A compilation of the Abridged Tafsir Ibn Kathir Volumes 1 - 10.

In The English Language with Arabic Verses

Biography of Hafiz Ibn Kat hir - The Aut hor of Tafsir Ibn Kat hir By t he Honored Shaykh ` Abdul-Qadir Al-Arna'ut , may Allah prot ect him.

He is t he respect ed Imam, Abu Al-Fida', ` Imad Ad-Din Isma il bin 'Umar bin Kat hir Al-Qurashi Al-Busrawi - Busraian in origin; Dimashqi in t raining, learning and residence.

Ibn Kat hir was born in t he cit y of Busra in 701 H. His fat her was t he Friday speaker of t he village, but he died while Ibn Kat hir was only four years old. Ibn Kat hir's brot her, Shaykh Abdul-Wahhab, reared him and t aught him unt il he moved t o Damascus in 706 H., when he was five years old. Ibn Kat hir's Teachers

Ibn Kat hir st udied Fiqh - Islamic j urisprudence - wit h Burhan Ad-Din, Ibrahim bin ` Abdur-Rahman Al-Fizari, known as Ibn Al-Firkah (who died in 729 H). Ibn Kat hir heard Hadit hs from ` Isa bin Al-Mut im, Ahmad bin Abi Talib, (Ibn Ash-Shahnah) (who died in 730 H), Ibn AlHaj j ar, (who died in 730 H), and t he Hadit h narrat or of Ash-Sham (modern day Syria and surrounding areas); Baha Ad-Din Al-Qasim bin Muzaffar bin ` Asakir (who died in 723 H), and Ibn Ash-Shirdzi, Ishaq bin Yahya Al-Ammuddi, also known as ` Afif Ad-Din, t he Zahiriyyah Shaykh who died in 725 H, and Muhammad bin Zarrad. He remained wit h Jamal Ad-Din, Yusuf bin Az-Zaki AlMizzi who died in 724 H, he benefit ed from his knowledge and also married his daught er. He also

read wit h Shaykh Al-Islam, Taqi Ad-Din Ahmad bin ` Abdul-Halim bin ` Abdus-Salam bin Taymiyyah who died in 728 H. He also read wit h t he Imam Hafiz and hist orian Shams Ad-Din, Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Ut hman bin Qaymaz Adh-Dhahabi, who died in 748 H. Also, Abu Musa Al-Qarafai, Abu Al-Fat h Ad-Dabbusi and 'Ali bin ` Umar As-Suwani and ot hers who gave him permission t o t ransmit t he knowledge he learned wit h t hem in Egypt .

In his book, Al-Mu j am Al-Mukht as, Al-Hafiz Adh-Dhaliabi wrot e t hat Ibn Kat hir was, "The Imam, scholar of j urisprudence, skillful scholar of Hadit h, renowned Fagih and scholar of Tafsir who wrot e several beneficial books."

Furt her, in Ad-Durar Al-Kdminah, Al-Hafiz Ibn Haj ar AlAsqalani said, "Ibn Kat hir worked on t he subj ect of t he Hadit h in t he areas of t ext s and chains of narrat ors. He had a good memory, his books became popular during his lifet ime, and people benefit ed from t hem aft er his deat h."

Also, t he renowned hist orian Abu Al-Mahasin, Jamal Ad-Din Yusuf bin Sayf Ad-Din (Ibn Taghri Bardi), said in his book, AlManhal As-Safi, "He is t he Shaykh, t he Imam, t he great scholar ` Imad Ad-Din Abu Al-Fida'. He learned ext ensively and was very act ive in collect ing knowledge and writ ing. He was excellent in t he areas of Fiqh, Tafsfr and Hadit h. He collect ed knowledge, aut hored (books), t aught , narrat ed Hadit h and wrot e. He had immense knowledge in t he fields of Hadit h, Tafsir, Fiqh, t he Arabic language, and so fort h. He gave Fat awa (religious verdict s) and t aught unt il he died, may Allah grant him mercy. He was known for his precision and vast knowledge, and as a scholar of hist ory, Hadit h and Tafsir." Ibn Kat hir's St udent s

Ibn Haj j i was one of Ibn Kat hir's st udent s, and he described Ibn Kat hir: "He had t he best memory of t he Hadit h t ext s. He also had t he most knowledge concerning t he narrat ors and aut hent icit y, his cont emporaries and t eachers admit t ed t o t hese qualit ies. Every t ime I met him I gained some benefit from him."

Also, Ibn Al-` Imad Al-Hanbali said in his book, Shadhardt Adh-Dhahab, "He is t he renowned Hafiz ` Imad Ad-Din, whose memory was excellent , whose forget fulness was miniscule, whose underst anding was adequat e, and who had good knowledge in t he Arabic language." Also, Ibn Habib said about Ibn Kat hir, "He heard knowledge and collect ed it and wrot e various books. He brought comfort t o t he ears wit h his Fat was and narrat ed Hadit h and brought benefit t o ot her people. The papers t hat cont ained his Fat was were t ransmit t ed t o t he various (Islamic) provinces. Furt her, he was known for his precision and encompassing knowledge." Ibn Kat hir's Books

1 - One of t he great est books t hat Ibn Kat hir wrot e was his Tafsir of t he Noble Qur'an, which is one of t he best Tafsir t hat rely on narrat ions [of Ahadit h, t he Tafsir of t he Companions, et c.]. The Tafsir by Ibn Kat hir was print ed many t imes and several scholars have summarized it .

2- The Hist ory Collect ion known as Al-Biddyah, which was print ed in 14 volumes under t he name Al-Bidayah wanNihdyah, and cont ained t he st ories of t he Prophet s and previous nat ions, t he Prophet 's Seerah (life st ory) and Islamic hist ory unt il his t ime. He also added a book Al-Fit an, about t he Signs of t he Last Hour.

3- At -Takmil ft Ma` rifat At h-Thiqat wa Ad-Du'afa wal Maj dhil which Ibn Kat hir collect ed from t he books of his t wo Shaykhs Al-Mizzi and Adh-

Dhahabi; Al-Kdmal and Mizan Al-Ft iddl. He added several benefit s regarding t he subj ect of Al-Jarh and At T'adil.

4- Al-Hadi was-Sunan ft Ahadit h Al-Masdnfd was-Sunan which is also known by, Jami` Al-Masdnfd. In t his book, Ibn Kat hir collect ed t he narrat ions of Imams Ahmad bin Hanbal, Al-Bazzar, Abu Ya` la AlMawsili, Ibn Abi Shaybah and from t he six collect ions of Hadit h: t he Two Sahihs [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] and t he Four Sunan [Abu Dawud, At -Tirmidhi, AnNasa and Ibn Maj ah]. Ibn Kat hir divided t his book according t o areas of Fiqh.

5-Tabaqat Ash-Shaf iyah which also cont ains t he virt ues of Imam AshShafi.

6- Ibn Kat hir wrot e references for t he Ahadit h of Adillat At Tanbfh, from t he Shafi school of Fiqh.

7- Ibn Kat hir began an explanat ion of Sahih Al-Bukhari, but he did not finish it .

8- He st art ed writ ing a large volume on t he Ahkam (Laws), but finished only up t o t he Haj j rit uals.

9- He summarized Al-Bayhaqi's 'Al-Madkhal. Many of t hese books were not print ed.

10- He summarized ` Ulum Al-Hadit h, by Abu ` Amr bin AsSalah and called it Mukht asar ` Ulum Al-Hadit h. Shaykh Ahmad Shakir, t he

Egypt ian Muhaddit h, print ed t his book along wit h his comment ary on it and called it Al-Ba't h Al-Hat hft h fi Sharh Mukht asar ` Ulum Al-Hadit h.

11- As-Sfrah An-Nabawiyyah, which is cont ained in his book AlBiddyah, and bot h of t hese books are in print .

12- A research on Jihad called Al-Ij t ihad ft Talabi Al-Jihad, which was print ed several t imes. Ibn Kat hir's Deat h

Al-Hafiz Ibn Haj ar Al-Asgalani said, "Ibn Kat hir lost his sight j ust before his life ended. He died in Damascus in 774 H." May Allah grant mercy upon Ibn Kat hir and make him among t he resident s of His Paradise.

The Tafsir of Surat Al-Fat ihah (Chapt er 1) Which was revealed in Makkah

The Meaning of Al-Fatihah and its Various Name

This Surah is called Al-Fat ihah, t hat is, t he Opener of t he Book, t he Surah wit h which prayers are begun. It is also called, Umm Al-Kit ab (t he Mot her of t he Book), according t o t he maj orit y of t he scholars. In an aut hent ic Hadit h recorded by At -Tirmidhi, who graded it Sahih, Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(Al-Hamdu lillahi Rabbil-` Alamin is t he Mot her of t he Qur'an, t he Mot her of t he Book, and t he seven repeat ed Ayat of t he Glorious Qur'an.) It is also called Al-Hamd and As-Salah, because t he Prophet said t hat his Lord said,

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(` The prayer (i.e., Al-Fat ihah) is divided int o t wo halves bet ween Me and My servant s.' When t he servant says, ` All praise is due t o Allah, t he Lord of exist ence,' Allah says, 'My servant has praised Me.') Al-Fat ihah was called t he Salah, because recit ing it is a condit ion for t he correct ness of Salah t he prayer. Al-Fat ihah was also called Ash-Shifa' (t he Cure). It is also called Ar-Ruqyah (remedy), since in t he Sahih, t here is t he narrat ion of Abu Sa` id t elling t he t he st ory of t he Companion who used Al-Fat ihah as a remedy for t he t ribal chief who was poisoned. Lat er, t he Messenger of Allah said t o a Companion,

(How did you know t hat it is a Ruqyah) Al-Fat ihah was revealed in Makkah as Ibn ` Abbas, Qat adah and Abu Al-` Aliyah st at ed. Allah said,

(And indeed, We have best owed upon you t he seven Mat hani) (seven repeat edly recit ed verses), (i.e. Surat Al-Fat ihah) (15:87). Allah knows best .

ous Names

How many Ayat does Al-Fatihah contain

There is no disagreement over t he view t hat Al-Fat ihah cont ains seven Ayat . According t o t he maj orit y of t he recit ers of Al-Kufah, a group of t he Companions, t he Tabi` in, and a number of scholars from t he successive generat ions, t he Bismillah is a separat e Ayah in it s beginning. We will ment ion t his subj ect again soon, if Allah wills, and in Him we t rust .

The Number of Words and Letters in Al-Fatihah

The scholars say t hat Al-Fat ihah consist s of t went y-five words, and t hat it cont ains one hundred and t hirt een let t ers

The Reason it is called Umm Al-Kitab

In t he beginning of t he Book of Tafsir, in his Sahih, Al-Bukhari said; "It is called Umm Al-Kit ab, because t he Qur'an st art s wit h it and because t he prayer is st art ed by recit ing it .'' It was also said t hat it is called Umm Al-Kit ab, because it cont ains t he meanings of t he ent ire Qur'an. Ibn Jarir said, "The Arabs call every comprehensive mat t er t hat cont ains several specific areas an Umm. For inst ance, t hey call t he skin t hat surrounds t he brain, Umm Ar-Ra's. They also call t he flag t hat gat hers t he ranks of t he army an Umm.'' He also said, "Makkah was called Umm AlQura, (t he Mot her of t he Villages) because it is t he grandest and t he leader of all villages. It was also said t hat t he eart h was made st art ing from Makkah.'' Furt her, Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah narrat ed about Umm Al-Qur'an t hat t he Prophet said,

(It is Umm Al-Qur'an, t he seven repeat ed (verses) and t he Glorious Qur'an.) Also, Abu Ja` far, Muhammad bin Jarir At -Tabari recorded Abu Hurayrah saying t hat t he Messenger of Allah said about Al-Fat ihah,

(It is Umm Al-Qur'an, Al-Fat ihah of t he Book (t he Opener of t he Qur'an) and t he seven repeat ed (verses).)

Virtues of Al-Fatihah
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded in t he Musnad t hat Abu Sa` id bin Al-Mu` alla said, "I was praying when t he Prophet called me, so I did not answer him unt il I finished t he prayer. I t hen went t o him and he said, (What prevent ed you from coming) I said, 'O Messenger of Allah ! I was praying.' He said, (` Didn't Allah say),

(O you who believe! Answer Allah (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he () calls you t o t hat which gives you life) He t hen said,

(I will t each you t he great est Surah in t he Qur'an before you leave t he Masj id.) He held my hand and when he was about t o leave t he Masj id, I said, ` O Messenger of Allah! You said: I will t each you t he great est Surah in t he Qur'an.' He said, (Yes.)

(Al-Hamdu lillahi Rabbil-` Alamin)''

(It is t he seven repeat ed (verses) and t he Glorious Qur'an t hat I was given.)'' Al-Bukhari, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Maj ah also recorded t his Hadit h. Also, Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said, "The Messenger of Allah went out while Ubayy bin Ka` b was praying and said, (O Ubayy!) Ubayy did not answer him. The Prophet said, (O Ubayy!) Ubayy prayed fast er t hen went t o t he Messenger of Allah saying, ` Peace be unt o you, O Messenger of Allah!' He said, (Peace be unt o you. O Ubayy, what prevent ed you from answering me when I called you) He said, ` O Messenger of Allah! I was praying.' He said, (Did you not read among what Allah has sent down t o me,)


(Answer Allah (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he () calls you t o t hat which gives you life) He said, ` Yes, O Messenger of Allah! I will not do it again.' t he Prophet said,

(Would you like me t o t each you a Surah t he likes of which not hing has been revealed in t he Tawrah, t he Inj il, t he Zabur (Psalms) or t he Furqan (t he Qur'an)) He said, ` Yes, O Messenger of Allah!' The Messenger of Allah said, (I hope t hat I will not leave t hrough t his door unt il you have learned it .) He (Ka` b) said, ` The Messenger of Allah held my hand while speaking t o me. Meanwhile I was slowing down fearing t hat he might reach t he door before he finished his conversat ion. When we came close t o t he door, I said: O Messenger of Allah ! What is t he Surah t hat you have promised t o t each me' He said, (What do you read in t he prayer.) Ubayy said, ` So I recit ed Umm Al-Qur'an t o him.' He said,

(By Him in Whose Hand is my soul! Allah has never revealed in t he Tawrah, t he Inj il, t he Zabur or t he Furqan a Surah like it . It is t he seven repeat ed verses t hat I was given.)'' Also, At -Tirmidhi recorded t his Hadit h and in his narrat ion, t he Prophet said,

(It is t he seven repeat ed verses and t he Glorious Qur'an t hat I was given.) At -Tirmidhi t hen comment ed t hat t his Hadit h is Hasan Sahih. There is a similar Hadit h on t his subj ect narrat ed from Anas bin Malik Furt her, ` Abdullah, t he son of Imam Ahmad, recorded t his Hadit h from Abu Hurayrah from Ubayy bin Ka` b, and he ment ioned a longer but similar wording for t he above Hadit h. In addit ion, At -Tirmidhi and An-

Nasa'i recorded t his Hadit h from Abu Hurayrah from Ubayy bin Ka` b who said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Allah has never revealed in t he Tawrah or t he Inj il anyt hing similar t o Umm Al-Qur'an. It is t he seven repeat ed verses and it is divided int o t wo halves bet ween Allah and His servant .) This is t he wording report ed by An-Nasa'i. At -Tirmidhi said t hat t his Hadit h is Hasan Gharib. Also, Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn Jabir said, "I went t o t he Messenger of Allah aft er he had poured wat er (for purificat ion) and said, ` Peace be unt o you, O Messenger of Allah!' He did not answer me. So I said again, ` Peace be unt o you, O Messenger of Allah!' Again, he did not answer me, so I said again, ` Peace be unt o you, O Messenger of Allah!' St ill he did not answer me. The Messenger of Allah went while I was following him, unt il he arrived at his residence. I went t o t he Masj id and sat t here sad and depressed. The Messenger of Allah came out aft er he performed his purificat ion and said, (Peace and Allah's mercy be unt o you, peace and Allah's mercy be unt o you, peace and Allah's mercy be unt o you.) He t hen said, (O ` Abdullah bin Jabir! Should I inform you of t he best Surah in t he Qur'an) I said, ` Yes, O Messenger of Allah!' He said, (Read, ` All praise be t o Allah, t he Lord of t he exist ence,' unt il you finish it .)'' This Hadit h has a good chain of narrat ors. Some scholars relied on t his Hadit h as evidence t hat some Ayat and Surahs have more virt ues t han ot hers. Furt hermore, in t he chapt er about t he virt ues of t he Qur'an, Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu Sa` id Al-Khudri said, "Once, we were on a j ourney when a female servant came and said, ` The leader of t his area has been poisoned and our people are away. Is t here a healer among you' Then a man whose healing expert ise did not int erest us st ood for her, he read a Ruqyah for him, and he was healed. The chief gave him t hirt y sheep as a gift and some milk. When he came back t o us we said t o him, ` You know of a (new) Ruqyah, or did you do t his before' He said, ` I only used Umm Al-Kit ab as Ruqyah.' We said, ` Do not do anyt hing furt her unt il we ask t he Messenger of Allah.' When we went back t o Al-Madinah we ment ioned what had happened t o t he Prophet . The Prophet said,

(Who t old him t hat it is a Ruqyah Divide (t he sheep) and reserve a share for me.)''

Also, Muslim recorded in his Sahih, and An-Nasa'i in his Sunan t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "While Jibril (Gabriel) was wit h t he Messenger of Allah , he heard a noise from above. Jibril lift ed his sight t o t he sky and said, ` This is a door in heaven being open, and it has never been opened before now.' An angel descended from t hat door and came t o t he Prophet and said, ` Receive t he glad t idings of t wo light s t hat you have been given, which no ot her Prophet before you was given: t he Opening of t he Book and t he last (t hree) Ayat of Surat Al-Baqarah. You will not read a let t er of t hem, but will gain it s benefit .''' This is t he wording collect ed by An-Nasa'i (Al-Kubra 5:12) and Muslim recorded similar wording (1:554).

Al-Fatihah and the Prayer

Muslim recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Prophet said,

(Whoever performs any prayer in which he did not read Umm Al-Qur'an, t hen his prayer is incomplet e.) He said it t hrice. Abu Hurayrah was asked, " When we st and behind t he Imam'' He said, "Read it t o yourself, for I heard t he Messenger of Allah say,

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(Allah, t he Exalt ed, said, ` I have divided t he prayer (Al-Fat ihah) int o t wo halves bet ween Myself and My servant , and My servant shall have what he asks for.' If he says,

(All praise and t hanks be t o Allah, t he Lord of exist ence.) Allah says, ` My servant has praised Me.' When t he servant says,

(The Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful.) Allah says, ` My servant has glorified Me.' When he says,

(The Owner of t he Day of Recompense.) Allah says, ` My servant has glorified Me,' or ` My servant has relat ed all mat t ers t o Me.' When he says,

(You (alone) we worship, and You (alone) we ask for help.) Allah says, ` This is bet ween Me and My servant , and My servant shall acquire what he sought .' When he says,

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(Guide us t o t he st raight pat h. The way of t hose on whom You have grant ed Your grace, not (t he way) of t hose who earned Your anger, nor of t hose who went ast ray), Allah says, ` This is for My servant , and My servant shall acquire what he asked for.').'' These are t he words of An-Nasa'i, while bot h Muslim and An-Nasa'i collect ed t he following wording, "A half of it is for Me and a half for My servant , and My servant shall acquire what he asked for.''

Explaining this Hadith

The last Hadit h used t he word Salah ` prayer' in reference t o recit ing t he Qur'an, (Al-Fat ihah in t his case) j ust as Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And offer your Salah (prayer) neit her aloud nor in a low voice, but follow a way bet ween.) meaning, wit h your recit at ion of t he Qur'an, as t he Sahih relat ed from Ibn ` Abbas. Also, in t he last Hadit h, Allah said, "I have divided t he prayer bet ween Myself and My servant int o t wo halves, a half for Me and a half for My servant . My servant shall have what he asked for.'' Allah next explained t he division t hat involves recit ing Al-Fat ihah, demonst rat ing t he import ance of recit ing t he Qur'an during t he prayer, which is one of t he prayer's great est pillars. Hence, t he word ` prayer' was used here alt hough only a part of it was act ually being referred t o, t hat is, recit ing t he Qur'an. Similarly, t he word ` recit e' was used where prayer is meant , as demonst rat ed by Allah's st at ement ,

(And recit e t he Qur'an in t he early dawn.Verily, t he recit at ion of t he Qur'an in t he early dawn is ever wit nessed.) in reference t o t he Faj r prayer. The Two Sahihs recorded t hat t he angels of t he night and t he day at t end t his prayer.

Reciting Al-Fatihah is required in Every Rak` ah of the Prayer

All of t hese fact s t est ify t o t he requirement t hat recit ing t he Qur'an (Al-Fat ihah) in t he prayer is required, and t here is a consensus bet ween t he scholars on t his ruling. The Hadit h t hat we ment ioned also t est ifies t o t his fact , for t he Prophet said,


(Whoever performs any prayer in which he did not recit e Umm Al-Qur'an, his prayer is incomplet e.) Also, t he Two Sahihs recorded t hat ` Ubadah bin As-Samit said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(There is no prayer for whoever does not recit e t he Opening of t he Book.) Also, t he Sahihs of Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Hibban recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The prayer during which Umm Al-Qur'an is not recit ed is invalid.) There are many ot her Hadit hs on t his subj ect . Therefore, recit ing t he Opening of t he Book, during t he prayer by t he Imam and t hose praying behind him, is required in every prayer, and in every Rak` ah.

The Tafsir of Isti` adhah (seeking Refuge)

Allah said,

(Show forgiveness, enj oin what is good, and st ay away from t he foolish (i.e. don't punish t hem). And if an evil whisper comes t o you from Shayt an (Sat an), t hen seek refuge wit h Allah. Verily, He is Hearing, Knowing) (7:199-200),

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(Repel evil wit h t hat which is bet t er. We are Best -Acquaint ed wit h t hings t hey ut t er. And say: "My Lord! I seek refuge wit h You from t he whisperings (suggest ions) of t he Shayat in (devils). And I seek refuge wit h You, My Lord! lest t hey should come near me.'') (23:96-98) and,

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(Repel (an evil) wit h one which is bet t er, t hen verily he wit h whom t here was enmit y bet ween you, (will become) as t hough he was a close friend. But none is grant ed it except t hose who are pat ient and none is grant ed it except t he owner of t he great port ion (of happiness in t he Hereaft er, i.e. Paradise and of a high moral charact er) in t his world. And if an evil whisper from Shayt an t ries t o t urn you away (O Muhammad ) (from doing good), t hen seek refuge in Allah. Verily, He is t he Hearing, t he Knowing.) (41:34-36) These are t he only t hree Ayat t hat carry t his meaning. Allah commanded t hat we be lenient human enemy, so t hat his soft nat ure might make him an ally and a support er. He also commanded t hat we seek refuge from t he sat anic enemy, because t he devil does not relent in his enmit y if we t reat him wit h kindness and leniency. The devil only seeks t he dest ruct ion of t he Son of Adam due t o t he vicious enmit y and hat red he has always had t owards man's fat her, Adam. Allah said,

(O Children of Adam! Let not Shayt an deceive you, as he got your parent s Adam and Hawwa' (Eve) out of Paradise) (7:27),


(Surely, Shayt an is an enemy t o you, so t ake (t reat ) him as an enemy. He only invit es his Hizb (followers) t hat t hey may become t he dwellers of t he blazing Fire) (35:6) and,

(Will you t hen t ake him (Iblis) and his offspring as prot ect ors and helpers rat her t han Me while t hey are enemies t o you What an evil is t he exchange for t he Zalimun (polyt heist s, and wrongdoers, et c)) (18:50). The devil assured Adam t hat he want ed t o advise him, but he was lying. Hence, how would he t reat us aft er he had vowed,

("By Your might , t hen I will surely, mislead t hem all. Except Your chosen servant s among t hem (i.e. fait hful, obedient , t rue believers of Islamic Monot heism).'') (38:82-83) Also, Allah said,

(So when you want t o recit e t he Qur'an, seek refuge wit h Allah from Shayt an, t he out cast (t he cursed one). Verily, he has no power over t hose who believe and put t heir t rust only in t heir Lord (Allah). His power is only over t hose who obey and follow him (Sat an), and t hose who j oin part ners wit h Him.) (16:98-100).

Seeking Refuge before reciting the Qur'an

Allah said,

(So when you want t o recit e t he Qur'an, seek refuge wit h Allah from Shayt an, t he out cast (t he cursed one).) meaning, before you recit e t he Qur'an. Similarly, Allah said,

(When you int end t o offer As-Salah (t he prayer), wash your faces and your hands (forearms)) (5:6) meaning, before you st and in prayer, as evident by t he Hadit hs t hat we ment ioned. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Sa` id Al-Khudri said, "When t he Messenger of Allah would st and up in prayer at night , he would st art his prayer wit h t he Takbir (saying "Allahu Akbar''; Allah is Great er) and would t hen supplicat e,

(All praise is due t o You, O Allah, and also t he t hanks. Blessed be Your Name, Exalt ed be Your sovereignt y, and t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except You.) He would t hen say t hrice,

(There is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah,).

He would t hen say,

(I seek refuge wit h Allah, t he Hearing, t he Knowing, from t he cursed Sat an, from his coercion, lures t o arrogance and poems.).'' The four collect ors of t he Sunan recorded t his Hadit h, which At -Tirmidhi considered t he most famous Hadit h on t his subj ect . Abu Dawud and Ibn Maj ah recorded t hat Jubayr bin Mut ` im said t hat his fat her said, "When t he Messenger of Allah st art ed t he prayer, he said,

(Allah is t he Great er, t ruly t he Great est (t hrice); all praise is due t o Allah always (t hrice); and all praise is due t o Allah day and night (t hrice). O Allah! I seek refuge wit h You from t he cursed Sat an, from his Hamz, Nafkh and Naft h.).'' ` Amr said, "The Hamz means asphyxiat ion, t he Nafkh means arrogance, and t he Naft h means poet ry.'' Also, Ibn Maj ah recorded t hat ` Ali bin Al-Mundhir said t hat Ibn Fudayl narrat ed t hat ` At a' bin As-Sa'ib said t hat Abu ` Abdur-Rahman As-Sulami said t hat Ibn Mas` ud said t hat t he Prophet said,

(O Allah! I seek refuge wit h You from t he cursed devil, from his Hamz, Nafkh and Naft h.) He said, "The Hamz means deat h, t he Nafkh means arrogance, and t he Naft h means poet ry.''

Seeking Refuge with Allah when One is Angry

In his Musnad, Al-Hafiz Abu Ya` la Ahmad bin ` Ali bin Al-Mut hanna Al-Mawsili report ed t hat Ubayy bin Ka` b said, "Two men disput ed wit h each ot her in t he presence of t he Messenger of Allah and t he nose of one of t hem became swollen because of ext reme anger. The Messenger of Allah said,

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(I know of some words t hat if he said t hem, what he feels will go away, 'I seek refuge wit h Allah from t he cursed Sat an.')'' An-Nasa'i also recorded t his Hadit h in his book, Al-Yawm wal-Laylah. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Sulayman bin Surad said, "Two men disput ed in t he presence of t he Prophet while we were sit t ing wit h him. One of t hem was cursing t he ot her fellow and his face t urned red due t o anger. The Prophet said,

:
(I know of a st at ement which if he said it , will make what he feels disappear, ` I seek refuge wit h Allah from t he cursed Sat an.') They said t o t he man, ` Do you not hear what t he Messenger of Allah is saying' He said, ` I am not insane.''' Also, Muslim, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i recorded t his Hadit h. There are many ot her Hadit hs about seeking refuge wit h Allah. One can find t his subj ect in t he books on supplicat ion and t he virt ues of right eous, good deeds

Is the Isti` adhah (seeking Refuge) required

The maj orit y of t he scholars st at e t hat recit ing t he Ist i` adhah (in t he prayer and when recit ing t he Qur'an) is recommended and not required, and t herefore, not recit ing it does not const it ut e a sin. However, Ar-Razi recorded t hat ` At a' bin Abi Rabah said t hat t he Ist i` adhah is required in t he prayer and when one reads t he Qur'an. In support of ` At a's st at ement , Ar-Razi relied upon t he apparent meaning of t he Ayah,

(Then seek refuge.) He said t hat t he Ayah cont ains a command t hat requires implement at ion. Also, t he Prophet always said t he Ist i` adhah. In addit ion, t he Ist i` adhah wards off t he evil of Sat an, which is neccessary, t he rule is t hat t he means needed t o implement a requirement of t he religion is it self also required. And when one says, "I seek refuge wit h Allah from t he cursed devil.'' Then t his will suffice.

Virtues of the Isti` adhah

The Ist i` adhah cleanses t he mout h from t he foul speech t hat it has indulged in. It also purifies t he mout h and prepares it t o recit e t he speech of Allah. Furt her, t he Ist i` adhah ent ails seeking Allah's help and acknowledging His abilit y t o do everyt hing. The Ist i` adhah also affirms t he servant 's meekness, weakness and inabilit y t o face t he enemy of his inner evil, whom Allah alone, Who creat ed t his enemy, is able t o repel and defeat . This enemy does not accept kindness, unlike t he human enemy. There are t hree Ayat in t he Qur'an t hat affirm t his fact . Also, Allah said,

(Verily, My servant s (i.e. t he t rue believers of Islamic Monot heism) t hem. And sufficient is your Lord as a Guardian.) (17:65). you have no aut horit y over We should st at e here t hat t he believers, whom t he human enemies kill, become mart yrs, while t hose who fall vict im t o t he inner enemy - Sat an - become bandit s. Furt her, t he believers who are defeat ed by t he apparent enemy - disbelievers - gain a reward, while t hose defeat ed by t he inner enemy earn a sin and become misguided. Since Sat an sees man where man cannot see him, it is befit t ing t hat t he believers seek refuge from Sat an wit h Whom Sat an cannot see. The Ist i` adhah is a form of drawing closer t o Allah and seeking refuge wit h Him from t he evil of every evil creat ure.

What does Isti` adhah mean

Ist i` adhah means, "I seek refuge wit h Allah from t he cursed Sat an so t hat he is prevent ed from affect ing my religious or worldly affairs, or hindering me from adhering t o what I was commanded, or luring me int o what I was prohibit ed from.'' Indeed, only Allah is able t o prevent t he evil of Sat an from t ouching t he son of Adam. This is why Allah allowed us t o be lenient and kind wit h t he human devil, so t hat his soft nat ure might cause him t o refrain from t he evil he is indulging in. However, Allah required us t o seek refuge wit h Him from t he evil of Sat an, because he neit her accept s bribes nor does kindness affect him, for he is pure evil. Thus, only He Who creat ed Sat an is able t o st op his evil. This meaning is reit erat ed in only t hree Ayat in t he Qur'an. Allah said in Surat Al-A` raf,

(Show forgiveness, enj oin what is good, and t urn away from t he foolish (i.e. don't punish t hem).) (7:199) This is about dealing wit h human beings. He t hen said in t he same Surah,


(And if an evil whisper comes t o you from Shayt an, t hen seek refuge wit h Allah. Verily, He is Hearing, Knowing (7: 200).) Allah also said in Surat Al-Mu'minun,

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(Repel evil wit h t hat which is bet t er. We are Best -Acquaint ed wit h t he t hings t hey ut t er. And say: "My Lord! I seek refuge wit h You from t he whisperings (suggest ions) of t he Shayat in (devils). And I seek refuge wit h You, My Lord! lest t hey should come near me.'' (23:96-98).) Furt her, Allah said in Surat As-Saj dah,

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(The good deed and t he evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (t he evil) wit h one which is bet t er, t hen verily he, bet ween whom and you t here was enmit y, (will become) as t hough he was a close friend. But none is grant ed it (t he above qualit y) except t hose who are pat ient and none is grant ed it except t he owner of t he great port ion (of happiness in t he Hereaft er, i.e. Paradise and of a high moral charact er) in t his world. And if an evil whisper from Shayt an t ries t o t urn you away (from doing good), t hen seek refuge in Allah. Verily, He is t he Hearing, t he Knowing) (41:34-36).

Why the Devil is called Shaytan

In t he Arabic language, Shayt an is derived from Shat ana, which means t he far t hing. Hence, t he Shayt an has a different nat ure t han mankind, and his sinful ways are far away from every t ype of right eousness. It was also said t hat Shayt an is derived from Shat a, (lit erally ` burned'), because it was creat ed from fire. Some scholars said t hat bot h meanings are correct , alt hough t hey st at e t hat t he first meaning is more plausible. Furt her, Siybawayh (t he renowned Arab linguist ic) said, "The Arabs say, ` So-and-so has Tashayt an,' when he commit s t he act of t he devils. If Shayt an was derived from Shat a, t hey would have said, Tashayyat a (rat her t han Tashayt an).'' Hence, Shayt an is derived from t he word t hat means, far away. This is why t hey call t hose who are rebellious (or mischievous) from among t he Jinns and mankind a ` Shayt an'. Allah said,

(And so We have appoint ed for every Prophet enemies Shayat in (devils) among mankind and Jinn, inspiring one anot her wit h adorned speech as a delusion (or by way of decept ion)) (6:112). In addit ion, t he Musnad by Imam Ahmad records t hat Abu Dharr said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(O Abu Dharr! Seek refuge wit h Allah from t he devils of mankind and t he Jinns.) Abu Dharr said, "I asked him , ` Are t here human devils' He said, (Yes.)'' Furt hermore, it is recorded in Sahih Muslim t hat Abu Dharr said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The woman, t he donkey and t he black dog int errupt t he prayer (if t hey pass in front of t hose who do not pray behind a Sut rah, i.e. a barrier).) Abu Dharr said, "I said, ` What is t he difference bet ween t he black dog and t he red or yellow dog' He said,

(The black dog is a devil.).'' Also, Ibn Jarir At -Tabari recorded t hat ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab once rode a Bert hawn (huge camel) which st art ed t o proceed arrogant ly. ` Umar kept st riking t he animal, but t he animal kept walking in an arrogant manner. ` Umar dismount ed t he animal and said, "By Allah! You

have carried me on a Shayt an. I did not come down from it unt il aft er I had felt somet hing st range in my heart .'' This Hadit h has an aut hent ic chain of narrat ors.

The Meaning of Ar-Rajim

Ar-Raj im means, being expelled from all t ypes of right eousness. Allah said,

(And indeed We have adorned t he nearest heaven wit h lamps, and We have made such lamps Ruj uman (as missiles) t o drive away t he Shayat in (devils)) (67:5). Allah also said,

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(Verily, We have adorned t he near heaven wit h t he st ars (for beaut y). And t o guard against every rebellious devil. They cannot list en t o t he higher group (angels) for t hey are pelt ed from every side. Out cast , and t heirs is a const ant (or painful) t orment . Except such as snat ch away somet hing by st ealing, and t hey are pursued by a flaming fire of piercing bright ness) (37:6-10). Furt her, Allah said,

(And indeed, We have put t he big st ars in t he heaven and We beaut ified it for t he beholders. And We have guarded it (near heaven) from every Shayt an Raj im (out cast Shayt an). Except him (devil) who st eals t he hearing t hen he is pursued by a clear flaming fire.) (15:16-18). There are several similar Ayat . It was also said t hat Raj im means, t he person who t hrows or bombards t hings, because t he devil t hrows doubt s and evil t hought s in people's heart s. The first meaning is more popular and accurat e.

Bismillah is the First Ayah of Al-Fatihah

The Companions st art ed t he Book of Allah wit h Bismillah:

(1. In t he Name of Allah, t he Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful.) The scholars also agree t hat Bismillah is a part of an Ayah in Surat An-Naml (chapt er 27). They disagree over whet her it is a separat e Ayah before every Surah, or if it is an Ayah, or a part of an Ayah, included in every Surah where t he Bismillah appears in it s beginning. Ad-Daraqut ni also recorded a Hadit h from Abu Hurayrah from t he Prophet t hat support s t his Hadit h by Ibn Khuzaymah. Also, similar st at ement s were at t ribut ed t o ` Ali, Ibn ` Abbas and ot hers. The opinion t hat Bismillah is an Ayah of every Surah, except Al-Bara'ah (chapt er 9), was at t ribut ed t o (t he Companions) Ibn ` Abbas, Ibn ` Umar, Ibn Az-Zubayr, Abu Hurayrah and ` Ali. This opinion was also at t ribut ed t o t he Tabi` in: ` At a', Tawus, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Makhul and AzZuhri. This is also t he view of ` Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak, Ash-Shafi` i, Ahmad bin Hanbal, (in one report from him) Ishaq bin Rahwayh and Abu ` Ubayd Al-Qasim bin Salam. On t he ot her hand, Malik, Abu Hanifah and t heir followers said t hat Bismillah is not an Ayah in Al-Fat ihah or any ot her Surah. Dawud said t hat it is a separat e Ayah in t he beginning of every Surah, not part of t he Surah it self, and t his opinion was also at t ribut ed t o Ahmad bin Hanbal.

Basmalah aloud in the Prayer

As for Basmalah aloud during t he prayer, t hose who did not agree t hat it is a part of Al-Fat ihah, st at e t hat t he Basmalah should not be aloud. The scholars who st at ed t hat Bismillah is a part of every Surah (except chapt er 9) had different opinions; some of t hem, such as Ash-Shafi` i, said t hat one should recit e Bismillah wit h Al-Fat ihah aloud. This is also t he opinion of many among t he Companions, t he Tabi` in and t he Imams of Muslims from t he Salaf and t he lat er generat ions. For inst ance, t his is t he opinion of Abu Hurayrah, Ibn ` Umar, Ibn ` Abbas, Mu` awiyah, ` Umar and ` Ali - according t o Ibn ` Abdul-Barr and Al-Bayhaqi. Also, t he Four Khalifahs - as Al-Khat ib report ed - were said t o have held t his view alt hough t he report from t hem is cont radict ed. The Tabi` in scholars who gave t his Tafsir include Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` Ikrimah, Abu Qilabah, Az-Zuhri, ` Ali bin Al-Hasan, his son Muhammad, Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib, ` At a', Tawus, Muj ahid, Salim, Muhammad bin Ka` b Al-Qurazi, Abu Bakr bin Muhammad bin ` Amr bin Hazm, Abu Wa'il, Ibn Sirin, Muhammad bin Al-Munkadir, ` Ali bin ` Abdullah bin ` Abbas, his son Muhammad, Nafi` t he freed slave of Ibn ` Umar, Zayd bin Aslam, ` Umar bin ` Abdul-Aziz, Al-Azraq bin Qays, Habib bin Abi Thabit , Abu Ash-Sha` t ha', Makhul and ` Abdullah bin Ma` qil bin Muqarrin. Also, Al-Bayhaqi added ` Abdullah bin Safwan, and Muhammad bin AlHanafiyyah t o t his list . In addit ion, Ibn ` Abdul-Barr added ` Amr bin Dinar.

The proof t hat t hese scholars relied on is t hat , since Bismillah is a part of Al-Fat ihah, it should be recit ed aloud like t he rest of Al-Fat ihah. Also, An-Nasa'i recorded in his Sunan, Ibn Hibban and Ibn Khuzaymah in t heir Sahihs and Al-Hakim in t he Must adrak, t hat Abu Hurayrah once performed t he prayer and recit ed Bismillah aloud. Aft er he finished t he prayer, he said, "Among you, I perform t he prayer t hat is t he closest t o t he prayer of t he Messenger of Allah .'' Ad-Daraqut ni, Al-Khat ib and Al-Bayhaqi graded t his Hadit h Sahih Furt hermore, in Sahih AlBukhari it is recorded t hat Anas bin Malik was asked about t he recit at ion of t he Prophet . He said, "His recit at ion was unhurried.'' He t hen demonst rat ed t hat and recit ed, while lengt hening t he recit at ion of Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim, Also, in t he Musnad of Imam Ahmad, t he Sunan of Abu Dawud, t he Sahih of Ibn Hibban and t he Must adrak of Al-Hakim - it is recorded t hat Umm Salamah said, "The Messenger of Allah used t o dist inguish each Ayah during his recit at ion,

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(In t he Name of Allah, t he Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful. All praise and t hanks be t o Allah, t he Lord of all t hat exist s, t he Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful. The Owner of t he Day of Recompense.)'' Ad-Daraqut ni graded t he chain of narrat ion for t his Hadit h Sahih Furt hermore, Imam Abu ` Abdullah Ash-Shafi` i and Al-Hakim in his Must adrak, recorded t hat Mu` awiyah led t he prayer in Al-Madinah and did not recit e t he Bismillah. The Muhaj irin who were present at t hat prayer crit icized t hat . When Mu` awiyah led t he following prayer, he recit ed t he Bismillah aloud. The Hadit hs ment ioned above provide sufficient proof for t he opinion t hat t he Bismillah is recit ed aloud. As for t he opposing evidences and t he scient ific analysis of t he narrat ions ment ioned t heir weaknesses or ot herwise it is not our desire t o discuss t his subj ect at t his t ime. Ot her scholars st at ed t hat t he Bismillah should not be recit ed aloud in t he prayer, and t his is t he est ablished pract ice of t he Four Khalifahs, as well as ` Abdullah bin Mughaffal and several scholars among t he Tabi` in and lat er generat ions. It is also t he Madhhab (view) of Abu Hanifah, At h-Thawri and Ahmad bin Hanbal. Imam Malik st at ed t hat t he Bismillah is not recit ed aloud or silent ly. This group based t heir view upon what Imam Muslim recorded t hat ` A'ishah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah used t o st art t he prayer by recit ing t he Takbir (Allahu Akbar; Allah is Great er) and t hen recit e,

(All praise and t hanks be t o Allah, t he Lord of all t hat exist s.) (Ibn Abi Hat im 1:12). Also, t he Two Sahihs recorded t hat Anas bin Malik said, "I prayed behind t he Prophet , Abu Bakr, ` Umar and ` Ut hman and t hey used t o st art t heir prayer wit h,


(All praise and t hanks be t o Allah, t he Lord of all t hat exist s.) Muslim added, "And t hey did not ment ion,

(In t he Name of Allah, t he Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful) whet her in t he beginning or t he end of t he recit at ion.'' Similar is recorded in t he Sunan books from ` Abdullah bin Mughaffal, may Allah be pleased wit h him. These are t he opinions held by t he respect ed Imams, and t heir st at ement s are similar in t hat t hey agree t hat t he prayer of t hose who recit e Al-Fat ihah aloud or in secret is correct . All t he favor is from Allah.

The Virtue of Al-Fatihah

Imam Ahmad recorded in his Musnad, t hat a person who was riding behind t he Prophet said, "The Prophet 's animal t ripped, so I said, ` Cursed Shayt an.' The Prophet said,

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(Do not say, 'Cursed Shayt an,' for if you say t hese words, Sat an becomes arrogant and says, 'Wit h my st rengt h I made him fall.' When you say, 'Bismillah,' Sat an will become as small as a fly.) Furt her, An-Nasa'i recorded in his book Al-Yawm wal-Laylah, and also Ibn Marduwyah in his Tafsir t hat Usamah bin ` Umayr said, "I was riding behind t he Prophet ...'' and he ment ioned t he rest of t he above Hadit h. The Prophet said in t his narrat ion,

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(Do not say t hese words, because t hen Sat an becomes larger; as large as a house. Rat her, say, 'Bismillah,' because Sat an t hen becomes as small as a fly.) This is t he blessing of recit ing Bismillah.

Basmalah is recommended before performing any Deed

Basmalah (recit ing Bismillah) is recommended before st art ing any act ion or deed. For inst ance, Basmalah is recommended before st art ing a Khut bah (speech). The Basmalah is also recommended before one ent ers t he place where he want s t o relieve himself, t here is a Hadit h concerning t his pract ice. Furt her, Basmalah is recommended at t he beginning of ablut ion, for Imam Ahmad and t he Sunan compilers recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah, Sa` id bin Zayd and Abu Sa` id narrat ed from t he Prophet ,

(There is no valid ablut ion for he who did not ment ion Allah's Name in it .) This Hadit h is Hasan (good). Also, t he Basmalah is recommended before eat ing, for Muslim recorded in his Sahih t hat t he Messenger of Allah said t o ` Umar bin Abi Salamah while he was a child under his care,

(Say Bismillah, eat wit h your right hand and eat from what ever is next t o you.) Some of t he scholars st at ed t hat Basmalah before eat ing is obligat ory. Basmalah before having sexual int ercourse is also recommended. The Two Sahihs recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(If anyone of you before having sexual relat ions wit h his wife says, 'In t he Name of Allah. O Allah! Prot ect us from Sat an and also prot ect what you grant us (meaning t he coming offspring) from Sat an,' and if it is dest ined t hat t hey should have a child t hen, Sat an will never be able t o harm t hat child.)

The Meaning of "Allah

Allah is t he Name of t he Lord, t he Exalt ed. It is said t hat Allah is t he Great est Name of Allah, because it is referred t o when describing Allah by t he various at t ribut es. For inst ance, Allah said,

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(He is Allah, beside Whom La ilaha illa Huwa (none has t he right t o be worshipped but He) t he Knower of t he unseen and t he seen. He is t he Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful. He is Allah, beside Whom La ilaha illa Huwa, t he King, t he Holy, t he One free from all defect s, t he Giver of securit y, t he Wat cher over His creat ures, t he Almight y, t he Compeller, t he Supreme. Glory be t o Allah! (High is He) above all t hat t hey associat e as part ners wit h Him. He is Allah, t he Creat or, t he Invent or of all t hings, t he Best ower of forms. To Him belong t he Best Names. All t hat is in t he heavens and t he eart h glorify Him. And He is t he Almight y, t he Wise) (59:22-24). Hence, Allah ment ioned several of His Names as At t ribut es for His Name Allah. Similarly, Allah said,


(And (all) t he Most Beaut iful Names belong t o Allah, so call on Him by t hem) (7:180), and,

(Say (O Muhammad :) "Invoke Allah or invoke t he Most Gracious (Allah), by what ever name you invoke Him (it is t he same), for t o Him belong t he Best Names.'') (17:110) Also, t he Two Sahihs recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Allah has ninet y-nine Names, one hundred minus one, whoever count s (and preserves) t hem, will ent er Paradise.) These Names were ment ioned in a Hadit h recorded by At -Tirmidhi and Ibn Maj ah, and t here are several differences bet ween t hese t wo narrat ions.

The Meaning of Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim - the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim are t wo names derived from Ar-Rahmah (t he mercy), but Rahman has more meanings t hat pert ain t o mercy t han Ar-Rahim. There is a st at ement by Ibn Jarir t hat indicat es t hat t here is a consensus on t his meaning. Furt her, Al-Qurt ubi said, "The proof t hat t hese names are derived (from Ar-Rahmah), is what At -Tirmidhi recorded - and graded Sahih from ` Abdur-Rahman bin ` Awf t hat he heard t he Messenger of Allah say,

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(Allah t he Exalt ed said, 'I Am Ar-Rahman. I creat ed t he Raham (womb, i.e. family relat ions) and derived a name for it from My Name. Hence, whoever keeps it , I will keep t ies t o him, and whoever severs it , I will sever t ies wit h him.') He t hen said, "This is a t ext t hat indicat es t he

derivat ion.'' He t hen said, "The Arabs denied t he name Ar-Rahman, because of t heir ignorance about Allah and His at t ribut es.'' Al-Qurt ubi said, "It was said t hat bot h Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim have t he same meaning, such as t he words Nadman and Nadim, as Abu ` Ubayd has st at ed. Abu ` Ali Al-Farisi said, ` ArRahman, which is exclusively for Allah, is a name t hat encompasses every t ype of mercy t hat Allah has. Ar-Rahim is what effect s t he believers, for Allah said,

(And He is ever Rahim (merciful) t o t he believers.)' (33:43) Also, Ibn ` Abbas said - about ArRahman and Ar-Rahim, ` They are t wo soft names, one of t hem is soft er t han t he ot her (meaning it carries more implicat ions of mercy).''' Ibn Jarir said; As-Surri bin Yahya At -Tamimi narrat ed t o me t hat ` Ut hman bin Zufar relat ed t hat Al-` Azrami said about Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim, "He is Ar-Rahman wit h all creat ion and ArRahim wit h t he believers.'' Hence. Allah's st at ement s,

(Then He rose over (Ist awa) t he Throne (in a manner t hat suit s His maj est y), Ar-Rahman) (25:59),) and,

(Ar-Rahman (Allah) rose over (Ist awa) t he (Might y) Throne (in a manner t hat suit s His maj est y).) (20:5) Allah t hus ment ioned t he Ist awa - rising over t he Throne - along wit h His Name Ar-Rahman, t o indicat e t hat His mercy encompasses all of His creat ion. Allah also said,

(And He is ever Rahim (merciful) t o t he believers), t hus encompassing t he believers wit h His Name Ar-Rahim. They said, "This t est ifies t o t he fact t hat Ar-Rahman carries a broader scope of meanings pert aining t o t he mercy of Allah wit h His creat ion in bot h lives. Meanwhile, Ar-Rahim is exclusively for t he believers.'' Yet , we should ment ion t hat t here is a supplicat ion t hat reads,

(The Rahman and t he Rahim of t his life and t he Hereaft er) Allah's Name Ar-Rahman is exclusively His. For inst ance, Allah said,


(Say (O Muhammad ): "Invoke Allah or invoke Ar-Rahman (Allah), by what ever name you invoke Him (it is t he same), for t o Him belong t he Best Names) (17:110),) and,

(And ask (O Muhammad ) t hose of Our Messengers whom We sent before you: "Did We ever appoint alihah (gods) t o be worshipped besides Ar-Rahman (Most Gracious, Allah)'') (43:45). Furt her, when Musaylimah t he Liar called himself t he Rahman of Yamamah, Allah made him known by t he name ` Liar' and exposed him. Hence, whenever Musaylimah is ment ioned, he is described as ` t he Liar'. He became an example for lying among t he resident s of t he cit ies and villages and t he resident s of t he desert s, t he bedouins. Therefore, Allah first ment ioned His Name - Allah - t hat is exclusively His and described t his Name by Ar-Rahman, which no one else is allowed t o use, j ust as Allah said,

(Say (O Muhammad ): "Invoke Allah or invoke Ar-Rahman (Allah), by what ever name you invoke Him (it is t he same), for t o Him belong t he Best Names.'') (17:110) Only Musaylimah and t hose who followed his misguided ways described Musaylimah by ArRahman. As for Allah's Name Ar-Rahim, Allah has described ot hers by it . For inst ance, Allah said,

(Verily, t here has come unt o you a Messenger (Muhammad ) from amongst yourselves (i.e. whom you know well). It grieves him t hat you should receive any inj ury or difficult y. He

(Muhammad ) is anxious over you (t o be right ly guided) for t he believers (he is) kind (full of pit y), and Rahim (merciful)) (9:128). Allah has also described some of His creat ion using some of His ot her Names. For inst ance, Allah said,

(Verily, We have creat ed man from Nut fah (drops) of mixed semen (sexual discharge of man and woman), in order t o t ry him, so We made him hearer (Sami` ) and seer (Basir) (76:2). In conclusion, t here are several of Allah's Names t hat are used as names for ot hers besides Allah. Furt her, some of Allah's Names are exclusive for Allah alone, such as Allah, Ar-Rahman, Al-Khaliq (t he Creat or), Ar-Raziq (t he Sust ainer), and so fort h. Hence, Allah st art ed t he Tasmiyah (meaning, ` In t he Name of Allah, Most Gracious Most Merciful') wit h His Name, Allah, and described Himself as Ar-Rahman, (Most Gracious) which is soft er and more general t han Ar-Rahim. The most honorable Names are ment ioned first , j ust as Allah did here. A Hadit h narrat ed by Umm Salamah st at ed t hat t he recit at ion of t he Messenger of Allah was slow and clear, let t er by let t er,

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(In t he Name of Allah, t he Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful. All t he praises and t hanks be t o Allah, t he Lord of all t hat exist s. The Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful. The Owner of t he Day of Recompense) (1:1-4). And t his is how a group of scholars recit e it . Ot hers connect ed t he recit at ion of t he Tasmiyah t o Al-Hamd.

(2. Al-Hamd be t o Allah, t he Lord of all t hat exist s.)

The Meaning of Al-Hamd

Abu Ja` far bin Jarir said, "The meaning of


(Al-Hamdu Lillah) (all praise and t hanks be t o Allah) is: all t hanks are due purely t o Allah, alone, not any of t he obj ect s t hat are being worshipped inst ead of Him, nor any of His creat ion. These t hanks are due t o Allah's innumerable favors and bount ies, t hat only He knows t he amount of. Allah's bount ies include creat ing t he t ools t hat help t he creat ion worship Him, t he physical bodies wit h which t hey are able t o implement His commands, t he sust enance t hat He provides t hem in t his life, and t he comfort able life He has grant ed t hem, wit hout anyt hing or anyone compelling Him t o do so. Allah also warned His creat ion and alert ed t hem about t he means and met hods wit h which t hey can earn et ernal dwelling in t he residence of everlast ing happiness. All t hanks and praise are due t o Allah for t hese favors from beginning t o end.'' Furt her, Ibn Jarir comment ed on t he Ayah,

(Al-Hamdu Lillah), t hat it means, "A praise t hat Allah praised Himself wit h, indicat ing t o His servant s t hat t hey t oo should praise Him, as if Allah had said, ` Say: All t hanks and praise is due t o Allah.' It was said t hat t he st at ement ,

(All praise and t hanks be t o Allah), ent ails praising Allah by ment ioning His most beaut iful Names and most honorable At t ribut es. When one proclaims, ` All t hanks are due t o Allah,' he will be t hanking Him for His favors and bount ies.''

The Difference between Praise and Thanks

Hamd is more general, in t hat it is a st at ement of praise for one's charact erist ics, or for what he has done. Thanks are given for what was done, not merely for charact erist ics.

The Statements of the Salaf about Al-Hamd

Hafs ment ioned t hat ` Umar said t o ` Ali, "We know La ilaha illallah, Subhan Allah and Allahu Akbar. What about Al-Hamdu Lillah'' ` Ali said, "A st at ement t hat Allah liked for Himself, was pleased wit h for Himself and He likes t hat it be repeat ed.'' Also, Ibn ` Abbas said, "Al-Hamdu Lillah is t he st at ement of appreciat ion. When t he servant says Al-Hamdu Lillah, Allah says, ` My servant has praised Me.'' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t his Hadit h

The Virtues of Al-Hamd

Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded t hat Al-Aswad bin Sari` said, "I said, ` O Messenger of Allah! Should I recit e t o you words of praise for My Lord, t he Exalt ed, t hat I have collect ed' He said,


(Verily, your Lord likes Al-Hamd.)'' An-Nasa'i also recorded t his Hadit h. Furt hermore, Abu ` Isa At -Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Maj ah recorded t hat Musa bin Ibrahim bin Kat hir relat ed t hat Talhah bin Khirash said t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The best Dhikr (remembering Allah) is La ilaha illallah and t he best supplicat ion is Al-Hamdu Lillah.) At -Tirmidhi said t hat t his Hadit h is Hasan Gharib. Also, Ibn Maj ah recorded t hat Anas bin Malik said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(No servant is blessed by Allah and says,` Al-Hamdu Lillah', except t hat what he was given is bet t er t han t hat which he has himself acquired.) Furt her, in his Sunan, Ibn Maj ah recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: . : : : :

. : .
(A servant of Allah once said, ` O Allah! Yours is t he Hamd t hat is suit able for t he grace of Your Face and t he great ness of Your Supreme Aut horit y.' The t wo angels were confused as t o how t o writ e t hese words. They ascended t o Allah and said, ` O our Lord! A servant has j ust ut t ered a st at ement and we are unsure how t o record it for him.' Allah said while having more knowledge in what His servant has said, 'What did My servant say' They said, ` He said, ` O Allah! Yours is t he Hamd t hat is suit able for t he grace of Your Face and t he great ness of Your Supreme Aut horit y.' Allah said t o t hem, ` Writ e it as My servant has said it , unt il he meet s Me and t hen I shall reward him for it .)

Al before Hamd encompasses all Types of Thanks and Appreciation for Allah
The let t ers Alif and Lam before t he word Hamd serve t o encompass all t ypes of t hanks and appreciat ion for Allah, t he Exalt ed. A Hadit h st at ed,

(O Allah! All of Al-Hamd is due t o You, You own all t he ownership, all t ypes of good are in Your Hand and all affairs belong t o You.)

The Meaning of Ar-Rabb, the Lord

Ar-Rabb is t he owner who has full aut horit y over his propert y. Ar-Rabb, linguist ically means, t he mast er or t he one who has t he aut horit y t o lead. All of t hese meanings are correct for Allah. When it is alone, t he word Rabb is used only for Allah. As for ot her t han Allah, it can be used t o say Rabb Ad-Dar, t he mast er of such and such obj ect . Furt her, it was report ed t hat ArRabb is Allah's Great est Name.

The Meaning of Al-` Alamin

Al-` Alamin is plural for ` Alam, which encompasses everyt hing in exist ence except Allah. The word ` Alam is it self a plural word, having no singular form. The ` Alamin are different creat ions t hat exist in t he heavens and t he eart h, on land and at sea. Every generat ion of creat ion is called an ` Alam. Al-Farra` and Abu ` Ubayd said, "` Alam includes all t hat has a mind, t he Jinns, mankind, t he angels and t he devils, but not t he animals.'' Also, Zayd bin Aslam and Abu Muhaysin said, ` Alam includes all t hat Allah has creat ed wit h a soul.'' Furt her, Qat adah said about ,


(The Lord of t he ` Alamin), "Every t ype of creat ion is an ` Alam.'' Az-Zaj j aj also said, "Alam encompasses everyt hing t hat Allah creat ed, in t his life and in t he Hereaft er.'' Al-Qurt ubi comment ed, "This is t he correct meaning, t hat t he ` Alam encompasses everyt hing t hat Allah creat ed in bot h worlds. Similarly, Allah said,

-
(Fir` awn (Pharaoh) said: "And what is t he Lord of t he ` Alamin'' Musa (Moses) said: "The Lord of t he heavens and t he eart h, and all t hat is bet ween t hem, if you seek t o be convinced wit h cert aint y'') (26:23-24).

Why is the Creation called ` Alam

` Alam is derived from ` Alamah, t hat is because it is a sign t est ifying t o t he exist ence of it s Creat or and t o His Oneness.''

(3. Ar-Rahman (t he Most Gracious), Ar-Rahim (t he Most Merciful)). Allah said next ,

(Ar-Rahman (t he Most Gracious), Ar-Rahim (t he Most Merciful)) We explained t hese Names in t he Basmalah. Al-Qurt ubi said, "Allah has described Himself by ` Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim' aft er saying ` t he Lord of t he Alamin', so His st at ement here includes a warning, and t hen an encouragement . Similarly, Allah said,

-
(Declare (O Muhammad ) unt o My servant s, t hat t ruly, I am t he Oft -Forgiving, t he Most Merciful. And t hat My t orment is indeed t he most painful t orment .) (15:49-50) Allah said,

(Surely, your Lord is swift in ret ribut ion, and cert ainly He is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (6:165) Hence, Rabb cont ains a warning while Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim encourages. Furt her, Muslim recorded in his Sahih t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(If t he believer knew what punishment Allah has, none would have hope in acquiring His Paradise, and if t he disbeliever knew what mercy Allah has, none will lose hope of earning His earning.)

(4. The Owner of t he Day of Recompense.)

Indicating Sovereignty on the Day of Judgment

Allah ment ioned His sovereignt y of t he Day of Resurrect ion, but t his does not negat e His sovereignt y over all ot her t hings. For Allah ment ioned t hat He is t he Lord of exist ence, including t his eart hly life and t he Hereaft er. Allah only ment ioned t he Day of Recompense here because on t hat Day, no one except Him will be able t o claim ownership of anyt hing what soever. On t hat Day, no one will be allowed t o speak wit hout His permission. Similarly, Allah said,

(The Day t hat Ar-Ruh (Jibril (Gabriel) or anot her angel) and t he angels will st and fort h in rows, t hey will not speak except him whom t he Most Gracious (Allah) allows, and he will speak what is right .) (78:38),

(And all voices will be humbled for t he Most Gracious (Allah), and not hing shall you hear but t he low voice of t heir foot st eps.)(20:108), and,

(On t he Day when it comes, no person shall speak except by His (Allah's) leave. Some among t hem will be wret ched and (ot hers) blessed) (11:105). Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "Allah says, ` On t hat Day, no one owns anyt hing t hat t hey used t o own in t he world.'''

The Meaning of Yawm Ad-Din

Ibn ` Abbas said, "Yawm Ad-Din is t he Day of Recompense for t he creat ures, meaning t he Day of Judgment . On t hat Day, Allah will reckon t he creat ion for t heir deeds, evil for evil, good for good, except for t hose whom He pardons.'' In addit ion, several ot her Companions, Tabi` in and scholars of t he Salaf, said similarly, for t his meaning is apparent and clear from t he Ayah.

Allah is Al-Malik (King or Owner)

Allah is t he True Owner (Malik) (of everyt hing and everyone). Allah said,

(He is Allah, beside Whom La ilaha illa Huwa, t he King, t he Holy, t he One free from all defect s) (59:23). Also, t he Two Sahihs recorded Abu Hurayrah saying t hat t he Prophet said,

(The most despicable name t o Allah is a person who calls himself t he king of kings, while t here are no owners except Allah.) Also t he Two Sahihs recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

 :
((On t he Day of Judgement ) Allah will grasp t he eart h and fold up t he heavens wit h His Right Hand and proclaim, 'I Am t he King! Where are t he kings of t he eart h Where are t he t yrant s Where are t he arrogant ') Also, in t he t he Glorious Qur'an;

(Whose is t he kingdom t his Day Allah's, t he One, t he Irresist ible.)(40:16). As for calling someone ot her t han Allah a king in t his life, 3-24). :23NNA r-Rahman (t he Most Gracious), Ar-Rahim (t he Most Merciful)) We explained t hese Names in t he Basmalah. Al-Qurt ubi said, "Allah has described Himself by ` Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim' aft er saying ` t he Lord of t he Alamin', so His st at ement here includes a warning, and t hen an encouragement . Similarly, Allah said, RNA ? Allah is Al-Malik (King or Owner) Allah is t he True Owner (Malik) (of everyt hing and everyone). Allah said,

(He is Allah, beside Whom La ilaha illa Huwa, t he King, t he Holy, t he One free from all defect s) (59:23). Also, t he Two Sahihs recorded Abu Hurayrah saying t hat t he Prophet said,

(The most despicable name t o Allah is a person who calls himself t he king of kings, while t here are no owners except Allah.)

Also t he Two Sahihs recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
((On t he Day of Judgement ) Allah will grasp t he eart h and fold up t he heavens wit h His Right Hand and proclaim, 'I Am t he King! Where are t he kings of t he eart h Where are t he t yrant s Where are t he arrogant ') Also, in t he t he Glorious Qur'an;

(Whose is t he kingdom t his Day Allah's, t he One, t he Irresist ible.)(40:16). As for calling someone ot her t han Allah a king in t his life, t hen it is done as a figure of speech. For inst ance, Allah said,

(Indeed Allah appoint ed Talut (Saul) as a king over you.) (2:247),

(As t here was a king behind t hem)(18:79), and,

When He made Prophet s among you, and made you kings )5:20(. Also, t he Two Sahihs recorded,

(Just like kings reclining on t heir t hrones)

The Meaning of Ad-Din

Ad-Din means t he reckoning, t he reward or punishment . Similarly, Allah said,

(On t hat Day Allah will pay t hem t he (Dinahum) recompense (of t heir deeds) in full) (24:25), and,

(Shall we indeed (be raised up) t o receive reward or punishment (according t o our deeds)) (37:53). A Hadit h st at ed,

(The wise person is he who reckons himself and works for (his life) aft er deat h.) meaning, he holds himself account able. Also, ` Umar said, "Hold yourself account able before you are held account able, weigh yourselves before you are weighed, and be prepared for t he biggest gat hering before He Whose knowledge encompasses your deeds,

(That Day shall you be brought t o Judgement , not a secret of yours will be hidden) (69:18).''

(5. You we worship, and You we ask for help.) (1:5)

The Linguistic and Religious Meaning of ` Ibadah

Linguist ically, ` Ibadah means subdued. For inst ance, a road is described as Mu` abbadah, meaning, ` paved'. In religious t erminology, ` Ibadah implies t he ut most love, humilit y and fear.

The Merit of stating the Object of the Action before the Doer of the Act, and the Merit of these Negations

You...'', means, we worship You alone and none else, and rely on You alone and none else. This is t he perfect form of obedience and t he ent ire religion is implied by t hese t wo ideas. Some of t he Salaf said, Al-Fat ihah is t he secret of t he Qur'an, while t hese words are t he secret of AlFat ihah,

(5. You we worship, and You we ask for help from.) The first part is a declarat ion of innocence from Shirk (polyt heism), while t he second negat es having any power or st rengt h, displaying t he recognit ion t hat all affairs are cont rolled by Allah alone. This meaning is reit erat ed in various inst ances in t he Qur'an. For inst ance, Allah said,

(So worship Him (O Muhammad ) and put your t rust in Him. And your Lord is not unaware of what you (people) do.) (11:123),

(Say: "He is t he Most Gracious (Allah), in Him we believe, and in Him we put our t rust .'') (67:29),

((He alone is) t he Lord of t he east and t he west ; La ilaha illa Huwa (none has t he right t o be worshipped but He). So t ake Him alone as Wakil (Disposer of your affairs)), (73:9), and,

(You we worship, and You we ask for help from). We should ment ion t hat in t his Ayah, t he t ype of speech here changes from t he t hird person t o direct speech by using t he Kaf in t he st at ement Iyyaka (You). This is because aft er t he servant praised and t hanked Allah, he st ands before Him, addressing Him direct ly;


(You we worship, and You we ask for help from). So t ake Him alone as Wakil (Disposer of your affairs)), (73:9), and,

(You we worship, and You we ask for help from). We should ment ion t hat in t his Ayah, t he t ype of speech here changes from t he t hird person t o direct speech by using t he Kaf in t he st at ement Iyyaka (You). This is because aft er t he servant praised and t hanked Allah, he st ands before Him, addressing Him direct ly;

(You we worship, and You we ask for help from).

Al-Fatihah indicates the Necessity of praising Allah. It is required in every Prayer The beginning of Surat Al-Fat ihah cont ains Allah's praise for Himself by His
most beaut iful At t ribut es and indicat es t o His servant s t hat , t hey t oo, should praise Him in t he same manner. Hence, t he prayer is not valid unless one recit es Al-Fat ihah, if he is able. The Two Sahihs recorded t hat ` Ubadah bin As-Samit said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(There is no valid prayer for whoever does not recit e Al-Fat ihah of t he Book.) Also, it is recorded in Sahih Muslim t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: :

 : : : : : : :

(Allah said, ` I divided t he prayer int o t wo halves bet ween Myself and My servant , one half is for Me and one half for My servant . My servant shall have what he asks for.' When t he servant says,

(All praise and t hanks be t o Allah, t he Lord of all t hat exist s.), Allah says, ` My servant has praised Me.' When t he servant says,

(The Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful), Allah says, ` My servant has praised Me.' When t he servant says,

(The Owner of t he Day of Recompense), Allah says, ` My servant has glorified Me.' If t he servant says,

(You we worship, and You we ask for help), Allah says, ` This is bet ween Me and My servant , and My servant shall have what he asked.' If t he servant says,

-
(Guide us t o t he st raight pat h. The pat h of t hose on whom You have best owed Your grace, not (t hat ) of t hose who have earned Your anger, nor of t hose who went ast ray), Allah says, ` This is for My servant , and My servant shall have what he asked.')

Tawhid Al-Uluhiyyah
Ad-Dahhak narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said,

(You we worship) means, "It is You whom we single out , Whom we fear and Whom we hope in, You alone, our Lord,

Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah

(And You we ask for help from), t o obey you and in all of our affairs.'' Furt her, Qat adah said t hat t he Ayah,

(You we worship, and You we ask for help from) "Cont ains Allah's command t o us t o perform sincere worship for Him and t o seek His aid concerning all of our affairs.'' Allah ment ioned,

(You we worship) before,

(And You we ask for help from), because t he obj ect ive here is t he worship, while Allah's help is t he t ool t o implement t his obj ect ive. Cert ainly, one first t akes care of t he most import ant aspect s and t hen what is less import ant , and Allah knows best .

Allah called His Prophet

an ` Abd
Allah called His Messenger an ` Abd (servant ) when He ment ioned sending down His Book, t he Prophet 's involvement in invit ing t o Him, and when ment ioning t he Isra' (overnight j ourney from Makkah t o Jerusalem and t hen t o heaven), and t hese are t he Prophet 's most honorable missions. Allah said,

(All praise and t hanks be t o Allah, Who has sent down t o His servant (Muhammad ) t he Book (t he Qur'an)) (18:1),


(And when t he servant of Allah (Muhammad ) st ood up invoking Him (his Lord prayer)), (72:19) and, Allah in

(Glorified (and Exalt ed) be He (Allah) (above all t hat t hey associat e wit h Him) Who t ook His servant (Muhammad ) for a j ourney by night ) (17:1).

Encouraging the Performance of the Acts of Worship during Times of Distress

Allah also recommended t hat His Prophet resort t o act s of worship during t imes when he felt dist ressed because of t he disbelievers who defied and denied him. Allah said,

- -
(Indeed, We know t hat your breast is st rait ened at what t hey say. So glorify t he praises of your Lord and be of t hose who prost rat e t hemselves (t o Him). And worship your Lord unt il t here comes unt o you t he cert aint y (i.e. deat h)) (15:97-99).

Why Praise was mentioned First

Since t he praise of Allah, Who is being sought for help, was ment ioned, it was appropriat e t hat one follows t he praise by asking for his need. We st at ed t hat Allah said,

(One half for Myself and one half for My servant , and My servant shall have what he asked.) This is t he best met hod for seeking help, by first praising t he one whom help is sought from and t hen asking for His aid, and help for one's self, and for his Muslim bret hren by saying.


(Guide us t o t he st raight pat h.) This met hod is more appropriat e and efficient in bringing about a posit ive answer t o t he pleas, and t his is why Allah recommended t his bet t er met hod. Asking for help may t ake t he form of conveying t he condit ion of t he person who is seeking help. For inst ance, t he Prophet Moses said,

(My Lord! Truly, I am in need of what ever good t hat You best ow on me!) (28:24). Also, one may first ment ion t he at t ribut es of whoever is being asked, such as what Dhun-Nun said,

(La ilaha illa Ant a (none has t he right t o be worshipped but You (O Allah)), Glorified (and Exalt ed) be You (above all t hat t hey associat e wit h You)! Truly, I have been of t he wrongdoers) (21:87). Furt her, one may praise Him wit hout ment ioning what he needs. The Meaning of Guidance ment ioned in t he Surah The guidance ment ioned in t he Surah implies being direct ed and guided t o success. Allah said,

(Guide us t o t he st raight pat h) meaning guide, direct , lead and grant us t he correct guidance. Also,

(And shown him t he t wo ways (good and evil)) (90:10), means, ` We explained t o him t he pat hs of good and evil.' Also, Allah said,

(He (Allah) chose him (as an int imat e friend) and guided him t o a st raight pat h) (16:121), and,

(And lead t hem on t o t he way of flaming Fire (Hell)) (37:23). Similarly, Allah said,

(And verily, you (O Muhammad ) are indeed guiding (mankind) t o t he st raight pat h) (42:52), and,

(All praise and t hanks be t o Allah, Who has guided us t o t his) (7:43), meaning, guided us and direct ed us and qualified us for t his end - Paradise.

The Meaning of As-Sirat Al-Mustaqim, the Straight Path.

As for t he meaning of As-Sirat Al-Must aqim, Imam Abu Ja` far At -Tabari said, "The Ummah agreed t hat Sirat Al-Must aqim, is t he clear pat h wit hout branches, according t o t he language of t he Arabs. For inst ance, Jarir bin ` At iyah Al-Khat afi said in a poem, ` The Leader of t he fait hful is on a pat h t hat will remain st raight even t hough t he ot her pat hs are crooked.'' At -Tabari also st at ed t hat , "There are many evidences t o t his fact .'' At -Tabari t hen proceeded, "The Arabs use t he t erm, Sirat in reference t o every deed and st at ement whet her right eous or wicked. Hence t he Arabs would describe t he honest person as being st raight and t he wicked person as being crooked. The st raight pat h ment ioned in t he Qur'an refers t o Islam. Imam Ahmad recorded in his Musnad t hat An-Nawwas bin Sam` an said t hat t he Prophet said,

 : : :
(Allah has set an example: a Sirat (st raight pat h) t hat is surrounded by t wo walls on bot h sides, wit h several open doors wit hin t he walls covered wit h curt ains. There is a caller on t he gat e of t he Sirat who heralds, 'O people! St ay on t he pat h and do not deviat e from it .' Meanwhile, a caller from above t he pat h is also warning any person who want s t o open any of t hese doors, 'Woe unt o you! Do not open it , for if you open it you will pass t hrough.' The st raight pat h is Islam, t he t wo walls are Allah's set limit s, while t he doors resemble what Allah has prohibit ed. The caller on t he gat e of t he Sirat is t he Book of Allah, while t he caller above t he Sirat is Allah's admonishment in t he heart of every Muslim.)

The Faithful ask for and abide by Guidance

If someone asks, "Why does t he believer ask Allah for guidance during every prayer and at ot her t imes, while he is already properly guided Has he not already acquired guidance'' The answer t o t hese quest ions is t hat if it were not a fact t hat t he believer needs t o keep asking for guidance day and night , Allah would not have direct ed him t o invoke Him t o acquire t he guidance. The servant needs Allah t he Exalt ed every hour of his life t o help him remain firm on t he pat h of guidance and t o make him even more firm and persist ent on it . The servant does not have t he power t o benefit or harm himself, except by Allah's permission. Therefore, Allah direct ed t he servant t o invoke Him const ant ly, so t hat He provides him wit h His aid and wit h firmness and success. Indeed, t he happy person is he whom Allah guides t o ask of Him. This is especially t he case if a person urgent ly needs Allah's help day or night . Allah said,

(O you who believe! Believe in Allah, and His Messenger (Muhammad ), and t he Book (t he Qur'an) which He has sent down t o His Messenger, and t he Script ure which He sent down t o t hose before (him)) (4:16).

Therefore, in t his Ayah Allah commanded t he believers t o believe, and t his command is not redundant since what is sought here is firmness and cont inuit y of performing t he deeds t hat help one remain on t he pat h of fait h. Also, Allah commanded His believing servant s t o proclaim,

(Our Lord! Let not our heart s deviat e (from t he t rut h) aft er You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are t he Best ower.) (3:8). Hence,

(Guide us t o t he st raight way) means, "Make us firm on t he pat h of guidance and do not allow us t o deviat e from it .''

(7. The way of t hose upon whom You have best owed Your grace, not (t hat ) of t hose who earned Your anger, nor of t hose who went ast ray). We ment ioned t he Hadit h in which t he servant proclaims,

(Guide us t o t he st raight way) and Allah says, "This is for My servant , and My servant shall acquire what he asks for.'' Allah's st at ement .

(The way of t hose upon whom You have best owed Your grace) defines t he pat h. ` Those upon whom Allah has best owed His grace' are t hose ment ioned in Surat An-Nisa' (chapt er 4), when Allah said,

 -
(And whoever obeys Allah and t he Messenger (Muhammad ), t hen t hey will be in t he company of t hose on whom Allah has best owed His grace, t he Prophet s, t he Siddiqin (t he t ruly fait hful), t he mart yrs, and t he right eous. And how excellent t hese companions are! Such is t he bount y from Allah, and Allah is sufficient t o know) (4:69-70). Allah's st at ement ,

(Not (t he way) of t hose who earned Your anger, nor of t hose who went ast ray) meaning guide us t o t he st raight pat h, t he pat h of t hose upon whom you have best owed Your grace, t hat is, t he people of guidance, sincerit y and obedience t o Allah and His Messengers. They are t he people who adhere t o Allah's commandment s and refrain from commit t ing what He has prohibit ed. But , help us t o avoid t he pat h of t hose whom Allah is angry wit h, whose int ent ions are corrupt , who know t he t rut h, yet deviat e from it . Also, help us avoid t he pat h of t hose who were led ast ray, who lost t he t rue knowledge and, as a result , are wandering in misguidance, unable t o find t he correct pat h. Allah assert ed t hat t he t wo pat hs He described here are bot h misguided when He repeat ed t he negat ion ` not '. These t wo pat hs are t he pat hs of t he Christ ians and Jews, a fact t hat t he believer should beware of so t hat he avoids t hem. The pat h of t he believers is knowledge of t he t rut h and abiding by it . In comparison, t he Jews abandoned pract icing t he religion, while t he Christ ians lost t he t rue knowledge. This is why ` anger' descended upon t he Jews, while being described as ` led ast ray' is more appropriat e of t he Christ ians. Those who know, but avoid implement ing t he t rut h, deserve t he anger, unlike t hose who are ignorant . The Christ ians want t o seek t he t rue knowledge, but are unable t o find it because t hey did not seek it from it s proper resources. This is why t hey were led ast ray. We should also ment ion t hat bot h t he Christ ians and t he Jews have earned t he anger and are led ast ray, but t he anger is one of t he at t ribut es more part icular of t he Jews. Allah said about t he Jews,

(Those (Jews) who incurred t he curse of Allah and His wrat h) (5:60). The at t ribut e t hat t he Christ ians deserve most is t hat of being led ast ray, j ust as Allah said about t hem,


(Who went ast ray before and who misled many, and st rayed (t hemselves) from t he right pat h) (5:77). There are several Hadit hs and report s from t he Salaf on t his subj ect . Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Adi bin Hat im said, "The horsemen of t he Messenger of Allah seized my pat ernal aunt and some ot her people. When t hey brought t hem t o t he Messenger of Allah , t hey were made t o st and in line before him. My aunt said, ` O Messenger of Allah! The support er is far away, t he offspring have st opped coming and I am an old woman, unable t o serve. Grant me your favor, may Allah grant you His favor.' He said, ` Who is your support er' She said, ` Adi bin Hat im.' He said, ` The one who ran away from Allah and His Messenger' She said, ` So, t he Prophet freed me.' When t he Prophet came back, t here was a man next t o him, I t hink t hat he was ` Ali, who said t o her, ` Ask him for a means of t ransport at ion.' She asked t he Prophet , and he ordered t hat she be given an animal. '' ` Adi t hen said, "Lat er on, she came t o me and said, ` He (Muhammad ) has done a favor t hat your fat her (who was a generous man) would never have done. So and-so person came t o him and he grant ed him his favor, and so-and-so came t o him and he grant ed him his favor.' So I went t o t he Prophet and found t hat some women and children were gat hering wit h him, so close t hat I knew t hat he was not a king like Kisra (King of Persia) or Caesar. He said, ` O ` Adi! What made you run away, so t hat La ilaha illallah is not proclaimed Is t here a deit y wort hy of worship except Allah What made you run away, so t hat Allahu Akbar (Allah is t he Great er) is not proclaimed Is t here anyt hing Great er t han Allah' I proclaimed my Islam and I saw his face radiat e wit h pleasure and he said:

(Those who have earned t he anger are t he Jews and t hose who are led ast ray are t he Christ ians.)'' This Hadit h was also collect ed by At -Tirmidhi who said t hat it is Hasan Gharib. Also, when Zayd bin ` Amr bin Nufayl went wit h some of his friends - before Islam - t o Ash-Sham seeking t he t rue religion, t he Jews said t o him, "You will not become a Jew unless you carry a share of t he anger of Allah t hat we have earned.'' He said, "I am seeking t o escape Allah's anger.'' Also, t he Christ ians said t o him, "If you become one of us you will carry a share in Allah's discont ent .'' He said, "I cannot bear it .'' So he remained in his pure nat ure and avoided worshipping t he idols and t he polyt heist ic pract ices. He became neit her a Jew, nor Christ ian. As for his companions, t hey became Christ ians because t hey found it more pure t han Judaism. Waraqah bin Nawfal was among t hese people unt il Allah guided him by t he hand of His Prophet , when he was sent as Prophet , and Waraqah believed in t he revelat ion t hat was sent t o t he Prophet may Allah be pleased wit h him.

The Summary of Al-Fatihah

The honorable Surah Al-Fat ihah cont ains seven Ayat including t he praise and t hanks of Allah, glorifying Him and praising Him by ment ioning His most Beaut iful Names and most high At t ribut es. It also ment ions t he Hereaft er, which is t he Day of Resurrect ion, and direct s Allah's servant s t o ask of Him, invoking Him and declaring t hat all power and st rengt h comes from Him. It also calls t o t he sincerit y of t he worship of Allah alone, singling Him out in His divinit y, believing in His perfect ion, being free from t he need of any part ners, having no rivals nor equals. Al-Fat ihah direct s t he believers t o invoke Allah t o guide t hem t o t he st raight pat h, which is t he t rue religion, and t o help t hem remain on t hat pat h in t his life, and t o pass over t he act ual Sirat (bridge over hell t hat everyone must pass over) on t he Day of Judgment . On t hat Day, t he believers will be direct ed t o t he gardens of comfort in t he company of t he Prophet s, t he t rut hful ones, t he mart yrs and t he right eous. Al-Fat ihah also encourages performing good deeds, so t hat t he believers will be in t he company of t he good-doers on t he Day of Resurrect ion. The Surah also warns against following t he pat hs of misguidance, so t hat one does not end up being gat hered wit h t hose who indulge in sin, on t he Day of Resurrect ion, including t hose who have earned t he anger and t hose who were led ast ray.

The Bounties are because of Allah, not the Deviations

Allah said,

(The way of t hose upon whom you have best owed Your grace), when He ment ioned His favor. On ment ioning anger, Allah said,

(Not (t hat ) of t hose who earned Your anger), wit hout ment ioning t he subj ect , alt hough it is He Who has sent down t he anger on t hem, j ust as Allah st at ed in anot her Ayah,

(Have you (O Muhammad ) not seen t hose (hypocrit es) who t ake as friends a people upon whom is t he wrat h of Allah (i.e. Jews)) (58:14). Also, Allah relat es t he misguidance of t hose who indulged in it , alt hough t hey were j ust ly misguided according t o Allah's appoint ed dest iny. For inst ance, Allah said,


(He whom Allah guides, he is t he right ly-guided; but he whom He sends ast ray, for him you will find no Wali (guiding friend) t o lead him (t o t he right pat h)) (18:17) and,

(Whomsoever Allah sends ast ray, none can guide him; and He let s t hem wander blindly in t heir t ransgression) (7:186). These and several ot her Ayat t est ify t o t he fact t hat Allah alone is t he One Who guides and misguides, cont rary t o t he belief of t he Qadariyyah sect , who claimed t hat t he servant s choose and creat e t heir own dest iny. They rely on some unclear Ayat avoiding what is clear and cont radict s t heir desires. Theirs, is t he met hod of t he people who follow t heir lust , desire and wickedness. An aut hent ic Hadit h narrat ed,

(When you see t hose who follow what is not so clear in it (t he Qur'an), t hen t hey are t hose whom Allah has ment ioned (refer t o 3:7). Hence, avoid t hem.) The Prophet was referring t o Allah's st at ement ,

(So as for t hose in whose heart s t here is a deviat ion (from t he t rut h) t hey follow t hat which is not ent irely clear t hereof, seeking Al-Fit nah (polyt heism and t rials), and seeking for it s hidden meanings)(3:7). Verily, no innovat or in t he religion could ever rely on any aut hent ic evidence in t he Qur'an t hat t est ifies t o his innovat ion. The Qur'an came t o dist inguish bet ween t rut h and falsehood, and

guidance and misguidance. The Qur'an does not cont ain any discrepancies or cont radict ions, because it is a revelat ion from t he Most Wise, Wort hy of all praise.

Saying Amin
It is recommended t o say Amin aft er finishing t he recit at ion of Al-Fat ihah. Amin means, "O Allah! Accept our invocat ion.'' The evidence t hat saying Amin is recommended is cont ained in what Imams Ahmad, Abu Dawud and At -Tirmidhi recorded, t hat Wa'il bin Huj r said, "I heard t he Messenger of Allah recit e,

(Not (t hat ) of t hose who earned Your anger, nor of t hose who went ast ray), and he said ` Amin' ext ending it wit h his voice.'' Abu Dawud's narrat ion added, "Raising his voice wit h it .'' At -Tirmidhi t hen comment ed t hat t his Hadit h is Hasan and was also narrat ed from ` Ali and Ibn Mas` ud. Also, Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat whenever t he Messenger of Allah would recit e,

(Not (t he way) of t hose who earned Your anger, nor of t hose who went ast ray), He would say Amin unt il t hose who were behind him in t he first line could hear him. Abu Dawud and Ibn Maj ah recorded t his Hadit h wit h t he addit ion, "Then t he Masj id would shake because of (t hose behind t he Prophet ) recit ing Amin.'' Also, Ad-Daraqut ni recorded t his Hadit h and comment ed t hat it is Hasan. Furt her, Bilal narrat ed t hat he said, "O Messenger of Allah! Do not finish saying Amin before I can j oin you.'' This was recorded by Abu Dawud. In addit ion, Abu Nasr Al-Qushayri narrat ed t hat Al-Hasan and Ja` far As-Sadiq st ressed t he ` m' in Amin. Saying Amin is recommended for t hose who are not praying (when recit ing Al-Fat ihah) and is st rongly recommended for t hose who are praying, whet her alone or behind t he Imam. The Two Sahihs recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(When t he Imam says, ' Amin', t hen say, 'Amin', because whoever says, Amin' wit h t he angels, his previous sins will be forgiven.)

Muslim recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: :
(When any of you says in t he prayer, 'Amin ` and t he angels in heaven say, ` Amin', in unison, his previous sins will be forgiven.) It was said t hat t he Hadit h t alks about bot h t he angels and t he Muslims saying Amin at t he same t ime. The Hadit h also refers t o when t he Amins said by t he angels and t he Muslims are equally sincere (t hus bringing about forgiveness). Furt her, it is recorded in Sahih Muslim t hat Abu Musa relat ed t o t he Prophet t hat he said,

: :
(When t he Imam says, ` Walad-dallin', say, ` Amin' and Allah will answer your invocat ion.) In addit ion, At -Tirmidhi said t hat ` Amin' means, "Do not disappoint our hope'', while t he maj orit y of scholars said t hat it means. "Answer our invocat ion.'' Also, in his Musnad, Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` A'ishah said t hat when t he Jews were ment ioned t o him, t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(They will not envy us for anyt hing more t han t hey envy us for Friday which we have been guided t o, while t hey were led ast ray from it , and for t he Qiblah which we were guided t o, while t hey were led ast ray from it , and for our saying ` Amin' behind t he Imam.)

Also, Ibn Maj ah recorded t his Hadit h wit h t he wording,

(The Jews have never envied you more t han for your saying t he Salam (Islamic greet ing) and for saying Amin.) rgiveness). veneooA ? Furt her, it is recorded in Sahih Muslim t hat Abu Musa relat ed t o t he Prophet t hat he said,

: :
(When t he Imam says, ` Walad-dallin', say, ` Amin' and Allah will answer your invocat ion.) In addit ion, At -Tirmidhi said t hat ` Amin' means, "Do not disappoint our hope'', while t he maj orit y of scholars said t hat it means. "Answer our invocat ion.'' Also, in his Musnad, Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` A'ishah said t hat when t he Jews were ment ioned t o him, t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(They will not envy us for anyt hing more t han t hey envy us for Friday which we have been guided t o, while t hey were led ast ray from it , and for t he Qiblah which we were guided t o, while t hey were led ast ray from it , and for our saying ` Amin' behind t he Imam.) Also, Ibn Maj ah recorded t his Hadit h wit h t he wording,

(The Jews have never envied you more t han for your saying t he Salam (Islamic greet ing) and for saying Amin.)

The Bounties are because of Allah, not the Deviations

Allah said,

(The way of t hose upon whom you have best owed Your grace), when He ment ioned His favor. On ment ioning anger, Allah said,

(Not (t hat ) of t hose who earned Your anger), wit hout ment ioning t he subj ect , alt hough it is He Who has sent down t he anger on t hem, j ust as Allah st at ed in anot her Ayah,

(Have you (O Muhammad ) not seen t hose (hypocrit es) who t ake as friends a people upon whom is t he wrat h of Allah (i.e. Jews)) (58:14). Also, Allah relat es t he misguidance of t hose who indulged in it , alt hough t hey were j ust ly misguided according t o Allah's appoint ed dest iny. For inst ance, Allah said,

(He whom Allah guides, he is t he right ly-guided; but he whom He sends ast ray, for him you will find no Wali (guiding friend) t o lead him (t o t he right pat h)) (18:17) and,

(Whomsoever Allah sends ast ray, none can guide him; and He let s t hem wander blindly in t heir t ransgression) (7:186).

These and several ot her Ayat t est ify t o t he fact t hat Allah alone is t he One Who guides and misguides, cont rary t o t he belief of t he Qadariyyah sect , who claimed t hat t he servant s choose and creat e t heir own dest iny. They rely on some unclear Ayat avoiding what is clear and cont radict s t heir desires. Theirs, is t he met hod of t he people who follow t heir lust , desire and wickedness. An aut hent ic Hadit h narrat ed,

(When you see t hose who follow what is not so clear in it (t he Qur'an), t hen t hey are t hose whom Allah has ment ioned (refer t o 3:7). Hence, avoid t hem.) The Prophet was referring t o Allah's st at ement ,

(So as for t hose in whose heart s t here is a deviat ion (from t he t rut h) t hey follow t hat which is not ent irely clear t hereof, seeking Al-Fit nah (polyt heism and t rials), and seeking for it s hidden meanings)(3:7). Verily, no innovat or in t he religion could ever rely on any aut hent ic evidence in t he Qur'an t hat t est ifies t o his innovat ion. The Qur'an came t o dist inguish bet ween t rut h and falsehood, and guidance and misguidance. The Qur'an does not cont ain any discrepancies or cont radict ions, because it is a revelat ion from t he Most Wise, Wort hy of all praise.

Saying Amin
It is recommended t o say Amin aft er finishing t he recit at ion of Al-Fat ihah. Amin means, "O Allah! Accept our invocat ion.'' The evidence t hat saying Amin is recommended is cont ained in what Imams Ahmad, Abu Dawud and At -Tirmidhi recorded, t hat Wa'il bin Huj r said, "I heard t he Messenger of Allah recit e,

(Not (t hat ) of t hose who earned Your anger, nor of t hose who went ast ray), and he said ` Amin' ext ending it wit h his voice.'' Abu Dawud's narrat ion added, "Raising his voice wit h it .'' At -Tirmidhi t hen comment ed t hat t his Hadit h is Hasan and was also narrat ed from ` Ali and Ibn Mas` ud. Also, Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat whenever t he Messenger of Allah would recit e,


(Not (t he way) of t hose who earned Your anger, nor of t hose who went ast ray), He would say Amin unt il t hose who were behind him in t he first line could hear him. Abu Dawud and Ibn Maj ah recorded t his Hadit h wit h t he addit ion, "Then t he Masj id would shake because of (t hose behind t he Prophet ) recit ing Amin.'' Also, Ad-Daraqut ni recorded t his Hadit h and comment ed t hat it is Hasan. Furt her, Bilal narrat ed t hat he said, "O Messenger of Allah! Do not finish saying Amin before I can j oin you.'' This was recorded by Abu Dawud. In addit ion, Abu Nasr Al-Qushayri narrat ed t hat Al-Hasan and Ja` far As-Sadiq st ressed t he ` m' in Amin. Saying Amin is recommended for t hose who are not praying (when recit ing Al-Fat ihah) and is st rongly recommended for t hose who are praying, whet her alone or behind t he Imam. The Two Sahihs recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(When t he Imam says, ' Amin', t hen say, 'Amin', because whoever says, Amin' wit h t he angels, his previous sins will be forgiven.) Muslim recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: :
(When any of you says in t he prayer, 'Amin ` and t he angels in heaven say, ` Amin', in unison, his previous sins will be forgiven.) It was said t hat t he Hadit h t alks about bot h t he angels and t he Muslims saying Amin at t he same t ime. The Hadit h also refers t o when t he Amins said by t he angels and t he Muslims are equally sincere (t hus bringing about forgiveness). Furt her, it is recorded in Sahih Muslim t hat Abu Musa relat ed t o t he Prophet t hat he said,

: :
(When t he Imam says, ` Walad-dallin', say, ` Amin' and Allah will answer your invocat ion.) In addit ion, At -Tirmidhi said t hat ` Amin' means, "Do not disappoint our hope'', while t he maj orit y of scholars said t hat it means. "Answer our invocat ion.'' Also, in his Musnad, Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` A'ishah said t hat when t he Jews were ment ioned t o him, t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(They will not envy us for anyt hing more t han t hey envy us for Friday which we have been guided t o, while t hey were led ast ray from it , and for t he Qiblah which we were guided t o, while t hey were led ast ray from it , and for our saying ` Amin' behind t he Imam.) Also, Ibn Maj ah recorded t his Hadit h wit h t he wording,

(The Jews have never envied you more t han for your saying t he Salam (Islamic greet ing) and for saying Amin.) rgiveness). veneooA ? Furt her, it is recorded in Sahih Muslim t hat Abu Musa relat ed t o t he Prophet t hat he said,

: :
(When t he Imam says, ` Walad-dallin', say, ` Amin' and Allah will answer your invocat ion.)

In addit ion, At -Tirmidhi said t hat ` Amin' means, "Do not disappoint our hope'', while t he maj orit y of scholars said t hat it means. "Answer our invocat ion.'' Also, in his Musnad, Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` A'ishah said t hat when t he Jews were ment ioned t o him, t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(They will not envy us for anyt hing more t han t hey envy us for Friday which we have been guided t o, while t hey were led ast ray from it , and for t he Qiblah which we were guided t o, while t hey were led ast ray from it , and for our saying ` Amin' behind t he Imam.) Also, Ibn Maj ah recorded t his Hadit h wit h t he wording,

(The Jews have never envied you more t han for your saying t he Salam (Islamic greet ing) and for saying Amin.)

Surat Al-Baqarah

Which was revealed in Al-Madinah

The Virt ues of Surat Al-Baqarah In Musnad Ahmad, Sahih Muslim, At -Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i, it is recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Prophet said,


(Do not t urn your houses int o graves. Verily, Shayt an does not ent er t he house where Surat AlBaqarah is recit ed.) At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih. Also, ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said, "Shayt an flees from t he house where Surat Al-Baqarah is heard.'' This Hadit h was collect ed by An-Nasa'i in Al-Yawm wal-Laylah, and Al-Hakim recorded it in his Must adrak, and t hen said t hat it s chain of narrat ion is aut hent ic, alt hough t he Two Sahihs did not collect it . In his Musnad, Ad-Darimi recorded t hat Ibn Mas` ud said, "Shayt an depart s t he house where Surat Al-Baqarah is being recit ed, and as he leaves, he passes gas.'' Ad-Darimi also recorded t hat Ash-Sha` bi said t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said, "Whoever recit es t en Ayat from Surat Al-Baqarah in a night , t hen Shayt an will not ent er his house t hat night . (These t en Ayat are) four from t he beginning, Ayat Al-Kursi (255), t he following t wo Ayat (256-257) and t he last t hree Ayat .'' In anot her narrat ion, Ibn Mas` ud said, "Then Shayt an will not come near him or his family, nor will he be t ouched by anyt hing t hat he dislikes. Also, if t hese Ayat were t o be recit ed over a senile person, t hey would wake him up.'' Furt her, Sahl bin Sa` d said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Everyt hing has a hump (or, high peek), and Al-Baqarah is t he high peek of t he Qur'an. Whoever recit es Al-Baqarah at night in his house, t hen Shayt an will not ent er t hat house for t hree night s. Whoever recit es it during a day in his house, t hen Shayt an will not ent er t hat house for t hree days.) This Hadit h was collect ed by Abu Al-Qasim At -Tabarani, Abu Hat im Ibn Hibban in his Sahih and Ibn Marduwyah. At -Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Maj ah recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said, "The Messenger of Allah sent an expedit ion force comprising of many men and asked each about what t hey memorized of t he Qur'an. The Prophet came t o one of t he youngest men among t hem and asked him, ` What have you memorized (of t he Qur'an) young man' He said, ` I memorized such and such Surahs and also Al-Baqarah.' The Prophet said, ` You memorized Surat Al-Baqarah' He said, ` Yes.' The Prophet said, ` Then you are t heir commander.' One of t he not ed men (or chiefs) comment ed, ` By Allah! I did not learn Surat Al-Baqarah, for fear t hat I would not be able t o implement it . The Messenger of Allah said,


(Learn Al-Qur'an and recit e it , for t he example of whoever learns t he Qur'an, recit es it and adheres t o it , is t he example of a bag t hat is f ull of musk whose scent fills t he air. The example of whoever learns t he Qur'an and t hen sleeps (i.e. lazy) while t he Qur'an is in his memory, is t he example of a bag t hat has musk, but is closed t ight .) This is t he wording collect ed by At -Tirmidhi, who said t hat t his Hadit h is Hasan. In anot her narrat ion, At -Tirmidhi recorded t his same Hadit h in a Mursal manner, so Allah knows best . Also, Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Usayd bin Hudayr said t hat he was once recit ing Surat AlBaqarah while his horse was t ied next t o him. The horse st art ed t o make some noise. When Usayd st opped recit ing, t he horse st opped moving about . When he resumed reading, t he horse st art ed moving about again. When he st opped recit ing, t he horse st opped moving, and when he resumed reading, t he horse st art ed t o move again. Meanwhile, his son Yahya was close t o t he horse, and he feared t hat t he horse might st ep on him. When he moved his son back, he looked up t o t he sky and saw a cloud radiat ing wit h light t hat looked like lamps. In t he morning, he went t o t he Prophet and t old him what had happened and t hen said, "O Messenger of Allah! My son Yahya was close t o t he horse and I feared t hat she might st ep on him. When I at t ended t o him and raised my head t o t he sky, I saw a cloud wit h light s like lamps. So I went , but I couldn't see it .'' The Prophet said, "Do you know what t hat was'' He said, "No.'' The Prophet said,

(They were t he angels, t hey came close hearing your voice (recit ing Surat Al-Baqarah), and if you had kept reading, t he people would have been able t o see t he angels when t he morning came, and t he angels would not be hidden from t heir eyes.) This is t he narrat ion report ed by Imam Abu Ubayd Al-Qasim bin Salam in his book Fada'il AlQur'an.

Virtues of Surat Al-Baqarah and Surat Al ` Imran

Imam Ahmad said t hat Abu Nu` aym narrat ed t o t hem t hat Bishr bin Muhaj ir said t hat ` Abdullah bin Buraydah narrat ed t o him from his fat her, "I was sit t ing wit h t he Prophet and I heard him say,

(Learn Surat Al-Baqarah, because in learning it t here is blessing, in ignoring it t here is sorrow, and t he sorceresses cannot memorize it .) He kept silent for a while and t hen said,

: . : : : : :


(Learn Surat Al-Baqarah and Al ` Imran because t hey are t wo light s and t hey shade t heir people on t he Day of Resurrect ion, j ust as t wo clouds, t wo spaces of shade or t wo lines of (flying) birds. The Qur'an will meet it s companion in t he shape of a pale-faced man on t he Day of Resurrect ion when his grave is opened. The Qur'an will ask him, 'Do you know me' The man will say, 'I do not know you.' The Qur'an will say, 'I am your companion, t he Qur'an, which has brought you t hirst during t he heat and made you st ay up during t he night . Every merchant has his cert ain t rade. But , t his Day, you are behind all t ypes of t rade.' Kingship will t hen be given t o him in his right hand, et ernal life in his left hand and t he crown of grace will be placed on his head. His parent s will also be grant ed t wo garment s t hat t he people of t his life could never afford. They will say, 'Why were we grant ed t hese garment s' It will be said, 'Because your son was carrying t he Qur'an.' It will be said (t o t he reader of t he Qur'an), 'Read and ascend t hrough t he levels of Paradise.' He will go on ascending as long as he recit es, whet her recit ing slowly or quickly.)'' Ibn Maj ah also recorded part of t his Hadit h from Bishr bin Al-Muhaj ir, and t his chain of narrat ors is Hasan, according t o t he crit eria of Imam Muslim. A part of t his Hadit h is also support ed by ot her Hadit hs. For inst ance, Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Umamah Al-Bahili said t hat he heard t he Messenger of Allah say,

(Read t he Qur'an, because it will int ercede on behalf of it s people on t he Day of Resurrect ion. Read t he t wo light s, Al-Baqarah and Al ` Imran, because t hey will come in t he shape of t wo clouds, t wo shades or t wo lines of birds on t he Day of Resurrect ion and will argue on behalf of t heir people on t hat Day.) The Prophet t hen said,


(Read Al-Baqarah, because in having it t here is blessing, and in ignoring t here is a sorrow and t he sorceresses cannot memorize it .) Also, Imam Muslim narrat ed t his Hadit h in t he Book of Prayer Imam Ahmad narrat ed t hat An-Nawwas bin Sam` an said t hat t he Prophet said,

(On t he Day of Resurrect ion t he Qur'an and it s people who used t o implement it will be brought fort h, preceded by Surat Al-Baqarah and Al ` Imran.) An-Nawwas said, "The Prophet set t hree examples for t hese t wo Surahs and I did not forget t hese examples ever since. He said,

(They will come like t wo clouds, t wo dark shades or t wo lines of birds arguing on behalf of t heir people.) It was also recorded in Sahih Muslim and At -Tirmidhi narrat ed t his Hadit h, which he rendered Hasan Gharib.

Surat Al-Baqarah was revealed in Al-Madinah

There is no disagreement over t he view t hat Surat Al-Baqarah was revealed in it s ent iret y in AlMadinah. Moreover, Al-Baqarah was one of t he first Surahs t o be revealed in Al-Madinah, while, Allah's st at ement ,

(And be afraid of t he Day when you shall be brought back t o Allah.) (2:281) was t he last Ayah t o be revealed from t he Qur'an. Also, t he Ayat about usury were among t he last Ayat t o be revealed. Khalid bin Ma` dan used t o call Al-Baqarah t he Fust at (t ent ) of t he Qur'an. Some of t he scholars said t hat it cont ains a t housand news incident s, a t housand commands and a t housand prohibit ions. Those who count said t hat t he number of Al-Baqarah's Ayat is t wo hundred and eight y-seven, and it s words are six t housand t wo hundred and t went y-one words. Furt her, it s let t ers are t went y-five t housand five hundred. Allah knows best . Ibn Jurayj narrat ed t hat ` At a' said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Surat Al-Baqarah was revealed in AlMadinah.'' Also, Khasif said from Muj ahid t hat ` Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr said; "Surat Al-Baqarah was revealed in Al-Madinah.'' Several Imams and scholars of Tafsir issued similar st at ement s, and t here is no difference of opinion over t his as we have st at ed. The Two Sahihs recorded t hat Ibn Mas` ud kept t he Ka` bah on his left side and Mina on his right side and t hrew seven pebbles (at t he Jamrah) and said, "The one t o whom Surat Al-Baqarah was revealed (i.e. t he Prophet ) performed Rami (t he Haj j rit e of t hrowing pebbles) similarly.'' The Two Sahihs recorded t his Hadit h. Furt her, Ibn Marduwyah report ed a Hadit h of Shu` bah from ` Aqil bin Talhah from ` Ut bah bin Mart had; "The Prophet saw t hat his Companions were not in t he first lines and he said,

(O Companions of Surat Al-Baqarah.) I Think t hat t his incident occurred during t he bat t le of Hunayn when t he Companions ret reat ed. Then, t he Prophet commanded Al-` Abbas (his uncle) t o yell out ,

(O Companions of t he t ree!) meaning t he Companions who part icipat ed in t he pledge of ArRidwan (under t he t ree). In anot her narrat ion, Al- ` Abbas cried, "O Companions of Surat AlBaqarah!'' encouraging t hem t o come back, so t hey ret urned from every direct ion. Also, during t he bat t le of Al-Yamamah, against t he army of Musaylimah t he Liar, t he Companions first ret reat ed because of t he huge number of soldiers in Musaylimah's army. The Muhaj irun and t he Ansar called out for each ot her, saying; "O people of Surat Al-Baqarah!'' Allah t hen gave t hem vict ory over t heir enemy, may Allah be pleased wit h all of t he companions of all t he Messengers of Allah.

(In t he Name of Allah, t he Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful) (1. Alif Lam Mim).

The Discussion of the Individual Letters

The individual let t ers in t he beginning of some Surahs are among t hose t hings whose knowledge Allah has kept only for Himself. This was report ed from Abu Bakr, ` Umar, ` Ut hman, ` Ali and Ibn Mas` ud. It was said t hat t hese let t ers are t he names of some of t he Surahs. It was also said t hat t hey are t he beginnings t hat Allah chose t o st art t he Surahs of t he Qur'an wit h. Khasif st at ed t hat Muj ahid said, "The beginnings of t he Surahs, such as Qaf, Sad, Ta Sin Mim and Alif Lam Ra, are j ust some let t ers of t he alphabet .'' Some linguist s also st at ed t hat t hey are let t ers of t he alphabet and t hat Allah simply did not cit e t he ent ire alphabet of t went y-eight let t ers. For inst ance, t hey said, one might say, "My son recit es Alif, Ba, Ta, Tha... '' he means t he ent ire alphabet alt hough he st ops before ment ioning t he rest of it . This opinion was ment ioned by Ibn Jarir.

The Letters at the Beginning of Surahs

If one removes t he repet it ive let t ers, t hen t he number of let t ers ment ioned at t he beginning of t he Surahs is fourt een: Alif, Lam, Mim, Sad, Ra, Kaf, Ha, Ya, ` Ayn, Ta, Sin, Ha, Qaf, Nun. So glorious is He Who made everyt hing subt ly reflect His wisdom. Moreover, t he scholars said, "There is no doubt t hat Allah did not reveal t hese let t ers for j est and play.'' Some ignorant people said t hat some of t he Qur'an does not mean anyt hing, (meaning, such as t hese let t ers) t hus commit t ing a maj or mist ake. On t he cont rary, t hese let t ers carry a specific meaning. Furt her, if we find an aut hent ic narrat ion leading t o t he Prophet t hat explains t hese let t ers, we will embrace t he Prophet 's st at ement . Ot herwise, we will st op where we were made t o st op and will proclaim,

(We believe in it ; all of it (clear and unclear verses) is from our Lord) (3:7). The scholars did not agree on one opinion or explanat ion regarding t his subj ect . Therefore, whoever t hinks t hat one scholar's opinion is correct , he is obliged t o follow it , ot herwise it is bet t er t o refrain from making any j udgment on t his mat t er. Allah knows best .

These Letters testify to the Miraculous Qur'an

The wisdom behind ment ioning t hese let t ers in t he beginning of t he Surahs, regardless of t he exact meanings of t hese let t ers, is t hat t hey t est ify t o t he miracle of t he Qur'an. Indeed, t he servant s are unable t o produce somet hing like t he Qur'an, alt hough it is comprised of t he same let t ers wit h which t hey speak t o each ot her. This opinion was ment ioned by Ar-Razi in his Tafsir who relat ed it t o Al-Mubarrid and several ot her scholars. Al-Qurt ubi also relat ed t his opinion t o Al-Farra' and Qut rub. Az-Zamakhshari agreed wit h t his opinion in his book, Al-Kashshaf. In addit ion, t he Imam and scholar Abu Al-` Abbas Ibn Taymiyyah and our Shaykh Al-Hafiz Abu AlHaj j aj Al-Mizzi agreed wit h t his opinion. Al-Mizzi t old me t hat it is also t he opinion of Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. KAz-Zamakhshari said t hat t hese let t ers, "Were not all ment ioned once in t he beginning of t he Qur'an. Rat her, t hey were repeat ed so t hat t he challenge (against t he creat ion) is more daring. Similarly, several st ories were ment ioned repeat edly in t he Qur'an,

and also t he challenge was repeat ed in various areas (i.e., t o produce somet hing like t he Qur'an). Somet imes, one let t er at a t ime was ment ioned, such as Sad, Nun and Qaf. Somet imes t wo let t ers were ment ioned, such as

(Ha Mim) (44:1) Somet imes, t hree let t ers were ment ioned, such as,

(Alif Lam Mim (2: 1)) and four let t ers, such as,

(` Alif Lam Mim Ra) (13:1), and

(Alif Lam Mim Sad) (7:1). Somet imes, five let t ers were ment ioned, such as,

(Kaf Ha Ya ` Ayn Sad) (19:1), and;

-
(Ha Mim. ` Ayn Sin Qaf) (42:1-2). This is because t he words t hat are used in speech are usually comprised of one, t wo, t hree, four, or five let t ers.'' Every Surah t hat begins wit h t hese let t ers demonst rat es t he Qur'an's miracle and magnificence, and t his fact is known by t hose well-versed in such mat t ers. The count of t hese Surahs is t went y-nine. For inst ance, Allah said,

(Alif Lam Mim) This is t he Book (t he Qur'an), wherein t here is no doubt (2:1-2),

-
(Alif Lam Mim. Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has t he right t o be worshipped but He), AlHayyul-Qayyuum (t he Ever Living, t he One Who sust ains and prot ect s all t hat exist s). It is He Who has sent down t he Book (t he Qur'an) t o you (Muhammad ) wit h t rut h, confirming what came before it .) (3:1-3), and,

(Alif Lam Mim Sad. (This is t he) Book (t he Qur'an) sent down unt o you (O Muhammad ), so let not your breast be narrow t herefrom) (7:1-2). Also, Allah said,

(Alif Lam Ra. (This is) a Book which We have revealed unt o you (O Muhammad ) in order t hat you might lead mankind out of darkness (of disbelief and polyt heism) int o t he light (of belief in t he Oneness of Allah and Islamic Monot heism) by t heir Lord's leave) (14:1),

-
(Alif Lam Mim. The revelat ion of t he Book (t his Qur'an) in which t here is no doubt , is from t he Lord of t he ` Alamin (mankind, Jinn and all t hat exist s)!) (32:1-2),

-
(Ha Mim. A revelat ion from (Allah) t he Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful) (41:1-2), and,

- -
(Ha Mim. ` Ain Sin Qaf. Likewise Allah, t he Almight y, t he Wise sends revelat ion t o you (O Muhammad ) as (He sent revelat ion t o) t hose before you.) (42:1-3). There are several ot her Ayat t hat t est ify t o what we have ment ioned above, and Allah knows best .

(2. That is Book in which t here is no Rayb, guidance for t he Mut t aqin).

There is no Doubt in the Qur'an

The Book, is t he Qur'an, and Rayb means doubt . As-Suddi said t hat Abu Malik and Abu Salih narrat ed from Ibn ` Abbas, and Murrah Al-Hamadani narrat ed from Ibn Mas` ud and several ot her Companions of t he Messenger of Allah t hat ,

(In which t here is no Rayb), means about which t here is no doubt . Abu Ad-Darda', Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Abu Malik, Nafi` ` At a', Abu Al-` Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Muqat il bin Hayyan, As-Suddi, Qat adah and Isma` il bin Abi Khalid said similarly. In addit ion, Ibn Abi Hat im said, "I do not know of any disagreement over t his explanat ion.'' The meaning of t his is t hat t he Book, t he Qur'an, is wit hout a doubt revealed from Allah. Similarly, Allah said in Surat As- Saj dah,

-
(Alif Lam Mim). The revelat ion of t he Book (t his Qur'an) in which t here is no doubt , is from t he Lord of all t hat exist s) (32:1-2). Some scholars st at ed t hat t his Ayah - 2:2 - cont ains a prohibit ion meaning, "Do not doubt t he Qur'an.'' Furt hermore, some of t he recit ers of t he Qur'an pause upon reading,

(t here is no doubt ) and t hey t hen cont inue;

(in which t here is guidance for t he Mut t aqin (t he pious and right eous persons)). However, it is bet t er t o pause at ,

(in which t here is no doubt ) because in t his case,

(guidance) becomes an at t ribut e of t he Qur'an and carries a bet t er meaning t han,

(in which t here is guidance).

Guidance is granted to Those Who have Taqwa

Hidayah - correct guidance - is only grant ed t o t hose who have Taqwa - fear of Allah. Allah said,

(Say: It is for t hose who believe, a guide and a healing. And as for t hose who disbelieve, t here is heaviness (deafness) in t heir ears, and it (t he Qur'an) is blindness for t hem. They are t hose who are called from a place far away (so t hey neit her list en nor underst and)) (41:44), and,

(And We send down of t he Qur'an t hat which is a healing and a mercy t o t hose who believe (in Islamic Monot heism and act on it ), and it increases t he Zalimin (wrongdoers) in not hing but loss) (17:82). This is a sample of t he numerous Ayat indicat ing t hat t he believers, in part icular, benefit from t he Qur'an. That is because t he Qur'an is it self a form of guidance, but t he guidance in it is only grant ed t o t he right eous, j ust as Allah said,

(O mankind! There has come t o you a good advice from your Lord (i. e. t he Qur'an, enj oining all t hat is good and forbidding all t hat is evil), and a healing for t hat (disease of ignorance, doubt , hypocrisy and differences) which is in your breast s, a guidance and a mercy (explaining lawful and unlawful t hings) for t he believers) (10:57). Ibn ` Abbas and Ibn Mas` ud and ot her Companions of t he Messenger of Allah said,

(guidance for t he Mut t aqin (t he pious and right eous persons), means, a light for t hose who have Taqwa.

The Meaning of Al-Muttaqin

Ibn ` Abbas said about ,

(guidance for t he Mut t aqin) t hat it means, "They are t he believers who avoid Shirk wit h Allah and who work in His obedience.'' Ibn ` Abbas also said t hat Al-Mut t aqin means, "Those who fear Allah's punishment , which would result if t hey abandoned t he t rue guidance t hat t hey recognize and know. They also hope in Allah's mercy by believing in what He revealed.'' Furt her, Qat adah said t hat ,

(Al-Mut t aqin), are t hose whom Allah has described in His st at ement ;


(Who believe in t he Ghayb and perform t he Salah) (2:3), and t he following Ayat . Ibn Jarir st at ed t hat t he Ayah (2:2) includes all of t hese meanings t hat t he scholars have ment ioned, and t his is t he correct view. Also, At -Tirmidhi and Ibn Maj ah narrat ed t hat ` At iyah As-Sa` di said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The servant will not acquire t he st at us of t he Mut t aqin unt il he abandons what is harmless out of fear of falling int o t hat which is harmful.) At -Tirmidhi t hen said "Hasan Gharib.''

There are Two Types of Hidayah (Guidance)

Huda here means t he fait h t hat resides in t he heart , and only Allah is able t o creat e it in t he heart of t he servant s. Allah said,

(Verily, you (O Muhammad ) guide not whom you like) (28:56),

(Not upon you (Muhammad ) is t heir guidance) (2:272),

(Whomsoever Allah sends ast ray, none can guide him) (7:186), and,

(He whom Allah guides, he is t he right ly guided; but he whom He sends ast ray, for him you will find no Wali (guiding friend) t o lead him (t o t he right pat h)) (18:17).

Huda also means t o explain t he t rut h, give direct ion and lead t o it . Allah, t he Exalt ed, said,

(And verily, you (O Muhammad ) are indeed guiding (mankind) t o t he st raight pat h (i.e. Allah's religion of Islamic Monot heism)) (42: 52),

(You are only a warner, and t o every people t here is a guide) (13:7), and,

(And as for Thamud, We showed and made clear t o t hem t he pat h of t rut h (Islamic Monot heism) t hrough Our Messenger (i.e. showed t hem t he way of success), but t hey preferred blindness t o guidance) (41:17). t est ifying t o t his meaning. Also, Allah said,

(And shown him t he t wo ways (good and evil).) (90:10) This is t he view of t he scholars who said t hat t he t wo ways refer t o t he pat hs of right eousness and evil, which is also t he correct explanat ion. And Allah knows best .

Meaning of Taqwa
The root meaning of Taqwa is t o avoid what one dislikes. It was report ed t hat ` Umar bin AlKhat t ab asked Ubayy bin Ka` b about Taqwa. Ubayy said, "Have you ever walked on a pat h t hat has t horns on it '' ` Umar said, "Yes.'' Ubayy said, "What did you do t hen'' He said, "I rolled up my sleeves and st ruggled.'' Ubayy said, "That is Taqwa.''

(3.Those Who have fait h in t he Ghayb).

The Meaning of Iman

Abu Ja` far Ar-Razi said t hat Al-` Ala' bin Al-Musayyib bin Rafi` narrat ed from Abu Ishaq t hat Abu Al-Ahwas said t hat ` Abdullah said, "Iman is t o t rust .''. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said,

(who have fait h) means t hey t rust . Also, Ma` mar said t hat Az-Zuhri said, "Iman is t he deeds.'' In addit ion, Abu Ja` far Ar-Razi said t hat Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said t hat , ` They have fait h', means, t hey fear (Allah). Ibn Jarir (At -Tabari) comment ed, "The prefered view is t hat t hey be described as having fait h in t he Unseen by t he t ongue, deed and creed. In t his case, fear of Allah is included in t he general meaning of Iman, which necessit at es following deeds of t he t ongue by implement at ion. Hence, Iman is a general t erm t hat includes affirming and believing in Allah, His Books and His Messengers, and realizing t his affirmat ion t hrough adhering t o t he implicat ions of what t he t ongue ut t ers and affirms.'' Linguist ically, in t he absolut e sense, Iman merely means t rust , and it is used t o mean t hat somet imes in t he Qur'an, for inst ance, Allah t he Exalt ed said,

(He t rust s (yu'minu) in Allah, and t rust s (yu'minu) in t he believers.) (9: 61) Prophet Yusuf's brot hers said t o t heir fat her,

(But you will never believe us even when we speak t he t rut h) (12:17). Furt her, t he word Iman is somet imes ment ioned along wit h deeds, such as Allah said,

(Save t hose who believe (in Islamic Monot heism) and do right eous deeds) (95:6). However, when Iman is used in an unrest rict ed manner, it includes beliefs, deeds, and st at ement s of t he t ongue.We should st at e here t hat Iman increases and decreases.

There are many narrat ions and Hadit hs on t his subj ect , and we discussed t hem in t he beginning of our explanat ion of Sahih Al-Bukhari, all favors are from Allah. Some scholars explained t hat Iman means Khashyah (fear of Allah). For inst ance, Allah said;

(Verily, t hose who fear t heir Lord unseen (i.e. t hey do not see Him, nor His punishment in t he Hereaft er)) (67:12), and,

(Who feared t he Most Gracious (Allah) in t he Ghayb (unseen) and brought a heart t urned in repent ance (t o Him and absolut ely free from every kind of polyt heism)) (50: 33). Fear is t he core of Iman and knowledge, j ust as Allah t he Exalt ed said,

(It is only t hose who have knowledge among His servant s t hat fear Allah) (35:28).

The Meaning of Al-Ghayb

As for t he meaning of Ghayb here, t he Salaf have different explanat ions of it , all of which are correct , indicat ing t he same general meaning. For inst ance, Abu Ja` far Ar-Razi quot ed Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, report ing from Abu Al-` Aliyah about Allah's st at ement , i

((Those who) have fait h in t he Ghayb), "They believe in Allah, His angels, Books, Messengers, t he Last Day, His Paradise, Fire and in t he meet ing wit h Him. They also believe in life aft er deat h and in Resurrect ion. All of t his is t he Ghayb.'' Qat adah bin Di` amah said similarly. Sa` id bin Mansur report ed from ` Abdur-Rahman bin Yazid who said, "We were sit t ing wit h ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud when we ment ioned t he Companions of t he Prophet and t heir deeds being superior t o our deeds. ` Abdullah said, ` The mat t er of Muhammad was clear for t hose who saw him. By He ot her t han Whom t here is no God, no person will ever acquire a bet t er t ype of fait h t han believing in Al-Ghayb.' He t hen recit ed,

 -
(Alif Lam Mim. This is t he Book, wherein t here is no doubt , a guidance for t he Mut t aqin. Those who believe in t he Ghayb), unt il,

(t he successful). '' Ibn Abi Hat im, Ibn Marduwyah and Al-Hakim, in his Must adrak, recorded t his Hadit h. Al-Hakim comment ed t hat t his Hadit h is aut hent ic and t hat t he Two Shaykhs - AlBukhari and Muslim - did not collect it , alt hough it meet s t heir crit eria. Ahmad recorded a Hadit h wit h similar meaning from Ibn Muhayriz who said: I said t o Abu Jumu` ah, "Narrat e a Hadit h for us t hat you heard from t he Messenger of Allah.'' He said, "Yes. I will narrat e a good Hadit h for you. Once we had lunch wit h t he Messenger of Allah . Abu ` Ubaydah, who was wit h us, said, ` O Messenger of Allah! Are people bet t er t han us We embraced Islam wit h you and performed Jihad wit h you.' He said,

(Yes, t hose who will come aft er you, who will believe in me alt hough t hey did not see me.)'' This Hadit h has anot her rout e collect ed by Abu Bakr bin Marduwyah in his Tafsir, from Salih bin Jubayr who said: ` Abu Jumu` ah Al-Ansari, t he Companion of t he Messenger of Allah , came t o Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) t o perform t he prayer. Raj a' bin Haywah was wit h us, so when Abu Jumu` ah finished, we went out t o greet him. When he was about t o leave, he said, "You have a gift and a right . I will narrat e a Hadit h for you t hat I heard from t he Messenger of Allah. '' We said, "Do so, and may Allah grant you mercy.'' He said, "We were wit h t he Messenger of Allah, t en people including Mu` adh bin Jabal. We said, "O Messenger of Allah! Are t here people who will acquire great er rewards t han us We believed in Allah and followed you.' He said,

(What prevent s you from doing so, while t he Messenger of Allah is among you, bringing you t he revelat ion from heaven There are people who will come aft er you and who will be given a book

bet ween t wo covers (t he Qur'an), and t hey will believe in it and implement it s commands. They have a great er reward t han you, even t wice as much.)''

(And perform Salah, and spend out of what we have provided for t hem)

Meaning of Iqamat As-Salah

Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(And perform t he Salah), means, "Perform t he prayer wit h all of t he obligat ions t hat accompany it .'' Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Iqamat As-Salah means t o complet e t he bowings, prost rat ions, recit at ion, humbleness and at t endance for t he prayer.'' Qat adah said, "Iqamat As-Salah means t o preserve punct ualit y, and t he ablut ion, bowings, and prost rat ions of t he prayer.'' Muqat il bin Hayyan said Iqamat As-Salah means "To preserve punct ualit y for it , as well as complet ing ones purit y for it , and complet ing t he bowings, prost rat ions, recit at ion of t he Qur'an, Tashahhud and blessings for t he Prophet . This is Iqamat As-Salah.''

The Meaning of "Spending'' in this Ayah

Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said,

(And spend out of what We have provided for t hem) means, "The Zakah due on t heir wealt h.'' As-Suddi said t hat Abu Malik and Abu Salih narrat ed from Ibn ` Abbas, as well as Murrah from Ibn Mas` ud and ot her Companions of t he Messenger of Allah , t hat ,

(And spend out of what We have provided for t hem) means, "A man's spending on his family. This was before t he obligat ion of Zakah was revealed.'' Juwaybir narrat ed from Ad-Dahhak, "General spending (in charit y) was a means of drawing nearer t o Allah, according t o one's discret ion and capabilit y. Unt il t he obligat ion of charit y was revealed in t he seven Ayat of Surat Bara'ah (chapt er 9), were revealed. These abrogat ed t he previous case.'' In many inst ances, Allah ment ioned prayer and spending wealt h t oget her. Prayer is a right of Allah as well as a form of worshipping Him. It includes singling Him out for one's devot ion, praising Him, glorifying Him, supplicat ing t o Him, invoking Him, and it displays one's dependence upon Him. Spending is form of kindness t owards creat ures by giving t hem what will benefit t hem, and t hose people most deserving of t his charit y are t he relat ives, t he wife, t he

servant s and t hen t he rest of t he people. So all t ypes of required charit y and required spending are included in Allah's saying,

(And spend out of what we have provided for t hem). The Two Sahihs recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(Islam is built upon five (pillars): Test ifying t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah and t hat Muhammad is t he Messenger of Allah, est ablishing t he prayer, giving Zakah, fast ing Ramadan and Haj j t o t he House.) There are many ot her Hadit hs on t his subj ect .

The Meaning of Salah

In t he Arabic language, t he basic meaing of Salah is supplicat ion. In religious t erminology, Salah is used t o refer t o t he act s of bowing and prost rat ion, t he remaining specified act s associat ed wit h it , specificed at cert ain t imes, wit h t hose known condit ions, and t he charact erist ics, and requirement s t hat are well-known about it .

(4. And who have fait h in what is revealed t o you and in what was revealed before you, and in t he Hereaft er t hey are cert ain.) Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(And who have fait h in what is revealed t o you and in what was revealed before you.) means, "They believe in what Allah sent you wit h, and in what t he previous Messengers were sent wit h, t hey do not dist inguish bet ween (believing) t hem, nor do t hey rej ect what t hey brought from t heir Lord.''

(And in t he Hereaft er t hey are cert ain) t hat is t he resurrect ion, t he st anding (on t he Day of Resurrect ion), Paradise, t he Fire, t he reckoning and t he t he Scale t hat weighs t he deeds (t he Mizan). The Hereaft er is so named because it comes aft er t his eart hly life.

Attributes of the Believers

The people described here (2:4) are t hose whom Allah described in t he preceding Ayah,

(Those who have fait h in t he Ghayb and perform Salah, and spend out of what we have provided for t hem.) Muj ahid once st at ed, "Four Ayat at t he beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah describe t he believers, t wo describe t he disbelievers, and t hirt een describe t he hypocrit es.'' The four Ayat ment ioned in t his st at ement are general and include every believer, whet her an Arab, non-Arab, or a person of a previous Script ure, whet her t hey are Jinns or humans. All of t hese at t ribut es complement each ot her and require t he exist ence of t he ot her at t ribut es. For inst ance, it is not possible t hat one believes in t he Unseen, performs t he prayer and gives Zakah wit hout believing in what t he Messenger of Allah and t he previous Messengers were sent wit h. The same wit h cert aint y in t he Hereaft er, t his is not correct wit hout t hat , for Allah has commanded t he believers,

(O you who believe! Believe in Allah, and His Messenger, and t he Book (t he Qur'an) which He has revealed t o t he Messenger, and t he Book which He sent own t o t hose before (him)) (4:136),


(And argue not wit h t he People of t he Book, unless it be in (a way) t hat is bet t er, except wit h such of t hem as do wrong; and say (t o t hem): "We believe in t hat which has been revealed t o us and revealed t o you; our Ilah (God) and your Ilah (God) is One (i.e. Allah)') (29:46),

(O you who have been given t he Book (Jews and Christ ians)! Believe in what We have revealed (t o Muhammad ) confirming what is (already) wit h you) (4:47), and,

(Say (O Muhammad ): "O People of t he Book (Jews and Christ ians)! You have not hing unt il you act according t o t he Tawrah (Torah), t he Inj il (Gospel), and what has (now) been revealed t o you from your Lord (t he Qur'an).'') (5:68). Also, Allah t he Exalt ed described t he believers;

(The Messenger (Muhammad ) believes in what has been revealed t o him from his Lord, and (so do) t he believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say,) "We make no dist inct ion bet ween any of His Messengers'') (2: 285), and,


(And t hose who believe in Allah and His Messengers and make no dist inct ion bet ween any of t hem (Messengers)) (4:152), This is a sample of t he Ayat t hat indicat e t hat t he t rue believers all believe in Allah, His Messengers and His Books. The fait hful among t he People of t he Book, have a special significance here, since t hey believe in t heir Books and in all of t he det ails relat ed t o t hat , so when such people embrace Islam and sincerely believe in t he det ails of t he religion, t hen t hey will get t wo rewards. As for t he ot hers, t hey can only believe in t he previous religious t eachings in a general way. For inst ance, t he Prophet st at ed,

:
(When t he People of t he Book narrat e t o you, neit her rej ect nor affirm what t hey say. Rat her, say, 'We believe in what was revealed t o us and what was revealed t o you.') However, t he fait h t hat many Arabs have in t he religion of Islam as it was revealed t o Muhammad might be more complet e, encompassing and firmer t han t he fait h of t he People of t he Book who embraced Islam. Therefore, if t he believers in Islam among t he People of t he Book gain t wo rewards, ot her Muslims who have firmer Islamic fait h might gain an equal reward t hat compares t o t he t wo t he People of t he Book gain (upon embracing Islam). And Allah knows best .

(5. They are on guidance from t heir Lord, and t hey are t he successful.)

Guidance and Success are awarded to the Believers

Allah said,


(They are) refers t o t hose who believe in t he Unseen, est ablish t he prayer, spend from what Allah has grant ed t hem, believe in what Allah has revealed t o t he Messenger and t he Messengers before him, believe in t he Hereaft er wit h cert aint y, and prepare t he necessary requirement s for t he Hereaft er by performing good deeds and avoiding t he prohibit ions. Allah t hen said,

(On guidance) meaning, t hey are (following) a light , guidance, and have insight from Allah,

(And t hey are t he successful) meaning, in t his world and t he Hereaft er. They shall have what t hey seek and be saved from t he evil t hat t hey t ried t o avoid. Therefore, t hey will have rewards, et ernal life in Paradise, and safet y from t he t orment t hat Allah has prepared for His enemies.

-(6. Verily, t hose who disbelieve, it is t he same t o t hem whet her you warn t hem or do not warn t hem, t hey will not believe.) Allah said,

(Verily, t hose who disbelieve) meaning, covered t he t rut h and hid it . Since Allah has writ t en t hat t hey would do so, it does not mat t er if you (O Muhammad ) warn t hem or not , t hey would st ill have disbelieved in what you were sent wit h. Similarly, Allah said,

(Truly, t hose against whom t he Word (wrat h) of your Lord has been j ust ified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come t o t hem, unt il t hey see t he painful t orment ) (10:96-97). About t he rebellious People of t he Book, Allah said,

(And even if you were t o bring t o t he People of t he Book (Jews and Christ ians) all t he Ayat , t hey would not follow your Qiblah (prayer direct ion)) (2:5). These Ayat indicat e t hat whomever Allah has writ t en t o be miserable, t hey shall never find anyone t o guide t hem t o happiness, and whomever Allah direct s t o misguidance, he shall never find anyone t o guide him. So do not pit y t hem - O Muhammad - deliver t he Message t o t hem. Cert ainly, whoever among t hem accept s t he Message, t hen he shall gain t he best rewards. As for t hose who t urn away in rej ect ion, do not feel sad for t hem or concerned about t hem, for

(Your dut y is only t o convey (t he Message) and on Us is t he reckoning) (13: 40), and,

(But you are only a warner. And Allah is a Wakil (Disposer of affairs, Trust ee, Guardian) over all t hings) (11:12). ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about Allah's st at ement ,

(Verily, t hose who disbelieve, it is t he same t o t hem whet her you (O Muhammad ) warn t hem or do not warn t hem, t hey will not believe) "That t he Messenger of Allah was eager for all t he people t o believe and follow t he guidance he was sent wit h. Allah informed him t hat none would believe except for t hose whom He decreed happiness for in t he first place, and none would st ray except t hose who Allah has decreed t o do so in t he first place.''


(7. Allah has set a seal on t heir heart s and on t heir hearing, and on t heir eyes t here is a covering. Theirs will be a great t orment ).

Meaning of Khatama
As-Suddi said t hat ,

(Khat ama Allah) means, "Allah has sealed.'' Qat adah said t hat t his Ayah means, "Shayt an cont rolled t hem when t hey obeyed him. Therefore, Allah sealed t heir heart s, hearing and sight , and t hey could neit her see t he guidance nor hear, comprehend or underst and.'' Ibn Jurayj said t hat Muj ahid said,

(Allah has set a seal on t heir heart s), "A st amp. It occurs when sin resides in t he heart and surrounds it from all sides, and t his submersion of t he heart in sin const it ut es a st amp, meaning a seal.'' Ibn Jurayj also said t hat t he seal is placed on t he heart and t he hearing. In addit ion, Ibn Jurayj said, t hat ` Abdullah bin Kat hir narrat ed t hat Muj ahid said, "The st ain is not as bad as t he st amp, t he st amp is not as bad as t he lock which is t he worst t ype.'' Al-A` mash said, "Muj ahid demonst rat ed wit h his hand while saying, ` They used t o say t hat t he heart is j ust like t his - meaning t he open palm. When t he servant commit s a sin, a part of t he heart will be rolled up - and he rolled up his index finger. When t he servant commit s anot her sin, a part of t he heart will be rolled up' - and he rolled up anot her finger, unt il he rolled up all of his fingers. Then he said, ` Then, t he heart will be sealed.' Muj ahid also said t hat t his is t he descript ion of t he Ran (refer t o 83:14).'' Al-Qurt ubi said, "The Ummah has agreed t hat Allah has described Himself wit h sealing and closing t he heart s of t he disbelievers, as a punishment for t heir disbelief. Similarly, Allah said,

(Nay, Allah has set a seal upon t heir heart s because of t heir disbelief) (4:155).'' He t hen ment ioned t he Hadit h about changing t he heart s, (in which t he Prophet supplicat ed),

(O You Who changes t he heart s, make our heart s firm on Your religion.) He also ment ioned t he Hadit h by Hudhayfah recorded in t he Sahih, in which t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(The Fit an (t rials, t est s) are offered t o t he heart s, j ust as t he st raws t hat are sewn int o a woven mat , one aft er anot her. Any heart t hat accept s t he Fit an, t hen a black dot will be engraved on it . Any heart t hat rej ect s t he Fit an, t hen a whit e dot will be engraved on it . The heart s will t herefore become t wo cat egories: whit e, j ust like t he barren rock; no Fit nah shall ever harm t his cat egory as long as t he heavens and eart h st ill exist . Anot her cat egory is black, j ust as t he cup t hat is t urned upside down, for t his heart does not recognize right eousness or renounce evil. ) Ibn Jarir said, "The t rut h regarding t his subj ect is what t he aut hent ic Hadit h from t he Messenger of Allah st at ed. Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(When t he believer commit s a sin, a black dot will be engraved on his heart . If he repent s, refrains and regret s, his heart will be polished again. If he commit s more errors, t he dot s will increase unt il t hey cover his heart . This is t he Ran (st ain) t hat Allah described,

(Nay! But on t heir heart s is t he Ran (st ain) which t hey used t o earn)'' (83:14). At -Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Maj ah recorded t his Hadit h, and At -Tirmidhi said t hat it is Hasan Sahih.

The Meaning of Ghishawah

Recit ing t he Ayah,

(Allah has set a seal on t heir heart s and on t heir hearing), t hen pausing, t hen cont inuing wit h,

(And on t heir eyes t here is a Ghishawah (covering)) is accurat e, for t he st amp is placed on t he heart and t he hearing while t he Ghishawah, t he covering, is appropriat ely placed on t he eyes. In his Tafsir, As-Suddi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas and Ibn Mas` ud said about Allah's st at ement ,

(Allah has set a seal on t heir heart s and on t heir hearing), "So t hat t hey neit her underst and nor hear. Allah also said t hat He placed a covering on t heir sight , meaning eyes, and so, t hey do not see.''

The Hypocrites
We ment ioned t hat four Ayat in t he beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah described t he believers. The t wo last Ayat (2:6-7) describe t he disbelievers. Aft erwards, Allah begins t o describe t he hypocrit es who show belief and hide disbelief. Since t he mat t er of t he hypocrit es is vague and many people do not realize t heir t rue realit y, Allah ment ioned t heir descript ion in det ail. Each of t he charact erist ics t hat Allah used t o described t hem wit h is a t ype of hypocrisy it self. Allah revealed Surat Bara'ah (chapt er 9) and Surat Al-Munafiqun (chapt er 63) about t he hypocrit es. He also ment ioned t he hypocrit es in Surat An-Nur (24) and ot her Surahs, so t hat t heir descript ion would be known and t heir ways and errors could be avoided. Allah said,

 -
(8. And of mankind, t here are some who say: "We believe in Allah and t he Last Day'' while in fact t hey do not believe). (9. They t ry t o deceive Allah and t hose who believe, while t hey only deceive t hemselves, and perceive (it ) not !)

Meaning of Nifaq
Nifaq means t o show conformit y - or agreement - and t o conceal evil. Nifaq has several t ypes: Nifaq in t he creed t hat causes it s people t o reside in Hell for et ernit y, and Nifaq in deed, which is one of t he maj or sins, as we will explain soon, Allah willing. Ibn Jurayj said of t he hypocrit e t hat , "His act ual deeds are different from what he publicizes, what he conceals is different from what he ut t ers, his ent rance and presence are not t he same as his exit and absence.''

The Beginning of Hypocrisy

The revelat ions about t he charact erist ics of t he hypocrit es were revealed in Al-Madinah, t his is because t here were no hypocrit es in Makkah. Rat her t he opposit e was t he sit uat ion in Makkah, since some people were forced t o pret end t hat t hey were disbelievers, while t heir heart s concealed t heir fait h. Aft erwards, t he Messenger of Allah migrat ed t o Al-Madinah, where t he Ansar from t he t ribes of Aws and Khazraj resided. They used t o worship idols during t he preIslamic period of ignorance, j ust as t he rest of t he Arab idolat ors. Three Jewish t ribes resided in Al-Madinah, Banu Qaynuqa` -allies of Al-Khazraj , Banu An-Nadir and Banu Qurayzah-allies of t he Aws. Many members of t he Aws and Khazraj t ribes embraced Islam. However, only a few Jews embraced Islam, such as ` Abdullah bin Salam. During t he early st age in Al-Madinah, t here weren't any hypocrit es because t he Muslims were not st rong enough t o be feared yet . On t he cont rary, t he Messenger of Allah conduct ed peace t reat ies wit h t he Jews and several ot her Arab t ribes around Al-Madinah. Soon aft er, t he bat t le of Badr occurred and Allah gave vict ory t o Islam and it s people. ` Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul was a leader in Al-Madinah. He was AlKhazraj 's chief, and during t he period of Jahiliyyah he was t he mast er of bot h t ribes - Aws and Khazraj . They were about t o appoint him t heir king when t he Message reached Al-Madinah, and many in Al-Madinah embraced Islam. Ibn Salul's heart was filled wit h hat red against Islam and it s people. When t he bat t le of Badr t ook place, he said, "Allah's religion has become apparent .'' So he pret ended t o be Muslim, along wit h many of t hose who were j ust like him, as well as many among t he People of t he Book. It was t hen t hat hypocrisy began in Al-Madinah and among t he surrounding nomad t ribes. As for t he Emigrant s, none of t hem were hypocrit es, since t hey emigrat ed willingly (seeking t he pleasure of Allah). Rat her, when a Muslim would emigrat e from Makkah, he would be forced t o abandon all of his wealt h, offspring and land; he would do so seeking Allah's reward in t he Hereaft er.

The Tafsir of Ayah 2:8

Muhammad bin Ishaq narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(And of mankind, t here are some who say: "We believe in Allah and t he Last Day'' while in fact t hey do not believe) "This refers t o t he hypocrit es among t he Aws and Khazraj and t hose who behaved as t hey did.'' This is how Abu Al-` Aliyah, Al-Hasan, Qat adah and As-Suddi explained t his Ayah. Allah revealed t he charact erist ics of t he hypocrit es, so t hat t he believers would not be deceived by t heir out er appearance, t hus saving t he believers from a great evil. Ot herwise, t he believers might t hink t hat t he hypocrit es were believers, when in realit y t hey are disbelievers. To consider t he sinners as right eous people is ext remely dangerous, Allah said,

(And of mankind, t here are some who say: "We believe in Allah and t he Last Day'' while in fact t hey do not believe) meaning, t hey ut t er t hese false st at ement s only wit h t heir t ongues, j ust as Allah said,

(When t he hypocrit es come t o you (O Muhammad ), t hey say: "We bear wit ness t hat you are indeed t he Messenger of Allah.'' Allah knows t hat you are indeed His Messenger) (63:1). This Ayah means t hat t he hypocrit es ut t er t hese st at ement s only when t hey meet you, not because t hey act ually believe what t hey are saying. The hypocrit es emphasize t heir belief in Allah and t he Last Day wit h t heir words, when t hat is not t he case in realit y. Therefore, Allah st at ed t hat t he hypocrit es lie in t heir t est imony of creed, when He said,

(And Allah bears wit ness t hat t he hypocrit es are indeed liars.) (63:1), and,


(while in fact t hey believe not ) Allah said,

(They t ry t o deceive Allah and t hose who believe). The hypocrit es show belief out wardly while concealing disbelief. They t hink t hat by doing t his, t hey will mislead Allah, or t hat t he st at ement s t hey ut t er will help t hem wit h Allah, and t his is an indicat ion of t heir t ot al ignorance. They t hink t hat such behavior will deceive Allah, j ust as it might deceive some of t he believers. Similarly, Allah said,

(On t he Day when Allah will resurrect t hem all t oget her; t hen t hey will swear t o Him as t hey swear t o you. And t hey t hink t hat t hey have somet hing (t o st and upon). Verily, t hey are liars!) (58:18). aHence, Allah refut ed t heir way by saying,

(While t hey only deceive t hemselves, and perceive (it ) not !) Allah st at ed t hat t he hypocrit es only deceive t hemselves by t his behavior, alt hough t hey are unaware of t his fact . Allah also said,

(Verily, t he hypocrit es t ry t o deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives t hem) (4:142). Also, Ibn Abi Hat im narrat ed t hat Ibn Jurayj comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(Verily, t he hypocrit es seek t o deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives t hem), "The hypocrit es pronounce, ` There is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah' seeking t o ensure t he sanct it y of t heir blood and money, all t he while concealing disbelief.''Sa` id said t hat Qat adah said,

-
(And of mankind, t here are some who say: "We believe in Allah and t he Last Day'' while in fact t hey believe not . They t ry t o deceive Allah and t hose who believe, while t hey only deceive t hemselves, and perceive (it ) not !) "This is t he descript ion of a hypocrit e. He is devious, he says t he t rut h wit h his t ongue and defies it wit h his heart and deeds. He wakes up in a condit ion ot her t han t he one he goes t o sleep in, and goes t o sleep in a different condit ion t han t he one he wakes up in. He changes his mind j ust like a ship t hat moves about whenever a wind blows.''

(10. In t heir heart s is a disease and Allah has increased t heir disease. A painful t orment is t heirs because t hey used t o t ell lies.)

The Meaning of ` Disease' in this Ayah

As-Suddi narrat ed from Abu Malik and (also) from Abu Salih, from Ibn ` Abbas, and (also) Murrah Al-Hamdani from Ibn Mas` ud and ot her Companions t hat t his Ayah,

(In t heir heart s is a disease) means, ` doubt ', and,

(And Allah has increased t heir disease) also means ` doubt '. Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Al-Hasan AlBasri, Abu Al-` Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Qat adah also said similarly. ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam comment ed on,


(In t heir heart s is a disease), "A disease in t he religion, not a physical disease. They are t he hypocrit es and t he disease is t he doubt t hat t hey brought t o Islam.

(And Allah has increased t heir disease) meaning, increased t hem in shameful behavior.'' He also recit ed,

(As for t hose who believe, it has increased t heir fait h, and t hey rej oice. But as for t hose in whose heart s is a disease, it will add disgrace t o t heir disgrace.) (9:124-125) and comment ed, "Evil t o t heir evil and deviat ion t o t heir deviat ion.'' This st at ement by ` Abdur-Rahman is t rue, and it const it ut es a punishment t hat is compat ible t o t he sin, j ust as t he earlier scholars st at ed. Similarly, Allah said,

(While as for t hose who accept guidance, He increases t heir guidance and grant s t hem t heir piet y) (47:17). Allah said next ,

(Because t hey used t o t ell lies). The hypocrit es have t wo charact erist ics, t hey lie and t hey deny t he Unseen. The scholars who st at ed t hat t he Prophet knew t he hypocrit es of his t ime have only t he Hadit h of Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman as evidence. In it t he Prophet gave him t he names of fourt een hypocrit es during t he bat t le of Tabuk. These hypocrit es plot t ed t o assassinat e t he Prophet during t he night on a hill in t hat area. They planned t o excit e t he Prophet 's camel, so t hat she would t hrow him down t he hill. Allah informed t he Prophet about t heir plot , and t he Prophet t old Hudhayfah t heir names.

As for t he ot her hypocrit es, Allah said about t hem,

(And among t he bedouins around you, some are hypocrit es, and so are some among t he people of Al-Madinah who persist in hypocrisy; you (O Muhammad ) know t hem not , We know t hem) (9:101), and,

-
(If t he hypocrit es, and t hose in whose heart s is a disease, and t hose who spread false news among t he people in Al-Madinah do not cease, We shall cert ainly let you overpower t hem, t hen t hey will not be able t o st ay in it as your neighbors but a lit t le while. Accursed, t hey shall be seized wherever found, and killed wit h a (t errible) slaught er) (33:60-61). These Ayat prove t hat t he Prophet was not informed about each and everyone among t he hypocrit es of his t ime. Rat her, t he Prophet was only informed about t heir charact erist ics, and he used t o assume t hat some people possessed t hese charact erist ics. Similarly, Allah said,

(Had We willed, We could have shown t hem t o you, and you should have known t hem by t heir marks; but surely, you will know t hem by t he t one of t heir speech!) (47:30). The most not orious hypocrit e at t hat t ime was ` Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul; Zayd bin Arqam t he Companion - gave t rut hful t est imony t o t hat effect . In addit ion, ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab once ment ioned t he mat t er of Ibn Salul t o t he Prophet , who said,


(I would not like t he Arabs t o say t o each ot her t hat Muhammad is killing his Companions.) Yet , when Ibn Salul died, t he Prophet performed t he funeral prayer for him and at t ended his funeral j ust as he used t o do wit h ot her Muslims. It was recorded in t he Sahih t hat t he Prophet said,

(I was given t he choice (t o pray for him or not ), so I chose.) In anot her narrat ion, t he Prophet said,

(If I knew t hat by asking (Allah t o forgive Ibn Salul) more t han sevent y t imes t hat He would forgive him, t hen I would do t hat .)

-
(11. And when it is said t o t hem: "Do not make mischief on t he eart h,'' t hey say: "We are only peacemakers.'') (12. Verily, t hey are t he ones who make mischief, but t hey perceive not .)

Meaning of Mischief
In his Tafsir, As-Suddi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas and Ibn Mas` ud comment ed,


(And when it is said t o t hem: "Do not make mischief on t he eart h,'' t hey say: "We are only peacemakers.'') "They are t he hypocrit es. As for,

("Do not make mischief on t he eart h''), t hat is disbelief and act s of disobedience.'' Abu Ja` far said t hat Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said t hat Abu Al-` Aliyah said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(And when it is said t o t hem: "Do not make mischief on t he eart h,''), means, "Do not commit act s of disobedience on t he eart h. Their mischief is disobeying Allah, because whoever disobeys Allah on t he eart h, or commands t hat Allah be disobeyed, he has commit t ed mischief on t he eart h. Peace on bot h t he eart h and in t he heavens is ensured (and earned) t hrough obedience (t o Allah).'' Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Qat adah said similarly.

Types of Mischief that the Hypocrites commit

Ibn Jarir said, "The hypocrit es commit mischief on eart h by disobeying t heir Lord on it and cont inuing in t he prohibit ed act s. They also abandon what Allah made obligat ory and doubt His religion, even t hough He does not accept a deed from anyone except wit h fait h in His religion and cert aint y of it s t rut h. The hypocrit es also lie t o t he believers by saying cont rary t o t he doubt and hesit at ion t heir heart s harbor. They give as much aid as t hey can, against Allah's loyal friends, and support t hose who deny Allah, His Books and His Messengers. This is how t he hypocrit es commit mischief on eart h, while t hinking t hat t hey are doing right eous work on eart h.'' The st at ement by Ibn Jarir is t rue, t aking t he disbelievers as friends is one of t he cat egories of mischief on t he eart h. Allah said,

(And t hose who disbelieve are allies of one anot her, if you do not do t his (help each ot her), t here will be t urmoil and oppression on t he eart h, and great mischief.) (8:73), In t his way Allah severed t he loyalt y bet ween t he believers and t he disbelievers. Similarly, Allah said,


(O you who believe! Do not t ake disbelievers as Awliya' (prot ect ors or helpers or friends) inst ead of believers. Do you wish t o offer Allah a manifest proof against yourselves) (4: 144). Allah t hen said,

(Verily, t he hyprocrit es will be in t he lowest dept h of t he Fire; no helper will you find for t hem) (4:145). Since t he out ward appearance of t he hypocrit e displays belief, he confuses t he t rue believers. Hence, t he deceit ful behavior of t he hypocrit es is an act of mischief, because t hey deceive t he believers by claiming what t hey do not believe in, and because t hey give support and loyalt y t o t he disbelievers against t he believers. If t he hypocrit e remains a disbeliever (rat her t han pret ending t o be Muslim), t he evil t hat result s from him would be less. Even bet t er, if t he hypocrit e becomes sincere wit h Allah and makes t he st at ement s t hat he ut t ers conform t o his deeds, he will gain success. Allah said,

(And when it is said t o t hem: "Do not make mischief on t he eart h,'' t hey say: "We are only peacemakers.'') meaning, "We seek t o be friends wit h bot h part ies, t he believers and t he disbelievers, and t o have peace wit h bot h part ies.'' Similarly, Muhammad bin Ishaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said,

(And when it is said t o t hem: "Do not make mischief on t he eart h,'' t hey say: "We are only peacemakers.'') means, "We seek t o make amends bet ween t he believers and t he People of t he Book. '' Allah said,

(Verily, t hey are t he ones who make mischief, but t hey perceive not .). This Ayah means t hat t he hypocrit es' behavior, and t heir claim t hat it is for peace, is it self mischief, alt hough in t heir ignorance, t hey do not see it t o be mischief.

(13. And when it is said t o t hem: Believe as t he people believe,'' They say: "Shall we believe as t he fools have believed'' Verily, t hey are t he fools, but t hey do not know.) Allah said t hat if t he hypocrit es are t old,

("Believe as t he people believe,''), meaning, ` Believe j ust as t he believers believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, Resurrect ion aft er deat h, Paradise and Hellfire, et c. And obey Allah and His Messenger by heeding t he commandment s and avoiding t he prohibit ions.' Yet t he hypocrit es answer by saying,

("Shall we believe as t he fools have believed'') t hey meant (may Allah curse t he hypocrit es) t he Companions of t he Messenger of Allah . This is t he same Tafsir given by Abu Al-` Aliyah and AsSuddi in his Tafsir, wit h a chain of narrat ion t o Ibn ` Abbas, Ibn Mas` ud and ot her Companions. This is also t he Tafsir of Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. The hypocrit es said, "Us and t hem having t he same st at us, following t he same pat h, while t hey are fools!'' ` The fool' is t he ignorant , simple-minded person who has lit t le knowledge in areas of benefit and harm. This is why, according t o t he maj orit y of t he scholars, Allah used t he t erm foolish t o include children, when He said,


(And do not give your propert y, which Allah has made a means of support for you, t o t he foolish) (4:5). Allah answered t he hypocrit es in all of t hese inst ances. For inst ance, Allah said here,

(Verily, t hey are t he fools). Allah t hus affirmed t hat t he hypocrit es are indeed t he fools, yet ,

(But t hey know not ). Since t hey are so t horoughly ignorant , t he hypocrit es are unaware of t heir degree of deviat ion and ignorance, and such sit uat ion is more dangerous, a severer case of blindness, and furt her from t he t rut h t han one who is aware.

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(14. And when t hey meet t hose who believe, t hey say: "We believe,'' but when t hey are alone wit h t heir Shayat in (devils), t hey say: "Truly, we are wit h you; verily, we were but mocking.'') (15. Allah mocks at t hem and leaves t hem increasing in t heir deviat ion t o wander blindly.)

The Hypocrites' Cunning and Deceit

Allah said t hat when t he hypocrit es meet t he believers, t hey proclaim t heir fait h and pret end t o be believers, loyalist s and friends. They do t his t o misdirect , mislead and deceive t he believers. The hypocrit es also want t o have a share of t he benefit s and gains t hat t he believers might possibly acquire. Yet ,

(But when t hey are alone wit h t heir Shayat in), meaning, if t hey are alone wit h t heir devils, such as t heir leaders and mast ers among t he rabbis of t he Jews, hypocrit es and idolat ors.

Human and Jinn Devils

Ibn Jarir said, "The devils of every creat ion are t he mischievous among t hem. There are bot h human devils and Jinn devils. Allah said,

(And so We have appoint ed for every Prophet enemies Shayat in (devils) among mankind and Jinn, inspiring one anot her wit h adorned speech as a delusion (or by way of decept ion)) (6:112).

The Meaning of ` Mocking

Allah said,

(They say: "Truly, we are wit h you''). Muhammad bin Ishaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah means, "We are wit h you,

(Verily, we were but mocking), meaning, we only mock people (t he believers) and deceive t hem.'' Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah,

(Verily, we were but mocking), means, "We (meaning t he hypocrit es) were mocking t he Companions of Muhammad.'' Also, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Qat adah said similarly. Allah's st at ement ,


(Allah mocks at t hem and leaves t hem increasing in t heir deviat ion t o wander blindly) answers t he hypocrit es and punishes t hem for t heir behavior. Ibn Jarir comment ed, "Allah ment ioned what He will do t o t hem on t he Day of Resurrect ion, when He said,

(On t he Day when t he hypocrit es men and women will say t o t he believers: "Wait for us! Let us get somet hing from your light !'' It will be said: "Go back t o your rear! Then seek a light !'' So a wall will be put up bet ween t hem, wit h a gat e t herein. Inside it will be mercy, and out side it will be t orment .) (57:13), and,

(And let not t he disbelievers t hink t hat Our post poning of t heir punishment is good for t hem. We post pone t he punishment only so t hat t hey may increase in sinfulness.) (3:178).'' He t hen said, "This, and it s like, is Allah's mockery of t he hypocrit es and t he people of Shirk.''

The Hypocrites suffering for their Plots

Allah st at ed t hat He will punish t he hypocrit es for t heir mockery, using t he same t erms t o describe bot h t he deed and it s punishment , alt hough t he meaning is different . Similarly, Allah said,

(The recompense for an offense is an offense equal t o it ; but whoever forgives and makes reconciliat ion, his reward is wit h Allah) (42:40), and,

(Then whoever t ransgresses (t he prohibit ion) against you, t ransgress likewise against him) (2:194). The first act is an act of inj ust ice, while t he second act is an act of j ust ice. So bot h act ions carry t he same name, while being different in realit y. This is how t he scholars explain deceit , cunning and mocking when at t ribut ed t o Allah in t he Qur'an. Surely, Allah exact s revenge for cert ain evil act s wit h a punishment t hat is similar in nat ure t o t he act it self. We should affirm here t hat Allah does not do t hese t hings out of j oyful play, according t o t he consensus of t he scholars, but as a j ust form of punishment for cert ain evil act s.

Meaning of ` Leaves them increasing in their deviation to wander blindly

Allah said,

(Allah mocks at t hem and leaves t hem increasing in t heir deviat ion t o wander blindly). As-Suddi report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas, Ibn Mas` ud and several ot her Companions of t he Messenger of Allah said t hat ,

(and leaves t hem increasing) means, He gives t hem respit e. Also, Muj ahid said, "He (causes t heir deviat ion) t o increase.'' Allah said;

-
(Do t hey t hink t hat by t he wealt h and t he children wit h which We augment t hem. (That ) We hast en t o give t hem wit h good t hings. Nay, but t hey perceive not .) (23:55-56). Ibn Jarir comment ed, "The correct meaning of t his Ayah is ` We give t hem increase from t he view of giving t hem respit e and leaving t hem in t heir deviat ion and rebellion.' Similarly, Allah said,


(And We shall t urn t heir heart s and t heir eyes away (from guidance), as t hey refused t o believe in it t he first t ime, and We shall leave t hem in t heir t respass t o wander blindly). '' (6:110). Tughyan used in t his Ayah means t o t ransgress t he limit s, j ust as Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(Verily, when t he wat er Tagha (rose) beyond it s limit s, We carried you in t he ship) (69:11). Also, Ibn Jarir said t hat t he t erm ` Amah, in t he Ayah means, ` deviat ion'. He also said about Allah's st at ement ,

(in t heir deviat ion t o wander), "In t he misguidance and disbelief t hat has encompassed t hem, causing t hem t o be confused and unable t o find a way out of it . This is because Allah has st amped t heir heart s, sealed t hem, and blinded t heir vision. Therefore, t hey do not recognize guidance or find t he way out of t heir deviat ion.''

(16. These are t hey who have purchased error wit h guidance, so t heir commerce was profit less. And t hey were not guided.) In his Tafsir, As-Suddi report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas and Ibn Mas` ud comment ed on;

(These are t hey who have purchased error wit h guidance) saying it means, "They pursued misguidance and abandoned guidance. '' Muj ahid said, "They believed and t hen disbelieved,'' while Qat adah said, "They preferred deviat ion t o guidance.'' Qat adah's st at ement is similar in meaning t o Allah's st at ement about Thamud,


(And as for Thamud, We grant ed t hem guidance, but t hey preferred blindness t o guidance) (41:17). In summary, t he st at ement s t hat we have ment ioned from t he scholars of Tafsir indicat e t hat t he hypocrit es deviat e from t he t rue guidance and prefer misguidance, subst it ut ing wickedness in place of right eousness. This meaning explains Allah's st at ement ,

(These are t hey who have purchased error wit h guidance), meaning, t hey exchanged guidance t o buy misguidance. This meaning includes t hose who first believed, t hen lat er disbelieved, whom Allah described,

(That is because t hey believed, and t hen disbelieved; t herefore t heir heart s are sealed) (63:3). The Ayah also includes t hose who preferred deviat ion over guidance. The hypocrit es fall int o several cat egories. This is why Allah said,

(So t heir commerce was profit less. And t hey were not guided), meaning t heir t rade did not succeed nor were t hey right eous or right ly guided t hroughout all t his. In addit ion, Ibn Jarir narrat ed t hat Qat adah comment ed on t he Ayah,

(So t heir commerce was profit less. And t hey were not guided), "By Allah! I have seen t hem leaving guidance for deviat ion, leaving t he Jama` ah (t he communit y of t he believers) for t he sect s, leaving safet y for fear, and t he Sunnah for innovat ion.'' Ibn Abi Hat im also report ed ot her similar st at ement s.

 -
(17. Their likeness is as t he likeness of one who kindled a fire; t hen, when it illuminat ed all around him, Allah removed t heir light and left t hem in darkness. (So) t hey could not see). (18. They are deaf, dumb, and blind, so t hey ret urn not (t o t he right pat h).)

The Example of the Hypocrites

Allah likened t he hypocrit es when t hey bought deviat ion wit h guidance, t hus acquiring ut t er blindness, t o t he example of a person who st art ed a fire. When t he fire was lit , and illumnit at ed t he surrounding area, t he person benefit ed from it and felt safe. Then t he fire was suddenly ext inguished. Therefore, t ot al darkness covered t his person, and he became unable t o see anyt hing or find his way out of it . Furt her, t his person could not hear or speak and became so blind t hat even if t here were light , he would not be able t o see. This is why he cannot ret urn t o t he st at e t hat he was in before t his happened t o him. Such is t he case wit h t he hypocrit es who preferred misguidance over guidance, deviat ion over right eousness. This parable indicat es t hat t he hypocrit es first believed, t hen disbelieved, j ust as Allah st at ed in ot her part s of t he Qur'an. Allah's st at ement ,

(Allah removed t heir light ) means, Allah removed what benefit s t hem, and t his is t he light , and He left t hem wit h what harms t hem, t hat is, t he darkness and smoke. Allah said,

(And left t hem in darkness), t hat is t heir doubt s, disbelief and hypocrisy.

((So) t hey could not see) meaning, t hey are unable t o find t he correct pat h or find it s direct ion. In addit ion, t hey are,

(deaf) and t hus cannot hear t he guidance,

(dumb) and cannot ut t er t he words t hat might benefit t hem,

(and blind) in t ot al darkness and deviat ion. Similarly, Allah said,

(Verily, it is not t he eyes t hat grow blind, but it is t he heart s which are in t he breast s t hat grow blind) (22:46) and t his why t hey cannot get back t o t he st at e of guidance t hat t hey were in, since t hey sold it for misguidance.

-
(19. Or like a rainst orm in t he sky, bringing darkness, t hunder, and light ning. They t hrust t heir fingers in t heir ears t o keep out t he st unning t hunderclap for fear of deat h. But Allah ever encompasses t he disbelievers.) (20. The light ning almost snat ches away t heir sight , whenever it flashes for t hem, t hey walk t herein, and when darkness covers t hem, t hey st and st ill. And if Allah willed, He could have t aken away t heir hearing and t heir sight . Cert ainly, Allah has power over all t hings.)

Another Parable of the Hypocrites

This is anot her parable which Allah gave about t he hypocrit es who somet imes know t he t rut h and doubt it at ot her t imes. When t hey suffer from doubt , confusion and disbelief, t heir heart s are,

(Like a Sayyib), meaning, "The rain", as Ibn Mas` ud, Ibn ` Abbas, and several ot her Companions have confirmed as well as Abu Al-` Aliyah, Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` At a', Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Qat adah, ` At iyah Al-` Awfi, ` At a' Al-Khurasani, As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Ad-Dahhak said "It is t he clouds." However, t he most accept ed opinion is t hat it means t he rain t hat comes down during,

(darkness), meaning, here, t he doubt s, disbelief and hypocrisy.

(t hunder) t hat shocks t he heart s wit h fear. The hypocrit es are usually full of fear and anxiet y, j ust as Allah described t hem,

(They t hink t hat every cry is against t hem) (63: 4), and,

-
(They swear by Allah t hat t hey are t ruly of you while t hey are not of you, but t hey are a people who are afraid. Should t hey find refuge, or caves, or a place of concealment , t hey would t urn st raight way t heret o in a swift rush) (9:56-57).

(The light ning), is in reference t o t he light of fait h t hat is somet imes felt in t he heart s of t he hypocrit es,


(They t hrust t heir fingers in t heir ears t o keep out t he st unning t hunderclap for fear of deat h. But Allah ever encompasses t he disbelievers), meaning, t heir caut iousness does not benefit t hem because t hey are bound by Allah's all-encompassing will and decision. Similarly, Allah said,

- - -
(Has t he st ory reached you of t wo host s. Of Fir` awn (Pharaoh) and Thamud Nay! The disbelievers (persist ed) in denying. And Allah encompasses t hem from behind!) (85:17-20). Allah t hen said,

F(The light ning almost snat ches away t heir sight ) meaning, because t he light ning is st rong it self, and because t heir comprehension is weak and does not allow t hem t o embrace t he fait h. Also, ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah,

(The light ning almost snat ches away t heir sight ), "The Qur'an ment ioned almost all of t he secret s of t he hypocrit es.'' ` Ali bin Abi Talhah also narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said,

(Whenever it flashes for t hem, t hey walk t herein), "Whenever t he hypocrit es acquire a share in t he vict ories of Islam, t hey are cont ent wit h t his share. Whenever Islam suffers a calamit y, t hey are ready t o revert t o disbelief.''. Similarly, Allah said,


(And among mankind is he who worships Allah on t he edge: If good befalls him, he is cont ent wit h t hat .) (22:11). Also, Muhammad bin Ishaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said,

(Whenever it flashes for t hem, t hey walk t herein, and when darkness covers t hem, t hey st and st ill), "They recognize t he t rut h and speak about it . So t heir speech is upright , but when t hey revert t o disbeleif, t hey again fall int o confusion.'' This was also said by Abu Al-` Aliyah, AlHasan Al-Basri, Qat adah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and As-Suddi, who narrat ed it from t he Companions, and it is t he most obvious and most correct view, and Allah knows best . Consequent ly, on t he Day of Judgment , t he believers will be given a light according t o t he degree of t heir fait h. Some of t hem will gain light t hat illuminat es over a dist ance of several miles, some more, some less. Some people's light will glow somet imes and be ext inguished at ot her t imes. They will, t herefore, walk on t he Sirat (t he bridge over t he Fire) in t he light , st opping when it is ext inguished. Some people will have no light at all, t hese are t he hypocrit es whom Allah described when He said,

(On t he Day when t he hypocrit es men and women will say t o t he believers: "Wait for us! Let us get somet hing from your light !'' It will be said t o t hem; "Go back t o you rear! Then seek a light !'') (57:13). Allah described t he believers,


(On t he Day you shall see t he believing men and t he believing women t heir light running forward before t hem and by t heir right hands. Glad t idings for you t his Day! Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise)) (57:12), and,

(The Day t hat Allah will not disgrace t he Prophet (Muhammad ) and t hose who believe wit h him. Their Light will run forward before t hem and (wit h t heir Records Books of deeds) in t heir right hands. They will say: "Our Lord! Keep perfect our Light for us and do not put it off t ill we cross over t he Sirat (a slippery bridge over t he Hell) safely and grant us forgiveness. Verily, You are Able t o do all t hings'') (66:8). Ibn Abi Hat im narrat ed t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud comment ed on,

(Their Light will run forward before t hem), "They will pass on t he Sirat . according t o t heir deeds. The light t hat some people have will be as big as a mount ain, while t he light of ot hers will be as big as a dat e t ree. The people who will have t he least light are t hose whose index fingers will somet imes be lit and ext inguished at ot her t imes.'' Ibn Abi Hat im also report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Every person among t he people of Tawhid (Islamic Monot heism) will gain a light on t he Day of Resurrect ion. As for t he hypocrit e, his light will be ext inguished. When t he believers wit ness t he hypocrit e's light being ext inguished, t hey will feel anxious. Hence, t hey will supplicat e,

(Our Lord! Keep perfect our Light for us).'' Ad-Dahhak bin Muzahim said, "On t he Day of Resurrect ion, everyone who has embraced t he fait h will be given a light . When t hey arrive at

t he Sirat , t he light of t he hypocrit es will be ext inguished. When t he believers see t his, t hey will feel anxious and supplicat e,

(Our Lord! Keep perfect our Light for us).''

Types of Believers and Types of Disbelievers

Consequent ly, t here are several t ypes of people. There are t he believers whom t he first four Ayat (2:2-5) in Surat Al-Baqarah describe. There are t he disbelievers who were described in t he next t wo Ayat . And t here are t wo cat egories of hypocrit es: t he complet e hypocrit es who were ment ioned in t he parable of t he fire, and t he hesit ant hypocrit es, whose light of fait h is somet imes lit and somet imes ext inguished. The parable of t he rain was revealed about t his cat egory, which is not as evil as t he first cat egory. This is similar t o t he parables t hat were given in Surat An-Nur (chapt er 24). Like t he example of t he believer and t he fait h t hat Allah put in his heart , compared t o a bright ly illuminat ed lamp, j ust like a rising st ar. This is t he believer, whose heart is built on fait h and receiving it s support from t he divine legislat ion t hat was revealed t o it , wit hout any impurit ies or imperfect ions, as we will come t o know, Allah willing. Allah gave a parable of t he disbelievers who t hink t hat t hey have somet hing, while in realit y t hey have not hing; such people are t hose who have compounded ignorance. Allah said,

(As for t hose who disbelieved, t heir deeds are like a mirage in a desert . The t hirst y one t hinks it t o be wat er, unt il he comes up t o it , he finds it t o be not hing) (24:39). Allah t hen gave t he example of ignorant disbelievers, simple in t heir ignorance. He said;

(Or (t he st at e of a disbeliever) is like t he darkness in a vast deep sea, overwhelmed by waves, t opped by dark clouds, (layers of) darkness upon darkness: if a man st ret ches out his hand, he can hardly see it ! And he for whom Allah has not appoint ed light , for him t here is no light ) (24:40). Therefore, Allah divided t he camp of t he disbelievers int o t wo groups, advocat es and followers. Allah ment ioned t hese t wo groups in t he beginning of Surat Al-Haj j ,

(And among mankind is he who disput es about Allah, wit hout knowledge, and follows every rebellious (disobedient t o Allah) Shayt an (devil) (devoid of every kind of good)) (22:3), and,

(And among men is he who disput es about Allah, wit hout knowledge or guidance, or a Book giving light (from Allah)) (22:8). Furt hermore, Allah has divided t he group of t he believers in t he beginning of Surat Al-Waqi` ah (56) and at t he end. He also divided t hem in Surat Al-Insan (76) int o t wo groups, t he Sabiqun (t hose who preceded), t hey are t he "near ones" (Muqaribun) and Ashab Al-Yamin (t he companions of t he right ), and t hey are right eous (Abrar). In summary, t hese Ayat divide t he believers int o t wo cat egories, t he near ones and right eous. Also, t he disbelievers are of t wo t ypes, advocat es and followers. In addit ion, t he hypocrit es are divided int o t wo t ypes, pure hypocrit es and t hose who have some hypocrisy in t hem. The Two Sahihs record t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said t hat t he Prophet said,

:
(Whoever has t he following t hree (charact erist ics) will be a pure hypocrit e, and whoever has one of t he following t hree charact erist ics will have one charact erist ic of hypocrisy, unless and

unt il he gives it up. Whenever he speaks, he t ells a lie. Whenever he makes a covenant , he proves t reacherous. Whenever he is ent rust ed, he breaches t he t rust ) Hence, man might have bot h a part of fait h and a part of hypocrisy, whet her in deed, as t his Hadit h st ipulat es, or in t he creed, as t he Ayah (2:20) st ipulat es.

Types of Hearts
Imam Ahmad recorded Abu Sa` id saying t hat t he Messenger of Allah said

:
(The heart s are four (t ypes): polished as shiny as t he radiat ing lamp, a sealed heart wit h a knot t ied around it s seal, a heart t hat is t urned upside down and a wrapped heart . As for t he polished heart , it is t he heart of t he believer and t he lamp is t he light of fait h. The sealed heart is t he heart of t he disbeliever. The heart t hat is t urned upside down is t he heart of t he pure hypocrit e, because he had knowledge but denied it . As for t he wrapped heart , it is a heart t hat cont ains belief and hypocrisy. The example of fait h in t his heart , is t he example of t he herb t hat is sust ained by pure wat er. The example of hypocrisy in it , is t he example of an ulcer t hat t hrives on puss and blood. Whichever of t he t wo subst ances has t he upper hand, it will have t he upper hand on t hat heart ). This Hadit h has a Jayid Hasan (good) chain of narrat ion. Allah said,


(And if Allah willed, He would have t aken away t heir hearing and t heir sight . Cert ainly, Allah has power over all t hings). Muhammad bin Ishaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(And if Allah willed, He would have t aken away t heir hearing and t heir sight ), "Because t hey abandoned t he t rut h aft er t hey had knowledge in it .''

(Cert ainly, Allah has power over all t hings). Ibn ` Abbas said, "Allah is able t o punish or pardon His servant s as He wills.'' Ibn Jarir comment ed, "Allah only described Himself wit h t he abilit y t o do everyt hing in t his Ayah as a warning t o t he hypocrit es of His cont rol over everyt hing, and t o inform t hem t hat His abilit y complet ely encompasses t hem and t hat He is able t o t ake away t heir hearing and sight .'' Ibn Jarir and several ot her scholars of Tafsir st at ed t hat t hese t wo parables are about t he same kind of hypocrit e. So t he ` or' ment ioned in,

(Or like a rainst orm from t he sky) means ` and', j ust as t he Ayah,

(And obey neit her a sinner or a disbeliever among t hem). Therefore, ` or' in t he Ayah includes a choice of using eit her example for t he hypocrit es. Also, Al-Qurt ubi said t hat ` or' means, "To show compat ibilit y of t he t wo choices, j ust as when one says, ` Sit wit h Al-Hasan or Ibn Sirin.' According t o t he view of Az-Zamakhshari, ` so it means each of t hese persons is t he same as t he ot her, so you may sit wit h eit her one of t hem.' The meaning of ` or' t hus becomes ` eit her.' Allah gave t hese t wo examples of t he hypocrit es, because t hey bot h perfect ly describe t hem.'' I (Ibn Kat hir) say, t hese descript ions are relat ed t o t he t ype of hypocrit e, because t here is a difference bet ween t hem as we st at ed. For inst ance, Allah ment ioned t hese t ypes in Surat Bara'ah (chapt er 9) when He repeat ed t he st at ement , "And among t hem'' t hree t imes, describing t heir t ypes, charact erist ics, st at ement s and deeds. So t he t wo examples ment ioned here describe t wo t ypes of hypocrit es whose charact erist ics are similar. For inst ance, Allah

gave t wo examples in Surat An-Nur, one for t he advocat es of disbelief and one for t he followers of disbelief, He said,

(As for t hose who disbelieved, t heir deeds are like a mirage in a desert ) (24:39), unt il,

(Or (t he st at e of a disbeliever) is like t he darkness in a vast deep sea) (24:40). The first example is of t he advocat es of disbelief who have complex ignorance, while t he second is about t he followers who have simple ignorance. Allah knows best .

-
(21. O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who creat ed you and t hose who were before you so t hat you may acquire Taqwa.) (22. Who has made t he eart h a rest ing place for you, and t he sky as a canopy, and sent down wat er (rain) from t he sky and brought fort h t herewit h fruit s as a provision for you. Then do not set up rivals unt o Allah (in worship) while you know (t hat He alone has t he right t o be worshipped).)

Tawhid Al-Uluhiyyah
Allah next ment ioned His Oneness in divinit y and st at ed t hat He has favored His servant s by bringing t hem t o life aft er t hey did not exist . He also surrounded t hem wit h blessings, bot h hidden and apparent . He made t he eart h a rest ing place for t hem, j ust like t he bed, st able wit h t he firm mount ains.

(And t he sky as a canopy) meaning, ` a ceiling'. Similarly, Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And We have made t he heaven a roof, safe and well-guarded. Yet t hey t urn away from it s signs (i.e. sun, moon, winds, clouds)) (21:32).

(And sends down for you wat er (rain) from t he sky) meaning, t hrough t he clouds, when t hey need t he rain. Hence, Allah caused t he various t ypes of veget at ion and fruit s t o grow as a means of sust enance for people and t heir cat t le. Allah reit erat ed t his bount y in various part s of t he Qur'an. There is anot her Ayah t hat is similar t o t his Ayah (2:22), t hat is, Allah's st at ement ,

(It is He Who has made for you t he eart h as a dwelling place and t he sky as a canopy, and has given you shape and made your shapes good (looking) and has provided you wit h good t hings. That is Allah, your Lord, so Blessed be Allah, t he Lord of all t hat exist s) (40:64). The meaning t hat is reit erat ed here is t hat Allah is t he Creat or, t he Sust ainer, t he Owner and Provider of t his life, all t hat is in and on it . Hence, He alone deserves t o be worshipped, and no one and not hing is t o be associat ed wit h Him. This is why Allah said next ,

(Then do not set up rivals unt o Allah (in worship) while you know (t hat He alone has t he right t o be worshipped)) (2:22). The Two Sahihs record t hat Ibn Mas` ud said, "I said t o t he Messenger of Allah , ` Which evil deed is t he worst wit h Allah' He said,


(To t ake an equal wit h Allah, while He alone creat ed you.)'' Also, Mu` adh narrat ed t he Prophet 's st at ement ,

(Do you know Allah's right on His servant s They must worship Him alone and refrain from associat ing anyt hing wit h Him in worship.) Anot her Hadit h st at es,

:
(None of you should say, ` What Allah and so-and-so person wills. Rat her, let him say, ` What Allah wills, and t hen what so-and-so person wills.)

Hadith with the same MeaningImam Ahmad narrat ed t hat

t hat t he Prophet of Allah said,

Al-Harit h Al-Ash` ari said

: :

 : : : . . . :

 .
(Allah commanded Yahya bin Zakariya t o implement five commands and t o order t he Children of Israel t o implement t hem, but Yahya was slow in carrying out t hese commands. ` Isa said t o Yahya, ` You were ordered t o implement five commands and t o order t he Children of Israel t o implement t hem. So eit her order, or I will do it .' Yahya said, 'My brot her! I fear t hat if you do it before me, I will be punished or t he eart h will be shaken under my feet .' Hence, Yahya bin Zakariya called t he Children of Israel t o Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), unt il t hey filled t he Masj id. He sat on t he balcony, t hanked Allah and praised him and t hen said, ` Allah ordered me t o implement five commandment s and t hat I should order you t o adhere t o t hem. The first is t hat you worship Allah alone and not associat e any wit h Him. The example of t his command is t he example of a man who bought a servant from his money wit h paper or gold. The servant st art ed t o work for t he mast er, but was paying t he profit s t o anot her person. Who among you would like his servant t o do t hat Allah creat ed you and sust ains you. Therefore, worship Him alone and do not associat e anyt hing wit h Him. I also command you t o pray, for Allah direct s His Face t owards His servant 's face, as long as t he servant does not t urn away. So when you pray, do not t urn your heads t o and fro. I also command you t o fast . The example of it is t he example of a man in a group of men and he has some musk wrapped in a piece of clot h, and consequent ly, all of t he group smells t he scent of t he wrapped musk. Verily, t he odor of t he mout h of a fast ing person is bet t er before Allah t han t he scent of musk. I also command you t o give charit y. The example of t his is t he example of a man who was capt ured by t he enemy. They t ied his hands t o his neck and brought him fort h t o cut off his neck. He said t o t hem, 'Can I pay a ransom for myself' He kept ransoming himself wit h small and large amount s unt il he liberat ed himself. I also command you t o always remember Allah. The example of t his deed is t hat of a man who t he enemy is t irelessly pursuing. He t akes refuge in a fort ified fort . When t he servant remembers Allah, he will be resort ing t o t he best refuge from Sat an.) Al-Harit h t hen narrat ed t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: .


: :

(And I order you wit h five commandment s t hat Allah has ordered me. St ick t o t he Jama` ah (communit y of t he fait hful), list en and obey (your leaders) and perform Hij rah (migrat ion) and Jihad for t he sake of Allah. Whoever abandons t he Jama` ah, even t he dist ance of a hand span, will have removed t he t ie of Islam from his neck, unless he ret urns. Whoever uses t he slogans of Jahiliyah (t he pre-Islamic period of ignorance) he will be among t hose kneeling in Jahannam (Hellfire).) They said, "O Messenger of Allah! Even if he prays and fast s'' He said, (Even if he prays, fast s and claims t o be Muslim. So call t he Muslims wit h t heir names t hat Allah has called t hem: ` The Muslims, t he believing servant s of Allah.') This is a Hasan Hadit h, and it cont ains t he st at ement , "Allah has creat ed and sust ains you, so worship Him and do not associat e anyt hing wit h Him in worship.'' This st at ement is relevant in t he Ayat (2:21-22) we are discussing here and support s singling Allah in worship, wit hout part ners.

Several scholars of Tafsir, like Ar-Razi and ot hers, used t hese Ayat as an argument for t he exist ence of t he Creat or, and it is a most wort hy met hod of argument . Indeed, whoever ponders over t he t hings t hat exist , t he higher and lower creat ures, t heir various shapes, colors, behavior, benefit s and ecological roles, t hen he will realize t he abilit y, wisdom, knowledge, perfect ion and maj est y of t heir Creat or. Once a bedouin was asked about t he evidence t o Allah's exist ence, he responded, "All praise is due t o Allah! The camel's dung t est ifies t o t he exist ence of t he camel, and t he t rack t est ifies t o t he fact t hat someone was walking. A sky t hat holds t he giant st ars, a land t hat has fairways and a sea t hat has waves, does not all of t his t est ify t hat t he Most Kind, Most Knowledgeable exist s'' Hence, whoever gazes at t he sky in it s immensit y, it s expanse, and t he various kinds of planet s in it , some of which appear st at ionary in t he sky - whoever gazes at t he seas t hat surround t he land from all sides, and t he mount ains t hat were placed on t he eart h t o st abilize it , so t hat

whoever lives on land, what ever t heir shape and color, are able t o live and t hrive - whoever reads Allah's st at ement ,

(And among t he mount ains are st reaks whit e and red, of varying colours and (ot hers) very black. And likewise, men and Ad-Dawabb (moving (living) creat ures, beast s) and cat t le are of various colours. It is only t hose who have knowledge among His servant s t hat fear Allah) (35: 27-28). Whoever t hinks about t he running rivers t hat t ravel from area t o area bringing benefit , whoever ponders over what Allah has creat ed on eart h; various animals and plant s of different t ast es, scent s, shapes and colors t hat are a result of unit y bet ween land and wat er, whoever t hinks about all of t his t hen he will realize t hat t hese fact s t est ify t o t he exist ence of t he Creat or, His perfect abilit y, wisdom, mercy, kindness, generosit y and His overall compassion for His creat ion. There is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah, nor is t here a Lord besides Him, upon Him we rely and t o Him we t urn in repent ance. There are numerous Ayat in t he Qur'an on t his subj ect .

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(23. And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christ ians) are in doubt concerning t hat which We have sent down (i.e. t he Qur'an) t o Our servant (Muhammad ), t hen produce a Surah (chapt er) of t he like t hereof and call your wit nesses (support ers and helpers) besides Allah, if you are t rut hful). (24. But if you do it not , and you can never do it , t hen fear t he Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and st ones, prepared for t he disbelievers.)

The Message of Messenger of Allah is True

Allah begins t o prove t he t rut h of prophet hood aft er He st at ed t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Him. Allah said t o t he disbelievers,

(And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christ ians) are in doubt concerning t hat which We have sent down (i.e. t he Qur'an) t o Our servant ) meaning, Muhammad ,

(t hen produce a Surah (chapt er)) meaning, similar t o what he brought t o you. Hence, if you claim t hat what he was sent wit h did not come from Allah, t hen produce somet hing similar t o what he has brought t o you, using t he help of anyone you wish inst ead of Allah. However, you will not be able t o succeed in t his quest . Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(your wit nesses) means "Aids.'' Also, As-Suddi report ed t hat Abu Malik said t he Ayah means, "Your part ners, meaning, some ot her people t o help you in t hat . Meaning t hen go and seek t he help of your deit ies t o support and aid you.'' Also, Muj ahid said t hat ,

(and call your wit nesses) means, "People, meaning, wise and eloquent men who will provide t he t est imony t hat you seek.''

The Challenge
Allah challenged t he disbelievers in various part s of t he Qur'an. For inst ance, Allah said in Surat Al-Qasas (28:49),

(Say (t o t hem, O Muhammad ): "Then bring a Book from Allah, which is a bet t er guide t han t hese t wo (t he Tawrah (Torah) and t he Qur'an), t hat I may follow it , if you are t rut hful''). Also, Allah said in Surat Al-Isra' (17:88),


(Say: "If mankind and t he Jinn were t oget her t o produce t he like of t his Qur'an, t hey could not produce t he like t hereof, even if t hey helped one anot her.'') Allah said in Surat Hud (11:13),

(Or t hey say, "He (Prophet Muhammad ) forged it (t he Qur'an).'' Say: "Bring you t hen t en forged Surahs (chapt ers) like it , and call whomsoever you can, ot her t han Allah (t o your help), if you speak t he t rut h!''), and in Surat Yunus (10:37-38),

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(And t his Qur'an is not such as could ever be produced by ot her t han Allah (Lord of t he heavens and t he eart h), but it is a confirmat ion of (t he revelat ion) which was before it (i.e. t he Tawrah, and t he Inj il), and a full explanat ion of t he Book (i.e. Laws decreed for mankind) wherein t here is no doubt from t he Lord of all t hat exist s.) (Or do t hey say: "He (Muhammad ) has forged it '' Say: "Bring t hen a Surah (chapt er) like it , and call upon whomsoever you can besides Allah, if you are t rut hful!''). All of t hese Ayat were revealed in Makkah. Allah also challenged t he disbelievers in t he Ayat t hat were revealed in Al-Madinah. In t his Ayah, Allah said,


(And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christ ians) are in Rayb) meaning, doubt .

(Concerning t hat which We have sent down (i.e. t he Qur'an) t o Our servant ) meaning, Muhammad ,

(t hen produce a Surah (chapt er) t he like t hereof) meaning, similar t o t he Qur'an. This is t he Tafsir of Muj ahid, Qat adah, Ibn Jarir At -Tabari, Az-Zamakhshari and Ar-Razi. Ar-Razi said t hat t his is t he Tafsir of ` Umar, Ibn Mas` ud, Ibn ` Abbas, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and t he maj orit y of t he scholars. And he gave preference t o t his view and ment ioned t he fact t hat Allah has challenged t he disbelievers as individuals and as groups, whet her lit erat e or illit erat e, t hus making t he challenge t ruly complet e. This t ype of challenge is more daring t han simply challenging t he disbelievers who might not be lit erat e or knowledgeable. This is why Allah said,

(Bring you t hen t en forged Surahs (chapt ers) like it ) (11:13), and,

(They could not produce t he like t hereof) (17:88). Therefore, t his is a general challenge t o t he Arab disbelievers, t he most eloquent among all nat ions. Allah challenged t he Arab disbelievers bot h in Makkah and Al-Madinah several t imes, especially since t hey had t remendous hat red and enmit y for t he Prophet and his religion. Yet , t hey were unable t o succeed in answering t he challenge, and t his is why Allah said,

(But if you do it not , and you can never do it ), indicat ing t hat t hey will never be able t o answer t he challenge. This is anot her miracle, in t hat , Allah clearly st at ed wit hout doubt t hat t he Qur'an will never be opposed or challenged by anyt hing similar t o it , for et ernit y. This is a t rue st at ement t hat has not been changed unt il t he present and shall never change. How can anyone be able t o produce somet hing like t he Qur'an, when t he Qur'an is t he Word of Allah Who creat ed everyt hing How can t he words of t he creat ed ever be similar t o t he Words of t he Creat or

Examples of the Miracle of the Qur'an

Whoever reads t hrough t he Qur'an will realize t hat it cont ains various levels of superiorit y t hrough bot h t he apparent and hidden meanings t hat it ment ions. Allah said,

(Alif Lam Ra. (This is) a Book, t he verses whereof are perfect (in every sphere of knowledge, et c.), and t hen explained in det ail from One (Allah), Who is Wise and well-acquaint ed (wit h all t hings)) (11:1) So t he expressions in t he Qur'an are perfect and it s meanings are explained. Furt her, every word and meaning in t he Qur'an is eloquent and cannot be surpassed. The Qur'an also ment ioned t he st ories of t he people of t he past ; and t hese account s and st ories occurred exact ly as t he Qur'an st at ed. Also, t he Qur'an commanded every t ype of right eousness and forbade every t ype of evil, j ust as Allah st at ed,

(And t he Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in t rut h and in j ust ice) (6:115). meaning, t rue in t he st ories it narrat es and j ust in it s Laws. The Qur'an is t rue, j ust and full of guidance. It does not cont ain exaggerat ions, lies or falsehood, unlike Arabic and ot her t ypes of poems t hat cont ained lies. These poems, conform wit h t he popular st at ement , "The most eloquent speech is t he one t hat cont ains t he most lies!'' Somet imes, one would find a long poem t hat mainly cont ains descript ions of women, horses or alcohol. Or, t he poem might cont ain praise or t he descript ion of a cert ain person, horse, camel, war, incident , fear, lion, or ot her t ypes of it ems and obj ect s. Such praise or descript ions do not bring any benefit , except shed light on t he poet 's abilit y t o clearly and eloquent ly describe such it ems. Yet , one will only be able t o find one or t wo sent ences in many long poems t hat elaborat e on t he main t heme of t he poem, while t he rest of t he poem cont ains insignificant descript ions and repet it ions. As for t he Qur'an, it is ent irely eloquent in t he most perfect manner, as t hose who have knowledge in such mat t ers and underst and Arabic met hods of speech and expressions concur. When one reads t hrough t he st ories in t he Qur'an, he will find t hem fruit ful, whet her t hey were in ext ended or short forms, repeat ed or not . The more t hese st ories are repeat ed, t he more fruit ful and beaut iful t hey become. The Qur'an does not become old when one repeat s recit ing it , nor do t he scholars ever get bored wit h it . When t he Qur'an ment ions t he subj ect of warning and promises, it present s t rut hs t hat would make solid, firm mount ains shake, so what about t he comprehending, underst anding heart s When t he Qur'an promises, it opens t he heart s and t he ears, making t hem eager t o at t ain t he abode of peace - Paradise - and t o be t he neighbors of t he Throne of t he Most Beneficent . For inst ance, on t he subj ect of promises and encouragement , t he Qur'an said,


(No person knows what is kept hidden for t hem of j oy as a reward for what t hey used t o do) (32:17), and,

((There will be) t herein all t hat inner selves could desire, and all t hat eyes could delight in and you will abide t herein forever) (43:71). On t he subj ect of warning and discouragement ;

(Do you t hen feel secure t hat He will not cause a side of t he land t o swallow you up) (17:68), and,

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(Do you feel secure t hat He, Who is over t he heaven (Allah), will not cause t he eart h t o sink wit h you, and t hen it should quake Or do you feel secure t hat He, Who is over t he heaven (Allah), will not send against you a violent whirlwind Then you shall know how (t errible) has been My warning) (67:16-17). On t he subj ect of t hreat s, t he Qur'an said,

(So We punished each (of t hem) for his sins) (29:40). Also, on t he subj ect of soft advice, t he Qur'an said,

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(Tell Me, (even) if We do let t hem enj oy for years. And aft erwards comes t o t hem t hat (punishment ) which t hey had been promised. All t hat wit h which t hey used t o enj oy shall not avail t hem) (26:205-207). There are many ot her examples of t he eloquence, beaut y, and benefit s of t he Qur'an. When t he Qur'an is discussing Laws, commandment s and prohibit ions, it commands every t ype of right eous, good, pleasing and beneficial act . It also forbids every t ype of evil, disliked and amoral act . Ibn Mas` ud and ot her scholars of t he Salaf said, "When you hear what Allah said in t he Qur'an, such as,

(O you who believe!), t hen list en wit h full at t ent ion, for it eit her cont ains a t ype of right eousness t hat Allah is enj oining, or an evil t hat He is forbidding.'' For inst ance, Allah said,

(He (Muhammad ) commands t hem for Al-Ma` ruf (i.e. Islamic Monot heism and all t hat Islam has ordained); and forbids t hem from Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polyt heism of all kinds, and all t hat Islam has forbidden); he allows t hem as lawful At -Tayyibat (i.e. all good and lawful t hings), and prohibit s t hem as unlawful Al-Khaba'it h (i.e. all evil and unlawful t hings), he releases t hem from t heir heavy burdens and from t he fet t ers (bindings) t hat were upon t hem) (7:157). When t he Ayat ment ion Resurrect ion and t he horrors t hat will occur on t hat Day, and Paradise and t he Fire and t he j oys and safe refuge t hat Allah prepared for His loyal friends, or t orment and Hell for His enemies, t hese Ayat cont ain glad t idings or warnings. The Ayat t hen call t o perform good deeds and avoid evil deeds, making t he life of t his world less favorable and t he Hereaft er more favorable. They also est ablish t he correct met hods and guide t o Allah's st raight pat h and j ust legislat ion, all t he while ridding t he heart s of t he evil of t he cursed devil.

The Qur'an is the Greatest Miracle given to the Prophet

The Two Sahihs record t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Prophet said,


(Every Prophet was given a miracle, t he t ype of which brings mankind t o fait h. What I was given is a revelat ion t hat Allah sent down t o me. Yet , I hope t hat I will have t he most following on t he Day of Resurrect ion.) This is t he wording narrat ed by Muslim. The Prophet st at ed t hat among t he Prophet s he was given a revelat ion, meaning, he was especially ent rust ed wit h t he miraculous Qur'an t hat challenged mankind t o produce somet hing similar t o it . As for t he rest of t he divinely revealed Books, t hey were not miraculous according t o many scholars. Allah knows best . The Prophet was also aided wit h innumerable signs and indicat ions t hat t est ify t o t he t rut h of his prophet hood and what he was sent wit h, all t hanks and praise is due t o Allah.

Meaning of ` Stones

Allah said,

(Then fear t he Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and st ones, prepared for t he disbelievers) (2:24). ` Fuel' is wood, or similar subst ances, used t o st art and feed a fire. Similarly, Allah said,

(And as for t he Qasit un (disbelievers who deviat ed from t he right pat h), t hey shall be firewood for Hell) (72:15), and,


(Cert ainly you (disbelievers) and t hat which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but ) fuel for Hell! (Surely) you ent er it . Had t hese (idols) been alihah (gods), t hey would not have ent ered t here (Hell), and all of t hem will abide t herein) (21:98-99). The st ones ment ioned here are t he giant , rot t en, black, sulfuric st ones t hat become t he hot t est when heat ed, may Allah save us from t his evil end. It was also report ed t hat t he st ones ment ioned here are t he idols and rivals t hat were worshipped inst ead of Allah, j ust as Allah said,

(Cert ainly you (disbelievers) and t hat which you are worshipping now besides Allah,are (but ) fuel for Hell!) (21:28). Allah's st at ement ,

(prepared for t he disbelievers) It appears most obvious t hat it refers t o t he Fire t hat is fueled by men and st ones, and it also may refer t o t he st ones t hemselves. There is no cont radict ion bet ween t hese t wo views, because t hey are dependent upon each ot her. ` Prepared' means, it is ` kept ' and will surely t ouch t hose who disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger . Ibn Ishaq narrat ed t hat Muhammad said t hat ` Ikrimah or Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said,

(prepared for t he disbelievers), "For t hose who embrace t he disbelief t hat you (disbelievers) have embraced.''

Jahannam (Hellfire) exists now

Many of t he Imams of t he Sunnah used t his Ayah t o prove t hat t he Fire exist s now. This is because Allah said,

(prepared) meaning, prepared and kept . There are many Hadit hs on t his subj ect . For inst ance, t he Prophet said,

(Paradise and t he Fire had an argument ..) Also, t he Prophet said,

: :
(The Fire sought t he permission of her Lord. She said, 'O my Lord! Some part s of me consumed t he ot her part s.' And Allah allowed her t wo periods t o exhale, one in wint er and one in summer.) Also, t here is a Hadit h recorded from Ibn Mas` ud t hat t he Companions heard t he sound of a falling obj ect . When t hey asked about it , t he Messenger of Allah said,

(This is a st one t hat was t hrown from t he t op of Jahannam sevent y years ago, but only now reached it s bot t om.) This Hadit h is in Sahih Muslim. There are many Hadit hs t hat are Mut awat ir (narrat ed by many different chains of narrat ions) on t his subj ect , such as t he Hadit hs about t he eclipse prayer, t he night of Isra' et c. Allah's st at ement s,


(Then produce a Surah (chapt er) of t he like t hereof) (2:23), and,

(A Surah (chapt er) like it ) (10:38) t his includes t he short and long Surahs of t he Qur'an. Therefore, t he challenge t o creat ion st ands wit h regards t o bot h t he long and short Surahs, and t here is no disagreement t hat I know of on t his fact bet ween t he scholars of old and new. Before he became Muslim, ` Amr bin Al-` As met Musaylimah t he Liar who asked him, "What has recent ly been revealed t o your fellow (meaning Muhammad ) in Makkah'' ` Amr said, "A short , yet eloquent Surah.'' He asked, "What is it '' He said,

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(By Al-` Asr (t he t ime). Verily, man is in loss,) (103:1-2) Musaylimah t hought for a while and said, "A similar Surah was also revealed t o me.'' ` Amr asked, "What is it '' He said, "O Wabr, O Wabr (i.e. a wild cat ), you are but t wo ears and a chest , and t he rest of you is unwort hy and t hin.'' ` Amr said, "By Allah! You know t hat I know t hat you are lying.''

(25. And give glad t idings t o t hose who believe and do right eous good deeds, t hat for t hem will be Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise). Every t ime t hey will be provided wit h a fruit t herefrom, t hey will say: "This is what we were provided wit h before,'' and t hey will be given t hings in resemblance (i.e. in t he same form but different in t ast e) and t hey shall have t herein Azwaj un Mut ahharat un (purified mat es or wives), and t hey will abide t herein forever.)

Rewards of Righteous Believers

Aft er ment ioning t he t orment t hat Allah has prepared for His miserable enemies who disbelieve in Him and in His Messengers, He ment ions t he condit ion of His happy, loyal friends who believe in Him and in His Messengers, adhere t o t he fait h and perform t he good deeds. This is t he reason why t he Qur'an was called Mat hani, based on t he correct opinion of t he scholars. We will elaborat e upon t his subj ect lat er. Mat hani means t o ment ion fait h and t hen disbelief, or vice versa. Or, Allah ment ions t he miserable and t hen t he happy, or vice versa. As for ment ioning similar t hings, it is called Tashabbuh, as we will come t o know, Allah willing. Allah said,

(And give glad t idings t o t hose who believe and do right eous good deeds, t hat for t hem will be Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise)). Consequent ly, Allah st at ed t hat Paradise has rivers t hat run beneat h it , meaning, underneat h it s t rees and rooms. From Hadit hs it is learned t hat t he rivers of Paradise do not run in valleys, and t hat t he banks of Al-Kawt har (t he Prophet 's lake in Paradise) are made of domes of hollow pearls, t he sand of Paradise is made of scent ed musk while it s st ones are made from pearls and j ewels. We ask Allah t o grant Paradise t o us, for verily, He is t he Most Beneficent , Most Gracious. Ibn Abi Hat im report ed t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The rivers of Paradise spring from beneat h hills, or mount ains of musk.) He also report ed from Masruq t hat ` Abdullah said, "The rivers of Paradise spring from beneat h mount ains of musk.''

The similarity between the Fruits of Paradise

Allah said next ,

(Every t ime t hey will be provided wit h a fruit t herefrom, t hey will say: "This is what we were provided wit h before'').

Ibn Abi Hat im report ed t hat Yahya bin Abi Kat hir said, "The grass of Paradise is made of saffron, it s hills from musk and t he boys of everlast ing yout h will serve t he believers wit h fruit s which t hey will eat . They will t hen be brought similar fruit s, and t he people of Paradise will comment , ` This is t he same as what you have j ust brought us.' The boys will say t o t hem, ` Eat , for t he color is t he same, but t he t ast e is different . Hence Allah's st at ement ,

(and t hey will be given t hings in resemblance). Abu Ja` far Ar-Razi narrat ed t hat Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said t hat Abu Al-` Aliyah said t hat ,

(and t hey will be given t hings in resemblance) means, "They look like each ot her, but t he t ast e is different .'' Also, ` Ikrimah said,

(and t hey will be given t hings in resemblance) "They are similar t o t he fruit s of t his life, but t he fruit s of Paradise t ast e bet t er. '' Sufyan At h-Thawri report ed from Al-A` mash, from Abu Thubyan, t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Not hing in Paradise resembles anyt hing in t he life of t his world, except in name.'' In anot her narrat ion, Ibn ` Abbas said, "Only t he names are similar bet ween what is in t his life and what is in Paradise.''

The Wives of the People of Paradise are Pure

Allah said,

(and t hey shall have t herein Azwaj un Mut ahharat un). Ibn Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Purified from filt h and impurit y.'' Also, Muj ahid said, "From menst ruat ion, relieving t he call of nat ure, urine, spit , semen and pregnancies.'' Also, Qat adah said, "Purified from impurit y and sin.'' In anot her narrat ion, he said, "From menst ruat ion and pregnancies.'' Furt her, ` At a', Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhak, Abu Salih, ` At iyah and As-Suddi were report ed t o have said similarly. Allah's st at ement ,

(and t hey will abide t herein forever) meaning ult imat e happiness, for t he believers will enj oy everlast ing delight , safe from deat h and disrupt ion of t heir bliss, for it never ends or ceases.

We ask Allah t o make us among t hese believers, for He is t he Most Generous, Most Kind and Most merciful.

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(26. Verily, Allah is not ashamed t o set fort h a parable even of a mosquit o or so much more when it is bigger (or less when it is smaller) t han it . And as for t hose who believe, t hey know t hat it is t he t rut h from t heir Lord, but as for t hose who disbelieve, t hey say: "What did Allah int end by t his parable'' By it He misleads many, and many He guides t hereby. And He misleads t hereby only t he Fasiqin (t he rebellious, disobedient t o Allah). (27. Those who break Allah's covenant aft er rat ifying it , and sever what Allah has ordered t o be j oined and do mischief on eart h, it is t hey who are t he losers.) In his Tafsir, As-Suddi report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas, Ibn Mas` ud, and some Companions said; "When Allah gave t hese t wo examples of t he hypocrit es'' meaning Allah's st at ement s,

(Their likeness is as t he likeness of one who kindled a fire), and,

(Or like a rainst orm from t he sky), "The hypocrit es said, ` Allah's far more exalt ed t han for Him t o make such examples.' So Allah revealed t hese Ayat (2:26-27) up t o:


(Who are t he losers)''. Sa` id said t hat Qat adah said, "Allah does not shy away from t he t rut h when He ment ions a mat t er as a parable, whet her t his mat t er is significant or not . When Allah ment ioned t he flies and t he spider in His Book, t he people of misguidance said, ` Why did Allah ment ion t hese t hings.' So Allah revealed;

(Verily, Allah is not ashamed t o set fort h a parable even of a mosquit o or so much more when it is bigger (or less when it is smaller) t han it ).''

A Parable about the Life of This World

Abu Ja` far Ar-Razi report ed t hat Ar-Rabi` bin Anas comment ed on t his Ayah (2:26); "This is an example t hat Allah has given for t he life of t his world. The mosquit o lives as long as it needs food, but when it get s fat , it dies. This is also t he example of people whom Allah ment ioned in t he Qur'an: when t hey acquire (and collect t he delight s of) t he life of t his world, Allah t hen t akes t hem away.'' Aft erwards, he recit ed,

(So, when t hey forgot (t he warning) wit h which t hey had been reminded, We opened for t hem t he gat es of every (pleasant ) t hing) (6:44) In t his Ayah (2:26) Allah st at ed t hat He does not shy away or hesit at e in making an example or parable of anyt hing, whet her t he example involves a significant or an insignificant mat t er. Allah's st at ement ,

(Or so much more when it is bigger t han it ) Fama fawqaha means, somet hing bigger t han t he mosquit o, which is one of t he most insignificant and t iniest of creat ures. Muslim narrat ed t hat Aishah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(No Muslim is harmed by a t horn, Fama fawqaha (or somet hing larger), but a good deed will be writ t en for him and an evil deed will be erased from his record.) So Allah has informed us t hat t here is no mat t er t hat is t oo small t hat is exempt from being used as an example, even if it was as insignificant as a mosquit o or a spider. Allah said,

(O mankind! A similit ude has been coined, so list en t o it (carefully): Verily, t hose on whom you call besides Allah, cannot creat e (even) a fly, even t hough t hey combine t oget her for t he purpose. And if t he fly snat ches away a t hing from t hem, t hey will have no power t o release it from t he fly. So weak are (bot h) t he seeker and t he sought .) (22:73),

(The likeness of t hose who t ake (false deit ies as) Awliya' (prot ect ors, helpers) ot her t han Allah is t he likeness of a spider who builds (for it self) a house; but verily, t he frailest (weakest ) of houses is t he spider's house if t hey but knew.) (29:41), and,

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(See you not how Allah set s fort h a parable A goodly word as a goodly t ree, whose root is firmly fixed, and it s branches (reach) t o t he sky (i.e. very high). Giving it s fruit at all t imes, by t he leave of it s Lord, and Allah set s fort h parables for mankind in order t hat t hey may remember. And t he parable of an evil word is t hat of an evil t ree uproot ed from t he surface of eart h, having no st abilit y. Allah will keep firm t hose who believe, wit h t he word t hat st ands firm in life of t his world (i.e. t hey will keep on worshipping Allah alone and none else), and in t he Hereaft er. And Allah will cause t he Zalimin (polyt heist s and wrongdoers) t o go ast ray t hose and Allah does what He wills.) (14:24-27). Allah said,

(Allah put s forward t he example of (t wo men a believer and a disbeliever); a servant under t he possession of anot her, he has no power of any sort ) (16:75). He t hen said,

(And Allah put s forward (anot her) example of t wo men, one of t hem dumb, who has no power over anyt hing, and he is a burden on his mast er; whichever way he direct s him, he brings no good. Is such a man equal t o one who commands j ust ice) (16:76). Also, Allah said,


(He set s fort h for you a parable from your own selves: Do you have part ners among t hose whom your right hands possess (i.e. your servant s) t o share as equals in t he wealt h we have best owed on you) (30:28). Muj ahid comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(Verily, Allah is not ashamed t o set fort h a parable even of a mosquit o or so much more when it is bigger t han it .) "The believers believe in t hese parables, whet her t hey involve large mat t ers or small, because t hey know t hat t hey are t he t rut h from t heir Lord, and Allah guides t he believers by t hese parables.'' In his Tafsir, As-Suddi report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas, Ibn Mas` ud and ot her people among t he Companions said,

(By it He misleads many), "Meaning t he hypocrit es. Allah guides t he believers wit h t hese parables, and t he st raying of t he hypocrit es increases when t hey rej ect t he parables t hat Allah ment ioned for t hem which t hey know are t rue. This is how Allah misleads t hem.''

(And He guides t hereby) meaning, wit h t he parables,

(many) from among t he people of fait h and convict ion. Allah adds guidance t o t heir guidance, and fait h t o t heir fait h, because t hey firmly believe in what t hey know t o be t rue, t hat is, t he parables t hat Allah has ment ioned. This is guidance t hat Allah grant s t hem;

(And He misleads t hereby only t he Fasiqin (t he rebellious, disobedient t o Allah)), meaning, t he hypocrit es. The Arabs say t hat t he dat e has Fasaqat , when it comes out of it s skin, and t hey call t he mouse a Fuwaysiqah, because it leaves it s den t o cause mischief. The Two Sahihs recorded ` A'ishah saying t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(Five animals are Fawasiq, and t hey must be killed during Ihram and ot herwise: t he crow, t he kit e, t he scorpion, t he mouse and t he rabid dog.) eFasiq, includes t he disbeliever and t he disobedient . However, t he Fisq of t he disbeliever is worse, and t his is t he t ype of Fasiq t hat t he Ayah is describing here, because Allah described t hem as,

(Those who break Allah's covenant aft er rat ifying it , and sever what Allah has ordered t o be j oined and do mischief on eart h, it is t hey who are t he losers.) These are t he charact erist ics of t he disbelievers and t hey cont radict t he qualit ies of t he believers. Similarly, Allah said in Surat Ar-Ra` d,

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(Shall he t hen, who knows t hat what has been revealed unt o you (O Muhammad ) from your Lord is t he t rut h, be like him who is blind But it is only t he men of underst anding t hat pay heed. Those who fulfill t he covenant of Allah and break not t he Mit haq (bond, t reat y, covenant ). And t hose who j oin t hat which Allah has commanded t o be j oined (i.e. t hey are

good t o t heir relat ives and do not sever t he bond of kinship), and fear t heir Lord, and dread t he t errible reckoning.) (13:19-21)) unt il,

(And t hose who break t he covenant of Allah, aft er it s rat ificat ion, and sever t hat which Allah has commanded t o be j oined (i.e. t hey sever t he bond of kinship and are not good t o t heir relat ives), and work mischief in t he land, on t hem is t he curse (i.e. t hey will be far away from Allah's mercy), and for t hem is t he unhappy (evil) home (i.e. Hell).) (13:25) The covenant t hat t hese deviant people broke is Allah's covenant wit h His creat ion, t hat is, t o obey Him and avoid t he sins t hat He prohibit ed. This covenant was reit erat ed in Allah's Books and by t he words of His Messengers. Ignoring t his covenant const it ut es breaking it . It was said t hat t he Ayah (2:27) is about t he disbelievers and t he hypocrit es among t he People of t he Book. In t his case, t he covenant t hat t hey broke is t he pledge t hat Allah t ook from t hem in t he Tawrah t o follow Muhammad when he is sent as a Prophet , and t o believe in him, and in what he was sent wit h. Breaking Allah's covenant in t his case occured when t he People of t he Book rej ect ed t he Prophet aft er t hey knew t he t rut h about him, and t hey hid t his t rut h from people, even t hough t hey swore t o Allah t hat t hey would do ot herwise. Allah informed us t hat t hey t hrew t he covenant behind t heir backs and sold it for a miserable price. It was also report ed t hat t he Ayah (2:27) refers t o all disbelievers, idol worshippers and hypocrit es. Allah t ook t heir pledge t o believe in His Oneness, showing t hem t he signs t hat t est ify t o His Lordship. He also t ook a covenant from t hem t o obey His commands and refrain from His prohibit ions, knowing t hat His Messengers would bring proofs and miracles t hat none among t he creat ion could ever produce. These miracles t est ified t o t he t rut h of Allah's Messengers. The covenant was broken when t he disbelievers denied what was proven t o t hem t o be aut hent ic and rej ect ed Allah's Prophet s and Books, alt hough t hey knew t hat t hey were t he t rut h. This Tafsir was report ed from Muqat il bin Hayyan, and it is very good. It is also t he view t hat Az-Zamakhshari held. Allah's st at ement next ,

(And sever what Allah has ordered t o be j oined) is in reference t o keeping t he relat ions wit h t he relat ives, as Qat adah assert ed. This Ayah is similar t o Allah's st at ement ,

(Would you t hen, if you were given t he aut horit y, do mischief in t he land, and sever your t ies of kinship) (47:22) Ibn Jarir At -Tabari preferred t his opinion. However, it has been said t hat t he meaning of t he Ayah (2:27) here is more general. Hence, everyt hing t hat Allah has commanded t o nurt ure, and t he people severed, is included in it s meaning.

The Meaning of ` Loss

Muqat il bin Hayyan comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(It is t hey who are t he losers) "In t he Hereaft er.'' Similarly, Allah said,

(On t hem is t he curse (i.e. t hey will be far away from Allah's mercy), and for t hem is t he unhappy (evil) home (i.e. Hell)) (13:25). Also, Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Every charact erist ic t hat Allah describes t hose ot her t han t he people of Islam - such as being losers - t hen it refers t o disbelief. However, when t hey are at t ribut ed t o t he people of Islam, t hen t hese t erms refer t o sin.'' Ibn Jarir comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(It is t hey who are t he losers,) "` Losers is plural for loser, t his word refers t o whoever decreased his own share of Allah's mercy by disobeying Him, j ust as t he merchant loses in his t rade by sust aining capit al loss. Such is t he case wit h t he hypocrit e and t he disbeliever who lose t heir share of t he mercy t hat Allah has in st ore for His servant s on t he Day of Resurrect ion. And t hat is when t he disbeliever and t he hypocrit e most desperat ely need Allah's mercy.''

(28. How can you disbelieve in Allah seeing t hat you were dead and He gave you life Then He will give you deat h, t hen again will bring you t o life (on t he Day of Resurrect ion) and t hen unt o Him you will ret urn.) Allah t est ifies t o t he fact t hat He exist s and t hat He is t he Creat or and t he Sust ainer Who has full aut horit y over His servant s,


(How can you disbelieve in Allah) How can anyone deny Allah's exist ence or worship ot hers wit h Him while;

(You were dead and He gave you life) meaning, He brought t hem from t he st at e of nonexist ence t o life. Similarly, Allah said,

-
(Were t hey creat ed by not hing Or were t hey t hemselves t he creat ors Or did t hey creat e t he heavens and t he eart h Nay, but t hey have no firm belief) (52:35-36) and,

(Has t here not been over man a period of t ime, when he was not a t hing wort h ment ioning) (76:1). There are many ot her Ayat on t his subj ect . Ibn Jarir report ed from ` At a' t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(Seeing t hat you were dead and He gave you life) means, "You did not exist beforehand. You were not hing unt il Allah creat ed you; He will bring deat h t o you and t hen bring you back t o life during Resurrect ion.'' Ibn ` Abbas t hen said, "This is similar t o Allah's st at ement ;

(They will say: "Our Lord! You have made us t o die t wice and You have given us life t wice.'') (40:11)''


(29. He it is Who creat ed for you all t hat is on eart h. Then He Ist awa ila t he heaven and made t hem seven heavens and He is t he Knower of everyt hing.)

Evidence of Allah's Ability

Aft er Allah ment ioned t he proofs of His creat ing t hem, and what t hey can wit ness in t hemselves as proof of t hat , He ment ioned anot her proof t hat t hey can wit ness, t hat is, t he creat ion of t he heavens and eart h. Allah said,

(He it is Who creat ed for you all t hat is on eart h. Then He Ist awa ila t he heaven and made t hem seven heavens) meaning, He t urned t owards t he heaven,

(And made t hem) meaning, t hat He made t he heaven, seven heavens. Allah said,

(And made t hem seven heavens and He is t he Knower of everyt hing) meaning, His knowledge encompasses all His creat ion, j ust as He said in anot her Ayah,

(Should not He Who has creat ed know) (67:14).

The Beginning of the Creation

This Ayah (2:29) is explained in det ail in Surat As-Saj dah where Allah said;

 - -
(Say (O Muhammad ): "Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who creat ed t he eart h in t wo Days And you set up rivals (in worship) wit h Him That is t he Lord of all t hat exist s. He placed t herein (i.e. t he eart h) firm mount ains from above it , and He blessed it , and measured t herein it s sust enance (for it s dwellers) in four Days equal (i.e. all t hese four ` days' were equal in t he lengt h of t ime) for all t hose who ask (about it s creat ion). Then He Ist awa ila t he heaven when it was smoke, and said t o it and t o t he eart h: "Come bot h of you willingly or unwillingly.'' They bot h said: "We come willingly.'' Then He finished t hem (as) seven heavens in t wo Days and He made in each heaven it s affair. And We adorned t he nearest (lowest ) heaven wit h lamps (st ars) t o be an adornment as well as t o guard (from t he devils by using t hem as missiles against t he devils). Such is t he decree of t he Almight y, t he Knower) (41:9-12). These Ayat indicat e t hat Allah st art ed creat ion by creat ing eart h, t hen He made heaven int o seven heavens. This is how building usually st art s, wit h t he lower floors first and t hen t he t op floors, as t he scholars of Tafsir reit erat ed, as we will come t o know, Allah willing. Allah also said,

- - - -

 - -
(Are you more difficult t o creat e or is t he heaven t hat He const ruct ed He raised it s height , and has perfect ed it . It s night He covers wit h darkness and it s forenoon He brings out (wit h light ). And t he eart h, aft er t hat , He spread it out . And brought fort h t herefrom it s wat er and it s past ure. And t he mount ains He has fixed firmly. (To be) a provision and benefit for you and your cat t le) (79:27-33). It is said t hat "Then'' in t he Ayah (2:29) relat es only t o t he order of recit ing t he informat ion being given, it does not relat e t o t he order t hat t he event s being ment ioned t ook place, t his was report ed from Ibn ` Abbas by ` Ali bin Abi Talhah.

The Earth was created before Heaven

Muj ahid comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(He it is Who creat ed for you all t hat is on eart h) "Allah creat ed t he eart h before heaven, and when He creat ed t he eart h, smoke burst out of it . This is why Allah said,

(Then He Ist awa ila (t urned t owards) t he heaven when it was smoke.) (41:11)

(And made t hem seven heavens) means, one above t he ot her, while t he ` seven eart hs' means, one below t he ot her.'' This Ayah t est ifies t o t he fact t hat t he eart h was creat ed before heaven, as Allah has indicat ed in t he Ayat in Surat As-Saj dah.

Spreading the Earth out after the Heavens were created

Sahih Al-Bukhari records t hat when Ibn ` Abbas was quest ion about t his mat t er, he said t hat t he eart h was creat ed before heaven, and t he eart h was spread out only aft er t he creat ion of t he heaven. Several Tafsir scholars of old and recent t imes also said similarly, as we have elaborat ed on in t he Tafsir of Surat An-Nazi` at (chapt er 79). The result of t hat discussion is

t hat t he word Daha (t ranslat ed above as "spread'') is ment ioned and explained in Allah's st at ement ,

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(And t he eart h, aft er t hat , He spread it out . And brought fort h t herefrom it s wat er and it s past ure. And t he mount ains He has fixed firmly.) (79:30-32) Therefore, Daha means t hat t he eart h's t reasures were brought t o it s surface aft er finishing t he j ob of creat ing what ever will reside on eart h and heaven. When t he eart h became Daha, t he wat er burst out t o it s surface and t he various t ypes, colors, shapes and kinds of plant s grew. The st ars st art ed rot at ing along wit h t he planet s t hat rot at e around t hem. And Allah knows best .

(30. And (remember) when your Lord said t o t he angels: "Verily, I am going t o place (mankind) generat ions aft er generat ions on eart h.'' They said: "Will You place t herein t hose who will make mischief t herein and shed blood, while we glorify You wit h praises and t hanks and sanct ify You.'' He (Allah) said: "I know t hat which you do not know.'')

Adam and His Children inhabited the Earth, Generation after Generation
Allah reit erat ed His favor on t he Children of Adam when He st at ed t hat He ment ioned t hem in t he highest of height s before He creat ed t hem. Allah said,

(And (remember) when your Lord said t o t he angels.) This Ayah means, "O Muhammad ! Ment ion t o your people what Allah said t o t he angels,


(Verily, I am going t o place a Khalifah on eart h). Meaning people reproducing generat ion aft er generat ion, cent ury aft er cent ury, j ust as Allah said,

(And it is He Who has made you (Khala'if) generat ions coming aft er generat ions, replacing each ot her on t he eart h) (6:165),

(And makes you (Khulafa') inherit ors of t he eart h) (27:62),

(And if it were Our will, We would have (dest royed you (mankind all, and) made angels t o replace you (Yakhlufun) on t he eart h.) (43: 60) and,

(Then aft er t hem succeeded an (evil) generat ion (Khalf)) (7:169). It appears t hat Allah was not refering t o Adam specifically as Khalifah, ot herwise he would not have allowed t he angels' st at ement ,

(Will You place t herein t hose who will make mischief t herein and shed blood). The angels meant t hat t his t ype of creat ure usually commit s t he at rocit ies t hey ment ioned. The angels knew of t his fact , according t o t heir underst anding of human nat ure, for Allah st at ed t hat He would creat e man from clay. Or, t he angels underst ood t his fact from t he word Khalifah, which also means t he person who j udges disput es t hat occur bet ween people, forbidding t hem from inj ust ice and sin, as Al-Qurt ubi said.

The st at ement t he angels ut t ered was not a form of disput ing wit h Allah's, nor out of envy for t he Children of Adam, as some mist akenly t hought . Allah has described t hem as t hose who do not precede Him in speaking, meaning t hat t hey do not ask Allah anyt hing wit hout His permission. When Allah informed t hem t hat He was going t o creat e a creat ion on t he eart h, and t hey had knowledge t hat t his creat ion would commit mischief on it , as Qat adah ment ioned, t hey said,

(Will You place t herein t hose who will make mischief t herein and shed blood) This is only a quest ion for t he sake of learning about t he wisdom of t hat , as if t hey said, Our Lord! What is t he wisdom of creat ing such creat ures since t hey will cause t rouble in t he eart h and spill blood "If t he wisdom behind t his act ion is t hat You be worshipped, we praise and glorify You (meaning we pray t o You) we never indulge in mischief, so why creat e ot her creat ures'' Allah said t o t he angels in answer t o t heir inquiry,

(I know t hat which you do not know.) meaning, "I know t hat t he benefit of creat ing t his t ype of creat ure out weighs t he harm t hat you ment ioned, t hat which you have no knowledge of. I will creat e among t hem Prophet s and send Messengers. I will also creat e among t hem t rut hful, mart yrs, right eous believers, worshippers, t he modest , t he pious, t he scholars who implement t heir knowledge, humble people and t hose who love Allah and follow His Messengers.'' The Sahih recorded t hat when t he angels ascend t o Allah wit h t he records of t he servant 's deeds, Allah asks t hem, while having bet t er knowledge, "How did you leave My servant s'' They will say, "We came t o t hem while t hey were praying and left t hem while t hey were praying.'' This is because t he angels work in shift s wit h mankind, and t hey change shift s during t he Faj r and ` Asr prayers. The angels who descended will remain wit h us, while t he angels who have remained wit h us ascend wit h our deeds. The Messenger of Allah said,

(The deeds of t he night are elevat ed t o Allah before t he morning, and t he deeds of t he morning before t he night falls. ) Hence, t he angels' st at ement , "We came t o t hem while t hey were praying and left t hem while t hey were praying,'' explains Allah's st at ement ,


(I know t hat which you do not know.) It was said t hat t he meaning of Allah's st at ement ,

(I know t hat which you do not know.) is, "I have a specific wisdom in creat ing t hem, which you do not have knowledge of.'' It was also said t hat it is in answer t o,

(While we glorify You wit h praises and t hanks and sanct ify You) aft er which Allah said,

(I know t hat which you do not know). Meaning, "I know t hat Iblis is not as you are, alt hough he is among you.'' Ot hers said,

"(Will You place t herein t hose who will make mischief t herein and shed blood, while we glorify you wit h praises and t hanks and sanct ify You.) is t heir request t hat t hey should be allowed t o inhabit t he eart h, inst ead of t he Children of Adam. So Allah said t o t hem,

(I know t hat which you do not know) if your inhabit ing t he heavens is bet t er, or worse for you.'' Ar-Razi as well as ot hers said t his. Allah knows best .

The Obligation of appointing a Khalifah and some related Issues

Al-Qurt ubi, as well as ot her scholars, said t hat t his Ayah (2:30) proves t he obligat ion of appoint ing a Khalifah t o pass j udgement s on mat t ers of disput e bet ween people, t o aid t he oppressed against t he oppressor, t o implement t he Islamic penal code and t o forbid evil. There are many ot her t asks t hat can only be fulfilled by appoint ing t he Imam, and what is necessary

in performing an obligat ion, is an obligat ion it self. We should st at e here t hat Imamah occurs by eit her naming a successor, as a group among Ahl As-Sunnah scholars said occurred - by t he Prophet - in t he case of Abu Bakr, or hint ing t o a successor. Or, t he current Khalifah names a cert ain person as Khalifah aft er him, as Abu Bakr did wit h ` Umar. Or, t he Khalifah might leave t he mat t er in t he hands of t he Muslim consult at ive council, or a group of right eous men, j ust as ` Umar did. Or, t he people of aut horit y could gat her around a cert ain person t o whom t hey give t he pledge of allegiance, or t hey could select one among t hem t o choose t he candidat e, according t o t he maj orit y of t he scholars. The Khalifah must be a responsible adult Muslim male, able t o perform Ij t ihad (independent legal j udgment s), bodily able, right eous, wit h knowledge of warfare, polit ics. He also must be from t he t ribe of Quraysh, according t o t he correct view, but it is not necessary t hat he be from t he t ribe of Bani Hashim, or t hat he be immune from error, as t he Rafidah (Shiit es) falsely claim. When t he Khalifah becomes an immoral person (Fasiq), should he be impeached There is disagreement over t his mat t er, but t he correct view is t hat he is not t o be removed, because t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Unless you wit ness a clear Kufr regarding which you have clear proof from Allah. ) Does t he Khalifah have t he right t o resign from his post There is a difference on t his issue. It is a fact t hat Al-Hasan bin ` Ali removed himself from t he posit ion of Khalifah and surrendered it t o Mu` awiyah. However, t his occurred because of a necessit y, and Al-Hasan was praised for t his act ion. It is not permissible t o appoint t wo Imams for t he world or more at t he same t ime. This is not allowed because t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever came t o you while you are unit ed and t ried t o divide you, t hen execut e him, no mat t er who he is.) This is t he view of t he maj orit y of scholars. Imam Al-Haramayn st at ed t hat Abu Ishaq allowed t he appoint ment of t wo or more Imams when t he various provinces are far away from each ot her. However, Imam Al-Haramayn himself was indecisive about t his view.

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(31. And He t aught Adam all t he names (of everyt hing), t hen He showed t hem t o t he angels and said, "Tell Me t he names of t hese if you are t rut hful.'') (32. They (angels) said: "Glory is t o You, we have no knowledge except what you have t aught us. Verily, You are t he Knower, t he Wise.'') (33. He said: "O Adam! Inform t hem of t heir names,'' and when he had informed t hem of t heir names, He said: "Did I not t ell you t hat I know t he Ghayb (unseen) in t he heavens and t he eart h, and I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing'')

The Virtue of Adam over the Angels

Allah st at ed t he virt ue of Adam above t he angels, because He t aught Adam, rat her t han t hem, t he names of everyt hing. This occurred aft er t hey prost rat ed t o him. This discussion precedes t hat event here, only t o show t he import ance of his posit ion, and t he absence of t he angels' knowledge about creat ing t he Khalifah when t hey asked about it . So Allah informed t he angels t hat He knows what t hey do not know, and t hen He ment ioned t his t o show t hem Adam's superiorit y over t hem in knowledge. Allah said,

(And He t aught Adam all t he names (of everyt hing)). Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah;

(And He t aught Adam all t he names (of everyt hing)) "Meaning, t he names t hat people use, such as human, animal, sky, eart h, land, sea, horse, donkey, and so fort h, including t he names of t he ot her species.'' Ibn Abi Hat im and Ibn Jarir report ed t hat ` Asim bin Kulayb narrat ed from Sa` id bin Ma` bad t hat Ibn ` Abbas was quest ioned,

(And He t aught Adam all t he names (of everyt hing)) "Did Allah t each him t he names of t he plat e and t he pot '' He said, "Yes, and even t he t erms for breaking wind!'' Allah t aught Adam t he names of everyt hing, t heir proper names, t he names of t heir charact erist ics, and what t hey do, j ust as Ibn ` Abbas st at ed about t he t erms for passing gas. In his Sahih, Al-Bukhari explained t his Ayah in t he Book of Tafsir wit h a report from Anas bin Malik who said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: : : : : : : :

 : : : :
(The believers will gat her on t he Day of Resurrect ion and will say, ` We should seek a means of int ercession wit h our Lord' They will go t o Adam and say, ` O Adam! You are t he fat her of all mankind, Allah creat ed you wit h His Own Hand, ordered t he angels t o prost rat e for you and t aught you t he names of everyt hing. Will you not int ercede for us wit h your Lord, so t hat he relieve us from t his gat hering place' On t hat Adam will reply, ` I cannot do what you have asked'. He will have remembered his error and will be embarrassed, saying, ` Go t o Nuh, for he is t he first of Allah's Messengers whom Allah sent t o t he people of t he eart h.' They will go t o Nuh and ask him. He will say, ` I cannot do what you have asked.' He will recall asking Allah what he was not t o know, and will also be embarrassed. He will say, ` Go t o Khalil Ar-Rahman.' They will go t o Ibrahim and he will also say, ` I cannot do what you have asked.' He will say, ` Go t o Musa, a servant t o whom Allah spoke direct ly and gave t he Tawrah.' Musa will say, ` I cannot do what you have asked.' He will remember t hat he killed a person wit hout j ust ificat ion and will be embarrassed before his Lord. He will say, ` Go t o ` Isa, Allah's servant and Messenger and His Word and a spirit of His.' They will go t o ` Isa and he will say, ` I will not do what you asked. Go t o Muhammad, a servant whose previous and lat t er errors were forgiven.' They will come t o me, and I will go t o Allah and seek His permission and He will give me His permission. When I gaze at my Lord, I will prost rat e myself and Allah will allow me t o remain like t hat as much as He will. Then I will be addressed, ` O Muhammad! Raise your head; ask, for you will be

given what you ask, and int ercede, for your int ercession will be accept ed.' I will raise my head and t hank and praise Allah wit h such praise as He will inspire me. I will int ercede and He will grant me a quant it y of people t hat He will admit int o Paradise. I will go back t o Him, and when I see my Lord, I will int ercede and He will allow me a quant it y t hat He will admit int o Paradise. I will do t hat for a t hird and t hen a fourt h t ime. I will say, ` There are no more people left in Hell except t hose whom t he Qur'an has incarcerat ed and have t hus acquired et ernit y in Hell.') This Hadit h was collect ed by Muslim, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Maj ah. fThe reason why we ment ioned t his Hadit h here is t he Prophet 's st at ement ,

:
(They will go t o Adam and say, ` O Adam! You are t he fat her of all mankind, and Allah creat ed you wit h His Own Hand, ordered t he angels t o prost rat e for you, and t aught you t he names of everyt hing). This part of t he Hadit h t est ifies t o t he fact t hat Allah t aught Adam t he names of all creat ures. This is why Allah said,

(Then He showed t hem t o t he angels) meaning, t he obj ect s or creat ions. ` Abdur-Razzaq narrat ed t hat Ma` mar said t hat Qat adah said, "Allah paraded t he obj ect s before t he angels,

(And said, "Tell Me t he names of t hese if you are t rut hful'').'' Allah's st at ement means, "Tell Me t he names of what I paraded before you, O angels who said,

(Will You place t herein t hose who will make mischief t herein and shed blood). You asked, ` Are You appoint ing a Khalifah from us or from ot her creat ions We praise and glorify You. Therefore, Allah said, "If you say t he t rut h, t hat if I appoint a non-angel Khalifah on t he eart h, he and his offspring will disobey Me, commit mischief and shed blood, but if I designat e you t he Khalifahs you will obey Me, follow My command and honor and glorify Me. However, since you

do not know t he names of t he obj ect s I paraded before you, t hen you have even less knowledge of what will occur on t he eart h t hat does not exist yet .''

(They (angels) said: "Glory is t o You, we have no knowledge except what you have t aught us. Verily, it is You, t he Knower, t he Wise.''). Here t he angels are praising Allah's holiness, and perfect ion above every kind of deficiency, affirming t hat no creat ure could ever acquire any part of Allah's knowledge, except by His permission, nor could anyone know anyt hing except what Allah t eaches t hem. This is why t hey said,

("Glory is t o You, we have no knowledge except what you have t aught us. Verily You are t he Knower, t he Wise) meaning, Allah is knowledgeable of everyt hing, Most Wise about His creat ion, and He makes t he wisest decisions, and He t eaches and deprives whom He wills from knowledge. Verily, Allah's wisdom and j ust ice in all mat t ers is perfect .

Adam's Virtue of Knowledge is demonstrated

Allah said,

(He said: "O Adam! Inform t hem of t heir names,'' and when he had informed t hem of t heir names, He said: "Did I not t ell you t hat I know t he Ghayb (unseen) in t he heavens and t he eart h, and I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing'') Zayd bin Aslam said, "You are Jibril, you are Mika'il, you are Israfil, unt il he ment ioned t he name of t he crow.'' Muj ahid said t hat Allah's st at ement ,


(He said: "O Adam! Inform t hem of t heir names,'') "The name of t he pigeon, t he crow and everyt hing.'' St at ement s of a similar meaning were report ed from Sa` id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, and Qat adah. When Adam's virt ue over t he angels became apparent , as he ment ioned t he names t hat Allah t aught him, Allah said t o t he angels,

(Did I not t ell you t hat I know t he Ghayb (unseen) in t he heavens and t he eart h, and I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing) This means, "Did I not st at e t hat I know t he seen and unseen mat t ers. '' Similarly, Allah said,

(And if you (O Muhammad ) speak (t he invocat ion) aloud, t hen verily, He knows t he secret and t hat which is yet more hidden) (20:7). Also, Allah said about t he hoopoe, t hat it said t o Sulayman;

( As Shayt an (Sat an) has barred t hem from Allah's way so t hey do not prost rat e before Allah, Who brings t o light what is hidden in t he heavens and t he eart h, and knows what you conceal and what you reveal. Allah, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has t he right t o be worshipped but He), t he Lord of t he Supreme Throne!) (27:25-26). They also have comment s ot her t han what we have said about t he meaning of Allah's st at ement ,

(And I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing).

It is report ed from Ad-Dahhak t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(And I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing) means, "` I know t he secret s, j ust as I know t he apparent t hings, such as, what Iblis concealed in his heart of arrogance and pride.'' Abu Ja` far Ar-Razi narrat ed t hat Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said t hat ,

(And I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing) means, "The apparent part of what t hey said was: ` Do you creat e in it t hat which would commit mischief and shed blood' The hidden meaning was: ` We have more knowledge and honor t han any creat ion our Lord would creat e.' But t hey came t o know t hat Allah favored Adam above t hem regarding knowledge and honor.''

(34. And (remember) when We said t o t he angels: "Prost rat e yourselves before Adam.'' And t hey prost rat ed except Iblis (Shayt an), he refused and was proud and was one of t he disbelievers (disobedient t o Allah).)

Honoring Adam when the Angels prostrated before Him

This Ayah ment ions t he great honor t hat Allah grant ed Adam, and Allah reminded Adam's offspring of t his fact . Allah commanded t he angels t o prost rat e before Adam, as t his Ayah and many Hadit hs t est ify, such as t he Hadit h about t he int ercession t hat we discussed. There is a Hadit h about t he supplicat ion of Musa, "O my Lord! Show me Adam who caused us and himself t o be t hrown out of Paradise.'' When Musa met Adam, he said t o him, "Are you Adam whom Allah creat ed wit h His Own Hands, blew life int o and commanded t he angels t o prost rat e before'' Iblis was among Those ordered t o prost rat e before Adam, alt hough He was not an Angel When Allah commanded t he angels t o prost rat e before Adam, Iblis was included in t his command. Alt hough Iblis was not an angel, he was t rying - and pret ending - t o imit at e t he angels' behavior and deeds, and t his is why he was also included in t he command t o t he angels t o prost rat e before Adam. Sat an was crit icized for defying t hat command, as we will explain wit h det ail, Allah willing, when we ment ion t he Tafsir of Allah's st at ement ,

(Except Iblis (Sat an). He was one of t he Jinn; he disobeyed t he command of his Lord.) (18:50) Similarly, Muhammad bin Ishaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Before he undert ook t he pat h of sin, Iblis was wit h t he angels and was called ` Azazil.' He was among t he resident s of t he eart h and was one of t he most act ive worshippers and knowledgeable persons among t he angels. This fact caused him t o be arrogant . Iblis was from a genus called Jinn.''

The Prostration was before Adam but the Obedience was to Allah
Qat adah comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(And (remember) when We said t o t he angels: "Prost rat e yourselves before Adam.'') "The obedience was for Allah and t he prost rat ion was before Adam. Allah honored Adam and commanded t he angels t o prost rat e before him.'' Some people said t hat t his prost rat ion was j ust a prost rat ion of greet ing, peace and honor, hence Allah's st at ement ,

(And he (Prophet Yusuf) raised his parent s t o t he t hrone and t hey fell down before him prost rat e. And he said: "O my fat her! This is t he int erpret at ion of my dream aforet ime! My Lord has made it come t rue!'') (12:100) The pract ice of prost rat ing was allowed for previous nat ions, but was repealed for ours. Mu` adh said t o t he Prophet , "I visit ed Ash-Sham and found t hat t hey used t o prost at e before t heir priest s and scholars. You, O Messenger of Allah, are more deserving of prost rat ion.'' The Prophet said,

(No. If I was t o command any human t o prost rat e before anot her human, I would command t he wife t o prost rat e before her husband because of t he enormit y of his right on her.) Ar-Razi agreed wit h t his view. Also, Qat adah said about Allah's st at ement ,


(And t hey prost rat ed except Iblis (Shayt an), he refused and was proud and was one of t he disbelievers (disobedient t o Allah).) "Iblis, t he enemy of Allah, envied Adam because Allah honored Adam. He said, ` I was creat ed from fire, and he was creat ed from clay.' Therefore, t he first error ever commit t ed was arrogance, for t he enemy of Allah was t oo arrogant t o prost rat e before Adam.'' I - Ibn Kat hir say, t he following is recorded in t he Sahih,

(No person who has t he weight of a must ard seed of arrogance in his heart shall ent er Paradise.) Iblis had disbelief, arrogance, and rebellion, all of which caused him t o be expelled from t he holy presence of Allah, and His mercy.

-
(35. And We said: "O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in t he Paradise and eat bot h of you freely wit h pleasure and delight , of t hings t herein wherever you will, but come not near t his t ree or you bot h will be of t he Zalimin (wrongdoers). '') (36. Then t he Shayt an made t hem slip t herefrom (t he Paradise), and got t hem out from t hat in which t hey were. We said: "Get you down, all, wit h enmit y bet ween yourselves. On eart h will be a dwelling place for you and an enj oyment for a t ime.'')

Adam was honored again

Allah honored Adam by commanding t he angels t o prost rat e before him, so t hey all complied except for Iblis. Allah t hen allowed Adam t o live and eat wherever and what ever he wished in Paradise. Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr bin Marduwyah report ed Abu Dharr saying, "I said, ` O Messenger of Allah! Was Adam a Prophet ' He said,

(Yes. He was a Prophet and a Messenger t o whom Allah spoke direct ly), meaning

((O Adam!) Dwell you and your wife in t he Paradise.)''

Hawwa' was created before Adam entered Paradise

The Ayah (2:35) indicat es t hat Hawwa' was creat ed before Adam ent ered Paradise, as Muhammad bin Ishaq st at ed. Ibn Ishaq said, "Aft er Allah finished crit icizing Iblis, and aft er t eaching Adam t he names of everyt hing, He said,

(O Adam! Inform t hem of t heir names) unt il,

(Verily, You are t he Knower, t he Wise.) Then Adam fell asleep, as t he People of t he Book and ot her scholars such as Ibn ` Abbas have st at ed, Allah t ook one of Adam's left ribs and made flesh grow in it s place, while Adam was asleep and unaware. Allah t hen creat ed Adam's wife, Hawwa', from his rib and made her a woman, so t hat she could be a comfort for him. When Adam woke up and saw Hawwa' next t o him, it was claimed, he said, ` My flesh and blood, my wife.' Hence, Adam reclined wit h Hawwa'. When Allah married Adam t o Hawwa' and gave him comfort , Allah said t o him direct ly,


("O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in t he Paradise and eat bot h of you freely wit h pleasure and delight , of t hings t herein wherever you will, but come not near t his t ree or you bot h will be of t he Zalimin (wrongdoers).'').''

Allah tests Adam

Allah's st at ement t o Adam,

(but come not near t his t ree) is a t est for Adam. There are conflict ing opinions over t he nat ure of t he t ree ment ioned here. Some said t hat it was t he grape t ree, barley, dat e t ree, fig t ree, and so fort h. Some said t hat it was a cert ain t ree, and whoever eat s from it will be relieved of t he call of nat ure. It was also said t hat it was a t ree from which t he angels eat so t hat t hey live for et ernit y. Imam Abu Ja` far bin Jarir said, "The correct opinion is t hat Allah forbade Adam and his wife from eat ing from a cert ain t ree in Paradise, but t hey at e from it . We do not know which t ree t hat was, because Allah has not ment ioned anyt hing in t he Qur'an or t he aut hent ic Sunnah about t he nat ure of t his t ree. It was said t hat it was barley, grape, or a fig t ree. It is possible t hat it was one of t hose t rees. Yet , t his is knowledge t hat does not bring any benefit , j ust as being ignorant in it s nat ure does no harm. Allah knows best .'' This is similar t o what ArRazi st at ed in his Tafsir, and t his is t he correct opinion. Allah's st at ement ,

(Then t he Shayt an made t hem slip t herefrom) eit her refers t o Paradise, and in t his case, it means t hat Shayt an led Adam and Hawwa' away from it , as ` Asim bin Abi An-Naj ud recit ed it . It is also possible t hat t his Ayah refers t o t he forbidden t ree. In t his case, t he Ayah would mean, as Al-Hasan and Qat adah st at ed, "He t ripped t hem.'' In t his case,

(Then t he Shayt an made t hem slip t herefrom) means, "Because of t he t ree'', j ust as Allah said,


(Turned aside t herefrom (i.e. from Muhammad and t he Qur'an) is he who is t urned aside (by t he decree and preordainment of Allah)) (51:9) meaning, t he deviant person becomes t urned aside - or slips - from t he t rut h because of so and so reason. This is why t hen Allah said,

(And got t hem out from t hat in which t hey were) meaning, t he clot hes, spacious dwelling and comfort able sust enance.

(We said: "Get you down, all, wit h enmit y bet ween yourselves. On eart h will be a dwelling place for you and an enj oyment for a t ime.'') meaning, dwelling, sust enance and limit ed life, unt il t he commencement of t he Day of Resurrect ion

Adam was very Tall

Ibn Abi Hat im narrat ed t hat Ubayy bin Ka` b said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: :

(Allah creat ed Adam t all, wit h t hick hair, j ust as a dat e t ree wit h full branches. When Adam at e from t he forbidden t ree, his cover fell off, and t he first t hing t hat appeared was his privat e area. When he saw his privat e area, he ran away in Paradise and his hair got caught in a t ree. He t ried t o free himself and Ar-Rahman called him, 'O Adam! Are you running away from Me' When Adam heard t he words of Ar-Rahman (Allah), he said, 'No, O my Lord! But I am shy.')

Adam remained in Paradise for an Hour

Al-Hakim recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Adam was allowed t o reside in Paradise during t he t ime period bet ween t he ` Asr (Aft ernoon) prayer, unt il sunset .'' Al-Hakim t hen comment ed t his is "Sahih according t o t he Two Shaykhs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim), but t hey did not include it in t heir collect ions.'' Also, Ibn Abi Hat im recorded Ibn ` Abbas saying, "Allah sent Adam t o eart h t o an area called, Dahna, bet ween Makkah and At -Ta'if.'' Al-Hasan Al-Basri said t hat Adam was sent down t o India, while Hawwa' was sent t o Jeddah. Iblis was sent down t o Dust umaysan, several miles from Basra. Furt her, t he snake was sent down t o Asbahan. This was report ed by Ibn Abi Hat im. Also, Muslim and An-Nasa'i recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Friday is t he best day on which t he sun has risen. On Friday, Allah creat ed Adam, admit t ed him int o Paradise, and expelled him from it .)

A Doubt and a Rebuttal

If one asks, "If t he Paradise t hat Adam was t hrown out of was in heaven, as t he maj orit y of t he scholars assert , t hen is it possible for Iblis t o ent er Paradise, alt hough he was expelled from it by Allah's decision (when he refused t o prost rat e before Adam)'' Basically, t he response t o t his would be t hat t he Paradise which Adam was in, was in t he heavens, not on t he eart h, as we explained in t he beginning of our book Al-Bidayah wanNihayah. The maj orit y of scholars said t hat Shayt an was originally prohibit ed from ent ering Paradise, but t here were t imes when he sneaked int o it in secret . For inst ance, t he Tawrah st at ed t hat Iblis hid inside t he snake's mout h and ent ered Paradise. Some scholars said t hat it is possible t hat Shayt an led Adam and Hawwa' ast ray on his way out of Paradise. Some scholars said t hat he led Adam and Hawwa' ast ray when he was on eart h, while t hey were st ill in heaven, as st at ed by Az-Zamakhshari. Al-Qurt ubi ment ioned several beneficial Hadit hs here about snakes and t he ruling on killing t hem.

(37. Then Adam received from his Lord Words. And his Lord pardoned him (accept ed his repent ance). Verily, He is t he One Who forgives (accept s repent ance), t he Most Merciful.)

Adam repents and supplicates to Allah

It was report ed t hat t he above Ayah is explained by Allah's st at ement ,

(37. They said: "Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not , and best ow not upon us Your mercy, we shall cert ainly be of t he losers.'') (7:23) as Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Abu Al-` Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Muhammad bin Ka` b Al-Qurazi, Kha lid bin Ma` dan, ` At a' Al-Khurasani and ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam have st at ed. As-Suddi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on,

(Then Adam received from his Lord Words) "Adam said, ` O Lord! Did You not creat ed me wit h Your Own Hands' He said, ` Yes.' He said, ` And blow life int o me' He said, ` Yes.' He said, ` And when I sneezed, You said, ` May Allah grant you His mercy.' Does not Your mercy precede Your anger' He was t old, ` Yes.' Adam said, ` And You dest ined me t o commit t his evil act ' He was t old, ` Yes.' He said, ` If I repent , will You send me back t o Paradise' Allah said, ` Yes.''' Similar is report ed from Al-` Awfi, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Sa` id bin Ma` bad, and Ibn ` Abbas. Al-Hakim recorded t his Hadit h in his Must adrak from Ibn Jubayr, who narrat ed it from Ibn ` Abbas. AlHakim said, "It s chain is Sahih and t hey (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it .'' Allah's st at ement ,

(Verily, He is t he One Who forgives (accept s repent ance), t he Most Merciful) (2:37) means t hat Allah forgives whoever regret s his error and ret urns t o Him in repent ance. This meaning is similar t o Allah's st at ement s,

(Know t hey not t hat Allah accept s repent ance from His servant s) (9:104),


(And whoever does evil or wrongs himself) (4:110) and

(And whosoever repent s and does right eous good deeds) (25:71). The Ayat ment ioned above, t est ify t o t he fact t hat Allah forgives t he sins of whoever repent s, demonst rat ing His kindness and mercy t owards His creat ion and servant s. There is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah, t he Most Forgiving, t he Most Merciful.

(38. We said: "Get down all of you from t his place (t he Paradise), t hen whenever t here comes t o you Hudan (guidance) from Me, and whoever follows My guidance, t here shall be no fear on t hem, nor shall t hey grieve.) (39. But t hose who disbelieve and belie Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelat ions, et c.) such are t he dwellers of t he Fire. They shall abide t herein forever.'') Allah st at ed t hat when He sent Adam, Hawwa', and Shayt an t o eart h from Paradise, He warned t hem t hat He will reveal Books and send Prophet s and Messengers t o t hem, i.e., t o t heir offspring. Abu Al-` Aliyah said, "Al-Huda, refers t o t he Prophet s, Messengers, t he clear signs and plain explanat ion.''

(And whoever follows My guidance) meaning, whoever accept s what is cont ained in My Books and what I send t he Messengers wit h,

(There shall be no fear on t hem) regarding t he Hereaft er,


(nor shall t hey grieve) regarding t he life of t his world. Similarly, in Surat Ta Ha, Allah said,

(He (Allah) said: "Get you down (from t he Paradise t o t he eart h), bot h of you, t oget her, some of you are an enemy t o some ot hers. Then if t here comes t o you guidance from Me, t hen whoever follows My guidance, he shall neit her go ast ray, nor shall he be dist ressed.) (20:123) Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "He will not be misguided in t his life or miserable in t he Hereaft er.'' The Ayah,

(But whosoever t urns away from My Reminder (i.e. neit her believes in t his Qur'an nor act s on it s t eachings) verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on t he Day of Resurrect ion.) (20:124) is similar t o what Allah st at ed here,

(But t hose who disbelieve and belie Our Ayat such are t he dwellers of t he Fire. They shall abide t herein forever), meaning, t hey will remain in Hell for et ernit y and will not find a way out of it .


(40. O Children of Israel! Remember My favor which I best owed upon you, and fulfill (your obligat ions t o) My covenant (wit h you) so t hat I fulfill (My obligat ions t o) your covenant (wit h Me), and fear none but Me.) (41. And believe in what I have sent down (t his Qur'an), confirming t hat which is wit h you (t he Tawrah and t he Inj il), and be not t he first t o disbelieve t herein, and buy not wit h My verses (t he Tawrah and t he Inj il) a small price (i.e. get t ing a small gain by selling My verses), and fear Me and Me alone.)

Encouraging the Children of Israel to embrace Islam

Allah commanded t he Children of Israel t o embrace Islam and t o follow Muhammad . He also reminded t hem wit h t he example of t heir fat her Israel, Allah's Prophet Ya` qub, as if saying, "O children of t he pious, right eous servant of Allah who obeyed Allah! Be like your fat her, following t he t rut h.'' This st at ement is similar t o one's saying, "O you son of t hat generous man! Do t his or t hat '' or, "O son of t he brave man, engage t he st rong fight ers,'' or "O son of t he scholar, seek t he knowledge,'' and so fort h. Similarly, Allah said,

(O offspring of t hose whom We carried (in t he ship) wit h Nuh (Noah)! Verily, he was a grat eful servant ) (17:3).

Israel is Prophet Ya` qub (Jacob)

Israel is Prophet Ya` qub, for Abu Dawud At -Tayalisi recorded t hat ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas said, "A group of Jews came t o t he Prophet and he said t o t hem,

(Do you know t hat Israel is Jacob) They said, "Yes, by Allah.'' He said,

(O Allah! Be wit ness.)'' At -Tabari recorded t hat ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ` Israel' means, ` t he servant of Allah.'

Allah's Blessings for the Children of Israel

Allah said,

(Remember My favor which I best owed upon you). Muj ahid comment ed, "Allah's favor t hat He grant ed t he Jews is t hat He made wat er gush from st ones, sent down manna and quails for t hem, and saved t hem from being enslaved by Pharaoh.'' Abu Al-` Aliyah also said, "Allah's favor ment ioned here is His sending Prophet s and Messengers among t hem, and revealing Books t o t hem.'' I - Ibn Kat hir - say t hat t his Ayah is similar t o what Musa said t o t he Children of Israel,

(O my people! Remember t he favor of Allah t o you: when He made Prophet s among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given t o any ot her among t he nat ions (of t heir t ime) (5:20) meaning, during t heir t ime. Also, Muhammad bin Ishaq said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said,

(Remember My favor which I best owed upon you,) means, "My support for you and your fat hers,'' t hat is saving t hem from Pharaoh and his people.

Reminding the Children of Israel of Allah's Covenant with Them

Allah's st at ement ,

(And fulfill (your obligat ions t o) My covenant (wit h you) so t hat I fulfill (My obligat ions t o) your covenant (wit h Me),) means, ` My covenant t hat I t ook from you concerning Prophet Muhammad , when he is sent t o you, so t hat I grant you what I promised you if you believe in him and follow him. I will t hen remove t he chains and rest rict ions t hat were placed around your necks, because of t he errors t hat you commit t ed.' Also, Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "The ` covenant ' is in reference t o Allah's st at ement , i


(Indeed, Allah t ook t he covenant from t he Children of Israel (Jews), and We appoint ed t welve leaders among t hem. And Allah said: "I am wit h you if you perform As-Salah and give Zakah and believe in My Messengers; honor and assist t hem, and lend a good loan t o Allah, verily, I will expiat e your sins and admit you t o Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise)) (5:12).'' Ot her scholars said, "The covenant is what Allah t ook from t hem in t he Tawrah, in t hat , He will send a great Prophet - meaning Muhammad - from among t he offspring of Isma` il, who will be obeyed by all peoples. Therefore, whoever obeys him, t hen Allah will forgive his sins, ent er him int o Paradise and award him t wo rewards.'' We should ment ion here t hat Ar-Razi ment ioned several cases of informat ion brought by t he earlier Prophet s regarding t he coming of Muhammad . Furt her, Abu Al-` Aliyah said t hat ,

(And fulfill (your obligat ions t o) My covenant (wit h you)) means, "His covenant wit h His servant s is t o embrace Islam and t o adhere t o it .'' Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "` I fulfill My obligat ions t o you' means, ` I (Allah) will be pleased wit h you and admit you int o Paradise.''' AsSuddi, Ad-Dahhak, Abu Al-` Aliyah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said similarly. Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(And fear Me and Me alone.) means, "Fear t he t orment t hat I might exert on you, j ust as I did wit h your fat hers, like t he mut at ion, et c.'' This Ayah cont ains encouragement , followed by warning. Allah first called t he Children of Israel, using encouragement , t hen He warned t hem, so t hat t hey might ret urn t o t he Trut h, follow t he Messenger , heed t he Qur'an's prohibit ions and commands and believe in it s cont ent . Surely, Allah guides whom He wills t o t he st raight pat h. Allah said next ,


(And believe in what I have sent down, confirming t hat which is wit h you (t he Tawrah and t he Inj il)) meaning, t he Qur'an t hat Allah sent down t o Muhammad , t he unlet t ered Arab Prophet , as bringer of glad t idings, a warner and a light . The Qur'an cont ains t he Trut h from Allah and affirms what was revealed beforehand in t he Tawrah and t he Inj il (t he Gospel). Abu Al-` Aliyah said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(And believe in what I have sent down (t his Qur'an), confirming t hat which is wit h you (t he Tawrah and t he Inj il)) "means, ` O People of t he Book! Believe in what I sent down t hat conforms t o what you have.' This is because t hey find t he descript ion of Muhammad recorded in t he Tawrah and t he Inj il.'' Similar st at ement s were at t ribut ed t o Muj ahid, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Qat adah. Allah said,

(and be not t he first t o disbelieve t herein). Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "Do not become t he first t o disbelieve in t he Qur'an (or Muhammad ), while you have more knowledge in it t han ot her people.'' Abu Al-` Aliyah comment ed, "` Do not become t he first t o disbelieve in Muhammad, ' meaning from among t he People of t he Book, ` aft er you hear t hat he was sent as a Prophet .''' Similar st at ement s were at t ribut ed t o AlHasan, As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Ibn Jarir st at ed t hat t he Ayah (disbelieve t herein 2:41) refers t o t he Qur'an, ment ioned earlier in t he Ayah,

(in what I have sent down (t his Qur'an),) Bot h st at ement s are correct because t hey are int er-relat ed. For inst ance, whoever disbelieves in t he Qur'an will have disbelieved in Muhammad , and whoever disbelieves in Muhammad will have disbelieved in t he Qur'an. Allah's st at ement ,

(t he first t o disbelieve t herein) means, do not become t he first among t he Children of Israel t o disbelieve in it , for t here were people from Quraysh and t he Arabs in general who rej ect ed Muhammad before t he People of t he Book disbelieved in him. We should st at e here t hat t he Ayah is t alking about t he Children of Israel in specific, because t he Jews in Al-Madinah were

t he first among t he Children of Israel t o be addressed by t he Qur'an. Hence, t heir disbelief in t he Qur'an means t hat t hey were t he first among t he People of t he Book t o disbelieve in it . Allah's st at ement ,

(and buy not wit h My verses a small price,) means, "Do not subst it ut e fait h in My Ayat and belief in My Prophet wit h t he life of t his world and it s lust s which are minut e and bound t o end. '' Allah said,

(and have Taqwa of Me and Me alone). Ibn Abi Hat im report ed t hat Talq bin Habib said, "Taqwa is t o work in Allah's obedience, on a light from Allah, hoping in Allah's mercy, and t o avoid Allah's disobedience, on a light from Allah, fearing Allah's punishment .'' Allah's st at ement ,

(and fear Me and Me alone) means, t hat Allah warns t he People of t he Book against int ent ionally hiding t he t rut h and spreading t he opposit e of it , as well as, against defying t he Messenger .

-
(42. And mix not t rut h wit h falsehood, nor conceal t he t rut h while you know (t he t rut h).) (43. And perform As-Salah, and give Zakah, and bow down along wit h Ar-Raki` in.)

The Prohibition of hiding the Truth and distorting It with Falsehood

Allah forbade t he Jews from int ent ionally dist ort ing t he t rut h wit h falsehood and from hiding t he t rut h and spreading falsehood,


(And mix not t rut h wit h falsehood, nor conceal t he t rut h while you know (t he t rut h)). So Allah forbade t hem from t wo t hings; He ordered t hem t o make t he t rut h known, as well as explaining it . Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas ment ioned t he Ayah,

(And mix not t rut h wit h falsehood) and said; "Do not mix t he t rut h wit h falsehood and t he fact s wit h lies.'' Qat adah said t hat ,

(And mix not t rut h wit h falsehood) means, "Do not mix Judaism and Christ ianit y wit h Islam,

(while you know (t he t rut h).) t hat t he religion of Allah is Islam, and t hat Judaism and Christ ianit y are innovat ions t hat did not come from Allah.'' It was report ed t hat Al-Hasan AlBasri said similarly. Also, Muhammad bin Ishaq narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(nor conceal t he t rut h while you know (t he t rut h).) means, "Do not hide t he knowledge t hat you have of My Messenger and what he was sent wit h. His descript ion, which you know about , can be found writ t en in t he Books t hat you have.'' It is possible t hat it means, "..alt hough you know t he t remendous harm t hat t his evil will cause people, misguiding t hem and leading t hem t o t he Fire, because t hey will follow t he falsehood t hat you mixed wit h t he t rut h in your claims.''

(And perform As-Salat and give Zakah, and bow down along wit h Ar-Raki` in.) Muqat il said, "Allah's st at ement t o t he People of t he Book,

(And perform As-Salah) commands t hem t o perform t he prayer behind t he Prophet ,

(and give Zakah) commands t hem t o pay t he Zakah t o t he Prophet , and

(and bow down along wit h Ar-Raki` in) commands t hem t o bow down wit h t hose who bow down among t he Ummah of Muhammad . Allah t herefore commands t he People of t he Book t o be wit h, and among t he Ummah of Muhammad .'' In addit ion, Allah's st at ement ,

(And bow down along wit h Ar-Raki` in) means, "And be among t he believers performing t he best deeds t hey perform, such as, and foremost , t he prayer.'' Many scholars said t hat t his Ayah (2:43) is proof for t he obligat ion of performing t he prayer in congregat ion (for men only). I will explain t his ruling in det ail in Kit ab Al-Ahkam Al-Kabir, Allah willing.

(44. Enj oin you Al-Birr (piet y and right eousness and every act of obedience t o Allah) on t he people and you forget (t o pract ise it ) yourselves, while you recit e t he Script ure (Tawrah))! Have you t hen no sense)

The Condemnation of commanding Others to observe Righteousness while ignoring Righteousness

Allah said, "How is it , O People of t he Book, t hat you command people t o perform Al-Birr, which encompasses all t ypes of right eousness, yet forget yourselves and do not heed what you call ot hers t o And you read Allah's Book (t he Tawrah) and know what it promises t o t hose who do not fulfill Allah's commandment s.


(Have you t hen no sense) of what you are doing t o yourselves, so t hat you might become aware of your slumber and rest ore your sight from blindness'' ` Abdur-Razzaq said t hat Ma` mar st at ed t hat Qat adah comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(Enj oin you Al-Birr (piet y and right eousness and every act of obedience t o Allah) on t he people and you forget (t o pract ise it ) yourselves,) "The Children of Israel used t o command people t o obey Allah, fear Him and perform Al-Birr. Yet , t hey cont radict ed t hese orders, so Allah reminded t hem of t his fact .'' As-Suddi said similarly. Ibn Jurayj said t hat t he Ayah:

(Enj oin you Al-Birr on t he people) "Is about t he People of t he Book and t he hypocrit es. used t o command people t o pray and fast . However, t hey did not pract ice what commanded ot hers. Allah reminded t hem of t his behavior. So whoever commands people right eousness, let him be among t he first of t hem t o implement t hat command.'' Muhammad bin Ishaq narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat , They t hey t o do Also,

(And you forget yourselves,) means, "You forget t o pract ice it yourselves,

(While you recit e t he Script ure (Tawrah)! Have you t hen no sense) You forbid t he people from rej ect ing t he prophet hood and t he covenant t hat you have ment ioned wit h you in t he Tawrah, while you yourselves have forgot en it , meaning t hat ` you have forgot t en t he covenant t hat I made wit h you t hat you will accept My Messenger. You have breeched My covenant , and rej ect ed what you know is in My Book.' '' Therefore, Allah admonished t he Jews for t his behavior and alert ed t hem t o t he wrongs t hat t hey were perpet rat ing against t hemselves by ordering right eousness, yet refraining t hemselves from right eousness. We should st at e t hat Allah is not crit icizing t he People of t he Book for ordering right eousness, because enj oining good is a part of right eousness and is an obligat ion for t he scholars. However, t he scholar is himself required t o heed, and adhere t o, what he invit es ot hers t o. For inst ance, Prophet Shu` ayb said,


(I wish not , in cont radict ion t o you, t o do t hat which I forbid you. I only desire reform t o t he best of my power. And my guidance cannot come except from Allah, in Him I t rust and unt o Him I repent ) (11:88). Therefore, enj oining right eousness and performing right eousness are bot h required. Neit her cat egory is rendered not necessary by t he pract ice of t he ot her, according t o t he most correct view of t he scholars among t he Salaf (predecessors) and t he Khalaf. Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Abu Wa'il said, "While I was riding behind Usamah, he was asked, ` Why not advise ` Ut hman' He said, ` Do you t hink t hat if I advise him I should allow you t o hear it I advise him in secret , and I will not st art somet hing t hat I would hat e t o be t he first t o st art . I will not say t o a man, ` You are t he best man,' even if he was my leader, aft er what I heard from t he Messenger of Allah .' They said, ` What did he say' He said, ` I heard him say,

: :
(A man will be brought on t he Day of Resurrect ion and t hrown in t he Fire. His int est ines will fall out and he will cont inue circling pulling t hem behind him, j ust as t he donkey goes around t he pole. The people of t he Fire will go t o t hat man and ask him, ` What happened t o you Did you not used t o command us t o do right eous act s and forbid us from commit t ing evil' He will say, ` Yes. I used t o enj oin right eousness, but refrained from performing right eousness, and I used t o forbid you t o perform from evil while I myself did it .').''' This Hadit h was also recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. eAlso, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i said, "I hesit at e in advising people because of t hree Ayat :


(Enj oin you Al-Birr on t he people and you forget (t o pract ise it ) yourselves).

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(O you who believe! Why do you say t hat which you do not do Most hat eful it is t o Allah t hat you say t hat which you do not do) (61:2-3).'' And Allah informed us t hat t he Prophet Shu` ayb said,

(I wish not , in cont radict ion t o you, t o do t hat which I forbid you. I only desire reform t o t he best of my power. And my guidance cannot come except from Allah, in Him I t rust and unt o Him I repent ) (11:88).

-
(45. And seek help in pat ience and As-Salat (t he prayer) and t ruly, it is ext remely heavy and hard except for Al-Khashi` in.) (46 (They are t hose) who are cert ain t hat t hey are going t o meet t heir Lord, and t hat unt o Him t hey are going t o ret urn.)

The Support that comes with Patience and Prayer

Allah commanded His servant s t o use pat ience and prayer t o acquire t he good of t his life and t he Hereaft er. Muqat il bin Hayan said t hat t his Ayah means, "Ut ilize pat ience and t he obligat ory prayer in seeking t he Hereaft er. As for pat ience (here), t hey say t hat it means

fast ing.'' There are similar t ext s report ed from Muj ahid. Al-Qurt ubi and ot her scholars comment ed, "This is why Ramadan is called t he mont h of pat ience,'' as is ment ioned in t he Hadit h lit erat ure. It was also said t hat ` pat ience' in t he Ayah means, refraining from evil, and t his is why ` pat ience' was ment ioned along wit h pract icing act s of worship, especially and foremost , t he prayer. Also, Ibn Abi Hat im narrat ed t hat ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab said, "There are t wo t ypes of pat ience: good pat ience when t he disast er st rikes, and a bet t er pat ience while avoiding t he prohibit ions of Allah.'' Ibn Abi Hat im said t hat Al-Hasan Al-Basri was report ed t o have said similarly. Allah t hen said,

(And As-Salah (t he prayer).) The prayer is one of t he best means of assist ance for firmly adhering t o Allah's orders, j ust as Allah said;

(Recit e (O Muhammad ) what has been revealed t o you of t he Book (t he Qur'an), and perform As-Salah. Verily, As-Salah (t he prayer) prevent s from Al-Fahsha' (i.e. great sins of every kind), and Al-Munkar and t he remembrance of (praising) of (you by) Allah is great er indeed) (29:45). The personal pronoun in t he Ayah,

(And t ruly, it is ext remely heavy and hard) refers t o prayer, as Muj ahid is report ed t o have said, and it was also t he choice of Ibn Jarir. It is possible t hat t he pronoun might be referring t o t he advice - t o observe pat ience and t he prayer - ment ioned in t he same Ayah. Similarly, Allah said about Qarun (Korah),


(But t hose who had been given (religious) knowledge said: "Woe t o you! The reward of Allah (in t he Hereaft er) is bet t er for t hose who believe and do right eous good deeds, and t his, none shall at t ain except As-Sabirun (t he pat ient ).'') (28:80). Also, Allah said,

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(The good deed and t he evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (t he evil) wit h one which is bet t er t hen verily he, bet ween whom and you t here was enmit y, (will become) as t hough he was a close friend. But none is grant ed it (t he above qualit y) except t hose who are pat ient and none is grant ed it except t he owner of t he great port ion (of happiness in t he Hereaft er and) in t his world.) (41:34-35) meaning, t his advice is only implement ed by t hose who are pat ient and t he fort unat e. In any case, Allah's st at ement here means, prayer is ` heavy and burdensome',

(except for Al-Khashi` in.) Ibn Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t his Ayah, "They (Al-Khashi` in) are t hose who believe in what Allah has revealed.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(They are t hose who are cert ain t hat t hey are going t o meet t heir Lord, and t hat unt o Him t hey are going t o ret urn.) cont inues t he subj ect t hat was st art ed in t he previous Ayah. Therefore, t he prayer, or t he advice t o observe it is heavy,

(except for Al-Khashi` in. (They are t hose) who are cert ain (Yazunnuna) t hat t hey are going t o meet t heir Lord,) meaning, t hey know t hat t hey will be gat hered and face t heir Lord on t he Day of Resurrect ion,

(and t hat unt o Him t hey are going t o ret urn.) meaning, t heir affairs are all subj ect t o His will and He j ust ly decides what He wills. Since t hey are cert ain t hat t hey will be ret urned t o Allah and be reckoned, it is easy for t hem t o perform t he act s of obedience and refrain from t he prohibit ions. Ibn Jarir comment ed on Allah's st at ement ;

(Yazunnuna t hat t hey are going t o meet t heir Lord) Ibn Jarir said; "The Arabs call cert aint y as well as doubt , Zann. There are similar inst ances in t he Arabic language where a subj ect as well as it s opposit e share t he same name. For inst ance, Allah said,

(And t he Muj rimun (criminals, polyt heist s, sinners), shall see t he Fire and Zannu (apprehend) t hat t hey have t o fall t herein)''(18:53). It is recorded in t he Sahih t hat on t he Day of Resurrect ion, Allah will say t o a servant , "Have I not allowed you t o marry, honored you, made t he horses and camels subservient t o you and allowed you t o become a chief and a mast er'' He will say, "Yes.'' Allah will say, "Did you have Zann (t hink) t hat you will meet Me'' He will say, "No.'' Allah will say, "This Day, I will forget you, j ust as you forgot Me.'' If Allah wills, we will furt her elaborat e on t his subj ect when we explain Allah's st at ement ,

(They have forgot t en Allah, so He has forgot t en t hem) (9:67).


(47. O Children of Israel! Remember My favor which I best owed upon you and t hat I preferred you over t he ` Alamin (nat ions))

Reminding the Children of Israel that They were preferred above the Other Nations
Allah reminds t he Children of Israel of t he favors t hat He grant ed t heir fat hers and grandfat hers, how He showed preference t o t hem by sending t hem Messengers from among t hem and revealing Books t o t hem, more so t han any of t he ot her previous nat ions. Similarly, Allah said,

(And We chose t hem (t he Children of Israel) over t he ` Alamin, (nat ions) wit h knowledge.) (44:32) and,

(And (remember) when Musa (Moses) said t o his people: "O my people! Remember t he favor of Allah t o you: when He made Prophet s among you, made you kings, honored you above t he ` Alamin (nat ions).'') (5:20). Abu Ja` far Ar-Razi report ed t hat Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said t hat Abu Al-` Aliyah said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(and t hat I preferred you over t he ` Alamin) means, "The kingship, Messengers and Books t hat were grant ed t o t hem, inst ead of grant ing such t o t he ot her kingdoms t hat exist ed during t heir t ime, for every period t here is a nat ion.'' It was also report ed t hat Muj ahid, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Qat adah and Isma` il bin Abi Khalid said similarly.

