُمْ فِي كُلِّ مَرَّ‌ةٍ وَهُمْ لَا يَتَّقُونَ ﴿56﴾</p><p>(those from whom you have taken a pledge, then they break their pledge each time, and they do not fear Allah)</p><p>is about the Jews of Madinah and those of Banu Qurayzah and Banu Nadir. Mentioned in the previous verses was the descent of Divine punishment on the disbelievers of Makkah in the battle of Badr at the hands of Muslims, as well as their resemblance with disbelievers of past communities. In this verse, mention has been made of the particular group of unjust people who became like serpents in the sleeves of Muslims soon after their migration to Madinah. On the one hand, they claimed to be at peace with Muslims while, on the other, they used to conspire with the disbelievers of Makkah against Muslims. These people were Jews by religion and the way Abu Jahl was the top leader of the disbelievers of Makkah against Islam, similarly, the top anti-Islam leader of the Jews of Madinah was called Ka'b ibn Ashraf.</p><p>When the Holy Prophet ﷺ graced the blessed city of Madinah after Hijrah, they saw the rise of Muslim power, were impressed, even somewhat overawed by it, but the fire of their anti Muslim feelings kept burning in their hearts all the time.</p><p>Islamic political wisdom demanded that, as far as possible, the Jews of Madinah should be engaged to go along with Muslims under some sort of bilateral treaty, so that they would not come to the assistance of Makkan disbelievers. Because of their awe of Muslims, the Jews too wished to have this very arrangement.</p><p>Towards Islamic Nationality: The First Step</p><p>After reaching Madinah, the Holy Prophet ﷺ dill laid the initial foundation of political theory in Islam. The first step he took was to eliminate prejudices of country and tribe from the Muhajirin (Emigrants: those who had migrated from Makkah) and Ansar (Residents of Madinah who helped the Muhajirin). In its place, he established a new nationality in the name of Islam. This turned different tribes from the Muhajirin and Ansar into brothers to each other. Then, it was through him that Allah Ta` ala helped remove mutual differences among Ansars themselves which had been continuing for centuries. Thus, not only did the Ansars enter a new era of brotherhood among themselves, they became brothers to the Muhajirin as well.</p><p>Treaty with Jews: The Second Step</p><p>The background in which the second political step was taken was marked by two adversaries of Muslims. The first were the disbelievers of Makkah whose tortures had compelled them to leave Makkah. The second were the Jews of Madinah who had then become the neighbours of Muslims.</p><p>Out of these two, a treaty was concluded with the Jews and was duly documented in details. The compliance of this treaty was made incumbent on all Jews living in and around Madinah as well as on all Muhajirin and Ansar. The full text of this treaty can be seen in البدایہ والنھایۃ : Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah of Ibn Kathir and Sirah of Ibn Hisham and elsewhere. The most significant article of this treaty was that, in the event of a mutual difference, the decision of the Holy Prophet ﷺ shall be binding for all. There was another article there which stipulated that the Jews of Madinah shall not provide any assistance to any enemy against Muslims, either overtly or covertly. But, at the time of the battle of Badr, these people committed a breach of trust and supported the disbelievers of Makkah by supplying weapons and other war materials to them. However, when the outcome of the battle of Badr appeared in the form of a clear victory for Muslims and a disgraceful defeat for the disbelievers, they felt cowed down once again. They presented themselves before the Holy Prophet ﷺ and apologized for the mistake they had committed at that time and sought his forgiveness for it on the promise that they would commit no breach of trust in the future.</p><p>Because Islamic forbearance and generosity was his way, the Holy Prophet ﷺ accepted to renew the treaty once again. But, these people were captives of their peculiar instinctive reflexes. When they heard about the initial defeat and loss of Muslims in the battle of Uhud, their ambitions went high. Their chief, Ka'b ibn Ashraf, himself travelled to Makkah and exhorted the disbelievers of Makkah to mount another attack on Muslims with fresh and full preparation in which the Jews of Madinah will be with them.</p><p>This was the second breach of trust they committed against Islam. In the present verse, by mentioning this repeated breach of trust, brought into focus is the wickedness of these people, for they were the people who themselves made a treaty with the Holy Prophet ﷺ yet they were the ones who, each time, kept breaking their pledge to abide by the treaty. At the end of the verse, it was said: وَهُمْ لَا يَتَّقُونَ (and they do not fear Allah 56). This could also mean that, since these ill-fated people are drunk with worldly greed having. no concern for the life to come, therefore, they do not fear the punishment of the Hereafter. Then, it could also mean that such characterless people who break pledges do meet their evil end in this world, yet these are the kind of people who, because of their negligence and ignorance, do not fear it.</p><p>Then, came the time when the whole world saw that these people tasted the punishment for the evil role they played. Like Abu Jahl, the chief of the disbelievers, Ka'b ibn Ashraf, the chief of the Jews, was killed and the rest of the Jews of Madinah were expelled from the city.</p>

The third verse (56):الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتَّ مِنْهُمْ ثُمَّ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَهُمْ فِي كُلِّ مَرَّ‌ةٍ وَهُمْ لَا يَتَّقُونَ ﴿56﴾(those from whom you have taken a pledge, then they break their pledge each time, and they do not fear Allah)is about the Jews of Madinah and those of Banu Qurayzah and Banu Nadir. Mentioned in the previous verses was the descent of Divine punishment on the disbelievers of Makkah in the battle of Badr at the hands of Muslims, as well as their resemblance with disbelievers of past communities. In this verse, mention has been made of the particular group of unjust people who became like serpents in the sleeves of Muslims soon after their migration to Madinah. On the one hand, they claimed to be at peace with Muslims while, on the other, they used to conspire with the disbelievers of Makkah against Muslims. These people were Jews by religion and the way Abu Jahl was the top leader of the disbelievers of Makkah against Islam, similarly, the top anti-Islam leader of the Jews of Madinah was called Ka'b ibn Ashraf.When the Holy Prophet ﷺ graced the blessed city of Madinah after Hijrah, they saw the rise of Muslim power, were impressed, even somewhat overawed by it, but the fire of their anti Muslim feelings kept burning in their hearts all the time.Islamic political wisdom demanded that, as far as possible, the Jews of Madinah should be engaged to go along with Muslims under some sort of bilateral treaty, so that they would not come to the assistance of Makkan disbelievers. Because of their awe of Muslims, the Jews too wished to have this very arrangement.Towards Islamic Nationality: The First StepAfter reaching Madinah, the Holy Prophet ﷺ dill laid the initial foundation of political theory in Islam. The first step he took was to eliminate prejudices of country and tribe from the Muhajirin (Emigrants: those who had migrated from Makkah) and Ansar (Residents of Madinah who helped the Muhajirin). In its place, he established a new nationality in the name of Islam. This turned different tribes from the Muhajirin and Ansar into brothers to each other. Then, it was through him that Allah Ta` ala helped remove mutual differences among Ansars themselves which had been continuing for centuries. Thus, not only did the Ansars enter a new era of brotherhood among themselves, they became brothers to the Muhajirin as well.Treaty with Jews: The Second StepThe background in which the second political step was taken was marked by two adversaries of Muslims. The first were the disbelievers of Makkah whose tortures had compelled them to leave Makkah. The second were the Jews of Madinah who had then become the neighbours of Muslims.Out of these two, a treaty was concluded with the Jews and was duly documented in details. The compliance of this treaty was made incumbent on all Jews living in and around Madinah as well as on all Muhajirin and Ansar. The full text of this treaty can be seen in البدایہ والنھایۃ : Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah of Ibn Kathir and Sirah of Ibn Hisham and elsewhere. The most significant article of this treaty was that, in the event of a mutual difference, the decision of the Holy Prophet ﷺ shall be binding for all. There was another article there which stipulated that the Jews of Madinah shall not provide any assistance to any enemy against Muslims, either overtly or covertly. But, at the time of the battle of Badr, these people committed a breach of trust and supported the disbelievers of Makkah by supplying weapons and other war materials to them. However, when the outcome of the battle of Badr appeared in the form of a clear victory for Muslims and a disgraceful defeat for the disbelievers, they felt cowed down once again. They presented themselves before the Holy Prophet ﷺ and apologized for the mistake they had committed at that time and sought his forgiveness for it on the promise that they would commit no breach of trust in the future.Because Islamic forbearance and generosity was his way, the Holy Prophet ﷺ accepted to renew the treaty once again. But, these people were captives of their peculiar instinctive reflexes. When they heard about the initial defeat and loss of Muslims in the battle of Uhud, their ambitions went high. Their chief, Ka'b ibn Ashraf, himself travelled to Makkah and exhorted the disbelievers of Makkah to mount another attack on Muslims with fresh and full preparation in which the Jews of Madinah will be with them.This was the second breach of trust they committed against Islam. In the present verse, by mentioning this repeated breach of trust, brought into focus is the wickedness of these people, for they were the people who themselves made a treaty with the Holy Prophet ﷺ yet they were the ones who, each time, kept breaking their pledge to abide by the treaty. At the end of the verse, it was said: وَهُمْ لَا يَتَّقُونَ (and they do not fear Allah 56). This could also mean that, since these ill-fated people are drunk with worldly greed having. no concern for the life to come, therefore, they do not fear the punishment of the Hereafter. Then, it could also mean that such characterless people who break pledges do meet their evil end in this world, yet these are the kind of people who, because of their negligence and ignorance, do not fear it.Then, came the time when the whole world saw that these people tasted the punishment for the evil role they played. Like Abu Jahl, the chief of the disbelievers, Ka'b ibn Ashraf, the chief of the Jews, was killed and the rest of the Jews of Madinah were expelled from the city.

If you meet them in battle, inflict on them such a defeat as would be a lesson for those who come after them, and that they may be warned.

So if you find them in battle, kill them in a manner which makes those behind them scamper back, in the hope that they may learn a lesson.

So, if thou comest upon them anywhere in the war, deal with them in such wise as to scatter the ones behind them; haply they will remember.

if thou find them at war [with you], make of them a fearsome example for those who follow them, so that they might take it to heart;

Wherefore if thou over-takest them in war, disperse thou through them those behind them, that haply they may be admonished.

So if you gain the mastery over them in war, punish them severely in order to disperse those who are behind them, so that they may learn a lesson.

If you confront them in battle, make of them a fearsome example for those who follow them, that they may take heed.

So if you meet them in war, make of them a fearsome example for those who follow them that they may he admonished.

So if you gain the mastery over them in war, then disperse those who are behind them, so that they may learn a lesson.

If thou comest on them in the war, deal with them so as to strike fear in those who are behind them, that haply they may remember.

So if you confront them in battle, treat them [in such a wise] as to disperse those who are behind them, so that they may take admonition.

if you meet them in battle, cause their example to scatter those behind them so that they remember.

So if you, [O Muhammad], gain dominance over them in war, disperse by [means of] them those behind them that perhaps they will be reminded.

When you capture the (unbelievers) during a fight, teach them a lesson so that they thereafter will always be aware of the threat of your power.

Therefore if you overtake them in fighting, then scatter by (making an example of) them those who are in their rear, that they may be mindful.

Faimm<u>a</u> tathqafannahum fee al<u>h</u>arbi fasharrid bihim man khalfahum laAAallahum ya<u>thth</u>akkaroon<b>a</b>

Should you encounter them in war, then deal with them in such a manner that those that follow them should abandon their designs and may take warning.

If ye gain the mastery over them in war, disperse, with them, those who follow them, that they may remember.

8

فَإِمَّا تَثْقَفَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَرْبِ فَشَرِّدْ بِهِم مَّنْ خَلْفَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ

If you, O Messenger, face in battle these people who break their pledges, then make a harsh example of them so that others hear about it, take a lesson from that and become afraid of fighting you and supporting your enemies against you.

If you, O Messenger, face in battle these people who break their pledges, then make a harsh example of them so that others hear about it, take a lesson from that and become afraid of fighting you and supporting your enemies against you.

<p>In the fourth verse (57), Allah Ta` ala has given a standing instruction to His Rasul ﷺ about such evil breakers of solemn pledges in the following words:</p><p>فَإِمَّا تَثْقَفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْحَرْ‌بِ فَشَرِّ‌دْ بِهِم مَّنْ خَلْفَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُ‌ونَ ﴿57﴾</p><p>So, if you find them in war, make them an example (deterrent) for those behind them, so that they take a lesson.</p><p>Here, the word: تَثْقَفَنَّهُمْ (tathqafannahum) means to get the upper hand against them and the word: شرّدَ (sharrada) is a derivation from the infinitive noun: تَشرِید (tashrid) which essentially means to drive out or scatter away. So, the verse means: 'If you overpower such people in a war, give them a drastic punishment which becomes an instant lesson for others - so that those who are busy bashing Islam behind the cover of such people serving as their agent provocateurs should understand clearly that there remains no alternative for them but to run for their lives. The drive of the instruction is that these people should be punished in a manner which makes an impression on the disbelievers of Makkah and other hostile tribes and sucks away any courage they may have to come back and confront Muslims in the future.</p><p>By saying: لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُ‌ونَ (so that they take a lesson - 57) at the end of the verse, a hint has been given towards the universal mercy of the Lord of all the worlds. This treatment makes it clear that the real purpose of this exemplary punishment was not to take revenge or release personal anger, in fact, this was being awarded in their own interest and expedient gain whereby they may, perhaps, review conditions before them, regain some of their sanity, feel ashamed of what they did and go on to correct themselves.</p>

In the fourth verse (57), Allah Ta` ala has given a standing instruction to His Rasul ﷺ about such evil breakers of solemn pledges in the following words:فَإِمَّا تَثْقَفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْحَرْ‌بِ فَشَرِّ‌دْ بِهِم مَّنْ خَلْفَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُ‌ونَ ﴿57﴾So, if you find them in war, make them an example (deterrent) for those behind them, so that they take a lesson.Here, the word: تَثْقَفَنَّهُمْ (tathqafannahum) means to get the upper hand against them and the word: شرّدَ (sharrada) is a derivation from the infinitive noun: تَشرِید (tashrid) which essentially means to drive out or scatter away. So, the verse means: 'If you overpower such people in a war, give them a drastic punishment which becomes an instant lesson for others - so that those who are busy bashing Islam behind the cover of such people serving as their agent provocateurs should understand clearly that there remains no alternative for them but to run for their lives. The drive of the instruction is that these people should be punished in a manner which makes an impression on the disbelievers of Makkah and other hostile tribes and sucks away any courage they may have to come back and confront Muslims in the future.By saying: لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُ‌ونَ (so that they take a lesson - 57) at the end of the verse, a hint has been given towards the universal mercy of the Lord of all the worlds. This treatment makes it clear that the real purpose of this exemplary punishment was not to take revenge or release personal anger, in fact, this was being awarded in their own interest and expedient gain whereby they may, perhaps, review conditions before them, regain some of their sanity, feel ashamed of what they did and go on to correct themselves.

If you apprehend treachery from a people (with whom you have a treaty), retaliate by breaking off (relations) with them, for God does not like those who are treacherous.

And if you apprehend treachery from a nation, then throw back their treaty towards them in reciprocity; indeed Allah does not like the treacherous.

And if thou fearest treachery any way at the hands of a people, dissolve it with them equally; surely God loves not the treacherous.

or, if thou hast reason to fear treachery from people [with whom thou hast made a covenant], cast it back at them in an equitable manner: for, verily, God does not love the treacherous!

And shouldst thou fear treachery from any people cast back then unto them their covenant to be equal. Verily Allah approveth not the treacherous.

If you (O Muhammad SAW) fear treachery from any people throw back (their covenant) to them (so as to be) on equal terms (that there will be no more covenant between you and them). Certainly Allah likes not the treacherous.

If you fear treachery on the part of a people, break off with them in a like manner. God does not like the treacherous.

And if you fear treachery from any people (with whom you have a covenant) then publicly throw their covenant at them. Allah does not love the treacherous.

If you fear treachery from any people, throw back (their covenant) to them (so as to be) on equal terms. Certainly Allah likes not the treacherous.) make a heading, Allah says to His Prophet,

And if thou fearest treachery from any folk, then throw back to them (their treaty) fairly. Lo! Allah loveth not the treacherous.

And if you fear treachery from a people, break off [the treaty] with them in a like manner. Indeed Allah does not like the treacherous.

If you fear treachery from any of your allies, you can dissolve with them equally. Allah does not love the treacherous.

If you [have reason to] fear from a people betrayal, throw [their treaty] back to them, [putting you] on equal terms. Indeed, Allah does not like traitors.

If you are afraid of the treachery of some of your allies, you may disregard your treaty with them. God does not love the treacherous ones.

And if you fear treachery on the part of a people, then throw back to them on terms of equality; surely Allah does not love the treacherous.

Waimm<u>a</u> takh<u>a</u>fanna min qawmin khiy<u>a</u>natan fa<b>i</b>nbi<u>th</u> ilayhim AAal<u>a</u> sawain inna All<u>a</u>ha l<u>a</u> yu<u>h</u>ibbu alkh<u>a</u>ineen<b>a</b>

And if you learn of treachery on the part of any people, throw their treaty back at them, so as to be on equal terms, for God does not love the treacherous.

If thou fearest treachery from any group, throw back (their covenant) to them, (so as to be) on equal terms: for Allah loveth not the treacherous.

8

وَإِمَّا تَخَافَنَّ مِن قَوْمٍ خِيَانَةً فَٱنۢبِذْ إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَىٰ سَوَآءٍ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْخَآئِنِينَ

If you, O Messenger, become afraid, due to a sign that becomes obvious to you, that a people with whom you entered into a treaty will betray you and break the treaty, then inform them that the treaty is cancelled, so that they are not unjustly disadvantaged. Do not attack them suddenly without informing them, because doing so will be treachery on your part and Allah does not love those who are treacherous. Instead, He detests such people, so be careful of treachery.

If you, O Messenger, become afraid, due to a sign that becomes obvious to you, that a people with whom you entered into a treaty will betray you and break the treaty, then inform them that the treaty is cancelled, so that they are not unjustly disadvantaged. Do not attack them suddenly without informing them, because doing so will be treachery on your part and Allah does not love those who are treacherous. Instead, He detests such people, so be careful of treachery.

<p>The Option to Cancel a Peace Treaty</p><p>In the fifth verse (58), the Holy Prophet has been told about an important article which forms part of the law of war and peace. Here, after placing due stress on the importance of complying with the terms of a treaty, an alternative has also been laid out to cover a situation in which there may arise a danger of breach of trust from the other party to the treaty any time during its legal tenure. Given this situation, it remains no more necessary that Muslims should continue to abide by their allegiance to the treaty. But, also not permissible for Muslims is the taking of any initiative (pre-emptive action of any kind) against the other party - before the treaty has been clearly terminated. In fact, the correct approach is to pick up a peaceful and convenient occasion and let them know that their ill intentions or treaty contraventions are no secrets to them, or their dealings appear to be dubious, for which reason, Muslims shall not consider them-selves bound by the treaty. Consequently, they too were free to take any action they wished to take. The words of the verse are:</p><p>وَإِمَّا تَخَافَنَّ مِن قَوْمٍ خِيَانَةً فَانبِذْ إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَىٰ سَوَاءٍ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْخَائِنِينَ ﴿58﴾</p><p>And if you apprehend a breach from a people, then, throw (the treaty) towards them being right forward. Surely, Allah does not like those who breach trust - 58.</p><p>The sense of the verse is that taking any military initiative against a people with whom a peace treaty has been signed is included under breach of trust and Allah Ta` ala does not like those who are guilty of Khiyanah, that is, those who commit breach of trust - even if this Khiyanah were to cause loss to hostile disbelievers, something also impermissible. However, should there be the danger of a breach of trust from the other party, it is possible to go ahead and openly proclaim before them that Muslims shall not remain bound by the treaty in future. But, this proclamation has to be in a manner which makes Muslims and the other party likewise, on the same footing. It means that nothing should be done to create a situation in which preparations are made to confront the other party in advance of this proclamation and warning while they are caught unawares and remain unable to make counter preparations for their defence. In short, the message given is: Make whatever preparations have to be made, but do it only after the proclamation and warning.</p><p>This, then, is the justice of Islam - that the rights of its enemies who commit breach of trust are also guarded and that restrictions are placed on Muslims - not on their adversaries - that they should not make any aggressive preparations against them before having declared that they have nothing to do with the treaty anymore. (Mazhari and others)</p><p>Fulfillment of Trust Obligations: A Significant Episode</p><p>Based on a narration of Salim ibn ` Amir, it has been reported by Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Al-Nasa'i and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (رح) that Sayyidna Mu` awiyah ؓ had a no-war pact with a group of people for a specified period of time. It occurred to Sayyidna Mu` awiyah ؓ that he should move his army and equipment close to those people so that his forces could pounce on the enemy immediately on the expiry of the period of their peace pact. But, exactly at the time when the army of Sayyidna Mu` awiyah ؓ was getting ready to march ahead in the desired direction, it was noticed that an aged person riding on a horse was shouting a slogan very loudly. He was saying: اللہُ اکبر اللہ اکبر وفَآءً لا غدراً (Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar - Allah is Great, Allah is Great - we should fulfill the pledge, we should not contravene it). He was saying that with the famous cry of Allahu Akbar (which increased the religious gravity of the matter). The Holy Prophet ﷺ has said: When a ceasefire agreement or a peace pact with a people comes into effect, it is necessary that no knot be opened or tied against their provisions. Sayyidna Mu` awiyah ؓ was informed about it. When he saw the herald of the saying, he recognized him. He was Sayyidna ` Amr ibn ` Anbasah ؓ ، a Sahabi. Sayyidna Mu` awiyah ؓ lost no time and ordered his army to march back so that he does not become one of those who had committed a breach of trust by initiating war action while being within the time frame of a no-war pact. (Ibn Kathir)</p>

The Option to Cancel a Peace TreatyIn the fifth verse (58), the Holy Prophet has been told about an important article which forms part of the law of war and peace. Here, after placing due stress on the importance of complying with the terms of a treaty, an alternative has also been laid out to cover a situation in which there may arise a danger of breach of trust from the other party to the treaty any time during its legal tenure. Given this situation, it remains no more necessary that Muslims should continue to abide by their allegiance to the treaty. But, also not permissible for Muslims is the taking of any initiative (pre-emptive action of any kind) against the other party - before the treaty has been clearly terminated. In fact, the correct approach is to pick up a peaceful and convenient occasion and let them know that their ill intentions or treaty contraventions are no secrets to them, or their dealings appear to be dubious, for which reason, Muslims shall not consider them-selves bound by the treaty. Consequently, they too were free to take any action they wished to take. The words of the verse are:وَإِمَّا تَخَافَنَّ مِن قَوْمٍ خِيَانَةً فَانبِذْ إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَىٰ سَوَاءٍ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْخَائِنِينَ ﴿58﴾And if you apprehend a breach from a people, then, throw (the treaty) towards them being right forward. Surely, Allah does not like those who breach trust - 58.The sense of the verse is that taking any military initiative against a people with whom a peace treaty has been signed is included under breach of trust and Allah Ta` ala does not like those who are guilty of Khiyanah, that is, those who commit breach of trust - even if this Khiyanah were to cause loss to hostile disbelievers, something also impermissible. However, should there be the danger of a breach of trust from the other party, it is possible to go ahead and openly proclaim before them that Muslims shall not remain bound by the treaty in future. But, this proclamation has to be in a manner which makes Muslims and the other party likewise, on the same footing. It means that nothing should be done to create a situation in which preparations are made to confront the other party in advance of this proclamation and warning while they are caught unawares and remain unable to make counter preparations for their defence. In short, the message given is: Make whatever preparations have to be made, but do it only after the proclamation and warning.This, then, is the justice of Islam - that the rights of its enemies who commit breach of trust are also guarded and that restrictions are placed on Muslims - not on their adversaries - that they should not make any aggressive preparations against them before having declared that they have nothing to do with the treaty anymore. (Mazhari and others)Fulfillment of Trust Obligations: A Significant EpisodeBased on a narration of Salim ibn ` Amir, it has been reported by Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Al-Nasa'i and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (رح) that Sayyidna Mu` awiyah ؓ had a no-war pact with a group of people for a specified period of time. It occurred to Sayyidna Mu` awiyah ؓ that he should move his army and equipment close to those people so that his forces could pounce on the enemy immediately on the expiry of the period of their peace pact. But, exactly at the time when the army of Sayyidna Mu` awiyah ؓ was getting ready to march ahead in the desired direction, it was noticed that an aged person riding on a horse was shouting a slogan very loudly. He was saying: اللہُ اکبر اللہ اکبر وفَآءً لا غدراً (Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar - Allah is Great, Allah is Great - we should fulfill the pledge, we should not contravene it). He was saying that with the famous cry of Allahu Akbar (which increased the religious gravity of the matter). The Holy Prophet ﷺ has said: When a ceasefire agreement or a peace pact with a people comes into effect, it is necessary that no knot be opened or tied against their provisions. Sayyidna Mu` awiyah ؓ was informed about it. When he saw the herald of the saying, he recognized him. He was Sayyidna ` Amr ibn ` Anbasah ؓ ، a Sahabi. Sayyidna Mu` awiyah ؓ lost no time and ordered his army to march back so that he does not become one of those who had committed a breach of trust by initiating war action while being within the time frame of a no-war pact. (Ibn Kathir)

<div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِمَّا تَخَافَنَّ مِن قَوْمٍ</div><p>(If you fear from any people), with whom you have a treaty of peace, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">خِيَانَةً</div><p>(treachery), and betrayal of peace treaties and agreements that you have conducted with them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَانبِذْ إِلَيْهِمْ</div><p>(then throw back (their covenant) to them), meaning their treaty of peace. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">عَلَى سَوَآءٍ</div><p>(on equal terms), informing them that you are severing the treaty. This way, you will be on equal terms, in that, you and they will be aware that a state of war exists between you and that the bilateral peace treaty is null and void, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ الخَـئِنِينَ</div><p>(Certainly Allah likes not the treacherous. ) This even includes treachery against the disbelievers. Imam Ahmad recorded that Salim bin `Amir said, "Mu`awiyah was leading an army in Roman lands, at a time the bilateral peace treaty was valid. He wanted to go closer to their forces so that when the treaty of peace ended, he could invade them. An old man riding on his animal said, `Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Great), Allahu Akbar! Be honest and stay away from betrayal.' The Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«وَمَنْ كَانَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ قَوْمٍ عَهْدٌ فَلَا يَحُلَّنَّ عُقْدَةً وَلَا يَشُدَّهَا حَتَّى يَنْقَضِي أَمَدُهَا، أَوْ يَنْبُذَ إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَى سَوَاء»</div><p>(Whoever has a treaty of peace with a people, then he should not untie any part of it or tie it harder until the treaty reaches its appointed term. Or, he should declare the treaty null and void so that they are both on equal terms.) When Mu`awiyah was informed of the Prophet's statement, he retreated. They found that man to be `Amr bin `Anbasah, may Allah be pleased with him." This Hadith was also collected by Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Hibban in his Sahih. At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih." </p>

وَإِمَّا تَخَافَنَّ مِن قَوْمٍ(If you fear from any people), with whom you have a treaty of peace, خِيَانَةً(treachery), and betrayal of peace treaties and agreements that you have conducted with them, فَانبِذْ إِلَيْهِمْ(then throw back (their covenant) to them), meaning their treaty of peace. عَلَى سَوَآءٍ(on equal terms), informing them that you are severing the treaty. This way, you will be on equal terms, in that, you and they will be aware that a state of war exists between you and that the bilateral peace treaty is null and void, إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ الخَـئِنِينَ(Certainly Allah likes not the treacherous. ) This even includes treachery against the disbelievers. Imam Ahmad recorded that Salim bin `Amir said, "Mu`awiyah was leading an army in Roman lands, at a time the bilateral peace treaty was valid. He wanted to go closer to their forces so that when the treaty of peace ended, he could invade them. An old man riding on his animal said, `Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Great), Allahu Akbar! Be honest and stay away from betrayal.' The Messenger of Allah said, «وَمَنْ كَانَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ قَوْمٍ عَهْدٌ فَلَا يَحُلَّنَّ عُقْدَةً وَلَا يَشُدَّهَا حَتَّى يَنْقَضِي أَمَدُهَا، أَوْ يَنْبُذَ إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَى سَوَاء»(Whoever has a treaty of peace with a people, then he should not untie any part of it or tie it harder until the treaty reaches its appointed term. Or, he should declare the treaty null and void so that they are both on equal terms.) When Mu`awiyah was informed of the Prophet's statement, he retreated. They found that man to be `Amr bin `Anbasah, may Allah be pleased with him." This Hadith was also collected by Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Hibban in his Sahih. At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih."

The infidels should not think that they can bypass (the law of God). Surely they cannot get away.

And never may the disbelievers pride that they have escaped; indeed they can never defeat.

And thou art not to suppose that they who disbelieve have outstripped Me; they cannot frustrate My will.

And let them not think - those who are bent on denying the truth -that they shall escapee [God]: behold, they can never frustrate [His purpose].

Let not those who disbelieve deem that they have escaped, verily they cannot frustrate.

And let not those who disbelieve think that they can outstrip (escape from the punishment). Verily, they will never be able to save themselves (from Allah's Punishment).

Let not the disbelievers assume that they are ahead. They will not escape.

Let not the deniers of the truth be deluded that they will gain any advantage. Surely, they, can never overcome Us!

And let not those who disbelieve think that they can outstrip (escape from the punishment). Verily, they will never be able to save themselves (from Allah's punishment).

And let not those who disbelieve suppose that they can outstrip (Allah's Purpose). Lo! they cannot escape.

Let the faithless not suppose that they have outmanoeuvred [Allah]. Indeed, they cannot frustrate [His power].

Do not suppose that the unbelievers have outstripped (Allah). They cannot frustrate Me.

And let not those who disbelieve think they will escape. Indeed, they will not cause failure [to Allah].

The unbelievers should not think that they can really escape Us or that they can never be defeated.

And let not those who disbelieve think that they shall come in first; surely they will not escape.

Wal<u>a</u> ya<u>h</u>sabanna alla<u>th</u>eena kafaroo sabaqoo innahum l<u>a</u> yuAAjizoon<b>a</b>

Let not the deniers think that they will ever get away. They cannot frustrate [God's purpose]. They have not the power to do so.

Let not the unbelievers think that they can get the better (of the godly): they will never frustrate (them).

8

وَلَا يَحْسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ سَبَقُوٓا۟ إِنَّهُمْ لَا يُعْجِزُونَ

The disbelievers should not think that they have escaped from Allah’s punishment, because they cannot do so. Instead, it will surely fall upon them.

The disbelievers should not think that they have escaped from Allah’s punishment, because they cannot do so. Instead, it will surely fall upon them.

<p>Commentary</p><p>Mentioned in the first of the four verses cited above are disbelievers who had not participated in the battle of Badr, therefore, they survived or there were those of them who deserted the battlefield after showing up as participants and were thus able to save their lives. It is about these people that it was said in this verse that these people should not think that they have made their escape good because the battle of Badr was Divine punishment for disbelievers and escaping from its grip was not possible for anyone. Therefore, it was said: إِنَّهُمْ لَا يُعْجِزُونَ 'Surely, they will not frustrate [ the Divine will ] - 59'. It means that these people cannot outsmart the will and power of Allah by their cleverness. If He decides to seize them, they would be unable to move even one step. May be, they are seized right here in this mortal world, otherwise, their detention in the Hereafter is all too obvious.</p><p>This verse has given a clear indication that a sinner who finds himself delivered from some hardship or pain, yet he fails to repent and make amends, rather stands adamant and obstinate over his sin, then, one should never take this to be a sign of success and everlasting deliverance. In fact, such a person is in the grip of Allah Ta` ala all the time and this respite given to him is actually adding on to his punishment and distress - though, he may not realize it as such.</p>

CommentaryMentioned in the first of the four verses cited above are disbelievers who had not participated in the battle of Badr, therefore, they survived or there were those of them who deserted the battlefield after showing up as participants and were thus able to save their lives. It is about these people that it was said in this verse that these people should not think that they have made their escape good because the battle of Badr was Divine punishment for disbelievers and escaping from its grip was not possible for anyone. Therefore, it was said: إِنَّهُمْ لَا يُعْجِزُونَ 'Surely, they will not frustrate [ the Divine will ] - 59'. It means that these people cannot outsmart the will and power of Allah by their cleverness. If He decides to seize them, they would be unable to move even one step. May be, they are seized right here in this mortal world, otherwise, their detention in the Hereafter is all too obvious.This verse has given a clear indication that a sinner who finds himself delivered from some hardship or pain, yet he fails to repent and make amends, rather stands adamant and obstinate over his sin, then, one should never take this to be a sign of success and everlasting deliverance. In fact, such a person is in the grip of Allah Ta` ala all the time and this respite given to him is actually adding on to his punishment and distress - though, he may not realize it as such.

<h2 class="title">Making Preparations for War to strike Fear in the Hearts of the Enemies of Allah</h2><p>Allah says to His Prophet , in this Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ سَبَقُواْ</div><p>(those who disbelieve think that they can outstrip), Do not think that such disbelievers have escaped Us or that We are unable to grasp them. Rather, they are under the power of Our ability and in the grasp of Our will; they will never escape Us.' Allah also said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ أَن يَسْبِقُونَا سَآءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ </div><p>(Or think those who do evil deeds that they can outstrip Us (escape Our punishment) Evil is that which they judge!) 29:4, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مُعْجِزِينَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَمَأْوَاهُمُ النَّارُ وَلَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ </div><p>(Consider not that the disbelievers can escape in the land. Their abode shall be the Fire, and worst indeed is that destination.) 24:57, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لاَ يَغُرَّنَّكَ تَقَلُّبُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِى الْبِلَـدِ - مَتَـعٌ قَلِيلٌ ثُمَّ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ </div><p>(Let not the free disposal (and affluence) of the disbelievers throughout the land deceive you. A brief enjoyment; then their ultimate abode is Hell; and worst indeed is that place for rest.) 3:196-197 </p><p>Allah commands Muslims to prepare for war against disbelievers, as much as possible, according to affordability and availability. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَعِدُّواْ لَهُمْ مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم</div><p>(And make ready against them all you can) whatever you can muster, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مِّن قُوَّةٍ وَمِن رِّبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ</div><p>(of power, including steeds of war). Imam Ahmad recorded that `Uqbah bin `Amir said that he heard the Messenger of Allah saying, while standing on the Minbar; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَعِدُّواْ لَهُمْ مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن قُوَّةٍ</div><p>(And make ready against them all you can of power,) </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أَلَا إِنَّ الْقُوَّةَ الرَّمْيُ أَلَا إِنَّ الْقُوَّةَ الرَّمْي»</div><p>(Verily, Power is shooting! Power is shooting.) </p><p>Muslim collected this Hadith. </p><p>Imam Malik recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "The Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«الْخَيْلُ لِثَلَاثَةٍ، لِرَجُلٍ أَجْرٌ، وَلِرَجُلٍ سِتْرٌ، وَعَلَى رَجُلٍ وِزْرٌ، فَأَمَّا الَّذِي لَهُ أَجْرٌ، فَرَجُلٌ رَبَطَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ فَأَطَالَ لَهَا فِي مَرْجٍ أَوْ رَوْضَةٍ، فَمَا أَصَابَتْ فِي طِيَلِهَا ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْمَرْجِ أَوِ الرَّوْضَةِ، كَانَتْ لَهُ حَسَنَاتٍ وَلَوْ أَنَّهَا قَطَعَتْ طِيَلَهَا، فَاسْتَنَّتْ شَرَفًا أَوْ شَرَفَيْنِ كَانَتْ آثَارُهَا وَأرْوَاثُهَا حَسَنَاتٍ لَهُ، وَلَوْ أَنَّهَا مَرَّتْ بِنَهَرٍ فَشَرِبَتْ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُرِدْ أَنْ يَسْقِيَ بِهِ، كَانَ ذَلِكَ حَسَنَاتٍ لَهُ،فَهِيَ لِذَلِكَ الرَّجُلِ أَجْرٌ، وَرَجُلٌ رَبَطَهَا تَغَنِّيًا وَتَعَفُّفًا، وَلَمْ يَنْسَ حَقَّ اللهِ فِي رِقَابِهَا وَلَا ظُهُورِهَا فَهِيَ لَهُ سِتْرٌ، وَرَجُلٌ رَبَطَهَا فَخْرًا وَرِيَاءً وَنِوَاءً، فَهِيَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وِزْر»</div><p>(Horses are kept for one of three purposes; for some people they are a source of reward, for some others they are a means of shelter, and for some others they are a source of sin. The one for whom they are a source of reward, is he who keeps a horse for Allah's cause (Jihad) tying it with a long tether on a meadow or in a garden. The result is that whatever it eats from the area of the meadow or the garden where it is tied, will be counted as good deeds for his benefit; and if it should break its rope and jump over one or two hillocks then all its dung and its footmarks will be written as good deeds for him. If it passes by a river and drinks water from it, even though he had no intention of watering it, then he will get the reward for its drinking. Therefore, this type of horse is a source of good deeds for him. As for the man who tied his horse maintaining self - sufficiency and abstinence from begging, all the while not forgetting Allah's right concerning the neck and back of his horse, then it is a means of shelter for him. And a man who tied a horse for the sake of pride, pretense and showing enmity for Muslims, then this type of horse is a source of sins.) </p><p>When Allah's Messenger was asked about donkeys, he replied, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«مَا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَلَيَّ فِيهَا شَيْئًا إِلَّا هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ الْجَامِعَةَ الْفَاذَّة»</div><p>(Nothing has been revealed to me from Allah about them except these unique, comprehensive Ayat: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْراً يَرَهُ - وَمَن يَعْـمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرّاً يَرَهُ </div><p>(Then anyone who does an atom's weight of good, shall see it. And anyone who does an atom's weight of evil, shall see it.)) 99:7-8" </p><p>Al-Bukhari and Muslim collected this Hadith, this is the wording of Al-Bukhari. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said that the Prophet said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«الْخَيْلُ ثَلَاثَةٌ: فَفَرَسٌ لِلرَّحْمَنِ، وَفَرَسٌ لِلشَّيْطَانِ، وَفَرَسٌ لِلْإِنْسَانِ، فَأَمَّا فَرَسُ الرَّحْمَنِ فَالَّذِي يُرْبَطُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، فَعَلَفُهُ وَرَوْثُهُ وَبَوْلُهُ وَذَكَرَ مَا شَاءَ اللهُ وَأَمَّا فَرَسُ الشَّيْطَانِ، فَالَّذِي يُقَامَرُ أَوُ يُرَاهَنُ عَلَيْهَا، وَأَمَّا فَرَسُ الْإِنْسَانِ، فَالْفَرَسُ يَرْبِطُهَا الْإِنْسَانُ يَلْتَمِسُ بَطْنَهَا، فَهِيَ لَهُ سِتْرٌ مِنَ الْفَقْر»</div><p>(There are three reasons why horses are kept: A horse that is kept for Ar-Rahman (the Most Beneficent), a horse kept for Shaytan and a horse kept for the man. As for the horse kept for Ar-Rahman, it is the horse that is being kept for the cause of Allah (for Jihad), and as such, its food, dung and urine, etc., (he made mention of many things). As for the horse that is for Shaytan, it is one that is being used for gambling. As for the horse that is for man, it is the horse that one tethers, seeking its benefit. For him, this horse will be a shield against poverty.) oAl-Bukhari recorded that `Urwah bin Abi Al-Ja`d Al-Bariqi said that the Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«الْخَيْلُ مَعْقُودٌ فِي نَوَاصِيهَا الْخَيْرُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، الْأَجْرُ وَالْمَغْنَم»</div><p>(Good will remain in the forelocks of horses until the Day of Resurrection, (that is) reward, and the spoils of war.) </p><p>Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">تُرْهِبُونَ</div><p>(to threaten), or to strike fear, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">بِهِ عَدْوَّ اللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ</div><p>(the enemy of Allah and your enemy), the disbelievers, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَءَاخَرِينَ مِن دُونِهِمْ</div><p>(and others besides them), such as Bani Qurayzah, according to Mujahid, or persians, according to As-Suddi. </p><p>Muqatil bin Hayyan and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that this Ayah refers to hypocrites, as supported by Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمِمَّنْ حَوْلَكُم مِّنَ الاٌّعْرَابِ مُنَـفِقُونَ وَمِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ مَرَدُواْ عَلَى النَّفَاقِ لاَ تَعْلَمُهُمْ نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُمْ</div><p>(And among the bedouins around you, some are hypocrites, and so are some among the people of Al-Madinah who persist in hypocrisy; you know them not, We know them.)9:101. </p><p>Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِن شَىْءٍ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تُظْلَمُونَ</div><p>(And whatever you shall spend in the cause of Allah shall be repaid to you, and you shall not be treated unjustly.) </p><p>Allah says, whatever you spend on Jihad will be repaid to you in full. </p><p>We also mentioned Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَلَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِي كُلِّ سُنبُلَةٍ مِّاْئَةُ حَبَّةٍ وَاللَّهُ يُضَـعِفُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَاللَّهُ وَسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ </div><p>(The parable of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah, is that of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower.) 2:261 </p>

Making Preparations for War to strike Fear in the Hearts of the Enemies of AllahAllah says to His Prophet , in this Ayah, الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ سَبَقُواْ(those who disbelieve think that they can outstrip), Do not think that such disbelievers have escaped Us or that We are unable to grasp them. Rather, they are under the power of Our ability and in the grasp of Our will; they will never escape Us.' Allah also said, أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ أَن يَسْبِقُونَا سَآءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ (Or think those who do evil deeds that they can outstrip Us (escape Our punishment) Evil is that which they judge!) 29:4, لاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مُعْجِزِينَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَمَأْوَاهُمُ النَّارُ وَلَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ (Consider not that the disbelievers can escape in the land. Their abode shall be the Fire, and worst indeed is that destination.) 24:57, and, لاَ يَغُرَّنَّكَ تَقَلُّبُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِى الْبِلَـدِ - مَتَـعٌ قَلِيلٌ ثُمَّ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ (Let not the free disposal (and affluence) of the disbelievers throughout the land deceive you. A brief enjoyment; then their ultimate abode is Hell; and worst indeed is that place for rest.) 3:196-197 Allah commands Muslims to prepare for war against disbelievers, as much as possible, according to affordability and availability. Allah said, وَأَعِدُّواْ لَهُمْ مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم(And make ready against them all you can) whatever you can muster, مِّن قُوَّةٍ وَمِن رِّبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ(of power, including steeds of war). Imam Ahmad recorded that `Uqbah bin `Amir said that he heard the Messenger of Allah saying, while standing on the Minbar; وَأَعِدُّواْ لَهُمْ مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن قُوَّةٍ(And make ready against them all you can of power,) «أَلَا إِنَّ الْقُوَّةَ الرَّمْيُ أَلَا إِنَّ الْقُوَّةَ الرَّمْي»(Verily, Power is shooting! Power is shooting.) Muslim collected this Hadith. Imam Malik recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "The Messenger of Allah said, «الْخَيْلُ لِثَلَاثَةٍ، لِرَجُلٍ أَجْرٌ، وَلِرَجُلٍ سِتْرٌ، وَعَلَى رَجُلٍ وِزْرٌ، فَأَمَّا الَّذِي لَهُ أَجْرٌ، فَرَجُلٌ رَبَطَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ فَأَطَالَ لَهَا فِي مَرْجٍ أَوْ رَوْضَةٍ، فَمَا أَصَابَتْ فِي طِيَلِهَا ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْمَرْجِ أَوِ الرَّوْضَةِ، كَانَتْ لَهُ حَسَنَاتٍ وَلَوْ أَنَّهَا قَطَعَتْ طِيَلَهَا، فَاسْتَنَّتْ شَرَفًا أَوْ شَرَفَيْنِ كَانَتْ آثَارُهَا وَأرْوَاثُهَا حَسَنَاتٍ لَهُ، وَلَوْ أَنَّهَا مَرَّتْ بِنَهَرٍ فَشَرِبَتْ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُرِدْ أَنْ يَسْقِيَ بِهِ، كَانَ ذَلِكَ حَسَنَاتٍ لَهُ،فَهِيَ لِذَلِكَ الرَّجُلِ أَجْرٌ، وَرَجُلٌ رَبَطَهَا تَغَنِّيًا وَتَعَفُّفًا، وَلَمْ يَنْسَ حَقَّ اللهِ فِي رِقَابِهَا وَلَا ظُهُورِهَا فَهِيَ لَهُ سِتْرٌ، وَرَجُلٌ رَبَطَهَا فَخْرًا وَرِيَاءً وَنِوَاءً، فَهِيَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وِزْر»(Horses are kept for one of three purposes; for some people they are a source of reward, for some others they are a means of shelter, and for some others they are a source of sin. The one for whom they are a source of reward, is he who keeps a horse for Allah's cause (Jihad) tying it with a long tether on a meadow or in a garden. The result is that whatever it eats from the area of the meadow or the garden where it is tied, will be counted as good deeds for his benefit; and if it should break its rope and jump over one or two hillocks then all its dung and its footmarks will be written as good deeds for him. If it passes by a river and drinks water from it, even though he had no intention of watering it, then he will get the reward for its drinking. Therefore, this type of horse is a source of good deeds for him. As for the man who tied his horse maintaining self - sufficiency and abstinence from begging, all the while not forgetting Allah's right concerning the neck and back of his horse, then it is a means of shelter for him. And a man who tied a horse for the sake of pride, pretense and showing enmity for Muslims, then this type of horse is a source of sins.) When Allah's Messenger was asked about donkeys, he replied, «مَا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَلَيَّ فِيهَا شَيْئًا إِلَّا هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ الْجَامِعَةَ الْفَاذَّة»(Nothing has been revealed to me from Allah about them except these unique, comprehensive Ayat: فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْراً يَرَهُ - وَمَن يَعْـمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرّاً يَرَهُ (Then anyone who does an atom's weight of good, shall see it. And anyone who does an atom's weight of evil, shall see it.)) 99:7-8" Al-Bukhari and Muslim collected this Hadith, this is the wording of Al-Bukhari. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said that the Prophet said, «الْخَيْلُ ثَلَاثَةٌ: فَفَرَسٌ لِلرَّحْمَنِ، وَفَرَسٌ لِلشَّيْطَانِ، وَفَرَسٌ لِلْإِنْسَانِ، فَأَمَّا فَرَسُ الرَّحْمَنِ فَالَّذِي يُرْبَطُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، فَعَلَفُهُ وَرَوْثُهُ وَبَوْلُهُ وَذَكَرَ مَا شَاءَ اللهُ وَأَمَّا فَرَسُ الشَّيْطَانِ، فَالَّذِي يُقَامَرُ أَوُ يُرَاهَنُ عَلَيْهَا، وَأَمَّا فَرَسُ الْإِنْسَانِ، فَالْفَرَسُ يَرْبِطُهَا الْإِنْسَانُ يَلْتَمِسُ بَطْنَهَا، فَهِيَ لَهُ سِتْرٌ مِنَ الْفَقْر»(There are three reasons why horses are kept: A horse that is kept for Ar-Rahman (the Most Beneficent), a horse kept for Shaytan and a horse kept for the man. As for the horse kept for Ar-Rahman, it is the horse that is being kept for the cause of Allah (for Jihad), and as such, its food, dung and urine, etc., (he made mention of many things). As for the horse that is for Shaytan, it is one that is being used for gambling. As for the horse that is for man, it is the horse that one tethers, seeking its benefit. For him, this horse will be a shield against poverty.) oAl-Bukhari recorded that `Urwah bin Abi Al-Ja`d Al-Bariqi said that the Messenger of Allah said, «الْخَيْلُ مَعْقُودٌ فِي نَوَاصِيهَا الْخَيْرُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، الْأَجْرُ وَالْمَغْنَم»(Good will remain in the forelocks of horses until the Day of Resurrection, (that is) reward, and the spoils of war.) Allah said next, تُرْهِبُونَ(to threaten), or to strike fear, بِهِ عَدْوَّ اللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ(the enemy of Allah and your enemy), the disbelievers, وَءَاخَرِينَ مِن دُونِهِمْ(and others besides them), such as Bani Qurayzah, according to Mujahid, or persians, according to As-Suddi. Muqatil bin Hayyan and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that this Ayah refers to hypocrites, as supported by Allah's statement, وَمِمَّنْ حَوْلَكُم مِّنَ الاٌّعْرَابِ مُنَـفِقُونَ وَمِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ مَرَدُواْ عَلَى النَّفَاقِ لاَ تَعْلَمُهُمْ نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُمْ(And among the bedouins around you, some are hypocrites, and so are some among the people of Al-Madinah who persist in hypocrisy; you know them not, We know them.)9:101. Allah said next, وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِن شَىْءٍ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تُظْلَمُونَ(And whatever you shall spend in the cause of Allah shall be repaid to you, and you shall not be treated unjustly.) Allah says, whatever you spend on Jihad will be repaid to you in full. We also mentioned Allah's statement, مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَلَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِي كُلِّ سُنبُلَةٍ مِّاْئَةُ حَبَّةٍ وَاللَّهُ يُضَـعِفُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَاللَّهُ وَسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ (The parable of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah, is that of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower.) 2:261

Prepare against them whatever arms and cavalry you can muster, that you may strike terror in (the hearts of) the enemies of God and your own, and others besides them not known to you, but known to God. Whatever you spend in the way of God will be paid back to you in full, and no wrong will be done to you.

And keep ready for them the maximum of forces you can and the maximum number of horses you can keep tethered, in order to instil awe in the hearts of those who are the enemies of Allah and who are your enemies, and in the hearts of some others whom you do not know; Allah knows them; and whatever you spend in Allah's cause will be repaid to you in full and you will never be in a loss.

Make ready for them whatever force and strings of horses you can, to terrify thereby the enemy of God and your enemy, and others besides them that you know not; God knows them. And whatsoever you expend in the way of God shall be repaid you in full; you will not be wronged.

Hence, make ready against them whatever force and war mounts you are able to muster, so that you might deter thereby the enemies of God, who are your enemies as well, and others besides them of whom you may be unaware, [but] of whom God is aware; and whatever you may expend in God's cause shall be repaid to you in full, and you shall not be wronged.

And get ready against them whatsoever ye can of force and wellfed horses whereby ye may overawe the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom ye know not Allah knoweth them. And whatsoever ye expend in the way of Allah shall be repaid to you in full; and ye shall not be wronged.

And make ready against them all you can of power, including steeds of war (tanks, planes, missiles, artillery, etc.) to threaten the enemy of Allah and your enemy, and others besides whom, you may not know but whom Allah does know. And whatever you shall spend in the Cause of Allah shall be repaid unto you, and you shall not be treated unjustly.

And prepare against them all the power you can muster, and all the cavalry you can mobilize, to terrify thereby God’s enemies and your enemies, and others besides them whom you do not know, but God knows them. Whatever you spend in God’s way will be repaid to you in full, and you will not be wronged.

Make ready for an encounter against them all the forces and well-readied horses you can muster that you may overawe the enemies of Allah and your own enemies and others besides them of whom you are unaware but of whom Allah is aware. Whatever you may spend in the cause of Allah shall be fully repaid to you, and you shall not be wronged.

And make ready against them all you can of power, including steeds of war to threaten the enemy of Allah and your enemy, and others besides them, whom you may not know but whom Allah does know. And whatever you shall spend in the cause of Allah shall be repaid unto you, and you shall not be treated unjustly.

Make ready for them all thou canst of (armed) force and of horses tethered, that thereby ye may dismay the enemy of Allah and your enemy, and others beside them whom ye know not. Allah knoweth them. Whatsoever ye spend in the way of Allah it will be repaid to you in full, and ye will not be wronged.

Prepare against them whatever you can of [military] power and war-horses, awing thereby the enemy of Allah, and your enemy, and others besides them, whom you do not know, but Allah knows them. And whatever you spend in the way of Allah will be repaid to you in full, and you will not be wronged.

Muster against them whatever you are able of force and tethers (ropes) of horses, so that you strike terror into the enemies of Allah and your enemy, and others besides them whom you do not know but Allah does. All that you spend in the Way of Allah shall be repaid to you. You shall not be wronged.

And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows. And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.

Mobilize your (defensive) force as much as you can to frighten the enemies of God and your own enemies. This also will frighten those who are behind them whom you do not know but God knows well. Whatever you spend for the cause of God, He will give you sufficient recompense with due justice.

And prepare against them what force you can and horses tied at the frontier, to frighten thereby the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them, whom you do not know (but) Allah knows them; and whatever thing you will spend in Allah's way, it will be paid back to you fully and you shall not be dealt with unjustly.

WaaAAiddoo lahum m<u>a</u> ista<u>t</u>aAAtum min quwwatin wamin rib<u>at</u>i alkhayli turhiboona bihi AAaduwwa All<u>a</u>hi waAAaduwwakum wa<u>a</u>khareena min doonihim l<u>a</u> taAAlamoonahumu All<u>a</u>hu yaAAlamuhum wam<u>a</u> tunfiqoo min shayin fee sabeeli All<u>a</u>hi yuwaffa ilaykum waantum l<u>a</u> tu<i><u>th</u></i>lamoon<b>a</b>

Prepare any strength you can muster against them, and any cavalry with which you can overawe God's enemy and your own enemy as well, and others besides them whom you do not know, but who are known to God. Anything you spend in the way of God will be repaid to you in full. You will not be wronged.

Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of Allah and your enemies, and others besides, whom ye may not know, but whom Allah doth know. Whatever ye shall spend in the cause of Allah, shall be repaid unto you, and ye shall not be treated unjustly.

8

وَأَعِدُّوا۟ لَهُم مَّا ٱسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن قُوَّةٍ وَمِن رِّبَاطِ ٱلْخَيْلِ تُرْهِبُونَ بِهِۦ عَدُوَّ ٱللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ وَءَاخَرِينَ مِن دُونِهِمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُهُمْ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا۟ مِن شَىْءٍ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تُظْلَمُونَ

Prepare, O believers, whatever numbers and war equipment you are able to, including keeping trained horses to be used in Allah’s path, so you can frighten Allah’s enemies and your enemies from among the disbelievers who are eagerly waiting for you to be afflicted with a disaster. You can also frighten others whom you do not know of and whose hidden hatred you are not aware of. Allah alone knows them and He knows what they keep hidden inside themselves. Any wealth you spend, whether a little or much, Allah will replace it for you in this world and will give you the reward for it in full in the Afterlife without any reduction. So hurry towards spending in His path.

Prepare, O believers, whatever numbers and war equipment you are able to, including keeping trained horses to be used in Allah’s path, so you can frighten Allah’s enemies and your enemies from among the disbelievers who are eagerly waiting for you to be afflicted with a disaster. You can also frighten others whom you do not know of and whose hidden hatred you are not aware of. Allah alone knows them and He knows what they keep hidden inside themselves. Any wealth you spend, whether a little or much, Allah will replace it for you in this world and will give you the reward for it in full in the Afterlife without any reduction. So hurry towards spending in His path.

<p>Production and Supply of Military Hardware for Jihad is a Religious Obligation</p><p>Given in the second verse (60), there are injunctions relating to preparations for the defence of Islam against disbelievers. It was said: وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُم مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم (And make ready against them whatever you can - 60). Here, by placing the restriction of: مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم (whatever you can) with the need to produce and supply war materials, the hint given is that it is not necessary for your success that you go about acquiring the same quantity and quality of military equipment as is available to your adversary. Instead of that, it is quite sufficient that you put together whatever supplies you can possibly acquire. If so, the help and support of Allah Ta ala shall be with you.</p><p>After that, some details about the direction of these preparations were stated tersely. It was said: مِّن قُوَّةٍ (min quwwah : of power). It means: Collect and keep ready the power to fight. Included here is everything in the form of military equipment, weapons, means of transportation and other relevant support - and also learning to stay physically fit and training in fighting skills and strategy. The Qur'an, however, does not mention the weapons commonly used during those days at this place. Instead, by using the general word, قُوَّةٍ 'quwwah' or power, it has pointed out in the direction that this power could be different in terms of every age, country or area. The weapons of those days were arrows, swords and spears. Then came the age of guns and cannons and now is the time of bombs and rockets (and what not). The word: قُوَّةٍ 'Quwwah' or power used here covers everything. Therefore, Muslims of today should acquire nuclear capability as far as they can - and tanks and fighter planes and submarines - because all these are included within the sense of this very قُوَّةٍ 'Quwwah' or power. It should also be borne in mind that should we need to learn any art or science to achieve this end and if such effort be made with the intention that it will be employed to defend Islam and Muslims and to meet any aggressive challenges from the disbelievers - then, that too will fall under the procedure of Jihad and will carry reward.</p><p>After having mentioned the word: قُوَّةٍ 'Quwwah' (power) in a general sense, also mentioned there was a particular form of power in clear terms by saying: مِن رِبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ (and of the trained horses). The word: رِّ‌بَاطِ (Ribat) is used in its sense as a verbal noun as well as in the sense of: مَربُوط (marbut). Taken in the first sense, it would mean to tie horses and in the second, tied horses. The outcome of both is the same, that is, to breed, break and train horses and hold them tied in readiness with the intention of using them in Jihad, or to assemble together a collection of such trained horses. Out of the supplies needed in a war, horses were mentioned particularly for the reason that those were times when the most effective mode of winning a war against countries and peoples of that period was no other but horses. Even today, there are inaccessible areas which cannot be overtaken without horses. Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: Allah Ta` ala has placed barakah on the forehead of horses.</p><p>There are other sound Ahadith in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ has declared the efforts to procure and assemble war materials and the learning of the ability to use them efficiently to be a great act of ` Ibadah deserving supreme rewards from Allah. Similarly, equally great returns have been promised for making and shooting arrows.</p><p>And since the real purpose of Jihad is to protect and defend Islam and Muslims - and defence as conceived in every period of time and by every set of people remains different - therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: جَاھِدُوا المُشرِکینَ بِاَموَالِکُم وَ اَنفُسِکُم وَ اَلسِنَتِکُم (Carry out Jihad against the Mushrikin with your belongings, and your own selves and your eloquence (of speech or writing). (Hadith reported by Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i and Ad-Darimi from Sayyidna Anas ؓ .</p><p>This Hadith tells us that the way Jihad - defensive or initiated - is waged with weapons, it is also carried out at times with the power of speech, and the Jihad carried out with the power of pen or writing is governed by the same injunction which governs speech. When Islam and Qur'an are defended through the medium of speech or writing against attacks from the forces of disbelief and atheism, or from agents of disinformation, distortion and interpolation, that too is included in Jihad as based on this clear and definitive textual authority of the Qur'an (Nass).</p><p>After having given the command to make war materials ready for use, also described there was the wisdom of assembling these materials together - and its real purpose - in the following words: تُرْ‌هِبُونَ بِهِ عَدُوَّ اللَّـهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ " (whereby you frighten the enemy of Allah and your own enemy - 60). It means that the real purpose of acquiring and storing military hardware, whether for initiated action or defence, is not to indulge in an exercise of killing and being killed. The purpose, in fact, is to bring down the force of Kufr and Shirk and fill the hearts of their protagonists with awe so that they stay suppressed. On occasions, that can be done by the power of the spoken or the written word only. Then, there are other occasions when fighting and killing become necessary. So, defence is obligatory (fard) as dictated by the prevailing condition.</p><p>Then it was said that Muslims do know some of those people who are to be impressed with preparations and readiness for combat - and these are people engaged in an ongoing confrontation with Muslims, that is, the disbelievers of Makkah and the Jews of Madinah. Then, there were other peoples too, those whom the Muslims did not know yet. The reference here is to the disbelievers and polytheists of the whole world who had not come up against Muslims, yet in future, they too were to clash against them. This verse of the Holy Qur'an has told Muslims clearly that, in case they do make full preparations to fight against their present adversary, it will not only cow them down but will also cast its shadows over disbelievers living in distant lands, as it did happen in the case of Cyrus and Ceaser and others of those days. They all were deterred and suppressed during the age of the rightly-guided Khulafa' of Islam.</p><p>It goes without saying that the process of putting war materials together and fighting a war has to be backed financially and when it comes to actual production or procurement of military support, that too can be made available through investment of money. Therefore, at the end of the verse, the great merit and reward of spending wealth in the way of Allah has been described by saying that 'the return for whatever you spend in the way of Allah shall be given to you in full.' There are times when this return is received in the form of war spoils right here in this mortal world as well, otherwise, the return to be received in the Hereafter stands already determined - and, as obvious, that is more praiseworthy.</p>

Production and Supply of Military Hardware for Jihad is a Religious ObligationGiven in the second verse (60), there are injunctions relating to preparations for the defence of Islam against disbelievers. It was said: وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُم مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم (And make ready against them whatever you can - 60). Here, by placing the restriction of: مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم (whatever you can) with the need to produce and supply war materials, the hint given is that it is not necessary for your success that you go about acquiring the same quantity and quality of military equipment as is available to your adversary. Instead of that, it is quite sufficient that you put together whatever supplies you can possibly acquire. If so, the help and support of Allah Ta ala shall be with you.After that, some details about the direction of these preparations were stated tersely. It was said: مِّن قُوَّةٍ (min quwwah : of power). It means: Collect and keep ready the power to fight. Included here is everything in the form of military equipment, weapons, means of transportation and other relevant support - and also learning to stay physically fit and training in fighting skills and strategy. The Qur'an, however, does not mention the weapons commonly used during those days at this place. Instead, by using the general word, قُوَّةٍ 'quwwah' or power, it has pointed out in the direction that this power could be different in terms of every age, country or area. The weapons of those days were arrows, swords and spears. Then came the age of guns and cannons and now is the time of bombs and rockets (and what not). The word: قُوَّةٍ 'Quwwah' or power used here covers everything. Therefore, Muslims of today should acquire nuclear capability as far as they can - and tanks and fighter planes and submarines - because all these are included within the sense of this very قُوَّةٍ 'Quwwah' or power. It should also be borne in mind that should we need to learn any art or science to achieve this end and if such effort be made with the intention that it will be employed to defend Islam and Muslims and to meet any aggressive challenges from the disbelievers - then, that too will fall under the procedure of Jihad and will carry reward.After having mentioned the word: قُوَّةٍ 'Quwwah' (power) in a general sense, also mentioned there was a particular form of power in clear terms by saying: مِن رِبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ (and of the trained horses). The word: رِّ‌بَاطِ (Ribat) is used in its sense as a verbal noun as well as in the sense of: مَربُوط (marbut). Taken in the first sense, it would mean to tie horses and in the second, tied horses. The outcome of both is the same, that is, to breed, break and train horses and hold them tied in readiness with the intention of using them in Jihad, or to assemble together a collection of such trained horses. Out of the supplies needed in a war, horses were mentioned particularly for the reason that those were times when the most effective mode of winning a war against countries and peoples of that period was no other but horses. Even today, there are inaccessible areas which cannot be overtaken without horses. Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: Allah Ta` ala has placed barakah on the forehead of horses.There are other sound Ahadith in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ has declared the efforts to procure and assemble war materials and the learning of the ability to use them efficiently to be a great act of ` Ibadah deserving supreme rewards from Allah. Similarly, equally great returns have been promised for making and shooting arrows.And since the real purpose of Jihad is to protect and defend Islam and Muslims - and defence as conceived in every period of time and by every set of people remains different - therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: جَاھِدُوا المُشرِکینَ بِاَموَالِکُم وَ اَنفُسِکُم وَ اَلسِنَتِکُم (Carry out Jihad against the Mushrikin with your belongings, and your own selves and your eloquence (of speech or writing). (Hadith reported by Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i and Ad-Darimi from Sayyidna Anas ؓ .This Hadith tells us that the way Jihad - defensive or initiated - is waged with weapons, it is also carried out at times with the power of speech, and the Jihad carried out with the power of pen or writing is governed by the same injunction which governs speech. When Islam and Qur'an are defended through the medium of speech or writing against attacks from the forces of disbelief and atheism, or from agents of disinformation, distortion and interpolation, that too is included in Jihad as based on this clear and definitive textual authority of the Qur'an (Nass).After having given the command to make war materials ready for use, also described there was the wisdom of assembling these materials together - and its real purpose - in the following words: تُرْ‌هِبُونَ بِهِ عَدُوَّ اللَّـهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ " (whereby you frighten the enemy of Allah and your own enemy - 60). It means that the real purpose of acquiring and storing military hardware, whether for initiated action or defence, is not to indulge in an exercise of killing and being killed. The purpose, in fact, is to bring down the force of Kufr and Shirk and fill the hearts of their protagonists with awe so that they stay suppressed. On occasions, that can be done by the power of the spoken or the written word only. Then, there are other occasions when fighting and killing become necessary. So, defence is obligatory (fard) as dictated by the prevailing condition.Then it was said that Muslims do know some of those people who are to be impressed with preparations and readiness for combat - and these are people engaged in an ongoing confrontation with Muslims, that is, the disbelievers of Makkah and the Jews of Madinah. Then, there were other peoples too, those whom the Muslims did not know yet. The reference here is to the disbelievers and polytheists of the whole world who had not come up against Muslims, yet in future, they too were to clash against them. This verse of the Holy Qur'an has told Muslims clearly that, in case they do make full preparations to fight against their present adversary, it will not only cow them down but will also cast its shadows over disbelievers living in distant lands, as it did happen in the case of Cyrus and Ceaser and others of those days. They all were deterred and suppressed during the age of the rightly-guided Khulafa' of Islam.It goes without saying that the process of putting war materials together and fighting a war has to be backed financially and when it comes to actual production or procurement of military support, that too can be made available through investment of money. Therefore, at the end of the verse, the great merit and reward of spending wealth in the way of Allah has been described by saying that 'the return for whatever you spend in the way of Allah shall be given to you in full.' There are times when this return is received in the form of war spoils right here in this mortal world as well, otherwise, the return to be received in the Hereafter stands already determined - and, as obvious, that is more praiseworthy.

But if they are inclined to peace, make peace with them, and have trust in God, for He hears all and knows everything.

And if they incline towards peace, you too lean towards it, and trust Allah; indeed He only is the All Hearing, the All Knowing.

And if they incline to peace, do thou incline to it; and put thy trust in God; He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing.

But if they incline to peace, incline thou to it as well, and place thy trust in God: verily, He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing!

And if they incline unto peace, then thou mayest incline thereunto, and rely thou on Allah; verily He is the Hearer, the Knower.

But if they incline to peace, you also incline to it, and (put your) trust in Allah. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.

But if they incline towards peace, then incline towards it, and put your trust in God. He is the Hearer, the Knower.

If they incline to peace, incline you as well to it, and trust in Allah. Surely He is All-Hearing. All-Knowing.

But if they incline to peace, you also incline to it, and trust in Allah. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.

And if they incline to peace, incline thou also to it, and trust in Allah. Lo! He, even He, is the Hearer, the Knower.

If they incline toward peace, then you [too] incline toward it, and put your trust in Allah. Indeed He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing.

If they incline to peace, incline to it also, and put your trust in Allah. Surely, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

And if they incline to peace, then incline to it [also] and rely upon Allah. Indeed, it is He who is the Hearing, the Knowing.

If they (the unbelievers) propose peace, accept it and trust in God. God is All-hearing and All-knowing.

And if they incline to peace, then incline to it and trust in Allah; surely He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

Wain jana<u>h</u>oo li<b>l</b>ssalmi fa<b>i</b>jna<u>h</u> lah<u>a</u> watawakkal AAal<u>a</u> All<u>a</u>hi innahu huwa a<b>l</b>ssameeAAu alAAaleem<b>u</b>

Then if they should be inclined to make peace, make peace with them, and put your trust in God. Surely, it is He who is All Hearing and All Knowing.

But if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards peace, and trust in Allah: for He is One that heareth and knoweth (all things).

8

وَإِن جَنَحُوا۟ لِلسَّلْمِ فَٱجْنَحْ لَهَا وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ

If they incline to a truce to give up fighting, then, O Messenger, do the same: enter into a truce with them and place your reliance and faith in Allah, because He will never desert you. He is the One Who hears your statements and knows your intentions and actions.

If they incline to a truce to give up fighting, then, O Messenger, do the same: enter into a truce with them and place your reliance and faith in Allah, because He will never desert you. He is the One Who hears your statements and knows your intentions and actions.

<p>The third verse (61) takes up injunctions of peace and aspects related to it. It was said: وَإِن جَنَحُوا لِلسَّلْمِ فَاجْنَحْ لَهَا (And if they tilt towards peace, you tilt towards it). The word: سَلم (salm) with fatha (′)on sin (س), or: سِلم (silm with kasrah ( ِ ) on sin (س) are both used in the sense of peace. The meaning of the verse - as fairly evident from the translation - is that should the disbelievers incline towards peace on some occasion, you too should incline towards it. At this point, it should be borne in mind that the imperative form has been used here to carry the sense of choice. Thus, the intended sense is that at a time when disbelievers are inclined towards peace, the Holy Prophet ﷺ also has the choice of making peace, if he feels peace is in the best interest of Muslims.</p><p>And the restriction of: إِن جَنَحُوا (if they tilt) tells us that peace can be made only when the desire to have peace comes from the disbelievers - because, should Muslims themselves start proposing peace without their desire to have it, then, this would be taken as a sign of their weakness.</p><p>However, should there arise a situation in which Muslims are totally encircled and find no way out except a peace for security deal, then, initiating a peace proposal is also permissible as ruled by Muslim jurists and as proved through hints given in the directives of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah نُصُوص (nusus).</p><p>And since the proposal of peace initiated by the enemy does have the probability that they might use it as a strategy of deceit, make them negligent and then make a surprise attack, therefore, at the end of the verse, the instruction given to the Holy Prophet ﷺ was: وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّـهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ (and place your trust in Allah. Surely, He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing - 61). It means that Allah Ta` ala hears what they say and also knows the intentions and designs concealed in their hearts. He is sufficient to help you, therefore, do not base your decisions to do things on such probabilities which cannot be proved. The safest policy was to entrust all such apprehensions and scruples with Allah.</p>

The third verse (61) takes up injunctions of peace and aspects related to it. It was said: وَإِن جَنَحُوا لِلسَّلْمِ فَاجْنَحْ لَهَا (And if they tilt towards peace, you tilt towards it). The word: سَلم (salm) with fatha (′)on sin (س), or: سِلم (silm with kasrah ( ِ ) on sin (س) are both used in the sense of peace. The meaning of the verse - as fairly evident from the translation - is that should the disbelievers incline towards peace on some occasion, you too should incline towards it. At this point, it should be borne in mind that the imperative form has been used here to carry the sense of choice. Thus, the intended sense is that at a time when disbelievers are inclined towards peace, the Holy Prophet ﷺ also has the choice of making peace, if he feels peace is in the best interest of Muslims.And the restriction of: إِن جَنَحُوا (if they tilt) tells us that peace can be made only when the desire to have peace comes from the disbelievers - because, should Muslims themselves start proposing peace without their desire to have it, then, this would be taken as a sign of their weakness.However, should there arise a situation in which Muslims are totally encircled and find no way out except a peace for security deal, then, initiating a peace proposal is also permissible as ruled by Muslim jurists and as proved through hints given in the directives of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah نُصُوص (nusus).And since the proposal of peace initiated by the enemy does have the probability that they might use it as a strategy of deceit, make them negligent and then make a surprise attack, therefore, at the end of the verse, the instruction given to the Holy Prophet ﷺ was: وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّـهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ (and place your trust in Allah. Surely, He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing - 61). It means that Allah Ta` ala hears what they say and also knows the intentions and designs concealed in their hearts. He is sufficient to help you, therefore, do not base your decisions to do things on such probabilities which cannot be proved. The safest policy was to entrust all such apprehensions and scruples with Allah.

<h2 class="title">The Command to Facilitate Peace when the Enemy seeks a Peaceful Resolution</h2><p>Allah says, if you fear betrayal from a clan of people, then sever the peace treaty with them, so that you both are on equal terms. If they continue being hostile and opposing you, then fight them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِن جَنَحُواْ</div><p>(But if they incline), and seek, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لِلسَّلْمِ</div><p>(to peace), if they resort to reconciliation, and seek a treaty of non-hostility, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَاجْنَحْ لَهَا</div><p>(you also incline to it), and accept offers of peace from them. This is why when the pagans inclined to peace in the year of Hudaybiyah and sought cessation of hostilities for nine years, between them and the Messenger of Allah he accepted this from them, as well as, accepting other terms of peace they brought forth. `Abdullah bin Al-Imam Ahmad recorded that `Ali bin Abi Talib said that the Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إِنَّهُ سَيَكُونُ بَعْدِي اخْتِلَافٌ أَوْ أَمْرٌ فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ يَكُونَ السِّلْمَ فَافْعَل»</div><p>(There will be disputes after me, so if you have a way to end them in peace, then do so.) </p><p>Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ</div><p>(and trust in Allah. ) Allah says, conduct a peace treaty with those who incline to peace, and trust in Allah. Verily, Allah will suffice for you and aid you even if they resort to peace as a trick, so that they gather and reorganize their forces, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَإِنَّ حَسْبَكَ اللَّهُ</div><p>(then verily, Allah is All-Sufficient for you). </p><h2 class="title">Reminding the Believers of Allah's Favor of uniting Them</h2><p>Allah mentioned His favor on the Prophet , in that He aided him with believers, the Muhajirin and the Ansar, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">هُوَ الَّذِى أَيَّدَكَ بِنَصْرِهِ وَبِالْمُؤْمِنِينَوَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ</div><p>(He it is Who has supported you with His help and with the believers. And He has united their hearts.) </p><p>The Ayah says, `it is Allah who gathered the believers' hearts, believing, obeying, aiding and supporting you -- O Muhammad,' </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَوْ أَنفَقْتَ مَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعاً مَّآ أَلَّفْتَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ</div><p>(If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts.) because of the enmity and hatred that existed between them. Before Islam, there were many wars between the Ansar tribes of Aws and Khazraj, and there were many causes to stir unrest between them. However, Allah ended all that evil with the light of faith, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُم أَعْدَآءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَاناً وَكُنتُمْ عَلَى شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُمْ مِّنْهَا كَذلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ</div><p>(And remember Allah's favor on you, for you were enemies one to another, but He united your hearts, so that, by His grace, you became brethren, and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes His Ayat clear to you, that you may be guided.) 3:103 </p><p>In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that when the Messenger of Allah gave a speech to the Ansar about the division of war booty collected in the battle of Hunayn, he said to them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«يَا مَعْشَرَ الْأَنْصَارِ أَلَمْ أَجِدْكُمْ ضُلَّالًا فَهَدَاكُمُ اللهُ بِي، وَعَالَةً فَأَغْنَاكُمُ اللهُ بِي، وَكُنْتُمْ مُتَفَرِّقِينَ فَأَلَّفَكُمُ اللهُ بِي»</div><p>(O Ansar! Did I not find you misguided and Allah guided you by me, poor and Allah enriched you by me, and divided and Allah united you by me) Every question the Prophet asked them, they said, "Truly, the favor is from Allah and His Messenger." Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَـكِنَّ اللَّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ</div><p>(But Allah has united them. Certainly He is All-Mighty, All-Wise.) </p><p>He is the Most Formidable, and the hopes of those who have trust in Him, never end unanswered; Allah is All-Wise in all of His decisions and actions. </p>

The Command to Facilitate Peace when the Enemy seeks a Peaceful ResolutionAllah says, if you fear betrayal from a clan of people, then sever the peace treaty with them, so that you both are on equal terms. If they continue being hostile and opposing you, then fight them, وَإِن جَنَحُواْ(But if they incline), and seek, لِلسَّلْمِ(to peace), if they resort to reconciliation, and seek a treaty of non-hostility, فَاجْنَحْ لَهَا(you also incline to it), and accept offers of peace from them. This is why when the pagans inclined to peace in the year of Hudaybiyah and sought cessation of hostilities for nine years, between them and the Messenger of Allah he accepted this from them, as well as, accepting other terms of peace they brought forth. `Abdullah bin Al-Imam Ahmad recorded that `Ali bin Abi Talib said that the Messenger of Allah said, «إِنَّهُ سَيَكُونُ بَعْدِي اخْتِلَافٌ أَوْ أَمْرٌ فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ يَكُونَ السِّلْمَ فَافْعَل»(There will be disputes after me, so if you have a way to end them in peace, then do so.) Allah said next, وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ(and trust in Allah. ) Allah says, conduct a peace treaty with those who incline to peace, and trust in Allah. Verily, Allah will suffice for you and aid you even if they resort to peace as a trick, so that they gather and reorganize their forces, فَإِنَّ حَسْبَكَ اللَّهُ(then verily, Allah is All-Sufficient for you). Reminding the Believers of Allah's Favor of uniting ThemAllah mentioned His favor on the Prophet , in that He aided him with believers, the Muhajirin and the Ansar, هُوَ الَّذِى أَيَّدَكَ بِنَصْرِهِ وَبِالْمُؤْمِنِينَوَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ(He it is Who has supported you with His help and with the believers. And He has united their hearts.) The Ayah says, `it is Allah who gathered the believers' hearts, believing, obeying, aiding and supporting you -- O Muhammad,' لَوْ أَنفَقْتَ مَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعاً مَّآ أَلَّفْتَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ(If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts.) because of the enmity and hatred that existed between them. Before Islam, there were many wars between the Ansar tribes of Aws and Khazraj, and there were many causes to stir unrest between them. However, Allah ended all that evil with the light of faith, وَاذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُم أَعْدَآءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَاناً وَكُنتُمْ عَلَى شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُمْ مِّنْهَا كَذلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ(And remember Allah's favor on you, for you were enemies one to another, but He united your hearts, so that, by His grace, you became brethren, and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes His Ayat clear to you, that you may be guided.) 3:103 In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that when the Messenger of Allah gave a speech to the Ansar about the division of war booty collected in the battle of Hunayn, he said to them, «يَا مَعْشَرَ الْأَنْصَارِ أَلَمْ أَجِدْكُمْ ضُلَّالًا فَهَدَاكُمُ اللهُ بِي، وَعَالَةً فَأَغْنَاكُمُ اللهُ بِي، وَكُنْتُمْ مُتَفَرِّقِينَ فَأَلَّفَكُمُ اللهُ بِي»(O Ansar! Did I not find you misguided and Allah guided you by me, poor and Allah enriched you by me, and divided and Allah united you by me) Every question the Prophet asked them, they said, "Truly, the favor is from Allah and His Messenger." Allah said, وَلَـكِنَّ اللَّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ(But Allah has united them. Certainly He is All-Mighty, All-Wise.) He is the Most Formidable, and the hopes of those who have trust in Him, never end unanswered; Allah is All-Wise in all of His decisions and actions.

If they try to cheat you, God is surely sufficient for you. It is He who has strengthened you with His help and with believers

And if they wish to deceive you, then indeed Allah is Sufficient for you; it is He Who has given you strength, with His help and with the Muslims.

And if they desire to trick thee, God is sufficient for thee; He has confirmed thee with His help, and with the believers,

And should they seek but to deceive thee [by their show of peace] - behold, God is enough for thee! He it is who has strengthened thee with His succour, and by giving thee believing followers

And if they seek to deceive thee, then verily Allah is sufficient unto thee. He it is who aided thee with His succour and with the believers.

And if they intend to deceive you, then verily, Allah is All-Sufficient for you. He it is Who has supported you with His Help and with the believers.

If they intend to deceive you—God is sufficient for you. It is He who supported you with His aid, and with the believers.

And should they seek to deceive you, Allah is sufficient for you. He it is Who strengthened you with His succour and the believers

And if they intend to deceive you, then verily, Allah is All-Sufficient for you. He it is Who has supported you with His help and with the believers.

And if they would deceive thee, then lo! Allah is Sufficient for thee. He it is Who supporteth thee with His help and with the believers,

But if they desire to deceive you, Allah is indeed sufficient for you. It is He who strengthened you with His help and with the means of the faithful,

Should they seek to deceive you, Allah is sufficient for you. It is He who supported you with His victory and with believers,

But if they intend to deceive you - then sufficient for you is Allah. It is He who supported you with His help and with the believers

If they want to deceive you, God is All-sufficient for you. It is God who supported you with His own help and with that of the believers,

And if they intend to deceive you-- then surely Allah is sufficient for you; He it is Who strengthened you with His help and with the believers

Wain yureedoo an yakhdaAAooka fainna <u>h</u>asbaka All<u>a</u>hu huwa alla<u>th</u>ee ayyadaka bina<u>s</u>rihi wabi<b>a</b>lmumineen<b>a</b>

Should they seek to deceive you, God is enough for you: it was He who strengthened you with His help, and rallied the faithful around you, and bound their hearts together.

Should they intend to deceive thee,- verily Allah sufficeth thee: He it is That hath strengthened thee with His aid and with (the company of) the Believers;

8

وَإِن يُرِيدُوٓا۟ أَن يَخْدَعُوكَ فَإِنَّ حَسْبَكَ ٱللَّهُ هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَيَّدَكَ بِنَصْرِهِۦ وَبِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

If, by inclining to a truce, their goal is to deceive you, O Messenger, so that they can prepare to fight you, then Allah is sufficient for you against their plot and deception. It is He Who strengthened you with His help and with those Emigrants and Helpers who have faith in you.

If, by inclining to a truce, their goal is to deceive you, O Messenger, so that they can prepare to fight you, then Allah is sufficient for you against their plot and deception. It is He Who strengthened you with His help and with those Emigrants and Helpers who have faith in you.

<p>After that, in the fourth verse (62), the same subject has been taken up with added clarity where it was said:</p><p>وَإِن يُرِ‌يدُوا أَن يَخْدَعُوكَ فَإِنَّ حَسْبَكَ اللَّـهُ ۚ هُوَ الَّذِي أَيَّدَكَ بِنَصْرِ‌هِ وَبِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿62﴾</p><p>And if they intend to deceive you, then, Allah is all-sufficient for you. He is the One who supported you with His help and with the believers.</p><p>It means that should this very probability turn out to be the reality on the ground - that their intention is bad and they stop at nothing short of a deceptive strike against you - even then, you do not have to bother about it because Allah is sufficient as your supporter. This has been true earlier too. Things have worked for the Holy Prophet ﷺ with nothing but the help and support of Allah Ta` ala. He was always there behind him, a fact which is the very basis of his victory and success. Then, it was for everyone to witness that He made a group of Muslims rise around him who became his helping hands in the mission. All these arrangements were the outward causes of the phenomena. The thing to believe is that the real and absolute Master who fused together all causes of victory and success in a visible form shall never leave him alone to be deceived by the enemy even today. It was under this Divine promise when, after the revelation of this verse, it never happened throughout the entire span of his life that any deceit or ambush from his enemies brought any harm to him. Therefore, the scholars of Tafsir have said that this promise for the Holy Prophet ﷺ very much like the promise made in: وَاللَّـهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ (and Allah shall keep you protected from the people - 5:67) when, after the revelation of this verse, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had asked his noble Companions ؓ who guarded him against any such dangers that they should now feel relieved and forget about their security concerns regarding his person. This tells us that this promise was special to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . (Bayern al-Qur'an) As for others, they should do things in terms of formal arrangements after assessing prevailing conditions.</p>

After that, in the fourth verse (62), the same subject has been taken up with added clarity where it was said:وَإِن يُرِ‌يدُوا أَن يَخْدَعُوكَ فَإِنَّ حَسْبَكَ اللَّـهُ ۚ هُوَ الَّذِي أَيَّدَكَ بِنَصْرِ‌هِ وَبِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿62﴾And if they intend to deceive you, then, Allah is all-sufficient for you. He is the One who supported you with His help and with the believers.It means that should this very probability turn out to be the reality on the ground - that their intention is bad and they stop at nothing short of a deceptive strike against you - even then, you do not have to bother about it because Allah is sufficient as your supporter. This has been true earlier too. Things have worked for the Holy Prophet ﷺ with nothing but the help and support of Allah Ta` ala. He was always there behind him, a fact which is the very basis of his victory and success. Then, it was for everyone to witness that He made a group of Muslims rise around him who became his helping hands in the mission. All these arrangements were the outward causes of the phenomena. The thing to believe is that the real and absolute Master who fused together all causes of victory and success in a visible form shall never leave him alone to be deceived by the enemy even today. It was under this Divine promise when, after the revelation of this verse, it never happened throughout the entire span of his life that any deceit or ambush from his enemies brought any harm to him. Therefore, the scholars of Tafsir have said that this promise for the Holy Prophet ﷺ very much like the promise made in: وَاللَّـهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ (and Allah shall keep you protected from the people - 5:67) when, after the revelation of this verse, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had asked his noble Companions ؓ who guarded him against any such dangers that they should now feel relieved and forget about their security concerns regarding his person. This tells us that this promise was special to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . (Bayern al-Qur'an) As for others, they should do things in terms of formal arrangements after assessing prevailing conditions.

Whose hearts He cemented with love. You could never have united their hearts even if you had spent whatever (wealth) is in the earth; but God united them with love, for He is all-mighty and all-wise.

And has created harmony among their hearts; if you had spent all that is in the earth you could not have created harmony among their hearts, but Allah has created harmony among them; indeed He only is Almighty, Wise.

and brought their hearts together. Hadst thou expended all that is in the earth, thou couldst not have brought their hearts together; but God brought their hearts together; surely He is All-mighty, All-wise.

whose hearts He has brought together: [for,] if thou hadst expended all that is on earth, thou couldst not have brought their hearts together [by thyself]: but God did bring them together. Verily, He is almighty, wise.

And He united their hearts. Hadst thou expended all that is on the earth thou couldst not have united their hearts, but Allah united them; verily He is Mighty, Wise.

And He has united their (i.e. believers') hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah has united them. Certainly He is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

And He united their hearts. Had you spent everything on earth, you would not have united their hearts, but God united them together. He is Mighty and Wise.

and joined their hearts. Had you given away all the riches of the earth you could not have joined their hearts, but it is Allah Who joined their hearts. Indeed He is All-Mighty. All-Wise.

And He has united their (believers') hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah has united them. Certainly He is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

And (as for the believers) hath attuned their hearts. If thou hadst spent all that is in the earth thou couldst not have attuned their hearts, but Allah hath attuned them. Lo! He is Mighty, Wise.

and united their hearts. Had you spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah united them together. Indeed He is all-mighty, all-wise.

and brought their hearts together. If you had given away all the riches of the earth, you could not have so united them, but Allah has united them. He isAlmighty, Wise.

And brought together their hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have brought their hearts together; but Allah brought them together. Indeed, He is Exalted in Might and Wise.

among whose hearts He has placed affection and unity. If you were to spend the wealth of the whole earth, you would not have been able to unite their hearts but God has been able to unite them. God is Majestic and All-wise.

And united their hearts; had you spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah united them; surely He is Mighty, Wise.

Waallafa bayna quloobihim law anfaqta m<u>a</u> fee alar<u>d</u>i jameeAAan m<u>a</u> allafta bayna quloobihim wal<u>a</u>kinna All<u>a</u>ha allafa baynahum innahu AAazeezun <u>h</u>akeem<b>un</b>

Even if you had spent all that is on the earth, you could not have bound their hearts together, but God has bound them together. Surely, He is Mighty and Wise.

And (moreover) He hath put affection between their hearts: not if thou hadst spent all that is in the earth, couldst thou have produced that affection, but Allah hath done it: for He is Exalted in might, Wise.

8

وَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ لَوْ أَنفَقْتَ مَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مَّآ أَلَّفْتَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّهُۥ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

He brought the hearts of the believers, with whom He assisted you, together after they were disunited. If you had spent all the wealth on earth to bring their disunited hearts together, you would not have been able to do so. But Allah alone brought them together. He is Mighty in His dominion and nothing can overpower Him. He is Wise in His decree, handling of affairs and sacred laws.

He brought the hearts of the believers, with whom He assisted you, together after they were disunited. If you had spent all the wealth on earth to bring their disunited hearts together, you would not have been able to do so. But Allah alone brought them together. He is Mighty in His dominion and nothing can overpower Him. He is Wise in His decree, handling of affairs and sacred laws.

<p>Commentary</p><p>The first (63) of the four verses from Surah Al-Anfal cited above describes the cause of Muslim victory and the method through which it was achieved. In the verse appearing previous to it (62), the address was to the Holy Prophet ﷺ where he was told that it was but Allah who had helped him in His own special way, and through the community of Muslims with him. This verse is telling us that help from the community of Muslims can only be made available when this community is mutually in agreement with each other and united as one. Thus, the power and weight it carries emerges to the measure of cohesion and unity it has. If relationship based on mutual unity is strong, the whole community is strong and if this mesh of relationships is loose, the whole community turns incoherent and weak. In this verse, Allah Ta` ala has mentioned his particular blessing which was bestowed on common Muslims for their help and support to the Holy Prophet ﷺ whereby their hearts were filled with perfect unity and love. Though, before the migration of the Holy Prophet ﷺ to Madinah, deadly wars had been fought between two of their tribes, Aws and Khazraj. As for mutual disputes, they were a regular feature of their lives. But, it was the barakah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ that Allah Ta` ala made sworn enemies loving brothers to each other. So, the real cause of the establishment and survival of the new Islamic state at Madinah and that of its dominance over enemies was nothing but the help and support given by Allah Ta` ala - and the apparent cause was the mutual love and unity among Muslims.</p><p>Alongwith it, also made clear in this verse is the fact that uniting the hearts of different people and infusing them with love and concern for each other is something beyond human control. This can be done only by Him who has created all. If someone were to spend the entire wealth of the world to make this happen by creating love in the hearts of people who hate each other, even then, this feat shall remain beyond his reach and control.</p><p>Real and Lasting Unity among Muslims depends on Obedience to Allah Ta` ala</p><p>This also tells us that uniting the hearts of people and making them mutually filled with love for each other is a blessing from Allah and it is also obvious that this blessing cannot be hoped for in the presence of disobedience to Allah Ta` ala, in fact, for any hope to have His blessing, obedience to Him and the seeking of His pleasure are binding conditions.</p><p>No sensible person from any religion or community would differ about unity among individual and social groups as being commendable and beneficial. Therefore, everyone who is concerned about reforming people puts stress on uniting them together. But, the world at large (as we have found it and fashioned it) is unaware of the reality of things - that full and lasting unity cannot be forged and received on an assembly line through pragmatic designs. This can be achieved only through obedience to Allah Ta` ala and the seeking of His pleasure. The Holy Qur'an has pointed out to this reality in several verses. For instance, at one such place, it was said: وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّـهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّ‌قُوا (Hold the cord of Allah firmly, all of you, and do not be divided - 3:103). Given here is the method of avoiding differences and dissensions. The method is that everyone should firmly hold on to the cord of Allah - the Qur'an or the Shari'ah of Islam - and, as a result, everyone shall stand united together all by themselves and all mutual differences would evaporate from the scene. As for the normal difference of opinion, that is something else. If it remains within its limits, it never becomes the cause of dissensions and disputes. Dispute and disorder erupt only when the limits of Shari’ ah are crossed. In our day, everyone loves to harp on unity. But, the meaning of unity everyone is fond of taking is: If people agree to what I say, everyone will stand united. And others too who are equally concerned about unity would very much like them to agree to what they say, and thus claim that this is the only way for all to be united. Although, when a normal difference of opinion is inevitable, even necessary, among reasonable and honest people, then, it is evident that should everyone make his or her agreement with the other person depend on the eventuality that the other person agrees to what he or she says, then, mutual unity cannot materialize until the Day of Doom. Instead of all that, there is just no sound and natural format of unity other than that which has been given by the Holy Qur'an - that both parties sit together and agree to what a third party has to say, and this third party has to be the one about whom it is certain that the decision of this party will be free of error. It goes without saying that Allah alone can be such a decision-maker. It is for this reason that, in the present verse, it has been advised that everyone should hold on to the cord of Allah firmly and jointly whereby mutual disputes will evaporate in thin air and perfect unity shall prevail.</p><p>In Surah Maryam, it was said: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُمُ الرَّ‌حْمَـٰنُ وُدًّا ﴿96﴾ (Surely, among those who believe and do good deeds, the All-Merciful [ Allah ] generates love - 19:96). This verse makes it clear that the real method through which hearts shall be filled with genuine love and intense fellow feeling is adherence to the dictates of Faith and insistence on doing what is good and right. Without it, even if some kind of unity could be artificially arrived at, that 'unity' will be simply baseless and weak making it disintegrate at the slightest provocation or pressure - something commonly noticed in the experiences of peoples around the whole world. In short, for our instant purpose, this verse explains how the blessing which was bestowed by Allah Ta` ala on the Holy Prophet ﷺ - a blessing which was to generate mutual love into the hearts of all tribes of Madinah making them all set to help and support the Holy Prophet ﷺ went on to turn his supporters into an iron wall for him.</p>

CommentaryThe first (63) of the four verses from Surah Al-Anfal cited above describes the cause of Muslim victory and the method through which it was achieved. In the verse appearing previous to it (62), the address was to the Holy Prophet ﷺ where he was told that it was but Allah who had helped him in His own special way, and through the community of Muslims with him. This verse is telling us that help from the community of Muslims can only be made available when this community is mutually in agreement with each other and united as one. Thus, the power and weight it carries emerges to the measure of cohesion and unity it has. If relationship based on mutual unity is strong, the whole community is strong and if this mesh of relationships is loose, the whole community turns incoherent and weak. In this verse, Allah Ta` ala has mentioned his particular blessing which was bestowed on common Muslims for their help and support to the Holy Prophet ﷺ whereby their hearts were filled with perfect unity and love. Though, before the migration of the Holy Prophet ﷺ to Madinah, deadly wars had been fought between two of their tribes, Aws and Khazraj. As for mutual disputes, they were a regular feature of their lives. But, it was the barakah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ that Allah Ta` ala made sworn enemies loving brothers to each other. So, the real cause of the establishment and survival of the new Islamic state at Madinah and that of its dominance over enemies was nothing but the help and support given by Allah Ta` ala - and the apparent cause was the mutual love and unity among Muslims.Alongwith it, also made clear in this verse is the fact that uniting the hearts of different people and infusing them with love and concern for each other is something beyond human control. This can be done only by Him who has created all. If someone were to spend the entire wealth of the world to make this happen by creating love in the hearts of people who hate each other, even then, this feat shall remain beyond his reach and control.Real and Lasting Unity among Muslims depends on Obedience to Allah Ta` alaThis also tells us that uniting the hearts of people and making them mutually filled with love for each other is a blessing from Allah and it is also obvious that this blessing cannot be hoped for in the presence of disobedience to Allah Ta` ala, in fact, for any hope to have His blessing, obedience to Him and the seeking of His pleasure are binding conditions.No sensible person from any religion or community would differ about unity among individual and social groups as being commendable and beneficial. Therefore, everyone who is concerned about reforming people puts stress on uniting them together. But, the world at large (as we have found it and fashioned it) is unaware of the reality of things - that full and lasting unity cannot be forged and received on an assembly line through pragmatic designs. This can be achieved only through obedience to Allah Ta` ala and the seeking of His pleasure. The Holy Qur'an has pointed out to this reality in several verses. For instance, at one such place, it was said: وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّـهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّ‌قُوا (Hold the cord of Allah firmly, all of you, and do not be divided - 3:103). Given here is the method of avoiding differences and dissensions. The method is that everyone should firmly hold on to the cord of Allah - the Qur'an or the Shari'ah of Islam - and, as a result, everyone shall stand united together all by themselves and all mutual differences would evaporate from the scene. As for the normal difference of opinion, that is something else. If it remains within its limits, it never becomes the cause of dissensions and disputes. Dispute and disorder erupt only when the limits of Shari’ ah are crossed. In our day, everyone loves to harp on unity. But, the meaning of unity everyone is fond of taking is: If people agree to what I say, everyone will stand united. And others too who are equally concerned about unity would very much like them to agree to what they say, and thus claim that this is the only way for all to be united. Although, when a normal difference of opinion is inevitable, even necessary, among reasonable and honest people, then, it is evident that should everyone make his or her agreement with the other person depend on the eventuality that the other person agrees to what he or she says, then, mutual unity cannot materialize until the Day of Doom. Instead of all that, there is just no sound and natural format of unity other than that which has been given by the Holy Qur'an - that both parties sit together and agree to what a third party has to say, and this third party has to be the one about whom it is certain that the decision of this party will be free of error. It goes without saying that Allah alone can be such a decision-maker. It is for this reason that, in the present verse, it has been advised that everyone should hold on to the cord of Allah firmly and jointly whereby mutual disputes will evaporate in thin air and perfect unity shall prevail.In Surah Maryam, it was said: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُمُ الرَّ‌حْمَـٰنُ وُدًّا ﴿96﴾ (Surely, among those who believe and do good deeds, the All-Merciful [ Allah ] generates love - 19:96). This verse makes it clear that the real method through which hearts shall be filled with genuine love and intense fellow feeling is adherence to the dictates of Faith and insistence on doing what is good and right. Without it, even if some kind of unity could be artificially arrived at, that 'unity' will be simply baseless and weak making it disintegrate at the slightest provocation or pressure - something commonly noticed in the experiences of peoples around the whole world. In short, for our instant purpose, this verse explains how the blessing which was bestowed by Allah Ta` ala on the Holy Prophet ﷺ - a blessing which was to generate mutual love into the hearts of all tribes of Madinah making them all set to help and support the Holy Prophet ﷺ went on to turn his supporters into an iron wall for him.

God is sufficient for you, O Prophet, and the faithful who follow you.

O Herald of the Hidden! Allah is Sufficient for you and for all these Muslims who follow you.

O Prophet, God suffices thee, and the believers who follow thee.

O Prophet! God is enough for thee and those of the believers who follow thee!

0 Prophet! sufficient unto thou is Allah and those who follow thee of believers.

O Prophet (Muhammad SAW)! Allah is Sufficient for you and for the believers who follow you.

O prophet! Count on God, and on the believers who have followed you.

O Prophet! Allah is sufficient for you and the believers who follow you.

O Prophet! Allah is sufficient for you and for the believers who follow you.

O Prophet! Allah is Sufficient for thee and those who follow thee of the believers.

O Prophet! Sufficient for you is Allah and those of the faithful who follow you.

O Prophet, Allah suffices you and whosoever follows you of the believers.

O Prophet, sufficient for you is Allah and for whoever follows you of the believers.

Prophet, God and the believers who follow you are sufficient support for you.

O Prophet! Allah is sufficient for you and (for) such of the believers as follow you.

Y<u>a</u> ayyuh<u>a</u> a<b>l</b>nnabiyyu <u>h</u>asbuka All<u>a</u>hu wamani ittabaAAaka mina almumineen<b>a</b>

O Prophet! God is sufficient for you and the believers who follow you.

O Prophet! sufficient unto thee is Allah,- (unto thee) and unto those who follow thee among the Believers.

8

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ حَسْبُكَ ٱللَّهُ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

O Prophet, Allah is sufficient for you against the evil of your enemies and He is sufficient for the believers who are with you. So trust in Allah and rely on Him.

O Prophet, Allah is sufficient for you against the evil of your enemies and He is sufficient for the believers who are with you. So trust in Allah and rely on Him.

<p>In the second verse (64) as well, by stating the same subject briefly, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been comforted by telling him that sufficient for him is Allah Ta` ala in the real sense, and the group of believers in the physical sense. So, he should have no fear of an enemy, no matter how big, strong, numerous or well-equipped. Commentators have said that this verse was revealed before actual fighting started in the battle of Badr so that Muslims, small in numbers and virtually unequipped, would not be overawed by the heavy numerical and technical superiority of their adversary.</p>

In the second verse (64) as well, by stating the same subject briefly, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been comforted by telling him that sufficient for him is Allah Ta` ala in the real sense, and the group of believers in the physical sense. So, he should have no fear of an enemy, no matter how big, strong, numerous or well-equipped. Commentators have said that this verse was revealed before actual fighting started in the battle of Badr so that Muslims, small in numbers and virtually unequipped, would not be overawed by the heavy numerical and technical superiority of their adversary.

<h2 class="title">Encouraging Believers to fight in Jihad; the Good News that a Few Muslims can overcome a Superior Enemy Force</h2><p>Allah encourages His Prophet and the believers to fight and struggle against the enemy, and wage war against their forces. Allah affirms that He will suffice, aid, support, and help the believers against their enemies, even if their enemies are numerous and have sufficient supplies, while the believers are few. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَـأَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ حَرِّضِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى الْقِتَالِ</div><p>(O Prophet! Urge the believers to fight), encouraged and called them to fight. The Messenger of Allah used to encourage the Companions to fight when they faced the enemy. On the day of Badr when the idolators came with their forces and supplies, he said to his Companions, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«قُومُوا إِلَى جَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَوَاتُ وَالْأَرْض»</div><p>(Get ready and march forth towards a Paradise as wide as the heavens and earth.) </p><p>`Umayr bin Al-Humam said, "As wide as the heavens and earth" The Messenger said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«نَعَم»</div><p>(Yes) `Umayr said, "Excellent! Excellent!" The Messenger asked him, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«مَا يَحْمِلُكَ عَلَى قَوْلِكَ: بَخٍ بَخ»</div><p>(What makes you say, `Excellent! Excellent!') He said, "The hope that I might be one of its dwellers." The Prophet said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«فَإِنَّكَ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا»</div><p>(You are one of its people.) Umayr went ahead, broke the scabbard of his sword, took some dates and started eating from them. He then threw the dates from his hand, saying, "Verily, if I lived until I finished eating these dates, then it is indeed a long life." He went ahead, fought and was killed, may Allah be pleased with him. </p><p>Allah said next, commanding the believers and conveying good news to them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَـبِرُونَ يَغْلِبُواْ مِاْئَتَيْنِ وَإِن يَكُنْ مُّنكُمْ مِّاْئَةٌ يَغْلِبُواْ أَلْفًا مِّنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ</div><p>(If there are twenty steadfast persons among you, they will overcome two hundred, and if there be a hundred steadfast persons, they will overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve.) </p><p>The Ayah says, one Muslim should endure ten disbelievers. Allah abrogated this part later on, but the good news remained. `Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak said that Jarir bin Hazim narrated to them that, Az-Zubayr bin Al-Khirrit narrated to him, from `Ikrimah, from Ibn `Abbas, "When this verse was revealed, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَـبِرُونَ يَغْلِبُواْ مِاْئَتَيْنِ</div><p>(If there are twenty steadfast persons among you, they will overcome two hundred...) it became difficult for the Muslims, when Allah commanded that one Muslim is required to endure ten idolators. Soon after, this matter was made easy, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الَـنَ خَفَّفَ اللَّهُ عَنكُمْ</div><p>(Now Allah has lightened your (task)), until, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَغْلِبُواْ مِاْئَتَيْنِ</div><p>(they shall overcome two hundred. ..) </p><p>Allah lowered the number of adversaries that Muslims are required to endure, and thus, made the required patience less, compatible to the decrease in numbers." Al-Bukhari recorded a similar narration from Ibn Al-Mubarak. Muhammad bin Ishaq recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "When this Ayah was revealed, it was difficult for the Muslims, for they thought it was burdensome since twenty should fight two hundred, and a hundred against a thousand. Allah made this ruling easy for them and abrogated this Ayah with another Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الَـنَ خَفَّفَ اللَّهُ عَنكُمْ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيكُمْ ضَعْفاً</div><p>(Now Allah has lightened your (task), for He knows that there is weakness in you...) </p><p>Thereafter, if Muslims were half as many as their enemy, they were not allowed to run away from them. If the Muslims were fewer than that, they were not obligated to fight the disbelievers and thus allowed to avoid hostilities." </p>

Encouraging Believers to fight in Jihad; the Good News that a Few Muslims can overcome a Superior Enemy ForceAllah encourages His Prophet and the believers to fight and struggle against the enemy, and wage war against their forces. Allah affirms that He will suffice, aid, support, and help the believers against their enemies, even if their enemies are numerous and have sufficient supplies, while the believers are few. Allah said, يَـأَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ حَرِّضِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى الْقِتَالِ(O Prophet! Urge the believers to fight), encouraged and called them to fight. The Messenger of Allah used to encourage the Companions to fight when they faced the enemy. On the day of Badr when the idolators came with their forces and supplies, he said to his Companions, «قُومُوا إِلَى جَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَوَاتُ وَالْأَرْض»(Get ready and march forth towards a Paradise as wide as the heavens and earth.) `Umayr bin Al-Humam said, "As wide as the heavens and earth" The Messenger said, «نَعَم»(Yes) `Umayr said, "Excellent! Excellent!" The Messenger asked him, «مَا يَحْمِلُكَ عَلَى قَوْلِكَ: بَخٍ بَخ»(What makes you say, `Excellent! Excellent!') He said, "The hope that I might be one of its dwellers." The Prophet said, «فَإِنَّكَ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا»(You are one of its people.) Umayr went ahead, broke the scabbard of his sword, took some dates and started eating from them. He then threw the dates from his hand, saying, "Verily, if I lived until I finished eating these dates, then it is indeed a long life." He went ahead, fought and was killed, may Allah be pleased with him. Allah said next, commanding the believers and conveying good news to them, إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَـبِرُونَ يَغْلِبُواْ مِاْئَتَيْنِ وَإِن يَكُنْ مُّنكُمْ مِّاْئَةٌ يَغْلِبُواْ أَلْفًا مِّنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ(If there are twenty steadfast persons among you, they will overcome two hundred, and if there be a hundred steadfast persons, they will overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve.) The Ayah says, one Muslim should endure ten disbelievers. Allah abrogated this part later on, but the good news remained. `Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak said that Jarir bin Hazim narrated to them that, Az-Zubayr bin Al-Khirrit narrated to him, from `Ikrimah, from Ibn `Abbas, "When this verse was revealed, إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَـبِرُونَ يَغْلِبُواْ مِاْئَتَيْنِ(If there are twenty steadfast persons among you, they will overcome two hundred...) it became difficult for the Muslims, when Allah commanded that one Muslim is required to endure ten idolators. Soon after, this matter was made easy, الَـنَ خَفَّفَ اللَّهُ عَنكُمْ(Now Allah has lightened your (task)), until, يَغْلِبُواْ مِاْئَتَيْنِ(they shall overcome two hundred. ..) Allah lowered the number of adversaries that Muslims are required to endure, and thus, made the required patience less, compatible to the decrease in numbers." Al-Bukhari recorded a similar narration from Ibn Al-Mubarak. Muhammad bin Ishaq recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "When this Ayah was revealed, it was difficult for the Muslims, for they thought it was burdensome since twenty should fight two hundred, and a hundred against a thousand. Allah made this ruling easy for them and abrogated this Ayah with another Ayah, الَـنَ خَفَّفَ اللَّهُ عَنكُمْ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيكُمْ ضَعْفاً(Now Allah has lightened your (task), for He knows that there is weakness in you...) Thereafter, if Muslims were half as many as their enemy, they were not allowed to run away from them. If the Muslims were fewer than that, they were not obligated to fight the disbelievers and thus allowed to avoid hostilities."

O Prophet, urge the faithful to fight. If there are twenty among you with determination they will vanquish two hundred; and if there are a hundred then they will vanquish a thousand unbelievers, for they are people devoid of understanding.

O Herald of the Hidden! Urge the believers to fight; if there are twenty persevering men among you, they shall overcome two hundred; and if there are a hundred among you, they shall overcome a thousand disbelievers because the disbelievers are a people who do not have sense.

O Prophet, urge on the believers to fight. If there be twenty of you, patient men, they will overcome two hundred; if there be a hundred of you, they will overcome a thousand unbelievers, for they are a people who understand not.

O Prophet! Inspire the believers to conquer all fear of death when fighting, [so that,] if there be twenty of you who are patient in adversity, they might overcome two hundred; and [that,] if there be one hundred of you, they might overcome one thousand of those who are bent on denying the truth, because they are people who cannot grasp it.

0 Prophet! urge the believers unto fighting. If there be twenty of you persevering, they will overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a hundred, they will overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, for they are a people who understand not.

O Prophet (Muhammad SAW)! Urge the believers to fight. If there are twenty steadfast persons amongst you, they will overcome two hundred, and if there be a hundred steadfast persons they will overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are people who do not understand.

O prophet! Rouse the believers to battle. If there are twenty steadfast among you, they will defeat two hundred; and if there are a hundred of you, they will defeat a thousand of those who disbelieve; because they are a people who do not understand.

O Prophet! Rouse the believers to fighting. If they be twenty of you who persevere they shall vanquish two hundred; and if there be of you a hundred, they shall vanquish a thousand of those who disbelieve, for they are a people who lack understanding.

O Prophet! Urge the believers to fight. If there are twenty steadfast persons among you, they will overcome two hundred, and if there be a hundred steadfast persons they will overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are people who do not understand.

O Prophet! Exhort the believers to fight. If there be of you twenty steadfast they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a hundred (steadfast) they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are a folk without intelligence.

O Prophet! Urge on the faithful to fight: If there be twenty patient men among you, they shall overcome two hundred; and if there be a hundred of you, they shall overcome a thousand of the faithless, for they are a lot who do not understand.

O Prophet, urge the believers to fight. If there are twenty patient men among you, you shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred, they shall overcome a thousand unbelievers, for they are a nation who do not understand.

O Prophet, urge the believers to battle. If there are among you twenty [who are] steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are among you one hundred [who are] steadfast, they will overcome a thousand of those who have disbelieved because they are a people who do not understand.

Prophet, mobilize the believers for the battle. It will take only twenty of your men who are steadfast (in prayer) to defeat two hundred unbelieving men. Your two hundred men would defeat their two thousand; the unbelievers have no understanding.

O Prophet! urge the believers to war; if there are twenty patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred of you they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand.

Y<u>a</u> ayyuh<u>a</u> a<b>l</b>nnabiyyu <u>h</u>arri<u>d</u>i almumineena AAal<u>a</u> alqit<u>a</u>li in yakun minkum AAishroona <u>sa</u>biroona yaghliboo miatayni wain yakun minkum miatun yaghliboo alfan mina alla<u>th</u>eena kafaroo biannahum qawmun l<u>a</u> yafqahoon<b>a</b>

Prophet, urge the believers to fight; if there are twenty of you who are steadfast, they will overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred of you, they will overcome a thousand of those who deny the truth, for they are devoid of understanding.

O Prophet! rouse the Believers to the fight. If there are twenty amongst you, patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred: if a hundred, they will vanquish a thousand of the Unbelievers: for these are a people without understanding.

8

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ حَرِّضِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى ٱلْقِتَالِ إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَٰبِرُونَ يَغْلِبُوا۟ مِا۟ئَتَيْنِ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّا۟ئَةٌ يَغْلِبُوٓا۟ أَلْفًا مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ

O Prophet, urge the believers on to fight and encourage them to do so with words that will strengthen their determination and lift their spirits. If there are among you, O believers, twenty who are patient in fighting against the disbelievers, they will overcome two hundred of the disbelievers. And if there are among you one hundred who are patient, they will overcome one thousand of the disbelievers. That is because the disbelievers are a people who do not understand Allah’s custom of aiding His friends and defeating His enemies. They do not realise the goal of fighting and they therefore only fight in order to gain supremacy in the world.

O Prophet, urge the believers on to fight and encourage them to do so with words that will strengthen their determination and lift their spirits. If there are among you, O believers, twenty who are patient in fighting against the disbelievers, they will overcome two hundred of the disbelievers. And if there are among you one hundred who are patient, they will overcome one thousand of the disbelievers. That is because the disbelievers are a people who do not understand Allah’s custom of aiding His friends and defeating His enemies. They do not realise the goal of fighting and they therefore only fight in order to gain supremacy in the world.

<p>Mentioned for Muslims in the fourth (65) and fifth (66) verse, there is a law of war which stipulates the limit to which it was obligatory (fard) for them to stand resolutely against their adversary - and any retreat from which was a sin. In previous verses and events, it has been mentioned in detail that the unseen help of Allah Ta` ala is with Muslims for their matter is different, not like that of the peoples of the world at large. They, even if small in numbers, can overcome a lot more of their challengers as stated in the Holy Qur'an:</p><p>كَم مِّن فِئَةٍ قَلِيلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةً كَثِيرَ‌ةً بِإِذْنِ اللَّـهِ</p><p>There are many smaller groups which overcome larger groups</p><p>with the will of Allah - 2:249).</p><p>Therefore, ten Muslims were declared to be equal to one hundred men in the first Jihad of Islam at the famous battle of Badr where the command given was:</p><p>إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُ‌ونَ صَابِرُ‌ونَ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّائَةٌ يَغْلِبُوا أَلْفًا مِّنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ</p><p>If there are twenty among you, who are patient, they will over-come two hundred; and if there are one hundred among you, they will overcome one thousand of those who disbelieve - 8:65</p><p>The style of expression used here is that of a welcome news flash - that one hundred Muslims shall overcome one thousand disbelievers. But, the purpose is to order that it is not permissible for one hundred Muslims to run against one thousand disbelievers. The wisdom behind using the style of news is to make the hearts of Muslims become strong with this glad tidings telling them that Allah is promising their safety and victory. Had this order been announced in the imperative mood as a law, it would have naturally weighed heavy on temperaments.</p><p>The encounter at Badr was the very first battle Muslims had ever fought. At that time, they were in a terrible condition. The total number of Muslims itself was insignificant. Then, all of them had not gone to the war front. The hard fact was that only those who could get ready on the spot were the ones who became the 'army' of this war. Therefore, in this Jihad, one hundred Muslims were commanded to confront one thousand disbelievers in a style which carried the promise of Divine help and support.</p>

Mentioned for Muslims in the fourth (65) and fifth (66) verse, there is a law of war which stipulates the limit to which it was obligatory (fard) for them to stand resolutely against their adversary - and any retreat from which was a sin. In previous verses and events, it has been mentioned in detail that the unseen help of Allah Ta` ala is with Muslims for their matter is different, not like that of the peoples of the world at large. They, even if small in numbers, can overcome a lot more of their challengers as stated in the Holy Qur'an:كَم مِّن فِئَةٍ قَلِيلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةً كَثِيرَ‌ةً بِإِذْنِ اللَّـهِThere are many smaller groups which overcome larger groupswith the will of Allah - 2:249).Therefore, ten Muslims were declared to be equal to one hundred men in the first Jihad of Islam at the famous battle of Badr where the command given was:إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُ‌ونَ صَابِرُ‌ونَ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّائَةٌ يَغْلِبُوا أَلْفًا مِّنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَIf there are twenty among you, who are patient, they will over-come two hundred; and if there are one hundred among you, they will overcome one thousand of those who disbelieve - 8:65The style of expression used here is that of a welcome news flash - that one hundred Muslims shall overcome one thousand disbelievers. But, the purpose is to order that it is not permissible for one hundred Muslims to run against one thousand disbelievers. The wisdom behind using the style of news is to make the hearts of Muslims become strong with this glad tidings telling them that Allah is promising their safety and victory. Had this order been announced in the imperative mood as a law, it would have naturally weighed heavy on temperaments.The encounter at Badr was the very first battle Muslims had ever fought. At that time, they were in a terrible condition. The total number of Muslims itself was insignificant. Then, all of them had not gone to the war front. The hard fact was that only those who could get ready on the spot were the ones who became the 'army' of this war. Therefore, in this Jihad, one hundred Muslims were commanded to confront one thousand disbelievers in a style which carried the promise of Divine help and support.

God has lightened your burden as He knows you are weak: So, if there are a hundred men of firm determination among you, they will vanquish two hundred; and if there are a thousand of you they will vanquish two thousand by the will of God, for God is with those who are determined.

So now Allah has made an ease upon you and He knows that you are weak; so if there are a hundred persevering men among you, they shall overcome two hundred; and if there are a thousand among you, they shall overcome two thousand by the command of Allah; and Allah is with those who patiently endure.

Now God has lightened it for you, knowing that there is weakness in you. If there be a hundred of you, patient men, they will overcome two hundred; if there be of you a thousand, they will overcome two thousand by the leave of God; God is with the patient.

For the time being, [however,] God has lightened your burden. for He knows that you are weak: and so, if there be one hundred of you who are patient in adversity, they should [be able to]' overcome two hundred; and if there be one thousand of you, they should [be able to] overcome two thousand by God's leave: for God is with those who are patient in adversity.

Now Allah hath lightened your burden, and He knoweth that verily there is in you a weakness. So if there be a hundred of you persevering, they will overcome two hundred, and if there be a thousand of you they will overcome two thousand, by the command of Allah and Allah is with the persevering.

Now Allah has lightened your (task), for He knows that there is weakness in you. So if there are of you a hundred steadfast persons, they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a thousand of you, they shall overcome two thousand with the Leave of Allah. And Allah is with As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.).

God has now lightened your burden, knowing that there is weakness in you. If there are a hundred steadfast among you, they will defeat two hundred; and if there are a thousand of you, they will defeat two thousand by God’s leave. God is with the steadfast.

Allah has now lightened your burden for He found weakness in you. So if there be hundred of you who persevere, they shall vanquish two hundred; and if there be a thousand of you they shall, by the leave of Allah, vanquish two thousand. Allah is with those who persevere.

Now Allah has lightened your (task), for He knows that there is weakness in you. So if there are of you a hundred steadfast persons, they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a thousand of you, they shall overcome two thousand by the leave of Allah. And Allah is with the patient.

Now hath Allah lightened your burden, for He knoweth that there is weakness in you. So if there be of you a steadfast hundred they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a thousand (steadfast) they shall overcome two thousand by permission of Allah. Allah is with the steadfast.

Now Allah has lightened your burden, knowing that there is weakness in you. So if there be a hundred patient men among you, they shall overcome two hundred; and if there be a thousand, they shall overcome two thousand, by Allah’s leave; and Allah is with the patient.

Allah has now lightened it for you, for He knows that there is weakness amongst you. If there are a hundred patient men among you, they shall overcome two hundred; and if there are a thousand, they shall, by the permission of Allah, defeat two thousand. Allah is with the patient.

Now, Allah has lightened [the hardship] for you, and He knows that among you is weakness. So if there are from you one hundred [who are] steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are among you a thousand, they will overcome two thousand by permission of Allah. And Allah is with the steadfast.

Now that God has eased your burden, He has found you to be weak. A hundred of your steadfast men would defeat two hundred of theirs and a thousand of yours would defeat two thousand of the unbelievers, by the will of God. God is with those who have patience.

For the present Allah has made light your burden, and He knows that there is weakness in you; so if there are a hundred patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a thousand they shall overcome two thousand by Allah's permission, and Allah is with the patient.

Al<u>a</u>na khaffafa All<u>a</u>hu AAankum waAAalima anna feekum <u>d</u>aAAfan fain yakun minkum miatun <u>sa</u>biratun yaghliboo miatayni wain yakun minkum alfun yaghliboo alfayni bii<u>th</u>ni All<u>a</u>hi wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu maAAa a<b>l</b><u>ssa</u>bireen<b>a</b>

God has now lightened your burden, for He knows that there is weakness in you. If there are a hundred of you who are steadfast, they will overcome two hundred; and if there are a thousand of you, they will overcome two thousand by God's will. God is with the steadfast.

For the present, Allah hath lightened your (task), for He knoweth that there is a weak spot in you: But (even so), if there are a hundred of you, patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred, and if a thousand, they will vanquish two thousand, with the leave of Allah: for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.

8

ٱلْـَٰٔنَ خَفَّفَ ٱللَّهُ عَنكُمْ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيكُمْ ضَعْفًا فَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّا۟ئَةٌ صَابِرَةٌ يَغْلِبُوا۟ مِا۟ئَتَيْنِ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ أَلْفٌ يَغْلِبُوٓا۟ أَلْفَيْنِ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ

Now Allah has lightened the burden from you, O believers, since He knows your weakness. He has lightened your burden out of His grace and has made it a duty that one of you remains patient against two disbelievers instead of ten. So if there are one hundred among you who remain patient in fighting against the disbelievers, they will defeat two hundred. And if there are one thousand among you who remain patient, they will defeat two thousand of the disbelievers with Allah’s permission. Allah, with His support and assistance, is with those believers who remain patient.

Now Allah has lightened the burden from you, O believers, since He knows your weakness. He has lightened your burden out of His grace and has made it a duty that one of you remains patient against two disbelievers instead of ten. So if there are one hundred among you who remain patient in fighting against the disbelievers, they will defeat two hundred. And if there are one thousand among you who remain patient, they will defeat two thousand of the disbelievers with Allah’s permission. Allah, with His support and assistance, is with those believers who remain patient.

<p>In the fourth verse (66), by abrogating this injunction for future, the second injunction given was:</p><p>الْآنَ خَفَّفَ اللَّـهُ عَنكُمْ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيكُمْ ضَعْفًا ۚ فَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّائَةٌ صَابِرَ‌ةٌ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ أَلْفٌ يَغْلِبُوا أَلْفَيْنِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّـهِ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِ‌ينَ ﴿66﴾</p><p>Now Allah has made it easy on you and He knew that there is weakness in you. So, if there are one hundred among you, who are patient, they will overcome two hundred - 8:66.</p><p>Here too, the purpose is to order that it is not permissible for one hundred Muslims to avoid fighting against two hundred disbelievers. It will be recalled that, in the first verse (65), the avoidance of one Muslim to fight against ten was declared to be forbidden. Here, in this verse (66), the avoidance of one against two was all that remained forbidden. And this is the last and final injunction which is operative forever and shall continue as such.</p><p>Here too, the command does not appear in the usual style of a command. Instead, the manner used is that of glad tidings which indicates that asking one Muslim to go out and stand firm against two disbelievers was, God forbid, no injustice or coercion. To be honest, Allah Ta` ala has Himself placed in a Muslim person - because of his 'Iman or Faith - a special power that one of them turns out to be equal to two.</p><p>But, at both places, the glad tidings about this support and victory has been made subject to the condition that these Muslims should be observers of patience and fortitude. It is obvious that standing steadfast while endangering one's dear life in fighting and killing on a battlefield is a feat which can be performed only by a person whose 'Iman is perfect - because, perfect 'Iman generates enthusiasm for surrendering one's life in the way of Allah and this enthusiasm multiplies his combat strength a lot more.</p><p>Towards the end of the verse, it was in the manner of a general principle that it was stated: وَاللَّـهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِ‌ينَ (And Allah is with the patient - 66). Included here, there are those who remain steadfast in the battlefield as well as those who keep following the usual injunctions of the Shari’ ah strictly. The promise of Divine company stands good for all of them and in this state of His being with one and all of them lies the real secret of their victory - because, whoever has the good fortune of having the company of the Absolute Master simply cannot be moved away from the station of duty by anyone, not even by the whole world in unison.</p>

In the fourth verse (66), by abrogating this injunction for future, the second injunction given was:الْآنَ خَفَّفَ اللَّـهُ عَنكُمْ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيكُمْ ضَعْفًا ۚ فَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّائَةٌ صَابِرَ‌ةٌ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ أَلْفٌ يَغْلِبُوا أَلْفَيْنِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّـهِ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِ‌ينَ ﴿66﴾Now Allah has made it easy on you and He knew that there is weakness in you. So, if there are one hundred among you, who are patient, they will overcome two hundred - 8:66.Here too, the purpose is to order that it is not permissible for one hundred Muslims to avoid fighting against two hundred disbelievers. It will be recalled that, in the first verse (65), the avoidance of one Muslim to fight against ten was declared to be forbidden. Here, in this verse (66), the avoidance of one against two was all that remained forbidden. And this is the last and final injunction which is operative forever and shall continue as such.Here too, the command does not appear in the usual style of a command. Instead, the manner used is that of glad tidings which indicates that asking one Muslim to go out and stand firm against two disbelievers was, God forbid, no injustice or coercion. To be honest, Allah Ta` ala has Himself placed in a Muslim person - because of his 'Iman or Faith - a special power that one of them turns out to be equal to two.But, at both places, the glad tidings about this support and victory has been made subject to the condition that these Muslims should be observers of patience and fortitude. It is obvious that standing steadfast while endangering one's dear life in fighting and killing on a battlefield is a feat which can be performed only by a person whose 'Iman is perfect - because, perfect 'Iman generates enthusiasm for surrendering one's life in the way of Allah and this enthusiasm multiplies his combat strength a lot more.Towards the end of the verse, it was in the manner of a general principle that it was stated: وَاللَّـهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِ‌ينَ (And Allah is with the patient - 66). Included here, there are those who remain steadfast in the battlefield as well as those who keep following the usual injunctions of the Shari’ ah strictly. The promise of Divine company stands good for all of them and in this state of His being with one and all of them lies the real secret of their victory - because, whoever has the good fortune of having the company of the Absolute Master simply cannot be moved away from the station of duty by anyone, not even by the whole world in unison.