The Ummah of Muhammad is Better than the Children of Israel

This is t he only way t he Ayah can be underst ood, because t his Ummah is bet t er t han t heirs, as Allah said;

(You are t he best of people ever raised up for mankind; you enj oin good and forbid evil, and you believe in Allah. And had t he People of t he Book (Jews and Christ ians) believed, it would have been bet t er for t hem) (3:110). Also, t he Musnad and Sunan Collect ions of Hadit h recorded t hat Mu` awiyah bin Haydah AlQushayri said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(You (Muslims) are t he sevent iet h nat ion, but you are t he best and most honored of t hem according t o Allah.) There are many Hadit hs on t his subj ect , and t hey will be ment ioned when we discuss Allah's st at ement ,

(You are t he best of peoples ever raised up for mankind) (3:110).

(48. And fear a Day (of Judgement ) when a person shall not avail anot her, nor will int ercession be accept ed from him, nor will compensat ion be t aken from him, nor will t hey be helped.)

Aft er Allah reminded t he Children of Israel of t he favors t hat He has grant ed t hem, He warned t hem about t he durat ion of t he t orment which He will punish t hem wit h on t he Day of Resurrect ion. He said,

(And fear a Day) meaning, t he Day of Resurrect ion,

(When a person shall not avail anot her) meaning, on t hat Day, no person shall be of any help t o anot her. Similarly, Allah said,

(And no bearer of burdens shall bear anot her's burden) (35:18)

(Every man t hat Day will have enough t o make him careless of ot hers.) (80:37) and,

(O mankind! Have Taqwa of your Lord (by keeping your dut y t o Him and avoiding all evil), and fear a Day when no fat her can avail aught for his son, nor a son avail aught for his fat her) (31: 33). This indeed should serve as a great warning t hat bot h t he fat her and t he son will not be of help t o each ot her on t hat Day.

Neither Intercession, Ransom, or Assistance will be accepted on behalf of the Disbelievers

Allah said,


(nor will int ercession be accept ed from him) meaning, from t he disbelievers. Similarly, Allah said,

(So no int ercession of int ercessors will be of any use t o t hem) (74:48) and described t he people of t he Fire saying,

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(Now we have no int ercessors. Nor a close friend (t o help us)) (26:100-101). Allah's st at ement here (2:48)

(nor will compensat ion be t aken from him) means, t hat Allah does not accept t he disbelievers t o ransom t hemselves. Similarly, Allah said,

(Verily, t hose who disbelieved, and died while t hey were disbelievers, t he (whole) eart h full of gold will not be accept ed from anyone of t hem even if t hey offered it as a ransom) (3:91)

(Verily, t hose who disbelieve, if t hey had all t hat is in t he eart h, and as much again t herewit h t o ransom t hemselves from t he t orment on t he Day of Resurrect ion, it would never be accept ed of t hem, and t heirs would be a painful t orment ) (5:36)


(And even if he offers every ransom, it will not be accept ed from him) (6:70) and,

(So t his Day no ransom shall be t aken from you (hypocrit es), nor of t hose who disbelieved. Your abode is t he Fire. That is your Mawla (friend proper place)) (57:15). Allah st at ed t hat if t he people do not believe in His Messenger and follow what He sent him wit h, t hen when t hey meet Him on t he Day of Resurrect ion, aft er remaining on t he pat h of disbelief, t heir family lineage and/ or t he int ercession of t heir mast ers will not help t hem at all. It will not be accept ed of t hem, even if t hey paid t he eart h's fill of gold as ransom. Similarly, Allah said,

(Before a Day comes when t here will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor int ercession) (2:254) and,

(On which t here will be neit her mut ual bargaining nor befriending) (19:31). Allah's st at ement next ,

(nor will t hey be helped.) means, "no person shall get angry - or anxious - on t heir behalf and offer t hem any help, or t ry t o save t hem from Allah's punishment .'' As st at ed earlier on t hat Day, neit her t he relat ive, nor persons of aut horit y will feel pit y for t he disbelievers, nor will any ransom be accept ed for t hem. Consequent ly, t hey will receive no help from ot hers and t hey will be helpless t hemsleves. Allah said,

(While He (Allah) grant s refuge (or prot ect ion), but none grant s refuge from Him) (23:88)

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(So on t hat Day none will punish as He will punish. And none will bind (t he wicked, disbelievers and polyt heist s) as He will bind) (89:25-26)

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("What is t he mat t er wit h you Why do you not help one anot her (as you used t o do in t he world)'' Nay, but t hat Day t hey shall surrender) (37:25-26) and,

(Then why did t hose whom t hey had t aken for alihah (gods) besides Allah, as a way of approach (t o Allah) not help t hem Nay, but t hey vanished complet ely from t hem) (46:28). Also, Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

("What is t he mat t er wit h you Why do you not help one anot her'') (37:25) means, "This Day, you shall not have a refuge from Us. Not t his Day.'' Ibn Jarir said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(nor will t hey be helped.) meaning, on t hat Day, t hey shall neit her be helped by any helper, nor shall anyone int ercede on t heir behalf. No repeal or ransom will be accept ed for t hem, all court esy t owards t hem will have ceased, along wit h any helpful int ercession. No t ype of help or cooperat ion will be available for t hem on t hat Day. The j udgment will, on t hat Day, be up t o t he Most Great , t he Most Just , against whom no int ercessor or helper can ever assist . He will t hen award t he evil deed it s kind and will mult iply t he good deeds. This is similar t o Allah's st at ement ,

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(But st op t hem, verily, t hey are t o be quest ioned. "What is t he mat t er wit h you Why do you not help one anot her'' Nay, but t hat Day t hey shall surrender) (37:24-26).

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(49. And (remember) when We delivered you from Fir` awn's (Pharaoh) people, who were afflict ing you wit h a horrible t orment , killing your sons and sparing your women, and t herein was a might y t rial from your Lord.) (50. And (remember) when We separat ed t he sea for you and saved you and drowned Fir` awn's (Pharaoh) people while you were wat ching.)

The Children of Israel were saved from Pharaoh and His Army Who drowned
Allah said t o t he Children of Israel, "Remember My favor on you

(And (remember) when We delivered you from Fir` awn's (Pharaoh) people, who were afflict ing you wit h a horrible t orment ,) meaning, ` I - Allah - saved you from t hem and delivered you from t heir hands in t he company of Musa, aft er t hey subj ect ed you t o horrible t ort ure.' This favor came aft er t he cursed Pharaoh had a dream in which he saw a fire emerge from Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), and t hen t he fire ent ered t he houses of t he Copt ics in Egypt , wit h t he except ion of t he Children of Israel. It s purport was t hat his kingship would be t oppled by a man among t he Children of Israel. It was also said t hat some of Pharaoh's ent ourage said t hat t he Children of Israel were expect ing a man among t hem t o arise who would est ablish a st at e for t hem. We will ment ion t he Hadit h on t his subj ect when we explain Surat Ta Ha (20), Allah willing. Aft er t he dream, Pharaoh ordered t hat every newborn male among t he Children of Israel be killed

and t hat t he girls be left alone. He also commanded t hat t he Children of Israel be given t asks of hard labor and assigned t he most humiliat ing j obs. The t orment here refers t o killing t he male infant s. In Surat Ibrahim (14) t his meaning is clearly ment ioned,

(Who were afflict ing you wit h horrible t orment , and were slaught ering your sons and let t ing your women live.) (14:6). We will explain t his Ayah in t he beginning of Surat Al-Qasas (28), Allah willing, and our reliance and t rust are wit h Him. The meaning of,

(who were afflict ing you) is, "They humiliat ed you,'' as Abu ` Ubaydah st at ed. It was also said t hat it means, "They used t o exaggerat e in t orment ing you'' according t o Al-Qurt ubi. As for Allah saying,

(killing your sons and sparing your women) t hat explains His st at ement ,

(who were afflict ing you wit h horrible t orment ) t hen it explains t he meaning of t he favor He gave t hem, as ment ioned in His st at ement ,

(Remember My favor which I best owed upon you). As for what Allah said in Surat Ibrahim,

(And remind t hem of t he annals of Allah) (14:5) meaning, t he favors and blessing He grant ed t hem, He t hen said,

(Who were afflict ing you wit h horrible t orment , and were slaught ering your sons and let t ing your women live.) (14:6) So Allah ment ioned saving t heir children from being slaught ered in order t o remind t hem of t he many favors t hat He grant ed t hem. We should st at e here t hat ` Pharaoh' (Fir` awn) is a t it le t hat was given t o every disbelieving king who ruled Egypt , whet her from t he ` Amaliq (Canaanit es) or ot herwise, j ust as Caesar (Qaysar) is t he t it le of t he disbelieving kings who ruled Rome and Damascus. Also, Khosrau (Kisra) is t he t it le of t he kings who ruled Persia, while Tubb` a is t he t it le of t he kings of Yemen, and t he kings of Abyssinia (Et hiopia) were called Negus (An-Naj ashi). Allah said,

(And t herein was a might y t rial from your Lord.) Ibn Jarir comment ed t hat t his part of t he Ayah means, "Our saving your fat hers from t he t orment t hat t hey suffered by t he hand of Pharaoh, is a great blessing from your Lord.'' We should ment ion t hat in t he blessing t here a is t est , t he same as wit h hardship, for Allah said,

(And We shall make a t rial of you wit h evil and wit h good) (21:35) and,

(And We t ried t hem wit h good (blessings) and evil (calamit ies) in order t hat t hey might t urn (t o obey Allah.)) (7:168). Allah's st at ement next ,


(And (remember) when We separat ed t he sea for you and saved you and drowned Fir` awn's (Pharaoh) people while you were wat ching) means, ` Aft er We saved you from Fir` awn and you escaped wit h Musa; Fir` awn went out in your pursuit and We part ed t he sea for you.' Allah ment ioned t his st ory in det ail, as we will come t o know, Allah willing. One of t he short est references t o t his st ory is Allah's st at ement ,

(And saved you) meaning, "We saved you from t hem, drowning t hem while you wat ched, bringing relief t o your heart s and humiliat ion t o your enemy.''

Fasting the Day of ` Ashura

It was report ed t hat t he day t he Children of Israel were saved from Fir` awn was called t he day of ` Ashura'. Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah came t o AlMadinah and found t hat t he Jews were fast ing t he day of ` Ashura'. He asked t hem, "What is t his day t hat you fast '' They said, "This is a good day during which Allah saved t he Children of Israel from t heir enemy, and Musa used t o fast t his day.'' The Messenger of Allah said,

(I have more right t o Musa t han you have.) So t he Messenger of Allah fast ed t hat day and ordered t hat it be fast ed. This Hadit h was collect ed by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Maj ah.

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(51. And (remember) when We appoint ed for Musa (Moses) fort y night s, and (in his absence) you t ook t he calf (for worship), and you were Zalimun (polyt heist s and wrongdoers).) (52. Then aft er t hat We forgave you so t hat you might be grat eful.) (53. And (remember) when We gave

Musa t he Script ure (t he Tawrah)) and t he crit erion (of right and wrong) so t hat you may be guided aright .)

The Children of Israel worshipped the Calf

Allah t hen said, "Remember My favor on you when I forgave you for worshipping t he calf.'' This happened aft er Musa went t o t he meet ing place wit h his Lord at t he end of t hat period which was fort y days. These fort y days were ment ioned in Surat Al-A` raf, when Allah said,

(And We appoint ed for Musa t hirt y night s and added (t o t he period) t en (more)) (7:142). It was said t hat t hese days were during t he mont h of Dhul-Qa` dah plus t he first t en days in Dhul-Hij j ah, aft er t he Children of Israel were delivered from Fir` awn and t hey safely crossed t he sea. Allah's st at ement ,

(And (remember) when We gave Musa t he Script ure) means, t he Tawrah,

(And t he crit erion) t hat is t hat which different iat es bet ween t rut h and falsehood, guidance and deviat ion.

(So t hat you may be guided aright ), aft er escaping t he sea, as anot her Ayah in Surat Al-A` raf clearly st at ed,

(And indeed We gave Musa aft er We had dest royed t he generat ions of old t he Script ure (t he Tawrah) as an enlight enment for mankind, and a guidance and a mercy, t hat t hey might remember (or receive admonit ion)) (28:43).

(54. And (remember) when Musa said t o his people: "O my people! Verily, you have wronged yourselves by worshipping t he calf. So t urn in repent ance t o your Creat or and kill yourselves (t he innocent kill t he wrongdoers among you), t hat will be bet t er for you wit h your Creat or.'' Then He accept ed your repent ance. Truly, He is t he One Who accept s repent ance, t he Most Merciful.)

The Children of Israel kill each other in Repentance

This was t he repent ance required from t he Children of Israel for worshipping t he calf. Comment ing on Allah's st at ement ;

(And (remember) when Musa said t o his people: "O my people! Verily, you have wronged yourselves by worshipping t he calf...), Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "When t heir heart s t hought of worshipping t he calf,

(And when t hey regret t ed and saw t hat t hey had gone ast ray, t hey (repent ed and) said: "If our Lord does not have mercy upon us and forgive us'') (7:149). This is when Musa said t o t hem,

(O my people! Verily, you have wronged yourselves by worshipping t he calf...).'' Abu ` Al` Aliyah, Sa` id bin Jubayr and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas comment ed on,

(So t urn in repent ance t o your Bari') t hat it means, "To your Creat or.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(t o your Bari' (Creat or)) alert s t he Children of Israel t o t he enormit y of t heir error and means, "Repent t o He Who creat ed you aft er you associat ed ot hers wit h Him in worship.'' An-Nasa'i, Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hat im recorded Ibn ` Abbas saying, "Allah t old t he Children of Israel t hat t heir repent ance would be t o slay by t he sword every person t hey meet , be he fat her or son. They should not care whom t hey kill. Those were guilt y whom Musa and Harun were not aware of t heir guilt , t hey admit t ed t heir sin and did as t hey were ordered. So Allah forgave bot h t he killer and t he one killed.'' This is part of t he Hadit h about t he t rials t hat we will ment ion in Surat Ta Ha, (20) Allah willing. Ibn Jarir narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Musa said t o his people,

("So t urn in repent ance t o your Creat or and kill each ot her (t he innocent kill t he wrongdoers among you), t hat will be bet t er for you wit h your Creat or.'' Then He accept ed your repent ance. Truly, He is t he One Who accept s repent ance, t he Most Merciful.) Allah ordered Musa t o command his people t o kill each ot her. He ordered t hose who worshipped t he calf t o sit down and t hose who did not worship t he calf t o st and holding knives in t heir hands. When t hey st art ed killing t hem, a great darkness suddenly overcame t hem. Aft er t he darkness lift ed, t hey had killed sevent y t housand of t hem. Those who were killed among t hem were forgiven, and t hose who remained alive were also forgiven.'' p

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(55. And (remember) when you said: "O Musa! We shall never believe in you unt il we see Allah plainly.'' But you were seized wit h a bolt of light ning while you were looking). (56.Then We raised you up aft er your deat h, so t hat you might be grat eful.)

The Best among the Children of Israel ask to see Allah; their subsequent Death and Resurrection

Allah said, ` Remember My favor on you for resurrect ing you aft er you were seized wit h light ning when you asked t o see Me direct ly, which neit her you nor anyone else can bear or at t ain.' This was said by Ibn Jurayj . Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah

(And (remember) when you said: "O Musa ! We shall never believe in you unt il we see Allah plainly.'') means, "Publicly'', "So t hat we gaze at Allah.'' Also, ` Urwah bin Ruwaym said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(While you were looking) means, "Some of t hem were st ruck wit h light ning while ot hers were wat ching.'' Allah resurrect ed t hose, and st ruck t he ot hers wit h light ning. As-Suddi comment ed on,

(But you were seized wit h a bolt of light ning) saying; "They died, and Musa st ood up crying and supplicat ing t o Allah, ` O Lord! What should I say t o t he Children of Israel when I go back t o t hem aft er You dest royed t he best of t hem,

(If it had been Your will, You could have dest royed t hem and me before; would You dest roy us for t he deeds of t he foolish ones among us)' Allah revealed t o Musa t hat t hese sevent y men were among t hose who worshipped t he calf. Aft erwards, Allah brought t hem back t o life one man at a t ime, while t he rest of t hem were wat ching how Allah was bringing t hem back t o life. That is why Allah's said,

(Then We raised you up aft er your deat h, so t hat you might be grat eful.)'' Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said, "Deat h was t heir punishment , and t hey were resurrect ed aft er t hey died so t hey could finish out t heir lives.'' Qat adah said similarly.

` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam comment ed on t his Ayah, "Musa ret urned from meet ing wit h his Lord carrying t he Tablet s on which He wrot e t he Tawrah. He found t hat t hey had worshipped t he calf in his absence. Consequent ly, he commanded t hem t o kill t hemselves, and t hey complied, and Allah forgave t hem. He said t o t hem, ` These Tablet s have Allah's Book, cont aining what He commanded you and what He forbade for you.' They said, ` Should we believe t his st at ement because you said it By Allah, we will not believe unt il we see Allah in t he open, unt il He shows us Himself and says: This is My Book, t herefore, adhere t o it . Why does He not t alk t o us as He t alked t o you, O, Musa''' Then he (` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd) recit ed Allah's st at ement ,

(We shall never believe in you unt il we see Allah plainly) and said, "So Allah's wrat h fell upon t hem, a t hunderbolt st ruck t hem, and t hey all died. Then Allah brought t hem back t o life aft er He killed t hem.'' Then he (` Abdur-Rahman) recit ed Allah's st at ement ,

(Then We raised you up aft er your deat h, so t hat you might be grat eful), and said, "Musa said t o t hem, ` Take t he Book of Allah.' They said, ` No.' He said, ` What is t he mat t er wit h you' They said, ` The problem is t hat we died and came back t o life.' He said, ` Take t he Book of Allah.' They said, ` No.' So Allah sent some angels who made t he mount ain t opple over t hem.'' This shows t hat t he Children of Israel were required t o fulfill t he commandment s aft er t hey were brought back t o life. However, Al-Mawardy said t hat t here are t wo opinions about t his mat t er. The first opinion is t hat since t he Children of Israel wit nessed t hese miracles, t hey were compelled t o believe, so t hey did not have t o fulfill t he commandment s. The second opinion st at es t hat t hey were required t o adhere t o t he commandment s, so t hat no responsible adult is free of such responsibilit ies. Al-Qurt ubi said t hat t his is what is correct , because, he said, alt hough t he Children of Israel wit nessed t hese t remendous calamit ies and incident s, t hat did not mean t hat t hey were not responsible for fulfilling t he commandment s any more. Rat her t hey are responsible for t hat , and t his is clear. Allah knows best .

(57. And We shaded you wit h clouds and sent down on you Al-Manna and t he quail, (saying): "Eat of t he good lawful t hings We have provided for you,'' (but t hey rebelled). And t hey did not wrong Us but t hey wronged t hemselves.)

The Shade, the Manna and the Quail

Aft er Allah ment ioned t he calamit ies t hat He saved t he Children of Israel from, He ment ioned t he favors t hat He grant ed t hem, saying,

And We shaded you wit h clouds. This A0yah ment ions t he whit e clouds t hat provided shade for t he Children of Israel, prot ect ing t hem from t he sun s heat during t heir years of wandering. In t he H ad0t h about t he t rials, An-Nasa0 i recorded Ibn Abba0s saying, Alla0h shaded t he Children of Israel wit h clouds during t he years of wandering. Ibn Abi H a0t im said, Narrat ions similar t o t hat of Ibn Abba0s were report ed from Ibn Umar, Ar-Rab0 bin Anas, Abu Mij laz, Ad D ah h a0k, and As-Suddi. Al-H asan and Qat a0dah said t hat ,

(And We shaded you wit h clouds) "This happened when t hey were in t he desert and t he clouds shielded t hem from t he sun.'' Ibn Jarir said t hat several scholars said t hat t he t ype of cloud t he Ayah ment ioned, "was cooler and bet t er t han t he t ype we know.'' ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

And sent down on you Al-Manna, The manna used t o descend t o t hem t o t he t rees, and t hey used t o eat what ever t hey wished of it . Also, Qat a0dah said, The manna, which was whit er t han milk and sweet er t han honey, used t o rain down on t he Children of Israel, j ust as t he snow falls, from dawn unt il sunrise. One of t hem would collect enough for t hat part icular day, for if it remained more t han t hat , it would spoil. On t he sixt h day, Friday, one would collect enough for t he sixt h and t he sevent h day, which was t he Sabbat h during which one would not leave home t o seek his livelihood, or for anyt hing else. All t his occurred in t he wilderness. The t ype of manna t hat we know provides sufficient food when eat en alone, because it is nut rit ious and sweet . When manna is mixed wit h wat er, it becomes a sweet drink. It also changes composit ion when mixed wit h ot her t ypes of food. However, t his is not t he only t ype. The evidence t o t his fact is t hat Al-Bukha0ri narrat ed, t hat Sa 0d bin Zayd said t hat t he Messenger of Alla0h said,

(Kam'ah (t ruffles) is a t ype of manna, and it s liquid is a remedy for t he eyes.) This Hadit h was also collect ed by Imam Ahmad. The group of Hadit h compilers, wit h t he except ion of Abu Dawud, also collect ed it , and At -Tirmidhi graded it Hasan Sahih. At -Tirmidhi recorded Abu Hurayrah saying t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(The ` Aj wah (pressed, dried dat e) is from Paradise and it cures poison, Al-Kam'ah (t ruffles) is a form of manna, and it s liquid heals t he eye.'') At -Tirmidhi is t he only one of t hem who recorded t his Hadit h. As for t he quail (Salwa) in quest ion, ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The (Salwa) is a bird t hat looks like t he quail.'' This is t he same opinion report ed from Muj ahid, AshSha` bi, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, ` Ikrimah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, may Allah have mercy upon t hem. Also, ` Ikrimah said t hat t he Salwa is a bird in Paradise about t he size of a sparrow. Qat adah said "The Salwa is a bird t hat is similar t o a sparrow. During t hat t ime, an Israelit e could cat ch as many quails as was sufficient for t hat part icular day, ot herwise t he meat would spoil. On t he sixt h day, Friday, he would collect what is enough for t he sixt h and t he sevent h day, t he Sabbat h, during which one was not allowed t o depart his home t o seek anyt hing.'' Allah said,

(Eat of t he good lawful t hings We have provided for you,) (7:160) t his form of command is a simple order of allowance, guiding t o what is good. Allah said,

(And t hey did not wrong Us but t hey wronged t hemselves) means, ` We commanded t hem t o eat from what We gave t hem, and t o perform t he act s of worship (but t hey rebelled).' This Ayah is similar t o Allah's st at ement ,

(Eat of t he provision of your Lord, and be grat eful t o Him) (34:15). Yet , t he Children of Israel rebelled, disbelieved and commit t ed inj ust ice against t hemselves, even t hough t hey saw t he clear signs, t remendous miracles and ext raordinary event s.

The Virtue of Muhammad's Companions over the Companions of all Other Prophets
Here it is import ant t o point out t he virt ue of Muhammad's Companions over t he companions of t he ot her Prophet s. This includes firmness in t he religion, pat ience and t he lack of arrogance, may Allah be pleased wit h t hem. Alt hough t he Companions accompanied t he Prophet in his

t ravels and bat t les, such as during t he bat t le of Tabuk, in int ense heat and hardship, t hey did not ask for a miracle, t hough t his was easy for t he Prophet by Allah's leave. And when t he Companions became hungry, t hey merely asked t he Prophet - t o invoke Allah - for an increase in t he amount of food. They collect ed what ever food t hey had and brought it t o t he Prophet , and he asked Allah t o bless it , t old each of t hem t o t ake some food, and t hey filled every pot t hey had. Also, when t hey needed rain, t he Prophet asked Allah t o send down rain, and a rain cloud came. They drank, gave wat er t o t heir camels and filled t heir wat er skins. When t hey looked around, t hey found t hat t he cloud had only rained on t heir camp. This is t he best example of t hose who were willing t o accept Allah's decision and follow t he Messenger of Allah .

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(58. And (remember) when We said: "Ent er t his t own (Jerusalem) and eat bount ifully t herein wit h pleasure and delight wherever you wish, and ent er t he gat e in prost rat ion (or bowing wit h humilit y) and say: ` Forgive us,' and We shall forgive you your sins and shall increase (reward) for t he good-doers.'') (59. But t hose who did wrong changed t he word from t hat which had been t old t o t hem for anot her, so We sent upon t he wrongdoers Rij z (a punishment ) from t he heaven because of t heir rebellion.)

The Jews were Rebellious instead of Appreciative when They gained Victory
Allah admonished t he Jews for avoiding Jihad and not ent ering t he holy land as t hey had been ordered t o do when t hey came from Egypt wit h Musa. They were also commanded t o fight t he disbelieving ` Amaliq (Canaanit es) dwelling in t he holy land at t hat t ime. But t hey did not want t o fight , because t hey were weak and exhaust ed. Allah punished t hem by causing t hem t o become lost , and t o cont inue wandering, as Allah has st at ed in Surat Al-Ma'idah (5). The correct opinion about t he meaning of, ` t he holy land' ment ioned here is t hat it was Bayt AlMaqdis (Jerusalem), as As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Qat adah and Abu Muslim Al-Asfahani, as well as ot hers have st at ed. Musa said,


(O people! Ent er t he holy land which Allah has assigned t o you and t urn not back (in flight ).) (5:21) However, some scholars said t hat t he holy land is Jericho, (Ariha') and t his opinion was ment ioned from Ibn ` Abbas and ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd. Aft er t he years of wandering ended fort y years lat er, in t he company of Yuwsha` (Joshua) bin Nun, Allah allowed t he Children of Israel t o conquer t he holy land on t he eve of a Friday. On t hat day, t he sun was kept from set t ing for a lit t le more t ime, unt il vict ory was achieved. When t he Children of Israel conquered t he holy land, t hey were commanded t o ent er it s gat e while,

(prost rat ing) in appreciat ion t o Allah for making t hem vict orious, t riumphant , ret urning t hem t o t heir land and saving t hem from being lost and wandering. Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(and ent er t he gat e Suj j adan) means, "While bowing''. Ibn Jarir report ed Ibn ` Abbas saying,

(and ent er t he gat e in prost rat ion) means, "Through a small door while bowing.'' Al-Hakim narrat ed it , and Ibn Abi Hat im added, "And t hey went t hrough t he door backwards!'' Al-Hasan Al-Basri said t hat t hey were ordered t o prost rat e on t heir faces when t hey ent ered t he cit y, but Ar-Razi discount ed t his explanat ion. It was also said t hat t he Suj ud ment ioned here means, ` submissiveness', for act ually ent ering while prost rat ing is not possible. Khasif said t hat ` Ikrimah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The door ment ioned here was facing t he Qiblah.'' Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, As-Suddi, Qat adah and Ad-Dahhak said t hat t he door is t he door of Hit t ah in Iylya', which is Jerusalem. Ar-Razi also report ed t hat some of t hem said t hat it was a door in t he direct ion of t he Qiblah''. Khasif said t hat ` Ikrimah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Children of Israel ent ered t he door sideways. As-Suddi said t hat Abu Sa` id Al-Azdy said t hat Abu Al-Kanud said t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said t hat t hey were commanded t o, u

(ent er t he gat e in prost rat ion (or bowing wit h humilit y)) but inst ead, t hey ent ered while t heir heads were raised in defiance. Allah said next ,

(and say: ` Hit t ah'). Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "Seek Allah's forgiveness.'' Al-Hasan and Qat adah said t hat it means, "Say, ` Relieve us from our errors.''

(and We shall forgive you your sins and shall increase (reward) for t he good-doers) Here is t he reward for fulfilling Allah's commandment . This Ayah means, "If you implement what We commanded you, We will forgive your sins and mult iply your good deeds.'' In summary, upon achieving vict ory, t he Children of Israel were commanded t o submit t o Allah in t ongue and deed and, t o admit t o t heir sins and seek forgiveness for t hem, t o be grat eful t o Allah for t he blessings He gave t hem, hast ening t o do t he deeds t hat Allah loves, as He said,

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(When t here comes t he help of Allah (t o you, O Muhammad against your enemies) and t he conquest (of Makkah). And you see t hat t he people ent er Allah's religion (Islam) in crowds. So glorify t he praises of your Lord, and ask His forgiveness. Verily, He is t he One Who accept s t he repent ance.) (110). Allah said,

(But t hose who did wrong changed t he word from t hat which had been t old t o t hem for anot her). Al-Bukhari recorded Abu Hurayrah saying t hat t he Prophet said,

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(The Children of Israel were commanded t o ent er t he door while bowing and t o say ` Hit t ah'. Yet , t hey ent ered t he door on t heir behinds, dist ort ing t he words. They said; ` Habbah (seed), in Sha` rah (a hair).') An-Nasa'i recorded t his part of it from Abu Hurayrah only, but he has a chain from t he Prophet , explaining Allah's st at ement ,

(` Hit t ah'), saying, "So t hey deviat ed and said ` Habbah.'' Similar was recorded by ` AbdurRazzaq, and his rout e was also collect ed by Al-Bukhari. Muslim and At -Tirmidhi narrat ed similar versions of t his Hadit h, At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih.'' The summary of what t he scholars have said about t his subj ect is t hat t he Children of Israel dist ort ed Allah's command t o t hem t o submit t o Him in t ongue and deed. They were commanded t o ent er t he cit y while bowing down, but t hey ent ered while sliding on t heir rear ends and raising t heir heads! They were commanded t o say, ` Hit t ah' meaning, "Relieve us from our errors and sins.'' However, t hey mocked t his command and said, "Hint ah (grain seed) in Sha` irah (barley).'' This demonst rat es t he worst t ype of rebellion and disobedience, and it is why Allah released His anger and punishment upon t hem, all because of t heir sinning and defying His commands. Allah said,

(So We sent upon t he wrongdoers Rij z (a punishment ) from t he heaven because of t heir rebellion.) Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Every word in Allah's Book t hat says Rij z means, ` a punishment .''' Muj ahid, Abu Malik, As-Suddi, Al-Hasan and Qat adah were report ed t o have said t hat Rij z means ` Torment .' Ibn Abi Hat im narrat ed t hat Sa` d bin Malik, Usamah bin Zayd and Khuzaymah bin Thabit said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

 .
(The plague is a Rij z, a punishment wit h which Allah punished t hose before you.) This is also how An-Nasa'i recorded t his Hadit h. In addit ion, t he basis of t his Hadit h was collect ed in t he Two Sahihs,

(If you hear of t he plague in a land, t hen do not ent er it .) Ibn Jarir recorded Usamah bin Zayd saying t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(This calamit y and sickness (i.e. t he plague) is a Rij z, a punishment wit h which some nat ions who were before you were punished.) The basis of t his Hadit h was also collect ed in t he Two Sahihs.

(60. And (remember) when Musa asked for wat er for his people, We said: "St rike t he st one wit h your st ick.'' Then gushed fort h t herefrom t welve springs. Each (group of) people knew it s own place for wat er. "Eat and drink of t hat which Allah has provided and do not act corrupt ly, making mischief on t he eart h.'')

Twelve Springs gush forth

Allah said, "Remember My favor on you when I answered t he supplicat ion of your Prophet , Musa, when he asked Me t o provide you wit h wat er. I made t he wat er available for you, making it gush out t hrough a st one. Twelve springs burst out of t hat st one, a designat ed spring for each of your t ribes. You eat from t he manna and t he quails and drink from t he wat er t hat I provided for you, wit hout any effort or hardship for you. So worship t he One Who did t his for you.

(And do not act corrupt ly, making mischief on t he eart h) meaning, "Do not ret urn t he favor by commit t ing act s of disobedience t hat cause favors t o disappear.'' Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Children of Israel, "Had a square st one t hat Musa was commanded t o st rike wit h his st aff and, as a result , t welve springs burst out of t hat st one, t hree on each side. Each t ribe was, t herefore, designat ed a cert ain spring, and t hey used t o drink from t heir springs. They never had t o t ravel from t heir area, t hey would find t he same bount y in t he same manner t hey had in t he first area.''This narrat ion is part of t he long Hadit h t hat An-Nasa'i, Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hat im recorded about t he t rials. This st ory is similar t o t he st ory in Surat Al-` Araf (Chapt er 7) alt hough t he lat t er was revealed in Makkah. In Surat Al-A` raf, Allah used t he t hird person when He ment ioned t he Children of Israel t o t he Prophet and narrat ed what He favored t hem wit h. In t his Surat Al-Baqarah, which was revealed in Al-Madinah, Allah direct ed His Speech at t he Children of Israel. Furt her, Allah said in Surat Al-A` raf,

(And t here gushed fort h out of it t welve springs) (7:160), describing what first occurred when t he wat er begins t o gush out . In t he Ayah in Surat Al-Baqarah, Allah described what happened lat er on, meaning when t he wat er burst out in full force. Allah knows best .

(61. And (remember) when you said, "O Musa ! We cannot endure one kind of food. So invoke your Lord for us t o bring fort h for us of what t he eart h grows, it s herbs, it s cucumber it s Fum, it s lent ils and it s onions.'' He said, "Would you exchange t hat which is bet t er for t hat which is lower Go you down t o any t own and you shall find what you want !'')

The Children of Israel preferred Foods inferior to Manna and Quails

Allah said, "And remember My favor on you when I sent down t he manna and quails t o you, a good, pure, beneficial, easily acquired food. And remember your ungrat efulness for what We grant ed you. Remember how you asked Musa t o exchange t his t ype of food for an inferior t ype t hat consist s of veget at ion, and so fort h.'' Al-Hasan Al-Basri said about t he Children of Israel, "They were bored and impat ient wit h t he t ype of food t hey were provided. They also remembered t he life t hey used t o live, when t heir diet consist ed of lent ils, onions, garlic and herbs.'' They said,

(O Musa ! We cannot endure one kind of food. So invoke your Lord for us t o bring fort h for us of what t he eart h grows, it s herbs, it s cucumbers, it s Fum, it s lent ils and it s onions). They said,

(One kind of food) meaning, t he manna and quails, because t hey at e t he same food day aft er day. The Ayah ment ioned lent ils, onions and herbs, which are all known t ypes of foods. As for t he Fum, Ibn Mas` ud read it , Thum (garlic). Also, Ibn Abi Hat im narrat ed t hat Al-Hasan said about t he Ayah,

(It s Fum), "Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Fum means, garlic.'' He also said t hat t he expression, ` Fumu-lanna' means, ` bake for us', according t o t he languages of old. Ibn Jarir comment ed, "If t his is t rue, t hen ` Fum' is one of t he words whose pronounciat ion were alt ered, t he let t er ` fa' was replaced by t he let t er ` t ha', since t hey are similar in sound.'' And Allah knows best . Ot hers said t hat Fum is wheat , t he kind used for bread. Al-Bukhari said, "Some of t hem said t hat Fum includes all grains or seeds t hat are eat en.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(He said, "Would you exchange t hat which is bet t er for t hat which is lower'') crit icized t he Jews for asking for inferior foods, alt hough t hey were living an easy life, eat ing t ast y, beneficial and pure food. Allah's st at ement ,


(Go you down t o any Misr) means, ` any cit y', as Ibn ` Abbas said. Ibn Jarir also report ed t hat Abu Al-` Aliyah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said t hat t he Ayah refers t o Misr, t he Egypt of Fir` awn. The t rut h is t hat t he Ayah means any cit y, as Ibn ` Abbas and ot her scholars st at ed. Therefore, t he meaning of Musa's st at ement t o t he Children of Israel becomes, "What you are asking for is easy, for it is available in abundance in any cit y t hat you might ent er. So since what you asked for is available in all of t he villages and cit ies, I will not ask Allah t o provide us wit h it , especially when it is an inferior t ype of food. '' This is why Musa said t o t hem,

(Would you exchange t hat which is bet t er for t hat which is lower Go you down t o any t own and you shall find what you want !) Since t heir request was t he result of boredom and arrogance and since fulfilling it was unnecessary, t heir request was denied. Allah knows best .

(61. And t hey were covered wit h humiliat ion and misery, and t hey drew on t hemselves t he wrat h of Allah. That was because t hey used t o disbelieve in t he Ayat (proofs, evidence) of Allah and killed t he Prophet s wrongfully. That was because t hey disobeyed and used t o t ransgress t he bounds (in t heir disobedience t o Allah, i.e. commit crimes and sins.)) (2:61)

Covering the Jews in Humiliation and Misery

Allah said,

(And t hey were covered wit h humiliat ion and misery). This Ayah indicat es t hat t he Children of Israel were plagued wit h humiliat ion, and t hat t his will cont inue, meaning t hat it will never

cease. They will cont inue t o suffer humiliat ion at t he hands of all who int eract wit h t hem, along wit h t he disgrace t hat t hey feel inwardly. Al-Hasan comment ed, "Allah humiliat ed t hem, and t hey shall have no prot ect or. Allah put t hem under t he feet of t he Muslims, who appeared at a t ime when t he Maj us (Zoroast rians) were t aking t he Jizyah (t ax) from t he Jews.'' Also, Abu Al-` Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and As-Suddi said t hat ` misery' used in t he Ayah means, ` povert y.' ` At iyah Al-` Awfi said t hat ` misery' means, ` paying t he t ilt h (t ax).' In addit ion, AdDahhak comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(and t hey drew on t hemselves t he wrat h of Allah), "They deserved Allah's anger.'' Also, Ibn Jarir said t hat ,

(and t hey drew on t hemselves t he wrat h of Allah) means, "They went back wit h t he wrat h. Similarly, Allah said,

(Verily, I int end t o let you draw my sin on yourself as well as yours) (Al-Ma'idah 5:29) meaning, ` You will end up carrying my, and your, mist akes inst ead of me'. Thus, t he meaning of t he Ayah becomes, ` They went back carrying Allah's anger; Allah's wrat h descended on t hem; t hey deserved Allah's anger.''' Allah's st at ement ,

(That was because t hey used t o disbelieve in t he Ayat (proofs, evidences, et c.) of Allah and killed t he Prophet s wrongfully.) means, "This is what We rewarded t he Children of Israel wit h: humiliat ion and misery.'' Allah's anger t hat descended on t he Children of Israel was a part of t he humiliat ion t hey earned, because of t heir defiance of t he t rut h, disbelief in Allah's Ayat and belit t ling t he carriers of Allah's Law i.e. t he Prophet s and t heir following. The Children of Israel rej ect ed t he Messengers and even killed t hem. Surely, t here is no form of disbelief worse t han disbelieving in Allah's Ayat and murdering t he Prophet s of Allah.

Meaning of Kibr
Similarly, in a Hadit h recorded in t he Two Sahihs t he Messenger of Allah said,


(` Kibr, is refusing t he t rut h and degrading (belit t ling) people.) Imam Ahmad recorded, ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud saying t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(The people who will receive t he most t orment on t he Day of Resurrect ion are: a man who was killed by a Prophet or who killed a Prophet , an unj ust ruler and one who mut ilat es (t he dead).) Allah's st at ement ,

(That was because t hey disobeyed and used t o t ransgress t he bounds) ment ions anot her reason why t he Children of Israel were punished in t his manner, for t hey used t o disobey and t ransgress t he limit s. Disobedience is t o do what is prohibit ed, while t ransgression ent ails overst epping t he set limit s of what is allowed and what is prohibit ed. Allah knows best .

(62. Verily, t hose who believe and t hose who are Jews and Christ ians, and Sabians (Sabi'in), whoever believes in Allah and t he Last Day and does right eous good deeds shall have t heir reward wit h t heir Lord, on t hem shall be no fear, nor shall t hey grieve.)

Faith and doing Righteous Deeds equals Salvation in all Times

Aft er Allah described t he condit ion - and punishment - of t hose who defy His commands, fall int o His prohibit ions and t ransgress set limit s by commit t ing prohibit ed act s, He st at ed t hat t he earlier nat ions who were right eous and obedient received t he rewards for t heir good deeds. This shall be t he case, unt il t he Day of Judgment . Therefore, whoever follows t he unlet t ered

Messenger and Prophet shall acquire et ernal happiness and shall neit her fear from what will happen in t he fut ure nor become sad for what has been lost in t he past . Similarly, Allah said,

(No doubt ! Verily, t he Awliya' of Allah, no fear shall come upon t hem nor shall t hey grieve) (10:62). The angels will proclaim t o t he dying believers, as ment ioned,

(Verily, t hose who say: "Our Lord is Allah (alone),'' and t hen t hey st and firm, on t hem t he angels will descend (at t he t ime of t heir deat h) (saying): "Fear not , nor grieve! But receive t he glad t idings of Paradise which you have been promised!''). (41:30)

The Meaning of Mu'min, or Believer

Ali bin Abi Talhah narrat ed from Ibn ` Abbas, about ,

(Verily, t hose who believe and t hose who are Jews and Christ ians, and Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and t he Last Day) t hat Allah revealed t he following Ayah aft erwards,

(And whoever seeks religion ot her t han Islam, it will never be accept ed of him, and in t he Hereaft er he will be one of t he losers) (3:85). This st at ement by Ibn ` Abbas indicat es t hat Allah does not accept any deed or work from anyone, unless it conforms t o t he Law of Muhammad t hat is, aft er Allah sent Muhammad . Before t hat , every person who followed t he guidance of his own Prophet was on t he correct pat h, following t he correct guidance and was saved

Why the Jews were called ` Yahud

The Jews are t he followers of Prophet Musa, who used t o refer t o t he Tawrah for j udgment . Yahud is a word t hat means, ` repent ing', j ust as Musa said,

why the christians were called nasara
("Who will be my helpers in Allah's cause'' Al-Hawariyyun said: "We are t he helpers of Allah.'') (61:14) It was said t hat t hey were called ` Nasara', because t hey inhabit ed a land called An-Nasirah (Nazaret h), as Qat adah, Ibn Jurayj and Ibn ` Abbas were report ed t o have said, Allah knows best . Nasara is cert ainly plural for Nasran. When Allah sent Muhammad as t he Last and Final Prophet and Messenger t o all of t he Children of Adam, mankind was required t o believe in him, obey him and refrain from what he prohibit ed t hem; t hose who do t his are t rue believers. The Ummah of Muhammad was called ` Mu'minin' (believers), because of t he dept h of t heir fait h and cert aint y, and because t hey believe in all of t he previous Prophet s and mat t ers of t he Unseen.

The Sabi'un or Sabians

There is a difference of opinion over t he ident it y of t he Sabians. Sufyan At h-Thawri said t hat Layt h bin Abu Sulaym said t hat Muj ahid said t hat , "The Sabians are bet ween t he Maj us, t he Jews and t he Christ ians. They do not have a specific religion.'' Similar is report ed from Ibn Abi Naj ih. Similar st at ement s were at t ribut ed t o ` At a' and Sa` id bin Jubayr. They (ot hers) say t hat t he Sabians are a sect among t he People of t he Book who used t o read t he Zabur (Psalms), ot hers say t hat t hey are a people who worshipped t he angels or t he st ars. It appears t hat t he closest opinion t o t he t rut h, and Allah knows best , is Muj ahid's st at ement and t hose who agree wit h him like Wahb bin Munabbih, t hat t he Sabians are neit her Jews nor Christ ians nor Maj us nor polyt heist s. Rat her, t hey did not have a specific religion t hat t hey followed and enforced, because t hey remained living according t o t heir Fit rah (inst inct ual nat ure). This is why t he idolat ors used t o call whoever embraced Islam a ` Sabi', meaning, t hat he abandoned all religions t hat exist ed on t he eart h. Some scholars st at ed t hat t he Sabians are t hose who never received a message by any Prophet . And Allah knows best .

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(63. And (O Children of Isra'il, remember) when We t ook your covenant and We raised above you t he Mount (saying): "Hold fast t o t hat which We have given you, and remember t hat which is t herein so t hat you may acquire Taqwa.) (64. Then aft er t hat you t urned away. Had it not been for t he grace and mercy of Allah upon you, indeed you would have been among t he losers.)

Taking the Covenant from the Jews

Allah reminded t he Children of Israel of t he pledges, covenant s and promises t hat He t ook from t hem t o believe in Him alone, wit hout a part ner, and follow His Messengers. Allah st at ed t hat when He t ook t heir pledge from t hem, He raised t he mount ain above t heir heads, so t hat t hey affirm t he pledge t hat t hey gave Allah and abide by it wit h sincerit y and seriousness. Hence, Allah's st at ement ,

(And (remember) when We raised t he mount ain over t hem as if it had been a canopy, and t hey t hought t hat it was going t o fall on t hem. (We said): "Hold firmly t o what We have given you (Tawrah), and remember t hat which is t herein (act on it s commandment s), so t hat you may fear Allah and obey Him.'') (7:171). The mount ment ioned here is At -Tur, j ust as it was explained in Surat Al-A` raf, according t o t he Tafsir of Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, ` At a', ` Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and ot hers. This is more obvious. There is anot her report from Ibn ` Abbas saying; ` The Tur is a t ype of mount ain t hat veget at ion grows on, if no veget at ion grows on it , it is not called Tur.' And in t he Hadit h about t he t rials, Ibn ` Abbas said; "When t hey (t he Jews) refused t o obey, Allah raised t he mount ain above t heir heads so t hat t hey would list en.'' Al-Hasan said t hat Allah's st at ement ,


(Hold fast t o t hat which We have given you) means, t he Tawrah. Muj ahid said t hat t he Ayah commanded, "St rict ly adhere t o it .'' Abu Al-` Aliyah and Ar-Rabi` said t hat ,

(and remember t hat which is t herein) means, "Read t he Tawrah and implement it .'' Allah's st at ement ,

(Then aft er t hat you t urned away. Had it not been for t he grace of Allah) means, "Yet , aft er t he firm pledge t hat you gave, you st ill deviat ed and broke your pledge'';

(Had it not been for t he grace and mercy of Allah upon you), meaning, by forgiving you and by sending t he Prophet s and Messengers t o you,

(Indeed you would have been among t he losers) meaning, in t his life and t he Hereaft er due t o t heir breach of t he covenant .

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(65. And indeed you knew t hose amongst you who t ransgressed in t he mat t er of t he Sabbat h (i.e. Sat urday). We said t o t hem: "Be you monkeys, despised and rej ect ed.'') (66. So We made t his punishment an example for t hose in front of it and t hose behind it , and a lesson for AlMut t aqin (t he pious.)

The Jews breach the Sanctity of the Sabbath

Allah said,


(And indeed you knew). This Ayah means, O Jews! Remember t hat Allah sent His t orment on t he village t hat disobeyed Him and broke t heir pledge and t heir covenant t o observe t he sanct it y of t he Sabbat h. They began using deceit ful means t o avoid honoring t he Sabbat h by placing net s, ropes and art ificial pools of wat er for t he purpose of fishing before t he Sabbat h. When t he fish came in abundance on Sat urday as usual, t hey were caught in t he ropes and net s for t he rest of Sat urday. During t he night , t he Jews collect ed t he fish aft er t he Sabbat h ended. When t hey did t hat , Allah changed t hem from humans int o monkeys, t he animals having t he form closest t o humans. Their evil deeds and deceit appeared lawful on t he surface, but t hey were in realit y wicked. This is why t heir punishment was compat ible wit h t heir crime. This st ory is explained in det ail in Surat Al-A` raf, where Allah said (7:163),

(And ask t hem (O Muhammad ) about t he t own t hat was by t he sea; when t hey t ransgressed in t he mat t er of t he Sabbat h (i.e. Sat urday): when t heir fish came t o t hem openly on t he Sabbat h day, and did not come t o t hem on t he day t hey had no Sabbat h. Thus We made a t rial of t hem, for t hey used t o rebel (disobey Allah).)(7:163) In his Tafsir, Al-` Awfi report ed from Ibn ` Abbas t hat he said,

(We said t o t hem: "Be you monkeys, despised and rej ect ed'') means, "Allah changed t heir bodies int o t hose of monkeys and swines. The young people t urned int o monkeys while t he old people t urned int o swine.'' Shayban An-Nahwi report ed t hat Qat adah comment ed on,

(We said t o t hem: "Be you monkeys, despised and rej ect ed''), "These people were t urned int o howling monkeys wit h t ails, aft er being men and women.''

The Monkeys and Swine that exist now are not the Descendants of Those that were transformed

Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Those who violat ed t he sanct it y of t he Sabbat h were t urned int o monkeys, t hen t hey perished wit hout offspring.'' Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Allah t urned t hem int o monkeys because of t heir sins. They only lived on t he eart h for t hree days, for no t ransformed person ever lives more t han t hree days. They did not eat , drink or have offspring. Allah t ransformed t heir shapes int o monkeys, and He does what He wills, wit h whom He wills and He changes t he shape of whomever He wills. On t he ot her hand, Allah creat ed t he monkeys, swines and t he rest of t he creat ion in t he six days (of creat ion) t hat He ment ioned in His Book.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(So We made t his punishment an example) means, Allah made t he people of t his village, who violat ed t he sanct it y of t he Sabbat h,

(an example) via t he way t hey were punished. Similarly, Allah said about Pharaoh,

(So Allah, seized him wit h punishing example for his last and first t ransgression) (79:25). nAllah's st at ement ,

(for t hose in front of it and t hose behind it ) meaning, for t he ot her villages. Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "Meaning, ` We made t his village an example for t he villages around it by t he manner in which We punished it s people.''' Similarly, Allah said,

(And indeed We have dest royed t owns (populat ions) round about you, and We have (repeat edly) shown (t hem) t he Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelat ions, et c.) in various ways t hat t hey might ret urn (t o t he t rut h and believe in t he Oneness of Allah Islamic Monot heism)).(46:27) Therefore, Allah made t hem an example for t hose who lived during t heir t ime as well as a reminder for t hose t o come, by preserving t heir st ory. This is why Allah said,


(and a lesson for Al-Mut t aqin (t he pious)), meaning, a reminder. This Ayah means, "The t orment and punishment t hat t his village suff ered was a result of indulging in Allah's prohibit ions and t heir deceit . Hence, t hose who have Taqwa should be aware of t heir evil behavior, so t hat what occurred t o t his village does not befall t hem as well.'' Also, Imam Abu ` Abdullah bin Bat t ah report ed t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Do not commit what t he Jews commit t ed, breaching what Allah has forbidden, by resort ing t o t he lowest t ypes of deceit .) This Hadit h has a good (Jayid) chain of narrat ion. Allah knows best .

(67. And (remember) when Musa said t o his people: "Verily, Allah commands you t hat you slaught er a cow.'' They said, "Do you make fun of us'' He said, "I t ake Allah's refuge from being among Al-Jahilin (t he ignorant or t he foolish).'')

The Story of the murdered Israeli Man and the Cow

Allah said, ` O Children of Israel! Remember how I blessed you wit h miracle of t he cow t hat was t he means for discovering t he ident it y of t he murderer, when t he murdered man was brought back t o life.' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded ` Ubaydah As-Salmani saying, "There was a man from among t he Children of Israel who was impot ent . He had subst ant ial wealt h, and only a nephew who would inherit from him. So his nephew killed him and moved his body at night , placing it at t he doorst ep of a cert ain man. The next morning, t he nephew cried out for revenge, and t he people t ook up t heir weapons and almost fought each ot her. The wise men among t hem said, ` Why would you kill each ot her, while t he Messenger of Allah is st ill among you' So t hey went t o Musa and ment ioned t he mat t er t o him and Musa said,


("Verily, Allah commands you t hat you slaught er a cow.'' They said, "Do you make fun of us'' He said, "I t ake Allah's refuge from being among Al-Jahilin (t he ignorant or t he foolish)).'' "Had t hey not disput ed, it would have been sufficient for t hem t o slaught er any cow. However, t hey disput ed, and t he mat t er was made more difficult for t hem, unt il t hey ended up looking for t he specific cow t hat t hey were lat er ordered t o slaught er. They found t he designat ed cow wit h a man, only who owned t hat cow. He said, ` By Allah! I will only sell it for it s skin's fill of gold.' So t hey paid t he cow's fill of it s skin in gold, slaught ered it and t ouched t he dead man wit h a part of it . He st ood up, and t hey asked him, ` Who killed you' He said, ` That man,' and point ed t o his nephew. He died again, and his nephew was not allowed t o inherit him. Thereaft er, whoever commit t ed murder for t he purpose of gaining inherit ance was not allowed t o inherit .'' Ibn Jarir report ed somet hing similar t o t hat . Allah knows best .

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(68. They said, "Call upon your Lord for us t hat He may make plain t o us what it is!'' He said, "He says, ` Verily, it is a cow neit her t oo old nor t oo young, but (it is) bet ween t he t wo condit ions', so do what you are commanded.'') (69. They said, "Call upon your Lord for us t o make plain t o us it s colour.'' He said, "He says, ` It is a yellow cow, bright in it s colour, pleasing t he beholders.' '') (70. They said, "Call upon your Lord for us t o make plain t o us what it is.

Verily, t o us all cows are alike. And surely, if Allah wills, we will be guided.'') (71. He (Musa) said, "He says, ` It is a cow neit her t rained t o t ill t he soil nor wat er t he fields, sound, having no blemish in it .' '' They said, "Now you have brought t he t rut h.'' So t hey slaught ered it t hough t hey were near t o not doing it .)

The Stubbornness of the Jews regarding the Cow; Allah made the Matter difficult for Them
Allah ment ioned t he st ubbornness of t he Children of Israel and t he many unnecessary quest ions t hey asked t heir Messengers. This is why when t hey were st ubborn, Allah made t he decisions difficult for t hem. Had t hey slaught ered a cow, any cow, it would have been sufficient for t hem, as Ibn ` Abbas and ` Ubaydah have said. Inst ead, t hey made t he mat t er difficult , and t his is why Allah made it even more difficult for t hem. They said,

(Call upon your Lord for us t hat He may make plain t o us what it is!), meaning, "What is t his cow and what is it s descript ion'' Musa said,

(He says, ` Verily, it is a cow neit her t oo old nor t oo young'), meaning, t hat it is neit her old nor below t he age of breeding. This is t he opinion of Abu Al-` Aliyah, As-Suddi, Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, ` At iyah Al-` Awfi, ` At a', Al-Khurasani, Wahb bin Munabbih, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qat adah and Ibn ` Abbas. Ad-Dahhak report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(But (it is) bet ween t he t wo condit ions) means, "Neit her old nor young. Rat her, she was at t he age when t he cow is st rongest and fit t est .'' In his Tafsir Al-` Awfi report ed from Ibn ` Abbas t hat ,

(bright in it s colour) "A deep yellowish whit e.'' As-Suddi said,

(pleasing t he beholder) meaning, t hat it pleases t hose who see it . This is also t he opinion of Abu Al-` Aliyah, Qat adah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Furt hermore, Wahb bin Munabbih said, "If you look at t he cow's skin, you will t hink t hat t he sun's rays radiat e t hrough it s skin.'' The modern version of t he Tawrah ment ions t hat t he cow in t he Ayah was red, but t his is an error. Or, it might be t hat t he cow was so yellow t hat it appeared blackish or reddish in color. Allah's knows best .

(Verily, t o us all cows are alike) t his means, t hat since cows are plent iful, t hen describe t his cow for us furt her,

(And surely, if Allah wills) and if you furt her describe it t o us,

(we will be guided.)

(He says, ` It is a cow neit her t rained t o t ill t he soil nor wat er t he fields') meaning, it is not used in farming, or for wat ering purposes. Rat her, it is honorable and fair looking. ` AbdurRazzaq said t hat Ma` mar said t hat Qat adah said t hat ,

(sound) means, "The cow does not suffer from any defect s.'' This is also t he opinion of Abu Al` Aliyah and Ar-Rabi` . Muj ahid also said t hat t he Ayah means t he cow is free from defect s. Furt her, ` At a' Al-Khurasani said t hat t he Ayah means t hat it s legs and body are free of physical defect s. Also, Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah,

(So t hey slaught ered it t hough t hey were near t o not doing it ) means, "They did not want t o slaught er it .'' This means t hat even aft er all t he quest ions and answers about t he cow's descript ion, t he Jews were st ill reluct ant t o slaught er t he cow. This part of t he Qur'an crit icized t he Jews for t heir behavior, because t heir only goal was t o be st ubborn, and t his is why t hey nearly did not slaught er t he cow. Also, ` Ubaydah, Muj ahid, Wahb bin Munabbih, Abu Al-` Aliyah and ` AbdurRahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "The Jews bought t he cow wit h a large amount of money.'' There is a difference of opinion over t his.

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(72. And (remember) when you killed a man and disagreed among yourselves as t o t he crime. But Allah brought fort h t hat which you were Takt umun.) (73. So We said: "St rike him (t he dead man) wit h a piece of it (t he cow).'' Thus Allah brings t he dead t o life and shows you His Ayat (proofs, evidences, et c.) so t hat you may underst and.)

Bringing the murdered Man back to Life

Al-Bukhari said t hat ,

(And disagreed among yourselves as t o t he crime) means, "Disput ed.'' This is also t he Tafsir of Muj ahid. ` At a' Al-Khurasani and Ad-Dahhak said, "Disput ed about t his mat t er.'' Also, Ibn Jurayj said t hat ,

(And (remember) when you killed a man and disagreed among yourselves as t o t he crime) means, some of t hem said, "You killed him,'' while t he ot hers said, "No you killed him.'' This is also t he Tafsir of ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. Muj ahid said t hat ,

(But Allah brought fort h t hat which you were Takt umun) means, "what you were hiding.''

Allah said,

(So We said: "St rike him (t he dead man) wit h a piece of it (t he cow)'') meaning, "any part of t he cow will produce t he miracle (if t hey st ruck t he dead man wit h it ).'' We were not t old which part of t he cow t hey used, as t his mat t er does not benefit us eit her in mat t ers of life or religion. Ot herwise, Allah would have made it clear for us. Inst ead, Allah made t his mat t er vague, so t his is why we should leave it vague. Allah's st at ement ,

(Thus Allah brings t he dead t o life) means, "They st ruck him wit h it , and he came back t o life.'' This Ayah demonst rat es Allah's abilit y in bringing t he dead back t o life. Allah made t his incident proof against t he Jews t hat t he Resurrect ion shall occur, and ended t heir disput ing and st ubbornness over t he dead person. Allah ment ioned His bringing t he dead back t o life in five inst ances in Surat Al-Baqarah. First Allah said,

(Then We raised you up aft er your deat h). He t hen ment ioned t he st ory about t he cow. Allah also ment ioned t he st ory of t hose who escaped deat h in t heir land, while t hey were numbering in t he t housands. He also ment ioned t he st ory of t he Prophet who passed by a village t hat was dest royed, t he st ory of Abraham and t he four birds, and t he land t hat comes back t o life aft er it has died. All t hese incident s and st ories alert us t o t he fact t hat bodies shall again become whole, aft er t hey were rot t en. The proof of Resurrect ion is also reit erat ed in Allah's st at ement ,

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(And a sign for t hem is t he dead land. We give it life, and We bring fort h from it grains, so t hat t hey eat t hereof. And We have made t herein gardens of dat e palms and grapes, and We have caused springs of wat er t o gush fort h t herein. So t hat t hey may eat of t he fruit t hereof and t heir hands made it not . Will t hey not t hen give t hanks) (36:33-35).


(74. Then aft er t hat your heart s were hardened and became as st ones or even worse in hardness. And indeed, t here are st ones out of which rivers gush fort h, and indeed, t here are of t hem (st ones) which split asunder so t hat wat er flows from t hem, and indeed, t here are of t hem (st ones) which fall down for fear of Allah. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.)

The Harshness of the Jews

Allah crit icized t he Children of Israel because t hey wit nessed t he t remendous signs and t he Ayat of Allah, including bringing t he dead back t o life, yet ,

(Then aft er t hat your heart s were hardened). So t heir heart s were like st ones t hat never become soft . This is why Allah forbade t he believers from imit at ing t he Jews when He said,

(Has not t he t ime come for t he heart s of t hose who believe (in t he Oneness of Allah Islamic Monot heism) t o be affect ed by Allah's Reminder (t his Qur'an), and t hat which has been revealed of t he t rut h, lest t hey become as t hose who received t he Script ure (t he Tawrah) and t he Inj il

(Gospel)) before (i.e. Jews and Christ ians), and t he t erm was prolonged for t hem and so t heir heart s were hardened And many of t hem were Fasiqun (t he rebellious, t he disobedient t o Allah)) (57:16). v In his Tafsir, Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "When t he dead man was st ruck wit h a part of t he cow, he st ood up and became more alive t han he ever was. He was asked, ` Who killed you' He said, ` My nephews killed me.' He t hen died again. His nephews said, aft er Allah t ook his life away, ` By Allah! We did not kill him' and denied t he t rut h while t hey knew it . Allah said,

(And became as st ones or even worse in hardness). '' And by t he passage of t ime, t he heart s of t he Children of Israel were unlikely t o accept any admonishment , even aft er t he miracles and signs t hey wit hnessed. Their heart s became harder t han st ones, wit h no hope of ever soft ening. Somet imes, springs and rivers burst out of st ones, some st ones split and wat er comes out of t hem, even if t here are no springs or rivers around t hem, somet imes st ones fall down from mount aint ops out of t heir fear of Allah. Muhammad bin Ishaq narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(And indeed, t here are st ones out of which rivers gush fort h, and indeed, t here are of t hem (st ones) which split asunder so t hat wat er flows from t hem, and indeed, t here are of t hem (st ones) which fall down for fear of Allah), means, "Some st ones are soft er t han your heart s, t hey acknowledge t he t rut h t hat you are being called t o,

(And Allah is not unaware of what you do).''

Solid Inanimate Objects possess a certain Degree of Awareness

Some claimed t hat t he Ayat ment ioned t he st ones being humble as a met aphor. However, ArRazi, Al-Qurt ubi and ot her Imams said t hat t here is no need for t his explanat ion, because Allah creat es t his charact erist ic - humbleness - in st ones. For inst ance, Allah said,


(Truly, We did offer Al-Amanah (t he t rust ) t o t he heavens and t he eart h, and t he mount ains, but t hey declined t o bear it and were afraid of it (i.e. afraid of Allah's t orment )) (33:72),

(The seven heavens and t he eart h and all t hat is t herein, glorify Him) (17:44),

(And t he st ars and t he t rees bot h prost rat e t hemselves (t o Allah)) (55:6),

(Have t hey not observed t hings t hat Allah has creat ed: (how) t heir shadows incline) (16:48),

(They bot h said: "We come willingly.'') (41:11),

(Had We sent down t his Qur'an on a mount ain) (59:21), and,

(And t hey will say t o t heir skins, "Why do you t est ify against us'' They will say: "Allah has caused us t o speak.'') (41:21). It is recorded in t he Sahih t hat t he Prophet said,


(This (Mount Uhud) is a mount t hat loves us and t hat we love.) Similarly, t he compassion of t he st ump of t he palm t ree for t he Prophet as confirmed in aut hent ic narrat ions. In Sahih Muslim it is recorded t hat t he Prophet said,

(I know a st one in Makkah t hat used t o greet me wit h t he Salam before I was sent . I recognize t his st one now.) He said about t he Black St one t hat ,

(On t he Day of Resurrect ion it will t est ifiy for t hose who kiss it .) There are several ot her t ext s wit h t his meaning. The scholars of t he Arabic language disagreed over t he meaning of Allah's st at ement ,

(And became as st ones or even worse in hardness) aft er agreeing t hat ` or' here is not being used t o reflect doubt . Some scholars said t hat ` or' here means, ` and'. So t he meaning becomes, "As hard as st ones, and harder.'' For inst ance, Allah said,

(And obey not a sinner or a disbeliever among t hem) (76:24), and,

(To cut off all excuses or t o warn) (77:6). Some ot her scholars said t hat ` or' here means, ` rat her'. Hence, t he meaning becomes, ` As hard as st ones. Rat her, harder.' For inst ance, Allah said,


(A sect ion of t hem fear men as t hey fear Allah or even more) (4:77),

(And We sent him t o a hundred t housand (people) or even more) (37:147), and,

(And was at a dist ance of t wo bows' lengt h or (even) nearer) (53:9). Some ot her scholars said t hat t his Ayah means t heir heart s are only of t wo t ypes, as hard as st one or harder t han st one. Furt her, Ibn Jarir comment ed t hat t his Tafsir means t hat some of t heir heart s are as hard as st one and some heart s are harder t han st one. Ibn Jarir said t hat he favored t his last Tafsir, alt hough t he ot hers are plausible. I - Ibn Kat hir - say t hat t he last Tafsir is similar t o Allah's st at ement ,

(Their likeness is as t he likeness of one who kindled a fire) (2:17), and t hen His st at ement ,

(Or like a rainst orm from t he sky) (2:19). It is also similar t o Allah's st at ement ,

(As for t hose who disbelieved, t heir deeds are like a mirage in a desert ) (24:39), and t hen His st at ement ,

(Or (t he st at e of a disbeliever) is like t he darkness in a vast deep sea) (24:40). This t hen means t hat some of t hem are like t he first example, and some ot hers are like t he second example. Allah knows best .

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(75. Do you (fait hful believers) covet t hat t hey will believe in your religion inspit e of t he fact t hat a part y of t hem (Jewish rabbis) used t o hear t he Word of Allah (t he Tawrah), t hen t hey used t o change it knowingly aft er t hey underst ood it ) (76. And when t hey (Jews) meet t hose who believe (Muslims), t hey say, "We believe,'' but when t hey meet one anot her in privat e, t hey say, "Shall you (Jews) t ell t hem (Muslims) what Allah has revealed t o you t hat t hey (Muslims) may argue wit h you (Jews) about it before your Lord'' Have you (Jews) t hen no underst anding) (77. Know t hey (Jews) not t hat Allah knows what t hey conceal and what t hey reveal)

There was little Hope that the Jews Who lived during the Time of the Prophet could have believed
Allah said,

(Do you covet ) O believers,

(That t hey will believe in your religion) meaning, t hat t hese people would obey you They are t he deviant sect of Jews whose fat hers wit nessed t he clear signs but t heir heart s became hard aft erwards. Allah said next ,

(Inspit e of t he fact t hat a part y of t hem (Jewish rabbis) used t o hear t he Word of Allah (t he Tawrah), t hen t hey used t o change it ) meaning, dist ort it s meaning,

(aft er t hey underst ood it ). They underst ood well, yet t hey used t o defy t he t rut h,

(knowingly), being fully aware of t heir erroneous int erpret at ions and corrupt ion. This st at ement is similar t o Allah's st at ement ,

(So, because of t heir violat ion of t heir covenant , We cursed t hem and made t heir heart s grow hard. They change t he words from t heir (right ) places) (5:13). Qat adah comment ed t hat Allah's st at ement ;

(Then t hey used t o change it knowingly aft er t hey underst ood it ) "They are t he Jews who used t o hear Allah's Words and t hen alt er t hem aft er t hey underst ood and comprehended t hem.'' Also, Muj ahid said, "Those who used t o alt er it and conceal it s t rut hs; t hey were t heir scholars.'' Also, Ibn Wahb said t hat Ibn Zayd comment ed,

(used t o hear t he Word of Allah (t he Tawrah), t hen t hey used t o change it ) "They alt ered t he Tawrah t hat Allah revealed t o t hem, making it say t hat t he lawful is unlawful and t he prohibit ed is allowed, and t hat what is right is false and t hat what is false is right . So when a person seeking t he t rut h comes t o t hem wit h a bribe, t hey j udge his case by t he Book of Allah, but when a person comes t o t hem seeking t o do evil wit h a bribe, t hey t ake out t he ot her (dist ort ed) book, in which it is st at ed t hat he is in t he right . When someone comes t o t hem who is not seeking what is right , nor offering t hem bribe, t hen t hey enj oin right eousness on him. This is why Allah said t o t hem,

(Enj oin you Al-Birr (piet y and right eousness and every act of obedience t o Allah) on t he people and you forget (t o pract ise it ) yourselves, while you recit e t he Script ure (t he Tawrah)! Have you t hen no sense) (2:44)''

The Jews knew the Truth of the Prophet , but disbelieved in Him
Allah said next ,

(And when t hey (Jews) meet t hose who believe (Muslims), t hey say, "We believe'', but when t hey meet one anot her in privat e..). Muhammad bin Ishaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed,

(And when t hey (Jews) meet t hose who believe (Muslims), t hey say, "We believe'') "They believe t hat Muhammad is t he Messenger of Allah, ` But he was only sent for you (Arabs)''' However, when t hey meet each ot her t hey say, "Do not convey t he news about t his Prophet t o t he Arabs, because you used t o ask Allah t o grant you vict ory over t hem when he came, but he was sent t o t hem (not t o you).'' Allah t hen revealed,


(And when t hey (Jews) meet t hose who believe (Muslims), t hey say, "We believe,'' but when t hey meet one anot her in privat e, t hey say, "Shall you (Jews) t ell t hem (Muslims) what Allah has revealed t o you, t hat t hey (Muslims) may argue wit h you (Jews) about it before your Lord'') meaning, "If you admit t o t hem t hat he is a Prophet , knowing t hat Allah t ook t he covenant from you t o follow him, t hey will know t hat Muhammad is t he Prophet t hat we were wait ing for and whose coming we find foret old of in our Book. Therefore, do not believe in him and deny him.'' Allah said,

(Know t hey (Jews) not t hat Allah knows what t hey conceal and what t hey reveal). Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "When t he Jews met t he believers t hey used t o say, ` We believe.' When t hey met each ot her, some of t hem would say, ` Do not t alk t o t he companions of Muhammad about what Allah has foret old in your Book, so t hat t he news (t hat Muhammad is t he Final Messenger) does not become a proof for t hem against you wit h your Lord, and, t hus, you will win t he disput e.''' Furt her, Abu Al-` Aliyah said about Allah's st at ement ,

(Know t hey (Jews) not t hat Allah knows what t hey conceal and what t hey reveal), "Meaning t heir secret denial and rej ect ion of Muhammad, alt hough t hey find his coming recorded in t heir Book.'' This is also t he Tafsir of Qat adah. Al-Hasan comment ed on,

(That Allah knows what t hey conceal), "What t hey concealed refers t o when t hey were alone wit h each ot her away from t he Companions of Muhammad . Then t hey would forbid each ot her from conveying t he news t hat Allah revealed t o t hem in t heir Book t o t he Companions of Muhammad , fearing t hat t he Companions would use t his news (about t he t rut h of Muhammad ) against t hem before t heir Lord.''


(And what t hey reveal) meaning, when t hey said t o t he Companions of Muhammad ,

(We believe), as Abu Al-` Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` and Qat adah st at ed.

(78. And t here are among t hem (Jews) ` Ummyyun (unlet t ered) people, who know not t he Book, but t hey t rust upon Amani (false desires) and t hey but guess.) (79. Then woe t o t hose who writ e t he book wit h t heir own hands and t hen say, "This is from Allah,'' t o purchase wit h it a lit t le price! Woe t o t hem for what t heir hands have writ t en and woe t o t hem for t hat t hey earn t hereby.)

The Meaning of ` Ummi

Allah said,

(And t here are among t hem Ummyyun people) meaning, among t he People of t he Book, as Muj ahid st at ed. Ummyyun, is plural for Ummi, t hat is, a person who does not writ e, as Abu Al` Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` , Qat adah, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i and ot hers said. This meaning is clarified by Allah's st at ement ,

(Who know not t he Book) meaning, are t hey not aware of what is in it .

Ummi was one of t he descript ions of t he Prophet because he was unlet t ered. For inst ance, Allah said,

(Neit her did you (O Muhammad ) read any book before it (t his Qur'an) nor did you writ e any book (what soever) wit h your right hand. In t hat case, indeed, t he followers of falsehood might have doubt ed) (29:48). Also, t he Prophet said,

(We are an Ummi nat ion, neit her writ ing nor calculat ing. The (lunar) mont h is like t his, t his and t his (i.e. t hirt y or t went y-nine days.) This Hadit h st at ed t hat Muslims do not need t o rely on books, or calculat ions t o decide t he t imings of t heir act s of worship. Allah also said,

(He it is Who sent among t he Ummiyyin ones a Messenger (Muhammad ) from among t hemselves) (62:2).

The Explanation of Amani

Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(But t hey t rust upon Amani) means, "It is j ust a false st at ement t hat t hey ut t er wit h t heir t ongues.'' It was also said t hat Amani means ` wishes and hopes'. Muj ahid comment ed, "Allah described t he Ummiyyin as not underst anding any of t he Book t hat Allah sent down t o Musa, yet t hey creat e lies and falsehood.'' Therefore, t he word Amani ment ioned here refers t o lying and falsehood. Muj ahid said t hat Allah's st at ement ,


(And t hey but guess) means, "They lie.'' Qat adah, Abu Al-` Aliyah and Ar-Rabi` said t hat it means, "They have evil false ideas about Allah.''

Woe unto Those Criminals among the Jews

Allah said,

(Then Waylun (woe) t o t hose who writ e t he book wit h t heir own hands and t hen say, "This is from Allah,'' t o purchase wit h it a lit t le price!). This is anot her cat egory of people among t he Jews who called t o misguidance wit h falsehood and lies about Allah, t hriving on unj ust ly amassing people's propert y. ` Waylun (woe)' carries meanings of dest ruct ion and perishing, and it is a well-known word in t he Arabic language. AzZuhri said t hat ` Ubadydullah bin ` Abdullah narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "O Muslims! How could you ask t he People of t he Book about anyt hing, while t he Book of Allah (Qur'an) t hat He revealed t o His Prophet is t he most recent Book from Him and you st ill read it fresh and young Allah t old you t hat t he People of t he Book alt ered t he Book of Allah, changed it and wrot e anot her book wit h t heir own hands. They t hen said, ` This book is from Allah,' so t hat t hey acquired a small profit by it . Hasn't t he knowledge t hat came t o you prohibit ed you from asking t hem By Allah! We have not seen any of t hem asking you about what was revealed t o you.'' This Hadit h was also collect ed by Al-Bukhari. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "The lit t le amount here means t his life and all t hat it cont ains.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(Woe t o t hem for what t heir hands have writ t en and woe t o t hem for t hat t hey earn t hereby) means, "Woe t o t hem because of what t hey have writ t en wit h t heir own hands, t he lies, falsehood and alt erat ions. Woe t o t hem because of t he propert y t hat t hey unj ust ly acquired.'' Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed,

(Woe t o t hem), "Means t he t orment will be t heirs because of t he lies t hat t hey wrot e wit h t heir own hands,

(And woe t o t hem for t hat t hey earn t hereby), which t hey unj ust ly acquired from people, be t hey commoners or ot herwise.''

(80. And t hey (Jews) say, "The Fire shall not t ouch us but for a few numbered days.'' Say (O Muhammad t o t hem): "Have you t aken a covenant from Allah, so t hat Allah will not break His covenant Or is it t hat you say of Allah what you know not '')

The Jews hope They will only remain in the Fire for a Few Days
Allah ment ioned t he claim of t he Jews, t hat t he Fire will only t ouch t hem for a few days, and t hen t hey will be saved from it . Allah refut ed t his claim by saying,

(Say (O Muhammad t o t hem): "Have you t aken a covenant from Allah'). Hence, t he Ayah proclaims, ` if you had a promise from Allah for t hat , t hen Allah will never break His promise. However, such promise never exist ed. Rat her, what you say, about Allah, you have no knowledge of and you t hus ut t er a lie about Him.' Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about t he Ayah,

(And t hey (Jews) say, "The Fire shall not t ouch us but for a few numbered days.''). "The Jews said, ` The Fire will only t ouch us for fort y days.''' Ot hers added t hat t his was t he period during which t he Jews worshipped t he calf. Also, Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr bin Marduwyah report ed Abu Hurayrah saying,

. :

: :

. : :

: :

: :

. :

: :

: :


: . (When Khaybar was conquered, a roast ed poisoned sheep was present ed t o t he Prophet as a gift (by t he Jews). The Messenger of Allah ordered, ` Assemble before me all t he Jews who were here.' The Jews were summoned and t he Prophet said (t o t hem), ` Who is your fat her' They replied, ` So-and-so.' He said, ` You have lied; your fat her is so-and-so.' They said, ` You have ut t ered t he t rut h.' He said, ` Will you now t ell me t he t rut h, if I ask you about somet hing' They replied, ` Yes, O Abul-Qasim; and if we should t ell a lie, you will know our lie as you have about our fat hers.' On t hat he asked, ` Who are t he people of t he (Hell) Fire' They said, ` We shall remain in t he (Hell) Fire for a short period, and aft er t hat you will replace us in it .' The Prophet said, ` May you be cursed and humiliat ed in it ! By Allah, we shall never replace you in it .' Then he asked, ` Will you t ell me t he t rut h if I ask you a quest ion' They said, ` Yes, O AbulQasim.' He asked, ` Have you poisoned t his sheep' They said, ` Yes.' He asked, ` What made you do so' They said, ` We want ed t o know if you were a liar, in which case we would get rid of you, and if you were a Prophet t hen t he poison would not harm you.') Imam Ahmad, Al-Bukhari and An-Nasa'i recorded similarly.

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(81. Yes! Whosoever earns evil and his sin has surrounded him, t hey are dwellers of t he Fire (i.e. Hell); t hey will dwell t herein forever). (82. And t hose who believe and do right eous good deeds, t hey are dwellers of Paradise, t hey will dwell t herein forever.) Allah says, t he mat t er is not as you have wished and hoped it t o be. Rat her, whoever does an evil deed and abides purposefully in his error, coming on t he Day of Resurrect ion wit h no good deeds, only evil deeds, t hen he will be among t he people of t he Fire.

(And t hose who believe and do right eous good deeds) meaning, "They believe in Allah and His Messenger and perform t he good deeds t hat conform wit h t he Islamic Law. They shall be among t he people of Paradise.'' Allah said in a similar st at ement ,

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(It will not be in accordance wit h your desires (Muslims), nor t hose of t he People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians), whosoever works evil, will have t he recompense t hereof, and he will not find any prot ect or or helper besides Allah. And whoever does right eous good deeds, male or female, and is a (t rue) believer in t he Oneness of Allah (Muslim) , such will ent er Paradise and not t he least inj ust ice, even t he size of a Naqira (speck on t he back of a dat e st one), will be done t o t hem) (4: 123-124). Also, Abu Hurayrah, Abu Wa'il, ` At a', and Al-Hasan said t hat ,

(And his sin has surrounded him) means, "His Shirk (polyt heism) has surrounded him.'' Also, AlA` mash report ed from Abu Razin t hat Ar-Rabi` bin Khut haym said,

(And his sin has surrounded him), "Whoever dies before repent ing from his wrongs.'' As-Suddi and Abu Razin said similarly. Abu Al-` Aliyah, Muj ahid, Al-Hasan, Qat adah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said t hat ,

(And his sin has surrounded him) refers t o maj or sins. All of t hese st at ement s carry similar meanings, and Allah knows best .

When Small Sins gather, They bring about Destruction

Here we should ment ion t he Hadit h t hat Imam Ahmad recorded, in which ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(Beware of t he belit t led sins, because t hey gat her on a person unt il t hey dest roy him.) He t hen said t hat t he Messenger of Allah gave t hem an example,

(This is t he example of people who set up camp on a flat land, and t hen t heir servant s came. One of t hem collect ed some wood and anot her man collect ed some wood unt il t hey collect ed a great deal. They t hen st art ed a fire and cooked what t hey put on it .) Muhammad bin Ishaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(And t hose who believe and do right eous good deeds, t hey are dwellers of Paradise, t hey will dwell t herein forever) "Whoever believes in what you (Jews) did not believe in and implement s what you refrained from implement ing of Muhammad's religion, shall acquire Paradise for et ernit y. Allah st at ed t hat t he recompense for good or evil works shall remain wit h it s people for et ernit y. ''


(83. And (remember) when We t ook a covenant from t he Children of Israel, (saying): Worship none but Allah (alone) and be dut iful and good t o parent s, and t o kindred, and t o orphans and (t he poor), and speak good t o people and perform As-Salah and give Zakah. Then you slid back, except a few of you, while you are backsliders.)

The Covenant that Allah took from the Children of Israel

Allah reminded t he Children of Israel of t he commandment s t hat He gave t hem, and t he covenant s t hat He t ook from t hem t o abide by t hose commands, and how t hey int ent ionally and knowingly t urned away from all of t hat . Allah commanded t hem t o worship Him and t o associat e none wit h Him in worship, j ust as He has commanded all of His creat ures, for t his is why Allah creat ed t hem. Allah said,

(And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad ) but We revealed t o him (saying): La ilaha illa Ana none has t he right t o be worshipped but I (Allah) , so worship Me (alone and none else)) (21:25), and,

(And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (communit y, nat ion) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (alone), and avoid t he Taghut (all false deit ies,)) (16:36). This is t he highest and most import ant right , t hat is, Allah's right t hat He be worshipped alone wit hout part ners. Aft er t hat comes t he right of t he creat ures, foremost , t he right of t he parent s. Allah usually ment ions t he right s of t he parent s along wit h His right s. For inst ance, Allah said,

(Give t hanks t o Me and t o your parent s. Unt o Me is t he final dest inat ion) (31:14). Also, Allah said,


(And your Lord has decreed t hat you worship none but Him. And t hat you be dut iful t o your parent s) (17:23), unt il,

(And give t o t he kinsman his due and t o t he Miskin (poor) and t o t he wayfarer) (17:26). The Two Sahihs record t hat Ibn Mas` ud said,

: : : : : :
(I said, ` O Messenger of Allah! What is t he best deed' He said, ` Performing t he prayer on t ime.' I said, 'Then what ' He said, ` Being kind t o one's parent s.' I said, ` Then what ' He said, ` Jihad in t he cause of Allah.') Allah t hen said,


(and t o orphans) meaning, t he young who have no fat hers t o fend for t hem.

(and Al-Masakin (t he poor)), plural for Miskin, t he one who does not find what he needs t o spend on himself and his family. We will discuss t hese cat egories when we explain t he Ayah of Surat An-Nisa` where Allah said,

(Worship Allah and j oin none wit h Him (in worship); and do good t o parent s) (4:36). Allah's st at ement ,

(and speak good t o people) meaning, say good words t o t hem and be lenient wit h t hem, t his includes commanding good and forbidding evil. Al-Hasan Al-Basri comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(and speak good t o people), ".` The good saying' means commanding good and forbidding evil, and being pat ient and forgiving. The ` good words t o people', as Allah commanded, also includes every good t ype of behavior t hat Allah is pleased wit h.'' Imam Ahmad narrat ed t hat Abu Dharr said t hat t he Prophet said,

(Do not belit t le any form of right eousness, and even if you did not find any good deed except meet ing your brot her wit h a smiling face, t hen do so.) This Hadit h was also collect ed by Muslim in his Sahih and At -Tirmidhi, who graded it Sahih.

Allah commands t he servant s t o say good words t o people, aft er He commanded t hem t o be kind t o t hem, t hereby ment ioning t wo cat egories of manners: good speech and good act ions. He t hen emphasized t he command t o worship Him and t he command t o do good, ordaining t he prayer and t he Zakah,

(and perform As-Salah and give Zakah). Allah informed us t hat t he People of t he Book, except for a few among t hem, ignored t hese orders, t hat is, t hey knowingly and int ent ionally abandoned t hem. Allah ordered t his Ummah similarly in Surat An-Nisa' when He said,

(Worship Allah and j oin none wit h Him (in worship); and do good t o parent s, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masakin (t he poor), t he neighbor who is near of kin, t he neighbor who is a st ranger, t he companion by your side, t he wayfarer (you meet ), and t hose (servant s) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud and boast ful) (4:36). Of t hese orders, t his Ummah has pract iced what no ot her nat ion before it has, and all praise is due t o Allah.

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(84. And (remember) when We t ook your covenant (saying): Shed not t he blood of your (people), nor t urn out your own people from t heir dwellings. Then, (t his) you rat ified and (t o t his) you bore wit ness.) (85. Aft er t his, it is you who kill one anot her and drive out a part y of you from t heir homes, assist (t heir enemies) against t hem, in sin and t ransgression. And if t hey come t o you as capt ives, you ransom t hem, alt hough t heir expulsion was forbidden t o you. Then do you believe in a part of t he Book and rej ect t he rest Then what is t he recompense of t hose who do so among you, except disgrace in t he life of t his world, and on t he Day of Resurrect ion t hey shall be consigned t o t he most grievous t orment . And Allah is not unaware of what you do.) (86. Those are t hey who have bought t he life of t his world at t he price of t he Hereaft er. Their t orment shall not be light ened nor shall t hey be helped.)

The Terms of the Covenant and their Breach of It

Allah crit icized t he Jews who lived in Al-Madinah during t he t ime of t he Messenger of Allah . They used t o suffer, because of t he armed conflict s bet ween t he t ribes of Al-Madinah, Aws and Khazraj . Before Islam, t he Aws and Khazraj worshipped idols, and many bat t les t ook place bet ween t hem. There were t hree Jewish t ribes in Al-Madinah at t hat t ime, Banu Qaynuqa` and Banu An-Nadir, t he allies of t he Khazraj , and Banu Qurayzah, who used t o be t he allies of t he Aws. When war erupt ed bet ween Aws and Khazraj , t heir Jewish allies would assist t hem. The Jew would kill his Arab enemy, and somet imes t hey also killed Jews who were t he allies of t he ot her Arab t ribe, alt hough t he Jews were prohibit ed from killing each ot her according t o clear religious t ext s in t heir Books. They would also drive each ot her from t heir homes and loot what ever furnit ure and money t hey could. When t he war ended, t he vict orious Jews would release t he prisoners from t he defeat ed part y, according t o t he rulings of t he Tawrah. This is why Allah said,

(Then do you believe in a part of t he Script ure and rej ect t he rest ) Allah said,


(And (remember) when We t ook your covenant (saying): Shed not t he blood of your (people), nor t urn out your own people from t heir dwellings.) meaning, "Do not kill each ot her, nor expel one anot her from t heir homes, nor part icipat e in fight ing against t hem.'' Allah ment ioned t he word ` your own' here, j ust as He said in anot her Ayah.

(So t urn in repent ance t o your Creat or and kill yourselves, t hat will be bet t er for you wit h your Creat or) (2:54) because t he followers of one religion are j ust like one soul. Also, t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The example of t he believers in t heir kindness, mercy and sympat hy t o each ot her is t he example of one body, when an organ of it falls ill, t he rest of t he body rushes t o it s aid in fever and sleeplessness.) Allah's st at ement ,

(Then, (t his) you rat ified and (t o t his) you bore wit ness.) means, "You t est ified t hat you know of t he covenant and t hat you were wit nesses t o it .''

(Aft er t his, it is you who kill one anot her and drive out a part y of you from t heir homes). Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah,


(Aft er t his, it is you who kill one anot her and drive out a part y of you from t heir homes) "Allah ment ioned what t hey were doing, and t hat in t he Tawrah He had prohibit ed t hem from shedding each ot her's blood, and required t hem t o free t heir prisoners. Now t hey were divided int o t wo camps in Al-Madinah, Banu Qaynuqa` , who were t he allies of t he Khazraj , and AnNadir and Qurayzah, who were t he allies of t he Aws. When fight ing erupt ed bet ween Aws and Khazraj , Banu Qaynuqa` would fight along wit h t he Khazraj , while Banu An-Nadir and Qurayzah would fight along wit h t he Aws. Each Jewish camp would fight against t heir Jewish bret hren from t he ot her camp. They would shed each ot her's blood, alt hough t hey had t he Tawrah wit h t hem, and t hey knew t heir right s and dues. Meanwhile, t he Aws and Khazraj were polyt heist s who worshipped idols. They did not know about Paradise, t he Fire, Resurrect ion, Divine Books t he lawful and prohibit ed. When t he war would end, t he Jews would ransom t heir prisoners and implement t he Tawrah. Consequent ly, Banu Qaynuqa` would ransom t heir prisoners who were capt ured by t he Aws, while Banu An-Nadir and Qurayzah would ransom t heir prisoners who were capt ured by t he Khazraj . They would also ask for blood money. During t hese wars, t hey would kill whomever (Jews or Arabs) t hey could, while helping t he polyt heist s against t heir bret hren. Therefore, Allah reminded t hem of t his when He said,

(Then do you believe in a part of t he Script ure and rej ect t he rest ) This Ayah means, ` Do you ransom t hem according t o t he rulings of t he Tawrah, yet kill t hem while t he Tawrah forbade you from killing t hem and from expelling t hem from t heir homes The Tawrah also commanded t hat you should not aid t he polyt heist s and t hose who associat e wit h Allah in t he worship against your bret hren. You do all t his t o acquire t he life of t his world.' I was informed t hat t he behavior of t he Jews regarding t he Aws and Khazraj was t he reason behind revealing t hese Ayat .'' These noble Ayat crit icized t he Jews for implement ing t he Tawrah somet imes and defying it at ot her t imes, alt hough t hey believed in t he Tawrah and knew what t hey were doing was wrong. This is why t hey should not be t rust ed t o preserve or convey t he Tawrah. Furt her, t hey should not be believed when it comes t o t he descript ion of t he Messenger of Allah , his coming, his expulsion from his land, and his Hij rah, and t he rest of t he informat ion t hat t he previous Prophet s informed t hem about him, all of which t hey hid. The Jews, may t hey suffer t he curse of Allah, hid all of t hese fact s among t hemselves, and t his is why Allah said,

(Then what is t he recompense of t hose who do so among you, except disgrace in t he life of t his world), because t hey defied Allah's Law and commandment s,


(And on t he Day of Resurrect ion t hey shall be consigned t o t he most grievous t orment ) as punishment for defying t he Book of Allah t hat t hey had.

(And Allah is not unaware of what you do. Those are t hey who have bought t he life of t his world at t he price of t he Hereaft er) meaning, t hey prefer t his life t o t he Hereaft er. Therefore,

(Their t orment shall not be light ened) not even for an hour,

(Nor shall t hey be helped), and t hey shall find no helper who will save t hem from t he et ernal t orment t hey will suffer, nor shall t hey find any t o grant t hem refuge from it .

(87. And indeed, We gave Musa t he Book and followed him up wit h a succession of Messengers. And We gave ` Isa, t he son of Maryam, clear signs and support ed him wit h Ruh-il-Qudus. Is it t hat whenever t here came t o you a Messenger wit h what you yourselves desired not , you grew arrogant Some you disbelieved and some you killed.)

The Arrogance of the Jews who denied and killed Their Prophets

and desires. Allah ment ioned t hat He gave Musa t he Book, t he Tawrah, and t hat t he Jews changed, dist ort ed, and defied it s commands, as well as alt ered it s meanings. Allah sent Messengers and Prophet s aft er Musa who followed his law, as Allah st at ed,

(Verily, We did reveal t he Tawrah (t o Musa), t herein was guidance and light , by which t he Prophet s, who submit t ed t hemselves t o Allah's will, j udged for t he Jews. And t he rabbis and t he priest s (t oo j udged for t he Jews by t he Tawrah aft er t hose Prophet s), for t o t hem was ent rust ed t he prot ect ion of Allah's Book, and t hey were wit nesses t heret o) (5:44). This is why Allah said here,

(And Qaffayna him wit h Messengers). As-Suddi said t hat Abu Malik said t hat Qaffayna means, "Succeeded'', while ot hers said, "Followed". Bot h meanings are plausible, since Allah said,

(Then We sent Our Messengers in succession) (23:44). Thereaft er, Allah sent t he last Prophet among t he Children of Israel, ` Isa t he son of Mary, who was sent wit h some laws t hat differed wit h some in t he Tawrah. This is why Allah also sent miracles t o support ` Isa. These included bringing t he dead back t o life, forming t he shape of birds from clay and blowing int o t hem, aft erwhich t hey became living birds by Allah's leave, healing t he sick and foret elling t he Unseen, as Ibn ` Abbas st at ed. Allah also aided him wit h Ruh Al-Qudus, and t hat refers t o Jibril. All of t hese signs t est ified t o t he t rut hfulness of ` Isa and what he was sent wit h. Yet , t he Children of Israel became more defiant and envious of him and did not want t o differ wit h even one part of t he Tawrah, as Allah said about ` Isa,


(And t o make lawful t o you part of what was forbidden t o you, and I have come t o you wit h a proof from your Lord) (3:50). Hence, t he Children of Israel t reat ed t he Prophet s in t he worst manner, rej ect ing some of t hem and killing some of t hem. All of t his occurred because t he Prophet s used t o command t he Jews wit h what differed from t heir desires and opinions. The Prophet s also upheld t he rulings of t he Tawrah t hat t he Jews had changed, and t his is why it was difficult for t hem t o believe in t hese Prophet s. Therefore, t hey rej ect ed t he Prophet s and killed some of t hem. Allah said,

(Is it t hat whenever t here came t o you a Messenger wit h what you yourselves desired not ,you grew arrogant Some you disbelieved and some you kill).

Jibril is Ruh Al-Qudus

The proof t hat Jibril is t he Ruh Al-Qudus is t he st at ement of Ibn Mas` ud in explanat ion of t his Ayah. This is also t he view of Ibn ` Abbas, Muhammad bin Ka` b, Isma` il bin Khalid, As-Suddi, ArRabi` bin Anas, ` At iyah Al-` Awfi and Qat adah. Addit ionally, Allah said,

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(Which t he t rust wort hy Ruh (Jibril) has brought down. Upon your heart (O Muhammad ) t hat you may be (one) of t he warners) (26:193-194). Al-Bukhari recorded ` A'ishah saying t hat t he Messenger of Allah erect ed a Minbar in t he Masj id on which Hassan bin Thabit (t he renowned poet ) used t o defend t he Messenger of Allah (wit h his poems). The Messenger of Allah said,

(O Allah! Aid Hassan wit h Ruh Al-Qudus, for he defended Your Prophet .) Abu Dawud recorded t his Hadit h in his Sunan as did At -Tirmidhi who graded it Hasan Sahih. Furt her, Ibn Hibban recorded in his Sahih t hat Ibn Mas` ud said t hat t he Prophet said,

(Ruh Al-Qudus informed me t hat no soul shall die unt il it finishes it s set provisions and t erm limit . Therefore, have Taqwa of Allah and seek your sust enance in t he most suit able way.)

The Jews tried to kill the Prophet

Az-Zamakhshari comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(Some you disbelieved and some you kill), "Allah did not say ` killed' here, because t he Jews would st ill t ry t o kill t he Prophet in t he fut ure, using poison and magic.'' During t he illness t hat preceded his deat h, t he Prophet said,

(I kept feeling t he effect of what I at e (from t he poisoned sheep) during t he day of Khaybar, unt il now, when it is t he t ime t hat t he aort a will be cut off (meaning when deat h is near).) This Hadit h was collect ed by Al-Bukhari and ot hers

(88. And t hey say, "Our heart s are Ghulf.'' Nay, Allah has cursed t hem for t heir disbelief, so lit t le is t hat which t hey believe.)

Muhammad bin Ishaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(And t hey say, "Our heart s are Ghulf.''), means, "Our heart s are screened.'' Muj ahid also said t hat ,

(And t hey say, "Our heart s are Ghulf.''), means, "They are covered.''` Ikrimah said, "There is a st amp on t hem.'' Abu Al-` Aliyah said, "They do not comprehend.'' Muj ahid and Qat adah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas read t he Ayah in a way t hat means, "Our heart s cont ain every t ype of knowledge and do not need t he knowledge t hat you (O Muhammad) have.'' This is t he opinion of ` At a' and Ibn ` Abbas.

(Nay, Allah has cursed t hem for t heir disbelief) meaning, "Allah expelled t hem and deprived t hem of every t ype of right eousness.'' Qat adah said t hat t he Ayah,

(So lit t le is t hat which t hey believe.) means, "Only a few of t hem believe.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(And t hey say, "Our heart s are Ghulf .'') is similar t o His st at ement ,

(And t hey say: "Our heart s are under coverings (screened) from t hat t o which you invit e us) (41:5). This is why Allah said here,

(Nay, Allah has cursed t hem for t heir disbelief, so lit t le is t hat which t hey believe.) meaning, "It is not as t hey claim. Rat her, t heir heart s are cursed and st amped,'' j ust as Allah said in Surat An-Nisa' (4:155),

(And of t heir saying: "Our heart s are wrapped (wit h coverings, i.e. we do not underst and what t he Messengers say) nay, Allah has set a seal upon t heir heart s because of t heir disbelief, so t hey believe not but a lit t le.) There is a difference of opinion regarding t he meaning of Allah's st at ement ,

(So lit t le is t hat which t hey believe.) and His st at ement ,

(So t hey believe not except a few). Some scholars said t hat t he Ayat indicat e t hat a few of t hem would believe, or t hat t heir fait h is minut e, because t hey believe in Resurrect ion and in Allah's reward and punishment t hat Musa foret old. Yet , t his fait h will not benefit t hem since it is overshadowed by t heir disbelief in what Muhammad brought t hem. Some scholars said t hat t he Jews did not act ually believe in anyt hing and t hat Allah said,

(So lit t le is t hat which t hey believe), meaning, t hey do not believe. This meaning is similar t o t he Arabic expression, "Hardly have I seen anyt hing like t his,'' meaning, "I have never seen anyt hing like t his.''

(89. And when t here came t o t hem (t he Jews), a Book (t his Qur'an) from Allah confirming what is wit h t hem (t he Tawrah) and t he Inj il (Gospel), alt hough aforet ime t hey had invoked Allah (for t he coming of Muhammad ) in order t o gain vict ory over t hose who disbelieved, t hen when t here came t o t hem t hat which t hey had recognised, t hey disbelieved in it . So let t he curse of Allah be on t he disbelievers.)

The Jews were awaiting the Prophet's coming, but They disbelieved in Him when He was sent
Allah said,

(And when t here came t o t hem) meaning, t he Jews,

(a Book from Allah) meaning, t he Qur'an t hat Allah sent down t o Muhammad,

(confirming what is wit h t hem) meaning, t he Tawrah. Furt her, Allah said,

(alt hough aforet ime t hey had invoked Allah (for coming of Muhammad ) in order t o gain vict ory over t hose who disbelieved) meaning, before t his Messenger came t o t hem, t hey used t o ask Allah t o aid t hem by his arrival, against t heir polyt heist ic enemies in war. They used t o say t o t he polyt heist s, "A Prophet shall be sent j ust before t he end of t his world and we, along wit h him, shall ext erminat e you, j ust as t he nat ions of ` Ad and Iram were ext erminat ed.'' Also, Muhammad bin Ishaq narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The Jews used t o invoke Allah (for t he coming of Muhammad ) in order t o gain vict ory over t he Aws and Khazraj , before t he Prophet was sent . When Allah sent him t o t he Arabs, t hey rej ect ed him and denied what t hey used t o say about him. Hence, Mu` adh bin Jabal and Bishr bin Al-Bara' bin Ma` rur, from Bani Salamah, said t o t hem, ` O Jews! Fear Allah and embrace Islam. You used t o invoke Allah for t he coming of Muhammad when we were st ill disbelievers and you used t o t ell us t hat he would come and describe him t o us,' Salam bin Mushkim from Bani An-Nadir replied, ` He did not bring anyt hing t hat we recognize. He is not t he Prophet we t old you about .' Allah t hen revealed t his Ayah about t heir st at ement ,


(And when t here came t o t hem (t he Jews), a Book (t his Qur'an) from Allah confirming what is wit h t hem (t he Tawrah) and t he Inj il (Gospel)).''' Abu Al-` Aliyah said, "The Jews used t o ask Allah t o send Muhammad so t hat t hey would gain vict ory over t he Arab disbelievers. They used t o say, ` O Allah! Send t he Prophet t hat we read about - in t he Tawrah - so t hat we can t orment and kill t he disbelievers alongside him.' When Allah sent Muhammad and t hey saw t hat he was not one of t hem, t hey rej ect ed him and envied t he Arabs, even t hough t hey knew t hat he was t he Messenger of Allah. Hence, Allah said,

(Then when t here came t o t hem t hat which t hey had recognized, t hey disbelieved in it . So let t he curse of Allah be on t he disbelievers). ''

(90. How bad is t hat for which t hey have sold t heir own selves, t hat t hey should disbelieve in t hat which Allah has revealed (t he Qur'an), grudging t hat Allah should reveal of His grace unt o whom He wills of His servant s. So t hey have drawn on t hemselves wrat h upon wrat h. And for t he disbelievers, t here is disgracing t orment .) Muj ahid said,

(How bad is t hat for which t hey have sold t heir own selves), "The Jews sold t he t rut h for falsehood and hid t he t rut h about Muhammad .'' As-Suddi said t hat t he Ayah,


(How bad is t hat for which t hey have sold t heir own selves) means, "The Jews sold t hemselves.'' meaning, what is worse is what t hey chose for t hemselves by disbelieving in what Allah revealed t o Muhammad inst ead of believing, aiding and support ing him. This behavior of t heirs is t he result of t heir inj ust ice, envy and hat red,

(grudging t hat Allah should reveal of His grace unt o whom He wills of His servant s). '' There is no envy worse t han t his. Therefore,

(So t hey have drawn on t hemselves wrat h upon wrat h). Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t his Ayah, "Allah became angry wit h t hem because t hey ignored some of t he Tawrah and disbelieved in t he Prophet t hat He sent t o t hem.'' I (Ibn Kat hir) say t hat t he meaning of,

(And t hey drew on t hemselves) is t hat t hey deserved and acquired mult iplied anger. Also, Abu Al-` Aliyah said, "Allah became angry wit h t hem, because of t heir disbelief in t he Inj il and ` Isa and He became angry wit h t hem again, because t hey disbelieved in Muhammad and t he Qur'an.'' Similar was said by ` Ikrimah and Qat adah. Allah said,

(And for t he disbelievers, t here is disgracing t orment ). Since t heir disbelief was a result of t heir t ransgression and envy, which was caused by arrogance, t hey were punished wit h disgrace and humiliat ion in t his world and t he Hereaft er. Similarly, Allah said,

(Verily, t hose who scorn My worship (i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness) t hey will surely ent er Hell in humiliat ion!'') (40:60) meaning, "Disgraced, degraded and

humiliat ed.'' Imam Ahmad narrat ed t hat ` Amr bin Shu` ayb said t hat his fat her said t hat his grandfat her said t hat t he Prophet said,

.
(The arrogant people will be gat hered on t he Day of Resurrect ion in t he size of ant s, but in t he shape of men. Everyt hing shall be above t hem, because of t he humiliat ion placed on t hem, unt il t hey ent er a prison in Jahannam called ` Bawlas' where t he fire will surround t hem from above. They shall drink from t he puss of t he people of t he Fire.)

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(91. And when it is said t o t hem (t he Jews), "Believe in what Allah has sent down,'' t hey say, "We believe in what was sent down t o us.'' And t hey disbelieve in t hat which came aft er it , while it is t he t rut h confirming what is wit h t hem. Say (O Muhammad t o t hem): "Why t hen have you killed t he Prophet s of Allah af oret ime, if you indeed have been believers'') (92. And indeed Musa came t o you wit h clear proofs, yet you worshipped t he calf aft er he left , and you were Zalimun.)

Although The Jews denied the Truth, They claimed to be Believers!

Allah said,

(And when it is said t o t hem), meaning, t he Jews and t he People of t he Book,

(Believe in what Allah has sent down) t o Muhammad , believe in and follow him,

(They say, "We believe in what was sent down t o us.'') meaning, it is enough for us t o believe in what was revealed t o us in t he Tawrah and t he Inj il, and t his is t he pat h t hat we choose,

(And t hey disbelieve in t hat which came aft er it ).

(while it is t he t rut h confirming what is wit h t hem) meaning, while knowing t hat what was revealed t o Muhammad ,

(it is t he t rut h confirming what is wit h t hem). This means t hat since what was sent t o Muhammad conforms t o what was revealed t o t he People of t he Book, t hen t his fact const it ut es a proof against t hem. Similarly, Allah said,

(Those t o whom We gave t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) recognize him (Muhammad ) as t hey recognize t heir sons) (2:146). Allah said next ,


("Why t hen have you killed t he Prophet s of Allah aforet ime, if you indeed have been believers''). This means, "If your claim t hat you believe in what was revealed t o you is t rue, t hen why did you kill t he Prophet s who came t o you affirming t he Tawrah's Law, alt hough you knew t hey were t rue Prophet s You killed t hem simply out of t ransgression, st ubbornness and inj ust ice wit h Allah's Messengers. Therefore, you only follow your lust s, opinions and desires.'' Similarly, Allah said,

(Is it t hat whenever t here came t o you a Messenger wit h what you yourselves desired not , you grew arrogant Some you disbelieved and some you killed.) Also, As-Suddi said, "In t his Ayah, Allah chast ised t he People of t he Book,

(Say (O Muhammad t o t hem): "Why t hen have you killed t he Prophet s of Allah aforet ime, if you indeed have been believers'').''

(And indeed Musa came t o you wit h clear proofs) meaning, wit h clear signs and clear proofs t hat he was t he Messenger of Allah and t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah. The clear signs -or miracles- ment ioned here are t he flood, t he locust s, t he lice, t he frogs, t he blood, t he st aff and t he hand. Musa's miracles also include part ing t he sea, shading t he Jews wit h clouds, t he manna and quails, t he gushing st one, et c.

(yet you worshipped t he calf) meaning, as a deit y inst ead of Allah, during t he t ime of Musa. Allah's st at ement ,


(aft er he left ) aft er Musa went t o Mount Tur t o speak t o Allah. Similarly, Allah said,

(And t he people of Musa made in his absence, out of t heir ornament s, t he image of a calf (for worship). It had a sound (as if it was mooing)) (7:148).

(and you were Zalimun) meaning, you were unj ust in t his behavior of worshipping t he calf, alt hough you knew t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah. Similarly, Allah said,

(And when t hey regret t ed and saw t hat t hey had gone ast ray, t hey (repent ed and) said: "If our Lord have not mercy upon us and forgive us, we shall cert ainly be of t he losers'') (7:149).

(93. And (remember) when We t ook your covenant and We raised above you t he Mount (saying), "Hold firmly t o what We have given you and hear (Our Word).'' They said, "We have heard and disobeyed.'' And t heir heart s absorbed (t he worship of) t he calf because of t heir disbelief. Say: "Worst indeed is t hat which your fait h enj oins on you if you are believers.'')

The Jews rebel after Allah took Their Covenant and raised the Mountain above Their Heads
Allah reminded t he Jews of t heir errors, breaking His covenant , t ransgression and defiance, when He raised Mount Tur above t hem so t hat t hey would believe and agree t o t he t erms of t he covenant . Yet , t hey broke it soon aft erwards,

(They said, "We have heard and disobeyed.'') We have ment ioned t he Tafsir of t his subj ect before. ` Abdur-Razzaq said t hat Ma` mar narrat ed t hat Qat adah said t hat ,

(And t heir heart s absorbed (t he worship of) t he calf) means, "They absorbed it s love, unt il it s love resided in t heir heart s.'' This is also t he opinion of Abu Al-` Aliyah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Allah's st at ement ,

(Say: "Worst indeed is t hat which your fait h enj oins on you if you are believers.'') means, "Worse yet is t he manner in which you behaved in t he past and even now, disbelieving in Allah's Ayat and defying t he Prophet s. You also disbelieved in Muhammad , which is t he worst of your deeds and t he harshest sin t hat you commit t ed. You disbelieved in t he Final Messenger and t he mast er of all Prophet s and Messengers, t he one who was sent t o all mankind. How can you t hen claim t hat you believe, while commit t ing t he evil of breaking Allah's covenant , disbelieving in Allah's Ayat and worshipping t he calf inst ead of Allah"

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(94. Say t o (t hem): "If t he abode of t he Hereaft er wit h Allah is indeed for you especially and not for ot hers of mankind, t hen long for deat h if you are t rut hful.'') (95. But t hey will never long for it because of what t heir hands have sent before t hem (i.e. what t hey have done). And Allah is Aware of t he Zalimin .) (96. And verily, you will find t hem (t he Jews) t he greediest of mankind for life and (even greedier) t han t hose who ascribe part ners t o Allah. One of t hem wishes t hat he could be given a life of a t housand years. But t he grant of such life will not save him even a lit t le from (due) punishment . And Allah is Seer of what t hey do.)

Calling the Jews to invoke Allah to destroy the Unjust Party

Muhammad bin Ishaq narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Allah said t o His Prophet ,

(Say t o (t hem): "If t he home of t he Hereaft er wit h Allah is indeed for you especially and not for ot hers, of mankind, t hen long for deat h if you are t rut hful.'') meaning, ` Invoke Allah t o bring deat h t o t he lying camp among t he t wo (Muslims and Jews).' The Jews declined t his offer by t he Messenger of Allah .''

(But t hey will never long for it because of what t heir hands have sent before t hem (i.e. what t hey have done). And Allah is Aware of t he Zalimin (polyt heist s and wrongdoers).) meaning, "Since t hey know t hat t hey recognize you, and yet disbelieve in you.'' Had t hey wished deat h t hat day, no Jew would have remained alive on t he face of t he eart h. Moreover, Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(Then long for deat h), means, "Invoke (Allah) for deat h.'' Also, ` Abdur-Razzaq narrat ed t hat ` Ikrimah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed,


(Then long for deat h if you are t rut hful), "Had t he Jews invoked Allah for deat h, t hey would have perished.'' Also, Ibn Abi Hat im recorded Sa` id bin Jubayr saying t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Had t he Jews asked for deat h, one of t hem would have choked on his own saliva.'' These st at ement s have aut hent ic chains of narrat ion up t o Ibn ` Abbas. Furt her, Ibn Jarir said in his Tafsir, "We were t old t hat t he Prophet said,

(Had t he Jews wished for deat h, t hey would have died and seen t heir seat s in t he Fire. And, t hose who invoked such curse against Allah's Messenger would have found no families or propert y had t hey ret urned t o t heir homes).'' Similar t o t his Ayah is Allah's st at ement in Surat Al-Jumu` ah,

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((Say (O Muhammad ): "O you Jews! If you pret end t hat you are friends of Allah, t o t he exclusion of (all) ot her mankind, t hen long for deat h if you are t rut hful. ''But t hey will never long for it (deat h), because of what (deeds) t heir hands have sent before t hem! And Allah knows well t he Zalimin. Say (t o t hem): "Verily, t he deat h from which you flee will surely meet you, t hen you will be sent back t o (Allah) t he Knower of t he unseen and t he seen, and He will t ell you what you used t o do.'') (62:6-8).

So t hey claimed t hat t hey are Allah's sons and loved ones and said, "Only t hose who are Christ ian or Jews shall ent er Paradise.'' Therefore, t hey were called t o invoke Allah t o dest roy t he lying group, be it t hem or t he Muslims. When t he Jews declined, every one was sure of t heir wrong, for had t hey been sure of t heir claims, t hen t hey would have accept ed t he proposal. Their lies were t hus exposed aft er t hey declined t he offer t o invoke t he curse. Similarly, t he Messenger of Allah called a delegat ion of Naj ran's Christ ians t o curse aft er he refut ed t hem in a debat e in which t hey demonst rat ed st ubbornness and defiance. Allah said,

(Then whoever disput es wit h you concerning him (` Isa) aft er (all t his) knowledge t hat has come t o you (i.e. ` Isa) being a servant of Allah, and having no share in divinit y), say (O Muhammad ): "Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves t hen we pray and invoke (sincerely) t he curse of Allah upon t hose who lie.'') (3:61). When t he Christ ians heard t his challenge, some of t hem said t o each ot her, "By Allah! If you do such wit h t his Prophet , none of you will have an eye t hat blinks.'' This is when t hey resort ed t o peace and gave t he Jizyah (t ax) in disgrace. The Prophet accept ed t he Jizyah from t hem and sent Abu ` Ubaydah bin Al-Jarrah wit h t hem as a t rust ee. Similar t o t his meaning is Allah's command t o His Prophet t o proclaim t o t he polyt heist s:

(Say (O Muhammad ) whoever is in error, t he Most Gracious (Allah) will prolong him (in it ).) (19:75) meaning, "Whoever among us has deviat ed, may Allah increase and prolong his deviat ion.'' We will ment ion t his subj ect lat er, Allah willing. The Mubahalah (invocat ion t o Allah t o dest roy t he liars) was called a ` wish' here, because every j ust person wishes t hat Allah dest roy t he unj ust opponent who is debat ing wit h him, especially when t he j ust person has a clear, apparent proof for t he t rut h he is calling t o. Also, t he Mubahalah involves invoking Allah for deat h of t he unj ust group, because t o disbelievers, life is t he biggest prize, especially when t hey know t he evil dest inat ion t hey will meet aft er deat h.

Disbelievers wish They could live longer

This is why Allah said next ,

(But t hey will never long for it because of what t heir hands have sent before t hem (i.e.what t hey have done). And Allah is Aware of t he Zalimin. And verily, you will find t hem (t he Jews) t he greediest of mankind for life.) meaning, greedy t o live longer, because t hey know t heir evil end, and t he only reward t hey will have wit h Allah is t ot al loss. This life is a prison for t he believer and Paradise for t he disbeliever. Therefore, t he People of t he Book wish t hey could delay t he Hereaft er, as much as possible. However, t hey shall cert ainly meet what t hey are t rying t o avoid, even if t hey are more eager t o delay t he Hereaft er t han t he polyt heist s who do not have a divine book. Muhammad bin Ishaq narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on,

(But t he grant of such life will not save him even a lit t le from (due) punishment .) "Long life shall not save t hem from t orment . Cert ainly, t he polyt heist s do not believe in resurrect ion aft er deat h, and t hey would love t o enj oy a long life. The Jews know t he humiliat ion t hey will suffer in t he Hereaft er for knowingly ignoring t he t rut h.'' Also, ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "The Jews are most eager for t his life. They wish t hey could live for a t housand years. However, living for a t housand years will not save t hem from t orment , j ust as Iblis' Sat an - long life did not benefit him, due t o being a disbeliever.'' t

(And Allah is Seer of what t hey do.) meaning, "Allah knows what His servant s are doing, whet her good or evil, and will compensat e each of t hem accordingly.''

-
(97. Say (O Muhammad ): "Whoever is an enemy t o Jibril (Gabriel) (let him die in his fury), for indeed he has brought it (t his Qur'an) down t o your heart by Allah's permission, confirming what

came before it (i.e. t he Tawrah and t he Inj il) and guidance and glad t idings for t he believers). (98. "Whoever is an enemy t o Allah, His Angels, His Messengers, Jibril and Mika'il, t hen verily, Allah is an enemy t o t he disbelievers.'')

The Jews are the Enemies of Jibril

Imam Abu Ja` far bin Jarir At -Tabari said, "The scholars of Tafsir agree t hat t his Ayah (2: 97-98) was revealed in response t o t he Jews who claimed t hat Jibril (Gabriel) is an enemy of t he Jews and t hat Mika'il (Michael) is t heir friend.'' Al-Bukhari said, "Allah said,

(Whoever is an enemy of Jibril (let him die in his fury)). ` Ikrimah said, "Jibr, Mik and Israf all mean, worshipper, while il means, Allah''. Anas bin Malik said, "When ` Abdullah bin Salam heard of t he arrival of t he Prophet in Al-Madinah, he was working on his land. He came t o t he Prophet and said, ` I am going t o ask you about t hree t hings which nobody knows except a Prophet . What will be t he first port ent of t he Hour What will be t he first meal t aken by t he people of Paradise Why does a child resemble it s fat her, and why does it resemble it s mat ernal uncle' Allah's Messenger said, (Jibril has j ust t old me t he answers.) ` Abdullah said, ` He (i.e. Jibril), among all t he angels, is t he enemy of t he Jews.' Allah's Messenger recit ed t he Ayah,

(Whoever is an enemy t o Jibril (Gabriel) (let him die in his fury), for indeed he has brought it (t his Qur'an) down t o your heart ). Allah's Messenger t hen said, (The first port ent of t he Hour will be a fire t hat will bring t oget her t he people from t he east t o t he west ; t he first meal of t he people of Paradise will be t he caudat e lobe of t he liver of fish. As for t he child resembling his parent s: If a man has sexual int ercourse wit h his wife and his discharge is first , t he child will resemble t he fat her. If t he woman has a discharge first , t he child will resemble her side of t he family.) On t hat ` Abdullah bin Salam said, ` I t est ify t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah and you are t he Messenger of Allah.' ` Abdullah bin Salam furt her said, ` O Allah's Messenger! The Jews are liars, and if t hey should come t o know about my conversion t o Islam before you ask t hem (about me), t hey will t ell a lie about me.' The Jews came t o Allah's Messenger , and ` Abdullah went inside t he house. Allah's Messenger asked (t he Jews), (` What kind of man is ` Abdullah bin Salam') They replied, ` He is t he best among us, t he son of t he best among us, our mast er and t he son of our mast er.' Allah's Messenger said, (What do you t hink if he would embrace Islam) The Jews said, ` May Allah save him from it .' Then ` Abdullah bin Salam came out in front of t hem saying, ` I t est ify t hat none has t he right t o be worshipped but Allah and t hat Muhammad is t he Messenger of Allah.' Thereupon t hey said, ` He is t he evilest among us, and t he son of t he evilest among us.' And t hey cont inued t alking badly about him. Ibn Salam said, ` This is what I feared, O Messenger of Allah!.''' Only Al-Bukhari recorded t his Hadit h wit h t his chain of narrat ion. Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded t his Hadit h from Anas using anot her chain of narrat ion. Some people say t hat ` il' means worshipper while what ever word t hat is added t o it becomes Allah's Name, because ` il' is a const ant in such conj unct ion. This is similar t o t he names ` Abdullah, ` Abdur-Rahman, ` Abdul-Malik, ` Abdul-Quddus, ` Abdus-Salam, ` Abdul-Kafi, ` Abdul-

Jalil, and so fort h. Hence, ` Abd' is const ant in t hese compound names, while t he remainder differs from name t o name. This is t he same case wit h Jibril, Mika'il, ` Azra'il, Israfil, and so fort h. Allah knows best .

Choosing Some Angels to believe in over Others is Disbelief like choosing Some Prophets over Others

Allah said,

(Whoever is an enemy t o Jibril (Gabriel) (let him die in his fury), for indeed he has brought it (t his Qur'an) down t o your heart by Allah's permission,) meaning, whoever becomes an enemy of Jibril, let him know t hat he is Ruh Al-Qudus who brought down t he Glorious Dhikr (Qur'an) t o your heart from Allah by His leave. Hence, he is a messenger from Allah. Whoever t akes a messenger as an enemy, will have t aken all t he messengers as enemies. Furt her, whoever believes in one messenger, is required t o believe in all of t he messengers. Whoever rej ect s one messenger, he has rej ect ed all of t he messengers. Similarly, Allah said,

(Verily, t hose who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers and wish t o make dist inct ion bet ween Allah and His Messengers (by believing in Allah and disbelieving in His Messengers) saying, "We believe in some but rej ect ot hers.'') (4:150) Allah decreed t hat t hey are disbelievers, because t hey believe in some Prophet s and rej ect ot hers. This is t he same wit h t hose who t ake Jibril as an enemy, because Jibril did not choose missions on his own, but by t he command of his Lord,

(And we (angels) descend not except by t he command of your Lord) (19: 64), and,

 - -
(And t ruly, t his (t he Qur'an) is a revelat ion from t he Lord of all t hat exist s. Which t he t rust wort hy Ruh (Jibril) has brought down. Upon your heart (O Muhammad ) t hat you may be (one) of t he warners) (26:192-194). Al-Bukhari report ed t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Allah said, ` Whoever t akes a friend of Mine as an enemy, will have st art ed a war wit h Me.) Therefore, Allah became angry wit h t hose who t ook Jibril as an enemy. Allah said,

(Whoever is an enemy t o Jibril (Gabriel) (let him die in his fury), for indeed he has brought it (t his Qur'an) down t o your heart by Allah's permission, confirming what came before it ) meaning, t he previous Books,

(and guidance and glad t idings for t he believers) meaning, as guidance t o t heir heart s and bringer of t he good news of Paradise, which is exclusively for t he believers. Similarly, Allah said,

(Say: "It is for t hose who believe, a guide and a healing.'') (41:44), and,

(And We send down of t he Qur'an t hat which is a healing and a mercy t o t hose who believe) (17:82). Allah t hen said,

(Whoever is an enemy t o Allah, His Angels, His Messengers, Jibril and Mika'il (Michael), t hen verily, Allah is an enemy t o t he disbelievers.) Allah st at ed t hat whoever t akes Him, His angels and messengers as enemies, t hen...Allah's messengers include angels and men, for Allah said,

(Allah chooses Messengers from angels and from men) (22:75). Allah said,

(Jibril (Gabriel) and Mika'il (Michael)). Allah ment ioned Jibril and Mika'il specifically - alt hough t hey are included among t he angels who were messengers - only because t his Ayah was meant t o support Jibril t he emissary bet ween Allah and His Prophet s. Allah also ment ioned Mika'il here, because t he Jews claimed t hat Jibril was t heir enemy and Mika'il was t heir friend. Allah informed t hem t hat whoever is an enemy of eit her of t hem, t hen he is also an enemy of t he ot her as well as Allah. We should st at e here t hat Mika'il somet imes descended t o some of Allah's Prophet s, alt hough t o a lesser ext ent t han Jibril, because t his was primarily Jibril's t ask, and Israfil is ent rust ed wit h t he j ob of blowing t he Trumpet for t he commencement of Resurrect ion on t he Day of Judgment . It is recorded in t he Sahih t hat whenever t he Messenger of Allah would wake up at night , he would supplicat e,

(O Allah, Lord of Jibril, Mika'il and Israfil, Creat or of t he heavens and eart h and Knower of t he seen and t he unseen! You j udge bet ween Your servant s regarding what t hey differ in, so direct me t o t he t rut h which t hey differ on, by Your leave. Verily, You guide whom You will t o t he st raight pat h.) Allah's st at ement ,

(t hen verily, Allah is an enemy t o t he disbelievers) informed t he disbelievers t hat whoever t akes a friend of Allah as an enemy, t hen he has t aken Allah as an enemy, and whoever t reat s Allah as an enemy, t hen he shall be Allah's enemy. Indeed, whoever is an enemy of Allah t hen he will lose in t his life and t he Hereaft er, as st at ed earlier;

(Whoever t akes a friend of Mine as an enemy, I shall wage war on him.)

- - -

 -
(99. And indeed We have sent down t o you manifest Ayat and none disbelieve in t hem but Fasiqun (t hose who rebel against Allah's command).) (100. Is it not (t he case) t hat every t ime t hey make a covenant , some part y among t hem t hrow it aside Nay! (t he t rut h is:) most of t hem believe not .) (101. And when t here came t o t hem a Messenger from Allah (i.e. Muhammad ) confirming what was wit h t hem, a part y of t hose who were given t he Script ure t hrew away t he Book of Allah behind t heir backs as if t hey did not know!) (102. They followed what t he Shayat in (devils) gave out (falsely of t he magic) in t he lifet ime of Sulayman (Solomon). Sulayman did not disbelieve, but t he Shayat in (devils) disbelieved, t eaching men magic and such t hings t hat came down at Babylon t o t he t wo angels, Harut and Marut , but neit her of t hese t wo (angels) t aught anyone (such t hings) t ill t hey had said, "We are for t rial, so disbelieve not (by learning t his magic from us).'' And from t hese (angels) people learn t hat by which t hey cause separat ion bet ween man and his wife, but t hey could not t hus harm anyone except by Allah's leave. And t hey learn t hat which harms t hem and profit s t hem not . And indeed t hey knew t hat t he buyers of it (magic) would have no share in t he Hereaft er. And how bad indeed was t hat for which t hey sold t heir own selves, if t hey but knew.) (103. And if t hey had believed and guarded t hemselves from evil and kept t heir dut y t o Allah, far bet t er would have been t he reward from t heir Lord, if t hey but knew!)

Proofs of Muhammad's Prophethood

Imam Abu Ja` far bin Jarir said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(And indeed We have sent down t o you manifest Ayat ) means, "We have sent t o you, O Muhammad, clear signs t hat t est ify t o your prophet hood.'' These Ayat are cont ained in t he Book of Allah (Qur'an) which narrat es t he secret s of t he knowledge t hat t he Jews possess, which t hey hid, and t he st ories of t heir earlier generat ions. The Book of Allah also ment ions t he t ext s in t he Books of t he Jews t hat are known t o only t he rabbis and scholars, and t he sect ions where t hey alt ered and dist ort ed t he rulings of t he Tawrah. Since Allah ment ioned all of t his in His

Book revealed t o His Prophet Muhammad , t hen t his fact alone should be enough evidence for t hose who are t rut hful wit h t hemselves and who wish t o avoid bringing t hemselves t o dest ruct ion due t o envy and t ransgression. Furt her human inst ict t est ifies t o t he t rut h t hat Muhammad was sent wit h and t he clear signs t hat he brought which he did not learn or acquire from mankind. Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(And indeed We have sent down t o you manifest Ayat ) means, "You recit e and convey t his Book t o t hem day and night , alt hough you are an Ummi (unlet t ered) who never read a book. Yet , you inform t hem of what t hey have (in t heir own Books). Allah st at ed t hat t his fact should serve as an example, a clear sign and a proof against t hem, if t hey but knew.''

The Jews break Their Covenants

When t he Messenger of Allah was sent and Allah reminded t he Jews of t he covenant t hat t hey had wit h Him, especially concerning Muhammad , Malik bin As-Sayf said, "By Allah! Allah never made a covenant wit h us about Muhammad, nor did He t ake a pledge from us at all.'' Allah t hen revealed,

(Is it not (t he case) t hat every t ime t hey make a covenant , some part y among t hem t hrow it aside) Al-Hasan Al-Basri said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(Nay! (t he t rut h is:) most of t hem believe not ) means, "There is not a promise t hat t hey make, but t hey break it and abandon it . They make a promise t oday and break it t omorrow.''

The Jews abandoned the Book of Allah and practiced Magic

As-Suddi comment ed on,

(And when t here came t o t hem a Messenger from Allah (i.e. Muhammad ) confirming what was wit h t hem), "When Muhammad came t o t hem, t hey want ed t o cont radict and disput e wit h him using t he Tawrah. However, t he Tawrah and t he Qur'an affirmed each ot her. So t he Jews gave

up on using t he Torah, and t ook t o t he Book of Asaf, and t he magic of Harut and Marut , which indeed did not conform t o t he Qur'an. Hence Allah's st at ement ,

(As if t hey did not know!).'' Also, Qat adah said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(As if t hey did not know!) means, "They knew t he t rut h but abandoned it , hid it and denied t he fact t hat t hey even had it .''

Magic existed before Sulayman (Solomon)

As-Suddi said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(They followed what t he Shayat in (devils) gave out (falsely of t he magic) in t he lifet ime of Sulayman) means, "` During t he t ime of Prophet Solomon.' Beforehand, t he devils used t o ascend t o heaven and eavesdrop on t he conversat ions of t he angels about what will occur on t he eart h regarding deat h, ot her incident s or unseen mat t ers. They would convey t his news t o t he soot hsayers, and t he soot hsayers would in t urn convey t he news t o t he people. The people would believe what t he soot hsayers t old t hem as being t rue. When t he soot hsayers t rust ed t he devils, t he devils st art ed t o lie t o t hem and added ot her words t o t he t rue news t hat t hey heard, t o t he ext ent of adding sevent y false words t o each t rue word. The people recorded t hese words in some books. Soon aft er, t he Children of Israel said t hat t he Jinns know mat t ers of t he Unseen. When Solomon was sent as a Prophet , he collect ed t hese books in a box and buried it under his t hrone; any devil t hat dared get near t he box was burned. Solomon said, ` I will not hear of anyone who says t hat t he devils know t he Unseen, but I will cut off his head.' When Solomon died and t he scholars who knew t he t rut h about Solomon perished, t here came anot her generat ion. To t hem, t he devil mat erialized in t he shape of a human and said t o some of t he Children of Israel, ` Should I lead you t o a t reasure t hat you will never be able t o use up' They said. ` Yes.' He said, ` Dig under t his t hrone,' and he went wit h t hem and showed t hem Solomon's t hrone. They said t o him, ` Come closer.' He said, ` No. I will wait for you here, and if you do not find t he t reasure t hen kill me. ' They dug and found t he buried books, and Sat an said t o t hem, ` Solomon only cont rolled t he humans, devils and birds wit h t his magic.' Thereaft er, t he news t hat Solomon was a sorcerer spread among t he people, and t he Children of Israel adopt ed t hese books. When Muhammad came, t hey disput ed wit h him relying on t hese books. Hence Allah's st at ement ,


(Sulayman did not disbelieve, but t he Shayat in (devils) disbelieved).

The Story of Harut and Marut, and the Explanation that They were Angels
Allah said,

(And such t hings t hat came down at Babylon t o t he t wo angels, Harut and Marut , but neit her of t hese t wo (angels) t aught anyone (such t hings) t ill t hey had said, "We are for t rial, so disbelieve not (by learning t his magic from us).'' And from t hese (angels) people learn t hat by which t hey cause separat ion bet ween man and his wife). There is a difference of opinion regarding t his st ory. It was said t hat t his Ayah denies t hat anyt hing was sent down t o t he t wo angels, as Al-Qurt ubi st at ed and t hen referred t o t he Ayah,

(Sulayman did not disbelieve) saying, "The negat ion applies in bot h cases. Allah t hen said,

(But t he Shayat in (devils) disbelieved, t eaching men magic and such t hings t hat came down at Babylon t o t he t wo angels). The Jews claimed t hat Gabriel and Michael brought magic down t o t he t wo angels, but Allah refut ed t his false claim.'' Also, Ibn Jarir report ed, t hat Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about Allah's st at ement ,


(And such t hings t hat came down at Babylon t o t he t wo angels) "Allah did not send magic down.'' Also, Ibn Jarir narrat ed t hat Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said about ,

(And such t hings t hat came down t o t he t wo angels), "Allah did not send magic down t o t he t hem.'' Ibn Jarir comment ed, "This is t he correct explanat ion for t his Ayah.

(They followed what t he Shayat in (devils) gave out (falsely) in t he lifet ime of Sulayman.) meaning, magic. However, neit her did Solomon disbelieve nor did Allah send magic wit h t he t wo angels. The devils, on t he ot her hand, disbelieved and t aught magic t o t he people of t he Babylon of Harut and Marut .'' Ibn Jarir cont inued; "If someone asks about explaining t his Ayah in t his manner, we say t hat ,

(They followed what t he Shayat in (devils) gave out (falsely) in t he lifet ime of Sulayman.) means, magic. Solomon neit her disbelieved nor did Allah send magic wit h t he t wo angels. However, t he devils disbelieved and t aught magic t o t he people in t he Babylon of Harut and Marut , meaning Gabriel and Michael, for Jewish sorcerers claimed t hat Allah sent magic by t he words of Gabriel and Michael t o Solomon, son of David. Allah denied t his false claim and st at ed t o His Prophet Muhammad t hat Gabriel and Michael were not sent wit h magic. Allah also exonerat ed Solomon from pract icing magic, which t he devils t aught t o t he people of Babylon by t he hands of t wo men, Harut and Marut . Hence, Harut and Marut were t wo ordinary men (not angels or Gabriel or Michael).'' These were t he words of At -Tabari, and t his explanat ion is not plausible. Many among t he Salaf, said t hat Harut and Marut were angels who came down from heaven t o eart h and did what t hey did as t he Ayah st at ed. To conform t his opinion wit h t he fact t hat t he angels are immune from error, we say t hat Allah had et ernal knowledge what t hese angels would do, j ust as He had et ernal knowledge t hat Iblis would do as he did, while Allah refered t o him being among t he angels,


(And (remember) when We said t o t he angels: "Prost rat e yourselves before Adam.'' And t hey prost rat ed except Iblis (Sat an), he refused) (20:116) and so fort h. However, what Harut and Marut did was less evil t han what Iblis, may Allah curse him, did. Al-Qurt ubi report ed t his opinion from ` Ali, Ibn Mas` ud, Ibn ` Abbas, Ibn ` Umar, Ka` b Al-Ahbar, As-Suddi and Al-Kalbi.

Learning Magic is Kufr

Allah said,

(But neit her of t hese t wo (angels) t aught anyone (such t hings) t ill t hey had said, "We are for t rial, so disbelieve not (by learning t his magic from us).) Abu Ja` far Ar-Razi said t hat Ar-Rabi' bin Anas said t hat Qays bin ` Abbad said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "When someone came t o t he angels t o learn magic, t hey would discourage him and say t o him, ` We are only a t est , so do not fall int o disbelief.' They had knowledge of what is good and evil and what const it ut es belief or disbelief, and t hey t hus knew t hat magic is a form of disbelief. When t he person who came t o learn magic st ill insist ed on learning it , t hey commanded him t o go t o such and such place, where if he went , Sat an would meet him and t each him magic. When t his man would learn magic, t he light (of fait h) would depart him, and he would see it shining (and flying away) in t he sky. He would t hen proclaim, ` O my sorrow! Woe unt o me! What should I do.'' Al-Hasan Al-Basri said t hat t his Ayah means, "The angels were sent wit h magic, so t hat t he people whom Allah willed would be t ried and t est ed. Allah made t hem promise t hat t hey would not t each anyone unt il first proclaiming, ` We are a t est for you, do not fall int o disbelief.''' It was recorded by Ibn Abi Hat im. Also, Qat adah said, "Allah t ook t heir covenant t o not t each anyone magic unt il t hey said, ` We are a t est . Therefore, do not fall in disbelief.''' Also, As-Suddi said, "When a man would come t o t he t wo angels t hey would advise him, ` Do not fall int o disbelief. We are a t est . ' When t he man would ignore t heir advice, t hey would say, ` Go t o t hat pile of ashes and urinat e on it .' When he would urinat e on t he ashes, a light , meaning t he light of fait h, would depart from him and would shine unt il it ent ered heaven. Then somet hing black t hat appeared t o be smoke would descend and ent er his ears and t he rest of his body, and t his is Allah's anger. When he t old t he angels what happened, t hey would t each him magic. So Allah's st at ement ,


(But neit her of t hese t wo (angels) t aught anyone (such t hings) t ill t hey had said, "We are for t rial, so disbelieve not (by learning t his magic from us).) Sunayd said t hat Haj j aj said t hat Ibn Jurayj comment ed on t his Ayah (2:102), "No one dares pract ice magic except a disbeliever. As for t he Fit nah, it involves t rials and freedom of choice.''The scholars who st at ed t hat learning magic is disbelief relied on t his Ayah for evidence. They also ment ioned t he Hadit h t hat Abu Bakr Al-Bazzar recorded from ` Abdullah, which st at es,

(Whoever came t o a soot hsayer or a sorcerer and believed in what he said, will have disbelieved in what Allah revealed t o Muhammad .) This Hadit h has an aut hent ic chain of narrat ion and t here are ot her Hadit hs which support it .

Causing a Separation between the Spouses is One of the Effects of Magic

Allah said,

(And from t hese (angels) people learn t hat by which t hey cause separat ion bet ween man and his wife,) This means, "The people learned magic from Harut and Marut and indulged in evil act s t hat included separat ing spouses, even t hough spouses are close t o, and int imat ely associat e wit h each ot her. This is t he devil's work.'' Muslim recorded t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

 : : : : :
(Sat an erect s his t hrone on wat er and sends his emissaries among t he people. The closest person t o him is t he person who causes t he most Fit nah. One of t hem (a devil) would come t o him and would say, ` I kept incit ing so-and-so, unt il he said such and such words.' Iblis says, ` No, by Allah, you have not done much.' Anot her devil would come t o him and would say, ` I kept incit ing so-and-so, unt il I separat ed bet ween him and his wife.' Sat an would draw him closer and embrace him, saying, ` Yes, you did well.') Separat ion bet ween a man and his wife occurs here because each spouse imagines t hat t he ot her spouse is ugly or ill-mannered, et c.

Allah's Appointed Term supercedes Everything

Allah said,

(But t hey could not t hus harm anyone except by Allah's leave). Sufyan At h-Thawri comment ed, "Except by Allah's appoint ed t erm.'' Furt her, Al-Hasan Al-Basri said t hat ,

(But t hey could not t hus harm anyone except by Allah's leave) means, "Allah allows magicians t o adversely affect whomever He wills and saves whomever He wills from t hem. Sorcerers never bring harm t o anyone except by Allah's leave.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(And t hey learn t hat which harms t hem and prof it s t hem not .) means, it harms t heir religion and does not have a benefit compared t o it s harm.


(And indeed t hey knew t hat t he buyers of it (magic) would have no (Khalaq) share in t he Hereaft er.) meaning, "The Jews who preferred magic over following t he Messenger of Allah knew t hat t hose who commit t he same error shall have no Khalaq in t he Hereaft er.'' Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid and As-Suddi st at ed t hat ` no Khalaq' means, ` no share.' Allah t hen said,

-
(And how bad indeed was t hat for which t hey sold t heir own selves, if t hey but knew. And if t hey had believed and guarded t hemselves from evil and kept t heir dut y t o Allah, far bet t er would have been t he reward from t heir Lord, if t hey but knew!). Allah st at ed, o

(And how bad) meaning, what t hey preferred, magic, inst ead of fait h and following t he Messenger, if t hey but comprehend t he advice.

(And if t hey had believed and guarded t hemselves from evil and kept t heir dut y t o Allah, far bet t er would have been t he reward from t heir Lord,) meaning, "Had t hey believed in Allah and His Messenger and avoided t he prohibit ions, t hen Allah's reward for t hese good deeds would have been bet t er for t hem t han what t hey chose and preferred for t hemselves.'' Similarly, Allah said,

(But t hose who had been given (religious) knowledge said: "Woe t o you! The reward of Allah (in t he Hereaft er) is bet t er for t hose who believe and do right eous good deeds, and t his none shall at t ain except As-Sabirun (t he pat ient in following t he t rut h).'') (28:80).

-
(104. O you who believe! Say not (t o t he Messenger ) Ra` ina but say Unzurna (make us underst and) and hear. And for t he disbelievers t here is a painful t orment .) (105. Neit her t hose who disbelieve among t he People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) nor Al-Mushrikin (t he idolat ers) like t hat t here should be sent down unt o you any good from your Lord. But Allah chooses for His mercy whom He wills. And Allah is t he Owner of great bount y.)

Manners in Speech
Allah forbade His believing servant s from imit at ing t he behavior and deeds of t he disbelievers. The Jews used t o use devious words t hat hide what t hey really meant . May Allah's curse be upon t hem. When t hey want ed t o say, ` hear us,' t hey would use t he word Ra` ina, which is an insult (in Hebrew, but means ` hear us' in Arabic). Allah said,

(Among t hose who are Jews, t here are some who displace words from (t heir) right places and say: "We hear your word (O Muhammad ) and disobey,'' and "Hear and let you (O Muhammad ) hear not hing.'' And Ra` ina wit h a t wist of t heir t ongues and as a mockery of t he religion (Islam). And if only t hey had said: "We hear and obey,'' and "Do make us underst and,'' it would have been bet t er for t hem, and more proper; but Allah cursed t hem for t heir disbelief, so t hey believe not except a few) (4:46). Also, t he Hadit hs st at ed t hat when t hey would greet Muslims, t hey would say, ` As-Samu ` alaykum,' meaning, ` deat h be t o you'. This is why we were commanded t o answer t hem by saying, ` Wa ` alaykum,' meaning, ` and t o you t oo', t hen our supplicat ion against t hem shall be answered, rat her t han t heirs against us. Allah forbade t he believers from imit at ing t he disbelievers in t ongue or deed. Allah said,

(O you who believe! Say not (t o t he Messenger ) Ra` ina but say Unzurna (make us underst and) and hear. And for t he disbelievers t here is a painful t orment ) (2:104). Also, Imam Ahmad narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Umar said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(I was sent wit h t he sword j ust before t he Last Hour, so t hat Allah is worshipped alone wit hout part ners. My sust enance was provided for me from under t he shadow of my spear. Those who oppose my command were humiliat ed and made inferior, and whoever imit at es a people, he is one of t hem.) Abu Dawud narrat ed t hat t he Prophet said,

(Whoever imit at es a people is one of t hem.) These Hadit hs indicat e, along wit h t heir t hreat s and warnings, t hat we are not allowed t o imit at e t he disbelievers in t heir st at ement s, deeds, clot hes, feast s, act s of worship, et c., what ever act ions of t he disbelievers t hat were not legislat ed for us. Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah,

(Say not (t o t he Messenger ) Ra` ina) "They used t o say t o t he Prophet , Ar` ina samak (which is an insult ).'' Ibn Abu Hat im said t hat it was report ed t hat Abu Al-` Aliyah, Abu Malik, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, ` At iyah Al-` Awfi and Qat adah said similarly. Furt her, Muj ahid said, "` Do not say Ra` ina' means, ` Do not disput e'.'' Muj ahid said in anot her narrat ion, "Do not say, ` We hear from you, and you hear from us.''' Also, ` At a' said, "Do not say,

(Ra` ina), which was a dialect t hat t he Ansar used and which was forbidden from use by Allah.'' Also, As-Suddi said, "Rifa` ah bin Zayd, a Jewish man from t he t ribe of Qaynuqa` , used t o come t o t he Prophet and say t o him, ` Hear, Ghayr Musma'in (let you hear not hing).' The Muslims used t o t hink t hat t he Prophet s are greet ed and honored wit h t his t ype of speech, and t his is why some of t hem used t o say, ` Hear, let you hear not hing,' and so on, as ment ioned in Surat An-

Nisa.'' Thereaft er, Allah forbade t he believers from ut t ering t he word Ra` ina.'' ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam also said similarly.

The extreme Enmity that the Disbelievers and the People of the Book have against Muslims
Allah said next (2:105),

(Neit her t hose who disbelieve among t he People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) nor AlMushrikin (t he idolat ers), like t hat t here should be sent down unt o you any good from your Lord). Allah described t he deep enmit y t hat t he disbelieving polyt heist s and People of t he Script ure, whom Allah warned against imit at ing, have against t he believers, so t hat Muslims should sever all friendship wit h t hem. Also, Allah ment ioned what He grant ed t he believers of t he perfect Law t hat He legislat ed for t heir Prophet Muhammad . Allah said,

(But Allah chooses for His mercy whom He wills. And Allah is t he Owner of great bount y) (2:105).

-
(106. What ever a verse (revelat ion) do Nansakh (We abrogat e) or Nunsiha (cause t o be forgot t en), We bring a bet t er one or similar t o it . Know you not t hat Allah is Able t o do all t hings) (107. Know you not t hat it is Allah t o Whom belongs t he dominion of t he heavens and t he eart h And besides Allah you have neit her any Wali (prot ect or or guardian) nor any helper.)

The Meaning of Naskh

Ibn Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(What ever a verse (revelat ion) do Nansakh) means, "What ever an Ayah We abrogat e.'' Also, Ibn Jurayj said t hat Muj ahid said t hat ,

(What ever a verse (revelat ion) do Nansakh) means, "What ever an Ayah We erase.'' Also, Ibn Abi Naj ih said t hat Muj ahid said t hat ,

(What ever a verse (revelat ion) do Nansakh) means, "We keep t he words, but change t he meaning.'' He relat ed t hese words t o t he companions of ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud. Ibn Abi Hat im said t hat similar st at ement s were ment ioned by Abu Al-` Aliyah and Muhammad bin Ka` b AlQurazi. Also As-Suddi said t hat ,

(What ever a verse (revelat ion) do Nansakh) means, "We erase it .'' Furt her, Ibn Abi Hat im said t hat it means, "Erase and raise it , such as erasing t he following wordings (from t he Qur'an), ` The married adult erer and t he married adult eress: st one t hem t o deat h,' and, ` If t he son of Adam had t wo valleys of gold, he would seek a t hird.''' Ibn Jarir st at ed t hat ,

(What ever a verse (revelat ion) do Nansakh) means, "What ever ruling we repeal in an Ayah by making t he allowed unlawful and t he unlawful allowed.'' The Nasakh only occurs wit h commandment s, prohibit ions, permissions, and so fort h. As for st ories, t hey do not undergo Nasakh. The word, ` Nasakh' lit erally means, ` t o copy a book'. The meaning of Nasakh in t he case of commandment s is removing t he commandment and replacing it by anot her. And whet her t he Nasakh involves t he wordings, t he ruling or bot h, it is st ill called Nasakh. Allah said next ,


(or Nunsiha (cause it t o be forgot t en)). ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(What ever a verse (revelat ion) do Nansakh or Nunsiha) means, "What ever Ayah We repeal or uphold wit hout change.'' Also, Muj ahid said t hat t he companions of Ibn Mas` ud (who read t his word Nansa'ha) said t hat it means, "We uphold it s wording and change it s ruling.'' Furt her, ` Ubayd bin ` Umayr, Muj ahid and ` At a' said, ` Nansa'ha' means, "We delay it (i.e., do not abrogat e it ).'' Furt her, ` At iyyah Al-` Awfi said t hat t he Ayah means, "We delay repealing it .'' This is t he same Tafsir provided by As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. ` Abdur-Razzaq said t hat Ma` mar said t hat Qat adah said about Allah's st at ement ,

(What ever a verse (revelat ion) do We abrogat e or cause t o be forgot t en) "Allah made His Prophet forget what He willed and He abrogat ed what He will.'' Allah's said,

(We bring a bet t er one or similar t o it ), bet t er, relat es t o t he benefit provided for t he one it addresses, as report ed from ` Ali bin Abi Talhah t hat Ibn ` Abbas said,

(We bring a bet t er one) means, "We bring fort h a more beneficial ruling, t hat is also easier for you.'' Also, As-Suddi said t hat ,

(We bring a bet t er one or similar t o it ) means, "We bring fort h a bet t er Ayah, or similar t o t hat which was repealed.'' Qat adah also said t hat ,

(We bring a bet t er one or similar t o it ) means, "We replace it by an Ayah more facilit at ing, permit t ing, commanding, or prohibit ing.''

Naskh occurs even though the Jews deny it

Allah said,

-
(Know you not t hat Allah is Able t o do all t hings Know you not t hat it is Allah t o Whom belongs t he dominion of t he heavens and t he eart h And besides Allah you have neit her any Wali (prot ect or or guardian) nor any helper). Allah direct ed His servant s t o t he fact t hat He alone is t he Owner of His creat ures and t hat He does wit h t hem as He wills. Indeed, His is t he supreme aut horit y and all creat ion is His, and j ust as He creat ed t hem as He wills, He brings happiness t o whom He wills, misery t o whom He wills, healt h t o whom He wills and ailment t o whom He wills. He also brings success t o whom He wills and failure t o whom He wills. He j udges bet ween His servant s as He wills, allows what He wills and disallows what He wills. He decides what He wills, t here is no opponent for His j udgment , and no one can quest ion Him about what He does, while t hey shall be quest ioned. He t est s His servant s and t heir obedience t o His Messengers by t he Naskh. He commands a mat t er cont aining a benefit which He knows of, and t hen He out of His wisdom, prohibit s it . Hence, perfect obedience is realized by adhering t o His commands, following His Messengers, believing in what ever t hey convey, implement ing t heir commands and avoiding what t hey prohibit . The st at ement s of Allah here cont ain t remendous benefit , prove t hat t he Jews are disbelievers and refut e t heir claim t hat Naskh does not occur, may Allah curse t he Jews. In ignorance and arrogance t hey claimed t hat t he sound mind st ipulat es t hat Naskh does not occur. Some of t hem falsely claimed t hat t here are divine t ext s t hat dismiss t he possibilit y t hat Naskh occurred. Imam Abu Ja` far bin Jarir said, "The Ayah means, ` Do you not know, O Muhammad, t hat I alone own t he heavens and t he eart h and t hat I decide what ever I will in t hem I forbid what ever I will, change and repeal what ever I will of My previous rulings, whenever I will. I also uphold what ever I will.'' Ibn Jarir t hen said, "Alt hough Allah direct ed His st at ement indicat ing His great ness t owards His Prophet , He also rej ect ed t he lies of t he Jews who denied t hat t he rulings of t he Torah could undergo Naskh. The Jews also denied t he prophet hood of Jesus and Muhammad, because of t heir dislike for what t hey brought from Allah, such as changing some rulings of t he Torah, as Allah commanded. Allah t hus proclaimed t o t he Jews t hat He owns t he heavens and eart h and

also all aut horit y in t hem. Furt her, t he subj ect s in Allah's kingdom are His creat ion, and t hey are required t o hear and obey His commands and prohibit ions. Allah has full aut horit y t o command t he creat ion as He wills, forbidding t hem from what He wills, abrogat e what He wills, uphold what He wills, and decide what ever commandment s and prohibit ions He wills.'' I (Ibn Kat hir) say t hat t he Jews' dismissal of t he occurrence of t he Naskh is only a case of t heir disbelief and rebellion. The sound mind does not deny t hat t here could be a Naskh in Allah's commandment s, for He decides what He wills, j ust as He does what He wills. Furt her, Naskh occurred in previous Books and Law. For inst ance, Allah allowed Adam t o marry his daught ers t o his sons and t hen lat er forbade t his pract ice. Allah also allowed Nuh t o eat from all kinds of animals aft er t hey left t he ark, t hen prohibit ed eat ing some t ypes of foods. Furt her, marrying t wo sist ers t o one man was allowed for Israel and his children, but Allah prohibit ed t his pract ice lat er in t he Torah. Allah commanded Abraham t o slaught er his son, t hen repealed t hat command before it was implement ed. Also, Allah commanded t he Children of Israel t o kill t hose who worshipped t he calf and t hen repealed t hat command, so t hat t he Children of Israel were not all ext erminat ed. There are many ot her inst ances t hat t he Jews admit have occurred, yet t hey ignore t hem. Also, it is a well-known fact t hat t heir Books foret old about Muhammad and cont ained t he command t o follow him. These t ext s, in t heir Books, indicat e t hat t he Jews were required t o follow t he Prophet Muhammad and t hat no good deed would be accept ed from t hem, unless it conformed t o Muhammad's Law. The Prophet brought anot her Book, - t he Qur'an -, which is t he last revelat ion from Allah.

(108. Or do you want t o ask your Messenger (Muhammad ) as Musa (Moses) was asked before (i.e. show us openly our Lord) And he who changes fait h for disbelief, verily, he has gone ast ray from t he right way.)

The Prohibition of Unnecessary Questions

In t his Ayah, Allah forbade t he believers from asking t he Prophet numerous quest ions about mat t ers t hat did not occur yet . Similarly, Allah said,

(O you who believe! Ask not about t hings which, if made plain t o you, may cause you t rouble. But if you ask about t hem while t he Qur'an is being revealed, t hey will be made plain t o you) (5:101).

This Ayah means, "If you ask about a mat t er aft er it is revealed, it shall be duly explained t o you. Therefore, do not ask about mat t ers t hat have not occurred yet , for t hey might become prohibit ed, due t o your quest ions.'' This is why t he Sahih narrat ed,

(The great est criminal among t he Muslims is t he one who asks if a t hing is prohibit ed, which is not prohibit ed, and it becomes prohibit ed because of his asking about it .) This is why when t he Messenger of Allah was asked about a husband who finds anot her man wit h his wife; if he exposes t he adult ery, he will be exposing a maj or incident ; if he is quiet about it , he will be quiet about a maj or mat t er. The Messenger of Allah did not like such quest ions. Lat er on, Allah revealed t he ruling of Mula` anah Refer t o Nur 24:6-9 in t he Qur'an . The Two Sahihs recorded t hat Al-Mughirah bin Shu` bah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah "Forbade saying, ` It was said' and ` He said,' and wast ing money and asking many quest ions.'' Muslim recorded t hat t he Prophet said,

(Leave me as I leave you; t hose before you were only dest royed because of t heir excessive quest ioning and disput ing wit h t heir Prophet s. Therefore, when I command you wit h a mat t er, adhere t o it as much as you can, and when I forbid from somet hing, avoid it .) The Prophet only said t his aft er he t old t he Companions t hat Allah has ordered t hem t o perform Haj j . A man asked, "Every year, O Messenger of Allah'' The Prophet did not answer him, but he repeat ed his quest ion t hree t imes. Then t he Prophet said,

:
(No. Had I said yes, it would have been ordained, and you would not have been able t o implement it .)

This is why Anas bin Malik said, "We were forbidden from asking t he Messenger of Allah about t hings. So we were delight ed when a bedouin man would come and ask him while we list ened.'' Muhammad bin Ishaq said t hat Muhammad bin Abi Muhammad t old him t hat ` Ikrimah or Sa` id said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Rafi` bin Huraymilah or Wahb bin Zayd said, "O Muhammad! Bring us a Book sent down from heaven and which we could read, and make some rivers flow for us, t hen we will follow you and believe in you.'' Allah sent down t he answer t o t his challenge,

(Or do you want t o ask your Messenger (Muhammad ) as Musa was asked before (i.e. show us openly our Lord) And he who changes fait h for disbelief, verily, he has gone ast ray from t he right way). Allah crit icized t hose who ask t he Messenger of Allah about a cert ain mat t er j ust for t he purpose of being difficult , j ust as t he Children of Israel asked Musa out of st ubbornness, rej ect ion and rebellion. Allah said,

(And he who changes fait h for disbelief) meaning, whoever prefers disbelief t o fait h,

(verily, he has gone ast ray from t he right way) meaning, he has st rayed from t he st raight pat h, t o t he pat h of ignorance and misguidance. This is t he case of t hose who deviat ed from accept ing t he Prophet s and obeying t hem and t hose who kept asking t heir Prophet s unnecessary quest ions in defiance and disbelief, j ust as Allah said,

(Have you not seen t hose who have changed t he blessings of Allah int o disbelief (by denying Prophet Muhammad and his Message of Islam), and caused t heir people t o dwell in t he house of dest ruct ion Hell, in which t hey will burn and what an evil place t o set t le in!) (14:28-29). Abu Al-` Aliyah comment ed, "They exchanged comfort for hardship.''

-
(109. Many of t he People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) wish t hat t hey could t urn you away as disbelievers aft er you have believed, out of envy from t heir own selves, even aft er t he t rut h (t hat Muhammad is Allah's Messenger) has become manifest unt o t hem. But forgive and overlook, t ill Allah brings His command. Verily, Allah is able t o do all t hings.) (110. And perform t he Salah and give t he Zakah, and what ever of good you send fort h for yourselves before you, you shall find it wit h Allah. Cert ainly, Allah is t he Seer of what you do.)

The Prohibition of following the Ways of the People of the Book

Allah warned His believing servant s against following t he ways of t he People of Book, who publicly and secret ly harbor emnit y and hat red for t he believers, and who envy t he believers, while t hey recognize t he virt ue of t he believers and t heir Prophet . Allah also commanded His believing servant s t o forgive t hem and t o be pat ient wit h t hem, unt il Allah delivers His aid and vict ory t o t hem. Allah commanded t he believers t o perform t he prayer perfect ly, t o pay t he Zakah and He encouraged t hem t o preserve t he pract ice of t hese right eous deeds. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Ka` b bin Malik said t hat Ka` b bin Al-Ashraf, who was a Jew and a poet , used t o crit icize t he Prophet in his poems, so Allah revealed,

(Many of t he People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) wish t hat t hey could t urn you away..) regarding his mat t er. Also, Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "An unlet t ered Messenger came t o t he People of t he Script ures confirming what t hey have in t heir own Books about t he Messengers and t he Ayat of

Allah. He also believes in all of t his, j ust as t hey believe in it . Yet , t hey rej ect ed t he Prophet out of disbelief, envy and t ransgression. This is why Allah said,

(out of envy from t heir own selves, even aft er t he t rut h (t hat Muhammad is Allah's Messenger) has become manifest unt o t hem). Allah said t hat aft er He illuminat ed t he t rut h for t hem, such t hat t hey were not ignorant of any of it , yet t heir envy made t hem deny t he Prophet . Thus Allah crit icized, chast ised and denounced t hem.'' Allah legislat ed t he charact erist ics t hat His Prophet and t he believers should adhere t o: belief, fait h and accept ing what Allah revealed t o t hem and t o t hose before t hem out of His generosit y and t remendous kindness. Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said t hat ,

(from t heir own selves) means, "of t heir making.'' Also, Abu Al-` Aliyah said t hat ,

(even aft er t he t rut h (t hat Muhammad is Allah's Messenger) has become manifest unt o t hem) means, "Aft er it became clear t hat Muhammad is t he Messenger of Allah whom t hey find writ t en of in t he Torah and t he Inj il. They denied him in disbelief and t ransgression because he was not one of t hem.'' Qat adah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said similarly. Allah said,

(But forgive and overlook, t ill Allah brings His command.) t his is similar t o His saying;

(And you shall cert ainly hear much t hat will grieve you from t hose who received t he Script ure before you (Jews and Christ ians) and from t hose who ascribe part ners t o Allah) (3: 186). ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Allah's st at ement ,


(But forgive and overlook, t ill Allah brings His command.) was abrogat ed by t he Ayah,

(Then kill t he Mushrikin wherever you find t hem) (9:5), and,

(Fight against t hose who believe not in Allah, nor in t he Last Day) (9:29) unt il,

(And feel t hemselves subdued) (9:29). Allah's pardon for t he disbelievers was repealed.'' Abu Al-` Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Qat adah and As-Suddi said similarly: It was abrogat ed by t he Ayah of t he sword." (Ment ioned above). The Ayah,

(t ill Allah brings His command.) gives furt her support for t his view. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded Usamah bin Zayd saying t hat t he Messenger of Allah and his Companions used t o forgive t he disbelievers and t he People of t he Book, j ust as Allah commanded in His st at ement ,

(But forgive and overlook, t ill Allah brings His command. Verily, Allah is able t o do all t hings). The Messenger of Allah used t o forgive t hem and was pat ient wit h t hem as Allah ordered him, unt il Allah allowed fight ing t hem. Then Allah dest royed t hose who He decreed t o be killed among t he st rong men of Quraysh, by t he Prophet 's forces. The chain of narrat ion for t his t ext is Sahih, but I did not see it s wordings in t he six collect ions of Hadit h, alt hough t he basis of it is in t he Two Sahihs, narrat ed from Usamah bin Zayd.

The Encouragement to perform Good Deeds

Allah said,

(And perform t he Salah and give t he Zakah, and what ever of good you send fort h for yourselves before you, you shall find it wit h Allah). Allah encouraged t he believers t o busy t hemselves in performing deeds t hat would bring t hem benefit and reward on t he Day of Resurrect ion, such as prayer and paying Zakah. This way, t hey will gain Allah's aid in t his life and on a Day when t he wit nesses t est ify,

(The Day when t heir excuses will be of no profit t o t he Zalimin (wrongdoers). Theirs will be t he curse, and t heirs will be t he evil abode (i.e. painful t orment in Hell-fire)) (40:52). This is why Allah said,

(Cert ainly, Allah sees what you do), meaning, t hat He is never unaware of t he deeds of any person, nor will t hese deeds be lost by Him. Whet her deeds are right eous or evil, Allah will award each according t o what he or she deserves based on t heir deeds.

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(111. And t hey say, "None shall ent er Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christ ian.'' These are t heir own desires. Say (O Muhammad ), "Produce your Burhan if you are t rut hful.'') (112. Yes! But whoever submit s his face (himself) t o Allah (i.e. follows Allah's religion of Islamic Monot heism) and he is a Muhsin t hen his reward is wit h his Lord (Allah), on such shall be no fear, nor shall t hey grieve.) (113. The Jews said t hat t he Christ ians follow not hing (i.e. are not on t he right religion); and t he Christ ians said t hat t he Jews follow not hing (i.e. are not on t he right religion); t hough t hey bot h recit e t he Script ure. Like unt o t heir word, said t hose (t he pagans) who know not . Allah will j udge bet ween t hem on t he Day of Resurrect ion about t hat wherein t hey have been differing.)

The Hopes of the People of the Book

Allah made t he confusion of t he Jews and t he Christ ians clear, since t hey claim t hat no one will ent er Paradise, unless he is a Jew or a Christ ian. Similarly, Allah ment ioned t heir claims in Surat Al-Ma'idah:

(We are t he children of Allah and His loved ones) (5:18). Allah refut ed t his false claim and informed t hem t hat t hey will be punished because of t heir sins. Previously we ment ioned t heir claim t hat t he Fire would not t ouch t hem for more t han a few days, aft er which t hey would be put in Paradise. Allah rebuked t his claim, and He said about t his baseless claim, m

(These are t heir own desires). Abu Al-` Aliyah comment ed, "These are wishes t hat t hey wished Allah would answer, wit hout basis.'' Similar was st at ed by Qat adah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Allah t hen said,

(Say) meaning, "Say O Muhammad:''

("Produce your Burhan...'') meaning, "Your proof'', as Abu Al-` Aliyah, Muj ahid, As-Suddi and ArRabi` bin Anas st at ed. Qat adah said t hat t he Ayah means, "Bring t he evidence t hat support s your st at ement ,

(if you are t rut hful) in your claim. '' Allah t hen said,

(Yes! But whoever submit s his face (himself) t o Allah (i.e. follows Allah's religion of Islamic Monot heism) and he is a Muhsin) meaning, "Whoever performs deeds in sincerit y, for Allah alone wit hout part ners.'' In a similar st at ement , Allah said,

(So if t hey disput e wit h you (Muhammad ) say: "I have submit t ed myself t o Allah (in Islam), and (so have) t hose who follow me.'') (3:20) Abu Al-` Aliyah and Ar-Rabi` said t hat ,

(Yes! But whoever submit s his face (himself) t o Allah) means, "Whoever is sincere wit h Allah.'' Also, Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat ,

(Yes! But whoever submit s) means, he is sincere,


(his face (himself)) meaning, in his religion.

(and he is a Muhsin) following t he Messenger . For t here are t wo condit ions for deeds t o be accept ed; t he deed must be performed for Allah's sake alone and conform t o t he Shari` ah. When t he deed is sincere, but does not conform t o t he Shari` ah, t hen it will not be accept ed. The Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever performs a deed t hat does not conform wit h our mat t er (religion), t hen it will be rej ect ed.) This Hadit h was recorded by Muslim. Therefore, t he good deeds of t he priest s and rabbis will not be accept ed, even if t hey are sincerely for Allah alone, because t hese deeds do not conform wit h t he met hod of t he Messenger , who was sent for all mankind. Allah said regarding such cases,

(And We shall t urn t o what ever deeds t hey (disbelievers, polyt heist s, sinners) did, and We shall make such deeds as scat t ered float ing part icles of dust .) (25:23)

(As for t hose who disbelieved, t heir deeds are like a mirage in a desert . The t hirst y one t hinks it t o be wat er, unt il he comes up t o it , he finds it t o be not hing.) (24:39) and,

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(Some faces, t hat Day will be humiliat ed. Laboring, weary. They will ent er in t he hot blazing Fire. They will be given t o drink from a boiling spring) (88:2-5). When t he deed conforms t o t he Shari` ah out wardly, but t he person did not perform it sincerely for Allah alone, t he deed will also be rej ect ed, as in t he case of t he hypocrit es and t hose who do t heir deeds t o show off. Similarly, Allah said,

(Verily, t he hypocrit es seek t o deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives t hem. And when t hey st and up for As-Salah (t he prayer), t hey st and wit h laziness t o be seen by people, and t hey do not remember Allah but lit t le.) (4:142) and,

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(So woe unt o t hose performers of Salah (prayers) (hypocrit es). Those who delay t heir Salah (from t heir st at ed fixed t imes). Those who do good deeds only t o be seen (of men). And wit hhold Al-Ma` un (small kindnesses)) (107:4-7). This is why Allah said,

(So whoever hopes for t he meet ing wit h his Lord, let him work right eousness and associat e none as a part ner in t he worship of his Lord) (18: 110). He also said in t his Ayah,

(Yes, but whoever submit s his face (himself) t o Allah (follows Allah's religion of Islamic Monot heism) and he is a Muhsin).

Allah's st at ement ,

(Shall have t heir reward wit h t heir Lord, on t hem shall be no fear, nor shall t hey grieve) guarant eed t hem t he rewards and safet y from what t hey fear and should avoid.

(There shall be no fear on t hem) in t he fut ure,

(nor shall t hey grieve) about what t hey abandoned in t he past . Moreover, Sa` id bin Jubayr said,

"(There shall be no fear on t hem) in t he Hereaft er, and

(nor shall t hey grieve) about t heir imminent deat h.''

The Jews and Christians dispute among Themselves out of Disbelief and Stubbornness
Allah said,

(The Jews said t hat t he Christ ians follow not hing (i.e. are not on t he right religion); and t he Christ ians said t hat t he Jews follow not hing (i.e. are not on t he right religion); t hough t hey bot h recit e t he Script ure.) Allah explained t he disput es, hat red and st ubbornness t hat t he People of t he Book have t owards each ot her. Muhammad bin Ishaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "When a delegat ion of Christ ians from Naj ran came t o t he Messenger of Allah , t he Jewish rabbis came and began arguing wit h t hem before t he Messenger of Allah . Rafi` bin Huraymilah said, ` You do not follow anyt hing,' and he reit erat ed his disbelief in Jesus and t he Inj il. Then a Christ ian man from Naj ran's delegat ion said t o t he Jews, ` Rat her, you do not follow anyt hing,' and he reit erat ed his rej ect ion of Musa's prophet hood and his disbelief in t he Torah. So Allah revealed t he Ayah,

(The Jews said t hat t he Christ ians follow not hing (i.e. are not on t he right religion); and t he Christ ians said t hat t he Jews follow not hing (i.e. are not on t he right religion); t hough t hey bot h recit e t he Script ure. )'' Allah made it clear t hat each part y read t he affirmat ion of what t hey claimed t o rej ect in t heir Book. Consequent ly, t he Jews disbelieve in Jesus, even t hough t hey have t he Torah in which Allah t ook t heir Covenant by t he t ongue of Moses t o believe in Jesus. Also, t he Gospel cont ains Jesus' assert ion t hat Moses' prophet hood and t he Torah came from Allah. Yet , each part y disbelieved in what t he ot her part y had. Allah said,

(Like unt o t heir word, said t hose who know not ) t hus exposing t he ignorance displayed by t he Jews and t he Christ ians concerning t heir st at ement s t hat we ment ioned. There is a difference of opinion regarding t he meaning of Allah's st at ement ,

(who know not ) For inst ance, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Qat adah said t hat ,


(Like unt o t heir word, said t hose said t hose who know not ) means, "The Christ ians said similar st at ement s t o t he Jews.'' Ibn Jurayj asked ` At a' "Who are t hose ` who know not ''' ` At a' said, "Nat ions t hat exist ed before t he Jews and t he Christ ians and before t he Torah and t he Gospel.'' Also, As-Suddi said t hat ,

(said t hose who know not ) is in reference t o t he Arabs who said t hat Muhammad was not following anyt hing (i. e. did not follow a t rue or exist ing religion). Abu Ja` far bin Jarir chose t he view t hat t his Ayah is general and t hat t here is no evidence t hat specifically support s any of t hese explanat ions. So int erpret ing t he Ayah in a general way is bet t er. Allah knows best . Allah said,

(Allah will j udge bet ween t hem on t he Day of Resurrect ion about t hat wherein t hey have been differing.) meaning, t hat Allah will gat her t hem all on t he Day of Ret urn. On t hat Day, Allah will j ust ly j udge bet ween t hem, for He is never unj ust wit h anyone, even as lit t le as t he weight of an at om. This Ayah is similar t o Allah's st at ement in Surat Al-Haj j (22:17),

(Verily, t hose who believe (in Allah and in His Messenger Muhammad ), and t hose who are Jews, and t he Sabians, and t he Christ ians, and t he Maj us, and t hose who associat e part ners wit h Allah; t ruly, Allah will j udge bet ween t hem on t he Day of Resurrect ion. Verily, Allah is over all t hings a Wit ness). Allah said,


(Say: "Our Lord will assemble us all t oget her (on t he Day of Resurrect ion), t hen He will j udge bet ween us wit h t rut h. And He is t he Just Judge, t he Knower of t he t rue st at e of affairs.'') (34:26).

(114. And who are more unj ust t han t hose who forbid t hat Allah's Name be ment ioned (i.e. prayers and invocat ions) in Allah's Masj ids and st rive for t heir ruin It was not fit t ing t hat such should t hemselves ent er t hem (Allah's Masj ids) except in fear. For t hem t here is disgrace in t his world, and t hey will have a great t orment in t he Hereaft er.)

Of the Most Unjust are Those Who prevent People from the Masjids and strive for their Ruin
The Quraysh idolat ors are t hose who hindered t he people from t he Masj ids of Allah and want ed t o dest roy t hem. Ibn Jarir report ed t hat Ibn Zayd said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(And who are more unj ust t han t hose who forbid t hat Allah's Name be ment ioned (i.e. prayers and invocat ions) in Allah's Masj ids and st rive for t heir ruin) is about t he Quraysh idolat ors who prevent ed t he Prophet from ent ering Makkah from Al-Hudaybiyyah, unt il he slaught ered t he Hadi (animal for sacrifice) at Dhi-Tuwa. He t hen agreed t o a peace t reat y wit h t he idolat ors and said t o t hem, (No one before has ever prevent ed people from ent ering t he House. One would even see t he killer of his fat her and brot her, but would not prevent him (from ent ering t he House of Allah).) They said, "Whoever killed our fat hers at Badr, shall never ent er it while t here is one of us alive.'' Allah's st at ement ,


(and st rive for t heir ruin) means t hose who prevent whoever maint ain t he Masj ids wit h Allah's remembrance and who visit Allah's House t o perform Haj j and ` Umrah. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Quraysh prevent ed t he Prophet from praying at t he Ka` bah in AlMasj id Al-Haram, so Allah revealed,

(And who are more unj ust t han t hose who forbid t hat Allah's Name be ment ioned (i.e. prayers and invocat ions) in Allah's Masj ids)'' Aft er Allah chast ised t he Jews and Christ ians, He also crit icized t he idolat ors who expelled t he Messenger of Allah and his Companions from Makkah, prevent ing t hem from praying in Al-Masj id Al-Haram, which t hey kept exclusively for t heir idols and polyt heism. Allah said,

(And why should not Allah punish t hem while t hey hinder (men) from Al-Masj id Al-Haram, and t hey are not it s guardians None can be it s guardians except Al-Mut t aqun (t he pious), but most of t hem know not .) (8:34)


(It is not for t he Mushrikin (polyt heist s), t o maint ain t he Masj ids of Allah while t hey wit ness against t heir own selves of disbelief. The works of such are in vain and in Fire shall t hey abide. The Masj ids of Allah shall be maint ained only by t hose who believe in Allah and t he Last Day; perform t he Salah, and give t he Zakah and fear none but Allah. It is t hey who are on t rue guidance.) (9:17-18) and,

(They are t he ones who disbelieved and hindered you from Al-Masj id-Al-Haram (at Makkah) and det ained t he sacrificial animals, from reaching t heir place of sacrifice. Had t here not been believing men and believing women whom you did not know, t hat you may kill t hem and on whose account a sin would have been commit t ed by you wit hout (your) knowledge, t hat Allah might bring int o His mercy whom He wills if t hey (t he believers and t he disbelievers) had been apart , We verily, would have punished t hose of t hem who disbelieved wit h painful t orment ) (48:25). Therefore, Allah said here,

(The Masj ids of Allah shall be maint ained only by t hose who believe in Allah and t he Last Day; perform t he Salah, and give t he Zakah and fear none but Allah). Therefore, if t hose believers

who follow t he virt ues ment ioned in t he Ayah were prevent ed from at t ending t he Masj id, t hen what cause for dest ruct ion is worse t han t his Maint aining t he Masj ids not only means beaut ifying t hem, but it involves remembering Allah, est ablishing His Shari` ah in t he Masj ids and purifying t hem from t he filt h of Shirk.

The Good News that Islam shall prevail

Allah said next ,

(It was not fit t ing t hat such should t hemselves ent er t hem (Allah's Masj ids) except in fear). This Ayah means, "Do not allow t hem - t he disbelievers - t o ent er t he Masj ids, except t o sat isfy t he t erms of an armist ice or a t reat y.'' When t he Messenger of Allah conquered Makkah in 9 H, he commanded t hat someone announce at Mina, "Aft er t he current year, no idolat ors shall perform Haj j , and no naked persons shall perform Tawaf around t he House, except for t hose who have a t reat y. In t his case, t he t reat y will be carried t o t he end of it s t erm.'' This Ayah support s t he Ayah,

(O you who believe! (in Allah's Oneness and in His Messenger Muhammad )! Verily, t he Mushrikun (idolat ors) are Naj asun (impure). So let t hem not come near Al-Masj id-Al-Haram (at Makkah) aft er t his year) (9:28). It was also said t hat t his Ayah (2:114) carries t he good news for t he Muslims from Allah t hat He will allow t hem t o t ake over Al-Masj id Al-Haram and all t he Masj ids and disgrace t he idolat ors. Soon aft er, t he Ayah indicat ed, no idolat or shall ent er t he House, except out of fear of being seized or killed, unless he embraces Islam. Allah fulfilled t his promise and lat er decreed t hat idolat ors not be allowed t o ent er Al-Masj id Al-Haram. The Messenger of Allah st at ed t hat no t wo religions should remain in t he Arabian Peninsula, and t he Jews and Christ ians should be expelled from it , all praise is due t o Allah. All of t hese rulings ensure maint aining t he honor of Al-Masj id Al-Haram and purifying t he area where Allah sent His Messenger t o warn and bring good news t o all of mankind, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him. This Ayah also described t he disgrace t hat t he disbelievers earn in t his life, and t hat t he punishment comes in a form comparable t o t he deed. Just as t hey prevent ed t he believers from ent ering Al-Masj id Al-Haram, t hey were prevent ed from ent ering it in t urn. Just as t hey expelled t he believers from Makkah, t hey were in t urn expelled from Makkah,

(and t hey will have a great t orment in t he Hereaft er) because t hey breached t he sanct it y of t he House and brought filt h t o it by erect ing idols all around it , invoking ot her t han Allah and performing Tawaf around it while naked, et c. Here it is wort h ment ioning t he Hadit h about seeking refuge from disgrace in t his life and t he t orment of t he Hereaft er. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Busr bin Art ah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah used t o supplicat e,

(O Allah! Make our end bet t er in all affairs, and save us from disgrace in t his life and t he t orment of t he Hereaft er.) This Hadit h is Hasan.

(115. And t o Allah belong t he east and t he west , so wherever you t urn (yourselves or your faces) t here is t he Face of Allah (and He is High above, over His Throne). Surely, Allah is Sufficient (for His creat ures' needs), Knowing.)

Facing the Qiblah (Direction of the Prayer)

This ruling brought comfort t o t he Messenger of Allah and his Companions, who were driven out of Makkah and had t o depart from t he area of Al-Masj id Al-Haram. In Makkah, t he Messenger of Allah used t o pray in t he direct ion of Bayt Al-Maqdis, while t he Ka` bah was bet ween him and t he Qiblah. When t he Messenger migrat ed t o Al-Madinah, he faced Bayt Al-Maqdis for sixt een or sevent een mont hs, and t hen Allah direct ed him t o face Al-Ka` bah in prayer. This is why Allah said,

(And t o Allah belong t he east and t he west , so wherever you t urn (yourselves or your faces) t here is t he Face of Allah (and He is High above, over His Throne)).

` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The first part of t he Qur'an t hat was abrogat ed was about t he Qiblah. When t he Messenger of Allah migrat ed t o Al-Madinah, which was inhabit ed by t he Jews, he was at first commanded t o face Bayt Al-Maqdis. The Jews were happy, and t he Messenger of Allah faced Bayt Al-Maqdis for some t en mont hs. However, t he Messenger of Allah liked t o face t he Qiblah of Ibrahim (Al-Ka` bah at Makkah), and he used t o look t o t he sky and supplicat e. So Allah revealed,

(Verily, We have seen t he t urning of your (Muhammad's) face t owards t he heaven) unt il,

(t urn your faces (in prayer) in t hat direct ion) (2:144). The Jews were dist urbed by t his development and said, ` What made t hem change t he direct ion of t he Qiblah t hat t hey used t o face' Allah revealed,

(Say (O Muhammad ): "To Allah belong bot h, east and t he west '') and,

(So wherever you t urn (yourselves or your faces) t here is t he Face of Allah (and He is High above, over His Throne)).'' ` Ikrimah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said,

(So wherever you t urn (yourselves or your faces) t here is t he Face of Allah (and He is High above, over His Throne)) means, "Allah's direct ion is wherever you face, east or west .'' Muj ahid said t hat ,

(So wherever you t urn (yourselves or your faces) t here is t he Face of Allah (and He is High above, over His Throne))

means, "Wherever you may be, you have a Qiblah t o face, t hat is, Al-Ka` bah.'' However, it was said t hat Allah sent down t his Ayah before t he order t o face t he Ka` bah. Ibn Jarir said, "Ot hers said t hat t his Ayah was revealed t o t he Messenger of Allah permit t ing t he one praying volunt ary prayers t o face wherever t hey wish in t he east or west , while t raveling, when in fear and when facing t he enemy.'' For inst ance, Ibn ` Umar used t o face what ever direct ion his animal was headed and proclaim t hat t he Messenger of Allah did t he same, explaining t he Ayah,

(So wherever you t urn (yourselves or your faces) t here is t he Face of Allah).'' That Hadit h was also collect ed by Muslim, At -Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i, Ibn Abi Hat im, Ibn Marduwyah, and it s origin is in t he Two Sahihs from Ibn ` Umar and ` Amr bin Rabi` ah wit hout ment ioning t he Ayah. In his Sahih, Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Nafi` said t hat whenever Ibn ` Umar was asked about t he prayer during t imes of fear, he used t o describe it and would t hen say, "When t he sense of fear is worse t han t hat , pray while st anding, or while riding, whet her facing t he Qiblah or not .'' Nafi` t hen said, "I t hink Ibn ` Umar ment ioned t hat from t he Prophet .'' It was also said t hat t he Ayah was revealed about t hose who are unable t o find t he correct direct ion of t he Qiblah in t he dark or due t o cloudy skies and, t hus, prayed in a direct ion ot her t han t he Qiblah by mist ake.

The Qiblah for the People of Al-Madinah is what is between the East and the West
In his Tafsir of t his Ayah (2:115), Al-Hafiz Ibn Marduwyah recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(What is bet ween t he east and t he west is t he Qiblah for t he people of Al-Madinah, Ash-Sham and ` Iraq.) At -Tirmidhi and Ibn Maj ah recorded t his Hadit h wit h t he wording,

(What is bet ween t he east and t he west is a Qiblah.) Ibn Jarir said, "The meaning of Allah's st at ement ;


(Surely, Allah is Sufficient (for His creat ures' needs), Knowing) is t hat Allah encompasses all His Creat ion by providing t hem wit h sufficient needs and by His generosit y and favor. His st at ement ,

(Knowing) means He is knowledgeable of t heir deeds and not hing escapes His wat ch, nor is He unaware of anyt hing. Rat her, His knowledge encompasses everyt hing.''

-
(116. And t hey (Jews, Christ ians and pagans) say: Allah has begot t en a son (children or offspring). Glory is t o Him (Exalt ed is He above all t hat t hey associat e wit h Him). Nay, t o Him belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and on eart h, and all are Qanit un t o Him.) (117. The Originat or of t he heavens and t he eart h. When He decrees a mat t er, He only says t o it : "Be! and it is.)

Refuting the Claim that Allah has begotten a Son

This and t he following Ayat refut e t he Christ ians, may Allah curse t hem, and t heir like among t he Jews and t he Arab idolat ors, who claimed t hat t he angels are Allah's daught ers. Allah refut ed all of t hem in t heir claim t hat He had begot t en a son. Allah said,

(Glory is t o Him.) meaning, He is holier and more perfect t han such claim;

(Nay, t o Him belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and on eart h,) meaning, t he t rut h is not as t he disbelievers claimed, rat her, Allah's is t he kingdom of t he heavens and eart h and what ever and whoever is in, on and bet ween t hem. Allah is t he Supreme Aut horit y in t he heavens and eart h, and He is t he Creat or, Provider and Sust ainer Who decides all t he affairs of t he creat ion as He wills. All creat ures are Allah's servant s and are owned by Him. Therefore, how could one of t hem be His son The son of any being is born out of t wo comparable beings. Allah has no equal or rival sharing His grace and great ness, so how can He have a son when He has no wife Allah said,

(He is t he Originat or of t he heavens and t he eart h. How can He have children when He has no wife He creat ed all t hings and He is t he Knower of everyt hing) (6:101).

- - - - - - -
(And t hey say: "The Most Gracious (Allah) has begot t en a son (offspring or children).'' Indeed you have brought fort h (said) a t errible evil t hing. Whereby t he heavens are almost t orn, and t he eart h is split asunder, and t he mount ains fall in ruins. That t hey ascribe a son (or offspring or children) t o t he Most Gracious (Allah). But it is not suit able for (t he maj est y of) t he Most Gracious (Allah) t hat He should beget a son (or offspring or children). There is none in t he heavens and t he eart h but comes unt o t he Most Gracious (Allah) as a servant . Verily, He knows each one of t hem, and has count ed t hem a full count ing. And everyone of t hem will come t o Him alone on t he Day of Resurrect ion (wit hout any helper, or prot ect or or defender)) (19:8895), and,

 - -
(Say: "He is Allah (t he) One, Allah t he Samad (t he Self- Sufficent , upon whom all depend), He beget s not , nor was He begot t en, and t here is none comparable t o Him.'') (112). In t hese Ayat , Allah st at ed t hat He is t he Supreme Mast er Whom t here is no equal or rival, everyt hing and everyone was creat ed by Him, so how can He have a son from among t hem This is why, in t he Tafsir of t his Ayah, Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Prophet said,

:
(Allah said, ` The son of Adam has denied Me, and t hat is not his right . He has insult ed Me, and t hat is not his right . As for t he denial of Me, he claimed t hat I am unable t o bring him back as he used t o be (resurrect him). As for his insult ing Me, he claimed t hat I have a son. All praise is due t o Me, it is unbefit t ing t hat I should have a wife or a son.') This Hadit h was recorded by Al-Bukhari. It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
e(No one is more pat ient when hearing an insult t han Allah. They at t ribut e a son t o Him, yet He st ill gives t hem sust anence and healt h.)

Everything is within Allah's Grasp

Allah said,


(all are Qanit un t o Him). Ibn Abi Hat im said t hat Abu Sa` id Al-Ashaj informed t hem t hat Asbat informed t hem from Mut arrif, from ` At iyah, from Ibn ` Abbas who said t hat ,

(Qant in) (2:238) means, t hey pray t o Him. ` Ikrimah and Abu Malik also said t hat ,

(and all are Qanit un t o Him.) means, bound t o Him in servit ude t o Him. Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat Qanit un is sincerit y. Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said t hat ,

(all are Qanit un t o Him.) means, "St anding up - before Him - on t he Day of Resurrect ion.'' Also, As-Suddi said t hat ,

(and all are Qanit un t o Him.) means, "Obedient on t he Day of Resurrect ion.'' Khasif said t hat Muj ahid said t hat ,

(and all are Qanit un t o Him. ) means, "Obedient . He says, ` Be a human' and he becomes a human.'' He also said, "(Allah says,) ` Be a donkey' and it becomes a donkey.'' Also, Ibn Abi Naj ih said t hat Muj ahid said t hat ,

(and all are Qanit un t o Him.) means, obedient . Muj ahid also said, "The obedience of t he disbeliever occurs when his shadow prost rat es, while he hat es t hat .'' Muj ahid's st at ement , which Ibn Jarir preferred, combines all t he meanings, and t hat is t hat Qunut means obedience and submission t o Allah. There are t wo cat egories of Qunut : legislat ed and dest ined, for Allah said,


(And unt o Allah (alone) falls in prost rat ion whoever is in t he heavens and t he eart h, willingly or unwillingly, and so do t heir shadows in t he mornings and in t he (lat e) aft ernoons) (13:15).

The Meaning of Bad 299 "

Allah said,

(The Badi` (Originat or) of t he heavens and t he eart h.) which means, He creat ed t hem when not hing resembling t hem exist ed. Muj ahid and As-Suddi said t hat t his is t he linguist ic meaning, for all new mat t ers are called Bid` ah. Muslim recorded t he Messenger of Allah saying,

(...every innovat ion (in religion) is a Bid` ah.) There are t wo t ypes of Bid` ah, religious, as ment ioned in t he Hadit h:

(...every innovat ion is a Bid` ah and every Bid` ah is heresy.) And t here is a linguist ic Bid` ah, such as t he st at ement of t he Leader of t he fait hful ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab when he gat hered t he Muslims t o pray t he Tarawih prayer in congregat ion (which was also an earlier pract ice of t he Prophet ) and said, "What a good Bid` ah t his is.'' Ibn Jarir said, "Thus t he meaning of t he Ayat (2:116-117) becomes, ` Allah is far more glorious t han t o have had a son, for He is t he Owner of everyt hing t hat is in t he heavens and eart h. All t est ify t o His Oneness and t o t heir submissiveness t o Him. He is t heir Creat or and Maker. Wit hout creat ed precedence, He shaped t he creat ures in t heir current shapes. Allah also bears wit ness t o His servant s t hat Jesus, who some claimed t o be Allah's son, is among t hose who t est ify t o His Oneness. Allah st at ed t hat He creat ed t he heavens and eart h out of not hing and wit hout precedent . Likewise, He creat ed Jesus, t he Messiah, wit h His power and wit hout a fat her.'' This explanat ion from Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy upon him, is very good and correct . Allah said,


(When He decrees a mat t er, He only says t o it : "Be! and it is.) t hus, demonst rat ing His perfect ly complet e abilit y and t remendous aut horit y; if He decides a mat t er, He merely orders it t o, ` Be' and it comes int o exist ence. Similarly, Allah said,

(Verily, His command, when He int ends a t hing, is only t hat He says t o it , "Be! (36:82), and it is.)

(Verily, Our Word unt o a t hing when We int end it , is only t hat We say unt o it : "Be! (16:40) and, and it is.)

(And Our commandment is but one as t he t winkling of an eye) (54:50) So Allah informed us t hat He creat ed Jesus by merely saying, "Be!'' and he was, as Allah willed:

(Verily, t he likeness of ` Isa (Jesus) before Allah is t he likeness of Adam. He creat ed him from dust , t hen (He) said t o him: "Be! and he was) (3:59).

(118. And t hose who have no knowledge say: "Why does not Allah speak t o us (face t o face) or why does not a sign come t o us'' So said t he people before t hem words of similar import . Their heart s are alike, We have indeed made plain t he signs for people who believe wit h cert aint y.) Muhammad bin Ishaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Rafi` bin Huraymilah said t o t he Messenger of Allah , "O Muhammad! If you were t ruly a Messenger from Allah, as you claim, t hen ask Allah t o speak t o us direct ly, so t hat we hear His Speech.'' So Allah revealed,

(And t hose who have no knowledge say: "Why does not Allah speak t o us (face t o face) or why does not a sign come t o us'') Abu Al-` Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Qat adah and As-Suddi said t hat it was act ually t he st at ement of t he Arab disbelievers:

(So said t he people before t hem words of similar import . ) He said, "These are t he Jews and t he Christ ians.'' What furt her proves t hat t he Arab idolat ors said t he st at ement ment ioned in t he Ayah is t hat Allah said,

(And when t here comes t o t hem a sign (from Allah) t hey say: "We shall not believe unt il we receive t he like of t hat which t he Messengers of Allah had received.'' Allah knows best wit h whom t o place His Message. Humiliat ion and disgrace from Allah and a severe t orment will overt ake t he criminals (polyt heist s and sinners) for t hat which t hey used t o plot .) (6:124) and


(And t hey say: "We shall not believe in you (O Muhammad ), unt il you cause a spring t o gush fort h from t he eart h for us) unt il,

(Say (O Muhammad ): "Glorified (and Exalt ed) be my Lord (Allah) above all t hat evil t hey (polyt heist s) associat e wit h Him ! Am I anyt hing but a man, sent as a Messenger'') (17:90-93) and,

(And t hose who expect not a meet ing wit h Us (i. e. t hose who deny t he Day of Resurrect ion and t he life of t he Hereaft er) said: "Why are not t he angels sent down t o us, or why do we not see our Lord'') (25:21) and,

(Nay, everyone of t hem desires t hat he should be given pages spread out ) (74:52). There are many ot her Ayat t hat t est ify t o t he disbelief of t he Arab idolat ors, t heir t ransgression, st ubbornness, and t hat t hey asked unnecessary quest ions out of disbelief and arrogance. The st at ement s of t he Arab idolat ors followed t he st at ement s of t he nat ions of t he People of t he Two Script ures and ot her religions before t hem. Allah said,

(The People of t he Script ure (Jews) ask you t o cause a book t o descend upon t hem from heaven. Indeed, t hey asked Musa (Moses) for even great er t han t hat , when t hey said: "Show us Allah in public,'') (4:153) and,

(And (remember) when you said: "O Musa! We shall never believe in you unt il we see Allah plainly.'') (2:55). Allah's st at ement ,

(Their heart s are alike. ) means, t he heart s of t he Arab idolat ors are j ust like t he heart s of t hose before t hem, cont aining disbelief, st ubbornness and inj ust ice. Similarly, Allah said,

(Likewise, no Messenger came t o t hose before t hem but t hey said: "A sorcerer or a madman!'' Have t hey (t he people of t he past ) t ransmit t ed t his saying t o t hese (Quraysh pagans)) (51:5253). Allah said next ,

(We have indeed made plain t he signs for people who believe wit h cert aint y.) meaning, We made t he argument s clear, prooving t he t rut h of t he Messengers, wit h no need of more quest ions or proofs for t hose who believe, follow t he Messengers and comprehend what Allah sent t hem wit h. As for t hose whose heart s and hearing Allah has st amped and whose eyes have been sealed, Allah described t hem:

(Truly, t hose, against whom t he Word (wrat h) of your Lord has been j ust ified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come t o t hem, unt il t hey see t he painful t orment ) (10:96-97).

(119. Verily, We have sent you (O Muhammad ) wit h t he t rut h (Islam), a bringer of glad t idings (for t hose who believe in what you brought , t hat t hey will ent er Paradise) and a warner (for t hose who disbelieve in what you brought , t hat t hey will ent er t he Hellfire). And you will not be asked about t he dwellers of t he blazing Fire.) Allah's st at ement ;

(And you will not be asked about t he dwellers of t he blazing Fire.) means, "We shall not ask you about t he disbelief of t hose who rej ect ed you.'' Similarly, Allah said,

(Your dut y is only t o convey (t he Message) and on Us is t he reckoning.) (13:40)

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(So remind t hem (O Muhammad ) t hem.)(88:21-22) and, you are only one who reminds. You are not a dict at or over

(We know best what t hey say. And you (O Muhammad ) are not t he one t o force t hem (t o belief). But warn by t he Qur'an; him who fears My t hreat ) (50:45). There are many ot her similar Ayat .

The Description of the Prophet in the Tawrah

Imam Ahmad recorded ` At a' bin Yasar saying t hat he met ` Abdullah bin ` Amr bin Al-` As and said t o him, "Tell me about t he descript ion of t he Messenger of Allah in t he Torah.'' He said, "Yes, by Allah, he is described by t he Torah wit h t he same charact erist ics t hat he is described wit h in t he Qur'an wit h: ` O Prophet ! We have sent you as a wit ness, a bringer of good news, a warner, and as safe refuge for t he unlet t ered people. You are My servant and Messenger. I have called you t he Mut awakkil (who depends and relies on Allah for each and everyt hing). You are not harsh, nor hard, nor obnoxious in t he bazaars. He does not reward t he evil deed wit h an evil deed. Rat her, he forgives and pardons. Allah will not bring his life t o an end, unt il he st raight ens t he wicked's religion by his hands so t hat t he people proclaim: There is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah. By his hands, Allah will open blind eyes, deaf ears and sealed heart s.''' This was recorded by Al-Bukhari only.

-
(120. Never will t he Jews nor t he Christ ians be pleased wit h you (O Muhammad ) t ill you follow t heir religion. Say: "Verily, t he guidance of Allah (i.e. Islamic Monot heism) t hat is t he (only) guidance. And if you (O Muhammad ) were t o follow t heir (Jews and Christ ians) desires aft er what you have received of Knowledge (i.e. t he Qur'an), t hen you would have against Allah neit her any Wali (prot ect or or guardian) nor any helper.) (121. Those t o whom we gave t he Book recit e it as it should be recit ed (Yat lunahu Haqqa Tilawat ihi) t hey are t he ones who believe t herein. And whoso disbelieve in it , t hose are t hey who are t he losers.) Ibn Jarir said, "Allah said,

(Never will t he Jews nor t he Christ ians be pleased wit h you (O Muhammad ) t ill you follow t heir religion.) meaning, ` The Jews and t he Christ ians will never be happy wit h you, O Muhammad! Therefore, do not seek what pleases or appeases t hem, and st ick t o what pleases Allah by calling t hem t o t he t rut h t hat Allah sent you wit h.' Allah's st at ement ,

(Say: "Verily, t he guidance of Allah (i.e. Islamic Monot heism) t hat is t he (only) guidance'') emeans, ` Say, O Muhammad , t he guidance of Allah t hat He sent me wit h is t he t rue guidance, meaning t he st raight , perfect and comprehensive religion.''' Qat adah said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(Say: "Verily, t he guidance of Allah (i.e. Islamic Monot heism) t hat is t he (only) guidance) is, "A t rue argument t hat Allah t aught Muhammad and his Companions and which t hey used against t he people of misguidance.'' Qat adah said, "We were t old t hat t he Messenger of Allah used t o say,

(There will always be a group of my Ummah fight ing upon t he t rut h, having t he upper hand, not harmed by t heir opponent s, unt il t he decree of Allah (t he Last Hour) comes.) This Hadit h was collect ed in t he Sahih and narrat ed from ` Abdullah bin ` Amr.

(And if you (O Muhammad ) were t o follow t heir (Jews and Christ ians) desires aft er what you have received of Knowledge (i.e. t he Qur'an), t hen you would have against Allah neit her any Wali (prot ect or or guardian) nor any helper.) This Ayah carries a st ern warning for t he Muslim Ummah against imit at ing t he ways and met hods of t he Jews and Christ ians, aft er t hey have acquired knowledge of t he Qur'an and Sunnah, may Allah grant us refuge from t his behavior. Alt hough t he speech in t his Ayah was direct ed at t he Messenger , t he ruling of which applies t o his ent ire Ummah.

The Meaning of Correct Tilawah

Allah said,

(Those t o whom We gave t he Book. Yat lunahu Haqqan Tilawat ih.) ` Abdur-Razzaq said from Ma` mar, from Qat adah, "They are t he Jews and Christ ians.'' This is t he opinion of ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam, and it was also chosen by Ibn Jarir. Sa` id report ed from Qat adah, "They are t he Companions of t he Messenger of Allah .'' Abu Al-` Aliyah said t hat Ibn Mas` ud said, "By He in Whose Hand is my soul! The right Tilawah is allowing what it makes lawful, prohibit ing what it makes unlawful, recit ing it as it was revealed by Allah, not changing t he words from t heir places, and not int erpret ing it wit h ot her t han it s act ual int erpret at ion.'' As-Suddi report ed from Abu Malik from Ibn ` Abbas who said about t his Ayah (2:121): "They make lawful what it allows and t hey prohibit what it makes unlawful, and t hey do not alt er it s wordings.'' ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab said, "They are t hose who when t hey recit e an Ayah t hat ment ions mercy, t hey ask Allah for it , and when t hey recit e an Ayah t hat ment ions t orment , t hey seek refuge wit h Allah from it .'' This meaning was at t ribut ed t o t he Prophet , for when he used t o recit e an Ayah of mercy, he invoked Allah for mercy, and when he recit ed an Ayah of t orment , he sought refuge from it wit h Allah. Allah's st at ement ,

(t hey are t he ones who believe t herein) explains t he Ayah,

(Those t o whom We gave t he Book. Yat lunahu Haqqa Tilawat ihi). These Ayat mean, "Those among t he People of t he Book who perfect ly adhered t o t he Books t hat were revealed t o t he previous Prophet s, will believe in what I have sent you wit h, O Muhammad!'' Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And if only t hey had act ed according t o t he Tawrah, t he Inj il, and what has (now) been sent down t o t hem from t heir Lord (t he Qur'an), t hey would surely, have got t en provision from above t hem and from underneat h t heir feet .) (5:66). The Ayah,


(Say (O Muhammad ) "O People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians)! You have not hing (as regards guidance) t ill you act according t o t he Tawrah, t he Inj il, and what has (now) been sent down t o you from your Lord (t he Qur'an).'') means, "If you adhere t o t he Torah and t he Gospel in t he correct manner, believe in t hem as you should, and believe in t he news t hey carry about Muhammad's prophet hood, his descript ion and t he command t o follow, aid and support him, t hen t his will direct you t o adhere t o t rut h and right eousness in t his life and t he Hereaft er.'' In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(Those who follow t he Messenger, t he Prophet who can neit her read nor writ e (i.e. Muhammad ) whom t hey find writ t en wit h t hem in t he Tawrah and t he Inj il.) (7:157) and,

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(Say (O Muhammad t o t hem): "Believe in it (t he Qur'an) or do not believe (in it ). Verily, t hose who were given knowledge before it , when it is recit ed t o t hem, fall down on t heir faces in humble prost rat ion. And t hey say: "Glory be t o our Lord! Truly, t he promise of our Lord must be fulfilled.'') (17:107-108). These Ayat indicat e t hat what Allah promised for Muhammad will cert ainly occur. Allah also said,

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(Those t o whom We gave t he Script ure (i. e. t he Tawrah and t he Inj il) before it , t hey believe in it (t he Qur'an). And when it is recit ed t o t hem, t hey say: "We believe in it . Verily, it is t he t rut h from our Lord. Indeed even before it we have been from t hose who submit t hemselves t o Allah in Islam as Muslims. These will be given t heir reward t wice over, because t hey are pat ient , and repel evil wit h good, and spend (in charit y) out of what We have provided t hem.) (28:52-54) and,

(And say t o t hose who were given t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) and t o t hose who are illit erat es (Arab pagans): "Do you (also) submit yourselves (t o Allah in Islam)'' If t hey do, t hey are right ly guided; but if t hey t urn away, your dut y is only t o convey t he Message; and Allah is t he Seer of (His) servant s) (3:20). Allah said,

(And whoever disbelieves in it (t he Qur'an), t hose are t hey who are t he losers), j ust as He said in anot her Ayah,

(But t hose of t he sect s (Jews, Christ ians and all t he ot her non-Muslim nat ions) t hat rej ect it (t he Qur'an), t he Fire will be t heir promised meet ing place) (11:17). As recorded in t he Sahih, t he Prophet said,


(By He in Whose Hand is my soul! There is no member of t his Ummah (mankind and Jinns), Jew or a Christ ian, who hears of me, yet does not believe in me, but will ent er t he Fire.)

(122. O Children of Israel! Remember My favor which I best owed upon you and t hat I preferred you over t he nat ions).) (123. And fear t he Day (of Judgement ) when no person shall avail anot her, nor shall compensat ion be accept ed from him, nor shall int ercession be of use t o him, nor shall t hey be helped.) We ment ioned a similar Ayah at t he beginning of t his Surah, and it is ment ioned here t o emphisize t he import ance of following t he Ummi Prophet and Messenger, who is described for t he People of t he Script ures in t heir Books by his charact erist ics, name, t he good news about him and t he descript ion of his Ummah. Allah warned t hem against concealing t his informat ion, which is among t he favors t hat Allah grant ed t hem. Allah also commanded t hem t o remember t heir daily life and t heir religious affairs and how He blessed t hem. They should not envy t heir cousins, t he Arabs, for what Allah has given t hem, t he Final Messenger of Allah being an Arab. Envy should not incit e t hem t o oppose or deny t he Prophet or refrain from following him, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him unt il t he Day of Judgment .

(124. And (remember) when t he Lord of Ibrahim (Abraham) t ried him wit h (cert ain) commands, which he fulfilled. He (Allah) said (t o him), "Verily, I am going t o make you an Imam (a leader)

for mankind (t o follow you).'' (Ibrahim) said, "And of my offspring (t o make leaders).'' (Allah) said, "My covenant (prophet hood) includes not Zalimin (polyt heist s and wrongdoers).'')

Ibrahim Al-Khalil was an Imam for the People

Allah is informing us of t he honor of Ibrahim Al-Khalil, who He made an Imam for t he people, and a model t o be imit at ed, because of t he way he conduct ed himself and adhered t o Tawhid. This honor was given t o Prophet Ibrahim when he adhered t o Allah's decisions and prohibit ions. This is why Allah said,

(And (remember) when t he Lord of Ibrahim (i.e., Allah) t ried him wit h (cert ain) commands). This Ayah means, O Muhammad! Remind t he idolat ors and t he People of t he Script ures, who pret end t o be followers of t he religion of Ibrahim, while in realit y t hey do not follow it , while you, O Muhammad, and your followers are t he t rue followers of his religion; remind t hem of t he commands and prohibit ions t hat Allah t est ed Ibrahim wit h.

(which he fulfilled.) indicat ing t hat Ibrahim implement ed all of Allah's orders. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And of Ibrahim (Abraham) who fulfilled (or conveyed) all t hat (Allah ordered him t o do or convey)) (53:37) meaning, he was t rut hful and he was obedient t o Allah's legislat ion. Also, Allah said,

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(Verily, Ibrahim was an Ummah (or a nat ion), obedient t o Allah, Hanif (i.e. t o worship none but Allah), and he was not one of t hose who were Al-Mushrikin (polyt heist s), (He was) t hankful for His (Allah's) favors. He (Allah) chose him and guided him t o a st raight pat h. And We gave him good in t his world, and in t he Hereaft er he shall be of t he right eous. Then, We have sent t he revelat ion t o you (O Muhammad saying): "Follow t he religion of Ibrahim Hanif (Islamic Monot heism t o worship none but Allah) and he was not of t he Mushrikin.) (16:120-123)

(Say (O Muhammad ): "Truly, my Lord has guided me t o a st raight pat h, a right religion, t he religion of Ibrahim, Hanifan, and Ibrahim (t o worship none but Allah, alone) and he was not of Al-Mushrikin.'') (6:161) and,

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(Ibrahim was neit her a Jew nor a Christ ian, but he was a t rue Muslim Hanifan (Islamic Monot heism t o worship none but Allah alone) and he was not of Al-Mushrikin. Verily, among mankind who have t he best claim t o Ibrahim are t hose who followed him, and t his Prophet (Muhammad ) and t hose who have believed (Muslims). And Allah is t he Wali (Prot ect or and Helper) of t he believers) (3:67-68). Allah said,

(wit h Kalimat (words)) which means, "Laws, commandment s and prohibit ions.'' ` Words' as ment ioned here, somet imes refers t o what Allah has willed, such as Allah's st at ement about Maryam,

(And she t est ified t o t he t rut h of t he Words of her Lord, and (also believed in) His Script ures, and she was of t he Qanit in (i.e. obedient t o Allah)) (66:12). "Words'' also refers t o Allah's Law, such as Allah's st at ement ,

(And t he Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in t rut h and in j ust ice) (6:115) meaning, His legislat ion. "Words'' also means t rut hful news, or a j ust commandment or prohibit ion. For inst ance, Allah said,

(And (remember) when t he Lord of Ibrahim t ried him wit h (cert ain) Words (commands), which he fulfilled) meaning, he adhered t o t hem, Allah said,

("Verily, I am going t o make you an Imam (a leader) for mankind (t o follow you).'') as a reward for Ibrahim's good deeds, adhering t o t he commandment s and avoiding t he prohibit ions. This is why Allah made Ibrahim a role model for t he people, and an Imam whose conduct and pat h are imit at ed and followed.

What were the Words that Ibrahim was tested with

There is a difference of opinion over t he words t hat Allah t est ed Ibrahim wit h. There are several opinions at t ribut ed t o Ibn ` Abbas. For inst ance, ` Abdur-Razzaq said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Allah t est ed him wit h t he rit uals (of Haj j ).'' Abu Ishaq report ed t he same. ` Abdur-Razzaq also narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(And (remember) when t he Lord of Ibrahim (Abraham) (i.e., Allah) t ried him wit h (cert ain) commands) means, "Allah t est ed him wit h Taharah (purit y, ablut ion): five on t he head and five on t he body. As for t he head, t hey are cut t ing t he must ache, rinsing t he mout h, inhaling and discarding wat er, using Siwak and part ing t he hair. As for t he body, t hey are t rimming t he nails, shaving t he pubic hair, circumcision and plucking under t he arm and washing wit h wat er aft er answering t he call of nat ure.'' Ibn Abi Hat im said, "A similar st at ement was also report ed from Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib, Muj ahid, Ash-Sha` bi, An-Nakha` i, Abu Salih, Abu Al-Jald, and so fort h.''

There is a similar st at ement t hat Imam Muslim narrat ed from ` A'ishah who said t hat Allah's Messenger said,

:
(Ten are among t he Fit rah (inst inct , nat ural const it ut ion): t rimming t he must ache, growing t he beard, using Siwak, inhaling and t hen exhaling wat er (in ablut ion), cut t ing t he nails, washing bet ween t he fingers (in ablut ion), plucking t he underarm hair, shaving t he pubic hair, washing wit h wat er aft er answering t he call of nat ure, (and I forgot t he t ent h, I t hink it was) rinsing t he mout h (in ablut ion).) The Two Sahihs recorded Abu Hurayrah saying t hat t he Prophet said,

:
(Five are among t he act s of Fit rah: circumcision, shaving t he pubic hair, t rimming t he must ache, cut t ing t he nails and plucking t he underarm hair.) This is t he wording wit h Muslim. Muhammad bin Ishaq report d t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The words t hat Allah t est ed Ibrahim wit h, and t hat he implement ed were: abandoning his (disbelieving) people when Allah commanded him t o do so, disput ing wit h Nimrod (king of Babylon) about Allah, being pat ient when he was t hrown in t he fire (alt hough t his was ext remely t raumat ic) migrat ing from his homeland when Allah commanded him t o do so, pat ience wit h t he monet ary and mat erial demands of host ing guest s by Allah's command, and Allah's order for him t o slaught er his son. When Allah t est ed Ibrahim wit h t hese words, and he was ready for t he maj or t est , Allah said t o him,

("Submit (be a Muslim)!'' He said, "I have submit t ed myself (as a Muslim) t o t he Lord of all t hat exist s. '') (2:131) alt hough t his meant defying and being apart from t he people.''

The Unjust do not qualify for Allah's Promise

Allah said t hat Ibrahim said,


(And of my offspring (t o make leaders)) and Allah replied,

(My covenant (prophet hood) includes not Zalimin (polyt heist s and wrongdoers)). When Allah made Ibrahim an Imam (Leader for t he fait hful), he asked Allah t hat Imams t hereaft er be chosen from his offspring. Allah accept ed his supplicat ion, but t old him t hat t here will be unj ust people among his offspring and t hey will not benefit from Allah's promise. Thus, t hey will neit her become Imams nor be imit at ed (for t hey will not be right eous). The proof t hat Ibrahim's supplicat ion t o Allah was accept ed is t hat Allah said in Surat Al-` Ankabut (29:27),

(And We ordained among his offspring prophet hood and t he Book). Hence, every Prophet whom Allah sent aft er Ibrahim were from among his offspring, and every Book t hat Allah revealed was t o t hem. As for Allah's st at ement ,

((Allah) said, "My covenant (prophet hood) includes not Zalimin (polyt heist s and wrongdoers). '') Allah ment ioned t hat t here are unj ust people among t he offspring of Ibrahim, and t hey will not benefit from Allah's promise, nor would t hey be ent rust ed wit h anyt hing, even t hough t hey are among t he children of Allah's Khalil (int imat e friend, Prophet Abraham). There will also be t hose who do good among t he children of Ibrahim, and t hese it is who will benefit from Ibrahim's supplicat ion. Ibn Jarir said t hat t his Ayah indicat ed t hat t he unj ust shall not be Imams for t he people. Moreover, t he Ayah informed Ibrahim t hat t here will be unj ust people among his offspring. Also, Ibn Khuwayz Mindad Al-Maliki said, "The unj ust person does not qualify t o be a Khalifah, a ruler, one who gives religious verdict s, a wit ness, or even a narrat or (of Hadit hs).''

(125. And (remember) when We made t he House (t he Ka` bah at Makkah) a place of resort for mankind and a place of safet y. And t ake you (people) t he Maqam (place) of Ibrahim (or t he st one on which Ibrahim as a place)

The Virtue of Allah's House

Al-` Awfi report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(And (remember) when We made t he House (t he Ka` bah at Makkah) a place of resort for mankind) "They do not remain in t he House, t hey only visit it and ret urn t o t heir homes, and t hen visit it again.'' Also, Abu Ja` far Ar-Razi narrat ed from Ar-Rabi` bin Anas from Abu Al` Aliyah who said t hat ,

(And (remember) when We made t he House (t he Ka` bah at Makkah) a place of resort for mankind and a place of safet y) means, "Safe from enemies and armed conflict . During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, t he people were oft en vict ims of raids and kidnapping, while t he people in t he area surrounding it (Al-Masj id Al-Haram) were safe and not subj ect t o kidnapping.'' Also, Muj ahid, ` At a', As-Suddi, Qat adah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas were report ed t o have said t hat t he Ayah (2:125) means, "Whoever ent ers it shall be safe.'' This Ayah indicat es t hat Allah honored t he Sacred House, which Allah made as a safe refuge and safe haven. Therefore, t he souls are eager, but never bored, t o conduct short visit s t o t he House, even every year. This is because Allah accept ed t he supplicat ion of His Khalil, Ibrahim, when he asked Allah t o make t he heart s of people eager t o visit t he House. Ibrahim said (14:40),

(Our Lord! And accept my invocat ion).

Allah described the House as a safe resort and refuge, for those who visit it are safe, even if they had committed acts of evil. This honor comes from the honor of the person who built it first, Khalil Ar-Rahman, just as Allah said,

(And (remember) when We showed Ibrahim t he sit e of t he (Sacred) House (t he Ka` bah at Makkah) (saying): "Associat e not anyt hing (in worship) wit h Me...'') (22:26) and,

(Verily, t he first House (of worship) appoint ed for mankind was t hat at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and a guidance for Al-` Alamin (mankind and Jinn). In it are manifest signs (for example), t he Maqam (place) of Ibrahim; whosoever ent ers it , he at t ains securit y) (3:96-97). The last honorable Ayah emphasized t he honor of Ibrahim's Maqam, and t he inst ruct ion t o pray next t o it ,

(And t ake you (people) t he Maqam (place) of Ibrahim as a place of prayer). The Maqam of Ibrahim Sufyan At h-Thawri report ed t hat Sa` id bin Jubayr comment ed on t he Ayah,

(And t ake you (people) t he Maqam (place) of Ibrahim as a place of prayer) "The st one (Maqam) is t he st anding place of Ibrahim, Allah's Prophet , and a mercy from Allah. Ibrahim st ood on t he st one, while Isma` il was handing him t he st ones (const ruct ing t he Ka` bah).''As-Suddi said, "The Maqam of Ibrahim is a st one which Isma` il's wife put under Ibrahim's feet when washing his head." Al-Qurt ubi ment ioned t his, but he considered it unaut hent ic, alt hough ot hers gave it prefrence, Ar-Razi report ed it in his Tafsir from Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Qat adah, and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Ibn Abi Hat im report ed t hat Jabir, describing t he Haj j (pilgrimage) of t he Prophet said, "When t he Prophet performed Tawaf, ` Umar asked him, ` Is t his t he Maqam of our fat her' He said, ` Yes.' ` Umar said, ` Should we t ake it a place of prayer' So Allah revealed,

(And t ake you (people) t he Maqam (place) of Ibrahim (Abraham) as a place of prayer.'') Al-Bukhari said, "Chapt er: Allah's st at ement ,


(And t ake you (people) t he Maqam (place) of Ibrahim (Abraham) as a place of prayer) meaning, t hey ret urn t o it repeat edly.'' He t hen narrat ed t hat Anas bin Malik said t hat ` Umar bin AlKhat t ab said, "I agreed wit h my Lord, or my Lord agreed wit h me, regarding t hree mat t ers. I said, ` O Messenger of Allah! I wish you t ake t he Maqam of Ibrahim a place for prayer.' The Ayah,

(And t ake you (people) t he Maqam (place) of Ibrahim (Abraham)) was revealed. I also said, ` O Messenger of Allah! The right eous and t he wicked ent er your house. I wish you would command t he Mot hers of t he believers (t he Prophet 's wives) t o wear Hij ab. Allah sent down t he Ayah t hat required t he Hij ab. And when I knew t hat t he Prophet was angry wit h some of his wives, I came t o t hem and said, ` Eit her you st op what you are doing, or Allah will endow His Messenger wit h bet t er women t han you are.' I advised one of his wives and she said t o me, ` O ` Umar! Does t he Messenger of Allah not know how t o advise his wives, so t hat you have t o do t he j ob inst ead of him' Allah t hen revealed,

(It may be if he divorced you (all) t hat his Lord will give him inst ead of you, wives bet t er t han you, Muslims (who submit t o Allah)).'' (66:5) Also, Ibn Jarir narrat ed t hat Jabir said, "Aft er t he Messenger of Allah kissed t he Black St one, he went around t he house t hree t imes in a fast pace and four t imes in a slow pace. He t hen went t o Maqam of Ibrahim, wit h it bet ween him and t he House, and prayed t wo Rak` ahs.'' This is part of t he long Hadit h t hat Muslim recorded in Sahih. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` Amr bin Dinar said t hat he heard Ibn ` Umar say, "The Messenger of Allah performed Tawaf around t he House seven t imes and t hen prayed t wo Rak` ahs behind t he Maqam.'' All t hese t ext s indicat e t hat t he Maqam is t he st one t hat Ibrahim was st anding on while building t he House. As t he House's walls became higher, Isma` il brought his fat her a st one, so t hat he could st and on it , while Isma` il handed him t he st ones. Ibrahim would place t he st ones on t he wall, and whenever he finished one side, he would move t o t he next side, t o complet e t he building all around. Ibrahim kept repeat ing t his unt il he finished building t he House, as we will describe when we explain t he st ory of Ibrahim and Isma` il and how t hey built t he House, as narrat ed from Ibn ` Abbas and collect ed by Al-Bukhari. Ibrahim's foot print s were st ill visible in t he st one, and t he Arabs knew t his fact during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah. This is why Abu Talib said in his poem known as ` Al-Lamiyyah', "And Ibrahim's foot print wit h his bare feet on t he st one is st ill visible.'' The Muslims also saw Ibrahim's foot print s on t he st one, as Anas bin Malik said, "I saw t he Maqam wit h t he print of Ibrahim's t oes and feet st ill visible in it , but t he foot print s dissipat ed because of t he people rubbing t he st one wit h t heir hands.''

Earlier, t he Maqam was placed close t o t he Ka` bah's wall. In t he present t ime, t he Maqam is placed next t o Al-Hij r on t he right side of t hose ent ering t hrough t he door. When Ibrahim finished building t he House, he placed t he st one next t o t he wall of Al-Ka` bah. Or, when t he House was finished being built , Ibrahim j ust left t he st one where it was last st anding, and he was commanded t o pray next t o t he st one when he finished t he Tawaf (circumambulat ing). It is underst andable t hat t he Maqam of Ibrahim would st and where t he building of t he House ended. The Leader of t he fait hful ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab, one of t he Four Right ly Guided Caliphs whom we were commanded t o emulat e, moved t he st one away from t he Ka` bah's wall during his reign. ` Umar is one of t he t wo men, whom t he Messenger of Allah described when he said,

(Imit at e t he t wo men who will come aft er me: Abu Bakr and ` Umar.) ` Umar was also t he person whom t he Qur'an agreed wit h regarding praying next t o Maqam of Ibrahim. This is why none among t he Companions rej ect ed it when he moved it . ` Abdur-Razzaq report ed from Ibn Jurayj from ` At a', "` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab moved t he Maqam back.'' Also, ` Abdur-Razzaq narrat ed t hat Muj ahid said t hat ` Umar was t he first person who moved t he Maqam back t o where it is now st anding.'' Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr, Ahmad bin ` Ali bin AlHusayn Al-Bayhaqi recorded ` A'ishah saying, "During t he t ime of t he Messenger of Allah and Abu Bakr, t he Maqam was right next t o t he House. ` Umar moved t he Maqam during his reign.'' This Hadit h has an aut hent ic chain of narrat ion. i

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(125. And We commanded Ibrahim (Abraham) and Isma` il (Ishmael) t hat t hey should purify My House (t he Ka` bah at Makkah) for t hose who are circumambulat ing it , or st aying (I` t ikaf), or bowing or prost rat ing t hemselves (t here, in prayer).) (126. And (remember) when Ibrahim said, "My Lord, make t his cit y (Makkah) a place of securit y and provide it s people wit h fruit s, such of t hem as believe in Allah and t he Last Day.'' He (Allah) answered: "As for him who disbelieves, I shall leave him in cont ent ment for a while, t hen I shall compel him t o t he t orment of t he Fire, and worst indeed is t hat dest inat ion!'') (127. And (remember) when Ibrahim and (his son) Isma` il were raising t he foundat ions of t he House (t he Ka` bah at Makkah), (saying), "Our Lord! Accept (t his service) from us. Verily, You are t he Hearer, t he Knower.'') (128. "Our Lord! And make us submissive unt o You and of our offspring a nat ion submissive unt o You, and show us our Manasik, and accept our repent ance. Truly, You are t he One Who accept s repent ance, t he Most Merciful.)

The Command to purify the House

Al-Hasan Al-Basri said t hat ,

(And We gave Our 'Ahd (command) t o Ibrahim and Isma` il) means, "Allah ordered t hem t o purify it from all filt h and impurit ies, of which none should ever t ouch it .'' Also, Ibn Jurayj said, "I said t o ` At a', ` What is Allah's ` Ahd' He said, ` His command.''' Also, Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah,

(t hat t hey should purify My House (t he Ka` bah) for t hose who are circumambulat ing it , or st aying (I` t ikaf)) "Purify it from t he idols.'' Furt her, Muj ahid and Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat ,

(purify My House for t hose who are circumambulat ing it ) means, "From t he idols, sexual act ivit y, false wit ness and sins of all kinds.''

Allah said,

(for t hose who are performing Tawaf (circumambulat ing) it ). The Tawaf around t he House is a well-est ablished rit ual, Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat ,

(for t hose who are circumambulat ing it ) means, st rangers (he means who do not live in Makkah), while;

(or st aying (I` t ikaf)) is about t hose who live in t he area of t he Sacred House. Also, Qat adah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said t hat I` t ikaf is in reference t o t hose who live in t he area of t he House, j ust as Sa` id bin Jubayr st at ed. Allah said,

(or bowing or prost rat ing t hemselves (t here, in prayer)) Ibn ` Abbas said, when it is a place of prayer it includes t hose who are described as bowing and prost rat ing t hemselves. Also, ` At a' and Qat adah offered t he same Tafsir. Purifying all Masj ids is required according t o t his Ayah and according t o Allah's st at ement ,

(In houses (mosques) which Allah has ordered t o be raised (t o be cleaned, and t o be honored), in t hem His Name is remembered (i.e. Adhan, Iqamah, Salah, invocat ions, recit at ion of t he Qur'an). Therein glorify Him (Allah) in t he mornings and in t he (lat e) aft ernoons) (24:36). There are many Hadit hs t hat give a general order for purifying t he Masj ids and keeping filt h and impurit ies away from t hem. This is why t he Prophet said,


(The Masj ids are est ablished for t he purpose t hat t hey were built for (i. e. worshipping Allah alone).) I have collect ed a book on t his subj ect , and all praise is due t o Allah.

Makkah is a Sacred Area

Allah said,

(And (remember) when Ibrahim said, "My Lord, make t his cit y (Makkah) a place of securit y and provide it s people wit h fruit s, such of t hem as believe in Allah and t he Last Day.'') Imam Abu Ja` far bin Jarir At -Tabari narrat ed t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Ibrahim made Allah's House a Sacred Area and a safe refuge. I have made what is bet ween t he t wo sides of Al-Madinah a Sacred Area. Therefore, it s game should not be hunt ed, and it s t rees should not be cut .) An-Nasa'i and Muslim also recorded t his Hadit h. There are several ot her Hadit hs t hat indicat e t hat Allah made Makkah a sacred area before He creat ed t he heavens and eart h. The Two Sahihs recorded ` Abdullah bin ` Abbas saying t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: :
(Allah has made t his cit y a sanct uary (sacred place) t he Day He creat ed t he heavens and eart h. Therefore, it is a sanct uary unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion because Allah made it a sanct uary. It was not legal for anyone t o fight in it before me, and it was legal for me for a few hours of one day. Therefore, it is a sanct uary unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion, because Allah made it a sanct uary. None is allowed t o uproot it s t horny shrubs, or t o chase it s game, or t o pick up somet hing t hat has fallen, except by a person who announces it publicly, nor should any of it s t rees be cut .) Al-` Abbas said, ` O Messenger of Allah! Except t he lemon-grass, for our goldsmit hs and for our graves.' The Prophet added, (Except lemon-grass.) This is t he wording of Muslim. The Two Sahihs also recorded Abu Hurayrah narrat ing a similar Hadit h, while Al-Bukhari recorded a similar Hadit h from Safiyyah bint Shaybah who narrat ed it from t he Prophet . Abu Shurayh Al-` Adawi said t hat he said t o ` Amr bin Sa` id while he was sending armies t o Makkah, "O Commander! Let me narrat e a Hadit h t hat t he Messenger of Allah said t he day t hat followed t he vict ory of Makkah. My ears heard t he Hadit h, my heart comprehended it , and my eyes saw t he Prophet when he said it . He t hanked Allah and praised him and t hen said,

 :
(Allah, not t he people, made Makkah a sanct uary, so any person who has belief in Allah and t he Last Day, should neit her shed blood in it nor should he cut down it s t rees. If anybody argues t hat fight ing in it is permissible on t he basis t hat Allah's Messenger fought in Makkah, say t o him, ` Allah allowed His Messenger and did not allow you.' Allah allowed me only for a few hours on t hat day (of t he Conquest ), and t oday it s sanct it y is valid as it was before. So, t hose who are present should inform t hose who are absent (concerning t his fact ).) Abu Shurayh was asked, ` What did ` Amr reply' He said, (` Amr said) ` O Abu Shurayh! I know bet t er t han you about t his, t he Sacred House does not give prot ect ion t o a sinner, a murderer or a t hief.' This Hadit h was collect ed by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. Aft er t his, t here is no cont radict ion bet ween t he Hadit hs t hat st at ed t hat Allah made Makkah a sanct uary when He creat ed t he heavens and eart h and t he Hadit hs t hat Ibrahim made it a sanct uary, since Ibrahim conveyed Allah's decree t hat Makkah is a sanct uary, before he built t he House. Similarly, t he Messenger of Allah was writ t en as t he Final Prophet when Adam was st ill clay. Yet , Ibrahim said,

(Our Lord! Send amongst t hem a Messenger of t heir own) (2: 129). Allah accept ed Ibrahim's supplicat ion, alt hough He had full knowledge beforehand t hat it will occur by His decree. To furt her elaborat e on t his subj ect , we should ment ion t he Hadit h about what t he Messenger of Allah said when he was asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Tell us about how your prophet hood st art ed.'' He said,


(I am t he supplicat ion of my fat her Ibrahim, t he good news of Jesus, t he son of Mary, and my mot her saw a light t hat radiat ed from her which illuminat ed t he cast les of Ash-Sham (Syria).) In t his Hadit h, t he Companions asked t he Messenger about t he beginning of his prophet hood. We will explain t his mat t er lat er, if Allah wills

Ibrahim invokes Allah to make Makkah an Area of Safety and Sustenance

Allah said t hat Ibrahim said,

(My Lord, make t his cit y (Makkah) a place of securit y) (2:126) from t error, so t hat it s people do not suffer from fear. Allah accept ed Ibrahim's supplicat ion. Allah said,

(Whosoever ent ers it , he at t ains securit y) (3:97) and,

(Have t hey not seen t hat We have made (Makkah) a secure sanct uary, while men are being snat ched away from all around t hem) (29:67). We have already ment ioned t he Hadit hs t hat prohibit fight ing in t he Sacred Area. Muslim recorded t hat Jabir said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(No one is allowed t o carry weapons in Makkah.) Allah ment ioned t hat Ibrahim said,


(My Lord, make t his cit y (Makkah) a place of securit y) meaning, make t his a safe cit y. This occurred before t he Ka` bah was built . Allah said in Surat Ibrahim,

(And (remember) when Ibrahim said, "My Lord! Make t his cit y (Makkah) one of peace and securit y...'') (14:35) as here, Ibrahim supplicat ed a second t ime aft er t he House was built and it s people lived around it , aft er Ishaq who was t hirt een years Isma` il's j unior was born. This is why at t he end of his supplicat ion, Ibrahim said here,

(All t he praises and t hanks be t o Allah, Who has given me in old age Isma` il (Ishmael) and Ishaq (Isaac). Verily, my Lord is indeed t he Hearer of invocat ions) (14:39). Allah said next ,

("...and provide it s people wit h fruit s, such of t hem as believe in Allah and t he Last Day.'' He (Allah) answered: "As for him who disbelieves, I shall leave him in cont ent ment for a while, t hen I shall compel him t o t he t orment of t he Fire, and worst indeed is t hat dest inat ion!'') Ibn Jarir said t hat Ubayy bin Ka` b comment ed on,

(He answered: "As for him who disbelieves, I shall leave him in cont ent ment for a while, t hen I shall compel him t o t he t orment of t he Fire, and worst indeed is t hat dest inat ion!'') "These are

Allah's Words (meaning not Ibrahim's)'' This is also t he Tafsir of Muj ahid and ` Ikrimah. Furt hermore, Ibn Abi Hat im narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(My Lord, make t his cit y (Makkah) a place of securit y and provide it s people wit h fruit s, such of t hem as believe in Allah and t he Last Day.) "Ibrahim asked Allah t o grant sust enance for t he believers only. However, Allah revealed, ` I will also provide for t he disbelievers, j ust as I shall provide for t he believers. Would I creat e somet hing and not sust ain and provide for I shall allow t he disbelievers lit t le delight , and t hen force t hem t o t he t orment of t he Fire, and what an evil dest inat ion.'' Ibn ` Abbas t hen recit ed,

(On each t hese as well as t hose We best ow from t he bount ies of your Lord. And t he bount ies of your Lord can never be forbidden) (17:20). This was recorded by Ibn Marduwyah, who also recorded similar st at ement s from ` Ikrimah and Muj ahid. Similarly, Allah said,

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(Verily, t hose who invent a lie against Allah will never be successful. (A brief) enj oyment in t his world! And t hen unt o Us will be t heir ret urn, t hen We shall make t hem t ast e t he severest t orment because t hey used t o disbelieve.) (10:69-70),

(And whoever disbelieves, let not his disbelief grieve you (O Muhammad ). To Us is t heir ret urn, and We shall inform t hem what t hey have done. Verily, Allah is t he Knower of what is in t he breast s (of men). We let t hem enj oy for a lit t le while, t hen in t he end We shall oblige t hem t o (ent er) a great t orment .) (31:23-24) and,

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(And were it not t hat mankind would have become of one communit y (all disbelievers desiring worldly life only), We would have provided for t hose who disbelieve in t he Most Gracious (Allah), silver roofs for t heir houses, and elevat ors whereby t hey ascend. And for t heir houses, doors (of silver), and t hrones (of silver) on which t hey could recline. And adornment s of gold. Yet all t his would have been not hing but an enj oyment of t his world. And t he Hereaft er wit h your Lord is (only) for t he Mut t aqin (t he pious).) (43:33-35). Allah said next ,

(Then I shall compel him t o t he t orment of t he Fire, and worst indeed is t hat dest inat ion!) meaning, "Aft er t he delight t hat t he disbeliever enj oyed in t his life, I will make his dest inat ion t orment in t he Fire, and what an evil dest inat ion.'' This Ayah indicat es t hat Allah gives t he disbelievers respit e and t hen seizes t hem in a manner compat ible t o His great ness and abilit y. This Ayah is similar t o Allah's st at ement ,

(And many a t ownship did I give respit e while it was given t o wrongdoing. Then (in t he end) I seized it (wit h punishment ). And t o Me is t he (final) ret urn (of all)) (22:48). Also, t he Two Sahihs recorded,


(No one is more pat ient t han Allah when hearing abuse. They at t ribut e a son t o Him, while He grant s t hem sust enance and healt h.) The Sahih also recorded,

(Allah gives respit e t o t he unj ust person, unt il when He seizes him; He never let s go of him.) He t hen recit ed Allah's st at ement ,

(Such is t he punishment of your Lord when He punishes t he (populat ion of) t owns while t hey are doing wrong. Verily, His punishment is painful (and) severe). (11:102)

Building the Ka` bah and asking Allah to accept This Deed
Allah said,

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(And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) and (his son) Isma` il (Ishmael) were raising t he foundat ions of t he House (t he Ka` bah at Makkah), (saying), "Our Lord! Accept (t his service) from us. Verily, You are t he Hearer, t he Knower. Our Lord! And make us submissive unt o You

and of our offspring a nat ion submissive unt o You, and show us our Manasik and accept our repent ance. Truly, You are t he One Who accept s repent ance, t he Most Merciful.'') Allah said, "O Muhammad! Remind your people when Ibrahim and Isma` il built t he House and raised it s foundat ions while saying,

(Our Lord! Accept (t his service) from us. Verily, You are t he Hearer, t he Knower.'') Al-Qurt ubi ment ioned t hat Ubayy and Ibn Mas` ud used t o recit e t he Ayah t his way,

(And (remember) when Ibrahim and (his son) Isma` il were raising t he foundat ions of t he House (t he Ka` bah at Makkah), Saying, "Our Lord! Accept (t his service) from us. Verily, You are t he Hearer, t he Knower.'') What furt her t est ifies t o t his st at ement (which adds ` saying' t o t he Ayah) by Ubayy and Ibn Mas` ud, is what came aft erwards,

(Our Lord! And make us submissive unt o You and of our offspring a nat ion submissive unt o You). The Prophet s Ibrahim and Isma` il were performing a good deed, yet t hey asked Allah t o accept t his good deed from t hem. Ibn Abi Hat im narrat ed t hat Wuhayb bin Al-Ward recit ed,

(And (remember) when Ibrahim and (his son) Isma` il were raising t he foundat ions of t he House (t he Ka` bah at Makkah), (saying), "Our Lord! Accept (t his service) from us'') and cried and said, "O Khalil of Ar-Rahman! You raise t he foundat ions of t he House of Ar-Rahman (Allah), yet you

are afraid t hat He will not accept it from you'' This is t he behavior of t he sincere believers, whom Allah described in His st at ement ,

(And t hose who give t hat which t hey give) (23:60) meaning, t hey give away volunt ary charit y, and perform t he act s of worship yet ,

(wit h t heir heart s full of fear) (23: 60) afraid t hat t hese good deeds might not be accept ed of t hem. There is an aut hent ic Hadit h narrat ed by ` A'ishah on t his subj ect , which we will ment ion lat er, Allah willing. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Prophet Ibrahim t ook Isma` il and his mot her and went away wit h t hem unt il he reached t he area of t he House, where he left t hem next t o a t ree above Zamzam in t he upper area of t he Masj id. During t hat t ime, Isma` il's mot her was st ill nursing him. Makkah was t hen uninhabit ed, and t here was no wat er source in it . Ibrahim left t hem t here wit h a bag cont aining some dat es and a wat er-skin cont aining wat er. Ibrahim t hen st art ed t o leave, and Isma` il's mot her followed him and said, ` O Ibrahim! To whom are you leaving us in t his barren valley t hat is not inhabit ed' She repeat ed t he quest ion several t imes and Ibrahim did not reply. She asked, ` Has Allah commanded you t o do t his' He said, ` Yes.' She said, ` I am sat isfied t hat Allah will never abandon us.' Ibrahim left , and when he was far enough away where t hey could not see him, close t o Thaniyyah, he faced t he House, raised his hands and supplicat ed,

(O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring t o dwell in an uncult ivable valley by Your Sacred House (t he Ka` bah at Makkah)) unt il,

(Give t hanks) (14:37). Isma` il's mot her t hen ret urned t o her place, st art ed drinking wat er from t he wat er-skin and nursing Isma` il. When t he wat er was used up, she and her son became t hirst y. She looked at him, and he was suffering from t hirst ; she left , because she disliked seeing his face in t hat condit ion. She found t he nearest mount ian t o where she was, As-Safa, ascended it and looked, in vain, hoping t o see somebody. When she came down t o t he valley, she raised her garment and ran, j ust as a t ired person runs, unt il she reached t he Al-Marwah mount ain. In vain, she looked t o see if t here was someone t here. She ran t o and fro (bet ween t he t wo mount ains) seven t imes.'' Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said, "This is why t he people make t he t rip bet ween As-Safa and Al-Marwah (during Haj j and Umrah).''

"When she reached Al-Marwah, she heard a voice and said, ` Shush,' t o herself. She t ried t o hear t he voice again and when she did, she said, ` I have heard you. Do you have relief' She found t he angel digging wit h his heel (or his wing) where Zamzam now exist s, and t he wat er gushed out . Isma` il's mot her was ast onished and st art ed digging, using her hand t o t ransfer wat er t o t he wat er-skin.'' Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Prophet t hen said, "May Allah grant His mercy t o t he mot her of Isma` il, had she left t he wat er, (flow nat urally wit hout her int ervent ion), it would have been flowing on t he surface of t he eart h.'' "Isma` il's mot her st art ed drinking t he wat er and her milk increased for her child. The angel (Gabriel) said t o her, ` Do not fear abandonment . There shall be a House for Allah built here by t his boy and his fat her. Allah does not abandon His people.' During t hat t ime, t he area of t he House was raised above ground level and t he floods used t o reach it s right and left sides. Aft erwards some people of t he t ribe of Jurhum, passing t hrough Kada', made camp at t he bot t om of t he valley. They saw some birds, t hey were ast onished, and said, ` Birds can only be found at a place where t here is wat er. We did not not ice before t hat t his valley had wat er.' They sent a scout or t wo who searched t he area, found t he wat er, and ret urned t o inform t hem about it . Then t hey all went t o Isma` il's mot her, next t o t he wat er, and said, ` O Mot her of Isma` il! Will you allow us t o be wit h you (or dwell wit h you)' She said, ` Yes. But you will have no exclusive right t o t he wat er here.' They said, ` We agree.''' Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Prophet said, "At t hat t ime, Isma` il's mot her liked t o have human company.'' "And t hus t hey st ayed t here and sent for t heir relat ives t o j oin t hem. Lat er on, her boy reached t he age of pubert y and married a lady from t hem, for Isma` il learned Arabic from t hem, and t hey liked t he way he was raised. Isma` il's mot her died aft er t hat . Then an idea occurred t o Abraham t o visit his dependent s. So he left (t o Makkah). When he arrived, he did not find Isma` il, so he asked his wife about him. She said, ` He has gone out hunt ing.' When he asked her about t heir living condit ions, she complained t o him t hat t hey live in misery and povert y. Abraham said (t o her), ` When your husband comes, convey my greet ing and t ell him t o change t he t hreshold of his gat e.' When Isma` il came, he sensed t hat t hey had a visit or and asked his wife, ` Did we have a visit or' She said, ` Yes. An old man came t o visit us and asked me about you, and I t old him where you were. He also asked about our condit ion, and I t old him t hat we live in hardship and povert y.' Isma` il said, ` Did he ask you t o do anyt hing' She said, ` Yes. He asked me t o convey his greet ing and t hat you should change t he t hreshold of your gat e.' Isma` il said t o her, ` He was my fat her and you are t he t hreshold, so go t o your family (i.e. you are divorced).' So he divorced her and married anot her woman. Again Ibrahim t hought of visit ing his dependent s whom he had left (at Makkah). Ibrahim came t o Isma` il's house, but did not find Isma` il and asked his wife, ` Where is Isma` il' Isma` il's wife replied, ` He has gone out hunt ing.' He asked her about t heir condit ion, and she said t hat t hey have a good life and praised Allah. Ibrahim asked, ` What is your food and what is your drink' She replied, ` Our food is meat and our drink is wat er.' He said, ` O Allah! Bless t heir meat and t heir drink.''' The Prophet (Muhammad ) said, "They did not have crops t hen, ot herwise Ibrahim would have invoked Allah t o bless t hat t oo. Those who do not live in Makkah cannot bear eat ing a diet only cont aining meat and wat er.'' "Ibrahim said, ` When Isma` il comes back, convey my greet ing t o him and ask him t o keep t he t hreshold of his gat e.' When Isma` il came back, he asked, ` Has anyone visit ed us.' She said, ` Yes. A good looking old man,' and she praised Ibrahim, ` And he asked me about our livelihood and I t old him t hat we live in good condit ions.' He asked, ` Did he ask you t o convey any message' She said, ` Yes. He conveyed his greet ing t o you and said t hat you should keep t he t hreshold of your gat e.' Isma` il said, ` That was my fat her, and you are t he t hreshold; he commanded me t o keep you.'

Ibrahim t hen came back visit ing and found Isma` il behind t he Zamzam well, next t o a t ree, mending his arrows. When he saw Ibrahim, he st ood up and t hey greet ed each ot her, j ust as t he fat her and son greet each ot her. Ibrahim said, ` O Isma` il, Your Lord has ordered me t o do somet hing.' He said, ` Obey your Lord.' He asked Isma` il, ` Will you help me' He said, ` Yes, I will help you.' Ibrahim said, ` Allah has commanded me t o build a house for Him t here, ' and he point ed t o an area t hat was above ground level. So, bot h of t hem rose and st art ed t o raise t he foundat ions of t he House. Abraham st art ed building (t he Ka` bah), while Isma` il cont inued handing him t he st ones. Bot h of t hem were saying, ` O our Lord ! Accept (t his service) from us, Verily, You are t he Hearing, t he Knowing.' (2.127).''' Hence, t hey were building t he House, part by part , going around it and saying,

(Our Lord! Accept (t his service) from us. Verily, You are t he Hearer, t he Knower.)

The Story of rebuilding the House by Quraysh before the Messenger of Allah was sent as Prophet
In his Sirah, Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar said, "When t he Messenger of Allah reached t hirt yfive years of age, t he Quraysh gat hered t o rebuild t he Ka` bah, t his included covering it wit h a roof. However, t hey were weary of demolishing it . During t hat t ime, t he Ka` bah was barely above a man's shoulder, so t hey want ed t o raise it s height and build a ceiling on t op. Some people had st olen t he Ka` bah's t reasure beforehand, which used t o be in a well in t he middle of t he Ka` bah. The t reasure was lat er found wit h a man called, Duwayk, a freed servant of Bani Mulayh bin ` Amr, from t he t ribe of Khuza` ah. The Quraysh cut off his hand as punishment . Some people claimed t hat t hose who act ually st ole t he t reasure left it wit h Duwayk. Aft erwards, t he sea brought a ship t hat belonged t o a Roman merchant t o t he shores of Jeddah, where it washed-up. So t hey collect ed t he ship's wood t o use it for t he Ka` bah's ceiling; a Copt ic carpent er in Makkah prepared what t hey needed for t he j ob. When t hey decided t o begin t he demolit ion process t o rebuild t he House, Abu Wahb bin ` Amr bin ` A'idh bin ` Abd bin ` Imran bin Makhzum t ook a st one from t he Ka` bah; t he st one slipped from his hand and went back t o where it had been. He said, ` O people of Quraysh! Do not spend on rebuilding t he House, except from what was earned from pure sources. No money earned from a prost it ut e, usury or inj ust ice should be included.''' Ibn Ishaq comment ed here t hat t he people also at t ribut e t hese words t o Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah bin ` Abdullah bin ` Amr bin Makhzum. Ibn Ishaq cont inued, "The Quraysh began t o organize t heir effort s t o rebuild t he Ka` bah, each subt ribe t aking t he responsibilit y of rebuilding a designat ed part of it . However, t hey were st ill weary about bringing down t he Ka` bah. Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah said, ` I will st art t o bring it down.' He held an ax and st ood by t he Ka` bah and said, ` O Allah! No harm is meant . O Allah! We only seek t o do a good service.' He t hen st art ed t o chop t he House's st ones. The people wait ed t hat night and said, ` We will wait and see. If somet hing st rikes him, we will not bring it down and inst ead rebuid it t he way it was. If not hing happens t o him, t hen Allah will have agreed t o what we are doing.' The next morning, Al-Walid went t o work on t he Ka` bah, and t he people st art ed bringing t he Ka` bah down wit h him. When t hey reached t he foundat ions t hat Ibrahim built , t hey uncovered green st ones t hat were above each ot her, j ust like a pile of spears.'' Ibn Ishaq t hen said t hat some people t old him, "A man from Quraysh, who was helping rebuild t he Ka` bah, placed t he shovel bet ween t wo of t hese st ones t o pull t hem

up; when one of t he st ones was moved, all of Makkah shook, so t hey did not dig up t hese st ones.''

The Dispute regarding Who should place the Black Stone in Its Place
Ibn Ishaq said, "The t ribes of Quraysh collect ed st ones t o rebuild t he House, each t ribe collect ing on t heir own. They st art ed rebuilding it , unt il t he rebuilding of t he Ka` bah reached t he point where t he Black St one was t o be placed in it s designat ed sit e. A disput e erupt ed bet ween t he various t ribes of Quraysh, each seeking t he honor of placing t he Black St one for t heir own t ribe. The disput e almost led t o violence bet ween t he leaders of Quraysh in t he area of t he Sacred House. Banu ` Abd Ad-Dar and Banu ` Adi bin Ka` b bin Lu'ay, gave t heir mut ual pledge t o fight unt il deat h. However, five or four days lat er, Abu Umayyah bin Al-Mughirah bin ` Abdullah bin ` Amr bin Makhzum, t he oldest man from Quraysh t hen int ervened at t he right moment . Abu Umayyah suggest ed t hat Quraysh should appoint t he first man t o ent er t he House from it s ent rance t o be a mediat or bet ween t hem. They agreed. The Messenger - Muhammad - was t he first person t o ent er t he House. When t he various leaders of Quraysh realized who t he first one was, t hey all proclaimed, ` This is Al-Amin (t he Honest one). We all accept him; This is Muhammad.' When t he Prophet reached t he area where t he leaders were gat hering and t hey informed him about t heir disput e, he asked t hem t o bring a garment and place it on t he ground. He placed t he Black St one on it . He t hen request ed t hat each of t he leaders of Quraysh hold t he garment from one side and all part icipat e in lift ing t he Black St one, moving it t o it s designat ed area. Next , t he Prophet carried t he Black St one by himself and placed it in it s designat ed posit ion and built around it . The Quraysh used t o call t he Messenger of Allah ` Al-Amin' even before t he revelat ion came t o him.''

Ibn Az-Zubayr rebuilds Al-Ka` bah the way the Prophet wished
Ibn Ishaq said, "During t he t ime of t he Prophet , t he Ka` bah was eight een cubit s high and was covered wit h Egypt ian linen, and t hey wit h a st riped garment . Al-Haj j aj bin Yusuf was t he first person t o cover it wit h silk.'' The Ka` bah remained t he same way t he Quraysh rebuilt it , unt il it was burned during t he reign of ` Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr, aft er t he year 6o H, at t he end of t he reign of Yaz 0d bin Mu` awiyah. During t hat t ime, Ibn Az-Zubayr was besieged at Makkah. When it was burned, Ibn Az-Zubayr brought t he Ka` bah down and built it upon t he foundat ions of Ibrahim, including t he Hij r in it . He also made an east ern door and a west ern door in t he Ka` bah and placed t hem on ground level. He had heard his aunt ` A'ishah, t he Mot her of t he believers, narrat e t hat t he Messenger of Allah had wished t hat . The Ka` bah remained like t his t hroughout his reign, unt il Al-Haj j aj killed Ibn Az-Zubayr and t hen rebuilt it t he way it was before, by t he order of ` Abdul-Malik bin Marwan. Muslim recorded t hat ` At a' said, "The House was burnt during t he reign of Yazid bin Mu` awiyah, when t he people of Ash-Sham raided Makkah. Ibn Az-Zubayr did not t ouch t he House unt il t he people came for Haj j , for he want ed t o incit e t hem against t he people of Ash-Sham. He said t o t hem, ` O people! Advise me regarding t he Ka` bah, should we bring it down and rebuild it , or j ust repair t he damage it sust ained' Ibn ` Abbas said, ` I have an opinion about t his. You should rebuild t he House t he way it was when t he people became Muslims. You should leave t he st ones t hat exist ed when t he people became Muslims and when t he Prophet was sent . ' Ibn AzZubayr said, ` If t he house of one of t hem get s burned, he will not be sat isfied, unt il he rebuilds it . How about Allah's House I will invoke my Lord for t hree days and will t hen implement what I decide.' When t he t hree days had passed, he decided t o bring t he Ka` bah down. The people hesit at ed t o bring it down, fearing t hat t he first person t o climb on t he House would be st ruck

down. A man went on t op of t he House and t hrew some st ones down, and when t he people saw t hat no harm t ouched him, t hey st art ed doing t he same. They brought t he House down t o ground level. Ibn Az-Zubayr surrounded t he sit e wit h curt ains hanging from pillars, so t hat t he House would be covered, unt il t he building was erect . Ibn Az-Zubayr t hen said, ` I heard ` A'ishah say t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(If it was not for t he fact t hat t he people have recent ly abandoned disbelief, and t hat I do not have enough money t o spend on it , I would have included in t he House five cubit s from Al-Hij r and would have made a door for it t hat people could ent er from, and anot her door t hat t hey could exit from.) Ibn Az-Zubayr said, ` I can spend on t his j ob, and I do not fear t he people.' So he added five cubit s from t he Hij r, which looked like a rear part for t he House t hat people could clearly see. He t hen built t he House and made it eight een cubit s high. He t hought t hat t he House was st ill short and added t en cubit s in t he front and built t wo doors in it , one as an ent rance and anot her as an exit . When Ibn Az-Zubayr was killed, Al-Haj j aj wrot e t o ` Abdul-Malik bin Marwan asking him about t he House and t old him t hat Ibn Az-Zubayr made a rear sect ion for t he House. ` Abdul-Malik wrot e back, ` We do not agree wit h Ibn Az-Zubayr's act ions. As, for t he Ka` bah's height , leave it as it is. As for what he added from t he Hij r, bring it down, and build t he House as it was before and close t he door.' Therefore, Al-Haj j aj brought down t he House and rebuilt it as it was.'' In his Sunan, An-Nasa'i collect ed t he Hadit h of t he Prophet narrat ed from ` A'ishah, not t he whole st ory, The correct Sunnah conformed t o Ibn Az-Zubayr's act ions, because t his was what t he Prophet wished he could do, but feared t hat t he heart s of t he people who recent ly became Muslim could not bear rebuilding t he House. This Sunnah was not clear t o ` Abdul-Malik bin Marwan. Hence, when ` Abdul-Malik realized t hat ` A'ishah had narrat ed t he Hadit h of t he Messenger of Allah on t his subj ect , he said, "I wish we had left it as Ibn Az-Zubayr had made it .'' Muslim recorded t hat ` Ubadydullah bin ` Ubayd said t hat Al-Harit h bin ` Abdullah came t o ` Abdul-Malik bin Marwan during his reign. ` Abdul-Malik said, ` I did not t hink t hat Abu Khubayb (Ibn AzZubayr) heard from ` A'ishah what he said he heard from her.' Al-Harit h said, ` Yes he did. I heard t he Hadit h from her.' ` Abdul-Malik said, ` You heard her say what ' He said, ` She said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(Your people rebuilt t he House smaller. Had it not been for t he fact t hat your people are not far from t he t ime of Shirk, I would add what was left out side of it . If your people aft erwards t hink about rebuilding it , let me show you what t hey left out of it .) He showed her around seven cubit s.' One of t he narrat ors of t he Hadit h, Al-Walid bin ` At a', added t hat t he Prophet said,

:
: : . :

(I would have made t wo doors for t he House on ground level, one east ern and one west ern. Do you know why your people raised it s door above ground level) She said, ` No.' He said, (To allow only t hose whom t hey want ed t o ent er it . When a man whom t hey did not wish t o ent er t he House climbed t o t he level of t he door, t hey would push him down) ` Abdul-Malik t hen said, ` You heard ` A'ishah say t his Hadit h' He said, ` Yes.' ` Abdul-Malik said, ` I wish I left it as it was.''

An Ethiopian will destroy the Ka` bah just before the Last Hour

The Two Sahihs recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The Ka` bah will be dest royed by Dhus-Sawiqat ayn (lit erally, a person wit h t wo lean legs) from Et hiopia.) Also, Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Prophet said,

(As if I see him now: a black person wit h t hin legs plucking t he st ones of t he Ka` bah one aft er anot her.) Al-Bukhari recorded t his Hadit h. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded in his Musnad t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr bin Al-` As said t hat he heard t he Messenger of Allah say,

(Dhus-Sawiqat ayn from Et hiopia will dest roy t he Ka` bah and will loot it s adornment s and cover. It is as if I see him now: bald, wit h t hin legs st riking t he Ka` bah wit h his ax.) This will occur aft er t he appearance of Gog and Magog people. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu Sa` id Al-Khudri said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(There will be Haj j and ` Umrah t o t he House aft er t he appearance of Gog and Magog people.)

Al-Khalil's Supplication
Allah said t hat Ibrahim and Isma` il supplicat ed t o Him,


(Our Lord! And make us submissive unt o You and of our offspring a nat ion submissive unt o You, and show us our Manasik, and accept our repent ance. Truly, You are t he One Who accept s repent ance, t he Most Merciful.) Ibn Jarir said, "They meant by t heir supplicat ion, ` Make us submit t o Your command and obedience and not associat e anyone wit h You in obedience or worship.''Also, ` Ikrimah comment ed on t he Ayah,

(Our Lord! And make us submissive unt o You) "Allah said, ` I shall do t hat .'''

(And of our offspring a nat ion submissive unt o You) Allah said, ` I shall do t hat .'" This supplicat ion by Ibrahim and Isma` il is similar t o what Allah informed us of about His believing servant s,

(And t hose who say: ` Our Lord! Best ow on us from our wives and our offspring t he comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders of t he Mut t aqin) (25:74). This t ype of supplicat ion is allowed, because loving t o have offspring who worship Allah alone wit hout part ners is a sign of complet e love of Allah. This is why when Allah said t o Ibrahim,

(Verily, I am going t o make you an Imam (a leader) for mankind (t o follow you)) Ibrahim said,

("And of my offspring (t o make leaders).'' (Allah) said, "My covenant (prophet hood) includes not t he Zalimin (polyt heist s and wrongdoers)'') which is explained by,

(And keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols) Muslim narrat ed in his Sahih t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(When t he son of Adam dies, his deeds end except for t hree deeds: an ongoing charit y, a knowledge t hat is being benefit ed from and a right eous son who supplicat es (t o Allah) for him.)

The Meaning of Manasik

Sa` id bin Mansur said t hat ` At t ab bin Bashir informed us from Khasif, from Muj ahid who said, "The Prophet Ibrahim supplicat ed,

(and show us our Manasik) Jibril t hen came down, t ook him t o t he House and said, ` Raise it s foundat ions.' Ibrahim raised t he House's foundat ions and complet ed t he building. Jibril held Ibrahim's hand, led him t o As-Safa and said, ` This is among t he rit uals of Allah.' He t hen t ook him t o Al-Marwah and said, ` And t his is among t he rit uals of Allah.' He t hen t ook him t o Mina unt il when t hey reached t he ` Aqabah, t hey found Iblis st anding next t o a t ree. Jibril said, ` Say Takbir (Allah is t he Great ) and t hrow (pebbles) at him.' Ibrahim said t he Takbir and t hrew (pebbles at ) Iblis. Iblis moved t o t he middle Jamrah, and when Jibril and Ibrahim passed by him, Jibril said t o Ibrahim, ` Say Takbir and t hrow at him.' Ibrahim t hrew at him and said Takbir. The devious Iblis sought t o add some evil act s t o t he rit uals of Haj j , but he was unable t o succeed. Jibril t ook Ibrahim's hand and led him t o Al-Mash` ar Al-Haram and ` Arafat and said t o him, ` Have you ` Araft a (known, learned) what I showed you' t hrice. Ibrahim said, ` Yes I did.''' Similar st at ement s were report ed from Abu Mij laz and Qat adah. a


(129. "Our Lord! Send amongst t hem a Messenger of t heir own, who shall recit e unt o t hem Your verses and inst ruct t hem in t he Book (t his Qur'an), and purify t hem. Verily, You are t he Might y, t he Wise.'')

Ibrahim's Supplication that Allah sends the Prophet

Allah ment ioned Ibrahim's supplicat ion for t he benefit of t he people of t he Sacred Area (t o grant t hem securit y and provision), and it was perfect ed by invoking Allah t o send a Messenger from his offspring. This accept ed supplicat ion, from Ibrahim, conformed wit h Allah's appoint ed dest iny t hat Muhammad be sent as a Messenger among t he Ummiyyin and t o all non-Arabs, among t he Jinns and mankind. Hence, Ibrahim was t he first person t o ment ion t he Prophet t o t he people. Ever since, Muhammad was known t o t he people, unt il t he last Prophet was sent among t he Children of Israel, Jesus t he son of Mary, who ment ioned Muhammad by name. Jesus addressed t he Children of Israel saying,

(I am t he Messenger of Allah unt o you, confirming what is before me in t he Tawrah, and giving glad t idings of a Messenger t o come aft er me, whose name shall be Ahmad) (61:6) This is why t he Prophet said ,

(The supplicat ion of my fat her Ibrahim and t he glad t idings brought fort h by Jesus t he son of Mary.) The Prophet said,


(My mot her saw a light t hat went out of her and radiat ed t he palaces of Ash-Sham.) It was said t hat t he Prophet 's mot her saw t his vision when she was pregnant wit h, narrat ed t his vision t o her people, and t he st ory became popular among t hem. The light ment ioned in t he Hadit h appeared in Ash-Sham (Great er Syria), t est ifying t o what will lat er occur when t he Prophet 's religion will be firmly est ablished in Ash-Sham area. This is why by t he end of t ime, Ash-Sham will be a refuge for Islam and it s people. Also, Jesus t he son of Mary will descend in Ash-Sham, next t o t he east ern whit e minaret in Damascus. The Two Sahihs st at ed,

(There will always be a group of my Ummah who will be on t he t rut h, undet erred by t hose who fail or oppose t hem, unt il t he command of Allah comes while t hey are on t his.) Al-Bukhari added in his Sahih, (And t hey will reside in Ash-Sham.)

The Meaning of Al-Kitab wal-Hikmah

Allah said,

(and inst ruct t hem in t he Book) meaning, Al-Qur'an,

(and Al-Hikmah) meaning, t he Sunnah, as Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Muqat il bin Hayyan and Abu Malik assert ed. It was also said t hat ` Al-Hikmah', means ` comprehension in t he religion', and bot h meanings are correct . ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said, t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(and purify t hem) means, "Wit h t he obedience of Allah.''

(Verily, You are t he Might y, t he Wise). This Ayah st at ed t hat Allah is able t o do anyt hing, and not hing escapes His abilit y. He is Wise in His decisions, His act ions, and He put s everyt hing in it s right ful place due t o His perfect knowledge, wisdom and j ust ice.

- -
(130. And who t urns away from t he religion of Ibrahim (i.e. Islamic Monot heism) except him who fools himself Truly, We chose him in t his world and verily, in t he Hereaft er he will be among t he right eous). (131. When his Lord said t o him, "Submit (i.e. be a Muslim)!'' He said, "I have submit t ed myself (as a Muslim) t o t he Lord of t he ` Alamin (mankind, Jinn and all t hat exist s).'') (132. And t his (submission t o Allah, Islam) was enj oined by Ibrahim (Abraham) upon his sons and by Ya` qub (Jacob) (saying), "O my sons! Allah has chosen for you t he (t rue) religion, t hen die not except as Muslims.'')

Only the Fools deviate from Ibrahim's Religion

Allah refut ed t he disbelievers' innovat ions of associat ing ot hers wit h Allah in defiance of t he religion of Ibrahim, t he leader of t he upright . Ibrahim always singled out Allah in worship, wit h sincerit y, and he did not call upon ot hers besides Allah. He did not commit Shirk, even for an

inst ant . He disowned every ot her deit y t hat was being worshipped inst ead of Allah and defied all his people in t his regard. Prophet Ibrahim said,

-
(O my people! I am indeed free from all t hat you j oin as part ners (in worship wit h Allah). Verily, I have t urned my face t owards Him Who has creat ed t he heavens and t he eart h Hanifa (Islamic Monot heism), and I am not of Al-Mushrikin.) (6:78-79). Also, Allah said,

-
(And (remember) when Ibrahim said t o his fat her and his people: "Verily, I am innocent of what you worship. "Except Him (i.e. I worship none but Allah alone) Who did creat e me; and verily, He will guide me'') (43:26-27),

(And Ibrahim's invoking (of Allah) for his fat her's forgiveness was only because of a promise he (Ibrahim) had made t o him (his fat her). But when it became clear t o him (Ibrahim) t hat he (his fat her) was an enemy of Allah, he dissociat ed himself from him. Verily, Ibrahim was Awwah (one who invokes Allah wit h humilit y, glorifies Him and remembers Him much) and was forbearing) (9:114), and,

 - -
(Verily, Ibrahim was an Ummah (a leader having all t he good qualit ies, or a nat ion), obedient t o Allah, Hanif (i.e. t o worship none but Allah), and he was not one of t hose who were AlMushrikin. (He was) t hankful for His (Allah's) favors. He (Allah) chose him (as an int imat e friend) and guided him t o a st raight pat h. And We gave him good in t his world, and in t he Hereaft er he shall be of t he right eous.) (16:120-122). This is why Allah said here,

(And who t urns away from t he religion of Ibrahim), meaning, abandons his pat h, way and met hod

(except him who fools himself) meaning, who commit s inj ust ice against himself by deviat ing from t he t rut h, t o wickedness. Such a person will be defying t he pat h of he who was chosen in t his life t o be a t rue Imam, from t he t ime he was young, unt il Allah chose him t o be His Khalil, and who shall be among t he successful in t he Last Life. Is t here anyt hing more insane t han deviat ing from t his pat h and following t he pat h of misguidance and deviat ion inst ead Is t here more inj ust ice t han t his Allah said,

(Verily, j oining ot hers in worship wit h Allah is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed) (31:13). Abu Al-` Aliyah and Qat adah said, "This Ayah (2:130) was revealed about t he Jews who invent ed a pract ice t hat did not come from Allah and t hat defied t he religion of Ibrahim.'' Allah's st at ement ,

 -
(Ibrahim was neit her a Jew nor a Christ ian, but he was a t rue Muslim Hanifa (t o worship none but Allah alone) and he was not of Al-Mushrikin. Verily, among mankind who have t he best claim t o Ibrahim are t hose who followed him, and t his Prophet (Muhammad ) and t hose who have believed (Muslims). And Allah is t he Wali (Prot ect or and Helper) of t he believers.) (3:6768), t est ifies t o t his fact . Allah said next ,

(When his Lord said t o him, "Submit (i. e. be a Muslim)!'' He said, "I have submit t ed myself (as a Muslim) t o t he Lord of t he ` Alamin (mankind, Jinn and all t hat exist s).'') This Ayah indicat es t hat Allah commanded Ibrahim t o be sincere wit h Him and t o abide and submit t o Him; Ibrahim perfect ly adhered t o Allah's command. Allah's st at ement ,

(And t his (submission t o Allah, Islam) was enj oined by Ibrahim upon his sons and by Ya` qub) means, Ibrahim commanded his offspring t o follow t his religion, t hat is, Islam, for Allah. Or, t he Ayah might be referring t o Ibrahim's words,

(I have submit t ed myself (as a Muslim) t o t he Lord of t he ` Alamin (mankind, Jinn and all t hat exist s)). This means t hat t hese Prophet s loved t hese words so much t hat t hey preserved t hem unt il t he t ime of deat h and advised t heir children t o adhere t o t hem aft er t hem. Similarly, Allah said,

(And he (Ibrahim) made it i.e. La ilaha illallah (none has t he right t o be worshipped but Allah alone) a Word last ing among his offspring, (t rue Monot heism)) (43:28). It might be t hat Ibrahim advised his children, including Jacob, Isaac's son, who were present . It appears, and Allah knows best , t hat Isaac was endowed wit h Jacob, during t he lifet ime of Ibrahim and Sarah, for t he good news includes bot h of t hem in Allah's st at ement ,

(But We gave her (Sarah) glad t idings of Ishaq (Isaac), and aft er Ishaq, of Ya` qub (Jacob)) (11:71). Also, if Jacob was not alive t hen, t here would be no use here in ment ioning him specifically among Isaac's children. Also, Allah said in Surat Al-` Ankabut ,

(And We best owed on him (Ibrahim), Ishaq and Ya` qub, and We ordained among his offspring prophet hood and t he Book.) (29:27), and,

(And We best owed upon him Ishaq, and (a grandson) Ya` qub) (21:72), t hus, indicat ing t hat t his occurred during Ibrahim's lifet ime. Also, Jacob built Bayt Al-Maqdis, as earlier books t est ified. The Two Sahihs recorded t hat Abu Dharr said, "I said, ` O Messenger of Allah! Which Masj id was built first ' He said, (Al-Masj id Al-Haram (Al-Ka` bah).) I said, ` Then' He said, (Bayt Al- Maqdis.) I said, ` How many years lat er' He said, (Fort y years. )'' Furt her, t he advice t hat Jacob gave t o his children, which we will soon ment ion, t est ifies t hat Jacob was among t hose who received t he advice ment ioned in Ayat above (2:130-132).

Adhering to Tawhid until Death

Allah said,

((Saying), "O my sons! Allah has chosen for you t he (t rue) religion, t hen die not except as Muslims.'') meaning, perform right eous deeds during your lifet ime and remain on t his pat h, so t hat Allah will endow you wit h t he favor of dying upon it . Usually, one dies upon t he pat h t hat

he lived on and is resurrect ed according t o what he died on. Allah, t he Most Generous, helps t hose who seek t o do good deeds t o remain on t he right eous pat h. This by no means cont radict s t he aut hent ic Hadit h t hat says,

.
(Man might perform t he works of t he people of Paradise unt il only a span of out st ret ched arms or a cubit separat es him from it , t hen t he Book (dest iny) t akes precedence, and he performs t he works of t he people of t he Fire and t hus ent ers it . Also, man might perform t he works of t he people of t he Fire unt il only a span of out st ret ched arms or a cubit separat es him from t he Fire, but t he Book t akes precedence and he performs t he works of t he people of Paradise and t hus ent ers it .) Allah said, (92:5-10),

- - - - -
(As for him who gives (in charit y) and keeps his dut y t o Allah and fears Him. And believes in AlHusna. We will make smoot h for him t he pat h of ease (goodness). But he who is a greedy miser and t hinks himself self-sufficient . And belies Al-Husna (none has t he right t o be worshipped except Allah). We will make smoot h for him t he pat h for evil),

 -
n(133. Or were you wit nesses when deat h approached Ya` qub (Jacob) When he said unt o his sons, "What will you worship aft er me'' They said, "We shall worship your AIlah (God Allah) t he Ilah of your fat hers, Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma` il (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), One Ilah, and t o Him we submit (in Islam)).'' (134. That was a nat ion who has passed away. They shall receive t he reward of what t hey earned and you of what you earn. And you will not be asked of what t hey used t o do.)

Ya` qub's Will and Testament to His Children upon His Death
This Ayah cont ains Allah's crit icism of t he Arab pagans among t he offspring of Isma` il as well as t he disbelievers among t he Children of Israel Jacob t he son of Isaac, t he son of Ibrahim. When deat h came t o Jacob, he advised his children t o worship Allah alone wit hout part ners. He said t o t hem,

("What will you worship aft er me'' They said, "We shall worship your Ilah (God of your fat hers, Ibrahim, Isma` il, Ishaq,'') Allah) t he Ilah Ment ioning Isma` il here is a figure of speech, because Isma` il is Jacob's uncle. An-Nahas said t hat t he Arabs call t he uncle a fat her, as Al-Qurt ubi ment ioned). This Ayah is used as evidence t hat t he grandfat her is called a fat her and inherit s, rat her t han t he brot hers (i.e. when his son dies), as Abu Bakr assert ed, according t o Al-Bukhari who narrat ed Abu Bakr's st at ement from Ibn ` Abbas and Ibn Az-Zubayr. Al-Bukhari t hen comment ed t hat t here are no opposing opinions regarding t his subj ect . This is also t he opinion of ` A'ishah t he Mot her of t he believers, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Tawus and ` At a', Malik, Ash-Shaf` i and Ahmad said t hat t he inherit ance is divided bet ween t he grandfat her and t he brot hers. It was report ed t hat t his was also t he opinion of ` Umar, ` Ut hman, ` Ali, bin Mas` ud, Zayd bin Thabit and several scholars among t he Salaf and lat er generat ions. The st at ement ,


(One Ilah (God)) means, "We single Him out in divinit y and do not associat e anyt hing or anyone wit h Him.''

(And t o Him we submit ), in obedience meaning, obedient and submissiveness. Similarly, Allah said,

(While t o Him submit t ed all creat ures in t he heavens and t he eart h, willingly or unwillingly. And t o Him shall t hey all be ret urned) (3:83). Indeed, Islam is t he religion of all t he Prophet s, even if t heir rei spect ive laws differed. Allah said,

(And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad ) but We revealed t o him (saying): La ilaha illa Ana none has t he right t o be worshipped but I (Allah) , so worship Me (alone and none else)) (21:25). There are many ot her Ayat - and Hadit hs - on t his subj ect . For inst ance, t he Prophet said,

(We, t he Prophet s, are brot hers wit h different mot hers, but t he same religion.) Allah said,

(That was a nat ion who has passed away) meaning, exist ed before your t ime,


(They shall receive t he reward of what t hey earned and you of what you earn). This Ayah proclaims, Your relat ionship t o t he Prophet s or right eous people among your ancest ors will not benefit you, unless you perform good deeds t hat bring about you religious benefit . They have t heir deeds and you have yours,

(And you will not be asked of what t hey used t o do).'' This is why a Hadit h proclaims,

(Whoever was slowed on account of his deeds will not get any fast er on account of his family lineage.)'

(135. And t hey say, "Be Jews or Christ ians, t hen you will be guided.'' Say (t o t hem O Muhammad ), "Nay, (we follow) only t he religion of Ibrahim, Hanif (Islamic Monot heism), and he was not of Al-Mushrikin (t hose who worshipped ot hers along wit h Allah. ) Muhammad bin Ishaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ` Abdullah bin Suriya Al-A` war said t o t he Messenger of Allah, "The guidance is only what we (Jews) follow. Therefore, follow us, O Muhammad, and you will be right ly guided.'' Also, t he Christ ians said similarly, so Allah revealed,

(And t hey say, "Be Jews or Christ ians, t hen you will be guided.'') Allah's st at ement ,

(Say (t o t hem O Muhammad ), "Nay, (we follow) only t he religion of Ibrahim, Hanif) means, "We do not need t he Judaism or Christ ianit y t hat you call us t o, rat her,


((we follow) only t he religion of Ibrahim, Hanif) meaning, on t he st raight pat h, as Muhammad bin Ka` b Al-Qurazi and ` Isa bin Jariyah st at ed. Also, Abu Qilabah said, "The Hanif is what t he Messengers, from beginning t o end, believed in.''

(136. Say (O Muslims): "We believe in Allah and t hat which has been sent down t o us and t hat which has been sent down t o Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma` il (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Ya` qub (Jacob), and t o Al-Asbat (t he offspring of t he t welve sons of Ya` qub), and t hat which has been given t o Musa (Moses) and ` Isa (Jesus), and t hat which has been given t o t he Prophet s from t heir Lord. We make no dist inct ion bet ween any of t hem, and t o Him we have submit t ed (in Islam).'')

The Muslim believes in all that Allah ` revealed and all the Prophets
Allah direct ed His believing servant s t o believe in what He sent down t o t hem t hrough His Messenger Muhammad and in what was revealed t o t he previous Prophet s in general. Some Prophet s Allah ment ioned by name, while He did not ment ion t he names of many ot hers. Allah direct ed t he believers t o refrain from different iat ing bet ween t he Prophet s and t o believe in t hem all. They should avoid imit at ing whomever Allah described as,

(And wish t o make dist inct ion bet ween Allah and His Messengers (by believing in Allah and disbelieving in His Messengers) saying, "We believe in some but rej ect ot hers,'' and wish t o adopt a way in bet ween. They are in t rut h disbelievers) (4:150-151).

Al-Bukhari narrat ed t hat Abu Hurayrah said, "The People of t he Book used t o read t he Torah in Hebrew and t ranslat e it int o Arabic for t he Muslims. The Messenger of Allah said,

:
(Do not believe t he People of t he Book, nor rej ect what t hey say. Rat her, say, ` We believe in Allah and in what was sent down t o us.)'' Also, Muslim, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Most ly, t he Messenger of Allah used t o recit e,

(We believe in Allah and t hat which has been sent down t o us) (2: 136), and,

(We believe in Allah, and bear wit ness t hat we are Muslims (i.e. we submit t o Allah)) (3:52) during t he t wo (volunt ary) Rak` at before Faj r.'' Abu Al-` Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` and Qat adah said, "Al-Asbat are t he t welve sons of Jacob, and each one of t hem had an Ummah of people from his descendant s. This is why t hey were called AlAsbat .'' Al-Khalil bin Ahmad and ot hers said, "Al-Asbat among t he Children of Israel are j ust like t he t ribes among t he Children of Isma` il.'' This means t hat t he Asbat are t he various t ribes of t he Children of Israel, among whom Allah sent several Prophet s. Moses said t o t he Children of Israel,

(Remember t he favor of Allah t o you: when He made Prophet s among you, made you kings) (5:20). Also, Allah said,

(And We divided t hem int o t welve t ribes) (7:160). Al-Qurt ubi said, "Sibt is t he group of people or a t ribe all belonging t o t he same ancest ors.''

Qat adah said, "Allah commanded t he believers t o believe in Him and in all His Books and Messengers. '' Also, Sulayman bin Habib said, "We were commanded t o believe in t he (original) Torah and Inj il, but not t o implement t hem.''

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(137. So if t hey believe in t he like of t hat which you believe t hen t hey are right ly guided; but if t hey t urn away, t hen t hey are only in opposit ion. So Allah will suffice for you against t hem. And He is t he Hearer, t he Knower.) (138. Our Sibghah (religion) is t he Sibghah of Allah (Islam) and which Sibghah can be bet t er t han Allah's And we are His worshippers.) Allah said, if t hey, t he disbelievers among t he People of t he Book and ot her disbelievers, believe in all of Allah's Books and Messengers and do not different iat e bet ween any of t hem,

(t hen t hey are right ly guided) meaning, t hey would acquire t he t rut h and be direct ed t o it .

(but if t hey t urn away) from t rut h t o falsehood aft er proof had been present ed t o t hem,

(t hen t hey are only in opposit ion. So Allah will suffice you against t hem) meaning, Allah will aid t he believers against t hem,

(And He is t he Hearer, t he Knower). Allah said,

(The Sibghah of Allah). Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "The religion of Allah.'' This Tafsir was also report ed of Muj ahid, Abu Al-` Aliyah, ` Ikrimah, Ibrahim, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Ad-Dahhak, ` Abdullah bin Kat hir, ` At iyah Al-` Awfi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi and ot her scholars. The Ayah,

(Allah's Fit rah (i.e. Allah's Islamic Monot heism)) (30:30) direct s Muslims t o, "Hold t o it .''

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(139. Say (O Muhammad t o t he Jews and Christ ians), "Disput e you wit h us about Allah while He is our Lord and your Lord And we are t o be rewarded for our deeds and you for your deeds. And we are sincere t o Him (i.e. we worship Him alone and none else, and we obey His orders).'') (140. Or say you t hat Ibrahim, Isma` il, Ishaq, Ya` qub and Al-Asbat , were Jews or Christ ians Say, "Do you know bet t er or does Allah And who is more unj ust t han he who conceals t he t est imony he has from Allah And Allah is not unaware of what you do.'') (141. That was a nat ion who has passed away. They shall receive t he reward of what t hey earned, and you of what you earn. And you will not be asked of what t hey used t o do.) Allah direct ed His Prophet t o pre-empt t he argument s wit h t he idolat ors:

(Say (O Muhammad t o t he Jews and Christ ians), "Disput e you wit h us about Allah) meaning, "Do you disput e wit h us regarding t he Oneness of Allah, obedience and submission t o Him and in avoiding His prohibit ions,


(while He is our Lord and your Lord) meaning, He has full cont rol over us and you, and deserves t he worship alone wit hout part ners.

(And we are t o be rewarded for our deeds and you for your deeds.) meaning, we disown you and what you worship, j ust as you disown us. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And if t hey belie you, say: "For me are my deeds and for you are your deeds! You are innocent of what I do, and I am innocent of what you do!'') (10:41), and,

(So if t hey disput e wit h you (Muhammad ) say: "I have submit t ed myself t o Allah (in Islam), and (so have) t hose who follow me'') (3:20). Allah said about Ibrahim,

(His people disput ed wit h him. He said: "Do you disput e wit h me concerning Allah'') (6:80), and,

(Have you not looked at him who disput ed wit h Ibrahim about his Lord (Allah)) (2:258). He said in t his honorable Ayah,

(And we are t o be rewarded for our deeds and you for your deeds. And we are sincere t o Him.) meaning, "We disown you j ust as you disown us,''


(And we are sincere t o Him), in worship and submission. Allah t hen crit icized t hem in t he claim t hat Ibrahim, t he Prophet s who came aft er him and t he Asbat were following t heir religion, whet her Judaism or Christ ianit y. Allah said,

(Say, "Do you know bet t er or does Allah'') meaning, Allah has t he best knowledge and He st at ed t hat t hey were neit her Jews, nor Christ ians. Similarly, Allah said in t he Ayah,

(Ibrahim was neit her a Jew nor a Christ ian, but he was a t rue Muslim Hanifa (t o worship none but Allah alone) and he was not of Al-Mushrikin) (3:67) and t he following Ayat . Allah also said,

And who is more unj ust t han he who conceals t he t est imony he has from Alla0h )2:140(. AlH asan Al-Bas ri said, They used t o recit e t he Book of Alla0h He sent t o t hem t hat st at ed t hat t he t rue religion is Isla0m and t hat Muh ammad is t he Messenger of Alla0h. Their Book also st at ed t hat Ibra0h0m, Isma0 0l, Ish a0q, Ya qu0b and t he t ribes were neit her Jews, nor Christ ians. They t est ified t o t hese fact s, yet hid t hem from t he people. Alla0h s st at ement ,

(And Allah is not unaware of what you do), is a t hreat and a warning t hat His knowledge encompasses every one's deeds, and He shall award each accordingly. Allah t hen said,

(That was a nat ion who has passed away.) meaning, exist ed before you,

(They shall receive t he reward of what t hey earned, and you of what you earn.) meaning, t hey bear t heir deeds while you bear yours,

(And you will not be asked of what t hey used t o do) meaning, t he fact t hat you are t heir relat ives will not suffice, unless you imit at e t heir good deeds. Furt her, do not be deceived by t he fact t hat you are t heir descendant s, unless you imit at e t hem in obeying Allah's orders and following His Messengers who were sent as warners and bearers of good news. Indeed, whoever disbelieves in even one Prophet , will have disbelieved in all t he Messengers, especially if one disbelieves in t he mast er and Final Messenger from Allah, t he Lord of t he worlds, t o all mankind and t he Jinns. May Allah's peace and blessings be on Muhammad and t he rest of Allah's Prophet s.

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(142. The fools (idolat ors, hypocrit es, and Jews) among t he people will say: "What has t urned t hem (Muslims) from t heir Qiblah prayer direct ion (t owards Jerusalem) t o which t hey used t o face in prayer.'' Say (O Muhammad ): "To Allah belong bot h, east and t he west . He guides whom He wills t o t he st raight way.'') (143. Thus We have made you t rue Muslims real believers of Islamic Monot heism, t rue followers of Prophet Muhammad and his Sunnah (legal ways) , a Wasat (j ust and t he best ) nat ion, t hat you be wit nesses over mankind and t he Messenger (Muhammad ) be a wit ness over you. And We made t he Qiblah which you used t o face, only t o t est t hose who followed t he Messenger (Muhammad ) from t hose who would t urn on t heir heels (i.e., disobey t he Messenger). Indeed it was great (heavy, difficult ) except for t hose whom Allah guided. And Allah would never make your fait h (prayers) t o be lost (i.e., your prayers

offered t owards Jerusalem). Truly, Allah is full of kindness, t he Most Merciful t owards mankind.)

Changing the Qiblah

Direction of the Prayer

Imam Al-Bukhari report ed t hat Al-Bara' bin ` Azib narrat ed: "Allah's Messenger offered his prayers facing Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) for sixt een or sevent een mont hs, but he wished t hat he could pray facing t he Ka` bah (at Makkah). The first prayer which he offered (facing t he Ka` bah) was t he ` Asr (Aft ernoon) prayer in t he company of some people. Then one of t hose who had offered t hat prayer wit h him, went out and passed by some people in a mosque who were in t he bowing posit ion (in Ruku` ) during t heir prayers (facing Jerusalem). He addressed t hem saying, ` By Allah, I bear wit ness t hat I have offered prayer wit h t he Prophet facing Makkah (Ka` bah).' Hearing t hat , t hose people immediat ely changed t heir direct ion t owards t he House (Ka` bah) while st ill as t hey were (i.e., in t he same bowing posit ion). Some Muslims who offered prayer t owards t he previous Qiblah (Jerusalem) before it was changed t owards t he House (t he Ka` bah in Makkah) had died or had been mart yred, and we did not know what t o say about t hem (regarding t heir prayers t owards Jerusalem). Allah t hen revealed:

(And Allah would never make your fait h (prayers) t o be lost (i.e., t he prayers of t hose Muslims were valid)) (2:143).'' Al-Bukhari collect ed t his narrat ion, while Muslim collect ed it using anot her chain of narrat ors. Muhammad bin Ishaq report ed t hat Al-Bara' narrat ed: Allah's Messenger used t o offer prayers t owards Bayt Al-Maqdis (in Jerusalem), but would keep looking at t he sky await ing Allah's command (t o change t he Qiblah). Then Allah revealed:

(Verily, We have seen t he t urning of your (Muhammad's) face t owards t he heaven. Surely, We shall t urn you t o a Qiblah (prayer direct ion) t hat shall please you, so t urn your face in t he direct ion of Al-Masj id Al-Haram (at Makkah).) (2:144) A man from among t he Muslims t hen said, "We wish we could know about t hose among us who died before t he Qiblah was changed (i.e., t owards Makkah) and also about our own prayers, t hat we had performed t owards Bayt Al-Maqdis.'' Allah t hen revealed:

(And Allah would never make your fait h (prayers) t o be lost .) (2:143) The fools among t he people, meaning t he People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians), said, "What made t hem change t he former Qiblah t hat t hey used t o face'' Allah t hen revealed:

(The fools (idolat ors, hypocrit es, and Jews) among t he people will say...) unt il t he end of t he Ayah. ` Ali bin Abu Talhah relat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said: When Allah's Messenger migrat ed t o AlMadinah, Allah commanded him t o face Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem). The Jews were delight ed t hen. Allah's Messenger faced Jerusalem for over t en mont hs. However, he liked (t o offer prayer in t he direct ion of) Prophet Ibrahim's Qiblah (t he Ka` bah in Makkah) and used t o supplicat e t o Allah and kept looking up t o t he sky (await ing Allah's command in t his regard). Allah t hen revealed:

(t urn your faces (in prayer) in t hat direct ion.) meaning, it s direct ion. The Jews did not like t his change and said, "What made t hem change t he Qiblah t hat t hey used t o face (meaning Jerusalem)'' Allah revealed:

(Say (O Muhammad ): "To Allah belong bot h, east and t he west . He guides whom He wills t o t he st raight way.'') There are several ot her Ahadit h on t his subj ect . In summary, Allah's Messenger was commanded t o face Bayt Al-Maqdis (during t he prayer) and he used t o offer prayer t owards it in Makkah bet ween t he t wo corners (of Ka` bah), so t hat t he Ka` bah would be bet ween him and Bayt AlMaqdis8. When t he Prophet migrat ed t o Al-Madinah, t his pract ice was no longer possible; t hen Allah commanded him t o offer prayer t owards Bayt Al-Maqdis, as Ibn Abbas and t he maj orit y of t he scholars have st at ed. Al-Bukhari report ed in his Sahih t hat t he news (of t he change of Qiblah) was conveyed t o some of t he Ansar while t hey were performing t he ` Asr (Aft ernoon) prayer t owards Bayt Al-Maqdis, upon hearing t hat , t hey immediat ely changed t heir direct ion and faced t he Ka` bah. It is report ed in t he Sahihayn (Al-Bukhari Muslim) t hat Ibn ` Umar narrat ed: While t he people were in Quba' (Mosque) performing t he Faj r (Dawn) prayer, a man came and said, "A (part of t he) Qur'an was revealed t onight t o Allah's Messenger and he was commanded t o face t he

Ka` bah. Therefore, face t he Ka` bah. They were facing Ash-Sham, so t hey t urned t owards t he Ka` bah. These Hadit hs prove t hat t he Nasikh (a Text t hat abrogat es a previous Text ) only applies aft er one acquires knowledge of it , even if t he Nasikh had already been revealed and announced. This is why t he Companions ment ioned above were not commanded t o repeat t he previous ` Asr, Maghrib and ` Isha' prayers (alt hough t hey had prayed t hem t owards Jerusalem aft er Allah had changed t he Qiblah). Allah knows best . When t he change of Qiblah (t o Ka` bah in Makkah) occurred, t hose inflict ed wit h hypocrisy and mist rust , and t he disbelieving Jews, bot h were led ast ray from t he right guidance and fell int o confusion. They said:

(What has t urned t hem (Muslims) from t heir Qiblah t o which t hey used t o face in prayer.) They asked, "What is t he mat t er wit h t hese people (Muslims) who one t ime face t his direct ion (Jerusalem), and t hen face t hat direct ion (Makkah)'' Allah answered t heir quest ions when He st at ed:

(Say (O Muhammad ): "To Allah belong bot h, east and t he west .) meaning, t he command, t he decision and t he aut horit y are for Allah Alone. Hence:

(...so wherever you t urn (yourselves or your faces) t here is t he Face of Allah (and He is High above, over His Throne).) (2:115), and:

( It is not Al-Birr (piet y, right eousness) t hat you t urn your faces t owards east and (or) west (in prayers); but Al-Birr is t he one who believes in Allah.) (2:177) This st at ement means, t he best act is t o adhere t o Allah's commands. Hence, wherever He commands us t o face, we should face. Also, since obedience requires implement ing Allah's commands, if He commands us every day t o face different places, we are His servant s and under His disposal, and we face what ever He orders us t o face. Cert ainly, Allah's care and kindness t owards His servant and Messenger, Muhammad , and cert ainly, his Ummah (Muslim nat ion) is profoundly great . Allah has guided

t hem t o t he Qiblah of (Prophet ) Ibrahim -- Allah's Khalil (int imat e friend). He has commanded t hem t o face t he Ka` bah, t he most honorable house (of worship) on t he face of t he eart h, which was built by Ibrahim Al-Khalil in t he Name of Allah, t he One wit hout a part ner. This is why Allah said aft erwards:

(Say (O Muhammad ): "To Allah belong bot h, east and t he west . He guides whom He wills t o t he st raight way.'') Imam Ahmad report ed t hat ` A'ishah (t he Prophet 's wife) said t hat Allah's Messenger said about t he People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians):

:
(They do not envy us for a mat t er more t han t hey envy us for Jumu` ah (Friday) t o which Allah has guided us and from which t hey were led ast ray; for t he (t rue) Qiblah t o which Allah has direct ed us and from which t hey were led ast ray; and for our saying ` Amin' behind t he Imam (leader of t he prayer).)

The Virtues of Muhammad's Nation

Allah said:

(Thus We have made you t rue Muslims , a Wasat (j ust ) (and t he best ) nat ion, t hat you be wit nesses over mankind and t he Messenger (Muhammad ) be a wit ness over you.) Allah st at ed t hat He has changed our Qiblah t o t he Qiblah of Ibrahim and chose it for us so t hat He makes us t he best nat ion ever. Hence, we will be t he wit nesses over t he nat ions on t he Day of Resurrect ion, for all of t hem will t hen agree concerning our virt ue. The word Wasat in t he

Ayah means t he best and t he most honored. Therefore, saying t hat (t he Prophet 's t ribe) Quraysh is in t he Wasat regarding Arab t ribes and t heir areas, means t he best . Similarly, saying t hat Allah's Messenger was in t he Wasat of his people, means he was from t he best subt ribe. Also, ` Asr, t he prayer t hat is described as ` Wust a' (a variat ion of t he word Wasat ), means t he best prayer, as t he aut hent ic collect ions of Ahadit h report ed. Since Allah made t his Ummah (Muslim nat ion) t he Wasat , He has endowed her wit h t he most complet e legislat ion, t he best Manhaj (way, met hod, et c.,) and t he clearest Madhhab (met hodology, mannerism, et c). Allah said:

(He has chosen you (t o convey His Message of Islamic Monot heism t o mankind), and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship: it is t he religion of your fat her Ibrahim. It is He (Allah) Who has named you Muslims bot h before and in t his (t he Qur'an), t hat t he Messenger (Muhammad ) may be a wit ness over you and you be wit nesses over mankind!) (22:78) Moreover, Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Abu Sa` id narrat ed: Allah's Messenger said:

: : : : : : :

 :
(Nuh will be called on t he Day of Resurrect ion and will be asked, ` Have you conveyed (t he Message)' He will say, ` Yes.' His people will be summoned and asked, ` Has Nuh conveyed (t he Message) t o you' They will say, ` No warner came t o us and no one (Prophet ) was sent t o us.' Nuh will be asked, ` Who t est ifies for you' He will say, ` Muhammad and his Ummah.') This is why Allah said:

(Thus We have made you a Wasat nat ion.) The Prophet said; (The Wasat means t he ` Adl (j ust ). You will be summoned t o t est ify t hat Nuh has conveyed (his Message), and I will at t est t o your t est imony.) It was also recorded by Al-Bukhari, At -Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Maj ah. Imam Ahmad also report ed t hat Abu Sa` id Khudri narrat ed: Allah's Messenger said:

: : : : : : : : : : :

(The Prophet would come on t he Day of Resurrect ion wit h t wo or more people (his only following!), and his people would also be summoned and asked, ` Has he (t heir Prophet ) conveyed (t he Message) t o you' They would say, ` No.' He would be asked, ` Have you conveyed (t he Message) t o your people' He would say, ` Yes.' He would be asked, ` Who t est ifies for you' He would say, ` Muhammad and his Ummah.' Muhammad and his Ummah would t hen be summoned and asked, ` Has he conveyed (t he Message) t o his people' They would say, ` Yes.' They would be asked, ` Who t old you t hat ' They would say, ` Our Prophet (Muhammad) came t o us and t old us t hat t he Messengers have conveyed (t heir Messages). ') Hence Allah's st at ement :

(Thus We have made you a Wasat nat ion.) He said, "(meaning) t he ` Adl,' (he t hen cont inued recit ing t he Ayah):

(Thus We have made you, a j ust (and t he best ) nat ion, t hat you be wit nesses over mankind and t he Messenger (Muhammad ) be a wit ness over you.)'' Furt hermore, Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Abul-Aswad narrat ed: I came t o Al-Madinah and found t hat an epidemic had broken out t hat caused many fat alit ies. I sat next t o ` Umar bin AlKhat t ab once when a funeral procession st art ed and t he people praised t he dead person. ` Umar said, "Waj abat (it will be recorded as such), Waj abat !'' Then anot her funeral was brought fort h and t he people crit icized t he dead person. Again, ` Umar said, "Waj abat .'' AbulAswad asked, "What is Waj abat , O Leader of t he fait hful'' He said, "I said j ust like Allah's Messenger had said:

: : .

(Any Muslim for whom four t est ify t hat he was right eous, t hen Allah will ent er him int o Paradise.' We said, ` What about t hree' He said, ` And t hree.' We said, ` And t wo' He said, ` And t wo.' We did not ask him about (t he t est imony) of one (believing) person.)'' This was also recorded by Al-Bukhari, At -Tirmidhi, and An-Nasa'i.

The Wisdom behind changing the Qiblah

Allah t hen said:

(And We made t he Qiblah (prayer direct ion t owards Jerusalem) which you used t o face, only t o t est t hose who followed t he Messenger (Muhammad ) from t hose who would t urn on t heir heels (i.e., disobey t he Messenger). Indeed it was great (heavy, difficult ) except for t hose whom Allah guided.)

Allah st at es t hus: We have legislat ed for you, O Muhammad, facing Bayt Al-Maqdis at first and t hen changed it t o t he Ka` bah so as t o find who will follow and obey you and t hus face what ever you face.

(...from t hose who would t urn on t heir heels.) meaning, revert s from his religion. Allah t hen said:

(Indeed it was great (heavy, difficult )) The Ayah indicat es t hat changing t he Qiblah from Bayt Al-Maqdis t o t he Ka` bah is heavy on t he heart , except for whomever Allah has right ly guided t heir heart s, who believe in t he t rut h of t he Messenger wit h cert aint y and t hat what ever he was sent wit h is t he t rut h wit hout doubt . It is t hey who believe t hat Allah does what He wills, decides what He wills, commands His servant s wit h what He wills, abrogat es any of His commands t hat He wills, and t hat He has t he perfect wisdom and t he unequivocal proof in all t his. (The at t it ude of t he believers in t his respect is) unlike t hose who have a disease in t heir heart s, t o whom whenever a mat t er occurs, it causes doubt s, j ust as t his same mat t er adds fait h and cert aint y t o t he believers. Similarly, Allah said:

(And whenever t here comes down a Surah (chapt er from t he Qur'an), some of t hem (hypocrit es) say: "Which of you has had his fait h increased by it '' As for t hose who believe, it has increased t heir fait h, and t hey rej oice. But as for t hose in whose heart s is a disease (of doubt , disbelief and hypocrisy), it will add doubt and disbelief t o t heir doubt and disbelief; and t hey die while t hey are disbelievers.) (9:124, 125) and:

(And We send down of t he Qur'an t hat which is a healing and a mercy t o t hose who believe, and it increases t he wrongdoers in not hing but loss.) (17:82) Cert ainly, t hose who remained fait hful t o t he Messenger , obeyed him and faced what ever Allah commanded t hem, wit hout doubt or hesit at ion, were t he leaders of t he Companions. Some scholars st at ed t hat t he Early Migrant s (who migrat ed wit h t he Prophet from Makkah t o Al-Madinah) and Ansar (t he resident s of Al-Madinah who gave aid and refuge t o bot h t he Prophet and t he Migrant s) were t hose who offered prayers t owards t he t wo Qiblah (Bayt AlMaqdis and t hen t he Ka` bah). Al-Bukhari report ed in t he explanat ion of t he Ayah (2:143) t hat Ibn ` Umar narrat ed: While t he people were performing t he Faj r (Dawn) prayer in t he Quba' Mosque, a man came and said, "Qur'an was revealed t o t he Prophet and he was ordered t o face t he Ka` bah. Therefore, face t he Ka` bah.'' They t hen faced t he Ka` bah. Muslim also recorded it . At -Tirmidhi added t hat t hey were performing Ruku` (bowing down in prayer), and t hen changed t he direct ion (of t he Qiblah) t o t he Ka` bah while st ill bowing down. Muslim report ed t his last narrat ion from Anas. These Hadit hs all indicat e t he perfect obedience t he Companions had for Allah and His Messenger and t heir compliance wit h Allah's commandment s, may Allah be pleased wit h t hem all. Allah said:

(And Allah would never make your fait h (prayers) t o be lost .) meaning, t he reward of your prayers t owards Bayt Al-Maqdis before would not be lost wit h Allah. It is report ed in Sahih t hat Abu Ishaq As-Sabi` y relat ed t hat Bara' narrat ed: "The people asked about t he mat t er of t hose who offered prayers t owards Bayt Al-Maqdis and died (before t he Qiblah was changed t o Ka` bah). Allah revealed:

(And Allah would never make your fait h (prayers) t o be lost .)'' It was also recorded by At -Tirmidhi from Ibn ` Abbas, and At -Tirmidhi graded it Sahih. Ibn Ishaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas narrat ed:

(And Allah would never make your fait h t o be lost .) ent ails: Your (prayer t owards) t he first Qiblah and your believing your Prophet and obeying him by facing t he second Qiblah; He will grant you t he rewards for all t hese act s. Indeed,

(Truly, Allah is full of kindness, t he Most Merciful t owards mankind.)'' Furt hermore, it is report ed in t he Sahih t hat Allah's Messenger saw a woman among t he capt ives who was separat ed from her child. Whenever she found a boy (infant ) among t he capt ives, she would hold him close t o her chest , as she was looking for her boy. When she found her child, she embraced him and gave him her breast t o nurse. Allah's Messenger said:

: . :

(Do you t hink t hat t his woman would willingly t hrow her son in t he fire) They said, "No, O Messenger of Allah!'' He said, (By Allah! Allah is more merciful wit h His servant s t han t his woman wit h her son.)

(144. Verily, We have seen t he t urning of your (Muhammad's) face t owards t he heaven. Surely, We shall t urn you t o a Qiblah (prayer direct ion) t hat shall please you, so t urn your face in t he direct ion of Al-Masj id Al-Haram (at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, t urn your faces (in prayer) in t hat direct ion. Cert ainly, t he people who were given t he Script ure (i.e., Jews and Christ ians) know well t hat , t hat (your t urning t owards t he direct ion of t he Ka` bah at Makkah in prayers) is t he t rut h from t heir Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what t hey do).

The First Abrogation in the Qur'an was about the Qiblah

Ali bin Abu Talhah relat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas narrat ed: The first abrogat ed part in t he Qur'an was about t he Qiblah. When Allah's Messenger migrat ed t o Al-Madinah, t he maj orit y of it s people were Jews, and Allah commanded him t o face Bayt Al-Maqdis. The Jews were delight ed t hen. Allah's Messenger faced it for t en and some mont hs, but he liked t o face t he Qiblah of Ibrahim

(Ka` bah in Makkah). He used t o supplicat e t o Allah and look up t o t he sky (await ing Allah's command). Allah t hen revealed:

(Verily, We have seen t he t urning of your (Muhammad's) face t owards t he heaven), unt il,

(t urn your faces (in prayer) in t hat direct ion.) The Jews did not like t his ruling and said:

("What has t urned t hem (Muslims) from t heir Qiblah (prayer direct ion) t o which t hey used t o face in prayer.'' Say (O Muhammad), "To Allah belong bot h, east and t he west .'') (2:142) Allah said:

(. ..so wherever you t urn (yourselves or your faces) t here is t he Face of Allah) (2:115), and:

(And We made t he Qiblah (prayer direct ion t owards Jerusalem) which you used t o face, only t o t est t hose who followed t he Messenger (Muhammad ) from t hose who would t urn on t heir heels (i.e., disobey t he Messenger).) (2:143)

Is the Qiblah the Ka` bah itself or its General Direction

Al-Hakim relat ed t hat ` Ali bin Abu Talib said:

(...so t urn your face in t he direct ion of Al-Masj id Al-Haram (at Makkah).) means it s direct ion.'' Al-Hakim t hen comment ed t hat t he chain of t his narrat ion is aut hent ic and t hat t hey (i.e., AlBukhari and Muslim) did not include it in t heir collect ions. This ruling concerning t he Qiblah is also t he opinion of Abu Al-` Aliyah, Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Qat adah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and ot hers. Allah's St at ement :

(And wheresoever you people are, t urn your faces (in prayer) in t hat direct ion) is a command from Allah t o face t he Ka` bah from wherever one is on t he eart h: t he east , west , nort h or sout h. The except ion is of t he volunt ary prayer (Nafl) while one is t raveling, for one is allowed t o offer it in any direct ion his body is facing, while his heart is int ending t he Ka` bah. Also, when t he bat t le is raging, one is allowed t o offer prayer, however he is able. Also, included are t hose who are not sure of t he direct ion and offer prayer in t he wrong direct ion, t hinking t hat it is t he direct ion of t he Qiblah, because Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear.

The Jews had Knowledge that the (Muslim) Qiblah would later be changed
Allah st at ed t hat :

(Cert ainly, t he people who were given t he Script ure (i.e., Jews and t he Christ ians) know well t hat , t hat (your t urning t owards t he direct ion of t he Ka` bah at Makkah in prayers) is t he t rut h from t heir Lord.) This Ayah means: The Jews, who did not like t hat you change your Qiblah from Bayt Al-Maqdis, already knew t hat Allah will command you (O Muhammad) t o face t he Ka` bah. The Jews read in t heir Books t heir Prophet s' descript ion of Allah's Messenger and his Ummah, and t hat Allah has endowed and honored him wit h t he complet e and honorable legislat ion. Yet , t he People of t he Book deny t hese fact s because of t heir envy, disbelief and rebellion. This is why Allah t hreat ened t hem when He said:


(And Allah is not unaware of what t hey do.)

(145. And even if you were t o bring t o t he People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) all t he Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelat ions, et c.), t hey would not follow your Qiblah (prayer direct ion), nor are you going t o follow t heir Qiblah. And t hey will not follow each ot her's Qiblah. Verily, if you follow t heir desires aft er t hat which you have received of knowledge (from Allah), t hen indeed you will be one of t he wrongdoers.)

The Stubbornness and Disbelief of the Jews

Allah describes t he Jews' disbelief, st ubbornness and defiance of what t hey know of t he t rut h of Allah's Messenger , t hat if t he Prophet brought forward every proof t o t he t rut h of what he was sent wit h, t hey will never obey him or abandon following t heir desires. In anot her inst ance, Allah said:

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(Truly, t hose, against whom t he Word (wrat h) of your Lord has been j ust ified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come t o t hem, unt il t hey see t he painful t orment .) (10:96, 97) This is why Allah said here:

(And even if you were t o bring t o t he People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) all t he Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelat ions, et c.), t hey would not follow your Qiblah (prayer direct ion)). Allah's st at ement :

(...nor are you going t o follow t heir Qiblah ), indicat es t he vigor wit h which Allah's Messenger implement s what Allah commanded him. Allah's st at ement also indicat es t hat as much as t he Jews adhere t o t heir opinions and desires, t he Prophet adheres by Allah's commands, obeying Him and following what pleases Him, and t hat he would never adhere t o t heir desires in any case. Hence, praying t owards Bayt Al-Maqdis was not because it was t he Qiblah of t he Jews, but because Allah had commanded it . Allah t hen warns t hose who knowingly defy t he t rut h, because t he proof against t hose who know is st ronger t han against ot her people. This is why Allah said t o His Messenger and his Ummah:

(Verily, if you follow t heir desires aft er t hat which you have received of knowledge (from Allah), t hen indeed you will be one of t he wrongdoers.)

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(146. Those t o whom We gave t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) recognise him (Muhammad or t he Ka` bah at Makkah) as t hey recognize t heir sons. But verily, a part y of t hem conceal t he t rut h while t hey know it i.e., t he qualit ies of Muhammad which are writ t en in t he Tawrah and t he Inj il ). (147. This is) t he t rut h from your Lord. So be you not one of t hose who doubt ).

The Jews know that the Prophet is True, but they hide the Truth
Allah st at es t hat t he scholars of t he People of t he Script ure know t he t rut h of what Allah's Messenger was sent wit h, j ust as one of t hem knows his own child, which is a parable t hat t he Arabs use t o describe what is very apparent . Similarly, in a Hadit h, Allah's Messenger said t o a man who had a youngst er wit h him:


: (Is t his your son) He said, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah! I t est ify t o t his fact .'' Allah's Messenger said:

(Well, you would not t ransgress against him nor would he t ransgress against you.) According t o Al-Qurt ubi, it was narrat ed t hat ` Umar said t o ` Abdullah bin Salam (an Israelit e scholar who became a Muslim), "Do you recognize Muhammad as you recognize your own son'' He replied, "Yes, and even more. The Honest One descended from heaven on t he Honest One on t he eart h wit h his (i.e., Muhammad's) descript ion and I recognized him, alt hough I do not know anyt hing about his mot her's st ory.'' Allah st at es next t hat alt hough t hey had knowledge and cert aint y in t he Prophet , t hey st ill:

(conceal t he t rut h.) The Ayah indicat es t hat t hey hide t he t rut h from t he people, about t he Prophet , t hat t hey find in t heir Books,

(while t hey know it . ) Allah t hen st rengt hens t he resolve of His Prophet and t he believers and affirms t hat what t he Prophet came wit h is t he t rut h wit hout doubt , saying:

((This is) t he t rut h from your Lord. So be you not one of t hose who doubt .)


(148. For every nat ion t here is a direct ion t o which t hey face (in t heir prayers). So hast en t owards all t hat is good. Wheresoever you may be, Allah will bring you t oget her (on t he Day of Resurrect ion). Truly, Allah is able t o do all t hings.)

Every Nation has a Qiblah

Al-` Awfi report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said:

(For every nat ion t here is a direct ion t o which t hey face (in t heir prayers)) "This t alks about followers of t he various religions. Hence, every nat ion and t ribe has it s own Qiblah t hat t hey choose, while Allah's appoint ed Qiblah is what t he believers face.'' Abul-` Aliyah said, "The Jew has a direct ion t o which he faces (in t he prayer). The Christ ian has a direct ion t o which he faces. Allah has guided you, O (Muslim) Ummah, t o a Qiblah which is t he t rue Qiblah.'' This st at ement was also relat ed t o Muj ahid, ` At a' Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi, and ot hers. This last Ayah is similar t o what Allah said:

(To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way. If Allah had willed, He would have made you one nat ion, but t hat (He) may t est you in what He has given you; so compet e in good deeds. The ret urn of you (all) is t o Allah.) (5:48) In t he Ayah (2:148), Allah said:


(Wheresoever you may be, Allah will bring you t oget her (on t he Day of Resurrect ion). Truly, Allah is able t o do all t hings.) meaning: He is able t o gat her you from t he eart h even if your bodies and flesh disint egrat ed and scat t ered.

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(149. And from wheresoever you st art fort h (for prayers), t urn your face in t he direct ion of AlMasj id Al-Haram (at Makkah), t hat is indeed t he t rut h from your Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.) (150. And from wheresoever you st art fort h (for prayers), t urn your face in t he direct ion of Al-Masj id Al-Haram (at Makkah), and wheresoever you are, t urn your faces t owards it (when you pray) so t hat men may have no argument against you except t hose of t hem t hat are wrongdoers, so fear t hem not , but fear Me! And so t hat I may complet e My blessings on you and t hat you may be guided.)

Why was changing the Qiblah mentioned thrice

This is a t hird command from Allah t o face Al-Masj id Al-Haram (t he Sacred Mosque) from every part of t he world (during prayer). It was said t hat Allah ment ioned t his ruling again here because it is connect ed t o what ever is before and what ever is aft er it . Hence, Allah first said:

(Verily, We have seen t he t urning of your (Muhammad's) face t owards t he heaven. Surely, We shall t urn you t o a Qiblah (prayer direct ion) t hat shall please you) (2:144), unt il:

(Cert ainly, t he people who were given t he Script ure (i.e., Jews and t he Christ ians) know well t hat , t hat (your t urning t owards t he direct ion of t he Ka` bah at Makkah in prayers) is t he t rut h from t heir Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what t hey do.) (2:144) Allah ment ioned in t hese Ayat His fulfillment of t he Prophet 's wish and ordered him t o face t he Qiblah t hat he liked and is pleased wit h. In t he second command, Allah said:

(And from wheresoever you st art fort h (for prayers), t urn your face in t he direct ion of Al-Masid Al-Haram t hat is indeed t he t rut h from your Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.) Therefore, Allah st at es here t hat changing t he Qiblah is also t he t rut h from Him, t hus upgrading t he subj ect more t han in t he first Ayah, in which Allah agreed t o what His Prophet had wished for. Thus Allah st at es t hat t his is also t he t rut h from Him t hat He likes and is pleased wit h. In t he t hird command, Allah refut es t he Jewish assert ion t hat t he Prophet faced t heir Qiblah, as t hey knew in t heir Books t hat t he Prophet will lat er on be commanded t o face t he Qiblah of Ibrahim, t he Ka` bah. The Arab disbelievers had no more argument concerning t he Prophet 's Qiblah aft er Allah commanded t he Prophet t o face t he Qiblah of Ibrahim, which is more respect ed and honored, rat her t han t he Qiblah of t he Jews. The Arabs used t o honor t he Ka` bah and liked t he fact t hat t he Messenger was commanded t o face it .

The Wisdom behind abrogating the Previous Qiblah

Allah said:

(...so t hat men may have no argument against you) Therefore, t he People of t he Book knew from t he descript ion of t he Muslim Ummah t hat t hey would be ordered t o face t he Ka` bah. If t he Muslims did not fit t his descript ion, t he Jews would have used t his fact against t he Muslims. If t he Muslims had remained on t he Qiblah of

Bayt Al-Maqdis, which was also t he Qiblah of t he Jews, t his fact could have been used as t he basis of argument by t he Jews against ot her people. Allah's St at ement :

(...except t hose of t hem t hat are wrongdoers,) indicat es t he Mushrikin (polyt heist s) of Quraysh. The reasoning of t hese unj ust persons was t he unsound st at ement : "This man (Muhammad) claims t hat he follows t he religion of Ibrahim! Hence, if his facing Bayt Al-Maqdis was a part of t he religion of Ibrahim, why did he change it '' The answer t o t his quest ion is t hat Allah has chosen His Prophet t o face Bayt Al-Maqdis first for cert ain wisdom, and he obeyed Allah regarding t his command. Then, Allah changed t he Qiblah t o t he Qiblah of Ibrahim, which is t he Ka` bah, and he also obeyed Allah in t his command. He, obeys Allah in all cases and never engages in t he defiance of Allah even for an inst ant , and his Ummah imit at es him in t his. Allah said:

(. ..so fear t hem not , but fear Me!) meaning: ` Do not fear t he doubt s t hat t he unj ust , st ubborn persons raise and fear Me Alone.' Indeed, Allah Alone deserves t o be feared. Allah said:

(...so t hat I may complet e My blessings on you.) This Ayah relat es t o Allah's st at ement :

(...so t hat men may have no argument against you), meaning: I will perfect My bount y on you by legislat ing for you t o face t he Ka` bah, so t hat t he (Islamic) Shari` ah (law) is complet e in every respect . Allah said:

(...t hat you may be guided.), meaning: ` To be direct ed and guided t o what t he nat ions have been led ast ray from, We have guided you t o it and preferred you wit h it .' This is why t his Ummah is t he best and most honored nat ion ever.

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(151. Similarly (t o complet e My blessings on you), We have sent among you a Messenger (Muhammad ) of your own, recit ing t o you Our verses (t he Qur'an) and purifying you, and t eaching you t he Book (t he Qur'an) and t he Hikmah (i. e., Sunnah, Islamic laws and Fiqh j urisprudence), and t eaching you t hat which you did not know.) (152. Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying). I will remember you, and be grat eful t o Me (for My count less favors on you) and never be ungrat eful t o Me.)

Muhammad's Prophecy is a Great Bounty from Allah

Allah reminds His believing servant s wit h what He has endowed t hem wit h by sending Muhammad as a Messenger t o t hem, recit ing t o t hem Allah's clear Ayat and purifying and cleansing t hem from t he worst t ypes of behavior, t he ills of t he souls and t he act s of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic era). The Messenger also t akes t hem away from t he darkness (of disbelief) t o t he light (of fait h) and t eaches t hem t he Book, t he Qur'an, and t he Hikmah (i.e., t he wisdom), which is his Sunnah. He also t eaches t hem what t hey knew not . During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, t hey used t o ut t er foolish st at ement s. Lat er on, and wit h t he blessing of t he Prophet 's Message and t he goodness of his prophecy, t hey were elevat ed t o t he st at us of t he Awliya' (loyal friends of Allah) and t he rank of t he scholars. Hence, t hey acquired t he deepest knowledge among t he people, t he most pious heart s, and t he most t rut hful t ongues. Allah said:

(Indeed, Allah conferred a great favor on t he believers when He sent among t hem a Messenger (Muhammad ) from among t hemselves, recit ing unt o t hem His verses (t he Qur'an), and purifying t hem (from sins).) (3:164) Allah also crit icized t hose who did not give t his bount y it s due considerat ion, when He said:

(Have you not seen t hose who have changed t he favors of Allah int o disbelief (by denying Prophet Muhammad ) and his Message of Islam), and caused t heir people t o dwell in t he house of dest ruct ion) (14:28) Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "Allah's favor means Muhammad.'' Therefore, Allah has commanded t he believers t o affirm t his favor and t o appreciat e it by t hanking and remembering Him:

(Therefore, remember Me. I will remember you, and be grat eful t o Me, and never be ungrat eful t o Me.) Muj ahid said t hat Allah's st at ement :

(Similarly (t o complet e My favor on you), We have sent among you a Messenger (Muhammad ) of your own,) means: Therefore, remember Me in grat it ude t o My favor. Al-Hasan Al-Basri comment ed about Allah's st at ement :

(Therefore remember Me. I will remember you), "Remember Me regarding what I have commanded you and I will remember you regarding what I have compelled Myself t o do for your benefit (i.e., His rewards and forgiveness).'' An aut hent ic Hadit h st at es:

:
(Allah t he Exalt ed said, ` Whoever ment ions Me t o himself, t hen I will ment ion him t o Myself; and whoever ment ions Me in a gat hering, I will ment ion him in a bet t er gat hering.)' Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Anas narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

 : :
(Allah t he Exalt ed said, ` O son of Adam! If you ment ion Me t o yourself, I will ment ion you t o Myself. If you ment ion Me in a gat hering, I will ment ion you in a gat hering of t he angels (or said in a bet t er gat hering). If you draw closer t o Me by a hand span, I will draw closer t o you by forearm's lengt h. If you draw closer t o Me by a forearm's lengt h, I will draw closer t o you by an arm's lengt h. And if you come t o Me walking, I will come t o you running). It s chain is Sahih, it was recorded by Al-Bukhari. Allah said:

(...and be grat eful t o Me (for My count less favors on you) and never be ungrat eful t o Me.) In t his Ayah, Allah commands t hat He be t hanked and appreciat ed, and promises even more rewards for t hanking Him. Allah said in anot her Ayah:

(And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: "If you give t hanks (by accept ing fait h and worshipping none but Allah), I will give you more (of My blessings); but if you are t hankless (i.e., disbelievers), verily, My punishment is indeed severe.) Abu Raj a' Al-` Ut aridi said: ` Imran bin Husayn came by us once wearing a nice silken garment t hat we never saw him wear before or aft erwards. He said, "Allah's Messenger said:

(Those whom Allah has favored wit h a bount y, t hen Allah likes t o see t he effect of His bount y on His creat ion), or he said, "on His servant '' - according t o Ruh (one of t he narrat ors of t he Hadit h).

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(153. O you who believe! Seek help in pat ience and As-Salah (t he prayer). Truly, Allah is wit h As-Sabirin (t he pat ient ).) (154. And say not of t hose who are killed in t he way of Allah, "They are dead.'' Nay, t hey are living, but you perceive (it ) not .)

The Virtue of Patience and Prayer

Aft er Allah commanded t hat He be appreciat ed, He ordained pat ience and prayer. It is a fact t hat t he servant is eit her enj oying a bount y t hat he should be t hankful for, or suffering a calamit y t hat he should meet wit h pat ience. A Hadit h st at es:

:
(Amazing is t he believer, for what ever Allah decrees for him, it is bet t er for him! If he is t est ed wit h a bount y, he is grat eful for it and t his is bet t er for him; and if he is afflict ed wit h a hardship, he is pat ient wit h it and t his is bet t er for him.)

Allah has st at ed t hat t he best t ools t o help ease t he effect s of t he afflict ions are pat ience and prayer. Earlier we ment ioned Allah's st at ement :

(And seek help in pat ience and As-Salah (t he prayer) and t ruly, it is ext remely heavy and hard except for Al-Khashi` in i.e., t he t rue believers in Allah ) (2:45) There are several t ypes of Sabr pat ience: one for avoiding t he prohibit ions and sins, one for act s of worship and obedience. The second t ype carries more rewards t han t he first t ype. There is a t hird t ype of pat ience required in t he face of t he afflict ions and hardships, which is mandat ory, like repent ance. ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "Sabr has t wo part s: pat ience for t he sake of Allah concerning what He is pleased wit h (i.e., act s of worship and obedience), even if it is hard on t he heart and t he body, and pat ience when avoiding what He dislikes, even if it is desired. Those who acquire t hese qualit ies will be among t he pat ient persons whom Allah shall greet (when t hey meet Him in t he Hereaft er; refer t o Surat Al-Ahzab 33:44), Allah willing.''

The Life enjoyed by Martyrs

Allah's st at ement :

(And say not of t hose who are killed in t he way of Allah, "They are dead.'' Nay, t hey are living,) indicat es t hat t he mart yrs are alive and receiving t heir sust enance. Muslim report ed in his Sahih:

: :

 : :
(The souls of t he mart yrs are inside green birds and move about in Paradise wherever t hey wish. Then, t hey t ake refuge in lamps t hat are hanging under t he Throne (of Allah). Your Lord looked at t hem and asked t hem, ` What do you wish for' They said, ` What more could we wish for while You have favored us wit h what You have not favored any ot her of your creat ion' He repeat ed t he quest ion again. When t hey realize t hat t hey will be asked (unt il t hey answer), t hey said, ` We wish t hat You send us back t o t he eart hly life, so t hat we fight in Your cause unt il we are killed in Your cause again,' (because of what t hey enj oy of t he rewards of mart yrdom). The Lord t hen said, ` I have writ t en t hat t hey will not be ret urned t o it (eart hly life) again.) Imam Ahmad report ed t hat ` Abdur-Rahman bin Ka` b bin Malik narrat ed from his fat her t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(The believer's soul is a bird t hat feeds on t he t rees of Paradise unt il Allah sends it back t o it s body when t he person is resurrect ed.) This Hadit h includes all t he believers in it s general meaning. Thus, t he fact t hat t he Qur'an ment ions t he mart yrs in part icular in t he above Ayah serves t o honor, glorify and favor t hem (alt hough t he ot her believers share t he rewards t hey enj oy).

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(155. And cert ainly, We shall t est you wit h somet hing of fear, hunger, loss of wealt h, lives and fruit s, but give glad t idings t o As-Sabirin (t he pat ient ).) (156. Who, when afflict ed wit h calamit y, say: "Truly, t o Allah we belong and t ruly, t o Him we shall ret urn.'') (157. They are t hose on whom are t he Salawat (i.e., who are blessed and will be forgiven) from t heir Lord, and (t hey are t hose who) receive His mercy, and it is t hey who are t he guided ones.)

The Believer is Patient with the Affliction and thus gains a Reward
Allah informs us t hat He t est s and t ries His servant s, j ust as He said in anot her Ayah:

(And surely, We shall t ry you t ill We t est t hose who st rive hard (for t he cause of Allah) and AsSabirin (t he pat ient ), and We shall t est your fact s (i.e., t he one who is a liar, and t he one who is t rut hful).) (47:31) Hence, He t est s t hem wit h t he bount y somet imes and somet imes wit h t he afflict ions of fear and hunger. Allah said in anot her Ayah:

(So Allah made it t ast e ext reme of hunger (famine) and fear.) (16:112) The fright ened and t he hungry persons show t he effect s of t he afflict ion out wardly and t his is why Allah has used here t he word ` Libas' (cover or clot hes) of fear and hunger. In t he Ayat above, Allah used t he words:

(wit h somet hing of fear, hunger,) meaning, a lit t le of each. Then (Allah said),


(loss of wealt h,) meaning, some of t he wealt h will be dest royed,

(lives) meaning, losing friends, relat ives and loved ones t o deat h,

(and fruit s,) meaning, t he gardens and t he farms will not produce t he usual or expect ed amount s. This is why Allah said next :

(but give glad t idings t o As-Sabirin (t he pat ient ).) He t hen explained whom He meant by ` t he pat ient ' whom He praised:

(Who, when afflict ed wit h calamit y, say: "Truly, t o Allah we belong and t ruly, t o Him we shall ret urn.'') meaning, t hose who recit e t his st at ement t o comfort t hemselves in t he face of t heir loss, know t hat t hey belong t o Allah and t hat He does what He wills wit h His servant s. They also know t hat not hing and no deed, even if it was t he weight of an at om, will be lost wit h Allah on t he Day of Resurrect ion. These fact s t hus compel t hem t o admit t hat t hey are Allah's servant s and t hat t heir ret urn will be t o Him in t he Hereaft er. This is why Allah said: t

(They are t hose on whom are t he Salawat (i. e. , who are blessed and will be forgiven) from t heir Lord, and (t hey are t hose who) receive His mercy,) meaning, Allah's praise and mercy will be wit h t hem. Sa` id bin Jubayr added, "Meaning, safet y from t he t orment .''


(and it is t hey who are t he guided ones.) ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab comment ed: "What right eous t hings, and what a great height s.

(They are t hose on whom are t he Salawat from t heir Lord, and (t hey are t hose who) receive His mercy) are t he t wo right eous t hings.

(and it is t hey who are t he guided ones) are t he height s.'' The height s means more rewards, and t hese people will be awarded t heir rewards and more.

The Virtue of asserting that We all belong to Allah, during Afflictions

There are several Ahadit h t hat ment ion t he rewards of admit t ing t hat t he ret urn is t o Allah by saying:

("Truly, t o Allah we belong and t ruly, t o Him we shall ret urn.'') when afflict ions st rike. For inst ance, Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Umm Salamah narrat ed: Once, Abu Salamah came back aft er he was wit h Allah's Messenger and said: I heard Allah's Messenger recit e a st at ement t hat made me delight ed. He said:

:
(No Muslim is st ruck wit h an afflict ion and t hen says Ist irj a` when t he afflict ion st rikes, and t hen says: ` O Allah! Reward me for my loss and give me what is bet t er t han it ,' but Allah will do j ust t hat .) Umm Salamah said: So I memorized t hese words. When Abu Salamah died I said Ist irj a` and said: "O Allah! Compensat e me for my loss and give me what is bet t er t han it .'' I t hen t hought about it and said, "Who is bet t er t han Abu Salamah'' When my ` Iddah (t he period

of t ime before t he widow or divorced woman can remarry) finished, Allah's Messenger asked for permission t o see me while I was dyeing a skin t hat I had. I washed my hands, gave him permission t o ent er and handed him a pillow, and he sat on it . He t hen asked me for marriage and when he finished his speech, I said, "O Messenger of Allah! It is not because I do not want you, but I am very j ealous and I fear t hat you might experience some wrong mannerism from me for which Allah would punish me. I am old and have children.'' He said:

(As for t he j ealousy t hat you ment ioned, Allah t he Exalt ed will remove it from you. As for your being old as you ment ioned, I have suffered what you have suffered. And for your having children, t hey are my children t oo.) She said, "I have surrendered t o Allah's Messenger.'' Allah's Messenger married her and Umm Salamah said lat er, "Allah compensat ed me wit h who is bet t er t han Abu Salamah: Allah's Messenger .'' Muslim report ed a short er version of t his Hadit h.

(158. Verily, As-Safa and Al-Marwah are of t he symbols of Allah. So it is not a sin on him who performs Haj j or ` Umrah (pilgrimage) of t he House t o perform Tawaf bet ween t hem. And whoever does good volunt arily, t hen verily, Allah is All-Recognizer, All-Knower).

The Meaning of "it is not a sin'' in the Ayah

Imam Ahmad report ed t hat ` Urwah said t hat he asked ` A'ishah about what Allah st at ed:

(Verily, As-Safa and Al-Marwah (t wo mount ains in Makkah) are of t he symbols of Allah. So it is not a sin on him who performs Haj j or ` Umrah (pilgrimage) of t he House (t he Ka` bah at Makkah) t o perform t he going (Tawaf) bet ween t hem (As-Safa and Al-Marwah).) "By Allah! It is not a sin if someone did not perform Tawaf around t hem.'' ` A'ishah said, "Worst is t hat which you said, O my nephew! If t his is t he meaning of it , it should have read, ` It is not a sin if one did not perform Tawaf around t hem.' Rat her, t he Ayah was revealed regarding t he Ansar, who before Islam, used t o assume Ihlal (or Ihram for Haj j ) in t he area of Mushallal for t heir idol Manat t hat t hey used t o worship. Those who assumed Ihlal for Manat , used t o hesit at e t o perform Tawaf (going) bet ween Mount s As-Safa and Al-Marwah. So t hey (during t he Islamic era) asked Allah's Messenger about it , saying, ` O Messenger of Allah! During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, we used t o hesit at e t o perform Tawaf bet ween As-Safa and Al-Marwah.' Allah t hen revealed:

(Verily, As-Safa and Al-Marwah are of t he symbols of Allah. So it is not a sin on him who performs Haj j or ` Umrah of t he House t o perform t he going (Tawaf) bet ween t hem.)'' ` A'ishah t hen said, " Allah's Messenger has made it t he Sunnah t o perform Tawaf bet ween t hem (As-Safa and Al-Marwah), and t hus, no one should abandon performing Tawaf bet ween t hem.'' This Hadit h is report ed in t he Sahihayn. In anot her narrat ion, Imam Az-Zuhri report ed t hat ` Urwah said: Lat er on I (` Urwah) t old Abu Bakr bin ` Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Harit h bin Hisham (of ` A'ishah's st at ement ) and he said, "I have not heard of such informat ion. However, I heard learned men saying t hat all t he people, except t hose whom ` A'ishah ment ioned, said, ` Our Tawaf bet ween t hese t wo hills is a pract ice of Jahiliyyah. ' Some ot hers among t he Ansar said, ` We were commanded t o perform Tawaf of t he Ka` bah, but not bet ween As-Safa and Al-Marwah.' So Allah revealed:

(Verily, As-Safa and Al-Marwah are of t he symbols of Allah.)'' Abu Bakr bin ` Abdur-Rahman t hen said, "It seems t hat t his verse was revealed concerning t he t wo groups.'' Al-Bukhari collect ed a similar narrat ion by Anas. Ash-Sha` bi said, "Isaf (an idol) was on As-Safa while Na'ilah (an idol) was on Al-Marwah, and t hey used t o t ouch (or kiss) t hem. Aft er Islam came, t hey were hesit ant about performing Tawaf bet ween t hem. Thereaft er, t he Ayah (2:158 above) was revealed.''

The Wisdom behind legislating Sa` i between As-Safa and Al-Marwah

Muslim recorded a long Hadit h in his Sahih from Jabir, in which Allah's Messenger finished t he Tawaf around t he House, and t hen went back t o t he Rukn (pillar, i.e., t he Black St one) and kissed it . He t hen went out from t he door near As-Safa while recit ing:


(Verily, As-Safa and Al-Marwah are of t he symbols of Allah.) The Prophet t hen said, (I st art wit h what Allah has commanded me t o st art wit h meaning st art t he Sa` i (i.e., fast walking) from t he As-Safa ). In anot her narrat ion of An-Nasa'i, t he Prophet said, (St art wit h what Allah has st art ed wit h (i.e., As-Safa).) Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Habibah bint Abu Taj rah said, "I saw Allah's Messenger performing Tawaf bet ween As-Safa and Al-Marwah, while t he people were in front of him and he was behind t hem walking in Sa` i. I saw his garment t wist ed around his knees because of t he fast walking in Sa` i (he was performing) and he was recit ing:

.
(Perform Sa` i, for Allah has prescribed Sa` i on you.)''' This Hadit h was used as a proof for t he fact t hat Sa` i is a Rukn of Haj j . It was also said t hat Sa` i is Waj ib, and not a Rukn of Haj j and t hat if one does not perform it by mist ake or by int ent ion, he could expiat e t he short coming wit h Damm. Allah has st at ed t hat Tawaf bet ween As-Safa and Al-Marwah is among t he symbols of Allah, meaning, among t he act s t hat Allah legislat ed during t he Haj j for Prophet Ibrahim. Earlier we ment ioned t he Hadit h by Ibn ` Abbas t hat t he origin of Tawaf comes from t he Tawaf of Haj ar (Prophet Ibrahim's wife), bet ween As-Safa and Al-Marwah seeking wat er for her son (Isma` il) Ibrahim had left t hem in Makkah, where t here was no habit at ion for her. When Haj ar feared t hat her son would die, she st ood up and begged Allah for His help and kept going back and fort h in t hat blessed area bet ween As-Safa and Al-Marwah. She was humble, fearful, fright ened and meek before Allah. Allah answered her prayers, relieved her of her loneliness, ended her dilemma and made t he well of Zamzam bring fort h it s wat er for her, which is:

(A t ast y (or nut rit ional) food and a remedy for t he illness.) Therefore, whoever performs Sa` i bet ween As-Safa and Al-Marwah should remember his meekness, humbleness and need for Allah t o guide his heart , lead his affairs t o success and forgive his sins. He should also want Allah t o eliminat e his short comings and errors and t o guide him t o t he st raight pat h. He should ask Allah t o keep him firm on t his pat h unt il he meet s deat h, and t o change his sit uat ion from t hat of sin and errors t o t hat of perfect ion and being forgiven, --- t he same providence which was provided t o Haj ar. Allah t hen st at es:

(And whoever does good volunt arily.) It was said t hat t he Ayah describes performing Tawaf more t han seven t imes, it was also said t hat it refers t o volunt ary ` Umrah or Haj j . It was also said t hat it means volunt eering t o do good works in general, as Ar-Razi has st at ed. The t hird opinion was at t ribut ed t o Al-Hasan AlBasri. Allah knows best . Allah st at es:

(...t hen verily, Allah is All-Recognizer, All-Knower.) meaning, Allah's reward is immense for t he lit t le deed, and He knows about t he sufficiency of t he reward. Hence, He will not award insufficient rewards t o anyone. Indeed:

(Surely, Allah wrongs not even of t he weight of an at om, but if t here is any good (done), He doubles it , and gives from Him a great reward.) (4:40)

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(159. Verily, t hose who conceal t he clear proofs, evidences and t he guidance, which We have sent down, aft er We have made it clear for t he People in t he Book, t hey are t he ones cursed by

Allah and cursed by t he cursers.) (160. Except t hose who repent and do right eous deeds, and openly declare (t he t rut h which t hey concealed). These, I will accept t heir repent ance. And I am t he One Who accept s repent ance, t he Most Merciful.) (161. Verily, t hose who disbelieve, and die while t hey are disbelievers, it is t hey on whom is t he curse of Allah and of t he angels and of mankind, combined.) (162. They will abide t herein (under t he curse in Hell), t heir punishment will neit her be light ened nor will t hey be reprieved).

The Eternal Curse for Those Who hide Religious Commandments

These Ayat st ernly warn against t hose who hide t he clear signs t hat t he Messengers were sent wit h which guide t o t he correct pat h and beneficial guidance for t he heart s, aft er Allah has made such aspect s clear for His servant s t hrough t he Books t hat He revealed t o His Messengers. Abu Al-` Aliyah said t hat t hese Ayat , "were revealed about t he People of t he Script ure who hid t he descript ion of Muhammad .'' Allah t hen st at es t hat everyt hing curses such people for t his evil act . Cert ainly, j ust as everyt hing asks for forgiveness for t he scholar, even t he fish in t he sea and t he bird in t he air, t hen t hose who hide knowledge are cursed by Allah and by t he cursers. A Hadit h in t he Musnad, narrat ed t hrough several chains of narrat ors, t hat st rengt hens t he overall j udgment of t he Hadit h, st at es t hat Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Whoever was asked about knowledge t hat one has, but he hid it , t hen a bridle made of fire will be t ied around his mout h on t he Day of Resurrect ion.) It is also recorded by Al-Bukhari t hat Abu Hurayrah said, "If it was not for an Ayah in Allah's Book, I would not have narrat ed a Hadit h for anyone:

(Verily, t hose who conceal t he clear proofs, evidences and t he guidance, which We have sent down,)'' Muj ahid said, "When t he eart h is st ruck by drought , t he animals say, ` This is because of t he sinners among t he Children of Adam. May Allah curse t he sinners among t he Children of Adam.''' Abu Al-` Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Qat adah said t hat

(and cursed by t he cursers) means t hat t he angels and t he believers will curse t hem. Moreover, a Hadit h st at es t hat everyt hing, including t he fish in t he sea, asks for forgiveness for t he

scholars. The Ayah (2:159 above) st at es t hat t hose who hide t he knowledge will be cursed, (in t his life and) on t he Day of Resurrect ion, by Allah, t he angels, all humanit y, and t hose who curse (including t he animals) each in it s own dist inct way. Allah knows best . From t his punishment , Allah excluded all who repent t o Him:

(Except t hose who repent and do right eous deeds, and openly declare (t he t rut h which t hey concealed).) This Ayah refers t o t hose who regret what t hey have been doing and correct t heir behavior and, t hus, explain t o t he people what t hey have been hiding.

(These, I will accept t heir repent ance. And I am t he One Who accept s repent ance, t he Most Merciful.) This Ayah also indicat es t hat t hose who used t o call t o innovat ion, or even disbelief, and repent t o Allah, t hen Allah will forgive t hem. Allah aft erwards st at es t hat t hose who disbelieve in Him and remain in t his st at e unt il t hey die, t hen:

(it is t hey on whom is t he curse of Allah and of t he angels and of mankind, combined. They will abide t herein (under t he curse in Hell).) Therefore, t hey will suffer t he et ernal curse unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion and aft er t hat in t he fire of Jahannam, where,

(t heir punishment will neit her be light ened) Hence, t he t orment will not be decreased for t hem,


(nor will t hey be reprieved.) The t orment will not be changed or t empered for even an hour. Rat her, it is cont inuous and et ernal. We seek refuge wit h Allah from t his evil end.

Cursing the Disbelievers is allowed

There is no disagreement t hat it is lawful t o curse t he disbelievers. ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab and t he Imams aft er him used t o curse t he disbelievers in t heir Qunut (a t ype of supplicat ion) during t he prayer and ot herwise. As for cursing a specific disbeliever, some scholars st at ed t hat it is not allowed t o curse him, because we do not know how Allah will make his end. Ot hers said t hat it is allowed t o curse individual disbelievers. For proof, t hey ment ion t he st ory about t he man who was brought t o be punished repeat edly for drinking (alcohol), a man said, "May Allah curse him! He is being brought repeat edly (t o be flogged for drinking).'' Allah's Messenger said:

(Do not curse him, for he loves Allah and His Messenger). This Hadit h indicat es t hat it is allowed t o curse t hose who do not love Allah and His Messenger . Allah knows best .

(163. And your Ilah (God) is One Ilah (God Allah), La ilaha illa Huwa (t here is none who has t he right t o be worshipped but He), t he Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful.) In t his Ayah, Allah ment ions t hat He is t he only deit y, and t hat He has no part ners or equals. He is Allah, t he One and Only, t he Sust ainer, and t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Him. He is t he Most Gracious Ar-Rahman, t he Most Merciful Ar-Rahim. We explained t he meanings of t hese t wo Names in t he beginning of Surat Al-Fat ihah. Shahr bin Hawshab report ed t hat Asma' bint Yazid bin As-Sakan narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Allah's Great est Name is cont ained in t hese t wo Ayat ):


(And your Ilah (God) is One Ilah (God Allah), La ilaha illa Huwa (t here is none who has t he right t o be worshipped but He), t he Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful.) and:

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(Alif-Lam-Mim. Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has t he right t o be worshipped but He), AlHaiyul-Qaiyum (t he Ever Living, t he One Who sust ains and prot ect s all t hat exist s).) (3:1, 2)'' Then Allah ment ions some of t he proof t hat He is alone as t he deit y, t hat He is t he One who creat ed t he heavens and t he eart h and all of t he various creat ures bet ween t hem, all of which t est ify t o His Oneness. Allah said:

(164. Verily, in t he creat ion of t he heavens and t he eart h, and in t he alt ernat ion of night and day, and t he ships which sail t hrough t he sea wit h t hat which is of use t o mankind, and t he wat er (rain) which Allah sends down from t he sky and makes t he eart h alive t herewit h aft er it s deat h, and t he moving (living) creat ures of all kinds t hat He has scat t ered t herein, and in t he veering of winds and clouds which are held bet ween t he sky and t he eart h, are indeed Ayat (proofs, evidences, signs, et c.) for people of underst anding.)

The Proofs for Tawhid

Allah said:


(Verily, in t he creat ion of t he heavens and t he eart h...) Therefore, t he sky, wit h it s height , int ricat e design, vast ness, t he heavenly obj ect s in orbit , and t his eart h, wit h it s densit y, it s lowlands, mount ains, seas, desert s, valleys, and ot her st ruct ures, and beneficial t hings t hat it has. Allah cont inues:

(...and in t he alt ernat ion of night and day.) This (t he night ) comes and t hen goes followed by t he ot her (t he day) which does not delay for even an inst ant , j ust as Allah said:

(It is not for t he sun t o overt ake t he moon, nor does t he night out st rip t he day. They all float , each in an orbit .) (36:40) Somet imes, t he day grows short er and t he night longer, and somet imes vice versa, one t akes from t he lengt h of t he ot her. Similarly Allah said:

(Allah merges t he night int o t he day, and He merges t he day int o t he night ) (57:6) meaning, He ext ends t he lengt h of one from t he ot her and vice versa. Allah t hen cont inues:

(. ..and t he ships which sail t hrough t he sea wit h t hat which is of use t o mankind,) Shaping t he sea in t his manner, so t hat it is able t o carry ships from one shore t o anot her, so people benefit from what t he ot her region has, and export what t hey have t o t hem and vice versa. Allah t hen cont inues:


(...and t he wat er (rain) which Allah sends down from t he sky and makes t he eart h alive t herewit h aft er it s deat h), which is similar t o Allah's st at ement :

(And a sign for t hem is t he dead land. We give it life, and We bring fort h from it grains, so t hat t hey eat t hereof.) (36:33), unt il:

(which t hey know not .) (36:36) Allah cont inues:

(and t he moving (living) creat ures of all kinds t hat He has scat t ered t herein,) meaning, in various shapes, colors, uses and sizes, whet her small or large. Allah knows all t hat , sust ains it , and not hing is concealed from Him. Similarly, Allah said:

(And no moving (living) creat ure is t here on eart h but it s provision is due from Allah. And He knows it s dwelling place and it s deposit (in t he ut erus or grave). All is in a Clear Book (Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz t he Book of Decrees wit h Allah).) (11:6)

(...and in t he veering of winds...) Somet imes, t he wind brings mercy and somet imes t orment . Somet imes it brings t he good news of t he clouds t hat follow it , somet imes it leads t he clouds, herding t hem, scat t ering t hem or direct ing t hem. Somet imes, t he wind comes from t he nort h (t he nort hern wind), and somet imes from t he sout h, somet imes from t he east , and st riking t he front of t he Ka` bah, somet imes from t he west , st riking it s back. There are many books about t he wind rain, st ars and t he regulat ions relat ed t o t hem, but here is not t he place t o elaborat e on t hat , and Allah knows best . Allah cont inues:

(...and clouds which are held bet ween t he sky and t he eart h,) The clouds run bet ween t he sky and t he eart h t o wherever Allah wills of lands and areas. Allah said next :

(...are indeed Ayat for people of underst anding,) meaning, all t hese t hings are clear signs t hat t est ify t o Allah's Oneness. Similarly, Allah said:

-
(Verily, in t he creat ion of t he heavens and t he eart h, and in t he alt ernat ion of night and day, t here are indeed signs for men of underst anding. Those who remember Allah (always, and in prayers) st anding, sit t ing, and lying down on t heir sides, and t hink deeply about t he creat ion of t he heavens and t he eart h, (saying): "Our Lord! You have not creat ed (all) t his wit hout purpose, glory t o You! (Exalt ed are You above all t hat t hey associat e wit h You as part ners). Give us salvat ion from t he t orment of t he Fire.'') (3:190, 191)

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(165. And of mankind are some who t ake (for worship) ot hers besides Allah as rivals (t o Allah). They love t hem as t hey love Allah. But t hose who believe, love Allah more (t han anyt hing else). If only, t hose who do wrong could see, when t hey will see t he t orment , t hat all power belongs t o Allah and t hat Allah is severe in punishment .) (166. When t hose who were followed disown (declare t hemselves innocent of) t hose who followed (t hem), and t hey see t he t orment , t hen all t heir relat ions will be cut off from t hem). (167. And t hose who followed will say: "If only we had one more chance t o ret urn (t o t he worldly life), we would disown (declare ourselves as innocent from) t hem as t hey have disowned (declared t hemselves as innocent from) us. '' Thus Allah will show t hem t heir deeds as regret s for t hem. And t hey will never get out of t he Fire.)

The Condition of the Polytheists in this Life and the Hereafter

In t hese Ayat , Allah ment ions t he condit ion of t he polyt heist s in t his life and t heir dest inat ion in t he Hereaft er. They appoint ed equals and rivals wit h Allah, worshipping t hem along wit h Allah and loving t hem, j ust as t hey love Allah. However, Allah is t he only deit y wort hy of worship, Who has neit her rival nor opponent nor part ner. It is report ed in t he Sahihayn t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said: I said, "O Messenger of Allah! What is t he great est sin'' He said:

(To appoint a rival t o Allah while He Alone has creat ed you.) Allah said:


(But t hose who believe, love Allah more (t han anyt hing else)) Because t hese believers love Allah, know His great ness, revere Him, believe in His Oneness, t hen t hey do not associat e anyt hing or anyone wit h Him in t he worship. Rat her, t hey worship Him Alone, depend on Him and t hey seek help from Him for each and every need. Then, Allah warns t hose who commit Shirk,

(If only, t hose who do wrong could see, when t hey will see t he t orment , t hat all power belongs t o Allah.) if t hese people knew what t hey will face and t he t errible punishment t hey are t o suffer because of t heir disbelief and Shirk (polyt heism), t hen t hey would shun t he deviat ion t hat t hey live by. Allah ment ions t heir false beliefs in t heir idols, and t hat t hose t hey followed will declare t heir innocence of t hem. Allah said:

(When t hose who were followed disown (declare t hemselves innocent of) t hose who followed (t hem).) t he angels, whom t hey used t o claim t hat t hey worshipped, declare t heir innocence of t hem in t he Hereaft er, saying:

(We declare our innocence (from t hem) before You. It was not us t hey worshipped.) (28:63), and:

("Glorified be You! You are our Wali (Lord) inst ead of t hem. Nay, but t hey used t o worship t he Jinn; most of t hem were believers in t hem.'') (34:4)

The Jinn will also disown t he disbelievers who worshipped t hem, and t hey will rej ect t hat worship. Allah said:

-
(And who is more ast ray t han one who calls on (invokes) besides Allah, such as will not answer him t ill t he Day of Resurrect ion, and who are (even) unaware of t heir calls (invocat ions) t o t hem And when mankind are gat hered (on t he Day of Resurrect ion), t hey (false deit ies) will become t heir enemies and will deny t heir worshipping.) (46:5, 6) Allah said:

(And t hey have t aken (for worship) alihah (gods) besides Allah, t hat t hey might give t hem honor, power and glory (and also prot ect t hem from Allah' punishment ). Nay, but t hey (t he socalled gods) will deny t heir worship of t hem, and become opponent s t o t hem (on t he Day of Resurrect ion).) (19:81, 82) Prophet Ibrahim said t o his people:

(You have t aken (for worship) idols inst ead of Allah. The love bet ween you is only in t he life of t his world, but on t he Day of Resurrect ion, you shall disown each ot her, and curse each ot her, and your abode will be t he Fire, and you shall have no helper.) (29:25) Allah said:


(But if you could see when t he Zalimun (polyt heist s and wrongdoers) will be made t o st and before t heir Lord,how t hey will cast t he (blaming) word one t o anot her! Those who were deemed weak will say t o t hose who were arrogant : "Had it not been for you, we should cert ainly have been believers!'' And t hose who were arrogant will say t o t hose who were deemed weak: "Did we keep you back from guidance aft er it had come t o you Nay, but you were Muj rimin (polyt heist s, sinners, disbelievers, criminals).'' Those who were deemed weak will say t o t hose who were arrogant : "Nay, but it was your plot t ing by night and day, when you ordered us t o disbelieve in Allah and set up rivals t o Him!'' And each of t hem (part ies) will conceal t heir own regret s (for disobeying Allah during t his worldly life), when t hey behold t he t orment . And We shall put iron collars round t he necks of t hose who disbelieved. Are t hey requit ed aught except what t hey used t o do) (34:31-33) Allah said:


(And Shayt an (Sat an) will say when t he mat t er has been decided: "Verily, Allah promised you a promise of t rut h. And I t oo promised you, but I bet rayed you. I had no aut horit y over you except t hat I called you, and you responded t o me. So blame me not , but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associat ing me (Sat an) as a part ner wit h Allah (by obeying me in t he life of t he world). Verily, t here is a painful t orment for t he Zalimin (polyt heist s and wrongdoers).) (14:22) Allah t hen said:

(...and t hey see t he t orment , t hen all t heir relat ions will be cut off from t hem.) meaning, when t hey see Allah's t orment , t heir power and means of salvat ion are all cut off, and t hey will have no way of making amends, nor will t hey find a way of escape from t he Fire. ` At a' report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about :

(t hen all t heir relat ions will be cut off from t hem.) "meaning t he friendship.'' Muj ahid report ed a similar st at ement in anot her narrat ion by Ibn Abu Naj ih. Allah said:

(And t hose who followed will say: "If only we had one more chance t o ret urn (t o t he worldly life), we would disown (declare ourselves as innocent from) t hem as t hey have disowned (declared t hemselves as innocent from) us.'') This Ayah means: ` If we only had a chance t o go back t o t he life so t hat we could disown t hem (t heir idols, leaders, et c.) shun t heir worship, ignore t hem and worship Allah Alone inst ead.' But t hey ut t er a lie in t his regard, because if t hey were given t he chance t o go back, t hey would only ret urn t o what t hey were prohibit ed from doing, j ust as Allah said. This is why Allah said:


(Thus Allah will show t hem t heir deeds as regret s for t hem.) meaning, t heir works will vanish and disappear. Similarly, Allah said:

(And We shall t urn t o what ever deeds t hey (disbelievers, polyt heist s, sinners) did, and We shall make such deeds as scat t ered float ing part icles of dust .) (25:23) Allah also said:

(The parable of t hose who disbelieved in t heir Lord is t hat t heir works are as ashes, on which t he wind blows furiously on a st ormy day.) (14:18), and:

(As for t hose who disbelieved, t heir deeds are like a mirage in a desert . The t hirst y one t hinks it t o be wat er.) (24:39) This is why Allah said at t he end of t he Ayah 2:167 above

(And t hey will never get out of t he Fire.)

 -
(168.O mankind! Eat of t hat which is lawful and good on t he eart h, and follow not t he foot st eps of Shayt an (Sat an). Verily, he is t o you an open enemy.) (169. He (Sat an) commands you only what is evil and Fahsha' (sinful), and t hat you should say about Allah what you know not .)

The Order to eat the Lawful Things, and the Prohibition of following the Footsteps of Shaytan
Aft er Allah st at ed t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Him and t hat He Alone creat ed t he creat ion, He st at ed t hat He is t he Sust ainer for all His creat ion, and He ment ioned a favor t hat He grant ed t hem; He has allowed t hem t o eat any of t he pure lawful t hings on t he eart h t hat do not cause harm t o t he body or t he mind. He also forbade t hem from following t he foot st eps of Shayt an, meaning his ways and met hods wit h which he misguides his followers, like prohibit ing t he Bahirah (a she-camel whose milk was spared for t he idols and nobody was allowed t o milk it ), or Sa'ibah (a she-camel let loose for free past ure for t he idols and not hing was allowed t o be carried on it ), or a Wasilah (a she-camel set free for idols because it has given birt h t o a she-camel at it s first delivery and t hen again gives birt h t o a she-camel at it s second delivery), and all of t he ot her t hings t hat Shayt an made at t ract ive t o t hem during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah. Muslim recorded ` Iyad bin Himar saying t hat Allah's Messenger said t hat Allah t he Exalt ed says,

:
(` Every t ype of wealt h I have endowed My servant s is allowed for t hem...' (unt il), ` I have creat ed My servant s Hunafa' (pure or upright ), but t he devils came t o t hem and led t hem ast ray from t heir (t rue) religion and prohibit ed t hem from what I allowed for t hem. ') Allah said:

(...he is t o you an open enemy.)

warning against Sat an. Allah said in anot her inst ance:

(Surely, Shayt an is an enemy t o you, so t ake (t reat ) him as an enemy. He only invit es his Hizb (followers) t hat t hey may become t he dwellers of t he blazing Fire.) (35:6), and:

(Will you t hen t ake him (Iblis) and his offspring as prot ect ors and helpers rat her t han Me while t hey are enemies t o you What an evil is t he exchange for t he Zalimin (polyt heist s, and wrongdoers, et c).) (18:50) Qat adah and As-Suddi comment ed on what Allah said:

(...and follow not t he foot st eps of Shayt an (Sat an)): Every act of disobedience t o Allah is among t he foot st eps of Sat an. ` Abd bin Humayd report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said: "Any vow or oat h t hat one makes while angry, is among t he foot st eps of Shayt an and it s expiat ion is t hat of t he vow. '' Allah's st at ement :

(He (Sat an) commands you only what is evil and Fahsha (sinful), and t hat you should say about Allah what you know not .) The verse means: ` Your enemy, Sat an, commands you t o commit evil act s and what is worse t han t hat , such as adult ery and so fort h. He commands you t o commit what is even worse, t hat is, saying about Allah wit hout knowledge.' So t his includes every innovat or and disbeliever.

 -
(170 When it is said t o t hem: "Follow what Allah has sent down.'' They say: "Nay! We shall follow what we found our fat hers following.'' (Would t hey do t hat !) even t hough t heir fat hers did not underst and anyt hing nor were t hey guided) (171. And t he example of t hose who disbelieve is as t hat of him who shout s t o t hose (flock of sheep) t hat hear not hing but calls and cries. (They are) deaf, dumb and blind. So t hey do not underst and.)

The Polytheist imitates Other Polytheists

Allah st at es t hat if t he disbelievers and polyt heist s are called t o follow what Allah has revealed t o His Messenger and abandon t he pract ices of misguidance and ignorance t hat t hey indulge in, t hey will say, "Rat her. We shall follow what we found our fat hers following,'' meaning, worshipping t he idols and t he false deit ies. Allah crit icized t heir reasoning:

((Would t hey do t hat !) even t hough t heir fat hers), meaning, t hose whom t hey follow and whose pract ices t hey imit at e, and:

(...did not underst and anyt hing nor were t hey guided) meaning, t hey had no sound underst anding or guidance. Ibn Ishaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t his was revealed about a group of Jews whom Allah's Messenger called t o Islam, but t hey refused, saying, "Rat her, we shall follow what we found our forefat hers following.'' So Allah revealed t his Ayah (2:170) above."

The Disbeliever is just like an Animal

Allah t hen made a parable of t he disbelievers, j ust as He said in anot her Ayah:


(For t hose who believe not in t he Hereaf t er is an evil descript ion.) (16:60) Similarly, Allah said here (2:171 above)

(And t he example of t hose who disbelieve...) meaning, in t heir inj ust ice, misguidance and ignorance, t hey are j ust like wandering animals, not underst anding what t hey are t old; if t he shepherd heralds t hem or calls t hem t o what benefit s t hem, t hey would not underst and what is act ually being said t o t hem, for t hey only hear unint elligible sounds. This is what is report ed from Ibn ` Abbas, Abu Al-` Aliyah, Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, ` At a', Al-Hasan, Qat adah, ` At a' AlKhurasani and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas.

(They are deaf, dumb, and blind.) means, t hey are deaf, as t hey do not hear t he t rut h; mut e, as t hey do not ut t er it ; and blind, as t hey do not see or recognize it s pat h and way.

(So t hey do not underst and.) means, t hey do not comprehend or underst and anyt hing.

-
(172. O you who believe (in t he Oneness of Allah Islamic Monot heism)! Eat of t he lawful t hings t hat We have provided you wit h, and be grat eful t o Allah, if it is indeed He Whom you worship). (173. He has forbidden you only t he Mait ah (dead animals), and blood, and t he flesh of swine, and t hat which is slaught ered as a sacrifice for ot her t han Allah. But if one is forced by necessit y wit hout willful disobedience nor t ransgressing due limit s, t hen t here is no sin on him. Truly, Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

The Command to eat Pure Things and the Explanation of the Prohibited Things
Allah commands His believing servant s t o eat from t he pure t hings t hat He has creat ed for t hem and t o t hank Him for it , if t hey are t ruly His servant s. Eat ing from pure sources is a cause for t he accept ance of supplicat ions and act s of worship, j ust as eat ing from impure sources prevent s t he accept ance of supplicat ions and act s of worship, as ment ioned in a Hadit h recorded by Imam Ahmad, t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat Allah's Messenger said:

: : :
(O people! Allah is Tayyib (Pure and Good) and only accept s t hat which is Tayyib. Allah has indeed commanded t he believers wit h what He has commanded t he Messengers, for He said: (O (you) Messengers! Eat of t he Tayyibat and do right eous deeds. Verily, I am well-acquaint ed wit h what you do) (23:51), and: (O you who believe! Eat of t he lawful t hings t hat We have provided you wit h) He t hen ment ioned a man, (who is engaged in a long j ourney, whose hair is unt idy and who is covered in dust , he raises his hands t o t he sky, and says, ` O Lord! O Lord!'

Yet , his food is from t he unlawful, his drink is from t he unlawful, his clot hes are from t he unlawful, and he was nourished by t he unlawful, so how can it (his supplicat ion) be accept ed'') It was also recorded by Muslim and At -Tirmidhi Aft er Allah ment ioned how He has blessed His creat ures by providing t hem wit h provisions, and aft er commanding t hem t o eat from t he pure t hings t hat He has provided t hem, He t hen st at ed t hat He has not prohibit ed anyt hing for t hem, except dead animals. Dead animals are t hose t hat die before being slaught ered; whet her t hey die by st rangling, a violent blow, a headlong fall, t he goring of horns or by being part ly eat en by a wild animal. Dead animals of t he sea are excluded from t his ruling, as is explained lat er, Allah willing, as Allah said:

(Lawful t o you is (t he pursuit of) wat ergame and it s use for food) (5:96), and because of t he Hadit h about t he whale recorded in t he Sahih. The Musnad, Al-Muwat t a' and t he Sunan recorded t he Prophet saying about t he sea:

(It s wat er is pure and it s dead are permissible.) Ash-Shafi` i, Ahmad, Ibn Maj ah, and Ad-Daraqut ni report ed t hat Ibn ` Umar said t hat t he Prophet said:

(We have been allowed t wo dead t hings and t wo bloody t hings: fish and locust s; and liver and spleen). We will ment ion t his subj ect again in Surat Al-Ma'idah (chapt er 5 in t he Qur'an), In sha' Allah (if Allah wills). Issue: According t o Ash-Shafi` i and ot her scholars, milk and eggs t hat are inside dead unslaught ered animals are not pure, because t hey are part of t he dead animal. In one narrat ion from him, Malik said t hat t hey are pure t hemselves, but become impure because of t heir locat ion. Similarly, t here is a difference of opinion over t he cheeses (made wit h t he milk) of dead animals. The popular view of t he scholars is t hat it is impure, alt hough t hey ment ioned t he fact t hat t he Companions at e from t he cheeses made by t he Magians (fire worshippers). Hence, Al-Qurt ubi comment ed: "Since only a small part of t he dead animal is mixed wit h it , t hen it is permissible, because a minut e amount of impurit y does not mat t er if it is mixed wit h a large amount of liquid.'' Ibn Maj ah report ed t hat Salman said t hat Allah's Messenger was asked about but t er, cheese and fur. He said:


(The allowed is what Allah has allowed in His Book and t he prohibit ed is what Allah has prohibit ed in His Book. What He has not ment ioned is a part of what He has pardoned.) Allah has prohibit ed eat ing t he meat of swine, whet her slaught ered or not , and t his includes it s fat , eit her because it is implied, or because t he t erm Lahm includes t hat , or by analogy. Similarly prohibit ed are offerings t o ot her t han Allah, t hat is what was slaught ered in a name ot her t han His, be it for monument s, idols, divinat ion, or t he ot her pract ices of t he t ime of Jahiliyyah. Al-Qurt ubi ment ioned t hat ` A'ishah was asked about what non-Muslims slaught er for t heir feast s and t hen offer some of it as gift s for Muslims. She said, "Do not eat from what has been slaught ered for t hat day, (or feast ) but eat from t heir veget ables.''

The Prohibited is Allowed in Cases of Emergency

Then Allah permit t ed eat ing t hese t hings when needed for survival or when t here are no permissible t ypes of food available. Allah said:

(But if one is forced by necessit y wit hout willful disobedience nor t ransgressing due limit s), meaning, wit hout t ransgression or overst epping t he limit s,

(...t hen t here is no sin on him.) meaning, if one eat s such it ems, for,

(Truly, Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) Muj ahid said, "If one is forced by necessit y wit hout willful disobedience nor t ransgressing t he set limit s. For example, if he didn't , t hen he would have t o resort t o highway robbery, rising against t he rulers, or some ot her kinds of disobedience t o Allah, t hen t he permission applies t o him. If one does so t ransgressing t he limit s, or cont inually, or out of disobedience t o Allah, t hen t he permission does not apply t o him even if he is in dire need.'' The same was report ed from Sa` id bin Jubayr. Sa` id and Muqat il bin Hayyan are report ed t o have said t hat wit hout willful disobedience means, "Wit hout believing t hat it is permissible.'' It was report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah:


(. ..wit hout willful disobedience nor t ransgressing) saying, "Wit hout willful disobedience means eat ing t he dead animal and not cont inuing t o do so. Qat adah said:

(wit hout willful disobedience) "Wit hout t ransgressing by eat ing from t he dead animals, t hat is when t he lawful is available.'' Issue: When one in dire st rait s finds bot h dead animals, and foods belong t o ot her people which he could get wit hout risking t he loss of his hands or causing harm, t hen it is not allowed for him t o eat t he dead animals. Ibn Maj ah report ed t hat ` Abbad bin Shurahbil Al-Ghubari said, "One year we suffered from famine. I came t o Al-Madinah and ent ered a garden. I t ook some grain t hat I cleaned, and at e, t hen I left some of it in my garment . The owner of t he garden came, roughed me up and t ook possession of my garment . I t hen went t o Allah's Messenger and t old him what had happened. He said t o t he man:

. (You have not fed him when he was hungry - or he said st arving - nor have you t aught him if he was ignorant .) The Prophet commanded him t o ret urn ` Abbad's garment t o him, and t o offer him a Wasq (around 180 kilograms) - or a half Wasq - of food This has a sufficient ly st rong chain of narrat ors and t here are many ot her wit nessing narrat ions t o support it , such as t he Hadit h t hat ` Amr bin Shu` ayb narrat ed from his fat her t hat his grandfat her said: Allah's Messenger was asked about t he hanging clust ers of dat es. He said:

(There is no harm for whoever t akes some of it in his mout h for a necessit y wit hout put t ing it in his garment .) Muqat il bin Hayyan comment ed on:


(...t hen t here is no sin on him. Truly, Allah is Of t -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) "For what is eat en out of necessit y.'' Sa` id bin Jubayr said, "Allah is pardoning for what has been eat en of t he unlawful, and Merciful' in t hat He allowed t he prohibit ed during t imes of necessit y.'' Masruq said, "Whoever is in dire need, but does not eat or drink unt il he dies, he will ent er t he Fire.'' This indicat es t hat eat ing dead animals for t hose who are in need of it for survival is not only permissible but required.

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(174. Verily, t hose who conceal what Allah has sent down of t he Book, and purchase a small gain t herewit h (of worldly t hings), t hey eat int o t heir bellies not hing but fire. Allah will not speak t o t hem on t he Day of Resurrect ion, nor purify t hem, and t heirs will be a painful t orment ). (175. Those are t hey who have purchased error at t he price of guidance, and t orment at t he price of forgiveness. So how bold t hey are (for evil deeds which will push t hem) t o t he Fire). (176. That is because Allah has sent down t he Book (t he Qur'an) in t rut h. And verily, t hose who disput ed as regards t he Book are far away in opposit ion).

Criticizing the Jews for concealing what Allah revealed

Allah said:

(Verily, t hose who conceal what Allah has sent down of t he Book.) Meaning t he Jews who concealed t heir Book's descript ions of Muhammad , all of which t est ify t o his t rut h as a Messenger and a Prophet . They concealed t his informat ion so t hat t hey would not lose

aut horit y and t he posit ion t hat t hey had wit h t he Arabs, where t hey would bring t hem gift s, and honor t hem. The cursed Jews feared t hat if t hey announced what t hey know about Muhammad , t hen t he people would abandon t hem and follow him. So t hey hid t he t rut h so t hat t hey may ret ain t he lit t le t hat t hey were get t ing, and t hey sold t heir souls for t his lit t le profit . They preferred t he lit t le t hat t hey gained over guidance and following t he t rut h, believing in t he Messenger and having fait h in what Allah was sent him wit h. Therefore, t hey have profit ed failure and loss in t his life and t he Hereaft er. As for t his world, Allah made t he t rut h about His Messenger known anyway, by t he clear signs and t he unequivocal proofs. Thereaft er, t hose whom t he Jews feared would follow t he Prophet , believed in him and followed him anyway, and so t hey became his support ers against t hem. Thus, t he Jews earned anger on t op of t he wrat h t hat t hey already had earned before, and Allah crit icized t hem again many t imes in His Book. For inst ance, Allah said in t his Ayah (2:174 above):

(Verily, t hose who conceal what Allah has sent down of t he Book, and purchase a small gain t herewit h (of worldly t hings).) meaning, t he j oys and delight s of t his eart hly life. Allah said:

(...t hey eat int o t heir bellies not hing but fire,) meaning, what ever t hey eat in ret urn for hiding t he t rut h, will t urn int o a raging fire in t heir st omachs on t he Day of Resurrect ion. Similarly, Allah said:

(Verily, t hose who unj ust ly eat up t he propert y of orphans, t hey eat up only fire int o t heir bellies, and t hey will be burnt in t he blazing Fire!) (4:10) Also, report ed in an aut hent ic Hadit h is t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Those who eat or drink in golden or silver plat es are filling t heir st omachs wit h t he fire of Jahannam (Hell).) Allah said:

(Allah will not speak t o t hem on t he Day of Resurrect ion, nor purify t hem, and t heirs will be a painful t orment .) This is because Allah is furious wit h t hem for concealing t he t rut h. They t hus deserve Allah's anger, so Allah will not look at t hem or purify t hem, meaning t hat He will not praise t hem but will cause t hem t o t ast e a severe t orment . Then, Allah said about t hem:

(Those are t hey who have purchased error for guidance.) Hence, t hey opposed t he guidance, t hat is, not announcing t he Prophet 's descript ion t hey find in t heir Books, t he news about his prophecy and t he good news of his coming which t he previous Prophet s proclaimed, as well as following and believing in him. Inst ead, t hey preferred misguidance by denying him, rej ect ing him and concealing his descript ions t hat were ment ioned in t heir Books. Allah said:

(...and t orment at t he price of forgiveness,) meaning, t hey preferred t orment over forgiveness due t o t he sins t hey have commit t ed. Allah t hen said:

(So how bold t hey are (for evil deeds which will push t hem) t o t he Fire.) Allah st at es t hat t hey will suffer such severe, painful t orment t hat t hose who see t hem will be amazed at how t hey could bear t he t remendous punishment , t ort ure and pain t hat t hey will suffer. We seek refuge wit h Allah from t his evil end. RAllah's St at ement :

(That is because Allah has sent down t he Book (t he Qur'an) in t rut h. ) means, t hey deserve t his painful t orment because Allah has revealed Books t o His Messenger Muhammad , and t he Prophet s before him, and t hese revelat ions bring about t rut h and expose falsehood. Yet , t hey t ook Allah's signs for mockery. Their Books ordered t hem t o announce t he t rut h and t o spread t he knowledge, but inst ead, t hey defied t he knowledge and rej ect ed it . This Final Messenger Muhammad called t hem t o Allah, commanded t hem t o work right eousness and forbade t hem from commit t ing evil. Yet , t hey rej ect ed, denied and defied him and hid t he t rut h t hat t hey knew about him. They, t hus, mocked t he Ayat t hat Allah revealed t o His Messengers, and t his is why t hey deserved t he t orment and t he punishment . This is why Allah said here (2:176):

(That is because Allah has sent down t he Book (t he Qur'an) in t rut h. And verily, t hose who disput ed about t he Book are far away in opposit ion.)

(177. It is not Birr t hat you t urn your faces t owards east and (or) west ; but Birr is t he one who believes in Allah, t he Last Day, t he Angels, t he Book, t he Prophet s and gives his wealt h, in spit e of love for it , t o t he kinsfolk, t o t he orphans, and t o Al-Masakin (t he poor), and t o t he wayfarer, and t o t hose who ask, and t o set servant s free, performs As-Salah (Iqamat -As-Salah), and gives t he Zakah, and who fulfill t heir covenant when t hey make it , and who are pat ient in ext reme povert y and ailment (disease) and at t he t ime of fight ing (during t he bat t les). Such are t he people of t he t rut h and t hey are Al-Mut t aqun (t he pious).)

Al-Birr (Piety, Righteousness)

This Ayah cont ains many great wisdoms, encompassing rulings and correct beliefs. As for t he explanat ion of t his Ayah, Allah first commanded t he believers t o face Bayt Al-Maqdis, and t hen t o face t he Ka` bah during t he prayer. This change was difficult for some of t he People of t he Book, and even for some Muslims. Then Allah sent revelat ion which clarified t he wisdom behind t his command, t hat is, obedience t o Allah, adhering t o His commands, facing wherever He commands facing, and implement ing what ever He legislat es, t hat is t he obj ect ive. This is Birr, Taqwa and complet e fait h. Facing t he east or t he west does not necessit at e right eousness or obedience, unless it is legislat ed by Allah. This is why Allah said:

(It is not Birr t hat you t urn your faces t owards east and (or) west (in prayers); but Birr is t he one who believes in Allah and t he Last Day,) Similarly, Allah said about t he sacrifices:

(It is neit her t heir meat nor t heir blood t hat reaches Allah, but it is t he piet y from you t hat reaches Him.) (22:37) Abu Al-` Aliyah said, "The Jews used t o face t he west for t heir Qiblah, while t he Christ ians used t o face t he east for t heir Qiblah. So Allah said:

(It is not Birr t hat you t urn your faces t owards east and (or) west (in prayers)) (2: 177) meaning, "t his is fait h, and it s essence requires implement at ion.'' Similar was report ed from AlHasan and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. At h-Thawri recit ed:


(but Birr is t he one who believes in Allah,) and said t hat what follows are t he t ypes of Birr. He has said t he t rut h. Cert ainly, t hose who acquire t he qualit ies ment ioned in t he Ayah will have indeed embraced all aspect s of Islam and implement ed all t ypes of right eousness; believing in Allah, t hat He is t he only God wort hy of worship, and believing in t he angels t he emissaries bet ween Allah and His Messengers. The ` Books' are t he Divinely revealed Books from Allah t o t he Prophet s, which were finalized by t he most honorable Book (t he Qur'an). The Qur'an supercedes all previous Books, it ment ions all t ypes of right eousness, and t he way t o happiness in t his life and t he Hereaft er. The Qur'an abrogat es all previous Books and t est fies t o all of Allah's Prophet s, from t he first Prophet t o t he Final Prophet , Muhammad, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon t hem all. Allah's st at ement :

(...and gives his wealt h, in spit e of love for it ,) refers t o t hose who give money away while desiring it and loving it . It is recorded in t he Sahihayn t hat Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat t he Prophet said:

(The best charit y is when you give it away while st ill healt hy and t hrift y, hoping t o get rich and fearing povert y.) Allah said:

-
(And t hey give food, inspit e of t heir love for it , t o t he Miskin (t he poor), t he orphan, and t he capt ive (saying): "We feed you seeking Allah's Face only. We wish for no reward, nor t hanks from you.'') (76:8, 9) and:


(By no means shall you at t ain Birr unless you spend of t hat which you love.) (3:92) Allah's st at ement :

(...and give t hem preference over t hemselves even t hough t hey were in need of t hat ) (59:9) refers t o a higher cat egory and st at us, as t he people ment ioned here give away what t hey need, while t hose ment ioned in t he previous Ayat give away what t hey covet (but not necessarily need). Allah's st at ement :

(t he kinsfolk) refers t o man's relat ives, who have more right s t han anyone else t o one's charit y, as t he Hadit h support s:

:
(Sadaqah (i. e., charit y) given t o t he poor is a charit y, while t he Sadaqah given t o t he relat ives is bot h Sadaqah and Silah (nurt uring relat ions), for t hey are t he most deserving of you and your kindness and charit y). Allah has commanded kindness t o t he relat ives in many places in t he Qur'an.

(t o t he orphans) The orphans are children who have none t o look aft er t hem, having lost t heir fat hers while t hey are st ill young, weak and unable t o find t heir own sust enance since t hey have not reached t he age of work and adolescence. ` Abdur-Razzaq report ed t hat ` Ali said t hat t he Prophet said:

(and t o Al-Masakin) The Miskin is t he person who does not have enough food, clot hing, or he has no dwelling. So t he Miskin should be grant ed t he provisions t o sust ain him enough so t hat he can acquire his needs. In t he Sahihayn it is recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(The Miskin is not t he person who roams around, and whose need is met by one or t wo dat es or one or t wo bit es. Rat her, t he Miskin is he who does not have what is sufficient , and t o whom t he people do not pay at t ent ion and, t hus, do not give him from t he charit y.)

(and t o t he wayfarer) is t he needy t raveler who runs out of money and should, t hus, be grant ed what ever amount t hat helps him t o go back t o his land. Such is t he case wit h whoever int ends t o go on a permissible j ourney, he is given what he needs for his j ourney and back. The guest s are included in t his cat egory. ` Ali bin Abu Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Ibn As-Sabil (wayfarer) is t he guest who is host ed by Muslims.'' Furt hermore, Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Abu Ja` far Al-Baqir, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Ad-Dahhak, Az-Zuhri, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Muqat il bin Hayyan said similarly.

(and t o t hose who ask) refers t o t hose who beg people and are t hus given a part of t he Zakah and general charit y.

(and t o set servant s free) These are t he servant s who seek t o free t hemselves, but cannot find enough money t o buy t heir freedom. We will ment ion several of t hese cat egories and t ypes under t he Tafsir of t he Ayah on Sadaqah in Surat Bara'ah chapt er 9 in t he Qur'an , In sha' Allah. Allah's st at ement :


(performs As-Salah (Iqamat -As-Salah)) means t hose who pray on t ime and give t he prayer it s due right ; t he bowing, prost rat ion, and t he necessary at t ent ion and humbleness required by Allah. Allah's st at ement :

(and gives t he Zakah) means t he required charit y (Zakah) due on one's money, as Sa` id bin Jubayr and Muqat il bin Hayyan have st at ed. Allah's st at ement :

(and who fulfill t heir covenant when t hey make it ,) is similar t o:

(Those who fulfill t he covenant of Allah and break not t he Mit haq (bond, t reat y, covenant ).) (13:20) The opposit e of t his charact erist ic is hypocrisy. As found in a Hadit h:

:
(The signs of a hypocrit e are t hree: if he speaks, he lies; if he promises, he breaks his promise; and if he is ent rust ed, he breaches t he t rust .) In anot her version:

(If he speaks, he lies; if he vows, he breaks his vow; and if he disput es, he is lewd.) Allah's st at ement :

(. ..and who are pat ient in ext reme povert y and ailment (disease) and at t he t ime of fight ing (during t he bat t les).) means, during t he t ime of meekness and ailment .

(...and at t he t ime of fight ing (during t he bat t les).) means on t he bat t lefield while facing t he enemy, as Ibn Mas` ud, Ibn ` Abbas, Abu Al-` Aliyah, Murrah Al-Hamdani, Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi, Muqat il bin Hayyan, Abu Malik, AdDahhak and ot hers have st at ed. And calling t hem t he pat ient here, is a form of praise, because of t he import ance of pat ience in t hese circumst ances, and t he suffering and difficult ies t hat accompany t hem. And Allah knows best , it is He Whom help is sought from, and upon Him we rely. Allah's st at ement :

(Such are t he people of t he t rut h) means, whoever acquires t hese qualit ies, t hese are t rut hful in t heir fait h. This is because t hey have achieved fait h in t he heart and realized it in deed and upon t he t ongue. So t hey are t he t rut hful,

(and t hey are Al-Mut t aqun (t he pious).) because t hey avoided t he prohibit ions and performed t he act s of obedience.

 -
(178. O you who believe! Al-Qisas (t he Law of equalit y) is prescribed for you in case of murder: t he free for t he free, t he slave for t he slave, and t he female for t he female. But if t he killer is forgiven by t he brot her (or t he relat ives) of t he killed (against blood money), t hen it should be sought in a good manner, and paid t o him respect fully. This is an alleviat ion and a mercy from your Lord. So aft er t his, whoever t ransgresses t he limit s (i.e. kills t he killer aft er t aking t he blood money), he shall have a painful t orment .) (179. And t here is (a saving of) life for you in Al-Qisas (t he Law of equalit y in punishment ), O men of underst anding, t hat you may acquire Taqwa.)

The Command and the Wisdom behind the Law of Equality

Allah st at es: O believers! The Law of equalit y has been ordained on you (for cases of murder), t he free for t he free, t he slave for t he slave and t he female for t he female. Therefore, do not t ransgress t he set limit s, as ot hers before you t ransgressed t hem, and t hus changed what Allah has ordained for t hem. The reason behind t his st at ement is t hat (t he Jewish t ribe of) Banu AnNadir invaded Qurayzah (anot her Jewish t ribe) during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah (before Islam) and defeat ed t hem. Hence, (t hey made it a law t hat ) when a person from Nadir kills a person from Quraizah, he is not killed in ret aliat ion, but only pays a hundred Wasq of dat es. However, when a person from Quraizah kills a Nadir man, he would be killed for him. If Nadir want ed (t o forfeit t he execut ion of t he murderer and inst ead require him) t o pay a ransom, t he Quraizah man pays t wo hundred Wasq of dat es double t he amount Nadir pays in Diyah (blood money) . So Allah commanded t hat j ust ice be observed regarding t he penal code, and t hat t he pat h of t he misguided and mischievous persons be avoided, who in disbelief and t ransgression, defy and alt er what Allah has commanded t hem. Allah said:

(Al-Qisas (t he Law of equalit y in punishment ) is prescribed for you in case of murder: t he free for t he free, t he slave for t he slave, and t he female for t he female.) Allah's st at ement :


(t he free for t he free, t he slave for t he slave, and t he female for t he female.) was abrogat ed by t he st at ement life for life (5:45). However, t he maj orit y of scholars agree t hat t he Muslim is not killed for a disbeliever whom he kills. Al- Bukhari report ed t hat ` Ali narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(The Muslim is not killed for t he disbeliever (whom he kills).) No opinion t hat opposes t his ruling could st and correct , nor is t here an aut hent ic Hadit h t o cont radict it . However, Abu Hanifah t hought t hat t he Muslim could be killed for a disbeliever, following t he general meaning of t he Ayah (5:45) in Surat Al-Ma'idah (chapt er 5 in t he Qur'an). The Four Imams (Abu Hanifah, Malik, Shafi` i and Ahmad) and t he maj orit y of scholars st at ed t hat t he group is killed for one person whom t hey murder. ` Umar said, about a boy who was killed by seven men, "If all t he resident s of San` a' (capit al of Yemen t oday) collaborat ed on killing him, I would kill t hem all.'' No opposing opinion was known by t he Companions during t hat t ime which const it ut es a near Ij ma` (consensus). There is an opinion at t ribut ed t o Imam Ahmad t hat a group of people is not killed for one person whom t hey kill, and t hat only one person is killed for one person. Ibn Al-Mundhir also at t ribut ed t his opinion t o Mu` adh, Ibn AzZubayr, ` Abdul-Malik bin Marwan, Az-Zuhri, Ibn Sirin and Habib bin Abu Thabit . Allah's st at ement :

(But if t he killer is forgiven by t he brot her (or t he relat ives) of t he killed (against blood money), t hen it should be sought in a good manner, and paid t o him respect fully.) refers t o accept ing blood money (by t he relat ives of t he vict im in ret urn for pardoning t he killer) in cases of int ent ional murder. This opinion is at t ribut ed t o Abu Al-` Aliyah, Abu Sha` t ha', Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` At a' Al-Hasan, Qat adah and Muqat il bin Hayyan. Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said:

(But if t he killer is forgiven by t he brot her (or t he relat ives) of t he killed (against blood money)) means t he killer is pardoned by his brot her (i.e., t he relat ive of t he vict im) and accept ing t he Diyah aft er capit al punishment becomes due (against t he killer), t his is t he ` Afw (pardon ment ioned in t he Ayah).'' Allah's st at ement :


(...t hen it should be sought in a good manner,) means, when t he relat ive agrees t o t ake t he blood money, he should collect his right ful dues wit h kindness:

( and paid t o him respect fully.) means, t he killer should accept t he t erms of set t lement wit hout causing furt her harm or resist ing t he payment . Allah's st at ement :

(This is an alleviat ion and a mercy from your Lord.) means t he legislat ion t hat allows you t o accept t he blood money for int ent ional murder is an alleviat ion and a mercy from your Lord. It light ens what was required from t hose who were before you, eit her applying capit al punishment or forgiving. Sa` id bin Mansur report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The Children of Israel were required t o apply t he Law of equalit y in murder cases and were not allowed t o offer pardons (in ret urn for blood money). Allah said t o t his Ummah (t he Muslim nat ion):

(The Law of equalit y in punishment is prescribed for you in case of murder: t he free for t he free, t he servant for t he servant , and t he female for t he female. But if t he killer is forgiven by t he brot her (or t he relat ives) of t he killed (against blood money),) Hence, ` pardoning' or ` forgiving' means accept ing blood money in int ent ional murder cases.'' Ibn Hibban also recorded t his in his Sahih. Qat adah said:

(This is an alleviat ion from your Lord)

Allah had mercy on t his Ummah by giving t hem t he Diyah which was not allowed for any nat ion before it . The People of t he Torah (Jews) were allowed t o eit her apply t he penal code (for murder, i.e., execut ion) or t o pardon t he killer, but t hey were not allowed t o t ake blood money. The People of t he Inj il (t he Gospel - t he Christ ians) were required t o pardon (t he killer, but no Diyah was legislat ed). This Ummah (Muslims) is allowed t o apply t he penal code (execut ion) or t o pardon and accept t he blood money.'' Similar was report ed from Sa` id bin Jubayr, Muqat il bin Hayyan and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Allah's st at ement :

(So aft er t his whoever t ransgresses t he limit s, he shall have a painful t orment .) means, t hose who kill in ret aliat ion aft er t aking t he Diyah or accept ing it , t hey will suffer a painful and severe t orment from Allah. The same was report ed from Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, ` At a' ` Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi and Muqat il bin Hayyan.

The Benefits and Wisdom of the Law of Equality

Allah's st at ement :

(And t here is life for you in Al-Qisas) legislat ing t he Law of equalit y, i.e., killing t he murderer, carries great benefit s for you. This way, t he sanct it y of life will be preserved because t he killer will refrain from killing, as he will be cert ain t hat if he kills, he would be killed. Hence life will be preserved. In previous Books, t here is a st at ement t hat killing st ops furt her killing! This meaning came in much clearer and eloquent t erms in t he Qur'an:

(And t here is (a saving of) life for you in Al-Qisas (t he Law of equalit y in punishment ).) Abu Al-` Aliyah said, "Allah made t he Law of equalit y a ` life'. Hence, how many a man who t hought about killing, but t his Law prevent ed him from killing for fear t hat he will be killed in t urn.'' Similar st at ement s were report ed from Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Abu Malik, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Muqat il bin Hayyan. Allah's st at ement :

(O men of underst anding, t hat you may acquire Taqwa.) means, ` O you who have sound minds, comprehension and underst anding! Perhaps by t his you will be compelled t o refrain from

t ransgressing t he prohibit ions of Allah and what He considers sinful. ' Taqwa (ment ioned in t he Ayah) is a word t hat means doing all act s of obedience and refraining from all prohibit ions.

-
(180. It is prescribed for you, when deat h approaches any of you, if he leaves wealt h, t hat he makes a bequest t o parent s and next of kin, according t o reasonable manners. (This is) a dut y upon Al-Mut t aqin (t he pious).) (181. Then whoever changes it aft er hearing it , t he sin shall be on t hose who make t he change. Truly, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.) (182. But he who fears from a t est at or some unj ust act or wrongdoing, and t hereupon he makes peace bet ween t he part ies concerned, t here shall be no sin on him. Cert ainly, Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

Including Parents and Relatives in the Will was later abrogated

This Ayah cont ains t he command t o include parent s and relat ives in t he will, which was obligat ory, according t o t he most correct view, before t he Ayah about inherit ance was revealed. When t he Ayah of inherit ance was revealed, t his Ayah was abrogat ed, so fixed shares of t he inherit ance for deserving recipient s were legislat ed by Allah. Therefore, deserving inherit ors t ake t heir fixed inherit ance wit hout t he need t o be included in t he will or t o be reminded of t he favor of t he inherit ed person. For t his reason we see t he Hadit h narrat ed in t he Sunan and ot her books t hat ` Amr bin Kharij ah said: I heard Allah's Messenger saying in a speech:

(Allah has given each heir his fixed share. So t here is no will for a deserving heir.) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Muhammad bin Sirin said: Ibn ` Abbas recit ed Surat Al-Baqarah (chapt er 2 in t he Qur'an) unt il he reached t he Ayah:

(...if he leaves wealt h, t hat he makes a bequest t o parent s and next of kin.) He t hen said, "This Ayah was abrogat ed.'' This was recorded by Sa` id bin Mansur and Al-Hakim in his Must adrak Al-Hakim Said, "It is Sahih according t o t heir crit eria (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)''. Ibn Abu Hat im report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Allah's st at ement :

(a bequest t o parent s and next of kin) was abrogat ed by t he Ayah:

(There is a share for men and a share for women from what is left by parent s and t hose nearest relat ed, whet her t he propert y be small or large a legal share.) (4:7) Ibn Abu Hat im t hen said, "It was report ed from Ibn ` Umar, Abu Musa, Sa` id bin Musayyib, AlHasan, Muj ahid, ` At a' Sa` id bin Jubayr, Muhammad bin Sirin, ` Ikrimah, Zayd bin Aslam and ArRabi` bin Anas. Qat adah, As-Suddi, Muqat il bin Hayyan, Tawus, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, Shurayh, Ad-Dahhak and Az-Zuhri said t hat t his Ayah (2:180 above) was abrogat ed by t he Ayah about t he inherit ors (4:7).''

The Will for the Relatives that do not qualify as Inheritors

It is recommended t hat t he remaining relat ives who do not have a designat ed fixed share of t he inherit ance, be willed up t o a t hird, due t o t he general meaning of t he Ayah about t he will. It is recorded in t he Sahihayn t hat Ibn ` Umar said t hat Allah's Messenger said:


(It is not permissible for any Muslim who has somet hing t o will t o st ay for t wo night s wit hout having his last will and t est ament writ t en and kept ready wit h him.) Ibn ` Umar comment ed, "Ever since I heard t his st at ement from Allah's Messenger , no night has passed, but my will is kept ready wit h me.'' There are many ot her Ayat and Ahadit h ordering kindness and generosit y t o one's relat ives.

The Will should observe Justice

The will should be fair, in t hat one designat es a part of t he inherit ance t o his relat ives wit hout commit t ing inj ust ice against his qualified inherit ors and wit hout ext ravagance or st inginess. It is recorded in t he Sahihayn t hat Sa` d bin Abu Waqqas said, "O Allah's Messenger! I have some money and only a daught er inherit s from me, should I will all my remaining propert y (t o ot hers)'' He said, "No.'' Sa` d said, "Then may I will half of it '' He said, "No.'' Sa` d said, "Onet hird'' He said, "Yes, one-t hird, yet even one-t hird is t oo much. It is bet t er for you t o leave your inherit ors wealt hy t han t o leave t hem poor, begging from ot hers.'' Al-Bukhari ment ioned in his Sahih t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "I recommend t hat people reduce t he proport ion of what t hey bequeat h by will t o a fourt h (of t he whole legacy) rat her t han a t hird, for Allah's Messenger said:

(One-t hird, yet even one-t hird is t oo much.)'' Allah's st at ement :

(Then whoever changes it aft er hearing it , t he sin shall be on t hose who make t he change. Truly, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.) means, whoever changed t he will and t est ament or alt ered it by addit ion or delet ion, including hiding t he will as is obvious, t hen

(t he sin shall be on t hose who make t he change. )

Ibn ` Abbas and ot hers said, "The dead person's reward will be preserved for him by Allah, while t he sin is acquired by t hose who change t he will.''

(Truly, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.) means, Allah knows what t he dead person has bequeat hed and what t he beneficiaries (or ot hers) have changed in t he will. Allah's st at ement :

(But he who fears from a t est at or some unj ust act or wrongdoing,) Ibn ` Abbas, Abu Al-` Aliyah, Muj ahid, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and As-Suddi said, "Error.'' These errors include such cases as when t he inherit or indirect ly acquires more t han his fair share, such as by being allocat ed t hat a cert ain it em ment ioned in t he legacy be sold t o him. Or, t he t est at or might include his daught er's son in t he legacy t o increase his daught er's share in t he inherit ance, and so fort h. Such errors might occur out of t he kindness of t he heart wit hout t hinking about t he consequences of t hese act ions, or by sinful int ent ion. In such cases, t he execut ive of t he will and t est ament is allowed t o correct t he errors and t o replace t he unj ust it ems in t he will wit h a bet t er solut ion, so t hat bot h t he Islamic law and what t he dead person had wished for are respect ed and observed. This act would not const it ut e an alt erat ion in t he will and t his is why Allah ment ioned it specifically, so t hat it is excluded from t he prohibit ion (t hat prohibit s alt ering t he will and t est ament ) ment ioned in t he previous Ayah. And Allah knows best .

The Virtue of Fairness in the Will

` Abdur-Razzaq report ed t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(A man might perform t he works of right eous people for sevent y years, but when he dict at es his will, he commit s inj ust ice and t hus his works end wit h t he worst of his deeds and he ent ers t he Fire. A man might perform t he works of evil people for sevent y years, but t hen dict at es a j ust will and t hus ends wit h t he best of his deeds and t hen ent ers Paradise.) Abu Hurayrah t hen said, "Read if you wish:

(These are t he limit s ordained by Allah, so do not t ransgress t hem.)'' (2:229)

(183. O you who believe! Fast ing is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for t hose before you, t hat you may acquire Taqwa.) (184. Fast for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a j ourney, t he same number (should be made up) from ot her days. And as for t hose who can fast wit h difficult y, (e.g., an old man), t hey have (a choice eit her t o fast or) t o feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day). But whoever does good of his own accord, it is bet t er for him. And t hat you fast is bet t er for you if only you know.)

The Order to Fast

In an address t o t he believers of t his Ummah, Allah ordered t hem t o fast , t hat is, t o abst ain from food, drink and sexual act ivit y wit h t he int ent ion of doing so sincerely for Allah t he Exalt ed alone. This is because fast ing purifies t he souls and cleanses t hem from t he evil t hat might mix wit h t hem and t heir ill behavior. Allah ment ioned t hat He has ordained fast ing for Muslims j ust as He ordained it for t hose before t hem, t hey being an example for t hem in t hat , so t hey should vigorously perform t his obligat ion more obedient ly t han t he previous nat ions. Similarly, Allah said:


(To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way. If Allah had willed, He would have made you one nat ion, but t hat (He) may t est you in what He has given you; so compet e in good deeds.) (5:48) Allah said in t his Ayah:

(O you who believe! Fast ing is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for t hose before you, t hat you may have Taqwa).) since t he fast cleanses t he body and narrows t he pat hs of Shayt an. In t he Sahihayn t he following Hadit h was recorded:

.(O young people! Whoever amongst you can afford marriage, let him marry. Whoever cannot afford it , let him fast , for it will be a shield for him.) Allah t hen st at es t hat t he fast occurs during a fixed number of days, so t hat it does not become hard on t he heart s, t hereby weakening t heir resolve and endurance.)

The various Stages of Fasting

Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded t hat ` A'ishah said, "(The day of) ` Ashura' was a day of fast ing. When t he obligat ion t o fast Ramadan was revealed, t hose who wished fast ed, and t hose who wished did not .'' Al-Bukhari recorded t he same from Ibn ` Umar and Ibn Mas` ud. Allah said:


(...t hose who can fast wit h difficult y, (e.g., an old man), t hey have (a choice eit her t o fast or) t o feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day).) Mu` adh comment ed, "In t he beginning, t hose who wished, fast ed and t hose who wished, did not fast and fed a poor person for each day.'' Al- Bukhari recorded Salamah bin Al-Akwa` saying t hat when t he Ayah:

(...t hose who can fast wit h difficult y, (e.g., an old man), t hey have (a choice eit her t o fast or) t o feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day).) was revealed, t hose who did not wish t o fast , used t o pay t he Fidyah (feeding a poor person for each day t hey did not fast ) unt il t he following Ayah (2:185) was revealed abrogat ing t he previous Ayah. It was also report ed from ` Ubaydullah from Nafi` t hat Ibn ` Umar said; "It was abrogat ed.'' As-Suddi report ed t hat Murrah narrat ed t hat ` Abdullah said about t his Ayah:

(t hose who can fast wit h difficult y, (e.g., an old man), t hey have (a choice eit her t o fast or) t o feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day).) "It means ` t hose who find it difficult (t o fast ).' Formerly, t hose who wished, fast ed and t hose who wished, did not but fed a poor person inst ead.'' Allah t hen said:

(But whoever does good of his own accord) meaning whoever fed an ext ra poor person,

(it is bet t er for him. And t hat you fast is bet t er for you) Lat er t he Ayah:

(So whoever of you sight s (t he crescent on t he first night of) t he mont h (of Ramadan, i.e., is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fast ing) t hat mont h) (2:185) was revealed and t his abrogat ed t he previous Ayah (2:184).

The Fidyah (Expiation) for breaking the Fast is for the Old and the Ailing
Al-Bukhari report ed t hat ` At a heard Ibn ` Abbas recit e:

(And as for t hose who can fast wit h difficult y, (e.g., an old man), t hey have (a choice eit her t o fast or) t o feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day).) Ibn ` Abbas t hen comment ed, "(This Ayah) was not abrogat ed, it is for t he old man and t he old woman who are able t o fast wit h difficult y, but choose inst ead t o feed a poor person for every day (t hey do not fast ).'' Ot hers report ed t hat Sa` id bin Jubayr ment ioned t his from Ibn ` Abbas. So t he abrogat ion here applies t o t he healt hy person, who is not t raveling and who has t o fast , as Allah said:

(So whoever of you sight s (t he crescent on t he first night of) t he mont h (of Ramadan, i.e., is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fast ing) t hat mont h.) (2:185) As for t he old man (and woman) who cannot fast , he is allowed t o abst ain from fast ing and does not have t o fast anot her day inst ead, because he is not likely t o improve and be able t o fast ot her days. So he is required t o pay a Fidyah for every day missed. This is t he opinion of Ibn ` Abbas and several ot hers among t he Salaf who read t he Ayah:

(And as for t hose who can fast wit h difficult y, (e.g., an old man)) t o mean t hose who find it difficult t o fast as Ibn Mas` ud st at ed. This is also t he opinion of Al-Bukhari who said, "As for t he old man (person) who cannot fast , (he should do like) Anas who, for one or t wo years aft er he became old fed some bread and meat t o a poor person for each day he did not fast .'' This point , which Al-Bukhari at t ribut ed t o Anas wit hout a chain of narrat ors, was collect ed wit h a cont inuous chain of narrat ors by Abu Ya` la Mawsuli in his Musnad, t hat Ayyub bin Abu Tamimah said; "Anas could no longer fast . So he made a plat e of Tharid (brot h, bread and meat ) and invit ed t hirt y poor persons and fed t hem.'' The same ruling applies for t he pregnant and breast -feeding women if t hey fear for t hemselves or t heir children or fet uses. In t his case, t hey pay t he Fidyah and do not have t o fast ot her days in place of t he days t hat t hey missed.


(185. The mont h of Ramadan in which was revealed t he Qur'an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for t he guidance and t he crit erion (bet ween right and wrong). So whoever of you sight s (t he crescent on t he first night of) t he mont h (of Ramadan, i.e., is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fast ing) t hat mont h, and whoever is ill or on a j ourney, t he same number of days which one did not observe Sawm (fast ing) must be made up from ot her days. Allah int ends for you ease, and He does not want t o make t hings difficult for you. (He want s t hat you) must complet e t he same number (of days), and t hat you must magnify Allah i.e., t o say Takbir (Allahu Akbar: Allah is t he Most Great ) for having guided you so t hat you may be grat eful t o Him.)

The Virtue of Ramadan and the Revelation of the Qur'an in it.

Allah praised t he mont h of Ramadan out of t he ot her mont hs by choosing it t o send down t he Glorious Qur'an, j ust as He did for all of t he Divine Books He revealed t o t he Prophet s. Imam Ahmad report ed Wat hilah bin Al-Asqa` t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(The Suhuf (Pages) of Ibrahim were revealed during t he first night of Ramadan. The Torah was revealed during t he sixt h night of Ramadan. The Inj il was revealed during t he t hirt eent h night of Ramadan. Allah revealed t he Qur'an on t he t went y-fourt h night of Ramadan.)

The Virtues of the Qur'an

Allah said:

(...a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for t he guidance and t he crit erion (bet ween right and wrong).) Here Allah praised t he Qur'an, which He revealed as guidance for t he heart s of t hose who believe in it and adhere t o it s commands. Allah said:

(and clear proofs) meaning, as clear and unambiguous signs and unequivocal proof for t hose who underst and t hem. These proofs t est ify t o t he t rut h of t he Qur'an, it s guidance, t he opposit e of misguidance, and how it guides t o t he st raight pat h, t he opposit e of t he wrong pat h, and t he dist inct ion bet ween t he t rut h and falsehood, and t he permissible and t he prohibit ed.

The Obligation of Fasting Ramadan

Allah said:

(So whoever of you sight s (t he crescent on t he first night of) t he mont h (of Ramadan, i.e., is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fast ing) t hat mont h.) This Ayah requires t he healt hy persons who wit ness t he beginning of t he mont h, while residing in t heir land, t o fast t he mont h. This Ayah abrogat ed t he Ayah t hat allows a choice of fast ing or paying t he Fidyah. When Allah ordered fast ing, He again ment ioned t he permission for t he ill person and t he t raveler t o break t he fast and t o fast ot her days inst ead as compensat ion. Allah said:

(...and whoever is ill or on a j ourney, t he same number of days which one did not observe Sawm (fast ing) must be made up from ot her days.)

This Ayah indicat es t hat ill persons who are unable t o fast or fear harm by fast ing, and t he t raveler, are all allowed t o break t he fast . When one does not fast in t his case, he is obliged t o fast ot her days inst ead. Allah said:

(Allah int ends for you ease, and He does not want t o make t hings difficult for you.) This Ayah indicat es t hat Allah allowed such persons, out of His mercy and t o make mat t ers easy for t hem, t o break t he fast when t hey are ill or t raveling, while t he fast is st ill obligat ory on t he healt hy persons who are not t raveling.

Several Rulings concerning the Fast

The aut hent ic Sunnah st at es t hat Allah's Messenger t raveled during t he mont h of Ramadan for t he bat t le for Makkah. The Prophet marched unt il he reached t he area of Kadid and t hen broke his fast and ordered t hose who were wit h him t o do likewise. This was recorded in t he Two Sahihs. Breaking t he fast ment ioned in t his Hadit h was not required, for t he Companions used t o go out wit h Allah's Messenger during t he mont h of Ramadan, t hen, some of t hem would fast while some of t hem would not fast and neit her cat egory would crit icize t he ot hers. If t he command ment ioned in t he Hadit h required breaking t he fast , t he Prophet would have crit icized t hose who fast ed. Allah's Messenger himself somet imes fast ed while t raveling. For inst ance, it is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat Abu Ad-Darda' said, "We once went wit h Allah's Messenger during Ramadan while t he heat was int ense. One of us would place his hand on his head because of t he int ense heat . Only Allah's Messenger and ` Abdullah bin Rawahah were fast ing at t hat t ime.'' We should st at e t hat observing t he permission t o break t he fast while t raveling is bet t er, as Allah's Messenger said about fast ing while t raveling:

(Those who did not fast have done good, and t here is no harm for t hose who fast ed.) In anot her Hadit h, t he Prophet said:

(Hold t o Allah's permission t hat He has grant ed you.) Some scholars say t hat t he t wo act ions are t he same, as ` A'ishah narrat ed t hat Hamzah bin ` Amr Al-Aslami said, "O Messenger of Allah! I fast a lot , should I fast while t raveling'' The Prophet said:


(Fast if you wish or do not fast if you wish.) This Hadit h is in t he Two Sahihs. It was report ed t hat if t he fast becomes difficult (while t raveling), t hen breaking t he fast is bet t er. Jabir said t hat Allah's Messenger saw a man who was being shaded (by ot her people while t raveling). The Prophet asked about him and he was t old t hat man was fast ing. The Prophet said:

(It is not a part of Birr (piet y) t o fast while t raveling.) This was recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. As for t hose who ignore t he Sunnah and believe in t heir heart s t hat breaking t he fast while t raveling is disliked, t hey are required t o break t he fast and are not allowed t o fast . As for making up for missed fast ing days, it is not required t o be consecut ive. One may do so consecut ively or not consecut ively. There are ample proofs t o t his fact . We should ment ion t hat fast ing consecut ive days is only required exclusively during Ramadan. Aft er t he mont h of Ramadan, what is required t hen is t o merely make up for missed days. This is why Allah said:

(. ..t he same number (should be made up) from ot her days.)

Ease and not Hardship

Allah t hen said:

(Allah int ends for you ease, and He does not want t o make t hings difficult for you.) Imam Ahmad recorded Anas bin Malik saying t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Treat t he people wit h ease and don't be hard on t hem; give t hem glad t idings and don't fill t hem wit h aversion.)

This Hadit h was also collect ed in t he Two Sahihs. It is report ed in t he Sahihayn t hat Allah's Messenger said t o Mu` adh and Abu Musa when he sent t hem t o Yemen:

(Treat t he people wit h ease and don't be hard on t hem; give t hem glad t idings and don't fill t hem wit h aversion; and love each ot her, and don't differ.) The Sunan and t he Musnad compilers recorded t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(I was sent wit h t he easy Hanifiyyah (Islamic Monot heism).) Allah's st at ement :

(Allah int ends for you ease, and He does not want t o make t hings difficult for you. (He want s t hat you) must complet e t he same number (of days)) means: You were allowed t o break t he fast while ill, while t raveling, and so fort h, because Allah want ed t o make mat t ers easy for you. He only commanded you t o make up for missed days so t hat you complet e t he days of one mont h.

Remembering Allah upon performing the Acts of Worship

Allah's st at ement :

(...and t hat you must magnify Allah i.e., t o say Takbir (Allahu Akbar: Allah is t he Most Great ) for having guided you) means: So t hat you remember Allah upon finishing t he act of worship. This is similar t o Allah's st at ement :


(So when you have accomplished your Manasik, (rit uals) remember Allah as you remember your forefat hers or wit h far more remembrance.) (2:200) and:

(...Then when t he (Jumu` ah) Salah (prayer) is ended, you may disperse t hrough t he land, and seek t he bount y of Allah (by working), and remember Allah much, t hat you may be successful.) (62:10) and:

-
(...and glorify t he praises of your Lord, before t he rising of t he sun and before (it s) set t ing. And during a part of t he night , glorify His praises, and aft er t he prayers.) (50:39, 40) This is why t he Sunnah encouraged Tasbih (saying Subhan Allah, i.e., all praise is due t o Allah), Tahmid (saying Al-Hamdu Lillah, i.e., all t he t hanks are due t o Allah) and Takbir (saying Allahu Akbar, i.e., Allah is t he Most Great ) aft er t he compulsory prayers. Ibn ` Abbas said, "We used t o know t hat Allah's Messenger has finished t he prayer by t he Takbir.'' Similarly, several scholars have st at ed t hat recit ing Takbir t he during ` Id-ul-Fit r was specified by t he Ayah t hat st at es:

((He want s t hat you) must complet e t he same number (of days), and t hat you must magnify Allah i.e., t o say Takbir (Allahu Akbar: Allah is t he Most Great ) for having guided you...) Allah's st at ement :

(...so t hat you may be grat eful t o Him.) means: If you adhere t o what Allah commanded you, obeying Him by performing t he obligat ions, abandoning t he prohibit ions and abiding by t he set limit s, t hen perhaps you will be among t he grat eful.

(186. And when My servant s ask you (O Muhammad concerning Me, t hen answer t hem), I am indeed near (t o t hem by My knowledge). I respond t o t he invocat ions of t he supplicant when he calls on Me (wit hout any mediat or or int ercessor). So let t hem obey Me and believe in Me, so t hat t hey may be led aright .)

Allah hears the Servant's Supplication

Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Abu Musa Al-Ash` ari said, "We were in t he company of Allah's Messenger during a bat t le. Whenever we climbed a high place, went up a hill or went down a valley, we used t o say, ` Allah is t he Most Great ,' raising our voices. The Prophet came by us and said:

(O people! Be merciful t o yourselves (i.e., don't raise your voices), for you are not calling a deaf or an absent one, but One Who is All-Hearer, All-Seer. The One Whom you call is closer t o one of you t han t he neck of his animal. O ` Abdullah bin Qais (Abu Musa's name) should I t each you a st at ement t hat is a t reasure of Paradise: ` La hawla wa la quwwat a illa billah (t here is no power or st rengt h except from Allah).') This Hadit h was also recorded in t he Two Sahihs, and Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i, At -Tirmidhi and Ibn Maj ah recorded similar wordings. Furt hermore, Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Anas said t hat t he Prophet said:


("Allah t he Exalt ed said, ` I am as My servant t hinks of Me, and I am wit h him whenever he invokes Me.') Allah accept s t he Invocat ion Imam Ahmad also recorded Abu Sa` id saying t hat t he Prophet said:

:
: :

(No Muslim supplicat es t o Allah wit h a Du` a t hat does not involve sin or cut t ing t he relat ions of t he womb, but Allah will grant him one of t he t hree t hings. He will eit her hast en t he response t o his supplicat ion, save it for him unt il t he Hereaft er, or would t urn an equivalent amount of evil away from him.'') They said, "What if we were t o recit e more (Du` a).'' He said, (There is more wit h Allah.) ` Abdullah t he son of Imam Ahmad recorded ` Ubadah bin As-Samit saying t hat t he Prophet said:

(There is no Muslim man on t he face of t he eart h who supplicat es t o Allah but Allah would eit her grant it t o him, or avert a harm from him of equal proport ions, as long as his supplicat ion does not involve sin or cut t ing t he relat ions of t he womb.) At -Tirmidhi recorded t his Hadit h. Imam Malik recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

:
(One's supplicat ion will be accept ed as long as he does become get hast y and say, JAWAD TO DO CHECK ORIG FOR TEXT

Allah accepts the Invocation

Imam Ahmad also recorded Abu Sa` id saying t hat t he Prophet said:

:
: :

(No Muslim supplicat es t o Allah wit h a Du` a t hat does not involve sin or cut t ing t he relat ions of t he womb, but Allah will grant him one of t he t hree t hings. He will eit her hast en t he response t o his supplicat ion, save it for him unt il t he Hereaft er, or would t urn an equivalent amount of evil away from him.'') They said, "What if we were t o recit e more (Du` a).'' He said, (There is more wit h Allah.) ` Abdullah t he son of Imam Ahmad recorded ` Ubadah bin As-Samit saying t hat t he Prophet said:


(There is no Muslim man on t he face of t he eart h who supplicat es t o Allah but Allah would eit her grant it t o him, or avert a harm from him of equal proport ions, as long as his supplicat ion does not involve sin or cut t ing t he relat ions of t he womb.) At -Tirmidhi recorded t his Hadit h. Imam Malik recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

:
(One's supplicat ion will be accept ed as long as he does become get hast y and say, ` I have supplicat ed but it has not been accept ed from me.'') This Hadit h is recorded in t he Two Sahihs from Malik, and t his is t he wording of Al-Bukhari. Muslim recorded t hat t he Prophet said:

: : :
(The supplicat ion of t he servant will be accept ed as long as he does not supplicat e for what includes sin, or cut t ing t he relat ions of t he womb, and as long as he does not become hast y.)

He was asked, "O Messenger of Allah! How does one become hast y'' He said, (He says, ` I supplicat ed and supplicat ed, but I do not see t hat my supplicat ion is being accept ed from me.' He t hus looses int erest and abandons supplicat ing (t o Allah).)

Three Persons Whose Supplication will not be rejected

In t he Musnad of Imam Ahmad and t he Sunans of At -Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Maj ah it is recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

: :
(Three persons will not have t heir supplicat ion rej ect ed: t he j ust ruler, t he fast ing person unt il breaking t he fast , and t he supplicat ion of t he oppressed person, for Allah raises it above t he clouds on t he Day of Resurrect ion, and t he doors of heaven will be opened for it , and Allah says, ` By My grace! I will cert ainly grant it for you, even if aft er a while.')


(187. It is made lawful for you t o have sexual relat ions wit h your wives on t he night of As-Siyam (fast ing). They are Libas i.e., body-cover, or screen for you and you are Libas for t hem. Allah knows t hat you used t o deceive yourselves, so He t urned t o you (accept ed your repent ance) and forgave you. So now have sexual relat ions wit h t hem and seek t hat which Allah has ordained for you (offspring), and eat and drink unt il t he whit e t hread (light ) of dawn appears t o you dist inct from t he black t hread (darkness of night ), t hen complet e your fast t ill t he night fall. And do not have sexual relat ions wit h t hem (your wives) while you are in I` t ikaf in t he Masj ids. These are t he limit s (set ) by Allah, so approach t hem not . Thus does Allah make clear His Ayat t o mankind t hat t hey may acquire Taqwa.)

Eating, Drinking and Sexual Intercourse are allowed during the Nights of Ramadan
These Ayat cont ain a relief from Allah for t he Muslims by ending t he pract ice t hat was observed in t he early years of Islam. At t hat t ime, Muslims were allowed t o eat , drink and have sexual int ercourse only unt il t he ` Isha' (Night ) prayer, unless one sleeps before t he ` Isha' prayer. Those who slept before ` Isha' or offered t he ` Isha' prayer, were not allowed t o drink, eat or sexual int ervourse sex unt il t he next night . The Muslims found t hat t o be difficult for t hem. The Ayat used t he word ` Rafat h' t o indicat e sexual int ercourse, according t o Ibn ` Abbas, ` At a' and Muj ahid. Similar Tafsir was offered by Sa` id bin Jubayr, Tawus, Salim bin ` Abdullah, ` Amr bin Dinar, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Az-Zuhri, Ad-Dahhak, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, As-Suddi, ` At a' AlKhurasani and Muqat il bin Hayyan. Allah said:

(They are Libas i.e., body-cover, or screen for you and you are Libas for t hem.) Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, As-Suddi and Muqat il bin Hayyan said t hat t his Ayah means, "Your wives are a resort for you and you for t hem.'' Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said, "They are your cover and you are t heir cover.'' In short , t he wife and t he husband are int imat e and have sexual int ercourse wit h each ot her, and t his is why t hey were permit t ed t o have sexual act ivit y during t he night s of Ramadan, so t hat mat t ers are made easier for t hem. Abu Ishaq report ed t hat Al-Bara' bin ` Azib said, "When t he Companions of Allah's Messenger observed fast but would sleep before breaking t heir fast , t hey would cont inue fast ing unt il t he following night . Qays bin Sirmah Al-Ansari was fast ing one day and was working in his land. When t he t ime t o break t he fast came, he went t o his wife and said, ` Do you have food' She said, ` No. But I could t ry t o get you some.' His eyes t hen were overcome by sleep and when his wife came back, she found him asleep. She said, ` Woe unt o you! Did you sleep' In t he middle of t he next day, he lost consciousness and ment ioned what had happened t o t he Prophet . Then, t his Ayah was revealed: r


(It is made lawful for you t o have sexual relat ions wit h your wives on t he night of As-Siyam (fast ing)) unt il...

(and eat and drink unt il t he whit e t hread (light ) of dawn appears t o you dist inct from t he black t hread (darkness of night ), t hen complet e your fast t ill t he night fall. ) Consequent ly, t hey were very delight ed.'' Al-Bukhari report ed t his Hadit h by Abu Ishaq who relat ed t hat he heard AlBara' say, "When fast ing Ramadan was ordained, Muslims used t o refrain from sleeping wit h t heir wives t he ent ire mont h, but some men used t o deceive t hemselves. Allah revealed:

(Allah knows t hat you used t o deceive yourselves, so He t urned t o you (accept ed your repent ance) and forgave you.) ` Ali bin Abu Talhah narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "During t he mont h of Ramadan, aft er Muslims would pray ` Isha', t hey would not t ouch t heir women and food unt il t he next night . Then some Muslims, including ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab, t ouched (had sex wit h) t heir wives and had some food during Ramadan aft er ` Isha'. They complained t o Allah's Messenger . Then Allah sent down:

(Allah knows t hat you used t o deceive yourselves, so He t urned t o you (accept ed your repent ance) and forgave you. So now have sexual relat ions wit h t hem)'' This is t he same narrat ion t hat Al-` Awfi relat ed from Ibn ` Abbas. Allah said:

(. ..and seek t hat which Allah has ordained for you (offspring),) Abu Hurayrah, Ibn ` Abbas, Anas, Shurayh Al-Qadi, Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` At a', Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi, Zayd bin Aslam, Hakam bin ` Ut bah, Muqat il bin Hayyan, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Ad-Dahhak, Qat adah, and ot hers said t hat t his Ayah refers t o having offspring. Qat adah said t hat t he Ayah means, "Seek t he permission t hat Allah has allowed for you.'' Sa` id narrat ed t hat Qat adah said,

(and seek t hat which Allah has ordained for you,)

Time for Suhur

Allah said:

(...and eat and drink unt il t he whit e t hread (light ) of dawn appears t o you dist inct from t he black t hread (darkness of night ), t hen complet e your fast t ill t he night fall.) Allah has allowed eat ing and drinking, along wit h having sexual int ercourse, as we have st at ed, during any part of t he night unt il t he light of dawn is dist inguished from t he darkness of t he night . Allah has described t hat t ime as ` dist inguishing t he whit e t hread from t he black t hread.' He t hen made it clearer when He said:

(of dawn.) As st at ed in a Hadit h t hat Imam Abu ` Abdullah Al-Bukhari recorded, Sahl bin Sa` d said, "When t he following verse was revealed:

(Eat and drink unt il t he whit e t hread appears t o you, dist inct from t he black t hread) and (of dawn) was not revealed, some people who int ended t o fast , t ied black and whit e t hreads t o t heir legs and went on eat ing t ill t hey different iat ed bet ween t he t wo. Allah t hen revealed t he words, (of dawn), and it became clear t o t hem t hat it meant (t he darkness of) night and (t he light of) day. '' Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ash-Sha` bi said t hat ` Adi said, "I t ook t wo st rings, one black and t he ot her whit e and kept t hem under my pillow and went on looking at t hem t hroughout t he night , but could not make any dist inct ion bet ween t he t wo. So, t he next morning I went t o Allah's Messenger and t old him t he whole st ory. He said:

(Your pillow is very wide if t he whit e and black t hreads are under it !) Some wordings for t his Hadit h read,

(Your Qafa (back side of your neck) is wide!) Some people said t hat t hese words meant t hat ` Adi was not smart . This is a weak opinion. The narrat ion t hat Al-Bukhari collect ed explains t his part of t he Hadit h. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` Adi bin Hat im narrat ed: I said, "O Messenger of Allah! What is t he whit e t hread from t he black t hread Are t hey act ual t hreads'' He said:

:
(Your Qafa is wide if you see t he t wo t hreads. Rat her, t hey are t he blackness of t he night and t he whit eness of t he daylight .)

Suhur is recommended
Allah allowed eat ing and drinking unt il dawn, it represent s proof t hat Suhur is encouraged, since it is a Rukhsah (concession or allowance) and Allah likes t hat t he Rukhsah is accept ed and implement ed. The aut hent ic Sunnah indicat es t hat eat ing t he Suhur is encouraged. It is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat Anas narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Eat t he Suhur, for t here is a blessing in Suhur.) Muslim report ed t hat ` Amr bin Al-` As narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(The dist inct ion bet ween our fast and t he fast of t he People of t he Book is t he meal of Suhur.) Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Abu Sa` id narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Suhur is a blessed meal. Hence, do not abandon it , even if one j ust t akes a sip of wat er. Indeed, Allah and His angels send Salah (blessings) upon t hose who eat Suhur.) There are several ot her Hadit hs t hat encourage t aking t he Suhur, even if it only consist s of a sip of wat er. It is preferred t hat Suhur be delayed unt il t he t ime of dawn. It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat Anas bin Malik narrat ed t hat Zayd bin Thabit said, "We had Suhur wit h Allah's Messenger and t hen went on t o pray.'' Anas asked, "How much t ime was t here bet ween t he Adhan (call t o prayer) and t he Suhur'' He said, "The t ime t hat fift y Ayat t ake (t o recit e).'' Imam Ahmad recorded Abu Dharr saying t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(My Ummah will always ret ain goodness as long as t hey hast en in breaking t he fast and delay t he Suhur.) There are several Hadit hs t hat narrat e t hat t he Prophet called Suhur "t he blessed meal.'' There are narrat ions from several of t he Salaf t hat t hey allowed t he Suhur t o be eat en lat er unt il close t o Faj r. This is is report ed from Abu Bakr, ` Umar, ` Ali, Ibn Mas` ud, Hudhayfah, Abu Hurayrah, Ibn ` Umar, Ibn ` Abbas and Zayd bin Thabit . It is also report ed from many of t he

Tabi` in, such as Muhammad bin ` Ali bin Husayn, Abu Mij laz, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, Abu Ad-Duha, Abu Wa'il and ot her companions of Ibn Mas` ud. This is also t he opinion of ` At a', Al-Hasan, Hakam bin ` Uyainah, Muj ahid, ` Urwah bin Az-Zubayr, Abu Sha` t ha' Jabir bin Zayd, Al- A` mash and Ma` mar bin Rashid. We have ment ioned t he chains of narrat ions for t heir st at ement s in our (Ibn Kat hir's) book about Siyam (Fast ing), and all praise is due t o Allah. It is also recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat Al-Qasim said t hat ` A'ishah narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(The Adhan pronounced by Bilal should not st op you from t aking Suhur, for he pronounces t he Adhan at night . Hence, eat and drink unt il you hear t he Adhan by Ibn Umm Makt um, for he does not call t he Adhan unt il dawn.) This is t he wording collect ed by Al-Bukhari. Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Qays bin Talq quot ed from his fat her t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Dawn is not t he (ascending) glow of whit e light of t he horizon. Rat her, it is t he red (radiat ing) light .) Abu Dawud and At -Tirmidhi also recorded t his Hadit h, but t heir wording is:

(Eat and drink and do not be rushed by t he ascending (whit e) light . Eat and drink unt il t he redness (of t he dawn) appears.) Ibn Jarir (At -Tabari) recorded t hat Samurah bin Jundub narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:


(Do not be st opped by Bilal's Adhan or t he (ascending) whit eness, unt il it spreads.) Muslim also recorded t his Hadit h.

There is no Harm in beginning the Fast while Junub (a state of major ritual impurity)
Issue: Among t he benefit s of allowing sexual act ivit y, eat ing and drinking unt il dawn for t hose who are fast ing, is t hat it is allowed t o st art t he fast while Junub (in t he st at e of impurit y aft er sexual discharge), and t here is no harm in t his case if one t akes a bat h any t ime in t he morning aft er waking up, and complet es t he fast . This is t he opinion of t he Four Imams and t he maj orit y of t he scholars. Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded t hat ` A'ishah and Umm Salamah said t hat Allah's Messenger used t o wake up while Junub from sexual int ercourse, not wet dreams, and he would t ake a bat h and fast . Umm Salamah added t hat he would not break his fast or make up for t hat day. Muslim recorded t hat ` A'ishah said t hat a man asked:

: Fasting ends at

Sunset
Allah said:

(...t hen complet e your fast t ill t he night fall.) This Ayah orders breaking t he fast at sunset . It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat ` Umar bin AlKhat t ab said t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(If t he night comes from t his direct ion (t he east ), and t he day depart s from t hat direct ion (t he west ), t hen t he fast ing person breaks his fast .) It is report ed t hat Sahl bin Sa` d As-Sa` idi narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:


(The people will ret ain goodness as long as t hey hast en in breaking t he fast .) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat t he Prophet said:

:
(Allah t he Exalt ed said, ` The dearest among My servant s t o Me are t hose who hast en in breaking t he fast t he most .') At -Tirmidhi recorded t his Hadit h and said t hat t his Hadit h is Hasan Gharib.

Prohibition of Uninterrupted Fasting (Wisal)

There are several aut hent ic Hadit hs t hat prohibit Al-Wisal, which means cont inuing t he fast t hrough t he night t o t he next night , wit hout eat ing. Imam Ahmad recorded Abu Hurayrah saying t hat Allah's Messenger said:

: :
:

(Do not pract ice Al-Wisal in fast ing.) So, t hey said t o him, "But you pract ice Al-Wisal, O Allah's Messenger!'' The Prophet replied, "(I am not like you, I am given food and drink during my sleep by my Lord.) ,So, when t he people refused t o st op Al-Wisal, t he Prophet fast ed t wo days and t wo night s (along wit h t hose who pract iced Wisal) and t hen t hey saw t he crescent moon (of t he mont h of Shawwal). The Prophet said t o t hem (angrily):


(If t he crescent had not appeared, I would have made you fast for a longer period.) That was as a punishment for t hem (when t hey refused t o st op pract icing Al-Wisal). This Hadit h is also recorded in t he Sahihayn. The prohibit ion of Al-Wisal was also ment ioned in a number of ot her narrat ions. It is a fact t hat pract icing Al-Wisal was one of t he special qualit ies of t he Prophet , for he was capable and assist ed in his pract ice of it . It is obvious t hat t he food and drink t hat t he Prophet used t o get while pract icing Al-Wisal was spirit ual and not mat erial, ot herwise he would not be pract icing Al-Wisal. We should ment ion t hat it is allowed t o refrain from breaking t he fast from sunset unt il before dawn (Suhur). A Hadit h narrat ed by Abu Sa` id Khudri st at es t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Do not pract ice Al-Wisal, but whoever wishes is allowed t o pract ice it unt il t he Suhur.) They said, "You pract ice Al-Wisal, O Messenger of Allah!'' He said:

(I am not similar t o you, for I have One Who makes me eat and drink during t he night .) This Hadit h is also collect ed in t he Two Sahihs.

The Rulings of I` tikaf

Allah said:

(And do not have sexual relat ions wit h t hem (your wives) while you are in I` t ikaf in t he Masj ids.)

` Ali bin Abu Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "This Ayah is about t he man who st ays in I` t ikaf at t he mosque during Ramadan or ot her mont hs, Allah prohibit ed him from t ouching (having sexual int ercourse wit h) women, during t he night or day, unt il he finishes his I` t ikaf.'' Ad-Dahhak said, "Formerly, t he man who pract iced I` t ikaf would go out of t he mosque and, if he wished, would have sexual int ercourse (wit h his wife). Allah t hen said:

(And do not have sexual relat ions wit h t hem (your wives) while you are in I` t ikaf in t he Masj ids.) meaning, ` Do not t ouch your wives as long as you are in I` t ikaf, whet her you were in t he mosque or out side of it '.'' It is also t he opinion of Muj ahid, Qat adah and several ot her scholars, t hat t he Muslims used t o have sexual int ercourse wit h t he wife while in I` t ikaf if t hey depart ed t he mosque unt il t he Ayah was revealed. Ibn Abu Hat im comment ed, "It was report ed t hat Ibn Mas` ud, Muhammad bin Ka` b, Muj ahid, ` At a' Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Muqat il said t hat t he Ayah means, ` Do not t ouch t he wife while in I` t ikaf.''' What Ibn Abu Hat im report ed from t hese people is t he agreed upon pract ice among t he scholars. Those who are in I` t ikaf are not allowed t o have sexual int ercourse as long as t hey are st ill in I` t ikaf in t he mosque. If one has t o leave t he mosque t o at t end t o a need, such as t o relieve t he call of nat ure or t o eat , he is not allowed t o kiss or embrace his wife or t o busy himself wit h ot her t han his I` t ikaf. He is not even allowed t o visit ailing persons, but he can merely ask about t heir condit ion while passing by. I` t ikaf has several ot her rulings t hat are explained in t he books (of Fiqh), and we have ment ioned several of t hese rulings at t he end of our book on Siyam (Fast ing), all praise is due t o Allah. Furt hermore, t he scholars of Fiqh used t o follow t heir explanat ion of t he rules for fast ing wit h t he explanat ion of t he rules for I` t ikaf, as t his is t he way t hese act s of worship were ment ioned in t he Qur'an. By ment ioning I` t ikaf aft er fast ing, Allah draws at t ent ion t o pract icing I` t ikaf during t he mont h of t he fast , especially t he last part of t he mont h. The Sunnah of Allah's Messenger is t hat he used t o perform I` t ikaf during t he last t en night s of t he mont h of Ramadan unt il he died. Aft erwards, t he Prophet 's wives used t o perform I` t ikaf as t he Two Sahihs recorded from ` A'ishah t he Mot her of t he believers. It is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat Safiyyah, t he daught er of Huyai, went t o Allah's Messenger t o visit him in t he mosque while he was in I` t ikaf. She had a t alk wit h him for a while, t hen she got up in order t o ret urn home. The Prophet accompanied her back home, as it was night . Her house was at Usamah bin Zayd's house on t he edge of Al-Madinah. While t hey were walking, t wo Ansari men met t hem and passed by t hem in a hurry, for t hey were shy t o bot her t he Prophet while he was walking wit h his wife. He t old t hem:

(Do not run away! She is (my wife) Safiyyah bint Huyai.) Bot h of t hem said, "All praise is due t o Allah, (How dare we t hink of any evil) O Allah's Messenger!'' The Prophet said (t o t hem):

 :
(Shayt an reaches everywhere in t he human body, t hat t he blood reaches. I was afraid lest Shayt an might suggest an evil t hought in your minds.) Imam Ash-Shafi` i comment ed, "Allah's Messenger sought t o t each his Ummah t o inst ant ly eliminat e any evil t hought , so t hat t hey do not fall int o t he prohibit ed. They (t he t wo Ansari men) had more fear of Allah t han t o t hink evil of t he Prophet . Allah knows best .'' The Ayah (2:187) prohibit s sexual int ercourse and anyt hing like kissing or embracing t hat might lead t o it during I` t ikaf. As for having t he wife helping t he husband, it is allowed. It is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat ` A'ishah said, "Allah's Messenger would bring his head near me (in her room) and I would comb his hair, while I was on my menses. He would ent er t he room only t o at t end t o what a man needs.'' Allah's st at ement :

(These are t he limit s (set ) by Allah) means, ` This is what We have explained, ordained, specified, allowed and prohibit ed for fast ing. We also ment ioned t he fast 's obj ect ives, what is permit t ed during it , and what is required of it . These are t he set limit s t hat Allah has legislat ed and explained, so do not come near t hem or t ransgress t hem.' ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "(Allah's set limit s ment ioned in t he Ayah) mean t hese four limit s (and he t hen recit ed):

(It is made lawful for you t o have sexual relat ions wit h your wives on t he night of As-Siyam (fast ing).) and he recit ed up t o:

(t hen complet e your Sawm (fast ) t ill t he night fall.) My fat her and ot her's used t o say similarly and recit e t he same Ayah t o us.'' Allah said:


(Thus does Allah make clear His Ayat t o mankind) meaning, ` Just as He explains t he fast and it s rulings, He also explains t he ot her rulings by t he words of His servant and Messenger, Muhammad .' Allah cont inues:

(t o mankind t hat t hey may at t ain Taqwa.) meaning, ` So t hat t hey know how t o acquire t he t rue guidance and how t o worship (Allah).' Similarly, Allah said:

(It is He Who sends down manifest Ayat t o His servant (Muhammad ) t hat He may bring you out from (t ypes of) darkness int o t he light . And verily, Allah is t o you full of kindness, Most Merciful.) (57:9)

(188. And eat up not one anot her's propert y unj ust ly (in any illegal way, e.g., st ealing, robbing, deceiving), nor give bribery t o t he rulers (j udges before present ing your cases) t hat you may knowingly eat up a part of t he propert y of ot hers sinfully.)

Bribery is prohibited and is a Sin

Ali bin Abu Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "This (Ayah 2:188) is about t he indebt ed person when t here is no evidence of t he loan. So he denies t aking t he loan and t he case goes t o t he aut horit ies, even t hough he knows t hat it is not his money and t hat he is a sinner, consuming what is not allowed for him.'' This opinion was also report ed from Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, As-Suddi, Muqat il bin Hayan and ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. They all st at ed, "Do not disput e when you know t hat you are being unj ust .''

The Judge's Ruling does not allow the Prohibited or prohibit the Lawful
It is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat Umm Salamah narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(I am only human! You people present your cases t o me, and as some of you may be more eloquent and persuasive in present ing his argument , I might issue a j udgment in his benefit . So, if I give a Muslim's right t o anot her, I am really giving him a piece of fire; so he should not t ake it .) The Ayah and t he Hadit h prove t hat t he j udgment of t he aut horit ies in any case does not change t he realit y of t he t rut h. Hence, t he ruling does not allow what is in fact prohibit ed or prohibit what is in fact allowed. It is only applicable in t hat case. So if t he ruling agrees wit h t he t rut h, t hen t here is no harm in t his case. Ot herwise, t he j udge will acquire his reward, while t he cheat er will acquire t he evil burden. This is why Allah said:

(And eat up not one anot her's propert y unj ust ly, nor give bribery t o t he rulers (j udges before present ing your cases) t hat you may knowingly eat up a part of t he propert y of ot hers sinfully.) meaning, ` While you know t he falsehood of what you claim. ' Qat adah said, "O son of Adam! Know t hat t he j udge's ruling does not allow you what is prohibit ed or prohibit you from what is allowed. The j udge only rules according t o his best j udgment and according t o t he t est imony of t he wit nesses. The j udge is only human and is bound t o make mist akes. Know t hat if t he j udge erroneously rules in some one's favor, t hen t hat person will st ill encount er t he disput e when t he disput ing part ies meet Allah on t he Day of Resurrect ion. Then, t he unj ust person will be j udged swift ly and precisely wit h t hat which will surpass what ever he acquired by t he erroneous j udgment he received in t he life of t his world.''


(189. They ask you (O Muhammad) about t he crescent s. Say: "These are signs t o mark fixed periods of t ime for mankind and for t he pilgrimage.'' It is not Al-Birr (piet y, right eousness, et c.) t hat you ent er t he houses from t he back, but Al-Birr is from Taqwa. So ent er houses t hrough t heir proper doors, and have Taqwa of Allah t hat you may be successful.)

The Crescent Moons

Al-` Awfi relat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The people asked Allah's Messenger about t he crescent moons. Thereaft er, t his Ayah was revealed:

(They ask you (O Muhammad) about t he crescent s. Say, "These are signs t o mark fixed periods of t ime for mankind...) so t hat t hey mark t heir act s of worship, t he ` Iddah (t he period of t ime a divorced woman or a widow is required t o wait before remarrying) of t heir women and t he t ime of t heir Haj j (pilgrimage t o Makkah).'' ` Abdur-Razzaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Umar narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Allah has made t he crescent s signs t o mark fixed periods of t ime for mankind. Hence, fast on seeing it (t he crescent for Ramadan) and break t he fast on seeing it (t he crescent for Shawwal). If it (t he crescent ) was obscure t o you t hen count t hirt y days (mark t hat mont h as t hirt y days).) WThis Hadit h was also collect ed by Al-Hakim in his Must adrak, and he said, "The chain is Sahih, and t hey (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) did not recorded it ."

Righteousness comes from Taqwa

Allah said:

(It is not Al-Birr (piet y, right eousness, et c.) t hat you ent er t he houses from t he back, but AlBirr is from Taqwa. So ent er houses t hrough t heir proper doors.) Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Al-Bara' said, "During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, t hey used t o ent er t he house from t he back upon assuming t he Ihram. Thereaft er, Allah revealed (t he following Ayah):

(It is not Al-Birr (piet y, right eousness, et c.) t hat you ent er t he houses from t he back but Al-Birr is from Taqwa. So ent er houses t hrough t heir proper doors.) Abu Dawud At -Tayalisi recorded t he same Hadit h from Al-Bara' but wit h t he wording; "The Ansar used t o ent er t heir houses from t he back when ret urning from a j ourney. Thereaft er, t his Ayah (2:189 above) was revealed...'' Al-Hasan said, "When some people during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah would leave home t o t ravel, and t hen decide not t o t ravel, t hey would not ent er t he house from it s door. Rat her, t hey would climb over t he back wall. Allah t he Exalt ed said:

(It is not Al-Birr (piet y, right eousness) t hat you ent er t he houses from t he back,).'' Allah's st at ement :

(...and have Taqwa of Allah t hat you may be successful.) Have Taqwa of Allah, means t o do what He has commanded you and refrain from what He has forbidden for you,

(t hat you may be successful.) t omorrow when you st and before Him and He t hus rewards you perfect ly.

- - -
(190. And fight in t he way of Allah t hose who fight you, but t ransgress not t he limit s. Truly, Allah likes not t he t ransgressors.) (191. And kill t hem wherever you find t hem, and t urn t hem out from where t hey have t urned you out . And Al-Fit nah is worse t han killing. And fight not wit h t hem at Al-Masj id Al-Haram (t he sanct uary at Makkah), unless t hey (first ) fight you t here. But if t hey at t ack you, t hen kill t hem. Such is t he recompense of t he disbelievers. ) (192. But if t hey cease, t hen Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (193. And fight t hem unt il t here is no more Fit nah (disbelief and worshipping of ot hers along wit h Allah) and t he religion (all and every kind of worship) is for Allah (Alone). But if t hey cease, let t here be no t ransgression except against Az-Zalimin (t he polyt heist s and wrongdoers).)

The Command to fight Those Who fight Muslims and killing Them wherever They are found
Abu Ja` far Ar-Razi said t hat Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said t hat Abu Al-` Aliyah comment ed on what Allah said:

(And fight in t he way of Allah t hose who fight you,) Abu Al-` Aliyah said, "This was t he first Ayah about fight ing t hat was revealed in Al-Madinah. Ever since it was revealed, Allah's Messenger used t o fight only t hose who fought him and avoid non-combat ant s. Lat er, Surat Bara'ah (chapt er 9 in t he Qur'an) was revealed.'' ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said similarly, t hen he said t hat t his was lat er abrogat ed by t he Ayah:

(t hen kill t hem wherever you find t hem) (9:5). However, t his st at ement is not plausible, because Allah's st at ement :

(...t hose who fight you) applies only t o fight ing t he enemies who are engaged in fight ing Islam and it s people. So t he Ayah means, ` Fight t hose who fight you', j ust as Allah said (in anot her Ayah):

(...and fight against t he Mushrikin collect ively as t hey fight against you collect ively.) (9:36) This is why Allah said lat er in t he Ayah:

(And kill t hem wherever you find t hem, and t urn t hem out from where t hey have t urned you out .) meaning, ` Your energy should be spent on fight ing t hem, j ust as t heir energy is spent on fight ing you, and on expelling t hem from t he areas from which t hey have expelled you, as a law of equalit y in punishment .'

The Prohibition of mutilating the Dead and stealing from the captured Goods
Allah said:

(but t ransgress not t he limit s. Truly, Allah likes not t he t ransgressors.) This Ayah means, ` Fight for t he sake of Allah and do not be t ransgressors,' such as, by commit t ing prohibit ions. Al-Hasan Al-Basri st at ed t hat t ransgression (indicat ed by t he Ayah), "includes mut ilat ing t he dead, t heft (from t he capt ured goods), killing women, children and old people who do not part icipat e in warfare, killing priest s and resident s of houses of worship, burning down t rees and killing animals wit hout real benefit .'' This is also t he opinion of Ibn ` Abbas, ` Umar bin ` Abdul-` Aziz, Muqat il bin Hayyan and ot hers. Muslim recorded in his Sahih t hat Buraydah narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Fight for t he sake of Allah and fight t hose who disbelieve in Allah. Fight , but do not st eal (from t he capt ured goods), commit t reachery, mut ilat e (t he dead), or kill a child, or t hose who reside in houses of worship.) It is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat Ibn ` Umar said, "A woman was found dead during one of t he Prophet 's bat t les and t he Prophet t hen forbade killing women and children. '' There are many ot her Hadit hs on t his subj ect .

Shirk is worse than Killing

Since Jihad involves killing and shedding t he blood of men, Allah indicat ed t hat t hese men are commit t ing disbelief in Allah, associat ing wit h Him (in t he worship) and hindering from His pat h, and t his is a much great er evil and more disast rous t han killing. Abu Malik comment ed about what Allah said:

(And Al-Fit nah is worse t han killing.) Meaning what you (disbelievers) are commit t ing is much worse t han killing.'' Abu Al-` Aliyah, Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Ad-Dahhak and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said t hat what Allah said:

(And Al-Fit nah is worse t han killing.) "Shirk (polyt heism) is worse t han killing.''

Fighting in the Sacred Area is prohibited, except in Self-Defense

Allah said:

(And fight not wit h t hem at Al-Masj id Al-Haram (t he sanct uary at Makkah)) It is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat t he Prophet said:

:
(Allah has made t his cit y a sanct uary since t he day He creat ed t he heavens and t he eart h. So, it is a sanct uary by Allah's decree t ill t he Day of Resurrect ion. Fight ing in it was made legal for me only for an hour in t he dayt ime. So, it (i.e., Makkah) is a sanct uary, by Allah's decree, from now on unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion. It s t rees should not be cut , and it s grass should not be uproot ed. If anyone ment ions t he fight ing in it t hat occurred by Allah's Messenger, t hen say t hat Allah allowed His Messenger, but did not allow you.) In t his Hadit h, Allah's Messenger ment ions fight ing t he people of Makkah when he conquered it by force, leading t o some deat hs among t he polyt heist s in t he area of t he Khandamah. This occurred aft er t he Prophet proclaimed:

(Whoever closed his door is safe. Whoever ent ered t he (Sacred) Mosque is safe. Whoever ent ered t he house of Abu Sufyan is also safe.) Allah said:

(...unless t hey (first ) fight you t here. But if t hey at t ack you, t hen kill t hem. Such is t he recompense of t he disbelievers.) Allah st at es: ` Do not fight t hem in t he area of t he Sacred Mosque unless t hey st art fight ing you in it . In t his case, you are allowed t o fight t hem and kill t hem t o st op t heir aggression.' Hence, Allah's Messenger t ook t he pledge from his Companions under t he t ree (in t he area of AlHudaybiyyah) t o fight (t he polyt heist s), aft er t he t ribes of Quraysh and t heir allies, Thaqif and ot her groups, collaborat ed against t he Muslims (t o st op t hem from ent ering Makkah t o visit t he Sacred House). Then, Allah st opped t he fight ing before it st art ed bet ween t hem and said:

(And He it is Who has wit hheld t heir hands from you and your hands from t hem in t he midst of Makkah, aft er He had made you vict ors over t hem.) (48:24) and:

(Had t here not been believing men and believing women whom you did not know, t hat you may kill t hem and on whose account a sin would have been commit t ed by you wit hout (your) knowledge, t hat Allah might bring int o His mercy whom He wills if t hey (t he believers and t he disbelievers) had been apart , We verily, would have punished t hose of t hem who disbelieved wit h painful t orment .) (48:25) Allah's st at ement :


(But if t hey cease, t hen Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) which means, ` If t hey (polyt heist s) cease fight ing you in t he Sacred Area, and come t o Islam and repent , t hen Allah will forgive t hem t heir sins, even if t hey had before killed Muslims in Allah's Sacred Area.' Indeed, Allah's forgiveness encompasses every sin, what ever it s enormit y, when t he sinner repent s it .

The Order to fight until there is no more Fitnah

Allah t hen commanded fight ing t he disbelievers when He said:

(...unt il t here is no more Fit nah) meaning, Shirk. This is t he opinion of Ibn ` Abbas, Abu Al` Aliyah, Muj ahid, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Ar-Rabi` , Muqat il bin Hayyan, As-Suddi and Zayd bin Aslam. Allah's st at ement :

(...and t he religion (all and every kind of worship) is for Allah (Alone).) means, ` So t hat t he religion of Allah becomes dominant above all ot her religions.' It is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat Abu Musa Al-Ash` ari said: "The Prophet was asked, ` O Allah's Messenger! A man fight s out of bravery, and anot her fight s t o show off, which of t hem fight s in t he cause of Allah' The Prophet said:

(He who fight s so t hat Allah's Word is superior, t hen he fight s in Allah's cause.) In addit ion, it is report ed in t he Two Sahihs:

(I have been ordered (by Allah) t o fight t he people unt il t hey proclaim, ` None has t he right t o be worshipped but Allah'. Whoever said it , t hen he will save his life and propert y from me, except for cases of t he law, and t heir account will be wit h Allah.) Allah's st at ement :

(But if t hey cease, let t here be no t ransgression except against t he wrongdoers.) indicat es t hat , ` If t hey st op t heir Shirk and fight ing t he believers, t hen cease warfare against t hem. Whoever fight s t hem aft erwards will be commit t ing an inj ust ice. Verily aggression can only be st art ed against t he unj ust .' This is t he meaning of Muj ahid's st at ement t hat only combat ant s should be fought . Or, t he meaning of t he Ayah indicat es t hat , ` If t hey abandon t heir inj ust ice, which is Shirk in t his case, t hen do not st art aggression against t hem aft erwards.' The aggression here means ret aliat ing and fight ing t hem, j ust as Allah said:

(Then whoever t ransgresses against you, you t ransgress likewise against him.) (2:194) Similarly, Allah said:

(The recompense for an evil is an evil like t hereof.) (42:40), and:

(And if you punish t hem, t hen punish t hem wit h t he like of t hat wit h which you were afflict ed. ) (16:126) ` Ikrimah and Qat adah st at ed, "The unj ust person is he who refuses t o proclaim, ` There is no God wort hy of worship except Allah'.'' Under Allah's st at ement :

(And fight t hem unt il t here is no more Fit nah) Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Nafi` said t hat t wo men came t o Ibn ` Umar during t he conflict of Ibn Az-Zubayr and said t o him, "The people have

fallen int o short comings and you are t he son of ` Umar and t he Prophet 's Companion. Hence, what prevent s you from going out '' He said, "What prevent s me is t hat Allah has for bidden shedding t he blood of my (Muslim) brot her.'' They said, "Did not Allah say:

(And fight t hem unt il t here is no more Fit nah (disbelief and worshipping of ot hers along wit h Allah))'' He said, "We did fight unt il t here was no more Fit nah and t he religion became for Allah Alone. You want t o fight unt il t here is Fit nah and t he religion becomes for ot her t han Allah!'' ` Ut hman bin Salih added t hat a man came t o Ibn ` Umar and asked him, "O Abu ` AbdurRahman! What made you perform Haj j one year and ` Umrah anot her year and abandon Jihad in t he cause of Allah, alt hough you know how much He has encouraged performing it '' He said, "O my nephew! Islam is built on five (pillars): believing in Allah and His Messenger, t he five daily prayers, fast ing Ramadan, paying t he Zakah and performing Haj j (pilgrimage) t o t he House.'' They said, "O Abu ` Abdur-Rahman! Did you not hear what Allah said in His Book:

(And if t wo part ies (or groups) among t he believers fall t o fight ing, t hen make peace bet ween t hem bot h. But if one of t hem out rages against t he ot her, t hen fight you (all) against t he one t hat which out rages t ill it complies wit h t he command of Allah.) (49:9) and:

(And fight t hem unt il t here is no more Fit nah (disbelief)) He said, "That we did during t he t ime of Allah's Messenger when Islam was st ill weak and (t he Muslim) man used t o face t rials in his religion, such as killing or t ort ure. When Islam became st ronger (and apparent ), t here was no more Fit nah.'' He asked, "What do you say about ` Ali and ` Ut hman'' He said, "As for ` Ut hman, Allah has forgiven him. However, you hat ed t he fact t hat Allah had forgiven him! As for ` Ali, he is t he cousin of Allah's Messenger and his son-in-law.'' He t hen point ed wit h his hand, saying, "This is where his house is locat ed (meaning, ` so close t o t he Prophet 's house j ust as ` Ali was so close t o t he Prophet himself').''


(194. The sacred mont h is for t he sacred mont h, and for t he prohibit ed t hings, t here is t he Law of equalit y (Qisas). Then whoever t ransgresses against you, you t ransgress likewise against him. And fear Allah, and know t hat Allah is wit h Al-Mut t aqin.)

Fighting during the Sacred Months is prohibited, except in SelfDefense

Ibn ` Abbas, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi, Qat adah, Miqsam, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and ` At a said, "Allah's Messenger went for ` Umrah on t he sixt h year of Hij rah. Then, t he idolat ors prevent ed him from ent ering t he Sacred House (t he Ka` bah in Makkah) along wit h t he Muslims who came wit h him. This incident occurred during t he sacred mont h of Dhul-Qa` dah. The idolat ors agreed t o allow t hem t o ent er t he House t he next year. Hence, t he Prophet ent ered t he House t he following year, along wit h t he Muslims who accompanied him, and Allah permit t ed him t o avenge t he idolat ors' t reat ment of him, when He said:

(The sacred mont h is for t he sacred mont h, and for t he prohibit ed t hings, t here is t he Law of equalit y (Qisas).) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah said, "Allah's Messenger would not engage in warfare during t he Sacred Mont h unless he was first at t acked, t hen he would march fort h. He would ot herwise remain idle unt il t he end of t he Sacred Mont hs.'' This Hadit h has an aut hent ic chain of narrat ors. Hence, when t he Prophet was t old t hat ` Ut hman was killed (in Makkah) when he was camped at t he area of Al-Hudaybiyyah, aft er he had sent ` Ut hman as his emissary t o t he polyt heist s, he accept ed t he pledge from his Companions under t he t ree t o fight t he polyt heist s. They were one t housand and four hundred t hen. When t he Prophet was informed t hat ` Ut hman was not killed, he abandoned t he fight and revert ed t o peace. When t he Prophet finished fight ing wit h (t he t ribes of) Hawazin during t he bat t le of Hunayn and Hawazin t ook refuge in (t he cit y of) At -Ta'if , he laid siege t o t hat cit y. Then, t he (sacred) mont h of Dhul-Qa` dah st art ed, while At -Ta'if was st ill under siege. The siege went on for t he rest of t he fort y days (rat her, from t he day t he bat t le of Hunayn st art ed unt il t he Prophet went back t o Al-Madinah from Al-Ji` ranah, were fort y days), as report ed in t he Two Sahihs and narrat ed by Anas. When t he Companions suffered mount ing casualt ies (during t he siege), t he Prophet ended t he siege before conquering At -Ta'if. He t hen went back t o Makkah, performed ` Umrah from Al-Ji` ranah, where he divided t he war boot y of Hunayn. This ` Umrah occurred during Dhul-Qa` dah of t he eight h year of Al-Hij rah.

Allah's st at ement :

(...whoever t ransgresses against you, you t ransgress likewise against him.) ordains j ust ice even wit h t he polyt heist s. Allah also said in anot her Ayah:

(And if you punish, t hen punish t hem wit h t he like of t hat wit h which you were afflict ed.) (16:126) Allah's st at ement :

(And fear Allah, and know t hat Allah is wit h Al-Mut t aqin (t he pious)) (2:194) commands t hat Allah be obeyed and feared out of Taqwa. The Ayah informs us t hat Allah is wit h t hose who have Taqwa by His aid and support in t his life and t he Hereaft er.

(195. And spend in t he cause of Allah and do not t hrow yourselves int o dest ruct ion, and do good. Truly, Allah loves Al-Muhsinin (t hose who do good).)

The Command to spend in the Cause of Allah

Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Hudhayfah said:

(And spend in t he cause of Allah and do not t hrow yourselves int o dest ruct ion.) "It was revealed about spending.'' Ibn Abu Hat im report ed him saying similarly. He t hen comment ed, "Similar is

report ed from Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` At a', Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, As-Suddi and Muqat il bin Hayyan.'' Aslam Abu ` Imran said, "A man from among t he Ansar broke enemy (Byzant ine) lines in Const ant inople (Ist anbul). Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari was wit h us t hen. So some people said, ` He is t hrowing himself t o dest ruct ion.' Abu Ayyub said, ` We know t his Ayah (2:195) bet t er, for it was revealed about us, t he Companions of Allah's Messenger who part icipat ed in Jihad wit h him and aided and support ed him. When Islam became st rong, we, t he Ansar, met and said t o each ot her, ` Allah has honored us by being t he Companions of His Prophet and in support ing him unt il Islam became vict orious and it s following increased. We had before ignored t he needs of our families, est at es and children. Warfare has ceased, so let us go back t o our families and children and at t end t o t hem.' So t his Ayah was revealed about us:

(And spend in t he cause of Allah and do not t hrow yourselves int o dest ruct ion.) t he dest ruct ion refers t o st aying wit h our families and est at es and abandoning Jihad'.'' This was recorded by Abu Dawud, At -Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i, ` Abd bin Humayd in his Tafsir, Ibn Abu Hat im, Ibn Jarir, Ibn Marduwyah, Al-Hafiz Abu Ya` la in his Musnad, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim. At -Tirmidhi said; "Hasan, Sahih, Gharib" Al-Hakim said, "It meet s t he crit eria of t he Two Shaykhs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) but t hey did not record it ." Abu Dawud's version ment ions t hat Aslam Abu ` Imran said, "We were at (t he siege of) Const ant inople. Then, ` Uqbah bin ` Amr was leading t he Egypt ian forces, while t he Syrian forces were led by Fadalah bin ` Ubayd. Lat er on, a huge column of Roman (Byzant ine) soldiers depart ed t he cit y, and we st ood in lines against t hem. A Muslim man raided t he Roman lines unt il he broke t hrough t hem and came back t o us. The people shout ed, ` All praise is due t o Allah! He is sending himself t o cert ain demise.' Abu Ayyub said, ` O people! You explain t his Ayah t he wrong way. It was revealed about us, t he Ansar when Allah gave vict ory t o His religion and it s following increased. We said t o each ot her, ` It would be bet t er for us now if we ret urn t o our est at es and at t end t o t hem.' Then Allah revealed t his Ayah (2:195)'.'' Abu Bakr bin ` Aiyash report ed t hat Abu Ishaq As-Subai` y relat ed t hat a man said t o Al-Bara' bin ` Azib, "If I raided t he enemy lines alone and t hey kill me, would I be t hrowing myself t o cert ain demise'' He said, "No. Allah said t o His Messenger :

(Then fight (O Muhammad ) in t he cause of Allah, you are not t asked (held responsible) except for yourself.) (4:84) That Ayah (2:195) is about (refraining from) spending.'' Ibn Marduwyah report ed t his Hadit h, as well as Al-Hakim in his Must adrak who said; "It meet s t he crit eria of t he Two Shaykhs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) but t hey did not record it ." At h-Thawri and Qays bin Ar-Rabi` relat ed it from Al-Bara'. but added:

(You are not t asked (held responsible) except for yourself.) (4:84) "Dest ruct ion refers t o t he man who sins and refrains from repent ing, t hus t hrowing himself t o dest ruct ion.'' Ibn ` Abbas said:

(And spend in t he cause of Allah and do not t hrow yourselves int o dest ruct ion) "This is not about fight ing. But about refraining from spending for t he sake of Allah, in which case, one will be t hrowing his self int o dest ruct ion." The Ayah (2:195) includes t he order t o spend in Allah's cause, in t he various areas and ways t hat involve obedience and drawing closer t o Allah. It especially applies t o spending in fight ing t he enemies and on what st rengt hens t he Muslims against t he enemy. Allah st at es t hat t hose who refrain from spending in t his regard will face ut t er and cert ain demise and dest ruct ion, meaning t hose who acquire t his habit . Allah commands t hat one should acquire Ihsan (excellence in t he religion), as it is t he highest part of t he act s of obedience. Allah said:

(and do good. Truly, Allah loves Al-Muhsinin (t hose who do good).)


(196. And complet e Haj j and ` Umrah for Allah. But if you are prevent ed, t hen sacrifice a Hady t hat you can afford, and do not shave your heads unt il t he Hady reaches t he place of sacrifice. And whosoever of you is ill or has an ailment on his scalp (necessit at ing shaving), he must pay a Fidyah (ransom) of eit her fast ing or giving Sadaqah or a sacrifice. Then if you are in safet y and whosoever performs t he ` Umrah (in t he mont hs of Haj j ), before (performing) t he Haj j , he must slaught er a Hady such as he can afford, but if he cannot (afford it ), he should fast for t hree days during Haj j and seven days aft er his ret urn, making t en days in all. This is for him whose family is not present at Al-Masj id Al-Haram (i.e., non-resident of Makkah). And fear Allah much and know t hat Allah is severe in punishment .) g

The Command to complete Hajj and ` Umrah

Aft er Allah ment ioned t he rulings for fast ing and Jihad, he explained t he rit uals by commanding t he Muslims t o complet e Haj j and ` Umrah, meaning, t o finish t he rit uals of Haj j and ` Umrah aft er one st art s t hem. This is why Allah said aft erwards:

(But if you are prevent ed) meaning, if your way t o t he House is obst ruct ed, and you are prevent ed from finishing it . This is why t he scholars agree t hat st art ing t he act s of Haj j and ` Umrah requires one t o finish t hem. As for Makhul, he said, "Complet e, means t o st art t hem from t he Miqat (areas t he Prophet designat ed t o assume Ihram from).'' ` Abdur-Razzaq said t hat Az-Zuhri said: "We were t old t hat ` Umar comment ed on:

(And complet e Haj j and ` Umrah for Allah.) "Complet e Haj j and ` Umrah means performing each of t hem separat ely, and t o perform ` Umrah out side of t he mont hs of Haj j , for Allah t he Exalt ed says:

(The Haj j (pilgrimage) is (in) t he well-known (lunar year) mont hs. )'' As-Suddi said,

(And complet e Haj j and ` Umrah for Allah.) means, "Maint ain t he performance of Haj j and ` Umrah.'' Ibn ` Abbas was report ed t o have said, "Haj j is ` Arafat , while ` Umrah is Tawaf.'' AlA` mash relat ed t hat Ibrahim said t hat ` Alqamah comment ed on Allah's st at ement :

(And complet e Haj j and ` Umrah for Allah.) "Abdullah (Ibn Mas` ud) recit ed it t his way: ` Complet e Haj j and ` Umrah t o t he House, so t hat one does not exceed t he area of t he House during t he ` Umrah'.'' Ibrahim t hen said, "I ment ioned t his st at ement t o Sa` id bin Jubayr and he said; ` Ibn ` Abbas also said t hat .''' Sufyan report ed t hat Ibrahim said t hat ` Alqamah said (regarding t he Ayah 2:196), "Perform t he Haj j and ` Umrah t o t he House.'' At h-Thawri report ed t hat Ibrahim read (t he Ayah), "Perform t he Haj j and ` Umrah t o t he House.''

If One is prevented while in Route, He slaughters the Sacrifice, shaves his Head and ends Ihram
Allah's st at ement :

(But if you are prevent ed, sacrifice a Hady (animals for sacriface) such as you can afford,) was revealed in t he sixt h year of Hij rah, t he year of t he t reat y of Al-Hudaybiyyah when t he polyt heist s prevent ed Allah's Messenger from reaching t he House. Allah revealed Surat Al-Fat h (chapt er 48 in t he Qur'an) t hen, and allowed t he Muslims t o slaught er any Hady (animals for sacrifice) t hey had. They had sevent y camels wit h t hem for t hat purpose. They were also permit t ed t o shave t heir heads and end t heir Ihram. When t he Prophet commanded t hem t o shave t heir heads and end t he st at e of Ihram, t hey did not obey him, as t hey were await ing t hat order t o be abrogat ed. When t hey saw t hat t he Prophet went out aft er shaving his head, t hey imit at ed him. Some of t hem did not shave, but only short ened t heir hair. This is why t he Prophet said:

(May Allah award His mercy t o t hose who shaved.) They said, "What about t hose who short ened t he hair'' He said in t he t hird t ime, "And t o t hose who short ened.'' Every seven among t hem shared one camel for t heir sacrifice. They were one t housand and four hundred Companions and were camping in t he area of Al-Hudaybiyyah, out side t he Sacred Area. It was also report ed t hat t hey were wit hin t he boundaries of t he Sacred Area. Allah knows best . Being prevent ed from t he House (Hasr) includes more t han j ust being sick, fearing an enemy or get t ing lost on t he way t o Makkah. Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Al-Haj j aj bin ` Amr Al-Ansari said t hat he heard Allah's Messenger saying:


(Whoever suffered a broken bone or a limb, will have ended his Ihram and has t o perform Haj j again.) He said, "I ment ioned t hat t o Ibn ` Abbas and Abu Hurayrah and t hey bot h said, ` He (AlHaj j aj ) has said t he t rut h'.'' This Hadit h is also report ed in t he Four Collect ions. In t he version of Abu Dawud and Ibn Maj ah, t he Prophet said, "Whoever limped, had a broken bone or became ill...'' Ibn Abu Hat im also recorded it and said, "It was report ed t hat Ibn Mas` ud, Ibn Az-Zubayr, ` Alqamah, Sa` id bin Musayyib, ` Urwah bin Az-Zubayr, Muj ahid, An-Nakha` i, ` At a' and Muqat il bin Hayyan said t hat being prevent ed (Hasr) ent ails an enemy, an illness or a fract ure.'' At hThawri also said, "Being prevent ed ent ails everyt hing t hat harms t he person.'' It is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat ` A'ishah said t hat Allah's Messenger went t o Duba` ah bint Az-Zubayr bin ` Abdul-Mut t alib who said, "O Messenger of Allah! I int end t o perform Haj j but I am ill.'' He said, "Perform Haj j and make t he condit ion: ` My place is where You prevent (or halt ) me.'' Muslim recorded similarly from Ibn ` Abbas. So saying such a condit ion for Haj j is allowed is based on t his Hadit h. Allah's st at ement :

(...sacrifice a Hady such as you can afford) includes a sheep also, as Imam Malik report ed t hat ` Ali bin Abu Talib used t o say. Ibn ` Abbas said, "The Hady includes eight t ypes of animals: camels, cows, goat s and sheep.'' ` Abdur-Razzaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about what Allah said:

(...sacrifice a Hady such as you can afford) "As much as one could afford.'' Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "If one can afford it , t hen camels, ot herwise cows, or sheep.'' Hisham bin ` Urwah quot ed his fat her:

(...sacrifice a Hady (animal, i.e., a sheep, a cow, or a camel) such as you can afford) ` Depending on t he price.' The proof t hat sacrificing only a sheep is allowed in t he case of being prevent ed from cont inuing t he rit es, is t hat Allah has required sacrificing what ever is available as a Hady, and t he Hady is any t ype of cat t le; be it camels, cows or sheep. This is t he opinion of Ibn ` Abbas

t he cousin of Allah's Messenger and t he scholar of Tafsir. It is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat ` A'ishah, t he Mot her of t he believers, said, "The Prophet once offered some sheep as Hady.'' Allah's st at ement :

(...and do not shave your heads unt il t he Hady reaches t he place of sacrifice.) is a cont inuat ion of His st at ement :

(And complet e, t he Haj j and ` Umrah for Allah.) and is not dependent upon:

(But if you are prevent ed, t hen sacrifice a Hady) as Ibn Jarir has erroneously claimed. When t he Prophet and his Companions were prevent ed from ent ering t he Sacred House during t he AlHudaybiyyah year by t he polyt heist s from Quraysh, t hey shaved t heir heads and sacrificed t heir Hady out side t he Haram (Sacred) area. In normal circumst ances, and when one can safely reach t he House, he is not allowed t o shave his head unt il:

(.. .and do not shave your heads unt il t he Hady reaches t he place of sacrifice.) and t hen he ends t he rit uals of Haj j or ` Umrah, or bot h if he had assumed Ihram for bot h. It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat Hafsah said, "O Allah's Messenger! What is wrong wit h t he people, t hey have finished t heir Ihram for ` Umrah but you have not '' The Prophet said,

(I mat t ed my hair and I have garlanded my Hady (animals for sacrifice), so I will not finish my Ihram t ill I offer t he sacrifice.)

Whoever shaved his Head during Ihram, will have to pay the Fidyah
Allah said:


(And whosoever of you is ill or has an ailment on his scalp (necessit at ing shaving), he must pay a Fidyah.) Al-Bukhari report ed t hat ` Abdur-Rahman bin Asbahani said t hat he heard ` Abdullah bin Ma` qil saying t hat he sat wit h Ka` b bin ` Uj rah in t he mosque of Kufah (in Iraq). He t hen asked him about t he Fidyah of t he fast ing. Ka` b said, "This was revealed concerning my case especially, but it is also for you in general. I was carried t o Allah's Messenger and t he lice were falling in great numbers on my face. The Prophet said:

: (I never t hought t hat your ailment (or st ruggle) had reached t o such an ext ent as I see. Can you afford a sheep (for sacrifice)' I replied in t he negat ive.) He t hen said:

(Fast for t hree days or feed six poor persons, each wit h half a Sa` of food (1 Sa` = 3 kilograms approx.) and shave your head.) So t his is a general j udgement derived from a specific case. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ka` b bin ` Uj rah said, "Allah's Messenger came by while I was ignit ing t he fire under a pot and while t he lice were falling down my head or my eyelids. He said:

: (Do t hese lice in your head bot her you) I said, ` Yes.' He said:


(Shave it , t hen fast t hree days, or feed six poor people, or sacrifice an animal.) Ayyub (one of t he narrat ors of t he Hadit h) comment ed, "I do not know which alt ernat ive was st at ed first .'' The wording of t he Qur'an begins wit h t he easiest t hen t he more difficult opt ions: "Pay a Fidyah of fast ing (t hree days), feeding (six poor persons) or sacrificing (an animal).'' Meanwhile, t he Prophet advised Ka` b wit h t he more rewarding opt ion first , t hat is, sacrificing a sheep, t hen feeding six poor persons, t hen fast ing t hree days. Each Text is suit able in it s place and cont ext , all t he t hanks and praises are due t o Allah.

Tamattu` during Hajj

Allah said:

(Then if you are in safet y and whosoever performs t he ` Umrah (in t he mont hs of Haj j ), before (performing) t he Haj j , he must slaught er a Hady such as he can afford,) That is, when you are able t o complet e t he rit es, so whoever among you connect s his ` Umrah wit h Haj j having t he same Ihram for bot h, or, first assuming Ihram for ` Umrah, and t hen assuming Ihram for Haj j when finished t he ` Umrah, t his is t he more specific t ype of Tamat t u` which is well-known among t he discussion of t he scholars whereas in general t here are t wo t ypes of Tamat t u` , as t he aut hent ic Hadit hs prove, since among t he narrat ors are t hose who said, "Allah's Messenger performed Tamat t u` , and ot hers who said, "Qarin" but t here is no difference bet ween t hem over t he Hady. So Allah said,

(Then if you are in safet y and whosoever performs t he ` Umrah (in t he mont hs of Haj j ), before (performing) t he Haj j (i.e., Haj j At -Tamat t u` and Al-Qiran), he must slaught er a Hady such as he can afford,) means let him sacrifice what ever Hady is available t o him, t he least of which is a sheep. One is also allowed t o sacrifice a cow because t he Prophet slaught ered cows on behalf

of his wives. Al-Awza` i report ed t hat Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger slaught ered cows on behalf of his wives when t hey were performing Tamat t u` . This was report ed by Abu Bakr bin Marduwyah. This last Hadit h proves t hat Tamat t u` is legislat ed. It is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat ` Imran bin Husayn said, "We performed Haj j At -Tamat t u` in t he lifet ime of Allah's Messenger and t hen t he Qur'an was revealed (regarding Haj j At -Tamat t u` ). Not hing was revealed t o forbid it , nor did he (t he Prophet ) forbid it unt il he died. And somebody said what he wished (regarding Haj j At -Tamat t u` ) according t o his own opinion.'' Al-Bukhari said t hat ` Imran was t alking about ` Umar. It is report ed in an aut hent ic narrat ion t hat ` Umar used t o discourage t he people from performing Tamat t u` . He used t o say, "If we refer t o Allah's Book, we should complet e it ,'' meaning:

(...whosoever performs t he ` Umrah (in t he mont hs of Haj j ), before (performing) t he Haj j , he must slaught er a Hady such as he can afford,) However ` Umar did not say t hat Tamat t u` is unlawful. He only prevent ed t hem so t hat t he people would increase t heir t rips t o t he House for Haj j (during t he mont hs of Haj j ) and ` Umrah (t hroughout t he year), as he himself has st at ed.

Whoever performs Tamattu` should fast Ten Days if He does not have a Hady
Allah said:

(...but if he cannot (afford it ), he should fast t hree days during t he Haj j and seven days aft er his ret urn (t o his home), making t en days in all.) This Ayah means: "Those who do not find a Hady, let t hem fast t hree days during t he Haj j season.'' Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "If one does not have a Hady, he should fast t hree days during Haj j , before ` Arafah day. If t he day of ` Arafah was t he t hird day, t hen his fast is complet e. He should also fast seven days when he get s back home.'' Abu Ishaq report ed from Wabarah from Ibn ` Umar who said, "One fast s one day before t he day of Tarwiyah, t he day of Tarwiyah (eight h day of Dhul-Hij j ah) and t hen ` Arafah day (t he nint h day of t he mont h of DhulHij j ah).'' The same st at ement was report ed by Ja` far bin Muhammad from his fat her from ` Ali.

If one did not fast t hese t hree days or at least some of t hem before ` Id day (t he t ent h day of Dhul-Hij j ah), he is allowed t o fast during t he Tashriq days (11-12-13t h day of Dhul-Hij j ah). ` A'ishah and Ibn ` Umar said, "Fast ing t he days of Tashriq was only allowed for t hose who did not find t he Hady,'' as Al-Bukhari has report ed. Sufyan relat ed t hat Ja` far bin Muhammad narrat ed t hat his fat her said t hat ` Ali said, "Whoever did not fast t he t hree days during t he Haj j , should fast t hem during t he days of Tashriq.'' This is also t he posit ion t aken by ` Ubayd bin ` Umayr Al-Layt hi, ` Ikrimah, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and ` Urwah bin Az-Zubayr, referring t o t he general meaning of Allah's st at ement :

(...fast t hree days during t he Haj j ...) As for what Muslim report ed t hat Qut aybah Al-Hudhali said t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(The days of Tashriq are days of eat ing and drinking and remembering Allah t he Exalt ed.) This narrat ion is general in meaning while what ` A'ishah and Ibn ` Umar narrat ed is specific. Allah said:

(...and seven days aft er his ret urn.) There are t wo opinions regarding t he meaning of t his Ayah. First , it means ` when you ret urn t o t he camping areas'. The second, upon going back home. ` Abdur-Razzaq report ed t hat Salim narrat ed t hat he heard Ibn ` Umar saying:

"(...but if he cannot (afford it ), he should fast t hree days during t he Haj j and seven days aft er his ret urn,) means when he goes back t o his family. '' The same opinion was report ed from Sa` id bin Jubayr, Abu Al-` Aliyah, Muj ahid, ` At a', ` Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Imam Az-Zuhri and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas.

Al-Bukhari report ed t hat Salim bin ` Abdullah narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Umar said, "During t he Farewell Haj j of Allah's Messenger , he performed Tamat t u` wit h ` Umrah and Haj j . He drove a Hady along wit h him from Dhul-Hulayfah. Allah's Messenger st art ed by assuming Ihram for ` Umrah, and t hen for Haj j . And t he people, t oo, performed t he ` Umrah and Haj j along wit h t he Prophet . Some of t hem brought t he Hady and drove it along wit h t hem, while t he ot hers did not . So, when t he Prophet arrived at Makkah, he said t o t he people:

(Whoever among you has driven t he Hady, should not finish his Ihram t ill he complet es his Haj j . And whoever among you has not (driven) t he Hady wit h him, he should perform Tawaf of t he Ka` bah and bet ween As-Safa and Al-Marwah. Then, he should shave or cut his hair short and finish his Ihram, and should lat er assume Ihram for Haj j ; but he must offer a Hady (sacrifice) . And if anyone cannot afford a Hady, he should fast for t hree days during t he Haj j and seven days when he ret urns home.) He t hen ment ioned t he rest of t he Hadit h, which is report ed in t he Two Sahihs. Allah said:

(...making t en days in all.) t o emphasize t he ruling we ment ioned above. This met hod is common in t he Arabic language, for t hey would say, ` I have seen wit h my eyes, heard wit h my ears and writ t en wit h my hand,' t o emphasize such fact s. Similarly, Allah said:

(...nor a bird t hat flies wit h it s t wo wings) (6:38) and:

(...nor did you writ e any book (what soever) wit h your right hand) (29:48) and:

(And We appoint ed for Musa t hirt y night s and added (t o t he period) t en (more), and he complet ed t he t erm, appoint ed by his Lord, of fort y night s.) (7:142) It was also said t hat t he meaning of "t en days in all'' emphasizes t he order t o fast for t en days, not less t han t hat .

The Residents of Makkah do not perform Tamattu"

Allah said:

(This is for him whose family is not present at Al-Masj id Al-Haram (i.e., non-resident of Makkah).) This Ayah concerns t he resident s of t he area of t he Haram, for t hey do not perform Tamat t u` . ` Abdur-Razzaq report ed t hat Tawus said, "Tamat t u` is for t he people, t hose whose families are not residing in t he Haram area (Makkah), not for t he resident s of Makkah. Hence Allah's St at ement :

(This is for him whose family is not present at Al-Masj id Al-Haram (i.e., non-resident of Makkah).) ` Abdur-Razzaq t hen said, "I was also t old t hat Ibn ` Abbas said similar t o Tawus.'' Allah said:

(...and fear Allah) meaning, in what He has commanded you and what He prohibit ed for you. He t hen said:


(...and know t hat Allah is severe in punishment ) for t hose who defy His command and commit what He has prohibit ed.

(197. The Haj j (pilgrimage) is (in) t he well-known mont hs. So whosoever int ends t o perform Haj j t herein (by assuming Ihram), t hen he should not have sexual relat ions (wit h his wife), nor commit sin, nor disput e unj ust ly during t he Haj j . And what ever good you do, Allah knows it . And t ake provisions for t he j ourney, but t he best provision is At -Taqwa (piet y, right eousness). So fear Me, O men of underst anding!)

When does Ihram for Hajj start

Allah said:

(The Haj j is (in) t he well-known mont hs.) This Ayah indicat es t hat Ihram for Haj j only occurs during t he mont hs of Haj j . This was report ed from Ibn ` Abbas, Jabir, ` At a', Tawus and Muj ahid. The proof for t his is Allah's st at ement t hat Haj j occurs during known, specific mont hs, which indicat es t hat Haj j is not allowed before t hat , j ust as t he prayer has a fixed t ime (before which one's prayer is not accept ed). Ash-Shafi` i recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "No person should assume Ihram for Haj j before t he mont hs of t he Haj j , for Allah said:

(The Haj j is (in) t he well-known mont hs.) Ibn Khuzaymah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "No Ihram for Haj j should be assumed, except during t he mont hs of Haj j , for among t he Sunnah of Haj j is t hat one assume Ihram for it during

t he Haj j mont hs. '' This is an aut hent ic narrat ion and t he Companion's st at ement t hat such and such is among t he Sunnah is considered as a Hadit h of t he Prophet , according t o t he maj orit y of t he scholars. This is especially t he case when it is Ibn ` Abbas who issued t his st at ement , as he is t he Tarj uman (t ranslat or, int erpret er, explainer) of t he Qur'an. There is a Hadit h about t his subj ect t oo. Ibn Marduwyah relat ed t hat Jabir narrat ed t hat t he Prophet said:

(No one should assume Ihram for Haj j , but during t he mont hs of Haj j .) The chain of narrat ors for t his Hadit h is reasonable. Ash-Shafi` i and Al-Bayhaqi recorded t his Hadit h from Ibn Jurayj who relat ed t hat Abu Az-Zubayr said t hat he heard Jabir bin ` Abdullah being asked, "Does one assume Ihram for Haj j before t he mont hs of t he Haj j '' He said, "No.'' This narrat ion is more reliable t han t he narrat ion t hat we ment ioned from t he Prophet . In short , t his st at ement is t he opinion of t he Companion, support ed by Ibn ` Abbas' st at ement t hat it is a part of t he Sunnah not t o assume Ihram for Haj j before t he mont hs of t he Haj j . Allah knows best .

The Months of Hajj

Allah said:

(...t he well-known mont hs.) Al-Bukhari said t hat Ibn ` Umar said t hat t hese are Shawwal, Dhul-Qa` dah and t he first t en days of Dhul-Hij j ah. This narrat ion for which Al-Bukhari did not ment ion t he chain of narrat ors, was collect ed by a cont inuous chain of narrat ors t hat Ibn Jarir rendered aut hent ic, leading t o Ibn ` Umar, who said:

(The Haj j (pilgrimage) is (in) t he well-known (lunar year) mont hs.) "which are Shawwal, DhulQa` dah and t he (first ) t en days of Dhul-Hij j ah.'' It s chain is Sahih. Al-Hakim also recorded it in his Must adrak, and he said,"It meet s t he crit eria of t he Two Shaykhs." This st at ement is also report ed from ` Umar, ` Ali, Ibn Mas` ud, ` Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr, Ibn ` Abbas, ` At a', Tawus, Muj ahid, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, Imam Ash-Sha` bi, Al-Hasan, Ibn Sirin,

Makhul, Qat adah, Ad-Dahhak bin Muzahim, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Muqat il bin Hayyan. This opinion was preferred by Ibn Jarir who said, "It is a common pract ice t o call t wo mont hs and a part of t he t hird mont h as ` mont hs'. This is similar t o t he Arab's saying, ` I visit ed such and such person t his year or t his day.' He only visit ed him during a part of t he year and a part of t he day. Allah said:

(But whosoever hast ens t o leave in t wo days, t here is no sin on him.) In t his case, one will only be hast ening for one and a half days.'' Allah t hen said:

(So whosoever int ends (Farada) t o perform Haj j t herein (by assuming Ihram),) meaning t hat one's assuming t he Ihram requires a Haj j , for t he person is required t o complet e t he rit uals of Haj j aft er assuming Ihram. Ibn Jarir said t hat Al-` Awfi said, "The scholars agree t hat (Farada) ` int ends' ment ioned in t he Ayah means it is a requirement and an obligat ion.'' ` Ali bin Abu Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said: f

(So whosoever int ends t o perform Haj j t herein (by assuming Ihram), ) refers t o t hose who assume Ihram for Haj j and ` Umrah''. ` At a' said, "'Int ends', means, assumes t he Ihram.'' Similar st at ement s were at t ribut ed t o Ibrahim, Ad-Dahhak and ot hers.

Prohibition of Rafath (Sexual Intercourse) during Hajj

Allah said:

(He should not have Rafat h) This Ayah means t hat t hose who assume t he Ihram for Haj j or ` Umrah are required t o avoid t he Rafat h, meaning, sexual int ercourse. Allah's st at ement here is similar t o His st at ement :

(It is made lawful for you t o have Rafat h (sexual relat ions) wit h your wives on t he night of t he fast .) (2:187) What ever might lead t o sexual int ercourse, such as embracing, kissing and t alking t o women about similar subj ect s, is not allowed. Ibn Jarir report ed t hat Nafi` narrat ed t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Umar said, "Rafat h means sexual int ercourse or ment ioning t his subj ect wit h t he t ongue, by eit her men or women.'' ` At a' bin Abu Rabah said t hat Rafat h means sexual int ercourse and foul speech. This is also t he opinion of ` Amr bin Dinar. ` At a' also said t hat t hey used t o even prevent t alking (or hint ing) about t his subj ect . Tawus said t hat Rafat h includes one's saying, "When I end t he Ihram I will have sex wit h you.'' This is also t he same explanat ion offered by Abu Al-` Aliyah regarding Rafat h. ` Ali bin Abu Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Rafat h means having sex wit h t he wife, kissing, fondling and saying foul words t o her, and similar act s.'' Ibn ` Abbas and Ibn ` Umar said t hat Rafat h means t o have sex wit h women. This is also t he opinion of Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` Ikrimah, Muj ahid, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, Abu Al-` Aliyah who narrat ed it from ` At a' and Makhul, ` At a Al-Khurasani, ` At a' bin Yasar, ` At iyah, Ibrahim, Ar-Rabi` , AzZuhri, As-Suddi, Malik bin Anas, Muqat il bin Hayyan, ` Abdul-Karim bin Malik, Al-Hasan, Qat adah and Ad-Dahhak, and ot hers.

The Prohibition of Fusuq during Hajj

Allah said:

(...nor commit sin) Miqsam and several ot her scholars relat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "It is disobedience." This is also t he opinion of ` At a,' Muj ahid, Tawus, ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Muhammad bin Ka` b, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, Az-Zuhri, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, ` At a' bin Yasar, ` At a' Al-Khurasani and Muqat il bin Hayyan. Ibn Wahb report ed t hat Nafi` narrat ed t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Umar said, "Fusuq or sin ment ioned in t he Ayah (2:197) refers t o commit t ing what Allah has forbidden in t he Sacred Area.'' Several ot hers said t hat Fusuq means cursing ot hers, t hey based t his on t he aut hent ic Hadit h:

(Cursing t he Muslim is Fusuq, while fight ing him is Kufr.) ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said Fusuq here means slaught ering animals for t he idols, as Allah said:

(...or impious (Fisq) meat (of an animal) which is slaught ered as a sacrifice for ot hers t han Allah.) (6: 145)

Ad-Dahhak said t hat Fusuq is insult ing one anot her wit h bad nicknames. Those who said t hat t he Fusuq means all t ypes of disobedience are correct . Allah has also prohibit ed commit t ing inj ust ice during t he mont hs of Haj j in specific, alt hough inj ust ice is prohibit ed t hroughout t he year. This is why Allah said:

(...of t hem four are sacred. That is t he right religion, so wrong not yourselves t herein.) (9:36) Allah said about t he Sacred Area:

(...and whoever inclines t o evil act ions t herein or t o do wrong, him We shall cause t o t ast e from a painful t orment .) (22:25) It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Whoever performed Haj j t o t his (Sacred) House and did not commit Rafat h or Fusuq, will ret urn sinless, j ust as t he day his mot her gave birt h t o him.)

The Prohibition of arguing during Hajj

Allah said:

(nor should t here be Jidal during Haj j ) meaning, disput es and argument s. Ibn Jarir relat ed t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said t hat what Allah said:

(...nor disput e unj ust ly during t he Haj j .) means t o argue wit h your companion (or fellow) unt il you make him angry. This is similar t o t he t he opinion t hat Miqsam and Ad-Dahhak relat ed t o Ibn ` Abbas. This is also t he same meaning report ed from Abu Al-` Aliyah, ` At a', Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` Ikrimah, Jabir bin Zayd, ` At a' Al-Khurasani, Makhul, As-Suddi, Muqat il bin Hayyan, ` Amr bin Dinar, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, ` At a bin Yasar, Al-Hasan, Qat adah and Az-Zuhri.

The Encouragement for Righteous Deeds and to bring Provisions for Hajj
Allah said:

(And what ever good you do, Allah knows it .) Aft er Allah prohibit ed evil in deed and t ongue, He encouraged right eous, good deeds, st at ing t hat He is knowledgeable of t he good t hat t hey do, and He will reward t hem wit h t he best awards on t he Day of Resurrect ion. Allah said next :

(And t ake provisions (wit h you) for t he j ourney, but t he best provision is At -Taqwa (piet y, right eousness).) Al-Bukhari and Abu Dawud report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The people of Yemen used t o go t o Haj j wit hout t aking enough supplies wit h t hem. They used t o say, ` We are t hose who have Tawakkul (reliance on Allah).' Allah revealed t his Ayah:

(And t ake provisions (wit h you) for t he j ourney, but t he best provision is At -Taqwa (piet y, right eousness).) Ibn Jarir and Ibn Marduwyah narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Umar said, "When people assumed Ihram, t hey would t hrow away what ever provisions t hey had and would acquire ot her t ypes of provisions. Allah revealed:

(And t ake a provisions (wit h you) for t he j ourney, but t he best provision is At -Taqwa (piet y, right eousness).) Allah forbade t hem from t his pract ice and required t hem t o t ake flour and Sawiq (a t ype of food usually eat en wit h dat es) wit h t hem.''

The Provisions of the Hereafter

Allah said:

(...but t he best provision is At -Taqwa (piet y, right eousness).) When Allah required mankind t o supply t hemselves wit h what sust ains t hem for t he j ourneys of t his life, He direct ed t hem t o t he necessary provisions for t he Hereaft er: Taqwa. Allah said in anot her Ayah:

(...and as an adornment ; and t he raiment of Taqwa, t hat is bet t er.) (7:26) Allah ment ioned t he mat erial covering and t hen He ment ioned t he spirit ual covering, which includes humbleness, obedience and Taqwa. He also st at ed t hat t he lat t er provision is bet t er and more beneficial t han t he former.

(So fear Me, O men of underst anding!) meaning: ` Fear My t orment , punishment , and afflict ion for t hose who defy Me and do not adhere t o My commands, O people of reason and underst anding.'

(198. There is no sin on you if you seek t he bount y of your Lord (during pilgrimage by t rading). Then when you leave ` Arafat , remember Allah (by glorifying His praises, i.e., prayers and invocat ions) at t he Mash` ar-il-Haram. And remember Him (by invoking Allah for all good) as He has guided you, and verily you were before, of t hose who were ast ray).

Commercial Transactions during Hajj

Al-Bukhari report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "` Ukaz, Mij annah and Dhul-Maj az were t rading post s during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah. During t hat era, t hey did not like t he idea of conduct ing business t ransact ions during t he Haj j season. Lat er, t his Ayah was revealed:

(There is no sin on you if you seek t he bount y of your Lord.) during t he Haj j season.'' Abu Dawud and ot hers recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "They used t o avoid conduct ing business t ransact ions during t he Haj j season, saying t hat t hese are t he days of Dhikr. Allah revealed:

(There is no sin on you if you seek t he bount y of your Lord (during pilgrimage by t rading).) This is also t he explanat ion of Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` Ikrimah, Mansur bin Al-Mu` t amir, Qat adah, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and ot hers. Ibn Jarir report ed t hat Abu Umaymah said t hat when Ibn ` Umar was asked about conduct ing t rade during t he Haj j , he recit ed t he Ayah:

(There is no sin on you if you seek t he bount y of your Lord (during pilgrimage by t rading). ) This Hadit h is relat ed t o Ibn ` Umar wit h a st rong chain of narrat ors. This Hadit h is also relat ed t o t he Prophet , as Ahmad report ed t hat Abu Umamah At -Taymi said, "I asked Ibn ` Umar, ` We buy (and sell during t he Haj j ), so do we st ill have a valid Haj j ' He said, ` Do you not perform Tawaf around t he House, st and at ` Arafat , t hrow t he pebbles and shave your heads' I said, ` Yes.' Ibn ` Umar said, ` A man came t o t he Prophet and asked him about what you asked me, and t he Prophet did not answer him unt il Jibril came down wit h t his Ayah:

(There is no sin on you if you seek t he bount y of your Lord (during pilgrimage by t rading).) The Prophet summoned t he man and said: (You are pilgrims).'' Ibn Jarir narrat ed t hat Abu Salih said t o ` Umar, "` O Leader of t he fait hful! Did you conduct t rade t ransact ions during t he Haj j '' He said, "Was t heir livelihood except during Haj j ''

Standing at ` Arafat

Allah said:

(Then when you leave ` Arafat , remember Allah (by glorifying His praises, i.e., prayers and invocat ions) at t he Mash` ar-il-Haram.) ` Arafat is t he place where one st ands during t he Haj j and it is a pillar of t he rit uals of Haj j . Imam Ahmad and t he Sunan compilers recorded t hat ` Abdur-Rahman bin Ya` mar Ad-Diyli said t hat he heard Allah's Messenger saying:

(Haj j is ` Arafat , (t hrice). Hence, t hose who have st ood at ` Arafat before dawn will have performed (t he rit uals of t he Haj j ). The days of Mina are t hree, and t here is no sin for t hose who move on aft er t wo days, or for t hose who st ay.) The t ime t o st and on ` Arafat st art s from noon on t he day of ` Arafah unt il dawn t he next day, which is t he day of t he Sacrifice (t he t ent h day of Dhul-Hij j ah). The Prophet st ood at ` Arafat during t he Farewell Haj j , aft er he had offered t he Zuhr (noon) prayer, unt il sunset . He said, "Learn your rit uals from me.'' In t his Hadit h (i. e., in t he previous paragraph) he said, "Whoever st ood at ` Arafat before dawn, will have performed (t he rit uals of Haj j ).'' c` Urwah bin Mudarris bin Harit hah bin Lam At -Ta'i said, "I came t o Allah's Messenger at Al-Muzdalifah when it was t ime t o pray. I said, ` O Messenger of Allah! I came from t he t wo mount ains of Tayy', and my animal became t ired and I became t ired. I have not left any mount ain, but st ood on it . Do I have a valid Haj j ' Allah's Messenger said:

(Whoever performed t his prayer wit h us, st ood wit h us unt il we moved fort h, and had st ood at ` Arafat before t hat , day or night , will have performed t he Haj j and complet ed it s rit uals).'' This Hadit h was collect ed by Imam Ahmad and t he compilers of t he Sunan, and At -Tirmidhi graded it S ahih. It was report ed t hat t he mount was called ` Arafat because, as ` Abdur-Razzaq report ed t hat ` Ali bin Abu Talib said, "Allah sent Jibril t o Prophet Ibrahim and he performed Haj j for him (t o t each him it s rit uals). When Ibrahim reached ` Arafat he said, ` I have ` Araft u (I know t his place).' He had come t o t hat area before. Thereaft er, it was called ` Arafat .'' Ibn AlMubarak said t hat ` At a' said, "It was called ` Arafat because Jibril used t o t each Ibrahim t he rit uals of Haj j . Ibrahim would say, ` I have ` Araft u, I have ` Araft u.' It was t hereaft er called ` Arafat .'' Similar st at ement s were at t ribut ed t o Ibn ` Abbas, Ibn ` Umar and Abu Mij laz. Allah knows best . ` Arafat is also called Al-Mash` ar Al-Haram, Al-Mash` ar Al-Aqsa and Ilal, while t he mount t hat is in t he middle of ` Arafat is called Jabal Ar-Rahmah (Mount of Mercy).

The Time to leave ` Arafat and Al-Muzdalifah

Ibn Abu Hat im report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, t he people used t o st and at ` Arafat . When t he sun would be on t op of t he mount ains, j ust as t he t urban is on t op of a man's head, t hey would move on. Allah's Messenger delayed moving from ` Arafat unt il sunset .'' Ibn Marduwyah relat ed t his Hadit h and added, "He t hen st ood at Al-Muzdalifah and offered t he Faj r (Dawn) prayer at an early t ime. When t he light of dawn broke, he moved on.'' This Hadit h has a Hasan chain of narrat ors. The long Hadit h t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah narrat ed, which Muslim collect ed, st at ed, "The Prophet kept st anding t here (meaning at ` Arafat ) unt il sunset , when t he yellow light had somewhat gone and t he disc of t he sun had disappeared. Then, t he Prophet made Usamah sit behind him, and in order t o keep her under cont rol, pulled t he nose st ring of Al-Qaswa' so hard, t hat it s head t ouched t he saddle. He gest ured wit h his right hand and said, "Proceed calmly people, calmly!" Whenever he happened t o pass over an elevat ed t ract of sand, he light ly loosened t he nose st ring of his camel t ill she climbed up and t his is how t hey reached Al-Muzdalifah. There, he led t he Maghrib (Evening) and ` Isha' (Night ) prayers wit h one Adhan and t wo Iqamah (which announces t he imminent st art of t he act s of t he prayer) and did not glorify Allah in bet ween t hem (i.e., he did not perform volunt ary Rak` ah). Allah's Messenger t hen laid down t ill dawn and offered t he Faj r (Dawn) prayer wit h Adhan and Iqamah, when t he morning light was clear. He again mount ed Al-Qaswa', and when he came t o Al-Mash` ar Al-Haram, he faced t owards Qiblah, supplicat ed t o Allah, glorifying Him and saying, La ilaha illallah, and he cont inued st anding unt il t he daylight was very clear. He t hen went quickly before t he sun rose.'' It is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat Usamah bin Zayd was asked, "How was t he Prophet 's pace when he moved'' He said, "Slow, unless he found space, t hen he would go a lit t le fast er.''

Al-Mash` ar Al-Haram
Abdur-Razzaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Umar said t hat all of Al-Muzdalifah is Al-Mash` ar Al-Haram. It was report ed t hat Ibn ` Umar was asked about Allah's st at ement :


(...remember Allah (by glorif ying His praises, i.e., prayers and invocat ions) at t he Mash` ar-ilHaram.) He said, "It is t he Mount and t he surrounding area.'' It was report ed t hat Al-Mash` ar AlHaram is what is bet ween t he t wo Mount s (refer t o t he following Hadit h), as Ibn ` Abbas, Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` Ikrimah, Muj ahid, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Al-Hasan and Qat adah have st at ed. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Jubayr bin Mut ` im narrat ed t hat t he Prophet said:

(All of ` Arafat is a place of st anding, and keep away from ` Uranah. All of Al-Muzdalifah is a place for st anding, and keep away from t he bot t om of Muhassir. All of t he areas of Makkah are a place for sacrifice, and all of t he days of Tashriq are days of sacrifice.) Allah t hen said:

(And remember Him (by invoking Allah for all good) as He has guided you. ) This Ayah reminds Muslims of Allah's bount y on t hem t hat He has direct ed and t aught t hem t he rit uals of Haj j according t o t he guidance of Prophet Ibrahim Al-Khalil. This is why Allah said:

(...and verily, you were, before, of t hose who were ast ray.) It was said t hat t his Ayah refers t o t he condit ion before t he guidance or t he Qur'an or t he Messenger , all of which are correct meanings.

(199. Then depart from t he place whence all t he people depart and ask Allah for His forgiveness. Truly, Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most -Merciful.

The Order to stand on ` Arafat and to depart from it

This Ayah cont ains Allah's order t o t hose who st and at ` Arafat t o also move on t o Al-Muzdalifah, so t hat t hey remember Allah at Al-Mash` ar Al-Haram. Allah commands t he Muslim t o st and wit h t he rest of t he pilgrims at ` Arafat , unlike Quraysh who (before Islam) used t o remain in t he sanct uary, near Al-Muzdalifah, saying t hat t hey are t he people of Allah's Town and t he servant s of His House. Al-Bukhari report ed t hat ` A'ishah said, "Quraysh and t heir allies, who used t o be called Al-Hums, used t o st ay in Al-Muzdalifah while t he rest of t he Arabs would st and at ` Arafat . When Islam came, Allah commanded His Prophet t o st and at ` Arafat and t hen proceed from t here. Hence Allah's st at ement :

(...from t he place whence all t he people depart .) This was also said by Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, ` At a', Qat adah and As-Suddi and ot hers. Ibn Jarir chose t his opinion and said t hat t here is Ij ma` (a consensus among t he scholars) for it . Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Jubayr bin Mut ` im said, "My camel was lost and I went out in search of it on t he day of ` Arafah, and I saw t he Prophet st anding in ` Arafat . I said t o myself, ` By Allah he is from t he Hums. What has brought him here''' This Hadit h is also report ed in t he Sahihayn. Al-Bukhari report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ` depart ' ment ioned in t he Ayah refers t o proceeding from Al-Muzdalifah t o Mina t o st one t he pillars. Allah knows best .

Asking Allah for His Forgiveness

Allah said:

(...and ask Allah for His forgiveness. Truly, Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most -Merciful.) Allah frequent ly orders remembrance of Him aft er act s of worship are finished. Muslim report ed t hat Allah's Messenger used t o ask Allah for His forgiveness t hrice aft er t he prayer is finished. It is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat t he Prophet encouraged Tasbih (saying Subhan Allah, i.e., Glorified is Allah), Tahmid (saying Al-Hamdu Lillah, i.e., praise be t o Allah) and Takbir (saying Allahu Akbar, i.e., Allah is t he Most Great ) t hirt y-t hree t imes each (aft er prayer). Ibn Marduwyah collect ed t he Hadit h t hat Al-Bukhari report ed from Shaddad bin Aws, who st at ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

 :
(The mast er of supplicat ion for forgiveness, is for t he servant t o say: ` O Allah! You are my Lord, t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except You. You have creat ed me and I am Your servant . I am on Your covenant , as much as I can be, and await ing Your promise. I seek refuge wit h You from t he evil t hat I have commit t ed. I admit Your favor on me and admit my fault s. So forgive me, for none except You forgives t he sins.' Whoever said t hese words at night and died t hat same night will ent er Paradise. Whoever said it during t he day and died will ent er Paradise.) Furt hermore, it is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said t hat Abu Bakr said, "O Messenger of Allah! Teach me an invocat ion so t hat I may invoke (Allah) wit h it in my prayer. He t old me t o say:

:
(Allahumma inni zalamt u nafsi zulman kat hiran, wa la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa Ant a faghfirli maghfirat an min ` indika, war-hamni innaka Ant al-Ghafur-ur-Rahim (O Allah! I have done great inj ust ice t o myself and none except You forgives sins, so please forgive me and be merciful t o me as You are t he Forgiver, t he Merciful).) There are many ot her Hadit hs on t his subj ect .

 - -
(200. So when you have accomplished your Manasik, remember Allah as you remember your forefat hers or wit h far more remembrance. But of mankind t here are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us (Your bount ies) in t his world!'' and for such t here will be no port ion in t he Hereaft er.) (201. And of t hem t here are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us in t his world t hat which is good and in t he Hereaft er t hat which is good, and save us from t he t orment of t he Fire!'') (202. For t hem t here will be allot ed a share for what t hey have earned. And Allah is swift at reckoning.)

The Order for Remembrance of Allah and seeking Good in this Life and the Hereafter upon completing the Rites of Hajj
Allah commands t hat He be remembered aft er t he rit uals are performed.

(...as you remember your forefat hers) Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, people used t o st and during t he (Haj j ) season, and one of t hem would say, ` My fat her used t o feed (t he poor), help ot hers (end t heir disput es, wit h his money), pay t he Diyah (i.e., blood money),' and so fort h. The only Dhikr t hat t hey had was t hat t hey would remember t he deeds of t heir fat hers. Allah t hen revealed t o Muhammad :

(Remember Allah as you remember your forefat hers or wit h far more remembrance.) Therefore, remembering Allah t he Exalt ed and Ever High is always encouraged. We should ment ion t hat when Allah used "or'' in t he Ayah, He meant t o encourage t he people t o remember Him more t han t hey remember t heir forefat hers, not t hat t he word ent ails a doubt (as t o which is larger or bigger). This st at ement is similar t o t he Ayat :


(...as st ones or even worse in hardness) (2:74) and,

(. ..fear men as t hey fear Allah or even more) (4:77) and,

(And We sent him t o a hundred t housand (people) or even more) (37:147) and,

(And was at a dist ance of t wo bows' lengt h or (even) nearer.) (53:9) Allah encourages calling Him in supplicat ion aft er remembering Him, because t his will make it more likely t hat t he supplicat ion will be accept ed. Allah also crit icizes t hose who only supplicat e t o Him about t he affairs of t his life, while ignoring t he affairs of t he Hereaft er. Allah said:

(But of mankind t here are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us (Your bount ies) in t his world!'' and for such t here will be no port ion in t he Hereaft er.) qmeaning, t hey have no share in t he Hereaft er. This crit icism serves t o discourage ot her people from imit at ing t hose ment ioned. Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Some bedouins used t o come t o t he st anding area (` Arafat ) and supplicat e saying, ` O Allah! Make it a rainy year, a fert ile year and a year of good child bearing.' They would not ment ion any of t he affairs of t he Hereaft er. Thus, Allah revealed about t hem:

(But of mankind t here are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us (Your bount ies) in t his world!'' and for such t here will be no port ion in t he Hereaft er.) The believers who came aft er t hem used t o say:

(Our Lord! Give us in t his world t hat which is good and in t he Hereaft er t hat which is good, and save us from t he t orment of t he Fire!'') Next , Allah revealed:

(For t hem t here will be allot ed a share for what t hey have earned. And Allah is swift at reckoning.) Hence, Allah praised t hose who ask for t he affairs of bot h t his life and t he Hereaft er. He said:

(And of t hem t here are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us in t his world t hat which is good and in t he Hereaft er t hat which is good, and save us from t he t orment of t he Fire!'') The supplicat ion ment ioned and praised in t he Ayah includes all good aspect s of t his life and seeks refuge from all t ypes of evil. The good of t his life concerns every mat erial request of well-being, spacious dwelling, pleasing mat es, sufficient provision, beneficial knowledge, good profession or deeds, comfort able means of t ransport at ion and good praise, all of which t he scholars of Tafsir have ment ioned regarding t his subj ect . All of t hese are but a part of t he good t hat is sought in t his life. As for t he good of t he Hereaft er, t he best of t his includes acquiring Paradise, which also means acquiring safet y from t he great est horror at t he gat hering place. It also refers t o being quest ioned light ly and t he ot her favors in t he Hereaft er. As for acquiring safet y from t he Fire, it includes being direct ed t o what leads t o t his good end in t his world, such as avoiding t he prohibit ions, sins of all kinds and doubt ful mat t ers.

Al-Qasim bin ` Abdur-Rahman said, "Whoever is gift ed wit h a grat eful heart , a remembering t ongue and a pat ient body, will have been endowed wit h a good deed in t his life, a good deed in t he Hereaft er and saved from t he t orment of t he Fire.'' This is why t he Sunnah encourages recit ing t his Du` a' (i.e., in t he Ayah about gaining a good deed in t his life and t he Hereaft er). Al-Bukhari report ed t hat Anas bin Malik narrat ed t hat t he Prophet used t o say:

(O Allah, our Lord! Give us t hat which is good in t his life, t hat which is good in t he Hereaft er and save us from t he t orment of t he Fire.) Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Anas said, "Allah's Messenger visit ed a Muslim man who had become as weak as a sick small bird. Allah's Messenger said t o him, ` Were you asking or supplicat ing t o Allah about somet hing' He said, ` Yes. I used t o say: O Allah! What ever punishment you saved for me in t he Hereaft er, give it t o me in t his life.' Allah's Messenger said:

:
( (All praise is due t o Allah! You cannot bear it -or st and it -. You should have said: (Our Lord! Give us in t his world t hat which is good and in t he Hereaft er t hat which is good, and save us from t he t orment of t he Fire!)) The man began recit ing t his Du` a and he was cured.'' Muslim also recorded it . Al-Hakim report ed t hat Sa` id bin Jubayr said, "A man came t o Ibn ` Abbas and said, ` I worked for some people and set t led for a part of my compensat ion in ret urn for t heir t aking me t o perform Haj j wit h t hem. Is t his accept able' Ibn ` Abbas said, ` You are among t hose whom Allah described:

(For t hem t here will be allot ed a share for what t hey have earned. And Allah is swift at reckoning.) Al-Hakim t hen comment ed; "This Hadit h is aut hent ic according t o t he crit eria of t he Two Shaykhs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) alt hough t hey did not record it ."

(203. And remember Allah during t he Appoint ed Days. But whosoever hast ens t o leave in t wo days, t here is no sin on him and whosoever st ays on, t here is no sin on him, if his aim is t o do good and obey Allah (fear Him), and know t hat you will surely be gat hered unt o Him.)

Remembering Allah during the Days of Tashriq - Days of Eating and Drinking
Ibn ` Abbas said, ` The Appoint ed Days are t he Days of Tashriq (11-12-13t h of Dhul-Hij j ah) while t he Known Days are t he (first ) t en (days of Dhul-Hij j ah).'' ` Ikrimah said t hat :

(And remember Allah during t he Appoint ed Days.) means recit ing t he Takbir -- Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, during t he days of Tashriq aft er t he compulsory prayers. Imam Ahmad report ed t hat ` Uqbah bin ` Amr said t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(The day of ` Arafah (9t h of Dhul-Hij j ah), t he day of t he Sacrifice (10t h) and t he days of t he Tashriq (11-12-13t h) are our ` Id (fest ival) for we people of Islam. These are days of eat ing and drinking.) Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Nubayshah Al-Hudhali said t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(The days of Tashriq are days of eat ing, drinking and Dhikr (remembering) of Allah.) Muslim also recorded t his Hait h We also ment ioned t he Hadit h of Jubayr bin Mut ` im:

(All of ` Arafat is a st anding place and all of t he days of Tashriq are days of Sacrifice. ) We also ment ioned t he Hadit h by ` Abdur-Rahman bin Ya` mar Ad-Diyli:

(The days of Mina (Tashriq) are t hree. Those who hast en in t wo days t hen t here is no sin in it , and t hose who delay (i.e., remain in Mina for a t hird day) t hen t here is no sin in it .) Ibn Jarir report ed t hat Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(The days of Tashriq are days of eat ing and remembering Allah.) Ibn Jarir report ed t hat Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger sent ` Abdullah bin Hudhafah t o Mina proclaiming:

(Do not fast t hese days (i.e., Tashriq days), for t hey are days of eat ing, drinking and remembering Allah t he Exalt ed and Most Honored.)

The Appointed Days

Miqsam said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Appoint ed Days are t he days of Tashriq, four days: t he day of t he Sacrifice (10t h of Dhul-Hij j ah) and t hree days aft er t hat . This opinion was also report ed of Ibn ` Umar, Ibn Az-Zubayr, Abu Musa, ` At a', Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Abu Malik, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, Yahya bin Abu Kat hir, Al-Hasan,

Qat adah, As-Suddi, Az-Zuhri, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Ad-Dahhak, Muqat il bin Hayyan, ` At a' AlKhurasani, Malik bin Anas, and ot hers. In addit ion, t he apparent meaning of t he following Ayah support s t his opinion:

(But whosoever hast ens t o leave in t wo days, t here is no sin on him and whosoever st ays on, t here is no sin on him.) So t he Ayah hint s t o t he t hree days aft er t he day of Sacrifice. Allah's st at ement :

(And remember Allah during t he Appoint ed Days) direct s remembering Allah upon slaught ering t he animals, aft er t he prayers, and by Dhikr (supplicat ion) in general. It also includes Takbir and remembering Allah while t hrowing t he pebbles every day during t he Tashriq days. A Hadit h t hat Abu Dawud and several ot hers collect ed st at es:

(Tawaf around t he House, Sa` i bet ween As-Safa and Al-Marwah and t hrowing t he pebbles were legislat ed so t hat Allah is remembered in Dhikr.) When ment ioning t he first procession (refer t o 2:199) and t he second procession of t he people upon t he end of t he Haj j season, when t hey st art t o ret urn t o t heir areas, aft er t hey had gat hered during t he rit uals and at t he st anding places, Allah said,

(and obey Allah (fear Him), and know t hat you will surely be gat hered unt o Him.) Similarly, Allah said:

(And it is He Who has creat ed you on t he eart h, and t o Him you shall be gat hered back.) (23:79)

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(204. And of mankind t here is he whose speech may please you (O Muhammad ), in t his worldly life, and he calls Allah t o wit ness as t o t hat which is in his heart , yet he is t he most quarrelsome of t he opponent s.) (205. And when he t urns away (from you O Muhammad ), his effort in t he land is t o make mischief t herein and t o dest roy t he crops and t he cat t le, and Allah likes not mischief). (206. And when it is said t o him, "Fear Allah'', he is led by arrogance t o (more) crime. So enough for him is Hell, and worst indeed is t hat place t o rest !) (207. And of mankind is he who would sell himself, seeking t he pleasure of Allah. And Allah is full of kindness t o (His) servant s.)

The Characteristics of the Hypocrites

As-Suddi said t hat t hese Ayat were revealed about Al-Akhnas bin Shariq At h-Thaqafi who came t o Allah's Messenger and announced his Islam alt hough his heart concealed ot herwise. Ibn ` Abbas narrat ed t hat t hese Ayat were revealed about some of t he hypocrit es who crit icized Khubayb and his companions who were killed during t he Raj i` incident . Thereaft er, Allah sent down His condemnat ion of t he hypocrit es and His praise for Khubayb and his companions:

(And of mankind is he who would sell himself, seeking t he pleasure of Allah.) It was also said t hat t hey refer t o t he hypocrit es and t he believers in general. This is t he opinion of Qat adah, Muj ahid, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and several ot hers, and it is correct .

Ibn Jarir relat ed t hat Al-Qurazi said t hat Nawf Al-Bikali, who used t o read (previous Divine) Books said, "I find t he descript ion of some members of t his Ummah in t he previously revealed Books of Allah: t hey (hypocrit es) are people who use t he religion t o gain mat erial benefit . Their t ongues are sweet er t han honey, but t heir heart s are more bit t er t han Sabir (a bit t er plant , aloe). They show t he people t he appearance of sheep while t heir heart s hide t he viciousness of wolves. Allah said, ` They dare challenge Me, but t hey are deceived by Me. I swear by Myself t hat I will send a Fit nah (t rial, calamit y) on t hem t hat will make t he wise man bewildered.' I cont emplat ed about t hese st at ement s and found t hem in t he Qur'an describing t he hypocrit es:

(And of mankind t here is he whose speech may please you (O Muhammad ), in t his worldly life, and he calls Allah t o wit ness as t o t hat which is in his heart ,) This st at ement by Al-Qurazi is Hasan Sahih. Allah said:

(...and he calls Allah t o wit ness as t o t hat which is in his heart ,) This Ayah indicat es t hat such people pret end t o be Muslims, but defy Allah by t he disbelief and hypocrisy t hat t heir heart s conceal. Similarly Allah said:

(They may hide (t heir crimes) from men, but t hey cannot hide (t hem) from Allah.) (4:108) This Tafsir was report ed from Ibn ` Abbas by Ibn Ishaq. It was also said t hat t he Ayah means t hat when such people announce t heir Islam, t hey swear by Allah t hat what is in t heir heart s is t he same of what t heir t ongues are pronouncing. This is also a correct meaning for t he Ayah t hat was chosen by ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. It is also t he choice of Ibn Jarir who relat ed it t o Ibn ` Abbas and Muj ahid. Allah knows best . Allah said:

(Yet he is t he most Aladd of t he opponent s.) (2:204) lThe Ayah used t he word Aladd here, which lit erally means ` wicked' (here it means ` quarrelsome'). A variat ion of t he word Ludda was also used in anot her Ayah:


(So t hat you (Muhammad) warn wit h it (t he Qur'an) a Ludda people.) (19:97) Hence, a hypocrit e lies, alt ers t he t rut h when he quarrels and does not care for t he t rut h. Rat her, he deviat es from t he t rut h, deceives and becomes most quarrelsome. It is report ed in Sahih t hat Allah's Messenger said:

:
(The signs of a hypocrit e are t hree: Whenever he speaks, he t ells a lie. Whenever he promises, he always breaks it (his promise). If you have a disput e wit h him, he is most quarrelsome.) Imam Bukhari report ed t hat ` A'ishah narrat ed t hat t he Prophet said:

(The most hat ed person t o Allah is he who is Aladd and Khasim (meaning most quarrelsome).) Allah t hen said:

(And when he t urns away (from you O Muhammad), he st ruggles in t he land t o make mischief t herein and t o dest roy t he crops and t he cat t le, and Allah likes not mischief.) This Ayah indicat es t hat such persons are deviant in t he t ongue, evil in t he deeds, t heir words are fabricat ed, t heir belief is wicked and t heir works are immoral. The Ayah used t he (Arabic word) Sa` a (lit erally, ` t ries' or ` int ends'). This word was also used t o describe Pharaoh:

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(Then he t urned his back, Yas` a (st riving hard against Allah). Then he gat hered (his people) and cried aloud saying, ` I am your lord, most high.' So Allah, seized him wit h a punishing example for his last and first t ransgression. Verily, in t his is an inst ruct ive admonit ion for whosoever fears Allah.) (79:22-26) Sa` a was also used in t he Ayah :

(O you who believe (Muslims)! When t he call is proclaimed for t he Salah (prayer) on t he day of Friday (Jumu` ah prayer), As` aw come t o t he remembrance of Allah.) (62:9) This Ayah means, ` (when t he call t o t he Friday prayer is announced) int end and t hen proceed t o at t end t he Friday prayer.' We should ment ion t hat hast ening t o t he mosque is condemed by t he Sunnah (as t his is anot her meaning for t he word Sa` a):

(When you come t o at t end t he prayer, do not come in a Sa` i (hast e). Rat her, come t o it while walking at ease and in peace (or grace). ) The hypocrit e has no mot ive in t his life but t o cause mischief and t o dest roy t he crops and t he offspring, including what t he animals produce and what t he people depend on for t heir livelihood. Muj ahid said, "If t he hypocrit e st rives for mischief in t he land, Allah prevent s t he rain from falling and t hus t he crops and t he offspring perish.'' The Ayah cont inues:

(...and Allah likes not mischief.) t hat is, Allah does not like t hose who possess t hese charact erist ics, or t hose who act like t his.

Rejecting Advice is Characteristic of the Hypocrites

Allah said:

(And when it is said t o him, "Fear Allah'', he is led by arrogance t o (more) crime.)

This Ayah indicat es t hat when t he hypocrit e, who deviat es in his speech and deeds, is advised and commanded t o fear Allah, refrain from his evil deeds and adhere t o t he t rut h, he refuses and becomes angry and out raged, as he is used t o doing evil. This Ayah is similar t o what Allah said:

(And when Our clear verses are recit ed t o t hem, you will not ice a denial on t he faces of t he disbelievers! They are nearly ready t o at t ack wit h violence t hose who recit e Our verses t o t hem. Say: "Shall I t ell you of somet hing worse t han t hat The Fire (of Hell) which Allah has promised t o t hose who disbelieved, and worst indeed is t hat dest inat ion!) (22:72) This is why in t his Ayah, Allah said:

(So enough for him is Hell, and worst indeed is t hat place t o rest ) meaning, t he Fire is enough punishment for t he hypocrit e.

The Sincere Believer prefers pleasing Allah

Allah said:

(And of mankind is he who would sell himself, seeking t he pleasure of Allah.) Aft er Allah described t he evil charact erist ics of t he hypocrit es, He ment ioned t he good qualit ies of t he believers. Allah said:


(And of mankind is he who would sell himself, seeking t he pleasure of Allah.) Ibn ` Abbas, Anas, Sa` id bin Musayyib, Abu ` Ut hman An-Nahdi, ` Ikrimah and several ot her scholars said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about Suhayb bin Sinan Ar-Rumi. When Suhayb became a Muslim in Makkah and int ended t o migrat e (t o Al-Madinah), t he people (Quraysh) prevent ed him from migrat ing wit h his money. They said t hat if he forfeit s his propert y, he is free t o migrat e. He abandoned his money and preferred t o migrat e, and Allah revealed t his Ayah about him. ` Umar bin Khat t ab and several ot her Companions met Suhayb close t o t he out skirt s of Al-Madinah at Al-Harrah (flat lands wit h black st ones). They said t o him, "The t rade has indeed been successful.'' He answered t hem, "You t oo, may Allah never allow your t rade t o fail. What is t he mat t er'' ` Umar t old him t hat Allah has revealed t his Ayah (2:207) about him. It was also report ed t hat Allah's Messenger said, "The t rade has been successful, O Suhayb!'' The meaning of t he Ayah (2:207) includes every Muj ahid in t he way of Allah. Allah said in anot her Ayah:

(Verily, Allah has purchased of t he believers t heir lives and t heir propert ies for (t he price) t hat t heirs shall be t he Paradise. They fight in Allah's cause, so t hey kill (ot hers) and are killed. It is a promise in t rut h which is binding on Him in t he Tawrah and t he Inj il and t he Qur'an. And who is t ruer t o his covenant t han Allah Then rej oice in t he bargain which you have concluded. That is t he supreme success.) (9:111) When Hisham bin ` Amr penet rat ed t he lines of t he enemy, some people crit icized him. ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab and Abu Hurayrah refut ed t hem and recit ed t his Ayah:

(And of mankind is he who would sell himself, seeking t he pleasure of Allah. And Allah is full of kindness t o (His) servant s.)

(208.O you who believe! Ent er Silm perfect ly, and follow not t he foot st eps of Shayt an (Sat an). Verily, he is t o you a plain enemy.) (209. Then if you slide back aft er t he clear signs (Prophet Muhammad , and t his Qur'an and Islam) have come t o you, t hen know t hat Allah is All-Might y, All-Wise).

Entering Islam in its Entirety is obligated

Allah commands His servant s who believe in Him and have fait h in His Messenger t o implement all of Islam's legislat ion and law, t o adhere t o all of it s commandment s, as much as t hey can, and t o refrain from all of it s prohibit ions. ` Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, and also Muj ahid, Tawus, Ad-Dahhak, ` Ikrimah, Qat adah, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd said t hat Allah's st at ement :

(Ent er Silm) means Islam. Allah's st at ement :

(...perfect ly) means, in it s ent iret y. This is t he Tafsir of Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, Abu Al-` Aliyah, ` Ikrimah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi, Muqat il bin Hayyan, Qat adah and Ad-Dahhak. Muj ahid said t hat t he Ayah means, ` Perform all t he good works and t he various pious deeds, t his is especially addressed t o t hose from among t he People of t he Script ure who embraced t he fait h.' Ibn Abu Hat im report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat :

(O you who believe! Ent er Silm perfect ly) refers t o t he believers among t he People of t he Script ure. This is because t hey believed in Allah, some of t hem st ill followed some part s of t he Tawrah and t he previous revelat ions. So Allah said:

(Ent er Islam perfect ly.) Allah t hus commanded t hem t o embrace t he legislat ion of t he religion of Muhammad in it s ent iret y and t o avoid abandoning any part of it . They should no longer adhere t o t he Tawrah. Allah t hen said:

(...and follow not t he foot st eps of Shayt an) meaning, perform t he act s of worship and avoid what Sat an commands you t o do. This is because:

(He (Shayt an) commands you only what is evil and Fahsha' (sinful), and t hat you should say about Allah what you know not .) (2:169) and:

(He only invit es his Hizb (followers) t hat t hey may become t he dwellers of t he blazing Fire.) (35:6) Hence, Allah said:

(Verily, he is t o you an open enemy.) Allah said:

(Then if you slide back aft er t he clear signs have come t o you) meaning, if you deviat e from t he Trut h aft er clear proofs have been est ablished against you,


(...t hen know t hat Allah is All-Might y) in His punishment , and no one can escape His vengeance or defeat Him.

(All-Wise) in His decisions, act ions and rulings. Hence Abu Al-` Aliyah, Qat adah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said, "He is Might y in His vengeance, Wise in His decision.''

(210. Do t hey t hen wait for anyt hing ot her t han t hat Allah should come t o t hem over t he shadows of t he clouds and t he angels (Then) t he case would be already j udged. And t o Allah ret urn all mat t ers (for decision).)

Do not delay embracing the Faith

(Do t hey t hen wait for anyt hing ot her t han t hat Allah should come t o t hem over t he shadows of t he clouds and t he angels) on t he Day of Resurrect ion t o j udge t he early and t he lat t er creat ions. Allah shall t hen reward each according t o his or her deeds; and whoever does good shall see it , and whoever does evil shall see it . This is why Allah said:

((Then) t he case would be already j udged. And t o Allah ret urn all mat t ers (for decision).) Similarly, Allah said:

 - -
(Nay! When t he eart h is ground t o powder. And your Lord comes wit h t he angels in rows. And Hell will be brought near t hat Day. On t hat Day will man remember, but how will t hat remembrance (t hen) avail him) (89:21-23) and:

(Do t hey t hen wait for anyt hing ot her t han t hat t he angels should come t o t hem, or t hat your Lord (Allah) should come, or t hat some of t he signs of your Lord should come (i. e., port ent s of t he Hour, e.g., rising of t he sun from t he west )!) (6:158) Abu Ja` far Razi report ed t hat Abu Al-` Aliyah narrat ed t hat :

(Do t hey t hen wait for anyt hing ot her t han t hat Allah should come t o t hem over t he shadows of t he clouds and t he angels) means, t he angels will descend on t he shadows of clouds, while Allah comes as He wills. Some of t he recit ers read it ,

Do t hey t hen wait for anyt hing ot her t han t hat Allah should come t o t hem and also t he angels over t he shadows of t he clouds. This is similar t o Allah's ot her st at ement :

(And (remember) t he Day when t he heaven shall be rent asunder wit h clouds, and t he angels will be sent down, wit h a grand descending.) (25:25)

-
(211. Ask t he Children of Israel how many clear Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelat ions, et c.) We gave t hem. And whoever changes Allah's favor aft er it has come t o him, e.g., renounces t he religion of Allah (Islam) and accept s Kufr (disbelief) t hen surely, Allah is severe in punishment .) (212. Beaut ified is t he life of t his world for t hose who disbelieve, and t hey mock at t hose who believe. But t hose who have Taqwa, will be above t hem on t he Day of Resurrect ion. And Allah gives (of His bount y, blessings, favors, and honors on t he Day of Resurrect ion) t o whom He wills wit hout limit .)

The Punishment for changing Allah's Favor and mocking the Believers
Allah ment ioned t hat t he Children of Israel, were wit nesses t o many clear signs t hat at t est t o t he t rut h of Moses regarding what he was sent wit h for t hem. They wit nessed his hand (when it became lit wit h light ), his part ing t he sea, his st riking t he rock (and wat er flowed from t he rock), t he clouds t hat shaded t hem during t he int ense heat , t he manna and t he quails, and so fort h. These signs at t est ed t o t he exist ence of t he Creat or and t he t rut h of Moses by whose hand t hese signs appeared. Yet , so many among t hem changed Allah's favor, by preferring disbelief t o fait h and by ignoring Allah's favors,

(And whoever changes Allah's favor aft er it had come t o him, t hen surely, Allah is severe in punishment .) Similarly, Allah said about t he disbelievers of Quraysh:

 -
(Have you not seen t hose who have changed t he blessings of Allah int o disbelief, and caused t heir people t o dwell in t he house of dest ruct ion Hell, in which t hey will burn, and what an evil place t o set t le in!) (14:28, 29) Then Allah st at es t hat He has made t he life of t his world beaut iful for t he disbelievers who are sat isfied wit h it , who collect wealt h, but refrain from spending it on what t hey have been commanded, which could earn t hem Allah's pleasure. Inst ead, t hey ridicule t he believers who ignore t his life and who spend what ever t hey earn on what pleases t heir Lord. The believers spend seeking Allah's Face, and t his is why t hey have gained t he ult imat e happiness and t he best share on t he Day of t he Ret urn. Therefore, t hey will be exalt ed above t he disbelievers at t he Gat hering Place, when t hey are gat hered, during t he resurrect ion and in t heir final dest inat ion. The believers will reside in t he highest grades in t he ut most highs, while t he disbelievers will reside in t he lowest of lows (in t he Fire). This is why Allah said:

(And Allah gives t o whom He wills wit hout limit .) This Ayah indicat es t hat Allah gives sust enance t o whomever He wills of His servant s wit hout count or limit in t his and t he Hereaft er. A Hadit h has st at ed (t hat Allah said):

(O son of Adam! Spend (in Allah's cause) and I (Allah) will spend on you.) The Prophet said:

(O Bilal! Spend and do not fear deprivat ion from t he Owner of t he Throne.) Allah said:

(...and what soever you spend of anyt hing (in Allah's cause), He will replace it .) (34:39) In addit ion, it is report ed in t he Sahih (t hat t he Prophet said):

: :
(Every day t wo angels come down from heavens and one of t hem says, ` O Allah! Compensat e every person who spends in Your cause,' and t he ot her (angel) says, ` O Allah! Dest roy every miser.') Also in t he Sahih:

. :
(The son of Adam says, ` My money, my money!' Yet , what is your money except t hat which you eat and use up, wear and t ear, and spend in charit y and t hus keep (in your record). Ot her t han t hat , it will go away and will be left for t he people (t he inherit ors).) In addit ion, Imam Ahmad report ed t hat t he Prophet said:

(The Dunya (life of t his world) is t he residence of t hose who have no residence, t he wealt h of t hose who have no wealt h, and it is harvest ed by t hose who have no sense of reason.)


(213. Mankind was one communit y and Allah sent Prophet s wit h glad t idings and warnings, and wit h t hem He sent down t he Script ure in t rut h t o j udge bet ween people in mat t ers wherein t hey differed. And only t hose t o whom (t he Script ure) was given differed concerning it , aft er clear proofs had come unt o t hem, t hrough hat red, one t o anot her. Then Allah by His leave guided t hose who believed t o t he t rut h of t hat wherein t hey differed. And Allah guides whom He wills t o t he st raight pat h).

Disputing, after the Clear Signs have come, indicates Deviation

Ibn Jarir report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "There were t en generat ions bet ween Adam and Nuh, all of t hem on t he religion of Trut h. They lat er disput ed so Allah sent t he Prophet s as warners and bringers of glad t idings.'' He t hen said t hat t his is how ` Abdullah read t he Ayah:

The people were one Ummah and t hey t hen disput ed. Al-Hakim recorded t his in his Must adrak and said, "It s chain of narrat ors is Sahih, but t hey (AlBukhari and Muslim) did not record it .'' Abu Ja` far Razi report ed t hat Abu Al-` Aliyah said t hat Ubayy bin Ka` b read t he Ayah as:

The people were one Ummah and t hey t hen disput ed and Allah sent t he Prophet s as warners and bringers of glad t idings. ` Abdur-Razzaq said t hat Ma` mar said t hat Qat adah said t hat Allah's st at ement :

(Mankind was one communit y) means; "They all had t he guidance. Then:


They disput ed and Allah sent Prophet s. The first t o be sent was Nuh." ` Abdur-Razzaq report ed t hat Abu Hurayrah comment ed on:

(Then Allah by His leave guided t hose who believed t o t he t rut h of t hat wherein t hey differed. ) saying t hat t he Prophet said:

(We are t he last (nat ion), but t he first (foremost ) on t he Day of Resurrect ion. We are t he first people t o ent er Paradise, alt hough t hey (Jews and Christ ians) have been given t he Book before us and we aft er t hem. Allah has guided us t o t he t rut h wherever t hey disput ed over it . This is t he day (Friday) t hat t hey disput ed about , Allah guided us t o it . So, t he people follow us, as t omorrow is for t he Jews and t he day aft er is for t he Christ ians.) Ibn Wahb relat ed t hat ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said t hat his fat her said about t he Ayah:

(Then Allah by His leave guided t hose who believed t o t he t rut h of t hat wherein t hey differed.) They disput ed about t he day of Congregat ion (Friday). The Jews made it Sat urday while t he Christ ians chose Sunday. Allah guided t he Ummah of Muhammad t o Friday. They also disput ed about t he t rue Qiblah. The Christ ians faced t he east while t he Jews faced Bayt Al-Maqdis. Allah guided t he Ummah of Muhammad t o t he t rue Qiblah (Ka` bah in Makkah). They also disput ed about t he prayer, as some of t hem bow down, but do not prost rat e, while ot hers prost rat e, but do not bow down. Some of t hem pray while t alking and some while walking. Allah guided t he Ummah of Muhammad t o t he t rut h. They also disput ed about t he fast ; some of t hem fast during a part of t he day, while ot hers fast from cert ain t ypes of foods. Allah guided t he Ummah of Muhammad t o t he t rut h. They also disput ed about Ibrahim. The Jews said, ` He was a Jew,' while t he Christ ians considered him Christ ian. Allah has made him a Haniyfan Musliman. Allah has guided t he Ummah of Muhammad t o t he t rut h. They also disput ed about ` Isa. The Jews rej ect ed him and accused his mot her of a grave sin, while t he Christ ians made him a god and t he son of God. Allah made him by His Word and a spirit from (t hose He creat ed) Him. Allah guided t he Ummah of Muhammad t o t he t rut h.'' Allah t hen said:

(...by His leave) meaning, ` By His knowledge of t hem and by what He has direct ed and guided t hem t o,' according t o Ibn Jarir. Also:

(And Allah guides whom He wills) means from among His creat ion. (Allah said:)

(...t o t he st raight way) meaning, He commands t he decision and t he clear proof. Al-Bukhari and Muslim report ed t hat ` A'ishah narrat ed t hat when Allah's Messenger used t o wake up at night t o pray, he would say:


(O Allah, t he Lord of (angels) Jibril, Mika'il and Israfil, Creat or of t he heavens and eart h and Knower of t he seen and t he unseen. You j udge bet ween Your servant s regarding what t hey have disput ed in, so guide me t o what have been t he subj ect of disput e of t he t rut h by Your leave. Indeed, You guide whom You will t o t he st raight pat h.( A Du` a reads:

(O Allah! Show us t he t rut h as t rut h, and best ow adherence t o it on us. Show us t he evil as evil, and make us st ay away from it , and do not confuse us regarding t he realit y of evil so t hat we will not be led ast ray by it , and make us leaders for t he believers.)

(214. Or t hink you t hat you will ent er Paradise wit hout such (t rials) as came t o t hose who passed away before you They were afflict ed wit h severe povert y and ailment s and were so shaken t hat even t he Messenger and t hose who believed along wit h him said, "When (will come) t he help of Allah'' Yes! Cert ainly, t he help of Allah is near!)

Victory only comes after succeeding in the Trials

Allah said:

(Or t hink you t hat you will ent er Paradise) before you are t est ed and t ried j ust like t he nat ions t hat came before you This is why Allah said:

(...wit hout such (t rials) as came t o t hose who passed away before you They were afflict ed wit h severe povert y and ailment s) meaning, illnesses, pain, disast ers and hardships. Ibn Mas` ud, Ibn ` Abbas, Abu Al-` Aliyah, Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Murrah Al-Hamdani, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, AdDahhak, Ar-Rabi` , As-Suddi and Muqat il bin Hayyan said t hat

(Al-Ba'sa') means povert y. Ibn ` Abbas said t hat

(...and Ad-Darra') means ailment s.

(and were so shaken) for fear of t he enemy, and were t est ed, and put t o a t remendous t rial. An aut hent ic Hadit h narrat ed t hat Khabbab bin Al-Arat t said, "We said, ` O Messenger of Allah! Why do you not invoke Allah t o support us Why do you not supplicat e t o Allah for us' He said:

.
(The saw would be placed on t he middle of t he head of one of t hose who were before you (believers) and he would be sawn unt il his feet , and he would be combed wit h iron combs bet ween his skin and bones, yet t hat would not make him change his religion.) He t hen said:


(By Allah! This mat t er (religion) will spread (or expand) by Allah unt il t he t raveler leaves San` a' t o Hadramawt (bot h in Yemen, but at a great dist ance from each ot her) fearing only Allah and t hen t he wolf for t he sake of his sheep. You are j ust a hast y people.) And Allah said:

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(Alif-Lam-Mim. Do people t hink t hat t hey will be left alone because t hey say: "We believe,'' and will not be t est ed And We indeed t est ed t hose who were before t hem. And Allah will cert ainly make (it ) known (t he t rut h of) t hose who are t rue, and will cert ainly make (it ) known (t he falsehood of) t hose who are liars.) (29:1-3) The Companions experienced t remendous t rials during t he bat t le of Confederat es). Allah said: Al-Ahzab (t he

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(When t hey came upon you from above you and from below you, and when t he eyes grew wild and t he heart s reached t o t he t hroat s, and you were harboring doubt s about Allah. There, t he believers were t ried and shaken wit h a might y shaking. And when t he hypocrit es and t hose in whose heart s is a disease (of doubt s) said: "Allah and His Messenger promised us not hing but delusion!'') (33:10-12) When Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan, "Did you fight him (Prophet Muhammad)'' He said, "Yes.'' Heraclius said, "What was t he out come of warfare bet ween you'' Abu Sufyan said, "Somet imes we lose and somet imes he loses.'' He said, "Such is t he case wit h Prophet s, t hey are t est ed, but t he final vict ory is t heirs.'' Allah's st at ement :

(...wit hout (such) (t rials) as came t o t hose who passed away before you) meaning, t heir way of life. Similarly, Allah said:

(Then We dest royed men st ronger (in power) t han t hese passed away (before t hem)) (43: 8) and: and t he example of t he ancient s has

(...were so shaken t hat even t he Messenger and t hose who believed along wit h him said, "When (will come) t he help of Allah.'') They pleaded (t o Allah) for vict ory against t heir enemies and invoked Him for aid and deliverance from t heir hardships and t rials. Allah said:

(Yes! Cert ainly, t he help of Allah is near!) Allah said:

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(Verily, along wit h every hardship is relief. Verily, along wit h every hardship is relief.) (94:5, 6)

So j ust as t here is hardship, it s equal of relief will soon arrive. This is why Allah said:

(Yes! Cert ainly, t he help of Allah is near!)

(215. They ask you (O Muhammad ) what t hey should spend. Say: "What ever you spend of good must be for parent s and kindred and orphans and Al-Masakin (t he poor) and t he wayfarer, and what ever you do of good deeds, t ruly, Allah knows it well.'')

Who deserves the Nafaqah (Spending or Charity)

Muqat il bin Hayyan said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about t he volunt ary charit y. The Ayah means, ` They ask you (O Muhammad ) how t hey should spend,' as Ibn ` Abbas and Muj ahid have st at ed. So, Allah explained it for t hem, saying:

(Say: "What ever you spend of good must be for parent s and kindred and orphans and Al-Masakin and t he wayfarer,'') meaning, spend it on t hese cat egories or areas. Similarly, a Hadit h st at es (t hat t hose who deserve one's generosit y t he most , are):

(Your mot her, fat her, sist er, brot her, t he closest and t hen t he fart hest (relat ives).) Maymun bin Mihran once recit ed t his Ayah (2:215) and comment ed, "These are t he areas of spending. Allah did not ment ion among t hem t he drums, pipe, wooden pict ures, or t he curt ains t hat cover t he walls.'' Next , Allah said:


(...and what ever you do of good deeds, t ruly, Allah knows it well.) meaning, what ever you perform of good works, Allah knows t hem and He will reward you for t hem in t he best manner, no one will be dealt wit h unj ust ly, even t he weight of an at om.

(216. Fight ing is ordained for you (Muslims) t hough you dislike it , and it may be t hat you dislike a t hing which is good for you and t hat you like a t hing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.)

Jihad is made Obligatory

In t his Ayah, Allah made it obligat ory for t he Muslims t o fight in Jihad against t he evil of t he enemy who t ransgress against Islam. Az-Zuhri said, "Jihad is required from every person, whet her he act ually j oins t he fight ing or remains behind. Whoever remains behind is required t o give support , if support is warrant ed; t o provide aid, if aid is needed; and t o march fort h, if he is commanded t o do so. If he is not needed, t hen he remains behind.'' It is report ed in t he Sahih:

(Whoever dies but neit her fought (i.e., in Allah's cause), nor sincerely considered fight ing, will die a deat h of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic era of ignorance).) On t he day of Al-Fat h (when he conquered Makkah), t he Prophet said:

(There is no Hij rah (migrat ion from Makkah t o Al-Madinah) aft er t he vict ory, but only Jihad and good int ent ion. If you were required t o march fort h, t hen march fort h.) Allah's st at ement :

(...t hough you dislike it ) means, ` Fight ing is difficult and heavy on your heart s.' Indeed, fight ing is as t he Ayah describes it , as it includes being killed, wounded, st riving against t he enemies and enduring t he hardship of t ravel. Allah t hen said:

(. ..and it may be t hat you dislike a t hing which is good for you) meaning, fight ing is followed by vict ory, dominance over t he enemy, t aking over t heir lands, money and offspring. Allah cont inues:

(...and t hat you like a t hing which is bad for you.) This Ayah is general in meaning. Hence, one might covet somet hing, yet in realit y it is not good or beneficial for him, such as refraining from j oining t he Jihad, for it might lead t o t he enemy t aking over t he land and t he government . Then, Allah said:

(Allah knows, but you do not know.) meaning, He has bet t er knowledge t han you of how t hings will t urn out t o be in t he end, and of what benefit s you in t his eart hly life and t he Hereaft er. Hence, obey Him and adhere t o His commands, so t hat you may acquire t he t rue guidance.

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(217. They ask you concerning fight ing in t he Sacred Mont hs. Say, "Fight ing t herein is a great (t ransgression) but a great er (t ransgression) wit h Allah is t o prevent mankind from following t he way of Allah, t o disbelieve in Him, t o prevent access t o Al-Masj id Al-Haram (at Makkah), and t o drive out it s inhabit ant s, and Al-Fit nah is worse t han killing.'' And t hey will never cease fight ing you unt il t hey t urn you back from your religion (Islamic Monot heism) if t hey can. And whosoever of you t urns back from his religion and dies as a disbeliever, t hen his deeds will be lost in t his life and in t he Hereaft er, and t hey will be t he dwellers of t he Fire. They will abide t herein forever.) (218. Verily, t hose who have believed, and t hose who have emigrat ed (for Allah's religion) and have st riven hard in t he way of Allah, all t hese hope for Allah's mercy. And Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most -Merciful.)

The Nakhlah Military Maneuvers, and the Ruling on Fighting during the Sacred Months
Ibn Abu Hat im report ed t hat Jundub bin ` Abdullah said: Allah's Messenger assembled a group of men under t he command of Abu ` Ubaydah bin Jarrah. When he was about t o march, he st art ed crying for t he t hought of missing Allah's Messenger . Consequent ly, t he Messenger relieved Abu ` Ubaydah from command, appoint ed ` Abdullah bin Jahsh inst ead, gave him some writ t en inst ruct ions and commanded him not t o read t he inst ruct ions unt il he reached such and such area. He also said t o ` Abdullah:

.
(Do not compel any of your men t o cont inue marching wit h you t hereaft er.) When ` Abdullah read t he inst ruct ions, he recit ed Ist irj a` saying, ` Truly! t o Allah we belong and t ruly, t o Him we shall ret urn'; and refer t o (2:156) and said, "I hear and obey Allah and His

Messenger.'' He t hen t old his companions t he st ory and read t he inst ruct ions t o t hem, and t wo men went back while t he rest remained. Soon aft er, t hey found Ibn Hadrami (one of t he disbelievers of Quraysh) and killed him not knowing t hat t hat day was in Raj ab or Jumadi (where Raj ab is t he Sacred Mont h). The polyt heist s said t o t he Muslims, "You have commit t ed murder in t he Sacred Mont h.'' Allah t hen revealed:

(They ask you concerning fight ing in t he Sacred Mont hs. Say, "Fight ing t herein is a great (t ransgression)...'') Abdul-Malik bin Hisham, who compiled t he Sirah (life st ory of t he Prophet ), relat ed t hat Ziyad bin ` Abdullah Bakka'i said t hat Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar Al-Madani wrot e in his book on t he Sirah, "Allah's Messenger sent ` Abdullah bin Jahsh bin Riyab Al-Asadi in Raj ab, aft er he (t he Prophet ) came back from t he first bat t le of Badr. The Prophet sent eight people wit h him, all from among t he Muhaj irun and none from t he Ansar. He also gave him some writ t en inst ruct ions and ordered him not t o read t hem unt il he marched for t wo days. ` Abdullah should t hen read t he inst ruct ions and march t o implement t hem, but should not force any of t hose who were wit h him t o accompany him. The companions of ` Abdullah bin Jahsh were all from t he Muhaj irun, from t he t ribe of Banu ` Abd Shams bin ` Abd Manaf, t here was Abu Hudhayfah bin ` Ut bah bin Rabi` ah bin ` Abd Shams bin ` Abd Manaf. From t heir allies, t here was ` Abdullah bin Jahsh, who was t he commander of t he army unit , and ` Ukkashah bin Mihsan from t he t ribe of Banu Asad bin Khuzaymah. From t he t ribe of Banu Nawfal bin ` Abd Manaf, t here was ` Ut bah bin Ghazwan bin Jabir, one of t heir allies. From t he t ribe of Banu Zuhrah bin Kilab, t here was Sa` d bin Abu Waqqas. From Banu Ka` b, t here were t heir allies: ` Adi bin ` Amr bin Ar-Rabi` ah not from t he t ribe of Ibn Wa'il; Waqid bin ` Abdullah bin ` Abd Manaf bin ` Arin bin Tha` labah bin Yarbu` from Banu Tamim; and Khalid bin Bukair from t he t ribe of Banu Sa` d bin Layt h, Suhayl bin Bayda' from Banu Al-Harit h bin Fihr was also among t hem. When ` Abdullah bin Jahsh marched for t wo days, he opened and read t he (Prophet 's) inst ruct ions, "When you read t hese inst ruct ions, march unt il you set camp at Nakhlah bet ween Makkah and At -Ta'if. There, wat ch t he movement s of t he caravan of Quraysh and collect news about t hem for us.'' When ` Abdullah bin Jahsh read t he document , he said, "I hear and obey.'' He t hen said t o his companions, "Allah's Messenger has commanded me t o march fort h t o Nakhlah t o wat ch t he movement s of t he caravan of Quraysh and t o inform him about t heir news. He has prohibit ed me from forcing any of you (t o go wit h me). So, t hose who seek mart yrdom, t hey should march wit h me. Those who dislike t he idea of mart yrdom, let t hem t urn back. Surely, I will implement t he command of Allah's Messenger .'' He and his companions cont inued wit hout any of t hem t urning back. ` Abdullah ent ered t he Hij az area (west ern Arabia) unt il he reached an area called Buhran, close t o Furu` . There, Sa` d bin Abu Waqqas and ` Ut bah bin Ghazwan lost t he camel t hat t hey were riding in t urns, and t hey went back t o search for it while ` Abdullah bin Jahsh and t he rest of his companions cont inued unt il t hey reached Nakhlah. Then, a caravan belonging t o t he Quraysh passed by carrying raisins, food st uff and some t rade it ems for t he Quraysh. ` Amr bin Hadrami, whose name was ` Abdullah bin ` Abbad, was in t he caravan, as well as ` Ut hman bin ` Abdullah bin Al-Mughirah and his brot her Nawfal bin ` Abdullah from t he t ribe of Makhzum, and Al-Hakam bin Kaysan, a freed slave of Hisham bin Al-Mughirah. When t hey saw t he Companions t hey were fright ened, but when t hey saw ` Ukkashah bin Mihsan t heir fears

subsided, since his head was shaved. They said, "These people seek t he ` Umrah, so t here is no need t o fear t hem.'' The Companions conferred among t hemselves. That day was t he last day in t he (sacred) mont h of Raj ab. They said t o each ot her, "By Allah! If you let t hem pass, t hey will soon ent er t he Sacred Area and t ake refuge in it from you. If you kill t hem, you will kill t hem during t he Sacred Mont h.'' They at first hesit at ed and did not like t o at t ack t hem. They t hen began encouraging t hemselves and decided t o kill whomever t hey could among t he disbelievers and t o confiscat e what ever t hey had. Hence, Waqid bin ` Abdullah At -Tamimi shot an arrow at ` Amr bin Al-Hadrami and killed him. ` Ut hman bin ` Abdullah and Al-Hakam bin Kaysan gave t hemselves up, while Nawfal bin ` Abdullah was able t o out run t hem in flight . Lat er on, ` Abdullah bin Jahsh and his companions went back t o Allah's Messenger in Al-Madinah wit h t he caravan and t he t wo prisoners. dIbn Ishaq went on: I was t old t hat some members of t he family of ` Abdullah bin Jahsh said t hat ` Abdullah said t o his companions: "Allah's Messenger will have one-fift h of what we have confiscat ed.'' This occurred before Allah required one-fift h for His Messenger from t he war boot y. So, ` Abdullah designat ed one-fift h of t he caravan for Allah's Messenger and divided t he rest among his companions. Ibn Ishaq also st at ed t hat at first , when t he Sariyah came back t o Allah's Messenger , he said t o t hem:

(I have not commanded you t o conduct warfare during t he Sacred Mont h. ) He left t he caravan and t he t wo prisoners alone and did not t ake any share of t he war boot y. When Allah's Messenger did t hat , t he soldiers from t he at t ack were concerned and felt t hat t hey were dest royed, and t heir Muslim bret hren crit icized t hem for what t hey did. The Quraysh said t hat Muhammad and his Companions violat ed t he sanct it y of t he Sacred Mont h and shed blood, confiscat ed propert y and t ook prisoners during it . Those who refut ed t hem among t he Muslims who remained in Makkah replied t hat t he Muslims had done t hat during t he mont h of Sha` ban (which is not a sacred mont h). Meanwhile, t he Jews were pleased about what happened t o Allah's Messenger . They said, ` Amr bin Hadrami was killed by Waqid bin ` Abdullah: ` Amr, means t he war has st art ed, Hadrami means t he war has come, as for Waqid (bin ` Abdullah): t he war has raged (using some of t he lit eral meanings of t hese names t o support t heir fort une-t elling!).'' But , Allah made all t hat t urn against t hem. The people cont inued t alking about t his mat t er, t hen Allah revealed t o His Messenger :

(They ask you concerning fight ing in t he Sacred Mont hs. Say, "Fight ing t herein is a great (t ransgression) but a great er (t ransgression) wit h Allah is t o prevent mankind from following t he way of Allah, t o disbelieve in Him, t o prevent access t o Al-Masj id Al-Haram (at Makkah), and t o drive out it s inhabit ant s, and Al-Fit nah is worse t han killing.) This Ayah means, ` If you had killed during t he Sacred Mont h, t hey (disbelievers of Quraysh) have hindered you from t he pat h of Allah and disbelieved in it . They also prevent ed you from ent ering t he Sacred Mosque, and expelled you from it , while you are it s people,

(...a great er (t ransgression) wit h Allah) t han killing whom you killed among t hem. Also:

(...and Al-Fit nah is worse t han killing.) means, t rying t o force t he Muslims t o revert from t heir religion and re-embrace Kufr aft er t hey had believed, is worse wit h Allah t han killing.' Allah said:

(And t hey will never cease fight ing you unt il t hey t urn you back from your religion (Islamic Monot heism) if t hey can.) So, t hey will go on fight ing you wit h unrelent ing viciousness. Ibn Ishaq went on: When t he Qur'an t ouched t his subj ect and Allah brought relief t o t he Muslims inst ead of t he sadness t hat had befallen t hem, Allah's Messenger t ook possession of t he caravan and t he t wo prisoners. The Quraysh offered t o ransom t he t wo prisoners, ` Ut hman bin ` Abdullah and Hakam bin Kaysan. Allah's Messenger said:

(We will not accept your ransom unt il our t wo companions ret urn safely. ) meaning Sa` d bin Abu Waqqas and ` Ut bah bin Ghazwan, "For we fear for t heir safet y wit h you. If you kill t hem, we will kill your people.'' Lat er on, Sa` d and ` Ut bah ret urned safely and Allah's Messenger accept ed t he Quraysh's ransom for t heir prisoners. As for Al-Hakam bin Kaysan, he became Muslim and his Islam st rengt hened. He remained wit h Allah's Messenger unt il he was mart yred during t he incident at Bir Ma` unah (when t he Prophet sent sevent y Companions t o Naj d t o t each t hem Islam, but Banu Sulaim killed t hem all except t wo). As for ` Ut hman bin ` Abdullah, he went back t o Makkah and died t here as a disbeliever.