No apostle should take captives until he has battled and subdued the country. You desire the vanities of this world, but God wills (for you the reward) of the world to come; and God is all-mighty and all-wise.

It does not befit any Prophet to capture the disbelievers alive until he has profusely shed their blood in the land; you people desire the wealth of this world; and Allah wills the Hereafter, and Allah is Almighty, Wise.

It is not for any Prophet to have prisoners until he make wide slaughter in the land. You desire the chance goods of the present world, and God desires the world to come; and God is All-mighty, All-wise.

IT DOES NOT behove a prophet to keep captives unless he has battled strenuously on earth. You may desire the fleeting gains of this world-but God desires [for you the good of] the life to come: and God is almighty, wise.

It behoveth not a prophet that he should have captives until he hath greatly slaughtered in the land. Ye seek the gear of the world, while Allah seeketh the Hereafter; and Allah is Mighty, Wise.

It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war (and free them with ransom) until he had made a great slaughter (among his enemies) in the land. You desire the good of this world (i.e. the money of ransom for freeing the captives), but Allah desires (for you) the Hereafter. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

It is not for a prophet to take prisoners before he has subdued the land. You desire the materials of this world, but God desires the Hereafter. God is Strong and Wise.

It behoves not a Prophet to take captives until he has sufficiently suppressed the enemies in the land. You merely seek the gains of the world whereas Allah desires (for you the good) of the Hereafter. Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

It is not (fitting) for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war until he has fought (his enemies thoroughly) in the land. You desire the goods of this world, but Allah desires (for you) the Hereafter. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

It is not for any prophet to have captives until he hath made slaughter in the land. Ye desire the lure of this world and Allah desireth (for you) the Hereafter, and Allah is Mighty, Wise.

A prophet may not take captives until he has thoroughly decimated [the enemy] in the land. You desire the transitory gains of this world, while Allah desires [for you] [the reward of] the Hereafter, and Allah is all-mighty, all-wise.

It is not for any Prophet to have prisoners in order to slaughter many in the land. You want the gains of this life, and Allah wants the Everlasting Life, and Allah is Mighty, Wise.

It is not for a prophet to have captives [of war] until he inflicts a massacre [upon Allah 's enemies] in the land. Some Muslims desire the commodities of this world, but Allah desires [for you] the Hereafter. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.

The Prophet is not supposed to take any captives to strengthen his position on the earth. You want worldly gains but God wants the life hereafter for you. God is Majestic and All-wise.

It is not fit for a prophet that he should take captives unless he has fought and triumphed in the land; you desire the frail goods of this world, while Allah desires (for you) the hereafter; and Allah is Mighty, Wise.

M<u>a</u> k<u>a</u>na linabiyyin an yakoona lahu asr<u>a</u> <u>h</u>att<u>a</u> yuthkhina fee alar<u>d</u>i tureedoona AAara<u>d</u>a a<b>l</b>dduny<u>a</u> wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu yureedu al<u>a</u>khirata wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu AAazeezun <u>h</u>akeem<b>un</b>

It is not right for a Prophet to keep captives unless he has battled strenuously in the land. You desire the gain of this world, while God desires for you the Hereafter -- God is mighty and wise.

It is not fitting for a prophet that he should have prisoners of war until he hath thoroughly subdued the land. Ye look for the temporal goods of this world; but Allah looketh to the Hereafter: And Allah is Exalted in might, Wise.

8

مَا كَانَ لِنَبِىٍّ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥٓ أَسْرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ يُثْخِنَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ تُرِيدُونَ عَرَضَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةَ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

It is not right for a prophet to take captives from the disbelievers who fight against him until he kills many of them, so that this makes other disbelievers fear fighting him. By taking captives from Badr, O believers, you want to receive ransom, but Allah wants the Afterlife for you, which is gained by making religion victorious and powerful. Allah is Mighty in His essence, His attributes and in His domination. Nothing can overcome Him. He is Wise in His decree and sacred laws.

It is not right for a prophet to take captives from the disbelievers who fight against him until he kills many of them, so that this makes other disbelievers fear fighting him. By taking captives from Badr, O believers, you want to receive ransom, but Allah wants the Afterlife for you, which is gained by making religion victorious and powerful. Allah is Mighty in His essence, His attributes and in His domination. Nothing can overcome Him. He is Wise in His decree and sacred laws.

<p>Commentary</p><p>The verses cited above relate to a particular event of the battle of Badr. Therefore, prior to an explanation, it is necessary to describe this event on the authority of sound and authentic narrations appearing in Hadith.</p><p>The scenario of the event is the battle of Badr. It was the first Jihad in Islam, and it had come up all of a sudden. Until then, the detail of injunctions pertaining to Jihad was not revealed. There were questions. If spoils come on hand during Jihad, what should be done with it? If enemy soldiers fall under your control, whether or not it is permissible to arrest them? And if they are arrested, what should be done with them?</p><p>The law of spoils operative in the religious codes of past prophets was that it was not lawful for Muslims to use them for their benefit. Instead, the injunction was that the entire spoils be collected and placed in some open field. According to a Divine practice, a fire would come from the skies and burn the whole thing. This was taken to be a sign that the particular Jihad was approved of. If the fire from the skies did not come to burn the spoils, it was taken to be a sign that there was some shortcoming in the Jihad effort because of which it was considered unacceptable with Allah.</p><p>According to narrations in the Sahih of Al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: 'I have been blessed with five things which were not bestowed on any prophet before me.' One of these was that spoils acquired from disbelievers were not lawful for anyone, but it was made lawful for the Muslim Ummah, the traditional recipient of mercy from Allah. That the property of spoils was particularly lawful for this Ummah already existed in the infinite knowledge of Allah Ta` ala, but no revelation attesting to its being lawful had been sent to the Holy Prophet ﷺ until the event of the battle of Badr referred to above. And what happened in the battle of Badr was that Allah Ta` ala blessed Muslims with an extraordinary victory which was totally beyond their imagination. The enemy also left behind its belongings which fell into the hands of Muslims as spoils. Then they took seventy of their big chiefs as prisoners. But, the necessary clarification of whether or not the later two actions were permissible was yet to come through a Divine revelation.</p><p>Therefore, this hasty action taken by the noble Companions was censured. This censure and displeasure was demonstrated through a revelation in which Muslims were given a choice between two courses of action in the case of the prisoners of war. But, when giving this choice, it was also pointed out to them that, out of the two aspects of the case, one was desirable while the other was undesirable. Based on a narration from Sayyidna Ali al-Murtada ؓ ، it has been reported in Jami` Tirmidhi, Sunan al-Nasa'i and Sahih Ibn Hibban that on this occasion Sayyidna Jibra'il al-Amin (علیہ السلام) came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and communicated to him the command that he should give his Companions ؓ a choice between two courses of action: (1) That they either kill these prisoners and destroy the image of enemy power for ever; (2) or, that they are released against some payment of fidyah (ransom). However, should this second option be taken, it has to be borne in mind that it stands Divinely ordained that, in return for this next year, the number of Muslims who will fall as martyrs will match the number of prisoners who will be released today on payment of ransom. Though, the two courses of action did have the element of choice and the Companions ؓ did have the option of going by any one of the two, but, in the second option where mention was made of the eventuality of the martyrdom of seventy Muslims, there did exist a delicate indication towards the undesirability of the second option in the sight of Allah Ta` ala - because, had it been desirable, the killing of seventy Muslims would have not been binding as a result.</p><p>When these two alternatives were presented before the Companions ؓ as a matter of choice for them, some of them thought if these people were released against payment of ransom, it was quite possible that they all, or some of them, may become Muslims at some later stage which would, then, be the real gain, and the very objective of Jihad itself. They also thought that Muslims were poor at that time and should they make some financial gain through ransom for seventy men, that would not only help remove their hardship but also contribute towards their preparations for Jihad in future. As for the martyrdom of seventy Muslims, it was a standing blessing and good fortune for Muslims themselves. Why should they worry about something so welcome, they thought. It was in view of these thoughts that Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ and most of the Companions ؓ tilted towards the option of releasing the prisoners against ransom. Only Sayyidna ` Umar, Sayyidna Sa'd ibn Mu` adh and some other Companions ؓ dif-fered with this opinion and recommended the option of killing them all on the ground that it was a good chance as all Quraysh chiefs, who sponsor and supply the entire striking force arrayed against Muslims, had fallen into their hands at one given time. That they would embrace Islam in the near future was a figment of their imagination. However, what was more likely to happen was that these people, once they return, will become the cause of enhanced hostility against Muslims, much too pronounced than ever before.</p><p>As for the Holy Prophet ﷺ he had come to grace this mortal world as the universal messenger of mercy - and was himself mercy personified - he looked at the two opinions from the Sahabah and accepted the one which provided mercy and ease for prisoners - that they be released against ransom. Addressing Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ and Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ he said: لو اتفقتما ما خالفتکما (Had you two agreed upon any one opinion, I would have not acted against the opinion given by you two). (Mazhari) Faced with a difference of opinion at that time, it was but the dictate of his inherent mercy and affection he had for the creation of Allah that the course of ease and convenience was taken to in their case. So, that was what was done. And the outcome was that next year, at the time of the battle of 'Ubud, the event of the martyrdom of seventy Muslims came to pass as Divinely indicated.</p><p>In the words: تُرِ‌يدُونَ عَرَ‌ضَ الدُّنْيَا (You want things of this world - 67), the address is to the noble Companions ؓ who had suggested release for ransom. This verse tells them that they had given improper advice to the Rasul of Allah because it did not match with the august station of any prophet that he would not, once he overpowers the enemies, go on to demolish their power and its image, instead, would opt for granting relief to a wicked and conspiratorial enemy only to commit Muslims to everlasting trouble.</p><p>The words used in this verse are: حَتَّىٰ يُثْخِنَ فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ (until he has had a thorough bloodshed in the land - 67). Lexically, the word: اِثخان (ithkhan) means to demolish someone's might and power exhaustively and conclusively. The words: فِی الاَرض (fi'l-ard : in the land) have been made to follow in order to intensify this very sense of total termination.</p><p>As for the Sahabah who had recommended release against ransom, part of their view was, no doubt, purely religious - they hoped that, once free, these people may embrace Islam. But, alongwith it, part of it was motivated by personal interest as well - that they will have spoils to bring back - although, until that time, there was no decisive textual authority which proved spoils as permissible property for Muslims. Therefore, in view of the high standards being set for the society of men and women under the education, training and guidance of the Holy Prophet ﷺ - standards which aimed to take them to ranks even higher than angels - the slightest turn of thought towards material acquisitions was considered a kind of disobedience. Thus, it goes without saying that the sum total of what is a potpourri of deeds which are both permissible and impermissible will, after all, be called impermissible. Therefore, such conduct from the Sahabah met with displeasure and it was said: تُرِ‌يدُونَ عَرَ‌ضَ الدُّنْيَا وَاللَّـهُ يُرِ‌يدُ الْآخِرَ‌ةَ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ: 'You want things of this world while Allah wants the Hereafter (for you) - 67,' that is, Allah wants you to seek the Hereafter. Mentioned here as reprimand was a particular act of theirs which was the cause of displeasure. The other cause, that of the hope of released prisoners becoming Muslims, was not mentioned here. This indicates that a special group like the group of righteous, sincere and noble Sahabah would accommodate such mixed up intention as would combine some faith and some personal interest was something not acceptable even in that degree. Worth noticing here is the fact that the admonition and warning in this verse are being addressed to the noble Sahabah. Though, the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، by accepting their opinion, had gone along with them in a certain way, but, this act of the Holy Prophet ﷺ was purely a demonstration of his being universally merciful when he, subsequent to a difference of opinion among the Sahabah, had gone by a course of action which promised grace and convenience for the prisoners.</p><p>At the end of the verse, by saying: وَاللَّـهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ (And Allah is Mighty, Wise - 67), it was pointed out that Allah Ta` ala, being the source of all might and wisdom, would have - only if they had not acted in a hurry - provided for them wealth and properties as well in their future victories through His infinite grace.</p>

CommentaryThe verses cited above relate to a particular event of the battle of Badr. Therefore, prior to an explanation, it is necessary to describe this event on the authority of sound and authentic narrations appearing in Hadith.The scenario of the event is the battle of Badr. It was the first Jihad in Islam, and it had come up all of a sudden. Until then, the detail of injunctions pertaining to Jihad was not revealed. There were questions. If spoils come on hand during Jihad, what should be done with it? If enemy soldiers fall under your control, whether or not it is permissible to arrest them? And if they are arrested, what should be done with them?The law of spoils operative in the religious codes of past prophets was that it was not lawful for Muslims to use them for their benefit. Instead, the injunction was that the entire spoils be collected and placed in some open field. According to a Divine practice, a fire would come from the skies and burn the whole thing. This was taken to be a sign that the particular Jihad was approved of. If the fire from the skies did not come to burn the spoils, it was taken to be a sign that there was some shortcoming in the Jihad effort because of which it was considered unacceptable with Allah.According to narrations in the Sahih of Al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: 'I have been blessed with five things which were not bestowed on any prophet before me.' One of these was that spoils acquired from disbelievers were not lawful for anyone, but it was made lawful for the Muslim Ummah, the traditional recipient of mercy from Allah. That the property of spoils was particularly lawful for this Ummah already existed in the infinite knowledge of Allah Ta` ala, but no revelation attesting to its being lawful had been sent to the Holy Prophet ﷺ until the event of the battle of Badr referred to above. And what happened in the battle of Badr was that Allah Ta` ala blessed Muslims with an extraordinary victory which was totally beyond their imagination. The enemy also left behind its belongings which fell into the hands of Muslims as spoils. Then they took seventy of their big chiefs as prisoners. But, the necessary clarification of whether or not the later two actions were permissible was yet to come through a Divine revelation.Therefore, this hasty action taken by the noble Companions was censured. This censure and displeasure was demonstrated through a revelation in which Muslims were given a choice between two courses of action in the case of the prisoners of war. But, when giving this choice, it was also pointed out to them that, out of the two aspects of the case, one was desirable while the other was undesirable. Based on a narration from Sayyidna Ali al-Murtada ؓ ، it has been reported in Jami` Tirmidhi, Sunan al-Nasa'i and Sahih Ibn Hibban that on this occasion Sayyidna Jibra'il al-Amin (علیہ السلام) came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and communicated to him the command that he should give his Companions ؓ a choice between two courses of action: (1) That they either kill these prisoners and destroy the image of enemy power for ever; (2) or, that they are released against some payment of fidyah (ransom). However, should this second option be taken, it has to be borne in mind that it stands Divinely ordained that, in return for this next year, the number of Muslims who will fall as martyrs will match the number of prisoners who will be released today on payment of ransom. Though, the two courses of action did have the element of choice and the Companions ؓ did have the option of going by any one of the two, but, in the second option where mention was made of the eventuality of the martyrdom of seventy Muslims, there did exist a delicate indication towards the undesirability of the second option in the sight of Allah Ta` ala - because, had it been desirable, the killing of seventy Muslims would have not been binding as a result.When these two alternatives were presented before the Companions ؓ as a matter of choice for them, some of them thought if these people were released against payment of ransom, it was quite possible that they all, or some of them, may become Muslims at some later stage which would, then, be the real gain, and the very objective of Jihad itself. They also thought that Muslims were poor at that time and should they make some financial gain through ransom for seventy men, that would not only help remove their hardship but also contribute towards their preparations for Jihad in future. As for the martyrdom of seventy Muslims, it was a standing blessing and good fortune for Muslims themselves. Why should they worry about something so welcome, they thought. It was in view of these thoughts that Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ and most of the Companions ؓ tilted towards the option of releasing the prisoners against ransom. Only Sayyidna ` Umar, Sayyidna Sa'd ibn Mu` adh and some other Companions ؓ dif-fered with this opinion and recommended the option of killing them all on the ground that it was a good chance as all Quraysh chiefs, who sponsor and supply the entire striking force arrayed against Muslims, had fallen into their hands at one given time. That they would embrace Islam in the near future was a figment of their imagination. However, what was more likely to happen was that these people, once they return, will become the cause of enhanced hostility against Muslims, much too pronounced than ever before.As for the Holy Prophet ﷺ he had come to grace this mortal world as the universal messenger of mercy - and was himself mercy personified - he looked at the two opinions from the Sahabah and accepted the one which provided mercy and ease for prisoners - that they be released against ransom. Addressing Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ and Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ he said: لو اتفقتما ما خالفتکما (Had you two agreed upon any one opinion, I would have not acted against the opinion given by you two). (Mazhari) Faced with a difference of opinion at that time, it was but the dictate of his inherent mercy and affection he had for the creation of Allah that the course of ease and convenience was taken to in their case. So, that was what was done. And the outcome was that next year, at the time of the battle of 'Ubud, the event of the martyrdom of seventy Muslims came to pass as Divinely indicated.In the words: تُرِ‌يدُونَ عَرَ‌ضَ الدُّنْيَا (You want things of this world - 67), the address is to the noble Companions ؓ who had suggested release for ransom. This verse tells them that they had given improper advice to the Rasul of Allah because it did not match with the august station of any prophet that he would not, once he overpowers the enemies, go on to demolish their power and its image, instead, would opt for granting relief to a wicked and conspiratorial enemy only to commit Muslims to everlasting trouble.The words used in this verse are: حَتَّىٰ يُثْخِنَ فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ (until he has had a thorough bloodshed in the land - 67). Lexically, the word: اِثخان (ithkhan) means to demolish someone's might and power exhaustively and conclusively. The words: فِی الاَرض (fi'l-ard : in the land) have been made to follow in order to intensify this very sense of total termination.As for the Sahabah who had recommended release against ransom, part of their view was, no doubt, purely religious - they hoped that, once free, these people may embrace Islam. But, alongwith it, part of it was motivated by personal interest as well - that they will have spoils to bring back - although, until that time, there was no decisive textual authority which proved spoils as permissible property for Muslims. Therefore, in view of the high standards being set for the society of men and women under the education, training and guidance of the Holy Prophet ﷺ - standards which aimed to take them to ranks even higher than angels - the slightest turn of thought towards material acquisitions was considered a kind of disobedience. Thus, it goes without saying that the sum total of what is a potpourri of deeds which are both permissible and impermissible will, after all, be called impermissible. Therefore, such conduct from the Sahabah met with displeasure and it was said: تُرِ‌يدُونَ عَرَ‌ضَ الدُّنْيَا وَاللَّـهُ يُرِ‌يدُ الْآخِرَ‌ةَ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ: 'You want things of this world while Allah wants the Hereafter (for you) - 67,' that is, Allah wants you to seek the Hereafter. Mentioned here as reprimand was a particular act of theirs which was the cause of displeasure. The other cause, that of the hope of released prisoners becoming Muslims, was not mentioned here. This indicates that a special group like the group of righteous, sincere and noble Sahabah would accommodate such mixed up intention as would combine some faith and some personal interest was something not acceptable even in that degree. Worth noticing here is the fact that the admonition and warning in this verse are being addressed to the noble Sahabah. Though, the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، by accepting their opinion, had gone along with them in a certain way, but, this act of the Holy Prophet ﷺ was purely a demonstration of his being universally merciful when he, subsequent to a difference of opinion among the Sahabah, had gone by a course of action which promised grace and convenience for the prisoners.At the end of the verse, by saying: وَاللَّـهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ (And Allah is Mighty, Wise - 67), it was pointed out that Allah Ta` ala, being the source of all might and wisdom, would have - only if they had not acted in a hurry - provided for them wealth and properties as well in their future victories through His infinite grace.

<p>Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said, "The Prophet asked the people for their opinion about the prisoners of war of Badr, saying, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَمْكَنَكُمْ مِنْهُم»</div><p>(Allah has made you prevail above them.) `Umar bin Al-Khattab stood up and said, `O Allah's Messenger! Cut off their necks,' but the Prophet turned away from him. The Messenger of Allah again asked, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«يَاأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَمْكَنَكُمْ مِنْهُمْ وَإِنَّمَا هُمْ إِخْوَانُكُمْ بِالْأَمْس»</div><p>(O people! Allah has made you prevail over them, and only yesterday, they were your brothers.) `Umar again stood up and said, `O Allah's Messenger! Cut off their necks.' The Prophet ignored him and asked the same question again and he repeated the same answer. Abu Bakr As-Siddiq stood up and said, `O Allah's Messenger! I think you should pardon them and set them free in return for ransom.' Thereupon the grief on the face of Allah's Messenger vanished. He pardoned them and accepted ransom for their release. Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, revealed this verse, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَّوْلاَ كِتَـبٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ سَبَقَ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِيمَآ أَخَذْتُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ </div><p>(Were it not a previous ordainment from Allah, a severe torment would have touched you for what you took)." </p><p>`Ali bin Abi Talhah narrated that Ibn `Abbas said about Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَّوْلاَ كِتَـبٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ سَبَقَ</div><p>(Were it not a previous ordainment from Allah...), </p><p>"In the Preserved Book, that war spoils and prisoners of war will be made allowed for you, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَمَسَّكُمْ فِيمَآ أَخَذْتُمْ</div><p>(would have touched you for what you took), because of the captives. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">عَذَابٌ عظِيمٌ</div><p>(a severe torment.) Allah, the Exalted said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَكُلُواْ مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ حَلَـلاً طَيِّباً</div><p>(So enjoy what you have gotten of booty in war, lawful and good)." eAl-`Awfi also reported this statement from Ibn `Abbas. A similar statement was collected from Abu Hurayrah, Ibn Mas`ud, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ata', Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Qatadah and Al-A`mash. They all stated that, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَّوْلاَ كِتَـبٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ سَبَقَ</div><p>(Were it not a previous ordainment from Allah. .) refers to allowing the spoils of war for this Ummah. </p><p>Supporting this view is what the Two Sahihs recorded that Jabir bin `Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أُعْطِيتُ خَمْسًا لَمْ يُعْطَهُنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلِي: نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ مَسِيرَةَ شَهْرٍ، وَجُعِلَتْ لِيَ الْأَرْضُ مَسْجِدًا وَطَهُورًا، وَأُحِلَّتْ لِيَ الْغَنَائِمُ وَلَمْ تُحَلَّ لِأَحَدٍ قَبْلِي، وَأُعْطِيتُ الشَّفَاعَةَ، وَكَان النَّبِيُّ يُبْعَثُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ، وَبُعِثْتُ إِلَى النَّاسِ عَامَّة»</div><p>(I have been given five things which were not given to any Prophet before me. (They are:) Allah made me victorious by awe, (by His frightening my enemies) for a distance of one month's journey. The earth has been made a place for praying and a purifyer for me. The booty has been made lawful for me, yet it = was not lawful for anyone else before me. I have been given the right of intercession (on the Day of Resurrection). Every Prophet used to be sent to his people only, but I have been sent to all mankind.) </p><p>Al-A`mash narrated that Abu Salih said that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«لَمْ تَحِلَّ الْغَنَائِمُ لِسُودِ الرُّؤُوسِ غَيْرَنَا»</div><p>(War booty was never allowed for any among mankind except us.) Abu Hurayrah said; This is why Allah the Most High said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَكُلُواْ مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ حَلَـلاً طَيِّباً</div><p>(So enjoy what you have gotten of booty in war, lawful and good.) </p><p>The Muslims then took the ransom for their captives. In his Sunan, Imam Abu Dawud recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah fixed four hundred (Dirhams) in ransom from the people of Jahiliyyah in the aftermath of Badr. The majority of the scholars say that the matter of prisoners of war is up to the Imam. If he decides, he can have them killed, such as in the case of Bani Qurayzah. If he decides, he can accept a ransom for them, as in the case of the prisoners of Badr, or exchange them for Muslim prisoners. The Messenger exchanged a woman and her daughter who were captured by Salamah bin Al-Akwa`, for exchange of some Muslims who were captured by the idolators, or if he decides he can take the prisoner as a captives. </p>

Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said, "The Prophet asked the people for their opinion about the prisoners of war of Badr, saying, «إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَمْكَنَكُمْ مِنْهُم»(Allah has made you prevail above them.) `Umar bin Al-Khattab stood up and said, `O Allah's Messenger! Cut off their necks,' but the Prophet turned away from him. The Messenger of Allah again asked, «يَاأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَمْكَنَكُمْ مِنْهُمْ وَإِنَّمَا هُمْ إِخْوَانُكُمْ بِالْأَمْس»(O people! Allah has made you prevail over them, and only yesterday, they were your brothers.) `Umar again stood up and said, `O Allah's Messenger! Cut off their necks.' The Prophet ignored him and asked the same question again and he repeated the same answer. Abu Bakr As-Siddiq stood up and said, `O Allah's Messenger! I think you should pardon them and set them free in return for ransom.' Thereupon the grief on the face of Allah's Messenger vanished. He pardoned them and accepted ransom for their release. Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, revealed this verse, لَّوْلاَ كِتَـبٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ سَبَقَ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِيمَآ أَخَذْتُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ (Were it not a previous ordainment from Allah, a severe torment would have touched you for what you took)." `Ali bin Abi Talhah narrated that Ibn `Abbas said about Allah's statement, لَّوْلاَ كِتَـبٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ سَبَقَ(Were it not a previous ordainment from Allah...), "In the Preserved Book, that war spoils and prisoners of war will be made allowed for you, لَمَسَّكُمْ فِيمَآ أَخَذْتُمْ(would have touched you for what you took), because of the captives. عَذَابٌ عظِيمٌ(a severe torment.) Allah, the Exalted said next, فَكُلُواْ مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ حَلَـلاً طَيِّباً(So enjoy what you have gotten of booty in war, lawful and good)." eAl-`Awfi also reported this statement from Ibn `Abbas. A similar statement was collected from Abu Hurayrah, Ibn Mas`ud, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ata', Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Qatadah and Al-A`mash. They all stated that, لَّوْلاَ كِتَـبٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ سَبَقَ(Were it not a previous ordainment from Allah. .) refers to allowing the spoils of war for this Ummah. Supporting this view is what the Two Sahihs recorded that Jabir bin `Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah said, «أُعْطِيتُ خَمْسًا لَمْ يُعْطَهُنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلِي: نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ مَسِيرَةَ شَهْرٍ، وَجُعِلَتْ لِيَ الْأَرْضُ مَسْجِدًا وَطَهُورًا، وَأُحِلَّتْ لِيَ الْغَنَائِمُ وَلَمْ تُحَلَّ لِأَحَدٍ قَبْلِي، وَأُعْطِيتُ الشَّفَاعَةَ، وَكَان النَّبِيُّ يُبْعَثُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ، وَبُعِثْتُ إِلَى النَّاسِ عَامَّة»(I have been given five things which were not given to any Prophet before me. (They are:) Allah made me victorious by awe, (by His frightening my enemies) for a distance of one month's journey. The earth has been made a place for praying and a purifyer for me. The booty has been made lawful for me, yet it = was not lawful for anyone else before me. I have been given the right of intercession (on the Day of Resurrection). Every Prophet used to be sent to his people only, but I have been sent to all mankind.) Al-A`mash narrated that Abu Salih said that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said, «لَمْ تَحِلَّ الْغَنَائِمُ لِسُودِ الرُّؤُوسِ غَيْرَنَا»(War booty was never allowed for any among mankind except us.) Abu Hurayrah said; This is why Allah the Most High said, فَكُلُواْ مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ حَلَـلاً طَيِّباً(So enjoy what you have gotten of booty in war, lawful and good.) The Muslims then took the ransom for their captives. In his Sunan, Imam Abu Dawud recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah fixed four hundred (Dirhams) in ransom from the people of Jahiliyyah in the aftermath of Badr. The majority of the scholars say that the matter of prisoners of war is up to the Imam. If he decides, he can have them killed, such as in the case of Bani Qurayzah. If he decides, he can accept a ransom for them, as in the case of the prisoners of Badr, or exchange them for Muslim prisoners. The Messenger exchanged a woman and her daughter who were captured by Salamah bin Al-Akwa`, for exchange of some Muslims who were captured by the idolators, or if he decides he can take the prisoner as a captives.

Had this not been decreed by God in advance, you would have suffered a grievous punishment for what you took (as booty).

Had Allah not pre-destined a matter then, O Muslims, a terrible punishment would have come upon you due to the ransom you took from the disbelievers.

Had it not been for a prior prescription from God, there had afflicted you, for what you took, a mighty chastisement.

Had it not been for a decree from God that had already gone forth, there would indeed have befallen you a tremendous chastisement on account of all [the captives] that you took.

Were it not that a writ had already gone forth from Allah, there would surely have touched you a mighty torment for that which ye took

Were it not a previous ordainment from Allah, a severe torment would have touched you for what you took.

Were it not for a predetermined decree from God, an awful punishment would have afflicted you for what you have taken.

Had there not been a previous decree from Allah, a stern punishment would have afflicted you for what you have taken.

Were it not a previous ordainment from Allah, a severe torment would have touched you for what you took.

Had it not been for an ordinance of Allah which had gone before, an awful doom had come upon you on account of what ye took.

Had it not been for a prior decree of Allah, surely there would have befallen you a great punishment for what you took.

Had there not been a previous writing from Allah, you would have been afflicted by a mighty punishment.

If not for a decree from Allah that preceded, you would have been touched for what you took by a great punishment.

(Had you taken captives) before being allowed by God's revelations, a great torment would have struck you for what you had done.

Were it not for an ordinance from Allah that had already gone forth, surely there would have befallen you a great chastisement for what you had taken to.

Lawl<u>a</u> kit<u>a</u>bun mina All<u>a</u>hi sabaqa lamassakum feem<u>a</u> akha<u>th</u>tum AAa<u>tha</u>bun AAa<i><u>th</u></i>eem<b>un</b>

Had it not been for a writ from God that had already gone forth, you would have been severely punished on account of what you took.

Had it not been for a previous ordainment from Allah, a severe penalty would have reached you for the (ransom) that ye took.

8

لَّوْلَا كِتَٰبٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ سَبَقَ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِيمَآ أَخَذْتُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ

Were it not for a decree from Allah – in which it had already been decided that He would make the gains of war lawful for you and permit you to ransom captives – a severe punishment from Allah would have afflicted you because of the gains of war and ransom you took from the captives at Badr before the coming of revelation from Allah that permitted it.

Were it not for a decree from Allah – in which it had already been decided that He would make the gains of war lawful for you and permit you to ransom captives – a severe punishment from Allah would have afflicted you because of the gains of war and ransom you took from the captives at Badr before the coming of revelation from Allah that permitted it.

<p>The second verse (68) is also a supplement to this admonition where it has been said that had it not been for a Divine writ already established, the course of action which you opted for - that of releasing the prisoners against ransom - would have brought upon you some grave punishment.</p><p>What is this writ and what does it mean? According to a narration from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ reported in Tirmidhi, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: Spoils were not lawful for any community before you. When, on the occasion of Badr, Muslims went after collecting spoils - though, spoils were not made lawful for them until that time - this verse was revealed. It emphasized that this initiative taken by Muslims, before the injunction making spoils lawful for them was revealed, was a sin which deserved instant punishment. But, since the writ of Allah that spoils shall be made lawful for this community was already there in the Preserved Tablet, therefore, punishment was not sent over Muslims for this misconduct. (Mazhari)</p><p>It appears in Hadith narrations that, subsequent to the revelation of this verse, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: The Divine punishment was almost about to descend when Allah, in His grace, held it back and had this punishment come, no one except ` Umar ibn al-Khattab and Sa'd ibn Mu` adh ؓ would have remained safe from it. This tells us that the cause of Divine admonition was the act of releasing prisoners against ransom - and, in the light of the narration from Tirmidhi mentioned earlier, the reason seems to be the act of collecting spoils. But, there appears to be no contradiction between the two. Taking ransom from prisoners is also nothing but a part of spoils.</p>

The second verse (68) is also a supplement to this admonition where it has been said that had it not been for a Divine writ already established, the course of action which you opted for - that of releasing the prisoners against ransom - would have brought upon you some grave punishment.What is this writ and what does it mean? According to a narration from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ reported in Tirmidhi, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: Spoils were not lawful for any community before you. When, on the occasion of Badr, Muslims went after collecting spoils - though, spoils were not made lawful for them until that time - this verse was revealed. It emphasized that this initiative taken by Muslims, before the injunction making spoils lawful for them was revealed, was a sin which deserved instant punishment. But, since the writ of Allah that spoils shall be made lawful for this community was already there in the Preserved Tablet, therefore, punishment was not sent over Muslims for this misconduct. (Mazhari)It appears in Hadith narrations that, subsequent to the revelation of this verse, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: The Divine punishment was almost about to descend when Allah, in His grace, held it back and had this punishment come, no one except ` Umar ibn al-Khattab and Sa'd ibn Mu` adh ؓ would have remained safe from it. This tells us that the cause of Divine admonition was the act of releasing prisoners against ransom - and, in the light of the narration from Tirmidhi mentioned earlier, the reason seems to be the act of collecting spoils. But, there appears to be no contradiction between the two. Taking ransom from prisoners is also nothing but a part of spoils.

But now use such of the spoils as are lawful and good, and fear God, for God is forgiving and kind.

Therefore benefit from the booty you have received, lawful and good; and keep fearing Allah; indeed Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Eat of what you have taken as booty, such as is lawful and good; and fear you God; surely God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.

Enjoy, then, all that is lawful and good among the things which you have gained in war, and remain conscious of God: verily, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.

Eat ye then of that which ye have obtained of spoi1, lawful and clean, fear Allah; verily Allah is Forgiving, Merciful

So enjoy what you have gotten of booty in war, lawful and good, and be afraid of Allah. Certainly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

So consume what you have gained, legitimate and wholesome; and remain conscious of God. God is Forgiving and Merciful.

So eat that which you have obtained - for it is lawful and clean--and fear Allah. Surely Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

So enjoy what you have gotten of booty in war, lawful and good, and have Taqwa of Allah. Certainly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Now enjoy what ye have won, as lawful and good, and keep your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Avail yourselves of the spoils you have taken as lawful and good, and be wary of Allah. Indeed Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.

Eat of what you have taken from the spoils; such is lawful and good, and fear Allah. Allah is Forgiving and Most Merciful.

So consume what you have taken of war booty [as being] lawful and good, and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

Use what you have acquired (from the battle) as your own good, lawful property. Have fear of God; He is All-forgiving and All-merciful.

Eat then of the lawful and good (things) which you have acquired in war, and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Fakuloo mimm<u>a</u> ghanimtum <u>h</u>al<u>a</u>lan <u>t</u>ayyiban wa<b>i</b>ttaqoo All<u>a</u>ha inna All<u>a</u>ha ghafoorun ra<u>h</u>eem<b>un</b>

So eat of that which you have gained in war as lawful and good, and fear God. Surely, God is most forgiving and merciful.

But (now) enjoy what ye took in war, lawful and good: but fear Allah: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

8

فَكُلُوا۟ مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ حَلَٰلًا طَيِّبًا وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

So consume, O believers, of the gains of war that you take from the disbelievers because it is lawful for you. Be mindful of Allah by following His instructions and avoiding His prohibitions. Allah is Forgiving and Compassionate towards His believing servants.

So consume, O believers, of the gains of war that you take from the disbelievers because it is lawful for you. Be mindful of Allah by following His instructions and avoiding His prohibitions. Allah is Forgiving and Compassionate towards His believing servants.

<p>Ruling 1: In the verse under discussion, admonition came upon releasing prisoners against ransom or collecting spoils, warning of Divine punishment was given, then came forgiveness. But, what remained still not clear was the future course Muslims would be required to take in such matters. Therefore, in the next verse (69), the matter relating to spoils was made all too clear by saying: فَكُلُوا مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ (So, eat of the spoils you have got), that is, it has been made lawful for you in the future. But, even now, there remains a doubt to the effect that the injunction making spoils lawful had come at the present stage, however, spoils which had been collected in error before the coming of this injunction may contain some element of undesirability in it. Therefore, by saying: حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا (lawful and pure - 69) soon after it, even this doubt was removed. It means: Though, taking the initiative in collecting spoils, before the revelation of Divine guideline, was not correct - but now that the injunction making spoils lawful has been revealed, all that has been collected earlier is also lawful without any shade of repugnance or reprehensibility (karahah) in it.</p><p>Ruling 2: At this point, worth notice and retention is a principle of Islamic jurisprudence: When some impermissible initiative is regularized through a standing verse, no effect of the previous initiative remains operative therein. The property becomes lawful and pure - as it happened here. But, there is a corresponding instance relevant to what has been stated above. Take a case in which there was an injunction already revealed, but its revelation did not seem to affect the initiators of an action, based on which they went on to contravene it. It was later on that they found out that the particular deed of theirs was contrary to such and such injunction of the Qur'an and Sunnah. Then, in such a situation, after the coming of the injunction, that property does not remain lawful - even though the previous error is forgiven. (Nuru 'l-Anwar, Mulla Jiwan) However, in the present verse, spoils have, no doubt, been declared to be lawful and pure, but the restriction imposed at the end of the verse was: وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ غَفُورٌ‌ رَّ‌حِيمٌ (and fear Allah. Surely, Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful - 69). The hint given here is that, though spoils have been made lawful, but that too has been made lawful under a particular law. Taking against that law or taking more than due shall not still be permissible.</p><p>There were two matters in question here: (1) Spoils (2) Release of prisoners against ransom. The first problem was resolved clearly by the present verse, but the other matter was yet to be cleared. Regarding this, the following verse of Surah Muhammad was revealed:</p><p>فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا فَضَرْ‌بَ الرِّ‌قَابِ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَثْخَنتُمُوهُمْ فَشُدُّوا الْوَثَاقَ فَإِمَّا مَنًّا بَعْدُ وَإِمَّا فِدَاءً حَتَّىٰ تَضَعَ الْحَرْ‌بُ أَوْزَارَ‌هَا</p><p>So, when you confront those who disbelieve at war, then keep beheading them until when you have had a thorough blood-shed to break their power, then shackle them tight. After that, either free them as favour without any return or release them against ransom - until the war lays down its arms - 47:4)</p><p>Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ says: Divine admonition came upon releasing prisoners against ransom in the battle of Badr. This was the first Jihad of Islam. That was a time when the might and power of disbelievers was yet to break apart. It was by chance that they had run into trouble. Finally, when Islam and Muslims went on to achieve total ascendency, Allah Ta` ala abrogated the earlier injunction and revealed the verse of the Surah Muhammad quoted above in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ and Muslims have been given four options about prisoners. These are:</p><p>ان شاء واقتلوھم وان شاء وا استعبدوھم وان شاء وا افادوھم وان شاء وا اعتقوھم۔</p><p>If they wish, they can kill them all; or if they wish, they can put them in bondage; or if they wish, they can release them against ransom; or if they wish, they can (just) free them (without taking any ransom). (Mazhari)</p><p>There is a consensus of the entire Muslim Ummah on the first two of the four options mentioned above that the Amir of Muslims has the dual right of killing the prisoners and holding them in bondage, but there is a difference of opinion among Muslim jurists about setting them free without compensation or releasing them against it.</p><p>The position taken by Imam Malik, Shafi` i, Ahmad. ibn Hanbal, Thawri, Ishaq, and Hasan al-Basri and 'Ata' from among the Tabi` in, is that both these forms are permissible for the Amir of Muslims - that he may release the prisoners against compensation, or set them free without compensation, or exchange them for Muslim prisoners.</p><p>But Imam Abu- Hanifah, Abu Yusuf, Muhammad, Awza` i, and Qatadah, Dahhak, Suddiyy and Ibn Jurayj say that setting them free is just not permissible without compensation. Even releasing them against ransom is not permissible in the well-known creed of Imam Abu Hanifah. However, it appears in a report of al-Siyar al-Kabir that, should Muslims be in need of financial support, they can release prisoners against ransom. However, releasing them in exchange for Muslim prisoners is permissible with Imam Abu Hanifah and the two Jurists, Imams Abu Yusuf and Muhammad. (As evident from the two reports from them - Mazhari).</p><p>Those who have permitted release against ransom or without ransom, they - as said by Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ - regard the verse of Surah Muhammad to be the abrogator (nasikh) of the verse of Surah Al-Anfal and take the later as abrogated (mansukh). According to Hanafi jurists, what stands abrogated (mansukh) is the verse of Surah Muhammad, while the verses of Surah Al-Anfal: فَشَرِّ‌دْ بِهِم مَّنْ خَلْفَهُمْ (make them an example, for those behind them -57) and Surah Al-Taubah: فَاقْتُلُوا الْمُشْرِ‌كِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ (kill the Mushriks wherever you find them -9:5) are its abrogator (nasikh). Therefore, according to them, it is not permissible to release the prisoners, whether against ransom or without it. (Mazhari)</p><p>But, a careful deliberation into the respective words of the verses of Su-rah Al-Anfal and Surah Muhammad leaves us with the impression that none of these two can be called the abrogator or the abrogated. In fact, they are two injunctions for two different situations.</p><p>It can be seen that the pivotal injunction of breaking the power of disbelievers (اَثخان فی العرض) has been taken up in the verse of Surah Al-Anfal, then, the option of releasing prisoners without compensation or against it (in the form of: من وفداء) has been given in Surah Muhammad too, but the main objective has already been stated in the former - that of' ithkhan fi 'l-ard'. Thus, it means that once the power facade of the disbelievers has been broken through a thorough blood-shed, Muslims have the option of releasing prisoners against ransom, or setting them free without any ransom.</p><p>The report of al-Siyar al-Kabir from Imam Abu Hanifah (رح) could also be intended to establish that both kinds of injunctions can be given keeping in view the conditions and needs Muslims are faced with. 1.</p><p>1. Some more detail about the war-prisoners will appear in the commentary of Surah Muhammad insha-allah. (Editor)</p>

Ruling 1: In the verse under discussion, admonition came upon releasing prisoners against ransom or collecting spoils, warning of Divine punishment was given, then came forgiveness. But, what remained still not clear was the future course Muslims would be required to take in such matters. Therefore, in the next verse (69), the matter relating to spoils was made all too clear by saying: فَكُلُوا مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ (So, eat of the spoils you have got), that is, it has been made lawful for you in the future. But, even now, there remains a doubt to the effect that the injunction making spoils lawful had come at the present stage, however, spoils which had been collected in error before the coming of this injunction may contain some element of undesirability in it. Therefore, by saying: حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا (lawful and pure - 69) soon after it, even this doubt was removed. It means: Though, taking the initiative in collecting spoils, before the revelation of Divine guideline, was not correct - but now that the injunction making spoils lawful has been revealed, all that has been collected earlier is also lawful without any shade of repugnance or reprehensibility (karahah) in it.Ruling 2: At this point, worth notice and retention is a principle of Islamic jurisprudence: When some impermissible initiative is regularized through a standing verse, no effect of the previous initiative remains operative therein. The property becomes lawful and pure - as it happened here. But, there is a corresponding instance relevant to what has been stated above. Take a case in which there was an injunction already revealed, but its revelation did not seem to affect the initiators of an action, based on which they went on to contravene it. It was later on that they found out that the particular deed of theirs was contrary to such and such injunction of the Qur'an and Sunnah. Then, in such a situation, after the coming of the injunction, that property does not remain lawful - even though the previous error is forgiven. (Nuru 'l-Anwar, Mulla Jiwan) However, in the present verse, spoils have, no doubt, been declared to be lawful and pure, but the restriction imposed at the end of the verse was: وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ غَفُورٌ‌ رَّ‌حِيمٌ (and fear Allah. Surely, Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful - 69). The hint given here is that, though spoils have been made lawful, but that too has been made lawful under a particular law. Taking against that law or taking more than due shall not still be permissible.There were two matters in question here: (1) Spoils (2) Release of prisoners against ransom. The first problem was resolved clearly by the present verse, but the other matter was yet to be cleared. Regarding this, the following verse of Surah Muhammad was revealed:فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا فَضَرْ‌بَ الرِّ‌قَابِ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَثْخَنتُمُوهُمْ فَشُدُّوا الْوَثَاقَ فَإِمَّا مَنًّا بَعْدُ وَإِمَّا فِدَاءً حَتَّىٰ تَضَعَ الْحَرْ‌بُ أَوْزَارَ‌هَاSo, when you confront those who disbelieve at war, then keep beheading them until when you have had a thorough blood-shed to break their power, then shackle them tight. After that, either free them as favour without any return or release them against ransom - until the war lays down its arms - 47:4)Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ says: Divine admonition came upon releasing prisoners against ransom in the battle of Badr. This was the first Jihad of Islam. That was a time when the might and power of disbelievers was yet to break apart. It was by chance that they had run into trouble. Finally, when Islam and Muslims went on to achieve total ascendency, Allah Ta` ala abrogated the earlier injunction and revealed the verse of the Surah Muhammad quoted above in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ and Muslims have been given four options about prisoners. These are:ان شاء واقتلوھم وان شاء وا استعبدوھم وان شاء وا افادوھم وان شاء وا اعتقوھم۔If they wish, they can kill them all; or if they wish, they can put them in bondage; or if they wish, they can release them against ransom; or if they wish, they can (just) free them (without taking any ransom). (Mazhari)There is a consensus of the entire Muslim Ummah on the first two of the four options mentioned above that the Amir of Muslims has the dual right of killing the prisoners and holding them in bondage, but there is a difference of opinion among Muslim jurists about setting them free without compensation or releasing them against it.The position taken by Imam Malik, Shafi` i, Ahmad. ibn Hanbal, Thawri, Ishaq, and Hasan al-Basri and 'Ata' from among the Tabi` in, is that both these forms are permissible for the Amir of Muslims - that he may release the prisoners against compensation, or set them free without compensation, or exchange them for Muslim prisoners.But Imam Abu- Hanifah, Abu Yusuf, Muhammad, Awza` i, and Qatadah, Dahhak, Suddiyy and Ibn Jurayj say that setting them free is just not permissible without compensation. Even releasing them against ransom is not permissible in the well-known creed of Imam Abu Hanifah. However, it appears in a report of al-Siyar al-Kabir that, should Muslims be in need of financial support, they can release prisoners against ransom. However, releasing them in exchange for Muslim prisoners is permissible with Imam Abu Hanifah and the two Jurists, Imams Abu Yusuf and Muhammad. (As evident from the two reports from them - Mazhari).Those who have permitted release against ransom or without ransom, they - as said by Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ - regard the verse of Surah Muhammad to be the abrogator (nasikh) of the verse of Surah Al-Anfal and take the later as abrogated (mansukh). According to Hanafi jurists, what stands abrogated (mansukh) is the verse of Surah Muhammad, while the verses of Surah Al-Anfal: فَشَرِّ‌دْ بِهِم مَّنْ خَلْفَهُمْ (make them an example, for those behind them -57) and Surah Al-Taubah: فَاقْتُلُوا الْمُشْرِ‌كِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ (kill the Mushriks wherever you find them -9:5) are its abrogator (nasikh). Therefore, according to them, it is not permissible to release the prisoners, whether against ransom or without it. (Mazhari)But, a careful deliberation into the respective words of the verses of Su-rah Al-Anfal and Surah Muhammad leaves us with the impression that none of these two can be called the abrogator or the abrogated. In fact, they are two injunctions for two different situations.It can be seen that the pivotal injunction of breaking the power of disbelievers (اَثخان فی العرض) has been taken up in the verse of Surah Al-Anfal, then, the option of releasing prisoners without compensation or against it (in the form of: من وفداء) has been given in Surah Muhammad too, but the main objective has already been stated in the former - that of' ithkhan fi 'l-ard'. Thus, it means that once the power facade of the disbelievers has been broken through a thorough blood-shed, Muslims have the option of releasing prisoners against ransom, or setting them free without any ransom.The report of al-Siyar al-Kabir from Imam Abu Hanifah (رح) could also be intended to establish that both kinds of injunctions can be given keeping in view the conditions and needs Muslims are faced with. 1.1. Some more detail about the war-prisoners will appear in the commentary of Surah Muhammad insha-allah. (Editor)

O Prophet, tell the captives you have taken: "If God finds some good in your hearts, He will reward you with something better than was taken away from you, and forgive your sins, for God is forgiving and kind."

O Herald of the Hidden! Say to the captives whom you possess, “If Allah finds any goodness in your hearts, He will give you better than what has been taken from you, and will forgive you; and Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

O Prophet, say to the prisoners in your hands: 'If God knows of any good in your hearts He will give you better than what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you; surely God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.'

[Hence,] O Prophet, say unto the captives who are in your hands: "If God finds any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than all that has been taken from you, and will forgive you your sins: for God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace."

O Prophet! say Unto the captives who are in your hands: if Allah knoweth any good in Your hearts He will give you better than that which hath been taken away from you, and shall forgive you; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

O Prophet! Say to the captives that are in your hands: "If Allah knows any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

O prophet! Say to those you hold prisoners, “If God finds any good in your hearts, He will give you better than what was taken from you, and He will forgive you. God is Forgiving and Merciful.”

O Prophet! Say to the captives in your hands: 'If Allah finds any goodness in your hearts He will give you that which is better than what has been taken away from you, and He will forgive you. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.'

O Prophet! Say to the captives that are in your hands: "If Allah knows any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

O Prophet! Say unto those captives who are in your hands: If Allah knoweth any good in your hearts He will give you better than that which hath been taken from you, and will forgive you. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

O Prophet! Say to the captives who are in your hands, ‘If Allah finds any good in your hearts, He will give you [something which is] better than what has been taken away from you, and He will forgive you, and Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.’

O Prophet, say to those you have taken captive in your hand: 'If Allah finds goodness in your hearts, He will give you that which is better than what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you. Allah is Forgiving, the Most Merciful'

O Prophet, say to whoever is in your hands of the captives, "If Allah knows [any] good in your hearts, He will give you [something] better than what was taken from you, and He will forgive you; and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."

Prophet, tell the captives with you, "If God finds anything good in your hearts, He will give you a better reward than that which was taken from you and will forgive you. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful.

O Prophet! say to those of the captives who are in your hands: If Allah knows anything good in your hearts, He will give to you better than that which has been taken away from you and will forgive you, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Y<u>a</u> ayyuh<u>a</u> a<b>l</b>nnabiyyu qul liman fee aydeekum mina alasr<u>a</u> in yaAAlami All<u>a</u>hu fee quloobikum khayran yutikum khayran mimm<u>a</u> okhi<u>th</u>a minkum wayaghfir lakum wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu ghafoorun ra<u>h</u>eem<b>un</b>

Prophet, tell those you have taken captive: "If God knows of any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you: God is Forgiving and Merciful."

O Prophet! say to those who are captives in your hands: "If Allah findeth any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful."

8

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ قُل لِّمَن فِىٓ أَيْدِيكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَسْرَىٰٓ إِن يَعْلَمِ ٱللَّهُ فِى قُلُوبِكُمْ خَيْرًا يُؤْتِكُمْ خَيْرًا مِّمَّآ أُخِذَ مِنكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

O Prophet, say to those idolater captives who have come into your hands after the Battle of Badr: If Allah knows of any good intentions in your hearts, He will give you something better than the ransom that was taken from you; so do not grieve over what was taken from you. Allah will also forgive your sins because He is Forgiving and Compassionate to those of His servants who repent to Him. This promise of Allah was fullfilled for ‘Abbās, the uncle of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and for others like him who accepted Islam after being captured.

O Prophet, say to those idolater captives who have come into your hands after the Battle of Badr: If Allah knows of any good intentions in your hearts, He will give you something better than the ransom that was taken from you; so do not grieve over what was taken from you. Allah will also forgive your sins because He is Forgiving and Compassionate to those of His servants who repent to Him. This promise of Allah was fullfilled for ‘Abbās, the uncle of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and for others like him who accepted Islam after being captured.

<p>Commentary</p><p>The prisoners taken in the battle of Badr were released against ransom. These were sworn enemies of Islam and Muslims who had left nothing undone when it came to harassing, torturing, beating and killing them, anytime, anywhere. The slightest opportunity on hand would make them inflict their savagery on them. Now that they were prisoners in the hands of Muslims, granting them a lease of life was no mean feat. In fact, it was much more than adequate for them, virtually touching the outside limits of kindness under given circumstances. Then, the amount of ransom taken from them was far too ordinary.</p><p>Certainly great is the kindness of Allah Ta'ala. Imagine the consideration shown for the discomfort caused to them in paying that paltry sum for freedom and see how it is removed. It has been said in verse 70: If Allah shall find any good in your hearts, then, He shall give you what is better than what has been taken from you - and in addition to that, He shall forgive your past sins. The word: خَیر (khayr: good) used here means 'Iman (faith) and Ikhlas (sincerity). The sense of the statement is that prisoners، who once they are free, were to take to 'Iman and Islam with sincerity, then they shall be receiving more and better than what they have given in ransom. Thus, made free and independent, the prisoners have been invited to consider their profit and loss as free individuals. In consequence, events prove that those from among them who embraced Islam were so heavily rewarded by Allah Ta` ala right here in this mortal world with wealth and property which was way higher than what they had paid as ransom - not to mention the forgiveness they were blessed with and the high ranks of Paradise they received in the Hereafter.</p><p>Most commentators have said that this verse was revealed about Sayyidna ` Abbas ؓ the uncle of the Holy Prophet ﷺ because he too was one of the prisoners of Badr and ransom was taken from him too. His case was special in that he had left Makkah to participate in the battle of Badr with almost seven hundred guineas of gold on his person which was meant to be spent on the army of the disbelievers. However, before this could be spent, he was taken a prisoner with the gold.</p><p>When came the time to pay ransom, he said to the Holy Prophet ﷺ that the gold he had with him should be applied to cover the amount of his ransom. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: The wealth you brought to support disbelief became war spoils for Muslims. Ransom has to be in addition to that. Alongwith it, he also said: You should also pay the ransom for your two nephews, ` Agil ibn Abi Talib and Nawfil ibn Harith. Thereupon, Sayyidna ` Abbas ؓ said: If so much financial burden was placed on me, I shall have to beg before the Quraysh like a pauper. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: Why? What about the wealth you had entrusted with your wife, Umm al-Fadl while leaving Makkah? Sayyidna ` Abbas ؓ asked: How did you know this when I had entrusted it with my wife in the darkness of night, personally and in private. There is no third person who knows about it. He said: My Rabb رَبّ has told me everything about it. When Sayyidna ` Abbas ؓ heard these words, his heart became certain that the Holy Prophet ﷺ was a true messenger of Allah. In fact, Sayyidna ` Abbas ؓ had held the Holy Prophet in esteem even before this happened, but there were some doubts as well - which Allah Ta` ala removed at this moment. So, in reality, he had become a Muslim right then. But, he had a lot of money he had loaned out to the Quraysh of Makkah. If he were to declare his conversion to Islam immediately at that time, all that money would have gone waste. Therefore, he did not make a public announcement of it and the Holy Prophet ﷺ too said nothing about it to anyone. Before the Conquest of Makkah, he requested the Holy Prophet ﷺ for his permission to migrate from Makkah to Madinah. But, the Holy Prophet ﷺ advised him not to do that yet.</p><p>Following this conversation with Sayyidna ` Abbas ؓ ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ also told him about the promise appearing in the present verse which says that should he embrace Islam and become a Muslim with unalloyed sincerity of heart, then, the money he has spent in ransom shall be returned to him by Allah Ta` ala making it much more and much better for him. Hence, it was after his adherence to Islam had become public knowledge, he used to say: As for me, I am seeing the manifestation of this promise with my own eyes - because the amount of gold taken from me in ransom at that time was seven hundred guineas (20 Uqiyah). Now, at present, twenty of my slaves are running businesses at several places and no business venture being run by them is worth any less than twenty thousand dirhams each. And on top of all this, I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve Hujjaj, the visiting pilgrims, by providing to them drinking water from the sacred well of Zamzam - a service I consider to be so valuable as would pale out the possession of the entire wealth of the people of Makkah.</p>

CommentaryThe prisoners taken in the battle of Badr were released against ransom. These were sworn enemies of Islam and Muslims who had left nothing undone when it came to harassing, torturing, beating and killing them, anytime, anywhere. The slightest opportunity on hand would make them inflict their savagery on them. Now that they were prisoners in the hands of Muslims, granting them a lease of life was no mean feat. In fact, it was much more than adequate for them, virtually touching the outside limits of kindness under given circumstances. Then, the amount of ransom taken from them was far too ordinary.Certainly great is the kindness of Allah Ta'ala. Imagine the consideration shown for the discomfort caused to them in paying that paltry sum for freedom and see how it is removed. It has been said in verse 70: If Allah shall find any good in your hearts, then, He shall give you what is better than what has been taken from you - and in addition to that, He shall forgive your past sins. The word: خَیر (khayr: good) used here means 'Iman (faith) and Ikhlas (sincerity). The sense of the statement is that prisoners، who once they are free, were to take to 'Iman and Islam with sincerity, then they shall be receiving more and better than what they have given in ransom. Thus, made free and independent, the prisoners have been invited to consider their profit and loss as free individuals. In consequence, events prove that those from among them who embraced Islam were so heavily rewarded by Allah Ta` ala right here in this mortal world with wealth and property which was way higher than what they had paid as ransom - not to mention the forgiveness they were blessed with and the high ranks of Paradise they received in the Hereafter.Most commentators have said that this verse was revealed about Sayyidna ` Abbas ؓ the uncle of the Holy Prophet ﷺ because he too was one of the prisoners of Badr and ransom was taken from him too. His case was special in that he had left Makkah to participate in the battle of Badr with almost seven hundred guineas of gold on his person which was meant to be spent on the army of the disbelievers. However, before this could be spent, he was taken a prisoner with the gold.When came the time to pay ransom, he said to the Holy Prophet ﷺ that the gold he had with him should be applied to cover the amount of his ransom. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: The wealth you brought to support disbelief became war spoils for Muslims. Ransom has to be in addition to that. Alongwith it, he also said: You should also pay the ransom for your two nephews, ` Agil ibn Abi Talib and Nawfil ibn Harith. Thereupon, Sayyidna ` Abbas ؓ said: If so much financial burden was placed on me, I shall have to beg before the Quraysh like a pauper. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: Why? What about the wealth you had entrusted with your wife, Umm al-Fadl while leaving Makkah? Sayyidna ` Abbas ؓ asked: How did you know this when I had entrusted it with my wife in the darkness of night, personally and in private. There is no third person who knows about it. He said: My Rabb رَبّ has told me everything about it. When Sayyidna ` Abbas ؓ heard these words, his heart became certain that the Holy Prophet ﷺ was a true messenger of Allah. In fact, Sayyidna ` Abbas ؓ had held the Holy Prophet in esteem even before this happened, but there were some doubts as well - which Allah Ta` ala removed at this moment. So, in reality, he had become a Muslim right then. But, he had a lot of money he had loaned out to the Quraysh of Makkah. If he were to declare his conversion to Islam immediately at that time, all that money would have gone waste. Therefore, he did not make a public announcement of it and the Holy Prophet ﷺ too said nothing about it to anyone. Before the Conquest of Makkah, he requested the Holy Prophet ﷺ for his permission to migrate from Makkah to Madinah. But, the Holy Prophet ﷺ advised him not to do that yet.Following this conversation with Sayyidna ` Abbas ؓ ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ also told him about the promise appearing in the present verse which says that should he embrace Islam and become a Muslim with unalloyed sincerity of heart, then, the money he has spent in ransom shall be returned to him by Allah Ta` ala making it much more and much better for him. Hence, it was after his adherence to Islam had become public knowledge, he used to say: As for me, I am seeing the manifestation of this promise with my own eyes - because the amount of gold taken from me in ransom at that time was seven hundred guineas (20 Uqiyah). Now, at present, twenty of my slaves are running businesses at several places and no business venture being run by them is worth any less than twenty thousand dirhams each. And on top of all this, I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve Hujjaj, the visiting pilgrims, by providing to them drinking water from the sacred well of Zamzam - a service I consider to be so valuable as would pale out the possession of the entire wealth of the people of Makkah.

<h2 class="title">Pagan Prisoners at Badr were promised better than what They lost, if They become Righteous in the Future</h2><p>Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that `Abdullah bin `Abbas said that before the battle of Badr, the Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إِنِّي قَدْ عَرَفْتُ أَنَّ أُنَاسًا مِنْ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ وَغَيْرِهِمْ قَدْ أُخْرِجُوا كَرْهًا لَا حَاجَةَ لَهُمْ بِقِتَالِنَا فَمَنْ لَقِيَ مِنْكُمْ أَحَدًا مِنْهُمْ أَيْ مِنْ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ فَلَا يَقْتُلْهُ، وَمَنْ لَقِيَ أَبَا الْبُخْتَرِي بْنَ هِشَامٍ مُسْتَكرِهًا»</div><p>(I have come to know that some people from Bani Hashim and others were forced to accompany the pagans, although they had no desire to fight us. Therefore, whoever meets any of them (Bani Hashim), do not kill him. Whoever meets Abu Al-Bukhtari bin Hisham, should not kill him. Whoever meets Al-`Abbas bin `Abdul-Muttalib, let him not kill him, for he was forced to come (with the pagan army).) Abu Hudhayfah bin `Utbah said, "Shall we kill our fathers, children, brothers and tribesmen (from Quraysh), and leave Al-`Abbas By Allah! If I meet him, I will kill him with the sword." When this reached the Messenger of Allah , he said to `Umar bin Al-Khattab, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«يَا أَبَا حَفْص»</div><p>(O Abu Hafs!), and `Umar said, "By Allah that was the first time that the Messenger of Allah called me Abu Hafs." </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أَيُضْرَبُ وَجْهُ عَمِّ رَسُولِ اللهِ بِالسَّيْف»</div><p>(Will the face of the Messenger of Allahs's uncle be struck with the sword) `Umar said, "O Allah's Messenger! Give me permission to cut off his neck (meaning Abu Hudhayfah) for he has fallen into hypocrisy, by Allah!" Ever since that happened, Abu Hudhayfah used to say, "By Allah! I do not feel safe from this statement coming back to haunt me, and I will continue to fear its repercussions, unless Allah, the Exalted, forgives me for it through martyrdom." Abu Hudhayfah was martyred during the battle of Al-Yamamah, may Allah be pleased with him. </p><p>Ibn `Abbas said, "On the eve after Badr, the Messenger of Allah spent the first part of the night awake, while the prisoners were bound. His Companions said to him, `O Allah's Messenger! Why do you not sleep' Al-`Abbas had been captured by a man from Al-Ansar, and the Messenger of Allah said to them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«سَمِعْتُ أَنِينَ عَمِّي الْعَبَّاسِ فِي وِثَاقِهِ فَأَطْلِقُوه»</div><p>(I heard the cries of pain from my uncle Al-`Abbas, because of his shackles, so untie him.) When his uncle stopped crying from pain, Allah's Messenger went to sleep." In his Sahih, Al-Bukhari recorded a Hadith from Musa bin `Uqbah who said that Ibn Shihab said that Anas bin Malik said that some men from Al-Ansar said to the Messenger of Allah , "O Allah's Messenger! Give us permission and we will set free our maternal cousin Al-`Abbas without taking ransom from him." He said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«لَا وَاللهِ لَا تَذَرُونَ مِنْهُ دِرْهَمًا»</div><p>(No, by Allah! Do not leave any Dirham of it.) And from Yunus Bikkir, from Muhammad bin Ishaq, from Yazid bin Ruwman, from `Urwah, from Az-Zuhri that several people said to him, "The Quraysh sent to the Messenger of Allah concerning ransoming their prisoners, and each tribe paid what was required for their prisoners. Al-`Abbas said, `O Allah's Messenger! I became a Muslims before.' The Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«اللهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِسْلَامِكَ فَإِنْ يَكُنْ كَمَا تَقُولُ فَإِنَّ اللهُ يُجْزِيكَ وَأَمَّا ظَاهِرُكَ فَقَدْ كَانَ عَلَيْنَا فَافْتَدِ نَفْسَكَ وَابْنَي أَخِيكَ نَوْفَلَ بْنَ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِبِ وَعَقِيلَ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبِ بْنِ عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِبِ ، وَحَلِيفَكَ عُتْبَةَ بْنَ عَمْرٍو أَخِي بَنِي الْحَارِثِ بْنِ فِهْر»</div><p>(Allah knows if you are Muslim! If what you are claiming is true, then Allah will compensate you. As for your outward appearance, it was against us. Therefore, ransom yourself, as well as, your nephews Nawfal bin Al-Harith bin `Abdul-Muttalib and `Aqil bin Abu Talib bin `Abdul-Muttalib, and also your ally `Utbah bin `Amr, from Bani Al-Harith bin Fihr.) Al-`Abbas said, `I do not have that (money), O Allah's Messenger!' The Messenger said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«فَأَيْنَ الْمَالُ الَّذِي دَفَنْتَهُ أَنْتَ وَأُمُّ الْفَضْلِ فَقُلْتَ لَهَا: إِنْ أَصَبْتُ فِي سَفَرِي هَذَا، فَهَذَا الْمَالُ الَّذِي دَفَنْتُهُ لِبَنِي الْفَضْلِ وَعَبْدِاللهِ وَقُثَمٍ؟»</div><p>(What about the wealth that you and Umm Al-Fadl buried, and you said to her, `If I am killed in this battle, then this money that I buried is for my children Al-Fadl, `Abdullah and Quthm) Al-`Abbas said, `By Allah, O Allah's Messenger! I know that you are Allah's Messenger, for this is a thing that none except Umm Al-Fadl and I knew. However, O Allah's Messenger! Could you count towards my ransom the twenty Uwqiyah (pertaining to a weight) that you took from me (in the battle)' The Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«لَا ذَاكَ شَيْءٌ أَعْطَانَا اللهُ تَعَالَى مِنْك»</div><p>(No, for that was money that Allah made as war spoils for us from you). </p><p>So Al-`Abbas ransomed himself, his two nephews and an ally, and Allah revealed this verse, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَـأَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ قُل لِّمَن فِى أَيْدِيكُم مِّنَ الاٌّسْرَى إِن يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ خَيْراً يُؤْتِكُمْ خَيْراً مِّمَّآ أُخِذَ مِنكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ </div><p>(O Prophet! Say to the captives that are in your hands: "If Allah knows any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.") 8:70 Al-`Abbas commented, `After I became Muslim, Allah gave me twenty servants in place of the twenty Uwqiyah I lost. And I hope for Allah's forgiveness." </p><p>Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bayhaqi recorded, that Anas bin Malik said, "The Prophet was brought some wealth from Bahrain and said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«انْثُرُوهُ فِي مَسجِدِي»</div><p>(Distribute it in my Masjid) and it was the biggest amount of goods Allah's Messenger had ever received. He left for prayer and did not even look at the goods. After finishing the prayer, he sat by those goods and gave some of it to everybody he saw. Al-`Abbas came to him and said, `O Allah's Messenger! give me (something) too, because I gave ransom for myself and `Aqil. ' Allah's Messenger told him to take. So he stuffed his garment with it and tried to carry it away but he failed to do so. He said, `Order someone to help me in lifting it.' The Prophet refused. He then said to the Prophet , `Will you please help me to lift it' Allah's Messenger refused. Then Al-`Abbas dropped some of it and lifted it on his shoulders and went away. Allah's Messenger kept on watching him till he disappeared from his sight and was astonished at his greediness. Allah's Messenger did not get up until the last coin was distributed." Al-Bukhari also collected this Hadith in several places of his Sahih with an abridged chain, in a manner indicating his approral of it. </p><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِن يُرِيدُواْ خِيَانَتَكَ فَقَدْ خَانُواْ اللَّهَ مِن قَبْلُ</div><p>(But if they intend to betray you, they indeed betrayed Allah before) meaning, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِن يُرِيدُواْ خِيَانَتَكَ</div><p>(But if they intend to betray you) in contradiction to what they declare to you by words. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَقَدْ خَانُواْ اللَّهَ مِن قَبْلُ</div><p>(they indeed betrayed Allah before), the battle of Badr by committing disbelief in Him, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَأَمْكَنَ مِنْهُمْ</div><p>(So He gave (you) power over them), causing them to be captured in Badr, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ</div><p>(And Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise.) </p><p>He is Ever Aware of his actions and All-Wise in what He decides. </p>

Pagan Prisoners at Badr were promised better than what They lost, if They become Righteous in the FutureMuhammad bin Ishaq reported that `Abdullah bin `Abbas said that before the battle of Badr, the Messenger of Allah said, «إِنِّي قَدْ عَرَفْتُ أَنَّ أُنَاسًا مِنْ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ وَغَيْرِهِمْ قَدْ أُخْرِجُوا كَرْهًا لَا حَاجَةَ لَهُمْ بِقِتَالِنَا فَمَنْ لَقِيَ مِنْكُمْ أَحَدًا مِنْهُمْ أَيْ مِنْ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ فَلَا يَقْتُلْهُ، وَمَنْ لَقِيَ أَبَا الْبُخْتَرِي بْنَ هِشَامٍ مُسْتَكرِهًا»(I have come to know that some people from Bani Hashim and others were forced to accompany the pagans, although they had no desire to fight us. Therefore, whoever meets any of them (Bani Hashim), do not kill him. Whoever meets Abu Al-Bukhtari bin Hisham, should not kill him. Whoever meets Al-`Abbas bin `Abdul-Muttalib, let him not kill him, for he was forced to come (with the pagan army).) Abu Hudhayfah bin `Utbah said, "Shall we kill our fathers, children, brothers and tribesmen (from Quraysh), and leave Al-`Abbas By Allah! If I meet him, I will kill him with the sword." When this reached the Messenger of Allah , he said to `Umar bin Al-Khattab, «يَا أَبَا حَفْص»(O Abu Hafs!), and `Umar said, "By Allah that was the first time that the Messenger of Allah called me Abu Hafs." «أَيُضْرَبُ وَجْهُ عَمِّ رَسُولِ اللهِ بِالسَّيْف»(Will the face of the Messenger of Allahs's uncle be struck with the sword) `Umar said, "O Allah's Messenger! Give me permission to cut off his neck (meaning Abu Hudhayfah) for he has fallen into hypocrisy, by Allah!" Ever since that happened, Abu Hudhayfah used to say, "By Allah! I do not feel safe from this statement coming back to haunt me, and I will continue to fear its repercussions, unless Allah, the Exalted, forgives me for it through martyrdom." Abu Hudhayfah was martyred during the battle of Al-Yamamah, may Allah be pleased with him. Ibn `Abbas said, "On the eve after Badr, the Messenger of Allah spent the first part of the night awake, while the prisoners were bound. His Companions said to him, `O Allah's Messenger! Why do you not sleep' Al-`Abbas had been captured by a man from Al-Ansar, and the Messenger of Allah said to them, «سَمِعْتُ أَنِينَ عَمِّي الْعَبَّاسِ فِي وِثَاقِهِ فَأَطْلِقُوه»(I heard the cries of pain from my uncle Al-`Abbas, because of his shackles, so untie him.) When his uncle stopped crying from pain, Allah's Messenger went to sleep." In his Sahih, Al-Bukhari recorded a Hadith from Musa bin `Uqbah who said that Ibn Shihab said that Anas bin Malik said that some men from Al-Ansar said to the Messenger of Allah , "O Allah's Messenger! Give us permission and we will set free our maternal cousin Al-`Abbas without taking ransom from him." He said, «لَا وَاللهِ لَا تَذَرُونَ مِنْهُ دِرْهَمًا»(No, by Allah! Do not leave any Dirham of it.) And from Yunus Bikkir, from Muhammad bin Ishaq, from Yazid bin Ruwman, from `Urwah, from Az-Zuhri that several people said to him, "The Quraysh sent to the Messenger of Allah concerning ransoming their prisoners, and each tribe paid what was required for their prisoners. Al-`Abbas said, `O Allah's Messenger! I became a Muslims before.' The Messenger of Allah said, «اللهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِسْلَامِكَ فَإِنْ يَكُنْ كَمَا تَقُولُ فَإِنَّ اللهُ يُجْزِيكَ وَأَمَّا ظَاهِرُكَ فَقَدْ كَانَ عَلَيْنَا فَافْتَدِ نَفْسَكَ وَابْنَي أَخِيكَ نَوْفَلَ بْنَ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِبِ وَعَقِيلَ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبِ بْنِ عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِبِ ، وَحَلِيفَكَ عُتْبَةَ بْنَ عَمْرٍو أَخِي بَنِي الْحَارِثِ بْنِ فِهْر»(Allah knows if you are Muslim! If what you are claiming is true, then Allah will compensate you. As for your outward appearance, it was against us. Therefore, ransom yourself, as well as, your nephews Nawfal bin Al-Harith bin `Abdul-Muttalib and `Aqil bin Abu Talib bin `Abdul-Muttalib, and also your ally `Utbah bin `Amr, from Bani Al-Harith bin Fihr.) Al-`Abbas said, `I do not have that (money), O Allah's Messenger!' The Messenger said, «فَأَيْنَ الْمَالُ الَّذِي دَفَنْتَهُ أَنْتَ وَأُمُّ الْفَضْلِ فَقُلْتَ لَهَا: إِنْ أَصَبْتُ فِي سَفَرِي هَذَا، فَهَذَا الْمَالُ الَّذِي دَفَنْتُهُ لِبَنِي الْفَضْلِ وَعَبْدِاللهِ وَقُثَمٍ؟»(What about the wealth that you and Umm Al-Fadl buried, and you said to her, `If I am killed in this battle, then this money that I buried is for my children Al-Fadl, `Abdullah and Quthm) Al-`Abbas said, `By Allah, O Allah's Messenger! I know that you are Allah's Messenger, for this is a thing that none except Umm Al-Fadl and I knew. However, O Allah's Messenger! Could you count towards my ransom the twenty Uwqiyah (pertaining to a weight) that you took from me (in the battle)' The Messenger of Allah said, «لَا ذَاكَ شَيْءٌ أَعْطَانَا اللهُ تَعَالَى مِنْك»(No, for that was money that Allah made as war spoils for us from you). So Al-`Abbas ransomed himself, his two nephews and an ally, and Allah revealed this verse, يَـأَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ قُل لِّمَن فِى أَيْدِيكُم مِّنَ الاٌّسْرَى إِن يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ خَيْراً يُؤْتِكُمْ خَيْراً مِّمَّآ أُخِذَ مِنكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ (O Prophet! Say to the captives that are in your hands: "If Allah knows any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.") 8:70 Al-`Abbas commented, `After I became Muslim, Allah gave me twenty servants in place of the twenty Uwqiyah I lost. And I hope for Allah's forgiveness." Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bayhaqi recorded, that Anas bin Malik said, "The Prophet was brought some wealth from Bahrain and said; «انْثُرُوهُ فِي مَسجِدِي»(Distribute it in my Masjid) and it was the biggest amount of goods Allah's Messenger had ever received. He left for prayer and did not even look at the goods. After finishing the prayer, he sat by those goods and gave some of it to everybody he saw. Al-`Abbas came to him and said, `O Allah's Messenger! give me (something) too, because I gave ransom for myself and `Aqil. ' Allah's Messenger told him to take. So he stuffed his garment with it and tried to carry it away but he failed to do so. He said, `Order someone to help me in lifting it.' The Prophet refused. He then said to the Prophet , `Will you please help me to lift it' Allah's Messenger refused. Then Al-`Abbas dropped some of it and lifted it on his shoulders and went away. Allah's Messenger kept on watching him till he disappeared from his sight and was astonished at his greediness. Allah's Messenger did not get up until the last coin was distributed." Al-Bukhari also collected this Hadith in several places of his Sahih with an abridged chain, in a manner indicating his approral of it. Allah said, وَإِن يُرِيدُواْ خِيَانَتَكَ فَقَدْ خَانُواْ اللَّهَ مِن قَبْلُ(But if they intend to betray you, they indeed betrayed Allah before) meaning, وَإِن يُرِيدُواْ خِيَانَتَكَ(But if they intend to betray you) in contradiction to what they declare to you by words. فَقَدْ خَانُواْ اللَّهَ مِن قَبْلُ(they indeed betrayed Allah before), the battle of Badr by committing disbelief in Him, فَأَمْكَنَ مِنْهُمْ(So He gave (you) power over them), causing them to be captured in Badr, وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ(And Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise.) He is Ever Aware of his actions and All-Wise in what He decides.

If they try to deceive you, remember they have deceived God before. So He gave you mastery over them, for God is all-knowing and all-wise.

And if they wish to deceive you, they have already been disloyal to Allah, because of which He has given these disbelievers in your control; and Allah is All Knowing, Wise.

And if they desire treachery against thee, they have tricked God before; but He has given thee power over them; and God is All-knowing, All-wise.

And should they but seek to play false with thee -well, they were false to God [Himself] ere this: but He gave [the believers] mastery over them. And God is all-knowing, wise.

And if they seek defrauding thee, then they have defrauded Allah before, yet he gave thee power over them; and Allah is Knowing, Wise.

But if they intend to betray you (O Muhammad SAW), they have already betrayed Allah before. So He gave (you) power over them. And Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise.

But if they intend to betray you, they have already betrayed God, and He has overpowered them. God is Knowing and Wise.

But if they seek to betray you, know that they had already betrayed Allah. Therefore He made you prevail over them. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

But if they intend to betray you, they indeed betrayed Allah before. So He gave (you) power over them. And Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise.

And if they would betray thee, they betrayed Allah before, and He gave (thee) power over them. Allah is Knower, Wise.

But if they seek to betray you, then they have already betrayed Allah earlier, and He gave [you] power over them; and Allah is all-knowing, all-wise.

But if they seek to betray you, they had betrayed Allah before, but He has let you overcome them. Allah is the Knower, the Wise.

But if they intend to betray you - then they have already betrayed Allah before, and He empowered [you] over them. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.

Do not be surprised that they want to be dishonest with you; they have always been dishonest with God. However, He has power over them. God is All-knowing and All-wise.

And if they intend to act unfaithfully towards you, so indeed they acted unfaithfully towards Allah before, but He gave (you) mastery over them; and Allah is Knowing, Wise.

Wain yureedoo khiy<u>a</u>nataka faqad kh<u>a</u>noo All<u>a</u>ha min qablu faamkana minhum wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu AAaleemun <u>h</u>akeem<b>un</b>

And if they would betray you, they betrayed God before, and He gave [you] power over them. God is aware and wise.

But if they have treacherous designs against thee, (O Messenger!), they have already been in treason against Allah, and so hath He given (thee) power over them. And Allah so He Who hath (full) knowledge and wisdom.

8

وَإِن يُرِيدُوا۟ خِيَانَتَكَ فَقَدْ خَانُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مِن قَبْلُ فَأَمْكَنَ مِنْهُمْ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

If their goal, O Muhammad, is to betray you by the words they utter, then they have betrayed Allah previously and Allah gave you victory over them when some of them were killed and others were taken captive. They should therefore wait for something similar to happen if they return to their evil. Allah knows about His creation and what is best for them, and He is Wise in His handling of affairs.

If their goal, O Muhammad, is to betray you by the words they utter, then they have betrayed Allah previously and Allah gave you victory over them when some of them were killed and others were taken captive. They should therefore wait for something similar to happen if they return to their evil. Allah knows about His creation and what is best for them, and He is Wise in His handling of affairs.

<p>About some prisoners of the battle of Badr who had become Muslims, there remained a doubt that they, once back in Makkah, may turn away from Islam and start hurting them thereafter. In the next verse (71), Allah Ta` ala has removed this apprehension by saying: وَإِن يُرِ‌يدُوا خِيَانَتَكَ فَقَدْ خَانُوا اللَّـهَ مِن قَبْلُ فَأَمْكَنَ مِنْهُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿71﴾ (And if they intend to commit treachery against you, then, they have already committed treachery against Allah, so Allah has given [ you ] power over them. And Allah is All-Knowing, Wise). It means that should these people decide to commit a breach of trust with you, it will not bring any hurt or loss to you. They were the same people who had already committed a breach of trust with Allah. They had admitted of Allah being the Lord of all the worlds at the time of the original Covenant, then they became hostile to it. But, this breach of trust turned out to be fatal for none but them when, finally, they were disgraced and detained. As for Allah Ta` ala, He is the knower of secrets hidden in hearts, and He is the possessor of great wisdom. If these people start opposing you even now, there is nowhere they can go, certainly not anywhere outside the range of the power and control of Allah Ta` ala. Inevitably, He shall seize them as before. To sum up, it can be said that, in verse 70, the da'wah of Islam was given to the released prisoners in the mode of persuasion - while in verse 71, it was in the mode of warning that they were told that success in their worldly life and in their life to come depends on Islam and 'Iman.</p><p>Upto this point, the text was dealing with injunctions relating to fighting and killing disbelievers, taking them prisoners, setting them free and carrying on peace negotiations with them. In verses which follow right upto the end of the Surah itself, a particular related chapter has been taken up alongwith some details of its injunctions. They are the injunctions of Hijrah (Emigration) - because, situations can arise during a confrontation with disbelievers wherein neither the Muslims have the power to launch an attack against them and kill them off, nor are they willing to go for peace. In such a state of weakness, the only course through which Islam and Muslims can be salvaged is Hijrah (Emigration) which means that Muslims should leave that city or country and go to stay in some other land where acting freely in accordance with Islamic injunctions is possible.</p>

About some prisoners of the battle of Badr who had become Muslims, there remained a doubt that they, once back in Makkah, may turn away from Islam and start hurting them thereafter. In the next verse (71), Allah Ta` ala has removed this apprehension by saying: وَإِن يُرِ‌يدُوا خِيَانَتَكَ فَقَدْ خَانُوا اللَّـهَ مِن قَبْلُ فَأَمْكَنَ مِنْهُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿71﴾ (And if they intend to commit treachery against you, then, they have already committed treachery against Allah, so Allah has given [ you ] power over them. And Allah is All-Knowing, Wise). It means that should these people decide to commit a breach of trust with you, it will not bring any hurt or loss to you. They were the same people who had already committed a breach of trust with Allah. They had admitted of Allah being the Lord of all the worlds at the time of the original Covenant, then they became hostile to it. But, this breach of trust turned out to be fatal for none but them when, finally, they were disgraced and detained. As for Allah Ta` ala, He is the knower of secrets hidden in hearts, and He is the possessor of great wisdom. If these people start opposing you even now, there is nowhere they can go, certainly not anywhere outside the range of the power and control of Allah Ta` ala. Inevitably, He shall seize them as before. To sum up, it can be said that, in verse 70, the da'wah of Islam was given to the released prisoners in the mode of persuasion - while in verse 71, it was in the mode of warning that they were told that success in their worldly life and in their life to come depends on Islam and 'Iman.Upto this point, the text was dealing with injunctions relating to fighting and killing disbelievers, taking them prisoners, setting them free and carrying on peace negotiations with them. In verses which follow right upto the end of the Surah itself, a particular related chapter has been taken up alongwith some details of its injunctions. They are the injunctions of Hijrah (Emigration) - because, situations can arise during a confrontation with disbelievers wherein neither the Muslims have the power to launch an attack against them and kill them off, nor are they willing to go for peace. In such a state of weakness, the only course through which Islam and Muslims can be salvaged is Hijrah (Emigration) which means that Muslims should leave that city or country and go to stay in some other land where acting freely in accordance with Islamic injunctions is possible.

Those who accepted the faith and set out of their homes, and fought in the way of God wealth and soul, and those who gave them shelter and helped them, are friends of one another. You are not responsible for protecting those who embraced the faith but did not leave their homes, until they do so. In ease they ask for your help in the name of faith, you are duty bound to help them, except against a people with whom you have a treaty; for God sees all that you do.

Indeed those who accepted faith and left their homes and belongings for Allah, and fought with their wealth and their lives in Allah's cause, and those who gave shelter and provided help, are the heirs of one another; and those who believed but did not leave their homes – you have no right in their estates until they migrate; and if they seek help from you in the matter of religion then it is your duty to provide help, except against the people between whom and you is a treaty; and Allah sees your deeds.

Those who believe, and have emigrated and struggled with their possessions and their selves in the way of God, and those who have given refuge and help -- those are friends one of another. And those who believe, but have not emigrated -- you have no duty of friendship towards them till they emigrate; yet if they ask you for help, for religion's sake, it is your duty to help them, except against a people between whom and you there is a compact; and God sees the things you do.

BEHOLD, as for those who have attained to faith, and who have forsaken the domain of evil and are striving hard, with their possessions and their lives, in God's cause, as well as those who shelter and succour [them] - these are [truly] the friends and protectors of one another. But as for those who have come to believe without having migrated [to your country] - you are in no wise responsible for their protection until such a time as they migrate [to you]. Yet, if they ask you for succour against religious persecution, it is your duty to give [them] this succour-except against a people between whom and yourselves there is a covenant: for God sees all that you do.

Verily those who believed and emigrated and strave hard in the way of Allah with their riches and lives'and those who sheltered and succoured: those shall be heirs unto one anot her. And those who believed but emigrated not, ye have naught of inheritance to do with them, unless they emigrate. And should they seek succour from you in the matter of religion, then incumbent on you is the succour, except against a people between whom and you there is a compact. And Allah is the Beholder of that which ye work.

Verily, those who believed, and emigrated and strove hard and fought with their property and their lives in the Cause of Allah as well as those who gave (them) asylum and help, - these are (all) allies to one another. And as to those who believed but did not emigrate (to you O Muhammad SAW), you owe no duty of protection to them until they emigrate, but if they seek your help in religion, it is your duty to help them except against a people with whom you have a treaty of mutual alliance, and Allah is the All-Seer of what you do.

Those who believed, and emigrated, and struggled in God’s cause with their possessions and their persons, and those who provided shelter and support—these are allies of one another. As for those who believed, but did not emigrate, you owe them no protection, until they have emigrated. But if they ask you for help in religion, you must come to their aid, except against a people with whom you have a treaty. God is Seeing of what you do.

Surely those who believed and migrated and strove hard in the way of Allah with their possessions and their lives, and those that sheltered and helped them - they alone are the true allies of one another. And those who believed but did not migrate (to Dar-al-Islam), you are under no obligation of alliance unless they migrate. And should they seek help from you in the matter of religion, it is incumbent on you to provide help unless it be against a people with whom you have a pact. Allah is cognizant of all that you do.

Verily, those who believed, and emigrated and strove hard and fought with their property and their lives in the cause of Allah as well as those who gave (them) asylum and help, -- these are (all) allies to one another. And as to those who believed but did not emigrate, you owe no duty of protection to them until they emigrate, but if they seek your help in religion, it is your duty to help them except against a people with whom you have a treaty of mutual alliance; and Allah is the All-Seer of what you do.

Lo! those who believed and left their homes and strove with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah, and those who took them in and helped them: these are protecting friends one of another. And those who believed but did not leave their homes, ye have no duty to protect them till they leave their homes; but if they seek help from you in the matter of religion then it is your duty to help (them) except against a folk between whom and you there is a treaty. Allah is Seer of what ye do.

Indeed those who have believed and migrated and waged jihad with their possessions and persons in the way of Allah, and those who gave [them] shelter and help—they are heirs of one another. As for those who have believed but did not migrate, you have no heirdom in relation to them whatsoever until they migrate. Yet if they ask your help for the sake of religion, it is incumbent on you to help them, excepting against a people with whom you have a treaty; and Allah watches what you do.

Those who believe and migrated, and fought for the Cause of Allah with their wealth and their persons; and those who sheltered them and helped them shall be guides to each other. And those who believe, but have not emigrated you have no guidance towards them till they emigrate. But if they seek your help in the cause of your religion, it is your duty to help them, except against a nation with whom you have a treaty. Allah sees the things you do.

Indeed, those who have believed and emigrated and fought with their wealth and lives in the cause of Allah and those who gave shelter and aided - they are allies of one another. But those who believed and did not emigrate - for you there is no guardianship of them until they emigrate. And if they seek help of you for the religion, then you must help, except against a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty. And Allah is Seeing of what you do.

The believers who left their homes and strove for the cause of God, through their property and in person and those who gave refuge to them and helped them will be each other's guardians. The believers who did not leave their homes are not your guardians until they too leave their homes. If they ask you for help in a religious cause, you must help them against their enemies unless their enemies have a peace treaty with you. God is Well Aware of what you do.

Surely those who believed and fled (their homes) and struggled hard in Allah's way with their property and their souls, and those who gave shelter and helped-- these are guardians of each other; and (as for) those who believed and did not fly, not yours is their guardianship until they fly; and if they seek aid from you in the matter of religion, aid is incumbent on you except against a people between whom and you there is a treaty, and Allah sees what you do.

Inna alla<u>th</u>eena <u>a</u>manoo wah<u>a</u>jaroo waj<u>a</u>hadoo biamw<u>a</u>lihim waanfusihim fee sabeeli All<u>a</u>hi wa<b>a</b>lla<u>th</u>eena <u>a</u>waw wana<u>s</u>aroo ol<u>a</u>ika baAA<u>d</u>uhum awliy<u>a</u>o baAA<u>d</u>in wa<b>a</b>lla<u>th</u>eena <u>a</u>manoo walam yuh<u>a</u>jiroo m<u>a</u> lakum min wal<u>a</u>yatihim min shayin <u>h</u>att<u>a</u> yuh<u>a</u>jiroo waini istan<u>s</u>arookum fee a<b>l</b>ddeeni faAAalaykumu a<b>l</b>nna<u>s</u>ru ill<u>a</u> AAal<u>a</u> qawmin baynakum wabaynahum meeth<u>a</u>qun wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu bim<u>a</u> taAAmaloona ba<u>s</u>eer<b>un</b>

Those who have believed and migrated and struggled for God's cause with their possessions and persons, and those who have given refuge and help, are the friends and protectors of one another. But as for those who have come to believe without having migrated -- you are in no way responsible for their protection until they migrate. If they seek your help in the matter of religion, it is incumbent on you to help them, except against a people with whom you have a pact. God sees what you do.

Those who believed, and adopted exile, and fought for the Faith, with their property and their persons, in the cause of Allah, as well as those who gave (them) asylum and aid,- these are (all) friends and protectors, one of another. As to those who believed but came not into exile, ye owe no duty of protection to them until they come into exile; but if they seek your aid in religion, it is your duty to help them, except against a people with whom ye have a treaty of mutual alliance. And (remember) Allah seeth all that ye do.

8

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَهَاجَرُوا۟ وَجَٰهَدُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَاوَوا۟ وَّنَصَرُوٓا۟ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَلَمْ يُهَاجِرُوا۟ مَا لَكُم مِّن وَلَٰيَتِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍ حَتَّىٰ يُهَاجِرُوا۟ وَإِنِ ٱسْتَنصَرُوكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ ٱلنَّصْرُ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍۭ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَٰقٌ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

Those who believed in Allah, accepted His Messenger, practised His sacred law, emigrated from the land of disbelief to the land of Islam, or to a place in which they can worship Allah safely, and strived in Allah’s path by spending their wealth and giving their lives to raise Allah’s Word, and those who hosted them in their homes and supported them – those emigrants and those locals who supported them are friends of one another in terms of providing support and assistance. As for those who believed in Allah but did not emigrate from the land of disbelief to the land of Islam, you have no obligation, O believers, to support and protect them until they emigrate in Allah’s path. If the disbelievers oppress them and they seek your help, then help them against their enemies, unless there is a pact between you and their enemy that is still in place. Allah sees what you do. No action of yours is hidden from Him and He will repay you for them.

Those who believed in Allah, accepted His Messenger, practised His sacred law, emigrated from the land of disbelief to the land of Islam, or to a place in which they can worship Allah safely, and strived in Allah’s path by spending their wealth and giving their lives to raise Allah’s Word, and those who hosted them in their homes and supported them – those emigrants and those locals who supported them are friends of one another in terms of providing support and assistance. As for those who believed in Allah but did not emigrate from the land of disbelief to the land of Islam, you have no obligation, O believers, to support and protect them until they emigrate in Allah’s path. If the disbelievers oppress them and they seek your help, then help them against their enemies, unless there is a pact between you and their enemy that is still in place. Allah sees what you do. No action of yours is hidden from Him and He will repay you for them.

<p>Commentary</p><p>These are the last four verses of Surah Al-Anfal. The real objective therein is to describe the injunctions of Hijrah (Emigration) which relate to the inheritance of Muhajir (Emigrant) Muslims. In contrast, also mentioned there is the inheritance of non-Muhajir Muslims and non-Muslims.</p><p>The gist of these injunctions is that people who fall under Islamic legal authority are, in the first instance, of two kinds: (1) Muslim (2) Kafir (disbeliever). Then, in terms of that period of time, Muslims were of two kinds: (1) Muhajir, those who after hijrah becoming obligatory, had left Makkah and had settled in Madinah. (2) Non-Muhajir, those who had, for a valid reason or for some other reason, stayed behind in Makkah itself.</p><p>Mutual relationship was a common factor among individuals from all these kinds because, during the early period of Islam, it was quite common that a son would be Muslim while the father would be a Kafir, or a father would be Muslim while his son would be a Kafir. The same was true about other relationships, such as, brothers, nephews, maternal grandfathers and maternal uncles etc. And that there were mutual relationships among Muhajir and non-Muhajir Muslims is fairly obvious.</p><p>Allah Ta` ala has, in His perfect mercy and profound wisdom, declared that the wealth and property left by the deceased person belongs to his or her own relatives as its deserving recipients. Although, the initial reality was that whoever received anything during this mor-tal life was entirely owned and possessed by Allah Ta` ala in the real sense. It was a simple arrangement from Him that everyone was made, on His behalf, a temporary owner of what was given to man to use for a lifetime and drive benefit from it. Therefore, by all cannons of logic, reason and justice the inheritance of every deceased person should have ricocheted back into His ownership - the practical implementation of which was to have it placed in the Public Treasury of the Islamic State which serves the great masses of people created by Allah by fulfilling their multi-faceted developmental needs. But, in doing so, first of all everyone would have been naturally hurt to find out that, after death, one's wealth and property will not reach one's own children, nor to parents, nor to wife or husband. Then, its logical consequence was also somewhat equally natural - that no one would have cared to work for more and take steps to keep it preserved. In other words, no one would have been burning his feet to work for more than what was needed to collect just about enough to take care of the basic needs of his or her life. And it is obvious that this attitude to life would have meant disaster for all human beings and their cities.</p><p>Therefore, Allah Jalla thana'uh, made inheritance the right of relatives among human beings, specially relatives for whose benefit one has been working hard and putting financial assets together during the course of one's life.</p><p>Along with it, while instituting the distribution of inheritance, Is1am has also kept in sight the important objective for which human beings were created, that is, the obedience to and worship of Allah Ta` ala - and it was in terms of this objective that the entire human species was declared to be two separate peoples or nations: Believers and Disbelievers. The verse of the Qur'an: خَلَقَكُمْ فَمِنكُمْ كَافِرٌ‌ وَمِنكُم مُّؤْمِنٌ (It is He who created you, then, among you there is a disbeliever and among you there is a believer - AI-Taghabun, 64:2) means exactly this.</p><p>This two-nation theory severed relationships based on lineage and kinship as far as it concerned inheritance stipulating that neither shall a Muslim receive a share from the inheritance of a related disbeliever, nor shall a Kafir have any right in the inheritance of a Muslim relative. This is the subject stated in the first two verses (72, 73) and the injunction given therein is forever, was never abrogated and has continued to be Islam's basic principle of inheritance since its very beginning and shall remain operative right through the day of Qiyamah.</p><p>Allied with it, there is another injunction which concerns mutual inheritance between Muhajir and non-Muhajir Muslims about which it has been stated in the first verse that the relationship of a Muslim - until he emigrates from Makkah - shall also remain severed with Muslims who have emigrated, as far as inheritance is concerned. In this case, no Muhajir Muslim shall inherit his or her non-Muhajir relative, nor shall a non-Muhajir receive any share from the inheritance of a Muhajir Muslim. As obvious, this injunction was valid upto the time Makkah al-Mukarramah was still unconquered. After the Conquest of Makkah, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had himself declared: لَا ھِجرَۃَ بعد اَلفَتح (la hijrata ba` d al-fath : There is no hijrah after the Conquest). It means that after the Conquest of Makkah the obligation of Hijrah does not remain operative any more, and when the obligation of Hijrah itself ceases to be operative any more, the question of severance of relationships with those who did not migrate stands automatically terminated.</p><p>Therefore, most commentators have said that this injunction stands abrogated by virtue of the Conquest of Makkah while, according to investigative scholars of the field, this injunction too is everlasting and un-abrogated - but that it has changed under specific conditions. If conditions in which this injunction was sent at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an were to reappear at some period of time or in some country, then, the same injunction will come into force once again.</p><p>To explain it further, it can be said that, before the Conquest of Makkah, every Muslim man and woman was obligated to migrate from Makkah as an absolute duty. In obedience to this injunction, most Muslims - with the exception of only a few - had migrated from Makkah to Madinah. At that time, not migrating from Makkah had become a sign of not being a Muslim. Therefore, at that time, Islam as professed by a non-Muhajir was also taken to be doubtful and it was for this reason that mutual inheritance between Muhajir and non-Muhajir was severed.</p><p>Now, if the same conditions were to re-emerge in some country once again - that it becomes totally impossible to fulfill Islamic obligations while living there - then, emigrating from that country will become obligatory once again, so much so that not emigrating under such conditions without a strong excuse, becomes a doubtless sign of disbelief, then, the same injunction shall still apply, that is, mutual inheritance between Muhajir and non-Muhajir shall not remain operative any more. This presentation, it is hoped, makes it clear that the injunction relating to the severance of mutual inheritance between Muhajir and non-Muhajir is really no separate injunction. In fact, it is the very same first injunction which describes the severance of inheritance between Muslim and non-Muslim. The only difference is that a non-muhajir in such a case was though deprived from the inheritance because of this sign of disbelief, yet he was not classed as a disbeliever just on the basis of this much sign of disbelief - unless, of course, one was to betray open, clear and decisive proof of one's Kufr or disbelief.</p><p>And perhaps, it is in view of this expedient consideration that yet another injunction relating to non-Muhajir Muslims has been mentioned at this place. This injunction specifies that, should they ask for help from Muhajir Muslims, then, it is necessary for Muhajir Muslims to help them - so that it becomes clear that they have not placed non-Muhajir Muslims in the category of outright disbelievers, in fact, retained was their Islamic right that they be helped when in need.</p><p>And since the background of the revelation of this verse is a particular Hijrah - that from Makkah to Madinah - while non-Muhajir Muslims were only those who had stayed back in Makkah threateningly surrounded by the disbelievers of Makkah, it is obvious that the help they sought could only be against the same disbelievers of Makkah. However, when the Holy Qur'an ordered Muhajir Muslims to help them out, then, given a surface view of things, it could be deduced from here that helping them has been made necessary for Muslims against all peoples and under all conditions - even if, the people against whom help is sought already have a no-war pact with Muslims - although, doing justice and upholding pledges is a serious duty in Is-lam. Therefore, in this verse, an exempting rule was mentioned according to which, should non-Muhajir Muslims seek help from Muhajir Muslims against a people with whom Muslims already have a no-war pact, then, helping even brother Muslims against treaty-covered disbelievers is not permissible.</p><p>This was the essential meaning of the first two sentences. Now let us look at it in synchronization with the words. It is being said:</p><p>إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُ‌وا وَجَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ وَالَّذِينَ آوَوا وَّنَصَرُ‌وا أُولَـٰئِكَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يُهَاجِرُ‌وا مَا لَكُم مِّن وَلَايَتِهِم مِّن شَيْءٍ حَتَّىٰ يُهَاجِرُ‌وا</p><p>that is: "Those who believed and those who emigrated (for the sake of Allah, leaving their homeland and relatives behind) and carried out Jihad in the way of Allah with their wealth and lives (by buying weapons and other war materials with their wealth and by staking their lives in the line of duty on the battlefield - which refers to the original Emigrants, the first among Muhajirs) and those who gave refuge and help (which refers to the Ansar of Madinah, the supporting residents of Madinah, where-after it was said about the two parties) --- those are friends to each other. (Then, it was said:) And those who did believe but did not emigrate, with them you have no friendship at all unless they emigrate.</p><p>At this place, the Holy Qur'an has used the words: Waliyy and Wilayah which mean friendship and close relations in the real sense. Early Tafsir authorities, Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas, Hasan, Qatadah, Mujahid and others have said that Wilayah at this place means Wirathah or inheritance while Waliyy means Warith or inheritor. Nevertheless, some others have taken Wilayah in the usual lexical sense, that is, friendship, help and support.</p><p>According to the first Tafsir, the verse would mean that Muslim Muhajir and Ansar shall be inheritors to each other. Their bond of inheritance shall not remain operative either with non-Muslims or with particular Muslims who did not emigrate. The first injunction, that is, severance of inheritance on the basis of difference in religion, was forever and remained as such. But, as for the second injunction, the position was that after the Conquest of Makkah, when Hijrah was no more needed, the injunction of severance of inheritance between the categories of Muhajir and non-Muhajir also did not remain operative any more. From here, some Muslim jurists have deduced that the way difference in religion is a cause of severance of inheritance, similarly, the difference in homelands is also the cause of severance of inheritance. A detailed discussion on this subject appears in books of Islamic Fiqh.</p><p>After that, it was said: وَإِنِ اسْتَنصَرُ‌وكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ النَّصْرُ‌ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَاقٌ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ‌</p><p>(And if they seek your help in the matter of faith, then, you are bound to help except against a people who have a treaty between you and them. And Allah is watchful over what you do - 72). The sense of the statement is that people who have not migrated, relationship with them has though been terminated as far as inheritance is concerned, yet they are Muslims after all. If they seek help from Muhajir Muslims to safeguard their faith, then, to help them is obligatory on them. But, when doing so, Muhajir Muslims should not surren-der rules of justice and their own fidelity to an existing treaty when a situation comes in which non-emigrating Muslims were to seek the help of Muhajir Muslims against a people with whom they already have a no-war pact. If so, even helping these Muslims against the peace pact party is not permissible.</p><p>A similar incident came to pass at the time of the Peace Treaty of Hudaibiyah. When the Holy Prophet ﷺ arrived at a peace arrangement with the disbelievers of Makkah and included in the terms of peace was the condition that the Holy Prophet ﷺ would repatriate anyone who went to Madinah thereafter. Just at the time the peace treaty was being concluded, somehow there appeared Sayyidna Abu Jandal ؓ whom the disbelievers of Makkah had put in detention where he was being tortured in all sorts of ways. He presented himself in person before the Holy Prophet ﷺ told him how oppressed he had been and sought his help. Imagine this plaint was being made before none but him who had come to this world as the universal mercy. What this plaint from an oppressed Muslim would have done to his blessed heart is something everyone cannot realize easily. But, despite this empathy, he excused himself from helping him as bound by the injunction in the said verse, and let him go back.</p><p>His return in this manner was heart-rending for all Muslims present on the occasion. But, the blessed Prophet of Islam, guided by Divine words, was as if witnessing the welcome spectacle that the years of oppression were not going to last any longer and the reward of a few more days of patience was to be added to the destiny of Sayyidna Abu Jandal ؓ . Then Makkah will soon be conquered. Then all these problems were going to be all over. Still, at that time, the Holy Prophet ﷺ acted in accordance with the command of the Qur'an and preferred treaty obligations over the personal misfortune of Sayyidna Abu Jandal ؓ . This is the distinctive feature of the Shari'ah of Islam which has made its adherents deserving recipients of victory, honour, and success which awaits them in the Hereafter. Otherwise, as observed commonly, world powers play games with treaties and pacts. They use them as weights and levers to make the weak cringe and the strong walk in trap. The game plan always stays in their hands. With the slightest expediency in sight, they would unleash a hundred interpretations and kill the treaty and begin looking for scapegoats to put the blame on.</p>

CommentaryThese are the last four verses of Surah Al-Anfal. The real objective therein is to describe the injunctions of Hijrah (Emigration) which relate to the inheritance of Muhajir (Emigrant) Muslims. In contrast, also mentioned there is the inheritance of non-Muhajir Muslims and non-Muslims.The gist of these injunctions is that people who fall under Islamic legal authority are, in the first instance, of two kinds: (1) Muslim (2) Kafir (disbeliever). Then, in terms of that period of time, Muslims were of two kinds: (1) Muhajir, those who after hijrah becoming obligatory, had left Makkah and had settled in Madinah. (2) Non-Muhajir, those who had, for a valid reason or for some other reason, stayed behind in Makkah itself.Mutual relationship was a common factor among individuals from all these kinds because, during the early period of Islam, it was quite common that a son would be Muslim while the father would be a Kafir, or a father would be Muslim while his son would be a Kafir. The same was true about other relationships, such as, brothers, nephews, maternal grandfathers and maternal uncles etc. And that there were mutual relationships among Muhajir and non-Muhajir Muslims is fairly obvious.Allah Ta` ala has, in His perfect mercy and profound wisdom, declared that the wealth and property left by the deceased person belongs to his or her own relatives as its deserving recipients. Although, the initial reality was that whoever received anything during this mor-tal life was entirely owned and possessed by Allah Ta` ala in the real sense. It was a simple arrangement from Him that everyone was made, on His behalf, a temporary owner of what was given to man to use for a lifetime and drive benefit from it. Therefore, by all cannons of logic, reason and justice the inheritance of every deceased person should have ricocheted back into His ownership - the practical implementation of which was to have it placed in the Public Treasury of the Islamic State which serves the great masses of people created by Allah by fulfilling their multi-faceted developmental needs. But, in doing so, first of all everyone would have been naturally hurt to find out that, after death, one's wealth and property will not reach one's own children, nor to parents, nor to wife or husband. Then, its logical consequence was also somewhat equally natural - that no one would have cared to work for more and take steps to keep it preserved. In other words, no one would have been burning his feet to work for more than what was needed to collect just about enough to take care of the basic needs of his or her life. And it is obvious that this attitude to life would have meant disaster for all human beings and their cities.Therefore, Allah Jalla thana'uh, made inheritance the right of relatives among human beings, specially relatives for whose benefit one has been working hard and putting financial assets together during the course of one's life.Along with it, while instituting the distribution of inheritance, Is1am has also kept in sight the important objective for which human beings were created, that is, the obedience to and worship of Allah Ta` ala - and it was in terms of this objective that the entire human species was declared to be two separate peoples or nations: Believers and Disbelievers. The verse of the Qur'an: خَلَقَكُمْ فَمِنكُمْ كَافِرٌ‌ وَمِنكُم مُّؤْمِنٌ (It is He who created you, then, among you there is a disbeliever and among you there is a believer - AI-Taghabun, 64:2) means exactly this.This two-nation theory severed relationships based on lineage and kinship as far as it concerned inheritance stipulating that neither shall a Muslim receive a share from the inheritance of a related disbeliever, nor shall a Kafir have any right in the inheritance of a Muslim relative. This is the subject stated in the first two verses (72, 73) and the injunction given therein is forever, was never abrogated and has continued to be Islam's basic principle of inheritance since its very beginning and shall remain operative right through the day of Qiyamah.Allied with it, there is another injunction which concerns mutual inheritance between Muhajir and non-Muhajir Muslims about which it has been stated in the first verse that the relationship of a Muslim - until he emigrates from Makkah - shall also remain severed with Muslims who have emigrated, as far as inheritance is concerned. In this case, no Muhajir Muslim shall inherit his or her non-Muhajir relative, nor shall a non-Muhajir receive any share from the inheritance of a Muhajir Muslim. As obvious, this injunction was valid upto the time Makkah al-Mukarramah was still unconquered. After the Conquest of Makkah, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had himself declared: لَا ھِجرَۃَ بعد اَلفَتح (la hijrata ba` d al-fath : There is no hijrah after the Conquest). It means that after the Conquest of Makkah the obligation of Hijrah does not remain operative any more, and when the obligation of Hijrah itself ceases to be operative any more, the question of severance of relationships with those who did not migrate stands automatically terminated.Therefore, most commentators have said that this injunction stands abrogated by virtue of the Conquest of Makkah while, according to investigative scholars of the field, this injunction too is everlasting and un-abrogated - but that it has changed under specific conditions. If conditions in which this injunction was sent at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an were to reappear at some period of time or in some country, then, the same injunction will come into force once again.To explain it further, it can be said that, before the Conquest of Makkah, every Muslim man and woman was obligated to migrate from Makkah as an absolute duty. In obedience to this injunction, most Muslims - with the exception of only a few - had migrated from Makkah to Madinah. At that time, not migrating from Makkah had become a sign of not being a Muslim. Therefore, at that time, Islam as professed by a non-Muhajir was also taken to be doubtful and it was for this reason that mutual inheritance between Muhajir and non-Muhajir was severed.Now, if the same conditions were to re-emerge in some country once again - that it becomes totally impossible to fulfill Islamic obligations while living there - then, emigrating from that country will become obligatory once again, so much so that not emigrating under such conditions without a strong excuse, becomes a doubtless sign of disbelief, then, the same injunction shall still apply, that is, mutual inheritance between Muhajir and non-Muhajir shall not remain operative any more. This presentation, it is hoped, makes it clear that the injunction relating to the severance of mutual inheritance between Muhajir and non-Muhajir is really no separate injunction. In fact, it is the very same first injunction which describes the severance of inheritance between Muslim and non-Muslim. The only difference is that a non-muhajir in such a case was though deprived from the inheritance because of this sign of disbelief, yet he was not classed as a disbeliever just on the basis of this much sign of disbelief - unless, of course, one was to betray open, clear and decisive proof of one's Kufr or disbelief.And perhaps, it is in view of this expedient consideration that yet another injunction relating to non-Muhajir Muslims has been mentioned at this place. This injunction specifies that, should they ask for help from Muhajir Muslims, then, it is necessary for Muhajir Muslims to help them - so that it becomes clear that they have not placed non-Muhajir Muslims in the category of outright disbelievers, in fact, retained was their Islamic right that they be helped when in need.And since the background of the revelation of this verse is a particular Hijrah - that from Makkah to Madinah - while non-Muhajir Muslims were only those who had stayed back in Makkah threateningly surrounded by the disbelievers of Makkah, it is obvious that the help they sought could only be against the same disbelievers of Makkah. However, when the Holy Qur'an ordered Muhajir Muslims to help them out, then, given a surface view of things, it could be deduced from here that helping them has been made necessary for Muslims against all peoples and under all conditions - even if, the people against whom help is sought already have a no-war pact with Muslims - although, doing justice and upholding pledges is a serious duty in Is-lam. Therefore, in this verse, an exempting rule was mentioned according to which, should non-Muhajir Muslims seek help from Muhajir Muslims against a people with whom Muslims already have a no-war pact, then, helping even brother Muslims against treaty-covered disbelievers is not permissible.This was the essential meaning of the first two sentences. Now let us look at it in synchronization with the words. It is being said:إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُ‌وا وَجَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ وَالَّذِينَ آوَوا وَّنَصَرُ‌وا أُولَـٰئِكَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يُهَاجِرُ‌وا مَا لَكُم مِّن وَلَايَتِهِم مِّن شَيْءٍ حَتَّىٰ يُهَاجِرُ‌واthat is: "Those who believed and those who emigrated (for the sake of Allah, leaving their homeland and relatives behind) and carried out Jihad in the way of Allah with their wealth and lives (by buying weapons and other war materials with their wealth and by staking their lives in the line of duty on the battlefield - which refers to the original Emigrants, the first among Muhajirs) and those who gave refuge and help (which refers to the Ansar of Madinah, the supporting residents of Madinah, where-after it was said about the two parties) --- those are friends to each other. (Then, it was said:) And those who did believe but did not emigrate, with them you have no friendship at all unless they emigrate.At this place, the Holy Qur'an has used the words: Waliyy and Wilayah which mean friendship and close relations in the real sense. Early Tafsir authorities, Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas, Hasan, Qatadah, Mujahid and others have said that Wilayah at this place means Wirathah or inheritance while Waliyy means Warith or inheritor. Nevertheless, some others have taken Wilayah in the usual lexical sense, that is, friendship, help and support.According to the first Tafsir, the verse would mean that Muslim Muhajir and Ansar shall be inheritors to each other. Their bond of inheritance shall not remain operative either with non-Muslims or with particular Muslims who did not emigrate. The first injunction, that is, severance of inheritance on the basis of difference in religion, was forever and remained as such. But, as for the second injunction, the position was that after the Conquest of Makkah, when Hijrah was no more needed, the injunction of severance of inheritance between the categories of Muhajir and non-Muhajir also did not remain operative any more. From here, some Muslim jurists have deduced that the way difference in religion is a cause of severance of inheritance, similarly, the difference in homelands is also the cause of severance of inheritance. A detailed discussion on this subject appears in books of Islamic Fiqh.After that, it was said: وَإِنِ اسْتَنصَرُ‌وكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ النَّصْرُ‌ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَاقٌ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ‌(And if they seek your help in the matter of faith, then, you are bound to help except against a people who have a treaty between you and them. And Allah is watchful over what you do - 72). The sense of the statement is that people who have not migrated, relationship with them has though been terminated as far as inheritance is concerned, yet they are Muslims after all. If they seek help from Muhajir Muslims to safeguard their faith, then, to help them is obligatory on them. But, when doing so, Muhajir Muslims should not surren-der rules of justice and their own fidelity to an existing treaty when a situation comes in which non-emigrating Muslims were to seek the help of Muhajir Muslims against a people with whom they already have a no-war pact. If so, even helping these Muslims against the peace pact party is not permissible.A similar incident came to pass at the time of the Peace Treaty of Hudaibiyah. When the Holy Prophet ﷺ arrived at a peace arrangement with the disbelievers of Makkah and included in the terms of peace was the condition that the Holy Prophet ﷺ would repatriate anyone who went to Madinah thereafter. Just at the time the peace treaty was being concluded, somehow there appeared Sayyidna Abu Jandal ؓ whom the disbelievers of Makkah had put in detention where he was being tortured in all sorts of ways. He presented himself in person before the Holy Prophet ﷺ told him how oppressed he had been and sought his help. Imagine this plaint was being made before none but him who had come to this world as the universal mercy. What this plaint from an oppressed Muslim would have done to his blessed heart is something everyone cannot realize easily. But, despite this empathy, he excused himself from helping him as bound by the injunction in the said verse, and let him go back.His return in this manner was heart-rending for all Muslims present on the occasion. But, the blessed Prophet of Islam, guided by Divine words, was as if witnessing the welcome spectacle that the years of oppression were not going to last any longer and the reward of a few more days of patience was to be added to the destiny of Sayyidna Abu Jandal ؓ . Then Makkah will soon be conquered. Then all these problems were going to be all over. Still, at that time, the Holy Prophet ﷺ acted in accordance with the command of the Qur'an and preferred treaty obligations over the personal misfortune of Sayyidna Abu Jandal ؓ . This is the distinctive feature of the Shari'ah of Islam which has made its adherents deserving recipients of victory, honour, and success which awaits them in the Hereafter. Otherwise, as observed commonly, world powers play games with treaties and pacts. They use them as weights and levers to make the weak cringe and the strong walk in trap. The game plan always stays in their hands. With the slightest expediency in sight, they would unleash a hundred interpretations and kill the treaty and begin looking for scapegoats to put the blame on.

<h2 class="title">The Muhajirin and Al-Ansar are the Supporters of One Another</h2><p>Here Allah mentions the types of believers, dividing them into the Muhajirin, who left their homes and estates, emigrating to give support to Allah and His Messenger to establish His religion. They gave up their wealth and themselves in this cause. There are also the Ansar, the Muslims of Al-Madinah, who gave asylum to their Muhajirin brethren in their own homes and comforted them with their wealth. They also gave aid to Allah and His Messenger by fighting alongside the Muhajirun. Certainly they are, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ</div><p>(allies to one another), for each one of them has more right to the other than anyone else. This is why Allah's Messenger forged ties of brotherhood between the Muhajirin and Ansar, as Al-Bukhari recorded from Ibn `Abbas. They used to inherit from each other, having more right to inheritance than the deceased man's relatives, until Allah abrogated that practice with the fixed share for near relatives. Imam Ahmad recorded that Jarir bin `Abdullah Al-Bajali said that the Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«الْمُهَاجِرُون وَالْأَنْصَارُ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ، وَالطُّلَقَاءُ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ، وَالْعُتَقَاءُ مِنْ ثَقِيفٍ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَة»</div><p>(The Muhajirun and Al-Ansar are the supporters of each other, while the Tulaqa' of Quraysh (whom the Prophet set free after conquering Makkah) and `Utaqa' from Thaqif (whom the Prophet set free from captivity after the battle of Hunayn) are supporters of each other until the Day of Resurrection. ) </p><p>Only Ahmad collected this Hadith. </p><p>Allah praised the Muhajirin and the Ansar in several Ayat of His Book and His Messenger (also praised them too). Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالسَّـبِقُونَ الاٌّوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَـجِرِينَ وَالأَنْصَـرِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِىَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُواْ عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الأَنْهَـرُ</div><p>(And the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun and the Ansar and also those who followed them exactly. Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise).)9:100, k </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَقَدْ تَابَ الله عَلَى النَّبِىِّ وَالْمُهَـجِرِينَ وَالاٌّنصَـرِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ فِى سَاعَةِ الْعُسْرَةِ</div><p>(Allah has forgiven the Prophet, the Muhajirin and the Ansar who followed him in the time of distress.) 9:117, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لِلْفُقَرَآءِ الْمُهَـجِرِينَ الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُواْ مِن دِيَـرِهِمْ وَأَمْوَلِهِمْ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلاً مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَناً وَيَنصُرُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ أُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الصَّـدِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُوا الدَّارَ وَالإِيمَـنَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ يَجِدُونَ فِى صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّآ أُوتُواْ وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ</div><p>((And there is also a share in this booty) for the poor Muhajirin, who were expelled from their homes and their property, seeking bounties from Allah and (His) good pleasure, and helping Allah and His Messenger. Such are indeed the truthful. And those who, before them, had homes (in Al-Madinah) and adopted the faith, love those who emigrate to them, and have no jealousy in their breasts for that which they have been given, and give them (emigrants) preference over themselves even though they were in need of that) 59:8-9. </p><p>The best comment on Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ يَجِدُونَ فِى صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّآ أُوتُواْ</div><p>(...and have no jealousy in their breasts for that which they have been given) is that it means, they do not envy the Muhajirin for the rewards that Allah gave them for their emigration. These Ayat indicate that the Muhajirin are better in grade than the Ansar, and there is a consensus on this ruling among the scholars. </p><h2 class="title">The Believers Who did not emigrate did not yet receive the Benefits of Wilayah</h2><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمْ يُهَاجِرُواْ مَا لَكُم مِّن وَلـيَتِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍ حَتَّى يُهَاجِرُواْ</div><p>(And as to those who believed but did not emigrate, you owe no duty of protection to them until they emigrate,) 8:72. </p><p>This is the third category of believers, those who believed, but did not perform Hijrah and instead remained in their areas. They do not have any share in the war booty or in the fifth designated for Allah and His Messenger, the relatives of the Prophet , the orphans, the poor and the wayfarer, unless they attend battle. </p><p>Imam Ahmad recorded that Buraydah bin Al-Hasib Al-Aslami said, "When the Messenger of Allah would send a commander with an expedition force or an army, he would advise him to have Taqwa of Allah and be kind to the Muslims under his command. He used to say, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«اغْزُوا بِاسْمِ اللهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، قَاتِلُوا مَنْ كَفَرَ بِاللهِ، إِذَا لَقِيتَ عَدُوَّكَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَادْعُهُمْ إِلَى إِحْدَى ثَلَاثِ خِصَالٍ أَوْ خِلَالٍ فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ مَا أَجَابُوكَ إِلَيْهَا فَاقْبَلْ مِنْهُمْ، وَكُفَّ عَنْهُمْ. ادْعُهُمْ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ، فَإِنْ أَجَابُوكَ فَاقْبَلْ مِنْهُمْ وَكُفَّ عَنْهُمْ. ثُمَّ ادْعُهُمْ إِلَى التَّحَوُّلِ مِنْ دَارِهِمْ إِلَى دَارِ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ، وَأَعْلِمْهُمْ إِنْ فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ أَنَّ لَهُمْ مَا لِلْمُهَاجِرِينَ، وَأَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ مَا عَلَى الْمُهَاجِرِينَ، فَإِنْ أَبَوْا وَاخْتَارُوا دَارَهُمْ، فَأَعْلِمْهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ يَكُونُونَ كَأَعْرَابِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، يَجْرِي عَلَيْهِمْ حُكْمُ اللهِ الَّذِي يَجْرِي عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَلَا يَكُونُ لَهُمْ فِي الْفَيْءِ وَالْغَنِيمَةِ نَصِيبٌ،إِلَّا أَنْ يُجَاهِدُوا مَعَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَإِنْ هُمْ أَبَوْا، فَادْعُهُمْ إِلَى إِعْطَاءِ الْجِزْيَةِ. فَإِنْ أَجَابُوا فَاقْبَلْ مِنْهُمْ وَكُفَّ عَنْهُمْ، فَإِنْ أَبَوْا فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللهِ ثُمَّ قَاتِلْهُم»</div><p>(Fight in the Name of Allah, in the cause of Allah. Fight those who disbelieve in Allah. When you meet your Mushrik enemy, then call them to one of three choices, and whichever they agree to, then accept it and turn away from them. Call them to embrace Islam, and if they agree, accept it from them and turn away from them. Then call them to leave their area and come to areas in which the Muhajirin reside. Make known to them that if they do this, they will have the rights, as well as, the duties of the Muhajirin. If they refuse and decide to remain in their area, make known to them that they will be just like Muslim bedouins, and that Allah's law applies to them just as it does to all believers. However, they will not have a share in the war booty or Fai' (booty without war), unless they perform Jihad along with Muslims. If they refuse all of this, then call them to pay the Jizyah, and if they accept, then take it from them and turn away from them. If they refuse all these three options, then trust in Allah and fight them.) </p><p>Muslim collected this Hadith. </p><p>Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِنِ اسْتَنصَرُوكُمْ فِى الدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ النَّصْرُ</div><p>(But if they seek your help in religion, it is your duty to help them.) </p><p>Allah commands, if these bedouins, who did not perform Hijrah, ask you to aid them against their enemy, then aid them. It is incumbent on you to aid them in this case, because they are your brothers in Islam, unless they ask you to aid them against disbelievers with whom you have a fixed-term treaty of peace. In that case, do not betray your treaties or break your promises with those whom you have treaties of peace. This was reported from Ibn `Abbas. </p>

The Muhajirin and Al-Ansar are the Supporters of One AnotherHere Allah mentions the types of believers, dividing them into the Muhajirin, who left their homes and estates, emigrating to give support to Allah and His Messenger to establish His religion. They gave up their wealth and themselves in this cause. There are also the Ansar, the Muslims of Al-Madinah, who gave asylum to their Muhajirin brethren in their own homes and comforted them with their wealth. They also gave aid to Allah and His Messenger by fighting alongside the Muhajirun. Certainly they are, بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ(allies to one another), for each one of them has more right to the other than anyone else. This is why Allah's Messenger forged ties of brotherhood between the Muhajirin and Ansar, as Al-Bukhari recorded from Ibn `Abbas. They used to inherit from each other, having more right to inheritance than the deceased man's relatives, until Allah abrogated that practice with the fixed share for near relatives. Imam Ahmad recorded that Jarir bin `Abdullah Al-Bajali said that the Messenger of Allah said, «الْمُهَاجِرُون وَالْأَنْصَارُ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ، وَالطُّلَقَاءُ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ، وَالْعُتَقَاءُ مِنْ ثَقِيفٍ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَة»(The Muhajirun and Al-Ansar are the supporters of each other, while the Tulaqa' of Quraysh (whom the Prophet set free after conquering Makkah) and `Utaqa' from Thaqif (whom the Prophet set free from captivity after the battle of Hunayn) are supporters of each other until the Day of Resurrection. ) Only Ahmad collected this Hadith. Allah praised the Muhajirin and the Ansar in several Ayat of His Book and His Messenger (also praised them too). Allah said, وَالسَّـبِقُونَ الاٌّوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَـجِرِينَ وَالأَنْصَـرِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِىَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُواْ عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الأَنْهَـرُ(And the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun and the Ansar and also those who followed them exactly. Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise).)9:100, k لَقَدْ تَابَ الله عَلَى النَّبِىِّ وَالْمُهَـجِرِينَ وَالاٌّنصَـرِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ فِى سَاعَةِ الْعُسْرَةِ(Allah has forgiven the Prophet, the Muhajirin and the Ansar who followed him in the time of distress.) 9:117, and, لِلْفُقَرَآءِ الْمُهَـجِرِينَ الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُواْ مِن دِيَـرِهِمْ وَأَمْوَلِهِمْ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلاً مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَناً وَيَنصُرُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ أُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الصَّـدِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُوا الدَّارَ وَالإِيمَـنَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ يَجِدُونَ فِى صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّآ أُوتُواْ وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ((And there is also a share in this booty) for the poor Muhajirin, who were expelled from their homes and their property, seeking bounties from Allah and (His) good pleasure, and helping Allah and His Messenger. Such are indeed the truthful. And those who, before them, had homes (in Al-Madinah) and adopted the faith, love those who emigrate to them, and have no jealousy in their breasts for that which they have been given, and give them (emigrants) preference over themselves even though they were in need of that) 59:8-9. The best comment on Allah's statement, وَلاَ يَجِدُونَ فِى صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّآ أُوتُواْ(...and have no jealousy in their breasts for that which they have been given) is that it means, they do not envy the Muhajirin for the rewards that Allah gave them for their emigration. These Ayat indicate that the Muhajirin are better in grade than the Ansar, and there is a consensus on this ruling among the scholars. The Believers Who did not emigrate did not yet receive the Benefits of WilayahAllah said, وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمْ يُهَاجِرُواْ مَا لَكُم مِّن وَلـيَتِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍ حَتَّى يُهَاجِرُواْ(And as to those who believed but did not emigrate, you owe no duty of protection to them until they emigrate,) 8:72. This is the third category of believers, those who believed, but did not perform Hijrah and instead remained in their areas. They do not have any share in the war booty or in the fifth designated for Allah and His Messenger, the relatives of the Prophet , the orphans, the poor and the wayfarer, unless they attend battle. Imam Ahmad recorded that Buraydah bin Al-Hasib Al-Aslami said, "When the Messenger of Allah would send a commander with an expedition force or an army, he would advise him to have Taqwa of Allah and be kind to the Muslims under his command. He used to say, «اغْزُوا بِاسْمِ اللهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، قَاتِلُوا مَنْ كَفَرَ بِاللهِ، إِذَا لَقِيتَ عَدُوَّكَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَادْعُهُمْ إِلَى إِحْدَى ثَلَاثِ خِصَالٍ أَوْ خِلَالٍ فَأَيَّتُهُنَّ مَا أَجَابُوكَ إِلَيْهَا فَاقْبَلْ مِنْهُمْ، وَكُفَّ عَنْهُمْ. ادْعُهُمْ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ، فَإِنْ أَجَابُوكَ فَاقْبَلْ مِنْهُمْ وَكُفَّ عَنْهُمْ. ثُمَّ ادْعُهُمْ إِلَى التَّحَوُّلِ مِنْ دَارِهِمْ إِلَى دَارِ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ، وَأَعْلِمْهُمْ إِنْ فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ أَنَّ لَهُمْ مَا لِلْمُهَاجِرِينَ، وَأَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ مَا عَلَى الْمُهَاجِرِينَ، فَإِنْ أَبَوْا وَاخْتَارُوا دَارَهُمْ، فَأَعْلِمْهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ يَكُونُونَ كَأَعْرَابِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، يَجْرِي عَلَيْهِمْ حُكْمُ اللهِ الَّذِي يَجْرِي عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَلَا يَكُونُ لَهُمْ فِي الْفَيْءِ وَالْغَنِيمَةِ نَصِيبٌ،إِلَّا أَنْ يُجَاهِدُوا مَعَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَإِنْ هُمْ أَبَوْا، فَادْعُهُمْ إِلَى إِعْطَاءِ الْجِزْيَةِ. فَإِنْ أَجَابُوا فَاقْبَلْ مِنْهُمْ وَكُفَّ عَنْهُمْ، فَإِنْ أَبَوْا فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللهِ ثُمَّ قَاتِلْهُم»(Fight in the Name of Allah, in the cause of Allah. Fight those who disbelieve in Allah. When you meet your Mushrik enemy, then call them to one of three choices, and whichever they agree to, then accept it and turn away from them. Call them to embrace Islam, and if they agree, accept it from them and turn away from them. Then call them to leave their area and come to areas in which the Muhajirin reside. Make known to them that if they do this, they will have the rights, as well as, the duties of the Muhajirin. If they refuse and decide to remain in their area, make known to them that they will be just like Muslim bedouins, and that Allah's law applies to them just as it does to all believers. However, they will not have a share in the war booty or Fai' (booty without war), unless they perform Jihad along with Muslims. If they refuse all of this, then call them to pay the Jizyah, and if they accept, then take it from them and turn away from them. If they refuse all these three options, then trust in Allah and fight them.) Muslim collected this Hadith. Allah said next, وَإِنِ اسْتَنصَرُوكُمْ فِى الدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ النَّصْرُ(But if they seek your help in religion, it is your duty to help them.) Allah commands, if these bedouins, who did not perform Hijrah, ask you to aid them against their enemy, then aid them. It is incumbent on you to aid them in this case, because they are your brothers in Islam, unless they ask you to aid them against disbelievers with whom you have a fixed-term treaty of peace. In that case, do not betray your treaties or break your promises with those whom you have treaties of peace. This was reported from Ibn `Abbas.

Those who are infidels aid one another. Unless you do the same there will be discord in the land and anarchy.

And the disbelievers are the heirs of one another – if you do not do so, there will be turmoil in the land and a great chaos.

As for the unbelievers, they are friends one of another. Unless you do this, there will be persecution in the land and great corruption.

With all this, [remember that] those who are bent on denying the truth are allies of one another; and unless you act likewise [among yourselves], oppression will reign on earth, and great corruption.

And those who disbelieve: they shall be heirs unto one anot her. if ye do this not, a sedition there will be in the land and a great corruption.

And those who disbelieve are allies to one another, (and) if you (Muslims of the whole world collectively) do not do so (i.e. become allies, as one united block with one Khalifah - chief Muslim ruler for the whole Muslim world to make victorious Allah's Religion of Islamic Monotheism), there will be Fitnah (wars, battles, polytheism, etc.) and oppression on earth, and a great mischief and corruption (appearance of polytheism).

As for those who disbelieve, they are allies of one another. Unless you do this, there will be turmoil in the land, and much corruption.

And those who disbelieve. they are allies of one another; and unless you act likewise. there will be oppression in the world and great corruption.

And those who disbelieve are allies of one another, (and) if you (Muslims) do not do so (protect one another), there will be Fitnah on the earth, and great corruption.

And those who disbelieve are protectors one of another - If ye do not so, there will be confusion in the land, and great corruption.

As for the faithless, they are heirs of one another. Unless you do the same, there will be strife in the land and great corruption.

The unbelievers, they are guides of one another. Unless you do this, there will be persecution in the land and great corruption.

And those who disbelieved are allies of one another. If you do not do so, there will be fitnah on earth and great corruption.

The unbelievers are each other's friends. If you (the believers) do not keep the same among yourselves in the land, there will come into being widespread idolatry and great evil.

And (as for) those who disbelieve, some of them are the guardians of others; if you will not do it, there will be in the land persecution and great mischief.

Wa<b>a</b>lla<u>th</u>eena kafaroo baAA<u>d</u>uhum awliy<u>a</u>o baAA<u>d</u>in ill<u>a</u> tafAAaloohu takun fitnatun fee alar<u>d</u>i wafas<u>a</u>dun kabeer<b>un</b>

Those who deny the truth support one another. If you fail to do likewise, there will be great disorder and corruption in the land.

The Unbelievers are protectors, one of another: Unless ye do this, (protect each other), there would be tumult and oppression on earth, and great mischief.

8

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ إِلَّا تَفْعَلُوهُ تَكُن فِتْنَةٌ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَفَسَادٌ كَبِيرٌ

The disbelievers are united in their disbelief and they therefore become friends of one another. A believer should not become friends with them. If you do not become friends with the believers and oppose the disbelievers, the believers will suffer weakness as a result of a lack of support and there will be great corruption on earth as people will be prevented from Allah’s path.

The disbelievers are united in their disbelief and they therefore become friends of one another. A believer should not become friends with them. If you do not become friends with the believers and oppose the disbelievers, the believers will suffer weakness as a result of a lack of support and there will be great corruption on earth as people will be prevented from Allah’s path.

<p>Said in the second verse (73) وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ (And those who disbelieve are friends to each other). The word: وَلِی (waliyy) used here, as stated earlier, carries a general sense included wherein is inheritance as well as the guardianship and patronage of affairs. Therefore, from this verse, we learn that disbelievers shall be considered inheritors to each other and the very law of the distribution of inheritance which is in force in their own religion shall be implemented as far as matters of their inheritance are concerned. In addition to that, the guardian وَلِی (waliyy) responsible for the upbringing of their orphaned children and for the marriage of their girls shall be from among them. In a nutshell, it means that, in family matters, the religious law of non-Muslims themselves shall stand duly protected in an Islamic state.</p><p>At the end of the verse, it was said إِلَّا تَفْعَلُوهُ تَكُن فِتْنَةٌ فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ وَفَسَادٌ كَبِيرٌ‌ (And if you will not do so, there shall be disorder on the earth, and a great corruption - 73).</p><p>This sentence is connected with all those injunctions mentioned a little earlier, for instance, (1) the Muhajir and the Ansar should be friends to each other, which includes mutual help and support, as well as inheritance; (2) the Muhajir and non-Muhajir Muslims of that period of time should not consider themselves related to each other in terms of inheritance, but the doors of help and support should remain open subject to relevant conditions; (3) the disbelievers were caretakers (waliyy) of each other, therefore, Muslims should not interfere with their law of guardianship and inheritance in any way.</p><p>Thereafter the text says if things were not done according to these injunctions, there shall be disorder and corruption on the earth. Perhaps, this warning has been given in view of the importance of the injunctions described here for they were based on major principles of equity, justice and public peace. The related verses make it amply clear that the way mutual help, support and inheritance depend on lineal bond - in the same manner, religious bond has its own importance in this matter. In fact, religious bond has precedence over lineal bond. This is the reason why a Kafir (disbeliever) cannot inherit from a Muslim and a Muslim cannot inherit from a Kafir - even though, they be fathers or sons or brothers by lineage. Along with it, in order to block religious prejudice and pagan partisanship, instructions were given that, no doubt, the religious bond is so formidable, yet standing by the terms of a treaty comes first and is more preferable. Contravention of the terms of a treaty is not permissible under the heat of religious partisanship. Similarly, also given was the instruction that the disbelievers are responsible for each other as guardians and inheritors, therefore, no interference should be made in their personal law of guardianship and inheritance. On the surface, these look like a few subsidiary injunctions, but they are, in reality, comprehensive basic principles of equity and justice for all which guarantee world peace. This is the reason why, at this place, following the description of these injunctions, warning has been given in words which have not been generally used in the case of other injunctions: 'If you will not do so, there shall be disorder and corruption on the earth.' Also given within these words is a hint that these injunctions have an effectiveness of their own in checking disorder and corruption.</p>

Said in the second verse (73) وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ (And those who disbelieve are friends to each other). The word: وَلِی (waliyy) used here, as stated earlier, carries a general sense included wherein is inheritance as well as the guardianship and patronage of affairs. Therefore, from this verse, we learn that disbelievers shall be considered inheritors to each other and the very law of the distribution of inheritance which is in force in their own religion shall be implemented as far as matters of their inheritance are concerned. In addition to that, the guardian وَلِی (waliyy) responsible for the upbringing of their orphaned children and for the marriage of their girls shall be from among them. In a nutshell, it means that, in family matters, the religious law of non-Muslims themselves shall stand duly protected in an Islamic state.At the end of the verse, it was said إِلَّا تَفْعَلُوهُ تَكُن فِتْنَةٌ فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ وَفَسَادٌ كَبِيرٌ‌ (And if you will not do so, there shall be disorder on the earth, and a great corruption - 73).This sentence is connected with all those injunctions mentioned a little earlier, for instance, (1) the Muhajir and the Ansar should be friends to each other, which includes mutual help and support, as well as inheritance; (2) the Muhajir and non-Muhajir Muslims of that period of time should not consider themselves related to each other in terms of inheritance, but the doors of help and support should remain open subject to relevant conditions; (3) the disbelievers were caretakers (waliyy) of each other, therefore, Muslims should not interfere with their law of guardianship and inheritance in any way.Thereafter the text says if things were not done according to these injunctions, there shall be disorder and corruption on the earth. Perhaps, this warning has been given in view of the importance of the injunctions described here for they were based on major principles of equity, justice and public peace. The related verses make it amply clear that the way mutual help, support and inheritance depend on lineal bond - in the same manner, religious bond has its own importance in this matter. In fact, religious bond has precedence over lineal bond. This is the reason why a Kafir (disbeliever) cannot inherit from a Muslim and a Muslim cannot inherit from a Kafir - even though, they be fathers or sons or brothers by lineage. Along with it, in order to block religious prejudice and pagan partisanship, instructions were given that, no doubt, the religious bond is so formidable, yet standing by the terms of a treaty comes first and is more preferable. Contravention of the terms of a treaty is not permissible under the heat of religious partisanship. Similarly, also given was the instruction that the disbelievers are responsible for each other as guardians and inheritors, therefore, no interference should be made in their personal law of guardianship and inheritance. On the surface, these look like a few subsidiary injunctions, but they are, in reality, comprehensive basic principles of equity and justice for all which guarantee world peace. This is the reason why, at this place, following the description of these injunctions, warning has been given in words which have not been generally used in the case of other injunctions: 'If you will not do so, there shall be disorder and corruption on the earth.' Also given within these words is a hint that these injunctions have an effectiveness of their own in checking disorder and corruption.

<h2 class="title">The Disbelievers are Allies of Each Other; the Muslims are not their Allies</h2><p>After Allah mentioned that the believers are the supporters of one another, He severed all ties of support between them and the disbelievers. In his Mustadrak, Al-Hakim recorded that Usamah said that the Prophet said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«لَا يَتَوَارَثُ أَهْلُ مِلَّتَيْنِ، وَلَا يَرِثُ مُسْلِمٌ كَافِرًا، وَلَا كَافِرٌ مُسْلِمًا»</div><p>(No followers of two religions inherit from each other. Therefore, neither a Muslim inherits from a disbeliever nor a disbeliever from a Muslim.) </p><p>The Prophet recited this Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالَّذينَ كَفَرُواْ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ إِلاَّ تَفْعَلُوهُ تَكُنْ فِتْنَةٌ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَفَسَادٌ كَبِيرٌ </div><p>(And those who disbelieve are supporters of one another, (and) if you (Muslims) do not do so (protect one another), there will be Fitnah on the earth, and great corruption.) Al-Hakim said, "Its chain is Sahih, and they did not record it." However, the following, from Usamah bin Zayd, is in the Two Sahihs; the Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«لَا يَرِثُ الْمُسْلِمُ الْكَافِرَ وَلَا الْكَافِرُ الْمُسْلِم»</div><p>(Neither a Muslim inherits from a disbeliever nor a disbeliever inherits from a Muslim.) </p><p>Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِلاَّ تَفْعَلُوهُ تَكُنْ فِتْنَةٌ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَفَسَادٌ كَبِيرٌ</div><p>(If you do not do so, there will be Fitnah and oppression on the earth, and a great corruption), meaning, if you do not shun the idolators and offer your loyalty to the believers, Fitnah will overcome the people. Then confusion polytheism and corruption will be rampant, for the believers will be mixed with disbelievers, resulting in tremendous, widespread trials corruption and mischief between people. </p>

The Disbelievers are Allies of Each Other; the Muslims are not their AlliesAfter Allah mentioned that the believers are the supporters of one another, He severed all ties of support between them and the disbelievers. In his Mustadrak, Al-Hakim recorded that Usamah said that the Prophet said, «لَا يَتَوَارَثُ أَهْلُ مِلَّتَيْنِ، وَلَا يَرِثُ مُسْلِمٌ كَافِرًا، وَلَا كَافِرٌ مُسْلِمًا»(No followers of two religions inherit from each other. Therefore, neither a Muslim inherits from a disbeliever nor a disbeliever from a Muslim.) The Prophet recited this Ayah, وَالَّذينَ كَفَرُواْ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ إِلاَّ تَفْعَلُوهُ تَكُنْ فِتْنَةٌ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَفَسَادٌ كَبِيرٌ (And those who disbelieve are supporters of one another, (and) if you (Muslims) do not do so (protect one another), there will be Fitnah on the earth, and great corruption.) Al-Hakim said, "Its chain is Sahih, and they did not record it." However, the following, from Usamah bin Zayd, is in the Two Sahihs; the Messenger of Allah said, «لَا يَرِثُ الْمُسْلِمُ الْكَافِرَ وَلَا الْكَافِرُ الْمُسْلِم»(Neither a Muslim inherits from a disbeliever nor a disbeliever inherits from a Muslim.) Allah said next, إِلاَّ تَفْعَلُوهُ تَكُنْ فِتْنَةٌ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَفَسَادٌ كَبِيرٌ(If you do not do so, there will be Fitnah and oppression on the earth, and a great corruption), meaning, if you do not shun the idolators and offer your loyalty to the believers, Fitnah will overcome the people. Then confusion polytheism and corruption will be rampant, for the believers will be mixed with disbelievers, resulting in tremendous, widespread trials corruption and mischief between people.

Those who accepted the faith and abandoned their homes, and struggled in the cause of God, and those who gave them shelter and helped them, are veritably true believers. For them is forgiveness and noble sustenance.

And those who believed and migrated and fought in Allah's cause, and those who gave shelter and provided help – it is they who are the true believers; for them is pardon, and an honourable sustenance.

And those who believe, and have emigrated and struggled in the way of God. those who have given refuge and help those in truth are the believers, and theirs shall be forgiveness and generous provision.

And they who have attained to faith, and who have forsaken the domain of evil and are striving hard in God's cause, as well as those who shelter and succour [them]-it is they, they who are truly believers! Forgiveness of sins awaits them, and a most excellent sustenance.

And those who believe and have emigrated and striven hard in the way of Allah, those who sheltered and succoured --these! they are the believers in very truth; for them shall be forgiviness and honourable provision.

And those who believed, and emigrated and strove hard in the Cause of Allah (Al-Jihad), as well as those who gave (them) asylum and aid; - these are the believers in truth, for them is forgiveness and Rizqun Karim (a generous provision i.e. Paradise).

Those who believed, and emigrated, and struggled for God’s cause, and those who gave shelter and support—these are the true believers. They will have forgiveness, and a bountiful provision.

Those who believe and have migrated and strove in the way of Allah, and those who gave them refuge and help - it is they who are the true believers. Theirs shall be forgiveness and honourable sustenance.

And those who believed, and emigrated and strove hard in the cause of Allah (Al-Jihad), as well as those who gave (them) asylum and aid -- these are the believers in truth, for them is forgiveness and a generous provision.

Those who believed and left their homes and strove for the cause of Allah, and those who took them in and helped them - these are the believers in truth. For them is pardon, and bountiful provision.

Those who have believed, migrated, and waged jihad in the way of Allah, and those who gave them shelter and help, it is they who are truly the faithful. For them shall be forgiveness and a noble provision.

Those who believe and migrated from their homes and fought for the Way of Allah, and those who have sheltered them and helped them they are truly the believers. Theirs shall be forgiveness and a generous provision.

But those who have believed and emigrated and fought in the cause of Allah and those who gave shelter and aided - it is they who are the believers, truly. For them is forgiveness and noble provision.

The believers who left their homes, and strove for the cause of God and those who gave them refuge and helped them, are true believers. They will have forgiveness (from their Lord) and (will be granted) honorable provisions.

And (as for) those who believed and fled and struggled hard in Allah's way, and those who gave shelter and helped, these are the believers truly; they shall have forgiveness and honorable provision.

Wa<b>a</b>lla<u>th</u>eena <u>a</u>manoo wah<u>a</u>jaroo waj<u>a</u>hadoo fee sabeeli All<u>a</u>hi wa<b>a</b>lla<u>th</u>eena <u>a</u>waw wana<u>s</u>aroo ol<u>a</u>ika humu almuminoona <u>h</u>aqqan lahum maghfiratun warizqun kareem<b>un</b>

Those who have believed and migrated and striven for the cause of God, as well as those who have given them refuge and support, are the true believers; they shall have forgiveness and an honourable provision.

Those who believe, and adopt exile, and fight for the Faith, in the cause of Allah as well as those who give (them) asylum and aid,- these are (all) in very truth the Believers: for them is the forgiveness of sins and a provision most generous.

8

وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَهَاجَرُوا۟ وَجَٰهَدُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَاوَوا۟ وَّنَصَرُوٓا۟ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقًّا لَّهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ

Those who believed in Allah and emigrated in His path, and those who provided shelter and assistance to the emigrants in Allah’s path, they are the ones who can be truly described as having faith. They will receive Allah’s forgiveness for their sins and a generous reward: Paradise.

Those who believed in Allah and emigrated in His path, and those who provided shelter and assistance to the emigrants in Allah’s path, they are the ones who can be truly described as having faith. They will receive Allah’s forgiveness for their sins and a generous reward: Paradise.

<p>Mentioned in the third verse (74) are words of praise for the Sahabah who emigrated from Makkah and for the Ansar of Madinah who helped them, as well as the attestation to their being true Muslims and the promise of forgiveness and respectable provision made to them. When it was said: أُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقًّا (those are the believers in truth), the hint given was in the direction that those who did not migrate were though Muslims, but their Islam was neither perfect, nor certain - because there existed the probability that they may really be hypocrites professing Islam only outwardly. After that, it was said: لَّهُم مَّغْفِرَ‌ةٌ (For them there is forgiveness) - as it has been explained in sound (Sahih) Ahadith: اَلاِسلَامُ یَھدِمُ مَا کَانَ قَبلَہ (Islam demolishes what was before it) and: والھِجرَۃُ تَھدِمُ مَا کَانَ قَبلَھَا (Hijrah razes what was before it). In short, this means that the act of becoming a Muslim goes on to demolish the entire edifice of past sins. Similarly, the making of Hijrah razes all past sins.</p>

Mentioned in the third verse (74) are words of praise for the Sahabah who emigrated from Makkah and for the Ansar of Madinah who helped them, as well as the attestation to their being true Muslims and the promise of forgiveness and respectable provision made to them. When it was said: أُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقًّا (those are the believers in truth), the hint given was in the direction that those who did not migrate were though Muslims, but their Islam was neither perfect, nor certain - because there existed the probability that they may really be hypocrites professing Islam only outwardly. After that, it was said: لَّهُم مَّغْفِرَ‌ةٌ (For them there is forgiveness) - as it has been explained in sound (Sahih) Ahadith: اَلاِسلَامُ یَھدِمُ مَا کَانَ قَبلَہ (Islam demolishes what was before it) and: والھِجرَۃُ تَھدِمُ مَا کَانَ قَبلَھَا (Hijrah razes what was before it). In short, this means that the act of becoming a Muslim goes on to demolish the entire edifice of past sins. Similarly, the making of Hijrah razes all past sins.

<h2 class="title">Believers in Truth</h2><p>After Allah affirmed the ruling of loyalty and protection between the believers in this life, He then mentioned their destination in the Hereafter. Allah also affirmed the faith of the believers, just as mentioned in the beginning of this Surah, and that He will reward them with forgiveness and by erasing their sins, if they have any. He also promised them honorable provisions that are abundant, pure, everlasting and eternal; provisions that never end or run out, nor will they ever cause boredom, for they are delightful and come in great varieties. Allah then mentioned that those who follow the path of the believers in faith and performing good deeds, will be with them in the Hereafter. Just as Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالسَّـبِقُونَ الاٌّوَّلُونَ</div><p>(And the foremost to embrace Islam...) 9:100, until the end of the Ayah. He also said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالَّذِينَ جَآءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ</div><p>(And those who came after them ...) 59:10. </p><p>A Hadith that is in the Two Sahihs, which is Mutawatir and has several authentic chains of narrations, mentions that the Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«الْمَرْءُ مَعَ مَنْ أَحَب»</div><p>(One will be in the company of those whom he loves.) Another Hadith states, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«مَنْ أَحَبَّ قَوْمًا فَهُوَ مِنْهُم»</div><p>(He who loves a people is one of them), and in another narration, he said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«حُشِرَ مَعَهُم»</div><p>(...will be gathered with them (on the Day of Resurrection).) </p><h2 class="title">Inheritance is for Designated Degrees of Relatives</h2><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأُوْلُواْ الأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَى بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتَـبِ اللَّهِ</div><p>(But kindred by blood are nearer to one another (regarding inheritance) in the decree ordained by Allah), meaning, in Allah's decision. This Ayah encompasses all relatives, not only the degrees of relative who do not have a fixed, designated share in the inheritance, as some people claim and use this Ayah to argue. According to Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and several others, this Ayah abrogated inheriting from those with whom one had ties of treaties or brotherhood, as was the case in the beginning of Islam. So it applies to all relatives, and as for those who do not inherit, then this is supported by the Hadith, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَعْطَى كُلَّ ذِي حَقَ حَقَّهُ فَلَا وَصِيَّةٍ لِوَارِث»</div><p>(Indeed Allah had alloted every right to the one who deserves it, so there may be no will for an heir.) </p><p>Therefore, this Ayah also includes those who have a fixed share of inheritance. Allah knows best. </p><p>This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Anfal, all praise and thanks are for Allah, in Him we trust, and He is sufficient for us, what an excellent supporter He is.</p>

Believers in TruthAfter Allah affirmed the ruling of loyalty and protection between the believers in this life, He then mentioned their destination in the Hereafter. Allah also affirmed the faith of the believers, just as mentioned in the beginning of this Surah, and that He will reward them with forgiveness and by erasing their sins, if they have any. He also promised them honorable provisions that are abundant, pure, everlasting and eternal; provisions that never end or run out, nor will they ever cause boredom, for they are delightful and come in great varieties. Allah then mentioned that those who follow the path of the believers in faith and performing good deeds, will be with them in the Hereafter. Just as Allah said, وَالسَّـبِقُونَ الاٌّوَّلُونَ(And the foremost to embrace Islam...) 9:100, until the end of the Ayah. He also said, وَالَّذِينَ جَآءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ(And those who came after them ...) 59:10. A Hadith that is in the Two Sahihs, which is Mutawatir and has several authentic chains of narrations, mentions that the Messenger of Allah said, «الْمَرْءُ مَعَ مَنْ أَحَب»(One will be in the company of those whom he loves.) Another Hadith states, «مَنْ أَحَبَّ قَوْمًا فَهُوَ مِنْهُم»(He who loves a people is one of them), and in another narration, he said, «حُشِرَ مَعَهُم»(...will be gathered with them (on the Day of Resurrection).) Inheritance is for Designated Degrees of RelativesAllah said, وَأُوْلُواْ الأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَى بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتَـبِ اللَّهِ(But kindred by blood are nearer to one another (regarding inheritance) in the decree ordained by Allah), meaning, in Allah's decision. This Ayah encompasses all relatives, not only the degrees of relative who do not have a fixed, designated share in the inheritance, as some people claim and use this Ayah to argue. According to Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and several others, this Ayah abrogated inheriting from those with whom one had ties of treaties or brotherhood, as was the case in the beginning of Islam. So it applies to all relatives, and as for those who do not inherit, then this is supported by the Hadith, «إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَعْطَى كُلَّ ذِي حَقَ حَقَّهُ فَلَا وَصِيَّةٍ لِوَارِث»(Indeed Allah had alloted every right to the one who deserves it, so there may be no will for an heir.) Therefore, this Ayah also includes those who have a fixed share of inheritance. Allah knows best. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Anfal, all praise and thanks are for Allah, in Him we trust, and He is sufficient for us, what an excellent supporter He is.

Those who accepted the faith and left their homes and fought by your side, are your brothers; yet those who are related by blood are closer to one another according to the decree of God. Verily God knows everything.

And those who afterwards believed and migrated and fought along with you – they too are from among you; and family members (blood relations) are nearer to one another in the Book of Allah; indeed Allah knows everything.

And those who have believed afterwards and emigrated, and struggled with you -- they belong to you; but those related by blood are nearer to one another in the Book of God; surely God has knowledge of everything.

And as for those who henceforth come to believe, and who forsake the domain of evil and strive hard [in God's cause] together with you - these [too] shall belong to you; and they who are [thus] closely related have the highest claim on one another in [accordance with] God's decree. Verily, God has full knowledge of everything.

And those who believed after wards and emigrated and strave hard along with you: these also are of you; and the kindred by blood are nearer unto one anot her in Allah's decree; verily Allah is of everything the Knower.

And those who believed afterwards, and emigrated and strove hard along with you, (in the Cause of Allah) they are of you. But kindred by blood are nearer to one another regarding inheritance in the decree ordained by Allah. Verily, Allah is the All-Knower of everything.

As for those who believed afterwards, and emigrated and struggled with you—these belong with you. But family members are nearer to one another in the Book of God. God is Cognizant of everything.

And those who believed afterwards and migrated and strove along with you: they belong to you. But those related by blood are nearer to one another according to the Book of Allah. Allah has knowledge of everything.

And those who believed afterwards, and emigrated and strove hard along with you, they are of you. But kindred by blood are nearer to one another (regarding inheritance) in the decree ordained by Allah. Verily, Allah is the All-Knower of everything.

And those who afterwards believed and left their homes and strove along with you, they are of you; and those who are akin are nearer one to another in the ordinance of Allah. Lo! Allah is Knower of all things.

Those who believed afterwards and migrated, and waged jihad along with you, they belong to you; but the blood relatives are more entitled to inherit from one another in the Book of Allah. Indeed Allah has knowledge of all things.

And those who believed afterwards and emigrated, and struggled with you they are of you. And in the Book of Allah, the near kinsmen deserve one another (in inheritance). Allah has knowledge of all things.

And those who believed after [the initial emigration] and emigrated and fought with you - they are of you. But those of [blood] relationship are more entitled [to inheritance] in the decree of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of all things.

Those who accepted the faith later, left their homes and strove with you for the cause of God are also your people. They relatives are nearer to each other according to the Book of God. God has knowledge of all things.

And (as for) those who believed afterwards and fled and struggled hard along with you, they are of you; and the possessors of relationships are nearer to each other in the ordinance of Allah; surely Allah knows all things.

Wa<b>a</b>lla<u>th</u>eena <u>a</u>manoo min baAAdu wah<u>a</u>jaroo waj<u>a</u>hadoo maAAakum faol<u>a</u>ika minkum waoloo alar<u>ha</u>mi baAA<u>d</u>uhum awl<u>a</u> bibaAA<u>d</u>in fee kit<u>a</u>bi All<u>a</u>hi inna All<u>a</u>ha bikulli shayin AAaleem<b>un</b>

And those who have believed later on, and emigrated and struggled for God's sake alongside you are also a part of you. But as to blood relations, they are nearer one to another in the Book of God. God has full knowledge of all things.

And those who accept Faith subsequently, and adopt exile, and fight for the Faith in your company,- they are of you. But kindred by blood have prior rights against each other in the Book of Allah. Verily Allah is well-acquainted with all things.

8

وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدُ وَهَاجَرُوا۟ وَجَٰهَدُوا۟ مَعَكُمْ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ مِنكُمْ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ فِى كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌۢ

Those who believed and accepted the faith amongst the earlier Emigrants and Helpers, who emigrated from the land of disbelief to the land of Islam, and strived in Allah’s path so that Allah’s Word may be the highest and the word of the disbelievers may be the lowest – they are part of you, O believers. They will have the same rights and obligations as you have. Under Allah’s final sacred laws of inheritance, family members are closer to one another than the previous Islamic system of inheritance based on faith and emigration. Allah knows everything. Nothing is hidden from Him. He knows what is best for His servants and legislates what is in their well being.

Those who believed and accepted the faith amongst the earlier Emigrants and Helpers, who emigrated from the land of disbelief to the land of Islam, and strived in Allah’s path so that Allah’s Word may be the highest and the word of the disbelievers may be the lowest – they are part of you, O believers. They will have the same rights and obligations as you have. Under Allah’s final sacred laws of inheritance, family members are closer to one another than the previous Islamic system of inheritance based on faith and emigration. Allah knows everything. Nothing is hidden from Him. He knows what is best for His servants and legislates what is in their well being.

<p>Described in the fourth verse (75) is the injunction concerning different categories of Muhajirin (مُھَاجِرین ، emigrants). It says: Though, some of them are the very first among Muhajirin - those who migrated earlier than the Peace Treaty of Hudaibiyah. Then, there is a second category of Muhajirin - those who migrated after the Peace Treaty of Hudaibiyah and, because of this, there will be difference in the ranks they are to have in the Hereafter, but regarding injunctions of this mortal world, they too shall be covered by the injunction governing the first category of Muhajirin in that they are inheritors to each other. Therefore, addressing the first among the Muhajirin, it was said: فَأُولَـٰئِكَ مِنكُمْ (then, they are one of you - 75). It means that these Muhajirin of the second category are also a part of your group. Hence, under injunctions governing inheritance, they are governed by rules which apply to Muhajirin in general.</p><p>This is the very last verse of Surah Al-Anfal. Given at the end of it is a comprehensive regulation of the law of inheritance through which stood abrogated what was an interim injunction promulgated during the early period of Hijrah mentioned in the preceding verses about having the Muhajirin and Ansar become inheritors to each other through an arrangement of brotherhood between them. The words of the last verse which abrogated this temporary law of inheritance are: وَأُولُو الْأَرْ‌حَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّـهِ (As for the womb-relatives, some of them are closer to some as in the Book of Allah -75). Let us study them in a greater detail.</p><p>In Arabic, the word: أُولُو (ulu) is used to carry the sense of being the possessor, owner, person or people of certain entitlement. In absence of an exact counterpart in English, it is usually translated as 'men of or 'people of ', as in: 'people of wisdom' for: اولو العقل (ulu ‘l-‘aql) and 'people of authority' for اولوالامر (ulu 'l-amr). Therefore, the word: اولوالارحام (ulu '1--arham) means the people of arham (wombs). Arham is the plural of rahim which is basically the name of the part of the body where the creative process of the human child takes place and since the bond of relationship is established via the association of rah’ m (رحم), therefore, اولوالارحام (ulu 'l-arham : translated literally as womb-relatives) is used in the sense of relatives.</p><p>The meaning of the verse is that, though a universal bond of brotherhood binds all Muslims to each other, because of which, if needed, helping and supporting each other becomes obligatory, and that they also inherit from each other. But, Muslims who are bound by mutual relationship have precedence over other Muslims. The phrase: فِی کِتَابِ اللہِ (fi Kitabillah: translated literally 'as in the Book of Allah - 75' ) at this place has been used in the sense of: فِی حُکمِ اللہِ (fi hukmi 'l-la.h) which means that Allah Ta` ala has made this law through His special command.</p><p>The rule of procedure given by this verse is that the distribution of inheritance should be on the criterion of relationship and the word: اولوالارحام (ulu 'l-arham) is applied to relatives in an absolute sense. Out of these, the shares of particular relatives have already been determined by the Holy Qur'an in Surah al-Nisa'. These are called Ashab al-Furud or Dhawi al-Furud in the terminology of the Law of Inheritance. Popularly referred to as "Qur'anic heirs," they mean those who are entitled to a statutory share in the inheritance of a deceased person. Any property which remains, after the determined shares have been given, should be distributed over other relatives as provided in this verse. Then, it is also evident that it is not possible for anyone to distribute any property over all relatives because some kind of a distant relationship definitely exists among human beings of the whole world - for all of them owe their fact of birth to but one father and mother, Sayyidna Adam and Sayyidah Hawwa (علیہا السلام) (Adam and Eve). Therefore, the only practical way of distributing inheritance over relatives can be that, by giving close relatives precedence over those distant, the benchmark of the near should be used to exclude the distant. A detailed description of this is present in the Ahadith of the Holy Prophet ﷺ which stipulate that, after having given the shares of Dhawi al-Furud (Qur'anic heirs), whatever remains should be given to the ‘Asbat (agnates or paternal relatives) of the deceased person, degree-wise, that is, by giving precedence to the near agnate (` asbah) over the distant one, the benchmark of the near should be used to exclude the distant.</p><p>And in case, there is no one alive from among the agnates ( ‘asbat), then, distribution has to be made over rest of the relatives.</p><p>In addition to ` asbat or agnates, there are a host of other relatives. It is for them that the word: ذَوِی الارحام Dhawi al-Arham has been particularized in the technical terminology of the science of inheritance and distribution. But, this terminology has found currency in a later period. In the Holy Qur'an, the word: اولوالارحام (ulu 'l-arham : womb-relatives), according to its lexical connotation, covers all relatives included wherein are Dhawi al-Furud ذَوِی فُرُوض (Qur'anic heirs), ` Asbat (agnates) and Dhawi al-Arham (womb-relatives) in a general sense.</p><p>Then, some details about the subject have been covered in Surah al-Nis-a' where Allah Ta` ala has Himself determined the shares of particular relatives and which are known as Dhawi al-Furud in the terminology of Inheritance. As for the rest, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said:</p><p>الحقوا الفرایٔض باھلھا فما بقی فھولاولی رجل ذکر۔ (البخاری)</p><p>It means: After giving shares to those identified in the Qur'an, that which remains is to be given to males nearer to the deceased. (al-Bukhari)</p><p>They are known as Asbat (agnates) in the terminology of inheritance. If there be no one from among the ` asbat (agnates) of the deceased person, then, according to the saying of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، other relatives get it. These relatives are technically known as Dhawi 'l-Arham (womb-relatives) such as, maternal uncle or maternal aunt and others.</p><p>The last sentence of this last verse of Surah Al-Anfal has abrogated the law of Islamic inheritance mentioned in verses earlier to this. According to that law, mutual inheritance used to be in force among the Muhajirin and Ansar, even though there be no lineal kinship between them. It was abrogated because it was an emergency-oriented injunction given during the initial period of Hijrah.</p><p>Surah Al-Anfal ends here. May Allah Ta` ala give us all the Taufiq (تَوفِیق)of understanding it and acting in accordance with it.</p><p>Praised is Allah with whose help “ Surah al-'Anfal” comes to its conclusion the night of Thursday, 22nd of Jumada II, Hijrah Year 1381. I seek from Allah Ta` ala His Taufiq and help in the Tafsir of Surah at-Taubah and for Allah is all praise from its beginning to its end --- Muhammad Shafi, may he be forgiven.</p><p>A review of it was completed on the day of Jumu'ah, 19th of Jumada I, Hijrah Year 1390 and praised be Allah for that.</p>

Described in the fourth verse (75) is the injunction concerning different categories of Muhajirin (مُھَاجِرین ، emigrants). It says: Though, some of them are the very first among Muhajirin - those who migrated earlier than the Peace Treaty of Hudaibiyah. Then, there is a second category of Muhajirin - those who migrated after the Peace Treaty of Hudaibiyah and, because of this, there will be difference in the ranks they are to have in the Hereafter, but regarding injunctions of this mortal world, they too shall be covered by the injunction governing the first category of Muhajirin in that they are inheritors to each other. Therefore, addressing the first among the Muhajirin, it was said: فَأُولَـٰئِكَ مِنكُمْ (then, they are one of you - 75). It means that these Muhajirin of the second category are also a part of your group. Hence, under injunctions governing inheritance, they are governed by rules which apply to Muhajirin in general.This is the very last verse of Surah Al-Anfal. Given at the end of it is a comprehensive regulation of the law of inheritance through which stood abrogated what was an interim injunction promulgated during the early period of Hijrah mentioned in the preceding verses about having the Muhajirin and Ansar become inheritors to each other through an arrangement of brotherhood between them. The words of the last verse which abrogated this temporary law of inheritance are: وَأُولُو الْأَرْ‌حَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّـهِ (As for the womb-relatives, some of them are closer to some as in the Book of Allah -75). Let us study them in a greater detail.In Arabic, the word: أُولُو (ulu) is used to carry the sense of being the possessor, owner, person or people of certain entitlement. In absence of an exact counterpart in English, it is usually translated as 'men of or 'people of ', as in: 'people of wisdom' for: اولو العقل (ulu ‘l-‘aql) and 'people of authority' for اولوالامر (ulu 'l-amr). Therefore, the word: اولوالارحام (ulu '1--arham) means the people of arham (wombs). Arham is the plural of rahim which is basically the name of the part of the body where the creative process of the human child takes place and since the bond of relationship is established via the association of rah’ m (رحم), therefore, اولوالارحام (ulu 'l-arham : translated literally as womb-relatives) is used in the sense of relatives.The meaning of the verse is that, though a universal bond of brotherhood binds all Muslims to each other, because of which, if needed, helping and supporting each other becomes obligatory, and that they also inherit from each other. But, Muslims who are bound by mutual relationship have precedence over other Muslims. The phrase: فِی کِتَابِ اللہِ (fi Kitabillah: translated literally 'as in the Book of Allah - 75' ) at this place has been used in the sense of: فِی حُکمِ اللہِ (fi hukmi 'l-la.h) which means that Allah Ta` ala has made this law through His special command.The rule of procedure given by this verse is that the distribution of inheritance should be on the criterion of relationship and the word: اولوالارحام (ulu 'l-arham) is applied to relatives in an absolute sense. Out of these, the shares of particular relatives have already been determined by the Holy Qur'an in Surah al-Nisa'. These are called Ashab al-Furud or Dhawi al-Furud in the terminology of the Law of Inheritance. Popularly referred to as "Qur'anic heirs," they mean those who are entitled to a statutory share in the inheritance of a deceased person. Any property which remains, after the determined shares have been given, should be distributed over other relatives as provided in this verse. Then, it is also evident that it is not possible for anyone to distribute any property over all relatives because some kind of a distant relationship definitely exists among human beings of the whole world - for all of them owe their fact of birth to but one father and mother, Sayyidna Adam and Sayyidah Hawwa (علیہا السلام) (Adam and Eve). Therefore, the only practical way of distributing inheritance over relatives can be that, by giving close relatives precedence over those distant, the benchmark of the near should be used to exclude the distant. A detailed description of this is present in the Ahadith of the Holy Prophet ﷺ which stipulate that, after having given the shares of Dhawi al-Furud (Qur'anic heirs), whatever remains should be given to the ‘Asbat (agnates or paternal relatives) of the deceased person, degree-wise, that is, by giving precedence to the near agnate (` asbah) over the distant one, the benchmark of the near should be used to exclude the distant.And in case, there is no one alive from among the agnates ( ‘asbat), then, distribution has to be made over rest of the relatives.In addition to ` asbat or agnates, there are a host of other relatives. It is for them that the word: ذَوِی الارحام Dhawi al-Arham has been particularized in the technical terminology of the science of inheritance and distribution. But, this terminology has found currency in a later period. In the Holy Qur'an, the word: اولوالارحام (ulu 'l-arham : womb-relatives), according to its lexical connotation, covers all relatives included wherein are Dhawi al-Furud ذَوِی فُرُوض (Qur'anic heirs), ` Asbat (agnates) and Dhawi al-Arham (womb-relatives) in a general sense.Then, some details about the subject have been covered in Surah al-Nis-a' where Allah Ta` ala has Himself determined the shares of particular relatives and which are known as Dhawi al-Furud in the terminology of Inheritance. As for the rest, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said:الحقوا الفرایٔض باھلھا فما بقی فھولاولی رجل ذکر۔ (البخاری)It means: After giving shares to those identified in the Qur'an, that which remains is to be given to males nearer to the deceased. (al-Bukhari)They are known as Asbat (agnates) in the terminology of inheritance. If there be no one from among the ` asbat (agnates) of the deceased person, then, according to the saying of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، other relatives get it. These relatives are technically known as Dhawi 'l-Arham (womb-relatives) such as, maternal uncle or maternal aunt and others.The last sentence of this last verse of Surah Al-Anfal has abrogated the law of Islamic inheritance mentioned in verses earlier to this. According to that law, mutual inheritance used to be in force among the Muhajirin and Ansar, even though there be no lineal kinship between them. It was abrogated because it was an emergency-oriented injunction given during the initial period of Hijrah.Surah Al-Anfal ends here. May Allah Ta` ala give us all the Taufiq (تَوفِیق)of understanding it and acting in accordance with it.Praised is Allah with whose help “ Surah al-'Anfal” comes to its conclusion the night of Thursday, 22nd of Jumada II, Hijrah Year 1381. I seek from Allah Ta` ala His Taufiq and help in the Tafsir of Surah at-Taubah and for Allah is all praise from its beginning to its end --- Muhammad Shafi, may he be forgiven.A review of it was completed on the day of Jumu'ah, 19th of Jumada I, Hijrah Year 1390 and praised be Allah for that.

IMMUNITY is granted those idolaters by God and his Apostle with whom you have a treaty.

Severance of ties is proclaimed by Allah and on behalf of His Noble Messenger, towards the polytheists with whom you had a treaty.

An acquittal, from God and His Messenger, unto the idolaters with whom you made covenant:

DISAVOWAL by God and His Apostle [is herewith announced] unto those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God, [and] with whom you [O: believers] have made a covenant.

Quittance is this from Allah and His aposle unto the associators with whom ye had covenanted.

Freedom from (all) obligations (is declared) from Allah and His Messenger (SAW) to those of the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah), with whom you made a treaty.

A declaration of immunity from God and His Messenger to the polytheists with whom you had made a treaty.

This is a declaration of disavowal by Allah and His Messenger to those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity and with whom you have made treaties:

Freedom from (all) obligations (is declared) from Allah and His Messenger () to those of the Mushrikin (idolaters), with whom you made a treaty.

Freedom from obligation (is proclaimed) from Allah and His messenger toward those of the idolaters with whom ye made a treaty.

[This is] a [declaration of] repudiation by Allah and His Apostle [addressed] to the polytheists with whom you had made a treaty:

An acquittal from Allah and His Messenger to the idolaters with whom you have made agreements;

[This is a declaration of] disassociation, from Allah and His Messenger, to those with whom you had made a treaty among the polytheists.

God and His Messenger declare the abrogation of the peace treaty that existed between them and the pagans.

(This is a declaration of) immunity by Allah and His Apostle towards those of the idolaters with whom you made an agreement.

Bar<u>a</u>atun mina All<u>a</u>hi warasoolihi il<u>a</u> alla<u>th</u>eena AA<u>a</u>hadtum mina almushrikeen<b>a</b>

This is a declaration of immunity from God and His Messenger to the polytheists, with whom you had made agreements.

A (declaration) of immunity from Allah and His Messenger, to those of the Pagans with whom ye have contracted mutual alliances:-

9

بَرَآءَةٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ عَٰهَدتُّم مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ

This is a declaration of dissociation from Allah and His Messenger and an announcement of the termination of the treaties that you, O Muslims, had made with the idolaters.

This is a declaration of dissociation from Allah and His Messenger and an announcement of the termination of the treaties that you, O Muslims, had made with the idolaters.

<h2 class="title">Which was revealed in Makkah</h2><h2 class="title">Why there is no Basmalah in the Beginning of This Surah</h2><p>This honorable Surah (chapter 9) was one of the last Surahs to be revealed to the Messenger of Allah . Al-Bukhari recorded that Al-Bara' said, "The last Ayah to be revealed was, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَسْتَفْتُونَكَ قُلِ اللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِى الْكَلَـلَةِ</div><p>(They ask you for a legal verdict. Say: "Allah directs (thus) about Al-Kalalah.") 4:176, while the last Surah to be revealed was Bara'ah."</p><p> The Basmalah was not mentioned in the beginning of this Surah because the Companions did not write it in the complete copy of the Qur'an (Mushaf) they collected, following the Commander of the faithful, `Uthman bin `Affan, may Allah be pleased with him. The first part of this honorable Surah was revealed to the Messenger of Allah when he returned from the battle of Tabuk, during the Hajj season, which the Prophet thought about attending. But he remembered that the idolators would still attend that Hajj, as was usual in past years, and that they perform Tawaf around the House while naked. He disliked to associate with them and sent Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, to lead Hajj that year and show the people their rituals, commanding him to inform the idolators that they would not be allowed to participate in Hajj after that season. He commanded him to proclaim, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">بَرَآءَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ</div><p>(Freedom from (all) obligations (is declared) from Allah and His Messenger ()...), to the people. When Abu Bakr had left, the Messenger sent `Ali bin Abu Talib to be the one to deliver this news to the idolators on behalf of the Messenger , for he was the Messenger's cousin. We will mention this story later.</p><h2 class="title">Publicizing the Disavowal of the Idolators</h2><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">بَرَآءَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ</div><p>(Freedom from obligations from Allah and His Messenger ()), is a declaration of freedom from all obligations from Allah and His Messenger , </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِلَى الَّذِينَ عَاهَدْتُمْ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَفَسِيحُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ</div><p>(to those of the Mushrikin, with whom you made a treaty. So travel freely (Mushrikin) for four months (as you will) throughout the land) 9:1-2. This Ayah refers to idolators who had indefinite treaties and those, whose treaties with Muslims ended in less than four months. The terms of these treaties were restricted to four months only. As for those whose term of peace ended at a specific date later (than the four months), then their treaties would end when their terms ended, no matter how long afterwards, for Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَأَتِمُّواْ إِلَيْهِمْ عَهْدَهُمْ إِلَى مُدَّتِهِمْ</div><p>(So fulfill their treaty for them until the end of their term)9:4. So whoever had a coventant with Allah's Messenger then it would last until its period expired, this was reported from Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi and others. We will also mention a Hadith on this matter. Abu Ma`shar Al-Madani said that Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi and several others said, "The Messenger of Allah sent Abu Bakr to lead the Hajj rituals on the ninth year (of Hijrah). He also sent `Ali bin Abi Talib with thirty or forty Ayat from Bara'ah (At-Tawbah), and he recited them to the people, giving the idolators four months during which they freely move about in the land. He recited these Ayat on the day of `Arafah (ninth of Dhul-Hijjah). The idolators were given twenty more days (till the end) of Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram, Safar, Rabi` Al-Awwal and ten days from Rabi` Ath-Thani. He proclaimed to them in their camping areas, `No Mushrik will be allowed to perform Hajj after this year, nor a naked person to perform Tawaf around the House."' So Allah said, </p>

Which was revealed in MakkahWhy there is no Basmalah in the Beginning of This SurahThis honorable Surah (chapter 9) was one of the last Surahs to be revealed to the Messenger of Allah . Al-Bukhari recorded that Al-Bara' said, "The last Ayah to be revealed was, يَسْتَفْتُونَكَ قُلِ اللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِى الْكَلَـلَةِ(They ask you for a legal verdict. Say: "Allah directs (thus) about Al-Kalalah.") 4:176, while the last Surah to be revealed was Bara'ah." The Basmalah was not mentioned in the beginning of this Surah because the Companions did not write it in the complete copy of the Qur'an (Mushaf) they collected, following the Commander of the faithful, `Uthman bin `Affan, may Allah be pleased with him. The first part of this honorable Surah was revealed to the Messenger of Allah when he returned from the battle of Tabuk, during the Hajj season, which the Prophet thought about attending. But he remembered that the idolators would still attend that Hajj, as was usual in past years, and that they perform Tawaf around the House while naked. He disliked to associate with them and sent Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, to lead Hajj that year and show the people their rituals, commanding him to inform the idolators that they would not be allowed to participate in Hajj after that season. He commanded him to proclaim, بَرَآءَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ(Freedom from (all) obligations (is declared) from Allah and His Messenger ()...), to the people. When Abu Bakr had left, the Messenger sent `Ali bin Abu Talib to be the one to deliver this news to the idolators on behalf of the Messenger , for he was the Messenger's cousin. We will mention this story later.Publicizing the Disavowal of the IdolatorsAllah said, بَرَآءَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ(Freedom from obligations from Allah and His Messenger ()), is a declaration of freedom from all obligations from Allah and His Messenger , إِلَى الَّذِينَ عَاهَدْتُمْ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَفَسِيحُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ(to those of the Mushrikin, with whom you made a treaty. So travel freely (Mushrikin) for four months (as you will) throughout the land) 9:1-2. This Ayah refers to idolators who had indefinite treaties and those, whose treaties with Muslims ended in less than four months. The terms of these treaties were restricted to four months only. As for those whose term of peace ended at a specific date later (than the four months), then their treaties would end when their terms ended, no matter how long afterwards, for Allah said, فَأَتِمُّواْ إِلَيْهِمْ عَهْدَهُمْ إِلَى مُدَّتِهِمْ(So fulfill their treaty for them until the end of their term)9:4. So whoever had a coventant with Allah's Messenger then it would last until its period expired, this was reported from Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi and others. We will also mention a Hadith on this matter. Abu Ma`shar Al-Madani said that Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi and several others said, "The Messenger of Allah sent Abu Bakr to lead the Hajj rituals on the ninth year (of Hijrah). He also sent `Ali bin Abi Talib with thirty or forty Ayat from Bara'ah (At-Tawbah), and he recited them to the people, giving the idolators four months during which they freely move about in the land. He recited these Ayat on the day of `Arafah (ninth of Dhul-Hijjah). The idolators were given twenty more days (till the end) of Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram, Safar, Rabi` Al-Awwal and ten days from Rabi` Ath-Thani. He proclaimed to them in their camping areas, `No Mushrik will be allowed to perform Hajj after this year, nor a naked person to perform Tawaf around the House."' So Allah said,

(They can) move about for four months freely in the land, but should know they cannot escape (the law of) God, and that God can put the unbelievers to shame.

Travel freely in the land for four months, and bear in mind that you cannot escape from Allah, and that Allah will humiliate the disbelievers.

'Journey freely in the land for four months; and know that you cannot frustrate the will of God, and that God degrades the unbelievers.'

[Announce unto them:] "Go, then, [freely] about the earth for four months -but know that you can never elude God, and that, verily, God shall bring disgrace upon all who refuse to acknowledge the truth!"

Go about, then, in the land for four months. And know that verily ye cannot escape Allah, and that verily Allah is the humiliator of the infidels.

So travel freely (O Mushrikun - see V. 2:105) for four months (as you will) throughout the land, but know that you cannot escape (from the Punishment of) Allah, and Allah will disgrace the disbelievers.

So travel the land for four months, and know that you cannot escape God, and that God will disgrace the disbelievers.

"You may go about freely in the land, for four months, but know well that you will not be able to frustrate Allah, and that Allah will bring disgrace upon those who deny the Truth."

So travel freely (O Mushrikin) for four months (as you will) throughout the land, but know that you cannot escape (from the punishment of) Allah; and Allah will disgrace the disbelievers.

Travel freely in the land four months, and know that ye cannot escape Allah and that Allah will confound the disbelievers (in His Guidance).

Travel [unmolested] in the land for four months, but know that you cannot frustrate Allah, and that Allah shall disgrace the faithless.

'For four months you shall journey freely in the land. But know that you shall not render Allah incapable, and that Allah will humiliate the unbelievers'

So travel freely, [O disbelievers], throughout the land [during] four months but know that you cannot cause failure to Allah and that Allah will disgrace the disbelievers.

However, during the four sacred months, they (pagans) may travel peacefully through the land. Know (pagans) that you cannot make God helpless, but it is God who has the power to disgrace the unbelievers.

So go about in the land for four months and know that you cannot weaken Allah and that Allah will bring disgrace to the unbelievers.

Fasee<u>h</u>oo fee alar<u>d</u>i arbaAAata ashhurin wa<b>i</b>AAlamoo annakum ghayru muAAjizee All<u>a</u>hi waanna All<u>a</u>ha mukhzee alk<u>a</u>fireen<b>a</b>

So go about in the land for four months, but know that you cannot frustrate the plan of God and that God will disgrace those who deny the truth.

Go ye, then, for four months, backwards and forwards, (as ye will), throughout the land, but know ye that ye cannot frustrate Allah (by your falsehood) but that Allah will cover with shame those who reject Him.

9

فَسِيحُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ مُعْجِزِى ٱللَّهِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مُخْزِى ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ

So travel freely - O idolaters - on earth for a period of four months after which there will be no treaty nor any indemnity. Be certain that you will never escape Allah’s punishment and retribution if you continue to disbelieve in Him. Also be certain that Allah will humiliate the disbelievers, by their being killed or taken captive in the world, and by their entering the fire on the Day of Rising. This includes those who broke their treaties as well as those who had open treaties without any fixed period. As for those with whom you made a treaty for a fixed period their treaty will be honoured until the end of the specified period, even if this is longer than four months.

So travel freely - O idolaters - on earth for a period of four months after which there will be no treaty nor any indemnity. Be certain that you will never escape Allah’s punishment and retribution if you continue to disbelieve in Him. Also be certain that Allah will humiliate the disbelievers, by their being killed or taken captive in the world, and by their entering the fire on the Day of Rising. This includes those who broke their treaties as well as those who had open treaties without any fixed period. As for those with whom you made a treaty for a fixed period their treaty will be honoured until the end of the specified period, even if this is longer than four months.

<p>Commentary</p><p>Now begins Surah Al-Bara'ah which is also called Surah At-Taubah (as written; also Surah At-Taubah as pronounced). It is called Bara'ah for the reason that it mentions bara'ah or disengagement with the consequences of what the kuffar (disbelievers) do. Then, it is also called Taubah because it announces that the repentance of Muslims has been accepted. (Mazhari). It is a feature of this Surah that ` bismillah' (بسم اللہ الرحمٰن الرحیم Bismillahir-Rahma.nir-Rahim: With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very Merciful) is not written in the copies of the Qur'an when the Surah begins. However, Bismillah is written at the head of all Surahs of the Qur'an - the sole exception being that of Surah At-Taubah. Before we find out the relevant reason, let us bear in mind that the Holy Qur'an was revealed bit by bit during the period of twenty three years. The verses of a Surah were revealed at different times. When Sayyidna Jibra'i1 would come with a revelation, he would also point out to the Divinely intended arrangement of each revealed verse, explaining that it should be placed in such and such Surah after such and such 'Ayah (verse). It was in accordance with this Divinely intended arrangement that the Holy Prophet ﷺ would have scribes of the revelation write them up.</p><p>And when, at the end of a Surah, the next was to begin, ` Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim' would be revealed before the next actually did - which made it easy to understand that the previous Surah had concluded and another Surah was beginning. All Surahs of the Holy Qur'an were revealed in that manner. Surah At-Taubah is, in terms of the order of revelation, among one of the very last Surahs. When it began, neither was Bismillah revealed as customary, nor did the Holy Prophet ﷺ instruct the scribe of the revelation to do that. So, this was how things stood when the Holy Prophet ﷺ passed away.</p><p>When Sayyidna ` Uthman al-Ghani ؓ arranged the Holy Qur'an in the form of a book during the period of his Caliphate, Bismillah was not there at the beginning of Surah At-Taubah, an arrangement contrary to that of the rest of Surahs. Therefore, a doubt rose - perhaps, this is not an independent Surah, or may as well be a part of some other Surah. Now, they thought, if this happens to be a part of some other Surah, which Surah is that? In terms of its subjects, Surah Al-Anfal seemed to fit the slot.</p><p>Also, as narrated by Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ elsewhere, ` during the blessed period of the Holy Prophet ﷺ both these Surahs were called: قَریَتَین (qarinatayn: the two connected ones) '. (Mazhari). Therefore, it was placed after Surah Al-Anfal. This precaution was taken for the reason that, should it be a part of another Surah, it must stay with it. But, it was also probable that it may be a separate and independent Surah. Therefore, when writing, a particular format was adopted whereby some space was left open at the end of Surah Al-Anfal and before the beginning of Surah At-Taubah - similar to the spot meant for writing Bismillah at the head of other Surahs.</p><p>The precise reason why Bismillah was not written at the beginning of Surah Al-Bara'ah or At-Taubah has been reported from the great compiler of the revealed text of the Qur'an, Saiyyidna ` Uthman ؓ himself. At that time, he was answering a question posed by Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas, the Sahabi and Mufassir (exegete) of the Qur'an, which appears in Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i, the Musnad of Ahmad and Tirmidhi. In that question, Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ had also asked Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ about the order in which the Surahs of the Qur'an have been arranged. Giving an example, he pointed out that placed first were the larger Surahs that have more than hundred verses. Technically, they are called میٔن (mi'In: hundreds). After that, there are the large Surahs that have less than hundred verses. They are called مَثَانِی (mathani: the oft-repeated ones). Placed thereafter were smaller Surahs that are called مُفَصَّلات (mufassalat: the Surahs starting from "Qāf' [ 50] to the end of the Qur'an [ 114]). The order of this very arrangement necessitated that Surah At-Taubah should be placed before Surah Al-Anfal - because the verses carried by Surah At-Taubah are more than one hundred while those of Surah Al-Anfal are less than one hundred. The first seven long Surahs called سبع طوال (sab' tiwal: the seven long ones) also show that the placement of Surah At-Taubah before Surah Al-Anfal is naturally more appropriate there too. After having stated the existing position, Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ asked about the consideration that had led to a contrary arrangement. Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ said: ` Correct. But, the Qur'an was serious matter. Precaution demanded that we do what we did - because, in case Surah At-Taubah is not taken as an independent S ئ rah, instead, is taken as a part of Surah Al-Anfal, it will be obvious that the verses of Surah Al-Anfal have been revealed earlier and those of Surah At-Taubah after that. Given this situation, it is not permissible to give precedence to the verses of the latter over the verses of Surah Al-Anfal without the sanction of Wahy (revelation). And since we did not find any such instruction in the Wahy, therefore, Surah Al-Anfal was made to precede and Surah At-Taubah, to succeed.'</p><p>From these precise details we learn that the reason for not writing Bismillah at the beginning of Surah At-Taubah lies in the probability that Surah At-Taubah may not be an independent Surah, instead, be a part of Surah Al-Anfal. Given this probability, writing Bismillah at this place shall be as incorrect as someone were to write Bismillah in the middle of any Surah of the Qur'an.</p><p>On this basis, Muslim jurists have said that a person who has already been reciting Surah Al-Anfal from above and is going to begin Surah At-Taubah, then, he or she should not recite Bismillah. But, a person who is starting his or her tilawah (recitation of the Qur'an) from the beginning, or from somewhere in the middle, of this very Surah should say: بسم اللہ الرحمٰن الرحیم (Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Ralhim) and then begin his or her recitation. Some people who do not know rules think that the recitation of Bismillah while reciting Surah At-Taubah is not permissible under any condition. This is a mistaken notion. Then, they would make another mistake on top of that. Instead of reciting Bismillah, they would recite: اَعُوذُ بِاللہِ مِنَ النَّارِ (I seek the protection of Allah from the Fire) when initiating or beginning from it. For this, there is no proof from the Holy Prophet رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہم and his Companions ؓ .</p><p>Then, there is the statement of Sayyidna AIi ؓ reported in a narrative from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ . It says, ` the reason for not writing Bismillah at the beginning of Surah Bara'ah (At-Taubah) is that بسم اللہ الرحمٰن الرحیم ،; (Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim) is an assurance of protection, but in Surah Al-Bara'ah, this assurance of protection and the pledge of peace given to disbelievers has been terminated.' This statement should be taken as a refinement of approach that does not go against the real cause. And the real cause is nothing but that Bismillah was not written on the basis of the probability that Surah Al-Anfal and Surah At-Taubah may be one. Then, there could be yet an-other subtle point about why it was not written. This Surah proclaims freedom from any responsibility for the disbelievers and announces the withdrawal of peace and protection from those people - which is not fit for Bismillah. Therefore, in terms of the design of creation, particular causes were generated here so that Bismillah was not to be written at this place.</p><p>To understand the present verses of Surah At-Taubah fully, it is necessary to know some events that became the cause of the revelation of these verses. Therefore, given here first are consolidated details of the relevant events:</p><p>1. As a whole, Surah At-Taubah carries the description of some battles, events related to them, and many injunctions and rulings emerging there-from - for example, the termination of pacts with all tribes of Arabia, the Conquest of Makkah, the battles of Hunain and Tabuk. Out of these events, first came the Conquest of Makkah in Hijrah year 8, then came the battle of Hunain in the same year, then the battle of Tabuk in Rajab of Hijrah year 9. Finally came the announcement terminating pacts with all tribes of Arabia in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah, Hijrah year 9.</p><p>2. A summary of subjects concerning the repudiation of treaties mentioned in these verses shows that it was in the Hijrah year 6 that the Holy Prophet ﷺ started with the intention of ` Umrah but the Quraysh blocked their entry into Makkah. Then came the peace treaty between them at Hudaibiyah. The time frame of this treaty, as reported in Ruh al-Ma'ani, was ten years. In Makkah, there were other tribes too, other than the Quraysh. An article was included in the peace treaty to cover them. It allowed a tribe, from out of the tribes other than the Quraysh, to become allies to the Quraysh and be with them, if they chose to do so; and whoever chose to become the ally of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and be with him was allowed to do that. So, the tribe of Khuza` ah chose to become an ally of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and went with him, while the tribe of Banu Bakr chose to go with the Quraysh. According to the treaty, it was necessary that within ten years there shall be no internecine war, nor shall any aggressor be helped from any side. And the tribe that was an ally of a party to the treaty shall be considered as governed by the same rule that governed the party. In other words, launching an attack on it or helping the aggressor was to be taken as a contravention of the treaty.</p><p>This treaty was signed in the Hijrah year 6. In Hijrah year 7, according to this treaty, the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his Companions ؓ left for Makkah to perform the ` Umrah they had missed earlier ('Umrah al-qada' ). After staying there for three days, he returned as stipulated in the treaty. Until then, no party had acted against the peace treaty in any way.</p><p>After that, it was within a period of five or six months when the tribe of Banu Bakr mounted a nightly ambush against the tribe of Banu Khuza` ah. Thinking that the Holy Prophet ﷺ was far away and things were happening during the night which would make it difficult for the Holy Prophet ﷺ to find out details of what had actually happened, the Quraysh too came to the assistance of Banu Bakr by providing weapons and men to them.</p><p>Events as they transpired and conditions as they prevailed made the Quraysh to accept that the treaty of peace entered into at Hudaibiyah - requiring a ten-year moratorium on internecine wars - was broken.</p><p>The tribe of Banu Khuza` ah, being an ally of the Holy Prophet ﷺ informed him about this event. When he learnt about this breach of trust committed by the Quraysh, he started making secret preparations for war against them.</p><p>During their encounters at Badr, 'Uhud and Ahzab, the Quraysh had realized that some unseen Divine power was at work in favour of Muslims. They were no more intoxicated with their muscle and might. Now that they had broken their solemn pledge, the danger of a war likely to be initiated by Muslims had become all too obvious to them. The likelihood became much stronger after the report of their breach of trust reached the Holy Prophet ﷺ and he chose to observe a total silence about the matter. Left with no choice, they asked Abu Sufyan to go to Madinah personally, assess the situation there and should he sense a war action being initiated by the Holy Prophet ﷺ should offer his apologies on what had happened in the past and have the treaty renewed for the future.</p><p>When Abu Sufyan reached Madinah, he did notice some indicators of war preparations being made by the Holy Prophet ﷺ . This increased his concerns. He went out to see prominent Sahabah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ one by one so that they would recommend his case and help him have the treaty renewed. But, all of them refused to do so in view of their unpleasant past and present dealings. Consequently, Abu Sufyan returned empty-handed. The Quraysh of Makkah were hit by panic.</p><p>At the other end, as reported in Bidayah and Ibn Kathir, it was on Ramadan 10, Hijrah year 8 when the Holy Prophet ﷺ marched out from Madinah with a large force of his noble Companions ؓ in order to attack Makkah. Ultimately, Makkah was conquered.</p><p>Conquest of Makkah: Vanquished enemies were treated nobly</p><p>At the time of the Conquest, there were many Quraysh chiefs who believed in the veracity of Islam earlier too, but they could not express themselves freely due to peer pressure in the society. Now that they had their opportunity, they embraced Islam. As for those who chose to stick to their time-worn creed of disbelief even at that hour, they too - with the exception of some individuals - were granted amnesty by the Holy Prophet ﷺ . This was an unusual demonstration of morals, prophetic and miraculous, something others could not even dream of. He ignored all their hostilities and injustices in the past and simply said: ` Today, I say to you exactly what was said: ‘Today, I say to you exactly what was said by Yusuf (علیہ السلام) to his brothers at the time when they had reached him in Egypt with their parents: لَا تَثْرِ‌يبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ (This day, there is no blame on you).' It means that, for him, taking a revenge for the past injustices inflicted by them or seeking to punish them in some way was unimaginable, in fact, he did not consider it appropriate even to blame them for anything that happened in the past.</p><p>Rules for four kinds of Mushriks at the time of the Conquest of Makkah</p><p>So then, Makkah came under the control of Muslims. Non-Muslims living in and around Makkah were given full protection of their lives and properties. But, that was a time when the existing status of these non-Muslims was different. One kind of people among them was of those who were a party to the peace treaty of Hudaibiyah which they themselves broke and which by itself became the cause of the Conquest of Makkah. Then, there was another set of people with whom a peace treaty was signed for a specified period of time and they continued abiding by this treaty, such as the two tribes of Banu Kinanah called Banu Damurah and Banu Mudlaj. The peace treaty with them was for a specified period of time and, at the time of the revelation of Surah A1-Bara'ah (At-Taubah) as stated by Khazin, they had another nine months left for their period of treaty to expire.</p><p>Thirdly, there were people with whom a peace treaty was concluded without any set time limit. Fourthly, there were those with whom no treaty existed.</p><p>The unsavory experience of all treaties entered into by the Holy Prophet ﷺ with disbelievers or the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) was that they flouted these openly and secretly always conspiring with enemies to hurt him and his Muslim adherents as much as they could. Therefore, led by his own long experience and Divinely inspired indicators, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had made up his mind not to enter into any peace treaty with any of these people and that the Arabian Peninsula was to be particularized with Muslims only as a bastion of Islam. This required a proclamation soon after the takeover of Makkah and the Arabian Peninsula ordering non-Muslims to leave and go somewhere else. But, in view of Islam's principle of justice, equity and humane dealing as well as under the universal mercy of the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself, doing something like that without allowing a suitable time limit was not considered appropriate.</p><p>Therefore, at the beginning of Surah Al-Bara'ah (At-Taubah), separate injunctions were revealed that covered the four kinds of non-Muslim groups.</p><p>The first such group was that of the Quraysh of Makkah who had themselves broken the treaty of Hudaibiyah. Now, they deserved no extra respite. But, since this was the period of ` sacred months' during which fighting and killing was forbidden by Allah, therefore, the injunction which covers them appears in the fifth verse of Surah At-Taubah, that is, فَإِذَا انسَلَخَ الْأَشْهُرُ‌ الْحُرُ‌مُ فَاقْتُلُوا الْمُشْرِ‌كِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ (So, when the sacred months expire, kill the Mushriks wherever you find them. And catch them and besiege them and sit in ambush for them everywhere. Then, if they repent and establish salah and pay zakah, leave their way. Surely, Allah is most Forgiving, Very Merciful - 9:5). It means that they had, though, forfeited all their rights by breaking the treaty obligations, but observing the sanctity of the ` sacred months' was after all necessary, therefore, they should either leave the Arabian Peninsula soon after the ` sacred months' expire, or embrace Islam, or be prepared to face war.</p><p>Then, there was the second group with whom a peace treaty was made for a specified period of time and they had abided by it. The injunction about them was given in the fourth verse of Surah At-Taubah:</p><p>إِلَّا الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّم مِّنَ الْمُشْرِ‌كِينَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنقُصُوكُمْ شَيْئًا وَلَمْ يُظَاهِرُ‌وا عَلَيْكُمْ أَحَدًا فَأَتِمُّوا إِلَيْهِمْ عَهْدَهُمْ إِلَىٰ مُدَّتِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِين</p><p>Except those of the Mushriks with whom you have a treaty, and they have abated nothing of your rights and backed no one against you, so then, fulfill the treaty with them up to their term. Surely, Allah loves the God-fearing - (9:4).</p><p>This injunction pertained to Banu Damurah and Banu Mudlaj as a result of which they were allowed a respite of nine months.</p><p>As for the third and the fourth group, only one injunction was revealed to cover both. It has been mentioned in the first and the second verse of Surah At-Taubah as follows:</p><p>بَرَ‌اءَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّـهِ وَرَ‌سُولِهِ إِلَى الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّم مِّنَ الْمُشْرِ‌كِينَ ﴿1﴾ فَسِيحُوا فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ أَرْ‌بَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ‌ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ‌ مُعْجِزِي اللَّـهِ ۙ وَأَنَّ اللَّـهَ مُخْزِي الْكَافِرِ‌ينَ ﴿2﴾</p><p>Here is a withdrawal [ proclaimed ] by Allah and His Messenger against those of the Mushriks with whom you have a treaty. So, move in the land freely for four months, and be sure that you can never defeat Allah and that Allah is about to disgrace the disbelievers - (9: 1, 2).</p><p>Thus, according to the first two verses, all those who were covered by some treaty without a fixed time limit, or those with whom there was no treaty, were allowed a respite of four months.</p><p>And according to the fourth verse, those who had a treaty for a specified period of time received a respite until it expired and, according to the fifth verse, the Mushriks of Makkah got their respite until the ` sacred months' expired.</p>

CommentaryNow begins Surah Al-Bara'ah which is also called Surah At-Taubah (as written; also Surah At-Taubah as pronounced). It is called Bara'ah for the reason that it mentions bara'ah or disengagement with the consequences of what the kuffar (disbelievers) do. Then, it is also called Taubah because it announces that the repentance of Muslims has been accepted. (Mazhari). It is a feature of this Surah that ` bismillah' (بسم اللہ الرحمٰن الرحیم Bismillahir-Rahma.nir-Rahim: With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very Merciful) is not written in the copies of the Qur'an when the Surah begins. However, Bismillah is written at the head of all Surahs of the Qur'an - the sole exception being that of Surah At-Taubah. Before we find out the relevant reason, let us bear in mind that the Holy Qur'an was revealed bit by bit during the period of twenty three years. The verses of a Surah were revealed at different times. When Sayyidna Jibra'i1 would come with a revelation, he would also point out to the Divinely intended arrangement of each revealed verse, explaining that it should be placed in such and such Surah after such and such 'Ayah (verse). It was in accordance with this Divinely intended arrangement that the Holy Prophet ﷺ would have scribes of the revelation write them up.And when, at the end of a Surah, the next was to begin, ` Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim' would be revealed before the next actually did - which made it easy to understand that the previous Surah had concluded and another Surah was beginning. All Surahs of the Holy Qur'an were revealed in that manner. Surah At-Taubah is, in terms of the order of revelation, among one of the very last Surahs. When it began, neither was Bismillah revealed as customary, nor did the Holy Prophet ﷺ instruct the scribe of the revelation to do that. So, this was how things stood when the Holy Prophet ﷺ passed away.When Sayyidna ` Uthman al-Ghani ؓ arranged the Holy Qur'an in the form of a book during the period of his Caliphate, Bismillah was not there at the beginning of Surah At-Taubah, an arrangement contrary to that of the rest of Surahs. Therefore, a doubt rose - perhaps, this is not an independent Surah, or may as well be a part of some other Surah. Now, they thought, if this happens to be a part of some other Surah, which Surah is that? In terms of its subjects, Surah Al-Anfal seemed to fit the slot.Also, as narrated by Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ elsewhere, ` during the blessed period of the Holy Prophet ﷺ both these Surahs were called: قَریَتَین (qarinatayn: the two connected ones) '. (Mazhari). Therefore, it was placed after Surah Al-Anfal. This precaution was taken for the reason that, should it be a part of another Surah, it must stay with it. But, it was also probable that it may be a separate and independent Surah. Therefore, when writing, a particular format was adopted whereby some space was left open at the end of Surah Al-Anfal and before the beginning of Surah At-Taubah - similar to the spot meant for writing Bismillah at the head of other Surahs.The precise reason why Bismillah was not written at the beginning of Surah Al-Bara'ah or At-Taubah has been reported from the great compiler of the revealed text of the Qur'an, Saiyyidna ` Uthman ؓ himself. At that time, he was answering a question posed by Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas, the Sahabi and Mufassir (exegete) of the Qur'an, which appears in Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i, the Musnad of Ahmad and Tirmidhi. In that question, Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ had also asked Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ about the order in which the Surahs of the Qur'an have been arranged. Giving an example, he pointed out that placed first were the larger Surahs that have more than hundred verses. Technically, they are called میٔن (mi'In: hundreds). After that, there are the large Surahs that have less than hundred verses. They are called مَثَانِی (mathani: the oft-repeated ones). Placed thereafter were smaller Surahs that are called مُفَصَّلات (mufassalat: the Surahs starting from "Qāf' [ 50] to the end of the Qur'an [ 114]). The order of this very arrangement necessitated that Surah At-Taubah should be placed before Surah Al-Anfal - because the verses carried by Surah At-Taubah are more than one hundred while those of Surah Al-Anfal are less than one hundred. The first seven long Surahs called سبع طوال (sab' tiwal: the seven long ones) also show that the placement of Surah At-Taubah before Surah Al-Anfal is naturally more appropriate there too. After having stated the existing position, Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ asked about the consideration that had led to a contrary arrangement. Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ said: ` Correct. But, the Qur'an was serious matter. Precaution demanded that we do what we did - because, in case Surah At-Taubah is not taken as an independent S ئ rah, instead, is taken as a part of Surah Al-Anfal, it will be obvious that the verses of Surah Al-Anfal have been revealed earlier and those of Surah At-Taubah after that. Given this situation, it is not permissible to give precedence to the verses of the latter over the verses of Surah Al-Anfal without the sanction of Wahy (revelation). And since we did not find any such instruction in the Wahy, therefore, Surah Al-Anfal was made to precede and Surah At-Taubah, to succeed.'From these precise details we learn that the reason for not writing Bismillah at the beginning of Surah At-Taubah lies in the probability that Surah At-Taubah may not be an independent Surah, instead, be a part of Surah Al-Anfal. Given this probability, writing Bismillah at this place shall be as incorrect as someone were to write Bismillah in the middle of any Surah of the Qur'an.On this basis, Muslim jurists have said that a person who has already been reciting Surah Al-Anfal from above and is going to begin Surah At-Taubah, then, he or she should not recite Bismillah. But, a person who is starting his or her tilawah (recitation of the Qur'an) from the beginning, or from somewhere in the middle, of this very Surah should say: بسم اللہ الرحمٰن الرحیم (Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Ralhim) and then begin his or her recitation. Some people who do not know rules think that the recitation of Bismillah while reciting Surah At-Taubah is not permissible under any condition. This is a mistaken notion. Then, they would make another mistake on top of that. Instead of reciting Bismillah, they would recite: اَعُوذُ بِاللہِ مِنَ النَّارِ (I seek the protection of Allah from the Fire) when initiating or beginning from it. For this, there is no proof from the Holy Prophet رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہم and his Companions ؓ .Then, there is the statement of Sayyidna AIi ؓ reported in a narrative from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ . It says, ` the reason for not writing Bismillah at the beginning of Surah Bara'ah (At-Taubah) is that بسم اللہ الرحمٰن الرحیم ،; (Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim) is an assurance of protection, but in Surah Al-Bara'ah, this assurance of protection and the pledge of peace given to disbelievers has been terminated.' This statement should be taken as a refinement of approach that does not go against the real cause. And the real cause is nothing but that Bismillah was not written on the basis of the probability that Surah Al-Anfal and Surah At-Taubah may be one. Then, there could be yet an-other subtle point about why it was not written. This Surah proclaims freedom from any responsibility for the disbelievers and announces the withdrawal of peace and protection from those people - which is not fit for Bismillah. Therefore, in terms of the design of creation, particular causes were generated here so that Bismillah was not to be written at this place.To understand the present verses of Surah At-Taubah fully, it is necessary to know some events that became the cause of the revelation of these verses. Therefore, given here first are consolidated details of the relevant events:1. As a whole, Surah At-Taubah carries the description of some battles, events related to them, and many injunctions and rulings emerging there-from - for example, the termination of pacts with all tribes of Arabia, the Conquest of Makkah, the battles of Hunain and Tabuk. Out of these events, first came the Conquest of Makkah in Hijrah year 8, then came the battle of Hunain in the same year, then the battle of Tabuk in Rajab of Hijrah year 9. Finally came the announcement terminating pacts with all tribes of Arabia in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah, Hijrah year 9.2. A summary of subjects concerning the repudiation of treaties mentioned in these verses shows that it was in the Hijrah year 6 that the Holy Prophet ﷺ started with the intention of ` Umrah but the Quraysh blocked their entry into Makkah. Then came the peace treaty between them at Hudaibiyah. The time frame of this treaty, as reported in Ruh al-Ma'ani, was ten years. In Makkah, there were other tribes too, other than the Quraysh. An article was included in the peace treaty to cover them. It allowed a tribe, from out of the tribes other than the Quraysh, to become allies to the Quraysh and be with them, if they chose to do so; and whoever chose to become the ally of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and be with him was allowed to do that. So, the tribe of Khuza` ah chose to become an ally of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and went with him, while the tribe of Banu Bakr chose to go with the Quraysh. According to the treaty, it was necessary that within ten years there shall be no internecine war, nor shall any aggressor be helped from any side. And the tribe that was an ally of a party to the treaty shall be considered as governed by the same rule that governed the party. In other words, launching an attack on it or helping the aggressor was to be taken as a contravention of the treaty.This treaty was signed in the Hijrah year 6. In Hijrah year 7, according to this treaty, the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his Companions ؓ left for Makkah to perform the ` Umrah they had missed earlier ('Umrah al-qada' ). After staying there for three days, he returned as stipulated in the treaty. Until then, no party had acted against the peace treaty in any way.After that, it was within a period of five or six months when the tribe of Banu Bakr mounted a nightly ambush against the tribe of Banu Khuza` ah. Thinking that the Holy Prophet ﷺ was far away and things were happening during the night which would make it difficult for the Holy Prophet ﷺ to find out details of what had actually happened, the Quraysh too came to the assistance of Banu Bakr by providing weapons and men to them.Events as they transpired and conditions as they prevailed made the Quraysh to accept that the treaty of peace entered into at Hudaibiyah - requiring a ten-year moratorium on internecine wars - was broken.The tribe of Banu Khuza` ah, being an ally of the Holy Prophet ﷺ informed him about this event. When he learnt about this breach of trust committed by the Quraysh, he started making secret preparations for war against them.During their encounters at Badr, 'Uhud and Ahzab, the Quraysh had realized that some unseen Divine power was at work in favour of Muslims. They were no more intoxicated with their muscle and might. Now that they had broken their solemn pledge, the danger of a war likely to be initiated by Muslims had become all too obvious to them. The likelihood became much stronger after the report of their breach of trust reached the Holy Prophet ﷺ and he chose to observe a total silence about the matter. Left with no choice, they asked Abu Sufyan to go to Madinah personally, assess the situation there and should he sense a war action being initiated by the Holy Prophet ﷺ should offer his apologies on what had happened in the past and have the treaty renewed for the future.When Abu Sufyan reached Madinah, he did notice some indicators of war preparations being made by the Holy Prophet ﷺ . This increased his concerns. He went out to see prominent Sahabah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ one by one so that they would recommend his case and help him have the treaty renewed. But, all of them refused to do so in view of their unpleasant past and present dealings. Consequently, Abu Sufyan returned empty-handed. The Quraysh of Makkah were hit by panic.At the other end, as reported in Bidayah and Ibn Kathir, it was on Ramadan 10, Hijrah year 8 when the Holy Prophet ﷺ marched out from Madinah with a large force of his noble Companions ؓ in order to attack Makkah. Ultimately, Makkah was conquered.Conquest of Makkah: Vanquished enemies were treated noblyAt the time of the Conquest, there were many Quraysh chiefs who believed in the veracity of Islam earlier too, but they could not express themselves freely due to peer pressure in the society. Now that they had their opportunity, they embraced Islam. As for those who chose to stick to their time-worn creed of disbelief even at that hour, they too - with the exception of some individuals - were granted amnesty by the Holy Prophet ﷺ . This was an unusual demonstration of morals, prophetic and miraculous, something others could not even dream of. He ignored all their hostilities and injustices in the past and simply said: ` Today, I say to you exactly what was said: ‘Today, I say to you exactly what was said by Yusuf (علیہ السلام) to his brothers at the time when they had reached him in Egypt with their parents: لَا تَثْرِ‌يبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ (This day, there is no blame on you).' It means that, for him, taking a revenge for the past injustices inflicted by them or seeking to punish them in some way was unimaginable, in fact, he did not consider it appropriate even to blame them for anything that happened in the past.Rules for four kinds of Mushriks at the time of the Conquest of MakkahSo then, Makkah came under the control of Muslims. Non-Muslims living in and around Makkah were given full protection of their lives and properties. But, that was a time when the existing status of these non-Muslims was different. One kind of people among them was of those who were a party to the peace treaty of Hudaibiyah which they themselves broke and which by itself became the cause of the Conquest of Makkah. Then, there was another set of people with whom a peace treaty was signed for a specified period of time and they continued abiding by this treaty, such as the two tribes of Banu Kinanah called Banu Damurah and Banu Mudlaj. The peace treaty with them was for a specified period of time and, at the time of the revelation of Surah A1-Bara'ah (At-Taubah) as stated by Khazin, they had another nine months left for their period of treaty to expire.Thirdly, there were people with whom a peace treaty was concluded without any set time limit. Fourthly, there were those with whom no treaty existed.The unsavory experience of all treaties entered into by the Holy Prophet ﷺ with disbelievers or the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) was that they flouted these openly and secretly always conspiring with enemies to hurt him and his Muslim adherents as much as they could. Therefore, led by his own long experience and Divinely inspired indicators, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had made up his mind not to enter into any peace treaty with any of these people and that the Arabian Peninsula was to be particularized with Muslims only as a bastion of Islam. This required a proclamation soon after the takeover of Makkah and the Arabian Peninsula ordering non-Muslims to leave and go somewhere else. But, in view of Islam's principle of justice, equity and humane dealing as well as under the universal mercy of the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself, doing something like that without allowing a suitable time limit was not considered appropriate.Therefore, at the beginning of Surah Al-Bara'ah (At-Taubah), separate injunctions were revealed that covered the four kinds of non-Muslim groups.The first such group was that of the Quraysh of Makkah who had themselves broken the treaty of Hudaibiyah. Now, they deserved no extra respite. But, since this was the period of ` sacred months' during which fighting and killing was forbidden by Allah, therefore, the injunction which covers them appears in the fifth verse of Surah At-Taubah, that is, فَإِذَا انسَلَخَ الْأَشْهُرُ‌ الْحُرُ‌مُ فَاقْتُلُوا الْمُشْرِ‌كِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ (So, when the sacred months expire, kill the Mushriks wherever you find them. And catch them and besiege them and sit in ambush for them everywhere. Then, if they repent and establish salah and pay zakah, leave their way. Surely, Allah is most Forgiving, Very Merciful - 9:5). It means that they had, though, forfeited all their rights by breaking the treaty obligations, but observing the sanctity of the ` sacred months' was after all necessary, therefore, they should either leave the Arabian Peninsula soon after the ` sacred months' expire, or embrace Islam, or be prepared to face war.Then, there was the second group with whom a peace treaty was made for a specified period of time and they had abided by it. The injunction about them was given in the fourth verse of Surah At-Taubah:إِلَّا الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّم مِّنَ الْمُشْرِ‌كِينَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنقُصُوكُمْ شَيْئًا وَلَمْ يُظَاهِرُ‌وا عَلَيْكُمْ أَحَدًا فَأَتِمُّوا إِلَيْهِمْ عَهْدَهُمْ إِلَىٰ مُدَّتِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينExcept those of the Mushriks with whom you have a treaty, and they have abated nothing of your rights and backed no one against you, so then, fulfill the treaty with them up to their term. Surely, Allah loves the God-fearing - (9:4).This injunction pertained to Banu Damurah and Banu Mudlaj as a result of which they were allowed a respite of nine months.As for the third and the fourth group, only one injunction was revealed to cover both. It has been mentioned in the first and the second verse of Surah At-Taubah as follows:بَرَ‌اءَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّـهِ وَرَ‌سُولِهِ إِلَى الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّم مِّنَ الْمُشْرِ‌كِينَ ﴿1﴾ فَسِيحُوا فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ أَرْ‌بَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ‌ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ‌ مُعْجِزِي اللَّـهِ ۙ وَأَنَّ اللَّـهَ مُخْزِي الْكَافِرِ‌ينَ ﴿2﴾Here is a withdrawal [ proclaimed ] by Allah and His Messenger against those of the Mushriks with whom you have a treaty. So, move in the land freely for four months, and be sure that you can never defeat Allah and that Allah is about to disgrace the disbelievers - (9: 1, 2).Thus, according to the first two verses, all those who were covered by some treaty without a fixed time limit, or those with whom there was no treaty, were allowed a respite of four months.And according to the fourth verse, those who had a treaty for a specified period of time received a respite until it expired and, according to the fifth verse, the Mushriks of Makkah got their respite until the ` sacred months' expired.

A general proclamation is (made) this day of the Greater Pilgrimage on the part of God and His Apostle, that God is not bound (by any contract) to idolaters, nor is His Apostle. It is, therefore, better for you to repent. If you do not, remember that you cannot elude (the grip of) God. So announce to those who deny the truth the news of painful punishment,

And proclaim from Allah and His Noble Messenger to all men on the day of the Great Pilgrimage (Haj) that Allah is disgusted with the polytheists, and so is His Noble Messenger; so if you repent it is better for you; but if you turn away, then know that you cannot escape from Allah; and give the disbelievers the glad tidings of a painful punishment.

A proclamation, from God and His Messenger, unto mankind on the day of the Greater Pilgrimage: 'God is quit, and His Messenger, of the idolaters. So if you repent, that will be better for you; but if you turn your backs; know that you cannot frustrate the will of God. And give thou good tidings to the unbelievers of a painful chastisement;

And a proclamation from God and His Apostle [is herewith made] unto all mankind on this day of the Greatest Pilgrimage: "God disavows all who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him, and [so does] His Apostle. Hence, if you repent, it shall be for your own good; and if you turn away, then know that you can never elude God!" And unto those who are bent on denying the truth give thou [O Prophet] the tiding of grievous chastisement.

And a proclamation is this from Allah and His apostle unto the mankind on the day of the greater pilgrimage that Allah is quit of the associators, and so is His apostle. Wherefore if ye repent, it shall be better for you, but if ye turn away, then know that ye cannot escape Allah. And announce thou unto those who disbelieve a torment afflictive.

And a declaration from Allah and His Messenger to mankind on the greatest day (the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah - the 12th month of Islamic calendar) that Allah is free from (all) obligations to the Mushrikun (see V. 2:105) and so is His Messenger. So if you (Mushrikun) repent, it is better for you, but if you turn away, then know that you cannot escape (from the Punishment of) Allah. And give tidings (O Muhammad SAW) of a painful torment to those who disbelieve.

And a proclamation from God and His Messenger to the people on the day of the Greater Pilgrimage, that God has disowned the polytheists, and so did His Messenger. If you repent, it will be better for you. But if you turn away, know that you cannot escape God. And announce to those who disbelieve a painful punishment.

This is a public proclamation by Allah and His Messenger to all people on the day of the Great Pilgrimage: "Allah is free from all obligation to those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity; and so is His Messenger. If you repent, it shall be for your own good; but if you turn away, then know well that you will not be able to frustrate Allah. So give glad tidings of a painful chastisement to those who disbelieve.

And a declaration from Allah and His Messenger to mankind on the greatest day of Hajj that Allah is free from obligations to the Mushrikin and so is His Messenger. So if you repent, it is better for you, but if you turn away, then know that you cannot escape Allah. And give tidings of a painful torment for those who disbelieve.

And a proclamation from Allah and His messenger to all men on the day of the Greater Pilgrimage that Allah is free from obligation to the idolaters, and (so is) His messenger. So, if ye repent, it will be better for you; but if ye are averse, then know that ye cannot escape Allah. Give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom to those who disbelieve,

[This is] an announcement from Allah and His Apostle to all the people on the day of the greater Hajj: that Allah and His Apostle repudiate the polytheists: If you repent that is better for you; but if you turn your backs [on Allah], know that you cannot frustrate Allah, and inform the faithless of a painful punishment

A proclamation from Allah and His Messenger, to the people on the day of the Grand Pilgrimage; 'Allah rejects, and His Messenger (rejects) the idolaters. So if you repent, that will be better for you; but if you turn your backs, know that you cannot frustrate Allah. And give glad tidings to the unbelievers of a painful punishment,

And [it is] an announcement from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage that Allah is disassociated from the disbelievers, and [so is] His Messenger. So if you repent, that is best for you; but if you turn away - then know that you will not cause failure to Allah. And give tidings to those who disbelieve of a painful punishment.

This Announcement from God and His Messenger is to be made to the people on the day of the great Pilgrimage; God and His Messenger have declared no amnesty for the pagans. If you (pagans) repent, it would be better for you, but if you turn away (from God), know that you cannot make God helpless. (Muhammad) tell the unbelievers that a painful punishment has been prepared for them.

And an announcement from Allah and His Apostle to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage that Allah and His Apostle are free from liability to the idolaters; therefore if you repent, it will be better for you, and if you turn back, then know that you will not weaken Allah; and announce painful punishment to those who disbelieve.

Waa<u>tha</u>nun mina All<u>a</u>hi warasoolihi il<u>a</u> a<b>l</b>nn<u>a</u>si yawma al<u>h</u>ajji alakbari anna All<u>a</u>ha bareeon mina almushrikeena warasooluhu fain tubtum fahuwa khayrun lakum wain tawallaytum fa<b>i</b>AAlamoo annakum ghayru muAAjizee All<u>a</u>hi wabashshiri alla<u>th</u>eena kafaroo biAAa<u>tha</u>bin aleem<b>in</b>

This is a proclamation from God and His Messenger to the people on the day of the Pilgrimage, that God is free of all obligation to the polytheists, and so is His Messenger. If you repent, it will be better for you, but if you turn away, then know that you cannot frustrate the plan of God. Proclaim a grievous punishment to those who are bent on denying the truth.

And an announcement from Allah and His Messenger, to the people (assembled) on the day of the Great Pilgrimage,- that Allah and His Messenger dissolve (treaty) obligations with the Pagans. If then, ye repent, it were best for you; but if ye turn away, know ye that ye cannot frustrate Allah. And proclaim a grievous penalty to those who reject Faith.

9

وَأَذَٰنٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلنَّاسِ يَوْمَ ٱلْحَجِّ ٱلْأَكْبَرِ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَرِىٓءٌ مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَرَسُولُهُۥ فَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ مُعْجِزِى ٱللَّهِ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

A notification from Allah and His Messenger to all people on the Day of Sacrifice that Allah, may He be glorified, and His Messenger are free of the idolaters. If you, O idolaters, repent from your idolatry, then such repentance will be better for you. If you turn away from repentance, then be certain that you will never get away from Allah and you will never escape His punishment. O Messenger, give the disbelievers news that will upset them: the painful punishment that awaits them.

A notification from Allah and His Messenger to all people on the Day of Sacrifice that Allah, may He be glorified, and His Messenger are free of the idolaters. If you, O idolaters, repent from your idolatry, then such repentance will be better for you. If you turn away from repentance, then be certain that you will never get away from Allah and you will never escape His punishment. O Messenger, give the disbelievers news that will upset them: the painful punishment that awaits them.

<p>The generosity of giving respite to disbelievers even after treaties with them had expired</p><p>It was stipulated that these injunctions shall come into force and the period of respite shall start from the time the relevant information has been promulgated throughout the Arabian Peninsula. According to the arrangement made for this purpose, the public proclamation was to be made in the great gathering of the Hajj of the Hijrah year 9 at Mina and ` Arafat. This finds mention in the third and fourth verses of Surah At-Taubah as follows:</p><p>وَأَذَانٌ مِّنَ اللَّـهِ وَرَ‌سُولِهِ إِلَى النَّاسِ يَوْمَ الْحَجِّ الْأَكْبَرِ‌ أَنَّ اللَّـهَ بَرِ‌يءٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِ‌كِينَ ۙ وَرَ‌سُولُهُ ۚ فَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ‌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ‌ مُعْجِزِي اللَّـهِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ‌ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ ﴿3﴾</p><p>And here is an announcement, from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the day of the greater Hajj, that Allah is free from [ any commitment to ] the Mushriks, and so is His Messenger. Now, if you repent, it is good for you. And if you turn away, then be sure that you can never defeat Allah. And give those who disbelieve the ` good' news of a painful punishment - (9:3, 4).</p><p>When abrogating a treaty with disbelievers, taking any action against them without prior public announcement is not correct</p><p>So, in order to implement this Divine injunction, the Holy Prophet ﷺ sent Sayyidna Abu Bakr and Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ to the Hajj of the Hijrah year 9 at Makkah al-Mukarramah and had them make this proclamation before a gathering of all tribes of Arabia on the plains of Arafat and Mina. It was all too obvious that this injunction would become widely known through the medium of that great gathering all over Arabia. However, as a matter of added precaution, he had this proclamation particularly made in distant Yemen through Sayyidna Ali ؓ .</p><p>After this public proclamation, the situation was that the first group, that is, the disbelievers of Makkah had to leave the limits of the state by the end of the ` sacred months,' that is, the end of the month of Muharram of the Hijrah year 10. Similarly, the deadline for the second group was Ramadan of the Hijrah year 10; and that of the third and fourth groups was the tenth of Rabi' ath-Thani of the Hijrah year 10. Any contravention of this executive order would have rendered the offender liable to face an armed confrontation. Under this arrangement, by the time of Hajj next year, no disbeliever was to remain within state limits. This will appear in verse 28 of Surah At-Taubah where it has been said: فَلَا يَقْرَ‌بُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَ‌امَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَـٰذَا (so, let them not come near Al masjid-al-Haram after this year of theirs). And the saying of the Holy Prophet ﷺ in Hadith: لا یحجنّ بعد العام مشرک (The disbelievers shall not perform Hajj after this year) means precisely this.</p><p>Up to this point, given here was an explanation of the first verses of Surah At-Taubah in the light of corresponding events. Now, some relevant point that emerge from these verses are being discussed below.</p><p>What do these five verses teach?</p><p>1. First of all, soon after the Conquest of Makkah, the general amnesty granted by the Holy Prophet ﷺ to the Quraysh of Makkah, and to other enemy tribes, taught Muslims a practical lesson in high morals. The lesson was: if they overpower an enemy who stands helpless before them, they should not seek revenge from that enemy for his past hostilities. Rather than do something like that, they should actually demonstrate the best of Islamic morals by being generous and forgiving to their enemies. Though, acting in this manner may require a certain trampling over their natural feelings, still such a conduct is full of great advantages.</p><p>A- To begin with, it can be said that revenge does help one take out anger, at least temporarily - which may even give one a sense of personal relief - yet, this sense of relief or comfort is transitory. Then, as compared with it, the pleasure of Allah Ta` ala and the high ranks of Paradise one is going to get are far more and are forever in all respects. Consequently, reason demands that one should prefer what is everlasting to what is temporary.</p><p>B- Then, there is this act of suppressing one's angry emotions after having overpowered the enemy. This clearly proves that the battle fought by these people had no selfish motive behind it. The only motive they had was fighting in the way of Allah - and this great objec-tive is what draws the decisive line between the Jihad of Islam and the wars of common kings and rulers of the world, and what also lays bare the difference in Jihad and rotten aggression. Thus, the truth is that a war waged for Allah to implement His injunctions shall be what Jihad is, otherwise it shall remain a highhanded exercise in disorder.</p><p>C- The third benefit yielded by this conduct comes naturally. When the overpowered enemy observes the high morals of the victors, he is likely to be drawn towards Islam and Muslims, something which is bound to lead him on to the path of his own success in life - and this is the real objective of Jihad.</p><p>Forgiving disbelievers never means lack of vigilance against any impending harm from them</p><p>2. The second ruling which has been deduced from these verses is that forgiveness and generosity do not mean that one should become negligent about self-protection against the evil designs of enemies by giving them free rein to go ahead and keep causing loss and injury to their forgivers. No doubt, forgiveness and generosity are in order, but along with these, commonsense demands that one should take lesson from past experience and restructure the pattern of life ahead by blocking all holes and crevices through which one could come within the range of enemy hostility. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: لا یلدغ المرء من جحر واحد مرتین (One is not bitten twice from the same hole) meaning that a person does not put his hand twice in the same hole from which a poisonous reptile had bitten him.</p><p>The Qur'anic proclamation of the withdrawal of Hijrah year 9 and the ensuing instructions given to the Mushriks that they should vacate the environs of the Sacred Mosque peacefully within the period of respite allowed are proofs of this wise strategy.</p><p>3. The initial verses of Surah At-Taubah also tell us that forcing weak people to leave a place without reasonable notice of evacuation, or attacking them without warning is cowardly, and very ignoble indeed. Whenever such an action has to be taken, it is necessary to make a public announcement first so that the affected people, who do not ac-cept the law of the land, may get the time to go wherever they wished, freely and conveniently. This becomes clear through the general proclamation of the Hijrah year 9 as mentioned in the cited verses and as demonstrated by the legal respite granted to all affected groups.</p><p>4. The fourth ruling emerging from the cited verses tells us that, in case there is the need to annul a treaty of peace already made - which is permitted subject to some conditions - it is far better to allow the treaty to remain valid until it expires automatically. This has been commanded in the fourth verse of Surah At-Taubah where Muslims were required to fulfill their treaty obligations to the tribes of Banu Damurah and Banu Mudlaj for the remaining nine months.</p><p>5. The fifth ruling from the cited verses tells us about the standard Muslim attitude towards the enemies of Islam. When confronted with enemies, Muslims should always keep in mind that they are no enemy to them personally. The truth of the matter is that they are opposed to their disbelief, which is actually the cause of their own loss in the present world as well as in the Hereafter. As for the opposition of Muslims to them, that too is really based on good wishes for them. Therefore, Muslims should never abandon the opportunity to give good counsel to them, whether in war or peace. This theme appears in these verses repeatedly. It promises real prosperity for them in this world and in the world to come, only if they were to rescind their thinking. The text does not leave it at that. It also warns them of the consequences: if they refused to repent and correct, they would not only be destroyed and killed in the present world but, they would also not es-cape their punishment even after death. It is interesting that, along with the proclamation of withdrawal in these verses, the strain of sympathetic insistence also continues.</p>

The generosity of giving respite to disbelievers even after treaties with them had expiredIt was stipulated that these injunctions shall come into force and the period of respite shall start from the time the relevant information has been promulgated throughout the Arabian Peninsula. According to the arrangement made for this purpose, the public proclamation was to be made in the great gathering of the Hajj of the Hijrah year 9 at Mina and ` Arafat. This finds mention in the third and fourth verses of Surah At-Taubah as follows:وَأَذَانٌ مِّنَ اللَّـهِ وَرَ‌سُولِهِ إِلَى النَّاسِ يَوْمَ الْحَجِّ الْأَكْبَرِ‌ أَنَّ اللَّـهَ بَرِ‌يءٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِ‌كِينَ ۙ وَرَ‌سُولُهُ ۚ فَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ‌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ‌ مُعْجِزِي اللَّـهِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ‌ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ ﴿3﴾And here is an announcement, from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the day of the greater Hajj, that Allah is free from [ any commitment to ] the Mushriks, and so is His Messenger. Now, if you repent, it is good for you. And if you turn away, then be sure that you can never defeat Allah. And give those who disbelieve the ` good' news of a painful punishment - (9:3, 4).When abrogating a treaty with disbelievers, taking any action against them without prior public announcement is not correctSo, in order to implement this Divine injunction, the Holy Prophet ﷺ sent Sayyidna Abu Bakr and Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ to the Hajj of the Hijrah year 9 at Makkah al-Mukarramah and had them make this proclamation before a gathering of all tribes of Arabia on the plains of Arafat and Mina. It was all too obvious that this injunction would become widely known through the medium of that great gathering all over Arabia. However, as a matter of added precaution, he had this proclamation particularly made in distant Yemen through Sayyidna Ali ؓ .After this public proclamation, the situation was that the first group, that is, the disbelievers of Makkah had to leave the limits of the state by the end of the ` sacred months,' that is, the end of the month of Muharram of the Hijrah year 10. Similarly, the deadline for the second group was Ramadan of the Hijrah year 10; and that of the third and fourth groups was the tenth of Rabi' ath-Thani of the Hijrah year 10. Any contravention of this executive order would have rendered the offender liable to face an armed confrontation. Under this arrangement, by the time of Hajj next year, no disbeliever was to remain within state limits. This will appear in verse 28 of Surah At-Taubah where it has been said: فَلَا يَقْرَ‌بُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَ‌امَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَـٰذَا (so, let them not come near Al masjid-al-Haram after this year of theirs). And the saying of the Holy Prophet ﷺ in Hadith: لا یحجنّ بعد العام مشرک (The disbelievers shall not perform Hajj after this year) means precisely this.Up to this point, given here was an explanation of the first verses of Surah At-Taubah in the light of corresponding events. Now, some relevant point that emerge from these verses are being discussed below.What do these five verses teach?1. First of all, soon after the Conquest of Makkah, the general amnesty granted by the Holy Prophet ﷺ to the Quraysh of Makkah, and to other enemy tribes, taught Muslims a practical lesson in high morals. The lesson was: if they overpower an enemy who stands helpless before them, they should not seek revenge from that enemy for his past hostilities. Rather than do something like that, they should actually demonstrate the best of Islamic morals by being generous and forgiving to their enemies. Though, acting in this manner may require a certain trampling over their natural feelings, still such a conduct is full of great advantages.A- To begin with, it can be said that revenge does help one take out anger, at least temporarily - which may even give one a sense of personal relief - yet, this sense of relief or comfort is transitory. Then, as compared with it, the pleasure of Allah Ta` ala and the high ranks of Paradise one is going to get are far more and are forever in all respects. Consequently, reason demands that one should prefer what is everlasting to what is temporary.B- Then, there is this act of suppressing one's angry emotions after having overpowered the enemy. This clearly proves that the battle fought by these people had no selfish motive behind it. The only motive they had was fighting in the way of Allah - and this great objec-tive is what draws the decisive line between the Jihad of Islam and the wars of common kings and rulers of the world, and what also lays bare the difference in Jihad and rotten aggression. Thus, the truth is that a war waged for Allah to implement His injunctions shall be what Jihad is, otherwise it shall remain a highhanded exercise in disorder.C- The third benefit yielded by this conduct comes naturally. When the overpowered enemy observes the high morals of the victors, he is likely to be drawn towards Islam and Muslims, something which is bound to lead him on to the path of his own success in life - and this is the real objective of Jihad.Forgiving disbelievers never means lack of vigilance against any impending harm from them2. The second ruling which has been deduced from these verses is that forgiveness and generosity do not mean that one should become negligent about self-protection against the evil designs of enemies by giving them free rein to go ahead and keep causing loss and injury to their forgivers. No doubt, forgiveness and generosity are in order, but along with these, commonsense demands that one should take lesson from past experience and restructure the pattern of life ahead by blocking all holes and crevices through which one could come within the range of enemy hostility. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: لا یلدغ المرء من جحر واحد مرتین (One is not bitten twice from the same hole) meaning that a person does not put his hand twice in the same hole from which a poisonous reptile had bitten him.The Qur'anic proclamation of the withdrawal of Hijrah year 9 and the ensuing instructions given to the Mushriks that they should vacate the environs of the Sacred Mosque peacefully within the period of respite allowed are proofs of this wise strategy.3. The initial verses of Surah At-Taubah also tell us that forcing weak people to leave a place without reasonable notice of evacuation, or attacking them without warning is cowardly, and very ignoble indeed. Whenever such an action has to be taken, it is necessary to make a public announcement first so that the affected people, who do not ac-cept the law of the land, may get the time to go wherever they wished, freely and conveniently. This becomes clear through the general proclamation of the Hijrah year 9 as mentioned in the cited verses and as demonstrated by the legal respite granted to all affected groups.4. The fourth ruling emerging from the cited verses tells us that, in case there is the need to annul a treaty of peace already made - which is permitted subject to some conditions - it is far better to allow the treaty to remain valid until it expires automatically. This has been commanded in the fourth verse of Surah At-Taubah where Muslims were required to fulfill their treaty obligations to the tribes of Banu Damurah and Banu Mudlaj for the remaining nine months.5. The fifth ruling from the cited verses tells us about the standard Muslim attitude towards the enemies of Islam. When confronted with enemies, Muslims should always keep in mind that they are no enemy to them personally. The truth of the matter is that they are opposed to their disbelief, which is actually the cause of their own loss in the present world as well as in the Hereafter. As for the opposition of Muslims to them, that too is really based on good wishes for them. Therefore, Muslims should never abandon the opportunity to give good counsel to them, whether in war or peace. This theme appears in these verses repeatedly. It promises real prosperity for them in this world and in the world to come, only if they were to rescind their thinking. The text does not leave it at that. It also warns them of the consequences: if they refused to repent and correct, they would not only be destroyed and killed in the present world but, they would also not es-cape their punishment even after death. It is interesting that, along with the proclamation of withdrawal in these verses, the strain of sympathetic insistence also continues.

<h2 class="title">Allah says, this is a declaration,</h2><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ</div><p>(from Allah and His Messenger), and a preface warning to the people, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَوْمَ الْحَجِّ الاٌّكْبَرِ</div><p>(on the greatest day of Hajj), the day of Sacrifice, the best and most apparent day of the Hajj rituals, during which the largest gathering confers. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَنَّ اللَّهَ بَرِىءٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَرَسُولُهُ</div><p>(that Allah is free from (all) obligations to the Mushrikin and so is His Messenger.) also free from all obligations to them. Allah next invites the idolators to repent, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَإِن تُبْتُمْ</div><p>(So if you repent), from the misguidance and Shirk you indulge in, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ</div><p>(it is better for you, but if you turn away), and persist on your ways, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ مُعْجِزِى اللَّهِ</div><p>(then know that you cannot escape Allah) Rather, Allah is capable over you, and you are all in His grasp, under His power and will, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ</div><p>(And give tidings of a painful torment for those who disbelieve) earning them disgrace and affliction in this life and the torment of chains and barbed iron bars in the Hereafter. Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "Abu Bakr sent me during that Hajj with those dispatched on the day of Sacrifice to declare in Mina that no Mushrik will be allowed to attend Hajj after that year, nor will a naked person be allowed to perform Tawaf." Humayd said, "The Prophet then sent `Ali bin Abi Talib and commanded him to announce Bara'ah." Abu Hurayrah said, "Ali publicized Bara'ah with us to the gathering in Mina on the day of Sacrifice, declaring that no Mushrik shall perform Hajj after that year, nor shall a naked person perform Tawaf around the House." Al-Bukhari also collected this Hadith the this narration of which, Abu Hurayrah said, "On the day of Nahr, Abu Bakr sent me along with other announcers to Mina to make a public announcement that `No pagan is allowed to perform Hajj after this year, and no naked person is allowed to perform the Tawaf around the Ka`bah.' Abu Bakr was leading the people in that Hajj season, and in the year of `The Farewell Hajj' when the Prophet performed Hajj, no Mushrik performed Hajj."' This is the narration that Al-Bukhari recorded in the Book on Jihad. Muhammad bin Ishaq reported a narration from Abu Ja`far Muhammad bin `Ali bin Al-Husayn who said, "When Bara'ah was revealed to Allah's Messenger , and he had sent Abu Bakr to oversee the Hajj rites for the people, he was asked, `O Messenger of Allah! Why not send this message to Abu Bakr' So he said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«لَا يُؤَدِّي عَنِّي إِلَّا رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي»</div><p>(It will not be accepted to have been from me if it is not from a man from my family.) Then he called for `Ali and said to him, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«اخْرُجْ بِهذِهِ الْقِصَّةِ مِنْ صَدْرِ بَرَاءَةَ وَأَذِّنْ فِي النَّاسِ يَوْمَ النَّحْرِ إِذَا اجْتَمَعُوا بِمِنًى، أَنَّهُ لَا يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ كَافِرٌ، وَلَا يَحُجُّ بَعْدَ الْعَامِ مُشْرِكٌ، وَلَا يَطُوفُ بِالْبَيْتِ عُرْيَانٌ، وَمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلّم عَهْدٌ فَهُوَ لَهُ إِلَى مُدَّتِه»</div><p>(Take this section from the beginning of Bara'ah and proclaim to the people on the day of the Sacrifice while they are gathered at Mina that no disbeliever will enter Paradise, no idolator will be permitted to perform Hajj after the year, there will be no Tawaf while naked, and whoever has a covenant with Allah's Messenger, then it shall be valid until the time of its expiration.) `Ali rode the camel of Allah's Messenger named Al-`Adba' until he caught up with Abu Bakr in route. When Abu Bakr saw him he said, `Are you here as a commander or a follower.' `Ali replied, `A follower.' They continued on. Abu Bakr lead the people in Hajj while the Arabs were camping in their normal locations from Jahiliyyah. On the day of Sacrifice, `Ali bin Abi Talib stood and proclaimed, `O people! No disbeliever will be admitted into Paradise, no idolator will be permitted to perform Hajj next year, there shall be no Tawaf while naked, and whoever has a covenant with Allah's Messenger , then it shall be valid until its time of expiration.' So no idolator performed Hajj after that year, Tawaf around the House while naked ceased. Then they returned to Allah's Messenger . So this was the declaration of innocence, whoever among the idolators had no treaty, then he had a treaty of peace for one year, if he had a particular treaty, then it was valid until its date of expiration." </p>

Allah says, this is a declaration,مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ(from Allah and His Messenger), and a preface warning to the people, يَوْمَ الْحَجِّ الاٌّكْبَرِ(on the greatest day of Hajj), the day of Sacrifice, the best and most apparent day of the Hajj rituals, during which the largest gathering confers. أَنَّ اللَّهَ بَرِىءٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَرَسُولُهُ(that Allah is free from (all) obligations to the Mushrikin and so is His Messenger.) also free from all obligations to them. Allah next invites the idolators to repent, فَإِن تُبْتُمْ(So if you repent), from the misguidance and Shirk you indulge in, فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ(it is better for you, but if you turn away), and persist on your ways, فَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ مُعْجِزِى اللَّهِ(then know that you cannot escape Allah) Rather, Allah is capable over you, and you are all in His grasp, under His power and will, وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ(And give tidings of a painful torment for those who disbelieve) earning them disgrace and affliction in this life and the torment of chains and barbed iron bars in the Hereafter. Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "Abu Bakr sent me during that Hajj with those dispatched on the day of Sacrifice to declare in Mina that no Mushrik will be allowed to attend Hajj after that year, nor will a naked person be allowed to perform Tawaf." Humayd said, "The Prophet then sent `Ali bin Abi Talib and commanded him to announce Bara'ah." Abu Hurayrah said, "Ali publicized Bara'ah with us to the gathering in Mina on the day of Sacrifice, declaring that no Mushrik shall perform Hajj after that year, nor shall a naked person perform Tawaf around the House." Al-Bukhari also collected this Hadith the this narration of which, Abu Hurayrah said, "On the day of Nahr, Abu Bakr sent me along with other announcers to Mina to make a public announcement that `No pagan is allowed to perform Hajj after this year, and no naked person is allowed to perform the Tawaf around the Ka`bah.' Abu Bakr was leading the people in that Hajj season, and in the year of `The Farewell Hajj' when the Prophet performed Hajj, no Mushrik performed Hajj."' This is the narration that Al-Bukhari recorded in the Book on Jihad. Muhammad bin Ishaq reported a narration from Abu Ja`far Muhammad bin `Ali bin Al-Husayn who said, "When Bara'ah was revealed to Allah's Messenger , and he had sent Abu Bakr to oversee the Hajj rites for the people, he was asked, `O Messenger of Allah! Why not send this message to Abu Bakr' So he said, «لَا يُؤَدِّي عَنِّي إِلَّا رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي»(It will not be accepted to have been from me if it is not from a man from my family.) Then he called for `Ali and said to him, «اخْرُجْ بِهذِهِ الْقِصَّةِ مِنْ صَدْرِ بَرَاءَةَ وَأَذِّنْ فِي النَّاسِ يَوْمَ النَّحْرِ إِذَا اجْتَمَعُوا بِمِنًى، أَنَّهُ لَا يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ كَافِرٌ، وَلَا يَحُجُّ بَعْدَ الْعَامِ مُشْرِكٌ، وَلَا يَطُوفُ بِالْبَيْتِ عُرْيَانٌ، وَمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلّم عَهْدٌ فَهُوَ لَهُ إِلَى مُدَّتِه»(Take this section from the beginning of Bara'ah and proclaim to the people on the day of the Sacrifice while they are gathered at Mina that no disbeliever will enter Paradise, no idolator will be permitted to perform Hajj after the year, there will be no Tawaf while naked, and whoever has a covenant with Allah's Messenger, then it shall be valid until the time of its expiration.) `Ali rode the camel of Allah's Messenger named Al-`Adba' until he caught up with Abu Bakr in route. When Abu Bakr saw him he said, `Are you here as a commander or a follower.' `Ali replied, `A follower.' They continued on. Abu Bakr lead the people in Hajj while the Arabs were camping in their normal locations from Jahiliyyah. On the day of Sacrifice, `Ali bin Abi Talib stood and proclaimed, `O people! No disbeliever will be admitted into Paradise, no idolator will be permitted to perform Hajj next year, there shall be no Tawaf while naked, and whoever has a covenant with Allah's Messenger , then it shall be valid until its time of expiration.' So no idolator performed Hajj after that year, Tawaf around the House while naked ceased. Then they returned to Allah's Messenger . So this was the declaration of innocence, whoever among the idolators had no treaty, then he had a treaty of peace for one year, if he had a particular treaty, then it was valid until its date of expiration."

Except those idolaters with whom you have a treaty, who have not failed you in the least, nor helped anyone against you. Fulfil your obligations to them during the term (of the treaty). God loves those who take heed for themselves.

Other than those polytheists with whom you had a treaty, and they have not diminished anything from your treaty nor supported anyone against you – therefore fulfil their treaty up to the appointed term; indeed Allah befriends the pious.

excepting those of the idolaters with whom you made covenant, then they failed. you naught neither lent support to any man against you. With them fulfil your covenant till their term; surely God loves the godfearing.

But excepted shall be -from among those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God - [people] with whom you [O believers] have made a covenant and who thereafter have in no wise failed to fulfil their obligations towards you, and neither have aided anyone against you: observe, then, your covenant with them until the end of the term agreed with them. Verily, God loves those who are conscious of Him.

Except those of the associators with whom ye covenanted and they have not failed you in aught, nor have they backed up anyone against you; so fulfil unto them their covenant till their full period. Verily Allah loveth the Godfearing.

Except those of the Mushrikun with whom you have a treaty, and who have not subsequently failed you in aught, nor have supported anyone against you. So fulfill their treaty to them to the end of their term. Surely Allah loves Al- Mattaqun (the pious - see V. 2:2).

Except for those among the polytheists with whom you had made a treaty, and did not violate any of its terms, nor aided anyone against you. So fulfill the treaty with them to the end of its term. God loves the righteous.

In exception to those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity are those with whom you have made treaties and who have not violated their treaties nor have backed up anyone against you. Fulfil your treaties with them till the end of their term. Surely Allah loves the pious."

Except those of the Mushrikin with whom you have a treaty, and who have not subsequently failed you in aught, nor have supported anyone against you. So fulfill their treaty for them until the end of their term. Surely, Allah loves those who have Taqwa.

Excepting those of the idolaters with whom ye (Muslims) have a treaty, and who have since abated nothing of your right nor have supported anyone against you. (As for these), fulfil their treaty to them till their term. Lo! Allah loveth those who keep their duty (unto Him).

(barring the polytheists with whom you have made a treaty, and who did not violate any [of its terms] with you, nor backed anyone against you. So fulfill the treaty with them until [the end of] its term. Indeed Allah loves the Godwary).

except those idolaters who have fully honored their treaties with you and aided none against you. With these fulfill your covenant till their term. Surely, Allah loves the righteous.