Ibn Ishaq went on: When ` Abdullah bin Jahsh and his companions were relieved from t heir depressing t hought s aft er t he Qur'an was revealed about t his subj ect , t hey sought t he reward of t he fight ers (in Allah's way). They said, "O Messenger of Allah! We wish t hat t his incident be considered a bat t le for us, so t hat we gain t he rewards of t he Muj ahidin.'' Then, Allah revealed:

(Verily, t hose who have believed, and t hose who have emigrat ed (for Allah's religion) and have st riven hard in t he way of Allah, all t hese hope for Allah's mercy. And Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) Hence, Allah has great ly elevat ed t heir hopes of gaining what t hey had wished for.

(219. They ask you (O Muhammad ) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling. Say: "In t hem is a great sin, and (some) benefit s for men, but t he sin of t hem is great er t han t heir benefit .'' And t hey ask you what t hey ought t o spend. Say: "That which is (spare) beyond your needs.'' Thus Allah makes clear t o you His Laws in order t hat you may give t hought .) (220. In (t o) t his worldly life and in t he Hereaft er. And t hey ask you concerning orphans. Say: "The best t hing is t o work honest ly in t heir propert y, and if you mix your affairs wit h t heirs, t hen t hey are your brot hers. And Allah knows (t he one) who means mischief (e.g., t o swallow t heir propert y) from (t he one) who means good (e.g., t o save t heir propert y). And if Allah had wished, He could have put you int o difficult ies. Truly, Allah is All-Might y, All-Wise.'')

The Gradual Prohibition of Khamr (Alchoholic Drink)

Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Maysarah said t hat ` Umar once said, "O Allah! Give us a clear ruling regarding Al-Khamr!'' Allah sent down t he Ayah of Surat Al-Baqarah:

(They ask you (O Muhammad ) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling. Say: "In t hem is a great sin...) ` Umar was t hen summoned and t he Ayah was recit ed t o him. Yet , he st ill said, "O Allah! Give us a clear ruling regarding Al-Khamr.'' Then, t his Ayah t hat is in Surat An-Nisa' was revealed:

(O you who believe! Approach not As-Salah (t he prayer) when you are in a drunken st at e.) (4:43) Then, when t he prayer was called for, a person used t o herald on behalf of Allah's Messenger , "No drunk person should at t end t he prayer.'' ` Umar was summoned again and t he Ayah was recit ed t o him. Yet , he st ill said, "O Allah! Give us a clear ruling regarding Al-Khamr.'' Then, t he Ayah t hat is in Surat Al-Ma'idah was revealed, ` Umar was again summoned and t he Ayah was recit ed t o him. When he reached:

(So, will you not t hen abst ain) (5:91) he said, "We did abst ain, we did abst ain.'' This is also t he narrat ion t hat Abu Dawud, At -Tirmidhi and An-Nasai collect ed in t heir books. ` Ali bin Al-Madini and At -Tirmidhi said t hat t he chain of narrat ors for t his Hadit h is sound and aut hent ic. We will ment ion t his Hadit h again along wit h what Imam Ahmad collect ed by Abu Hurayrah Allah's saying in Surat Al-Ma'idah:


(Int oxicant s and gambling, and Al-Ansab, and Al-Azlam are an abominat ion of Sat an's handiwork. So avoid (st rict ly all) t hat (abominat ion) in order t hat you may be successful.) (5:90) Allah said:

(They ask you (O Muhammad ) concerning alcoholic drinks and gambling.) As for Al-Khamr, ` Umar bin Khat t ab, t he Leader of t he fait hful, used t o say, "It includes all what int oxicat es t he mind.'' We will also ment ion t his st at ement in t he explanat ion of Surat AlMa'idah, along wit h t he t opic of gambling. Allah said:

(Say: In t hem is a great sin, and (some) benefit s for men.) As for t he harm t hat t he Khamr and gambling cause, it effect s t he religion. As for t heir benefit , it is mat erial, including benefit for t he body, digest ing t he food, get t ing rid of t he excrement s, sharpening t he mind, bringing about a j oyous sensat ion and financially benefit ing from t heir sale. Also, (t heir benefit includes) earnings t hrough gambling t hat one uses t o spend on his family and on himself. Yet , t hese benefit s are out weighed by t he clear harm t hat t hey cause which affect s t he mind and t he religion. This is why Allah said:

(...but t he sin of t hem is great er t han t heir benefit .) This Ayah was t he beginning of t he process of prohibit ing Khamr, not explicit y, but it only implied t his meaning. So when t his Ayah was recit ed t o ` Umar, he st ill said, "O Allah! Give us a clear ruling regarding Al-Khamr.'' Soon aft er, Allah sent down a clear prohibit ion of Khamr in Surat Al-Ma'idah:

 -
(O you who believe! Int oxicant s (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al-Ansab, and Al-Azlam are an abominat ion of Shayt an's handiwork. So avoid (st rict ly all) t hat (abominat ion) in order t hat you may be successful. Shayt an want s only t o excit e enmit y and hat red bet ween you wit h int oxicant s (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you from t he remembrance of Allah and from As-Salah (t he prayer). So, will you not t hen abst ain) (5:90, 91) We will ment ion t his subj ect , by t he will of Allah, when we explain Surat Al-Ma'idah. Ibn ` Umar, Ash-Sha` bi, Muj ahid, Qat adah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and ` Abdur-Rahman bin Aslam st at ed t hat t he first Ayah revealed about Khamr was:

(They ask you about Khamr and gambling. Say: "In t hem t here is great sin.'') (2:219) Then, t he Ayah in Surat An-Nisa' was revealed (on t his subj ect ) and t hen t he Ayah in Surat AlMa'idah which prohibit ed Khamr.

Spending whatever One could spare of his Money on Charity

Allah said:

(And t hey ask you what t hey ought t o spend. Say: "That which is (spare) beyond your needs.'')

Al-Hakam said t hat Miqsam said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t his Ayah means, what ever you can spare above t he needs of your family. This is also t he opinion of Ibn ` Umar, Muj ahid, ` At a', ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Muhammad bin Ka` b, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Al-Qasim, Salim, ` At a' AlKhurasani and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Ibn Jarir relat ed t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat a man said, "O Messenger of Allah! I have a Dinar (a currency).'' The Prophet said:

(Spend it you on yourself.) He said, "I have anot her Dinar.'' He said:

(Spend it on your wife.) He said, "I have anot her Dinar.'' He said:

(Spend it on your offspring.) He said, "I have anot her Dinar.'' He said:

(You have bet t er knowledge (meaning how and where t o spend it in charit y).) Muslim also recorded t his Hadit h in his Sahih. Muslim recorded t hat Jabir said t hat Allah's Messenger said t o a man:

(St art wit h yourself and grant it some charit y. If anyt hing remains, t hen spend it on your family. If anyt hing remains, t hen spend it on your relat ives. If anyt hing remains, t hen spend it like t his and like t hat (i.e., on various charit able purposes).)

A Hadit h st at es:

(O son of Adam! If you spend what ever you can spare, it would be bet t er for you; but if you keep it , it would be worse for you. You shall not be blamed for what ever is barely sufficient .) Allah said:

(Thus Allah makes clear t o you His Ayat in order t hat you may give t hought . In (t o) t his worldly life and in t he Hereaft er.) meaning, j ust as He st at ed and explained t hese commandment s for you, He also explains t he rest of His Ayat regarding t he commandment s and His promises and warnings, so t hat you might give t hought in t his life and t he Hereaft er. ` Ali bin Abu Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "Meaning about t he imminent demise and t he brevit y of t his life, and t he imminent commencement of t he Hereaft er and it s cont inuit y.'' a

Maintaining the Orphan's Property

Allah said:

(And t hey ask you concerning orphans. Say: "The best t hing is t o work honest ly in t heir propert y, and if you mix your affairs wit h t heirs, t hen t hey are your brot hers. And Allah knows him who means mischief (e.g., t o swallow t heir propert y) from him who means good (e.g., t o save t heir propert y). And if Allah had wished, He could have put you int o difficult ies.) Ibn Jarir report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "When t he Ayat :


(And come not near t o t he orphan's propert y, except t o improve it .) (6:152) and

(Verily, t hose who unj ust ly eat up t he propert y of orphans, t hey eat up only fire int o t heir bellies, and t hey will be burnt in t he blazing Fire!) (4:10) were revealed, t hose who t ook care of some orphans, separat ed t heir food and drink from t he orphans' food and drink. When some of t he orphans' food and drink remained, t hey would keep it for t hem unt il t hey eat it or ot herwise get spoiled. This sit uat ion was difficult for t hem and t hey ment ioned t his subj ect t o Allah's Messenger .

(And t hey ask you concerning orphans. Say: "The best t hing is t o work honest ly in t heir propert y, and if you mix your affairs wit h t heirs, t hen t hey are your brot hers.) Hence, t hey j oined t heir food and drink wit h t he food and drink of t he orphans.'' This Hadit h was also collect ed by Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i and Al-Hakim in his Must adrak. Several ot hers said similarly about t he circumst ances surrounding t he revelat ion of t he Ayah (2:220), including Muj ahid, ` At a', Ash-Sha` bi, Ibn Abu Layla, Qat adah and ot hers among t he Salaf and t hose aft er t hem. Ibn Jarir report ed t hat ` A'ishah said, "I dislike t hat an orphan's money be under my care, unless I mix my food wit h his food and my drink wit h his drink.'' Allah said:

(Say: The best t hing is t o work honest ly in t heir propert y.) meaning, on t he one hand (i.e., t his is required in any case). Allah t hen said:

(...and if you mix your affairs wit h t heirs, t hen t hey are your brot hers.) meaning, t here is no harm if you mix your food and drink wit h t heir food and drink, since t hey are your brot hers in t he religion. This is why Allah said aft erwards:


(And Allah knows (t he one) who means mischief (e.g., t o swallow t heir propert y) from (t he one) who means good (e.g., t o save t heir propert y). ) meaning, He knows t hose whose int ent is t o cause mischief or right eousness. He also said:

(And if Allah had wished, He could have put you int o difficult ies. Truly, Allah is All-Might y, AllWise) meaning, if Allah wills, He will make t his mat t er difficult for you. But , He made it easy for you, and allowed you t o mix your affairs wit h t he orphans' affairs in a way t hat is bet t er. Similarly, Allah said:

(And come not near t o t he orphan's propert y, except t o improve it .) (6:152) Allah has t hus allowed spending from t he orphan's est at e by it s execut or, in reasonable proport ions, on t he condit ion t hat he has t he int ent ion t o compensat e t he orphan lat er on, when he can afford it . We will ment ion about it in det ail in Surat An-Nisa' by Allah's will.

(221. And do not marry Al-Mushrikat (idolat resses) t ill t hey believe (worship Allah Alone). And indeed a slave woman who believes is bet t er t han a (free) Mushrikah (idolat ress), even t hough she pleases you. And give not (your daught ers) in marriage t o Al-Mushrikin t ill t hey believe (in Allah Alone) and verily, a believing servant is bet t er t han a (free) Mushrik (idolat or), even t hough he pleases you. Those (Mushrikin) invit e you t o t he Fire, but Allah invit es (you) t o Paradise and forgiveness by His leave, and makes His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelat ions, et c.) clear t o mankind t hat t hey may remember.)

The Prohibition of marrying Mushrik Men and Women

Allah prohibit ed t he believers from marrying Mushrik women who worship idols. Alt hough t he meaning is general and includes every Mushrik woman from among t he idol worshippers and t he People of t he Script ure, Allah excluded t he People of t he Script ure from t his ruling. Allah st at ed:

((Lawful t o you in marriage) are chast e women from t hose who were given t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) before your t ime when you have given t heir due dowry, desiring chast it y (i.e., t aking t hem in legal wedlock) not commit t ing illegal sexual int ercourse.) (5:5) ` Ali bin Abu Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about what Allah said:

(And do not marry Al-Mushrikat (female idolat ors) t ill t hey believe (worship Allah Alone).) "Allah has excluded t he women of t he People of t he Script ure.'' This is also t he explanat ion of Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Makhul, Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhak, Zayd bin Aslam and ArRabi` bin Anas and ot hers. Some scholars said t hat t he Ayah is exclusively t alking about idol worshippers and not t he People of t he Script ure, and t his meaning is similar t o t he first meaning we ment ioned. Allah knows best . Abu Ja` far bin Jarir (At -Tabari) said, aft er ment ioning t hat t here is Ij ma` t hat marrying women from t he People of t he Script ure is allowed, "` Umar disliked t his pract ice so t hat t he Muslims do not refrain from marrying Muslim women, or for similar reasons.'' An aut hent ic chain of narrat ors st at ed t hat Shaqiq said: Once Hudhayfah married a Jewish woman and ` Umar wrot e t o him, "Divorce her.'' He wrot e back, "Do you claim t hat she is not allowed for me so t hat I divorce her'' He said, "No. But , I fear t hat you might marry t he whores from among t hem.'' Ibn Jarir relat ed t hat Zayd bin Wahb said t hat ` Umar bin Khat t ab said, "The Muslim man marries t he Christ ian woman, but t he Christ ian man does not marry t he Muslim woman.'' This Hadit h has a st ronger, aut hent ic chain of narrat ors t han t he previous Hadit h. Ibn Abu Hat im said t hat Ibn ` Umar disliked marrying t he women from t he People of t he Script ure. He relied on his own explanat ion for t he Ayah:

(And do not marry Al-Mushrikat (female idolat ors) t ill t hey believe (worship Allah Alone).)

Al-Bukhari also report ed t hat Ibn ` Umar said, "I do not know of a bigger Shirk t han her saying t hat Jesus is her Lord!'' Allah said:

(And indeed a slave woman who believes is bet t er t han a (free) Mushrikah (female idolat ors), even t hough she pleases you.) It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat t he Prophet said:

:
(A woman is chosen for marriage for four reasons: her wealt h, social st at us, beaut y, and religion. So, marry t he religious woman, may your hands be filled wit h sand (a st at ement of encouragement ).) Muslim report ed t his Hadit h from Jabir. Muslim also report ed t hat Ibn ` Amr said t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(The life of t his world is but a delight , and t he best of t he delight s of t his eart hly life is t he right eous wife.) Allah t hen said:

(And give not (your daught ers) in marriage t o Al-Mushrikin t ill t hey believe (in Allah Alone).) meaning, do not marry Mushrik men t o believing women. This st at ement is similar t o Allah's st at ement :

(They are not lawful (wives) for t hem, nor are t hey lawful (husbands) for t hem.) (60:10)

Next , Allah said:

(. ..and verily, a believing servant is bet t er t han a (free) Mushrik (idolat or), even t hough he pleases you.) This Ayah indicat es t hat a believing man, even an Abyssinian servant , is bet t er t han a Mushrik man, even if he was a rich mast er.

(Those (Al-Mushrikun) invit e you t o t he Fire) meaning, associat ing and mingling wit h t he disbelievers makes one love t his life and prefer it over t he Hereaft er, leading t o t he severest repercussions. Allah said:

(...but Allah invit es (you) t o Paradise and forgiveness by His leave) meaning, by His Law, commandment s and prohibit ions. Allah said:

(...and makes His Ayat clear t o mankind t hat t hey may remember.)

(222. They ask you concerning menst ruat ion. Say: "That is an Adha, t herefore, keep away from women during menses and go not in unt o t hem t ill t hey are purified.'' And when t hey have purified t hemselves, t hen go in unt o t hem as Allah has ordained for you. Truly, Allah loves t hose who t urn unt o Him in repent ance and loves t hose who purify t hemselves.) (223. Your wives are a t ilt h for you, so go t o your t ilt h, when or how you will, and send (good deeds, or ask Allah t o best ow upon you pious offspring) for your own selves beforehand. And fear Allah, and know t hat you are t o meet Him (in t he Hereaft er), and give good t idings t o t he believers (O Muhammad ).)

Sexual Intercourse with Menstruating Women is prohibited

Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Anas said t hat t he Jews used t o avoid t heir menst ruat ing women, t hey would not eat , or even mingle wit h t hem in t he house. The Companions of t he Prophet asked about t his mat t er and Allah revealed:

(They ask you concerning menst ruat ion. Say: "That is an Adha, t herefore, keep away from women during menses and go not in unt o t hem t ill t hey are purified.) Allah's Messenger said:

(` Do everyt hing you wish, except having sexual int ercourse.) When t he Jews were t old about t he Prophet 's st at ement , t hey said, "What is t he mat t er wit h t his man He would not hear of any of our pract ices, but would defy it .'' Then, Usayd bin Hudayr and ` Abbad bin Bishr came and said, "O Messenger of Allah! The Jews said t his and t hat , should we have sex wit h our women (meaning, during t he menst ruat ion period)'' The face of Allah's Messenger changed color, unt il t he Companions t hought t hat he was angry wit h t hem. They left . Soon aft er, some milk was brought t o Allah's Messenger as a gift , and he sent some of it for t hem t o drink. They knew t hen t hat Allah's Messenger was not angry wit h t hem. Muslim also report ed t his Hadit h. Allah said:

(. ..t herefore, keep away from women during menses.) meaning, avoid t he sexual organ. The Prophet said:


(Do anyt hing you wish except having sexual int ercourse.) This is why most of t he scholars said t hat it is allowed t o fondle t he wife, except for having sexual int ercourse (when she is having her menses). Abu Dawud report ed t hat ` Ikrimah relat ed t o one of t he Prophet 's wives t hat she said t hat whenever t he Prophet want ed t o fondle (one of his wives) during her menses, he would cover her sexual organ wit h somet hing. Abu Ja` far bin Jarir relat ed t hat Masruq went t o ` A'ishah and greet ed her, and ` A'ishah greet ed him in ret urn. Masruq said, "I wish t o ask you about a mat t er, but I am shy.'' She replied, "I am your mot her and you are my son.'' He said, "What can t he man enj oy of his wife when she is having her menses'' She said, "Everyt hing except her sexual organ.'' This is also t he opinion of Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, Al-Hasan and ` Ikrimah. One is allowed t o sleep next t o his wife and t o eat wit h her (when she is having her menses). ` A'ishah said, "Allah's Messenger used t o ask me t o wash his hair while I was having t he menses. He would lay on my lap and read t he Qur'an while I was having t he period.'' It is also report ed in t he Sahih t hat ` A'ishah said, "While having t he menses, I used t o eat from a piece of meat and give it t o t he Prophet who would eat from t he same place I at e from. I used t o have sips of a drink and would t hen give t he cup t o t he Prophet who would place his mout h where I placed my mout h.'' It is also report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat Maymunah bint Al-Harit h Al-Hilaliyah said, "Whenever t he Prophet want ed t o fondle any of his wives during t he periods (menses), he used t o ask her t o wear an Izar (a sheet covering t he lower-half of t he body).'' These are t he wordings collect ed by Al-Bukhari. Similar was report ed from ` A'ishah. In addit ion, Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, At -Tirmidhi and Ibn Maj ah report ed t hat ` Abdullah bin Sa` d Al-Ansari asked Allah's Messenger , "What am I allowed of my wife while she is having her menses'' He said, "What is above t he Izar (a sheet covering t he lower-half of t he body).'' Hence, Allah's st at ement : h

(...and go not in unt o t hem t ill t hey are purified.) explains His st at ement :

(...t herefore, keep away from women during menses.) Allah prohibit ed having sexual int ercourse wit h t he wife during menst ruat ion, indicat ing t hat sexual int ercourse is allowed ot herwise. Allah's st at ement :

(And when t hey have purified t hemselves, t hen go in unt o t hem as Allah has ordained for you.) indicat es t hat men should have sexual int ercourse wit h t heir wives aft er t hey t ake a bat h. The scholars agree t hat t he woman is obliged t o t ake a bat h, or t o perform Tayammum wit h sand, if she is unable t o use wat er, before she is allowed t o have sexual int ercourse wit h her husband, aft er t he mont hly period ends. Ibn ` Abbas said:

"(t ill t hey are purified) means from blood, and,

(And when t hey have purified t hemselves) means wit h wat er.'' This is also t he Tafsir of Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Muqat il bin Hayyan and Al-Layt h bin Sa` d and ot hers.

Anal Sex is prohibited

Allah said:

(...as Allah has ordained for you.) t his refers t o Al-Farj (t he vagina), as Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid and ot her scholars have st at ed. Therefore, anal sex is prohibit ed, as we will furt her emphasize aft erwards, Allah willing. Abu Razin, ` Ikrimah and Ad-Dahhak and ot hers said t hat :

(...t hen go in unt o t hem as Allah has ordained for you.) means when t hey are pure, and not during t he menses. Allah said aft erwards:

(Truly, Allah loves t hose who t urn unt o Him in repent ance) from t he sin even if it was repeat ed,

(and loves t hose who purify t hemselves.) meaning, t hose who purify t hemselves from t he impurit y and t he filt h t hat include having sexual int ercourse wit h t he wife during t he menses and anal sex.

The Reason behind revealing Allah's Statement: "Your Wives are a Tilth for You.
Allah said:

(Your wives are a t ilt h for you,) Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "Meaning t he place of pregnancy.'' Allah t hen said:

(...so go t o your t ilt h, when or how you will,) meaning, wherever you wish from t he front or from behind, as long as sex t akes place in one valve (t he female sexual organ), as t he aut hent ic Hadit hs have indicat ed. For inst ance, Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn Al-Munkadir said t hat he heard Jabir say t hat t he Jews used t o claim t hat if one has sex wit h his wife from behind (in t he vagina) t he offspring would become cross-eyed. Then, t his Ayah was revealed:

(Your wives are a t ilt h for you, so go t o your t ilt h, when or how you will,) Muslim and Abu Dawud also report ed t his Hadit h. Ibn Abu Hat im said t hat Muhammad bin Al-Munkadir narrat ed t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah t old him t hat t he Jews claimed t o t he Muslims t hat if one has sex wit h t heir wife from behind (in t he vagina) t heir offspring will become cross-eyed. Allah revealed aft erwards:

(Your wives are a t ilt h for you, so go t o your t ilt h, when or how you will,) Ibn Jurayj (one of t he report ers of t he Hadit h) said t hat Allah's Messenger said:


(From t he front or from behind, as long as t hat occurs in t he Farj (vagina).) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The Ayah,

(Your wives are a t ilt h for you) was revealed about some people from t he Ansar who came t o t he Prophet and asked him (about having sex wit h t he wife from behind). He said t o t hem:

(Have sex wit h her as you like as long as t hat occurs in t he vagina.) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Sabit said: I went t o Hafsah bint ` Abdur-Rahman bin Abu Bakr and said, "I wish t o ask you about somet hing, but I am shy.'' She said, "Do not be shy, O my nephew.'' He said, "About having sex from behind wit h women.'' She said, "Umm Salamah t old me t hat t he Ansar used t o refrain from having sex from behind (in t he vagina). The Jews claimed t hat t hose who have sex wit h t heir women from behind would have offspring wit h crossed-eyes. When t he Muhaj irun came t o Al-Madinah, t hey married Ansar women and had sex wit h t hem from behind. One of t hese women would not obey her husband and said, ` You will not do t hat unt il I go t o Allah's Messenger (and ask him about t his mat t er). ' She went t o Umm Salamah and t old her t he st ory. Umm Salamah said, ` Wait unt il Allah's Messenger comes.' When Allah's Messenger came, t he Ansari woman was shy t o ask him about t his mat t er, so she left . Umm Salamah t old Allah's Messenger t he st ory and he said:

(Summon t he Ansari woman.)'' She was summoned and he recit ed t his Ayah t o her:

(Your wives are a t ilt h for you, so go t o your t ilt h, when or how you will.) He added:

(Only in one valve (t he vagina).)''

This Hadit h was also collect ed by At -Tirmidhi who said, "Hasan.'' An-Nasa'i report ed t hat Ka` b bin ` Alqamah said t hat Abu An-Nadr said t hat he asked Nafi` , "The people are repeat ing t he st at ement t hat you relat e from Ibn ` Umar t hat he allowed sex wit h women in t heir rear (anus).'' He said, "They have said a lie about me. But let me t ell you what really happened. Ibn ` Umar was once recit ing t he Qur'an while I was wit h him and he reached t he Ayah:

(Your wives are a t ilt h for you, so go t o your t ilt h, when or how you will,) He t hen said, ` O Nafi` ! Do you know t he st ory behind t his Ayah' I said, ` No.' He said, ` We, t he people of Quraysh, used t o have sexual int ercourse wit h our wives from t he back (in t he vagina). When we migrat ed t o Al-Madinah and married some Ansari women, we want ed t o do t he same wit h t hem. They disliked it and made a big issue out of it . The Ansari women had followed t he pract ice of t he Jews who have sex wit h t heir women while t hey lay on t heir sides. Then, Allah revealed:

(Your wives are a t ilt h for you, so go t o your t ilt h, when or how you will,)'' This has an aut hent ic chain of narrat ors. Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Khuzaymah bin Thabit Al-Khat ami narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Allah does not shy from t he t rut h - he said it t hrice-, do not have anal sex wit h women.) This Hadit h was collect ed by An-Nasa'i and Ibn Maj ah. Abu ` Isa At -Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Allah does not look at a man who had anal sex wit h anot her man or a woman.)

At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Gharib.'' This is also t he narrat ion t hat Ibn Hibban collect ed in his Sahih, while Ibn Hazm st at ed t hat t his is an aut hent ic Hadit h. In addit ion, Imam Ahmad report ed t hat ` Ali bin Talaq said, "Allah's Messenger forbade anal sex wit h women, for Allah does not shy away from t rut h.'' Abu ` Isa At -Tirmidhi also report ed t his Hadit h and said, "Hasan''. Abu Muhammad ` Abdullah bin ` Abdur-Rahman Darimi report ed in his Musnad t hat Sa` id bin Yasar Abu Hubab said: I said t o Ibn ` Umar, "What do you say about having sex wit h women in t he rear'' He said, "What does it mean'' I said, "Anal sex.'' He said, "Does a Muslim do t hat '' This Hadit h has an aut hent ic chain of narrat ors and is an explicit rej ect ion of anal sex from Ibn ` Umar. Abu Bakr bin Ziyad Naysaburi report ed t hat Isma` il bin Ruh said t hat he asked Malik bin Anas, "What do you say about having sex wit h women in t he anus'' He said, "You are not an Arab Does sex occur but in t he place of pregnancy Do it only in t he Farj (vagina).'' I said, "O Abu ` Abdullah! They say t hat you allow t hat pract ice.'' He said, "They ut t er a lie about me, t hey lie about me.'' This is Malik's firm st ance on t his subj ect . It is also t he view of Sa` id bin Musayyib, Abu Salamah, ` Ikrimah, Tawus, ` At a , Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` Urwah bin Az-Zubayr, Muj ahid bin Jabr, Al-Hasan and ot her scholars of t he Salaf (t he Companions and t he following t wo generat ions aft er t hem). They all, along wit h t he maj orit y of t he scholars, harshly rebuked t he pract ice of anal sex and many of t hem called t his pract ice a Kufr. Allah said:

(. ..and send for your own selves beforehand.) meaning, by performing t he act s of worship while refraining from what ever Allah has prohibit ed for you. This is why Allah said aft erwards:

(And fear Allah, and know t hat you are t o meet Him (in t he Hereaft er),) meaning, He will hold you account able for all of your deeds,

(...and give good t idings t o t he believers (O Muhammad ).) meaning, t hose who obey what Allah has commanded and refrain from what He has prohibit ed. Ibn Jarir report ed t hat ` At a' said, or relat ed it t o Ibn ` Abbas,

(...and send for your own selves beforehand.) means, ment ion Allah's Name, by saying, ` Bismillah', before having sexual int ercourse.'' Al-Bukhari also report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

:
(If anyone of you on having sexual relat ions wit h his wife said: ` In t he Name of Allah. O Allah! Prot ect us from Sat an and also prot ect what you best ow upon us (i.e., t he coming offspring) from Sat an,' and if it is dest ined t hat t hey should have a child t hen, Sat an will never be able t o harm him.)

-
(224. And make not Allah's (Name) an excuse in your oat hs against doing good and act ing piously, and making peace among mankind. And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower (i.e., do not swear much and if you have sworn against doing somet hing good t hen give an expiat ion for t he oat h and do good).) (225. Allah will not call you t o account for t hat which is unint ent ional in your oat hs, but He will call you t o account for t hat which your heart s have earned. And Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most -Forbearing.)

The Prohibition of swearing to abandon a Good Deed

Allah commands, ` You should not implement your vows in Allah's Name t o refrain from pious act s and severing t he relat ions wit h t he relat ives, if you swear t o abandon such causes.' Allah said in anot her Ayah:


(And let not t hose among you who are blessed wit h graces and wealt h swear not t o give (any sort of help) t o t heir kinsmen, Al-Masakin (t he poor), and t hose who left t heir homes for Allah's cause. Let t hem pardon and forgive. Do you not love t hat Allah should forgive you) (24:22) Cont inuit y in a sinful vow is more sinful t han breaking it by expiat ion. Allah's Messenger said:

(By Allah! It is more sinful t o Allah t hat one of you implement s his vow regarding (severing t he relat ions wit h) his relat ives t han (breaking his promise and) paying t he Kaffarah t hat Allah has required in such cases.) This is how Muslim report ed t his Hadit h and also Imam Ahmad. ` Ali bin Abu Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat what Allah said:

(And make not Allah's (Name) an excuse in your oat hs) means, "Do not vow t o refrain from doing good works. (If you make such vow t hen) break it , pay t he Kaffarah and do t he good work.'' This was also said by Masruq, Ash-Sha` bi, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, Muj ahid, Tawus, Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` At a', ` Ikrimah, Makhul, Az-Zuhri, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Muqat il bin Hayyan, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Ad-Dahhak, ` At a' Al-Khurasani and As-Suddi. Suport ing t his view, which is t he maj orit y view, is what is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat Abu Musa Al-Ash` ari narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said: .


(By Allah! Allah willing, I will not vow t o do a t hing and t hen see a bet t er act , but I would do what is bet t er and break my vow.) Muslim report ed t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Whoever makes a vow and t hen finds what is bet t er t han his vow (should break his vow,) pay t he Kaffarah and perform t he bet t er deed.)

The Laghw (Unintentional) Vows

Allah said:

(Allah will not call you t o account for t hat which is unint ent ional in your oat hs,) This Ayah means, ` Allah does not punish or hold you account able for t he Laghw (unint ent ional) vows t hat you make.' The Laghw vows are unint ent ional and are j ust like t he habit ual st at ement s t hat t he t ongue repeat s, wit hout really int ending t hem. For inst ance, it is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Whoever swore and (unint ent ionally) ment ioned Al-Lat and Al-` Uzza (t wo idols) in his vow, should t hen say, ` There is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah'.) The Messenger said t his st at ement t o some new Muslims whose t ongues were, before Islam, used t o vowing by t heir idol Al-Lat . Therefore, t he Prophet ordered t hem t o int ent ionally recit e t he slogan of Ikhlas, j ust as t hey ment ioned t hese words by mist ake, so t hat it (t he word of Ikhlas) may eradicat e t he word (of Shirk). This is why Allah said:


(...but He will call you t o account for t hat which your heart s have earned.) and in anot her Ayah:

(...for your deliberat e oat hs) (5:89) Abu Dawud report ed under Chapt er: ` The Laghw Vows' t hat ` At a' said t hat ` A'ishah said t hat Allah's Messenger said:

:
(The Laghw in t he vows includes what t he man says in his house, such as, ` No, by Allah,' and, ` Yes, by Allah'.) Ibn Abu Hat im report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The Laghw vow includes vowing while angry.'' He also report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The Laghw vow includes vowing t o prohibit what Allah has allowed, and t his t ype does not require a Kaffarah (expiat ion).'' Similar was said by Sa` id bin Jubayr. In addit ion, Abu Dawud relat ed under Chapt er: ` Vowing while Angry' t hat Sa` id bin Musayyib said t hat t wo Ansari brot hers bot h received inherit ance and one of t hem asked t hat t he inherit ance be divided. His brot her said, "If you ask me about dividing t he inherit ance again, t hen all of what I have will be spent on t he Ka` bah's door.'' ` Umar said t o him, "The Ka` bah does not need your money. So break your vow, pay t he Kaffarah and come t o t erms wit h your brot her. I heard Allah's Messenger saying:

(Do not make a vow against yourself, nor t o disobey t he Lord, cut t he relat ions of t he womb or dispose of what you do not own.)'' Allah said:


(. ..but He will call you t o account for t hat which your heart s have earned,) Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid and several ot hers said t hat t his Ayah means swearing about a mat t er while knowing t hat he is lying. Muj ahid and ot hers said t his Ayah is similar t o what Allah said:

(...but He will punish you for your deliberat e oat hs.) (5:89) Allah said (2:225 above):

(And Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most -Forbearing.) meaning, He is Oft -Forgiving t o His servant s and Most Forbearing wit h t hem.

-
(226. Those who t ake an oat h not t o have sexual relat ion wit h t heir wives must wait for four mont hs, t hen if t hey ret urn, verily, Allah is Of t -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (227. And if t hey decide upon divorce, t hen Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.)

The Ila' and its Rulings

Ila' is a t ype of vow where a man swears not t o sleep wit h his wife for a cert ain period, whet her less or more t han four mont hs. If t he vow of Ila' was for less t han four mont hs, t he man has t o wait for t he vow's period t o end and t hen is allowed t o have sexual int ercourse wit h his wife. She has t o be pat ient and she cannot ask her husband, in t his case, t o end his vow before t he end of it s t erm. It is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat ` A'ishah said t hat Allah's Messenger swore he would st ay away from wit h his wives for a mont h. He t hen came down aft er t went y-nine days saying:

(The (lunar) mont h is t went y-nine days.) Similar was narrat ed by ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab and report ed in t he Two Sahihs. If t he period of Ila' is for more t han four mont hs, t he wife is allowed in t his case t o ask her husband, upon t he end of t he four mont hs, t o end t he Ila' and have sexual relat ions wit h her. Ot herwise, he should divorce her, by being forced t o do so by t he aut horit ies if necessary, so t hat t he wife is not harmed. Allah said:

(Those who t ake an oat h not t o have sexual relat ions wit h t heir wives) meaning, swear not t o have sexual relat ions wit h t he wife. This Ayah indicat es t hat t he Ila' involves t he wife and not a slave-women, as t he maj orit y of t he scholars have agreed,

(...must wait for four mont hs,) meaning, t he husband wait s for four mont hs from t he t ime of t he vow and t hen ends t he Ila' (if t he vow was for four or more mont hs) and is required t o eit her ret urn t o his wife or divorce her. This is why Allah said next :

(...t hen if t hey ret urn,) meaning, t o a normal relat ionship, having sexual int ercourse wit h t he wife. This is t he Tafsir of Ibn ` Abbas, Masruq, Ash-Sha` bi, Sa` id bin Jubayr and Ibn Jarir.

(...verily, Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) wit h any short comings t hat occurred in t he right s of t he wife because of t he vow of Ila'. Allah said:

(And if t hey decide upon divorce,) indicat ing t hat divorce does not occur by merely passing t he four mont h mark (during t he Ila'). Malik report ed from Nafi` t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Umar said, "If t he man swears t o Ila' from his wife, t hen divorce does not occur aut omat ically even aft er t he four mont hs have passed. When he st ops at t he four mont hs mark, he should eit her divorce or ret urn.'' Al-Bukhari also report ed t his Hadit h. Ibn Jarir report ed t hat Suhayl bin Abu Salih said t hat his fat her said, "I asked t welve Companions about t he man who does Ila' wit h his wife. They all st at ed t hat he does not have t o do anyt hing unt il t he four mont hs have passed and t hen has t o eit her ret ain or divorce her.'' Ad-Daraqut ni also report ed t his from Suhayl.

It is also report ed from ` Umar, ` Ut hman, ` Ali, Abu Ad-Darda', ` A'ishah, Ibn ` Umar and Ibn ` Abbas. This is also t he opinion of Sa` id bin Musayyib, ` Umar bin ` Abdul-` Aziz, Muj ahid, Tawus, Muhammad bin Ka` b and Al-Qasim.

(228. And divorced women shall wait (as regards t heir marriage) for t hree menst rual periods, and it is not lawful for t hem t o conceal what Allah has creat ed in t heir wombs, if t hey believe in Allah and t he Last Day. And t heir husbands have t he bet t er right t o t ake t hem back in t hat period, if t hey wish for reconciliat ion. And t hey (women) have right s (over t heir husbands as regards living expenses) similar (t o t hose of t heir husbands) over t hem (as regards obedience and respect ) t o what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibilit y) over t hem. And Allah is All-Might y, All-Wise.)

The ` Iddah (Waiting Period) of the Divorced Woman

This Ayah cont ains a command from Allah t hat t he divorced woman, whose marriage was consummat ed and who st ill has menst ruat ion periods, should wait for t hree (menst rual) periods (Quru') aft er t he divorce and t hen remarry if she wishes.

The Meaning of Al-Quru

Ibn Jarir relat ed t hat ` Alqamah said: We were wit h ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab when a woman came and said, "My husband divorced me one or t wo periods ago. He t hen came back t o me while I had prepared my wat er for t aking a bat h , t ook off my clot hes and closed my door.'' ` Umar asked ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud, "What do you t hink'' He said, "I t hink t hat she is st ill his wife, as long as she is not allowed t o resume praying (i.e., unt il t he t hird period ends before he t akes her back).'' ` Umar said, "This is my opinion t oo.'' This is also t he opinion of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, ` Umar, ` Ut hman, ` Ali, Abu Ad-Darda', ` Ubadah bin As-Samit , Anas bin Malik, Ibn Mas` ud, Mu` adh, Ubayy bin Ka` b, Abu Musa Al-Ash` ari and Ibn ` Abbas. Furt hermore, t his is t he opinion of Sa` id bin Musayyib, ` Alqamah, Aswad, Ibrahim, Muj ahid, ` At a', Tawus, Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` Ikrimah, Muhammad bin Sirin, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Ash-Sha` bi, Ar-Rabi` , Muqat il bin Hayyan,

As-Suddi, Makhul, Ad-Dahhak and ` At a' Al-Khurasani. They all st at ed t hat t he Quru' is t he menst ruat ion period. What t est ifies t o t his is t he Hadit h t hat Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i report ed t hat Fat imah bint Abu Hubaiysh said t hat Allah's Messenger said t o her:

(Do not pray during your Aqra' (pl. for Quru', t he menst ruat ion period).) If t his Hadit h was aut hent ic, it would have been a clear proof t hat t he Quru' is t he menst ruat ion period. However, one of t he narrat ors of t his Hadit h, Al-Mundhir, is an unknown person (in Hadit h t erminology), as Abu Hat im has st at ed, alt hough Ibn Hibban has ment ioned Al-Mundhir in his book At h-Thiqat .

A Woman's Statement about Menses and Purity is to be accepted

Allah said:

(...and it is not lawful for t hem t o conceal what Allah has creat ed in t heir wombs,) meaning, of pregnancy or menst ruat ion periods. This is t he Tafsir of Ibn ` Abbas, Ibn ` Umar, Muj ahid, AshSha` bi, Al-Hakam bin ` Ut aybah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Ad-Dahhak and ot hers. Allah t hen said:

(...if t hey believe in Allah and t he Last Day.) This Ayah warns women against hiding t he t rut h (if t hey were pregnant or on t heir menses), indicat ing t hat t hey are t he aut horit y in such mat t ers as t hey alone know such fact s about t hemselves. Since verifying such mat t ers is difficult , Allah left t his decision wit h t hem. Yet , women were warned not t o hide t he t rut h in case t hey wish t o end t he ` Iddah sooner, or lat er, according t o t heir desires. Women were t hus commanded t o say t he t rut h (if t hey were pregnant or on t heir menses), no more and no less.

The Husband has the Right to take back his Divorced Wife during the ` Iddah (Waiting Period)
Allah said:


(And t heir husbands have t he bet t er right t o t ake t hem back in t hat period, if t hey wish for reconciliat ion.) Hence, t he husband who divorces his wife can t ake her back, providing she is st ill in her ` Iddah (t ime spent before a divorced woman or a widow can remarry) and t hat his aim, by t aking her back, is right eous and for t he purpose of bringing t hings back t o normal. However, t his ruling applies where t he husband is eligible t o t ake his divorced wife back. We should ment ion t hat (when t his Ayah 2:228 was revealed), t he ruling t hat made t he divorce t hrice and specified when t he husband is ineligible t o t ake his divorced wife back, had not been revealed yet . Previously, t he man used t o divorce his wife and t hen t ake her back even if he had divorced her a hundred separat e t imes. Thereaft er, Allah revealed t he following Ayah (2:229) t hat made t he divorce only t hrice. So t here was now a reversible divorce and an irreversible final divorce.

The Rights the Spouses have over Each Other

Allah said:

(And t hey (women) have right s (over t heir husbands as regards living expenses) similar (t o t hose of t heir husbands) over t hem (as regards obedience and respect ) t o what is reasonable,) This Ayah indicat es t hat t he wife has cert ain right s on her husband, j ust as he has cert ain right s on her, and each is obliged t o give t he ot her spouse his due right s. Muslim report ed t hat Jabir said t hat Allah's Messenger said:

a(Fear Allah regarding your women, for you have t aken t hem by Allah's covenant and were allowed t o enj oy wit h t hem sexually by Allah's Words. You have t he right on t hem t hat t hey do not allow anyone you dislike t o sit on your mat . If t hey do t hat , t hen discipline t hem lenient ly. They have t he right t o be spent on and t o be bought clot hes in what is reasonable.) Bahz bin Hakim said t hat Mu` awiyah bin Haydah Al-Qushayri relat ed t hat his grandfat her said, "O Messenger of Allah! What is t he right t he wife of one of us has'' The Prophet said:

(To feed her when you eat , buy her clot hes when you buy for yourself and t o refrain from st riking her on t he face, cursing her or st aying away from her except in t he house.) Waki` relat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "I like t o t ake care of my appearance for my wife j ust as I like for her t o t ake care of her appearance for me. This is because Allah says:

(And t hey (women) have right s similar (t o t hose of t heir husbands) over t hem t o what is reasonable.)'' This st at ement is report ed by Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abu Hat im.

The Virtue Men have over Women

Allah said:

(but men have a degree (of responsibilit y) over t hem.) This Ayah indicat es t hat men are in a more advant ageous posit ion t han women physically as well as in t heir mannerism, st at us, obedience (of women t o t hem), spending, t aking care of t he affairs and in general, in t his life and in t he Hereaft er. Allah said (in anot her Ayah):

(Men are t he prot ect ors and maint ainers of women, because Allah has made one of t hem t o excel t he ot her, and because t hey spend (t o support t hem) from t heir means.) (4:34) Allah's st at ement :

(And Allah is All-Might y, All-Wise) means, He is Might y in His punishment of t hose who disobey and defy His commands. He is Wise in what He commands, dest ines and legislat es.

-
(229. The divorce is t wice, aft er t hat eit her you ret ain her on reasonable t erms or release her wit h kindness. And it is not lawful for you (men) t o t ake back (from your wives) any of what you gave t hem (t he Mahr, bridal-money given by t he husband t o his wife at t he t ime of marriage), except when bot h part ies fear t hat t hey would be unable t o keep t he limit s ordained by Allah (e.g., t o deal wit h each ot her on a fair basis). Then if you fear t hat t hey would not be able t o keep t he limit s ordained by Allah, t hen t here is no sin on eit her of t hem if she gives back (t he Mahr or a part of it ). These are t he limit s ordained by Allah, so do not t ransgress t hem. And whoever t ransgresses t he limit s ordained by Allah, t hen such are t he wrongdoers.) (230. And if he has divorced her (t he t hird t ime), t hen she is not lawful unt o him t hereaft er unt il she has married anot her husband. Then, if t he ot her husband divorces her, it is no sin on bot h of t hem t hat t hey reunit e, provided t hey feel t hat t hey can keep t he limit s ordained by Allah. These are t he limit s of Allah, which He makes plain for t he people who have knowledge.)

Divorce is Thrice
This honorable Ayah abrogat ed t he previous pract ice in t he beginning of Islam, when t he man had t he right t o t ake back his divorced wife even if he had divorced her a hundred t imes, as long as she was st ill in her ` Iddah (wait ing period). This sit uat ion was harmful for t he wife, and t his is why Allah made t he divorce t hrice, where t he husband is allowed t o t ake back his wife aft er t he first and t he second divorce (as long as she is st ill in her ` Iddah). The divorce becomes irrevocable aft er t he t hird divorce, as Allah said:

(The divorce is t wice, aft er t hat , eit her you ret ain her on reasonable t erms or release her wit h kindness.) In his Sunan, Abu Dawud report ed in Chapt er: "Taking t he Wife back aft er t he t hird (Divorce) is an abrogat ed pract ice," t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah:

(And divorced women shall wait (as regards t heir marriage) for t hree menst rual periods, and it is not lawful for t hem t o conceal what Allah has creat ed in t heir wombs,) (2:228) The man used t o have t he right t o t ake back his wife even if he had divorced her t hrice. Allah abrogat ed t his and said:

(The divorce is t wice.) This Hadit h was also collect ed by An-Nasa'i. Ibn Abu Hat im report ed t hat ` Urwah said t hat a man said t o his wife, "I will neit her divorce you nor t ake you back.'' She said, "How'' He said, "I will divorce you and when your t erm of ` Iddah nears it s end, I will t ake you back.'' She went t o Allah's Messenger and t old him what happened, and Allah revealed:

(The divorce is t wice.)

Ibn Jarir (At -Tabari) also report ed t his Hadit h in his Tafsir. Allah said:

(...aft er t hat , eit her you ret ain her on reasonable t erms or release her wit h kindness.) meaning, ` If you divorce her once or t wice, you have t he choice t o t ake her back, as long as she is st ill in her ` Iddah, int ending t o be kind t o her and t o mend differences. Ot herwise, await t he end of her t erm of ` Iddah, when t he divorce becomes final, and let her go her own way in peace, wit hout commit t ing any harm or inj ust ice against her.' ` Ali bin Abu Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "When t he man divorces his wife t wice, let him fear Allah, regarding t he t hird t ime. He should eit her keep her wit h him and t reat her wit h kindness, or let her go her own way wit h kindness, wit hout infringing upon any of her right s.''

Taking back the Mahr (Dowry)

Allah said:

(And it is not lawful for you (men) t o t ake back (from your wives) any of (t he dowry) what you gave t hem,) meaning, you are not allowed t o bot her or pressure your wives t o end t his sit uat ion by giving you back t he Mahr and any gift s t hat you have given t hem (in ret urn for divorce). Similarly, Allah said:

(...and you should not t reat t hem wit h harshness, t hat you may t ake away part of what you have given t hem, unless t hey commit open illegal sexual int ercourse.) (4:19) However, if t he wife willingly gives back anyt hing wit h a good heart , t hen Allah said regarding t his sit uat ion:

(...but if t hey, of t heir own good pleasure, remit any part of it t o you, t ake it , and enj oy it wit hout fear of any harm.) (4:4)

Allowing Khul` and the Return of the Mahr in that Case

When t he spouses have irreconcilable differences wherein t he wife ignores t he right s of t he husband, dislikes him and becomes unable t o live wit h him any longer, she is allowed t o free herself (from married life) by giving him back what he had given her (in gift s and Mahr). There is no sin on her in t his case nor on him if he accept s such offer. This is why Allah said:

(And it is not lawful for you (men) t o t ake back (from your wives) any of what you gave t hem, except when bot h part ies fear t hat t hey would be unable t o keep t he limit s ordained by Allah (e.g., t o deal wit h each ot her on a fair basis). Then if you fear t hat t hey would not be able t o keep t he limit s ordained by Allah, t hen t here is no sin on eit her of t hem if she gives back.) Somet imes, t he woman has no valid reason and she st ill asks for her marriage t o be ended. In t his case, Ibn Jarir report ed t hat Thawban said t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Any woman who asks her husband for divorce wit hout j ust ificat ion, t hen t he scent of Paradise will be forbidden for her.) At -Tirmidhi recorded t his Hadit h and st at ed t hat it is Hasan. Ibn Jarir said t hat t he Ayah (2:229) was revealed about Thabit bin Qays bin Shammas and his wife Habibah bint ` Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul. In his Muwat t a', Imam Malik report ed t hat Habibah bint Sahl Al-Ansariyah was married t o Thabit bin Qays bin Shammas and t hat Allah's Messenger once went t o t he Faj r (Dawn) prayer and found Habibah bint Sahl by his door in t he dark. Allah's Messenger said, "Who is t his'' She said, "I am Habibah bint Sahl, O Messenger of Allah!'' He said, "What is t he mat t er'' She said, "I and Thabit bin Qays'', meaning, (she can no longer be wit h) her husband. When her husband Thabit bin Qays came, Allah's Messenger said t o him:


(This is Habibah bint Sahl, she said what Allah has permit t ed her t o say.) Habibah also said, "O Messenger of Allah! I st ill have everyt hing he gave me.'' Allah's Messenger said:

(Take it from her.) So, he t ook it from her and she remained in her family's house.'' This was report ed by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and An-Nasai. Al-Bukhari report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he wife of Thabit bin Qays bin Shammas came t o t he Prophet and said, "O Messenger of Allah! I do not crit icize his religion or mannerism. But I hat e commit t ing Kufr in Islam (by ignoring his right s on her).'' Allah's Messenger said:

(Will you give him back his garden) She said, "Yes.'' Allah's Messenger said:

(Take back t he garden and divorce her once. ) An-Nasa'i also recorded it .

The ` Iddah (Waiting Period) for the Khul"

At -Tirmidhi report ed t hat Rubayi` bint Mu` awwidh bin ` Afra' got a Khul` during t he t ime of Allah's Messenger and t he Prophet ordered her t o wait for one menst ruat ion period for ` Iddah.

Transgressing the set limits of Allah is an Injustice

Allah said:


(These are t he limit s ordained by Allah, so do not t ransgress t hem. And whoever t ransgresses t he limit s ordained by Allah, t hen such are t he wrongdoers.) This means t hat t he laws t hat Allah has legislat ed are His set limit s, so do not t ransgress t hem. An aut hent ic Hadit h st at es:

(Allah has set some limit s, so do not t ransgress t hem; and commanded some commands, so do not ignore t hem; and made some t hings unlawful, so do not commit t hem. He has also left some mat t ers (wit hout rulings) as a mercy wit h you, not because He has forgot t en t hem, so do not ask about t hem.)

Pronouncing Three Divorces at the same Time is Unlawful

The last Ayah we ment ioned was used as evidence t o prove t hat it is not allowed t o pronounce t hree divorces at one t ime. What furt her proves t his ruling is t hat Mahmud bin Labid has st at ed - as An-Nasa'i recorded - t hat Allah's Messenger was t old about a man who pronounced t hree divorces on his wife at one t ime, so t he Prophet st ood up while angry and said:

(The Book of Allah is being made t he subj ect of j est while I am st ill amongst you) A man t hen st ood up and said, "Should I kill t hat man, O Messenger of Allah''

The Wife cannot be taken back after the Third Divorce

Allah said:

(And if he has divorced her (t he t hird t ime), t hen she is not lawful for him t hereaft er unt il she has married anot her husband.) This Ayah indicat es t hat if t he man divorces his wife for t he t hird t ime aft er he divorced her t wice, t hen she will no longer be allowed for marriage t o him. Allah said:

(...unt il she has married anot her husband.) meaning, unt il she legally marries anot her man. For inst ance, if she has sexual int ercourse wit h any man, even her mast er (if she was a servant ), she would st ill be ineligible for marriage for her ex-husband (who divorced her t hrice), because whomever she had sexual relat ions wit h was not her legal husband. If she marries a man wit hout consummat ing t he marriage, she will not be eligible for her ex-husband. Muslim report ed t hat ` A'ishah said t hat Allah's Messenger was asked about a woman who marries a man who t hereaft er divorces her (t hrice). She t hen marries anot her man and he divorces her before he has sexual relat ions wit h her, would she be allowed for her first husband Allah's Messenger said:

(No, unt il he enj oys her ` Usaylah (sexual relat ion).) Al-Bukhari also report ed t his Hadit h. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` A'ishah said, "The wife of Rifa` ah Al-Qurazi came while I and Abu Bakr were wit h t he Prophet and she said, ` I was Rifa` ah's wife, but he divorced me and it was an irrevocable divorce. Then I married ` Abdur-Rahman bin Az-Zubayr, but his sexual organ is minut e like a st ring.' She t hen t ook a small st ring of her garment (t o resemble how small his sexual organ was). Khalid bin Sa` id bin Al-` As, who was next t o t he door and was not yet allowed in, said, ` O Abu Bakr! Why do you not forbid t his (woman) from what she is revealing frankly before t he Prophet ' The Prophet merely smiled. Then, Allah's Messenger asked her: c

(Do you want t o remarry Rifa` ah You cannot unless you experience his ` Usaylah and he experiences your ` Usaylah (i.e., had a complet e sexual relat ion wit h your present husband).)''

Al-Bukhari, Muslim, and An-Nasa'i also recorded t his Hadit h. Muslim's wording is "Rifa` ah divorced his wife for t he t hird and final t ime." The word ` Usaylah ment ioned in t he Hadit h means sexual int ercourse. Imam Ahmad and AnNasa'i report ed t hat ` A'ishah said t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(` Usaylah is sexual int ercourse.)

The Curse on the Participants of Tahlil/ Halalah

The reason for t he woman (who was divorced t hrice) t o marry anot her man must be t hat t he man desires her and has t he int ent ion of having an ext ended married life wit h her. These are t he legal goals and aims behind marriage. If t he reason behind t he second marriage was t o make t he woman eligible for her ex-husband again, t hen t his is t he Tahlil t hat t he Hadit hs have cursed and crit icized. In addit ion, when t he reason behind t his marriage (if it was Tahlil) is announced in t he cont ract , it would make t he cont ract invalid according t o t he maj orit y of t he scholars. Imam Ahmad report ed t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said, "Allah's Messenger cursed t he one who does Tahlil, t he one in whose favor it is done, t hose who eat Riba (usury) and t hose who feed it (pay t he usury).'' At -Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i report ed t his Hadit h and At -Tirmidhi said, "This Hadit h is Hasan.'' He said, "This is what is act ed upon according t o people of knowledge among t he Companions, among whom are ` Umar, ` Ut hman and Ibn ` Umar. It was also t he saying of t he scholars of Fiqh among t he Tabi` in (second generat ion of Islam). And it has been report ed from ` Ali, Ibn Mas` ud and Ibn ` Abbas''. In his Must adrak, Al-Hakim report ed t hat Nafi` said: "A man came t o Ibn ` Umar and asked him about a man who divorced his wife t hree t imes. Then, his brot her married her t o make Tahlil for his brot her, wit hout t he brot her knowing t his fact . He t hen asked, "Is she allowed for t he first (husband)'' He said, "No, unless it is a marriage t hat involves desire. We used t o consider t his an act of adult ery during t he t ime of Allah's Messenger .'' Al-Hakim said, "This Hadit h has a Sahih chain alt hough t hey (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it .''The wording of t his Hadit h indicat es t hat t he ruling came from t he Prophet . Abu Bakr bin Abu Shaybah, Al-Jawzj ani, Harb Al-Kirmani and Abu Bakr Al-At hram said t hat Qabisah bin Jabir said t hat ` Umar said, "If t he part icipant s t o Tahlil are brought t o me, I will have t hem st oned.''

When does a Woman who was divorced Three Times become Eligible for Her First Husband
Allah said:

(And if he has divorced her) meaning, t he second husband aft er he had complet e sexual relat ions wit h her,

(it is no sin on bot h of t hem t hat t hey reunit e) meaning, t he wife and her first husband,

(provided t hey feel t hat t hey can keep t he limit s ordained by Allah.) meaning, t hey live t oget her honorably. Muj ahid said, "If t hey are convinced t hat t he aim behind t heir marriage is honorable.'' Next , Allah said:

(These are t he limit s of Allah,) His commandment s and legislat ion,

(He makes plain)

(for t he people who have knowledge.)


(231. And when you have divorced women and t hey have fulfilled t he t erm of t heir prescribed period, eit her t ake t hem back on a reasonable basis or set t hem free on a reasonable basis. But do not t ake t hem back t o hurt t hem, and whoever does t hat , t hen he has wronged himself. And t reat not t he verses (Laws) of Allah in j est , but remember Allah's favors on you (i.e., Islam), and t hat which He has sent down t o you of t he Book (i.e., t he Qur'an) and Al-Hikmah (t he Prophet 's Sunnah legal ways Islamic j urisprudence) whereby He inst ruct s you. And fear Allah, and know t hat Allah is All-Aware of everyt hing).

Being Kind to the Divorced Wife

This is a command from Allah t o men t hat when one of t hem divorces his wife wit h a reversible divorce, he should t reat her kindly. So when her t erm of ` Iddah (wait ing period) nears it s end, he eit her t akes her back in a way t hat is bet t er, including having wit nesses t hat he has t aken her back, and he lives wit h her wit h kindness. Or, he should release her aft er her ` Iddah finishes and t hen kindly asks her t o depart from his house, wit hout disput ing, fight ing wit h her or using foul words. Allah t hen said:

(But do not t ake t hem back t o hurt t hem,) Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, Masruq, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` and Muqat il bin Hayyan said t hat a man used t o divorce his wife, and when her ` Iddah came near it s end, he would t ake her back t o harm her and t o st op her from marrying someone else. He t hen divorced her and she would begin her ` Iddah and when her ` Iddah t erm neared it s end, he would t ake her back again, so t hat t he t erm of ` Iddah would be prolonged for her. Aft er t hat , Allah prohibit ed t his pract ice. Allah has also t hreat ened t hose who indulge in such pract ices, when He said;

(...and whoever does t hat , t hen he has wronged himself.) meaning, by defying Allah's commandment s. Allah t hen said:

(And t reat not t he verses (Laws) of Allah in a j est ,) Ibn Jarir said t hat Abu Musa (Al-Ash` ari) narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger once became angry at t he Ash` ari t ribe. Abu Musa went t o him and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Are you angry wit h t he Ash` ariyyin'' The Prophet said:

 :
(One of you says, ` I divorced her' -t hen says- ` I t ook her back!' This is not t he appropriat e way Muslims conduct divorce. Divorce t he woman when she has fulfilled t he t erm of t he prescribed period.) Masruq said t hat t he Ayah refers t o t he man who harms his wife by divorcing her and t hen t aking her back, so t hat t he ` Iddah t erm is prolonged for her. Al-Hasan, Qat adah, ` At a' AlKhurasani, Ar-Rabi` and Muqat il bin Hayyan said, "He is t he man who divorces his wife and says, ` I was j oking.' Or he frees a servant or get s married and says, ` I was only j oking.' Allah revealed:

(And t reat not t he verses (Laws) of Allah in a j est ,) Then such men were made t o bear t he consequences of t heir act ions. Allah t hen said:

(. ..but remember Allah's favors on you,) meaning, by His sending His Messenger wit h t he right guidance and clear signs t o you:

(...and t hat which He has sent down t o you of t he Book (i.e., t he Qur'an) and Al-Hikmah) meaning t he Sunnah,

(...whereby He inst ruct s you.) meaning, commands you, forbids you and t hreat ens you for t ransgressing His prohibit ions. Allah said:

(And fear Allah) meaning, concerning what you perform and what you avoid,


(and know t hat Allah is All-Aware of everyt hing.) none of your secret or public affairs ever escapes His knowledge, and He will t reat you accordingly.

(232. And when you have divorced women and t hey have fulfilled t he t erm of t heir prescribed period, do not prevent t hem from marrying t heir (former) husbands, if t hey mut ually agree on reasonable basis. This (inst ruct ion) is an admonit ion for him among you who believes in Allah and t he Last Day. That is more virt uous and purer for you. Allah knows and you know not .)

The Wali (Guardian) of the Divorced Woman should not prevent Her from going back to Her Husband
Ali bin Abu Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "This Ayah was revealed about t he man who divorces his wife once or t wice and her ` Iddah finishes. He lat er t hinks about t aking her back in marriage and t he woman also wishes t hat , yet , her family prevent s her from remarrying him. Hence, Allah prohibit ed her family from prevent ing her.'' Masruq, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, Az-Zuhri and Ad-Dahhak st at ed t hat t his is t he reason behind revealing t he Ayah (2:232). These st at ement s clearly conform t o t he apparent meaning of t he Ayah. There is no Marriage

without a Wali (for the Woman)

The Ayah (2:232) also indicat es t hat t he woman is not permit t ed t o give herself in marriage. Rat her, she requires a Wali (guardian such as her fat her, brot her, adult son, and so fort h) t o give her away in marriage, as Ibn Jarir and At -Tirmidhi have st at ed when t hey ment ioned t his Ayah. Also, a Hadit h st at es t hat :

(The woman does not give anot her woman away for marriage and t he woman does not give herself away in marriage, for only t he adult eress gives herself away for marriage.) Anot her Hadit h st at es:

(No marriage is valid except wit h t he part icipat ion of a mat ure Wali and t wo t rust wort hy wit nesses.)

The Reason behind revealing the Ayah (2:232)

It was report ed t hat t his Ayah was revealed about Ma` qil bin Yasar Al-Muzani and his sist er. AlBukhari report ed in his Sahih, when he ment ioned t he Tafsir of t his Ayah (2:232), t hat t he husband of t he sist er of Ma` qil bin Yasar divorced her. He wait ed unt il her ` Iddah finished and t hen asked t o remarry her, but Ma` qil refused. Then, t his Ayah was sent down:

(...do not prevent t hem from marrying t heir (former) husbands.) Abu Dawud, At -Tirmidhi, Ibn Abu Hat im, Ibn Jarir and Ibn Marduwyah and Al-Bayhaqi report ed t his Hadit h from Al-Hasan from Ma` qil bin Yasar. At -Tirmidhi rendered t his Hadit h aut hent ic and in his narrat ion, Ma` qil bin Yasar gave his sist er in marriage for a Muslim man during t he t ime of Allah's Messenger . She remained wit h him for a while and he divorced her once and did not t ake her back unt il her ` Iddah finished. They t hen want ed t o get back wit h each ot her and he came t o ask her for marriage. Ma` qil said t o him, "O ungrat eful one! I honored you and married her t o you but you divorced her. By Allah! She will never be ret urned t o you.'' But Allah knew his need for his wife and her need for her husband and He revealed:

(And when you have divorced women and t hey have fulfilled t he t erm of t heir prescribed period, ) unt il He said:

(...and you know not .) When Ma` qil heard t he Ayah, he said, "I hear and obey my Lord.'' He t hen summoned t he man and said, "I will honor you and let you remarry (my sist er).'' Ibn Marduwyah added (t hat Ma` qil said), "And will pay (t he expiat ion) for breaking my vow.'' Allah said:


(This (inst ruct ion) is an admonit ion for him among you who believes in Allah and t he Last Day.) meaning, prohibit ing you from prevent ing t he women from marrying t heir ex-husbands, if t hey bot h agree t o it ,

(among you) O people,

(who believes in Allah and t he Last Day.) meaning, believes in Allah's commandment s and fears His warnings and t he t orment in t he Hereaft er. Allah said:

(That is more virt uous and purer for you.) meaning, obeying Allah's Law by ret urning t he women t o t heir ex-husbands, and abandoning your displeasure, is purer and cleaner for your heart s,

(Allah knows) t he benefit s you gain from what He commands and what He forbids.

(and you know not ) t he benefit s in what you do or what you refrain from doing.


n(233. The mot hers should suckle t heir children for t wo whole years, (t hat is) for t hose (parent s) who desire t o complet e t he t erm of suckling, but t he fat her of t he child shall bear t he cost of t he mot her's food and clot hing on a reasonable basis. No person shall have a burden laid on him great er t han he can bear. No mot her shall be t reat ed unfairly on account of her child, nor fat her on account of his child. And on t he (fat her's) heir is incumbent t he like of t hat (which was incumbent on t he fat her). If t hey bot h decide on weaning, by mut ual consent , and aft er due consult at ion, t here is no sin on t hem. And if you decide on a fost er suckling-mot her for your children, t here is no sin on you, provided you pay (t he mot her) what you agreed (t o give her) on a reasonable basis. And fear Allah and know t hat Allah is All-Seer of what you do.)

The Suckling Period is only Two Years

This is a direct ion from Allah t o t he mot hers t o suckle t heir infant s t hrough t he complet e t erm of suckling, which is t wo years. Hence, suckling aft er t wo years is not included in t his address. Allah said:

(...who desire t o complet e t he t erm of suckling,) Therefore, t he suckling t hat est ablishes Tahrim (prohibit ion, i.e., one cannot marry his mot her or sist er from suckling) is what occurs before t he t wo years end. If t he infant is suckled only aft er t wo years of age, t hen no Tahrim will be est ablished. At -Tirmidhi under Chapt er: ` Suckling est ablishes Tahrim wit hin t he first t wo years,' report ed t hat Umm Salamah narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Suckling est ablishes Tahrim if it is on t he breast and before Fit am (before weaning, i.e., before t he end of t he first t wo years).) At -Tirmidhi said, "This Hadit h is Hasan Sahih. The maj orit y of t he people of knowledge among t he Companions of Allah's Messenger and ot hers act ed upon t his, t hat is t hat suckling est ablishes Tahrim (prohibit ion in marriage) before t he end of t he t wo years and t hat what ever occurs aft er t hat does not est ablish Tahrim". At -Tirmidhi is alone in recording t his Hadit h and t he narrat ors in it s chain meet t he crit eria of t he Sahihayn. The Prophet 's st at ement :

(On t he breast ) refers t o t he organ of suckling before t he t wo years. Imam Ahmad report ed a Hadit h in which Al-Bara' bin ` Azib narrat ed, "When Ibrahim, t he Prophet 's son, died, t he Prophet said:

(My son has died on t he breast and he has someone t o suckle him in Paradise.) Furt hermore, Ad-Daraqut ni relat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(Suckling est ablishes Tahrim only wit hin t he (first ) t wo years.) Imam Malik report ed t his Hadit h from Thawr bin Zayd who narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas relat ed it t o t he Prophet . Ad-Darawardi report ed t his Hadit h from Thawr who narrat ed it from ` Ikrimah who narrat ed it from Ibn ` Abbas. In t his narrat ion, which is more aut hent ic, he added:

(What ever occurs aft er t he t wo years is not considered.)

Suckling beyond the Two Years

It is report ed in t he Sahih t hat ` A'ishah t hought t hat if a woman gives her milk t o an older person (meaning beyond t he age of t wo years) t hen t his will est ablish Tahrim. This is also t he opinion of ` At a' bin Abu Rabah and Layt h bin Sa` d. Hence, ` A'ishah t hought t hat it is permissible t o suckle t he man whom t he woman needs t o be allowed in her house. She used as evidence t he Hadit h of Salim, t he freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, where t he Prophet ordered Abu Hudhayfah's wife t o give some of her milk t o Salim, alt hough he was a man, and ever since

t hen, he used t o ent er her house freely. However, t he rest of t he Prophet 's wives did not agree wit h t his opinion and t hought t hat t his was only a special case. This is also t he opinion of t he maj orit y of t he scholars.

Suckling for Monetary Compensation

Allah said:

(...but t he fat her of t he child shall bear t he cost of t he mot her's food and clot hing on a reasonable basis.) meaning, t he fat her of t he baby is obliged t o provide for t he expenses of t he mot her and t o buy her clot hes, in reasonable amount s usually used by similar women in t hat area, wit hout ext ravagance or st inginess. The fat her spends wit hin his means in t his case. Allah said in anot her Ayah:

(Let t he rich man spend according t o his means; and t he man whose resources are rest rict ed, let him spend according t o what Allah has given him. Allah put s no burden on any person beyond what He has given him. Allah will grant aft er hardship, ease.) (65:7) Ad-Dahhak comment ed, "If t he husband divorces his wife, wit h whom he had a child, and she suckles t hat child, he is required t o provide for t he mot her's expenses and clot hes wit hin reason.''

No Darar (Harm) or Dirar (Revenge)

Allah said:

(No mot her shall be t reat ed unfairly on account of her child,) meaning, t he mot her should not decline t o rear her child t o harm it s fat her. The mot her does not have t he right t o refrain from suckling t he child aft er giving birt h, unless she suckles him/ her t he milk t hat is necessary for

his/ her survival. Lat er on, she is allowed t o give up cust ody of t he child as long as she does not do t hat int ending t o harm t he fat her. In addit ion, t he fat her is not allowed t o t ake t he child from his mot her t o harm t he mot her. This is why Allah said:

(...nor fat her on account of his child.) meaning, by t aking t he child from it s mot her int ending t o harm t he mot her. This is t he Tafsir of Muj ahid, Qat adah, Ad-Dahhak, Az-Zuhri, As-Suddi, At h-Thawri and Ibn Zayd, and ot hers on t his Ayah. Allah t hen said:

(And on t he (fat her's) heir is incumbent t he like of t hat (which was incumbent on t he fat her).) meaning, by refraining from harming t he relat ive (of t he fat her, i.e., his infant ), as Muj ahid, Ash-Sha` bi and Ad-Dahhak st at ed. It was also report ed t hat (t he Ayah requires) t he inherit or (of t he fat her) t o spend on t he mot her of t he child, j ust as t he fat her was spending, and t o preserve her right s and refrain from harming her, according t o t he Tafsir of t he maj orit y of t he scholars. We should st at e t hat Ibn Jarir has explained t his subj ect in det ail in his Tafsir and t hat he also st at ed t hat suckling t he child aft er t he second year might harm t he child's body and mind. Sufyan At h-Thawri narrat ed t hat ` Alqamah asked a woman who was suckling her child aft er t he second year ended, not t o do t hat .

Fitam (weaning) occurs by Mutual Consent

Allah said:

(If t hey bot h decide on weaning, by mut ual consent , and aft er due consult at ion, t here is no sin on t hem.) This Ayah indicat es t hat if t he fat her and t he mot her decide on t he Fit am (weaning) before t he t wo years (of suckling) end, and for a benefit t hat t hey duly discuss and agree upon, t hen t here is no sin in t his case. So, t he Ayah indicat es t hat one parent is not allowed t o make t his kind of decision wit hout duly consult ing t he ot her parent , as st at ed by At h-Thawri. The met hod of mut ual consult at ion prot ect s t he child's int erest s. It is also a mercy from Allah t o His servant s, for He has legislat ed t he best met hod for parent s t o rear t heir children, and His legislat ion guides and direct s t he parent s and t he children t o success. Similarly, Allah said in Surat At Talaq (chapt er 65 in t he Qur'an):


(Then if t hey give suck t o t he children for you, give t hem t heir due payment , and let each of you accept t he advice of t he ot her in a j ust way. But if you make difficult ies for one anot her, t hen some ot her woman may give suck for him (t he fat her of t he child).) (65:6) Allah t hen said:

(And if you decide on a fost er suckling-mot her for your children, t here is no sin on you, provided you pay (t he mot her) what you agreed (t o give her) on a reasonable basis.) meaning, if t he mot her and t he fat her bot h agree t hat t he fat her assumes cust ody of t he child due t o a circumst ance t hat compels her or allows him t o do so, t hen t here is no sin in t his case. Hence, t he mot her is allowed t o give up t he child and t he fat her is allowed t o assume cust ody of t he child. The fat her should kindly give t he mot her her expenses for t he previous period (during which she reared and suckled t he child), and he should seek ot her women t o suckle his child for monet ary compensat ion. Thereaft er, Allah said:

(And fear Allah) meaning, in all of your affairs,

(And know t hat Allah is All-Seer of what you do.) meaning, none of your affairs or speech escapes His perfect Wat ch.


(234. And t hose of you who die and leave wives behind t hem, t hey (t he wives) shall wait (as regards t heir marriage) for four mont hs and t en days, t hen when t hey have fulfilled t heir t erm, t here is no sin on you if t hey (t he wives) dispose of t hemselves in a (j ust and) honorable manner (i.e., t hey can marry). And Allah is well-acquaint ed wit h what you do.)

The ` Iddah (Waiting Period) of the Widow

This Ayah cont ains a command from Allah t o t he wives whose husbands die, t hat t hey should observe a period of ` Iddah of four mont hs and t en night s, including t he cases where t he marriage was consummat ed or ot herwise, according t o t he consensus (of t he scholars). The proof t hat t his ruling includes t he case where t he marriage was not consummat ed is included in t he general meaning of t he Ayah. In a narrat ion recorded by Imam Ahmad and t he compilers of t he Sunan, which At -Tirmidhi graded Sahih, Ibn Mas` ud was asked about a man who married a woman, but he died before consummat ing t he marriage. He also did not appoint a Mahr (dowry) for her. They kept asking Ibn Mas` ud about t his subj ect unt il he said, "I shall give you my own opinion, and if it is correct t hen it is from Allah, while if it is wrong it is because of my error and because of (t he evil effort s of) Sat an. In t his case, Allah and His Messenger are innocent of my opinion. She has her full Mahr.'' In anot her narrat ion, Ibn Mas` ud said, "She has a similar Mahr t o t hat of t he women of her st at us, wit hout st inginess or ext ravagance.'' He t hen cont inued, "She has t o spend t he ` Iddah and has a right t o t he inherit ance.'' Ma` qil bin Yasar Ashj a` i t hen st ood up and said, "I heard Allah's Messenger issue a similar j udgment for t he benefit of Barwa` bint Washiq.'' ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud became very delight ed upon hearing t his st at ement . In anot her narrat ion, several men from Ashj a` (t ribe) st ood up and said, "We t est ify t hat Allah's Messenger issued a similar ruling for t he benefit of Barwa` bint Washiq.'' As for t he case of t he widow whose husband dies while she is pregnant , her t erm of ` Iddah ends when she gives birt h, even if it occurs an inst ant (aft er her husband dies). This ruling is t aken from Allah's st at ement :

(And for t hose who are pregnant , t heir ` Iddah is unt il t hey lay down t heir burden.) (65:4) There is also a Hadit h from Subay` ah Al-Aslamiyah in t he Two Sahihs, t hrough various chains of narrat ion. Her husband, Sa` d bin Khawlah, died while she was pregnant and she gave birt h only a few night s aft er his deat h. When she finished her Nifas (post nat al period), she beaut ified herself for t hose who might seek t o engage her (for marriage). Then, Abu Sanabil bin Ba` kak came t o her and said, "Why do I see you beaut ified yourself, do you wish t o marry By Allah! You will not marry unt il t he four mont hs and t en night s have passed.'' Subay` ah said, "When he said t hat t o me, I collect ed my garment s when night fell and went t o Allah's Messenger and asked him about t his mat t er. He said t hat my ` Iddah had finished when I gave birt h and allowed me t o get married if I wished.''

The Wisdom behind legislating the ` Iddah

Sa` id bin Musayyib and Abu Al-` Aliyah st at ed t hat t he wisdom behind making t he ` Iddah of t he widow four mont hs and t en night s is t hat t he womb might cont ain a fet us. When t he woman wait s for t his period, it will become evident if she is pregnant . Similarly, t here is a Hadit h in t he Two Sahihs narrat ed by Ibn Mas` ud st at ing:

((The creat ion of) a human being is put t oget her in t he womb of his mot her in fort y days in t he form of a seed, and next he becomes a clot of t hick blood for a similar period, and next a morsel of flesh for a similar period. Then, Allah sends an angel who is ordered t o breat he life unt o t he fet us.) So, t hese are four mont hs and t en more days t o be sure, as some mont hs are less (t han t hirt y days), and t he fet us will t hen st art t o show signs of life aft er t he soul has been breat hed int o it . Allah knows best .

The ` Iddah of the Slave Mother whose Master dies

We should st at e here t hat t he ` Iddah of t he slave mot her is t he same in t he case of deat h, as t he ` Iddah of t he free woman. Imam Ahmad report ed t hat ` Amr bin Al-` As said, "Do not confuse t he Sunnah of our Prophet for us. The ` Iddah of t he mot her, who is also a servant , when her mast er dies, is four mont hs and t en night s.''

Mourning is required during the ` Iddah of Death

Allah said:

(...t hen when t hey have fulfilled t heir t erm, t here is no sin on you if t hey (t he wives) dispose of t hemselves in a (j ust and) honorable manner (i.e., t hey can marry). And Allah is wellacquaint ed wit h what you do.) This Ayah indicat es t hat mourning for t he dead husband is required unt il t he ` Iddah is finished. It is also report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat Umm Habibah and Zaynab bint Jahsh narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(It is not lawful for a woman who believes in Allah and t he Last Day t o mourn for more t han t hree days for any dead person except her husband, for whom she mourns for four mont hs and t en days.) It is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat Umm Salamah said t hat a woman said, "O Messenger of Allah! My daught er's husband died and she is complaining about her eye, should we administ er kohl in her eye'' He said, "No,'' several t imes upon repeat ing t his quest ion. He t hen said:

(It is four mont hs and t en (night s)! During t he Jahiliyyah, one of you would mourn for an ent ire year.) Zaiynab t he daught er of Umm Salamah said (about t he pre-Islamic era of ignorance), "When t he woman's husband died, she would go int o seclusion and would wear t he worst clot hes she has. She would refrain from wearing perfume or any adornment s unt il a year passed. She would t hen come out of seclusion and would be given dung t hat she would t hrow. Then an animal would be brought out , a donkey, a sheep, or a bird. Then some blood would be drained from it , usually result ing in it s deat h.'' In short , t he mourning required from a wife whose husband dies, includes not using beaut ificat ion aids, such as wearing perfume and t he clot hes and j ewelry t hat encourage t he men t o seek marriage from t he woman. All widows must observe t his period of mourning whet her t hey are young, old, free, servant , Muslim or disbeliever, as t he general meaning of t he Ayah indicat es. Allah also said:


(...t hen when t hey have fulfilled t heir t erm) meaning, when t he ` Iddah finishes, according t o Ad-Dahhak and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas.

(t here is no sin on you) Az-Zuhri said, "Meaning her Wali (guardian).''

(if t hey (t he wives) dispose) meaning, t he women whose ` Iddah has finished. Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "If t he woman is divorced or if her husband dies and t hen her ` Iddah t erm ends, t here is no sin t hat she beaut ifies herself, so t hat she becomes ready for marriage proposals. This is t he way ` t hat is j ust and honorable'.'' It was report ed t hat Muqat il bin Hayyan gave t he same explanat ion. Ibn Jurayj relat ed t hat Muj ahid said:

(...t here is no sin on you if t hey (t he wives) dispose of t hemselves in a j ust and honorable manner.) "refers t o allowed and pure (honorable) marriage.'' It was also report ed t hat Al-Hasan, Az-Zuhri and As-Suddi said t he same.


(235. And t here is no sin on you if you make a hint of bet rot hal or conceal it in yourself, Allah knows t hat you will remember t hem, but do not make a promise (of cont ract ) wit h t hem in secret except t hat you speak an honorable saying. And do not be det ermined on t he marriage bond unt il t he t erm prescribed is fulfilled. And know t hat Allah knows what is in your minds, so fear Him. And know t hat Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Forbearing.)

Mentioning Marriage indirectly during the ` Iddah

Allah said:

(And t here is no sin on you) meaning, t o indirect ly ment ion marriage t o t he widow during t he t erm of ` Iddah for her deceased husband. At h-Thawri, Shu` bah and Jarir st at ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said:

(And t here is no sin on you if you make a hint of bet rot hal) "means saying, ` I want t o marry and I am looking for a woman whose qualit ies are such and such,' t hus t alking t o her in general t erms in a way t hat is bet t er.'' In anot her narrat ion (by Ibn ` Abbas), "Saying, ` I wish t hat Allah endows me wit h a wife,' but he should not make a direct marriage proposal.'' Al-Bukhari report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah:

(And t here is no sin on you if you make a hint of bet rot hal) means, "The man could say, ` I wish t o marry,' ` I desire a wife,' or, ` I wish I could find a good wife'.'' Muj ahid, Tawus, ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, Ash-Sha` bi, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Az-Zuhri, Yazid bin Qusayt , Muqat il bin Hayyan and Al-Qasim bin Muhammad and several ot hers among t he Salaf and t he Imams said t hat one is allowed t o ment ion marriage indirect ly t o t he woman whose husband died. It is also allowed t o indirect ly ment ion marriage t o a woman who had gone t hrough final, irrevocable divorce. The Prophet ordered Fat imah bint Qays t o remain in t he

house of Ibn Umm Makt um for ` Iddah when her husband Abu ` Amr bin Hafs divorced her for t he t hird t ime. He said t o her:

(Inform me when your ` Iddah t erm ends.) When she finished t he ` Iddah, Usamah bin Zayd, t he Prophet 's freed slave asked t o marry her, and t he Prophet married her t o him. As for t he divorced wife (not irrevocably divorced), t here is no disagreement t hat it is not allowed for ot her t han her husband t o ment ion marriage proposals t o her direct ly or indirect ly (before t he ` Iddah finishes). Allah knows best . Allah said:

(...or conceal it in yourself,) meaning, if you hide t he int ent ion of seeking marriage wit h t hem. Similarly, Allah said:

(And your Lord knows what t heir breast s conceal, and what t hey reveal) (28:69) and:

(...while I am All-Aware of what you conceal and what you reveal.) (60: 1) So, Allah said here:

(Allah knows t hat you will remember t hem) meaning, in your heart s, so He made it easy for you. Allah t hen said:

(...but do not make a promise (of cont ract ) wit h t hem in secret ) ` Ali bin Abu Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat


(but do not make a promise (of cont ract ) wit h t hem in secret ) means do not say t o her, "I am in love (wit h you),'' or, "Promise me you will not marry someone else (aft er t he ` Iddah finishes),'' and so fort h. Sa` id bin Jubayr, Ash-Sha` bi, ` Ikrimah, Abu Ad-Duha, Ad-Dahhak, Az-Zuhri, Muj ahid and At h-Thawri said t hat it (meaning of t he Ayah) means t aking t he woman's promise not t o marry someone else. Aft erwards, Allah said:

(...except t hat you speak an honorable saying.) Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, As-Suddi, At h-Thawri and Ibn Zayd said t hat t he Ayah means t o indirect ly refer t o marriage, such as saying, "I desire someone like you.'' Muhammad bin Sirin said: I asked ` Ubaydah about t he meaning of Allah's st at ement :

(. ..except t hat you speak an honorable saying.) He said, "He says t o her Wali, ` Do not give her away (in marriage) unt il you inform me first '.'' This st at ement was narrat ed by Ibn Abu Hat im. Allah t hen said:

(And do not be det ermined on t he marriage bond unt il t he t erm prescribed is fulfilled.) meaning, do not make marriage cont ract s before t he ` Iddah finishes. Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, AshSha` bi, Qat adah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Abu Malik, Zayd bin Aslam, Muqat il bin Hayyan, Az-Zuhri, ` At a' Al-Khurasani, As-Suddi, At h-Thawri and Ad-Dahhak said t hat :

(unt il t he t erm prescribed is fulfilled.) means, ` Do not consummat e t he marriage before t he ` Iddah t erm finishes.' The scholars agree t hat marriage cont ract s during t he ` Iddah are invalid. Allah t hen said:


(And know t hat Allah knows what is in your minds, so fear Him.) warning t he men against t he ideas t hey conceal in t heir heart s about women, direct ing t hem t o t hink good about t hem rat her t han t he evil, and Allah would not let t hem despair of His mercy, as He said:

(And know t hat Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Forbearing.)

(236. There is no sin on you, if you divorce women while yet you have not t ouched t hem, nor appoint ed for t hem t heir due (dowry). But give t hem a Mut ` ah (a suit able gift , t he rich according t o his means, and t he poor according t o his means, a gift of reasonable amount is a dut y on t he doers of good.)

Divorce before consummating the Marriage

Allah allowed divorce aft er t he marriage cont ract and before consummat ing t he marriage. Ibn ` Abbas, Tawus, Ibrahim and Al-Hasan Al-Basri said t hat ` t ouched' (ment ioned in t he Ayah) means sexual int ercourse. The husband is allowed t o divorce his wife before consummat ing t he marriage or giving t he dowry if it was deferred.

The Mut` ah (Gift) at the time of Divorce

Allah commands t he husband t o give t he wife (whom he divorces before consummat ing t he marriage) a gift of a reasonable amount , t he rich according t o his means and t he poor according t o his means, t o compensat e her for her loss. Al-Bukhari report ed in his Sahih t hat Sahl bin Sa` d and Abu Usayd said t hat Allah's Messenger married Umaymah bint Sharahil. When she was brought t o t he Prophet he ext ended his hand t o her, but she did not like t hat . The Prophet t hen ordered Abu Usayd t o provide provisions for her along wit h a gift of t wo garment s.

 "Rrgjim=)p,%30(raster -
(237. And if you divorce t hem before you have t ouched (had a sexual relat ion wit h) t hem, and you have appoint ed for t hem t heir due (dowry), t hen pay half of t hat , unless t hey (t he women) agree t o remit it , or he (t he husband), in whose hands is t he marriage t ie, agrees t o remit it . And t o remit is nearer t o At -Taqwa (piet y, right eousness). And do not forget liberalit y bet ween yourselves. Truly, Allah is All-Seer of what you do.)

The Wife gets half of Her Mahr if She is divorced before the Marriage is consummated
This honorable Ayah is not a cont inuat ion of t he Mut ` ah (gift ) t hat was ment ioned in t he previous Ayah (i.e., divorce before t he marriage is consummat ed). This Ayah (2:237) requires t he husband t o relinquish half of t he appoint ed Mahr if he divorces his wife before t he marriage is consummat ed. If it was discussing any ot her t ype of gift , t hen it would have been ment ioned t hat way, especially when t his Ayah follows t he previous Ayah relat ed t o t his subj ect . Allah knows best . Giving away half of t he bridal-money in t his case is t he agreed pract ice according t o t he scholars. So, t he husband pays half of t he appoint ed Mahr if he divorces his wife before consummat ing t he marriage. Allah t hen said:

(unless t hey (t he women) agree t o remit it ,) meaning, t he wife forfeit s t he dowry and relieves t he husband from furt her financial responsibilit y. As-Suddi said t hat Abu Salih ment ioned t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on Allah's st at ement :

(unless t hey (t he women) agree t o remit it ,) "Unless t he wife forfeit s her right .''Furt hermore, Imam Abu Muhammad bin Abu Hat im said t hat it was report ed t hat Shurayh, Sa` id bin

Musayyib, ` Ikrimah, Muj ahid, Ash-Sha` bi, Al-Hasan, Nafi` , Qat adah, Jabir bin Zayd, ` At a' AlKhurasani, Ad-Dahhak, Az-Zuhri, Muqat il bin Hayyan, Ibn Sirin, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and As-Suddi said similarly. Allah t hen said:

(...or he (t he husband), in whose hands is t he marriage t ie, agrees t o remit it .) Ibn Abu Hat im report ed t hat ` Amr bin Shu` ayb said t hat his grandfat her narrat ed t hat t he Prophet said:

(The husband is he who has t he marriage t ie.) Ibn Marduwyah also report ed t his Hadit h, and it is t he view chosen by Ibn Jarir. The Hadit h st at es t hat t he husband is t he person who really holds t he marriage t ie in his hand, as it is up t o him t o go on wit h t he marriage or end it . On t he ot her hand, t he Wali of t he wife is not allowed t o give away any of her right ful dues wit hout her permission, especially t he dowry. Allah t hen st at ed:

(And t o remit it is nearer t o At -Taqwa (piet y, right eousness).) Ibn Jarir said, "Some scholars said t hat t his st at ement is direct ed at bot h men and women.'' Ibn ` Abbas said:

(And t o remit it is nearer t o At -Taqwa (piet y, right eousness).) indicat es t hat t he one who forgives, is nearer t o At -Taqwa (piet y).'' A similar st at ement was made by Ash-Sha` bi and several ot her scholars. Muj ahid, An-Nakha` i, Ad-Dahhak, Muqat il bin Hayyan, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Thawri st at ed t hat ` liberalit y' ment ioned in t he Ayah refers t o t he woman giving away her half Mahr, or t he man giving away t he full Mahr. This is why Allah said here:

(And do not forget liberalit y bet ween yourselves.) meaning, kindness (or generosit y), as Sa` id has st at ed. Allah said:

(Truly, Allah is All-Seer of what you do.) meaning, none of your affairs ever escapes His perfect Wat ch, and He will reward each according t o his deeds.

(238. Guard st rict ly (five obligat ory) As-Salawat (t he prayers) especially t he Middle Salah.And st and before Allah wit h obedience.) (239. And if you fear (an enemy), (perform Salah) on foot or riding. And when you are in safet y, t hen remember Allah (pray) in t he manner He has t aught you, which you knew not (before).) Allah commands t hat t he prayer should be performed properly and on t ime. It is report ed in t he Two Sahihs t hat Ibn Mas` ud said, "I asked t he Prophet , ` Which deed is t he dearest (t o Allah)' He replied:

(To offer t he prayers at t heir fixed t imes.) I asked, ` What is t he next (in goodness)' He replied:

(To part icipat e in Jihad (religious fight ing) in Allah's cause.)'' I again asked, ` What is t he next (in goodness)' He replied:

(To be good and dut iful t o your parent s.) ` Abdullah t hen added, "The Prophet t old me t hese words, and had I asked more, t he Prophet would have t old me more.''

The Middle Prayer

Furt hermore, Allah has specifically ment ioned t he Middle prayer, which is t he ` Asr prayer according t o t he maj orit y of t he scholars among t he Companions, as At -Tirmidhi and AlBaghawi have st at ed. Al-Qadi Al-Mawardi added t hat t he maj orit y of t he scholars of t he Tabi` in also held t his view. Al-Hafiz Abu ` Umar bin ` Abdul-Barr said t hat t his is also t he opinion of t he maj orit y of t he scholars of t he At har (i.e., t he Hadit h and t he st at ement s of t he Salaf). In addit ion, Abu Muhammad bin ` At iyah said t hat t his is t he Tafsir (of t he Middle prayer) of t he maj orit y of scholars. Al-Hafiz Abu Muhammad ` Abdul-Mu'min bin Khalaf Ad-Dumyat i st at ed in his book on t he Middle prayer t hat it is t he ` Asr prayer and ment ioned t hat t his is t he Tafsir of ` Umar, ` Ali, Ibn Mas` ud, Abu Ayyub, ` Abdullah bin ` Amr, Samurah bin Jundub, Abu Hurayrah, Abu Sa` id, Hafsah, Umm Habibah, Umm Salamah, Ibn ` Abbas and ` A'ishah. This is also t he Tafsir of ` Ubaydah, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, Razin, Zirr bin Hubaysh, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Ibn Sirin, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Kalbi, Muqat il, ` Ubayd bin Abu Maryam, and ot hers.

The Proof that the ` Asr Prayer is the Middle Prayer

Imam Ahmad report ed t hat ` Ali narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said during t he bat t le of AlAhzab (t he Confederat es):

(They (t he disbelievers) busied us from performing t he Middle prayer, t he ` Ar prayer, may Allah fill t heir heart s and houses wit h fire.) He performed t he ` Asr prayer bet ween Maghrib and ` Isha'. Muslim and An-Nasa'i recorded t his Hadit h. In addit ion, t he Two Shaykhs, Abu Dawud, At -Tirmidhi An-Nasa'i and several ot her collect ors of t he Sunan recorded t his Hadit h using different chains of narrat ors t o ` Ali. The Hadit h about t he bat t le of Al-Ahzab, when t he Mushriks prevent ed Allah's Messenger and his Companions from performing t he ` Asr prayer, has been narrat ed by several ot her Companions. We only ment ioned t he narrat ions t hat st at ed t hat t he Middle prayer is t he ` Asr prayer. Furt hermore, Muslim report ed similar wordings for t his Hadit h from Ibn Mas` ud and Al-Bara' bin ` Azib. In addit ion, Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Samurah bin Jundub said t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(The Middle prayer is t he ` Asr prayer.) In anot her narrat ion, Allah's Messenger ment ioned:


(Guard st rict ly (five obligat ory) As-Salawat (t he prayers) especially t he Middle Salah) and st at ed t hat it is t he ` Asr prayer. In anot her narrat ion, Allah's Messenger said:

(It is t he ` Asr prayer.) and Ibn Ja` far ment ioned t hat t he Prophet was t hen being asked about t he Middle prayer. At -Tirmidhi report ed t his Hadit h and said, "Hasan, Sahih." In addit ion, Abu Hat im bin Hibban report ed in his Sahih t hat ` Abdullah said t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(The Middle prayer is t he ` Asr prayer.) At -Tirmidhi report ed t hat Ibn Mas` ud narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said:

(The ` Asr prayer is t he Middle prayer.) At -Tirmidhi t hen st at ed t hat t his Hadit h is of a Hasan, Sahih t ype. Muslim report ed t he Hadit h in his Sahih and his wordings are:

(They (disbelievers) busied us from performing t he Middle prayer, t he ` Asr prayer.) These t ext s emphasize t he fact (t hat t he ` Asr prayer is t he Middle prayer). What furt her proves t his fact is t hat , in an aut hent ic Hadit h, Allah's Messenger emphasized t he necessit y of preserving t he ` Asr prayer, when he said, as Ibn ` Umar narrat ed:

(Whoever misses t he ` Asr prayer will be like who has lost his family and money.) It is report ed in t he Sahih t hat Buraydah bin Al-Husayb said t hat t he Prophet said:


(On a cloudy day, perform t he (` Asr) prayer early, for whoever misses t he ` Asr prayer, will have his (good) deeds annulled.)

The Prohibition of speaking during the Prayer

Allah said:

(And st and before Allah wit h obedience.) meaning, wit h humbleness and humilit y before Him (i.e., during t he prayer). This command indicat es t hat it is not allowed t o speak during t he prayer, as speaking cont radict s t he nat ure of t he prayer. This is why t he Prophet refused t o answer Ibn Mas` ud when he greet ed him while he was praying and said aft erwards:

(The prayer makes one sufficient ly busy.) (i.e., by t he various act ions of t he body, t ongue and heart involved during t he prayer.) Muslim report ed t hat t he Prophet said t o Mu` awiyah bin Hakam As-Sulami when he spoke during t he prayer:

(The ordinary speech people indulge in is not appropriat e during t he prayer. The prayer involves only Tasbih (praising Allah), Takbir (saying Allahu Akbar, i.e., Allah is t he Most Great ) and remembering Allah.) Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Zayd bin Arqam said, "One used t o address his friend about various affairs during t he prayer. Then when t his Ayah was revealed:

(And st and before Allah wit h obedience.) we were ordered t o refrain from speaking.'' The Group (i. e., t he Hadit h collect ions), except Ibn Maj ah, report ed t his Hadit h.

The Fear Prayer

Allah said:

(And if you fear (an enemy), (perform Salah) on foot or riding. And when you are in safet y, t hen remember Allah (pray) in t he manner He has t aught you, which you knew not (before).) Aft er Allah commanded His servant s t o perform t he prayer perfect ly and emphasized t his commandment , He ment ioned t he sit uat ion where t he person might not be able t o perform t he prayer perfect ly, during bat t le and combat . Allah said:

(And if you fear (an enemy), perform Salah on foot or riding.) meaning, pray in t he appropriat e manner under t hese circumst ances, whet her on foot or riding and whet her facing t he Qiblah or ot herwise. Imam Malik report ed t hat Nafi` relat ed t hat Ibn ` Umar used t o describe t he Fear prayer when he was asked about it and would t hen add, "If t here is int ense fear, pray on foot , riding, facing t he Qiblah and ot herwise.'' Nafi` comment ed, "I t hink t hat he relat ed t hat t o t he Prophet .'' Al-Bukhari and Muslim report ed t he Hadit h. Muslim, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i, Ibn Maj ah and Ibn Jarir report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Allah has ordained t he prayer by t he words of your Prophet : four (Rak` ah) while residing, t wo Rak` ah while t raveling and one Rak` ah during t imes of fear.'' This is also t he view of Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Qat adah, Ad-Dahhak, and ot hers. In addit ion, Al-Bukhari has ent it led a Chapt er: ` Prayer while confront ing t he Fort s and facing t he Enemy'. Al-Awza` i said, "If t he vict ory seems near and t he Muslims are unable t o perform t he prayer (in t he normal manner), t hey should pray by nodding each by himself. If t hey are unable t o nod, t hey should delay t he prayer unt il fight ing is finished. When t hey feel safe, t hey should pray t wo Rak` ah. If t hey are unable, t hey should t hen pray one Rak` ah t hat includes t wo prost rat ions. If t hey are unable, t hen Takbir alone does not suffice, so t hey should delay t he prayer unt il t hey are safe.'' This is t he same view t hat Makhul held. Anas bin Malik said, "I part icipat ed in t he at t ack on t he fort of Tast ar, when t he light of dawn st art ed t o become clear. Suddenly, t he fight ing raged and t he Muslims were unable t o pray unt il t he light of day spread. We t hen prayed (t he Dawn prayer) wit h Abu Musa and we became vict orious. I would not have been pleased if I were t o gain in t he life of t his world and what ever is in it inst ead of t hat prayer.'' This is t he wording of Al-Bukhari.

Prayer during the Times of Peace is performed normally

Allah said:

(And when you are in safet y, t hen remember Allah (pray)) meaning, ` Perform t he prayer as I have commanded you by complet ing it s bowing, prost rat ion, st anding, sit t ing, and wit h t he required at t ent ion (in t he heart ) and supplicat ion.' Allah said:

(in t he manner He has t aught you, which you knew not (before).) meaning, j ust as He has endowed you, guided you and t aught you about what benefit s you in t his life and t he Hereaft er, so t hank and remember Him. Similarly, Allah said aft er He ment ioned t he prayer of Fear,

(...but when you are free from danger, perform As-Salah. Verily, As-Salah (t he prayer) is enj oined on t he believers at fixed hours.) (4:103) We will ment ion t he Hadit hs about t he prayer of Fear and it s descript ion in Surat An-Nisa' while ment ioning Allah's st at ement :

(When you (O Messenger Muhammad ) are among t hem, and lead t hem in As-Salah (t he prayer).) (4:102)

 -
(240. And t hose of you who die and leave behind wives should bequeat h for t heir wives a year's maint enance (and residence) wit hout t urning t hem out , but if t hey (wives) leave, t here is no sin on you for t hat which t hey do of t hemselves, provided it is honorable (e.g., lawful marriage). And Allah is All-Might y, All-Wise.) (241. And for divorced women, maint enance (should be provided) on reasonable (scale). This is a dut y on Al-Mut t aqin (t he pious).) (242. Thus Allah makes clear His Ayat (Laws) t o you, in order t hat you may underst and.)

Ayah (2:240) was abrogated

The maj orit y of t he scholars said t hat t his Ayah (2:240) was abrogat ed by t he Ayah (2:234), what Allah said:

(...t hey (t he wives) shall wait (as regards t heir marriage) for four mont hs and t en days.) (2:234) For inst ance, Al-Bukhari report ed t hat Ibn Az-Zubayr said: I said t o ` Ut hman bin ` Affan:

(And t hose of you who die and leave wives behind t hem) was abrogat ed by t he ot her Ayah (2:234). Therefore, why did you collect it (meaning, in t he Qur'an)'' He said, "O my nephew! I shall not change any part of t he Qur'an from it s place.'' The quest ion t hat Ibn Az-Zubayr asked ` Ut hman means: ` If t he ruling of t he Ayah (2:240) was abrogat ed t o four mont hs (t he ` Iddah of t he widow, and refer t o 2:234), t hen what is t he wisdom behind including it in t he Qur'an, alt hough it s ruling has been abrogat ed If t he Ayah (2:240) remains (in t he Qur'an) aft er t he Ayah t hat abrogat ed it (2:234), t his might imply t hat it s ruling is st ill valid.' ` Ut hman, t he Leader of t he fait hful, answered him by st at ing t hat t his is a mat t er of t he revelat ion, which ment ioned t hese Ayat in t his order. ` Therefore, I shall leave t he Ayah where I found it in t he Qur'an.' Ibn Abu Hat im report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about what Allah said:


(And t hose of you who die and leave behind wives should bequeat h for t heir wives a year's maint enance (and residence) wit hout t urning t hem out , ) "The widow used t o reside, and have her provisions provided for her for a year, in her deceased husband's house. Lat er, t he Ayah t hat specified t he inherit ance (4:12) abrogat ed t his Ayah (2:240), and t hus t he widow inherit s one-fourt h or one-eight h of what her (deceased) husband leaves behind.'' Ibn Abu Hat im also relat ed t hat ` Ali bin Abu Talhah st at ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "When a man died and left behind a widow, she used t o remain in his house for a year for her ` Iddah, all t he while receiving her provisions during t his t ime. Thereaft er, Allah revealed t his Ayah:

(And t hose of you who die and leave wives behind t hem, t hey (t he wives) shall wait (as regards t heir marriage) for four mont hs and t en days.) (2:234) So, t his is t he ` Iddah of t he widow, unless she was pregnant , for her ` Iddah t hen ends when she gives birt h. Allah also said:

(In t hat which you leave, t heir (your wives') share is a fourt h if you leave no child; but if you leave a child, t hey get an eight h of t hat which you leave.) (4:12) So Allah specified t he share of t he widow in t he inherit ance and t here was no need for t he will or t he Nafaqah (maint enance) which were ment ioned in (2:240).'' Ibn Abu Hat im st at ed t hat Muj ahid, Al-Hasan, ` Ikrimah, Qat adah, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` and Muqat il bin Hayyan said t hat t he Ayah (2:240) was abrogat ed by:

(four mont hs and t en days.) (2:234) Al-Bukhari report ed t hat Muj ahid said t hat :


(And t hose of you who die and leave wives behind t hem) (2:234) used t o be t he ` Iddah, and t he widow had t o remain wit h her (deceased) husband's family (during t hat period, i.e., four mont hs and t en days). Then, Allah revealed:

(And t hose of you who die and leave behind wives should bequeat h for t heir wives a year's maint enance (and residence) wit hout t urning t hem out , but if t hey (wives) leave, t here is no sin on you for t hat which t hey do of t hemselves, provided it is honorable (e.g., lawful marriage).) So, Allah made t he rest of t he year, which is seven mont hs and t went y days, as a will and t est ament for her. Consequent ly, if she want s, she could use her right in t his will and remain in t he residence (for t he rest of t he year). Or, if she want s, she could leave t he (deceased husband's) house aft er t he four mont hs and t en days have passed. This is t he meaning of what Allah said:

(...wit hout t urning t hem out , but if t hey (wives) leave, t here is no sin on you.) Therefore, t he required t erm of ` Iddah is st ill unchanged (refer t o 2:234). ` At a' quot ed Ibn ` Abbas, "This Ayah (2:240) has abrogat ed (t he requirement t hat ) t he widow spends t he ` Iddah wit h his (i.e., her deceased husband's) family. So, she spends her ` Iddah wherever she want s. This is t he meaning of what Allah said:

(wit hout t urning t hem out ,).'' ` At a' also said: "If she want s, she spends t he ` Iddah wit h his family and resides t here according t o t he will (meaning t he rest of t he year). If she want s, she is allowed t o leave, for Allah said:


(t here is no sin on you for t hat which t hey do of t hemselves,).'' ` At a' t hen said: "Then (t he Ayah on) t he inherit ance (refer t o 4:12) came and abrogat ed t he residence. Hence, t he widow spends her ` Iddah wherever she want s and does not have t he right t o residence any more.'' The st at ement of ` At a' and t hose who held t he view t hat t he Ayah (2:240) was abrogat ed by t he Ayah on t he inherit ance (4: 12), is only valid for more t han t he four mont hs and t en days (required in 2:234). However, if t hey mean t hat t he four mont hs and t en days are not required from t he deceased husband's est at e, t hen t his opinion is t he subj ect of disagreement among t he scholars. As proof, t hey said t hat t he widow is required t o remain in her (deceased) husband's house (for four mont hs and t en days) according t o what Malik report ed from Zaynab bint Ka` b bin ` Uj rah. She said t hat Fari` ah bint Malik bin Sinan, t he sist er of Abu Sa` id AlKhudri, t old her t hat she came t o Allah's Messenger asking him t o ret urn t o her family's residence wit h Banu Khudrah. Her husband had pursued some of his servant s who ran away, but when he reached t he area of Al-Qadum, t hey killed him. She said, "So I asked Allah's Messenger if I should st ay wit h my family in Banu Khudrah, for my (deceased) husband did not leave me a residence t hat he owns or Nafaqah (maint enance). Allah's Messenger answered in t he posit ive. While I was in t he room, Allah's Messenger summoned me or had someone summon me and said:

(What did you say) I repeat ed t he st ory t o him about my (deceased) husband. He said:

(St ay at your home unt il t he t erm reaches it s end.) So I remained t hrough t he ` Iddah t erm for four mont hs and t en days in my (deceased husband's) house. Thereaft er, ` Ut hman bin ` Affan sent for me during his reign and asked me about t his mat t er and I t old him what happened. He made a j udgment t o t he same effect .'' This Hadit h was also collect ed by Abu Dawud, At Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Maj ah. At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih".

The Necessity of the Mut` ah (Gift) at the Time of Divorce

Allah said:

(And for divorced women, maint enance (should be provided) on reasonable (scale). This is a dut y on Al-Mut t aqin (t he pious).) ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said t hat when Allah's st at ement :


(...a gift of reasonable amount is a dut y on t he doers of good) (2:236) was revealed, a man said, "If I want , I will be excellent and if I do not , I will not .'' Thereaft er, Allah revealed t his Ayah:

(And for divorced women, maint enance (should be provided) on reasonable (scale). This is a dut y on Al-Mut t aqin (t he pious).) The scholars who ruled t hat t he Mut ` ah (reasonable gift ) at t he t ime of divorce is required for every divorced woman, whet her she had a bridal-money appoint ed for her or not , and whet her t he marriage was consummat ed or not , relied on t his Ayah (2:241) when t hey issued t heir ruling. This is t he view t aken on t his subj ect by Sa` id bin Jubayr and several ot hers among t he Salaf and also Ibn Jarir. Hence, Allah's st at ement :

(There is no sin on you, if you divorce women while yet you have not t ouched (had sexual relat ion wit h) t hem, nor appoint ed for t hem t heir due (dowry). But best ow on t hem (a suit able gift ), t he rich according t o his means, and t he poor according t o his means, a gift of reasonable amount is a dut y on t he doers of good.) (2:236) only ment ions some specifics of t his general ruling. Allah t hen said:

(Thus Allah makes clear His Ayat (Laws) t o you,) meaning, what He allows, forbids, requires, His set limit s, His commandment s and His prohibit ions are all explained and made plain and clear for you. He did not leave any mat t er in general t erms if you needed t he specifics,

(in order t hat you may underst and.) meaning, underst and and comprehend.

- -
(243. Did you (O Muhammad ) not t hink of t hose who went fort h from t heir homes in t he t housands, fearing deat h Allah said t o t hem, "Die''. And t hen He rest ored t hem t o life. Truly, Allah is full of bount y t o mankind, but most men t hank not .) (244. And fight in t he way of Allah and know t hat Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.) (245. Who is he t hat will lend t o Allah a goodly loan so t hat He may mult iply it t o him many t imes And it is Allah t hat decreases or increases (your provisions), and unt o Him you shall ret urn.)

The Story of the Dead People

Ibn Abu Hat im relat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t hese people ment ioned herein, were t he resident s of a village called Dawardan. ` Ali bin ` Asim said t hat t hey were from Dawardan, a village several miles away from Wasit (in Iraq). In his Tafsir, Waki` bin Jarrah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed,

(Did you (O Muhammad ) not t hink of t hose who went fort h from t heir homes in t housands, fearing deat h) t hat t hey were four t housand persons who escaped t he plague (t hat broke out in t heir land). They said, "We should go t o a land t hat is free of deat h!'' When t hey reached a cert ain area, Allah said t o t hem:

("Die.'') and t hey all died. Aft erwards, one of t he Prophet s passed by t hem and supplicat ed t o Allah t o resurrect t hem and Allah brought t hem back t o life. So, Allah st at ed:

r(Did you (O Muhammad ) not t hink of t hose who went fort h from t heir homes in t he t housands, fearing deat h) Furt hermore, several scholars among t he Salaf said t hat t hese people were t he resident s of a cit y during t he t ime of t he Children of Israel. The weat her in t heir land did not suit t hem and an epidemic broke out . They fled t heir land fearing deat h and t ook refuge in t he wilderness. They lat er arrived at a fert ile valley and t hey filled what is bet ween it s t wo sides. Then Allah sent t wo angels t o t hem, one from t he lower side and t he ot her from t he upper side of t he valley. The angels screamed once and all t he people died inst ant ly, j ust as t he deat h of one man. They were lat er moved t o a different place, where walls and graves were built around t hem. They all perished, and t heir bodies rot t ed and disint egrat ed. Long aft erwards, one of t he Prophet s of t he Children of Israel, whose name was Hizqil (Ezekiel), passed by t hem and asked Allah t o bring t hem back t o life by his hand. Allah accept ed his supplicat ion and commanded him t o say, "O rot t ed bones, Allah commands you t o come t oget her.'' The bones of every body were brought t oget her. Allah t hen commanded him t o say, "O bones, Allah commands you t o be covered wit h flesh, nerves and skin.'' That also happened while Hizqil was wat ching. Allah t hen commanded him t o say, "O souls, Allah commands you t o ret urn, each t o t he body t hat it used t o inhabit .'' They all came back t o life, looked around and proclaimed, "All praise is due t o You (O Allah!) and t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except You.'' Allah brought t hem back t o life aft er t hey had perished long ago. We should st at e t hat bringing t hese people back t o life is a clear proof t hat physical resurrect ion shall occur on t he Day of Resurrect ion. This is why Allah said:

(Truly, Allah is full of bount y t o mankind,) meaning, in t hat He shows t hem His great signs, sound proofs and clear evidences. Yet ,

(but most men t hank not .) as t hey do not t hank Allah for what He has given t hem wit h in t heir worldly life and religious affairs. The st ory of t he dead people (2:244 above) also indicat es dest iny and t hat t here is no refuge from Allah, but t o Allah from t heir land fleeing t he epidemic and seeking t o enj oy a t he opposit e of what t hey sought , as deat h came quickly and all. t hat no caut ion can ever avert Himself. These people depart ed long life. What t hey earned was inst ant aneously and seized t hem

There is an aut hent ic Hadit h t hat Imam Ahmad report ed t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Abbas said t hat ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab once went t o Ash-Sham (Syria). When he reached t he area of Sargh, he was met by t he commanders of t he army: Abu ` Ubaydah bin Jarrah and his companions. They t old him t hat t he plague had broken out in Ash-Sham. The Hadit h t hen ment ioned t hat ` AbdurRahman bin ` Awf, who was away at t ending t o some of his affairs, came and said, "I have knowledge regarding t his mat t er. I heard Allah's Messenger say:

(If it (t he plague) breaks out in a land t hat you are in, do not leave t hat land t o escape from it . If you hear about it in a land, do not ent er it .) ` Umar t hen t hanked Allah and went back. This Hadit h is also report ed in t he Sahihayn.

Abandoning Jihad does not alter Destiny

Allah said:

(And fight in t he way of Allah and know t hat Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.) This Ayah indicat es t hat j ust as caut ion does not alt er dest iny, abandoning Jihad will neit her bring t he appoint ed t erm closer nor delay it . Rat her, dest iny and t he appoint ed provisions are fixed and shall never be changed or alt ered, neit her by addit ion nor delet ion. Similarly, Allah said:

((They are) t he ones who said about t heir killed bret hren while t hey t hemselves sat (at home): "If only t hey had list ened t o us, t hey would not have been killed.'' Say: "Avert deat h from your own selves, if you speak t he t rut h.'') (3:168)

Allah said:

(They say: "Our Lord! Why have you ordained for us fight ing Would t hat you had grant ed us respit e for a short period'' Say: "Short is t he enj oyment of t his world. The Hereaft er is (far) bet t er for him who fears Allah, and you shall not be dealt wit h unj ust ly even equal t o t he Fat ila (a scalish t hread in t he long slit of a dat e st one). Wheresoever you may be, deat h will overt ake you even if you are in fort resses built up st rong and high!'') (4:77, 78) Abu Sulayman, Khalid bin Al-Walid, t he commander of t he Muslim armies, t he vet eran among Muslim soldiers, t he prot ect or of Islam and t he Sword of Allah t hat was raised above His enemies, said while dying, "I have part icipat ed in so-and-so number of bat t les. There is not a part of my body, but suffered a shot (of an arrow), a st ab (of a spear) or a st rike (of a sword). Yet , here I am, I die on my bed j ust as t he camel dies! May t he eyes of t he cowards never t ast e sleep.'' He, may Allah be pleased wit h him, was sorry and in pain because he did not die as mart yr in bat t le. He was sad t hat he had t o die on his bed!

The Good Loan and its Reward

Allah said:

(Who is he t hat will lend t o Allah a goodly loan so t hat He may mult iply it t o him many t imes) In t his Ayah, Allah encourages His servant s t o spend in His cause. Allah ment ioned t his same Ayah in several ot her part s of His Glorious Qur'an. The Hadit h t hat ment ions t hat Allah descends (every night down on t he nearest heaven t o us when t he last t hird of t he night remains) st at es t hat Allah says:

(Who would give a loan t o He Who is neit her poor nor unj ust .)

Allah's st at ement :

(He may mult iply it t o him many t imes), is similar t o His st at ement :

(The likeness of t hose who spend t heir wealt h in t he way of Allah, is as t he likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase t o whom He wills.) (2:261) We will ment ion t his Ayah lat er on. Allah t hen said:

(And it is Allah t hat decreases or increases (your provisions), ) meaning, ` Spend (in Allah's cause) and do not be anxious.' Cert ainly, Allah is t he Sust ainer Who increases or decreases t he provisions t o whomever He wills among His servant s. Allah's wisdom is perfect , and,

(and unt o Him you shall ret urn.) on t he Day of Resurrect ion.


(246. Have you not t hought about t he group of t he Children of Israel aft er (t he t ime of) Musa When t hey said t o a Prophet of t heirs, "Appoint for us a king and we will fight in Allah's way.'' He said, "Would you t hen refrain from fight ing, if fight ing was prescribed for you'' They said, "Why should we not fight in Allah's way while we have been driven out of our homes and our children (families have been t aken as capt ives)'' But when fight ing was ordered for t hem, t hey t urned away, all except a few of t hem. And Allah is All-Aware of t he wrongdoers.)

The Story of the Jews Who sought a King to be appointed over Them
Muj ahid said t hat t he Prophet (ment ioned in t he Ayah 2:246 above) is Shamwil (Samuel). Wahb bin Munabbih said: The Children of Israel remained on t he st raight pat h for a period of t ime aft er Moses. They t hen innovat ed in t he religion and some of t hem even worshipped t he idols. Yet , t here were always Prophet s sent among t hem who would command t hem t o work right eous deeds, refrain from doing evil and who would rule t hem according t o t he commands of t he Torah. When t hey (Israelit es) commit t ed t he evil t hat t hey commit t ed, Allah caused t heir enemies t o overwhelm t hem, and many fat alit ies fell among t hem as a consequence. Their enemies also capt ured a great number of t hem, and t ook over large areas of t heir land. Earlier, anyone who would fight t he Israelit es would lose, because t hey had t he Torah and t he Tabut , which t hey inherit ed generat ion aft er generat ion ever since t he t ime of Moses, who spoke t o Allah direct ly. Yet , t he Israelit es kept indulging in misguidance unt il some king t ook t he Tabut from t hem during a bat t le. That king also t ook possession of t he Torah, and only a few of t he Israelit es who memorized it remained. The prophet hood halt ed among t heir various t ribes and only a pregnant woman remained of t he offspring of Lavi (Levi), in whom t he prophet hood st ill appeared. Her husband had been killed, so t he Israelit es kept her in a house so t hat Allah may give her a boy, who would be t heir Prophet . The woman also kept invoking Allah t o grant her a boy. Allah heard her pleas and gave her a boy whom she called ` Shamwil' meaning ` Allah has heard my pleas.' Some people said t hat t he boy's name was Sham` un (Simeon), which also has a similar meaning. As t hat boy grew, Allah raised him t o be a right eous person. When he reached t he age of prophet hood, Allah revealed t o him and commanded him t o call (his people) t o Him and t o His Tawhid (Oneness). Shamwil called t he Children of Israel (t o Allah) and t hey asked him t o appoint a king over t hem so t hat t hey could fight t heir enemies under his command. The kingship had also ended among t hem. Their Prophet said t o t hem, "What if Allah appoint s a king over you, would you fulfill your vow t o fight under his command''

(They said, "Why should we not fight in Allah's way while we have been driven out of our homes and our children'') meaning, ` Aft er our land had been confiscat ed and our children had been t aken from us' Allah said:

(But when fight ing was ordered for t hem, t hey t urned away, all except a few of t hem. And Allah is All-Aware of t he wrongdoers) meaning, only a few of t hem kept t heir promise, but t he maj orit y abandoned Jihad and Allah has full knowledge of t hem.

(247. And t heir Prophet said t o t hem, "Indeed Allah has appoint ed Talut (Saul) as a king over you.'' They said, "How can he be a king over us when we are fit t er t han him for t he kingdom, and he has not been given enough wealt h.'' He said: "Verily, Allah has chosen him above you and has increased him abundant ly in knowledge and st at ure. And Allah grant s His kingdom t o whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creat ures' needs, All-Knower.'') When t he Israelit es asked t heir Prophet t o appoint a king over t hem, he appoint ed Talut (Saul), who was t hen a soldier. But , Talut was not a descendant of t he house of kings among t hem, which was exclusively in t he offspring of Yahudha (Judah). This is why t hey said:

(How can he be a king over us) meaning, how can he be t he king for us,

(when we are fit t er t han him for t he kingdom, and he has not been given enough wealt h) They said t hat Talut was also poor and did not have t he wealt h t hat j ust ifies him being king. Some people st at ed t hat Talut used t o bring wat er t o t he people, while ot hers st at ed t hat his profession was dyeing skins. The Jews, t hus, disput ed wit h t heir Prophet while t hey were supposed t o obey him and t o say good words t o him. Their Prophet answered t hem:

(Verily, Allah has chosen him above you) meaning, ` Allah chose Talut from amongst you while having bet t er knowledge about him.' Their Prophet st at ed, "I did not choose Talut t o be your king on my own. Rat her, Allah has commanded t hat upon your request .'' Furt her:

(...and has increased him abundant ly in knowledge and st at ure.) meaning, ` Talut is more knowledgeable and honorable t han you, and st ronger and more pat ient during combat , and has more knowledge of warfare. In short , he has more knowledge and is st ronger t han you are. The king should have sufficient knowledge, be fair looking and should have a st rong soul and body.' He t hen said:

(And Allah grant s His kingdom t o whom He wills.) meaning, Allah Alone is t he Supreme Aut horit y Who does what He wills and no one can ask Him about His act ions, while t hey will be asked (about t heir act ions by Him). This is because Allah has perfect knowledge, wisdom and kindness wit h His creat ion. Allah said:

(And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creat ures' needs, All-Knower.) meaning, His favor is encompassing and He grant s His mercy t o whom He wills. He also knows t hose who deserve t o be kings and t hose who do not deserve it .


b(248. And t heir Prophet said t o t hem: "Verily! The sign of His kingdom is t hat t here shall come t o you At -Tabut , wherein is Sakinah (peace and reassurance) from your Lord and a remnant of t hat which Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron) left behind, carried by t he angels. Verily, in t his is a sign for you if you are indeed believers.) Their Prophet t hen proclaimed, "The sign of t he blessings of Talut 's kingship over you is t hat Allah will give you back t he Tabut (wooden box) t hat has been t aken from you.'' Allah said:

(wherein is Sakinah from your Lord) meaning, peace (or grace) and reassurance. ` Abdur-Razzaq st at ed t hat Qat adah said:

(wherein is Sakinah) means grace. In addit ion, Ar-Rabi` said t hat Sakinah means mercy. This is also t he meaning given by Ibn ` Abbas, as Al-` Awfi narrat ed. Allah t hen said:

(...and a remnant of t hat which Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron) left behind,) Ibn Jarir relat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about t his Ayah:

(...and a remnant of t hat which Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron) left behind, ) Meaning, Moses' st aff and t he remnant s of t he Tablet s. This is t he same Tafsir of Qat adah, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and ` Ikrimah, who added, "And also t he Torah.'' ` Abdur-Razzaq said t hat he asked At hThawri about t he meaning of,

(...and a remnant of t hat which Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron) left behind,)

At h-Thawri said, "Some said t hat it cont ained a pot of manna and t he remnant s of t he Tablet s, while some ot hers said t hat it cont ained (Moses') st aff and t wo shoes (and refer t o 20:12).'' Allah t hen said:

(...carried by t he angels.) Ibn Jurayj st at ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The angels came down while carrying t he Tabut bet ween t he sky and t he eart h, unt il t hey placed it before Talut while t he people were wat ching.'' As-Suddi said, "The Tabut was brought t o Talut 's house, so t he people believed in t he prophet hood of Sham` un (Simeon) and obeyed Talut '' The Prophet t hen said:

(Verily, in t his is a sign for you) t est ifying t o my t rut h in what I was sent wit h, my prophet hood, and my command t o you t o obey Talut ,

(if you are indeed believers. ) in Allah and t he Hereaft er.''

"Rrgjim=)p,%30(raster

. ( ) - "Rrgkal=)p,%30(raster
(249. Then when Talut set out wit h t he army, he said: "Verily, Allah will t ry you by a river. So whoever drinks t hereof, he is not of me; and whoever t ast es it not , he is of me, except him who t akes (t hereof) in t he hollow of his hand.'' Yet , t hey drank t hereof, all, except a few of t hem. So when he had crossed it (t he river), he and t hose who believed wit h him, t hey said: "We have no power t his day against Jalut (Goliat h) and his host s.'' But t hose who knew wit h cert aint y t hat t hey were going t o meet Allah, said: "How oft en has a small group overcome a might y host by Allah's leave'' And Allah is wit h As-Sabirin (t he pat ient ).) Allah st at es t hat Talut , t he king of t he Children of Israel, marched fort h wit h his soldiers and t he Israelit es who obeyed him. His army was of eight y t housand t hen, according t o As-Suddi, but Allah knows best . Talut said:

(Verily, Allah will t ry you) meaning, He will t est you wit h a river, which flowed bet ween Jordan and Palest ine, i.e. , t he Shari` ah river, according t o Ibn ` Abbas and ot hers. He cont inued,

(So whoever drinks t hereof, he is not of me;) meaning, shall not accompany me t oday,

(and whoever t ast es it not , he is of me, except him who t akes (t hereof) in t he hollow of his hand.) meaning, t here is no harm in t his case. Allah t hen said:

(Yet , t hey drank t hereof, all, except a few of t hem.) Ibn Jurayj st at ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "Whoever t ook some of it (t he river's wat er) in t he hollow of his hand, quenched his t hirst ; as for t hose who drank freely from it , t heir t hirst was not quenched.'' Ibn Jarir report ed t hat Al-Bara' bin ` Azib said, "We used t o say t hat t he Companions of Muhammad who accompanied him on t he bat t le of Badr were more t han t hree hundred and t en, j ust as many as t he soldiers who crossed t he river wit h Talut . Only t hose who believed crossed t he river wit h him.'' Al-Bukhari also report ed t his.

This is why Allah said:

(So when he had crossed it (t he river), he and t hose who believed wit h him, t hey said: "We have no power t his day against Jalut (Goliat h) and his host s.'') This Ayah indicat es t hat t he Israelit es (who remained wit h Saul) t hought t hat t hey were few in t he face of t heir enemy who were many t hen. So, t heir knowledgeable scholars st rengt hened t heir resolve by st at ing t hat Allah's promise is t rue and t hat t riumph comes from Allah Alone, not from t he large numbers or t he adequacy of t he supplies. They said t o t hem:

("How oft en has a small group overcome a might y host by Allah's leave'' And Allah is wit h AsSabirin (t he pat ient ).)

- - V
(250. And when t hey advanced t o meet Jalut (Goliat h) and his forces, t hey invoked: "Our Lord! Pour fort h on us pat ience, and set firm our feet and make us vict orious over t he disbelieving

people.'') (251. So t hey rout ed t hem by Allah's leave and Dawud (David) killed Jalut (Goliat h), and Allah gave him (Dawud) t he kingdom aft er t he deat h of Talut and Samuel and Al-Hikmah (prophet hood), and t aught him of t hat which He willed. And if Allah did not check one set of people by means of anot her, t he eart h would indeed be full of mischief. But Allah is full of bount y t o t he ` Alamin (mankind, Jinn and all t hat exist s).) (252. These are t he verses of Allah, We recit e t hem t o you (O Muhammad ) in t rut h, and surely, you are one of t he Messengers (of Allah.) When t he fait hful part y, who were few under t he command of Talut , faced t heir enemy, who were many under t he command of Jalut ,

(t hey invoked: "Our Lord! Pour fort h on us pat ience...'') meaning, send down pat ience on us from You.

(and set firm our feet ) meaning, against t he enemy and save us from running away and from feebleness,

(and make us vict orious over t he disbelieving people.) Allah said:

(So t hey rout ed t hem by Allah's leave) meaning, t hey defeat ed and overwhelmed t hem by Allah's aid and support . Then,

(and Dawud killed Jalut ) Israelit e account s claimed t hat (Prophet ) David killed Goliat h wit h a slingshot t hat he had, which he launched at Goliat h causing his deat h. Talut promised t hat whoever killed Jalut , would marry his daught er and would share his kingship and aut horit y. He kept his promise. Lat er, t he kingship was t ransferred t o Prophet Dawud in addit ion t o being grant ed Prophet hood by Allah. So, Allah said:


(...and Allah gave him (Dawud) t he kingdom) t hat Talut had and,

(and Al-Hikmah) t hat comes wit h t he prophet hood, meaning, aft er Shamwil. Allah t hen said:

(and t aught him of t hat which He willed.) meaning, what He willed of t he knowledge t hat He best owed on (Prophet ) Dawud. Next , Allah said:

(And if Allah did not check one set of people by means of anot her, t he eart h would indeed be full of mischief.) This Ayah indicat es t hat if it were not for t he fact t hat Allah checks one set of people wit h anot her, such as when Talut and t he bravery of Dawud helped t he Children of Israel (against Goliat h), t hen people would have perished. Similarly, Allah said:

(For had it not been t hat Allah checks one set of people by means of anot her, monast eries, churches, synagogues, and Masj ids, wherein t he Name of Allah is ment ioned much, would surely, have been pulled down.) (22:40) Allah t hen said:


(But Allah is full of bount y t o t he ` Alamin (mankind, Jinn and all t hat exist s)) meaning, by His mercy and favor He fixes some of t hem by some ot hers. Surely, Allah has t he wisdom, t he supreme aut horit y and t he clear proof against His creat ion in all of His act ions and st at ement s. Allah said:

(These are t he verses of Allah, We recit e t hem t o you (O Muhammad ) in t rut h, and surely, you are one of t he Messengers (of Allah).) This Ayah st at es, ` These Ayat (verses) of Allah t hat We have narrat ed for you in t rut h conform t o t he exact manner t hat t hese st ories have occurred and t o t he t rut h t hat st ill remain in t he (Divine) Books t hat t he scholars of t he Children of Israel have and know. Allah said: O Muhammad,

(you are)

(one of t he Messengers (of Allah)) emphat ically st at ing t he t rut h of his prophet hood


(253. Those Messengers! We preferred some of t hem t o ot hers; t o some of t hem Allah spoke (direct ly); ot hers He raised t o degrees (of honor); and t o ` Isa, t he son of Maryam, We gave clear proofs and evidences, and support ed him wit h Ruh-il-Qudus Jibril . If Allah had willed, succeeding generat ions would not have fought against each ot her, aft er clear Verses of Allah had come t o t hem, but t hey differed some of t hem believed and ot hers disbelieved. If Allah had willed, t hey would not have fought against one anot her, but Allah does what He wills.)

Allah Honored Some Prophets Above Others

Allah st at es t hat He has honored some Prophet s t o ot hers. For inst ance, Allah said,

(And indeed, We have preferred some of t he Prophet s above ot hers, and t o Dawud We gave t he Zabur (Psalms)) 17:55 . In t he Ayah above, Allah said,

(Those Messengers! We preferred some of t hem t o ot hers; t o some of t hem Allah spoke (direct ly)) meaning, Musa and Muhammad , and also Adam according t o a Hadit h recorded in Sahih Ibn Hibban from Abu Dharr.

(Ot hers He raised t o degrees (of honor)) as is evident in t he Hadit h about t he Isra' j ourney, when t he Messenger of Allah saw t he Prophet s in t he various heavens according t o t heir rank wit h Allah. If somebody asks about t he collect ive meaning of t his Ayah and t he Hadit h t hat t he Two Sahihs collect ed from Abu Hurayrah which st at es, "Once, a Muslim man and a Jew had an argument and t he Jew said, ` No, by Him Who gave Musa superiorit y over all human beings!' Hearing him,

t he Muslim man raised his hand and slapped t he Jew on his face and said, ` Over Muhammad t oo, O evil one!' The Jew went t o t he Prophet and complained t o him and t he Prophet said,

(Don't give me superiorit y above t he Prophet s, for t he people will become unconscious on t he Day of Resurrect ion, and I will be t he first t o be resurrect ed t o see Musa holding on t o t he pillar of Allah's Throne. I will not know whet her t he unconsciousness Musa suffered on t he Day of t he Trumpet sufficed for him, or if he got up before me. So, do not give me superiorit y above t he Prophet s.) In anot her narrat ion, t he Prophet said, (Do not give superiorit y t o some Prophet s above ot hers.) The answer t o t his quest ion is t hat t his Hadit h prohibit s preferring some Prophet s above ot hers in cases of disput e and argument , such as t he incident ment ioned in t he Hadit h. The Hadit h indicat es t hat it is not up t o creat ion t o decide which Prophet is bet t er, for t his is Allah's decision. The creat ion is only required t o submit t o, obey and believe in Allah's decision. Allah's st at ement ,

(And We gave ` Isa, t he son of Maryam, clear signs) refers t o t he proofs and unequivocal evidences t hat t est ify t o t he t rut h t hat ` Isa delivered t o t he Children of Israel, t hus t est ifying t hat he was Allah's servant and His Messenger t o t hem.

(And support ed him wit h Ruh-il-Qudus) meaning Allah aided ` Isa wit h Jibil, peace be upon him. Allah t hen said,


(If Allah had willed, succeeding generat ions would not have fought against each ot her, aft er clear Verses of Allah had come t o t hem, but t hey differed some of t hem believed and ot hers disbelieved. If Allah had willed, t hey would not have fought against one anot her.) meaning all t his happened by Allah's decree, and t his is why He said next ,

(But Allah does what He wills.)

(254. O you who believe! Spend of t hat wit h which We have provided for you, before a Day comes when t here will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor int ercession. And it is t he disbelievers who are t he wrongdoers.) Allah commands His servant s t o spend for His sake, in t he pat h of right eousness, from what He has grant ed t hem, so t hat t hey acquire and keep t he reward of t his right eous deed wit h t heir Lord and King. Let t hem rush t o perform t his deed in t his life,

(before a Day comes) meaning, t he Day of Resurrect ion,

(when t here will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor int ercession.)

This Ayah indicat es t hat on t hat Day, no one will be able t o bargain on behalf of himself or ransom himself wit h any amount , even if it was t he eart h's fill of gold; nor will his friendship or relat ion t o anyone benefit him. Similarly, Allah said,

(Then, when t he Trumpet is blown, t here will be no kinship among t hem t hat Day, nor will t hey ask of one anot her) 23:101 .

(Nor int ercession) meaning, t hey will not benefit by t he int ercession of anyone. Allah's st at ement ,

(and it is t he disbelievers who are t he wrongdoers) indicat es t hat no inj ust ice is worse t han meet ing Allah on t hat Day while a disbeliever. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat ` At a' bin Dinar said, "All t hanks are due t o Allah Who said,

(and it is t he disbelievers who are t he wrongdoers) but did not say, ` And it is t he wrongdoers who are t he disbelievers.'''


(255. Allah! None has t he right t o be worshipped but He, t he Ever Living, t he One Who sust ains and prot ect s all t hat exist s. Neit her slumber nor sleep overt akes Him. To Him belongs what ever is in t he heavens and what ever is on t he eart h. Who is he t hat can int ercede wit h Him except wit h His permission He knows what happens t o t hem (His creat ures) in t his world, and what will happen t o t hem in t he Hereaft er. And t hey will never compass anyt hing of His Knowledge except t hat which He wills. His Kursi ext ends over t he heavens and t he eart h, and He feels no fat igue in guarding and preserving t hem. And He is t he Most High, t he Most Great .)

The Virtue of Ayat Al-Kursi

This is Ayat Al-Kursi and t remendous virt ues have been associat ed wit h it , for t he aut hent ic Hadit h describes it as ` t he great est Ayah in t he Book of Allah.' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Ubayy bin Ka` b said t hat t he Prophet asked him about t he great est Ayah in t he Book of Allah, and ` Ubayy answered, "Allah and His Messenger know bet t er.'' When t he Prophet repeat ed his quest ion several t imes, ` Ubayy said, "Ayat Al-Kursi.'' The Prophet comment ed,

(Congrat ulat ions for having knowledge, O Abu Al-Mundhir! By He in Whose Hand is my soul! This Ayah has a t ongue and t wo lips wit h which she praises t he King (Allah) next t o t he leg of t he Throne.) This Hadit h was also collect ed by Muslim, but he did not include t he part t hat st art s wit h, "By He in Whose Hand...'' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Ayyub said t hat he had some dat es and a Ghoul used t o t ake some, and he complained t o t he Prophet . The Prophet said t o him, "When you see her, say, ` In t he Name of Allah, answer t o t he Messenger of Allah'.'' Abu Ayyub said t hat when she came again, he said t hese words and he was able t o grab her. She begged, "I will not come again,'' so Abu Ayyub released her. Abu Ayyub went t o t he Prophet and t he Prophet asked him, "What did your prisoner do'' Abu Ayyub said, "I grabbed her and she said t wice, ` I will not come again,' and I released her.'' The Prophet said, "She will come back.'' Abu Ayyub said, "So I grabbed her t wice or t hree t imes, yet each t ime I would release her when she vowed not t o come back. I would go t o t he Prophet who would ask me, ` What is t he news of your prisoner' I would say, ` I grabbed her, t hen released her when she said t hat she would not ret urn.' The Prophet would say t hat she would ret urn. Once, I grabbed her and she said, ` Release me and I will t each you somet hing t o recit e so t hat no harm t ouches you, t hat is, Ayat Al-Kursi.' Abu Ayyub went t o t he Prophet and t old him, and t he Prophet said, "She is liar, but she t old t he t rut h.'' At -Tirmidhi

recorded t his Hadit h in t he chapt er of t he virt ues of t he Qur'an and said, "Hasan Gharib.'' In Arabic, ` Ghoul' refers t o t he Jinn when t hey appear at night . Al-Bukhari recorded a similar st ory in his Sahih from Abu Hurayrah, in t he chapt ers on t he virt ues of t he Qur'an and t he descript ion of Shayt an. In t his narrat ion, Abu Hurayrah said, "Allah's Messenger assigned me t o keep wat ch over t he Sadaqah (charit y) of Ramadan. A person snuck in and st art ed t aking handfuls of foodst uff. I caught him and said, ` By Allah, I will t ake you t o Allah's Messenger.' He said, ` Release me, for I am meek and have many dependent s and am in great need.' I released him, and in t he morning Allah's Messenger asked me, ` What did your prisoner do yest erday, O Abu Hurayrah' I said, ` O Allah's Messenger! He complained of being needy and of having many dependent s, so I pit ied him and let him go.' Allah's Messenger said, ` Indeed, he t old you a lie and will be coming again.' I believed t hat he would show up again, for Allah's Messenger had t old me t hat he would ret urn. So, I wat ched for him. When he (showed up and) st art ed st ealing handfuls of foodst uff, I caught hold of him again and said, ` I will definit ely t ake you t o Allah's Messenger.' He said, ` Leave me, for I am very needy and have many dependent s. I promise I will not come back again.' I pit ied him and let him go. In t he morning Allah's Messenger asked me, ` What did your prisoner do last night , O Abu Hurayrah!' I replied, ` O Allah's Messenger! He complained of his great need and of t oo many dependent s, so I t ook pit y on him and set him free.' Allah's Messenger said, ` Verily, he t old you a lie; he will ret urn.' I wait ed for him at t ent ively for t he t hird t ime, and when he (came and) st art ed st ealing handfuls of t he foodst uff, I caught hold of him and said, ` I will surely t ake you t o Allah's Messenger as it is t he t hird t ime you promised not t o ret urn, yet you ret urned.' He said, ` Let me t each you some words which Allah will give you benefit from.' I asked, ` What are t hey' He replied, ` Whenever you go t o bed, recit e Ayat Al-Kursi- Allahu la ilaha illa Huwal-HayyulQayyum, t ill you finish t he whole verse. (If you do so), Allah will appoint a guard for you who will st ay wit h you, and no Shayt an will come near you unt il morning.' So, I released him. In t he morning, Allah's Messenger asked, ` What did your prisoner do yest erday' I replied, ` O Allah's Messenger! He claimed t hat he would t each me some words by which Allah will grant me some benefit , so I let him go.' Allah's Messenger asked, ` What are t hey' I replied, ` He said t o me: Whenever you go t o bed, recit e Ayat Al-Kursi from t he beginning t o t he end, Allahu la ilaha illa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyum. He furt her said t o me: (If you do so), Allah will appoint a guard for you who will st ay wit h you, and no Shayt an will come near you unt il morning.' (One of t he narrat ors) t hen comment ed t hat t hey (t he Companions) were very keen t o do good deeds. The Prophet said, ` He spoke t he t rut h, alt hough he is a liar. Do you know whom you were t alking t o, t hese t hree night s, O Abu Hurayrah' Abu Hurayrah said, ` No.' He said, ` It was Shayt an.''' AnNasa'i also recorded t his Hadit h in Al-Yawm wa Al-Laylah.

Allah's Greatest Name is in Ayat Al-Kursi

Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Asma' bint Yazid bin As-Sakan said, "I heard t he Messenger of Allah say about t hese t wo Ayat ,

(Allah! None has t he right t o be worshipped but He, t he Ever Living, t he One Who sust ains and prot ect s all t hat exist s) 2:255 , and,

(Alif-Lam-Mim. Allah! None has t he right t o be worshipped but He, t he Ever Living, t he One Who sust ains and prot ect s all t hat exist s) 3:1-2 ,

(They cont ain Allah's Great est Name.) This is also t he narrat ion collect ed by Abu Dawud, At -Tirmidhi and Ibn Maj ah, and At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih''. Furt her, Ibn Marduwyah recorded t hat Abu Umamah report ed t hat t he Prophet said,

:
(Allah's Great est Name, if He was supplicat ed wit h it , He answers t he supplicat ion, is in t hree Surahs - Al-Baqarah, Al ` Imran and Ta-Ha.) Hisham bin ` Ammar, t he Khat ib (orat or) of Damascus (one of t he narrat ors in t he above narrat ion), said, "As for Al-Baqarah, it is in,

(Allah! None has t he right t o be worshipped but He, t he Ever Living, t he One Who sust ains and prot ect s all t hat exist s) 2:255 ; in Al ` Imran, it is in,

-
(Alif-Lam-Mim. Allah! None has t he right t o be worshipped but He, t he Ever Living, t he One Who sust ains and prot ect s all t hat exist s) 3:1-2 , while in Ta-Ha, it is in,

(And (all) faces shall be humbled before (Allah), t he Ever Living, t he One Who sust ains and prot ect s all t hat exist s) 20:111 .''

Ayat Al-Kursi has Ten Complete Arabic Sentences 1. Allah's statement,


(Allah! None has t he right t o be worshipped but He) ment ions t hat Allah is t he One and Only Lord of all creat ion. 2. Allah's st at ement ,

(Al-Hayyul-Qayyum) t est ifies t hat Allah is t he Ever Living, Who never dies, Who sust ains everyone and everyt hing. All creat ion st ands in need of Allah and t ot ally relies on Him, while He is t he Most Rich, Who st ands in need of not hing creat ed. Similarly, Allah said,

(And among His signs is t hat t he heaven and t he eart h st and by His command) Allah's st at ement , 30:25 . 3.

(Neit her slumber nor sleep overt akes Him) means, no short coming, unawareness or ignorance ever t ouches Allah. Rat her, He is aware of, and cont rols what every soul earns, has perfect wat ch over everyt hing, not hing escapes His knowledge, and no secret mat t er is secret t o Him. Among His perfect at t ribut es, is t he fact t hat He is never effect ed by slumber or sleep. Therefore, Allah's st at ement ,

(Neit her slumber overt akes Him) indicat es t hat no unawareness due t o slumber ever overt akes Allah. Allah said aft erwards,

(nor sleep), which is st ronger t han slumber. It is recorded in t he Sahih t hat Abu Musa said, "The Messenger of Allah delivered a speech regarding four words:


(Allah does not sleep, and it does not befit His maj est y t hat He sleeps. He lowers t he scales and raises t hem. The deeds of t he day are resurrect ed in front of Him before t he deeds of t he night , and t he deeds of t he night before t he deeds of t he day. His Veil is light , or fire, and if He removes it , t he rays from His Face would burn what ever His sight reaches of His creat ion.) 4. Allah's st at ement ,

(To Him belongs what ever is in t he heavens and what ever is on t he eart h) indicat es t hat everyone is a servant for Allah, a part of His kingdom and under His power and aut horit y. Similarly, Allah said,

- -
(There is none in t he heavens and t he eart h but comes unt o t he Most Gracious (Allah) as a servant . Verily, He knows each one of t hem, and has count ed t hem a full count ing. And everyone of t hem will come t o Him alone on t he Day of Resurrect ion (wit hout any helper, or prot ect or or defender)) 19:93-95 . 5. Allah's st at ement ,

(Who is he t hat can int ercede wit h Him except wit h His permission) is similar t o His st at ement s,


(And t here are many angels in t he heavens, whose int ercession will avail not hing except aft er Allah has given leave for whom He wills and is pleased wit h) 53:26 , and,

(They cannot int ercede except for him wit h whom He is pleased) 21:28 . These Ayat assert Allah's great ness, pride, and grace, and t hat no one dares t o int ercede wit h Him on behalf of anyone else, except by His permission. Indeed, t he Hadit h about t he int ercession, st at es t hat t he Prophet said,

: . :
(I will st and under t he Throne and fall in prost rat ion, and Allah will allow me t o remain in t hat posit ion as much as He wills. I will t hereaft er be t old, "Raise your head, speak and you will be heard, int ercede and your int ercession will be accept ed''. The Prophet t hen said, "He will allow me a proport ion whom I will ent er int o Paradise.'') 6. Allah's st at ement ,

(He knows what happens t o t hem (His creat ures) in t his world, and what will happen t o t hem in t he Hereaft er) t his refers t o His perfect knowledge of all creat ion; it s past , present and fut ure. Similarly, Allah said t hat t he angels proclaimed;


(And we (angels) descend not except by t he command of your Lord (O Muhammad ). To Him belongs what is before us and what is behind us, and what is bet ween t hose t wo; and your Lord is never forget ful) 19:64 . 7. Allah's st at ement ,

(And t hey will never compass anyt hing of His Knowledge except t hat which He wills), assert s t he fact t hat no one at t ains any part of Allah's knowledge except what Allah conveys and allows. This part of t he Ayah indicat es t hat no one ever acquires knowledge of Allah and in His At t ribut es, except what He conveys t o t hem. For inst ance, Allah said,

(But t hey will never compass anyt hing of His knowledge) 20: 110 . 8. Allah said,

(His Kursi ext ends over t he heavens and t he eart h.) Waki` narrat ed in his Tafsir t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Kursi is t he foot st ool, and no one is able t o give due considerat ion t o Allah's Throne.'' Al-Hakim recorded t his Hadit h in his Must adrak from Ibn ` Abbas, who did not relat e it t o t he Prophet . Al-Hakim said, "It is Sahih according t o t he crit eria of t he Two Sahihs, and t hey (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it .'' In addit ion, Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "If t he seven heavens and t he seven eart hs were flat t ened and laid side by side, t hey would add up t o t he size of a ring in a desert , compared t o t he Kursi.'' 9. Allah said,

(And He feels no fat igue in guarding and preserving t hem) meaning, it does not burden or cause Him fat igue t o prot ect t he heavens and eart h and all t hat is in bet ween t hem. Rat her, t his is an easy mat t er for Him. Furt her, Allah sust ains everyt hing, has perfect wat ch over everyt hing, not hing ever escapes His knowledge and no mat t er is ever a secret t o Him. All mat t ers are insignificant , modest and humble before Him. He is t he Most Rich, wort hy of all praise. He does what He wills, and no one can ask Him about what He does, while t hey will be asked. He has supreme power over all t hings and perfect alert ness concerning everyt hing. He is t he Most High, t he Great est , t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Him, and no Lord ot her t han Him.

10. Allah's st at ement ,

(And He is t he Most High, t he Most Great ) is similar t o His st at ement ,

(t he Most Great , t he Most High) 13:9 . These and similar Ayat and aut hent ic Hadit hs about Allah's At t ribut es must be t reat ed t he way t he Salaf (right eous ancest ors) t reat ed t hem by accept ing t heir apparent meanings wit hout equat ing t hem wit h t he at t ribut es of t he creat ion or alt ering t heir apparent meanings.

(256. There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, t he right pat h has become dist inct from t he wrong pat h. Whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah, t hen he has grasped t he most t rust wort hy handhold t hat will never break. And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.)

No Compulsion in Religion
Allah said,

(There is no compulsion in religion), meaning, "Do not force anyone t o become Muslim, for Islam is plain and clear, and it s proofs and evidence are plain and clear. Therefore, t here is no need t o force anyone t o embrace Islam. Rat her, whoever Allah direct s t o Islam, opens his heart for it and enlight ens his mind, will embrace Islam wit h cert aint y. Whoever Allah blinds his heart and seals his hearing and sight , t hen he will not benefit from being forced t o embrace Islam.''

It was report ed t hat t he Ansar were t he reason behind revealing t his Ayah, alt hough it s indicat ion is general in meaning. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat before Islam , "When (an Ansar) woman would not bear children who would live, she would vow t hat if she gives birt h t o a child who remains alive, she would raise him as a Jew. When Banu An-Nadir (t he Jewish t ribe) were evacuat ed from Al-Madinah , some of t he children of t he Ansar were being raised among t hem, and t he Ansar said, ` We will not abandon our children.' Allah revealed,

(There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, t he right pat h has become dist inct from t he wrong pat h.)'' Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i also recorded t his Hadit h. As for t he Hadit h t hat Imam Ahmad recorded, in which Anas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said t o a man,

: :

("Embrace Islam.'' The man said, "I dislike it .'' The Prophet said, "Even if you dislike it .'') First , t his is an aut hent ic Hadit h, wit h only t hree narrat ors bet ween Imam Ahmad and t he Prophet . However, it is not relevant t o t he subj ect under discussion, for t he Prophet did not force t hat man t o become Muslim. The Prophet merely invit ed t his man t o become Muslim, and he replied t hat he does not find himself eager t o become Muslim. The Prophet said t o t he man t hat even t hough he dislikes embracing Islam, he should st ill embrace it , ` for Allah will grant you sincerit y and t rue int ent .'

Tawhid is the Most Trustworthy Handhold

Allah's st at ement ,

(Whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah, t hen he has grasped t he most t rust wort hy handhold t hat will never break. And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower) is in reference t o,

"Whoever shuns t he rivals of Allah, t he idols, and t hose t hat Shayt an calls t o be worshipped besides Allah, whoever believes in Allah's Oneness, worships Him alone and t est ifies t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Him, t hen

(t hen he has grasped t he most t rust wort hy handhold.) Therefore, t his person will have acquired firmness in t he religion and proceeded on t he correct way and t he st raight pat h. Abu Al-Qasim Al-Baghawi recorded t hat ` Umar said, "Jibt means magic, and Taghut means Shayt an. Verily, courage and cowardice are t wo inst inct s t hat appear in men, t he courageous fight s for t hose whom he does not know and t he coward runs away from defending his own mot her. Man's honor resides wit h his religion and his st at us is based upon his charact er, even if he was Persian or Nabat ian.'' ` Umar's st at ement t hat Taghut is Shayt an is very sound, for t his meaning includes every t ype of evil t hat t he ignorant people of Jahiliyyah (pre Islamic era of ignorace) fell int o, such as worshipping idols, referring t o t hem for j udgement , and invoking t hem for vict ory. Allah's st at ement ,

(t hen he has grasped t he most t rust wort hy handhold t hat will never break) means, "He will have hold of t he t rue religion wit h t he st rongest grasp.'' Allah equat ed t his adherence t o t he firm handhold t hat never breaks because it is built solid and because it s handle is firmly connect ed. This is why Allah said here,

(t hen he has grasped t he most t rust wort hy handhold t hat will never break.) Muj ahid said, "The most t rust wort hy handhold is Iman (fait h).'' As-Suddi said t hat it refers t o Islam. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Qays bin ` Abbad said, "I was in t he Masj id when a man whose face showed signs of humbleness came and prayed t wo Rak` ahs t hat were modest in lengt h. The people said, ` This is a man from among t he people of Paradise.' When he left , I followed him unt il he ent ered his house, and I ent ered it aft er him and spoke wit h him. When he felt at ease, I said t o him, ` When you ent ered t he Masj id, t he people said such and such t hings.' He said, ` All praise is due t o Allah! No one should say what he has no knowledge of. I will t ell you why t hey said t hat . I saw a vision during t he t ime of t he Messenger of Allah, and I narrat ed it t o him. I saw t hat I was in a green garden, ' and he described t he garden's plant s and spaciousness, ` and t here was an iron pole in t he middle of t he garden affixed in t he eart h and it s t ip reached t he sky. On it s t ip, t here was a handle, and I was t old t o ascend t he pole. I said, ` I cannot .' Then a helper came and raised my robe from behind and said t o me, ` Ascend.' I ascended unt il I grasped t he handle and he said t o me, ` Hold on t o t he handle.' I awoke from t hat dream wit h t he handle in my hand. I went t o t he Messenger of Allah and t old him about t he vision and he said,


(As for t he garden, it represent s Islam; as for t he pole, it represent s t he pillar of Islam; and t he handle represent s t he most t rust wort hy handhold. You shall remain Muslim unt il you die.) This Companion was ` Abdullah bin Salam.'' This Hadit h was also collect ed in t he Two Sahihs; and Al-Bukhari also recorded it wit h anot her chain of narrat ion.

(257. Allah is t he Wali (Prot ect or or Guardian) of t hose who believe. He brings t hem out from darknesses int o light . But as for t hose who disbelieve, t heir Awliya' (support ers and helpers) are Taghut (false deit ies and false leaders), t hey bring t hem out from light int o darknesses. Those are t he dwellers of t he Fire, and t hey will abide t herein forever.) Allah st at ed t hat whoever follows what pleases Him, He will guide him t o t he pat hs of peace, t hat is Islam, or Paradise. Verily, Allah delivers His believing servant s from t he darkness of disbelief, doubt and hesit at ion, t o t he light of t he plain, clear, explained, easy and unequivocal t rut h. He also st at ed t hat Shayt an is t he support er of t he disbelievers who beaut ifies t he pat hs of ignorance and misguidance t hat t hey follow, t hus causing t hem t o deviat e from t he t rue pat h int o disbelief and wickedness.

(Those are t he dwellers of t he Fire, and t hey will abide t herein forever.) This is why Allah ment ioned t he light in t he singular while ment ioned t he darkness in t he plural, because t rut h is one, while disbelief comes as several t ypes, all of which are false. Similarly, Allah said,


(And verily, t his is my st raight pat h, so follow it , and follow not (ot her) pat hs, for t hey will separat e you away from His pat h. This He has ordained for you t hat you may have Taqwa) 6:153 ,

(And originat ed t he darknesses and t he light ) 6:1 , and,

(t o t he right and t o t he left s) 16: 48 . There are many ot her Ayat on t he subj ect t hat ment ion t he t rut h in t he singular and falsehood in t he plural, because of falsehood's many divisions and branches.

(258. Have you not looked at him who disput ed wit h Ibrahim about his Lord (Allah), because Allah had given him t he kingdom When Ibrahim said (t o him): "My Lord is He Who gives life and causes deat h.'' He said, "I give life and cause deat h.'' Ibrahim said, "Verily, Allah brings t he sun from t he east ; t hen bring it you from t he west .'' So t he disbeliever was ut t erly defeat ed. And Allah guides not t he people, who are wrongdoers.)

The Debate Between Ibrahim Al-Khalil and King Nimrod

The king who disput ed wit h Ibrahim was King Nimrod, son of Canaan, son of Kush, son of Sam, son of Noah, as Muj ahid st at ed. It was also said t hat he was Nimrod, son of Falikh, son of ` Abir, son of Shalikh, son of Arfakhshand, son of Sam, son of Noah. Muj ahid said, "The kings who ruled t he east ern and west ern part s of t he world are four, t wo believers and t wo disbelievers. As for t he t wo believing kings, t hey were Sulayman bin Dawud and Dhul-Qarnayn. As for t he t wo disbelieving kings, t hey were Nimrod and Nebuchadnezzar.'' Allah knows best . Allah said,

(Have you not looked) meaning, "Wit h your heart , O Muhammad!''

(at him who disput ed wit h Ibrahim about his Lord) meaning, about t he exist ence of Allah. Nimrod denied t he exist ence of a god ot her t han himself, as he claimed, j ust as Fir` awn said lat er t o his people,

(I know not t hat you have a god ot her t han me) 28:38 . What made Nimrod commit t his t ransgression, ut t er disbelief and arrant rebellion was his t yranny and t he fact t hat he ruled for a long t ime. This is why t he Ayah cont inued,

(Because Allah had given him t he kingdom. ) It appears t hat Nimrod asked Ibrahim t o produce proof t hat Allah exist s. Ibrahim replied,

(My Lord is He Who gives life and causes deat h) meaning, "The proof of Allah's exist ence is t he creat ions t hat exist aft er t hey were not hing and perish aft er t hey had exist ed. This only proves t he exist ence of t he Creat or, Who does what He wills, for t hese t hings could not have occurred on t heir own wit hout a Creat or who creat ed t hem, and He is t he Lord t hat I call t o for worship, Alone wit hout a part ner.'' This is when Nimrod said,


(I give life and cause deat h.) Qat adah, Muhammad bin Ishaq and As-Suddi said t hat he meant , "Two men who deserved execut ion were t o be brought before me, and I would command t hat one of t hem be killed, and he would be killed. I would command t hat t he second man be pardoned, and he would be pardoned. This is how I bring life and deat h.'' However, it appears t hat since Nimrod did not deny t he exist ence of a Creat or, his st at ement did not mean what Qat adah said it meant . This explanat ion does not provide an answer t o what Ibrahim said. Nimrod arrogant ly and defiant ly claimed t hat he was t he creat or and pret ended t hat it was he who brings life and deat h. Lat er on, Fir` awn imit at ed him and announced,

(I know not t hat you have a god ot her t han me) 28: 38 . This is why Ibrahim said t o Nimrod,

(Verily, Allah brings t he sun from t he east ; t hen bring it you from t he west .) This Ayah means, "You claim t hat it is you who brings life and deat h. He who brings life and deat h cont rols t he exist ence and creat es what ever is in it , including cont rolling it s planet s and t heir movement s. For inst ance, t he sun rises everyday from t he east . Therefore, if you were god, as you claimed, bringing life and deat h, t hen bring t he sun from t he west .'' Since t he king was aware of his weakness, inadequacy and t hat he was not able t o reply t o Ibrahim's request , he was idle, silent and unable t o comment . Therefore, t he proof was est ablished against him. Allah said,

(And Allah guides not t he people, who are wrongdoers) meaning, Allah deprives t he unj ust people of any valid proof or argument . Furt hermore, t heir false proof and argument s are annulled by t heir Lord, and t hey have earned His anger and will suffer severe t orment . The meaning t hat we provided is bet t er t han t he meaning t hat some philosophers offered, claiming t hat Ibrahim used t he second argument because it was clearer t han t he first one. Rat her, our explanat ion assert s t hat Ibrahim refut ed bot h claims of Nimrod, all praise is due t o Allah.

As-Suddi st at ed t hat t he debat e bet ween Ibrahim and Nimrod occurred aft er Ibrahim was t hrown in t he fire, for Ibrahim did not meet t he king before t hat day.

(259. Or like t he one who passed by a t own in ruin up t o it s roofs. He said: "How will Allah ever bring it t o life aft er it s deat h'' So Allah caused him t o die for a hundred years, t hen raised him up (again). He said: "How long did you remain (dead)'' He (t he man) said: "(Perhaps) I remained (dead) a day or part of a day.'' He said: "Nay, you have remained (dead) for a hundred years, look at your food and your drink, t hey show no change; and look at your donkey! And t hus We have made of you a sign for t he people. Look at t he bones, how We bring t hem t oget her and clot he t hem wit h flesh.'' When t his was clearly shown t o him, he said, "I know (now) t hat Allah is able t o do all t hings.'')

The Story of ` Uzayr

Allah's st at ement ,

(Have you not looked at him who disput ed wit h Ibrahim about his Lord) means, "Have you seen anyone like t he person who disput ed wit h Ibrahim about his Lord'' Then, Allah connect ed t he Ayah,


(Or like t he one who passed by a t own in ruin up t o it s roofs) t o t he Ayah above by using ` or'. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat ` Ali bin Abi Talib said t hat t he Ayah 2:259 meant ` Uzayr. Ibn Jarir also report ed it , and t his explanat ion was also report ed by Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hat im from Ibn ` Abbas, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, As-Suddi and Sulayman bin Buraydah. Muj ahid bin Jabr said t hat t he Ayah refers t o a man from t he Children of Israel, and t he village was Jerusalem, aft er Nebuchadnezzar dest royed it and killed it s people.

(in ruin) means, it became empt y of people. Allah's st at ement ,

(up t o it s roofs) indicat es t hat t he roofs and walls (of t he village) fell t o t he ground. ` Uzayr st ood cont emplat ing about what had happened t o t hat cit y, aft er a great civilizat ion used t o inhabit it . He said,

(Oh! How will Allah ever bring it t o life aft er it s deat h) because of t he ut t er dest ruct ion he saw and t he implausibilit y of it s ret urning t o what it used t o be. Allah said,

(So Allah caused him t o die for a hundred years, t hen raised him up (again).) The cit y was rebuilt sevent y years aft er t he man (` Uzayr) died, and it s inhabit ant s increased and t he Children of Israel moved back t o it . When Allah resurrect ed ` Uzayr aft er he died, t he first organ t hat He resurrect ed were his eyes, so t hat he could wit ness what Allah does wit h him, how He brings life back t o his body. When his resurrect ion was complet e, Allah said t o him, meaning t hrough t he angel,

("How long did you remain (dead)'' He (t he man) said: "(Perhaps) I remained (dead) a day or part of a day.'') The scholars said t hat since t he man died in t he early part of t he day and Allah resurrect ed him in t he lat t er part of t he day, when he saw t hat t he sun was st ill apparent , he t hought t hat it was t he sun of t hat very day. He said,

("Or part of a day. '' He said: "Nay, you have remained (dead) for a hundred years, look at your food and your drink, t hey show no change.'') He had grapes, figs and j uice, and he found t hem as he left t hem; neit her did t he j uice spoil nor t he figs become bit t er nor t he grapes rot .

(And look at your donkey!), "How Allah brings it back t o life while you are wat ching.''

(And t hus We have made of you a sign for t he people) t hat Resurrect ion occurs.

(Look at t he bones, how We Nunshizuha) meaning, collect t hem and put t hem back t oget her. In his Must adrak, Al-Hakim, recorded t hat Kharij ah bin Zayd bin Thabit said t hat his fat her said t hat t he Messenger of Allah read t his Ayah,

(how We Nunshizuha.) Al-Hakim said; "It s chain is Sahih and t hey (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it .'' The Ayah was also read, ( )

"Nunshiruha'' meaning, bring t hem back t o life, as Muj ahid st at ed.


(And clot he t hem wit h flesh. ) As-Suddi said, " ` Uzayr observed t he bones of his donkey, which were scat t ered all around him t o his right and left , and Allah sent a wind t hat collect ed t he bones from all over t he area. Allah t hen brought every bone t o it s place, unt il t hey formed a full donkey made of fleshless bones. Allah t hen covered t hese bones wit h flesh, nerves, veins and skin. Allah sent an angel who blew life in t he donkeys' nost rils, and t he donkey st art ed t o bray by Allah's leave.'' All t his occurred while ` Uzayr was wat ching, and t his is when he proclaimed,

(He said, "I know (now) t hat Allah is able t o do all t hings,'') meaning, "I know t hat , and I did wit ness it wit h my own eyes. Therefore, I am t he most knowledgeable in t his mat t er among t he people of my t ime.''

(260. And (remember) when Ibrahim said, "My Lord! Show me how You give life t o t he dead.'' He (Allah) said: "Do you not believe'' He (Ibrahim) said: "Yes (I believe), but t o be st ronger in fait h.'' He said: "Take four birds, t hen cause t hem t o incline t owards you (t hen slaught er t hem, cut t hem int o pieces), and t hen put a port ion of t hem on every hill, and call t hem, t hey will come t o you in hast e. And know t hat Allah is All-Might y, All-Wise.'')

The Khalil Supplicates to Allah to Show Him How He Resurrects the Dead
The scholars said t hat t here are reasons behind t his request by Ibrahim. For inst ance, when Ibrahim said t o Nimrod,

e(My Lord (Allah) is He Who gives life and causes deat h,) he want ed t o solidify his knowledge about resurrect ion by act ually wit nessing it wit h his eyes. Prophet Ibrahim said,

("My Lord! Show me how You give life t o t he dead.'' He (Allah) said: "Do you not believe'' He (Ibrahim) said: "Yes (I believe), but t o be st ronger in fait h.'') Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(We are more liable t o be in doubt t han Ibrahim when he said, "My Lord! Show me how You give life t o t he dead.'' Allah said, "Don't you believe'' Ibrahim said, "Yes (I believe), but (I ask) in order t o be st ronger in fait h.'') The Prophet 's st at ement in t he Hadit h means, "We are more liable t o seek cert aint y.''

The Answer to Al-Khalil's Request

Allah said,

(He said: "Take four birds, t hen cause t hem t o incline t owards you.'') Scholars of Tafsir disagreed over t he t ype of birds ment ioned here, alt hough t his mat t er in not relevant due t o t he fact t hat t he Qur'an did not ment ion it . Allah's st at ement ,

(cause t hem t o incline t owards you) means, cut t hem t o pieces. This is t he explanat ion of Ibn ` Abbas, ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Abu Malik, Abu Al-Aswad Ad-Dili, Wahb bin Munabbih, AlHasan and As-Suddi. Therefore, Ibrahim caught four birds, slaught ered t hem, removed t he

feat hers, t ore t he birds t o pieces and mixed t he pieces t oget her. He t hen placed part s of t hese mixed pieces on four or seven hills. Ibn ` Abbas said, "Ibrahim kept t he heads of t hese birds in his hand. Next , Allah commanded Ibrahim t o call t he birds t o him, and he did as Allah commanded him. Ibrahim wit nessed t he feat hers, blood and flesh of t hese birds fly t o each ot her, and t he part s flew each t o t heir bodies, unt il every bird came back t o life and came walking at a fast pace t owards Ibrahim, so t hat t he example t hat Ibrahim was wit nessing would become more impressive. Each bird came t o collect it s head from Ibrahim's hand, and if he gave t he bird anot her head t he bird refused t o accept it . When Ibrahim gave each bird it s own head, t he head was placed on it s body by Allah's leave and power. '' This is why Allah said,

(And know t hat Allah is All-Might y, All-Wise) and no one can overwhelm or resist Him. What ever Allah wills, occurs wit hout hindrance, because He is t he All-Might y, Supreme above all t hings, and He is Wise in His st at ement s, act ions, legislat ion and decrees. ` Abdur-Razzaq recorded t hat Ma` mar said t hat Ayyub said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on what Ibrahim said,

(but t o be st ronger in Fait h), "To me, t here is no Ayah in t he Qur'an t hat brings more hope t han t his Ayah.'' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Muhammad bin Al-Munkadir said t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Abbas met ` Abdullah bin ` Amr bin Al-` As and said t o him, "Which Ayah in t he Qur'an carries more hope for you'' Ibn ` Amr said,

(Say: "O ` Ibadi (My servant s) who have t ransgressed against t hemselves (by commit t ing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not .) 39:53 . Ibn ` Abbas said, "But I say t hat it is Allah's st at ement ,

(And (remember) when Ibrahim said, "My Lord! Show me how You give life t o t he dead.'' He (Allah) said: "Do you not believe'' He (Ibrahim) said: "Yes (I believe)...)

Allah accept ed Ibrahim's affirmat ion when he merely said, ` Yes.' This Ayah refers t o t he doubt s t hat at t ack t he heart and t he t hought s t hat Shayt an inspires.'' Al-Hakim also recorded t his in AlMust adrak and said; "It s chain is Sahih but t hey did not record it .''

(261. The parable of t hose who spend t heir wealt h in t he way of Allah, is t hat of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase t o whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creat ures' needs, All-Knower.)

Rewards of Spending in Allah's Cause

This is a parable t hat Allah made of t he mult iplicat ion of rewards for t hose who spend in His cause, seeking His pleasure. Allah mult iplies t he good deed t en t o seven hundred t imes. Allah said,

(The parable of t hose who spend t heir wealt h in t he way of Allah...) Sa` id bin Jubayr comment ed, "Meaning spending in Allah's obedience.'' Makhul said t hat t he Ayah means, "Spending on Jihad, on horse st alls, weapons and so fort h.'' The parable in t he Ayah is more impressive on t he heart t han merely ment ioning t he number seven hundred. This Ayah indicat es t hat Allah ` grows' t he good deeds for it s doers, j ust as He grows t he plant for whoever sows it in fert ile land. The Sunnah also ment ions t hat t he deeds are mult iplied up t o seven hundred folds. For inst ance, Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Mas` ud said t hat a man once gave away a camel, wit h it s bridle on, in t he cause of Allah and t he Messenger of Allah said,

(On t he Day of Resurrect ion, you will have seven hundred camels wit h t heir bridles.) Muslim and An-Nasa'i also recorded t his Hadit h, and Muslim's narrat ion reads, "A man brought a camel wit h it s bridle on and said, ` O Messenger of Allah! This is in t he sake of Allah.' The Messenger said,

(You will earn seven hundred camels as reward for it on t he Day of Resurrect ion. ) Anot her Hadit h: Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: :
(Every good deed t hat t he son of Adam performs will be mult iplied t en folds, t o seven hundred folds, t o many ot her folds, t o as much as Allah wills. Allah said, "Except t he fast , for it is for Me and I will reward for it . One abandons his food and desire in My sake.'' The fast ing person has t wo t imes of happiness: when he breaks his fast and when he meet s his Lord. Verily, t he odor t hat comes from t he mout h of whoever fast s is more pure t o Allah t han t he scent of musk. Fast ing is a shield (against sinning), fast ing is a shield.) Muslim recorded t his Hadit h. Allah's st at ement ,

(Allah gives manifold increase t o whom He wills) is according t o t he person's sincerit y in his deeds.

(And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creat ures' needs, All-Knower) meaning, His Favor is so wide t hat it encompasses much more t han His creat ion, and He has full knowledge in whoever deserves it , or does not deserve it . All t he praise and t hanks are due t o Allah.


(262. Those who spend t heir wealt h in t he cause of Allah, and do not follow up t heir gift s wit h reminders of t heir generosit y or wit h inj ury, t heir reward is wit h t heir Lord. On t hem shall be no fear, nor shall t hey grieve.) (263. Kind words and forgiving of fault s are bet t er t han Sadaqah (charit y) followed by inj ury. And Allah is Rich (free of all needs) and He is Most Forbearing.) (264. O you who believe! Do not render in vain your Sadaqah (charit y) by reminders of your generosit y or by inj ury, like him who spends his wealt h t o be seen of men, and he does not believe in Allah, nor in t he Last Day. His likeness is t he likeness of a smoot h rock on which is a lit t le dust ; on it falls heavy rain which leaves it bare. They are not able t o do anyt hing wit h what t hey have earned. And Allah does not guide t he disbelieving people.)

To Remind About Charity Given is Forbidden

Allah praises t hose who spend from t heir money in His cause, and t hen refrain from reminding t hose who received t he charit y of t hat fact , whet her t hese hint s t ake t he form of words or act ions. Allah's st at ement ,

(or wit h inj ury), indicat es t hat t hey do not cause harm t o t hose whom t hey gave t he charit y t o, for t his harm will only annul t he charit y. Allah next promised t hem t he best rewards for t his good deed,

(t heir reward is wit h t heir Lord), indicat ing t hat Allah Himself will reward t hem for t hese right eous act ions. Furt her,

(On t hem shall be no fear) regarding t he horrors of t he Day of Resurrect ion,

(nor shall t hey grieve) regarding t he offspring t hat t hey leave behind and t he adornment and delight s of t his world. They will not feel sorry for t his, because t hey will acquire what is far bet t er for t hem. Allah t hen said,

(Kind words) meaning, compassionat e words and a supplicat ion for Muslims,

(and forgiving) meaning, forgiving an inj ust ice t hat t ook t he form of act ions or words,

(are bet t er t han Sadaqah (charit y) followed by inj ury.)

(And Allah is Rich) not needing His creat ion,


(Most Forbearing) forgives, releases and pardons t hem. There are several Hadit hs t hat prohibit reminding people of act s of charit y. For inst ance, Muslim recorded t hat Abu Dharr said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(Three persons whom Allah shall neit her speak t o on t he Day of Resurrect ion nor look at nor purify, and t hey shall receive a painful t orment : he who reminds (t he people) of what he gives away, he who lengt hens his clot hes below t he ankles and he who swears an oat h while lying, t o sell his merchandise.) This is why Allah said,

(O you who believe! Do not render in vain your Sadaqah (charit y) by reminders of your generosit y or by inj ury) st at ing t hat t he charit y will be rendered in vain if it is followed by harm or reminders. In t his case, t he reward of giving away charit y is not sufficient enough t o nullify t he harm and reminders. Allah t hen said,

(like him who spends his wealt h t o be seen of men) meaning, "Do not nullify your act s of charit y by following t hem wit h reminders and harm, j ust like t he charit y of t hose who give it t o show off t o people.'' The boast ing person pret ends t o give away charit y for Allah's sake, but in realit y seeks t o gain people's praise and t he reput at ion of being kind or generous, or ot her mat erial gains of t his life. All t he while, he does not t hink about Allah or gaining His pleasure and generous rewards, and t his is why Allah said,


(and he does not believe in Allah, nor in t he Last Day.) Allah next set t he example of whoever gives charit y t o show off. Ad-Dahhak comment ed t hat t he example fit s one who follows his act s of charit y wit h reminders or harm. Allah said,

(His likeness is t he likeness of Safwan) where Safwan, from is Safwanah, meaning ` t he smoot h rocks,'

(on which is lit t le dust ; on it falls a Wabil) meaning, heavy rain,

(which leaves it bare.) This Ayah means t hat heavy rain left t he Safwan complet ely barren of dust . Such is t he case wit h Allah's act ion regarding t he work of t hose who show off, as t heir deeds are bound t o vanish and disappear, even t hough people t hink t hat t hese deeds are as plent iful as specks of dust . So Allah said,

(They are not able t o do anyt hing wit h what t hey have earned. And Allah does not guide t he disbelieving people.)

(265. And t he parable of t hose who spend t heir wealt h seeking Allah's pleasure while t hey in t heir own selves are sure and cert ain t hat Allah will reward t hem (for t heir spending in His cause), is t hat of a garden on a height ; heavy rain falls on it and it doubles it s yield of harvest . And if it does not receive heavy rain, light rain suffices it . And Allah is All-Seer (knows well) of what you do.) This is t he example of t he believers who give away charit y seeking only Allah's pleasure,

(while t hey in t heir own selves are sure and cert ain) meaning, t hey are cert ain t hat Allah shall reward t hem for t hese right eous act s wit h t he best rewards. Similarly, in a Hadit h collect ed by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever fast s Ramadan wit h fait h and expect at ion...) meaning, believing t hat Allah commanded t he fast , all t he while await ing His reward for fast ing it . Allah's st at ement ,

(is t hat of a garden on a Rabwah) means, t he example of a garden on ` a height above t he ground', as t he maj orit y of scholars have st at ed. Ibn ` Abbas and Ad-Dahhak added t hat it also has flowing rivers. Allah's st at ement ,

(Wabil falls on it ) means, heavy rain as we st at ed, So it produces it s,

(yield of harvest ) meaning, fruit s or produce,

(doubles), as compared t o ot her gardens.


(And if it does not receive Wabil, a Tall suffices it .) Ad-Dahhak said t hat t he ` Tall' is light rain. The Ayah indicat es t hat t he garden on t he Rabwah is always fert ile, for if heavy rain does not fall on it , light rain will suffice for it . Such is t he case regarding t he believer's good deeds, for t hey never become barren. Rat her, Allah accept s t he believer's right eous deeds and increases t hem, each according t o his deeds. This is why Allah said next ,

(And Allah is All-Seer of what you do) meaning, none of His servant s' deeds ever escapes His perfect wat ch.

(266. Would any of you wish t o have a garden wit h dat e palms and vines, wit h rivers flowing underneat h, and all kinds of fruit s for him t herein, while he is st riken wit h old age, and his children are weak (not able t o look aft er t hemselves), t hen it is st ruck wit h a fiery whirlwind, so t hat it is burnt Thus does Allah make clear His Ayat t o you t hat you may give t hought .)

The Example of Evil Deeds Nullifying Good Deeds

Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas and ` Ubayd bin ` Umayr said t hat ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab asked t he Companions of t he Messenger of Allah, "According t o your opinion, about whom was t his Ayah revealed,

(Would any of you wish t o have a garden wit h dat e palms and vines...).'' They said, "Allah knows best .'' ` Umar became angry and said, "Say we know or we do not know.'' Ibn ` Abbas said, "O Leader of t he Fait hful! I have an opinion about it .'' ` Umar said, "O my nephew! Say your opinion and do not belit t le yourself.'' Ibn ` Abbas said, "This is an example set for a deed.'' ` Umar said, "What t ype of deed'' Ibn ` Abbas said, "For a wealt hy man who works in Allah's pleasure and t hen Allah sends Shayt an t o him, and he works in disobedience, unt il he annuls his good works.'' This Hadit h suffices as an explanat ion for t he Ayah, for it explains t he example it set s by a person who does good first and t hen follows it wit h evil, may Allah save us from t his end. So, t his man annulled his previous good works wit h his lat t er evil works. When he desperat ely needed t he deeds of t he former t ype, t here were none. This is why Allah said,

(while he is st riken wit h old age, and his children are weak (not able t o look aft er t hemselves), t hen it is st ruck wit h a whirlwind) wit h heavy wind,

(t hat is fiery, so t hat it is burnt ) meaning, it s fruit s were burnt and it s t rees were dest royed. Therefore, what will his condit ion be like Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Allah has set a good parable, and all His parables are good. He said,

(Would any of you wish t o have a garden wit h dat e palms and vines, wit h rivers flowing underneat h, and all kinds of fruit s for him t herein.) But he lost all t his in his old age,

(while he is st riken wit h old age) while his offspring and children are weak j ust before t he end of his life. Then a light ning st orm came and dest royed his garden. Then he did not have t he st rengt h t o grow anot her garden, nor did his offspring offer enough help. This is t he condit ion of t he disbeliever on t he Day of Resurrect ion when he ret urns t o Allah, for he will not have any good deeds t o provide an excuse - or refuge - for him, j ust as t he man in t he parable had no st rengt h t o replant t he garden. The disbeliever will not find anyt hing t o resort t o for help, j ust as t he offspring of t he man in t he parable did not provide him wit h help. So he will be deprived of his reward when he most needs it , j ust as t he man in t he parable was deprived of Allah's garden when he most needed it , when he became old and his offspring weak.'' In his Must adrak, Al-Hakim recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah used t o say in his supplicat ion,

(O Allah! Make Your biggest provision for me when I am old in age and at t he t ime my life ends.) This is why Allah said,

(Thus Allah makes clear t o you His Laws in order t hat you may give t hought ) meaning, comprehend and underst and t he parables and t heir int ended implicat ions. Similarly, Allah said,

(And t hese similit udes We put forward for mankind; but none will underst and t hem except t hose who have knowledge (of Allah and His signs)) 29:43 .


(267.O you who believe! Spend of t he good t hings which you have (legally) earned, and of t hat which We have produced from t he eart h for you, and do not aim at t hat which is bad t o spend from it , (t hough) you would not accept it save if you close your eyes and t olerat e t herein. And know t hat Allah is Rich (free of all needs), and wort hy of all praise.) (268. Shayt an t hreat ens you wit h povert y and orders you t o commit Fahsha' (evil deeds) whereas Allah promises you forgiveness from Himself and bount y, and Allah is All-Sufficient for His creat ures' needs, AllKnower.) (269. He grant s Hikmah t o whom He wills, and he, t o whom Hikmah is grant ed, is indeed grant ed abundant good. But none remember (will receive admonit ion) except men of underst anding.)

The Encouragement to Spend Honest Money for Allah's Sake

Allah commands His believing servant s t o spend in charit y, as Ibn ` Abbas st at ed, from t he pure, honest money t hat t hey earned and from t he fruit s and veget ables t hat He has grown for t hem in t he land. Ibn ` Abbas said, "Allah commanded t hem t o spend from t he purest , finest and best t ypes of t heir money and prohibit ed spending from evil and dishonest money, because Allah is pure and good and only accept s t hat which is pure and good.'' This is why Allah said,

(and do not aim at t hat which is bad) meaning, filt hy (impure) money,

(t o spend from it , (t hough) you would not accept it ) meaning, "If you were given t his t ype, you would not t ake it , except if you t olerat e t he deficiency in it . Verily, Allah is far Richer t han you, He is in no need of t his money, so do not give, for His sake, what you would dislike for yourselves.'' It was report ed t hat ,

(and do not aim at t hat which is bad t o spend from it ) means, "Do not spend from t he dishonest , impure money inst ead of t he honest , pure money.'' Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Al-Bara' bin ` Azib comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(O you who believe! Spend of t he good t hings which you have (legally) earned, and of t hat which We have produced from t he eart h for you, and do not aim at t hat which is bad t o spend from it ,) t hat it was revealed about t he Ansar. When t he season for harvest ing dat e-t rees would st art , t he Ansar would collect ripe-dat e branches from t heir gardens and hang t hem on a rope erect ed bet ween t wo pillars in t he Masj id of t he Messenger of Allah. The poor emigrant Companions would eat from t hese dat es. However, some of t hem (Ansar) would also add lesser t ype of dat es in bet ween ripe-dat e branches, t hinking t hey are allowed t o do so. Allah revealed t his Ayah about t hose who did t his,

(and do not aim at t hat which is bad t o spend from it .) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah,

(you would not accept it save if you close your eyes and t olerat e t herein) means, "If you had a right on someone who would pay you less t han what you gave t hem, you would not agree unt il you require more from t hem t o make up t he difference. This is why Allah said,

(save if you close your eyes and t olerat e t herein) meaning, ` How do you agree for Me what you do not agree for yourselves, while I have a right t o t he best and most precious of your possessions'' Ibn Abi Hat im and Ibn Jarir recorded t his Hadit h and Ibn Jarir added, "And t his is t he meaning of Allah's st at ement ,

(By no means shall you at t ain Al-Birr, unless you spend of t hat which you love)'' 4:92 Allah said next ,

(And know t hat Allah is Rich (free of all needs), and wort hy of all praise) meaning, "Alt hough Allah commanded you t o give away t he purest of your money in charit y, He is far Richer from needing your charit y, but t he purpose is t hat t he dist ance bet ween t he rich and t he poor becomes less.'' Similarly, Allah said,

(It is neit her t heir meat nor t heir blood t hat reaches Allah, but it is piet y from you t hat reaches Him) 22:37 . Allah is Rich and free of needing anyt hing from any of His creat ures, while all of His creat ures st and in need of Him. Allah's bount y encompassing, and what He has never ends. Therefore, whoever gives away good and pure t hings in charit y, let him know t hat Allah is t he Most Rich, His favor is enormous and He is Most Generous, Most Compassionat e; and He shall reward him for his charit y and mult iply it many t imes. So who would lend t o He Who is neit her poor nor unj ust , Who is wort hy of all praise in all His act ions, st at ement s, and decisions, of Whom t here is neit her a deit y wort hy of worship except Him, nor a Lord ot her t han Him

Shaytanic Doubts Concerning Spending in Charity

Allah said,

(Shayt an t hreat ens you wit h povert y and orders you t o commit Fahsha'; whereas Allah promises you forgiveness from Himself and bount y, and Allah is All-Sufficient for His creat ures' needs, All-Knower.) Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(Shayt an has an effect on t he son of Adam, and t he angel also has an effect . As for t he effect of Shayt an, it is by his t hreat ening wit h evil repercussions and rej ect ing t he t rut h. As for t he effect of t he angel, it is by his promise of a good end and believing in t he t rut h. Whoever finds t he lat t er, let him know t hat it is coming from Allah and let him t hank Allah for it . Whoever finds t he former, let him seek refuge - wit h Allah - from Shayt an.) The Prophet t hen recit ed,

(Shayt an t hreat ens you wit h povert y and orders you t o commit Fahsha'; whereas Allah promises you forgiveness from Himself and bount y) This is t he narrat ion t hat At -Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i collect ed in t he book of Tafsir in t heir Sunan collect ions. Allah said,

(Shayt an t hreat ens you wit h povert y), so t hat you hold on t o what ever you have and refrain from spending it in Allah's pleasure.

(And orders you t o commit Fahsha'), meaning, "Shayt an forbids you from spending in charit y because of t he false fear of becoming poor, and he encourages evil deeds, sins, indulging in what is prohibit ed, and immoral conduct .'' Allah said,


(Whereas Allah promises you forgiveness from Himself) inst ead of t he evil t hat Shayt an enj oins on you,

(And Bount y) as opposed t o t he povert y t hat Shayt an fright ens you wit h,

(And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creat ures' needs, All-Knower.)

The Meaning of Al-Hikmah

Allah said,

(He grant s Hikmah t o whom He wills.) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "That is knowledge of t he Qur'an. For inst ance, t he abrogat ing and t he abrogat ed, what is plain and clear and what is not as plain and clear, what it allows, and what it does not allow, and it s parables.'' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn Mas` ud said t hat he heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

:
(There is no envy except in t wo inst ances: a person whom Allah has endowed wit h wealt h and he spends it right eously, and a person whom Allah has given Hikmah and he j udges by it and t eaches it t o ot hers.) This was also collect ed by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, An-Nasa'i, Ibn Maj ah.

Allah's st at ement ,

(But none remember (will receive admonit ion) except men of underst anding.) means, "Those who will benefit from t he advice are t hose who have sound minds and good comprehension wit h which t hey underst and t he words (of advice and reminder) and t heir implicat ions.''

-
(270. And what ever you spend for spendings (e.g., in Sadaqah) or what ever vow you make, be sure Allah knows it all. And for t he wrongdoers t here are no helpers.) (271. If you disclose your Sadaqat (almsgiving), it is well; but if you conceal t hem and give t hem t o t he poor, t hat is bet t er for you. (Allah) will expiat e you some of your sins. And Allah is Well-Acquaint ed wit h what you do.) Allah st at es t hat He has perfect knowledge of t he good deeds performed by all of His creat ion, such as charit y and various vows, and He rewards t remendously for t hese deeds, provided t hey are performed seeking His Face and His promise. Allah also warns t hose who do not work in his obedience, but inst ead disobey His command, rej ect His revelat ion and worship ot hers besides Him:

(And for t he wrongdoers t here are no helpers.) meaning, who will save t hem from Allah's anger and t orment on t he Day of Resurrect ion.

The Virtue of Disclosing or Concealing Charity

Allah said,

(If you disclose your Sadaqat , it is well) meaning, "It is well if you make known t he charit y t hat you give away.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(But if you conceal t hem and give t hem t o t he poor, t hat is bet t er for you.) t his indicat es t hat concealing charit y is bet t er t han disclosing it , because it prot ect s one from showing off and boast ing. However, if t here is an apparent wisdom behind disclosing t he charit y, such as t he people imit at ing t his right eous act , t hen disclosing it becomes bet t er t han concealing it . The Messenger of Allah said,

(He who ut t ers aloud Qur'anic recit at ion is j ust like he who discloses charit y act s. He who conceals Qur'anic recit at ion is j ust like he who conceals charit y act s.) The Ayah indicat es t hat it is bet t er t hat act s of charit y be concealed, as reit erat ed by t he Hadit h t hat t he Two Sahihs recorded from Abu Hurayrah t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: :


(Allah will give shade t o seven on t he Day when t here will be no shade but His. (They are:) a j ust ruler, a yout h who has been brought up in t he worship of Allah, t wo persons who love each ot her only for Allah's sake who meet and part in Allah's cause only, a man whose heart is at t ached t o t he Masj ids from t he t ime he depart s t he Masj id unt il he ret urns t o it , a person who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes are t hen flooded wit h t ears, a man who refuses t he call of a charming woman of noble birt h for illicit int ercourse wit h her and says, ` I fear Allah, Lord of t he worlds', and a man who gives charit able gift s so secret ly t hat his left hand does not know what his right hand has given.) Allah's st at ement ,

((Allah) will expiat e you some of your sins) means, in ret urn for giving away charit y, especially if it was concealed. Therefore, you will gain goodness by your rank being raised, and your sins being forgiven. Allah's st at ement ,

(And Allah is Well-Acquaint ed wit h what you do) means, "No good deed t hat you perform escapes His knowledge, and He shall reward for it .''

 -
(272. Not upon you (Muhammad ) is t heir guidance, but Allah guides whom He wills. And what ever you spend in good, it is for yourselves, when you spend not except seeking Allah's Face. And what ever you spend in good, it will be repaid t o you in full, and you shall not be wronged.) (273. (Charit y is) for Fuqara' (t he poor), who in Allah's cause are rest rict ed (from t ravel), and cannot move about in t he land (for t rade or work). The one who knows t hem not , t hinks t hat t hey are rich because of t heir modest y. You may know t hem by t heir mark, t hey do not beg of people at all. And what ever you spend in good, surely Allah knows it well.) (274. Those who spend t heir wealt h (in Allah's cause) by night and day, in secret and in public, t hey shall have t heir reward wit h t heir Lord. On t hem shall be no fear, nor shall t hey grieve.)

Giving Charity to Polytheists

Abu ` Abdur-Rahman An-Nasa'i recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t hey, "Disliked giving charit y t o t heir polyt heist relat ives, but were lat er on allowed t o give it t o t hem when t hey inquired about t his mat t er, and t his Ayah was revealed,

(Not upon you (Muhammad ) is t heir guidance, but Allah guides whom He wills. And what ever you spend in good, it is for yourselves, when you spend not except seeking Allah's Face. And what ever you spend in good, it will be repaid t o you in full, and you shall not be wronged.) Allah's st at ement ,

(And what ever you spend in good, it is for yourselves) is similar t o His ot her st at ement ,

(Whosoever does right eous good deed, it is for (t he benefit of) his ownself.) There are many ot her similar Ayat in t he Qur'an. Allah said next ,

(When you spend not except seeking Allah's Face. ) Al-Hasan Al-Basri comment ed, "Whenever t he believer spends, including what he spends on himself, he seeks Allah's Face wit h it .'' ` At a' Al-Khurasani said t hat t he Ayah means, "You give away charit y for t he sake of Allah. Therefore, you will not be asked about t he deeds or wickedness of t hose who receive it .'' This is a sound meaning indicat ing t hat when one spends in charit y for Allah's sake, t hen his reward will be wit h Allah. He will not be asked if t he charit y unint ent ionally reached right eous, evil, deserving or undeserving persons, for he will be rewarded for his good int ent ion. The proof t o t his st at ement is t he Ayah,

(And what ever you spend in good, it will be repaid t o you in full, and you shall not be wronged.) The Two Sahihs recorded a Hadit h by Abu Hurayrah t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: : :

 : : : : : .
(A man said, "Tonight , I shall give charit y.'' He went out wit h his charit y and (unknowingly) gave it t o an adult eress. The next morning t he people said t hat alms were given t o an adult eress. The man said, "O Allah! All t he praises are for You. (I gave my alms) t o an adult eress. Tonight , I shall give alms again.'' He went out wit h his charit y and (unknowingly) gave it t o a rich person. The next morning (t he people) said, "Last night , a wealt hy person was given alms.'' He said, "O Allah! All t he praises are for You. (I gave alms) t o a wealt hy man. Tonight , I shall again give charit y.'' So he went out wit h his charit y and (unknowingly) gave it t o a t hief. The next morning (t he people) said, "Last night , a t hief was given alms.'' He said, "O Allah! All t he praises are for You. (I have given alms) t o an adult eress, a wealt hy man and a t hief.'' Then, someone came t o him and said, "The alms t hat you gave away were accept ed. As for t he adult eress, t he alms might make her abst ain from adult ery. As for t he wealt hy man, it might make him t ake a lesson and spend his wealt h t hat Allah has given him. As for t he t hief, it might make him abst ain from st ealing.'')

Who Deserves Charity

Allah said,

((Charit y is) for t he poor, who in Allah's cause are rest rict ed (from t ravel)) meaning, t he migrant s who migrat ed t o Allah and His Messenger, resided in Al-Madinah and did not have resources t hat sufficient ly provided t hem wit h t heir needs,


(And cannot Darban (move about ) in t he land) meaning, "They cannot t ravel in t he land t o seek means of livelihood.'' Allah said in ot her inst ances using a variat ion of t he word Darban

(And when you (Muslims) t ravel in t he land, t here is no sin on you if you short en t he Salah (t he prayer)) 4:101 , and,

(He knows t hat t here will be some among you sick, ot hers t raveling t hrough t he land, seeking of Allah's bount y, yet ot hers fight ing in Allah's cause) 73:20 . Allah t hen said,

(The one who knows t hem not , t hinks t hat t hey are rich because of t heir modest y) meaning, t hose who do not know t heir sit uat ion t hink t hat t hey are well-off, because t hey are modest in t heir clot hes and speech. There is a Hadit h wit h t his meaning t hat t he Two Sahihs recorded from Abu Hurayrah t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(The Miskin (needy) is not he who wanders about and whose need is sufficed by a dat e or t wo, a bit e or t wo or a meal or t wo. Rat her, t he Miskin is he who neit her has enough resources t o sust ain him, all t he while people are unaware of his need so t hey do not give t o him, nor does he ask people for anyt hing.) Imam Ahmad also recorded t his Hadit h from Ibn Mas` ud. Allah's st at ement ,

(You may know t hem by t heir mark) means, "Those who have good minds discover t heir sit uat ion,'' j ust as Allah said in ot her inst ances,

(The mark of t hem (i.e. of t heir fait h) is on t heir faces) 48:29 , and,

(But surely, you will know t hem by t he t one of t heir speech!) 47:30 . Allah's st at ement ,

(t hey do not beg of people at all) means, t hey do not beg and, t hus, do not require people t o provide t hem wit h more t han what t hey act ually need. Indeed, t hose who ask people for help, while having what suffices for t heir needs, have begged. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Sa` id said, "My mot her sent me t o t he Messenger of Allah t o ask him for help, but when I came by him I sat down. The Prophet faced me and said t o me,


(Whoever felt sat isfied, t hen Allah will enrich him. Whoever is modest , Allah will make him decent . Whoever is cont ent , t hen Allah will suffice for him. Whoever asks people, while having a small amout , he will have begged t he people.) Abu Sa` id said, "I said t o myself, ` I have a camel, Al-Yaqut ah, and indeed, it is wort h more t han a small amount .' And I went back wit hout asking t he Prophet for anyt hing.'' This is t he same wording for t his Hadit h collect ed by Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i. Allah's st at ement ,

(And what ever you spend in good, surely Allah knows it well) indicat es t hat no charit y escapes Him, and He will reward it fully and perfect ly on t he Day of Resurrect ion, when it is most desperat ely needed.

Praise for those who Spend in Charity

Allah said,

(Those who spend t heir wealt h (in Allah's cause) by night and day, in secret and in public, t hey shall have t heir reward wit h t heir Lord. On t hem shall be no fear, nor shall t hey grieve.) This Ayah praises t hose who spend in charit y for Allah's sake, seeking His pleasure, day and night , publicly and in secret , including what one spends on his family. The Two Sahihs recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said t o Sa` d bin Abi Waqqas:


(You will not spend charit y wit h which you seek Allah's Face, but you will ascend a higher degree and st at us because of it , including what you put in your wife's mout h.) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Mas` ud said t hat t he Prophet said,

(When t he Muslim spends on his family while await ing t he reward for it from Allah, it will be writ t en as charit y for him.) Al-Bukhari and Muslim also recorded t his Hadit h. Allah said,

(shall have t heir reward wit h t heir Lord), on t he Day of Resurrect ion, as reward for what t hey spent in act s of obedience. We previously explained t he Ayah,

(t here shall be no fear on t hem nor shall t hey grieve.)


(275. Those who eat Riba will not st and (on t he Day of Resurrect ion) except like t he st anding of a person beat en by Shayt an leading him t o insanit y. That is because t hey say: "Trading is only like Riba,'' whereas Allah has permit t ed t rading and forbidden Riba. So whosoever receives an admonit ion from his Lord and st ops eat ing Riba, shall not be punished for t he past ; his case is for Allah (t o j udge); but whoever ret urns (t o Riba), such are t he dwellers of t he Fire t hey will Abide t herein.)

The Punishment for Dealing with Riba (Interest and Usury)

Aft er Allah ment ioned t he right eous believers who give charit y, pay Zakah and spend on t heir relat ives and families at various t imes and condit ions, He t hen ment ioned t hose who deal in usury and illegally acquire people's money, using various evil met hods and wicked ways. Allah describes t he condit ion of t hese people when t hey are resurrect ed from t heir graves and brought back t o life on t he Day of Resurrect ion:

(Those who eat Riba will not st and (on t he Day of Resurrect ion) except like t he st anding of a person beat en by Shayt an leading him t o insanit y.) This Ayah means, on t he Day of Resurrect ion, t hese people will get up from t heir graves j ust as t he person afflict ed by insanit y or possesed by a demon would. Ibn ` Abbas said, "On t he Day of Resurrect ion, t hose who consume Riba will be resurrect ed while insane and suffering from seizures.'' Ibn Abi Hat im also recorded t his and t hen comment ed, "This Tafsir was report ed from ` Awf bin Malik, Sa` id bin Jubayr, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Qat adah and Muqat il bin Hayyan.'' Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Samurah bin Jundub said in t he long Hadit h about t he dream t hat t he Prophet had,


(We reached a river -t he narrat or said, "I t hought he said t hat t he river was as red as blood''and found t hat a man was swimming in t he river, and on it s bank t here was anot her man st anding wit h a large collect ion of st ones next t o him. The man in t he river would swim, t hen come t o t he man who had collect ed t he st ones and open his mout h, and t he ot her man would t hrow a st one in his mout h.) The explanat ion of t his dream was t hat t he person in t he river was one who consumed Riba. Allah's st at ement ,

(That is because t hey say: "Trading is only like Riba,'' whereas Allah has permit t ed t rading and forbidden Riba) indicat es t hat t he disbelievers claimed t hat Riba was allowed due t o t he fact t hat t hey rej ect ed Allah's commandment s, not t hat t hey equat ed Riba wit h regular t rade. The disbelievers did not recognize t hat Allah allowed t rade in t he Qur'an, for if t hey did, t hey would have said, "Riba is t rade.'' Rat her, t hey said,

(Trading is only like Riba) meaning, t hey are similar, so why did Allah allow t his, but did not allow t hat , t hey asked in defiance of Allah's commandment s. Allah's st at ement ,

(Whereas Allah has permit t ed t rading and forbidden Riba) might be a cont inuat ion of t he answer t o t he disbelievers' claim, who ut t ered it , alt hough t hey knew t hat Allah decided t hat ruling on t rade is different from t hat of Riba. Indeed, Allah is t he Most Knowledgeable, Most Wise, Whose decision is never resist ed. Allah is never asked about what He does, while t hey will be asked. He is knowledgeable of t he t rue realit y of all t hings and t he benefit s t hey carry. He knows what benefit s His servant s, so He allows it for t hem, and what harms t hem, so He forbids t hem from it . He is more merciful wit h t hem t han t he mot her wit h her own infant .

Thereaft er, Allah said,

(So whosoever receives an admonit ion from his Lord and st ops eat ing Riba, shall not be punished for t he past ; his case is for Allah (t o j udge),) meaning, t hose who have knowledge t hat Allah made usury unlawful, and refrain from indulging in it as soon as t hey acquire t his knowledge, t hen Allah will forgive t heir previous dealings in Riba,

(Allah has forgiven what is past .) On t he day Makkah was conquered t he Prophet said,

(All cases of Riba during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic period of ignorance) is annulled and under my feet , and t he first Riba I annul is t he Riba of Al-'Abbas (t he Prophet 's uncle).) We should ment ion t hat t he Prophet did not require t he ret urn of t he int erest t hat t hey gained on t heir Riba during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah. Rat her, he pardoned t he cases of Riba t hat occured in t he past , j ust as Allah said,

(shall not be punished for t he past ; his case is for Allah (t o j udge).) Sa` id bin Jubayr and As-Suddi said t hat ,

(shall not be punished for t he past ) refers t o t he Riba one consumed before it was prohibit ed. Allah t hen said,


(But whoever ret urns) meaning, deals in Riba aft er gaining knowledge t hat Allah prohibit ed it , t hen t hat warrant s punishment , and in t his case, t he proof will have been est ablished against such person. This is why Allah said,

(such are t he dwellers of t he Fire t hey will abide t herein forever.) Abu Dawud recorded t hat Jabir said, "When

(Those who eat Riba will not st and (on t he Day of Resurrect ion) except like a person beat en by Shayt an leading him t o insanit y) was revealed, t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever does not refrain from Mukhabarah, t hen let him receive a not ice of war from Allah and His Messenger.)'' Al-Hakim also recorded t his in his Must adrak, and he said, "It is Sahih according t o t he crit eria of Muslim, and he did not record it .'' Mukhabarah (sharecropping), farming land in ret urn for some of it s produce, was prohibit ed. Muzabanah, t rading fresh dat es st ill on t rees wit h dried dat es already on t he ground, was prohibit ed. Muhaqalah, which refers t o t rading produce not yet harvest ed, wit h crops already harvest ed, was also prohibit ed. These were prohibit ed t o eradicat e t he possibilit y t hat Riba might be involved, for t he qualit y and equit y of such it ems are only known aft er t hey become dry. The subj ect of Riba is a difficult subj ect for many scholars. We should ment ion t hat t he Leader of t he Fait hful, ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab, said, "I wished t hat t he Messenger of Allah had made t hree mat t ers clearer for us, so t hat we could refer t o his decision: t he grandfat her (regarding inherit ing from his grandchildren), t he Kalalah (t hose who leave neit her descendant s nor ascendant s as heirs) and some t ypes of Riba.'' ` Umar was refering t o t he t ypes of t ransact ions where it is not clear whet her t hey involve Riba or not . The Shari` ah support s t he rule t hat for any mat t er t hat is unlawful, t hen t he means t o it are also unlafwful, because what ever result s in t he unlawful is unlawful, in t he same way t hat whenever an obligat ion will not be complet e except wit h somet hing, t hen t hat somet hing is it self an obligat ion.

The Two Sahihs recorded t hat An-Nu` man bin Bashir said t hat he heard t he Messenger of Allah say,

(Bot h lawful and unlawful t hings are evident , but in bet ween t hem t here are mat t ers t hat are not clear. So whoever saves himself from t hese unclear mat t ers, he saves his religion and his honor. And whoever indulges in t hese unclear mat t ers, he will have fallen int o t he prohibit ions, j ust like a shepherd who grazes (his animals) near a privat e past ure, at any moment he is liable t o ent er it .) The Sunan records t hat Al-Hasan bin ` Ali said t hat he heard t he Messenger of Allah say,

(Leave t hat which makes you doubt for t hat which does not make you doubt .) Ahmad recorded t hat Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib said t hat ` Umar said, "The Ayah about Riba was one of t he last Ayat t o be revealed, and t he Messenger of Allah died before he explained it t o us. So leave t hat which makes you doubt for t hat which does not make you doubt .'' Ibn Maj ah recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Riba is sevent y t ypes, t he least of which is equal t o one having sexual int ercourse wit h his mot her.) Cont inuing on t he subj ect of prohibit ing t he means t hat lead t o t he unlawful, t here is a Hadit h t hat Ahmad recorded in which ` A'ishah said, "When t he Ayat in Surat Al-Baqarah about Riba were revealed, t he Messenger of Allah went out t o t he Masj id and recit ed t hem and also

prohibit ed t rading in alcohol.'' The Six collect ions recorded t his Hadit h, wit h t he except ion of At -Tirmidhi. The Two Sahihs recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(May Allah curse t he Jews! Allah forbade t hem t o eat animal fat , but t hey melt ed it and sold it , eat ing it s price.) ` Ali and Ibn Mas` ud narrat ed t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(May Allah curse whoever consumes Riba, whoever pays Riba, t he t wo who are wit nesses t o it , and t he scribe who records it .) They say t hey only have wit nesses and a scribe t o writ e t he Riba cont ract when t hey want it t o appear t o be a legit imat e agreement , but it is st ill invalid because t he ruling is applied t o t he agreement it self, not t he form t hat it appears in. Verily, deeds are j udged by t heir int ent ions. d

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(276. Allah will dest roy Riba and will give increase for Sadaqat . And Allah likes not t he disbelievers, sinners.) (277. Truly, t hose who believe, and do deeds of right eousness, and perform t he Salah and give Zakah, t hey will have t heir reward wit h t heir Lord. On t hem shall be no fear, nor shall t hey grieve.)

Allah Does Not Bless Riba

Allah st at es t hat He dest roys Riba, eit her by removing t his money from t hose who eat it , or by depriving t hem of t he blessing, and t hus t he benefit of t heir money. Because of t heir Riba,

Allah will t orment t hem in t his life and punish t hem for it on t he Day of Resurrect ion. Allah said,

(Say: "Not equal are Al-Khabit h (evil t hings) and At -Tayyib (good t hings), even t hough t he abundance of Al-Khabit h may please you'') 5:100

(And put t he wicked (disbelievers and doers of evil deeds) one over anot her, heap t hem t oget her and cast t hem int o Hell) 8:37 , and,

(And t hat which you give in gift (t o ot hers), in order t hat it may increase (your wealt h by expect ing t o get a bet t er one in ret urn) from ot her people's propert y, has no increase wit h Allah) 30:39 . Ibn Jarir said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(Allah will dest roy Riba) is similar t o t he st at ement report ed of ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud, "Riba will end up wit h less, even if it was subst ant ial.'' Imam Ahmad recorded a similar st at ement in Al-Musnad.

Allah Increases Charity, Just as One Raises His Animal

Allah's st at ement ,

(And will give increase for Sadaqat ) means, Allah makes charit y grow, or He increases it . AlBukhari recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever gives in charit y what equals a dat e from honest resources, and Allah only accept s t hat which is good and pure, t hen Allah accept s it wit h His right (Hand) and raises it for it s giver, j ust as one of you raises his animal, unt il it becomes as big as a mount ain.) This was recorded in t he book of Zakah.

Allah Does not Like the Disbelieving Sinners

Allah's st at ement ,

(And Allah likes not t he disbelievers, sinners) indicat es t hat Allah does not like he who has a disbelieving heart , who is a sinner in t ongue and act ion. There is a connect ion bet ween t he beginning of t he Ayah on Riba and what Allah ended it wit h. Those who consume Riba are not sat isfied wit h t he permissible and pure resources t hat Allah provided t hem. Inst ead, t hey t ry t o illegally acquire people's money by relying on evil met hods. This demonst rat es t heir lack of appreciat ion for t he bount y t hat Allah provides.

Praising Those Who Thank Allah

Allah praised t hose who believe in His Lordship, obey His commands, t hank Him and appreciat e Him. They are t hose who are kind t o His creat ion, est ablish prayer and give charit y due on t heir money. Allah informed t hem of t he honor t hat He has prepared for t hem and t hat t hey will be safe from t he repercussions of t he Day of Resurrect ion. Allah said,

(Truly, t hose who believe, and do deeds of right eousness, and perform t he Salah and give Zakah, t hey will have t heir reward wit h t heir Lord. On t hem shall be no fear, nor shall t hey grieve.)

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(278. O you who believe! Have Taqwa of Allah and give up what remains from Riba, if you are (really) believers.) (279. And if you do not do it , t hen t ake a not ice of war from Allah and His Messenger but if you repent ,you shall have your capit al sums. Deal not unj ust ly, and you shall not be dealt wit h unj ust ly.) (280. And if t he debt or is having a hard t ime, t hen grant him t ime t ill it is easy for him t o repay; but if you remit it by way of charit y, t hat is bet t er for you if you did but know.) (281. And have Taqwa t he Day when you shall be brought back t o Allah. Then every person shall be paid what he earned, and t hey shall not be dealt wit h unj ust ly.)

The Necessity of Taqwa and Avoiding Riba

Allah commands His believing servant s t o fear Him and warns t hem against what would bring t hem closer t o His anger and drive t hem away from His pleasure. Allah said,

(O you who believe! Have Taqwa of Allah) meaning, fear Him and remember t hat He is wat ching all t hat you do.


(And give up what remains of Riba) meaning, abandon t he Riba t hat people st ill owe you upon hearing t his warning,

(if you indeed have been believers) believing in t he t rade t hat He allowed you and t he prohibit ion of Riba. Zayd bin Aslam, Ibn Jurayj , Muqat il bin Hayyan and As-Suddi said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about Bani ` Amr bin ` Umayr, a sub-t ribe of Thaqif, and Bani Al-Mughirah, from t he t ribe of Bani Makhzum, bet ween whom were out st anding t ransact ions of Riba left over from t ime of Jahiliyyah. When Islam came and bot h t ribes became Muslims, Thaqif required Bani Al-Mughirah t o pay t he Riba of t hat t ransact ion, but Bani Al-Mughirah said, "We do not pay Riba in Islam.'' ` At t ab bin Usayd, t he Prophet 's deput y on Makkah, wrot e t o t he Messenger of Allah about t his mat t er. This Ayah was t hen revealed and t he Messenger of Allah conveyed it t o ` At t ab,

(O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah and give up what remains (due t o you) from Riba (from now onward), if you are (really) believers. And if you do not do it , t hen t ake a not ice of war from Allah and His Messenger.) They said, "We repent t o Allah and abandon what ever is left of our Riba'', and t hey all abandoned it This Ayah serves as a st ern t hreat t o t hose who cont inue t o deal in Riba aft er Allah revealed t his warning.

Riba Constitutes War Against Allah and His Messenger

Ibn Jurayj said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(t hen t ake a not ice of war) means, "Be sure of a war from Allah and His Messenger.'' He also said, "On t he Day of Resurrect ion, t hose who eat Riba will be t old, ` t ake up arms for war.''' He t hen recit ed,


(And if you do not do it , t hen t ake a not ice of war from Allah and His Messenger.) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about ,

(And if you do not do it , t hen t ake a not ice of war from Allah and His Messenger,) "Whoever kept dealing wit h Riba and did not refrain from it , t hen t he Muslim Leader should require him t o repent . If he st ill did not refrain from Riba, t he Muslim Leader should cut off his head.'' Allah t hen said,

(But if you repent , you shall have your capit al sums. Deal not unj ust ly) by t aking t he Riba,

(And you shall not be dealt wit h unj ust ly) meaning, your original capit al will not diminish. Rat her, you will receive only what you lent wit hout increase or decrease. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat ` Amr bin Al-Ahwas said, "The Messenger of Allah gave a speech during t he Farewell Haj j saying;

(Verily, every case of Riba from t he Jahiliyyah is complet ely annulled. You will only t ake back your capit al, wit hout increase or decrease. The first Riba t hat I annul is t he Riba of Al-` Abbas bin ` Abdul-Mut t alib, all of it is annulled.)

Being Kind to Debtors Who Face Financial Difficulties

Allah said,


(And if t he debt or is having a hard t ime, t hen grant him t ime t ill it is easy for him t o repay; but if you remit it by way of charit y, t hat is bet t er for you if you did but know.) Allah commands credit ors t o be pat ient wit h debt ors who are having a hard t ime financially,

(And if t he debt or is having a hard t ime (has no money), t hen grant him t ime t ill it is easy for him t o repay.) During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, when t he debt came t o t erm, t he credit or would say t o t he debt or, "Eit her pay now or int erest will be added t o t he debt .'' Allah encouraged credit ors t o give debt ors respit e regarding t heir debt s and promised all t hat is good, and a great reward from Him for t his right eous deed,

(But if you remit it by way of charit y, t hat is bet t er for you if you did but know) meaning, if you forfeit your debt s and cancel t hem complet ely. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Sulayman bin Buraydah said t hat his fat her said, "I heard t he Messenger of Allah say,

(Whoever gives t ime t o a debt or facing hard t imes, will gain charit y of equal proport ions for each day he gives.) I also heard t he Prophet say,

(Whoever gives t ime t o a debt or facing hard t imes, will earn charit y mult iplied t wo t imes for each day he gives.) I said, ` O Messenger of Allah! I heard you say, ` Whoever gives t ime t o a debt or facing hard t imes, will gain charit y of equal proport ions for each day he gives.' I also heard you say, ` Whoever gives t ime t o a debt or facing hard t imes, will earn charit y mult iplied by t wo t imes for each day he gives.' He said,


(He will earn charit y of equal proport ions for each day (he gives t ime) before t he t erm of t he debt comes t o an end, and when t he t erm comes t o an end, he will again acquire charit y mult iplied by t wo t imes for each day if he gives more t ime.)'' Ahmad recorded t hat Muhammad bin Ka` b Al-Qurazi said t hat Abu Qat adah had a debt on a man, who used t o hide from Abu Qat adah when he looked for him t o pay what he owed him. One day, Abu Qat adah came looking for t he debt or and a young boy came out , and he asked him about t he debt or and found out t hat he was in t he house eat ing. Abu Qat adah said in a loud voice, "O Fellow! Come out , for I was t old t hat you are in t he house.'' The man came out and Abu Qat adah asked him, "Why are you hiding from me'' The man said, "I am having a hard t ime financially, and I do not have any money.'' Abu Qat adah said, "By Allah, are you t ruly facing a hard t ime'' He said, "Yes.'' Abu Qat adah cried and said, "I heard t he Messenger of Allah say,

(Whoever gives t ime t o his debt or, or forgives t he debt , will be in t he shade of t he Throne (of Allah) on t he Day of Resurrect ion.)'' Muslim also recorded t his Hadit h in his Sahih. Al-Hafiz Abu Ya` la Al-Mawsili recorded t hat Hudhayfah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: : :

 : :
(On t he Day of Resurrect ion, one of Allah's servant s will be summoned before Him and He will ask him, "What deeds did you perform for Me in your life'' He will say, "O Lord! In my life, I have not performed a deed for Your sake t hat equals an at om,'' t hree t imes. The t hird t ime, t he servant will add, "O Lord! You grant ed me wealt h and I used t o be a merchant . I used t o be lenient , giving easy t erms t o t hose well-off and giving t ime t o t he debt ors who faced hard t imes.'' Allah will say, "I Am t he Most Wort hy of giving easy t erms. Therefore, ent er Paradise.'') Al-Bukhari, Muslim and Ibn Maj ah also recorded t his Hadit h from Hudhayfah, and Muslim recorded a similar wording from ` Uqbah bin ` Amir and Abu Mas` ud Al-Badri. Allah furt her advised His servant s, by reminding t hem t hat t his life will soon end and all t he wealt h in it will vanish. He also reminded t hem t hat t he Hereaft er will surely come, when t he Ret urn t o Him will occur, and t hat He will hold His creat ion account able for what t hey did, rewarding t hem or punishing t hem accordingly. Allah also warned t hem against His t orment ,

(And have Taqwa for t he Day when you shall be brought back t o Allah. Then every person shall be paid what he earned, and t hey shall not be dealt wit h unj ust ly.) It was report ed t hat t his was t he last Ayah revealed from t he Glorious Qur'an. An-Nasa'i recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The last Ayah t o be revealed from t he Qur'an was,

(And have Taqwa for t he Day when you shall be brought back t o Allah. Then every person shall be paid what he earned, and t hey shall not be dealt wit h unj ust ly.'') This is t he same narrat ion report ed by Ad-Dahhak and Al-` Awfi from Ibn ` Abbas.


(282. O you who believe! When you cont ract a debt for a fixed period, writ e it down. Let a scribe writ e it down in j ust ice bet ween you. Let not t he scribe refuse t o writ e, as Allah has t aught him, so let him writ e. Let him (t he debt or) who incurs t he liabilit y dict at e, and he must have Taqwa of Allah, his Lord, and diminish not anyt hing of what he owes. But if t he debt or is

of poor underst anding, or weak, or is unable t o dict at e for himself, t hen let his guardian dict at e in j ust ice. And get t wo wit nesses out of your own men. And if t here are not t wo men (available), t hen a man and t wo women, such as you agree for wit nesses, so t hat if one of t hem (t wo women) errs, t he ot her can remind her. And t he wit nesses should not refuse when t hey are called (for evidence). You should not become weary t o writ e it (your cont ract ), whet her it be small or big, for it s fixed t erm, t hat is more j ust wit h Allah; more solid as evidence, and more convenient t o prevent doubt s among yourselves, save when it is a present t rade which you carry out on t he spot among yourselves, t hen t here is no sin on you if you do not writ e it down. But t ake wit nesses whenever you make a commercial cont ract . Let neit her scribe nor wit ness suffer any harm, but if you do (such harm), it would be wickedness in you. So have Taqwa of Allah; and Allah t eaches you. And Allah is t he All-Knower of everyt hing.)

The Necessity of Writing Transactions That Take Effect Later on

This Ayah is t he longest in t he Glorious Qur'an. Imam Abu Ja` far bin Jarir recorded t hat Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib said t hat he was t old t hat t he Ayah most recent ly revealed from above t he Throne -- t he last Ayah t o be revealed in t he Qur'an -- was t he Ayah about debt s. Allah's st at ement ,

(O you who believe! When you cont ract a debt for a fixed period, writ e it down) direct s Allah's believing servant s t o record t heir business t ransact ions when t heir t erm is delayed, t o preserve t he t erms and t iming of t hese t ransact ions, and t he memory of wit nesses, as ment ioned at t he end of t he Ayah,

(t hat is more j ust wit h Allah; more solid as evidence, and more convenient t o prevent doubt s among yourselves.) The Two Sahihs recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Allah's Messenger came t o Al-Madinah, while t he people were in t he habit of paying in advance for fruit s t o be delivered wit hin one or t wo years. The Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever pays money in advance (for dat es t o be delivered lat er) should pay it for known specified measure and weight (of t he dat es) for a specified dat e. ) Allah's st at ement ,

(writ e it down) is a command from Him t o record such t ransact ions t o endorse and preserve t heir t erms. Ibn Jurayj said, "Whoever borrowed should writ e t he t erms, and whoever bought should have wit nesses.'' Abu Sa` id, Ash-Sha` bi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Al-Hasan, Ibn Jurayj and Ibn Zayd said t hat recording such t ransact ions was necessary before, but was t hen abrogat ed by Allah's st at ement ,

(Then if one of you ent rust s t he ot her, let t he one who is ent rust ed discharge his t rust (fait hfully).) Allah's st at ement ,

(Let a scribe writ e it down in j ust ice bet ween you) and in t rut h. Therefore, t he scribe is not allowed t o cheat any part y of t he cont ract and is t o only record what t he part ies of t he cont ract agreed t o, wit hout addit ion or delet ion. Allah's st at ement ,

(Let not t he scribe refuse t o writ e, as Allah has t aught him, so let him writ e) means, "Those who know how t o writ e should not refrain from writ ing t ransact ion cont ract s when asked t o do so.'' Furt her, let writ ing such cont ract s be a t ype of charit y from t he scribe for t hose who are not let t ered, j ust as Allah t aught him what he knew not . Therefore, let him writ e, j ust as t he Hadit h st at ed,

(It is a t ype of charit y t o help a worker and t o do somet hing for a feeble person.)

In anot her Hadit h, t he Prophet said,

(Whoever kept knowledge t o himself will be rest rained by a bridle made of fire on t he Day of Resurrect ion.) Muj ahid and ` At a' said t hat if asked t o do so, "The scribe is required t o record.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(Let him (t he debt or) who incurs t he liabilit y dict at e, and he must have Taqwa of Allah, his Lord) indicat es t hat t he debt or should dict at e t o t he scribe what he owes, so let him fear Allah,

(And diminish not anyt hing of what he owes,) meaning, not hide any port ion of what he owes.

(But if t he debt or is of poor underst anding) and is not allowed t o decide on such mat t ers, because he used t o wast e money, for inst ance,

(Or weak), such as being t oo young or insane,

(Or is unable t o dict at e for himself) because of a disease, or ignorance about such mat t ers,

(t hen let his guardian dict at e in j ust ice.)

Witnesses Should Attend the Dictation of Contracts

Allah said,

(And get t wo wit nesses out of your own men) requiring wit nesses t o at t end t he dict at ion of cont ract s t o furt her preserve t he cont ent s,

(And if t here are not t wo men (available), t hen a man and t wo women) t his requirement is only for cont ract s t hat direct ly or indirect ly involve money. Allah requires t hat t wo women t ake t he place of one man as wit ness, because of t he woman's short comings, as t he Prophet described. Muslim recorded in his Sahih t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(O women! Give away charit y and ask for forgiveness, for I saw t hat you comprise t he maj orit y of t he people of t he Fire.) One eloquent woman said, "O Messenger of Allah! Why do we comprise t he maj orit y of t he people of t he Fire'' He said,

(You curse a lot and you do not appreciat e your mat e. I have never seen t hose who have short coming in mind and religion cont rolling t hose who have sound minds, ot her t han you.) She said, "O Messenger of Allah! What is t his short coming in mind and religion'' He said,


(As for t he short coming in her mind, t he t est imony of t wo women equals t he t est imony of one man, and t his is t he short coming in t he mind. As for t he short coming in t he religion, woman remains for night s at a t ime when she does not pray and breaks t he fast in Ramadan) Allah's st at ement ,

(such as you agree for wit nesses) requires compet ency in t he wit nesses. Furt her, Allah's st at ement ,

(so t hat if one of t hem errs) refers t o t he t wo women wit nesses; whenever one of t hem forget s a part of t he t est imony,

(t he ot her can remind her) meaning, t he ot her woman's t est imony mends t he short coming of forget fulness in t he first woman. Allah's st at ement ,

(And t he wit nesses should not refuse when t hey are called) means, when people are called t o be wit nesses, t hey should agree, as Qat adah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas st at ed. Similarly, Allah said,

(Let not t he scribe refuse t o writ e as Allah has t aught him,


(As for t he short coming in her mind, t he t est imony of t wo women equals t he t est imony of one man, and t his is t he short coming in t he mind. As for t he short coming in t he religion, woman remains for night s at a t ime when she does not pray and breaks t he fast in Ramadan) Allah's st at ement ,

(such as you agree for wit nesses) requires compet ency in t he wit nesses. Furt her, Allah's st at ement ,

(so t hat if one of t hem errs) refers t o t he t wo women wit nesses; whenever one of t hem forget s a part of t he t est imony,

(t he ot her can remind her) meaning, t he ot her woman's t est imony mends t he short coming of forget fulness in t he first woman. Allah's st at ement ,

(And t he wit nesses should not refuse when t hey are called) means, when people are called t o be wit nesses, t hey should agree, as Qat adah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas st at ed. Similarly, Allah said,

(Let not t he scribe refuse t o writ e as Allah has t aught him, so let him writ e.) Some say t hat t his Ayah indicat es t hat agreeing t o become a wit ness is Fard Kifayah (required on at least a part of t he Muslim Ummah). However, t he maj orit y of t he scholars say t hat t he Ayah,

(And t he wit nesses should not refuse when t hey are called) is referring t o t est ifying t o what t he wit nesses act ually wit nessed, t hus befit t ing t heir descript ion of being ` wit nesses'. Therefore, when t he wit ness is called t o t est ify t o what he wit nessed, he is required t o give t est imony, unless t his obligat ion was already fulfilled, in which case such t est imony becomes Fard Kifayah. Muj ahid and Abu Mij laz said, "If you are called t o be a wit ness, t hen you have t he choice t o agree. If you wit nessed and were called t o t est ify, t hen come forward.'' It was report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas and Al-Hasan Al-Basri said t hat t he obligat ion includes bot h cases, agreeing t o be a wit ness and t est ifying t o what one wit nessed. Allah's st at ement ,

(You should not become weary t o writ e it (your cont ract ), whet her it be small or large, for it s fixed t erm) perfect s t his direct ion from Allah by commanding t hat t he debt be writ t en, whet her t he amount is large or small. Allah said,

(You should not become weary) meaning, do not be discouraged against writ ing t ransact ions and t heir t erms, whet her t he amount involved is large or small. Allah's st at ement ,

(t hat is more j ust wit h Allah; more solid as evidence, and more convenient t o prevent doubt s among yourselves) means, writ ing t ransact ions t hat will be fulfillled at a lat er dat e is more j ust wit h Allah meaning bet t er and more convenient in order t o preserve t he t erms of t he cont ract . Therefore, recording such agreement s helps t he wit nesses, when t hey see t heir handwrit ing or signat ures - lat er on and t hus remember what t hey wit nessed, for it is possible t hat t he wit nesses might forget what t hey wit nessed.


(And more convenient t o prevent doubt s among yourselves) meaning, t his helps repel any doubt . Since if you need t o refer t o t he cont ract t hat you wrot e and t he doubt will end. Allah's st at ement ,

(save when it is a present t rade which you carry out on t he spot among yourselves, t hen t here is no sin on you if you do not writ e it down) indicat es t hat if t he t ransact ion will be fulfilled immediat ely, t hen t here is no harm if it is not recorded. As for requiring wit nesses t o be present in t rading t ransact ions, Allah said,

(But t ake wit nesses whenever you make a commercial cont ract . ) However, t his command was abrogat ed by,

(Then if one of you ent rust s t he ot her, let t he one who is ent rust ed discharge his t rust (fait hfully).) Or, it could be t hat having wit nesses in such cases is only recommended and not obligat ory, as evident from t he Hadit h t hat Khuzaymah bin Thabit Al-Ansari narrat ed which Imam Ahmad collect ed. ` Umarah bin Khuzaymah Al-Ansari said t hat his uncle, who was among t he Prophet 's Companions, t old him t hat t he Prophet was making a deal for a horse wit h a bedouin man. The Prophet asked t he bedouin t o follow him so t hat he could pay him t he price of t he horse. The Prophet went ahead of t he bedouin. The bedouin met several men who t ried t o buy his horse, not knowing if t he Prophet was act ually det ermined t o buy it . Some people offered more money for t he horse t han t he Prophet had. The bedouin man said t o t he Prophet , "If you want t o buy t his horse, t hen buy it or I will sell it t o someone else.'' When he heard t he bedouin man's words, t he Prophet st ood up and said, "Have I not bought t hat horse from you'' The bedouin said, "By Allah! I have not sold it t o you.'' The Prophet said, "Rat her, I did buy it from you.'' The people gat hered around t he Prophet and t he Bedouin while t hey were disput ing, and t he bedouin said, "Bring fort h a wit ness who t est ifies t hat I sold you t he horse.'' Meanwhile, t he

Muslims who came said t o t he bedouin, "Woe t o you! The Prophet only says t he t rut h.'' When Khuzaymah bin Thabit came and heard t he disput e bet ween t he Prophet and t he bedouin who was saying, "Bring fort h a wit ness who t est ifies t hat I sold you t he horse, '' Khuzaymah said, "I bear wit ness t hat you sold him t he horse.'' The Prophet said t o Khuzaymah, "What is t he basis of your t est imony'' Khuzaymah said, "That I ent rust ed you, O Messenger of Allah!'' Therefore, t he Messenger made Khuzaymah's t est imony equal t o t he t est imony of t wo men. This was also recorded by Abu Dawud and An-Nasa 299 . Allah's st at ement ,

(Let neit her scribe nor wit ness suffer (or cause) any harm) also indicat es t hat t he scribe and t he wit ness must not cause any harm, such as, when t he scribe writ es ot her t han what he is being dict at ed, or t he wit ness t est ifies t o ot her t han what he heard or conceals his t est imony. This is t he explanat ion of Al-Hasan and Qat adah.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(But if you do (such harm), it would be wickedness in you) means, "If you defy what you were commanded and commit what you were prohibit ed, t hen it is because of t he sin t hat resides and remains wit h you; sin t hat you never release or rid yourselves from.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(So have Taqwa of Allah) means, fear Him, remember His wat ch over you, implement His command and avoid what He prohibit ed,

(And Allah t eaches you. ) Similarly, Allah said,

(O you who believe! If you have Taqwa of Allah, He will grant you Furqan (a crit erion t o j udge bet ween right and wrong) ) 8:29 , and,


(O you who believe! Have Taqwa of Allah, and believe in His Messenger, He will give you a double port ion of His mercy, and He will give you a light by which you shall walk (st raight )) 57:28 . Allah said;

(And Allah is t he All-Knower of everyt hing) st at ing t hat Allah has perfect knowledge in all mat t ers and in t heir benefit s or repercussions, and not hing escapes His perfect wat ch, for His knowledge encompasses everyt hing in exist ence.

(283. And if you are on a j ourney and cannot find a scribe, t hen let t here be a pledge t aken (mort gaging), t hen if one of you ent rust s t he ot her, let t he one who is ent rust ed discharge his t rust , and let him have Taqwa of Allah, his Lord. And conceal not t he evidence, for he who hides it , surely, his heart is sinful. And Allah is All-Knower of what you do.)

What is the ` Mortgaging' Mentioned in the Ayah

Allah said,

(And if you are on a j ourney) meaning, t raveling and some of you borrowed some money t o be paid at a lat er dat e,

(and cannot find a scribe) who would record t he debt for you. Ibn ` Abbas said, "And even if t hey find a scribe, but did not find paper, ink or pen.'' Then,

(let t here be a pledge t aken (mort gaging)) given t o t he credit or in lieu of writ ing t he t ransact ion. The Two Sahihs recorded t hat Anas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah died while his shield was mort gaged wit h a Jew in ret urn for t hirt y Wasq (approximat ely 180 kg) of barley, which t he Prophet bought on credit as provisions for his household. In anot her narrat ion, t he Hadit h st at ed t hat t his Jew was among t he Jews of Al-Madinah. Allah said,

(t hen if one of you ent rust s t he ot her, let t he one who is ent rust ed discharge his t rust (fait hfully).) Ibn Abi Hat im recorded, wit h a sound chain of narrat ion, t hat Abu Sa` id Al-Khudri said, "This Ayah abrogat ed what came before it (i.e. t hat which required recording t he t ransact ion and having wit nesses present ).'' Ash-Sha` bi said, "If you t rust each ot her, t hen t here is no harm if you do not writ e t he loan or have wit nesses present .'' Allah's st at ement ,

(And let him have Taqwa of Allah) means, t he debt or. Imam Ahmad and t he Sunan recorded t hat Qat adah said t hat Al-Hasan said t hat Samurah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The hand (of t he debt or) will carry t he burden of what it t ook unt il it gives it back.) Allah's st at ement ,


(And conceal not t he evidence) means, do not hide it or refuse t o announce it . Ibn ` Abbas and ot her scholars said, "False t est imony is one of t he worst of t he maj or sins, and such is t he case wit h hiding t he t rue t est imony. This is why Allah said,

(For he who hides it , surely, his heart is sinful). As-Suddi comment ed, "Meaning he is a sinner in his heart .'' This is similar t o Allah's st at ement ,

(We shall not hide t est imony of Allah, for t hen indeed we should be of t he sinful) 5:106 . Allah said,

(O you who believe! St and out firmly for j ust ice, as wit nesses t o Allah, even t hough it be against yourselves, or your parent s, or your kin, be he rich or poor, Allah is a bet t er Prot ect or t o bot h (t han you). So follow not t he lust s (of your heart s), lest you avoid j ust ice; and if you dist ort your wit ness or refuse t o give it , verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquaint ed wit h what you do) 4:135 and in t his Ayah 2:283 He said,


(And conceal not t he evidence, for he who hides it , surely, his heart is sinful. And Allah is AllKnower of what you do.)

(284. To Allah belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is on t he eart h, and whet her you disclose what is in yourselves or conceal it , Allah will call you t o account for it . Then He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. And Allah is able t o do all t hings.)

Would the Servants be Accountable for What They Conceal in Their Hearts
Allah st at es t hat His is t he kingship of t he heavens and eart h and of what and whoever is on or bet ween t hem, t hat He has perfect wat ch over t hem. No apparent mat t er or secret t hat t he heart conceals is ever a secret t o Him, however minor it is. Allah also st at es t hat He will hold His servant s account able for what t hey do and what t hey conceal in t heir heart s. In similar st at ement s, Allah said,

(Say (O Muhammad ): "Whet her you hide what is in your breast s or reveal it , Allah knows it , and He knows what is in t he heavens and what is in t he eart h. And Allah is able t o do all t hings) 3:29 , and,

(He knows t he secret and t hat which is yet more hidden.) There are many ot her Ayat on t his subj ect . In t his Ayah 2:284 , Allah st at es t hat He has knowledge of what t he heart s conceal, and consequent ly, He will hold t he creat ion account able for what ever is in t heir heart s. This is why when t his Ayah was revealed, it was hard on t he Companions, since out of t heir st rong fait h and convict ion, t hey were afraid t hat such reckoning would diminish t heir good deeds. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said, "When

(To Allah belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is on t he eart h, and whet her you disclose what is in yourselves or conceal it , Allah will call you t o account for it . Then He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. And Allah is able t o do all t hings) was revealed t o t he Messenger of Allah , it was very hard for t he Companions of t he Messenger . The Companions came t o t he Messenger and fell t o t heir knees saying, ` O Messenger of Allah! We were asked t o perform what we can bear of deeds: t he prayer, t he fast , Jihad and charit y. However, t his Ayah was revealed t o you, and we cannot bear it .' The Messenger of Allah said,

: :
(Do you want t o repeat what t he People of t he Two Script ures before you said, t hat is, ` We hear and we disobey' Rat her, say, ` We hear and we obey, and we seek Your forgiveness, O our Lord, and t he Ret urn is t o You.) When t he people accept ed t his st at ement and t heir t ongues recit ed it , Allah sent down aft erwards,


(The Messenger believes in what has been sent down t o him from his Lord, and (so do)t he believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say,) "We make no dist inct ion bet ween one anot her of His Messengers and t hey say, "We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your forgiveness, our Lord, and t o You is t he ret urn (of all).'') When t hey did t hat , Allah abrogat ed t he Ayah 2:284 and sent down t he Ayah,

(Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He get s reward for t hat (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for t hat (evil) which he has earned. "Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall int o error.'') unt il t he end.'' Muslim recorded it wit h t he wording; "When t hey did t hat , Allah abrogat ed it 2:284 and sent down,

(Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He get s reward for t hat (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for t hat (evil) which he has earned. "Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall int o error''.) Allah said, ` I shall (accept your supplicat ion),'


("Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like t hat which You did lay on t hose before us (Jews and Christ ians)'') Allah said, ` I shall (accept your supplicat ion),'

("Our Lord! Put not on us a burden great er t han we have st rengt h t o bear. '') Allah said, ` I shall (accept your supplicat ion),'

("Pardon us and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Mawla (Support er and Prot ect or) and give us vict ory over t he disbelieving people.'') Allah said, ` I shall.''' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Muj ahid said, "I saw Ibn ` Abbas and said t o him, ` O Abu Abbas! I was wit h Ibn ` Umar, and he read t his Ayah and cried.' He asked, ` Which Ayah' I said,

` (And whet her you disclose what is in yourselves or conceal it .)' Ibn ` Abbas said, ` When t his Ayah was revealed, it was very hard on t he Companions of t he Messenger of Allah and worried t hem t remendously. They said: O Messenger of Allah! We know t hat we would be punished according t o our st at ement s and our act ions, but as for what occurs in our heart s, we do not cont rol what is in t hem.' The Messenger of Allah said,

:
(Say, ` We hear and we obey.') They said, ` We hear and we obey.' Thereaft er, t his Ayah abrogat ed t he previous Ayah,


(The Messenger believes in what has been sent down t o him from his Lord, and (so do) t he believers. Each one believes in Allah), unt il,

(Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He get s reward for t hat (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for t hat (evil) which he has earned.) Therefore, t hey were pardoned what happens in t heir heart s, and were held account able only for t heir act ions.''' The Group recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Allah has pardoned my Ummah for what t hey say t o t hemselves, as long as t hey do not ut t er it or act on it .) The Two Sahihs recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(Allah said (t o His angels), "If My servant int ends t o commit an evil deed, do not record it as such for him, and if he commit s it , writ e it for him as one evil deed. If he int ends t o perform a good deed, but did not perform it , t hen writ e it for him as one good deed, and if he performs it , writ e it for him as t en good deeds.'')

 -
l(285. The Messenger believes in what has been sent down t o him from his Lord, and (so do) t he believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say,) "We make no dist inct ion bet ween one anot her of His Messengers and t hey say, "We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your forgiveness, our Lord, and t o You is t he ret urn (of all).'') (286. Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He get s reward for t hat (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for t hat (evil) which he has earned. "Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall int o error, our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like t hat which You did lay on t hose before us (Jews and Christ ians); our Lord! Put not on us a burden great er t han we have st rengt h t o bear. Pardon us and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Mawla (Pat ron, Support er and Prot ect or) and give us vict ory over t he disbelieving people.'') The Hadit hs on t he Virt ue of These Two Ayat , May Allah Benefit Us by Them Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu Mas` ud said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever recit es t he last t wo Ayat in Surat Al-Baqarah at night , t hey will suffice for him.)

The rest of t he six also recorded similar wording for t his Hadit h. The Two Sahihs recorded t his Hadit h using various chains of narrat ion, and Imam Ahmad also recorded it . Muslim recorded t hat ` Abdullah said, "When t he Messenger of Allah went on t he Isra j ourney, he ascended t o t he Sidrat Al-Munt aha in t he sixt h heaven, where what ever ascends from t he eart h ends at , and what ever descends from above it ends at .

(When t hat covered t he lot e t ree which did cover it !) 53:16 meaning, a mat made of gold. The Messenger of Allah was t hen given t hree t hings: t he five prayers, t he last Ayat in Surat AlBaqarah and forgiveness for whoever did not associat e anyt hing or anyone wit h Allah from his Ummah.'' Earlier we ment ioned t he Hadit h regarding t he virt ues of Surat Al-Fat ihah from Ibn ` Abbas which st at ed, "While t he Messenger of Allah was wit h Jibil, he heard a noise from above. Jibil lift ed his sight t o t he sky and said, ` This is a door t hat was opened j ust now in heaven, and it was never opened before.' An angel came down t hrough t he door t o t he Prophet and said, ` Receive t he good news of t wo light s t hat you have been given and which no Prophet before you was given: t he Opener of t he Book (Al-Fat ihah) and t he last Ayat in Surat Al-Baqarah. You will not read a let t er of t hem, but you will be grant ed it s benefit .''' This Hadit h was collect ed by Muslim and An-Nasa'i, and t his is t he wording collect ed by An-Nasa'i.

The Tafsir of the Last Two Ayat of Surat Al-Baqarah

Allah said,

(Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say,) "We make no dist inct ion bet ween one anot her of His Messengers.'') Therefore, each of t he believers believes t hat Allah is t he One and Only and t he Sust ainer, t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Him and t here is no Lord except Him. The believers also believe in all Allah's Prophet s and Messengers, in t he Books t hat were revealed from heaven t o t he Messengers and Prophet s, who are indeed t he servant s of Allah. Furt her, t he believers do not different iat e bet ween any of t he Prophet s, such as, believing in some of t hem and rej ect ing ot hers. Rat her, all of Allah's Prophet s and Messengers are, t o t he believers, t rut hful, right eous, and t hey were each guided t o t he pat h of right eousness, even when some of t hem bring what abrogat es t he Law of some ot hers by Allah's leave. Lat er on, t he Law of Muhammad, t he Final Prophet and Messenger from Allah, abrogat ed all t he laws of t he Prophet s before him. So t he Last Hour will commence while Muhammad's Law remains t he only valid Law, and all t he while a group of his Ummah will always be on t he pat h of t rut h, apparent and dominant . Allah's st at ement ,


(And t hey say, "We hear, and we obey'') means, we heard Your st at ement , O our Lord, comprehended and implement ed it , and adhered t o it s implicat ions.

((We seek) Your forgiveness, our Lord) cont ains a plea and supplicat ion for Allah's forgiveness, mercy and kindness. Allah's st at ement ,

(Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope) means, Allah does not ask a soul what is beyond it s abilit y. This only demonst rat es Allah's kindness, compassion and generosit y t owards His creat ion. This Ayah is t he Ayah t hat abrogat ed t he Ayah t hat worried t he Companions, t hat is, Allah's st at ement ,

(And whet her you disclose what is in yourselves or conceal it , Allah will call you t o account for it .) This indicat es t hat alt hough Allah will quest ion His servant s and j udge t hem, He will only punish for what one is able t o prot ect himself from. As for what one cannot prot ect himself from, such as what one says t o himself - or passing t hought s - t hey will not be punished for t hat . We should st at e here t hat t o dislike t he evil t hought s t hat cross one's mind is a part of fait h. Allah said next ,

(He get s reward for t hat which he has earned) of good,

(And he is punished for t hat which he has earned) of evil, t hat is, concerning t he act s t hat one is responsible for.

Allah t hen said, ment ioning what t he believers said while direct ing His servant s t o supplicat e t o Him, all t he while promising t hem t hat He will answer t heir supplicat ion:

("Our Lord! Push us not if we forget or fall int o error,'') meaning, "If we forgot an obligat ion or fell int o a prohibit ion, or made an error while ignorant of it s ruling.'' We ment ioned t he Hadit h by Abu Hurayrah, t hat Muslim collect ed, wherein Allah said, "I shall (accept your supplicat ion).'' There is also t he Hadit h by Ibn ` Abbas t hat Allah said, "I did (accept your supplicat ion).''

(Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like t hat which You did lay on t hose before us (Jews and Christ ians),) means, "Even if we were able t o perform t hem, do not require us t o perform t he difficult deeds as You required t he previous nat ions before us, such as t he burdens t hat were placed on t hem. You sent Your Prophet Muhammad , t he Prophet of mercy, t o abrogat e t hese burdens t hrough t he Law t hat You revealed t o him, t he Hanifi (Islamic Monot heism), easy religion.'' Muslim recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said t hat Allah said, "I shall (accept your supplicat ion).'' Ibn ` Abbas narrat ed t hat t he Messenger of Allah said t hat Allah said, "I did (accept your supplicat ion).'' There is t he Hadit h recorded t hrough various chains of narrat ion t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(I was sent wit h t he easy Hanifiyyah way.)

(Our Lord! Put not on us a burden great er t han we have st rengt h t o bear) of obligat ions, hardships and afflict ions, do not make us bear what we cannot bear of t his.

(Our Lord! Put not on us a burden great er t han we have st rengt h t o bear.) We ment ioned t hat Allah said, "I shall (accept your supplicat ion)'' in one narrat ion, and, "I did (accept your supplicat ion),'' in anot her narrat ion.


(Pardon us) meaning, bet ween us and You regarding what You know of our short comings and errors.

(And grant us forgiveness) concerning what is bet ween us and Your servant s. So do not expose our errors and evil deeds t o t hem.

(Have mercy on us) in what will come t hereaft er. Therefore, do not allow us t o fall int o anot her error. They say t hat t hose who commit error need t hree t hings: Allah's forgiveness for what is bet ween Him and t hem, t hat He conceals t hese errors from His ot her servant s, and t hus does not expose t hem before t he servant s, and t hat He grant s t hem immunit y from furt her error.'' We ment ioned before t hat Allah answered t hese pleas, "I shall,'' in one narrat ion and, "I did,'' in anot her narrat ion.

(You are our Mawla) meaning, You are our support er and helper, our t rust is in You, You are sought for each and every t ype of help and our t ot al reliance is on You. There is no power or st rengt h except from You.

(And give us vict ory over t he disbelieving people) t hose who rej ect ed Your religion, denied Your Oneness, refused t he Message of Your Prophet , worshipped ot her t han You and associat ed ot hers in Your worship. Give us vict ory and make us prevail above t hem in t his and t he Hereaft er. Allah said, "I shall,'' in one narrat ion, and, "I did,'' in t he Hadit h t hat Muslim collect ed from Ibn ` Abbas. Furt her, Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Abu Ishaq said t hat whenever Mu` adh would finish recit ing t his Surah,

(And give us victory over the disbelieving people), he would say "Amin.''

The Tafsir of Surah Al ` Imran (Chapter 3)

Surah Al ` Imran was revealed in Al-Madinah, as evident by t he fact t hat t he first eight y-t hree Ayat in it relat e t o t he delegat ion from Naj ran t hat arrived in Al-Madinah on t he nint h year of Hij rah (632 CE). We will elaborat e on t his subj ect when we explain t he Ayah about t he Mubahalah 3:61 in t his Surah, Allah willing. We should also st at e t hat we ment ioned t he virt ues of Surah Al ` Imran along wit h t he virt ues of Surat Al-Baqarah in t he beginning of t he Tafsir of Surat Al-Baqarah.

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(In t he Name of Allah, t he Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful) (1. Alif-Lam-Mim.) (2. Allah! None has t he right t o be worshipped but He, t he Ever Living, t he One Who sust ains and prot ect s all t hat exist s.) (3. It is He Who has sent down t he Book t o you wit h t rut h, confirming what came before it . And He sent down t he Tawrah and t he Inj il,) (4. Aforet ime, as a guidance t o mankind. And He sent down t he crit erion. Truly, t hose who disbelieve in t he Ayat of Allah, for t hem t here is a severe t orment ; and Allah is All-Might y, All-Able of Ret ribut ion.) We ment ioned t he Hadit h in t he Tafsir of Ayat Al-Kursi Great est Name is cont ained in t hese t wo Ayat , 2:255 t hat ment ions t hat Allah's

(Allah! None has t he right t o be worshipped but He, t he Ever Living, t he One Who sust ains and prot ect s all t hat exist s) and,

-
(Alif-Lam-Mim. Allah! None has t he right t o be worshipped but He, t he Ever Living, t he One Who sust ains and prot ect s all t hat exist s.) We also explained t he Tafsir of,


(Alif-Lam-Mim) in t he beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah, and t he meaning of,

(Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa, Al-Hayyul-Qayyum) in t he Tafsir of Ayat Al-Kursi. Allah's st at ement ,

(It is He Who has sent down t he Book t o you wit h t rut h, ) means, revealed t he Qur'an t o you, O Muhammad, in t rut h, meaning t here is no doubt or suspicion t hat it is revealed from Allah. Verily, Allah revealed t he Qur'an wit h His knowledge, and t he angels t est ify t o t his fact , Allah is sufficient as a Wit ness. Allah's st at ement ,

(Confirming what came before it ) means, from t he previous divinely revealed Books, sent t o t he servant s and Prophet s of Allah. These Books t est ify t o t he t rut h of t he Qur'an, and t he Qur'an also t est ifies t o t he t rut h t hese Books cont ained, including t he news and glad t idings of Muhammad's prophet hood and t he revelat ion of t he Glorious Qur'an. Allah said,

(And He sent down t he Tawrah) t o Musa (Musa) son of ` Imran,

(And t he Inj il), t o ` Isa, son of Mary,

(Aforet ime) meaning, before t he Qur'an was revealed,


(As a guidance t o mankind) in t heir t ime.

(And He sent down t he crit erion) which is t he dist inct ion bet ween misguidance, falsehood and deviat ion on one hand, and guidance, t rut h and piet y on t he ot her hand. This is because of t he indicat ions, signs, plain evidences and clear proofs t hat it cont ains, and because of it s explanat ions, clarificat ions, et c. Allah's st at ement ,

(Truly, t hose who disbelieve in t he Ayat of Allah) means t hey denied, refused and unj ust ly rej ect ed t hem,

(For t hem t here is a severe t orment ) on t he Day of Resurrect ion,

(And Allah is All-Might y) meaning, His grandeur is invincible and His sovereignt y is infinit e,

(All-Able of Ret ribut ion.) from t hose who rej ect His Ayat and defy His honorable Messengers and great Prophet s.

(5. Truly, not hing is hidden from Allah, in t he eart h or in t he heaven.) (6. He it is Who shapes you in t he wombs as He wills. None has t he right t o be worshipped but He, t he Almight y, t he All-Wise.) Allah st at es t hat He has perfect knowledge in t he heavens and eart h and t hat not hing in t hem is hidden from His wat ch.

(He it is Who shapes you in t he wombs as He wills.) meaning, He creat es you in t he wombs as He wills, whet her male or female, handsome or ot herwise, happy or miserable.

(La ilaha illa Huwa (none has t he right t o be worshipped but He), t he Almight y, t he All-Wise.) meaning, He is t he Creat or and t hus is t he only deit y wort hy of worship, wit hout part ners, and His is t he perfect might , wisdom and decision. This Ayah refers t o t he fact t hat ` Isa, son of Mary, is a creat ed servant , j ust as Allah creat ed t he rest of mankind. Allah creat ed ` Isa in t he womb (of his mot her) and shaped him as He willed. Therefore, how could ` Isa be divine, as t he Christ ians, may Allah's curses descend on t hem, claim ` Isa was creat ed in t he womb and his creat ion changed from st age t o st age, j ust as Allah said,

(He creat es you in t he wombs of your mot hers, creat ion aft er creat ion in t hree veils of darkness.) 39:6 .

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(7. It is He Who has sent down t o you t he Book. In it are verses t hat are ent irely clear, t hey are t he foundat ions of t he Book; and ot hers not ent irely clear. So as for t hose in whose heart s t here is a deviat ion (from t he t rut h) t hey follow (only) t hat which is not ent irely clear t hereof, seeking Al-Fit nah, and seeking it s Ta'wil, but none knows it s Ta'wil except Allah. And t hose who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in it ; all of it is from our Lord.'' And none receive admonit ion except men of underst anding.) (8. (They say): "Our Lord! Let not our heart s deviat e (from t he t rut h) aft er You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are t he Best ower.'') (9. "Our Lord! Verily, it is You Who will gat her mankind t oget her on t he Day about which t here is no doubt . Verily, Allah never breaks His Promise.'')

The Mutashabihat and Muhkamat Ayat

Allah st at es t hat in t he Qur'an, t here are Ayat t hat are Muhkamat , ent irely clear and plain, and t hese are t he foundat ions of t he Book which are plain for everyone. And t here are Ayat in t he Qur'an t hat are Mut ashabihat not ent irely clear for many, or some people. So t hose who refer t o t he Muhkam Ayat t o underst and t he Mut ashabih Ayat , will have acquired t he correct guidance, and vice versa. This is why Allah said,

(They are t he foundat ions of t he Book), meaning, t hey are t he basis of t he Qur'an, and should be referred t o for clarificat ion, when warrant ed,

(And ot hers not ent irely clear) as t hey have several meanings, some t hat agree wit h t he Muhkam and some t hat carry ot her lit eral indicat ions, alt hough t hese meaning might not be desired. The Muhkamat are t he Ayat t hat explain t he abrogat ing rulings, t he allowed, prohibit ed, laws, limit s, obligat ions and rulings t hat should be believed in and implement ed. As for t he Mut ashabihat Ayat , t hey include t he abrogat ed Ayat , parables, oat hs, and what should be believed in, but not implement ed. Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar comment ed on,


(In it are verses t hat are ent irely clear) as "Cont aining proof of t he Lord, immunit y for t he servant s and a refut at ion of opponent s and of falsehood. They cannot be changed or alt ered from what t hey were meant for.'' He also said, "As for t he unclear Ayat , t hey can (but must not ) be alt ered and changed, and t his is a t est from Allah t o t he servant s, j ust as He t est ed t hem wit h t he allowed and prohibit ed t hings. So t hese Ayat must not be alt ered t o imply a false meaning or be dist ort ed from t he t rut h.'' Therefore, Allah said,

(So as for t hose in whose heart s t here is a deviat ion) meaning, t hose who are misguided and deviat e from t rut h t o falsehood,

(t hey follow t hat which is not ent irely clear t hereof) meaning, t hey refer t o t he Mut ashabih, because t hey are able t o alt er it s meanings t o conform wit h t heir false int erpret at ion since t he wordings of t he Mut ashabihat encompass such a wide area of meanings. As for t he Muhkam Ayat , t hey cannot be alt ered because t hey are clear and, t hus, const it ut e unequivocal proof against t he misguided people. This is why Allah said,

(seeking Al-Fit nah) meaning, t hey seek t o misguide t heir following by pret ending t o prove t heir innovat ion by relying on t he Qur'an -- t he Mut ashabih of it -- but , t his is proof against and not for t hem. For inst ance, Christ ians might claim t hat ` Isa is divine because t he Qur'an st at es t hat he is Ruhullah and His Word, which He gave t o Mary, all t he while ignoring Allah's st at ement s,

(He ` Isa was not more t han a servant . We grant ed Our favor t o him.) 43:59 , and,

(Verily, t he likeness of ` Isa before Allah is t he likeness of Adam. He creat ed him from dust , t hen (He) said t o him: "Be!'' and he was.) 3:59 . There are ot her Ayat t hat clearly assert t hat ` Isa is but one of Allah's creat ures and t hat he is t he servant and Messenger of Allah, among ot her Messengers. Allah's st at ement ,

(And seeking for it s Ta'wil,) t o alt er t hem as t hey desire. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` A'ishah said, "The Messenger of Allah recit ed,

(It is He Who has sent down t o you t he Book. In it are verses t hat are ent irely clear, t hey are t he foundat ions of t he Book; and ot hers not ent irely clear,), unt il,

(Men of underst anding) and he said,

(When you see t hose who argue in it (using t he Mut ashabihat ), t hen t hey are t hose whom Allah meant . Therefore, beware of t hem.)'' Al-Bukhari recorded a similar Hadit h in t he Tafsir of t his Ayah 3:7 , as did Muslim in t he book of Qadar (t he Divine Will) in his Sahih, and Abu Dawud in t he Sunnah sect ion of his Sunan, from ` A'ishah; "The Messenger of Allah recit ed t his Ayah,

(It is He Who has sent down t o you t he Book. In it are verses t hat are ent irely clear,) unt il,


(And none receive admonit ion except men of underst anding.) He t hen said,

(When you see t hose who follow what is not so clear of t he Qur'an, t hen t hey are t hose whom Allah described, so beware of t hem.)'' This is t he wording recorded by Al-Bukhari.

Only Allah Knows the True Ta'wil (Interpretation) of the Mutashabihat

Allah said,

(But none knows it s Ta'wil except Allah.) Similarly, as preceded in what has been report ed from Ibn ` Abbas, "Tafsir is of four t ypes: Tafsir t hat t he Arabs know in t heir language; Tafsir t hat no one is excused of being ignorant of; Tafsir t hat t he scholars know; and Tafsir t hat only Allah knows.'' Scholars of Qur'an recit at ion have different opinions about pausing at Allah's Name in t his Ayah. This st op was report ed from ` A'ishah, ` Urwah, Abu Ash-Sha` t ha' and Abu Nahik. Some pause aft er recit ing,

(And t hose who are firmly grounded in knowledge) saying t hat t he Qur'an does not address t he people wit h what t hey cannot underst and. Ibn Abi Naj ih said t hat Muj ahid said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "I am among t hose who are firmly grounded in it s Ta'wil int erpret at ion.'' The Messenger of Allah supplicat ed for t he benefit of Ibn ` Abbas,

(O Allah! Best ow on him knowledge in t he religion and t each him t he Ta'wil (int erpret at ion).) Ta'wil has t wo meanings in t he Qur'an, t he t rue realit y of t hings, and what t hey will t urn out t o be. For inst ance, Allah said,

(And he said: "O my fat her! This is t he Ta'wil of my dream aforet ime!''.) 12:100 , and,

(Await t hey j ust for it 's Ta'wil On t he Day (Day of Resurrect ion) it 's Ta'wil is finally fulfillled.)(7:53) refers t o t he t rue realit y of Resurrect ion t hat t hey were t old about . If t his is t he meaning desired in t he Ayah above 3:7 , t hen pausing aft er recit ing Allah's Name is warrant ed, because only Allah knows t he t rue realit y of t hings. In t his case, Allah's st at ement ,

(And t hose who are firmly grounded in knowledge) is connect ed t o His st at ement ,

(say: "We believe in it '') If t he word Ta'wil means t he second meaning, t hat is, explaining and describing, such as what Allah said,

((They said): "Inform us of t he Ta'wil of t his'') meaning it s explanat ion, t hen pausing aft er recit ing,

(And t hose who are firmly grounded in knowledge) is warrant ed. This is because t he scholars have general knowledge in, and underst and what t hey were addressed wit h, even t hough t hey do not have knowledge of t he t rue realit y of t hings. Therefore, Allah's st at ement ,

(say: "We believe in it '') describes t he conduct of t he scholars. Similarly, Allah said,

(And your Lord comes, and t he angels, in rows.) 89:22 means, your Lord will come, and t he angels will come in rows. Allah's st at ement t hat t he knowledgeable people proclaim,

(We believe in it ) means, t hey believe in t he Mut ashabih.

(all of it is from our Lord) meaning, bot h t he Muhkam and t he Mut ashabih are t rue and aut hent ic, and each one of t hem t est ifies t o t he t rut h of t he ot her. This is because t hey bot h are from Allah and not hing t hat comes from Allah is ever met by cont radict ion or discrepancy. Allah said,

(Do t hey not t hen consider t he Qur'an carefully Had it been from ot her t han Allah, t hey would surely have found t herein many a cont radict ion.) 4:82 . Allah said in his Ayah 3:7 ,

(And none receive admonit ion except men of underst anding. ) meaning, t hose who have good minds and sound comprehension, underst and, cont emplat e and comprehend t he meaning in t he correct manner. Furt her, Ibn Al-Mundhir recorded in his Tafsir t hat Nafi` bin Yazid said, "Those firmly grounded in knowledge are t hose who are modest for Allah's sake, humbly seek His pleasure, and do not exaggerat e regarding t hose above t hem, or belit t le t hose below t hem.'' Allah said t hat t hey supplicat e t o t heir Lord,

(Our Lord! Let not our heart s deviat e (from t he t rut h) aft er You have guided us.) meaning, "Do not deviat e our heart s from t he guidance aft er You allowed t hem t o acquire it . Do not make us like t hose who have wickedness in t heir heart s, t hose who follow t he Mut ashabih in t he Qur'an. Rat her, make us remain firmly on Your st raight pat h and t rue religion.''

(And grant us from Ladunka) meaning, from You,

(Mercy) wit h which You make our heart s firm, and increase in our Fait h and cert aint y,

(Truly, You are t he Best ower) Ibn Abi Hat im and Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Umm Salamah said t hat t he Prophet used t o supplicat e,

(O You Who changes t he heart s, make my heart firm on Your religion.) He t hen recit ed,

("Our Lord! Let not our heart s deviat e (from t he t rut h) aft er You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are t he Best ower.'') The Ayah cont inues,

("Our Lord! Verily, it is You Who will gat her mankind t oget her on t he Day about which t here is no doubt '') meaning, t hey say in t heir supplicat ion: O our Lord! You will gat her Your creat ion on t he Day of Ret urn, j udge bet ween t hem and decide over what t hey disput ed about . Thereaft er, You will reward or punish each according t o t he deeds t hey did in t his life.

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n(10. Verily, t hose who disbelieve, neit her t heir propert ies nor t heir offspring will avail t hem what soever against Allah; and it is t hey who will be fuel of t he Fire.) (11. Like t he behavior of t he people of Fir` awn and t hose before t hem; t hey belied Our Ayat . So Allah punished t hem for t heir sins. And Allah is severe in punishment .)

On the Day of Resur Allah st at es t hat

t he disbelievers shall be fuel for t he Fire,

(The Day when t heir excuses will be of no profit t o wrongdoers. Theirs will be t he curse, and t heirs will be t he evil abode (i.e. painful t orment in Hell-fire).) 40:52 . Furt her, what t hey were grant ed in t his life of wealt h and offspring shall not avail t hem wit h Allah, or save t hem from His punishment and severe t orment . Similarly, Allah said,

(So let not t heir wealt h nor t heir children amaze you; in realit y Allah's plan is t o punish t hem wit h t hese t hings in t he life of t his world, and t hat t heir souls shall depart (die) while t hey are disbelievers.) 9:55 , and,

(Let not t he free disposal (and affluence) of t he disbelievers t hroughout t he land deceive you. A brief enj oyment ; t hen, t heir ult imat e abode is Hell; and worst indeed is t hat place for rest .) 3:196, 197 . Allah said in t his Ayah 3:10 ,

(Verily, t hose who disbelieve) meaning, disbelieved in Allah's Ayat , denied His Messengers, defied His Books and did not benefit from His revelat ion t o His Prophet s,

(Neit her t heir propert ies nor t heir offspring will avail t hem what soever against Allah; and it is t hey who will be fuel of t he Fire.) meaning, t hey will be t he wood wit h which t he Fire is kindled and fed. Similarly, Allah said,

(Cert ainly you (disbelievers) and t hat which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but ) fuel for Hell!) 21:98 . Allah said next ,

(Like t he Da'b of t he people of Fira` wn.) Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah means, "Like t he behavior of t he people of Fir` awn.'' This is t he same Tafsir of ` Ikrimah, Muj ahid, Abu Malik, Ad-Dahhak, and ot hers. Ot her scholars said t hat t he Ayah means, "Like t he pract ice, conduct , likeness of t he people of Fir` awn.'' These meanings are all plausible, for t he Da'b means pract ice, behavior, t radit ion and habit . The Ayah indicat es t hat t he disbelievers will not benefit from t heir wealt h or offspring. Rat her, t hey will perish and be punished. This is t he same end t he people of Fir` awn and t he previous nat ions met , t hose who rej ect ed t he Messengers, t he Ayat , and proofs of Allah t hat t hey were sent wit h.

(And Allah is severe in punishment .) meaning, His punishment is severe and His t orment is painful. None can escape Allah's grasp, nor does anyt hing escape His knowledge. Allah does

what He wills and prevails over all t hings, it is He t o Whom everyt hing is humbled and t here is no deit y wort hy of worship, nor any Lord except Him.

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(12. Say t o t hose who disbelieve: "You will be defeat ed and gat hered t oget her t o Hell, and worst indeed is t hat place of rest .'') (13. There has already been a sign for you in t he t wo armies t hat met . One was fight ing in t he cause of Allah, and as for t he ot her, in disbelief. They saw t hem wit h t heir own eyes t wice t heir number. And Allah support s wit h His aid whom He wills. Verily, in t his is a lesson for t hose who underst and.)

On the Day of Resurrection, No Wealth or Offspring Shall Avail

Allah st at es t hat t he disbelievers shall be fuel for t he Fire,

(The Day when t heir excuses will be of no profit t o wrongdoers. Theirs will be t he curse, and t heirs will be t he evil abode (i.e. painful t orment in Hell-fire).) 40:52 . Furt her, what t hey were grant ed in t his life of wealt h and offspring shall not avail t hem wit h Allah, or save t hem from His punishment and severe t orment . Similarly, Allah said,

(So let not t heir wealt h nor t heir children amaze you; in realit y Allah's plan is t o punish t hem wit h t hese t hings in t he life of t his world, and t hat t heir souls shall depart (die) while t hey are disbelievers.) 9:55 , and,

-
(Let not t he free disposal (and affluence) of t he disbelievers t hroughout t he land deceive you. A brief enj oyment ; t hen, t heir ult imat e abode is Hell; and worst indeed is t hat place for rest .) 3:196, 197 . Allah said in t his Ayah 3:10 ,

(Verily, t hose who disbelieve) meaning, disbelieved in Allah's Ayat , denied His Messengers, defied His Books and did not benefit from His revelat ion t o His Prophet s,

(Neit her t heir propert ies nor t heir offspring will avail t hem what soever against Allah; and it is t hey who will be fuel of t he Fire.) meaning, t hey will be t he wood wit h which t he Fire is kindled and fed. Similarly, Allah said,

(Cert ainly you (disbelievers) and t hat which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but ) fuel for Hell!) 21:98 . Allah said next ,

(Like t he Da'b of t he people of Fira` wn.) Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah means, "Like t he behavior of t he people of Fir` awn.'' This is t he same Tafsir of ` Ikrimah, Muj ahid, Abu Malik, Ad-Dahhak, and ot hers. Ot her scholars said t hat t he Ayah means, "Like t he pract ice, conduct , likeness of t he people of Fir` awn.'' These meanings are all plausible, for t he Da'b means pract ice, behavior, t radit ion and habit . The Ayah indicat es t hat t he disbelievers

will not benefit from t heir wealt h or offspring. Rat her, t hey will perish and be punished. This is t he same end t he people of Fir` awn and t he previous nat ions met , t hose who rej ect ed t he Messengers, t he Ayat , and proofs of Allah t hat t hey were sent wit h.

(And Allah is severe in punishment .) meaning, His punishment is severe and His t orment is painful. None can escape Allah's grasp, nor does anyt hing escape His knowledge. Allah does what He wills and prevails over all t hings, it is He t o Whom everyt hing is humbled and t here is no deit y wort hy of worship, nor any Lord except Him.

-
(12. Say t o t hose who disbelieve: "You will be defeat ed and gat hered t oget her t o Hell, and worst indeed is t hat place of rest .'') (13. There has already been a sign for you in t he t wo armies t hat met . One was fight ing in t he cause of Allah, and as for t he ot her, in disbelief. They saw t hem wit h t heir own eyes t wice t heir number. And Allah support s wit h His aid whom He wills. Verily, in t his is a lesson for t hose who underst and.)

Threatening the Jews With Defeat and Encouraging Them to Learn a Lesson From the Battle of Badr
Allah commanded t he Prophet Muhammad t o proclaim t o t he disbelievers,

(You will be defeat ed) in t his life,

(And gat hered t oget her) on t he Day of Resurrect ion,


(t o Hell, and worst indeed is t hat place of rest ) Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar recorded t hat ` Asim bin ` Umar bin Qat adah said t hat when t he Messenger of Allah gained vict ory in t he bat t le of Badr and went back t o Al-Madinah, he gat hered t he Jews in t he market place of Bani Qaynuqa` . Therefore, Allah said,

(There has already been a sign for you) meaning, O Jews, who said what you said! You have an Ayah, meaning proof, t hat Allah will make His religion prevail, award vict ory t o His Messenger, make His Word apparent and His religion t he highest .

(In t he t wo armies) meaning, t wo camps,

(t hat met ) in combat (in Badr),

(One was fight ing in t he Cause of Allah) t he Muslims,

(And as for t he ot her, in disbelief) meaning, t he idolat ors of Quraysh at Badr. Allah's st at ement ,

(They saw t hem wit h t heir own eyes t wice t heir number) means, t he idolat ors t hought t hat t he Muslims were t wice as many as t hey were, for Allah made t his illusion a fact or in t he vict ory t hat Islam had over t hem.

It was said t hat t he meaning of Allah's st at ement ,

(They saw t hem wit h t heir own eyes t wice t heir number) is t hat t he Muslims saw t wice as many idolat ors as t hey were, yet Allah gave t hem vict ory over t he disbelievers. ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said, "When we looked at t he disbelievers' forces, we found t hat t hey were t wice as many as we were. When we looked at t hem again, we t hought t hey did not have one man more t han we had. So Allah's st at ement ,

(And (remember) when you met , He showed t hem t o you as few in your eyes and He made you appear as few in t heir eyes.) 8:44 ''. When t he t wo camps saw each ot her, t he Muslims t hought t hat t he idolat ors were t wice as many as t hey were, so t hat t hey would t rust in Allah and seek His help. The idolat ors t hought t hat t he believers were t wice as many as t hey were, so t hat t hey would feel fear, horror, fright and despair. When t he t wo camps st ood in lines and met in bat t le, Allah made each camp look smaller in t he eyes of t he ot her camp, so t hat t hey would be encouraged t o fight each ot her,

(so t hat Allah might accomplish a mat t er already ordained.) 8:42 meaning, so t hat t he t rut h and falsehood are dist inguishable, and t hus t he word of fait h prevails over disbelief and deviat ion, so t hat t he believers prevail and t he disbelievers are humiliat ed. In a similar st at ement , Allah said;

(And Allah has already made you vict orious at Badr, when you were a weak lit t le force) 3:123 . In t his Ayah 3:13 Allah said,

(And Allah support s wit h His vict ory whom He wills. Verily, in t his is a lesson for t hose who underst and.) meaning, t his should be an example for t hose who have int elligence and sound

comprehension. They should cont emplat e about Allah's wisdom, decisions and decree, t hat He gives vict ory t o His believing servant s in t his life and on t he Day t he wit nesses st and up t o t est ify.

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(14. Beaut ified for men is t he love of t hings t hey covet ; women, children, Qanat ir AlMuqant arah of gold and silver, branded beaut iful horses (Musawwamah), cat t le and fert ile land. This is t he pleasure of t he present world's life; but Allah has t he excellent ret urn wit h Him.) (15. Say: "Shall I inform you of t hings far bet t er t han t hose For t hose who have Taqwa t here are Gardens (Paradise) wit h t heir Lord, underneat h which rivers flow. Therein (is t heir) et ernal (home) and Azwaj un Mut ahharat un (purified mat es or wives). And Allah will be pleased wit h t hem. And Allah is All-Seer of t he servant s.'')

The True Value of This Earthly Life

Allah ment ions t he delight s t hat He put in t his life for people, such as women and children, and He st art ed wit h women, because t he t est wit h t hem is more t empt ing. For inst ance, t he Sahih recorded t hat t he Messenger said,

(I did not leave behind me a t est more t empt ing t o men t han women.) When one enj oys women for t he purpose of having children and preserving his chast it y, t hen he is encouraged t o do so. There are many Hadit hs t hat encourage get t ing married, such as,


(Verily, t he best members of t his Ummah are t hose who have t he most wives) He also said,

(This life is a delight , and t he best of it s delight is a right eous wife) The Prophet said in anot her Hadit h,

(I was made t o like women and perfume, and t he comfort of my eye is t he prayer.) ` A'ishah, may Allah be pleased wit h her, said, "Not hing was more beloved t o t he Messenger of Allah t han women, except horses,'' and in anot her narrat ion, "...t han horses except women.'' The desire t o have children is somet imes for t he purpose of pride and boast ing, and as such, is a t empt at ion. When t he purpose for having children is t o reproduce and increase t he Ummah of Muhammad wit h t hose who worship Allah alone wit hout part ners, t hen it is encouraged and praised. A Hadit h st at es,

(Marry t he Wadud (kind) and Walud (fert ile) woman, for I will compare your numbers t o t he rest of t he nat ions on t he Day of Resurrect ion.) The desire of wealt h somet imes result s out of arrogance, and t he desire t o dominat e t he weak and cont rol t he poor, and t his conduct is prohibit ed. Somet imes, t he want for more money is for t he purpose of spending it on act s of worship, being kind t o t he family, t he relat ives, and spending on various act s of right eousness and obedience; t his behavior is praised and encouraged in t he religion. Scholars of Tafsir have conflict ing opinions about t he amount of t he Qint ar, all of which indicat e t hat t he Qint ar is a large amount of money, as Ad-Dahhak and ot her scholars said. Abu Hurayrah said "The Qint ar is t welve t housand Uwqiyah, each Uwqiyah is bet t er t han what is bet ween t he heavens and eart h.'' This was recorded by Ibn Jarir .

The desire t o have horses can be one of t hree t ypes. Somet imes, owners of horses collect t hem t o be used in t he cause of Allah, and when warrant ed, t hey use t heir horses in bat t le. This t ype of owner shall be rewarded for t his good act ion. Anot her t ype collect s horses t o boast , and out of enmit y t o t he people of Islam, and t his t ype earns a burden for his behavior. Anot her t ype collect s horses t o fulfill t heir needs and t o collect t heir offspring, and t hey do not forget Allah's right due on t heir horses. This is why in t his case, t hese horses provide a shield of sufficiency for t heir owner, as evident by a Hadit h t hat we will ment ion, Allah willing, when we explain Allah's st at ement ,

(And make ready against t hem all you can of power, including st eeds of war.) 8:60 . As for t he Musawwamah horses, Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t hey are t he branded, beaut iful horses. This is t he same explanat ion of Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` Abdur-Rahman bin ` Abdullah bin Abza, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Abu Sinan and ot hers. Makhul said t he Musawwamah refers t o t he horse wit h a whit e spot t ed faced, and t he horse wit h whit e feet . Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Dharr said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(Every Arabian horse is allowed t o have t wo supplicat ions every dawn, and t he horse supplicat es, ` O Allah! You made me subservient t o t he son of Adam. Therefore, make me among t he dearest of his wealt h and household t o him, or, ...make me t he dearest of his household and wealt h t o him.) Allah's st at ement ,

(Cat t le) means, camels, cows and sheep.

(And fert ile land) meaning, t he land t hat is used t o farm and grow plant s. Allah t hen said,

(This is t he pleasure of t he present world's life) Ymeaning, t hese are t he delight s of t his life and it s short lived j oys,

(But Allah has t he excellent ret urn wit h Him) meaning, t he best dest inat ion and reward.

The Reward of the Those Who Have Taqwa is Better Than All Joys of This World
This is why Allah said,

(Say: "Shall I inform you of t hings far bet t er t han t hose'') This Ayah means, "Say, O Muhammad, t o t he people, ` Should I t ell you about what is bet t er t han t he delight s and j oys of t his life t hat will soon perish''' Allah informed t hem of what is bet t er when He said,

(For t hose who have Taqwa t here are Gardens (Paradise) wit h t heir Lord, underneat h which rivers flow) meaning, rivers run t hroughout it . These rivers carry various t ypes of drinks: honey, milk, wine and wat er such t hat no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard, and no heart has ever imagined,

(Therein (is t heir) et ernal (home)) meaning, t hey shall remain in it forever and ever and will not want t o be removed from it .


(And Azwaj un Mut ahharat un (purified mat es or wives)) meaning, from filt h, dirt , harm, menst ruat ion, post birt h bleeding, and ot her t hings t hat affect women in t his world.

(And Allah will be pleased wit h t hem) meaning, Allah's pleasure will descend on t hem and He shall never be angry wit h t hem aft er t hat . This is why Allah said in in Surah Bara` ah,

(But t he pleasure of Allah is great er) 9:72 , meaning, great er t han t he et ernal delight t hat He has grant ed t hem. Allah t hen said,

(And Allah is All-Seer of t he (His) servant s) and, He gives each provisions according t o what t hey deserve.

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(16. Those who say: "Our Lord! We have indeed believed, so forgive us our sins and save us from t he punishment of t he Fire.'') (17. (They are) t he pat ient , t he t rue believers, and obedient wit h sincere devot ion in worship t o Allah. Those who spend in good and t hose who pray and beg Allah's pardon in t he last hours of t he night .)

The Supplication and Description of Al-Muttaqin

Allah describes t he Mut t aqin, His pious servant s, whom He promised t remendous rewards,

(Those who say: "Our Lord! We have indeed believed'') in You, Your Book and Your Messenger.


(so forgive us our sins) because of our fait h in You and in what You legislat ed for us. Therefore, forgive us our errors and short comings, wit h Your bount y and mercy,

(and save us from t he punishment of t he Fire.) Allah t hen said,

((They are) t hose who are pat ient ) while performing act s of obedience and abandoning t he prohibit ions.

(t hose who are t rue) concerning t heir proclamat ion of fait h, by performing t he difficult deeds.

(and obedient ) meaning, t hey submit and obey Allah,

(t hose who spend) from t heir wealt h on all t he act s of obedience t hey were commanded, being kind t o kit h and kin, helping t he needy, and comfort ing t he dest it ut e.

(and t hose who pray and beg Allah's pardon in t he last hours of t he night ) and t his t est ifies t o t he virt ue of seeking Allah's forgiveness in t he lat t er part of t he night . It was report ed t hat when Ya` qub said t o his children,

(I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you) 12:98 he wait ed unt il t he lat t er part of t he night t o say his supplicat ion. Furt hermore, t he Two Sahihs, t he Musnad and Sunan collect ions recorded t hrough several Companions t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(Every night , when t he last t hird of it remains, our Lord, t he Blessed, t he Superior, descends t o t he lowest heaven saying, "Is t here anyone t o ask Me, so t hat I may grant him his request Is t here anyone t o invoke Me, so t hat I may respond t o his invocat ion Is t here anyone seeking My forgiveness, so t hat I may forgive him'') The Two Sahihs recorded t hat ` A'ishah said, "The Messenger of Allah performed Wit r during t he first part , t he middle and lat t er part s of t he night . Then, lat er (in his life), he would perform it (only) during t he lat t er part .'' ` Abdullah bin ` Umar used t o pray during t he night and would ask, "O Nafi` ! Is it t he lat t er part of t he night yet '' and if Nafi` said, "Yes,'' Ibn ` Umar would st art supplicat ing t o Allah and seeking His forgiveness unt il dawn. This Hadit h was collect ed by Ibn Abi Hat im.


(18. Allah bears wit ness t hat none has t he right t o be worshipped but He, and t he angels, and t hose having knowledge (also bear wit ness t o t his); (He always) maint ains His creat ion in j ust ice. None has t he right t o be worshipped but He, t he Almight y, t he All-Wise.) (19. Truly, t he religion wit h Allah is Islam. Those who were given t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) did not differ except out of rivalry, aft er knowledge had come t o t hem. And whoever disbelieves in t he Ayat of Allah, t hen surely, Allah is Swift in reckoning.) (20. So if t hey disput e wit h you say: "I have submit t ed myself t o Allah, and (so have) t hose who follow me.'' And say t o t hose who were given t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) and t o t hose who are illit erat e (Arab pagans): "Do you (also) submit yourselves'' If t hey do, t hey are right ly guided; but if t hey t urn away, your dut y is only t o convey t he Message; and Allah sees t he servant s.)

The Testimony of Tawhid

Allah bears wit ness, and verily, Allah is sufficient as a Wit ness, and He is t he Most Trut hful and Just Wit ness t here is; His st at ement is t he absolut e t rut h,

(t hat La ilaha illa Huwa) meaning, He Alone is t he Lord and God of all creat ion; everyone and everyt hing are His servant s, creat ion and in need of Him. Allah is t he Most Rich, Free from needing anyone or anyt hing. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(But Allah bears wit ness t o t hat which He has sent down (t he Qur'an) unt o you (O Muhammad )) 4:166 . Allah t hen ment ioned t he t est imony of His angels and t hose who have knowledge aft er he ment ioned His own t est imony,

(Allah bears wit ness t hat none has t he right t o be worshipped but He), and t he angels, and t hose having knowledge (also bear wit ness t o t his)). This Ayah emphasizes t he great virt ue of t hose who have knowledge.


((He) maint ains His creat ion in j ust ice) in all t hat He does,

(None has t he right t o be worshipped but He) t hus emphasizing t his fact ,

(t he Almight y, t he All-Wise.) t he Might y t hat does not submit t o weakness due t o His might and great ness, t he Wise in all His st at ement s, act ions, legislat ion and decrees.

The Religion with Allah is Islam

Allah said,

(Truly, t he religion wit h Allah is Islam.) Allah st at es t hat t here is no religion accept ed wit h Him from any person, except Islam. Islam includes obeying all of t he Messengers unt il Muhammad who finalized t heir commission, t hus closing all pat hs t o Allah except t hrough Muhammad . Therefore, aft er Allah sent Muhammad , whoever meet s Allah following a pat h ot her t han Muhammad's, it will not be accept ed of him. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(And whoever seeks a religion ot her t han Islam, it will never be accept ed of him) 3:85 . In t his Ayah 3:19 , Allah said, assert ing t hat t he only religion accept ed wit h Him is Islam,

(Truly, t he religion wit h Allah is Islam.) Allah t hen st at es t hat t hose who were given t he Script ure beforehand divided in t he religion aft er Allah sent t he Messengers and revealed t he Books t o t hem providing t hem t he necessary proofs t o not do so. Allah said,


(Those who were given t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) did not differ except out of rivalry, aft er knowledge had come t o t hem.) meaning, some of t hem wronged ot hers. Therefore, t hey differed over t he t rut h, out of envy, hat red and enmit y for each ot her. This hat red made some of t hem defy t hose whom t hey hat ed even if t hey were correct . Allah t hen said,

(And whoever disbelieves in t he Ayat of Allah) meaning, whoever rej ect s what Allah sent down in His Book,

(t hen surely, Allah is Swift in reckoning.) Allah will punish him for his rej ect ion, reckon him for his denial, and t orment him for defying His Book. Thereaft er, Allah said.

(So if t hey disput e wit h you (Muhammad )) so if t hey argue wit h you about Tawhid,

(Say: "I have submit t ed myself t o Allah (in Islam), and (so have) t hose who follow me'') meaning, Say, ` I have made my worship sincere for Allah Alone wit hout part ners, rivals, offspring or companion,

(and t hose who follow me) who followed my religion and embraced my creed.' In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(Say (O Muhammad ): "This is my way; I invit e unt o Allah wit h sure knowledge, I and whosoever follows me...'') 12:108 .

Islam is the Religion of Mankind and the Prophet Was Sent to all Mankind
Allah commanded His servant and Messenger, Muhammad , t o call t he People of t he Two Script ures and t he unlet t ered idolat ors t o his religion, way, Law and all t hat Allah sent him wit h. Allah said,

(And say t o t hose who were given t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) and t o t hose who are illit erat es (Arab pagans): "Do you (also) submit yourselves'' If t hey do, t hey are right ly guided; but if t hey t urn away, your dut y is only t o convey t he Message.) meaning, t heir reckoning is wit h Allah and t heir ret urn and final dest inat ion is t o Him. It is He Who guides whom He wills and allows whom He wills t o st ray, and He has t he perfect wisdom and t he unequivocal proof for all of t his. This is why Allah said,

(And Allah sees t he servant s.) for He has perfect knowledge of who deserves t o be guided and who does not deserve t o be guided. Verily,

(He cannot be quest ioned for what He does, while t hey will be quest ioned.) 21:23 because of His perfect wisdom and mercy. This and similar Ayat are clear proofs t hat t he Message of Muhammad is universal t o all creat ion, as it is well est ablished in t he religion, according t o t he various t ext s of t he Book and Sunnah. For inst ance, Allah said,

(Say (O Muhammad ): "O mankind! Verily, I am sent t o you all as t he Messenger of Allah.'') 7:158 , and,


(Blessed be He Who sent down t he crit erion t o His servant t hat he may be a warner t o t he ` Alamin (mankind and Jinn).) 25:1 . The Two Sahihs and ot her collect ions of Hadit h recorded t hat t he Prophet sent let t ers t o t he kings of t he eart h during his t ime and t o different peoples, Arabs and non-Arabs, People of t he Book and t he unlet t ered, j ust as Allah had commanded him. ` Abdur-Razzaq recorded t hat Ma` mar said, t hat Hammam said t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Prophet said,

:
(By He in Whose Hand is my soul! No member of t his Ummah, no Jew or Christ ian, hears of me but dies wit hout believing in what I was sent wit h, but will be among t he people of t he Fire.) Muslim recorded t his Hadit h. The Prophet said,

(I was sent t o t he red and black. ) and,

(A Prophet used t o be sent t o his people, but I was sent t o all mankind.)

 -
(21. Verily, t hose who disbelieve in t he Ayat of Allah and kill t he Prophet s wit hout right , and kill t hose men who order j ust dealings, t hen announce t o t hem a painful t orment .) (22. They are t hose whose works will be lost in t his world and in t he Hereaft er, and t hey will have no helpers.)

Chastising the Jews for Their Disbelief and for Killing the Prophets and Righteous People
This Ayah chast ises t he People of t he Book for t he t ransgression and prohibit ions t hey commit t ed by t heir denials in t he past and more recent t imes, of Allah's Ayat and t he Messengers. They did t his due t o t heir defiance and rej ect ion of t he Messengers, denial of t he t rut h and refusal t o follow it . They also killed many Prophet s when t hey conveyed t o t hem what Allah legislat ed for t hem, wit hout cause or criminal behavior commit t ed by t hese Prophet s, for t hey only called t hem t o t he t rut h,

(And kill t hose men who order j ust dealings) t hus, demonst rat ing t he worst t ype of arrogance. Indeed, t he Prophet said,

(Kibr (arrogance) is refusing t he t rut h and degrading people) This is why when t hey rej ect ed t he t rut h and act ed arrogant ly t owards t he creat ion, Allah punished t hem wit h humiliat ion and disgrace in t his life, and humiliat ing t orment in t he Hereaft er. Allah said,

(t hen announce t o t hem a painful t orment ) meaning, painful and humiliat ing,


(They are t hose whose works will be lost in t his world and in t he Hereaft er, and t hey will have no helpers. ).

- -
(23. Have you not seen t hose who have been given a port ion of t he Script ure They are being invit ed t o t he Book of Allah t o set t le t heir disput e, t hen a part y of t hem t urned away, and t hey are averse.) (24. This is because t hey say: "The Fire shall not t ouch us but for a number of days.'' And t hat which t hey used t o invent in t heir religion has deceived t hem.) (25. How (will it be) when We gat her t hem t oget her on t he Day about which t here is no doubt (i.e. t he Day of Resurrect ion). And each person will be paid in full what he has earned And t hey will not be dealt wit h unj ust ly.)

Chastising the People of the Book for Not Referring to the Book of Allah for Judgment
Allah crit icizes t he Jews and Christ ians who claim t o follow t heir Books, t he Tawrah and t he Inj il, because when t hey are called t o refer t o t hese Books where Allah commanded t hem t o follow Muhammad , t hey t urn away wit h aversion. This censure and crit icism from Allah was all because of t heir defiance and rej ect ion. Allah said next ,

(This is because t hey say: "The Fire shall not t ouch us but for a number of days.'') meaning, what made t hem dare t o challenge and defy t he t rut h is t heir false claim t hat Allah will only punish t hem for seven days in t he Fire, a day for every one t housand years in t his life. We ment ioned t his subj ect in t he Tafsir of Surat Al-Baqarah. Allah t hen said,

(And t hat which t hey used t o invent regarding t heir religion has deceived t hem.) meaning, what caused t hem t o remain on t heir false creed is t hat t hey deceived t hemselves, believing t hat t he Fire will only t ouch t hem for a few days for t heir errors. However, it is t hey who have invent ed t his not ion, and Allah did not grant t hem aut horit y t o support t his claim. Allah said, while t hreat ening and warning t hem,

(How (will it be) when We gat her t hem t oget her on t he Day about which t here is no doubt (i. e. t he Day of Resurrect ion).) meaning, what will t heir condit ion be like aft er t hey have ut t ered t his lie about Allah, rej ect ed His Messengers and killed His Prophet s and t heir scholars who enj oined right eousness and forbade evil Allah will ask t hem about all t his and punish t hem for what t hey have done. This is why Allah said,

(How (will it be) when We gat her t hem t oget her on t he Day about which t here is no doubt .) meaning, t here is no doubt t hat t his Day will come,

(And each person will be paid in full what he has earned And t hey will not be dealt wit h unj ust ly.).


(26. Say: "O Allah! Possessor of t he power, You give power t o whom You will, and You t ake power from whom You will, and You endue wit h honor whom You will, and You humiliat e whom You will. In Your Hand is t he good. Verily, You are able t o do all t hings.) (27. You make t he night t o ent er int o t he day, and You make t he day t o ent er int o t he night , You bring t he living out of t he dead, and You bring t he dead out of t he living. And You give wealt h and sust enance t o whom You will, wit hout limit .)

Encouraging Gratitude
Allah said,

(Say) O Muhammad , while praising your Lord, t hanking Him, relying in all mat t ers upon Him and t rust ing in Him.

(O Allah! Possessor of t he power) meaning, all sovereignt y is Yours,

(You give power t o whom You will, and You t ake power from whom You will, and You endue wit h honor whom You will, and You humiliat e whom You will.) meaning, You are t he Giver, You are t he Taker, it is Your will t hat occurs and what ever You do not will, does not occur. This Ayah encourages t hanking Allah for t he favors He grant ed His Messenger and his Ummah. Allah t ransferred t he prophet hood from t he Children of Israel t o t he Arab, Qurashi, Makkan, unlet t ered Prophet , t he Final and Last of all Prophet s and t he Messenger of Allah t o all mankind and Jinn. Allah endowed t he Prophet wit h t he best of qualit ies from t he prophet s before him. Allah also grant ed him ext ra qualit ies t hat no ot her Prophet or Messenger before him was endowed wit h, such as grant ing him (more) knowledge of Allah and His Law, knowledge of more of t he mat t ers of t he past and t he fut ure, such as what will occur in t he Hereaft er. Allah allowed Muhammad's Ummah t o reach t he east ern and west ern part s of t he world and gave dominance t o his religion and Law over all ot her religions and laws. May Allah's

peace and blessings be on t he Prophet unt il t he Day of Judgment , and as long as t he day and night succeed each ot her. This is why Allah said,

(Say: "O Allah! Possessor of t he power,'') meaning, You decide what You will concerning Your creat ion and You do what you will. Allah refut es t hose who t hought t hat t hey could decide for Allah,

(And t hey say: "Why is not t his Qur'an sent down t o some great man of t he t wo t owns (Makkah and Ta'if)'') 43:31 . Allah refut ed t hem by saying,

(Is it t hey who would port ion out t he Mercy of your Lord) 43:32 , meaning, "We decide for Our creat ion what We will, wit hout resist ance or hindrance by anyone. We have t he perfect wisdom and t he unequivocal proof in all of t his, and We give t he prophet hood t o whom We will.'' Similarly, Allah said,

(Allah knows best wit h whom t o place His Message) and,

(See how We prefer one above anot her (in t his world)) 17: 21 Allah said,

(You make t he night ent er int o t he day, and You make t he day ent er int o t he night ) meaning, You t ake from t he lengt h of one of t hem and add it t o t he short ness of t he ot her, so t hat t hey become equal, and t ake from t he lengt h of one of t hem and add it t o t he ot her so t hat t hey

are not equal. This occurs t hroughout t he seasons of t he year: spring, summer, fall and wint er. Allah's st at ement ,

(You bring t he living out of t he dead, and You bring t he dead out of t he living.) means, You bring out t he seed from t he plant and t he plant from t he seed; t he dat e from it s seed and t he dat e's seed from t he dat e; t he fait hful from t he disbeliever and t he disbeliever from t he fait hful; t he chicken from t he egg and t he egg from t he chicken, et c.

(And You give wealt h and sust enance t o whom You will, wit hout limit .) meaning, You give whomever You will innumerable amount s of wealt h while depriving ot hers from it , out of wisdom, and j ust ice.

(28. Let not t he believers t ake t he disbelievers as friends inst ead of t he believers, and whoever does t hat , will never be helped by Allah in any way, unless you indeed fear a danger from t hem. And Allah warns you against Himself, and t o Allah is t he final ret urn.)

The Prohibition of Supporting the Disbelievers

Allah prohibit ed His believing servant s from becoming support ers of t he disbelievers, or t o t ake t hem as comrades wit h whom t hey develop friendships, rat her t han t he believers. Allah warned against such behavior when He said,

(And whoever does t hat , will never be helped by Allah in any way) meaning, whoever commit s t his act t hat Allah has prohibit ed, t hen Allah will discard him. Similarly, Allah said,

(O you who believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies as friends, showing affect ion t owards t hem), unt il,

(And whosoever of you does t hat , t hen indeed he has gone ast ray from t he st raight pat h.) 60:1 . Allah said,

(O you who believe! Take not for friends disbelievers inst ead of believers. Do you wish t o offer Allah a manifest proof against yourselves) 4:144 , and,

(O you who believe! Take not t he Jews and t he Christ ians as friends, t hey are but friends of each ot her. And whoever befriends t hem, t hen surely, he is one of t hem.) 5:51 . Allah said, aft er ment ioning t he fact t hat t he fait hful believers gave t heir support t o t he fait hful believers among t he Muhaj irin, Ansar and Bedouins,


(And t hose who disbelieve are allies of one anot her, (and) if you do not behave t he same, t here will be Fit nah and oppression on t he eart h, and a great mischief and corrupt ion.) 8:73 . Allah said next ,

(unless you indeed fear a danger from t hem) meaning, except t hose believers who in some areas or t imes fear for t heir safet y from t he disbelievers. In t his case, such believers are allowed t o show friendship t o t he disbelievers out wardly, but never inwardly. For inst ance, AlBukhari recorded t hat Abu Ad-Darda' said, "We smile in t he face of some people alt hough our heart s curse t hem.'' Al-Bukhari said t hat Al-Hasan said, "The Tuqyah is allowed unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion.'' Allah said,

(And Allah warns you against Himself.) meaning, He warns you against His anger and t he severe t orment He prepared for t hose who give t heir support t o His enemies, and t hose who have enmit y wit h His friends,

(And t o Allah is t he final ret urn) meaning, t he ret urn is t o Him and He will reward or punish each person according t o t heir deeds.


(29. Say: "Whet her you hide what is in your breast s or reveal it , Allah knows it , and He knows what is in t he heavens and what is in t he eart h. And Allah is able t o do all t hings.'') (30. On t he Day when every person will be confront ed wit h t he good he has done, and all t he evil he has done, he will wish t hat t here were a great dist ance bet ween him and his evil. And Allah warns you against Himself and Allah is f ull of kindness wit h t he servant s.)

Allah Knows What the Hearts Conceal

Allah t ells His servant s t hat He knows t he secret s and apparent mat t ers and t hat not hing concerning t hem escapes His observat ion. Rat her, His knowledge encompasses t hem in all condit ions, t ime frames, days and inst ances. His knowledge encompasses all t hat is in heaven and eart h, and not hing not even t he weight of an at om, or what is smaller t han t hat in t he eart h, seas and mount ains, escapes His observat ion. Indeed,

(And Allah is able t o do all t hings.) and His abilit y encompasses everyt hing. This Ayah alert s Allah's servant s t hat t hey should fear Him enough t o not commit what He prohibit s and dislikes, for He has perfect knowledge in all t hey do and is able t o punish t hem prompt ly. And He gives respit e t o some of t hem, t hen He punishes t hem, and He is Swift and Might y in t aking account . This is why Allah said aft erwards,

(On t he Day when every person will be confront ed wit h all t he good he has done,) meaning, on t he Day of Resurrect ion, Allah brings t he good and evil deeds before t he servant , j ust as He said,

(On t hat Day man will be informed of what he sent forward, and what he left behind.) 75:13 . When t he servant sees his good deeds, he becomes happy and delight ed. When he sees t he evil deeds he commit t ed, he becomes sad and angry. Then he will wish t hat he could disown his evil work and t hat a long dist ance separat ed it from him. He will also say t o t he devil who used t o accompany him in t his life, and who used t o encourage him t o do evil;

("Would t hat bet ween me and you were t he dist ance of t he t wo east s (indeed)!) 43:38 . Allah t hen said, while t hreat ening and warning,

a horrible companion

(And Allah warns you against Himself) meaning, He warns you against His punishment . Allah t hen said, while bringing hope t o His servant s, so t hat t hey do not despair from His mercy or feel hopeless of His kindness,

(And Allah is full of kindness wit h t he servant s) Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "Allah is so kind wit h t hem t hat He warns t hem against Himself.'' Ot hers comment ed, "He is merciful wit h His creat ion and likes for t hem t o remain on His st raight pat h and chosen religion, and t o follow His honorable Messenger.''

-
(31. Say (O Muhammad t o mankind): "If you (really) love Allah, t hen follow me (i.e. Muhammad), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.'') (32. Say: "Obey Allah and t he Messenger.'' But if t hey t urn away, t hen Allah does not like t he disbelievers.)

Allah's Love is Attained by Following the Messenger

This honorable Ayah j udges against t hose who claim t o love Allah, yet do not follow t he way of Muhammad . Such people are not t rue in t heir claim unt il t hey follow t he Shari` ah (Law) of Muhammad and his religion in all his st at ement s, act ions and condit ions. It is recorded in t he Sahih t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever commit s an act t hat does not conform wit h our mat t er (religion), t hen it will be rej ect ed of him.) This is why Allah said here,

(Say (O Muhammad t o mankind): "If you (really) love Allah, t hen follow me, Allah will love you...'') meaning, what you will earn is much more t han what you sought in loving Him, for Allah will love you. Al-Hasan Al-Basri and several scholars among t he Salaf comment ed, "Some people claimed t hat t hey love Allah. So Allah t est ed t hem wit h t his Ayah;

(Say (O Muhammad t o mankind): "If you (really) love Allah, t hen follow me, Allah will love you...''). '' Allah t hen said,

("And forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.'') meaning, by your following t he Messenger , you will earn all t his wit h t he blessing of his mission. Allah next commands everyone,

(Say: "Obey Allah and t he Messenger.'' But if t hey t urn away) by defying t he Prophet ,

(t hen Allah does not like t he disbelievers.) t hus, t est ifying t hat defiance of t he Messenger's way const it ut es Kufr. Indeed, Allah does not like whoever does t his, even if he claims t hat he loves Allah and seeks a means of approach t o Him, unless, and unt il, he follows t he unlet t ered Prophet , t he Final Messenger from Allah t o t he t wo creat ions: mankind and t he Jinn. This is t he Prophet who, if t he previous Prophet s and might y Messengers were t o have been alive during his t ime, t hey would have no choice but t o follow, obey him, and t o abide by his Law. We will ment ion t his fact when we explain t he Ayah,

(And (remember) when Allah t ook t he Covenant of t he Prophet s) 3:81 , Allah willing.

-
(33. Allah chose Adam, Nuh (Noah), t he family of Ibrahim and t he family of ` Imran above t he nat ions.) (34. Offspring, one of t he ot her, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.)

The Chosen Ones Among the People of the Earth

Allah st at es t hat He has chosen t hese households over t he people of t he eart h. For inst ance, Allah chose Adam, creat ed him wit h His Hand and blew life int o him. Allah commanded t he angels t o prost rat e before Adam, t aught him t he names of everyt hing and allowed him t o dwell in Paradise, but t hen sent him down from it out of His wisdom. Allah chose Nuh and made him t he first Messenger t o t he people of t he eart h, when t he people worshipped idols and associat ed ot hers wit h Allah in worship. Allah avenged t he way Nuh was t reat ed, for he kept calling his people day and night , in public and in secret , for a very long t ime. However, his calling t hem only made t hem shun him more, and t his is when Nuh supplicat ed against t hem. So Allah caused t hem t o drown, and none among t hem was saved, except t hose who followed t he religion t hat Allah sent t o Nuh. Allah also chose t he household of Ibrahim, including t he mast er of all mankind, and t he Final Prophet , Muhammad, peace be upon him. Allah also chose t he household of ` Imran, t he fat her of Marym bint ` Imran, t he mot her of ` Isa, peace be upon t hem. So ` Isa is from t he offspring of Ibrahim, as we will ment ion in t he Tafsir of Surat AlAn` am, Allah willing, and our t rust is in Him.

(35. (Remember) when t he wife of ` Imran said: "O my Lord! I have vowed t o You what is in my womb t o be dedicat ed for Your services, so accept t his from me. Verily, You are t he AllHearer, t he All-Knowing.'') (36. Then when she gave birt h t o her, she said: "O my Lord! I have given birt h t o a female child, and Allah knew bet t er what she bore, "And t he male is not like t he female, and I have named her Maryam, and I seek refuge wit h You for her and for her offspring from Shayt an, t he out cast .'')

The Story of Maryam's Birth

The wife of ` Imran ment ioned here is t he mot her of Maryam, and her name is Hannah bint Faqudh. Muhammad bin Ishaq ment ioned t hat Hannah could not have children and t hat one day, she saw a bird feeding it s chick. She wished she could have children and supplicat ed t o Allah t o grant her offspring. Allah accept ed her supplicat ion, and when her husband slept wit h her, she became pregnant . She vowed t o make her child concent rat e on worship and serving Bayt Al-Maqdis (t he Masj id in Jerusalem), when she became aware t hat she was pregnant . She said,

(O my Lord! I have vowed t o You what is in my womb t o be dedicat ed for Your services, so accept t his from me. Verily, You are t he All-Hearer, t he All-Knowing.) meaning, You hear my supplicat ion and You know my int ent ion. She did not know t hen what she would give birt h t o, a male or a female.

(Then when she gave birt h t o her, she said: "O my Lord! I have given birt h t o a female child, and Allah knew bet t er what she bore.)

(And t he male is not like t he female,) in st rengt h and t he commit ment t o worship Allah and serve t he Masj id in Jerusalem.

(And I have named her Maryam,) t hus, t est ifying t o t he fact t hat it is allowed t o give a name t o t he newly born t he day it is born, as is apparent from t he Ayah, which is also a part of t he law of t hose who were before us. Furt her, t he Sunnah of t he Messenger of Allah ment ioned t hat t he Prophet said,

(This night , a son was born for me and I called him by my fat her's name, Ibrahim.) Al-Bukhari and Muslim collect ed t his Hadit h. They also recorded t hat Anas bin Malik brought his newborn brot her t o t he Messenger of Allah who chewed a piece of dat e and put it in t he child's mout h and called him ` Abdullah. Ot her new born infant s were also given names on t he day t hey were born. Qat adah narrat ed t hat Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, t hat Samurah bin Jundub said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Every new born boy held in securit y by his ` Aqiqah, unt il his sevent h day, a sacrifice is offered on his behalf, he is given a name, and t he hair on his head is shaved.) This Hadit h was collect ed by Ahmad and t he collect ors of t he Sunan, and was graded Sahih by At -Tirmidhi. We should ment ion t hat anot her narrat ion for t his Hadit h cont ained t he wording, "and blood is offered on his behalf,'' which is more famous and est ablished t han t he former narrat ion, and Allah knows best . Allah's st at ement t hat Maryam's mot her said,

("...And I seek refuge wit h You for her and for her offspring from Shayt an, t he out cast .'') means, t hat she sought refuge wit h Allah from t he evil of Shayt an, for her and her offspring, i.e., ` Isa, peace be upon him. Allah accept ed her supplicat ion, for ` Abdur-Razzaq recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Every newly born baby is t ouched by Shayt an when it is born, and t he baby st art s crying because of t his t ouch, except Maryam and her son.) Abu Hurayrah t hen said, "Read if you will,

(And I seek refuge wit h You for her and for her offspring from Shayt an, t he out cast ).'' The Two Sahihs recorded t his Hadit h.

(37. So her Lord (Allah) accept ed her wit h goodly accept ance. He made her grow in a good manner and put her under t he care of Zakariyya. Every t ime he ent ered t he Mihrab t o (visit ) her, he found her supplied wit h sust enance. He said: "O Maryam! From where have you got t en t his'' She said, "This is from Allah.'' Verily, Allah provides sust enance t o whom He wills, wit hout limit .)

Maryam Grows Up; Her Honor is with Allah

Allah st at es t hat He has accept ed Maryam as a result of her mot her's vow and t hat He,

(made her grow in a good manner) meaning, made her conduct becoming, her mannerism delight ful and He made her well liked among people. He also made her accompany t he right eous people, so t hat she learned right eousness, knowledge and religion.

(And put her under t he care of Zakariyya) meaning, Allah made Zakariyya her sponsor. Allah made Zakariyya Maryam's guardian for her benefit , so t hat she would learn from his

t remendous knowledge and right eous conduct . He was t he husband of her mat ernal aunt , as Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Jarir st at ed, or her brot her-in-law, as ment ioned in t he Sahih,

(I saw John and ` Isa, who are mat ernal cousins.) We should st at e t hat in general t erms, what Ibn Ishaq said is plausible, and in t his case, Maryam was under t he care of her mat ernal aunt . The Two Sahihs recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah decided t hat ` Amarah, t he daught er of Hamzah, be raised by her mat ernal aunt , t he wife of Ja` far bin Abi Talib, saying,

(The mat ernal aunt is j ust like t he mot her.) Allah t hen emphasizes Maryam's honor and virt ue at t he place of worship she at t ended,

(Every t ime he ent ered t he Mihrab t o (visit ) her, he found her supplied wit h sust enance.) Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Abu Ash-Sha` t ha, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, Ad-Dahhak, Qat adah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, ` At iyah Al-` Awfi and As-Suddi said, "He would find wit h her t he fruit s of t he summer during wint er, and t he fruit s of t he wint er during summer.'' When Zakariyya would see t his; d

(He said: "O Maryam! From where have you got t en t his'') meaning, where did you get t hese fruit s from

(She said, "This is from Allah.'' Verily, Allah provides sust enance t o whom He wills, wit hout limit .)

 - - -
(38. At t hat t ime Zakariyya invoked his Lord, saying: "O my Lord! Grant me from You, a good offspring. You are indeed t he All-Hearer of invocat ion.'') (39. Then t he angels called him, while he was st anding in prayer in t he Mihrab, (saying): "Allah gives you glad t idings of Yahya, believing in t he Word from Allah, and Sayyidan, and Hasuran, a Prophet , from among t he right eous.'') (40. He said: "O my Lord! How can I have a son when I am very old, and my wife is barren'' (Allah) said: "Thus Allah does what He wills.'') (41. He said: "O my Lord! Make a sign for me.'' (Allah) said: "Your sign is t hat you shall not speak t o t he people for t hree days except by signals. And remember your Lord much, and glorify (Him) in t he aft ernoon and in t he morning.'')

The Supplication of Zakariyya, and the Good News of Yahya's Birth

When Zakariyya saw t hat Allah provided sust enance for Maryam by giving her t he fruit s of wint er in summer and t he fruit s of summer in wint er, he was eager t o have a child of his own. By t hen, Zakariyya had become an old man, his bones feeble and his head full of gray hair. His wife was an old women who was barren. Yet , he st ill supplicat ed t o Allah and called Him in secret ,

(O my Lord! Grant me from Ladunka,) from You,


(A good offspring) meaning, a right eous offspring,

(You are indeed t he All-Hearer of invocat ion.) Allah said,

(Then t he angels called him, while he was st anding in prayer in t he Mihrab,) meaning, t he angels spoke t o him direct ly while he was secluded, st anding in prayer at his place of worship. Allah t old us about t he good news t hat t he angels delivered t o Zakariyya,

(Allah gives you glad t idings of Yahya, ) of a child from your offspring, his name is Yahya. Qat adah and ot her scholars said t hat he was called Yahya (lit erally, ` he lives') because Allah filled his life wit h fait h. Allah said next ,

(believing in t he Word from Allah) Al-` Awfi report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, and also Al-Hasan, Qat adah, ` Ikrimah, Muj ahid, Abu Ash-Sha` t ha, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Ad-Dahhak, and several ot hers said t hat t he Ayah,

(believing in t he Word from Allah) means, "Believing in ` Isa, son of Maryam.'' Abu Al-` Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Qat adah and Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(And Sayyidan) means, a wise man. Ibn ` Abbas, At h-Thawri and Ad-Dahhak said t hat Sayyidan means, "The noble, wise and pious man.'' Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib said t hat Sayyid is t he scholar

and Faqih. ` At iyah said t hat Sayyid is t he man noble in behavior and piet y. ` Ikrimah said t hat it refers t o a person who is not overcome by anger, while Ibn Zayd said t hat it refers t o t he noble man. Muj ahid said t hat Sayyidan means, honored by Allah. Allah's st at ement ,

(And Hasuran) does not mean he refrains from sexual relat ions wit h women, but t hat he is immune from illegal sexual relat ions. This does not mean t hat he does not marry women and have legal sexual relat ions wit h t hem, for Zakariyya said in his supplicat ion for t he benefit of Yahya,

(Grant me from You, a good offspring), meaning, grant me a son who will have offspring, and Allah knows best . Allah's st at ement ,

(A Prophet , from among t he right eous) delivers more good news of sending Yahya as Prophet aft er t he good news t hat he will be born. This good news was even bet t er t han t he news of Yahya's birt h. In a similar st at ement , Allah said t o t he mot her of Musa,

(Verily, We shall bring him back t o you, and shall make him one of t he Messengers.) 28:7 When Zakariyya heard t he good news, he st art ed cont emplat ing about having children at his age. He said,

("O my Lord! How can I have a son when I am very old, and my wife is barren'' (He) said...) meaning t he angel said,


("Thus Allah does what He wills.'') meaning, t his is Allah's mat t er, He is so Might y t hat not hing escapes His power, nor is anyt hing beyond His abilit y.

(He said: "O my Lord! Make a sign for me'') meaning make a sign t hat alert s me t hat t he child will come,

((Allah) said: "Your sign is t hat you shall not speak t o t he people for t hree days except by signals.'') meaning, you will not be able t o speak except wit h signals, alt hough you are not mut e. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(For t hree night s, t hough having no bodily defect .) 19:10 Allah t hen commanded Zakariyya t o supplicat e, t hank and praise Him oft en in t hat condit ion,

(And remember your Lord much and glorify (Him) in t he aft ernoon and in t he morning. ) We will elaborat e more on t his subj ect in t he beginning of Surah Maryam (chapt er 19), Allah willing.

- -


(42. And (remember) when t he angels said: "O Maryam! Verily, Allah has chosen you, purified you, and chosen you above t he women of t he nat ions.'') (43. "O Maryam! Submit yourself wit h obedience (Aqnut i) t o your Lord and prost rat e yourself, and bow down along wit h Ar-Raki` in.'') (44. This is a part of t he news of t he Ghayb (Unseen) which We reveal t o you. You were not wit h t hem, when t hey cast lot s wit h t heir pens as t o which of t hem should be charged wit h t he care of Maryam; nor were you wit h t hem when t hey disput ed.)

The Virtue of Maryam Over the Women of Her Time

Allah st at es t hat t he angels spoke t o Maryam by His command and t old her t hat He chose her because of her service t o Him, because of her modest y, honor, innocence, and convict ion. Allah also chose her because of her virt ue over t he women of t he world. At -Tirmidhi recorded t hat ` Ali bin Abi Talib said, "I heard t he Messenger of Allah say,

(The best woman (in her t ime) was Maryam, daught er of ` Imran, and t he best woman (of t he Prophet 's t ime) is Khadij ah (his wife), daught er of Khuwaylid.)'' The Two Sahihs recorded t his Hadit h. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Abu Musa Al-Ash` ari said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Many men achieved perfect ion, but among women, only Maryam t he daught er of ` Imran and Asiah, t he wife of Fir` awn, achieved perfect ion.) The Six -- wit h t he except ion of Abu Dawud - recorded it . Al-Bukhari's wording for it reads,


(Many men reached t he level of perfect ion, but no woman reached such a level except Asiah, t he wife of Fir` awn, and Maryam, t he daught er of ` Imran. The superiorit y of ` A'ishah (his wife) t o ot her women, is like t he superiorit y of Tharid (meat and bread dish) t o ot her meals.) We ment ioned t he various chains of narrat ion and wordings for t his Hadit h in t he st ory of ` Isa, son of Maryam, in our book, Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah, all t he t hanks are due t o Allah. Allah st at es t hat t he angels commanded Maryam t o increase act s of worship, humbleness, submission, prost rat ion, bowing, and so fort h, so t hat she would acquire what Allah had decreed for her, as a t est for her. Yet , t his t est also earned her a higher grade in t his life and t he Hereaft er, for Allah demonst rat ed His might by creat ing a son inside her wit hout male int ervent ion. Allah said,

("O Maryam! Submit yourself wit h obedience (Aqnut i) and prost rat e yourself, and bow down along wit h Ar-Raki` in.'') As for Qunut (Aqnut i in t he Ayah), it means t o submit wit h humbleness. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(Nay, t o Him belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and on eart h, and all surrender wit h obedience (Qanit un) t o Him.) 2:116 Allah next said t o His Messenger aft er He ment ioned Maryam's st ory,

(This is a part of t he news of t he Ghayb which We reveal.) "and narrat e t o you (O Muhammad ), ''

(You were not wit h t hem, when t hey cast lot s wit h t heir pens as t o which of t hem should be charged wit h t he care of Maryam; nor were you wit h t hem when t hey disput ed.) meaning, "You were not present , O Muhammad, when t his occurred, so you cannot narrat e what happened t o t he people as an eye wit ness. Rat her, Allah disclosed t hese fact s t o you as if you were a wit ness, when t hey conduct ed a lot t ery t o choose t he cust odian of Maryam, seeking t he reward of t his good deed.'' Ibn Jarir recorded t hat ` Ikrimah said, "Maryam's mot her left wit h Maryam, carrying her in her infant clot h, and t ook her t o t he rabbis from t he offspring of Aaron, t he brot her of Musa. They were responsible for t aking care of Bayt Al-Maqdis (t he Masj id) at t hat t ime, j ust as t here were t hose who t ook care of t he Ka` bah. Maryam's mot her said t o t hem, ` Take t his child whom I vowed t o serve t he Masj id , I have set her free, since she is my daught er, for no menst ruat ing woman should ent er t he Masj id, and I shall not t ake her back home.' They said, ` She is t he daught er of our Imam,' as ` Imran used t o lead t hem in prayer, ` who t ook care of our sacrificial rit uals.' Zakariyya said, ` Give her t o me, for her mat ernal aunt is my wife.' They said, ` Our heart s cannot bear t hat you t ake her, for she is t he daught er of our Imam.' So t hey conduct ed a lot t ery wit h t he pens wit h which t hey wrot e t he Tawrah, and Zakariyya won t he lot t ery and t ook Maryam int o his care.'''. ` Ikrimah, As-Suddi, Qat adah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, and several ot hers said t hat t he rabbis went int o t he Jordan river and conduct ed a lot t ery t here, deciding t o t hrow t heir pens int o t he river. The pen t hat remained afloat and idle would indicat e t hat it s owner would t ake care of Maryam. When t hey t hrew t heir pens int o t he river, t he wat er t ook all t he pens under, except Zakariyya's pen, which remained afloat in it s place. Zakariyya was also t heir mast er, chief, scholar, Imam and Prophet , may Allah's peace and blessings be on him and t he rest of t he Prophet s.

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(45. (Remember) when t he angels said: "O Maryam! Verily, Allah gives you t he glad t idings of a Word from Him, his name will be Al-Masih, ` Isa, t he son of Maryam, held in honor in t his world and in t he Hereaft er, and he will be one of t hose who are near t o Allah.'') (46. "He will speak t o t he people, in t he cradle and in manhood, and he will be one of t he right eous.'') (47. She said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has t ouched me.'' He said: "So (it will be) for Allah creat es what He wills. When He has decreed somet hing, He says t o it only: ` Be! and it is.'')

Delivering the Good News to Maryam of ` Isa's Birth

This Ayah cont ains t he glad t idings t he angels brought t o Maryam t hat she would give birt h t o a might y son who will have a great fut ure. Allah said,

((Remember) when t he angels said: "O Maryam! Verily, Allah gives you t he glad t idings of a Word from Him,) a son who will come int o exist ence wit h a word from Allah, ` Be', and he was. This is t he meaning of Allah's st at ement (about Yahya)

(Believing in t he Word from Allah.) 3:39 , according t o t he maj orit y of t he scholars.

(His name will be Al-Masih, ` Isa, t he son of Maryam) and he will be known by t his name in t his life, especially by t he believers. ` Isa was called "Al-Masih'' (t he Messiah) because when he t ouched (Mash) t hose afflict ed wit h an illness, t hey would be healed by Allah's leave. Allah's st at ement ,

(` Isa, t he son of Maryam) relat es ` Isa t o his mot her, because he did not have a fat her.


(Held in honor in t his world and in t he Hereaft er, and will be one of t hose who are near t o Allah.) meaning, he will be a leader and honored by Allah in t his life, because of t he Law t hat Allah will reveal t o him, sending down t he Script ure t o him, along wit h t he ot her bount ies t hat Allah will grant him wit h. ` Isa will be honored in t he Hereaft er and will int ercede wit h Allah, by His leave, on behalf of some people, j ust as is t he case wit h his bret hren t he might y Messengers of Allah, peace be upon t hem all.

` Isa Spoke When He was Still in the Cradle

Allah said,

(He will speak t o t he people, in t he cradle and in manhood,) calling t o t he worship of Allah Alone wit hout part ners, while st ill in t he cradle, as a miracle from Allah, and when he is a man, by Allah's revelat ion t o him. Muhammad bin Ishaq recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(No infant spoke in t he cradle except ` Isa and t he companion of Jurayj .) Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Prophet said,

:
(No infant spoke in t he cradle except t hree, ` Isa, t he boy during t he t ime of Jurayj , and anot her boy.)

(And he will be one of t he right eous.) in his st at ement s and act ions, for he will possess, pure knowledge and right eous works.

` Isa was Created Without a Father

When Maryam heard t he good news t hat t he angels conveyed from Allah, she said;

("O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has t ouched me.'') Mary said, "How can I have a son while I did not marry, nor int end t o marry, nor am I an indecent woman, may Allah forbid'' The angel conveyed t o Maryam, Allah's answer,

(So (it will be) for Allah creat es what He wills.) He is Might y in power and not hing escapes His abilit y. Allah used t he word ` creat e' here inst ead of t he word ` does' as in t he t ale about Zakariyya 3:40 , t o eradicat e any evil t hought concerning ` Isa. Allah next emphasized t his fact when He said,

(When He has decreed somet hing, He says t o it only: "Be! and it is.) meaning, what Allah wills, comes int o exist ence inst ant ly and wit hout delay. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(And Our commandment is but one as t he t winkling of an eye.) 54:50 , meaning, "We only issue t he command once, and it comes int o exist ence inst ant ly, as fast as, and fast er t han, a blink of t he eye. ''

 - -
(48. And He will t each him t he Book and Al-Hikmah, and t he Tawrah and t he Inj il.) (49. And will make him a Messenger t o t he Children of Israel (saying): "I have come t o you wit h a sign from your Lord, t hat I design for you out of clay, a figure like t hat of a bird, and breat he int o it , and it becomes a bird by Allah's leave; and I heal t he blind, and t he leper, and I bring t he dead t o life by Allah's leave. And I inform you of what you eat , and what you st ore in your houses. Surely, t herein is a sign for you, if you believe.'') (50. "(And I have come) confirming t hat which was before me of t he Tawrah, and t o make lawful t o you part of what was forbidden t o you, and I have come t o you wit h a proof from your Lord. So have Taqwa of Allah and obey me.'') (51. "Truly, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him (Alone). This is t he st raight pat h.'')

The Description of ` Isa and the Miracles He Performed

Allah st at es t hat t he good news brought t o Maryam about ` Isa was even bet t er because Allah would t each him,

(t he Book and Al-Hikmah). It appears t hat t he ` Book' t he Ayah ment ioned here refers t o writ ing. We explained t he meaning of Al-Hikmah in t he Tafsir of Surat Al-Baqarah.

(t he Tawrah and t he Inj il). The Tawrah is t he Book t hat Allah sent down t o Musa, son of ` Imran, while t he Inj il is what Allah sent down t o ` Isa, son of Maryam, peace be upon t hem, and ` Isa memorized bot h Books. Allah's st at ement ,


(And will make him a Messenger t o t he Children of Israel) means, t hat Allah will send ` Isa as a Messenger t o t he Children of Israel, proclaiming t o t hem,

(I have come t o you wit h a sign from your Lord, t hat I design for you out of clay, a figure like t hat of a bird, and breat he int o it , and it becomes a bird by Allah's leave). These are t he miracles t hat ` Isa performed; he used t o make t he shape of a bird from clay and blow int o it , and it became a bird by Allah's leave. Allah made t his a miracle for ` Isa t o t est ify t hat He had sent him.

(And I heal him who is Akmah) meaning, ` a person who was born blind,' which perfect s t his miracle and makes t he challenge more daring.

(And t he leper) which is a known disease,

(And I bring t he dead t o life by Allah's leave). Many scholars st at ed t hat Allah sent every Prophet wit h a miracle suit able t o his t ime. For inst ance, in t he t ime of Musa, magic was t he t rade of t he t ime, and magicians held a high posit ion. So Allah sent Musa wit h a miracle t hat capt ured t he eyes and bewildered every magician. When t he magicians realized t hat Musa's miracle came from t he Almight y, Most Great , t hey embraced Islam and became pious believers. As for ` Isa, he was sent during a t ime when medicine and knowledge in physics were advancing. ` Isa brought t hem t he t ypes of miracles t hat could not be performed, except by one sent by Allah. How can any physician bring life t o clay, cure blindness and leprosy and bring back t o life t hose ent rapped in t he grave Muhammad was sent during t he t ime of eloquent people and proficient poet s. He brought t hem a Book from Allah; if mankind and t he Jinn t ried t o imit at e t en chapt ers, or even one chapt er of it , t hey will ut t erly fail in t his t ask, even if t hey t ried t o do it by collect ive

cooperat ion. This is because t he Qur'an is t he Word of Allah and is not hing like t hat of t he creat ures. ` Isa's st at ement ,

(And I inform you of what you eat , and what you st ore in your houses) means, I t ell you about what one of you has j ust eat en and what he is keeping in his house for t omorrow.

(Surely, t herein), all t hese miracles,

(is a sign for you) t est ifying t o t he t rut h of what I was sent t o you wit h,

(If you believe. And I have come confirming t hat which was before me of t he Tawrah,) affirming t he Tawrah and upholding it ,

(and t o make lawful t o you part of what was forbidden t o you.) This part of t he Ayah indicat es t hat ` Isa abrogat ed some of t he Laws of t he Tawrah and informed t he Jews of t he t rut h regarding some issues t hat t hey used t o disput e about . In anot her Ayah;

(And in order t o make clear t o you some of t he (point s) in which you differ) 43:63 . ` Isa said next ,


(And I have come t o you wit h a proof from your Lord.) "Cont aining affirmat ion and evidence t o t he t rut h of what I am conveying t o you.''

(So have Taqwa of Allah and obey me. Truly, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him (Alone).) for I and you are equal in our servit ude, submission and humbleness t o Him,

(This is t he st raight pat h.)

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(52. Then when ` Isa came t o know of t heir disbelief, he said: "Who will be my helpers in Allah's cause'' Al-Hawariyyun said: "We are t he helpers of Allah; we believe in Allah, and bear wit ness t hat we are Muslims.'') (53. "Our Lord! We believe in what You have sent down, and we follow t he Messenger ` Isa ; so writ e us down among t hose who bear wit ness.'') (54. And t hey (disbelievers) plot t ed and Allah planned t oo. And Allah is t he Best of t hose who plot )

The Disciples Give Their Support to ` Isa

Allah said,

(Then when ` Isa came t o know), meaning, ` Isa felt t hat t hey were adamant in disbelief and cont inuing in misguidance. He said t o t hem,

(Who will be my helper in Allah's cause) Muj ahid comment ed, "Meaning, who would follow me t o Allah'' However, it appears t hat ` Isa was asking, "Who would help me convey t he Message of Allah'' The Prophet said during t he Haj j season, before t he Hij rah,

(Who will give me asylum so t hat I can convey t he Speech of my Lord, for t he Quraysh have prevent ed me from conveying t he Speech of my Lord.) unt il he found t he Ansar. The Ansar helped t he Prophet and gave him refuge. He lat er migrat ed t o t hem, t hey comfort ed t he Prophet and prot ect ed him from all his enemies, may Allah be pleased wit h t hem all. This is similar t o what happened wit h ` Isa, for some of t he Children of Israel believed in him, gave him t heir aid and support and followed t he light t hat was sent wit h him. This is why Allah said about t hem;

-
(Al-Hawariyyun said: "We are t he helpers of Allah; we believe in Allah, and bear wit ness t hat we are Muslims. Our Lord! We believe in what You have sent down, and we follow t he Messenger; so writ e us down among t hose who bear wit ness.'') Hawari in Arabic - means ` support '. The Two Sahihs recorded t hat when t he Prophet encouraged t he people t o fight during t he bat t le of Al-Ahzab, Az-Zubayr came forward, and again, when t he Prophet asked for fight ers a second t ime. The Prophet said,

(Every Prophet has a Hawari, and Az-Zubayr is my Hawari)

Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about ,

(so writ e us down among t hose who bear wit ness) "Meaning among t he Ummah of Muhammad.'' This Hadit h has a good chain of narrat ion

The Jews Plot to Kill ` Isa

Allah st at es t hat t he Children of Israel t ried t o kill ` Isa by conspiring t o defame him and crucify him. They complained about him t o t he king who was a disbeliever. They claimed t hat ` Isa was a man who misguided people, discouraged t hem from obeying t he king, caused division, and separat ed bet ween man and his own son. They also said ot her lies about ` Isa, which t hey will carry on t heir necks, including accusing him of being an illegit imat e son. The king became furious and sent his men t o capt ure ` Isa t o t ort ure and crucify him. When t hey surrounded ` Isa's home and he t hought t hat t hey would surely capt ure him, Allah saved him from t hem, raising him up from t he house t o heaven. Allah put t he image of ` Isa on a man who was in t he house; when t he unj ust people went in t he house while it was st ill dark, t hey t hought t hat he was ` Isa. They capt ured t hat man, humiliat ed and crucified him. They also placed t horns on his head. However, Allah deceived t hese people. He saved and raised His Prophet from t hem, leaving t hem in disarray in t he darkness of t heir t ransgression, t hinking t hat t hey had successfully achieved t heir goal. Allah made t heir heart s hard, and defiant of t he t rut h, disgracing t hem in such disgrace t hat it will remain wit h t hem unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion. This is why Allah said,

(And t hey plot t ed, and Allah planned t oo. And Allah is t he Best of t hose who plot .)

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t (55. And (remember) when Allah said: "O ` Isa! I will t ake you and raise you t o Myself and purify save you from t hose who disbelieve, and I will make t hose who follow you superior t o t hose who disbelieve t ill t he Day of Resurrect ion. Then you will ret urn t o Me and I will j udge bet ween you in t he mat t ers in which you used t o disput e.'' (56. "As t o t hose who disbelieve, I will punish t hem wit h severe t orment in t his world and in t he Hereaft er, and t hey will have no helpers.'') (57. And as for t hose who believe and do right eous good deeds, Allah will pay t hem t heir reward in full. And Allah does not like t he wrongdoers.) (58. This is what We recit e t o you of t he verses and t he Wise Reminder.)

Meaning of ` Take You

Allah said,

(I will t ake you and raise you t o Myself) while you are asleep. Allah said in a similar Ayat ,

(It is He Who t akes your souls by night (when you are asleep).) 6:60 , and,

(It is Allah Who t akes away t he souls at t he t ime of t heir deat h, and t hose t hat die not during t heir sleep.) 39:42 . The Messenger of Allah used t o recit e t he following words when he would awaken;

(All t he t hanks are due t o Allah Who brought us back t o life aft er He had caused us t o die (sleep), and t he Ret urn is t o Him). Allah said,

(And because of t heir disbelief and allegat ions against Maryam and because of t heir saying "We killed Al-Masih ` Isa, son of Maryam, t he Messenger of Allah, but t hey killed him not , nor crucified him, but it appeared t hat way t o t hem) unt il,

-
(For surely; t hey killed him not But Allah raised him up unt o Himself. And Allah is Ever AllPowerful, All-Wise. And t here is none of t he people of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) but must believe in him before his deat h. And on t he Day of Resurrect ion, he ` Isa will be a wit ness against t hem.) 4:156-159 ` His deat h' refers t o ` Isa, and t he Ayah means t hat t he People of t he Book will believe in ` Isa, before ` Isa dies. This will occur when ` Isa comes back t o t his world before t he Day of Resurrect ion, as we will explain. By t hat t ime, all t he People of t he Book will believe in ` Isa, for he will annul t he Jizyah and he will only accept Islam from people. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Al-Hasan said t hat Allah's st at ement ,


(I will t ake you) is in reference t o sleep, for Allah raised ` Isa while he was asleep.

Altering the Religion of ` Isa

Allah said,

(And purify save you from t hose who disbelieve) by raising you t o heaven,

(And I will make t hose who follow you superior t o t hose who disbelieve, t ill t he Day of Resurrect ion) This is what happened. When Allah raised ` Isa t o heaven, his followers divided int o sect s and groups. Some of t hem believed in what Allah sent ` Isa as, a servant of Allah, His Messenger, and t he son of His female-servant . However, some of t hem went t o t he ext reme over ` Isa, believing t hat he was t he son of Allah. Some of t hem said t hat ` Isa was Allah Himself, while ot hers said t hat he was one of a Trinit y. Allah ment ioned t hese false creeds in t he Qur'an and refut ed t hem. The Christ ians remained like t his unt il t he t hird cent ury CE, when a Greek king called, Const ant ine, became a Christ ian for t he purpose of dest roying Christ ianit y. Const ant ine was eit her a philosopher, or he was j ust plain ignorant . Const ant ine changed t he religion of ` Isa by adding t o it and delet ing from it . He est ablished t he rit uals of Christ ianit y and t he so-called Great Trust , which is in fact t he Great Treachery. He also allowed t hem t o eat t he meat of swine, changed t he direct ion of t he prayer t hat ` Isa est ablished t o t he east , built churches for ` Isa, and added t en days t o t he fast as compensat ion for a sin t hat he commit t ed, as claimed. So t he religion of ` Isa became t he religion of Const ant ine, who built more t hen t welve t housand churches, t emples and monast eries for t he Christ ians as well as t he cit y t hat bears his name, Const ant inople (Ist anbul). Throughout t his t ime, t he Christ ians had t he upper hand and dominat ed t he Jews. Allah aided t hem against t he Jews because t hey used t o be closer t o t he t rut h t han t he Jews, even t hough bot h groups were and st ill are disbelievers, may Allah's curse descend on t hem. When Allah sent Muhammad , t hose who believed in him also believed in Allah, His Angels, Books and Messengers in t he correct manner. So t hey were t he t rue followers of every Prophet who came t o eart h. They believed in t he unlet t ered Prophet , t he Final Messenger and t he mast er of all mankind, who called t hem t o believe in t he t rut h in it s ent iret y. This is why t hey had more right t o every Prophet t han his own nat ion, especially t hose who claim t o follow t heir Prophet 's way and religion, yet change and alt er his religion. Furt hermore, Allah abrogat ed all t he laws t hat were sent down t o t he Prophet s wit h t he Law He sent Muhammad wit h, which

consist s of t he t rue religion t hat shall never change or be alt ered unt il t he commencement of t he Last Hour. Muhammad's religion shall always be dominant and vict orious over all ot her religions. This is why Allah allowed Muslims t o conquer t he east ern and west ern part s of t he world and t he kingdoms of t he eart h. Furt hermore, all count ries submit t ed t o t hem; t hey demolished Kisra (king of Persia) and dest royed t he Czar, ridding t hem of t heir t reasures and spending t hese t reasures for Allah's sake. All t his occurred j ust as t heir Prophet t old t hem it would, when he conveyed Allah's st at ement ,

(Allah has promised t hose among you who believe and do right eous good deeds, t hat He will cert ainly grant t hem succession in t he land, as He grant ed it t o t hose before t hem, and t hat He will grant t hem t he aut horit y t o pract ice t heir religion which He has chosen for t hem. And He will surely give t hem in exchange a safe securit y aft er t heir fear (provided) t hey worship Me and do not associat e anyt hing wit h Me.) 24:55 . Therefore, Muslims are t he t rue believers in ` Isa. The Muslims t hen acquired Ash-Sham from t he Christ ians, causing t hem t o evacuat e t o Asia Minor, t o t heir fort ified cit y in Const ant inople. The Muslims will be above t hem unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion. Indeed, he, Muhammad , who is t rut hful and who received t he t rue news, has conveyed t o Muslims t hat t hey will conquer Const ant inople in t he fut ure, and seize it s t reasures.

Threatening the Disbelievers with Torment in This Life and the Hereafter
Allah said,


(And I will make t hose who follow you superior t o t hose who disbelieve t ill t he Day of Resurrect ion. Then you will ret urn t o Me and I will j udge bet ween you in t he mat t ers in which you used t o disput e. As t o t hose who disbelieve, I will punish t hem wit h a severe t orment in t his world and in t he Hereaft er, and t hey will have no helpers.) This is what Allah did t o t he Jews who disbelieved in ` Isa and t he Christ ians who went t o t he ext reme over him. Allah t orment ed t hem in t his life; t hey were killed, capt ured, and lost t heir wealt h and kingdoms. Their t orment in t he Hereaft er is even worse and more severe,

(And t hey have no Waq (defender or prot ect or) against Allah) 13:34 .

(And as for t hose who believe and do right eous good deeds, Allah will pay t hem t heir reward in full) in t his life, wit h vict ory and dominat ion, and in t he Hereaft er, wit h Paradise and high grades,

(And Allah does not like t he wrongdoers.) Allah t hen said,

(This is what We recit e t o you of t he verses and t he Wise Reminder.) meaning, "What We narrat ed t o you, O Muhammd, regarding ` Isa, his birt h and his life, is what Allah conveyed and revealed t o you, sent down from t he Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz (The Preserved Tablet ). So t here is no doubt in it . Similarly, Allah said in Surah Maryam;

 -
(Such is ` Isa, son of Maryam. (It is) a st at ement of t rut h, about which t hey doubt (or disput e). It befit s not Allah t hat He should beget a son. Glorified be He. When He decrees a t hing, He only says t o it : "Be!'' and it is.)

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(59. Verily, t he likeness of ` Isa before Allah is t he likeness of Adam. He creat ed him from dust , t hen said t o him: "Be!'' and he was.) (60. (This is) t he t rut h from your Lord, so be not of t hose who doubt .) (61. Then whoever disput es wit h you concerning him aft er t he knowledge t hat has come t o you, say: "Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, t hen we pray and we invoke Allah's curse upon t he liars.'') (62. Verily, t his is t he t rue narrat ive, and t here is no god except Allah. And indeed, Allah is t he Almight y, t he All-Wise.) (63. And if t hey t urn away, t hen surely, Allah is All-Aware of t hose who do mischief.)

The Similarities Between the Creation of Adam and the Creation of ` Isa

Allah said,

(Verily, t he likeness of ` Isa before Allah) regarding Allah's abilit y, since He creat ed him wit hout a fat her,

(is t he likeness of Adam), for Allah creat ed Adam wit hout a fat her or a mot her. Rat her,

(He creat ed him from dust , t hen (He) said t o him: "Be!'' and he was.) Therefore, He Who creat ed Adam wit hout a fat her or a mot her is able t o creat e ` Isa, as well, wit hout a fat her. If t he claim is made t hat ` Isa is Allah's son because he was creat ed wit hout a fat her, t hen t he same claim befit s Adam even more. However, since such a claim regarding Adam is obviously false, t hen making t he same claim about ` Isa is even more false. Furt hermore, by ment ioning t hese fact s, Allah emphasizes His abilit y, by creat ing Adam wit hout a male or female, Hawa' from a male wit hout a female, and ` Isa from a mot her wit hout a fat her, compared t o His creat ing t he rest of creat ion from male and female. This is why Allah said in Surah Maryam,

(And We made him a sign for mankind) 19: 21 . Allah said in t his Ayah,

((This is) t he t rut h from your Lord, so be not of t hose who doubt .) meaning, t his is t he only t rue st ory about ` Isa, and what is beyond t rut h save falsehood Allah next commands His Messenger t o call t hose who defy t he t rut h, regarding ` Isa, t o t he Mubahalah (t he curse).

The Challenge to the Mubahalah


(Then whoever disput es wit h you concerning him aft er t he knowledge t hat has come t o you, say: "Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves'') for t he Mubahalah,

(t hen we pray), supplicat e,

(and we invoke Allah's curse upon t he liars) among t he t wo of us. The reason for t he call t o Mubahalah and t he revelat ion of t he Ayat from t he beginning of t his Surah unt il here, is t hat a delegat ion from t he Christ ians of Naj ran (in Yemen) came t o AlMadinah t o argue about ` Isa, claiming t hat he was divine and t he son of Allah. Allah sent down t he beginning of t his Surah unt il here, t o refut e t heir claims, as Imam Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar and ot her scholars st at ed. Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar said in his famous Sirah, "The delegat ion of Christ ians from Naj ran came t o t he Messenger of Allah . The delegat ion consist ed of sixt y horsemen, including fourt een of t heir chiefs who make decisions. These men were Al-` Aqib, also known as ` AbdulMasih, As-Sayyid, also known as Al-Ayham, Abu Harit hah bin ` Alqamah, of t he family of Bakr bin Wa` il and Uways bin Al-Harit h. They also included, Zayd, Qays, Yazid, Nabih, Khuwaylid, ` Amr, Khalid, ` Abdullah and Yuhannas. Three of t hese men were chiefs of t his delegat ion, Al` Aqib, t heir leader and t o whom t hey referred for advice and decision; As-Sayyid, t heir scholar and leader in j ourneys and social gat herings; and Abu Harit hah bin ` Alqamah, t heir pat riarch, priest and religious leader. Abu Harit hah was an Arab man from t he family of Bakr bin Wa` il, but when he embraced Christ ianit y, t he Romans and t heir kings honored him and built churches for him (or in his honor). They also support ed him financially and gave him servant s, because t hey knew how firm his fait h in t heir religion was.'' Abu Harit hah knew t he descript ion of t he Messenger of Allah from what he read in earlier divine Books. However, his ot herwise ignorance led him t o insist on remaining a Christ ian, because he was honored and had a high posit ion wit h t he Christ ians. Ibn Ishaq said, "Muhammad bin Ja` far bin Az-Zubayr said t hat , ` The (Naj ran) delegat ion came t o t he Messenger of Allah in Al-Madinah, ent ered his Masj id wearing robes and garment s, aft er t he Prophet had prayed t he ` Asr prayer. They accompanied a caravan of camels led by Bani Al-Harit h bin Ka` b. The Companions of t he Messenger of Allah who saw t hem said t hat t hey never saw a delegat ion like t hem aft er t hat ... Then Abu Harit hah bin ` Alqamah and Al-` Aqib ` Abdul-Masih or As-Sayyid Al-Ayham spoke t o t he Messenger of Allah , and t hey were Christ ians like t he king (Roman King). However, t hey disagreed about ` Isa; some

of t hem said, ` He is Allah,' while some said, ` He is t he son of Allah,' and some ot hers said, ` He is one of a t rinit y.' Allah is far from what t hey at t ribut e t o Him.'' Indeed, t hese are t he creeds of t he Christ ians. They claim t hat ` Isa is God, since he brought t he dead back t o life, healed blindness, leprosy and various illnesses, t old about mat t ers of t he fut ure, creat ed t he shape of birds and blew life int o t hem, bringing t hem t o life. However, all t hese miracles occurred by Allah's leave, so t hat ` Isa would be a sign from Allah for people. They also claim t hat ` Isa is t he son of Allah, since he did not have a fat her and he spoke when he was in t he cradle, a miracle which had not occurred by any among t he Children of Adam before him, so t hey claim. They also claim t hat ` Isa is one of a t rinit y, because Allah would say, ` We did, command, creat e and demand.' They said, ` If Allah were one, he would have said, ` I did, command, creat e and decide.' This is why t hey claim t hat ` Isa and Allah are one (Trinit y). Allah is far from what t hey at t ribut e t o Him, and we should ment ion t hat t he Qur'an refut ed all t hese false Christ ian claims. Ibn Ishaq cont inued, "When t hese Ayat came t o t he Messenger from Allah , t hus j udging bet ween him and t he People of t he Book, Allah also commanded t he Prophet t o call t hem t o t he Mubahalah if t hey st ill refused t he t rut h. The Prophet called t hem t o t he Mubahalah. They said, ` O Abu Al-Qasim! Let us t hink about t his mat t er and get back t o you wit h our decision t o what we want t o do.' They left t he Prophet and conferred wit h Al-` Aqib, t o whom t hey referred t o for advice. They said t o him, ` O ` Abdul-Masih! What is your advice' He said, ` By Allah, O Christ ian fellows! You know t hat Muhammad is a Messenger and t hat he brought you t he final word regarding your fellow (` Isa). You also know t hat no Prophet conduct ed Mubahalah wit h any people, and t he old persons among t hem remained safe and t he young people grew up. Indeed, it will be t he end of you if you do it . If you have already decided t hat you will remain in your religion and your creed regarding your fellow (` Isa), t hen conduct a t reat y wit h t he man (Muhammad) and go back t o your land.' They came t o t he Prophet and said, ` O Abu Al-Qasim! We decided t hat we cannot do Mubahalah wit h you and t hat you remain on your religion, while we remain on our religion. However, send wit h us a man from your Companions whom you are pleased wit h t o j udge bet ween us regarding our monet ary disput es, for you are accept able t o us in t his regard.''' Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Hudhayfah said, "Al-` Aqib and As-Sayyid, t wo leaders from Naj ran, came t o t he Messenger of Allah seeking t o invoke Allah for curses (against whoever is unj ust among t hem), and one of t hem said t o t he ot her, ` Let us not do t hat . By Allah, if he were t ruly a Prophet and we invoke Allah for curses, we and our offspring shall never succeed aft erwards.' So t hey said, ` We will give you what you asked and send a t rust ed man wit h us, j ust a t rust ed man.' The Messenger of Allah said;


("Verily, I will send a t rust ed man wit h you, a t ruly t rust wort hy man.'' The Companions of t he Messenger of Allah all felt eager t o be t hat man. The Messenger said, "O Abu ` Ubaydah bin AlJarrah! St and up.'' When Abu ` Ubaydah st ood up, t he Messenger of Allah said, "This is t he t rust ee of t his Ummah.''') Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Anas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said on anot her occasion,

(Every Ummah has a t rust ee, and t he t rust ee of t his Ummah is Abu ` Ubaydah bin Al-Jarrah.) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Abu Jahl, may Allah curse him, said, ` If I see Muhammad praying next t o t he Ka` bah, I will st ep on his neck.' The Prophet lat er said,

(Had he t ried t o do it , t he angels would have t aken him publicly. Had t he Jews wished for deat h, t hey would have perished and would have seen t heir seat s in t he Fire. Had t hose who sought Mubahalah wit h t he Messenger of Allah, went ahead wit h it , t hey would not have found est at es or families when t hey ret urned home).'' Al-Bukhari, At -Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i also recorded t his Hadit h, which At -Tirmidhi graded Hasan Sahih. Allah t hen said,

(Verily, t his is t he t rue narrat ive) meaning, what we narrat ed t o you, O Muhammad, about ` Isa is t he plain t rut h t hat cannot be avoided,


(and none has t he right t o be worshipped but Allah. And indeed, Allah is t he All-Might y, t he AllWise. And if t hey t urn away,) by abandoning t his t rut h,

(t hen surely, Allah is All-Aware of t hose who do mischief.) for t hose who abandon t he t rut h for falsehood commit mischief, and Allah has full knowledge of t hem and will subj ect t hem t o t he worst punishment . Verily, Allah is able t o cont rol everyt hing, all praise and t hanks are due t o Him, and we seek refuge wit h Him from His revenge.

(64. Say: "O people of t he Script ure: Come t o a word t hat is j ust bet ween us and you, t hat we worship none but Allah t he same, and t hat we associat e no part ners wit h Him, and t hat none of us shall t ake ot hers as lords besides Allah.'' Then, if t hey t urn away, say: "Bear wit ness t hat we are Muslims.'')

Every Person Knows about Tawhid

This Ayah includes t he People of t he Book, t he Jews and Christ ians, and t hose who follow t heir ways.

(Say: "O people of t he Script ure! Come t o a word'') ` Word' - in Arabic - also means a complet e sent ence, as evident from t his Ayah. Allah described t his word as being one,


(t hat is t he same bet ween us and you), an honest and right eous word t hat is fair t o bot h part ies. Allah t hen explained t his word,

(t hat we worship none but Allah (Alone), and t hat we associat e no part ners wit h Him,) we worship neit her a st at ue, cross, idol, Taghut (false gods), fire or anyt hing else. Rat her, we worship Allah Alone wit hout part ners, and t his is t he message of all of Allah's Messengers. Allah said,

(And We did not send any Messenger before you but We revealed t o him (saying): "None has t he right t o be worshipped but I (Allah) , so worship Me (Alone and none else).'') 21:25 and,

(And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taghut (all false deit ies).'') 16:36 . Allah said next ,

("and t hat none of us shall t ake ot hers as lords besides Allah.'') Ibn Jurayj comment ed, "We do not obey each ot her in disobedience t o Allah.''

(Then, if t hey t urn away, say: "Bear wit ness t hat we are Muslims.'') if t hey abandon t his fair call, t hen let t hem know t hat you will remain in Islam as Allah has legislat ed for you. We should ment ion t hat t he let t er t hat t he Prophet sent t o Heraclius reads, "In t he Name of Allah, t he Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful. From Muhammad, t he Messenger of Allah, t o Heraclius, Leader of t he Romans: peace be upon t hose who follow t he t rue guidance. Embrace

Islam and you will acquire safet y, embrace Islam and Allah will grant you a double reward. However, if you t urn away from it , t hen you will carry t he burden of t he peasant s, and,

("O people of t he Script ure: Come t o a word t hat is t he same bet ween us and you, t hat we worship none but Allah (Alone), and t hat we associat e no part ners wit h Him, and t hat none of us shall t ake ot hers as lords besides Allah.'' Then, if t hey t urn away, say: "Bear wit ness t hat we are Muslims.'')'' Muhammad bin Ishaq and ot her scholars said t hat t he beginning of Surah Al ` Imran, and more t han eight y verses t hereaft er; were revealed about t he delegat ion of Naj ran. Az-Zuhri st at ed t hat t he people of Naj ran were t he first people t o pay t he Jizyah (t ax money paid t o t he Muslim St at e). However, t here is no disagreement t hat t he Ayah t hat ordained t he Jizyah 9:29 was revealed aft er t he Fat h (conquering Makkah, and t herefore, aft er t he delegat ion of Naj ran came t o Al-Madinah). So, how can t his Ayah 3:64 be cont ained in t he Prophet 's let t er t o Heraclius before t he vict ory of Makkah, and how can we harmonize bet ween t he st at ement s of Muhammad bin Ishaq and Az-Zuhri The answer is t hat t he delegat ion of Naj ran came before Al-Hudaybiyyah (before t he vict ory of Makkah), and what t hey paid was in lieu of t he Mubahalah; not as Jizyah. The Ayah about t he Jizyah was lat er revealed, and it s ruling support ed what occurred wit h t he Naj ran people. In support of t his opinion, we should ment ion t hat in anot her inst ance, t he ruling on dividing t he boot y int o one - fift h (for t he Prophet ) and four-fift hs (for t he fight ers) agreed wit h t he pract ice of ` Abdullah bin Jahsh during t he raid t hat he led before Badr. An Ayah lat er on upheld t he way ` Abdullah divided t he boot y. Therefore, it is possible t hat t he Prophet wrot e t his st at ement (Say, "O People of t he Script ure. ..'') in his let t er t o Heraclius before t he Ayah was revealed. Lat er on, t he Qur'an agreed wit h t he Prophet 's st at ement , word by word. It is also a fact t hat t he Qur'an was revealed in agreement wit h what ` Umar said regarding t he capt ured disbelievers at Badr, t he Hij ab (Muslim woman code of dress), refraining from performing prayer for t he hypocrit es, and regarding his st at ement s:

(And t ake you t he Maqam (place) of Ibrahim as a place of prayer.) 2:125 , and,

(It may be if he divorced you (all) t hat his Lord will give him inst ead of you, wives bet t er t han you.) 66:5 .

- -
(65. O people of t he Script ure! Why do you disput e about Ibrahim, while t he Tawrah and t he Inj il were not revealed t ill aft er him Have you t hen no sense) (66. Verily, you are t hose who have disput ed about t hat of which you have knowledge. Why do you t hen disput e concerning t hat of which you have no knowledge It is Allah Who knows, and you know not .) (67. Ibrahim was neit her a Jew nor a Christ ian, but he was a t rue Muslim Hanifa and he was not of t he Mushrikin ) (68. Verily, among mankind who have t he best claim t o Ibrahim are t hose who followed him, and t his Prophet and t hose who have believed. And Allah is t he Wali (Prot ect or and Helper) of t he believers.)

Disputing with the Jews and Christians About the Religion of Ibrahim
Allah censures t he Jews and Christ ians for t heir disput e wit h Muslims over Ibrahim Al-Khalil and t he claim each group made t hat he was one of t hem. Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The Christ ians of Naj ran and Jewish rabbis gat hered before t he Messenger of Allah and disput ed in front of him. The rabbis said, ` Ibrahim was cert ainly Jewish.' The Christ ians said, ` Cert ainly, Ibrahim was Christ ian.' So Allah sent down,

(O people of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians)! Why do you disput e about Ibrahim,) meaning, ` How is it t hat you, Jews, claim t hat Ibrahim was Jew, alt hough he lived before Allah sent down t he Tawrah t o Musa How is it t hat you, Christ ians, claim t hat Ibrahim was Christ ian, alt hough Christ ianit y came aft er his t ime'' This is why Allah said,


(Have you t hen no sense) Allah t hen said,

c(Verily, you are t hose who have disput ed about t hat of which you have knowledge. Why do you t hen disput e concerning t hat of which you have no knowledge) This Ayah crit icizes t hose who argue and disput e wit hout knowledge, j ust as t he Jews and Christ ians did concerning Ibrahim. Had t hey disput ed about t heir religions, which t hey had knowledge of, and about t he Law t hat was legislat ed for t hem unt il Muhammad was sent , it would have been bet t er for t hem. Rat her, t hey disput ed about what t hey had no knowledge of, so Allah crit icized t hem for t his behavior. Allah commanded t hem t o refer what t hey have no knowledge of t o He Who knows t he seen and unseen mat t ers and Who knows t he t rue realit y of all t hings. This is why Allah said,

(It is Allah Who knows, and you know not .) Allah said,

(Ibrahim was neit her a Jew nor a Christ ian, but he was a t rue Muslim Hanifa), shunning Shirk and living in Iman,

(and he was not of t he Mushrikin.) This Ayah is similar t o t he Ayah in Surat Al-Baqarah,


(And t hey say, "Be Jews or Christ ians, t hen you will be guided...'') 2:135 . Allah said next ,

(Verily, among mankind who have t he best claim t o Ibrahim are t hose who followed him, and t his Prophet and t hose who have believed. And Allah is t he Wali (Prot ect or and Helper) of t he believers.) This Ayah means, "The people who have t he most right t o be followers of Ibrahim are t hose who followed his religion and t his Prophet , Muhammad , and his Companions from t he Muhaj irin, Ansar and t hose who followed t heir lead.'' Sa` id bin Mansur recorded t hat Ibn Mas` ud said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Every Prophet had a Wali (support er, best friend) from among t he Prophet s. My Wali among t hem is my fat her Ibrahim, t he Khalil (int imat e friend) of my Lord, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored) The Prophet t hen recit ed,

(Verily, among mankind who have t he best claim t o Ibrahim are t hose who followed him...) Allah's st at ement ,

(And Allah is t he Wali (Prot ect or and Helper) of t he believers.) means, Allah is t he Prot ect or of all t hose who believe in His Messengers.

 - - - - -
(69. A part y of t he People of t he Script ure wish t o lead you ast ray. But t hey shall not lead ast ray anyone except t hemselves, and t hey perceive not .) (70. "O People of t he Script ure! Why do you disbelieve in t he Ayat of Allah, while you bear wit ness.'') (71. "O People of t he Script ure! Why do you mix t rut h wit h falsehood and conceal t he t rut h while you know'') (72. And a part y of t he People of t he Script ure say: "Believe in t he morning in t hat which is revealed t o t he believers, and rej ect it at t he end of t he day, so t hat t hey may t urn back.) (73. And believe no one except t he one who follows your religion.'' Say (O Prophet ): "Verily, right guidance is t he guidance of Allah.'' (And t hey say:) "Do not believe t hat anyone can receive like t hat which you have received, ot herwise t hey would engage you in argument before your Lord.'' Say: "All t he bount y is in t he Hand of Allah; He grant s t o whom He wills. And Allah is AllSufficient for His creat ures' needs, All-Knower.'') (74. He select s for His Mercy whom He wills and Allah is t he Owner of great bount y.)

The Envy the Jews Feel Towards Muslims; Their Wicked Plots Against Muslims

Allah st at es t hat t he Jews envy t he fait hful and wish t hey could misguide t hem. Allah st at es t hat t he punishment of t his behavior will fall back upon t hem, while t hey are unaware. Allah crit icizes t hem,

(O People of t he Script ure!: Why do you disbelieve in t he Ayat of Allah, while you bear wit ness.) You know for cert ain t hat Allah's Ayat are t rue and aut hent ic,

(O People of t he Script ure: Why do you mix t rut h wit h falsehood and conceal t he t rut h while you know) by hiding what is in your Books about t he descript ion of Muhammad , while you know what you do.

(And a part y of t he People of t he Script ure say: "Believe in t he morning in t hat which is revealed t o t he believers, and rej ect it at t he end of t he day,) This is a wicked plan from t he People of t he Book t o deceive Muslims who are weak in t he religion. They decided t hat t hey would pret end t o be believers in t he beginning of t he day, by at t ending t he dawn prayer wit h t he Muslims. However, when t he day ended, t hey would revert t o t heir old religion so t hat t he ignorant people would say, "They revert ed t o t heir old religion because t hey uncovered some short comings in t he Islamic religion.'' This is why t hey said next .

(so t hat t hey may t urn back.) Ibn Abi Naj ih said t hat Muj ahid comment ed about t his Ayah, which refers t o t he Jews, "They at t ended t he dawn prayer wit h t he Prophet and disbelieved in

t he end of t he day in order t o misguide t he people. This way, people would t hink t hat t hey have uncovered short comings in t he religion t hat t hey briefly followed.''

("And believe no one except t he one who follows your religion.'') They said, do not t rust anyone wit h your secret knowledge, except t hose who follow your religion. Therefore, t hey say, do not expose your knowledge t o Muslims in order t o prevent t hem from believing in it and, t hus, use it as proof against you. Allah replied,

(Say: (O Prophet ) "Verily, right guidance is t he guidance of Allah.'') Allah guides t he heart s of t he fait hful t o t he perfect fait h t hrough t he clear Ayat , plain proofs and unequivocal evidence t hat He has sent down t o His servant and Messenger Muhammad . This occurs, O you Jews, even t hough you hide t he descript ion of Muhammad . t he unlet t ered Prophet whom you find in your Books t hat you received from t he earlier Prophet s. Allah's st at ement ;

((And t hey say: ) "Do not believe t hat anyone can receive like t hat which you have received, ot herwise t hey would engage you in argument before your Lord.'') They say, "Do not disclose t he knowledge t hat you have t o t he Muslims, t o prevent t hem from learning it and t hus becoming your equals. They will be even bet t er because t hey will believe in it or will use it against you as evidence wit h your Lord, and t hus est ablish Allah's proof against you in t his life and t he Hereaft er.'' Allah said,

(Say: "All t he bount y is in t he Hand of Allah; He grant s t o whom He wills.) meaning, all affairs are under His cont rol, and He gives and t akes. Verily, Allah gives fait h, knowledge and sound comprehension t o whomever He wills. He also misguides whomever He wills by blinding his sight , mind, sealing his heart , hearing and st amping his eyes closed. Allah has t he perfect wisdom and t he unequivocal proofs.


(And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creat ures' needs, All-Knower.'' He select s for His mercy whom He wills and Allah is t he Owner of great bount y.) meaning, He has endowed you, O believers, wit h t remendous virt ue, in t hat He honored your Prophet Muhammad over all ot her prophet s, and by direct ing you t o t he best Shari` ah t here is.

-
(75. Among t he People of t he Script ure is he who, if ent rust ed wit h a Qint ar (a great amount of wealt h), will readily pay it back; and among t hem t here is he who, if ent rust ed wit h a single silver coin, will not repay it unless you const ant ly st and demanding, because t hey say: "There is no blame on us t o bet ray and t ake t he propert ies of t he illit erat es (Arabs).'' But t hey t ell a lie against Allah while t hey know it .) (76. Yes, whoever fulfills his pledge and fears Allah much; verily, t hen Allah loves t he Mut t aqin (t he pious).)

How Trustworthy Are the Jews

Allah st at es t hat t here are deceit ful people among t he Jews. He also warns t he fait hful against being deceived by t hem, because some of t hem,

(if ent rust ed wit h a Qint ar (a great amount )) of money,


(will readily pay it back;) This Ayah indicat es t hat t his t ype would likewise give what is less t han a Qint ar, as is obvious. However,

(and among t hem t here is he who, if ent rust ed wit h a single silver coin, will not repay it unless you const ant ly st and demanding,) and insist ing on acquiring your right ful propert y. If t his is what he would do wit h one Dinar, t hen what about what is more t han a Dinar We ment ioned t he meaning of Qint ar in t he beginning of t his Surah, while t he value of Dinar is well known. Allah's st at ement ,

(because t hey say: "There is no blame on us t o bet ray and t ake t he propert ies of t he illit erat es (Arabs).'') means, what made t hem rej ect t he t rut h (or what t hey owed) is t hat t hey said, "There is no harm in our religion if we eat up t he propert y of t he unlet t ered ones, t he Arabs, for Allah has allowed it for us.'' Allah replied,

(But t hey t ell a lie against Allah while t hey know it .) for t hey invent ed t his lie and word of misguidance. Rat her, Allah would not allow t his money for t hem unless t hey had a right t o it . ` Abdur-Razzaq recorded t hat Sa` sa` ah bin Yazid said t hat a man asked Ibn ` Abbas, "During bat t le, we capt ure some propert y belonging t o Ahl Adh-Dhimmah, such as chickens and sheep.'' Ibn ` Abbas said, "What do you do in t his case'' The man said, "We say t hat t here is no sin (if we confiscat e t hem) in t his case.'' He said, "That is what t he People of t he Book said,

(There is no blame on us t o bet ray and t ake t he propert ies of t he illit erat es (Arabs).) Verily, if t hey pay t he Jizyah, t hen you are not allowed t heir propert y, except when t hey willingly give it up.'' Allah t hen said,


(Yes, whoever fulfills his pledge and fears Allah much,) fulfills his promise and fears Allah among you, O People of t he Book, regarding t he covenant Allah t ook from you t o believe in Muhammad when he is sent , j ust as He t ook t he same covenant from all Prophet s and t heir nat ions. Whoever avoids Allah's prohibit ions, obeys Him and adheres t o t he Shari` ah t hat He sent wit h His Final Messenger and t he mast er of all mankind.

(verily, t hen Allah loves t he Mut t aqin.)

(77. Verily, t hose who purchase a small gain at t he cost of Allah's covenant and t heir oat hs, t hey shall have no port ion in t he Hereaft er (Paradise). Neit her will Allah speak t o t hem nor look at t hem on t he Day of Resurrect ion, nor will He purify t hem, and t hey shall have a painful t orment .)

There is No Share in the Hereafter for Those Who Break Allah's Covenant
Allah st at es t hat whoever prefers t he small t hings of t his short , soon t o end life, inst ead of fulfilling what t hey have promised Allah by following Muhammad , announcing his descript ion from t heir books t o people and affirming his t rut h, t hen,

(t hey shall have no port ion in t he Hereaft er.) They will not have a share or part in t he Hereaft er's rewards,


(Neit her will Allah speak t o t hem nor look at t hem on t he Day of Resurrect ion) wit h His mercy. This Ayah indicat es t hat Allah will not speak words of kindness nor look at t hem wit h any mercy,

(nor will He purify t hem) from sins and impurit ies. Rat her, He will order t hem t o t he Fire,

(and t hey shall have a painful t orment .) There are several Hadit hs on t he subj ect of t his Ayah, some of which follow. The First Hadit h Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Dharr said, "The Messenger of Allah said, c

: : :

(There are t hree persons whom Allah will not speak t o, look at on t he Day of Resurrect ion or purify, and t hey shall t ast e a painful t orment . I said, ` O Messenger of Allah! Who are t hey, may t hey gain failure and loss' He said, repeat ing t his st at ement t hrice, ` The Musbil (man whose clot hes reach below t he ankles), he who swears while lying so as t o sell his merchandize and t he one who gives charit y and reminds people of it ).')'' This was also recorded by Muslim, and t he collect ors of t he Sunan. Anot her Hadit h Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Adi bin ` Amirah Al-Kindi said, "Imru' Al-Qays bin ` Abis, a man from Kindah, disput ed wit h a man from Hadramut in front of t he Messenger of Allah concerning a piece of land. The Prophet required t he man from Hadramut t o present his evidence, but he did not have any. The Prophet required Imru' Al-Qays t o swear t o his t rut hfulness, but t he man

from Hadramut said, ` O Messenger of Allah! If you only require him t o swear, t hen by t he Lord of t he Ka` bah (Allah), my land is lost .' The Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever swears while lying t o acquire t he propert y of ot hers, will meet Allah while He is angry wit h him.)'' Raj a' one of t he narrat ors of t he Hadit h, said t hat t he Messenger of Allah t hen recit ed,

(Verily, t hose who purchase a small gain at t he cost of Allah's covenant and t heir oat hs...) Imru' Al-Qays said, ` What if one forfeit s t his disput e, what will he gain, O Messenger of Allah' The Prophet answered, ` Paradise.' Imru' Al-Qays said, ` Bear wit ness t hat I forfeit all t he land for him.''' An-Nasa'i also recorded t his Hadit h. Anot her Hadit h Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdullah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever t akes a false oat h t o deprive a Muslim of his propert y will meet Allah while He is angry wit h him.) Al-Ash` at h said, "By Allah! This verse was revealed concerning me. I owned some land wit h a Jewish man who denied my right , and I complained against him t o t he Messenger of Allah. The Prophet asked me, ` Do you have evidence' I said, ` I don't have evidence.' He said t o t he Jew, ` Take an oat h t hen.' I said, ` O Allah's Messenger! He will t ake a (false) oat h immediat ely, and I will lose my propert y.' Allah revealed t he verse,

(Verily, t hose who purchase a small gain at t he cost of Allah's covenant and t heir oat hs...)'' The Two Sahihs recorded t his Hadit h. Anot her Hadit h

Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(Three persons whom Allah shall not speak t o on t he Day of Resurrect ion, or look at , or purify t hem, and t hey shall t ast e a painful t orment . (They are) a man who does not give t he wayfarer some of t he wat er t hat he has; a man who swears, while lying, in order t o complet e a sales t ransact ion aft er t he ` Asr prayer; and a man who gives his pledge of allegiance t o an Imam (Muslim Ruler), and if t he Imam gives him (somet hing), he fulfills t he pledge, but if t he Imam does not give him, he does not fulfill t he pledge). Abu Dawud and At -Tirmidhi also recorded t his Hadit h, and At -Tirmidhi graded it Hasan Sahih.

78. And verily, among t hem is a part y who dist ort t he Book wit h t heir t ongues, so t hat you may t hink it is from t he Book, but it is not from t he Book, and t hey say: This is from Alla0h, but it is not from Alla0h and t hey speak a lie against Alla0h while t hey know it .

The Jews Alter Allah's Words

Allah st at es t hat some Jews, may Allah's curses descend on t hem, dist ort Allah's Words wit h t heir t ongues, change t hem from t heir appropriat e places, and alt er t heir int ended meanings. They do t his t o deceive t he ignorant people by making it appear t hat t heir words are in t he Book of Allah. They at t ribut e t heir own lies t o Allah, even t hough t hey know t hat t hey have lied and invent ed falsehood. Therefore, Allah said,


(and t hey speak a lie against Allah while t hey know it .) Muj ahid, Ash-Sha` bi, Al-Hasan, Qat adah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said t hat ,

(who dist ort t he Book wit h t heir t ongues,) means, "They alt er t hem (Allah's Words).'' Al-Bukhari report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah means t hey alt er and add alt hough none among Allah's creat ion can remove t he Words of Allah from His Books, t hey alt er and dist ort t heir apparent meanings. Wahb bin Munabbih said, "The Tawrah and t he Inj il remain as Allah revealed t hem, and no let t er in t hem was removed. However, t he people misguide ot hers by addit ion and false int erpret at ion, relying on books t hat t hey wrot e t hemselves. Then,

(t hey say: "This is from Allah,'' but it is not from Allah;) As for Allah's Books, t hey are st ill preserved and cannot be changed.'' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t his st at ement . However, if Wahb meant t he books t hat are current ly in t he hands of t he People of t he Book, t hen we should st at e t hat t here is no doubt t hat t hey alt ered, dist ort ed, added t o and delet ed from t hem. For inst ance, t he Arabic versions of t hese books cont ain t remendous error, many addit ions and delet ions and enormous misint erpret at ion. Those who rendered t hese t ranslat ions have incorrect comprehension in most , rat her, all of t hese t ranslat ions. If Wahb meant t he Books of Allah t hat He has wit h Him, t hen indeed, t hese Books are preserved and were never changed.

(79. It is not (possible) for any human being t o whom Allah has given t he Book and Al-Hukm and prophet hood t o say t o t he people: "Be my worshippers rat her t han Allah's.'' On t he cont rary (he would say): "Be you Rabbaniyyun, because you are t eaching t he Book, and you are st udying it .'') (80. Nor would he order you t o t ake angels and Prophet s for lords. Would he order you t o disbelieve aft er you have submit t ed t o Allah's will)

No Prophet Ever Called People to Worship him or to Worship Other Than Allah
This Ayah 3:79 means, it is not for a person whom Allah has given t he Book, knowledge in t he Law and prophet hood t o proclaim t o t he people, "Worship me inst ead of Allah,'' meaning, along wit h Allah. If t his is not t he right of a Prophet or a Messenger, t hen indeed, it is not t he right of anyone else t o issue such a claim. This crit icism refers t o t he ignorant rabbis, priest s and t eachers of misguidance, unlike t he Messengers and t heir sincere knowledgeable followers who implement t heir knowledge; for t hey only command what Allah commands t hem, as t heir honorable Messengers conveyed t o t hem. They also forbid what Allah forbade for t hem, by t he words of His honorable Messengers. The Messengers, may Allah's peace and blessings be on all of t hem, are t he emissaries bet ween Allah and His creat ion, conveying Allah's Message and Trust . The messengers indeed fulfilled t heir mission, gave sincere advice t o creat ion and conveyed t he t rut h t o t hem. Allah's st at ement ,

(On t he cont rary (he would say), "Be you Rabbaniyyun, because you are t eaching t he Book, and you are st udying it .'') means, t he Messenger recommends t he people t o be Rabbaniyyun. Ibn ` Abbas, Abu Razin and several ot hers said t hat Rabbaniyyun means, "Wise, learned, and forbearing.'' Ad-Dahhak comment ed concerning Allah's st at ement ,

(because you are t eaching t he Book, and you are st udying it .) "Whoever learns t he Qur'an deserves t o become a Faqih (learned).''

(and you are st udying it ), preserving it s words. Allah t hen said,


(Nor would he order you t o t ake angels and Prophet s for lords.) The Prophet does not command worshipping ot her t han Allah, whet her a sent Messenger or an angel.

(Would he order you t o disbelieve aft er you have submit t ed t o Allah's will) meaning, he would not do t hat , for whoever calls t o worshipping ot her t han Allah, will have called t o Kufr. The Prophet s only call t o Iman which commands worshipping Allah Alone wit hout part ners. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad ) but We revealed t o him (saying): "None has t he right t o be worshipped but I, so worship Me''.) 21:25 ,

(And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid Taghut (all false deit ies).'') 16:36 , and,

(And ask t hose of Our Messengers whom We sent before you: "Did We ever appoint gods t o be worshipped besides t he Most Gracious (Allah)'') 43:45 Allah said concerning t he angels,


(And if any of t hem should say: "Verily, I am a god besides Him (Allah),'' such a one We should recompense wit h Hell. Thus We recompense t he wrongdoers.) 21:29 .

-
(81. And (remember) when Allah t ook t he covenant of t he Prophet s, saying: "Take what ever I gave you from t he Book and Hikmah, and aft erwards t here will come t o you a Messenger confirming what is wit h you; you must , t hen, believe in him and help him.'' Allah said: "Do you agree (t o it ) and will you t ake up Isri'' They said: "We agree.'' He said: "Then bear wit ness; and I am wit h you among t he wit nesses.'') (82. Then whoever t urns away aft er t his, t hey are t he rebellious.)

Taking a Pledge From the Prophets to Believe in Our Prophet, Muhammad

Allah st at es t hat He t ook a pledge from every Prophet whom He sent from Adam unt il ` Isa, t hat when Allah gives t hem t he Book and t he Hikmah, t hus acquiring what ever high grades t hey deserve, t hen a Messenger came aft erwards, t hey would believe in and support him. Even t hough Allah has given t he Prophet s t he knowledge and t he prophet hood, t his fact should not make t hem refrain from following and support ing t he Prophet who comes aft er t hem. This is why Allah, t he Most High, Most Honored, said


(And (remember) when Allah t ook t he covenant of t he Prophet s, saying: "Take what ever I gave you from t he Book and Hikmah.'') meaning, if I give you t he Book and t he Hikmah,

("and aft erwards t here will come t o you a Messenger confirming what is wit h you; you must , t hen, believe in him and help him.'' Allah said, "Do you agree (t o it ) and will you t ake up Isri'') Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, Ar-Rabi` , Qat adah and As-Suddi said t hat ` Isri' means, "My covenant .'' Muhammad bin Ishaq said t hat ,

(Isri) means, "The responsibilit y of My covenant t hat you t ook,'' meaning, t he rat ified pledge t hat you gave Me.

(They said: "We agree.'' He said: "Then bear wit ness; and I am wit h you among t he wit nesses.'' t hen whoever t urns away aft er t his,'') from fulfilling t his pledge and covenant , c

(t hey are t he rebellious.) ` Ali bin Abi Talib and his cousin ` Abdullah bin ` Abbas said, "Allah never sent a Prophet but aft er t aking his pledge t hat if Muhammad were sent in his lifet ime, he would believe in and support him.'' Allah commanded each Prophet t o t ake a pledge from his nat ion t hat if Muhammad were sent in t heir t ime, t hey would believe in and support him. Tawus, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Qat adah said, "Allah t ook t he pledge from t he Prophet s t hat t hey would believe in each ot her'', and t his st at ement does not cont radict what ` Ali and Ibn ` Abbas st at ed.

Therefore, Muhammad is t he Final Prophet unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion. He is t he great est Imam, who if he exist ed in any t ime period, deserves t o be obeyed, rat her t han all ot her Prophet s. This is why Muhammad led t he Prophet s in prayer during t he night of Isra' when t hey gat hered in Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem). He is t he int ercessor on t he Day of Gat hering, when t he Lord comes t o j udge bet ween His servant s. This is Al-Maqam Al-Mahmud (t he praised st at ion) refer t o 17:79 t hat only Muhammad deserves, a responsibilit y which t he might y Prophet s and Messengers will decline t o assume. However, Muhammad will carry t he t ask of int ercession, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him.

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(83. Do t hey seek ot her t han t he religion of Allah, while t o Him submit t ed all creat ures in t he heavens and t he eart h, willingly or unwillingly. And t o Him shall t hey all be ret urned.) (84. Say: "We believe in Allah and in what has been sent down t o us, and what was sent down t o Ibrahim, Isma` il, Ishaq, Ya` qub and Al-Asbat , and what was given t o Musa, ` Isa and t he Prophet s from t heir Lord. We make no dist inct ion bet ween one anot her among t hem and t o Him (Allah) we have submit t ed.'') (85. And whoever seeks a religion ot her t han Islam, it will never be accept ed of him, and in t he Hereaft er he will be one of t he losers.)

The Only Valid Religion To Allah is Islam

Allah rebukes t hose who prefer a religion ot her t han t he religion t hat He sent His Books and Messengers wit h, which is t he worship of Allah Alone wit hout part ners, t o Whom,

(submit t ed all creat ures in t he heavens and t he eart h,) Willingly, or not . Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And unt o Allah (Alone) falls in prost rat ion whoever is in t he heavens and t he eart h, willingly or unwillingly.) 13:15 , and,

(Have t hey not observed t hings t hat Allah has creat ed: (how) t heir shadows incline t o t he right and t o t he left , making prost rat ion unt o Allah, and t hey are lowly And t o Allah prost rat e all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is in t he eart h, of t he moving creat ures and t he angels, and t hey are not proud. They fear t heir Lord above t hem, and t hey do what t hey are commanded) 16: 48-50 . Therefore, t he fait hful believer submit s t o Allah in heart and body, while t he disbeliever unwillingly submit s t o Him in body only, since he is under Allah's power, irresist ible cont rol and might y kingship t hat cannot be repelled or resist ed. Waki` report ed t hat Muj ahid said t hat t he Ayah,

(While t o Him submit t ed all creat ures in t he heavens and t he eart h, willingly or unwillingly), is similar t o t he Ayah,


(And verily, if you ask t hem: "Who creat ed t he heavens and t he eart h'' Surely, t hey will say: "Allah'') 39:38 . He also report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about ,

(while t o Him submit t ed all creat ures in t he heavens and t he eart h, willingly or unwillingly.) "When He t ook t he covenant from t hem.''

(And t o Him shall t hey all be ret urned) on t he Day of Ret urn, when He will reward or punish each person according t o his or her deeds. Allah t hen said,

(Say: "We believe in Allah and in what has been sent down t o us) t he Qur'an,

(and what was sent down t o Ibrahim, Ismai` 0l, Ishaq, Ya` qub) t he script ures and revelat ion,

(and t he Asbat ,) t he Asbat are t he t welve t ribes who originat ed from t he t welve children of Israel (Ya` qub).


(and what was given t o Musa, ` Isa) t he Tawrah and t he Inj il,

(and t he Prophet s from t heir Lord.) and t his encompasses all of Allah's Prophet s.

(We make no dist inct ion bet ween one anot her among t hem) we believe in all of t hem,

(And t o Him (Allah) we have submit t ed (in Islam)) Therefore, fait hful Muslims believe in every Prophet whom Allah has sent and in every Book He revealed, and never disbelieve in any of t hem. Rat her, t hey believe in what was revealed by Allah, and in every Prophet sent by Allah. Allah said next ,

(And whoever seeks a religion ot her t han Islam, it will never be accept ed of him,) whoever seeks ot her t han what Allah has legislat ed, it will not be accept ed from him,

(and in t he Hereaft er he will be one of t he losers.) As t he Prophet said in an aut hent ic Hadit h,

(Whoever commit s an act ion t hat does not conform t o our mat t er (religion) t hen it is rej ect ed).

 -
(86. How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved aft er t heir belief and aft er t hey bore wit ness t hat t he Messenger is t rue and aft er clear proofs came t o t hem And Allah guides not t he people who are wrongdoers. (87. They are t hose whose recompense is t hat on t hem (rest s) t he curse of Allah, of t he angels and of all mankind.) (88. They will abide t herein. Neit her will t heir t orment be light ened nor will it be delayed or post poned.) (89. Except for t hose who repent aft er t hat and do right eous deeds. Verily, Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

Allah Does Not Guide People Who Disbelieve After they Believed, Unless They Repent
Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "A man from t he Ansar embraced Islam, but lat er revert ed and j oined t he polyt heist s. He lat er on became sorry and sent his people t o, ` Ask t he Messenger of Allah for me, if I can repent .' Then,

(How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved aft er t heir belief) unt il,

(Verily, Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) was revealed and his people sent word t o him and he re-embraced Islam.'' This is t he wording recorded by An-Nasa'i, Al-Hakim and Ibn Hibban. Al-Hakim said, "It s chain is Sahih and t hey did not record it .'' Allah's st at ement ,


(How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved aft er t heir belief and aft er t hey bore wit ness t hat t he Messenger is t rue and aft er clear proofs came t o t hem) means, t he proofs and evidences were est ablished, t est ifying t o t he t rut h of what t he Messenger was sent wit h. The t rut h was t hus explained t o t hem, but t hey revert ed t o t he darkness of polyt heism. Therefore, how can such people deserve guidance aft er t hey willingly leapt int o ut t er blindness This is why Allah said,

(And Allah guides not t he people who are wrongdoers.) He t hen said,

(They are t hose whose recompense is t hat on t hem (rest s) t he curse of Allah, of t he angels and of all mankind.) Allah curses t hem and His creat ion also curses t hem.

(They will abide t herein) in t he curse,

(Neit her will t heir t orment be light ened nor will it be delayed or post poned.) for, t he t orment will not be lessened, not even for an hour. Aft er t hat , Allah said,


(Except for t hose who repent aft er t hat and do right eous deeds. Verily, Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) This Ayah indicat es Allah's kindness, graciousness, compassion, mercy and favor on His creat ures when t hey repent t o Him, for He forgives t hem in t his case.

-
(90. Verily, t hose who disbelieved aft er t heir belief and t hen went on increasing in t heir disbelief never will t heir repent ance be accept ed. And t hey are t hose who are ast ray.) (91. Verily, t hose who disbelieved, and died while t hey were disbelievers, t he (whole) eart h full of gold will not be accept ed from anyone of t hem if t hey offered it as a ransom. For t hem is a painful t orment and t hey will have no helpers.)

Neither Repentance of the Disbeliever Upon Death, Nor His Ransoming Himself on the Day of Resurrection Shall be Accepted
Allah t hreat ens and warns t hose who revert t o disbelief aft er t hey believed and who t hereaft er insist on disbelief unt il deat h. He st at es t hat in t his case, no repent ance shall be accept ed from t hem upon t heir deat h. Similarly, Allah said,

(And of no effect is t he repent ance of t hose who cont inue t o do evil deeds unt il deat h faces one of t hem) 4:18 . This is why Allah said,


(never will t heir repent ance be accept ed. And t hey are t hose who went ast ray.) t o t hose who abandon t he pat h of t rut h for t he pat h of wickedness. Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bazzar recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat some people embraced Islam, revert ed t o disbelief, became Muslims again, t hen revert ed from Islam. They sent t heir people inquiring about t his mat t er and t hey asked t he Messenger of Allah . On t hat , t his Ayah was revealed,

(Verily, t hose who disbelieved aft er t heir belief and t hen went on increasing in t heir disbelief never will t heir repent ance be accept ed). The chain of narrat ion is sat isfact ory. Thereaft er, Allah said,

(Verily, t hose who disbelieved, and died while t hey were disbelievers, t he (whole) eart h full of gold will not be accept ed from anyone of t hem even if t hey offered it as a ransom.) Those who die while disbelievers, shall have no good deed ever accept ed from t hem, even if t hey spent t he eart h's fill of gold in what was perceived t o be an act of obedience. The Prophet was asked about ` Abdullah bin Jud` an, who used t o be generous t o guest s, helpful t o t he indebt ed and who gave food (t o t he poor); will all t hat benefit him The Prophet said,

:
(No, for not even one day during his life did he pronounce, ` O my Lord! Forgive my sins on t he Day of Judgment .) Similarly, if t he disbeliever gave t he eart h's full of gold as ransom, it will not be accept ed from him. Allah said,

(...nor shall compensat ion be accept ed from him, nor shall int ercession be of use t o him,) 2:123 , and

(...on which t here will be neit her mut ual bargaining nor befriending.) 14:31 , and,

(Verily, t hose who disbelieve, if t hey had all t hat is in t he eart h, and as much again t herewit h t o ransom t hemselves t hereby from t he t orment on t he Day of Resurrect ion, it would never be accept ed of t hem, and t heirs would be a painful t orment ) 5:36 . This is why Allah said here,

,(Verily, t hose who disbelieved, and died while t hey were disbelievers, t he (whole) eart h full of gold will not be accept ed from anyone of t hem if t hey offered it as a ransom). The implicat ion of t his Ayah is t hat t he disbeliever shall never avoid t he t orment of Allah, even if he spent t he eart h's fill of gold, or if he ransoms himself wit h t he eart h's fill of gold, - all of it s mount ains, hills, sand, dust , valleys, forest s, land and sea. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Anas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: : : :

 : : : : :
(A man from among t he people of Paradise will be brought and Allah will ask him, "O son of Adam! How did you find your dwelling'' He will say, "O Lord, it is t he best dwelling.'' Allah will say, "Ask and wish.'' The man will say, "I only ask and wish t hat You send me back t o t he world so t hat I am killed t en t imes in Your cause,'' because of t he honor of mart yrdom he would experience. A man from among t he people of t he Fire will be brought , and Allah will say t o him, "O son of Adam! How do you find your dwelling'' He will say, "It is t he worst dwelling, O Lord.'' Allah will ask him, "Would you ransom yourself from Me wit h t he eart h's fill of gold'' He will say, "Yes, O Lord.'' Allah will say, "You have lied. I asked you t o do what is less and easier t han t hat , but you did not do it ,'' and he will be sent back t o t he Fire.) This is why Allah said,

(For t hem is a painful t orment and t hey will have no helpers.) for t hey shall not have anyone who will save t hem from t he t orment of Allah or rescue t hem from His painful punishment .

(92. By no means shall you at t ain Al-Birr, unless you spend of t hat which you love; and what ever of good you spend, Allah knows it well.)

Al-Birr is Spending from the Best of One's Wealth

In his Tafsir, Waki` report ed, t hat ` Amr bin Maymun said t hat


(By no means shall you at t ain Al-Birr) is in reference t o at t aining Paradise. Imam Ahmad report ed t hat Anas bin Malik said, "Abu Talhah had more propert y t han any ot her among t he Ansar in Al-Madinah, and t he most beloved of his propert y t o him was Bayruha' garden, which was in front of t he (Messenger's) Masj id. Somet imes, Allah's Messenger used t o go t o t he garden and drink it s fresh wat er.'' Anas added, "When t hese verses were revealed,

(By no means shall you at t ain Al-Birr unless You spend of t hat which you love,) Abu Talhah said, ` O Allah's Messenger! Allah says,

(By no means shall you at t ain Al-Birr, unless you spend of t hat which you love;) No doubt , Bayruha' garden is t he most beloved of all my propert y t o me. So I want t o give it in charit y in Allah's cause, and I expect it s reward and compensat ion from Allah. O Allah's Messenger! Spend it where Allah makes you t hink is feasible. ' On t hat , Allah's Messenger said,

(Well-done! It is profit able propert y, it is profit able propert y. I have heard what you have said, and I t hink it would be proper if you gave it t o your kit h and kin.) Abu Talhah said, ` I will do so, O Allah's Messenger.' Then Abu Talhah dist ribut ed t hat garden among his relat ives and cousins.'' This Hadit h was recorded in t he Two Sahihs. They also recorded t hat ` Umar said, "O Messenger of Allah! I never gained possession of a piece of propert y more precious t o me t han my share in Khaybar. Therefore, what do you command me t o do wit h it '' The Prophet said,

(Ret ain t he land t o give it s fruit s in Allah's cause.)

 - -
(93. All food was lawful t o t he Children of Israel, except what Isra'il made unlawful for himself before t he Tawrah was revealed. Say: "Bring here t he Tawrah and recit e it , if you are t rut hful. '') (94. Then aft er t hat , whosoever shall invent a lie against Allah, t hen it is t hese t hat are t he wrongdoers.) (95. Say:"Allah has spoken t he t rut h; follow t he religion of Ibrahim t he Hanif (monot heist ), and he was not of t he Mushrikin (idolat ors).'')

The Questions that the Jews Asked Our Prophet

Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "A group of Jews came t o Allah's Prophet and said, ` Talk t o us about some t hings we will ask you and which only a Prophet would know.' He said, ` Ask me about what ever you wish. However, give your pledge t o Allah, similar t o t he pledge t hat Ya` qub t ook from his children, t hat if I t ell you somet hing and you recognize it s t rut h, you will follow me in Islam.' They said, ` Agreed.' The Prophet said, ` Ask me about what ever you wish.' They said, ` Tell us about four mat t ers: 1. What kinds of food did Isra'il prohibit for himself 2. What about t he sexual discharge of t he woman and t he man, and what role does each play in producing male or female offspring 3. Tell us about t he condit ion of t he unlet t ered Prophet during sleep, 4. And who is his Wali (support er) among t he angels' The Prophet t ook t heir covenant t hat t hey will follow him if he answers t hese quest ions, and t hey agreed. He said, ` I ask you by He Who sent down t he Tawrah t o Musa, do you not know t hat Isra'il once became very ill When his illness was prolonged, he vowed t o Allah t hat if He cures His illness, he would prohibit t he best t ypes of drink and food for himself. Was not t he best food t o him camel meat and t he best drink camel milk' They said, ` Yes, by Allah.' The Messenger said, ` O Allah, be Wit ness against t hem.' The Prophet t hen said, ` I ask you by Allah, ot her t han Whom t here is no deit y (wort hy of worship), Who sent down t he Tawrah t o Musa, do you not know t hat man's discharge is t hick and whit e and woman's is yellow and t hin If any of t hese fluids becomes dominant , t he offspring will t ake it s sex and resemblance by Allah's leave. Hence, if t he man's is more t han t he woman's, t he child will be male, by Allah's leave. If t he woman's discharge is more t han t he man's, t hen t he child will be female, by Allah's leave.' They said, ` Yes.' He said, ` O Allah, be Wit ness against t hem.' He t hen said, ` I ask you by He Who sent down t he Tawrah t o Musa, do you not know t hat t he eyes of t his unlet t ered Prophet sleep, but his heart does not sleep' They said, ` Yes, by Allah!' He said, ` O Allah, be Wit ness.' They said, ` Tell us now about your Wali among t he angels, for t his is when we eit her follow or shun you.' He said, ` My Wali (who brings down t he revelat ion from Allah) is Jibril, and Allah never sent a Prophet , but Jibril is his Wali.' They said, ` We t hen shun you. Had you a Wali ot her t han Jibril, we would have followed you.' On t hat , Allah, t he Exalt ed revealed,


(Say: "Whoever is an enemy t o Jibril...'') 2:97 .'' Allah's st at ement ,

(before t he Tawrah was revealed) 3:93 , means, Isra'il forbade t hat for himself before t he Tawrah was revealed. There are t wo obj ect ives behind revealing t his segment of t he Ayah. First , he forbade himself t he most delight ful t hings for Allah's sake. This pract ice was allowed during his period of Law, and is, t hus, suit able t hat it is ment ioned aft er Allah's st at ement ,

(By no means shall you at t ain Al-Birr, unless you spend of t hat which you love) 3: 92 . What we are allowed in our Law is t o spend in Allah's obedience from what we like and covet but not t o prohibit what Allah has allowed . Allah said in ot her Ayat ;

(And gives his wealt h, in spit e of love for it ,) 2:177 , and;

(And t hey give food, in spit e of t heir love for it ,) 76:8 . The second reason is t hat aft er Allah refut ed t he false Christ ian beliefs and allegat ions about ` Isa and his mot her. Allah st art ed refut ing t he Jews here, may Allah curse t hem, by st at ing t hat t he abrogat ion of t he Law, t hat t hey denied occurs, already occurred in t heir Law. For inst ance, Allah has st at ed in t heir Book, t he Tawrah, t hat when Nuh depart ed from t he ark, Allah allowed him t o eat t he meat of all t ypes of animals. Aft erwards, Isra'il forbade t he meat and milk of camels for himself, and his children imit at ed t his pract ice aft er him. The Tawrah lat er on prohibit ed t his t ype of food, and added several more t ypes of prohibit ions. Allah allowed Adam t o marry his daught ers t o his sons, and t his pract ice was lat er forbidden. The Law of Ibrahim allowed t he man t o t ake female servant s as companions along wit h his wife, as Ibrahim did when he t ook Haj ar, while he was married t o Sarah. Lat er on, t he Tawrah prohibit ed t his pract ice. It was previously allowed t o t ake t wo sist ers as wives at t he same t ime, as Ya` qub married t wo sist ers at t he same t ime. Lat er on, t his pract ice was prohibit ed in t he Tawrah. All t hese examples are in t he Tawrah and const it ut e a Naskh (abrogat ion) of t he Law. Therefore, let t he Jews consider what Allah legislat ed for ` Isa and if such legislat ion falls under t he cat egory of abrogat ion or not . Why do t hey not t hen follow ` Isa in t his regard

Rat her, t he Jews defied and rebelled against ` Isa and against t he correct religion t hat Allah sent Muhammad wit h. This is why Allah said,

(All food was lawful t o t he Children of Israel, except what Isra'il made unlawful for himself before t he Tawrah was revealed) 3:93 meaning, before t he Tawrah was revealed, all t ypes of foods were allowed, except what Isra'il prohibit ed for himself. Allah t hen said,

(Say: "Bring here t he Tawrah and recit e it , if you are t rut hful.''), for t he Tawrah affirms what we are st at ing here. Allah said next ,

(Then aft er t hat , whosoever shall invent a lie against Allah, t hen t hese it is t hat are t he wrongdoers.) 3:94 , in reference t o t hose who lie about Allah and claim t hat He made t he Sabbat h and t he Tawrah et ernal. They are t hose who claim t hat Allah did not send anot her Prophet calling t o Allah wit h t he proofs and evidences, alt hough evidence indicat es t hat abrogat ion, as we have described, occurred before in t he Tawrah,

(t hen t hese it is t hat are t he wrongdoers.) Allah t hen said,

(Say, "Allah has spoken t he t rut h;'') 3:95 meaning, O Muhammad, say t hat Allah has said t he t rut h in what He conveyed and legislat ed in t he Qur'an,


(follow t he religion of Ibrahim t he Hanif, and he was not of t he idolat ors.'') 3:95 . Therefore, follow t he religion of Ibrahim t hat Allah legislat ed in t he Qur'an. Indeed, t his is t he t rut h, t here is no doubt in it , and t he perfect way, and no Prophet has brought a more complet e, clear, plain and perfect way t han he did. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(Say: "Truly, my Lord has guided me t o a st raight pat h, a right religion, t he religion of Ibrahim, t he Hanif, and he was not of t he idolat ors.'') 6:161 and,

(Then, We have sent t he revelat ion t o you (saying): "Follow t he religion of Ibrahim, t he Hanif, and he was not of t he idolat ers.) 16:123 .

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(96. Verily, t he first House (of worship) appoint ed for mankind was t hat at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and a guidance for Al-` Alamin (mankind and Jinn). (97. In it are manifest signs (for example), t he Maqam (st at ion) of Ibrahim; whosoever ent ers it , he at t ains securit y. And

Haj j t o t he House is a dut y t hat mankind owes t o Allah, for t hose who are able t o undert ake t he j ourney; and whoever disbelieves, t hen Allah st ands not in need of any of t he ` Alamin.)

The Ka` bah is the First House of Worship

Allah said,

(Verily, t he first House appoint ed for mankind) for all people, for t heir act s of worship and religious rit uals. They go around t he House in Tawaf , pray in it s vicinit y and remain in it s area in I` t ikaf.

(was t hat at Bakkah,) meaning, t he Ka` bah t hat was built by Ibrahim Al-Khalil, whose religion t he Jews and Christ ians claim t hey follow. However, t hey do not perform Haj j t o t he house t hat Ibrahim built by Allah's command, and t o which he invit ed t he people t o perform Haj j . Allah said next , i

(full of blessing), sanct ified,

(and a guidance for Al-` Alamin.) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Dharr said; "I said, ` O Allah's Messenger! Which Masj id was t he first t o be built on t he surface of t he eart h' He said, ` Al-Masj id Al-Haram (in Makkah).' I said, ` Which was built next ' He replied ` Al-Masj id Al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).' I said, ` What was t he period of t ime bet ween building t he t wo' He said, ` Fort y years.' He added,

(Wherever (you may be, and) t he prayer becomes due, perform t he prayer t here, for t he whole eart h was made a Masj id.)'' Al-Bukhari and Muslim also collect ed t his Hadit h.

The Names of Makkah, Such As ` Bakkah

Allah said,


(was t hat at Bakkah), where Bakkah is one of t he names of Makkah. Bakkah means, ` it brings Buka' (crying, weeping) t o t he t yrant s and arrogant , meaning t hey cry and become humble in it s vicinit y. It was also said t hat Makkah was called Bakkah because people do Buka next t o it , meaning t hey gat her around it . There are many names for Makkah, such as Bakkah, Al-Bayt Al` At iq (t he Ancient House), Al-Bayt Al-Haram (t he Sacred House), Al-Balad Al-Amin (t he Cit y of Safet y) and Al-Ma'mun (Securit y). Makkah's names include Umm Rahm (Mot her of Mercy), Umm Al-Qura (Mot her of t he Towns), Salah, as well as ot hers .

The Station of Ibrahim

Allah's st at ement ,

(In it are manifest signs) 3:97 , means, clear signs t hat Ibrahim built t he Ka` bah and t hat Allah has honored and blessed it . Allah t hen said,

(t he Maqam (st at ion) of Ibrahim) When t he building t he Ka` bah was raised, Ibrahim st ood on; t he Maqam so t hat he could raise t he walls higher, while his son Isma` il was handing t he st ones t o him. We should ment ion t hat t he Maqam used t o be sit uat ed right next t o t he House. Lat er, and during his reign, ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab moved t he Maqam fart her t o t he east , so t hat t hose who go around t he House in Tawaf are able t o perform it easily, wit hout dist urbing t hose who pray next t o t he Maqam aft er finishing t heir Tawaf. Allah commanded us t o pray next t o t he Maqam;

(And t ake you (people) t he Maqam (st at ion) of Ibrahim as a place of prayer) 2:125 . We ment ioned t he Hadit hs about t his subj ect before, and all t he t hanks are due t o Allah. Al` Awfi said t hat , Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(In it are manifest signs, t he Maqam of Ibrahim;)

"Such as t he Maqam and Al-Mash` ar Al-Haram .'' Muj ahid said, "The impression of Ibrahim's feet remains on t he Maqam as a clear sign.'' It was report ed t hat ` Umar bin ` Abdul-` Aziz, AlHasan, Qat adah, As-Suddi, Muqat il bin Hayyan and ot hers said similarly.

Al-Haram, the Sacred Area, is a Safe Area

Allah said,

(whosoever ent ers it , he at t ains securit y,) 3:97 meaning, t he Haram of Makkah is a safe refuge for t hose in a st at e of fear. There in it s vicinit y, t hey will be safe, j ust as was t he case during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "(During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah) a man would commit murder, t hen wear a piece of wool around his neck and ent er t he Haram. And even when t he son of t he murdered person would meet him, he would not make a move against him, unt il he left t he sanct uary.'' Allah said,

(Have t hey not seen t hat We have made (Makkah) a secure sanct uary, while men are being snat ched away from all around t hem) 29:67 , and,

-
(So let t hem worship (Allah) t he Lord of t his House (t he Ka` bah). (He) Who has fed t hem against hunger, and has made t hem safe from fear) 106:3-4 . It is not allowed for anyone t o hunt in t he Haram or t o drive game out of it s den t o be hunt ed, or cut t he t rees in it s vicinit y, or pick it s grass, as t he Hadit hs of t he Prophet and t he st at ement s of t he Companions t est ify. The Two Sahihs recorded (t his being t he wording of Muslim) t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "On t he day of t he conquest of Makkah, t he Messenger of Allah said,

(There is no more Hij rah (migrat ion t o Makkah), only Jihad and good int ent ion. If you were mobilized, t hen march fort h.) He also said on t he day of t he conquest of Makkah,

(Beware! Allah made t his t own (Makkah) a sanct uary when He creat ed t he heavens and eart h, and it is sacred by Allah's decree unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion. Fight ing in Makkah was not permit t ed for anyone before me, and it was made legal for me for only a few hours or so on t hat day. No doubt it is at t his moment a sanct uary by Allah's decree unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion. It is not allowed t o uproot it s t horny shrubs, hunt it s game, pick up it s lost obj ect s, except by announcing it , or t o uproot it s t rees.) Al-` Abbas said, ` Except t he lemon grass, O Allah's Messenger, as t hey use it in t heir houses and graves.' The Prophet said:

(Except lemongrass).'' The Two Sahihs also recorded t hat Abu Shurayh Al-` Adawi said t hat he said t o ` Amr bin Sa` id while he was sending t he t roops t o Makkah (t o fight ` Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr), "O Commander! Allow me t o t ell you what Allah's Messenger said on t he day following t he conquest of Makkah. My ears heard it and my heart memorized it t horoughly, and I saw t he Prophet wit h my own eyes when he, aft er glorifying and praising Allah, said,

 :
(Allah, not t he people, made Makkah a sanct uary. Therefore, anybody who has belief in Allah and t he Last Day, should neit her shed blood in it nor cut down it s t rees. If anybody argues t hat fight ing in it is permissible on t he basis t hat Allah's Messenger fought in Makkah, say t o him, ` Allah allowed His Messenger and did not allow you.' Allah allowed me only for a few hours on t hat day (of t he conquest ), and t oday it s sanct it y is as valid as it was before. So, t hose who are present , should inform t hose who are absent of t his fact .).'' Abu Shurayh was asked, "What did ` Amr reply'' He said t hat ` Amr said, "O Abu Shurayh! I know bet t er t han you in t his respect ; Makkah does not give prot ect ion t o a sinner, a murderer or a t hief.'' Jabir bin ` Abdullah said, "I heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

(None of you is allowed t o carry a weapon in Makkah.) Muslim recorded t his Hadit h. ` Abdullah bin ` Adi bin Al-Hamra' Az-Zuhri said t hat he heard t he Messenger of Allah say while st anding at Al-Hazwarah in t he market place of Makkah,

(By Allah! You are t he best of Allah's land and t he most beloved land t o Allah. Had it not been for t he fact t hat I was driven out of you, I would not have left you.) Imam Ahmad collect ed t his Hadit h and t his is his wording. At -Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Maj ah also collect ed it . At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih.''

The Necessity of Performing Hajj

Allah said,

(And Haj j t o t he House is a dut y t hat mankind owes t o Allah, for t hose who are able t o undert ake t he j ourney) 3:97 . This Ayah est ablished t he obligat ion of performing Haj j . There are many Hadit hs t hat ment ion it as one of t he pillars and fundament als of Islam, and t his is agreed upon by t he Muslims. According t o t ext s and t he consensus of t he scholars, it is only obligat ory for t he adult Muslim t o perform it once during his lifet ime. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah once gave a speech in which he said,

(O people! Haj j has been enj oined on you, t herefore, perform Haj j .) A man asked, "Is it every year, O Allah's Messenger'' The Prophet remained silent unt il t he man repeat ed t he quest ion t hree t imes and he t hen said,

:
(Had I said yes, it would have become an obligat ion and you would not have been able t o fulfill it .) He said next ,


(Leave me as I leave you, t hose before you were dest royed because of t heir many quest ions and disput ing wit h t heir Prophet s. If I command you wit h somet hing, perform it as much as you can. If I forbid somet hing for you, t hen refrain from it .) Muslim recorded similarly.

Meaning of ` Afford' in the Ayah

There are several cat egories of "t he abilit y t o under t ake t he j ourney''. There is t he physical abilit y of t he person himself and t he abilit y t hat is relat ed t o ot her t hings as ment ioned in t he books of j urisprudence. Abu ` Isa At -Tirmidhi recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said, "A man st ood up and asked t he Messenger of Allah , ` O Messenger of Allah! Who is t he pilgrim' He said, ` He who has unt idy hair and clot hes.' Anot her man asked, ` Which Haj j is bet t er, O Messenger of Allah' He said, ` The noisy (wit h supplicat ion t o Allah) and bloody (wit h sacrifice).' Anot her man asked, ` What is t he abilit y t o undert ake t he j ourney, O Messenger of Allah' He said, ` Having provision and a means of t ransport at ion.''' This is t he narrat ion t hat Ibn Maj ah collect ed. AlHakim narrat ed t hat Anas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah was asked about Allah's st at ement ,

(for t hose who are able t o undert ake t he j ourney;) 3:97 "What does ` able t o undert ake t he j ourney' mean'' The Prophet answered, "Having sufficient provision and a means of t ransport at ion.'' Al-Hakim st at ed t hat t his Hadit h's chain of narrat ion is aut hent ic, following t he guidelines of Muslim in his Sahih, but t he Two Sahihs did not collect it . Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever int ends t o perform Haj j , let him rush t o perform it .) Abu Dawud also collect ed t his Hadit h.

The One who Denies the Necessity of Hajj Becomes a Disbeliever

Allah said,

(...and whoever disbelieves, t hen Allah st ands not in need of any of t he ` Alamin) 3:97 .

Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid and several ot hers comment ed on t his Ayah, "Whoever denies t he necessit y of Haj j becomes disbeliever, and Allah is far Richer t han t o need him.'' Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Isma` ili recorded t hat ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab said, "Whoever can afford Haj j but did not perform it , t here is no difference in his case if he dies while Jew or Christ ian.'' This has an aut hent ic chain of narrat ion leading t o ` Umar.

-
(98. Say: "O People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians)! Why do you rej ect t he Ayat of Allah, while Allah is Wit ness t o what you do'') (99. Say: "O People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians)! Why do you st op t hose who have believed, from t he pat h of Allah, seeking t o make it seem crooked, while you (yourselves) are wit nesses And Allah is not unaware of what you do.'')

Chastising the People of the Book for Their Disbelief and Blocking the Path of Allah
In t his Ayah Allah crit icizes t he disbelieving People of t he Book for refusing t he t rut h, rej ect ing Allah's Ayat and hindering t hose who seek t o believe from His pat h, alt hough t hey know t hat what t he Messenger was sent wit h is t he t rut h from Allah. They learned t his from t he previous Prophet s and honorable Messengers, may Allah's peace and blessings be on t hem all. They all brought t he glad t idings and t he good news of t he coming of t he unlet t ered, Arab, Hashimi Prophet from Makkah, t he mast er of t he Children of Adam, t he Final Prophet and t he Messenger of t he Lord of heavens and eart h. Allah has warned t he People of t he Book against t his behavior, st at ing t hat He is Wit ness over what t hey do, indicat ing t heir defiance of t he knowledge conveyed t o t hem by t he Prophet s. They rej ect ed, denied and refused t he very Messenger whom t hey were ordered t o convey t he glad t idings about his coming. Allah st at es t hat He is never unaware of what t hey do, and He will hold t hem responsible for t heir act ions, R

(The Day whereon neit her wealt h nor sons will avail) 26:88 .

 -
(100. O you who believe! If you obey a group of t hose who were given t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians), t hey would (indeed) render you disbelievers aft er you have believed!) (101. And how would you disbelieve, while unt o you are recit ed t he verses of Allah, and among you is His Messenger And whoever depends upon Allah, t hen he is indeed guided t o t he right pat h.)

Warning Muslims Against Imitating People of the Scriptures

Allah warns His believing servant s against obeying t he People of t he Book, who envy t he believers for t he favor t hat Allah gave t hem by sending His Messenger . Similarly, Allah said,

(Many of t he People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) wish t hat t hey could t urn you away as disbelievers aft er you have believed, out of t heir own envy) 2:109 . In t his Ayah 3:100 , Allah said,

(If you obey a group of t hose who were given t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians), t hey would (indeed) render you disbelievers aft er you have believed!), t hen said,


(And how would you disbelieve, while unt o you are recit ed t he verses of Allah, and among you is His Messenger), meaning, disbelief is far from t ouching you, since t he Ayat of Allah are being sent down on His Messenger day and night , and he recit es and conveys t hem t o you. Similarly, Allah said,

(And what is t he mat t er wit h you t hat you believe not in Allah! While t he Messenger invit es you t o believe in your Lord; and He has indeed t aken your covenant , if you are real believers) 57:8 . A Hadit h st at es t hat one day, t he Prophet said t o his Companions,

: . :

: . :

: :


("Who among t he fait hful believers do you consider has t he most amazing fait h'' They said, "The angels.'' He said, "Why would t hey not believe, since t hey are wit h t heir Lord'' They ment ioned t he Prophet s, and t he Prophet said, "Why would t hey not believe while t he revelat ion is sent down t o t hem'' They said, "Then, we are.'' He said, "Why would not you believe when I am among you'' They asked, "Who has t he most amazing fait h'' The Prophet said, "A people who will come aft er you and who will find only books t hat t hey will believe in.'') Allah said next ,

(And whoever depends upon Allah, t hen he is indeed guided t o t he right pat h) 3:101 for t rust ing and relying on Allah are t he basis of achieving t he right guidance and st aying away from t he pat h of wickedness. They also represent t he t ool t o acquiring guidance and t rut h and achieving t he right eous aims.

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(102. O you who believe! Have Taqwa of Allah as is His due, and die not except as (t rue) Muslims.) (103. And hold fast , all of you t oget her, t o t he Rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allah's favor on you, for you were enemies of one anot her but He j oined your heart s t oget her, so t hat , by His grace, you became bret hren, and you were on t he brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it . Thus Allah makes His Ayat clear t o you, t hat you may be guided.)

Meaning of ` Taqwa of Allah

Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud comment ed on t he Ayah,


(Have Taqwa of Allah as is His due,) "That He is obeyed and not defied, remembered and not forgot t en and appreciat ed and not unappreciat ed.'' This has an aut hent ic chain of narrat ion t o ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud. Al-Hakim collect ed t his Hadit h in his Must adrak, from Ibn Mas` ud, who relat ed it t o t he Prophet . AlHakim said, "It is aut hent ic according t o t he crit eria of t he Two Shaykhs Al-Bukhari and Muslim , and t hey did not record it .'' This is what he said, but it appears t hat it is only a st at ement of ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud, and Allah knows best . It was also report ed t hat Anas said, "The servant will not have Taqwa of Allah as is His due unt il he keeps his t ongue idle.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(and die not except as (t rue) Muslims) 3:102 , means, preserve your Islam while you are well and safe, so t hat you die as a Muslim. The Most Generous Allah has made it His decision t hat what ever st at e one lives in, t hat is what he dies upon and is resurrect ed upon. We seek refuge from dying on ot her t han Islam. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Muj ahid said, "The people were circling around t he Sacred House when Ibn ` Abbas was sit t ing, holding a bent -handled walking st ick. Ibn ` Abbas said, The Messenger of Allah recit ed ,

(Have Taqwa of Allah as is His due, die not except as (t rue) Muslims.) 3:102 , t hen he said;

(Verily, if a drop of Zaqqum (a t ree in Hell) falls, it will spoil life for t he people of eart h. What about t hose whose food is only from Zaqqum)'' This was recorded by At -Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i, Ibn Maj ah, Ibn Hibban in his Sahih and Al-Hakim his Must adrak. At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih''' while Al-Hakim said; "It meet s t he condit ions of t he Two Sahihs and t hey did not record it ."

Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Jabir said t hat t hree night s before t he Messenger of Allah died he heard him saying;

(None of you should die except while having sincere t rust in Allah, t he Exalt ed and Most Honorable.) Muslim also recorded it . The Two Sahihs record t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(Allah said, "I am as My servant t hinks of Me.'')

The Necessity of Holding to the Path of Allah and the Community of the Believers
Allah said next ,

(And hold fast , all of you t oget her, t o t he Rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves.) It was said t hat ,

(t o t he Rope of Allah) refers t o Allah's covenant , j ust as Allah said in t he following Ayah,

(Indignit y is put over t hem wherever t hey may be, except when under a covenant (of prot ect ion) from Allah, and from men;) 3:112 , in reference t o pledges and peace t reat ies. Allah's st at ement


(and be not divided among yourselves), orders st icking t o t he communit y of t he believers and forbids division. There are several Hadit hs t hat require adhering t o t he Jama` ah (congregat ion of believers) and prohibit division. Muslim recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: : .
(It pleases Allah for you t o acquire t hree qualit ies and displeases Him t hat you acquire t hree charact erist ics. It pleases Him t hat you worship Him Alone and not associat e anyt hing or anyone wit h Him in worship, t hat you hold on t o t he Rope of Allah alt oget her and do not divide, and t hat you advise whoever Allah appoint s as your Leader. The t hree t hat displease Him are t hat you say, ` It was said,' and, ` So-and-so said,' asking many unnecessary quest ions and wast ing money.) Allah said,

(and remember Allah's favor on you, for you were enemies one t o anot her but He j oined your heart s t oget her, so t hat , by His grace, you became bret hren) 3:103 . This was revealed about t he Aws and Khazraj . During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, t he Aws and Khazraj were at war and had great hat red, enmit y and ill feelings t owards each ot her, causing long conflict s and bat t les t o occur bet ween t hem. When Allah brought Islam, t hose among t hem who embraced it became brot hers who loved each ot her by Allah's grace, having good t ies for Allah's sake and helping each ot her in right eousness and piet y. Allah said,


(He it is Who has support ed you wit h His Help and wit h t he believers. And He has unit ed t heir heart s. If you had spent all t hat is in t he eart h, you could not have unit ed t heir heart s, but Allah has unit ed t hem) 8:62,63 , unt il t he end of t he Ayah. Before Islam, t heir disbelief had t hem st anding at t he edge of a pit of t he Fire, but Allah saved t hem from it and delivered t hem t o fait h. The Messenger of Allah reminded t he Ansar from bot h Aws and Khazraj of t his bount y when he was dividing t he war boot y of Hunayn. During t hat t ime, some Ansar did not like t he way t he boot y was divided, since t hey did not get what t he ot hers did, alt hough t hat was what Allah direct ed His Prophet t o do. The Messenger of Allah gave t hem a speech, in which he said,

(O Ansar! Did I not find you misguided and Allah direct ed you t o guidance because of me Were you not divided beforehand and Allah unit ed you around me Were you not poor and Allah enriched you because of me) Whenever t he Prophet asked t hem a quest ion, t hey would answer, "Indeed, Allah and His Messenger have grant ed us bount y.''

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 - -
(104.Let t here arise out of you a group of people invit ing t o all t hat is good (Islam), enj oining Al-Ma` ruf (all t hat Islam orders) and forbidding Al-Munkar (all t hat Islam has forbidden). And it is t hey who are t he successful.) (105. And be not as t hose who divided and differed among t hemselves aft er t he clear proofs had come t o t hem. It is t hey for whom t here is an awful t orment .) (106. On t he Day (i.e. t he Day of Resurrect ion) when some faces will become whit e and some faces will become black; as for t hose whose faces will become black (t o t hem will be said): "Did you rej ect fait h aft er accept ing it Then t ast e t he t orment (in Hell) for rej ect ing fait h.'') (107. And for t hose whose faces will become whit e, t hey will be in Allah's mercy (Paradise), t herein t hey shall dwell forever.) (108. These are t he Ayat of Allah. We recit e t hem t o you in t rut h, and Allah wills no inj ust ice t o t he ` Alamin.) (109. And t o Allah belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is in t he eart h. And all mat t ers go back (f or decision) t o Allah.)

The Command to Establish the Invitation to Allah

Allah said,

(Let t here arise out of you a group of people) t hat calls t o right eousness, enj oins all t hat is good and forbids evil in t he manner Allah commanded,

(And it is t hey who are t he successful.)

Ad-Dahhak said, "They are a special group of t he Companions and a special group of t hose aft er t hem, t hat is t hose who perform Jihad and t he scholars.'' The obj ect ive of t his Ayah is t hat t here should be a segment of t his Muslim Ummah fulfilling t his t ask, even t hough it is also an obligat ion on every member of t his Ummah, each according t o his abilit y. Muslim recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever among you wit nesses an evil, let him change it wit h his hand. If he is unable, t hen let him change it wit h his t ongue. If he is unable, t hen let him change it wit h his heart , and t his is t he weakest fait h.) In anot her narrat ion, The Prophet said,

(There is no fait h beyond t hat , not even t he weight of a must ard seed.) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman said t hat t he Prophet said,

(By He in Whose Hand is my soul! You will enj oin right eousness and forbid evil, or Allah shall send down a punishment from Him t o you. Then, you will supplicat e t o Him, but He will not accept your supplicat ion.) At -Tirmidhi also collect ed t his Hadit h and said, "Hasan''. There are many ot her Hadit hs and Ayat on t his subj ect , which will be explained lat er.

The Prohibition of Division

Allah said,


(And be not as t hose who divided and differed among t hemselves aft er t he clear proofs had come t o t hem) 3:105 . In t his Ayah, Allah forbids t his Ummah from imit at ing t he division and discord of t he nat ions t hat came before t hem. These nat ions also abandoned enj oining right eousness and forbidding evil, alt hough t hey had proof of it s necessit y. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu ` Amir ` Abdullah bin Luhay said, "We performed Haj j wit h Mu` awiyah bin Abi Sufyan. When we arrived at Makkah, he st ood up aft er praying Zuhr and said, ` The Messenger of Allah said,

(The People of t he Two Script ures divided int o sevent y-t wo sect s. This Ummah will divide int o sevent y-t hree sect s, all in t he Fire except one, t hat is, t he Jama` ah. Some of my Ummah will be guided by desire, like one who is infect ed by rabies; no vein or j oint will be saved from t hese desires.) Mu` awiyah said next : By Allah, O Arabs! If you do not adhere t o what came t o you from your Prophet t hen ot her people are even more prone not t o adhere t o it . '' Similar was recorded by Abu Dawud from Ahmad bin Hanbal and Muhammad bin Yahya.

The Benefits of Brotherly Ties and Unity and the Consequence of Division on the Day of the Gathering

Allah said next ,

(On t he Day when some faces will become whit e and some faces will become black;) 3:106 on t he Day of Resurrect ion. This is when t he faces of followers of t he Sunnah and t he Jama` ah will radiat e wit h whit eness, and t he faces of followers of Bid` ah (innovat ion) and division will be darkened, as has been report ed from Ibn ` Abbas. Allah said,

(As for t hose whose faces will become black (t o t hem will be said): "Did you rej ect fait h aft er accept ing it ") Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "They are t he hypocrit es.''

(Then t ast e t he t orment (in Hell) for rej ect ing fait h,) and t his descript ion befit s every disbeliever.

(And for t hose whose faces will become whit e, t hey will be in Allah's mercy (Paradise), t herein t hey shall dwell forever.) in Paradise, where t hey will reside for et ernit y and shall never desire t o be removed. Abu ` Isa At -Tirmidhi recorded t hat Abu Ghalib said, "Abu Umamah saw heads (of t he Khawarij sect ) hanging on t he st reet s of Damascus. He comment ed, ` The Dogs of t he Fire and t he worst dead people under t he cover of t he sky. The best dead men are t hose whom t hese have killed.' He t hen recit ed,

(On t he Day (i.e. t he Day of Resurrect ion) when some faces will become whit e and some faces will become black;) unt il t he end of t he Ayah. I said t o Abu Umamah, ` Did you hear t his from t he Messenger of Allah' He said, ` If I only heard it from t he Messenger of Allah once, t wice, t hrice, four t imes, or seven t imes, I would not have narrat ed it t o you.' '' At -Tirmidhi said, "This Hadit h is Hasan.'' Ibn Maj ah and Ahmad recorded similarly.

Allah said,

(These are t he Ayat of Allah. We recit e t hem t o you) meaning, ` These are t he verses of Allah, His proofs and signs t hat We reveal t o you, O Muhammad,'

(in t rut h) making known t he t rue realit y of t his world and t he Hereaft er.

(and Allah wills no inj ust ice t o t he ` Alamin. ) for He never t reat s t hem wit h inj ust ice. Rat her, He is t he Just Ruler Who is able t o do everyt hing and has knowledge of everyt hing. Therefore, He does not need t o t reat any of His creat ures wit h inj ust ice, and t his is why He said next ,

(and t o Allah belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is in t he Eart h.), t hey are all His servant s and His propert y,

(And all mat t ers go back t o Allah,) for His is t he decision concerning t he affairs of t his life and t he Hereaft er, and His is t he Supreme Aut horit y in t his life and t he Hereaft er.

 -
(110. You are t he best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enj oin Al-Ma` ruf (all t hat Islam has ordained) and forbid Al-Munkar (all t hat Islam has forbidden), and you believe in Allah. And had t he People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) believed, it would have been bet t er for t hem; among t hem are some who have fait h, but most of t hem are Fasiqun (rebellious).) (111. They will do you no harm, barring a t rifling annoyance; and if t hey fight against you, t hey will show you t heir backs, and t hey will not be helped.) (112. They are st ricken wit h humilit y wherever t hey may be, except when under a covenant (of prot ect ion) from Allah, and a covenant from men; t hey have drawn on t hemselves t he wrat h of Allah, and dest it ut ion is put over t hem. This is because t hey disbelieved in t he Ayat of Allah and killed t he Prophet s wit hout right . This is because t hey disobeyed (Allah) and used t o t ransgress (t he limit s set by Allah).)

Virtues of the Ummah of Muhammad Nation Ever

Allah st at es t hat t he Ummah of Muhammad is t he best nat ion ever,

, the Best

(You are t he best of peoples ever raised up for mankind) 3:110 . Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah comment ed on t his Ayah, "(You, Muslims, are) t he best nat ion of people for t he people, you bring t hem t ied in chains on t heir necks (capt ure t hem in war) and t hey lat er embrace Islam.'' Similar was said by Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, ` At iyah Al-` Awfi, ` Ikrimah, ` At a' and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas t hat ,

(You are t he best of peoples ever raised up for mankind;) means, t he best of peoples for t he people. The meaning of t he Ayah is t hat t he Ummah of Muhammad is t he most right eous and beneficial nat ion for mankind. Hence Allah's descript ion of t hem,


(you enj oin Al-Ma` ruf and forbid Al-Munkar and believe in Allah) 3:110 . Ahmad, At -Tirmidhi, Ibn Maj ah, and Al-Hakim recorded t hat Hakim bin Mu` awiyah bin Haydah narrat ed t hat his fat her said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(You are t he final of sevent y nat ions, you are t he best and most honored among t hem t o Allah.) This is a well-known Hadit h about which At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan'', and which is also narrat ed from Mu` adh bin Jabal and Abu Sa` id. The Ummah of Muhammad achieved t his virt ue because of it s Prophet , Muhammad, peace be upon him, t he most regarded of Allah's creat ion and t he most honored Messenger wit h Allah. Allah sent Muhammad wit h t he perfect and complet e Law t hat was never given t o any Prophet or Messenger before him. In Muhammad's Law, few deeds t ake t he place of t he many deeds t hat ot her nat ions performed. For inst ance, Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Ali bin Abi Talib said, "The Messenger of Allah said,

(I was given what no ot her Prophet before me was given.) We said, ` O Messenger of Allah! What is it ' He said,

(I was given vict ory by fear, I was given t he keys of t he eart h, I was called Ahmad, t he eart h was made a clean place for me (t o pray and perform Tayammum wit h it ) and my Ummah was made t he best Ummah.).'' The chain of narrat ion for t his Hadit h is Hasan. There are several Hadit hs t hat we should ment ion here.

The Two Sahihs recorded t hat Az-Zuhri said t hat , Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib said t hat Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t o him, "I heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

: : :

: :

(A group of sevent y t housand from my Ummah will ent er Paradise, while t heir faces are radiat ing, j ust like t he moon when it is full.'` Ukkashah bin Mihsan Al-Asadi st ood up, saying, ` O Messenger of Allah! Supplicat e t o Allah t hat I am one of t hem.' The Messenger of Allah said, ` O Allah! Make him one of t hem.' A man from t he Ansar also st ood and said, ` O Messenger of Allah! Supplicat e t o Allah t hat I am one of t hem.' The Messenger said, ` Ukkashah has beat en you t o it .')

Another Hadith that Establishes the Virtues of the Ummah of Muhammad in this Life and the Hereafter.
Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Jabir said, "I heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

::

::


(` I hope t hat t hose who follow me will be one-fourt h of t he resident s of Paradise on t he Day of Resurrect ion.' We said, ` Allahu Akbar'. He t hen said, ` I hope t hat t hey will be one-t hird of t he people.' We said, ` Allahu Akbar'. He t hen said, ` I hope t hat you will be one-half.')'' Imam Ahmad recorded t he same Hadit h wit h anot her chain of narrat ion, and t his Hadit h meet s t he crit eria of Muslim in his Sahih. In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said, "The Messenger of Allah said t o us,

(Does it please you t hat you will be one-fourt h of t he people of Paradise) We said, ` Allahu Akbar!' He added,

(Does it please you t hat you will be one-t hird of t he people of Paradise) We said, ` Allahu Akbar!' He said,

(I hope t hat you will be half of t he people of Paradise.)'' Anot her Hadit h Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Buraydah said t hat t he Prophet said,

(The people of Paradise are one hundred and t went y rows, t his Ummah t akes up eight y of t hem.) Imam Ahmad also collect ed t his Hadit h t hrough anot her chain of narrat ion. At -Tirmidhi and Ibn Maj ah also collect ed t his Hadit h, and At -Tirmidhi said, ` This Hadit h is Hasan. ` Abdur-Razzaq recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat , t he Prophet said,


(We (Muslims) are t he last t o come, but t he foremost on t he Day of Resurrect ion, and t he first people t o ent er Paradise, alt hough t he former nat ions were given t he Script ures before us and we aft er t hem. Allah gave us t he guidance of t rut h t hat t hey have been disput ing about . This (Friday) is t he Day t hat t hey have been disput ing about , and all t he ot her people are behind us in t his mat t er: t he Jews' (day of congregat ion is) t omorrow (Sat urday) and t he Christ ians' is t he day aft er t omorrow (Sunday). ) Al-Bukhari and Muslim collect ed t his Hadit h. Muslim recorded Abu Hurayrah saying t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(We (Muslims) are t he last (t o come), but (will be) t he foremost on t he Day of Resurrect ion, and will be t he first people t o ent er Paradise...) unt il t he end of t he Hadit h. These and ot her Hadit hs conform t o t he meaning of t he Ayah,

(You are t he best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enj oin Al-Ma` ruf (all t hat Islam has ordained) and forbid Al-Munkar (all t hat Islam has forbidden), and you believe in Allah). Therefore, whoever among t his Ummah acquires t hese qualit ies, will have a share in t his praise. Qat adah said, "We were t old t hat ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab recit ed t his Ayah 3:110 during a Haj j t hat he performed, when he saw t hat t he people were rushing. He t hen said, ` Whoever

likes t o be among t his praised Ummah, let him fulfill t he condit ion t hat Allah set in t his Ayah.''' Ibn Jarir recorded t his. Those from t his Ummah who do not acquire t hese qualit ies will be j ust like t he People of t he Script ures whom Allah crit icized, when He said,

(They did not forbid one anot her from t he Munkar which t hey commit t ed. ..) 5:79 . This is t he reason why, aft er Allah praised t he Muslim Ummah wit h t he qualit ies t hat He ment ioned, He crit icized t he People of t he Script ures and chast ised t hem, saying,

(And had t he People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) believed) 3:110 , in what was sent down t o Muhammad ,

(it would have been bet t er for t hem; among t hem are some who have fait h, but most of t hem are Fasiqun (rebellious).) Therefore only a few of t hem believe in Allah and in what was sent down t o you and t o t hem. The maj orit y of t hem follow deviat ion, disbelief, sin and rebellion.

The Good News that Muslims will Dominate the People of the Book
While delivering t he good news t o His believing servant s t hat vict ory and dominance will be t heirs against t he disbelieving, at heist ic People of t he Script ures, Allah t hen said,

(They will do you no harm, barring a t rifling annoyance; and if t hey fight against you, t hey will show you t heir backs, and t hey will not be helped.) 3:111 This is what occurred, for at t he bat t le of Khaybar, Allah brought humiliat ion and disgrace t o t he Jews. Before t hat , t he Jews in Al-Madinah, t he t ribes of Qaynuqa` , Nadir and Qurayzah, were also humiliat ed by Allah. Such was t he case wit h t he Christ ians in t he area of Ash-Sham

lat er on, when t he Companions defeat ed t hem in many bat t les and t ook over t he leadership of Ash-Sham forever. There shall always be a group of Muslims in Ash-Sham area unt il ` Isa, son of Maryam, descends while t hey are like t his on t he t rut h, apparent and vict orious . ` Isa will at t hat t ime rule according t o t he Law of Muhammad , break t he cross, kill t he swine, banish t he Jizyah and only accept Islam from t he people. Allah said next ,

(Indignit y is put over t hem wherever t hey may be, except when under a covenant (of prot ect ion) from Allah, and a covenant from men;) meaning, Allah has placed humiliat ion and disgrace on t hem wherever t hey may be, and t hey will never be safe,

(except when under a covenant from Allah,) under t he Dhimmah (covenant of prot ect ion) from Allah t hat requires t hem t o pay t he Jizyah (t ax, t o Muslims,) and makes t hem subservient t o Islamic Law.

(and a covenant from men;) meaning, covenant from men, such as pledges of prot ect ion and safet y offered t o t hem by Muslim men and women, and even a slave, according t o one of t he sayings of t he scholars. Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(except when under a covenant from Allah, and a covenant from men;) refers t o a covenant of prot ect ion from Allah and a pledge of safet y from people. Similar was said by Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, ` At a', Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Allah's st at ement ,

(t hey have drawn on t hemselves t he wrat h of Allah,) means, t hey earned Allah's anger, which t hey deserved,


(and dest it ut ion is put over t hem), meaning t hey deserve it by decree and legislat ively. Allah said next ,

(This is because t hey disbelieved in t he Ayat of Allah and killed t he Prophet s wit hout right .) meaning, what drove t hem t o t his was t heir arrogance, t ransgression and envy, earning t hem humiliat ion, degradat ion and disgrace t hroughout t his life and t he Hereaft er. Allah said,

(This is because t hey disobeyed and used t o t ransgress (t he limit s set by Allah).) meaning, what lured t hem t o disbelieve in Allah's Ayat and kill His Messengers, is t he fact t hat t hey oft en disobeyed Allah's commands, commit t ed His prohibit ions and t ransgressed His set limit s. We seek refuge from t his behavior, and Allah Alone is sought for each and every t ype of help.

- - - -


(113. Not all of t hem are alike; a part y of t he People of t he Script ure st and for t he right , t hey recit e t he verses of Allah during t he hours of t he night , prost rat ing t hemselves in prayer.) (114. They believe in Allah and t he Last Day; t hey enj oin Al-Ma` ruf and forbid Al-Munkar; and t hey hast en in (all) good works; and t hey are among t he right eous.) (115. And what ever good t hey do, not hing will be rej ect ed of t hem; for Allah knows well t he Mut t aqin (t he pious).) (116. Surely, t hose who disbelieve, neit her t heir propert ies nor t heir offspring will avail t hem against Allah. They are t he dwellers of t he Fire, t herein t hey will abide.) (117. The parable of what t hey spend in t his world is t hat of a wind of Sir; it st ruck t he harvest of a people who did wrong against t hemselves and dest royed it . Allah wronged t hem not , but t hey wronged t hemselves.)

Virtues of the People of the Scriptures Who Embrace Islam

Muhammad bin Ishaq and ot hers, including Al-` Awfi who report ed it from Ibn ` Abbas, said; "These Ayat were revealed about t he clergy of t he People of t he Script ures who embraced t he fait h. For inst ance, t here is ` Abdullah bin Salam, Asad bin ` Ubayd, Tha` labah bin Sa` yah, Usayd bin Sa` yah, and so fort h. This Ayah means t hat t hose among t he People of t he Book whom Allah rebuked earlier are not at all t he same as t hose among t hem who embraced Islam. Hence Allah's st at ement ,

(Not all of t hem are alike) 3:113 .'' Therefore, t hese t wo t ypes of people are not equal, and indeed, t here are believers and also criminals among t he People of t he Book, j ust as Allah said,

(a part y of t he People of t he Script ure st and for t he right ) for t hey implement t he Book of Allah, adhere t o His Law and follow His Prophet Muhammad . Therefore, t his t ype is on t he st raight pat h,

(t hey recit e t he verses of Allah during t he hours of t he night , prost rat ing t hemselves in prayer.) They oft en st and in prayer at night for Tahaj j ud, and recit e t he Qur'an in t heir prayer,


(They believe in Allah and t he Last Day; t hey enj oin Al-Ma` ruf and forbid Al-Munkar; and t hey hast en in (all) good works; and t hey are among t he right eous) 3: 114 . This is t he same t ype of people ment ioned at t he end of t he Surah;

(And t here are, cert ainly, among t he People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians), t hose who believe in Allah and in t hat which has been revealed t o you, and in t hat which has been revealed t o t hem, humbling t hemselves before Allah.) 3:199 . Allah said here,

(And what ever good t hey do, not hing will be rej ect ed of t hem;) 3:115 meaning, t heir good deeds will not be lost wit h Allah. Rat her, He will award t hem t he best rewards,

(for Allah knows well t he Mut t aqin (t he pious).) for no deed performed by any person ever escapes His knowledge, nor is any reward for t hose who do good deeds ever lost wit h Him. Allah ment ions t he disbelieving polyt heist s:

(neit her t heir propert ies nor t heir offspring will avail t hem against Allah) 3:116 . meaning, not hing can avert Allah's t orment and punishment from st riking t hem,


(They are t he dwellers of t he Fire, t herein t hey will abide.)

The Parable of What the Disbelievers Spend in This Life

Allah gave a parable for what t he disbelievers spend in t his life, as Muj ahid, Al-Hasan and AsSuddi said.

(The likeness of what t hey spend in t his world is t he likeness of a wind of Sir;) a frigid wind, as Ibn ` Abbas, ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and ot hers have said. ` At a' said t hat Sir, means, ` cold and snow.' Ibn ` Abbas and Muj ahid are also report ed t o have said t hat Sir means, ` fire'. This lat t er meaning does not cont radict t he meanings we ment ioned above, because ext reme cold weat her, especially when accompanied by snow, burns plant s and produce, and has t he same effect fire has on such growt h.

(It st ruck t he harvest of a people who did wrong against t hemselves and dest royed it ) 3:117 , by burning. This Ayah ment ions a calamit y t hat st rikes produce t hat is ready t o harvest , dest roying it by burning and depriving it s owner of it when he needs it t he most . Such is t he case wit h t he disbelievers, for Allah dest roys t he rewards for t heir good deeds in t his life, j ust as He dest royed t he produce of t he sinner because of his sins. Bot h t ypes did not build t heir work on firm foundat ions,

(And Allah wronged t hem not , but t hey wronged t hemselves.)

 - -
(118. O you who believe! Take not as (your) Bit anah (advisors, helpers) t hose ot her t han your own, since t hey will not fail t o do t heir best t o corrupt you. They desire t o harm you severely. Hat red has already appeared from t heir mout hs, but what t heir breast s conceal is far worse. Indeed We have made plain t o you t he Ayat if you underst and.) (119. Lo! You are t he ones who love t hem but t hey love you not , and you believe in all t he Script ures. And when t hey meet you, t hey say, "We believe.'' But when t hey are alone, t hey bit e t heir Anamil at you in rage. Say: "Perish in your rage. Cert ainly, Allah knows what is in t he breast s (all t he secret s). '') (120. If a good befalls you, it grieves t hem, but if some evil overt akes you, t hey rej oice at it . But if you remain pat ient and have Taqwa, not t he least harm will t heir cunning do t o you. Surely, Allah surrounds all t hat t hey do.)

The Prohibition of Taking Advisors From Among the Disbelievers

Allah forbids His believing servant s from t aking t he hypocrit es as advisors, so t hat t he hypocrit es do not have t he opport unit y t o expose t he secret s of t he believers and t heir plans against t heir enemies. The hypocrit es t ry t heir very best t o confuse, oppose and harm t he believers any way t hey can, and by using any wicked, evil means at t heir disposal. They wish t he very worst and difficult condit ions for t he believers. Allah said,

(Take not as (your) Bit anah t hose ot her t han your own) 3:118 , in reference t o t aking followers of ot her religions as consult ant s and advisors, for advisors of a cert ain person have access t o his most secret affairs. Al-Bukhari and An-Nasa'i recorded t hat , Abu Sa` id said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

 :
(Allah has not sent any Prophet nor was t here any Khalifah but t hey have t wo t ypes of advisors, one t hat commands him wit h right eousness and advises it , and anot her t hat commands him wit h evil and advises him wit h it . Only t hose whom Allah gives immunit y are immune.) Ibn Abi Hat im report ed t hat Ibn Abi Ad-Dahqanah said, "` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab was t old, ` There is young man here from t he people of Hirah (in Iraq, who were Christ ians) who is a proficient scribe. Why do you not appoint him as a scribe' ` Umar said, ` I would t hen be t aking advisors from among t he disbelievers.''' This Ayah and t he st ory about ` Umar t est ify t o t he fact t hat Muslims are not allowed t o use Ahl Adh-Dhimmah t o be scribes in mat t ers t hat affect t he affairs of Muslims and expose t heir secret s, for t hey might convey t hese secret s t o combat ant disbelievers. This is why Allah said,

(since t hey will not fail t o do t heir best t o corrupt you. They desire t o harm you severely.) Allah t hen said,

(Hat red has already appeared from t heir mout hs, but what t heir breast s conceal is far worse.) meaning, enmit y appears on t heir faces and in what t hey somet imes ut t er, as well as, t he enmit y t hey have against Islam and it s people in t heir heart s. Since t his fact is apparent t o every person who has sound comprehension, t herefore,

(Indeed We have made plain t o you t he Ayat if you underst and.) Allah said next ,


(O! You are t he ones who love t hem but t hey love you not ), meaning, O believers! You like t he hypocrit es because you t hink t hey are believers, for t hey pret end t o be so, but t hey do not like you publicly or secret ly.

(And you believe in all t he Script ures) meaning, you have no doubt in any part of Allah's Book, while t he hypocrit es have deep doubt s, confusion and reservat ions about it . Muhammad bin Ishaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(and you believe in all t he Script ures,) means, you believe in your Book, t heir Book, and t he previous Books, while t he hypocrit es disbelieve in your Book, and t his is why t hey deserve t hat you dislike t hem inst ead of t hem disliking you. Ibn Jarir collect ed t his st at ement .

(And when t hey meet you, t hey say, "We believe.'' But when t hey are alone, t hey bit e t heir Anamil at you in rage.) The word Anamil, means t he t ips of t he fingers, as Qat adah st at ed. This is t he behavior of t he hypocrit es who pret end t o be believers and kind when t hey are wit h t he believers, all t he while concealing t he opposit e in t heir heart s in every respect . This is t he exact sit uat ion t hat Allah describes,

(But when t hey are alone, t hey bit e t heir Anamil at you in rage) and rage is ext reme anger and fury. Allah said t o t hem,

(Say: "Perish in your rage. Cert ainly, Allah knows what is in t he breast s (all t he secret s).'') for no mat t er how much you envy t he believers and feel rage t owards t hem, know t hat Allah shall

perfect His favor on His believing servant s, complet e His religion, raise high His Word and give dominance t o His religion. Therefore, O hypocrit es, die in rage,

(Allah knows what is in t he breast s.) Allah has perfect knowledge of what you conceal in your heart s and chest s and in t he rage, envy and hat red you have against t he believers. Allah will punish you for all t his in t his life, and t hey will have t he good t hat you dislike for t hem. In t he Hereaft er, you will suffer severe t orment in t he Fire where you will remain for et ernit y. Thereaft er, Allah said,

(If a good befalls you, it grieves t hem, but if some evil overt akes you, t hey rej oice at it ) 3:120 . This only emphasizes t he severit y of t he enmit y t hat t he hypocrit es feel against t he believers. If t he believers enj oy fert ile years, vict ories, support and t heir numbers and following increase, t he hypocrit es become displeased. When t he Muslims suffer a drought or t heir enemies gain t he upper hand against t hem, by Allah's decree, j ust as occurred during t he bat t le of Uhud, t he hypocrit es become pleased. Allah said t o His believing servant s,

(But if you remain pat ient and have Taqwa, not t he least harm will t heir cunning do t o you.) Allah direct s t he believers t o safet y from t he wickedness of evil people and t he plot s of t he sinners, by recommending t hem t o revert t o pat ience and by having fear of Allah and t rust ing Him. Allah encompasses t he enemies of t he believers, all t he while t he believers have no power or st rengt h except from Him. What ever Allah wills, occurs, and what ever He does not will, does not occur. Not hing happens in His Kingdom except wit h His decision and according t o His decrees. Verily, whoever relies on Allah, Allah shall suffice for him. Allah t hen ment ions t he st ory of Uhud, t he defeat t hat He t est ed t he believers wit h, His dist inguishing t he believers from t he hypocrit es and t heir pat ience.

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(121. And (remember) when you left your household in t he morning t o post t he believers at t heir st at ions for t he bat t le (of Uhud). And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.) (122. When t wo part ies from among you were about t o lose heart , but Allah was t heir Wali (Support er and Prot ect or). And in Allah should t he believers put t heir t rust .) (123. And Allah has already made you vict orious at Badr, when you were a weak lit t le force. So have Taqwa of Allah t hat you may be grat eful.)

The Battle of Uhud

According t o t he maj orit y of scholars, t hese Ayat are describing t he bat t le of Uhud, as Ibn ` Abbas, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, As-Suddi and ot hers said. The bat t le of Uhud occurred on a Sat urday, in t he mont h of Shawwal on t he t hird year of Hij rah. ` Ikrimah said t hat Uhud occurred in t he middle of t he mont h of Shawwal, and Allah knows best .

The Reason Behind the Battle of Uhud

The idolat ors suffered many casualt ies among t heir noble men at t he bat t le of Badr. The caravan t hat Abu Sufyan led (before Badr) ret urned safely t o Makkah, prompt ing t he remaining Makkan leaders and t he children of t hose who were killed at Badr t o demand from Abu Sufyan t o, "Spend t his money on fight ing Muhammad!'' Consequent ly, t hey spent t he money from t he caravan on warfare expenses and mobilized t heir forces including t he Ahabish t ribes (t ribes living around t he cit y). They gat hered t hree t housand soldiers and marched unt il t hey camped near Uhud facing Al-Madinah. The Messenger of Allah led t he Friday prayer and when he finished wit h it , he performed t he funeral prayer for a man from Bani An-Naj j ar called Malik bin ` Amr. The Prophet t hen asked t he Muslims for advice, if t hey should march t o meet t he disbelievers, or fort ify t hemselves in Al-Madinah. ` Abdullah bin Ubayy (t he chief hypocrit e) advised t hat t hey should remain in Al-Madinah, saying t hat if t he disbelievers lay siege t o AlMadinah, t he siege would be great ly disadvant ageous t o t hem. He added t hat if t hey decide t o at t ack Al-Madinah, it s men would face off wit h t hem, while women and children could t hrow rocks at t hem from above t heir heads; and if t hey decide t o ret urn t o Makkah, t hey would ret urn wit h failure. However, some companions who did not at t end t he bat t le of Badr advised t hat t he Muslims should go out t o Uhud t o meet t he disbelievers. The Messenger of Allah went t o his home, put on his shield and came out . The companions were weary t hen and said t o each ot her, "Did we compel t he Messenger of Allah t o go out '' They said, "O Messenger of Allah! If you wish, we will remain in Al-Madinah. '' The Messenger of Allah said,


(It is not for a Prophet t o wear his shield for war t hen lay down his arms before Allah decides in his favor.) The Messenger of Allah marched wit h a t housand of his Companions. When t hey reached t he Shawt area, ` Abdullah bin Ubayy went back t o Al-Madinah wit h a t hird of t he army, claiming he was angry t he Prophet did not list en t o his advice. He and his support ers said, "If we knew t hat you would fight t oday, we would have accompanied you. However, we do not t hink t hat you will fight t oday.'' The Messenger of Allah marched unt il he reached t he hillside in t he area of Uhud, where t hey camped in t he valley wit h Mount Uhud behind t hem. The Messenger of Allah said,

(No one st art s fight ing unt il I issue t he command t o fight .) The Messenger prepared his forces for bat t le, and his army was seven hundred men. He appoint ed ` Abdullah bin Jubayr, from Bani ` Amr bin ` Awf, t o lead t he archers who were fift y men. The Prophet said t o t hem,

(Keep t he horsemen away from us, and be aware t hat we might be at t acked from your direct ion. If vict ory was for or against us, remain in your posit ions. And even if you see us being picked up by birds, do not abandon your posit ions.) The Prophet wore t wo prot ect ive shields and gave t he flag t o Mus` ab bin ` Umayr of Bani ` Abd Ad-Dar. The Prophet also allowed some young men t o part icipat e in fight ing, but not ot hers, whom he allowed t o part icipat e in t he bat t le of Al-Khandaq t wo years lat er. The Quraysh mobilized t heir forces of t hree t housand men wit h t wo hundred horsemen on each flank. They appoint ed Khalid bin Al-Walid t o lead t he right side of t he horsemen and ` Ikrimah Ibn Abi Jahl on t he left side. They also gave t heir grand flag t o t he t ribe of Bani ` Abd Ad-Dar. Allah willing, we will ment ion t he det ails of t his bat t le lat er on, if Allah wills. Allah said here,


(And (remember) when you left your household in t he morning t o post t he believers at t heir st at ions for t he bat t le) 3:121 , designat ing t hem t o various posit ions, dividing t he army t o t he left and right sides and placing t hem wherever you command t hem.

(And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower), He hears what you say and knows what you conceal in your heart s. Allah said next ,

(When t wo part ies from among you were about t o lose heart ,) 3:122 . Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah said, "The Ayah,

(When t wo part ies from among you were about t o lose heart ) was revealed about us, t he t wo Muslim t ribes of Bani Harit hah and Bani Salamah. I (or we) would not be pleased if it was not revealed, because Allah said in it ,

(but Allah was t heir Wali (Support er and Prot ect or)) 3:122 .'' Muslim recorded t his Hadit h from Sufyan bin ` Uyaynah.

Reminding the Believers of Their Victory at Badr

Allah said,

(And Allah has already made you vict orious at Badr,) 3:123 meaning, during t he bat t le of Badr, which occurred on a Friday, t he sevent eent h of Ramadan, in t he second year of Hij rah. The day of Badr is known as Yawm Al-Furqan t he Day of t he Clarificat ion , by which Allah gave vict ory and dominance t o Islam and it s people and disgraced and dest royed Shirk, even t hough t he Muslims were few. The Muslims numbered t hree hundred and t hirt een men, wit h t wo horses and sevent y camels. The rest were foot soldiers wit hout enough supplies for t he bat t le. The enemy army consist ed of nine hundred t o a t housand men, having enough shields and supplies, bat t le-ready horses and even various adornment s. However, Allah gave vict ory t o His Messenger , support ed His revelat ion, and illuminat ed success on t he faces of t he Prophet and his following. Allah also brought disgrace t o Shayat an and his army. This is why Allah reminded His believing servant s and pious part y of t his favor,

(And Allah has already made you vict orious at Badr, when you were a weak lit t le force), cwhen you were few t hen. This Ayah reminds t hem t hat vict ory is only from Allah, not because of a large army and adequat e supplies. This is why Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(. .and on t he day of Hunayn (bat t le) when you rej oiced at your great number, but it availed you naught ) 9:25 , unt il,

(And Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful) 9:27 . Badr is an area bet ween Makkah and Al-Madinah and is known by t he well t hat bears it s name, which in t urn was so named aft er Badr bin An-Narayn, t he person who dug t he well.

(So have Taqwa of Allah t hat you may be grat ef ul.) 3:123 , means, fulfill t he obligat ions of His obedience.

 - - -
(124. (Remember) when you said t o t he believers, "Is it not enough for you t hat your Lord should help you wit h t hree t housand angels sent down'') (125. "But , if you hold on t o pat ience and have Taqwa, and t he enemy comes rushing at you; your Lord will help you wit h five t housand angels having marks (of dist inct ion).'') (126. Allah made it not but as a message of good news for you and as an assurance t o your heart s. And t here is no vict ory except from Allah, t he All-Might y, t he All-Wise.) (127. That He might cut off a part of t hose who disbelieve, or expose t hem t o infamy, so t hat t hey ret ire frust rat ed.) (128. Not for you is t he decision; whet her He t urns in mercy t o (pardon) t hem or punishes t hem; verily, t hey are t he wrongdoers.) (129. And t o Allah belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is in t he eart h. He forgives whom He wills, and punishes whom He wills. And Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

The Support of the Angels

The scholars of Tafsir differ over whet her t he promise cont ained in t hese Ayat referred t o t he bat t le of Badr or Uhud. The First View There are t wo opinions about t his, one of t hem saying t hat Allah's st at ement ,


((Remember) when you said t o t he believers) 3:124 , is relat ed t o His st at ement ,

(And Allah has already made you vict orious at Badr) 3:123 . This was report ed from Al-Hasan Al-Basri, ` Amr Ash-Sha` bi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and several ot hers, Ibn Jarir also agreed wit h t his opinion. ` Abbad bin Mansur said t hat Al-Hasan said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

((Remember) when you said t o t he believers, "Is it not enough for you t hat your Lord should help you wit h t hree t housand angels'') 3:124 , is about t he bat t le of Badr; Ibn Abi Hat im also recorded t his st at ement . Ibn Abi Hat im t hen report ed t hat ` Amr Ash-Sha` bi said, "On t he day of Badr, t he Muslims received informat ion t hat Kurz bin Jabir (a prominent t ribe chief) was aiding t he idolat ors, and t his news was hard on t hem, so Allah revealed;

("Is it not enough for you t hat your Lord (Allah) should help you wit h t hree t housand angels sent down''), unt il,

(having marks (of dist inct ion)) 3:124,125 . The news of t he defeat of t he idolat ors at Badr reached Kurz and he did not reinforce t hem, and t hus, Allah did not reinforce t he Muslims wit h t he five (t housands of angels).'' As for Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, he said, "Allah support ed t he Muslims wit h one t housand (angels), t hen t he number reached t hree t housand, t hen five t housand.'' If one asks, according t o t his opinion, how can we combine bet ween t his Ayah and Allah's st at ement about Badr,


((Remember) when you sought help of your Lord and He answered you (saying): "I will help you wit h a t housand angels, each behind t he ot her (f ollowing one anot her) in succession.'') 8:9 , unt il,

(Verily! Allah is All-Might y, All-Wise) We say t hat t he one t housand ment ioned here does not cont radict t he t hree t housand ment ioned in t he above Ayah 3:124 . The word "in succession'' means t hey follow each ot her and t hus indicat es t hat t housands more will follow t hem. The t wo Ayat above 8:9 and 3:124 are similar in meaning and it appears t hat t hey bot h were about t he bat t le of Badr, because t he angels did fight in t he bat t le of Badr, as t he evidence indicat es. Allah knows best . Allah's st at ement ,

(But if you hold on t o pat ience and have Taqwa,) 3:125 means, if you observe pat ience while fight ing t he enemy, all t he while fearing Me and obeying My command. Al-Hasan, Qat adah, ArRabi` and As-Suddi said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(and t hey will come rushing) means, t hey (angels) will rush t o you inst ant aneously. Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah means, "All at once''. It is also said t hat it means, before t heir anger subsides (against t he disbelievers). The Second View The second opinion st ipulat es t hat t he promise ment ioned here part icipat ing in bat t le is relat ed t o Allah's st at ement , concerning t he angels

(And (remember) when you left your household in t he morning t o post t he believers at t heir st at ions for t he bat t le) of Uhud. However, we should add, t he angels did not come t o t he aid of Muslims at Uhud, because Allah made it condit ional,


(But if you hold on t o pat ience and have Taqwa) 3: 125 . The Muslims were not pat ient at Uhud. Rat her, t hey ran away and, consequent ly, did not receive t he support of even one angel. Allah's st at ement ,

(your Lord will help you wit h five t housand angels having marks), of dist inct ion. Abu Ishaq As-Subay` i said; from Harit hah bin Mudarrib said t hat ` Ali bin Abi Talib said, "The angels were dist inguished by wearing whit e wool at Badr.'' The angels also had special markings dist inguishing t heir horses. Allah said,

(Allah made it not but as a message of good news for you and as an assurance t o your heart s) 3:126 . This Ayah means, "Allah sent down angels and t old you about t heir descent t o encourage you and t o comfort and reassure your heart s. You should know t hat vict ory only comes from Allah and t hat if He willed, He would have defeat ed your enemy wit hout you having t o fight t hem.'' For inst ance, Allah said aft er commanding t he believers t o fight ,

(But if it had been Allah's will, He Himself could cert ainly have punished t hem (wit hout you). But (He let s you fight ) in order t o t est some of you wit h ot hers. But t hose who are killed in t he way of Allah, He will never let t heir deeds be lost . He will guide t hem and set right t heir st at e. And admit t hem t o Paradise which He has made known t o t hem) 47:4-6 . This is why Allah said here,

(Allah made it not but as a message of good news for you and as an assurance t o your heart s. And t here is no vict ory except from Allah, t he All-Might y, t he All-Wise) 3:126 . This Ayah means, "Allah is t he Almight y Whose power can never be undermined, and He has t he perfect wisdom in His decrees and in all His decisions.'' Allah said,

(That He might cut off a part of t hose who disbelieve,) 3:127 meaning, out of His wisdom, He commands you t o perform Jihad and t o fight . Allah t hen ment ions t he various consequences of performing Jihad against t he disbelievers. For inst ance, Allah said,

(That He might cut off a part ...) meaning, t o cause a part of a nat ion t o perish,

(of t hose who disbelieve, or expose t hem t o infamy,) by disgracing t hem and forcing t hem t o ret urn wit h only t heir rage, having failed in t heir aim t o harm you. This is why Allah said next ,

(or expose t hem t o infamy, so t hat t hey ret ire) t o go back t o t heir land,

(frust rat ed) wit hout achieving t heir aims. Allah t hen ment ions a st at ement t hat t est ifies t hat t he decision in t his life and t he Hereaft er is for Him Alone wit hout part ners,

(Not for you is t he decision) 3:128 meaning, "The mat t er is all in My Hand.'' Allah also said,

(your dut y is only t o convey (t he Message) and on Us is t he reckoning.) 13:40 , and,

(Not upon you is t heir guidance, but Allah guides whom He wills.) 2:272 , and,

(Verily, you guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills) 28: 56 . Muhammad bin Ishaq said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(Not for you is t he decision;), means, "No part of t he decision regarding My servant s is yours, except what I command you.'' Allah t hen ment ions t he rest of t he consequences of Jihad,

(whet her He pardons t hem) concerning t he act s of disbelief t hat t hey commit , t hus delivering t hem from misguidance t o t he guidance.


(or punishes t hem;) in t his life and t he Hereaft er because of t heir disbelief and errors,

(verily, t hey are t he wrongdoers), and t hus, t hey deserve such a fat e. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat , Salim bin ` Abdullah said t hat his fat her said t hat he heard t he Messenger of Allah saying -- when he raised his head from bowing in t he second unit of t he Faj r prayer -- "O Allah! Curse so-and-so,'' aft er saying; Sami` Allahu Liman Hamidah, Rabbana wa lakal-Hamd. Thereaft er, Allah revealed t his Ayah,

(Not for you is t he decision;) This was also recorded by An-Nasa'i. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Salim bin ` Abdullah said t hat his fat her said t hat he heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

(O Allah! Curse so-and-so. O Allah! Curse Al-Harit h bin Hisham. O Allah! Curse Suhayl bin ` Amr. O Allah! Curse Safwan bin Umayyah.) Thereaft er, t his Ayah was revealed;

(Not for you is t he decision; whet her He t urns in mercy t o (pardon) t hem or punishes t hem; verily, t hey are t he wrongdoers) 3:128 . All t hese persons were pardoned (aft er t hey embraced Islam lat er on).

Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat when Allah's Messenger would supplicat e against or for someone, he would do so when he was finished bowing and saying; Sami` Allahu Liman Hamidah, Rabbana wa lakal-Hamd. He would t hen say, (t he Qunut )

(O Allah! Save Al-Walid bin Al-Walid, Salamah bin Hisham, ` Ayyash bin Abi Rabi` ah and t he weak and t he helpless people among t he fait hful believers. O Allah! Be hard on t he t ribe of Mudar and let t hem suffer from years of famine like t hat of t he t ime of Yusuf. ) He would say t his supplicat ion aloud. He somet imes would supplicat e during t he Dawn prayer, "O Allah! Curse so-and-so (persons),'' ment ioning some Arab t ribes. Thereaft er, Allah revealed,

(Not for you is t he decision.) Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Hamid and Thabit said t hat , Anas bin Malik said t hat t he Prophet was inj ured during t he bat t le of Uhud and said,

(How can a people achieve success aft er having inj ured t heir Prophet ) Thereaft er,

(Not for you is t he decision,) was revealed. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Anas said t hat , t he Prophet 's front t oot h was broken during t he bat t le of Uhud and he also sust ained inj uries on his forehead unt il blood dripped on his face. The Prophet said,


(How can a people achieve success aft er having done t his t o t heir Prophet who is calling t hem t o t heir Lord, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored) Allah revealed,

(Not for you is t he decision; whet her He t urns in mercy t o (pardons) t hem or punishes t hem; verily, t hey are t he wrongdoers.) Muslim also collect ed t his Hadit h. Allah t hen said,

(And t o Allah belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is in t he Eart h.) 3:129 , everyt hing is indeed t he propert y of Allah and all are servant s in His Hand.

(He forgives whom He wills, and punishes whom He wills.) for His is t he decision and none can resist His decision. Allah is never asked about what He does, while t hey will be asked,

(and Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

- -

 - - - -
(130. O you who believe! Do not consume Riba doubled and mult iplied, but fear Allah t hat you may be successful.) (131. And fear t he Fire, which is prepared for t he disbelievers.) (132. And obey Allah and t he Messenger t hat you may obt ain mercy.) (133. And march fort h in t he way (which leads t o) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as t he heavens and t he eart h, prepared for t he Mut t aqin (t he pious).) (134. Those who spend (in Allah's cause) in prosperit y and in adversit y, who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allah loves t he Muhsinin (t he good-doers).) (135. And t hose who, when t hey have commit t ed Fahishah (immoral sin) or wronged t hemselves wit h evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for t heir sins; and none can forgive sins but Allah, and do not persist in what (wrong) t hey have done, while t hey know.) (136. For such, t he reward is forgiveness from t heir Lord, and Gardens wit h rivers flowing underneat h (Paradise), wherein t hey shall abide forever. How excellent is t his reward for t he doers (of good).)

Interest (Riba) is Prohibited

Allah prohibit s His believing servant s from dealing in Riba and from requiring int erest on t heir capit al, j ust as t hey used t o do during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah. For inst ance, when t he t ime t o pay a loan comes, t he credit or would say t o t he debt or, "Eit her pay now, or t he loan will incur int erest .'' If t he debt or asks for deferment of t he loan, t he credit or would require int erest and t his would occur year aft er year unt il t he lit t le capit al becomes mult iplied many t imes. Allah also commands His servant s t o have Taqwa of Him so t hat t hey may achieve success in t his life and t he Hereaft er. Allah also t hreat ens t hem wit h t he Fire and warns t hem against it , saying,

 -
(And fear t he Fire, which is prepared for t he disbelievers. And obey Allah and t he Messenger t hat you may obt ain mercy.) 3:131,132 .

The Encouragment to Do Good for which Paradise is the Result

Allah encourages His servant s t o perform right eous deeds and t o rush t o accomplish t he act s of obedience. Allah said,

(And march fort h in t he way (which leads t o) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as t he heavens and t he eart h, prepared for t he Mut t aqin (t he pious)) 3:133 . Just as t he Fire was prepared for t he disbelievers. It was report ed t hat t he meaning of Allah's st at ement ,

(as wide as t he heavens and t he eart h) draws t he at t ent ion t o t he spaciousness of Paradise. For inst ance, Allah said in anot her Ayah, while describing t he couches of Paradise,

(lined wit h silk brocade) 55:54 , so what about t heir out er covering It was also said t hat Paradise is as wide as it s lengt h, because it is a dome under t he Throne. The widt h and lengt h of a dome or a circle are t he same in dist ance. This is support ed by what is found in t he Sahih;

(When you ask Allah for Paradise, ask Him for Al-Firdaws which is t he highest and best part of Paradise. From it originat e t he rivers of Paradise, and above it is t he Throne of t he Most Beneficent (Allah).) This Ayah 3:133 above is similar t o Allah's st at ement in Surat Al-Hadid,

(Race wit h one anot her in hast ening t owards forgiveness from your Lord (Allah), and Paradise t he widt h whereof is as t he widt h of t he heaven and t he Eart h) 57:21 . Al-Bazzar recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat a man came t o t he Messenger of Allah and asked him, about Allah's st at ement ,

(Paradise as wide as t he heavens and t he Eart h) 3:133 ; "Where is t he Fire t hen'' The Prophet said,

(When t he night comes, it overt akes everyt hing, so where is t he day) The man said, "Where Allah want s it t o be.'' The Prophet said,

(Similarly, t he Fire is where Allah want s it t o be.) This Hadit h has t wo possible meanings. First , when we do not see t he night during t he day, t his does not mean t hat t he day is not somewhere else, even t hough we cannot see it . Such is t he case wit h Hell-fire, for it is where Allah want s it t o be. The second meaning is t hat when t he day overcomes t his part of t he world, t he night overt akes t he ot her part . Such is t he case wit h Paradise, for it is in t he ut most height s above t he heavens and under t he Throne. The widt h of Paradise is, as Allah st at ed,

(whereof is as t he widt h of t he heaven and t he Eart h) 57:21 .

The Fire, on t he ot her hand, is in t he lowest of lows. Therefore, Paradise being as wide as t he heavens and Eart h does not cont radict t he fact t hat t he Fire exist s wherever Allah wills it t o be. Allah said, while describing t he people of Paradise,

(Those who spend (in Allah's cause) in prosperit y and in adversit y) 3:134 , in hard t imes and easy t imes, while act ive (or ent husiast ic) and ot herwise, healt hy or ill, and in all condit ions, j ust as Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(Those who spend t heir wealt h (in Allah's cause) by night and day, in secret and in public) 2:274 These believers are never dist ract ed from obeying Allah, spending on what pleases Him, being kind t o His servant s and t heir relat ives, and ot her act s of right eousness. Allah said,

(who repress anger, and who pardon men;) 3:134 for when t hey are angry, t hey cont rol t heir anger and do act upon it . Rat her, t hey even forgive t hose who hurt t hem. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Prophet said,

(The st rong person is not he who is able t o physically overcome people. The st rong person is he who overcomes his rage when he is angry.) This Hadit h is also recorded in t he Two Sahihs. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

 .
(He who gives t ime t o a debt or or forgives him, t hen Allah will save him from t he heat of Jahannam (Hell-fire). Behold! The deeds of Paradise are difficult t o reach, for t hey are on t op of a hill, while t he deeds of t he Fire are easy t o find in t he lowlands. The happy person is he who is saved from t he t est s. Verily, t here is no dose of anyt hing bet t er t o Allah t han a dose of rage t hat t he servant cont rols, and whenever t he servant of Allah cont rols it , he will be int ernally filled wit h fait h.) This Hadit h was recorded by Imam Ahmad, it s chain of narrat ion is good, it does not cont ain any disparraged narrat ors, and t he meaning is good. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Sahl bin Mu` adh bin Anas said t hat his fat her said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever cont rolled rage while able t o act upon it , t hen Allah will call him while all creat ion is a wit ness, unt il He gives him t he choice of any of t he Huris (fair females wit h wide, lovely eyes - as mat es for t he pious) he wishes.) Abu Dawud, At -Tirmidhi and Ibn Maj ah collect ed t his Hadit h, which At -Tirmidhi said was "Hasan Gharib''. Ibn Marduwyah recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(There is not a dose of anyt hing t hat t he servant t akes which is bet t er t han a dose of cont rol of rage t hat he feels, when he does it seeking Allah's Face.) Ibn Jarir and Ibn Maj ah also collect ed t his Hadit h. Allah said,

(who repress anger) meaning, t hey do not sat isf y t heir rage upon people. Rat her, t hey refrain from harming t hem and await t heir rewards wit h Allah, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored. Allah t hen said,

(and who pardon men;) They forgive t hose who t reat t hem wit h inj ust ice. Therefore, t hey do not hold any ill feelings about anyone in t heir heart s, and t his is t he most excellent conduct in t his regard. This is why Allah said,

(verily, Allah loves t he Muhsinin (t he good-doers)). This good conduct is a t ype of Ihsan excellence in t he religion . There is a Hadit h t hat reads,

:
(I swear regarding t hree mat t ers: no charit y shall ever decrease t he wealt h; whenever one forgives people, t hen Allah will magnify his honor; and he who is humble for Allah, t hen Allah will raise his rank.) Allah said,

(And t hose who, when t hey have commit t ed Fahishah or wronged t hemselves wit h evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for t heir sins) 3:135 . Therefore, if t hey commit an error t hey follow it wit h repent ance and ask forgiveness. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Prophet said,

: : : : : : : :
(A man once commit t ed an error and said, ` O Lord! I commit t ed an error, so forgive me.' Allah said, ` My servant commit t ed an error and knew t hat he has a Lord Who forgives or punishes for t he error. I have forgiven My servant .' The man commit t ed anot her error and said, ` O Lord! I commit t ed an error, so forgive me.' Allah said, ` My servant knew t hat he has a Lord Who forgives or punishes for t he sin. I have forgiven My servant .' The man commit t ed anot her error and said, ` O Lord! I commit t ed an error, so forgive me.' Allah said, ` My servant knew t hat he has a Lord Who forgives or punishes for t he error. I have forgiven my servant .' He t hen commit t ed anot her error and said, ` O Lord! I commit t ed an error, so forgive me.' Allah said, ` My servant knew t hat he has a Lord Who forgives or punishes for t he error. Bear wit ness t hat I

have forgiven My servant , so let him do what ever he likes.') A similar narrat ion was collect ed in t he Sahih. ` Abdur-Razzaq recorded t hat Anas bin Malik said, "I was t old t hat when t he Ayah,

(And t hose who, when t hey have commit t ed Fahishah or wronged t hemselves wit h evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for t heir sins,) was revealed, Iblis (Shayat an) cried.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(and none can forgive sins but Allah), means t hat none except Allah forgives sins. t Allah said,

(And do not persist in what (wrong) t hey have done, while t hey know), for t hey repent from t heir error, ret urn t o Allah before deat h, do not insist on error, and if t hey err again, t hey repent from it . Allah said here,

(while t hey know) Muj ahid and ` Abdullah bin ` Ubayd bin ` Umayr comment ed, "Whoever repent s, t hen Allah will forgive him.'' Similarly, Allah said,

(Know t hey not t hat Allah accept s repent ance from His servant s) 9:104 , and,

(And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but aft erwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) 4: 110 and t here are several examples similar t o t his Ayah.

Next , Allah said aft er t his descript ion,

(For such, t he reward is forgiveness from t heir Lord) 3:136 , as a reward for t hese qualit ies,

(forgiveness from t heir Lord, and Gardens wit h rivers flowing underneat h (Paradise)) carrying all kinds of drinks,

(wherein t hey shall abide forever) and ever,

(How excellent is t his reward for t he doers) Allah praises Paradise in t his part of t he Ayah.

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(137. Many similar ways (and mishaps of life) were faced by nat ions (believers and disbelievers) t hat have passed away before you, so t ravel t hrough t he eart h, and see what was t he end of t hose who denied.) (138. This is a plain st at ement for mankind, a guidance and inst ruct ion for t he Mut t aqin.) (139. So do not become weak, nor be sad, and you will be t riumphant if you are indeed believers.) (140. If a wound has t ouched you, be sure a similar wound has t ouched t he ot hers. And so are t he days, t hat We give t o men by t urns, t hat Allah may know (t est ) t hose who believe, and t hat He may t ake mart yrs from among you. And Allah likes not t he wrongdoers.) (141. And t hat Allah may t est t hose who believe and dest roy t he disbelievers.). (142. Do you t hink t hat you will ent er Paradise before Allah knows (t est s) t hose of you who performed Jihad and knows (t est s) t hose who are pat ient ) (143. You did indeed wish for deat h before you met it . Now you have seen it openly wit h your own eyes.)

The Wisdom Behind the Losses Muslims Suffered During Uhud

Allah st at es t o His believing servant s who suffered losses in t he bat t le of Uhud, including sevent y dead,

(Many similar ways (and mishaps of life) were faced before you), for t he previous nat ions who followed t heir Prophet s before you, t hey t oo suffered losses. However, t he good end was t heirs, and t he ult imat e defeat was for t he disbelievers. This is why Allah said,

(so t ravel t hrough t he eart h, and see what was t he end of t hose who denied). Allah said next ,


(This is a plain st at ement for mankind), meaning, t he Qur'an explains t he t rue realit y of t hings and narrat es how t he previous nat ions suffered by t he hands of t heir enemies.

(And a guidance and inst ruct ion) for t he Qur'an cont ains t he news of t he past , and,

(guidance) for your heart s,

(and inst ruct ion for t he Mut t aqin) t o discourage commit t ing t he prohibit ed and forbidden mat t ers. Allah comfort s t he believers by saying,

(So do not become weak), because of what you suffered,

(nor be sad, and you will be t riumphant if you are indeed believers), for surely, t he ult imat e vict ory and t riumph will be yours, O believers.

(If a wound has t ouched you, be sure a similar wound has t ouched t he ot hers) 3:140 . Therefore, t he Ayah says, if you suffered inj uries and some of you were killed, t hen your enemies also suffered inj uries and fat alit ies.

(And so are t he days, t hat We give t o men by t urns) , and at t imes -- out of wisdom -- We allow t he enemy t o overcome you, alt hough t he final good end will be yours.

(and t hat Allah may know (t est ) t hose who believe,) meaning, "So t hat We find out who would be pat ient while fight ing t he enemies,'' according t o Ibn ` Abbas.

(and t hat He may t ake mart yrs from among you) t hose who would be killed in Allah's cause and gladly offer t heir lives seeking His pleasure.

(And Allah likes not t he wrongdoers. And t hat Allah may t est t hose who believe) 3:140,141 , by forgiving t hem t heir sins if t hey have any. Ot herwise, Allah will raise t heir grades according t o t he losses t hey suffered. Allah's st at ement ,

(and dest roy t he disbelievers), for it is t heir conduct t hat if t hey gain t he upper hand, t hey t ransgress and commit aggression. However, t his conduct only leads t o ult imat e dest ruct ion, ext erminat ion, perishing and dying out . Allah t hen said,

(Do you t hink t hat you will ent er Paradise before Allah knows (t est s) t hose of you who will perform Jihad and (also) knows (t est s) t hose who are t he pat ient ) 3:142 . The Ayah asks, do you t hink t hat you will ent er Paradise wit hout being t est ed wit h warfare and hardships Allah said in Surat Al-Baqarah,


(Or t hink you t hat you will ent er Paradise wit hout such (t rials) as came t o t hose who passed away before you They were afflict ed wit h severe povert y and ailment s and were so shaken. ..) 2:214 . Allah said,

-
(Alif Lam Mim. Do people t hink t hat t hey will be left alone because t hey say: "We believe,'' and will not be t est ed) 29:1,2 , This is why He said here,

(Do you t hink t hat you will ent er Paradise before Allah knows (t est s) t hose of you who will perform Jihad and (also) knows (t est s) t hose who are t he pat ient ) 3:142 meaning, you will not earn Paradise unt il you are t est ed and t hus Allah knows who among you are t he ones who st ruggle and fight in His cause and are pat ient in t he face of t he enemy. Allah said,

(You did indeed wish for deat h (mart yrdom) before you met it . Now you have seen it openly wit h your own eyes) 3:143 . The Ayah proclaims, O believers! Before t oday, you wished t hat you could meet t he enemy and were eager t o fight t hem. What you wished has occurred, so fight t hem and be pat ient . In t he Two Sahihs it is recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(Do not wish t o encount er t he enemy, and ask Allah for your well-being. However, if you do encount er t hem, t hen observe pat ience and know t hat Paradise is under t he shade of swords.) This is why Allah said here,

(Now you have seen it ): deat h, you saw it when t he swords appeared, t he blades were sharpened, t he spears crisscrossed and men st ood in lines for bat t le. This part of t he Ayah cont ains a figure of speech t hat ment ions imagining what can be felt but not seen.

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(144. Muhammad is no more t han a Messenger, and indeed Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you t hen t urn back on your heels And he who t urns back on his heels, not t he least harm will he do t o Allah; and Allah will reward t he grat eful. ) (145. And no person can ever die except by Allah's leave and at an appoint ed t erm. And whoever desires a reward in t he world, We shall give him of it ; and whoever desires a reward in t he Hereaft er, We shall give him t hereof. And We shall reward t he grat eful.) (146. And many a Prophet fought and along wit h him many Ribbiyyun. But t hey never lost heart for t hat which befall t hem in Allah's way, nor did nor t hey weaken nor degrade t hemselves. And Allah loves t he pat ient .) (147. And t hey said not hing but : "Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our t ransgressions, est ablish our feet firmly, and give us vict ory over t he disbelieving folk.'') (148. So Allah gave t hem t he reward of t his world, and t he excellent reward of t he Hereaft er. And Allah loves t he gooddoers.)

The Rumor that the Prophet was Killed at Uhud

When Muslims suffered defeat in bat t le at Uhud and some of t hem were killed, Shayt an shout ed, "Muhammad has been killed.'' Ibn Qami'ah went back t o t he idolat ors and claimed, "I have killed Muhammad.'' Some Muslims believed t his rumor and t hought t hat t he Messenger of Allah had been killed, claiming t hat t his could happen, for Allah narrat ed t hat t his occurred t o many Prophet s before. Therefore, t he Muslims' resolve was weakened and t hey did not act ively part icipat e in bat t le. This is why Allah sent down t o His Messenger His st at ement ,

(Muhammad is no more t han a Messenger, and indeed Messengers have passed away before him.) he is t o deliver Allah's Message and may be killed in t he process, j ust as what happened t o many Prophet s before. Ibn Abi Naj ih said t hat his fat her said t hat a man from t he Muhaj irin passed by an Ansari man who was bleeding (during Uhud) and said t o him, "O fellow! Did you know t hat Muhammad was killed'' The Ansari man said, "Even if Muhammad was killed, he has indeed conveyed t he Message. Therefore, defend your religion.'' The Ayah,

(Muhammad is no more t han a Messenger, and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him), was revealed. This st ory was collect ed by Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bayhaqi in Dala'il An-Nubuwwah.

Allah said next , while chast ising t hose who became weak,

(If he dies or is killed, will you t hen t urn back on your heels), become disbelievers,

(And he who t urns back on his heels, not t he least harm will he do t o Allah; and Allah will give reward t o t hose who are grat eful), t hose who obeyed Allah, defended His religion and followed His Messenger whet her he was alive or dead. The Sahih, Musnad and Sunan collect ions gat hered various chains of narrat ion st at ing t hat Abu Bakr recit ed t his Ayah when t he Messenger of Allah died. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` A'ishah said t hat Abu Bakr came riding his horse from his dwelling in As-Sunh. He dismount ed, ent ered t he Masj id and did not speak t o anyone unt il he came t o her in her room and went direct ly t o t he Prophet , who was covered wit h a marked blanket . Abu Bakr uncovered his face, knelt down and kissed him, t hen st art ed weeping and proclaimed, "My fat her and my mot her be sacrificed for you! Allah will not combine t wo deat hs on you. You have died t he deat h, which was writ t en for you.'' Ibn ` Abbas narrat ed t hat Abu Bakr t hen came out , while ` Umar was addressing t he people, and Abu Bakr t old him t o sit down but ` Umar refused, and t he people at t ended t o Abu Bakr and left ` Umar. Abu Bakr said, "To proceed; whoever among you worshipped Muhammad, t hen Muhammad is dead, but whoever worshipped Allah, Allah is alive and will never die. Allah said,

(Muhammad is no more t han a Messenger and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you t hen t urn back on your heels And he who t urns back on his heels, not t he least harm will he do t o Allah; and Allah will reward t he grat eful.)'' The narrat or added, "By Allah, it was as if t he people never knew t hat Allah had revealed t his verse before unt il Abu Bakr recit ed it , and t hen whoever heard it , st art ed recit ing it .'' Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib said t hat ` Umar said, "By Allah! When I heard Abu Bakr recit e t his Ayah, my feet could not hold me, and I fell t o t he ground.'' Allah said,


(And no person can ever die except by Allah's leave and at an appoint ed t erm.) 3:145 meaning, no one dies except by Allah's decision, aft er he has finished t he t erm t hat Allah has dest ined for him. This is why Allah said,

(at an appoint ed t erm) which is similar t o His st at ement s,

(And no aged man is grant ed a lengt h of life nor is a part cut off from his life, but it is in a Book) 35:11 , and,

(He it is Who has creat ed you from clay, and t hen has decreed a (st at ed) t erm (for you t o die). And t here is wit h Him anot her det ermined t erm (for you t o be resurrect ed)) 6:2 . This Ayah 3:145 encourages cowards t o part icipat e in bat t le; for doing so, or avoiding bat t le neit her decreases, nor increases t he life t erm. Ibn Abi Hat im narrat ed t hat , Habib bin Suhban said t hat a Muslim man, Huj r bin ` Adi, said in a bat t le, "What prevent s you from crossing t his river (t he Euphrat es) t o t he enemy

(And no person can ever die except by Allah's leave and at an appoint ed t erm)'' He t hen crossed t he river riding his horse, and when he did, t he Muslims followed him. When t he enemy saw t hem, t hey st art ed shout ing, "Diwan (Persian; crazy),'' and t hey ran away.

Allah said next ,

(And whoever desires a reward in t he world, We shall give him of it ; and whoever desires a reward in t he Hereaft er, We shall give him t hereof). Therefore, t he Ayah proclaims, whoever works for t he sake of t his life, will only earn what Allah decides he will earn. However, he will not have a share in t he Hereaft er. Whoever works for t he sake of t he Hereaft er, Allah will give him a share in t he Hereaft er, along wit h what He decides for him in t his life. In similar st at ement s, Allah said,

(Whosoever desires (by his deeds) t he reward of t he Hereaft er, We give him increase in his reward, and whosoever desires t he reward of t his world (by his deeds), We give him t hereof (what is decreed for him), and he has no port ion in t he Hereaft er.) 42:20 , and,

-
(Whoever desires t he quick-passing (t ransit ory enj oyment of t his world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then, aft erwards, We have appoint ed for him Hell; he will burn t herein disgraced and despised. And whoever desires t he Hereaft er and st rives for it , wit h t he necessary effort due for it while he is a believer, t hen such are t he ones whose st riving shall be appreciat ed) 17:18-19 . In t his Ayah 3:145 , Allah said,


(And We shall reward t he grat eful. ) meaning, We shall award t hem wit h Our favor and mercy in t his life and t he Hereaft er, according t o t he degree of t heir appreciat ion of Allah and t heir good deeds. Allah t hen comfort s t he believers because of what t hey suffered in Uhud,

(And many a Prophet fought and along wit h him many Ribbiyyun.) It was said t hat t his Ayah means t hat many Prophet s and t heir companions were killed in earlier t imes, as is t he view chosen by Ibn Jarir. It was also said t hat t he Ayah means t hat many Prophet s wit nessed t heir companions' deat h before t heir eyes. However, Ibn Ishaq ment ioned anot her explanat ion in his Sirah, saying t hat t his Ayah means, "Many a Prophet was killed, and he had many companions whose resolve did not weaken aft er t heir Prophet died, and t hey did not become feeble in t he face of t he enemy. What t hey suffered in Jihad in Allah's cause and for t he sake of t heir religion did not make t hem lose heart . This is pat ience,

(and Allah loves t he pat ient .)'' As-Suhayli agreed wit h t his explanat ion and defended it vigorously. This view is support ed by Allah saying;

(And along wit h him many Ribbiyyun). In his book about t he bat t les, Al-Amawi ment ioned only t his explanat ion for t he Ayah. Sufyan At h-Thawri report ed t hat , Ibn Mas` ud said t hat ,

(many Ribbiyyun) means, t housands. Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` Ikrimah, AlHasan, Qat adah, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` and ` At a' Al-Khurasani said t hat t he word Ribbiyyun means, ` large bands'. ` Abdur-Razzaq narrat ed t hat Ma` mmar said t hat Al-Hasan said t hat ,

(many Ribbiyyun) means, many scholars. He also said t hat it means pat ient and pious scholars.


(But t hey never lost heart for t hat which befell t hem in Allah's way, nor did t hey weaken nor degrade t hemselves.) Qat adah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said t hat ,

(nor did t hey weaken), means, aft er t heir Prophet was killed.

(nor degrade t hemselves), by revert ing from t he t rue guidance and religion. Rat her, t hey fought on t he pat h t hat Allah's Prophet fought on unt il t hey met Allah. Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(nor degrade t hemselves) means, nor became humiliat ed, while As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd said t hat it means, t hey did not give in t o t he enemy.

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(And Allah loves t he pat ient . And t hey said not hing but : "Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our t ransgressions, est ablish our feet firmly, and give us vict ory over t he disbelieving folk.'') 3:146-147 , and t his was t he st at ement t hat t hey kept repeat ing. Therefore,


(So Allah gave t hem t he reward of t his world) vict ory, t riumph and t he good end,

(and t he excellent reward of t he Hereaf t er) added t o t he gains in t his life,

(And Allah loves t he good-doers).

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(149. O you who believe! If you obey t hose who disbelieve, t hey will send you back on your heels, and you will t urn back as losers.) (150. Nay, Allah is your prot ect or, and He is t he best of helpers.) (151. We shall cast t error int o t he heart s of t hose who disbelieve, because t hey j oined ot hers in worship wit h Allah, for which He sent no aut horit y; t heir abode will be t he Fire and how evil is t he abode of t he wrongdoers.) (152. And Allah did indeed fulfill His promise t o you when you were killing t hem (your enemy) wit h His permission; unt il Fashilt um and fell t o disput ing about t he order, and disobeyed aft er He showed you what you love. Among you are some t hat desire t his world and some t hat desire t he Hereaft er. Then He made you flee from t hem, t hat He might t est you. But surely, He forgave you, and Allah is Most Gracious t o t he believers.) (153. (And remember) when you ran away wit hout even cast ing a side glance at anyone, and t he Messenger was in your rear calling you back. There did Allah give you one dist ress aft er anot her by way of requit al, t o t each you not t o grieve for t hat which had escaped you, nor for what st ruck you. And Allah is Well-Aware of all t hat you do.)

The Prohibition of Obeying the Disbelievers; the Cause of Defeat at Uhud

Allah warns His believing servant s against obeying t he disbelievers and hypocrit es, because such obedience leads t o ut t er dest ruct ion in t his life and t he Hereaft er. This is why Allah said,

(If you obey t hose who disbelieve, t hey will send you back on your heels, and you will t urn back (from fait h) as losers) 3:149 . Allah also commands t he believers t o obey Him, t ake Him as t heir prot ect or, seek His aid and t rust in Him. Allah said,

(Nay, Allah is your prot ect or, and He is t he best of helpers). Allah next conveys t he good news t hat He will put fear of t he Muslims, and feelings of subordinat ion t o t he Muslims in t he heart s of t heir disbelieving enemies, because of t heir Kufr and Shirk. And Allah has prepared t orment and punishment for t hem in t he Hereaft er. Allah said,


(We shall cast t error int o t he heart s of t hose who disbelieve, because t hey j oined ot hers in worship wit h Allah, for which He sent no aut horit y; t heir abode will be t he Fire and how evil is t he abode of t he wrongdoers). In addit ion, t he Two Sahihs recorded t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(I was given five t hings t hat no ot her Prophet before me was given. I was aided wit h fear t he dist ance of one mont h, t he eart h was made a Masj id and clean place for me, I was allowed war boot y, I was given t he Int ercession, and Prophet s used t o be sent t o t heir people, but I was sent t o all mankind part icularly.) Allah said,

(And Allah did indeed fulfill His promise t o you) 3:152 , in t he beginning of t he day of Uhud,

(when you were killing t hem), slaying your enemies,


(wit h His permission), for He allowed you t o do t hat against t hem,

(unt il when you Fashilt um). Ibn Jurayj said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Fashilt um means, ` lost courage'.

(and fell t o disput ing about t he order, and disobeyed) such as t he mist ake made by t he archers,

(aft er He showed you what you love), t hat is, vict ory over t he disbelievers,

(Among you are some t hat desire t his world) referring t o t hose who sought t o collect t he boot y when t hey saw t he enemy being defeat ed,

(and some t hat desire t he Hereaft er. Then He made you flee from t hem, t hat He might t est you). This Ayah means, Allah gave t hem t he upper hand t o t ry and t est you, O believers,

(but surely, He forgave you),

He forgave t he error you commit t ed, because, and Allah knows best , t he idolat ors were many and well supplied, while Muslims had few men and few supplies. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Al-Bara' said, "We met t he idolat ors on t hat day (Uhud) and t he Prophet appoint ed ` Abdullah bin Jubayr as t he commander of t he archers. He inst ruct ed t hem, ` Ret ain your posit ion, and if you see t hat we have defeat ed t hem, do not abandon your posit ions. If you see t hat t hey defeat ed us, do not rush t o help us.' The disbelievers gave flight when we met t hem, and we saw t heir women fleeing up t he mount ain while lift ing up t heir clot hes revealing t heir anklet s and t heir legs. So, t he companions (of ` Abdullah bin Jubayr) said, ` The boot y, t he boot y!' ` Abdullah bin Jubayr said, ` Allah's Messenger commanded me not t o allow you t o abandon your posit ion.' They refused t o list en, and when t hey left t heir posit ion, Muslims were defeat ed and sevent y of t hem were killed. Abu Sufyan shout ed, ` Is Muhammad present among t hese people' The Prophet said, ` Do not answer him.' Then he asked, ` Is t he son of Abu Quhafah (Abu Bakr) present among t hese people' The Prophet said, ` Do not answer him.' He asked again, ` Is t he son of Al-Khat t ab (` Umar) present among t hese people As for t hese (men), t hey have been killed, for had t hey been alive, t hey would have answered me.' ` Umar could not cont rol himself and said (t o Abu Sufyan), ` You lie, O enemy of Allah! The cause of your misery is st ill present .' Abu Sufyan said, ` O Hubal, be high!' On t hat t he Prophet said (t o his Companions), ` Answer him back.' They said, ` What shall we say' He said, ` Say, Allah is Higher and more Sublime.' Abu Sufyan said, ` We have t he (idol) Al-` Uzza, and you have no ` Uzza.' The Prophet said, ` Answer him back.' They asked, ` What shall we say' He said, ` Say, Allah is our prot ect or and you have no prot ect or.' Abu Sufyan said, ` Our vict ory t oday is vengeance for yours in t he bat t le of Badr, and in war (t he vict ory) is always undecided and is shared in t urns by t he belligerent s. You will find some of your killed men mut ilat ed, but I did not urge my men t o do so, yet I do not feel sorry for t heir deed.''' Only Al-Bukhari collect ed t his Hadit h using t his chain of narrat ion. cMuhammad bin Ishaq said t hat , ` Abdullah bin AzZubayr narrat ed t hat Az-Zubayr bin Al-` Awwam said, "By Allah! I saw t he female servant s and female companions of Hind (Abu Sufyan's wife) when t hey uncovered t heir legs and gave flight . At t hat t ime, t here was no big or small effort separat ing us from capt uring t hem. However, t he archers went down t he mount when t he enemy gave flight from t he bat t lefield, seeking t o collect t he boot y. They uncovered our back lines t o t he horsemen of t he disbelievers, who t ook t he chance and at t acked us from behind. Then a person shout ed, ` Muhammad has been killed.' So we pulled back, and t he disbelievers followed us, aft er we had killed t hose who carried t heir flag, and none of t hem dared t o come close t he flag, unt il t hen.''' Muhammad bin Ishaq said next , "The flag of t he disbelievers was left on t he ground unt il ` Amrah bint ` Alqamah AlHarit hiyyah picked it up and gave it t o t he Quraysh who held it .'' Allah said,

(Then He made you flee from t hem, t hat He might t est you) 3:152 . Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Anas bin Malik said, "My uncle Anas bin An-Nadr was absent from t he bat t le of Badr. He said, ` I was absent from t he first bat t le t he Prophet fought (against t he pagans). (By Allah) if Allah gives me a chance t o fight along wit h t he Messenger of Allah, t hen Allah will see how (bravely) I will fight .' On t he day of Uhud when t he Muslims t urned t heir backs and fled, he said, ` O Allah! I apologize t o You for what t hese (meaning t he Muslims) have done, and I denounce what t hese pagans have done.' Then he advanced lift ing his sword, and when Sa` d bin Mu` adh met him, he said t o him, ` O Sa` d bin Mu` adh! Where are you! Paradise! I am smelling it s aroma coming from before (Mount ) Uhud,' and he went fort h, fought and was killed. We found more t han eight y st ab wounds, sword blows or arrow holes on his body, which

was mut ilat ed so badly t hat none except his sist er could recognize him, and she could only do so by his fingers or by a mole.'' This is t he narrat ion report ed by Al-Bukhari, Muslim also collect ed a similar narrat ion from Thabit from Anas.

The Defeat that the Muslims Suffered During the Battle of Uhud
Allah said,

((And remember) when you (Tus` iduna) ran away dreadfully wit hout cast ing even a side glance at anyone), and Allah made t he disbelievers leave you aft er you went up t he mount , escaping your enemy. Al-Hasan and Qat adah said t hat , Tus` iduna, means, ` go up t he mount ain'.

(wit hout even cast ing a side glance at anyone) meaning, you did not glance at anyone else due t o shock, fear and fright .

(and t he Messenger was in your rear calling you back), for you left him behind you, while he was calling you t o st op fleeing from t he enemy and t o ret urn and fight . As-Suddi said, "When t he disbelievers at t acked Muslim lines during t he bat t le of Uhud and defeat ed t hem, some Muslims ran away t o Al-Madinah, while some of t hem went up Mount Uhud, t o a rock and st ood on it . On t hat , t he Messenger of Allah kept heralding, ` Come t o me, O servant s of Allah! Come t o me, O servant s of Allah!' Allah ment ioned t hat t he Muslims went up t he Mount and t hat t he Prophet called t hem t o come back, and said,

((And remember) when you ran away wit hout even cast ing a side glance at anyone, and t he Messenger was in your rear calling you back).'' Similar was said by Ibn ` Abbas, Qat adah, ArRabi` and Ibn Zayd.

The Ansar and Muhajirin Defended the Messenger

Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Qays bin Abi Hazim said, "I saw Talhah's hand, it was paralyzed, because he shielded t he Prophet wit h it .'' meaning on t he day of Uhud. It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat Abu ` Ut hman An-Nahdi said, "On t hat day (Uhud) during which t he Prophet fought , only Talhah bin ` Ubaydullah and Sa` d remained wit h t he Prophet .'' Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib said, "I heard Sa` d bin Abi Waqqas saying, ` The Messenger of Allah gave me arrows from his quiver on t he day of Uhud and said, ` Shoot , may I sacrifice my fat her and mot her for you.''' Al-Bukhari also collect ed t his Hadit h. The Two Sahihs recorded t hat Sa` d bin Abi Waqqas said, "On t he day of Uhud, I saw t wo men wearing whit e clot hes, one t o t he right of t he Prophet and one t o his left , who were defending t he Prophet fiercely. I have never seen t hese men before or aft er t hat day.'' Meaning angels Jibril and Mika'il, peace be upon t hem. Abu Al-Aswad said t hat , ` Urwah bin Az-Zubayr said, "Ubayy bin Khalaf of Bani Jumah swore in Makkah t hat he would kill t he Messenger of Allah . When t he Messenger was t old of his vow, he said, ` Rat her, I shall kill him, Allah willing.' On t he day of Uhud, Ubayy came while wearing iron shields and proclaiming, ` May I not be saved, if Muhammad is saved.' He t hen headed t o t he direct ion of t he Messenger of Allah int ending t o kill him, but Mus` ab bin ` Umayr, from Bani Abd Ad-Dar, int ercept ed him and shielded t he Prophet wit h his body, and Mus` ab bin ` Umayr was killed. The Messenger of Allah saw Ubayy's neck exposed bet ween t he shields and helmet , st abbed him wit h his spear, and Ubayy fell from his horse t o t he ground. However, no blood spilled from his wound. His people came and carried him away while he was moaning like an ox. They said t o him, ` Why are you so anxious, it is only a flesh wound' Ubayy ment ioned t o t hem t he Prophet 's vow, ` Rat her, I shall kill Ubayy', t hen comment ed, ` By He in Whose Hand is my soul! If what hit me hit s t he people of Dhul-Maj az (a popular pre-Islamic market place), t hey would all have perished.' He t hen died and went t o t he Fire,

(So, away wit h t he dwellers of t he blazing Fire!) 67:11 .'' This was collect ed by Musa bin ` Uqbah from Az-Zuhri from Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib. It is recorded in t he Two Sahih t hat when he was asked about t he inj uries t he Messenger sust ained in Uhud , Sahl bin Sa` d said, "The face of Allah's Messenger was inj ured, his front t oot h was broken and his helmet was smashed on his head. Therefore, Fat imah, t he daught er of Allah's Messenger washed off t he blood while ` Ali was pouring wat er on her hand. When Fat imah saw t hat t he bleeding increased more by t he wat er, she t ook a mat , burnt it , and placed t he ashes in t he wound of t he Prophet and t he blood st opped oozing out .'' Allah said next ,

(There did Allah give you one dist ress aft er anot her) 3:153 , He gave you grief over your grief. Ibn ` Abbas said, ` The first grief was because of t he defeat , especially when it was rumored t hat Muhammad was killed. The second grief was when t he idolat ors went up t he mount and The Messenger of Allah said, ` O Allah! It is not for t hem t o rise above us.'''

` Abdur-Rahman bin ` Awf said, "The first dist ress was because of t he defeat and t he second when a rumor st art ed t hat Muhammad was killed, which t o t hem, was worse t han defeat .'' Ibn Marduwyah recorded bot h of t hese. Muj ahid and Qat adah said, "The first dist ress was when t hey heard t hat Muhammad was killed and t he second when t hey suffered casualt ies and inj ury.'' It has also been report ed t hat Qat adah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said t hat it was t he opposit e order . As-Suddi said t hat t he first dist ress was because of t he vict ory and boot y t hat t hey missed and t he second because of t he enemy rising above t hem (on t he mount ). Allah said,

(by way of requit al t o t each you not t o grieve for t hat which had escaped you), for t hat you missed t he boot y and t riumph over your enemy.

(nor for what st ruck you), of inj ury and fat alit ies, as Ibn ` Abbas, ` Abdur-Rahman bin ` Awf, AlHasan, Qat adah and As-Suddi st at ed. Allah said next ,

(And Allah is Well-Aware of all t hat you do.) all praise is due t o Him, and t hanks, t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Him, t he Most High, Most Honored.

 -
(154. Then aft er t he dist ress, He sent down securit y for you. Slumber overt ook a part y of you, while anot her part y was t hinking about t hemselves and t hought wrongly of Allah -- t he t hought of ignorance. They said, "Have we any part in t he affair'' Say: "Indeed t he affair belongs wholly t o Allah.'' They hide wit hin t hemselves what t hey dare not reveal t o you, saying: "If we had anyt hing t o do wit h t he affair, none of us would have been killed here.'' Say: "Even if you had remained in your homes, t hose for whom deat h was decreed would cert ainly have gone fort h t o t he place of t heir deat h,'' but t hat Allah might t est what is in your breast s; and t o purify t hat which was in your heart s (sins), and Allah is All-Knower of what is in t he breast s). (155. Those of you who t urned back on t he day t he t wo host s met , Shayt an only caused t hem t o err because of some of what t hey had earned. But Allah, indeed, has forgiven t hem. Surely, Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Forbearing.)

Slumber Overcame the Believers; the Fear that the Hypocrites Suffered
Allah reminds His servant s of His favor when He sent down on t hem t ranquillit y and slumber t hat overcame t hem while t hey were carrying t heir weapons and feeling dist ress and grief. In t his case, slumber is a favor and carries meanings of calmness and safet y. For inst ance, Allah said in Surat Al-Anfal about t he bat t le of Badr,

((Remember) when He covered you wit h a slumber as a securit y from Him) 8:11 . Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Anas said t hat , Abu Talhah said, "I was among t hose who were overcome by slumber during t he bat t le of Uhud. My sword fell from my hand several t imes and I would pick it up, t hen it would fall and I would pick it up again.'' Al-Bukhari collect ed t his Hadit h in t he st ories of t he bat t les wit hout a chain of narrat ion, and in t he book of Tafsir wit h a chain of narrat ors. At -Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Al-Hakim recorded from Anas t hat Abu Talhah said, "On t he day of Uhud, I raised my head and looked around and found t hat everyone's head was nodding from slumber.'' This is t he wording of At -Tirmidhi, who said, "Hasan Sahih''. AnNasa'i also recorded t his Hadit h from Anas who said t hat Abu Talhah said, "I was among t hose who were overcome by slumber.'' The second group ment ioned in t he Ayah were t he hypocrit es who only t hought about t hemselves, for t hey are t he most cowardly people and t hose least likely t o support t he t rut h,


(and t hought wrongly of Allah - t he t hought of ignorance) 3:154 , for t hey are liars and people who have doubt s and evil t hought s about Allah, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored. Allah said,

(Then aft er t he dist ress, He sent down securit y for you. Slumber overt ook a part y of you), t he people of fait h, cert aint y, firmness and reliance (on Allah) who are cert ain t hat Allah shall give vict ory t o His Messenger and fulfill his obj ect ive.

(While anot her part y was t hinking about t hemselves), and t hey were not overcome by slumber because of t heir worry, fright and fear,

(and t hought wrongly of Allah --- t he t hought of ignorance). Similarly, Allah said in anot her st at ement ,

(Nay, but you t hought t hat t he Messenger and t he believers would never ret urn t o t heir families) 48:12 . This group t hought t hat t he idolat ors achieved ult imat e vict ory, when t heir forces t ook t he upper hand in bat t le, and t hat Islam and it s people would perish. This is t ypical of people of doubt and hesit at ion, in t he event of a hardship, t hey fall int o such evil t hought s. Allah t hen described t hem t hat ,

(t hey said) in t his sit uat ion,


("Have we any part in t he affair'') Allah replied,

(Say: "Indeed t he affair belongs wholly t o Allah.'' They hide wit hin t hemselves what t hey dare not reveal t o you.) wAllah exposed t heir secret s, t hat is,

(saying: "If we had anyt hing t o do wit h t he affair, none of us would have been killed here.'') alt hough t hey t ried t o conceal t his t hought from t he Messenger of Allah . Ibn Ishaq recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr said t hat Az-Zubayr said, "I was wit h t he Messenger of Allah when fear int ensified and Allah sent sleep t o us (during t he bat t le of Uhud). At t hat t ime, every man among us (except t he hypocrit es) was nodding off. By Allah! As if in a dream, I heard t he words of Mu` at t ib bin Qushayr, ` If we had anyt hing t o do wit h t he affair, none of us would have been killed here.' I memorized t hese words of his, which Allah ment ioned lat er on,

(saying: "If we had anyt hing t o do wit h t he aff air, none of us would have been killed here.)'' Ibn Abi Hat im collect ed t his Hadit h. Allah t he Exalt ed said,

(Say: "Even if you had remained in your homes, t hose for whom deat h was decreed would cert ainly have gone fort h t o t he place of t heir deat h,'') meaning, t his is Allah's appoint ed dest iny and a decision t hat will cert ainly come t o pass, and t here is no escaping it . Allah's st at ement ,

(t hat Allah might t est what is in your breast s; and t o purify t hat which was in your heart s,) means, so t hat He t est s you wit h what ever befell you, t o dist inguish good from evil and t he deeds and st at ement s of t he believers from t hose of t he hypocrit es,

(and Allah is All-Knower of what is in t he breast s), and what t he heart s conceal.

Some of the Believers Give Flight on the Day of Uhud

Allah t hen said,

(Those of you who t urned back on t he day t he t wo host s met , Shayt an only caused t hem t o err because of some of what t hey had earned) 3:155 , because of some of t heir previous errors. Indeed, some of t he Salaf said, "The reward of t he good deed includes being direct ed t o anot her good deed t hat follows it , while t he ret ribut ion of sin includes commit t ing anot her sin t hat follows it .'' Allah t hen said,

(but Allah, indeed, has forgiven t hem), t heir giving flight ,

(surely, Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Forbearing)

He forgives sins, pardons and exonerat es His creat ures. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Shaqiq said, " ` Abdur-Rahman bin ` Awf met Al-Walid bin ` Uqbah, who said t o him, ` Why did you desert ` Ut hman, t he Leader of t he Fait hful' ` Abdur-Rahman said, ` Tell him t hat I did not run away during Uhud, remain behind during Badr, nor abandon t he Sunnah of ` Umar.' Al-Walid t old ` Ut hman what ` Abdur-Rahman said. ` Ut hman replied, ` As for his st at ement , ` I did not run away during Uhud,' how can he blame me for an error t hat Allah has already forgiven. Allah said,

(Those of you who t urned back on t he day t he t wo host s met , Shayt an only caused t hem t o err because of some of what t hey had earned. But Allah, indeed, has forgiven t hem). As for his st at ement t hat I remained behind from part icipat ing in Badr, I was nursing Ruqayyah, t he daught er of t he Messenger of Allah , unt il she passed away. The Messenger of Allah gave me a share in t he boot y of Badr, and whoever get s a share in t he boot y from t he Messenger of Allah will have part icipat ed in bat t le. As for his st at ement t hat I abandoned t he Sunnah of ` Umar, neit her I nor he are able t o endure it . Go and convey t his answer t o him.'''

- -
(156. O you who believe! Be not like t hose who disbelieve and who say t o t heir bret hren when t hey t ravel t hrough t he eart h or go out t o fight : "If t hey had st ayed wit h us, t hey would not have died or been killed,'' so t hat Allah may make it a cause of regret in t heir heart s. It is Allah

t hat gives life and causes deat h. And Allah is All-Seer of what you do.) (157. And if you are killed or die in t he way of Allah, forgiveness and mercy from Allah are far bet t er t han all t hat t hey amass.) (158. And whet her you die or are killed, verily, unt o Allah you shall be gat hered.)

Prohibiting the Ideas of the Disbeleivers about Death and Predestination

Allah forbids His believing servant s from t he disbelievers' false creed, seen in t heir st at ement about t hose who died in bat t le and during t ravel; "Had t hey abandoned t hese t rips, t hey would not have met t heir demise.'' Allah said,

(O you who believe! Be not like t hose who disbelieve (hypocrit es) and who say t o t heir bret hren), about t heir dead bret hren,

(when t hey t ravel t hrough t he eart h) for t he purpose of t rading and ot herwise,

(or go out t o fight ), part icipat ing in bat t les,

("If t hey had st ayed wit h us,'') in our area,

("t hey would not have died or been killed,'') t hey would not have died while t raveling or been killed in bat t le. Allah's st at ement ,

(so t hat Allah may make it a cause of regret in t heir heart s. ) means, Allah creat es t his evil t hought in t heir heart s so t hat t heir sadness and t he grief t hey feel for t heir loss would increase. Allah refut ed t hem by saying,

(It is Allah t hat gives life and causes deat h.) for t he creat ion is under Allah's power, and t he decision is His Alone. No one lives or dies except by Allah's leave, and no one's life is increased or decreased except by His decree.

(And Allah is All-Seer of what you do,) for His knowledge and vision encompasses all His creat ion and none of t heir affairs ever escapes Him. Allah's st at ement ,

(And if you are killed or die in t he way of Allah, forgiveness and mercy from Allah are far bet t er t han all t hat t hey amass.) 3:157 , indicat ing t hat deat h and mart yrdom in Allah's cause are a means of earning Allah's mercy, forgiveness and pleasure. This, indeed, is bet t er t han remaining in t his life wit h it s short lived delight s. Furt hermore, whoever dies or is killed will ret urn t o Allah, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored, and He will reward him if he has done good deeds, or will punish him for his evil deeds. Allah said,

(And whet her you die or are killed, verily, unt o Allah you shall be gat hered.) 3:158 .

 - - - -
(159. And by t he mercy of Allah, you dealt wit h t hem gent ly. And had you been severe and harsh-heart ed, t hey would have broken away from about you; so pardon t hem, and ask forgiveness for t hem; and consult t hem in t he af fairs. Then when you have t aken a decision, put your t rust in Allah, cert ainly, Allah loves t hose who put t heir t rust (in Him).) (160. If Allah helps you, none can overcome you; and if He forsakes you, who is t here aft er Him t hat can help you And in Allah (Alone) let believers put t heir t rust .) (161. It is not for any Prophet t o illegally t ake a part of t he boot y, and whosoever deceives his companions over t he boot y, he shall bring fort h on t he Day of Resurrect ion t hat which he t ook. Then every person shall be paid in full what he has earned, and t hey shall not be dealt wit h unj ust ly.) (162. Is t hen one who follows (seeks) t he pleasure of Allah like t he one who draws on himself t he wrat h of Allah His abode is Hell, and worse indeed is t hat dest inat ion!) (163. They are in varying grades wit h Allah, and Allah is All-Seer of what t hey do.) (164. Indeed, Allah conferred a great favor on t he believers when He sent among t hem a Messenger from among t hemselves, recit ing unt o t hem His verses (t he Qur'an), and purifying t hem, and inst ruct ing t hem (in) t he Book (t he Qur'an) and Al-Hikmah t he wisdom and t he Sunnah , while before t hat t hey had been in manifest error.)

Among the Qualities of Our Prophet Muhammad are Mercy and Kindness
Allah addresses His Messenger and reminds him and t he believers of t he favor t hat He has made his heart and words soft for his Ummah, t hose who follow his command and refrain from what he prohibit s.


(And by t he mercy of Allah, you dealt wit h t hem gent ly) 3:159 . meaning, who would have made you t his kind, if it was not Allah's mercy for you and t hem. Qat adah said t hat ,

(And by t he mercy of Allah, you dealt wit h t hem gent ly) means, "Wit h Allah's mercy you became t his kind.'' Al-Hasan Al-Basri said t hat t his, indeed, is t he descript ion of t he behavior t hat Allah sent Muhammad wit h. This Ayah is similar t o Allah's st at ement ,

(Verily, t here has come unt o you a Messenger from among yourselves. It grieves him t hat you should receive any inj ury or difficult y. He is anxious over you (t o be right ly guided, t o repent t o Allah); for t he believers (he is) full of pit y, kind, and merciful) 9:128 . Allah said next ,

(And had you been severe and harsh-heart ed, t hey would have broken away from about you;) The severe person is he who ut t ers harsh words, and,

(harsh-heart ed) is t he person whose heart is hard. Had t his been t he Prophet 's behavior, "They would have scat t ered from around you. However, Allah gat hered t hem and made you kind and soft wit h t hem, so t hat t heir heart s congregat e around you.'' ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said t hat he read t he descript ion of t he Messenger of Allah in previous Books, "He is not severe, harsh, obscene in t he market place or dealing evil for evil. Rat her, he forgives and pardons.''

The Order for Consultation and to Abide by it

Allah said,


(So pardon t hem, and ask (Allah's) forgiveness for t hem; and consult t hem in t he affairs.) The Messenger of Allah used t o ask his Companions for advice about various mat t ers, t o comfort t heir heart s, and so t hey act ively implement t he decision t hey reach. For inst ance, before t he bat t le of Badr, t he Prophet asked his Companions for if Muslims should int ercept t he caravan (led by Abu Sufyan). They said, "O Messenger of Allah! If you wish t o cross t he sea, we would follow you in it , and if you march fort h t o Barkul-Ghimad we would march wit h you. We would never say what t he Children of Israel said t o Musa, ` So go, you and your Lord, and fight you t wo, we are sit t ing right here.' Rat her, we say march fort h and we shall march fort h wit h you; and before you, and t o your right and left shall we fight .'' The Prophet also asked t hem for t heir opinion about where t hey should set up camp at Badr. Al-Mundhir bin ` Amr suggest ed t o camp close t o t he enemy, for he wished t o acquire mart yrdom. Concerning t he bat t le of Uhud, t he Messenger asked t he Companions if t hey should fort ify t hemselves in Al-Madinah or go out t o meet t he enemy, and t he maj orit y of t hem request ed t hat t hey go out t o meet t he enemy, and he did. He also t ook t heir advice on t he day of Khandaq (t he Trench) about conduct ing a peace t reat y wit h some of t he t ribes of Al-Ahzab (t he Confederat es), in ret urn for giving t hem one-t hird of t he fruit s of Al-Madinah. However, Sa` d bin ` Ubadah and Sa` d bin Mu` adh rej ect ed t his offer and t he Prophet went ahead wit h t heir advice. The Prophet also asked t hem if t hey should at t ack t he idolat ors on t he Day of Hudaybiyyah, and Abu Bakr disagreed, saying, "We did not come here t o fight anyone. Rat her, we came t o perform ` Umrah.'' The Prophet agreed. On t he day of Ifk, (i.e. t he false accusat ion), t he Messenger of Allah said t o t hem, "O Muslims! Give me your advice about some men who falsely accused my wife (` A'ishah). By Allah! I never knew of any evil t o come from my wife. And t hey accused whom They accused he from whom I only knew right eous conduct , by Allah!'' The Prophet asked ` Ali and Usamah about divorcing ` A'ishah. In summary, t he Prophet used t o t ake his Companions' advice for bat t les and ot her import ant event s. Ibn Maj ah recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Prophet said;

(The one whom advice is sought from is t o be ent rust ed) t This was recorded by Abu Dawud, At Tirmidhi, and An-Nasa'i who graded it Hasan.

Trust in Allah After Taking the Decision

Allah's st at ement ,

(Then when you have t aken a decision, put your t rust in Allah,) means, if you conduct t he required consult at ion and you t hen make a decision, t rust in Allah over your decision,

(cert ainly, Allah loves t hose who put t heir t rust (in Him)). Allah's st at ement ,

(If Allah helps you, none can overcome you; and if He forsakes you, who is t here aft er Him t hat can help you And in Allah (Alone) let believers put t heir t rust ), is similar t o His st at ement t hat we ment ioned earlier,

(And t here is no vict ory except from Allah t he Almight y, t he All-Wise) 3:126 . Allah next commands t he believers t o t rust in Him,

(And in Allah (Alone) let believers put t heir t rust ).

Treachery with the Spoils of War was not a Trait of the Prophet
Allah said,

(It is not for any Prophet t o illegally t ake a part of t he boot y,) Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid and Al-Hasan said t hat t he Ayah means, "It is not for a Prophet t o breach t he t rust .'' Ibn Jarir recorded t hat , Ibn ` Abbas said t hat , t his Ayah,


(It is not for any Prophet t o illegally t ake a part of t he boot y,) was revealed in connect ion wit h a red robe t hat was missing from t he spoils of war of Badr. Some people said t hat t he Messenger of Allah might have t aken it . When t his rumor circulat ed, Allah sent down,

(It is not for any Prophet t o illegally t ake a part of t he boot y, and whosoever is deceit ful wit h t he boot y, he shall bring fort h on t he Day of Resurrect ion t hat which he t ook.) This was also recorded by Abu Dawud and At -Tirmidhi, who said "Hasan Gharib''. This Ayah exonerat es t he Messenger of Allah of all t ypes of deceit and t reachery, be it ret urning what was ent rust ed wit h him, dividing t he spoils of war, et c. Allah t hen said,

(and whosoever is deceit ful wit h t he boot y, he shall bring fort h on t he Day of Resurrect ion t hat which he t ook. Then every person shall be paid in full what he has earned, and t hey shall not be dealt wit h unj ust ly.) This Ayah cont ains a st ern warning and t hreat against Ghulul st ealing from t he boot y , and t here are also Hadit hs, t hat prohibit such pract ice. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Malik AlAshj a` i said t hat t he Prophet said,

(The worst Ghulul (i.e. st ealing) wit h Allah is a yard of land, t hat is, when you find t wo neighbors in a land or home and one of t hem illegally acquires a yard of his neighbor's land. When he does, he will be t ied wit h it from t he seven eart hs unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion.) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Humayd As-Sa` idi said, "The Prophet appoint ed a man from t he t ribe of Al-Azd, called Ibn Al-Lut biyyah, t o collect t he Zakah. When he ret urned he said, ` This (port ion) is for you and t his has been given t o me as a gift .' The Prophet st ood on t he Minbar and said,

:
:

.(What is t he mat t er wit h a man whom we appoint t o collect Zakah, when he ret urns he said, ` This is for you and t his has been given t o me as a gift .' Why hadn't he st ayed in his fat her's or mot her's house t o see whet her he would be given present s or not By Him in Whose Hand my life is, whoever t akes anyt hing from t he resources of t he Zakah (unlawfully), he will carry it on his neck on t he Day of Resurrect ion; if it be a camel, it will be grunt ing; if a cow, it will be mooing; and if a sheep, it will be bleat ing. The Prophet t hen raised his hands t ill we saw t he whit eness of his armpit s, and he said t hrice, ` O Allah! Haven't I conveyed Your Message.')'' Hisham bin ` Urwah added t hat Abu Humayd said, "I have seen him wit h my eyes and heard him wit h my ears, and ask Zayd bin Thabit .'' This is recorded in t he Two Sahihs . In t he book of Ahkam of his Sunan, Abu ` Isa At -Tirmidhi recorded t hat Mu` adh bin Jabal said, "The Messenger of Allah sent me t o Yemen, but when I st art ed on t he j ourney, he sent for me t o come back and said,


(Do you know why I summoned you back Do not t ake anyt hing wit hout my permission, for if you do, it will be Ghulul.)

(and whosoever deceives his companions over t he boot y, he shall bring fort h on t he Day of Resurrect ion t hat which he t ook).

(This is why I summoned you, so now go and fulfill your mission.)'' At -Tirmidhi said, "This Hadit h is Hasan Gharib.'' In addit ion, Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said, "The Prophet got up among us and ment ioned Ghulul and emphasized it s magnit ude. He t hen said,

: : : : : :

 : :
(I will not like t o see anyone among you on t he Day of Resurrect ion, carrying a grunt ing camel over his neck. Such a man will say, 'O Allah's Messenger! Int ercede on my behalf,' and I will say, 'I can't int ercede for you wit h Allah, for I have conveyed (Allah's Message) t o you.' I will not like t o see any of you coming on t he Day of Resurrect ion while carrying a neighing horse over his neck. Such a man will be saying, ` O Allah's Messenger! Int ercede on my behalf,' and I will reply, 'I can't int ercede for you wit h Allah, for I have conveyed (Allah's Message) t o you.' I will not like t o see any of you coming on t he Day of Resurrect ion while carrying clot hes t hat will be flut t ering, and t he man will say, 'O Allah's Messenger! Int ercede (wit h Allah) for me, ' and I will say, 'I can't help you wit h Allah, for I have conveyed (Allah's Message) t o you.' I will not like t o see any of you coming on t he Day of Resurrect ion while carrying gold and silver on his neck. This person will say, 'O Allah's Messenger! Int ercede (wit h Allah) for me.' And I will say, 'I can't help you wit h Allah, for I have conveyed (Allah's Message) t o you.')'' This Hadit h was recorded in t he Two Sahihs . Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab said, "During t he day (bat t le) of Khaybar, several Companions of t he Messenger of Allah came t o him and said, ` So-and-so died as a mart yr, so-and-so died as a mart yr.' When t hey ment ioned a cert ain man t hat died as a mart yr, t he Messenger of Allah said,

(No. I have seen him in t he Fire because of a robe t hat he st ole (from t he boot y).) The Messenger of Allah t hen said,

:
(O Ibn Al-Khat t ab! Go and announce t o t he people t hat only t he fait hful shall ent er Paradise.) So I went out and proclaimed t hat none except t he fait hful shall ent er Paradise.'' This was recorded by Muslim and At -Tirmidhi, who said "Hasan Sahih''.

The Honest and Dishonest are Not Similar

Allah said,

(Is t hen one who follows (seeks) t he pleasure of Allah like t he one who draws on himself t he wrat h of Allah His abode is Hell, and worse indeed is t hat dest inat ion!) 3:162 , This refers t o t hose seeking what pleases Allah by obeying His legislat ion, t hus earning His pleasure and t remendous rewards, while being saved from His severe t orment . This t ype of person is not similar t o one who earns Allah's anger, has no means of escaping it and who will reside in Jahannam on t he Day of Resurrect ion, and what an evil dest inat ion it is. There are many similar st at ement s in t he Qur'an, such as,

(Shall he t hen who knows t hat what has been revealed unt o you (O Muhammad ) from your Lord is t he t rut h be like him who is blind) 13:19 , and,

(Is he whom We have promised an excellent promise (Paradise) which he will find t rue, like him whom We have made t o enj oy t he luxuries of t he life of (t his) world) 28:61 . Allah t hen said,

(They are in varying grades wit h Allah, ) 3:163 meaning, t he people of right eousness and t he people of evil are in grades, as Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Muhammad bin Ishaq said. Abu ` Ubaydah and Al-Kisa'i said t hat t his Ayah refers t o degrees, meaning t here are various degrees and dwellings in Paradise, as well as, various degrees and dwellings in t he Fire. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,


(For all t here will be degrees (or ranks) according t o what t hey did) 6:132 . Next , Allah said,

(and Allah is All-Seer of what t hey do), and He will compensat e or punish t hem, and will never rid t hem of a good deed, or increase t heir evil deeds. Rat her, each will be t reat ed according t o his deeds.

The Magnificent Blessing in the Advent of Our Prophet Muhammad

Allah t he Most High said:

(Indeed Allah conferred a great favor on t he believers when He sent among t hem a Messenger from among t hemselves,) Meaning, from t heir own kind, so t hat it is possible for t hem t o speak wit h him, ask him quest ions, associat e wit h him, and benefit from him. Just as Allah said:

(And among His signs is t hat he creat ed for t hem mat es, t hat t hey may find rest in.) Meaning; of t heir own kind. And Allah said;

(Say: "I am only a man like you. It has been revealed t o me t hat your God is One God'') 18:110 .


(And We never sent before you any of t he Messengers but verily, t hey at e food and walked in t he market s) 25:20 .

(And We sent not before you any but men unt o whom We revealed, from among t he people of t ownships) 12:109 , and,

(O you assembly of Jinn and mankind! "Did not t here come t o you Messengers from among you...'') 6:130 . Allah's favor is perfect ed when His Messenger t o t he people is from t heir own kind, so t hat t hey are able t o t alk t o him and inquire about t he meanings of Allah's Word. This is why Allah said,

(recit ing unt o t hem His verses) 3:164 , t he Qur'an,

(and purifying t hem), commanding t hem t o do right eous works and forbidding t hem from commit t ing evil. This is how t heir heart s will be purified and cleansed of t he sin and evil t hat used t o fill t hem when t hey were disbelievers and ignorant .

(and inst ruct ing t hem (in) t he Book and t he Hikmah,) t he Qur'an and t he Sunnah,

(while before t hat t hey had been), before sending t his Prophet , Muhammad ,

(in manifest error. ) indulging in plain and unequivocal error and ignorance t hat are clear t o everyone.

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t (165. (What is t he mat t er wit h you) When a single disast er smit es you, alt hough you smot e (your enemies) wit h one t wice as great , you say: "From where does t his come t o us'' Say, "It is from yourselves.'' And Allah has power over all t hings.) (166. And what you suffered on t he day t he t wo armies met , was by t he leave of Allah, in order t hat He might t est t he believers). (167. And t hat He might t est t he hypocrit es, it was said t o t hem: "Come, fight in t he way of Allah or defend yourselves.'' They said: "Had we known t hat fight ing will t ake place, we would cert ainly have followed you.'' They were t hat day, nearer t o disbelief t han t o fait h, saying wit h t heir mout hs what was not in t heir heart s. And Allah has full knowledge of what t hey conceal.) (168. (They are) t he ones who said about t heir killed bret hren while t hey t hemselves sat (at home): "If only t hey had list ened t o us, t hey would not have been killed.'' Say: "Avert deat h from your own selves, if you speak t he t rut h.'')

The Reason and Wisdom Behind the Defeat at Uhud

Allah said,

(When a single disast er smit es you), in reference t o when t he Muslims suffered sevent y fat alit ies during t he bat t le of Uhud,

(alt hough you smot e (your enemies) wit h one t wice as great ,) during Badr, when t he Muslims killed sevent y Mushriks and capt ured sevent y ot hers,

(you say: "From where does t his come t o us'') why did t his defeat happen t o us

(Say, "It is from yourselves.'') Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab said, "When Uhud occurred, a year aft er Badr, Muslims were punished for t aking ransom from t he disbelievers at Badr in ret urn for releasing t he Mushriks whom t hey capt ured in t hat bat t le . Thus, t hey suffered t he loss of sevent y fat alit ies and t he Companions of t he Messenger of Allah gave flight and abandoned him. The Messenger suffered a broken t oot h, t he helmet was smashed on his head and blood flowed ont o his face. Allah t hen revealed,

(When a single disast er smit es you, alt hough you smot e (your enemies) wit h one t wice as great , you say: "From where does t his come t o us'' Say, "It is from yourselves''.), because you t ook t he ransom.'' Furt hermore, Muhammad bin Ishaq, Ibn Jurayj , Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and As-Suddi said t hat t he Ayah,

(Say, "It is from yourselves.'') means, because you, t he archers, disobeyed t he Messenger's command t o not abandon your posit ions.


(And Allah has power over all t hings.) and He does what He wills and decides what He wills, and t here is none who can resist His decision. Allah t hen said,

(And what you suffered on t he day t he t wo armies met , was by t he leave of Allah), for when you ran away from your enemy, who killed many of you and inj ured many ot hers, all t his occurred by Allah's will and decree out of His perfect wisdom,

(in order t hat He might t est t he believers.) who were pat ient , firm and were not shaken,

(And t hat He might t est t he hypocrit es, it was said t o t hem: "Come, fight in t he way of Allah or defend yourselves.'' They said: "Had we known t hat fight ing will t ake place, we would cert ainly have followed you.'') 3:167 , This refers t o t he Companions of ` Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul who went back (t o Al-Madinah) wit h him before t he bat t le. Some believers followed t hem and encouraged t hem t o come back and fight , saying,

(or defend), so t hat t he number of Muslims increases, as Ibn ` Abbas, ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Ad-Dahhak, Abu Salih, Al-Hasan and As-Suddi st at ed. Al-Hasan bin Salih said t hat t his part of t he Ayah means, help by supplicat ing for us, while ot hers said it means, man t he post s. However, t hey refused, saying,

("Had we known t hat fight ing will t ake place, we would cert ainly have followed you.'') meaning, according t o Muj ahid, if we knew t hat you would fight t oday, we would j oin you, but we t hink you will not fight . Allah said,

(They were t hat day, nearer t o disbelief t han t o fait h,) This Ayah indicat es t hat a person passes t hrough various st ages, somet imes being closer t o Kufr and somet imes closer t o fait h, as evident by,

(They were t hat day, nearer t o disbelief t han t o fait h,) Allah t hen said,

(saying wit h t heir mout hs what was not in t heir heart s.) for t hey ut t er what t hey do not t ruly believe in, such as,

("Had we known t hat fight ing will t ake place, we would cert ainly have followed you.'') They knew t hat t here was an army of idolat ors t hat came from a far land raging against t he Muslims, t o avenge t heir noble men whom t he Muslims killed in Badr. These idolat ors came in larger numbers t han t he Muslims, so it was clear t hat a bat t le will cert ainly occur. Allah said;

(And Allah has full knowledge of what t hey conceal.)

((They are) t he ones who said about t heir killed bret hren while t hey t hemselves sat (at home): "If only t hey had list ened t o us, t hey would not have been killed.'') had t hey list ened t o our advice and not gone out , t hey would not have met t heir demise. Allah said,

(Say: "Avert deat h from your own selves, if you speak t he t rut h.'') meaning, if st aying at home saves one from being killed or from deat h, t hen you should not die. However deat h will come t o you even if you were hiding in fort ified cast les. Therefore, fend deat h off of yourselves, if you are right . Muj ahid said t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah said, "This Ayah 3:168 was revealed about ` Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul (t he chief hypocrit e).''

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(169. Think not of t hose as dead who are killed in t he way of Allah. Nay, t hey are alive, wit h t heir Lord, and t hey have provision.) (170. They rej oice in what Allah has best owed upon t hem of His bount y and rej oice for t he sake of t hose who have not yet j oined t hem, but are left behind (not yet mart yred) t hat on t hem no fear shall come, nor shall t hey grieve.) (171. They rej oice in a grace and a bount y from Allah, and t hat Allah will not wast e t he reward of t he believers.) (172. Those who answered (t he Call of) Allah and t he Messenger aft er being wounded; for t hose of t hem who did good deeds and feared Allah, t here is a great reward.) (173. Those t o whom t he people said, "Verily, t he people have gat hered against you, t herefore, fear t hem.'' But it (only) increased t hem in fait h, and t hey said: "Allah is Sufficient for us, and He is t he Best Disposer of affairs.'') (174. So t hey ret urned wit h grace and bount y from Allah. No harm t ouched t hem; and t hey followed t he pleasure of Allah. And Allah is t he Owner of great bount y.) (175. It is only Shayt an t hat suggest s t o you t he fear of his friends; so fear t hem not , but fear Me, if you are indeed believers.)

Virtues of the Martyrs

Allah st at es t hat even t hough t he mart yrs were killed in t his life, t heir souls are alive and receiving provisions in t he Dwelling of Everlast ing Life. In his Sahih, Muslim recorded t hat Masruq said, "We asked ` Abdullah about t his Ayah,

(Think not of t hose as dead who are killed in t he way of Allah. Nay, t hey are alive, wit h t heir Lord, and t hey have provision.) He said, ` We asked t he Messenger of Allah t he same quest ion and he said,

: :

 :
(Their souls are inside green birds t hat have lamps, which are hanging below t he Throne (of Allah), and t hey wander about in Paradise wherever t hey wish. Then t hey ret urn t o t hose lamps. Allah looks at t hem and says, ` Do you wish for anyt hing' They say, ` What more could we wish for, while we go wherever we wish in Paradise' Allah asked t hem t his quest ion t hrice, and when t hey realize t hat He will keep asking t hem unt il t hey give an answer, t hey say, ` O Lord! We wish t hat our souls be ret urned t o our bodies so t hat we are killed in Your cause again.' Allah knew t hat t hey did not have any ot her wish, so t hey were left .)''' There are several ot her similar narrat ions from Anas and Abu Sa` id. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Anas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(No soul t hat has a good st anding wit h Allah and dies would wish t o go back t o t he life of t his world, except for t he mart yr. He would like t o be ret urned t o t his life so t hat he could be mart yred again, for he t ast es t he honor achieved from mart yrdom.) Muslim collect ed t his Hadit h In addit ion, Imam Ahmad recorded t hat , Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

 : :
(When your brot hers were killed in Uhud, Allah placed t heir souls inside green birds t hat t end t o t he rivers of Paradise and eat from it s fruit s. They t hen ret urn t o golden lamps hanging in t he shade of t he Throne. When t hey t ast ed t he delight of t heir food, drink and dwelling, t hey said, ` We wish t hat our brot hers knew what Allah gave us so t hat t hey will not abandon Jihad or warfare.' Allah said, ` I will convey t he news for you.') Allah revealed t hese and t he following Ayat ,

(Think not of t hose as dead who are killed in t he way of Allah. Nay, t hey are alive, wit h t heir Lord, and t hey have provision.) Qat adah, Ar-Rabi` and Ad-Dahhak said t hat t hese Ayat were revealed about t he mart yrs of Uhud. Abu Bakr Ibn Marduwyah recorded t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah said, "The Messenger of Allah looked at me one day and said, ` O Jabir! Why do I see you sad' I said, ` O Messenger of Allah! My fat her was mart yred and left behind debt s and children.' He said,

: :

 : . : : : . :
(Should I t ell you t hat Allah never spoke t o anyone except from behind a veil However, He spoke t o your fat her direct ly. He said, ` Ask Me and I will give you.' He said, ` I ask t hat I am ret urned t o life so t hat I am killed in Your cause again.' The Lord, Exalt ed He be, said, ` I have spoken t he word t hat t hey shall not be ret urned back t o it (t his life). ' He said, ` O Lord! Then convey t he news t o t hose I left behind.') Allah revealed,

(Think not of t hose as dead who are killed in t he way of Allah...)'' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The mart yrs convene at t he shore of a river close t o t he door of Paradise, in a green t ent , where t heir provisions are brought t o t hem from Paradise day and night .) Ahmad and Ibn Jarir collect ed t his Hadit h, which has a good chain of narrat ion. It appears t hat t he mart yrs are of different t ypes, some of t hem wander in Paradise, and some remain close t o t his river by t he door of Paradise. It is also possible t hat t he river is where all t he souls of t he mart yrs convene and where t hey are provided wit h t heir provision day and night , and Allah knows best . UImam Ahmad narrat ed a Hadit h t hat cont ains good news for every believer t hat his soul will be wandering in Paradise, as well, eat ing from it s fruit s, enj oying it s delight s and happiness and t ast ing t he honor t hat Allah has prepared in it for him. This Hadit h has a unique, aut hent ic chain of narrat ion t hat includes t hree of t he Four Imams. Imam Ahmad narrat ed t his Hadit h from Muhammad bin Idris Ash-Shafi` i who narrat ed it from Malik bin Anas Al-Asbuhi, from Az-Zuhri, from ` Abdur-Rahman bin Ka` b bin Malik t hat his fat her said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(The soul of t he believer becomes a bird t hat feeds on t he t rees of Paradise, unt il Allah sends him back t o his body when He resurrect s him.) This Hadit h st at es t hat t he souls of t he believers are in t he shape of a bird in Paradise. As for t he souls of mart yrs, t hey are inside green birds, like t he st ars t o t he rest of t he believing souls. We ask Allah t he Most Generous t hat He makes us firm on t he fait h. Allah's st at ement ,

(They rej oice in what Allah has best owed upon t hem) indicat es t hat t he mart yrs who were killed in Allah's cause are alive wit h Allah, delight ed because of t he bount y and happiness t hey are enj oying. They are also await ing t heir bret hren, who will die in Allah's cause aft er t hem, for t hey will be meet ing t hem soon. These mart yrs do not have fear about t he fut ure or sorrow for what t hey left behind. We ask Allah t o grant us Paradise. The Two Sahihs record from Anas, t he st ory of t he sevent y Ansar Companions who were murdered at Bir Ma` unah in one night . In t his Hadit h, Anas report ed t hat t he Prophet used t o supplicat e t o Allah in Qunut in prayer against t hose who killed t hem. Anas said, "A part of t he Qur'an was revealed about t hem, but was lat er abrogat ed, ` Convey t o our people t hat we met Allah and He was pleased wit h us and made us pleased.''' Allah said next ,

(They rej oice in a grace and a bount y from Allah, and t hat Allah will not wast e t he reward of t he believers) 3:171 . Muhammad bin Ishaq comment ed, "They were delight ed and pleased because of Allah's promise t hat was fulfilled for t hem, and for t he t remendous rewards t hey earned.'' ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "This Ayah encompasses all t he believers, mart yrs and ot herwise. Rarely does Allah ment ion a bount y and a reward t hat He grant ed t o t he Prophet s, wit hout following t hat wit h what He has grant ed t he believers aft er t hem.''

The Battle of Hamra' Al-Asad

Allah said,


(Those who answered (t he Call of) Allah and t he Messenger aft er being wounded) 3:172 . This occurred on t he day of Hamra' Al-Asad. Af t er t he idolat ors defeat ed t he Muslims (at Uhud), t hey st art ed on t heir way back home, but soon t hey were concerned because t hey did not finish off t he Muslims in Al-Madinah, so t hey set out t o make t hat bat t le t he final one. When t he Messenger of Allah got news of t his, he commanded t he Muslims t o march t o meet t he disbelievers, t o bring fear t o t heir heart s and t o demonst rat e t hat t he Muslims st ill had st rengt h t o fight . The Prophet only allowed t hose who were present during Uhud t o accompany him, except for Jabir bin ` Abdullah Al-Ansari, as we will ment ion. The Muslims mobilized, even t hough t hey were st ill suffering from t heir inj uries, in obedience t o Allah and His Messenger . Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat ` Ikrimah said, "When t he idolat ors ret urned t owards Makkah aft er Uhud, t hey said, ` You neit her killed Muhammad nor collect ed female capt ives. Woe t o you for what you did. Let us go back.' When t he Messenger of Allah heard t his news, he mobilized t he Muslim forces, and t hey marched unt il t hey reached Hamra Al-Asad. The idolat ors said, ` Rat her, we will meet next year', and t he Messenger of Allah went back t o AlMadinah , and t his was considered a Ghazwah (bat t le). Allah sent down,

(Those who answered (t he Call of) Allah and t he Messenger aft er being wounded; for t hose of t hem who did good deeds and feared Allah, t here is a great reward.) Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` A'ishah said t o ` Urwah about t he Ayah;

(Those who answered (t he Call of) Allah and t he Messenger) "My nephew! Your fat hers Az-Zubayr and Abu Bakr were among t hem. Aft er t he Prophet suffered t he calamit y at Uhud and t he idolat ors went back, he feared t hat t he idolat ors might t ry t o come back and he said, ` Who would follow t hem' Sevent y men, including Az-Zubayr and Abu Bakr, volunt eered.'' This was recorded by Al-Bukhari alone. As for Allah's st at ement ,


(Those unt o whom t he people said, "Verily, t he people have gat hered against you, t herefore, fear t hem.'' But it (only) increased t hem in fait h) 3:173 , it means, t hose who t hreat ened t he people, saying t hat t he disbelievers have amassed against t hem, in order t o inst ill fear in t hem, but t his did not worry t hem, rat her, t hey t rust ed in Allah and sought His help,

(and t hey said: "Allah is Sufficient for us, and He is t he Best Disposer of affairs.'') Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said,

("Allah Alone is Sufficient for us and He is t he Best Disposer of affairs for us.'') "Ibrahim said it when he was t hrown in fire. Muhammad said it when t he people said, ` Verily, t he people have gat hered against you, t herefore, fear t hem.' But it only increased t hem in fait h, and t hey said, ` Allah is Sufficient for us and He is t he Best Disposer of affairs for us.''' Abu Bakr Ibn Marduwyah recorded t hat Anas bin Malik said t hat t he Prophet was t old on t he day of Uhud, "Verily, t he people have gat hered against you, t herefore, fear t hem.'' Thereaft er, Allah sent down t his Ayah 3:173 . This is why Allah said,

(So t hey ret urned wit h grace and bount y from Allah. No harm t ouched t hem;) for when t hey relied on Allah, Allah t ook care of t heir worries, He confounded t he plot s of t heir enemies, and t he Muslims ret urned t o t heir land,

(wit h grace and bount y from Allah. No harm t ouched t hem;) safe from t he wicked plot s of t heir enemies,


(and t hey followed t he pleasure of Allah. And Allah is t he Owner of great bount y.) Al-Bayhaqi recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about Allah's st at ement ,

(So t hey ret urned wit h grace and bount y from Allah,) "The ` Grace' was t hat t hey were saved. The ` Bount y' was t hat a caravan passed by, and t hose days were Haj j season days. Thus t he Messenger of Allah bought and sold and made a profit , which he divided bet ween his Companions.'' Allah t hen said,

(It is only Shayt an t hat suggest s t o you t he fear of his friends,) 3:175 meaning, Shayt an t hreat ens you wit h his friends and t ries t o pret end t hey are powerful and fearsome. Allah said next ,

(so fear t hem not , but fear Me, if you are indeed believers.) meaning, "If Shayt an brings t hese t hought s t o you, t hen depend on Me and seek refuge wit h Me. Indeed, I shall suffice you and make you prevail over t hem.'' Similarly, Allah said,

(Is not Allah Sufficient for His servant Yet t hey t ry t o fright en you wit h t hose besides Him!) 39: 36 , unt il,

(Say: "Sufficient for me is Allah; in Him t hose who t rust must put t heir t rust .'') 39:38 . Allah said,


(So fight you against t he friends of Shayt an; ever feeble indeed is t he plot of Shayt an.) 4:76 and

(They are t he part y of Shayt an. Verily, it is t he part y of Shayt an t hat will be t he losers!) 58:19 ,

(Allah has decreed: "Verily, it is I and My Messengers who shall be t he vict orious.'' Verily, Allah is All-Powerful, All-Might y.) 58:21 and

(Verily, Allah will help t hose who help His (cause).) 22:40 and

(O you who believe! If you help (in t he cause of) Allah, He will help you) 47:7 , and,

(Verily, We will indeed make vict orious Our Messengers and t hose who believe, in t his world's life and on t he Day when t he wit nesses will st and fort h. The Day when t heir excuses will be of no profit t o wrongdoers. Theirs will be t he curse, and t heirs will be t he evil abode.) 40:51,52

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(176. And let not t hose grieve you who rush wit h hast e t o disbelieve; verily, not t he least harm will t hey do t o Allah. It is Allah's will t o give t hem no port ion in t he Hereaft er. For t hem t here is a great t orment .) (177. Verily, t hose who purchase disbelief at t he price of fait h, not t he least harm will t hey do t o Allah. For t hem, t here is a painful t orment .) (178. And let not t he disbelievers t hink t hat Our post poning t heir punishment is good for t hem. We post pone t he punishment only so t hat t hey may increase in sinfulness. And for t hem is a disgraceful t orment .) (179. Allah will not leave t he believers in t he st at e in which you are now, unt il He dist inguishes t he wicked from t he good. Nor will Allah disclose t o you t he secret s of t he Unseen, but Allah chooses of His Messengers whom He wills. So believe in Allah and His Messengers. And if you believe and have Taqwa of Allah, t hen for you t here is a great reward.) (180. And let not t hose who are st ingy wit h t hat which Allah has best owed on t hem of His bount y t hink t hat it is good for t hem. Nay, it will be worse for t hem; t he t hings t hat t hey were st ingy wit h shall be t ied t o t heir necks like a collar on t he Day of Resurrect ion. And Allah's is t he inherit ance of t he heavens and t he eart h; and Allah is Well-Acquaint ed wit h all t hat you do.)

Comforting the Messenger of Allah

Allah said t o His Prophet ,

(And let not t hose grieve you who rush wit h hast e t o disbelieve) 3:176 . Because t he Prophet was eager for people's benefit , he would become sad when t he disbelievers would resort t o defiance, rebellion and st ubbornness. Allah said, ` Do not be saddened by t his behavior,'

(verily, not t he least harm will t hey do t o Allah. It is Allah's will t o give t hem no port ion in t he Hereaft er.) for He decided wit h His power and wisdom t hat t hey shall not acquire any share in t he Hereaft er,

(For t hem t here is a great t orment .) Allah said about t he disbelievers,


(Verily, t hose who purchase disbelief at t he price of fait h,) by exchanging disbelief for fait h,

(not t he least harm will t hey do t o Allah.) Rat her, t hey will only harm t hemselves,

(For t hem, t here is a painful t orment .) Allah said next ,

(And let not t he disbelievers t hink t hat Our post poning t heir punishment is good for t hem. We post pone t he punishment only so t hat t hey may increase in sinfulness. And for t hem is a disgraceful t orment ) 3:178 . This st at ement is similar t o Allah's ot her st at ement s,

-
(Do t hey t hink t hat because We have given t hem abundant wealt h and children, hast en unt o t hem wit h good t hings. Nay, but t hey perceive not .) 23:55,56 and t hat We

(Then leave Me Alone wit h such as belie t his Qur'an. We shall punish t hem gradually from direct ions t hey perceive not .) 68:44 , and,

(And let not t heir wealt h or t heir children amaze you. Allah's plan is t o punish t hem wit h t hese t hings in t his world, and t hat t heir souls shall depart (die) while t hey are disbelievers) 9:85 . Allah t hen said,

(Allah will not leave t he believers in t he st at e in which you are now, unt il He dist inguishes t he wicked from t he good.) 3:179 , meaning, He allows a calamit y t o happen, and during t his calamit y His friend becomes known and His enemy exposed, t he pat ient believer recognized and t he sinful hypocrit e revealed. This Ayah refers t o Uhud, since Allah t est ed t he believers in t hat bat t le, t hus making known t he fait h, endurance, pat ience, firmness and obedience t o Allah and His Messenger t hat t he believers had. Allah exposed t he hypocrit es in t heir defiance, revert ing from Jihad, and t he t reachery t hey commit t ed against Allah and His Messenger . This is why Allah said,

(Allah will not leave t he believers in t he st at e in which you are now, unt il He dist inguishes t he wicked from t he good.) Muj ahid comment ed, "He dist inguished bet ween t hem during t he day of Uhud.'' Qat adah said, "He dist inguished bet ween t hem in Jihad and Hij rah.'' Allah said next ,

(Nor will Allah disclose t o you t he secret s of t he Unseen.) meaning, you do not have access t o Allah's knowledge of His creat ion so t hat you can dist inguish bet ween t he believer and t he hypocrit e, except by t he signs of each t ype t hat Allah uncovers. Allah's st at ement ,

(but Allah chooses of His Messengers whom He wills.) is similar t o anot her Ayah,

-
((He Alone is) t he All-Knower of t he Unseen, and He reveals t o none His Unseen. Except t o a Messenger (from mankind) whom He has chosen, and t hen He makes a band of wat ching guards (angels) t o march before him and behind him.) 72:26,27 . Allah t hen said,

(So believe in Allah and His Messengers.) Obey Allah and His Messenger and adhere t o t he law t hat he legislat ed for you,

(and if you believe and fear Allah, t hen for you t here is a great reward.)