Excepted are those with whom you made a treaty among the polytheists and then they have not been deficient toward you in anything or supported anyone against you; so complete for them their treaty until their term [has ended]. Indeed, Allah loves the righteous [who fear Him].

This does not apply to the pagans with whom you have a valid peace treaty and who have not broken it from their side or helped others against you. You (believers) must fulfill the terms of the peace treaty with them. God loves the pious ones.

Except those of the idolaters with whom you made an agreement, then they have not failed you in anything and have not backed up any one against you, so fulfill their agreement to the end of their term; surely Allah loves those who are careful (of their duty).

Ill<u>a</u> alla<u>th</u>eena AA<u>a</u>hadtum mina almushrikeena thumma lam yanqu<u>s</u>ookum shayan walam yu<i><u>th</u></i><u>a</u>hiroo AAalaykum a<u>h</u>adan faatimmoo ilayhim AAahdahum il<u>a</u> muddatihim inna All<u>a</u>ha yu<u>h</u>ibbu almuttaqeen<b>a</b>

As for those who have honoured the treaty you made with them and who have not supported anyone against you: fulfill your agreement with them to the end of their term. God loves those who are righteous.

(But the treaties are) not dissolved with those Pagans with whom ye have entered into alliance and who have not subsequently failed you in aught, nor aided any one against you. So fulfil your engagements with them to the end of their term: for Allah loveth the righteous.

9

إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ عَٰهَدتُّم مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنقُصُوكُمْ شَيْـًٔا وَلَمْ يُظَٰهِرُوا۟ عَلَيْكُمْ أَحَدًا فَأَتِمُّوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ عَهْدَهُمْ إِلَىٰ مُدَّتِهِمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ

The idolaters who are excluded from the previous ruling are those with whom you entered into a treaty and they honoured the treaty in full. So there will be a complete fulfilment of the treaty with them until the end of the period. Allah loves those who are mindful of Him by obeying His sacred law, which includes fulfilment of treaties, and by avoiding His prohibitions, which include the prohibition of treachery.

The idolaters who are excluded from the previous ruling are those with whom you entered into a treaty and they honoured the treaty in full. So there will be a complete fulfilment of the treaty with them until the end of the period. Allah loves those who are mindful of Him by obeying His sacred law, which includes fulfilment of treaties, and by avoiding His prohibitions, which include the prohibition of treachery.

<p>6. The sixth ruling comes out from the fourth verse where Muslims have been prompted to fulfill their pledge right through the end until the term of the peace treaty expired. Immediately thereafter, the verse has been concluded with the sentence: إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ (Surely, Allah loves the God-fearing). This gives a clear hint to the advice that Muslims should observe utmost precaution in fulfilling the pledge they have given. They should never look for lame excuses and far-fetched interpretations only to find a way to contravene treaty obligations, as done by nations at large.</p>

6. The sixth ruling comes out from the fourth verse where Muslims have been prompted to fulfill their pledge right through the end until the term of the peace treaty expired. Immediately thereafter, the verse has been concluded with the sentence: إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ (Surely, Allah loves the God-fearing). This gives a clear hint to the advice that Muslims should observe utmost precaution in fulfilling the pledge they have given. They should never look for lame excuses and far-fetched interpretations only to find a way to contravene treaty obligations, as done by nations at large.

<h2 class="title">Existing Peace Treaties remained valid until the End of Their Term</h2><p>This is an exception regulating the longest extent of time for those who have a general treaty - with out time mentioned - to four months. They would have four months to travel the lands in search of sanctuary for themselves wherever they wish. Those whose treaty mentioned a specifec limited term, then the longest it would extend was to the point of its agreed upon termination date. Hadiths in this regard preceeded. So anyone who had a treaty with Allah's Messenger , it lasted until its specific termination date. However, those in this category were required to refrain from breaking the terms of the agreement with Muslims and from helping non-Muslims against Muslims. This is the type whose peace agreement with Muslims was carried out to its end. Allah encouraged honoring such peace treaties, saying, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ</div><p>(Surely, Allah loves those who have Taqwa) 9:4, who keep their promises. </p>

Existing Peace Treaties remained valid until the End of Their TermThis is an exception regulating the longest extent of time for those who have a general treaty - with out time mentioned - to four months. They would have four months to travel the lands in search of sanctuary for themselves wherever they wish. Those whose treaty mentioned a specifec limited term, then the longest it would extend was to the point of its agreed upon termination date. Hadiths in this regard preceeded. So anyone who had a treaty with Allah's Messenger , it lasted until its specific termination date. However, those in this category were required to refrain from breaking the terms of the agreement with Muslims and from helping non-Muslims against Muslims. This is the type whose peace agreement with Muslims was carried out to its end. Allah encouraged honoring such peace treaties, saying, إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ(Surely, Allah loves those who have Taqwa) 9:4, who keep their promises.

But when these months, prohibited (for fighting), are over, slay the idolaters wheresoever you find them, and take them captive or besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every likely place. But if they repent and fulfil their devotional obligations and pay the zakat, then let them go their way, for God is forgiving and kind.

Then when the sacred months have passed, slay the polytheists wherever you find them, and catch them and make them captive, and wait in ambush for them at every place; then if they repent and keep the prayer established and pay the charity, leave their way free; indeed Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Then, when the sacred months are drawn away, slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them, and confine them, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they repent, and perform the prayer, and pay the alms, then let them go their way; God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.

And so, when the sacred months are over, slay those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God wherever you may come upon them, and take them captive, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every conceivable place! Yet if they repent, and take to prayer, and render the purifying dues, let them go their way: for, behold, God is much forgiving, a dispenser of grace.

When, therefore, the sacred months have slipped away, slay the associators's wheresoever ye find them and capture them and beset them and lie in wait for them at every ambush. Then, should they repent and establish prayer and give the poor-rate, leave their way free. Verily Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Then when the Sacred Months (the Ist, 7th, 11th, and 12th months of the Islamic calendar) have passed, then kill the Mushrikun (see V. 2:105) wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and prepare for them each and every ambush. But if they repent and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and give Zakat, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

When the Sacred Months have passed, kill the polytheists wherever you find them. And capture them, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every ambush. But if they repent, and perform the prayers, and pay the alms, then let them go their way. God is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

But when the sacred months expire slay those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity wherever you find them; seize them, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them. But if they repent and establish the Prayer and pay Zakah, leave them alone. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Ever-Merciful.

So when the Sacred Months have passed, then fight the Mushrikin wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and lie in wait for them in each and every ambush. But if they repent and perform the Salah, and give the Zakah, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Then, when the sacred months have passed, kill the polytheists wherever you find them, capture them and besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every ambush. But if they repent, and maintain the prayer and give the zakat, then let them alone. Indeed Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.

When the sacred months are over, slay the idolaters wherever you find them. Take them and confine them, then lie in ambush everywhere for them. If they repent and establish the prayer and pay the obligatory charity, let them go their way. Allah is Forgiving and the Most Merciful.

And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

When the sacred months are over, slay the pagans wherever you find them. Capture, besiege, and ambush them. If they repent, perform prayers and pay the religious tax, set them free. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful.

So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Fai<u>tha</u> insalakha alashhuru al<u>h</u>urumu fa<b>o</b>qtuloo almushrikeena <u>h</u>aythu wajadtumoohum wakhu<u>th</u>oohum wa<b>o</b><u>hs</u>uroohum wa<b>o</b>qAAudoo lahum kulla mar<u>s</u>adin fain t<u>a</u>boo waaq<u>a</u>moo a<b>l</b><u>ss</u>al<u>a</u>ta wa<u>a</u>tawoo a<b>l</b>zzak<u>a</u>ta fakhalloo sabeelahum inna All<u>a</u>ha ghafoorun ra<u>h</u>eem<b>un</b>

When the forbidden months have passed, kill the polytheists [who are at war with you] wherever you find them. Take them captive, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they repent, and take to prayer regularly and pay the alms, then let them go their way. God is forgiving and merciful.

But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, an seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practise regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

9

فَإِذَا ٱنسَلَخَ ٱلْأَشْهُرُ ٱلْحُرُمُ فَٱقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ وَخُذُوهُمْ وَٱحْصُرُوهُمْ وَٱقْعُدُوا۟ لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍ فَإِن تَابُوا۟ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ فَخَلُّوا۟ سَبِيلَهُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

With the ending of the sacred months (Dhū Al-Qa‘dah, Dhū Al-Ḥijjah, Muḥarram and Rajab), during which you assured your enemies of safety, kill the idolaters wherever you meet them. Besiege them in their fortresses and lie in wait for them on their paths. If they repent to Allah from their idolatry, establish the prayer and give the Zakat from their wealth, they become your brothers in Islam and you must not fight them any longer. Allah is Forgiving and Compassionate towards those of His servants who repent to Him.

With the ending of the sacred months (Dhū Al-Qa‘dah, Dhū Al-Ḥijjah, Muḥarram and Rajab), during which you assured your enemies of safety, kill the idolaters wherever you meet them. Besiege them in their fortresses and lie in wait for them on their paths. If they repent to Allah from their idolatry, establish the prayer and give the Zakat from their wealth, they become your brothers in Islam and you must not fight them any longer. Allah is Forgiving and Compassionate towards those of His servants who repent to Him.

<p>7. Details as they appear in the fifth verse carry the seventh ruling. When war in defense of a correct objective breaks out against any power, all available combat resources should be used fully and conclusively. That is a time when showing mercy and appeasement would be showing cowardice.</p><p>From the same fifth verse comes the eighth ruling, that is, trust in a non-Muslim who has become a Muslim depends on three things. (A) Taubah (repentance) over disbelief in the past, (B) the establishing of Salah and (C) the paying of Zakah as due. Until these three conditions have been implemented practically, the option of war will not be withdrawn simply on the basis that someone has recited the Kalimah of Islam. When after the passing away of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، some people refused to pay Zakah, Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ had declared a Jihad against them. On that occasion, by referring to this very verse in support of his action, he was able to convince and satisfy all Companions ؓ .</p><p>8. The ninth question in these verses concerns the meaning of the expression: يَوْمَ الْحَجِّ الْأَكْبَرِ‌ (yaumu 'l-hajju 'l-akbar: The day of the great hajj). The sayings of early commentators differ in this matter. Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas, Sayyidna ` Umar, Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Umar, and Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Zubayr ؓ say that ` the day of the greater hajj means ` the day of ` Arafah' because the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said: الحج العرفۃ ('Arafah is the Hajj). (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi)</p><p>9. Some others have said that it signifies: یوم النحر (yaumu 'n-nahr: the day of sacrifice), that is, the tenth of Dhu al-hijjah. In order to accommodate all these sayings, Sufyan ath-Thawri and other authorities have said that all five days of the Hajj are the substantiation of: یوم الحج الاکبر (yaumu -'l-hajju 'l-akbar: the day of the greater hajj) which includes ` Arafah and Yaumu 'n-nahr both. As for the use of the word یوم yaum or day in the singular, it is in accordance with the usage elsewhere as the Holy Qur'an calls a few days of the battle of Badr by the name of یوم الفرقان :yaumu 'l-Furqan in the singular form. Then, there are the common wars of Arabia. They too are identified by the word yaum or day - even though, they may have been spread over many more days - such as, یوم البعاث :yaumu 'l-bu` ath, یوم الاحد :yaumu l'Uhud etc. And since ` Umrah is called ` the smaller hajj, ( حج اصغر), therefore, it was to make it distinct that Hajj was called حج الاکبر ` the greater hajj' حج الاکبر (al-hajju '1-akbar). This tells us that, in the terminology of the Qur'an, Hajj as it takes place every year is nothing but ` the greater hajj' حج الاکبر (al-hajju '1-akbar). As for the popular assumption that the year in which ` Arafah falls on a Friday is specially ` the greater hajj,' it has no real basis except that the year in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ performed his last Hajj (حجۃ الوداع hajjatu 'l-wady`) just happened to be the year in which ` Arafah fell on the day of Jumu'ah. No doubt, this is a matter of distinction in its own place, but it has nothing to do with the sense of this verse.</p><p>In his Ahkam a1-Qur'an, Imam Abu Bakr al-Jassas has said: By calling the days of Hajj as ` the greater hajj,' the problem that ` Umrah cannot be performed during the days of Hajj has also been resolved here - because, the Holy Qur'an has specified these days for ` the greater hajj.'</p>

7. Details as they appear in the fifth verse carry the seventh ruling. When war in defense of a correct objective breaks out against any power, all available combat resources should be used fully and conclusively. That is a time when showing mercy and appeasement would be showing cowardice.From the same fifth verse comes the eighth ruling, that is, trust in a non-Muslim who has become a Muslim depends on three things. (A) Taubah (repentance) over disbelief in the past, (B) the establishing of Salah and (C) the paying of Zakah as due. Until these three conditions have been implemented practically, the option of war will not be withdrawn simply on the basis that someone has recited the Kalimah of Islam. When after the passing away of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، some people refused to pay Zakah, Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ had declared a Jihad against them. On that occasion, by referring to this very verse in support of his action, he was able to convince and satisfy all Companions ؓ .8. The ninth question in these verses concerns the meaning of the expression: يَوْمَ الْحَجِّ الْأَكْبَرِ‌ (yaumu 'l-hajju 'l-akbar: The day of the great hajj). The sayings of early commentators differ in this matter. Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas, Sayyidna ` Umar, Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Umar, and Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Zubayr ؓ say that ` the day of the greater hajj means ` the day of ` Arafah' because the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said: الحج العرفۃ ('Arafah is the Hajj). (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi)9. Some others have said that it signifies: یوم النحر (yaumu 'n-nahr: the day of sacrifice), that is, the tenth of Dhu al-hijjah. In order to accommodate all these sayings, Sufyan ath-Thawri and other authorities have said that all five days of the Hajj are the substantiation of: یوم الحج الاکبر (yaumu -'l-hajju 'l-akbar: the day of the greater hajj) which includes ` Arafah and Yaumu 'n-nahr both. As for the use of the word یوم yaum or day in the singular, it is in accordance with the usage elsewhere as the Holy Qur'an calls a few days of the battle of Badr by the name of یوم الفرقان :yaumu 'l-Furqan in the singular form. Then, there are the common wars of Arabia. They too are identified by the word yaum or day - even though, they may have been spread over many more days - such as, یوم البعاث :yaumu 'l-bu` ath, یوم الاحد :yaumu l'Uhud etc. And since ` Umrah is called ` the smaller hajj, ( حج اصغر), therefore, it was to make it distinct that Hajj was called حج الاکبر ` the greater hajj' حج الاکبر (al-hajju '1-akbar). This tells us that, in the terminology of the Qur'an, Hajj as it takes place every year is nothing but ` the greater hajj' حج الاکبر (al-hajju '1-akbar). As for the popular assumption that the year in which ` Arafah falls on a Friday is specially ` the greater hajj,' it has no real basis except that the year in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ performed his last Hajj (حجۃ الوداع hajjatu 'l-wady`) just happened to be the year in which ` Arafah fell on the day of Jumu'ah. No doubt, this is a matter of distinction in its own place, but it has nothing to do with the sense of this verse.In his Ahkam a1-Qur'an, Imam Abu Bakr al-Jassas has said: By calling the days of Hajj as ` the greater hajj,' the problem that ` Umrah cannot be performed during the days of Hajj has also been resolved here - because, the Holy Qur'an has specified these days for ` the greater hajj.'

<h2 class="title">This is the Ayah of the Sword</h2><p>Mujahid, `Amr bin Shu`ayb, Muhammad bin Ishaq, Qatadah, As-Suddi and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that the four months mentioned in this Ayah are the four-month grace period mentioned in the earlier Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَسِيحُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ</div><p>(So travel freely for four months throughout the land.) Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَإِذَا انسَلَخَ الأَشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ</div><p>(So when the Sacred Months have passed...), meaning, `Upon the end of the four months during which We prohibited you from fighting the idolators, and which is the grace period We gave them, then fight and kill the idolators wherever you may find them.' Allah's statement next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَاقْتُلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ</div><p>(then fight the Mushrikin wherever you find them), means, on the earth in general, except for the Sacred Area, for Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ تُقَـتِلُوهُمْ عِندَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ حَتَّى يُقَـتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ فَإِن قَـتَلُوكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوهُمْ</div><p>(And fight not with them at Al-Masjid Al-Haram, unless they fight you there. But if they attack you, then fight them. )2:191 Allah said here, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَخُذُوهُمْ</div><p>(and capture them), executing some and keeping some as prisoners, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاحْصُرُوهُمْ وَاقْعُدُواْ لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍ</div><p>(and besiege them, and lie in wait for them in each and every ambush), do not wait until you find them. Rather, seek and besiege them in their areas and forts, gather intelligence about them in the various roads and fairways so that what is made wide looks ever smaller to them. This way, they will have no choice, but to die or embrace Islam, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَإِن تَابُواْ وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلَوةَ وَءاتَوُاْ الزَّكَوةَ فَخَلُّواْ سَبِيلَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ</div><p>(But if they repent and perform the Salah, and give the Zakah, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) Abu Bakr As-Siddiq used this and other honorable Ayat as proof for fighting those who refrained from paying the Zakah. These Ayat allowed fighting people unless, and until, they embrace Islam and implement its rulings and obligations. Allah mentioned the most important aspects of Islam here, including what is less important. Surely, the highest elements of Islam after the Two Testimonials, are the prayer, which is the right of Allah, the Exalted and Ever High, then the Zakah, which benefits the poor and needy. These are the most honorable acts that creatures perform, and this is why Allah often mentions the prayer and Zakah together. In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Ibn `Umar said that the Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُقَاتِلَ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَشْهَدُوا أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاة»</div><p>(I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establish the prayer and pay the Zakah.) This honorable Ayah (9:5) was called the Ayah of the Sword, about which Ad-Dahhak bin Muzahim said, "It abrogated every agreement of peace between the Prophet and any idolator, every treaty, and every term." Al-`Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas commented: "No idolator had any more treaty or promise of safety ever since Surah Bara'ah was revealed. The four months, in addition to, all peace treaties conducted before Bara'ah was revealed and announced had ended by the tenth of the month of Rabi` Al-Akhir." </p>

This is the Ayah of the SwordMujahid, `Amr bin Shu`ayb, Muhammad bin Ishaq, Qatadah, As-Suddi and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that the four months mentioned in this Ayah are the four-month grace period mentioned in the earlier Ayah, فَسِيحُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ(So travel freely for four months throughout the land.) Allah said next, فَإِذَا انسَلَخَ الأَشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ(So when the Sacred Months have passed...), meaning, `Upon the end of the four months during which We prohibited you from fighting the idolators, and which is the grace period We gave them, then fight and kill the idolators wherever you may find them.' Allah's statement next, فَاقْتُلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ(then fight the Mushrikin wherever you find them), means, on the earth in general, except for the Sacred Area, for Allah said, وَلاَ تُقَـتِلُوهُمْ عِندَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ حَتَّى يُقَـتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ فَإِن قَـتَلُوكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوهُمْ(And fight not with them at Al-Masjid Al-Haram, unless they fight you there. But if they attack you, then fight them. )2:191 Allah said here, وَخُذُوهُمْ(and capture them), executing some and keeping some as prisoners, وَاحْصُرُوهُمْ وَاقْعُدُواْ لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍ(and besiege them, and lie in wait for them in each and every ambush), do not wait until you find them. Rather, seek and besiege them in their areas and forts, gather intelligence about them in the various roads and fairways so that what is made wide looks ever smaller to them. This way, they will have no choice, but to die or embrace Islam, فَإِن تَابُواْ وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلَوةَ وَءاتَوُاْ الزَّكَوةَ فَخَلُّواْ سَبِيلَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ(But if they repent and perform the Salah, and give the Zakah, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) Abu Bakr As-Siddiq used this and other honorable Ayat as proof for fighting those who refrained from paying the Zakah. These Ayat allowed fighting people unless, and until, they embrace Islam and implement its rulings and obligations. Allah mentioned the most important aspects of Islam here, including what is less important. Surely, the highest elements of Islam after the Two Testimonials, are the prayer, which is the right of Allah, the Exalted and Ever High, then the Zakah, which benefits the poor and needy. These are the most honorable acts that creatures perform, and this is why Allah often mentions the prayer and Zakah together. In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Ibn `Umar said that the Messenger of Allah said, «أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُقَاتِلَ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَشْهَدُوا أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاة»(I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establish the prayer and pay the Zakah.) This honorable Ayah (9:5) was called the Ayah of the Sword, about which Ad-Dahhak bin Muzahim said, "It abrogated every agreement of peace between the Prophet and any idolator, every treaty, and every term." Al-`Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas commented: "No idolator had any more treaty or promise of safety ever since Surah Bara'ah was revealed. The four months, in addition to, all peace treaties conducted before Bara'ah was revealed and announced had ended by the tenth of the month of Rabi` Al-Akhir."

If an idolater seeks protection, then give him asylum that he may hear the word of God. Then escort him to a place of safety, for they are people who do not know.

And O dear Prophet (Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), if a polytheist seeks your protection, give him protection so that he may hear the Word of Allah, and then transport him to his place of safety; this is because they are an unwise people.

And if any of the idolaters seeks of thee protection, grant him protection till he hears the words of God; then do thou convey him to his place of security -- that, because they are a people who do not know.

And if any of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God seeks thy protection, grant him protection, so that he might [be able to] hear the word of God [from thee]; and thereupon convey him to a place where he can feel secure: this, because they [may be] people who [sin only because they] do not know [the truth].

And should one of the associators seek protection of thee grant him protection, that he may hear the word of Allah, then let him reach his place of security. That is because they are a people who know not.

And if anyone of the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) seeks your protection then grant him protection, so that he may hear the Word of Allah (the Quran), and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not.

And if anyone of the polytheists asks you for protection, give him protection so that he may hear the Word of God; then escort him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know.

And if any of those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity seeks asylum, grant him asylum that he may hear the Word of Allah, and then escort him to safety for they are a people who do not know.

And if anyone of the Mushrikin seeks your protection then grant him protection so that he may hear the Word of Allah (the Qur'an) and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not.

And if anyone of the idolaters seeketh thy protection (O Muhammad), then protect him so that he may hear the Word of Allah, and afterward convey him to his place of safety. That is because they are a folk who know not.

If any of the polytheists seeks asylum from you, grant him asylum until he hears the Word of Allah. Then convey him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know.

If an idolater seeks asylum with you, give him protection in order that he hears the Word of Allah, and then convey him to his place of safety, because they are a nation who do not know.

And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allah. Then deliver him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know.

If any of the pagans ask you to give them refuge, give them asylum so that they may hear the words of God. Then, return them to their towns for they are an ignorant people.

And if one of the idolaters seek protection from you, grant him protection till he hears the word of Allah, then make him attain his place of safety; this is because they are a people who do not know.

Wain a<u>h</u>adun mina almushrikeena istaj<u>a</u>raka faajirhu <u>h</u>att<u>a</u> yasmaAAa kal<u>a</u>ma All<u>a</u>hi thumma ablighhu mamanahu <u>tha</u>lika biannahum qawmun l<u>a</u> yaAAlamoon<b>a</b>

If any one of the polytheists seeks asylum with you, grant him asylum so that he may hear the word of God; then convey him to a place of safety. That is because they are a people who have no knowledge.

If one amongst the Pagans ask thee for asylum, grant it to him, so that he may hear the word of Allah; and then escort him to where he can be secure. That is because they are men without knowledge.

9

وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ٱسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّىٰ يَسْمَعَ كَلَٰمَ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُۥ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَعْلَمُونَ

If any of the idolaters, whose blood and wealth is permissible, comes to you, O Messenger, and requests your protection, then accept their request so that they can listen to the Qur’ān. Then take them to a place where they will be safe. That is because the disbelievers are a people who do not know the realities of this religion. When they come to know of it by listening to the recitation of the Qur’ān, they may come on to the right path.

If any of the idolaters, whose blood and wealth is permissible, comes to you, O Messenger, and requests your protection, then accept their request so that they can listen to the Qur’ān. Then take them to a place where they will be safe. That is because the disbelievers are a people who do not know the realities of this religion. When they come to know of it by listening to the recitation of the Qur’ān, they may come on to the right path.

<p>Commentary</p><p>It was said in the first five verses of Surah At-Taubah that, soon after the Conquest of Makkah, general amnesty was granted to all polytheists and disbelievers of Makkah and its environs. But, in view of their dismal record of treachery and breach of trust in the past, it was decided that no treaty would be signed with them in the future. It was despite this policy decision that injunctions to honor the treaty - made with these people earlier and which they had never contravened - were revealed whereby they were required to fulfill the terms of the treaty until it expired. As for those with whom there was just no treaty, or there was no treaty with a fixed duration, they too were granted suitable concession. Rather than they be ordered to leave Makkah immediately, they were allowed a respite of four months so that, during this period of time, they could arrange to leave Makkah and go wherever they deemed fit, with convenience and in peace. Or, if the truth of Islam had become apparent to them in the meantime, they were welcome to become Muslims. The outcome of these injunctions was that the sacred site of Makkah was to be vacated by all treacherous disbelievers. The evacuation was being implemented without any intention to retaliate. In fact, it was enforced in self-defense because of consistent experience. Therefore, the door to a good future for them was left open even then. This has been mentioned in the sixth verse the substance of which is: If someone from among the disbelievers seeks asylum with you, then, you should grant it so that he could come close to you and listen to the Word of Allah and understand the veracity of Islam. Then, your responsibility does not end at granting him a temporary asylum. The truth of the matter is that, as soon as he has done what he had come for, it is the responsibility of Muslims that they should escort him under full protective arrangements to the place where he considers himself safe and happy. At the end of the verse, it was said that the particular injunction has been sent because these people are not sufficiently aware. By coming close, they could know things better.</p><p>Some rulings and points of guidance come out from this verse (11) as well. These have been discussed in details by Imam Abu Bakr al-Jassas. In brief, they are:</p><p>Proving the Veracity of Islam is the Duty of Muslim Scholars</p><p>1. First of all, this verse confirms that, in case, a disbeliever asks Muslims to explain the veracity of Islam to him with valid proofs, then, it becomes their duty to accede to his demand.</p><p>2. Secondly, it is obligatory on Muslims that they should allow and protect anyone who comes to them to learn more about Islam. Causing any hurt or harm to such a person is not permissible. This injunction, according to Tafsir al-Qurtubi, is operative only in a situation when the purpose of the visitor is to listen to the Word of Allah and know more about Islam. In case, the objective of the visitor is business, or some other pursuit, it would depend on the discretion of relevant Muslim officials who would decide in terms of what is best in Muslim interests. Should they deem it fit, they may permit and should they think other-wise, they can act at their discretion.</p><p>Non-Resident Non-Muslims should not be permitted to stay in Dar al-Islam any longer than necessary</p><p>3. The third ruling stipulates that a non-Muslim at war, with whom Muslims have no treaty, should not be allowed to stay any longer than necessary – because, in the cited verse, a limit of stay and protection has been set by saying: حَتَّىٰ يَسْمَعَ كَلَامَ اللَّـهِ (until he listens to the Word of Allah).</p><p>4. According to the fourth element of guidance embedded here, it is the duty of a Muslim ruling authority to remain aware of the progress of the mission undertaken by any non-Muslim at war once he has entered into the Muslim country with valid permission (visa) and purpose. And, as soon as he has completed his job in the country, it is also the duty of Muslim Amir (ruler) that he should arrange for his safe return.</p><p>Stated in the next four verses (7-10) is the wisdom behind the proclamation of withdrawal mentioned in the initial verses of Surah At-Taubah. Here, by referring to the inherent meanness of pledge-breaking disbelievers whose malice and hostility against Muslims knew no bounds, it was advised in verses 7 and 8 that entertaining any hope from such people that they would ever abide by their pledge was simply wrong to begin with. It was said in the text: Except for some people with whom Muslims had entered into a treaty near the masjid al-Haram, how could any pledge given by these disbelievers be credible before Allah and His Messenger? The fact was that they were a set of people who, if given the least opportunity, would not blink about any relationship they had with them or bother to honor the word of promise given by them. The simple reason was that these people had no intention of honoring the treaty even when they were signing it. Their sole purpose was just to placate them. With their hearts set elsewhere, most of them were sinners, compulsive breakers of pledges and practitioners of treachery.</p>

CommentaryIt was said in the first five verses of Surah At-Taubah that, soon after the Conquest of Makkah, general amnesty was granted to all polytheists and disbelievers of Makkah and its environs. But, in view of their dismal record of treachery and breach of trust in the past, it was decided that no treaty would be signed with them in the future. It was despite this policy decision that injunctions to honor the treaty - made with these people earlier and which they had never contravened - were revealed whereby they were required to fulfill the terms of the treaty until it expired. As for those with whom there was just no treaty, or there was no treaty with a fixed duration, they too were granted suitable concession. Rather than they be ordered to leave Makkah immediately, they were allowed a respite of four months so that, during this period of time, they could arrange to leave Makkah and go wherever they deemed fit, with convenience and in peace. Or, if the truth of Islam had become apparent to them in the meantime, they were welcome to become Muslims. The outcome of these injunctions was that the sacred site of Makkah was to be vacated by all treacherous disbelievers. The evacuation was being implemented without any intention to retaliate. In fact, it was enforced in self-defense because of consistent experience. Therefore, the door to a good future for them was left open even then. This has been mentioned in the sixth verse the substance of which is: If someone from among the disbelievers seeks asylum with you, then, you should grant it so that he could come close to you and listen to the Word of Allah and understand the veracity of Islam. Then, your responsibility does not end at granting him a temporary asylum. The truth of the matter is that, as soon as he has done what he had come for, it is the responsibility of Muslims that they should escort him under full protective arrangements to the place where he considers himself safe and happy. At the end of the verse, it was said that the particular injunction has been sent because these people are not sufficiently aware. By coming close, they could know things better.Some rulings and points of guidance come out from this verse (11) as well. These have been discussed in details by Imam Abu Bakr al-Jassas. In brief, they are:Proving the Veracity of Islam is the Duty of Muslim Scholars1. First of all, this verse confirms that, in case, a disbeliever asks Muslims to explain the veracity of Islam to him with valid proofs, then, it becomes their duty to accede to his demand.2. Secondly, it is obligatory on Muslims that they should allow and protect anyone who comes to them to learn more about Islam. Causing any hurt or harm to such a person is not permissible. This injunction, according to Tafsir al-Qurtubi, is operative only in a situation when the purpose of the visitor is to listen to the Word of Allah and know more about Islam. In case, the objective of the visitor is business, or some other pursuit, it would depend on the discretion of relevant Muslim officials who would decide in terms of what is best in Muslim interests. Should they deem it fit, they may permit and should they think other-wise, they can act at their discretion.Non-Resident Non-Muslims should not be permitted to stay in Dar al-Islam any longer than necessary3. The third ruling stipulates that a non-Muslim at war, with whom Muslims have no treaty, should not be allowed to stay any longer than necessary – because, in the cited verse, a limit of stay and protection has been set by saying: حَتَّىٰ يَسْمَعَ كَلَامَ اللَّـهِ (until he listens to the Word of Allah).4. According to the fourth element of guidance embedded here, it is the duty of a Muslim ruling authority to remain aware of the progress of the mission undertaken by any non-Muslim at war once he has entered into the Muslim country with valid permission (visa) and purpose. And, as soon as he has completed his job in the country, it is also the duty of Muslim Amir (ruler) that he should arrange for his safe return.Stated in the next four verses (7-10) is the wisdom behind the proclamation of withdrawal mentioned in the initial verses of Surah At-Taubah. Here, by referring to the inherent meanness of pledge-breaking disbelievers whose malice and hostility against Muslims knew no bounds, it was advised in verses 7 and 8 that entertaining any hope from such people that they would ever abide by their pledge was simply wrong to begin with. It was said in the text: Except for some people with whom Muslims had entered into a treaty near the masjid al-Haram, how could any pledge given by these disbelievers be credible before Allah and His Messenger? The fact was that they were a set of people who, if given the least opportunity, would not blink about any relationship they had with them or bother to honor the word of promise given by them. The simple reason was that these people had no intention of honoring the treaty even when they were signing it. Their sole purpose was just to placate them. With their hearts set elsewhere, most of them were sinners, compulsive breakers of pledges and practitioners of treachery.

<h2 class="title">Idolators are granted Safe Passage if They seek It</h2><p>Allah said to His Prophet, peace be upon him, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ</div><p>(And if anyone of the Mushrikin), whom you were commanded to fight and We allowed you their blood and property,' </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">اسْتَجَارَكَ</div><p>(seeks your protection), asked you for safe passage, then accept his request until he hears the Words of Allah, the Qur'an. Recite the Qur'an to him and mention a good part of the religion with which you establish Allah's proof against him, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُ</div><p>(and then escort him to where he can be secure) and safe, until he goes back to his land, his home, and area of safety, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لاَّ يَعْلَمُونَ</div><p>(that is because they are men who know not.) The Ayah says, `We legislated giving such people safe passage so that they may learn about the religion of Allah, so that Allah's call will spread among His servants. Ibn Abi Najih narrated that Mujahid said that this Ayah, "Refers to someone who comes to you to hear what you say and what was revealed to you (O Muhammad). Therefore, he is safe until he comes to you, hears Allah's Words and then proceeds to the safe area where he came from." The Messenger of Allah used to thereafter grant safe passage to those who came to him for guidance or to deliver a message. On the day of Hudaybiyyah, several emissaries from Quraysh came to him, such as `Urwah bin Mas`ud, Mikraz bin Hafs, Suhayl bin `Amr and several others. They came mediating between him and the Quraysh pagans. They witnessed the great respect the Muslims had for the Prophet , which astonished them, for they never before saw such respect for anyone, kings nor czars. They went back to their people and conveyed this news to them; this, among other reasons, was one reason that most of them accepted the guidance. When Musaylimah the Liar sent an emissary to the Messenger of Allah, he asked him, "Do you testify that Musaylimah is a messenger from Allah" He said, "Yes." The Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«لَوْلَا أَنَّ الرُّسُلَ لَا تُقْتَلُ لَضَرَبْتُ عُنُقَك»</div><p>(I would have cut off your head, if it was not that emissaries are not killed.) That man, Ibn An-Nawwahah, was later beheaded when `Abdullah bin Mas`ud was the governor of Al-Kufah. When it became known that he still testified that Musaylimah was a messenger from Allah, Ibn Mas`ud summoned him and said to him, "You are not delivering a message now!" He commanded that Ibn An-Nawwahah be decapitated, may Allah curse him and deprive him of His mercy. In summary, those who come from a land at war with Muslims to the area of Islam, delivering a message, for business transactions, to negotiate a peace treaty, to pay the Jizyah, to offer an end to hostilities, and so forth, and request safe passage from Muslim leaders or their deputies, should be granted safe passage, as long as they remain in Muslim areas, until they go back to their land and sanctuary. </p>

Idolators are granted Safe Passage if They seek ItAllah said to His Prophet, peace be upon him, وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ(And if anyone of the Mushrikin), whom you were commanded to fight and We allowed you their blood and property,' اسْتَجَارَكَ(seeks your protection), asked you for safe passage, then accept his request until he hears the Words of Allah, the Qur'an. Recite the Qur'an to him and mention a good part of the religion with which you establish Allah's proof against him, ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُ(and then escort him to where he can be secure) and safe, until he goes back to his land, his home, and area of safety, ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لاَّ يَعْلَمُونَ(that is because they are men who know not.) The Ayah says, `We legislated giving such people safe passage so that they may learn about the religion of Allah, so that Allah's call will spread among His servants. Ibn Abi Najih narrated that Mujahid said that this Ayah, "Refers to someone who comes to you to hear what you say and what was revealed to you (O Muhammad). Therefore, he is safe until he comes to you, hears Allah's Words and then proceeds to the safe area where he came from." The Messenger of Allah used to thereafter grant safe passage to those who came to him for guidance or to deliver a message. On the day of Hudaybiyyah, several emissaries from Quraysh came to him, such as `Urwah bin Mas`ud, Mikraz bin Hafs, Suhayl bin `Amr and several others. They came mediating between him and the Quraysh pagans. They witnessed the great respect the Muslims had for the Prophet , which astonished them, for they never before saw such respect for anyone, kings nor czars. They went back to their people and conveyed this news to them; this, among other reasons, was one reason that most of them accepted the guidance. When Musaylimah the Liar sent an emissary to the Messenger of Allah, he asked him, "Do you testify that Musaylimah is a messenger from Allah" He said, "Yes." The Messenger of Allah said, «لَوْلَا أَنَّ الرُّسُلَ لَا تُقْتَلُ لَضَرَبْتُ عُنُقَك»(I would have cut off your head, if it was not that emissaries are not killed.) That man, Ibn An-Nawwahah, was later beheaded when `Abdullah bin Mas`ud was the governor of Al-Kufah. When it became known that he still testified that Musaylimah was a messenger from Allah, Ibn Mas`ud summoned him and said to him, "You are not delivering a message now!" He commanded that Ibn An-Nawwahah be decapitated, may Allah curse him and deprive him of His mercy. In summary, those who come from a land at war with Muslims to the area of Islam, delivering a message, for business transactions, to negotiate a peace treaty, to pay the Jizyah, to offer an end to hostilities, and so forth, and request safe passage from Muslim leaders or their deputies, should be granted safe passage, as long as they remain in Muslim areas, until they go back to their land and sanctuary.

How could there be a treaty between idolaters and God and His Apostle, except those you covenanted by the Sacred Mosque? Therefore as long as they are honest with you be correct with them, for God loves those who are godly.

How can there be a treaty with Allah and with His Noble Messenger for the polytheists, except for those with whom you made a treaty near the Sacred Mosque? So as long as they remain firm on the treaty for you, you too remain firm for them; indeed Allah is pleased with the pious.

How should the idolaters have a covenant with God and His Messenger? -- excepting those with whom you made covenant at the Holy Mosque; so long as they go straight with you, do you go straight with them; surely God loves the godfearing.

HOW COULD they who ascribe divinity to aught beside God be granted a covenant by God and His Apostle, unless it be those [of them] with whom you [O believers] have made a covenant in the vicinity of the Inviolable House of Worship? [As for the latter,] so long as they remain true to you, be true to them: for, verily, God loves those who are conscious of Him.

How can there be for the associators covenant with Allah. and His apostle save for those with whom ye covenanted near the Sacred Mosque? Act straight with them so long as they act straight with you. Verily Allah loveth the God-fearing.

How can there be a covenant with Allah and with His Messenger for the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) except those with whom you made a covenant near Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah)? So long, as they are true to you, stand you true to them. Verily, Allah loves Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V. 2:2).

How can there be a treaty with the polytheists on the part of God and His Messenger, except for those with whom you made a treaty at the Sacred Mosque? As long as they are upright with you, be upright with them. God loves the pious.

How can there be a covenant with those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity be binding upon Allah and His Messenger, excepting those with whom you made a covenant near the Sacred Mosque? Behave in a straight manner with them so long as they behave with you in a straight manner for Allah loves the Godfearing.

How can there be a covenant with Allah and with His Messenger for the Mushrikin except those with whom you made a covenant near Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah) So long as they are true to you, stand you true to them. Verily, Allah loves those who have Taqwa.

How can there be a treaty with Allah and with His messenger for the idolaters save those with whom ye made a treaty at the Inviolable Place of Worship? So long as they are true to you, be true to them. Lo! Allah loveth those who keep their duty.

How shall the polytheists have any [valid] treaty with Allah and His Apostle?! (Barring those with whom you made a treaty at the Holy Mosque; so long as they are steadfast with you, be steadfast with them. Indeed Allah loves the Godwary.)

How can the idolaters have any treaty with Allah and His Messenger, except those with whom you have made treaties by the Sacred Mosque? So long as they are straight with you, so be straight with them. Allah loves the righteous.

How can there be for the polytheists a treaty in the sight of Allah and with His Messenger, except for those with whom you made a treaty at al-Masjid al-Haram? So as long as they are upright toward you, be upright toward them. Indeed, Allah loves the righteous [who fear Him].

How can the pagans, except those with whom you have established a peace treaty in the precinct of the Sacred Mosque, have a covenant with God and His Messenger? If they respect the pact, you too should also follow its terms. God loves the pious ones.

How can there be an agreement for the idolaters with Allah and with His Apostle; except those with whom you made an agreement at the Sacred Mosque? So as long as they are true to you, be true to them; surely Allah loves those who are careful (of their duty).

Kayfa yakoonu lilmushrikeena AAahdun AAinda All<u>a</u>hi waAAinda rasoolihi ill<u>a</u> alla<u>th</u>eena AA<u>a</u>hadtum AAinda almasjidi al<u>h</u>ar<u>a</u>mi fam<u>a</u> istaq<u>a</u>moo lakum fa<b>i</b>staqeemoo lahum inna All<u>a</u>ha yu<u>h</u>ibbu almuttaqeen<b>a</b>

How can there be a treaty with the polytheists on the part of God and His Messenger, except for those with whom you entered into a treaty at the Sacred Mosque? As long as they act straight with you, act straight with them. God loves those who are righteous.

How can there be a league, before Allah and His Messenger, with the Pagans, except those with whom ye made a treaty near the sacred Mosque? As long as these stand true to you, stand ye true to them: for Allah doth love the righteous.

9

كَيْفَ يَكُونُ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ عَهْدٌ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَعِندَ رَسُولِهِۦٓ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ عَٰهَدتُّمْ عِندَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ فَمَا ٱسْتَقَٰمُوا۟ لَكُمْ فَٱسْتَقِيمُوا۟ لَهُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ

It is not correct for those who associate partners with Allah to have a treaty and an assurance of protection from Allah and His Messenger, except for the treaty you made with those idolaters at the Sacred Mosque in the Treaty of Al-Ḥudaybiyyah. As long as they uphold the treaty with you and do not break it, then you should also not break it. Allah loves those of His servants who are mindful of Him by fulfilling His instructions and avoiding His prohibitions.

It is not correct for those who associate partners with Allah to have a treaty and an assurance of protection from Allah and His Messenger, except for the treaty you made with those idolaters at the Sacred Mosque in the Treaty of Al-Ḥudaybiyyah. As long as they uphold the treaty with you and do not break it, then you should also not break it. Allah loves those of His servants who are mindful of Him by fulfilling His instructions and avoiding His prohibitions.

<p>Uphold truth and commit no excess or injustice even against disbelievers is the teaching of Qur'an</p><p>This statement of the Qur'an provides guidance for Muslims that they should never surrender truth and justice even when they are dealing with confronting enemies. Whenever they have to take up an issue with them, they are required not to slip into taking exaggerated approaches and stances against them. This is as it has been demonstrated in these verses where full consideration has been given to the case of the disbelievers of Makkah. The fact was that most of them had broken their pledge. Naturally, when something like this happens in that setting, people tend to make a sweeping allegation against every-one. But, the Holy Qur'an, by saying: إِلَّا الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّمْ عِندَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَ‌امِ (except those with whom you made a treaty near al-masjid-al-Haram), has exempted those who had not broken their pledge. In fact, it has ordered that Muslims should stay firm on their commitment as long as the others remain committed and faithful to their pledge. The breach of trust committed by other people should in no case influence their stance whereby they themselves may be led to become breakers of the pledge given to them.</p>

Uphold truth and commit no excess or injustice even against disbelievers is the teaching of Qur'anThis statement of the Qur'an provides guidance for Muslims that they should never surrender truth and justice even when they are dealing with confronting enemies. Whenever they have to take up an issue with them, they are required not to slip into taking exaggerated approaches and stances against them. This is as it has been demonstrated in these verses where full consideration has been given to the case of the disbelievers of Makkah. The fact was that most of them had broken their pledge. Naturally, when something like this happens in that setting, people tend to make a sweeping allegation against every-one. But, the Holy Qur'an, by saying: إِلَّا الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّمْ عِندَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَ‌امِ (except those with whom you made a treaty near al-masjid-al-Haram), has exempted those who had not broken their pledge. In fact, it has ordered that Muslims should stay firm on their commitment as long as the others remain committed and faithful to their pledge. The breach of trust committed by other people should in no case influence their stance whereby they themselves may be led to become breakers of the pledge given to them.

<h2 class="title">Affirming the Disavowel of the Idolators</h2><p>Allah mentions the wisdom in dissolving all obligations to the idolators and giving them a four month period of safety, after which they will meet the sharp sword wherever they are found, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">كَيْفَ يَكُونُ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ عَهْدٌ</div><p>(How can there be a covenant for the Mushrikin), a safe resort and refuge, while they persist in Shirk with Allah, and disbelief in Him and His Messenger, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ عَـهَدْتُمْ عِندَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ</div><p>(except those with whom you made a covenant near Al-Masjid Al-Haram), on the day of Hudaybiyyah. Allah said in another Ayah concerning the day of Hudaybiyyah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">هُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْهَدْىَ مَعْكُوفاً أَن يَبْلُغَ مَحِلَّهُ</div><p>(They are the ones who disbelieved and hindered you from Al-Masjid Al-Haram and detained the sacrificial animals, from reaching their place of sacrifice.) 48:25 Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَمَا اسْتَقَـمُواْ لَكُمْ فَاسْتَقِيمُواْ لَهُمْ</div><p>(So long as they are true to you, stand you true to them.), if they keep the terms of the treaties you conducted with them, including peace between you and them for ten years, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَاسْتَقِيمُواْ لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ</div><p>(then stand you true to them. Verily, Allah loves those who have Taqwa.) The Messenger of Allah and the Muslims preserved the terms of the treaty with the people of Makkah from the month of Dhul-Qa`dah in the sixth year of Hijrah, until the Quraysh broke it and helped their allies, Banu Bakr, against Khuza`ah, the allies of Allah's Messenger . Aided by the Quraysh, Banu Bakr killed some of Bani Khuza`ah in the Sacred Area! The Messenger of Allah led an invasion army in the month of Ramadan, of the eighth year, and Allah opened the Sacred Area for him to rule over them, all thanks are due to Allah. The Messenger of Allah freed the Quraysh who embraced Islam after they were overpowered and defeated. These numbered around two thousands, and they were refered to by the name `Tulaqa' afterwards. Those among them who remained in disbelief and ran away from Allah's Messenger were sent promises of safe refuge for four months, during which they were allowed to move about freely. They included Safwan bin Umayyah, `Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl and many others. Allah later on guided them to Islam, and they became excellent believers. Surely, Allah is worthy of all praise for all His actions and decrees. </p>

Affirming the Disavowel of the IdolatorsAllah mentions the wisdom in dissolving all obligations to the idolators and giving them a four month period of safety, after which they will meet the sharp sword wherever they are found, كَيْفَ يَكُونُ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ عَهْدٌ(How can there be a covenant for the Mushrikin), a safe resort and refuge, while they persist in Shirk with Allah, and disbelief in Him and His Messenger, إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ عَـهَدْتُمْ عِندَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ(except those with whom you made a covenant near Al-Masjid Al-Haram), on the day of Hudaybiyyah. Allah said in another Ayah concerning the day of Hudaybiyyah, هُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْهَدْىَ مَعْكُوفاً أَن يَبْلُغَ مَحِلَّهُ(They are the ones who disbelieved and hindered you from Al-Masjid Al-Haram and detained the sacrificial animals, from reaching their place of sacrifice.) 48:25 Allah said next, فَمَا اسْتَقَـمُواْ لَكُمْ فَاسْتَقِيمُواْ لَهُمْ(So long as they are true to you, stand you true to them.), if they keep the terms of the treaties you conducted with them, including peace between you and them for ten years, فَاسْتَقِيمُواْ لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ(then stand you true to them. Verily, Allah loves those who have Taqwa.) The Messenger of Allah and the Muslims preserved the terms of the treaty with the people of Makkah from the month of Dhul-Qa`dah in the sixth year of Hijrah, until the Quraysh broke it and helped their allies, Banu Bakr, against Khuza`ah, the allies of Allah's Messenger . Aided by the Quraysh, Banu Bakr killed some of Bani Khuza`ah in the Sacred Area! The Messenger of Allah led an invasion army in the month of Ramadan, of the eighth year, and Allah opened the Sacred Area for him to rule over them, all thanks are due to Allah. The Messenger of Allah freed the Quraysh who embraced Islam after they were overpowered and defeated. These numbered around two thousands, and they were refered to by the name `Tulaqa' afterwards. Those among them who remained in disbelief and ran away from Allah's Messenger were sent promises of safe refuge for four months, during which they were allowed to move about freely. They included Safwan bin Umayyah, `Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl and many others. Allah later on guided them to Islam, and they became excellent believers. Surely, Allah is worthy of all praise for all His actions and decrees.

How (can they be trusted)? If they prevail against you they will neither observe pacts nor good faith with you. They flatter you with their tongues, but their hearts are averse to you, for most of them are iniquitous.

Therefore how – when they are such that if they gain control over you, they would not have regard for any relations nor for any treaty? They please you with their mouths whereas their hearts contain rejection; and most of them are disobedient.

How? If they get the better of you, they will not observe towards you any bond or treaty, giving you satisfaction with their mouths but in their hearts refusing; and the most of them are ungodly.

How [else could it be]? -since, if they [who are hostile to you] were to overcome you, they would not respect any tie [with you,] nor any obligation to protect [you]. They seek to please you with their mouths, the while their hearts remain averse [to you]; and most of them are iniquitous.

How indeed! whereas if they get the better of you they respect not regarding you either kinship or agreement. They please you with their mouth, the while their hearts refuse; and most of them are Ungodly.

How (can there be such a covenant with them) that when you are overpowered by them, they regard not the ties, either of kinship or of covenant with you? With (good words from) their mouths they please you, but their hearts are averse to you, and most of them are Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah).

How? Whenever they overcome you, they respect neither kinship nor treaty with you. They satisfy you with lip service, but their hearts refuse, and most of them are immoral.

How can there be any covenant with the other polytheists for were they to prevail against you, they will respect neither kinship nor agreement. They seek to please you with their tongues while their hearts are averse to you, and most of them are wicked.

How When if you are overpowered by them, they regard not the ties, either of kinship, (Ill) or of covenant (Dhimmah) With their mouths they please you, but their hearts are averse to you, and most of them are rebellious.

How (can there be any treaty for the others) when, if they have the upper hand of you, they regard not pact nor honour in respect of you? They satisfy you with their mouths the while their hearts refuse. And most of them are wrongdoers.

How? For if, they get the better of you, they will observe toward you neither kinship nor covenant. They please you with their mouths while their hearts spurn you; and most of them are transgressors.

How? If they prevail against you they will respect neither agreements nor ties of kindred. They satisfy you with their tongues, but their hearts are averse; and most of them are wicked.

How [can there be a treaty] while, if they gain dominance over you, they do not observe concerning you any pact of kinship or covenant of protection? They satisfy you with their mouths, but their hearts refuse [compliance], and most of them are defiantly disobedient.

How could God and His Messenger grant them (pagans) peace when if they were to acquire superiority over you, they would respect none of the peace treaties nor their kindred relations with you! They only try to please you by paying lip-service to you but their hearts are against you and most of them are evil-doers.

How (can it be)! while if they prevail against you, they would not pay regard in your case to ties of relationship, nor those of covenant; they please you with their mouths while their hearts do not consent; and most of them are transgressors.

Kayfa wain ya<i><u>th</u></i>haroo AAalaykum l<u>a</u> yarquboo feekum illan wal<u>a</u> <u>th</u>immatan yur<u>d</u>oonakum biafw<u>a</u>hihim watab<u>a</u> quloobuhum waaktharuhum f<u>a</u>siqoon<b>a</b>

How [can there be a treaty] for, if they get the upper hand over you, they will respect neither kinship nor covenant. They [try to] please you with their tongues but their hearts reject you; most of them are perfidious.

How (can there be such a league), seeing that if they get an advantage over you, they respect not in you the ties either of kinship or of covenant? With (fair words from) their mouths they entice you, but their hearts are averse from you; and most of them are rebellious and wicked.

9

كَيْفَ وَإِن يَظْهَرُوا۟ عَلَيْكُمْ لَا يَرْقُبُوا۟ فِيكُمْ إِلًّا وَلَا ذِمَّةً يُرْضُونَكُم بِأَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَتَأْبَىٰ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ فَٰسِقُونَ

How can they have a treaty with you and an assurance of protection when they are your enemies? If they gain the upper hand over you they will not be mindful of Allah in relation to you, nor will they respect any relationship or any treaty. Instead, they will impose the worst punishment on you. They please you with fancy speech uttered by their tongues, but their hearts do not agree with their tongues. They will not fulfil what they promise and most of them deviate from following Allah by breaking the treaty.

How can they have a treaty with you and an assurance of protection when they are your enemies? If they gain the upper hand over you they will not be mindful of Allah in relation to you, nor will they respect any relationship or any treaty. Instead, they will impose the worst punishment on you. They please you with fancy speech uttered by their tongues, but their hearts do not agree with their tongues. They will not fulfil what they promise and most of them deviate from following Allah by breaking the treaty.

<p>Earlier when it was said that disbelieving people had nursed betrayal in their hearts right from the beginning and had no intention of staying faithful to their pledge, an exception was also granted. Similarly, when the text says: أَكْثَرُ‌هُمْ فَاسِقُونَ (Most of them are sinners - 8), it hints that all of them were not like that. There were some nice people among them too, who wanted to stand by their commitment, but they were not heard before others.</p><p>This is the same subject the Holy Qur'an takes up elsewhere saying in very clear terms: لَا يَجْرِ‌مَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا (and malice against a people should not bid you to not doing justice - 5:8)</p><p>After that comes the ninth verse with the reason why these Mushriks were so chronically treacherous and what was it that ailed them. Thus, they too were given a prescription of hope to ponder about so that they could still correct themselves if they chose to. At the same time, Muslims at large were also served with a warning that they should take their guard against the pitfall of treachery and disobedience which had sucked these people in and make a total abstention from this behavior model their distinct life style. The reason is their relentless love of the material. The desire to acquire, possess and expend the limitless range of things of this world had blinded them to the limit that they would not hesitate to sell off the very Words of Allah and their own faith in exchange for paltry gains. This character is, to make an understatement, evil.</p><p>Moving on to the tenth verse, the text describes the extreme crookedness of these people by saying: لَا يَرْ‌قُبُونَ فِي مُؤْمِنٍ إِلًّا وَلَا ذِمَّةً (They do not observe, in the case of a believer, any bond or treaty). The sense is that this was no isolated case of disbelieving people acting treacherously against Muslims to whom they were bound by ties of kinship and treaty obligations. In fact, disbelieving people were a lot who would never consider kinship or pledge as valid grounds when dealing with Muslims.</p><p>Given the aforesaid behavior pattern of disbelieving people, it could have been but natural for Muslims to have become disillusioned with them forever and refuse to have any brotherly relationship with them under any condition. Therefore, as the Qur'anic justice and equity would have it, the eleventh verse gives the following instruction:</p>

Earlier when it was said that disbelieving people had nursed betrayal in their hearts right from the beginning and had no intention of staying faithful to their pledge, an exception was also granted. Similarly, when the text says: أَكْثَرُ‌هُمْ فَاسِقُونَ (Most of them are sinners - 8), it hints that all of them were not like that. There were some nice people among them too, who wanted to stand by their commitment, but they were not heard before others.This is the same subject the Holy Qur'an takes up elsewhere saying in very clear terms: لَا يَجْرِ‌مَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا (and malice against a people should not bid you to not doing justice - 5:8)After that comes the ninth verse with the reason why these Mushriks were so chronically treacherous and what was it that ailed them. Thus, they too were given a prescription of hope to ponder about so that they could still correct themselves if they chose to. At the same time, Muslims at large were also served with a warning that they should take their guard against the pitfall of treachery and disobedience which had sucked these people in and make a total abstention from this behavior model their distinct life style. The reason is their relentless love of the material. The desire to acquire, possess and expend the limitless range of things of this world had blinded them to the limit that they would not hesitate to sell off the very Words of Allah and their own faith in exchange for paltry gains. This character is, to make an understatement, evil.Moving on to the tenth verse, the text describes the extreme crookedness of these people by saying: لَا يَرْ‌قُبُونَ فِي مُؤْمِنٍ إِلًّا وَلَا ذِمَّةً (They do not observe, in the case of a believer, any bond or treaty). The sense is that this was no isolated case of disbelieving people acting treacherously against Muslims to whom they were bound by ties of kinship and treaty obligations. In fact, disbelieving people were a lot who would never consider kinship or pledge as valid grounds when dealing with Muslims.Given the aforesaid behavior pattern of disbelieving people, it could have been but natural for Muslims to have become disillusioned with them forever and refuse to have any brotherly relationship with them under any condition. Therefore, as the Qur'anic justice and equity would have it, the eleventh verse gives the following instruction:

<h2 class="title">Allah encourages the believers to show enmity to the idolators andto dissociate from them, affirming that they do not deserve to enjoy a covenant of peace, because of their Shirk in Allah and disbelief in Allah's Messenger.</h2><p>Allah encourages the believers to show enmity to the idolators and to dissociate from them, affirming that they do not deserve to enjoy a covenant of peace, because of their Shirk in Allah and disbelief in Allah's Messenger If these disbelievers have a chance to defeat Muslims, they will cause great mischief, leave nothing unharmed, disregard the ties of kinship and the sanctity of their vows. `Ali bin Abi Talhah, `Ikrimah and Al-`Awfi narrated that Ibn `Abbas said, "Ill means kinship, while, Dhimmah means covenant." Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi said similarly. </p>

Allah encourages the believers to show enmity to the idolators andto dissociate from them, affirming that they do not deserve to enjoy a covenant of peace, because of their Shirk in Allah and disbelief in Allah's Messenger.Allah encourages the believers to show enmity to the idolators and to dissociate from them, affirming that they do not deserve to enjoy a covenant of peace, because of their Shirk in Allah and disbelief in Allah's Messenger If these disbelievers have a chance to defeat Muslims, they will cause great mischief, leave nothing unharmed, disregard the ties of kinship and the sanctity of their vows. `Ali bin Abi Talhah, `Ikrimah and Al-`Awfi narrated that Ibn `Abbas said, "Ill means kinship, while, Dhimmah means covenant." Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi said similarly.

They barter away the words of God for a petty price, and obstruct (others) from His path. How evil indeed are the things they do!

They exchanged the verses of Allah for an abject price, therefore prevented from His way; indeed what they do is extremely evil.

They have sold the signs of God for a small price, and have barred from His way; truly evil is that they have been doing,

God's messages have they bartered away for a trifling gain, and have thus turned away from His path: evil, behold, is all that they are wont to do,

They have bartered the revelations of Allah for a small price, so they keep back from His path. Verily vile is that which they have been working.

They have purchased with the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah a little gain, and they hindered men from His Way; evil indeed is that which they used to do.

They traded away God's revelations for a cheap price, so they barred others from His path. How evil is what they did.

They have sold the revelations of Allah for a paltry price and have firmly hindered people from His Path. Evil indeed is what they have done.

They have purchased with the Ayat of Allah a little gain, and they hindered men from His way; evil indeed is that which they used to do.

They have purchased with the revelations of Allah a little gain, so they debar (men) from His way. Lo! evil is that which they are wont to do.

They have sold the signs of Allah for a paltry gain, and have barred [the people] from His way. Evil indeed is what they have been doing.

They sell the verses of Allah for a small price and bar others from His Path. Evil is what they have been doing.

They have exchanged the signs of Allah for a small price and averted [people] from His way. Indeed, it was evil that they were doing.

They have sold God's revelations for a paltry price and have created obstacles in the way of God. What they have done is evil.

They have taken a small price for the communications of Allah, so they turn away from His way; surely evil is it that they do.

Ishtaraw bi<u>a</u>y<u>a</u>ti All<u>a</u>hi thamanan qaleelan fa<u>s</u>addoo AAan sabeelihi innahum s<u>a</u>a m<u>a</u> k<u>a</u>noo yaAAmaloon<b>a</b>

They have sold God's revelations for a paltry price, and barred others from His path. How evil is what they have been doing!

The Signs of Allah have they sold for a miserable price, and (many) have they hindered from His way: evil indeed are the deeds they have done.

9

ٱشْتَرَوْا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا فَصَدُّوا۟ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦٓ إِنَّهُمْ سَآءَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ

In order to satisfy their passions and desires, they took a trivial price of the things of this world in exchange for following Allah’s words, which includes fulfilment of treaties. They prevented themselves from following the truth and they turned away from it. They also prevented others from the truth. Such actions are most certainly evil.

In order to satisfy their passions and desires, they took a trivial price of the things of this world in exchange for following Allah’s words, which includes fulfilment of treaties. They prevented themselves from following the truth and they turned away from it. They also prevented others from the truth. Such actions are most certainly evil.

<div class="text_uthmani arabic">اشْتَرَوْاْ بِـَايَـتِ اللَّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً</div><p>(They have purchased with the Ayat of Allah a little gain,) idolators exchanged following the Ayat of Allah with the lower affairs of life that they indulged in, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ</div><p>(and they hindered men from His way), trying to prevent the believers from following the truth, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّهُمْ سَآءَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَلاَ يَرْقُبُونَ فِى مُؤْمِنٍ إِلاًّ وَلاَ ذِمَّةً</div><p>(evil indeed is that which they used to do. With regard to a believer, they respect not the ties, either of kinship or of covenant!) 9:9-10. We explained these meanings before, as well as, the meaning of, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَإِن تَابُواْ وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلَوةَ</div><p>(But if they repent, perform the Salah...) </p>

اشْتَرَوْاْ بِـَايَـتِ اللَّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً(They have purchased with the Ayat of Allah a little gain,) idolators exchanged following the Ayat of Allah with the lower affairs of life that they indulged in, فَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ(and they hindered men from His way), trying to prevent the believers from following the truth, إِنَّهُمْ سَآءَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَلاَ يَرْقُبُونَ فِى مُؤْمِنٍ إِلاًّ وَلاَ ذِمَّةً(evil indeed is that which they used to do. With regard to a believer, they respect not the ties, either of kinship or of covenant!) 9:9-10. We explained these meanings before, as well as, the meaning of, فَإِن تَابُواْ وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلَوةَ(But if they repent, perform the Salah...)

They have no regard for kinship or treaties with believers, for they are transgressors.

In respect of the Muslims, they do not keep regard for any relations nor any pacts; it is they who are the rebels.

observing neither bond nor treaty towards a believer; they are the transgressors.

respecting no tie and no protective obligation with regard to a believer; and it is they, they who transgress the bounds of what is right!

They respect not either kinship or agreement in a believer: those! they are the transgressors!

With regard to a believer, they respect not the ties, either of kinship or of covenant! It is they who are the transgressors.

Towards a believer they respect neither kinship nor treaty. These are the transgressors.

They neither have any respect for kinship nor for agreement in respect of the believers. Such are indeed transgressors.

With regard to a believer, they respect not the ties, either of kinship or of covenant! It is they who are the transgressors.

And they observe toward a believer neither pact nor honour. These are they who are transgressors.

They observe toward a believer neither kinship nor covenant, and it is they who are the transgressors.

They honor with the believers neither bonds nor treaties. Such are the transgressors.

They do not observe toward a believer any pact of kinship or covenant of protection. And it is they who are the transgressors.

They do not respect their promises nor their family ties with the believers. They are transgressors.

They do not pay regard to ties of relationship nor those of covenant in the case of a believer; and these are they who go beyond the limits.

L<u>a</u> yarquboona fee muminin illan wal<u>a</u> <u>th</u>immatan waol<u>a</u>ika humu almuAAtadoon<b>a</b>

Where believers are concerned, they respect no tie of kinship or treaty. They are people who overstep the limits.

In a Believer they respect not the ties either of kinship or of covenant! It is they who have transgressed all bounds.

9

لَا يَرْقُبُونَ فِى مُؤْمِنٍ إِلًّا وَلَا ذِمَّةً وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُعْتَدُونَ

Due to their hatred, they do not have any consideration for Allah in how they deal with the believers, nor do they respect any relationship or treaty. They overstep Allah’s limits because they are oppressive and hostile.

Due to their hatred, they do not have any consideration for Allah in how they deal with the believers, nor do they respect any relationship or treaty. They overstep Allah’s limits because they are oppressive and hostile.

<p>وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَإِخْوَانُكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ (Then, if they repent and establish salah and pay zakah, they are your brothers in faith).</p><p>Here we are being told that once an enemy - no matter how deadly and no matter how hurtful he has been - becomes a Muslim, things change dramatically. Allah Ta` ala forgives his past sins, all of them. So, it becomes obligatory on Muslims too that they should forget the past, start afresh, take them as their brothers in faith and do whatever it takes to fulfill the rights enjoined under such relationship.</p><p>Three Conditions of Entry into the Islamic Brotherhood</p><p>This verse makes it clear that there are three conditions of entry into the Islamic brotherhood: (1) Taubah or repentance from Kufr and Shirk, (2) establishment of Salah and (3) payment of Zakah - because, 'Iman (faith) and Taubah (repentance) are concealed matters. Common Muslims cannot find out their reality. Therefore, two of their outward signs were mentioned, that is, Salah and Zakah.</p><p>Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ said: ` This verse has made the blood of Muslims, who qualify as ` the people of Qiblah,' unlawful حرام (haram).' In other words, people who establish Sarah, pay Zak-ah and have said or done nothing against Islam as proved against them, shall be taken as Muslims in the matter of all religious injunctions - even though, they may not have true 'Iman (faith) in their hearts, or have hypocrisy نفاق (nifaq).</p><p>This is the verse Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ had quoted in support of his declaration of Jihad against those who had refused to pay Zakah after the passing away of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The noble Companions ؓ before whom he had made this assertion were satisfied with his approach. (Ibn Kathir)</p>

وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَإِخْوَانُكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ (Then, if they repent and establish salah and pay zakah, they are your brothers in faith).Here we are being told that once an enemy - no matter how deadly and no matter how hurtful he has been - becomes a Muslim, things change dramatically. Allah Ta` ala forgives his past sins, all of them. So, it becomes obligatory on Muslims too that they should forget the past, start afresh, take them as their brothers in faith and do whatever it takes to fulfill the rights enjoined under such relationship.Three Conditions of Entry into the Islamic BrotherhoodThis verse makes it clear that there are three conditions of entry into the Islamic brotherhood: (1) Taubah or repentance from Kufr and Shirk, (2) establishment of Salah and (3) payment of Zakah - because, 'Iman (faith) and Taubah (repentance) are concealed matters. Common Muslims cannot find out their reality. Therefore, two of their outward signs were mentioned, that is, Salah and Zakah.Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ said: ` This verse has made the blood of Muslims, who qualify as ` the people of Qiblah,' unlawful حرام (haram).' In other words, people who establish Sarah, pay Zak-ah and have said or done nothing against Islam as proved against them, shall be taken as Muslims in the matter of all religious injunctions - even though, they may not have true 'Iman (faith) in their hearts, or have hypocrisy نفاق (nifaq).This is the verse Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ had quoted in support of his declaration of Jihad against those who had refused to pay Zakah after the passing away of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The noble Companions ؓ before whom he had made this assertion were satisfied with his approach. (Ibn Kathir)

But if they repent and are firm in devotion and pay the zakat, then they are your brothers in faith. We explain Our commands distinctly for those who understand.

Then if they repent and keep the prayer established and pay the charity, they are your brothers in religion; and we explain Our verses in detail for the people of knowledge.

Yet if they repent, and perform the prayer, and pay the alms, then they are your brothers in religion; and We distinguish the signs for a people who know.

Yet if they repent, and take to prayer, and render the purifying dues, they become your brethren in faith: and clearly do We spell out these messages unto people of [innate] knowledge!

If they repent and establish prayer and give the poor- rate, then they are your brethren-in-faith. And we detail the revelations unto a people who know.

But if they repent, perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) and give Zakat, then they are your brethren in religion. (In this way) We explain the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail for a people who know.

But if they repent, and perform the prayers, and give the obligatory charity, then they are your brethren in faith. We detail the revelations for a people who know.

But if they repent and establish Prayer and give Zakah they are your brothers in faith. Thus do We expound Our revelations to those who know.

But if they repent, perform the Salah and give the Zakah, then they are your brethren in religion. (In this way) We explain the Ayat in detail for a people who know.

But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then are they your brethren in religion. We detail Our revelations for a people who have knowledge.

Yet if they repent and maintain the prayer and give the zakat, then they are your brethren in faith. We elaborate the signs for a people who have knowledge.

If they repent and establish the prayer and pay the obligatory charity, they shall become your brothers in the religion. So We make plain Our verses for a nation that knows.

But if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then they are your brothers in religion; and We detail the verses for a people who know.

If they repent, perform their prayers, pay religious tax, they would be your brothers in the religion. We explain Our revelations to people of knowledge.

But if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, they are your brethren in faith; and We make the communications clear for a people who know.

Fain t<u>a</u>boo waaq<u>a</u>moo a<b>l</b><u>ss</u>al<u>a</u>ta wa<u>a</u>tawoo a<b>l</b>zzak<u>a</u>ta faikhw<u>a</u>nukum fee a<b>l</b>ddeeni wanufa<u>ss</u>ilu al<u>a</u>y<u>a</u>ti liqawmin yaAAlamoon<b>a</b>

If they repent and keep up their prayers and pay the alms, then they are your brethren in faith. We make Our messages clear for people who are willing to learn.

But (even so), if they repent, establish regular prayers, and practise regular charity,- they are your brethren in Faith: (thus) do We explain the Signs in detail, for those who understand.

9

فَإِن تَابُوا۟ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ فَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَنُفَصِّلُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

If they repent to Allah from their disbelief, pronounce the two declarations of faith, establish the prayer, give the Zakat of their wealth, then they will become Muslims and they will be your brothers in religion. They will then have the same rights and duties as you and it will not be lawful for you to fight them. Their acceptance of Islam will protect their lives, wealth and honour. Allah explains the verses clearly to a people who know, as they are the ones who will benefit from them and will cause others to benefit as well.

If they repent to Allah from their disbelief, pronounce the two declarations of faith, establish the prayer, give the Zakat of their wealth, then they will become Muslims and they will be your brothers in religion. They will then have the same rights and duties as you and it will not be lawful for you to fight them. Their acceptance of Islam will protect their lives, wealth and honour. Allah explains the verses clearly to a people who know, as they are the ones who will benefit from them and will cause others to benefit as well.

<p>At the end of verse 11, the text stresses upon the need to abide by given injunctions, regarding those covered under a treaty and those who have repented, by saying: وَنُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ (And We elaborate the verses for people who understand).</p>

At the end of verse 11, the text stresses upon the need to abide by given injunctions, regarding those covered under a treaty and those who have repented, by saying: وَنُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ (And We elaborate the verses for people who understand).

If they break their pledge after giving their word and revile your faith, fight these specimens of faithlessness, for surely their oaths have no sanctity: They may haply desist.

And if they break their promises after making a treaty and malign your religion, then fight the leaders of disbelief – indeed their promises are nothing – in the hope that they may desist.

But if they break their oaths after their covenant and thrust at your religion, then fight the leaders of unbelief; they have no sacred oaths; haply they will give over.

But if they break their solemn pledges after having concluded a covenant, and revile your religion, then fight against these archetypes of faithlessness who, behold, have no [regard for their own] pledges, so that they might desist [from aggression].

And if they violate their oaths after their covenant and revile your religion, fight those leaders of infidelity-verily no oaths will hold in their case that haply they may desist.

But if they violate their oaths after their covenant, and attack your religion with disapproval and criticism then fight (you) the leaders of disbelief (chiefs of Quraish - pagans of Makkah) - for surely their oaths are nothing to them - so that they may stop (evil actions).

But if they violate their oaths after their pledge, and attack your religion, then fight the leaders of disbelief—they have no faith—so that they may desist.

But if they break their pledges after making them and attack your faith, make war on the leaders of unbelief that they may desist, for they have no regard for their pledged words.

But if they violate their oaths after their covenant, and attack your religion with disapproval and criticism, then fight (you) against the leaders of disbelief -- for surely, their oaths are nothing to them -- so that they may stop (evil actions).

And if they break their pledges after their treaty (hath been made with you) and assail your religion, then fight the heads of disbelief - Lo! they have no binding oaths - in order that they may desist.

But if they break their pledges after their having made a treaty and revile your religion, then fight the leaders of unfaith—indeed, they have no [commitment to] pledges,—maybe they will desist.

But if, after coming to terms with you, they break their oaths and revile your belief, fight the leaders of the disbelief for they have no oaths in order that they will desist.

And if they break their oaths after their treaty and defame your religion, then fight the leaders of disbelief, for indeed, there are no oaths [sacred] to them; [fight them that] they might cease.

Fight against the leaders of the unbelievers if they violate their established peace treaty with you and revile your faith, to force them to stop their aggression against you. You do not have to bind yourselves to such a treaty.

And if they break their oaths after their agreement and (openly) revile your religion, then fight the leaders of unbelief-- surely their oaths are nothing-- so that they may desist.

Wain nakathoo aym<u>a</u>nahum min baAAdi AAahdihim wa<u>t</u>aAAanoo fee deenikum faq<u>a</u>tiloo aimmata alkufri innahum l<u>a</u> aym<u>a</u>na lahum laAAallahum yantahoon<b>a</b>

But if they break faith after pledging it and revile your religion, then fight these leaders of unbelief, so that they may desist, for they have no regard for their pledged word.

But if they violate their oaths after their covenant, and taunt you for your Faith,- fight ye the chiefs of Unfaith: for their oaths are nothing to them: that thus they may be restrained.

9

وَإِن نَّكَثُوٓا۟ أَيْمَٰنَهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ عَهْدِهِمْ وَطَعَنُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ فَقَٰتِلُوٓا۟ أَئِمَّةَ ٱلْكُفْرِ إِنَّهُمْ لَآ أَيْمَٰنَ لَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَنتَهُونَ

If these idolaters, with whom you entered into a treaty not to fight for a set period, break their oaths and promises and insult your religion and attack it, then fight them, because they are the leaders of disbelief and there are no treaties or promises that can protect their lives. Fight them in the hope that they will stop their disbelief, violation of their treaties and speaking badly of the religion.

If these idolaters, with whom you entered into a treaty not to fight for a set period, break their oaths and promises and insult your religion and attack it, then fight them, because they are the leaders of disbelief and there are no treaties or promises that can protect their lives. Fight them in the hope that they will stop their disbelief, violation of their treaties and speaking badly of the religion.

<p>Commentary</p><p>It will be recalled that a cease-fire agreement with the Quraysh of Makkah was concluded at Hudaibiyah in the Hijrah year 6. That the Quraysh will not stick to the agreement was foretold in verse 7 of Su-rah At-Taubah: كَيْفَ يَكُونُ لِلْمُشْرِ‌كِينَ عَهْدٌ (how can the Mushriks have a treaty...). Then, came verses 8, 9 and 10 with the causes of their pledge breaking. And in the 11th verse it was announced that, despite having broken their solemn covenant, if these Mushriks become Muslims and start expressing their faith in Islam through prayers and fasting, then, Muslims are duty-bound to keep their present dealings with them free of any effects from the past. In fact, they should take them to be their brothers in faith and treat them as such. In verse 12 cited above, Muslims have been told about the course of action they should take in the event these people do break their pledge, as prophesied earlier.</p><p>The actual words of the text read: وَإِن نَّكَثُوا أَيْمَانَهُم مِّن بَعْدِ عَهْدِهِمْ وَطَعَنُوا فِي دِينِكُمْ فَقَاتِلُوا أَئِمَّةَ الْكُفْرِ‌ (And if they break their oaths after they have made a covenant and speak evil of your Faith, then fight the leaders of infidelity - 12). It is worth noting that the present situation in the text demanded the use of فَقَاتِلُوھُم (faqatiluhum: then fight them). The Holy Qur'an has said: فَقَاتِلُوا أَئِمَّةَ الْكُفْرِ‌ (then fight the leaders of infidelity) which bypasses the use of a shorter pronoun at this place. The word: أَئِمَّةَ (a'immah: leaders) is the plural of Imam. The sense is that these people by breaking their word of honor turned into leaders of infidelity and thus became deserving of a war against them. This statement also carries the wisdom and justification of the command to fight. Some commentators say that ` leaders of infidelity' at this place refers to the chiefs of the tribe of Quraysh in Makkah who kept on instigating people against Muslims and remained busy making war preparations. Fighting against them was particularly mentioned because these people were the real source of power the Makkans were credited with. In addition to that, since they were the ones with whom Muslims had bonds of close kinship, there was the possible apprehension that some concession could be granted in their case.</p><p>Honest critical study of Islam by Protected Non-Muslim Citizens of Dar al-Islam is possible - vilification is not</p><p>Some commentators have interpreted the words: (speak evil of your faith) to mean that speaking evil of the Faith of Muslims is included under contravention of pledge. A person who speaks evil of Is-lam and the Shari’ ah of Islam cannot continue to be a party to the treaty with Muslims. But, according to a consensus of Muslim jurists, it means vilification that is done to insult and belittle Islam and Muslims, openly and publicly. Honest intellectual criticism while conducting research into problems and rulings remains exempt from its purview - then, it is not supposed to be vilification in its lexical sense.</p><p>Therefore, for non-Muslim citizens of Dar al-Islam, any honest intellectual criticism can be allowed, but what cannot be allowed is vilification, contempt, insult or outrage against Islam.</p><p>In the same verse (12), it was said: إِنَّهُمْ لَا أَيْمَانَ لَهُمْ ,(in fact, they have no oaths). The sense is that these are the kind of people none of whose oaths are trustworthy - because, they are addicted to breaking their oaths and committing breaches of trust. Then, the use of the plural form of oaths here could also mean: ` when they broke their oath, they also absolved Muslims of any responsibility for their oath and pledge.'</p><p>At the end of verse 12, it was said: لَعَلَّهُمْ يَنتَهُونَ (so that they may stop). This last sentence tells us that the objective of Jihad carried out by Muslims should never be the conquest of countries like common kings or to hurt the enemy and to take vengeance as belligerent people around the world would love to do. Instead of doing anything like that, when it comes to fighting that they must, the driving objective should be compassion for the enemy, the empathy and the desire that they would stop doing what was not right.</p>

CommentaryIt will be recalled that a cease-fire agreement with the Quraysh of Makkah was concluded at Hudaibiyah in the Hijrah year 6. That the Quraysh will not stick to the agreement was foretold in verse 7 of Su-rah At-Taubah: كَيْفَ يَكُونُ لِلْمُشْرِ‌كِينَ عَهْدٌ (how can the Mushriks have a treaty...). Then, came verses 8, 9 and 10 with the causes of their pledge breaking. And in the 11th verse it was announced that, despite having broken their solemn covenant, if these Mushriks become Muslims and start expressing their faith in Islam through prayers and fasting, then, Muslims are duty-bound to keep their present dealings with them free of any effects from the past. In fact, they should take them to be their brothers in faith and treat them as such. In verse 12 cited above, Muslims have been told about the course of action they should take in the event these people do break their pledge, as prophesied earlier.The actual words of the text read: وَإِن نَّكَثُوا أَيْمَانَهُم مِّن بَعْدِ عَهْدِهِمْ وَطَعَنُوا فِي دِينِكُمْ فَقَاتِلُوا أَئِمَّةَ الْكُفْرِ‌ (And if they break their oaths after they have made a covenant and speak evil of your Faith, then fight the leaders of infidelity - 12). It is worth noting that the present situation in the text demanded the use of فَقَاتِلُوھُم (faqatiluhum: then fight them). The Holy Qur'an has said: فَقَاتِلُوا أَئِمَّةَ الْكُفْرِ‌ (then fight the leaders of infidelity) which bypasses the use of a shorter pronoun at this place. The word: أَئِمَّةَ (a'immah: leaders) is the plural of Imam. The sense is that these people by breaking their word of honor turned into leaders of infidelity and thus became deserving of a war against them. This statement also carries the wisdom and justification of the command to fight. Some commentators say that ` leaders of infidelity' at this place refers to the chiefs of the tribe of Quraysh in Makkah who kept on instigating people against Muslims and remained busy making war preparations. Fighting against them was particularly mentioned because these people were the real source of power the Makkans were credited with. In addition to that, since they were the ones with whom Muslims had bonds of close kinship, there was the possible apprehension that some concession could be granted in their case.Honest critical study of Islam by Protected Non-Muslim Citizens of Dar al-Islam is possible - vilification is notSome commentators have interpreted the words: (speak evil of your faith) to mean that speaking evil of the Faith of Muslims is included under contravention of pledge. A person who speaks evil of Is-lam and the Shari’ ah of Islam cannot continue to be a party to the treaty with Muslims. But, according to a consensus of Muslim jurists, it means vilification that is done to insult and belittle Islam and Muslims, openly and publicly. Honest intellectual criticism while conducting research into problems and rulings remains exempt from its purview - then, it is not supposed to be vilification in its lexical sense.Therefore, for non-Muslim citizens of Dar al-Islam, any honest intellectual criticism can be allowed, but what cannot be allowed is vilification, contempt, insult or outrage against Islam.In the same verse (12), it was said: إِنَّهُمْ لَا أَيْمَانَ لَهُمْ ,(in fact, they have no oaths). The sense is that these are the kind of people none of whose oaths are trustworthy - because, they are addicted to breaking their oaths and committing breaches of trust. Then, the use of the plural form of oaths here could also mean: ` when they broke their oath, they also absolved Muslims of any responsibility for their oath and pledge.'At the end of verse 12, it was said: لَعَلَّهُمْ يَنتَهُونَ (so that they may stop). This last sentence tells us that the objective of Jihad carried out by Muslims should never be the conquest of countries like common kings or to hurt the enemy and to take vengeance as belligerent people around the world would love to do. Instead of doing anything like that, when it comes to fighting that they must, the driving objective should be compassion for the enemy, the empathy and the desire that they would stop doing what was not right.

<p>Allah says, if the idolators with whom you conducted peace treaties for an appointed term break </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَيْمَـنِهِمْ</div><p>(their oaths) meaning, terms of their treaties, and covenants </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَطَعَنُواْ فِى دِينِكُمْ</div><p>(and attack your religion...) with disapproval and criticism, it is because of this that one who curses the Messenger, peace be upon him, or attacks the religion of Islam by way of criticism and disapproval, they are to be fought. This is why Allah said afterwards, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَقَـتِلُواْ أَئِمَّةَ الْكُفْرِ إِنَّهُمْ لاَ أَيْمَـنَ لَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَنتَهُونَ</div><p>(then fight (you) against the leaders of disbelief -- for surely, their oaths are nothing to them -- so that they may stop.) so that they may refrain from the disbelief, rebellion and the transgression they indulge in. Qatadah and others said that the leaders of disbelief were Abu Jahl, `Utbah and Shaybah, Umayyah bin Khalaf, and he went on to mention several others. Al-A`mash narrated from Zayd bin Wahb from Hudhayfah; "The people of this Ayah were never fought again." A similar statement was reported from `Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him. However, this Ayah is general, even though the specific reason behind revealing it was the idolators of Quraysh. So this Ayah generally applies to them and others as well, Allah knows best. Al-Walid bin Muslim said that Safwan bin `Amr narrated that `Abdur-Rahman bin Jubayr bin Nufayr said that when Abu Bakr sent an army to Ash-Sham, he advised them, "You will find some people with shaved heads. Therefore, strike the swords upon the parts that contain the devil, for by Allah, it is better to me to kill one of these people than to kill seventy other men. This is because Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَقَـتِلُواْ أَئِمَّةَ الْكُفْرِ</div><p>(then fight (you) against the leaders of disbelief.)" Ibn Abi Hatim collected it. </p>

Allah says, if the idolators with whom you conducted peace treaties for an appointed term break أَيْمَـنِهِمْ(their oaths) meaning, terms of their treaties, and covenants وَطَعَنُواْ فِى دِينِكُمْ(and attack your religion...) with disapproval and criticism, it is because of this that one who curses the Messenger, peace be upon him, or attacks the religion of Islam by way of criticism and disapproval, they are to be fought. This is why Allah said afterwards, فَقَـتِلُواْ أَئِمَّةَ الْكُفْرِ إِنَّهُمْ لاَ أَيْمَـنَ لَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَنتَهُونَ(then fight (you) against the leaders of disbelief -- for surely, their oaths are nothing to them -- so that they may stop.) so that they may refrain from the disbelief, rebellion and the transgression they indulge in. Qatadah and others said that the leaders of disbelief were Abu Jahl, `Utbah and Shaybah, Umayyah bin Khalaf, and he went on to mention several others. Al-A`mash narrated from Zayd bin Wahb from Hudhayfah; "The people of this Ayah were never fought again." A similar statement was reported from `Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him. However, this Ayah is general, even though the specific reason behind revealing it was the idolators of Quraysh. So this Ayah generally applies to them and others as well, Allah knows best. Al-Walid bin Muslim said that Safwan bin `Amr narrated that `Abdur-Rahman bin Jubayr bin Nufayr said that when Abu Bakr sent an army to Ash-Sham, he advised them, "You will find some people with shaved heads. Therefore, strike the swords upon the parts that contain the devil, for by Allah, it is better to me to kill one of these people than to kill seventy other men. This is because Allah said, فَقَـتِلُواْ أَئِمَّةَ الْكُفْرِ(then fight (you) against the leaders of disbelief.)" Ibn Abi Hatim collected it.

Will you not fight those who broke their pledge and plotted to banish the Apostle, and who were the first to attack you? Are you afraid of them? If you are believers you should fear God more.

Will you not fight the people who broke their promises, and intended to expel the Noble Messenger whereas they had started it? Do you fear them? So Allah has more right that you should fear Him, if you have faith.

Will you not fight a people who broke their oaths and purposed to expel the Messenger, beginning the first time against you? Are you afraid of them? You would do better to be afraid of God, if you are believers.

Would you, perchance, fail to fight against people who have broken their solemn pledges, and have done all that they could to drive the Apostle away, and have been first to attack you? Do you hold them in awe? Nay, it is God alone of whom you ought to stand in awe, if you are [truly] believers!

Will ye not fight a people who have violate their oaths and resolved the expulsion of the apostle and who began against you for the first time? Fear ye them? Allah is more worthy that ye should fear Him, if ye are believers.

Will you not fight a people who have violated their oaths (pagans of Makkah) and intended to expel the Messenger, while they did attack you first? Do you fear them? Allah has more right that you should fear Him, if you are believers.

Will you not fight a people who violated their oaths, and planned to exile the Messenger, and initiated hostilities against you? Do you fear them? It is God you should fear, if you are believers.

Will you not fight against those who broke their pledges and did all they could to drive the Messenger away and initiated hostilities against you? Do you fear them? Surely Allah has greater right that you should fear Him, if you are true believers.

Will you not fight a people who have violated their oaths and intended to expel the Messenger while they did attack you first Do you fear them Allah has more right that you should fear Him if you are believers.

Will ye not fight a folk who broke their solemn pledges, and purposed to drive out the messenger and did attack you first? What! Fear ye them? Now Allah hath more right that ye should fear Him, if ye are believers

Will you not make war on a people who broke their pledges and resolved to expel the Apostle, and opened [hostilities] against you initially? Do you fear them? But Allah is worthier of being feared by you, should you be faithful.

Will you not fight against those who have broken their oaths and conspired to expel the Messenger? They were the first to attack you. Do you fear them? Surely, Allah has better rights that you fear Him, if you are believers.

Would you not fight a people who broke their oaths and determined to expel the Messenger, and they had begun [the attack upon] you the first time? Do you fear them? But Allah has more right that you should fear Him, if you are [truly] believers.

Why will you not fight against a people who have broken their peace treaty with you, have decided to expel the Messenger (from his home town), and who were the first to disregard the peace treaty? If you are true believers, you should only have fear of God.

What! will you not fight a people who broke their oaths and aimed at the expulsion of the Apostle, and they attacked you first; do you fear them? But Allah is most deserving that you should fear Him, if you are believers.

Al<u>a</u> tuq<u>a</u>tiloona qawman nakathoo aym<u>a</u>nahum wahammoo biikhr<u>a</u>ji a<b>l</b>rrasooli wahum badaookum awwala marratin atakhshawnahum fa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu a<u>h</u>aqqu an takhshawhu in kuntum mumineen<b>a</b>

Will you not fight against those who have broken their oaths and conspired to banish the Messenger? They were the first to attack you. Do you fear them? Surely God is more deserving of your fear, if you are true believers.

Will ye not fight people who violated their oaths, plotted to expel the Messenger, and took the aggressive by being the first (to assault) you? Do ye fear them? Nay, it is Allah Whom ye should more justly fear, if ye believe!

9

أَلَا تُقَٰتِلُونَ قَوْمًا نَّكَثُوٓا۟ أَيْمَٰنَهُمْ وَهَمُّوا۟ بِإِخْرَاجِ ٱلرَّسُولِ وَهُم بَدَءُوكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ أَتَخْشَوْنَهُمْ فَٱللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخْشَوْهُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

Why do you, O believers, not fight a people who have broken their treaties and promises and who have attempted, in their meeting at Dār Al-Nadwah, to expel the Messenger (peace be upon him) from Makkah? They started the fight against you in the first place when they assisted the Children of Bakr, who were the allies of the Quraysh, against the Children of Khuzā‘ah, who were the allies of the Messenger (peace be upon him). Is it because you are afraid of them that you do not go forward to fight them? It is Allah, may He be glorified, that you should fear, if you are truly believers.

Why do you, O believers, not fight a people who have broken their treaties and promises and who have attempted, in their meeting at Dār Al-Nadwah, to expel the Messenger (peace be upon him) from Makkah? They started the fight against you in the first place when they assisted the Children of Bakr, who were the allies of the Quraysh, against the Children of Khuzā‘ah, who were the allies of the Messenger (peace be upon him). Is it because you are afraid of them that you do not go forward to fight them? It is Allah, may He be glorified, that you should fear, if you are truly believers.

<p>After that, to persuade Muslims to fight, they were told in verse 13 that there was no reason why they would not be ready to fight against the kind of people who had conspired to expel the Messenger of Allah. This refers to the Jews of Madinah who had hatched a plan to expel the Holy Prophet ﷺ from the city of Madinah. They had said: لَيُخْرِ‌جَنَّ الْأَعَزُّ مِنْهَا الْأَذَلَّ (the one having more honor and power will certainly expel the one being humble and weak from there - 63:8). In their self-view, they were the people of honor and power while Muslims were weak and lowly. The answer they needed was given by Allah Al-mighty in His way. He took their proud statement as it was and made it come true in a manner that the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his Companions, by turning the Jews out of Madinah, proved that honor belonged to Muslims and disgrace to Jews.</p><p>Giving the second reason for fighting against them, it was said: وَهُم بَدَءُوكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّ‌ةٍ (and it was they who started [ fighting ] against you for the first time). The sense is that they were the aggressors. What Muslims have to do now is simply to defend themselves, an action universally sane and normal.</p><p>Then, to remove the awe of the enemy from the hearts of Muslims, it was said: أَتَخْشَوْنَهُمْ ۚ فَاللَّـهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخْشَوْهُ (Do you fear them? Then, Allah is worthier that you fear Him) for there is no power that can cause His punishment to disappear. Finally, by saying: إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ (if you are be-lievers), it was made clear that fearing anyone or anything other than Allah in a manner that obstructs the fulfillment of the injunctions of the Shari’ ah of Islam is not what a true believing-practicing Muslim would do.</p>

After that, to persuade Muslims to fight, they were told in verse 13 that there was no reason why they would not be ready to fight against the kind of people who had conspired to expel the Messenger of Allah. This refers to the Jews of Madinah who had hatched a plan to expel the Holy Prophet ﷺ from the city of Madinah. They had said: لَيُخْرِ‌جَنَّ الْأَعَزُّ مِنْهَا الْأَذَلَّ (the one having more honor and power will certainly expel the one being humble and weak from there - 63:8). In their self-view, they were the people of honor and power while Muslims were weak and lowly. The answer they needed was given by Allah Al-mighty in His way. He took their proud statement as it was and made it come true in a manner that the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his Companions, by turning the Jews out of Madinah, proved that honor belonged to Muslims and disgrace to Jews.Giving the second reason for fighting against them, it was said: وَهُم بَدَءُوكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّ‌ةٍ (and it was they who started [ fighting ] against you for the first time). The sense is that they were the aggressors. What Muslims have to do now is simply to defend themselves, an action universally sane and normal.Then, to remove the awe of the enemy from the hearts of Muslims, it was said: أَتَخْشَوْنَهُمْ ۚ فَاللَّـهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخْشَوْهُ (Do you fear them? Then, Allah is worthier that you fear Him) for there is no power that can cause His punishment to disappear. Finally, by saying: إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ (if you are be-lievers), it was made clear that fearing anyone or anything other than Allah in a manner that obstructs the fulfillment of the injunctions of the Shari’ ah of Islam is not what a true believing-practicing Muslim would do.

<h2 class="title">Encouragement to fight the Disbelievers, and some Benefits of fighting Them</h2><p>These Ayat encourage, direct and recommend fighting against the idolators who break the terms of their covenants, those who tried to expel the Messenger from Makkah. Allah said in other Ayat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَـكِرِينَ </div><p>(And (remember) when the disbelievers plotted against you to imprison you, or to kill you, or to expell you; they were plotting and Allah too was plotting; and Allah is the best of those who plot.) 8:30, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يُخْرِجُونَ الرَّسُولَ وَإِيَّـكُمْ أَن تُؤْمِنُواْ بِاللَّهِ رَبِّكُمْ</div><p>(...and have driven out the Messenger and yourselves (from your homeland) because you believe in Allah your Lord!) 60:1, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِن كَادُواْ لَيَسْتَفِزُّونَكَ مِنَ الاٌّرْضِ لِيُخْرِجُوكَ مِنْهَا</div><p>(And verily, they were about to frighten you so much as to drive you out from the land.) 17:76 Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُم بَدَءُوكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ</div><p>(while they did attack you first), refers to the battle of Badr when the idolators marched to protect their caravan. When they knew that their caravan escaped safely, they still went ahead with their intent to fight Muslims out of arrogance, as we mentioned before. It was also said that these Ayat refer to the idolators breaking the peace agreement with Muslims and aiding Bani Bakr, their allies, against Khuza`ah, the ally of the Messenger of Allah . This is why the Messenger of Allah marched to Makkah in the year of the victory, thus conquering it, all thanks and praise is due to Allah. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَتَخْشَوْنَهُمْ فَاللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخْشَوْهُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤُمِنِينَ</div><p>(Do you fear them Allah has more right that you should fear Him if you are believers.) Allah says here, `Do not fear idolators, but fear Me instead, for I am worthy of being feared by the servants due to My might and punishment. In My Hand lies the matter; whatever I will occurs, and whatever I do not will does not occur.' Allah next said, while ordering the believers and explaining the wisdom of ordaining Jihad against them, all the while able to destroy their enemies with a command from Him, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَـتِلُوهُمْ يُعَذِّبْهُمُ اللَّهُ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ وَيُخْزِهِمْ وَيَنْصُرْكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَيَشْفِ صُدُورَ قَوْمٍ مُّؤْمِنِينَ </div><p>(Fight against them so that Allah will punish them by your hands, and disgrace them and give you victory over them, and heal the breasts of a believing people.) This Ayah includes all believers, even though Mujahid, `Ikrimah and As-Suddi said that it refers to Khuza`ah. Concerning the believers, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيُذْهِبْ غَيْظَ قُلُوبِهِمْ</div><p>(and remove the anger of their hearts), then </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيَتُوبُ اللَّهُ عَلَى مَن يَشَآءُ</div><p>(Allah accepts the repentance of whom He wills), from His servants, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ</div><p>(Allah is All-Knowing), in what benefits His servants, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">حَكِيمٌ</div><p>(All-Wise), in His actions and statements, whether narrative or legislative. Allah does what He wills, decides what He wills, and He is the Just Who never wrongs any. Not even the weight of an atom of good or evil is ever neglected with Him, but rather, He compensates for it in this life and the Hereafter. </p>

Encouragement to fight the Disbelievers, and some Benefits of fighting ThemThese Ayat encourage, direct and recommend fighting against the idolators who break the terms of their covenants, those who tried to expel the Messenger from Makkah. Allah said in other Ayat, وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَـكِرِينَ (And (remember) when the disbelievers plotted against you to imprison you, or to kill you, or to expell you; they were plotting and Allah too was plotting; and Allah is the best of those who plot.) 8:30, يُخْرِجُونَ الرَّسُولَ وَإِيَّـكُمْ أَن تُؤْمِنُواْ بِاللَّهِ رَبِّكُمْ(...and have driven out the Messenger and yourselves (from your homeland) because you believe in Allah your Lord!) 60:1, and, وَإِن كَادُواْ لَيَسْتَفِزُّونَكَ مِنَ الاٌّرْضِ لِيُخْرِجُوكَ مِنْهَا(And verily, they were about to frighten you so much as to drive you out from the land.) 17:76 Allah's statement, وَهُم بَدَءُوكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ(while they did attack you first), refers to the battle of Badr when the idolators marched to protect their caravan. When they knew that their caravan escaped safely, they still went ahead with their intent to fight Muslims out of arrogance, as we mentioned before. It was also said that these Ayat refer to the idolators breaking the peace agreement with Muslims and aiding Bani Bakr, their allies, against Khuza`ah, the ally of the Messenger of Allah . This is why the Messenger of Allah marched to Makkah in the year of the victory, thus conquering it, all thanks and praise is due to Allah. Allah said, أَتَخْشَوْنَهُمْ فَاللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخْشَوْهُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤُمِنِينَ(Do you fear them Allah has more right that you should fear Him if you are believers.) Allah says here, `Do not fear idolators, but fear Me instead, for I am worthy of being feared by the servants due to My might and punishment. In My Hand lies the matter; whatever I will occurs, and whatever I do not will does not occur.' Allah next said, while ordering the believers and explaining the wisdom of ordaining Jihad against them, all the while able to destroy their enemies with a command from Him, قَـتِلُوهُمْ يُعَذِّبْهُمُ اللَّهُ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ وَيُخْزِهِمْ وَيَنْصُرْكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَيَشْفِ صُدُورَ قَوْمٍ مُّؤْمِنِينَ (Fight against them so that Allah will punish them by your hands, and disgrace them and give you victory over them, and heal the breasts of a believing people.) This Ayah includes all believers, even though Mujahid, `Ikrimah and As-Suddi said that it refers to Khuza`ah. Concerning the believers, Allah said; وَيُذْهِبْ غَيْظَ قُلُوبِهِمْ(and remove the anger of their hearts), then وَيَتُوبُ اللَّهُ عَلَى مَن يَشَآءُ(Allah accepts the repentance of whom He wills), from His servants, وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ(Allah is All-Knowing), in what benefits His servants, حَكِيمٌ(All-Wise), in His actions and statements, whether narrative or legislative. Allah does what He wills, decides what He wills, and He is the Just Who never wrongs any. Not even the weight of an atom of good or evil is ever neglected with Him, but rather, He compensates for it in this life and the Hereafter.

Fight them so that God may punish them at your hands, and put them to shame, and help you against them, and heal the wounds of the hearts of believers,

So fight them – Allah will punish them at your hands, and He will disgrace them and assist you over them, and He will soothe the hearts of the believers.

Fight them, and God will chastise them at your hands and degrade them, and He will help you against them, and bring healing to the breasts of a people who believe,

Fight against them! God will chastise them by your hands, and will bring disgrace upon them, and will succour you against them; and He will soothe the bosoms of those who believe,

Fight them. Allah will torment them at your hands, and humiliate them and give you victory over them and heal the breasts of the believing people.

Fight against them so that Allah will punish them by your hands and disgrace them and give you victory over them and heal the breasts of a believing people,

Fight them. God will punish them at your hands, and humiliate them, and help you against them, and heal the hearts of a believing people.

Make war on them. Allah will chastise them through you and will humiliate them. He will grant you victory over them, and will soothe the bosoms of those who believe,

Fight against them so that Allah will punish them by your hands, and disgrace them and give you victory over them, and heal the breasts of a believing people,

Fight them! Allah will chastise them at your hands, and He will lay them low and give you victory over them, and He will heal the breasts of folk who are believers.

Make war on them so that Allah may punish them by your hands and humiliate them, and help you against them, and heal the hearts of a faithful folk,

Fight them, Allah will punish them with your hands and degrade them. He will grant you victory over them and heal the chests of a believing nation.

Fight them; Allah will punish them by your hands and will disgrace them and give you victory over them and satisfy the breasts of a believing people

Fight them. May God punish them by your hands, humiliate them, give you victory over them, delight the hearts of the believers

Fight them, Allah will punish them by your hands and bring them to disgrace, and assist you against them and heal the hearts of a believing people.

Q<u>a</u>tiloohum yuAAa<u>thth</u>ibhumu All<u>a</u>hu biaydeekum wayukhzihim wayan<u>s</u>urkum AAalayhim wayashfi <u>s</u>udoora qawmin mumineen<b>a</b>

Fight them: God will punish them at your hands, and will disgrace them. He will help you to overcome them and heal the hearts of the faithful;

Fight them, and Allah will punish them by your hands, cover them with shame, help you (to victory) over them, heal the breasts of Believers,

9

قَٰتِلُوهُمْ يُعَذِّبْهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ وَيُخْزِهِمْ وَيَنصُرْكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَيَشْفِ صُدُورَ قَوْمٍ مُّؤْمِنِينَ

Fight then O believers, the idolaters, so that Allah may punish them by your hands by you killing, humiliating, defeating and capturing them. He also wants to help you making you overcome the idolaters and to heal the hearts of a believing people who had not seen fighting, through the believers killing, capturing, defeating and overcoming their enemies.

Fight then O believers, the idolaters, so that Allah may punish them by your hands by you killing, humiliating, defeating and capturing them. He also wants to help you making you overcome the idolaters and to heal the hearts of a believing people who had not seen fighting, through the believers killing, capturing, defeating and overcoming their enemies.

<p>For Muslims, the same exhortation to fight in Jihad appears in verses 14 and 15 as well, though from a different angle. They were told:</p><p>1. If you get ready to fight them, the help and support from Allah will be with you. As for their enemies, they have already become deserving of Divine punishment because of their evil deeds but this punishment will not come down upon them from the heavens or up from beneath the Earth. Instead of that, says the verse: يُعَذِّبْهُمُ اللَّـهُ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ 'hat is, ` Allah shall punish them at their hands.'</p><p>2. As a result of this fighting, Allah Ta` ala will mollify the hearts of Muslims after all those pains and sorrows continuously inflicted upon them by the disbelievers.</p><p>3. Then, the anger which filled Muslim hearts because of their treachery and pledge breaking was to be removed by Allah Ta` ala when He punishes them at their hands.</p><p>In the previous verse (12), by saying: لَعَلَّهُمْ يَنتَهُونَ (so that they may stop), Muslims were told that they should not fight a people just to release their anger, rather make their correction and betterment the main purpose of their action. When they cleanse their intention from all irrelevant shades, and let it be for Allah alone, and fight for none but Allah, then, Allah Ta'ala shall cause things to unfold in a manner that automatically removes the feelings of anger and sorrow raging in their hearts.</p>

For Muslims, the same exhortation to fight in Jihad appears in verses 14 and 15 as well, though from a different angle. They were told:1. If you get ready to fight them, the help and support from Allah will be with you. As for their enemies, they have already become deserving of Divine punishment because of their evil deeds but this punishment will not come down upon them from the heavens or up from beneath the Earth. Instead of that, says the verse: يُعَذِّبْهُمُ اللَّـهُ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ 'hat is, ` Allah shall punish them at their hands.'2. As a result of this fighting, Allah Ta` ala will mollify the hearts of Muslims after all those pains and sorrows continuously inflicted upon them by the disbelievers.3. Then, the anger which filled Muslim hearts because of their treachery and pledge breaking was to be removed by Allah Ta` ala when He punishes them at their hands.In the previous verse (12), by saying: لَعَلَّهُمْ يَنتَهُونَ (so that they may stop), Muslims were told that they should not fight a people just to release their anger, rather make their correction and betterment the main purpose of their action. When they cleanse their intention from all irrelevant shades, and let it be for Allah alone, and fight for none but Allah, then, Allah Ta'ala shall cause things to unfold in a manner that automatically removes the feelings of anger and sorrow raging in their hearts.

And remove the anger from their breasts; for God turns to whosoever desires. God is all-knowing and all-wise.

And He will remove the anxiety of their hearts; and Allah may accept the repentance of whomever He wills; and Allah is All Knowing, Wise.

and He will remove the rage within their hearts; and God turns towards whomsoever He will; God is All-knowing, All-wise

and will remove the wrath that is in their hearts. And God will turn in His mercy unto whom He wills: for, God is all-knowing, wise.

And He will take away the rage of their hearts. And Allah will relent toward whomsoever He liketh; and Allah is Knowing, Wise.

And remove the anger of their (believers') hearts. Allah accepts the repentance of whom He wills. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

And He will remove the anger of their hearts. God redeems whomever He wills. God is Knowledgeable and Wise.

and will remove rage from their hearts, and will enable whomsoever He wills to repent. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

And remove the anger of their (believers') hearts. Allah accepts the repentance of whom He wills. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

And He will remove the anger of their hearts. Allah relenteth toward whom He will. Allah is Knower, Wise.

and remove rage from their hearts, and Allah turns clemently to whomever He wishes, and Allah is all-knowing, all-wise

He will take away all anger from their hearts: Allah turns to whomsoever He will. Allah is Knowing, Wise.

And remove the fury in the believers' hearts. And Allah turns in forgiveness to whom He wills; and Allah is Knowing and Wise.

and appease their anger. God forgives whomever He wants and He is All-knowing and All-wise.

And remove the rage of their hearts; and Allah turns (mercifully) to whom He pleases, and Allah is Knowing, Wise.

Wayu<u>th</u>hib ghay<i><u>th</u></i>a quloobihim wayatoobu All<u>a</u>hu AAal<u>a</u> man yash<u>a</u>o wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu AAaleemun <u>h</u>akeem<b>un</b>

He will remove the rage from their hearts. God will turn in His mercy to whom He wills. God is all knowing and wise.

And still the indignation of their hearts. For Allah will turn (in mercy) to whom He will; and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

9

وَيُذْهِبْ غَيْظَ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَيَتُوبُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

In this way, He will also remove the anger in the hearts of His believing servants by giving them victory. Allah turns in mercy to whomever He wills among those who were stubborn, if they repent to Him, asking for forgiveness. The last part of this verse describes the case of some of the people of Makkah on the day it was conquered by the Muslims. Allah knows the truth about those who repent to Him, and is Wise in His creation and His administration and law-giving.

In this way, He will also remove the anger in the hearts of His believing servants by giving them victory. Allah turns in mercy to whomever He wills among those who were stubborn, if they repent to Him, asking for forgiveness. The last part of this verse describes the case of some of the people of Makkah on the day it was conquered by the Muslims. Allah knows the truth about those who repent to Him, and is Wise in His creation and His administration and law-giving.

<p>1. Finally, it was said: وَيَتُوبُ اللَّـهُ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَاءُ (And Allah relents to whomsoever He wills -15). This tells us that there will be an added gain as a result of this Jihad. There will be many from among the enemies who will have the taufiq of Islam. They will become Muslims. So, there were many arrogant ones at the time of the Conquest of Makkah who were put to disgrace while there were many others who embraced Islam.</p><p>History proves that the circumstances and events predicted in these verses were witnessed one by one as pointed out by the Holy Qur'an. Therefore, these verses contain many miracles.</p>

1. Finally, it was said: وَيَتُوبُ اللَّـهُ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَاءُ (And Allah relents to whomsoever He wills -15). This tells us that there will be an added gain as a result of this Jihad. There will be many from among the enemies who will have the taufiq of Islam. They will become Muslims. So, there were many arrogant ones at the time of the Conquest of Makkah who were put to disgrace while there were many others who embraced Islam.History proves that the circumstances and events predicted in these verses were witnessed one by one as pointed out by the Holy Qur'an. Therefore, these verses contain many miracles.

Do you think you will get away before God knows who among you fought and did not take anyone but God, His Apostle and the faithful, as their friends? God is cognisant of all that you do.

Are you under the illusion that you would be left just like this, whereas Allah has not yet made known those of you who will fight and not confide their secrets with anyone except Allah and His Noble Messenger and the Muslims? And Allah is Well Aware of your deeds.

Or did you suppose you would be left in peace, and God knows not as yet those of you who have struggled, and taken not -- apart from God and His Messenger and the believers -- any intimate? God is aware of what you do.

Do you [O believers] think that you will be spared unless God takes cognizance of your having striven hard [in His cause] without seeking help from any but God and His Apostle and those who believe in Him? For, God is aware of all that you do.

Deem ye that ye would be left alone while yet Allah hath not known those of you who have striven hard and have not taken an ally besides Allah and His apostle and the believers? And Allah is Aware of that which ye work.

Do you think that you shall be left alone while Allah has not yet tested those among you who have striven hard and fought and have not taken Walijah [(Batanah - helpers, advisors and consultants from disbelievers, pagans, etc.) giving openly to them their secrets] besides Allah and His Messenger, and the believers. Allah is Well-Acquainted with what you do.

Or do you think that you will be left alone, without God identifying which of you will strive, and take no supporters apart from God, His Messenger, and the believers? God is well Aware of what you do.

Do you imagine that you will be spared without being subjected to any test? Know well that Allah has not yet determined who strove hard (in His cause), and has not taken any others instead of His Messenger and the believers as his trusted allies? Allah is well aware of all that you do.

Do you think that you shall be left alone while Allah has not yet tested those among you who have striven hard and fought, and have not taken Walijah besides Allah and His Messenger, and the believers. Allah is well-acquainted with what you do.

Or deemed ye that ye would be left (in peace) when Allah yet knoweth not those of you who strive, choosing for familiar none save Allah and His messenger and the believers? Allah is Informed of what ye do.

Do you suppose that you will be let off while Allah has not yet ascertained those of you who wage jihad and those who do not take anyone as [their] confidant besides Allah and His Apostle and the faithful? Allah is well aware of what you do.

Did you suppose that you would be left before Allah has known those of you who fought and did not take a confidant other than Allah, His Messenger, and the believers? Allah is Aware of what you do.

Do you think that you will be left [as you are] while Allah has not yet made evident those among you who strive [for His cause] and do not take other than Allah, His Messenger and the believers as intimates? And Allah is Acquainted with what you do.

Do you think that God will not make any distinction between those of you who have fought for His cause and have relied on no one other than God, His Messenger, and the faithful ones, and other people? God is Well Aware of what you do.

What! do you think that you will be left alone while Allah has not yet known those of you who have struggled hard and have not taken any one as an adherent besides Allah and His Apostle and the believers; and Allah is aware of what you do.

Am <u>h</u>asibtum an tutrakoo walamm<u>a</u> yaAAlami All<u>a</u>hu alla<u>th</u>eena j<u>a</u>hadoo minkum walam yattakhi<u>th</u>oo min dooni All<u>a</u>hi wal<u>a</u> rasoolihi wal<u>a</u> almumineena waleejatan wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu khabeerun bim<u>a</u> taAAmaloon<b>a</b>

Do you [O believers] think that you will be spared without God identifying which of you have struggled and did not take anyone for friends and protectors except God, His Messenger, and the believers? God is fully aware of all your actions.

Or think ye that ye shall be abandoned, as though Allah did not know those among you who strive with might and main, and take none for friends and protectors except Allah, His Messenger, and the (community of) Believers? But Allah is well-acquainted with (all) that ye do.

9

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تُتْرَكُوا۟ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ جَٰهَدُوا۟ مِنكُمْ وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا رَسُولِهِۦ وَلَا ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلِيجَةً وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ

Do the believers think that Allah would leave them without testing them? Testing is one of Allah’s customs, and they will be tested until Allah clearly proves those who strive with sincerity for Him, who do not take protectors apart from Allah, His Messenger and the believers, and do not make intimate friends with the disbelievers. Allah is aware of everything you do – nothing is hidden from Him – and you will be repaid for your actions.

Do the believers think that Allah would leave them without testing them? Testing is one of Allah’s customs, and they will be tested until Allah clearly proves those who strive with sincerity for Him, who do not take protectors apart from Allah, His Messenger and the believers, and do not make intimate friends with the disbelievers. Allah is aware of everything you do – nothing is hidden from Him – and you will be repaid for your actions.

<h2 class="title">Among the Wisdom of Jihad is to test the Muslims</h2><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ</div><p>(Do you think), O believers that We will leave you untested with matters that make apparent those who have pure, good intent from those who have false intent This is why Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَـهَدُواْ مِنكُمْ وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذُواْ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلاَ رَسُولِهِ وَلاَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلِيجَةً</div><p>(while Allah has not yet tested those among you who have striven hard and fought and have not taken Walijah besides Allah and His Messenger, and the believers...), meaning, supporters and confidants. Rather, they are sincere for Allah and His Messenger inwardly and outwardly. Allah also said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الم - ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ - الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلوةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ </div><p>(Alif-Lam-Mim. Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make known those who are true, and will certainly make known those who are liars...) 29:1-3, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَـهَدُواْ مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّـبِرِينَ </div><p>(Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allah tests those of you who fought (in His cause) and (also) tests those who are patient)3: 142, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مَّا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَذَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى مَآ أَنتُمْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَمِيزَ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ</div><p>(Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good)3:179. In summary, since Allah legislated Jihad for His servants, He explained that the wisdom behind doing so includes testing His servants, distinguishing between those who obey Him and those who disobey Him. Allah, the Exalted, is the All-Knower of what occurred, what will occur, and the true essence of what might occur had He decided it. Therefore, Allah knows everything before it occurs and how it will occur, there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, nor a Lord except Him. Truly, there is none who can avert Allah's judgment and decision. </p>

Among the Wisdom of Jihad is to test the MuslimsAllah said, أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ(Do you think), O believers that We will leave you untested with matters that make apparent those who have pure, good intent from those who have false intent This is why Allah said next, وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَـهَدُواْ مِنكُمْ وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذُواْ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلاَ رَسُولِهِ وَلاَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلِيجَةً(while Allah has not yet tested those among you who have striven hard and fought and have not taken Walijah besides Allah and His Messenger, and the believers...), meaning, supporters and confidants. Rather, they are sincere for Allah and His Messenger inwardly and outwardly. Allah also said; الم - ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ - الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلوةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ (Alif-Lam-Mim. Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make known those who are true, and will certainly make known those who are liars...) 29:1-3, أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَـهَدُواْ مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّـبِرِينَ (Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allah tests those of you who fought (in His cause) and (also) tests those who are patient)3: 142, and, مَّا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَذَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى مَآ أَنتُمْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَمِيزَ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ(Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good)3:179. In summary, since Allah legislated Jihad for His servants, He explained that the wisdom behind doing so includes testing His servants, distinguishing between those who obey Him and those who disobey Him. Allah, the Exalted, is the All-Knower of what occurred, what will occur, and the true essence of what might occur had He decided it. Therefore, Allah knows everything before it occurs and how it will occur, there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, nor a Lord except Him. Truly, there is none who can avert Allah's judgment and decision.

The idolaters have no right to visit the mosques of God while bearing testimony to their disbelief. Meaningless will be their acts, and in Hell they will bide for ever,

It does not befit the polytheists to assemble in Allah’s mosques after themselves bearing witness of their disbelief; in fact all their deeds are wasted; and they will remain in the fire forever.

It is not for the idolaters to inhabit God's places of worship, witnessing against themselves unbelief; those -- their works have failed them, and in the Fire they shall dwell forever.

IT IS NOT for those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God to visit or tend God's houses of worship, the while [by their beliefs] they bear witness against themselves that they are denying the truth. It is they whose works shall come to nought, and they who in the fire shall abide

It is not for the associators that they shall tend Allah's mosques, while giving evidence of infidelity against themselves. Those! vain shall be their works, and in the Fire they shall be abiders.

It is not for the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah), to maintain the Mosques of Allah (i.e. to pray and worship Allah therein, to look after their cleanliness and their building, etc.), while they witness against their ownselves of disbelief. The works of such are in vain and in Fire shall they abide.

It is not for the polytheists to attend God’s places of worship while professing their disbelief. These—their works are in vain, and in the Fire they will abide.

It does not become those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity to visit and tend Allah's mosques while they bear witness of unbelief against themselves. All their works have gone to waste. They shall abide in the Fire.

It is not for the Mushrikin, to maintain the Masjids of Allah, while they witness against themselves of disbelief. The works of such are in vain and in Fire shall they abide.

It is not for the idolaters to tend Allah's sanctuaries, bearing witness against themselves of disbelief. As for such, their works are vain and in the Fire they will abide.

The polytheists may not maintain Allah’s mosques while they are witness to their own unfaith. Their works have failed, and they shall remain in the Fire [forever].

Idolaters should not inhabit the mosques of Allah bearing witness against themselves with disbelief. Those, their deeds have been annulled, and in the Fire they shall live for ever.

It is not for the polytheists to maintain the mosques of Allah [while] witnessing against themselves with disbelief. [For] those, their deeds have become worthless, and in the Fire they will abide eternally.

The pagans do not have any right to establish (and patronize) the mosque of God while they testify against their souls to its disbelief. Their deeds are devoid of all virtue and they will live forever in hell fire.

The idolaters have no right to visit the mosques of Allah while bearing witness to unbelief against themselves, these it is whose doings are null, and in the fire shall they abide.

M<u>a</u> k<u>a</u>na lilmushrikeena an yaAAmuroo mas<u>a</u>jida All<u>a</u>hi sh<u>a</u>hideena AAal<u>a</u> anfusihim bi<b>a</b>lkufri ol<u>a</u>ika <u>h</u>abi<u>t</u>at aAAm<u>a</u>luhum wafee a<b>l</b>nn<u>a</u>ri hum kh<u>a</u>lidoon<b>a</b>

It is not right that the polytheists should frequent God's places of worship while they are self-confessed unbelievers. It is they whose works shall come to nothing and they shall abide in Hell.

It is not for such as join gods with Allah, to visit or maintain the mosques of Allah while they witness against their own souls to infidelity. The works of such bear no fruit: In Fire shall they dwell.

9

مَا كَانَ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يَعْمُرُوا۟ مَسَٰجِدَ ٱللَّهِ شَٰهِدِينَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِم بِٱلْكُفْرِ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَٰلُهُمْ وَفِى ٱلنَّارِ هُمْ خَٰلِدُونَ

It is not right for the idolaters to attend or care for Allah’s places of worship, worshipping in them, or doing good actions in them, while confirming their disbelief through their displaying of polytheism and the like. Their actions are wasted because they do not have faith, and faith is the condition for actions being accepted. On the Day of Judgement, they will enter the fire of Hell, living in it eternally, unless they repent from idolatry before their death.

It is not right for the idolaters to attend or care for Allah’s places of worship, worshipping in them, or doing good actions in them, while confirming their disbelief through their displaying of polytheism and the like. Their actions are wasted because they do not have faith, and faith is the condition for actions being accepted. On the Day of Judgement, they will enter the fire of Hell, living in it eternally, unless they repent from idolatry before their death.