The Censure of Selfishness, and Warning Against it

Allah said,

( And let not t hose who are st ingy wit h t hat which Allah has best owed on t hem of His bount y (wealt h) t hink t hat it is good for t hem. Nay, it will be worse for t hem.) 3:180

Therefore, t he Ayah says t hat t he miser should not t hink t hat collect ing money will benefit him. Rat her, it will harm him in his religion and worldly affairs. Allah ment ions t he money t hat t he miser collect ed on t he Day of Resurrect ion,

(t he t hings t hat t hey st ingy wit h shall be t ied t o t heir necks like a collar on t he Day of Resurrect ion.) Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(Whoever Allah makes wealt hy and he does not pay t he Zakah due on his wealt h, t hen (on t he Day of Resurrect ion) his wealt h will be made in t he likeness of a bald-headed poisonous male snake wit h t wo black spot s over t he eyes. The snake will encircle his neck and bit e his cheeks and proclaim, ` I am your wealt h, I am your t reasure.') The Prophet t hen recit ed t he Ayah,

( And let not t hose who are st ingy wit h t hat which Allah has best owed on t hem of His bount y t hink t hat it is good for t hem. Nay, it will be worse for t hem), unt il t he end. Al-Bukhari, but not Muslim, collect ed t his Hadit h using t his chain of narrat ion, Ibn Hibban also collect ed it in his Sahih. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdullah said t hat t he Prophet said,

 :
(Every person who does not pay t he Zakah due on his wealt h, will have his money made int o t he shape of a bald-headed, poisonous male snake who will follow him. The person will run away from t he snake, who will follow him and proclaim, ` I am your t reasure.') ` Abdullah t hen recit ed t he Ayah in Allah's Book t hat t est ifies t o t his fact ,

(t he t hings t hat t hey were st ingy wit h shall be t ied t o t heir necks like a collar on t he Day of Resurrect ion.) This was recorded by At -Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i, and Ibn Maj ah, and At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(And t o Allah belongs t he inherit ance of t he heavens and t he Eart h), means,

(and spend of t hat whereof He has made you t rust ees) 57: 7 . Therefore, since all affairs are under Allah's cont rol, t hen spend from your money so it will benefit you on t he Day of Ret urn,

(and Allah is Well-Acquaint ed wit h all t hat you do.) wit h your int ent ions and what your heart s conceal.

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(181. Indeed, Allah has heard t he st at ement of t hose who say: "Truly, Allah is poor and we are rich!'' We shall record what t hey have said and t heir killing of t he Prophet s unj ust ly, and We shall say: "Tast e you t he t orment of t he burning (Fire).'') (182. This is because of t hat which your hands have sent before you. And cert ainly, Allah is never unj ust t o (His) servant s.) (183. Those who said: "Verily, Allah has t aken our promise not t o believe in any Messenger unless he brings t o us an offering which t he fire (from heaven) shall devour. '' Say: "Verily, t here came t o you Messengers before me, wit h Al-Bayinat and even wit h wit h what you speak of; why t hen did you kill t hem, if you are t rut hful'') (184. Then if t hey rej ect you, so were Messengers rej ect ed before you, who came wit h Al-Bayinat and t he Script ures and t he Book of Enlight enment .)

Allah Warns the Idolators

Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "When Allah's st at ement ,


(Who is he t hat will lend t o Allah a goodly loan so t hat He may mult iply it t o him many t imes) 2:245 was revealed, t he Jews said, ` O Muhammad! Has your Lord become poor so t hat He asks His servant s t o give Him a loan' Allah sent down,

(Indeed, Allah has heard t he st at ement of t hose (Jews) who say: "Truly, Allah is poor and we are rich!'') 3:181 .'' This Hadit h was collect ed by Ibn Marduwyah and Ibn Abi Hat im. Allah's st at ement ,

(We shall record what t hey have said) cont ains a t hreat and a warning t hat Allah followed wit h His st at ement ,

(and t heir killing of t he Prophet s unj ust ly,) This is what t hey say about Allah and t his is how t hey t reat His Messengers. Allah will punish t hem for t hese deeds in t he worst manner,

(and We shall say: "Tast e you t he t orment of t he burning (Fire).'' This is because of t hat which your hands have sent before you. And cert ainly, Allah is never unj ust t o (His) servant s.) They will be addressed like t his as a way of chast ising, crit icism, disgrace and humiliat ion. Allah said,

(Those (Jews) who said: "Verily, Allah has t aken our promise not t o believe in any Messenger unless he brings t o us an offering which t he fire (from heaven) shall devour.'') Allah refut ed t heir claim t hat in t heir Books, Allah t ook a covenant from t hem t o only believe in t he Messenger whose miracles include fire coming down from t he sky t hat consumes t he charit y offered by a member of t he Messenger's nat ion, as Ibn ` Abbas and Al-Hasan st at ed. Allah replied,

(Say: "Verily, t here came t o you Messengers before me, wit h Al-Bayinat ...'') wit h proofs and evidence,

(and even wit h what you speak of) a fire t hat consumes t he accept ed charit y, as you asked,

(why t hen did you kill t hem) Why did you meet t hese Prophet s wit h denial, defiance, st ubbornness and even murder,

(if you are t rut hful), if you follow t he t rut h and obey t he Messengers. Allah t hen comfort s His Prophet Muhammad ,


(Then if t hey rej ect you, so were Messengers rej ect ed before you, who came wit h Al-Baiyyinat and t he Script ure, and t he Book of Enlight enment .) meaning, do not be sad because t hey deny you, for you have an example in t he Messengers who came before you. These Messengers were rej ect ed alt hough t hey brought clear proofs, plain evidence and unequivocal signs,

(and t he Zubur), t he divinely revealed Books t hat were sent down t o t he Messengers,

(and t he Book of Enlight enment ) meaning t he clarificat ion and best explanat ion.

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(185. Everyone shall t ast e deat h. And only on t he Day of Resurrect ion shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is moved away from t he Fire and admit t ed t o Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of t his world is only t he enj oyment of decept ion.) (186. You shall cert ainly be t ried and t est ed in your wealt h and propert ies and in yourselves, and you shall cert ainly hear much t hat will grieve you from t hose who received t he Script ure before you (Jews and Christ ians) and from t hose who ascribe part ners t o Allah; but if you persevere pat ient ly, and have Taqwa, t hen verily, t hat will be a det ermining fact or in all affairs.)

Every Soul Shall Taste Death

Allah issues a general and encompassing st at ement t hat every living soul shall t ast e deat h. In anot her st at ement , Allah said,

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(What soever is on it (t he eart h) will perish. And t he Face of your Lord full of maj est y and honor will remain forever) 55:26,27 . Therefore, Allah Alone is t he Ever-Living Who never dies, while t he Jinn, mankind and angels, including t hose who carry Allah's Throne, shall die. The Irresist ible One and Only, will alone remain for ever and ever, remaining Last , as He was t he First . This Ayah comfort s all creat ion, since every soul t hat exist s on t he eart h shall die. When t he t erm of t his life comes t o an end and t he sons of Adam no longer have any new generat ions, and t hus t his world ends, Allah will command t hat t he Day of Resurrect ion commence. Allah will t hen recompense t he creat ion for t heir deeds, whet her minor or maj or, many or few, big or small. Surely, Allah will not deal unj ust ly wit h anyone, even t he weight of an at om, and t his is why He said,

(And only on t he Day of Resurrect ion shall you be paid your wages in full) 3:185 .

Who Shall Gain Ultimate Victory

Allah said,

(And whoever is moved away from t he Fire and admit t ed t o Paradise, he indeed is successful.) meaning, whoever is kept away from t he Fire, saved from it and ent ered int o Paradise, will have achieved t he ult imat e success. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(A place in Paradise as small as t hat which is occupied by a whip is bet t er t han t he world and what ever is on it s surface. Read if you will),

(And whoever is removed away from t he Fire and admit t ed t o Paradise, he indeed is successful). This was collect ed in t he Two Sahihs, but using anot her chain of narrat ion and wit hout t he addit ion (t he Ayah.) Abu Hat im Ibn Hibban recorded it in his Sahih wit hout t he addit ion as did Al-Hakim in his Must adrak. Allah said,

(The life of t his world is only t he enj oyment of decept ion. ) belit t ling t he value of t his life and degrading it s import ance. This life is short , lit t le and finit e, j ust as Allah said,

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(Nay, you prefer t he life of t his world. Alt hough t he Hereaft er is bet t er and more last ing.) 87:16,17 , and,

(And what ever you have been given is an enj oyment of t he life of (t his) world and it s adornment , and t hat (Hereaft er) which is wit h Allah is bet t er and will remain forever) 28:60 . A Hadit h st at es,

(By Allah! This life, compared t o t he Hereaft er, is j ust as insignificant as when one of you dips his finger in t he sea; let him cont emplat e what his finger will come back wit h.) Qat adah comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,


(The life of t his world is only t he enj oyment of decept ion.) "Life is a delight . By Allah, ot her t han Whom t here is no deit y, it will soon fade away from it s people. Therefore, t ake obedience t o Allah from t his delight , if you can. Verily, t here is no power except from Allah.''

The Believer is Tested and Hears Grieving Statements from the Enemy
Allah said,

(You shall cert ainly be t ried and t est ed in your wealt h and propert ies and in yourselves), j ust as He said in anot her Ayah,

(And cert ainly, We shall t est you wit h somet hing of fear, hunger, loss of wealt h, lives and fruit s) 2:155 . Therefore, t he believer shall be t est ed, in his wealt h, himself, his offspring and family. The believer shall be t est ed according t o t he degree of his fait h, and when his fait h is st ronger, t he t est is larger.

(and you shall cert ainly hear much t hat will grieve you from t hose who received t he Script ure before you (Jews and Christ ians) and from t hose who ascribe part ners t o Allah) 3:186 . Allah said t o t he believers upon t heir arrival at Al-Madinah, before Badr, while comfort ing t hem against t he harm t hey suffered from t he People of t he Script ures and t he polyt heist s;

(but if you persevere pat ient ly, and have Taqwa, t hen verily, t hat will be a det ermining fact or in all affairs.) Therefore, Allah commanded t he believers t o be forgiving, pat ient and forbearing unt il He brought His await ed aid. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Usamah bin Zayd said t hat Allah's Messenger rode a donkey wit h a saddle covered by a velvet sheet and let Usamah ride behind him (on t he donkey). The Prophet want ed t o visit Sa` d bin ` Ubadah in Bani Al-Harit h bin Al-Khazraj , and t his occurred before t he bat t le of Badr. The Prophet passed by a gat hering in which ` Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul was sit t ing, before ` Abdullah bin Ubayy became Muslim. That gat hering was made up of various Muslims as well as Mushriks, who worshipped t he idols, and some Jews. ` Abdullah bin Rawahah was sit t ing in t hat gat hering. When t he Prophet reached ` Abdullah bin Ubayy, t he donkey caused some sand t o fall on t he group. Then, ` Abdullah bin Ubayy covered his nose wit h his robe and said, ` Do not fill us wit h sand.' The Messenger of Allah greet ed t he gat hering wit h Salam, called t hem t o Allah and recit ed some of t he Qur'an t o t hem. ` Abdullah bin Ubayy said, ` O fellow! No ot her speech is bet t er t han what you said, if it was t rue! However, do not bot her us in our gat herings. Go back t o your place and whoever came t o you, narrat e your st ories t o him.' ` Abdullah bin Rawahah said, ` Rat her, O Messenger of Allah! At t end our gat herings for we like t hat .' The Muslims, Mushriks and Jews t hen cursed each ot her, and t hey almost fought wit h each ot her. The Prophet t ried t o calm t hem down, unt il t hey finally set t led. The Prophet rode his donkey and went t o Sa` d bin ` Ubadah, saying, ` O Sa` d! Have you heard what Abu Hubbab said (meaning ` Abdullah bin Ubayy) He said such and such t hings. ' Sa` d said, ` O Messenger of Allah! Forgive and pardon him. By Allah, Who sent down t he Book t o you, Allah brought us t he t rut h t hat you came wit h at a t ime when t he people of t his cit y almost appoint ed him king. When Allah changed all t hat wit h t he t rut h t hat He gave you, he choked on it , and t his is t he reason behind t he behavior you saw from him.' The Messenger of Allah forgave him. Indeed, t he Messenger of Allah and his Companions used t o forgive t he Mushriks and t he People of t he Script ures, j ust as Allah commanded t hem, and t hey used t o t olerat e t he harm t hat t hey suffered. Allah said,

(and you shall cert ainly hear much t hat will grieve you from t hose who received t he Script ure before you (Jews and Christ ians) and from t hose who ascribe part ners t o Allah;) 3:186 , and,

(Many of t he People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) wish t hat t hey could t urn you away as disbelievers aft er you have believed, out of envy from t heir own selves, even aft er t he t rut h has become manifest unt o t hem. But forgive and overlook, t ill Allah brings His command) 2:109 . The Prophet used t o implement t he pardon t hat Allah commanded him unt il He gave His command (t o fight t he disbelievers). When t he Messenger fought at Badr, and Allah killed, by his hand, t he leaders of t he disbelievers from Quraysh, ` Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul and t he Mushriks and idol worshippers who were wit h him said, ` This mat t er has prevailed,' and t hey gave t heir pledge t o t he Prophet and became Muslims.'' Therefore, every person who st ands for t rut h, enj oins right eousness and forbids evil, will be harmed in some manner. In such cases, t here is no cure bet t er t han being pat ient in Allah's cause, t rust ing in Him and ret urning t o Him.

(187. (And remember) when Allah t ook a covenant from t hose who were given t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) t o make it (t he t rut h) known and clear t o mankind, and not t o hide it , but t hey t hrew it away behind t heir backs, and purchased wit h it some miserable gain! And indeed worst is t hat which t hey bought .) (188. Think not t hat t hose who rej oice in what t hey have done (or brought about ), and love t o be praised for what t hey have not done, t hink not t hat t hey are rescued from t he t orment , and for t hem is a painful t orment .) (189. And t o Allah belongs t he dominion of t he heavens and t he eart h, and Allah has power over all t hings.)

Chastising the People of the Scriptures for Breaking the Covenant and Hiding the Truth

In t his Ayah, Allah chast ises t he People of t he Script ures, from whom Allah t ook t he covenant by t he words of t heir Prophet s, t hat t hey would believe in Muhammad and describe him t o t he people, so t hat t hey would recognize and follow him when Allah sent him. However, t hey hid t his t rut h and preferred t he t he small amount s and t he mat erial gains inst ead of t he rewards of t his life and t he Hereaft er t hat t hey were promised. This is a losing deal and a failing t rade, indeed. These Ayat also cont ain a warning for t he scholars not t o imit at e t heir behavior, so t hat t hey do not suffer t he same fat e and become like t hem. Therefore, t he scholars are required t o spread t he beneficial knowledge t hat t hey have, encouraging t he various right eous good deeds. They are also warned against hiding any part of t heir knowledge. A Hadit h st at es t hat t he Prophet said,

(Whoever was asked about knowledge t hat he knew but did not disclose it , will be t ied wit h a bridle made of fire on t he Day of Resurrect ion.)

Chastising Those Who Love to be Praised for What They Have not Done
Allah's st at ement ,

(Think not t hat t hose who rej oice in what t hey have done, and love t o be praised for what t hey have not done), refers t o t hose who show off, rej oice in what t hey do and claim t o do what t hey have not done. The Two Sahihs recorded t hat t he Prophet said,

(Whoever issues a false claim t o acquire some t ype of gain, t hen Allah will only grant him decrease.) The Sahih also recorded;


(He who claims t o do what he has not done, is j ust like a person who wears t wo robes made of falsehood.) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Marwan t old his guard Rafi` t o go t o Ibn ` Abbas and proclaim t o him, "If every person among us who rej oices wit h what he has done and loves t o be praised for what he has not done will be t orment ed, we all will be t orment ed.'' Ibn ` Abbas said, "This Ayah was revealed about t he People of t he Script ures.'' He t hen recit ed t he Ayah,

((And remember) when Allah t ook a covenant from t hose who were given t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians) t o make it (t he t rut h) known and clear t o mankind, and not t o hide it , but t hey t hrew it away behind t heir backs, and purchased wit h it some miserable gain! And indeed worst is t hat which t hey bought .) t hen t he Ayah,

(Think not t hat t hose who rej oice in what t hey have done, and love t o be praised for what t hey have not done) Ibn ` Abbas said, "The Prophet asked t hem about somet hing, and t hey hid it s knowledge, giving him an incorrect answer. They part ed aft er showing off and rej oicing in front of him because t hey answered him, so t hey pret ended, and t hey were delight ed t hat t hey hid t he correct news about what he had asked t hem.'' This was recorded by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, At -Tirmidhi and AnNasa'i. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu Sa` id Al-Khudri said, "During t he t ime of t he Messenger of Allah , when t he Messenger would go t o bat t le, some hypocrit e men would remain behind and rej oice because t hey did not accompany t he Prophet in bat t le. When t he Messenger would come back, t hey would ask him t o excuse t hem swearing t o having some excuse, and want ing t o be praised for t hat which t hey did not do. So Allah revealed,


(Think not t hat t hose who rej oice in what t hey have done, and love t o be praised for what t hey have not done),'' t o t he end of t he Ayah.'' And Muslim recorded similarly. Allah said;

(t hink not t hat t hey are rescued from t he t orment , ) Do not t hink t hat t hey will be saved from punishment , rat her it will cert ainly st rike t hem. So Allah said;

(and for t hem is a painful t orment .) Allah t hen said,

(And t o Allah belongs t he dominion of t he heavens and t he eart h, and Allah has power over all t hings.) He is t he Owner of everyt hing, able t o do all t hings and not hing escapes His might . Therefore, fear Him, never defy Him and beware of His anger and revenge. He is t he Most Great , none is great er t han Him, and t he Most Able, none is more able t han He is.

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(190. Verily, in t he creat ion of t he heavens and t he Eart h, and in t he alt ernat ion of night and day, t here are indeed signs for men of underst anding.) (191. Those who remember Allah st anding, sit t ing, and lying down on t heir sides, and t hink deeply about t he creat ion of t he heavens and t he eart h, (saying): "Our Lord! You have not creat ed t his wit hout purpose, glory t o You! Give us salvat ion from t he t orment of t he Fire.) (192. "Our Lord! Verily, whom You admit t o t he Fire, indeed, You have disgraced him; and never will t he wrongdoers find any helpers.) (193. "Our Lord! Verily, we have heard t he call of one calling t o fait h: ` Believe in your Lord,' and we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and expiat e from us our evil deeds, and make us die along wit h Al-Abrar (t he most right eous).) (194. "Our Lord! Grant us what You promised us t hrough Your Messengers and disgrace us not on t he Day of Resurrect ion, for You never break (Your) Promise.'')

The Proofs of Tawhid for People of Understanding, their Characteristics, Speech, and Supplications
Allah said,

(Verily, in t he creat ion of t he heavens and t he Eart h,) 3:190 , referring t o t he sky in it s height and spaciousness, t he eart h in it s expanse and densit y, t he t remendous feat ures t hey have of rot at ing planet s, seas, mount ains, desert s, t rees, plant s, fruit s, animals, met als and various beneficial colors, scent s, t ast es and element s.

(And in t he alt ernat ion of night and day), as one follows and t akes from t he lengt h of t he ot her. For inst ance, at t imes one of t hem becomes longer t han t he ot her, short er t han t he

ot her at t imes and equal t o t he ot her at ot her t imes, and t he same is repeat ed again and again, and all t his occurs by t he decision of t he Almight y, Most Wise. This is why Allah said,

(t here are indeed signs for men of underst anding), referring t o t he int elligent and sound minds t hat cont emplat e about t he t rue realit y of t hings, unlike t he deaf and mut e who do not have sound comprehension. Allah said about t he lat t er t ype,

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(And how many a sign in t he heavens and t he eart h t hey pass by, while t hey are averse t herefrom. And most of t hem believe not in Allah except t hat t hey at t ribut e part ners unt o Him) 12:105,106 . Allah t hen describes t hose who have good minds,

(Those who remember Allah st anding, sit t ing, and lying down on t heir sides) 3:191 . Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` Imran bin Husayn said t hat , t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Pray while st anding, and if you can't , pray while sit t ing, and if you cannot do even t hat , t hen pray lying on your side.) These people remember Allah in all sit uat ions, in t heir heart and speech,

(and t hink deeply about t he creat ion of t he heavens and t he Eart h), cont emplat ing about signs in t he sky and eart h t hat t est ify t o t he might , abilit y, knowledge, wisdom, will and mercy of t he Creat or. Allah crit icizes t hose who do not cont emplat e about His creat ion, which t est ifies t o His exist ence, At t ribut es, Shari` ah, His decree and Ayat . Allah said,

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(And how many a sign in t he heavens and t he Eart h t hey pass by, while t hey are averse t herefrom. And most of t hem believe not in Allah except t hat t hey at t ribut e part ners unt o Him) 12:105,106 . Allah also praises His believing servant s,

(Those who remember Allah st anding, sit t ing, and lying down on t heir sides, and t hink deeply about t he creat ion of t he heavens and t he eart h), supplicat ing;

("Our Lord! You have not creat ed t his wit hout purpose,'') You did not creat e all t his in j est and play. Rat her, You creat ed it in t rut h, so t hat You recompense t hose who do evil in kind, and reward t hose who do right eous deeds wit h what is bet t er. The fait hful believers praise Allah and deny t hat He does anyt hing in j est and wit hout purpose, saying,

("glory t o You,''), for You would never creat e anyt hing wit hout purpose,

("Give us salvat ion from t he t orment of t he Fire.''), meaning, "O You Who creat ed t he creat ion in t rut h and j ust ice, Who is far from any short comings, or doing t hings wit hout purpose or wit h j est , save us from t he t orment of t he Fire wit h Your power and st rengt h. Direct us t o perform t he deeds t hat make You pleased wit h us. Guide us t o right eous work from which You admit us int o t he delight ful Paradise, and save us from Your painful t orment .'' They next supplicat e,

("Our Lord! Verily, whom You admit t o t he Fire, indeed, You have disgraced him;), by humiliat ing and disgracing him before all people on t he Day of Gat hering,

("and never will t he wrongdoers find any helpers.''), on t he Day of Judgment , who would save t hem from You. Therefore, t here is no escaping what ever fat e You decided for t hem.

("Our Lord! Verily, we have heard t he call of one calling t o fait h,''), a caller who calls t o fait h, referring t o t he Messenger of Allah ,

(` Believe in your Lord,' and we have believed), accept ed his call and followed him.

("Our Lord! Forgive us our sins''), on account of our fait h and obeying Your Prophet

("Forgive us our sins''), and cover t hem,

("and expiat e from us our evil deeds''), bet ween us and You, in privat e,


("and make us die along wit h Al-Abrar.''), j oin us wit h t he right eous people.

("Our Lord! Grant us what You promised unt o us t hrough Your Messengers'') for our fait h in Your Messengers, or, and t his explanat ion is bet t er; grant us what You promised us by t he words of Your Messengers,

("and disgrace us not on t he Day of Resurrect ion,''), before all creat ion,

("for You never break (Your) Promise.''), for surely, t he promise t hat You conveyed t o Your Messengers, which includes us being resurrect ed before You, shall cert ainly come t o pass. It was t he Prophet 's t radit ion t o recit e t he t en Ayat at t he end of Surah Al ` Imran when he woke up at night for (volunt ary) prayer. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "I slept one night at t he house of my aunt , Maymunah. The Messenger of Allah spoke wit h his wife for a while and t hen went t o sleep. When it was t he t hird part of t he night , he st ood up, looked at t he sky and recit ed,

(Verily, in t he creat ion of t he heavens and t he eart h, and in t he alt ernat ion of night and day, t here are indeed signs for men of underst anding) 3:190 . The Prophet t hen st ood up, performed ablut ion, used Siwak (t o clean his t eet h) and prayed eleven unit s of prayer. When Bilal said t he Adhan, t he Prophet prayed t wo unit s of prayer, went out (t o t he Masj id) and led t he people in t he Dawn prayer.'' This was also collect ed by Muslim. Ibn Marduwyah recorded t hat ` At a' said, "I, Ibn ` Umar and ` Ubayd bin ` Umayr went t o ` A'ishah and ent ered her room, and t here was a screen bet ween us and her. She said, ` O ` Ubayd! What prevent s you from visit ing us' He said, ` What t he poet said, ` Visit every once in a while, and you will be loved more.' Ibn ` Umar said, ` Tell us about t he most unusual t hing you wit nessed from t he Messenger of Allah .' She cried and said, ` All his mat t ers were amazing. On night , he

came close t o me unt il his skin t ouched my skin and said, ` Let me worship my Lord.' I said, ` By Allah I love your being close t o me. I also love t hat you worship your Lord.' He used t he wat erskin and performed ablut ion, but did not use t oo much wat er. He t hen st ood up in prayer and cried unt il his beard became wet . He prost rat ed and cried unt il he made t he ground wet . He t hen laid down on his side and cried. When Bilal came t o alert t he Prophet for t he Dawn prayer, he said, ` O Messenger of Allah! What makes you cry, while Allah has forgiven you your previous and lat t er sins' He said,

(O Bilal! What prevent s me from crying, when t his night , t his Ayah was revealed t o me,)

(Verily, in t he creat ion of t he heavens and t he eart h, and in t he alt ernat ion of night and day, t here are indeed signs for men of underst anding.)

(Woe t o he who recit es it but does not cont emplat e it .).''

(195. So t heir Lord accept ed of t hem (t heir supplicat ion and answered t hem), "Never will I allow t o be lost t he work of any of you, be he male or female. You are (members) one of

anot her, so t hose who emigrat ed and were driven out from t heir homes, and suffered harm in My cause, and who fought and were killed (in My cause), verily, I will expiat e from t hem t heir evil deeds and admit t hem int o Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise); a reward from Allah, and wit h Allah is t he best of rewards.'')

Allah Accepts the Supplication of Men of Understanding

Allah said,

(So t heir Lord accept ed of t hem), answered t heir invocat ion. Sa` id bin Mansur recorded t hat Salamah, a man from t he family of Umm Salamah said, "Umm Salamah said, ` O Messenger of Allah! Allah does not ment ion women in connect ion wit h Hij rah (Migrat ion).' Allah sent down t he Ayah,

(So t heir Lord accept ed of t hem (t heir supplicat ion and answered t hem), "Never will I allow t o be lost t he work of any of you, be he male or female.) The Ansar say t hat Umm Salamah was t he first woman t o migrat e t o t hem.'' Al-Hakim collect ed t his Hadit h in his Must adrak, and said, "It is Sahih according t o t he crit eria of Al-Bukhari but t hey Al-Bukhari and Muslim did not collect it ''. Allah's st at ement ,

("Never will I allow t o be lost t he work of any of you, be he male or female,) explains t he t ype of answer Allah gave t hem, st at ing t hat no deed of any person is ever lost wit h Him. Rat her, He will complet ely reward each person for his or her good deeds. Allah's st at ement ,

(You are (members) one of anot her) means, you are all equal in relat ion t o gaining My reward. Therefore,


(t hose who emigrat ed), by leaving t he land of Shirk and migrat ing t o t he land of fait h, leaving behind t heir loved ones, bret hren, friends and neighbors,

(and were driven out from t heir homes), when t he Mushriks t orment ed t hem and forced t hem t o migrat e,

(and suffered harm in My cause), for t heir only wrong, t o t he people, was t hat t hey believed in Allah Alone. In similar Ayat , Allah said,

(and have driven out t he Messenger and yourselves because you believe in Allah your Lord!) 60:1 , and,

(And t hey had no fault except t hat t hey believed in Allah, t he Almight y, Wort hy of all praise!) 85:8 . Allah's st at ement ,

(and who fought and were killed (in My cause),) 3:195 refers t o t he highest rank t here is, t hat one fight s in t he cause of Allah and dies in t he process, wit h his face covered in dust and blood. It is recorded in t he Sahih t hat a man said, :

('O Messenger of Allah! If I was killed in Allah's cause, observing pat ience, await ing Allah's reward, at t acking, not ret reat ing, would Allah forgive my sins' The Prophet said, ` Yes.' The Prophet t hen asked t he man, ` What did you ask' When t he man repeat ed t he quest ion, t he Prophet said, ` Yes, except for t he debt , for Jibril conveyed t his t o me right now'.) This is why Allah said here,

(verily, I will expiat e from t hem t heir evil deeds and admit t hem int o Gardens under which rivers flow), wit hin Paradise, where t here are rivers of various drinks: milk, honey, wine and fresh wat er. There is what no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard and no heart has ever imagined of delight s in Paradise . Allah's st at ement ,

(a reward from Allah) t est ifies t o His might , for t he Might y and Most Great only gives t remendous rewards. Allah's st at ement ,

(and wit h Allah is t he best of rewards.'') for t hose who perform good deeds.

 - -
(196. Let not t he free disposal (and affluence) of t he disbelievers t hroughout t he land deceive you.) (197. A brief enj oyment ; t hen t heir ult imat e abode is Hell; and worst indeed is t hat place for rest .) (198. But , for t hose who have Taqwa of t heir Lord, are Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise); t herein are t hey t o dwell, an ent ert ainment from Allah; and t hat which is wit h Allah is t he best for Al-Abrar (t he most right eous).) u

Warning Against Being Deceived by This Life; the Rewards of the Righteous Believers
Allah said, do not look at t he disbelievers, who are enj oying various delight s and j oys. Soon, t hey will loose all t his and be t ied t o t heir evil works, for verily, we are only giving t hem t ime, which deceives t hem, when all t hey have is,

(A brief enj oyment ; t hen t heir ult imat e abode is Hell; and worst indeed is t hat place for rest .) This Ayah is similar t o several ot her Ayat , such as,

(None disput es in t he Ayat of Allah but t hose who disbelieve. So, let not t heir abilit y of going about here and t here t hrough t he land deceive you!) 40:4 ,

 -
(Verily, t hose who invent a lie against Allah, will never be successful. (A brief) enj oyment in t his world! and t hen unt o Us will be t heir ret urn, t hen We shall make t hem t ast e t he severest t orment because t hey used t o disbelieve.) 10:69,70 ,

(We let t hem enj oy for a lit t le while, t hen in t he end We shall oblige t hem t o (ent er) a great t orment .) 31:24 ,

(So, give a respit e t o t he disbelievers; deal gent ly wit h t hem for a while.) 86:17 , and,

(Is he whom We have promised an excellent promise (Paradise) which he will find t rue -- like him whom We have made t o enj oy t he luxuries of t he life of (t his) world, t hen on t he Day of Resurrect ion, he will be among t hose brought up (t o be punished in t he Hell-fire)) 28:61 . Aft er Allah ment ioned t he condit ion of t he disbelievers in t his life and t heir dest inat ion t o t he Fire, He said,

(But , for t hose who have Taqwa of t heir Lord, are Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise); t herein are t hey t o dwell, an ent ert ainment from Allah,) 3:198 , for cert ainly,


(and t hat which is wit h Allah is t he best for Al-Abrar.) Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Abu Ad-Darda' used t o say, "Deat h is bet t er for every believer. Deat h is bet t er for every disbeliever, and t hose who do not believe me should read Allah's st at ement s,

(and t hat which is wit h Allah is t he best for Al-Abrar), and,

(And let not t he disbelievers t hink t hat Our post poning of t heir punishment is good for t hem. We post pone t he punishment only so t hat t hey may increase in sinfulness. And for t hem is a disgraceful t orment .) 3:178 .''

-
(199. And t here are, cert ainly, among t he People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians), t hose who believe in Allah and in t hat which has been revealed t o you, and in t hat which has been revealed t o t hem, humbling t hemselves before Allah. They do not sell t he verses of Allah for a small price, for t hem is a reward wit h t heir Lord. Surely, Allah is swift in account .) (200. O you who believe! Endure and be more pat ient , and Rabit u, and have Taqwa of Allah, so t hat you may be successful.)

The Condition of Some of the People of the Scriptures and their Rewards
Allah st at es t hat some of t he People of t he Book t ruly believe in Him and in what was sent down t o Muhammad , along wit h believing in t he previously revealed Books, and t hey are obedient t o Him and humble t hemselves before Allah.

(They do not sell t he verses of Allah for a small price) 3:199 , for t hey do not hide what t hey know of t he glad t idings about t he descript ion of Muhammad , his Prophet hood, and t he descript ion of his Ummah. Indeed, t hese are t he best people among t he People of t he Book, whet her t hey were Jews or Christ ians. Allah said in Surat Al-Qasas,

(Those t o whom We gave t he Script ure before it , t hey believe in it (t he Qur'an). And when it is recit ed t o t hem, t hey say: "We believe in it . Verily, it is t he t rut h from our Lord. Indeed even before it we were Muslims. These will be given t heir reward t wice over, because t hey are pat ient ,) 28:52-54 . Allah said,

(Those t o whom We gave t he Book, recit e it (follow it ) as it should be recit ed (i.e. followed), t hey are t he ones who believe t herein.) 2:121 ,

(And of t he people of Musa t here is a communit y who lead wit h t rut h and est ablish j ust ice t herewit h.) 7:159 ,

(Not all of t hem are alike; a part y of t he people of t he Script ure st and for t he right , t hey recit e t he verses of Allah during t he hours of t he night , prost rat ing t hemselves in prayer.) 3:113 , and,

-
(Say: "Believe in it (t he Qur'an) or do not believe (in it ). Verily, t hose who were given knowledge before it , when it is recit ed t o t hem, fall down on t heir faces in humble prost rat ion.'' And t hey say: "Glory be t o our Lord! Truly, t he promise of our Lord must be fulfillled.'' And t hey fall down on t heir faces weeping and it increases t heir humilit y.) 17:107109 . These qualit ies exist in some of t he Jews, but only a few of t hem. For inst ance, less t han t en Jewish rabbis embraced t he Islamic fait h, such as ` Abdullah bin Salam. Many among t he Christ ians, on t he ot her hand, embraced t he Islamic fait h. Allah said,

(Verily, you will find t he st rongest among men in enmit y t o t he believers t he Jews and t hose who commit Shirk, and you will find t he nearest in love t o t he believers t hose who say: "We are Christ ians.'') 5:82 , unt il,


(So because of what t hey said, Allah rewarded t hem Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise), t hey will abide t herein forever) 5:85 . In t his Ayah, Allah said,

(for t hem is a reward wit h t heir Lord) 3:199 . When Ja` far bin Abi Talib recit ed Surah Maryam chapt er 19 t o An-Naj ashi, King of Et hiopia, in t he presence of Christ ian priest s and pat riarchs, he and t hey cried unt il t heir beards became wet from crying. The Two Sahihs record t hat when An-Naj ashi died, t he Prophet conveyed t he news t o his Companions and said,

(A brot her of yours from Et hiopia has passed, come t o offer t he funeral prayer.) He went out wit h t he Companions t o t he Musalla lined t hem up in rows, and aft er t hat led t he prayer. Ibn Abi Naj ih narrat ed t hat Muj ahid said t hat ,

(And t here are, cert ainly, among t he People of t he Script ure), refers t o t hose among t hem who embraced Islam. ` Abbad bin Mansur said t hat he asked Al-Hasan Al-Basri about Allah's st at ement ,

(And t here are, cert ainly, among t he People of t he Script ure, t hose who believe in Allah). Al-Hasan said, "They are t he People of t he Book, before Muhammad was sent , who believed in Muhammad and recognized Islam. Allah gave t hem a double reward, for t he fait h t hat t hey had before Muhammad , and for believing in Muhammad (aft er he was sent as Prophet ).'' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded bot h of t hese st at ement s. The Two Sahihs record t hat Abu Musa said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(Three persons will acquire a double reward. ) He ment ioned among t hem,

(A person from among t he People of t he Book who believed in his Prophet and in me.) Allah's st at ement ,

(They do not sell t he verses of Allah for a small price), means, t hey do not hide t he knowledge t hat t hey have, as t he cursed ones among t hem have done. Rat her, t hey share t he knowledge wit hout a price, and t his is why Allah said,

(for t hem is a reward wit h t heir Lord. surely, Allah is Swift in account .) Muj ahid comment ed on t he verse,

((Surely, Allah is) swift in account ), "He is swift in reckoning,'' as Ibn Abi Hat im and ot hers have recorded from him.

The Command for Patience and Ribat

Allah said,

(O you who believe! Endure and be more pat ient , and Rabit u) 3:200 . Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "The believers are commanded t o be pat ient in t he religion t hat Allah chose for t hem, Islam. They are not allowed t o abandon it in t imes of comfort or hardship, ease or calamit y, unt il t hey die as Muslims. They are also commanded t o endure against t heir enemies, t hose who hid t he t rut h about t heir religion.'' Similar explanat ion given by several ot her scholars among t he Salaf. As for Murabat ah, it is t o endure in act s of worship and perseverence. It also means t o await prayer aft er prayer, as Ibn ` Abbas, Sahl bin Hanif and Muhammad bin Ka` b Al-Qurazi st at ed. Ibn Abi Hat im collect ed a Hadit h t hat was also collect ed by Muslim and An-Nasa'i from Abu Hurayrah t hat t he Prophet said,

(Should I t ell you about act ions wit h which Allah forgives sins and raises t he grade Performing perfect ablut ion in unfavorable condit ions, t he many st eps one t akes t o t he Masaj id, and await ing prayer aft er t he prayer, for t his is t he Ribat , t his is t he Ribat , t his is t he Ribat .) They also say t hat t he Murabat ah in t he above Ayah refers t o bat t les against t he enemy, and manning Muslim out post s t o prot ect t hem from enemy incursions inside Muslim t errit ory. There are several Hadit hs t hat encourage Murabat ah and ment ion it s rewards. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Sahl bin Sa` d As-Sa` idi said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(A Day of Ribat in t he cause of Allah is bet t er t han t his life and all t hat is in it .) Muslim recorded t hat Salman Al-Farisi said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(Ribat for a day and a night is bet t er t han fast ing t he days of a mont h and it s Qiyam (volunt ary prayer at night ). If one dies in Ribat , his regular right eous deeds t hat he used t o perform will keep being added t o his account , and he will receive his provision, and will be saved from t he t rials of t he grave.) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Fadalah bin ` Ubayd said t hat he heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

(Every dead person will have his record of deeds sealed, except for whoever dies while in Ribat in t he cause of Allah, for his work will keep increasing unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion, and he will be safe from t he t rial of t he grave.) This is t he same narrat ion collect ed by Abu Dawud and At -Tirmidhi, who said, "Hasan Sahih''. Ibn Hibban also collect ed t his Hadit h in his Sahih. fAt -Tirmidhi recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat he heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

:
(Two eyes shall not be t ouched by t he Fire: an eye t hat cried for fear from Allah and an eye t hat spent t he night guarding in Allah's cause.) Al-Bukhari recorded in his Sahih t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(Let t he servant of t he Dinar, t he servant of t he Dirham and t he servant of t he Khamisah (of clot hes) perish, as he is pleased if t hese t hings are given t o him, and if not , he is displeased. Let such a person perish and be humiliat ed, and if he is pierced wit h a t horn, let him not find anyone t o t ake it out for him. Paradise is for him who holds t he reins of his horse, st riving in Allah's cause, wit h his hair unkempt and feet covered wit h dust : if he is appoint ed t o t he vanguard, he is perfect ly sat isfied wit h his post of guarding, and if he is appoint ed in t he rearguard, he accept s his post wit h sat isfact ion; if he asks for permission he is not permit t ed, and if he int ercedes, his int ercession is not accept ed.) Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Zayd bin Aslam said, "Abu ` Ubaydah wrot e t o ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab and ment ioned t o him t hat t he Romans were mobilizing t heir forces. ` Umar wrot e back, ` Allah will soon t urn what ever hardship a believing servant suffers, t o ease, and no hardship shall ever overcome t wo t ypes of ease. Allah says in His Book,

(O you who believe! Endure and be more pat ient , and Rabit u, and have Taqwa of Allah, so t hat you may be successful)' 3:200 ." Al-Hafiz Ibn ` Asakir ment ioned in t he biography of ` Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak, t hat Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Abi Sakinah said, "While in t he area of Tarsus, ` Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak dict at ed t his poem t o me when I was greet ing him goodbye. He sent t he poem wit h me t o AlFudayl bin ` Iyad in t he year one hundred and sevent y, ` O he who worships in t he vicinit y of t he Two Holy Masj ids! If you but see us, you will realize t hat you are only j est ing in worship. He who brings wet ness t o his cheek wit h his t ears, should know t hat our necks are being wet by our blood. He who t ires his horses wit hout purpose, know t hat our horses are get t ing t ired in bat t le. Scent of perfume is yours, while our scent is t he glimmer of spears and t he st ench of dust in bat t le . We were narrat ed about in t he speech of our Prophet , an aut hent ic st at ement

t hat never lies. That t he dust t hat erupt s by Allah's horses and which fills t he nost rils of a man shall never be combined wit h t he smoke of a raging Fire. This, t he Book of Allah speaks among us t hat t he mart yr is not dead, and t he t rut h in Allah's Book cannot be denied.' I met Al-Fudayl Ibn ` Iyad in t he Sacred Masj id and gave him t he let t er. When he read it , his eyes became t earful and he said, ` Abu ` Abdur-Rahman (` Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak) has said t he t rut h and offered sincere advice t o me.' He t hen asked me, ` Do you writ e t he Hadit h' I said, ` Yes.' He said, ` Writ e t his Hadit h as reward for delivering t he let t er of Abu ` Abdur-Rahman t o me. He t hen dict at ed, ` Mansur bin Al-Mu` t amir narrat ed t o us t hat Abu Salih narrat ed from Abu Hurayrah t hat a man asked, ` O Messenger of Allah! Teach me a good deed t hat will earn me t he reward of t he Muj ahidin in Allah's cause.' The Prophet said,

(Are you able t o pray cont inuously and fast wit hout breaking t he fast ) The man said, ` O Messenger of Allah! I cannot bear it .' The Prophet said,

(By He in Whose Hand is my soul! Even if you were able t o do it , you will not achieve t he grade of t he Muj ahidin in Allah's cause. Did you not know t hat t he horse of t he Muj ahid earns rewards for him as long as it lives.) Allah said next ,

(and have Taqwa of Allah), concerning all your affairs and sit uat ions. For inst ance, t he Prophet said t o Mu` adh when he sent him t o Yemen,

(Have Taqwa of Allah wherever you may be, follow t he evil deed wit h a good deed and it will erase it , and deal wit h people in a good manner.) Allah said next ,

(so t hat you may be successful.), in t his life and t he Hereaft er. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Muhammad bin Ka` b Al-Qurazi said t hat , Allah's st at ement ,

(and have Taqwa of Allah, so t hat you may be successful.) means, "Fear Me concerning what is bet ween you and Me, so t hat you may acquire success when you meet Me t omorrow.'' The Tafsir of Surah Al ` Imran ends here, all praise is due t o Allah, and we ask Him t hat we die while on t he pat h of t he Qur'an and Sunnah, Amin.

The Tafsir of Surat An-Nisa (Chapter 4) Virtues of Surat An-Nis257 , A Madinan Surah
Al-` Awfi report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Surat An-Nisa' was revealed in Al-Madinah. Ibn Marduwyah recorded similar st at ement s from ` Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr and Zayd bin Thabit . In his Must adrak, Al-Hakim recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said, "There are five Ayat in Surat An-Nisa' t hat I would prefer t o t he life of t his world and all t hat is in it ,

(Surely, Allah wrongs not even t he weight of an at om,) 4:40 ,

(If you avoid t he great sins which you are forbidden t o do) 4:31 ,

(Verily, Allah forgives not t hat part ners should be set up wit h Him (in worship), but He forgives except t hat (anyt hing else) t o whom He wills) 4:48 ,

(If t hey (hypocrit es), when t hey had been unj ust t o t hemselves, had come t o you) 4:64 , and,

(And whoever does evil or wrongs himself, but aft erwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful) 4:110 .'' Al-Hakim recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Ask me about Surat An-Nisa', for I learned t he Qur'an when I was st ill young.'' Al-Hakim said, "This Hadit h is Sahih according t o t he crit eria of t he Two Sahihs, and t hey did not collect it .''

In t he Name of Allah, t he Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful

(1. O mankind! Have Taqwa of your Lord, Who creat ed you from a single person, and from him He creat ed his mat e, and from t hem bot h He creat ed many men and women, and have Taqwa of Allah t hrough Whom you demand your mut ual (right s), and revere t he wombs. Surely, Allah is always wat ching over you.)

The Command to have Taqwa, a Reminder about Creation, and Being Kind to Relatives
Allah commands His creat ures t o have Taqwa of Him by worshipping Him Alone wit hout part ners. He also reminds t o t hem of His abilit y, in t hat He creat ed t hem all from a single person, Adam, peace be unt o him.


(And from him He creat ed his wife) Hawwa' (Eve), who was creat ed from Adam's left rib, from his back while he was sleeping. When Adam woke up and saw Hawwa', he liked her and had affect ion for her, and she felt t he same t oward him. An aut hent ic Hadit h st at es,

(Woman was creat ed from a rib. Verily, t he most curved port ion of t he rib is it s upper part , so, if you should t ry t o st raight en it , you will break it , but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked.) Allah's st at ement ,

(And from t hem bot h He creat ed many men and women;) means, Allah creat ed from Adam and Hawwa' many men and women and dist ribut ed t hem t hroughout t he world in various shapes, charact erist ics, colors and languages. In t he end, t heir gat hering and ret urn will be t o Allah. Allah t hen said,

(And have Taqwa of Allah t hrough Whom you demand your mut ual (right s) and revere t he wombs), prot ect yourself from Allah by your act s of obedience t o Him. Allah's st at ement ,

(t hrough Whom you demand your mut ual (right s)), is in reference t o when some people say, "I ask you by Allah, and t hen by t he relat ion of t he Rahim (t he womb, i.e. my relat ionship t o you)'', according t o Ibrahim, Muj ahid and Al-Hasan. Ad-Dahhak said; "Fear Allah Whom you invoke when you conduct t ransact ions and cont ract s.'' "And revere t he womb by not cut t ing t he relat ions of t he womb, but keep and honor t hem, as Ibn ` Abbas, ` Ikrimah, Muj ahid, Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` , and ot hers have st at ed. Allah's st at ement ,

(Surely, Allah is always wat ching over you.) means, He wat ches all your deeds and sees your every circumst ance. In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(And Allah is Wit ness over all t hings.) 58:6 . An aut hent ic Hadit h st at es,

(Worship Allah as if you see Him, for even t hough you cannot see Him, He sees you.) This part of t he Ayah encourages having a sense of cert aint y t hat Allah is always wat ching, in a complet e and perfect manner. Allah ment ioned t hat He has creat ed mankind from a single fat her and a single mot her, so t hat t hey feel compassion for each ot her and are kind t o t he weaker among t hem. In his Sahih, Muslim recorded t hat Jarir bin ` Abdullah Al-Baj ali said t hat a delegat ion from Mudar came t o t he Messenger of Allah , and he saw t heir st at e, wearing st riped woolen clot hes due t o povert y. Aft er t he Zuhr prayer, t he Messenger of Allah st ood up and gave a speech in which he recit ed,

(O mankind! Have Taqwa of your Lord, Who creat ed you from a single person,) unt il t he end of t he Ayah. He also recit ed,

(O you who believe! Have Taqwa of Allah. And let every person look t o what he has sent fort h for t he t omorrow) 59:18 . He also encouraged t hem t o give charit y, saying,

(A man gave Sadaqah from his Dinar, from his Dirham, from his Sa` of wheat , from his Sa` of dat es) unt il t he end of t he Hadit h. This narrat ion was also collect ed by Ahmad and t he Sunan compilers from Ibn Mas` ud.

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(2. And give unt o orphans t heir propert y and do not exchange (your) bad t hings for (t heir) good ones; and devour not t heir subst ance (by adding it ) t o your subst ance. Surely, t his is a great sin.) (3. And if you fear t hat you shall not be able t o deal j ust ly wit h t he orphan girls, t hen marry (ot her) women of your choice, t wo or t hree, or four; but if you fear t hat you shall not be able t o deal j ust ly (wit h t hem), t hen only one or (t he capt ives and t he servant s) t hat your right hands possess. That is nearer t o prevent you from Ta` ulu.) (4. And give t o t he women (whom you marry) t heir Saduqat (or dowry) Nihlah (wit h a good heart ), but if t hey, of t heir own good pleasure, remit any part of it t o you, t ake it , and enj oy it wit hout fear of any harm.)

Protecting the Property of the Orphans

Allah commands t hat t he propert y of t he orphans be surrendered t o t hem in full when t hey reach t he age of adolescence, and He forbids using or confiscat ing any part of it . So He said;

(and do not exchange (your) bad t hings for (t heir) good ones;) Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib and AzZuhri comment ed, "Do not subst it ut e a weak animal of yours for a fat animal (of t he orphans).'' Ibrahim An-Nakha` i and Ad-Dahhak comment ed, "Do not give somet hing of bad qualit y for somet hing of good qualit y.'' As-Suddi said, "One of t hem (caret akers of orphans) would t ake a fat sheep from t he orphan's propert y and put in it s place, a weak sheep of his, saying, ` A sheep

for a sheep.' He would also t ake a good Dirham and exchange it for a fake Dirham, saying, ` A Dirham for a Dirham.''' Allah's st at ement ,

(and devour not t heir subst ance t o your subst ance.) means, do not mix t hem t oget her so t hat you eat up bot h, as Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Muqat il bin Hayyan, As-Suddi and Sufyan bin Hassin st at ed. Allah said,

(Surely, t his is a great sin. ), a maj or and subst ant ial sin, according t o Ibn ` Abbas. This was also report ed from Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Ibn Sirin, Qat adah, Muqat il bin Hayyan, Ad-Dahhak, Abu Malik, Zayd bin Aslam and Abu Sinan. The meaning above is: adding t heir propert y t o your propert y is a grave sin and a maj or mist ake, so avoid it .

The Prohibition of Marrying Female Orphans Without Giving a Dowry

Allah said,

(And if you fear t hat you shall not be able t o deal j ust ly wit h t he orphan girls, t hen marry (ot her) women of your choice, t wo) Allah commands, when one of you is t he caret aker of a female orphan and he fears t hat he might not give her a dowry t hat is suit able for women of her st at us, he should marry ot her women, who are plent y as Allah has not rest rict ed him. AlBukhari recorded t hat ` A'ishah said, "A man was t aking care of a female orphan and he married her, alt hough he did not desire t o marry her. That girl's money was mixed wit h his, and he was keeping her port ion from her. Aft erwards, t his Ayah was revealed about his case;

(If you fear t hat you shall not be able t o deal j ust ly)'' Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` Urwah bin AzZubayr said t hat he asked ` A'ishah about t he meaning of t he st at ement of Allah,

(If you fear t hat you shall not be able t o deal j ust ly wit h t he orphan girls.) She said, "O my nephew! This is about t he orphan girl who lives wit h her guardian and shares his propert y. Her wealt h and beaut y may t empt him t o marry her wit hout giving her an adequat e dowry which might have been given by anot her suit or. So, such guardians were forbidden t o marry such orphan girls unless t hey t reat ed t hem j ust ly and gave t hem t he most suit able dowry; ot herwise t hey were ordered t o marry woman besides t hem.'' ` A'ishah furt her said, "Aft er t hat verse, t he people again asked t he Messenger of Allah (about marriage wit h orphan girls), so Allah revealed t he Ayah,

(They ask your inst ruct ion concerning t he women..) 4:127 .'' She said, "Allah's st at ement in t his Ayah,

(yet whom you desire t o marry) 4:127 refers t o t he guardian who does not desire t o marry an orphan girl under his supervision because she is neit her wealt hy nor beaut iful. The guardians were forbidden t o marry t heir orphan girls possessing propert y and beaut y wit hout being j ust t o t hem, as t hey generally refrain from marrying t hem (when t hey are neit her beaut iful nor wealt hy).''

The Permission to Marry Four Women

Allah's st at ement ,

(t wo or t hree, or four), means, marry as many women as you like, ot her t han t he orphan girls, t wo, t hree or four. We should ment ion t hat Allah's st at ement in anot her Ayah,

(Who made t he angels messengers wit h wings, - t wo or t hree or four) 35:1 , does not mean t hat ot her angels do not have more t han four wings, as t here are proofs t hat some angels do have more wings. Yet , men are prohibit ed from marrying more t han four wives, as t he Ayah decrees, since t he Ayah specifies what men are allowed of wives, as Ibn ` Abbas and t he maj orit y of scholars st at ed. If it were allowed for t hem t o have more t han four wives, t he Ayah would have ment ioned it . Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Salim said t hat his fat her said t hat Ghilan bin Salamah At h-Thaqafi had t en wives when he became Muslim, and t he Prophet said t o him, "Choose any four of t hem (and divorce t he rest ).'' During t he reign of ` Umar, Ghilan divorced his remaining wives and divided his money bet ween his children. When ` Umar heard news of

t his, he said t o Ghilan, "I t hink t hat t he devil has conveyed t o your heart t he news of your imminent deat h, from what t he devil hears during his eavesdropping. It may as well be t hat you will not remain alive but for a lit t le longer. By Allah! You will t ake back your wives and your money, or I will t ake possession of t his all and will order t hat your grave be st oned as is t he case wit h t he grave of Abu Righal (from Thamud, who was saved from t heir fat e because he was in t he Sacred Area. But , when he left it , he was t orment ed like t hey were).'' Ash-Shafi` i, At -Tirmidhi, Ibn Maj ah, Ad-Daraqut ni and Al-Bayhaqi collect ed t his Hadit h up t o t he Prophet 's st at ement , "Choose any four of t hem.'' Only Ahmad collect ed t he full version of t his Hadit h. Therefore, had it been allowed for men t o marry more t han four women at t he same t ime, t he Prophet would have allowed Ghilan t o keep more t han four of his wives since t hey all embraced Islam wit h him. When t he Prophet commanded him t o keep j ust four of t hem and divorce t he rest , t his indicat ed t hat men are not allowed t o keep more t han four wives at a t ime under any circumst ances. If t his is t he case concerning t hose who already had more t han four wives upon embracing Islam, t hen t his ruling applies even more so t o marrying more t han four.

Marrying Only One Wife When One Fears He Might not Do Justice to His Wives
Allah's st at ement ,

(But if you fear t hat you will not be able t o deal j ust ly (wit h t hem), t hen only one or what your right hands possess.) The Ayah commands, if you fear t hat you will not be able t o do j ust ice bet ween your wives by marrying more t han one, t hen marry only one wife, or sat isfy yourself wit h only female capt ives, for it is not obligat ory t o t reat t hem equally, rat her it is recommended. So if one does so, t hat is good, and if not , t here is no harm on him. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(You will never be able t o do perfect j ust ice bet ween wives even if it is your ardent desire) 4:129 . Allah said,

(That is nearer t o prevent you from Ta` ulu), meaning, from doing inj ust ice. Ibn Abi Hat im, Ibn Marduwyah and Abu Hat im Ibn Hibban, in his Sahih, recorded t hat ` A'ishah said t hat , t he Prophet said t hat t he Ayah,


(That is nearer t o prevent you from Ta` ulu), means, from doing inj ust ice. However, Ibn Abi Hat im said t hat his fat her said t hat t his Hadit h t o t he Prophet is a mist ake, for it should be at t ribut ed t o ` A'ishah not t he Prophet . Ibn Abi Hat im report ed from Ibn ` Abbas, ` A'ishah, Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Abu Malik, Abu Razin, An-Nakha` i, Ash-Sha` bi, Ad-Dahhak, ` At a' Al-Khurasani, Qat adah, As-Suddi and Muqat il bin Hayyan t hat Ta` ulu means t o deviat e from j ust ice .

Giving the Dowry is Obligatory

` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed Ibn ` Abbas saying, Nihlah, in Allah's st at ement ,

(And give t o t he women (whom you marry) t heir Saduqat Nihlah) refers t o t he dowry. Muhammad bin Ishaq narrat ed from Az-Zuhri t hat ` Urwah said t hat ` A'ishah said t hat ` Nihlah' means ` obligat ory'. Muqat il, Qat adah and Ibn Jurayj said, ` Nihlah' means ` obligat ory' Ibn Jurayj added: ` specified.' Ibn Zayd said, "In Arabic, Nihlah, refers t o what is necessary. So Allah is commanding: Do not marry unless you give your wife somet hing t hat is her right . No person aft er t he Prophet is allowed t o marry a woman except wit h t he required dowry, nor by giving false promises about t he dowry int ended .'' Therefore, t he man is required t o pay a dowry t o his wife wit h a good heart , j ust as he gives a gift wit h a good heart . If t he wife gives him part or all of t hat dowry wit h a good heart , her husband is allowed t o t ake it , as it is lawful for him in t his case. This is why Allah said aft erwards,

(But if t hey, of t heir own pleasure, remit any part of it t o you, t ake it , and enj oy it wit hout fear of any harm.)


(5. And give not unt o t he unwise your wealt h which Allah has made a means of support for you, but feed and clot he t hem t herewit h, and speak t o t hem words of kindness and j ust ice.) (6. And t est orphans unt il t hey reach t he age of marriage; if t hen you find sound j udgment in t hem, release t heir propert y t o t hem, but consume it not wast efully and hast ily, fearing t hat t hey should grow up. And whoever among guardians is rich, he should t ake no wages, but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is j ust and reasonable (according t o his work). And when you release t heir propert y t o t hem, t ake a wit ness in t heir presence; and Allah is All-Sufficient in t aking account .)

Holding the Property of the Unwise in Escrow

Allah prohibit ed giving t he unwise t he freedom t o do as t hey wish wit h wealt h, which Allah has made as a means of support for people. This ruling somet imes applies because of being young, as young people are incapable of making wise decisions. It also applies in cases of insanit y, errat ic behavior and having a weak int ellect or religious pract ice. It applies in cases of bankrupt cy, when t he debt ors ask t hat t he propert y of a bankrupt person is put in escrow, when his debt s cannot be paid off wit h his money. Ad-Dahhak report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(And give not unt o t he unwise your propert y) refers t o children and women. Similar was also said by Ibn Mas` ud, Al-Hakam bin ` Uyaynah, Al-Hasan and Ad-Dahhak: "Women and boys.'' Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat ` t he unwise' refers t o t he orphans. Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah and Qat adah said; "They are women.''

Spending on the Unwise with Fairness

Allah said,


(but feed and clot he t hem t herewit h, and speak t o t hem words of kindness and j ust ice.) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "Do not give your wealt h, what Allah has made you responsible for and made a means of sust enance t o you, t o your wife or children. Rat her, hold on t o your money, t ake care of it , and be t he one who spends on t hem for clot hes, food and provision.'' Muj ahid said t hat t he Ayah,

(and speak t o t hem words of kindness and j ust ice.) refers t o kindness and keeping good relat ions. This honorable Ayah commands kind t reat ment , in deed, wit h family and t hose under one's care. One should spend on t hem for clot hes and provisions, and be good t o t hem, such as saying good words t o t hem.

Giving Back the Property of the Orphans When They Reach Adulthood
Allah said,

(And t est orphans) meaning, t est t heir int elligence, as Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, Al-Hasan, As-Suddi and Muqat il bin Hayyan st at ed.

(unt il t hey reach t he age of marriage), t he age of pubert y, according t o Muj ahid. The age of pubert y according t o t he maj orit y of scholars comes when t he child has a wet dream. In his Sunan, Abu Dawud recorded t hat ` Ali said, "I memorized t hese words from t he Messenger of Allah ,

(There is no orphan aft er t he age of pubert y nor vowing t o be silent t hroughout t he day t o t he night .) In anot her Hadit h, ` A'ishah and ot her Companions said t hat t he Prophet said,


s(The pen does not record t he deeds of t hree persons: t he child unt il t he age of pubert y, t he sleeping person unt il waking up, and t he senile unt il sane.) Or, t he age of fift een is considered t he age of adolescence. In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said, "I was present ed in front of t he Prophet on t he eve of t he bat t le of Uhud, while I was fourt een years of age, and he did not allow me t o t ake part in t hat bat t le. But I was present ed in front of him on t he eve of t he bat t le of Al-Khandaq (The Trench) when I was fift een years old, and he allowed me (t o j oin t hat bat t le).'' ` Umar bin ` Abdul-` Aziz comment ed when t his Hadit h reached him, "This is t he difference bet ween a child and an adult .'' There is a difference of opinion over whet her pubic hair is considered a sign of adult hood, and t he correct opinion is t hat it is. The Sunnah support s t his view, according t o a Hadit h collect ed by Imam Ahmad from ` At iyah Al-Qurazi who said, We were present ed t o t he Prophet on t he day of Qurizah, whoever had pubic hair was killed, whoever did not was left free t o go, I was one of t hose who did not , so I was left free.'' The Four Sunan compilers also recorded similar t o it . At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(if t hen you find sound j udgment in t hem, release t heir propert y t o t hem,) Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat t his port ion of t he Ayah means, when you find t hem t o be good in t he religion and wise wit h t heir money. Similar was report ed from Ibn ` Abbas, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and ot hers among t he Imams. The scholars of Fiqh st at ed t hat when t he child becomes good in t he religion and wise concerning wit h money, t hen t he money t hat his caret aker was keeping for him should be surrendered t o him.

Poor Caretakers are Allowed to Wisely Spend from the Money of the Orphan Under Their Care, to Compensate for Their Work
Allah said,

(But consume it not wast efully and hast ily, fearing t hat t hey should grow up.) Allah commands t hat t he money of t he orphan should not be spent unnecessarily,

(Wast efully and hast ily) for fear t hey might grow up. Allah also commands,

(And whoever among guardians is rich, he should t ake no wages,) Hence, t he guardian who is rich and does not need t he orphan's money, should not t ake any of it as wages.

(but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is j ust and reasonable.) Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat ` A'ishah said, "This Ayah,

(And whoever among guardians is rich, he should t ake no wages, but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is j ust and reasonable.) was revealed about t he guardian of t he orphan and pert ains t o what ever work he does for t he orphan's est at e. '' Al-Bukhari also collect ed t his Hadit h. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Amr bin Shu` ayb said t hat his fat her said t hat his fat her t old him t hat a man asked t he Messenger of Allah , "I do not have money, but I have an orphan under my care.'' The Messenger said,

(Eat from your orphan's wealt h wit hout ext ravagance or wast efulness, or mixing it , and wit hout saving your money by spending his.)'' Allah said,

(And when you release t heir propert y t o t hem.) aft er t hey become adult s, and you see t hat t hey are wise, t hen,

(t ake a wit ness in t heir presence;) Allah commands t he guardians of orphans t o surrender t he propert y of t he orphans who become consent ing adult s, in t he presence of wit nesses, so t hat none of t hem denies t he fact t hat he received his money. Allah said next ,

(and Allah is All-Sufficient in t aking account .) meaning, Allah is sufficient as Wit ness, Reckoner and Wat cher over t heir work for orphans, and when t hey surrender t heir money t o t hem, whet her t heir propert y was complet e and whole, or deficient and less. Indeed, Allah knows all of t hat . In his Sahih, Muslim recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(O Abu Dharr! Verily, you are weak, and I love for you what I love for myself. Do not become a leader of t wo nor assume guardianship of an orphan's propert y.)

- - -

(7. There is a share for men and a share for women from what is left by parent s and t hose nearest in relat ion, whet her t he propert y be small or large -- a legal share.) (8. And when t he relat ives, and t he orphans, and t he poor are present at t he t ime of division, give t hem from t he propert y, and speak t o t hem words of kindness and j ust ice.) (9. And let t hose (execut ors and guardians) have t he same fear in t heir minds as t hey would have for t heir own, if t hey had left weak offspring behind. So, let t hem have Taqwa of Allah and speak t rut hfully.) (10. Verily, t hose who unj ust ly eat up t he propert y of orphans, t hey eat up only a fire int o t heir bellies, and t hey will be burnt in t he blazing Fire!)

The Necessity of Surrendering the Inheritance According to the Portions that Allah Ordained
Sa` id bin Jubayr and Qat adah said, "The idolat ors used t o give adult men a share of inherit ance and deprive women and children of it . Allah revealed;

(There is a share for men from what is left by parent s and t hose nearest in relat ion).'' Therefore, everyone is equal in Allah's decision t o inherit , even t hough t heir shares vary according t o t he degree of t heir relat ionship t o t he deceased, whet her being a relat ive, spouse, et c. Ibn Marduwyah report ed t hat Jabir said, "Umm Kuj j ah came t o t he Messenger of Allah and said t o him, ` O Messenger of Allah! I have t wo daught ers whose fat her died, and t hey do not own anyt hing.' So Allah revealed;

(There is a share for men from what is left by parent s and t hose nearest in relat ion.)'' We will ment ion t his Hadit h when explaining t he t wo Ayat about inherit ance. Allah knows best . Allah said,

(are present at t he t ime of division,) t hose who do not have a share in t he inherit ance,

(and t he orphans and t he poor), are also present upon dividing t he inherit ance, give t hem a share of t he inherit ance. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah,


(And when t he relat ives and t he orphans and t he poor are present at t he t ime of division), was not abrogat ed. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t his Ayah st ill applies and should be implement ed. At h-Thawri said t hat Ibn Abi Naj ih narrat ed from Muj ahid t hat implement ing t his Ayah, "Is required from t hose who have anyt hing t o inherit , paid from what ever port ions t heir heart s are sat isfied wit h giving away.'' Similar explanat ion was report ed from Ibn Mas` ud, Abu Musa, ` Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Bakr, Abu Al-` Aliyah, Ash-Sha` bi and Al-Hasan. Ibn Sirin, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Makhul, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, ` At a' bin Abi Rabah, Az-Zuhri and Yahya bin Ya` mar said t his payment is obligat ory. Ot hers say t hat t his refers t o t he bequeat hal at t he t ime of deat h. And ot hers say t hat it was abrogat ed. Al-` Awfi report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t his Ayah,

(And when are present at t he t ime of division), refers t o divisions of inherit ance. So, when poor relat ives, who are ineligible for inherit ance, orphans, and t he poor at t end t he division of t he inherit ance, which is somet imes subst ant ial, t heir heart s will feel eager t o have a share, seeing each eligible person assuming his share; while t hey are desperat e, yet are not given anyt hing. Allah t he Most Kind, Most Compassionat e, commands t hat t hey should have a share in t he inherit ance as an act of kindness, charit y, compassion and mercy for t hem.

Observing Fairness in the Will

Allah said,

(And let t hose have t he same fear in t heir minds as t hey would have for t heir own, if t hey had left behind...) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t his part of t he Ayah, "Refers t o a man who is near deat h and he dict at es a will and t est ament t hat harms some of t he right ful inherit ors. Allah commands whoever hears such will t o fear Allah, and direct t he dying man t o do what is right and t o be fair, being as eager t o prot ect t he inherit ors of t he dying man as he would be wit h his own.'' Similar was report ed from Muj ahid and several ot hers. The Two Sahihs record t hat when t he Messenger of Allah visit ed Sa` d bin Abi Waqqas during an illness he suffered from, Sa` d said t o t he Messenger, "O Messenger of Allah! I am wealt hy and have no inherit ors except a daught er. Should I give t wo-t hirds of my propert y in charit y'' He said, "No.'' Sa` d asked, "Half'' He said, "No.'' Sa` d said, "One-t hird'' The Prophet said;

(One-t hird, and even one-t hird is t oo much.) The Messenger of Allah t hen said,

(You'd bet t er leave your inherit ors wealt hy rat her t han leaving t hem poor, begging from ot hers.)

A Stern Warning Against Those Who Use Up the Orphan's Wealth

It was also said t hat t he Ayah

(consume it not wast efully and hast ily, fearing t hat t hey should grow up,) means, let t hem have Taqwa of Allah when t aking care of t he orphan's wealt h, as Ibn Jarir recorded from Al` Awfi who report ed t his explanat ion from Ibn ` Abbas. This is a sound opinion t hat is support ed by t he warning t hat follows against consuming t he orphan's wealt h unj ust ly. In t his case, t he meaning becomes: Just as you would want your offspring t o be t reat ed fairly aft er you, t hen t reat ot her people's offspring fairly when you are given t he responsibilit y of caring for t hem. Allah proclaims t hat t hose who unj ust ly consume t he wealt h of orphans, will be eat ing fire int o t heir st omach, t his is why Allah said,

(Verily, t hose who unj ust ly eat up t he propert y of orphans, t hey eat up only a fire int o t heir bellies, and t hey will be burnt in t he blazing Fire!) meaning, when you consume t he orphan's wealt h wit hout a right , t hen you are only consuming fire, which will kindle in your st omach on t he Day of Resurrect ion. It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Avoid t he seven great dest ruct ive sins. ) The people asked, "O Allah's Messenger! What are t hey'' He said,


(To j oin ot hers in worship along wit h Allah, magic, t o kill t he life which Allah has forbidden except for a j ust cause, t o consume int erest , t o consume an orphan's propert y, t o t urn your back t o t he enemy and flee from t he bat t lefield at t he t ime of fight ing, and t o accuse chast e women who never even t hink of anyt hing harmful t o t heir chast it y being good believers.)

(11. Allah commands you for your children's (inherit ance): t o t he male, a port ion equal t o t hat of t wo - females; if only daught ers, t wo or more, t heir share is t wo t hirds of t he inherit ance; if only one, her share is half. For parent s, a sixt h share of inherit ance t o each if t he deceased left children; if no children, and t he parent s are t he (only) heirs, t he mot her has a t hird; if t he deceased left brot hers or (sist ers), t he mot her has a sixt h. (The dist ribut ion in all cases is) aft er t he payment of legacies he may have bequeat hed or debt s. You know not which of t hem, whet her your parent s or your children, are nearest t o you in benefit , (t hese fixed shares) are ordained by Allah. And Allah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise.)

Learning the Various Shares of the Inheritance is Encouraged

This, t he following, and t he last honorable Ayah in t his Surah cont ain t he knowledge of AlFara'id, inherit ance. The knowledge of Al-Fara'id is derived from t hese t hree Ayat and from t he Hadit hs on t his subj ect which explain t hem. Learning t his knowledge is encouraged, especially t he specific t hings ment ioned in t he Ayat . Ibn ` Uyaynah said; "Knowledge of Al-Fara'id was called half of knowledge, because it effect s all people.'' o

The Reason Behind Revealing Ayah 4:11

Explaining t his Ayah, Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah said, "Allah's Messenger came visit ing me on foot wit h Abu Bakr at Banu Salamah's (dwellings), and t he Prophet found me unconscious. He asked for some wat er, performed ablut ion wit h it , t hen poured it on me, and I regained consciousness. I said, ` What do you command me t o do wit h my money, O Allah's Messenger' t his Ayah was lat er revealed,

(Allah commands you for your children's (inherit ance); t o t he male, a port ion equal t o t hat of t wo females)." This is how it was recorded by Muslim and An-Nasa'i. The remainder of t he Six compilers also collect ed t his Hadit h. Anot her Hadit h from Jabir concerning t he reason behind revealing Ayah 4:11 Ahmad recorded from Jabir t hat he said, "The wife of Sa` d bin Ar-Rabi` came t o Allah's Messenger and said t o him, ` O Allah's Messenger! These are t he t wo daught ers of Sa` d bin Ar-Rabi` , who was killed as a mart yr at Uhud. Their uncle t ook t heir money and did not leave anyt hing for t hem. They will not be married unless t hey have money.' The Messenger said, ` Allah will decide on t his mat t er.' The Ayah about t he inherit ance was lat er revealed and t he Messenger of Allah sent word t o t heir uncle commanding him,

(Give t wo-t hirds (of Sa` d's money) t o Sa` d's t wo daught ers and one eight h for t heir mot her, and what ever is left is yours.)'' Abu Dawud, At -Tirmidhi, and Ibn Maj ah collect ed t his Hadit h. It is apparent , however, t hat t he first Hadit h from Jabir was about t he case of t he last Ayah in t he Surah 4:176, rat her t han 4:11 , for at t he t ime t his incident occurred, Jabir had sist ers and did not have daught ers, parent s or offspring t o inherit from him. Yet , we ment ioned t he Hadit h here j ust as Al-Bukhari did.

Males Get Two Times the Share of Females for Inheritance

Allah said,


(Allah commands you for your children's (inherit ance): t o t he male, a port ion equal t o t hat of t wo females;) Allah commands: observe j ust ice wit h your children. The people of Jahiliyyah used t o give t he males, but not t he females, a share in t he inherit ance. Therefore, Allah commands t hat bot h males and females t ake a share in t he inherit ance, alt hough t he port ion of t he males is t wice as much as t hat of t he females. There is a dist inct ion because men need money t o spend on t heir dependant s, commercial t ransact ions, work and fulfillling t heir obligat ions. Consequent ly, men get t wice t he port ion of t he inherit ance t hat females get . Allah's st at ement ,

(Allah commands you for your children's (inherit ance): t o t he male, a port ion equal t o t hat of t wo females;) t est ifies t o t he fact t hat Allah is more merciful wit h children t han t heir own parent s are wit h t hem, since He commands t he parent s t o be j ust and fair wit h t heir own children. An aut hent ic Hadit h st at ed t hat a capt ured woman was looking for her child and when she found him, she held him, gave him her breast and nursed him. The Messenger of Allah said t o his Companions,

(Do you t hink t hat t his woman would willingly t hrow her child in t he fire) They said, "No, O Messenger of Allah.'' He said,

(By Allah! Allah is more merciful wit h His servant s t han t his woman is wit h her own child.) AlBukhari recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The cust om (in old days) was t hat t he propert y of t he deceased would be inherit ed by his offspring; as for t he parent s (of t he deceased), t hey would inherit by t he will of t he deceased. Then Allah cancelled what ever He willed from t hat cust om and ordained t hat t he male get t wice t he amount inherit ed by t he female, and for each parent a sixt h (of t he whole legacy), for t he wife an eight h or a fourt h, and for t he husband a half or a fourt h.''

The Share of the Females When They Are the Only Eligible Heirs
Allah said,

(if only daught ers, t wo or more, t heir share is t wo-t hirds of t he inherit ance;) We should ment ion here t hat some people said t he Ayah only means t wo daught ers, and t hat ` more' is redundant , which is not t rue. Not hing in t he Qur'an is useless or redundant . Had t he Ayah been t alking about only t wo women, it would have said, "The share of bot h of t hem is t wo-t hirds.'' As for t he daught ers, t wo or more, t he ruling t hat t hey get t wo-t hirds was derived from t his Ayah, st at ing t hat t he t wo sist ers get t wo-t hirds. We also ment ioned t he Hadit h in which t he Prophet commanded t hat t wo-t hirds be t he share of t he t wo daught ers of Sa` d bin Ar-Rabi` . So t his is proven in t he Book and t he Sunnah.

(if only one, her share is half.) If t here are t wo daught ers, t hen t here are t ext s t o prove t hey share a half. Therefore, t wo-t hirds is t he share of t he t wo daught ers or sist ers, and Allah knows best .

Share of the Parents in the Inheritance

Allah said,

(For parent s, a sixt h share of inherit ance t o each) There are several forms of t he share t hat t he parent s get in t he inherit ance. 1. If t he deceased left behind children, t he parent s get a sixt h each. When t he deceased had only one daught er, she get s half of t he inherit ance and t he parent s each one sixt h, and anot her sixt h is given t o t he fat her. 2. When t he parent s are t he only inherit ors, t he mot her get s one-t hird while t he fat her get s t he remaining t wo-t hirds. In t his case, t he fat her's share will be t wice t he mot her's share. If t he deceased had a surviving spouse, t he spouse get s half, in t he case of a husband, or a fourt h in t he case of a surviving wife. In bot h cases, t he mot her of t he deceased get s one-t hird of t he remaining inherit ance. This is because t he remaining port ion of t he inherit ance is t reat ed j ust as t he ent ire legacy in regard t o t he parent s' share. Allah has given t he mot her one-half of what t he fat her get s. Therefore, t he mot her get s a t hird of t he remaining inherit ance while t he fat her get s t wot hirds. 3. If t he deceased left behind surviving brot hers and sist ers, whet her half brot hers, half sist ers or from t he same fat her and mot her, t heir presence does not cause reduct ion in t he fat her's share. Yet , t heir presence reduces t he share of t he mot her t o one-sixt h inst ead of onet hird, and t he fat her get s t he rest , when t here are no ot her heirs. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Qat adah comment ed on t he Ayah,

(If t he deceased left brot hers or (sist ers), t he mot her has a sixt h.) "Their presence will reduce t he share of t he mot her, but t hey will not inherit . If t here is only one surviving brot her, t he mot her's share will remain one-t hird, but her share will be reduced if t here is more t han one surviving brot her. The people of knowledge at t ribut e t his reduct ion in t he mot her's share from one-t hird (t o one-sixt h) t o t he fact t hat t he fat her is t he one who helps t he brot hers (and sist ers) of t he deceased get married, spending from his own money for t his purpose. The mot her does not spend from her money for t his purpose.'' This is a sound opinion.

First the Debts are Paid Off, then the Will, then the Fixed Inheritance
Allah said,

((The dist ribut ion in all cases is) aft er t he payment of legacies he may have bequeat hed or debt s.) The scholars of t he Salaf and t he Khalaf agree t hat paying debt s comes before fulfilling t he will, and t his is apparent t o t hose who read t he Ayah carefully. Allah said next ,

(You know not which of t hem, whet her your parent s or your children, are nearest t o you in benefit .) This Ayah means: We have appoint ed a share t o t he parent s and children, cont rary t o t he pract ice of Jahiliyyah and t he early Islamic era, when t he inherit ance would go t o t he children, and parent s get a share only if t hey were named in t he will, as Ibn ` Abbas st at ed. Allah abrogat ed t his pract ice and appoint ed a fixed share for t he children and for t he parent s. One may derive benefit in t his life or for t he Hereaft er from his parent s, t he likes of which he could not get from his children. The opposit e of t his could also be t rue. Allah said,

(You know not which of t hem, whet her your parent s or your children, are nearest t o you in benefit ,): since benefit could come from one or t he ot her of t hese relat ives, We appoint ed a fixed share of inherit ance for each. Allah knows best . Allah said,

(ordained by Allah), meaning: These appoint ed shares of inherit ance t hat We ment ioned and which give some inherit ors a bigger share t han ot hers, is a commandment from Allah t hat He has decided and ordained,

(And Allah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise.), Who places everyt hing in it s right ful place and gives each his right ful share.

(12. In t hat which your wives leave, your share is half if t hey have no child; but if t hey leave a child, you get a fourt h of t hat which t hey leave aft er payment of legacies t hat t hey may have bequeat hed or debt s. In t hat which you leave, t heir (your wives) share is a fourt h if you leave no child; but if you leave a child, t hey get an eight h of t hat which you leave aft er payment of legacies t hat you may have bequeat hed or debt s. If t he man or woman whose inherit ance is in Kalalah has left neit her ascendant s nor descendant s, but has left a brot her or a sist er, each one of t he t wo get s a sixt h; but if more t han t wo, t hey share in a t hird; aft er payment of legacies he (or she) may have bequeat hed or debt s, so t hat no loss is caused (t o anyone). This is a Commandment from Allah; and Allah is Ever All-Knowing, Most Forbearing.)

Share of the Spouses in the Inheritance

Allah says t o t he husband, you get half of what your wife leaves behind if she dies and did not have a child. If she had a child, you get one-fourt h of what she leaves behind, aft er payment of legacies t hat she may have bequeat hed, or her debt s. We ment ioned before t hat payment of debt s comes before fulfilling t he will, and t hen comes t he will, t hen t he inherit ance, and t here is a consensus on t his mat t er among t he scholars. And t he rule applies t o t he grandchildren as well as t he children, even if t hey are great -grandchildren (or even furt her in generat ion) Allah t hen said,

(In t hat which you leave, t heir (your wives) share is a fourt h) and if t here is more t han one wife, t hey all share in t he fourt h, or one-eight h t hat t he wife get s. Earlier, we explained Allah's st at ement ,

(Aft er payment of legacies)

The Meaning of Kalalah

Allah said,

(If t he man or woman whose inherit ance is in quest ion was left in Kalalah.) Kalalah is a derivat ive of Iklil; t he crown t hat surrounds t he head. The meaning of Kalalah in t his Ayah is t hat t he person's heirs come from ot her t han t he first degree of relat ive. Ash-Sha` bi report ed t hat when Abu Bakr As-Siddiq was asked about t he meaning of Kalalah, he said, "I will say my own opinion about it , and if it is correct , t hen t his correct ness is from Allah. However, if my opinion is wrong, it will be my error and because of t he evil effort s of Shayt an, and Allah and His Messenger have not hing t o do wit h it . Kalalah refers t o t he man who has neit her descendant s nor ascendant s.'' When ` Umar became t he Khalifah, he said, "I hesit at e t o cont radict an opinion of Abu Bakr.'' This was recorded by Ibn Jarir and ot hers. In his Tafsir, Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "I was among t he last persons t o see ` Umar bin AlKhat t ab, and he said t o me, ` What you said was t he correct opinion.' I asked, ` What did I say' He said, ` That Kalalah refers t o t he person who has no child or parent s.''' This is also t he opinion of ` Ali bin Abi Talib, Ibn Mas` ud, Ibn ` Abbas, Zayd bin Thabit , Ash-Sha` bi, An-Nakha` i, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Qat adah, Jabir bin Zayd and Al-Hakam . This is also t he view of t he people of Al-Madinah, Kufah, Basrah, t he Seven Fuqaha', t he Four Imams and t he maj orit y of scholars of t he past and present , causing some scholars t o declare t hat t here is a consensus on t his opinion.

The Ruling Concerning Children of the Mother From Other Than the Deceased's Father
Allah said,

(But has left a brot her or a sist er), meaning, from his mot her's side, as some of t he Salaf st at ed, including Sa` d bin Abi Waqqas. Qat adah report ed t hat t his is t he view of Abu Bakr AsSiddiq.

(Each one of t he t wo get s a sixt h; but if more t han t wo, t hey share in a t hird.) There is a difference bet ween t he half brot hers from t he mot her's side and t he rest of t he heirs. First , t hey get a share in t he inherit ance on account of t heir mot her. Second, t he males and females among t hem get t he same share. Third, t hey only have a share in t he inherit ance when t he deceased's est at e is inherit ed in Kalalah, for t hey do not have a share if t he deceased has a surviving fat her, grandfat her, child or grandchild. Fourt h, t hey do not have more t han a t hird, no mat t er how numerous t hey were. aAllah's st at ement ,

(Aft er payment of legacies he (or she) may have bequeat hed or debt s, so t hat no loss is caused (t o anyone).) means, let t he will and t est ament be fair and free of any t ype of harm, wit hout depriving some right ful heirs from all, or part of t heir share, or adding t o t he fixed port ion t hat Allah or dained for some heirs. Indeed, whoever does t his, will have disput ed wit h Allah concerning His decision and division. An aut hent ic Hadit h st at es,

(Allah has given each his fixed due right . Theref ore, t here is no will for a right ful inherit or.)

 -
(13. These are t he limit s (set by) Allah, and whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, will be admit t ed t o Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise), t o abide t herein, and is t he great success.) (14. And whosoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, and t ransgresses His (set ) limit s, He will cast him int o t he Fire, t o abide t herein; and he shall suffer a disgraceful t orment .)

Warning Against Transgressing the Limits for Inheritance

Meaning, t he Fara'id are Allah's set limit s. This includes what Allah has allot ed for t he heirs, according t o t he degree of relat ion t hey have t o t he deceased, and t heir degree of dependency on him. Therefore, do not t ransgress or violat e t hem. So Allah said;

(And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger,) regarding t he inherit ance, and does not add or decrease any of t hese fixed shares by use of t ricks and plot s. Rat her, he gives each his appoint ed share as Allah commanded, ordained and decided,

-
(Will be admit t ed t o Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise), t o abide t herein, and is t he great success. And whosoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, and t ransgresses His (set ) limit s, He will cast him int o t he Fire, t o abide t herein; and he shall have a disgraceful t orment .) This is because he changed what Allah has ordained and disput ed wit h His j udgment . Indeed, t his is t he behavior of t hose who do not agree wit h what Allah has decided and divided,

and t his is why Allah punishes t hem wit h humiliat ion in t he et ernal, painful t orment . Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat , t he Messenger of Allah said,

(A man might perform t he act ions of right eous people for sevent y years, but when it is t ime t o compile his will, he commit s inj ust ice. So his final work will be his worst , and he t hus ent ers t he Fire. A man might perform t he deeds of evil people for sevent y years, yet he is fair in his will. So his final work will be his best , and he t hus ent ers Paradise.) Abu Hurayrah said, "Read, if you will,

(These are t he limit s (set by) Allah) unt il,

(a disgraceful t orment .).'' In t he chapt er on inj ust ice in t he will, Abu Dawud recorded in his Sunan t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(A man or a woman might perform act ions in obedience t o Allah for sixt y years. Yet , when t hey are near deat h, t hey leave an unfair will and t hus acquire t he Fire.) Abu Hurayrah t hen recit ed t he Ayah,


(Aft er payment of legacies he (or she) may have bequeat hed or debt s, so t hat no loss is caused), unt il,

(and t hat is t he great success.) This was also recorded by At -Tirmidhi and Ibn Maj ah, and At Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Gharib''.

-
(15. And t hose of your women who commit illegal sexual int ercourse, t ake t he evidence of four wit nesses from among you against t hem; and if t hey t est ify, confine t hem (i.e. women) t o houses unt il deat h comes t o t hem or Allah ordains for t hem some (ot her) way.) (16. And t he t wo persons among you who commit illegal sexual int ercourse, punish t hem bot h. And if t hey repent and do right eous good deeds, leave t hem alone. Surely, Allah is Ever t he One Who accept s repent ance, (and He is) Most Merciful.)

The Adulteress is Confined in her House; A Command Later Abrogated

At t he begining of Islam, t he ruling was t hat if a woman commit s adult ery as st ipulat ed by sufficient proof, she was confined t o her home, wit hout leave, unt il she died. Allah said,


(And t hose of your women who commit illegal sexual int ercourse, t ake t he evidence of four wit nesses from among you against t hem; and if t hey t est ify, confine t hem (i.e. women) t o houses unt il deat h comes t o t hem or Allah ordains for t hem some (ot her) way.) ` Some ot her way' ment ioned here is t he abrogat ion of t his ruling t hat came lat er. Ibn ` Abbas said, "The early ruling was confinement , unt il Allah sent down Surat An-Nur (chapt er 24) which abrogat ed t hat ruling wit h t he ruling of flogging (for fornicat ion) or st oning t o deat h (for adult ery).'' Similar was report ed from ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, ` At a' Al-Khurasani, Abu Salih, Qat adah, Zayd bin Aslam and Ad-Dahhak, and t his is a mat t er t hat is agreed upon. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Ubadah bin As-Samit said, "When t he revelat ion descended upon t he Messenger of Allah , it would affect him and his face would show signs of st rain. One day, Allah sent down a revelat ion t o him, and when t he Messenger was relieved of it s st rain, he said,

(Take from me: Allah has made some ot her way for t hem. The married wit h t he married, t he unmarried wit h t he unmarried. The married get s a hundred lashes and st oning t o deat h, while t he unmarried get s a hundred lashes t hen banishment for a year.)'' Muslim and t he collect ors of t he Sunan recorded t hat ` Ubadah bin As-Samit said t hat t he Prophet said,

(Take from me, t ake from me. Allah has made some ot her way for t hem: t he (unmarried) get s a hundred lashes and banishment for one year, while t he (married) get s a hundred lashes and st oning t o deat h.) At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih''. Allah said,

(And t he t wo persons among you who commit illegal sexual int ercourse, punish t hem bot h.) Ibn ` Abbas and Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat t his punishment includes cursing, shaming t hem and beat ing t hem wit h sandals. This was t he ruling unt il Allah abrogat ed it wit h flogging or st oning, as we st at ed. Muj ahid said, "It was revealed about t he case of t wo men who do it .'' As if he was referring t o t he act ions of t he people of Lut , and Allah knows best . The collect ors of Sunan recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever you cat ch commit t ing t he act of t he people of Lut (homosexualit y), t hen kill bot h part ies t o t he act .) Allah said,

(And if t hey repent and do right eous good deeds), by refraining from t hat evil act , and t hereaft er t heir act ions become right eous,

(leave t hem alone), do not verbally abuse t hem aft er t hat , since he who t ruly repent s is j ust like he who has no sin,

(Surely, Allah is Ever t he One Who accept s repent ance, Most Merciful.) The following is recorded in t he Two Sahihs:

(When t he slave-girl of one of you commit s illegal sexual int ercouse, let him flog her and not chast ise her aft erwards. ) because t he lashes she receives erase t he sin t hat she has commit t ed.

 -
(17. Allah accept s only t he repent ance of t hose who do evil in ignorance and foolishness and repent soon aft erwards ; it is t hey t o whom Allah will forgive and Allah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise.) (18. And of no effect is t he repent ance of t hose who cont inue t o do evil deeds unt il deat h faces one of t hem and he says: "Now I repent ;'' nor of t hose who die while t hey are disbelievers. For t hem, We have prepared a painful t orment .)

Repentance is Accepted Until one Faces death

Allah st at es t hat He accept s repent ance of t he servant who commit s an error in ignorance and t hen repent s, even j ust before he sees t he angel who capt ures t he soul, before his soul reaches his t hroat . Muj ahid and ot hers said, "Every person who disobeys Allah by mist ake, or int ent ionally is ignorant , unt il he refrains from t he sin.'' Qat adah said t hat Abu Al-` Aliyah narrat ed t hat t he Companions of t he Messenger of Allah used t o say, "Every sin t hat t he servant commit s, he commit s out of ignorance.'' ` Abdur-Razzaq narrat ed t hat , Ma` mar said t hat Qat adah said t hat , t he Companions of t he Messenger of Allah agreed t hat every sin t hat is commit t ed by int ent ion or ot herwise, is commit t ed in ignorance.'' Ibn Jurayj said, "Abdullah bin Kat hir narrat ed t o me t hat Muj ahid said, ` Every person who disobeys Allah (even willfully), is ignorant while commit t ing t he act of disobedience.''' Ibn Jurayj said, "` At a' bin Abi Rabah t old me somet hing similar.'' Abu Salih said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "It is because of one's ignorance t hat he commit s t he error.'' ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about t he Ayah,

(and repent soon (aft erwards)), "Unt il j ust before he (or she) looks at t he angel of deat h.'' AdDahhak said, "Every t hing before deat h is ` soon aft erwards .''' Al-Hasan Al-Basri said about t he Ayah,

(and repent soon aft erwards), "Just before his last breat h leaves his t hroat .'' ` Ikrimah said, "All of t his life is ` soon aft erwards .''' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said t hat t he Messenger said,

(Allah accept s t he repent ance of t he servant as long as t he soul does not reach t he t hroat .) This Hadit h was also collect ed by At -Tirmidhi and Ibn Maj ah, and At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Gharib''. By mist ake, Ibn Maj ah ment ioned t hat t his Hadit h was narrat ed t hrough ` Abdullah bin ` Amr. However, what is correct is t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab was t he narrat or. Allah said,

(It is t hey t o whom Allah will forgive and Allah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise.) Surely, when hope in cont inued living diminishes, t he angel of deat h comes fort h and t he soul reaches t he t hroat , approaches t he chest and arrives at t he st at e where it is being gradually pulled out , t hen t here is no accept ed repent ance, nor a way out of t hat cert ain end. Hence Allah's st at ement s,

(And of no effect is t he repent ance of t hose who cont inue t o do evil deeds unt il deat h faces one of t hem and he says: "Now I repent ,'') and,

(So when t hey saw Our punishment , t hey said: "We believe in Allah Alone...'') 40:84 Allah decided t hat repent ance shall not be accept ed from t he people of t he eart h when t he sun rises from t he west , as Allah said,

(The day t hat some of t he signs of your Lord do come, no good will it do t o a person t o believe t hen, if he believed not before, nor earned good t hrough his fait h.) 6:158 . oAllah said,

(nor of t hose who die while t hey are disbelievers.) Consequent ly, when t he disbeliever dies while st ill a disbeliever and polyt heist , his sorrow and repent ance shall not avail him. If he were t o ransom himself, even wit h t he eart h's fill of gold, it will not be accept ed from him. Ibn ` Abbas, Abu Al-` Aliyah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said t hat t he Ayah:

(nor of t hose who die while t hey are disbelievers), was revealed about t he people of Shirk. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Usamah bin Salman said t hat Abu Dharr said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Allah accept s t he repent ance of His servant , or forgives His servant , as long as t he veil does not drop.) They asked, "And what does t he drop of t he veil mean '' He said,

(When t he soul is removed while one is a polyt hiest .) Allah t hen said,

(For t hem We have prepared a painful t orment ), t orment t hat is severe, et ernal and enormous.

 - - -
(19. O you who believe! You are not permit t ed t o inherit women against t heir will, nor t o prevent t hem from marriage in order t o get part of (t he dowry) what you have given t hem, unless t hey commit open Fahishah. And live wit h t hem honorably. If you dislike t hem, it may be t hat you dislike a t hing and Allah brings t hrough it a great deal of good.) (20. But if you int end t o replace a wife by anot her and you have given one of t hem a Qint ar, t ake not t he least bit of it back; would you t ake it wrongfully wit hout a right and (wit h) a manifest sin) (21. And how could you t ake it (back) while you have gone in unt o each ot her, and t hey have t aken from you a firm and st rong covenant ) (22. And marry not women whom your fat hers married, except what has already passed; indeed it was shameful and Maqt an, and an evil way.)

Meaning of ` Inheriting Women Against Their Will

Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about t he Ayah,

(O you who believe! You are not permit t ed t o inherit women against t heir will,) "Before, t he pract ice was t hat when a man dies, his male relat ives used t o have t he right t o do what ever t hey want ed wit h his wife. If one of t hem want s, he would marry her, give her in marriage, or prevent her from marriage, for t hey had more right t o her t han her own family. Thereaft er, t his Ayah was revealed about t his pract ice,


(O you who believe! You are not permit t ed t o inherit women against t heir will).''

Women Should not Be Treated with Harshness

Allah said,

(nor t o prevent t hem from marriage, in order t o t ake part of what you have given t hem,) Allah commands: Do not t reat t he woman harshly so t hat she gives back all or part of t he dowry t hat she was given, or forfeit s one of her right s by means of coercion and oppression. Allah's st at ement ,

(unless t hey commit open Fahishah.) Ibn Mas` ud, Ibn ` Abbas, Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib, AshSha` bi, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Muhammad bin Sirin, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, ` At a' AlKhurasani, Ad-Dahhak, Abu Qilabah, Abu Salih, As-Suddi, Zayd bin Aslam and Sa` id bin Abi Hilal said t hat t his refers t o illicit sex. Meaning t hat if t he wife commit s adult ery, you are allowed t o t ake back t he dowry you gave her. You are also allowed t o annoy her, unt il she gives back t he dowry in ret urn for a Khula` .'' In Surat Al-Baqarah, Allah said,

(And it is not lawful for you (men) t o t ake back (from your wives) any of what you have given t hem, except when bot h part ies fear t hat t hey would be unable t o keep t he limit s ordained by Allah) 2:229 . Ibn ` Abbas, ` Ikrimah and Ad-Dahhak said t hat Fahishah refers t o disobedience and defiance. Ibn Jarir chose t he view t hat it is general, encompasses all t hese meanings, adult ery, disobedience, defiance, rudeness, and so fort h. Meaning t hat he is allowed t o annoy his wife when she does any of t hese act s unt il she forfeit s all or part of her right s and he t hen separat es from her, and t his view is good, and Allah knows best .

Live With Women Honorably

Allah said,

(And live wit h t hem honorably), by saying kind words t o t hem, t reat ing t hem kindly and making your appearance appealing for t hem, as much as you can, j ust as you like t he same from t hem. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And t hey have right s similar over t hem t o what is reasonable) 2:228 . The Messenger of Allah said,

(The best among you is he who is t he best wit h his family. Verily, I am t he best one among you wit h my family.) It was t he pract ice of t he Messenger of Allah t o be kind, cheerful, playful wit h his wives, compassionat e, spending on t hem and laughing wit h t hem. The Messenger used t o race wit h ` A'ishah, t he Mot her of t he Fait hful, as a means of kindness t o her. ` A'ishah said, "The Messenger of Allah raced wit h me and I won t he race. This occurred before I gained weight , and aft erwards I raced wit h him again, and he won t hat race. He said,

(This vict ory is for t hat vict ory .)'' When t he Prophet was at t he home of one of his wives, somet imes all of his wives would meet t here and eat t oget her, and t hey would t hen go back t o t heir homes. He and his wife would sleep in t he same bed, he would remove his upper garment , sleeping in only his lower garment . The Prophet used t o t alk t o t he wife whose night it was, aft er praying ` Isha' and before he went t o sleep. Allah said,

(Indeed in t he Messenger of Allah you have a good example t o follow) 33:21 . Allah said,

(If you dislike t hem, it may be t hat you dislike a t hing and Allah brings t hrough it a great deal of good.) Allah says t hat your pat ience, which is demonst rat ed by keeping wives whom you

dislike, carries good rewards for you in t his life and t he Hereaft er. Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t his Ayah, "That t he husband may feel compassion t owards his wife and Allah gives him a child wit h her, and t his child carries t remendous goodness.'' An aut hent ic Hadit h st at es,

(No believing man should hat e his believing wife. If he dislikes a part of her conduct , he would surely like anot her.)

The Prohibition of Taking Back the Dowry

Allah said,

(But if you int end t o replace a wife by anot her and you have given one of t hem a Qint ar, t ake not t he least bit of it back; would you t ake it wrongfully wit hout a right and (wit h) a manifest sin) The Ayah commands: When one of you want s t o divorce a wife and marry anot her one, he must not t ake any port ion of t he dowry he gave t o t he first wife, even if it were a Qint ar of money. We ment ioned t he meaning of Qint ar in t he Tafsir of Surah Al ` Imran. This Ayah is clear in it s indicat ion t hat t he dowry could be subst ant ial. ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab used t o discourage giving a large dowry, but lat er on changed his view. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Al-` Aj fa' As-Sulami said t hat he heard ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab saying, "Do not exaggerat e wit h t he dowry of women, had t his pract ice been an honor in t his world or a part of Taqwa, t hen t he Prophet would have had more right t o pract ice it t han you. The Messenger of Allah never gave any of his wives, nor did any of his daught ers receive a dowry more t han t welve Uwqiyah. A man used t o pay a subst ant ial dowry and t hus conceal enmit y t owards his wife!'' Ahmad and t he collect ors of Sunan collect ed t his Hadit h t hrough various chains of narrat ion, and At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih''. Al-Hafiz Abu Ya` la recorded t hat Masruq said, "` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab st ood up on t he Minbar of t he Messenger of Allah and said, ` O people! Why do you exaggerat e concerning t he dowry given t o women The Messenger of Allah and his Companions used t o pay up t o four hundred Dirhams for a dowry, or less t han t hat . Had paying more for a dowry been a part of Taqwa or an honor, you would not have led t hem in t his pract ice. Therefore, I do not want t o hear about a man who pays more t han four hundred Dirhams for a dowry.' He t hen went down t he Minbar, but a woman from Quraysh said t o him, ` O Leader of t he Fait hful! You prohibit ed people from paying more t han four hundred Dirhams in a dowry for women' He said, ` Yes.' She said, ` Have you not heard what Allah sent down in t he Qur'an' He said, ` Which part of it ' She said, ` Have you not heard Allah's st at ement ,


(And you have given one of t hem a Qint ar)' He said, ` O Allah! Forgive me...' He t hen went back and st ood up on t he Minbar saying, ` I had prohibit ed you from paying more t han four hundred Dirhams in a dowry for women. So, let everyone pay what he likes from his money.''' The chain of narrat ion for t his Hadit h is st rong.

(And how could you t ake it (back) while you have gone in unt o each ot her) how can you t ake back t he dowry from t he woman wit h whom you had sexual relat ions and she had sexual relat ions wit h you Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, As-Suddi and several ot hers said t hat t his means sexual int ercourse. The Two Sahihs record t hat t he Messenger of Allah said t hree t imes t o t he spouses who said t he Mula` anah;

(Allah knows t hat one of you is a liar, so would any of you repent ) The man said, "O Messenger of Allah! My money,'' referring t o t he dowry t hat he gave his wife. The Messenger said,

(You have no money. If you are t he one who said t he t rut h, t he dowry is in ret urn for t he right t o have sexual int ercourse wit h her. If you are t he one who ut t ered t he lie, t hen t his money is even fart her from your reach.) Similarly Allah said;

(And how could you t ake it (back) while you have gone in unt o each ot her and t hey have t aken from you a firm and st rong covenant ) (Be kind wit h women, for you have t aken t hem by Allah's covenant and earned t he right t o have sexual relat ions wit h t hem by Allah's Word.)

Marrying the Wife of the Father is Prohibited

Allah said,

(And marry not women whom your fat hers married,) Allah prohibit s marrying t he women whom t he fat her married, in honor and respect t o t he fat hers, not allowing t heir children t o have sexual relat ions wit h t heir wives aft er t hey die. A woman becomes ineligible for t he son of her husband as soon as t he marriage cont ract is conduct ed, and t here is a consensus on t his ruling. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, t he people used t o prohibit what Allah prohibit s (concerning marriage), except marrying t he st epmot her and t aking t wo sist ers as rival wives. Allah sent down,

(And marry not women whom your fat hers married,) and,

(and t wo sist ers in wedlock at t he same t ime) 4:23 .'' Similar was report ed from ` At a' and Qat adah. Therefore, t he pract ice t hat t he Ayah ment ions is prohibit ed for t his Ummah, being disgraced as an awful sin, r

(Indeed it was shameful and Maqt an, and an evil way.) Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(Come not near t o Al-Fawahish (shameful act s) whet her commit t ed openly or secret ly) 6:151 , and,

(And come not near t o unlawful sex. Verily, it is a Fahishah and an evil way.) 17:32 In t his Ayah (4:22), Allah added,

(and Maqt an), meaning, offensive. It is a sin it self and causes t he son t o hat e his fat her aft er he marries his wife. It is usual t hat whoever marries a woman dislikes t hose who married her before him. This is one reason why t he Mot hers of t he Fait hful were not allowed for anyone in marriage aft er t he Messenger . They are indeed t he Mot hers of t he Fait hful since t hey married t he Messenger , who is like t he fat her t o t he believers. Rat her, t he Prophet 's right is far great er t han t he right of a fat her, and his love comes before each person loving himself, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him. ` At a' bin Abi Rabah said t hat t he Ayah,

(and Maqt an), means, Allah will hat e him,

(and an evil way), for t hose who t ake t his way. Therefore, t hose who commit t his pract ice will have commit t ed an act of reversion from t he religion and deserve capit al punishment and confiscat ion of t heir propert y, which will be given t o t he Muslim Treasury. Imam Ahmad and t he collect ors of Sunan recorded t hat Al-Bara' bin ` Azib said t hat his uncle Abu Burdah was sent by t he Messenger of Allah t o a man who married his st epmot her t o execut e him and confiscat e his money.

(23. Forbidden t o you (for marriage) are: your mot hers, your daught ers, your sist ers, your fat her's sist ers, your mot her's sist ers, your brot her's daught ers, your sist er's daught ers, your fost er mot hers who suckled you, your fost er milk suckling sist ers, your wives' mot hers, your st epdaught ers under your guardianship, born of your wives unt o whom you have gone in -- but t here is no sin on you if you have not gone in unt o t hem (t o marry t heir daught ers), -- t he wives of your sons who (spring) from your own loins, and t wo sist ers in wedlock at t he same t ime, except for what has already passed; verily, Allah is Oft - Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

Degrees of Women Never Eligible for One to Marry

This honorable Ayah is t he Ayah t hat est ablishes t he degrees of women relat ives who are never eligible for one t o marry, because of blood relat ions, relat ions est ablished by suckling or marriage. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "(Allah said) I have prohibit ed for you seven t ypes of relat ives by blood and seven by marriage.'' Ibn ` Abbas t hen recit ed t he Ayah,

(Forbidden t o you (for marriage) are: your mot hers, your daught ers, your sist ers...) At -Tabari recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Seven degrees of blood relat ion and seven degrees of marriage relat ion are prohibit ed (for marriage).'' He t hen recit ed t he Ayah,

(Forbidden t o you (for marriage) are: your mot hers, your daught ers, your sist ers, your fat her's sist ers, your mot her's sist ers, your brot her's daught ers, your sist er's daught ers) and t hese are t he t ypes prohibit ed by blood relat ion.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(Your fost er mot hers who suckled you, your fost er milk suckling sist ers) means, j ust as your mot her who bore you is prohibit ed for you in marriage, so is your mot her from suckling prohibit ed for you. Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded t hat ` A'ishah, t he Mot her of t he Fait hful, said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Suckling prohibit s what birt h prohibit s.) In anot her narrat ion report ed by Muslim,


(Suckling est ablishes prohibit ed degrees j ust as blood does.)

` Suckling' that Establishes Prohibition for Marriage

Less t han five incident s of suckling will not est ablish prohibit ion for marriage. In his Sahih, Muslim recorded t hat ` A'ishah said, "Among t he part s of t he Qur'an t hat were revealed, is t he st at ement , ` Ten incident s of suckling est ablishes t he prohibit ion (concerning marriage).' It was lat er abrogat ed wit h five, and t he Messenger of Allah died while t his st at ement was st ill recit ed as part of t he Qur'an.''' A Hadit h t hat Sahlah bint Suhayl narrat ed st at es t hat t he Messenger of Allah ordered her t o suckle Salim t he freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah wit h five.'' We should assert t hat t he suckling ment ioned here must occur before t he age of t wo, as we st at ed when we explained t he Ayah in Surat Al-Baqarah,

((The mot hers) should suckle t heir children for t wo whole years, (t hat is) for t hose (parent s) who desire t o complet e t he t erm of suckling) 2:233 . The Mot her-in-Law and St epdaught er are Prohibit ed in Marriage Allah said next ,

(Your wives' mot hers, your st epdaught ers under your guardianship, born of your wives unt o whom you have gone in - but t here is no sin on you if you have not gone in unt o t hem,) As for t he mot her of t he wife, she becomes prohibit ed for marriage for her son-in-law when t he marriage is conduct ed, whet her t he son-in-law has sexual relat ions wit h her daught er or not . As for t he wife's daught er, she becomes prohibit ed for her st epfat her when he has sexual relat ions wit h her mot her, aft er t he marriage cont ract is rat ified. If t he man divorces t he mot her before having sexual relat ions wit h her, he is allowed t o marry her daught er. So Allah said;


(Your st epdaught ers under your guardianship, born of your wives unt o whom you have gone in - but t here is no sin on you if you have not gone in unt o t hem,) t o marry t he st epdaught er.

The Stepdaughter is Prohibited in Marriage Even if She Was Not Under the Guardianship of Her Stepfather
Allah said,

(...your st epdaught ers under your guardianship,) The maj orit y of scholars st at e t hat t he st epdaught er is prohibit ed in marriage for her st epfat her who consummat ed his marriage t o her mot her whet her she was under his guardianship or not . The Two Sahih recorded t hat Umm Habibah said, "O Messenger of Allah! Marry my sist er, t he daught er of Abu Sufyan (and in one narrat ion ` Azzah bint Abu Sufyan).'' He said,

. : :

. ::

. : :


("Do you like t hat I do t hat '' She said, "I would not give you up for anyt hing, but t he best of whom I like t o share wit h me in t hat which is right eously good, is my sist er.'' He said, "That is not allowed for me.'' She said, "We were t old t hat you want t o marry t he daught er of Abu Salamah.'' He asked, "The daught er of Umm Salamah'' She said, "Yes.'' He said, "Even if she was not my st epdaught er and under my guardianship, she is st ill not allowed for me because she is my niece from suckling, for Thuwaybah suckled me and Abu Salamah. Therefore, do not offer me t o marry your daught ers or sist ers. '') In anot her narrat ion from Al-Bukhari,

(Had I not married Umm Salamah, her daught er would not have been allowed for me anyway.) Consequent ly, t he Messenger st at ed t hat his marriage t o Umm Salamah was t he real reason behind t hat prohibit ion.

Meaning of ` gone in unto them

The Ayah cont inues,

(Your wives unt o whom you have gone in), meaning, had sexual relat ions wit h t hem, according t o Ibn ` Abbas and several ot hers.

Prohibiting the Daughter-in-Law for Marriage

Allah said,

(The wives of your sons who (spring) from your own loins,) Therefore, you are prohibit ed t o marry t he wives of your own sons, but not t he wives of your adopt ed sons, as adopt ion was common pract ice in Jahiliyyah. Allah said,


(So when Zayd had accomplished his desire from her (i.e. divorced her), We gave her t o you in marriage, so t hat (in fut ure) t here may be no difficult y t o t he believers in respect of (t he marriage of) t he wives of t heir adopt ed sons when t he lat t er have no desire t o keep t hem (i.e. t hey had divorced t hem).) 33:37 Ibn Jurayj said, "I asked ` At a' about Allah's st at ement ,

(The wives of your sons who (spring) from your own loins,) He said, ` We were t old t hat when t he Prophet married t he ex-wife of Zayd (who was t he Prophet 's adopt ed son before Islam prohibit ed t his pract ice), t he idolat ors in Makkah crit icized him. Allah sent down t he Ayat :

(The wives of your sons who (spring) from your own loins),

(nor has He made your adopt ed sons your real sons.) 33:4 , and,

(Muhammad is not t he fat her of any of your men) 33:40 .''' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat AlHasan bin Muhammad said, "These Ayat are encompassing,

(t he wives of your sons), and,

(your wives' mot hers). This is also t he explanat ion of Tawus, Ibrahim, Az-Zuhri and Makhul. It means t hat t hese t wo Ayat encompass t hese t ypes of women, whet her t he marriage was consummat ed or not , and t here is a consensus on t his ruling.

A Doubt and Rebuttal

Why is t he wife of one's son from suckling prohibit ed for him for marriage - t hat is, if she is no longer married t o his son from suckling - as t he maj orit y of scholars st at e, alt hough t hey are not relat ed by blood The answer is t he Prophet 's st at ement ,

(Suckling prohibit s what blood relat ions prohibit .)

The Prohibition of Taking Two Sisters as Rival Wives

Allah said,

(...and t wo sist ers in wedlock at t he same t ime, except for what has already passed;) The Ayah commands: you are prohibit ed t o t ake t wo sist ers as rival wives, or rival female-servant s, except for what had happened t o you during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, which We have forgiven and erased. Therefore, no one is allowed t o t ake or keep t wo sist ers as rival wives, according t o t he consensus of t he scholars of t he Companions, t heir followers, and t he Imams of old and present . They all st at ed t hat t aking t wo sist ers as rival wives is prohibit ed, and t hat whoever embraces Islam while married t o t wo sist ers at t he same t ime is given t he choice t o keep one of t hem and divorce t he ot her. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ad-Dahhak bin Fayruz said t hat his fat her said, "I embraced Islam while married t o t wo sist ers at t he same t ime and t he Prophet commanded me t o divorce one of t hem.''

(24. Also (forbidden are) women already married, except t hose (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Thus has Allah ordained for you. All ot hers are lawful, provided you seek t hem (wit h a dowry) from your propert y, desiring chast it y, not fornicat ion. So wit h t hose among t hem whom you have enj oyed, give t hem t heir required due, but if you agree mut ually (t o give more) aft er t he requirement (has been det ermined), t here is no sin on you. Surely, Allah is Ever AllKnowing, All-Wise.)

Forbidding Women Already Married, Except for Female Slaves

Allah said,

(Also (forbidden are) women already married, except t hose whom your right hands possess.) The Ayah means, you are prohibit ed from marrying women who are already married,

(except t hose whom your right hands possess) except t hose whom you acquire t hrough war, for you are allowed such women aft er making sure t hey are not pregnant . Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Sa` id Al-Khudri said, "We capt ured some women from t he area of Awt as who were already married, and we disliked having sexual relat ions wit h t hem because t hey already had husbands. So, we asked t he Prophet about t his mat t er, and t his Ayah was revealed, e

(Also (forbidden are) women already married, except t hose whom your right hands possess). Consequent ly, we had sexual relat ions wit h t hese women.'' This is t he wording collect ed by At Tirmidhi An-Nasa'i, Ibn Jarir and Muslim in his Sahih. Allah's st at ement ,

(Thus has Allah ordained for you) means, t his prohibit ion was ordained for you by Allah. Therefore, adhere t o Allah's Book, do not t ransgress His set limit s, and adhere t o His legislat ion and decrees.

The Permission to Marry All Other Women

Allah said,


(All ot hers are lawful) meaning, you are allowed t o marry women ot her t han t he prohibit ed t ypes ment ioned here, as ` At a' and ot hers have st at ed. Allah's st at ement ,

(provided you seek t hem (wit h a dowry) from your propert y, desiring chast it y, not fornicat ion,) meaning, you are allowed t o use your money t o marry up t o four wives and for (t he purchase of) as many female slaves as you like, all t hrough legal means,

((desiring) chast it y, not fornicat ion.) Allah's st at ement ,

(So wit h t hose among t hem whom you have enj oyed, give t hem t heir required due,) means, t o enj oy t hem sexually, surrender t o t hem t heir right ful dowry as compensat ion. In ot her Ayat , Allah said,

(And how could you t ake it (back) while you have gone in unt o each ot her),

(And give t o t he women (whom you marry) t heir dowry wit h a good heart ), and,

(And it is not lawful for you (men) t o t ake back (from your wives) any of what (dowry) you gave t hem)

Prohibiting the Mut` ah of Marriage

Muj ahid st at ed t hat ,

(So wit h t hose among t hem whom you have enj oyed, give t hem t heir required due,) was revealed about t he Mut ` ah marriage. A Mut ` ah marriage is a marriage t hat ends upon a predet erminied dat e. In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat t he Leader of t he Fait hful ` Ali bin Abi Talib said, "The Messenger of Allah prohibit ed Mut ` ah marriage and eat ing t he meat of domest icat ed donkeys on t he day of Khaybar (bat t le).'' In addit ion, in his Sahih, Muslim recorded t hat Ar-Rabi` bin Sabrah bin Ma` bad Al-Juhani said t hat his fat her said t hat he accompanied t he Messenger of Allah during t he conquest of Makkah, and t hat t he Prophet said,

(O people! I allowed you t he Mut ` ah marriage wit h women before. Now, Allah has prohibit ed it unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion. Therefore, anyone who has any women in Mut ` ah, let him let t hem go, and do not t ake anyt hing from what you have given t hem.) Allah's st at ement ,

(but if you agree mut ually (t o give more) aft er t he requirement (has been det ermined), t here is no sin on you.) is similar t o His ot her st at ement ,

(And give t o t he women t heir dowry wit h a good heart ). The meaning of t hese Ayat is: If you have st ipulat ed a dowry for her, and she lat er forf eit s it , eit her t ot ally or part ially, t hen t his bears no harm on you or her in t his case. Ibn Jarir said, "Al-Hadrami said t hat some men would

designat e a cert ain dowry, but t hen fall int o financial difficult ies. Therefore, Allah said t hat t here is no harm on you, O people, concerning your mut ual agreement aft er t he requirement (has been det ermined).'' meaning, if she gives up part of t he dowry, t hen you men are allowed t o accept t hat . Allah's st at ement ,

(Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.) is suit able here, aft er Allah ment ioned t hese prohibit ions.

(25. And whoever of you have not t he means wherewit h t o wed free believing women, t hey may wed believing girls from among t hose whom your right hands possess, and Allah has full knowledge about your fait h, you are one from anot her. Wed t hem wit h t he permission of t heir own folk (guardians) and give t hem t heir due in a good manner; t hey should be chast e, not fornicat ors, nor promiscuous. And aft er t hey have been t aken in wedlock, if t hey commit Fahishah, t heir punishment is half t hat for free (unmarried) women. This is for him among you who is afraid of being harmed in his religion or in his body; but it is bet t er for you t hat you pract ice self-rest raint , and Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

Marrying a Female Slave, if One Cannot Marry a Free Woman

Allah said, t hose who do not have,


(t he means), financial capabilit y,

(Wherewit h t o wed free believing women) meaning, free fait hful, chast e women.

(They may wed believing girls from among t hose whom your right hands possess,) meaning, t hey are allowed t o wed believing slave girls owned by t he believers.

(and Allah has full knowledge about your fait h; you are one from anot her.) Allah knows t he t rue realit y and secret s of all t hings, but you people know only t he apparent t hings. Allah t hen said,

(Wed t hem wit h t he permission of t heir own folk) indicat ing t hat t he owner is responsible for t he slave girl, and consequent ly, she cannot marry wit hout his permission. The owner is also responsible for his male slave and t hey cannot wed wit hout his permission. A Hadit h st at es,

(Any male slave who marries wit hout permission from his mast er, is a fornicat or.) When t he owner of t he female slave is a female, t hose who are allowed t o give away t he free woman in marriage, wit h her permission, become responsible for giving away her female slave in marriage, as well. A Hadit h st at es t hat

(The woman does not give away anot her woman, or herself in marriage, for only t he adult eress gives herself away in marriage.) Allah's st at ement ,


(And give t hem t heir due in a good manner;) meaning, pay t hem t heir dowry wit h a good heart , and do not keep any of it , belit t ling t he mat t er due t o t he fact t hat t hey are owned slaves. Allah's st at ement ,

(t hey should be chast e) means, t hey are honorable women who do not commit adult ery, and t his is why Allah said,

(not fornicat ors) referring t o dishonorable women, who do not refrain from illicit sexual relat ions wit h t hose who ask. Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he fornicat ing women are t he whores, who do not obj ect t o having relat ions wit h whomever seeks it , while,

(nor promiscuous. ) refers t o t aking boyfriends. Similar was said by Abu Hurayrah, Muj ahid, Ash-Sha` bi, Ad-Dahhak, ` At a' Al-Khurasani, Yahya bin Abi Kat hir, Muqat il bin Hayyan and AsSuddi.

The Slave Girl's Punishment for Adultery is Half that of a Free Unmarried Woman
Allah said,

(And aft er t hey have been t aken in wedlock, if t hey commit Fahishah, t heir punishment is half of t hat for free (unmarried) women.) t his is about t he slave women who got married, as indicat ed by t he Ayah;


(And whoever of you have not t he means wherewit h t o wed free believing women, t hey may wed believing girls from among t hose whom your right hands possess,) Therefore, since t he honorable Ayah is about believing slave girls, t hen,

(And aft er t hey have been t aken in wedlock,) refers t o when t hey (believing slave girls) get married, as Ibn ` Abbas and ot hers have said. Allah's st at ement ,

(t heir punishment is half of t hat for free (unmarried) women.) indicat es t hat t he t ype of punishment prescribed here is t he one t hat can be reduced t o half, lashes in t his case, not st oning t o deat h, and Allah knows best . Allah's st at ement ,

(This is for him among you who is afraid of being harmed in his religion or in his body;) indicat es t hat marrying slave girls, providing one sat isfies t he required condit ions, is for t hose who fear for t heir chast it y and find it hard t o be pat ient and refrain from sex. In t his difficult circumst ance, one is allowed t o marry a slave girl. However, it is bet t er t o refrain from marrying slave girls and t o observe pat ience, for ot herwise, t he offspring will become slaves t o t he girl's mast er. Allah said,

(but it is bet t er for you t hat you pract ice self-rest raint , and Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

 -
(26. Allah wishes t o make clear (what is lawful and what is unlawful) t o you, and t o show you t he ways of t hose before you, and accept your repent ance, and Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise.) (27. Allah wishes t o accept your repent ance, but t hose who follow t heir lust s, wish t hat you (believers) should deviat e t remendously away (from t he right pat h)) (28. Allah wishes t o light en (t he burden) for you; and man was creat ed weak. ) Allah explains t o t he believers what He has allowed and prohibit ed for t hem in t his and ot her Surahs,

(And t o show you t he ways of t hose before you,) meaning t heir right eous ways and how t o adhere t o t he commandment s t hat He likes and is pleased wit h.

(and accept your repent ance) from sin and error,

(and Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise.) in His commands, decrees, act ions and st at ement s. Allah's st at ement ,

(but t hose who follow t heir lust s, wish t hat you (believers) should deviat e t remendously away from t he right pat h)) indicat es t hat t he followers of Shayt an among t he Jews, Christ ians and t he adult erous, wish t hat you would t ake t he horrendous pat h of falsehood inst ead of t he t rut h.

(Allah wishes t o light en (t he burden) for you'') His legislat ion, orders, what He prohibit s and what He decrees for you. This is why Allah has allowed free men t o marry slave girls under cert ain condit ions, as Muj ahid and ot hers have st at ed.

(and man was creat ed weak.) and t his is why it is suit able in his case t hat t he commands are made easy for him, because of his weakness and feebleness. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Tawus said t hat ,

(and man was creat ed weak), "Concerning women''. Waki` said, "Man's mind leaves when women are involved.''

- -
(29. O you who believe! Eat not up your propert y among yourselves unj ust ly except it be a t rade amongst you, by mut ual consent . And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one anot her). Surely, Allah is Most Merciful t o you.) (30. And whoever commit s t hat t hrough aggression and inj ust ice, We shall cast him int o t he Fire, and t hat is easy for Allah.) (31. If you avoid t he great sins which you are forbidden t o do, We shall remit from you your (small) sins, and admit you t o a Noble Ent rance (i.e. Paradise).)

Prohibiting Unlawfully Earned Money

Allah, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored, prohibit s His believing servant s from illegally acquiring each ot her's propert y using various dishonest met hods such as Riba, gambling and ot her wicked met hods t hat appear t o be legal, but Allah knows t hat , in realit y, t hose involved seek t o deal in int erest . Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on a man who buys a garment , saying t hat if he likes it he will keep it , or he will ret urn it along wit h an ext ra Dirham, "This is what Allah meant , when He said, o

(Eat not up your propert y among yourselves unj ust ly.'') ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "When Allah sent down,

(O you who believe! Eat not up your propert y among yourselves unj ust ly) some Muslims said, ` Allah has forbidden us from eat ing up each ot her's propert y unj ust ly, and food is our best propert y. Therefore, none among us is allowed t o eat from anyone else's food.' Aft er t hat Allah sent down,

(There is no rest rict ion on t he blind) (unt il t he end of t he Ayah). similarly. Allah's st at ement , 24:61 .''' Qat adah said

(except it be a t rade amongst you, by mut ual consent .) means, do not revert t o illegal ways and means t o acquire money. However, t here is no harm in commercial t ransact ions t hat t ranspire bet ween t he buyer and t he seller wit h mut ual consent , so t hat money is legally earned from t hese t ransact ions. Muj ahid said t hat ,

(except it be a t rade amongst you, by mut ual consent .) means, "By selling and buying, or giving someone a gift .'' Ibn Jarir recorded t his st at ement .

The Option to Buy or Sell Before Parting, is Part of ` Mutual Consent' in Trading
Mut ual agreement in various t ransact ions is at t ained when bot h part ies have t he right t o uphold or dissolve t he agreement before t hey part . In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The seller and t he buyer ret ain t he (right t o change t heir mind) as long as t hey have not part ed.) Al-Bukhari's wording for t his Hadit h reads,

(When t wo men conduct a t ransact ion, t hey ret ain t heir (right t o change t heir mind) as long as t hey have not part ed.)

Forbidding Murder and Suicide

Allah said,

(And do not kill yourselves.) by commit t ing Allah's prohibit ions, falling int o sin and eat ing up each ot her's propert y unj ust ly,

(Surely, Allah is Most Merciful t o you.) in what He commanded you and prohibit ed you from. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Amr bin Al-` As said t hat when t he Prophet sent him for t he bat t le of Dhat As-Salasil, "I had a wet dream during a very cold night and feared t hat if I bat hed, I would die. So I performed Tayammum (wit h pure eart h) and led my company in t he Dawn prayer. When I went back t o t he Messenger of Allah , I ment ioned what had happened t o me and he said,

(O ` Amr! Have you led your people in prayer while you were in a st at e of sexual impurit y) I said, 'O Messenger of Allah! I had a wet dream on a very cold night and feared t hat if I bat hed I would perish, and I remembered Allah's st at ement ,

(And do not kill yourselves. Surely, Allah is Most Merciful t o you). So I performed Tayammum and prayed.' The Messenger of Allah smiled and did not say anyt hing.'' This is t he narrat ion report ed by Abu Dawud. Ibn Marduwyah ment ioned t his honorable Ayah and t hen report ed t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever kills himself wit h an iron t ool, t hen his t ool will be in his hand and he will keep st abbing himself wit h it in t he Fire of Jahannam, forever and ever. Whoever kills himself wit h poison, t hen his poison will be in his hand and he will keep t aking it in t he Fire of Jahannam forever and ever. Whoever kills himself by t hrowing himself from a mount ain, will keep falling in t he Fire of Jahannam forever and ever.) This Hadit h was also collect ed in t he Two Sahihs. Abu Qilabah said t hat Thabit bin Ad-Dahhak said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever kills himself wit h an inst rument , will be punished wit h it on t he Day of Resurrect ion.) This Hadit h was collect ed by t he Group. This is why Allah said,

(And whoever commit s t hat t hrough aggression and inj ust ice, ) meaning, whoever commit s what Allah has forbidden for him t ransgression and inj ust ice - while knowing t hat it is forbidden for him, yet he st ill dares t o commit it ,


(We shall cast him int o t he Fire,). This Ayah carries a st ern warning and a t rut hful promise. Therefore, every sane person should beware of it , t hose who hear t he speech wit h full comprehension.

Minor Sins Will be Pardoned if One Refrains from Major Sins

Allah said,

(If you avoid t he great sins which you are forbidden t o do, We shall remit from you your (small) sins,) meaning, if you avoid t he maj or evil deeds t hat you were prohibit ed We will forgive you t he minor evil deeds and will admit you int o Paradise. This is why Allah said,

(and admit you t o a Noble Ent rance (i.e. Paradise).) There are several Hadit hs on t he subj ect of t his honorable Ayah. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Salman Al-Farisi said, "The Prophet said t o me, ` Do you know what t he day of Al-Jumu` ah is' I said, ` It is t he day during which Allah brought t oget her t he creat ion of your fat her (Adam).' He said,

(I know what t he day of Jumu` ah is. Anyone who t akes a bat h and cleans himself as much as he can and t hen proceeds for t he Friday prayer and remains quiet unt il t he Imam finishes t he prayer, all his sins in bet ween t he present and t he next Friday will be forgiven, as long as maj or sins were avoided.)'' Al-Bukhari recorded similar wording from Salman Al-Farisi.

The Seven Destructive Sins

What are t he Seven Dest ruct ive Sins In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Avoid t he seven great dest ruct ive sins.) The people inquired, 'O Allah's Messenger! What are t hey' He said,

(To j oin ot hers in worship along wit h Allah, t o kill t he life which Allah has forbidden except for a j ust cause, magic, t o consume Riba, t o consume an orphan's wealt h, t o t urn away from t he enemy and flee from t he bat t lefield when t he bat t le begins, and t o accuse chast e women, who never even t hink of anyt hing t hat would t arnish t heir chast it y and are good believers.) Anot her Hadit h t hat ment ions False Wit ness Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Anas bin Malik said, "The Messenger of Allah ment ioned t he maj or sins, or was asked about t he maj or sins. He said,

(Associat ing ot hers wit h Allah in worship, killing t he life, and being undut iful t o t he parent s.) He t hen said,

(Should I t ell you about t he biggest of t he maj or sins The false st at ement - or t he false t est imony.)'' Shu` bah - one of t he narrat ors of t he Hadit h - said, "Most likely, in my opinion, he said, ` False t est imony.''' The Two Sahihs recorded t his Hadit h from Shu` bah from Anas. Anot her Hadit h In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat ` Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Bakrah said t hat his fat her said, "The Prophet said,


(Should I inform you about t he great est of t he great sins) We said, ` Yes, O Allah's Messenger !' He said,

(To j oin ot hers in worship wit h Allah and t o be undut iful t o one's parent s.) He was reclining, t hen he sat up and said;

(And I warn you against false t est imony and false speech.) and he cont inued repeat ing it unt il we wished t hat he would st op.'' Anot her Hadit h t hat ment ions killing t he Offspring In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said, "I asked, ` O Allah's Messenger! What is t he great est sin' (in one narrat ion) t he biggest sin ' He said,

(To make a rival for Allah while He Alone creat ed you.) I said, ` Then' He said,

(To kill your offspring for fear t hat he might share your food wit h you. ) I said, ` Then' He said,

(To commit adult ery wit h your neighbor's wife.) He t hen recit ed,

(And t hose who invoke not any ot her god along wit h Allah), unt il,

(Except t hose who repent ).'' Anot her Hadit h from ` Abdullah bin ` Amr Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said t hat t he Prophet said,

:
(The great est sins are: To j oin ot hers in worship wit h Allah, t o be undut iful t o one's parent s - or t o t ake a life) Shu` bah was uncert ain of which one - (and t he false oat h). Recorded by AlBukhari, At -Tirmidhi, and An-Nasai. Anot her Hadit h by ` Abdullah bin ` Amr about Causing one's Parent s t o be Cursed ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Among t he worst of t he maj or sins is for a man t o curse his own parent s.) They said, "How can one curse his own parent s'' He said,

(One curses anot her man's fat her, and t hat man curses his fat her in ret aliat ion, or he curses someone's mot her and t hat man curses his mot her.) This is t he wording of Muslim. At -Tirmidhi said, "Sahih.'' It is recorded in t he Sahih t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Cursing a Muslim is a sin and fight ing him is Kufr.)

(32. And wish not for t he t hings in which Allah has made some of you t o excel ot hers. For men t here is reward for what t hey have earned, (and likewise) for women t here is reward for what t hey have earned, and ask Allah of His bount y. Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knower of everyt hing.)

Do Not Wish for the Things Which Allah has Made Some Others to Excel In
Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Umm Salamah said, "O Messenger of Allah! Men go t o bat t le, but we do not go t o bat t le, and we earn one-half of t he inherit ance (t hat men get ).'' Allah sent down,

(And wish not for t he t hings in which Allah has made some of you t o excel ot hers). At -Tirmidhi also recorded t his Hadit h. Allah's st at ement ,

(For men t here is reward for what t hey have earned, (and likewise) for women t here is reward for what t hey have earned,) indicat es, according t o Ibn Jarir, t hat each person will earn his wages for his works, a reward if his deeds are good, and punishment if his deeds are evil. It was also report ed t hat t his Ayah is t alking about inherit ance, indicat ing t he fact t hat each person will get his due share of t he inherit ance, as Al-Walibi report ed from Ibn ` Abbas. Allah t hen direct ed t he servant s t o what benefit s t hem,

(and ask Allah of His Bount y.)Therefore, t he Ayah st at es, "Do not wish for what ot her people were endowed wit h over you, for t his is a decision t hat will come t o pass, and wishing does not change it s decree. However, ask Me of My favor and I will grant it t o you, for I Am Most Generous and Most Giving.'' Allah t hen said,

(Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knower of everyt hing.) meaning, Allah knows who deserves t his life, and so He gives him riches, and whoever deserves povert y, He makes him poor. He also knows who deserves t he Hereaft er, and He direct s him t o perform t he deeds t hat will help him t o be

sucessful in it , and whoever deserves failure, He prevent s him from achieving right eousness and what leads t o it . Hence, Allah said, m

(Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knower of everyt hing).

(33. And t o everyone, We have appoint ed Mawali of t hat left by parent s and relat ives. To t hose also wit h whom you have made a pledge (brot herhood), give t hem t heir due port ion (by wills). Truly, Allah is Ever a Wit ness over all t hings.) Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Abu Salih, Qat adah, Zayd bin Aslam, As-Suddi, Ad-Dahhak, Muqat il bin Hayyan, and ot hers said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(And t o everyone, We have appoint ed Mawali) means, "Heirs.'' Ibn ` Abbas was also report ed t o have said t hat Mawali refers t o relat ives. Ibn Jarir comment ed, "The Arabs call t he cousin a Mawla.'' Ibn Jarir cont inued, "Allah's st at ement ,

(of t hat (propert y) left by parent s and relat ives.) means, from what he inherit ed from his parent s and family members. Therefore, t he meaning of t he Ayah becomes: ` To all of you, O people, We appoint ed relat ives (such as children) who will lat er inherit what you inherit ed from your own parent s and relat ives.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(To t hose also wit h whom you have made a pledge (brot herhood), give t hem t heir due port ion.) means, "Those wit h whom you have a pledge of brot herhood, give t hem t heir share of inherit ance, t hus fulfilling t he rat ified pledges t hat you gave t hem. Allah has wit nessed all of you when you gave t hese pledges and promises.'' This pract ice was followed in t he beginning of Islam, but was lat er on abrogat ed when Muslims were commanded t o fulfill t he pledges (brot herhood) t hey had already given, but t o refrain from making any new pledges aft er t hat . Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said,


(And t o everyone, We have appoint ed Mawali) "meaning, heirs;

(To t hose also wit h whom you have made a pledge (brot herhood)) When t he emigrant s came t o Al-Madinah, t he emigrant would inherit from t he Ansari, while t he lat t er's relat ives would not inherit from him because of t he bond of brot herhood which t he Prophet est ablished bet ween t hem (t he emigrant s and t he Ansar). When t he verse,

(And t o everyone We have appoint ed Mawali) was revealed, it cancelled (t he pledge of brot herhood regarding inherit ance).'' Then he said, "The verse,

(To t hose also wit h whom you have made a pledge (brot herhood), give t hem t heir due port ion.) remained valid for cases of co-operat ion and mut ual advice, while t he mat t er of inherit ance was excluded and it became permissible t o assign somet hing in one's will t o t he person who had t he right of inherit ing before.''

(34. Men are t he prot ect ors and maint ainers of women, because Allah has made one of t hem t o excel t he ot her, and because t hey spend (t o support t hem) from t heir means. Therefore t he right eous women are Qanit at , and guard in t he husband's absence what Allah orders t hem t o guard. As t o t hose women on whose part you see ill conduct , admonish t hem, and abandon

t hem in t heir beds, and beat t hem, but if t hey ret urn t o obedience, do not seek a means against t hem. Surely, Allah is Ever Most High, Most Great .) Allah said,

(Men are t he prot ect ors and maint ainers of women,) meaning, t he man is responsible for t he woman, and he is her maint ainer, caret aker and leader who disciplines her if she deviat es.

(because Allah has made one of t hem t o excel t he ot her,) meaning, because men excel over women and are bet t er t han t hem for cert ain t asks. This is why prophet hood was exclusive of men, as well as ot her import ant posit ions of leadership. The Prophet said,

(People who appoint a woman t o be t heir leader, will never achieve success.) Al-Bukhari recorded t his Hadit h. Such is t he case wit h appoint ing women as j udges or on ot her posit ions of leadership.

(and because t hey spend from t heir means.) meaning t he dowry, expendit ures and various expenses t hat Allah ordained in His Book and t he Sunnah of His Messenger for men t o spend on women. For t hese reasons it is suit able t hat he is appoint ed her maint ainer, j ust as Allah said,

(But men have a degree (of responsibilit y) over t hem).

Qualities of the Righteous Wife

Allah said,

(Therefore, t he right eous) women,


(are Qanit at ), obedient t o t heir husbands, as Ibn ` Abbas and ot hers st at ed.

(and guard in t he husband's absence) As-Suddi and ot hers said t hat it means she prot ect s her honor and her husband's propert y when he is absent , and Allah's st at ement ,

(what Allah orders t hem t o guard.) means, t he prot ect ed husband is t he one whom Allah prot ect s. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The best women is she who when you look at her, she pleases you, when you command her she obeys you, and when you are absent , she prot ect s her honor and your propert y.) Then, t he Messenger of Allah recit ed t he Ayah,

(Men are t he prot ect ors and maint ainers of women, ) unt il it s end. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdur-Rahman bin 'Awf said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(If t he woman prayed her five daily prayers, fast ed her mont h, prot ect ed her chast it y and obeyed her husband, she will be t old, 'Ent er Paradise from any of it s doors you wish.')

Dealing with the Wife's Ill-Conduct

Allah said,

(As t o t hose women on whose part you see ill conduct ,) meaning, t he woman from whom you see ill conduct wit h her husband, such as when she act s as if she is above her husband, disobeys him, ignores him, dislikes him, and so fort h. When t hese signs appear in a woman, her husband should advise her and remind her of Allah's t orment if she disobeys him. Indeed, Allah ordered t he wife t o obey her husband and prohibit ed her from disobeying him, because of t he enormit y of his right s and all t hat he does for her. The Messenger of Allah said,

(If I were t o command anyone t o prost rat e before anyone, I would have commanded t he wife t o prost rat e before her husband, because of t he enormit y of his right upon her.) Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(If t he man asks his wife t o come t o his bed and she declines, t he angels will keep cursing her unt il t he morning.) Muslim recorded it wit h t he wording,

(If t he wife goes t o sleep while ignoring her husband's bed, t he angels will keep cursing her unt il t he morning.) This is why Allah said,

(As t o t hose women on whose part you see ill conduct , admonish t hem (first )). Allah's st at ement ,

(abandon t hem in t heir beds,) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said "The abandonment refers t o not having int ercourse wit h her, t o lie on her bed wit h his back t o her.'' Several ot hers said similarly. As-Suddi, Ad-Dahhak, ` Ikrimah, and Ibn ` Abbas, in anot her narrat ion, added, "Not t o speak wit h her or t alk t o her.'' The Sunan and Musnad compilers recorded t hat Mu` awiyah bin Haydah Al-Qushayri said, "O Allah's Messenger! What is t he right t hat t he wife of one of us has on him'' The Prophet said,

(To feed her when you eat , clot h her when you buy clot hes for yourself, refrain from st riking her face or cursing her, and t o not abandon her, except in t he house.) Allah's st at ement ,

(beat t hem) means, if advice and ignoring her in t he bed do not produce t he desired result s, you are allowed t o discipline t he wife, wit hout severe beat ing. Muslim recorded t hat Jabir said t hat during t he Farewell Haj j , t he Prophet said;

(Fear Allah regarding women, for t hey are your assist ant s. You have t he right on t hem t hat t hey do not allow any person whom you dislike t o st ep on your mat . However, if t hey do t hat , you are allowed t o discipline t hem light ly. They have a right on you t hat you provide t hem wit h

t heir provision and clot hes, in a reasonable manner.) Ibn ` Abbas and several ot hers said t hat t he Ayah refers t o a beat ing t hat is not violent . Al-Hasan Al-Basri said t hat it means, a beat ing t hat is not severe.

When the Wife Obeys Her Husband, Means of Annoyance Against Her are Prohibited
Allah said,

(but if t hey ret urn t o obedience, seek not against t hem means (of annoyance),) meaning, when t he wife obeys her husband in all t hat Allah has allowed, t hen no means of annoyance from t he husband are allowed against his wife. Therefore, in t his case, t he husband does not have t he right t o beat her or shun her bed. Allah's st at ement ,

(Surely, Allah is Ever Most High, Most Great .) reminds men t hat if t hey t ransgress against t heir wives wit hout j ust ificat ion, t hen Allah, t he Ever Most High, Most Great , is t heir Prot ect or, and He will exert revenge on t hose who t ransgress against t heir wives and deal wit h t hem unj ust ly.

(35. If you fear a breach bet ween t he t wo, appoint (t wo) arbit rat ors, one from his family and t he ot her from her's; if t hey bot h wish for peace, Allah will cause t heir reconciliat ion. Indeed Allah is Ever All-Knower, Well-Acquaint ed wit h all t hings.)

Appointing Two Arbitrators When the Possibility of Estrangement Between Husband and Wife Occurs
Allah first ment ioned t he case of rebellion on t he part of t he wife. He t hen ment ioned t he case of est rangement and alienat ion bet ween t he t wo spouses. Allah said,


(If you fear a breach bet ween t he t wo, appoint (t wo) arbit rat ors, one from his family). The Fuqaha' (scholars of Fiqh) say t hat when est rangement occurs bet ween t he husband and wife, t he j udge refers t hem t o a t rust ed person who examines t heir case in order t o st op any wrongs commit ed bet ween t hem. If t he mat t er cont inues or worsens, t he j udge sends a t rust wort hy person from t he woman's family and a t rust wort hy person from t he man's family t o meet wit h t hem and examine t heir case t o det ermine whet her it is best for t hem t o part or t o remain t oget her. Allah gives preference t o st aying t oget her, and t his is why Allah said,

(if t hey bot h wish for peace, Allah will cause t heir reconciliat ion.) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Allah commands t hat a right eous man from t he husband's side of t he family and t he wife's side of t he family are appoint ed, so t hat t hey find out who among t he spouses is in t he wrong. If t he man is in t he wrong, t hey prevent him from his wife, and he pays some rest it ut ion. If t he wife is in t he wrong, she remains wit h her husband, and he does not pay any rest it ut ion. If t he arbit rat ors decide t hat t he marriage should remain int act or be dissolved, t hen t heir decision is upheld. If t hey decide t hat t he marriage remains int act , but one of t he spouses disagrees while t he ot her agrees, and one of t hem dies, t hen t he one who agreed inherit s from t he ot her, while t he spouse who did not agree does not inherit from t he spouse who agreed.'' This was collect ed by Ibn Abi Hat im and Ibn Jarir. Shaykh Abu ` Umar bin ` Abdul-Barr said, "The scholars agree t hat when t he t wo arbit rat ors disagree, t hen t he opinion t hat dissolves t he marriage will not be adopt ed. They also agree t hat t he decision of t he arbit rat ors is binding, even if t he t wo spouses did not appoint t hem as agent s. This is t he case if it is decided t hat t hey should st ay t oget her, but t hey disagree whet her it is binding or not when t hey decide for separat ion.'' Then he ment ioned t hat t he maj orit y holds t he view t hat t he decision is st ill binding, even if t hey did not appoint t hem t o make any decision.

(36. Worship Allah and j oin none wit h Him in worship, and do good t o parent s, kinsfolk, orphans, t he poor, t he neighbor who is near of kin, t he neighbor who is a st ranger, t he

companion by your side, t he wayfarer (you meet ), and t hose (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud and boast ful.)

The Order to Worship Allah Alone and to Be Dutiful to Parents

Allah orders t hat He be worshipped Alone wit hout part ners, because He Alone is t he Creat or and Sust ainer Who sends His favors and bount ies on His creat ion in all sit uat ions and inst ances. Therefore He deserves t o be singled out , wit hout associat ing anyt hing or anyone from His creat ion wit h Him in worship. Indeed, t he Prophet said t o Mu` adh,

(Do you know what Allah's right on His servant s is) Mu` adh replied, "Allah and His Messenger know bet t er.'' He said,

(That t hey should worship Him and should not worship any ot hers wit h Him.) The Prophet t hen said,

(Do you know what t he right of t he servant s on Allah is if t hey do t his He should not punish t hem.) Allah t hen commands t he servant s t o be dut iful t o t heir parent s, for Allah made parent s t he reason for t he servant s t o come t o exist ence, aft er t hey did not exist . Allah j oins t he order t o worship Him wit h being dut iful t o parent s in many places. For example, He said,

(give t hanks t o Me and t o your parent s), and,

(And your Lord has decreed t hat you worship none but Him. And t hat you be dut iful t o your parent s). Aft er Allah ordained being dut iful t o parent s, He ordained kind t reat ment of relat ives, males and females. A Hadit h st at es,


(Charit y given t o t he poor is Sadaqah, while charit y given t o relat ives is bot h Sadaqah and Silah (keeping t he relat ions).) Allah t hen said,

(orphans), because t hey lost t heir caret akers who would spend on t hem. So Allah commands t hat t he orphans be t reat ed wit h kindness and compassion. Allah t hen said,

(Al-Masakin (t he poor)) who have various needs and cannot find what sust ains t hese needs. Therefore, Allah commands t hey should be helped in acquiring t heir needs in a sufficient manner t hat will end t heir inadequacy. We will furt her elaborat e on t he mat t er of t he dest it ut e and t he poor in Surah Bara'h (9:60).

The Right of the Neighbor

Allah said,

(t he neighbor who is near of kin, t he neighbor who is a st ranger) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(t he neighbor who is near of kin) means, "The neighbor who is also a relat ive'', while,

(The neighbor who is a st ranger) means, "Who is not a relat ive.'' It was also report ed t hat ` Ikrimah, Muj ahid, Maymun bin Mihran, Ad-Dahhak, Zayd bin Aslam, Muqat il bin Hayyan and Qat adah said similarly. Muj ahid was also report ed t o have said t hat Allah's st at ement ,


(t he neighbor who is a st ranger) means, "The companion during t ravel.'' There are many Hadit hs t hat command kind t reat ment t o t he neighbors, and we will ment ion some of t hem here wit h Allah's help. The First Hadit h Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Umar said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Jibril kept reminding of t he neighbor's right , unt il I t hought t hat he was going t o give him a share of t he inherit ance.) The Two Sahihs recorded t his Hadit h. The Second Hadit h Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Jibril kept reminding me of t he neighbor's right , unt il I t hought he was going t o appoint a share of t he inherit ance for him.) Abu Dawud and At -Tirmidhi recorded t his Hadit h, which At Tirmidhi said was "Hasan Gharib t hrough t his rout e.'' The Third Hadit h Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr bin Al-` As said t hat t he Prophet said,

(The best companions according t o Allah are t hose who are t he best wit h t heir friends, and t he best neighbors according t o Allah are t he best wit h t heir neighbors.) At -Tirmidhi recorded t his Hadit h and said, "Hasan Gharib''. The Fourt h Hadit h Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Al-Miqdad bin Al-Aswad said t hat t he Messenger of Allah asked his Companions,

(What do you say about adult ery) They said, "It is prohibit ed, for Allah and His Messenger have prohibit ed it . So it is forbidden unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion.'' The Messenger of Allah said,


(For a man t o commit adult ery wit h his neighbor's wife is worse t han if he commit s adult ery wit h t en women.) He t hen said,

(What do you say about t heft ) They said, "It is prohibit ed, for Allah and His Messenger prohibit ed it .'' He said,

(If a man st eals from his neighbor, it is worse for him t han st ealing from t en homes.) Only Ahmad recorded t his Hadit h. A similar Hadit h is recorded in t he Two Sahihs, Ibn Mas` ud said, "I asked, ` O Allah's Messenger! What is t he great est sin' He said,

(To make a rival for Allah while He Alone creat ed you.) I said, ` Then' He said,

(To kill your offspring for fear t hat he might share your food wit h you.) I said, ` Then' He said,

(To commit adult ery wit h your neighbor's wife.)'' The Fift h Hadit h Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` A'ishah asked t he Messenger of Allah, "I have t wo neighbors, so whom among t hem should I give my gift '' He said,

(The neighbor whose door is t he closest t o you.) Al-Bukhari narrat ed t his Hadit h We will elaborat e on t his subj ect in t he Tafsir of Surah Bara'h, Allah willing and upon Him we depend.

Being Kind to Slaves and Servants

Allah said,

(and t hose (slaves) whom your right hands possess,) t his is an order t o be kind t o t hem because t hey are weak, being held as capt ives by ot hers. An aut hent ic Hadit h records t hat during t he illness t hat preceded his deat h, t he Messenger of Allah cont inued advising his Ummah:

((Prot ect ) t he prayer, (prot ect ) t he prayer, and (t hose slaves) whom your hands possess.) He was repeat ing it unt il his t ongue was st ill. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Al-Miqdam bin Ma` dykarib said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(What you feed yourself is a Sadaqah (charit y) for you, what you feed your children is Sadaqah for you, what you feed your wife is Sadaqah for you and what you feed your servant is Sadaqah for you.) An-Nasa'i recorded t his Hadit h which has an aut hent ic chain of narrat ion, all t he t hanks are due t o Allah. ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said t o a caret aker of his, "Did you give t he slaves t heir food yet '' He said, "No.'' Ibn ` Amr said, "Go and give it t o t hem, for t he Messenger of Allah said,

(It is enough sin for someone t o prevent whomever he is responsible for from get t ing t heir food. )'' Muslim recorded t his Hadit h. Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat t he Prophet said,


(The slave has t he right t o have food, clot hing and t o only be required t o perform what he can bear of work.) Muslim also recorded t his Hadit h. Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat t he Prophet said,

(When your servant brings meals t o one of you, if he does not let him sit and share t he meal, t hen he should at least give him a mout hful or t wo mout hfuls of t hat meal or a meal or t wo, for he has prepared it .) This is t he wording collect ed by Al-Bukhari.

Allah Does Not Like the Arrogant

Allah said,

(Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud and boast ful.) meaning, one who is proud and arrogant , insolent and boast s t o ot hers. He t hinks t hat he is bet t er t han ot her people, t hus t hinking high of himself, even t hough he is insignificant t o Allah and hat ed by people. Muj ahid said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud) means arrogant , while,

(boast ful) means boast ing about what he has, while he does not t hank Allah. This Ayah indicat es t hat such a person boast s wit h people about t he bount y t hat Allah has given him, but he is act ually ungrat eful t o Allah for t his bount y. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Waqid Abu Raj a' Al-Harawi said, "You will find t hat t hose who are mean are also proud and boast ing. He t hen recit ed,


(and t hose (slaves) whom your right hands possess,) You will find t hat he who is undut iful (t o parent s) is also arrogant , and deprived. He t hen recit ed,

(And dut iful t o my mot her, and made me not arrogant , deprived.) Once a man asked t he Prophet , "O Messenger of Allah, advise me.' The Prophet said,

(Avoid lengt hening t he dress (below t he ankles), for t his pract ice is from arrogance. Verily, Allah does not like arrogance.)''

- -
(37. Those who are st ingy and encourage people t o be st ingy and hide what Allah has best owed upon t hem of His bount ies. And We have prepared for t he disbelievers a disgraceful t orment .) (38. And (also) t hose who spend of t heir wealt h t o be seen of men, and believe not in Allah and t he Last Day, and whoever t akes Shayt an as an int imat e; t hen what a dreadful int imat e he has!) (39. And what loss have t hey if t hey had believed in Allah and in t he Last Day, and t hey spend out of what Allah has given t hem for sust enamce And Allah is Ever All-Knower of t hem.)

The Censure of Stingy Behavior

Allah chast ises t he st ingy behavior of t hose who refuse t o spend t heir money for what Allah ordered t hem, such as being kind t o parent s and compassionat e t o relat ives, orphans, t he poor, t he relat ive who is also a neighbor, t he companion during t ravel, t he needy wayfarer, t he slaves and servant s. Such people do not give Allah's right from t heir wealt h, and t hey assist in t he spread of st ingy behavior. The Messenger of Allah said,

(What disease is more serious t han being st ingy) He also said,

(Beware of being st ingy, for it dest royed t hose who were before you, as it encouraged t hem t o cut t heir relat ions and t hey did, and it encouraged t hem t o commit sin and t hey did.) Allah said,

(and hide what Allah has best owed upon t hem of His bount ies,) Therefore, t he miser is ungrat eful for Allah's favor, for it s effect does not appear on him, whet her in his food, clot hes or what he gives. Similarly, Allah said,

-
(Verily, man is ungrat eful t o his Lord. And t o t hat he bears wit ness.) by his manners and conduct ,

(And verily, he is violent in t he love of wealt h.) Allah said,

(and hide what Allah has best owed upon t hem of His bount ies) and t his is why He t hreat ened t hem,

(And We have prepared for t he disbelievers a disgraceful t orment .) Kufr means t o cover somet hing. Therefore, t he Bakhil (miser) covers t he favors t hat Allah has blessed him wit h, meaning he does not spread t hose favors. So he is described by t he t erm Kafir (ungrat eful) regarding t he favors t hat Allah grant ed him. A Hadit h st at es t hat ,

(When Allah grant s a servant a favor, He likes t hat it s effect appears on him.) Some of t he Salaf st at ed t hat t his Ayah 4:37 is describing t he Jews who hid t he knowledge t hey had about t he descript ion of Muhammad, and t here is no doubt t hat t he general meaning of t he Ayah includes t his. The apparent wording for t his Ayah indicat es t hat it is t alking about being st ingy wit h money, even t hough miserly conduct wit h knowledge is also included. The Ayah t alks about spending on relat ives and t he weak, j ust as t he Ayah aft er it ,

(And (also) t hose who spend of t heir wealt h t o be seen of men, ) Allah first ment ions t he punished misers who do not spend, t hen He ment ions t hose who spend t o show off t o gain t he reput at ion t hat t hey are generous, not for t he Face of Allah. A Hadit h st at es t hat t he first t hree persons on whom t he fire will feed are a scholar, a fight er and a spender who shows off wit h t heir act ions. For inst ance,

: : :
(The wealt hy will say, "I did not leave any area t hat You like t o be spent on, but I spent on it in Your cause.'' Allah will say, "You lie, you only did t hat so t hat it is said, ` He is generous.' And it was said...'') meaning you acquired your reward in t he life, and t his is indeed what you sought wit h your act ion. This is why Allah said,

(and believe not in Allah and t he Last Day,) meaning, it is Shayt an who lured t hem t o commit t his evil act ion, inst ead of performing t he good deed as it should be performed. Shayt an encouraged, excit ed and lured t hem by making t he evil appear good,

(And whoever t akes Shayt an as an int imat e; t hen what a dreadful int imat e he has!) Allah t hen said,

(And what loss have t hey if t hey had believed in Allah and in t he Last Day, and t hey spend out of what Allah has given t hem for sust enance) This Ayah means, what harm would it cause t hem if t hey believe in Allah, go on t he right eous pat h, replace showing off wit h sincerit y, have fait h in Allah, and await His promise in t he Hereaft er, for t hose who do good and spend what He has given t hem on what He likes and is pleased wit h. Allah's st at ement :

(And Allah is Ever All-Knower of t hem.) means, He has perfect knowledge of t heir int ent ions, whet her good or evil. Indeed, Allah knows t hose who deserve success, and He grant s t hem success and guidance, direct ing t hem t o perform right eous act ions t hat will earn t hem His pleasure. He also knows t hose who deserve failure and expulsion from His great mercy, which amount s t o ut t er failure in t his life and t he Hereaft er for t hem, we seek refuge in Allah from t his evil end.

- -

(40. Surely! Allah wrongs not even of t he weight of a speck of dust , but if t here is any good (done), He doubles it , and gives from Him a great reward.) (41. How (will it be) t hen, when We bring from each nat ion a wit ness and We bring you (O Muhammad) as a wit ness against t hese people) (42. On t hat day t hose who disbelieved and disobeyed t he Messenger will wish t hat t hey were buried in t he eart h, but t hey will never be able t o hide a single fact from Allah.)

Allah Wrongs Not Even the Weight of a Speck of Dust

Allah st at es t hat He does not t reat any of His servant s wit h inj ust ice on t he Day of Resurrect ion, be it t he weight of a must ard seed or a speck of dust . Rat her, Allah shall reward t hem for t his act ion and mult iply it , if it were a good deed. For inst ance, Allah said,

(And We shall set up balances of j ust ice) Allah said t hat Luqman said,

(O my son! If it be (anyt hing) equal t o t he weight of a must ard seed, and t hough it be in a rock, or in t he heavens or in t he eart h, Allah will bring it fort h). Allah said,

- -
(That Day mankind will proceed in scat t ered groups t hat t hey may be shown t heir deeds. So whosoever does good equal t o t he weight of a speck of dust shall see it . And whosoever does evil equal t o t he weight of a speck of dust shall see it .) The Two Sahihs recorded t he long Hadit h about t he int ercession t hat Abu Sa` id Al-Khudri narrat ed, and in which t he Messenger of Allah said,

 :
(Allah t hen says, "Go back, and t ake out of t he Fire everyone in whose heart you find t he weight of a must ard seed of fait h'') In anot her narrat ion, Allah says, :

("Whosoever had t he least , least , least speck of fait h, t ake him out of t he Fire,'' and t hey will t ake out many people.) Abu Sa` id t hen said, "Read, if you will,

(Surely! Allah wrongs not even of t he weight of a speck of dust ).''

Will Punishment be Diminished for the Disbelievers

Sa` id bin Jubayr comment ed about Allah's st at ement ,

(but if t here is any good (done), He doubles it ,) "As for t he disbeliever, his punishment will be lessened for him on t he Day of Resurrect ion, but he will never depart t he Fire.'' He used as evidence t he aut hent ic Hadit h in which Al-` Abbas said, "O Messenger of Allah! Your uncle Abu Talib used t o prot ect and support you, did you benefit him at all'' The Messenger said,

(Yes. He is in a shallow area in Hell-fire, and were it not for me, he would have been in t he deepest dept hs of t he Fire.) However, t his Hadit h only applies t o Abu Talib, not t he rest of t he

disbelievers. To support t his, we ment ion what Abu Dawud At -Tayalisi recorded in his Musnad t hat Anas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Allah does not wrong t he fait hful even concerning one good act ion, for he will be rewarded for it by provision in t his life and awarded for it in t he Hereaft er. As for t he disbeliever, he will be provided provision in t his life for his good act ion, and on t he Day of Resurrect ion, he will not have any good deed.)

What Does ` Great Reward' Mean

Abu Hurayrah, ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Qat adah and Ad-Dahhak said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(and gives from Him a great reward.) refers t o Paradise. We ask Allah for His pleasure and Paradise. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Abu ` Ut hman An-Nahdi said, "No ot her person accompanied Abu Hurayrah more t han I. One year, he went t o Haj j before me, and I found t he people of Al-Basrah saying t hat he narrat ed t hat he heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

(Allah rewards t he good deed wit h a million deeds.) So I said, ` Woe t o you! No person accompanied Abu Hurayrah more t han I, and I never heard him narrat e t his Hadit h!' When I want ed t o meet him, I found t hat he had left for Haj j so I followed him t o Haj j t o ask him about t his Hadit h.'' Ibn Abi Hat im also recorded t his Hadit h using anot her chain of narrat ion leading t o Abu ` Ut hman. In t his narrat ion, Abu ` Ut hman said, "I said, ` O Abu Hurayrah! I heard my bret hren in Al-Basrah claim t hat you narrat ed t hat you heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

(Allah rewards t he good deed wit h a million deeds.) Abu Hurayrah said, ` By Allah! I heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

(Allah rewards t he good deed wit h t wo million deeds.) He t hen recit ed t his Ayah,

(But lit t le is t he enj oyment of t he life of t his world as compared t o t he Hereaft er).''

Our Prophet will be a Witness Against, or For his Ummah on the Day of Resurrection, When the Disbelievers Will Wish for Death
Allah said,

(How (will it be) t hen, when We bring from each nat ion a wit ness and We bring you (O Muhammad) as a wit ness against t hese people) Allah describes t he horrors, hardships and difficult ies of t he Day of Resurrect ion, saying, how would it be on t hat Day when t here will be a wit ness from every nat ion, meaning t he Prophet s, j ust as Allah said;

(And t he eart h will shine wit h t he light of it s Lord, and t he Book will be placed (open); and t he Prophet s and t he wit nesses will be brought forward), and,

(And (remember) t he Day when We shall raise up from every nat ion a wit ness against t hem from amongst t hemselves). Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said, "The Messenger of Allah said t o me, ` Recit e t o me.' I said, ` O Messenger of Allah! Should I recit e (t he Qur'an) t o you, while it was revealed t o you' He said, ` Yes, for I like t o hear it from ot her people.' I recit ed Surat An-Nisa' unt il I reached t his Ayah,

(How (will it be) t hen, when We bring from each nat ion a wit ness and We bring you (O Muhammad) as a wit ness against t hese people) He t hen said, ` St op now.' I found t hat his eyes were t earful.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(On t hat day t hose who disbelieved and disobeyed t he Messenger will wish t hat t hey were buried in t he eart h, but t hey will never be able t o hide a single fact from Allah.) means, t hey will wish t hat t he eart h would open up and swallow t hem because of t he horror of t he gat hering place and t he disgrace, dishonor and humiliat ion t hey will suffer on t hat Day. This is similar t o Allah's st at ement ,

(The Day when man will see t hat (t he deeds) which his hands have sent fort h) Allah t hen said,

(but t hey will never be able t o hide a single fact from Allah.) indicat ing t hat t hey will admit t o everyt hing t hey did and will not hide any of it . ` Abdur-Razzaq recorded t hat Sa` id bin Jubayr said, "A man came t o Ibn ` Abbas and said t o him, ` There are t hings t hat confuse me in t he Qur'an.' Ibn ` Abbas said, ` What t hings do you have doubt s about in t he Qur'an' He said, ` Not doubt s, but rat her confusing t hings.' Ibn ` Abbas said, ` Tell me what caused you confusion.' He said, ` I hear Allah's st at ement ,

(There will t hen be no t est for t hem but t o say: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not t hose who j oined ot hers in worship wit h Allah.'') but He also says,

(but t hey will never be able t o hide a single fact from Allah.) They have indeed hid somet hing.' Ibn ` Abbas said, ` As for Allah's st at ement ,

(There will t hen be no t est for t hem but t o say: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not t hose who j oined ot hers in worship wit h Allah.''), when t hey see t hat on t he Day of Resurrect ion t hat Allah does not forgive, except for t he people of Islam, and t hat He forgives t he sins, no mat t er how big t hey are, except Shirk, t hen t he Mushriks will lie. They will say,

("By Allah, our Lord, we were not t hose who j oined ot hers in worship wit h Allah.''), hoping t hat Allah will forgive t hem. However, Allah will t hen seal t heir mout hs, and t heir hands and feet will disclose what t hey used t o do. Then,

(t hose who disbelieved and disobeyed t he Messenger will wish t hat t hey were buried in t he eart h, but t hey will never be able t o hide a single fact from Allah. )'''


(43. O you who believe! Do not approach Salah while you are in a druken st at e unt il you know what you are saying, nor while Junub (sexually impure), except while passing t hrough, unt il you bat he (your ent ire body), and if you are ill, or on a j ourney, or one of you comes from t he Gha'it (t oilet ), or from Lamast um (t ouching) women, but you do not find wat er, t hen perform Tayammum wit h clean eart h, rubbing your faces and hands. Truly, Allah is Ever Oft -Pardoning, Oft -Forgiving.)

The Prohibition of Approaching Prayer When Drunk or Junub

Allah forbade His believing servant s from praying while drunk, for one does not know t he meaning of what he is saying in t hat st at e, and He forbade t hem from at t ending t he Masj ids while sexually impure, except when one is j ust passing t hrough t he Masj id from one door t o anot her. This Ayah was revealed before alcohol consumpt ion was complet ely prohibit ed, as evident by t he Hadit h t hat we ment ioned in Surat Al-Baqarah when we explained Allah's st at ement ,

(They ask you about alcoholic drink and gambling). In t hat Hadit h, t he Messenger of Allah recit ed t his Ayah t o ` Umar, who said, "O Allah! Explain t he ruling about Khamr (int oxicant s) for us in a plain manner.'' When t his Ayah 4:43 was revealed, t he Prophet recit ed it t o ` Umar, who st ill said, "O Allah! Explain t he ruling about Khamr (int oxicant s) for us in a plain manner.'' Aft er t hat , t hey would not drink alcohol close t o t he t ime of prayer. When Allah's st at ement ,

(O you who believe! alcoholic drinks, gambling, Al-Ansab, and Al-Azlam are an abominat ion of Shayat an's handiwork. So avoid t hat in order t hat you may be successful. ) 5:90 , unt il,

(So, will you not t hen abst ain) 5:91 was revealed, ` Umar said, "We abst ain, we abst ain.'' In anot her narrat ion, when t he Ayah in Surat An-Nisa' was revealed,

(O you who believe! Do not approach Salah while you are in a druken st at e unt il you know what you are saying,) at t he t ime of prayer, t he Messenger of Allah would have someone proclaim; "Let not any drunk approach t he prayer.'' This is t he wording collect ed by Abu Dawud.

Causes of Its Revelation

Ibn Abi Hat im has recorded some report s about t he incident of it s revelat ion: Sa` d said, "Four Ayat were revealed concerning me. A man from t he Ansar once made some food and invit ed some Muhaj irin and Ansar men t o it , and we at e and drank unt il we became int oxicat ed. We t hen boast ed about our st at us.'' Then a man held a camel's bone and inj ured Sa` d's nose, which was scarred ever since. This occurred before Al-Khamr was prohibit ed, and Allah lat er revealed,

(O you who believe! Approach not AsSalat (t he prayer) when you are in a drunken st at e). Muslim recorded t his Hadit h, and t he collect ors of t he Sunan recorded it , wit h t he except ion of Ibn Maj ah. Anot her Reason Ibn Abi Hat im narrat ed t hat ` Ali bin Abi Talib said, "Abdur-Rahman bin ` Awf made some food t o which he invit ed us and served some alcohol t o drink. When we became int oxicat ed, and t he t ime for prayer came, t hey asked someone t o lead us in prayer. He recit ed ` Say, ` O disbelievers! I do not worship t hat which you worship, but we worship t hat which you worship refer t o t he correct wording of t he Surah: 109 .''' Allah t hen revealed,

(O you who believe! Do not approach Salah when you are in a drunken st at e unt il you know what you are saying). '' This is t he narrat ion collect ed by Ibn Abi Hat im and At -Tirmidhi, who said "Hasan Gharib Sahih.'' Allah's st at ement ,


(unt il you know what you are saying) is t he best descript ion for when one is int oxicat ed, t hat is, when he does not know t he meaning of what he is saying. When a person is drunk, he makes obvious mist akes in t he recit at ion and will not be able t o be humble during t he prayer. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Anas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(If one feels sleepy while he is praying, let him sleep for a while so t hat he knows t he meaning of what he is saying.) This was also recorded by Al-Bukhari and An-Nasa'i. In some of t he narrat ions of t his Hadit h, t he Messenger said,

(...For he might want t o ask for forgiveness, but inst ead curses himself!) Allah said,

(nor while Junub (sexually impure), except while passing t hrough, unt il you bat he (your ent ire body),) Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(nor while Junub (sexually impure), except while passing t hrough, unt il you bat he (your ent ire body,) means, "Do not ent er t he Masj id when you are Junub, unless you are j ust passing by, in which case, you pass t hrough wit hout sit t ing down.'' Ibn Abi Hat im said t hat similar is report ed from ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud, Anas, Abu ` Ubaydah, Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib, Abu Ad-Duha, ` At a', Muj ahid, Masruq, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, Zayd bin Aslam, Abu Malik, ` Amr bin Dinar, Al-Hakam bin ` Ut aybah, ` Ikrimah, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Yahya bin Sa` id Al-Ansari, Ibn Shihab and Qat adah. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Yazid bin Abi Habib comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(nor while Junub (sexually impure), except while passing t hrough,) when some men from t he Ansar, whose doors lit erally opened int o t he Masj id, were sexually impure, and t hey did not have wat er, t heir only way t o get wat er was t o pass t hrough t he Masj id. So, Allah sent down,


(nor while Junub (sexually impure), except while passing t hrough,).'' What support s t his st at ement by Yazid bin Abi Habib, may Allah have mercy upon him, is Al-Bukhari's report in his Sahih, t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Close all t he small doors in t his Masj id, except t hat of Abu Bakr.) This is what t he Prophet commanded at t he end of his life, knowing t hat Abu Bakr will be t he Khalifah aft er him, and t hat he would need t o ent er t he Masj id on numerous occasions t o manage t he import ant affairs of t he Muslims. Yet , t he Messenger of Allah commanded t hat all t he small doors t hat open int o t he Masj id be closed, except Abu Bakr's door. Some of t he Sunan compilers recorded t he Prophet saying t hat only ` Ali's door should remain open, but t his is an error, what is in t he Sahih is what is correct . In his Sahih, Muslim recorded t hat ` A'ishah said, "The Messenger of Allah said t o me,

(Bring me t he garment from t he Masj id.) I said, ` I am having my period.' He said,

(Your period is not in your hand.) Muslim also collect ed a similar narrat ion from Abu Hurayrah. This Hadit h indicat es t hat t he woman is allowed t o pass t hrough t he Masj id during menses or post -nat al bleeding, and Allah knows best .

Description of Tayammum
Allah said,

(and if you are ill, or on a j ourney, or one of you comes from t he Gha'it (t oilet ), or from Lamast um (t ouching) women, but you do not find wat er, t hen perform Tayammum wit h clean eart h, rubbing your face and hands. Truly, Allah is Ever Oft -Pardoning, Oft -Forgiving.) As for t he t ype of illness which would allow Tayammum, it is an illness t hat one fears would be aggravat ed by using wat er, which could be det riment al t o a part of t he body, or when doing so would prolong an illness. Some scholars said t hat any t ype of illness warrant s Tayammum, because of t he general indicat ions of t he Ayah. As for t ravelling on a j ourney, it is known, regardless of it s lengt h. Allah t hen said,

(or comes from t he Gha'it ). The Gha'it is, lit erally, t he flat land, and t his part of t he Ayah refers t o t he minor impurit y. Allah t hen said,

(or you Lamast um women), which was recit ed Lamast um and Lamast um, referring t o sexual int ercourse. For inst ance, Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And if you divorce t hem before you have t ouched t hem, and you have appoint ed unt o t hem t he dowry, t hen pay half of t hat ) 2:237 , and,

(O you who believe! When you marry believing women, and t hen divorce t hem before you have t ouched t hem, no ` Iddah (period of wait ing) have you t o count in respect of t hem) 33:49 . Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(or Lamast um women) refers t o sexual int ercourse. It was report ed t hat ` Ali, Ubayy bin Ka` b, Muj ahid, Tawus, Al-Hasan, ` Ubayd bin ` Umayr, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Ash-Sha` bi, Qat adah and Muqat il bin Hayyan said similarly. Allah said,

(but you do not find wat er,t hem perform Tayammum wit h clean eart h,) In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat ` Imran bin Husayn said, :

: :

(Allah's Messenger saw a person sit t ing away from t he people and not praying wit h t hem. He asked him, ` O so-and-so! What prevent ed you from offering t he prayer wit h t he people, are not you Muslim' He replied, ` Yes, O Allah's Messenger! I am Junub and t here is no wat er.' The Prophet said, ` Perform Tayammum wit h clean eart h and t hat will be sufficient for you.') The linguist ic meaning of Tayammum is t o int end, as Arabs say, "May Allah Tayammamaka (direct at you) His care.'' ` Clean eart h' means dust . In his Sahih, Muslim recorded t hat Hudhayfah bin AlYaman said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(We were given preference over people in t hree t hings. Our lines (in prayer) were arranged in rows t o resemble t he rows of t he angels, all of t he eart h was made a Masj id for us, and it s dust was made clean for us when t here is no wat er.) The Messenger ment ioned t he favor of making dust a purifyer for us, and if t here were any ot her subst ance t o replace it for Tayammum, he would have ment ioned it . Imam Ahmad and t he collect ors of Sunan, wit h t he except ion of Ibn Maj ah, recorded t hat Abu Dharr said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(Clean eart h is pure for t he Muslim, even if he does not find wat er for t en years. When he finds wat er, let him use it for his skin, for t his is bet t er.) At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih''. Allah's st at ement ,

(rubbing your faces and hands (Tayammum)) indicat es t hat Tayammum is a subst it ut e for normal ablut ion, not t hat it involves cleaning t he part s t hat normal ablut ion does. Therefore, it is sufficient in Tayammum t o j ust wipe t he face and hands, as t he consensus concurs. The face and hands are wiped wit h one st rike on t he sand in t his case, as Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdur-Rahman bin Abza said t hat a man came t o ` Umar and asked him, "I am Junub, but t here is no wat er.'' ` Umar said, "Then, do not pray.'' ` Ammar said, "Do you not remember, O Leader of t he Fait hful! You and I were on a milit ary expedit ion when we became Junub and did not find wat er. You did not pray, but I rolled myself in t he sand and t hen prayed. When we went back t o t he Prophet , we ment ioned t o him what had happened. He said t o me, S

(This would have been sufficient for you), and t he Prophet st roked his hand on t he eart h once, blew int o it and wiped his face and hands.'' The Muslim Ummah, rat her t han all ot her nat ions, was favored wit h t he allowance of Tayammum. In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
:


(I have been given five t hings which were not given t o any (Prophet ) before me: Allah made me vict orious wit h fright t hat covers a mont h's dist ance. The eart h has been made for me (and for my followers) a place for praying and an obj ect t o perform purificat ion wit h. Therefore let my followers pray wherever t he t ime of a prayer is due - and in anot her narrat ion - he will have his means of purit y and his Masj id. The spoils of war have been made lawful for me and it was not made so for anyone else before me. I have been given t he right of int ercession (on t he Day of Resurrect ion.) Every Prophet used t o be sent t o his nat ion exclusively, but I have been sent t o all mankind.) We also ment ioned t he Hadit h of Hudhayfah t hat Muslim recorded;

(We were preferred wit h t hree t hings over people. Our lines (in prayer) were arranged in rows t o resemble t he rows of t he angels, all of t he eart h was made a Masj id for us, and it s dust was made clean for us when t here is no wat er.) Allah said in t his Ayah,

(rubbing your faces and hands. Truly, Allah is Ever Oft -Pardoning, Oft -Forgiving.) meaning, a part of His pardoning and forgiving is t hat He allows you t o use Tayammum and t o pray aft er using it when t here is no wat er, t o make t hings easy for you. This Ayah sanct ifies t he posit ion of t he prayer, it being t oo sacred t han t o be performed in a defecient manner, like in a st at e of drunkenness, unt il one becomes aware of what he is saying, or sexually impure, unt il he bat hes (Ghusl), or aft er answering t he call of nat ure, unt il he performs ablut ion. There are except ions when one is ill or when t here is no wat er. In t his case, Allah allows us t o use Tayammum, out of His mercy and kindness for His servant s, and t o facilit at e t hem, all praise is due t o Allah.

The Reason behind allowing Tayammum

Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` A'ishah said, "We set out wit h Allah's Messenger on one of his j ourneys unt il we reached Al-Bayda' or Dhat -ul-Jaysh, where a necklace of mine was broken

(and lost ). Allah's Messenger st ayed t here t o search for it , and so did t he people along wit h him. There was no wat er source or any wat er wit h t hem at t hat place, so t he people went t o Abu Bakr As-Siddiq and said, ` Don't you see what ` A'ishah has done! She has made Allah's Messenger and t he people st ay where t here is no source of wat er and t hey have no wat er wit h t hem.' Abu Bakr came while Allah's Messenger was sleeping wit h his head on my t high. He said t o me, ` You have det ained Allah's Messenger and t he people where t here is no source of wat er and t hey have no wat er wit h t hem.' So he admonished me and said what Allah wished him t o say and hit me on my flank wit h his hand. Not hing prevent ed me from moving (because of pain) but t he posit ion of Allah's Messenger on my t high. Allah's Messenger got up when dawn broke and t here was no wat er. So Allah revealed t he verses of Tayammum, and t hey all performed Tayammum. Usayd bin Hudayr said, ` O t he family of Abu Bakr! This is not t he first blessing of yours.' Then t he camel on which I was riding was moved from it s place and t he necklace was found beneat h it .'' Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded t his Hadit h.

- -
(44. Have you not seen t hose (t he Jews) who were given a port ion of t he Book, purchasing t he wrong pat h, and wishing t hat you should go ast ray from t he right pat h.) (45. Allah has full knowledge of your enemies, and Allah is sufficient as a Wali (Prot ect or), and Allah is sufficient as a Helper.) (46. Among t hose who are Jews, t here are some who displace words from (t heir) right places and say: "We hear your word and disobey,'' and "Hear and let you hear not hing.'' And Ra` ina wit h a t wist of t heir t ongues and as a mockery of t he religion. And if only t hey had said: "We hear and obey'', and "Do make us underst and,'' it would have been bet t er for t hem, and more proper; but Allah has cursed t hem for t heir disbelief, so t hey believe not except a few.)

Chastising the Jews for Choosing Misguidance, Altering Allah's Words, and Mocking Islam

Allah st at es t hat t he Jews, may Allah's cont inued curse fall on t hem unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion, have purchased t he wrong pat h inst ead of guidance, and ignored what Allah sent down t o His Messenger Muhammad . They also ignored t he knowledge t hat t hey inherit ed from previous Prophet s, about t he descript ion of Muhammad , so t hat t hey may have a small amount of t he delight s of t his life.

(and wishing t hat you should go ast ray from t he right pat h.) for t hey would like t hat you disbelieve in what was sent down t o you, O believers, and t hat you abandon t he guidance and beneficial knowledge t hat you have.

(Allah has full knowledge of your enemies) meaning, Allah has bet t er knowledge of your enemies, and He warns you against t hem.

(and Allah is sufficient as a Wali (Prot ect or), and Allah is Sufficient as a Helper) He is a Sufficient Prot ect or for t hose who seek refuge wit h Him and a Sufficient Support er for t hose who seek His help. Allah t hen said,

(t here are some who displace words from (t heir) right places) meaning, t hey int ent ionally and falsely alt er t he meanings of t he Words of Allah and explain t hem in a different manner t han what Allah meant ,

(And say: "We hear your word and disobey) saying, "We hear what you say, O Muhammad, but we do not obey you in it ,'' as Muj ahid and Ibn Zayd explained. This is t he implied meaning of t he Ayah, and it demonst rat es t he Jews' disbelief, st ubbornness and disregard for Allah's Book aft er t hey underst ood it , all t he while aware of t he sin and punishment t hat t his behavior will earn for t hem. Allah's st at ement ,

(And "Hear and let you hear not hing.'') means, hear our words, may you never hear anyt hing, as Ad-Dahhak report ed from Ibn ` Abbas. This is t he Jews' way of mocking and j est ing, may Allah's curse descend on t hem.

(And Ra` ina, wit h a t wist of t heir t ongues and as a mockery of t he religion.) meaning, t hey pret end t o say, ` Hear us,' when t hey say, Ra` ina (an insult in Hebrew, but in Arabic it means ` List en t o us.').' Yet , t heir t rue aim is t o curse t he Prophet . We ment ioned t his subj ect when we explained Allah's st at ement ,

(O you who believe! Say not Ra` ina but say Unzurna (make us underst and)). Therefore, Allah said about t hem, while t hey pret end t o say ot her t han what t hey t ruly mean,

(Wit h a t wist of t heir t ongues and as a mockery of t he religion) because of t heir cursing t he Prophet . Allah t hen said,

(And if only t hey had said: "We hear and obey'', and "Do make us underst and,'' it would have been bet t er for t hem, and more proper; but Allah has cursed t hem for t heir disbelief, so t hey believe not except a few.) meaning, t heir heart s are cast away from t he pat h of right eousness and t herefore, no beneficial part of fait h ent ers it . Earlier, when we explained,

(so lit t le is t hat which t hey believe) which means t hey do not have beneficial fait h.

 -
(47. O you who have been given t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians)! Believe in what We have revealed confirming what is wit h you, before We efface faces and t urn t hem backwards or curse t hem as We cursed t he people of t he Sabbat h. And t he commandment of Allah is always execut ed.) (48. Verily, Allah forgives not t hat part ners should be set up wit h Him (in worship), but He forgives except t hat t o whom He wills; and whoever set s up part ners wit h Allah in worship, he has indeed invent ed a t remendous sin.)

Calling the People of the Book to Embrace the Faith, Warning them Against Doing Otherwise
Allah commands t he People of t he Script ures t o believe in what He has sent down t o His servant and Messenger, Muhammad , t he Glorious Book t hat conforms t o t he good news t hat t hey already have about Muhammad . He also warns t hem,

(before We efface faces and t urn t hem backwards) Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ` effacing' here refers t o blindness,

(and t urn t hem backwards) meaning, We put t heir faces on t heir backs, and make t hem walk backwards, since t heir eyes will be in t heir backs. Similar was said by Qat adah and ` At iyah Al` Awfi. This makes t he punishment even more severe, and it is a parable t hat Allah set for ignoring t he t rut h, preferring t he wrong way and t urning away from t he plain pat h for t he pat hs of misguidance. Therefore, such people walk backwards. Similarly, some said t hat Allah's st at ement ,


(Verily, We have put on t heir necks iron collars reaching t o t he chins, so t hat t heir heads are raised up. And We have put a barrier before t hem) t hat is a parable t hat Allah gave for t heir deviat ion and hindrance from guidance.

Ka` b Al-Ahbar Embraces Islam Upon Hearing this Ayah [4:47]

It was report ed t hat Ka` b Al-Ahbar became Muslim when he heard t his Ayah 4:47 . Ibn Jarir recorded t hat ` Isa bin Al-Mughirah said: We were wit h Ibrahim when we t alked about t he t ime when Ka` b became Muslim. He said, ` Ka` b became Muslim during t he reign of ` Umar, for he passed by Al-Madinah int ending t o visit Jerusalem, and ` Umar said t o him, "Embrace Islam, O Ka` b.' Ka` b said, ` Do you not read in your Book,

(The likeness of t hose who were ent rust ed wit h t he Tawrah...) 62:5 unt il,

(Books) I am among t hose who were ent rust ed wit h t he Tawrah.' ` Umar left him alone and Ka` b went on t o Hims (in Syria) and heard one of it s inhabit ant s recit e t his Ayah while feeling sad,

(O you who have been given t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians)! Believe in what We have revealed confirming what is wit h you, before We efface faces and t urn t hem backwards). Ka` b said, ` I believe, O Lord! I embraced Islam, O Lord!' for He feared t hat t his might be st ruck by t his t hreat . He t hen went back t o his family in Yemen and ret urned wit h t hem all as Muslims.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(or curse t hem as We cursed t he people of t he Sabbat h.) refers t o t hose who breached t he sanct it y of t he Sabbat h, using deceit , for t he purpose of doing more work. Allah changed t hese people int o apes and swine, as we will come t o know in t he explanat ion of Surat Al-A` raf (7). Allah's st at ement ,

(And t he commandment of Allah is always execut ed.) means, when He commands somet hing, t hen no one can disput e or resist His command.

Allah Does not Forgive Shirk, Except After Repenting From it

Allah said t hat He,

(forgives not t hat part ners should be set up wit h Him (in worship),) meaning, He does not forgive a servant if he meet s Him while he is associat ing part ners wit h Him,

(but He forgives except t hat ) of sins,

(t o whom He wills) of His servant s. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Dharr said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(Allah said, "O My servant ! As long as you worship and beg Me, I will forgive you, no mat t er your short comings. O My servant ! If you meet Me wit h t he eart h's fill of sin, yet you do not associat e

any part ners wit h Me, I will meet you wit h it s fill of forgiveness.'') Only Ahmad recorded t his Hadit h wit h t his chain of narrat ion. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Dharr said, "I came t o t he Messenger of Allah and he said,

:
: :

. : :

("No servant proclaims,` There is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah,' and dies on t hat belief, but will ent er Paradise.'' I said, "Even if he commit t ed adult ery and t heft '' He said, "Even if he commit t ed adult ery and t heft .'' I asked again, "Even if he commit t ed adult ery and t heft '' He said, "Even if he commit t ed adult ery and t heft .'' The fourt h t ime, he said, "Even if Abu Dharr's nose was put in t he dust .'') Abu Dharr depart ed while pulling his Izar and saying, "Even if Abu Dharr's nose was put in t he dust .'' Ever since t hat happened, Abu Dharr used t o narrat e t he Hadit h and t hen comment , "Even if Abu Dharr's nose was put in dust .'' The Two Sahihs recorded t his Hadit h Al-Bazzar recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said, "We used t o refrain from begging (Allah) for forgiveness for t hose who commit maj or sins unt il we heard our Prophet recit ing,

(Verily, Allah forgives not t hat part ners should be set up wit h Him (in worship), but He forgives except t hat (anyt hing else) t o whom He wills;), and his saying,


(I have reserved my int ercession on t he Day of Resurrect ion for t hose among my Ummah who commit maj or sins.)'' Allah's st at ement ,

(and whoever set s up part ners wit h Allah in worship, he has indeed invent ed a t remendous sin.) is similar t o His st at ement ,

(Verily, j oining ot hers in worship wit h Allah is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed.) In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat Ibn Mas` ud said, "I said, ` O Messenger of Allah! Which is t he great est sin' He said,

(To make a rival wit h Allah, while He Alone creat ed you.)''

- - -


(49. Have you not seen t hose who claim sanct it y for t hemselves Nay, but Allah sanct ifies whom He wills, and t hey will not be dealt wit h inj ust ice even equal t o t he ext ent of a Fat il.) (50. Look, how t hey invent a lie against Allah, and enough is t hat as a manifest sin.) (51. Have you not seen t hose who were given a port ion of t he Script ure They believe in Jibt and Taghut and say t o t hose who disbelieve, "These people are bet t er guided on t he way, '' t han t he believers.) (52. They are t hose whom Allah has cursed, and he whom Allah curses, you will not find for him (any) helper.)

Chastising and Cursing the Jews for Claiming Purity for Themselves and Believing in Jibt and Taghut
Al-Hasan and Qat adah said, "This Ayah,

(Have you not seen t hose who claim sanct it y for t hemselves) was revealed about t he Jews and Christ ians when t hey said, ` We are Allah's children and His loved ones.''' Ibn Zayd also said, "This Ayah was revealed concerning t heir st at ement ,

(We are t he children of Allah and His loved ones) and t heir st at ement ,

(None shall ent er Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christ ian).'' This is why Allah said,

(Nay, but Allah sanct ifies whom He wills,) meaning, t he decision in t his mat t er is wit h Allah Alone, because He has perfect knowledge of t he t rue realit y and secret s of all t hings. Allah t hen said,

(And t hey will not be dealt wit h inj ust ice even equal t o t he ext ent of a Fat il, ) meaning, He does no inj ust ice wit h anyone's compensat ion in any part of his reward, even if it was t he weight of a Fat il. Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, ` At a', Al-Hasan, Qat adah and ot hers among t he Salaf said t hat Fat il means, "The scalish t hread in t he long slit of t he dat e-st one.'' Allah said,

(Look, how t hey invent a lie against Allah,) claiming purit y for t hemselves, t heir claim t hat t hey are Allah's children and His loved ones, t heir st at ement ;

(None shall ent er Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christ ian) t heir st at ement ;

(The Fire shall not t ouch us but for a number of days) and t heir reliance on t he right eous deeds of t heir forefat hers. Allah has decreed t hat t he good act ions of t he fat hers do not help t he children, when He said,

(That was a nat ion who has passed away. They shall receive t he reward of what t hey earned and you of what you earn). Allah t hen said,

(and enough is t hat as a manifest sin. ) meaning, t hese lies and fabricat ions of t heirs are sufficent . Allah's st at ement ,

(Have you not seen t hose who were given a port ion of t he Script ure They believe in Jibt and Taghut ). Muhammad bin Ishaq said from Hassan bin Fa'id t hat ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab said, "Jibt is sorcery and Taghut is t he Shayt an.'' Abu Nasr Isma` il bin Hammad Al-Jawhari, t he renowned scholar, said in his book As-Sihah, "Al-Jibt means idol, soot hsayer and sorcerer.'' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah was asked about Taghut , and he said, "They are soot hsayers

upon whom t he devils descend.'' Muj ahid said "Taghut is a devil in t he shape of man, and t hey refer t o him for j udgment .'' Imam Malik said, "Taghut is every obj ect t hat is worshipped inst ead of Allah, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored.''

Disbelievers Are not Better Guided Than Believers

Allah said,

(and say t o t hose who disbelieve, "These people are bet t er guided on t he way," t han t he believers.) preferring t he disbelievers over Muslims, because of t heir ignorance, un-religious nat ure and disbelief in Allah's Book which is before t hem. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat ` Ikrimah said, "Huyay bin Akht ab and Ka` b bin Al-Ashraf (t wo Jewish leaders) came t o t he people of Makkah, who said t o t hem, ` You (Jews) are people of t he Book and knowledge, so j udge us and Muhammad.' They said, ` Describe yourselves and describe Muhammad.' They said, ` We keep relat ion wit h kit h and kin, slaught er camels (for t he poor), release t he indebt ed and provide wat er for t he pilgrims. As for Muhammad he is wit hout male children, he severed our relat ions, and t he t hieves who rob pilgrims (t he t ribe of) Ghifar follow him. So who is bet t er, we or him' They said, ` You are more right eous and bet t er guided.' Thereaft er, Allah sent down,

(Have you not seen t hose who were given a port ion).'' This st ory was also report ed from Ibn ` Abbas and several ot hers among t he Salaf. Allah's Curse on t he Jews This Ayah 4:52 cont ains a curse for t he Jews and informs t hem t hat t hey have no support er in t his life or t he Hereaft er, because t hey sought t he help of t he idolat ors. They ut t ered t his st at ement in Ayah 4:51 t o lure t he disbelievers int o support ing t hem, and t hey ult imat ely gat hered t heir forces for t he bat t le of Al-Ahzab, forcing t he Prophet and his Companions t o dig a defensive t unnel around AlMadinah. But , Allah saved t he Muslims from t heir evil,

(And Allah drove back t hose who disbelieved in t heir rage, t hey gained no advant age (boot y). Allah sufficed for t he believers in t he fight ing. And Allah is Ever All-St rong, All-Might y).

 - -
(53. Or have t hey a share in t he dominion Then in t hat case t hey would not give mankind even a Naqir.) (54. Or do t hey envy men for what Allah has given t hem of His bount y Then, We have already given t he family of Ibrahim t he Book and Al-Hikmah, and conferred upon t hem a great kingdom.) (55. Of t hem were (some) who believed in it , and of t hem were (some) who rej ect ed it ; and enough is Hell for burning (t hem).)

The Envy and Miserly Conduct of the Jews

Allah asked t he Jews if t hey have a share in t he dominion. That is merely a st at ement of rebuke, since t hey do not have any share in t he dominion. Allah t hen described t hem as misers,

(Then in t hat case t hey would not give mankind even a Naqir.) Meaning, if t hey had a share in t he sovereignt y and dominion, t hey would not give anyone anyt hing, especially Muhammad , even if it was t he speck on t he back of a dat e-st one, which is t he meaning of Naqir according t o Ibn ` Abbas and t he maj orit y of t he scholars. This Ayah is similar t o anot her of Allah's st at ement s,

(Say: "If you possessed t he t reasure of t he mercy of my Lord, t hen you would surely wit hold it out of fear of spending it .) meaning, for fear t hat what you have might end, alt hough t here is no such possibilit y here. This only demonst rat es t heir greedy and st ingy nat ure. This is why Allah said,


(And man is ever Qat ur) meaning Bakhil (st ingy). Allah t hen said,

(Or do t hey envy men for what Allah has given t hem of His Bount y) referring t o t heir envy of t he Prophet for t he great prophet hood t hat Allah ent rust ed him wit h. Their envy made t hem rej ect him, because he was an Arab and not from t he Children of Israel. At -Tabarani recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(Or do t hey envy men) means, "We are t he wort hy people, rat her t han t he rest of t he people.'' Allah said,

(Then, We have already given t he family of Ibrahim t he Book and Al-Hikmah, and conferred upon t hem a great kingdom.) meaning, We gave t he prophet hood t o t he t ribes of t he Children of Israel, who are among t he offspring of Ibrahim and sent down t he Books t o t hem. These Prophet s ruled t he Jews wit h t he prophet ic t radit ion, and We made kings among t hem. Yet ,

(Of t hem were (some) who believed in it ;) referring t o Allah's favor and bount y (Prophet s, Books, kingship),

(and of t hem were (some) who rej ect ed it ) by disbelieving in it , ignoring it , and hindering t he people from it s pat h, alt hough t his bount y was from and for t hem, t he Children of Israel. They disput ed wit h t heir own Prophet s; so what about you, O Muhammad , especially since you are not from t he Children of Israel Muj ahid said,


(Of t hem were (some) who believed in him ,) "Muhammad ,

(and of t hem were (some) who rej ect ed him .)'' Therefore, O Muhammad, t he rej ect ion of you because of t heir disbelief is even more severe and t hey are even furt her from t he t rut h t hat you brought t hem. This is why Allah t hreat ened t hem,

(and enough is Hell for burning (t hem).), meaning, t he Fire is a j ust punishment for t hem because of t heir disbelief, rebellion and defiance of Allah's Books and Messengers.

-
(56. Surely, t hose who disbelieved in Our Ayat , We shall burn t hem in Fire. As oft en as t heir skins are roast ed t hrough, We shall change t hem for ot her skins t hat t hey may t ast e t he punishment . Truly, Allah is Ever Most Powerful, All-Wise.) e(57. But t hose who believe and do deeds of right eousness, We shall admit t hem t o Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), abiding t herein forever. Therein t hey shall have Azwaj un Mut ahharat un (purified mat es), and We shall admit t hem t o shades, wide and ever deepening.)

The Punishment of Those Who Disbelieve in Allah's Books and Messengers

Allah describes t he t orment in t he Fire of Jahannam for t hose who disbelieve in His Ayat and hinder from t he pat h of His Messengers. Allah said,

(Surely, t hose who disbelieved in Our Ayat ,) meaning, We will place t hem in t he Fire which will encompass every part of t heir bodies. Allah t hen st at es t hat t heir punishment and t orment are everlast ing,

(We shall burn t hem in Fire. As oft en as t heir skins are roast ed t hrough, We shall change t hem for ot her skins t hat t hey may t ast e t he punishment ). Al-A` mash said t hat Ibn ` Umar said, "When t heir skin are burned, t hey will be given anot her skin in replacement , and t his skin will be as whit e as paper.'' This was collect ed by Ibn Abi Hat im, who also recorded t hat Al-Hasan said,

(As oft en as t heir skins are roast ed t hrough,) "Their skin will be roast ed t hrough, sevent y t housand t imes every day.'' Husayn said; Fudayl added t hat Hisham said t hat Al-Hasan also said t hat ,

(As oft en as t heir skins are roast ed t hrough, ) means, "Whenever t he Fire has roast ed t hem t hrough and consumed t heir flesh, t hey will be t old, ` Go back as you were before,' and t hey will.''

The Wealth of the Righteous; Paradise and its Joy

Allah said,


(But t hose who believe and do deeds of right eousness, We shall admit t hem t o Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), abiding t herein forever.) describing t he dest inat ion of t he happy ones in t he gardens of Eden, beneat h which rivers flow in all of it s areas, spaces and corners, wherever t hey desire and wish. They will reside in it for et ernit y, and t hey will not be t ransferred or removed from it , nor would t hey want t o move from it . Allah said,

(Therein t hey shall have Azwaj un Mut ahharat un (purified mat es),) free of menst ruat ion, post nat al bleeding, filt h, bad manners and short comings. Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah means, "They are purified of filt h and foul t hings.'' Similar was said by ` At a', Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhak, AnNakha` i, Abu Salih, ` At iyah, and As-Suddi. Muj ahid said t hat t hey are, free of urine, menst ruat ion, spit , mucous and pregnancies.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(And We shall admit t hem t o shades, wide and ever deepening (Paradise).) means, wide, ext ensive, pure and elegant shade. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Prophet said,

:
(There is a t ree in Paradise, t hat if a rider t ravels under it s shade for a hundred years, he will not cross it . It is t he Tree of Everlast ing Life.)

(58. Verily, Allah commands t hat you should render back t he t rust s t o t hose, t o whom t hey are due; and t hat when you j udge bet ween men, you j udge wit h j ust ice. Verily, how excellent is t he t eaching which He (Allah) gives you! Truly, Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer.)

The Command to Return the Trusts to Whomever They Are Due

Allah commands t hat t he t rust s be ret urned t o t heir right ful owners. Al-Hasan narrat ed t hat Samurah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Ret urn t he t rust t o t hose who ent rust ed you, and do not bet ray t hose who bet rayed you.) Imam Ahmad and t he collect ors of Sunan recorded t his Hadit h. This command refers t o all t hings t hat one is expect ed t o look aft er, such as Allah's right s on His servant s: praying, Zakah, fast ing, penalt ies for sins, vows and so fort h. The command also includes t he right s of t he servant s on each ot her, such as what t hey ent rust each ot her wit h, including t he cases t hat are not recorded or document ed. Allah commands t hat all t ypes of t rust s be fulfillled. Those who do not implement t his command in t his life, it will be ext ract ed from t hem on t he Day of Resurrect ion. It is recorded in t he Sahih t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The right s will be rendered back t o t hose t o whom t hey are due, and even t he sheep t hat does not have horns will t ake revenge from t he horned sheep.) Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Ibn Jurayj said about t his Ayah, "It was revealed concerning ` Ut hman bin Talhah from whom t he Messenger of Allah t ook t he key of t he Ka` bah and ent ered it on t he Day of t he vict ory of Makkah. When t he Prophet went out , he was recit ing t his Ayah,

(Verily, Allah commands t hat you should render back t he t rust s t o t hose, t o whom t hey are due). He t hen called ` Ut hman and gave t he key back t o him.'' Ibn Jarir also narrat ed t hat ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab said, "When t he Messenger of Allah went out of t he Ka` bah, he was recit ing t his Ayah,

(Verily, Allah commands t hat you should render back t he t rust s t o t hose, t o whom t hey are due). May I sacrifice my fat her and mot her for him, I never heard him recit e t his Ayah before t hat .'' It is popular t hat t his is t he reason behind revealing t he Ayah (4:58). Yet , t he applicat ion

of t he Ayah is general, and t his is why Ibn ` Abbas and Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiyyah said, "This Ayah is for t he right eous and wicked,'' meaning it is a command t hat encompasses everyone.

The Order to Be Just

Allah said,

(and t hat when you j udge bet ween men, you j udge wit h j ust ice.) commanding j ust ice when j udging bet ween people. Muhammad bin Ka` b, Zayd bin Aslam and Shahr bin Hawshab said; "This Ayah was revealed about t hose in aut horit y'', meaning t hose who j udge bet ween people. A Hadit h st at es,

(Allah is wit h t he j udge as long as he does not commit inj ust ice, for when he does, Allah will make him reliant on himself.) A st at ement goes, "One day of j ust ice equals fort y years of worship.'' Allah said,

(Verily, how excellent is t he t eaching which He (Allah) gives you!) meaning, His commands t o ret urn t he t rust s t o t heir owners, t o j udge bet ween people wit h j ust ice, and all of His complet e, perfect and great commandment s and laws. Allah's st at ement ,

(Truly, Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer.) means, He hears your st at ement s and knows your act ions.


(59. O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey t he Messenger, and t hose of you who are in aut horit y. If you differ in anyt hing among yourselves, refer it t o Allah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and in t he Last Day. That is bet t er and more suit able for final det erminat ion.)

The Necessity of Obeying the Rulers in Obedience to Allah

Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah,

(Obey Allah and obey t he Messenger, and t hose of you who are in aut horit y.) "Was revealed about ` Abdullah bin Hudhafah bin Qays bin ` Adi, who t he Messenger of Allah sent on a milit ary expedit ion.'' This st at ement was collect ed by t he Group, wit h t he except ion of Ibn Maj ah At Tirmidhi said, "Hasan, Gharib''. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Ali said, "The Messenger of Allah sent a t roop under t he command of a man from Al-Ansar. When t hey left , he became angry wit h t hem for some reason and said t o t hem, ` Has not t he Messenger of Allah commanded you t o obey me' They said, ` Yes.' He said, ` Collect some wood,' and t hen he st art ed a fire wit h t he wood, saying, ` I command you t o ent er t he fire.' The people almost ent ered t he fire, but a young man among t hem said, ` You only ran away from t he Fire t o Allah's Messenger. Therefore, do not rush unt il you go back t o Allah's Messenger, and if he commands you t o ent er it , t hen ent er it .' When t hey went back t o Allah's Messenger , t hey t old him what had happened, and t he Messenger said,

(Had you ent ered it , you would never have depart ed from it . Obedience is only in right eousness.)'' This Hadit h is recorded in t he Two Sahihs. Abu Dawud recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Umar said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(The Muslim is required t o hear and obey in t hat which he likes and dislikes, unless he was commanded t o sin. When he is commanded wit h sin, t hen t here is no hearing or obeying.) This Hadit h is recorded in t he Two Sahihs. ` Ubadah bin As-Samit said, "We gave our pledge t o Allah's Messenger t o hear and obey (our leaders), while act ive and ot herwise, in t imes of ease and t imes of difficult y, even if we were deprived of our due shares, and t o not disput e t his mat t er (leadership) wit h it s right ful people. The Prophet said,

(Except when you wit ness clear Kufr about which you have clear proof from Allah.)'' This Hadit h is recorded in t he Two Sahihs. Anot her Hadit h narrat ed by Anas st at es t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Hear and obey (your leaders), even if an Et hiopian slave whose head is like a raisin, is made your chief.) Al-Bukhari recorded t his Hadit h. Umm Al-Husayn said t hat she heard t he Messenger of Allah giving a speech during t he Farewell Haj j , in which he said;

(Even if a slave was appoint ed over you, and he rules you wit h Allah's Book, t hen list en t o him and obey him.) Muslim recorded t his Hadit h. In anot her narrat ion wit h Muslim, t he Prophet said,

(Even if an Et hiopian slave, whose nose was mut ilat ed...) In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever obeys me, obeys Allah, and whoever disobeys me, disobeys Allah. Whoever obeys my commander, obeys me, and whoever disobeys my commander, disobeys me.) This is why Allah said,

(Obey Allah), adhere t o His Book,

(and obey t he Messenger), adhere t o his Sunnah,

(And t hose of you who are in aut horit y) in t he obedience t o Allah which t hey command you, not what const it ut es disobedience of Allah, for t here is no obedience t o anyone in disobedience t o Allah, as we ment ioned in t he aut hent ic Hadit h,

(Obedience is only in right eousness.)

The Necessity of Referring to the Qur'an and Sunnah for Judgment

Allah said,

((And) if you differ in anyt hing amongst yourselves, refer it t o Allah and His Messenger). Muj ahid and several ot hers among t he Salaf said t hat t he Ayah means, "(Refer) t o t he Book of Allah and t he Sunnah of His Messenger.'' This is a command from Allah t hat what ever areas t he people disput e about , whet her maj or or minor areas of t he religion, t hey are required t o refer t o t he Qur'an and Sunnah for j udgment concerning t hese disput es. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(And in what soever you differ, t he decision t hereof is wit h Allah). Therefore, what ever t he Book and Sunnah decide and t est ify t o t he t rut h of , t hen it , is t he plain t rut h. What is beyond t rut h, save falsehood This is why Allah said, u

(if you believe in Allah and in t he Last Day.) meaning, refer t he disput es and conflict s t hat arise bet ween you t o t he Book of Allah and t he Sunnah of His Messenger for j udgment . Allah's st at ement ,

(if you believe in Allah and in t he Last Day. ) indicat es t hat t hose who do not refer t o t he Book and Sunnah for j udgment in t heir disput es, are not believers in Allah or t he Last Day. Allah said,

(That is bet t er) meaning, referring t o t he Book of Allah and t he Sunnah of His Messenger for j udgment in various disput es is bet t er,

(and more suit able for final det erminat ion.) meaning, "Has a bet t er end and dest inat ion,'' as AsSuddi and several ot hers have st at ed while Muj ahid said, "Carries a bet t er reward.''

 - - -
(60. Have you not seen t hose (hyprocrit es) who claim t hat t hey believe in t hat which has been sent down t o you, and t hat which was sent down before you, and t hey wish t o go for j udgment (in t heir disput es) t o t he Taghut while t hey have been ordered t o rej ect t hem. But Shayt an wishes t o lead t hem far ast ray. ) (61. And when it is said t o t hem: "Come t o what Allah has sent down and t o t he Messenger,'' you see t he hypocrit es t urn away from you wit h aversion.) (62. How t hen, when a cat ast rophe befalls t hem because of what t heir hands have sent fort h, t hey come t o you swearing by Allah, "We meant no more t han goodwill and conciliat ion!'') (63. They (hypocrit es) are t hose of whom Allah knows what is in t heir heart s; so t urn aside from t hem (do not punish t hem) but admonish t hem, and speak t o t hem an effect ive word t o reach t heir inner selves.)

Referring to Other than the Qur'an and Sunnah for Judgment is Characteristic of Non-Muslims
Allah chast ises t hose who claim t o believe in what Allah has sent down t o His Messenger and t o t he earlier Prophet s, yet t hey refer t o ot her t han t he Book of Allah and t he Sunnah of His Messenger for j udgment in various disput es. It was report ed t hat t he reason behind revealing t his Ayah was t hat a man from t he Ansar and a Jew had a disput e, and t he Jew said, "Let us refer t o Muhammad t o j udge bet ween us.'' However, t he Muslim man said, "Let us refer t o Ka` b bin Al-Ashraf (a Jew) t o j udge bet ween us.'' It was also report ed t hat t he Ayah was revealed about some hypocrit es who pret ended t o be Muslims, yet t hey sought t o refer t o t he j udgment of Jahiliyyah. Ot her reasons were also report ed behind t he revelat ion of t he Ayah. However, t he Ayah has a general meaning, as it chast ises all t hose who refrain from referring t o t he Qur'an and Sunnah for j udgment and prefer t he j udgment of what ever t hey chose of falsehood, which befit s t he descript ion of Taghut here. This is why Allah said,

(and t hey wish t o go for j udgment t o t he Taghut ) unt il t he end of t he Ayah. Allah's st at ement ,


(t urn away from you wit h aversion) means, t hey t urn away from you in arrogance, j ust as Allah described t he polyt heist s,

(When it is said t o t hem: "Follow what Allah has sent down.'' They say: "Nay! We shall follow what we found our fat hers following.'') This is different from t he conduct of t he fait hful believers, whom Allah describes as,

(The only saying of t he fait hful believers, when t hey are called t o Allah and His Messenger, t o j udge bet ween t hem, is t hat t hey say: "We hear and we obey.'')

Chastising the Hypocrites

Chast ising t he hypocrit es, Allah said,

(How t hen, when a cat ast rophe befalls t hem because of what t heir hands have sent fort h,) meaning, how about it if t hey feel compelled t o j oin you because of disast ers t hat t hey suffer due t o t heir sins, t hen t hey will be in need of you.

(They come t o you swearing by Allah, "We meant no more t han goodwill and conciliat ion!'') apologizing and swearing t hat t hey only sought goodwill and reconciliat ion when t hey referred t o ot her t han t he Prophet for j udgment , not t hat t hey believe in such alt ernat ive j udgment , as t hey claim. Allah describes t hese people t o us furt her in His st at ement ,


(And you see t hose in whose heart s t here is a disease (of hypocrisy), t hey hurry t o t heir friendship, saying: "We fear''), unt il,

(Then t hey will become regret ful for what t hey have been keeping as a secret in t hemselves). At -Tabarani recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Abu Barzah Al-Aslami used t o be a soot hsayer who j udged bet ween t he Jews in t heir disput es. When some Muslims came t o him t o j udge bet ween t hem, Allah sent down,

(Have you not seen t hose (hyprocrit es) who claim t hat t hey believe in t hat which has been sent down t o you, and t hat which was sent down before you), unt il,

("We meant no more t han goodwill and conciliat ion!'') Allah t hen said,

(They (hypocrit es) are t hose of whom Allah knows what is in t heir heart s;) These people are hypocrit es, and Allah knows what is in t heir heart s and will punish t hem accordingly, for not hing escapes Allah's wat ch. Consequent ly, O Muhammad! Let Allah be sufficient for you in t his regard, because He has perfect knowledge of t heir apparent and hidden affairs. This is why Allah said,

(so t urn aside from t hem (do not punish t hem)) meaning, do not punish t hem because of what is in t heir heart s.


(but admonish t hem) means, advise t hem against t he hypocrisy and evil t hat reside in t heir heart s,

(and speak t o t hem an effect ive word t o reach t heir inner selves) advise t hem, bet ween you and t hem, using effect ive words t hat might benefit t hem.

-
(64. We sent no Messenger, but t o be obeyed by Allah's leave. If t hey, when t hey were unj ust t o t hemselves, had come t o you and begged Allah's forgiveness, and t he Messenger had begged forgiveness for t hem, indeed, t hey would have found Allah All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (65. But no, by your Lord, t hey can have no fait h, unt il t hey make you j udge in all disput es bet ween t hem, and find in t hemselves no resist ance against your decisions, and accept (t hem) wit h full submission.)

The Necessity of Obeying the Messenger

Allah said,

(We sent no Messenger, but t o be obeyed) meaning, obeying t he Prophet was ordained for t hose t o whom Allah sends t he Prophet . Allah's st at ement ,


(by Allah's leave) means, "None shall obey, except by My leave,'' according t o Muj ahid. This Ayah indicat es t hat t he Prophet s are only obeyed by whomever Allah direct s t o obedience. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(And Allah did indeed fulfill His promise t o you when you were killing t hem (your enemy) wit h His permission) meaning, by His command, decree, will and because He grant ed you superiorit y over t hem. Allah's st at ement ,

(If t hey (hypocrit es), when t hey had been unj ust t o t hemselves,) direct s t he sinners and evildoers, when t hey commit errors and mist akes, t o come t o t he Messenger , so t hat t hey ask Allah for forgiveness in his presence and ask him t o supplicat e t o Allah t o forgive t hem. If t hey do t his, Allah will forgive t hem and award t hem His mercy and pardon. This is why Allah said,

(t hey would have found Allah All-Forgiving (One Who forgives and accept s repent ance), Most Merciful).

One Does not Become a Believer Unless He Refers to the Messenger for Judgment and Submits to his Decisions
Allah said,

(But no, by your Lord, t hey can have no fait h, unt il t hey make you j udge in all disput es bet ween t hem,) Allah swears by His Glorious, Most Honorable Self, t hat no one shall at t ain fait h unt il he refers t o t he Messenger for j udgment in all mat t ers. Thereaft er, what ever t he Messenger commands, is t he plain t rut h t hat must be submit t ed t o inwardly and out wardly. Allah said,


(and find in t hemselves no resist ance against your decisions, and accept (t hem) wit h full submission.) meaning: t hey adhere t o your j udgment , and t hus do not feel any hesit at ion over your decision, and t hey submit t o it inwardly and out wardly. They submit t o t he Prophet 's decision wit h t ot al submission wit hout any rej ect ion, denial or disput e. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` Urwah said, "Az-Zubayr quarreled wit h a man about a st ream which bot h of t hem used for irrigat ion. Allah's Messenger said t o Az-Zubayr,

(O Zubayr! Irrigat e (your garden) first , and t hen let t he wat er flow t o your neighbor.) The Ansari became angry and said, ` O Allah's Messenger! Is it because he is your cousin' On t hat , t he face of Allah's Messenger changed color (because of anger) and said,

(Irrigat e (your garden), O Zubayr, and t hen wit hhold t he wat er unt il it reaches t he walls (surrounding t he palms). Then, release t he wat er t o your neighbor.) So, Allah's Messenger gave Az-Zubayr his full right when t he Ansari made him angry. Before t hat , Allah's Messenger had given a generous j udgment , beneficial for Az-Zubayr and t he Ansari. Az-Zubayr said, ` I t hink t he following verse was revealed concerning t hat case,

(But no, by your Lord, t hey can have no fait h, unt il t hey make you (O Muhammad ) j udge in all disput es bet ween t hem.)''' Anot her Reason In his Tafsir, Al-Hafiz Abu Ishaq Ibrahim bin ` AbdurRahman bin Ibrahim bin Duhaym recorded t hat Damrah narrat ed t hat t wo men t ook t heir disput e t o t he Prophet , and he gave a j udgment t o t he benefit of whoever among t hem had t he right . The person who lost t he disput e said, "I do not agree.'' The ot her person asked him, "What do you want t hen'' He said, "Let us go t o Abu Bakr As-Siddiq.'' They went t o Abu Bakr and t he person who won t he disput e said, "We went t o t he Prophet wit h our disput e and he issued a decision in my favor.'' Abu Bakr said, "Then t he decision is t hat which t he Messenger of Allah issued.'' The person who lost t he disput e st ill rej ect ed t he decision and said, "Let us go t o ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab.'' When t hey went t o ` Umar, t he person who won t he disput e said, "We t ook our disput e t o t he Prophet and he decided in my favor, but t his man refused t o submit t o t he decision.'' ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab asked t he second man and he concurred. ` Umar went t o

his house and emerged from it holding aloft his sword. He st ruck t he head of t he man who rej ect ed t he Prophet 's decision wit h t he sword and killed him. Consequent ly, Allah revealed,

(But no, by your Lord, t hey can have no fait h).

- - - -
(66. And if We had ordered t hem (saying), "Kill yourselves (i.e. t he innnocent ones kill t he guilt y ones) or leave your homes,'' very few of t hem would have done it ; but if t hey had done what t hey were t old, it would have been bet t er for t hem, and would have st rengt hened t heir convict ion;) (67. And indeed We would t hen have best owed upon t hem a great reward from Ourselves.) (68. And indeed We would have guided t hem t o t he st raight way.) (69. And whoever obeys Allah and t he Messenger, t hen t hey will be in t he company of t hose on whom Allah has best owed His grace, of t he Prophet s, t he Siddiqin, t he mart yrs, and t he right eous. And how excellent t hese companions are!) (70. Such is t he bount y from Allah, and Allah is sufficient as All-Knower.)

Most People Disobey What They Are Ordered

Allah st at es t hat even if t he people were commanded t o commit what t hey were prohibit ed from doing, most of t hem would not submit t o t his command, for t heir wicked nat ure is such t hat t hey disput e orders. Allah has complet e knowledge of what has not occured, and how it would be if and when it did occur. This is why Allah said,


(And if We had ordered t hem (saying), "Kill yourselves (i.e. t he innnocent ones kill t he guilt y ones)) unt il t he end of t he Ayah. This is why Allah said,

(but if t hey had done what t hey were t old,) meaning, if t hey do what t hey were commanded and refrain from what t hey were prohibit ed,

(it would have been bet t er for t hem,) t han disobeying t he command and commit t ing t he prohibit ion,

(and would have st rengt hened t heir convict ion), st ronger Tasdiq (convict ion of fait h), according t o As-Suddi.

(And indeed We should t hen have best owed upon t hem from Ladunna) from Us,

(A great reward), Paradise,

(And indeed We should have guided t hem t o t he st raight way.) in t his life and t he Hereaft er.

Whoever Obeys Allah and His Messenger Will Be Honored by Allah

Allah t hen said,


(And whoever obeys Allah and t he Messenger, t hen t hey will be in t he company of t hose on whom Allah has best owed His grace, of t he Prophet s, t he Siddiqin, t he mart yrs, and t he right eous. And how excellent t hese companions are!) Consequent ly, whosoever implement s what Allah and His Messenger have commanded him and avoids what Allah and His Messenger have prohibit ed, t hen Allah will grant him a dwelling in t he Residence of Honor. There, Allah will place him in t he company of t he Prophet s, and t hose who are lesser in grade, t he t rue believers, t hen t he mart yrs and t hen t he right eous, who are right eous inwardly and out wardly. Allah t hen praised t his company,

(And how excellent t hese companions are!) Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` A'ishah said, "I heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

(Every Prophet who falls ill is given t he choice bet ween t his life and t he Hereaft er.) During t he illness t hat preceded his deat h, his voice became weak and I heard him saying,

(in t he company of t hose on whom Allah has best owed His grace, t he Prophet s, t he t rue believers (Siddiqin), t he mart yrs and t he right eous) I knew t hen t hat he was being given t he choice.'' Muslim recorded t his Hadit h. This Hadit h explains t he meaning of anot her Hadit h; t he Prophet said before his deat h;

( )
(O Allah! In t he Most High Company) t hree t imes, and he t hen died, may Allah's best blessings be upon him.

The Reason Behind Revealing this Honorable Ayah

Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Sa` id bin Jubayr said, "An Ansari man came t o t he Messenger of Allah while feeling sad. The Prophet said t o him, ` Why do I see you sad' He said, ` O Allah's Prophet ! I was cont emplat ing about somet hing.' The Prophet said, ` What is it ' The Ansari said, ` We come t o you day and night , looking at your face and sit t ing by you. Tomorrow, you will be raised wit h t he Prophet s, and we will not be able t o see you.' The Prophet did not say anyt hing, but lat er Jibril came down t o him wit h t his Ayah,

(And whoever obeys Allah and t he Messenger t hen t hey will be in t he company of t hose on whom Allah has best owed His grace, of t he Prophet s), and t he Prophet sent t he good news t o t he Ansari man.'' This Hadit h was narrat ed in Mursal form from Masruq, ` Ikrimah, ` Amir AshSha` bi, Qat adah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. This is t he version wit h t he best chain of narrat ors. Abu Bakr bin Marduwyah recorded it wit h a different chain from ` A'ishah, who said; "A man came t o t he Prophet and said t o him, ` O Messenger of Allah! You are more beloved t o me t han myself, my family and children. Somet imes, when I am at home, I remember you, and I cannot wait unt il I come and look at you. When I cont emplat e about my deat h and your deat h, I know t hat you will be wit h t he Prophet s when you ent er Paradise. I fear t hat I might not see you when I ent er Paradise.' The Prophet did not answer him unt il t he Ayah,

(And whoever obeys Allah and t he Messenger, t hen t hey will be in t he company of t hose on whom Allah has best owed His grace, of t he Prophet s, t he t rue believers, t he mart yrs, and t he right eous. And how excellent t hese companions are!) was revealed t o him.'' This was collect ed by Al-Hafiz Abu ` Abdullah Al-Maqdisi in his book, Sifat Al-Jannah, he t hen comment ed, "I do not see problems wit h t his chain.'' And Allah knows best . Muslim recorded t hat Rabi` ah bin Ka` b Al-Aslami said, "I used t o sleep at t he Prophet 's house and bring him his wat er for ablut ion and his needs. He once said t o me, ` Ask me.' I said, ` O Messenger of Allah! I ask t hat I be your companion in Paradise.' He said, ` Anyt hing except t hat ' I said, ` Only t hat .' He said,

(Then help me (fulfill t his wish) for you by performing many prost rat ions.)'' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Amr bin Murrah Al-Juhani said, "A man came t o t he Prophet and said, ` O Allah's Messenger! I bear wit ness t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah and t hat you are t he Messenger of Allah, pray t he five (daily prayers), give t he Zakah due on my wealt h and fast t he mont h of Ramadan.' The Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever dies in t his st at e will be wit h t he Prophet s, t he t rut hful and mart yrs on t he Day of Resurrect ion, as long as - and he raised his finger - he is not disobedient t o his parent s.)'' Only Ahmad recorded t his Hadit h. Great er news t han t his is in t he aut hent ic Hadit h collect ed in t he Sahih and Musnad compilat ions, in Mut awat ir form, narrat ed by several Companions t hat t he Messenger of Allah was asked about t he person who loves a people, but his st at us is not close t o t heirs. The Messenger said,

(One is wit h t hose whom he loves.) Anas comment ed, "Muslims were never happier t han wit h t his Hadit h.'' In anot her narrat ion, Anas said, "I love t he Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr and ` Umar, and I hope t hat Allah will resurrect me wit h t hem, even t hough I did not perform act ions similar t o t heirs.'' Allah said,

(Such is t he bount y from Allah) meaning, from Allah by His mercy, for it is He who made t hem suit able for t his, not t heir good deeds.

(and Allah is sufficient as All-Knower), He knows t hose who deserve guidance and success.

 - -
(71. O you who believe! Take your precaut ions, and eit her go fort h (on an expedit ion) in part ies, or go fort h all t oget her.) (72. There is cert ainly among you he who would linger behind. If a misfort une befalls you, he says, "Indeed Allah has favored me in t hat I was not present among t hem.'') (73. But if a bount y comes t o you from Allah, he would surely say as if t here had never been t ies of affect ion bet ween you and him, "Oh! I wish I had been wit h t hem; t hen I would have achieved a great success.'') (74. So fight t hose who t rade t he life of t his world wit h t he Hereaft er, in t he cause of Allah, and whoever fight s in t he cause of Allah, and is killed or get s vict ory, We shall best ow on him a great reward.)

The Necessity of Taking Necessary Precautions Against the Enemy

Allah commands His fait hful servant s t o t ake precaut ions against t heir enemies, by being prepared wit h t he necessary weapons and supplies, and increasing t he number of t roops fight ing in His cause.

(in part ies) means, group aft er group, part y aft er part y, and expedit ion aft er expedit ion. ` Ali bin Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(and eit her go fort h in part ies) means, "In groups, expedit ion aft er expedit ion,

(or go fort h all t oget her), means, all of you.'' Similar was report ed from Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, AsSuddi, Qat adah, Ad-Dahhak, ` At a' Al-Khurrasani, Muqat il bin Hayyan and Khusayf Al-Jazari.

Refraining from Joining Jihad is a Sign of Hypocrites

Allah said,

(There is cert ainly among you he who would linger behind.) Muj ahid and ot hers said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about t he hypocrit es. Muqat il bin Hayyan said t hat ,

(linger behind) means, st ays behind and does not j oin Jihad. It is also possible t hat t his person himself lingers behind, while luring ot hers away from j oining Jihad. For inst ance, ` Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, may Allah curse him, used t o linger behind and lure ot her people t o do t he same and refrain from j oining Jihad, as Ibn Jurayj and Ibn Jarir st at ed. This is why Allah said about t he hypocrit e, t hat when he lingers behind from Jihad, t hen:

(If a misfort une befalls you) deat h, mart yrdom, or - by Allah's wisdom - being defeat ed by t he enemy,

(he says, "Indeed Allah has favored me t hat I was not present among t hem.'') meaning, since I did not j oin t hem in bat t le. Because he considers t his one of Allah's favors on him, unaware of t he reward t hat he might have gained from enduring war or mart yrdom, if he was killed.

(But if a bount y comes t o you from Allah) such as vict ory, t riumph and boot y,

(he would surely say - as if t here had never been t ies of affect ion bet ween you and him,) meaning, as if he was not a follower of your religion,


("Oh! I wish I had been wit h t hem; t hen I would have achieved a great success.'') by being assigned a share of t he boot y and t aking possession of t hat share. This is his ult imat e aim and obj ect ive.

The Encouragement to Participation in Jihad

Allah t hen said,

(So fight ) t he believer wit h an aversion (t o fight ing),

(t hose who t rade t he life of t his world wit h t he Hereaft er) referring t o t hose sell t heir religion for t he meager goods of t he world, and t hey only do t his because of t heir disbelief and lack of fait h. Allah t hen said;

(And whoever fight s in t he cause of Allah, and is killed or get s vict ory, We shall best ow on him a great reward.) meaning, whoever fight s in t he cause of Allah, whet her he was killed or t riumphant , he will earn an immense compensat ion and a great reward wit h Allah. The Two Sahihs recorded,

(Allah has guarant eed t he Muj ahid in His cause t hat He will eit her bring deat h t o him, admit t ing int o Paradise; or, He will help him ret urn safely t o his home wit h what ever reward and boot y he gained.)

-
(75. And what is wrong wit h you t hat you fight not in t he cause of Allah, and for t hose weak, ill-t reat ed and oppressed among men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord! Rescue us from t his t own whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from You one who will prot ect , and raise for us from You one who will help.'') (76. Those who believe, fight in t he cause of Allah, and t hose who disbelieve, fight in t he cause of t he Taghut . So fight against t he friends of Shayt an; ever feeble indeed is t he plot of Shayt an.)

Encouraging Jihad to Defend the Oppressed

Allah encouraged His believing servant s t o perform Jihad in His cause and t o st rive hard t o save t he oppressed Muslims in Makkah, men, women and children who were rest less because of having t o remain t here. This is why Allah said,

(whose cry is: "Our Lord! Rescue us from t his t own), referring t o Makkah. In a similar Ayah, Allah said,

(And many a t own, st ronger t han your t own which has driven you out ) Allah t hen describes t his t own,

(whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from You one who will prot ect , and raise for us from You one who will help) meaning, send prot ect ors and helpers for us. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "I and my mot her were from t he oppressed (in Makkah).'' Allah t hen said,

(Those who believe, fight in t he cause of Allah, and t hose who disbelieve, fight in t he cause of t he Taghut . ) Therefore, t he believers fight in obedience t o Allah and t o gain His pleasure, while t he disbelievers fight in obedience t o Shayt an. Allah t hen encourages t he believers t o fight His enemies,

(So fight against t he friends of Shayt an; ever feeble indeed is t he plot of Shayt an).


(77. Have you not seen t hose who were t old t o hold back t heir hands (from fight ing) and perform Salah and give Zakah, but when t he fight ing was ordained for t hem, behold! a sect ion of t hem fear men as t hey fear Allah or even more. They say: "Our Lord! Why have You ordained for us fight ing Would t hat You grant ed us respit e for a short period'' Say: "Short is t he enj oyment of t his world. The Hereaft er is (far) bet t er for him who fears Allah, and you shall not be dealt wit h unj ust ly even equal t o t he Fat il.) (78. "Wheresoever you may be, deat h will overt ake you even if you are in fort resses built up st rong and high!'' And if some good reaches t hem, t hey say, "This is from Allah,'' but if some evil befalls t hem, t hey say, "This is from you.'' Say: "All t hings are from Allah,'' so what is wrong wit h t hese people t hat t hey f ail t o underst and any word) (79. What ever of good reaches you, is from Allah, but what ever of evil befalls you, is from yourself. And We have sent you as a Messenger t o mankind, and Allah is sufficient as a Wit ness.)

The Wish that the Order for Jihad be Delayed

In t he beginning of Islam, Muslims in Makkah were commanded t o perform t he prayer and pay some charit y, so as t o comfort t he poor among t hem. They were also commanded t o be forgiving and forbearing wit h t he idolat ors and t o observe pat ience wit h t hem at t he t ime. However, t hey were eager and ant icipat ing t he t ime when t hey would be allowed t o fight , so t hat t hey could punish t heir enemies. The sit uat ion at t hat t ime did not permit armed conflict for many reasons. For inst ance, Muslims were few at t he t ime, compared t o t heir numerous enemies. The Muslims' cit y was a sacred one and t he most honored area on t he eart h, and t his is why t he command t o fight was not revealed in Makkah. Lat er on when t he Muslims cont rolled a t own of t heir own, Al-Madinah, and had st rengt h, power and support , Jihad was t hen legislat ed. Yet , when t he command t o fight was revealed, j ust as Muslims wished, some of t hem became weary and were very fearful of facing t he idolat ors in bat t le.


(They say: "Our Lord! Why have You ordained for us fight ing Would t hat You had grant ed us respit e for a short period'') meaning, we wish t hat Jihad was delayed unt il a lat er t ime, because it means bloodshed, orphans and widows. In a similar Ayah, Allah said,

(Those who believe say: "Why is not a Surah sent down (for us) But when a decisive is sent down, and fight ing is ment ioned). Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ` AbdurRahman bin ` Awf and several of his companions came t o t he Prophet while in Makkah and said, "O Allah's Prophet ! We were might y when we were pagans, but when we embraced t he fait h, we became weak.'' The Prophet said,

(I was commanded t o pardon t he people, so do not fight t hem.) When Allah t ransferred t he Prophet t o Al-Madinah, He commanded him t o fight (t he idolat ors), but t hey (some Muslims) held back. So, Allah revealed t he Ayah;

(Have you not seen t hose who were t old t o hold back t heir hands) This Hadit h was collect ed by An-Nasa'i and Al-Hakim. Allah's st at ement ,

(Say: "Short is t he enj oyment of t his world. The Hereaft er is (far) bet t er for him who fears Allah,) means, t he dest inat ion of t he one who wit h Taqwa is bet t er for him t han t his life.

(and you shall not be dealt wit h unj ust ly even equal t o t he Fat il.) for your good deeds. Rat her, you will earn your full rewards for t hem. This promise direct s t he focus of believers away from

t his life and makes t hem eager for t he Hereaft er, all t he while encouraging t hem t o fight in Jihad.

There is No Escaping Death

Allah said,

(Wheresoever you may be, deat h will overt ake you even if you are in fort resses built up st rong and high!) meaning, you shall cert ainly die and none of you shall ever escape deat h. Allah said,

(What sooever is on it (t he eart h) will perish),

(Everyone shall t ast e deat h), and,

(And We grant ed not t o any human being immort alit y before you). Therefore, every soul shall t ast e deat h and not hing can save any person from it , whet her he perf ormed Jihad or not . Everyone has an appoint ed t ime, and a limit ed t erm of life. In t he illness t hat preceded his deat h, Khalid bin Al-Walid said, while in his bed, "I part icipat ed in so and so number of bat t les, and every part of my body sust ained an inj ury due t o a st ab or a shot . Yet here I am, I die in my bed! Let not t he eyes of t he cowards ever t ast e sleep.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(even if you are in fort resses built up st rong and high!) means, ent renched, fort ified, high and t owering. No caut ion or fort ificat ion can ever avert deat h.

The Hypocrites Sense a Bad Omen Because of the Prophet !

Allah said,


(And if some good reaches t hem) meaning, fert ile years and provision of fruit s, produce, children, et c., as said by Ibn ` Abbas, Abu Al-` Aliyah and As-Suddi.

(t hey say, "This is from Allah,'' but if some evil befalls t hem) drought , famine, short ages of fruit s and produce, deat h t hat st rikes t heir children or animals, and so fort h, as Abu Al-` Aliyah and As-Suddi st at ed.

(t hey say, "This is from you,'') meaning, because of you and because we followed you and embraced your religion. Allah said about t he people of Fir` awn,

(But whenever good came t o t hem, t hey said: "Ours is t his.'' And if evil afflict ed t hem, t hey ascribed it t o evil omens connect ed wit h Musa and t hose wit h him.) Allah said,

(And among mankind is he who worships Allah as it were upon t he edge (i. e. in doubt )). The same is t he st at ement ut t ered by t he hypocrit es, who embraced Islam out wardly, but disliked it inwardly. This is why when a calamit y befell t hem, t hey at t ribut ed it t o following t he Prophet . Consequent ly, Allah revealed,

Say: All t hings are from Alla0h, Allah's st at ement t hat all t hings are from Him means, everyt hing occurs by t he decision and decree of Allah, and His decision shall come t o pass for bot h t he right eous and t he wicked, t he fait hful and t he disbelievers. Allah t hen said while addressing His Messenger , but refering t o mankind in general,

(What ever of good reaches you, is from Allah,) meaning, of Allah's bount y, favor, kindness and mercy.

(But what ever of evil befalls you, is from yourself.), meaning because of you and due t o your act ions. Similarly, Allah said,

(And what ever of misfort une befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much.) As-Suddi, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Ibn Jurayj and Ibn Zayd said t hat ,

(from yourself) means, because of your errors. Qat adah said t hat ,

(From yourself) means, as punishment for you, O son of Adam, because of your sins. Allah said,

(And We have sent you as a Messenger t o mankind,) so t hat you convey t o t hem Allah's commandment s, what He likes and is pleased wit h, and what He dislikes and refuses.

(and Allah is sufficient as a Wit ness.) t hat He has sent you. He is also Wit ness over you and t hem, having full knowledge in what you convey t o t hem and t he disbelief and rebellion wit h which t hey respond t o t he t rut h.


(80. He who obeys t he Messenger, has indeed obeyed Allah, but he who t urns away, t hen We have not sent you as a wat cher over t hem.) (81. They say: "We are obedient ,'' but when t hey leave you, a sect ion of t hem spends all night in planning ot her t han what you say. But Allah records t heir night ly (plot s). So t urn aside from t hem (do not punish t hem), and put your t rust in Allah. And Allah is Ever All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs.)

Obeying the Messenger is Obeying Allah

Allah st at es t hat whoever obeys His servant and Messenger, Muhammad , obeys Allah; and whoever disobeys him, disobeys Allah. Verily, what ever t he Messenger ut t ers is not of his own desire, but a revelat ion inspired t o him. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever obeys me, obeys Allah; and whoever disobeys me, disobeys Allah. Whoever obeys t he Amir (leader, ruler), obeys me; and whoever disobeys t he Amir, disobeys me.) This Hadit h was recorded in t he Two Sahihs. Allah's st at ement ,

(But he who t urns away, t hen We have not sent you as a wat cher over t hem.) means, do not worry about him. Your j ob is only t o convey, and whoever obeys you, he will acquire happiness and success and you will gain a similar reward t o t hat he earns. As for t he one who t urns away from you, he will gain failure and loss and you will not carry a burden because of what he does. A Hadit h st at es,

(Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, will acquire guidance; and whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, will only harm himself.)

The Foolishness of the Hypocrites

Allah said,

(They say: "We are obedient ,''). Allah st at es t hat t he hypocrit es pret end t o be loyal and obedient .

(but when t hey leave you), meaning, when t hey depart and are no longer wit h you,

(a sect ion of t hem spends all night in planning ot her t han what you say). They plot at night among t hemselves for ot her t han what t hey pret end when t hey are wit h you. Allah said,

(But Allah records t heir night ly (plot s).) meaning, He has full knowledge of t heir plot s and records it t hrough His command t o His scribes, t he angels who are responsible for recording t he act ions of t he servant s. This is a t hreat from Allah, st at ing t hat He knows what t he hypocrit es t ry t o hide, t heir plot t ing in t he night t o defy t he Messenger and oppose him, even t hough t hey pret end t o be loyal and obedient t o him. Allah will cert ainly punish t hem for t his conduct . In a similar Ayah, Allah said,

(They (hypocrit es) say: "We have believed in Allah and in t he Messenger, and we obey,'') unt il t he end of t he Ayah. Allah's st at ement ,

(So t urn aside from t hem) means, pardon t hem, be forbearing wit h t hem, do not punish t hem, do not expose t hem t o t he people and do not fear t hem.

(and put your t rust in Allah. And Allah is Ever All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs.) meaning, He is sufficient as Prot ect or, Support er and Helper for t hose who rely on Him and ret urn t o Him.

(82. Do t hey not t hen consider t he Qur'an carefully Had it been from ot her t han Allah, t hey would surely, have found t herein cont radict ions in abundance). (83. When t here comes t o t hem some mat t er t ouching (public) safet y or fear, t hey make it known (among t he people); if only t hey had referred it t o t he Messenger or t o t hose charged wit h aut horit y among t hem, t he proper invest igat ors would have underst ood it from t hem (direct ly). Had it not been for t he grace and mercy of Allah upon you, you would have followed Shayt an, except a few of you.)

The Qur'an is True

Allah commands t hem t o cont emplat e about t he Qur'an and forbids t hem from ignoring it , or ignoring it s wise meanings and eloquent words. Allah st at es t hat t here are no inconsist encies, cont radict ions, conflict ing st at ement s or discrepancies in t he Qur'an, because it is a revelat ion from t he Most -Wise, Wort hy of all praise. Therefore, t he Qur'an is t he t rut h coming from t he Trut h, Allah. This is why Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(Do t hey not t hen t hink deeply in t he Qur'an, or are t heir heart s locked up (from underst anding it )) Allah t hen said,

(Had it been from ot her t han Allah,) meaning, had it been fraudulent and made up, as t he ignorant idolat ors and hypocrit es assert in t heir heart s,

(t hey would surely, have found t herein cont radict ions), discrepancies and inconsist encies,

(in abundance). However, t his Qur'an is free of short comings, and t herefore, it is from Allah. Similarly, Allah describes t hose who are firmly grounded in knowledge,

(We believe in it , all of it is from our Lord.)(3:7) meaning, t he Muhkam sect ions (ent irely clear) and t he Mut ashabih sect ions (not ent irely clear) of t he Qur'an are all t rue. So t hey underst and t he not ent irely clear from t he clear, and t hus gain guidance. As for t hose in whose heart is t he disease of hypocrisy, t hey underst and t he Muhkam from t he Mut ashabih; t hus only gaining misguidance. Allah praised t hose who have knowledge and crit icized t he wicked. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Amr bin Shu` ayb said t hat his fat her said t hat his grandfat her said, "I and my brot her were present in a gat hering, which is more precious t o me t han red camels. My brot her and I came and found t hat some of t he leaders of t he Companions of t he Messenger of Allah were sit t ing close t o a door of his. We did not like t he idea of being separat e from t hem, so we sat near t he room. They t hen ment ioned an Ayah and began disput ing unt il t hey raised t heir voices. The Messenger of Allah was so angry t hat when he went out his face was red. He t hrew sand on t hem and said t o t hem,


(Behold, O people! This is how t he nat ions before you were dest royed, because of t heir disput ing wit h t heir Prophet s and t heir cont radict ing part s of t he Books wit h ot her part s. The Qur'an does not cont radict it self. Rat her, it t est ifies t o t he t rut h of it self. Therefore, what ever of it you have knowledge in, t hen implement it , and what ever you do not know of it , t hen refer it t o t hose who have knowledge in it . )" Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said, "I went t o t he Messenger of Allah one day. When we were sit t ing, t wo men disput ed about an Ayah, and t heir voices became loud. The Prophet said,

(Verily, t he nat ions before you were dest royed because of t heir disagreement s over t he Book.) Muslim and An-Nasa'i recorded t his Hadit h

The Prohibition of Disclosing Unreliable and Uninvestigated News

Allah said,

(When t here comes t o t hem some mat t er t ouching (public) safet y or fear, t hey make it known (among t he people);) chast ising t hose who indulge in t hings before being sure of t heir t rut h, disclosing t hem, making t hem known and spreading t heir news, even t hough such news might not be t rue at all. In t he int roduct ion t o his Sahih, Imam Muslim recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Prophet said,

(Narrat ing everyt hing one hears is sufficient t o make a person a liar.) This is t he same narrat ion collect ed by Abu Dawud in t he sect ion of Adab (manners) in his Sunan. In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat Al-Mughirah bin Shu` bah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah prohibit ed, "It was said,'' and, "So-and-so said.'' This Hadit h refers t o t hose who oft en convey t he speech t hat people ut t er wit hout invest igat ing t he reliabilit y and t rut h of what he is disclosing. The Sahih also records,


(Whoever narrat es a Hadit h while knowing it is false, t hen he is one of t he t wo liars (who invent s and who spreads t he lie).) We should ment ion here t he Hadit h of ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab collect ed in t he Two Sahihs. When ` Umar was informed t hat t he Messenger of Allah divorced his wives, he came from his house, ent ered t he Masj id and found t he people t alking about t his news. He could not wait and went t o t he Prophet t o ask him about what had t ruly happened, asking him, "Have you divorced your wives'' The Prophet said, "No.'' ` Umar said, "I said, Allahu Akbar...'' and ment ioned t he rest of t he Hadit h. In t he narrat ion t hat Muslim collect ed, ` Umar said, "I asked, ` Have you divorced t hem' He said, ` No.' So, I st ood by t he door of t he Masj id and shout ed wit h t he loudest voice, ` The Messenger of Allah did not divorce his wives.' Then, t his Ayah was revealed,

(When t here comes t o t hem some mat t er t ouching (public) safet y or fear, t hey make it known (among t he people), if only t hey had referred it t o t he Messenger or t o t hose charged wit h aut horit y among t hem, t he proper invest igat ors would have underst ood it from t hem (direct ly).) So I properly invest igat ed t hat mat t er. '' This Ayah refers t o proper invest igat ion, or ext ract ion of mat t ers from t heir proper resources. Allah's st at ement ,

(you would have followed Shayt an except a few of you. ) refers t o t he believers, as ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed from Ibn ` Abbas.

 - -
(84. Then fight in t he cause of Allah, you are not t asked (held responsible) except for yourself, and incit e t he believers (t o fight along wit h you), it may be t hat Allah will rest rain t he evil might of t he disbelievers. And Allah is St ronger in might and St ronger in punishing.) (85. Whosoever int ercedes for a good cause, will have t he reward t hereof; and whosoever int ercedes for an evil cause, will have a share in it s burden. And Allah is Ever All-Able t o do everyt hing.) (86. When you are greet ed wit h a greet ing, greet in ret urn wit h what is bet t er t han it , or (at least ) ret urn it equally. Cert ainly, Allah is Ever a Careful Account Taker of all t hings.) (87. Allah! None has t he right t o be worshipped but He. Surely, He will gat her you t oget her on t he Day of Resurrect ion about which t here is no doubt . And who is t ruer in st at ement t han Allah)

Allah Commands His Messenger to Perform Jihad

Allah commands His servant and Messenger, Muhammad , t o himself fight in Jihad and not t o be concerned about t hose who do not j oin Jihad. Hence Allah's st at ement ,

(you are not t asked (held responsible except for yourself,) Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Abu Ishaq said, "I asked Al-Bara bin ` Azib about a man who meet s a hundred enemies and st ill fight s t hem, would he be one of t hose referred t o in Allah's st at ement ,

(And do not t hrow yourselves int o dest ruct ion (by not spending your wealt h in t he cause of Allah)) He said, ` Allah said t o His Prophet ,

(Then fight in t he cause of Allah, you are not t asked (held responsible) except for yourself, and incit e t he believers (t o fight along wit h you)).'' Imam Ahmad recorded Sulayman bin Dawud saying t hat Abu Bakr bin ` Ayyash said t hat Abu Ishaq said, "I asked Al-Bara', ` If a man at t acks t he lines of t he idolat ors, would he be t hrowing himself t o dest ruct ion' He said, ` No because Allah has sent His Messenger and commanded him,

(Then fight in t he cause of Allah, you are not t asked (held responsible) except for yourself,) That Ayah is about spending in Allah's cause .''

Inciting the Believers to Fight

Allah said,

(and incit e t he believers) t o fight , by encouraging t hem and st rengt hening t heir resolve in t his regard. For inst ance, t he Prophet said t o t he believers at t he bat t le of Badr, while organizing t heir lines,

(St and up and march fort h t o a Paradise, as wide as t he heavens and Eart h.) There are many Hadit hs t hat encourage Jihad. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever believes in Allah and His Messenger, offers prayer, pays t he Zakah and fast s t he mont h of Ramadan, will right fully be grant ed Paradise by Allah, no mat t er whet her he migrat es in Allah's cause or remains in t he land where he is born.) The people said, ` O Allah's Messenger! Shall we acquaint t he people wit h t his good news' He said,


(Paradise has one hundred grades which Allah has reserved for t he Muj ahidin who fight in His cause, t he dist ance bet ween each t wo grades is like t he dist ance bet ween t he heaven and t he Eart h. So, when you ask Allah, ask for Al-Firdaws, which is t he best and highest part of Paradise, above it is t he Throne of t he Most Beneficent (Allah) and from it originat e t he rivers of Paradise.) There are various narrat ions for t his Hadit h from ` Ubadah, Mu` adh, and Abu AdDarda'. Abu Sa` id Al-Khudri narrat ed t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(O Abu Sa` id! Whoever accept s Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion and Muhammad as t he Prophet , t hen he would right fully acquire Paradise.) Abu Sa` id liked t hese words and said, "O Allah's Messenger! Repeat t hem for me.'' The Prophet repeat ed his words, t hen said,

(And (t here is) anot her deed for which Allah raises t he servant a hundred grades in Paradise, bet ween each t wo grades is t he dist ance bet ween heaven and Eart h.) Abu Sa` id said, "What is it , O Allah's Messenger '' He said,

(Jihad in Allah's cause.) This Hadit h was collect ed by Muslim. Allah's st at ement ,

(it may be t hat Allah will rest rain t he evil might of t he disbelievers. ) means, by your encouraging t hem t o fight , t heir resolve will be st rengt hened t o meet t he enemy in bat t le, t o defend Islam and it s people and t o endure and be pat ient against t he enemy. Allah's st at ement ,

(And Allah is St ronger in might and St ronger in punishing.) means, He is able over t hem in t his life and t he Hereaft er, j ust as He said in anot her Ayah,

(But if it had been Allah's will, He Himself could cert ainly have punished t hem (wit hout you). But (He let s you fight ) in order t o t est some of you wit h ot hers) (47:4).

Interceding for a Good or an Evil Cause

Allah said,

(Whosoever int ercedes for a good cause, will have t he reward t hereof;) meaning, whoever int ercedes in a mat t er t hat produces good result s, will acquire a share in t hat good.

(And whosoever int ercedes for an evil cause, will have a share in it s burden.) meaning, he will carry a burden due t o what result ed from his int ercession and int ent ion. For inst ance, it is recorded in t he Sahih t hat t he Prophet said,


(Int ercede and you will gain a reward of it . Yet , Allah shall decide what ever He wills by t he words of His Prophet .) Muj ahid bin Jabr said, "This Ayah was revealed about t he int ercession of people on behalf of each ot her.'' Allah t hen said,

(And Allah is Ever Muqit over everyt hing.) Ibn ` Abbas, ` At a', ` At iyah, Qat adah and Mat ar AlWarraq said t hat ,

(Muqit ) means, "Wat cher.'' Muj ahid said t hat Muqit means, ` Wit ness', and in anot her narrat ion, ` Able t o do.'

Returning the Salam, With a Better Salam

Allah said,

(When you are greet ed wit h a greet ing, greet in ret urn wit h what is bet t er t han it , or (at least ) ret urn it equally.) meaning, if t he Muslim greet s you wit h t he Salam, t hen ret urn t he greet ing wit h a bet t er Salam, or at least equal t o t he Salam t hat was given. Therefore, t he bet t er Salam is recommended, while ret urning it equally is an obligat ion. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Raj a' Al-` Ut aridi said t hat ` Imran bin Husayn said t hat a man came t o t he Messenger of Allah and said, "As-Salamu ` Alaykum''. The Prophet ret urned t he greet ing, and aft er t he man sat down he said, "Ten.'' Anot her man came and said, "As-Salamu ` Alaykum wa Rahmat ullah, O Allah's Messenger.'' The Prophet ret urned t he greet ing, and aft er t he man sat down he said, "Twent y.'' Then anot her man came and said, "As-Salamu ` Alaykum wa Rahmat ullah wa Barakat uh.'' The Prophet ret urned t he greet ing, and aft er t he man sat down he said, "Thirt y.'' This is t he narrat ion recorded by Abu Dawud. At -Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Al-Bazzar also recorded it . At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Gharib''. There are several ot her Hadit hs on t his subj ect from Abu Sa` id, ` Ali, and Sahl bin Hanif. When t he Muslim is greet ed wit h t he full form of Salam, he is obliged t o ret urn t he greet ing equally. As for Ahl Adh-Dhimmah t he Salam should not be init iat ed nor should t he greet ing be added t o when ret urning t heir greet ing. Rat her, as recorded in t he Two Sahihs t heir greet ing is ret urned t o t hem equally. Ibn ` Umar narrat ed t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

 : :
(When t he Jews greet you, one of t hem would say, ` As-Samu ` Alayka (deat h be unt o you).' Therefore, say, ` Wa ` Alayka (and t he same t o you).') In his Sahih, Muslim recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Do not init iat e greet ing t he Jews and Christ ians wit h t he Salam, and when you pass by t hem on a road, force t hem t o it s narrowest pat h.) Abu Dawud recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(By He in Whose Hand is my soul! You will not ent er Paradise unt il you believe, and you will not believe unt il you love each ot her. Should I direct you t o an act ion t hat would direct you t o love each ot her Spread t he Salam among yourselves.) Allah said,

(Allah! none has t he right t o be worshipped but He) informing t hat He is singled out as t he sole God of all creat ion. Allah t hen said,

(Surely, He will gat her you t oget her on t he Day of Resurrect ion about which t here is no doubt .) swearing t hat He will gat her t he earlier and lat t er generat ions in one area, rewarding or punishing each person according t o his or her act ions. Allah said,

(And who is t ruer in st at ement t han Allah) meaning, no one ut t ers more t rut hful st at ement s t han Allah, in His promise, warning, st ories of t he past and informat ion of what is t o come; t here is no deit y wort hy of worship nor Lord except Him.

- - -
(88. Then what is t he mat t er wit h you t hat you are divided int o t wo part ies about t he hypocrit es Allah has cast t hem back because of what t hey have earned. Do you want t o guide

him whom Allah has made t o go ast ray And he whom Allah has made t o go ast ray, you will never find for him a way.) (89. They wish t hat you rej ect fait h, as t hey have rej ect ed, and t hus t hat you all become equal (like one anot her). So t ake not Awliya' from t hem, t ill t hey emigrat e in t he way of Allah. But if t hey t urn back, t ake (hold of) t hem and kill t hem wherever you find t hem, and t ake neit her Awliya' nor helpers from t hem.) (90. Except t hose who j oin a group, bet ween you and whom t here is a t reat y (of peace), or t hose who approach you wit h t heir breast s rest raining from fight ing you as well as fight ing t heir own people. Had Allah willed, indeed He would have given t hem power over you, and t hey would have fought you. So, if t hey wit hdraw from you, and fight not against you, and offer you peace, t hen Allah has made no way for you against t hem.) (91. You will find ot hers t hat wish t o have securit y from you and securit y from t heir people. Every t ime t hey are sent back t o Fit nah, t hey yield t heret o. If t hey wit hdraw not from you, nor offer you peace, nor rest rain t heir hands, t ake (hold of) t hem and kill t hem wherever you Thaqift umuhum. In t heir case, We have provided you wit h a clear warrant against t hem.)

Censuring the Companions for Disagreeing over the Hypocrites who Returned to Al-Madinah Before Uhud
Allah crit icizes t he believers for disagreeing over t he hypocrit es. There are conflict ing opinions over t he reason behind revealing t his Ayah. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Zayd bin Thabit said t hat Messenger of Allah marched t owards Uhud. However, some people who accompanied him went back t o Al-Madinah, and t he Companions of t he Messenger of Allah divided int o t wo groups concerning t hem, one saying t hey should be killed and t he ot her obj ect ing. Allah sent down,

(Then what is t he mat t er wit h you t hat you are divided int o t wo part ies about t he hypocrit es) The Messenger of Allah said,

(She (Al-Madinah) is Taybah, and she expels filt h, j ust as t he billow expels rust from iron.) The Two Sahihs also recorded t his Hadit h. Al-` Awfi report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah was revealed about some people in Makkah who said t hey embraced Islam, yet t hey gave t heir support t o t he idolat ors. One t ime, t heses people went out of Makkah t o fulfill some needs and said t o each ot her, "If we meet t he Companions of Muhammad, t here will be no harm for us from t heir side.'' When t he believers got news t hat t hese people went out of Makkah, some of t hem said, "Let us march t o t hese cowards and kill t hem, because t hey support your enemy against you.'' However, anot her group from t he believers said, "Glory be t o Allah! Do you kill a people who say as you have said, j ust because t hey did not perform Hij rah or leave t heir land Is it allowed t o shed t heir blood and confiscat e t heir money in t his case'' So t hey divided t o t wo groups, while t he Messenger was wit h t hem, and did not prohibit eit her group from reit erat ing t heir argument . Thereaft er, Allah revealed,


(Then what is t he mat t er wit h you t hat you are divided int o t wo part ies about t he hypocrit es) Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t his Hadit h. Allah said,

(Allah has cast t hem back because of what t hey have earned.) meaning, He made t hem revert t o, and fall int o error. Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(Arkasahum) means, ` cast t hem' . Allah's st at ement ,

(because of what t hey have earned) means, because of t heir defiance and disobedience t o t he Messenger and following falsehood.

(Do you want t o guide him whom Allah has made t o go ast ray And he whom Allah has made t o go ast ray, you will never find for him a way.) meaning, t here will be no pat h for him, or way t o guidance. Allah's st at ement ,

(They wish t hat you rej ect fait h, as t hey have rej ect ed, and t hus t hat you all become equal.) means, t hey wish t hat you fall int o misguidance, so t hat you and t hey are equal in t hat regard. This is because of t heir ext reme enmit y and hat red for you. Therefore, Allah said,

(So t ake not Awliya' from t hem, t ill t hey emigrat e in t he way of Allah. But if t hey t urn back,) if t hey abandon Hij rah, as Al-` Awfi report ed from Ibn ` Abbas. As-Suddi said t hat t his part of t he Ayah means, "If t hey make t heir disbelief public.''

Combatants and Noncombatants

Allah excluded some people;

(Except t hose who j oin a group, bet ween you and whom t here is a t reat y (of peace),) meaning, except t hose who j oin and t ake refuge wit h a people wit h whom you have a pact of peace, or people of Dhimmah, t hen t reat t hem as you t reat t he people wit h whom you have peace. This is t he saying of As-Suddi, Ibn Zayd and Ibn Jarir. In his Sahih, Al-Bukhari recorded t he st ory of t he t reat y of Al-Hudaybiyyah, where it was ment ioned t hat whoever liked t o have peace wit h Quraysh and conduct a pact wit h t hem, t hen t hey were allowed. Those who liked t o have peace wit h Muhammad and his Companions and ent er a pact wit h t hem were allowed. It was report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t his Ayah was lat er abrogat ed by Allah's st at ement ,

(Then when t he Sacred Mont hs have passed, kill t he idolat ors wherever you find t hem) Allah said,

(or t hose who approach you wit h t heir breast s rest raining) referring t o anot her t ype of people covered by t he exclusion from fight ing. They are t hose who approach t he Muslims wit h hesit at ion in t heir heart s because of t heir aversion t o fight ing t he Muslims. They do not have t he heart t o fight wit h t he Muslims against t heir own people. Therefore, t hey are neit her wit h nor against Muslims.

(Had Allah willed, indeed He would have given t hem power over you, and t hey would have fought you.) meaning, it is from Allah's mercy t hat He has st opped t hem from fight ing you.

(So, if t hey wit hdraw from you, and fight not against you, and offer you peace,) meaning, t hey revert t o peace,

(t hen Allah has opened no way for you against t hem), you do not have t he right t o kill t hem, as long as t hey t ake t his posit ion. This was t he posit ion of Banu Hashim (t he t ribe of t he Prophet ), such as Al-` Abbas, who accompanied t he idolat ors in t he bat t le of Badr, for t hey j oined t he bat t le wit h great hesit at ion. This is why t he Prophet commanded t hat Al-` Abbas not be killed, but only capt ured. Allah's st at ement , d

(You will find ot hers t hat wish t o have securit y from you and securit y from t heir people.) refers t o a t ype of people who on t he surface appear t o be like t he t ype we j ust ment ioned. However, t he int ent ion of each t ype is different , for t he lat t er are hypocrit es. They pret end t o be Muslims wit h t he Prophet and his Companions, so t hat t hey could at t ain safet y wit h t he Muslims for t heir blood, propert y and families. However, t hey support t he idolat ors in secret and worship what t hey worship, so t hat t hey are at peace wit h t hem also. These people have secret ly sided wit h t he idolat ors, j ust as Allah described t hem,

(But when t hey are alone wit h t heir Shayat in, t hey say: "Truly, we are wit h you.''). In t his Ayah, Allah said,

(Every t ime t hey are sent back t o Fit nah, t hey yield t heret o.) meaning, t hey dwell in Fit nah. As-Suddi said t hat t he Fit nah ment ioned here refers t o Shirk. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Muj ahid said t hat t he Ayah was revealed about a group from Makkah who used t o go t o t he Prophet in Al-Madinah pret ending t o be Muslims. However, when t hey went back t o Quraysh, t hey revert ed t o worshipping idols. They want ed t o be at peace wit h bot h sides. Allah commanded t hey should be fought against , unless t hey wit hdraw from combat and resort t o peace. This is why Allah said,

(If t hey wit hdraw not from you, nor offer you peace) meaning, revert t o peaceful and complacent behavior,


(nor rest rain t heir hands) refrain from fight ing you,

(t ake (hold of) t hem), capt ure t hem,

(and kill t hem wherever you Thaqif t umuhum.), wherever you find t hem,

(In t heir case, We have provided you wit h a clear warrant against t hem), meaning an unequivocal and plain warrant .


(92. It is not for a believer t o kill a believer except by mist ake; and whosoever kills a believer by mist ake, he must set free a believing slave and submit compensat ion (blood money) t o t he deceased's family unless t hey remit it . If t he deceased belonged t o a people at war wit h you and he was a believer, t he freeing of a believing slave (is prescribed); and if he belonged t o a people wit h whom you have a t reat y of mut ual alliance, t hen compensat ion (blood money) must be paid t o his family, and a believing slave must be freed. And whoso finds t his beyond his means, he must fast for t wo consecut ive mont hs in order t o seek repent ance from Allah. And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.) (93. And whoever kills a believer int ent ionally, his recompense is Hell t o abide t herein; and t he wrat h and t he curse of Allah are upon him, and a great punishment is prepared for him.)

The Ruling Concerning Killing a Believer by Mistake

Allah st at es t hat t he believer is not allowed t o kill his believing brot her under any circumst ances. In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat Ibn Mas` ud said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(The blood of a Muslim who t est ifies t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah and t hat I am t he Messenger of Allah, is sacred, except in t hree inst ances. (They are:) life for life, t he married adult erer, and whoever revert s from t he religion and abandons t he Jama` ah (communit y of t he fait hful believers).) When one commit s any of t hese t hree offenses, it is not up t o ordinary cit izens t o kill him or her, because t his is t he responsibilit y of t he Muslim Leader or his deput y. Allah said,

(except by mist ake). There is a t his part of t he Ayah. Muj ahid Rabi` ah, Abu Jahl's half brot her, man called Al-Harit h bin Yazid difference of opinion concerning t he reason behind revealing and ot hers said t hat it was revealed about ` Ayyash bin Abi from his mot her's side, Asma' bint Makhrabah. ` Ayyash killed a Al-` Amiri, out of revenge for t ort uring him and his brot her

because of t heir Islam. That man lat er embraced Islam and performed Hij rah, but ` Ayyash did not know t his fact . On t he Day of t he Makkan conquest , ` Ayyash saw t hat man and t hought t hat he was st ill a disbeliever, so he at t acked and killed him. Lat er, Allah sent down t his Ayah. ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about Abu Ad-Darda' because he killed a man aft er he embraced t he fait h, j ust as Abu Ad-Darda' held t he sword above him. When t his mat t er was conveyed t o t he Messenger of Allah , Abu Ad-Darda' said, "He only said t hat t o avert deat h.'' The Prophet said t o him,

(Have you opened his heart ) The basis for t his st ory is in t he Sahih, but it is not about Abu AdDarda'. Allah said,

(and whosoever kills a believer by mist ake, he must set free a believing slave and submit compensat ion (blood money) t o t he deceased's family) t hus, ordaining t wo requirement s for murder by mist ake. The first requirement is t he Kaffarah (fine) for t he great sin t hat has been commit t ed, even if it was a mist ake. The Kaffarah is t o free a Muslim slave, not a non-Muslim slave. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat a man from t he Ansar said t hat he brought a slave and said, "O Messenger of Allah! I have t o free a believing slave, so if you see t hat t his slave is a believer, I will free her.'' The Messenger of Allah asked her,

(Do you t est ify t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah) She said, "Yes.'' He asked her,

(Do you t est ify t hat I am t he Messenger of Allah) She said, "Yes.'' He asked,

(Do you believe in Resurrect ion aft er deat h) She said, "Yes.'' The Prophet said,

(Then free her.) This is an aut hent ic chain of narrat ion, and not knowing t he name of t he Ansari Companion does not lessen it s aut hent icit y. Allah's st at ement ,

(and submit compensat ion (blood money) t o t he deceased's family) is t he second obligat ion which involves t he killer and t he family of t he deceased, who will receive blood money as compensat ion for t heir loss. The compensat ion is only obligat ory for t he one who possesses one of five; as Imam Ahmad, and t he Sunan compilers recorded from Ibn Mas` ud. He said; "Allah's Messenger det ermined t hat t he Diyah (blood money) for unint ent ional murder is t went y camels which ent ered t heir fourt h year, t went y camels which ent ered t heir fift h year, t went y camels which ent ered t heir second year, and t went y camels which ent ered t heir t hird year.'' This is t he wording of An-Nasa'i. This Diyah is required from t he elders of t he killer's t ribe, not from his own money. In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said, "Two women from Hudhayl quarreled and one of t hem t hrew a st one at t he ot her and killed her and her unborn fet us. They disput ed before t he Messenger of Allah and he decided t hat t he Diyah of t he fet us should be t o free a male or a female slave. He also decided t hat t he Diyah of t he deceased is required from t he elders of t he killer's t ribe.'' This Hadit h indicat es t hat in t he case of what appears t o be int ent ional murder, t he Diyah is t he same as t hat for killing by virt ual mist ake. The former t ype requires t hree t ypes of Diyah, j ust like int ent ional murder, because it is somewhat similar t o int ent ional murder. Al-Bukhari recorded in his Sahih t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Umar said, "The Messenger of Allah sent Khalid bin Al-Walid t o Banu Jadhimah and he called t hem t o Islam, but t hey did not know how t o say, ` We became Muslims.' They st art ed saying, ` Saba'na, Saba'na (we became Sabians). Khalid st art ed killing t hem, and when t his news was conveyed t o t he Messenger of Allah , he raised his hands and said,

(O Allah! I declare my innocence before You of what Khalid did.) The Messenger sent ` Ali t o pay t he Diyah of t hose who were killed and t o compensat e for t he propert y t hat was dest royed, t o t he ext ent of replacing t he dog's bowl. This Hadit h indicat es t hat t he mist ake of t he Leader or his deput y (Khalid in t his case) is paid from t he Muslim Treasury. Allah said,

(unless t hey remit it ), meaning, t he Diyah must be delivered t o t he family of t he deceased, unless t hey forfeit t heir right , in which case t he Diyah does not become necessary. Allah's st at ement ,

(If t he deceased belonged t o a people at war wit h you and he was a believer, t he freeing of a believing slave (is prescribed);) means, if t he murdered person was a believer, yet his family

were combat ant disbelievers, t hen t hey will receive no Diyah. In t his case, t he murderer only has t o free a believing slave. Allah's st at ement ,

(and if he belonged t o a people wit h whom you have a t reat y of mut ual alliance,) meaning, if t he family of t he deceased were from Ahl Adh-Dhimmah or wit h whom t here is a peace t reat y, t hen t hey deserve his Diyah; full Diyah if t he deceased was a believer, in which case t he killer is required t o free a believing slave also.

(And whoso finds t his beyond his means, he must fast for t wo consecut ive mont hs) wit hout breaking t he fast (in t he days of ) t he t wo mont hs. If he breaks t he fast wit hout j ust ificat ion, i.e. illness, menst ruat ion, post -nat al bleeding, t hen he has t o st art all over again. Allah's st at ement ,

(t o seek repent ance from Allah. And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.) means, t his is how t he one who kills by mist ake can repent , he fast s t wo consecut ive mont hs if he does not find a slave t o free.

(And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise), we ment ioned t he explanat ion of t his before.

Warning Against Intentional Murder

Aft er Allah ment ioned t he ruling of unint ent ional murder, He ment ioned t he ruling for int ent ional murder. Allah said,

(And whoever kills a believer int ent ionally,) This Ayah carries a st ern warning and promise for t hose who commit so grave a sin t hat it is ment ioned along wit h Shirk in several Ayat of Allah's Book. For inst ance, in Surat Al-Furqan, Allah said,


(And t hose who invoke not any ot her god along wit h Allah, nor kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except for j ust cause). Allah said,

(Say: "Come, I will recit e what your Lord has prohibit ed you from: Join not anyt hing in worship wit h Him.) 6:151 . There are many Ayat and Hadit hs t hat prohibit murder. In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat Ibn Mas` ud said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Blood offenses are t he first disput es t o be j udged bet ween t he people on t he Day of Resurrect ion. ) In a Hadit h t hat Abu Dawud recorded, ` Ubadah bin As-Samit st at es t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The believer will remain unburdened in right eousness as long as he does not shed prohibit ed blood. When he sheds forbidden blood, he will become burdened.) Anot her Hadit h, st at es,

(The dest ruct ion of t his eart hly life is less significant before Allah t han killing a Muslim man (or woman).)

Will the Repentance of those who Commit Intentional Murder, be Accepted

Ibn ` Abbas held t he view t hat t he repent ance of one who int ent ionally murders a believer, will not be accept ed. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn Jubayr said, "The people of knowledge of AlKufah differed on t his subj ect , I t raveled t o Ibn ` Abbas t o ask him about it . He said, ` This Ayah,

(And whoever kills a believer int ent ionally, his recompense is Hell) was t he last revealed on t his subj ect and not hing abrogat ed it .''' Muslim and An-Nasa'i also recorded it . However, t he maj orit y of scholars of t he earlier and lat er generat ions said t hat t he killer's repent ance can be accept ed. If he repent s, and goes back t o Allah humbly, submissively, and performing right eous deeds, t hen Allah will change his evil deeds int o good deeds and compensat e t he deceased for his loss by rewarding him for his suffering. Allah said, R

(And t hose who invoke not any ot her god along wit h Allah), unt il,

(Except t hose who repent and believe, and do right eous deeds). The Ayah we j ust ment ioned should not be considered abrogat ed or only applicable t o t he disbelievers who become Muslim , for t his cont radict s t he general, encompassing indicat ions of t he Ayah and requires evidence t o support it . Allah knows best . Allah said,

(Say: "O My servant s who have t ransgressed against t hemselves! Despair not of t he mercy of Allah). This Ayah is general, covering all t ypes of sins, including Kufr, Shirk, doubt , hypocrisy, murder, sin, and so fort h. Therefore, everyone who repent s sincerely from any of t hese errors, t hen Allah will forgive him. Allah said,

(Verily, Allah forgives not t hat part ners should be set up wit h Him (in worship), but He forgives except t hat (anyt hing else) t o whom He wills). This Ayah is general and includes every sin except Shirk, and it has been ment ioned in t his Surah, bot h aft er t his Ayah and before it , in order t o encourage hope in Allah, and Allah knows best . It is confirmed in t he Two Sahihs, t hat an Israeli killed one hundred people t hen he asked a scholar, "Is it possible for me t o repent '' So he replied, "What is t here t hat would prevent you from repent ance'' So he t old him t o go t o anot her land where Allah was worshipped. He began t o emigrat e t o it but died on t he way, and t he angel of mercy was t he one t o t ake him. Alt hough t his Hadit h is about an Israeli, it is even more suit able for t he Muslim communit y t hat t heir repent ance be accept ed. Indeed, Allah relieved Muslims from t he burdens and rest rict ions t hat were placed on t he Jews, and He sent our Prophet wit h t he easy Hanifiyyah way (Islamic Monot heism). As for t he honorable Ayah,

(And whoever kills a believer int ent ionally), Abu Hurayrah and several among t he Salaf said t hat t his is his punishment , if Allah decides t o punish him. And t his is t he case wit h every t hreat t hat is issued for every sin. For inst ance, t here could be good deeds t hat t his person has done t hat would prevent him from being punished for t hat , and Allah knows best . Even if t he murderer inevit ably ent ers t he Fire -- as Ibn ` Abbas st at ed because his repent ance was not accept ed, or he did not have good deeds t o save him, he will not remain t here for et ernit y, but only for a long t ime. There are Mut awat ir Hadit hs st at ing t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever has t he least speck of fait h in his heart shall ult imat ely depart t he Fire.)

(94. O you who believe! When you go (t o fight ) in t he cause of Allah, verify (t he t rut h), and say not t o anyone who greet s you: "You are not a believer;'' seeking t he perishable goods of t he worldly life. There is much more benefit wit h Allah. Even as he is now, so were you yourselves before, t ill Allah conferred on you His Favors, t herefore, be caut ious in discriminat ion. Allah is Ever Well-Aware of what you do.)

Greeting with the Salam is a Sign of Islam

Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Ikrimah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "A man from Bani Sulaym, who was t ending a flock of sheep, passed by some of t he Companions of t he Prophet and said Salam t o t hem. They said (t o each ot her), ` He only said Salam t o prot ect himself from us.' Then t hey at t acked him and killed him. They brought his sheep t o t he Prophet , and t his Ayah was revealed,

(O you who believe!), unt il t he end of t he Ayah.'' At -Tirmidhi recorded t his in his (chapt er on) Tafsir, and said, "This Hadit h is Hasan, and it is also report ed from Usamah bin Zayd.'' Al-Hakim also recorded it and said, "It s chain is Sahih, but t hey did not collect it .'' Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed;

(and say not t o anyone who greet s you: "You are not a believer;''), "A man was t ending his sheep and t he Muslims caught up wit h him. He said, ` As-Salamu ` Alaykum.' However, t hey killed him and t ook his sheep. Allah revealed t he Ayah;

(And say not t o anyone who greet s you: "You are not a believer; seeking t he perishable goods of t he worldly life).'' Ibn ` Abbas said; "The goods of t his world were t hose sheep.'' And he recit ed,

(Peace) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Al-Qa` qa` bin Abdullah bin Abi Hadrad narrat ed t hat his fat her ` Abdullah bin Abi Hadrad said, "The Messenger of Allah sent us t o (t he area of) Idam. I rode out wit h a group of Muslims t hat included Abu Qat adah, Al-Harit h bin Rab` i and Muhallam bin Jut hamah bin Qays. We cont inued on unt il we reached t he area of Idam, where ` Amr bin Al-Adbat Al-Ashj a` i passed by us on his camel. When he passed by us he said Salam t o us, and we did not at t ack him. Because of some previous problems wit h him, Muhallam bin Jut hamah killed him and t ook his camel. When we went back t o t he Messenger of Allah and t old him what had happened, a part of t he Qur'an was revealed about us,

(O you who believe! When you go (t o fight ) in t he cause of Allah), unt il,


(Well-Aware).'' Only Ahmad recorded t his Hadit h. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said t o Al-Miqdad,

(You killed a believing man who hid his fait h wit h disbelieving people, aft er he had announced his fait h t o you. Remember t hat you used t o hide your fait h in Makkah before.) Al-Bukhari recorded t his short er version wit hout a complet e chain of narrat ors. However a longer version wit h a connect ed chain of narrat ors has also been recorded. Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bazzar recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The Messenger of Allah sent a milit ary expedit ion under t he aut horit y of Al-Miqdad bin Al-Aswad and when t hey reached t he designat ed area, t hey found t he people had dispersed. However, a man wit h a lot of wealt h did not leave and said, ` I bear wit ness t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah.' Yet , Al-Miqdad killed him, and a man said t o him, ` You killed a man aft er he proclaimed: "There is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah. By Allah I will ment ion what you did t o t he Prophet .' When t hey went back t o t he Messenger of Allah, t hey said, ` O Messenger of Allah! Al-Miqdad killed a man who t est ified t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah.' He said,

:
(Summon Al-Miqdad before me. O Miqdad! Did you kill a man who proclaimed, "There is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah" What would you do when you face, "There is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah t omorrow") Allah t hen revealed;


(O you who believe! When you go (t o fight ) in t he cause of Allah, verify (t he t rut h), and say not t o anyone who greet s you: "You are not a believer;'' seeking t he perishable goods of t he worldly life. There are much more profit s and boot ies wit h Allah. Even as he is now, so were you yourselves before t ill Allah conferred on you His Favors, t herefore, be caut ious in discriminat ion). The Messenger of Allah said t o Al-Miqdad,

(He was a believing man who hid his fait h among disbelieving people, and he announced his fait h t o you, but you killed him, alt hough you used t o hide your fait h before, in Makkah.)'' Allah's st at ement ,

(There is much more benefit wit h Allah.) means, bet t er t han what you desired of worldly possessions which made you kill t he one who greet ed you wit h t he Salam and pronounced his fait h t o you. Yet , you ignored all t his and accused him of hypocrisy, t o acquire t he gains of t his life. However, t he pure wealt h wit h Allah is far bet t er t han what you acquired. Allah's st at ement ,

(so were you yourselves before, t ill Allah conferred on you His Favors.) means, beforehand, you used t o be in t he same sit uat ion like t his person who hid his fait h from his people. We ment ioned t he relevant Hadit hs above. Allah said,

(And remember when you were few and were reckoned weak in t he land). ` Abdur-Razzaq recorded t hat Sa` id bin Jubayr comment ed about Allah's st at ement ,


(so were you yourselves before), "You used t o hide your fait h, j ust as t his shepherd hid his fait h.'' Allah said,

(t herefore, be caut ious in discriminat ion), t hen said,

(Allah is Ever Well-Aware of what you do.) and t his part of t he Ayah cont ains a t hreat and a warning, as Sa` id bin Jubayr st at ed.

-
(95. Not equal are t hose of t he believers who sit (at home), except t hose who are disabled, and t hose who st rive hard and fight in t he cause of Allah wit h t heir wealt h and t heir lives. Allah has preferred in grades t hose who st rive hard and fight wit h t heir wealt h and t heir lives above t hose who sit (at home). Unt o each, Allah has promised good (Paradise), but Allah has preferred t hose who st rive hard and fight , above t hose who sit (at home), by a huge reward.) (96. Degrees of (higher) grades from Him, and forgiveness and mercy. And Allah is Ever Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

The Mujahid and those Who Do not Join Jihad are Not the Same, [and Jihad is Fard Kifayah]
Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Al-Bara' said, "When t he Ayah,

(Not equal are t hose of t he believers who sit (at home),) was revealed, t he Messenger of Allah called Zayd and commanded him t o writ e it . Then, Ibn Umm Makt um came and ment ioned t hat he was blind. Allah revealed,

(except t hose who are disabled (by inj ury or are blind or lame)).'' Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Sahl bin Sa` d As-Sa` di said, "I saw Marwan bin Al-Hakam sit t ing in t he Masj id. I came and sat by his side. He t old us t hat Zayd bin Thabit t old him t hat Allah's Messenger dict at ed t his Ayah t o him,

(Not equal are t hose of t he believers who sit (at home), except t hose who are disabled, and t hose who st rive hard and fight in t he cause of Allah) Ibn Umm Makt um came t o t he Prophet as he was dict at ing t hat very Ayah t o me. Ibn Umm Makt um said, ` O Allah's Messenger! By Allah, if I had power, I would surely t ake part in Jihad.' He was a blind man. So Allah sent down revelat ion t o His Messenger while his t high was on mine and it became so heavy for me t hat I feared t hat my t high would be broken. That ended aft er Allah revealed,

(except t hose who are disabled).'' This was recorded by Al-Bukhari. At -Tirmidhi recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said,

(Not equal are t hose of t he believers who sit (at home), except t hose who are disabled), refers t o t hose who did not go t o t he bat t le of Badr and t hose who went t o Badr. When t he bat t le of Badr was about t o occur, Abu Ahmad bin Jahsh and Ibn Umm Makt um said, ` We are blind, O Messenger of Allah! Do we have an excuse' The Ayah,


(Not equal are t hose of t he believers who sit (at home), except t hose who are disabled) was revealed. Allah made t hose who fight , above t hose who sit in t heir homes not hindered by disabilit y.

(but Allah has preferred t hose who st rive hard and fight , above t hose who sit (at home), by a huge reward. Degrees of (higher) grades from Him), above t he believers who sit at home wit hout a disabilit y hindering t hem.'' This is t he wording recorded by At -Tirmidhi, who said, "Hasan Gharib. Allah's st at ement ,

(Not equal are t hose of t he believers who sit (at home),) t his is general. Soon aft er, t he revelat ion came down wit h,

(except t hose who are disabled). So whoever has a disabilit y, such as blindness, a limp, or an illness t hat prevent s t hem from j oining Jihad, t hey were not compared t o t he Muj ahidin who st rive in Allah's cause wit h t heir selves and wealt h, as t hose who are not disabled and did not j oin t he Jihad were. In his Sahih, Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Anas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: (There are people who remained in Al-Madinah, who were wit h you in every march you marched and every valley you crossed.) They said, "While t hey are st ill in Al-Madinah, O Messenger of Allah'' He said,

(Yes. Only t heir disabilit y hindered t hem (from j oining you).) Allah said,

(Unt o each, Allah has promised good) meaning, Paradise and t remendous rewards. This Ayah indicat es t hat Jihad is not Fard on each and every individual, but it is Fard Kifayah (which is a collect ive dut y). Allah t hen said,

(but Allah has preferred t hose who st rive hard and fight , above t hose who sit (at home), by a huge reward). Allah ment ions what He has given t hem rooms in Paradise, along wit h His forgiveness and t he descent of mercy and blessing on t hem, as a favor and honor from Him. So He said;

(Degrees of (higher) grades from Him, and forgiveness and mercy. And Allah is Ever Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.). In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat Abu Sa` id Al-Khudri said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(There are a hundred grades in Paradise t hat Allah has prepared for t he Muj ahidin in His cause, bet ween each t wo grades is t he dist ance bet ween heaven and Eart h.)

 - -
(97. Verily, as for t hose whom t he angels t ake (in deat h) while t hey are wronging t hemselves, t hey (angels) say (t o t hem): "In what (condit ion) were you'' They reply: "We were weak and oppressed on t he eart h.'' They (angels) say: "Was not t he eart h of Allah spacious enough for you t o emigrat e t herein'' Such men will find t heir abode in Hell - what an evil dest inat ion!) (98. Except t he weak ones among men, women and children who cannot devise a plan, nor are t hey able t o direct t heir way.) (99. These are t hey whom Allah is likely t o forgive t hem, and Allah is Ever Oft -Pardoning, Oft -Forgiving.) (100. He who emigrat es in t he cause of Allah, will find on eart h many dwelling places and plent y t o live by. And whosoever leaves his home as an emigrant unt o Allah and His Messenger, and deat h overt akes him, his reward is t hen surely incumbent upon Allah. And Allah is Ever Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

The Prohibition of Residing Among the Disbelievers While Able to Emigrate

Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Muhammad bin ` Abdur-Rahman, Abu Al-Aswad, said, "The people of Al-Madinah were forced t o prepare an army (t o fight against t he people of Ash-Sham during t he Khilafah of Abdullah bin Az-Zubayir at Makkah), and I was enlist ed in it . Then I met ` Ikrimah, t he freed slave of Ibn ` Abbas, and informed him (about it ), and he forbade me st rongly from doing so (i.e., t o enlist in t hat army), and t hen he said t o me, ` Ibn ` Abbas t old me t hat some Muslims used t o go out wit h t he idolat ors increasing t he size of t heir army against t he Messenger of Allah . Then, an arrow would hit one of t hem and kill him, or he would be st ruck on his neck (wit h a sword) and killed, and Allah sent down t he Ayah,

(Verily, as for t hose whom t he angels t ake (in deat h) while t hey are wronging t hemselves).'' AdDahhak st at ed t hat t his Ayah was revealed about some hypocrit es who did not j oin t he Messenger of Allah but remained in Makkah and went out wit h t he idolat ors for t he bat t le of Badr. They were killed among t hose who were killed. Thus, t his honorable Ayah was revealed about t hose who reside among t he idolat ors, while able t o perform Hij rah and unable t o pract ice t he fait h. Such people will be commit t ing inj ust ice against t hemselves and falling int o a prohibit ion according t o t he consensus and also according t o t his Ayah,

(Verily, as for t hose whom t he angels t ake (in deat h) while t hey are wronging t hemselves,) by refraining from Hij rah,

(They (angels) say (t o t hem): "In what (condit ion) were you'') meaning, why did you remain here and not perform Hij rah

(They reply: "We were weak and oppressed on t he eart h.'') meaning, we are unable t o leave t he land or move about in t he eart h,

(They (angels) say: "Was not t he eart h of Allah spacious enough for you). Abu Dawud recorded t hat Samurah bin Jundub said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever mingles wit h t he idolat or and resides wit h him, he is j ust like him.) Allah's st at ement ,

(Except t he weak) unt il t he end of t he Ayah, is an excuse t hat Allah gives for t his t ype of people not t o emigrat e, because t hey are unable t o free t hemselves from t he idolat ors. And even if t hey did, t hey would not know which way t o go. This is why Allah said,


(Who cannot devise a plan, nor are t hey able t o direct t heir way), meaning, t hey do not find t he way t o emigrat e, as Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah and As-Suddi st at ed. Allah's st at ement ,

(These are t hey whom Allah is likely t o forgive t hem,) means, pardon t hem for not migrat ing, and here, ` likely' means He shall,

(and Allah is Ever Oft -Pardoning, Oft -Forgiving). Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said, "While t he Messenger of Allah was praying ` Isha', he said, ` Sami` Allahu Liman Hamidah.' He t hen said before he prost rat ed,

(O Allah! Save ` Ayyash bin Abi Rabi` ah. O Allah! Save Salamah bin Hisham. O Allah! Save AlWalid bin Al-Walid. O Allah! Save t he weak Muslims. O Allah! Be very hard on Mudar t ribe. O Allah! Afflict t hem wit h years (of famine) similar t o t he (famine) years of t he t ime of Prophet Yusuf.)'' Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu An-Nu` man said t hat Hammad bin Zayd said t hat Ayyub narrat ed t hat Ibn Abi Mulaykah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he verse,

(Except t he weak ones among men), "I and my mot her were among t hose (weak ones) whom Allah excused.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(He who emigrat es in t he cause of Allah, will find on eart h many dwelling places and plent y t o live by.) t his encourages t he believers t o perform Hij rah and abandon t he idolat ors, for wherever t he believer emigrat es, he will find a safe refuge t o resort t o. Muj ahid said t hat ,

(many dwelling places) means, he will find a way out of what he dislikes. Allah's st at ement ,

(and plent y t o live by.) refers t o provision. Qat adah also said t hat ,

(...will find on eart h many dwelling places and plent y t o live by.) means, Allah will t ake him from misguidance t o guidance and from povert y t o richness. Allah's st at ement ,

(And whosoever leaves his home as an emigrant unt o Allah and His Messenger, and deat h overt akes him, his reward is t hen surely, incumbent upon Allah. ) means, whoever st art s emigrat ing and dies on t he way, he will acquire t he reward of t hose who emigrat e for Allah. The Two Sahihs, along wit h t he Musnad and Sunan compilers, recorded t hat ` Umar bin AlKhat t ab said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The reward of deeds depends upon t he int ent ions, and every person will be rewarded according t o what he has int ended. So, whoever emigrat ed t o Allah and His Messenger, t hen his

emigrat ion is for Allah and His Messenger. And whoever emigrat ed for worldly benefit s or for a woman t o marry, his emigrat ion is for what he emigrat ed for.) This Hadit h is general, it applies t o Hij rah as well as every ot her deed. In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat a man killed ninet y-nine people and complet ed t he number one hundred when he killed a worshipper. He t hen asked a scholar if he has a chance t o repent . The scholar said, "What prevent s you from repent ance'' The scholar t old t he killer t o emigrat e from his land t o anot her land where Allah is worshipped. When he left his land and st art ed on t he migrat ion t o t he ot her land, deat h overt ook him on t he way. The angels of mercy and t he angels of t orment disput ed about t he man, whereas t he former said t hat he went out in repent ance, while t he lat t er said t hat he did not arrive at his dest inat ion. They were commanded t o measure t he dist ance bet ween t he t wo lands and t o whichever land he is closer t o, he will be considered part of t hat land. Allah commanded t hat t he right eous land t o move closer and t he land of evil t o move fart her. The angels found t hat he died closer t o t he land t hat he int ended t o emigrat e t o by a hand-span, and t hus t he angels of mercy capt ured his soul. In anot her narrat ion, when deat h came t o t hat man, he moved his chest t owards t he right eous village t hat he emigrat ed t o.

(101. And when you Darabt um in t he land, t here is no sin on you if you short en t he Salah if you fear t hat t he disbelievers may put you in t rial, verily, t he disbelievers are ever unt o you open enemies.)

Salat Al-Qasr, Shortening the Prayer

Allah said,

(And when you Darabt um in t he land,) meaning if you t ravel in t he land. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(He knows t hat t here will be some among you sick, ot hers Yadribuna (t raveling) t hrough t he land, seeking of Allah's bount y...) 73:20 . Allah's st at ement ,


(t here is no sin on you if you short en t he Salah (prayer)) by reducing (t he unit s of t he prayer) from four t o t wo. Allah's st at ement ,

(if you fear t hat t he disbelievers may put you in t rial (at t ack you)), refers t o t he t ypical t ype of fear prevalent when t his Ayah was revealed. In t he beginning of Islam, and aft er t he Hij rah, Muslims used t o experience fear during most of t heir t ravels. Rat her, t hey rest rict ed t heir movement s t o large or short milit ary expedit ions. During t hat era, most areas were areas of combat ant enemies of Islam and it s people. But when t he prevalent circumst ances cease, or a new sit uat ion is prevalent , decrees of t his nat ure may not be underst ood, as Allah said;

(And force not your slave girls t o prost it ut ion, if t hey desire chast it y). And His saying;

(And your st epdaught ers, under your guardianship, born of your wives whom you have gone int o) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ya` la bin Umayyah said, "I asked ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab about t he verse:

(t here is no sin on you if you short en t he prayer. If you fear t hat t he disbelievers may put you in t rial,) e ` Allah grant ed Muslims safet y now' ` Umar said t o me, ` I wondered about t he same t hing and asked t he Messenger of Allah about it and he said,

(A gift t hat Allah has best owed on you, so accept His gift ).'' Muslim and t he collect ors of Sunan recorded t his Hadit h. At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih''. ` Ali bin Al-Madini said, "This Hadit h is Hasan Sahih from t he narrat ion of ` Umar, and it is not preserved by any ot her rout e besides

t his one, and it s narrat ors are all known.'' Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaybah recorded t hat Abu Hanzalah Al-Hadha' said, "I asked Ibn ` Umar about t he Qasr prayer and he said, ` It consist s of t wo Rak` ahs.' I said, what about Allah's st at ement ,

(if you fear t hat t he disbelievers may put you in t rial (at t ack you),) ` We are safe now.' He said, ` This is t he Sunnah of t he Messenger of Allah .'''. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Anas said, "We went out wit h t he Messenger of Allah from Al-Madinah t o Makkah; he used t o pray t wo Rak` ahs unt il we went back t o Al-Madinah.'' When he was asked how long t hey remained in Makkah, he said, "We remained in Makkah for t en days.'' This was recorded by t he Group. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Harit hah bin Wahb Al-Khuza` i said, "I prayed behind t he Prophet for t he Zuhr and ` Asr prayers in Mina, when t he people were numerous and very safe, and he prayed t wo Rak` ahs.'' This was recorded by t he Group, wit h t he except ion of Ibn Maj ah. Al-Bukhari's narrat ion of t his Hadit h reads, "The Prophet led us in t he prayer at Mina during t he peace period by offering t wo Rak` ahs. ''

(102. When you (O Messenger Muhammad ) are among t hem, and lead t hem in Salah, let one part y of t hem st and up in prayer wit h you, t aking t heir arms wit h t hem; when t hey finish t heir prost rat ions, let t hem t ake t heir posit ions in t he rear and let t he ot her part y come up which have not yet prayed, and let t hem pray wit h you, t aking all t he precaut ions and bearing arms. Those who disbelieve wish, if you were negligent of your arms and your baggage, t o at t ack you in a single rush, but t here is no sin on you if you put away your arms because of t he inconvenience of rain or because you are ill, but t ake every precaut ion for yourselves. Verily, Allah has prepared a humiliat ing t orment for t he disbelievers.)

The Description of The Fear Prayer

The Fear prayer has different forms, for t he enemy is somet imes in t he direct ion of t he Qiblah and somet imes in anot her direct ion. The Fear prayer consist s somet imes of four Rak` ahs, t hree Rak` ahs, as for Maghrib, and somet imes t wo Rak` ah like Faj r and prayer during t ravel. The Fear prayer is somet imes prayed in congregat ion, but when t he bat t le is raging, congregat ional prayer may not be possible. In t his case, t hey pray each by himself, facing t he Qiblah or ot herwise, riding or on foot . In t his sit uat ion, t hey are allowed t o walk and fight , all t he while performing t he act s of t he prayer. Some scholars said t hat in t he lat t er case, t hey pray only one Rak` ah, for Ibn ` Abbas narrat ed, "By t he words of your Prophet , Allah has ordained t he prayer of four Rak` ah while residing, t wo Rak` ah during t ravel, and one Rak` ah during fear.'' Muslim, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Maj ah recorded it . This is also t he view of Ahmad bin Hanbal. Al-Mundhiri said, "This is t he saying of ` At a', Jabir, Al-Hasan, Muj ahid, Al-Hakam, Qat adah and Hammad; and Tawus and Ad-Dahhak also prefered it .'' Abu ` Asim Al-` Abadi ment ioned t hat Muhammad bin Nasr Al-Marwazi said t he Faj r prayer also becomes one Rak` ah during fear. This is also t he opinion of Ibn Hazm. Ishaq bin Rahwayh said, "When a bat t le is raging, one Rak` ah during which you nod your head is sufficient for you. If you are unable, t hen one prost rat ion is sufficient , because t he prost rat ion is remembrance of Allah.''

The Reason behind Revealing this Ayah

Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu ` Ayyash Az-Zuraqi said, "We were wit h t he Messenger of Allah in t he area of ` Usfan (a well known place near Makkah), when t he idolat ors met us under t he command of Khalid bin Al-Walid, and t hey were bet ween us and t he Qiblah. The Messenger of Allah led us in Zuhr prayer, and t he idolat ors said, ` They were busy wit h somet hing during which we had a chance t o at t ack t hem.' They t hen said, ` Next , t here will come a prayer (` Asr) t hat is dearer t o t hem t han t heir children and t hemselves.' However, Jibril came down wit h t hese Ayat bet ween t he prayers of Zuhr and ` Asr,

(When you (O Messenger Muhammad ) are among t hem, and lead t hem in Salah (prayer)). When t he t ime for prayer came, t he Messenger of Allah commanded Muslims t o hold t heir weapons and he made us st and in t wo lines behind him. When he bowed, we all bowed behind him. When he raised his head, we all raised our heads. The Prophet t hen prost rat ed wit h t he line t hat was behind him while t he rest st ood in guard. When t hey finished wit h t he prost rat ion and st ood up, t he rest sat and performed prost rat ion, while t hose who performed it st ood up in guard aft er t he t wo lines exchanged posit ion. The Prophet t hen bowed and t hey all bowed aft er him, t hen raised t heir heads aft er he raised his head. Then t he Prophet performed prost rat ion wit h t he line t hat was behind him, while t he rest st ood in guard. When t hose who made prost rat ion sat , t he rest prost rat ed. The Prophet t hen performed t he Taslim and ended t he prayer. The Messenger of Allah performed t his prayer t wice, once in ` Usfan and once in t he land of Banu Sulaym.''' This is t he narrat ion recorded by Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i, and it has an aut hent ic chain of narrat ion and many ot her t ext s t o support it . Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Once t he Prophet led t he Fear prayer and t he people st ood behind him. He said Allahu-Akbar and t he people said t he same. He bowed and some of t hem bowed. Then he prost rat ed and t hey also prost rat ed. Then he st ood for t he second Rak` ah and t hose who had

prayed t he first Rak` ah left and guarded t heir brot hers. The second part y j oined him and performed bowing and prost rat ion wit h him. All t he people were in prayer, but t hey were guarding one anot her during t he prayer.'' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah led t hem in t he Fear prayer. A group of t hem st ood before him and a group behind him. The Prophet led t hose who were behind him wit h one Rak` ah and t wo prost rat ions. They t hen moved t o t he posit ion of t hose who did not pray, while t he ot hers st ood in t heir place, and t he Messenger of Allah performed one Rak` ah and t wo prost rat ions and t hen said t he Salam. Therefore, t he Prophet prayed t wo Rak` ah while t hey prayed one. An-Nasa'i recorded t his Hadit h, while Muslim collect ed ot her wordings for it . Collect ors of t he Sahih, Sunan and Musnad collect ions recorded t his in a Hadit h from Jabir. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Salim said t hat his fat her said,

(When you (O Messenger Muhammad ) are among t hem, and lead t hem in Salah (prayer)) refers t o t he Fear prayer. The Messenger of Allah led one group and prayed one Rak` ah, while t he second group faced t he enemy. Then t he second group t hat faced t he enemy came and Allah's Messenger led t hem, praying one Rak` ah, and t hen said t he Salam. Each of t he t wo groups t hen st ood up and prayed one more Rak` ah each (while t he ot her group st ood in guard).'' The Group collect ed t his Hadit h wit h Ma` mar in it s chain of narrat ors. This Hadit h also has many ot her chains of narrat ion from several Companions, and Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Ibn Marduwyah collect ed t hese various narrat ions, as did Ibn Jarir. As for t he command t o hold t he weapons during t he Fear prayer, a group of scholars said t hat it is obligat ory according t o t he Ayah. What t est ifies t o t his is t hat Allah said;

(But t here is no sin on you if you put away your arms because of t he inconvenience of rain or because you are ill, but t ake every precaut ion for yourselves) meaning, so t hat when necessary, you will be able t o get t o your weapons easily,

(Verily, Allah has prepared a humiliat ing t orment for t he disbelievers).

 -
(103. When you have finished t he Salah, remember Allah st anding, sit t ing down, and on your sides, but when you are free from danger, perform t he Salah. Verily, Salah is kit aban on t he believers at fixed hours.) (104. And don't be weak in t he pursuit of t he enemy; if you are suffering (hardships) t hen surely t hey (t oo) are suffering (hardships) as you are suffering, but you have a hope from Allah (for t he reward, i.e. Paradise) t hat for which t hey hope not ; and Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.)

The Order for Ample Remembrance After the Fear Prayer

Allah commands Dhikr aft er finishing t he Fear prayer, in part icular, even t hough such Dhikr is encouraged aft er finishing ot her t ypes of prayer in general. In t he case of Fear prayer, Dhikr is encouraged even more because t he pillars of t he prayer are diminished since t hey move about while performing it , et c., unlike ot her prayers. Allah said about t he Sacred Mont hs,

(so wrong not yourselves t herein), even t hough inj ust ice is prohibit ed all year long. However, inj ust ice is part icularly out lawed during t he Sacred Mont hs due t o t heir sanct it y and honor. So Allah's st at ement ,

(When you have finished Salah, remember Allah st anding, sit t ing down, and on your sides,) means, in all condit ions,

(But when you are free from danger perform t he Salah.) when you are safe, t ranquil and fear subsides,


(perform t he Salah) by performing it as you were commanded; fulfilling it s obligat ions, wit h humbleness, complet ing t he bowing and prost rat ion posit ions et c. Allah's st at ement ,

(Verily, t he Salah is Kit aban on t he believers at fixed hours.) means, enj oined, as Ibn ` Abbas st at ed. Ibn ` Abbas also said, "The prayer has a fixed t ime, j ust as t he case wit h Haj j .'' Similar is report ed from Muj ahid, Salim bin ` Abdullah, ` Ali bin Al-Husayn, Muhammad bin ` Ali, Al-Hasan, Muqat il. As-Suddi and ` At iyah Al-` Awfi.

The Encouragement to Pursue the Enemy Despite Injuries

Allah's st at ement ,

(And don't be weak in t he pursuit of t he enemy;) means, do not weaken your resolve in pursuit of your enemy. Rat her, pursue t hem vigorously, fight t hem and be wary of t hem.

(if you are suffering t hen surely t hey are suffering as you are suffering,) meaning, j ust as you suffer from inj uries and deat h, t he same happens t o t he enemy. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(If you suffer a harm, be sure a similar harm has st ruck t he ot hers). Allah t hen said,

(but you have a hope from Allah t hat for which t hey hope not ;) meaning, you and t hey are equal regarding t he inj uries and pain t hat you suffer from. However, you hope for Allah's reward, vict ory and aid, j ust as He has promised you in His Book and by t he words of his Messenger . Surely, Allah's promise is t rue. On t he ot her hand, your enemies do not have hope for any of t his. So, it is you, not t hey, who should be eager t o fight so t hat you est ablish t he Word of Allah and raise it high. i


(And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.) means, He is most knowledgeable and wise in all what He decides, decrees, wills and act s on concerning various worldly and religious ordainment s, and He is wort hy of praise in all condit ions.

- - -
(105. Surely, We have sent down t o you (O Muhammad ) t he Book in t rut h t hat you might j udge bet ween men by t hat which Allah has shown you, so be not a pleader for t he t reacherous.) (106. And seek t he forgiveness of Allah, cert ainly, Allah is Ever Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (107. And argue not on behalf of t hose who deceive t hemselves. Verily, Allah does not like anyone who is a bet rayer, sinner.) (108. They may hide (t heir crimes) from men, but t hey cannot hide (t hem) from Allah; for He is wit h t hem (by His knowledge), when t hey plot by night in words t hat He does not approve. And Allah ever encompasses what t hey do.) (109. Lo! You are t hose who have argued for t hem in t he life of t his world, but who will argue for t hem on t he Day of Resurrect ion against Allah, or who will t hen be t heir defender)

The Necessity of Referring to What Allah has Revealed for Judgement

Allah says t o His Messenger, Muhammad ,


(Surely, We have sent down t o you t he Book in t rut h) meaning, it t ruly came from Allah and it s narrat ions and commandment s are t rue. Allah t hen said,

(t hat you might j udge bet ween men by t hat which Allah has shown you,) In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat Zaynab bint Umm Salamah said t hat Umm Salamah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah heard t he noise of disput ing people close t o t he door of his room, and he went out t o t hem saying,

(Verily, I am only human and I j udge based on what I hear. Some of you might be more eloquent in present ing his case t han ot hers, so t hat I j udge in his favor. If I j udge in one's favor concerning t he right of anot her Muslim, t hen it is a piece of t he Fire. So let one t ake it or leave it .) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Umm Salamah said, "Two men from t he Ansar came t o t he Messenger of Allah wit h a disput e regarding some old inherit ance, but t hey did not have evidence. The Messenger of Allah said,

(You bring your disput es t o me, but I am only human. Some of you might be more persuasive in t heir argument s t han ot hers. I only j udge bet ween you according t o what I hear. Therefore, whomever I j udge in his favor and give him a part of his brot her's right , let him not t ake it , for it is a part of t he Fire t hat I am giving him and it will be t ied around his neck on t he Day of Resurrect ion.) The t wo men cried and each one of t hem said, ` I forfeit my right t o my brot her.' The Messenger of Allah said,

(Since you said t hat , t hen go and divide t he inherit ance, and t ry t o be j ust in your division. Then draw lot s, and each one of you should forgive his brot her t hereaft er (regardless of who got t he best share).)'' Allah's st at ement ,

(They may hide (t heir crimes) from men, but t hey cannot hide (t hem) from Allah;) chast ises t he hypocrit es because t hey hide t heir evil works from t he people so t hat t hey will not crit icize t hem. Yet , t he hypocrit es disclose t his evil wit h Allah, Who has perfect wat ch over t heir secret s and knows what is in t heir heart s. This is why Allah said,

(for He is wit h t hem (by His knowledge), when t hey plot by night in words t hat He does not approve. And Allah ever encompasses what t hey do) t hreat ening and warning t hem. Allah t hen said,

(Lo! You are t hose who have argued for t hem in t he life of t his world,) meaning, suppose t hese people gain t he verdict from t he rulers in t heir favor in t his life, since t he rulers j udge according t o what is apparent t o t hem. However, what will t heir condit ion be on t he Day of Resurrect ion before Allah, Who knows t he secret and what is even more hidden Who will be his advocat e on t hat Day Verily, none will support t hem t hat Day. Hence, Allah's st at ement ,

(or who will t hen be t heir defender)

 - - -
(110. And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but aft erwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) 111. And whoever earns sin, he earns it only against himself. And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.) (112. And whoever earns a fault or a sin and t hen blames it on someone innocent , he has indeed burdened himself wit h falsehood and a manifest sin.) (113. Had not t he grace of Allah and His mercy been upon you, a part y of t hem would cert ainly have made a decision t o mislead you, but t hey mislead none except t heir own selves, and no harm can t hey do t o you in t he least . Allah has sent down t o you t he Book, and t he Hikmah, and t aught you t hat which you knew not . And ever great is t he grace of Allah unt o you.)

The Encouragement to Seek Allah's Forgiveness, and Warning those who Falsely Accuse Innocent People
Allah emphasizes His generosit y and kindness, in t hat He forgives whoever repent s t o Him from what ever evil t hey commit . Allah said,

(And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but aft erwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed about

t his Ayah, "Allah informs His servant s of His forgiveness, forbearing generosit y and expansive mercy. So whoever commit s a sin, whet her minor or maj or,

(but aft erwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) even if his sins were great er t han t he heavens, t he eart h and t he mount ains.'' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Ali said, "Whenever I hear anyt hing from t he Messenger of Allah, Allah benefit s me wit h what ever He wills of t hat . Abu Bakr t old me, and Abu Bakr has said t he t rut h, t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(No Muslim commit s a sin and t hen performs ablut ion, prays t wo Rak` ahs and begs Allah for forgiveness for t hat sin, but He forgives him.) He t hen recit ed t hese t wo Ayat ,

(And whoever does evil or wrongs himself), and,

(And t hose who, when t hey have commit t ed Fahishah or wronged t hemselves wit h evil).'' Allah's st at ement ,

(And whoever earns sin, he earns it only against himself.) is similar t o His st at ement ,

(And no bearer of burdens shall bear t he burden of anot her). So no one will avail anyone else. Rat her, every soul, and none else, shall carry it s own burden. This is why Allah said,


(And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.) meaning, t his occurs due t o His knowledge, wisdom, fairness and mercy.

(and t aught you t hat which you knew not .), before t his revelat ion was sent down t o you. Similarly, Allah said,

(And t hus We have sent t o you (O Muhammad ) a Ruh (a revelat ion, and a mercy) of Our command. You knew not what is t he Book) unt il t he end of t he Surah. Allah said,

(And you were not expect ing t hat t he Book (t his Qur'an) would be sent down t o you, but it is a mercy from your Lord). So Allah said;

(And ever great is t he grace of Allah unt o you (O Muhammad )).


(114. There is no good in most of t heir secret t alks save (in) him who orders Sadaqah, or goodness, or conciliat ion bet ween mankind; and he who does t his, seeking t he good pleasure of Allah, We shall give him a great reward. (115. And whoever cont radict s and opposes t he Messenger aft er t he right pat h has been shown clearly t o him, and follows ot her t han t he believers' way, We shall keep him in t he pat h he has chosen, and burn him in Hell what an evil dest inat ion!)

Righteous Najwa, Secret Talk

Allah said,

(There is no good in most of t heir secret t alks) meaning, what t he people say t o each ot her.

(save him who orders Sadaqah (charit y), or goodness, or reconciliat ion bet ween mankind;) meaning, except for t his t ype of t alk. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Umm Kult hum bint ` Uqbah said t hat she heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

(He who brings about reconciliat ion bet ween people by embellishing good or saying good t hings, is not a liar.) She also said, "I never heard him allow what t he people say (lies) except in t hree cases: in war, bringing peace bet ween people and t he man's speech (invent ed compliment s) t o his wife and her speech t o her husband.'' Umm Kult hum bint ` Uqbah was among t he immigrant women who gave t heir pledge of allegiance t o t he Messenger of Allah . The Group also recorded t his Hadit h, wit h t he except ion of Ibn Maj ah. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Ad-Darda' said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(Should I t ell you what is bet t er t han t he grade of fast ing, praying and Sadaqah) They said, "Yes, O Allah's Messenger!'' He said,

(Bringing reconciliat ion bet ween people.) He also said,

(Spoiling t he relat ionship (bet ween people) is t he dest royer.) Abu Dawud and At -Tirmidhi also recorded t his Hadit h, and At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih''. Allah said,

(and he who does t his, seeking t he good pleasure of Allah,) wit h sincerit y and await ing t he reward wit h Allah, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored,

(We shall give him a great reward.) meaning, an immense, enormous and t remendous reward.

The Punishment for Contradicting and Opposing the Messenger and Following a Path Other than That of the Believers
Allah's st at ement ,

(And whoever cont radict s and opposes t he Messenger aft er t he right pat h has been shown clearly t o him.) refers t o whoever int ent ionally t akes a pat h ot her t han t he pat h of t he Law revealed t o t he Messenger, aft er t he t rut h has been made clear, apparent and plain t o him. Allah's st at ement ,


(and follows ot her t han t he believers' way,) refers t o a t ype of conduct t hat is closely relat ed t o cont radict ing t he Messenger . This cont radict ion could be in t he form of cont radict ing a t ext (from t he Qur'an or Sunnah) or cont radict ing what t he Ummah of Muhammad has agreed on. The Ummah of Muhammad is immune from error when t hey all agree on somet hing, a miracle t hat serves t o increase t heir honor, due t o t he great ness of t heir Prophet . There are many aut hent ic Hadit hs on t his subj ect . Allah warned against t he evil of cont radict ing t he Prophet and his Ummah, when He said, e

(We shall keep him in t he pat h he has chosen, and burn him in Hell --- what an evil dest inat ion!) meaning, when one goes on t his wicked pat h, We will punish him by making t he evil pat h appear good in his heart , and will beaut ify it for him so t hat he is t empt ed furt her. For inst ance, Allah said,

(Then leave Me Alone wit h such as belie t his Qur'an. We shall punish t hem gradually from direct ions t hey perceive not ),

(So when t hey t urned away (from t he pat h of Allah), Allah t urned t heir heart s away), and,

(And We shall leave t hem in t heir t respass t o wander blindly). Allah made t he Fire t he dest inat ion of such people in t he Hereaft er. Indeed, t he pat h of t hose who avoid t he right guidance will only lead t o t he Fire on t he Day of Resurrect ion, as evident by Allah's st at ement s,

((It will be said t o t he angels): "Assemble t hose who did wrong, t oget her wit h t heir companions (from t he devils)), and,


(And t he criminals, shall see t he Fire and apprehend t hat t hey have t o fall t herein. And t hey will find no way of escape from t here).

- - - - - -
(116. Verily, Allah forgives not (t he sin of) set t ing up part ners (in worship) wit h Him, but He forgives whom He wills, sins ot her t han t hat , and whoever set s up part ners in worship wit h Allah, has indeed st rayed far away.) (117. They invoke not hing but female deit ies besides Him (Allah), and t hey invoke not hing but Shayt an, a persist ent rebel!) (118. Allah cursed him. And he Shayt an said: "I will t ake an appoint ed port ion of your servant s.") (119. "Verily, I will

mislead t hem, and surely, I will arouse in t hem false desires; and cert ainly, I will order t hem t o slit t he ears of cat t le, and indeed I will order t hem t o change t he nat ure creat ed by Allah.'' And whoever t akes Shayt an as a Wali inst ead of Allah, has surely suffered a manifest loss.) (120. He Shayt an makes promises t o t hem, and arouses in t hem false desires; and Shayt an's promises are not hing but decept ions.) (121. The dwelling of such (people) is Hell, and t hey will find no way of escape from it .) (122. And t hose who believe and do right eous good deeds, We shall admit t hem t o t he Gardens under which rivers flow (i.e. in Paradise) t o dwell t herein forever. Allah's promise is t he t rut h; and whose words can be t ruer t han t hose of Allah)

Shirk Shall not be Forgiven, in Reality the Idolators Worship Shaytan

We t alked about Allah's st at ement ,

(Verily, Allah forgives not (t he sin of) set t ing up part ners (in worship) wit h Him, but He forgives whom He wills, sins ot her t han t hat ,) before and ment ioned t he relevant Hadit hs in t he beginning of t his Surah. Allah's st at ement ,

(and whoever set s up part ners in worship wit h Allah, has indeed st rayed far away.) means, he will have t aken ot her t han t he t rue pat h, deviat ed from guidance and right eousness, dest royed himself in t his life and t he Hereaft er, and lost cont ent ment in t his life and t he Hereaft er. Juwaybir said t hat Ad-Dahhak said about Allah's st at ement ,

(They invoke not hing but female deit ies besides Him (Allah),) "The idolat ors claimed t hat t he angels are Allah's daught ers, saying, ` We only worship t hem so t hat t hey bring us closer t o Allah.' So t hey t ook t he angels as gods, made t he shapes of girls and decided, ` These (idols) resemble t he daught ers of Allah (i.e., t he angels), Whom we worship. ''' This is similar t o Allah's st at ement s,

(Have you t hen considered Al-Lat and Al-` Uzza)


(And t hey make t he angels who t hemselves are servant s of t he Most Gracious (Allah) females) and,

(And t hey have invent ed a kinship bet ween Him and t he Jinn). Allah's st at ement ,

(and t hey invoke not hing but Shayt an, a persist ent rebel!) means, Shayt an has commanded t hem t o do t his and made it seem fair and beaut iful in t heir eyes. Consequent ly, t hey are worshipping Shayt an in realit y, j ust as Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(Did I not command you, O Children of Adam, t hat you should not worship Shayt an) Allah said t hat , on t he Day of Resurrect ion, t he angels shall proclaim about t he idolat ors who worshipped t hem in t his life:

(Nay, but t hey used t o worship t he Jinn; most of t hem were believers in t hem). Allah's st at ement ,

(Allah cursed him), means, He expelled him and banished him from His mercy and His grace.

(I will t ake an appoint ed port ion of your servant s) means, a fixed and known share. Muqat il bin Hayyan comment ed, "From every one t housand, nine hundred and ninet y-nine will go t o t he Fire and one t o Paradise.''


(Verily, I will mislead t hem) from t he t rue pat h,

(and surely, I will arouse in t hem false desires;) t empt ing t hem t o feign repent ance, arousing false hopes in t hem, encouraging t hem t o delay and procrast inat e wit h right eous deeds, deceiving t hem.

(and cert ainly, I will order t hem t o slit t he ears of cat t le,) meaning, slit t ing t heir ears t o designat e t hem as Bahirah, Sa'ibah, and a Wasilah, as Qat adah and As-Suddi st at ed.

(And indeed I will order t hem t o change t he nat ure creat ed by Allah.) means t at t ooing, according t o Al-Hasan bin Abi Al-Hasan Al-Basri. In his Sahih, Muslim recorded t he prohibit ion of t at t ooing t he face, which in one of it s wordings st at es: "May Allah curse whoever does t his.'' It is also recorded in t he Sahih t hat Ibn Mas` ud said, "May Allah curse t hose who have t at t oos and t hose who do it , who pluck t heir (facial) hairs and t he one who does it for t hem, and t hose who make spaces bet ween t heir t eet h for t he purpose of beaut y, changing what Allah has creat ed.'' He t hen said, "Why should not I curse whom t he Messenger of Allah has cursed, when t he Book of Allah commands it ,'' referring t o t he Ayah,

(And what soever t he Messenger gives you, t ake it ; and what soever he forbids you, abst ain (from it )). Allah's st at ement ,

(And whoever t akes Shayt an as a Wali (prot ect or or helper) inst ead of Allah, has surely suffered a manifest loss.) means, he will have lost t his life and t he Hereaft er. Indeed, t his is a t ype of loss t hat cannot be compensat ed or rest ored. Allah's st at ement ,

(He Shayt an makes promises t o t hem, and arouses in t hem false desires;) explains t he t rue realit y. Surely, Shayt an deceit fully promises his support ers and t empt s t hem int o believing t hat t hey are winners in t his and t he Hereaft er. This is why Allah said,

(and Shayt an's promises are not hing but decept ions.) Allah st at es t hat on t he Day of Ret urn,

(And Shayt an will say when t he mat t er has been decided: "Verily, Allah promised you a promise of t rut h. And I t oo promised you, but I bet rayed you. I had no aut horit y over you), unt il,

(Verily, t here is a painful t orment for t he wrongdoers.) Allah's st at ement ,

(of such (people)) refers t o t hose who like and prefer what Shayt an is promising and assuring t hem of,

(The dwelling of such (people) is Hell), as t heir dest inat ion and abode on t he Day of Resurrect ion,


(and t hey will find no way of escape from it .), meaning, t hey will not be able t o avoid, avert , evade or elude t he Hellfire.

The Reward of Righteous Believers

Allah t hen ment ions t he condit ion of t he cont ent right eous believers and t he perfect honor t hey will earn in t he end. Allah said,

(And t hose who believe and do right eous good deeds,) meaning, t heir heart s were t rut hful and t heir limbs obedient wit h t he right eous act s t hey were commanded, all t he while abandoning t he evil t hey were prohibit ed from doing.

(We shall admit t hem t o Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise)) meaning, t hey will t hink of where t hey want t hese rivers t o flow and t hey will flow t here,

(t o dwell t herein forever), wit hout end or being removed from it .

(Allah's promise is t he t rut h), meaning, t his is a t rue promise from Allah, and verily, Allah's promise shall come t o pass. Allah t hen said,

(and whose words can be t ruer t han t hose of Allah) meaning, none is more t rut hful in st at ement and narrat ion t han Allah. There is no deit y wort hy of worship, or Lord except Him. The Messenger of Allah used t o proclaim in his speech,


(The most t rut hful speech is Allah's Speech, and t he best guidance is t he guidance of Muhammad. The worst mat t ers are t he newly invent ed (in religion), every newly invent ed mat t er is an innovat ion, and every innovat ion is a heresy, and every heresy is in t he Fire.)

- - -
(123. It will not be in accordance wit h your desires, nor t hose of t he People of t he Script ure, whosoever works evil, will have t he recompense t hereof, and he will not find any prot ect or or helper besides Allah.) (124. And whoever does right eous good deeds, male or female, and is a believer, such will ent er Paradise and not t he least inj ust ice, even t o t he size of a Naqir, will be done t o t hem.) (125. And who can be bet t er in religion t han one who submit s his face (himself) t o Allah; and he is a Muhsin (a doer of good). And follows t he religion of Ibrahim t he Hanif (Monot heist ). And Allah did t ake Ibrahim as a Khalil (an int imat e friend)!) (126. And t o Allah belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is in t he eart h. And Allah is Ever Encompassing all t hings.)

Success is Only Achieved by Performing Righteous Deeds, not Wishful Thinking

Qat adah said, "We were t old t hat t he Muslims and t he People of t he Script ures ment ioned t heir own virt ues t o each ot her. People of t he Script ures said, ` Our Prophet came before your Prophet and our Book before your Book. Therefore, we should have more right t o Allah t han you have.' Muslims said, ` Rat her, we have more right t o Allah t han you, our Prophet is t he Final Prophet and our Book supersedes all t he Books before it .' Allah sent down,

(It will not be in accordance wit h your desires (Muslims), nor t hose of t he People of t he Script ure (Jews and Christ ians), whosoever works evil, will have t he recompense t hereof),

(And who can be bet t er in religion t han one who submit s his face (himself) t o Allah; and he is a Muhsin.) Allah t hen support ed t he argument of t he Muslims against t heir opponent s of t he ot her religions.'' Similar st at ement s were at t ribut ed t o As-Suddi, Masruq, Ad-Dahhak and Abu Salih. Al-` Awfi report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t his Ayah 4:123 , "The followers of various religions disput ed, t he people of t he Tawrah said, ` Our Book is t he best Book and our Prophet (Musa) is t he best Prophet . ' The people of t he Inj il said similarly, t he people of Islam said, ` There is no religion except Islam, our Book has abrogat ed every ot her Book, our Prophet is t he Final Prophet , and you were commanded t o believe in your Books and adhere t o our Book.' Allah j udged bet ween t hem, saying, o

(It will not be in accordance wit h your desires, nor t hose of t he People of t he Script ure, whosoever works evil, will have t he recompense t hereof).'' This Ayah indicat es t hat t he religion is not accept ed on account of wishful t hinking or mere hopes. Rat her, t he accept ed religion relies on what resides in t he heart and which is made t rut hful t hrough act ions. It is not t rue t hat when one ut t ers a claim t o somet hing, he at t ains it merely on account of his claim. It is not t rue t hat every person who claims t o be on t he t rut h is considered as such, merely on account of his words, unt il his claim gains merit wit h proof from Allah. Hence Allah's st at ement ,


(It will not be in accordance wit h your desires, nor t hose of t he People of t he Script ure, whosoever works evil, will have t he recompense t hereof), meaning safet y will not be acquired by you or t hem j ust by wishful t hinking. Rat her, t he key is in obeying Allah and following what He has legislat ed t hrough t he words of His honorable Messengers. This is why Allah said aft erwards,

(whosoever works evil, will have t he recompense t hereof,) Similarly, Allah said,

-
(So whosoever does good equal t o t he weight of an at om, shall see it . And whosoever does evil equal t o t he weight of an at om, shall see it .) and it was report ed t hat when t hese Ayat were revealed, t hey became hard on many Companions. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat ` A'ishah said, "I said, ` O Messenger of Allah! I know t he hardest Ayah in t he Qur'an.' He said, ` What is it , O ` A'ishah!' I said,

(whoever works evil, will have t he recompense t hereof,) He said,

(That is what st rikes t he believing servant , even t he problems t hat bot her him.)'' Ibn Jarir and Abu Dawud also recorded t his Hadit h. Sa` id bin Mansur recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said, "When t he Ayah,

(whosoever works evil, will have t he recompense t hereof,) was revealed, it was hard on Muslims. The Messenger of Allah said t o t hem,

(Be st eadfast and seek closeness. Everyt hing t hat afflict s t he Muslim, even t he t horn t hat pierces his skin and t he hardship he suffers, will be an expiat ion for him.)'' This is t he wording collect ed by Ahmad t hrough Sufyan bin ` Uyaynah. Muslim and At -Tirmidhi also recorded it . Allah's st at ement ,

(and he will not find any prot ect or or helper besides Allah,) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said; "Unless he repent s and Allah forgives him.'' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded it . Allah t hen said,

(And whoever does right eous good deeds, male or female, and is a believer). Allah ment ions t he recompense for evil act ions and t hat He will surely inflict it s punishment on t he servant , eit her in t his life, which is bet t er for him, or in t he Hereaft er, we seek refuge wit h Allah from t his end. We also beg Allah for our well-being in t his life and t he Hereaft er and for His forgiveness, mercy and pardon. Allah t hen ment ions His kindness, generosit y and mercy in accept ing t he good deeds from His servant s, whet her male or female, wit h t he condit ion t hat t hey embrace t he fait h. He also st at ed t hat He will admit t he believers int o Paradise and will not wit hhold any of t heir right eous deeds, even t he weight of a Naqir - speck on t he back of a dat e-st one. Earlier, we discussed t he Fat il - t he scalish t hread in t he long slit of a dat e-st one, and bot h of t hese, along wit h t he Qit mir -- t he t hin membrane over t he dat e-st one were ment ioned in t he Qur'an. Allah t hen said,

(And who can be bet t er in religion t han one who submit s his face t o Allah.) meaning, performs t he good act ions in sincerit y for his Lord wit h fait h and await ing t he reward wit h Allah,


(and he is a Muhsin) following t he correct guidance t hat Allah legislat ed in t he religion of t rut h which He sent His Messenger wit h. These are t he t wo condit ions, in t he absence of which no deed will be accept ed from anyone; sincerit y and correct ness. The work is sincere when it is performed for Allah alone and it becomes correct when it conforms t o t he Shari` ah. So, t he deed becomes out wardly correct wit h following t he Sunnah and inwardly correct wit h sincerit y. When any deed lacks eit her of t hese t wo condit ions, t he deed becomes null and void. For inst ance, when one lacks t he pillar of sincerit y in his work, he becomes a hypocrit e who shows off for people. Whoever does not follow t he Shari` ah, he becomes an ignorant , wicked person. When one combines bot h pillars, his act ions will be t he deeds of t he fait hful believers whose best deeds are accept ed from t hem and t heir errors erased. Consequent ly, Allah said,

(And follows t he religion of Ibrahim t he Hanif (Monot heist ). ) referring t o Muhammad and his following, unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion. Allah said,

(Verily, among mankind who have t he best claim t o Ibrahim are t hose who followed him, and t his Prophet ), and,

(Then, We have sent t he Revelat ion t o you (saying): "Follow t he religion of Ibrahim t he Hanif (Monot heist ) and he was not of t he Mushrikin). The Hanif, int ent ionally and wit h knowledge, avoids Shirk, he goes at t ent ively t o t he t rut h, allowing no one t o hinder him or st op him from it .

Ibrahim is Allah's Khalil

Allah's st at ement ,

(And Allah did t ake Ibrahim as a Khalil (an int imat e friend)!) encourages following Ibrahim AlKhalil, because he was and st ill is an Imam whose conduct is followed and imit at ed. Indeed, Ibrahim reached t he ult imat e closeness t o Allah t hat t he servant s seek, for he at t ained t he grade of Khalil, which is t he highest grade of love. He acquired all t his due t o his obedience t o His Lord, j ust as Allah has described him,

(And of Ibrahim, t he one who fulfilled),

(And (remember) when t he Lord of Ibrahim t ried him wit h (cert ain) commands, which he fulfilled), and,

(Verily, Ibrahim was an Ummah, obedient t o Allah, a Hanif, and he was not one of t he Mushrikin). Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` Amr bin Maymun said t hat when Mu` adh came back from Yemen, he led t hem in t he Faj r prayer and recit ed,

(And Allah did t ake Ibrahim as a Khalil!) One of t he men present comment ed, "Surely, t he eye of Ibrahim's mot her has been comfort ed.'' Ibrahim was called Allah's Khalil due t o his Lord's great love t owards him, on account of t he act s of obedience he performed t hat Allah loves and prefers. We should ment ion here t hat in t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat Abu Sa` id Al-Khudri said t hat when t he Messenger of Allah gave t hem his last speech, he said,

(O people! If I were t o t ake a Khalil from t he people of t he eart h, I would have t aken Abu Bakr bin Abi Quhafah as my Khalil. However, your companion (meaning himself) is t he Khalil of

Allah.) Jundub bin ` Abdullah Al-Baj ali, ` Abdullah bin ` Amr bin Al-` As and ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud narrat ed t hat t he Prophet said,

(Allah has chosen me as His Khalil, j ust as He has chosen Ibrahim as His Khalil.) Allah's st at ement ,

(And t o Allah belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is in t he eart h.) means, everyt hing and everyone are His propert y, servant s and creat ion, and He has full aut horit y over all of t his. There is no one who can avert Allah's decision or quest ion His j udgment . He is never asked about what He does due t o His might , abilit y, fairness, wisdom, compassion and mercy. Allah's st at ement ,

(And Allah is Ever Encompassing all t hings.) means, His knowledge encompasses everyt hing and not hing concerning His servant s is ever hidden from Him. Not hing, even t he weight of an at om, ever escapes His observat ion in t he heavens and eart h, nor anyt hing smaller or bigger t han t hat .

(127. They ask your legal inst ruct ion concerning women. Say: "Allah inst ruct s you about t hem, and about what is recit ed unt o you in t he Book concerning t he orphan girls whom you give not what t hey deserve and yet whom you desire t o marry, and t he children who are weak and oppressed, and t hat you st and firm for j ust ice t o orphans. And what ever good you do, Allah is Ever All-Aware of it .)

The Ruling Concerning Female Orphans

Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` A'ishah said about t he Ayah,

(They ask your inst ruct ion concerning women. Say, "Allah inst ruct s you about t hem...) unt il,

(whom you desire t o marry...) "It is about t he man who is t aking care of a female orphan, being her caret aker and inherit or. Her money is j oined wit h his money t o such an ext ent , t hat she shares wit h him even t he branch of a dat e t hat he has. So he likes (for mat erial gain) t o marry her himself, and hat es t o marry her t o anot her man who would have a share in his money, on account of her share in his money. Therefore, he refuses t o let her marry anyone else. So, t his Ayah was revealed.'' Muslim also recorded it . Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat ` A'ishah said, "The people asked Allah's Messenger (about orphan girls), so Allah revealed,

(They ask your inst ruct ion concerning women. Say, "Allah inst ruct s you about t hem and about what is recit ed unt o you in t he Book...") What is meant by Allah's saying, ` And about what is recit ed unt o you in t he Book' is t he former verse which said,

(If you fear t hat you shall not be able t o deal j ust ly wit h t he orphan girls, t hen marry (ot her) women of your choice.)'' ` A'ishah said, "Allah's st at ement ,

(whom you desire t o marry...) also refers t o t he desire of t he guardian not t o marry an orphan girl under his supervision when she lacks propert y or beaut y. The guardians were forbidden t o marry t heir orphan girls possessing propert y and beaut y wit hout being j ust t o t hem, as t hey generally refrain from marrying t hem (when t hey are neit her beaut iful nor wealt hy).'' The basis of t his is recorded in Two Sahihs. Consequent ly, when a man is t he caret aker of a female orphan, he might like t o marry her himself. In t his case, Allah commands him t o give her a

suit able dowry t hat ot her women of her st at us get . If he does not want t o do t hat , t hen let him marry ot her women, for Allah has made t his mat t er easy for Muslims. Somet imes, t he caret aker does not desire t o marry t he orphan under his care, because she is not at t ract ive t o his eye. In t his case, Allah forbids t he caret aker from prevent ing t he female orphan from marrying anot her man for fear t hat her husband would share in t he money t hat is mut ually shared bet ween t he caret aker and t he girl. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, t he caret aker of a female orphan would cover her wit h his rope, and when he did t hat , no man would marry her. If she was beaut iful and he desired t o marry her, he married her and t ook cont rol of her wealt h. If she was not beaut iful, he did not allow her t o marry unt il she died, and when she died he inherit ed her money. Allah prohibit ed and out lawed t his pract ice. '' He also said about Allah's st at ement ,

(and t he children who are weak and oppressed,) t hat during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, t hey used t o deny young children and females a share of inherit ance. So Allah's st at ement ,

(you give not what t hey deserve) t hus prohibit ing t his pract ice and designat ing a fixed share for each,

(To t he male, a port ion equal t o t hat of t wo females..) whet her t hey were young or old, as Sa` id bin Jubayr and ot hers st at ed. Sa` id bin Jubayr said about Allah's st at ement ,

(and t hat you st and firm for j ust ice t o orphans.) "Just as when she is beaut iful and wealt hy you would want t o marry her and have her for yourself, so when she is not wealt hy or beaut iful, marry her and have her for yourself.'' Allah's st at ement ,

r(And what ever good you do, Allah is Ever All-Aware of it .) encourages performing t he good deeds and fulfilling t he commandment s, and st at es t hat Allah is knowledgeable of all of t his and He will reward for it in t he best and most perfect manner.


(128. And if a woman fears cruelt y or desert ion on her husband's part , t here is no sin on t hem bot h if t hey make t erms of peace bet ween t hemselves; and making peace is bet t er. And human souls are swayed by greed. But if you do good and have Taqwa, verily, Allah is Ever WellAcquaint ed wit h what you do.) (129. You will never be able t o do perfect j ust ice bet ween wives even if it is your ardent desire, so do not incline t oo much t o one of t hem so as t o leave t he ot her hanging. And if you do j ust ice, and do all t hat is right and have Taqwa, t hen Allah is Ever Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (130. But if t hey separat e (by divorce), Allah will provide abundance for everyone of t hem from His bount y. And Allah is Ever All-Sufficient for His creat ures' needs, All-Wise.)

The Ruling Concerning Desertion on the Part of the Husband

Allah st at es, and t hus legislat es accordingly, t hat somet imes, t he man inclines away from his wife, somet imes t owards her and somet imes he part s wit h her. In t he first case, when t he wife fears t hat her husband is st eering away from her or desert ing her, she is allowed t o forfeit all or part of her right s, such as provisions, clot hing, dwelling, and so fort h, and t he husband is allowed t o accept such concessions from her. Hence, t here is no harm if she offers such concessions, and if her husband accept s t hem. This is why Allah said,

(t here is no sin on t hem bot h if t hey make t erms of peace bet ween t hemselves;) He t hen said,


(and making peace is bet t er) t han divorce. Allah's st at ement ,

(And human souls are swayed by greed.) means, coming t o peaceful t erms, even when it involves forfeit ing some right s, is bet t er t han part ing. Abu Dawud At -Tayalisi recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Sawdah feared t hat t he Messenger of Allah might divorce her and she said, ` O Messenger of Allah! Do not divorce me; give my day t o ` A'ishah.' And he did, and lat er on Allah sent down,

(And if a woman fears cruelt y or desert ion on her husband's part , t here is no sin on t hem bot h) Ibn ` Abbas said, "What ever (legal agreement ) t he spouses mut ually agree t o is allowed.''. At Tirmidhi recorded it and said, "Hasan Gharib''. In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat ` A'ishah said t hat when Sawdah bint Zam` ah became old, she forfeit ed her day t o ` A'ishah, and t he Prophet used t o spend Sawdah's night wit h ` A'ishah. There is a similar narrat ion also collect ed by Al-Bukhari. Al-Bukhari also recorded t hat ` A'ishah comment ed;

(And if a woman fears cruelt y or desert ion on her husband's part ), t hat it refers t o, "A man who is married t o an old woman, and he does not desire her and want s t o divorce her. So she says, ` I forfeit my right on you.' So t his Ayah was revealed.''

Meaning of "Making Peace is Better

Allah said,

(And making peace is bet t er). ` Ali bin Abi Talhah relat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah refers t o, "When t he husband gives his wife t he choice bet ween st aying wit h him or leaving him, as t his is bet t er t han t he husband preferring ot her wives t o her.'' However, t he apparent wording of t he Ayah refers t o t he set t lement where t he wife forfeit s some of t he right s she has over her husband, wit h t he husband agreeing t o t his concession, and t hat t his set t lement is

bet t er t han divorce. For inst ance, t he Prophet kept Sawdah bint Zam` ah as his wife aft er she offered t o forfeit her day for ` A'ishah. By keeping her among his wives, his Ummah may follow t his kind of set t lement . Since set t lement and peace are bet t er wit h Allah t han part ing, Allah said,

(and making peace is bet t er). Divorce is not preferred wit h Allah. The meaning of Allah's st at ement ,

(But if you do good and have Taqwa, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquaint ed wit h what you do) if you are pat ient wit h t he wife you dislike and t reat her as ot her wives are t reat ed, t hen Allah knows what you do and will reward you for it perfect ly. Allah's st at ement ,

(You will never be able t o do perfect j ust ice bet ween wives even if it is your ardent desire,) means, O people! You will never be able t o be perfect ly j ust bet ween wives in every respect . Even when one divides t he night s j ust ly bet ween wives, t here will st ill be various degrees concerning love, desire and sexual int imacy, as Ibn ` Abbas, ` Ubaydah As-Salmani, Muj ahid, AlHasan Al-Basri and Ad-Dahhak bin Muzahim st at ed. Imam Ahmad and t he collect ors of t he Sunan recorded t hat ` A'ishah said, "The Messenger of Allah used t o t reat his wives equally and proclaim,

(O Allah! This is my division in what I own, so do not blame me for what You own and I do not own) referring t o his heart . This was t he wording t hat Abu Dawud collect ed, and it s chain of narrat ors is Sahih. Allah's st at ement ,

(so do not incline t oo much t o one of t hem) means, when you like one of your wives more t han ot hers, do not exaggerat e in t reat ing her t hat way,

(so as t o leave t he ot her hanging. ) referring t o t he ot her wives. Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi and Muqat il bin Hayyan said t hat Mu` allaqah hanging means, "She is neit her divorced nor married.'' Abu Dawud At -Tayalisi recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever has t wo wives and inclines t o one of t hem (t oo much), will come on t he Day of Resurrect ion wit h one of his sides dragging.) Allah's st at ement ,

(And if you do j ust ice, and do all t hat is right and have Taqwa, t hen Allah is Ever Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) The Ayah st at es: If you do j ust ice and divide equally in what you have power over, while fearing Allah in all condit ions, t hen Allah will forgive you t he favorit ism t hat you showed t o some of your wives. Allah t hen said,

(But if t hey separat e (divorce), Allah will provide abundance for everyone of t hem from His bount y. And Allah is Ever All-Sufficient for His creat ures' needs, All-Wise. ) This is t he t hird case bet ween husband and wife, in which divorce occurs. Allah st at es t hat if t he spouses separat e by divorce, t hen Allah will suffice t hem by giving him a bet t er wife and her a bet t er husband. The meaning of,

(And Allah is Ever All-Sufficient for His creat ures' needs, All-Wise.) is: His favor is t remendous, His bount y is enormous and He is All-Wise in all His act ions, decisions and commandment s.

 - -
(131. And t o Allah belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is in t he eart h. And verily, We have recommended t o t he People of t he Script ure before you, and t o you t hat you have Taqwa of Allah. But if you disbelieve, t hen unt o Allah belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is in t he eart h, and Allah is Ever Rich (free of any needs), Wort hy of all praise.) (132. And t o Allah belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is in t he eart h. And Allah is Ever All-Sufficient as Disposer of affairs.) (133. If He wills, He can t ake you away, O people, and bring ot hers. And Allah is Ever All-Pot ent over t hat .) (134. Whoever desires t he rewards of t his life, t hen wit h Allah is t he reward of t his worldly life and of t he Hereaft er. And Allah is Ever All-Hearer, AllSeer.)

The Necessity of Taqwa of Allah

Allah st at es t hat He is t he Owner of t he heavens and eart h and t hat He is t he Supreme Aut horit y over t hem. Hence Allah's st at ement ,

(And verily, We have recommended t o t he People of t he Script ure before you, and t o you) meaning, We have recommended t o you what We recommended t o t he People of Script ures; Taqwa of Allah, by worshipping Him Alone wit hout part ners. Allah t hen said,

(But if you disbelieve, t hen unt o Allah belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is in t he eart h). In anot her Ayah, Allah said t hat Musa said t o his people,

("If you disbelieve, you and all on t he eart h t oget her, t hen verily, Allah is Rich (free of any need), Owner of all praise.''). Allah said,

(So t hey disbelieved and t urned away. But Allah was not in need (of t hem). And Allah is Rich (free of any need), Wort hy of all praise) meaning, He is far t oo Rich t han t o need His servant s, and wort hy of all praise in all His decisions and commandment s. The meaning of Allah's st at ement ,

(And t o Allah belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is in t he eart h. And Allah is Ever AllSufficient as a Disposer of affairs.) He has perfect wat ch over every soul, knowing what it deserves, He is t he Wat cher, and Wit ness of all t hings. Allah's st at ement ,

(If He wills, He can t ake you away, O people, and bring ot hers. And Allah is Ever All-Pot ent over t hat .) means, He is able t o t ake you away and replace you wit h ot her people if you disobey Him. In a similar Ayah, Allah said,


(And if you t urn away, He will exchange you for some ot her people and t hey will not be your likes) Allah's st at ement ,

(Whoever desires t he rewards of t his life, t hen wit h Allah is t he reward of t his worldly life and of t he Hereaft er.) means, O t hose whose ult imat e desire is t his life, know t hat Allah owns t he rewards of t his life and t he Hereaft er. Therefore, if you ask Allah for bot h, He will enrich you, award you and suffice for you. As Allah said,

-
(But of mankind t here are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us in t his world!'' and for such t here will be no port ion in t he Hereaft er. And of t hem t here are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us in t his world t hat which is good and in t he Hereaft er t hat which is good, and save us from t he t orment of t he Fire!'' For t hem t here will be allot ed a share for what t hey have earned),

(Whosoever desires (by his deeds) t he reward of t he Hereaft er, We give him increase in his reward), and


(Whoever desires t he quick-passing (t ransit ory enj oyment of t his world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like) unt il,

(See how We prefer one above anot her (in t his world)). So Allah said here,

(And Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer.)

(135. O you who believe! St and out firmly for j ust ice, as wit nesses t o Allah, even t hough it be against yourselves, or your parent s, or your kin, be he rich or poor, Allah is a bet t er Prot ect or t o bot h. So follow not t he lust s, lest you may avoid j ust ice; and if you Talwu or Tu` ridu, it , verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquaint ed wit h what you do.)

Commanding Justice and Conveying the Witness for Allah

Allah commands His believing servant s t o st and up for j ust ice and fairness and not t o deviat e from it , right or left . They should not fear t he blame of anyone or allow anyone t o prevent t hem from doing somet hing for t he sake of Allah. They are also required t o help, support and aid each ot her for Allah's sake. Allah's st at ement ,


(as wit nesses t o Allah) is similar t o His st at ement ,

(And est ablish t he t est imony for Allah). Test imony should be delivered precisely, for t he sake of Allah, t hus making t he t est imony correct , t ruly j ust , and free of alt erat ions, changes or delet ions. This is why Allah said,

(even t hough it be against yourselves,) meaning, give correct t est imony, and say t he t rut h when you are asked about it , even if harm will effect you as a consequence. Indeed, Allah shall make a way out and give relief for t hose who obey Him in every mat t er. Allah's st at ement ,

(or your parent s, or your kin,) means, even if you have t o t est ify against your parent s and kin, do not compromise for t heir sake. Rat her, give t he correct and j ust wit ness even if t hey are harmed in t he process, for t he t rut h presides above everyone and is preferred t o everyone. Allah's st at ement ,

(be he rich or poor, Allah is a bet t er Prot ect or t o bot h.) means, do not favor someone (in your t est imony) because he is rich, or feel pit y for him because he is poor, for Allah is t heir caret aker, a bet t er Prot ect or of t hem t han you, and has bet t er knowledge of what is good for t hem. Allah's st at ement ,

(So follow not t he lust s, lest you may avoid j ust ice;) means, let not desire, lust or t he hat red you have against ot hers, lure you int o inj ust ice in your affairs. Rat her, st and for j ust ice in all sit uat ions. Allah said;


(And let not t he enmit y and hat red of ot hers make you avoid j ust ice. Be j ust : t hat is nearer t o piet y) when t he Prophet sent ` Abdullah bin Rawahah t o collect t he t ax on t he fruit s and produce of t he Jews of Khaybar, t hey offered him a bribe so t hat he would go easy on t hem. He said; "By Allah! I have come t o you from t he dearest of t he creat ion t o me (Muhammad), and you are more hat ed by me t han an equivelent number of apes and swine. However, my love for him (t he Prophet ) and hat red for you shall not prevent me from being j ust wit h you.'' On t hat , t hey said, "This (j ust ice) is t he basis which t he heavens and eart h were creat ed. '' We will ment ion t his Hadit h lat er in Surat Al-Ma'idah (chapt er 5) Allah willing. Allah's st at ement aft erwards,

(and if you Talwu or Tu` ridu) means, "Dist ort your t est imony and change it '', according t o Muj ahid and several ot hers among t he Salaf. Talwu, includes dist ort ion and int ent ional lying. For inst ance, Allah said,

(And verily, among t hem is a part y who Yalwuna (dist ort ) t he Book wit h t heir t ongues (as t hey read)). Tu` ridu, includes hiding and wit hholding t he t est imony. Allah said,

(Who hides it , surely, his heart is sinful) The Prophet said,

(The best wit ness is he who discloses his t est imony before being asked t o do so.) Allah t hen warned,

(Verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquaint ed wit h what you do.) and will reward or punish you accordingly.

(136. O you who believe! Believe in Allah, and His Messenger, and t he Book (t he Qur'an) which He has sent down t o His Messenger, and t he Script ure which He sent down t o t hose before; and whosoever disbelieves in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, and t he Last Day, t hen indeed he has st rayed far away.)

The Order to Have Faith after Believing

Allah commands His fait hful servant s t o adhere t o all t he element s of fait h, it s branches, pillars and cornerst ones. This is not st at ed as mere redundancy, but from t he view of complet ing fait h and t he cont inual maint enence of it . For inst ance, t he believer proclaims in every prayer,

(Guide us t o t he st raight way.) which means, make us aware of t he st raight pat h and increase us in guidance and st rengt hen us on it . In t his Ayah 4:136 , Allah commands t he believers t o believe in Him and in His Messenger, j ust as He said elsewhere,

(O you who believe! Have Taqwa of Allah, and believe in His Messenger, ). Allah's st at ement ,

(and t he Book which He has sent down t o His Messenger,) refers t o t he Qur'an, while,

(and t he Script ure which He sent down t o t hose before (him);) refers t o t he previously revealed divine Books. Allah t hen said,

(and whosoever disbelieves in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, and t he Last Day, t hen indeed he has st rayed far away.) meaning, he will have deviat ed from t he correct guidance and st rayed far away from it s pat h.

- -
(137. Verily, t hose who believe, t hen disbelieve, t hen believe (again), and (again) disbelieve, and go on increasing in disbelief; Allah will not forgive t hem, nor guide t hem on t he (right ) way.) (138. Give t o t he hypocrit es t he t idings t hat t here is for t hem a painful t orment .) (139. Those who t ake disbelievers for friends inst ead of believers, do t hey seek honor wit h t hem Verily, t hen t o Allah belongs all honor). (140. And it has already been revealed t o you in t he Book t hat when you hear t he verses of Allah being denied and mocked at , t hen sit not wit h

t hem, unt il t hey engage in t alk ot her t han t hat ; cert ainly in t hat case you would be like t hem. Surely, Allah will collect t he hypocrit es and disbelievers all t oget her in Hell.)

Characteristics of the Hypocrites and Their Destination

Allah st at es t hat whoever embraces t he fait h, revert s from it , embraces it again, revert s from it and remains on disbelief and increases in it unt il deat h, t hen he will never have a chance t o gain accept ed repent ance aft er deat h. Nor will Allah forgive him, or deliver him from his plight t o t he pat h of correct guidance. This is why Allah said,

(Allah will not forgive t hem, nor guide t hem on t he (right ) way). Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat his fat her said t hat Ahmad bin ` Abdah relat ed t hat Hafs bin Jami' said t hat Samak said t hat ` Ikrimah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed;

(and go on increasing in disbelief), "They remain on disbelief unt il t hey die.'' Muj ahid said similarly. Allah t hen said,

(Give t o t he hypocrit es t he t idings t hat t here is for t hem a painful t orment .) Hence, t he hypocrit es have t his charact erist ic, for t hey believe, t hen disbelieve, and t his is why t heir heart s become sealed. Allah describes t he hypocrit es as t aking t he disbelievers as friends inst ead of t he believers, meaning t hey are t he disbelievers' support ers in realit y, for t hey give t hem t heir loyalt y and friendship in secret . They also say t o disbelievers when t hey are alone wit h t hem, "We are wit h you, we only mock t he believers by pret ending t o follow t heir religion.'' Allah said, while chast ising t hem for being friends wit h t he disbelievers,

(do t hey seek honor, wit h t hem) Allah t hen st at es t hat honor, power and glory is for Him Alone wit hout part ners, and for t hose whom Allah grant s such qualit ies t o. Allah said,

(Whosoever desires honor, t hen t o Allah belong all honor), and,


(But honor belongs t o Allah, and t o His Messenger, and t o t he believers, but t he hypocrit es know not ). The st at ement t hat honor is Allah's Alone, is meant t o encourage t he servant s t o adhere t o t heir servit ude t o Allah and t o be among His fait hful servant s who will gain vict ory in t his life and when t he Wit nesses st and up t o t est ify on t he Day of Resurect ion. Allah's st at ement ,

(And it has already been revealed t o you in t he Book t hat when you hear t he verses of Allah being denied and mocked at , t hen sit not wit h t hem, unt il t hey engage in t alk ot her t han t hat ; cert ainly in t hat case you would be like t hem.) The Ayah means, if you st ill commit t his prohibit ion aft er being aware of it s prohibit ion, sit t ing wit h t hem where Allah's Ayat are rej ect ed, mocked at and denied, and you sanct ion such conduct , t hen you have part icipat ed wit h t hem in what t hey are doing. So Allah said,

((But if you st ayed wit h t hem) cert ainly in t hat case you would be like t hem.) concerning t he burden t hey will earn. What has already been revealed in t he Book -- as t he Ayah says -- is t he Ayah in Surat Al-An` am 6 , which was revealed in Makkah,

(And when you see t hose who engage in false conversat ion about Our verses (of t he Qur'an) by mocking at t hem, st ay away from t hem). Muqat il bin Hayyan said t hat t his Ayah 4:140 abrogat ed t he Ayah in Surat Al-An` am, referring t o t he part t hat says here,

((But if you st ayed wit h t hem) cert ainly in t hat case you would be like t hem), and Allah's st at ement in Al-An` am,

(Those who fear Allah, keep t heir dut y t o Him and avoid evil, are not responsible for t hem (t he disbelievers) in any case, but (t heir dut y) is t o remind t hem, t hat t hey may have Taqwa). Allah's st at ement ,

(Surely, Allah will collect t he hypocrit es and disbelievers all t oget her in Hell.) means, j ust as t he hypocrit es part icipat e in t he Kufr of disbelievers, Allah will j oin t hem all t oget her t o reside in t he Fire for et ernit y, dwelling in t orment , punishment , enchained, rest rained and in drinking boiling wat er.

(141. Those who wait and wat ch about you; if you gain a vict ory from Allah, t hey say: "Were we not wit h you'' But if t he disbelievers gain a success, t hey say (t o t hem): "Did we not gain mast ery over you and did we not prot ect you from t he believers'' Allah will j udge bet ween you (all) on t he Day of Resurrect ion. And never will Allah grant t o t he disbelievers a way (t o t riumph) over t he believers.)

Hypocrites Wait and Watch what Happens to Muslims

Allah st at es t hat t he hypocrit es wat ch and await t he harm t hat occurs t o t he believers, await ing t he t ime when t he Muslim circumst ances and religion are dissolved and t he st at e of Kufr t akes over.


(if you gain a vict ory from Allah) t riumph, aid and boot y,

(t hey say, "Were we not wit h you'') t rying t o come closer t o t he believers wit h t his st at ement . However,

(But if t he disbelievers gain a success,) by gaining vict ory over t he believers somet imes, j ust as occurred during Uhud, for surely, t he Messengers are t est ed, but t he final vict ory is t heirs.

(t hey say (t o t hem), "Did we not gain mast ery over you and did we not prot ect you from t he believers'') meaning, did we not help you in secret and t ry our best t o confuse t he believers and weaken t heir resolve, unt il you gained vict ory over t hem This st at ement of t he hypocrit es is an at t empt t o st rengt hen relat ions wit h t he disbelievers, because t hey pret end t o be friends wit h bot h part ies so t hat t hey will be safe from t heir harm, due t o t heir weak fait h and lack of cert aint y. Allah said,

(Allah will j udge bet ween you (all) on t he Day of Resurrect ion) meaning, by what He knows about you, O hypocrit es. Therefore, do not be deceived by being shaded under t he prot ect ion of Islamic Law in t his life, which is such only out of Allah's wisdom. Surely, on t he Day of Resurrect ion, your pret ending shall not benefit you, because on t hat Day, t he secret s of t he souls will be disclosed and t he cont ent s of t he heart s will be collect ed. Allah said,

(And never will Allah grant t o t he disbelievers a way (t o t riumph) over t he believers). ` AbdurRazzaq recorded t hat Yasi` Al-Kindi said, "A man came t o ` Ali bin Abi Talib and said, ` What about t his Ayah,

(And never will Allah grant t o t he disbelievers a way (t o t riumph) over t he believers.) ` Ali said, ` Come closer, come closer. Allah will j udge bet ween you on t he Day of Resurrect ion, and He will not grant vict ory for t he disbelievers over t he believers.' '' Ibn Jurayj recorded t hat ` At a' Al-Khurasani said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(And never will Allah grant t o t he disbelievers a way (t o t riumph) over t he believers.) "Will occur on t he Day of Resurrect ion.'' As-Suddi recorded t hat Abu Malik Al-Ashj a` i said t hat it occurs on t he Day of Resurrect ion. As-Suddi said t hat "way'' means, proof. It is possible t hat t he meaning of, ` and never will Allah grant t o t he disbelievers a way (t o t riumph) over t he believers', is in t his life by being unable t o ext erminat e t he believers complet ely, alt hough t hey somet imes gain vict ory over some Muslims. However, t he Final Triumph will be for t he believers in t his life and t he Hereaft er. Allah said,

(Verily, We will indeed make vict orious Our Messengers and t hose who believe in t he worldly life) This provides a rebut t al t o t he wishes of t he hypocrit es for t he dest ruct ion of t he believers, and t heir loyalt y t o t he disbelievers, fearing for t hemselves if t hey are vict orious. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(And you see t hose in whose heart s t here is a disease (of hypocrisy), t hey hurry t o t heir friendship), unt il,

(Regret ful)


(142. Verily, t he hypocrit es seek t o deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives t hem. And when t hey st and up for Salah, t hey st and wit h laziness and t o be seen of men, and t hey do not remember Allah but lit t le.) (143. (They are) swaying bet ween t his and t hat , belonging neit her t o t hese nor t o t hose; and he whom Allah sends ast ray, you will not find for him a way.)

The Hypocrites Try to Deceive Allah and Sway Between Believers and Disbelievers
In t he beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah 2 , we ment ioned Allah's st at ement ,

(They (t hink t o) deceive Allah and t hose who believe). Here, Allah st at es,

(Verily, t he hypocrit es seek t o deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives t hem.) There is no doubt t hat Allah can never be deceived, for He has perfect knowledge of t he secret s and what t he heart s conceal. However, t he hypocrit es, due t o t heir ignorance, scarce knowledge and weak minds, t hink t hat since t hey were successful in deceiving people, using Islamic Law as a cover of safet y for t hemselves, t hey will acquire t he same st at us wit h Allah on t he Day of Resurrect ion and deceive Him t oo. Allah st at es t hat on t hat Day, t he hypocrit es will swear t o Him t hat t hey were on t he pat h of right eousness and correct ness t hinking t hat such st at ement will benefit t hem wit h Allah. For inst ance, Allah said,

(On t he Day when Allah will resurrect t hem all t oget her; t hen t hey will swear t o Him as t hey swear t o you) Allah's st at ement ,

(but it is He Who deceives t hem) means, He lures t hem furt her int o inj ust ice and misguidance. He also prevent s t hem from reaching t he t rut h in t his life and on t he Day of Resurrect ion. Allah said,

(On t he Day when t he hypocrit es men and women will say t o t he believers: "Wait for us! Let us get somet hing from your light !'' It will be said: "Go back t o your rear! Then seek a light !'') unt il,

(And worst indeed is t hat dest inat ion). A Hadit h st at es;

(Whoever want s t o be heard of, Allah will make him heard of, and whoever want s t o be seen, Allah will show him.) Allah's st at ement ,

(And when t hey st and up for Salah, t hey st and wit h laziness). This is t he charact erist ic of t he hypocrit es wit h t he most honored, best and right eous act of worship, t he prayer. When t hey st and for prayer, t hey st and in laziness because t hey neit her t ruly int end t o perform it nor do t hey believe in it , have humilit y in it , or underst and it . This is t he descript ion of t heir out ward at t it ude! As for t heir heart s, Allah said,

(t o be seen of men) meaning, t hey do not have sincerit y when worshipping Allah. Rat her, t hey show off t o people so t hat t hey gain closeness t o t hem. They are oft en absent from t he prayers t hat t hey can hide away from, such as t he ` Isha' prayer and t he Dawn prayer t hat are prayed in darkness. In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


. (The heaviest prayers on t he hypocrit es are t he ` Isha' and Dawn prayers. If t hey know t heir rewards, t hey will at t end t hem even if t hey have t o crawl. I was about t o order someone t o pronounce t he Adhan for t he prayer, t hen order someone t o lead t he prayer for t he people, t hen order some men t o collect fire-wood (fuel); t hen I would burn t he houses around men who did not at t end t he (compulsory congregat ional) prayer.) In anot her narrat ion, t he Prophet said,

(By Him, in Whose Hand my soul is, if anyone of t hem had known t hat he would get a bone covered wit h good meat or t wo (small) pieces of meat bet ween t wo ribs, he would have t urned up for t he prayer, and had it not been t hat t he houses have women and children in t hem, I would burn t heir homes around t hem.) Allah's st at ement ,

(And t hey do not remember Allah but lit t le) means, during t he prayer t hey do not feel humbleness or pay at t ent ion t o what t hey are recit ing. Rat her, during t heir prayer, t hey are inat t ent ive, j est ing and avoid t he good t hat t hey are meant t o receive from prayer. Imam Malik report ed t hat Al-` Ala' bin ` Abdur-Rahman said t hat Anas bin Malik said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(This is t he prayer of t he hypocrit e, t his is t he prayer of t he hypocrit e, t his is t he prayer of t he hypocrit e. He sit s wat ching t he sun unt il when it goes down bet ween t he t wo horns of t he devil, he st ands up pecks out four Rak` ahs (for ` Asr) wit hout remembering Allah during t hem except lit t le.) Muslim, At -Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i also recorded it . At -Tirmidhi said "Hasan Sahih''. Allah's st at ement ,

((They are) swaying bet ween t his and t hat , belonging neit her t o t hese) means t hat t he hypocrit es are swaying bet ween fait h and disbelief. So t hey are neit her wit h believers inwardly or out wardly nor wit h disbelievers inwardly or out wardly. Rat her, t hey are wit h t he believers out wardly and wit h t he disbelievers inwardly. Some of t hem would suffer fit s of doubt , leaning t owards t hese somet imes and t owards t hose somet imes,

(Whenever it flashes for t hem, t hey walk t herein, and when darkness covers t hem, t hey st and st ill). Muj ahid said;

((They are) swaying bet ween t his and t hat , belonging neit her t o t hese) "The Companions of Muhammad ,

(nor t o t hose): t he Jews.'' Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said t hat t he Prophet said,


(The example of t he hypocrit e is t he example of t he sheep wandering bet ween t wo herds, somet imes she goes t o one of t hem, and somet imes t he ot her, confused over whom she should follow.) Muslim also recorded it . This is why Allah said aft erwards,

(and he whom Allah sends ast ray, you will not find for him a way.) meaning, whomever He leads ast ray from t he guidance,

(For him you will find no Wali (guiding friend) t o lead him (t o t he right pat h)) because,

(Whomsoever Allah sends ast ray, none can guide him). So t he hypocrit es whom Allah has led ast ray from t he pat hs of safet y will never find a guide t o direct t hem, nor someone t o save t hem. There is none who can resist Allah's decision, and He is not asked about what He does, while t hey all will be asked.

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(144. O you who believe! Do not t ake disbelievers as friends inst ead of believers. Do you wish t o offer Allah a manifest Sult an against yourselves) (145. Verily, t he hyprocrit es will be in t he lowest dept h (grade) of t he Fire; no helper will you find for t hem.) (146. Except t hose who repent , do right eous good deeds, depend on Allah, and purify t heir religion for Allah, t hen t hey will be wit h t he believers. And Allah will grant t he believers a great reward.) (147. Why should Allah punish you if you have t hanked (Him) and have believed in Him. And Allah is Ever AllAppreciat ive (of good), All-Knowing.)

The Prohibition of Wilayah with the Disbelievers

Allah forbids His believing servant s from t aking t he disbelievers as friends inst ead of t he believers. This includes being friends and associat es of t he disbelievers, advising t hem, being int imat e wit h t hem and exposing t he secret s of t he believers t o t hem. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(Let not t he believers t ake t he disbelievers as friends inst ead of t he believers, and whoever does t hat , will never be helped by Allah in any way, except if you indeed fear a danger from t hem. And Allah warns you against Himself). meaning, He warns you against His punishment if you fall int o what He has prohibit ed. This is why Allah said here,

(Do you wish t o offer Allah a manifest Sult an against yourselves) meaning, proof against you t hat warrant s receiving His t orment . Ibn Abi Hat im narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed;

(manifest Sult an), "The word Sult an in t he Qur'an means proof. '' There is an aut hent ic chain of narrat ion for t his st at ement , which is also t he saying of Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Muhammad bin Ka` b Al-Qurazi, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi and An-Nadr bin ` Arabi.

The Hypocrites and the Friends of Disbelievers are in the Lowest Depth of the Fire, Unless they Repent
Allah t hen st at es t hat ,

(Verily, t he hypocrit es will be in t he lowest dept hs of t he Fire;) on t he Day of Resurrect ion due t o t heir t remendous Kufr. Al-Walibi ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said,

(in t he lowest dept hs (grade) of t he Fire;) means, in t he bot t om of t he Fire. Ot her scholars said t hat t he Fire has ever lower dept hs j ust as Paradise had ever higher grades. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said t hat ,

(Verily, t he hypocrit es will be in t he lowest dept hs (grade) of t he Fire), "Inside coffins of Fire t hat surround t hem, for t hey are closed and sealed in t hem.'' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat when Ibn Mas` ud was asked about t he hypocrit es, he said, "They will be placed in coffins made of fire and t hey will be closed in t hem in t he lowest dept h of t he Fire.''

(no helper will you find for t hem. ) t o save t hem from t heir misery and painful t orment . Allah t hen st at es t hat whoever among t he hypocrit es repent s in t his life, Allah will accept his repent ance and sorrow, if his repent ance were sincere and he t hen follows it by performing right eous deeds, all t he while depending on his Lord. Allah said, a

(Except t hose who repent (from hypocrisy), do right eous good deeds, depend on Allah, and purify t heir religion for Allah) replacing showing off wit h sincerit y, so t hat t heir good deeds will benefit t hem, even if t hey were minut e.


(t hen t hey will be wit h t he believers.) on t he Day of Resurrect ion,

(And Allah will grant t o t he believers a great reward.) Allah t hen st at es t hat He is t oo Rich t o need anyone and t hat He only punishes t he servant s because of t heir sins,

(Why should Allah punish you if you have t hanked (Him) and have believed in Him.) by correct ing your act ions and having fait h in Allah and His Messenger ,

(And Allah is Ever All-Appreciat ive (of good), All-Knowing.) Allah appreciat es t hose who appreciat e Him, and has knowledge of t hose whose heart s believe in Him, and He will give t hem perfect rewar.

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(148. Allah does not like t hat t he evil should be ut t ered in public except by him who has been wronged. And Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Knower.) (149. Whet her you disclose a good deed or conceal it , or pardon an evil, verily, Allah is Ever Pardoning, All-Powerful.)

The Permission to Utter Evil in Public, For One Who Was Wronged
Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah,


(Allah does not like t hat t he evil should be ut t ered in public) "Allah does not like t hat any one should invoke Him against anyone else, unless one was wronged. In t his case, Allah allows one t o invoke Him against whoever wronged him. Hence Allah's st at ement ,

(except by him who has been wronged.) Yet , it is bet t er for one if he observes pat ience.'' AlHasan Al-Basri comment ed, "One should not invoke Allah (for curses) against whoever wronged him. Rat her, he should supplicat e, ` O Allah! Help me against him and t ake my right from him.''' In anot her narrat ion, Al-Hasan said, "Allah has allowed one t o invoke Him against whoever wronged him wit hout t ransgressing t he limit s.'' ` Abdul-Karim bin Malik Al-Jazari said about t his Ayah; "When a man curses you, you could curse him in ret aliat ion. But if he lies about you, you may not lie about him.

(And indeed whosoever t akes revenge aft er he has suffered wrong, for such t here is no way (of blame) against t hem. )'' Abu Dawud recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(What ever words are ut t ered by t hose who curse each ot her, t hen he who st art ed it will carry t he burden t hereof, unless t he one who was wronged t ransgresses t he limit .) Allah said,

(Whet her you disclose a good deed, or conceal it , or pardon an evil; verily, Allah is Ever Pardoning, All-Powerful.) Meaning when you, mankind, admit t o a good favor done t o you, or conceal it , and forgive t hose who wrong you, t hen t his will bring you closer t o Allah and increase your reward wit h Him. Among Allah's at t ribut es is t hat He forgives and pardons His servant s, alt hough He is able t o punish t hem. Hence Allah's st at ement ,


(Verily, Allah is Ever Pardoning, All-Powerful.) It was report ed t hat some of t he angels who carry Allah's Throne praise Him saying, "All praise is due t o You for Your forbearing even t hough You have perfect knowledge (in all evil commit t ed).'' Some of t hem supplicat e, "All praise is due t o You for Your forgiving even t hough You have perfect abilit y (t o punish).'' An aut hent ic Hadit h st at es,

(No charit y shall ever decrease wealt h, and Allah will only increase t he honor of a servant who pardons, and he who is humble for Allah's sake, t hen Allah will elevat e his grade.)

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(150. Verily, t hose who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers and wish t o make dist inct ion bet ween Allah and His Messengers saying, "We believe in some but rej ect ot hers,'' and wish t o adopt a way in bet ween.) (151. They are in t rut h disbelievers. And We have prepared for t he disbelievers a humiliat ing t orment .) (152. And t hose who believe in Allah and His Messengers and make no dist inct ion bet ween any of t hem (Messengers), We shall give t hem t heir rewards; and Allah is Ever Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

Believing in Some Prophets and Rejecting Others is Pure Kufr

Allah t hreat ens t hose who disbelieve in Him and in His Messengers, such as t he Jews and Christ ians, who different iat e bet ween Allah and His Messengers regarding fait h. They believe in some Prophet s and rej ect ot hers, following t heir desires, lust s and t he pract ices of t heir forefat hers. They do not follow any proof for such dist inct ion, because t here is no such proof. Rat her, t hey follow t heir lust s and prej udices. The Jews, may Allah curse t hem, believe in t he Prophet s, except ` Isa and Muhammad, peace be upon t hem. The Christ ians believe in t he Prophet s but rej ect t heir Final and Seal, and t he most honored among t he prophet s, Muhammad, peace be upon him. In addit ion, t he Samirah (Samarit ans) do not believe in any Prophet aft er Yuwsha` (Joshua), t he successor of Musa bin ` Imran. The Maj us (Zoroast rians) are said t o believe only in a Prophet called Zoroast er, alt hough t hey do not believe in t he law he brought t hem cast ing it behind t hem, and Allah knows best . Therefore, whoever rej ect s only one of Allah's Prophet s, he will have disbelieved in all of t hem, because it is required from mankind t o believe in every prophet whom Allah sent t o t he people of t he eart h. And whoever rej ect s one Prophet , out of envy, bias and personal whim, he only demonst rat es t hat his fait h in ot her Prophet s is not valid, but an act of following desire and whim. This is why Allah said,

(Verily, t hose who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers...) Thus, Allah describes t hese people as disbelievers in Allah and His Messengers;

(and wish t o make dist inct ion bet ween Allah and His Messengers) in fait h,

(saying, "We believe in some but rej ect ot hers,'' and wish t o adopt a way in bet ween.) Allah t hen describes t hem;

(They are in t rut h disbelievers.) meaning, t heir disbelief in t he Prophet t hey claim t o believe in is clear. This is because t heir claimed fait h in a cert ain Messenger is not t rue, for had t hey t ruly believed in him, t hey would have believed in ot her Messengers, especially if t he ot her Messenger has a st ronger proof for his t rut hfulness. Or at least , t hey would have st rived hard t o acquire knowledge of t he t rut h of t he ot her Messenger. Allah said,

(And We have prepared for t he disbelievers a humiliat ing t orment .) This is j ust punishment for belit t ling t he Prophet s whom t hey disbelieved in, by ignoring what t he Prophet brought t o t hem from Allah, and because t hey are int erest ed in t he insignificant possessions of t his world. Or, t heir behavior could be t he result of t heir disbelief in t he Prophet aft er t hey were aware of his t rut h, j ust as t he Jewish rabbis did during t he t ime of Muhammad, t he Messenger of Allah . The Jews envied t he Messenger because of t he great prophet hood t hat Allah gave him, and as a consequence, t hey denied t he Messenger, defied him, became his enemies and fought against him. Allah sent humiliat ion upon t hem in t his life, t hat shall be followed by disgrace in t he Hereaft er,

(And t hey were covered wit h humiliat ion and misery, and t hey drew on t hemselves t he wrat h of Allah.) in t his life and t he Hereaft er. Allah's st at ement ,

(And t hose who believe in Allah and His Messengers and make no dist inct ion bet ween any of t hem,) This refers t o t he Ummah of Muhammad who believe in every Book t hat Allah has revealed and in every Prophet whom Allah has sent . Allah said,

(The Messenger believes in what has been revealed t o him from his Lord, and (so do) t he believers. All of t hem believe in Allah.) (2:285). Allah t hen st at es t hat He has prepared great rewards for t hem, t remendous favor and a handsome bount y,

(We shall give t hem t heir rewards;) because of t heir fait h in Allah and His Messengers,

(and Allah is Ever Forgiving, Most Merciful.) for t heir sin, if t hey have any.

 -
(153. The People of t he Script ure (Jews) ask you t o cause a book t o descend upon t hem from heaven. Indeed, t hey asked Musa for even great er t han t hat , when t hey said: "Show us Allah in public,'' but t hey were st ruck wit h a bolt of light ning for t heir wickedness. Then t hey worshipped t he calf even aft er Al-Bayyinat had come t o t hem. (Even) so We forgave t hem. And We gave Musa a clear proof of aut horit y.) (154. And for t heir covenant , We raised over t hem t he mount and (on t he ot her occasion) We said: "Ent er t he gat e prost rat ing (or bowing) wit h humilit y;'' and We commanded t hem: "Transgress not on t he Sabbat h (Sat urday).'' And We t ook from t hem a firm covenant .)

The Stubbornness of the Jews

Muhammad bin Ka` b Al-Qurazi, As-Suddi and Qat adah said t hat t he Jews asked t he Messenger of Allah t o cause a book t o come down t o t hem from heaven, j ust as t he Tawrah was sent down t o Musa. Ibn Jurayj said t hat t he Jews asked t he Messenger t o cause books t o come down t o t hem addressed t o so-and-so among t hem, t est ifying t o t he t rut h of what he was sent wit h. The Jews only asked for t his because of t heir st ubbornness, defiance, rej ect ion and disbelief. The disbelievers of Quraysh also asked for similar t hings from t he Prophet , as is ment ioned in Surat Al-Isra',

(And t hey say: "We shall not believe in you, unt il you cause a spring t o gush fort h from t he eart h for us;) (17:90) Allah said,

(Indeed, t hey asked Musa for even great er t han t hat , when t hey said, "Show us Allah in public,'' but t hey were st ruck wit h a bolt of light ning for t heir wickedness.) inj ust ice, t ransgression, defiance and rebellion. This part was explained in Surat Al-Baqarah,

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(And (remember) when you said: "O Musa! We shall never believe in you unt il we see Allah plainly.'' But you were st ruck by a bolt of light ning while you were looking. Then We raised you up aft er your deat h, so t hat you might be grat eful.) (2:55,56) Allah's st at ement ,

(Then t hey worshipped t he calf even aft er Al-Bayyinat had come t o t hem.) meaning, aft er t hey wit nessed t he t remendous miracles and unequivocal proofs at t he hand of Musa in Egypt . They also wit nessed t he demise of t heir enemy, Fir` awn and his soldiers, when t hey all drowned in t he sea. Yet soon aft er, when t hey passed by a people who were worshipping idols, t hey said t o Musa,

(Make for us a god as t hey have gods.) Allah explains t he st ory of t he Jews worshipping t he calf in Surat Al-A` raf (7) and Surah Ta Ha (20) aft er Musa went t o meet wit h his Lord. When Musa ret urned, Allah decreed t hat in order for t he Jews t o earn accept ed repent ance, t hen t hose who did not worship t he calf would have t o kill t hose who worshipped it . They complied wit h t his command, and Allah resurrect ed t hem aft erwards. Allah said here,

((Even) so We forgave t hem. And We gave Musa a clear proof of aut horit y. ) Allah t hen said,


(And for t heir covenant , We raised over t hem t he mount ,) This was when t hey refrained from implement ing t he rulings of t he Tawrah and refused what Musa brought t hem from Allah. So Allah raised t he mount ain above t heir heads and t hey were ordered t o prost rat e, which t hey did. Even so, t hey were looking above when t hey were prost rat ing for fear t hat t he mount ain might fall on t hem,

(And (remember) when We raised t he mount ain over t hem as if it had been a canopy, and t hey t hought t hat it was going t o fall on t hem. (We said): "Hold firmly t o what We have given you.'') Allah t hen said,

(and We said, "Ent er t he gat e prost rat ing (or bowing) wit h humilit y;'') meaning t hat t hey also defied t his command in word and act ion. They were commanded t o ent er Bayt Al-Quds (in Jerusalem) while bowing and saying "Hit t ah'', meaning: ` O Allah! t ake from us our sin of abandoning Jihad.' This was t he cause of t heir wandering in t he desert of Tih for fort y years. Yet , t hey ent ered t he House while crawling on t heir rear ends and saying ` Hint ah (a wheat grain) in Sha` rah (t he hair)'.

(and We commanded t hem, "Transgress not t he Sabbat h (Sat urday).'') meaning, We commanded t hem t o honor t he Sabbat h and honor what Allah prohibit ed t hem on t hat day.

t (And We t ook from t hem a firm covenant .) meaning, st rong covenant . They rebelled, t ransgressed and commit t ed what Allah prohibit ed by using deceit and t rickery, as is ment ioned in Surat Al-A` raf (7),

(And ask t hem about t he t own t hat was by t he sea.)

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(155. Because of t heir breaking t he covenant , and t heir rej ect ing t he Ayat of Allah, and t heir killing t he Prophet s unj ust ly, and t heir saying: "Our heart s are Ghulf,'' nay, Allah has set a seal upon t heir heart s because of t heir disbelief, so t hey believe not but a lit t le.) (156. And because of t heir disbelief and ut t ering against Maryam a grave false charge.) (157. And because of t heir saying, "We killed Al-Masih ` Isa, son of Maryam, t he Messenger of Allah,'' but t hey killed him not , nor crucified him, but it appeared as t hat t o t hem, and t hose who differ t herein are full of doubt s. They have no (cert ain) knowledge, t hey follow not hing but conj ect ure. For surely; t hey killed him not .) (158. But Allah raised him up unt o Himself. And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, AllWise.) (159. And t here is none of t he People of t he Script ure, but must believe in him, before his deat h. And on t he Day of Resurrect ion, he will be a wit ness against t hem.)

The Crimes of the Jews

The sins ment ioned here are among t he many sins t hat t he Jews commit t ed, which caused t hem t o be cursed and removed far away from right guidance. The Jews broke t he promises and vows t hat Allah t ook from t hem, and also rej ect ed Allah's Ayat , meaning His signs and proofs, and t he miracles t hat t hey wit nessed at t he hands of t heir Prophet s. Allah said,


(and t heir killing t he Prophet s unj ust ly,) because t heir many crimes and offenses against t he Prophet s of Allah, for t hey killed many Prophet s, may Allah's peace be upon t hem Their saying:

("Our heart s are Ghulf,'') meaning, wrapped wit h covering, according t o Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` Ikrimah, As-Suddi and Qat adah. This is similar t o t he what t he idolat ors said,

(And t hey say: "Our heart s are under coverings (screened) from t hat t o which you invit e us.'') Allah said,

(nay, Allah has set a seal upon t heir heart s because of t heir disbelief,) It is as if t hey had given an excuse t hat t heir heart s do not underst and what t he Prophet says since t heir heart s are wrapped wit h coverings, so t hey claim. Allah said t hat t heir heart s are sealed because of t heir disbelief, as we ment ioned before in t he explanat ion of Surat Al-Baqarah. Allah t hen said,

(so t hey believe not but a lit t le.) for t heir heart s became accust omed t o Kufr, t ransgression and weak fait h.

The Evil Accusation the Jews Uttered Against Maryam and Their Claim that They Killed ` Isa
Allah said,

(And because of t heir (Jews) disbelief and ut t ering against Maryam a grave false charge.) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas st at ed t hat t he Jews accused Maryam of fornicat ion.This is also t he saying of As-Suddi, Juwaybir, Muhammad bin Ishaq and several ot hers. This meaning is also apparent in t he Ayah, as t he Jews accused Maryam and her son of grave accusat ions: They accused her of fornicat ion and claimed t hat ` Isa was an illegit imat e son. Some of t hem even

claimed t hat she was menst ruat ing while fornicat ing. May Allah's cont inued curse be upon t hem unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion. The Jews also said,

("We killed Al-Masih, ` Isa, son of Maryam, t he Messenger of Allah,'') meaning, we killed t he person who claimed t o be t he Messenger of Allah. The Jews only ut t ered t hese words in j est and mockery, j ust as t he polyt heist s said,

(O you t o whom t he Dhikr (t he Qur'an) has been sent down! Verily, you are a mad man!) When Allah sent ` Isa wit h proofs and guidance, t he Jews, may Allah's curses, anger, t orment and punishment be upon t hem, envied him because of his prophet hood and obvious miracles; curing t he blind and leprous and bringing t he dead back t o life, by Allah's leave. He also used t o make t he shape of a bird from clay and blow in it , and it became a bird by Allah's leave and flew. ` Isa performed ot her miracles t hat Allah honored him wit h, yet t he Jews defied and bellied him and t ried t heir best t o harm him. Allah's Prophet ` Isa could not live in any one cit y for long and he had t o t ravel oft en wit h his mot her, peace be upon t hem. Even so, t he Jews were not sat isfied, and t hey went t o t he king of Damascus at t hat t ime, a Greek polyt heist who worshipped t he st ars. They t old him t hat t here was a man in Bayt Al-Maqdis misguiding and dividing t he people in Jerusalem and st irring unrest among t he king's subj ect s. The king became angry and wrot e t o his deput y in Jerusalem t o arrest t he rebel leader, st op him from causing unrest , crucify him and make him wear a crown of t horns. When t he king's deput y in Jerusalem received t hese orders, he went wit h some Jews t o t he house t hat ` Isa was residing in, and he was t hen wit h t welve, t hirt een or sevent een of his companions. That day was a Friday, in t he evening. They surrounded ` Isa in t he house, and when he felt t hat t hey would soon ent er t he house or t hat he would sooner or lat er have t o leave it , he said t o his companions, "Who volunt eers t o be made t o look like me, for which he will be my companion in Paradise'' A young man volunt eered, but ` Isa t hought t hat he was t oo young. He asked t he quest ion a second and t hird t ime, each t ime t he young man volunt eering, prompt ing ` Isa t o say, "Well t hen, you will be t hat man.'' Allah made t he young man look exact ly like ` Isa, while a hole opened in t he roof of t he house, and ` Isa was made t o sleep and ascended t o heaven while asleep. Allah said,

(And (remember) when Allah said: "O ` Isa! I will t ake you and raise you t o Myself.'') When ` Isa ascended, t hose who were in t he house came out . When t hose surrounding t he house saw t he man who looked like ` Isa, t hey t hought t hat he was ` Isa. So t hey t ook him at night , crucified him and placed a crown of t horns on his head. The Jews t hen boast ed t hat t hey killed ` Isa and some Christ ians accept ed t heir false claim, due t o t heir ignorance and lack of reason. As for t hose who were in t he house wit h ` Isa, t hey wit nessed his ascension t o heaven, while t he rest t hought t hat t he Jews killed ` Isa by crucifixion. They even said t hat Maryam sat under t he corpse of t he crucified man and cried, and t hey say t hat t he dead man spoke t o her. All t his was a t est from Allah for His servant s out of His wisdom. Allah explained t his mat t er in t he Glorious Qur'an which He sent t o His honorable Messenger, whom He support ed wit h miracles and clear, unequivocal evidence. Allah is t he Most Trut hful, and He is t he Lord of t he worlds

Who knows t he secret s, what t he heart s conceal, t he hidden mat t ers in heaven and eart h, what has occurred, what will occur, and what would occur if it was decreed. He said,

(but t hey killed him not , nor crucified him, but it appeared as t hat t o t hem,) referring t o t he person whom t he Jews t hought was ` Isa. This is why Allah said aft erwards,

(and t hose who differ t herein are full of doubt s. They have no (cert ain) knowledge, t hey follow not hing but conj ect ure.) referring t o t he Jews who claimed t o kill ` Isa and t he ignorant Christ ians who believed t hem. Indeed t hey are all in confusion, misguidance and bewilderment . This is why Allah said,

(For surely; t hey killed him not .) meaning t hey are not sure t hat ` Isa was t he one whom t hey killed. Rat her, t hey are in doubt and confusion over t his mat t er.

(But Allah raised him up unt o Himself. And Allah is Ever All-Powerful,) meaning, He is t he Almight y, and He is never weak, nor will t hose who seek refuge in Him ever be subj ect ed t o disgrace,

(All-Wise.) in all t hat He decides and ordains for His creat ures. Indeed, Allah's is t he clearest wisdom, unequivocal proof and t he most glorious aut horit y. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Just before Allah raised ` Isa t o t he heavens, ` Isa went t o his companions, who were t welve inside t he house. When he arrived, his hair was dripping wat er and he said, ` There are t hose among you who will disbelieve in me t welve t imes aft er he had believed in me.' He t hen asked, ` Who volunt eers t hat his image appear as mine, and be killed in my place. He will be wit h me (in Paradise)' One of t he youngest ones among t hem volunt eered and ` Isa asked him t o sit down. ` Isa again asked for a volunt eer, and t he young man kept volunt eering and ` Isa asking him t o sit down. Then t he young man volunt eered again and ` Isa said, ` You will be t hat man,' and t he resemblance of ` Isa was cast over t hat man while ` Isa ascended t o heaven from a hole in t he house. When t he Jews came looking for ` Isa, t hey found t hat young man and crucified him. Some of ` Isa's followers disbelieved in him t welve t imes aft er t hey had believed

in him. They t hen divided int o t hree groups. One group, Al-Ya` qubiyyah (Jacobit es), said, ` Allah remained wit h us as long as He willed and t hen ascended t o heaven.' Anot her group, AnNast uriyyah (Nest orians), said, ` The son of Allah was wit h us as long as he willed and Allah t ook him t o heaven.' Anot her group, Muslims, said, ` The servant and Messenger of Allah remained wit h us as long as Allah willed, and Allah t hen t ook him t o Him.' The t wo disbelieving groups cooperat ed against t he Muslim group and t hey killed t hem. Ever since t hat happened, Islam was t hen veiled unt il Allah sent Muhammad .'' This st at ement has an aut hent ic chain of narrat ion leading t o Ibn ` Abbas, and An-Nasa'i narrat ed it t hrough Abu Kurayb who report ed it from Abu Mu` awiyah. Many among t he Salaf st at ed t hat ` Isa asked if someone would volunt eer for his appearance t o be cast over him, and t hat he will be killed inst ead of ` Isa, for which he would be his companion in Paradise.

All Christians Will Believe in ` Isa Before He Dies

Allah said,

(And t here is none of t he People of t he Script ure, but must believe in him, before his deat h. And on t he Day of Resurrect ion, he will be a wit ness against t hem.) Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed,

(And t here is none of t he People of t he Script ure, but must believe in him, before his deat h.) before t he deat h of ` Isa, son of Maryam, peace be upon him. Al-` Awfi report ed similar from Ibn ` Abbas. Abu Malik comment ed;

(but must believe in him, before his deat h.) "This occurs aft er ` Isa ret urns and before he dies, as t hen, all of t he People of t he Script ures will believe in him.''

The Hadiths Regarding the Descent of ` Isa Just Before the Day of Judgement, and his Mission
In t he chapt er about t he Prophet s in his Sahih, under, "The Descent of ` Isa, Son of Maryam,'' AlBukhari recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, t he son of Maryam (` Isa) will short ly descend among you as a j ust ruler, and will break t he cross, kill t he pig and abolish t he Jizyah. Then t here will be an abundance of wealt h and nobody will accept charit able gift s any more. At t hat t ime, one prost rat ion will be bet t er for t hem t han t his life and all t hat is in it .) Abu Hurayrah t hen said, "Read if you will,

(And t here is none of t he People of t he Script ure, but must believe in him, before his deat h. And on t he Day of Resurrect ion, he will be a wit ness against t hem.)'' Muslim recorded t his Hadit h. So, Allah's st at ement ,

(before his deat h) refers t o t he deat h of ` Isa, son of Maryam.

Another Hadith by Abu Hurayrah

Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(` Isa will say Ihlal from t he mount ain highway of Ar-Rawha' for Haj j , ` Umrah or bot h.) Muslim also recorded it . Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Prophet said,


(` Isa, son of Maryam, will descend and will kill t he pig, break t he cross, lead t he prayer in congregat ion and give away wealt h unt il it is no longer accept ed by anyone. He will also abolish t he Jizyah and go t o Ar-Rawha' from where he will go t o perform Haj j , ` Umrah or bot h.) Abu Hurayrah t hen recit ed,

(And t here is none of t he People of t he Script ure, but must believe in him, before his deat h.) Hanzalah said, "Abu Hurayrah added, ` Will believe in ` Isa before ` Isa dies,' but I do not know if t his was a part of t he Prophet 's Hadit h or if it was somet hing t hat Abu Hurayrah said on his own. '' Ibn Abi Hat im also recorded t his Hadit h.

Another Hadith
Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(How will you be when Al-Masih, son of Maryam (` Isa) descends among you while your Imam is from among yourselves) Imam Ahmad and Muslim also recorded t his Hadit h.

Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Prophet said,

 :
(The Prophet s are pat ernal brot hers; t heir mot hers are different , but t heir religion is one. I, more t han any of mankind, have more right t o ` Isa, son of Maryam, for t here was no Prophet bet ween him and I. He will descend, and if you see him, know him. He is a well-built man, (t he color of his skin) bet ween red and whit e. He will descend while wearing t wo long, light yellow garment s. His head appears t o be dripping wat er, even t hough no moist ure t ouched it . He will break t he cross, kill t he pig, and banish t he Jizyah and will call t he people t o Islam. During his t ime, Allah will dest roy all religions except Islam and Allah will dest roy Al-Masih Ad-Daj j al (t he False Messiah). Safet y will t hen fill t he eart h, so much so t hat t he lions will mingle wit h camels, t igers wit h cat t le and wolves wit h sheep. Children will play wit h snakes, and t hey will not harm t hem. ` Isa will remain for fort y years and t hen will die, and Muslims will offer t he funeral prayer for him.) Abu Dawud also recorded it .

Another Hadith
In his Sahih, Muslim recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah relat ed t o t he Messenger of Allah t hat he said,

 : : () :
(The (Last ) Hour will not st art unt il t he Romans occupy Al-A` maq or Dabiq. An army, comprised of t he best of t he people of t he eart h t hen, will come from Al-Madinah and challenge t hem. When t hey camp face t o face, t he Romans will say, ` Let us fight t hose who capt ured some of us.' The Muslims will say, ` Nay! By Allah, we will never let you get t o our brot hers.' They will

fight t hem. A t hird of t he (Muslim) army will flee in defeat , and t hose are t he ones whom Allah will never forgive. Anot her t hird will be killed, and t hose are t he best mart yrs before Allah. The last t hird will be vict orious, and t his t hird will never be st ricken wit h Fit nah, and t hey will capt ure Const ant inople (Ist anbul). While t hey are dividing war boot y, aft er hanging t heir swords on olive t rees, Shayt an will shout among t hem, saying, ` Al-Masih (Ad-Daj j al) has cornered your people'. They will leave t o meet Ad-Daj j al in Ash-Sham. This will be a false warning, and when t hey reach Ash-Sham, Ad-Daj j al will t hen appear. When t he Muslims are arranging t heir lines for bat t le and t he prayer is called for, ` Isa, son of Maryam, will descend and lead t hem in prayer. When t he enemy of Allah (t he False Messiah) sees him, he will dissolve j ust as salt dissolves in wat er, and if any of him were left , he would cont inue dissolving unt il he died. Allah will kill him wit h t he hand of ` Isa and will show t he Muslims his blood on his spear.) Muslim recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(You will fight t he Jews and will kill t hem, unt il t he st one will say, ` O Muslim! There is a Jew here, so come and kill him.') Muslim recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(The Hour will not st art , unt il aft er t he Muslims fight t he Jews and t he Muslims kill t hem. The Jew will hide behind a st one or t ree, and t he t ree will say, ` O Muslim! O servant of Allah! This is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.' Except Al-Gharqad, for it is a t ree of t he Jews.) Muslim bin Al-Haj j aj recorded in his Sahih t hat An-Nawwas bin Sam` an said, "The Messenger of Allah , ment ioned Ad-Daj j al one day and kept belit t ling him (because being blind, yet claiming t o be Allah) and speaking in grave t erms about him unt il we t hought t hat he was hiding in gardens of dat e-t rees (in Al-Madinah). When we went by t he Messenger, he sensed t his anxiet y in us and said,

(What is t he mat t er wit h you) We said, ` O Messenger of Allah! Earlier, you ment ioned Ad-Daj j al and while belit t ling him you spoke gravely about him unt il we t hought t hat he was hiding in gardens of dat e-t rees (of Al-Madinah).' He said,

.
(I fear ot her t han Ad-Daj j al for you! If he appears while I am st ill among you, I will be his adversary on your behalf. If he appears while I am not among you, each one will depend on himself and Allah will be t he Helper of every Muslim aft er me. He is young, wit h very curly hair and his eye is smashed. I t hought t hat he looked like ` Abdul-` Uzza bin Qat an. Whoever lives long and meet s Ad-Daj j al, t hen let him recit e t he beginnings of Surat Al-Kahf. He will appear on a pass bet ween Ash-Sham (Syria) and Al-` Iraq. He will wreak havoc t o t he right and left . O Servant s of Allah! Hold fast .) We said, ` O Messenger of Allah! How long will he st ay on eart h' He said,

(Fort y days: One day as long as a year, one day as long as a mont h and one day as long as a week. The rest of his days will be as long as one of your ordinary days.) We said, ` O Messenger of Allah! As for t he day t hat is like a year, will t he prayers of one day suffice for it ' He said,

(No. Count for it s due measure.) We said, ` O Messenger of Allah, how will his speed be on eart h' He said,

 : :

 : ) (
(Like t he st orm when driven by t he wind. He will come t o a people and will call t hem (t o his worship), and t hey will believe in him and accept his call. He will order t he sky and it will rain, t he land and it will grow (veget at ion). Their cat t le will ret urn t o t hem wit h t heir hair t he longest , t heir udders t he fullest (wit h milk) and t heir st omachs t he fat t est . He will come t o a different people and will call t hem (t o his worship), and t hey will rej ect his call. He will t hen leave t hem. They will wake up in t he morning dest it ut e, missing all of t heir possessions. He will pass by a desert ed land and will say t o it , ` Bring out your t reasures', and it s t reasures will follow him j ust like swarms of bees. He will summon a man full of yout h and will st rike him wit h t he sword once and will cut him int o t wo pieces (and will separat e bet ween t hem like) t he dist ance (bet ween t he hunt er and) t he game. He will call t he dead man and he will come, and his face will radiant wit h pleasure and laught er. Aft erwards (while all t his is happening wit h Ad-Daj j al), Allah will send Al-Masih (` Isa), son of Maryam down. He will descend close t o t he whit e minaret t o t he east of Damascus. He will be wearing garment s light ly colored wit h saffron and his hands will be placed on t he wings of t wo angels. Whenever he lowers his head droplet s fall. Whenever he raises his head, precious st ones t hat look like pearls fall. No disbeliever can survive ` Isa's breat h, which reaches t he dist ance of his sight . He will pursue AdDaj j al and will follow him t o t he doors of (t he Palest inian cit y of) Ludd where he will kill him. A group of people who, by Allah's help, resist ed and survived Ad-Daj j al, will pass by ` Isa and he

will anoint t heir faces and inform t hem about t heir grades in Paradise. Short ly aft erwards, while t his is happening wit h ` Isa, Allah will reveal t o him, ` I raised a people of My creat ion t hat no one can fight . Therefore, gat her My servant s t o At -Tur (t he mount ain of Musa in Sinai).' Then, Allah will raise Gog and Magog and t hey will swift ly swarm from every mound. Their front forces will reach Lake Tabariah (Sea of Galilee) and will drink all it s wat er. The last of t heir forces will say as t hey pass by t he lake, ` This lake once had wat er!' Meanwhile, ` Isa, Allah's Prophet , will be cornered along wit h his companions unt il t he head of a bull will be more precious t o t hem t han a hundred Dinars t o you t oday. ` Isa, Allah's Prophet , and his companions will invoke Allah for help and Allah will send An-Naghaf (a worm) int o t he necks of Gog and Magog! The morning will come, and t hey will all be dead as if it was t he deat h of one soul. Aft erwards, ` Isa, t he Prophet of Allah, will come down wit h his companions t o t he low grounds (from Mount At -Tur). They will find t hat no space of a hand-span on t he eart h was free of t heir fat and rot (rot t en corpses). ` Isa, t he Prophet of Allah, and his companions will seek Allah in supplicat ion. Allah will send birds as large as t he necks of camels. They will carry t hem (t he corpses of Gog and Magog) and will t hrow t hem wherever Allah wills. Aft erwards, Allah will send rain t hat no house made of mud or animal hair will be saved from, and it will cleanse t he eart h unt il it is as clean as a mirror. The eart h will be commanded (by Allah), ` Produce your fruit s and regain your blessing.' Then, t he group will eat from a pomegranat e and will t ake shelt er under t he shade of it s skin. Milk will be blessed, so much so t hat t he milk-producing camel will yield large amount s t hat suffice for a large group of people. Meanwhile, Allah will send a pure wind t hat will overcome Muslims from under t heir arms and will t ake t he soul of every believer and Muslim. Only t he evildoers among people will remain. They will indulge in shameless public sex like t hat of donkeys. On t hem, t he Hour will begin.) Imam Ahmad and t he collect ors of t he Sunan also recorded t his Hadit h. We will ment ion t his Hadit h again using t he chain of narrat ion collect ed by Ahmad explaining Allah's st at ement in Surat Al-Anbiya' (chapt er 21),

(Unt il, when Ya` j uj and Ma` j uj (Gog and Magog people) are let loose (from t heir barrier).) In our t ime, in t he year seven hundred and fort y-one, a whit e minaret was built in t he Umayyad Masj id (in Damascus) made of st one, in place of t he minaret t hat was dest royed by a fire which t he Christ ians were suspect ed t o have st art ed. May Allah's cont inued curses descend on t he Christ ians unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion. There is a st rong feeling t hat t his minaret is t he one t hat ` Isa will descend on, according t o t his Hadit h.

Another Hadith
Muslim recorded in his Sahih t hat Ya` qub bin ` Asim bin ` Urwah bin Mas` ud At h-Thaqafi said, "I heard ` Abdullah bin ` Amr saying t o a man who asked him, ` What is t his Hadit h t hat you are narrat ing You claim t hat t he Hour will st art on such and such dat e.' He said, ` Subhan Allah (glory be t o Allah),' or he said, ` There is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah.' I almost decided t o never narrat e anyt hing t o anyone. I only said, "Soon, you will wit ness t remendous incident s, t he House (t he Ka` bah) will be dest royed by fire, and such and such t hings will occur.'' He t hen said, ` The Messenger of Allah said,

: : : :

 : : . :
(Ad-Daj j al will appear in my nat ion and will remain for fort y. (The narrat or doubt s whet her it is fort y days, mont hs, or years).Then, Allah will send down ` Isa, son of Maryam, looking j ust like ` Urwah bin Mas` ud and he will seek Ad-Daj j al and will kill him. People will remain for seven years wit h no enmit y bet ween any t wo. Allah will send a cool wind from As-Sham t hat will leave no man on t he face of t he eart h who has even t he weight of an at om of good or fait h, but will capt ure (his soul). Even if one of you t akes refuge in t he middle of a mount ain, it will find him and capt ure (his soul). Aft erwards, only t he most evil people will remain. They will be as light as birds, wit h t he comprehension of beast s. They will not know or enj oin right eousness or forbid or know evil. Shayt an will appear t o t hem and will say t o t hem, ` Would you follow me.' They will say, ` What do you command us' He will command t hem t o worship t he idols. Meanwhile, t heir provision will come t o t hem in abundance and t heir life will be good. Then t he Trumpet will be blown and every person who hears it , will lower one side of his head and raise t he ot her side (t rying t o hear t hat dist ant sound). The first man who will hear t he Trumpet is someone who is preparing t he wat er pool for his camels, and he and t he people will swoon away. Allah will send down heavy rain and t he bodies of people will grow wit h it . The Trumpet will be blown in again and t he people will be resurrect ed and looking all about , st aring. It will be said t o t hem, ` O people! Come t o your Lord,'

(But st op t hem, verily, t hey are t o be quest ioned.)

: : : :
(It will t hen be said, ` Bring fort h t he share of t he Fire.' It will be asked, ` How many' It will be said, ` From every one t housand, nine hundred and ninet y-nine.' That Day is when,)

(t he children will t urn grey-headed,) and,

(The Day when t he Shin shall be laid bare).)''

The Description of ` Isa, upon him be Peace

As ment ioned earlier, ` Abdur-Rahman bin Adam narrat ed t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Prophet said,

:
(If you see ` Isa, know him. He is a well-built man, (t he color of his skin) bet ween red and whit e. He will descend while wearing light yellow garment s. His head looks like it is dripping wat er, even t hough no moist ure t ouched it .) In t he Hadit h t hat An-Nawwas bin Sam` an narrat ed,

(He will descend close t o t he whit e minaret t o t he east of Damascus. He will be wearing t wo garment s light ly colored wit h saffron, having his hands on t he wings of t wo angels. Whenever he lowers his head, drops will fall off of it . Whenever he raises his head, precious j ewels like pearls will fall off of it . No disbeliever can survive ` Isa's breat h, and his breat h reaches t he dist ance of his sight .) Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(I met Musa on t he night of my Ascension t o heaven.) The Prophet t hen described him saying, as I t hink,

(He was a t all person wit h hair as if he was one of t he men from t he t ribe of Shanu'ah. ) The Prophet furt her said,

(` I met ` Isa.' The Prophet described him saying, ` He was of moderat e height and was red-faced as if he had j ust come out of a bat hroom. I saw Ibrahim whom I resembled more t han any of his children did.') Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Muj ahid said t hat Ibn ` Umar said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(I saw Musa, ` Isa and Ibrahim. ` Isa was of red complexion and had curly hair and a broad chest . Musa was of brown complexion and had st raight hair and a t all st at ure, as if he was from t he people of Az-Zut t .) Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded t hat Ibrahim said t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Umar said, "The Prophet once ment ioned t he False Messiah (Al-Masih Ad-Daj j al) t o people, saying,


(Allah is not blind in His Eye. Al-Masih Ad-Daj j al is blind in his right eye. His eye is like a prot ruding grape.)'' Muslim recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: : : :
(In a dream, I was at t he Ka` bah and Allah made me see a light - colored man, a color t hat is as beaut iful as a light - colored man could be, wit h combed hair t hat reached his shoulders. His hair was dripping wat er, and he was leaning on t he shoulders of t wo men while circling t he Ka` bah. I asked, ` Who is t his man' I was t old, ` This is t he Al-Masih, son of Maryam.' Behind him, I saw a man wit h very curly hair who was blind in his right eye. He looked exact ly as Ibn Qat an, and he was leaning on t he shoulder of a man while circling t he House. I asked, ` Who is t his man' I was t old, ` He is Al-Masih Ad-Daj j al.') Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Salim said t hat his fat her said, "No, By Allah! The Prophet did not say t hat ` Isa was of red complexion but said,

 : : : :
(While I was asleep circumambulat ing t he Ka` bah (in my dream), I suddenly saw a man of brown complexion and ample hair walking bet ween t wo men wit h wat er dripping from his head. I asked, ` Who is t his' The people said, ` He is t he son of Maryam.' Then I looked behind and I saw a red-complexioned, fat , curly-haired man, blind in t he right eye, which looked like a bulging out grape. I asked, ` Who is t his' They replied, ` He is Ad-Daj j al.' The person he most resembled is Ibn Qat an.)'' Az-Zuhri comment ed t hat Ibn Qat an was a man from t he t ribe of Khuza` ah who died during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah. This is t he wording of Al-Bukhari. Allah's st at ement ,

(And on t he Day of Resurrect ion, he (` Isa) will be a wit ness against t hem) Qat adah said, "He will bear wit ness before t hem t hat he has delivered t he Message from Allah and t hat he is but a servant of His.'' In a similar st at ement in t he end of Surat Al-Ma'idah,

(And (remember) when Allah will say (on t he Day of Resurrect ion): "O ` Isa, son of Maryam! Did you say unt o men...'') unt il,

(Almight y, t he All-Wise.)

 - -
(160. For t he wrongdoing of t he Jews, We made unlawful for t hem cert ain good foods which had been lawful for t hem and for t heir hindering many from Allah's way;) (161. And t heir t aking of Riba t hough t hey were forbidden from t aking it , and t heir devouring men's subst ance wrongfully. And We have prepared for t he disbelievers among t hem a painful t orment .) (162. But t hose among t hem who are well-grounded in knowledge, and t he believers, believe in what has been sent down t o you and what was sent down before you; and t hose who perform t he Salah, and give Zakah and believe in Allah and in t he Last Day, it is t hey t o whom We shall give a great reward.)

Some Foods Were Made Unlawful for the Jews Because of their Injustice and Wrongdoing
Allah st at es t hat because of t he inj ust ice and t ransgression of t he Jews, demonst rat ed by commit t ing maj or sins, He prohibit ed some of t he lawful, pure t hings which were previously allowed for t hem. This prohibit ion could be only t hat of decree, meaning t hat Allah allowed t he Jews t o falsely int erpret t heir Book and change and alt er t he informat ion about what was allowed for t hem. They t hus, out of exaggerat ion and ext remism in t he religion, prohibit ed some t hings for t hemselves. It could also mean t hat in t he Tawrah, Allah prohibit ed t hings t hat were allowed for t hem before. Allah said,

(All food was lawful t o t he Children of Israel, except what Isra'il made unlawful for himself before t he Tawrah was revealed.) We ment ioned t his Ayah before, which means t hat all t ypes of food were allowed for t he Children of Israel before t he Tawrah was revealed, except t he camel's meat and milk t hat Isra'il prohibit ed for himself. Lat er, Allah prohibit ed many t hings in t he Tawrah. Allah said in Surat Al-An` am (chapt er 6),

(And unt o t hose who are Jews, We forbade every (animal) wit h undivided hoof, and We forbade t hem t he fat of t he ox and t he sheep except what adheres t o t heir backs or t heir ent rails, or is mixed up wit h a bone. Thus We recompensed t hem for t heir rebellion. And verily, We are Trut hful.) This means, We prohibit ed t hese t hings for t hem because t hey deserved it due t o t heir t ransgression, inj ust ice, defying t heir Messenger and disput ing wit h him. So Allah said;

(For t he wrongdoing of t he Jews, We made unlawful t o t hem cert ain good foods which had been lawful t o t hem, and for t heir hindering many from Allah's way.) This Ayah st at es t hat t hey hindered t hemselves and ot hers from following t he t rut h, and t his is t he behavior t hat t hey brought from t he past t o t he present . This is why t hey were and st ill are t he enemies of t he Messengers, killing many of t he Prophet s. They also denied Muhammad and ` Isa, peace be upon t hem. mAllah said,

(And t heir t aking of Riba' t hough t hey were forbidden from t aking it ,) Allah prohibit ed t hem from t aking Riba', yet t hey did so using various kinds of t ricks, ploys and cons, t hus devouring people's propert y unj ust ly. Allah said,

(And We have prepared for t he disbelievers among t hem a painful t orment . ) Allah t hen said,


(But t hose among t hem who are well-grounded in knowledge...) firm in t he religion and full of beneficial knowledge. We ment ioned t his subj ect when we explained Surah Al ` Imran (3). The Ayah;

(and t he believers...) refers t o t he well-grounded in knowledge;

(believe in what has been sent down t o you and what was sent down before you;) Ibn ` Abbas said, "This Ayah was revealed concerning ` Abdullah bin Salam, Tha` labah bin Sa` yah, Zayd bin Sa` yah and Asad bin ` Ubayd who embraced Islam and believed what Allah sent Muhammad wit h. Allah said,

(and give Zakah,) This could be referring t o t he obligat ory charit y due on one's wealt h and propert y, or t hose who purify t hemselves, or bot h. Allah knows best .

(and believe in Allah and in t he Last Day,) They believe t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah, believe in Resurrect ion aft er deat h and t he reward or punishment for t he good or evil deeds. Allah's st at ement ,

(It is t hey,) t hose whom t he Ayah described above,

(To whom We shall give a great reward.) means Paradise.

 - -
(163. Verily, We have sent t he revelat ion t o you as We sent t he revelat ion t o Nuh and t he Prophet s aft er him; We (also) sent t he revelat ion t o Ibrahim, Isma` il, Ishaq, Ya` qub, and AlAsbat , (t he offspring of t he t welve sons of Ya` qub) ` Isa, Ayyub, Yunus, Harun, and Sulayman; and t o Dawud We gave t he Zabur.) (164. And Messengers We have ment ioned t o you before, and Messengers We have not ment ioned t o you, and t o Musa Allah spoke direct ly.) (165. Messengers as bearers of good news and warning, in order t hat mankind should have no plea against Allah aft er t he (coming of) Messengers. And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise.)

Revelation Came to Prophet Muhammad , Just as it Came to the Prophets Before Him
Muhammad bin Ishaq narrat ed t hat Muhammad bin Abi Muhammad said t hat ` Ikrimah, or Sa` id bin Jubayr, relat ed t o Ibn ` Abbas t hat he said, "Sukayn and ` Adi bin Zayd said, ` O Muhammad! We do not know t hat Allah sent down anyt hing t o any human aft er Musa.' Allah sent down a rebut t al of t heir st at ement ,

(Verily, We have inspired you (O Muhammad) as We inspired Nuh and t he Prophet s aft er him.)'' Allah st at es t hat He sent down revelat ion t o His servant and Messenger Muhammad j ust as He sent down revelat ion t o previous Prophet s. Allah said,


(Verily, We have inspired you (O Muhammad) as We inspired Nuh and t he Prophet s aft er him,) unt il,

(...and t o Dawud We gave t he Zabur. ) The ` Zabur' (Psalms) is t he name of t he Book revealed t o Prophet Dawud, peace be upon him.

Twenty-Five Prophets Are Mentioned in the Qur'an

Allah said,

(And Messengers We have ment ioned t o you before, and Messengers We have not ment ioned t o you) Before t he revelat ion of t his Ayah. The following are t he names of t he Prophet s whom Allah named in t he Qur'an. They are: Adam, Idris, Nuh (Noah), Hud, Salih, Ibrahim (Abraham), Lut , Isma` il (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Ya` qub (Jacob), Yusuf (Joesph), Ayyub (Job), Shu` ayb, Musa (Moses), Harun (Aaron), Yunus (Jonah), Dawud (David), Sulayman (Solomon), Ilyas (Elias), Al-Yasa` (Elisha), Zakariya (Zachariya), Yahya (John) and ` Isa (Jesus), and t heir leader, Muhammad . Several scholars of Tafsir also list ed Dhul-Kifl among t he Prophet s. Allah's st at ement ,

(and Messengers We have not ment ioned t o you,) means, ` t here are ot her Prophet s whom We did not ment ion t o you in t he Qur'an.'

The Virtue of Musa

Allah said,


(and t o Musa Allah spoke direct ly.) This is an honor t o Musa, and t his is why he is called t he Kalim, he whom Allah spoke t o direct ly. Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr bin Marduwyah recorded t hat ` Abdul-Jabbar bin ` Abdullah said, "A man came t o Abu Bakr bin ` Ayyash and said, ` I heard a man recit e (t his Ayah t his way): "and t o Allah, Musa spoke direct ly.'' Abu Bakr said, ` Only a disbeliever would recit e it like t his.' Al-A` mash recit ed it wit h Yahya bin Wit hab, who recit ed it wit h Abu ` Abdur-Rahman As-Sulami who recit ed it wit h ` Ali bin Abi Talib who recit ed wit h t he Messenger of Allah ,

(and t o Musa Allah spoke direct ly.)''' Abu Bakr bin Abi Ayyash was so angry wit h t he man who recit ed t he Ayah different ly, because he alt ered it s words and meanings. That person was from t he group of Mu` t azilah who denied t hat Allah spoke t o Musa or t hat He speaks t o any of His creat ion. We were t old t hat some of t he Mu` t azilah once recit ed t he Ayah t hat way, so one t eacher present said t o him, "O son of a st inking woman! What would you do concerning Allah's st at ement ,

(And when Musa came at t he t ime and place appoint ed by Us, and his Lord spoke t o him,) 7:143 '' The Shaykh meant t hat t he lat er Ayah cannot be alt ered or changed.

The Reason Behind Sending the Prophets is to Establish the Proof

Allah said,

(Messengers as bearers of good news as well as of warning,) meaning, t he Prophet s bring good news t o t hose who obey Allah and pract ice t he good t hings t hat please Him. They also warn against His punishment and t orment for t hose who defy His commandment s. Allah said next ,

(in order t hat mankind should have no plea against Allah aft er t he Messengers. And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise.) Allah sent down His Books and sent His Messengers wit h good news

and warnings. He explained what He likes and is pleased wit h and what He dislikes and is displeased wit h. This way, no one will have an excuse wit h Allah. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And if We had dest royed t hem wit h a t orment before t his, t hey would surely have said: "Our Lord! If only You had sent us a Messenger, we should cert ainly have followed Your Ayat , before we were humiliat ed and disgraced.'') and,

(And if (We had) not (sent you t o t he people of Makkah) in case a calamit y should seize t hem for (t he deeds) t hat t heir hands have sent fort h. ) It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat Ibn Mas` ud said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(No one is more j ealous t han Allah. This is why He prohibit ed all t ypes of sin commit t ed in public or secret . No one likes praise more t han Allah, and t his is why He has praised Himself. No one likes t o give excuse more t han Allah, and t his is why He sent t he Prophet s as bearers of good news and as warners.) In anot her narrat ion, t he Prophet said,

(And t his is why He sent His Messengers and revealed His Books.)

 - - -
(166. But Allah bears wit ness t o t hat which He has sent down unt o you; He has sent it down wit h His knowledge, and t he angels bear wit ness. And Allah is All-Sufficient as a Wit ness.) (167. Verily, t hose who disbelieve and prevent (ot hers) from t he pat h of Allah; t hey have cert ainly st rayed far away.) (168. Verily, t hose who disbelieve and did wrong; Allah will not forgive t hem, nor will He guide t hem t o a way.) (169. Except t he way of Hell, t o dwell t herein forever; and t his is ever easy for Allah.) (170. O mankind! Verily, t here has come t o you t he Messenger wit h t he t rut h from your Lord. So believe in him, it is bet t er for you. But if you disbelieve, t hen cert ainly t o Allah belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and t he eart h. And Allah is Ever AllKnowing, All-Wise.) Allah's st at ement

(Verily, We have inspired you...) emphasized t he Prophet 's prophet hood and refut ed t he idolat ors and People of t he Script ure who denied him. Allah said,

(But Allah bears wit ness t o t hat which He has sent down unt o you,) meaning, even if t hey deny, defy and disbelieve in you, O Muhammad, Allah t est ifies t hat you are His Messenger t o whom He sent down His Book, t he Glorious Qur'an t hat ,

(Falsehood cannot come t o it from before it or behind it , (it is) sent down by t he All-Wise, Wort hy of all praise.) Allah t hen said,

(He has sent it down wit h His knowledge,) The knowledge of His t hat He willed His servant s t o have access t o. Knowledge about t he clear signs of guidance and t rut h, what Allah likes and is pleased wit h, what He dislikes and is displeased wit h, and knowledge of t he Unseen, such as t he past and t he fut ure. This also includes knowledge about His honorable at t ribut es t hat no sent Messenger or illust rious angel can even know wit hout Allah's leave. Similarly, Allah said,

(And t hey will never compass anyt hing of His knowledge except t hat which He wills.) and,

(but t hey will never compass anyt hing of His knowledge.) Allah's st at ement ,

(and t he angels bear wit ness.) t o t he t rut h of what you came wit h and what was revealed and sent down t o you, along wit h Allah's t est imony t o t he same,

(And Allah is All-Sufficient as a Wit ness.) Allah said,


(Verily, t hose who disbelieve and prevent (ot hers) from t he pat h of Allah, t hey have cert ainly st rayed far away.) For t hey are disbelievers t hemselves and do not follow t he t rut h. They st rive hard t o prevent people from following and embracing Allah's pat h. Therefore, t hey have defied t he t rut h, deviat ed, and st rayed far away from it . Allah also ment ions His j udgment against t hose who disbelieve in His Ayat , Book and Messenger, t hose who wrong t hemselves by t heir disbelief and hindering ot hers from His pat h, commit t ing sins and violat ing His prohibit ions. Allah st at es t hat He will not forgive t hem;

(nor will He guide t hem t o a way (t hat is, of good).)

(Except t he way of Hell, t o dwell t herein forever...) and t his is t he except ion. Allah t hen said,

(O mankind! Verily, t here has come t o you t he Messenger wit h t he t rut h from your Lord, so believe in him, it is bet t er for you.) This Ayah means, Muhammad has come t o you wit h guidance, t he religion of t rut h and clear proof from Allah. Therefore, believe in what he has brought you and follow him, for t his is bet t er for you. Allah t hen said,

(But if you disbelieve, t hen cert ainly t o Allah belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and t he eart h.) Allah is far t oo rich t han t o need you or your fait h, and no harm could ever affect Him because of your disbelief. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And Musa said: "If you disbelieve, you and all on eart h t oget her, t hen verily, Allah is Rich (Free of all needs), Owner of all praise.'') Allah said here,

(And Allah is Ever All-Knowing,) He knows t hose who deserve t o be guided, and He will guide t hem. He also knows t hose who deserve deviat ion, and He leads t hem t o it ,

(All-Wise) in His st at ement s, act ions, legislat ion and all t hat He decrees.

(171. O People of t he Script ure! Do not exceed t he limit s in your religion, nor say of Allah except t he t rut h. Al-Masih ` Isa, son of Maryam, was (no more t han) a Messenger of Allah and His Word, which He best owed on Maryam and a spirit from creat ed by Him; so believe in Allah and His Messengers. Say not : "Three!'' Cease! (it is) bet t er for you. For Allah is (t he only) One God, hallowed be He above having a son. To Him belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is in t he eart h. And Allah is All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs.)

Prohibiting the People of the Book From Going to Extremes in Religion

Allah forbids t he People of t he Script ures from going t o ext remes in religion, which is a common t rait of t heirs, especially among t he Christ ians. The Christ ians exaggerat ed over ` Isa unt il t hey elevat ed him above t he grade t hat Allah gave him. They elevat ed him from t he rank

of prophet hood t o being a god, whom t hey worshipped j ust as t hey worshipped Allah. They exaggerat ed even more in t he case of t hose who t hey claim were his followers, claiming t hat t hey were inspired, t hus following every word t hey ut t ered whet her t rue or false, be it guidance or misguidance, t rut h or lies. This is why Allah said,

(They t ook t heir rabbis and t heir monks t o be t heir lords besides Allah.) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ` Umar said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: .
(Do not unduly praise me like t he Christ ians exaggerat ed over ` Isa, son of Maryam. Verily, I am only a servant , so say, ` Allah's servant and His Messenger.') This is t he wording of Al-Bukhari. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Anas bin Malik said t hat a man once said, "O Muhammad! You are our mast er and t he son of our mast er, our most right eous person and t he son of our most right eous person...'' The Messenger of Allah said,

(O people! Say what you have t o say, but do not allow Shayt an t o t rick you. I am Muhammad bin ` Abdullah, Allah's servant and Messenger. By Allah! I do not like t hat you elevat e me above t he rank t hat Allah has grant ed me.) Allah's st at ement ,

(nor say of Allah except t he t rut h.) means, do not lie and claim t hat Allah has a wife or a son, Allah is far holier t han what t hey at t ribut e t o Him. Allah is glorified, praised, and honored in His might , grandure and great ness, and t here is no deit y wort hy of worship nor Lord but Him. Allah said;


(Al-Masih ` Isa, son of Maryam, was (no more t han) a Messenger of Allah and His Word, which He best owed on Maryam and a spirit from creat ed by Him;) ` Isa is only one of Allah's servant s and one of His creat ures. Allah said t o him, ` Be', and he was, and He sent him as a Messenger. ` Isa was a word from Allah t hat He best owed on Maryam, meaning He creat ed him wit h t he word ` Be' t hat He sent wit h Jibril t o Maryam. Jibril blew t he life of ` Isa int o Maryam by Allah's leave, and ` Isa came t o exist ence as a result . This incident was in place of t he normal concept ion bet ween man and woman t hat result s in children. This is why ` Isa was a word and a Ruh (spirit ) creat ed by Allah, as he had no fat her t o conceive him. Rat her, he came t o exist ence t hrough t he word t hat Allah ut t ered, ` Be,' and he was, t hrough t he life t hat Allah sent wit h Jibril. Allah said,

(Al-Masih ` Isa , son of Maryam, was no more t han a Messenger; many were t he Messengers t hat passed away before him. His mot her Maryam was a Siddiqah. They bot h at e food.) And Allah said,

(Verily, t he likeness of ` Isa before Allah is t he likeness of Adam. He creat ed him from dust , t hen (He) said t o him: "Be! and he was.)

(And she who guarded her chast it y, We breat hed int o her (garment ) and We made her and her son ` Isa a sign for all t hat exit s.) (21:91)

(And Maryam, t he daught er of ` Imran who guarded her chast it y,) and Allah said concerning t he Messiah,

(He ` Isa was not more t han a servant . We grant ed Our favor t o him.)

The Meaning of "His Word and a spirit from Him

Abdur-Razzaq narrat ed t hat Ma` mar said t hat Qat adah said t hat t he Ayah,

(And His Word, which He best owed on Maryam and a spirit from creat ed by Him;) means, He said,

(Be) and he was. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ahmad bin Sinan Al-Wasit i said t hat he heard Shadh bin Yahya saying about Allah's st at ement ,

(and His Word, which He best owed on Maryam and a spirit from creat ed by Him;) "` Isa was not t he word. Rat her, ` Isa came t o exist ence because of t he word.'' Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` Ubadah bin As-Samit said t hat t he Prophet said,

(If anyone t est ifies t hat none has t he right t o be worshipped but Allah Alone Who has no part ners, and t hat Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, and t hat ` Isa is Allah's servant and

Messenger and His Word which He best owed on Maryam and a spirit creat ed by Him, and t hat Paradise is t rue and Hell is t rue, t hen Allah will admit him int o Paradise wit h t he deeds which he performed.) In anot her narrat ion, t he Prophet said,

(...t hrough any of t he eight doors of Paradise he wishes.) Muslim also recorded it . Therefore, ` Ruh from Allah', in t he Ayah and t he Hadit h is similar t o Allah's st at ement ,

(And has subj ect ed t o you all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is in t he eart h; it is all from Him.) meaning, from His creat ion. ` from Him' does not mean t hat it is a part of Him, as t he Christ ians claim, may Allah's cont inued curses be upon t hem. Saying t hat somet hing is from Allah, such as t he spirit of Allah, t he she-camel of Allah or t he House of Allah, is meant t o honor such it ems. Allah said,

(This is t he she-camel of Allah...) and,

(and sanct ify My House for t hose who circumambulat e it .) An aut hent ic Hadit h st at es,

(I will ent er on my Lord in His Home) All t hese examples are meant t o honor such it ems when t hey are at t ribut ed t o Allah in t his manner. Allah said,

(so believe in Allah and His Messengers.) believe t hat Allah is One and Alone and t hat He does not have a son or wife. Know and be cert ain t hat ` Isa is t he servant and Messenger of Allah. Allah said aft er t hat ,


(Say not : "Three!") do not elevat e ` Isa and his mot her t o be gods wit h Allah. Allah is far holier t han what t hey at t ribut e t o Him. In Surat Al-Ma'idah (chapt er 5), Allah said,

(Surely, disbelievers are t hose who said: "Allah is t he t hird of t he t hree.'' But t here is none who has t he right t o be worshipped but One God.) Allah said by t he end of t he same Surah,

(And (remember) when Allah will say (on t he Day of Resurrect ion): "O ` Isa, son of Maryam! Did you say unt o men: ` Worship me''') and in it s beginning,

(Surely, in disbelief are t hey who say t hat Allah is t he Messiah, son of Maryam.) The Christ ians, may Allah curse t hem, have no limit t o t heir disbelief because of t heir ignorance, so t heir deviant st at ement s and t heir misguidance grows. Some of t hem believe t hat ` Isa is Allah, some believe t hat he is one in a t rinit y and some believe t hat he is t he son of Allah. Their beliefs and creeds are numerous and cont radict each ot her, prompt ing some people t o say t hat if t en Christ ians meet , t hey would end up wit h eleven sect s!

The Christian Sects

Sa` id bin Bat riq, t he Pat riarch of Alexandria and a famous Christ ian scholar, ment ioned in t he year four hundred aft er t he Hij rah, t hat a Christ ian Council convened during t he reign of Const ant ine, who built t he cit y t hat bears his name. In t his Council, t he Christ ians came up wit h what t hey called t he Great Trust , which in realit y is t he Great Treachery. There were more t han t wo t housand pat riarchs in t his Council, and t hey were in such disarray t hat t hey divided int o many sect s, where some sect s had t went y, fift y or a hundred members, et c.! When t he king saw t hat t here were more t han t hree hundred Pat riarchs who had t he same idea, he agreed wit h t hem and adopt ed t heir creed. Const ant ine who was a deviant philosopher -- gave his support t o t his sect for which, as an honor, churches were built and doct rines were t aught t o young children, who were bapt ized on t his creed, and books were

writ t en about it . Meanwhile, t he king oppressed all ot her sect s. Anot her Council produced t he sect known as t he Jacobit es, while t he Nest orians were formed in a t hird Council. These t hree sect s agreed t hat ` Isa was divine, but disput ed regarding t he manner in which ` Isa's divinit y was relat ed t o his humanit y; were t hey in unit y or did Allah incarnat e in ` Isa! All t hree of t hese sect s accuse each ot her of heresy and, we believe t hat all t hree of t hem are disbelievers. Allah said,

(Cease! (it is) bet t er for you.) meaning, it will be bet t er for you,

(For Allah is (t he only) One God, hallowed be He above having a son.) and He is holier t han such claim,

(To Him belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is in t he eart h. And Allah is All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs,) for all are creat ures, propert y and servant s under His cont rol and disposal, and He is t he Disposer of t he affairs. Therefore, how can He have a wife or a son among t hem,

(He is t he originat or of t he heavens and t he eart h. How can He have children.) and

-
(And t hey say: "The Most Gracious (Allah) has begot t en a son. Indeed you have brought fort h (said) a t errible evil t hing.'') Up t o His saying,

(Alone.)

 -
(172. Al-Masih will never be t oo proud t o be a servant of Allah, nor t he angels who are t he near (t o Allah). And whosoever rej ect s His worship and is proud, t hen He will gat her t hem all t oget her unt o Himself.) (173. So, as for t hose who believed and did deeds of right eousness, He will give t hem t heir (due) rewards and more out of His bount y. But as for t hose who refused His worship and were proud, He will punish t hem wit h a painful t orment . And t hey will not find for t hemselves besides Allah any prot ect or or helper.)

The Prophets and Angels Are Never too Proud to Worship Allah
Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat , ` proud', means insolent . Qat adah said t hat ,

(Al-Masih will never be t oo proud t o be a servant of Allah nor t he angels who are near (t o Allah).) t hey will never be arrogant , Allah t hen said,

(And whosoever rej ect s His worship and is proud, t hen He will gat her t hem all t oget her unt o Himself.) on t he Day of Resurrect ion. Then, Allah will j udge bet ween t hem wit h His j ust j udgment t hat is never unj ust or wrong.


(So, as for t hose who believed and did deeds of right eousness, He will give t heir (due) rewards, and more out of His bount y.) Allah will award t hem t heir full rewards for t heir right eous act ions and will give t hem more of His bount y, kindness, ample mercy and favor.

(But as for t hose who refused His worship and were proud, ) out of arrogance, t hey refused t o obey and worship Him,

(He will punish t hem wit h a painful t orment . And t hey will not find for t hemselves besides Allah any prot ect or or helper.) In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(Verily! Those who scorn My worship, t hey will surely ent er Hell in humiliat ion,) degradat ion, disgrace and dishonor, for t hey were arrogant and rebellious.

-
(174. O mankind! Verily, t here has come t o you a convincing proof from your Lord; and We sent down t o you a manifest light .) (175. So, as for t hose who believed in Allah and held fast t o

depend on Him, He will admit t hem t o His mercy and grace (i.e. Paradise), and guide t hem t o Himself by a st raight pat h.)

The Description of the Revelation that Came From Allah

Allah informs all people t hat a plain, unequivocal proof has come t o t hem from Him. One t hat eradicat es all possibilit y of having an excuse, or falling prey t o evil doubt s. Allah said,

(and We sent down t o you a manifest light .) t hat direct s t o t he Trut h. Ibn Jurayj and ot hers said, "It is t he Qur'an.''

(So, as for t hose who believed in Allah and held fast t o depend on Him,) by worshipping Him and relying on Him for each and every t hing. Ibn Jurayj said t hat t his part of t he Ayah means, "They believe in Allah and hold fast t o t he Qur'an.''

(He will admit t hem t o His mercy and grace,) meaning, He will grant t hem His mercy and admit t hem int o Paradise, and will increase and mult iply t heir rewards and t heir ranks, as a favor and bount y from Him.

(and guide t hem t o Himself by a st raight pat h.) and a clear way t hat has no wickedness in it or deviat ion. This, indeed, is t he descript ion of t he believers in t his life and t he Hereaft er, as t hey are on t he st raight and safe pat h in mat t ers of act ion and creed. In t he Hereaft er, t hey are on t he st raight pat h of Allah t hat leads t o t he gardens of Paradise.


(176. They ask you for a legal verdict . Say: "Allah direct s (t hus) about Al-Kalalah. If it is a man t hat dies leaving a sist er, but no child, she shall have half t he inherit ance, and in her case he will be her heir if she has no children. If t here are t wo sist ers, t hey shall have t wo-t hirds of t he inherit ance; if t here are brot hers and sist ers, t he male will have t wice t he share of t he female. (Thus) does Allah make clear t o you (His Law) lest you go ast ray. And Allah is t he All-Knower of everyt hing.'')

This is the Last Ayah Ever Revealed, the Ruling on Al-Kalalah

Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Al-Bara' said t hat t he last Surah t o be revealed was Surah Bara'ah (chapt er 9) and t he last Ayah t o be revealed was,

(They ask you for a legal verdict ...) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah said, "The Messenger of Allah came visit ing me when I was so ill t hat I fell unconscious. He performed ablut ion and poured t he remaining wat er on me, or had it poured on me. When I regained consciousness, I said, ` I will only leave inherit ance t hrough Kalalah, so what about t he inherit ance t hat I leave behind' Allah lat er revealed t he Ayah about Fara'id (inherit ance 4:11 ).''' The Two Sahihs and also t he Group recorded it . In one of t he wordings, Jabir said t hat t he Ayah on inherit ance was revealed;

(They ask you for a legal verdict . Say: "Allah direct s (t hus) about Al-Kalalah.) The wording of t he Ayah indicat es t hat t he quest ion was about t he Kalalah,

(Say: "Allah direct s (t hus)...) We ment ioned t he meaning of Kalalah before, t hat it means t he crown t hat surrounds t he head from all sides. This is why t he scholars st at ed t hat Kalalah pert ains t o one who dies and leaves behind neit her descendant s, nor ascendant s. Some said t hat t he Kalalah pert ains t o one who has no offspring, as t he Ayah st at es,


(If it is a man t hat dies, leaving no child,) The meaning and ruling of Kalalah was somewhat confusing t o t he Leader of t he Fait hful ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab. It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat ` Umar said, "There are t hree mat t ers t hat I wished t he Messenger of Allah had explained t o us, so t hat we could abide by his explanat ion. (They are: t he share in t he inherit ance of) t he grandfat her, t he Kalalah and a cert ain t ype of Riba.'' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ma` dan bin Abi Talhah said t hat ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab said, "There is not hing t hat I asked t he Messenger of Allah about it s meaning more t han t he Kalalah, unt il he st abbed me wit h his finger in my chest and said,

(The Ayah t hat is in t he end of Surat An-Nisa' should suffice for you.)'' Ahmad ment ioned t his short narrat ion for t his Hadit h, Muslim recorded a longer form of it .

The Meaning of This Ayah

Allah said,

(If it is a man t hat dies.) Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(Everyt hing will perish save His Face.) Therefore, everyt hing and everyone dies and perishes except Allah, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored. Allah said,

-
(What soever is on it (t he eart h) will perish. And t he Face of your Lord full of maj est y and honor will remain forever.) Allah said here,


(leaving no child,) referring t o t he person who has neit her children, nor parent s. What t est ifies t o t his, is t hat Allah said aft erwards,

(Leaving a sist er, she shall have half t he inherit ance.) Had t here been a surviving ascendant , t he sist er would not have inherit ed anyt hing, and t here is a consensus on t his point . Therefore, t his Ayah is referring t o t he man who dies leaving behind neit her descendant s nor ascendant s, as is apparent for t hose who cont emplat e it s meaning. This is because when t here is a surviving parent , t he sist er does not inherit anyt hing, let alone half of t he inherit ance. Ibn Jarir and ot hers ment ioned t hat Ibn ` Abbas and Ibn Az-Zubayr used t o j udge t hat if a person dies and leaves behind a daught er and a sist er, t he sist er does not inherit anyt hing. They would recit e,

(If it is a man t hat dies, leaving a sist er, but no child, she shall have half t he inherit ance.) They said t hat if one leaves behind a daught er, t hen he has left behind a child. Therefore t he sist er does not get anyt hing. The maj orit y of scholars disagreed wit h t hem, saying t he daught er get s one half and t he sist er t he ot her half, relying on ot her evidence. This Ayah (4:176 above) gives t he sist er half of t he inherit ance in t he case t hat it specifies. As for giving t he sist er half in ot her cases, Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Sulayman said t hat Ibrahim report ed t o Al-Aswad t hat he said, "During t he t ime of t he Messenger of Allah , Mu` adh bin Jabal gave a j udgment t hat t he daught er get s one half and t he sist er t he ot her half.'' Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Huzayl bin Shurahbil said, "Abu Musa Al-Ash` ari was asked about t he case when t here was a daught er, grand-daught er and sist er t o inherit . He said, ` The daught er get s one-half and t he sist er onehalf.' Go and ask Ibn Mas` ud, alt hough I t hink he is going t o agree wit h me.' So Ibn Mas` ud was asked and was t old about Abu Musa's answer, and Ibn Mas` ud comment ed, ` I would have deviat ed t hen and would not have become among t hose who are right ly guided. I will give a j udgment similar t o t he j udgment given by t he Prophet . The daught er get s one-half, t he grand-daught er get s one-sixt h, and t hese t wo shares will add up t o t wo-t hirds. What ever is left will be for t he sist er.' We went back t o Abu Musa and conveyed t o him Ibn Mas` ud's answer and he said, ` Do not ask me (for legal verdict s) as long as t his scholar is st ill among you.''' Allah t hen said,

(... and he will be her heir if she has no children.) This Ayah means, t he brot her inherit s all of t hat his sist er leaves behind if she has no surviving offspring or parent s. If she has a surviving parent , her brot her would not inherit anyt hing. If t here is someone who get s a fixed share in t he inherit ance, such as a husband or half brot her from t he mot her's side, t hey t ake t heir share

and t he rest goes t o t he brot her. It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Give t he Farai'd t o it s people, and what ever is left is t he share of t he nearest male relat ive.) Allah said,

(If t here are t wo sist ers, t hey shall have t wo-t hirds of t he inherit ance;) meaning, if t he person who dies in Kalalah has t wo sist ers, t hey get t wo-t hirds of t he inherit ance. More t han t wo sist ers share in t he t wo-t hirds. From t his Ayah, t he scholars t ook t he ruling regarding t he t wo daught ers, or more, t hat t hey share in t he t wo-t hirds, j ust as t he share of t he sist ers (t wo or more) was t aken from t he Ayah about t he daught ers,

(if (t here are) only daught ers, t wo or more, t heir share is t wo t hirds of t he inherit ance.) 4:11 . Allah said,

(if t here are brot hers and sist ers, t he male will have t wice t he share of t he female.) This is t he share t hat t he male relat ives (sons, grandsons, brot hers) regularly get , t hat is, t wice as much as t he female get s. Allah said,

((Thus) does Allah make clear t o you...) His Law and set limit s, clarifying His legislat ion,

(Lest you go ast ray.) from t he t rut h aft er t his explanat ion,


(And Allah is t he All-Knower of everyt hing.) Allah has perfect knowledge in t he consequences of everyt hing and in t he benefit t hat each mat t er carries for His servant s. He also knows what each of t he relat ives deserves from t he inherit ance, according t o t he degree of relat ion he or she has wit h t he deceased. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Tariq bin Shihab said t hat ` Umar gat hered t he Companions of t he Messenger of Allah once and said, "I will give a ruling concerning t he Kalalah t hat even women will t alk about it in t heir bedrooms.'' A snake t hen appeared in t he house and t he gat hering had t o disperse. ` Umar comment ed, ` Had Allah willed t his (` Umar's verdict regarding t he Kalalah) t o happen, it would have happened.'' The chain of narrat ion for t his st ory is aut hent ic. Al-Hakim, Abu ` Abdullah An-Naysaburi recorded t hat ` Umar bin AlKhat t ab said, ` Had I asked t he Messenger of Allah regarding t hree t hings, it would have been bet t er for me t han red camels. (They are:) who should be t he Khalifah aft er him; about a people who said, ` We agree t o pay Zakah, but not t o you (meaning t o t he Khalifah),' if we are allowed t o fight t hem; and about t he Kalalah.'' Al-Hakim said, "It s chain is Sahih according t o t he Two Shaykhs, and t hey did not recorded it .'' Ibn Jarir also said t hat it was report ed t hat ` Umar said, "I feel shy t o change a ruling t hat Abu Bakr issued. Abu Bakr used t o say t hat t he Kalalah is t he person who has no descendant s or ascendant s.'' Abu Bakr's saying is what t he maj orit y of scholars among t he Companions, t heir followers and t he earlier and lat er Imams agree wit h. This is also t he ruling t hat t he Qur'an indicat es. For Allah st at ed t hat He has explained and made plain t he ruling of t he Kalalah, when He said,

((Thus) does Allah makes clear t o you (His Law) lest you go ast ray. And Allah is t he All-Knower of everyt hing.) And Allah knows best .

The Tafsir of Surat Al-Ma'idah (Chapter - 5) The Virtues of Surat Al-Ma'idah; When It was Revealed
At -Tirmidhi recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said, "The last Surahs t o be revealed were Surat Al-Ma'idah and Surat Al-Fat h (chapt er 48).'' At -Tirmidhi comment ed, "This Hadit h is Hasan, Gharib.'' and it was also report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he last Surah t o be revealed was,

(When t here comes t he help of Allah and t he Conquest ,) Al-Hakim collect ed a narrat ion similar t o t hat of At -Tirmidhi in his Must adrak, and he said, "It is Sahih according t o t he crit eria of t he Two Shaykhs and t hey did not record it .'' Al-Hakim narrat ed t hat Jubayr bin Nufayr said, "I performed Haj j once and visit ed ` A'ishah and she said t o me, ` O Jubayr! Do you read (or memorize) Al-Ma'idah ' I answered ` Yes.' She said, ` It was t he last Surah t o be revealed. Therefore, what ever permissible mat t ers you find in it , t hen consider (t reat ) t hem permissible. And what ever impermissible mat t ers you find in it , t hen consider (t reat ) t hem impermissible.'''

Al-Hakim said, "It is Sahih according t o t he crit eria of t he Two Shaykhs and t hey did not record it . '' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdur-Rahman bin Mahdi relat ed t hat Mu` awiyah bin Salih added t his st at ement in t he last Hadit h, "I (Jubayr) also asked ` A'ishah about t he Messenger of Allah's conduct and she answered by saying, ` The Qur'an.''' An-Nasa'i also recorded it .

-
(In t he Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.) (1. O you who believe! Fulfill (your) obligat ions. Lawful t o you (for food) are all t he beast s of cat t le except t hat which will be announced t o you (herein), game (also) being unlawful when you assume Ihram. Verily, Allah commands t hat which He wills.) (2. O you who believe! Violat e not t he sanct it y of t he symbols of Allah, nor of t he Sacred Mont h, nor of t he Hady brought for sacrifice, nor t he garlands, nor t he people coming t o t he Sacred House (Makkah), seeking t he bount y and good pleasure of t heir Lord. But when you finish t he Ihram, t hen hunt , and let not t he hat red of some people in (once) st opping you from Al-Masj id Al-Haram (at Makkah) lead you t o t ransgression. Help you one anot her in Al-Birr and At -Taqwa, but do not help one anot her in sin and t ransgression. And have Taqwa of Allah. Verily, Allah is severe in punishment .) Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat a man came t o ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud and said t o him, "Advise me.'' He said, "When you hear Allah's st at ement ,


(O you who believe!) t hen pay full at t ent ion, for it is a right eous mat t er t hat He is ordaining or an evil t hing t hat He is forbidding.'' Khayt hamah said, "Everyt hing in t he Qur'an t hat reads,

(O you who believe!) reads in t he Tawrah, ` O you who are in need.''' Allah said,

(Fulfill (your) obligat ions.) Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid and ot hers said t hat ` obligat ions' here means t reat ies. Ibn Jarir ment ioned t hat t here is a consensus for t his view. Ibn Jarir also said t hat it means t reat ies, such as t he alliances t hat t hey used t o conduct . ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed:

(O you who believe! Fulfill (your) obligat ions.) "Refers t o t he covenant s, meaning, what Allah permit t ed, prohibit ed, ordained and set limit s for in t he Qur'an. Therefore, do not commit t reachery or break t he covenant s. Allah emphasized t his command when He said,

(And t hose who break t he covenant of Allah, aft er it s rat ificat ion, and sever t hat which Allah has commanded t o be j oined,) unt il,

(unhappy (evil) home (i.e. Hell).)'' Ad-Dahhak said t hat ,

(Fulfill your obligat ions.) "Refers t o what Allah has permit t ed and what He has prohibit ed. Allah has t aken t he covenant from t hose who proclaim t heir fait h in t he Prophet and t he Book t o fulfill t he obligat ions t hat He has ordered for t hem in t he permissible and t he impermissible.''

Explaining the Lawful and the Unlawful Beasts

Allah said,

(Lawful t o you (for food) are all t he beast s of cat t le) camels, cows and sheep, as Al-Hasan, Qat adah and several ot hers st at ed. Ibn Jarir said t hat t his Tafsir conforms t o t he meaning of (` beast s of cat t le') t hat t he Arabs had. We should ment ion t hat Ibn ` Umar, Ibn ` Abbas and ot hers relied on t his Ayah as evidence t o allow eat ing t he meat of t he fet us if it is found dead in t he belly of it s slaught ered mot her. There is a Hadit h t o t he same effect collect ed in t he Sunan of Abu Dawud, At -Tirmidhi and Ibn Maj ah and narrat ed by Abu Sa` id who said, "We asked, ` O Messenger of Allah! When we slaught er a camel, cow or sheep, we somet imes find a fet us in it s belly, should we discard it or eat it s meat ' He said,

(Eat it if you want , because it s slaught er was fulfilled when it s mot her was slaught ered.)'' At Tirmidhi said, "This Hadit h is Hasan.'' Abu Dawud recorded t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Proper slaught er of t he fet us is fulfilled wit h t he slaught er of it s mot her.) Only Abu Dawud collect ed t his narrat ion. Allah's st at ement ,

(except t hat which will be announced t o you (herein), ) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat it refers t o, "The flesh of dead animals, blood and t he meat of swine.'' Qat adah said, "The meat of dead animals and animals slaught ered wit hout Allah's Name being pronounced at t he t ime of slaught ering.'' It appears, and Allah knows best , t hat t he Ayah refers t o Allah's ot her st at ement ,

(Forbidden t o you (for food) are: Al-Mayt ah (t he dead animals), blood, t he flesh of swine, and what has been slaught ered as a sacrifice for ot hers t han Allah, and t hat which has been killed by st rangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by t he goring of horns - and t hat which has been (part ly) eat en by a wild animal.) 5:3 , for alt hough t he animals ment ioned in t his Ayah are t ypes of permissible cat t le (except for swine), t hey become impermissible under t he circumst ances t hat t he Ayah 5:3 specifies. This is why Allah said aft erwards,

(Unless you are able t o slaught er it (before it s deat h) and t hat which is sacrificed (slaught ered) on An-Nusub (st one alt ars)) as t he lat t er t ype is not permissible, because it can no longer be slaught ered properly. Hence, Allah's st at ement ,

(Lawful t o you are all t he beast s of cat t le except t hat which will be announced t o you, ) means, except t he specific circumst ances t hat prohibit some of t hese which will be announced t o you. Allah said,

(game (also) being unlawful when you assume Ihram.) Some scholars said t hat t he general meaning of ` cat t le' includes domest icat ed cat t le, such as camels, cows and sheep, and wild cat t le, such as gazzelle, wild cat t le and wild donkeys. Allah made t he except ions ment ioned above (dead animals blood, flesh of swine et c.), and prohibit ed hunt ing wild beast s while in t he st at e of Ihram. It was also report ed t hat t he meaning here is, "We have allowed for you all t ypes of cat t le in all circumst ances, except what We excluded herewit h for t he one hunt ing game while in t he st at e of Ihram.'' Allah said,

(But if one is forced by necessit y, wit hout willful disobedience, and not t ransgressing, t hen, Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) This Ayah means, "We allowed eat ing t he meat of dead animals, when one is forced by necessit y, under t he condit ion t hat one is not t ransgressing t he limit s or overst epping t hem.'' Here, Allah st at es, "Just as We allowed t he meat of cat t le in all condit ions and circumst ances, t hen do not hunt game when in t he st at e of Ihram, for t his is t he decision of Allah, Who is t he Most Wise in all t hat He commands and forbids.'' So Allah said;

(Verily, Allah commands t hat which He wills.)

The Necessity of Observing the Sanctity of the Sacred Area and the Sacred Months
Allah cont inues,

(O you who believe! Violat e not t he sanct it y of Sha'a'ir Allah (t he symbols of Allah),) Ibn ` Abbas said, "Sha` a'ir Allah means t he rit uals of Haj j .'' Muj ahid said, "As-Safa and Al-Marwah, and t he sacrificial animal are t he symbols of Allah.'' It was also st at ed t hat Sha` a'ir Allah is what He prohibit ed. Therefore, it means, do not violat e what Allah prohibit ed. Allah said aft erwards,

(nor of t he Sacred Mont h,) for you are required t o respect and honor t he Sacred Mont h and t o refrain from what Allah forbade during it , such as fight ing. This also lays emphasis on avoiding sins during t hat t ime. As Allah said;

(They ask you concerning fight ing in t he Sacred Mont h. Say, "Fight ing t herein is a great (t ransgression).'') and,

(Verily, t he number of mont hs wit h Allah is t welve mont hs (in a year). ) Al-Bukhari recorded in his Sahih t hat Abu Bakrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said during t he Farewell Haj j ,


(The division of t ime has ret urned as it was when Allah creat ed t he Heavens and t he eart h. The year is t welve mont hs, four of which are sacred: Three are in succession, (t hey are:) DhulQa'dah, Dhul-Hij j ah and Muharram, and (t he fourt h is) Raj ab of (t he t ribe of) Mudar which comes bet ween Jumada (At h-Thaniyah) and Sha'ban.) This Hadit h t est ifies t o t he cont inued sanct it y of t hese mont hs unt il t he end of t ime.

Taking the Hady to the Sacred House of Allah, Al-Ka` bah

Allah's st at ement ,

(nor of t he Hady brought for sacrifice, nor t he garlands,) means, do not abandon t he pract ice of bringing t he Hady (sacrificial animals) t o t he Sacred House, as t his rit ual is a form of honoring t he symbols of Allah. Do not abandon t he pract ice of garlanding t hese animals on t heir necks, so t hat t hey are dist inguished from ot her cat t le. This way, it will be known t hat t hese animals are int ended t o be offered as Hady at t he Ka` bah, and t hus t hose who might int end some harm t o t hem would refrain from doing so. Those who see t he Hady might be encouraged t o imit at e t his rit ual, and indeed, he who calls t o a t ype of guidance, will earn rewards equal t o t he rewards of t hose who follow his lead, wit hout decrease in t heir own rewards. When t he Messenger of Allah int ended t o perform Haj j , he spent t he night at DhulHulayfah, which is also called Wadi Al-` Aqiq. In t he morning, t he Prophet made rounds wit h his wives, who were nine at t hat t ime, performed Ghusl (bat h), applied some perfume and performed a t wo Rak` ah prayer. He t hen garlanded t he Hady and announced aloud his int ent ion t o perform Haj j and ` Umrah. The Prophet 's Hady at t he t ime consist ed of plent y of camels, more t han sixt y, and t hey were among t he best animals, t he healt hiest and most physically accept able, j ust as Allah's st at ement proclaims,

(Thus it is, and whosoever honors t he symbols of Allah, t hen it is t ruly, from t he piet y of t he heart s.) Muqat il bin Hayyan said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(nor t he garlands) means, "Do not breach t heir sanct it y.'' During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, t he people used t o garland t hemselves wit h animal hair and pelt s when t hey left t heir areas in mont hs ot her t han t he Sacred Mont hs. The idolat ors of t he Sacred House Area used t o garland t hemselves wit h t he t ree-st ems of t he Sacred Area, so t hat t hey were grant ed safe passage.'' This st at ement was collect ed by Ibn Abi Hat im, who also recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "There are t wo Ayat in t his Surah (Al-Ma'idah) t hat were abrogat ed, t he Ayah about t he garlands 5:2 , and

n(So if t hey come t o you (O Muhammad ), eit her j udge bet ween t hem, or t urn away from t hem.)''

The Necessity of Preserving the Sanctity and Safety of those who Intend to Travel to the Sacred House
Allah said,

(nor t he people coming t o t he Sacred House (Makkah), seeking t he bount y and good pleasure of t heir Lord.) The Ayah commands: Do not fight people who are heading t owards t he Sacred House of Allah, which if anyone ent ers it , he must be grant ed safe refuge. Likewise, t hose who are heading t owards t he Sacred House seeking t he bount y and good pleasure of Allah, must not be st opped, prevent ed, or fright ened away from ent ering t he Sacred House. Muj ahid, ` At a', Abu Al-` Aliyah, Mut arrif bin ` Abdullah, ` Abdullah bin ` Ubayd bin ` Umayr, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Muqat il bin Hayyan, Qat adah and several ot hers said t hat ,

(seeking t he bount y of t heir Lord.) refers t o t rading. A similar discussion preceded concerning t he Ayah;

(There is no sin on you if you seek t he bount y of your Lord (during pilgrimage by t rading).) Allah said;


(and pleasure. ) Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he word ` pleasure' in t he Ayah refers t o, "seeking Allah's pleasure by t heir Haj j .'' ` Ikrimah, As-Suddi and Ibn Jarir ment ioned t hat t his Ayah was revealed concerning Al-Hut am bin Hind Al-Bakri, who had raided t he cat t le belonging t o t he people of Al-Madinah. The following year, he want ed t o perform ` Umrah t o t he House of Allah and some of t he Companions want ed t o at t ack him on his way t o t he House. Allah revealed,

(nor t he people coming t o t he Sacred House (Makkah), seeking t he bount y and good pleasure of t heir Lord.)

Hunting Game is Permissible After Ihram Ends

Allah said,

(But when you finish t he Ihram, t hen hunt ,) When you end your Ihram, it is permit t ed for you t o hunt game, which was prohibit ed for you during Ihram. Alt hough t his Ayah cont ains a command t hat t akes effect aft er t he end of a st at e of prohibit ion (during Ihram in t his case), t he Ayah, in fact , brings back t he ruling t hat was previously in effect . If t he previous ruling was an obligat ion, t he new command will uphold t hat obligat ion, and such is t he case wit h recommended and permissible mat t ers. There are many Ayat t hat deny t hat t he ruling in such cases is always an obligat ion. Such is also t he case against t hose who say t hat it is always merely allowed. What we ment ioned here is t he correct opinion t hat employs t he available evidence, and Allah knows best .

Justice is Always Necessary

Allah said,

(and let not t he hat red of some people in (once) st opping you from Al-Masj id Al-Haram (at Makkah) lead you t o t ransgression (and host ilit y on your part ).) The meaning of t his Ayah is apparent , as it commands: Let not t he hat red for some people, who prevent ed you from reaching t he Sacred House in t he year of Hudaybiyyah, make you t ransgress Allah's Law and commit inj ust ice against t hem in ret aliat ion. Rat her, rule as Allah has commanded you, being j ust wit h every one. We will explain a similar Ayah lat er on,

(And let not t he enmit y and hat red of ot hers make you avoid j ust ice. Be j ust : t hat is nearer t o piet y,) which commands: do not be driven by your hat red for some people int o abandoning j ust ice, for j ust ice is ordained for everyone, in all sit uat ions. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Zayd bin Aslam said, "The Messenger of Allah and his Companions were in t he area of Al-Hudaybiyyah when t he idolat ors prevent ed t hem from visit ing t he House, and t hat was especially hard on t hem. Lat er on, some idolat ors passed by t hem from t he east int ending t o perform ` Umrah. So t he Companions of t he Prophet said, ` Let us prevent t hose (from ` Umrah) j ust as t heir fellow idolat ors prevent ed us.' Thereaft er, Allah sent down t his Ayah.'' Ibn Abbas and ot hers said t hat "Shana'an'' refers t o enmit y and hat e. Allah said next ,

(Help you one anot her in Al-Birr and At -Taqwa; but do not help one anot her in sin and t ransgression.) Allah commands His believing servant s t o help one anot her perform right eous, good deeds, which is t he meaning of ` Al-Birr', and t o avoid sins, which is t he meaning of ` At Taqwa'. Allah forbids His servant s from helping one anot her in sin, ` It hm' and commit t ing t he prohibit ions. Ibn Jarir said t hat , "It hm means abandoning what Allah has ordained, while t ransgression means overst epping t he limit s t hat Allah set in your religion, along wit h overst epping what Allah has ordered concerning yourselves and ot hers.'' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Anas bin Malik said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Support your brot her whet her he was unj ust or t he vict im of inj ust ice.) He was asked, "O Messenger of Allah! We know about helping him when he suffers inj ust ice, so what about helping him when he commit s inj ust ice'' He said,

(Prevent and st op him from commit t ing inj ust ice, and t his represent s giving support t o him.) Al-Bukhari recorded t his Hadit h t hrough Hushaym. Ahmad recorded t hat one of t he Companions of t he Prophet narrat ed t he Hadit h,

(The believer who mingles wit h people and is pat ient wit h t heir annoyance, earns more reward t han t he believer who does not mingle wit h people and does not observe pat ience wit h t heir annoyance.) Muslim recorded a Hadit h t hat st at es,

(He who calls t o a guidance, will earn a reward similar t o t he rewards of t hose who accept his call, unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion, wit hout decreasing t heir rewards. Whoever calls t o a heresy, will carry a burden similar t o t he burdens of t hose who accept his call, unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion, wit hout decreasing t heir own burdens.)


(3. Forbidden t o you (for food) are: Al-Mayt ah (t he dead animals), blood, t he flesh of swine, and t hat which has been slaught ered as a sacrifice for ot her t han Allah, and t hat which has been killed by st rangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by t he goring of horns and t hat which has been (part ly) eat en by a wild animal unless you are able t o slaught er it (before it s deat h) - and t hat which is sacrificed (slaught ered) on An-Nusub (st one alt ars). (Forbidden) also is t o make decisions wit h Al-Azlam (arrows) (all) t hat is Fisq (disobedience and sin). This day, t hose who disbelieved have given up all hope of your religion; so fear t hem not , but fear Me. This day, I have perfect ed your religion for you, complet ed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But as for him who is forced by severe hunger, wit h no inclinat ion t o sin (such can eat t hese above ment ioned animals), t hen surely, Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

The Animals that are Unlawful to Eat

Allah informs His servant s t hat He forbids consuming t he ment ioned t ypes of foods, such as t he Mayt ah, which is t he animal t hat dies before being properly slaught ered or hunt ed. Allah forbids t his t ype of food due t o t he harm it causes, because of t he blood t hat becomes clogged in t he veins of t he dead animal. Therefore, t he Mayt ah is harmful, religiously and physically, and t his is why Allah has prohibit ed it . The only except ion t o t his ruling is fish, for fish is allowed, even when dead, by slaught ering or ot herwise. Malik in his Muwat t a, also Abu Dawud, At -Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Maj ah in t heir Sunan, Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Hibban in t heir Sahihs, all recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah was asked about seawat er. He said,

(It s wat er is pure and it s dead are permissible.) The same ruling applies t o locust s, as proven in a Hadit h t hat we will ment ion lat er. Allah's st at ement ,

(blood...) This refers t o flowing blood, according t o Ibn ` Abbas and Sa` id bin Jubayr, and it is similar t o Allah's ot her st at ement ,


(Blood poured fort h...) Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas was asked about t he spleen and he said, "Eat it .'' They said, "It is blood.'' He said, "You are only prohibit ed blood t hat was poured fort h.'' Abu ` Abdullah, Muhammad bin Idris Ash-Shafi` i recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(We were allowed t wo dead animals and t wo (kinds of) blood. As for t he t wo dead animals, t hey are fish and locust . As for t he t wo bloods, t hey are liver and spleen.) Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, Ibn Maj ah, Ad-Daraqut ni and Al-Bayhaqi also recorded t his Hadit h t hrough ` AbdurRahman bin Zayd bin Aslam, who is a weak narrat or. Allah's st at ement ,

(t he flesh of swine...) includes domest icat ed and wild swine, and also refers t o t he whole animal, including it s fat , for t his is what t he Arabs mean by Lahm or ` flesh'. Muslim recorded t hat Buraydah bin Al-Husayb Al-Aslami said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(He who plays Nardshir (a game wit h dice t hat involves gambling) is j ust like t he one who put s his hand in t he flesh and blood of swine.) If t his is t he case wit h merely t ouching t he flesh and blood of swine, so what about eat ing and feeding on it This Hadit h is a proof t hat Lahm means t he ent ire body of t he animal, including it s fat . In is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Allah made t he t rade of alcohol, dead animals, pigs and idols illegal.) The people asked, "O Allah's Messenger! What about t he fat of dead animals, for it was used for greasing t he boat s and t he hides; and people use it for lant erns'' He said,


(No, it is illegal.) In t he Sahih of Al-Bukhari, Abu Sufyan narrat ed t hat he said t o Heraclius, Emperor of Rome, "He (Muhammad) prohibit ed us from eat ing dead animals and blood.'' Allah said,

(And t hat which has been slaught ered as a sacrifice for ot her t han Allah.) Therefore, t he animals on which a name ot her t han Allah was ment ioned upon slaught ering it , is impermissible, because Allah made it necessary t o ment ion His Glorious Name upon slaught ering t he animals, which He creat ed. Whoever does not do so, ment ioning ot her t han Allah's Name, such as t he name of an idol, a false deit y or a monument , when slaught ering, he makes t his meat unlawful, according t o t he consensus. Allah's st at ement ,

(and t hat which has been killed by st rangling...) eit her int ent ionally or by mist ake, such as when an animal moves while rest rained and dies by st rangulat ion because of it s st ruggling, t his animal is also unlawful t o eat .

(or by a violent blow...) This refers t o t he animal t hat is hit wit h a heavy obj ect unt il it dies. Ibn ` Abbas and several ot hers said it is t he animal t hat is hit wit h a st aff unt il it dies. Qat adah said, "The people of Jahiliyyah used t o st rike t he animal wit h st icks and when it died, t hey would eat it .'' It is recorded in t he Sahih t hat ` Adi bin Hat im said, "I asked, ` O Allah's Messenger! I use t he Mi` rad for hunt ing and cat ch game wit h it .' He replied,

(If t he game is hit by it s sharp edge, eat it . But , if it is hit by it s broad side, do not eat it , for it has been beat en t o deat h.) Therefore, t he Prophet made a dist inct ion bet ween killing t he animal wit h t he sharp edge of an arrow or a hunt ing st ick, and rendered it lawful, and what is killed by t he broad side of an obj ect , and rendered it unlawful because it was beat en t o deat h. There is a consensus among t he scholars of Fiqh on t his subj ect . rAs for t he animal t hat falls headlong from a high place and dies as a result , it is also prohibit ed. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat an animal t hat dies by a headlong fall, "Is t hat which falls from a mount ain.'' Qat adah said t hat it is t he animal t hat falls in a well. As-Suddi said t hat it is t he animal t hat falls from a mount ain or in a well. As for t he animal t hat dies by being gorged

by anot her animal, it is also prohibit ed, even if t he horn opens a flesh wound and it bleeds t o deat h from it s neck. Allah's st at ement ,

(and t hat which has been (part ly) eat en by a wild animal,) refers t o t he animal t hat was at t acked by a lion, leopard, t iger, wolf or dog, t hen t he wild beast eat s a part of it and it dies because of t hat . This t ype is also prohibit ed, even if t he animal bled t o deat h from it s neck. There is also a consensus on t his ruling. During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, t he people used t o eat t he sheep, camel, or cow t hat were part ly eat en by a wild animal. Allah prohibit ed t his pract ice for t he believers. Allah's st at ement ,

(unless you are able t o slaught er it ,) before it dies, due t o t he causes ment ioned above. This part of t he Ayah is connect ed t o,

(and t hat which has been killed by st rangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by t he goring of horns - and t hat which has been (part ly) eat en by a wild animal.) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(unless you are able t o slaught er it , ) "Unless you are able t o slaught er t he animal in t he cases ment ioned in t he Ayah while it is st ill alive, t hen eat it , for it was properly slaught ered.'' Similar was report ed from Sa` id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and As-Suddi. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat ` Ali, may Allah be pleased wit h him, said, "If you are able t o slaught er t he animal t hat has been hit by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by t he gorging of horns while it st ill moves a foot or a leg, t hen eat from it s meat .'' Similar was report ed from Tawus, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, ` Ubayd bin ` Umayr, Ad-Dahhak and several ot hers, t hat if t he animal t hat is being slaught ered st ill moves, t hus demonst rat ing t hat it is st ill alive while slaught ering, t hen it is lawful. The Two Sahihs recorded t hat Rafi` bin Khadij said, "I asked, ` O Allah's Messenger! We fear t hat we may meet our enemy t omorrow and we have no knives, could we slaught er t he animals wit h reeds' The Prophet said,

 :
(You can use what makes blood flow and you can eat what is slaught ered wit h t he Name of Allah. But do not use t eet h or claws (in slaught ering). I will t ell you why, as for t eet h, t hey are bones, and claws are used by Et hiopians for slaught ering.)'' Allah said next ,

(and t hat which is sacrificed on An-Nusub. ) Nusub were st one alt ars t hat were erect ed around t he Ka` bah, as Muj ahid and Ibn Jurayj st at ed. Ibn Jurayj said, "There were t hree hundred and sixt y Nusub around t he Ka` bah t hat t he Arabs used t o slaught er in front of, during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah. They used t o sprinkle t he animals t hat came t o t he Ka` bah wit h t he blood of slaught ered animals, whose meat t hey cut t o pieces and placed on t he alt ars.'' Allah forbade t his pract ice for t he believers. He also forbade t hem from eat ing t he meat of animals t hat were slaught ered in t he vicinit y of t he Nusub, even if Allah's Name was ment ioned on t hese animals when t hey were slaught ered, because it is a t ype of Shirk t hat Allah and His Messenger have forbidden.

The Prohibition of Using Al-Azlam for Decision Making

Allah said,

((Forbidden) also is t o make decisions wit h Al-Azlam) The Ayah commands, "O believers! You are forbidden t o use Al-Azlam (arrows) for decision making,'' which was a pract ice of t he Arabs during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah. They would use t hree arrows, one wit h t he word ` Do' writ t en on it , anot her t hat says ` Do not ', while t he t hird does not say anyt hing. Some of t hem would writ e on t he first arrow, ` My Lord commanded me,' and, ` My Lord forbade me,' on t he second arrow and t hey would not writ e anyt hing on t he t hird arrow. If t he blank arrow was picked, t he person would keep t rying unt il t he arrow t hat says do or do not was picked, and t he person would implement t he command t hat he picked. Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Azlam were arrows t hat t hey used t o seek decisions t hrough. Muhammad bin Ishaq and ot hers said t hat t he maj or idol of t he t ribe of Quraysh was Hubal, which was erect ed on t he t ip of a well inside t he Ka` bah, where gift s were present ed and where t he t reasure of t he Ka` bah was kept . There, t hey also had seven arrows t hat t hey would use t o seek a decision concerning mat t ers of disput e. What ever t he chosen arrow would t ell t hem, t hey would abide by it ! Al-Bukhari recorded t hat when t he Prophet ent ered Al-Ka` bah (aft er Makkah was conquered), he found pict ures of Ibrahim and Isma` il in it holding t he Azlam in t heir hands. The Prophet comment ed,


(May Allah fight t hem (t he idolat ers)! They know t hat t hey never used t he Azlam t o make decisions. ) Muj ahid comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

((Forbidden) also is t o make decisions wit h Al-Azlam,) "These were arrows t hat t he Arabs used, and dice t hat t he Persians and Romans used in gambling.'' This st at ement by Muj ahid, t hat t hese arrows were used in gambling, is doubt ful unless we say t hat t hey used t he arrows for gambling somet imes and for decisions ot her t imes, and Allah knows best . We should also st at e t hat Allah ment ioned Azlam and gambling in His st at ement before t he end of t he Surah (5:90, 91),

-
(O you who believe! Int oxicant s (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al-Ansab, and Al-Azlam are an abominat ion of Shayt an's handiwork. So avoid t hat in order t hat you may be successful. Shayt an want s only t o excit e enmit y and hat red bet ween you wit h int oxicant s (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you from t he remembrance of Allah and from t he Salah (t he prayer). So, will you not t hen abst ain) In t his Ayah, Allah said,

((Forbidden) also is t o make decisions wit h Al-Azlam, (all) t hat is Fisq.) meaning, all t hese pract ices const it ut e disobedience, sin, misguidance, ignorance and, above all, Shirk. Allah has commanded t he believers t o seek decisions from Him when t hey want t o do somet hing, by first worshipping Him and t hen asking Him for t he best decision concerning t he mat t er t hey seek. Imam Ahmad, Al-Bukhari and t he collect ors of Sunan recorded t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah said, "The Prophet used t o t each us how t o make Ist ikharah (asking Allah t o guide one t o t he right act ion), in all mat t ers, as he t aught us t he Surahs of t he Qur'an. He said,

 : :
(If anyone of you t hinks of doing any mat t er, he should offer a t wo Rak'ah prayer, ot her t han t he compulsory, and say (aft er t he prayer) ` O Allah! I ask guidance from Your knowledge, from Your abilit y and I ask for Your great bount y, for You are capable and I am not , You know and I do not , and You know t he Unseen. O Allah! If You know t hat t his mat t er (and one should ment ion t he mat t er or deed here) is good for my religion, my livelihood and t he Hereaft er (or he said, ` for my present and lat er needs') t hen ordain it for me, make it easy for me t o have, and t hen bless it for me. O Allah! And if You know t hat t his is harmful t o me in my religion and livelihood and for t he Hereaft er t hen keep it away from me and let me be away from it . And ordain what ever is good for me, and make me sat isfied wit h it .') This is t he wording collect ed by Ahmad, and At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih Gharib.''

Shaytan and the Disbelievers Do Not Hope that Muslims Will Ever Follow Them
Allah said,


(This day, t hose who disbelieved have given up all hope of your religion;) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah means, "They gave up hope t hat Muslims would revert t o t heir religion.'' This is similar t o t he saying of ` At a' bin Abi Rabah, As-Suddi and Muqat il bin Hayyan. This meaning is support ed by a Hadit h recorded in t he Sahih t hat st at es,

(Verily, Shayt an has given up hope t hat t hose who pray in t he Arabian Peninsula, will worship him. But he will st ill st ir t rouble among t hem.) It is also possible t hat t he Ayah negat es t he possibilit y t hat t he disbelievers and Shayt an will ever be like Muslims, since Muslims have various qualit ies t hat cont radict Shirk and it s people. This is why Allah commanded His believing servant s t o observe pat ience, t o be st eadfast in defying and cont radict ing t he disbelievers, and t o fear none but Allah. Allah said,

(So fear t hem not , but fear Me.) meaning, ` do not fear t hem when you cont radict t hem. Rat her, fear Me and I will give you vict ory over t hem, I will eradicat e t hem, and make you prevail over t hem, I will please your heart s and raise you above t hem in t his life and t he Hereaft er.'

Islam Has Been Perfected For Muslims

Allah said,

(This day, I have perfect ed your religion for you, complet ed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.) This, indeed, is t he biggest favor from Allah t o t his Ummah, for He has complet ed t heir religion for t hem, and t hey, t hus, do not need any ot her religion or any ot her Prophet except Muhammad . This is why Allah made Muhammad t he Final Prophet and sent him t o all humans and Jinn. Therefore, t he permissible is what he allows, t he impermissible is what he prohibit s, t he Law is what he legislat es and everyt hing t hat he conveys is t rue and aut hent ic and does not cont ain lies or cont radict ions. Allah said;


(And t he Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in t rut h and in j ust ice,) meaning, it is t rue in what it conveys and j ust in what it commands and forbids. When Allah complet ed t he religion for Muslims, His favor became complet e for t hem as well. Allah said,

(This day, I have perfect ed your religion for you, complet ed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.) meaning, accept Islam for yourselves, for it is t he religion t hat Allah likes and which He chose for you, and it is t hat wit h which He sent t he best of t he honorable Messengers and t he most glorious of His Books. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Harun bin ` Ant arah said t hat his fat her said, "When t he Ayah,

(This day, I have perfect ed your religion for you...) was revealed, during t he great day of Haj j (t he Day of ` Arafah, t he nint h day of Dhul-Hij j ah) ` Umar cried. The Prophet said, ` What makes you cry' He said, ` What made me cry is t hat our religion is being perfect ed for us. Now it is perfect , not hing is perfect , but it is bound t o det eriorat e.' The Prophet said,

(You have said t he t rut h.)'' What support s t he meaning of t his Hadit h is t he aut hent ic Hadit h,

(Islam was st range in it s beginning and will ret urn st range once more. Therefore, Tuba for t he st rangers.) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Tariq bin Shihab said, "A Jewish man said t o ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab, ` O Leader of t he Believers! There is a verse in your Book, which is read by all of you (Muslims), and had it been revealed t o us, we would have t aken t hat day (on which it was revealed) as a day of celebrat ion.' ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab asked, ` Which is t hat verse' The Jew replied, s

(This day, I have perfect ed your religion for you, complet ed My favor upon you...) ` Umar replied, ` By Allah! I know when and where t his verse was revealed t o Allah's Messenger . It was t he evening on t he Day of ` Arafah on a Friday.''' Al-Bukhari recorded t his Hadit h t hrough AlHasan bin As-Sabbah from Ja` far bin ` Awn. Muslim, At -Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i also recorded t his Hadit h. In t he narrat ion collect ed by Al-Bukhari in t he book of Tafsir, t hrough Tariq, he said, "The Jews said t o ` Umar, ` By Allah! There is a verse t hat is read by all of you (Muslims), and had it been revealed t o us, we would have t aken t hat day (on which it was revealed) as a day of celebrat ion.' ` Umar said, ` By Allah! I know when and where t his verse was revealed and where t he Messenger of Allah was at t hat t ime. It was t he day of ` Arafah, and I was at ` Arafah, by Allah.'' Sufyan (one of t he narrat ors) doubt ed if Friday was ment ioned in t his narrat ion. Sufyan's confusion was eit her because he was unsure if his t eacher included t his st at ement in t he Hadit h or not . Ot herwise, if it was because he doubt ed t hat t he part icular day during t he Farewell Haj j was a Friday, it would be a mist ake t hat could not and should not have come from someone like Sufyan At h-Thawri. The fact t hat it was a Friday, is agreed on by t he scholars of Sirah and Fiqh. There are numerous Hadit hs t hat support t his fact t hat are definit ely aut hent ic and of t he Mut awat ir t ype. This Hadit h was also report ed from ` Umar t hrough various chains of narrat ion.

Permitting the Dead Animals in Conditions of Necessity

Allah said,

(But as for him who is forced by severe hunger, wit h no inclinat ion t o sin (such can eat t hese above ment ioned animals), t hen surely, Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) Therefore, when one is forced t o t ake any of t he impermissible t hings t hat Allah ment ioned t o meet a necessit y, he is allowed and Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful wit h him. Allah is well aware of His servant 's needs during dire st rait s, and He will forgive and pardon His servant in t his case. In t he Musnad and t he Sahih of Ibn Hibban, it is recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said t hat Messenger of Allah said,

(Allah likes t hat His Rukhsah (allowance) be used, j ust as He dislikes t hat disobedience t o Him is commit t ed.) We should ment ion here t hat it is not necessary for one t o wait t hree days before eat ing t he meat of dead animals, as many unlet t ered Muslims mist akenly t hink. Rat her, one can eat such meat when t he dire need arises. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Waqid AlLayt hi said t hat t he Companions asked, "O Messenger of Allah! We live in a land where famine oft en st rikes us. Therefore, when are we allowed t o eat t he meat of dead animals'' The Prophet replied,


(When you neit her find food for lunch and dinner nor have any produce t o eat , t hen eat from it .) Only Imam Ahmad collect ed t his narrat ion and it s chain meet s t he crit eria of t he Two Sahihs. Allah said,

(wit h no inclinat ion t o sin,) meaning, one does not incline t o commit what Allah has prohibit ed. Allah has allowed one when necessit y arises t o eat from what He ot herwise prohibit s, under t he condit ion t hat his heart does not incline t o eat what Allah prohibit ed. Allah said in Surat AlBaqarah,

(But if one is forced by necessit y wit hout willful disobedience nor t ransgressing due limit s, t hen t here is no sin on him. Truly, Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) Some scholars used t his Ayah as evidence t hat t hose who t ravel for t he purpose of commit t ing an act of disobedience are not allowed t o use any of t he legal concessions of t ravel, because t hese concessions are not earned t hrough sin, and Allah knows best .

(4. They ask you what is lawf ul for t hem. Say: "Lawful unt o you are At -Tayyibat (t he good t hings). And t hose Jawarih (beast s and birds of prey) which you have t rained as hounds, t raining and t eaching t hem (t o cat ch) in t he manner as direct ed t o you by Allah; so eat of what t hey cat ch for you, but pronounce t he Name of Allah over it , and have Taqwa of Allah. Verily, Allah is swift in reckoning.'')

Clarifying the Lawful

In t he previous Ayah Allah ment ioned t he prohibit ed t ypes of food, t he impure and unclean t hings, harmful for t hose who eat t hem, eit her t o t heir bodies, religion or bot h, except out of necessit y,

(while He has explained t o you in det ail what is forbidden t o you, except under compulsion of necessit y) Aft er t hat , Allah said,

(They ask you what is lawful for t hem. Say, "Lawful unt o you are At -Tayyibat ...'') In Surat AlA` raf Allah describes Muhammad allowing t he good t hings and prohibit ing t he filt hy t hings. Muqat il said, "At -Tayyibat includes everyt hing Muslims are allowed and t he various t ypes of legally earned provision.'' Az-Zuhri was once asked about drinking urine for medicinal purposes and he said t hat it is not a t ype of Tayyibat .'' Ibn Abi Hat im also narrat ed t his st at ement . Using Jawarih t o Hunt Game is Permissible Allah said,

(And t hose Jawarih (beast s and birds of prey) which you have t rained as hounds...) That is, lawful for you are t he animals slaught ered in Allah's Name, and t he good t hings for sust enance. The game you cat ch wit h t he Jawarih are also lawful for you. This refers t o t rained dogs and falcons, as is t he opinion of t he maj orit y of t he Companions, t heir followers, and t he Imams. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(And t hose Jawarih (beast s and birds of prey) which you have t rained as hounds...) refers t o t rained hunt ing dogs, falcons and all t ypes of birds and beast s t hat are t rained t o hunt , including dogs, wild cat s, falcons, and so fort h. Ibn Abi Hat im collect ed t his and said, "Similar was report ed from Khayt hamah, Tawus, Muj ahid, Makhul and Yahya bin Abi Kat hir.'' Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said, "You are permit t ed t he animal t hat t he t rained birds, such as falcons, hunt for you if you cat ch it (before it eat s from it ). Ot herwise, do not eat from it .'' I say, t he maj orit y of scholars say t hat hunt ing wit h t rained birds is j ust like hunt ing wit h t rained dogs, because bird's of prey cat ch t he game wit h t heir claws, j ust like dogs. Therefore, t here is no difference bet ween t he t wo. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat ` Adi bin Hat im said t hat he asked t he Messenger of Allah about t he game t hat t he falcon hunt s and t he Messenger said,


(What ever it cat ches for you, eat from it .) These carnivores t hat are t rained t o cat ch game are called Jawarih in Arabic, a word t hat is derived from Jarh, meaning, what one earns. The Arabs would say, "So-and-so has Jaraha somet hing good for his family,'' meaning, he has earned t hem somet hing good. The Arabs would say, "So-and-so does not have a Jarih for him,'' meaning, a caret aker. Allah also said,

(And He knows what you have done during t he day...) meaning, t he good or evil you have earned or commit t ed. Allah's st at ement ,

(t rained as hounds,) t hose Jawarih t hat have been t rained t o hunt as hounds wit h t heir claws or t alons. Therefore, if t he game is killed by t he weight of it s blow, not wit h it s claws, t hen we are not allowed t o eat from t he game. Allah said,

(t raining t hem in t he manner as direct ed t o you by Allah, ) as when t he beast is sent , it goes aft er t he game, and when it cat ches it , it keeps it unt il it s owner arrives and does not cat ch it t o eat it it self. This is why Allah said here,

(so eat of what t hey cat ch for you, but pronounce t he Name of Allah over it ,) When t he beast is t rained, and it cat ches t he game for it s owner who ment ioned Allah's Name when he sent t he beast aft er t he game, t hen t his game is allowed according t o t he consensus of scholars, even if it was killed. There are Hadit hs in t he Sunnah t hat support t his st at ement . The Two Sahihs recorded t hat ` Adi bin Hat im said, "I said, ` O Allah's Messenger! I send hunt ing dogs and ment ion Allah's Name.' He replied,

(If, wit h ment ioning Allah's Name, you let loose your t amed dog aft er a game and it cat ches it , you may eat what it cat ches.) I said, ` Even if it kills t he game' He replied,

(Even if it kills t he game, unless anot her dog j oins t he hunt , for you ment ioned Allah's Name when sending your dog, but not t he ot her dog.) I said, ` I also use t he Mi` rad and cat ch game wit h it .' He replied,

(If t he game is hit by it s sharp edge, eat it , but if it is hit by it s broad side, do not eat it , for it has been beat en t o deat h.) In anot her narrat ion, t he Prophet said,

(If you send your hunt ing dog, t hen ment ion Allah's Name and what ever it cat ches for you and you find alive, slaught er it . If you cat ch t he game dead and t he dog did not eat from it , t hen eat from it , for t he dog has caused it s slaught er t o be fulfilled.) In yet anot her narrat ion of t wo Sahihs, t he Prophet said,

(If t he dog eat s from t he game, do not eat from it for I fear t hat it has caught it as prey for it self.)

Mention Allah's Name Upon Sending the Predators to Catch the Game
Allah said,


(so eat of what t hey cat ch for you, but pronounce t he Name of Allah over it ,) meaning, upon sending it . The Prophet said t o ` Adi bin Hat im,

(When you send your t rained dog and ment ion Allah's Name, eat from what it cat ches for you.) It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat Abu Tha` labah relat ed t hat t he Prophet said,

(If you send your hunt ing dog, ment ion Allah's Name over it . If you shoot an arrow, ment ion Allah's Name over it .) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed,

(but pronounce t he Name of Allah over it ,) "When you send a beast of prey, say, ` In t he Name of Allah!' If you forget , t hen t here is no harm.'' It was also report ed t hat t his Ayah commands ment ioning Allah's Name upon eat ing. It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat t he Messenger of Allah t aught his st epson ` Umar bin Abu Salamah saying,

(Ment ion Allah's Name, eat wit h your right hand and eat from t he part of t he plat e t hat is in front of you.) Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` A'ishah said, "They asked, ` O Allah's Messenger! Some people, - recent ly convert ed from disbelief - bring us some meat s t hat we do not know if Allah's Name was ment ioned over or not .' He replied,

(Ment ion Allah's Name on it and eat from it .)''


(5. Made lawful t o you t his day are At -Tayyibat . The food of t he People of t he Script ure is lawful t o you, and your food is lawful t o t hem. (Lawful t o you in marriage) are chast e women from t he believers and chast e women from t hose who were given t he Script ure before your t ime when you have given t hem t heir due, desiring chast it y, not illegal sexual int ercourse, nor t aking t hem as girlfriends (or lovers). And whosoever rej ect s fait h, t hen fruit less is his work; and in t he Hereaft er he will be among t he losers.)

Permitting the Slaughtered Animals of the People of the Book

Aft er Allah ment ioned t he filt hy t hings t hat He prohibit ed for His believing servant s and t he good t hings t hat He allowed for t hem, He said next ,

(Made lawful t o you t his day are At -Tayyibat .) Allah t hen ment ioned t he ruling concerning t he slaught ered animals of t he People of t he Book, t he Jews and Christ ians,

(The food of t he People of t he Script ure is lawful t o you..) meaning, t heir slaught ered animals, as Ibn ` Abbas, Abu Umamah, Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` Ikrimah, ` At a', Al-Hasan, Makhul, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, As-Suddi and Muqat il bin Hayyan st at ed. This ruling, t hat t he slaught ered animals of t he People of t he Book are permissible for Muslims, is agreed on by t he scholars, because t he People of t he Book believe t hat slaught ering for ot her t han Allah is prohibit ed. They ment ion Allah's Name upon slaught ering t heir animals, even t hough t hey have deviant beliefs about Allah t hat do not befit His maj est y. It is recorded in t he Sahih t hat ` Abdullah bin Mughaffal said, "While we were at t acking t he fort of Khaybar, a person t hrew a leat her bag cont aining fat , and I ran t o t ake it and said, ` I will not give anyone anyt hing from t his

cont ainer t oday.' But when I t urned I saw t he Prophet (st anding behind) while smiling.'' The scholars rely on t his Hadit h as evidence t hat we are allowed t o eat what we need of foods from t he boot y before it is divided. The scholars of t he Hanafi, t he Shafi` i and t he Hanbali Madhhabs rely on t his Hadit h t o allow eat ing part s of t he slaught ered animals of t he Jews t hat t hey prohibit for t hemselves, such as t he fat . They used t his Hadit h as evidence against t he scholars of t he Maliki Madhhab who disagreed wit h t his ruling. A bet t er proof is t he Hadit h recorded in t he Sahih t hat t he people of Khaybar gave t he Prophet a gift of a roast ed leg of sheep, which t hey poisoned. The Prophet used t o like eat ing t he leg of t he sheep and he t ook a bit e from it , but it t old t he Prophet t hat it was poisoned, so he discarded t hat bit e. The bit e t hat t he Prophet t ook effect ed t he palat e of his mout h, while Bishr bin Al-Bara' bin Ma` rur died from eat ing from t hat sheep. The Prophet had t he Jewish woman, Zaynab, who poisoned t he sheep, killed. Therefore, t he Prophet and his Companions want ed t o eat from t hat sheep and did not ask t he Jews if t hey removed what t he Jews believed was prohibit ed for t hem, such as it s fat . Allah's st at ement ,

(and your food is lawful t o t hem.) means, you are allowed t o feed t hem from your slaught ered animals. Therefore, t his part of t he Ayah is not t o inform t he People of t he Script ures t hat t hey are allowed t o eat our food -- unless we consider it informat ion for us about t he ruling t hat t hey have -- i. e, t hat t hey are allowed all t ypes of foods over which Allah's Name was ment ioned, whet her slaught ered according t o t heir religion or ot herwise. The first explanat ion is more plausible. So it means: you are allowed t o feed t hem from your slaught ered animals j ust as you are allowed t o eat from t heirs, as equal compensat ion and fair t reat ment . The Prophet gave his robe t o ` Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, who was wrapped wit h it when he died. They say t hat he did t hat because ` Abdullah had given his robe t o Al-` Abbas when Al-` Abbas came t o Al-Madinah. As for t he Hadit h,

(Do not befriend but a believer, nor should ot her t han a Taqi (pious person) eat your food.), This is t o encourage such behavior, and Allah knows best .

The Permission to Marry Chaste Women From the People of the Scriptures
Allah said,

((Lawful t o you in marriage) are chast e women from t he believers) The Ayah st at es: you are allowed t o marry free, chast e believing women. This Ayah is t alking about women who do not commit fornicat ion, as evident by t he word ` chast e'. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(Desiring chast it y not commit t ing illegal sexual int ercourse, nor t aking t hem as boyfriends (lovers).) 4:25 ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar used t o advise against marrying Christ ian women saying, "I do not know of a worse case of Shirk t han her saying t hat ` Isa is her lord, while Allah said,

(And do not marry idolat resses t ill t hey believe.)'' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Abu Malik AlGhifari said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat when t his Ayah was revealed,

(And do not marry idolat resses t ill t hey believe,) t he people did not marry t he pagan women. When t he following Ayah was revealed,

((Lawful t o you in marriage) are chast e women from t he believers and chast e women from t hose who were given t he Script ure before your t ime) t hey married women from t he People of t he Book. '' Some of t he Companions married Christ ian women and did not see any problem in t his, relying on t he honorable Ayah,

((Lawful t o you in marriage) are chast e women from t hose who were given t he Script ure before your t ime) Therefore, t hey made t his Ayah an except ion t o t he Ayah in Surat Al-Baqarah,

(And do not marry t he idolat resses t ill t hey believe,) considering t he lat t er Ayah t o include t he People of t he Book in it s general meaning. Ot herwise, t here is no cont radict ion here, since t he People of t he Book were ment ioned alone when ment ioning t he rest of t he idolat ors. Allah said,


(Those who disbelieve from among t he People of t he Script ure and t he idolat ors, were not going t o leave (t heir disbelief) unt il t here came t o t hem clear evidence.) and,

(And say t o t hose who were given t he Script ure and t o t hose who are illit erat es: "Do you (also) submit yourselves'' If t hey do, t hey are right ly guided.) Allah said next ,

(When you have given t hem t heir due), This refers t o t he Mahr, so j ust as t hese women are chast e and honorable, t hen give t hem t heir Mahr wit h a good heart . We should ment ion here t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah, ` Amir Ash-Sha` bi, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i and Al-Hasan Al-Basri st at ed t hat when a man marries a woman and she commit s illegal sexual int ercourse before t he marriage is consummat ed, t he marriage is annulled. In t his case, she gives back t he Mahr t hat he paid her. Allah said,

(Desiring chast it y, not illegal sexual int ercourse, nor t aking t hem as girl-friends (or lovers).) And j ust as women must be chast e and avoid illegal sexual act ivit y, such is t he case wit h men, who must also be chast e and honorable. Therefore, Allah said,

(...not illegal sexual int ercourse') as adult erous people do, t hose who do not avoid sin, nor rej ect adult ery wit h whomever offers it t o t hem.

(nor t aking t hem as girl-friends (or lovers),) meaning t hose who have mist resses and girlfriends who commit illegal sexual int ercourse wit h t hem, as we ment ioned in t he explanat ion of Surat An-Nisa'.


(6. O you who believe! When you st and (int end) t o offer t he Salah (t he prayer), t hen wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up t o t he elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up t o t he ankles. If you are in a st at e of Janaba, purify yourselves (bat he your whole body). But if you are ill or on a j ourney or any of you comes from t he Gha'it (t oilet ) or you have t ouched women and you find no wat er, t hen perform Tayammum wit h clean eart h and rub t herewit h your faces and hands. Allah does not want t o place you in difficult y, but He want s t o purify you, and t o complet e His Favor t o you t hat you may be t hankful.)

The Order to PerformWud 363

Allah said,

(When you st and for (int end t o offer) t he Salah,) Allah commanded performing Wudu' for t he prayer. This is a command of obligat ion in t he case of impurit y, and in t he case of purit y, it is merely a recommendat ion. It was said t hat in t he beginning of Islam, Muslims had t o perform Wudu' for every prayer, but lat er on, t his ruling was abrogat ed. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded t hat Sulayman bin Buraydah said t hat his fat her said, "The Prophet used t o perform Wudu' before every prayer. On t he Day of Vict ory, he performed Wudu' and wiped on his Khuffs and prayed t he five prayers wit h one Wudu'. ` Umar said t o him, ` O Messenger of Allah! You did somet hing new t hat you never did before.' The Prophet said,


(` I did t hat int ent ionally O ` Umar!)''' Muslim and t he collect ors of t he Sunan also recorded t his Hadit h. At -Tirmidhi said,"Hasan Sahih.'' Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Al-Fadl bin Al-Mubashshir said, "I saw Jabir bin ` Abdullah perform several prayers wit h only one Wudu'. When he would answer t he call of nat ure, he performed Wudu' and wiped t he t op of his Khuffs wit h his wet hand. I said, ` O Abu ` Abdullah! Do you do t his according t o your own opinion' He said, ` Rat her, I saw t he Prophet do t he same t hing. So, I do what I saw t he Messenger of Allah doing.''' Ibn Maj ah also recorded t his Hadit h. Ahmad recorded t hat ` Ubaydullah bin ` Abdullah bin ` Umar was asked; "Did you see ` Abdullah bin ` Umar perform Wudu' for every prayer, whet her he was in a st at e of purit y or not ,'' So he replied, "Asma' bint Zayd bin Al-Khat t ab t old him t hat ` Abdullah bin Hanzalah bin Abi ` Amir Al-Ghasil t old her t hat t he Messenger of Allah was earlier commanded t o perform Wudu' for every prayer, whet her he needed it or not . When t hat became hard on him, he was commanded t o use Siwak for every prayer, and t o perform Wudu' when Hadat h (impurit y) occurs. ` Abdullah (Ibn ` Umar) t hought t hat he was able t o do t hat (perform Wudu' for every prayer) and he kept doing t hat unt il he died.'' Abu Dawud also collect ed t his narrat ion. This pract ice by Ibn ` Umar demonst rat es t hat it is encouraged, not obligat ory, t o perform Wudu' for every prayer, and t his is also t he opinion of t he maj orit y of scholars. Abu Dawud recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Abbas said t hat when t he Messenger of Allah once left t he area where he answered t he call of nat ure, he was brought somet hing t o eat . They said, "Should we bring you your wat er for Wudu'' He said,

(I was commanded t o perform Wudu' when I st and up for prayer.) At -Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i also recorded t his Hadit h and At -Tirmidhi said, "This Hadit h is Hasan.'' Muslim recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "We were wit h t he Prophet when he went t o answer t he call of nat ure and when he came back, he was brought some food. He was asked, ` O Messenger of Allah! Do you want t o perform Wudu'' He said,

(` Why Am I about t o pray so t hat I have t o make Wudu'.)'''

The Intention and Mentioning Allah's Name for Wud 363

Allah said;

(t hen wash your faces...) The obligat ion for t he int ent ion before Wudu' is proven by t his Ayah;

(When you st and (int end) t o offer t he Salah t hen wash your faces...) This is because it is j ust like t he Arabs saying; "When you see t he leader, t hen st and.'' Meaning st and for him. And t he Two Sahihs recorded t he Hadit h,

(Act ions are j udged by t heir int ent ions, and each person will earn what he int ended.) It is also recommended before washing t he face t hat one ment ions Allah's Name for t he Wudu'. A Hadit h t hat was narrat ed by several Companions st at es t hat t he Prophet said, n

(There is no Wudu' for he who does not ment ion Allah's Name over it .) It is also recommended t hat one washes his hands before he put s his hands in t he vessel of wat er, especially aft er one wakes up from sleep, for t he Two Sahihs recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(If one of you wakes up from his sleep, let him not put his hand in t he pot unt il he washes it t hrice, for one of you does not know where his hand spent t he night .) The face according t o t he scholars of Fiqh st art s where t he hair line on t he head st art s, regardless of one's lack or abundance of hair, unt il t he end of t he cheeks and chin, and from ear t o ear.

Passing the Fingers through the Beard While Performing Wud 363
Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Wa'il said, "I saw ` Ut hman when he was performing Wudu'... When he washed his face, he passed his fingers t hrough his beard t hree t imes. He said, ` I saw t he Messenger of Allah do what you saw me doing.''' At -Tirmidhi and Ibn Maj ah also recorded t his Hadit h. At -Tirmidhi said "Hasan Sahih.'' while Al-Bukhari graded it Hasan.

How to Perform Wud 363

Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas once performed Wudu' and t ook a handful of wat er and rinsed his mout h and nose wit h it . He t ook anot her handful of wat er and j oined bot h hands and washed his face. He t ook anot her handful of wat er and washed his right hand, and anot her

handful and washed his left hand wit h it . He next wiped his head. Next , he t ook a handful of wat er and sprinkled it on his right foot and washed it and t ook anot her handful of wat er and washed his left foot . When he finished, he said, "This is how I saw t he Messenger of Allah (performing Wudu').'' Al-Bukhari also recorded it . Allah said,

(and your hands (forearms) up t o (Ila) t he elbows...) meaning, including t he elbows. Allah said in anot her Ayah using Ila ,

(And devour not t heir subst ance t o (Ila) your subst ance (by adding or including it in your propert y). Surely, t his is a great sin.) It is recommended t hat t hose who perform Wudu' should wash a part of t he upper arm wit h t he elbow. Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(On t he Day of Resurrect ion, my Ummah will be called "t hose wit h t he radiant appendages'' because of t he t races of Wudu'. Therefore, whoever can increase t he area of his radiance should do so.) Muslim recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said, "I heard my int imat e friend (t he Messenger ) saying,

(The radiance of t he believer reaches t he areas t hat t he wat er of (his) Wudu' reaches.)'' Allah said next ,

(Rub your heads.) It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat Malik bin ` Amr bin Yahya Al-Mazini said t hat his fat her said t hat a man said t o ` Abdullah bin Zayd bin ` Asim, t he grandfat her of ` Amr bin Yahya and one of t he Companions of t he Messenger , "Can you show me how t he Messenger

of Allah used t o perform Wudu''' ` Abdullah bin Zayd said, "Yes.'' He t hen asked for a pot of wat er. He poured from it on his hands and washed t hem t wice, t hen he rinsed his mout h and washed his nose wit h wat er t hrice by put t ing wat er in it and blowing it out . He washed his face t hrice and aft er t hat he washed his forearms up t o t he elbows t wice. He t hen passed his wet hands over his head from it s front t o it s back and vice versa, beginning from t he front and t aking t hem t o t he back of his head up t o t he nape of t he neck and t hen brought t hem t o t he front again from where he had st art ed. He next washed his feet . A similar descript ion of t he Wudu' of t he Messenger of Allah was performed by ` Ali in t he Hadit h by ` Abdu Khayr. Abu Dawud recorded t hat Mu` awiyah and Al-Miqdad bin Ma` dikarib narrat ed similar descript ions of t he Wudu' of t he Messenger of Allah . These Hadit hs indicat e t hat it is necessary t o wipe t he ent ire head. ` Abdur-Razzaq recorded t hat Humran bin Aban said, "I saw ` Ut hman bin ` Affan performing Wudu', and he poured wat er over his hands and washed t hem t hrice, and t hen rinsed his mout h and washed his nose by put t ing wat er in it , and t hen blowing it out . Then he washed his face t hrice, and t hen his right forearm up t o t he elbows t hrice, and washed t he left forearm t hrice. Then he passed his wet hands over his head, t hen he washed his right foot t hrice, and next his left foot t hrice. Aft er t hat ` Ut hman said, ` I saw t he Prophet performing Wudu' like t his, and said,

(If anyone performs Wudu' like t hat of mine and offers a t wo-Rak` ah prayer during which he does not t hink of anyt hing else, t hen his past sins will be forgiven.)''' Al-Bukhari and Muslim also recorded t his Hadit h in t he Two Sahihs. In his Sunan, Abu Dawud also recorded it from ` Ut hman, under t he descript ion of Wudu', and in it , t hat he wiped his head one t ime.

The Necessity of Washing the Feet

Allah said,

(and your feet up t o ankles.) Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas st at ed t hat t he Ayah refers t o washing (t he feet ). ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud, ` Urwah, ` At a', ` Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Muj ahid, Ibrahim, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi, Muqat il bin Hayyan, Az-Zuhri and Ibrahim At -Taymi said similarly. This clearly indicat es t he necessit y of washing t he feet , j ust as t he Salaf have said, and not only wiping over t he t op of t he bare foot .

The Hadiths that Indicate the Necessity of Washing the Feet

We ment ioned t he Hadit hs by t he t wo Leaders of t he Fait hful, ` Ut hman and ` Ali, and also by Ibn ` Abbas, Mu` awiyah, ` Abdullah bin Zayd bin ` Asim and Al-Miqdad bin Ma` dikarib, t hat t he Messenger of Allah washed his feet for Wudu', eit her once, t wice or t hrice. It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said, "The Messenger of Allah was once lat e during a t rip we were t aking, and he caught up wit h us when t he t ime remaining for t he ` Asr prayer was short . We were st ill performing Wudu' (in a rush) and we were wiping our feet . He shout ed at t he t op of his voice,

(Perform Wudu' t horoughly. Save your heels from t he Fire.)'' The same narrat ion was also collect ed in t he Two Sahihs from Abu Hurayrah. Muslim recorded t hat ` A'ishah said t hat t he Prophet said,

(Perform Wudu' t horoughly. Save your heels from t he Fire.) ` Abdullah bin Al-Harit h bin Jaz' said t hat he heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

(Save your heels and t he bot t om of t he feet from t he Fire. ) It was recorded by Al-Bayhaqi and Al-Hakim, and t his chain is Sahih. Muslim recorded t hat ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab said t hat a man once performed Wudu' and left a dry spot t he size of a fingernail on his foot . The Prophet saw t hat and he said t o him,

(Go back and perform proper Wudu'.) Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bayhaqi also recorded t hat Anas bin Malik said t hat a man came t o t he Prophet , aft er he performed Wudu' and left a dry spot t he size of a fingernail on his foot . The Messenger of Allah said t o him,

(Go back and perform proper Wudu'.) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat some of t he wives of t he Prophet said t hat t he Prophet saw a man praying, but not iced a dry spot on his foot , t he size of a Dirham. The Messenger of Allah ordered t hat man t o perform Wudu' again. This Hadit h was also collect ed by Abu Dawud from Baqiyyah, who added in his narrat ion, "And (t he Prophet ordered him) t o repeat t he prayer.'' This Hadit h has a st rong, reasonably good chain of narrat ors. Allah knows best .

The Necessity of Washing Between the Fingers

In t he Hadit h t hat Humran narrat ed, ` Ut hman washed bet ween his fingers when he was describing t he Wudu' of t he Prophet . The collect ors of t he Sunan recorded t hat Laqit bin Sabrah said, "I said, ` O Messenger of Allah! Tell me about Wudu'.' The Messenger replied,

(Perform Wudu' t horoughly, wash bet ween t he fingers and exaggerat e in rinsing your nose, unless you are fast ing.)''

Wiping Over the Khuffs is an Established Sunnah

Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded t hat Aws bin Abi Aws said, "I saw t he Messenger of Allah perform Wudu' and wipe over his Khuffs. He t hen st ood up for prayer.'' Abu Dawud recorded t his Hadit h by Aws bin Abi Aws, who said in t his narrat ion, "I saw t he Messenger of Allah , aft er he answered t he call of nat ure, perform Wudu' and wipe over his Khuffs and feet .'' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Jarir bin ` Abdullah Al-Baj ali said, "I embraced Islam aft er Surat Al-Ma'idah was revealed and I saw t he Messenger of Allah wipe aft er I became Muslim.'' It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat Hammam said, "Jarir answered t he call of nat ure and t hen performed Wudu' and wiped over his Khuffs. He was asked, ` Do you do t his' He said, ` Yes. I saw t he Messenger of Allah , aft er he answered t he call of nat ure, perform Wudu' and wipe on his Khuffs.''' Al-A` mash comment ed t hat Ibrahim said, "They liked t his Hadit h because Jarir embraced Islam aft er Surat Al-Ma'idah was revealed.'' This is t he wording collect ed by Muslim. The subj ect of t he Messenger of Allah wiping over his Khuffs, inst ead of washing t he feet , if he had worn his Khuffs while having Wudu', reaches t he Mut awat ir grade of narrat ion, and t hey describe t his pract ice by his words and act ions.

Performing Tayammum with Clean earth When There is no Water and When One is Ill
Allah said,

(But if you are ill or on a j ourney or any of you comes from t he Gha'it (t oilet ), or you have t ouched women and you find no wat er, t hen perform Tayammum wit h clean eart h and rub t herewit h your faces and hands.) We discussed all of t his in Surat An-Nisa', and t hus we do not need t o repeat it here. We also ment ioned t he reason behind revealing t his Ayah. Yet , AlBukhari ment ioned an honorable Hadit h here specifically about t he Tafsir of t his noble Ayah. He recorded t hat ` A'ishah said, "Upon ret urning t o Al-Madinah, a necklace of mine was broken (and lost ) in Al-Bayda' area. Allah's Messenger st ayed t here and went t o sleep wit h his head on my lap. Abu Bakr (` A'ishah's fat her) came and hit me on my flank wit h his hand saying, ` You have det ained t he people because of a necklace' So I wished I were dead because (I could not move) t he Messenger was sleeping on my lap and because of t he pain Abu Bakr caused me. Allah's Messenger got up when dawn broke and t here was no wat er. So Allah revealed,

(O you who believe! When you st and (int end) t o offer As-Salah (t he prayer), t hen wash your faces) iunt il t he end of t he Ayah. Usayd bin Al-Hudayr said, ` O t he family of Abu Bakr! Allah has blessed t he people because of you. Therefore, you are only a blessing for t he people.'' Allah said,

(Allah does not want t o place you in difficult y,) This is why He made t hings easy and lenient for you. This is why He allowed you t o use Tayammum when you are ill and when you do not find wat er, t o make t hings comfort able for you and as mercy for you. Allah made Tayammum in place of Wudu', and Allah made it t he same as ablut ion wit h wat er for t he one who it is legit imat e for, except for cert ain t hings, as we ment ioned before. For example; Tayammum only involves one st rike wit h t he hand on t he sand and wiping t he face and hands. Allah said,

(but He want s t o purify you, and t o complet e His favor on you t hat you may be t hankful.) for His bount ies on you, such as His easy, kind, merciful, comfort able and lenient legislat ion.

Supplicating to Allah after Wud 363

The Sunnah encourages supplicat ing t o Allah aft er Wudu' and st at es t hat t hose who do so are among t hose who seek t o purify t hemselves, as t he Ayah above st at es. Imam Ahmad, Muslim and t he collect ors of Sunan narrat ed t hat ` Uqbah bin ` Amir said, "We were on wat ch, guarding

camels, and when my t urn t o guard came, I t ook t he camels back at night . I found t hat t he Messenger of Allah was giving a speech t o t he people. I heard t hese words from t hat speech:

(Any Muslim who performs Wudu' properly, t hen st ands up and prays a t wo Rak'ah prayer wit h full at t ent ion in his heart and face, will earn Paradise.) I said, ` What a good st at ement t his is!' A person who was close by said, ` The st at ement he said before it is even bet t er.' When I looked, I found t hat it was ` Umar, who said, ` I saw t hat you j ust came. The Prophet said,

:
(When any of you performs Wudu' properly and says, ` I bear wit ness t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah and t hat Muhammad is His servant and Messenger', t he eight doors of Paradise will be opened for him so t hat he can ent er from any door he wishes.)'' This is t he wording collect ed by Muslim.

The Virtue of Wud 363

Malik recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(When t he Muslim or t he believing servant performs Wudu' and washes his face, every sin t hat he looked at wit h his eyes will depart from his face wit h t he wat er, or wit h t he last drop of wat er. When he washes his hands, every sin t hat his hands commit t ed will depart from his hands wit h t he wat er, or wit h t he last drop of wat er. When he washes his feet , every sin t o which his feet t ook him will depart wit h t he wat er, or wit h t he last drop of wat er. Unt il, he ends up sinless.) Muslim also recorded it . Muslim recorded t hat Abu Malik Al-Ash` ari said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Purit y is half of fait h and Al-Hamdu Lillah (all t he t hanks are due t o Allah) fills t he Mizan (t he Scale). And Subhan Allah and Allahu Akbar (all praise is due t o Allah, and Allah is t he Most Great ) fills what is bet ween t he heaven and eart h. As-Sawm (t he fast ) is a Junnah (a shield), Sabr (pat ience) is a light , Sadaqah (charit y) is evidence (of fait h) and t he Qur'an is proof for, or against you. Every person goes out in t he morning and ends up selling himself, he eit her frees his soul or dest roys it .) Muslim recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Allah does not accept charit y from one who commit s Ghulul, or prayer wit hout purit y.)

 - - - -
(7. And remember Allah's favor t o you and His covenant wit h which He bound you when you said: "We hear and we obey.'' And have Taqwa of Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Knower of t hat which is in t he breast s.) (8. O you who believe! St and out firmly for Allah as j ust wit nesses; and let not t he enmit y and hat red of ot hers make you avoid j ust ice. Be j ust , t hat is nearer t o Taqwa; and have Taqwa of Allah. Verily, Allah is Well-Acquaint ed wit h what you do.) (9. Allah has promised t hose who believe and do deeds of right eousness, t hat for t hem t here is forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise).) (10. And t hey who disbelieve and deny Our Ayat are t hose who will be t he dwellers of t he Hell-fire.) (11. O you who believe! Remember t he favor of Allah unt o you when some people desired (made a plan) t o st ret ch out t heir hands against you, but (Allah) held back t heir hands from you. So have Taqwa of Allah. And in Allah let t he believers put t heir t rust .)

Reminding the Believers of the Bounty of the Message and Islam

Allah reminds His believing servant s of His bount y by legislat ing t his glorious religion and sending t hem t his honorable Messenger. He also reminds t hem of t he covenant and pledges t hat He t ook from t hem t o follow t he Messenger , support and aid him, implement his Law and convey it on his behalf, while accept ing it t hemselves. Allah said,

(And remember Allah's favor upon you and His covenant wit h which He bound you when you said, "We hear and we obey.") This is t he pledge t hat t hey used t o give t o t he Messenger of Allah when t hey embraced Islam. They used t o say, "We gave our pledge of obedience t o t he Messenger of Allah t o hear and obey, in t imes when we are act ive and ot herwise, even if we were passed on for right s, and not t o disput e leadership wit h it s right ful people.'' Allah also said,

(And what is t he mat t er wit h you t hat you believe not in Allah! While t he Messenger invit es you t o believe in your Lord; and He has indeed t aken your covenant , if you are real believers.) It was also said t hat t his Ayah (5:7) reminds t he Jews of t he pledges and promises Allah t ook from t hem t o follow Muhammad and adhere t o his Law, as ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas st at ed. Allah t hen said,

(And have Taqwa of Allah.) in all t imes and sit uat ions. Allah says t hat He knows t he secret s and t hought s t hat t he heart s conceal,

(Verily, Allah is All-Knower of t he secret s of (your) breast s.)

The Necessity of Observing Justice

Allah said,


(O you who believe! St and out firmly for Allah...) meaning, in t rut h for t he sake of Allah, not for t he sake of people or for fame,

(as j ust wit nesses) observing j ust ice and not t ransgression. It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat An-Nu` man bin Bashir said, "My fat her gave me a gift , but ` Amrah bint Rawahah, my mot her, said t hat she would not agree t o it unless he made Allah's Messenger as a wit ness t o it . So, my fat her went t o Allah's Messenger t o ask him t o be a wit ness t o his giving me t he gift . Allah's Messenger asked,

(` Have you given t he like of it t o everyone of your offspring') He replied in t he negat ive. Allah's Messenger said,

(Have Taqwa of Allah and t reat your children equally.) And said;

(I shall not be wit ness t o inj ust ice.) My fat her t hen ret urned and t ook back his gift .'' Allah said;

(and let not t he enmit y and hat red of ot hers make you avoid j ust ice. ) The Ayah commands: Do not be carried away by your hat red for some people t o avoid observing j ust ice wit h t hem. Rat her, be j ust wit h every one, whet her a friend or an enemy. This is why Allah said,

(Be j ust : t hat is nearer t o Taqwa) t his is bet t er t han if you abandon j ust ice in t his case. Alt hough Allah said t hat observing j ust ice is ` nearer t o Taqwa', t here is not any ot her course of act ion t o t ake, t herefore ` nearer' here means ` is'. Allah said in anot her Ayah,


(The dwellers of Paradise will, on t hat Day, have t he best abode, and have t he fairer of places for repose.) Some of t he female Companions said t o ` Umar, "You are more rough and crude t han t he Messenger of Allah ,'' meaning, you are rough, not t hat t he Prophet is rough at all. Allah said next ,

(and have Taqwa of Allah. Verily, Allah is WellAcquaint ed wit h what you do.) and consequent ly, He will reward or punish you according t o your act ions, whet her good or evil. Hence Allah's st at ement aft erwards,

(Allah has promised t hose who believe and do deeds of right eousness, t hat for t hem t here is forgiveness) for t heir sins,

(and a great reward.) which is Paradise, t hat is part of Allah's mercy for His servant s. They will not earn Paradise on account of t heir good act ions, but rat her on account of His mercy and favor, even t hough t hey will qualify t o earn t his mercy on account of t heir good act ions. Allah has made t hese act ions t he cause and pat h t hat lead t o His mercy, favor, pardon and accept ance. Therefore, all t his is from Allah Alone and all t hanks are due t o Him. Allah said next ,

(And t hey who disbelieve and deny our Ayat are t hose who will be t he dwellers of t he Hellfire.) This only demonst rat es Allah's perfect j ust ice, wisdom and j udgment , He is never wrong, for He is t he Most Wise, Most Just and Most Able.

Among Allah's Favors is that He Prevented the Disbelievers from Fighting the Muslims
Allah said,

(O you who believe! Remember t he favor of Allah unt o you when some people desired (made a plan) t o st ret ch out t heir hands against you, but (Allah) wit hheld t heir hands from you.) ` Abdur-Razzaq recorded t hat Jabir said, "The Prophet once st ayed at an area and t he people spread out seeking shade under various t rees. The Prophet hung his weapon on a t ree, and a bedouin man came and t ook possession of t he Prophet 's weapon and held it aloft . He came t owards t he Prophet and said, ` Who can prot ect you from me' He replied, ` Allah, t he Exalt ed, Most Honored.' The bedouin man repeat ed his quest ion t wice or t hrice, each t ime t he Prophet answering him by saying, ` Allah.' The bedouin man t hen lowered t he sword, and t he Prophet called his Companions and t old t hem what had happened while t he bedouin was sit t ing next t o him, for t he Prophet did not punish him.' Ma` mar said t hat Qat adah used t o ment ion t hat some Arabs want ed t o have t he Prophet killed, so t hey sent t hat bedouin. Qat adah would t hen ment ion t his Ayah,

(Remember t he favor of Allah unt o you when some people desired (made a plan) t o st ret ch out t heir hands against you...) The st ory of t his bedouin man, whose name is Ghawrat h bin AlHarit h, is ment ioned in t he Sahih. Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar, Muj ahid and ` Ikrimah said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about Bani An-Nadir, who plot t ed t o drop a st one on t he head of t he Messenger when he came t o t hem for help t o pay t he blood money of t wo persons whom Muslims killed. The Jews left t he execut ion of t his plot t o ` Amr bin Jihash bin Ka` b and ordered him t o t hrow a st one on t he Prophet from above, when he came t o t hem and sat under t he wall. Allah t old His Prophet about t heir plot , and he went back t o Al-Madinah and his Companions followed him lat er on. Allah sent down t his Ayah concerning t his mat t er. Allah's st at ement ,

(And in Allah let t he believers put t heir t rust .) and t hose who do so, t hen Allah shall suffice for t hem and shall prot ect t hem from t he evil plot s of t he people. Thereaft er, Allah commanded

His Messenger t o expel Bani An-Nadir, and he laid siege t o t heir area and forced t hem t o evacuat e Al-Madinah.

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(12. Indeed, Allah t ook t he covenant from t he Children of Israel (Jews), and We appoint ed t welve leaders among t hem. And Allah said: "I am wit h you if you perform t he Salah and give t he Zakah and believe in My Messengers; honor and assist t hem, and lend t o Allah a good loan, verily, I will remit your sins and admit you t o Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise). But if any of you aft er t his, disbelieved, he has indeed gone ast ray from t he st raight way.'') (13. So, because of t heir breach of t heir covenant , We cursed t hem and made t heir heart s grow hard.

They changed t he words from t heir (right ) places and have abandoned a good part of t he Message t hat was sent t o t hem. And you will not cease t o discover deceit in t hem, except a few of t hem. But forgive t hem and overlook (t heir misdeeds). Verily, Allah loves t he doers of good.) (14. And from t hose who call t hemselves Christ ians, We t ook t heir covenant , but t hey have abandoned a good part of t he Message t hat was sent t o t hem. So We plant ed amongst t hem enmit y and hat red t ill t he Day of Resurrect ion; and Allah will inform t hem of what t hey used t o do.)

Cursing the People of the Book for Breaking the Covenant

Allah commanded His believing servant s t o fullfil t he promises and pledges t hat He t ook from t hem and which t hey gave His servant and Messenger, Muhammad, peace be upon him. Allah also commanded t hem t o st and for t he t rut h and give correct t est imony. He also reminded t hem of t he obvious and subt le favors of t he t rut h and guidance t hat He grant ed t hem. Next , Allah informed t hem of t he pledges and promises t hat He t ook from t he People of t he Book, who were before t hem, t he Jews and Christ ians. When t hey broke t hese promises and covenant s, Allah cursed t hem as a consequence and expelled t hem from His grace and mercy. He also sealed t heir heart s from receiving guidance and t he religion of t rut h, beneficial knowledge and right eous act ions. Allah said,

(Indeed Allah t ook t he covenant from t he Children of Israel and We appoint ed t welve leaders among t hem.) These t welve people were leaders who gave t he pledge t o Allah t o list en and obey Allah, His Messenger and His Book on behalf of t heir t ribes. Muhammad bin Ishaq and Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t his occurred when Musa went t o fight t he might y enemy (in Palest ine), and Allah commanded him t o choose a leader from every t ribe.

The Leaders of Ansar on the Night of ` Aqabah

Likewise, when t he Messenger of Allah t ook t he pledge from t he Ansar in t he ` Aqabah area, t here were t welve leaders from t he Ansar. There were t hree men from t he t ribe of Aws: Usayd bin Al-Hudayr, Sa` d bin Khayt hamah and Rifa` ah bin ` Abdul-Mundhir, or Abu Al-Hayt ham bin At -Tayhan. There were nine people from t he t ribe of Khazraj : Abu Umamah As` ad bin Zurarah, Sa` d bin Ar-Rabi` , ` Abdullah bin Rawahah, Rafi` bin Malik bin Al-` Aj lan, Al-Bara' bin Ma` rur, ` Ubadah bin As-Samit , Sa` d bin ` Ubadah, ` Abdullah bin ` Amr bin Haram and Al-Mundhir bin ` Umar bin Khunays. Ka` b bin Malik ment ioned t hese men in his poem, as recorded by Ibn Ishaq.On t hat night , t hese men were t he leaders or represent at ives of t heir t ribes by t he command of t he Prophet . They gave t he pledge and promise of allegiance and obedience t o t he Prophet on behalf of t heir people. Allah said,

(And Allah said, "I am wit h you...) wit h My prot ect ion, support and aid,


(if you perform t he Salah and give t he Zakah and believe in My Messengers;) concerning what t hey bring you of t he revelat ion,

(honor and assist t hem...) and support t hem on t he t rut h,

(and lend t o Allah a good loan...) by spending in His cause, seeking t o please Him.

(verily, I will remit your sins) and errors, I will erase t hem, cover t hem, and will not punish you for t hem,

(and admit you t o Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise).) t hus, prot ect ing you from what you fear and grant ing you what you seek.

Breaking the Covenant

Allah said,

(But if any of you aft er t his, disbelieved, he has indeed gone ast ray from t he st raight way.) Therefore, t hose who break t his covenant , even t hough t hey pledged and vowed t o keep it , yet , t hey broke it and denied it ever exist ed, t hey have avoided t he clear pat h and deviat ed from t he pat h of guidance t o t he pat h of misguidance. Allah t hen ment ioned t he punishment t hat befell t hose who broke His covenant and t he pledge t hey gave Him,


(So because of t heir breach of t heir covenant , We cursed t hem...) Allah st at es, because of t heir breaking t he promise t hat We t ook from t hem, We cursed t hem, deviat ed t hem away from t he t rut h, and expelled t hem from guidance,

(and made t heir heart s grow hard...) and t hey do not heed any word of advice t hat t hey hear, because of t he hardness of t heir heart s.

(They change t he words from t heir (right ) places...) Since t heir comprehension became corrupt , t hey behaved t reacherously wit h Allah's Ayat , alt ering His Book from it s apparent meanings which He sent down, and dist ort ing it s indicat ions. They at t ribut ed t o Allah what He did not say, and we seek refuge wit h Allah from such behavior.

(and have abandoned a good part of t he Message t hat was sent t o t hem.) by not implement ing it and by ignoring it . Allah said next ,

(And you will not cease t o discover deceit in t hem,) such as t heir plot s and t reachery against you, O Muhammad, and your Companions. Muj ahid said t hat t his Ayah refers t o t heir plot t o kill t he Messenger of Allah .

(But forgive t hem, and overlook (t heir misdeeds).) This, indeed, is t he ult imat e vict ory and t riumph. Some of t he Salaf said, "You would never t reat t hose who disobey Allah wit h you bet t er t han obeying Allah wit h t hem.'' This way, t heir heart s will gat her around t he t rut h and Allah might lead t hem t o t he right guidance. This is why Allah said,

(Verily, Allah loves t he doers of good.) Therefore, forgive t hose who err against you. Qat adah said t hat t his Ayah was abrogat ed wit h Allah's st at ement ,

(Fight against t hose who believe not in Allah, nor in t he Last Day).

The Christians Also Broke their Covenant with Allah and the Repercussion of this Behavior
Allah said,

(And from t hose who call t hemselves Christ ians, We t ook t heir covenant ,) Meaning: ` From t hose who call t hemselves Christ ians and followers of ` Isa, son of Maryam, while in fact t hey are not as t hey claim. We t ook from t hem t he covenant and pledges t hat t hey would follow t he Prophet , aid him, honor him and follow his foot st eps.' And t hat t hey would believe in every Prophet whom Allah sends t o t he people of t he eart h. They imit at ed t he Jews and broke t he promises and t he pledges. This is why Allah said,

(but t hey have abandoned a good part of t he Message t hat was sent t o t hem. So We plant ed amongst t hem enmit y and hat red t ill t he Day of Resurrect ion;) Meaning: ` We plant ed enmit y and hat red bet ween t hem, and t hey will remain like t his unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion.' Indeed, t he numerous Christ ian sect s have always been enemies and adversaries of each ot her, accusing each ot her of heresy and cursing each ot her. Each sect among t hem excommunicat es t he ot her sect s and does not allow t hem ent rance t o t heir places of worship. The Monarchist sect accuses t he Jacobit e sect of heresy, and such is t he case wit h t he Nest orians and t he Arians. Each sect among t hem will cont inue t o accuse t he ot her of disbelief and heresy in t his life and on t he Day when t he Wit nesses will come fort h. Allah t hen said,

(and Allah will inform t hem of what t hey used t o do.) warning and t hreat ening t he Christ ians because of t heir lies against Allah and His Messenger and t heir false claims about Allah, hallowed be He above what t hey say about Him. The Christ ians at t ribut e a companion and a

son t o Allah, while He is t he One and Only, t he All-Sufficient , Who neit her beget s nor was He begot t en, and t here is none like unt o Him.

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(15. O People of t he Script ure! Now has come t o you Our Messenger explaining t o you much of t hat which you used t o hide from t he Script ure and passing over much. Indeed, t here has come t o you from Allah a light and a plain Book.) (16. Wherewit h Allah guides all t hose who seek His Pleasure t o ways of peace, and He brings t hem out of darkness by His permission unt o light and guides t hem t o a st raight pat h.)

Explaining the Truth Through the Messenger and the Qur'an

Allah st at es t hat He sent His Messenger Muhammad wit h t he guidance and t he religion of t rut h t o all t he people of t he eart h, t he Arabs and non-Arabs, let t ered and unlet t ered. Allah also st at es t hat He sent Muhammad wit h clear evidences and t he dist inct ion bet ween t rut h and falsehood. Allah said,

(O People of t he Script ure! Now has come t o you Our Messenger explaining t o you much of t hat which you used t o hide from t he Script ure and passing over much.) So t he Prophet explained where t hey alt ered, dist ort ed, changed and lied about Allah. He also ignored much of what t hey changed, since it would not bring about any benefit if it was explained. In his Must adrak, Al-Hakim recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "He who disbelieves in st oning (t he adult erer t o deat h) will have inadvert ent ly disbelieved in t he Qur'an, for Allah said,


(O People of t he Script ure! Now has come t o you Our Messenger explaining t o you much of t hat which you used t o hide from t he Script ure) and st oning was among t he t hings t hat t hey used t o hide.'' Al-Hakim said, "It s chain is Sahih, and t hey did not record it .'' Allah next ment ions t he Glorious Qur'an t hat He sent down t o His honorable Prophet ,

(Indeed, t here has come t o you from Allah a light and a plain Book. Wherewit h Allah guides all t hose who seek His pleasure t o ways of peace.) meaning, ways of safet y and right eousness,

(and He brings t hem out of darkness by His permission unt o light and guides t hem t o a st raight pat h.) He t hus saves t hem from dest ruct ion and explains t o t hem t he best , most clear pat h. Therefore, He prot ect s t hem from what t hey fear, and brings about t he best of what t hey long for, all t he while ridding t hem of misguidance and direct ing t hem t o t he best , most right eous st at e of being.


(17. Surely, in disbelief are t hey who say t hat Allah is t he Messiah, son of Maryam. Say: "Who t hen has t he least power against Allah, if He were t o dest roy t he Messiah, son of Maryam, his mot her, and all t hose who are on t he eart h t oget her'' And t o Allah belongs t he dominion of t he heavens and t he eart h, and all t hat is bet ween t hem. He creat es what He wills. And Allah is able t o do all t hings.) (18. And t he Jews and t he Christ ians say: "We are t he children of Allah and His loved ones.'' Say: "Why t hen does He punish you for your sins'' Nay, you are but human beings of t hose He has creat ed, He forgives whom He wills and He punishes whom He wills. And t o Allah belongs t he dominion of t he heavens and t he eart h and all t hat is bet ween t hem; and t o Him is t he ret urn (of all).) e

The Polytheism and Disbelief of the Christians

Allah st at es t hat t he Christ ians are disbelievers because of t heir claim t hat ` Isa, son of Maryam, one of Allah's servant s and creat ures, is Allah. Allah is holier t han what t hey at t ribut e t o Him. Allah t hen reminds t hem of His perfect abilit y over everyt hing and t hat everyt hing is under His complet e cont rol and power,

(Say: "Who t hen has t he least power against Allah, if He were t o dest roy t he Messiah, son of Maryam, his mot her, and all t hose who are on t he eart h t oget her") Therefore, if Allah wills t o do t hat , who would be able t o st op Him or prevent Him from doing it Allah t hen said,

(And t o Allah belongs t he dominion of t he heavens and t he eart h, and all t hat is bet ween t hem. He creat es what He wills.) All t hings in exist ence are Allah's propert y and creat ion and He is able t o do everyt hing. He is never asked about what He does wit h His power, domain, j ust ice

and great ness so t his refut es t he Christ ian creed, may Allah's cont inued curses be upon t hem unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion.

Refuting the People of the Book's Claim that they are Allah's Children
Allah t hen refut es t he Christ ians' and Jews' false claims and lies,

(And t he Jews and t he Christ ians say, "We are t he children of Allah and His loved ones.") They claim: "We are t he followers of Allah's Prophet s, who are His children, whom He t akes care of. He also loves us.'' The People of t he Book claim in t heir Book t hat Allah said t o His servant Isra'il, "You are my first born.'' But t hey explained t his st at ement in an improper manner and alt ered it s meaning. Some of t he People of t he Book who lat er became Muslims refut ed t his false st at ement saying, "This st at ement only indicat es honor and respect , as is common in t heir speech at t hat t ime.'' The Christ ians claim t hat ` Isa said t o t hem, "I will go back t o my fat her and your fat her,'' meaning, my Lord and your Lord. It is a fact t hat t he Christ ians did not claim t hat t hey t oo are Allah's sons as t hey claimed about ` Isa. Rat her t his st at ement by ` Isa only meant t o indicat e a closeness wit h Allah. This is why when t hey said t hat t hey are Allah's children and loved ones, Allah refut ed t heir claim,

(Say, "Why t hen does He punish you for your sins") meaning, if you were t ruly as you claim, Allah's children and loved ones, t hen why did He prepare t he Fire because of your disbelief, lies and false claims

(Nay, you are but human beings, of t hose He has creat ed,) Allah st at es: you are j ust like t he rest of t he children of Adam, and Allah is t he Lord of all His creat ion,

(He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills.) Allah does what He wills, t here is none who can escape His j udgement , and He is swift in reckoning.

(And t o Allah belongs t he dominion of t he heavens and t he eart h and all t hat is bet ween t hem;) Therefore, everyt hing is Allah's propert y and under His power and cont rol,

(and t o Him is t he ret urn.) In t he end, t he ret urn will be t o Allah and He will j udge bet ween His servant s as He will, and He is t he Most Just Who is never wrong in His j udgment .

(19. O People of t he Script ure! Now has come t o you Our Messenger making (t hings) clear unt o you, aft er a break in (t he series of) Messengers, lest you say: "There came t o us no bringer of glad t idings and no warner.'' But now has come unt o you a bringer of glad t idings and a warner. And Allah is able t o do all t hings. ) Allah is addressing t he People of t he Book -- t he Jews and t he Christ ians, saying t hat He has sent His Messenger Muhammad t o t hem, t he Final Prophet , aft er whom t here will be no Prophet or Messenger. Rat her, He is t he Final Messenger who came aft er a long t ime passed bet ween him and ` Isa, son of Maryam peace be upon t hem. There is a difference of opinion about t he lengt h of t ime bet ween ` Isa and Muhammad . Abu ` Ut hman AnNahdi and Qat adah were report ed t o have said t hat t his period was six hundred years. AlBukhari also recorded t his opinion from Salman Al-Farisi. Qat adah said t hat t his period was five hundred and sixt y years, while Ma` mar said t hat it is five hundred and fort y years. Some said t hat t his period is six hundred and t went y years. There is no cont radict ion here if we consider t he fact t hat t hose who said t hat t his period was six hundred years were t alking about solar years, while t he second refers t o lunar years, since t here is a difference of about t hree years bet ween every one hundred lunar and solar years. As in Allah's st at ement ,

(And t hey st ayed in t heir Cave t hree hundred years, adding nine.) meaning, nine more lunar years t o subst it ut e for t he difference bet ween lunar and solar years, t hus agreeing wit h t he t hree hundred years t hat t he People of t he Book knew about . We should assert again t hat t he t ime period we ment ioned here was bet ween ` Isa, t he last Prophet t o t he Children of Israel, and Muhammad , t he Last Prophet and Messenger among t he children of Adam. In t he Sahih collect ed by Al-Bukhari, Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(I, among all people, have t he most right t o t he son of Maryam, for t here was no Prophet bet ween Him and I.) This Hadit h refut es t he opinion of Al-Quda` i and ot hers, t hat t here was a Prophet aft er ` Isa called Khalid bin Sinan. Allah sent Muhammad aft er a period of t ime during which t here was no Prophet , clear pat h, or unchanged religions. Idol worshipping, fire worshipping and cross worshipping flourished during t his t ime. Therefore, t he bount y of sending Muhammad was t he perfect bount y at a t ime when he was needed t he most . Evil had filled t he eart h by t hen, and t yranny and ignorance had t ouched all t he servant s, except a few of t hose who remained loyal t o t he t rue t eachings of previous Prophet s, such as some Jewish rabbis, Christ ian priest s and Sabian monks. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Iyad bin Himar AlMuj ash` i said t hat t he Prophet gave a speech one day and said,

: : :

 : .() : :
(My Lord has commanded me t o t each you what you have no knowledge of and of which He t aught me t his day, ` All t he wealt h t hat I gave t o My servant s is permissible. I creat ed all My servant s Hunafa (monot heist s). But , t he devils came t o t hem and deviat ed t hem from t heir religion, prohibit ed for t hem what I allowed and commanded t hem t o associat e ot hers wit h Me in worship , which I gave no permission for.' Then Allah looked at t he people of t he eart h and disliked t hem all, t he Arabs and non-Arabs among t hem, except a few from among t he Children of Israel. Allah said (t o me), ` I only sent you t o t est you and t o t est wit h you. I sent t o you a Book t hat cannot be washed by wat er (it is et ernal), and you will read it while asleep and while awake.' Allah has also Commanded me t o burn (dest roy) Quraysh. So I said, ` O Lord! They will smash my head and leave it like a piece of bread.' He said, ` I will drive t hem out as t hey drove you out , and when you invade t hem We will help you. Spend on t hem (your companions) and We will spend on you, send an army and We will send five armies like it (in it s support ). Fight wit h t hose who obey you, against t hose who disobey you. And t he inhabit ant s of Paradise are t hree: a j ust , prosperous, and charit able ruler; A merciful man who has a kind heart t oward every relat ive and every Muslim; a forgiving, poor man wit h dependant s who is charit able . And t he inhabit ant s of t he Fire are five: t he weak one wit h no religion; t hose who follow aft er you not for family reasons nor wealt h; and t he t reacherous who does not hide his t reachery, act ing t reacherous in even t he most insignificant mat t ers; and a person who comes every

morning and every evening, is cheat ing your family or your wealt h.') And he ment ioned t he st ingy, or t he liar, and t he foulmout hed person.'' Therefore, t he Hadit h st at es t hat Allah looked at t he people of t he eart h and disliked t hem all, bot h t he Arabs and non-Arabs among t hem, except a few among t he Children of Israel, or a few among t he People of t he Book as Muslim recorded. The religion was dist ort ed and changed for t he people of t he eart h unt il Allah sent Muhammad , and Allah, t hus, guided t he creat ures and t ook t hem away from t he darkness t o t he light and placed t hem on a clear pat h and a glorious Law. Allah said,

(lest you say, "There came unt o us no bringer of glad t idings and no warner.") meaning, so t hat you, who changed t he t rue religion, do not make it an excuse and say, "No Messenger came t o us bringing glad t idings and warning against evil.'' There has come t o you a bringer of good news and a warner, Muhammad .

(And Allah is able t o do all t hings. ) Ibn Jarir said t his part of t he Ayah means, "I am able t o punish t hose who disobey Me and t o reward t hose who obey Me.''

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(20. And (remember) when Musa said t o his people: "O my people! Remember t he favor of Allah t o you: when He made Prophet s among you, made you kings and gave you what He had not given t o any ot her among t he nat ions (Al-` Alamin).'') (21. "O my people! Ent er t he Holy Land which Allah has assigned t o you and t urn not back; for t hen you will be ret urned as losers.'') (22. They said: "O Musa! In it are a people of great st rengt h, and we shall never ent er it , t ill t hey leave it ; when t hey leave, t hen we will ent er.'') (23. Two men of t hose who feared (Allah and) on whom Allah had best owed His grace said: "Assault t hem t hrough t he gat e; for when you are in, vict ory will be yours. And put your t rust in Allah if you are believers indeed.'') (24. They said: "O Musa! We shall never ent er it as long as t hey are t here. So go, you and your Lord, and fight you t wo, we are sit t ing right here.'') (25. He Musa said: "O my Lord! I have power only over myself and my brot her, so Ifruq us from t he rebellious people!'') (26. (Allah) said: "Therefore it is forbidden t o t hem for fort y years; in dist ract ion t hey will wander t hrough t he land. So do not greive for t he rebellious people.'')

Allah st at es t hat His servant , Messenger, t o whom He spoke direct ly, Musa, t he son of ` Imran, reminded his people t hat among t he favors Allah grant ed t hem, is t hat He will give t hem all of t he good of t his life and t he Hereaft er, if t hey remain on t he right eous and st raight pat h. Allah said,

(And (remember) when Musa said t o his people: "O my people! Remember t he favor of Allah t o you, when He made Prophet s among you,) for whenever a Prophet died, anot her rose among t hem, from t he t ime of t heir fat her Ibrahim and t hereaft er. There were many Prophet s among t he Children of Israel calling t o Allah and warning against His t orment , unt il ` Isa was sent as t he final Prophet from t he Children of Israel. Allah t hen sent down t he revelat ion t o t he Final Prophet and Messenger, Muhammad, t he son of ` Abdullah, from t he offspring of Isma` il, t he son of Ibrahim, peace be upon t hem. Muhammad is t he most honorable Prophet of all t imes. Allah said next ,


(made you kings) ` Abdur-Razzaq recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed: "Having a servant , a wife and a house.'' In his Must adrak, Al-Hakim recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "A wife and a servant , and, a

(and gave you what He had not given t o any ot her among t he nat ions (` Alamin).) means, during t heir t ime.'' Al-Hakim said, "Sahih according t o t he crit eria of t he Two Sahihs, but t hey did not collect it .'' Qat adah said, "They were t he first people t o t ake servant s.'' A Hadit h st at es,

(He among you who wakes up while healt hy in body, safe in his family and having t he provision for t hat very day, is as if t he world and all t hat was in it were collect ed for him.) Allah's st at ement ,

(and gave you what He had not given t o any ot her among t he nat ions (Al-` Alamin).) means, during your t ime, as we st at ed. The Children of Israel were t he most honorable among t he people of t heir t ime, compared t o t he Greek, Copt s and t he rest of mankind. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And indeed We gave t he Children of Israel t he Script ure, and t he underst anding of t he Script ure and it s laws, and t he Prophet hood; and provided t hem wit h good t hings, and preferred t hem above t he nat ions (Al-` Alamin).) Allah said,

 -
(They said: "O Musa! Make for us a god as t hey have gods.'' He said: "Verily, you are an ignorant people.'' Musa added: "Verily, t hese people will be dest royed for t hat which t hey are engaged in (idol worship).'' And all t hat t hey are doing is in vain. He said: "Shall I seek for you a god ot her t han Allah, while He has given you superiorit y over t he nat ions.'') Therefore, t hey were t he best among t he people of t heir t ime. The Muslim Ummah is more respect ed and honored before Allah, and has a more perfect legislat ive code and syst em of life, it has t he most honorable Prophet , t he larger kingdom, more provisions, wealt h and children, a larger domain and more last ing glory t han t he Children of Israel. Allah said,

(Thus We have made you, a j ust (t he best ) nat ion, t hat you be wit nesses over mankind.) We ment ioned t he Mut awat ir Hadit hs about t he honor of t his Ummah and it s st at us and honor wit h Allah, when we explained Allah's st at ement in Surah Al-` Imran (3),

(You are t he best of peoples ever raised up for mankind...) Allah st at es next t hat Musa encouraged t he Children of Israel t o perform Jihad and ent er Jerusalem, which was under t heir cont rol during t he t ime of t heir fat her Ya` qub. Ya` qub and his children lat er moved wit h his children and household t o Egypt during t he t ime of Prophet Yusuf. His offspring remained in Egypt unt il t heir exodus wit h Musa. They found a might y, st rong people in Jerusalem who had previously t aken it over. Musa, Allah's Messenger, ordered t he Children of Israel t o ent er Jerusalem and fight t heir enemy, and he promised t hem vict ory and t riumph over t he might y people if t hey did so. They declined, rebelled and defied his order and were punished for fort y years by being lost , wandering in t he land uncert ain of where t hey should go. This was t heir punishment for defying Allah's command. Allah said t hat Musa ordered t hem t o ent er t he Holy Land,


(which Allah has assigned t o you) meaning, which Allah has promised t o you by t he words of your fat her Isra'il, t hat it is t he inherit ance of t hose among you who believe.

(and t urn not back) in flight from Jihad.

(". ..for t hen you will be ret urned as losers.'' They said, "O Musa! In it are a people of great st rengt h, and we shall never ent er it , t ill t hey leave it ; when t hey leave, t hen we will ent er.") Their excuse was t his, in t his very t own you commanded us t o ent er and fight it s people, t here is a might y, st rong, vicious people who have t remendous physique and physical abilit y. We are unable t o st and against t hese people or fight t hem. Therefore, t hey said, we are incapable of ent ering t his cit y as long as t hey are st ill in it , but if t hey leave it , we will ent er it . Ot herwise, we cannot st and against t hem.

The Speeches of Yuwsha` (Joshua) and Kalib (Caleb)

Allah said,

(Two men of t hose who feared (Allah and) on whom Allah had best owed His grace said...) When t he Children of Israel declined t o obey Allah and follow His Messenger Musa, t wo right eous men among t hem, on whom Allah had best owed a great bount y and who were afraid of Allah and His punishment , encouraged t hem t o go forward. It was also said t hat t he Ayah reads in a way t hat means t hat t hese men were respect ed and honored by t heir people. These t wo men were Yuwsha` , t he son of Nun, and Kalib, t he son of Yufna, as Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, ` At iyyah, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and several ot her Salaf and lat t er scholars st at ed. These t wo men said t o t heir people,


("Assault t hem t hrough t he gat e, for when you are in, vict ory will be yours. And put your t rust in Allah if you are believers indeed.") Therefore, t hey said, if you rely on and t rust in Allah, follow His command and obey His Messenger, t hen Allah will give you vict ory over your enemies and will give you t riumph and dominance over t hem. Thus, you will conquer t he cit y t hat Allah has promised you. This advice did not benefit t hem in t he least ,

(They said, "O Musa! We shall never ent er it as long as t hey are t here. So go, you and your Lord, and fight you t wo, we are sit t ing right here.") This is how t hey declined t o j oin Jihad, defied t heir Messenger, and refused t o fight t heir enemy.

The Righteous Response of the Companions During the Battle of Badr

Compare t his t o t he bet t er response t he Companions gave t o t he Messenger of Allah during t he bat t le of Badr, when he asked for t heir advice about fight ing t he Quraysh army t hat came t o prot ect t he caravan led by Abu Sufyan. When t he Muslim army missed t he caravan and t he Quraysh army, bet ween nine hundred and one t housand st rong, helmet ed and drawing closer, Abu Bakr st ood up and said somet hing good. Several more Muhaj irin also spoke, all t he while t he Messenger of Allah saying,

(Advise me, O Muslims!) inquiring of what t he Ansar, t he maj orit y t hen, had t o say. Sa` d bin Mu` adh said, "It looks like you mean us, O Messenger of Allah! By He Who has sent you wit h t he Trut h! If you seek t o cross t his sea and went in it , we will follow you and none among us will remain behind. We would not hat e for you t o lead us t o meet our enemy t omorrow. We are pat ient in war, vicious in bat t le. May Allah allow you t o wit ness from our effort s what comfort s your eyes. Therefore, march forward wit h t he blessing of Allah.'' The Messenger of Allah () was pleased wit h t he words of Sa` d and was encouraged t o march on. Abu Bakr bin Marduwyah recorded t hat Anas said t hat when t he Messenger of Allah went t o Badr, he asked t he Muslims for t heir opinion, and ` Umar gave his. The Prophet again asked t he Muslims for t heir opinion and t he Ansar said, "O Ansar! It is you whom t he Prophet want s t o hear.'' They said, "We will never say as t he Children of Israel said t o Musa,


(So go, you and your Lord, and fight you t wo, we are sit t ing right here.) By He Who has sent you wit h t he Trut h! If you t ook t he camels t o Bark Al-Ghimad (near Makkah) we shall follow you.'' Imam Ahmad, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Hibban also recorded t his Hadit h. In t he Book of AlMaghazi and At -Tafsir, Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said, "On t he day of Badr, Al-Miqdad said, ` O Messenger of Allah! We will never say t o you what t he Children of Israel said t o Musa,

(So go, you and your Lord, and fight you t wo, we are sit t ing right here.) Rat her, march on and we will be wit h you.' The Messenger of Allah was sat isfied aft er hearing t his st at ement .''

Musa Supplicates to Allah Against the Jews

Musa said,

("O my Lord! I have power only over myself and my brot her, so separat e us from t he rebellious people!") When t he Children of Israel refused t o fight , Musa became very angry wit h t hem and supplicat ed t o Allah against t hem,

(O my Lord! I have power only over myself and my brot her') meaning, only I and my brot her Harun among t hem will obey, implement Allah's command and accept t he call,

(So Ifruq us from t he rebellious people!) Al-` Awfi report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Meaning, j udge bet ween us and t hem.'' ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed similarly from him. Ad-Dahhak said t hat t he Ayah means, "Judge and decide bet ween us and t hem.'' Ot her scholars said t hat t he Ayah means, "Separat e bet ween us and t hem.''

Forbidding the Jews from Entering the Holy Land for Forty Years
Allah said,

(Therefore it is forbidden t o t hem for fort y years; in dist ract ion t hey will wander t hrough t he land.) When Musa supplicat ed against t he Jews for refusing t o fight in Jihad, Allah forbade t hem from ent ering t he land for fort y years. They wandered about lost in t he land of At -Tih, unable t o find t heir way out . During t his t ime, t remendous miracles occurred, such as t he clouds t hat shaded t hem and t he manna and quails Allah sent down for t hem. Allah brought fort h wat er springs from solid rock, and t he ot her miracles t hat He aided Musa bin ` Imran wit h. During t his t ime, t he Tawrah was revealed and t he Law was est ablished for t he Children of Israel and t he Tabernacle of t he Covenant was erect ed.