<p>Commentary</p><p>Mentioned in the previous verses was how crooked the Mushrikin of Makkah were, how they broke their pledges and what they did to defend their false ways in religion. With this in view, Muslims were also brought around to stand up against them. In the last previous verse (16), Muslims have been told that Jihad is a test for them. This test is necessary because it helps in marking out a sincere Muslim from hypocrites and the weak-in-faith. Says the verse: ` Do you think that you will be left alone while Allah has not seen those of you who struggle in jihad and never take anyone, other than Allah and His Messenger and the believers, as their confidant?'</p><p>The address in this verse is also to those common people who were taken to be Muslims, though some of them were hypocrites while some others were weak in faith and kept wavering. Such people would pass on sensitive information about Muslims to their non-Muslim friends. Therefore, two signs of a sincere Muslim were identified in this verse.</p><p>Two signs of sincere Muslims</p><p>(1) They fight disbelievers in the way of Allah.</p><p>(2) They take no non-Muslim as their close friend to whom secrets are confided.</p><p>At the end of the verse, it was said: وَاللَّـهُ خَبِيرٌ‌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ (And Allah is [ All ] Aware of what you do) that is, before Him nobody can get away with false excuses and alibis.</p><p>This wisdom of Jihad mentioned earlier has appeared in another verse of the Holy Qur'an in the following words: أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَ‌كُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ (Do people think that they will be left to say, "We believe," and they will not be tried? - 29:2)</p><p>On taking non-Muslims as close friends and insiders</p><p>The word: ولیجہ (walijah) used in verse 16 means an insider who shares secrets. There is another verse which uses the word: بطانہ (bitanah) to carry this very sense. Literally, بطانہ ` bitanah' means what is worn under normal clothing and is close to the body. It denotes a person who knows secrets as an insider. The actual words of the verse read: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا بِطَانَةً مِّن دُونِكُمْ لَا يَأْلُونَكُمْ خَبَالًا O those who believe, do not take anyone as insider but from your own selves for they would spare no effort to put you in trouble). (3:118)</p><p>Now we can turn to the present verses (17 and 18) where instructions have been given to cleanse al-masjid-al-Haram and other masajid (mosques) of false modes of worship and replacing them with what is correct and acceptable.</p><p>A little background detail is in order at this point. When the Holy Prophet ﷺ got rid of all those idols the Mushriks used to worship from the Baytullah and the Sacred Mosque soon after the conquest of Makkah, it was a matter of relief, at least externally, for the Sacred Mosque was now free from the physical vestiges of Shirk. But, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had granted his old enemies pardon and protection soon after they were overpowered. They still used to do their ` Ibadah and Tawaf in the Sacred Mosque following their false ways.</p><p>That the Sacred Mosque was cleansed of idols was good, but it was also necessary to purify this sacred site from the fallout of idolatry and its false mores. The only way it could be done was to prohibit the entry of the Mushriks into the Sacred Mosque. But, this would have gone against the promise of protection given to them - and abiding by the terms of a treaty was far more important in Islam. Therefore, such orders were not given immediately. Instead, it was done in the year next to the conquest of Makkah. At that time, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had Sayyidna Abu Bakr and Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ make an an-nouncement in the great gathering of Mina and ` Arafat that, in the future, no ` Ibadah, Hajj or Tawaf performed in the Mushrik way will be allowed in the Sacred Mosque. Also prohibited through this announcement was the evil custom of making Tawaf in the nude that had lingered from the days of Jahiliyah. It was in the gathering at Mina that Sayyidna Ali ؓ proclaimed:</p><p>لَا یَحُجَّنَّ بعد العام مشرِکُ ولا یَطُوفَنَّ بِالبَیتِ عُریَانُ</p><p>After this year, no Mushrik will perform Hajj and no naked person will make Tawaf of Baytullah.</p><p>And this respite of one year was given for the reason that there were many people among them with whom Muslims had a treaty and they had continued to abide by the terms of the treaty. That they should be made to obey a new law before the expiry of the existing treaty with them was contrary to Islamic policy of tolerance. There-fore, a public announcement was made a year in advance to the effect that it has been decided to cleanse the Sacred Mosque from all Mushrik customs and ways of worship - because, their kind of worship would not let a mosque flourish, rather would go on to make it desolate.</p><p>These Mushriks of Makkah equated their pagan customs with ` worship' and thought that they were contributing towards the maintenance and functional thriving of the Sacred Mosque. They were proud of being the custodians of the Baytullah and the Sacred Mosque. Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ says, ` when his father, before he became a Muslim, was taken prisoner at the battle of Badr, Muslims reproached him for staying on the side of Kufr and Shirk. He told them, ` you only remember what is bad about us. You do not like to talk about our good things. Do you not know that we are the custodians of the Sacred Mosque? We take care of the building. We keep it filled with people. We manage it and we run a drinking water service for the pilgrims. Revealed thereupon were the verses: مَا كَانَ لِلْمُشْرِ‌كِينَ أَن يَعْمُرُ‌وا مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ (It is not for the Mushriks to build up the mosques of Allah). It means that Mushriks (those who ascribe partners to Allah) do not have the right to build and populate the mosques of Allah. The reason is that a masjid is a place that has been built to worship One God while Shirk and Kufr are its antithesis that cannot be combined with the structure and function of a masjid.</p><p>The word: عمارہ (` imarah: building) appearing in this verse is a multi-faceted word and is used to convey several meanings. It could mean the physical building of the masjid including all elements that go in raising and finishing it externally and internally. Then, it could also denote the maintenance of the masjid that would be inclusive of security arrangements, sanitation, upkeep and provision of necessary supplies. And then, it also includes the human dimension of the masjid - that believers present themselves in the masjid for ` Ibadah. (Since there is no exact equivalent in English to carry this sense, the nearest one could come would be to populate, people, fill up, make the masjid flourish in the number of those present and in the quality of acts of ` Ibadah they perform therein.) Incidentally, ` Umrah (عمرہ) is called by that name in view of the fact that one visits Baytullah and makes the best of his presence there in terms of ` Ibadah.</p><p>So, the sense of the Qur'anic word ` imarah' covers building, maintenance and presence. The Mushriks of Makkah took credit for all three. They took special pride in considering themselves the custodians of the building of the Sacred Mosque. The present verses tell them that the Mushriks did not have any right to build the mosques of Allah while they were witnesses of their own infidelity. Because of their Kufr and Shirk, their deeds had gone waste and they were to live in the Fire of Jahannam eternally.</p><p>The expression: ` witnesses of their own infidelity' could have two meanings. It could either mean that they were virtually confessing to their Kufr and Shirk because of what they were doing as Mushriks. Or, it could refer to their implied confession and witnessing of their Kufr and Shirk when they identify themselves in social situations. Customarily, when a Christian or Jew is asked as to his religious identity, he would say that he was a Christian or Jew. The same would be the case with a fire-worshipper or idolater. They would identify them-selves with what they believe in. Thus, the Mushriks will become witnesses of their infidelity against themselves. (Ibn Kathir)</p>

CommentaryMentioned in the previous verses was how crooked the Mushrikin of Makkah were, how they broke their pledges and what they did to defend their false ways in religion. With this in view, Muslims were also brought around to stand up against them. In the last previous verse (16), Muslims have been told that Jihad is a test for them. This test is necessary because it helps in marking out a sincere Muslim from hypocrites and the weak-in-faith. Says the verse: ` Do you think that you will be left alone while Allah has not seen those of you who struggle in jihad and never take anyone, other than Allah and His Messenger and the believers, as their confidant?'The address in this verse is also to those common people who were taken to be Muslims, though some of them were hypocrites while some others were weak in faith and kept wavering. Such people would pass on sensitive information about Muslims to their non-Muslim friends. Therefore, two signs of a sincere Muslim were identified in this verse.Two signs of sincere Muslims(1) They fight disbelievers in the way of Allah.(2) They take no non-Muslim as their close friend to whom secrets are confided.At the end of the verse, it was said: وَاللَّـهُ خَبِيرٌ‌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ (And Allah is [ All ] Aware of what you do) that is, before Him nobody can get away with false excuses and alibis.This wisdom of Jihad mentioned earlier has appeared in another verse of the Holy Qur'an in the following words: أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَ‌كُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ (Do people think that they will be left to say, "We believe," and they will not be tried? - 29:2)On taking non-Muslims as close friends and insidersThe word: ولیجہ (walijah) used in verse 16 means an insider who shares secrets. There is another verse which uses the word: بطانہ (bitanah) to carry this very sense. Literally, بطانہ ` bitanah' means what is worn under normal clothing and is close to the body. It denotes a person who knows secrets as an insider. The actual words of the verse read: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا بِطَانَةً مِّن دُونِكُمْ لَا يَأْلُونَكُمْ خَبَالًا O those who believe, do not take anyone as insider but from your own selves for they would spare no effort to put you in trouble). (3:118)Now we can turn to the present verses (17 and 18) where instructions have been given to cleanse al-masjid-al-Haram and other masajid (mosques) of false modes of worship and replacing them with what is correct and acceptable.A little background detail is in order at this point. When the Holy Prophet ﷺ got rid of all those idols the Mushriks used to worship from the Baytullah and the Sacred Mosque soon after the conquest of Makkah, it was a matter of relief, at least externally, for the Sacred Mosque was now free from the physical vestiges of Shirk. But, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had granted his old enemies pardon and protection soon after they were overpowered. They still used to do their ` Ibadah and Tawaf in the Sacred Mosque following their false ways.That the Sacred Mosque was cleansed of idols was good, but it was also necessary to purify this sacred site from the fallout of idolatry and its false mores. The only way it could be done was to prohibit the entry of the Mushriks into the Sacred Mosque. But, this would have gone against the promise of protection given to them - and abiding by the terms of a treaty was far more important in Islam. Therefore, such orders were not given immediately. Instead, it was done in the year next to the conquest of Makkah. At that time, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had Sayyidna Abu Bakr and Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ make an an-nouncement in the great gathering of Mina and ` Arafat that, in the future, no ` Ibadah, Hajj or Tawaf performed in the Mushrik way will be allowed in the Sacred Mosque. Also prohibited through this announcement was the evil custom of making Tawaf in the nude that had lingered from the days of Jahiliyah. It was in the gathering at Mina that Sayyidna Ali ؓ proclaimed:لَا یَحُجَّنَّ بعد العام مشرِکُ ولا یَطُوفَنَّ بِالبَیتِ عُریَانُAfter this year, no Mushrik will perform Hajj and no naked person will make Tawaf of Baytullah.And this respite of one year was given for the reason that there were many people among them with whom Muslims had a treaty and they had continued to abide by the terms of the treaty. That they should be made to obey a new law before the expiry of the existing treaty with them was contrary to Islamic policy of tolerance. There-fore, a public announcement was made a year in advance to the effect that it has been decided to cleanse the Sacred Mosque from all Mushrik customs and ways of worship - because, their kind of worship would not let a mosque flourish, rather would go on to make it desolate.These Mushriks of Makkah equated their pagan customs with ` worship' and thought that they were contributing towards the maintenance and functional thriving of the Sacred Mosque. They were proud of being the custodians of the Baytullah and the Sacred Mosque. Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ says, ` when his father, before he became a Muslim, was taken prisoner at the battle of Badr, Muslims reproached him for staying on the side of Kufr and Shirk. He told them, ` you only remember what is bad about us. You do not like to talk about our good things. Do you not know that we are the custodians of the Sacred Mosque? We take care of the building. We keep it filled with people. We manage it and we run a drinking water service for the pilgrims. Revealed thereupon were the verses: مَا كَانَ لِلْمُشْرِ‌كِينَ أَن يَعْمُرُ‌وا مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ (It is not for the Mushriks to build up the mosques of Allah). It means that Mushriks (those who ascribe partners to Allah) do not have the right to build and populate the mosques of Allah. The reason is that a masjid is a place that has been built to worship One God while Shirk and Kufr are its antithesis that cannot be combined with the structure and function of a masjid.The word: عمارہ (` imarah: building) appearing in this verse is a multi-faceted word and is used to convey several meanings. It could mean the physical building of the masjid including all elements that go in raising and finishing it externally and internally. Then, it could also denote the maintenance of the masjid that would be inclusive of security arrangements, sanitation, upkeep and provision of necessary supplies. And then, it also includes the human dimension of the masjid - that believers present themselves in the masjid for ` Ibadah. (Since there is no exact equivalent in English to carry this sense, the nearest one could come would be to populate, people, fill up, make the masjid flourish in the number of those present and in the quality of acts of ` Ibadah they perform therein.) Incidentally, ` Umrah (عمرہ) is called by that name in view of the fact that one visits Baytullah and makes the best of his presence there in terms of ` Ibadah.So, the sense of the Qur'anic word ` imarah' covers building, maintenance and presence. The Mushriks of Makkah took credit for all three. They took special pride in considering themselves the custodians of the building of the Sacred Mosque. The present verses tell them that the Mushriks did not have any right to build the mosques of Allah while they were witnesses of their own infidelity. Because of their Kufr and Shirk, their deeds had gone waste and they were to live in the Fire of Jahannam eternally.The expression: ` witnesses of their own infidelity' could have two meanings. It could either mean that they were virtually confessing to their Kufr and Shirk because of what they were doing as Mushriks. Or, it could refer to their implied confession and witnessing of their Kufr and Shirk when they identify themselves in social situations. Customarily, when a Christian or Jew is asked as to his religious identity, he would say that he was a Christian or Jew. The same would be the case with a fire-worshipper or idolater. They would identify them-selves with what they believe in. Thus, the Mushriks will become witnesses of their infidelity against themselves. (Ibn Kathir)

<h2 class="title">It is not for Idolators to maintain the Masjids of Allah</h2><p>Allah says that it is not fitting that those who associate others with Allah in worship should maintain the Masjids of Allah that were built in His Name alone without partners. Those who read the Ayah, "Masjid Allah", said that it refers to Al-Masjid Al-Haram, the most honored Masjid on the earth, which was built, from the first day, for the purpose of worshipping Allah alone without partners. It was built by Khalil Ar-Rahman (the Prophet Ibrahim) peace be upon him. The idolators do this while they themselves testify to their disbelief with their statements and actions. As-Suddi said, "If you ask a Christian, `What is your religion', He will tell you he is a Christian. If you ask a Jew about his religion, he will say he is a Jew, and the same for a Sabi' and a Mushrik!"' </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أُوْلَـئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَـلُهُمْ</div><p>(The works of such are in vain), because of their Shirk, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَفِى النَّارِ هُمْ خَـلِدُونَ</div><p>(and in Fire shall they abide.) Allah said in another Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا لَهُمْ أَلاَّ يُعَذِّبَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَمَا كَانُواْ أَوْلِيَآءَهُ إِنْ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُ إِلاَّ الْمُتَّقُونَ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ </div><p>(And why should not Allah punish them while they hinder (men) from Al-Masjid Al-Haram, and they are not its guardians None can be its guardians except those with Taqwa, but most of them know not.)8:34.</p><h2 class="title">Believers are the True Maintainers of the Masjids</h2><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَـجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ</div><p>(The Masjids of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day.) Therefore, Allah testifies to the faith of those who maintain the Masjids. `Abdur-Razzaq narrated that `Amr bin Maymun Al-Awdi said, "I met the Companions of the Prophet and they were saying, `The Masjids are the Houses of Allah on the earth. It is a promise from Allah that He is generous to those who visit Him in the Masjids.," Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَوةَ</div><p>(perform the Salah), one of the major acts of worship practiced by the body, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَءَاتَى الزَّكَوةَ</div><p>(and give the Zakah), which is the best act that benefits other people, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ</div><p>(and fear none but Allah), they fear only Allah, the Exalted, and none else, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَعَسَى أُوْلَـئِكَ أَن يَكُونُواْ مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ</div><p>(It is they who are on true guidance.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas said about Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَـجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ</div><p>(The Masjids of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day;) "He who singles out Allah (in worship), has faith in the Last Day." And he said; "He who believes in what Allah has revealed, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَوةَ</div><p>(perform the Salah), establishes the five daily prayers, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ</div><p>(and fear none but Allah.), worships Allah alone, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَعَسَى أُوْلَـئِكَ أَن يَكُونُواْ مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ</div><p>(it may be they who are on true guidance.) Allah says, `It is they who are the successful ones in truth.' Similarly, Allah said to His Prophet , </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">عَسَى أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَاماً مَّحْمُودًا</div><p>(It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqam Mahmud)17:79. Allah says here, `Your Lord (O Muhammad) shall grant you a station of praise, that is, the intercession (on the Day of Resurrection).' Every `might' in the Qur'an means `shall'." </p>

It is not for Idolators to maintain the Masjids of AllahAllah says that it is not fitting that those who associate others with Allah in worship should maintain the Masjids of Allah that were built in His Name alone without partners. Those who read the Ayah, "Masjid Allah", said that it refers to Al-Masjid Al-Haram, the most honored Masjid on the earth, which was built, from the first day, for the purpose of worshipping Allah alone without partners. It was built by Khalil Ar-Rahman (the Prophet Ibrahim) peace be upon him. The idolators do this while they themselves testify to their disbelief with their statements and actions. As-Suddi said, "If you ask a Christian, `What is your religion', He will tell you he is a Christian. If you ask a Jew about his religion, he will say he is a Jew, and the same for a Sabi' and a Mushrik!"' أُوْلَـئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَـلُهُمْ(The works of such are in vain), because of their Shirk, وَفِى النَّارِ هُمْ خَـلِدُونَ(and in Fire shall they abide.) Allah said in another Ayah, وَمَا لَهُمْ أَلاَّ يُعَذِّبَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَمَا كَانُواْ أَوْلِيَآءَهُ إِنْ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُ إِلاَّ الْمُتَّقُونَ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ (And why should not Allah punish them while they hinder (men) from Al-Masjid Al-Haram, and they are not its guardians None can be its guardians except those with Taqwa, but most of them know not.)8:34.Believers are the True Maintainers of the MasjidsAllah said, إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَـجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ(The Masjids of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day.) Therefore, Allah testifies to the faith of those who maintain the Masjids. `Abdur-Razzaq narrated that `Amr bin Maymun Al-Awdi said, "I met the Companions of the Prophet and they were saying, `The Masjids are the Houses of Allah on the earth. It is a promise from Allah that He is generous to those who visit Him in the Masjids.," Allah said next, وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَوةَ(perform the Salah), one of the major acts of worship practiced by the body, وَءَاتَى الزَّكَوةَ(and give the Zakah), which is the best act that benefits other people, وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ(and fear none but Allah), they fear only Allah, the Exalted, and none else, فَعَسَى أُوْلَـئِكَ أَن يَكُونُواْ مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ(It is they who are on true guidance.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas said about Allah's statement, إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَـجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ(The Masjids of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day;) "He who singles out Allah (in worship), has faith in the Last Day." And he said; "He who believes in what Allah has revealed, وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَوةَ(perform the Salah), establishes the five daily prayers, وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ(and fear none but Allah.), worships Allah alone, فَعَسَى أُوْلَـئِكَ أَن يَكُونُواْ مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ(it may be they who are on true guidance.) Allah says, `It is they who are the successful ones in truth.' Similarly, Allah said to His Prophet , عَسَى أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَاماً مَّحْمُودًا(It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqam Mahmud)17:79. Allah says here, `Your Lord (O Muhammad) shall grant you a station of praise, that is, the intercession (on the Day of Resurrection).' Every `might' in the Qur'an means `shall'."

Only those who believe in God and the Last Day, who fulfil their devotional obligations, pay the zakat, and fear no one but God, can visit the mosques of God. They may hope to be among the guided.

Only those enliven the mosques of Allah who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish prayer and pay the obligatory charity and fear none except Allah – so it is likely that they will be among the people of guidance.

Only he shall inhabit God's places of worship who believes in God and the Last Day, and performs the prayer, and pays the alms, and fears none but God alone; it may be that those will be among the guided.

Only he should visit or tend God's houses of worship who believes in God and the Last Day, and is constant in prayer, and spends in charity, and stands in awe of none but God: for [only such as] these may hope to be among the right-guided!

They only shall tend Allah's mosques who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish prayer and give the poor rate and fear none save Allah. Belike those will be of the guided ones.

The Mosques of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day; perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and give Zakat and fear none but Allah. It is they who are expected to be on true guidance.

The only people to attend God’s places of worship are those who believe in God and the Last Day, and pray regularly, and practice regular charity, and fear none but God. These are most likely to be guided.

It only becomes those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish Prayer and pay Zakah and fear none but Allah to visit and tend the mosques of Allah. These are likely to be guided aright.

The Masjids of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day; perform the Salah, and give Zakah and fear none but Allah. It is they who are on true guidance.

He only shall tend Allah's sanctuaries who believeth in Allah and the Last Day and observeth proper worship and payeth the poor-due and feareth none save Allah. For such (only) is it possible that they can be of the rightly guided.

Only those shall maintain Allah’s mosques who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and maintain the prayer, and give the zakat, and fear no one except Allah. They, hopefully, will be among the guided.

None should inhabit the mosques of Allah except those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish their prayers and pay the obligatory charity, and fear none except Allah. May these be among the guided.

The mosques of Allah are only to be maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish prayer and give zakah and do not fear except Allah, for it is expected that those will be of the [rightly] guided.

Only those who believe in God, the Day of Judgment, perform their prayers, pay the religious tax, and have fear of God alone have the right to establish and patronize the mosque of God so that perhaps they will have the right guidance.

Only he shall visit the mosques of Allah who believes in Allah and the latter day, and keeps up prayer and pays the poor-rate and fears none but Allah; so (as for) these, it may be that they are of the followers of the right course.

Innam<u>a</u> yaAAmuru mas<u>a</u>jida All<u>a</u>hi man <u>a</u>mana bi<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hi wa<b>a</b>lyawmi al<u>a</u>khiri waaq<u>a</u>ma a<b>l</b><u>ss</u>al<u>a</u>ta wa<u>a</u>t<u>a</u> a<b>l</b>zzak<u>a</u>ta walam yakhsha ill<u>a</u> All<u>a</u>ha faAAas<u>a</u> ol<u>a</u>ika an yakoonoo mina almuhtadeen<b>a</b>

Only he should tend God's houses of worship who believes in God and the Last Day, and is constant in prayer, and spends in charity, and stands in awe of none but God: such people may hope to be among the rightly guided.

The mosques of Allah shall be visited and maintained by such as believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish regular prayers, and practise regular charity, and fear none (at all) except Allah. It is they who are expected to be on true guidance.

9

إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَٰجِدَ ٱللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ وَأَقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَى ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ فَعَسَىٰٓ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَن يَكُونُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ

It is only right that places of worship should be supported and cared for by those who have faith in Allah alone, who do not associate partners with Him, who have faith in the Day of Judgement, who establish the prayer, and give the Zakat from their wealth, and who do not fear anyone except for Allah, glory be to Him. Such people will be guided to the right path, while the idolaters are the farthest away from it.

It is only right that places of worship should be supported and cared for by those who have faith in Allah alone, who do not associate partners with Him, who have faith in the Day of Judgement, who establish the prayer, and give the Zakat from their wealth, and who do not fear anyone except for Allah, glory be to Him. Such people will be guided to the right path, while the idolaters are the farthest away from it.

<p>Verse 17 was describing the negative aspect as related to the Mushriks. It said that they did not deserve the honor of building and maintaining mosques. Verse 18 takes up the positive aspect relating to mosques by saying:</p><p>إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ‌ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ‌ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلَّا اللَّـهَ ۖ فَعَسَىٰ أُولَـٰئِكَ أَن يَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ ﴿18﴾</p><p>In fact, the mosques of Allah are built-up only by those who believe in Allah and in the Last Day and those who establish Salah and pay Zakah and who fear none but Allah. So, it is in all likelihood that they are to be among those on the right path.</p><p>It means the building of mosques in the real sense is a serene task. It can be done only by those who are bound by the commandments of Allah in their ` Aqidah (faith) and ` Amal (practice). They must believe in Allah and in the 'Akhirah, establish Salah, pay Zakah and fear none but Allah. At this place, only 'Iman (faith) in Allah and 'Akhirah (Last Day) have been mentioned. Faith in the Rasul (Messenger) of Allah was not mentioned expressly because there is no way one can have faith in Allah Ta` ala except that one puts his or her faith in His Rasul - and wholeheartedly accepts the commandments that come from Allah Ta` ala through him. Therefore, ` faith in the Rasul' is naturally included under ` faith in Allah.' This is why the Holy Prophet ﷺ once asked his noble Companions ؓ ، ` Do you know what 'Iman in Allah is?' The Companions said, ` Allah and His Rasul know best.' He said, ` Iman in Allah is that one bears witness to the fact that there is no one worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is the Rasul of Allah.' This Hadith clearly states that having faith in the Rasul is included under having faith in Allah and is comprehensively united with it. (Mazhari with reference to al-Bukhari and Muslim)</p><p>As for the statement: ` fear none but Allah,' it means that, in matters of religion, one should not abandon the command of Allah out of some fear. Otherwise, fearing things that cause fear is quite natural. Beasts, snakes, thieves and robbers generate physical fear but that is not the kind of fear we are talking about here. When the magicians showed snakes made of ropes and staffs to Sayyidna Musa, he had a sense of fear within himself as mentioned in the Qur'an فَأَوْجَسَ فِي نَفْسِهِ خِيفَةً مُّوسَىٰ ﴿67﴾ - 20:67. Therefore, the normal fear caused by what causes pain or brings loss is neither contrary to the injunction of the Qur'an nor to the station of a prophet, wallyy or saint. However, one should not become so overcome by this fear as to start creating confusion about the injunctions of Allah Ta` ala or leaving them out altogether. This is not the style of a true believer and this is precisely what is meant at this place.</p><p>Some related issues</p><p>When it is said in the present verses that Mushriks and Kafirs cannot take up the task of ` maintaining' a masjid which was something only righteous Muslims could do, it refers to the trusteeship and administrative responsibility of the masjid. The outcome is that it is not permissible to appoint a Kafir the trustee and administrator of any Islamic Waqf (endowment). As for the construction of the different units of the structure such as walls and doors, it does not matter even if some non-Muslim is assigned to do the job. (Tafsir Maraghi) Similarly, when a non-Muslim makes a masjid as an act of thawab, or contributes funds for its building, then, it is permissible to accept it. However, the condition is that there should be no danger of a religious or worldly loss, or blame, or usurpation of the property later, or harping on the favor done. (Al-Du rr al Mukhtar, Shami and Maraghi)</p><p>It was hinted in verse 18 that building a masjid and making it throb with multitudes of Muslims making prayers, remembering Allah and reciting the Qur'an is a task that can only be accomplished by a righteous Muslim. It proves that anyone who keeps coming to the masjid either to supervise arrangements for the security, maintenance, upkeep and supplies for the masjid, or for the Dhikr of Allah, or to learn about his religion, or to recite or teach the Holy Qur'an is a perfect believer. These deeds are sufficient as witnesses to this honor.</p><p>The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: ` when you notice that a person is punctual with his presence in the masjid, bear witness to his ‘Iman - because, Allah Ta` ala has said: إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ‌ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ (In fact, the masjid of Allah are built-up only by those who believe in Allah... - 18). Imam Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah have reported this Hadith on the authority of Sayyidna Abu Said Al-Khudri ؓ .</p><p>It appears in Al-Bukhari and Muslim that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: ` a person who presents himself in the masjid morning and evening, Allah Ta` ala sets aside a rank of Paradise for him.'</p><p>And Sayyidna Salman al-Farisi ؓ narrates that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: ` a person who comes into the masjid is a visiting guest of Allah Ta` ala - and it is incumbent on the host that He honors the guest.' (Mazhari with reference to Tabarani, Ibn Jarir, al-Baihagi and others)</p><p>The commentator of the Qur'an, Qadi Thana'ullah of Panipat has said, ` the expression ` maintenance of the masjid' also requires that the masjid should be cleansed of things and practices for which it was not made. It includes activities like buying and selling, worldly conversation, search of lost property, asking people for material help, recitation of idle poetry, disputation, fighting, disturbing peace by noises and things like that. (Mazhari)</p>

Verse 17 was describing the negative aspect as related to the Mushriks. It said that they did not deserve the honor of building and maintaining mosques. Verse 18 takes up the positive aspect relating to mosques by saying:إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ‌ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ‌ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلَّا اللَّـهَ ۖ فَعَسَىٰ أُولَـٰئِكَ أَن يَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ ﴿18﴾In fact, the mosques of Allah are built-up only by those who believe in Allah and in the Last Day and those who establish Salah and pay Zakah and who fear none but Allah. So, it is in all likelihood that they are to be among those on the right path.It means the building of mosques in the real sense is a serene task. It can be done only by those who are bound by the commandments of Allah in their ` Aqidah (faith) and ` Amal (practice). They must believe in Allah and in the 'Akhirah, establish Salah, pay Zakah and fear none but Allah. At this place, only 'Iman (faith) in Allah and 'Akhirah (Last Day) have been mentioned. Faith in the Rasul (Messenger) of Allah was not mentioned expressly because there is no way one can have faith in Allah Ta` ala except that one puts his or her faith in His Rasul - and wholeheartedly accepts the commandments that come from Allah Ta` ala through him. Therefore, ` faith in the Rasul' is naturally included under ` faith in Allah.' This is why the Holy Prophet ﷺ once asked his noble Companions ؓ ، ` Do you know what 'Iman in Allah is?' The Companions said, ` Allah and His Rasul know best.' He said, ` Iman in Allah is that one bears witness to the fact that there is no one worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is the Rasul of Allah.' This Hadith clearly states that having faith in the Rasul is included under having faith in Allah and is comprehensively united with it. (Mazhari with reference to al-Bukhari and Muslim)As for the statement: ` fear none but Allah,' it means that, in matters of religion, one should not abandon the command of Allah out of some fear. Otherwise, fearing things that cause fear is quite natural. Beasts, snakes, thieves and robbers generate physical fear but that is not the kind of fear we are talking about here. When the magicians showed snakes made of ropes and staffs to Sayyidna Musa, he had a sense of fear within himself as mentioned in the Qur'an فَأَوْجَسَ فِي نَفْسِهِ خِيفَةً مُّوسَىٰ ﴿67﴾ - 20:67. Therefore, the normal fear caused by what causes pain or brings loss is neither contrary to the injunction of the Qur'an nor to the station of a prophet, wallyy or saint. However, one should not become so overcome by this fear as to start creating confusion about the injunctions of Allah Ta` ala or leaving them out altogether. This is not the style of a true believer and this is precisely what is meant at this place.Some related issuesWhen it is said in the present verses that Mushriks and Kafirs cannot take up the task of ` maintaining' a masjid which was something only righteous Muslims could do, it refers to the trusteeship and administrative responsibility of the masjid. The outcome is that it is not permissible to appoint a Kafir the trustee and administrator of any Islamic Waqf (endowment). As for the construction of the different units of the structure such as walls and doors, it does not matter even if some non-Muslim is assigned to do the job. (Tafsir Maraghi) Similarly, when a non-Muslim makes a masjid as an act of thawab, or contributes funds for its building, then, it is permissible to accept it. However, the condition is that there should be no danger of a religious or worldly loss, or blame, or usurpation of the property later, or harping on the favor done. (Al-Du rr al Mukhtar, Shami and Maraghi)It was hinted in verse 18 that building a masjid and making it throb with multitudes of Muslims making prayers, remembering Allah and reciting the Qur'an is a task that can only be accomplished by a righteous Muslim. It proves that anyone who keeps coming to the masjid either to supervise arrangements for the security, maintenance, upkeep and supplies for the masjid, or for the Dhikr of Allah, or to learn about his religion, or to recite or teach the Holy Qur'an is a perfect believer. These deeds are sufficient as witnesses to this honor.The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: ` when you notice that a person is punctual with his presence in the masjid, bear witness to his ‘Iman - because, Allah Ta` ala has said: إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ‌ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ (In fact, the masjid of Allah are built-up only by those who believe in Allah... - 18). Imam Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah have reported this Hadith on the authority of Sayyidna Abu Said Al-Khudri ؓ .It appears in Al-Bukhari and Muslim that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: ` a person who presents himself in the masjid morning and evening, Allah Ta` ala sets aside a rank of Paradise for him.'And Sayyidna Salman al-Farisi ؓ narrates that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: ` a person who comes into the masjid is a visiting guest of Allah Ta` ala - and it is incumbent on the host that He honors the guest.' (Mazhari with reference to Tabarani, Ibn Jarir, al-Baihagi and others)The commentator of the Qur'an, Qadi Thana'ullah of Panipat has said, ` the expression ` maintenance of the masjid' also requires that the masjid should be cleansed of things and practices for which it was not made. It includes activities like buying and selling, worldly conversation, search of lost property, asking people for material help, recitation of idle poetry, disputation, fighting, disturbing peace by noises and things like that. (Mazhari)

Do you think that giving a drink of water to the pilgrims and going on a visit to the Sacred Mosque, is the same as believing in God and the Last Day, and striving in the cause of God? In the eyes of God it is not the same; and God does not show the unrighteous the way.

So have they taken the quenching of the pilgrims’ thirst and servicing of the Sacred Mosque as equal (in merit) to him who accepted faith in Allah and the Last Day, and fought in Allah’s way? They are not equal before Allah; and Allah does not guide the unjust.

Do you reckon the giving of water to pilgrims and the inhabiting of the Holy Mosque as the same as one who believes in God and the Last Day and struggles in the way of God? Not equal are they in God's sight; and God guides not the people of the evildoers.

Do you, perchance, regard the [mere] giving of water to pilgrims and the tending of the Inviolable House of Worship as being equal to [the works of] one who believes in God and the Last Day and strives hard in God's cause? These [things] are not equal in the sight of God. And God does not grace with His guidance people who [deliberately] do wrong.

Make ye the giving of drinks unto the pilgrims and the tendance of the Sacred Mosque like unto the conduct of one who believeth in Allah and the Last Day and striveth hard in the way of Allah! Equal they are not with Allah, and Allah guideth not the wrong-doing people.

Do you consider the providing of drinking water to the pilgrims and the maintenance of Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) as equal to the worth of those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allah? They are not equal before Allah. And Allah guides not those people who are the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers).

Do you consider giving water to pilgrims and maintaining the Sacred Mosque the same as believing in God and the Last Day and striving in God’s path? They are not equal in God’s sight. God does not guide the unjust people.

Do you consider providing water to the Pilgrims and tending the Sacred Mosque equal in worth to believing in Allah and the Last Day and striving in the cause of Allah? The two are not equal with Allah. Allah does not direct the wrong-doing folk to the Right Way.

Do you consider the providing of drinking water to the pilgrims and the maintenance of Al-Masjid Al-Haram as equal to the worth of those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and strive hard and fight in the cause of Allah They are not equal before Allah. And Allah guides not those people who are the wrongdoers.

Count ye the slaking of a pilgrim's thirst and tendance of the Inviolable Place of Worship as (equal to the worth of) him who believeth in Allah and the Last Day, and striveth in the way of Allah? They are not equal in the sight of Allah. Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.

Do you regard the providing of water to Hajj pilgrims and the maintenance of the Holy Mosque as similar [in worth] to someone who has faith in Allah and [believes in] the Last Day and wages jihad in the way of Allah? They are not equal with Allah, and Allah does not guide the wrongdoing lot.

Do you consider giving drink to the pilgrims and inhabiting the Sacred Mosque is the same as one who believes in Allah and the Last Day, and struggles in the Way of Allah? These are not held equal by Allah. Allah does not guide the harmdoers.

Have you made the providing of water for the pilgrim and the maintenance of al-Masjid al-Haram equal to [the deeds of] one who believes in Allah and the Last Day and strives in the cause of Allah? They are not equal in the sight of Allah. And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.

Do you (pagans), because you served water to the pilgrims and constructed the Sacred Mosque, consider yourselves equal to those who have believed in God, the Day of Judgment, and have fought for the cause of God? In the sight of God you (pagans) are not equal to the believers. God does not guide the unjust.

What! do you make (one who undertakes) the giving of drink to the pilgrims and the guarding of the Sacred Mosque like him who believes in Allah and the latter day and strives hard in Allah's way? They are not equal with Allah; and Allah does not guide the unjust people.

AjaAAaltum siq<u>a</u>yata al<u>ha</u>jji waAAim<u>a</u>rata almasjidi al<u>h</u>ar<u>a</u>mi kaman <u>a</u>mana bi<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hi wa<b>a</b>lyawmi al<u>a</u>khiri waj<u>a</u>hada fee sabeeli All<u>a</u>hi l<u>a</u> yastawoona AAinda All<u>a</u>hi wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu l<u>a</u> yahdee alqawma a<b>l</b><i><u>thth</u></i><u>a</u>limeen<b>a</b>

Do you regard giving water to pilgrims and tending the Sacred Mosque as being equal to the deeds of those who believe in God and the Last Day and who strive in God's path? They are not equal in the sight of God. God does not guide such unjust people.

Do ye make the giving of drink to pilgrims, or the maintenance of the Sacred Mosque, equal to (the pious service of) those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and strive with might and main in the cause of Allah? They are not comparable in the sight of Allah: and Allah guides not those who do wrong.

9

أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ ٱلْحَآجِّ وَعِمَارَةَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ كَمَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ وَجَٰهَدَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَسْتَوُۥنَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

Do the idolaters think that giving water to the pilgrims and caring for the Sacred Mosque is like someone who has faith in Allah, not associating any partners with Him, having faith in the Day of Judgement, striving with their self and their wealth to make the Word of Allah supreme, and the word of the disbelievers lowest? Do they consider them to be equal in virtue before Allah? They will never be equal before Allah, and Allah will not give success to those who do wrong by being idolaters, even if they do good actions, such as giving water to the pilgrims.

Do the idolaters think that giving water to the pilgrims and caring for the Sacred Mosque is like someone who has faith in Allah, not associating any partners with Him, having faith in the Day of Judgement, striving with their self and their wealth to make the Word of Allah supreme, and the word of the disbelievers lowest? Do they consider them to be equal in virtue before Allah? They will never be equal before Allah, and Allah will not give success to those who do wrong by being idolaters, even if they do good actions, such as giving water to the pilgrims.

<p>Commentary</p><p>The first four verses (19 - 22) relate to a particular event. A cursory look into its background shows that many Mushriks of Makkah felt proud that they kept the Sacred Mosque bustling with visitors and devotees and ran a drinking water service for the pilgrims. Keeping their rival Muslims in view, they claimed that no deed by anyone could match theirs. When Sayyidna ` Abbas ؓ came to Muslims as a prisoner from the battle of Badr, he had not embraced Islam by that time. His Muslim relatives reproached him for remaining deprived of the blessing of 'Iman. In response, he too had said the same things, ` you think 'Iman and Hijrah are big feathers in your cap, but we too have our own assets. We are the custodians of the building of the Sacred Mosque and serve water to the pilgrims. No deed by anyone can match these.' Revealed thereupon were these verses. (Ibn Kathir on the authority of ` Ali ibn Abi Talhah from Ibn ` Abbas)</p><p>And according to some narratives in the Musnad of ` Abd al-Razzaq, it was after the entry of Sayyidna ` Abbas ؓ into the fold of Islam that Sayyidna Talhah ibn Shaybah, Sayyidna ` Abbas and Sayyidna Ali ؓ were talking together. Talhah said: ` I enjoy an excellence which none of you do. I have the keys to the Baytullah in my hands. If I wish I could go inside it and spend the night there.' Sayyidna ` Abbas said: ؓ ` I am the administrator of the water service for pilgrims and I have rights to the Sacred Mosque.' Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ said, ` I do not understand that which makes you so proud. As for me, I have said my prayers facing the Baytullah six months before anyone of you and I have participated in Jihad with the Holy Prophet ﷺ .' There-upon, these verses were revealed. They made it clear that no deed done without 'Iman, no matter how merit worthy, carries any value in the sight of Allah, and no doer of such deeds, while still involved in Shirk, is acceptable with Him.</p><p>And the Sahih of Muslim reports an event on the authority of Sayyidna Nu` man ibn Bashir ؓ who says that he was sitting with some Companions ؓ close to the Mimbar of the Holy Prophet ﷺ in his Mosque on a Friday. Someone from those present there said, ` In my view, after Islam and 'Iman, there is no deed superior to serving water to the pilgrims and I do not care about any deed other than this.' Someone else retorted, ` no, Jihad in the way of Allah is the highest of all deeds.' When an argument started between those two, Sayyidna ` Umar ﷺ ؓ reprimanded both of them and said, ` stop quarreling near the Mimbar of the Holy Prophet ﷺ .The proper thing to do is to say your Jumu'ah prayer first, then you can go and ask the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself about it.' As suggested, they did go to the Holy Prophet ؓ to find out his opinion on the matter. Thereupon, these verses were revealed where Jihad has been identified as the deed superior to the ` building' of the Sacred Mosque and the serving of water to pilgrims.</p><p>There is nothing far out about the possibility that the revelation of the verses themselves may have been aimed as an answer to the pride and arrogance of the Mushriks. Later, when unpleasant things took place among Muslims, it is quite possible that the same verses were used as the deciding argument - which might have given the listeners the feeling that these particular verses were revealed in the background of that particular event.</p><p>However, the present 'ayat of the Qur'an carry an answer to both these kinds of events - that an accomplishment, no matter how good and acceptable, is reduced to zero if it smacks of Shirk. Therefore, no Mushrik is superior to Muslims because of his association with the maintenance of the Mosque or the serving of water to pilgrims. And even after their rejection of disbelief and entry into Faith, the status of 'Iman and Jihad is much higher than the maintenance of the Sacred Mosque and the serving of water to pilgrims. Muslims who took the initiative in 'Iman and Jihad are superior to Muslims who did not take part in Jihad and remained rendering these services to the Sacred Mosque and the pilgrims.</p><p>After these introductory remarks, let us go back to the words of the verses and their translation once again. It reads:</p><p>أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَاجِّ وَعِمَارَ‌ةَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَ‌امِ كَمَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ‌ وَجَاهَدَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ ۚ لَا يَسْتَوُونَ عِندَ اللَّـهِ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿19﴾</p><p>Have you taken the serving of water to the pilgrims and the maintenance of Al-masjid-al-Haram as equal to (the acts) of one who believes in Allah and in the Last Day, and takes up jihad in the way of Allah? They are not equal in the sight of Allah -19)</p><p>Seen contextually, the purpose is to urge that each one from 'Iman and Jihad is superior to the serving of water to pilgrims and the maintenance of the Mosque, that is, 'Iman too is superior to both, and Jihad too. Thus, the superiority of 'Iman provides an answer to what the Mushriks said and the superiority of Jihad corrects Muslims who said that maintaining the Mosque and serving water to pilgrims were superior to Jihad.</p><p>The Dhikr of Allah is superior to Jihad</p><p>Qadi Thana'ullah has said in Tafsir Mazhari, ` the precedence given to Jihad over the maintenance of the Mosque has been done in terms of physical and outward maintenance, that is, the building, repair, cleaning and allied arrangements - for it goes without saying that Jibad takes precedence over these.'</p><p>But, the maintenance (` imarah) of the masjid is not restricted to this sense alone. It has another meaning also, that of being present in the masjid for ` Ibadah and Dhikr of Allah, which also applies here strongly. In fact, the genuine flowering of the objective of making, maintaining and manning the masjid with eager devotees comes out from this factor alone. Given this sense, the maintenance of the masjid - as very clearly stated by the Holy Prophet ﷺ - is superior to Jihad. To substantiate, we can refer to the report of Sayyidna Abu al-Darda' ؓ appearing in the Musnad of Ahmad and in Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah. According to this report, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, ` should I not tell you about an act that is superior to all your acts and certainly more so in the sight of your Master? - This act would raise your ranks to the highest levels, would be even superior to spending gold and silver in the way of Allah, and still be way superior to that you bravely fight your enemies in Jihad where you kill them and they kill you?' The noble Companions ؓ said, ` Do tell us about that act, Ya Rasulallah.' He said, ` that act is the Dhikr of Allah.' This tells us that the merit of the Dhikr of Allah is more pronounced than that of Jihad also. And if the ` maintenance of the masjid' is taken in the sense of the Dhikr of Allah, then, it is superior to Jihad. But, at this place, the pride shown by the Mushriks was not based on the Dhikr of Allah and the ` Ibadah performed in the masjid, instead, it was based on its structural and administrative aspects. Therefore, Jihad was deemed as su-perior to that.</p><p>And when we deliberate into different statements of the Qur'an and Sunnah as a whole, it appears that the phenomena of the superiority of one act over the other depends on attending conditions and circumstances. There are conditions when one act is superior to the other. With a change in conditions, things could be the other way round. When Islam and Muslims must be defended at all costs, at that time Jihad shall definitely be more merit worthy as compared to all ` Ibadat - as evident from the event of the battle of Khandaq where the Holy Prophet ﷺ had to miss four of his daily prayers (qada). Conversely, when the need is not so acute, the Dhikr of Allah and ` Ibadah will be more merit worthy as compared to Jihad.</p><p>At the end of the verse (19), by saying: وَاللَّـهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ (And Allah does not lead the wrongdoing people to the right path), it was pointed out that the thing they were being told about was not difficult to understand. In fact, it was clear, as clear as it can be - that 'Iman is the foundation of all that is done, and is superior to all of them. Then comes Jihad that is superior as compared to the maintenance of the masjid and serving water to pilgrims. But, Allah Ta` ala does not bless the unjust and the wrongdoing with the gift of understanding. Therefore, they keep at their crooked hairsplitting into things that are otherwise very open and obvious.</p>

CommentaryThe first four verses (19 - 22) relate to a particular event. A cursory look into its background shows that many Mushriks of Makkah felt proud that they kept the Sacred Mosque bustling with visitors and devotees and ran a drinking water service for the pilgrims. Keeping their rival Muslims in view, they claimed that no deed by anyone could match theirs. When Sayyidna ` Abbas ؓ came to Muslims as a prisoner from the battle of Badr, he had not embraced Islam by that time. His Muslim relatives reproached him for remaining deprived of the blessing of 'Iman. In response, he too had said the same things, ` you think 'Iman and Hijrah are big feathers in your cap, but we too have our own assets. We are the custodians of the building of the Sacred Mosque and serve water to the pilgrims. No deed by anyone can match these.' Revealed thereupon were these verses. (Ibn Kathir on the authority of ` Ali ibn Abi Talhah from Ibn ` Abbas)And according to some narratives in the Musnad of ` Abd al-Razzaq, it was after the entry of Sayyidna ` Abbas ؓ into the fold of Islam that Sayyidna Talhah ibn Shaybah, Sayyidna ` Abbas and Sayyidna Ali ؓ were talking together. Talhah said: ` I enjoy an excellence which none of you do. I have the keys to the Baytullah in my hands. If I wish I could go inside it and spend the night there.' Sayyidna ` Abbas said: ؓ ` I am the administrator of the water service for pilgrims and I have rights to the Sacred Mosque.' Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ said, ` I do not understand that which makes you so proud. As for me, I have said my prayers facing the Baytullah six months before anyone of you and I have participated in Jihad with the Holy Prophet ﷺ .' There-upon, these verses were revealed. They made it clear that no deed done without 'Iman, no matter how merit worthy, carries any value in the sight of Allah, and no doer of such deeds, while still involved in Shirk, is acceptable with Him.And the Sahih of Muslim reports an event on the authority of Sayyidna Nu` man ibn Bashir ؓ who says that he was sitting with some Companions ؓ close to the Mimbar of the Holy Prophet ﷺ in his Mosque on a Friday. Someone from those present there said, ` In my view, after Islam and 'Iman, there is no deed superior to serving water to the pilgrims and I do not care about any deed other than this.' Someone else retorted, ` no, Jihad in the way of Allah is the highest of all deeds.' When an argument started between those two, Sayyidna ` Umar ﷺ ؓ reprimanded both of them and said, ` stop quarreling near the Mimbar of the Holy Prophet ﷺ .The proper thing to do is to say your Jumu'ah prayer first, then you can go and ask the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself about it.' As suggested, they did go to the Holy Prophet ؓ to find out his opinion on the matter. Thereupon, these verses were revealed where Jihad has been identified as the deed superior to the ` building' of the Sacred Mosque and the serving of water to pilgrims.There is nothing far out about the possibility that the revelation of the verses themselves may have been aimed as an answer to the pride and arrogance of the Mushriks. Later, when unpleasant things took place among Muslims, it is quite possible that the same verses were used as the deciding argument - which might have given the listeners the feeling that these particular verses were revealed in the background of that particular event.However, the present 'ayat of the Qur'an carry an answer to both these kinds of events - that an accomplishment, no matter how good and acceptable, is reduced to zero if it smacks of Shirk. Therefore, no Mushrik is superior to Muslims because of his association with the maintenance of the Mosque or the serving of water to pilgrims. And even after their rejection of disbelief and entry into Faith, the status of 'Iman and Jihad is much higher than the maintenance of the Sacred Mosque and the serving of water to pilgrims. Muslims who took the initiative in 'Iman and Jihad are superior to Muslims who did not take part in Jihad and remained rendering these services to the Sacred Mosque and the pilgrims.After these introductory remarks, let us go back to the words of the verses and their translation once again. It reads:أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَاجِّ وَعِمَارَ‌ةَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَ‌امِ كَمَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ‌ وَجَاهَدَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ ۚ لَا يَسْتَوُونَ عِندَ اللَّـهِ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿19﴾Have you taken the serving of water to the pilgrims and the maintenance of Al-masjid-al-Haram as equal to (the acts) of one who believes in Allah and in the Last Day, and takes up jihad in the way of Allah? They are not equal in the sight of Allah -19)Seen contextually, the purpose is to urge that each one from 'Iman and Jihad is superior to the serving of water to pilgrims and the maintenance of the Mosque, that is, 'Iman too is superior to both, and Jihad too. Thus, the superiority of 'Iman provides an answer to what the Mushriks said and the superiority of Jihad corrects Muslims who said that maintaining the Mosque and serving water to pilgrims were superior to Jihad.The Dhikr of Allah is superior to JihadQadi Thana'ullah has said in Tafsir Mazhari, ` the precedence given to Jihad over the maintenance of the Mosque has been done in terms of physical and outward maintenance, that is, the building, repair, cleaning and allied arrangements - for it goes without saying that Jibad takes precedence over these.'But, the maintenance (` imarah) of the masjid is not restricted to this sense alone. It has another meaning also, that of being present in the masjid for ` Ibadah and Dhikr of Allah, which also applies here strongly. In fact, the genuine flowering of the objective of making, maintaining and manning the masjid with eager devotees comes out from this factor alone. Given this sense, the maintenance of the masjid - as very clearly stated by the Holy Prophet ﷺ - is superior to Jihad. To substantiate, we can refer to the report of Sayyidna Abu al-Darda' ؓ appearing in the Musnad of Ahmad and in Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah. According to this report, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, ` should I not tell you about an act that is superior to all your acts and certainly more so in the sight of your Master? - This act would raise your ranks to the highest levels, would be even superior to spending gold and silver in the way of Allah, and still be way superior to that you bravely fight your enemies in Jihad where you kill them and they kill you?' The noble Companions ؓ said, ` Do tell us about that act, Ya Rasulallah.' He said, ` that act is the Dhikr of Allah.' This tells us that the merit of the Dhikr of Allah is more pronounced than that of Jihad also. And if the ` maintenance of the masjid' is taken in the sense of the Dhikr of Allah, then, it is superior to Jihad. But, at this place, the pride shown by the Mushriks was not based on the Dhikr of Allah and the ` Ibadah performed in the masjid, instead, it was based on its structural and administrative aspects. Therefore, Jihad was deemed as su-perior to that.And when we deliberate into different statements of the Qur'an and Sunnah as a whole, it appears that the phenomena of the superiority of one act over the other depends on attending conditions and circumstances. There are conditions when one act is superior to the other. With a change in conditions, things could be the other way round. When Islam and Muslims must be defended at all costs, at that time Jihad shall definitely be more merit worthy as compared to all ` Ibadat - as evident from the event of the battle of Khandaq where the Holy Prophet ﷺ had to miss four of his daily prayers (qada). Conversely, when the need is not so acute, the Dhikr of Allah and ` Ibadah will be more merit worthy as compared to Jihad.At the end of the verse (19), by saying: وَاللَّـهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ (And Allah does not lead the wrongdoing people to the right path), it was pointed out that the thing they were being told about was not difficult to understand. In fact, it was clear, as clear as it can be - that 'Iman is the foundation of all that is done, and is superior to all of them. Then comes Jihad that is superior as compared to the maintenance of the masjid and serving water to pilgrims. But, Allah Ta` ala does not bless the unjust and the wrongdoing with the gift of understanding. Therefore, they keep at their crooked hairsplitting into things that are otherwise very open and obvious.

<h2 class="title">Providing Pilgrims with Water and maintaining the Sacred Masjid are not equal to Faith and Jihad</h2><p>In his Tafsir, Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas explained this Ayah: "The idolators said, `Maintaining Al-Masjid Al-Haram and providing water for pilgrims are better than embracing the faith and performing Jihad.' They used to boast and show off among the people because they claimed, they were the people and maintainers of Al-Masjid Al-Haram. Allah mentioned their arrogance and rejection (of the faith), saying to `the people of Al-Haram', who were idolators, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَدْ كَانَتْ ءَايَـتِى تُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَكُنتُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَـبِكُمْ تَنكِصُونَ - مُسْتَكْبِرِينَ بِهِ سَـمِراً تَهْجُرُونَ </div><p>(Indeed My Ayat used to be recited to you, but you used to turn back on your heels (denying them, and refusing to listen to them with hatred). In pride, talking evil about it (the Qur'an) by night.) 23:66-67. They used to boast about being those who maintained the Sacred Sanctuary, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">بِهِ سَـمِراً</div><p>(talking about it by night). They used to talk about this by night while shunning the Qur'an and the Prophet . Allah declared that faith and Jihad with the Prophet are better than the idolators' maintaining Al-Masjid Al-Haram and providing water for pilgrims. These actions -- maintaining and serving Allah's House -- will not benefit them with Allah because they associate others with Him. Allah the Exalted said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لاَ يَسْتَوُونَ عِندَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الظَّـلِمِينَ</div><p>(They are not equal before Allah. And Allah guides not those people who are the wrongdoers.) those who claimed they are the maintainers of the House. Allah described them with injustice, on account of their Shirk, and thus, their maintaining the Masjid will not avail them." `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "This Ayah was revealed about Al-`Abbas bin `Abdul-Muttalib, for when he was captured in the battle of Badr, he said, `If you rushed before us to embrace Islam, perform Hijrah and Jihad, we were maintaining Al-Masjid Al-Haram, providing water for the pilgrims and setting the indebted free.' Allah, the Exalted and Ever High, said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَاجِّ</div><p>(Do you consider the providing of drinking water to the pilgrims), until, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الظَّـلِمِينَ</div><p>(and Allah guides not those people who are the wrongdoers). Allah says, `All these actions were performed while committing Shirk, and I do not accept the (good deeds) that are performed while in a state of Shirk."' Ad-Dahhak bin Muzahim said, "Muslims came to Al-`Abbas and his friends who were captured during the battle of Badr and admonished them for their Shirk. Al-`Abbas said, `By Allah! We used to maintain Al-Masjid Al-Haram, release the indebted, serve the House (or cover it, or maintain it) and provide water for pilgrims.' Allah revealed this verse, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَاجِّ</div><p>(Do you consider the providing of drinking water to the pilgrims...)"' There is a Hadith from the Prophet about the Tafsir of this Ayah that we should mention. `Abdur-Razzaq recorded that An-Nu`man bin Bashir said that a man said, "I do not care if I do not perform an action after embracing Islam other than providing drinking water for pilgrims who visit the Ka`bah at Makkah." Another man said, "I do not care if I do not perform an action after embracing Islam other than maintaining Al-Masjid Al-Haram." A third man said, "Jihad in the cause of Allah is more righteous than what you have said." `Umar admonished them, "Do not raise your voices next to the Minbar of the Messenger of Allah," and as it was a Friday, he said, "but after we pray the Friday prayer, we will go to the Prophet and ask him." This verse was revealed, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَاجِّ وَعِمَارَةَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ</div><p>(Do you consider the providing of drinking water to the pilgrims and the maintenance of Al-Masjid Al-Haram), until, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لاَ يَسْتَوُونَ عِندَ اللَّهِ</div><p>(They are not equal before Allah. ) </p>

Providing Pilgrims with Water and maintaining the Sacred Masjid are not equal to Faith and JihadIn his Tafsir, Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas explained this Ayah: "The idolators said, `Maintaining Al-Masjid Al-Haram and providing water for pilgrims are better than embracing the faith and performing Jihad.' They used to boast and show off among the people because they claimed, they were the people and maintainers of Al-Masjid Al-Haram. Allah mentioned their arrogance and rejection (of the faith), saying to `the people of Al-Haram', who were idolators, قَدْ كَانَتْ ءَايَـتِى تُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَكُنتُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَـبِكُمْ تَنكِصُونَ - مُسْتَكْبِرِينَ بِهِ سَـمِراً تَهْجُرُونَ (Indeed My Ayat used to be recited to you, but you used to turn back on your heels (denying them, and refusing to listen to them with hatred). In pride, talking evil about it (the Qur'an) by night.) 23:66-67. They used to boast about being those who maintained the Sacred Sanctuary, بِهِ سَـمِراً(talking about it by night). They used to talk about this by night while shunning the Qur'an and the Prophet . Allah declared that faith and Jihad with the Prophet are better than the idolators' maintaining Al-Masjid Al-Haram and providing water for pilgrims. These actions -- maintaining and serving Allah's House -- will not benefit them with Allah because they associate others with Him. Allah the Exalted said, لاَ يَسْتَوُونَ عِندَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الظَّـلِمِينَ(They are not equal before Allah. And Allah guides not those people who are the wrongdoers.) those who claimed they are the maintainers of the House. Allah described them with injustice, on account of their Shirk, and thus, their maintaining the Masjid will not avail them." `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "This Ayah was revealed about Al-`Abbas bin `Abdul-Muttalib, for when he was captured in the battle of Badr, he said, `If you rushed before us to embrace Islam, perform Hijrah and Jihad, we were maintaining Al-Masjid Al-Haram, providing water for the pilgrims and setting the indebted free.' Allah, the Exalted and Ever High, said, أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَاجِّ(Do you consider the providing of drinking water to the pilgrims), until, وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الظَّـلِمِينَ(and Allah guides not those people who are the wrongdoers). Allah says, `All these actions were performed while committing Shirk, and I do not accept the (good deeds) that are performed while in a state of Shirk."' Ad-Dahhak bin Muzahim said, "Muslims came to Al-`Abbas and his friends who were captured during the battle of Badr and admonished them for their Shirk. Al-`Abbas said, `By Allah! We used to maintain Al-Masjid Al-Haram, release the indebted, serve the House (or cover it, or maintain it) and provide water for pilgrims.' Allah revealed this verse, أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَاجِّ(Do you consider the providing of drinking water to the pilgrims...)"' There is a Hadith from the Prophet about the Tafsir of this Ayah that we should mention. `Abdur-Razzaq recorded that An-Nu`man bin Bashir said that a man said, "I do not care if I do not perform an action after embracing Islam other than providing drinking water for pilgrims who visit the Ka`bah at Makkah." Another man said, "I do not care if I do not perform an action after embracing Islam other than maintaining Al-Masjid Al-Haram." A third man said, "Jihad in the cause of Allah is more righteous than what you have said." `Umar admonished them, "Do not raise your voices next to the Minbar of the Messenger of Allah," and as it was a Friday, he said, "but after we pray the Friday prayer, we will go to the Prophet and ask him." This verse was revealed, أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَاجِّ وَعِمَارَةَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ(Do you consider the providing of drinking water to the pilgrims and the maintenance of Al-Masjid Al-Haram), until, لاَ يَسْتَوُونَ عِندَ اللَّهِ(They are not equal before Allah. )

Those who accepted the faith and left their homes and fought in the way of God, wealth and soul, have a greater reward with God, and will be successful.

Those who accepted faith, and left their homes and fought with their wealth and their lives in Allah’s way have a greater rank before Allah; and it is they who have succeeded.

Those who believe, and have emigrated, and have struggled in the way of God with their possessions and their selves are mightier in rank with God; and those -- they are the triumphant;

Those who believe, and who have forsaken the domain of evil and have striven hard in God's cause with their possessions and their lives have the highest rank in the sight of God; and it is they, they who shall triumph [in the end]!

Those who have believed and emigrated and have striven hard in the way of Allah with their riches and their lives are for higher in degree with Allah. Those! they are the achievers.

Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) and emigrated and strove hard and fought in Allah's Cause with their wealth and their lives are far higher in degree with Allah. They are the successful.

Those who believe, and emigrate, and strive in God’s path with their possessions and their persons, are of a higher rank with God. These are the winners.

The higher rank with Allah is for those who believed and migrated and strove in His cause with their belongings and their persons. It is they who are triumphant.

Those who believed and emigrated and strove hard and fought in Allah's cause with their wealth and their lives, are far higher in degree with Allah. They are the successful.

Those who believe, and have left their homes and striven with their wealth and their lives in Allah's way are of much greater worth in Allah's sight. These are they who are triumphant.

Those who have believed and migrated, and waged jihad in the way of Allah with their possessions and persons have a greater rank near Allah, and it is they who are the triumphant.

Those who believe, and migrated, and struggle in the Way of Allah with their wealth and their persons are greater in rank with Allah. It is they who are the winners.

The ones who have believed, emigrated and striven in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives are greater in rank in the sight of Allah. And it is those who are the attainers [of success].

To those who have believed in God, left their homes, and fought for His cause with their possessions and in person, God will grant high ranks and success.

Those who believed and fled (their homes), and strove hard in Allah's way with their property and their souls, are much higher in rank with Allah; and those are they who are the achievers (of their objects).

Alla<u>th</u>eena <u>a</u>manoo wah<u>a</u>jaroo waj<u>a</u>hadoo fee sabeeli All<u>a</u>hi biamw<u>a</u>lihim waanfusihim aAA<i><u>th</u></i>amu darajatan AAinda All<u>a</u>hi waol<u>a</u>ika humu alf<u>a</u>izoon<b>a</b>

Those who have believed and have migrated, and have striven for God's sake with their possessions and persons, stand much higher in God's esteem. It is they who will triumph;

Those who believe, and suffer exile and strive with might and main, in Allah's cause, with their goods and their persons, have the highest rank in the sight of Allah: they are the people who will achieve (salvation).

9

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَهَاجَرُوا۟ وَجَٰهَدُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَآئِزُونَ

Those who have faith in Allah and emigrate from the lands of disbelief to the lands of Islam, striving for Allah’s sake with their wealth and their selves, have the greatest rank with Allah. Such people will succeed in achieving what they desire, and avoiding what they fear.

Those who have faith in Allah and emigrate from the lands of disbelief to the lands of Islam, striving for Allah’s sake with their wealth and their selves, have the greatest rank with Allah. Such people will succeed in achieving what they desire, and avoiding what they fear.

<p>Verse 20 enlarges upon the subject initiated with the words: لَا يَسْتَوُونَ (la yastawun: they are not equal) in the previous verse (19) where it was said that the believing Mujahidin and those engaged only in maintaining the masjid and serving water to pilgrims are not equal. This was enlarged by saying: الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُ‌وا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ أَعْظَمُ دَرَ‌جَةً عِندَ اللَّـهِ ۚ وَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَائِزُونَ ﴿20﴾ (those who believed and emigrated and took up jihad in the way of Allah, with their wealth and lives, are greater in rank in the sight of Allah, and they are the successful ones). The reason is that the Mushriks against them simply had no measure of success whatsoever. As for Muslims in general, they too shared this success in essence, but the success of those identified above had more to it. There-fore, they were the ones whose success was comprehensive.</p>

Verse 20 enlarges upon the subject initiated with the words: لَا يَسْتَوُونَ (la yastawun: they are not equal) in the previous verse (19) where it was said that the believing Mujahidin and those engaged only in maintaining the masjid and serving water to pilgrims are not equal. This was enlarged by saying: الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُ‌وا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ أَعْظَمُ دَرَ‌جَةً عِندَ اللَّـهِ ۚ وَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَائِزُونَ ﴿20﴾ (those who believed and emigrated and took up jihad in the way of Allah, with their wealth and lives, are greater in rank in the sight of Allah, and they are the successful ones). The reason is that the Mushriks against them simply had no measure of success whatsoever. As for Muslims in general, they too shared this success in essence, but the success of those identified above had more to it. There-fore, they were the ones whose success was comprehensive.

Their Lord announces to them news of His mercy, acceptance, and gardens of lasting bliss

Their Lord gives them the glad tidings of His mercy and His pleasure, and the Gardens in which are everlasting favours for them.

their Lord gives them good tidings of mercy from Him and good pleasure; for them await gardens wherein is lasting bliss,

Their Sustainer gives them the glad tiding of the grace [that flows] from Him, and of [His] goodly acceptance, and of the gardens which await them, full of lasting bliss,

Their Lord giveth them glad tidings of a mercy from Him and of goodwill and of the Gardens wherein theirs will be a delight lasting:

Their Lord gives them glad tidings of a Mercy from Him, and that He is pleased (with them), and of Gardens (Paradise) for them wherein are everlasting delights.

Their Lord announces to them good news of mercy from Him, and acceptance, and gardens wherein they will have lasting bliss.

Their Lord gives them glad tidings of mercy from Him and of His good pleasure. For them await Gardens of eternal bliss.

Their Lord gives them glad tidings of mercy from Him, and His being pleased (with them), and of Gardens (Paradise) for them wherein are everlasting delights.

Their Lord giveth them good tidings of mercy from Him, and acceptance, and Gardens where enduring pleasure will be theirs;

Their Lord gives them the good news of His mercy and [His] pleasure, and for them there will be gardens with lasting bliss,

Their Lord gives them glad tidings of mercy from Him, and pleasure; for them await gardens in which there is eternal bliss.

Their Lord gives them good tidings of mercy from Him and approval and of gardens for them wherein is enduring pleasure.

Their Lord will give the glad news of His granting mercy to them, His pleasure, and His admitting them to a Paradise full of everlasting bounties wherein they will live forever.

Their Lord gives them good news of mercy from Himself and (His) good pleasure and gardens, wherein lasting blessings shall be theirs;

Yubashshiruhum rabbuhum bira<u>h</u>matin minhu wari<u>d</u>w<u>a</u>nin wajann<u>a</u>tin lahum feeh<u>a</u> naAAeemun muqeem<b>un</b>

their Lord gives them the good news of His mercy and His pleasure and gardens of eternal bliss.

Their Lord doth give them glad tidings of a Mercy from Himself, of His good pleasure, and of gardens for them, wherein are delights that endure:

9

يُبَشِّرُهُمْ رَبُّهُم بِرَحْمَةٍ مِّنْهُ وَرِضْوَٰنٍ وَجَنَّٰتٍ لَّهُمْ فِيهَا نَعِيمٌ مُّقِيمٌ

Their Lord gives them good news to gladden their hearts, of His mercy and His contentment with them, so that He is never angry with them, and of entering them into gardens in which there is eternal bliss.

Their Lord gives them good news to gladden their hearts, of His mercy and His contentment with them, so that He is never angry with them, and of entering them into gardens in which there is eternal bliss.

<p>Verses 21 and 22 tell us about the great reward and ranks these successful people shall have in the life to come:</p><p>يُبَشِّرُ‌هُمْ رَ‌بُّهُم بِرَ‌حْمَةٍ مِّنْهُ وَرِ‌ضْوَانٍ وَجَنَّاتٍ لَّهُمْ فِيهَا نَعِيمٌ مُّقِيمٌ ﴿21﴾ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ عِندَهُ أَجْرٌ‌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿22﴾</p><p>Their Lord gives them the happy news of Mercy from Him, and Pleasure, and of Gardens having an everlasting bliss for them, where they shall dwell forever. Surely, 'it is Allah with whom there is a great reward.</p>

Verses 21 and 22 tell us about the great reward and ranks these successful people shall have in the life to come:يُبَشِّرُ‌هُمْ رَ‌بُّهُم بِرَ‌حْمَةٍ مِّنْهُ وَرِ‌ضْوَانٍ وَجَنَّاتٍ لَّهُمْ فِيهَا نَعِيمٌ مُّقِيمٌ ﴿21﴾ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ عِندَهُ أَجْرٌ‌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿22﴾Their Lord gives them the happy news of Mercy from Him, and Pleasure, and of Gardens having an everlasting bliss for them, where they shall dwell forever. Surely, 'it is Allah with whom there is a great reward.

Which they will enjoy for ever. Indeed God has greater rewards with Him.

They will abide in it for ever and ever; indeed with Allah is the great reward.

therein to dwell forever and ever; surely with God is a mighty wage.

therein to abide beyond the count of time. Verily, with God is a mighty reward!

As abiders therein for evermore. Verily Allah: with Him is a hire mighty.

They will dwell therein forever. Verily, with Allah is a great reward.

Abiding therein forever. With God is a great reward.

Therein they shall abide forever. Surely with Allah a mighty reward awaits them.

They will dwell therein forever. Verily, with Allah is a great reward.

There they will abide for ever. Lo! with Allah there is immense reward.

to remain in them forever. With Allah indeed is a great reward.

where they shall live for ever. The wage with Allah is great indeed.

[They will be] abiding therein forever. Indeed, Allah has with Him a great reward.

The reward that God will bestow on His servants is the greatest.

Abiding therein for ever; surely Allah has a Mighty reward with Him.

Kh<u>a</u>lideena feeh<u>a</u> abadan inna All<u>a</u>ha AAindahu ajrun AAa<i><u>th</u></i>eem<b>un</b>

There they will dwell for ever. Truly there is an immense reward with God.

They will dwell therein for ever. Verily in Allah's presence is a reward, the greatest (of all).

9

خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عِندَهُۥٓ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ

They will live in these gardens eternally as a reward for the good actions that they would do in the world. Allah has a great reward for those who follow what He instructs and who stay away from what He has prohibited, who lived in devotion to Him.

They will live in these gardens eternally as a reward for the good actions that they would do in the world. Allah has a great reward for those who follow what He instructs and who stay away from what He has prohibited, who lived in devotion to Him.

O you who believe, do not hold your fathers and brothers as friends if they hold disbelief more dear than faith; and those of you who do so are iniquitous.

O People who Believe! Do not consider your fathers and your brothers as your friends if they prefer disbelief over faith; and whoever among you befriends them – then it is he who is the unjust.

O believers, take not your fathers and brothers to be your friends, if they prefer unbelief to belief; whosoever of you takes them for friends, those -- they are the evildoers.

O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not take your fathers and your brothers for allies if a denial of the truth is dearer to them than faith: for those of you who ally themselves with them-it is they, they who are evildoers!

O Ye who believe! take not your fathers and your brothers for friends if they love infidelity above faith. Whosoever of you then befriendeth them then those! they are the wrong-doers.

O you who believe! Take not for Auliya' (supporters and helpers) your fathers and your brothers if they prefer disbelief to Belief. And whoever of you does so, then he is one of the Zalimun (wrong-doers, etc.).

O you who believe! Do not ally yourselves with your parents and your siblings if they prefer disbelief to belief. Whoever of you allies himself with them—these are the wrongdoers.

Believers, do not take your fathers and your brothers for your allies if they choose unbelief in preference to belief. Whosoever of you takes them as allies those are wrong-doers.

O you who believe! Take not as supporters your fathers and your brothers if they prefer disbelief to belief. And whoever of you befriends them, then he is one of the wrongdoers.

O ye who believe! Choose not your fathers nor your brethren for friends if they take pleasure in disbelief rather than faith. Whoso of you taketh them for friends, such are wrong-doers.

O you who have faith! Do not befriend your fathers and brothers if they prefer faithlessness to faith. Those of you who befriend them—it is they who are the wrongdoers.

Believers, do not take your fathers or your brothers for a guide if they love disbelief rather than belief. Whosoever of you takes them for guides are the harmdoers.

O you who have believed, do not take your fathers or your brothers as allies if they have preferred disbelief over belief. And whoever does so among you - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.

Believers, do not accept your fathers and brothers as your guardians if they prefer disbelief to faith, lest you be unjust.

O you who believe! do not take your fathers and your brothers for guardians if they love unbelief more than belief; and whoever of you takes them for a guardian, these it is that are the unjust.

Y<u>a</u> ayyuh<u>a</u> alla<u>th</u>eena <u>a</u>manoo l<u>a</u> tattakhi<u>th</u>oo <u>a</u>b<u>a</u>akum waikhw<u>a</u>nakum awliy<u>a</u>a ini ista<u>h</u>abboo alkufra AAal<u>a</u> aleem<u>a</u>ni waman yatawallahum minkum faol<u>a</u>ika humu a<b>l</b><i><u>thth</u></i><u>a</u>limoon<b>a</b>

Believers, do not take your fathers and your brothers for allies if they choose denial of truth in preference to faith. Those among you who ally themselves with them are wrongdoers.

O ye who believe! take not for protectors your fathers and your brothers if they love infidelity above Faith: if any of you do so, they do wrong.

9

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوٓا۟ ءَابَآءَكُمْ وَإِخْوَٰنَكُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ إِنِ ٱسْتَحَبُّوا۟ ٱلْكُفْرَ عَلَى ٱلْإِيمَٰنِ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ

O you who have faith in Allah and follow His Messenger, do not take your fathers and brothers, relatives and other relations, as intimates and protectors, telling them the secrets of the believers and consulting them, if they prefer disbelief to faith in Allah alone. Whoever makes them protectors despite their disbelief, drawing close to them, disobeys Allah, wrongs themselves and brings destruction upon themselves because of their disobedience.

O you who have faith in Allah and follow His Messenger, do not take your fathers and brothers, relatives and other relations, as intimates and protectors, telling them the secrets of the believers and consulting them, if they prefer disbelief to faith in Allah alone. Whoever makes them protectors despite their disbelief, drawing close to them, disobeys Allah, wrongs themselves and brings destruction upon themselves because of their disobedience.

<p>These verses mention the merits of Hijrah and Jihad which require that one leaves his country, relatives, friends, companions, wealth and property, all in one stroke. As obvious, surrendering all these attachments is most difficult and painful. Therefore, in the next verse (23), the text disapproves of limitless attachment with these things and thereby prepares Muslim minds to welcome Hijrah and Jihad. It was said:</p><p>يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا آبَاءَكُمْ وَإِخْوَانَكُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ إِنِ اسْتَحَبُّوا الْكُفْرَ‌ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ ﴿23﴾.</p><p>0 those who believe, do not take your fathers and your brothers as friends, if they prefer infidelity over Faith. And whoever from you has friendship with them, then such people are the wrongdoers.</p><p>As for the need to maintain strong bonds of kinship with parents, brothers and sisters and other kinsfolk and to treat all of them generously, the Qur'an remains full of relevant instructions. But, this verse has made it very clear that each relationship has a limit. Every relationship out of these, whether that of parents and children or that of real brother and sister, has to be bypassed when it stands in competition with one's relationship with Allah and His Messenger. Should these two relationships come on a collision course on some occasion, then, the relationship that has to be kept intact is one's relationship with Allah and His Messenger. All relationships competing against it are to be ignored.</p><p>Some special notes and rulings</p><p>Some special notes and rulings emerging from verses 19 - 23 are being given below:</p><p>1. 'Iman (faith) is the moving spirit of ` Amal (deed). A deed devoid of it, no matter how good, is nothing but a lifeless form, and simply unacceptable. It has no worth in terms of the salvation in the Hereafter. Of course, there is no injustice with Allah Ta` ala. He would not let even good deeds of disbelievers that are devoid of the essential light of faith go waste in toto. Their return is given to them right here in this world of their experience. They are given possessions and wealth to procure articles and means of comfort and self-satisfaction as desired. Thus, their account stands all settled, something the Holy Qur'an takes up in several verses of the Holy Qur'an.</p><p>2. Sin and disobedience spoil human reason. One starts taking good as bad and bad as good. The statement: وَاللَّـهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ (And Allah does not lead the wrongdoing people to the right path -19) releases a hint in this direction. Similarly, it has been counterbalanced in an-other verse of the Qur'an by saying: إِن تَتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ يَجْعَل لَّكُمْ فُرْ‌قَانًا : "0 those who believe, if you fear Allah, He will provide you with a criterion (to distinguish between right and wrong) - 8:29." This gives a clear indication that the attitude of obeying Allah and fearing Him gives polish and luster to human reason, balance and poise to thinking and a never-failing ability to distinguish between good and bad.</p><p>3. Even good deeds have a mutual rivalry for precedence. Correspondingly, the same element of precedence operates in the ranks of those who do good deeds. All doers of deeds cannot be placed in the same rank since things depend, not on abundance, but on the quality of deeds. It was said in Surah al-Mulk: لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا (so that He might test you as to who among you is better in deed - 67:2).</p><p>4. For blessings to remain everlasting two things are necessary - that there is no end to them and that they are not separated from those who are blessed with them. Therefore, a guarantee was given to the favored servants of Allah on both counts. By saying: (Gardens having an everlasting bliss for them -21), it was declared that the blessings were eternal. Then, by saying: خالدین فیھآ ابداً (where they shall dwell forever -22), these successful people were assured that they shall never be separated from these blessings.</p><p>The real bond is the bond of Islam and’ man - all bonds of lineage and country must be sacrificed for it</p><p>5. The fifth point elaborated here is of basic importance. It settles that the, relation with Allah and His Messenger should be given precedence over all relations of kinship and friendship. The relation that clashes against it deserves to be broken. This was the way of the noble Companions. This was why they rose to be the superior most people of the Muslim Ummah. It was some trail they blazed by sacrificing all that was with them, their life, wealth, property, relatives and bonds of all sorts, only for the sake of Allah and His Messenger. That the bond of Islam was supreme and universal stood proved when Bill from Ethiopia, Suhayb from Byzantium, Salman from Persia, the Quraysh from Makkah and the Ansar from Madinah became brothers to each other. And that the bonds of lineage and tribe had to be cast aside was also demonstrated when, on the battlefields of Badr and 'Uhud, swords were crossed between father and son and between brother and brother. These are significant evidences of the creed they held dear.</p><p>اَللِّھُمَّ اَرزُقنَا اِتِّبِاعَھُم وَاجعَل حّبُّکَ اَحَبَّ الاَشیَآِء اِلَینَا وَ خَشیَتَکَ اَخوَفَ '</p><p>Ya Allah, bless us with the ability to follow them, and make Your love the dearest of everything in our sight and make Your fear the most fear-worthy of everything with us.</p>

These verses mention the merits of Hijrah and Jihad which require that one leaves his country, relatives, friends, companions, wealth and property, all in one stroke. As obvious, surrendering all these attachments is most difficult and painful. Therefore, in the next verse (23), the text disapproves of limitless attachment with these things and thereby prepares Muslim minds to welcome Hijrah and Jihad. It was said:يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا آبَاءَكُمْ وَإِخْوَانَكُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ إِنِ اسْتَحَبُّوا الْكُفْرَ‌ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ ﴿23﴾.0 those who believe, do not take your fathers and your brothers as friends, if they prefer infidelity over Faith. And whoever from you has friendship with them, then such people are the wrongdoers.As for the need to maintain strong bonds of kinship with parents, brothers and sisters and other kinsfolk and to treat all of them generously, the Qur'an remains full of relevant instructions. But, this verse has made it very clear that each relationship has a limit. Every relationship out of these, whether that of parents and children or that of real brother and sister, has to be bypassed when it stands in competition with one's relationship with Allah and His Messenger. Should these two relationships come on a collision course on some occasion, then, the relationship that has to be kept intact is one's relationship with Allah and His Messenger. All relationships competing against it are to be ignored.Some special notes and rulingsSome special notes and rulings emerging from verses 19 - 23 are being given below:1. 'Iman (faith) is the moving spirit of ` Amal (deed). A deed devoid of it, no matter how good, is nothing but a lifeless form, and simply unacceptable. It has no worth in terms of the salvation in the Hereafter. Of course, there is no injustice with Allah Ta` ala. He would not let even good deeds of disbelievers that are devoid of the essential light of faith go waste in toto. Their return is given to them right here in this world of their experience. They are given possessions and wealth to procure articles and means of comfort and self-satisfaction as desired. Thus, their account stands all settled, something the Holy Qur'an takes up in several verses of the Holy Qur'an.2. Sin and disobedience spoil human reason. One starts taking good as bad and bad as good. The statement: وَاللَّـهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ (And Allah does not lead the wrongdoing people to the right path -19) releases a hint in this direction. Similarly, it has been counterbalanced in an-other verse of the Qur'an by saying: إِن تَتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ يَجْعَل لَّكُمْ فُرْ‌قَانًا : "0 those who believe, if you fear Allah, He will provide you with a criterion (to distinguish between right and wrong) - 8:29." This gives a clear indication that the attitude of obeying Allah and fearing Him gives polish and luster to human reason, balance and poise to thinking and a never-failing ability to distinguish between good and bad.3. Even good deeds have a mutual rivalry for precedence. Correspondingly, the same element of precedence operates in the ranks of those who do good deeds. All doers of deeds cannot be placed in the same rank since things depend, not on abundance, but on the quality of deeds. It was said in Surah al-Mulk: لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا (so that He might test you as to who among you is better in deed - 67:2).4. For blessings to remain everlasting two things are necessary - that there is no end to them and that they are not separated from those who are blessed with them. Therefore, a guarantee was given to the favored servants of Allah on both counts. By saying: (Gardens having an everlasting bliss for them -21), it was declared that the blessings were eternal. Then, by saying: خالدین فیھآ ابداً (where they shall dwell forever -22), these successful people were assured that they shall never be separated from these blessings.The real bond is the bond of Islam and’ man - all bonds of lineage and country must be sacrificed for it5. The fifth point elaborated here is of basic importance. It settles that the, relation with Allah and His Messenger should be given precedence over all relations of kinship and friendship. The relation that clashes against it deserves to be broken. This was the way of the noble Companions. This was why they rose to be the superior most people of the Muslim Ummah. It was some trail they blazed by sacrificing all that was with them, their life, wealth, property, relatives and bonds of all sorts, only for the sake of Allah and His Messenger. That the bond of Islam was supreme and universal stood proved when Bill from Ethiopia, Suhayb from Byzantium, Salman from Persia, the Quraysh from Makkah and the Ansar from Madinah became brothers to each other. And that the bonds of lineage and tribe had to be cast aside was also demonstrated when, on the battlefields of Badr and 'Uhud, swords were crossed between father and son and between brother and brother. These are significant evidences of the creed they held dear.اَللِّھُمَّ اَرزُقنَا اِتِّبِاعَھُم وَاجعَل حّبُّکَ اَحَبَّ الاَشیَآِء اِلَینَا وَ خَشیَتَکَ اَخوَفَ 'Ya Allah, bless us with the ability to follow them, and make Your love the dearest of everything in our sight and make Your fear the most fear-worthy of everything with us.

<h2 class="title">The Prohibition of taking the Idolators as Supporters, even with Relatives</h2><p>Allah commands shunning the disbelievers, even if they are one's parents or children, and prohibits taking them as supporters if they choose disbelief instead of faith. Allah warns, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لاَّ تَجِدُ قَوْماً يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ يُوَآدُّونَ مَنْ حَآدَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُواْ ءَابَآءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَنَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ أُوْلَـئِكَ كَتَبَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ الإِيمَـنَ وَأَيَّدَهُمْ بِرُوحٍ مِّنْهُ وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ</div><p>(You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred (people). For such He has written (predetermined) faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a Ruh (proof, light and true guidance) from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens (Paradise) under which rivers flow.) 58:22 Al-Hafiz Al-Bayhaqi recorded that `Abdullah bin Shawdhab said, "The father of Abu `Ubaydah bin Al-Jarrah was repeatedly praising the idols to his son on the day of Badr, and Abu `Ubaydah kept avoiding him. When Al-Jarrah persisted, his son Abu `Ubaydah headed towards him and killed him. Allah revealed this Ayah in his case, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لاَّ تَجِدُ قَوْماً يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ يُوَآدُّونَ مَنْ حَآدَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ</div><p>(You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger.")58:22 Allah commanded His Messenger to warn those who prefer their family, relatives or tribe to Allah, His Messenger and Jihad in His cause, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ إِن كَانَ ءَابَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَآؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَنُكُمْ وَأَزْوَجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَلٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا</div><p>(Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained), amassed and collected, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَتِجَـرَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَـكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَآ</div><p>(the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight), and prefer and love because they are comfortable and good. If all these things, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُمْ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُواْ</div><p>(are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His cause, then wait...) for what will befall you of Allah's punishment and torment, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">حَتَّى يَأْتِىَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الْفَـسِقِينَ</div><p>(until Allah brings about His decision. And Allah guides not the people who are rebellious.) Imam Ahmad recorded that Zuhrah bin Ma`bad said that his grandfather said, "We were with the Messenger of Allah , while he was holding the hand of `Umar bin Al-Khattab. `Umar said, `By Allah! You, O Messenger of Allah, are dearer to me than everything, except for myself.' The Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«لَا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى أَكُونَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ نَفْسِه»</div><p>(None among you will attain faith until I become dearer to him than even himself.) `Umar said, `Verily, now, you are dearer to me than myself, by Allah!' The Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«الْآنَ يَا عُمَر»</div><p>(Now, O `Umar!)" Al-Bukhari also collected this Hadith. Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawud (this is the version of Abu Dawud) recorded that Ibn `Umar said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah saying, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِذَا تَبَايَعْتُمْ بِالْعِينَةِ وَأَخَذْتُمْ بِأَذْنَابِ الْبَقَرِ وَرَضِيتُمْ بِالزَّرْعِ، وَتَرَكْتُمُ الْجِهَادَ سَلَّطَ اللهُ عَلَيْكُمْ ذُلًّا لَا يَنْزِعُهُ حَتَّى تَرْجِعُوا إِلَى دِينِكُم»</div><p>(If you transact in `Iynah (a type of Riba), follow the tails of cows (tilling the land), become content with agriculture and abandoned Jihad, Allah will send on you disgrace that He will not remove until, you return to your religion.)" </p>

The Prohibition of taking the Idolators as Supporters, even with RelativesAllah commands shunning the disbelievers, even if they are one's parents or children, and prohibits taking them as supporters if they choose disbelief instead of faith. Allah warns, لاَّ تَجِدُ قَوْماً يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ يُوَآدُّونَ مَنْ حَآدَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُواْ ءَابَآءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَنَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ أُوْلَـئِكَ كَتَبَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ الإِيمَـنَ وَأَيَّدَهُمْ بِرُوحٍ مِّنْهُ وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ(You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred (people). For such He has written (predetermined) faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a Ruh (proof, light and true guidance) from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens (Paradise) under which rivers flow.) 58:22 Al-Hafiz Al-Bayhaqi recorded that `Abdullah bin Shawdhab said, "The father of Abu `Ubaydah bin Al-Jarrah was repeatedly praising the idols to his son on the day of Badr, and Abu `Ubaydah kept avoiding him. When Al-Jarrah persisted, his son Abu `Ubaydah headed towards him and killed him. Allah revealed this Ayah in his case, لاَّ تَجِدُ قَوْماً يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ يُوَآدُّونَ مَنْ حَآدَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ(You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger.")58:22 Allah commanded His Messenger to warn those who prefer their family, relatives or tribe to Allah, His Messenger and Jihad in His cause, قُلْ إِن كَانَ ءَابَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَآؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَنُكُمْ وَأَزْوَجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَلٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا(Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained), amassed and collected, وَتِجَـرَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَـكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَآ(the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight), and prefer and love because they are comfortable and good. If all these things, أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُمْ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُواْ(are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His cause, then wait...) for what will befall you of Allah's punishment and torment, حَتَّى يَأْتِىَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الْفَـسِقِينَ(until Allah brings about His decision. And Allah guides not the people who are rebellious.) Imam Ahmad recorded that Zuhrah bin Ma`bad said that his grandfather said, "We were with the Messenger of Allah , while he was holding the hand of `Umar bin Al-Khattab. `Umar said, `By Allah! You, O Messenger of Allah, are dearer to me than everything, except for myself.' The Messenger of Allah said, «لَا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى أَكُونَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ نَفْسِه»(None among you will attain faith until I become dearer to him than even himself.) `Umar said, `Verily, now, you are dearer to me than myself, by Allah!' The Messenger of Allah said, «الْآنَ يَا عُمَر»(Now, O `Umar!)" Al-Bukhari also collected this Hadith. Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawud (this is the version of Abu Dawud) recorded that Ibn `Umar said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah saying, إِذَا تَبَايَعْتُمْ بِالْعِينَةِ وَأَخَذْتُمْ بِأَذْنَابِ الْبَقَرِ وَرَضِيتُمْ بِالزَّرْعِ، وَتَرَكْتُمُ الْجِهَادَ سَلَّطَ اللهُ عَلَيْكُمْ ذُلًّا لَا يَنْزِعُهُ حَتَّى تَرْجِعُوا إِلَى دِينِكُم»(If you transact in `Iynah (a type of Riba), follow the tails of cows (tilling the land), become content with agriculture and abandoned Jihad, Allah will send on you disgrace that He will not remove until, you return to your religion.)"

You tell them: "If your fathers and sons, your brothers and wives and families and wealth, or the business you fear may fail, and the mansions that you love, are dearer to you than God, His Apostle, and struggling in His cause, then wait until God's command arrives, for God does not show transgressors the way."

Say, “If your fathers, and your sons, and your brothers, and your wives, and your tribe, and your acquired wealth, and the trade in which you fear a loss, and the houses of your liking – if all these are dearer to you than Allah and His Noble Messenger and fighting in His way, then wait until Allah brings about His command; and Allah does not guide the sinful.”

Say: 'If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your clan, your possessions that you have gained, commerce you fear may slacken, dwellings you love -- if these are dearer to you than God and His Messenger, and to struggle in His way, then wait till God brings His command; God guides not the people of the ungodly.'

Say: "If your fathers and your sons and your brothers and your spouses and your clan, and the worldly goods which you have acquired, and the commerce whereof you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you take pleasure - [if all these] are dearer to you than God and His Apostle and the struggle in His cause, then wait until God makes manifest His will; and [know that] God does not grace iniquitous folk with His guidance."

Say thou: if you fathers and your sons and your brothers and your wives and your family and the riches ye have acquired and the traffic wherein ye fear a slackening and the dwellings which please you are dearer unto you than Allah and His apostle and striving in His cause, then wait until Allah bringeth about His decree, and Allah guideth not the ungodly people.

Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight … are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His Cause, then wait until Allah brings about His Decision (torment). And Allah guides not the people who are Al-Fasiqun (the rebellious, disobedient to Allah).

Say, “If your parents, and your children, and your siblings, and your spouses, and your relatives, and the wealth you have acquired, and a business you worry about, and homes you love, are more dear to you than God, and His Messenger, and the struggle in His cause, then wait until God executes His judgment.” God does not guide the sinful people.

Tell them, (O Prophet): "If your fathers and your sons and your brothers and your wives and your tribe and the riches you have acquired and the commerce of which you fear a slackening, and the dwellings that you love, if they are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His decree. Allah does not guide the evil-doing folk."

Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your spouses, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His decision (torment). And Allah guides not the people who are rebellious.

Say: If your fathers, and your sons, and your brethren, and your wives, and your tribe, and the wealth ye have acquired, and merchandise for which ye fear that there will no sale, and dwellings ye desire are dearer to you than Allah and His messenger and striving in His way: then wait till Allah bringeth His command to pass. Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.

Say, ‘If your fathers and your sons, your brethren, your spouses, and your kinsfolk, the possessions that you have acquired, the business you fear may suffer, and the dwellings you are fond of, are dearer to you than Allah and His Apostle and to waging jihad in His way, then wait until Allah issues His edict, and Allah does not guide the transgressing lot.

Say: 'If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your tribes, the property you have acquired, the merchandise you fear will not be sold, and the homes you love, are dearer to you than Allah, His Messenger and the struggling for His Way, then wait until Allah shall bring His command. Allah does not guide the evildoers'

Say, [O Muhammad], "If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and jihad in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people."

(Muhammad), tell them, "If your fathers, children, brothers, spouses, relatives, the property that you possess, the trade you fear may have no profit and the homely life are more beloved to you than God, His Messenger and fighting for His cause, wait until God fulfills His decree (of making the right distinct from the wrong). God does not guide the evil-doers."

Say: If your fathers and your sons and your brethren and your mates and your kinsfolk and property which you have acquired, and the slackness of trade which you fear and dwellings which you like, are dearer to you than Allah and His Apostle and striving in His way, then wait till Allah brings about His command: and Allah does not guide the transgressing people.

Qul in k<u>a</u>na <u>a</u>b<u>a</u>okum waabn<u>a</u>okum waikhw<u>a</u>nukum waazw<u>a</u>jukum waAAasheeratukum waamw<u>a</u>lun iqtaraftumooh<u>a</u> watij<u>a</u>ratun takhshawna kas<u>a</u>dah<u>a</u> wamas<u>a</u>kinu tar<u>d</u>awnah<u>a</u> a<u>h</u>abba ilaykum mina All<u>a</u>hi warasoolihi wajih<u>a</u>din fee sabeelihi fatarabba<u>s</u>oo <u>h</u>att<u>a</u> yatiya All<u>a</u>hu biamrihi wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu l<u>a</u> yahdee alqawma alf<u>a</u>siqeen<b>a</b>

Say, "If your fathers and your sons and your brothers and your spouses and your tribe, and the worldly goods which you have acquired, and the commerce which you fear will decline, and the homes you love are dearer to you than God and His Messenger and the struggle for His cause, then wait until God fulfills His decree. God does not guide the disobedient people."

Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your kindred; the wealth that ye have gained; the commerce in which ye fear a decline: or the dwellings in which ye delight - are dearer to you than Allah, or His Messenger, or the striving in His cause;- then wait until Allah brings about His decision: and Allah guides not the rebellious.

9

قُلْ إِن كَانَ ءَابَآؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَآؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْ وَأَزْوَٰجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَٰلٌ ٱقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَٰرَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَٰكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَآ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَجِهَادٍ فِى سَبِيلِهِۦ فَتَرَبَّصُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِىَ ٱللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِۦ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْفَٰسِقِينَ

Say O Messenger to the believers, if their fathers, sons, brothers, wives and relatives, the wealth which they have gained, the trade which they want to grow and fear its reduction, and the houses which they like to live in are more beloved to them than Allah and His Messenger and striving for His sake, then they should wait for the punishment that Allah will send down upon them. Allah does not make it easy for those who disobey Him to do actions which please Him.

Say O Messenger to the believers, if their fathers, sons, brothers, wives and relatives, the wealth which they have gained, the trade which they want to grow and fear its reduction, and the houses which they like to live in are more beloved to them than Allah and His Messenger and striving for His sake, then they should wait for the punishment that Allah will send down upon them. Allah does not make it easy for those who disobey Him to do actions which please Him.

<p>Commentary</p><p>This verse of Surah At-Taubah was revealed essentially about people who did not migrate from Makkah at the time migration was made obligatory for them. Their love for family and property had stopped them from carrying out their obligation to migrate. In their case, Allah Almighty asked the Holy Prophet ﷺ to tell them what appears in the verse cited above.</p><p>As for the statement: "Wait until Allah comes with His command," Tafsir authority Mujahid has said that 'command' referred to here, means the command to carry out Jihad and conquer Makkah. The sense of the statement is that the time is near when the evil end of those who sacrifice their relationship with Allah and His Messenger for the sake of worldly bonds shall become visible to all. That is the time when Makkah shall stand conquered, those who chose to discard their appointed duty shall face disgrace and their bonds with people and things they fancied shall be of no avail to them.</p><p>Then, there is the interpretation of the famous Hasan al-Basri (رح) who has said that ` command' at this place means the command of punishment. The sense is that those who sacrificed their spiritual bonds as related to the Hereafter just for the sake of their attachment to what was blandly material and did not migrate as instructed were people who would be seized by the Divine command of punishment fairly soon. Either this punishment would come upon them right here in this mortal world, or they shall have to face the punishment of the Hereafter - which is certain. The purpose at this place is to serve a note of warning against the abandonment of the obligation of migration - but, what has been mentioned here is ` Jihad' and not Hijrah (migration), which is the next step after Hijrah. The hint embedded here is that the real thing has not happened yet. What has come up right now is no more than the initial command to migrate. There are people who did not have the courage to do even that. Ahead of them is the forthcoming command of Jihad following which they would have to surrender all worldly attachments for the sake of love for Allah and His Messenger, even stake their lives for that noble cause. And it is also possible that this may be a place where migration itself has been made to stand for Jihad - because, in reality, that too is nothing but a department of Jihad.</p><p>Finally, by saying: وَاللَّـهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ (And Allah does not lead the sinning people to the right path) at the end of the verse, it was made amply clear that those who, despite the standing command of migration, opted for their temporal relationships and kept clinging to their family, relatives, wealth and property, shall soon find out that this conduct of theirs was not going to serve their purpose even in this mortal world. If they were thinking that they would keep basking in the sunshine of family, wealth and property in everlasting peace and tranquility, then, they would never realize this dream. Once the command of Jihad comes, these very attractions will turn into burdens too cumbersome to go along with - because, Allah Ta` ala does not allow the sinning and the disobedient to achieve their desired objective.</p><p>Standing Rules of Hijrah (migration)</p><p>1. First of all, when Hijrah from Makkah to Madinah was made obligatory, it was not simply a matter of obligation, in fact, it was also a hallmark and a symbol of being a Muslim. Anyone who did not migrate at that time, despite having the ability to do so, was not taken to be a Muslim. This injunction was abrogated after the Conquest of Makkah.</p><p>2. After that, the basic injunction which remained operative was: Should there be a land where it is not possible for one to comply with his or her religious obligations, such as praying and fasting in accordance with the injunctions of Allah, migrating from there shall remain a matter of duty (fard) for ever - on condition that one is capable of un-dertaking such migration. This is the first degree of compliance.</p><p>3. Compliance in the second degree is that one should leave every such place where sin and disobedience have a dominant role in life. This act remains recommended (mustahabb) forever. (see details in Fath al-Bari)</p><p>It will be noticed that the address in the verse under study is direct. Those being addressed are people who did not migrate when they were asked to do so because they cared more about their worldly bonds. But, the generality of the words of the verse is telling all Muslims that their love for Allah and His Messenger is obligatory on them in a special degree. That degree is the highest, the foremost. This degree requires that no other bond or love for anything or anyone should ever prevail over it. So, whoever fails to come up with this level of love becomes deserving of punishment from Allah. Let him, then, wait for it.</p><p>The Touchstone of True Faith ('Iman)</p><p>Therefore, it has been reported in an authentic Hadith narrated by Sayyidna Anas ibn Malik ؓ which appears in the two collections of al-Bukhari and Muslim that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: No one can be a true believer until I become to him dearer than his father, children and everyone else in this world.</p><p>According to a Hadith from Sayyidna Abu Umamah ؓ appearing in Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said: Anyone who takes a friend or makes an enemy for the sake of Allah or spends his wealth or withholds it for the sake of Allah has made his faith perfect.</p><p>These narrations from Hadith prove that perfection of faith depends on the dominance of the love for the Holy Prophet ﷺ over all other kinds of love, friendship and enmity, concession and reservation - all of which must remain subservient to the will and command of Allah and His Messenger.</p><p>Tafsir authority, Qadi al-Baidawi and other commentators have said that there are very few people who could be considered exempt from the warning given in this verse. The reason is that even the greatest among those who practice and teach religious percepts and virtues seem to be subdued by their love for family and belongings - of course, with the exception of those Allah wills to be otherwise. However, Qadi al-Baidawi explains further by saying that ` love' here means love that is within one's control. It has nothing to do with love which one does not control, that which is natural - because Allah Ta` a1a does not obligate anyone beyond one's capacity and control. Therefore, a person may have his heart full of natural love for worldly bonds but he should not let it overpower him to the limit that he starts acting against the will and command of Allah and His Messenger If so, this warning will not apply to him and he will be taken as one who keeps his love for Allah and His Messenger above everything. This is very much like the case of a patient who gets nervous about an unpleasant medicine or unexpected surgery. This is natural. But, he does agree to it rationally since it is for his own good. If so, it is not blameworthy. Then, commonsense never forces him to get rid of his natural nervousness and dislike. Similarly, if someone feels naturally uncomfortable while complying with some Divine injunctions due to his love for wealth and children, yet bears by the discomfort and carries those in-junctions out, then, that is not blameworthy either. In fact, it is praise-worthy for he would be regarded as one who keeps his love for Allah and His Messenger on top of everything in the light of this verse.</p><p>Nevertheless, as for the high station of love is concerned, there is no doubt about the ideal that love must come to prevail over one's nature as well and go on to turn every discomfort welcome while complying with what your beloved would like you to do. This is not so difficult to comprehend. Think of the seekers of material comfort in this world. Day in and day out, they would embrace the hardest conceivable labor with a smile to get what they want. For a salary check at the end of the month, one would sacrifice sleep, comfort and social relationships. Honestly or dishonestly, such a seeker would let his desire dominate everything else to achieve his goal.</p><p>Moving away from the seekers of the material, let us consider the charisma of the People of Allah. When they seek Allah and His Messenger and the blessings of the-life-to-come, they too reach a station of love which pales out any thoughts of pain and discomfort. According to a Hadith in al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: There are three traits which, if found in a person, would bless him or her with the sweetness of faith. Those three traits are: (1) That Allah and His Messenger are, in his sight, dearer than anything other than them, (2) that one loves a servant of Allah for His sake only, (3) and that the very thought of Kufr and Shirk gives one the feeling of being thrown away into the fire.</p><p>The ` sweetness of faith' mentioned in the Hadith quoted above means this very station of love that makes the hardest possible labor most welcome for the true seeker. Love has its own chemistry of turning the sour into the sweet. Some Muslim scholars have pointed out that a heart when enriched with the sweetness of faith starts passing it on to other parts of the body which begin to relish it during acts of worship and obedience. In some reports, the same thing has been equated with the ecstasy of faith - and in Hadith, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: The delight of my eyes is in Salah.</p><p>Qadi Thana'ullah of Panipat has said in Tafsir Mazhari: This station of love for Allah and His Messenger is a great blessing - but, it can be acquired only when one stays close to the People of Allah. It is for this reason that Muslim mystics consider it necessary that it be sought with Shaykhs. The author of Ruh al-Bayan has said that this station of friendship can be acquired by the one who is ready to sacrifice, like Sayyidna Ibrahim Khalilullah, (علیہ السلام) everything for the love of Allah - wealth, children, life, everything.</p><p>Finally, says commentator al-Baidawi: The preservation and protection of the Sunnah and Shari’ ah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the rebuttal of and the defense against those who oppose or malign them is also an open sign of love for Allah and His Messenger.</p><p>رَزَقنَا اللہ تعالیٰ و جمیع المسلمین حُبِّہِ و حُبّ رَسُولِہِ کمَا یُحِب و یَرضَاہ</p><p>May Allah bless us and bless all Muslims with love for Him and the love for His Messenger.</p>

CommentaryThis verse of Surah At-Taubah was revealed essentially about people who did not migrate from Makkah at the time migration was made obligatory for them. Their love for family and property had stopped them from carrying out their obligation to migrate. In their case, Allah Almighty asked the Holy Prophet ﷺ to tell them what appears in the verse cited above.As for the statement: "Wait until Allah comes with His command," Tafsir authority Mujahid has said that 'command' referred to here, means the command to carry out Jihad and conquer Makkah. The sense of the statement is that the time is near when the evil end of those who sacrifice their relationship with Allah and His Messenger for the sake of worldly bonds shall become visible to all. That is the time when Makkah shall stand conquered, those who chose to discard their appointed duty shall face disgrace and their bonds with people and things they fancied shall be of no avail to them.Then, there is the interpretation of the famous Hasan al-Basri (رح) who has said that ` command' at this place means the command of punishment. The sense is that those who sacrificed their spiritual bonds as related to the Hereafter just for the sake of their attachment to what was blandly material and did not migrate as instructed were people who would be seized by the Divine command of punishment fairly soon. Either this punishment would come upon them right here in this mortal world, or they shall have to face the punishment of the Hereafter - which is certain. The purpose at this place is to serve a note of warning against the abandonment of the obligation of migration - but, what has been mentioned here is ` Jihad' and not Hijrah (migration), which is the next step after Hijrah. The hint embedded here is that the real thing has not happened yet. What has come up right now is no more than the initial command to migrate. There are people who did not have the courage to do even that. Ahead of them is the forthcoming command of Jihad following which they would have to surrender all worldly attachments for the sake of love for Allah and His Messenger, even stake their lives for that noble cause. And it is also possible that this may be a place where migration itself has been made to stand for Jihad - because, in reality, that too is nothing but a department of Jihad.Finally, by saying: وَاللَّـهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ (And Allah does not lead the sinning people to the right path) at the end of the verse, it was made amply clear that those who, despite the standing command of migration, opted for their temporal relationships and kept clinging to their family, relatives, wealth and property, shall soon find out that this conduct of theirs was not going to serve their purpose even in this mortal world. If they were thinking that they would keep basking in the sunshine of family, wealth and property in everlasting peace and tranquility, then, they would never realize this dream. Once the command of Jihad comes, these very attractions will turn into burdens too cumbersome to go along with - because, Allah Ta` ala does not allow the sinning and the disobedient to achieve their desired objective.Standing Rules of Hijrah (migration)1. First of all, when Hijrah from Makkah to Madinah was made obligatory, it was not simply a matter of obligation, in fact, it was also a hallmark and a symbol of being a Muslim. Anyone who did not migrate at that time, despite having the ability to do so, was not taken to be a Muslim. This injunction was abrogated after the Conquest of Makkah.2. After that, the basic injunction which remained operative was: Should there be a land where it is not possible for one to comply with his or her religious obligations, such as praying and fasting in accordance with the injunctions of Allah, migrating from there shall remain a matter of duty (fard) for ever - on condition that one is capable of un-dertaking such migration. This is the first degree of compliance.3. Compliance in the second degree is that one should leave every such place where sin and disobedience have a dominant role in life. This act remains recommended (mustahabb) forever. (see details in Fath al-Bari)It will be noticed that the address in the verse under study is direct. Those being addressed are people who did not migrate when they were asked to do so because they cared more about their worldly bonds. But, the generality of the words of the verse is telling all Muslims that their love for Allah and His Messenger is obligatory on them in a special degree. That degree is the highest, the foremost. This degree requires that no other bond or love for anything or anyone should ever prevail over it. So, whoever fails to come up with this level of love becomes deserving of punishment from Allah. Let him, then, wait for it.The Touchstone of True Faith ('Iman)Therefore, it has been reported in an authentic Hadith narrated by Sayyidna Anas ibn Malik ؓ which appears in the two collections of al-Bukhari and Muslim that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: No one can be a true believer until I become to him dearer than his father, children and everyone else in this world.According to a Hadith from Sayyidna Abu Umamah ؓ appearing in Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said: Anyone who takes a friend or makes an enemy for the sake of Allah or spends his wealth or withholds it for the sake of Allah has made his faith perfect.These narrations from Hadith prove that perfection of faith depends on the dominance of the love for the Holy Prophet ﷺ over all other kinds of love, friendship and enmity, concession and reservation - all of which must remain subservient to the will and command of Allah and His Messenger.Tafsir authority, Qadi al-Baidawi and other commentators have said that there are very few people who could be considered exempt from the warning given in this verse. The reason is that even the greatest among those who practice and teach religious percepts and virtues seem to be subdued by their love for family and belongings - of course, with the exception of those Allah wills to be otherwise. However, Qadi al-Baidawi explains further by saying that ` love' here means love that is within one's control. It has nothing to do with love which one does not control, that which is natural - because Allah Ta` a1a does not obligate anyone beyond one's capacity and control. Therefore, a person may have his heart full of natural love for worldly bonds but he should not let it overpower him to the limit that he starts acting against the will and command of Allah and His Messenger If so, this warning will not apply to him and he will be taken as one who keeps his love for Allah and His Messenger above everything. This is very much like the case of a patient who gets nervous about an unpleasant medicine or unexpected surgery. This is natural. But, he does agree to it rationally since it is for his own good. If so, it is not blameworthy. Then, commonsense never forces him to get rid of his natural nervousness and dislike. Similarly, if someone feels naturally uncomfortable while complying with some Divine injunctions due to his love for wealth and children, yet bears by the discomfort and carries those in-junctions out, then, that is not blameworthy either. In fact, it is praise-worthy for he would be regarded as one who keeps his love for Allah and His Messenger on top of everything in the light of this verse.Nevertheless, as for the high station of love is concerned, there is no doubt about the ideal that love must come to prevail over one's nature as well and go on to turn every discomfort welcome while complying with what your beloved would like you to do. This is not so difficult to comprehend. Think of the seekers of material comfort in this world. Day in and day out, they would embrace the hardest conceivable labor with a smile to get what they want. For a salary check at the end of the month, one would sacrifice sleep, comfort and social relationships. Honestly or dishonestly, such a seeker would let his desire dominate everything else to achieve his goal.Moving away from the seekers of the material, let us consider the charisma of the People of Allah. When they seek Allah and His Messenger and the blessings of the-life-to-come, they too reach a station of love which pales out any thoughts of pain and discomfort. According to a Hadith in al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: There are three traits which, if found in a person, would bless him or her with the sweetness of faith. Those three traits are: (1) That Allah and His Messenger are, in his sight, dearer than anything other than them, (2) that one loves a servant of Allah for His sake only, (3) and that the very thought of Kufr and Shirk gives one the feeling of being thrown away into the fire.The ` sweetness of faith' mentioned in the Hadith quoted above means this very station of love that makes the hardest possible labor most welcome for the true seeker. Love has its own chemistry of turning the sour into the sweet. Some Muslim scholars have pointed out that a heart when enriched with the sweetness of faith starts passing it on to other parts of the body which begin to relish it during acts of worship and obedience. In some reports, the same thing has been equated with the ecstasy of faith - and in Hadith, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: The delight of my eyes is in Salah.Qadi Thana'ullah of Panipat has said in Tafsir Mazhari: This station of love for Allah and His Messenger is a great blessing - but, it can be acquired only when one stays close to the People of Allah. It is for this reason that Muslim mystics consider it necessary that it be sought with Shaykhs. The author of Ruh al-Bayan has said that this station of friendship can be acquired by the one who is ready to sacrifice, like Sayyidna Ibrahim Khalilullah, (علیہ السلام) everything for the love of Allah - wealth, children, life, everything.Finally, says commentator al-Baidawi: The preservation and protection of the Sunnah and Shari’ ah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the rebuttal of and the defense against those who oppose or malign them is also an open sign of love for Allah and His Messenger.رَزَقنَا اللہ تعالیٰ و جمیع المسلمین حُبِّہِ و حُبّ رَسُولِہِ کمَا یُحِب و یَرضَاہMay Allah bless us and bless all Muslims with love for Him and the love for His Messenger.

Indeed God has helped you on many occasions, even during the battle of Hunain, when you were elated with joy at your numbers which did not prove of the least avail, so that the earth and its vast expanse became too narrow for you, and you turned back and retreated.

Indeed Allah helped you on many occasions – and on the day of Huneyn – when you prided in your multitude, so it did not benefit you at all, and the earth despite being vast became restricted for you – then you turned back and returned.

God has already helped you on many fields, and on the day of Hunain, when your multitude was pleasing to you, but it availed you naught, and the land for all its breadth was strait for you, and you turned about, retreating.

Indeed, God has succoured you on many battlefields, [when you were few;] and [He did so, too,] on the Day of Hunayn, when you took pride in your great numbers and they proved of no avail whatever to you -for the earth, despite all its vastness, became [too] narrow for you and you turned back, retreating:

Assuredly Allah hath succoured you on many fields and on the day of Hunain, When your number elated you; then it availed you naught, and the earth, wide as it is, straitened unto you; then ye turned away in retreat.

Truly Allah has given you victory on many battle fields, and on the Day of Hunain (battle) when you rejoiced at your great number but it availed you naught and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you, then you turned back in flight.

God has given you victory in numerous regions; but on the day of Hunayn, your great number impressed you, but it availed you nothing; and the land, as spacious as it was, narrowed for you; and you turned your backs in retreat.

Surely Allah has succoured you before on many a battlefield, and (you have yourselves witnessed His succour to you) on the day of Hunayn when your numbers made you proud, but they did you no good, and the earth, for all its vastness, constrained you, and you turned your backs in retreat.

Truly, Allah has given you victory on many battlefields, and on the day of Hunayn (battle) when you rejoiced at your great number, but it availed you naught and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you, then you turned back in flight.

Allah hath given you victory on many fields and on the day of Huneyn, when ye exulted in your multitude but it availed you naught, and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you; then ye turned back in flight;

Allah has certainly helped you in many situations, and on the day of Hunayn, when your great number impressed you, but it did not avail you in any way, and the earth became narrow for you in spite of its expanse, whereupon you turned your backs [to flee].

Allah has helped you on many a battlefield. In the Battle of Hunain, when your numbers were pleasing you they availed you nothing; the earth, for all its vastness, seemed to close in upon you and you turned your backs and fled.

Allah has already given you victory in many regions and [even] on the day of Hunayn, when your great number pleased you, but it did not avail you at all, and the earth was confining for you with its vastness; then you turned back, fleeing.

God has helped you on many occasions including the day of Hunayn (name of a place near Mecca). When you were happy with the number of your men who proved to be of no help to you and the whole vast earth seemed to have no place to hide you (from your enemies) and you turned back in retreat.

Certainly Allah helped you in many battlefields and on the day of Hunain, when your great numbers made you vain, but they availed you nothing and the earth became strait to you notwithstanding its spaciousness, then you turned back retreating.

Laqad na<u>s</u>arakumu All<u>a</u>hu fee maw<u>at</u>ina katheeratin wayawma <u>h</u>unaynin i<u>th</u> aAAjabatkum kathratukum falam tughni AAankum shayan wa<u>da</u>qat AAalaykumu alar<u>d</u>u bim<u>a</u> ra<u>h</u>ubat thumma wallaytum mudbireen<b>a</b>

Indeed, God has helped you on many occasions. On the day of Hunayn, when you took pride in your great numbers, they proved of no avail to you -- for the earth, despite all its vastness, became [too] narrow for you and you turned back, in retreat.

Assuredly Allah did help you in many battle-fields and on the day of Hunain: Behold! your great numbers elated you, but they availed you naught: the land, for all that it is wide, did constrain you, and ye turned back in retreat.

9

لَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِى مَوَاطِنَ كَثِيرَةٍ وَيَوْمَ حُنَيْنٍ إِذْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ كَثْرَتُكُمْ فَلَمْ تُغْنِ عَنكُمْ شَيْـًٔا وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ ثُمَّ وَلَّيْتُم مُّدْبِرِينَ

Allah helped the believers against their enemies, the idolaters, in many battles, despite their small numbers and shortage of weapons, when they trusted in Allah and took appropriate measures. The believers should not be simply pleased by being a great number, because this is not the reason for them beating their enemy. On the day of Ḥunayn, when they were pleased by their great numbers, they said that they would not be defeated on that day because of small numbers; but their great numbers which pleased them did them no good, with their enemies overcoming them, and the earth becoming narrow for them despite its vastness. Then they turned from their enemies, fleeing in defeat.

Allah helped the believers against their enemies, the idolaters, in many battles, despite their small numbers and shortage of weapons, when they trusted in Allah and took appropriate measures. The believers should not be simply pleased by being a great number, because this is not the reason for them beating their enemy. On the day of Ḥunayn, when they were pleased by their great numbers, they said that they would not be defeated on that day because of small numbers; but their great numbers which pleased them did them no good, with their enemies overcoming them, and the earth becoming narrow for them despite its vastness. Then they turned from their enemies, fleeing in defeat.

<p>Commentary:</p><p>Described in the verses cited about are events relating to the scenario of defeat and victory at the battle of Hunain. Along with it, several primary and subsidiary problems have also been resolved as a corollary. As the verse opens, Allah Ta` ala mentions His favour and grace which has descended upon Muslims on all occasions and under all conditions. It was said: لَقَدْ نَصَرَ‌كُمُ اللَّـهُ فِي مَوَاطِنَ كَثِيرَ‌ةٍ (Allah has surely blessed you with His help on many battlefields). Particularly cited soon after this opener was: وَيَوْمَ حُنَيْن (and on the day of Hunain) that is, Muslims were blessed with the help of Allah on the day of the battle of Hunain as well.</p><p>The battle of Hunain was specially mentioned because many events and circumstances unfolded unexpectedly and extraordinarily during the course of this encounter. If you were to think about these happenings, you would realize that they make one stronger in faith and bolder in deed. Therefore, before we take up a literal explanation of the verses under study, it is appropriate to describe the major events of this battle. They appear in authentic books of Hadith and history. We are describing them in a somewhat detailed manner so that it becomes easier to understand not only the verses mentioned above but also the lessons that these events teach. The major portion of these events has been taken from Tafsir Mazhari. Necessary references to books of Hadith and history may be seen there.</p><p>Hunain is the name of a place between Makkah al-Mukarramah and Ta'if. It is located at a distance of about ten miles from Makkah. When Makkah was conquered in Ramadan of Hijrah 8, the Quraysh of Makkah laid down their arms before the Holy Prophet ﷺ . This alarmed the tribe of Banu Thaqif from Ta'if who were a branch of the tribe of Hawazin known all over Arabia as big, brave, rich and warring. They got together and considered the challenge posed by the newly gained strength of Muslims after their conquest of Makkah. Once the Muslims settled down, they concluded, they would turn to them. Therefore, they decided, the wisest course for them was to launch a pre-emptive attack on Muslims much before they came upon them. To carry out this plan, the tribe of Hawazin brought all its branches spread out from Makkah to Ta'if together. Included there were all big and small units of this tribe - except a few individuals who were less than a hundred in number.</p><p>The leader of this movement was Malik ibn ` Awf who became a Muslim later on and rose to be a major standard-bearer of Islam. However, at that particular time, his zeal to attack Muslims was the highest. Going along with him, the overwhelming majority of the tribe started preparing for war. Two small branches of this tribe, Banu Ka'b and Banu Kilab, did not approve of this action plan. Allah Ta` ala had blessed them with some foresight. They said: Even if the forces of the whole world from the East to the West came together against Muhammad ﷺ ، he would still overcome all of them. We cannot fight the power of God (with him). As for the rest of them, they all gave their pledges to fight. Malik ibn ` Awf devised a plan to ensure that all of them abided by their commitment to the war. He proposed that all participants should take their families and valuables with them. The catch was that, in case they thought of bolting away from the battlefield, the love of wife, children and things of value with them would hold them back like shackles on their feet and they would be left with no freedom to desert the battlefield. As for their numbers, historians differ. According to the master of Hadith, ` Allamah ibn Hajar and some others, the weightier opinion is that they were twenty four or twenty eight thousand in number. Some others have given a number of four thousand. It is possible that, with the inclusion of women and children, the total number could be twenty four or twenty eight thousand while the actual number of fighting men among them remained four thousand.</p><p>Anyway, when the news of their dangerous intentions reached the Holy Prophet ﷺ in Makkah al-Mukarramah, he decided to confront them. He appointed Sayyidna ` Attab ibn Asid ؓ as the Amir of Makkah al-Mukarramah, left Sayyidna Mu` adh ibn Jabal ؓ behind to teach people Islam, and asked the Quraysh of Makkah for weapons and other war supplies - of course, as a borrowing. The Quraysh chief, Safwan ibn Umaiyyah spoke out: ` Do you want to take this war material forcibly against our will?' He said: ` No, we would rather like to borrow it from you, a borrowing guaranteed to be returned.' After hearing that, he gave one hundred coats of mail and Nawfil ibn Harith offered three thousand spears likewise. According to a narration of Imam Zuhri, the Holy Prophet ﷺ was now ready to launch the Jihad with an army of fourteen thousand Companions ؓ which included twelve thousand Ansar of Madinah who had accompanied him for the conquest of Makkah. Then, there were two thousand Muslims who were residents of Makkah and its environs and who had embraced Islam at the time of its conquest. They are known as ` al-tulaqa.' It was on Saturday, the 6th of Shawwal that he marched out for this battle saying that the next day, insha'Allah, they shall be camping at the spot in Khaif bani Kinanah where the Quraysh of Makkah had assembled to write down their pledge to excommunicate Muslims.</p><p>As for the army of fourteen thousand Mujahidin, it did march out of the city for Jihad. But, there was another crowd of people - many men and women of the city of Makkah - who also came out of their homes as spectators. Their hearts were excited with conflicting emotions. Speaking generally, if Muslims were to be defeated on this occasion, they thought, they would have a good chance of taking their revenge against Muslims - and if they were to win, they consoled themselves that they were not going to lose anything after all.</p><p>Shaibah ibn ` Uthman was one of these spectators. When he embraced Islam later on, he narrated what had happened to him: ` In the battle of Badr, my father was killed by Hamzah and my uncle by Sayyidna ` Ali. My heart was full of anger. I was bent on taking my revenge. I took advantage of this opportunity and started walking alongside the Muslim forces. The purpose was to find an opportunity and attack the Holy Prophet ﷺ . I kept hanging with them always on the lookout for that opportunity until came the time during the initial stage of this Jihad when some Muslims had started losing their ground. When I found them running, I seized the opportunity and reached close to the Holy Prophet ﷺ But, I saw that ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ was guarding him on the right and Abu Sufyan ibn Harith ؓ on the left. Therefore, I dashed towards the rear with the intention of attacking him with my sword all of a sudden. Right then, he happened to look at me and he called out to me: 'Shaibah, come here.' He asked me to come closer. Then, he put his blessed hand on my chest and prayed: ` 0 Allah, remove the Shaytan away from him.' Now, when I raise my eyes, the Holy Prophet ﷺ becomes in my heart dearer than my own eye and ear and life. He said to me: 'Go and fight the disbelievers.' Now, there I was staking my life for him, fighting the enemy valiantly right to the end. When the Holy Prophet ﷺ returned from this Jihad, I presented myself before him. At that time, he told me about the thoughts I had when I started off from Makkah with a particular intention and how I was shadowing him in order to kill him. But, since Allah had intended that I must do something good, I did what I did.'</p><p>Something similar happened to Nadr ibn Harith. He too had gone to Hunain with the same intention. However, when he reached there, Allah Ta` ala put in his heart the thought of the innocence of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and a feeling of love for him.</p><p>This turned him into a valiant Mujahid who took no time in piercing through the enemy lines.</p><p>During the course of this very expedition, yet another event took place. This concerns Abu Burdah ibn Niyar۔ When he reached the place known as Awtas, he saw that the Holy Prophet ﷺ was sitting under a tree and there was someone else with him. The Holy Prophet ﷺ told Abu Burdah that he was sleeping when the man sitting with him came, grabbed his sword, positioned by the side of his head and said: ` O Muhammad, now tell me who can save you from me?' I said, ` Allah!' When he heard this, the sword fell down from his hands.' Abu Burdah said: ` O Messenger of Allah, please allow me to behead this enemy of Allah, he looks like a spy.' The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: ` Abu Burdah, say no more. Allah Ta` ala is my Protector until my religion prevails over all others.' After all that, he uttered not a single word of reproach for that person, in fact, let him go free.</p><p>When Muslims camped after reaching Hunain, Sayyidna Suhail ibn Hanzalah ؓ came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ with the news that one of their riders had brought a report that the entire tribe of Hawazin had arrived with an array of their war materials. Hearing this, the Holy Prophet ﷺ smiled and said: ` Do not worry. All this material has come as war spoils for Muslims!'</p><p>Once settled at the camping grounds, the Holy Prophet ﷺ sent Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Haddad to gather intelligence from the area controlled by the enemy. He went there and stayed with them for two days watching all prevailing conditions closely. He saw the enemy leader and commander, Malik ibn ` Awf and heard him saying to his people: ` Muhammad has yet to face a nation of experienced warriors. That fight against the innocent Quraysh of Makkah has given him false notions. He has become proud of his power. Now, he will find out where he stands. Let all of you go in battle formation at the early hour of dawn in a manner that each warrior has his wife, children and articles of value behind him. Then, take your swords out of the sheaths, break the sheaths, and attack, all together in one go.' These people were really very experienced in warfare. They had deployed their forces not only openly but secretly too. For example, they had hidden some units of their army in different mountain passes.</p><p>This was a view of how the army of disbelievers was getting ready to fight. On the other side, this was the first Jihad of Muslims in which fourteen thousand fighters had come out to confront the enemy. The war material they had with them was much more than they ever had. Then, they had the experience of Badr and 'Uhud where they had seen how a negligible number of three hundred and thirteen ill-equipped men had triumphed over a strong army of one thousand well-equipped fighters. Under these circumstances, when they came to think about their numbers and preparations on that day, some unfortunate words - ` today, it is impossible that anyone can defeat us, for today, once the fighting starts, the enemy will run' - were uttered by some of them (as reported by Hakim and Bazzar).</p><p>This attitude - that someone relies solely on one's own power - was something disliked by the supreme Master of humans, jinns and angels. Hence, Muslims were taught a lesson for their lack of discretion. They got a taste of it when the tribe of Hawazin, following their battle plan, launched a surprise attack and their army units lurking in mountain passes encircled Muslims from all sides. The dust kicked up by their sudden tactical advance turned the day into night, the Companions ؓ lost their foothold and started running. In contrast, the Holy Prophet ﷺ was the lone figure seen advancing on his mount, forward and not backwards. A counted few of his noble Companions ؓ - reportedly, three hundred, or even less than one hundred as said by others - did, however, stay with him, but they too wished that he would not continue advancing.</p><p>Then, the Holy Prophet ﷺ realized that the situation was grave. He asked Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ to call his Companions ؓ . These were his Companions ؓ who had given him a pledge to fight when they had assembled under the Tree. Then, he pointed out to those who had been mentioned in the Qur'an as well as to the Ansar of Madinah who had promised to stake their lives in this Jihad. He wanted all of them to come back and wanted them to know that the Messenger of Allah was present on the battlefield.</p><p>The call given by Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ ran through the battlefield like some power current. All deserters were smitten with remorse. They regrouped with fresh vigor and valor and fought against the enemy fully and decisively. First the enemy commander, Malik ibn ` Awf ran away from the battlefield leaving his family and belongings behind and took refuge in the fort of Taif. After him, the rest of his people deserted the battlefield. Seventy of their chiefs were killed. Incidentally, when some children received wounds at the hands of Muslim soldiers, the Holy Prophet ﷺ took immediate notice and prohibited them sternly against any such action in future. Everything they left fell into Muslim hands. It included six thou-sand prisoners of war, twenty four thousand camels, forty thousand goats and four thousand 'Uqiyah of silver.</p><p>1 'Uqiyah = 122.472 grams approximately. (اوزان شرعیّہ / Mufti Muhammad Shafi)</p><p>The same subject has been taken up in the first (25) and second (26) verses. The gist of what was said there is: ` when you waxed proud of your numbers, it did not work for you and you found yourself all cornered as if the earth was straitened for you despite its vastness. Then, you showed your backs and ran. Then, Allah Ta` ala sent down upon you His tranquility - sending forces of angels for His Messenger and the believers with him, something you did not see. Thus, the disbelievers were punished at your hands.'</p>

Commentary:Described in the verses cited about are events relating to the scenario of defeat and victory at the battle of Hunain. Along with it, several primary and subsidiary problems have also been resolved as a corollary. As the verse opens, Allah Ta` ala mentions His favour and grace which has descended upon Muslims on all occasions and under all conditions. It was said: لَقَدْ نَصَرَ‌كُمُ اللَّـهُ فِي مَوَاطِنَ كَثِيرَ‌ةٍ (Allah has surely blessed you with His help on many battlefields). Particularly cited soon after this opener was: وَيَوْمَ حُنَيْن (and on the day of Hunain) that is, Muslims were blessed with the help of Allah on the day of the battle of Hunain as well.The battle of Hunain was specially mentioned because many events and circumstances unfolded unexpectedly and extraordinarily during the course of this encounter. If you were to think about these happenings, you would realize that they make one stronger in faith and bolder in deed. Therefore, before we take up a literal explanation of the verses under study, it is appropriate to describe the major events of this battle. They appear in authentic books of Hadith and history. We are describing them in a somewhat detailed manner so that it becomes easier to understand not only the verses mentioned above but also the lessons that these events teach. The major portion of these events has been taken from Tafsir Mazhari. Necessary references to books of Hadith and history may be seen there.Hunain is the name of a place between Makkah al-Mukarramah and Ta'if. It is located at a distance of about ten miles from Makkah. When Makkah was conquered in Ramadan of Hijrah 8, the Quraysh of Makkah laid down their arms before the Holy Prophet ﷺ . This alarmed the tribe of Banu Thaqif from Ta'if who were a branch of the tribe of Hawazin known all over Arabia as big, brave, rich and warring. They got together and considered the challenge posed by the newly gained strength of Muslims after their conquest of Makkah. Once the Muslims settled down, they concluded, they would turn to them. Therefore, they decided, the wisest course for them was to launch a pre-emptive attack on Muslims much before they came upon them. To carry out this plan, the tribe of Hawazin brought all its branches spread out from Makkah to Ta'if together. Included there were all big and small units of this tribe - except a few individuals who were less than a hundred in number.The leader of this movement was Malik ibn ` Awf who became a Muslim later on and rose to be a major standard-bearer of Islam. However, at that particular time, his zeal to attack Muslims was the highest. Going along with him, the overwhelming majority of the tribe started preparing for war. Two small branches of this tribe, Banu Ka'b and Banu Kilab, did not approve of this action plan. Allah Ta` ala had blessed them with some foresight. They said: Even if the forces of the whole world from the East to the West came together against Muhammad ﷺ ، he would still overcome all of them. We cannot fight the power of God (with him). As for the rest of them, they all gave their pledges to fight. Malik ibn ` Awf devised a plan to ensure that all of them abided by their commitment to the war. He proposed that all participants should take their families and valuables with them. The catch was that, in case they thought of bolting away from the battlefield, the love of wife, children and things of value with them would hold them back like shackles on their feet and they would be left with no freedom to desert the battlefield. As for their numbers, historians differ. According to the master of Hadith, ` Allamah ibn Hajar and some others, the weightier opinion is that they were twenty four or twenty eight thousand in number. Some others have given a number of four thousand. It is possible that, with the inclusion of women and children, the total number could be twenty four or twenty eight thousand while the actual number of fighting men among them remained four thousand.Anyway, when the news of their dangerous intentions reached the Holy Prophet ﷺ in Makkah al-Mukarramah, he decided to confront them. He appointed Sayyidna ` Attab ibn Asid ؓ as the Amir of Makkah al-Mukarramah, left Sayyidna Mu` adh ibn Jabal ؓ behind to teach people Islam, and asked the Quraysh of Makkah for weapons and other war supplies - of course, as a borrowing. The Quraysh chief, Safwan ibn Umaiyyah spoke out: ` Do you want to take this war material forcibly against our will?' He said: ` No, we would rather like to borrow it from you, a borrowing guaranteed to be returned.' After hearing that, he gave one hundred coats of mail and Nawfil ibn Harith offered three thousand spears likewise. According to a narration of Imam Zuhri, the Holy Prophet ﷺ was now ready to launch the Jihad with an army of fourteen thousand Companions ؓ which included twelve thousand Ansar of Madinah who had accompanied him for the conquest of Makkah. Then, there were two thousand Muslims who were residents of Makkah and its environs and who had embraced Islam at the time of its conquest. They are known as ` al-tulaqa.' It was on Saturday, the 6th of Shawwal that he marched out for this battle saying that the next day, insha'Allah, they shall be camping at the spot in Khaif bani Kinanah where the Quraysh of Makkah had assembled to write down their pledge to excommunicate Muslims.As for the army of fourteen thousand Mujahidin, it did march out of the city for Jihad. But, there was another crowd of people - many men and women of the city of Makkah - who also came out of their homes as spectators. Their hearts were excited with conflicting emotions. Speaking generally, if Muslims were to be defeated on this occasion, they thought, they would have a good chance of taking their revenge against Muslims - and if they were to win, they consoled themselves that they were not going to lose anything after all.Shaibah ibn ` Uthman was one of these spectators. When he embraced Islam later on, he narrated what had happened to him: ` In the battle of Badr, my father was killed by Hamzah and my uncle by Sayyidna ` Ali. My heart was full of anger. I was bent on taking my revenge. I took advantage of this opportunity and started walking alongside the Muslim forces. The purpose was to find an opportunity and attack the Holy Prophet ﷺ . I kept hanging with them always on the lookout for that opportunity until came the time during the initial stage of this Jihad when some Muslims had started losing their ground. When I found them running, I seized the opportunity and reached close to the Holy Prophet ﷺ But, I saw that ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ was guarding him on the right and Abu Sufyan ibn Harith ؓ on the left. Therefore, I dashed towards the rear with the intention of attacking him with my sword all of a sudden. Right then, he happened to look at me and he called out to me: 'Shaibah, come here.' He asked me to come closer. Then, he put his blessed hand on my chest and prayed: ` 0 Allah, remove the Shaytan away from him.' Now, when I raise my eyes, the Holy Prophet ﷺ becomes in my heart dearer than my own eye and ear and life. He said to me: 'Go and fight the disbelievers.' Now, there I was staking my life for him, fighting the enemy valiantly right to the end. When the Holy Prophet ﷺ returned from this Jihad, I presented myself before him. At that time, he told me about the thoughts I had when I started off from Makkah with a particular intention and how I was shadowing him in order to kill him. But, since Allah had intended that I must do something good, I did what I did.'Something similar happened to Nadr ibn Harith. He too had gone to Hunain with the same intention. However, when he reached there, Allah Ta` ala put in his heart the thought of the innocence of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and a feeling of love for him.This turned him into a valiant Mujahid who took no time in piercing through the enemy lines.During the course of this very expedition, yet another event took place. This concerns Abu Burdah ibn Niyar۔ When he reached the place known as Awtas, he saw that the Holy Prophet ﷺ was sitting under a tree and there was someone else with him. The Holy Prophet ﷺ told Abu Burdah that he was sleeping when the man sitting with him came, grabbed his sword, positioned by the side of his head and said: ` O Muhammad, now tell me who can save you from me?' I said, ` Allah!' When he heard this, the sword fell down from his hands.' Abu Burdah said: ` O Messenger of Allah, please allow me to behead this enemy of Allah, he looks like a spy.' The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: ` Abu Burdah, say no more. Allah Ta` ala is my Protector until my religion prevails over all others.' After all that, he uttered not a single word of reproach for that person, in fact, let him go free.When Muslims camped after reaching Hunain, Sayyidna Suhail ibn Hanzalah ؓ came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ with the news that one of their riders had brought a report that the entire tribe of Hawazin had arrived with an array of their war materials. Hearing this, the Holy Prophet ﷺ smiled and said: ` Do not worry. All this material has come as war spoils for Muslims!'Once settled at the camping grounds, the Holy Prophet ﷺ sent Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Haddad to gather intelligence from the area controlled by the enemy. He went there and stayed with them for two days watching all prevailing conditions closely. He saw the enemy leader and commander, Malik ibn ` Awf and heard him saying to his people: ` Muhammad has yet to face a nation of experienced warriors. That fight against the innocent Quraysh of Makkah has given him false notions. He has become proud of his power. Now, he will find out where he stands. Let all of you go in battle formation at the early hour of dawn in a manner that each warrior has his wife, children and articles of value behind him. Then, take your swords out of the sheaths, break the sheaths, and attack, all together in one go.' These people were really very experienced in warfare. They had deployed their forces not only openly but secretly too. For example, they had hidden some units of their army in different mountain passes.This was a view of how the army of disbelievers was getting ready to fight. On the other side, this was the first Jihad of Muslims in which fourteen thousand fighters had come out to confront the enemy. The war material they had with them was much more than they ever had. Then, they had the experience of Badr and 'Uhud where they had seen how a negligible number of three hundred and thirteen ill-equipped men had triumphed over a strong army of one thousand well-equipped fighters. Under these circumstances, when they came to think about their numbers and preparations on that day, some unfortunate words - ` today, it is impossible that anyone can defeat us, for today, once the fighting starts, the enemy will run' - were uttered by some of them (as reported by Hakim and Bazzar).This attitude - that someone relies solely on one's own power - was something disliked by the supreme Master of humans, jinns and angels. Hence, Muslims were taught a lesson for their lack of discretion. They got a taste of it when the tribe of Hawazin, following their battle plan, launched a surprise attack and their army units lurking in mountain passes encircled Muslims from all sides. The dust kicked up by their sudden tactical advance turned the day into night, the Companions ؓ lost their foothold and started running. In contrast, the Holy Prophet ﷺ was the lone figure seen advancing on his mount, forward and not backwards. A counted few of his noble Companions ؓ - reportedly, three hundred, or even less than one hundred as said by others - did, however, stay with him, but they too wished that he would not continue advancing.Then, the Holy Prophet ﷺ realized that the situation was grave. He asked Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ to call his Companions ؓ . These were his Companions ؓ who had given him a pledge to fight when they had assembled under the Tree. Then, he pointed out to those who had been mentioned in the Qur'an as well as to the Ansar of Madinah who had promised to stake their lives in this Jihad. He wanted all of them to come back and wanted them to know that the Messenger of Allah was present on the battlefield.The call given by Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ ran through the battlefield like some power current. All deserters were smitten with remorse. They regrouped with fresh vigor and valor and fought against the enemy fully and decisively. First the enemy commander, Malik ibn ` Awf ran away from the battlefield leaving his family and belongings behind and took refuge in the fort of Taif. After him, the rest of his people deserted the battlefield. Seventy of their chiefs were killed. Incidentally, when some children received wounds at the hands of Muslim soldiers, the Holy Prophet ﷺ took immediate notice and prohibited them sternly against any such action in future. Everything they left fell into Muslim hands. It included six thou-sand prisoners of war, twenty four thousand camels, forty thousand goats and four thousand 'Uqiyah of silver.1 'Uqiyah = 122.472 grams approximately. (اوزان شرعیّہ / Mufti Muhammad Shafi)The same subject has been taken up in the first (25) and second (26) verses. The gist of what was said there is: ` when you waxed proud of your numbers, it did not work for you and you found yourself all cornered as if the earth was straitened for you despite its vastness. Then, you showed your backs and ran. Then, Allah Ta` ala sent down upon you His tranquility - sending forces of angels for His Messenger and the believers with him, something you did not see. Thus, the disbelievers were punished at your hands.'

<h2 class="title">The Outcome of Victory by Way of the Unseen Aid</h2><p>Ibn Jurayj reported from Mujahid that this was the first Ayah of Bara'ah in which Allah, the Exalted, reminds the believers how He favored and blessed them by giving them victory in many battles with His Messenger . Allah mentioned that victory comes from Him, by His aid and decree, not because of their numbers or adequate supplies, whether the triumphs are few or many. On the day of Hunayn, the Muslims were proud because of their large number, which did not avail them in the least; they retreated and fled from battle. Only a few of them remained with the Messenger of Allah Allah then sent down His aid and support to His Messenger and the believers who remained with him, so that they were aware that victory is from Allah alone and through His aid, even if the victorious were few. Many a small group overcame a larger opposition by Allah's leave, and Allah is ever with those who are patient. We will explain this subject in detail below, Allah willing.</p><h2 class="title">The Battle of Hunayn</h2><p>The battle of Hunayn occurred after the victory of Makkah, in the month of Shawwal of the eighth year of Hijrah. After the Prophet conquered Makkah and things settled, most of its people embraced Islam and he set them free. News came to the Messenger of Allah that the tribe of Hawazin were gathering their forces to fight him, under the command of Malik bin `Awf An-Nadri, as well as, the entire tribe of Thaqif, the tribes of Banu Jusham, Banu Sa`d bin Bakr, a few people of Awza` from Banu Hilal and some people from Bani `Amr bin `Amir and `Awf bin `Amir. They brought their women, children, sheep and camels along, in addition to their armed forces and adequate supplies. The Messenger of Allah marched to meet them with the army that he brought to conquer Makkah, ten thousand from the Muhajirin, the Ansar and various Arab tribes. Along with them came the Tulaqa' numbering two thousand men. The Messenger took them along to meet the enemy. The two armies met in Humayn, a valley between Makkah and At-Ta'if. The battle started in the early part of the morning, when the Huwazin forces, who were lying in ambush, descended on the valley when the Muslims entered. Muslims were suddenly struck by the ambush, the arrows descended on them and the swords struck them. The Huwazin commander ordered them to descend and attack the Muslims as one block, and when they did that, the Muslims retreated in haste, just as Allah described them. The Messenger of Allah remained firm in his position while riding his mule, Ash-Shahba'. He was leading his mule towards the enemy, while his uncle Al-`Abbas was holding its right-hand rope and his cousin Abu Sufyan bin Al-Harith bin `Abdul-Muttalib was holding the left rope. They tried to hold the mule back so it would not run faster toward the enemy. Meanwhile, the Messenger of Allah was declaring his name aloud and saying, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إِلَيَّ عِبَادَ اللهِ إِلَيَ أَنَا رَسُولُ الله»</div><p>(O servants of Allah! Come back to me! I am the Messenger of Allah! He repeated these words, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أَنَا النَّبِيُّ لَاكَذِبْ. أَنَا ابْنُ عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِب»</div><p>(I am the Prophet, not lying! I am the son of Abdul-Muttalib!) There remained between a hundred and eighty Companions with the Prophet . These included Abu Bakr, `Umar, Al-`Abbas, `Ali, Al-Fadl bin `Abbas, Abu Sufyan bin Al-Harith, Ayman the son of Umm Ayman and Usamah bin Zayd. There were many other Companions, may Allah be pleased with them. The Prophet commanded his uncle Al-`Abbas, whose voice was rather loud, to call at the top of his voice, "O Companions of the Samurah tree" referring to the Muhajirin and Ansar who gave their pledge under the tree during the pledge of Ridwan, not to run away and retreat. He also called, "O Companions of Surat Al-Baqarah." Upon hearing that, those heralded started saying, "Here we are! Here we are!" Muslims started returning in the direction of the Messenger of Allah . If the camel of one of them did not obey him (as the people were rushing to the other direction in flight) he would wear his shield and descend from his camel and rush to the side of the Messenger of Allah on foot. When a large crowd gathered around the Messenger of Allah , he commanded them to fight in sincerity and took a handful of sand and threw it in the faces of the disbelievers, after supplicating to Allah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أللّهُمَّ أَنْجِزْ لِي مَا وَعَدْتَنِي»</div><p>(O Allah! Fulfill Your promise to me!) Then he threw that handful of sand which entered the eyes and mouth of all the disbelievers, thus distracting them from fighting, and they retreated in defeat. The Muslims pursued the enemy, killing and capturing them. The rest of the Muslim army (returning to battle gradually) rejoined their positions and found many captured disbelieving soldiers kept tied before the Messenger of Allah . In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Shu`bah said that Abu Ishaq said that Al-Bara' bin `Azib said to a man who asked him, "O Abu `Amarah! Did you run away during Hunayn and leave the Messenger of Allah " Al-Bara' said, "But the Messenger of Allah did not run away. Hawazin was a tribe proficient with their arrows. When we met them we attacked their forces and they ran away in defeat. The Muslims started to worry about collecting the spoils of war and the Hawazin started shooting arrows at us, then the Muslims fled. I saw the Messenger of Allah proclaiming, -- while Abu Sufyan was holding the bridle of his white mule, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أَنَا النَّبِيُّ لَاكَذِبْ أَنَا ابْنُ عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِب»</div><p>(I am the Prophet, not lying, I am the son of `Abdul- Muttalib!) This shows the great courage on behalf of the Prophet in the midst of confusion, when his army ran away and left him behind. Yet, the Messenger remained on his mule, which is a slow animal, not suitable for fast battle moves or even escape. Yet, the Messenger of Allah was encouraging his mule to move forward towards the enemy announcing who he was, so that those among them who did not know who he was came to know him. May Allah's peace and blessings be on the Messenger until the Day of Resurrection. This indicates the tremendous trust in Allah and reliance upon Him, as well as, sure knowledge that He will give him victory, complete what He has sent him for and give prominence to his religion above all other religions. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ</div><p>(Then Allah did send down His Sakinah on His Messenger), He sent down tranquillity and reassurance to His Messenger, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَعَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ</div><p>(and on the believers), who remained with him, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَنزَلَ جُنُوداً لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا</div><p>(and sent down forces which you saw not, ) this refers to angels. Imam Abu Ja`far bin Jarir At-Tabari said that Al-Qasim narrated to them, that Al-Hasan bin `Arafah said that Al-Mu`tamir bin Sulayman said from `Awf bin Abi Jamilah Al-`Arabi who said that he heard `Abdur-Rahman, the freed slave of Ibn Barthan saying, "A man who participated in Hunayn with the idolators narrated to me, `When we met the Messenger of Allah and his Companions on the day of Hunayn, they did not remain in battle more than the time it takes to milk a sheep! When we defeated them, we pursued them until we ended at the rider of the white mule, the Messenger of Allah . At that time, men with white handsome faces intercepted us and said: `Disgraced be the faces! Go back. So we ran away, but they followed us. That was the end for us."' Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ يَتُوبُ اللَّهُ مِن بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ عَلَى مَن يَشَآءُ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ </div><p>(Then after that Allah will accept the repentance of whom He wills. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) Allah forgave the rest of Huwazin when they embraced Islam and went to the Prophet , before he arrived at Makkah in the Ji`ranah area. This occurred twenty days after the battle of Hunayn. The Messenger gave them the choice between taking those who were prisoner or the war spoils they lost, and they chose the former. The Prophet released six thousand prisoners to them, but divided the war spoils between the victors, such as some of the Tulaqa', so that their hearts would be inclined towards Islam. He gave each of them a hundred camels, and the same to Malik bin `Awf An-Nasri whom he appointed chief of his people (Huwazin) as he was before. Malik bin `Awf said a poem in which he praised the Messenger of Allah for his generosity and extraordinary courage. </p>

The Outcome of Victory by Way of the Unseen AidIbn Jurayj reported from Mujahid that this was the first Ayah of Bara'ah in which Allah, the Exalted, reminds the believers how He favored and blessed them by giving them victory in many battles with His Messenger . Allah mentioned that victory comes from Him, by His aid and decree, not because of their numbers or adequate supplies, whether the triumphs are few or many. On the day of Hunayn, the Muslims were proud because of their large number, which did not avail them in the least; they retreated and fled from battle. Only a few of them remained with the Messenger of Allah Allah then sent down His aid and support to His Messenger and the believers who remained with him, so that they were aware that victory is from Allah alone and through His aid, even if the victorious were few. Many a small group overcame a larger opposition by Allah's leave, and Allah is ever with those who are patient. We will explain this subject in detail below, Allah willing.The Battle of HunaynThe battle of Hunayn occurred after the victory of Makkah, in the month of Shawwal of the eighth year of Hijrah. After the Prophet conquered Makkah and things settled, most of its people embraced Islam and he set them free. News came to the Messenger of Allah that the tribe of Hawazin were gathering their forces to fight him, under the command of Malik bin `Awf An-Nadri, as well as, the entire tribe of Thaqif, the tribes of Banu Jusham, Banu Sa`d bin Bakr, a few people of Awza` from Banu Hilal and some people from Bani `Amr bin `Amir and `Awf bin `Amir. They brought their women, children, sheep and camels along, in addition to their armed forces and adequate supplies. The Messenger of Allah marched to meet them with the army that he brought to conquer Makkah, ten thousand from the Muhajirin, the Ansar and various Arab tribes. Along with them came the Tulaqa' numbering two thousand men. The Messenger took them along to meet the enemy. The two armies met in Humayn, a valley between Makkah and At-Ta'if. The battle started in the early part of the morning, when the Huwazin forces, who were lying in ambush, descended on the valley when the Muslims entered. Muslims were suddenly struck by the ambush, the arrows descended on them and the swords struck them. The Huwazin commander ordered them to descend and attack the Muslims as one block, and when they did that, the Muslims retreated in haste, just as Allah described them. The Messenger of Allah remained firm in his position while riding his mule, Ash-Shahba'. He was leading his mule towards the enemy, while his uncle Al-`Abbas was holding its right-hand rope and his cousin Abu Sufyan bin Al-Harith bin `Abdul-Muttalib was holding the left rope. They tried to hold the mule back so it would not run faster toward the enemy. Meanwhile, the Messenger of Allah was declaring his name aloud and saying, «إِلَيَّ عِبَادَ اللهِ إِلَيَ أَنَا رَسُولُ الله»(O servants of Allah! Come back to me! I am the Messenger of Allah! He repeated these words, «أَنَا النَّبِيُّ لَاكَذِبْ. أَنَا ابْنُ عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِب»(I am the Prophet, not lying! I am the son of Abdul-Muttalib!) There remained between a hundred and eighty Companions with the Prophet . These included Abu Bakr, `Umar, Al-`Abbas, `Ali, Al-Fadl bin `Abbas, Abu Sufyan bin Al-Harith, Ayman the son of Umm Ayman and Usamah bin Zayd. There were many other Companions, may Allah be pleased with them. The Prophet commanded his uncle Al-`Abbas, whose voice was rather loud, to call at the top of his voice, "O Companions of the Samurah tree" referring to the Muhajirin and Ansar who gave their pledge under the tree during the pledge of Ridwan, not to run away and retreat. He also called, "O Companions of Surat Al-Baqarah." Upon hearing that, those heralded started saying, "Here we are! Here we are!" Muslims started returning in the direction of the Messenger of Allah . If the camel of one of them did not obey him (as the people were rushing to the other direction in flight) he would wear his shield and descend from his camel and rush to the side of the Messenger of Allah on foot. When a large crowd gathered around the Messenger of Allah , he commanded them to fight in sincerity and took a handful of sand and threw it in the faces of the disbelievers, after supplicating to Allah, «أللّهُمَّ أَنْجِزْ لِي مَا وَعَدْتَنِي»(O Allah! Fulfill Your promise to me!) Then he threw that handful of sand which entered the eyes and mouth of all the disbelievers, thus distracting them from fighting, and they retreated in defeat. The Muslims pursued the enemy, killing and capturing them. The rest of the Muslim army (returning to battle gradually) rejoined their positions and found many captured disbelieving soldiers kept tied before the Messenger of Allah . In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Shu`bah said that Abu Ishaq said that Al-Bara' bin `Azib said to a man who asked him, "O Abu `Amarah! Did you run away during Hunayn and leave the Messenger of Allah " Al-Bara' said, "But the Messenger of Allah did not run away. Hawazin was a tribe proficient with their arrows. When we met them we attacked their forces and they ran away in defeat. The Muslims started to worry about collecting the spoils of war and the Hawazin started shooting arrows at us, then the Muslims fled. I saw the Messenger of Allah proclaiming, -- while Abu Sufyan was holding the bridle of his white mule, «أَنَا النَّبِيُّ لَاكَذِبْ أَنَا ابْنُ عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِب»(I am the Prophet, not lying, I am the son of `Abdul- Muttalib!) This shows the great courage on behalf of the Prophet in the midst of confusion, when his army ran away and left him behind. Yet, the Messenger remained on his mule, which is a slow animal, not suitable for fast battle moves or even escape. Yet, the Messenger of Allah was encouraging his mule to move forward towards the enemy announcing who he was, so that those among them who did not know who he was came to know him. May Allah's peace and blessings be on the Messenger until the Day of Resurrection. This indicates the tremendous trust in Allah and reliance upon Him, as well as, sure knowledge that He will give him victory, complete what He has sent him for and give prominence to his religion above all other religions. Allah said, ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ(Then Allah did send down His Sakinah on His Messenger), He sent down tranquillity and reassurance to His Messenger, وَعَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ(and on the believers), who remained with him, وَأَنزَلَ جُنُوداً لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا(and sent down forces which you saw not, ) this refers to angels. Imam Abu Ja`far bin Jarir At-Tabari said that Al-Qasim narrated to them, that Al-Hasan bin `Arafah said that Al-Mu`tamir bin Sulayman said from `Awf bin Abi Jamilah Al-`Arabi who said that he heard `Abdur-Rahman, the freed slave of Ibn Barthan saying, "A man who participated in Hunayn with the idolators narrated to me, `When we met the Messenger of Allah and his Companions on the day of Hunayn, they did not remain in battle more than the time it takes to milk a sheep! When we defeated them, we pursued them until we ended at the rider of the white mule, the Messenger of Allah . At that time, men with white handsome faces intercepted us and said: `Disgraced be the faces! Go back. So we ran away, but they followed us. That was the end for us."' Allah said, ثُمَّ يَتُوبُ اللَّهُ مِن بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ عَلَى مَن يَشَآءُ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ (Then after that Allah will accept the repentance of whom He wills. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) Allah forgave the rest of Huwazin when they embraced Islam and went to the Prophet , before he arrived at Makkah in the Ji`ranah area. This occurred twenty days after the battle of Hunayn. The Messenger gave them the choice between taking those who were prisoner or the war spoils they lost, and they chose the former. The Prophet released six thousand prisoners to them, but divided the war spoils between the victors, such as some of the Tulaqa', so that their hearts would be inclined towards Islam. He gave each of them a hundred camels, and the same to Malik bin `Awf An-Nasri whom he appointed chief of his people (Huwazin) as he was before. Malik bin `Awf said a poem in which he praised the Messenger of Allah for his generosity and extraordinary courage.

Then God sent down a sense of tranquility on His Apostle and the faithful; and sent down troops invisible to punish the infidels. This is the recompense of those who do not believe.

Then Allah sent down His calm upon His Noble Messenger and upon the Muslims, and sent down armies you did not see, and punished the disbelievers; and such is the reward of the deniers.

Then God sent down upon His Messenger His Shechina, and upon the believers, and He sent down legions you did not see, and He chastised the unbelievers; and that is the recompense of the unbelievers;

whereupon God bestowed from on high His [gift of] inner peace upon His Apostle and upon the believers, and bestowed [upon you] from on high forces which you could not see, and chastised those who were bent on denying the truth: for such is the recompense of all who deny the truth!

Thereafter Allah sent down His calm upon His apostle and upon the believers, and He sent down hosts ye saw not and tormented those who would disbelieve: such is the meed of the infidels.

Then Allah did send down His Sakinah (calmness, tranquillity and reassurance, etc.) on the Messenger (Muhammad SAW), and on the believers, and sent down forces (angels) which you saw not, and punished the disbelievers. Such is the recompense of disbelievers.

Then God sent down His serenity upon His Messenger, and upon the believers; and He sent down troops you did not see; and He punished those who disbelieved. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.

Then Allah caused His tranquillity to descend upon His Messenger and upon the believers, and He sent down hosts whom you did not see, and chastised those who disbelieved. Such is the recompense of those who deny the Truth.

Then Allah did send down His Sakinah (tranquillity) on His Messenger, and on the believers, and sent down forces (angels) which you saw not, and punished the disbelievers. Such is the recompense of disbelievers.

Then Allah sent His peace of reassurance down upon His messenger and upon the believers, and sent down hosts ye could not see, and punished those who disbelieved. Such is the reward of disbelievers.

Then Allah sent down His composure upon His Apostle and upon the faithful, and He sent down hosts you did not see, and He punished the faithless, and that is the requital of the faithless.

Then, Allah caused His tranquility (sechina) to descend upon His Messenger and the believers; He sent legions you did not see and sternly punished the unbelievers. Such is the recompense of the unbelievers.

Then Allah sent down His tranquillity upon His Messenger and upon the believers and sent down soldiers angels whom you did not see and punished those who disbelieved. And that is the recompense of the disbelievers.

God gave confidence to His Messenger and the believers and helped them with an army which you could not see. God punished the unbelievers; this is the only recompense that the unbelievers deserve.

Then Allah sent down His tranquillity upon His Apostle and upon the believers, and sent down hosts which you did not see, and chastised those who disbelieved, and that is the reward of the unbelievers.

Thumma anzala All<u>a</u>hu sakeenatahu AAal<u>a</u> rasoolihi waAAal<u>a</u> almumineena waanzala junoodan lam tarawh<u>a</u> waAAa<u>thth</u>aba alla<u>th</u>eena kafaroo wa<u>tha</u>lika jaz<u>a</u>o alk<u>a</u>fireen<b>a</b>

God caused His tranquillity to descend upon His Messenger and the faithful: and sent down forces which you did not see: He punished those who denied the truth, for such is the recompense of all who deny the truth,

But Allah did pour His calm on the Messenger and on the Believers, and sent down forces which ye saw not: He punished the Unbelievers; thus doth He reward those without Faith.

9

ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦ وَعَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَنزَلَ جُنُودًا لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَعَذَّبَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ

Then, after they ran away from their enemy, Allah sent down calm upon His Messenger and the believers, so that they became patient in fighting; and He sent angels they could not see, and punished the disbelievers with death, capture and seizure of their wealth, women and children. These disbelievers were repaid in this way for their rejection of the Messenger.

Then, after they ran away from their enemy, Allah sent down calm upon His Messenger and the believers, so that they became patient in fighting; and He sent angels they could not see, and punished the disbelievers with death, capture and seizure of their wealth, women and children. These disbelievers were repaid in this way for their rejection of the Messenger.

<p>It will be useful to explain the statement: ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ اللَّـهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَىٰ رَ‌سُولِهِ وَعَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِين (Then Allah sent down His tranquility upon His Messenger and upon the believers) appearing in verse 26 a little further. It means that Allah Ta` ala sent down His tranquility upon the hearts of the noble Companions who had lost their foothold on the battlefield during the initial attack of the enemy at Hunain. This caused their feet to become firm again and those who had run away came back. As for the sending of tranquility upon the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the Companions ؓ who had stayed on the war front with firmness and determination, it means that they could see victory close at hand. And since the tranquility mentioned here was of two kinds - one for those who ran, and the other for those who stayed on with the Holy Prophet ﷺ with firmness and determination - it is to point out to this refinement that the expressions: عَلَىٰ رَ‌سُولِهِ وَعَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِين (...upon His Messenger and upon the believers) have been placed separately and introduced one after the other with the repetition of the preposition علی ) ’ ala: upon).</p><p>After that, it was said: وَأَنزَلَ جُنُودًا لَّمْ تَرَ‌وْهَا (... and sent down forces which you did not see). This means that the people at large did not see. That some reports mention the ` seeing' of these ` forces' should not be taken as contrary to this.</p><p>After that, in conclusion, it was said: وَعَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ الْكَافِرِ‌ينَ. It means that Allah punished those who disbelieved - and those who disbelieved deserved that punishment. This punishment or recompense refers to their subjugation at the hands of Muslims which was some-thing witnessed openly. In sum, what was their worldly punishment, they received promptly. As for their fate in the Hereafter, it has been mentioned in verse 27:</p>

It will be useful to explain the statement: ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ اللَّـهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَىٰ رَ‌سُولِهِ وَعَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِين (Then Allah sent down His tranquility upon His Messenger and upon the believers) appearing in verse 26 a little further. It means that Allah Ta` ala sent down His tranquility upon the hearts of the noble Companions who had lost their foothold on the battlefield during the initial attack of the enemy at Hunain. This caused their feet to become firm again and those who had run away came back. As for the sending of tranquility upon the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the Companions ؓ who had stayed on the war front with firmness and determination, it means that they could see victory close at hand. And since the tranquility mentioned here was of two kinds - one for those who ran, and the other for those who stayed on with the Holy Prophet ﷺ with firmness and determination - it is to point out to this refinement that the expressions: عَلَىٰ رَ‌سُولِهِ وَعَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِين (...upon His Messenger and upon the believers) have been placed separately and introduced one after the other with the repetition of the preposition علی ) ’ ala: upon).After that, it was said: وَأَنزَلَ جُنُودًا لَّمْ تَرَ‌وْهَا (... and sent down forces which you did not see). This means that the people at large did not see. That some reports mention the ` seeing' of these ` forces' should not be taken as contrary to this.After that, in conclusion, it was said: وَعَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ الْكَافِرِ‌ينَ. It means that Allah punished those who disbelieved - and those who disbelieved deserved that punishment. This punishment or recompense refers to their subjugation at the hands of Muslims which was some-thing witnessed openly. In sum, what was their worldly punishment, they received promptly. As for their fate in the Hereafter, it has been mentioned in verse 27:

Yet God may turn (even) after this to whomsoever He please, for God is compassionate and kind.

Then afterwards Allah will give repentance to whomever He wills; and Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

then God thereafter turns towards whom He will; God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.

But with all this, God will turn in His mercy unto whom He wills: for God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.

Then Allah will, thereafter, relent toward whomsoever He liketh, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Then after that Allah will accept the repentance of whom He will. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Then, after that, God will relent towards whomever He wills. God is Forgiving and Merciful.

Then (after so chastising the unbelievers), Allah enables, whomsoever He wills, to repent. Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.

Then after that Allah will accept the repentance of whom He wills. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Then afterward Allah will relent toward whom He will; for Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Then Allah shall turn clemently after that to whomever He wishes. Indeed Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.

Yet thereafter, Allah turns to whom He will. He is the Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Then Allah will accept repentance after that for whom He wills; and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

After that occasion God forgave those whom He wanted. God is All-knowing and All-merciful.

Then will Allah after this turn (mercifully) to whom He pleases, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Thumma yatoobu All<u>a</u>hu min baAAdi <u>tha</u>lika AAal<u>a</u> man yash<u>a</u>o wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu ghafoorun ra<u>h</u>eem<b>un</b>

then after that, God will turn in His mercy to whom He wills: God is forgiving and merciful.

Again will Allah, after this, turn (in mercy) to whom He will: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

9

ثُمَّ يَتُوبُ ٱللَّهُ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Then whoever rejects disbelief and misguidance after that affliction, Allah will accept their repentance. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful to those of His servants who repent to Him, accepting their repentance after their denial of the truth and their disobedience.

Then whoever rejects disbelief and misguidance after that affliction, Allah will accept their repentance. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful to those of His servants who repent to Him, accepting their repentance after their denial of the truth and their disobedience.

<p>: ثُمَّ يَتُوبُ اللَّـهُ مِن بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ (Yet Allah relents, after that, to whomsoever He wills). As for the details of events that came to pass during the battle of Hunain, part of it has been mentioned in the Qur'an while the rest has been taken from authentic narrations of Hadith. (Mazhari and Ibn Kathir)</p><p>Injunctions and Rulings</p><p>Many injunctions, rulings and subsidiary elements of guidance appear here under the shadows of these events. In fact, they are the very purpose of the narration of these events.</p><p>The very first instruction given in these verses is that Muslims should never wax proud of their power or numerical superiority. They should realize that the way they look towards Allah and His help at times when they are weak and deficient, very similarly, when they are strong and powerful, their total trust should also remain on nothing but the help of Allah alone.</p><p>In the battle of Hunain, Muslims enjoyed numerical superiority. They had sufficient weapons and supplies. This led some Companions to utter words of pride to the effect that no one could dare defeat them on that particular day. Allah Ta` ala did not like that a group of people so dear to him would say something like that. The result was that Muslims lost their foothold on the battlefield at the time the enemy launched the initial attack. They started running. Then, it was only with unseen help from Allah that this battle was won.</p><p>Properties of defeated non-believers: The need for justice and caution</p><p>The second instruction given here relates to the need for observing caution and justice when handling properties owned by non-believers who have been defeated and overpowered. This is illustrated by the action taken by the Holy Prophet ﷺ when he had taken war materials for the battle of Hunain from the vanquished non-Muslims of Makkah. This was an occasion when these supplies could have been taken from them by force too. But the Rasul of Allah, ﷺ took these as borrowing - and then, he returned everything so borrowed back to them.</p><p>This event taught Muslims an essential lesson - that they should maintain perfect justice and show mercy and magnanimity even when they are dealing with enemies.</p><p>The third instruction is embedded in what he said while making a stopover at Khaif bani' Kinanah enroute Hunain. ` Tomorrow', he said, ` we shall be staying at a place where our enemies, the Quraysh of Makkah, had once sat and resolved to excommunicate Muslims!' The hint given here is clear - when Allah Ta` ala has blessed Muslims with victory and power, they should not forget about the days of distress in the past, so that they remain grateful to Allah under all conditions. It will also be recalled that the defeated Hawazin forces had taken refuge in the Ta'if fortress from where they were shooting arrows against Muslims repeatedly. The Holy Prophet ﷺ was requested to pray for a curse to fall on them. He did not respond to their arrows in that manner. He prayed that they be guided to the right path. Being mercy for all the worlds, this prayer for his enemies is teaching Muslims the lesson that Muslims, when they fight in a Jihad, do not intend to subdue the enemy, instead, their objective is to bring them to guidance. Therefore, making efforts to achieve this objective should not be neglected at any time.</p><p>The third verse (27) instructs Muslims that they should not write off disbelievers who have been defeated at war because it is likely that Allah Ta` ala may give them the ability to embrace Islam and be blessed with the light of faith. The Hawazin deputation's entry into the fold of Islam proves it.</p><p>The same deputation from the tribe of Hawazin had requested the return of their prisoners and the Holy Prophet ﷺ had asked the gathering of Companions ؓ if they agreed to do that out of their free will. The response came in the form of voiced ayes from the audience. The Holy Prophet ﷺ did not consider it to be sufficient. Instead, he took elaborate steps to ascertain the approval of each and every individual before he would act.</p><p>This proves that the matter of rights is serious. It is not permissible to take what belongs to a person as a matter of right unless it becomes certain that this was done on the basis of his or her free will. The silence of a person either due to the awe of the crowd or the sense of shame before people is not a sufficient proof of the person's free will and heartfelt consent. From here, Muslim jurists have deduced the ruling that it is not correct to solicit contributions even for some religious purpose when it is done to impress a person by one's personal office, power, or influence. The reason is that there are many gentle people who would be affected by such conditions around and decide to get away by giving something just to avoid being embarrassed - of course, this does not have the backing of genuine free will, approval and pleasure. Incidentally, what is given in that spirit does not have any barakah either.</p>

: ثُمَّ يَتُوبُ اللَّـهُ مِن بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ (Yet Allah relents, after that, to whomsoever He wills). As for the details of events that came to pass during the battle of Hunain, part of it has been mentioned in the Qur'an while the rest has been taken from authentic narrations of Hadith. (Mazhari and Ibn Kathir)Injunctions and RulingsMany injunctions, rulings and subsidiary elements of guidance appear here under the shadows of these events. In fact, they are the very purpose of the narration of these events.The very first instruction given in these verses is that Muslims should never wax proud of their power or numerical superiority. They should realize that the way they look towards Allah and His help at times when they are weak and deficient, very similarly, when they are strong and powerful, their total trust should also remain on nothing but the help of Allah alone.In the battle of Hunain, Muslims enjoyed numerical superiority. They had sufficient weapons and supplies. This led some Companions to utter words of pride to the effect that no one could dare defeat them on that particular day. Allah Ta` ala did not like that a group of people so dear to him would say something like that. The result was that Muslims lost their foothold on the battlefield at the time the enemy launched the initial attack. They started running. Then, it was only with unseen help from Allah that this battle was won.Properties of defeated non-believers: The need for justice and cautionThe second instruction given here relates to the need for observing caution and justice when handling properties owned by non-believers who have been defeated and overpowered. This is illustrated by the action taken by the Holy Prophet ﷺ when he had taken war materials for the battle of Hunain from the vanquished non-Muslims of Makkah. This was an occasion when these supplies could have been taken from them by force too. But the Rasul of Allah, ﷺ took these as borrowing - and then, he returned everything so borrowed back to them.This event taught Muslims an essential lesson - that they should maintain perfect justice and show mercy and magnanimity even when they are dealing with enemies.The third instruction is embedded in what he said while making a stopover at Khaif bani' Kinanah enroute Hunain. ` Tomorrow', he said, ` we shall be staying at a place where our enemies, the Quraysh of Makkah, had once sat and resolved to excommunicate Muslims!' The hint given here is clear - when Allah Ta` ala has blessed Muslims with victory and power, they should not forget about the days of distress in the past, so that they remain grateful to Allah under all conditions. It will also be recalled that the defeated Hawazin forces had taken refuge in the Ta'if fortress from where they were shooting arrows against Muslims repeatedly. The Holy Prophet ﷺ was requested to pray for a curse to fall on them. He did not respond to their arrows in that manner. He prayed that they be guided to the right path. Being mercy for all the worlds, this prayer for his enemies is teaching Muslims the lesson that Muslims, when they fight in a Jihad, do not intend to subdue the enemy, instead, their objective is to bring them to guidance. Therefore, making efforts to achieve this objective should not be neglected at any time.The third verse (27) instructs Muslims that they should not write off disbelievers who have been defeated at war because it is likely that Allah Ta` ala may give them the ability to embrace Islam and be blessed with the light of faith. The Hawazin deputation's entry into the fold of Islam proves it.The same deputation from the tribe of Hawazin had requested the return of their prisoners and the Holy Prophet ﷺ had asked the gathering of Companions ؓ if they agreed to do that out of their free will. The response came in the form of voiced ayes from the audience. The Holy Prophet ﷺ did not consider it to be sufficient. Instead, he took elaborate steps to ascertain the approval of each and every individual before he would act.This proves that the matter of rights is serious. It is not permissible to take what belongs to a person as a matter of right unless it becomes certain that this was done on the basis of his or her free will. The silence of a person either due to the awe of the crowd or the sense of shame before people is not a sufficient proof of the person's free will and heartfelt consent. From here, Muslim jurists have deduced the ruling that it is not correct to solicit contributions even for some religious purpose when it is done to impress a person by one's personal office, power, or influence. The reason is that there are many gentle people who would be affected by such conditions around and decide to get away by giving something just to avoid being embarrassed - of course, this does not have the backing of genuine free will, approval and pleasure. Incidentally, what is given in that spirit does not have any barakah either.

O believers, the idolaters are unclean. So they should not approach the Holy Mosque after this year. In case you fear indigence (from the stoppage of business with them), then God will enrich you of His bounty if He will, for God is all-knowing and all-wise.

O People who Believe! The polytheists are utterly filthy*; so after this year do not let them come near the Sacred Mosque; and if you fear poverty**, then Allah will soon make you wealthy with His grace, if He wills; indeed Allah is All Knowing, Wise. (* Filthy in body and soul. **Due to loss of trade.)

O believers, the idolaters are indeed unclean; so let them not come near the Holy Mosque after this year of theirs. If you fear poverty, God shall surely enrich you of His bounty, if He will; God is All-knowing; All-wise.

O YOU who have attained to faith! Those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God are nothing but impure: and so they shall not approach the Inviolable House of Worship from this year onwards And should you fear poverty, then [know that] in time God will enrich you out of His bounty, if He so wills: for, verily, God is all-knowing, wise!

O Ye who believe! the associators are simply filthy; so let them not approach the Sacred Mosque after this their year; and if ye fear poverty, Allah shall presently enrich you out of His grace, if He will. Verily Allah is grace. Knowing, Wise.

O you who believe (in Allah's Oneness and in His Messenger (Muhammad SAW)! Verily, the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, and in the Message of Muhammad SAW) are Najasun (impure). So let them not come near Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) after this year, and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you if He will, out of His Bounty. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

O you who believe! The polytheists are polluted, so let them not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year of theirs. And if you fear poverty, God will enrich you from His grace, if He wills. God is Aware and Wise.

Believers, those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity are unclean. So, after the expiry of this year, let them not even go near the Sacred Mosque. And should you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you out of His bounty, if He wills. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

O you who believe! Verily, the Mushrikin are impure. So let them not come near Al-Masjid Al-Haram after this year; and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you if He wills, out of His bounty. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

O ye who believe! The idolaters only are unclean. So let them not come near the Inviolable Place of Worship after this their year. If ye fear poverty (from the loss of their merchandise) Allah shall preserve you of His bounty if He will. Lo! Allah is Knower, Wise.

O you who have faith! The polytheists are indeed unclean: so let them not approach the Holy Mosque after this year. Should you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you out of His grace, if He wishes. Indeed Allah is all-knowing, all-wise.

Believers, the idolaters are unclean. Do not let them approach the Sacred Mosque after this year. If you fear poverty, Allah, if He wills, will enrich you through His bounty. He is Knowing, Wise.

O you who have believed, indeed the polytheists are unclean, so let them not approach al-Masjid al-Haram after this, their [final] year. And if you fear privation, Allah will enrich you from His bounty if He wills. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Wise.

Believers, the pagans are filthy. Do not let them come near to the Sacred Mosque after this year. If you are afraid of poverty, He will make you rich if He wishes, by His favor. God is All-knowing and All-wise.

O you who believe! the idolaters are nothing but unclean, so they shall not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year; and if you fear poverty then Allah will enrich you out of His grace if He please; surely Allah is Knowing Wise.

Y<u>a</u> ayyuh<u>a</u> alla<u>th</u>eena <u>a</u>manoo innam<u>a</u> almushrikoona najasun fal<u>a</u> yaqraboo almasjida al<u>h</u>ar<u>a</u>ma baAAda AA<u>a</u>mihim h<u>atha</u> wain khiftum AAaylatan fasawfa yughneekumu All<u>a</u>hu min fa<u>d</u>lihi in sh<u>a</u>a inna All<u>a</u>ha AAaleemun <u>h</u>akeem<b>un</b>

Believers, know that the polytheists are impure, so they should not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year onwards. If you should fear destitution, God will enrich you out of His bounty, if He so wishes. God is aware and wise.

O ye who believe! Truly the Pagans are unclean; so let them not, after this year of theirs, approach the Sacred Mosque. And if ye fear poverty, soon will Allah enrich you, if He wills, out of His bounty, for Allah is All-knowing, All-wise.

9

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا ٱلْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ فَلَا يَقْرَبُوا۟ ٱلْمَسْجِدَ ٱلْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَٰذَا وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَيْلَةً فَسَوْفَ يُغْنِيكُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦٓ إِن شَآءَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

Those who have faith in Allah and His Messenger, and follow the sacred law that He established for them, are told that the idolaters are unclean because of their disbelief, disobedience and blameworthy character traits, and evil customs. So they were not to enter the sacred area of Makkah, containing the Sacred Mosque, as pilgrims for the Hajj or Umrah after that year, which was the ninth year of the Hijrah. If the believers fear poverty, because of the idolaters no longer bringing different foods and merchandise, Allah will be sufficient for them from His bounty, if He wills. Allah knows the situation, and is Wise in His plan.

Those who have faith in Allah and His Messenger, and follow the sacred law that He established for them, are told that the idolaters are unclean because of their disbelief, disobedience and blameworthy character traits, and evil customs. So they were not to enter the sacred area of Makkah, containing the Sacred Mosque, as pilgrims for the Hajj or Umrah after that year, which was the ninth year of the Hijrah. If the believers fear poverty, because of the idolaters no longer bringing different foods and merchandise, Allah will be sufficient for them from His bounty, if He wills. Allah knows the situation, and is Wise in His plan.

<p>Commentary</p><p>A proclamation of withdrawal was made against Mushriks and disbelievers at the beginning of Surah At-Taubah. The verse appearing above describes injunctions related to this proclamation. In substance, it stipulated that treaties with disbelievers should be terminated or fulfilled within a year and after the passage of one year from this proc-lamation, no Mushrik should remain within the sacred precincts of the Haram.</p><p>This has been stated in the present verse in a particular manner that accomplishes two objectives simultaneously. It points out to the wisdom behind this injunction and it also alleviates the apprehensions of some Muslims about its implementation. Here, the word: نَجَس (najas) has been used with fathah on the letter jeem ج which carries the sense of filth and filth denotes every impurity which one averts naturally. Imam Raghib al-Isfahani has said: It also includes impurity that is perceived through the senses, such as the eye, the nose or the hand as well as that which one is able to know about through knowledge and reason. Therefore, the word: ` najas' is inclusive of filth or impurity of three types. The first one is real. Everyone perceives it as such. Then, there is the second type. This is known as legal because it makes wudu وُضُو (ablution) or ghusl غُسُل (bath) legally necessary. Examples are the state of Janabah (intercourse, ejaculation or wet-dream etc.), as well as, the post-menstruation and post-childbed states known as haidh حیض and nifas نفاس . And then, there is the spiritual impurity that relates to the human heart, for example, false beliefs and evil morals. The word ` najas' covers all of these.</p><p>The word, اِنَّمَا (innama) introduced in this verse has been used for hasr or restriction. Therefore, the sentence comes to mean that Mushriks (those who ascribe partners to Allah) are impure indeed (in the sense of ` are but filth' ). The truth of the matter is that all three types of impurities are found in Mushriks because they just do not take a lot of impure things as really impure. The outcome is that they do not make any effort to stay away from smearing themselves with obvious impurities - such as, liquor and things made with it. As for the modalities of purification against acquired impurities provided by religious codes - such as, the prescribed bath after having fallen into the state of Janabah - they simply do not believe in them! Similarly, spiritual impurities like false beliefs and evil morals do not make much sense to them.</p><p>Therefore, by declaring Mushriks to be impure in this verse, the injunction given was: فَلَا يَقْرَ‌بُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَ‌امَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَـٰذَا (so let them not come near Al-masjid-al-Haram after this year of theirs).</p><p>The word: اَلمَسجِد اَلحَرَام Al-masjid-al-Haram is generally used to denote the place that is surrounded by a walled structure around the Baytullah. But, in the Qur'an and Hadith, this word, at times, has been used for the sacred precincts of the entire Haram of Makkah as well - which is an area of several square miles and is hemmed in by limits originally ap-pointed by Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . It is in this very sense that words of the text of the Qur'an referring to the event of Mi` raj: مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَ‌امِ (from Al-masjid-al-haram - 17:1) have been taken. This interpretation has the backing of a consensus because the event of Mi` raj did not originate from inside what is commonly known as Al-masjid-al-Haram, instead of which, it started from the home of Sayyidah Umm Hani' ؓ .Similarly, in the noble verse: إِلَّا الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّمْ عِندَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَ‌امِ (Except those with whom you made a treaty near Al-masjid-al-Haram - 9:7), Al-masjid-al-Haram means the whole of Haram - because, the event of making a peace treaty mentioned there took place at Hudaibiyah, which is located outside the limits of the Haram close by. (A1-Jassas)</p><p>Therefore, the verse comes to mean that the entry of the Mushriks into the sacred precincts of the Haram shall be banned after ` this' year. Which year is ` this' year? Some commentators say that it means the Hijrah year 10. But, according to the majority of commentators, the preferred year is Hijrah 9 - because, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had made the ` proclamation of withdrawal' through Sayyidna Abu Bakr and Sayyidna Ali ؓ during the Hajj season of this very Hijrah year 9. Therefore, the period between Hijrah 9 and Hijrah 10 is the year of respite. It was only after Hijrah 10 that this law came into force.</p><p>Does the rule stop Mushriks from entering the Sacred Mosque only, or does it apply to all mosques?</p><p>About the injunction appearing in the cited verse: that no Mushrik should be allowed to come near Al-masjid-al-Haram (the Sacred Mosque) after Hijrah 10, three things need consideration. Firstly, we have to determine if this injunction is particular to the Sacred Mosque, or other mosques of the world also fall under its jurisdiction. Secondly, if this is particular to the Sacred Mosque, then, is the entry of a Mushrik in the Sacred Mosque banned in an absolute sense? Or the ban of such entry applies only in the case of Hajj and ` Umrah - not otherwise. Thirdly, this injunction appearing in the verse relates to Mushriks. In that case, are the disbelievers (kuffar) among the People of the Book included here, or are they not?</p><p>Since the words of the Qur'an are silent about these details, therefore, the Mujtahid Imams have, by turning to the hints of the Qur'an and the reports of Hadith, given a description of injunctions in accordance with their respective Ijtihad. The first investigation in this connection is about the terms of reference in which the Holy Qur'an has declared Mushriks as ` najas' (filth). If this means physical filth or some major legal impurity (janabah etc.), then, as evident, allowing the entry of filth in any masjid is not permissible. Similarly, allowing any person in the state of major impurity or a woman in the state of menstruation or childbed in any masjid is not permissible. And if ` najasah' in this verse means the spiritual filthiness of kufr and shirk, then, it is possible that the injunction which covers it may be different from the injunction which covers outward filth.</p><p>According to Tafsir Al-Qurtubi, Imam Malik and other jurists of Madinah, may Allah have mercy on them, said: Mushriks are filthy on all counts. They generally do not abstain from obvious filth, are not very particular about taking a bath after having fallen into the state of major impurity and, as for the spiritual impurity of kufr and shirk, they already suffer from it. Therefore, this injunction is equally applicable to all Mushriks and mosques. To prove this, they have cited an executive order given by Sayyidna ` Umar ibn ` Abd al-` Aziz (رح) in which he had instructed the administrators of cities that they should not allow disbelievers to enter mosques. He had quoted this very verse as part of his executive order. In addition to that, there is a Hadith of the Holy Prophet ﷺ in which he said: لَا اُحِلُّ المَسجِدَ لحَیٔضِ وَ لَا جُنُبِ (I do not make entry into the masjid lawful for any woman in menstruation or for any person in the state of major impurity) - and since the Mushriks and disbelievers do not generally take a bath when in a state of janabah, their entry into the masjid has been prohibited.</p><p>Imam Shafi` i (رح) has said that this injunction is applicable to all Mushriks and disbelievers among the People of the Book - but, is restricted to the Sacred Mosque. Their entry into other mosques is not prohibited. (Qurtubi) In proof, he has cited the event relating to Thumamah ibn Athal, according to which Thumamah was arrested. The Holy Prophet ﷺ had him tied to a pillar of his Mosque before he embraced Islam.</p><p>According to Imam Abu Hanifah (رح) ، not letting Mushriks come near the Sacred Mosque as commanded in the verse means that they will not be allowed to perform Hajj and ` Umrah in their peculiar polytheistic manner from the next year. Its proof lies in the proclamation of withdrawal which was made through Sayyidna ` Ali al-Murtada ؓ at the time of the Hajj season. This proclamation made was for nothing but: لَا یَحُجَّنَّ بعد العام مُشرِک which made it very clear that no Mushrik will be able to perform Hajj after that year. Therefore, the meaning of the statement: فَلَا يَقْرَ‌بُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَ‌امَ ( (so let them not come near Al-masjid-al-Haram) in this verse is - in accordance with this proclamation - nothing but that they have been prohibited to perform Hajj and ` Umrah, with the exception of entering there on the basis of a particular need which would be subject to the permission of the Muslim 'Amir. This is proved by what happened in the case of the deputation from the tribe of Thaqif. When, after the Conquest of Makkah, their deputation came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ he let them stay in the masjid, although they were kafirs at that time. Thereupon, the Companions ؓ submitted: ` Ya Rasulallah, these are filthy people!' He said: ` The floor of the masjid is not affected by their impurity.' (Jassas)</p><p>This report from Hadith also makes it very clear that the Holy Qur'an, when it calls Mushriks ` najas' (filth), it refers to the filth of their kufr and shirk - as interpreted by the great Imam Abu Hanifah (رح) . Similarly, according to a narration of the Companion, Sayyidna Jabir ibn ` Abdullah رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ the Holy Prophet ﷺ said that no Mushrik should go near the Masjid except that the person be a bondman or bondwoman of a Muslim - then, he could be admitted if needed. (Qurtubi)</p><p>This Hadith too confirms that the Mushriks were not prevented from entering into the Sacred Mosque on the basis of their outward impurity as the cause - otherwise, there was nothing particular about a bondman or bondwoman. In fact, the real basis is the danger of kufr and shirk lest these come to dominate. In the case of a bondman or bondwoman, this danger does not exist. So, they were allowed. In addition to that, as far as outward impurity is concerned, even Muslims stand included under this restriction for they too, if in a state of full impurity (janabah or haidh or nifas), are not allowed to enter the Sacred Mosque.</p><p>Besides, when according to the explanation given by the majority of commentators, Al-masjid-al-Haram at this place means the entire Haram, then, that too lends support to the view that this prohibition is not based on outward impurity, instead, it is based on the impurity of kufr and shirk. It is for this reason that their entry was banned not simply in the Sacred Mosque, in fact, it was banned in the entire area known as the Haram. This was done because the Haram is the sanctuary and fortress of Islam and having some non-Muslim inside it cannot be tolerated.</p><p>To sum up the investigative approach of the great Imam Abu Hanifah (رح) ، it can be said that the concern for maintaining masajid in a state of perfect purity, free from all sorts of outward and inward pollution, is an issue of major importance having its proof from the Qur'an and Hadith. But, this verse is not connected with this problem. It is, in fact, connected with the particular political order of Islam that was announced at the beginning of Surah Al-Bara'ah and wherein the purpose was to have the sacred Haram vacated by all Mushriks present in Makkah. But, such was the dictate of justice and mercy that all of them were not ordered to vacate immediately and en-block soon after the Conquest of Makkah. Instead of that, the plan was to be implemented within the time-span of one year by allowing people who had a treaty for a specified period to complete that period subject to its solemn fulfillment and by giving others available periods of respite. This is what was stated in the verse under study - that the entry of Mushriks will stand prohibited within the sacred precincts of the Haram after that year and they would no more be able to perform Hajj and ` Umrah in their polytheistic style.</p><p>After it was clearly stated in the 'ayat of Surah At-Taubah that no Mushrik would be able to enter the sacred precincts of the Haram after Hijrah 9, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had increased this injunction to cover the whole of the Arabian Peninsula. Hadith reports confirm it but its implementation could not take effect during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Then, Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ remained unable to attend to it because of other emergent problems on hand. It was Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ who, during his period, put this legal order in force.</p><p>As for the problem of the impurity of disbelievers and the problem of keeping masjid secured from impurities of all kinds, that has its own place. These problems and their solutions have been taken up in books of Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence). Details can be seen there. In brief, no Muslim can enter any masjid in the state of najasah or janabah. As for disbelievers and Mushriks or the People of the Book, they too are not generally free and duly purified from these impurities, therefore, their entry too is not permissible in any masjid, unless needed acutely.</p><p>When, according to this verse, the entry of Kafirs and Mushriks into the Haram was banned, Muslims had to face an economic problem. Makkah had no produce of its own. Visitors from far and near brought the needed supplies with them. Thus, during the Hajj season, the people of Makkah found what they needed available locally. Now that their entry was banned, the Makkans worried, how things would work for them. In response, they were told in the Qur'an: وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَيْلَةً فَسَوْفَ يُغْنِيكُمُ اللَّـهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ إِن شَاءَ (And if you apprehend poverty, then, Allah shall, if He wills, make you self-sufficient with His grace). In other words, the sense is: if you foresee any economic hardships, then, you must realize that the economic support of the entire creation rests with Allah Almighty. If He wills, He shall make you self-sufficient, free from any dependence on all those kafirs. Incidentally, the restriction of ` if He wills' placed here does not mean that there is any doubt or hesitation in carrying out the Divine will. On the contrary, this is to point out that those who have their sights trained on nothing but material causes find it very difficult to understand and accept a situation like this. Here, the ground reality was that these non-Muslims were the apparent source of all economic support. Putting a ban on the entry of disbelievers amounted to nothing but a termination of the means of livelihood for believers. So, this restriction was placed to remove any such doubts and apprehensions. The strong message given to them was that Allah Ta` ala does not depend on material causes as such. When He intends to do something, all related causes start falling in line with His will. So, His will is what matters - the rest follows. Hence, اِن شآَء (in sha' ) at the end of the sentence serves as a wise indicator of this truth.</p>

CommentaryA proclamation of withdrawal was made against Mushriks and disbelievers at the beginning of Surah At-Taubah. The verse appearing above describes injunctions related to this proclamation. In substance, it stipulated that treaties with disbelievers should be terminated or fulfilled within a year and after the passage of one year from this proc-lamation, no Mushrik should remain within the sacred precincts of the Haram.This has been stated in the present verse in a particular manner that accomplishes two objectives simultaneously. It points out to the wisdom behind this injunction and it also alleviates the apprehensions of some Muslims about its implementation. Here, the word: نَجَس (najas) has been used with fathah on the letter jeem ج which carries the sense of filth and filth denotes every impurity which one averts naturally. Imam Raghib al-Isfahani has said: It also includes impurity that is perceived through the senses, such as the eye, the nose or the hand as well as that which one is able to know about through knowledge and reason. Therefore, the word: ` najas' is inclusive of filth or impurity of three types. The first one is real. Everyone perceives it as such. Then, there is the second type. This is known as legal because it makes wudu وُضُو (ablution) or ghusl غُسُل (bath) legally necessary. Examples are the state of Janabah (intercourse, ejaculation or wet-dream etc.), as well as, the post-menstruation and post-childbed states known as haidh حیض and nifas نفاس . And then, there is the spiritual impurity that relates to the human heart, for example, false beliefs and evil morals. The word ` najas' covers all of these.The word, اِنَّمَا (innama) introduced in this verse has been used for hasr or restriction. Therefore, the sentence comes to mean that Mushriks (those who ascribe partners to Allah) are impure indeed (in the sense of ` are but filth' ). The truth of the matter is that all three types of impurities are found in Mushriks because they just do not take a lot of impure things as really impure. The outcome is that they do not make any effort to stay away from smearing themselves with obvious impurities - such as, liquor and things made with it. As for the modalities of purification against acquired impurities provided by religious codes - such as, the prescribed bath after having fallen into the state of Janabah - they simply do not believe in them! Similarly, spiritual impurities like false beliefs and evil morals do not make much sense to them.Therefore, by declaring Mushriks to be impure in this verse, the injunction given was: فَلَا يَقْرَ‌بُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَ‌امَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَـٰذَا (so let them not come near Al-masjid-al-Haram after this year of theirs).The word: اَلمَسجِد اَلحَرَام Al-masjid-al-Haram is generally used to denote the place that is surrounded by a walled structure around the Baytullah. But, in the Qur'an and Hadith, this word, at times, has been used for the sacred precincts of the entire Haram of Makkah as well - which is an area of several square miles and is hemmed in by limits originally ap-pointed by Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . It is in this very sense that words of the text of the Qur'an referring to the event of Mi` raj: مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَ‌امِ (from Al-masjid-al-haram - 17:1) have been taken. This interpretation has the backing of a consensus because the event of Mi` raj did not originate from inside what is commonly known as Al-masjid-al-Haram, instead of which, it started from the home of Sayyidah Umm Hani' ؓ .Similarly, in the noble verse: إِلَّا الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّمْ عِندَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَ‌امِ (Except those with whom you made a treaty near Al-masjid-al-Haram - 9:7), Al-masjid-al-Haram means the whole of Haram - because, the event of making a peace treaty mentioned there took place at Hudaibiyah, which is located outside the limits of the Haram close by. (A1-Jassas)Therefore, the verse comes to mean that the entry of the Mushriks into the sacred precincts of the Haram shall be banned after ` this' year. Which year is ` this' year? Some commentators say that it means the Hijrah year 10. But, according to the majority of commentators, the preferred year is Hijrah 9 - because, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had made the ` proclamation of withdrawal' through Sayyidna Abu Bakr and Sayyidna Ali ؓ during the Hajj season of this very Hijrah year 9. Therefore, the period between Hijrah 9 and Hijrah 10 is the year of respite. It was only after Hijrah 10 that this law came into force.Does the rule stop Mushriks from entering the Sacred Mosque only, or does it apply to all mosques?About the injunction appearing in the cited verse: that no Mushrik should be allowed to come near Al-masjid-al-Haram (the Sacred Mosque) after Hijrah 10, three things need consideration. Firstly, we have to determine if this injunction is particular to the Sacred Mosque, or other mosques of the world also fall under its jurisdiction. Secondly, if this is particular to the Sacred Mosque, then, is the entry of a Mushrik in the Sacred Mosque banned in an absolute sense? Or the ban of such entry applies only in the case of Hajj and ` Umrah - not otherwise. Thirdly, this injunction appearing in the verse relates to Mushriks. In that case, are the disbelievers (kuffar) among the People of the Book included here, or are they not?Since the words of the Qur'an are silent about these details, therefore, the Mujtahid Imams have, by turning to the hints of the Qur'an and the reports of Hadith, given a description of injunctions in accordance with their respective Ijtihad. The first investigation in this connection is about the terms of reference in which the Holy Qur'an has declared Mushriks as ` najas' (filth). If this means physical filth or some major legal impurity (janabah etc.), then, as evident, allowing the entry of filth in any masjid is not permissible. Similarly, allowing any person in the state of major impurity or a woman in the state of menstruation or childbed in any masjid is not permissible. And if ` najasah' in this verse means the spiritual filthiness of kufr and shirk, then, it is possible that the injunction which covers it may be different from the injunction which covers outward filth.According to Tafsir Al-Qurtubi, Imam Malik and other jurists of Madinah, may Allah have mercy on them, said: Mushriks are filthy on all counts. They generally do not abstain from obvious filth, are not very particular about taking a bath after having fallen into the state of major impurity and, as for the spiritual impurity of kufr and shirk, they already suffer from it. Therefore, this injunction is equally applicable to all Mushriks and mosques. To prove this, they have cited an executive order given by Sayyidna ` Umar ibn ` Abd al-` Aziz (رح) in which he had instructed the administrators of cities that they should not allow disbelievers to enter mosques. He had quoted this very verse as part of his executive order. In addition to that, there is a Hadith of the Holy Prophet ﷺ in which he said: لَا اُحِلُّ المَسجِدَ لحَیٔضِ وَ لَا جُنُبِ (I do not make entry into the masjid lawful for any woman in menstruation or for any person in the state of major impurity) - and since the Mushriks and disbelievers do not generally take a bath when in a state of janabah, their entry into the masjid has been prohibited.Imam Shafi` i (رح) has said that this injunction is applicable to all Mushriks and disbelievers among the People of the Book - but, is restricted to the Sacred Mosque. Their entry into other mosques is not prohibited. (Qurtubi) In proof, he has cited the event relating to Thumamah ibn Athal, according to which Thumamah was arrested. The Holy Prophet ﷺ had him tied to a pillar of his Mosque before he embraced Islam.According to Imam Abu Hanifah (رح) ، not letting Mushriks come near the Sacred Mosque as commanded in the verse means that they will not be allowed to perform Hajj and ` Umrah in their peculiar polytheistic manner from the next year. Its proof lies in the proclamation of withdrawal which was made through Sayyidna ` Ali al-Murtada ؓ at the time of the Hajj season. This proclamation made was for nothing but: لَا یَحُجَّنَّ بعد العام مُشرِک which made it very clear that no Mushrik will be able to perform Hajj after that year. Therefore, the meaning of the statement: فَلَا يَقْرَ‌بُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَ‌امَ ( (so let them not come near Al-masjid-al-Haram) in this verse is - in accordance with this proclamation - nothing but that they have been prohibited to perform Hajj and ` Umrah, with the exception of entering there on the basis of a particular need which would be subject to the permission of the Muslim 'Amir. This is proved by what happened in the case of the deputation from the tribe of Thaqif. When, after the Conquest of Makkah, their deputation came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ he let them stay in the masjid, although they were kafirs at that time. Thereupon, the Companions ؓ submitted: ` Ya Rasulallah, these are filthy people!' He said: ` The floor of the masjid is not affected by their impurity.' (Jassas)This report from Hadith also makes it very clear that the Holy Qur'an, when it calls Mushriks ` najas' (filth), it refers to the filth of their kufr and shirk - as interpreted by the great Imam Abu Hanifah (رح) . Similarly, according to a narration of the Companion, Sayyidna Jabir ibn ` Abdullah رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ the Holy Prophet ﷺ said that no Mushrik should go near the Masjid except that the person be a bondman or bondwoman of a Muslim - then, he could be admitted if needed. (Qurtubi)This Hadith too confirms that the Mushriks were not prevented from entering into the Sacred Mosque on the basis of their outward impurity as the cause - otherwise, there was nothing particular about a bondman or bondwoman. In fact, the real basis is the danger of kufr and shirk lest these come to dominate. In the case of a bondman or bondwoman, this danger does not exist. So, they were allowed. In addition to that, as far as outward impurity is concerned, even Muslims stand included under this restriction for they too, if in a state of full impurity (janabah or haidh or nifas), are not allowed to enter the Sacred Mosque.Besides, when according to the explanation given by the majority of commentators, Al-masjid-al-Haram at this place means the entire Haram, then, that too lends support to the view that this prohibition is not based on outward impurity, instead, it is based on the impurity of kufr and shirk. It is for this reason that their entry was banned not simply in the Sacred Mosque, in fact, it was banned in the entire area known as the Haram. This was done because the Haram is the sanctuary and fortress of Islam and having some non-Muslim inside it cannot be tolerated.To sum up the investigative approach of the great Imam Abu Hanifah (رح) ، it can be said that the concern for maintaining masajid in a state of perfect purity, free from all sorts of outward and inward pollution, is an issue of major importance having its proof from the Qur'an and Hadith. But, this verse is not connected with this problem. It is, in fact, connected with the particular political order of Islam that was announced at the beginning of Surah Al-Bara'ah and wherein the purpose was to have the sacred Haram vacated by all Mushriks present in Makkah. But, such was the dictate of justice and mercy that all of them were not ordered to vacate immediately and en-block soon after the Conquest of Makkah. Instead of that, the plan was to be implemented within the time-span of one year by allowing people who had a treaty for a specified period to complete that period subject to its solemn fulfillment and by giving others available periods of respite. This is what was stated in the verse under study - that the entry of Mushriks will stand prohibited within the sacred precincts of the Haram after that year and they would no more be able to perform Hajj and ` Umrah in their polytheistic style.After it was clearly stated in the 'ayat of Surah At-Taubah that no Mushrik would be able to enter the sacred precincts of the Haram after Hijrah 9, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had increased this injunction to cover the whole of the Arabian Peninsula. Hadith reports confirm it but its implementation could not take effect during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Then, Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ remained unable to attend to it because of other emergent problems on hand. It was Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ who, during his period, put this legal order in force.As for the problem of the impurity of disbelievers and the problem of keeping masjid secured from impurities of all kinds, that has its own place. These problems and their solutions have been taken up in books of Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence). Details can be seen there. In brief, no Muslim can enter any masjid in the state of najasah or janabah. As for disbelievers and Mushriks or the People of the Book, they too are not generally free and duly purified from these impurities, therefore, their entry too is not permissible in any masjid, unless needed acutely.When, according to this verse, the entry of Kafirs and Mushriks into the Haram was banned, Muslims had to face an economic problem. Makkah had no produce of its own. Visitors from far and near brought the needed supplies with them. Thus, during the Hajj season, the people of Makkah found what they needed available locally. Now that their entry was banned, the Makkans worried, how things would work for them. In response, they were told in the Qur'an: وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَيْلَةً فَسَوْفَ يُغْنِيكُمُ اللَّـهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ إِن شَاءَ (And if you apprehend poverty, then, Allah shall, if He wills, make you self-sufficient with His grace). In other words, the sense is: if you foresee any economic hardships, then, you must realize that the economic support of the entire creation rests with Allah Almighty. If He wills, He shall make you self-sufficient, free from any dependence on all those kafirs. Incidentally, the restriction of ` if He wills' placed here does not mean that there is any doubt or hesitation in carrying out the Divine will. On the contrary, this is to point out that those who have their sights trained on nothing but material causes find it very difficult to understand and accept a situation like this. Here, the ground reality was that these non-Muslims were the apparent source of all economic support. Putting a ban on the entry of disbelievers amounted to nothing but a termination of the means of livelihood for believers. So, this restriction was placed to remove any such doubts and apprehensions. The strong message given to them was that Allah Ta` ala does not depend on material causes as such. When He intends to do something, all related causes start falling in line with His will. So, His will is what matters - the rest follows. Hence, اِن شآَء (in sha' ) at the end of the sentence serves as a wise indicator of this truth.

<h2 class="title">Idolators are no longer allowed into Al-Masjid Al-Haram</h2><p>Allah commands His believing servants, who are pure in religion and person, to expel the idolators who are filthy in the religious sense, from Al-Masjid Al-Haram. After the revelation of this Ayah, idolators were no longer allowed to go near the Masjid. This Ayah was revealed in the ninth year of Hijrah. The Messenger of Allah sent `Ali in the company of Abu Bakr that year to publicize to the idolators that no Mushrik will be allowed to perform Hajj after that year, nor a naked person allowed to perform Tawaf around the House. Allah completed this decree, made it a legislative ruling, as well as, a fact of reality. `Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Jabir bin `Abdullah commented on the Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ فَلاَ يَقْرَبُواْ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَـذَا</div><p>(O you who believe! Verily, the Mushrikin are impure. So let them not come near Al-Masjid Al-Haram after this year) "Unless it was a servant or one of the people of Dhimmah." Imam Abu `Amr Al-Awza'i said, "Umar bin `Abdul-`Aziz wrote (to his governors) to prevent Jews and Christians from entering the Masjids of Muslims, and he followed his order with Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ</div><p>(Verily, the Mushrikin are impure.) `Ata' said, "All of the Sacred Area the Haram is considered a Masjid, for Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلاَ يَقْرَبُواْ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَـذَا</div><p>(So let them not come near Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah) after this year.)" This Ayah indicates that idolators are impure and that the believers are pure. In the Sahih is the following, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«الْمُؤْمِنُ لَا يَنْجُس»</div><p>(The believer does not become impure.) Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَيْلَةً فَسَوْفَ يُغْنِيكُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ</div><p>(and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you, out of His bounty.) Muhammad bin Ishaq commented, "The people said, `Our markets will be closed, our commerce disrupted, and what we earned will vanish.' So Allah revealed this verse, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَيْلَةً فَسَوْفَ يُغْنِيكُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ</div><p>(and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you, out of His bounty), from other resources, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِن شَآءَ</div><p>(if He wills), until, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُمْ صَـغِرُونَ</div><p>(. ..and feel themselves subdued.) This Ayah means, `this will be your compensation for the closed markets that you feared would result.' Therefore, Allah compensated them for the losses they incurred because they severed ties with idolators, by the Jizyah they earned from the People of the Book." Similar statements were reported from Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak and others. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ</div><p>(Surely, Allah is All-Knowing), in what benefits you, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">حَكِيمٌ</div><p>(All-Wise), in His orders and prohibitions, for He is All-Perfect in His actions and statements, All-Just in His creations and decisions, Blessed and Hallowed be He. This is why Allah compensated Muslims for their losses by the amount of Jizyah that they took from the people of Dhimmah.</p><h2 class="title">The Order to fight People of the Scriptures until They give the Jizyah</h2><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَـتِلُواْ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلاَ بِالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ وَلاَ يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَلاَ يَدِينُونَ دِينَ الْحَقِّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ حَتَّى يُعْطُواْ الْجِزْيَةَ عَن يَدٍ وَهُمْ صَـغِرُونَ </div><p>(Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth among the People of the Scripture, until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.) Therefore, when People of the Scriptures disbelieved in Muhammad , they had no beneficial faith in any Messenger or what the Messengers brought. Rather, they followed their religions because this conformed with their ideas, lusts and the ways of their forefathers, not because they are Allah's Law and religion. Had they been true believers in their religions, that faith would have directed them to believe in Muhammad , because all Prophets gave the good news of Muhammad's advent and commanded them to obey and follow him. Yet when he was sent, they disbelieved in him, even though he is the mightiest of all Messengers. Therefore, they do not follow the religion of earlier Prophets because these religions came from Allah, but because these suit their desires and lusts. Therefore, their claimed faith in an earlier Prophet will not benefit them because they disbelieved in the master, the mightiest, the last and most perfect of all Prophets . Hence Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَـتِلُواْ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلاَ بِالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ وَلاَ يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَلاَ يَدِينُونَ دِينَ الْحَقِّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ</div><p>(Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth among the People of the Scripture,) This honorable Ayah was revealed with the order to fight the People of the Book, after the pagans were defeated, the people entered Allah's religion in large numbers, and the Arabian Peninsula was secured under the Muslims' control. Allah commanded His Messenger to fight the People of the Scriptures, Jews and Christians, on the ninth year of Hijrah, and he prepared his army to fight the Romans and called the people to Jihad announcing his intent and destination. The Messenger sent his intent to various Arab areas around Al-Madinah to gather forces, and he collected an army of thirty thousand. Some people from Al-Madinah and some hypocrites, in and around it, lagged behind, for that year was a year of drought and intense heat. The Messenger of Allah marched, heading towards Ash-Sham to fight the Romans until he reached Tabuk, where he set camp for about twenty days next to its water resources. He then prayed to Allah for a decision and went back to Al-Madinah because it was a hard year and the people were weak, as we will mention, Allah willing.</p><h2 class="title">Paying Jizyah is a Sign of Kufr and Disgrace</h2><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">حَتَّى يُعْطُواْ الْجِزْيَةَ</div><p>(until they pay the Jizyah), if they do not choose to embrace Islam, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">عَن يَدٍ</div><p>(with willing submission), in defeat and subservience, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُمْ صَـغِرُونَ</div><p>(and feel themselves subdued.), disgraced, humiliated and belittled. Therefore, Muslims are not allowed to honor the people of Dhimmah or elevate them above Muslims, for they are miserable, disgraced and humiliated. Muslim recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«لَا تَبْدَءُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى بِالسَّلَامِ، وَإِذَا لَقِيتُمْ أَحَدَهُمْ فِي طَرِيقٍ فَاضْطَرُّوهُ إِلَى أَضْيَقِه»</div><p>(Do not initiate the Salam to the Jews and Christians, and if you meet any of them in a road, force them to its narrowest alley.) This is why the Leader of the faithful `Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, demanded his well-known conditions be met by the Christians, these conditions that ensured their continued humiliation, degradation and disgrace. The scholars of Hadith narrated from `Abdur-Rahman bin Ghanm Al-Ash`ari that he said, "I recorded for `Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, the terms of the treaty of peace he conducted with the Christians of Ash-Sham: `In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. This is a document to the servant of Allah `Umar, the Leader of the faithful, from the Christians of such and such city. When you (Muslims) came to us we requested safety for ourselves, children, property and followers of our religion. We made a condition on ourselves that we will neither erect in our areas a monastery, church, or a sanctuary for a monk, nor restore any place of worship that needs restoration nor use any of them for the purpose of enmity against Muslims. We will not prevent any Muslim from resting in our churches whether they come by day or night, and we will open the doors of our houses of worship for the wayfarer and passerby. Those Muslims who come as guests, will enjoy boarding and food for three days. We will not allow a spy against Muslims into our churches and homes or hide deceit or betrayal against Muslims. We will not teach our children the Qur'an, publicize practices of Shirk, invite anyone to Shirk or prevent any of our fellows from embracing Islam, if they choose to do so. We will respect Muslims, move from the places we sit in if they choose to sit in them. We will not imitate their clothing, caps, turbans, sandals, hairstyles, speech, nicknames and title names, or ride on saddles, hang swords on the shoulders, collect weapons of any kind or carry these weapons. We will not encrypt our stamps in Arabic, or sell liquor. We will have the front of our hair cut, wear our customary clothes wherever we are, wear belts around our waist, refrain from erecting crosses on the outside of our churches and demonstrating them and our books in public in Muslim fairways and markets. We will not sound the bells in our churches, except discretely, or raise our voices while reciting our holy books inside our churches in the presence of Muslims, nor raise our voices with prayer at our funerals, or light torches in funeral processions in the fairways of Muslims, or their markets. We will not bury our dead next to Muslim dead, or buy servants who were captured by Muslims. We will be guides for Muslims and refrain from breaching their privacy in their homes.' When I gave this document to `Umar, he added to it, `We will not beat any Muslim. These are the conditions that we set against ourselves and followers of our religion in return for safety and protection. If we break any of these promises that we set for your benefit against ourselves, then our Dhimmah (promise of protection) is broken and you are allowed to do with us what you are allowed of people of defiance and rebellion."' </p>

Idolators are no longer allowed into Al-Masjid Al-HaramAllah commands His believing servants, who are pure in religion and person, to expel the idolators who are filthy in the religious sense, from Al-Masjid Al-Haram. After the revelation of this Ayah, idolators were no longer allowed to go near the Masjid. This Ayah was revealed in the ninth year of Hijrah. The Messenger of Allah sent `Ali in the company of Abu Bakr that year to publicize to the idolators that no Mushrik will be allowed to perform Hajj after that year, nor a naked person allowed to perform Tawaf around the House. Allah completed this decree, made it a legislative ruling, as well as, a fact of reality. `Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Jabir bin `Abdullah commented on the Ayah, إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ فَلاَ يَقْرَبُواْ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَـذَا(O you who believe! Verily, the Mushrikin are impure. So let them not come near Al-Masjid Al-Haram after this year) "Unless it was a servant or one of the people of Dhimmah." Imam Abu `Amr Al-Awza'i said, "Umar bin `Abdul-`Aziz wrote (to his governors) to prevent Jews and Christians from entering the Masjids of Muslims, and he followed his order with Allah's statement, إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ(Verily, the Mushrikin are impure.) `Ata' said, "All of the Sacred Area the Haram is considered a Masjid, for Allah said, فَلاَ يَقْرَبُواْ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَـذَا(So let them not come near Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah) after this year.)" This Ayah indicates that idolators are impure and that the believers are pure. In the Sahih is the following, «الْمُؤْمِنُ لَا يَنْجُس»(The believer does not become impure.) Allah said, وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَيْلَةً فَسَوْفَ يُغْنِيكُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ(and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you, out of His bounty.) Muhammad bin Ishaq commented, "The people said, `Our markets will be closed, our commerce disrupted, and what we earned will vanish.' So Allah revealed this verse, وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَيْلَةً فَسَوْفَ يُغْنِيكُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ(and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you, out of His bounty), from other resources, إِن شَآءَ(if He wills), until, وَهُمْ صَـغِرُونَ(. ..and feel themselves subdued.) This Ayah means, `this will be your compensation for the closed markets that you feared would result.' Therefore, Allah compensated them for the losses they incurred because they severed ties with idolators, by the Jizyah they earned from the People of the Book." Similar statements were reported from Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak and others. Allah said, إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ(Surely, Allah is All-Knowing), in what benefits you, حَكِيمٌ(All-Wise), in His orders and prohibitions, for He is All-Perfect in His actions and statements, All-Just in His creations and decisions, Blessed and Hallowed be He. This is why Allah compensated Muslims for their losses by the amount of Jizyah that they took from the people of Dhimmah.The Order to fight People of the Scriptures until They give the JizyahAllah said, قَـتِلُواْ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلاَ بِالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ وَلاَ يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَلاَ يَدِينُونَ دِينَ الْحَقِّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ حَتَّى يُعْطُواْ الْجِزْيَةَ عَن يَدٍ وَهُمْ صَـغِرُونَ (Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth among the People of the Scripture, until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.) Therefore, when People of the Scriptures disbelieved in Muhammad , they had no beneficial faith in any Messenger or what the Messengers brought. Rather, they followed their religions because this conformed with their ideas, lusts and the ways of their forefathers, not because they are Allah's Law and religion. Had they been true believers in their religions, that faith would have directed them to believe in Muhammad , because all Prophets gave the good news of Muhammad's advent and commanded them to obey and follow him. Yet when he was sent, they disbelieved in him, even though he is the mightiest of all Messengers. Therefore, they do not follow the religion of earlier Prophets because these religions came from Allah, but because these suit their desires and lusts. Therefore, their claimed faith in an earlier Prophet will not benefit them because they disbelieved in the master, the mightiest, the last and most perfect of all Prophets . Hence Allah's statement, قَـتِلُواْ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلاَ بِالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ وَلاَ يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَلاَ يَدِينُونَ دِينَ الْحَقِّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ(Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth among the People of the Scripture,) This honorable Ayah was revealed with the order to fight the People of the Book, after the pagans were defeated, the people entered Allah's religion in large numbers, and the Arabian Peninsula was secured under the Muslims' control. Allah commanded His Messenger to fight the People of the Scriptures, Jews and Christians, on the ninth year of Hijrah, and he prepared his army to fight the Romans and called the people to Jihad announcing his intent and destination. The Messenger sent his intent to various Arab areas around Al-Madinah to gather forces, and he collected an army of thirty thousand. Some people from Al-Madinah and some hypocrites, in and around it, lagged behind, for that year was a year of drought and intense heat. The Messenger of Allah marched, heading towards Ash-Sham to fight the Romans until he reached Tabuk, where he set camp for about twenty days next to its water resources. He then prayed to Allah for a decision and went back to Al-Madinah because it was a hard year and the people were weak, as we will mention, Allah willing.Paying Jizyah is a Sign of Kufr and DisgraceAllah said, حَتَّى يُعْطُواْ الْجِزْيَةَ(until they pay the Jizyah), if they do not choose to embrace Islam, عَن يَدٍ(with willing submission), in defeat and subservience, وَهُمْ صَـغِرُونَ(and feel themselves subdued.), disgraced, humiliated and belittled. Therefore, Muslims are not allowed to honor the people of Dhimmah or elevate them above Muslims, for they are miserable, disgraced and humiliated. Muslim recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said, «لَا تَبْدَءُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى بِالسَّلَامِ، وَإِذَا لَقِيتُمْ أَحَدَهُمْ فِي طَرِيقٍ فَاضْطَرُّوهُ إِلَى أَضْيَقِه»(Do not initiate the Salam to the Jews and Christians, and if you meet any of them in a road, force them to its narrowest alley.) This is why the Leader of the faithful `Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, demanded his well-known conditions be met by the Christians, these conditions that ensured their continued humiliation, degradation and disgrace. The scholars of Hadith narrated from `Abdur-Rahman bin Ghanm Al-Ash`ari that he said, "I recorded for `Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, the terms of the treaty of peace he conducted with the Christians of Ash-Sham: `In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. This is a document to the servant of Allah `Umar, the Leader of the faithful, from the Christians of such and such city. When you (Muslims) came to us we requested safety for ourselves, children, property and followers of our religion. We made a condition on ourselves that we will neither erect in our areas a monastery, church, or a sanctuary for a monk, nor restore any place of worship that needs restoration nor use any of them for the purpose of enmity against Muslims. We will not prevent any Muslim from resting in our churches whether they come by day or night, and we will open the doors of our houses of worship for the wayfarer and passerby. Those Muslims who come as guests, will enjoy boarding and food for three days. We will not allow a spy against Muslims into our churches and homes or hide deceit or betrayal against Muslims. We will not teach our children the Qur'an, publicize practices of Shirk, invite anyone to Shirk or prevent any of our fellows from embracing Islam, if they choose to do so. We will respect Muslims, move from the places we sit in if they choose to sit in them. We will not imitate their clothing, caps, turbans, sandals, hairstyles, speech, nicknames and title names, or ride on saddles, hang swords on the shoulders, collect weapons of any kind or carry these weapons. We will not encrypt our stamps in Arabic, or sell liquor. We will have the front of our hair cut, wear our customary clothes wherever we are, wear belts around our waist, refrain from erecting crosses on the outside of our churches and demonstrating them and our books in public in Muslim fairways and markets. We will not sound the bells in our churches, except discretely, or raise our voices while reciting our holy books inside our churches in the presence of Muslims, nor raise our voices with prayer at our funerals, or light torches in funeral processions in the fairways of Muslims, or their markets. We will not bury our dead next to Muslim dead, or buy servants who were captured by Muslims. We will be guides for Muslims and refrain from breaching their privacy in their homes.' When I gave this document to `Umar, he added to it, `We will not beat any Muslim. These are the conditions that we set against ourselves and followers of our religion in return for safety and protection. If we break any of these promises that we set for your benefit against ourselves, then our Dhimmah (promise of protection) is broken and you are allowed to do with us what you are allowed of people of defiance and rebellion."'

Fight those people of the Book who do not believe in God and the Last Day, who do not prohibit what God and His Apostle have forbidden, nor accept divine law, until all of them pay protective tax in submission.

Fight against the People given the Book(s) who do not accept faith in Allah and the Last Day, and who do not treat as forbidden what is forbidden by Allah and by His Noble Messenger, and who do not follow the true religion, until they pay the tariff with their own hands with humiliation.

Fight those who believe not in God and the Last Day and do not forbid what God and His Messenger have forbidden -- such men as practise not the religion of truth, being of those who have been given the Book -- until they pay the tribute out of hand and have been humbled.

[And] fight against those who - despite having been vouchsafed revelation [aforetime] -do not [truly] believe either in God or the Last Day, and do not consider forbidden that which God and His Apostle have forbidden, and do not follow the religion of truth [which God has enjoined upon them] till they [agree to] pay the exemption tax with a willing hand, after having been humbled [in war].

Fight against those who believe not in Allah nor in the Last Day and hold not that forbidden which Allah and His apostle have forbidden and observe not the true religion, of those who have been vouchsafed the Book, until they pay the tribute out of hand and they are subdued.

Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allah, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

Fight those who do not believe in God, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid what God and His Messenger have forbidden, nor abide by the religion of truth—from among those who received the Scripture—until they pay the due tax, willingly or unwillingly.

Those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day - even though they were given the scriptures, and who do not hold as unlawful that which Allah and His Messenger have declared to be unlawful, and who do not follow the true religion - fight against them until they pay tribute out of their hand and are utterly subdued.

Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth among the People of the Scripture, until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messenger, and follow not the Religion of Truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low.

Fight those who do not have faith in Allah nor [believe] in the Last Day, nor forbid what Allah and His Apostle have forbidden, nor practise the true religion, from among those who were given the Book, until they pay the tribute out of hand, degraded.

Fight those who neither believe in Allah nor the Last Day, who do not forbid what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, and do not embrace the religion of the truth, being among those who have been given the Book (Bible and the Torah), until they pay tribute out of hand and have been humiliated.

Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture - [fight] until they give the jizyah willingly while they are humbled.

Fight against those People of the Book who have no faith in God or the Day of Judgment, who do not consider unlawful what God and His Messenger have made unlawful, and who do not believe in the true religion, until they humbly pay tax with their own hands.

Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection.

Q<u>a</u>tiloo alla<u>th</u>eena l<u>a</u> yuminoona bi<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hi wal<u>a</u> bi<b>a</b>lyawmi al<u>a</u>khiri wal<u>a</u> yu<u>h</u>arrimoona m<u>a</u> <u>h</u>arrama All<u>a</u>hu warasooluhu wal<u>a</u> yadeenoona deena al<u>h</u>aqqi mina alla<u>th</u>eena ootoo alkit<u>a</u>ba <u>h</u>att<u>a</u> yuAA<u>t</u>oo aljizyata AAan yadin wahum <u>sa</u>ghiroon<b>a</b>

Fight those from among the People of the Book who believe neither in God, nor in the Last Day, nor hold as unlawful what God and His Messenger have declared to be unlawful, nor follow the true religion, until they pay the tax willingly and agree to submit.

Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

9

قَٰتِلُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَلَا بِٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ وَلَا يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَلَا يَدِينُونَ دِينَ ٱلْحَقِّ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ حَتَّىٰ يُعْطُوا۟ ٱلْجِزْيَةَ عَن يَدٍ وَهُمْ صَٰغِرُونَ

Fight then O believers, against the disbelievers who do not have faith in Allah as their Lord without any partner, do not believe in the Day of Judgement, do not avoid what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden (such as carrion, the meat of pigs, alcohol and usury), and who do not submit themselves to what Allah has made sacred law, among the Jews and Christians – until they pay the jizyah tax with their own hands and are humble and subdued.

Fight then O believers, against the disbelievers who do not have faith in Allah as their Lord without any partner, do not believe in the Day of Judgement, do not avoid what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden (such as carrion, the meat of pigs, alcohol and usury), and who do not submit themselves to what Allah has made sacred law, among the Jews and Christians – until they pay the jizyah tax with their own hands and are humble and subdued.

<p>Commentary</p><p>Verse 28 appearing earlier referred to Jihad against the Mushirks of Makkah. The present verses talk about Jihad against the People of the Book. In a sense, this is a prelude to the battle of Tabuk that was fought against the People of the Book. In Tafsir al-Durr al-Manthur, it has been reported from the Qur'an commentator, Mujahid that these verses have been revealed about the battle of Tabuk. Then, there is the reference to ` those who were given the Book.' In Islamic religious terminology, they are referred to as ` ahl al-Kitab' or People of the Book. In its literal sense, it covers every disbelieving group of people who be-lieve in a Scripture but, in the terminology of the Holy Qur'an, this term is used for Jews and Christians only - because, anly these two groups from the People of the Book were well-known in and around Arabia. Therefore, addressing the Mushriks of Arabia, the Holy Qur'an has said:</p><p>أَن تَقُولُوا إِنَّمَا أُنزِلَ الْكِتَابُ عَلَىٰ طَائِفَتَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِنَا وَإِن كُنَّا عَن دِرَ‌اسَتِهِمْ لَغَافِلِينَ ﴿156﴾</p><p>lest you should say, "The Book was sent down only upon two groups before us, and we were ignorant of what they studied." - 6:156</p><p>As for the injunction of Jihad against the People of the Book given in verse 29, it is really not particular to the People of the Book. The fact is that this very injunction applies to all disbelieving groups - because, the reasons for the injunction to fight mentioned next are common to all disbelievers. If so, the injunction has to be common too. But, the People of the Book were mentioned here particularly to serve a purpose. Since, it was possible that Muslims may hesitate to fight against them on the ground that they too are believers in a certain degree, believers in Torah and Injil, and in Sayyidna Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) may peace be upon them both. So, it was possible that their connection with past prophets and their Books may become a factor in dissuading them from Jihad. Therefore, fighting with them was mentioned particularly.</p><p>There is yet another element of coherence at this place. This particularization of the People of the Book in the verse is also releasing a hint that, in a certain way, these people are deserving of greater punishment. The reasons were simple. They were people with knowledge. They had the knowledge of Torah and Injil. These Scriptures referred to the Last among prophets, Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ giving his blessed identity in details. They knew all this, yet elected to reject the truth and went on to mount conspiracies against Islam and Muslims. When they did what they did, their crime became much more serious. That explains why fighting against them was mentioned particularly.</p><p>The injunction to fight spells out four reasons in this verse:</p><p>1. لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ : They do not believe in Allah.</p><p>2. وَلَا بِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ‌: They do not believe in the Hereafter.</p><p>3. لَا يُحَرِّ‌مُونَ مَا حَرَّ‌مَ اللَّـهُ : They do not take as prohibited what Allah and His Messenger have prohibited.</p><p>4. لَا يَدِينُونَ دِينَ الْحَقِّ : They do not submit to the Faith of Truth.</p><p>This raises a doubt. Is it not that the People of the Book, that is, the Jews and Christians, obviously believe in Allah - and in Hereafter and a Last Day too? Why, then, their faith ('Iman) in these things has been negated? The reason is that mere words of faith are hardly sufficient to prove one's actual belief in it. Not having the kind of faith desirable in the sight of Allah would amount to having no faith at all. Of course, the Jews and Christians did not openly reject the belief in Tauhid, that is, oneness of Allah or pure monotheism. But, as says the next verse, the Jews took Sayyidna ` Uzayr (علیہ السلام) and the Christians took Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) to be the sons of God and thereby assigned to them partnership in His divinity. Therefore, their confession of pure monotheism became ineffectual and any claim to faith, false.</p><p>Similarly, the kind of faith desirable in the Hereafter was something not to be found with the People of the Book. Many of them went by the belief that, on the Last Day (the Qiyamah) there will be no return to life in body forms they had in the mortal world. Instead, it will be a kind of spiritual life. As for Paradise and Hell, they did not consider them to be any particular places. Spirit when happy was Paradise and spirit when gloomy was Hell. Since all this is patently contrary to what Allah says, therefore, even their faith in the Last Day too turns out to be no faith in real terms.</p><p>The third thing - that these people do not take, what Allah has declared to be unlawful, as unlawful - means that they do not believe in the unlawfulness of many things prohibited by Torah or Injil - for example, riba رِبَاء (interest). Similarly, there were many edibles prohibited in Torah and Injil. They just did not consider these unlawful and indulged in them freely.</p><p>This tells us about a religious rule of conduct. According to this rule, taking anything declared unlawful by Allah Ta` ala as lawful is not simply the commitment of a sin, in fact, it is kufr, a flat rejection of the faith itself. Similarly, taking something lawful to be unlawful is also kufr. However, should someone inadvertently fall short in practice while still taking the unlawful as unlawful, then, that would be sin, not kufr.</p><p>Since all wars must end, a limit and end of the action of fighting against those people has also been set forth in this verse where it has been said: حَتَّىٰ يُعْطُوا الْجِزْيَةَ عَن يَدٍ وَهُمْ صَاغِرُ‌ونَ (until they pay jizyah with their own hands while they are humbled).</p><p>Literally, jizyah means return or recompense. In the terminology of the Shari’ ah, it refers to the amount of money taken from disbelievers in lieu of killing.</p><p>The reason is that kufr and shirk are rebellion against Allah and Rasul. Killing is the real punishment for it. But, Allah Ta` ala has, in His perfect mercy, reduced their punishment by giving them an option. The option is that, should they agree to live as subjects of the Islamic state under the general Islamic legal framework, they may be allowed to remain there against the payment of a nominal amount of jizyah. Since, they would be living there as citizens of a Muslim state, the protection of their life, property and honor will be the responsibility of the Islamic government and no hindrance will be placed in the observance of their religious duties. The amount thus taken is called jizyah.</p><p>Should jizyah be fixed by mutual conciliation and agreement, there is no prescribed limit imposed by the Shari’ ah. It accepts the amount and thing for which a mutual peace treaty is arrived at - as was done by the Holy Prophet ﷺ with the people of Najran. A peace pact was concluded between him and the whole group of these people. They agreed to give him two thousand hullahs annually. A hullah is a pair of clothes. It could be a waist wrap for the lower part of the body with a top sheet wrap, or a long, loose shirt or cloak. Even the estimated monetary worth of every hullah was pre-determined. The value of each hullah was supposed to be one 'Uqiyah اُوقِیَہ of silver. An 'Uqiyah is equal to approximately 122.472 grams of silver, according to our weights.</p><p>. Awzam-i-Shar’ iyah, Hadrat Maulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi</p><p>A similar agreement was reached between Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ and the Christians of Bani Taghlib which stipulated that the jizyah on them be levied at the rate of Islamic Zakah - but, twice the Zakah.</p><p>Furthermore, in the event Muslims conquered a certain land through war, then allowed the properties of its residents to remain under their ownership and possession, and they too agreed to continue living there as law-abiding citizens, a jizyah was levied on them. The rate of jizyah fixed and implemented by Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ during the period of his Khilafat was four dirhams from the rich, two dirhams from the middle class and only one dirham from the active poor who earned by working on wages, or by making or vending things. This monthly payment of one dirham was equal to about 3.618 grams of silver or its equivalent amount. According to rules, nothing was to be taken from the very poor, disabled or handicapped. Similarly, nothing was to be taken from women, children, aged people and religious leaders living in seclusion.</p><p>These were small amounts, yet there were instructions from the Holy Prophet ﷺ that no one should be made to pay more than he could afford. If anyone oppressed a non-Muslim, the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself will support that non-Muslim against his oppressor on the day of Qiyamah (Mazhari)</p><p>Reports such as these have led some Muslim jurists to hold the position that there is no particular rate of jizyah payment as fixed by the Shari’ ah. Instead, this has been left for the ruler of the time to deter-mine the appropriate action in terms of existing conditions.</p><p>The comments appearing above also make it clear that jizyah is a compensation for removing the punishment of killing from disbelievers - not a substitute for Islam. Therefore, there is no justification for doubting as to why were they given the permission to keep staying on their policy of aversion from and denial of Islam for a paltry price. The proof is that permission is given to many other people also who live in an Islamic country with the freedom to keep observing the percepts of their religion. Jizyah is not taken from them - for example, women, children, the aged, religious leaders, the disabled and the handicapped. Had jizyah been taken in lieu of Islam, it should have been taken from these as well.</p><p>It should be noted that the paying of jizyah in this verse has been qualified with the words: عَن يَدٍ :'with their own hands.' Here, the first word: عن (` an: with) denotes cause, and ید (yad: hands) signifies power and subjugation. It means that the payment of this jizyah should not be in the spirit of some voluntary contribution or charity. Instead of that, it has to be in the spirit of recognition and acceptance of Islamic victory and of the willingness to live under it. (As in Ruh al-Ma` ani) As for the later part of the sentence: وَهُمْ صَاغِرُ‌ونَ (while they are humbled), it means, according to the explanation given by Imam Shafi` i (رح) that they should subscribe to the common law of Islam and take the responsibility of remaining obedient to it. (Ruh al-Ma` ani and Mazhari)</p><p>Regarding the instruction given in this verse that once these people have agreed to pay jizyah, fighting should be stopped; a little explanation may be useful. According to the majority of Muslim jurists, it includes all disbelievers - whether from the People of the Book or from those other than them. However, the Mushriks of Arabia stand excluded from it for jizyah was not accepted from them.</p>

CommentaryVerse 28 appearing earlier referred to Jihad against the Mushirks of Makkah. The present verses talk about Jihad against the People of the Book. In a sense, this is a prelude to the battle of Tabuk that was fought against the People of the Book. In Tafsir al-Durr al-Manthur, it has been reported from the Qur'an commentator, Mujahid that these verses have been revealed about the battle of Tabuk. Then, there is the reference to ` those who were given the Book.' In Islamic religious terminology, they are referred to as ` ahl al-Kitab' or People of the Book. In its literal sense, it covers every disbelieving group of people who be-lieve in a Scripture but, in the terminology of the Holy Qur'an, this term is used for Jews and Christians only - because, anly these two groups from the People of the Book were well-known in and around Arabia. Therefore, addressing the Mushriks of Arabia, the Holy Qur'an has said:أَن تَقُولُوا إِنَّمَا أُنزِلَ الْكِتَابُ عَلَىٰ طَائِفَتَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِنَا وَإِن كُنَّا عَن دِرَ‌اسَتِهِمْ لَغَافِلِينَ ﴿156﴾lest you should say, "The Book was sent down only upon two groups before us, and we were ignorant of what they studied." - 6:156As for the injunction of Jihad against the People of the Book given in verse 29, it is really not particular to the People of the Book. The fact is that this very injunction applies to all disbelieving groups - because, the reasons for the injunction to fight mentioned next are common to all disbelievers. If so, the injunction has to be common too. But, the People of the Book were mentioned here particularly to serve a purpose. Since, it was possible that Muslims may hesitate to fight against them on the ground that they too are believers in a certain degree, believers in Torah and Injil, and in Sayyidna Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) may peace be upon them both. So, it was possible that their connection with past prophets and their Books may become a factor in dissuading them from Jihad. Therefore, fighting with them was mentioned particularly.There is yet another element of coherence at this place. This particularization of the People of the Book in the verse is also releasing a hint that, in a certain way, these people are deserving of greater punishment. The reasons were simple. They were people with knowledge. They had the knowledge of Torah and Injil. These Scriptures referred to the Last among prophets, Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ giving his blessed identity in details. They knew all this, yet elected to reject the truth and went on to mount conspiracies against Islam and Muslims. When they did what they did, their crime became much more serious. That explains why fighting against them was mentioned particularly.The injunction to fight spells out four reasons in this verse:1. لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ : They do not believe in Allah.2. وَلَا بِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ‌: They do not believe in the Hereafter.3. لَا يُحَرِّ‌مُونَ مَا حَرَّ‌مَ اللَّـهُ : They do not take as prohibited what Allah and His Messenger have prohibited.4. لَا يَدِينُونَ دِينَ الْحَقِّ : They do not submit to the Faith of Truth.This raises a doubt. Is it not that the People of the Book, that is, the Jews and Christians, obviously believe in Allah - and in Hereafter and a Last Day too? Why, then, their faith ('Iman) in these things has been negated? The reason is that mere words of faith are hardly sufficient to prove one's actual belief in it. Not having the kind of faith desirable in the sight of Allah would amount to having no faith at all. Of course, the Jews and Christians did not openly reject the belief in Tauhid, that is, oneness of Allah or pure monotheism. But, as says the next verse, the Jews took Sayyidna ` Uzayr (علیہ السلام) and the Christians took Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) to be the sons of God and thereby assigned to them partnership in His divinity. Therefore, their confession of pure monotheism became ineffectual and any claim to faith, false.Similarly, the kind of faith desirable in the Hereafter was something not to be found with the People of the Book. Many of them went by the belief that, on the Last Day (the Qiyamah) there will be no return to life in body forms they had in the mortal world. Instead, it will be a kind of spiritual life. As for Paradise and Hell, they did not consider them to be any particular places. Spirit when happy was Paradise and spirit when gloomy was Hell. Since all this is patently contrary to what Allah says, therefore, even their faith in the Last Day too turns out to be no faith in real terms.The third thing - that these people do not take, what Allah has declared to be unlawful, as unlawful - means that they do not believe in the unlawfulness of many things prohibited by Torah or Injil - for example, riba رِبَاء (interest). Similarly, there were many edibles prohibited in Torah and Injil. They just did not consider these unlawful and indulged in them freely.This tells us about a religious rule of conduct. According to this rule, taking anything declared unlawful by Allah Ta` ala as lawful is not simply the commitment of a sin, in fact, it is kufr, a flat rejection of the faith itself. Similarly, taking something lawful to be unlawful is also kufr. However, should someone inadvertently fall short in practice while still taking the unlawful as unlawful, then, that would be sin, not kufr.Since all wars must end, a limit and end of the action of fighting against those people has also been set forth in this verse where it has been said: حَتَّىٰ يُعْطُوا الْجِزْيَةَ عَن يَدٍ وَهُمْ صَاغِرُ‌ونَ (until they pay jizyah with their own hands while they are humbled).Literally, jizyah means return or recompense. In the terminology of the Shari’ ah, it refers to the amount of money taken from disbelievers in lieu of killing.The reason is that kufr and shirk are rebellion against Allah and Rasul. Killing is the real punishment for it. But, Allah Ta` ala has, in His perfect mercy, reduced their punishment by giving them an option. The option is that, should they agree to live as subjects of the Islamic state under the general Islamic legal framework, they may be allowed to remain there against the payment of a nominal amount of jizyah. Since, they would be living there as citizens of a Muslim state, the protection of their life, property and honor will be the responsibility of the Islamic government and no hindrance will be placed in the observance of their religious duties. The amount thus taken is called jizyah.Should jizyah be fixed by mutual conciliation and agreement, there is no prescribed limit imposed by the Shari’ ah. It accepts the amount and thing for which a mutual peace treaty is arrived at - as was done by the Holy Prophet ﷺ with the people of Najran. A peace pact was concluded between him and the whole group of these people. They agreed to give him two thousand hullahs annually. A hullah is a pair of clothes. It could be a waist wrap for the lower part of the body with a top sheet wrap, or a long, loose shirt or cloak. Even the estimated monetary worth of every hullah was pre-determined. The value of each hullah was supposed to be one 'Uqiyah اُوقِیَہ of silver. An 'Uqiyah is equal to approximately 122.472 grams of silver, according to our weights.. Awzam-i-Shar’ iyah, Hadrat Maulana Mufti Muhammad ShafiA similar agreement was reached between Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ and the Christians of Bani Taghlib which stipulated that the jizyah on them be levied at the rate of Islamic Zakah - but, twice the Zakah.Furthermore, in the event Muslims conquered a certain land through war, then allowed the properties of its residents to remain under their ownership and possession, and they too agreed to continue living there as law-abiding citizens, a jizyah was levied on them. The rate of jizyah fixed and implemented by Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ during the period of his Khilafat was four dirhams from the rich, two dirhams from the middle class and only one dirham from the active poor who earned by working on wages, or by making or vending things. This monthly payment of one dirham was equal to about 3.618 grams of silver or its equivalent amount. According to rules, nothing was to be taken from the very poor, disabled or handicapped. Similarly, nothing was to be taken from women, children, aged people and religious leaders living in seclusion.These were small amounts, yet there were instructions from the Holy Prophet ﷺ that no one should be made to pay more than he could afford. If anyone oppressed a non-Muslim, the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself will support that non-Muslim against his oppressor on the day of Qiyamah (Mazhari)Reports such as these have led some Muslim jurists to hold the position that there is no particular rate of jizyah payment as fixed by the Shari’ ah. Instead, this has been left for the ruler of the time to deter-mine the appropriate action in terms of existing conditions.The comments appearing above also make it clear that jizyah is a compensation for removing the punishment of killing from disbelievers - not a substitute for Islam. Therefore, there is no justification for doubting as to why were they given the permission to keep staying on their policy of aversion from and denial of Islam for a paltry price. The proof is that permission is given to many other people also who live in an Islamic country with the freedom to keep observing the percepts of their religion. Jizyah is not taken from them - for example, women, children, the aged, religious leaders, the disabled and the handicapped. Had jizyah been taken in lieu of Islam, it should have been taken from these as well.It should be noted that the paying of jizyah in this verse has been qualified with the words: عَن يَدٍ :'with their own hands.' Here, the first word: عن (` an: with) denotes cause, and ید (yad: hands) signifies power and subjugation. It means that the payment of this jizyah should not be in the spirit of some voluntary contribution or charity. Instead of that, it has to be in the spirit of recognition and acceptance of Islamic victory and of the willingness to live under it. (As in Ruh al-Ma` ani) As for the later part of the sentence: وَهُمْ صَاغِرُ‌ونَ (while they are humbled), it means, according to the explanation given by Imam Shafi` i (رح) that they should subscribe to the common law of Islam and take the responsibility of remaining obedient to it. (Ruh al-Ma` ani and Mazhari)Regarding the instruction given in this verse that once these people have agreed to pay jizyah, fighting should be stopped; a little explanation may be useful. According to the majority of Muslim jurists, it includes all disbelievers - whether from the People of the Book or from those other than them. However, the Mushriks of Arabia stand excluded from it for jizyah was not accepted from them.

The Jews say: "Ezra is the son of God;" the Christians say: "Christ is the son of God." That is what they say with their tongues following assertions made by unbelievers before them. May they be damned by God: How perverse are they!

And the Jews said, “Uzair is the son of Allah”, and the Christians said “The Messiah is the son of Allah”; they utter this from their own mouths; they speak like the former disbelievers; may Allah kill them; where are they reverting!

The Jews say, 'Ezra is the Son of God'; the Christians say, 'The Messiah is the Son of God.' That is the utterance of their mouths, conforming with the unbelievers before them. God assail them! How they are perverted!

AND THE JEWS say, "Ezra is God's son," while the Christians say, "The Christ is God's son." Such are the sayings which they utter with their mouths, following in spirit assertions made in earlier times by people who denied the truth! [They deserve the imprecation:] "May God destroy them!" How perverted are their minds!

And the Jews say: Uzair is a child of God; and the Nazarenes say: the Masih is a child of God. That is their saying with their mouth, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. May Allah confound them'. whither are they turning away!

And the Jews say: 'Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouths. They imitate the saying of the disbelievers of old. Allah's Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth!

The Jews said, “Ezra is the son of God,” and the Christians said, “The Messiah is the son of God.” These are their statements, out of their mouths. They emulate the statements of those who blasphemed before. May God assail them! How deceived they are!

The Jews say: "Ezra ('Uzayr) is Allah's son," and the Christians say: "The Messiah is the son of Allah." These are merely verbal assertions in imitation of the sayings of those unbelievers who preceded them. May Allah ruin them. How do they turn away from the Truth?

And the Jews say: "Uzayr (Ezra) is the son of Allah," and the Christians say: "The Messiah is the son of Allah." That is their saying with their mouths, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. May Allah fight them, how they are deluded away from the truth!

And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah (Himself) fighteth against them. How perverse are they!

The Jews say, ‘Ezra is the son of Allah,’ and the Christians say, ‘Christ is the son of Allah.’ That is an opinion that they mouth, imitating the opinions of the faithless of former times. May Allah assail them, where do they stray?!

The Jews say Ezra is the son of Allah, while the Christians (who follow Paul) say the Messiah is the son of Allah. Such are their assertions, by which they imitate those who disbelieved before. Allah fights them! How perverted are they!

The Jews say, "Ezra is the son of Allah "; and the Christians say, "The Messiah is the son of Allah." That is their statement from their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved [before them]. May Allah destroy them; how are they deluded?

Some of the Jews have said that Ezra is the son of God and Christians have said the same of Jesus. This is only what they say and it is similar to what the unbelievers who lived before them had said. May God destroy them wherever they exist!

And the Jews say: Uzair is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!

Waq<u>a</u>lati alyahoodu AAuzayrun ibnu All<u>a</u>hi waq<u>a</u>lati a<b>l</b>nna<u>sa</u>r<u>a</u> almasee<u>h</u>u ibnu All<u>a</u>hi <u>tha</u>lika qawluhum biafw<u>a</u>hihim yu<u>da</u>hioona qawla alla<u>th</u>eena kafaroo min qablu q<u>a</u>talahumu All<u>a</u>hu ann<u>a</u> yufakoon<b>a</b>

The Jews say, "Ezra is the son of God," and the Christians say, "The Messiah is the son of God." These are but their baseless utterances. They imitate the assertions made in earlier times by those who deny the truth. May God destroy them! How far astray they have been led!

The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth!

9

وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ عُزَيْرٌ ٱبْنُ ٱللَّهِ وَقَالَتِ ٱلنَّصَٰرَى ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ ٱللَّهِ ذَٰلِكَ قَوْلُهُم بِأَفْوَٰهِهِمْ يُضَٰهِـُٔونَ قَوْلَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ قَٰتَلَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ

The Jews and the Christians associate partners with Allah: the Jews do so by claiming that ‘Uzayr is the son of Allah; and the Christians do so by claiming that the Messiah, Jesus, is the son of Allah. What they say with their own mouths is simply made up without any proof from Allah. By saying such things, they are similar to the idolaters before them, who said that the angels were the daughters of Allah. Allah is far above such things – may Allah destroy them! How can they turn away from the clear truth to falsehood?

The Jews and the Christians associate partners with Allah: the Jews do so by claiming that ‘Uzayr is the son of Allah; and the Christians do so by claiming that the Messiah, Jesus, is the son of Allah. What they say with their own mouths is simply made up without any proof from Allah. By saying such things, they are similar to the idolaters before them, who said that the angels were the daughters of Allah. Allah is far above such things – may Allah destroy them! How can they turn away from the clear truth to falsehood?

<p>In the second verse (30), the subject taken up briefly in verse 29 (where it was said that these people do not believe in Allah) has been enlarged. In the second verse, it has been said that the Jews take Sayyidna ` Uzayr (علیہ السلام) to be the Son of God.l So do the Christians. They say that Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) is the Son of God. Therefore, their claim that Allah is One and that they have faith turns out to be false.</p><p>1. This is not the belief of all the Jews; it was the belief of some Jews of the Arabia. Now, the Dead Sea Scrolls have also proved the fact that some Jewish sects believed Ezra to be the son of God. It is learnt from some scholars who have studied the Scrolls. وَاللہُ اعلم ، (Muhammad Taqi Usmani)</p><p>After that, it was said: ذَٰلِكَ قَوْلُهُم بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ. (That is their saying [ invented ] by their mouths). This could also mean that these people profess it openly and clearly through their own tongues. There is nothing secret about it. Then, it could also mean that this blasphemy they utter re-mains the work of their tongues. They can give no reason or justification for it.</p><p>Finally, it was said: یضَاهِئُونَ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا مِن قَبْلُ ۚ قَاتَلَهُمُ اللَّـهُ ۚ أَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ (They (They resemble the earlier disbelievers in their saying. Be they killed by Allah, how far turned away they are! ). It means that the Jews and Christians, by calling prophets sons of Allah, became the same as disbelievers and Mushriks of past ages, for they used to say that the angels, and their idols, Lat and Manat, were daughters of God.</p>

In the second verse (30), the subject taken up briefly in verse 29 (where it was said that these people do not believe in Allah) has been enlarged. In the second verse, it has been said that the Jews take Sayyidna ` Uzayr (علیہ السلام) to be the Son of God.l So do the Christians. They say that Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) is the Son of God. Therefore, their claim that Allah is One and that they have faith turns out to be false.1. This is not the belief of all the Jews; it was the belief of some Jews of the Arabia. Now, the Dead Sea Scrolls have also proved the fact that some Jewish sects believed Ezra to be the son of God. It is learnt from some scholars who have studied the Scrolls. وَاللہُ اعلم ، (Muhammad Taqi Usmani)After that, it was said: ذَٰلِكَ قَوْلُهُم بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ. (That is their saying [ invented ] by their mouths). This could also mean that these people profess it openly and clearly through their own tongues. There is nothing secret about it. Then, it could also mean that this blasphemy they utter re-mains the work of their tongues. They can give no reason or justification for it.Finally, it was said: یضَاهِئُونَ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا مِن قَبْلُ ۚ قَاتَلَهُمُ اللَّـهُ ۚ أَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ (They (They resemble the earlier disbelievers in their saying. Be they killed by Allah, how far turned away they are! ). It means that the Jews and Christians, by calling prophets sons of Allah, became the same as disbelievers and Mushriks of past ages, for they used to say that the angels, and their idols, Lat and Manat, were daughters of God.

<h2 class="title">Fighting the Jews and Christians is legislated because They are Idolators and Disbelievers</h2><p>Allah the Exalted encourages the believers to fight the polytheists, disbelieving Jews and Christians, who uttered this terrible statement and utter lies against Allah, the Exalted. As for the Jews, they claimed that `Uzayr was the son of God, Allah is free of what they attribute to Him. As for the misguidance of Christians over `Isa, it is obvious. This is why Allah declared both groups to be liars, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ذلِكَ قَوْلُهُم بِأَفْوَهِهِمْ</div><p>(That is their saying with their mouths), but they have no proof that supports their claim, other than lies and fabrications, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يُضَـهِئُونَ</div><p>(resembling), imitating, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن قَبْلُ</div><p>(the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime.) They imitate the previous nations who fell into misguidance just as Jews and Christians did, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَـتَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ</div><p>(may Allah fight them), Ibn `Abbas said, "May Allah curse them." </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ</div><p>(how they are deluded away from the truth!) how they deviate from truth, when it is apparent, exchanging it for misguidance. Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">اتَّخَذُواْ أَحْبَـرَهُمْ وَرُهْبَـنَهُمْ أَرْبَاباً مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ</div><p>(They took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah, and the Messiah, son of Maryam) 9:31. Imam Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Jarir At-Tabari recorded a Hadith via several chains of narration, from `Adi bin Hatim, may Allah be pleased with him, who became Christian during the time of Jahiliyyah. When the call of the Messenger of Allah reached his area, `Adi ran away to Ash-Sham, and his sister and several of his people were captured. The Messenger of Allah freed his sister and gave her gifts. So she went to her brother and encouraged him to become Muslim and to go to the Messenger of Allah . `Adi, who was one of the chiefs of his people (the tribe of Tai') and whose father, Hatim At-Ta'i, was known for his generosity, went to Al-Madinah. When the people announced his arrival, `Adi went to the Messenger of Allah wearing a silver cross around his neck. The Messenger of Allah recited this Ayah; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">اتَّخَذُواْ أَحْبَـرَهُمْ وَرُهْبَـنَهُمْ أَرْبَاباً مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ</div><p>(They took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah). `Adi commented, "I said, `They did not worship them."' The Prophet said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«بَلَى إِنَّهُمْ حَرَّمُوا عَلَيْهِمُ الْحَلَالَ وَأَحَلُّوا لَهُمُ الْحَرَامَ فَاتَّبَعُوهُمْ فَذَلِكَ عِبَادَتُهُمْ إِيَّاهُم»</div><p>(Yes they did. They (rabbis and monks) prohibited the allowed for them (Christians and Jews) and allowed the prohibited, and they obeyed them. This is how they worshipped them.) The Messenger of Allah said to `Adi, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«يَا عَدِيُّ مَا تَقُولُ؟ أَيُفِرُّكَ أَنْ يُقَالَ: اللهُ أَكْبَرَ؟ فَهَلْ تَعْلَمُ شَيْئًا أَكْبَرَ مِنَ اللهِ؟ مَا يُفِرُّكَ؟ أَيُفِرُّكَ أَنْ يُقَالَ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ؟ فَهَلْ تَعْلَمُ مَنْ إِلهٌ إِلَّا اللهُ؟»</div><p>(O `Adi what do you say Did you run away (to Ash-Sham) so that 'Allahu Akbar' (Allah is the Great) is not pronounced Do you know of anything greater than Allah What made you run away Did you run away so that `La ilaha illallah' is not pronounced Do you know of any deity worthy of worship except Allah) </p><p>The Messenger invited `Adi to embrace Islam, and he embraced Islam and pronounced the Testimony of Truth. The face of the Messenger of Allah beamed with pleasure and he said to `Adi, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إِنَّ الْيَهُودَ مَغْضُوبٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَالنَّصَارَى ضَالُّون»</div><p>(Verily, the Jews have earned the anger (of Allah) and the Christians are misguided.) Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman, `Abdullah bin `Abbas and several others said about the explanation of, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">اتَّخَذُواْ أَحْبَـرَهُمْ وَرُهْبَـنَهُمْ أَرْبَاباً مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ</div><p>(They took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah...) that the Christians and Jews obeyed their monks and rabbis in whatever they allowed or prohibited for them. This is why Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَآ أُمِرُواْ إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُواْ إِلَـهاً وَحِداً</div><p>(while they were commanded to worship none but One God), Who, whatever He renders prohibited is the prohibited, whatever He allowed is the allowed, whatever He legislates, is to be the law followed, and whatever He decides is to be adhered to; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لاَّ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ سُبْحَـنَهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ</div><p>(None has the right to be worshipped but He. Hallowed be He above what they associate (with Him).) Meaning, exalted, sanctified, hallowed above partners, equals, aids, rivals or children, there is no deity or Lord worthy of worship except Him. </p>

Fighting the Jews and Christians is legislated because They are Idolators and DisbelieversAllah the Exalted encourages the believers to fight the polytheists, disbelieving Jews and Christians, who uttered this terrible statement and utter lies against Allah, the Exalted. As for the Jews, they claimed that `Uzayr was the son of God, Allah is free of what they attribute to Him. As for the misguidance of Christians over `Isa, it is obvious. This is why Allah declared both groups to be liars, ذلِكَ قَوْلُهُم بِأَفْوَهِهِمْ(That is their saying with their mouths), but they have no proof that supports their claim, other than lies and fabrications, يُضَـهِئُونَ(resembling), imitating, قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن قَبْلُ(the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime.) They imitate the previous nations who fell into misguidance just as Jews and Christians did, قَـتَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ(may Allah fight them), Ibn `Abbas said, "May Allah curse them." أَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ(how they are deluded away from the truth!) how they deviate from truth, when it is apparent, exchanging it for misguidance. Allah said next, اتَّخَذُواْ أَحْبَـرَهُمْ وَرُهْبَـنَهُمْ أَرْبَاباً مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ(They took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah, and the Messiah, son of Maryam) 9:31. Imam Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Jarir At-Tabari recorded a Hadith via several chains of narration, from `Adi bin Hatim, may Allah be pleased with him, who became Christian during the time of Jahiliyyah. When the call of the Messenger of Allah reached his area, `Adi ran away to Ash-Sham, and his sister and several of his people were captured. The Messenger of Allah freed his sister and gave her gifts. So she went to her brother and encouraged him to become Muslim and to go to the Messenger of Allah . `Adi, who was one of the chiefs of his people (the tribe of Tai') and whose father, Hatim At-Ta'i, was known for his generosity, went to Al-Madinah. When the people announced his arrival, `Adi went to the Messenger of Allah wearing a silver cross around his neck. The Messenger of Allah recited this Ayah; اتَّخَذُواْ أَحْبَـرَهُمْ وَرُهْبَـنَهُمْ أَرْبَاباً مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ(They took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah). `Adi commented, "I said, `They did not worship them."' The Prophet said, «بَلَى إِنَّهُمْ حَرَّمُوا عَلَيْهِمُ الْحَلَالَ وَأَحَلُّوا لَهُمُ الْحَرَامَ فَاتَّبَعُوهُمْ فَذَلِكَ عِبَادَتُهُمْ إِيَّاهُم»(Yes they did. They (rabbis and monks) prohibited the allowed for them (Christians and Jews) and allowed the prohibited, and they obeyed them. This is how they worshipped them.) The Messenger of Allah said to `Adi, «يَا عَدِيُّ مَا تَقُولُ؟ أَيُفِرُّكَ أَنْ يُقَالَ: اللهُ أَكْبَرَ؟ فَهَلْ تَعْلَمُ شَيْئًا أَكْبَرَ مِنَ اللهِ؟ مَا يُفِرُّكَ؟ أَيُفِرُّكَ أَنْ يُقَالَ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ؟ فَهَلْ تَعْلَمُ مَنْ إِلهٌ إِلَّا اللهُ؟»(O `Adi what do you say Did you run away (to Ash-Sham) so that 'Allahu Akbar' (Allah is the Great) is not pronounced Do you know of anything greater than Allah What made you run away Did you run away so that `La ilaha illallah' is not pronounced Do you know of any deity worthy of worship except Allah) The Messenger invited `Adi to embrace Islam, and he embraced Islam and pronounced the Testimony of Truth. The face of the Messenger of Allah beamed with pleasure and he said to `Adi, «إِنَّ الْيَهُودَ مَغْضُوبٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَالنَّصَارَى ضَالُّون»(Verily, the Jews have earned the anger (of Allah) and the Christians are misguided.) Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman, `Abdullah bin `Abbas and several others said about the explanation of, اتَّخَذُواْ أَحْبَـرَهُمْ وَرُهْبَـنَهُمْ أَرْبَاباً مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ(They took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah...) that the Christians and Jews obeyed their monks and rabbis in whatever they allowed or prohibited for them. This is why Allah said, وَمَآ أُمِرُواْ إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُواْ إِلَـهاً وَحِداً(while they were commanded to worship none but One God), Who, whatever He renders prohibited is the prohibited, whatever He allowed is the allowed, whatever He legislates, is to be the law followed, and whatever He decides is to be adhered to; لاَّ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ سُبْحَـنَهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ(None has the right to be worshipped but He. Hallowed be He above what they associate (with Him).) Meaning, exalted, sanctified, hallowed above partners, equals, aids, rivals or children, there is no deity or Lord worthy of worship except Him.

They consider their rabbis and monks and the Christ, son of Mary, to be gods apart from God, even though they had been enjoined to worship only one God, for there is no god but He. Too holy is He for what they ascribe to Him!

They have taken their rabbis and their monks as Gods besides Allah and (also) Messiah the son of Maryam; and they were not commanded except to worship only One God – Allah; none is worthy of worship except Him; Purity is to Him from all that they ascribe as partners (to Him).

They have taken their rabbis and their monks as lords apart from God, and the Messiah, Mary's son -- and they were commanded to serve but One God; there is no god but He; glory be to Him, above that they associate --

They have taken their rabbis and their monks-as well as the Christ, son of Mary-for their lords beside God, although they had been bidden to worship none but the One God, save whom there is no deity: the One who is utterly remote, in His limitless glory, from anything to which they may ascribe a share in His divinity!

They have taken their priests and their monks for their Lords besides God, and also the Masih son of Maryam; whereas they Were commanded not but to worship the One God: no god is there but he. Hallowed be He from that which they associate'.

They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allah), and (they also took as their Lord) Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary), while they (Jews and Christians) were commanded [in the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)) to worship none but One Ilah (God - Allah) La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Praise and glory be to Him, (far above is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him)."

They have taken their rabbis and their priests as lords instead of God, as well as the Messiah son of Mary. Although they were commanded to worship none but The One God. There is no god except He. Glory be to Him; High above what they associate with Him.

They take their rabbis and their monks for their lords apart from Allah, and also the Messiah, son of Mary, whereas they were commanded to worship none but the One True God. There is no god but He. Exalted be He above those whom they associate with Him in His Divinity.

They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah, and (they also took as their Lord) the Messiah, son of Maryam, while they were commanded to worship none but One God, none has the right to be worshipped but He. Praise and hallowed be He above what they associate (with Him)."

They have taken as lords beside Allah their rabbis and their monks and the Messiah son of Mary, when they were bidden to worship only One Allah. There is no Allah save Him. Be He Glorified from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)!

They have taken their scribes and their monks as lords besides Allah, and also Christ, Mary’s son; though they were commanded to worship only the One God, there is no god except Him; He is far too immaculate to have any partners that they ascribe [to Him]!

They take their rabbis and monks as lords besides Allah, and the Messiah, son of Mary, though they were ordered to worship but one God, there is no god except He. Exalted is He above that they associate with Him!

They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allah, and [also] the Messiah, the son of Mary. And they were not commanded except to worship one God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him.

They (unconditionally) obeyed the rabbis and the monks and worshipped the Messiah, son of Mary, as they should have obeyed God. They were commanded to worship no one besides God who is the only God and who is too exalted to be considered equal to any idols.

They have taken their doctors of law and their monks for lords besides Allah, and (also) the Messiah son of Marium and they were enjoined that they should serve one Allah only, there is no god but He; far from His glory be what they set up (with Him).

Ittakha<u>th</u>oo a<u>h</u>b<u>a</u>rahum waruhb<u>a</u>nahum arb<u>a</u>ban min dooni All<u>a</u>hi wa<b>a</b>lmasee<u>h</u>a ibna maryama wam<u>a</u> omiroo ill<u>a</u> liyaAAbudoo il<u>a</u>han w<u>ah</u>idan l<u>a</u> il<u>a</u>ha ill<u>a</u> huwa sub<u>ha</u>nahu AAamm<u>a</u> yushrikoon<b>a</b>

They have taken their learned men and their monks for their lords besides God. So have they taken the Messiah, son of Mary, although they were commanded to worship only the One God. There is no deity but He. He is far above whatever they set up as His partners!

They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of Allah, and (they take as their Lord) Christ the son of Mary; yet they were commanded to worship but One Allah: there is no god but He. Praise and glory to Him: (Far is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him).

9

ٱتَّخَذُوٓا۟ أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَٰنَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمَسِيحَ ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَٰهًا وَٰحِدًا لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

The Jews made their rabbis lords instead of Allah, as did the Christians with their monks, by allowing them to permit what Allah had forbidden them and forbidding what Allah had allowed for them; and the Christians made the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, a god next to Allah. as well as ‘Uzayr and Jesus the son of Mary, to worship Him alone, and not to associate anything with Him. He, glory be to Him, is the only God, and there is nothing worthy of worship except Him. He is, glory be to Him, sacred, far above having any partner that these idolaters and others claim.

The Jews made their rabbis lords instead of Allah, as did the Christians with their monks, by allowing them to permit what Allah had forbidden them and forbidding what Allah had allowed for them; and the Christians made the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, a god next to Allah. as well as ‘Uzayr and Jesus the son of Mary, to worship Him alone, and not to associate anything with Him. He, glory be to Him, is the only God, and there is nothing worthy of worship except Him. He is, glory be to Him, sacred, far above having any partner that these idolaters and others claim.

<p>Commentary</p><p>The four verses cited above mention how astray the learned and the devoted and the abstaining among the Jews and Christians had gone and what blasphemies of word and deed they had come up with. The word: اَحبَار (ahbar) is the plural form of حبر (hibr) and رھبان (ruhban) is the plural of راھب (rahib). Hibr refers to a religious scholar among the Jews and Christians while a rahib denotes someone who devotes to worship and abstains from a worldly role in life.</p><p>In the first verse (31), it has been said that these people have taken their rabbis and monks as gods beside Allah and they have done the same with Sayyidna ` Isa ibn Maryam (علیہما السلام) whom they have given the status of their Lord. This is, of course, obvious in the case of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) whom they took to be the son of God and did not demur from saying so. As for the charge against them that they had taken their rabbis and monks as gods, it has its reason. They used to call them as their Lord in clear terms, but even if it is presumed that they did not believe their religious leaders to be their gods, they had virtually transferred to them the right to be obeyed which is the right of Allah Jalla Thana'uh, absolutely and exclusively. They would, so to say, follow the dictates of these leaders under all circumstance - even if their dictates happen to be against Allah and His Messenger. With that attitude, one is bound to land in a valley of no return. How can one go about obeying someone even if that person says things contrary to the dictates of Allah and His Messenger? And how can one who has reached this ultimate limit still not refuse to obey that person? This is like taking someone as god - an act of flagrant blasphemy, an open kufr.</p><p>This tells us that the present verse is not related in any way to the popular religious issue of following a particular juristic school (taqlid) which has two main aspects. Firstly, common people who are not aware of religious precepts and their details trust ` Ulama' and follow their fatawa. Secondly, Mujtahid Imams are followed in juristic issues requiring Ijtihad. So, this verse has no bearing on that count because such following is, in real terms, nothing but the following of the dictates of Allah and His Rasul Those whom Allah has blessed with knowledge and insight have a direct access to the original resources of Shari'ah whereby they know what Allah and His Rasul have said. They see it and act accordingly. The unaware masses act in accordance with the same injunctions by asking those who have knowledge. Then, there are those who have knowledge but are not competent enough to occupy the station of Ijtihad, they too follow the Mujtahid Imams in matters requiring ijtihad. This following is in accordance with the injunction of the Holy Qur'an and is nothing but obedience to Allah Ta` ala - as says the Qur'an: فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ‌ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ. It means: ` If you yourself are not aware of the injunctions of Allah and the Messenger, act by asking the people of knowledge 1- 16:43.'</p><p>1. The basic point of difference is that the one who follows an imam does not believe him to be an independent point of obedience. lie simply consults him as an interpreter of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah. That is why he will not follow him if there is a clear clash between his view and a clear-cut ruling given by the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah. The case of Jews and Christians is totally different. They believe their religious leaders (rabbis and popes) as law-givers. They believe them to be infallible who cannot commit mistakes and their rulings are to be obeyed in any case, even though they contradict the ruling given by the scriptures. For more details on the subject, see my book on 'Taqlid' or on 'Uloom al-Qur'an.' (Muhammad Taqi Usmani)</p><p>In sum, the masses of people among the Jews and Christians had ignored Scriptures, Divine commandments and the teachings of apostles totally and, in its place, they had taken the word and deed of self-serving scholars and ignorant pseudo-devotees as the core of their religion. This is what has been condemned in the verse.</p>

CommentaryThe four verses cited above mention how astray the learned and the devoted and the abstaining among the Jews and Christians had gone and what blasphemies of word and deed they had come up with. The word: اَحبَار (ahbar) is the plural form of حبر (hibr) and رھبان (ruhban) is the plural of راھب (rahib). Hibr refers to a religious scholar among the Jews and Christians while a rahib denotes someone who devotes to worship and abstains from a worldly role in life.In the first verse (31), it has been said that these people have taken their rabbis and monks as gods beside Allah and they have done the same with Sayyidna ` Isa ibn Maryam (علیہما السلام) whom they have given the status of their Lord. This is, of course, obvious in the case of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) whom they took to be the son of God and did not demur from saying so. As for the charge against them that they had taken their rabbis and monks as gods, it has its reason. They used to call them as their Lord in clear terms, but even if it is presumed that they did not believe their religious leaders to be their gods, they had virtually transferred to them the right to be obeyed which is the right of Allah Jalla Thana'uh, absolutely and exclusively. They would, so to say, follow the dictates of these leaders under all circumstance - even if their dictates happen to be against Allah and His Messenger. With that attitude, one is bound to land in a valley of no return. How can one go about obeying someone even if that person says things contrary to the dictates of Allah and His Messenger? And how can one who has reached this ultimate limit still not refuse to obey that person? This is like taking someone as god - an act of flagrant blasphemy, an open kufr.This tells us that the present verse is not related in any way to the popular religious issue of following a particular juristic school (taqlid) which has two main aspects. Firstly, common people who are not aware of religious precepts and their details trust ` Ulama' and follow their fatawa. Secondly, Mujtahid Imams are followed in juristic issues requiring Ijtihad. So, this verse has no bearing on that count because such following is, in real terms, nothing but the following of the dictates of Allah and His Rasul Those whom Allah has blessed with knowledge and insight have a direct access to the original resources of Shari'ah whereby they know what Allah and His Rasul have said. They see it and act accordingly. The unaware masses act in accordance with the same injunctions by asking those who have knowledge. Then, there are those who have knowledge but are not competent enough to occupy the station of Ijtihad, they too follow the Mujtahid Imams in matters requiring ijtihad. This following is in accordance with the injunction of the Holy Qur'an and is nothing but obedience to Allah Ta` ala - as says the Qur'an: فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ‌ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ. It means: ` If you yourself are not aware of the injunctions of Allah and the Messenger, act by asking the people of knowledge 1- 16:43.'1. The basic point of difference is that the one who follows an imam does not believe him to be an independent point of obedience. lie simply consults him as an interpreter of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah. That is why he will not follow him if there is a clear clash between his view and a clear-cut ruling given by the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah. The case of Jews and Christians is totally different. They believe their religious leaders (rabbis and popes) as law-givers. They believe them to be infallible who cannot commit mistakes and their rulings are to be obeyed in any case, even though they contradict the ruling given by the scriptures. For more details on the subject, see my book on 'Taqlid' or on 'Uloom al-Qur'an.' (Muhammad Taqi Usmani)In sum, the masses of people among the Jews and Christians had ignored Scriptures, Divine commandments and the teachings of apostles totally and, in its place, they had taken the word and deed of self-serving scholars and ignorant pseudo-devotees as the core of their religion. This is what has been condemned in the verse.

They wish to extinguish the light of God by uttering blasphemies; but God will not have it so, for He wills to perfect His light, however the unbelievers be averse.

They wish to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will not agree except that He will perfect His light, even if the disbelievers get annoyed.

desiring to extinguish with their mouths God's light; and God refuses but to perfect His light, though the unbelievers be averse.

They want to extinguish God's [guiding] light with their utterances: but God will not allow [this to pass], for He has willed to spread His light in all its fullness, however hateful this may be to all who deny the truth.

They seek to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths; and Allah refuseth to do otherwise than perfect His light, although the infidels may detest.

They (the disbelievers, the Jews and the Christians) want to extinguish Allah's Light (with which Muhammad SAW has been sent - Islamic Monotheism) with their mouths, but Allah will not allow except that His Light should be perfected even though the Kafirun (disbelievers) hate (it).

They want to extinguish God’s light with their mouths, but God refuses except to complete His light, even though the disbelievers dislike it.

They seek to extinguish the light of Allah by blowing through their mouths; but Allah refuses everything except that He will perfect His light howsoever the unbelievers might abhor it.

They want to extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths, but Allah will not allow except that His Light should be perfected even though the disbelievers hate (it).

Fain would they put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah disdaineth (aught) save that He shall perfect His light, however much the disbelievers are averse.

They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah is intent on perfecting His light though the faithless should be averse.

They desire to extinguish the Light of Allah with their mouths; but Allah seeks only to perfect His Light, though the unbelievers hate it.

They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah refuses except to perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it.

They would like to extinguish the light of God with a blow from their mouths, but even though the unbelievers may dislike it, God has decided to let His light shine forever.

They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths, and Allah will not consent save to perfect His light, though the unbelievers are averse.

Yureedoona an yu<u>t</u>fioo noora All<u>a</u>hi biafw<u>a</u>hihim wayab<u>a</u> All<u>a</u>hu ill<u>a</u> an yutimma noorahu walaw kariha alk<u>a</u>firoon<b>a</b>

They want to extinguish God's light with their mouths, but God seeks only to perfect His light, no matter how those who deny the truth may abhor it.

Fain would they extinguish Allah's light with their mouths, but Allah will not allow but that His light should be perfected, even though the Unbelievers may detest (it).

9

يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُطْفِـُٔوا۟ نُورَ ٱللَّهِ بِأَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَيَأْبَى ٱللَّهُ إِلَّآ أَن يُتِمَّ نُورَهُۥ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْكَٰفِرُونَ

The disbelievers from all the various religious groups who disbelieve by making up wrong beliefs and rejecting Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), wish to eradicate Islam. So they undermine the clear proofs establishing that there is only one God and that His Messenger has brought the truth. However, Allah will not allow anything to stop His sacred path being perfected and being made clear. He will raise His Religion above everything else, even if the disbelievers hate that, and if Allah wills something, others are powerless to prevent it.

The disbelievers from all the various religious groups who disbelieve by making up wrong beliefs and rejecting Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), wish to eradicate Islam. So they undermine the clear proofs establishing that there is only one God and that His Messenger has brought the truth. However, Allah will not allow anything to stop His sacred path being perfected and being made clear. He will raise His Religion above everything else, even if the disbelievers hate that, and if Allah wills something, others are powerless to prevent it.

<p>Then, it was said that these people chose to take the way of error although they were asked by Allah to worship only one God who is free and pure from what they associated with Him. This verse limits itself to saying that they followed the false and obeyed people other than Allah, something they were not permitted to do. In the verse that follows (32), mentioned there is another error they make. It is said that they do not stop at the error they have already made. They, rather, like to compound their errors when they try to subvert Divine guidance and black out the Faith of Truth. The statement has been dressed in a si-militude - ` they want to blow out the Light of Allah with their mouths' - although, this is something they cannot do. Allah Ta` ala has already decided that He shall see to it that His Light, that is, the Religion of Islam, reaches its perfection, no matter how displeasing this may turn out to be for those who disbelieve.</p>

Then, it was said that these people chose to take the way of error although they were asked by Allah to worship only one God who is free and pure from what they associated with Him. This verse limits itself to saying that they followed the false and obeyed people other than Allah, something they were not permitted to do. In the verse that follows (32), mentioned there is another error they make. It is said that they do not stop at the error they have already made. They, rather, like to compound their errors when they try to subvert Divine guidance and black out the Faith of Truth. The statement has been dressed in a si-militude - ` they want to blow out the Light of Allah with their mouths' - although, this is something they cannot do. Allah Ta` ala has already decided that He shall see to it that His Light, that is, the Religion of Islam, reaches its perfection, no matter how displeasing this may turn out to be for those who disbelieve.

<h2 class="title">People of the Scriptures try to extinguish the Light of Islam</h2><p>Allah says, the disbelieving idolators and People of the Scriptures want to, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَن يُطْفِئُواْ نُورَ اللَّهِ</div><p>(extinguish the Light of Allah). They try through argument and lies to extinguish the guidance and religion of truth that the Messenger of Allah was sent with. Their example is the example of he who wants to extinguish the light of the sun or the moon by blowing at them! Indeed, such a person will never accomplish what he sought. Likewise, the light of what the Messenger was sent with will certainly shine and spread. Allah replied to the idolators' desire and hope, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيَأْبَى اللَّهُ إِلاَّ أَن يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَـفِرُونَ</div><p>(but Allah will not allow except that His Light should be perfected even though the disbelievers (Kafirun) hate (it)) 9:32. Linguistincally a Kafir is the person who covers something. For instance, night is called Kafiran covering because it covers things with darkness. The farmer is called Kafiran, because he covers seeds in the ground. Allah said in an Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ</div><p>(thereof the growth is pleasing to the Kuffar tillers)57:20.</p><h2 class="title">Islam is the Religion That will dominate over all Other Religions</h2><p>Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ</div><p>(It is He Who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth.) `Guidance' refers to the true narrations, beneficial faith and true religion that the Messenger came with. `religion of truth' refers to the righteous, legal deeds that bring about benefit in this life and the Hereafter. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ</div><p>(to make it (Islam) superior over all religions) It is recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إِنَّ اللهَ زَوَى لِي الْأَرْضَ مَشَارِقَهَا وَمَغَارِبَهَا، وَسَيَبْلُغُ مُلْكُ أُمَّتِي مَا زُوِيَ لِييِمنْهَا»</div><p>(Allah made the eastern and western parts of the earth draw near for me to see, and the rule of my Ummah will extend as far as I saw.) Imam Ahmad recorded from Tamim Ad-Dari that he said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah saying, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«لَيَبْلُغَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرُ مَا بَلَغَ اللَّيْلُ وَالنَّهَارُ، وَلَا يَتْرُكُ اللهُ بَيْتَ مَدَرٍ وَلَا وَبَرٍ إِلَّا أَدْخَلَهُ هَذَا الدِّينَ، يُعِزُّ عَزِيزًا وَيُذِلُّ ذَلِيلًا، عِزًّا يُعِزُّ اللهُ بِهِ الْإِسْلَامَ وَذُلًّا يُذِلُّ اللهُ بِهِ الْكُفْر»</div><p>(This matter (Islam) will keep spreading as far as the night and day reach, until Allah will not leave a house made of mud or hair, but will make this religion enter it, while bringing might to a mighty person (a Muslim) and humiliation to a disgraced person (who rejects Islam). Might with which Allah elevates Islam (and its people) and disgrace with which Allah humiliates disbelief (and its people).) Tamim Ad-Dari who was a Christian before Islam used to say, "I have come to know the meaning of this Hadith in my own people. Those who became Muslims among them acquired goodness, honor and might. Disgrace, humiliation and Jizyah befell those who remained disbelievers." </p>

People of the Scriptures try to extinguish the Light of IslamAllah says, the disbelieving idolators and People of the Scriptures want to, أَن يُطْفِئُواْ نُورَ اللَّهِ(extinguish the Light of Allah). They try through argument and lies to extinguish the guidance and religion of truth that the Messenger of Allah was sent with. Their example is the example of he who wants to extinguish the light of the sun or the moon by blowing at them! Indeed, such a person will never accomplish what he sought. Likewise, the light of what the Messenger was sent with will certainly shine and spread. Allah replied to the idolators' desire and hope, وَيَأْبَى اللَّهُ إِلاَّ أَن يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَـفِرُونَ(but Allah will not allow except that His Light should be perfected even though the disbelievers (Kafirun) hate (it)) 9:32. Linguistincally a Kafir is the person who covers something. For instance, night is called Kafiran covering because it covers things with darkness. The farmer is called Kafiran, because he covers seeds in the ground. Allah said in an Ayah, أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ(thereof the growth is pleasing to the Kuffar tillers)57:20.Islam is the Religion That will dominate over all Other ReligionsAllah said next, هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ(It is He Who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth.) `Guidance' refers to the true narrations, beneficial faith and true religion that the Messenger came with. `religion of truth' refers to the righteous, legal deeds that bring about benefit in this life and the Hereafter. لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ(to make it (Islam) superior over all religions) It is recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah said, «إِنَّ اللهَ زَوَى لِي الْأَرْضَ مَشَارِقَهَا وَمَغَارِبَهَا، وَسَيَبْلُغُ مُلْكُ أُمَّتِي مَا زُوِيَ لِييِمنْهَا»(Allah made the eastern and western parts of the earth draw near for me to see, and the rule of my Ummah will extend as far as I saw.) Imam Ahmad recorded from Tamim Ad-Dari that he said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah saying, «لَيَبْلُغَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرُ مَا بَلَغَ اللَّيْلُ وَالنَّهَارُ، وَلَا يَتْرُكُ اللهُ بَيْتَ مَدَرٍ وَلَا وَبَرٍ إِلَّا أَدْخَلَهُ هَذَا الدِّينَ، يُعِزُّ عَزِيزًا وَيُذِلُّ ذَلِيلًا، عِزًّا يُعِزُّ اللهُ بِهِ الْإِسْلَامَ وَذُلًّا يُذِلُّ اللهُ بِهِ الْكُفْر»(This matter (Islam) will keep spreading as far as the night and day reach, until Allah will not leave a house made of mud or hair, but will make this religion enter it, while bringing might to a mighty person (a Muslim) and humiliation to a disgraced person (who rejects Islam). Might with which Allah elevates Islam (and its people) and disgrace with which Allah humiliates disbelief (and its people).) Tamim Ad-Dari who was a Christian before Islam used to say, "I have come to know the meaning of this Hadith in my own people. Those who became Muslims among them acquired goodness, honor and might. Disgrace, humiliation and Jizyah befell those who remained disbelievers."

It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the true faith in order to make it superior to other systems of belief, even though the idolaters may not like it.

It is He Who has sent His Noble Messenger with guidance and the true religion, in order to prevail over all other religions – even if the polytheists get annoyed.

It is He who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth, that He may uplift it above every religion, though the unbelievers be averse.

He it is who has sent forth His Apostle with the [task of spreading] guidance and the religion of truth, to the end that He may cause it to prevail over all [false] religion -however hateful this may be to those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God.

He it is who hath sent His apostle with the guidance and the true religion that he may make it prevail over all religions, although the associators may detest.

It is He Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad SAW) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam), to make it superior over all religions even though the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) hate (it).

It is He who sent His Messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth, in order to make it prevail over all religions, even though the idolaters dislike it.

He it is Who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the True Religion that He may make it prevail over all religions, howsoever those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity might detest it.

It is He Who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, to make it superior over all religions even though the idolators hate (it).

He it is Who hath sent His messenger with the guidance and the Religion of Truth, that He may cause it to prevail over all religion, however much the idolaters may be averse.

It is He who has sent His Apostle with the guidance and the religion of truth that He may make it prevail over all religions, though the polytheists should be averse.

It is He who has sent forth His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to uplift it above every religion, no matter how much the idolaters hate it.

It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although they who associate others with Allah dislike it.

It is God Who sent His Messenger with guidance and a true religion that will prevail over all other religions, even though the pagans may dislike it.

He it is Who sent His Apostle with guidance and the religion of truth, that He might cause it to prevail over all religions, though the polytheists may be averse.

Huwa alla<u>th</u>ee arsala rasoolahu bi<b>a</b>lhud<u>a</u> wadeeni al<u>h</u>aqqi liyu<i><u>th</u></i>hirahu AAal<u>a</u> a<b>l</b>ddeeni kullihi walaw kariha almushrikoon<b>a</b>

It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of Truth, so that He may make it prevail [ideologically] over every other religion, however much the polytheists may hate this.

It is He Who hath sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest (it).

9

هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُۥ بِٱلْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ ٱلْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلدِّينِ كُلِّهِۦ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْمُشْرِكُونَ

It is Allah, glory be to Him, Who sent His Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him)with the Qur’ān as the guidance for all people and the path of truth – establishing the religion of Islam – so as to raise it above all other religions through its proof, evidence and laws, even if the idolaters hate this.

It is Allah, glory be to Him, Who sent His Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him)with the Qur’ān as the guidance for all people and the path of truth – establishing the religion of Islam – so as to raise it above all other religions through its proof, evidence and laws, even if the idolaters hate this.

<p>After that, the same subject has been further stressed in the third verse (33) by saying that Allah Ta` ala has sent His Messenger with guidance, that is, the Qur'an, and with the Faith of Truth, that is, Islam, in order to have it prevail over all other faiths. Appearing in almost the same words, there are several other verses of the Holy Qur'an promising that the religion of Islam shall be made to prevail over all other faiths of the world.</p><p>This glad tiding regarding the ascendancy of Islam is, as in Tafsir Mazhari, for most times and circumstances. In a Hadith from Sayydina Miqdad ؓ ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: No mud or mortar home shall remain on the face of the earth where the word of Islam has not entered with the honor of the honored and the disgrace of the disgraced. Whoever Allah blesses with honor shall embrace Islam and whoever is to face disgrace shall not, though, accept Islam but shall become a subject of the Islamic government. This promise of Allah Ta` ala was fulfilled. For about a thousand years, the primacy of Islam remained operative throughout the world.</p><p>How this Light of Allah reached its perfection during the blessed period of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the most righteous and worthy elders of the Muslim Community is a spectacle the world has already witnessed. Then, in future too, in terms of its legitimacy and truth for all times to come, the religion of Islam is a perfect religion no sensible person would elect to criticize. For this reason, this Faith of Truth, in terms of its arguments and proofs, has always been powerful. And, should Muslims follow this religion fully and faithfully, out-ward ascendancy, power and governance also turn out to be its inevitable results. As proved by the annals of the history of Islam, whenever Muslims acted whole-heartedly in accordance with the Qur'an and Sunnah, no impediment in their way could defeat their determination and their presence was felt all over the world as a dominant force. And whenever and wherever they have reached the limits of being subjugated or oppressed, it was but the evil consequence of heedlessness to and contravention of the injunctions of Qur'an and Sunnah which came before them. As for the Religion of Truth, it stood its grounds as always, august and protected.</p>

After that, the same subject has been further stressed in the third verse (33) by saying that Allah Ta` ala has sent His Messenger with guidance, that is, the Qur'an, and with the Faith of Truth, that is, Islam, in order to have it prevail over all other faiths. Appearing in almost the same words, there are several other verses of the Holy Qur'an promising that the religion of Islam shall be made to prevail over all other faiths of the world.This glad tiding regarding the ascendancy of Islam is, as in Tafsir Mazhari, for most times and circumstances. In a Hadith from Sayydina Miqdad ؓ ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: No mud or mortar home shall remain on the face of the earth where the word of Islam has not entered with the honor of the honored and the disgrace of the disgraced. Whoever Allah blesses with honor shall embrace Islam and whoever is to face disgrace shall not, though, accept Islam but shall become a subject of the Islamic government. This promise of Allah Ta` ala was fulfilled. For about a thousand years, the primacy of Islam remained operative throughout the world.How this Light of Allah reached its perfection during the blessed period of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the most righteous and worthy elders of the Muslim Community is a spectacle the world has already witnessed. Then, in future too, in terms of its legitimacy and truth for all times to come, the religion of Islam is a perfect religion no sensible person would elect to criticize. For this reason, this Faith of Truth, in terms of its arguments and proofs, has always been powerful. And, should Muslims follow this religion fully and faithfully, out-ward ascendancy, power and governance also turn out to be its inevitable results. As proved by the annals of the history of Islam, whenever Muslims acted whole-heartedly in accordance with the Qur'an and Sunnah, no impediment in their way could defeat their determination and their presence was felt all over the world as a dominant force. And whenever and wherever they have reached the limits of being subjugated or oppressed, it was but the evil consequence of heedlessness to and contravention of the injunctions of Qur'an and Sunnah which came before them. As for the Religion of Truth, it stood its grounds as always, august and protected.

O believers, many rabbis and priests devour the possessions of others wrongfully, and keep men away from the path of God. To those who accumulate gold and silver, and do not spend in the way of God, announce the news of painful punishment.

O People who Believe! Indeed many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks unjustly devour people's wealth and prevent from Allah’s way; and those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah’s way – so them give the glad tidings of a painful punishment.

O believers, many of the rabbis and monks indeed consume the goods of the people in vanity and bar from God's way. Those who treasure up gold and silver, and do not expend them in the way of God -- give them the good tidings of a painful chastisement,

O you who have attained to faith! Behold, many of the rabbis and monks do indeed wrongfully devour men's possessions and turn [others] away from the path of God. But as for all who lay up treasures of gold and silver and do not spend them for the sake of God - give them the tiding of grievous suffering [in the life to come]:

O Ye who believe! verily many of the priests and the monks devour the substances of men in falsehood and hinder People from the way of Allah. And those who treasure up gold and silver and expend them not in the way of Allah -announce thou unto them a torment afflictive.

O you who believe! Verily, there are many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks who devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and hinder (them) from the Way of Allah (i.e. Allah's Religion of Islamic Monotheism). And those who hoard up gold and silver [Al-Kanz: the money, the Zakat of which has not been paid], and spend it not in the Way of Allah, -announce unto them a painful torment.

O you who believe! Many of the rabbis and priests consume people's wealth illicitly, and hinder from God’s path. Those who hoard gold and silver, and do not spend them in God’s cause, inform them of a painful punishment.

Believers! Many of the rabbis and monks wrongfully devour mankind's possessions and hinder people from the Way of Allah. And there are those who amass gold and silver and do not spend it in the Way of Allah. Announce to them the tidings of a painful chastisement

O you who believe! Verily, there are many of the Ahbar (rabbis) and the Ruhban (monks) who devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and hinder (them) from the way of Allah. And those who hoard up gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah, announce unto them a painful torment.

O ye who believe! Lo! many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks devour the wealth of mankind wantonly and debar (men) from the way of Allah. They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah, unto them give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom,

O you who have faith! Indeed many of the scribes and monks wrongfully eat up the people’s wealth, and bar [them] from the way of Allah. Those who treasure up gold and silver, and do not spend it in the way of Allah, inform them of a painful punishment

Believers, many are the rabbis and monks who in falsehood defraud people of their possessions and bar people from the Path of Allah. Give glad tidings of a painful punishment to those who treasure gold and silver and do not spend it in the Way of Allah.

O you who have believed, indeed many of the scholars and the monks devour the wealth of people unjustly and avert [them] from the way of Allah. And those who hoard gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah - give them tidings of a painful punishment.

Believers, many rabbis and monks consume other people's property by false means and create obstacles in the way of God. Those who horde gold and silver and do not spend (anything out of it) for the cause of God, should know that their recompense will be a painful torment

O you who believe! most surely many of the doctors of law and the monks eat away the property of men falsely, and turn (them) from Allah's way; and (as for) those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah's way, announce to them a painful chastisement,

Y<u>a</u> ayyuh<u>a</u> alla<u>th</u>eena <u>a</u>manoo inna katheeran mina ala<u>h</u>b<u>a</u>ri wa<b>al</b>rruhb<u>a</u>ni layakuloona amw<u>a</u>la a<b>l</b>nn<u>a</u>si bi<b>a</b>lb<u>at</u>ili waya<u>s</u>uddoona AAan sabeeli All<u>a</u>hi wa<b>a</b>lla<u>th</u>eena yaknizoona a<b>l</b><u>thth</u>ahaba wa<b>a</b>lfi<u>dd</u>ata wal<u>a</u> yunfiqoonah<u>a</u> fee sabeeli All<u>a</u>hi fabashshirhum biAAa<u>tha</u>bin aleem<b>in</b>

Believers, many religious scholars and monks wrongfully appropriate people's possessions and turn people away from God's path! Tell those who hoard gold and silver instead of giving in God's cause that they will have a painful punishment:

O ye who believe! there are indeed many among the priests and anchorites, who in Falsehood devour the substance of men and hinder (them) from the way of Allah. And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah: announce unto them a most grievous penalty-

9

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلْأَحْبَارِ وَٱلرُّهْبَانِ لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَٰلَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْبَٰطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ ٱلذَّهَبَ وَٱلْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

Those who believe in Allah and His Messenger, acting in obedience to the sacred law, are told that many of the Jewish rabbis and the Christian monks unjustly take the wealth of people, through things such as taking bribes, and prevent people from entering the path of Allah; they also collect gold and silver without purifying it by giving charity. The Messenger is told to inform them of the painful punishment that they will be given on the Day of Judgement.

Those who believe in Allah and His Messenger, acting in obedience to the sacred law, are told that many of the Jewish rabbis and the Christian monks unjustly take the wealth of people, through things such as taking bribes, and prevent people from entering the path of Allah; they also collect gold and silver without purifying it by giving charity. The Messenger is told to inform them of the painful punishment that they will be given on the Day of Judgement.

<p>In the fourth verse (34), the address is to Muslims but the subject taken up concerns the conduct of rabbis and monks among the Jews and Christians, a conduct which led common people astray. Perhaps, the address to Muslims indicates a purpose behind the description of the conduct of Jewish rabbis and Christian monks. The purpose is to warn them as well in order that they too remain alert against such conditions prevailing among Muslims.</p><p>The verse states that many rabbis and monks among the Jews and Christians eat up the wealth of the people by false means and prevent (them) from the way of Allah.</p><p>Most rabbis and monks among the Jews and Christians were involved in this practice - and under such conditions, people generally tend to make a sweeping statement and call everyone bad. But, at this place, the Holy Qur'an, by adding the word: کَثیِرا (kathira: many), has prompted Muslims to mind their words even when dealing with enemies. It was clearly demonstrated here by not attributing the practice to all of them. Instead, what was said here was that many of them do so. Then, it was said that they were not doing the right thing when they eat up the wealth of people by false means. ` False means' refers to their practice of giving fatwa (religious edict or ruling) counter to the injunction of Torah, for money. In doing so, on occasions, they would misinterpret Divine injunctions through concealment and falsification. Further on from here, yet another error of their conduct was pointed out by saying that they were unfortunate people who, not only that they themselves had gone astray but were also ready to prevent others from seeking the way of Allah in the hope of finding right guidance. The reason is that people, when they see their leaders doing things like that, the inherent love for truth in them dies out. In addition to that, when they start basing their conduct on such false rulings, they end up taking that error and waywardness to be as good as correct.</p><p>Since this disease among the rabbis and monks of the Jews and Christians - that they give false rulings for money - showed up because of worldly greed and love for money, the verse takes up the subject in its own way. It says that excess in love for money and property produces bad results, even punishment if not spent in the way of Allah, and suggests how to get rid of this disease. The exact words of the text are:</p><p>وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ فَبَشِّرْ‌هُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ</p><p>As for those who accumulate gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allah, give them the ` good' news of a painful punishment.</p><p>The words: وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا (and do not spend it) indicate that people who spend in the way of Allah as necessary, for them the rest of their accumulated wealth brings no harm.</p><p>In Hadith too, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said: Wealth for which Zakah has been paid is not included under: کَنَزتُم (kanaztum: you have accumulated). (Abu Dawud, Ahmad and others)</p><p>This tells us that keeping wealth which remains after taking out Zakah is no sin.</p><p>The majority of Muslim jurists and Imams have taken this approach. It should be noted that the pronoun in وَلَا یُنفِقُونَھَا (and do not spend it) reverts to فِضَّۃ (fiddah) which means silver. Two things, gold and silver, were mentioned immediately earlier but the pronoun was made to revert to silver only. Tafsir Mazhari takes it to be a clear indicator of the rule that should a person have a little of both gold and silver, his threshold (nisab) will be determined in terms of silver. His Zakah will be paid by calculating the price of gold in terms of the price of silver.</p>

In the fourth verse (34), the address is to Muslims but the subject taken up concerns the conduct of rabbis and monks among the Jews and Christians, a conduct which led common people astray. Perhaps, the address to Muslims indicates a purpose behind the description of the conduct of Jewish rabbis and Christian monks. The purpose is to warn them as well in order that they too remain alert against such conditions prevailing among Muslims.The verse states that many rabbis and monks among the Jews and Christians eat up the wealth of the people by false means and prevent (them) from the way of Allah.Most rabbis and monks among the Jews and Christians were involved in this practice - and under such conditions, people generally tend to make a sweeping statement and call everyone bad. But, at this place, the Holy Qur'an, by adding the word: کَثیِرا (kathira: many), has prompted Muslims to mind their words even when dealing with enemies. It was clearly demonstrated here by not attributing the practice to all of them. Instead, what was said here was that many of them do so. Then, it was said that they were not doing the right thing when they eat up the wealth of people by false means. ` False means' refers to their practice of giving fatwa (religious edict or ruling) counter to the injunction of Torah, for money. In doing so, on occasions, they would misinterpret Divine injunctions through concealment and falsification. Further on from here, yet another error of their conduct was pointed out by saying that they were unfortunate people who, not only that they themselves had gone astray but were also ready to prevent others from seeking the way of Allah in the hope of finding right guidance. The reason is that people, when they see their leaders doing things like that, the inherent love for truth in them dies out. In addition to that, when they start basing their conduct on such false rulings, they end up taking that error and waywardness to be as good as correct.Since this disease among the rabbis and monks of the Jews and Christians - that they give false rulings for money - showed up because of worldly greed and love for money, the verse takes up the subject in its own way. It says that excess in love for money and property produces bad results, even punishment if not spent in the way of Allah, and suggests how to get rid of this disease. The exact words of the text are:وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ فَبَشِّرْ‌هُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍAs for those who accumulate gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allah, give them the ` good' news of a painful punishment.The words: وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا (and do not spend it) indicate that people who spend in the way of Allah as necessary, for them the rest of their accumulated wealth brings no harm.In Hadith too, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said: Wealth for which Zakah has been paid is not included under: کَنَزتُم (kanaztum: you have accumulated). (Abu Dawud, Ahmad and others)This tells us that keeping wealth which remains after taking out Zakah is no sin.The majority of Muslim jurists and Imams have taken this approach. It should be noted that the pronoun in وَلَا یُنفِقُونَھَا (and do not spend it) reverts to فِضَّۃ (fiddah) which means silver. Two things, gold and silver, were mentioned immediately earlier but the pronoun was made to revert to silver only. Tafsir Mazhari takes it to be a clear indicator of the rule that should a person have a little of both gold and silver, his threshold (nisab) will be determined in terms of silver. His Zakah will be paid by calculating the price of gold in terms of the price of silver.

<h2 class="title">Warning against Corrupt Scholars and Misguided Worshippers</h2><p>As-Suddi said that the Ahbar are Jewish rabbis, while the Ruhban are Christian monks. This statement is true, for Ahbar are Jewish rabbis, just as Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَوْلاَ يَنْهَـهُمُ الرَّبَّـنِيُّونَ وَالاٌّحْبَارُ عَن قَوْلِهِمُ الإِثْمَ وَأَكْلِهِمُ السُّحْتَ</div><p>(Why do not the Ahbar (rabbis) and the religious learned men forbid them from uttering sinful words and eating unlawful things.) 5:63 The Ruhban are Christian monks or worshippers, while the `Qissisun' are their scholars. Allah said in another Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ذلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَاناً</div><p>(This is because among them, there are Qissisin and Ruhban...)5:82. This Ayah warns against corrupt scholars and misguided worshippers. Sufyan bin `Uyaynah said, "Those among our scholars who become corrupt are similar to the Jews, while those among our worshippers who become misguided are like Christians." An authentic Hadith declares, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«لَتَرْكَبُنَّ سُنَنَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ حَذْوَ القُذَّةِ بِالْقُذَّة»</div><p>(You will follow the ways of those who were before you, step by step.) They asked, "Jews and Christians" He said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«فَمَن»</div><p>؟ (Who else) In another narration, they asked, "Persia and Rome" He said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«فَمَنِ النَّاسِ إِلَّا هَؤُلَاءِ؟»</div><p>(And who else if it was not them) These texts warn against imitating them in action and statement, for they, as Allah stated, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالْبَـطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ</div><p>(devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and hinder (them) from the way of Allah.) They sell the religion in return for worldly gains, using their positions and status among people to illegally devour their property. For instance, the Jews were respected by the people of Jahiliyyah and collected gifts, taxes and presents from them. When Allah sent His Messenger , the Jews persisted in their misguidance, disbelief and rebellion, hoping to keep their status and position. However, Allah extinguished all this and took it away from them with the light of Prophethood and instead gave them disgrace and degradation, and they incurred the anger of Allah, the Exalted. Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ</div><p>(and hinder (them) from the way of Allah.) Therefore, they illegally devour people's property and hinder them from following the truth. They also confuse truth with falsehood and pretend before their ignorant followers that they call to righteousness. The true reality is that they call to the Fire and will not find any helpers on the Day of Resurrection.</p><h2 class="title">Torment of Those Who hoard Gold and Silver</h2><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلاَ يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُمْ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ</div><p>(And those who hoard Kanz gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah, announce unto them a painful torment.) 9:34. This is the third category of leaders, for people rely on their scholars, worshippers and the wealthy among them. When these categories of people become corrupt, the society in general becomes corrupt. Ibn Al-Mubarak once said, "What corrupted the religion, except kings and wicked Ahbar and Ruhban." As for Kanz, it refers to the wealth on which Zakah has not been paid, according to Malik, who narrated this from `Abdullah bin Dinar from Ibn `Umar. Al-Bukhari recorded that Az-Zuhri said that Khalid bin Aslam said that `Abdullah bin `Umar said, "This was before Zakah was ordained. When Zakah was ordained, Allah made it a cleanser for wealth." `Umar bin `Abdul-`Aziz and `Irak bin Malik said that this Ayah was abrogated by Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَلِهِمْ صَدَقَةً</div><p>(Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth) There are many Hadiths that admonish hoarding gold and silver. We will mention here some of these Hadiths. `Abdur-Razzaq recorded a Hadith from `Ali about Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ</div><p>(And those who hoard up gold and silver...) `Ali said that the Prophet said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">« تَبًّا لِلذَّهَبٍ تَبًّا لِلْفِضَّة»</div><p>(Woe to gold! Woe to silver.) He repeated this statement thrice, and this Hadith was hard on the Companions of the Messenger of Allah , who said, "What type of wealth should we use" `Umar said, "I will find out for you," and he asked, "O Allah's Messenger! Your statement was hard for your Companions. They asked, `What wealth should we use"' The Prophet answered, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«لِسَانًا ذَاكِرًا وَقَلْبًا شَاكِرًا وَزَوْجَةً تُعِينُ أَحَدَكُمْ عَلَى دِينِه»</div><p>(A remembering tongue, an appreciative heart and a wife that helps one of you implement his religion.) Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَوْمَ يُحْمَى عَلَيْهَا فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوَى بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَجُنوبُهُمْ وَظُهُورُهُمْ هَـذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لأَنفُسِكُمْ فَذُوقُواْ مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْنِزُونَ </div><p>(On the Day when that will be heated in the fire of Hell and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, (and it will be said unto them) "This is the treasure which you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard.") These words will be said to them as a way of admonishing, criticizing and mocking them. Allah also said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ صُبُّواْ فَوْقَ رَأْسِهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْحَمِيمِ - ذُقْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْكَرِيمُ </div><p>(Then pour over his head the torment of boiling water. "Taste you (this)! Verily, you were (pretending to be) the mighty, the generous!") 44:48-49. There is a saying that goes, "He who covets a thing and prefers it to Allah's obedience, will be punished with it." Because hoarding money was better to these people than Allah's pleasure, they were punished with it. For instance, Abu Lahab, may Allah curse him, was especially active in defying the Messenger of Allah , and his wife was helping him in this regard. Therefore, on the Day of Resurrection, she will help in punishing him, for there will be a twisted rope of palm fiber on her neck. She will be gathering wood from the Fire and throwing it on him so that his torment is made harder by the hand of someone whom he used to care for in this life. Likewise, money was precious to those who hoarded it in this life. Therefore, money will produce the worst harm for them in the Hereafter, when it will be heated in the Fire of Jahannam, whose heat is quiet sufficient, and their forehead, sides and back will be branded with it. Imam Abu Ja`far Ibn Jarir recorded that Thawban said that the Messenger of Allah used to declare, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«مَنْ تَركَ بَعْدَهُ كَنْزًا مُثِّلَ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ شُجَاعًا أَقَرَعَ لَهُ زَبِيبَتَانِ يَتْبَعُهُ وَيَقُولُ: وَيْلَكَ مَا أَنْتَ؟ فَيَقُولُ: أَنَا كَنْزُكَ الَّذِي تَرَكْتَهُ بَعْدكَ وَلَا يَزَالُ يَتْبَعُهُ حَتَّى يُلْقِمَهُ يَدَهُ فَيَقْضِمَهَا ثُمَّ يَتْبَعُهَا سَائِرَ جَسَدِه»</div><p>(Whoever leaves a treasure behind (on which he did not pay the Zakah), then on the Day of Resurrection his wealth will be made like a bald-headed poisonous male snake with two black spots over the eyes. The snake will follow him, and he will say, `Woe to you! Who are you' The snake will say, `I am your treasure that you left behind,' and will keep following him until the man gives it his hand; the snake will devour it and then devour his whole body.) Ibn Hibban also collected this Hadith in his Sahih. Part of this Hadith was also collected in the Two Sahihs from Abu Hurayrah. In his Sahih, Muslim recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«مَا مِنْ رَجُلٍ لَا يُؤَدِّي زَكَاةَ مَالِهِ إِلَّا جُعِلَ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ صَفَائِحُ مِنْ نَارٍ، فَيُكْوَى بِهَا جَنْبُهُ وَجَبْهَتُهُ وَظَهْرُهُ فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ، حَتَّى يُقْضَى بَيْنَ الْعِبَادِ ثُمَّ يُرَى سَبِيلُهُ إِمَّا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ وَإِمَّا إِلَى النَّار»</div><p>(Every man who does not pay the Zakah due on his money, then on the Day of Resurrection, his side, forehead and back will be branded with rods made of fire on a Day the length of which is fifty thousand years, until when the servants will be judged; that man will be shown his destination, either to Paradise or the Fire.) aIn the Tafsir of this Ayah, Al-Bukhari recorded that Zayd bin Wahb said, "I passed by Abu Dharr in the area of Rabadhah and asked him, `What made you reside in this area' He said, `We were in Ash-Sham when I recited this Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلاَ يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُمْ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ</div><p>(And those who hoard up gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah, announce unto them a painful torment.) Mu`awiyah said, `This Ayah is not about us, it is only about the People of the Book.' So I (Abu Dharr) said, `Rather, it is about us and them." </p>

Warning against Corrupt Scholars and Misguided WorshippersAs-Suddi said that the Ahbar are Jewish rabbis, while the Ruhban are Christian monks. This statement is true, for Ahbar are Jewish rabbis, just as Allah said, لَوْلاَ يَنْهَـهُمُ الرَّبَّـنِيُّونَ وَالاٌّحْبَارُ عَن قَوْلِهِمُ الإِثْمَ وَأَكْلِهِمُ السُّحْتَ(Why do not the Ahbar (rabbis) and the religious learned men forbid them from uttering sinful words and eating unlawful things.) 5:63 The Ruhban are Christian monks or worshippers, while the `Qissisun' are their scholars. Allah said in another Ayah, ذلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَاناً(This is because among them, there are Qissisin and Ruhban...)5:82. This Ayah warns against corrupt scholars and misguided worshippers. Sufyan bin `Uyaynah said, "Those among our scholars who become corrupt are similar to the Jews, while those among our worshippers who become misguided are like Christians." An authentic Hadith declares, «لَتَرْكَبُنَّ سُنَنَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ حَذْوَ القُذَّةِ بِالْقُذَّة»(You will follow the ways of those who were before you, step by step.) They asked, "Jews and Christians" He said, «فَمَن»؟ (Who else) In another narration, they asked, "Persia and Rome" He said, «فَمَنِ النَّاسِ إِلَّا هَؤُلَاءِ؟»(And who else if it was not them) These texts warn against imitating them in action and statement, for they, as Allah stated, لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالْبَـطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ(devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and hinder (them) from the way of Allah.) They sell the religion in return for worldly gains, using their positions and status among people to illegally devour their property. For instance, the Jews were respected by the people of Jahiliyyah and collected gifts, taxes and presents from them. When Allah sent His Messenger , the Jews persisted in their misguidance, disbelief and rebellion, hoping to keep their status and position. However, Allah extinguished all this and took it away from them with the light of Prophethood and instead gave them disgrace and degradation, and they incurred the anger of Allah, the Exalted. Allah said next, وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ(and hinder (them) from the way of Allah.) Therefore, they illegally devour people's property and hinder them from following the truth. They also confuse truth with falsehood and pretend before their ignorant followers that they call to righteousness. The true reality is that they call to the Fire and will not find any helpers on the Day of Resurrection.Torment of Those Who hoard Gold and SilverAllah said, وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلاَ يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُمْ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ(And those who hoard Kanz gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah, announce unto them a painful torment.) 9:34. This is the third category of leaders, for people rely on their scholars, worshippers and the wealthy among them. When these categories of people become corrupt, the society in general becomes corrupt. Ibn Al-Mubarak once said, "What corrupted the religion, except kings and wicked Ahbar and Ruhban." As for Kanz, it refers to the wealth on which Zakah has not been paid, according to Malik, who narrated this from `Abdullah bin Dinar from Ibn `Umar. Al-Bukhari recorded that Az-Zuhri said that Khalid bin Aslam said that `Abdullah bin `Umar said, "This was before Zakah was ordained. When Zakah was ordained, Allah made it a cleanser for wealth." `Umar bin `Abdul-`Aziz and `Irak bin Malik said that this Ayah was abrogated by Allah's statement, خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَلِهِمْ صَدَقَةً(Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth) There are many Hadiths that admonish hoarding gold and silver. We will mention here some of these Hadiths. `Abdur-Razzaq recorded a Hadith from `Ali about Allah's statement, وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ(And those who hoard up gold and silver...) `Ali said that the Prophet said, « تَبًّا لِلذَّهَبٍ تَبًّا لِلْفِضَّة»(Woe to gold! Woe to silver.) He repeated this statement thrice, and this Hadith was hard on the Companions of the Messenger of Allah , who said, "What type of wealth should we use" `Umar said, "I will find out for you," and he asked, "O Allah's Messenger! Your statement was hard for your Companions. They asked, `What wealth should we use"' The Prophet answered, «لِسَانًا ذَاكِرًا وَقَلْبًا شَاكِرًا وَزَوْجَةً تُعِينُ أَحَدَكُمْ عَلَى دِينِه»(A remembering tongue, an appreciative heart and a wife that helps one of you implement his religion.) Allah's statement, يَوْمَ يُحْمَى عَلَيْهَا فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوَى بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَجُنوبُهُمْ وَظُهُورُهُمْ هَـذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لأَنفُسِكُمْ فَذُوقُواْ مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْنِزُونَ (On the Day when that will be heated in the fire of Hell and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, (and it will be said unto them) "This is the treasure which you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard.") These words will be said to them as a way of admonishing, criticizing and mocking them. Allah also said; ثُمَّ صُبُّواْ فَوْقَ رَأْسِهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْحَمِيمِ - ذُقْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْكَرِيمُ (Then pour over his head the torment of boiling water. "Taste you (this)! Verily, you were (pretending to be) the mighty, the generous!") 44:48-49. There is a saying that goes, "He who covets a thing and prefers it to Allah's obedience, will be punished with it." Because hoarding money was better to these people than Allah's pleasure, they were punished with it. For instance, Abu Lahab, may Allah curse him, was especially active in defying the Messenger of Allah , and his wife was helping him in this regard. Therefore, on the Day of Resurrection, she will help in punishing him, for there will be a twisted rope of palm fiber on her neck. She will be gathering wood from the Fire and throwing it on him so that his torment is made harder by the hand of someone whom he used to care for in this life. Likewise, money was precious to those who hoarded it in this life. Therefore, money will produce the worst harm for them in the Hereafter, when it will be heated in the Fire of Jahannam, whose heat is quiet sufficient, and their forehead, sides and back will be branded with it. Imam Abu Ja`far Ibn Jarir recorded that Thawban said that the Messenger of Allah used to declare, «مَنْ تَركَ بَعْدَهُ كَنْزًا مُثِّلَ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ شُجَاعًا أَقَرَعَ لَهُ زَبِيبَتَانِ يَتْبَعُهُ وَيَقُولُ: وَيْلَكَ مَا أَنْتَ؟ فَيَقُولُ: أَنَا كَنْزُكَ الَّذِي تَرَكْتَهُ بَعْدكَ وَلَا يَزَالُ يَتْبَعُهُ حَتَّى يُلْقِمَهُ يَدَهُ فَيَقْضِمَهَا ثُمَّ يَتْبَعُهَا سَائِرَ جَسَدِه»(Whoever leaves a treasure behind (on which he did not pay the Zakah), then on the Day of Resurrection his wealth will be made like a bald-headed poisonous male snake with two black spots over the eyes. The snake will follow him, and he will say, `Woe to you! Who are you' The snake will say, `I am your treasure that you left behind,' and will keep following him until the man gives it his hand; the snake will devour it and then devour his whole body.) Ibn Hibban also collected this Hadith in his Sahih. Part of this Hadith was also collected in the Two Sahihs from Abu Hurayrah. In his Sahih, Muslim recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah said, «مَا مِنْ رَجُلٍ لَا يُؤَدِّي زَكَاةَ مَالِهِ إِلَّا جُعِلَ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ صَفَائِحُ مِنْ نَارٍ، فَيُكْوَى بِهَا جَنْبُهُ وَجَبْهَتُهُ وَظَهْرُهُ فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ، حَتَّى يُقْضَى بَيْنَ الْعِبَادِ ثُمَّ يُرَى سَبِيلُهُ إِمَّا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ وَإِمَّا إِلَى النَّار»(Every man who does not pay the Zakah due on his money, then on the Day of Resurrection, his side, forehead and back will be branded with rods made of fire on a Day the length of which is fifty thousand years, until when the servants will be judged; that man will be shown his destination, either to Paradise or the Fire.) aIn the Tafsir of this Ayah, Al-Bukhari recorded that Zayd bin Wahb said, "I passed by Abu Dharr in the area of Rabadhah and asked him, `What made you reside in this area' He said, `We were in Ash-Sham when I recited this Ayah, وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلاَ يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُمْ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ(And those who hoard up gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah, announce unto them a painful torment.) Mu`awiyah said, `This Ayah is not about us, it is only about the People of the Book.' So I (Abu Dharr) said, `Rather, it is about us and them."

On the day We shall heat up (their gold) on the fire of Hell and brand their foreheads, sides and backs (and say to them): "It is this you stored up for yourselves; so now taste of what you had stored!"

The day when it will be heated in the fire of hell, and their foreheads and their sides and their backs will be branded with them; “Here is what you hoarded for yourselves; so now taste the joy of your hoarding!”

the day they shall be heated in the fire of Gehenna and therewith their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be branded: 'This is the thing you have treasured up for yourselves; therefore taste you now what you were treasuring!'

on the Day when that [hoarded wealth] shall be heated in the fire of hell and their foreheads and their sides and their backs branded therewith, [those sinners shall be told:] "These are the treasures which you have laid up for yourselves! Taste, then, [the evil of] your hoarded treasures!"

On a Day whereon they Shall be heated in Hell-Fire, and therewith shall be branded their foreheads and their sides and their backs: this is that which ye treasured up for yourselves, so taste now that which ye have been treasuring up.

On the Day when that (Al-Kanz: money, gold and silver, etc., the Zakat of which has not been paid) will be heated in the Fire of Hell and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, (and it will be said unto them):-"This is the treasure which you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard."

On the Day when they will be heated in the Fire of Hell, then their foreheads, and their sides, and their backs will be branded with them: “This is what you hoarded for yourselves; so taste what you used to hoard.”

on a Day when they shall be heated up in the Fire of Hell, and their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be branded with it, (and they shall be told): "This is the treasure which you hoarded for yourselves. Taste, then, the punishment for what you have hoarded."

On the Day when that will be heated in the fire of Hell and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, (and it will be said unto them:) "This is the treasure which you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard."

On the day when it will (all) be heated in the fire of hell, and their foreheads and their flanks and their backs will be branded therewith (and it will be said unto them): Here is that which ye hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what ye used to hoard.

on the day when these shall be heated in hellfire and therewith branded on their foreheads, their sides, and their backs [and told]: ‘This is what you treasured up for yourselves! So taste what you have treasured!’

On that Day they (the treasures) will be heated in the fire of Gehenna (Hell), and their foreheads, sides, and backs will be branded with them, and told: 'These are the things which you have treasured. Taste then that which you were treasuring'

The Day when it will be heated in the fire of Hell and seared therewith will be their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, [it will be said], "This is what you hoarded for yourselves, so taste what you used to hoard."

on the Day of Judgment and that their treasures will be heated by the fire of hell and pressed against their foreheads, sides and back with this remark, "These are your own treasures which you hoarded for yourselves. See for yourselves what they feel like."

On the day when it shall be heated in the fire of hell, then their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be branded with it; this is what you hoarded up for yourselves, therefore taste what you hoarded.

Yawma yu<u>h</u>m<u>a</u> AAalayh<u>a</u> fee n<u>a</u>ri jahannama fatukw<u>a</u> bih<u>a</u> jib<u>a</u>huhum wajunoobuhum wa<i><u>th</u></i>uhooruhum h<u>atha</u> m<u>a</u> kanaztum lianfusikum fa<u>th</u>ooqoo m<u>a</u> kuntum taknizoon<b>a</b>

on the Day their treasure is heated up in the fire of hell, their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be branded with it, and they will be told, "This is what you hoarded up for yourselves. Taste then what you were hoarding."

On the Day when heat will be produced out of that (wealth) in the fire of Hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, their flanks, and their backs.- "This is the (treasure) which ye buried for yourselves: taste ye, then, the (treasures) ye buried!"

9

يَوْمَ يُحْمَىٰ عَلَيْهَا فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوَىٰ بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَجُنُوبُهُمْ وَظُهُورُهُمْ هَٰذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ فَذُوقُوا۟ مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْنِزُونَ

On the Day of Judgement, what they hoarded and did not give its right will be heated in the fire of Hell; and when it is greatly heated, it will be placed on their foreheads, sides and backs, then reheated when it cools, on a day lasting fifty thousand years. It will be said to them, by way of blame, that this is the wealth they hoarded for themselves, not paying the Zakat from it, or spending it in the way they were ordered; and they will be told to taste the evil consequences of what they hoarded and did not use correctly.

On the Day of Judgement, what they hoarded and did not give its right will be heated in the fire of Hell; and when it is greatly heated, it will be placed on their foreheads, sides and backs, then reheated when it cools, on a day lasting fifty thousand years. It will be said to them, by way of blame, that this is the wealth they hoarded for themselves, not paying the Zakat from it, or spending it in the way they were ordered; and they will be told to taste the evil consequences of what they hoarded and did not use correctly.

<p>Explained in the fifth verse (35) is the detail of the ` painful punishment' referred to at the end of verse 34. There, it has been said: يَوْمَ يُحْمَىٰ عَلَيْهَا فِي نَارِ‌ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوَىٰ بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَجُنُوبُهُمْ وَظُهُورُ‌هُمْ ۖ هَـٰذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ فَذُوقُوا مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْنِزُونَ ﴿35﴾(on the day it will be heated up in the fire of Jahannam, then their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be branded with it: "This is what you had accumulated for yourselves. So, taste what you have been accumulating". It means that this ` painful punishment' will be for those who do not pay Zakah. It will come on a day when the gold and silver accumulated by them will be heated up in the Fire of Jahannam.</p><p>Then, their foreheads, sides and backs shall be branded with it, and they shall be told, as a sort of verbal punishment, that it was what they had accumulated for themselves, and in consequence, they better have a taste of what they had accumulated. The return of a deed is the deed itself. That which was accumulated illegally or that which was accumulated legally but without having paid its Zakah ultimately became, by itself, the punishment of these people.</p><p>In this verse, mention has been made of branding foreheads, sides and backs. Either it means the whole body or these three parts have been particularized for the reason that a miser who does not like to spend his wealth in the way of Allah would usually greet a needy visitor looking for charity or Zakah with a forehead all wrinkled with distaste. After that, when to avoid him, he tries to turn away to the right or the left side. And if the needy person still persists, he would turn his back on him. Perhaps, the forehead, the sides and the back were thus particularized for this punishment.</p>

Explained in the fifth verse (35) is the detail of the ` painful punishment' referred to at the end of verse 34. There, it has been said: يَوْمَ يُحْمَىٰ عَلَيْهَا فِي نَارِ‌ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوَىٰ بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَجُنُوبُهُمْ وَظُهُورُ‌هُمْ ۖ هَـٰذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ فَذُوقُوا مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْنِزُونَ ﴿35﴾(on the day it will be heated up in the fire of Jahannam, then their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be branded with it: "This is what you had accumulated for yourselves. So, taste what you have been accumulating". It means that this ` painful punishment' will be for those who do not pay Zakah. It will come on a day when the gold and silver accumulated by them will be heated up in the Fire of Jahannam.Then, their foreheads, sides and backs shall be branded with it, and they shall be told, as a sort of verbal punishment, that it was what they had accumulated for themselves, and in consequence, they better have a taste of what they had accumulated. The return of a deed is the deed itself. That which was accumulated illegally or that which was accumulated legally but without having paid its Zakah ultimately became, by itself, the punishment of these people.In this verse, mention has been made of branding foreheads, sides and backs. Either it means the whole body or these three parts have been particularized for the reason that a miser who does not like to spend his wealth in the way of Allah would usually greet a needy visitor looking for charity or Zakah with a forehead all wrinkled with distaste. After that, when to avoid him, he tries to turn away to the right or the left side. And if the needy person still persists, he would turn his back on him. Perhaps, the forehead, the sides and the back were thus particularized for this punishment.

The number of months with God is twelve in accordance with God's law since the day He created the heavens and the earth. Of these four are holy. This is the straight reckoning. So do not exceed yourselves during them; but fight the idolaters to the end as they fight you in like manner; and remember, God is with those Who preserve themselves from evil and do the right.

Indeed the number of months before Allah is twelve – in the Book of Allah – since the day He created the heavens and the earth, of which four are sacred; this the straight religion; so do not wrong yourselves in those months; and constantly fight against the polytheists as they constantly fight against you; and know well that Allah is with the pious.

The number of the months, with God, is twelve in the Book of God, the day that He created the heavens and the earth; four of them are sacred. That is the right religion. So wrong not each other during them. And fight the unbelievers totally even as they fight you totally and know that God is with the godfearing.

BEHOLD, the number of months, in the sight of God, is twelve months, [laid down] in God's decree on the day when He created the heavens and the earth; [and] out of these, four are sacred: this is the ever-true law [of God]. Do not, then, sin against yourselves with regard to these [months]. And fight against those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God, all together-just as they fight against you, [O believers,] all together -and know that God is with those who are conscious of Him.

Verily the number of months with Allah is twelve months ordained in the writ of Allah on the day whereon He created the heavens and the earth; of these four sacred: that is the right religion. Wherefore wrong not yourselves in respect thereof. And fight the associators, all of them even as they fight all of you; and knew that Allah is with the God-fearing

Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are Sacred, (i.e. the 1st, the 7th, the 11th and the 12th months of the Islamic calendar). That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein, and fight against the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) collectively, as they fight against you collectively. But know that Allah is with those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V. 2:2).

The number of months, according to God, is twelve months—in the decree of God—since the Day He created the heavens and the earth, of which four are sacred. This is the correct religion. So do not wrong yourselves during them. And fight the polytheists collectively, as they fight you collectively, and know that God is with the righteous.

Surely the reckoning of months, in the sight of Allah, is twelve months, laid down in Allah's decree on the day when He created the heavens and the earth; and out of these months four are sacred. That is the true ordainment. Do not, therefore, wrong yourselves, with respect to these months. And fight all together against those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity in the manner that they fight against you all together, and know well that Allah is with the God-fearing.

Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein, and fight against the Mushrikin idolaters collectively as they fight against you collectively. But know that Allah is with those who have Taqwa.

Lo! the number of the months with Allah is twelve months by Allah's ordinance in the day that He created the heavens and the earth. Four of them are sacred: that is the right religion. So wrong not yourselves in them. And wage war on all of the idolaters as they are waging war on all of you. And know that Allah is with those who keep their duty (unto Him).

Indeed the number of months with Allah is twelve months in Allah’s Book, the day when He created the heavens and the earth. Of these, four are sacred. That is the upright religion. So do not wrong yourselves during them. Fight all the polytheists, just as they fight you all, and know that Allah is with the Godwary.

The number of the months, with Allah, is twelve in the Book of Allah, the day when He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the right religion. Therefore, do not wrong yourselves in them and fight against the unbelievers all together as they themselves fight against you all together; know that Allah is with the cautious.

Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them. And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that Allah is with the righteous [who fear Him].

According to the Book of God, from the day He created the heavens and the earth, the number of months are twelve, four of which are sacred. (This is part of the law) of the religion. Do not commit injustice against your souls during the sacred months but fight all the pagans just as they fight against all of you. Know that God is with the pious ones.

Surely the number of months with Allah is twelve months in Allah's ordinance since the day when He created the heavens and the earth, of these four being sacred; that is the right reckoning; therefore be not unjust to yourselves regarding them, and fight the polytheists all together as they fight you all together; and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil).

Inna AAiddata a<b>l</b>shshuhoori AAinda All<u>a</u>hi ithn<u>a</u> AAashara shahran fee kit<u>a</u>bi All<u>a</u>hi yawma khalaqa a<b>l</b>ssam<u>a</u>w<u>a</u>ti wa<b>a</b>lar<u>d</u>a minh<u>a</u> arbaAAatun <u>h</u>urumun <u>tha</u>lika a<b>l</b>ddeenu alqayyimu fal<u>a</u> ta<i><u>th</u></i>limoo feehinna anfusakum waq<u>a</u>tiloo almushrikeena k<u>a</u>ffatan kam<u>a</u> yuq<u>a</u>tiloonakum k<u>a</u>ffatan wa<b>i</b>AAlamoo anna All<u>a</u>ha maAAa almuttaqeen<b>a</b>

On the Day God created heaven and earth, He decreed that the number of months should be twelve in number. Out of these, four are sacred. That is the true religion. Do not wrong your souls in these months. Fight the polytheists all together, as they fight you all together, and know that God is with the righteous.

The number of months in the sight of Allah is twelve (in a year)- so ordained by Him the day He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are sacred: that is the straight usage. So wrong not yourselves therein, and fight the Pagans all together as they fight you all together. But know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves.

9

إِنَّ عِدَّةَ ٱلشُّهُورِ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِى كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ مِنْهَآ أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا۟ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَقَٰتِلُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ كَآفَّةً كَمَا يُقَٰتِلُونَكُمْ كَآفَّةً وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ

There are twelve months of the year decreed by Allah, no more or less, which Allah established in the Preserved Tablet when He created the heavens and the earth. Of these twelve months, four are sacred, during which Allah has forbidden fighting. Three of them consecutive (Dhū Al-Qa‘dah, Dhū Al-Ḥijjah and Muḥarram), and one is on its own (Rajab). The twelve months of the year, and respecting the sacredness of four of them, is the correct way of life. Allah tells the believers not to wrong themselves during these sacred months by fighting, violating their sacredness. Also, the believers are instructed to fight the idolaters all together as they fight them all together, and to know that Allah is with those who are Mindful, who follow what He instructs and stay away from what He has prohibited, and He helps and supports them. If Allah supports anyone, no one will be able to defeat them.

There are twelve months of the year decreed by Allah, no more or less, which Allah established in the Preserved Tablet when He created the heavens and the earth. Of these twelve months, four are sacred, during which Allah has forbidden fighting. Three of them consecutive (Dhū Al-Qa‘dah, Dhū Al-Ḥijjah and Muḥarram), and one is on its own (Rajab). The twelve months of the year, and respecting the sacredness of four of them, is the correct way of life. Allah tells the believers not to wrong themselves during these sacred months by fighting, violating their sacredness. Also, the believers are instructed to fight the idolaters all together as they fight them all together, and to know that Allah is with those who are Mindful, who follow what He instructs and stay away from what He has prohibited, and He helps and supports them. If Allah supports anyone, no one will be able to defeat them.

<p>Commentary</p><p>Mentioned in the previous verses were the errors and misdeeds of disbelievers and Mushriks who persisted with their disbelief and kept associating others in the pristine divinity of Allah. In the present two verses, mentioned there is another bad custom prevailing in Arabia since its age of ignorance - which Muslims have been instructed to ab-stain from. That bad custom relates to a chain of happenings. Details go back to the distant past since when a year was accepted as having twelve months by the religious codes of all past prophets. Out of these twelve months, four were considered sacred, therefore, worthy of great reverence. They were three consecutive months of Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram, and the month of Rajab.</p><p>All religious codes of past prophets agree that every act of worship during these four months is more reward-worthy - and should someone commit a sin during these months, the curse and punishment resulting from it is also more blameworthy. Under these past religious codes, fighting and killing was prohibited during these months.</p><p>Since the Arabs of Makkah al-Mukarramah are the progeny of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) through Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) they all professed belief in Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) as a prophet and messenger of Allah and claimed to follow his Shari` ah. However, as fighting, killing and hunting was also prohibited during these four sacred months among the followers of the Ibrahimi community, the people of the Arab age of ignorance found the implementation of this injunction extremely hard. The reason was that, during the pagan period, fighting and killing had become the only vocation for them. Therefore, in order to make this restriction somewhat easy on them, they spun out all sorts of excuses to satisfy their self-serving motives. Whenever they needed to fight during one of the sacred months, or whenever a sacred month approached while they were already fighting, then, they would say: This year, this month is not sacred. The next month will be the sacred one. For example, when Muharram arrived, they would say that ` this year, the month of Muharram is not sacred, instead of that, the month of S afar will be sacred'. And if they had some other exigency, they would say, ` this year, the month of Rabi' al-Awwal will be sacred;' or say, ` this year the month of Safar has come earlier and Muharram will come later.' Thus, in one stroke, they made the month of Muharram the month of Safar! In short, they would somehow complete the count of four month during one year, but would not bother to retain the order and signification of what was divinely determined. It was up to them to give any name to any month, call it Dhu al-Hijjah or call it Ramadan or make one come earlier and make the other come later. If another emergency came, for example, when they would remain en-gaged in fighting for a period as long as ten months leaving only two months to the year, then, on this occasion, they would increase the number of months in a year saying, ` this year will be of fourteen months.' In this way, they would make the remaining four months the sacred months.</p><p>In short, they did show their reverence for the Ibrahimi faith at least by doing it during four months of the year when they would abstain from fighting and killing. But, they did not observe the order of the months in a year according to which four of them were fixed as the sacred months. This was what they juggled with seeking interpretations to suit their needs or fancies.</p><p>The outcome was that, during those days, it had become difficult to determine as to which month was Ramadan or Shawwal, or Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah or Rajab. When Makkah al-Mukarramah was conquered in the 8th year of Hijrah and the Holy Prophet ﷺ sent Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ to make the proclamation of withdrawal from disbelievers and Mushriks at the Hajj season of Hijrah year 9, this month was, according to the genuine calculation, the month of Dhu al-Hijjah. But, according to the same old custom of the Jahiliyyah, this month was declared to be that of Dhu al-Qa'dah - and, that year, according to them, not Dhu al-Hijjah, but Dhu al-Qa'dah was fixed to be the month of Hajj. Then came the Hijrah year 10 which was the year the Holy Prophet ﷺ went for his last Hajj. As nature would have it, this brought about a unique arrangement when the genuine month was that of Dhu al-Hijjah and, according to the ar-bitrary reckoning of the people of Jahiliyyah too, that turned out to be Dhu al-Hijjah itself. Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said in his address at Mina: اِنَّ الزَّمان قد استدار کَھَیٔتہ یوم خَلَقَ اللہُ السَّمٰوَات والارض (Time has come back to its position Allah had set the day He created the heavens and the Earth). It means that the month, the real month of Dhu al-Hijjah, turned out to be the same month of Dhu al-Hijjah that year, even in the sight of the people of Jahiliyyah.</p><p>This was a window to the custom of Jahiliyyah, a custom that changed the number, the order and the specification of months in a year, even made deletions and alterations at will. The activity of making a few changes here and there may appear to be small and innocu-ous. A month is a month, call it by any name, it remains a month. But, things were not that simple in the given situation. These changes disturbed the implementation of Islamic laws connected with a particular month or a specific date in it. They also affected duties fixed for the be-ginning or the end of the year - such as, the injunctions of Hajj during the ten days of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah, fasting during the ten days of Muharram and the rules of Zakah at the end of the year. As a direct result of this practice, hundreds of Islamic laws were distorted making their compliance useless. In these two verses of the Holy Qur'an, Muslims have been instructed to remain on guard against the evil in this pagan custom.</p><p>Explanation of the Verses</p><p>In the first verse (36), it is said: اِنَّ عِدَّۃَ الشُّھُورِ عِند اللہِ عَشَرَ شَھراً ,(Surely, the number of months with Allah is twelve). Here, the word: عِدّہ ('iddah) appears in the sense of number and شُھُور (shuhur) is the plural of شَھر (shahr) which means month. The sense of the verse is that the number of months, in the sight of Allah, is set as twelve. No one has the right to decrease or increase it.</p><p>Then, by placing the phrase: فِی کِتَابَ اللہِ (fi kitabillah: as written in the Book of Allah), it was stressed that this numerical setting of the months stood recorded in the Preserved Tablet (al-lawh al-mahfuz) since eternity. Then, by saying: یَومَ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الاَرضَ (on the day He created the heavens and the Earth), it was indicated that the Divine decree was, though, promulgated in eternity, but this order and setting of the months came into being when the heavens and the Earth were created.</p><p>After that, it was said: مِنھَآ اَربَعَۃُ حُرُمُ (of which there are Four Sacred Months). It means that, out of these twelve months, four are sacred. They have been called حُرُمُ Hurum (sanctified ones) in the sense that fighting and killing is prohibited during these month, and also in the sense that these months are blessed and it is obligatory to hold them in due esteem and that acts of worship during these become more reward worthy. The first injunction out of the two was abrogated in the Shari’ ah of Islam. But, the second one, that of increased reverence, esteem and devotion to ` Ibadah during this period still remains operative in Islam.</p><p>In his addressl of the Day of Sacrifice2 during the Last Hajj3, the Holy Prophet ﷺ explained these months by saying: ` Three months are consecutive - Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram - and one month is that of Rajab.' But, there were two sayings of the Arabs regarding the month of Rajab. Some tribes used to call the month we know as Ramadan the month of Rajab while, as seen by the tribe of Mudar, Rajab was the month which comes in between Jumada ath-Thaniah and Sha` ban. Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ by mentioning this month as ` Rajab Mudar' - also made it clear that it means the month of Rajab which is in between Jumada ath-Thaniah and Sha` ban.</p><p>1. Khutbah.</p><p>2. Yowmu 'n-Nahr, a term used for ‘Idu ‘l-Adha, the Feast or Festival of Sacrifice.</p><p>3. Hujjatu'I-Wada'.</p><p>Thereafter appears the statement: ذالکَ الدِّین القَیِّمُ (That is the right faith). It means that keeping the setting and serial order of months, specially the injunctions pertaining to the Four Sacred Months, according to the very original decree of Allah Almighty is the right faith to hold. Making any changes, alterations, additions or deletions there-in is a sign of crookedness in comprehension and temperament.</p><p>The next sentence: فلا تَظلِمُوا فِیھِنَّ اَنفُسَکُم do not wrong yourselves therein) means: ` Do not become unjust to your own selves either by acting against the compliance-worthy injunctions pertaining to these months, or by not observing proper respect for them, or by falling short in devoting yourselves to ` Ibadah therein.</p><p>In his Ahkam a1-Qur'an, Imam Abu Bakr al-Jassas has said: The hint given here is that these blessed months have an exclusive characteristic of their own. Whoever devotes to ` Ibadah during these is awarded with the ability and encouragement to engage in it during the rest of the months. Similarly, a person who makes the necessary effort to stay safe from sins and other bad deeds during these months finds that remaining safe from these evils during the rest of the months of a year has become easier on him. Therefore, not making the best out of these months is a terrible loss.</p><p>Up to this point, the text has described and refuted a particular custom of Jahiliyyah practiced by the Mushriks of Makkah. At the end of the verse, the text reverts to the command, given at the beginning of the verse (5), requiring that, soon after the expiry of the treaty deadline, Jihad is obligatory against all Mushriks and disbelievers.</p>

CommentaryMentioned in the previous verses were the errors and misdeeds of disbelievers and Mushriks who persisted with their disbelief and kept associating others in the pristine divinity of Allah. In the present two verses, mentioned there is another bad custom prevailing in Arabia since its age of ignorance - which Muslims have been instructed to ab-stain from. That bad custom relates to a chain of happenings. Details go back to the distant past since when a year was accepted as having twelve months by the religious codes of all past prophets. Out of these twelve months, four were considered sacred, therefore, worthy of great reverence. They were three consecutive months of Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram, and the month of Rajab.All religious codes of past prophets agree that every act of worship during these four months is more reward-worthy - and should someone commit a sin during these months, the curse and punishment resulting from it is also more blameworthy. Under these past religious codes, fighting and killing was prohibited during these months.Since the Arabs of Makkah al-Mukarramah are the progeny of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) through Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) they all professed belief in Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) as a prophet and messenger of Allah and claimed to follow his Shari` ah. However, as fighting, killing and hunting was also prohibited during these four sacred months among the followers of the Ibrahimi community, the people of the Arab age of ignorance found the implementation of this injunction extremely hard. The reason was that, during the pagan period, fighting and killing had become the only vocation for them. Therefore, in order to make this restriction somewhat easy on them, they spun out all sorts of excuses to satisfy their self-serving motives. Whenever they needed to fight during one of the sacred months, or whenever a sacred month approached while they were already fighting, then, they would say: This year, this month is not sacred. The next month will be the sacred one. For example, when Muharram arrived, they would say that ` this year, the month of Muharram is not sacred, instead of that, the month of S afar will be sacred'. And if they had some other exigency, they would say, ` this year, the month of Rabi' al-Awwal will be sacred;' or say, ` this year the month of Safar has come earlier and Muharram will come later.' Thus, in one stroke, they made the month of Muharram the month of Safar! In short, they would somehow complete the count of four month during one year, but would not bother to retain the order and signification of what was divinely determined. It was up to them to give any name to any month, call it Dhu al-Hijjah or call it Ramadan or make one come earlier and make the other come later. If another emergency came, for example, when they would remain en-gaged in fighting for a period as long as ten months leaving only two months to the year, then, on this occasion, they would increase the number of months in a year saying, ` this year will be of fourteen months.' In this way, they would make the remaining four months the sacred months.In short, they did show their reverence for the Ibrahimi faith at least by doing it during four months of the year when they would abstain from fighting and killing. But, they did not observe the order of the months in a year according to which four of them were fixed as the sacred months. This was what they juggled with seeking interpretations to suit their needs or fancies.The outcome was that, during those days, it had become difficult to determine as to which month was Ramadan or Shawwal, or Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah or Rajab. When Makkah al-Mukarramah was conquered in the 8th year of Hijrah and the Holy Prophet ﷺ sent Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ to make the proclamation of withdrawal from disbelievers and Mushriks at the Hajj season of Hijrah year 9, this month was, according to the genuine calculation, the month of Dhu al-Hijjah. But, according to the same old custom of the Jahiliyyah, this month was declared to be that of Dhu al-Qa'dah - and, that year, according to them, not Dhu al-Hijjah, but Dhu al-Qa'dah was fixed to be the month of Hajj. Then came the Hijrah year 10 which was the year the Holy Prophet ﷺ went for his last Hajj. As nature would have it, this brought about a unique arrangement when the genuine month was that of Dhu al-Hijjah and, according to the ar-bitrary reckoning of the people of Jahiliyyah too, that turned out to be Dhu al-Hijjah itself. Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said in his address at Mina: اِنَّ الزَّمان قد استدار کَھَیٔتہ یوم خَلَقَ اللہُ السَّمٰوَات والارض (Time has come back to its position Allah had set the day He created the heavens and the Earth). It means that the month, the real month of Dhu al-Hijjah, turned out to be the same month of Dhu al-Hijjah that year, even in the sight of the people of Jahiliyyah.This was a window to the custom of Jahiliyyah, a custom that changed the number, the order and the specification of months in a year, even made deletions and alterations at will. The activity of making a few changes here and there may appear to be small and innocu-ous. A month is a month, call it by any name, it remains a month. But, things were not that simple in the given situation. These changes disturbed the implementation of Islamic laws connected with a particular month or a specific date in it. They also affected duties fixed for the be-ginning or the end of the year - such as, the injunctions of Hajj during the ten days of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah, fasting during the ten days of Muharram and the rules of Zakah at the end of the year. As a direct result of this practice, hundreds of Islamic laws were distorted making their compliance useless. In these two verses of the Holy Qur'an, Muslims have been instructed to remain on guard against the evil in this pagan custom.Explanation of the VersesIn the first verse (36), it is said: اِنَّ عِدَّۃَ الشُّھُورِ عِند اللہِ عَشَرَ شَھراً ,(Surely, the number of months with Allah is twelve). Here, the word: عِدّہ ('iddah) appears in the sense of number and شُھُور (shuhur) is the plural of شَھر (shahr) which means month. The sense of the verse is that the number of months, in the sight of Allah, is set as twelve. No one has the right to decrease or increase it.Then, by placing the phrase: فِی کِتَابَ اللہِ (fi kitabillah: as written in the Book of Allah), it was stressed that this numerical setting of the months stood recorded in the Preserved Tablet (al-lawh al-mahfuz) since eternity. Then, by saying: یَومَ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الاَرضَ (on the day He created the heavens and the Earth), it was indicated that the Divine decree was, though, promulgated in eternity, but this order and setting of the months came into being when the heavens and the Earth were created.After that, it was said: مِنھَآ اَربَعَۃُ حُرُمُ (of which there are Four Sacred Months). It means that, out of these twelve months, four are sacred. They have been called حُرُمُ Hurum (sanctified ones) in the sense that fighting and killing is prohibited during these month, and also in the sense that these months are blessed and it is obligatory to hold them in due esteem and that acts of worship during these become more reward worthy. The first injunction out of the two was abrogated in the Shari’ ah of Islam. But, the second one, that of increased reverence, esteem and devotion to ` Ibadah during this period still remains operative in Islam.In his addressl of the Day of Sacrifice2 during the Last Hajj3, the Holy Prophet ﷺ explained these months by saying: ` Three months are consecutive - Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram - and one month is that of Rajab.' But, there were two sayings of the Arabs regarding the month of Rajab. Some tribes used to call the month we know as Ramadan the month of Rajab while, as seen by the tribe of Mudar, Rajab was the month which comes in between Jumada ath-Thaniah and Sha` ban. Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ by mentioning this month as ` Rajab Mudar' - also made it clear that it means the month of Rajab which is in between Jumada ath-Thaniah and Sha` ban.1. Khutbah.2. Yowmu 'n-Nahr, a term used for ‘Idu ‘l-Adha, the Feast or Festival of Sacrifice.3. Hujjatu'I-Wada'.Thereafter appears the statement: ذالکَ الدِّین القَیِّمُ (That is the right faith). It means that keeping the setting and serial order of months, specially the injunctions pertaining to the Four Sacred Months, according to the very original decree of Allah Almighty is the right faith to hold. Making any changes, alterations, additions or deletions there-in is a sign of crookedness in comprehension and temperament.The next sentence: فلا تَظلِمُوا فِیھِنَّ اَنفُسَکُم do not wrong yourselves therein) means: ` Do not become unjust to your own selves either by acting against the compliance-worthy injunctions pertaining to these months, or by not observing proper respect for them, or by falling short in devoting yourselves to ` Ibadah therein.In his Ahkam a1-Qur'an, Imam Abu Bakr al-Jassas has said: The hint given here is that these blessed months have an exclusive characteristic of their own. Whoever devotes to ` Ibadah during these is awarded with the ability and encouragement to engage in it during the rest of the months. Similarly, a person who makes the necessary effort to stay safe from sins and other bad deeds during these months finds that remaining safe from these evils during the rest of the months of a year has become easier on him. Therefore, not making the best out of these months is a terrible loss.Up to this point, the text has described and refuted a particular custom of Jahiliyyah practiced by the Mushriks of Makkah. At the end of the verse, the text reverts to the command, given at the beginning of the verse (5), requiring that, soon after the expiry of the treaty deadline, Jihad is obligatory against all Mushriks and disbelievers.

<h2 class="title">The Year consists of Twelve Months</h2><p>Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Bakrah said that the Prophet said in a speech during his Hajj, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أَلَا إِنَّ الزَّمَانَ قَدِ اسْتَدَارَ كَهَيْئَتِهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ اللهُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ، السَّنَةُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا مِنْهَا أَرْبَعُةٌ حُرُمٌ، ثَلَاثَةٌ مُتَوَالِيَاتٌ: ذُو الْقَعْدَةِ وَذُو الْحِجَّةِ وَالْمُحَرَّمُ وَرَجَبُ مُضَرَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ جُمَادَى وَشَعْبَان»</div><p>ثم قال: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أَيُّ يَوْمٍ هَذَا»</div><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قلنا: الله ورسوله أعلم، فسكت حتى ظننا أنه سيسميه بغير اسمه قال: </div><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أَلَيْسَ يَوْمَ النَّحْرِ»</div><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قلنا: بلى ثم قال: </div><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أَيُّ شَهْرٍ هَذَا؟»</div><p>قلنا: الله ورسوله أعلم، فسكت حتى ظننا أنه سيسميه بغير اسمه قال: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أَلَيْسَ ذَا الحِجَّةِ؟»</div><p>قلنا: بلى، ثم قال: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أَيُّ بَلَدٍ هَذَا؟»</div><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قلنا: الله ورسوله أعلم فسكت حتى ظننا أنه سيسميه بغير اسمه قال:</div><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أَلَيْسَتِ الْبَلْدَةَ؟»</div><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قلنا: بلى»</div><p>(The division of time has turned to its original form which was current when Allah created the heavens and the earth. The year is of twelve months, out of which four months are sacred: Three are in succession Dhul-Qa`dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and (the fourth is) Rajab of (the tribe of) Mudar which comes between Jumada (Ath-Thaniyah) and Sha`ban." The Prophet then asked, (What is the day today') We said, "Allah and His Messenger know better. He kept quiet until we thought that he might give that day another name. He said (Isn't it the day of Nahr) We replied, "Yes." He further asked, (Which month is this) We again said, "Allah and His Messenger know better," and he kept quiet and made us think that he might give it another name. Then he said,(Isn't it the month of Dhul-Hijjah) We replied, "Yes." He asked, (What town is this) We said, "Allah and His Messenger know better," and he kept quiet until we thought that he might change its name. He asked, (Isn't this the (Sacred) Town) We said, "Yes." He said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«فَإِنَّ دِمَاءَكُمْ وَأَمْوَالَكُمْ وَأَحْسِبُهُ قَالَ وَأَعْرَاضَكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ حَرَامٌ كَحُرْمَةِ يَوْمِكُمْ هَذَا فِي شَهْرِكُمْ هَذَا، فِي بَلَدِكُمْ هَذَا. وَسَتَلْقَوْنَ رَبَّكُمْ فَيَسْأَلُكُمْ عَنْ أَعْمَالِكُمْ، أَلَا لَا تَرْجِعُوا بَعْدِي ضُلَّالًا يَضْرِبُ بَعْضُكُمْ رِقَابَ بَعْضٍ أَلَا هَلْ بَلَّغْتُ؟ أَلَا لِيُبَلِّغِ الشَّاهِدُ مِنْكُمُ الْغَائِبَ فَلَعَلَّ مَنْ يُبَلِّغُهُ يَكُونُ أَوْعَى لَهُ مِنْ بَعْضِ مَنْ سَمِعَه»</div><p>(Verily! Your blood, property and honor are sacred to one another like the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours and in this city of yours. Verily, you will meet your Lord and He will question you about your actions. Behold! Do not revert to misguidance after me by striking the necks of one another. Have I conveyed It is incumbent upon those who are present to inform those who are absent, because those who are absent might comprehend (what I have said) better than some who are present.) Al-Bukhari and Muslim collected this Hadith. In a small book collected by Shaykh `Alam ad-Din As-Sakhawi, entitled, Al-Mashhur fi Asma' Al-Ayam wash-Shuhur, he mentioned that Muharram is so named because it is a sacred month. To me, it was so named to emphasize its sacredness. This is because the Arabs would switch it around. One year they would say it was a sacred month, the following year they would say that it was not. The author said, "...and Safar is so named because they used to leave their homes during that month for fighting and traveling. When saying `Safir' a place, it means to leave it... Rabi` Al-Awwal is called that because they used to do Irtiba` in it, that is to maintain one's property... and Rabi` Al-Akhir, was so named for the same reasons. Jumada is called that because the water would dry up (Jamud) then....They say Jumada Al-Uwla and Al-Awwal, or Jumada Al-Akhar or Al-Akhirah. Rajab comes from Tarjib, meaning to honor. Sha`ban because the tribes would separate and return to their homes. Ramadan was so named because of the severity of the Ramda' - that is - the heat, and they say that the branch Ramadat when it is thirsty...And the saying that it is a Name of Allah is a mistake, for there is no proof or support for that..."</p><h2 class="title">The Sacred Months</h2><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مِنْهَآ أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ</div><p>(of them four are sacred). The Arabs used to consider these months sacred during the time of Jahiliyyah, except for a group of them called Al-Basl, who held eight months of the year to be sacred as way of exaggeration in religion. The Prophet said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«ثَلَاثَةٌ مُتَوَالِيَاتٌ: ذُو الْقَعْدَةِ وَذُو الْحِجَّةِ وَالْمُحَرَّمُ وَرَجَبُ مُضَرَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ جُمَادَى وَشَعْبَان»</div><p>(Three are in succession; Dhul-Qa`dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and (the fourth is) Rajab of (the tribe of) Mudar which comes between Jumada (Ath-Thani) and Sha`ban). The Prophet said "Rajab of Mudar" to attest to the custom of Mudar, in saying that Rajab is the month that is between Jumada and Sha`ban, not as the tribe of Rabi`ah thought, that it is between Sha`ban and Shawwal, which is Ramadan in the present calendar. The four Sacred Months were made four, three in succession and one alone, so that the Hajj and `Umrah are performed with ease. Dhul-Qa`dah, the month before the Hajj month, was made sacred because they refrained from fighting during that month. Dhul-Hijjah, the next month, was made sacred because it is the month of Hajj, during which they performed Hajj rituals. Muharram, which comes next, was made sacred so that they are able to go back to their areas in safety after performing Hajj. Rajab, in the middle of the lunar year, was made sacred so that those coming from the farthest areas of Arabia are able to perform `Umrah and visit the House and then go back to their areas safely. Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ذلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ</div><p>(That is the right religion), that is the Straight Law, requiring implementing Allah's order concerning the months that He made sacred and their true count as it was originally written by Allah. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلاَ تَظْلِمُواْ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ</div><p>(so wrong not yourselves therein) during these Sacred Months, for sin in them is worse than sin in other months. Likewise, sins in the Sacred City are written multiplied, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَن يُرِدْ فِيهِ بِإِلْحَادٍ بِظُلْمٍ نُّذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ</div><p>(...and whoever inclines to evil actions therein (in Makkah) or to do wrong, him We shall cause to taste from a painful torment) 22:25. Similarly, sin in general is worse during the Sacred Months `Ali bin Abi Talhah narrated that Ibn `Abbas said, Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللَّهِ</div><p>(Verily, the number of months with Allah...), is connected to </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلاَ تَظْلِمُواْ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ</div><p>(so wrong not yourselves therein), "In all (twelve) months. Allah then chose four out of these months and made them sacred, emphasizing their sanctity, making sinning in them greater, in addition to, multiplying rewards of righteous deeds during them." Qatadah said about Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلاَ تَظْلِمُواْ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ</div><p>(so wrong not yourselves therein), "Injustice during the Sacred Months is worse and graver than injustice in other months. Verily, injustice is always wrong, but Allah makes things graver than others as He will." He also said, "Allah has chosen some of His creation above others. He chose Messengers from angels and from men. He also chose His Speech above all speech, the Masajid above other areas of the earth, Ramadan and the Sacred Months above all months, Friday above the other days and Laylatul-Qadr (The Night of Decree) above all nights. Therefore, sanctify what Allah has sanctified, for doing so is the practice of people of understanding and comprehension." </p><h2 class="title">Fighting in the Sacred Months</h2><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَقَاتِلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَآفَّةً</div><p>(and fight against the idolators collectively), all of you, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">كَمَا يُقَـتِلُونَكُمْ كَآفَّةً</div><p>(as they fight against you collectively.), all of them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ</div><p>(But know that Allah is with those who have Taqwa), and know that initiating battle during the Sacred Months is forbidden. Allah said in other Ayat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لاَ تُحِلُّواْ شَعَآئِرَ اللَّهِ وَلاَ الشَّهْرَ الْحَرَامَ</div><p>(O you who believe! Violate not the sanctity of the symbols of Allah, nor of the sacred month.) 5:2, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الشَّهْرُ الْحَرَامُ بِالشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْحُرُمَـتُ قِصَاصٌ فَمَنِ اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَاعْتَدُواْ عَلَيْهِ بِمِثْلِ مَا اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ</div><p>(The Sacred Month is for the Sacred Month, and for the prohibited things, there is the law of equality (Qisas). Then whoever transgresses the prohibition against you, you transgress likewise against him) 2:194, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَإِذَا انسَلَخَ الأَشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ فَاقْتُلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ</div><p>(Then when the Sacred Months have passed, kill the idolators...) 9:5. As for Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَقَاتِلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَآفَّةً كَمَا يُقَـتِلُونَكُمْ كَآفَّةً</div><p>(And fight against the idolators collectively as they fight against you collectively), it includes permission for the believers to fight the idolators in the Sacred Month, if the idolators initiate hostilities therein. Allah said in other Ayat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الشَّهْرُ الْحَرَامُ بِالشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْحُرُمَـتُ قِصَاصٌ</div><p>(The Sacred Month is for the Sacred Month, and for the prohibited things, there is the law of equality (Qisas)) 2:194, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ تُقَـتِلُوهُمْ عِندَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ حَتَّى يُقَـتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ فَإِن قَـتَلُوكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوهُمْ</div><p>(And fight not with them at Al-Masjid Al-Haram, unless they (first) fight you there. But if they attack you, then kill them.) 2:191. As for the Messenger of Allah laying siege to At-Ta'if until the Sacred Month started, it was a continuation of the battle against Hawazin and their allies from Thaqif. They started the fighting and gathered their men for the purpose of conducting war. The Messenger of Allah marched to meet them and when they took refuge in At-Ta'if, the Prophet laid siege to them so that they descend from their forts, but they inflicted casualties on Muslims. The siege continued for about forty days, during which a Sacred Month began, and the siege continued for several days in that month. The Messenger broke the siege and went back (to Makkah). So fighting that carries over into it the Sacred Month is not the same as initiating warfare during it, Allah knows best. </p>

The Year consists of Twelve MonthsImam Ahmad recorded that Abu Bakrah said that the Prophet said in a speech during his Hajj, «أَلَا إِنَّ الزَّمَانَ قَدِ اسْتَدَارَ كَهَيْئَتِهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ اللهُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ، السَّنَةُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا مِنْهَا أَرْبَعُةٌ حُرُمٌ، ثَلَاثَةٌ مُتَوَالِيَاتٌ: ذُو الْقَعْدَةِ وَذُو الْحِجَّةِ وَالْمُحَرَّمُ وَرَجَبُ مُضَرَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ جُمَادَى وَشَعْبَان»ثم قال: «أَيُّ يَوْمٍ هَذَا»قلنا: الله ورسوله أعلم، فسكت حتى ظننا أنه سيسميه بغير اسمه قال: «أَلَيْسَ يَوْمَ النَّحْرِ»قلنا: بلى ثم قال: «أَيُّ شَهْرٍ هَذَا؟»قلنا: الله ورسوله أعلم، فسكت حتى ظننا أنه سيسميه بغير اسمه قال: «أَلَيْسَ ذَا الحِجَّةِ؟»قلنا: بلى، ثم قال: «أَيُّ بَلَدٍ هَذَا؟»قلنا: الله ورسوله أعلم فسكت حتى ظننا أنه سيسميه بغير اسمه قال:«أَلَيْسَتِ الْبَلْدَةَ؟»قلنا: بلى»(The division of time has turned to its original form which was current when Allah created the heavens and the earth. The year is of twelve months, out of which four months are sacred: Three are in succession Dhul-Qa`dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and (the fourth is) Rajab of (the tribe of) Mudar which comes between Jumada (Ath-Thaniyah) and Sha`ban." The Prophet then asked, (What is the day today') We said, "Allah and His Messenger know better. He kept quiet until we thought that he might give that day another name. He said (Isn't it the day of Nahr) We replied, "Yes." He further asked, (Which month is this) We again said, "Allah and His Messenger know better," and he kept quiet and made us think that he might give it another name. Then he said,(Isn't it the month of Dhul-Hijjah) We replied, "Yes." He asked, (What town is this) We said, "Allah and His Messenger know better," and he kept quiet until we thought that he might change its name. He asked, (Isn't this the (Sacred) Town) We said, "Yes." He said, «فَإِنَّ دِمَاءَكُمْ وَأَمْوَالَكُمْ وَأَحْسِبُهُ قَالَ وَأَعْرَاضَكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ حَرَامٌ كَحُرْمَةِ يَوْمِكُمْ هَذَا فِي شَهْرِكُمْ هَذَا، فِي بَلَدِكُمْ هَذَا. وَسَتَلْقَوْنَ رَبَّكُمْ فَيَسْأَلُكُمْ عَنْ أَعْمَالِكُمْ، أَلَا لَا تَرْجِعُوا بَعْدِي ضُلَّالًا يَضْرِبُ بَعْضُكُمْ رِقَابَ بَعْضٍ أَلَا هَلْ بَلَّغْتُ؟ أَلَا لِيُبَلِّغِ الشَّاهِدُ مِنْكُمُ الْغَائِبَ فَلَعَلَّ مَنْ يُبَلِّغُهُ يَكُونُ أَوْعَى لَهُ مِنْ بَعْضِ مَنْ سَمِعَه»(Verily! Your blood, property and honor are sacred to one another like the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours and in this city of yours. Verily, you will meet your Lord and He will question you about your actions. Behold! Do not revert to misguidance after me by striking the necks of one another. Have I conveyed It is incumbent upon those who are present to inform those who are absent, because those who are absent might comprehend (what I have said) better than some who are present.) Al-Bukhari and Muslim collected this Hadith. In a small book collected by Shaykh `Alam ad-Din As-Sakhawi, entitled, Al-Mashhur fi Asma' Al-Ayam wash-Shuhur, he mentioned that Muharram is so named because it is a sacred month. To me, it was so named to emphasize its sacredness. This is because the Arabs would switch it around. One year they would say it was a sacred month, the following year they would say that it was not. The author said, "...and Safar is so named because they used to leave their homes during that month for fighting and traveling. When saying `Safir' a place, it means to leave it... Rabi` Al-Awwal is called that because they used to do Irtiba` in it, that is to maintain one's property... and Rabi` Al-Akhir, was so named for the same reasons. Jumada is called that because the water would dry up (Jamud) then....They say Jumada Al-Uwla and Al-Awwal, or Jumada Al-Akhar or Al-Akhirah. Rajab comes from Tarjib, meaning to honor. Sha`ban because the tribes would separate and return to their homes. Ramadan was so named because of the severity of the Ramda' - that is - the heat, and they say that the branch Ramadat when it is thirsty...And the saying that it is a Name of Allah is a mistake, for there is no proof or support for that..."The Sacred MonthsAllah said, مِنْهَآ أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ(of them four are sacred). The Arabs used to consider these months sacred during the time of Jahiliyyah, except for a group of them called Al-Basl, who held eight months of the year to be sacred as way of exaggeration in religion. The Prophet said, «ثَلَاثَةٌ مُتَوَالِيَاتٌ: ذُو الْقَعْدَةِ وَذُو الْحِجَّةِ وَالْمُحَرَّمُ وَرَجَبُ مُضَرَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ جُمَادَى وَشَعْبَان»(Three are in succession; Dhul-Qa`dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and (the fourth is) Rajab of (the tribe of) Mudar which comes between Jumada (Ath-Thani) and Sha`ban). The Prophet said "Rajab of Mudar" to attest to the custom of Mudar, in saying that Rajab is the month that is between Jumada and Sha`ban, not as the tribe of Rabi`ah thought, that it is between Sha`ban and Shawwal, which is Ramadan in the present calendar. The four Sacred Months were made four, three in succession and one alone, so that the Hajj and `Umrah are performed with ease. Dhul-Qa`dah, the month before the Hajj month, was made sacred because they refrained from fighting during that month. Dhul-Hijjah, the next month, was made sacred because it is the month of Hajj, during which they performed Hajj rituals. Muharram, which comes next, was made sacred so that they are able to go back to their areas in safety after performing Hajj. Rajab, in the middle of the lunar year, was made sacred so that those coming from the farthest areas of Arabia are able to perform `Umrah and visit the House and then go back to their areas safely. Allah said next, ذلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ(That is the right religion), that is the Straight Law, requiring implementing Allah's order concerning the months that He made sacred and their true count as it was originally written by Allah. Allah said, فَلاَ تَظْلِمُواْ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ(so wrong not yourselves therein) during these Sacred Months, for sin in them is worse than sin in other months. Likewise, sins in the Sacred City are written multiplied, وَمَن يُرِدْ فِيهِ بِإِلْحَادٍ بِظُلْمٍ نُّذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ(...and whoever inclines to evil actions therein (in Makkah) or to do wrong, him We shall cause to taste from a painful torment) 22:25. Similarly, sin in general is worse during the Sacred Months `Ali bin Abi Talhah narrated that Ibn `Abbas said, Allah's statement, إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللَّهِ(Verily, the number of months with Allah...), is connected to فَلاَ تَظْلِمُواْ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ(so wrong not yourselves therein), "In all (twelve) months. Allah then chose four out of these months and made them sacred, emphasizing their sanctity, making sinning in them greater, in addition to, multiplying rewards of righteous deeds during them." Qatadah said about Allah's statement, فَلاَ تَظْلِمُواْ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ(so wrong not yourselves therein), "Injustice during the Sacred Months is worse and graver than injustice in other months. Verily, injustice is always wrong, but Allah makes things graver than others as He will." He also said, "Allah has chosen some of His creation above others. He chose Messengers from angels and from men. He also chose His Speech above all speech, the Masajid above other areas of the earth, Ramadan and the Sacred Months above all months, Friday above the other days and Laylatul-Qadr (The Night of Decree) above all nights. Therefore, sanctify what Allah has sanctified, for doing so is the practice of people of understanding and comprehension." Fighting in the Sacred MonthsAllah said, وَقَاتِلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَآفَّةً(and fight against the idolators collectively), all of you, كَمَا يُقَـتِلُونَكُمْ كَآفَّةً(as they fight against you collectively.), all of them, وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ(But know that Allah is with those who have Taqwa), and know that initiating battle during the Sacred Months is forbidden. Allah said in other Ayat, يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لاَ تُحِلُّواْ شَعَآئِرَ اللَّهِ وَلاَ الشَّهْرَ الْحَرَامَ(O you who believe! Violate not the sanctity of the symbols of Allah, nor of the sacred month.) 5:2, الشَّهْرُ الْحَرَامُ بِالشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْحُرُمَـتُ قِصَاصٌ فَمَنِ اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَاعْتَدُواْ عَلَيْهِ بِمِثْلِ مَا اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ(The Sacred Month is for the Sacred Month, and for the prohibited things, there is the law of equality (Qisas). Then whoever transgresses the prohibition against you, you transgress likewise against him) 2:194, and, فَإِذَا انسَلَخَ الأَشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ فَاقْتُلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ(Then when the Sacred Months have passed, kill the idolators...) 9:5. As for Allah's statement, وَقَاتِلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَآفَّةً كَمَا يُقَـتِلُونَكُمْ كَآفَّةً(And fight against the idolators collectively as they fight against you collectively), it includes permission for the believers to fight the idolators in the Sacred Month, if the idolators initiate hostilities therein. Allah said in other Ayat, الشَّهْرُ الْحَرَامُ بِالشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْحُرُمَـتُ قِصَاصٌ(The Sacred Month is for the Sacred Month, and for the prohibited things, there is the law of equality (Qisas)) 2:194, and, وَلاَ تُقَـتِلُوهُمْ عِندَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ حَتَّى يُقَـتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ فَإِن قَـتَلُوكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوهُمْ(And fight not with them at Al-Masjid Al-Haram, unless they (first) fight you there. But if they attack you, then kill them.) 2:191. As for the Messenger of Allah laying siege to At-Ta'if until the Sacred Month started, it was a continuation of the battle against Hawazin and their allies from Thaqif. They started the fighting and gathered their men for the purpose of conducting war. The Messenger of Allah marched to meet them and when they took refuge in At-Ta'if, the Prophet laid siege to them so that they descend from their forts, but they inflicted casualties on Muslims. The siege continued for about forty days, during which a Sacred Month began, and the siege continued for several days in that month. The Messenger broke the siege and went back (to Makkah). So fighting that carries over into it the Sacred Month is not the same as initiating warfare during it, Allah knows best.

Intercalating a month is adding to unbelief. The unbelievers are misguided by this, for they take the same month to be sacred one year and sacrilegious the next, thus making the number of months sanctified by God accord with theirs in order to make what God has forbidden, lawful. Attractive seem to them their evil deeds; but God does not show the unbelievers the way.

Their postponing of the months is nothing but furtherance in disbelief – the disbelievers are misled by it – they decree it lawful in one year and regard it forbidden in another year, in order to equate to the number of the months which Allah has made sacred, and to make lawful what Allah has forbidden; their evil deeds seem good in their sight; and Allah does not guide the disbelievers.

The month postponed is an increase of unbelief whereby the unbelievers go astray; one year they make it profane, and hallow it another, to agree with the number that God has hallowed, and so profane what God has hallowed. Decked out fair to them are their evil deeds; and God guides not the people of the unbelievers.

The intercalation [of months] is but one more instance of [their] refusal to acknowledge the truth- [a means] by which those who are bent on denying the truth are led astray. They declare this [intercalation] to be permissible in one year and forbidden in [another] year, in order to conform [outwardly] to the number of months which God has hallowed: and thus they make allowable what God has forbidden. Goodly seems unto them the evil of their own doings, since God does not grace with His guidance people who refuse to acknowledge the truth.

The postponement is but an addition unto infidelity, whereby the infidels are led astray, allowing it one year and forbidding it anot her year, that they may make up the number which Allah hath sanctified; and then they allow that which Allah hath forbidden. Made fair-seeming unto them is the vileness of their works; and Allah guideth not an infidel people.

The postponing (of a Sacred Month) is indeed an addition to disbelief: thereby the disbelievers are led astray, for they make it lawful one year and forbid it another year in order to adjust the number of months forbidden by Allah, and make such forbidden ones lawful. The evil of their deeds seems pleasing to them. And Allah guides not the people, who disbelieve.

Postponement is an increase in disbelief—by which those who disbelieve are led astray. They allow it one year, and forbid it another year, in order to conform to the number made sacred by God, thus permitting what God has forbidden. The evil of their deeds seems good to them. God does not guide the disbelieving people.

The intercalation (of sacred months) is an act of gross infidelity which causes the unbelievers to be led further astray. They declare a month to be lawful in one year and forbidden in another year in order that they may conform to the number of months that Allah has declared as sacred, and at the same time make lawful what Allah has forbidden. Their foul acts seem fair to them. Allah does not direct those who deny the Truth to the Right Way.

The postponing (of a Sacred Month) is indeed an addition to disbelief: thereby the disbelievers are led astray, for they make it lawful one year and forbid it another year in order to adjust the number of months forbidden by Allah, and make such forbidden ones lawful. The evil of their deeds is made fair-seeming to them. And Allah guides not the people who disbelieve.

Postponement (of a sacred month) is only an excess of disbelief whereby those who disbelieve are misled; they allow it one year and forbid it (another) year, that they may make up the number of the months which Allah hath hallowed, so that they allow that which Allah hath forbidden. The evil of their deeds is made fairseeming unto them. Allah guideth not the disbelieving folk.

Indeed nasee is an increase in unfaith, whereby the faithless are led [further] astray. They allow it in one year and forbid it another year, so as to fit in with the number, which Allah has made inviolable, thus permitting what Allah has forbidden. Their evil deeds appear to them as decorous, and Allah does not guide the faithless lot.

The postponement of sacred months is an increase in disbelief in which the unbelievers are misguided. They allow it one year and forbid it another year, so that they can make up for the months that Allah has sanctified so making lawful what Allah has forbidden. Their foul acts seem fair to them Allah does not guide the unbelievers.

Indeed, the postponing [of restriction within sacred months] is an increase in disbelief by which those who have disbelieved are led [further] astray. They make it lawful one year and unlawful another year to correspond to the number made unlawful by Allah and [thus] make lawful what Allah has made unlawful. Made pleasing to them is the evil of their deeds; and Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.

To disregard the observation of the sacred months and to observe it during the non-sacred months is to add more to one's disbelief. This causes the unbelievers to go further astray. One year they (the pagans) consider a sacred month not sacred, (and observe it during a non-sacred month) but the next year they consider it sacred at the right time. By dealing with the sacred months in such a manner, they think that they have observed the laws of God, but, in fact, they have changed them. Their evil deeds seem attractive to them but God does not guide the unbelieving people.

Postponing (of the sacred month) is only an addition in unbelief, wherewith those who disbelieve are led astray, violating it one year and keeping it sacred another, that they may agree in the number (of months) that Allah has made sacred, and thus violate what Allah has made sacred; the evil of their doings is made fairseeming to them; and Allah does not guide the unbelieving people.

Innam<u>a</u> a<b>l</b>nnaseeo ziy<u>a</u>datun fee alkufri yu<u>d</u>allu bihi alla<u>th</u>eena kafaroo yu<u>h</u>illoonahu AA<u>a</u>man wayu<u>h</u>arrimoonahu AA<u>a</u>man liyuw<u>at</u>ioo AAiddata m<u>a</u> <u>h</u>arrama All<u>a</u>hu fayu<u>h</u>illoo m<u>a</u> <u>h</u>arrama All<u>a</u>hu zuyyina lahum sooo aAAm<u>a</u>lihim wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu l<u>a</u> yahdee alqawma alk<u>a</u>fireen<b>a</b>

The postponing of [sacred months] is but one more instance of [their] refusal to acknowledge the truth -- by which those who are bent on denying the truth are led astray. They declare this to be permissible in one year and forbidden in another year, so that they may adjust the months which God has sanctified, thus making lawful what God has forbidden. Their evil deed seems fair to them: God does not guide those who deny the truth.

Verily the transposing (of a prohibited month) is an addition to Unbelief: the Unbelievers are led to wrong thereby: for they make it lawful one year, and forbidden another year, in order to adjust the number of months forbidden by Allah and make such forbidden ones lawful. The evil of their course seems pleasing to them. But Allah guideth not those who reject Faith.

9

إِنَّمَا ٱلنَّسِىٓءُ زِيَادَةٌ فِى ٱلْكُفْرِ يُضَلُّ بِهِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يُحِلُّونَهُۥ عَامًا وَيُحَرِّمُونَهُۥ عَامًا لِّيُوَاطِـُٔوا۟ عِدَّةَ مَا حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ فَيُحِلُّوا۟ مَا حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ زُيِّنَ لَهُمْ سُوٓءُ أَعْمَٰلِهِمْ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ

Postponing the sacredness of the month of Muḥarram to another month, as the Arabs of the time of ignorance before Islam used to do, was another example of their disbelief and rejection of His laws. Satan led the disbelievers further astray through this, when he made them adopt this evil practice. They would declare a sacred month not to be sacred one year, exchanging it for one of the other months, and honoured its sacredness another year, making up the same number of months that Allah made sacred, but changing which months, in opposition to Allah’s law. Satan made their evil actions seems attractive to them so that they did them, and one such action was postponing sacred months through their invention. Allah does not give success to the disbelievers and those who persist in disbelief.

Postponing the sacredness of the month of Muḥarram to another month, as the Arabs of the time of ignorance before Islam used to do, was another example of their disbelief and rejection of His laws. Satan led the disbelievers further astray through this, when he made them adopt this evil practice. They would declare a sacred month not to be sacred one year, exchanging it for one of the other months, and honoured its sacredness another year, making up the same number of months that Allah made sacred, but changing which months, in opposition to Allah’s law. Satan made their evil actions seems attractive to them so that they did them, and one such action was postponing sacred months through their invention. Allah does not give success to the disbelievers and those who persist in disbelief.

<p>The second verse (37) also refers to this very custom of Jahiliyyah by saying: اِنَّمَا الںَّسِٓیُ زِیَادَۃُ فِی الکُفرِ (... is nothing but an increase in the infidelity). The word: نَسِیی (nasi’) is a verbal noun that means to move back or postpone. It is also used in the sense of that which is delayed (mu'akhkhar).</p><p>By putting these months back and forth, the Mushriks of Arabia thought, they would be achieving two things - that it will serve their material interests and that it would also give them the credit of complying with the Divine injunction. This approach was not approved by Allah Ta` ala for their act of postponing and moving months from where they belonged was nothing but an addition to their stance of denial which was going to lead them further astray. That they go about declaring that a sacred month was not sacred in some year and then be ready to name it as sacred in some other year was simply unacceptable. The sentence: لِّيُوَاطِئُوا عِدَّةَ مَا حَرَّ‌مَ اللَّـهُ (so that they may conform [ only ] to the number of what Allah has sanctified) following soon after means that a mere act of conforming to the given number cannot stand for the correct compliance of the injunction. The truth of the matter is that the month for which the injunction has been given should be the month in which the injunction must be carried out. This is imperative.</p><p>Injunctions and Rulings</p><p>The verses cited above prove that the order of months and the names by which they are known in Islam should not be taken as terms coined by human beings. In fact, the day the Lord of all the worlds created the heavens and the Earth, He had also settled this order and these names and, along with it, particular injunctions to be carried out during particular months. From here, we also come to know that, in all Islamic legal injunctions, only lunar months are credible in the sight of Allah Ta'ala. In other words, all injunctions of the Shari’ ah of Islam - such as, fasting, Hajj, Zakah and many others - relate to the lunar calendar. But, when it comes to finding out the day, date and year, the way the Holy Qur'an has declared the Moon as its indicator, it has, very similarly, identified the Sun too as the other sign: لِتعلَمُوا عَدَہَ السِّنِینَ وَالحِسَاب (so that you may know the number of years and the count [ of time ] - 10:5). Therefore, keeping track of days and years through a lunar or solar calendar is equally permissible. But, Allah Ta` ala has favored the lunar calendar for His injunctions and has made it the pivot round which the laws of the Shari’ ah of Islam revolve. Therefore, the preservation of the lunar calendar is Fard al-Kifayah (a religious obligation which, if fulfilled by some, will absolve others). If the entire community of Muslims were to abandon the lunar calendar and forget all about it, then, everyone will be a sinner. However, if it remains viably preserved, the use of another calendar is also permissible - but, there is no doubt that it is against the way of Allah and the way of the worthy forbears of Islam - therefore, it is not good to opt for it unnecessarily.</p><p>The month intercalated to complete the count of years has also been considered by some as impermissible under this verse. But, that is not correct because the system of reckoning under which the intercalation of a month is made has nothing to do with the laws of the Shari’ ah of Islam. The people of Jihiliyyah changed these religious laws by adding to the lunar and legal months, therefore, they were censured. As for the practice of intercalation, it does not affect Islamic legal injunctions, therefore, it is not included under this prohibition.</p>

The second verse (37) also refers to this very custom of Jahiliyyah by saying: اِنَّمَا الںَّسِٓیُ زِیَادَۃُ فِی الکُفرِ (... is nothing but an increase in the infidelity). The word: نَسِیی (nasi’) is a verbal noun that means to move back or postpone. It is also used in the sense of that which is delayed (mu'akhkhar).By putting these months back and forth, the Mushriks of Arabia thought, they would be achieving two things - that it will serve their material interests and that it would also give them the credit of complying with the Divine injunction. This approach was not approved by Allah Ta` ala for their act of postponing and moving months from where they belonged was nothing but an addition to their stance of denial which was going to lead them further astray. That they go about declaring that a sacred month was not sacred in some year and then be ready to name it as sacred in some other year was simply unacceptable. The sentence: لِّيُوَاطِئُوا عِدَّةَ مَا حَرَّ‌مَ اللَّـهُ (so that they may conform [ only ] to the number of what Allah has sanctified) following soon after means that a mere act of conforming to the given number cannot stand for the correct compliance of the injunction. The truth of the matter is that the month for which the injunction has been given should be the month in which the injunction must be carried out. This is imperative.Injunctions and RulingsThe verses cited above prove that the order of months and the names by which they are known in Islam should not be taken as terms coined by human beings. In fact, the day the Lord of all the worlds created the heavens and the Earth, He had also settled this order and these names and, along with it, particular injunctions to be carried out during particular months. From here, we also come to know that, in all Islamic legal injunctions, only lunar months are credible in the sight of Allah Ta'ala. In other words, all injunctions of the Shari’ ah of Islam - such as, fasting, Hajj, Zakah and many others - relate to the lunar calendar. But, when it comes to finding out the day, date and year, the way the Holy Qur'an has declared the Moon as its indicator, it has, very similarly, identified the Sun too as the other sign: لِتعلَمُوا عَدَہَ السِّنِینَ وَالحِسَاب (so that you may know the number of years and the count [ of time ] - 10:5). Therefore, keeping track of days and years through a lunar or solar calendar is equally permissible. But, Allah Ta` ala has favored the lunar calendar for His injunctions and has made it the pivot round which the laws of the Shari’ ah of Islam revolve. Therefore, the preservation of the lunar calendar is Fard al-Kifayah (a religious obligation which, if fulfilled by some, will absolve others). If the entire community of Muslims were to abandon the lunar calendar and forget all about it, then, everyone will be a sinner. However, if it remains viably preserved, the use of another calendar is also permissible - but, there is no doubt that it is against the way of Allah and the way of the worthy forbears of Islam - therefore, it is not good to opt for it unnecessarily.The month intercalated to complete the count of years has also been considered by some as impermissible under this verse. But, that is not correct because the system of reckoning under which the intercalation of a month is made has nothing to do with the laws of the Shari’ ah of Islam. The people of Jihiliyyah changed these religious laws by adding to the lunar and legal months, therefore, they were censured. As for the practice of intercalation, it does not affect Islamic legal injunctions, therefore, it is not included under this prohibition.

<h2 class="title">Admonishing the Preference of Opinion in a Religious Matter</h2><p>Allah admonishes the idolators for choosing their wicked opinions over Allah's Law. They changed Allah's legislation based upon their vain desires, allowing what Allah prohibited and prohibiting what Allah allowed. They thought that three consecutive sacred months were rather long for them to remain without fighting, for they were full of anger and rage. This is why before Islam they innovated a change in the Sacred Month of Muharram, delaying it to the month of Safar! Therefore, they allowed fighting in the Sacred Month and made the non-sacred month sacred, to make the Sacred Months in a year four, as Allah decided! `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas commented on Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّمَا النَّسِىءُ زِيَادَةٌ فِى الْكُفْرِ</div><p>(The postponing (of a Sacred Month) is indeed an addition to disbelief), "Junadah bin `Awf bin Umayyah Al-Kinani, known as Abu Thumamah, used to attend the Hajj season every year and declare, `Abu Thumamah is never rejected nor refuted!,' and he used to treat Safar as sacred for people one year and un-sanctify Muharram and treat Muharram as sacred another year and un-sanctify Safar in that year. This is why Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّمَا النَّسِىءُ زِيَادَةٌ فِى الْكُفْرِ</div><p>(The postponing (of a Sacred Month) is indeed an addition to disbelief. ) nAllah says, `They allow Muharram one year and make it sacred another year."' Al-`Awfi narrated a similar statement from Ibn `Abbas. Layth bin Abi Sulaym narrated that Mujahid said, "There was a man from Bani Kinanah who would attend the Hajj season every year riding his donkey. He would proclaim, `O people! I am never rejected, denied or refuted in what I say. We made this coming Muharram sacred, and Safar not!' The following year he would come again and declare the same words then say, `We made this coming Safar sacred and delayed Muharram (revoked its sanctity).' This is the meaning of Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لِّيُوَاطِئُواْ عِدَّةَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ</div><p>(in order to adjust the number of months forbidden by Allah), to four months. Allah says, `They allow what Allah disallowed by delaying the Sacred Month."' The idolators used to allow Muharram one year and sanctify Safar in its place. They would continue the months of the year according to their normal count and names. The next year they would sanctify Muharram and continue the year, Safar, Rabi`, until the end of the year. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يُحِلُّونَهُ عَامًا وَيُحَرِّمُونَهُ عَامًا لِّيُوَاطِئُواْ عِدَّةَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ فَيُحِلُّواْ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ</div><p>(They make it lawful one year and forbid it another year in order to adjust the number of months forbidden by Allah, and make such forbidden ones lawful.) Therefore, they would still sanctify four months every year, but would one year sanctify the third from the three consecutive Sacred Months, Muharram, and postpone and delay it another year to Safar. In his book of Sirah, Imam Muhammad bin Ishaq presented a very useful beneficial discussion on this matter. He said; "The first to start the practice of overlooking the sanctity of months for the Arabs, thus allowing what Allah sanctified of them and sanctifying what Allah allowed of them, was "Al-Qalammas". He was Hudhayfah bin `Abd Fuqaym bin `Adi bin `Amr bin Tha`labah bin Al-Harith bin Malik bin Kinanah bin Khuzaymah bin Mudrikah bin Ilyas bin Mudar bin Nizar bin Ma`dd bin `Adnan. His son `Abbad maintained this practice, then after him his son Qala` bin `Abbad did the same, Then his son Umayyah bin Qala`, then his son `Awf bin Umayyah, then his son Abu Thumamah Junadah bin `Awf. He was the last one of his sons (to continue this practice) before Islam. The Arabs used to gather around him when Hajj finished, and he would stand and give them a speech in which he sanctifies Rajab, Dhul-Qa`dah and Dhul-Hijjah. He would defer the sanctity of Muharram to Safar one year and uphold its sanctity another year, so as to appear upholding the number (of Sacred Months) Allah made sacred. Therefore, he would allow what Allah prohibited and prohibit what Allah allowed." Allah knows best. </p>

Admonishing the Preference of Opinion in a Religious MatterAllah admonishes the idolators for choosing their wicked opinions over Allah's Law. They changed Allah's legislation based upon their vain desires, allowing what Allah prohibited and prohibiting what Allah allowed. They thought that three consecutive sacred months were rather long for them to remain without fighting, for they were full of anger and rage. This is why before Islam they innovated a change in the Sacred Month of Muharram, delaying it to the month of Safar! Therefore, they allowed fighting in the Sacred Month and made the non-sacred month sacred, to make the Sacred Months in a year four, as Allah decided! `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas commented on Allah's statement, إِنَّمَا النَّسِىءُ زِيَادَةٌ فِى الْكُفْرِ(The postponing (of a Sacred Month) is indeed an addition to disbelief), "Junadah bin `Awf bin Umayyah Al-Kinani, known as Abu Thumamah, used to attend the Hajj season every year and declare, `Abu Thumamah is never rejected nor refuted!,' and he used to treat Safar as sacred for people one year and un-sanctify Muharram and treat Muharram as sacred another year and un-sanctify Safar in that year. This is why Allah said, إِنَّمَا النَّسِىءُ زِيَادَةٌ فِى الْكُفْرِ(The postponing (of a Sacred Month) is indeed an addition to disbelief. ) nAllah says, `They allow Muharram one year and make it sacred another year."' Al-`Awfi narrated a similar statement from Ibn `Abbas. Layth bin Abi Sulaym narrated that Mujahid said, "There was a man from Bani Kinanah who would attend the Hajj season every year riding his donkey. He would proclaim, `O people! I am never rejected, denied or refuted in what I say. We made this coming Muharram sacred, and Safar not!' The following year he would come again and declare the same words then say, `We made this coming Safar sacred and delayed Muharram (revoked its sanctity).' This is the meaning of Allah's statement, لِّيُوَاطِئُواْ عِدَّةَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ(in order to adjust the number of months forbidden by Allah), to four months. Allah says, `They allow what Allah disallowed by delaying the Sacred Month."' The idolators used to allow Muharram one year and sanctify Safar in its place. They would continue the months of the year according to their normal count and names. The next year they would sanctify Muharram and continue the year, Safar, Rabi`, until the end of the year. يُحِلُّونَهُ عَامًا وَيُحَرِّمُونَهُ عَامًا لِّيُوَاطِئُواْ عِدَّةَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ فَيُحِلُّواْ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ(They make it lawful one year and forbid it another year in order to adjust the number of months forbidden by Allah, and make such forbidden ones lawful.) Therefore, they would still sanctify four months every year, but would one year sanctify the third from the three consecutive Sacred Months, Muharram, and postpone and delay it another year to Safar. In his book of Sirah, Imam Muhammad bin Ishaq presented a very useful beneficial discussion on this matter. He said; "The first to start the practice of overlooking the sanctity of months for the Arabs, thus allowing what Allah sanctified of them and sanctifying what Allah allowed of them, was "Al-Qalammas". He was Hudhayfah bin `Abd Fuqaym bin `Adi bin `Amr bin Tha`labah bin Al-Harith bin Malik bin Kinanah bin Khuzaymah bin Mudrikah bin Ilyas bin Mudar bin Nizar bin Ma`dd bin `Adnan. His son `Abbad maintained this practice, then after him his son Qala` bin `Abbad did the same, Then his son Umayyah bin Qala`, then his son `Awf bin Umayyah, then his son Abu Thumamah Junadah bin `Awf. He was the last one of his sons (to continue this practice) before Islam. The Arabs used to gather around him when Hajj finished, and he would stand and give them a speech in which he sanctifies Rajab, Dhul-Qa`dah and Dhul-Hijjah. He would defer the sanctity of Muharram to Safar one year and uphold its sanctity another year, so as to appear upholding the number (of Sacred Months) Allah made sacred. Therefore, he would allow what Allah prohibited and prohibit what Allah allowed." Allah knows best.

What has happened to you, O believers, that when you are asked to set out in the cause of God your feet begin to drag? Do you find the life of the world so pleasing that you forget the life to come? Yet the profit of the life of this world is but meagre as compared to the life to come.

O People who Believe! What is the matter with you, that when it is said to you, “Migrate in Allah's cause”, you sit on the ground with heaviness? Have you preferred this worldly life over the Hereafter? And the wealth of the life of this world, in comparison with the Hereafter, is but only a little.

O believers, what is amiss with you, that when it is said to you, 'Go forth in the way of God,' you sink down heavily to the ground? Are you so content with this present life, rather than the world to come? Yet the enjoyment of this present life, compared with the world to come, is a little thing.

O YOU who have attained to faith! What is amiss with you that, when you are called upon, "Go forth to war in God's cause," you cling heavily to the earth? Would you content yourselves with [the comforts of] this worldly life in preference to [the good of] the life to come? But the enjoyment of life in this world is but a paltry thing when compared with the life to come!

O Ye who believe! what aileth you that when it is said unto you: march forth in the way of Allah, ye are weighed down earthward? Are ye pleased with the life of the world rather than the Hereafter? whereas the enjoyment of the life of the world by the side of the Hereafter is but little.

O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the Cause of Allah (i.e. Jihad) you cling heavily to the earth? Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world as compared with the Hereafter.

O you who believe! What is the matter with you, when it is said to you, “Mobilize in the cause of God,” you cling heavily to the earth? Do you prefer the present life to the Hereafter? The enjoyment of the present life, compared to the Hereafter, is only a little.

Believers! What is amiss with you that when it is said to you: "March forth in the cause of Allah," you cling heavily to the earth? Do you prefer the worldly life to the Hereafter? Know well that all the enjoyment of this world, in comparison with the Hereafter, is trivial.

O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the cause of Allah, you cling heavily to the earth Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world compared to the Hereafter.

O ye who believe! What aileth you that when it is said unto you: Go forth in the way of Allah, ye are bowed down to the ground with heaviness. Take ye pleasure in the life of the world rather than in the Hereafter? The comfort of the life of the world is but little in the Hereafter.

O you who have faith! What is the matter with you that when you are told: ‘Go forth in the way of Allah,’ you sink heavily to the ground? Are you pleased with the life of this world instead of the Hereafter? But the wares of the life of this world compared with the Hereafter are but insignificant.

Believers, why is it that when it is said to you: 'March in the Way of Allah' you linger with heaviness in the land? Are you content with this life rather than theEverlasting Life? Yet the enjoyment of this life in (comparison to) the Everlasting Life is little.

O you who have believed, what is [the matter] with you that, when you are told to go forth in the cause of Allah, you adhere heavily to the earth? Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But what is the enjoyment of worldly life compared to the Hereafter except a [very] little.

Believers, why is it that when you are told to march for the cause of God, you seem to linger at home. Have you given preference to the worldly life over the life hereafter? The worldly gains compared to those of the next life are but very little.

O you who believe! What (excuse) have you that when it is said to you: Go forth in Allah's way, you should incline heavily to earth; are you contented with this world's life instead of the hereafter? But the provision of this world's life compared with the hereafter is but little.

Y<u>a</u> ayyuh<u>a</u> alla<u>th</u>eena <u>a</u>manoo m<u>a</u> lakum i<u>tha</u> qeela lakumu infiroo fee sabeeli All<u>a</u>hi ithth<u>a</u>qaltum il<u>a</u> alar<u>d</u>i ara<u>d</u>eetum bi<b>a</b>l<u>h</u>ay<u>a</u>ti a<b>l</b>dduny<u>a</u> mina al<u>a</u>khirati fam<u>a</u> mat<u>a</u>AAu al<u>h</u>ay<u>a</u>ti a<b>l</b>dduny<u>a</u> fee al<u>a</u>khirati ill<u>a</u> qaleel<b>un</b>

Believers, what is the matter with you that when you are asked to go forth in the cause of God, you cling slothfully to the land? Do you prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, compared to that of the Hereafter.

O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter.

9

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ ٱنفِرُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ٱثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَرَضِيتُم بِٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا مِنَ ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ فَمَا مَتَٰعُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ

O you who have faith in Allah and His Messenger, and follow His sacred law, what is wrong with you that when you are called to strive for Allah’s sake, fighting against your enemy, tyou become reluctant, desiring to remain in your houses. Do you prefer the passing life of this world and its pleasures, which are short-lived, to the eternal bliss of the Afterlife, which Allah has prepared for those who strive for His sake? The enjoyment of the life of this world is insignificant in comparison to that of the Afterlife. How can anyone with sense choose something passing over something eternal, or something miserable over something amazing?

O you who have faith in Allah and His Messenger, and follow His sacred law, what is wrong with you that when you are called to strive for Allah’s sake, fighting against your enemy, tyou become reluctant, desiring to remain in your houses. Do you prefer the passing life of this world and its pleasures, which are short-lived, to the eternal bliss of the Afterlife, which Allah has prepared for those who strive for His sake? The enjoyment of the life of this world is insignificant in comparison to that of the Afterlife. How can anyone with sense choose something passing over something eternal, or something miserable over something amazing?

<p>Commentary</p><p>The verses quoted above describe an important battle from among those fought by the Holy Prophet As a corollary, also given there are many injunctions and instructions. This battle is known as the battle of Tabuk and is almost the last battle of the Holy Prophet ﷺ .</p><p>Tabuk is the name of a place located close to the Syrian border towards the north of Madinah. Syria was, at that time, a province of the government controlled by Byzantine Christians. When the Holy Prophet ﷺ reached Madinah in the 8th year of Hijrah after the conquest of Makkah and the battle of Hunain, that was a time major parts of the Arabian Peninsula had come under the control of the Islamic state. This was a period of some peace Muslims could enjoy after their eight year long battles against the Mushriks of Makkah.</p><p>But, destiny has its own workings. Is it not that Allah had already revealed about the blessed person of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . لِیُظھِرَہ عَلَی الدِّینِ کُلِّہِ (so that He makes it prevail over every faith - 9:33, 48:28, 61:9) which was the glad tidings of a world of victories and the ascendancy of the Faith of Truth? The Prophet ﷺ and his companions in the mission would hardly have the respite to relax. Soon after they reached Madinah, Syrian traders of olive oil informed them that the Byzantine ruler, Hiraql had assembled his forces at Tabuk on the border of Syria. They were also told that soldiers of the Byzantine army had been placated by the payment of advance salaries for one year and that they had sinister understanding with some Arab tribes and that they all had plans to mount a surprise attack on Madinah.</p><p>When this information reached the Holy Prophet ﷺ he decided that their attack plans should be pre-empted and they should be challenged where they are gathered together with their forces. (Tafsir Mazhari, with reference to Muhammad ibn Yusuf Salihi)</p><p>By chance, this was a terribly hot summer. People in Madinah were generally devoted to agriculture. Their farms were close to being harvested. On this depended their economy, rather the sustenance of the whole year. Like people in vocations who have empty pockets by the end of the month, people who depend on agricultural produce are empty-handed close to the harvesting time. On the one hand, they have poverty while on the other, they have hopes of income in the near future. Then, there was this scorching heat of the summer for a people who had their first breather after eight years of incessant wars. No doubt, this was an exacting trial.</p><p>But, equally crucial was the time. This Jihad was different. It was not like the wars they had fought before. At that time, they were fighting common people like them. Here, they were to confront the trained armed forces of Hiraql, the ruler of Byzantine. Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ ordered all Muslims of Madinah to come out for this Jihad. He also invited some other tribes living around Madinah to join in.</p><p>This general call was a tough test for those who were willing to make sacrifices for Islam as well as a challenge to the hypocrites who would have to prove their claim to be Muslims by joining the Jihad or be exposed as false pretenders. Apart from this consideration, the inevitable consequence was that those who professed belief in Islam re-acted to the call in terms of the conditions they were in. The Holy Qur'an has enumerated them as separate groups of people and has pointed out to their condition as well.</p><p>The first group included those who were strong and perfect in their faith. They were ready for Jihad without any hesitation. The second group was composed of those who hesitated at the initial stage but, later on, joined up with those ready for Jihad. About these two groups of people, the Holy Qur'an said: الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ الْعُسْرَ‌ةِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِ‌يقٍ مِّنْهُمْ (... who followed him in the hour of hardship after the hearts of a group of them were about to turn crooked - 9:117). The third group was of those who were unable to join this Jihad on the basis of some genuine excuse. About that, by saying: لَّيْسَ عَلَى الضُّعَفَاءِ وَلَا عَلَى الْمَرْ‌ضَىٰ (There is no blame on the weak, nor on the sick - 9:91), the Holy Qur'an has announced the acceptance of their excuse. Belonging to the fourth group were people who, despite that they had no excuse to offer, simply did not participate in the Jihad out of sheer laziness. Several verses were revealed about them, for example: وَآخَرُ‌ونَ اعْتَرَ‌فُوا بِذُنُوبِهِمْ there are others who admitted their sins - 9:102), and: وَآخَرُ‌ونَ مُرْ‌جَوْنَ لِأَمْرِ‌ اللَّـهِ ' (d there are others whose matter is deferred till the command of Allah [ comes ] - 9:106), and: وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا (And [ He relented ] towards the three whose matter was deferred - 9:118). These three verses were revealed about similar people. They carry admonition for their inertia as well as the good news that their Taubah or repentance has been accepted.</p><p>The fifth group was that of the hypocrites, the munafiqs. Their hypocrisy was deep seated and saying yes to Jihad was hard. Finally, they failed to cover it up and stayed away from Jihad. Hypocrites have been mentioned in the verses of the Qur'an on many places.</p><p>The sixth group included munafiqs who had joined up with Muslims with the objective of spying and mischief making. The Holy Qur'an mentions their conduct in the following verses:</p><p>{ 1} وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّاعُونَ لَهُمْ ' (And among you there are their listeners - 9:47);</p><p>{ 2} وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ ' (and if you ask them, they will say - 9:65);</p><p>{ 3} وَهَمُّوا بِمَا لَمْ يَنَالُوا (And had planned for what they could not achieve - 9:74).</p><p>Given above were details about those who stayed away from the Jihad. But, the fact is that their total number was negligible. The majority did belong to those Muslims who, despite many prohibitive factors, chose to sacrifice all gains and comforts and were ready to face expected hardships in the way of Allah. This is the reason why the total number of the Islamic army which set out for this Jihad was thirty thousand - a number never seen in a Jihad before.</p><p>The outcome of this Jihad expedition was that Hiraql, the Byzantine ruler - when he heard about such a large Muslim force coming up against him - was overtaken by awe. He simply did not turn up on the battlefield. The Holy Prophet ﷺ camped on the war front with the army of his angelic companions for a few days in the hope that the enemy may decide to come. When totally disappointed, he re-turned back to Madinah.</p><p>The verses quoted above obviously relate to the fourth group of people who did not take part in the Jihad because of their inertia and without any valid excuse. In the beginning of this set of verses, they were admonished for their lethargy, then, they were told why they behaved the way they did and, finally, they were told how to correct themselves. This wise approach unfolds major lessons.</p><p>Regard for Dunya and Disregard for Akhirah: The Root of all Crimes</p><p>No doubt, what has been said above is related to a particular event. But, if we were to think about it, we shall realize that the real cause of negligence towards faith - and of every crime and sin - is nothing but this love for the material and heedlessness towards the life to come. Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: حُبُّ الدُّنیَا رَاسُ کُلِّ خَطِیٔۃِ (The love for Dunya [ material life of the present world ] is at the top of every error and sin). That is why it was said in the verse:</p><p>O those who believe, what is wrong with you that, when it is said to you, "Come out in the way of Allah," you turn heavy (and cling) to the ground. Have you become happy with the worldly life instead of the Hereafter? - 38.</p><p>This was the diagnosis of the disease. Its treatment appears next when it was said:</p><p>So, the enjoyment of the worldly life is but little as compared with the Hereafter - 38.</p><p>The thrust of the argument is that one's major concern in life should be that of the eternal life in Akhirah. It is this concern for the Akhirah that offers the only and the most perfect treatment of all diseases. Incidentally, this also happens to be the master prescription for eradication of crimes that bother human societies all over the world.</p><p>The ` Aqa'id of Islam (articles of faith) are based on three principles: (1) Tauhid (Oneness of Allah); (2) Risalah (the true mission of the messenger and prophet sent by Allah) and (3) Akhirah (Hereafter). Out of these, the belief in Akhirah is, in all reality, the moving spirit for correction of deeds and serves as an iron wall before crimes and sins. A little thought would make it amply clear that there can be no peace in the world without subscribing to this belief. The world as we see it to-day has reached its zenith in terms of its material progress. Then, there is no dearth of functional solutions and plans designed to eradicate crimes. Laws proliferate. So does the administrative machinery to interpret and implement the objective. No doubt, there is progress in those terms. But, along with it, everyone is witnessing crimes increasing day by day, everywhere, in all societies. The reason, in our humble view, is no other but that the disease has not been properly diagnosed and the line of treatment is not sound. The root of the disease is materialism, excessive indulgence in the temporal and negligence or avoidance of the thought of any life to come. The only way this frame of mind can be corrected is to remember Allah and think about the Akhirah, the life to come. Whenever and wherever in this world this master prescription was used, whole nations and their societies became models of humanity at its best earning the admiration of angels. That this happened during the blessed period of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and during the age of his noble Companions, is sufficient as its proof.</p>

CommentaryThe verses quoted above describe an important battle from among those fought by the Holy Prophet As a corollary, also given there are many injunctions and instructions. This battle is known as the battle of Tabuk and is almost the last battle of the Holy Prophet ﷺ .Tabuk is the name of a place located close to the Syrian border towards the north of Madinah. Syria was, at that time, a province of the government controlled by Byzantine Christians. When the Holy Prophet ﷺ reached Madinah in the 8th year of Hijrah after the conquest of Makkah and the battle of Hunain, that was a time major parts of the Arabian Peninsula had come under the control of the Islamic state. This was a period of some peace Muslims could enjoy after their eight year long battles against the Mushriks of Makkah.But, destiny has its own workings. Is it not that Allah had already revealed about the blessed person of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . لِیُظھِرَہ عَلَی الدِّینِ کُلِّہِ (so that He makes it prevail over every faith - 9:33, 48:28, 61:9) which was the glad tidings of a world of victories and the ascendancy of the Faith of Truth? The Prophet ﷺ and his companions in the mission would hardly have the respite to relax. Soon after they reached Madinah, Syrian traders of olive oil informed them that the Byzantine ruler, Hiraql had assembled his forces at Tabuk on the border of Syria. They were also told that soldiers of the Byzantine army had been placated by the payment of advance salaries for one year and that they had sinister understanding with some Arab tribes and that they all had plans to mount a surprise attack on Madinah.When this information reached the Holy Prophet ﷺ he decided that their attack plans should be pre-empted and they should be challenged where they are gathered together with their forces. (Tafsir Mazhari, with reference to Muhammad ibn Yusuf Salihi)By chance, this was a terribly hot summer. People in Madinah were generally devoted to agriculture. Their farms were close to being harvested. On this depended their economy, rather the sustenance of the whole year. Like people in vocations who have empty pockets by the end of the month, people who depend on agricultural produce are empty-handed close to the harvesting time. On the one hand, they have poverty while on the other, they have hopes of income in the near future. Then, there was this scorching heat of the summer for a people who had their first breather after eight years of incessant wars. No doubt, this was an exacting trial.But, equally crucial was the time. This Jihad was different. It was not like the wars they had fought before. At that time, they were fighting common people like them. Here, they were to confront the trained armed forces of Hiraql, the ruler of Byzantine. Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ ordered all Muslims of Madinah to come out for this Jihad. He also invited some other tribes living around Madinah to join in.This general call was a tough test for those who were willing to make sacrifices for Islam as well as a challenge to the hypocrites who would have to prove their claim to be Muslims by joining the Jihad or be exposed as false pretenders. Apart from this consideration, the inevitable consequence was that those who professed belief in Islam re-acted to the call in terms of the conditions they were in. The Holy Qur'an has enumerated them as separate groups of people and has pointed out to their condition as well.The first group included those who were strong and perfect in their faith. They were ready for Jihad without any hesitation. The second group was composed of those who hesitated at the initial stage but, later on, joined up with those ready for Jihad. About these two groups of people, the Holy Qur'an said: الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ الْعُسْرَ‌ةِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِ‌يقٍ مِّنْهُمْ (... who followed him in the hour of hardship after the hearts of a group of them were about to turn crooked - 9:117). The third group was of those who were unable to join this Jihad on the basis of some genuine excuse. About that, by saying: لَّيْسَ عَلَى الضُّعَفَاءِ وَلَا عَلَى الْمَرْ‌ضَىٰ (There is no blame on the weak, nor on the sick - 9:91), the Holy Qur'an has announced the acceptance of their excuse. Belonging to the fourth group were people who, despite that they had no excuse to offer, simply did not participate in the Jihad out of sheer laziness. Several verses were revealed about them, for example: وَآخَرُ‌ونَ اعْتَرَ‌فُوا بِذُنُوبِهِمْ there are others who admitted their sins - 9:102), and: وَآخَرُ‌ونَ مُرْ‌جَوْنَ لِأَمْرِ‌ اللَّـهِ ' (d there are others whose matter is deferred till the command of Allah [ comes ] - 9:106), and: وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا (And [ He relented ] towards the three whose matter was deferred - 9:118). These three verses were revealed about similar people. They carry admonition for their inertia as well as the good news that their Taubah or repentance has been accepted.The fifth group was that of the hypocrites, the munafiqs. Their hypocrisy was deep seated and saying yes to Jihad was hard. Finally, they failed to cover it up and stayed away from Jihad. Hypocrites have been mentioned in the verses of the Qur'an on many places.The sixth group included munafiqs who had joined up with Muslims with the objective of spying and mischief making. The Holy Qur'an mentions their conduct in the following verses:{ 1} وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّاعُونَ لَهُمْ ' (And among you there are their listeners - 9:47);{ 2} وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ ' (and if you ask them, they will say - 9:65);{ 3} وَهَمُّوا بِمَا لَمْ يَنَالُوا (And had planned for what they could not achieve - 9:74).Given above were details about those who stayed away from the Jihad. But, the fact is that their total number was negligible. The majority did belong to those Muslims who, despite many prohibitive factors, chose to sacrifice all gains and comforts and were ready to face expected hardships in the way of Allah. This is the reason why the total number of the Islamic army which set out for this Jihad was thirty thousand - a number never seen in a Jihad before.The outcome of this Jihad expedition was that Hiraql, the Byzantine ruler - when he heard about such a large Muslim force coming up against him - was overtaken by awe. He simply did not turn up on the battlefield. The Holy Prophet ﷺ camped on the war front with the army of his angelic companions for a few days in the hope that the enemy may decide to come. When totally disappointed, he re-turned back to Madinah.The verses quoted above obviously relate to the fourth group of people who did not take part in the Jihad because of their inertia and without any valid excuse. In the beginning of this set of verses, they were admonished for their lethargy, then, they were told why they behaved the way they did and, finally, they were told how to correct themselves. This wise approach unfolds major lessons.Regard for Dunya and Disregard for Akhirah: The Root of all CrimesNo doubt, what has been said above is related to a particular event. But, if we were to think about it, we shall realize that the real cause of negligence towards faith - and of every crime and sin - is nothing but this love for the material and heedlessness towards the life to come. Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: حُبُّ الدُّنیَا رَاسُ کُلِّ خَطِیٔۃِ (The love for Dunya [ material life of the present world ] is at the top of every error and sin). That is why it was said in the verse:O those who believe, what is wrong with you that, when it is said to you, "Come out in the way of Allah," you turn heavy (and cling) to the ground. Have you become happy with the worldly life instead of the Hereafter? - 38.This was the diagnosis of the disease. Its treatment appears next when it was said:So, the enjoyment of the worldly life is but little as compared with the Hereafter - 38.The thrust of the argument is that one's major concern in life should be that of the eternal life in Akhirah. It is this concern for the Akhirah that offers the only and the most perfect treatment of all diseases. Incidentally, this also happens to be the master prescription for eradication of crimes that bother human societies all over the world.The ` Aqa'id of Islam (articles of faith) are based on three principles: (1) Tauhid (Oneness of Allah); (2) Risalah (the true mission of the messenger and prophet sent by Allah) and (3) Akhirah (Hereafter). Out of these, the belief in Akhirah is, in all reality, the moving spirit for correction of deeds and serves as an iron wall before crimes and sins. A little thought would make it amply clear that there can be no peace in the world without subscribing to this belief. The world as we see it to-day has reached its zenith in terms of its material progress. Then, there is no dearth of functional solutions and plans designed to eradicate crimes. Laws proliferate. So does the administrative machinery to interpret and implement the objective. No doubt, there is progress in those terms. But, along with it, everyone is witnessing crimes increasing day by day, everywhere, in all societies. The reason, in our humble view, is no other but that the disease has not been properly diagnosed and the line of treatment is not sound. The root of the disease is materialism, excessive indulgence in the temporal and negligence or avoidance of the thought of any life to come. The only way this frame of mind can be corrected is to remember Allah and think about the Akhirah, the life to come. Whenever and wherever in this world this master prescription was used, whole nations and their societies became models of humanity at its best earning the admiration of angels. That this happened during the blessed period of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and during the age of his noble Companions, is sufficient as its proof.

<h2 class="title">Admonishing clinging to Life rather than rushing to perform Jihad</h2><p>Allah admonishes those who lagged behind the Messenger of Allah in the battle of Tabuk, at a time when fruits were ripe and shades tempting in the intense and terrible heat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ انفِرُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ</div><p>(O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the cause of Allah), if you are called to perform Jihad in the cause of Allah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">اثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى الاٌّرْضِ</div><p>(you cling heavily to the earth), reclining to remain in peace, shade and ripe fruits. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَرَضِيتُم بِالْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الاٌّخِرَةِ</div><p>(Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter), why do you do this, is it because you prefer this life instead of the Hereafter Allah next diminishes the eagerness for this worldly life and increases it for the Hereafter, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ</div><p>(But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world compared to the Hereafter.) Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Mustawrid, a member of Bani Fihr, said that the Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«مَا الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا كَمَا يَجْعَلُ أَحَدُكُمْ إِصْبَعَهُ هَذِهِ فِي الْيَمِّ،فَلْيَنْظُرْ بِمَ تَرْجِعُ؟»</div><p>(The life of this world, compared to the Hereafter, is just like when one of you dips his finger in the sea, let him contemplate how much of it his finger would carry.) The Prophet pointed with his index finger. Muslim collected this Hadith. Ath-Thawri narrated that Al-A`mash said about the Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ</div><p>(But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world compared to the Hereafter.) "What compares to the provision a traveler takes." `Abdul-`Aziz bin Abi Hazim narrated that his father said, "When `Abdul-`Aziz bin Marwan was dying he said, `Bring the shroud I will be covered with so that I inspect it.' When it was placed before him, he looked at it and said, `Is this what I will end up with from this life' He then turned his back and cried, while saying, `Woe to you, O life! Your abundance is truly little, your little is short lived, we were deceived by you."' Allah warns those who do not join Jihad, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِلاَّ تَنفِرُواْ يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا</div><p>(If you march not forth, He will punish you with a painful torment) Ibn `Abbas said, "Allah's Messenger called some Arabs to mobilize, but they lagged behind and Allah witheld rain from coming down on them, and this was their torment." Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ</div><p>(and will replace you by another people), who will give aid to His Prophet and establish his religion. Allah said in another Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الْفُقَرَآءُ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْاْ يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْماً غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ يَكُونُواْ</div><p>(And if you turn away (from the obedience to Allah), He will exchange you for some other people and they will not be your likes.) 47:38 </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ تَضُرُّوهُ شَيْئًا</div><p>(and you cannot harm Him at all), you can never harm Allah when you lag behind and stay away from joining Jihad, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ</div><p>(and Allah is able to do all things.) He is able to destroy the enemies without your help. </p>

Admonishing clinging to Life rather than rushing to perform JihadAllah admonishes those who lagged behind the Messenger of Allah in the battle of Tabuk, at a time when fruits were ripe and shades tempting in the intense and terrible heat, يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ انفِرُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ(O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the cause of Allah), if you are called to perform Jihad in the cause of Allah, اثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى الاٌّرْضِ(you cling heavily to the earth), reclining to remain in peace, shade and ripe fruits. أَرَضِيتُم بِالْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الاٌّخِرَةِ(Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter), why do you do this, is it because you prefer this life instead of the Hereafter Allah next diminishes the eagerness for this worldly life and increases it for the Hereafter, فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ(But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world compared to the Hereafter.) Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Mustawrid, a member of Bani Fihr, said that the Messenger of Allah said, «مَا الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا كَمَا يَجْعَلُ أَحَدُكُمْ إِصْبَعَهُ هَذِهِ فِي الْيَمِّ،فَلْيَنْظُرْ بِمَ تَرْجِعُ؟»(The life of this world, compared to the Hereafter, is just like when one of you dips his finger in the sea, let him contemplate how much of it his finger would carry.) The Prophet pointed with his index finger. Muslim collected this Hadith. Ath-Thawri narrated that Al-A`mash said about the Ayah, فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ(But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world compared to the Hereafter.) "What compares to the provision a traveler takes." `Abdul-`Aziz bin Abi Hazim narrated that his father said, "When `Abdul-`Aziz bin Marwan was dying he said, `Bring the shroud I will be covered with so that I inspect it.' When it was placed before him, he looked at it and said, `Is this what I will end up with from this life' He then turned his back and cried, while saying, `Woe to you, O life! Your abundance is truly little, your little is short lived, we were deceived by you."' Allah warns those who do not join Jihad, إِلاَّ تَنفِرُواْ يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا(If you march not forth, He will punish you with a painful torment) Ibn `Abbas said, "Allah's Messenger called some Arabs to mobilize, but they lagged behind and Allah witheld rain from coming down on them, and this was their torment." Allah said, وَيَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ(and will replace you by another people), who will give aid to His Prophet and establish his religion. Allah said in another Ayah, الْفُقَرَآءُ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْاْ يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْماً غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ يَكُونُواْ(And if you turn away (from the obedience to Allah), He will exchange you for some other people and they will not be your likes.) 47:38 وَلاَ تَضُرُّوهُ شَيْئًا(and you cannot harm Him at all), you can never harm Allah when you lag behind and stay away from joining Jihad, وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ(and Allah is able to do all things.) He is able to destroy the enemies without your help.

Unless you go out (to strive), God will inflict grievous punishment on you, and bring other people in your place, and you will not be able to harm Him in the least, for God has the power over all things.

If you do not migrate, He will afflict you with a painful punishment and bring other people in your stead and you will not be able to harm Him in the least; and Allah is Able to do all things.

If you go not forth, He will chastise you with a painful chastisement, and instead of you He will substitute another people; and you will not hurt Him anything, for God is powerful over everything.

If you do not go forth to war [in God's cause], He will chastise you with grievous chastisement, and will place another people in your stead - whereas you shall in no wise harm Him: for, God has the power to will anything.

If ye march not forth, He will torment you with a torment afflictive, and will substitute for you a people-other than you; and Him ye cannot hurt in aught; and Allah is over everything Potent.

If you march not forth, He will punish you with a painful torment and will replace you by another people, and you cannot harm Him at all, and Allah is Able to do all things.

Unless you mobilize, He will punish you most painfully, and will replace you with another people, and you will not harm Him at all. God has power over all things.

If you do not march forth, Allah will chastise you grievously and will replace you by another people, while you will in no way be able to harm Him. Allah has power over everything.

If you march not forth, He will punish you with a painful torment and will replace you by another people; and you cannot harm Him at all, and Allah is able to do all things.

If ye go not forth He will afflict you with a painful doom, and will choose instead of you a folk other than you. Ye cannot harm Him at all. Allah is Able to do all things.

If you do not go forth, He will punish you with a painful punishment, and replace you with another people, and you will not hurt Him in the least, and Allah has power over all things.

If you do not go forth, He will punish you with a painful punishment and replace you by another nation. You will in no way harm Him; for Allah has power over all things.

If you do not go forth, He will punish you with a painful punishment and will replace you with another people, and you will not harm Him at all. And Allah is over all things competent.

If you do not march for His cause, He will afflict your with a painful punishment and replace you by another nation and your (destruction) will not harm Him at all. God has power over all things.

If you do not go forth, He will chastise you with a painful chastisement and bring in your place a people other than you, and you will do Him no harm; and Allah has power over all things.

Ill<u>a</u> tanfiroo yuAAa<u>thth</u>ibkum AAa<u>tha</u>ban aleeman wayastabdil qawman ghayrakum wal<u>a</u> ta<u>d</u>urroohu shayan wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu AAal<u>a</u> kulli shayin qadeer<b>un</b>

If you do not go forth, He will punish you sternly and replace you by other people. You will not harm Him in the least. God has power over all things.

Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place; but Him ye would not harm in the least. For Allah hath power over all things.

9

إِلَّا تَنفِرُوا۟ يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا وَيَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ وَلَا تَضُرُّوهُ شَيْـًٔا وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

If you do not go forward, striving for the sake of Allah to fight against the enemy, Allah will repay you with defeat and humiliation, and He will replace you with another people who are devoted to Allah, who rush to fight when they are called to do so. You do not harm Him in any way by going against His command, because He has no need of you, while you are in need of Him. Allah has power over all things, nothing weakens Him, and it is easy for Him to make His path and His Prophet triumph without you.

If you do not go forward, striving for the sake of Allah to fight against the enemy, Allah will repay you with defeat and humiliation, and He will replace you with another people who are devoted to Allah, who rush to fight when they are called to do so. You do not harm Him in any way by going against His command, because He has no need of you, while you are in need of Him. Allah has power over all things, nothing weakens Him, and it is easy for Him to make His path and His Prophet triumph without you.

<p>It is interesting that the modern world would very much like to eradicate crimes but it would do so by not having to bother about God and the Hereafter. To achieve this purpose, it invents, introduces and surrounds itself with things to live with - a lifestyle which would never allow human beings to turn their attention towards God and Hereafter. The result of this negative approach is no mystery. We are watching it with our own eyes. Even in the face of ever better laws, all legal systems seem to be failing. Crimes are there as they were, in fact, they are increasing with dangerous speed. To conclude, we wish that intelligent people among countries and nations of the world would think of using this Qur'anic prescription, at least for once, and discover for themselves how easily crimes can be controlled.</p><p>Now, as we move to the second verse (39), the text has, after serving a notice of warning to the lazy and the listless about their disease and its treatment, delivered its verdict by saying:</p><p>` If you do not come out for Jihad, Allah will have you go through a painful punishment and bring in your place a nation other than you, and (by your refusal to follow Islam) you can bring no loss to Allah (or His Messenger) because Allah is powerful over everything.'</p>

It is interesting that the modern world would very much like to eradicate crimes but it would do so by not having to bother about God and the Hereafter. To achieve this purpose, it invents, introduces and surrounds itself with things to live with - a lifestyle which would never allow human beings to turn their attention towards God and Hereafter. The result of this negative approach is no mystery. We are watching it with our own eyes. Even in the face of ever better laws, all legal systems seem to be failing. Crimes are there as they were, in fact, they are increasing with dangerous speed. To conclude, we wish that intelligent people among countries and nations of the world would think of using this Qur'anic prescription, at least for once, and discover for themselves how easily crimes can be controlled.Now, as we move to the second verse (39), the text has, after serving a notice of warning to the lazy and the listless about their disease and its treatment, delivered its verdict by saying:` If you do not come out for Jihad, Allah will have you go through a painful punishment and bring in your place a nation other than you, and (by your refusal to follow Islam) you can bring no loss to Allah (or His Messenger) because Allah is powerful over everything.'

If you do not help (the Prophet, remember) God had helped him when the infidels had forced him to leave (and he was) one of two. When both of them were in the cave, he said to his companion: "Do not grieve, for God is with us." Then God sent divine peace on him, and invisible armies for his help, and made the unbelievers' purpose abject. Most exalted is God's word, for God is all-mighty and all-wise.

If you do not help him (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), Allah has helped him – when he had to go forth due to the mischief of the disbelievers, just as two men* – when they were in the cave, when he was saying to his companion “Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us”; then Allah caused His calm to descend upon him and helped him with armies you did not see, and disgraced the word of the disbelievers; and Allah’s Word is supreme; and Allah is the Almighty, the Wise. (* The Holy Prophet migrated only with S. Abu Bakr (who later became the first caliph) as his sole companion.)

If you do not help him, yet God has helped him already, when the unbelievers drove him forth the second of two, when the two were in the Cave, when he said to his companion, 'Sorrow not; surely God is with us.' Then God sent down on him His Shechina, and confirmed him with legions you did not see; and He made the word of the unbelievers the lowest; and God's word is the uppermost; God is All-mighty, All-wise.

If you do not succour the Apostle, then [know that God will do so -just as] God succoured him at the time when those who were bent on denying the truth drove him away, [and he was but] one of two: when these two were [hiding] in the cave, [and] the Apostle said to his companion, "Grieve not: verily, God is with us." And thereupon God bestowed upon him from on high His (gift of] inner peace, and brought utterly low the cause of those who were bent on denying the truth, whereas the cause of God remained supreme: for God is almighty, wise.

If ye succour him not, then surely Allah hath succoured him when these who disbelieved drave him: the second of the two When the twain were in a cave, and when he Said unto his companion. grieve not, verily Allah is with Us. Then Allah sent down His calm upon him and aided him with hosts whom ye saw not, and made the word of those who disbelieved nethermost, and the word of Allah! that is the upper most. And Allah is Mighty, wise,

If you help him (Muhammad SAW) not (it does not matter), for Allah did indeed help him when the disbelievers drove him out, the second of two, when they (Muhammad SAW and Abu Bakr) were in the cave, and he (SAW) said to his companion (Abu Bakr): "Be not sad (or afraid), surely Allah is with us." Then Allah sent down His Sakinah (calmness, tranquillity, peace, etc.) upon him, and strengthened him with forces (angels) which you saw not, and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while it was the Word of Allah that became the uppermost, and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

If you do not help him, God has already helped him, when those who disbelieved expelled him, and he was the second of two in the cave. He said to his friend, “Do not worry, God is with us.” And God made His tranquility descend upon him, and supported him with forces you did not see, and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the Word of God is the Highest. God is Mighty and Wise.

It will matter little if you do not help the Prophet, for Allah surely helped him when the unbelievers drove him out of his home and he was but one of the two when they were in the cave, and when he said to his companion: "Do not grieve. Allah is with us." Then Allah caused His tranquillity to descend upon him, and supported him with hosts you did not see, He humbled the word of the unbelievers. As for Allah's Word, it is inherently uppermost. Allah is All-Powerful, All-Wise.

If you help him (Muhammad) not (it does not matter), for Allah did indeed help him when the disbelievers drove him out, the second of the two; when they were both in the cave, he said to his companion: "Be not sad (or afraid), surely, Allah is with us." Then Allah sent down His Sakinah (calmness, tranquillity, peace) upon him, and strengthened him with forces (angels) which you saw not, and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while the Word of Allah that became the uppermost; and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

If ye help him not, still Allah helped him when those who disbelieve drove him forth, the second of two; when they two were in the cave, when he said unto his comrade: Grieve not. Lo! Allah is with us. Then Allah caused His peace of reassurance to descend upon him and supported him with hosts ye cannot see, and made the word of those who disbelieved the nethermost, while Allah's Word it was that became the uppermost. Allah is Mighty, Wise.

If you do not help him, then Allah certainly helped him when the faithless expelled him, as one of two [refugees], when the two of them were in the cave, he said to his companion, ‘Do not grieve; Allah is indeed with us.’ Then Allah sent down His composure upon him, and strengthened him with hosts you did not see, and He made the word of the faithless the lowest; and the word of Allah is the highest; and Allah is all-mighty, all-wise.

If you do not help him, Allah will help him as He helped him when he was driven out with one other (Abu Bakr) by the unbelievers. When the two were in the cave, he said to his companion: 'Do not sorrow, Allah is with us' Then Allah caused His tranquility (shechina) to descend upon him and supported him with legions (of angels) you did not see, and He made the word of the unbelievers the lowest, and the Word of Allah is the highest. Allah is Mighty, Wise.

If you do not aid the Prophet - Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, "Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us." And Allah sent down his tranquillity upon him and supported him with angels you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allah - that is the highest. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.

If you do not help him, (Muhammad), God has already helped him. When the unbelievers expelled him and he was one of the two people in the cave telling his friend, "Do not worry; God is with us," then God gave him confidence and supported him with an army which you did not see and He defeated the cause of the disbelievers and made His own cause stand supreme. God is Majestic and All-wise.

If you will not aid him, Allah certainly aided him when those who disbelieved expelled him, he being the second of the two, when they were both in the cave, when he said to his companion: Grieve not, surely Allah is with us. So Allah sent down His tranquillity upon him and strengthened him with hosts which you did not see, and made lowest the word of those who disbelieved; and the word of Allah, that is the highest; and Allah is Mighty, Wise.

Ill<u>a</u> tan<u>s</u>uroohu faqad na<u>s</u>arahu All<u>a</u>hu i<u>th</u> akhrajahu alla<u>th</u>eena kafaroo th<u>a</u>niya ithnayni i<u>th</u> hum<u>a</u> fee algh<u>a</u>ri i<u>th</u> yaqoolu li<u>sah</u>ibihi l<u>a</u> ta<u>h</u>zan inna All<u>a</u>ha maAAan<u>a</u> faanzala All<u>a</u>hu sakeenatahu AAalayhi waayyadahu bijunoodin lam tarawh<u>a</u> wajaAAala kalimata alla<u>th</u>eena kafaroo a<b>l</b>ssufl<u>a</u> wakalimatu All<u>a</u>hi hiya alAAuly<u>a</u> wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu AAazeezun <u>h</u>akeem<b>un</b>

If you do not support him [Muhammad], know that God did support him when those who denied the truth expelled him when the two of them were in the cave, he [Muhammad] told his companion, "Do not worry; for God is with us." So God sent His tranquillity down on him and aided him with forces invisible to you and placed the word of those who disbelieved lowest, while God's word remained supreme. God is powerful and wise.

If ye help not (your leader), (it is no matter): for Allah did indeed help him, when the Unbelievers drove him out: he had no more than one companion; they two were in the cave, and he said to his companion, "Have no fear, for Allah is with us": then Allah sent down His peace upon him, and strengthened him with forces which ye saw not, and humbled to the depths the word of the Unbelievers. But the word of Allah is exalted to the heights: for Allah is Exalted in might, Wise.

9

إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ثَانِىَ ٱثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِى ٱلْغَارِ إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَٰحِبِهِۦ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَنَا فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَيْهِ وَأَيَّدَهُۥ بِجُنُودٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلسُّفْلَىٰ وَكَلِمَةُ ٱللَّهِ هِىَ ٱلْعُلْيَا وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

If you O believers, do not help the Messenger (peace be upon him) and respond to his call to strive for the sake of Allah, then Allah has already helped him when you were not with him; when the idolaters drove him away from Mecca with Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq (may Allah be pleased with him), and the two of them hid in the cave of Thawr from the disbelievers who were chasing them. On that occasion, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) told his companion Abū Bakr, who was scared that the idolaters would discover him, not to worry, because Allah was with them, supporting and helping them. Allah sent down His reassurance and tranquility upon the heart of His Messenger, and sent angels which they could not see to support them, making the word of the idolaters the lowest, and the word of Allah the highest by aiding His Religion. Allah is Mighty in His essence, power and force – nothing can overcome Him – and He Wise in His planning, decree and laws.

If you O believers, do not help the Messenger (peace be upon him) and respond to his call to strive for the sake of Allah, then Allah has already helped him when you were not with him; when the idolaters drove him away from Mecca with Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq (may Allah be pleased with him), and the two of them hid in the cave of Thawr from the disbelievers who were chasing them. On that occasion, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) told his companion Abū Bakr, who was scared that the idolaters would discover him, not to worry, because Allah was with them, supporting and helping them. Allah sent down His reassurance and tranquility upon the heart of His Messenger, and sent angels which they could not see to support them, making the word of the idolaters the lowest, and the word of Allah the highest by aiding His Religion. Allah is Mighty in His essence, power and force – nothing can overcome Him – and He Wise in His planning, decree and laws.

<p>In the third verse (40), by citing the event of the Hijrah of the Holy Prophet, it has been stressed that the Rasul of Allah has no need to depend on any human help and support. Allah can help him directly through unseen factors - as it happened at the time of Hijrah when his own people had forced him to leave his homeland. On this journey, the only companion he had was Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ the true one. Enemy foot soldiers and riders were looking for them in hot pursuit. The place to hide he had found was no fortified fortress. It was just a cave and the enemy search party had reached close to its edges. Inside it, the companion of the cave, Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ was worried, not for his own safety, but about his master. He was in fear lest the enemy outside were to harm the Holy Prophet ﷺ . But, the master himself was sitting calm like a mountain at peace. Not simply that he was himself cool and collected, he was telling his companion, Sayyidna Abu Bakr: ؓ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ مَعَنَا (` la tahzan innallaha ma` ana': Do not grieve. Allah is with us).</p><p>What has been said here is composed of a couple of words, easy and effortless as they sound. But, let those listening place the blueprint of conditions prevailing before their eyes, cross their hearts and ask: Can someone dependent on mere material means be that tranquil? Every honest person would say that it was just not possible. The reason for this was no other but that which the Qur'an has given in the next sentence:</p><p>So, Allah sent down His tranquility on him and strengthened him with troops you did not see ...</p><p>These troops could be troops of angels, and of the elemental forces of the entire universe too - for they are, so to say, a virtual army of Allah. When this happened, the ultimate came to be. The word of disbelievers was rendered low and the word of Allah remained the highest.</p>

In the third verse (40), by citing the event of the Hijrah of the Holy Prophet, it has been stressed that the Rasul of Allah has no need to depend on any human help and support. Allah can help him directly through unseen factors - as it happened at the time of Hijrah when his own people had forced him to leave his homeland. On this journey, the only companion he had was Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ the true one. Enemy foot soldiers and riders were looking for them in hot pursuit. The place to hide he had found was no fortified fortress. It was just a cave and the enemy search party had reached close to its edges. Inside it, the companion of the cave, Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ was worried, not for his own safety, but about his master. He was in fear lest the enemy outside were to harm the Holy Prophet ﷺ . But, the master himself was sitting calm like a mountain at peace. Not simply that he was himself cool and collected, he was telling his companion, Sayyidna Abu Bakr: ؓ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ مَعَنَا (` la tahzan innallaha ma` ana': Do not grieve. Allah is with us).What has been said here is composed of a couple of words, easy and effortless as they sound. But, let those listening place the blueprint of conditions prevailing before their eyes, cross their hearts and ask: Can someone dependent on mere material means be that tranquil? Every honest person would say that it was just not possible. The reason for this was no other but that which the Qur'an has given in the next sentence:So, Allah sent down His tranquility on him and strengthened him with troops you did not see ...These troops could be troops of angels, and of the elemental forces of the entire universe too - for they are, so to say, a virtual army of Allah. When this happened, the ultimate came to be. The word of disbelievers was rendered low and the word of Allah remained the highest.

<h2 class="title">Allah supports His Prophet</h2><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِلاَّ تَنصُرُوهُ</div><p>(If you help him not), if you do not support His Prophet , then it does not matter, for Allah will help, support, suffice and protect him, just as He did, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ثَانِيَ اثْنَيْنِ</div><p>(when the disbelievers drove him out, the second of the two;) During the year of the Hijrah, the idolators tried to kill, imprison or expel the Prophet , who escaped with his friend and Companion, Abu Bakr bin Abi Quhafah, to the cave of Thawr. They remained in the cave for three days so that the pagans who were sent in their pursuit, returned (to Makkah), and they proceed to Al-Madinah. While in the cave, Abu Bakr was afraid the pagans might discover them for fear that some harm might touch the Messenger . The Prophet kept reassuring him and strengthening his resolve, saying, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ، مَا ظَنُكَ بِاثْنَينِ اللهُ ثَالِثُهُمَا»</div><p>(O Abu Bakr! What do you think about two, with Allah as their third) Imam Ahmad recorded from Anas that Abu Bakr said to him, "I said to the Prophet when we were in the cave, `If any of them looks down at his feet, he will see us.' He said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ، مَا ظَنُكَ بِاثْنَينِ اللهُ ثَالِثُهُمَا»</div><p>(O Abu Bakr! What do you think about two with Allah as their third)" This is recorded in the Two Sahihs. This is why Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَأَنزَلَ اللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَيْهِ</div><p>(Then Allah sent down His Sakinah upon him) sent His aid and triumph to His Messenger , or they say it refers to Abu Bakr, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَيَّدَهُ بِجُنُودٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا</div><p>(and strengthened him with forces which you saw not), the angels, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ السُّفْلَى وَكَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِىَ الْعُلْيَا</div><p>(and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while the Word of Allah that became the uppermost;) Ibn `Abbas commented, "'The word of those who disbelieved', is Shirk, while, `The Word of Allah' is `La ilaha illallah." It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari said, "The Messenger of Allah was asked about a man who fights because of courage, or out of rage for his honor, or to show off. Whom among them is in the cause of Allah' The Prophet said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ الله»</div><p>(He who fights so that Allah's Word is superior, then he fights in Allah's cause.)" Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ</div><p>(and Allah is All-Mighty), in His revenge and taking retribution, He is the Most Formidable and those who seek refuge with Him and take shelter by adhering to what He instructs are never made to suffer injustice, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">حَكِيمٌ</div><p>(All-Wise), in His statements and actions. </p>

Allah supports His ProphetAllah said, إِلاَّ تَنصُرُوهُ(If you help him not), if you do not support His Prophet , then it does not matter, for Allah will help, support, suffice and protect him, just as He did, إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ثَانِيَ اثْنَيْنِ(when the disbelievers drove him out, the second of the two;) During the year of the Hijrah, the idolators tried to kill, imprison or expel the Prophet , who escaped with his friend and Companion, Abu Bakr bin Abi Quhafah, to the cave of Thawr. They remained in the cave for three days so that the pagans who were sent in their pursuit, returned (to Makkah), and they proceed to Al-Madinah. While in the cave, Abu Bakr was afraid the pagans might discover them for fear that some harm might touch the Messenger . The Prophet kept reassuring him and strengthening his resolve, saying, «يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ، مَا ظَنُكَ بِاثْنَينِ اللهُ ثَالِثُهُمَا»(O Abu Bakr! What do you think about two, with Allah as their third) Imam Ahmad recorded from Anas that Abu Bakr said to him, "I said to the Prophet when we were in the cave, `If any of them looks down at his feet, he will see us.' He said, «يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ، مَا ظَنُكَ بِاثْنَينِ اللهُ ثَالِثُهُمَا»(O Abu Bakr! What do you think about two with Allah as their third)" This is recorded in the Two Sahihs. This is why Allah said, فَأَنزَلَ اللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَيْهِ(Then Allah sent down His Sakinah upon him) sent His aid and triumph to His Messenger , or they say it refers to Abu Bakr, وَأَيَّدَهُ بِجُنُودٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا(and strengthened him with forces which you saw not), the angels, وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ السُّفْلَى وَكَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِىَ الْعُلْيَا(and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while the Word of Allah that became the uppermost;) Ibn `Abbas commented, "'The word of those who disbelieved', is Shirk, while, `The Word of Allah' is `La ilaha illallah." It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari said, "The Messenger of Allah was asked about a man who fights because of courage, or out of rage for his honor, or to show off. Whom among them is in the cause of Allah' The Prophet said, «مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ الله»(He who fights so that Allah's Word is superior, then he fights in Allah's cause.)" Allah said next, وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ(and Allah is All-Mighty), in His revenge and taking retribution, He is the Most Formidable and those who seek refuge with Him and take shelter by adhering to what He instructs are never made to suffer injustice, حَكِيمٌ(All-Wise), in His statements and actions.

O believers, go out in the cause of God, (whether) light or heavy, and strive in the service of God, wealth and soul. This is better for you if you understand.

Migrate – whether willingly or with a heavy heart and fight in Allah's cause with your wealth and your lives; this is better for you, if you realise.

Go forth, light and heavy! Struggle in God's way with your possessions and your selves; that is better for you, did you know.

Go forth to war, whether it be easy or difficult [for you], and strive hard in God's cause with your possessions and your lives: this is for your own good -if you but knew it!

March forth light and heavy and strive hard with your riches and your lives in the way of Allah; that is the best for you, if ye have knowledge.

March forth, whether you are light (being healthy, young and wealthy) or heavy (being ill, old and poor), strive hard with your wealth and your lives in the Cause of Allah. This is better for you, if you but knew.

Mobilize, light or heavy, and strive with your possessions and your lives in the cause of God. That is better for you, if you only knew.

March forth whether light or heavy, and strive in the way of Allah with your belongings and your lives. That is best for you if you only knew it.

March forth, whether you are light or heavy, and strive hard with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allah. This is better for you, if you but knew.

Go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah! That is best for you if ye but knew.

Go forth, whether [armed] lightly or heavily, and wage jihad with your possessions and persons in the way of Allah. That is better for you, should you know.

Whether lightly or heavily, march on and fight for the Way of Allah, with your wealth and your persons. This will be best for you, if you but knew.

Go forth, whether light or heavy, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allah. That is better for you, if you only knew.

Whether unarmed or well equipped, march and fight for the cause of God with your possessions and in person. This would be better for you, if only you knew it.

Go forth light and heavy, and strive hard in Allah's way with your property and your persons; this is better for you, if you know.

Infiroo khif<u>a</u>fan wathiq<u>a</u>lan waj<u>a</u>hidoo biamw<u>a</u>likum waanfusikum fee sabeeli All<u>a</u>hi <u>tha</u>likum khayrun lakum in kuntum taAAlamoon<b>a</b>

Go forth, whether lightly or heavily equipped, and strive and struggle, with your goods and your persons, for the cause of God. That is better for you, if you only knew.

Go ye forth, (whether equipped) lightly or heavily, and strive and struggle, with your goods and your persons, in the cause of Allah. That is best for you, if ye (but) knew.

9

ٱنفِرُوا۟ خِفَافًا وَثِقَالًا وَجَٰهِدُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

March forth O believers, striving for the cause of Allah in hardship and in ease, whether you are young or old, striving with your wealth and selves, because going out and striving with your wealth and your selves is of more benefit in the life of this world and in the Afterlife than sitting at home and becoming attached to your wealth and persons. If you truly know this, then be eager to obey.

March forth O believers, striving for the cause of Allah in hardship and in ease, whether you are young or old, striving with your wealth and selves, because going out and striving with your wealth and your selves is of more benefit in the life of this world and in the Afterlife than sitting at home and becoming attached to your wealth and persons. If you truly know this, then be eager to obey.

<p>In the fourth verse (41), the command given earlier has been repeated for emphasis. It is being said here that, once the Prophet of Allah orders people to come out for Jihad, they must come out as a matter of absolute obligation - for on the compliance of this command hinges all that is good for them.</p>

In the fourth verse (41), the command given earlier has been repeated for emphasis. It is being said here that, once the Prophet of Allah orders people to come out for Jihad, they must come out as a matter of absolute obligation - for on the compliance of this command hinges all that is good for them.

<h2 class="title">Jihad is required in all Conditions</h2><p>Sufyan Ath-Thawri narrated from his father from Abu Ad-Duha, Muslim bin Subayh, who said, "This Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">انْفِرُواْ خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاً</div><p>(March forth, whether you are light or heavy) was the first part to be revealed from Surah Bara'ah." Mu`tamir bin Sulayman narrated that his father said, "Hadrami claimed that he was told that some people used to declare that they will not gain sin (if they lag behind the forces of Jihad) because they are ill or old. This Ayah was revealed, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">انْفِرُواْ خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاً</div><p>(March forth, whether you are light or heavy.)" Allah commanded mass mobilization together with the Messenger of Allah for the battle of Tabuk, to fight the disbelieving, People of the Book, the Romans, Allah's enemies. Allah ordained that the believers all march forth with the Messenger regardless whether they felt active, lazy, at ease or had difficult circumstances, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">انْفِرُواْ خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاً</div><p>(March forth, whether you are light or heavy) `Ali bin Zayd narrated that Anas said that Abu Talhah commented (on this Ayah), "Whether you are old or young, Allah did not leave an excuse for anyone." Abu Talhah marched to Ash-Sham and fought until he was killed. In another narration, Abu Talhah recited Surah Bara'ah until he reached this Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">انْفِرُواْ خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاً وَجَـهِدُواْ بِأَمْوَلِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ</div><p>(March forth, whether you are light or heavy, and strive hard with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allah.) He then said, "I see that Allah had called us to mobilize whether we are old or young. O my children! Prepare my supplies." His children said, `May Allah grant you His mercy! You conducted Jihad along with the Messenger of Allah until he died, then with Abu Bakr until he died, then with `Umar until he died. Let us perform Jihad in your place." Abu Talhah refused and he went to the sea under the command of Mu`awiyah where he died. They could not find an island to bury him on until nine days later, during which his body did not deteriorate or change and they buried him on the island. As-Suddi said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">انْفِرُواْ خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاً</div><p>(March forth, whether you are light or heavy), whether you are rich, poor, strong, or weak. A man came forward, and he was fat, complained, and asked for permission to stay behind from Jihad, but the Prophet refused. Then this Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">انْفِرُواْ خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاً</div><p>(March forth, whether you are light or heavy) was revealed, and it became hard on the people. So Allah abrogated it with this Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَّيْسَ عَلَى الضُّعَفَآءِ وَلاَ عَلَى الْمَرْضَى وَلاَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ لاَ يَجِدُونَ مَا يُنفِقُونَ حَرَجٌ إِذَا نَصَحُواْ لِلَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ</div><p>r(There is no blame on those who are weak or ill or who find no resources to spend, if they are sincere and true (in duty) to Allah and His Messenger) 9:91." Ibn Jarir said that Hibban bin Zayd Ash-Shar`abi narrated to him, "We mobilized our forces with Safwan bin `Amr, who was the governor of Hims towards the city of Ephsos appointed to the Jerajima Christian expatriates (in Syria). I saw among the army an old, yet active man, whose eyebrows had sunk over his eyes (from old age), from the residents of Damascus, riding on his animal. I said to him, `O uncle! Allah has given you an excuse (to lag behind).' He said, `O my nephew! Allah has mobilized us whether we are light or heavy. Verily, those whom Allah loves, He tests them. Then to Allah is their return and eternal dwelling. Allah tests from His servants whoever thanks (Him) and observes patience and remembrance of Him, all the while worshipping Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, and worshipping none else."' Next, Allah encourages spending in His cause and striving with one's life in His pleasure and the pleasure of His Messenger , </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَجَـهِدُواْ بِأَمْوَلِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ</div><p>(and strive hard with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allah. This is better for you, if you but knew.) Allah says, this is better for you in this life and the Hereafter. You might spend small amounts, but Allah will reward you the property of your enemy in this life, as well as, the honor that He will keep for you in the Hereafter. The Prophet said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«تَكَفَّلَ اللهُ لِلْمُجَاهِدِ فِي سَبِيلِهِ إِنْ تَوَفَّاهُ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ، أَوْ يَرُدَّهُ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ بِمَا نَالَ مِنْ أَجْرٍ أَوْ غَنِيمَة»</div><p>(Allah promised the Mujahid in His cause that if He brings death to him, He will enter him into Paradise. Or, He will return him to his house with whatever reward and war spoils he earns.) So Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تَكْرَهُواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تُحِبُّواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ </div><p>(Jihad is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.)2:216 Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah said to a man, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أَسْلِم»</div><p>(Embrace Islam,) but the man said, "I dislike doing so." The Messenger said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أَسْلِمْ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ كَارِهًا»</div><p>(Embrace Islam even if you dislike it)." </p>

Jihad is required in all ConditionsSufyan Ath-Thawri narrated from his father from Abu Ad-Duha, Muslim bin Subayh, who said, "This Ayah, انْفِرُواْ خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاً(March forth, whether you are light or heavy) was the first part to be revealed from Surah Bara'ah." Mu`tamir bin Sulayman narrated that his father said, "Hadrami claimed that he was told that some people used to declare that they will not gain sin (if they lag behind the forces of Jihad) because they are ill or old. This Ayah was revealed, انْفِرُواْ خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاً(March forth, whether you are light or heavy.)" Allah commanded mass mobilization together with the Messenger of Allah for the battle of Tabuk, to fight the disbelieving, People of the Book, the Romans, Allah's enemies. Allah ordained that the believers all march forth with the Messenger regardless whether they felt active, lazy, at ease or had difficult circumstances, انْفِرُواْ خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاً(March forth, whether you are light or heavy) `Ali bin Zayd narrated that Anas said that Abu Talhah commented (on this Ayah), "Whether you are old or young, Allah did not leave an excuse for anyone." Abu Talhah marched to Ash-Sham and fought until he was killed. In another narration, Abu Talhah recited Surah Bara'ah until he reached this Ayah, انْفِرُواْ خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاً وَجَـهِدُواْ بِأَمْوَلِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ(March forth, whether you are light or heavy, and strive hard with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allah.) He then said, "I see that Allah had called us to mobilize whether we are old or young. O my children! Prepare my supplies." His children said, `May Allah grant you His mercy! You conducted Jihad along with the Messenger of Allah until he died, then with Abu Bakr until he died, then with `Umar until he died. Let us perform Jihad in your place." Abu Talhah refused and he went to the sea under the command of Mu`awiyah where he died. They could not find an island to bury him on until nine days later, during which his body did not deteriorate or change and they buried him on the island. As-Suddi said, انْفِرُواْ خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاً(March forth, whether you are light or heavy), whether you are rich, poor, strong, or weak. A man came forward, and he was fat, complained, and asked for permission to stay behind from Jihad, but the Prophet refused. Then this Ayah, انْفِرُواْ خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاً(March forth, whether you are light or heavy) was revealed, and it became hard on the people. So Allah abrogated it with this Ayah, لَّيْسَ عَلَى الضُّعَفَآءِ وَلاَ عَلَى الْمَرْضَى وَلاَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ لاَ يَجِدُونَ مَا يُنفِقُونَ حَرَجٌ إِذَا نَصَحُواْ لِلَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِr(There is no blame on those who are weak or ill or who find no resources to spend, if they are sincere and true (in duty) to Allah and His Messenger) 9:91." Ibn Jarir said that Hibban bin Zayd Ash-Shar`abi narrated to him, "We mobilized our forces with Safwan bin `Amr, who was the governor of Hims towards the city of Ephsos appointed to the Jerajima Christian expatriates (in Syria). I saw among the army an old, yet active man, whose eyebrows had sunk over his eyes (from old age), from the residents of Damascus, riding on his animal. I said to him, `O uncle! Allah has given you an excuse (to lag behind).' He said, `O my nephew! Allah has mobilized us whether we are light or heavy. Verily, those whom Allah loves, He tests them. Then to Allah is their return and eternal dwelling. Allah tests from His servants whoever thanks (Him) and observes patience and remembrance of Him, all the while worshipping Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, and worshipping none else."' Next, Allah encourages spending in His cause and striving with one's life in His pleasure and the pleasure of His Messenger , وَجَـهِدُواْ بِأَمْوَلِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ(and strive hard with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allah. This is better for you, if you but knew.) Allah says, this is better for you in this life and the Hereafter. You might spend small amounts, but Allah will reward you the property of your enemy in this life, as well as, the honor that He will keep for you in the Hereafter. The Prophet said, «تَكَفَّلَ اللهُ لِلْمُجَاهِدِ فِي سَبِيلِهِ إِنْ تَوَفَّاهُ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ، أَوْ يَرُدَّهُ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ بِمَا نَالَ مِنْ أَجْرٍ أَوْ غَنِيمَة»(Allah promised the Mujahid in His cause that if He brings death to him, He will enter him into Paradise. Or, He will return him to his house with whatever reward and war spoils he earns.) So Allah said; كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تَكْرَهُواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تُحِبُّواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ (Jihad is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.)2:216 Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah said to a man, «أَسْلِم»(Embrace Islam,) but the man said, "I dislike doing so." The Messenger said, «أَسْلِمْ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ كَارِهًا»(Embrace Islam even if you dislike it)."

(O Prophet), had the gain been close at hand, and easy the journey, they would surely have followed you; but hard was the journey and long the going. Even then they swear by God (and say): "If we had the strength we would surely have gone out with you." They are only ruining themselves, for God is aware they lie.

Had there been some wealth near at hand or a short journey, they would have certainly accompanied you, but the difficult path became very distant for them; and they will now swear by Allah that “Had we been able, we would have surely accompanied you”; they destroy their own souls; and Allah knows that undoubtedly, they are indeed liars.

Were it a gain near at hand, and an easy journey, they would have followed thee; but the distance was too far for them. Still they will swear by God, 'Had we been able, we would have gone out with you,' so destroying their souls; and God knows that they are truly liars.

Had there been [a prospect of] immediate gain, and an easy journey, they would certainly have followed thee, [O Prophet:] but the distance was too great for them. And yet, [after your return, O believers,] they will swear by God, "Had we been able to do so, we would certainly have set out with you!" - [and by thus falsely swearing] they will be destroying their own selves: for God knows indeed that they are lying!

Were there a gear nigh and a journey moderate, they would have surely followed thee, but the distance seemed far unto them. And anon they will be swearing by Allah: if only we could we would surely have come forth with you. They destroy their own souls: and Allah knoweth that verily they are liars.

Had it been a near gain (booty in front of them) and an easy journey, they would have followed you, but the distance (Tabuk expedition) was long for them, and they would swear by Allah, "If we only could, we would certainly have come forth with you." They destroy their ownselves, and Allah knows that they are liars.

Had the gain been immediate, and the journey shorter, they would have followed you; but the distance seemed too long for them. Still they swear by God: “Had we been able, we would have marched out with you.” They damn their own souls, and God knows that they are lying.

Were it a gain at hand or a short journey, they would have surely followed you, but the distance seemed too far to them. Still they will swear by Allah: "If only we could, we would surely have gone forth with you." They merely bring ruin upon themselves. Allah knows well that they are liars.

Had it been a near gain and an easy journey, they would have followed you, but the distance was long for them; and they would swear by Allah: "If we only could, we would certainly have come forth with you." They destroy themselves, and Allah knows that they are liars.

Had it been a near adventure and an easy journey they had followed thee, but the distance seemed too far for them. Yet will they swear by Allah (saying): If we had been able we would surely have set out with you. They destroy their souls, and Allah knoweth that they verily are liars.

Were it an accessible gain or a short journey, they would have surely followed you; but the distance seemed too far to them. Yet they will swear by Allah: ‘If we could, we would have surely gone forth with you.’ They [merely] destroy themselves. Allah knows that they are indeed liars.

Had the gain been immediate or the journey easy, they would have followed you; but the distance seemed far to them. Yet they will swear by Allah: 'Had we been able, we would have gone out with you' They bring destruction upon their souls. Allah knows that they are lying.

Had it been an easy gain and a moderate trip, the hypocrites would have followed you, but distant to them was the journey. And they will swear by Allah, "If we were able, we would have gone forth with you," destroying themselves [through false oaths], and Allah knows that indeed they are liars.

Had the gain been immediate or the journey shorter, they (hypocrites) would certainly have followed you, (Muhammad), but it was too far for them. They will swear by God, "Had we had the ability, we would certainly have marched with you." They destroy only themselves and God knows that they are lying.

Had it been a near advantage and a short journey, they would certainly have followed you, but the tedious journey was too long for them; and they swear by Allah: If we had been able, we would certainly have gone forth with you; they cause their own souls to perish, and Allah knows that they are most surely

Law k<u>a</u>na AAara<u>d</u>an qareeban wasafaran q<u>as</u>idan la<b>i</b>ttabaAAooka wal<u>a</u>kin baAAudat AAalayhimu a<b>l</b>shshuqqatu wasaya<u>h</u>lifoona bi<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hi lawi ista<u>t</u>aAAn<u>a</u> lakharajn<u>a</u> maAAakum yuhlikoona anfusahum wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu yaAAlamu innahum lak<u>ath</u>iboon<b>a</b>

Had the gain been immediate and the journey shorter, they would have followed you: but the distance seemed too great for them. Yet they will swear by God, "Had we been able, we would have gone out with you." They bring ruin upon themselves. God knows that they are surely lying.

If there had been immediate gain (in sight), and the journey easy, they would (all) without doubt have followed thee, but the distance was long, (and weighed) on them. They would indeed swear by Allah, "If we only could, we should certainly have come out with you": They would destroy their own souls; for Allah doth know that they are certainly lying.

9

لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا قَرِيبًا وَسَفَرًا قَاصِدًا لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَ وَلَٰكِنۢ بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلشُّقَّةُ وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ لَوِ ٱسْتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ يُهْلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَٰذِبُونَ

If the Prophet had called the hypocrites who asked for permission to stay behind to an easy reward and a journey that was not difficult, they would have followed him; but the distance he called them to cover to get to the enemy was too great for them, so they stayed behind. These hypocrites who asked for permission to stay behind would swear by Allah when the Prophet returned to them, saying that if they could have gone out to fight with them they would have done so. They destroy themselves by exposing themselves to Allah’s punishment, because they stayed behind and then swore a lie. Of course, Allah knew they were lying in what they claimed and in what they swore.

If the Prophet had called the hypocrites who asked for permission to stay behind to an easy reward and a journey that was not difficult, they would have followed him; but the distance he called them to cover to get to the enemy was too great for them, so they stayed behind. These hypocrites who asked for permission to stay behind would swear by Allah when the Prophet returned to them, saying that if they could have gone out to fight with them they would have done so. They destroy themselves by exposing themselves to Allah’s punishment, because they stayed behind and then swore a lie. Of course, Allah knew they were lying in what they claimed and in what they swore.

<p>The fifth verse (42) mentions an excuse offered by those who did not participate in the Jihad because of negligence and lethargy. It was rejected as unacceptable because they did not use the ability given by Allah to pick and choose the right thing to do in His way. Therefore, the excuse of not having that ability is not valid.</p>

The fifth verse (42) mentions an excuse offered by those who did not participate in the Jihad because of negligence and lethargy. It was rejected as unacceptable because they did not use the ability given by Allah to pick and choose the right thing to do in His way. Therefore, the excuse of not having that ability is not valid.

<h2 class="title">Why Hypocrites would not join in Jihad</h2><p>Allah admonishes those who lagged behind and did not join the Prophet for the battle of Tabuk, those who asked the Prophet for permission to remain behind, falsely pretending to have legitimate reasons to do so, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا قَرِيبًا</div><p>(Had it been a near gain), booty right in front of them, according to Ibn `Abbas, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَسَفَرًا قَاصِدًا</div><p>(and an easy journey), travel for only a short distance, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لاَّتَّبَعُوكَ</div><p>(they would have followed you.) But, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَـكِن بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الشُّقَّةُ</div><p>(the distance was long for them), to Ash-Sham, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ</div><p>(and they would swear by Allah), when you return to them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَوِ اسْتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ</div><p>(If we only could, we would certainly have come forth with you), had not there been a valid excuse, we would have gone out with you, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يُهْلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ</div><p>(They destroy themselves, and Allah knows that they are liars.) </p>

Why Hypocrites would not join in JihadAllah admonishes those who lagged behind and did not join the Prophet for the battle of Tabuk, those who asked the Prophet for permission to remain behind, falsely pretending to have legitimate reasons to do so, لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا قَرِيبًا(Had it been a near gain), booty right in front of them, according to Ibn `Abbas, وَسَفَرًا قَاصِدًا(and an easy journey), travel for only a short distance, لاَّتَّبَعُوكَ(they would have followed you.) But, وَلَـكِن بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الشُّقَّةُ(the distance was long for them), to Ash-Sham, وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ(and they would swear by Allah), when you return to them, لَوِ اسْتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ(If we only could, we would certainly have come forth with you), had not there been a valid excuse, we would have gone out with you, يُهْلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ(They destroy themselves, and Allah knows that they are liars.)

May God forgive you. Why did you allow them (to stay behind) without ascertaining who spoke the truth and who were liars?

May Allah forgive you*; why did you permit them** until the truthful ones had been manifested to you and the liars been exposed? (* This is an expression of love for the Holy Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him. ** The hypocrites had been permitted to stay back from the holy war.)

God pardon thee! Why gavest thou them leave, till it was clear to thee which of them spoke the truth, and thou knewest the liars?

May God pardon thee [O Prophet]! Why didst thou grant them permission [to stay at home] ere it had become obvious to thee as to who was speaking the truth, and [ere] thou camest to know. [who were] the liars?

Allah pardon thee! why didst thou give them leave before it was manifest unto thee as to whosoever told the truth and thou hadst known the liars.

May Allah forgive you (O Muhammad SAW). Why did you grant them leave (for remaining behind, you should have persisted as regards your order to them to proceed on Jihad), until those who told the truth were seen by you in a clear light, and you had known the liars?

May God pardon you! Why did you give them permission before it became clear to you who are the truthful ones, and who are the liars?

(O Prophet), may Allah forgive you! Why did you give them leave to stay behind before it became clear to you as to who were truthful and who were liars?

May Allah forgive you. Why did you grant them leave, until those who told the truth were manifest to you, and you had known the liars

Allah forgive thee (O Muhammad)! Wherefor didst thou grant them leave ere those who told the truth were manifest to thee and thou didst know the liars?

May Allah excuse you! Why did you grant them leave [to stay behind] before those who told the truth were evident to you and you had ascertained the liars?

Allah has forgiven you! Why did you give them leave (to stay behind) until it was clear to you which of them was truthful and knew those who lied?

May Allah pardon you, [O Muhammad]; why did you give them permission [to remain behind]? [You should not have] until it was evident to you who were truthful and you knew [who were] the liars.

May God forgive you! (Muhammad), why did you not let them join the army so that you could discern the liars from the truthful ones?

Allah pardon you! Why did you give them leave until those who spoke the truth had become manifest to you and you had known the liars?

AAaf<u>a</u> All<u>a</u>hu AAanka lima a<u>th</u>inta lahum <u>h</u>att<u>a</u> yatabayyana laka alla<u>th</u>eena <u>s</u>adaqoo wataAAlama alk<u>ath</u>ibeen<b>a</b>

May God pardon you! Why did you permit them to do so before it had become clear to you which ones were truthful, so that you might recognize the liars?

Allah give thee grace! why didst thou grant them until those who told the truth were seen by thee in a clear light, and thou hadst proved the liars?

9

عَفَا ٱللَّهُ عَنكَ لِمَ أَذِنتَ لَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَتَعْلَمَ ٱلْكَٰذِبِينَ

May Allah forgive the Messenger for his decision to permit them to stay behind! Why did he do so before it became apparent to him who had real excuses and who was lying? Then he could have excused those who were telling the truth, not those who were lying.

May Allah forgive the Messenger for his decision to permit them to stay behind! Why did he do so before it became apparent to him who had real excuses and who was lying? Then he could have excused those who were telling the truth, not those who were lying.

<p>Commentary</p><p>Mentioned in most of the seventeen verses of this entire section are hypocrites who had, on false pretexts, secured permission from the Holy Prophet ﷺ that they would not go to participate in the Jihad of Tabuk. Falling under it, there are many injunctions, rulings and instructions that have been pointed out in the commentary.</p><p>The first verse (43) begins in a subtle manner. Here, a complaint has been made to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . He has been told that those hypocrites were lying when they presented themselves as de-serving of being excused from active service in Jihad. But, he accepted their plea without first having made an inquiry about the real state of affairs with them which would have made the true and false of it comes out clearly. This gave them the opportunity to go about congratulating themselves on how smartly they had deceived the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Though, in verses coming next, Allah Ta` ala has also clarified that those people were asking to be excused from Jihad just to play tricks - otherwise, even if they were not permitted, still then, they would have never gone. And in another verse, it was also pointed out that, in case these people did go to this Jihad, it would have been of no use to Muslims - in fact, their conspiracy and mischief would have been far more dangerous.</p><p>But, the drift of the argument is that, in case, permission was not given, they were still not going to go anyway - however, their hypocrisy would have definitely been exposed and they would not have had the opportunity to throw taunts at Muslims and exult that they had fooled them. And the real purpose here is not to show wrath or displeasure, instead of that, it is a way of saying that, in future, the motives and moves of such people should be watched and screened carefully. Then, it can be conceded that there does exist a certain kind of displeasure in the external framework of words but it has been coated with a delightful concern for sensitivities, particularly that of his dear prophet. We can see that the expression of displeasure which begins with the words: لِمَ أَذِنتَ لَهُمْ why did you permit them?) does not actually begin until said ahead of it was: عَفَا اللَّـهُ عَنكَ (Allah has forgiven you) !</p><p>It has been said by people having insight in the nature of God-Prophet relationship that the Holy Prophet ﷺ had a special attachment to Allah Jalla Thana'uh. His heart could not simply bear the shock of being in a situation where he is subjected to questioning from Allah Ta` ala. For instance, if the words: (why did you permit them?) - which translate as interrogation in their formal appearance - were said in the very beginning, the blessed heart of the Holy Prophet ﷺ would have been simply unable to take it. Therefore, the words: عَفَا اللَّـهُ عَنكَ (Allah has forgiven you) have been placed earlier. This serves two purposes. Firstly, it gives him the information that something has happened, something that was not liked by Allah. Secondly, the information that he has been forgiven for whatever had happened was being given beforehand so that what is said next should not break his blessed heart.</p><p>As for the word of forgiveness, let there be no doubt about it and let no one say that forgiveness is usually given for crimes and sins - and the Holy Prophet ﷺ was ma` sum مَعصُوم (protected from sin) - what, then, would be the sense of forgiveness at this place? The answer is that the way there is forgiveness for sin, similarly, there could also be forgiveness for what is contrary to the preferred way (khilaf al-awla) or is simply undesirable - and that does not violate the concept of the ` ismah (infallibility) of a prophet.</p>

CommentaryMentioned in most of the seventeen verses of this entire section are hypocrites who had, on false pretexts, secured permission from the Holy Prophet ﷺ that they would not go to participate in the Jihad of Tabuk. Falling under it, there are many injunctions, rulings and instructions that have been pointed out in the commentary.The first verse (43) begins in a subtle manner. Here, a complaint has been made to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . He has been told that those hypocrites were lying when they presented themselves as de-serving of being excused from active service in Jihad. But, he accepted their plea without first having made an inquiry about the real state of affairs with them which would have made the true and false of it comes out clearly. This gave them the opportunity to go about congratulating themselves on how smartly they had deceived the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Though, in verses coming next, Allah Ta` ala has also clarified that those people were asking to be excused from Jihad just to play tricks - otherwise, even if they were not permitted, still then, they would have never gone. And in another verse, it was also pointed out that, in case these people did go to this Jihad, it would have been of no use to Muslims - in fact, their conspiracy and mischief would have been far more dangerous.But, the drift of the argument is that, in case, permission was not given, they were still not going to go anyway - however, their hypocrisy would have definitely been exposed and they would not have had the opportunity to throw taunts at Muslims and exult that they had fooled them. And the real purpose here is not to show wrath or displeasure, instead of that, it is a way of saying that, in future, the motives and moves of such people should be watched and screened carefully. Then, it can be conceded that there does exist a certain kind of displeasure in the external framework of words but it has been coated with a delightful concern for sensitivities, particularly that of his dear prophet. We can see that the expression of displeasure which begins with the words: لِمَ أَذِنتَ لَهُمْ why did you permit them?) does not actually begin until said ahead of it was: عَفَا اللَّـهُ عَنكَ (Allah has forgiven you) !It has been said by people having insight in the nature of God-Prophet relationship that the Holy Prophet ﷺ had a special attachment to Allah Jalla Thana'uh. His heart could not simply bear the shock of being in a situation where he is subjected to questioning from Allah Ta` ala. For instance, if the words: (why did you permit them?) - which translate as interrogation in their formal appearance - were said in the very beginning, the blessed heart of the Holy Prophet ﷺ would have been simply unable to take it. Therefore, the words: عَفَا اللَّـهُ عَنكَ (Allah has forgiven you) have been placed earlier. This serves two purposes. Firstly, it gives him the information that something has happened, something that was not liked by Allah. Secondly, the information that he has been forgiven for whatever had happened was being given beforehand so that what is said next should not break his blessed heart.As for the word of forgiveness, let there be no doubt about it and let no one say that forgiveness is usually given for crimes and sins - and the Holy Prophet ﷺ was ma` sum مَعصُوم (protected from sin) - what, then, would be the sense of forgiveness at this place? The answer is that the way there is forgiveness for sin, similarly, there could also be forgiveness for what is contrary to the preferred way (khilaf al-awla) or is simply undesirable - and that does not violate the concept of the ` ismah (infallibility) of a prophet.

<h2 class="title">Moderately criticizing the Prophet for allowing the Hypocrites to stay behind</h2><p>Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Awn said, "Have you heard criticism softer than this, starting with forgiveness before criticism, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">عَفَا اللَّهُ عَنكَ لِمَ أَذِنتَ لَهُمْ</div><p>(May Allah forgive you. Why did you grant them leave...)" Muwarriq Al-`Ijli and others said similarly. Qatadah said, "Allah criticized him as you read here, then later revealed to him the permission to allow them to lag behind if he wants, in Surat An-Nur, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَإِذَا اسْتَـْذَنُوكَ لِبَعْضِ شَأْنِهِمْ فَأْذَن لِّمَن شِئْتَ مِنْهُمْ</div><p>(So if they ask your permission for some affairs of theirs, give permission to whom you will of them) 24:62." `Ata' Al-Khurasani said similarly. Mujahid said, "This Ayah was revealed about some people who said, `Ask permission from the Messenger of Allah to stay behind, and whether he agrees, or disagrees, remain behind!"' Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُواْ</div><p>(...until those who told the truth were manifest to you), in reference to valid excuses, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَتَعْلَمَ الْكَـذِبِينَ</div><p>(and you had known the liars) Allah says, `Why did you not refuse to give them permission to remain behind when they asked you, so that you know those who truly obey you and the liars, who were intent on remaining behind even if you do not give them permission to do so, Allah asserts that none who believe in Allah and His Messenger seek his permission to remain behind from fighting, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لاَ يَسْتَأْذِنُكَ</div><p>(would not ask your leave), to stay behind from Jihad, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ أَن يُجَـهِدُواْ بِأَمْوَلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ</div><p>(Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, to be exempted from fighting with their properties and their lives.) because they consider Jihad an act of worship. This is why when Allah called them to perform Jihad, they obeyed and hasten to act in His obedience, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالْمُتَّقِينَإِنَّمَا يَسْتَأْذِنُكَ</div><p>(and Allah is the All-Knower of those who have Taqwa. Those who ask your leave), to remain behind, without a valid excuse, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ</div><p>(those who believe not in Allah and the Last Day), they do not hope for Allah's reward in the Hereafter for their good actions, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَارْتَابَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ</div><p>(and whose hearts are in doubt), about the validity of what you brought them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَهُمْ فِى رَيْبِهِمْ يَتَرَدَّدُونَ</div><p>(so in their doubts they waver.) They waver in doubt, taking one step forward and one step back. They do not have a firm stance in anything, for they are unsure and destroyed, neither belonging to these nor to those. Verily, those whom Allah misguides, will never find a way for themselves to guidance. </p>

Moderately criticizing the Prophet for allowing the Hypocrites to stay behindIbn Abi Hatim recorded that `Awn said, "Have you heard criticism softer than this, starting with forgiveness before criticism, عَفَا اللَّهُ عَنكَ لِمَ أَذِنتَ لَهُمْ(May Allah forgive you. Why did you grant them leave...)" Muwarriq Al-`Ijli and others said similarly. Qatadah said, "Allah criticized him as you read here, then later revealed to him the permission to allow them to lag behind if he wants, in Surat An-Nur, فَإِذَا اسْتَـْذَنُوكَ لِبَعْضِ شَأْنِهِمْ فَأْذَن لِّمَن شِئْتَ مِنْهُمْ(So if they ask your permission for some affairs of theirs, give permission to whom you will of them) 24:62." `Ata' Al-Khurasani said similarly. Mujahid said, "This Ayah was revealed about some people who said, `Ask permission from the Messenger of Allah to stay behind, and whether he agrees, or disagrees, remain behind!"' Allah said, حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُواْ(...until those who told the truth were manifest to you), in reference to valid excuses, وَتَعْلَمَ الْكَـذِبِينَ(and you had known the liars) Allah says, `Why did you not refuse to give them permission to remain behind when they asked you, so that you know those who truly obey you and the liars, who were intent on remaining behind even if you do not give them permission to do so, Allah asserts that none who believe in Allah and His Messenger seek his permission to remain behind from fighting, لاَ يَسْتَأْذِنُكَ(would not ask your leave), to stay behind from Jihad, الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ أَن يُجَـهِدُواْ بِأَمْوَلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ(Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, to be exempted from fighting with their properties and their lives.) because they consider Jihad an act of worship. This is why when Allah called them to perform Jihad, they obeyed and hasten to act in His obedience, وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالْمُتَّقِينَإِنَّمَا يَسْتَأْذِنُكَ(and Allah is the All-Knower of those who have Taqwa. Those who ask your leave), to remain behind, without a valid excuse, الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ(those who believe not in Allah and the Last Day), they do not hope for Allah's reward in the Hereafter for their good actions, وَارْتَابَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ(and whose hearts are in doubt), about the validity of what you brought them, فَهُمْ فِى رَيْبِهِمْ يَتَرَدَّدُونَ(so in their doubts they waver.) They waver in doubt, taking one step forward and one step back. They do not have a firm stance in anything, for they are unsure and destroyed, neither belonging to these nor to those. Verily, those whom Allah misguides, will never find a way for themselves to guidance.

Those who believe in God and the Last Day, do not ask your leave to be excused from fighting wealth and soul (in the cause of God), for God knows the pious and devout.

And those who believe in Allah and the Last Day will not seek exemption from you for not fighting with their wealth and their lives; and Allah well knows the pious.

Those who believe in God and the Last Day ask not leave of thee, that they may struggle with their possessions and their selves; and God knows the godfearing.

Those who [truly] believe in God and the Last Day do not ask thee for exemption from struggling with their possessions and their lives [in God's cause]-and God has full knowledge as to who is conscious of Him-:

Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day would not ask thy leave to be excused from striving hard with their riches and their lives; and Allah is Knower of the God-fearing.

Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day would not ask your leave to be exempted from fighting with their properties and their lives, and Allah is the All-Knower of Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V. 2:2).

Those who believe in God and the Last Day do not ask you for exemption from striving with their possessions and their lives. God is fully aware of the righteous.

Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day will never ask your leave to be excused from striving (in the cause of Allah) with their belongings and their lives. Allah fully knows the God-fearing.

Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, would not ask your leave to be exempted from fighting with their properties and their lives; and Allah is the All-Knower of those who have Taqwa.

Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day ask no leave of thee lest they should strive with their wealth and their lives. Allah is Aware of those who keep their duty (unto Him).

Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day do not ask you for leave [exempting them] from waging jihad with their possessions and their persons, and Allah knows best the Godwary.

Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day will not ask your permission so that they may struggle with their wealth and their selves. Allah knows best the righteous.

Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day would not ask permission of you to be excused from striving with their wealth and their lives. And Allah is Knowing of those who fear Him.

Those who believe in God and the Day of Judgment do not ask you whether they should fight for the cause of God with their property and in person, or not. God knows all about the pious ones.

They do not ask leave of you who believe in Allah and the latter day (to stay away) from striving hard with their property and their persons, and Allah knows those who guard (against evil).

L<u>a</u> yasta<u>th</u>inuka alla<u>th</u>eena yuminoona bi<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hi wa<b>a</b>lyawmi al<u>a</u>khiri an yuj<u>a</u>hidoo biamw<u>a</u>lihim waanfusihim wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu AAaleemun bi<b>a</b>lmuttaqeen<b>a</b>

Those who believe in God and the Last Day will never ask you to exempt them from striving with their wealth and their lives, God best knows the righteous,

Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day ask thee for no exemption from fighting with their goods and persons. And Allah knoweth well those who do their duty.

9

لَا يَسْتَـْٔذِنُكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ أَن يُجَٰهِدُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلْمُتَّقِينَ

It is not the characteristic of those who truly have faith in Allah and the Day of Judgement to ask the Messenger (peace be upon him)for permission to stay behind from striving for Allah’s sake with their wealth and their selves. Rather, it is their characteristic to rally when they are called to fight, and to strive with their wealth and their persons. Allah knows those among His servants who are Mindful, who do not ask to be excused except for genuine reasons that really prevent them from going with the Messenger.

It is not the characteristic of those who truly have faith in Allah and the Day of Judgement to ask the Messenger (peace be upon him)for permission to stay behind from striving for Allah’s sake with their wealth and their selves. Rather, it is their characteristic to rally when they are called to fight, and to strive with their wealth and their persons. Allah knows those among His servants who are Mindful, who do not ask to be excused except for genuine reasons that really prevent them from going with the Messenger.

<p>In the second (44) and third (45) verses given there was the difference between believers and hypocrites. Those who believe in Allah Ta` ala truly and staunchly do not pick an occasion like that only to seek desertion from Jihad just for the sake of love for their lives and wealth and go about asking the permission of their prophet to stay back. In fact, this is the behavior of only those who do not believe in Allah and the Day of Judgment (Akhirah), truly and correctly - and, as for Allah, He knows the God-fearing perfectly well.</p>

In the second (44) and third (45) verses given there was the difference between believers and hypocrites. Those who believe in Allah Ta` ala truly and staunchly do not pick an occasion like that only to seek desertion from Jihad just for the sake of love for their lives and wealth and go about asking the permission of their prophet to stay back. In fact, this is the behavior of only those who do not believe in Allah and the Day of Judgment (Akhirah), truly and correctly - and, as for Allah, He knows the God-fearing perfectly well.

Only they ask (for leave) who do not believe in God and the Last Day, whose hearts are full of doubt; and doubting they waver (between gain and loss).

Only those ask for such an exemption from you who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts are in doubt – so they waver in their doubts.

They only ask leave of thee who believe not in God and the Last Day, those whose hearts are filled with doubt, so that in their doubt they go this way and that.

only those ask thee for exemption who do not [truly] believe in God and the Last Day and whose hearts have become a prey to doubt, so that in their doubting they waver between one thing and another.

It is only those who believe not in Allah and the Last Day and whose hearts doubt who ask thy leave, so in their doubt they are tossed to and fro.

It is only those who believe not in Allah and the Last Day and whose hearts are in doubt that ask your leave (to be exempted from Jihad). So in their doubts they waver.

Only those who do not believe in God and the Last Day ask you for exemption. Their hearts are full of doubts, so they waver in their doubts.

It is only those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts are filled with doubt that seek exemption from striving (in the cause of Allah). They keep tossing to and fro in their doubt.

It is only those who believe not in Allah and the Last Day and whose hearts are in doubt that ask your leave. So in their doubts they waver.

They alone ask leave of thee who believe not in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts feel doubt, so in their doubt they waver.

Only those seek a leave [of exemption] from you who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts are in doubt, so they waver in their doubt.

Only those who ask your permission do not believe in Allah and the Last Day and whose hearts are filled with doubt. And in their doubt, they waiver.

Only those would ask permission of you who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day and whose hearts have doubted, and they, in their doubt, are hesitating.

Only those who do not believe in God and the Day of Judgment ask you such questions because their hearts are full of doubts and they cannot make any final decisions.

They only ask leave of you who do not believe in Allah and the latter day and their hearts are in doubt, so in their doubt do they waver.

Innam<u>a</u> yasta<u>th</u>inuka alla<u>th</u>eena l<u>a</u> yuminoona bi<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hi wa<b>a</b>lyawmi al<u>a</u>khiri wa<b>i</b>rt<u>a</u>bat quloobuhum fahum fee raybihim yataraddadoon<b>a</b>

only those seek exemption who do not truly believe in God and the Last Day, and whose hearts have become a prey to doubt. Because they doubt, they waver.

Only those ask thee for exemption who believe not in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts are in doubt, so that they are tossed in their doubts to and fro.

9

إِنَّمَا يَسْتَـْٔذِنُكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ وَٱرْتَابَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ فَهُمْ فِى رَيْبِهِمْ يَتَرَدَّدُونَ

Those who ask the Messenger (peace be upon him)for permission to stay behind from striving for the sake of Allah are the hypocrites who do not believe in Allah and the Day of Judgement, and whose hearts are full of doubt about the sacred path of Allah. In their doubt they waver, confused, and they are not guided to the truth.

Those who ask the Messenger (peace be upon him)for permission to stay behind from striving for the sake of Allah are the hypocrites who do not believe in Allah and the Day of Judgement, and whose hearts are full of doubt about the sacred path of Allah. In their doubt they waver, confused, and they are not guided to the truth.

If they had intended to go out (to fight) they would surely have made preparations. But God did not like their setting forth, and they were held back and told: "Stay at home with those who stay behind."

And if going forth were acceptable to them, they would have made preparations for it, but Allah Himself disliked their getting up (to fight) so He filled them with laze and it was said “Continue sitting with those who remain seated.”

If they had desired to go forth, they would have made some preparation for it; but God was averse that they should be aroused, so He made them pause, and it was said to them, 'Tarry you with the tarriers.'

For, had they been [truly] desirous of setting out [with thee], they would surely have made some preparation therefor: but God was averse to their taking the field, and so He caused them to hold back when it was said, "[You may] stay at home with all [the others] who stay at home."

And had they intended the going forth, they would have made some preparation therefor; But Allah was averse to their wending, wherefore He withheld them, and the word was passed: stay of home with the stay-at-homes.

And if they had intended to march out, certainly, they would have made some preparation for it, but Allah was averse to their being sent forth, so He made them lag behind, and it was said (to them), "Sit you among those who sit (at home)."

Had they wanted to mobilize, they would have made preparations for it; but God disliked their participation, so he held them back, and it was said, “Stay behind with those who stay behind.”

Had they truly intended to march forth to fight, they would have certainly made some preparation for it. But Allah was averse to their going forth, so He made them lag behind, and they were told: "Stay behind with those that are staying behind."

And if they had intended to march out, certainly, they would have made some preparation for it; but Allah was averse to their being sent forth, so He made them lag behind, and it was said (to them): "Sit among those who sit (at home)."

And if they had wished to go forth they would assuredly have made ready some equipment, but Allah was averse to their being sent forth and held them back and it was said (unto them): Sit ye with the sedentary!

Had they desired to go forth, they would have surely made some preparations for it; but Allah was averse to arouse them, so He held them back, and it was said [to them], ‘Be seated with those who sit back.’

Had they intended to set forth with you, they would have prepared themselves for it. But Allah did not like their going forth and held them back, and it was said: 'Stay back with those who stay back'

And if they had intended to go forth, they would have prepared for it [some] preparation. But Allah disliked their being sent, so He kept them back, and they were told, "Remain [behind] with those who remain."

Had they (the hypocrites) wanted to join your army, they would have prepared themselves, but God did not wish to motivate them, so He caused them to linger behind with those whose joining you in battle would be of no use.

And if they had intended to go forth, they would certainly have provided equipment for it, but Allah did not like their going forth, so He withheld them, and it was said (to them): Hold back with those who hold back.

Walaw ar<u>a</u>doo alkhurooja laaAAaddoo lahu AAuddatan wal<u>a</u>kin kariha All<u>a</u>hu inbiAA<u>a</u>thahum fathabba<u>t</u>ahum waqeela oqAAudoo maAAa alq<u>a</u>AAideen<b>a</b>

If they had wished to go forth, they would surely have made some preparation for it, but God disliked their setting out [and being raised high in God's eyes] and held them back. They were told to stay behind with those who stay behind.

If they had intended to come out, they would certainly have made some preparation therefor; but Allah was averse to their being sent forth; so He made them lag behind, and they were told, "Sit ye among those who sit (inactive)."

9

وَلَوْ أَرَادُوا۟ ٱلْخُرُوجَ لَأَعَدُّوا۟ لَهُۥ عُدَّةً وَلَٰكِن كَرِهَ ٱللَّهُ ٱنۢبِعَاثَهُمْ فَثَبَّطَهُمْ وَقِيلَ ٱقْعُدُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلْقَٰعِدِينَ

If they had been telling the truth in their claim that they wanted to go out with the Messenger (peace be upon him), striving for the sake of Allah, they would have made preparations for it; but Allah did not want them to go with the Prophet, and stopped them from doing so. They were disgraced because they were told to stay behind with those who were ordered to stay behind, such as the women, children and the sick.

If they had been telling the truth in their claim that they wanted to go out with the Messenger (peace be upon him), striving for the sake of Allah, they would have made preparations for it; but Allah did not want them to go with the Prophet, and stopped them from doing so. They were disgraced because they were told to stay behind with those who were ordered to stay behind, such as the women, children and the sick.

<p>At least, one aspect of why their excuse was false has been given in the fourth (46) where it has been said: وَلَوْ أَرَ‌ادُوا الْخُرُ‌وجَ لَأَعَدُّوا لَهُ عُدَّةً (And had they [ really ] wished to set out [ for Jihad ], they would have [ of necessity ] made [ at least ] some preparation for it [ but they made none ] - 46). This shows that the plea of having an excuse was false. The truth of the matter was that they just did not have any intention to come out for Jihad.</p><p>How do we know if an excuse is reasonable or unreasonable?</p><p>An important principle comes out from this verse, a principle that can be used to distinguish between a reasonable and an unreasonable excuse. To wit, an excuse presented only by those who are ready to carry out orders - but, were rendered helpless by some accident - can be entertained and accepted. This rule applies to all matters pertaining to the excusable. As for a person who made no preparation to carry out orders, did not even make the intention to carry them out when called, thereafter, came some excuse - then, this excuse will be like the excuse of sin which is worse than the sin. This will not be taken as a genuine excuse. Take the example of a person who has made all preparations to present himself in the masjid for his Jumu'ah prayers and is intending to go there when, all of a sudden, came an impediment which prevented him from going there. Then, his excuse is reasonable - and Allah Ta` ala blesses such a person with the full reward of his ` Ibadah (worship). As for the person who just did not make any preparation but, later on, by chance, there came an excuse before him, then, this will be taken as nothing but a ruse and pretext.</p><p>Take an example from everyday life. One makes the necessary preparations to get up early in the morning and get ready for the Fajr Salah. An alarm was set in the family clock, or somebody was assigned to give a wakeup call. After that, by chance, whatever arrangements were made did not work - and because of this, the Salah was missed. This is similar to what happened to the Holy Prophet ﷺ when he camped on a journey late at night (lailatu 't-ta` ris). In order to get up on time for Fajr Salah, he arranged with Sayyidna Bilal ؓ that he would sit the night out and wake up everybody when morning comes. But, by chance, sleep overtook him too. Everyone got up only when the sun had risen. So, this excuse is correct and reasonable. Based on this, consoling his Companions ؓ ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: لَا تَفرِیطَ فی النَّومِ اِنَّمَا التَّفرِیط فی الیقظۃِ (There is no negligence in sleep. Negligence occurs only when awake) that is, one is excusable in sleep. The reason was that, as far as it was possible to do, arrangements had already been made to get up on time.</p><p>In short, a decision about an excuse being reasonable or unreasonable can be taken only by knowing whether or not preparation was made to carry out orders. Simply using a lot of words to make a point gets nothing done.</p>

At least, one aspect of why their excuse was false has been given in the fourth (46) where it has been said: وَلَوْ أَرَ‌ادُوا الْخُرُ‌وجَ لَأَعَدُّوا لَهُ عُدَّةً (And had they [ really ] wished to set out [ for Jihad ], they would have [ of necessity ] made [ at least ] some preparation for it [ but they made none ] - 46). This shows that the plea of having an excuse was false. The truth of the matter was that they just did not have any intention to come out for Jihad.How do we know if an excuse is reasonable or unreasonable?An important principle comes out from this verse, a principle that can be used to distinguish between a reasonable and an unreasonable excuse. To wit, an excuse presented only by those who are ready to carry out orders - but, were rendered helpless by some accident - can be entertained and accepted. This rule applies to all matters pertaining to the excusable. As for a person who made no preparation to carry out orders, did not even make the intention to carry them out when called, thereafter, came some excuse - then, this excuse will be like the excuse of sin which is worse than the sin. This will not be taken as a genuine excuse. Take the example of a person who has made all preparations to present himself in the masjid for his Jumu'ah prayers and is intending to go there when, all of a sudden, came an impediment which prevented him from going there. Then, his excuse is reasonable - and Allah Ta` ala blesses such a person with the full reward of his ` Ibadah (worship). As for the person who just did not make any preparation but, later on, by chance, there came an excuse before him, then, this will be taken as nothing but a ruse and pretext.Take an example from everyday life. One makes the necessary preparations to get up early in the morning and get ready for the Fajr Salah. An alarm was set in the family clock, or somebody was assigned to give a wakeup call. After that, by chance, whatever arrangements were made did not work - and because of this, the Salah was missed. This is similar to what happened to the Holy Prophet ﷺ when he camped on a journey late at night (lailatu 't-ta` ris). In order to get up on time for Fajr Salah, he arranged with Sayyidna Bilal ؓ that he would sit the night out and wake up everybody when morning comes. But, by chance, sleep overtook him too. Everyone got up only when the sun had risen. So, this excuse is correct and reasonable. Based on this, consoling his Companions ؓ ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: لَا تَفرِیطَ فی النَّومِ اِنَّمَا التَّفرِیط فی الیقظۃِ (There is no negligence in sleep. Negligence occurs only when awake) that is, one is excusable in sleep. The reason was that, as far as it was possible to do, arrangements had already been made to get up on time.In short, a decision about an excuse being reasonable or unreasonable can be taken only by knowing whether or not preparation was made to carry out orders. Simply using a lot of words to make a point gets nothing done.

<h2 class="title">Exposing Hypocrites</h2><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ أَرَادُواْ الْخُرُوجَ</div><p>(And if they had intended to march out,), with you to participate in Jihad </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لأَعَدُّواْ لَهُ عُدَّةً</div><p>(certainly, they would have made some preparation for it) they would have prepared for such task, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَـكِن كَرِهَ اللَّهُ انبِعَاثَهُمْ</div><p>(but Allah was averse to their being sent forth) Allah hated that they should go with you, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَثَبَّطَهُمْ</div><p>(so He made them lag behind, and stay away from Jihad, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَقِيلَ اقْعُدُواْ مَعَ الْقَـعِدِينَ</div><p>(and it was said (to them): "Sit you among those who sit (at home)") as a part of what was decreed for them not that He legislated that they stay behind. Allah then explained why He disliked that they march with the believers, saying, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَوْ خَرَجُواْ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلاَّ خَبَالاً</div><p>(Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder), because they are cowards and failures, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ولاّوْضَعُواْ خِلَـلَكُمْ يَبْغُونَكُمُ الْفِتْنَةَ</div><p>(and they would have hurried about in your midst sowing sedition among you) They would have rushed to spread false stories, hatred and discord among you, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّـعُونَ لَهُمْ</div><p>(and there are some among you who would have listened to them.) who would have obeyed them, given preference to their speech and words and asked them for advice, unaware of the true reality of these hypocrites. This might have caused corruption and great evil between the believers. Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "Those who sought permission (from the Messenger to lag behind) included some of the chiefs, such as `Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul and Al-Jadd bin Qays, who were masters of their people. Allah also made them lag behind because He knew that if they went along with the Messenger they would sow sedition in his army." There were some in the Prophet's army who liked these chiefs and were ready to obey them, because they considered them honorable, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّـعُونَ لَهُمْ</div><p>(and there are some among you who would have listened to them) 9:47. Allah next reminds of His perfect knowledge, saying, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّـلِمينَ</div><p>(And Allah is the All-Knower of the wrongdoers.) Allah says that He knows what occurred, what will occur and if anything would have occurred, how it would occur, such as, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَوْ خَرَجُواْ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلاَّ خَبَالاً</div><p>(Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder,) indicating what they would have done had they marched, even though they did not. Allah said in similar Ayat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَـدُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ</div><p>(But if they were returned (to the world), they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars.) 6:28, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا لأَسْمَعَهُمْ وَلَوْ أَسْمَعَهُمْ لَتَوَلَّواْ وَّهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ </div><p>(Had Allah known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them listen; and even if He had made them listen, they would but have turned away with aversion (to the truth)) 8:23, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ اقْتُلُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ أَوِ اخْرُجُواْ مِن دِيَـرِكُمْ مَّا فَعَلُوهُ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ مِّنْهُمْ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُواْ مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ لَكَانَ خَيْراً لَّهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتاً - وَإِذاً لاّتَيْنَـهُمْ مِّن لَّدُنَّـآ أَجْراً عَظِيماً - وَلَهَدَيْنَـهُمْ صِرَطاً مُّسْتَقِيماً </div><p>(And if We had ordered them (saying), "Kill yourselves (the innocent ones kill the guilty ones) or leave your homes," very few of them would have done it; but if they had done what they were told, it would have been better for them, and would have strengthened their conviction. And indeed We would then have bestowed upon them a great reward from Ourselves. And indeed We would have guided them to the straight way) 4:66-68. </p>

Exposing HypocritesAllah said, وَلَوْ أَرَادُواْ الْخُرُوجَ(And if they had intended to march out,), with you to participate in Jihad لأَعَدُّواْ لَهُ عُدَّةً(certainly, they would have made some preparation for it) they would have prepared for such task, وَلَـكِن كَرِهَ اللَّهُ انبِعَاثَهُمْ(but Allah was averse to their being sent forth) Allah hated that they should go with you, فَثَبَّطَهُمْ(so He made them lag behind, and stay away from Jihad, وَقِيلَ اقْعُدُواْ مَعَ الْقَـعِدِينَ(and it was said (to them): "Sit you among those who sit (at home)") as a part of what was decreed for them not that He legislated that they stay behind. Allah then explained why He disliked that they march with the believers, saying, لَوْ خَرَجُواْ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلاَّ خَبَالاً(Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder), because they are cowards and failures, ولاّوْضَعُواْ خِلَـلَكُمْ يَبْغُونَكُمُ الْفِتْنَةَ(and they would have hurried about in your midst sowing sedition among you) They would have rushed to spread false stories, hatred and discord among you, وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّـعُونَ لَهُمْ(and there are some among you who would have listened to them.) who would have obeyed them, given preference to their speech and words and asked them for advice, unaware of the true reality of these hypocrites. This might have caused corruption and great evil between the believers. Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "Those who sought permission (from the Messenger to lag behind) included some of the chiefs, such as `Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul and Al-Jadd bin Qays, who were masters of their people. Allah also made them lag behind because He knew that if they went along with the Messenger they would sow sedition in his army." There were some in the Prophet's army who liked these chiefs and were ready to obey them, because they considered them honorable, وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّـعُونَ لَهُمْ(and there are some among you who would have listened to them) 9:47. Allah next reminds of His perfect knowledge, saying, وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّـلِمينَ(And Allah is the All-Knower of the wrongdoers.) Allah says that He knows what occurred, what will occur and if anything would have occurred, how it would occur, such as, لَوْ خَرَجُواْ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلاَّ خَبَالاً(Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder,) indicating what they would have done had they marched, even though they did not. Allah said in similar Ayat, وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَـدُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ(But if they were returned (to the world), they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars.) 6:28, وَلَوْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا لأَسْمَعَهُمْ وَلَوْ أَسْمَعَهُمْ لَتَوَلَّواْ وَّهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ (Had Allah known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them listen; and even if He had made them listen, they would but have turned away with aversion (to the truth)) 8:23, and, وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ اقْتُلُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ أَوِ اخْرُجُواْ مِن دِيَـرِكُمْ مَّا فَعَلُوهُ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ مِّنْهُمْ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُواْ مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ لَكَانَ خَيْراً لَّهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتاً - وَإِذاً لاّتَيْنَـهُمْ مِّن لَّدُنَّـآ أَجْراً عَظِيماً - وَلَهَدَيْنَـهُمْ صِرَطاً مُّسْتَقِيماً (And if We had ordered them (saying), "Kill yourselves (the innocent ones kill the guilty ones) or leave your homes," very few of them would have done it; but if they had done what they were told, it would have been better for them, and would have strengthened their conviction. And indeed We would then have bestowed upon them a great reward from Ourselves. And indeed We would have guided them to the straight way) 4:66-68.

Had they gone out with you, they would only have been a hindrance and let loose confusion among you to create discord; for there are some in your midst who spy for them. But God knows who are the wicked.

If they had gone forth among you, you would then not gain any increase from them except trouble, and seeking to cause turmoil they would run rumours among you; and their spies are among you; and Allah well knows the unjust.

Had they gone forth among you, they would only have increased you in trouble, and run to and fro in your midst, seeking to stir up sedition between you; and some of you would listen to them; and God knows the evildoers.

Had these [hypocrites] set out with you, [O believers,] they would have added nothing to you save the evil of corruption, and would surely have scurried to and fro in your midst, seeking to stir up discord among you, seeing that there are in your midst such as would have lent them ear: but God has full knowledge of the evildoers.

Had they gene forth with you, they would have added unto you naught save unsoundness, and they would surely have hurried about in Your midst seeking sedition unto you; and amongst you there are listeners to them; and Allah is Knower of the wrong-doers.

Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder, and they would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you, and there are some among you who would have listened to them. And Allah is the All-Knower of the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.).

Had they mobilized with you, they would have added only to your difficulties, and they would have spread rumors in your midst, trying to sow discord among you. Some of you are avid listeners to them. God is Aware of the wrongdoers.

Had they gone forth with you, they would have only added to your trouble, and would have run about in your midst seeking to stir up sedition among you, whereas there are among you some who are prone to lend ears to them. Allah knows well the wrong-doers.

Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder, and they would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you -- and there are some among you who would have listened to them. And Allah is the All-Knower of the wrongdoers.

Had they gone forth among you they had added to you naught save trouble and had hurried to and fro among you, seeking to cause sedition among you; and among you there are some who would have listened to them. Allah is Aware of evil-doers.

Had they gone forth with you, they would have only added to your troubles, and they would have surely spread rumours in your midst, seeking to cause sedition among you. They have some spies among you, and Allah knows best the wrongdoers.

Had they gone forth among you, they would only have increased your burden, and run to and fro in your midst, seeking to stir up sedition between you; and some of you would listen to them; and Allah knows the harmdoers.

Had they gone forth with you, they would not have increased you except in confusion, and they would have been active among you, seeking [to cause] you fitnah. And among you are avid listeners to them. And Allah is Knowing of the wrongdoers.

Had they joined you, they would have been of no help to you but would have just caused confusion and trouble among you by sneaking through the ranks where some of you would be ready to listen to them. God knows best the unjust.

Had they gone forth with you, they would not have added to you aught save corruption, and they would certainly have hurried about among you seeking (to sow) dissension among you, and among you there are those who hearken for their sake; and Allah knows the unjust.

Law kharajoo feekum m<u>a</u> z<u>a</u>dookum ill<u>a</u> khab<u>a</u>lan walaaw<u>d</u>aAAoo khil<u>a</u>lakum yabghoonakumu alfitnata wafeekum samm<u>a</u>AAoona lahum wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu AAaleemun bi<b>al</b><i><u>thth</u></i><u>a</u>limeen<b>a</b>

Had they gone forth with you, they would only have proved a source of evil for you, and would have run back and forth among you, seeking to sow discord among you: and among you there were some who would have willingly listened to them. God knows the evil-doers.

If they had come out with you, they would not have added to your (strength) but only (made for) disorder, hurrying to and fro in your midst and sowing sedition among you, and there would have been some among you who would have listened to them. But Allah knoweth well those who do wrong.

9

لَوْ خَرَجُوا۟ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلَّا خَبَالًا وَلَأَوْضَعُوا۟ خِلَٰلَكُمْ يَبْغُونَكُمُ ٱلْفِتْنَةَ وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّٰعُونَ لَهُمْ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

It was a blessing that these hypocrites did not go with them, because if they had gone they would only have increased them in problems: demoralising people and making them doubt, hurrying between their lines, spreading rumours to divide them. Some of the believers would listen to such lies, believing and repeating them, causing arguments amongst them. Allah knows the wrongdoers among the hypocrites, who try to spread conspiracies and doubts among the believers.

It was a blessing that these hypocrites did not go with them, because if they had gone they would only have increased them in problems: demoralising people and making them doubt, hurrying between their lines, spreading rumours to divide them. Some of the believers would listen to such lies, believing and repeating them, causing arguments amongst them. Allah knows the wrongdoers among the hypocrites, who try to spread conspiracies and doubts among the believers.

<p>In the fifth (47) verse, it was explained that the hypocrites had procured the permission to stay away from Jihad by deceit and now it was better that they just did not participate in it. Had they gone there, they would have done nothing but hatch conspiracies, circulate rumors and spread disorder. The Qur'anic statement: وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّاعُونَ لَهُمْ (And among you there are their listeners) means that, among Muslims, there were some simple people too, people who could be easily taken advantage of and who may have likely been affected by their false rumors.</p>

In the fifth (47) verse, it was explained that the hypocrites had procured the permission to stay away from Jihad by deceit and now it was better that they just did not participate in it. Had they gone there, they would have done nothing but hatch conspiracies, circulate rumors and spread disorder. The Qur'anic statement: وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّاعُونَ لَهُمْ (And among you there are their listeners) means that, among Muslims, there were some simple people too, people who could be easily taken advantage of and who may have likely been affected by their false rumors.

They had tried to create disorder before and intrigued against you, but truth came out in the end and God's will prevailed, even though they did not like it.

Indeed they had sought to cause turmoil at the outset, and O dear Prophet the scheme turned otherwise* for you, so much so that the truth came and the command of Allah appeared, and they disliked it. (* In your favour.)

They sought to stir up sedition already before, and turned things upside down for thee, until the truth came, and God's command appeared, though they were averse.

Indeed, even before this time have they tried to stir up discord and devised all manner of plots against thee, [O Prophet,] until the truth was revealed and God's will became manifest, however hateful this may have been to them.

Assuredly they besought sedition afore and turned the affairs upside down for thee until the truth arrived and the decree of Allah prevailed, averse though they were.

Verily, they had plotted sedition before, and had upset matters for you, - until the truth (victory) came and the Decree of Allah (His Religion, Islam) became manifest though they hated it.

They tried to cause conflict before, and they hatched plots against you, until the truth prevailed, and the command of God became evident—in spite of their dislike.

Surely they sought even earlier to stir up sedition, and turned things upside down to frustrate you until the Truth came and the decree of Allah appeared, however hateful this may have been to them.

Verily, they had plotted sedition before, and had upset matters for you, until the truth (victory) came and the decree of Allah became manifest though they hated it.

Aforetime they sought to cause sedition and raised difficulties for thee till the Truth came and the decree of Allah was made manifest, though they were loth.

They certainly sought to cause sedition earlier, and upset the matters for you, until the truth came and Allah’s command prevailed, much as they were averse.

Beforehand they had already sought to stir up sedition, and turned things upside down for you, until the truth came, and the command of Allah appeared, although they were averse.

They had already desired dissension before and had upset matters for you until the truth came and the ordinance of Allah appeared, while they were averse.

Even prior to this, they tried to cause trouble and to turn your affairs upside-down until the truth came and the cause of God triumphed against their desires.

Certainly they sought (to sow) dissension before, and they meditated plots against you until the truth came, and Allah's commandment prevailed although they were averse (from it).

Laqadi ibtaghawoo alfitnata min qablu waqallaboo laka alomoora <u>h</u>att<u>a</u> j<u>a</u>a al<u>h</u>aqqu wa<i><u>th</u></i>ahara amru All<u>a</u>hi wahum k<u>a</u>rihoon<b>a</b>

They have already tried to sow dissension, and hatched plots against you, until the truth became manifest and God's will prevailed, much to their disgust.

Indeed they had plotted sedition before, and upset matters for thee, until,- the Truth arrived, and the Decree of Allah became manifest much to their disgust.

9

لَقَدِ ٱبْتَغَوُا۟ ٱلْفِتْنَةَ مِن قَبْلُ وَقَلَّبُوا۟ لَكَ ٱلْأُمُورَ حَتَّىٰ جَآءَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَظَهَرَ أَمْرُ ٱللَّهِ وَهُمْ كَٰرِهُونَ

These hypocrites had already tried to cause trouble by creating division amongst the believers before the Battle of Tabūk, by making things difficult for the Messenger (peace be upon him) through their schemes and plots, so that they might affect the Prophet’s determination to fight. This was until the help and support of Allah arrived, and He strengthened His path and overcame His enemies, although they hated this, because they wanted what was false to overcome the truth.

These hypocrites had already tried to cause trouble by creating division amongst the believers before the Battle of Tabūk, by making things difficult for the Messenger (peace be upon him) through their schemes and plots, so that they might affect the Prophet’s determination to fight. This was until the help and support of Allah arrived, and He strengthened His path and overcame His enemies, although they hated this, because they wanted what was false to overcome the truth.

<p>The opening sentence of the sixth verse (48): لَقَدِ ابْتَغَوُا الْفِتْنَةَ مِن قَبْلُ (They sought disorder even earlier...) refers to what had happened in the battle of 'Uhud.</p><p>The statement وَظَهَرَ‌ أَمْرُ‌ اللَّـهِ وَهُمْ كَارِ‌هُونَ (… and the will of Allah prevailed, though they disliked it) at the end of the verse indicates that victory is in the hands of Allah. This has been proved on earlier occasions when the Holy Prophet ﷺ was blessed with victory. The same will happen in this Jihad as well when all tricks played by hypocrites will fail.</p>

The opening sentence of the sixth verse (48): لَقَدِ ابْتَغَوُا الْفِتْنَةَ مِن قَبْلُ (They sought disorder even earlier...) refers to what had happened in the battle of 'Uhud.The statement وَظَهَرَ‌ أَمْرُ‌ اللَّـهِ وَهُمْ كَارِ‌هُونَ (… and the will of Allah prevailed, though they disliked it) at the end of the verse indicates that victory is in the hands of Allah. This has been proved on earlier occasions when the Holy Prophet ﷺ was blessed with victory. The same will happen in this Jihad as well when all tricks played by hypocrites will fail.

<h2 class="title">Allah encourages His Prophet against hypocrites,</h2><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَقَدِ ابْتَغَوُاْ الْفِتْنَةَ مِن قَبْلُ وَقَلَّبُواْ لَكَ الأُمُورَ</div><p>(Verily, they had plotted sedition before, and had upset matters for you,) `For a long time,' Allah says, hypocrites thought and plotted against you and your Companions, as well as, failing and attempting to extinguish your religion.' This occurred soon after the Prophet migrated to Al-Madinah, when pagan Arabs joined force and the Jews and hypocrites of Al-Madinah waged war against the Messenger . When Allah gave victory to the Prophet in Badr and raised high his word, `Abdullah bin Ubayy and his fellows said, "This (Islam) is a matter that has prevailed." They embraced Islam outwardly, and whenever Allah elevated Islam and its people in might, hypocrites increased in rage and disappointment, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">حَتَّى جَآءَ الْحَقُّ وَظَهَرَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ وَهُمْ كَـرِهُونَ</div><p>(until the truth (victory) came and the decree of Allah became manifest though they hated it.) </p>