Conquering Jerusalem
Allah's st at ement ,

(for fort y years;) defines,

(in dist ract ion t hey will wander t hrough t he land.) When t hese years ended, Yuwsha` bin Nun led t hose who remained among t hem and t he second generat ion, and laid siege t o Jerusalem, conquering it on a Friday aft ernoon. When t he sun was about t o set and Yuwsha` feared t hat t he Sabbat h would begin, he said (t o t he sun), "You are commanded and I am commanded, as well. O Allah! Make it st op set t ing for me.'' Allah made t he sun st op set t ing unt il Yuwsha` bin Nun conquered Jerusalem. Next , Allah commanded Yuwsha` t o order t he Children of Israel t o ent er Jerusalem from it s gat e while bowing and saying Hit t ah, meaning, ` remove our sins.' Yet , t hey changed what t hey were commanded and ent ered it while dragging t hemselves on t heir behinds and saying, ` Habbah (a seed) in Sha` rah (a hair).'' We ment ioned all of t his in t he Tafsir of Surat Al-Baqarah. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed,

(Therefore it is forbidden t o t hem for fort y years; in dist ract ion t hey will wander t hrough t he land.) "They wandered in t he land for fort y years, during which Musa and Harun died, as well as everyone above fort y years of age. When t he fort y years ended, Yuwsha` son of Nun assumed t heir leadership and lat er conquered Jerusalem. When Yuwsha` was reminded t hat t he day was Friday and t he sun was about t o set , while t hey were st ill at t acking Jerusalem, he feared t hat t he Sabbat h might begin. Therefore, he said t o t he sun, ` I am commanded and you are commanded.' Allah made t he sun st op set t ing and t he Jews conquered Jerusalem and found wealt h unseen before. They want ed t o let t he fire consume t he boot y, but t he fire would not do t hat . Yuwsha` said, ` Some of you have commit t ed t heft from t he boot y.' So he summoned t he t welve leaders of t he t welve t ribes and t ook t he pledge from t hem. Then, t he hand of one of t hem became st uck t o t he hand of Yuwsha` and Yuwsha` said, ` You commit t ed t he t heft , so bring it fort h.' So, t hat man brought a cow's head made of gold wit h t wo eyes made of precious st ones and a set of t eet h made of pearls. When Yuwsha` added it t o t he boot y, t he fire consumed it , as t hey were prohibit ed t o keep t he boot y.'' There is evidence support ing all of t his in t he Sahih.

Allah Comforts Musa

Confort ing Musa, Allah said

(So do not greive for t he rebellious people.) Allah said: Do not feel sorrow or sadness over My j udgment against t hem, for t hey deserve such j udgment . This st ory chast ises t he Jews, exposes t heir defiance of Allah and His Messenger, and t heir refusal t o obey t he order for Jihad. They were weak and could not bear t he t hought of fight ing t heir enemy, being pat ient , and enduring t his way. This occurred alt hough t hey had t he Messenger of Allah and t he one whom He spoke t o among t hem, t he best of Allah's creat ion t hat t ime. Their Prophet promised t hem t riumph and vict ory against t heir enemies. They also wit nessed t he t orment and punishment of drowning wit h which Allah punished t heir enemy Fir` awn and his soldiers, so t hat t heir eyes were pleased and comfort ed. All t his did not happen t oo long ago, yet t hey refused t o perform Jihad against people who had less t han a t ent h of t he power and st rengt h t han t he people of Egypt had. Therefore, t he evil works of t he Jews were exposed t o everyone, and t he exposure was such an enormous one t hat t he night , or t he t ail, can never cover it s t racks. They were also blinded by t heir ignorance and t ransgression. Thus, t hey became hat ed by Allah, and t hey became His enemies. Yet , t hey claim t hat t hey are Allah's children and His loved ones! May Allah curse t heir faces t hat were t ransformed t o t he shape of swine and apes, and may Allah's curse accompany t hem t o t he raging Fire. May Allah make t hem abide in t he Fire for et ernit y, and He did; all t hanks are due t o Him.

 - - -
(27. And recit e t o t hem t he st ory of t he t wo sons of Adam in t rut h; when each offered a sacrifice, it was accept ed from t he one but not from t he ot her. The lat t er said t o t he former: "I will surely, kill you.'' The former said: "Verily, Allah accept s only from t hose who have Taqwa.) (28. "If you do st ret ch your hand against me t o kill me, I shall never st ret ch my hand against you t o kill you, for I fear Allah; t he Lord of all t hat exist s.'') (29. "Verily, I int end t o let you draw my sin on yourself as well as yours, t hen you will be one of t he dwellers of t he Fire, and t hat is t he recompense of t he wrongdoers.'') (30. So t he soul of t he ot her encouraged him and made fair-seeming t o him t he murder of his brot her; he murdered him and became one of t he losers.) (31. Then Allah sent a crow who scrat ched t he ground t o show him how t o hide t he dead body of his brot her. He said: "Woe t o me! Am I not even able t o be as t his crow and t o hide t he dead body of my brot her'' Then he became one of t hose who regret t ed.)

The Story of Habil (Abel) and Qabil (Cain)

Allah describes t he evil end and consequence of t ransgression, envy and inj ust ice in t he st ory of t he t wo sons of Adam, Habil and Qabil. One of t hem fought against t he ot her and killed him out of envy and t ransgression, because of t he bount y t hat Allah gave his brot her and because t he sacrifice t hat he sincerely offered t o Allah was accept ed. The murdered brot her earned forgiveness for his sins and was admit t ed int o Paradise, while t he murderer failed and earned a losing deal in bot h t he lives. Allah said,

(And recit e t o t hem t he st ory of t he t wo sons of Adam in t rut h;) meaning, t ell t hese envious, unj ust people, t he brot hers of swine and apes from t he Jews and t heir likes among mankind, t he st ory of t he t wo sons of Adam, Habil and Qabil, as many scholars among t he Salaf and lat er generat ions said. Allah's st at ement ,


(in t rut h;) means, clearly and wit hout ambiguit y, alt erat ion, confusion, change, addit ion or delet ion. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(Verily, t his is t he t rue narrat ive about t he st ory of ` Isa ,)

(We narrat e unt o you t heir st ory wit h t rut h, ) and,

(Such is ` Isa, son of Maryam. (It is) a st at ement of t rut h.) Several scholars among t he Salaf and t he lat er generat ions said t hat Allah allowed Adam t o marry his daught ers t o his sons because of t he necessit y of such act ion. They also said t hat in every pregnancy, Adam was given a t win, a male and a female, and he used t o give t he female of one t win, t o t he male of t he ot her t win, in marriage. Habil's sist er was not beaut iful while Qabil's sist er was beaut iful, result ing in Qabil want ing her for himself, inst ead of his brot her. Adam refused unless t hey bot h offer a sacrifice, and he whose sacrifice was accept ed, would marry Qabil's sist er. Habil's sacrifice was accept ed, while Qabil's sacrifice was rej ect ed, and t hus what Allah t old us about t hem occurred. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said -- t hat during t he t ime of Adam -- "The woman was not allowed in marriage for her male t win, but Adam was commanded t o marry her t o any of her ot her brot hers. In each pregnancy, Adam was given a t win, a male and a female. A beaut iful daught er was once born for Adam and anot her one t hat was not beaut iful. So t he t win brot her of t he ugly daught er said, ` Marry your sist er t o me and I will marry my sist er t o you.' He said, ` No, for I have more right t o my sist er.' So t hey bot h offered a sacrifice. The sacrifice of t he one who offered t he sheep was accept ed while t he sacrifice of t he ot her t he t win brot her of t he beaut iful daught er , which consist ed of some produce, was not accept ed. So t he lat t er killed his brot her.'' This st ory has a bet t er t han good chain of narrat ion. The st at ement ,

("Verily, Allah accept s only from t hose who have Taqwa.) who fear Allah in t heir act ions. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Abu Ad-Darda' said, "If I become cert ain t hat Allah has accept ed even one prayer from me, it will be bet t er for me t han t his life and all t hat in it . This is because Allah says,


(Verily, Allah accept s only from t he t hose who have Taqwa.) The st at ement ,

("If you do st ret ch your hand against me t o kill me, I shall never st ret ch my hand against you t o kill you, for I fear Allah; t he Lord of all t hat exist s.") Qabil's brot her, t he pious man whose sacrifice was accept ed because of his piet y, said t o his brot her, who t hreat ened t o kill him wit hout j ust ificat ion,

(If you do st ret ch your hand against me t o kill me, I shall never st ret ch my hand against you t o kill you,) I will not commit t he same evil act t hat you t hreat en t o commit , so t hat I will not earn t he same sin as you,

(for I fear Allah; t he Lord of t he all t hat exist s.) and, as a result , I will not commit t he error t hat you t hreat en t o commit . Rat her, I will observe pat ience and endurance. ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said, "By Allah! Habil was t he st ronger of t he t wo men. But , fear of Allah rest rict ed his hand.'' The Prophet said in a Hadit h recorded in t he Two Sahihs,

(When t wo Muslims fight (meet ) each ot her wit h t heir swords, bot h t he murderer as well as t he murdered will go t o t he Hellfire.) They said, "O Allah's Messenger! It is all right for t he murderer, but what about t he vict im'' Allah's Messenger replied,

(He surely had t he int ent ion t o kill his comrade.) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat , at t he beginning of t he calamit y t hat ` Ut hman suffered from, Sa` d bin Abi Waqqas said, "I bear wit ness t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(There will be a Fit nah, and he who sit s idle during it is bet t er t han he who st ands up, and he who st ands up in it is bet t er t han he who walks, and he who walks is bet t er t han he who is walking at a fast pace.) When he was asked, ` What if someone ent ers my home and st ret ched his hand t o kill me' He said,

(Be j ust like (t he pious) son of Adam.)'' At -Tirmidhi also recorded it t his way, and said, "This Hadit h is Hasan, and similar is report ed on t his subj ect from Abu Hurayrah, Khabbab bin AlArat t , Abu Bakr, Ibn Mas` ud, Abu Waqid and Abu Musa.'' The Qur'an cont inues,

("Verily, I int end t o let you draw my sin on yourself as well as yours, t hen you will be one of t he dwellers of t he Fire, and t hat is t he recompense of t he wrongdoers.") Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, AdDahhak, As-Suddi and Qat adah said t hat ,

("Verily, I int end t o let you draw my sin on yourself as well as yours...") means, t he sin of murdering me, in addit ion t o your previous sins. Ibn Jarir recorded t his. Allah's st at ement ,

(So t he soul of t he ot her encouraged him and made fair-seeming t o him t he murder of his brot her; he murdered him and became one of t he losers.) means, his conscience encouraged

him t o kill his brot her by making it seem like a sensible t hing t o do, so he killed him, even aft er his brot her admonished him. Ibn Jarir said, "When he want ed t o kill his brot her, he st art ed t o t wist his neck. So Shayt an t ook an animal and placed it s head on a rock, t hen he t ook anot her rock, and similar is report ed on t his subj ect from Abu Hurayrah, Khabbab bin Al-Arat t , Abu Bakr, Ibn Mas` ud, Abu Waqid and Abu Musa.'' The Qur'an cont inues,

("Verily, I int end t o let you draw my sin on yourself as well as yours, t hen you will be one of t he dwellers of t he Fire, and t hat is t he recompense of t he wrongdoers.") Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, AdDahhak, As-Suddi and Qat adah said t hat ,

("Verily, I int end t o let you draw my sin on yourself as well as yours...") means, t he sin of murdering me, in addit ion t o your previous sins. Ibn Jarir recorded t his. Allah's st at ement ,

(So t he soul of t he ot her encouraged him and made fair-seeming t o him t he murder of his brot her; he murdered him and became one of t he losers.) means, his conscience encouraged him t o kill his brot her by making it seem like a sensible t hing t o do, so he killed him, even aft er his brot her admonished him. Ibn Jarir said, "When he want ed t o kill his brot her, he st art ed t o t wist his neck. So Shayt an t ook an animal and placed it s head on a rock, t hen he t ook anot her rock, and smashed it s head wit h it unt il he killed it while t he son of Adam was looking. So he did t he same t hing t o his brot her.'' Ibn Abi Hat im also recorded t his. ` Abdullah bin Wahb said t hat ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said t hat his fat her said, "Qabil held Habil by t he head t o kill him, so Habil laid down for him and Qabil st art ed t wist ing Habil's head, not knowing how t o kill him. Shayt an came t o Qabil and said, ` Do you want t o kill him' He said, ` Yes.' Shayt an said, ` Take t hat st one and t hrow it on his head.' So Qabil t ook t he st one and t hrew it at his brot her's head and smashed his head. Shayt an t hen went t o Hawwa' in a hurry and said t o her, ` O Hawwa'! Qabil killed Habil.' She asked him, ` Woe t o you! What does ` kill' mean' He said, ` He will no longer eat , drink or move.' She said, ` And t hat is deat h' He said, ` Yes it is.' So she st art ed t o weep unt il Adam came t o her while she was weeping and said, ` What is t he mat t er wit h you' She did not answer him. He asked her t wo more t imes, but she did not answer him. So he said, ` You and your daught ers will inherit t he pract ice of weeping, while I and my sons are free of it .''' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded it . Allah's st at ement ,

(And became one of t he losers.) in t his life and t he Hereaft er, and which loss is worse t han t his Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Any soul t hat is unj ust ly killed, t hen t he first son of Adam will carry a burden of it s shedding, for he was t he first t o pract ice t he crime of murder.) The Group, wit h t he except ion of Abu Dawud, also recorded t his Hadit h. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr used t o say, "The son of Adam, who killed his brot her, will be t he most miserable among men. There is no blood shed on eart h since he killed his brot her, unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion, but he will carry a burden from it , for he was t he first person t o est ablish murder.'' Allah said,

(Then Allah sent a crow who scrat ched t he ground t o show him how t o hide t he dead body of his brot her. He (t he murderer) said, "Woe t o me! Am I not even able t o be as t his crow and t o hide t he dead body of my brot her'' Then he became one of t hose who regret t ed.) As-Suddi said t hat t he Companions said, "When his brot her died, Qabil left him on t he bare ground and did not know how t o bury him. Allah sent t wo crows, which fought wit h each ot her unt il one of t hem killed t he ot her. So it dug a hole and t hrew sand over t he dead corpse (which it placed in t he hole). When Qabil saw t hat , he said,

("Woe t o me! Am I not even able t o be as t his crow and t o hide t he dead body of my brot her'') ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "A crow came t o t he dead corpse of anot her crow and t hrew sand over it , unt il it hid it in t he ground. He who killed his brot her said,


(Woe t o me! Am I not even able t o be as t his crow and t o hide t he dead body of my brot her)'' Al-Hasan Al-Basri comment ed on t he st at ement ,

(Then he became one of t hose who regret t ed.) "Allah made him feel sorrow aft er t he loss t hat he earned.''

The Swift Punishment for Transgression and Cutting the Relations of the Womb
A Hadit h st at es t hat t he Prophet said,

(There is no sin t hat is more wort hy of Allah hast ening it s punishment in t his life, in addit ion t o what He has in st ore for it s offender in t he Hereaft er, more t han t ransgression and cut t ing t he relat ions of t he womb.) The act of Qabil included bot h of t hese. We are Allah's and t o Him is our ret urn.

 -
(32. Because of t hat , We ordained for t he Children of Israel t hat if anyone killed a person not in ret aliat ion of murder, or (and) t o spread mischief in t he land - it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved t he life of all mankind. And indeed, t here came t o t hem Our Messengers wit h Al-Bayyinat , even t hen aft er t hat many of t hem cont inued t o exceed t he limit s in t he land!) (33. The recompense of t hose who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and do mischief in t he land is only t hat t hey shall be killed or crucified, or t heir hands and t heir feet be cut off on opposit e sides, or be exiled from t he land. That is t heir disgrace in t his world, and a great t orment is t heirs in t he Hereaft er.) (34. Except for t hose who (having fled away and t hen) came back (as Muslims) wit h repent ance before t hey fall int o your power; in t hat case, know t hat Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

Human Beings Should Respect the Sanctity of Other Human Beings

Allah says, because t he son of Adam killed his brot her in t ransgression and aggression,

(We ordained for t he Children of Israel...) meaning, We legislat ed for t hem and informed t hem,

(t hat if anyone killed a person not in ret aliat ion of murder, or (and) t o spread mischief in t he land - it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he

saved t he life of all mankind.) The Ayah st at es, whoever kills a soul wit hout j ust ificat ion -such as in ret aliat ion for murder or for causing mischief on eart h -- will be as if he has killed all mankind, because t here is no difference bet ween one life and anot her.

(and if anyone saved a life...) by prevent ing it s blood from being shed and believing in it s sanct it y, t hen all people will have been saved from him, so,

(it would be as if he saved t he life of all mankind.) Al-A` mash and ot hers said t hat Abu Salih said t hat Abu Hurayrah said, "I ent ered on ` Ut hman when he was under siege in his house and said, ` I came t o give you my support . Now, it is good t o fight (defending you) O Leader of t he Fait hful!' He said, ` O Abu Hurayrah! Does it please you t hat you kill all people, including me' I said, ` No.' He said, ` If you kill one man, it is as if you killed all people. Therefore, go back wit h my permission for you t o leave. May you receive your reward and be saved from burden.' So I went back and did not fight .''' ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "It is as Allah has st at ed,

(if anyone killed a person not in ret aliat ion of murder, or (and) t o spread mischief in t he land it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved t he life of all mankind.) Saving life in t his case occurs by not killing a soul t hat Allah has forbidden. So t his is t he meaning of saving t he life of all mankind, for whoever forbids killing a soul wit hout j ust ificat ion, t he lives of all people will be saved from him.'' Similar was said by Muj ahid;

(And if anyone saved a life...) means, he refrains from killing a soul. Al-` Awfi report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(it would be as if he killed all mankind. .) means, "Whoever kills one soul t hat Allah has forbidden killing, is j ust like he who kills all mankind.'' Sa` id bin Jubayr said, "He who allows himself t o shed t he blood of a Muslim, is like he who allows shedding t he blood of all people. He who forbids shedding t he blood of one Muslim, is like he who forbids shedding t he blood of all people.'' In addit ion, Ibn Jurayj said t hat Al-A` raj said t hat Muj ahid comment ed on t he Ayah,

(it would be as if he killed all mankind,) "He who kills a believing soul int ent ionally, Allah makes t he Fire of Hell his abode, He will become angry wit h him, and curse him, and has prepared a t remendous punishment for him, equal t o if he had killed all people, his punishment will st ill be t he same.'' Ibn Jurayj said t hat Muj ahid said t hat t he Ayah,

(and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved t he life of all mankind.) means, "He who does not kill anyone, t hen t he lives of people are safe from him.''

Warning Those who Commit Mischief

Allah said,

(And indeed, t here came t o t hem Our Messengers wit h Al-Bayyinat ,) meaning, clear evidences, signs and proofs,

(even t hen aft er t hat many of t hem cont inued t o exceed t he limit s in t he land!) This Ayah chast ises and crit icizes t hose who commit t he prohibit ions, aft er knowing t hat t hey are prohibit ed from indulging in t hem. The Jews of Al-Madinah, such as Banu Qurayzah, An-Nadir and Qaynuqa` , used t o fight along wit h eit her Khazraj or Aws, when war would erupt bet ween t hem during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah. When t hese wars would end, t he Jews would ransom t hose who were capt ured and pay t he blood money for t hose who were killed. Allah crit icized t hem for t his pract ice in Surat Al-Baqarah,

 -
(And (remember) when We t ook your covenant (saying): Shed not your (people's) blood, nor t urn out your own people from t heir dwellings. Then, (t his) you rat ified and (t o t his) you bear wit ness. Aft er t his, it is you who kill one anot her and drive out a part y of your own from t heir homes, assist (t heir enemies) against t hem, in sin and t ransgression. And if t hey come t o you as capt ives, you ransom t hem, alt hough t heir expulsion was forbidden t o you. Then do you believe in a part of t he Script ure and rej ect t he rest Then what is t he recompense of t hose who do so among you, except disgrace in t he life of t his world, and on t he Day of Resurrect ion t hey shall be consigned t o t he most grievous t orment . And Allah is not unaware of what you do.) 2:8485

The Punishment of those Who Cause Mischief in the Land

Allah said next ,


(The recompense of t hose who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and do mischief in t he land is only t hat t hey shall be killed or crucified or t heir hands and t heir feet be cut off on t he opposit e sides, or be exiled from t he land.) ` Wage war' ment ioned here means, oppose and cont radict , and it includes disbelief, blocking roads and spreading fear in t he fairways. Mischief in t he land refers t o various t ypes of evil. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat ` Ikrimah and Al-Hasan AlBasri said t hat t he Ayat ,

(The recompense of t hose who wage war against Allah and His Messenger) unt il,

(Allah is Of-Forgiving, Most Merciful,) "Were revealed about t he idolat ors. Therefore, t he Ayah decrees t hat , whoever among t hem repent s before you apprehend t hem, t hen you have no right t o punish t hem. This Ayah does not save a Muslim from punishment if he kills, causes mischief in t he land or wages war against Allah and His Messenger and t hen j oins rank wit h t he disbelievers, before t he Muslims are able t o cat ch him. He will st ill be liable for punishment for t he crimes he commit t ed.'' Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i recorded t hat ` Ikrimah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah,

(The recompense of t hose who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and do mischief in t he land...) "Was revealed concerning t he idolat ors, t hose among t hem who repent before being apprehended, t hey will st ill be liable for punishment for t he crimes t hey commit t ed.'' The correct opinion is t hat t his Ayah is general in meaning and includes t he idolat ors and all ot hers who commit t he t ypes of crimes t he Ayah ment ioned. Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded t hat Abu Qilabah ` Abdullah bin Zayd Al-Jarmi, said t hat Anas bin Malik said, "Eight people of t he ` Ukl t ribe came t o t he Messenger of Allah and gave him t heir pledge t o follow Islam. Al-Madinah's climat e did not suit t hem and t hey became sick and complained t o Allah's Messenger . So he said,


(Go wit h our shephard t o be t reat ed by t he milk and urine of his camels.) So t hey went as direct ed, and aft er t hey drank from t he camels' milk and urine, t hey became healt hy, and t hey killed t he shepherd and drove away all t he camels. The news reached t he Prophet and he sent (men) in t heir pursuit and t hey were capt ured. He t hen ordered t hat t heir hands and feet be cut off (and it was done), and t heir eyes were branded wit h heat ed pieces of iron. Next , t hey were put in t he sun unt il t hey died.'' This is t he wording of Muslim. In anot her narrat ion for t his Hadit h, it was ment ioned t hat t hese people were from t he t ribes of ` Ukl or ` Uraynah. Anot her narrat ion report ed t hat t hese people were put in t he Harrah area (of Al-Madinah), and when t hey asked for wat er, no wat er was given t o t hem. Allah said,

(t hey shall be killed or crucified or t heir hands and t heir feet be cut off on t he opposit e sides, or be exiled from t he land.) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about t his Ayah, ` He who t akes up arms in Muslim land and spreads fear in t he fairways and is capt ured, t he Muslim Leader has t he choice t o eit her have him killed, crucified or cut off his hands and feet .'' Similar was said by Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib, Muj ahid, ` At a', Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i and Ad-Dahhak, as Abu Ja` far Ibn Jarir recorded. This view is support ed by t he fact t hat t he word Aw (or), indicat es a choice. As Allah said,

(The penalt y is an offering, brought t o t he Ka` bah, of an eat able animal equivalent t o t he one he killed, as adj udged by t wo j ust men among you; or, for expiat ion, he should feed t he poor, or it s equivalent in fast ing.) 5:95 Allah said,

(And whosoever of you is ill or has an ailment in his scalp (necessit at ing shaving), he must pay a ransom of eit her fast ing or giving charit y or offering a sacrifice.) and,

(...for it s expiat ion feed t en of t he poor, on a scale of t he average of t hat wit h which you feed your own families, or clot he t hem, or free a slave.) All of t hese Ayat offer a choice, j ust as t he Ayah above. As for Allah's st at ement ,

(or be exiled from t he land.) some said t hat it means, he is act ively pursued unt il he is capt ured, and t hus receives his prescribed punishment , or ot herwise he escapes from t he land of Islam, as Ibn Jarir recorded from Ibn ` Abbas, Anas bin Malik, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Az-Zuhri, Al-Layt h bin Sa` d and Malik bin Anas. Some said t hat t he Ayah means t hese people are expelled t o anot her land, or t o anot her st at e by t he Muslims aut horit ies. Sa` id bin Jubayr, Abu Ash-Sha` t ha', Al-Hasan, Az-Zuhri, Ad-Dahhak and Muqat il bin Hayyan said t hat he is expelled, but not out side of t he land of Islam, while ot hers said t hat he is t o be imprisoned. Allah's st at ement ,

(That is t heir disgrace in t his world, and a great t orment is t heirs in t he Hereaft er.) means, t he punishment We prescribed, killing t hese aggressors, crucifying t hem, cut t ing off t heir hands and feet on opposit e sides, or expelling t hem from t he land is a disgrace for t hem among mankind in t his life, along wit h t he t remendous t orment Allah has prepared for t hem in t he Hereaft er. This view support s t he opinion t hat t hese Ayat were revealed about t he idolat ors. As for Muslims, in his Sahih, Muslim recorded t hat ` Ubadah bin As-Samit said, "The Messenger of Allah t ook t he same pledge from us t hat he also t ook from women: That we do not associat e anyt hing wit h Allah in worship, we do not st eal, commit adult ery, or kill our children, and t hat we do not spread falsehood about each ot her. He said t hat he who keeps t his pledge, t hen his reward will be wit h Allah. He who falls int o short comings and was punished, t hen t his will be his expiat ion. And t hose whose errors were covered by Allah, t hen t heir mat t er is for Allah: If He wills, He will punish t hem and If He wills, He will pardon t hem.'' ` Ali narrat ed t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(He who sins in t his life and was punished for it , t hen Allah is far more j ust t han t o combine t wo punishment s on His servant . He who commit s an error in t his life and Allah hides t his error and pardons him, t hen Allah is far more generous t han t o punish t he servant for somet hing t hat He has already pardoned.) iRecorded by Ahmad, Ibn Maj ah and At -Tirmidhi who said, "Hasan Gharib.''Al-Hafiz Ad-Daraqut ni was asked about t his Hadit h, and he said t hat it was relat ed t o t he Prophet in some narrat ions, and it was relat ed t o t he Companions in ot hers, and t hat t his narrat ion from t he Prophet is Sahih. Ibn Jarir comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(That is t heir disgrace in t his world,) "Meaning, shame, humiliat ion, punishment , cont empt and t orment in t his life, before t he Hereaft er,

(and a great t orment is t heirs in t he Hereaft er.) if t hey do not repent from t hese errors unt il deat h overcomes t hem. In t his case, t hey will be st ricken by t he punishment t hat We prescribed for t hem in t his life and t he t orment t hat We prepared for t hem t herein,

(a great t orment ) in t he Fire of Jahannam.''

The Punishment of those who Wage War Against Allah and His Messenger is Annulled if They Repent Before their Apprehension
Allah said,

(Except for t hose who (having fled away and t hen) came back (as Muslims) wit h repent ance before t hey fall int o your power; in t hat case, know t hat Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) This Ayah is clear in it s indicat ion t hat it applies t o t he idolat ors. As for t he Muslims who commit t his crime and repent before t hey are apprehended, t he punishment of killing, crucifixion and cut t ing t he limbs will be waved. The pract ice of t he Companions in t his regard

is t hat all of t he punishment s prescribed in t his case will be waved, as is apparent from t he wording of t he Ayah. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ash-Sha` bi said, "Harit hah bin Badr At Tamimi was living in Al-Basrah, and he commit t ed t he crime of mischief in t he land. So he t alked t o some men from Quraysh, such as Al-Hasan bin ` Ali, Ibn ` Abbas and ` Abdullah bin Ja` far, and t hey t alked t o ` Ali about him so t hat he would grant him safet y, but ` Ali refused. So Harit hah went t o Sa` id bin Qays Al-Hamadani who kept him in his house and went t o ` Ali, saying, ` O Leader of t he Fait hful! What about t hose who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and cause mischief in t he land' So he recit ed t he Ayah unt il he reached,

(Except for t hose who (having fled away and t hem) came back cas Muslims) wit h repent ance before t hey fall int o your power. ) So ` Ali wrot e a document t hat grant ed safet y, and Sa` id bin Qays said, ` This is for Harit hah bin Badr.''' Ibn Jarir recorded t his Hadit h. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat ` Amir Ash-Sha` bi said, "A man from Murad came t o Abu Musa, while he was t he governor of Al-Kufah during t he reign of ` Ut hman, and said t o him aft er he offered t he obligat ory prayer, ` O Abu Musa! I seek your help. I am so-and-so from Murad and I waged war against Allah and His Messenger and caused mischief in t he land. I repent ed before you had any aut horit y over me.' Abu Musa proclaimed, ` This is so-and-so, who had waged war against Allah and His Messenger and caused mischief in t he land, and he repent ed before we had aut horit y over him. Therefore, anyone who meet s him, should deal wit h him in a bet t er way. If he is saying t he t rut h, t hen t his is t he pat h of t hose who say t he t rut h. If he is saying a lie, his sins will dest roy him. So t he man remained idle for as long as Allah willed, but he lat er rose against t he leaders, and Allah punished him for his sins and he was killed.'' Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Musa bin Ishaq Al-Madani said t hat ` Ali Al-Asadi waged war, blocked t he roads, shed blood and plundered wealt h. The leaders and t he people alike, sought t o capt ure him, but t hey could not do t hat unt il he came aft er he repent ed, aft er he heard a man recit ing t he Ayah,

(O My servant s who have t ransgressed against t hemselves! Despair not of t he mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) So he said t o t hat man, "O servant of Allah! Recit e it again.'' So he recit ed it again, and ` Ali put down his sword and went t o Al-Madinah in repent ance, arriving during t he night . He washed up and went t o t he Masj id of t he Messenger of Allah and prayed t he dawn prayer. He sat next t o Abu Hurayrah amidst his companions. In t he morning, t he people recognized him and went aft er him. He said, "You have no way against me. I came in repent ance before you had any aut horit y over me.'' Abu Hurayrah said, "He has said t he t rut h,'' and he held his hand and went t o Marwan bin Al-Hakam, who was t he governor of Al-Madinah during t he reign of Mu` awiyah. Abu Hurayrah said, "This is ` Ali and he came in repent ance and you do not have a way against him, nor can you have him killed.'' So ` Ali was absolved of punishment and remained on his repent ance and went t o t he sea t o perform Jihad in Allah's cause. The Muslims met t he Romans in bat t le, and t he Muslims brought t he ship ` Ali was in t o one of t he Roman ships, and ` Ali crossed t o t hat ship and t he Romans escaped from him t o t he ot her side of t he ship, and t he ship capsized and t hey all drowned.''

 - -
(35. O you who believe! Have Taqwa of Allah and seek t he Wasilah t o Him, and st rive hard in His cause, so t hat you may be successful.) (36. Verily, t hose who disbelieve, if t hey had all t hat is in t he eart h, and as much again t herewit h t o ransom t hemselves t hereby from t he t orment on t he Day of Resurrect ion, it would never be accept ed of t hem. And t heirs would be a painful t orment .) (37. They will long t o get out of t he Fire, but never will t hey get out t herefrom; and t heirs will be a last ing t orment .)

Commanding Taqwa, Wasilah, and Jihad

Allah commands His fait hful servant s t o fear Him in Taqwa, which if ment ioned along wit h act s of obedience, it means t o refrain from t he prohibit ions and t he prohibit ed mat t ers. Allah said next ,

(seek t he Wasilah t o Him.) Sufyan At h-Thawri said t hat Talhah said t hat ` At a' said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Wasilah means ` t he means of approach'. Muj ahid, Abu Wa'il, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, ` Abdullah bin Kat hir, As-Suddi, Ibn Zayd and ot hers gave t he same meaning for Wasilah. Qat adah said t hat t he Ayah means, "Seek t he means of approach t o Him by obeying Him and performing t he act s t hat please Him.''

(Those whom t hey call upon seek a means of access t o t heir Lord (Allah).) 17:57 Wasilah is a means of approach t o achieve somet hing, and it is also used t o refer t o t he highest grade in Paradise, and it is t he grade of t he Messenger of Allah , his residence and t he nearest grade in Paradise t o Allah's Throne. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

 :
(Whoever, aft er hearing t o t he Adhan says, "O Allah! Lord of t his perfect call and of t he regular prayer which is going t o be est ablished! Grant Muhammad t he Wasilah and superiorit y and send him on t he Day of Judgment t o t he praisewort hy st at ion which You have promised him," t hen int ercession from me will be permit t ed for him on t he Day of Resurrect ion.) Muslim recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr bin Al-` As said t hat he heard t he Prophet saying,

(When you hear t he Mu'adhdhin, repeat what he says, and t hen ask for Salah (blessing, mercy from Allah) for me. Verily, whoever asks for Salah for me, t hen Allah will grant t en Salah t o him. Then, ask for t he Wasilah for me, for it is a grade in Paradise t hat only one servant of Allah deserves, and I hope t hat I am t hat servant . Verily, whoever asks (Allah) for Wasilah for me, he will earn t he right of my int ercession.) Allah said,

(and st rive hard in His cause as much as you can. So t hat you may be successful.) Aft er Allah commanded Muslims t o avoid t he prohibit ions and t o work t owards obedience, He commanded t hem t o fight against t heir enemies, t he disbelievers and idolat ors who have deviat ed from t he st raight pat h and abandoned t he correct religion. Allah encouraged t he believers by reminding t hem of t he unending success and great happiness t hat He prepared for t hem for t he Day of Resurrect ion, which will never change or decrease for t hose who j oin Jihad in His cause. They will remain in t he loft y rooms of Paradise t hat are safe and beaut iful. Those who live in t hese

dwellings will always be comfort able and will never be miserable, living, never dying, and t heir clot hes will never grow t hin, nor will t heir yout h ever end.

No Amount of Ransom Shall Be Accepted from the Disbelievers on the Day of the Judgment and They Will Remain in the Fire
Allah t hen describes t he painful t orment and punishment t hat He has prepared for His disbelieving enemies for t he Day of Resurrect ion. Allah said,

(Verily, t hose who disbelieve, if t hey had all t hat is in t he eart h, and as much again t herewit h t o ransom t hemselves t hereby from t he t orment on t he Day of Resurrect ion, it would never be accept ed of t hem. And t heirs would be a painful t orment .) So if a disbeliever brought t he eart h's fill of gold, and t wice as much as t hat amount on t he Day of Judgment t o ransom himself from Allah's t orment t hat has surrounded him, and he is cert ain t hat he will suffer from it , it will not be accept ed of him. Rat her, t here is no escaping t he t orment , and he will not be able t o evade or save himself from it . Hence Allah's st at ement ,

(And t heirs would be a painful t orment .) meaning, hurt ful,

(They will long t o get out of t he Fire, but never will t hey get out t herefrom, and t heirs will be a last ing t orment .) In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(Every t ime t hey seek t o get away t herefrom, in anguish, t hey will be driven back t herein.) Therefore, t hey will st ill long t o leave t he t orment because of t he severit y and t he pain it causes. They will have no way of escaping it . The more t he flames lift t hem t o t he upper part

of Hell, t he more t he angels of punishment will st rike t hem wit h iron bars and t hey will fall down t o it s dept hs,

(And t heirs will be a last ing t orment .) meaning, et ernal and everlast ing, and t hey will never be able t o depart from it or avoid it . Anas bin Malik said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: : : : : :
(A man from t he people of t he Fire will be brought fort h and will be asked, ` O son of Adam! How did you find your dwelling' He will say, ` The worst dwelling.' He will be t old, ` Would you ransom yourself wit h t he eart h's fill of gold' He will say, ` Yes, O Lord!' Allah will say t o him, ` You have lied. I asked you for what is less t han t hat and you did not do it ,' and he will be ordered t o t he Fire.) Muslim and An-Nasa'i recorded it .

- -
(38. And (as for) t he male t hief and t he female t hief, cut off t heir hands as a recompense for t hat which bot h commit t ed, a punishment by way of example from Allah. And Allah is AllPowerful, All-Wise.) (39. But whosoever repent s aft er his crime and does right eous good deeds,

t hen verily, Allah will pardon him. Verily, Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (40. Know you not t hat t o Allah (Alone) belongs t he dominion of t he heavens and t he eart h! He forgives whom He wills and He punishes whom He wills. And Allah is able t o do all t hings.)

The Necessity of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief

Allah commands and decrees t hat t he hand of t he t hief, male or female be cut off. During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, t his was also t he punishment for t he t hief, and Islam upheld t his punishment . In Islam, t here are several condit ions t hat must be met before t his punishment is carried out , as we will come t o know, Allah willing. There are ot her rulings t hat Islam upheld aft er modifying t hese rulings, such as t hat of blood money for example. When Does Cut t ing t he Hand of t he Thief Become Necessary In is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said, n

(May Allah curse t he t hief who st eals an egg and as a result his hand is cut off, and who st eals rope and as a result his hand is cut off.) Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded t hat ` A'ishah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The hand of t he t hief shall be cut off if he st eals a quart er of a Dinar or more.) Muslim recorded t hat ` A'ishah, may Allah be pleased wit h her, said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The hand of t he t hief shall only be cut off if he st eals a quart er of a Dinar or more.) This Hadit h is t he basis of t he mat t er since it specifies (t hat t he least amount of t heft t hat deserves cut t ing t he hand) is a quart er of a Dinar. So t his Hadit h fixes t he value. And saying t hat it is t hree Dirhams is not a cont radict ion. This is because t he Dinar in quest ion was equal t o t welve Dirhams, so t hree Dirhams equalled a fourt h of a Dinar. So in t his way it is possible t o harmonize t hese t wo views. This opinion was report ed from ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab, ` Ut hman bin ` Affan,

When Does Cutting the Hand of the Thief Become Necessary

In is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said, n


(May Allah curse t he t hief who st eals an egg and as a result his hand is cut off, and who st eals rope and as a result his hand is cut off.) Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded t hat ` A'ishah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The hand of t he t hief shall be cut off if he st eals a quart er of a Dinar or more.) Muslim recorded t hat ` A'ishah, may Allah be pleased wit h her, said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The hand of t he t hief shall only be cut off if he st eals a quart er of a Dinar or more.) This Hadit h is t he basis of t he mat t er since it specifies (t hat t he least amount of t heft t hat deserves cut t ing t he hand) is a quart er of a Dinar. So t his Hadit h fixes t he value. And saying t hat it is t hree Dirhams is not a cont radict ion. This is because t he Dinar in quest ion was equal t o t welve Dirhams, so t hree Dirhams equalled a fourt h of a Dinar. So in t his way it is possible t o harmonize t hese t wo views. This opinion was report ed from ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab, ` Ut hman bin ` Affan, ` Ali bin Abi Talib - may Allah be pleased wit h t hem - and it is t he view of ` Umar bin ` Abdul-` Aziz, Al-Layt h bin Sa` d, Al-Awza` i, and Ash-Shafi` i and his companions. This is also t he view of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal and Ishaq bin Rahwayh in one of t he narrat ions from him, as well as Abu Thawr, and Dawud bin ` Ali Az-Zahari, may Allah have mercy upon t hem. As for Imam Abu Hanifah and his st udent s Abu Yusuf, Muhammad and Zufar, along wit h Sufyan At hThawri, t hey said t hat t he least amount of t heft t hat deserves cut t ing off t he hand is t en Dirhams, whereas a Dinar was t welve Dirhams at t hat t ime. The first ruling is t he correct one, t hat t he least amount of t heft is one fort h of a Dinar or more. This meager amount was set as t he limit for cut t ing t he hand, so t hat t he people would refrain from t heft , and t his is a wise decision t o t hose who have sound comprehension. Hence Allah's st at ement ,

(as a recompense for t hat which bot h commit t ed, a punishment by way of example from Allah. And Allah is All-Powerful, All-Wise.) This is t he prescribed punishment for t he evil act ion t hey commit t ed, by st ealing t he propert y of ot her people wit h t heir hands. Therefore, it is fit t ing t hat t he t ool t hey used t o st eal t he people's wealt h be cut off as punishment from Allah for t heir error.


(And Allah is All-Powerful, ) in His t orment ,

(All-Wise.) in His commands, what he forbids, what He legislat es and what He decrees.

Repentance of the Thief is Acceptable

Allah said next ,

(But whosoever repent s aft er his crime and does right eous good deeds, t hen verily, Allah will pardon him. Verily, Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) Therefore, whoever repent s and goes back t o Allah aft er he commit s t heft , t hen Allah will forgive him. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said t hat a woman commit t ed t heft during t he t ime of t he Messenger of Allah and t hose from whom she st ole brought her and said, "O Allah's Messenger! This woman st ole from us.'' Her people said, "We ransom her.'' The Messenger of Allah said,

(Cut off her hand.) They said, "We ransom her wit h five hundred Dinars.'' The Prophet said,

(Cut off her hand.) Her right hand was cut off and t he woman asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Is t here a chance for me t o repent '' He said,

(Yes. This day, you are free from your sin j ust as t he day your mot her gave birt h t o you.) Allah sent down t he verse in Surat Al-Ma'idah,


(But whosoever repent s aft er his crime and does right eous good deeds (by obeying Allah), t hen verily, Allah will pardon him. Verily, Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) This woman was from t he t ribe of Makhzum. Her st ory was narrat ed in t he Two Sahihs from Az-Zuhri from ` Urwah from ` A'ishah, The incident caused concern for t he Quraysh aft er she commit t ed t he t heft during t he t ime of t he bat t le of t he Conquest of Makkah . They said, "Who can t alk t o Allah's Messenger about her mat t er'' They t hen said, "Who dares speak t o him about such mat t ers ot her t han Usamah bin Zayd, his loved one.'' When t he woman was brought t o t he Messenger of Allah , Usamah bin Zayd t alked t o him about her and t he face of t he Messenger changed color (because of anger) and he said,

(Do you int ercede in a punishment prescribed by Allah) Usamah said t o him, "Ask Allah t o forgive me, O Allah's Messenger!'' During t hat night , t he Messenger of Allah st ood up and gave a speech and praised Allah as He deserves t o be praised. He t hen said,

(Those who were before you were dest royed because when an honorable person among t hem would st eal, t hey would leave him. But , when a weak man among t hem st ole, t hey implement ed t he prescribed punishment against him. By Him in Whose Hand is my soul! If Fat imah t he daught er of Muhammad st ole, I will have her hand cut off.) The Prophet commanded t hat t he hand of t he woman who st ole be cut off, and it was cut off. ` A'ishah said, ` Her repent ance was sincere aft erwards, and she got married and she used t o come t o me so t hat I convey her needs t o t he Messenger of Allah.'' This is t he wording t hat Muslim collect ed, and in anot her narrat ion by Muslim, ` A'ishah said, "She was a woman from Makhzum who used t o borrow t hings and deny t hat she t ook t hem. So t he Prophet ordered t hat her hand be cut off.'' Allah t hen said,


(Know you not t hat t o Allah (Alone) belongs t he dominion of t he heavens and t he eart h!) He owns everyt hing and decides what He wills for it and no one can resist His j udgment ,

(He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. And Allah is able t o do all t hings.)


(41. O Messenger! Let not t hose who hurry t o fall int o disbelief grieve you, of such who say, "We believe'' wit h t heir mout hs but t heir heart s have no fait h. And of t he Jews are men who list en much and eagerly t o lies, list ening t o ot hers who have not come t o you. They change t he words from t heir places; t hey say, "If you are given t his, t ake it , but if you are not given t his, t hen beware!'' And whomsoever Allah want s t o put in Fit nah, you can do not hing for him against Allah. Those are t he ones whose heart s Allah does not want t o purify; for t hem t here is a disgrace in t his world, and in t he Hereaft er a great t orment .) (42. They (like t o) list en t o falsehood, t o devour Suht . So if t hey come t o you, eit her j udge bet ween t hem, or t urn away from t hem. If you t urn away from t hem, t hey cannot hurt you in t he least . And if you j udge, j udge wit h j ust ice bet ween t hem. Verily, Allah loves t hose who act j ust ly.) (43. But how do t hey come t o you for a decision while t hey have t he Tawrah, in which is t he decision of Allah; yet even aft er t hat t hey t urn away. For t hey are not believers.) (44. Verily, We did send down t he Tawrah, t herein was guidance and light , by which t he Prophet s who submit t ed t hemselves t o Allah's will, j udged for t he Jews. And t he Rabbaniyyun and t he Ahbar, for t o t hem was ent rust ed t he prot ect ion of Allah's Book, and t hey were wit nesses t heret o. Therefore fear not men but fear Me and sell not My verses for a miserable price. And whosoever does not j udge by what Allah has revealed, such are t he disbelievers.)

Do Not Feel Sad Because of the Behavior of the Jews and Hypocrites
These honorable Ayat were revealed about t hose who rush int o disbelief, deviat ing from t he obedience of Allah, His Messenger, prefering t heir opinions and lust s t o what Allah has legislat ed,

(of such who say, "We believe'' wit h t heir mout hs but t heir heart s have no fait h.) These people pret end t o be fait hful wit h t heir words, but t heir heart s are empt y from fait h, and t hey are t he hypocrit es.

(And of t he Jews...) t he enemies of Islam and it s people, t hey and t he hypocrit es all,

(list en much and eagerly t o lies...) and t hey accept and react t o it posit ively,

(list ening t o ot hers who have not come t o you,) meaning, t hey list en t o some people who do not at t end your meet ings, O Muhammad. Or, t he Ayah might mean, t hey list en t o what you say and convey it t o your enemies who do not at t end your audience.

The Jews Alter and Change the Law, Such As Stoning the Adulterer

(They change t he words from t heir places:) by alt ering t heir meanings and knowingly dist ort ing t hem aft er t hey comprehended t hem,

(t hey say, "If you are given t his, t ake it , but if you are not given t his, t hen beware!") It was report ed t hat t his part of t he Ayah was revealed about some Jews who commit t ed murder and who said t o each ot her, "Let us ask Muhammad t o j udge bet ween us, and if he decides t hat we pay t he Diyah, accept his j udgement . If he decides on capit al punishment , do not accept his j udgement .'' The correct opinion is t hat t his Ayah was revealed about t he t wo Jews who commit t ed adult ery. The Jews changed t he law t hey had in t heir Book from Allah on t he mat t er of punishment for adult ery, from st oning t o deat h, t o a hundred flogs and making t he offenders ride a donkey facing t he back of t he donkey. When t his incident of adult ery occurred aft er t he Hij rah, t hey said t o each ot her, "Let us go t o Muhammad and seek his j udgement . If he gives a ruling of flogging, t hen implement his decision and make it a proof for you wit h Allah. This way, one of Allah's Prophet s will have upheld t his ruling amongst you. But if he decides t hat t he punishment should be st oning t o deat h, t hen do not accept his decision.'' There are several Hadit hs ment ioning t his st ory. Malik report ed t hat Nafi` said t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Umar said,

"The Jews came t o Allah's Messenger and ment ioned t hat a man and a woman from t hem commit t ed adult ery. Allah's Messenger said t o t hem,

(What do find of t he ruling about st oning in t he Tawrah) They said, ` We only find t hat t hey should be exposed and flogged.' ` Abdullah bin Salam said, ` You lie. The Tawrah ment ions st oning, so bring t he Tawrah.' They brought t he Tawrah and opened it but one of t hem hid t he verse about st oning wit h his hand and recit ed what is before and aft er t hat verse. ` Abdullah bin Salam said t o him, ` Remove your hand,' and he removed it , t hus uncovering t he verse about st oning. So t hey said, He (` Abdullah bin Salam) has said t he t rut h, O Muhammad! It is t he verse about st oning.' The Messenger of Allah decided t hat t he adult erers be st oned t o deat h and his command was carried out . I saw t hat man shading t he woman from t he st ones wit h his body.'' Al-Bukhari and Muslim also collect ed t his Hadit h and t his is t he wording collect ed by AlBukhari. In anot her narrat ion by Al-Bukhari, t he Prophet said t o t he Jews,

(What would you do in t his case) They said, "We would humiliat e and expose t hem.'' The Prophet recit ed,

(Bring here t he Tawrah and recit e it , if you are t rut hful.) So t hey brought a man who was blind in one eye and who was respect ed among t hem and said t o him, "Read (from t he Tawrah).'' So he read unt il he reached a cert ain verse and t hen covered it wit h his hand. He was t old, "Remove your hand,'' and it was t he verse about st oning. So t hat man said, "O Muhammad! This is t he verse about st oning, and we had hid it s knowledge among us.'' So t he Messenger ordered t hat t he t wo adult erers be st oned, and t hey were st oned. Muslim recorded t hat a Jewish man and a Jewish woman were brought before Allah's Messenger because t hey commit t ed adult ery. The Messenger of Allah went t o t he Jews and asked t hem,

(What is t he ruling t hat you find in t he Tawrah for adult ery) hThey said, "We expose t hem, carry t hem (on donkeys) backwards and parade t hem in public.'' The Prophet recit ed;

(Bring here t he Tawrah and recit e it , if you are t rut hful.) So t hey brought t he Tawrah and read from it unt il t he reader reached t he verse about st oning. Then he placed his hand on t hat verse and read what was before and aft er it . ` Abdullah bin Salam, who was wit h t he Messenger of Allah , said, "Order him t o remove his hand,'' and he removed his hand and under it was t he

verse about st oning. So t he Messenger of Allah commanded t hat t he adult erers be st oned, and t hey were st oned. ` Abdullah bin ` Umar said, "I was among t hose who st oned t hem and I saw t he man shading t he woman from t he st ones wit h his body.'' Abu Dawud recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said, "Some Jews came t o t he Messenger of Allah and invit ed him t o go t o t he Quff area. So he went t o t he house of Al-Midras and t hey said, ` O Abu Al-Qasim! A man from us commit t ed adult ery wit h a woman, so decide on t heir mat t er.' They arranged a pillow for t he Messenger of Allah and he sat on it and said,

(Bring t he Tawrah t o me.) He was brought t he Tawrah and he removed t he pillow from under him and placed t he Tawrah on it , saying,

(I t rust you and He Who revealed it t o you.) He t hen said,

(Bring me your most knowledgeable person.) So he was brought a young man... '' and t hen he ment ioned t he rest of t he st ory t hat Malik narrat ed from Nafi` . These Hadit hs st at e t hat t he Messenger of Allah issued a decision t hat conforms wit h t he ruling in t he Tawrah, not t o honor t he Jews in what t hey believe in, for t he Jews were commanded t o follow t he Law of Muhammad only. Rat her, t he Prophet did t his because Allah commanded him t o do so. He asked t hem about t he ruling of st oning in t he Tawrah t o make t hem admit t o what t he Tawrah cont ains and what t hey collaborat ed t o hide, deny and exclude from implement ing for all t hat t ime. They had t o admit t o what t hey did, alt hough t hey did it while having knowledge of t he correct ruling. What made t hem go t o t he Prophet for j udgement in t his mat t er was t heir lust s and desires, hoping t hat t he Prophet would agree wit h t heir opinion, not t hat t hey believed in t he correct ness of his j udgment . This is why t hey said,

(If you are given t his,) referring t o flogging, t hen t ake it ,

(but if you are not given t his, t hen beware!) and do not accept or implement it . Allah said next ,


(And whomsoever Allah want s t o put in Fit nah, you can do not hing for him against Allah. Those are t he ones whose heart s Allah does not want t o purify; for t hem t here is a disgrace in t his world, and in t he Hereaft er a great t orment . They (like t o) list en t o falsehood, t o devour Suht ) ` Suht ' refers t o bribes, as Ibn Mas` ud and ot hers st at ed. The Ayah st at es t hat if one is like t his, how can Allah cleanse his heart and accept his supplicat ion Allah said t o His Prophet ,

(So if t hey come t o you...) so t hat you j udge bet ween t hem,

(eit her j udge bet ween t hem, or t urn away from t hem. If you t urn away from t hem, t hey cannot hurt you in t he least .) meaning, t here is no harm if you do not j udge bet ween t hem. This is because when t hey came t o you t o j udge bet ween t hem, t hey did not seek t o follow t he t rut h, but only what conformed t o t heir lust s. We should ment ion here t hat Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, As-Suddi, Zayd bin Aslam, ` At a' Al-Khurasani, and several ot hers said t hat t his part of t he Ayah was abrogat ed by Allah's st at ement ,

(And so j udge among t hem by what Allah has revealed.)

(And if you j udge, j udge wit h j ust ice bet ween t hem.) and wit h fairness, even if t he Jews were unj ust and out cast s from t he pat h of fairness,


(Verily, Allah loves t hose who act j ust ly.)

Chastising the Jews for Their Evil Lusts and Desires, While Praising the Tawrah
Allah t hen chast ises t he Jews for t heir false ideas and deviant desires t o abandon what t hey believe is t rue in t heir Book, and which t hey claim is t heir et ernal Law t hat t hey are always commanded t o adhere t o. Yet , t hey do not adhere t o t he Tawrah, but t hey prefer ot her laws over it , alt hough t hey believe t hat t hese ot her laws are not correct and do not apply t o t hem. Allah said,

(But how do t hey come t o you for decision while t hey have t he Tawrah, in which is t he decision of Allah; yet even aft er t hat t hey t urn away. For t hey are not believers.) Allah next praises t he Tawrah t hat He sent down t o His servant and Messenger Musa, son of ` Imran,

(Verily, We did send down t he Tawrah t o Musa , t herein was guidance and light , by which t he Prophet s who submit t ed t hemselves t o Allah's will, j udged t he Jews.) and t hese Prophet s did not deviat e from t he law of t he Tawrah, change or alt er it ,

(And (also) t he Rabbaniyyun and t he Ahbar...) wherein Rabbaniyyun refers t o t he worshippers who are learned and religious, and Ahbar refers t o t he scholars,

(for t o t hem was ent rust ed t he prot ect ion of Allah's Book,) meaning, t hey were ent rust ed wit h t he Book of Allah, and t hey were commanded t o adhere t o it and not hide any part of,


(and t hey were wit nesses t heret o. Therefore fear not men but fear Me and sell not My verses for a miserable price. And whosoever does not j udge by what Allah has revealed, such are t he disbelievers.) There are t wo ways t o explain t his Ayah and we will ment ion t he lat er.

Another Reason Behind Revealing these Honorable Ayat

Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Allah sent down t he Ayat ,

(And whosoever does not j udge by what Allah has revealed, such are t he disbelievers,)

(Such are t he unj ust ,) and,

(Such are t he rebellious.) about t wo groups among t he Jews. During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, one of t hem had defeat ed t he ot her. As a result , t hey made a t reat y t hat t hey would pay blood money t ot aling fift y Wasaq of gold (each Wasaq approx. 3 kg) for every dead person from t he defeat ed group killed by t he vict ors, and a hundred Wasaq for every dead person t he defeat ed group killed from t he vict ors. This t reat y remained in effect unt il t he Prophet came t o AlMadinah and bot h of t hese groups became subservient under t he Prophet . Yet , when t he might y group once suffered a casualt y at t he hands of t he weaker group, t he might y group sent a delegat ion demanding t he hundred Wasaq. The weaker group said, ` How can t wo groups who have t he same religion, one ancest ral lineage and a common land, have a Diyah t hat for some of t hem is half of t hat of t he ot hers We only agreed t o t his because you oppressed us and because we feared you. Now t hat Muhammad has come, we will not give you what you asked.' So war was almost rekindled bet ween t hem, but t hey agreed t o seek Muhammad's j udgement in t heir disput e. The might y group among t hem said among t hemselves , ` By Allah! Muhammad will never give you double t he Diyah t hat you pay t o t hem compared t o what t hey pay t o you. They have said t he t rut h anyway, for t hey only gave us t his amount because we oppressed and overpowered t hem. Therefore, send someone t o Muhammad who will sense what his j udgement

will be. If he agrees t o give you what you demand, accept his j udgment , and if he does not give you what you seek, do not refer t o him for j udgement .' So t hey sent some hypocrit es t o t he Messenger of Allah t o t ry and find out t he Messenger's j udgement . When t hey came t o t he Messenger , Allah informed him of t heir mat t er and of t heir plot . Allah sent down,

(O Messenger! Let not t hose who hurry t o fall int o disbelief grieve you,) unt il,

(Such are t he rebellious.) By Allah! It is because of t heir problem t hat Allah sent down t hese verses and it is t hey whom Allah meant .'' Abu Dawud collect ed a similar narrat ion for t his Hadit h. Abu Ja` far Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah in Surat Al-Ma'idah,

(eit her j udge bet ween t hem, or t urn away from t hem...) unt il,

(Those who act j ust ly.) was revealed concerning t he problem of blood money bet ween Bani AnNadir and Bani Qurayzah. The dead of Bani An-Nadir were being honored more and t hey received t he full amount of Diyah, while Qurayzah received half t he Diyah for t heir dead. So t hey referred t o t he Messenger of Allah for j udgement and Allah sent down t hese verses about t hem. The Messenger of Allah compelled t hem t o adhere t o t he t rue j udgement in t his mat t er and made t he Diyah t he same for bot h groups and Allah knows best about t hat mat t er.'' Ahmad, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i also recorded t his Hadit h from Abu Ishaq. Al-` Awfi and ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t hese Ayat were revealed about t he t wo Jews who commit t ed adult ery, and we ment ioned t he Hadit hs about t his st ory before. It appears t hat bot h of t hese were t he reasons behind revealing t hese Ayat , and Allah knows best . This is why Allah said aft erwards,

(And We ordained t herein for t hem: Life for life, eye for eye) unt il t he end of t he Ayah, which st rengt hens t he opinion t hat t he st ory of t he Diyah was behind revealing t he Ayat as we explained above. Allah knows best . Allah said,

(And whosoever does not j udge by what Allah has revealed, such are t he disbelievers.) Al-Bara' bin ` Azib, Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman, Ibn ` Abbas, Abu Mij laz, Abu Raj a' Al-` Ut aridi, ` Ikrimah, ` Ubaydullah bin ` Abdullah, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and ot hers said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about t he People of t he Book. Al-Hasan Al-Basri added t hat t his Ayah also applies t o us. ` AbdurRazzaq said t hat At h-Thawri said t hat Mansur said t hat Ibrahim said t hat t hese Ayat , "Were revealed about t he Children of Israel, and Allah accept ed t hem for t his Ummah.'' Ibn Jarir recorded t his st at ement . ` Ali bin Abi Talhah also st at ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(And whosoever does not j udge by what Allah has revealed, such are t he disbelievers,) "Whoever rej ect s what Allah has revealed, will have commit t ed Kufr, and whoever accept s what Allah has revealed, but did not rule by it , is a Zalim (unj ust ) and a Fasiq (rebellious) and a sinner.'' Ibn Jarir recorded t his st at ement . ` Abdur-Razzaq said, "Ma` mar narrat ed t o us t hat Tawus said t hat Ibn ` Abbas was asked about Allah's st at ement ,

(And whosoever does not j udge...) He said, ` It is an act of Kufr.' Ibn Tawus added, ` It is not like t hose who disbelieve in Allah, His angels, His Books and His Messengers.' At h-Thawri narrat ed t hat Ibn Jurayj said t hat ` At a' said, ` There is Kufr and Kufr less t han Kufr, Zulm and Zulm less t han Zulm, Fisq and Fisq less t han Fisq.''' Waki` said t hat Sa` id Al-Makki said t hat Tawus said t hat ,

(And whosoever does not j udge by what Allah has revealed, such are t he disbelievers,) "This is not t he Kufr t hat annuls one's religion.''


(45. And We ordained t herein for t hem "Life for life, eye for eye, nose for nose, ear for ear, t oot h for t oot h, and wounds equal for equal. " But if anyone remit s t he ret aliat ion by way of charit y, it shall be for him an expiat ion. And whosoever does not j udge by t hat which Allah has revealed, such are t he unj ust .) This Ayah also chast ises and crit icizes t he Jews because in t he Tawrah, t hey have t he law of a life for a life. Yet , t hey defied t his ruling by t ransgression and rebellion. They used t o apply t his ruling when a person from Bani An-Nadir was killed by a Qurayzah person, but t his was not t he case when t he opposit e occurred. Rat her, t hey would revert t o Diyah in t his case. They also defied t he ruling in t he Tawrah t o st one t he adult erer and inst ead came up wit h t heir own form of punishment , flogging, humiliat ion and parading t hem in public. This is why Allah said in t he previous Ayah, t

(And whosoever does not j udge by what Allah has revealed, such are t he disbelievers.) because t hey rej ect ed Allah's command wit h full int ent ion and wit h t ransgression and rebellion. In t his Ayah, Allah said,

(such are t he unj ust .) because t hey did not exact t he oppressed his due right s from t he oppressor in a mat t er which Allah ordered t hat all be t reat ed equally and fairly. Inst ead, t hey defied t hat command, commit t ed inj ust ice and t ransgressed against each ot her.

A Man is Killed for a Woman Whom He Kills

Imam Abu Nasr bin As-Sabbagh st at ed in his book, Ash-Shamil, t hat t he scholars agree t hat t his Ayah 5:45 should be implement ed, and t he Imams agree t hat t he man is killed for a woman whom he kills, according t o t he general indicat ions of t his Ayah. A Hadit h t hat An-Nasa'i

recorded st at es t hat t he Messenger of Allah had t his st at ement writ t en in t he book t hat he gave ` Amr bin Hazm,

(The man is killed for t he woman (whom he kills).) In anot her Hadit h, t he Messenger said,

(Muslims are equal regarding t he sanct it y of t heir blood.) This is also t he opinion of t he maj orit y of t he scholars. What furt her support s what Ibn As-Sabbagh said is t he Hadit h t hat Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Anas bin Malik said, "Ar-Rabi` (his aunt ) broke t he t oot h of a girl, and t he relat ives of Ar-Rabi` request ed t he girl's relat ives t o forgive (t he offender), but t hey refused. So, t hey went t o t he Prophet who ordered t hem t o bring about ret aliat ion. Anas bin An-Nadr, her brot her, asked, ` O Allah's Messenger! Will t he t oot h of Ar-Rabi` be broken' The Messenger of Allah said, ` O Anas! The Book of Allah prescribes ret aliat ion.' Anas said, ` No, by Him Who has sent you wit h t he Trut h, her t oot h will not be broken. ' Lat er t he relat ives of t he girl agreed t o forgive Ar-Rabi` and forfeit t heir right t o ret aliat ion. The Messenger of Allah said,

(There are some of Allah's servant s who, if t hey t ake an oat h by Allah, Allah fullfils t hem.)'' It was recorded in t he Two Sahihs.

Retaliation for Wounds

Allah said,

(and wounds equal for equal.) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Life for life, an eye for an eye, a nose, if cut off, for a nose, a t oot h broken for a t oot h and wounds equal for wound.'' The free Muslims, men and women, are equal in t his mat t er. And t heir slaves, male and female, are equal in t his mat t er. And t his ruling is t he same regarding int ent ional murder and lesser offenses, as Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hat im recorded.

An Important Ruling
The ret aliat ion for wounds should not be implement ed unt il t he wounds of t he vict im heal. If ret aliat ion occurs before t he wound heals, and t hen t he wound becomes aggravat ed, t he vict im will have no addit ional right s in t his case. The proof for t his ruling is what Imam Ahmad

narrat ed from ` Amr bin Shu` ayb, from his fat her, from his grandfat her t hat a man once st abbed anot her man in his leg using a horn. The vict im came t o t he Prophet asking for ret aliat ion, and t he Prophet said,

(Not unt il you heal.) The man again came t o t he Prophet and asked for equalit y in ret aliat ion and t he Prophet allowed him t hat . Lat er on, t hat man said, "O Messenger of Allah! I limp now.'' The Messenger said,

(I had asked you t o wait , but you disobeyed me. Therefore, Allah cast you away and your limp has no compensat ion.) Aft erwards, t he Messenger of Allah forbade t hat t he wound be ret aliat ed for unt il t he wound of t he vict im heals. If t he vict im is allowed t o ret aliat e for his wound caused by t he aggressor and t he aggressor dies as a result , t here is no compensat ion in t his case, according t o t he maj orit y of t he Companions and t heir followers.

The Pardon is Expiation for Such Offenses

Allah said,

(But if anyone remit s t he ret aliat ion by way of charit y, it shall be for him an expiat ion.) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed t hat

(But if anyone remit s t he ret aliat ion by way of charit y) means; "If one pardons by way of charit y, it will result in expiat ion for t he aggressor and reward for t he vict im.'' Sufyan At hThawri said t hat ` At a' bin As-Sa'ib said t hat Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, ` He who pardons t he ret aliat ion by way of charit y, it will be an expiat ion for t he aggressor and a reward for t he vict im wit h Allah.'' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t his st at ement . Jabir bin ` Abdullah said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(But if anyone remit s t he ret aliat ion by way of charit y, it shall be for him an expiat ion,) "For t he vict im.'' This is also t he opinion of Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i and Abu Ishaq Al-

Hamdani. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Ubadah bin As-Samit said, "I heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

(Any man who suffers a wound on his body and forfeit s his right of ret aliat ion as way of charit y, t hen Allah will pardon him t hat which is similar t o what he forfeit ed.) An-Nasa'i and Ibn Jarir recorded t his Hadit h. Allah's st at ement ,

(And whosoever does not j udge by t hat which Allah has revealed, such are t he unj ust .) Earlier we ment ioned t he st at ement s of ` At a' and Tawus t hat t here is Kufr and lesser Kufr, inj ust ice and lesser inj ust ice and Fisq and lesser Fisq.

-
(46. And in t heir foot st eps, We sent ` Isa, son of Maryam, confirming t he Tawrah t hat had come before him, and We gave him t he Inj il, in which was guidance and light and confirmat ion of t he Tawrah t hat had come before it , a guidance and an admonit ion for t hose who have Taqwa.) (47. Let t he people of t he Inj il j udge by what Allah has revealed t herein. And whosoever does not j udge by what Allah has revealed, such are t he rebellious.)

Allah Mentions ` Isa and Praises the Injil

Allah said,

(and We sent ...) meaning, We sent

(in t heir foot st eps) meaning t he Prophet s of t he Children of Israel,

(` Isa, son of Maryam, confirming t he Tawrah t hat had come before him,) meaning, he believed in it and ruled by it .

(and We gave him t he Inj il, in which was guidance and light ) a guidance t hat direct s t o t he t rut h and a light t hat removes t he doubt s and solves disput es,

(and confirmat ion of t he Tawrah t hat had come before it ,) meaning, he adhered t o t he Tawrah, except for t he few inst ances t hat clarified t he t rut h where t he Children of Israel differed. Allah st at es in anot her Ayah t hat ` Isa said t o t he Children of Israel,

(. ..and t o make lawful t o you part of what was forbidden t o you.) So t he scholars say t hat t he Inj il abrogat ed some of t he rulings of t he Tawrah. Allah's st at ement ,

(a guidance and an admonit ion for t hose who have Taqwa.) means, We made t he Inj il guidance and an admonit ion t hat prohibit s commit t ing sins and errors, for t hose who have Taqwa of Allah and fear His warning and t orment . Allah said next ,


(Let t he people of t he Inj il j udge by what Allah has revealed t herein.) meaning, so t hat He j udges t he people of t he Inj il by it in t heir t ime. Or, t he Ayah means, so t hat t hey believe in all t hat is in it and adhere t o all it s commands, including t he good news about t he coming of Muhammad and t he command t o believe in and follow him when he is sent . Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(Say "O People of t he Script ure! You have not hing (guidance) unt il you act according t o t he Tawrah, t he Inj il, and what has been sent down t o you from your Lord.'') and,

(Those who follow t he Messenger, t he Prophet who can neit her read nor writ e whom t hey find writ t en wit h t hem in t he Tawrah...) unt il,

(...successful.) Here, Allah said,

(And whosoever does not j udge by what Allah has revealed, such are t he rebellious.) meaning, t he rebellious and disobedient of Allah who prefer falsehood and abandon t rut h. We ment ioned before t hat t his Ayah was revealed about t he Christ ians, and t his is evident from t he cont ext of t he Ayah.

 - -
(48. And We have sent down t o you t he Book (t his Qur'an) in t rut h, confirming t he Script ure t hat came before it and Muhayminan over it (old Script ures). So j udge bet ween t hem by what Allah has revealed, and follow not t heir vain desires, diverging away from t he t rut h t hat has come t o you. To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way. If Allah willed, He would have made you one nat ion, but t hat (He) may t est you in what He has given you; so compet e in good deeds. The ret urn of you (all) is t o Allah; t hen He will inform you about t hat in which you used t o differ.) (49. And so j udge bet ween t hem by what Allah has revealed and follow not t heir vain desires, but beware of t hem lest t hey t urn you far away from some of t hat which Allah has sent down t o you. And if t hey t urn away, t hen know t hat Allah's will is t o punish t hem for some sins of t heirs. And t ruly, most men are rebellious. (50. Do t hey t hen seek t he j udgement of (t he days of) ignorance And who is bet t er in j udgement t han Allah for a people who have firm fait h.)

Praising the Qur'an; the Command to Refer to the Qur'an for Judgment
Allah ment ioned t he Tawrah t hat He sent down t o His Prophet Musa, t he one whom He spoke direct ly t o, praising it , commanding t hat it should be implement ed, before it was abrogat ed. Allah t hen ment ioned t he Inj il, praised it and commanded it s people t o adhere t o it and follow it , as we st at ed. He next ment ioned t he Glorious Qur'an t hat He sent down t o His honorable servant and Messenger. Allah said,


(And We have sent down t o you t he Book in t rut h...) meaning, wit h t he t rut h t hat , no doubt , is coming from Allah,

(confirming t he Script ure t hat came before it ) meaning, t he Divinely Revealed Books t hat praised t he Qur'an and ment ioned t hat it would be sent down from Allah t o His servant and Messenger Muhammad . The Qur'an was revealed as was foret old in t he previous Script ures. This fact increased fait h in t he previous Script ures for t he sincere who have knowledge of t hese Script ures, t hose who adhered t o Allah's commands and Laws and believed in His Messengers. Allah said,

-
(Say: "Believe in it or do not believe (in it ). Verily, t hose who were given knowledge before it , when it is recit ed t o t hem, fall down on t heir faces in humble prost rat ion.'' And t hey say: "Glory be t o our Lord! Truly, t he promise of our Lord must be fulfilled.'') meaning t hat t hey say, t he promise of our Lord, concerning t he coming of Muhammad by t he words of His previous Messengers, will cert ainly be fulfilled. Allah's st at ement ,

(and Muhayminan over it ) means ent rust ed over it , according t o Sufyan At h-Thawri who narrat ed it from Abu Ishaq from At -Tamimi from Ibn ` Abbas. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Muhaymin is, ` t he Trust wort hy'. Allah says t hat t he Qur'an is t rust wort hy over every Divine Book t hat preceded it .'' This was report ed from ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Muj ahid, Muhammad bin Ka` b, ` At iyyah, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, ` At a' Al-Khurasani, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd. Ibn Jarir said, "The Qur'an is t rust wort hy over t he Books t hat preceded it . Therefore, what ever in t hese previous Books conforms t o t he Qur'an is t rue, and what ever disagrees wit h t he Qur'an is false.'' Al-Walibi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Muhayminan means, ` Wit ness'. Muj ahid, Qat adah and As-Suddi said t he same. Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Muhayminan means, ` dominant over t he previous Script ures'. These meanings are similar, as t he word Muhaymin includes t hem all. Consequent ly, t he Qur'an is t rust wort hy, a wit ness, and dominant over every Script ure t hat preceded it . This Glorious Book, which Allah revealed as t he Last and Final Book, is t he most encompassing, glorious and perfect Book of all t imes. The

Qur'an includes all t he good aspect s of previous Script ures and even more, which no previous Script ure ever cont ained. This is why Allah made it t rust wort hy, a wit ness and dominant over all Script ures. Allah promised t hat He will prot ect t he Qur'an and swore by His Most Honorable Self,

(Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down t he Dhikr and surely, We will guard it (from corrupt ion).) Allah said,

(So j udge bet ween t hem by what Allah has revealed.) The Ayah commands: O Muhammad! Rule bet ween t he people, Arabs and non-Arabs, let t ered and unlet t ered, by what Allah has revealed t o you in t his Glorious Book and what it approves of for you from t he Law of t he previous Prophet s, as Ibn Jarir said. Ibn Abi Hat im report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The Prophet had t he choice t o j udge bet ween t hem or t o t urn away from t hem and refer t hem t o t heir own Law. Then t his Ayah was revealed,

(So j udge bet ween t hem by what Allah has revealed, and follow not t heir vain desires. ..) and he was commanded t o j udge bet ween t hem by our Book.''. Allah's st at ement

(and follow not t heir vain desires...) This means t he ideas t hey promot e, because of which t hey t urned away from what Allah revealed t o His Messengers. This is why Allah said,

(And follow not t heir vain desires, diverging away from t he t rut h t hat has come t o you.) The Ayah commands: Do not diverge from t he t rut h t hat Allah has ordained for you, t o t he vain desires of t hese miserable, ignorant people. Allah's st at ement ,

(To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way.)


(To each among you, We have prescribed a law) Shir` at meaning, a clear pat h, as Ibn Abi Hat im recorded from Ibn ` Abbas.

(If Allah willed, He would have made you one nat ion.) This is a general proclamat ion t o all nat ions informing t hem of Allah's might y abilit y. If Allah wills, He would make all mankind follow one religion and one Law, t hat would never be abrogat ed. Allah decided t hat every Prophet would have his own dist inct law t hat is lat er abrogat ed part ially or t ot ally wit h t he law of a lat t er Prophet . Lat er on, all previous laws were abrogat ed by t he Law t hat Allah sent wit h Muhammad , His servant and Messenger, whom Allah sent t o t he people of eart h as t he Final Prophet . Allah said,

(If Allah willed, He would have made you one nat ion, but t hat (He) may t est you in what He has given you.) This Ayah means, Allah has inst it ut ed different laws t o t est His servant s' obedience t o what He legislat es for t hem, t hus, He rewards or punishes t hem according t o t heir act ions and what t hey int end. ` Abdullah bin Kat hir said t hat t he Ayah,

(In what He has given you.) means, of t he Book. Next , Allah encouraged rushing t o perform good deeds,

(so st rive as in a race in good deeds.) which are obedience t o Allah, following His Law t hat abrogat ed t he laws t hat came before it , and believing in His Book, t he Qur'an, which is t he Final Book t hat He revealed. Allah said next ,

(The ret urn of you (all) is t o Allah;) Therefore, O people, your ret urn and final dest inat ion is t o Allah on t he Day of Resurrect ion,


(t hen He will inform you about t hat in which you used t o differ.) Allah will inform you about t he t rut h in which you used t o differ and will reward t he sincere, as compensat ion for t heir sincerit y, and will punish t he disbelieving, rebellious people who rej ect ed t he t rut h and deviat ed from it t o ot her pat hs, wit hout proof or evidence t o j ust ify t heir act ions. Rat her, t hey have rej ect ed t he clear evidences, unequivocal proofs and est ablished signs. Ad-Dahhak said t hat ,

(So st rive as in a race in good deeds.)is direct ed at t he Ummah of Muhammad , but t he first view is more apparent . Allah's st at ement ,

(And so j udge bet ween t hem by what Allah has revealed and follow not t heir vain desires,) emphasizes t his command and forbids ignoring it . Allah said next ,

(but beware of t hem lest t hey t urn you far away from some of t hat which Allah has sent down t o you. ) meaning; beware of t he Jews, your enemies, lest t hey dist ort t he t rut h for you in what t hey convey t o you. Therefore, do not be deceived by t hem, for t hey are liars, t reacherous and disbelievers.

(And if t hey t urn away,) from t he j udgement t hat you pass in t heir disput es, and t hey defy Allah's Law,

(t hen know t hat Allah's will is t o punish t hem for some sins of t heirs.) meaning, know t hat t his will occur according t o t he decree of Allah, and because out of His wisdom t hey have deviat ed from t he t rut h, and because of t heir previous sins.

(And t ruly, most men are rebellious.) Therefore, t he maj orit y of humans are disobedient t o t heir Lord, defiant of t he t rut h and deviat e away from it . Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And most people will not believe even if you desire it eagerly,) and,

(And if you obey most of t hose on t he eart h t hey will mislead you far away from Allah's pat h.) Muhammad bin Ishaq report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Ka` b bin Asad, Ibn Saluba, ` Abdullah bin Surya and Shas bin Qays said t o each ot her, ` Let us go t o Muhammad t o t ry and misguide him from his religion.' So t hey went t o t he Prophet and said, ` O Muhammad! You know t hat we are t he scholars, noblemen and chiefs of t he Jews. If we follow you, t he Jews will follow suit and will not cont radict us. But , t here is enmit y bet ween us and some of our people, so we will refer t o you for j udgement in t his mat t er, and you should rule in our favor against t hem and we will believe in you.' The Messenger of Allah refused t he offer and Allah sent down t hese Ayat about t hem,

(And so j udge bet ween t hem by what Allah has revealed and follow not t heir vain desires, but beware of t hem lest t hey t urn you far away from some of t hat which Allah has sent down t o you.) unt il,

(for a people who have firm fait h.)'' Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t his Hadit h. Allah cont inues,

(Do t hey t hen seek t he j udgement of (t he days of) ignorance And who is bet t er in j udgement t han Allah for a people who have firm fait h) Allah crit icizes t hose who ignore Allah's commandment s, which include every t ype of right eous good t hing and prohibit every t ype of evil, but t hey refer inst ead t o opinions, desires and cust oms t hat people t hemselves invent ed, all of which have no basis in Allah's religion. During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, t he people used t o abide by t he misguidance and ignorance t hat t hey invent ed by sheer opinion and lust s. The Tat ar (Mongols) abided by t he law t hat t hey inherit ed from t heir king Genghis Khan who wrot e Al-Yasiq, for t hem. This book cont ains some rulings t hat were derived from various religions, such as Judaism, Christ ianit y and Islam. Many of t hese rulings were derived from his own opinion and desires. Lat er on, t hese rulings became t he followed law among his children, preferring t hem t o t he Law of t he Book of Allah and t he Sunnah of His Messenger . Therefore, whoever does t his, he is a disbeliever who deserves t o be fought against , unt il he revert s t o Allah's and His Messenger's decisions, so t hat no law, minor or maj or, is referred t o except by His Law. Allah said,

(Do t hey t hen seek t he j udgement of (t he days of) ignorance) meaning, t hey desire and want t his and ignore Allah's j udgement ,

(And who is bet t er in j udgement t han Allah for a people who have firm fait h) Who is more j ust in decision t han Allah for t hose who comprehend Allah's Law, believe in Him, who are cert ain t hat Allah is t he best among t hose who give decisions and t hat He is more merciful wit h His creat ion t han t he mot her wit h her own child Allah has perfect knowledge of everyt hing, is able t o do all t hings, and He is j ust in all mat t ers. Al-Hafiz Abu Al-Qasim At -Tabarani recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The most hat ed person t o Allah is t he Muslim who seeks t he ways of t he days of ignorance and he who seeks t o shed t he blood of a person wit hout j ust ificat ion.) Al-Bukhari recorded Abu AlYaman narrat ing a similar Hadit h, wit h some addit ion.

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(51. O you who believe! Do not t ake friends from t he Jews and t he Christ ians, as t hey are but friends of each ot her. And if any among you befriends t hem, t hen surely, he is one of t hem. Verily, Allah guides not t hose people who are t he wrongdoers.) (52. And you see t hose in whose heart s t here is a disease, t hey hurry t o t heir friendship, saying: "We fear lest some misfort une of a disast er may befall us. '' Perhaps Allah may bring a vict ory or a decision according t o His will. Then t hey will become regret ful for what t hey have been keeping as a secret in t hemselves.) (53. And t hose who believe will say: "Are t hese t he men who swore t heir st rongest oat hs by Allah t hat t hey were wit h you'' All t hat t hey did has been in vain, and t hey have become t he losers.)

The Prohibition of Taking the Jews, Christians and Enemies of Islam as Friends
Allah forbids His believing servant s from having Jews and Christ ians as friends, because t hey are t he enemies of Islam and it s people, may Allah curse t hem. Allah t hen st at es t hat t hey are friends of each ot her and He gives a warning t hreat t o t hose who do t his,


(And if any among you befriends t hem, t hen surely he is one of t hem.) Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat ` Umar ordered Abu Musa Al-Ash` ari t o send him on one sheet of balance t he count of what he t ook in and what he spent . Abu Musa t hen had a Christ ian scribe, and he was able t o comply wit h ` Umar's demand. ` Umar liked what he saw and exclaimed, "This scribe is proficient . Would you read in t he Masj id a let t er t hat came t o us from Ash-Sham'' Abu Musa said, ` He cannot .'' ` Umar said, "Is he not pure'' Abu Musa said, "No, but he is Christ ian.'' Abu Musa said, "So ` Umar admonished me and poked my t high (wit h his finger), saying, ` Drive him out (from Al-Madinah).' He t hen recit ed,

(O you who believe! Take not t he Jews and t he Christ ians as friends...)'' Then he report ed t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Ut bah said, "Let one of you beware t hat he might be a Jew or a Christ ian, while unaware.'' The narrat or of t his st at ement said, "We t hought t hat he was referring t o t he Ayah,

(O you who believe! Take not t he Jews and t he Christ ians as friends, )'' Allah said,

(And you see t hose in whose heart s t here is a disease...) A disease of doubt , hesit at ion and hypocrisy.

(t hey hurry t o t heir friendship,) meaning, t hey rush t o offer t hem t heir friendship and allegiances in secret and in public,

(saying: "We fear lest some misfort une of a disast er may befall us.") They t hus offer t his excuse for t heir friendship and allegiances t o t he disbelievers, saying t hat t hey fear t hat t he

disbelievers might defeat t he Muslims, so t hey want t o be in favor wit h t he Jews and Christ ians, t o use t his favor for t heir benefit in t hat event ualit y! Allah replied,

(Perhaps Allah may bring a vict ory...) referring t o t he conquering of Makkah, according t o AsSuddi.

(or a decision according t o His will) requiring t he Jews and Christ ians t o pay t he Jizyah, as AsSuddi st at ed,

(Then t hey will become) meaning, t he hypocrit es who gave t heir friendship t o t he Jews and Christ ians, will become,

(for what t hey have been keeping as a secret in t hemselves) of allegiances,

(regret ful,) for t heir friendship wit h t he Jews and Christ ians which did not benefit t hem or prot ect t hem from any harm. Rat her, it was not hing but harm, as Allah exposed t heir t rue realit y t o His fait hful servant s in t his life, alt hough t hey t ried t o conceal it . When t he signs t hat exposed t heir hypocrisy were compiled against t hem, t heir mat t er became clear t o Allah's fait hful servant s. So t he believers were amazed at t hese hypocrit es who pret ended t o be believers, swearing t o t heir fait hfulness, yet t heir claims were all lies and deceit . This is why Allah said, s

(And t hose who believe will say, "Are t hese t he men who swore t heir st rongest oat hs by Allah t hat t hey were wit h you'' All t hat t hey did has been in vain, and t hey have become t he losers.)

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(54. O you who believe! Whoever from among you t urns back from his religion (Islam), Allah will bring a people whom He will love and t hey will love Him; humble t owards t he believers, st ern t owards t he disbelievers, fight ing in t he way of Allah, and never fearing t he blame of t he blamers. That is t he grace of Allah which He best ows on whom He wills. And Allah is AllSufficient for His creat ures' needs, All-Knower.) (55. Verily, your Prot ect or is Allah, His Messenger, and t he believers, t hose who perform t he Salah, and give Zakah, and t hey bow down.) (56. And whosoever t akes Allah, His Messenger, and t hose who have believed, as prot ect ors, t hen t he part y of Allah will be t he vict orious.)

Threatening to Replace the Believers With Another People if They Revert from Islam
Allah emphasizes His might y abilit y and st at es t hat whoever revert s from support ing His religion and est ablishing His Law, t hen Allah will replace t hem wit h whomever is bet t er, might ier and more right eous in Allah's religion and Law. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,


(And if you t urn away, He will exchange you for some ot her people and t hey will not be your likes.) and,

-
(Do you not see t hat Allah has creat ed t he heavens and t he eart h wit h t rut h If He will, He can remove you and bring (in your place) a new creat ion! And for Allah t hat is not hard or difficult .) 14:19-20 . Verily t his is not difficult or hard on Allah. Allah said here,

(O you who believe! Whoever from among you t urns back from his religion...) and t urns back from t he t rut h t o falsehood, from now unt il t he commencement of t he Last Hour. Allah said next ,

(humble t owards t he believers, st ern t owards t he disbelievers.) These are t he qualit ies of perfect believers, as t hey are humble wit h t heir believing brot hers and allies, st ern wit h t heir enemies and adversaries. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(Muhammad is t he Messenger of Allah. And t hose who are wit h him are severe against disbelievers, and merciful among t hemselves.) The Prophet is described as t he smiling fight er, smiling t o his allies and fight ing his enemies. Allah's st at ement ,

(Fight ing in t he way of Allah, and never fearing t he blame of t he blamers.) Not hing prevent s t hem from obeying Allah, est ablishing His Law, fight ing His enemies, enj oining right eousness and forbidding evil. Cert ainly, not hing prevent s t hem from t aking t his pat h, neit her someone who seeks t o hinder t hem, nor one who blames or chast ises t hem. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Dharr said, "My Khalil (int imat e friend, t he Messenger) has commanded me t o do seven deeds. He commanded me t o love t he poor and t o be close t o t hem. He commanded me t o look at t hose who are less t han me and not t hose who are above me. He commanded me t o keep t he relat ions of t he womb, even if t hey cut it . He commanded me not t o ask anyone for anyt hing, t o say t he t rut h even if it was bit t er, and t o not fear t he blame of anyone for t he sake of Allah. He commanded me t o oft en repeat , ` La hawla wa la quwwat a illa billah (There is no st rengt h or power except from Allah)', for t hese words are from a t reasure under t he Throne (of Allah).'' It is confirmed in t he Sahih;

(The believer is not required t o humiliat e himself.) He was asked; "How does one humiliat e himself, O Messenger of Allah'' So he replied;

(He t akes on t est s t hat he cannot bear.)

(That is t he grace of Allah which He best ows on whom He wills.) meaning, t hose who have t hese qualit ies, acquired it by Allah's bount y and favor and because He grant ed t hem t hese qualit ies.

(And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creat ures' needs, All-Knower,) His favor is ever ext ending, and He has perfect knowledge of t hose who deserve or do not deserve His favor and bount y. Allah's st at ement ,

(Verily, your Prot ect or is Allah, His Messenger, and t he believers...) means, t he Jews are not your friends. Rat her, your allegiance is t o Allah, His Messenger and t he fait hful believers.

(t hose who perform t he Salah, and give t he Zakah...) referring t o t he believers who have t hese qualit ies and est ablish t he prayer, which is one of t he most import ant pillars of Islam, for it includes worshipping Allah alone wit hout part ners. They pay Zakah, which is t he right of t he creat ion and a t ype of help ext ended t o t he needy and t he poor. As for Allah's st at ement ,

(and t hey bow down,) some people t hought t hat t hey give t he Zakah while bowing down. If t his were t he case, t hen paying t he Zakah while bowing would be t he best form of giving Zakah. No scholar from whom religious rulings are t aken says t his, as much as we know. Therefore,

(and t hey bow down,) means, t hey at t end t he prayer in congregat ion in Allah's Masj ids and spend by way of charit y on t he various needs of Muslims. Allah said;

(And whosoever t akes Allah, His Messenger, and t hose who have believed, as prot ect ors, t hen t he part y of Allah will be t he vict orious.) similarly Allah said;

(Allah has decreed: "Verily, it is I and My Messengers who shall be t he vict orious.'' Verily, Allah is All-Powerful, Almight y. You will not find any people who believe in Allah and t he Last Day, making friendship wit h t hose who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even t hough t hey were t heir fat hers or t heir sons or t heir brot hers or t heir kindred (people). For such He has writ t en fait h in t heir heart s, and st rengt hened t hem wit h a Ruh (proof) from Himself. And He will admit t hem t o Gardens (Paradise) under which rivers flow t o dwell t herein (forever). Allah is pleased wit h t hem, and t hey wit h Him. They are t he part y of Allah. Verily, it is t he part y of Allah t hat will be t he successful.) Therefore, t hose who accept t he allegiance of Allah - His Messenger and t he fait hful believers - will gain success in t his life and t he Hereaft er. Hence Allah's st at ement here,

(And whosoever t akes Allah, His Messenger, and t hose who have believed, as prot ect ors, t hen t he part y of Allah will be t he vict orious.)

(57. O you who believe! Do not t ake as friends t hose who t ake your religion for a mockery and fun from t hose who received t he Script ures before you, and (nor) t he disbelievers; and have Taqwa of Allah if you indeed are t rue believers. ) (58. And when you proclaim t he call for t he Salah, t hey t ake it (but ) as a mockery and fun; t hat is because t hey are a people who underst and not .)

The Prohibition of Being Loyal Friends with Disbelievers

This Ayah discourages and forbids t aking t he enemies of Islam and it s people, such as t he People of t he Book and t he polyt heist s, as friends. These disbelievers mock t he most import ant act s t hat any person could ever perform, t he honorable, pure act s of Islam which include all t ypes of good for t his life and t he Hereaft er. They mock such act s and make t hem t he subj ect of j est and play, because t his is what t hese act s represent in t heir misguided minds and cold heart s. Allah said;


(from t hose who received t he Script ures before you and (nor) t he disbelievers...) This is t o clarify t he part icular cat egory (of disbelievers). As Allah said,

(So shun t he evil of t he idols...) 22:30 So some recit ed it "Kuffari'', making it an obj ect of t he preposit ion, and ot hers recit ed it "Kuffara'', making it a predicat e noun;

(Take not as friends t hose who t ake your religion for a mockery and fun from t hose who received t he Script ures before you...) wit h t he meaning of "nor'',

(nor t he disbelievers as friends) That is, do not t ake t hese people nor t hose people as friends. The meaning here of "Kuffar'' disbelievers is idolat ors. Similarly, Ibn Jarir recorded t hat in t he recit at ion of Ibn Mas` ud in place of "Kuffar'' he recit ed it : "and t hose who commit Shirk. Allah's st at ement ,

(And have Taqwa of Allah if you indeed are t rue believers.) means, fear Allah and do not t ake t he enemies of you and your religion as friends, if you believe in Allah's Law and religion t hat t hese people mocked and j est ed about . Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(Let not t he believers t ake t he disbelievers as friends inst ead of t he believers, and whoever does t hat , will never be helped by Allah in any way, except if you indeed fear a danger from t hem. And Allah warns you against Himself, and t o Allah is t he final ret urn.)

The Disbelievers Mock the Prayer and the Adhan

Allah said,

(And when you proclaim t he call for t he Salah, t hey t ake it (but ) as a mockery and fun;) When you proclaim t he Adhan for t he prayer, which is t he best act ion t here is, for t hose who have sound minds and good comprehension,

(t hey t ake it ...) also,

(as a mockery and fun; t hat is because t hey are a people who underst and not .) t he act s of worship and Allah's Law. These are t he charact erist ics of t he followers of Shayt an who,

(When t he call for prayer is made, Shayt an t akes t o his heels passing wind so t hat he may not hear t he Adhan. When t he call is finished he comes back, and when t he Iqamah is pronounced, Shayt an again t akes t o his heels. When t he Iqamah is finished he comes back again and t ries t o int erfere wit h t he person and his t hought s and t o say, ` Remember t his and t hat ,' which he has not t hought of before t he prayer, unt il t he praying person forget s how much he has prayed. If anyone of you does not remember, t hen he should perform t wo prost rat ions before pronouncing t he Salam.) This Hadit h is agreed upon. Az-Zuhri said, "Allah ment ioned t he Adhan in His Book,

(And when you proclaim t he call for t he Salah, t hey t ake it (but ) as a mockery and fun; t hat is because t hey are a people who underst and not .)'' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t his st at ement .

- - - -

a(59. Say: "O People of t he Script ure! Do you crit icize us for no ot her reason t han t hat we believe in Allah, and in what has been sent down t o us and in t hat which has been sent down before (us), and t hat most of you are rebellious'') (60. Say: "Shall I inform you of somet hing worse t han t hat , regarding t he recompense from Allah: t hose who incurred t he curse of Allah and His wrat h, and t hose of whom He t ransformed int o monkeys and swine, and t hose who worshipped Taghut ; such are worse in rank, and far more ast ray from t he st raight pat h.'') (61. When t hey come t o you, t hey say: "We believe.'' But in fact t hey ent er wit h disbelief and t hey go out wit h t he same. And Allah knows all t hat t hey were hiding.) (62. And you see many of t hem hurrying for sin and t ransgression, and eat ing illegal t hings. Evil indeed is t hat which t hey have been doing.) (63. Why do not t he Rabbaniyyun and t he Ahbar forbid t hem from ut t ering sinful words and from eat ing illegal t hings. Evil indeed is t hat which t hey have been performing.)

The People of the Book are Enraged at the Believers Because of their Faith in Allah
Allah commands: Say, O Muhammad, t o t hose who mock and j est about your religion from among t he People of t he Script ures,

(Do you crit icize us for no ot her reason t han t hat we believe in Allah, and in what has been sent down t o us and in t hat which has been sent down before (us)) Do you have any crit icism or cause of blame for us, ot her t han t his This, by no means, is cause of blame or crit icism. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And t hey had no fault except t hat t hey believed in Allah, t he Almight y, Wort hy of all praise!) and,

(and t hey could not find any cause t o do so except t hat Allah and His Messenger had enriched t hem of His bount y.) 9:74 In an agreed upon Hadit h, t he Prophet said,


(What caused Ibn Jamil t o Yanqim (refuse t o give Zakah), alt hough he was poor and Allah made him rich) Allah's st at ement ,

(and t hat most of you are rebellious. ..) is connect ed t o

(t hat we believe in Allah, and in t hat which has been sent down t o us and in t hat which has been sent down before (us).) Therefore, t he meaning of t his part of t he Ayah is: we also believe t hat most of you are rebellious and deviat ed from t he st raight pat h.

The People of the Scriptures Deserve the Worst Torment on the Day of Resurrection
Allah said next ,

(Say: "Shall I inform you of somet hing worse t han t hat , regarding t he recompense from Allah") The Ayah commands t he Prophet t o say: Shall I inform you about a worse people wit h Allah on t he Day of Resurrect ion t han what you t hink of us They are you, wit h t hese charact erist ics,

(t hose who incurred t he curse of Allah) were expelled from His mercy,

(and who incurred His wrat h) and anger, aft er which He will never be pleased wit h t hem,

(t hose of whom He t ransformed int o monkeys and swine,) as we ment ioned in Surat Al-Baqarah (2) and as we will ment ion in Surat Al-A` raf (7). Sufyan At h-Thawri narrat ed t hat Ibn Mas` ud said, "Allah's Messenger was asked if t he current monkeys and swine were t hose whom Allah t ransformed. He said,

(Allah never dest royed a people by t ransforming t hem and making offspring or descendant s for t hem. The monkeys and swine exist ed before t hat .)'' This was also recorded by Muslim. Allah said,

(Those who worshipped Taghut ...) and served t hem, becoming t heir servant s. The meaning of t his Ayah is: you, O People of t he Script ures, who mock our religion, which consist s of Allah's Tawhid, and singling Him out in worship wit hout ot hers, how can you mock us while t hese are your charact erist ics This is why Allah said,

(such are worse in rank...) t han what you -- People of t he Script ures -- t hink of us Muslims,

(and far more ast ray from t he st raight pat h.) ` More' in t he Ayah does not mean t hat t he ot her part y is ` less' ast ray, but it means t hat t he People of t he Script ures are far ast ray. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(The dwellers of Paradise will, on t hat Day, have t he best abode, and have t he fairest of places for repose.)

The Hypocrites Pretend to be Believers but Hide their Kufr

said,

(When t hey come t o you, t hey say, "We believe.'' But in fact t hey ent er wit h (an int ent ion of) disbelief and t hey go out wit h t he same.) This is t he descript ion of t he hypocrit es, for t hey pret end t o be believers while t heir heart s hide Kufr. So Allah said;

(But in fact t hey ent er) on you, O Muhammad,

(wit h disbelief) in t heir heart s and t hey depart wit h Kufr, and t his is why t hey do not benefit from t he knowledge t hey hear from you, nor does t he advice and reminder move t hem. So,

(and t hey go out wit h t he same) meaning, t hey alone,

(and Allah knows all t hat t hey were hiding.) Allah knows t heir secret s and what t heir heart s conceal, even if t hey pret end ot herwise wit h His creat ures, t hus pret ending t o be what t hey are not . Allah, Who has perfect knowledge of t he seen and unseen, has more knowledge about t he hypocrit es t han any of His creat ures do and He will recompense t hem accordingly. Allah's st at ement ,

(And you see many of t hem (Jews) hurrying for sin and t ransgression, and eat ing illegal t hings.) They hurry t o devour prohibit ed and illegal t hings, all t he while t ransgressing against people, unj ust ly consuming t heir propert y t hrough bribes and Riba,

(Evil indeed is t hat which t hey have been doing.) Indeed, horrible is t hat which t hey used t o do and t he t ransgression t hat t hey commit t ed.

Criticizing Rabbis and Learned Religious Men for Giving up on Forbidding Evil
Allah said,

(Why do not t he Rabbaniyyun and t he Ahbar forbid t hem from ut t ering sinful words and from eat ing illegal t hings. Evil indeed is t hat which t hey have been performing.) meaning why don't t he Rabbaniyyun and t he Ahbar forbid t hem from t his evil The Rabbaniyyun are t he scholars who are in posit ions of aut horit y, while t he Ahbar are t he regular scholars.

(Evil indeed is t hat which t hey have been performing.) referring t o t he Rabbaniyyun, as ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed from Ibn ` Abbas, because t hey abandoned forbidding evil. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "There is no Ayah in t he Qur'an t hat has more severe admonit ion t han t his Ayah,

(Why do not t he Rabbaniyyun and t he Ahbar forbid t hem from ut t ering sinful words and from eat ing illegal t hings. Evil indeed is t hat which t hey have been performing.)'' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Yahya bin Ya` mar said, " ` Ali bin Abi Talib once gave a speech, which he st art ed by praising Allah and t hanking Him. He t hen said, ` O people! Those who were before you were dest royed because t hey commit t ed sins and t he Rabbaniyyun and Ahbar did not forbid t hem from evil. When t hey persist ed in sin, t hey were overcome by punishment . Therefore, enj oin right eousness and forbid evil before what t hey suffered also st rikes you. Know t hat enj oining

right eousness and forbidding evil does not reduce t he provision or short en t he t erm of life.'' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Jarir said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(There is no people among whom t here are t hose who commit sins, while t he rest are more powerful and might ier t han t he sinners, yet t hey do not st op t hem, but Allah will send a punishment upon t hem.) Ahmad was alone wit h t his wording. Abu Dawud recorded it , but in his narrat ion Jarir said, "I heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

(There is no one who resides among people commit ing evil among t hem, and t hey do not st op him t hough t hey are able t o do so, but Allah will punish t hem all before t hey die.)'' Ibn Maj ah also recorded t his Hadit h.

 -
(64. The Jews say: "Allah's Hand is t ied up.'' Be t heir hands t ied up and be t hey accursed for what t hey ut t ered. Nay, bot h His Hands are widely out st ret ched. He spends as He wills. Verily, t he revelat ion t hat has come t o you from your Lord makes many of t hem increase in rebellion and disbelief. We have put enmit y and hat red among t hem t ill t he Day of Resurrect ion. Every t ime t hey kindled t he fire of war, Allah ext inguished it ; and t hey (ever) st rive t o make mischief on t he eart h. And Allah does not like t he mischief-makers.) (65. And if only t he People of t he Script ure had believed and had Taqwa, We would indeed have expiat ed for t hem t heir sins and admit t ed t hem t o Gardens of pleasure (in Paradise).) (66. And if only t hey had act ed according t o t he Tawrah, t he Inj il, and what has (now) been sent down t o t hem from t heir Lord (t he Qur'an), t hey would surely have got t en provision from above t hem and from underneat h t heir feet . And among t hem is a Muqt asid Ummah, but for most of t hem; evil is t heir work.)

The Jews Say That Allah's Hand is Tied up!

Allah st at es t hat t he Jews, may Allah's cont inuous curses descend on t hem unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion, describe Him as a miser. Allah is far holier t han what t hey at t ribut e t o Him. The Jews also claim t hat Allah is poor, while t hey are rich. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(The Jews say, "Allah's Hand is t ied up.") "They do not mean t hat Allah's Hand is lit erally t ied up. Rat her, t hey mean t hat He is a miser and does not spend from what He has. Allah is far holier t han what t hey at t ribut e t o Him.'' Similar was report ed from Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Qat adah, As-Suddi and Ad-Dahhak. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And let not your hand be t ied (like a miser) t o your neck, nor st ret ch it fort h t o it s ut most reach (like a spendt hrift ), so t hat you become blamewort hy and in severe povert y.) In t his

Ayah, Allah prohibit s st inginess and ext ravagance, which includes unnecessary and improper expendit ures. Allah describes st inginess by saying,

(And let not your hand be t ied (like a miser) t o your neck. ) Therefore, t his is t he meaning t hat t he Jews meant , may Allah's curses be on t hem. ` Ikrimah said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about Finhas, one of t he Jews, may Allah curse him. We ment ioned before t hat Finhas said,

("Truly, Allah is poor and we are rich!'') and t hat Abu Bakr smacked him. Allah has refut ed what t he Jews at t ribut e t o Him and cursed t hem in ret aliat ion for t heir lies and fabricat ions about Him. Allah said,

(Be t heir hands t ied up and be t hey accursed for what t hey ut t ered.) What Allah said occurred, for t he Jews are indeed miserly, envious, cowards and t remendously humiliat ed. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

-
(Or have t hey a share in t he dominion Then in t hat case t hey would not give mankind even a Naqir. Or do t hey envy men for what Allah has given t hem of His bount y Then, We had already given t he family of Ibrahim t he Book and t he Hikmah, and conferred upon t hem a great kingdom.) and, n

(Indignit y is put over t hem.)

Allah's Hands are Widely Outstretched

Allah said next ,

(Nay, bot h His Hands are widely out st ret ched. He spends (of His bount y) as He wills.) Allah's favors are ample, His bount y unlimit ed, as He owns t he t reasures of everyt hing. Any good t hat reaches His servant s is from Him alone, wit hout part ners. He has creat ed everyt hing t hat we need by night or by day, while t raveling or at home and in all sit uat ions and condit ions. Allah said,

(And He gave you of all t hat you asked for, and if you count t he blessings of Allah, never will you be able t o count t hem. Verily, man is indeed an ext reme wrongdoer, an ext reme ingrat e.) There are many ot her Ayat on t his subj ect . Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal said t hat ` Abdur-Razzaq narrat ed t o him t hat Ma` mar said t hat Hammam bin Munabbih said, "This is what Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t o us t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(Allah's Right Hand is perfect ly full, and no amount of spending can decrease what He has, even t hough He spends by night and by day. Do you see how much Allah has spent since He creat ed t he heavens and eart h Yet surely it has not decreased what He has in His Right Hand. His Throne is over t he wat er and in His Ot her Hand is t he hold by which He raises and lowers.) He also said, :

(Allah said, ` Spend and I will spend on you.')'' This Hadit h was recorded in t he Two Sahihs.

The Revelation to the Muslims only Adds to the Transgression and Disbelief of the Jews
Allah said,

(Verily, t he revelat ion t hat has come t o you from your Lord makes many of t hem increase in rebellion and disbelief.) meaning, t he bount y t hat comes t o you, O Muhammad, is a calamit y for your enemies, t he Jews and t heir kind. The more t he revelat ion increases t he believers in fait h, good works, and beneficial knowledge, t he more t he disbelievers increase in envy for you and your Ummah, t he more t hey increase in Tughyan -- which is t o exceed t he ordained limit s for t hings -- and in disbelief -- meaning denial of you. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(Say: "It is for t hose who believe, a guide and a healing. And as for t hose who disbelieve, t here is heaviness (deafness) in t heir ears, and it is blindness for t hem. They are t hose who are called from a place far away.'') and,

(And We send down of t he Qur'an t hat which is a healing and a mercy t o t hose who believe, and it increases wrongdoers in not hing but loss. ) Allah said next ,

(We have put enmit y and hat red among t hem t ill t he Day of Resurrect ion.) Therefore, t heir heart s are never unit ed. Rat her, t heir various groups and sect s will always have enmit y and hat red for each ot her, because t hey do not agree on t he t rut h, and because t hey opposed you and denied you. Allah's st at ement ,


(Every t ime t hey kindled t he fire of war, Allah ext inguished it ;) means, every t ime t hey t ry t o plot against you and kindled t he fire of war, Allah ext inguishes it and makes t heir plot s t urn against t hem. Therefore, t heir evil plot s will ret urn t o harm t hem.

(and t hey (ever) st rive t o make mischief on eart h. And Allah does not like t he mischiefmakers.) It is t heir habit t o always st rive t o cause mischief on t he eart h, and Allah does not like t hose wit h such behavior.

Had the People of the Book Adhered to their Book, they Would Have Acquired the Good of this Life and the Hereafter
Allah said next ,

(And if only t he People of t he Script ure had believed and had Taqwa...) Consequent ly, had t he People of t he Book believed in Allah and His Messenger and avoided t he sins and prohibit ions t hat t hey commit t ed;

(We would indeed have expiat ed for t hem t heir sins and admit t ed t hem t o Gardens of pleasure (in Paradise).) meaning We would have removed t he dangers from t hem and grant ed t hem t heir obj ect ives.

(And if only t hey had act ed according t o t he Tawrah, t he Inj il, and what has (now) been sent down t o t hem from t heir Lord,) meaning, t he Qur'an, as Ibn ` Abbas and ot hers said.


(t hey would surely have got t en provision from above t hem and from underneat h t heir feet .) Had t hey adhered t o t he Books t hat t hey have wit h t hem which t hey inherit ed from t he Prophet s, wit hout alt ering or changing t hese Books, t hese would have direct ed t hem t o follow t he t rut h and implement t he revelat ion t hat Allah sent Muhammad wit h. These Books t est ify t o t he Prophet 's t rut h and command t hat he must be followed. Allah's st at ement ,

(t hey would surely have got t en provision from above t hem and from underneat h t heir feet .) refers t o t he t remendous provision t hat would have descended t o t hem from t he sky and grown for t hem on t he eart h. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And if t he people of t he t owns had believed and had Taqwa, cert ainly, We should have opened for t hem blessings from t he heaven and t he eart h.) Allah's st at ement ,

(And among t hem is a Muqt asid Ummah, but for most of t hem; evil is t heir work.) is similar t o Allah's st at ement ,

(And of t he people of Musa t here is a communit y who lead (t he men) wit h t rut h and est ablish j ust ice t herewit h.) 7:159 and His st at ement about t he followers of ` Isa, peace be upon him,

(So We gave t hose among t hem who believed, t heir (due) reward.) Therefore, Allah gave t hem t he highest grade of Iqt isad, which is t he middle course, given t o t his Ummah. Above t hem t here is t he grade of Sabiqun, as Allah described in His st at ement ;

 -
(Then We gave t he Book as inherit ance t o such of Our servant s whom We chose. Then of t hem are some who wrong t hemselves, and of t hem are some who follow a middle course, and of t hem are some who, by Allah's permission, are Sabiq (foremost ) in good deeds. That it self is indeed a great grace. ` Adn (Eden) Paradise (everlast ing Gardens) will t hey ent er, t herein will t hey be adorned wit h bracelet s of gold and pearls, and t heir garment s t here will be of silk.) 35:32-33

(67. O Messenger! Convey what has been sent down t o you from your Lord. And if you do not , t hen you have not conveyed His Message. Allah will prot ect you from mankind. Verily, Allah guides not t he people who disbelieve.)

Commanding the Prophet to Convey the Message; Promising Him Immunity and Protection
Allah addresses His servant and Messenger Muhammad by t he t it le ` Messenger' and commands him t o convey all t hat He has sent him, a command t hat t he Prophet has fulfilled in t he best manner. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` A'ishah said, "Whoever says t o you t hat Muhammad hid any part of what Allah revealed t o him, t hen he is ut t ering a lie. Allah said,

(O Messenger! Convey what has been sent down t o you from your Lord.)'' Al-Bukhari collect ed t he short form of t his st ory here, but ment ioned t he full narrat ion in anot her part of his book. Muslim in t he Book of Iman, At -Tirmidhi, and An-Nasa'i in t he Book of Tafsir of t heir Sunans also

collect ed t his Hadit h. In is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat ` A'ishah said, "If Muhammad hid anyt hing from t he Qur'an, he would have hidden t his Ayah,

(But you did hide in yourself t hat which Allah will make manifest , you did fear t he people while Allah had a bet t er right t hat you should fear Him.)'' Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Az-Zuhri said, "From Allah comes t he Message, for t he Messenger is it s deliverance and for us is submission t o it .'' The Ummah of Muhammad has t est ified t hat he has delivered t he Message and fulfilled t he t rust , when he asked t hem during t he biggest gat hering in his speech during t he Farewell Haj j . At t hat t ime, t here were over fort y t housand of his Companions. Muslim recorded t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said in his speech on t hat day,

(O people! You shall be asked about me, so what are you going t o reply) They said, "We bear wit ness t hat you have conveyed (t he Message), f ulfilled (t he t rust ) and offered sincere advice.'' The Prophet kept raising his finger t owards t he sky and t hen point ing at t hem, saying,

(O Allah! Did I convey O Allah! Did I convey) Allah's st at ement ,

(And if you do not , t hen you have not conveyed His Message.) meaning: If you do not convey t o t he people what I sent t o you, t hen you have not conveyed My Message. Meaning, t he Prophet knows t he consequences of t his failure. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah,

(And if you do not , t hen you have not conveyed His Message.) "It means, if you hide only one Ayah t hat was revealed t o you from your Lord, t hen you have not conveyed His Message.'' Allah's st at ement ,


(Allah will prot ect you from mankind.) means, you convey My Message and I will prot ect , aid and support you over your enemies and will grant you vict ory over t hem. Therefore, do not have any fear or sadness, for none of t hem will be able t o t ouch you wit h harm. Before t his Ayah was revealed, t he Prophet was being guarded, as Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` A'ishah said t hat t he Prophet was vigilant one night when she was next t o him; she asked him, "What is t he mat t er, O Allah's Messenger'' He said,

(Would t hat a pious man from my companions guard me t onight !) She said, "Suddenly we heard t he clat t er of arms. The Prophet said,

(Who is t hat ''.) He (t he new comer) replied, "I am Sa` d bin Malik (Sa` d bin Abi Waqqas).'' The Prophet asked,

(What brought you here) He said, "I have come t o guard you, Allah's O Messenger.'' ` A'ishah said, "So, t he Prophet slept (t hat night ) and I heard t he noise of sleep coming from him.)'' This Hadit h is recorded in Two Sahihs. Anot her narrat ion for t his Hadit h reads, "The Messenger of Allah was vigilant one night , aft er he came t o Al-Madinah...'', meaning, aft er t he Hij rah and aft er t he Prophet consummat ed his marriage t o ` A'ishah in t he second year of Hij rah. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat ` A'ishah said, "The Prophet was being guarded unt il t his Ayah,

(Allah will prot ect you from mankind) was revealed.'' She added; "The Prophet raised his head from t he room and said;

(O people! Go away, for Allah will prot ect me.)''' At -Tirmidhi recorded it and said,"This Hadit h is Gharib.'' It was also recorded by Ibn Jarir, and Al-Hakim in his Must adrak, where he said, "It s chain is Sahih, but t hey did not record it .'' Allah's st at ement ,

(Verily, Allah guides not t hose who disbelieve.) means, O Muhammad, you convey, and Allah guides whom He wills, and misguides whom He wills. In ot her Ayat , Allah said,

(Not upon you is t heir guidance, but Allah guides whom He wills,) and,

(Your dut y is only t o convey and on Us is t he reckoning.)

-
(68. Say: "O People of t he Script ure! You have not hing t ill you act according t o t he Tawrah, t he Inj il, and what has (now) been sent down t o you from your Lord (t he Qur'an).'' Verily, t he revelat ion t hat has come t o you from your Lord makes many of t hem increase in rebellion and disbelief. So do not grieve for t he people who disbelieve.) (69. Surely, t hose who believe, and t hose who are t he Jews and t he Sabians and t he Christ ians, whosoever believed in Allah and t he Last Day, and worked right eousness, on t hem shall be no fear, nor shall t hey grieve.)

There is no Salvation Except through Faith in the Qur'an

Allah says: O Muhammad, say,

(O People of t he Script ure! You have not hing...) meaning no real religion unt il you adhere t o and implement t he Tawrah and t he Inj il. That is, unt il you believe in all t he Books t hat you have t hat Allah revealed t o t he Prophet s. These Books command following Muhammad and believing in his prophecy, all t he while adhering t o his Law. Before, we explained Allah's st at ement ,

(Verily, t he revelat ion t hat has come t o you from your Lord makes many of t hem increase in rebellion and disbelief.)

(So do not grieve for t he people who disbelieve), Do not be sad or t aken aback by t heir disbelief. Allah said next ,

(Surely, t hose who believe) referring t o Muslims,

(t hose who are t he Jews) who were ent rust ed wit h t he Tawrah,

(and t he Sabians. ..) a sect from t he Christ ians and Magians who did not follow any part icular religion, as Muj ahid st at ed. As for t he Christ ians, t hey are known and were ent rust ed wit h t he Inj il. The meaning here is t hat if each of t hese groups believed in Allah and t he Hereaft er, which is t he Day of Judgement and Reckoning, and performed good act ions, which t o be so, must conform t o Muhammad's Law, aft er Muhammad was sent t o all mankind and t he Jinns. If any of t hese groups held t hese beliefs, t hen t hey shall have no fear of what will come or sadness regarding what t hey lost , nor will grief ever affect t hem. We discussed a similar Ayah before in Surat Al-Baqarah 2:62 .

 -
(70. Verily, We t ook t he covenant of t he Children of Israel and sent Messengers t o t hem. Whenever t here came t o t hem a Messenger wit h what t hey t hemselves desired not , a group of t hem t hey called liars, and ot hers among t hem t hey killed.) (71. They t hought t here will be no Fit nah (t rial or punishment ), so t hey became blind and deaf; aft er t hat Allah t urned t o t hem (wit h forgiveness); yet again many of t hem became blind and deaf. And Allah is t he All-Seer of what t hey do.) Allah reminds t hat He t ook t he covenant and pledges from t he Children of Israel t o hear and obey Him and His Messenger. They broke t hese pledges and covenant s and followed t heir lust s and desires inst ead of t he law, and whichever part of t he law t hey agreed wit h, t hey t ook it . Ot herwise, t hey abandoned it , if it did not conform t o t heir desires. This is why Allah said,

(Whenever t here came t o t hem a Messenger wit h what t hey t hemselves desired not - a group of t hem t hey called liars, and ot hers among t hem t hey killed. They t hought t here will be no Fit nah (t rial or punishment ) so t hey became blind and deaf.) t hinking t hat t hey would suffer no repercussions for of t he evil t hat t hey commit t ed. Consequent ly, t hey were blinded from t he t rut h and became deaf, incapable of hearing t he t rut h. For t hese reasons t hey were unable t o be guided by it . Allah forgave t hat , t hen,

(yet t hey became blind and deaf) again,

(many of t hem, and Allah is t he All-Seer of what t hey do.) He has perfect knowledge of what t hey do and whomever among t hem deserves t he guidance and whomever deserves misguidance.

- - -
(72. Surely, t hey have disbelieved who say: "Allah is t he Messiah ` Isa , son of Maryam.'' But t he Messiah said: "O Children of Israel! worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.'' Verily, whosoever set s up part ners (in worship) wit h Allah, t hen Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and t he Fire will be his abode. And for t he wrongdoers t here are no helpers.) (73. Surely, t hey have disbelieved who say: "Allah is t he t hird of t hree.'' And t here is no god but One God (Allah). And if t hey cease not from what t hey say, verily, a painful t orment will befall on t he disbelievers among t hem.) (74. Will t hey not repent t o Allah and ask His forgiveness For Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (75. The Messiah ` Isa , son of Maryam, was no more t han a Messenger; many were t he Messengers t hat passed away before him. His mot her Maryam was a Siddiqah. They bot h used t o eat food. Look how We make t he Ayat clear t o t hem; yet look how t hey are deluded away (from t he t rut h).)

The Disbelief of the Christians; ` Isa Only called to Tawhid

Allah st at es t hat t he Christ ians such sect s as Monarchit e, Jacobit e and Nest orit e are disbelievers, t hose among t hem who say t hat ` Isa is Allah. Allah is far holier t han what t hey at t ribut e t o Him. They made t his claim in spit e of t he fact t hat ` Isa made it known t hat he was t he servant of Allah and His Messenger. The first words t hat ` Isa ut t ered when he was st ill a baby in t he cradle were, "I am ` Abdullah (t he servant of Allah).'' He did not say, "I am Allah,'' or, "I am t he son of Allah.'' Rat her, he said,

(Verily, I am a servant of Allah, He has given me t he Script ure and made me a Prophet .) unt il he said,

("And verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him (Alone). That is t he st raight pat h.'') He also proclaimed t o t hem when he was a man, aft er he was sent as a Prophet , commanding t hem t o worship his Lord and t heir Lord, alone wit hout part ners,

(But t he Messiah said, "O Children of Israel! worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.'' Verily, whosoever set s up part ners wit h Allah...) in worship;

(. ..t hen Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and t he Fire will be his abode.) as He will send him t o t he Fire and forbid Paradise for him. Allah also said;

(Verily, Allah forgives not t hat part ners should be set up wit h Him (in worship), but He forgives except t hat (anyt hing else) t o whom He wills.) and,


(And t he dwellers of t he Fire will call t o t he dwellers of Paradise; "Pour on us some wat er or anyt hing t hat Allah has provide you wit h.'' They will say: "Allah has forbidden bot h t o t he disbelievers.'') It is recorded in t he Sahih t hat t he Prophet had someone proclaim t o t he people,

(Only a Muslim soul shall ent er Paradise.) In anot her narrat ion,

(Only a believing soul...) This is why Allah said t hat ` Isa said t o t he Children of Israel,

(Verily, whosoever set s up part ners wit h Allah, t hen Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and t he Fire will be his abode. And t here are no helpers for t he wrongdoers.) There is no help from Allah, nor anyone who will support or prot ect t hem from t he st at e t hey will be in. Allah's st at ement ,

(Surely, t hey have disbelieved who say: "Allah is t he t hird of t hree.") Muj ahid and several ot hers said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about t he Christ ians in part icular. As-Suddi and ot hers said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about t aking ` Isa and his mot her as gods besides Allah, t hus making Allah t he t hird in a t rinit y. As-Suddi said, "This is similar t o Allah's st at ement t owards t he end of t he Surah,


(And (remember) when Allah will say: "O ` Isa, son of Maryam! Did you say unt o men: ` Worship me and my mot her as t wo gods besides Allah' He will say, "Glory be t o You!") 5:116 . Allah replied,

(But t here is no god but One God.) meaning t here are not many wort hy of worship but t here is only One God wit hout part ners, and He is t he Lord of all creat ion and all t hat exist s. Allah said next , while t hreat ening and admonishing t hem,

(And if t hey cease not from what t hey say, ) t heir lies and false claims,

(verily, a painful t orment will befall t he disbelievers among t hem.) in t he Hereaft er, shackled and t orment ed. Allah said next ,

(Will t hey not repent t o Allah and ask His Forgiveness For Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) This demonst rat es Allah's generosit y, kindness and mercy for His creat ures, even t hough t hey commit t ed t his grave sin and invent ed such a lie and false allegat ion. Despit e all of t his, Allah calls t hem t o repent so t hat He will forgive t hem, for Allah forgives t hose who sincerely repent t o Him.

` Isa is Allah's Servant and His Mother is a Truthful Believer

Allah said,


(The Messiah, son of Maryam, was no more t han a Messenger; many were t he Messengers t hat passed away before him.) ` Isa is j ust like t he previous Prophet s, and he is one of t he servant s of Allah and one of His honorable Messengers. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(He ` Isa was not more t han a servant . We grant ed Our favor t o him, and We made him an example for t he Children of Israel.) Allah said next ,

(His mot her was a Siddiqah) for she believed in Allah wit h complet e t rust in Him. This is t he highest rank she was given, which proves t hat she was not a Prophet . Allah said next ,

(They bot h used t o eat food) needing nourishment and t o relieve t he call of nat ure. Therefore, t hey are j ust servant s like ot her servant s, not gods as ignorant Christ ian sect s claim, may Allah's cont inued curses cover t hem unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion. Allah said next ,

(Look how We make t he Ayat clear t o t hem. ) making t hem unequivocal and plain,

(yet look how t hey are deluded away (from t he t rut h).) look at t he opinions, misguided ideas, and claims t hey cling t o, even aft er Our clarificat ion and plain, unequivocal explanat ion.

 -
(76. Say: "How do you worship besides Allah somet hing which has no power eit her t o harm or t o benefit you But it is Allah Who is t he All-Hearer, All-Knower.'') (77. Say: "O People of t he Script ure! Exceed not t he limit s in your religion beyond t he t rut h, and do not follow t he vain desires of people who went ast ray before and who misled many, and st rayed (t hemselves) from t he right pat h.'')

The Prohibition of Shirk (Polytheism) and Exaggeration in the Religion

Allah admonishes t hose who t ake up rivals wit h Him and worship t he idols, monument s and false deit ies. Allah st at es t hat such false deit ies do not deserve any degree of Divinit y. Allah said,

(Say) O Muhammad, t o t hose from among t he Children of Adam, such as t he Christ ians, who worship ot her t han Allah,

(How do you worship besides Allah somet hing which has no power eit her t o harm or t o benefit you) meaning, which cannot prevent harm for you nor bring about your benefit ,

(But it is Allah Who is t he All-Hearer, All-Knower.) He hears what His servant s say and has knowledge of all t hings. Therefore, how did you worship inanimat e obj ect s t hat do not hear,

see or know anyt hing - having no power t o bring harm or benefit t o t hemselves let alone ot hers - inst ead of worshipping Allah Allah t hen said,

(Say: "O People of t he Scipt ure! Exceed not t he limit s in your religion beyond t he t rut h,) Meaning: Do not exceed t he limit s concerning t he t rut h and exaggerat ion in praising whom you were commanded t o honor. You exaggerat ed in his case and elevat ed him from t he rank of Prophet t o t he rank of a god. You did t his wit h ` Isa, who was a Prophet , yet you claimed t hat he is god besides Allah. This error occurred because you followed your t eachers, t he advocat es of misguidance who came before your t ime and who,

(...and who misled many, and st rayed (t hemselves) from t he right pat h,) deviat ed from t he st raight pat h, t o t he pat h of misguidance and deviat ion.

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(78. Those among t he Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by t he t ongue of Dawud and ` Isa, son of Maryam. That was because t hey disobeyed (Allah and t he Messengers) and were ever t ransgressing (beyond t he bounds).) (79. They used not t o forbid one anot her from t he evil t hey commit t ed. Vile indeed was what t hey used t o do.) (80. You see many of t hem t aking t he disbelievers as t heir friends. Evil indeed is t hat which t hey have sent forward before t hemselves; for t hat (reason) Allah is wrat h wit h t hem, and in t orment t hey will abide.) (81. And had t hey believed in Allah, and in t he Prophet and in what has been revealed t o him, never would t hey have t aken t hem as friends; but many of t hem are rebellious.)

Allah Cursed the Disbelievers Among the Children of Israel

Allah st at es t hat He has cursed t he disbelievers among t he Children of Israel long ago, and revealed t his fact t o His Prophet s Dawud and ` Isa, son of Maryam. He cursed t hem because t hey disobeyed Allah and t ransgressed against His creat ures. Al-` Awfi report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "They were cursed in t he Tawrah, t he Inj il, t he Zabur (Psalms) and t he Furqan (Qur'an).'' Allah t hen st at es t hat during t heir t ime, t heir habit was t hat ,

(They used not t o forbid one anot her from t he evil t hey commit t ed.) They did not forbid each ot her from commit t ing sins and t he prohibit ions. Allah chast ised t hem for t his behavior, so t hat t heir behavior would not be imit at ed. Allah said,

(Vile indeed was what t hey used t o do.)

Hadiths that Order Enjoining Righteousness and Forbidding Evil

There are many Hadit hs t hat order enj oining right eousness and forbidding evil. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman said t hat t he Prophet said,

(By He in Whose Hand is my soul! You will enj oin right eousness and forbid evil, or Allah will send a punishment on you from Him. Then, you will supplicat e t o Him, but He will not accept your supplicat ion.) At -Tirmidhi also recorded it and said, "This Hadit h is Hasan.'' Muslim recorded t hat Abu Sa` id Al-Khudri said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(He among you who wit nesses an evil, let him change it wit h his hand, if he cannot do t hat , t hen by his t ongue, if he cannot do even t hat , t hen wit h his heart , and t his is t he weakest fait h.) Abu Dawud said t hat Al-` Urs, meaning Ibn ` Amirah, said t hat t he Prophet said,

(When sin is commit t ed on t he eart h, t hen whoever wit nesses it and hat es - (once he said): forbids it , will be like t hose who did not wit ness it . Whoever was absent from it , but agreed wit h it , will be like t hose who wit ness it .) Only Abu Dawud recorded t his Hadit h. Abu Dawud recorded t hat one of t he Companions said t hat t he Prophet said,

(The people will not perish unt il t hey do not leave -or- have any excuse for t hemselves.) Ibn Maj ah recorded t hat Abu Sa` id Al-Khudri said t hat t he Messenger of Allah gave a speech once and said,

(Behold! Fear from people should not prevent one from saying t he t rut h if he knows it .) Abu Sa` id t hen cried and said, "By Allah! We have seen some errors, but we feared (t he people).'' Anot her Hadit h t hat Abu Sa` id narrat ed st at es t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(The best Jihad is a word of t rut h proclaimed before an unj ust ruler.) Recorded by Abu Dawud, At -Tirmidhi, and Ibn Maj ah. At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Gharib from t his rout e of narrat ion.'' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Hudhayfah said t hat t he Prophet said,

(It is not required of t he Muslim t hat he humiliat e himself.) They said, ` How does one humiliat e himself'' he said;

(He t akes on t rials t hat he is not capable of enduring. ) This was recorded by At -Tirmidhi and Ibn Maj ah, and At -Tirmidhi said, "This Hadit h is Hasan Sahih Gharib.''

Censuring the Hypocrites

Allah said,

(You see many of t hem t aking t he disbelievers as t heir friends.) Muj ahid said t hat t his Ayah refers t o t he hypocrit es. Allah's st at ement ,

(Evil indeed is t hat which t hey have sent forward before t hemselves;) by giving t heir loyalt y and support t o t he disbelievers, inst ead of t he believers. This evil act caused t hem t o have hypocrisy in t heir heart s and brought t hem t he anger of Allah, t hat will remain wit h t hem unt il t he Day of Ret urn. Allah said;

(for t hat (reason) Allah is wrat h wit h t hem) because of what t hey did. Allah next said t hat ,

(in t orment t hey will abide) on t he Day of Resurrect ion. Allah's st at ement ,

(And had t hey believed in Allah, and in t he Prophet and in what has been revealed t o him, never would t hey have t aken t hem as friends.) meaning, had t hey sincerely believed in Allah, His Messenger and t he Qur'an, t hey would not have commit t ed t he evil act of support ing t he disbelievers in secret and being enemies wit h t hose who believe in Allah, t he Prophet and what was revealed t o him,

(but many of t hem are rebellious). disobedient t o Allah and His Messenger and defiant of t he Ayat of His revelat ion t hat He sent down.

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(82. Verily, you will find t he st rongest among men in enmit y t o t he believers t he Jews and t hose who commit Shirk, and you will find t he nearest in love t o t he believers t hose who say: "We are Christ ians.'' That is because among t hem are priest s and monks, and t hey are not proud.) (83. And when t hey list en t o what has been sent down t o t he Messenger, you see t heir eyes overflowing wit h t ears because of t he t rut h t hey have recognized. They say: "Our Lord! We believe; so writ e us down among t he wit nesses.'') (84. "And why should we not believe in Allah and in t hat which has come t o us of t he t rut h And we wish t hat our Lord will admit us along wit h t he right eous people.'') (85. So because of what t hey said, Allah awarded t hem wit h Gardens under which rivers flow, t hey will abide t herein forever. Such is t he reward of gooddoers.) (86. But t hose who disbelieved and belied Our Ayat , t hey shall be t he dwellers of Hell.)

The Reason Behind Revealing these Ayat

Sa` id bin Jubayr, As-Suddi and ot hers said t hat t hese Ayat were revealed concerning a delegat ion t hat An-Naj ashi (King of Et hiopia) sent t o t he Prophet in order t o hear his words and observe his qualit ies. When t he delegat ion met wit h t he Prophet and he recit ed t he Qur'an t o t hem, t hey embraced Islam, cried and were humbled. Then t hey ret urned t o An-Naj ashi and t old him what happened. ` At a' bin Abi Rabah comment ed, "They were Et hiopians who embraced Islam when t he Muslims who migrat ed t o Et hiopia resided among t hem.'' Qat adah said, "They were some followers of t he religion of ` Isa, son of Maryam, who when t hey saw Muslims and heard t he Qur'an, t hey became Muslims wit hout hesit at ion.'' Ibn Jarir said t hat t hese Ayat were revealed concerning some people who fit t his descript ion, whet her t hey were from Et hiopia or ot herwise. Allah said,

(Verily, you will find t he st rongest among men in enmit y t o t he believers t he Jews and t hose who commit Shirk,) This describes t he Jews, since t heir disbelief is t hat of rebellion, defiance, opposing t he t rut h, belit t ling ot her, people and degrading t he scholars. This is why t he Jews may Allah's cont inued curses descend on t hem unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion - killed many of t heir Prophet s and t ried t o kill t he Messenger of Allah several t imes, as well as, performing magic spells against him and poisoning him. They also incit ed t heir likes among t he polyt heist s against t he Prophet . Allah's st at ement ,

(and you will find t he nearest in love t o t he believers t hose who say: "We are Christ ians.'') refers t o t hose who call t hemselves Christ ians, who follow t he religion of t he Messiah and t he t eachings of his Inj il. These people are generally more t olerant of Islam and it s people, because of t he mercy and kindness t hat t heir heart s acquired t hrough part of t he Messiah's religion. In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(And We ordained in t he heart s of t hose who followed him, compassion, mercy, and monast icism...) 57:27 . In t heir book is t he saying; "He who st rikes you on t he right cheek, t hen t urn t he left cheek for him.'' And fight ing was prohibit ed in t heir creed, and t his is why Allah said,

(That is because among t hem are Qissisin (priest s) and Ruhban (monks), and t hey are not proud.) This means t hat among t hem are Qissisin (priest s). The word Ruhban refers t o one dedicat ed t o worship. Allah said,

(That is because among t hem are priest s and monks, and t hey are not proud.) This describes t hem wit h knowledge, worship and humbleness, along wit h following t he t rut h and fairness.

(And when t hey list en t o what has been sent down t o t he Messenger, you see t heir eyes overflowing wit h t ears because of t he t rut h t hey have recognized.) This refers t o t he good news t hat t hey have about t he advent of Muhammad ,

(They say: "Our Lord! We believe; so writ e us down among t he wit nesses.'') who t est ify t o t he t rut h and believe in it .

("And why should we not believe in Allah and in t hat which has come t o us of t he t rut h And We wish t hat our Lord will admit us (in Paradise) along wit h t he right eous people.'') Such sect of Christ ians are t hose ment ioned in Allah's st at ement ,

(And t here are, cert ainly, among t he People of t he Script ure, t hose who believe in Allah and in t hat which has been revealed t o you, and in t hat which has been revealed t o t hem, humbling t hemselves before Allah.) 3:199 and,

-
(Those t o whom We gave t he Script ure before it , t hey believe in it (t he Qur'an). And when it is recit ed t o t hem, t hey say, "We believe in it . Verily, it is t he t rut h from our Lord. Indeed even before it we were Muslims'') 28:52-53 , unt il,

("We seek not t he ignorant .'') 28:55 This is why Allah said here,

(So because of what t hey said, Allah awarded t hem...) rewarding t hem for embracing t he fait h and recognizing and believing in t he t rut h,


(Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise), t hey will abide t herein forever.) and t hey will never be removed from it , for t hey will dwell and remain in it forever and ever,

(Such is t he reward of good-doers) who follow t he t rut h and obey it wherever, whenever and wit h whomever t hey find it . Allah t hen describes t he condit ion of t he miserable.

(But t hose who disbelieved and belied Our Ayat ,) defied and opposed t hem,

(t hey shall be t he dwellers of t he (Hell) Fire.) For t hey are t he people of t he Fire who will ent er and reside in it (et ernally).

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(87. O you who believe! Make not unlawful t he good t hings which Allah has made lawful t o you, and t ransgress not . Verily, Allah does not like t he t ransgressors.) (88. And eat of t he t hings which Allah has provided for you, lawful and good, and have Taqwa of Allah in Whom you believe.)

There is No Monasticism in Islam

` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "This Ayah 5:87 was revealed about some of t he Companions of t he Prophet who said, ` We should cut off our male organs, abandon t he desires of t his life and t ravel in t he land, j ust as t he Ruhban (monks) do.' When t he Prophet heard of

t his st at ement , he summoned t hem and asked t hem if t hey made t his st at ement and t hey answered ` Yes.' The Prophet said,

(I fast and break my fast , pray and sleep, and marry women. Whoever follows my Sunnah is of me, and whoever abandons my Sunnah is not of me.)'' Ibn Abi Hat im also collect ed t his Hadit h. Ibn Marduwyah recorded t hat Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas narrat ed a similar Hadit h. It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat ` A'ishah said t hat some of t he Companions asked t he wives of t he Prophet about t he act s of worship t hat he performed in privat e. One of t hem said, "I will not eat meat ,'' anot her said, "I will not marry women,'' while t he t hird said, "I will not sleep on t he bed.'' When t he Prophet heard t his st at ement , he said,

(What is t he mat t er wit h some people who said such and such I fast and break t he fast , sleep and wake t o st and t o pray, eat meat , and marry women. He who is not pleased wit h my Sunnah is not of me.) Allah's st at ement ,

(and t ransgress not .) means, do not exaggerat e and make it hard for yourselves by prohibit ing t he permissible t hings. Do not t ransgress t he limit s by excessively indulging in t he permissible mat t ers; only use of it what sat isfies your need; and do not fall int o ext ravagance. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And eat and drink but wast e not by ext ravagance.) 7:31 , and,


(And t hose, who, when t hey spend, are neit her ext ravagant nor miserly, but hold a medium (way) bet ween t hose (ext remes).) 25:67 So Allah legislat ed a medium way bet ween t hose who are ext reme and t hose who fall int o short comings, and it does not allow excessive applicat ion, nor lack of applicat ion. This is why Allah said here,

(Make not unlawful t he good t hings which Allah has made lawful t o you, and t ransgress not . Verily, Allah does not like t he t ransgressors.) t hen He said,

(And eat of t he t hings which Allah has provided for you, lawful and good,) 5:88 , eat of t hose it ems t hat are pure and lawful for you,

(and have Taqwa of Allah,) in all your affairs, obey Him and seek His pleasure, all t he while st aying away from defiance and disobedience of Allah,

(and have Taqwa of Allah in Whom you believe.)


(89. Allah will not punish you for what is unint ent ional in your oat hs, but He will punish you for your deliberat e oat hs; for it s expiat ion feed t en poor, on a scale of t he Awsat of t hat wit h which you feed your own families; or clot he t hem; or free a slave. But whosoever cannot afford, t hen he should fast for t hree days. That is t he expiat ion for t he oat hs when you have sworn. And prot ect your oat hs. Thus Allah makes clear t o you His Ayat t hat you may be grat eful.)

Unintentional Oaths
We ment ioned t he subj ect of unint ent ional oat hs in Surat Al-Baqarah, all praise and t hanks are due t o Allah, and so we do not need t o repeat it here. We also ment ioned t hat t he Laghw in oat hs refers t o one's saying, "No by Allah,'' or, "Yes, by Allah,'' unint ent ionally.

Expiation for Breaking the Oaths

Allah said,

(but He will punish you for your deliberat e oat hs.) in reference t o t he oat hs t hat you int end in your heart s,

(for it s expiat ion (a deliberat e oat h) feed t en poor,), who are needy, not able t o find necessit ies of t he life. Allah's st at ement ,

(on a scale of t he Awsat of t hat wit h which you feed your own families;) means, "On t he average scale of what you feed your families,'' according t o Ibn ` Abbas, Sa` id bin Jubayr and ` Ikrimah. ` At a' Al-Khurasani comment ed on t he Ayah, "From t he best of what you feed your families''. Allah's st at ement ,


(or clot he t hem,) refers t o clot hing each of t he t en persons wit h what is suit able t o pray in, whet her t he poor person was male or female. Allah knows best . Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah means a robe or garment for each poor person (of t he t en). Muj ahid also said t hat t he least of clot hing, referred t o in t he Ayah, is a garment , and t he most is what ever you wish. Al-Hasan, Abu Ja` far Al-Baqir, ` At a', Tawus, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, Hammad bin Abi Sulayman and Abu Malik said t hat it means (giving each of t he t en poor persons) a garment each. Allah's st at ement ,

(or free a slave) refers t o freeing a believing slave. In t he Muwat t a' of Malik, t he Musnad of AshShafi` i and t he Sahih of Muslim, a lengt hy Hadit h was recorded t hat ` Umar bin Al-Hakam AsSulami said t hat he once had t o free a slave (as at onement ) and he brought a black slave girl before t he Messenger of Allah , who asked her;

(Where is Allah) She said, "Above t he heavens.'' He said,

(Who am I) She said, "The Messenger of Allah.'' He said,

(Free her, for she is a believer.) There are t hree t ypes of expiat ion for breaking deliberat e oat hs, and whichever one chooses, it will suffice, according t o t he consensus (of t he scholars). Allah ment ioned t he easiest , t hen t he more difficult opt ions, since feeding is easier t han giving away clot hes, and giving away clot hes is easier t han freeing a slave. If one is unable t o fulfill any of t hese opt ions, t hen he fast s for t hree days for expiat ion, j ust as Allah said,

(But whosoever cannot afford (t hat ), t hen he should fast for t hree days.) Ubayy bin Ka` b and Ibn Mas` ud and his st udent s read t his Ayah as follows, "Then he should fast t hree consecut ive days.'' Even if t his st at ement was not narrat ed t o us as a part of t he Qur'an t hrough Mut awat ir narrat ion, it would st ill be an explanat ion of t he Qur'an by t he Companions t hat has t he ruling of being relat ed from t he Prophet . Allah's st at ement ,


(That is t he expiat ion for t he oat hs when you have sworn.) 5:89 means, t his is t he legal way t o at one for deliberat e oat hs,

(And prot ect your oat hs.) Do not leave your broken oat hs wit hout paying t he expiat ion for t hem, according t o t he meaning given by Ibn Jarir.

(Thus Allah makes clear t o you His Ayat ) and explains t hem t o you,

(t hat you may be grat eful.)

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(90. O you who believe! Khamr, Maysir, Ansab, and Azlam are a Rij s of Shayt an's handiwork. So avoid t hat in order t hat you may be successful.) (91. Shayt an want s only t o excit e enmit y and hat red bet ween you wit h Khamr and Maysir, and hinder you from t he remembrance of Allah and from t he Salah (t he prayer). So, will you not t hen abst ain) (92. And obey Allah and obey t he Messenger, and beware. Then if you t urn away, you should know t hat it is Our Messenger's dut y t o convey in t he clearest way.) (93. Those who believe and do right eous good deeds, t here is no sin on t hem for what t hey at e, if t hey have Taqwa and believe and do right eous good deeds, and t hey (again) have Taqwa and believe, and t hen (once again) have Taqwa and perform good. And Allah loves t he good-doers.)

Prohibiting Khamr (Intoxicants) and Maysir (Gambling)

Allah forbids His believing servant s from consuming Khamr and Maysir which is gambling. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat ` Ali bin Abi Talib, t he Leader of t he Fait hful, said t hat chess is a t ype of gambling. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat ` At a', Muj ahid and Tawus, or , t wo of t hem, said t hat every t ype of gambling, including children's playing wit h (a cert ain t ype of) nut s, is Maysir. Ibn ` Umar said t hat Al-Maysir means gambling, and t his is t he same st at ement t hat Ad-Dahhak report ed from Ibn ` Abbas, who added, "They used t o gamble during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, unt il Islam came. Allah t hen forbade t hem from t his evil behavior.''

Meaning of Ansab and Azlam

Al-Ansab were alt ar st ones, in whose vicinit y sacrifices were offered (during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah), according t o Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, ` At a', Sa` id bin Jubayr and Al-Hasan. They also said t hat Al-Azlam were arrows t hat t hey used for lot t eries t o make decisions, as Ibn Abi Hat im narrat ed. Allah said,

(A Rij s of Shayt an's handiwork) meaning, abominat ion of Shayt an's handiwork, according t o ` Ali bin Abi Talhah who report ed it from Ibn ` Abbas. Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat Rij s means ` sin' while Zayd bin Aslam said; "An evil handiwork of Shayt an.''

(So avoid t hat ) avoid all of t hese abominat ions,


(in order t hat you may be successful.) and t his is a st at ement of encouragement . Allah said next ,

(Shayt an want s only t o excit e enmit y and hat red bet ween you wit h Khamr (int oxicant s) and Maysir (gambling), and hinder you from t he remembrance of Allah and from t he Salah (t he prayer). So, will you not t hen abst ain) This is a t hreat and a warning.

Hadiths that Prohibit Khamr (Intoxicants)

Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said, "There were t hree st ages t o prohibit ing Khamr (int oxicant s). When t he Messenger of Allah migrat ed t o Al-Madinah, t he people were consuming alcohol and gambling, so t hey asked t he Messenger of Allah about t hese t hings, Allah revealed,

(They ask you about alcoholic drink and gambling. Say: "In t hem is a great sin, and (some) benefit for men.'') 2:219 , unt il t he end of t he Ayah. The people said, ` They (int oxicant s and gambling) were not prohibit ed for us. Allah only said,

(In t hem is a great sin, and (some) benefit for men.)' So t hey went on drinking Khamr unt il one day, one of t he emigrant s lead his companions in t he Maghrib prayer and mixed up t he Ayat in his recit at ion. Thereaft er, Allah sent down a t ougher st at ement ,

(O you who believe! Approach not t he Salah (t he prayer) when you are in a drunken st at e unt il you know (t he meaning of) what you ut t er.) 4:43 xThen, t he people would drink before t he t ime of t he prayer so t hat t hey would at t end t he prayer while sober. A firmer Ayah was lat er revealed,

(O you who believe! Khamr, Maysir, Ansab, and Azlam are an abominat ion of Shayt an's handiwork. So avoid t hat in order t hat you may be successful.) 5:90-91 So t hey said, ` We abst ained, O Lord!' Lat er, some people said, ` O Allah's Messenger! Some people died in t he cause of Allah, while some ot hers died in t heir beds, but t hey used t o drink alcohol and indulge in gambling, which Allah has made a Rij s of t he work of Shayt an.' So Allah sent down,

(Those who believe and do right eous good deeds, t here is no sin on t hem for what t hey at e...) 5:93 , unt il t he end of t he Ayah. The Prophet said,

(Had t hey been made impermissible for t hem, t hey would have abandoned t hem as you have abandoned t hem.) Ahmad recorded t his Hadit h. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Umar bin AlKhat t ab said, "O Allah! Explain t he verdict about Khamr t o us clearly.'' The Ayah in Surat AlBaqarah was revealed,

(They ask you about alcoholic drink and gambling. Say: "In t hem is a great sin.'') 2:219 ` Umar was summoned and t his Ayah was recit ed t o him, but he st ill said, "O Allah! Make t he verdict of Khamr clear t o us.'' Then t he Ayah in Surat An-Nisa' was revealed,


(O you who believe! Do not approach t he Salah when you are in a drunken st at e.) 4:43 Thereaft er, t he Prophet had someone herald when it was t ime t o pray, "Those in a drunken st at e are not t o approach t he prayer.'' ` Umar was again summoned and t he Ayah was recit ed t o him, but he st ill said, "O Allah! Make t he verdict concerning Khamr clear t o us.'' Then, t he Ayah in Surat Al-Ma'idah 5:91 was revealed, and ` Umar was summoned and it was recit ed t o him. When he reached t he part of t he Ayah t hat reads,

(So, will you not t hen abst ain) 5:91 , ` Umar said, "We abst ained, we abst ained.'' Abu Dawud, At -Tirmidhi, and An-Nasa'i recorded t his Hadit h. ` Ali bin Al-Madini and At -Tirmidhi graded it Sahih. It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs, t hat ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab said in a speech; while st anding on t he Minbar of t he Messenger of Allah (in t he Prophet 's Masj id in Al-Madinah) "O people! The prohibit ion of Khamr was revealed; and Khamr was ext ract ed from five t hings: From grapes, dat es, honey, wheat and barley. Khamr is what int oxicat es t he mind.'' Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said, "The prohibit ion of Khamr was revealed when t here were five kinds of int oxicant s in Al-Madinah, besides what was produced from grapes.''

Another Hadith
Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Anas said, "I once was giving an alcoholic beverage t o Abu ` Ubaydah bin Al-Jarrah, ` Ubayy bin Ka` b, Suhayl bin Bayda' and several of t heir friends meet ing at Abu Talhah's house. When t hey were almost int oxicat ed, some Muslims came and said, ` Did you not know t hat Khamr has been prohibit ed' They said, ` We'll wait and ask.' They t hen said, ` O Anas! Spill t he remaining alcohol out of your cont ainer.' By Allah! They never drank it again, and t heir Khamr at t hat t ime was made from unripe and normal dat es.''' This is also recorded in t he Two Sahihs. In anot her narrat ion by Anas, "I was t he but ler of t he people in t he house of Abu Talhah when Khamr was prohibit ed, and in t hose days alcohol was made from unripe and normal dat es. A caller t hen heralded, and Abu Talhah ordered me t o see what it was about . So I found t hat a person was announcing t hat alcoholic drinks had been prohibit ed. Abu Talhah ordered me t o go out and spill t he wine. I went out and spilled it , and it flowed in t he st reet s of Al-Madinah. Some people said, ` Some people were killed and wine was st ill in t heir st omachs.' Lat er on, Allah's revelat ion came,

(Those who believe and do right eous good deeds, t here is no sin on t hem for what t hey at e...) 5:93 .'' Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Anas bin Malik said, "I was serving Abu Talhah, Abu ` Ubaydah bin Al-Jarrah, Abu Duj anah, Mu` adh bin Jabal and Suhayl bin Bayda', unt il t hey became int oxicat ed from an alcoholic drink made of mixed unripe and normal dat es. Then I

heard someone herald, ` Khamr has been made illegal.' So no one went in or out unt il we spilled t he alcohol and broke it s barrels. Some of us t hen performed ablut ion and ot hers t ook a shower, and we wore some perfume. We t hen went out t o t he Masj id while t he Messenger of Allah was recit ing,

(O you who believe! Khamr, Maysir, Ansab, and Azlam are only an abominat ion of Shayt an's handiwork. So avoid t hat ...) 5:90 , unt il,

(So, will you not t hen abst ain) 5:91 . A man asked, ` O Allah's Messenger! What about t hose who died drinking it ' Allah sent down t he verse,

(Those who believe and do right eous good deeds, t here is no sin on t hem for what t hey at e.) 5:93 .''

Another Hadith
Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Ten mat t ers relat ed t o Khamr were cursed. Khamr it self was cursed, whoever drinks it , it s server, seller, buyer, brewer, who asks for it t o be brewed, whoever carries it , whomever it is carried t o and whoever consumes it s price.) Abu Dawud and Ibn Maj ah recorded t his Hadit h. Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said, "Once, t he Messenger of Allah went out and I went out wit h him. I walked t o his right , but Abu Bakr came along and I gave way t o him, and Abu Bakr was walking on t he Prophet 's right , while I was walking on his left . Then ` Umar came along and he was walking on t he Prophet 's left , since I gave way t o him. The Messenger of Allah t hen found a leat her skin hanging cont aining alcohol, so he asked for a knife and ordered t hat t he skin be cut open. He t hen said,

(Khamr was cursed, and so are t hose who drink it , serve it , sell it , buy it , carry it , have it carried t o t hem, brew it , have it brewed and consume it s price.)''

Another Hadith
Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bayhaqi recorded t hat Sa` d said, "There were four Ayat revealed about Khamr...'' He t hen said, "A man from Al-Ansar made some food and invit ed us. We drank Khamr before it was prohibit ed and became int oxicat ed, and t hus st art ed t o boast about our st at us. The Ansar said t hat t hey were bet t er, while Quraysh (t he Muhaj irin) said t hat t hey were bet t er. So a man from t he Ansar t ook a bone and st ruck Sa` d's nose wit h it and made a flesh wound on it . Ever since t hat happened, Sa` d's nose had a scar from t hat wound. The Ayah,

(Int oxicant s, gambling,) unt il,

(So, will you not t hen abst ain) was lat er revealed.'' Muslim recorded t his Hadit h.

Another Hadith
Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said, "This Ayah in t he Qur'an,


(O you who believe! Khamr, Maysir, Ansab, and Azlam are only an abominat ion of Shayt an's handiwork. So avoid t hat in order t hat you may be successful.) 5:90 , was also in t he Tawrah; ` Allah has sent down t rut h t o eradicat e falsehood, j oyful play, flut e or wind inst rument s, Zafan (dances) and Kibarat (refering t o cabaret s using t he lut e and bagpipe), t ambourine, guit ar, harp and lyric and love poet ry. And Khamr is bit t er for t hose who t ast e it . Allah has vowed by His grace and power, ` Whoever drinks it aft er I prohibit ed it , I will make him t hirst y on t he Day of Resurrect ion. Whoever abandons it aft er I prohibit ed it , I will let him t ast e it in t he residence of Grace (Paradise).''' It s chain of narrat ion is Sahih

Another Hadith
Ash-Shafi` i narrat ed t hat Malik narrat ed t hat Nafi` said t hat Ibn ` Umar said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever drinks Khamr in t he life of t his world and does not repent from it , will be deprived of it in t he Hereaft er.) Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded t his Hadit h. Muslim recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Every int oxicant is Khamr, and every int oxicant is unlawful. Whoever drinks Khamr and dies while addict ed t o it , wit hout repent ing from drinking it , will not drink it in t he Hereaft er.) ` Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Harit h bin Hisham said t hat he heard ` Ut hman bin ` Affan saying, "Avoid Khamr, for it is t he mot her of all sins. There was a man before your t ime who used t o worship Allah secluded from t he people. Lat er, an evil woman loved him and sent her female servant t o him saying t hat t hey want ed him t o wit ness somet hing. So he went wit h t he servant . Whenever t hey went t hrough t he door, she locked it behind t hem, unt il he reached a beaut iful woman wit h a young servant boy and some alcohol. She said t o him, ` By Allah! I did not invit e you t o be a wit ness for anyt hing, but called you t o have sex wit h me, kill t his boy or drink t his

alcohol.' So she gave him some alcohol, and he kept asking for more unt il he became int oxicat ed and had sex wit h her and killed t he boy. Therefore, avoid Khamr, because it is never combined wit h fait h, but one of t hem is bound t o expel t he ot her (from t he heart ).'' This was recorded by Al-Bayhaqi. This st at ement has an aut hent ic chain of narrat ion. Abu Bakr bin Abi Ad-Dunya recorded t his st at ement in his book on t he prohibit ion of int oxicant s, but he relat ed it from t he Prophet . Relat ing it from ` Ut hman is more aut hent ic, and Allah knows best . Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "When Khamr was prohibit ed, some people said, ` O Allah's Messenger! What about our bret hren who died while st ill drinking Khamr' Allah sent down t he Ayah

(Those who believe and do right eous good deeds, t here is no sin on t hem for what t hey at e,) unt il t he end of t he Ayah. When t he Qiblah (direct ion of t he prayer) was changed (from Jerusalem t o Makkah), some people asked, ` O Allah's Messenger! What about our bret hren who died while st ill praying t oward Jerusalem' Allah sent down,

(And Allah would never make your fait h t o be lost .)'' 2:143 ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said t hat t he Prophet said when t he Ayah,

(Those who believe and do right eous good deeds, t here is no sin on t hem for what t hey at e, if t hey have Taqwa, and believe...) was revealed,

:
(I was t old, t hat you are among t hem.) This is t he narrat ion t hat Muslim, At -Tirmidhi and AnNasa'i collect ed.

-
(94. O you who believe! Allah will cert ainly make a t rial for you wit h somet hing in t he game t hat is well wit hin reach of your hands and your lances, t hat Allah may t est who fears Him in t he unseen. Then whoever t ransgresses t hereaft er, for him t here is a painful t orment .) (95. O you who believe! Kill not game while you are in a st at e of Ihram, and whosoever of you kills it int ent ionally, t he penalt y is an offering, brought t o t he Ka` bah, of livest ock equivalent t o t he one he killed, as adj udged by t wo j ust men among you; or, for expiat ion, he should feed t he poor, or it s equivalent in fast ing, t hat he may t ast e t he heaviness (punishment ) of his deed. Allah has forgiven what is past , but whosoever commit s it again, Allah will t ake ret ribut ion from him. And Allah is Almight y, All-Able of Ret ribut ion.) v

Prohibiting Hunting Game in the Sacred Area and During the State of Ihram
` Ali bin Abi Talhah Al-Walibi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(Allah will cert ainly make a t rial for you wit h somet hing in (t he mat t er of) t he game t hat is well wit hin reach of your hands and your lances,) 5:94 , refers t o, "The weak and young game. Allah t est s His servant s wit h such game during t heir Ihram, t hat if t hey wish, t hey would be able t o cat ch it wit h t heir hands. Allah has commanded t hem t o avoid cat ching it .'' Muj ahid said t hat ,


(well wit hin reach of your hands) refers t o t he young game and chicks, while

(and your lances,) refers t o mat ure game. Muqat il bin Hayyan said t hat t his Ayah was revealed during t he ` Umrah of Al-Hudaybiyyah, when wild game and birds were coming t o t he Muslim camping area, which t hey had never seen t he likes of before. Allah prohibit ed t hem from hunt ing t he game while in t he st at e of Ihram,

(t hat Allah may t est who fears Him in t he unseen. ) Therefore, Allah t est s His servant s wit h t he game t hat comes near t heir camping area, for if t hey wish, t hey can cat ch it wit h t heir hands and spears in public and secret . This is how t he obedience of t hose who obey Allah in public and secret becomes apparent and t est ed. In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(Verily! Those who fear t heir Lord in t he unseen, t heirs will be forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise).) Allah said next ,

(Then whoever t ransgresses t hereaft er.) aft er t his warning and t hreat , according t o As-Suddi, t hen,

(for him t here is a painful t orment .) for his defiance of Allah's command and what He has decreed. Allah said next ,

(O you who believe! Kill not game while you are in a st at e of Ihram,) This Ayah prohibit s killing t he game in t he st at e of Ihram, except what is exempt from t his as ment ioned in t he Two Sahihs; ` A'ishah narrat ed t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(Five are Fawasiq, t hey may be killed while in Ihram or not ; t he crow, t he kit e, t he scorpion, t he mouse and t he rabid dog.) Ibn ` Umar narrat ed t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(It is not harmful in a st at e of Ihram t o kill five kinds of animals: t he crow, t he kit e, t he scorpion, t he mouse and t he rabid dog.) This Hadit h was recorded in t he Two Sahihs. Ayyub narrat ed t hat Nafi` narrat ed similar wordings for t his Hadit h from Ibn ` Umar. Ayyub said, "So I said t o Nafi` , ` What about t he snake' He said, ` There is no doubt t hat killing t he snake is allowed.''' The ruling concerning t he rabid dog also includes t he wolf, lion, leopard, t iger and t heir like, since t hey are more dangerous t han t he rabid dog, or because t he t erm Kalb (dog) covers t hem. Allah knows best . Abu Sa` id narrat ed t hat t he Prophet was asked about t he animals t hat t he Muhrim is allowed t o kill and he said,

(The snake, t he scorpion, t he mouse, and t he crow - which is shot at but not killed -- t he rabid dog, t he kit e and wild beast s of prey.) Abu Dawud recorded t his Hadit h, as did At -Tirmidhi, who said, "Hasan'', and Ibn Maj ah.

The Penalty of Killing Game in the Sacred Area or in the State of Ihram

Allah said,

(And whosoever of you kills it int ent ionally, t he penalt y is an offering of livest ock equivalent t o t he one he killed.) Muj ahid bin Jabr said, "The meaning of ` int ent ionally' here is t hat one int ends t o kill t he game while forget t ing t hat he is in t he st at e of Ihram. Whoever int ent ionally kills t he game while aware t hat he is in t he st at e of Ihram, t hen t his offense is more grave t han t o make an expiat ion, and he also loses his Ihram.'' This st at ement is odd, and t he view of maj orit y is t hat t hey have t o pay t he expiat ion for killing t he game whet her t hey forgot t hat t hey are in Ihram or not . Az-Zuhri said, "The Book (t he Qur'an) assert s t he expiat ion for int ent ional killing, and t he Sunnah included t hose who forget , as well.'' The meaning of t his st at ement is t hat t he Qur'an ment ioned t he expiat ion and sin of t hose who int ent ionally kill game,

(t hat he may t ast e t he heaviness (punishment ) of his deed. Allah has forgiven what is past , but whosoever commit s it again, Allah will t ake ret ribut ion from him.) t he Sunnah t hat includes t he rulings issued by t he Prophet and his Companions, indicat ed t he necessit y of expiat ion in cases of unint ent ional killing of game, j ust as t he Book legislat ed expiat ion for int ent ional killing. Killing game is a form of wast e, which requires expiat ion in int ent ional and unint ent ional cases, alt hough t hose who int end it have sinned, rat her t han t hose who made an honest error. Allah's st at ement ,

(The penalt y is an offering of livest ock equivalent t o t he one he killed.) indicat es t he necessit y of offering an equivalent animal t o t he one t he Muhrim killed. The Companions gave rulings t hat t he camel, for inst ance, is t he equivalent of t he ost rich, t he cow is t he equivalent of wild cat t le, and t he goat for t he deer. As for t he cases when t here is no equivalent for t he killed animal, Ibn ` Abbas said t hat one should spend it s amount in Makkah (i.e. charit y), as AlBayhaqi recorded. Allah's st at ement ,

(As adj udged by t wo j ust men among you;) means, t wo j ust Muslim men should det ermine an animal equivalent t o t he game killed, or t he amount of it s price. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Abu Jarir Al-Baj ali said, "I killed a deer when I was in t he st at e of Ihram and ment ioned t his fact t o ` Umar, who said, ` Bring t wo of your bret hren and let t hem j udge you.' So I went t o ` Abdur-

Rahman and Sa` d and t hey said t hat I should offer a male sheep.'' Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Tariq said, "Arbad killed a deer while in t he st at e of Ihram and he went t o ` Umar t o j udge him. ` Umar said t o him, ` Let us bot h j udge,' and t hey j udged t hat Arbad should offer a goat t hat was fed on abundant wat er and grass. ` Umar comment ed,

(As adj udged by t wo j ust men among you;).'' Allah's st at ement ,

(...an offering brought t o t he Ka` bah.) indicat es t hat t his equivalent animal should be brought t o t he Ka` bah, meaning, t he Sacred Area, where it should be slaught ered and it s meat divided bet ween t he poor of t he Sacred Area. There is a consensus on t his ruling. Allah said,

(or, for expiat ion, he should feed t he poor, or it s equivalent in fast ing,) t hat is, if t he Muhrim does not find an equivalent t o what he killed, or t he animal hunt ed is not comparable t o anyt hing else. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah,

(...an offering brought t o t he Ka` bah, or, for expiat ion, he should feed t he poor, or it s equivalent in fast ing.) "If t he Muhrim killed game, t hen his j udgement is it s equivalent . If he kills an ant elope, he offers a sheep slaught ered in Makkah. If he cannot , t hen he feeds six poor people, ot herwise he should fast for t hree days. If he kills a deer, he offers a cow. If unable, he feeds t went y poor people, or ot herwise if unable, he fast s for t went y days. If he kills an ost rich or zebra, he offers a camel, or he feeds t hirt y poor people, or fast s t hirt y days.'' Ibn Abi Hat im and Ibn Jarir recorded t his st at ement , and in Ibn Jarir's narrat ion, t he food measurement is a Mudd (4 handfuls of food) each t hat suffices for t he poor. Allah's st at ement ,

(t hat he may t ast e t he heaviness (punishment ) of his deed.) means, We have required him t o pay t his expiat ion so t hat he t ast es t he punishment of his error,

(Allah has forgiven what is past .) during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, provided t hat one becomes good in Islam and follows Allah's Law, all t he while avoiding t he sin. Allah t hen said,

(but whosoever commit s it again, Allah will t ake ret ribut ion from him.) meaning, whoever does t his aft er it has been prohibit ed in Islam and having knowledge t hat it is prohibit ed,

(Allah will t ake ret ribut ion from him. And Allah is Almight y, All-Able of ret ribut ion.) Ibn Jurayj said, "I said t o ` At a', ` What is t he meaning of,

(Allah has forgiven what is past .)' He said, ` Meaning, during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah.' I asked about ,

(but whosoever commit s it again, Allah will t ake ret ribut ion from him.) He said, ` Whoever commit s t his offense again in Islam, t hen Allah will t ake ret ribut ion from him and he also has t o pay t he expiat ion.' I asked, ` Is t here any punishment for repeat ing t his offense t hat you know of' He said, ` No.' I said, ` Do you t hink t hat t he aut horit ies should punish him' He said, ` No, for it is a sin t hat he commit t ed bet ween him and Allah. He should pay t he expiat ion.''' Ibn Jarir recorded t his st at ement . It was said t hat t he ` Allah will t ake ret ribut ion' refers t o t he expiat ion, according t o Sa` id bin Jubayr, ` At a', and t he maj orit y among t he earlier and lat er generat ions. They st at ed t hat when t he Muhrim kills game, t he expiat ion becomes necessary, regardless of whet her it was t he first , second or t hird offense, and whet her int ent ional or by error. Ibn Jarir comment ed on Allah's st at ement ;

(And Allah is Almight y, All-Able of ret ribut ion.) "Allah says t hat He is invincible in His cont rol, none can resist Him, prevent Him from exact ing ret ribut ion from anyone, or st op Him from punishing anyone. This is because all creat ion is His creat ion and t he decision is His, His is t he might , and His is t he cont rol. His st at ement ,

(All-Able of ret ribut ion.) meaning, He punishes t hose who disobey Him for t heir disobedience of Him.''

- - -
(96. Lawful t o you is wat er game and it s use for food -- for t he benefit of yourselves and t hose who t ravel, but forbidden is (t he pursuit of) land game as long as you are in a st at e of Ihram. And have Taqwa of Allah t o Whom you shall be gat hered back.) (97. Allah has made t he Ka` bah, t he Sacred House, an asylum of securit y and benefit s for mankind, and also t he Sacred Mont h and t he animals of offerings and t he garlanded, t hat you may know t hat Allah has knowledge of all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is in t he eart h, and t hat Allah is t he AllKnower of each and everyt hing.) (98. Know t hat Allah is severe in punishment and t hat Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (99. The Messenger's dut y is but t o convey. And Allah knows all t hat you reveal and all t hat you conceal.)

Water Game is Allowed for the Muhrim

Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib, Sa` id bin Jubayr and ot hers comment ed on Allah's st at ement ;

(Lawful t o you is (t he pursuit of) wat er game...) t hat it means, what one eat s fresh from it , while,


(And it s use for food) what is eat en dry and salt ed. Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ` wat er game' refers t o what is t aken from wat er while st ill alive, while,

(and it s use for food) refers t o what t he wat er t hrows ashore dead. Similar st at ement s were report ed from Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, Zayd bin Thabit , ` Abdullah bin ` Amr, Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari, ` Ikrimah, Abu Salamah bin ` Abdur-Rahman, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i and Al-Hasan Al-Basri. Allah's st at ement ,

(for t he benefit of yourselves and t hose who t ravel,) as food and provision for you,

(and t hose who t ravel, ) t hose who are in t he sea and t raveling along t he sea, according t o ` Ikrimah. Ot her scholars said t hat wat er game is allowed for t hose who fish it from t he sea, as well as, when it is salt ed and used as food for t ravelers inland. A similar st at ement was report ed from Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid and As-Suddi and ot hers. Imam Malik bin Anas recorded t hat Jabir bin ` Abdullah said, "Allah's Messenger sent an army t owards t he east coast and appoint ed Abu ` Ubaydah bin Al-Jarrah as t heir commander, and t he army consist ed of t hree hundred men, including myself. We marched on unt il we reached a place where our food was about t o finish. Abu ` Ubaydah ordered us t o collect all t he food for our j ourney, and it was collect ed in t wo bags of dat es. Abu ` Ubaydah kept on giving us our daily rat ion in small amount s from it , unt il it was exhaust ed. The share of each of us used t o be one dat e only.'' I (one of t he narrat ors from Jabir) said, "How could one dat e suffice for you'' Jabir replied, "We came t o know it s value when even t hat finished.'' Jabir added, "When we reached t he seashore, we saw a huge fish which was like a small mount ain. The army at e from it for eight een days. Then Abu ` Ubaydah ordered t hat t wo of it s ribs be affixed in t he ground. Then he ordered t hat a shecamel be ridden, and it passed under t he t wo ribs (forming an arch) wit hout t ouching t hem.'' This Hadit h was also collect ed in t he Two Sahihs. eMalik recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said, "A man asked Allah's Messenger, ` O Allah's Messenger! We go t o sea and carry lit t le wat er wit h us. If we use it for Wudu', we get t hirst y, so should we use seawat er for Wudu'' The Messenger of Allah said,

(It s wat er is pure and it s dead are lawful).'' The t wo Imams, Ash-Shafi` i and Ahmad bin Hanbal, recorded t his Hadit h, along wit h t he Four Sunan compilers. Al-Bukhari, At -Tirmidhi and Ibn Hibban graded it Sahih. This Hadit h was also recorded from t he Prophet by several ot her Companions.

Hunting Land Game is Prohibited During Ihram

Allah said,

(but forbidden is land game as long as you are in a st at e of Ihram.) Therefore, hunt ing land game during Ihram is not allowed, and if someone who is in t he st at e of Ihram hunt s, he will have t o pay expiat ion, along wit h t he sin he earns if he does it int ent ionally. If he hunt s by mist ake, he will have t o pay t he expiat ion and is not allowed t o eat from it , because t his t ype of game is j ust like dead animals, be he a Muhrim or a non-Muhrim. If someone who is not in t he st at e of Ihram hunt s and gives t he food t o a Muhrim, t he Muhrim is not allowed t o eat from it s meat if it was killed for him in part icular. As-Sa` b bin Jat ht hamah said t hat he gave a zebra as a gift t o t he Prophet in t he area of Waddan or Abwa', t he Prophet gave it back. When t he Prophet saw t he effect of his ret urning t he gift on As-Sa` b's face, he said,

(We only gave it back t o you because we are in a st at e of Ihram.) This Hadit h was collect ed in t he Two Sahihs. The Prophet t hought t hat As-Sa` b hunt ed t he zebra for him, and t his is why he refused t o t ake it . Ot herwise, t he Muhrim is allowed t o eat from t he game if one who is not in Ihram hunt s it . For when Abu Qat adah hunt ed a zebra when he was not a Muhrim and offered it t o t hose who were in t he st at e of Ihram, t hey hesit at ed t o eat from it . They asked t he Messenger of Allah and he said,

(Did any of you point at it or help kill it ) They said, "No.'' He said,

(Then eat ,) and he also at e from it . This Hadit h is also in t he Two Sahihs wit h various wordings. Ibn Kat hir only ment ioned Ayat 96 t o 99 here and explained t he bet t er part of Ayah number 96, but he did not ment ion t he explanat ion of t he rest of t hat Ayah or t he ot her Ayat (97 t o 99). This is t he case in all of t he copies of his Tafsir in exist ence, and he might have forgot t en t o do t hat , for it is less likely t hat all who copied t his book forgot t o copy only t his part . So we used a summary of t he Tafsir of t hese Ayat from t he Imam of Tafsir, Ibn Jarir At -Tabari. We t ried t o summarize At -Tabari's eloquent words t o t he best of our abilit y, by Allah's help and leave.

V
(And have Taqwa of Allah t o Whom you shall be gat hered back. ) Allah says, fear Allah, O people, and beware of His might , by obeying what He commands you and avoiding what He prohibit s for you in t hese Ayat revealed t o your Prophet . These Ayat forbid Khamr, gambling, Al-Ansab and Al-Azlam, along wit h hunt ing land game and killing it while in t he st at e of Ihram. To Allah will be your ret urn and dest inat ion, and He will punish you for disobeying Him and will reward you for obeying Him.

(Allah has made t he Ka` bah, t he Sacred House, an asylum of securit y and benefit s for mankind,) Allah says, Allah made t he Ka` bah, t he Sacred House, an asylum of safet y for t he people who have no chief t o prevent t he st rong from t ransgressing against t he weak, t he evil from t he good-doers, and t he oppressors from t he oppressed.

(And also t he Sacred Mont h and t he animals of offerings and t he garlanded.) Allah says t hat He made t hese symbols an asylum of safet y for t he people, j ust as He made t he Ka` bah an asylum of safet y for t hem, so t hat He dist inguishes t hem from each ot her, for t his is t heir asylum and symbol for t heir livelihood and religion. Allah made t he Ka` bah, t he Sacred Mont h, t he Hady, t he garlanded animals and people an asylum of safet y for t he Arabs who used t o consider t hese symbols sacred. Thus, t hese symbols were j ust like t he chief who is obeyed by his followers, and who upholds harmony and public safet y. As for t he Ka` bah, it includes t he ent ire sacred boundary. Allah t ermed it "Haram'' because He prohibit ed hunt ing it s game and cut t ing it s t rees or grass. Similarly, t he Ka` bah, t he Sacred Mont h, t he animals of offerings and t he garlands were t he landmarks of exist ing Arabs. These symbols were sacred during t he t ime of Jahiliyyah and t he people's affairs were guided and prot ect ed by t hem. Wit h Islam t hey became t he symbols of t heir Haj j , t heir rit uals, and t he direct ion of t he prayer. i.e., t he Ka` bah in Makkah.

(t hat you may know t hat Allah has knowledge of all t hat is in t he heavens and all t hat is in t he eart h, and t hat Allah is t he All-Knower of each and everyt hing.) Allah says; O people, I made t hese symbols an asylum for you, so t hat you know t hat He Who made t hese symbols t hat benefit your life and provide you wit h securit y, also knows everyt hing in t he heavens and eart h t hat brings about your immediat e or event ual benefit . Know t hat He has perfect knowledge of everyt hing and t hat none of your deeds or affairs ever escapes His observat ion; and He will count t hem for you so t hat He rewards t hose who do good wit h t he same and t hose who do evil in kind.


(Know t hat Allah is severe in punishment and t hat Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) Allah says, know t hat your Lord, Who has perfect knowledge of what ever is in t he heavens and eart h, and Who is never unaware of your deeds - public or secret - is severe in punishment for t hose who disobey and defy Him. He also pardons t he sins of t hose who obey and repent t o Him, more Merciful t han t o punish t hem for t he sins t hat t hey repent ed from.

(The Messenger's dut y is but t o convey. And Allah knows all t hat you reveal and all t hat you conceal.) This is a warning from Allah for His servant s in which He says: Our Messenger, whom We sent t o you, has only t o convey Our Message and t hen t he reward for t he obedience, and punishment for t he disobedience is on Us. The obedience of t hose who accept Our Message never escapes Our knowledge, j ust as in t he case of t hose who disobey and defy Our Message. We know what one of you does, demonst rat es physically, announces, and ut t ers wit h his t ongue, and what you hide in your heart s, be it of fait h, disbelief, cert aint y, doubt or hypocrisy. He Who is so capable, t hen not hing t hat t he heart s conceal, nor any of t he apparent act s of t he souls in t he heavens and eart h could escape His knowledge. In His Hand, alone, is t he reward and punishment , and He is wort hy t o be feared, obeyed and never disobeyed.

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(100. Say: "Not equal are t he bad t hings and t he good t hings, even t hough t he abundance of t he bad may please you. '' So have Taqwa of Allah, O men of underst anding in order t hat you may

be successful.) (101. O you who believe! Ask not about t hings which, if made plain t o you, may cause you t rouble. But if you ask about t hem while t he Qur'an is being revealed, t hey will be made plain t o you. Allah has forgiven t hat , and Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Forbearing.) (102. Before you, a communit y asked such quest ions, t hen on t hat account t hey became disbelievers.) Allah says t o His Messenger ,

(Say,) O Muhammad ,

(Not equal are t he bad t hings and t he good t hings, even t hough t hey may please you) O human,

(t he abundance of bad.) This Ayah means, t he lit t le permissible is bet t er t han t he abundant evil.

(have Taqwa of Allah, O men of underst anding...) who have sound minds, avoid and abandon t he impermissible, and let t he permissible be sufficient for you,

(in order t hat you may be successful.) in t his life and t he Hereaft er. '' So have Taqwa of Allah, O men of underst anding in order t hat you may be successful.) (101. O you who believe! Ask not about t hings which, if made plain t o you, may cause you t rouble. But if you ask about t hem while t he Qur'an is being revealed, t hey will be made plain t o you. Allah has forgiven t hat , and Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Forbearing.) (102. Before you, a communit y asked such quest ions, t hen on t hat account t hey became disbelievers.) Allah says t o His Messenger ,

(Say,) O Muhammad ,

(Not equal are t he bad t hings and t he good t hings, even t hough t hey may please you) O human,

(t he abundance of bad.) This Ayah means, t he lit t le permissible is bet t er t han t he abundant evil.

(have Taqwa of Allah, O men of underst anding...) who have sound minds, avoid and abandon t he impermissible, and let t he permissible be sufficient for you,

(in order t hat you may be successful.) in t his life and t he Hereaft er.

Unnecessary Questioning is Disapproved of

Allah said next ,

(O you who believe! Ask not about t hings which, if made plain t o you, may cause you t rouble.) This Ayah refers t o good conduct t hat Allah is t eaching His believing servant s, by forbidding t hem from asking about useless t hings. Since if t hey get t he answers t hey sought , t hey might be t roublesome for t hem and difficult on t heir ears. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Anas bin Malik said, "The Messenger of Allah gave a speech unlike anyt hing I heard before. In t his speech, he said,

(If you but know what I know, you will laugh lit t le and cry a lot .) The companions of Allah's Messenger covered t heir faces and t he sound of crying was coming out of t heir chest s. A man asked, ` Who is my fat her' The Prophet said, ` So-and-so'. This Ayah was lat er revealed,

(Ask not about t hings...).'' Muslim, Ahmad, At -Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i recorded t his Hadit h. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Qat adah said about Allah's st at ement ,

(O you who believe! Ask not about t hings which, if made plain t o you, may cause you t rouble.) Anas bin Malik narrat ed t hat once, t he people were quest ioning t he Messenger of Allah unt il t hey made him angry. So he ascended t he Minbar and said,

(You will not ask me about anyt hing t oday but I will explain it t o you.) So t he Companions of t he Messenger of Allah feared t hat it was t he commencement of a moment ous event , and I looked t o my right and left and found only people who covered t heir faces, crying. An argument at ive man who was said t o be t he son of someone ot her t han his t rue fat her asked, "O Allah's Messenger! Who is my fat her The Prophet said, ` Your fat her is Hudhafah.'' ` Umar st ood up (when he saw anger on t he Prophet 's face) and said, "We accept Allah as our Lord, Islam as our religion and Muhammad as our Messenger, I seek refuge wit h Allah from t he evil of t he Fit an (t rials in life and religion).'' The Messenger of Allah said,

(I have never wit nessed bot h goodness and evil like I have t oday. Paradise and t he Fire were shown t o me and I saw t hem before t hat wall.) This Hadit h was recorded in t he Two Sahihs from Sa` id. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Some people used t o quest ion t he Messenger of Allah t o mock him. One of t hem would ask, ` Who is my fat her,' while anot her would ask, ` Where is my camel,' when he lost his camel. Allah sent down t his Ayah about t hem,

(O you who believe! Ask not about t hings which, if made plain t o you, may cause you t rouble...).'' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Ali said, "When t his Ayah was revealed,


(And Haj j t o t he House is a dut y t hat mankind owes t o Allah, t hose who can bear t he j ourney.) 3:97 , t hey asked, ` O Allah's Messenger! Is it required every year' He did not answer t hem, and t hey asked again, ` Is it every year' He st ill did not answer t hem, so t hey asked, ` Is it every year' He said,

:
(No, and had I said ` yes', it would have become obligat ed, and had it become obligat ed, you would not be able t o bear it .) Allah sent down,

(O you who believe! Ask not about t hings which, if made plain t o you, may cause you t rouble.).'' At -Tirmidhi and Ibn Maj ah also recorded t his Hadit h. The apparent wording of t his Ayah indicat es t hat we are forbidden t o ask about t hings t hat if one has knowledge of, he would be sorry he had asked. Consequent ly, it is bet t er t o avoid such quest ions. rAllah's st at ement ,

(But if you ask about t hem while t he Qur'an is being revealed, t hey will be made plain t o you.) means, if you ask about t hings t hat you are prohibit ed from asking about , t hen when t he revelat ion about t hem comes t o t he Messenger , t hey will be made plain for you,

(Verily! That is easy for Allah.) Allah said next ,

(Allah has forgiven t hat ,) what you did before t his,

(and Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Forbearing.) Do not ask about t hings t hat do not have a ruling yet , for because of your quest ions, a difficult ruling may be ordained. A Hadit h st at es,

(The worst criminal among t he Muslims is he who asks if a mat t er is unlawful (or not ), and it becomes unlawful because of his asking about it .) It is recorded in t he Sahih t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Leave me as I have left you, t hose before you were dest royed because of many quest ions and disput ing wit h t heir Prophet s.) An aut hent ic Hadit h also st at es,

(Allah, t he Most Honored, has ordained some obligat ions, so do not ignore t hem; has set some limit s, so do not t respass t hem; has prohibit ed some t hings, so do not commit t hem; and has left some t hings wit hout rulings, out of mercy for you, not t hat He forgot t hem, so do not ask about t hem.) Allah said next ,

(Before you, a communit y asked such quest ions, t hen on t hat account t hey became disbelievers.) meaning, some people before your t ime asked such quest ions and t hey were given answers. They did not believe t he answers, so t hey became disbelievers because of t hat . This occurred because t hese rulings were made plain t o t hem, yet t hey did not benefit at all from t hat , for t hey asked about t hese t hings not t o gain guidance, but only t o mock and defy.

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(103. Allah has not inst it ut ed t hings like Bahirah or a Sa'ibah or a Wasilah or a Ham. But t hose who disbelieve invent lies against Allah, and most of t hem have no underst anding.) (104. And when it is said t o t hem: "Come t o what Allah has revealed and unt o t he Messenger.'' They say: "Enough for us is t hat which we found our fat hers following,'' even t hough t heir fat hers had no knowledge what soever and no guidance.)

The Meaning of Bahirah, Sa'ibah, Wasilah and Ham

Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib said, "The Bahirah is a female camel whose milk was spared for t he idols and no one was allowed t o milk it . The Sa'ibah is a female camel let loose for free past ure for t he idols, and not hing was allowed t o be carried on it . Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(I saw ` Amr bin ` Amir Al-Khuza` i pulling his int est ines behind him in t he Fire, and he was t he first t o st art t he pract ice of Sa'ibah.) As for t he Wasilah, it is a female camel set free for t he idols, because it had given birt h t o a she-camel in it s first delivery and t hen anot her she-camel at it s second delivery. They used t o set such camel free if she gave birt h t o t wo females wit hout a male bet ween t hem. As for t he Ham, it is a male camel which would be freed from work for t he idols, aft er it had finished a number of copulat ions assigned for it . The male camel freed from work in t his case is called a Hami.'' Muslim and An-Nasa'i recorded t his Hadit h. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said t hat t he Prophet said,


(The first t o st art t he pract ice of Sa'ibah and worshipping idols was Abu Khuza` ah, ` Amr bin ` Amir. I saw him pulling his int est ines behind him in t he Fire.) The ` Amr ment ioned in t he above Hadit h is t he son of Luhay bin Qam` ah, one of t he chiefs of t he t ribe of Khuza` ah who were t he caret akers of t he House of Allah aft er t he t ribe of Jurhum, (and before t he Prophet 's t ribe, Quraysh). He was t he first t o change t he religion of Ibrahim (Al-Khalil in Makkah) bringing idol worshipping t o t he area of Hij az (West ern Arabia). He also called t he foolish people t o worship idols and offer sacrifices t o t hem and st art ed t hese ignorant rit uals concerning t he animals as well as ot her rit uals of Jahiliyyah. Allah said in Surat Al-An` am,

(And t hey assign t o Allah a share of t he t ilt h and cat t le which He has creat ed...) 3:136 . As for t he Bahirah, ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "It is t he female camel t hat has given delivery five t imes. Aft er t hat , t hey looked at t he fift h delivery, if it were a male, t hey would slaught er it and give it t o t he men only and not t he women. If it were a female, t hey would cut off it s ears and proclaim, ` This is a Bahirah (no one is allowed t o milk it ).''' As-Suddi and ot hers ment ioned a similar st at ement . As for t he Sa'ibah, Muj ahid said t hat it is for sheep, and ment ioned a similar meaning as for Bahirah. He said t hat it delivers six females and t hen a male, female or t wo males, and t hat t hey t hen would slaught er it (t he newly born sheep) and feed it s meat t o t he men, but not t o t he woman. Muhammad bin Ishaq said t hat t he Sa'ibah is t he female camel t hat delivers t en females, wit hout giving birt h t o a single male bet ween t hem. They would t hen set it free and no one was allowed t o ride it , cut it s wool or milk it , except for a guest . Abu Rawq said, "The Sa'ibah was made as such when one goes out for some of his affairs and succeeds in what ever he int ended t o do. So he would designat e a Sa'ibah from his propert y, a female camel or anot her t ype, and would set it free for t he idols (in appreciat ion for his success). Then, what ever t his camel gave birt h t o was set free for t he idols t oo.'' As-Suddi said, "When one's affair was successful, or if he was cured from an illness, or if his wealt h increased, he would set some of his wealt h free for t he idols. Those who would t ry t o acquire any of t he Sa'ibah propert y were punished in t his world.'' As for t he Wasilah, ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "It is t he sheep t hat gives birt h seven t imes, if she gives birt h t o a male or a female st illborn at it s sevent h delivery, t he men, but not t he women, would eat from it . If she gave birt h t o a female, or a female and a male, t hey would set t hem free, proclaiming (about t he male in t his case), His sist er Wasalat (lit erally, ` connect ed him t o being forbidden on us').'' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t his st at ement . ` Abdur-Razzaq narrat ed t hat Ma` mar said t hat Az-Zuhri said t hat Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib said t hat ,

(Or a Wasilah) "It is t he female camel t hat gives delivery t o a female and t hen anot her female at it s second delivery. They would call such a camel a Wasilah, proclaiming t hat she has Wasalat (connect ed) bet ween t wo females wit hout giving birt h t o a male bet ween t hem. So t hey used t o cut off t he ears of t he Wasilah and let it roam free t o past ure for t heir idols.'' A similar explanat ion was report ed from Imam Malik bin Anas. Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "The Wasilah sheep is t he ewe t hat gives birt h t o t en females in five deliveries, giving birt h t o t wo females at each delivery. This sheep would be called Wasilah and would be set free. What ever t his sheep delivers aft erwards, male or female, would be given t o t he men, but not t he women, but if it delivers a st illborn, men and women would share it !'' As for t he Ham, Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "If a man's camel performs t en copulat ions, t hey would call him a Ham, ` So set him free.,'' Similar was report ed from Abu Rawq and Qat adah. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The Ham is t he male camel whose offspring gave birt h t o t heir own offspring; t hey would t hen proclaim, ` This camel has Hama (prot ect ed) it s back.' Therefore, t hey would not carry anyt hing on t his male camel, cut his wool, prevent him from grazing wherever he likes or drinking from any pool, even if t he pool did not belong t o it s owner.'' Ibn Wahb said, "I heard Malik saying, ` As for t he Ham, it is t he male camel who is assigned a cert ain number of copulat ions, and when having finished what was assigned t o him, would have peacock feat hers placed on him and be set free.''' Ot her opinions were also ment ioned t o explain t his Ayah. There is a Hadit h on t his subj ect t hat Ibn Abi Hat im collect ed from Abu Ishaq As-Subay` i from Al-Ahwas Al-Jushami from his fat her Malik bin Nadlah who said, "I came t o t he Prophet wearing old clot hes. So he said t o me,

(Do you have any propert y) I said, ` Yes.' He asked,

(What t ype) I said, ` All t ypes; camels, sheep, horses and slaves.' He said,

(If Allah gives you wealt h, t hen let it show on you.) He t hen asked,

(Do your camels deliver calves t hat have full ears) I said, ` Yes, and do camels give birt h but t o whole calves' He said,

 : :
(Do you t ake t he knife and cut off t he ears of some of t hem saying, ` This is a Bahirah,' and t ear t he ears of some of t hem and proclaim, ` This is Sacred') I said, ` Yes.' He said,

(Then do not do t hat , for all t he wealt h t hat Allah has given you is allowed for you.) Then he said;

(Allah has not inst it ut ed t hings like Bahirah or a Sa'ibah or a Wasilah or a Ham. ) As for t he Bahirah, it is t he animal whose ears were cut , one would not allow his wife, daught ers, or any of his household t o benefit from it s wool, hair or milk. But , if it died, t hey would share it . As for t he Sa'ibah, t hey used t o set it free for t heir idols and announce t his fact in t he vicinit y of t he idols. As for t he Wasilah, it is t he sheep t hat gives birt h t o six offspring. When she delivered for t he sevent h t ime, t hey would cut it s ears and horns, saying, ` It has Wasalat (connect ed deliveries),' and t hey would not slaught er it , hit it or prevent it from drinking from any pool.'' This Hadit h was narrat ed wit h t he addit ion of t he explanat ion of t hese words in it . In anot her narrat ion for t his Hadit h from Abu Ishaq from Abu Al-Ahwas, ` Awf bin Malik used his own words (i.e., he explained t hese words not as a part of t he Hadit h it self) and t his is more sound. Imam Ahmad recorded t his Hadit h from Sufyan bin ` Uyaynah, from Abu Az-Za` ra' ` Amr bin ` Amr, from his uncle Abu Al-Ahwas ` Awf bin Malik bin Nadlah from his fat her, Malik bin Nadlah. This narrat ion also does not cont ain t he explanat ion of Bahirah, Ham et c., t hat is added t o t he Hadit h above, and Allah knows best . Allah's st at ement ,

(But t hose who disbelieve invent lies against Allah, and most of t hem have no underst anding.) means, Allah did not legislat e t hese invent ed rit uals and He does not consider t hem act s of obedience. Rat her, it is t he idolat ors who made t hem int o rit uals and act s of worship t hat t hey used t o draw near t o Allah. But t hey did not and will not help t hem t o draw near t o Him, rat her, t hese innovat ions will only harm t hem.


(And when it is said t o t hem: "Come t o what Allah has revealed and t o t he Messenger.'' They say: "Enough for us is t hat which we found our fat hers following,'') imeaning, if t hey are called t o Allah's religion, Law and commandment s and t o avoiding what He prohibit ed, t hey say, ` The ways and pract ices t hat we found our fat hers and forefat hers following are good enough for us. ` Allah said,

(even t hough t heir fat hers had no knowledge what soever...) That is, even t hough t heir fat hers did not underst and or recognize t he t rut h or find it s way. Therefore, who would follow t heir forefat hers, except t hose who are even more ignorant and misguided t han t hey were

(105. O you who believe! Take care of yourselves. If you follow t he right guidance, no hurt can come t o you from t hose who are in error. The ret urn of you all is t o Allah, t hen He will inform you about (all) t hat you used t o do.)

One is Required to Reform Himself First

Allah commands His believing servant s t o reform t hemselves and t o do as many right eous deeds as possible. He also informs t hem t hat whoever reforms himself, he would not be affect ed by t he wickedness of t he wicked, whet her t hey were his relat ives or ot herwise. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Qays said, "Abu Bakr As-Siddiq st ood up, t hanked Allah and praised Him and t hen said, ` O people! You read t his Ayah,

(O you who believe! Take care of yourselves. If you follow t he right guidance, no hurt can come t o you from t hose who are in error.) You explain it t he wrong way. I heard t he Messenger of Allah say,


(If t he people wit ness evil and do not change it , t hen Allah is about t o send His punishment t o encompass t hem.) I (Qays) also heard Abu Bakr say, ` O people! Beware of lying, for lying cont radict s fait h.'''

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(106. O you who believe! When deat h approaches any of you, and you make a bequest , t hen t ake t he t est imony of t wo j ust men of your own folk or t wo ot hers from out side, if you are t raveling t hrough t he land and t he calamit y of deat h befalls you. Det ain t hem bot h aft er t he Salah (t he prayer), (t hen) if you are in doubt (about t heir t rut hfulness), let t hem bot h swear by Allah (saying): "We wish not for any worldly gain in t his, even t hough he (t he beneficiary) be our near relat ive. We shall not hide t he t est imony of Allah, for t hen indeed we should be of t he sinful.'') (107. If it t hen becomes known t hat t hese t wo had been guilt y of sin, let t wo ot hers st and fort h in t heir places, nearest in kin from among t hose who claim a lawful right . Let t hem swear by Allah (saying): "We affirm t hat our t est imony is t ruer t han t hat of bot h of t hem, and t hat we have not t respassed (t he t rut h), for t hen indeed we should be of t he wrongdoers.'') (108. That should make it closer (t o t he fact ) t hat t heir t est imony would be in it s t rue nat ure and shape, or else t hey would fear t hat (ot her) oat hs would be admit t ed aft er t heir oat hs. And have Taqwa of Allah and list en (wit h obedience t o Him). And Allah guides not t he rebellious people.)

Testimony of Two Just Witnesses for the Final Will and Testament
This honorable Ayah cont ains a glorious ruling from Allah. Allah's st at ement ,

(O you who believe! When deat h approaches any of you, and you make a bequest , t hen t ake t he t est imony of t wo...) meaning t hat t here should be t wo wit nesses in such cases,

(j ust men...) t hus, describing t hem as j ust ,

(of your own folk) Muslims.

(or t wo ot hers from out side) non-Muslims, meaning t he People of t he Book, according t o Ibn ` Abbas as Ibn Abi Hat im recorded. Allah said next ,

(if you are t raveling t hrough t he land) on a j ourney,


(and t he calamit y of deat h befalls you.) These are t wo condit ions t hat permit using nonMuslims from among t he Dhimmis for wit nesses when t here are no Muslims present : When one is t raveling and needs t o writ e a will, as Sharih Al-Qadi said. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Sharih said, "The wit ness of t he Jews and Christ ians is not allowed except while t raveling, and even t hen only t o wit ness t he dict at ion of t he will.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(Det ain t hem bot h aft er t he Salah (t he prayer),) refers t o t he ` Asr prayer, according t o Al` Awfi who report ed it from Ibn ` Abbas. This is t he same explanat ion report ed from Sa` id bin Jubayr, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, Qat adah, ` Ikrimah and Muhammad bin Sirin. As for Az-Zuhri, he said t hat t hey are det ained aft er Muslim prayer (i.e., in congregat ion). Therefore, t hese t wo wit nesses will be det ained aft er a congregat ional prayer,

(let t hem bot h swear by Allah if you are in doubt .) meaning, if you are in doubt t hat t hey might have commit t ed t reachery or t heft , t hen t hey should swear by Allah,

(We wish not in t his) in our vows, according t o Muqat il bin Hayyan,

(for any worldly gain) of t his soon t o end life,

(even t hough he be our near relat ive.) meaning, if t he beneficiary be our near relat ive, we will st ill not compromise on t he t rut h.

(We shall not hide t he t est imony of Allah,) t hus st at ing t hat t he t est imony is Allah's, as a way of respect ing it and valuing it s significance,


(for t hen indeed we should be of t he sinful.) if we dist ort t he t est imony, change, alt er or hide it ent irely. Allah said next ,

(If it t hen becomes known t hat t hese t wo had been guilt y of sin...) if t he t wo wit nesses were found t o have cheat ed or st olen from t he money t hat t he will is being writ t en about ,

(let t wo ot hers st and fort h in t heir places, nearest in kin from among t hose who claim a lawful right .) This Ayah indicat es t hat if t he t wo wit nesses were found t o have commit t ed t reachery, t hen t wo of t he nearest right ful inherit ors should st and for wit ness in t heir place,

(Let t hem swear by Allah (saying): "We affirm t hat our t est imony is t ruer t han t hat of bot h of t hem...'') Meaning, our t est imony t hat t hey have cheat ed is more t rut hful t han t he t est imony t hat t hey have offered,

(and t hat we have not t respassed (t he t rut h),) when we accused t hem of t reachery,

(for t hen indeed we should be of t he wrongdoers.) if we had lied about t hem. This is t he oat h of t he heirs, and preference is t o be given t o t heir saying. Just as in t he case wit h t he oat h of relat ive of a murdered person if he at t empt s t o t arnish t he case of t he murdered person. So his family t akes an oat h in defense of his honor. This is discussed in t he st udies of t he oat hs in t he books of Ahkam. Allah's st at ement ,

(That should make it closer (t o t he fact ) t hat t heir t est imony would be in it s t rue nat ure and shape (and t hus accept ed),) means, t he ruling requiring t he t wo Dhimmi wit nesses t o swear, if t here is a doubt t hat t hey were not t rut hful, might compel t hem t o admit t o t he t est imony in it s t rue form. Allah's st at ement ,

(or else t hey would fear t hat (ot her) oat hs would be admit t ed aft er t heir oat hs.) means, requiring t hem t o swear by Allah might encourage t hem t o admit t o t he t rue t est imony because t hey respect swearing by Allah and t hey glorify and revere Him. They also fear exposure if t he heirs of t he deceased are required t o swear inst ead of t hem. In t his case, t he heirs would swear and earn t he right ful inherit ance t hat t he t wo wit nesses failed t o declare. This is why Allah said,

(or else t hey would fear t hat (ot her) oat hs would be admit t ed aft er t heir oat hs.), t hen,

(And have Taqwa of Allah) in all of your affairs,

(and list en.) and obey,

(And Allah guides not t he rebellious people.) who do not obey Him or follow His Law.

(109. On t he Day when Allah will gat her t he Messengers t oget her and say t o t hem: "What was t he response you received (from men t o your t eaching)'' They will say: "We have no knowledge, verily, only You are t he Knower of all t hat is hidden.'')

The Messengers Will be Asked About Their Nations

Allah st at es t hat on t he Day of Resurrect ion, He will ask t he Messengers about how t heir nat ions, t o whom He sent t hem, answered and responded t o t heir t eachings. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(Then surely, We shall quest ion t hose (people) t o whom it (t he Book) was sent and verily, We shall quest ion t he Messengers.) 7:6 , and,

-
(So, by your Lord, We shall cert ainly call all of t hem t o account . For all t hat t hey used t o do.) 15:92-93 . The st at ement of t he Messengers here,

(We have no knowledge) is t he result of t he horror of t hat Day, according t o Muj ahid, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and As-Suddi. ` Abdur-Razzaq narrat ed t hat At h-Thawri said t hat Al-A` mash said t hat Muj ahid said about t he Ayah,

(On t he Day when Allah will gat her t he Messengers t oget her and say t o t hem: "What was t he response you received'') They will become afraid and reply,

(We have no knowledge. ..) Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hat im also recorded t his explanat ion. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah,

(On t he Day when Allah will gat her t he Messengers t oget her and say t o t hem: "What was t he response you received (from men t o your t eaching)'' They will say: "We have no knowledge, verily, only You are t he Knower of all t hat is hidden.'') "They will say t o t he Lord, Most Honored, ` We have no knowledge beyond what we know, and even t hat , You have more knowledge of t hem t han us.'' This response is out of respect before t he Lord, Most Honored, and it means, we have no knowledge compared t o Your encompassing knowledge. Therefore,

our knowledge only grasped t he visible behavior of t hese people, not t he secret s of t heir heart s. You are t he Knower of everyt hing, Who has encompassing knowledge of all t hings, and our knowledge compared t o Your knowledge is similar t o not having any knowledge at all, for

(only You are t he Knower of all t hat is hidden.)

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(110. (Remember) when Allah will say (on t he Day of Resurrect ion): "O ` Isa, son of Maryam! Remember My favor t o you and t o your mot her when I support ed you wit h Ruh - il-Qudus Jibril so t hat you spoke t o t he people in t he cradle and in mat urit y; and when I t aught you t he Book, t he Hikmah, t he Tawrah and t he Inj il; and when you made out of t he clay, as it were, t he figure of a bird, by My permission, and you breat hed int o it , and it became a bird by My permission, and you healed t hose born blind, and t he lepers by My permission, and when you brought fort h t he dead by My permission; and when I rest rained t he Children of Israel from you since you came unt o t hem wit h clear proofs, and t he disbelievers among t hem said: ` This is not hing but evident magic.''') (111. "And when I Awhayt u put in t he heart s of Al- Hawariyyin t o believe in Me and My Messenger, t hey said: ` We believe. And bear wit ness t hat we are Muslims.''')

Reminding ` Isa of the Favors that Allah Granted him

Allah ment ions how He blessed His servant and Messenger, ` Isa, son of Maryam, and t he miracles and ext raordinary act s He grant ed him. Allah said,

(Remember My favor t o you) when I creat ed you from your mot her, wit hout male int ervent ion, and made you a sign and clear proof of My perfect power over all t hings. d

(And t o your mot her) when I made you t est ify t o her chast it y and you t hus absolved her from t he sin t hat t he unj ust , ignorant liars accused her of,

(when I support ed you wit h Ruh - il-Qudus) t he angel Jibril, and made you a Prophet , calling t o Allah in t he cradle and manhood. I made you speak in t he cradle, and you t est ified t hat your mot her was free from any immoral behavior, and you proclaimed t hat you worship Me. You also conveyed t he news of My Message and invit ed t hem t o worship Me.

(so t hat you spoke t o t he people in t he cradle and in mat urit y;) Meaning you called t he people t o Allah in childhood and in mat urit y. And t he word Tukallim means invit ed, because his speaking t o people while a child is not hing st range by it self. Allah's st at ement ,

(And when I t aught you t he Book and t he Hikmah,) t he power of writ ing and underst anding,

(and t he Tawrah,) which was revealed t o Musa, son of ` Imran, who spoke t o Allah direct ly. Allah's st at ement ,


(and when you made out of t he clay, as it were, t he figure of a bird, by My permission,) means: ` you shaped it in t he figure of a bird by My permission, and it became a bird wit h My permission, aft er you blew int o it '. Then, it became a flying bird wit h a soul by Allah's permission. Allah said;

(and you healed t hose born blind, and t he lepers by My permission,) This was explained before in Surah Al ` Imran (chapt er 3) and we do not need t o repeat it here. Allah's st at ement ,

(And when you brought fort h t he dead by My permission,) meaning, you called t hem and t hey rose from t heir graves by Allah's leave, power, lnt ent and will. Allah said next ,

(and when I rest rained t he Children of Israel from you since you came unt o t hem wit h clear proofs, and t he disbelievers among t hem said: "This is not hing but evident magic.'') Meaning: ` remember My favor, when I st opped t he Children of Israel from harming you, when you brought t hem t he clear proofs and evidence, t est ifying t o your prophet hood and Message from Me t o t hem. They rej ect ed you and accused you of being a magician and t ried t o kill you by crucifixion, but I saved you, raised you t o Me, purified you from t heir vulgarit y and prot ect ed you from t heir harm.' The wording of t his Ayah indicat es t hat ` Isa will be reminded of t hese favors on t he Day of Resurrect ion. Allah used t he past t ense in t hese Ayat indicat ing t hat it is a forgone mat t er t hat will cert ainly occur. This Ayah also cont ains some of t he secret s of t he Unseen t hat Allah revealed t o His Messenger Muhammad . Allah said,

(And when I (Allah) Awhayt u Al-Hawariyyin t o believe in Me and My Messenger.) This is also a reminder of Allah's favor on ` Isa, by making discples and companions for him. It is also said t hat Awhayt u in t he Ayah means, ` inspired', j ust as in anot her Ayah, Allah said;


(And We inspired t he mot her of Musa (saying): Suckle him...) 28:7 . Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And your Lord Awha (inspired) t he bee, saying: "Take habit at ions in t he mount ains and in t he t rees and in what t hey erect . Then, eat of all fruit s, and follow t he ways of your Lord made easy (for you).'') 16:68-69 Al-Hasan Al-Basri comment ed about t he Hawariyyun, "Allah inspired t hem'', while As-Suddi said, "` He put in t heir heart s,'' and t he Hawariyyun said,

(We believe. And bear wit ness t hat we are Muslims.)

- -

 -
(112. (Remember) when Al-Hawariyun said: "O ` Isa, son of Maryam! Can your Lord send down t o us a Ma'idah from heaven'' ` Isa said: "Have Taqwa of Allah, if you are indeed believers.'') (113. They said: "We wish t o eat t hereof and t o be st ronger in fait h, and t o know t hat you have indeed t old us t he t rut h and t hat we ourselves be it s wit nesses. '') (114. ` Isa, son of Maryam, said: "O Allah, our Lord! Send us from heaven a t able spread (wit h food) t hat t here may be for us -- for t he first and t he last of us -- a fest ival and a sign from You; and provide us sust enance, for You are t he Best of sust ainers.'') (115. Allah said: "I am going t o send it down unt o you, but if any of you aft er t hat disbelieves, t hen I will punish him wit h a t orment such as I have not inflict ed on anyone among t he ` Alamin.'')

Sending Down the Ma'idah

This is t he st ory of t he Ma'idah, t he name of which t his Surah bears, Surat Al-Ma'idah. This is also among t he favors t hat Allah grant ed His servant and Messenger, ` Isa, accept ing his request t o send t he Ma'idah down, and doing so as clear proof and unequivocal evidence. Allah said,

((Remember) when Al-Hawaryun said...) t he disciples of ` Isa said,

(O ` Isa, son of Maryam! Can your Lord send down t o us a Ma'idah from heaven) The Ma'idah is t he t able t hat has food on it . Some scholars said t hat t he disciples request ed t his t able because t hey were poor and deprived. So t hey asked ` Isa t o supplicat e t o Allah t o send a t able of food down t o t hem t hat t hey could eat from every day and t hus be more able t o perform t he act s of worship.

(` Isa said: "Have Taqwa of Allah, if you are indeed believers.'') ` Isa answered t hem by saying, ` Have Taqwa of Allah! And do not ask for t his, for it may become a t rial for you, but t rust in Allah for your provisions, if you are t ruly believers. '


(They said: "We wish t o eat t hereof.'') we need t o eat from it ,

(and t o be st ronger in fait h,) when we wit ness it descending from heaven as sust enance for us,

(and t o know t hat you have indeed t old us t he t rut h,) of your Message and our fait h in you increases and also our knowledge,

(and t hat we ourselves be it s wit nesses.) t est ifying t hat it is a sign from Allah, as proof and evidence t hat you are a Prophet , and at t est ing t o t he t rut h of what you brought us,

(` Isa, son of Maryam, said: "O Allah, our Lord! Send us from heaven a t able spread (wit h food) t hat t here may be for us -- for t he first and t he last of us -- a fest ival...'') As-Suddi comment ed t hat t he Ayah means, "We will t ake t hat day on which t he t able was sent down as a day of celebrat ion, t hat we and t hose who come aft er us would consider sacred.'' Sufyan At h-Thawri said t hat it means, "A day of prayer.''

(and a sign from You. ) proving t hat You are able t o do all t hings and t o accept my supplicat ion, so t hat t hey accept what I convey t o t hem from You,

(and provide us sust enance,) a delicious food from You t hat does not require any effort or hardship,


("For You are t he Best of sust ainers.'' Allah said: "I am going t o send it down unt o you, but if any of you aft er t hat disbelieves...'') by denying t his sign and defying it s implicat ion, O ` Isa,

(t hen I will punish him wit h a t orment such as I have not inflict ed on anyone among t he ` Alamin.) among t he people of your t ime. Allah said in similar Ayat ,

(And on t he Day when t he Hour will be est ablished (it will be said t o t he angels): "Cause Fir'awn's people t o ent er t he severest t orment !'') 40:46 , and,

(Verily, t he hypocrit es will be in t he lowest dept hs of t he Fire. ) 4:145 Ibn Jarir said t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said, "Those who will receive t he severest t orment on t he Day of Resurrect ion are t hree: The hypocrit es, t hose from t he people of Al-Ma'idah who disbelieved in it , and t he people of Fir` awn.'' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "They said t o ` Isa, son of Maryam, ` Supplicat e t o Allah t o send down t o us from heaven, a t able spread wit h food.' He also said, ` So t he angels brought t he t able down cont aining seven fish and seven pieces of bread and placed it before t hem. So t he last group of people at e as t he first group did.'' Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Ishaq bin ` Abdullah said t hat t he t able was sent down t o ` Isa son of Maryam having seven pieces of bread and seven fish, and t hey at e from it as much as t hey wished. But when some of t hem st ole food from it , saying, "It might not come down t omorrow,'' t he t able ascended. These st at ement s t est ify t hat t he t able was sent down t o t he Children of Israel during t he t ime of ` Isa, son of Maryam, as a result of Allah's accept ing his supplicat ion t o Him. The apparent wording of t his Ayah also st at es so,

(Allah said: "I am going t o send it down unt o you...'') 5:115 .

 - -
(116. And (remember) when Allah will say (on t he Day of Resurrect ion): "O ` Isa, son of Maryam! Did you say unt o men: ` Worship me and my mot her as t wo gods besides Allah''' He will say: "Glory be t o You! It was not for me t o say what I had no right (t o say). Had I said such a t hing, You would surely have known it . You know what is in my inner self t hough I do not know what is in Yours, t ruly, You, only You, are t he Knower of all t hat is hidden and unseen.'') (117. "Never did I say t o t hem ought except what You (Allah) did command me t o say: ` Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.' And I was a wit ness over t hem while I dwelled amongst t hem, but when You t ook me up , You were t he Wat cher over t hem, and You are a Wit ness t o all t hings.'') (118. "If You punish t hem, t hey are Your servant s, and if You forgive t hem, verily You, only You are t he Almight y, t he All-Wise.'')

` Isa Rejects Shirk and Affirms Tawhid

Allah will also speak t o His servant and Messenger, ` Isa son of Maryam, peace be upon him, saying t o him on t he Day of Resurrect ion in t he presence of t hose who worshipped ` Isa and his mot her as gods besides Allah,

(O ` Isa, son of Maryam! Did you say unt o men: ` Worship me and my mot her as t wo gods besides Allah') This is a t hreat and a warning t o Christ ians, chast ising t hem in public, as Qat adah and ot hers said, and Qat adah ment ioned t his Ayah as evidence,

("This is a Day on which t he t rut hful will profit from t heir t rut h.'') 5:119 Allah's st at ement ,

(Glory be t o You! It was not for me t o say what I had no right (t o say)...) cont ains Allah's direct ion for ` Isa t o ut t er t he perfect answer. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said, "` Isa will be t aught his argument in reply t o what Allah will ask him,

(And (remember) when Allah will say (on t he Day of Resurrect ion): "O ` Isa, son of Maryam! Did you say unt o men: ` Worship me and my mot her as t wo gods besides Allah') 5:116 .'' Abu Hurayrah t hen narrat ed t hat t he Prophet said t hat Allah t aught ` Isa t o say,

(Glory be t o You! It was not for me t o say what I had no right (t o say)...) At h-Thawri narrat ed t his Hadit h from Ma` mar from Ibn Tawus from Tawus. ` Isa's st at ement ,

(Had I said such a t hing, You would surely have known it .) means, had I said it , You, my Lord, would have known it , for not hing escapes Your knowledge. Rat her, I have not said t hese words nor did t he t hought even cross my mind, t his why he said,


(You know what is in my inner self t hough I do not know what is in Yours, t ruly, You, only You, are t he Knower of all t hat is hidden and unseen. Never did I say t o t hem ought except what You (Allah) did command me t o say...) and convey,

(Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.) I only called t hem t o what You sent me wit h and commanded me t o convey t o t hem,

(Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord) and t his is what I conveyed t o t hem,

(And I was a wit ness over t hem while I dwelled amongst t hem,) I was a wit ness over what t hey did when I was amongst t hem,

(but when You t ook me up , You were t he Wat cher over t hem, and You are a Wit ness t o all t hings.) Abu Dawud At -Tayalisi recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The Messenger of Allah st ood up once and gave us a speech in which he said,

(O people! You will be gat hered t o Allah while barefoot ed, naked and uncircumcised;


(As We began t he first creat ion, We shall repeat it .)

: :
The first among t he creat ion who will be covered wit h clot hes will be Ibrahim. Some men from my Ummah will be brought and t aken t o t he left (t o t he Fire) and I will yell, ` They are my followers!' It will be said, ` You do not know what t hey innvovat ed aft er you (in religion).' So I will say j ust as t he right eous servant (` Isa) said,

-
(And I was a wit ness over t hem while I dwelled amongst t hem, but when You t ook me up , You were t he Wat cher over t hem, and You are a Wit ness t o all t hings. If You punish t hem, t hey are Your servant s, and if You forgive t hem, verily You, only You are t he Almight y, t he AllWise.)

:
(It will furt her be said, ` These people kept revert ing back on t heir heels aft er you left t hem.')'' Al-Bukhari also recorded t his Hadit h in t he explanat ion of t his Ayah. Allah said;


(If You punish t hem, t hey are Your servant s, and if You forgive t hem, verily You, only You are t he Almight y, t he All-Wise.) All mat t ers refer back t o Allah, for He does what He Wills and none can quest ion Him about what He does, while He will quest ion t hem. This Ayah also shows t he crime of t he Christ ians who invent ed a lie against Allah and His Messenger, t hus making a rival, wife and son for Allah. Allah is glorified in t hat He is far above what t hey at t ribut e t o Him. So t his Ayah 5:118 has t remendous value and delivers unique news.

-
(119. Allah will say: "This is a Day on which t he t rut hful will profit from t heir t rut h: Theirs are Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise) -- t hey shall abide t herein forever. Allah is pleased wit h t hem and t hey wit h Him. That is t he great success.) (120. To Allah belongs t he dominion of t he heavens and t he eart h and all t hat is t herein, and He is able t o do all t hings.)

Only Truth will be of Benefit on the Day of Resurrection

Allah answers His servant and Messenger ` Isa, son of Maryam, aft er he disowns t he disbelieving Christ ians who lied about Allah and His Messenger, and when ` Isa refers t heir end t o t he will of his Lord,

(This is a Day on which t he t rut hful will profit from t heir t rut h.) Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "This is t he Day when Tawhid will benefit t hose who believed in it .''

(Theirs are Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise) -- t hey shall abide t herein forever.) and t hey will never be removed from it ,

(Allah is pleased wit h t hem and t hey wit h Him.)

(But t he great est bliss is t he good pleasure of Allah.) 9:72 We will ment ion t he Hadit hs about t his Ayah 9:72 lat er on. Allah's st at ement ,

(That is t he great success.) means, t his is t he great success, ot her t han which t here is no great er success. Allah said in anot her Ayat ,

(For t he like of t his let t he workers work.) 37:61 , and,

(And for t his let (all) t hose st rive who want t o st rive.) 83:26 Allah's st at ement ,

(To Allah belongs t he dominion of t he heavens and t he eart h and all t hat is t herein, and He is able t o do all t hings.) means, He creat ed everyt hing, owns everyt hing, cont rols t he affairs of everyt hing and is able t o do all t hings. Theref ore, everyt hing and everyone are in His domain and under His power and will. There is none like Him, nor is t here rival, ancest or, son, or wife for Him, nor a lord or god besides Him. Ibn Wahb said t hat he heard Huyay bin ` Abdullah saying t hat Abu ` Abdur-Rahman Al-Habli said t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said, "The last revealed Surah was Surat Al-Ma'idah.''

The Tafsir of Surat Al-An` am

(Chapter - 6) Which was Revealed in Makkah The Virtue of Surat Al-An` am and When it Was Revealed
Al-` Awfi, ` Ikrimah and ` At a' said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Surat Al-An` am was revealed in Makkah'' At -Tabarani recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "All of Surat Al-An` am was revealed in Makkah at night , accompanied by sevent y t housand angels, raising t heir voices in glorificat ion of Allah'' As-Suddi said t hat Murrah said t hat ` Abdullah said, "Surat Al-An` am was revealed in t he company of sevent y t housand angels.''

In t he Name of Allah, t he Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful.

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(1. All praise be t o Allah, Who creat ed t he heavens and t he eart h, and originat ed t he darkness and t he light , yet t hose who disbelieve hold ot hers as equal wit h t heir Lord.) (2. He it is Who has creat ed you from clay, and t hen has decreed a st at ed t erm. And t here is wit h Him anot her det ermined t erm, yet you doubt .) (3. And He is Allah, in t he heavens and t he eart h, He knows what you conceal and what you reveal, and He knows what you earn.)

All Praise is Due to Allah for His Glorious Ability and Great Power
Allah praises and glorifies His Most Honorable Self for creat ing t he heavens and eart h, as a dwelling for His servant s, and for making t he darkness and t he light t o benefit t hem in t he night and t he day. In t his Ayah, Allah describes darkness in t he plural, Zulumat where Zulmah is singular for darkness , while describing t he light in t he singular, An-Nur, because An-Nur is more honored. In ot her Ayat , Allah said,


(To t he right and t o t he left s.) 16:48 Near t he end of t his Surah (chapt er 6), Allah also said;

(And verily, t his is my st raight pat h, so follow it , and follow no (ot her) ways, for t hey will separat e you away from His way.) 6:153 Allah said next ,

(Yet t hose who disbelieve hold ot hers as equal wit h t heir Lord.) meaning, in spit e of all t his, some of Allah's servant s disbelieve in Him and hold ot hers as part ners and rivals wit h Him. Some of Allah's servant s claimed a wife and a son for Allah, hallowed be He far above what t hey at t ribut e t o Him. Allah's st at ement ,

(He it is Who has creat ed you from clay,) refers t o t he fat her of mankind, Adam, from whom mankind originat ed, mult iplied in numbers and spread about , east and west . Allah said,

(Then has decreed a st at ed t erm. And t here is wit h Him anot her det ermined t erm...) His saying;

(Then has decreed a st at ed t erm,) refers t o deat h, while,

(And t here is wit h Him anot her det ermined t erm...) refers t o t he Hereaft er, according t o Sa` id bin Jubayr who report ed t his from Ibn ` Abbas. Similar st at ement s were narrat ed from Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Qat adah, Ad-Dahhak, Zayd bin Aslam, ` At iyyah, As-Suddi, Muqat il bin Hayyan and ot hers. Ibn ` Abbas and Muj ahid said t hat ,


(And t hen has decreed a st at ed t erm,) is t he t erm of t his eart hly life, while,

(And t here is wit h Him anot her det ermined t erm) refers t o man's ext ent of life unt il he dies as ment ioned in Allah's st at ement ;

(It is He, Who t akes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all t hat you have done by day, t hen He raises (wakes) you up again t hat a t erm appoint ed (life) be fulfilled.) 6:60 The meaning of Allah's st at ement ,

(Wit h Him) is t hat none but Him knows when it will occur. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(The knowledge t hereof is wit h my Lord. None can reveal it s t ime but He.) 7:187 , and,

- -
(They ask you about t he Hour -- when will be it s appoint ed t ime You have no knowledge t o say anyt hing about it . To your Lord belongs (t he knowledge of) t he t erm t hereof.) 79:42-44 Allah said,

(Yet you doubt .) t he coming of t he (last ) Hour, according t o As-Suddi. Allah said next ,


(And He is Allah in t he heavens and t he eart h, He knows what you conceal and what you reveal, and He knows what you earn.) Meaning, it is He Who is called Allah, t hroughout t he heavens and t he eart h, t hat is, it is He who is worshipped, singled out , whose divinit y is believed in by t he inhabit ant s of t he heavens and t he eart h. They call Him Allah, and t hey supplicat e t o Him in fear and hope, except t hose who disbelieve among t he Jinns and mankind. In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(It is He Who is God in t he heavens and t he eart h.) 43:84 meaning, He is t he God of t hose in heaven and t hose on eart h, and He knows all affairs, public and secret .

(And He knows what you earn) all t he good and bad deeds t hat you perform.

- -
(4. And never an Ayah comes t o t hem from t he Ayat of t heir Lord, but t hat t hey have been t urning away from it .) (5. Indeed, t hey rej ect ed t he t rut h when it came t o t hem, but t here will

come t o t hem t he news of t hat which t hey used t o mock at .) (6. Have t hey not seen how many a generat ion before t hem We have dest royed whom We had est ablished on t he eart h such as We have not est ablished you And We poured out on t hem rain from t he sky in abundance, and made t he rivers flow under t hem. Yet We dest royed t hem for t heir sins, and creat ed aft er t hem ot her generat ions.)

Threatening the Idolators for their Stubbornness

Allah st at es t hat t he rebellious, st ubborn polyt heist s will t urn away from every Ayah, meaning, sign, miracle and proof t hat is evidence of Allah's Uniqueness and t he t rut h of His honorable Messengers. They will not cont emplat e about t hese Ayat or care about t hem. Allah said,

(Indeed, t hey rej ect ed t he t rut h when it came t o t hem, but t here will come t o t hem t he news of t hat which t hey used t o mock at .) This Ayah cont ains a warning and a st ern t hreat for t he disbelievers' rej ect ion of t he t rut h, st at ing t hat t he disbelievers will surely know t he t rut h of what t hey used t o deny and t ast e t he evil end of t heir behavior. Allah advises and warns t he disbelievers, t hat t hey should avoid t he t orment s and afflict ions of t his life, similar t o what befell t heir likes from previous nat ions, who were st ronger, wealt hier, had more offspring, and were more exploit ive on t he eart h. Allah said,

(Have t hey not seen how many a generat ion before t hem We have dest royed whom We had est ablished on t he eart h such as We have not est ablished you) meaning, t hey had more wealt h, children, buildings, abundant provision, riches and soldiers. Allah said next ,

(and We poured out on t hem rain from t he sky in abundance, ) in reference t o rain t hat comes oft en,

(And made t he rivers flow under t hem.) as rain was abundant and t he springs were plent iful, so t hat We deceived t hem.


(Yet We dest royed t hem for t heir sins) meaning t he mist akes and errors t hat t hey commit t ed,

(and creat ed aft er t hem ot her generat ions,) for, t hese generat ions of old perished and became as legends and st ories,

(And creat ed aft er t hem ot her generat ions.) so t hat We t est t he new generat ions, as well. Yet , t hey commit t ed similar errors and were dest royed, as t heir ancest ors were dest royed. Therefore, beware of t he same end t hat might befall you, for you are not dearer t o Allah t han t hese previous nat ions, but t he Messenger whom you defied is dearer t o Allah t han t he Messengers t hey defied. Thus, you are more liable t han t hem t o receive t orment , if it was not for Allah's mercy and kindness.

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(7. And even if We had sent down unt o you a Message writ t en on paper so t hat t hey could t ouch it wit h t heir hands, t he disbelievers would have said: "This is not hing but obvious magic!'') (8. And t hey say: "Why has not an angel been sent down t o him'' Had We sent down an angel, t he mat t er would have been j udged at once, and no respit e would be grant ed t o t hem.) (9. And had We appoint ed him an angel, We indeed would have made him a man, and We

would have cert ainly caused t hem confusion in a mat t er which t hey have already covered wit h confusion.) (10. And indeed Messengers were mocked before you, but t heir scoffers were surrounded by t he very t hing t hat t hey used t o mock at .) (11. Say: "Travel in t he land and see what was t he end of t hose who rej ect ed t rut h.'')

Censuring the Rebellious and their Refusal to Accept Human Messengers

Allah describes t he rebellion and st ubbornness of t he idolat ors in defying t he t rut h and arguing against it ,

(And even if We had sent down unt o you a Message writ t en on paper so t hat t hey could t ouch it wit h t heir hands,) meaning, if t hey saw t his Message's descent and were eye- wit nesses t o t hat ,

(t he disbelievers would have said: "This is not hing but obvious magic!'') This is similar t o Allah's descript ion of t he disbelievers' defiance of fact s and t rut h,

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(And even if We opened t o t hem a gat e from t he heaven and t hey were t o cont inue ascending t heret o. They would surely say: "Our eyes have been (as if) dazzled. Nay, we are a people bewit ched.'') 15:14-15 , and,

(And if t hey were t o see a piece of t he heaven falling down, t hey would say, "Clouds gat hered in heaps!'') 52:44 .


(And t hey say: "Why has not an angel been sent down t o him'') t o convey t he Message wit h admonit ion along wit h him. Allah replied,

(Had We sent down an angel, t he mat t er would have been j udged at once, and no respit e would be grant ed t o t hem.) Consequent ly, even if t he angels descend, while t he disbelievers st ill had t he same at t it ude, t hen t he t orment will surely befall t hem from Allah as a consequence. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(We send not t he angels down except wit h t he t rut h (i.e. for t orment , et c.), and in t hat case, t hey (t he disbelievers) would have no respit e!) 15:8 , and,

(On t he Day t hey will see t he angels, no glad t idings will t here be for t he criminals t hat day.) 25:22 Allah's st at ement ,

(And had We appoint ed him an angel, We indeed would have made him a man, and We would have cert ainly caused t hem confusion in a mat t er which t hey have already covered wit h confusion.) meaning, if We send an angel along wit h t he human Messenger, or if We send an angel as a Messenger t o mankind, he would be in t he shape of a man so t hat t hey would be able t o speak t o him and benefit from his t eachings. In t his case, t he angel (in t he shape of a human) will also cause conf usion for t hem, j ust as t he confusion t hey caused t hemselves over accept ing humans as Messengers! Allah said,

(Say: "If t here were on t he eart h, angels walking about in peace and securit y, We should cert ainly have sent down for t hem from t he heaven an angel as a Messenger.'') 17:95 It is a mercy from Allah t o His creat ion t hat He sends every t ype of creat ion, Messengers from among t heir kind, so t hat t hey are able t o call t heir people t o Allah, and t heir people able t o t alk t o t hem, ask t hem and benefit from t hem. In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(Indeed Allah conferred a great favor on t he believers when He sent among t hem a Messenger from among t hemselves, recit ing unt o t hem His verses (t he Qur'an), and purifying t hem.) 3:164 Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about t he Ayah 6:9 above , "If an angel was sent t o t hem, he would come in t he shape of a man. This is because t hey will not be able t o look at t he angel due t o light .''

(... and We would have cert ainly caused t hem confusion in a mat t er which t hey have already covered wit h confusion. ) meaning, We would conf use t hem over t heir confusion. And Al-Walibi report ed Ibn ` Abbas saying; "We brought doubt s around t hem.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(And indeed Messengers were mocked before you, but t heir scoffers were surrounded by t he very t hing t hat t hey used t o mock at .) comfort s t he Messenger concerning t he denial of him by his people. The Ayah also promises t he Messenger , and his believers, of Allah's vict ory and t he good end in t his life and t he Hereaft er. Allah said next ,

(Say: "Travel in t he land and see what was t he end of t hose who rej ect ed t rut h.'') meaning, cont emplat e about yourselves and t hink about t he afflict ions Allah st ruck t he previous nat ions wit h, t hose who defied His Messengers and denied t hem. Allah sent t orment , afflict ions and punishment on t hem in t his life, as well as t he painful t orment in t he Hereaft er, while saving His Messengers and believing servant s.

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(12. Say: "To whom belongs all t hat is in t he heavens and t he eart h'' Say: "To Allah.'' He has prescribed mercy for Himself. Indeed He will gat her you t oget her on t he Day of Resurrect ion, about which t here is no doubt . Those who dest roy t hemselves will not believe.) (13. And t o Him belongs what soever exist s in t he night and t he day, and He is t he All-Hearing, t he AllKnowing.'') (14. Say: "Shall I t ake as a guardian any ot her t han Allah, t he Creat or of t he heavens and t he eart h And it is He Who feeds but is not fed.'' Say: "Verily, I am commanded t o be t he first of t hose who submit . ''And be not you of t he idolat ors.) (15. Say: "I fear, if I disobey my Lord, t he t orment of a Might y Day.'') (16. Who is avert ed from (such a t orment ) on t hat Day; t hen He (Allah) has surely been Merciful t o him. And t hat would be t he obvious success.)

Allah is the Creator and the Sustainer

Allah st at es t hat He is t he King and Owner of t he heavens and eart h and all of what is in t hem, and t hat He has writ t en mercy on His Most Honorable Self. It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs, t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Prophet said,


(When Allah creat ed t he creat ion, He wrot e in a Book t hat He has wit h Him above t he Throne; ` My mercy overcomes My anger.') Allah said;

(Indeed He will gat her you t oget her on t he Day of Resurrect ion, about which t here is no doubt .) swearing by His Most Honored Self t hat He will gat her His servant s,

(For appoint ed meet ing of a known Day.) 56:50 , t he Day of Resurrect ion t hat will cert ainly occur, and t here is no doubt for His believing servant s in t his fact . As for t hose who deny and refuse, t hey are in confusion and disarray. Allah's st at ement ,

(Those who dest roy t hemselves) on t he Day of Resurrect ion,

(will not believe. ) in t he Ret urn and t hus do not fear t he repercussions of t hat Day. Allah said next ,

(And t o Him belongs what soever exist s in t he night and t he day.) meaning, all creat ures in t he heavens and eart h are Allah's servant s and creat ures, and t hey are all under His aut horit y, power and will; t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Him,

(and He is t he All-Hearing, t he All-Knowing.) He hears t he st at ement s of His servant s and knows t heir act ions, secret s and what t hey conceal. Allah t hen said t o His servant and Messenger

Muhammad , whom He sent wit h t he pure Tawhid and t he st raight religion, commanding him t o call t he people t o Allah's st raight pat h;

(Say: "Shall I t ake as a guardian any ot her t han Allah, t he Creat or of t he heavens and t he eart h'') Similarly, Allah said,

(Say: "Do you order me t o worship ot her t han Allah, O you fools'') 39:64 . The meaning here is, I will not t ake a guardian except Allah, wit hout part ners, for He is t he Creat or of t he heavens and eart h Who orignat ed t hem wit hout precedent ,

(And it is He Who feeds but is not fed.) For He sust ains His creat ures wit hout needing t hem. Allah also said;

(And I creat ed not t he Jinn and humans except t hat t hey should worship Me (Alone).) 51:56 Some scholars read it , "And it is He Who feeds but He does not eat .'' meaning, Allah does not eat . Abu Hurayrah narrat ed, "A man from Al-Ansar from t he area of Quba' invit ed t he Prophet t o eat some food, and we went along wit h t he Prophet . When t he Prophet at e and washed his hands, he said,


(All praise is due t o Allah, Who feeds but is never fed, He best owed bount y unt o us, Who gave us guidance and fed us, gave us somet hing t o drink, covered our nakedness; and for every favor He has given us. All praise is due t o Allah, praise t hat should not be neglect ed, my Lord, all t he while affirming t hat we will never be able t o duly t hank Him; nor be appreciat ive enough of Him, nor be free of needing Him. All t hanks and praises are due t o Allah Who fed us t he food, gave us t he drink, covered our nudit y, guided us from misguidance, gave us sight from blindness, and honored us above many of His creat urers. All praise is due t o Allah, Lord of all t hat exist s.'')

(Say: "Verily, I am commanded t o be t he first of t hose who submit t hemselves t o Allah as (Muslims).'') from t his Ummah,

(And be not you of t he idolat ers. Say: "I fear, if I disobey my Lord, t he t orment of a Might y Day.'') 6:14-15 , t he Day of Resurrect ion,

(Who is avert ed from) such a t orment ,


(on t hat Day, He has surely been Merciful t o him) meaning, Allah will have been merciful t o him,

(And t hat would be t he obvious success.) Allah also said,

(And whoever is moved away from t he Fire and admit t ed t o Paradise, he indeed is successful.) 3:185 , success here indicat es acquiring profit and negat es loss.

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(17. And if Allah t ouches you wit h harm, none can remove it but He, and if He t ouches you wit h good, t hen He is able t o do all t hings.) (18. And He is t he Irresist ible, above His servant s, and He is t he All-Wise, Well-Acquaint ed wit h all t hings.) (19. Say: "What t hing is t he most great in wit ness'' Say: "Allah is Wit ness bet ween you and I; t his Qur'an has been revealed t o me t hat I may t herewit h warn you and whomsoever it may reach. Can you verily bear wit ness t hat besides Allah t here are ot her gods'' Say "I bear no (such) wit ness!'' Say: "Only He is God, alone, and t ruly I am innocent of what you j oin in worship wit h Him.'') (20. Those t o whom We have given t he Script ure recognize him, as t hey recognize t heir own children. Those who have lost (dest royed) t hemselves will not believe.) (21. And who does more wrong t han he who invent s a lie against Allah or rej ect s His Ayat Verily, t he wrongdoers shall never be successful.)

Allah is the Irresistible, Able to Bring Benefit and Protect from Harm
Allah st at es t hat He Alone brings benefit or harm, and t hat He does what He wills wit h His creat ures, none can resist His j udgment or prevent what He decrees,

(And if Allah t ouches you wit h harm, none can remove it but He, and if He t ouches you wit h good, t hen He is able t o do all t hings.) Similarly, Allah said,

(What ever mercy, Allah may grant t o mankind, none can wit hhold it , and what ever He may wit hhold, none can grant it t hereaft er) 35:2 . It is recorded in t he Sahih t hat t he Messenger of Allah used t o supplicat e,

(O Allah, t here is none Who can avert what You grant or give what You deprive, and no fort une ever helps t he fort unat e against You.) This is why Allah said,

(And He is t he Irresist ible, above His servant s,) meaning, t o Him t he necks are subservient , t he t yrant s humble before Him and He has complet e cont rol over all t hings. The creat ures have all bowed t o Allah and are humbled before His grace, honor, pride, great ness, highness and abilit y over all t hings. The creat ures are insignificant before Him, for t hey are all under His irresist ible decision and power,

(and He is t he All-Wise,) in all His act ions,

(Well-Acquaint ed wit h all t hings.) Who places everyt hing in it s right ful place, grant s and favors whomever deserves His favor. Allah said next ,

(Say: "What t hing is t he most great in wit ness'') or what is t he great est wit ness,

(Say: "Allah (t he Most Great !) is Wit ness bet ween you and I'') for He knows what I brought you and what you will answer me wit h,

(t his Qur'an has been revealed t o me t hat I may t herewit h warn you and whomsoever it may reach.) Therefore, t his Qur'an is a warner for all t hose who hear of it . In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(But t hose of t he sect s t hat rej ect it , t he Fire will be t heir promised meet ing place.) 11:17 Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said, "Those who follow t he Messenger of Allah ought t o call t o what t he Messenger of Allah called t o and warn against what he warned against .'' Allah said next ,

("Can you verily bear wit ness...'') O idolat ors,


("t hat besides Allah t here are ot her gods'' Say, "I bear no (such) wit ness!'') Similarly, in anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(Then if t hey t est ify, t est ify not you wit h t hem.) 6:150 Allah said next ,

(Say: "Only He is God, alone, and t ruly I am innocent of what you j oin in worship wit h Him.'')

People of the Book Recognize the Prophet Just as They Recognize Their Own Children
Allah says, t he People of t he Book know what you brought t hem, O Muhammad , as t hey know t heir own children. This is because t hey received good news from t he previous Messengers and Prophet s about t he coming of Muhammad , his at t ribut es, homeland, his migrat ion, and t he descript ion of his Ummah. Allah said next ,

(Those who have lost (dest royed) t hemselves) and t hus incurred t he ult imat e loss,

(will not believe.) in t his clear mat t er. A mat t er about which t he previous Prophet s gave good news, and a mat t er ext olled about in ancient and modern t imes. Allah said next ,

(And who does more wrong t han he who invent s a lie against Allah or rej ect s His Ayat ) meaning, t here is no person more unj ust t han he who lies about Allah and claims t hat Allah has sent him, while Allah did not send him. There is no person more unj ust t han he who denies Allah's proofs, signs and evidences,

(Verily, t he wrongdoers shall never be successful.) Surely, bot h of t hese people will never acquire success, whoever falsely claims t hat Allah sent him and whoever refuses Allah's Ayat .

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(22. And on t he Day when We shall gat her t hem all t oget her, We shall say t o t hose who j oined part ners in worship (wit h Us): "Where are your part ners (false deit ies) whom you used t o assert (as part ners in worship wit h Allah)'') (23. There will t hen be (left ) no Fit nah for t hem but t o say: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not t hose who j oined ot hers (in worship wit h Allah).'') (24. Look! How t hey lie against t hemselves! But t he (lie) which t hey invent ed will disappear from t hem.) (25. And of t hem t here are some who list en t o you; but We have set veils on t heir heart s, so t hey underst and it not , and deafness in t heir ears; if t hey see every one of t he Ayat t hey will not believe t herein; t o t he point t hat when t hey come t o you t o argue wit h you, t hose who disbelieve say: "These are not hing but t ales of t he men of old.'') (26. And t hey prevent ot hers from him and t hey t hemselves keep away from him, and (by doing so) t hey dest roy none but t hemselves, yet t hey perceive (it ) not .)

The Polythiests Shall be Questioned About the Shirk They Committed

About t he polyt heist s, Allah said:

(And on t he Day when We shall gat her t hem all t oget her,) This is on t he Day of Resurrect ion, when He will ask t hem about t he idols and rivals t hat t hey worshipped inst ead of Him. Allah will say t o t hem,

(Where are your part ners (false deit ies) whom you used t o assert (as part ners in worship wit h Allah)) Allah said in Surat Al-Qasas,

(And (remember) t he Day when He will call t o t hem, and say, "Where are My (so-called) part ners whom you used t o assert '') 28:62 . Allah's st at ement ,

(There will t hen be (left ) no Fit nah for t hem) means, argument . ` At a' Al-Khurasani said t hat ,

(There will t hen be (left ) no Fit nah for t hem) in t he face of t he afflict ion t hat will be placed on t hem,

(but t o say: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not t hose who j oined ot hers (in worship wit h Allah).'') Allah said next ,


(Look! How t hey lie against t hemselves! But t he (lie) which t hey invent ed will disappear from t hem.) which is similar t o His ot her st at ement ,

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(Then it will be said t o t hem: "Where are (all) t hose whom you used t o j oin in worship as part ners. Besides Allah'' They will say, "They have vanished from us: Nay, we did not invoke (worship) anyt hing before.'' Thus Allah leads ast ray t he disbelievers.) 40:73-74

The Miserable Do Not Benefit from the Qur'an

Allah's st at ement ,

(And of t hem t here are some who list en t o you; but We have set veils on t heir heart s, so t hey underst and it not , and deafness in t heir ears; if t hey see every one of t he Ayat t hey will not believe t herein;) means, t hey come t o you, (O Muhammad ), so t hat t hey hear you recit e t he Qur'an, but it s recit at ion does not benefit t hem, because Allah has set veils on t heir heart s, and so t hey do not underst and t he Qur'an,

(and (set ) deafness in t heir ears;) t hat prevent s t hem from hearing what benefit s t hem. In anot her Ayah, Allah said;


(And t he example of t hose who disbelieve, is as t hat of him who shout s at one who hears not hing but calls and cries.) 2:171 Allah said next ,

(if t hey see every one of t he Ayat t hey will not believe t herein;) meaning, t hey will not believe in any of t he Ayat , proofs, clear evidences and signs t hey wit ness because t hey do not have sound comprehension or fair j udgment . In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(Had Allah known of any good in t hem, He would indeed have made t hem list en.) 8:23 Allah said,

(t o t he point t hat when t hey come t o you t o argue wit h you...) using falsehood against t rut h,

(t hose who disbelieve say: "These are not hing but t ales of t he men of old.'') The disbelievers say, what you (O Muhammad ) brought us was t aken from t he books of t hose who were before us, meaning plagiarized,

(And t hey prevent ot hers from him and t hey t hemselves keep away from him,) They discourage people from following t he t rut h, believing in Muhammad and obeying t he Qur'an,

(and t hey t hemselves keep away from him,) They t hus combine bot h evil act s, for t hey neit her benefit t hemselves, nor let ot hers benefit from t he Prophet . ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah,


(And t hey prevent ot hers from him.) means, t hey hinder people from believing in Muhammad . Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiyyah said, "The disbelievers of Quraysh used t o refrain from meet ing Muhammad and t hey discouraged people from coming t o him.'' Similar was report ed from Qat adah, Muj ahid and Ad-Dahhak and several ot hers.

(and (by doing so) t hey dest roy not but t hemselves, yet t hey perceive (it ) not .) They dest roy t hemselves by commit t ing t his evil act ion, and it s harm will only t ouch t hem. Yet , t hey do not perceive t his fact !

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(27. If you could but see when t hey will be held over t he (Hell) Fire! They will say: "Would t hat we were but sent back (t o t he world)! Then we would not deny t he Ayat of our Lord, and we would be of t he believers!'') (28. Nay, what t hey had been concealing before has become manifest t o t hem. But if t hey were ret urned (t o t he world), t hey would cert ainly revert t o t hat which t hey were forbidden. And indeed t hey are liars.) c(29. And t hey said: "There is no (ot her life) but our (present ) life of t his world, and never shall we be resurrect ed.'') (30. If you could but see when t hey will st and before t heir Lord! He will say: "Is not t his t he t rut h'' They will say: "Yes, by our Lord!'' He will t hen say: "So t ast e you t he t orment because you used not t o believe.'')

Wishes and Hopes Do Not Help One When He Sees the Torment

Allah ment ions t he condit ion of t he disbelievers when t hey are made t o st and before t he Fire on t he Day of Resurrect ion and wit ness it s chains and rest raint s, along wit h seeing t he horrible, moment ous condit ions in t he Fire wit h t heir own eyes. This is when t he disbelievers will say,

("Would t hat we were but sent back (t o t he world)! Then we would not deny t he Ayat of our Lord, and we would be of t he believers!'') They wish t hat t hey would be sent back t o t he life of t he world so t hat t hey could perform right eous deeds, refrain from disbelieving in t he Ayat of t heir Lord and be among t he believers. Allah said,

(Nay, what t hey had been concealing before has become manifest t o t hem.) meaning, t he disbelief, denial and rebellion t hat t hey used t o hide in t heir heart s will t hen be uncovered, even t hough t hey will t ry t o hide t his fact in t his life and t he Hereaft er. Earlier, Allah said,

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(There will t hen be (left ) no t rial for t hem but t o say: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not t hose who j oined ot hers in worship wit h Allah.'' Look! How t hey lie against t hemselves! But t he (lie) which t hey invent ed will disappear from t hem. ) It is also possible t hat t he meaning here is t hat t he disbelievers will realize t he t rut h t hat t hey knew all along in t heir heart s, t hat is, t hat what t he Messengers brought t hem in t his life is t rue, alt hough t hey used t o deny his Message before t heir followers. Allah said t hat Musa said t o Fir` awn,

("Verily, you know t hat t hese signs have clearly been sent down by none but t he Lord of t he heavens and t he eart h as eye-opening evidence.'') 17:102 Allah said about Fir` awn and his people,


(And t hey belied t hem (t hose Ayat ) wrongfully and arrogant ly, t hough t hey were t hemselves convinced t hereof.) 27:14

(Nay, it has become manifest t o t hem what t hey had been concealing before.) 6:28 When t his occurs, and t he disbelievers ask t o be ret urned t o t his life, t hey will not do so because t hey t ruly wish t o embrace t he fait h. Rat her, t hey ask t o be ret urned t o t his life for fear of t he t orment t hat t hey are wit nessing before t hem, as punishment for t he disbelief t hey commit t ed, and t o t ry and avoid t he Fire t hat t hey see before t heir eyes.

(But if t hey were ret urned, t hey would cert ainly revert t o t hat which t hey were forbidden. And indeed t hey are liars.) meaning, t hey lie when t hey say t hey wish t o go back t o t his life so t hat t hey can embrace t he fait h. Allah st at es t hat even if t hey were sent back t o t he life of t his world, t hey will again commit t he disbelief and defiance t hat t hey were prohibit ed.

(And indeed t hey are liars.) in t heir st at ement t hat ,

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("Would t hat we were but sent back! Then we would not deny t he Ayat of our Lord, and we would be of t he believers!'' Nay, what t hey had been concealing before has become manifest t o t hem. But if t hey were ret urned, t hey would cert ainly revert t o t hat which t hey were forbidden. And indeed t hey are liars. And t hey said: "There is no (ot her life) but our (present ) life of t his world, and never shall we be resurrect ed.'') Therefore, t hey will revert t o t heir old behavior and say,


(There is no life but our life of t his world) and t here is no Hereaft er,

(and never shall we be resurrect ed. ) Allah said,

(If you could but see when t hey will st and before t heir Lord!) in front of Him,

("Is not t his t he t rut h'') meaning, is not Resurrect ion t rue, cont arary t o what you t hought ,

(They will say: "Yes, by our Lord!'' He will t hen say: "So t ast e you t he t orment because you used not t o believe.'') and because you t oday denied Resurrect ion. Therefore, t ast e t he t orment ,

("Is t his magic, or do you not see'') 52:15

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(31. They indeed are losers who denied t heir meet ing wit h Allah, unt il all of a sudden, t he Hour (signs of deat h) is upon t hem, and t hey say: "Alas for us t hat we gave no t hought t o it ,'' while t hey will bear t heir burdens on t heir backs; and evil indeed are t he burdens t hat t hey will bear!) (32. And t he life of t his world is not hing but play and amusement . But far bet t er is t he abode of t he Hereaft er for t hose have Taqwa. Will you not t hen underst and)

Allah describes the regret of the disbelievers when facing Him, and their disappointment at the commencement, along with their sorrow for not performing good deeds and for their evil deeds.
This is why Allah said,

(unt il all of a sudden, t he Hour (signs of deat h) is upon t hem, and t hey say: "Alas for us t hat we gave no t hought t o it .'') ` It ' here refers t o eit her t he life of t his world, or t he affairs of t he Hereaft er. Allah's st at ement ,

(while t hey will bear t heir burdens on t heir backs; and evil indeed are t he burdens t hat t hey will bear!) Asbat said t hat As-Suddi said, "Upon ent ering his grave, every unj ust person will meet a man wit h an ugly face, dark skin, awful odor, wearing dirt y clot hes, who will ent er his grave wit h him. When t he unj ust person sees him, he will say, ` How ugly is your face!' He will reply, ` So was your work, it was ugly.' The unj ust person will say, ` How foul is t he odor coming from you!' He will reply, ` Such was t he case wit h your work, it st unk.' The unj ust person will say, ` How dirt y are your clot hes!' He will reply, ` And your work t oo was dirt y.' The unj ust person will ask, ` Who are you' He will reply, ` I am your deeds.' So he will remain wit h t he unj ust person in his grave, and when he is resurrect ed on t he Day of Resurrect ion, his companion will say t o him, ` In t he life of t he world, I used t o carry you because you followed desire and lust . Today, you carry me.' So he will ride on t he unj ust person's back and lead him unt il he ent ers t he Fire. So Allah said,


(while t hey will bear t heir burdens on t heir backs; and evil indeed are t he burdens t hat t hey will bear!) 6:31 '' Allah's st at ement ,

(And t he life of t his world is not hing but play and amusement .) means, most of it is play and amusement ,

(But far bet t er is t he abode of t he Hereaft er for t hose who have Taqwa. Will you not t hen underst and)

- - -

(33. We know indeed t he grief which t heir words cause you; it is not you t hat t hey deny, but it is t he verses of Allah t hat t he wrongdoers deny.) (34. Verily, (many) Messengers were denied before you, but wit h pat ience t hey bore t he denial, and t hey were hurt , t ill Our help reached t hem, and none can alt er t he Words of Allah. Surely, t here has reached you t he informat ion about t he Messengers (before you).) (35. If t heir aversion is hard on you, t hen if you were able t o seek a t unnel in t he ground or a ladder t o t he sky, so t hat you may bring t hem a sign. And had Allah willed, He could have gat hered t hem t oget her upon t rue guidance, so be not you one of t he ignorant .) (36. It is only t hose who list en, t hat will respond, but as for t he dead, Allah will raise t hem up, t hen t o Him t hey will be ret urned.)

Comforting the Prophet

Allah comfort s t he Prophet in his grief over his people's denial and defiance of him,

(We know indeed t he grief which t heir words cause you;) meaning, We know about t heir denial of you and your sadness and sorrow for t hem. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(So dest roy not yourself in sorrow for t hem.) 35:8 , and

(It may be t hat you are going t o kill yourself wit h grief, t hat t hey do not become believers.) 26:3 , and,

(Perhaps, you, would kill yourself in grief, over t heir foot st eps (for t heir t urning away from you), because t hey believe not in t his narrat ion.) 18:6 Allah's st at ement ,

(it is not you t hat t hey deny, but it is t he verses of Allah t hat t he wrongdoers deny.) means, t hey do not accuse you of being a liar,


(but it is t he Verses of Allah t hat t he wrongdoers deny. ) It is only t he t rut h t hat t hey rej ect and refuse. Muhammad bin Ishaq ment ioned t hat Az-Zuhri said t hat Abu Jahl, Abu Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb and Al-Akhnas bin Shurayq once came t o list en t o t he Prophet recit ing t he Qur'an at night , but t hese t hree men were not aware of t he presence of each ot her. So t hey list ened t o t he Prophet 's recit at ion unt il t he morning, and t hen left . They met each ot her on t heir way back and each one of t hem asked t he ot hers, "What brought you'' So t hey ment ioned t o each ot her t he reason why t hey came. They vowed not t o repeat t his incident so t hat t he young men of Quraysh would not hear of what t hey did and imit at e t hem. On t he second night , each one of t he t hree came back t hinking t hat t he ot her t wo would not come because of t he vows t hey made t o each ot her. In t he morning, t hey again met each ot her on t heir way back and crit icized each ot her, vowing not t o repeat what t hey did. On t he t hird night , t hey again went t o list en t o t he Prophet and in t he morning t hey again vowed not t o repeat t his incident . During t hat day, Al-Akhnas bin Shurayq t ook his st aff and went t o Abu Sufyan bin Harb in his house saying, "O Abu Hanzalah! What is your opinion concerning what you heard from Muhammad.'' Abu Sufyan said, "O Abu Tha` labah! By Allah, I have heard some t hings t hat I recognize and know t heir implicat ions. I also heard some t hings whose meaning and implicat ions were unknown t o me.'' Al-Akhnas said, "And I t he same, by He Whom you swore by!'' Al-Akhnas left Abu Sufyan and went t o Abu Jahl and asked him, "O Abu Al-Hakam! What is your opinion about what you heard from Muhammad. '' Abu Jahl said, "We compet ed wit h Bani ` Abd Manaf (t he Prophet 's subt ribe) and so we fed as t hey fed and gave away as t hey gave away. So, when we were neck and neck wit h t hem, j ust as t wo horses in a race, t hey said, ` There is a Prophet from among us, t o whom revelat ion from t he heaven comes.' So how can we ever beat t hem at t hat By Allah we will never believe in him or accept what he says.' This is when Al-Akhnas left Abu Jahl and went away.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(Verily, (many) Messengers were denied before you, but wit h pat ience t hey bore t he denial, and t hey were hurt , t ill Our help reached t hem,) This comfort s t he Prophet 's concern for t hose who denied and rej ect ed him. Allah also commands t he Prophet t o be pat ient , j ust as t he might y Messengers before him were. He also promised him vict ory, j ust as t he previous Messengers were vict orious and t he good end was t heirs, aft er t he denial and harm t heir people placed on t hem. Then, vict ory came t o t hem in t his life, j ust as vict ory is t heirs in t he Hereaft er. Allah said,

(and none can alt er t he Words of Allah.) This refers t o His decision t hat vict ory in t his life and t he Hereaft er is for His believing servant s. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

 - -
(And, verily, Our Word has gone fort h of old for Our servant s, t he Messengers. That t hey verily would be made t riumphant . And t hat Our host s, t hey verily would be t he vict ors.) 37:171173 , and,

(Allah has decreed: "Verily! It is I and My Messengers who shall be t he vict orious.'' Verily, Allah is All-Powerful, Almight y.) 58:21 Allah said;

(Surely, t here has reached you t he informat ion about t he Messengers (before you).) who were given vict ory and prevailed over t he people who rej ect ed t hem. And you (O Muhammad ), have a good example in t hem. Allah said next ,

(If t heir aversion is hard on you,) and you cannot be pat ient because of t heir aversion,

(t hen if you were able t o seek a t unnel in t he ground or a ladder t o t he sky...) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "If you were able t o seek a t unnel and bring t hem an Ayah, or go up a ladder in t he sky and bring a bet t er Ayah t han t he one I (Allah) gave t hem, t hen do t hat .'' Similar was report ed from Qat adah, As-Suddi and ot hers. Allah's st at ement ,

(And had Allah willed, He could have gat hered t hem t oget her upon t rue guidance, so be not you one of t he ignorant .) is similar t o His st at ement ,

(And had your Lord willed, t hose on eart h would have believed, all of t hem t oget her) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about Allah's st at ement ,

(And had Allah willed, He could have gat hered t hem t oget her upon t rue guidance,) "The Messenger of Allah was eager t hat all people believe and be guided t o follow him. Allah t old him t hat only t hose whose happiness Allah has writ t en in t he first Dhikr will believe.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(It is only t hose who list en, t hat will respond,) means, only t hose who hear t he speech, comprehend and underst and it , will accept your call, O Muhammad ! In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(That it may give warning t o him who is living, and t hat t he Word may be j ust ified against t he disbelievers.) 36:70 . Allah's st at ement ,

(but as for t he dead, Allah will raise t hem up, t hen t o Him t hey will be ret urned.) refers t o t he disbelievers because t heir heart s are dead. Therefore, Allah resembled t hem t o dead corpses as a way of mocking and belit t ling t hem, saying,

(but as for t he dead (disbelievers), Allah will raise t hem up, t hen t o Him t hey will be ret urned (for t heir recompense).)

- -
(37. And t hey said: "Why is not a sign sent down t o him from his Lord'' Say: "Allah is cert ainly able t o send down a sign, but most of t hem know not .'') (38. There is not a moving creat ure on eart h, nor a bird t hat flies wit h it s t wo wings, but are Umam like you. We have neglect ed not hing in t he Book, t hen unt o t heir Lord t hey (all) shall be gat hered.) (39. Those who rej ect Our Ayat are deaf and dumb in darkness. Allah sends ast ray whom He wills and He guides on t he st raight pat h whom He wills.)

The Idolators Ask for a Miracle

Allah st at es t hat t he idolat ors used t o proclaim, "Why does not (Muhammad) bring an Ayah from his Lord,'' meaning, a miracle of t heir choice! They would somet imes say,

("We shall not believe in you, unt il you cause a spring t o gush fort h from t he ground for us.'') 17:90 .


(Say: "Allah is cert ainly able t o send down a sign, but most of t hem know not .'') Cert ainly, Allah is able t o send an Ayah (sign). But , He decided out of His wisdom t o delay t hat , because if He sends an Ayah of t heir liking and t hey st ill do not believe, t his will hast en t heir punishment as wit h t he previous nat ions. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And not hing st ops Us from sending t he Ayat but t hat t he people of old denied t hem. And We sent t he she-camel t o Thamud as a clear sign, but t hey did her wrong. And We sent not t he signs except t o warn, and t o make t hem afraid (of dest ruct ion).) 17:59 , and,

(If We will, We could send down t o t hem from t he heaven a sign, t o which t hey would bend t heir necks in humilit y) 26:4 .

The Meaning of Umam

Allah said,

(There is not a moving (living) creat ure on eart h, nor a bird t hat flies wit h it s t wo wings, but are Umam like you.) Muj ahid comment ed, "Meaning, various species t hat have dist inct names.'' Qat adah said, "Birds are an Ummah, humans are an Ummah and t he Jinns are an Ummah.'' AsSuddi said t hat ,


(but are Umam like you.) means, creat ions (or species). Allah's st at ement ,

(We have neglect ed not hing in t he Book,) means, t he knowledge about all t hings is wit h Allah, and He never forget s any of His creat ures, nor t heir sust enance, nor t heir affairs, whet her t hese creat ures live in t he sea or on land. In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(And no moving creat ure is t here on eart h but it s provision is due from Allah. And He knows it s dwelling place and it s deposit (in t he ut erus, grave, et c.). All is in a Clear Book.) 11:6 , t here is a record of t heir names, numbers, movement s, and lack of movement . In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(And so many a moving creat ure t here is, t hat carries not it s own provision! Allah provides for it and for you. And He is t he All-Hearer, t he All-Knower.) 29:60 Ibn Abi Hat im report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about t he Ayah,

(t hen unt o t heir Lord t hey (all) shall be gat hered.) "Deat h gat hers t hem.'' It was also said t hat t he Day of Resurrect ion gat hers t hem, for in anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(And when t he wild beast s shall be gat hered t oget her.) 81:5 ` Abdur-Razzaq recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said about Allah's st at ement ,


(but are Umam like you. We have neglect ed not hing in t he Book, t hen unt o t heir Lord t hey (all) shall be gat hered.) "All creat ures will be gat hered on t he Day of Resurrect ion, t he beast s, birds and all ot hers. Allah's j ust ice will be so perfect , t hat t he un-horned sheep will receive ret ribut ion from t he horned sheep. Allah will t hen command t hem, ` Be dust !' This is when t he disbeliever will say,

("Woe t o me! Would t hat I were dust !'')'' 78: 40 . And t his was report ed from t he Prophet in t he Hadit h about t he Trumpet .

The Disbelievers will be Deaf and Mute in Darkness

Allah said,

(Those who rej ect Our Ayat are deaf and dumb in darkness.) due t o t heir ignorance, lit t le knowledge and minut e comprehension. Their example is t hat of t he deaf-mut e who cannot hear nor speak, as well as being blinded by darkness. Therefore, how can such a person find guidance t o t he pat h or change t he condit ion he is in Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

-
(Their parable is t hat of one who kindled a fire; t hen, when it illuminat ed all around him, Allah t ook away t heir light and left t hem in darkness. (So) t hey could not see. They are deaf, dumb, and blind, so t hey ret urn not (t o t he right pat h)) 2:17-18 , and,


(Or like t he darkness in a vast deep sea, overwhelmed wit h a great wave t opped by a great wave, t opped by dark clouds, darkness, one above anot her, if a man st ret ches out his hand, he can hardly see it ! And he for whom Allah has not appoint ed light , for him t here is no light . ) 24:40 This is why Allah said here,

(Allah sends ast ray whom He wills and He guides on t he st raight pat h whom He wills.) for He does what He wills wit h His creat ures.

- - - - -

(40. Say: "Tell me if Allah's t orment comes upon you, or t he Hour comes upon you, would you t hen call upon any one ot her t han Allah (Reply) if you are t rut hful!'') (41. Nay! To Him alone you call, and, if He willed, He would remove t hat (dist ress) for which you call upon Him, and you forget at t hat t ime what ever part ners you j oined wit h Him (in worship)!) (42. Verily, We sent (Messengers) t o many nat ions before you. And We seized t hem wit h ext reme povert y and loss of healt h so t hat t hey might believe wit h humilit y.) (43. When Our t orment reached t hem, why t hen did t hey not believe wit h humilit y But t heir heart s became hardened, and Shayt an made fair-seeming t o t hem t hat which t hey used t o do.) (44. So, when t hey forgot (t he warning) wit h which t hey had been reminded, We opened t o t hem t he gat es of every (pleasant ) t hing, unt il in t he midst of t heir enj oyment in t hat which t hey were given, all of a sudden, We t ook t hem t o punishment , and lo! They were plunged int o dest ruct ion wit h deep regret s and sorrows.) (45. So t he root s of t he people who did wrong were cut off. And all t he praises and t hanks be t o Allah, t he Lord of t he all t hat exist s.)

The Idolators Call On Allah Alone During Torment and Distress

Allah st at es t hat He does what He wills wit h His creat ures and none can resist His decision or avert what He decrees for t hem. He is t he One Who has no part ners, Who accept s t he supplicat ion from whomever He wills. Allah said,

(Say: "Tell me if Allah's t orment comes upon you, or t he Hour comes upon you, would you t hen call upon any one ot her t han Allah (Reply) if you are t rut hful!'') This means, you -- disbelievers -- will not call ot her t han Allah in t his case, because you know t hat none except He is able t o remove t he afflict ion. Allah said,

(if you are t rut hful) by t aking gods besides Him.

(Nay! To Him alone you call, and, if He willed, He would remove t hat (dist ress) for which you call upon Him, and you forget at t hat t ime what ever part ners you j oined wit h Him (in worship)!) for in t imes of necessit y, you only call on Allah and forget your idols and false deit ies. In anot her Ayah, Allah said;


(And when harm t ouches you upon t he sea, t hose t hat you call upon besides Him vanish from you except Him (Allah)) 17:67 . Allah said;

(Verily, We sent (Messengers) t o many nat ions before you. And We seized t hem wit h ext reme povert y...) That is, loss of wealt h and diminished provisions,

(and loss of healt h) various illnesses, diseases and pain,

(so t hat t hey might believe wit h humilit y) and call Allah and supplicat e t o Him wit h humbleness and humilit y. Allah said;

(When Our t orment reached t hem, why t hen did t hey not believe wit h humilit y) Meaning: Why do t hey not believe and humble t hemselves before Us when We t est t hem wit h disast er'

(But t heir heart s became hardened,) for t heir heart s are not soft or humble,

(and Shayt an made fair-seeming t o t hem t hat which t hey used t o do. ) That is, Shirk, defiance and rebellion.


(So, when t hey forgot (t he warning) wit h which t hey had been reminded,) by ignoring and t urning away from it ,

(We opened t o t hem t he gat es of everyt hing,) Meaning: ` We opened t he gat es of provisions for t hem from wherever t hey wished, so t hat We deceive t hem.' We seek refuge wit h Allah from such an end. This is why Allah said,

f(unt il in t he midst of t heir enj oyment in t hat which t hey were given,) such as wealt h, children and provisions,

(all of a sudden, We t ook t hem t o punishment and lo! They were plunged int o dest ruct ion wit h deep regret s and sorrows.) They have no hope for any t ype of good t hing. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "Whomever Allah gives provision and he t hinks t hat Allah is not t est ing him, has no wisdom. Whomever has lit t le provision and t hinks t hat Allah will not look at (provide for) him, has no wisdom.'' He t hen recit ed t he Ayah,

(So, when t hey forgot (t he warning) wit h which t hey had been reminded, We opened t o t hem t he gat es of every (pleasant ) t hing, unt il in t he midst of t heir enj oyment in t hat which t hey were given, all of a sudden, We t ook t hem t o punishment , and lo! They were plunged int o dest ruct ion wit h deep regret s and sorrows.) He added, "By t he Lord of t he Ka` bah! Allah deceived t hese people, when He gave t hem what t hey wished, and t hen t hey were punished.'' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t his st at ement .

 - - -
(46. Say: "Tell me, if Allah t ook away your hearing and your sight , and sealed up your heart s, is t here a god ot her t han Allah who could rest ore t hem t o you'' See how variously We explain t he Ayat , yet t hey t urn aside.) (47. Say: "Tell me, if t he punishment of Allah comes t o you suddenly, or openly, will any be dest royed except t he wrongdoing people'') (48. And We send not t he Messengers but as givers of glad t idings and as warners. So whosoever believes and does right eous good deeds, upon such shall come no fear, nor shall t hey grieve.) (49. But t hose who rej ect Our Ayat , t he t orment will st rike t hem for t heir rebelling.) Allah said t o His Messenger, say, O Muhammad , t o t hose rebellious liars,

(Tell me, if Allah t ook away your hearing and your sight .) j ust as He gave t hese senses t o you. In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(It is He Who has creat ed you, and endowed you wit h hearing, seeing.) 67:23 . The Ayah above might also mean t hat Allah will not allow t he disbelievers t o benefit from t hese senses in religious t erms. This is why He said next ,

(and sealed up your heart s,.) He also said in ot her Ayat ,


(Or who owns hearing and sight ) 10:31 , and,

(And know t hat Allah comes in bet ween a person and his heart .) Allah said;

(Is t here a god ot her t han Allah who could rest ore t hem t o you) Meaning, is t here anyone except Allah who is able t o give you back t hese senses if Allah t ook t hem from you Only Allah is able t o do so, and t his is why He said here,

(See how variously We explain t he Ayat ,) and make t hem plain and clear, t est ifying t o Allah's Oneness in lordship and t hat t hose worshipped besides Him are all false and unwort hy.

(yet t hey t urn aside.) Aft er t his explanat ion, t hey st ill t urn away from t he t rut h and hinder people from following it . Allah's st at ement ,

(Say: "Tell me, if t he punishment of Allah comes t o you suddenly...'') means, while you are unaware -- or during t he night -- st riking you all of a sudden,

(or openly) during t he day, or publicly,

(will any be dest royed except t he wrongdoing people) This t orment only st rikes t hose who commit inj ust ice against t hemselves by associat ing ot hers wit h Allah, while t hose who worship Allah alone wit hout part ners will be saved from it , and t hey will have no fear or sorrow. In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(It is t hose who believe and confuse not t heir belief wit h Zulm, (wrong or Shirk).) 6:82 Allah's st at ement ,

(And We send not t he Messengers but as bearers of glad t idings and as warners.) means, t he Messengers bring good news t o Allah's servant s, as well as, command all t hat is good and right eous. They also warn t hose who disbelieve in Allah of His anger and of all t ypes of t orment . Allah said,

(So whosoever believes and does right eous good deeds.) meaning, whoever believes in his heart wit h what t he Messengers were sent wit h and makes his works right eous by imit at ing t hem;

(upon such shall come no fear,) concerning t he fut ure,

(nor shall t hey grieve.) about what t hey missed in t he past and left behind t hem in t his world. Cert ainly, Allah will be t he Wali and Prot ect or over what t hey left behind. Allah said next ,

(But t hose who rej ect Our Ayat , t he t orment will st rike t hem for t heir rebelling.) The t orment will st rike t hem because of disbelieving in t he Message of t he Messengers, defying Allah's commands, commit t ing what He prohibit ed and t ransgressing His set limit s.

 - - - -
(50. Say: "I don't t ell you t hat wit h me are t he t reasures of Allah, nor (t hat ) I know t he Unseen; nor do I t ell you t hat I am an angel. I but follow what is revealed t o me.'' Say: "Are t he blind and t he one who sees equal Will you not t hen consider'') (51. And warn t herewit h t hose who fear t hat t hey will be gat hered before t heir Lord, when t here will be neit her a prot ect or nor an int ercessor for t hem besides Him, so t hat t hey may have Taqwa.) (52. And t urn not away t hose who invoke t heir Lord, morning and evening seeking His Face. You are account able for t hem in not hing, and t hey are account able for you in not hing, t hat you may t urn t hem away, and t hus become of t he wrongdoers.) (53. Thus We have t ried some of t hem wit h ot hers, t hat t hey might say: "Is it t hese (poor believers) t hat Allah has favored from amongst us'' Does not Allah know best t hose who are grat eful) (54. When t hose who believe in Our Ayat come t o you, say:

"Salamun ` Alaykum'' (peace be on you); your Lord has writ t en mercy for Himself, so t hat , if any of you does evil in ignorance, and t hereaft er repent s and does right eous good deeds, t hen surely, He is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

The Messenger Neither has the Key to Allah's Treasures, Nor Knows the Unseen
Allah said t o His Messenger ,

(Say: "I don't t ell you t hat wit h me are t he t reasures of Allah.'') meaning, I do not own Allah's t reasures or have any power over t hem,

(nor (t hat ) I know t he Unseen,) and I do not say t hat I know t he Unseen, because it s knowledge is wit h Allah and I only know what He conveys of it t o me.

(nor I t ell you t hat I am an angel.) meaning, I do not claim t hat I am an angel. I am only a human t o whom Allah sends revelat ion, and He honored me wit h t his dut y and favored me wit h it .

(I but follow what is revealed t o me.) and I never disobey t he revelat ion in t he least .

(Say: "Are t he blind and t he one who sees equal'') meaning, ` Is t he one who is guided, following t he t rut h, equal t o t he one misled'

(Will you not t hen consider) In anot her Ayah, Allah said;


(Shall he t hen who knows t hat what has been revealed t o you from your Lord is t he t rut h, be like him who is blind But it is only t he men of underst anding t hat pay heed.) 13:19 Allah's st at ement ,

(And warn t herewit h t hose who fear t hat t hey will be gat hered before t heir Lord, when t here will be neit her a prot ect or nor an int ercessor for t hem besides Him,) means, warn wit h t his Qur'an, O Muhammad ,

(Those who live in awe for fear of t heir Lord) 23:57 , who,

(Fear t heir Lord, and dread t he t errible reckoning.) 13:21 ,

(t hose who fear t hat t hey will be gat hered before t heir Lord,) on t he Day of Resurrect ion,

(when t here will be neit her a prot ect or nor an int ercessor for t hem besides Him, ) for on t hat Day, t hey will have no relat ive or int ercessor who can prevent His t orment if He decides t o punish t hem wit h it ,

(so t hat t hey may have Taqwa.) Therefore, warn of t he Day when t here will be no j udge except Allah,

(so t hat t hey may have Taqwa.) and t hus work good deeds in t his life, so t hat t heir good deeds may save t hem on t he Day of Resurrect ion from Allah's t orment , and so t hat He will grant t hem mult iple rewards.

Prohibiting the Messenger from Turning the Weak Away and the Order to Honor Them
Allah said,

(And t urn not away t hose who invoke t heir Lord, morning and evening seeking His Face.) meaning, do not t urn away t hose who have t hese qualit ies, inst ead make t hem your companions and associat es. In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(And keep yourself pat ient ly wit h t hose who call on t heir Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face, and let not your eyes overlook t hem, desiring t he pomp and glit t er of t he life of t he world; and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance, one who follows his own lust s and whose affair (deeds) has been lost .) 18:28 Allah's st at ement ,

(invoke t heir Lord...) refers t o t hose who worship Him and supplicat e t o Him,


(morning and evening.) referring t o t he obligat ory prayers, according t o Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib, Muj ahid, Al-Hasan and Qat adah. In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(And your Lord said, "Invoke Me, I will respond (t o your invocat ion).'') 40:60 , I will accept your supplicat ion. Allah said next ,

(seeking His Face.) meaning, t hey seek Allah's Most Generous Face, by sincerit y for Him in t he act s of worship and obedience t hey perform. Allah said;

(You are account able for t hem in not hing, and t hey are account able for you in not hing,) This is similar t o t he answer Nuh gave t o his people when t hey said,

(Shall we believe in you, when t he meekest (of t he people) follow you'') answered t hem, 26:111 . Nuh

-
(And what knowledge have I of what t hey used t o do Their account is only wit h my Lord, if you could (but ) know.) 26:112-113 , meaning, t heir reckoning is for Allah not me, j ust as my reckoning is not up t o t hem. Allah said here,

(t hat you may t urn t hem away, and t hus become of t he wrongdoers.) meaning, you will be unj ust if you t urn t hem away. Allah's st at ement ,

(Thus We have t ried some of t hem wit h ot hers) means, We t est ed, t ried and checked t hem wit h each ot her,

(That t hey might say: "Is it t hese (poor believers) t hat Allah has favored from amongst us'') This is because at first , most of t hose who followed t he Messenger of Allah were t he weak among t he people, men, women, slaves, and only a few chiefs or not ed men followed him. Nuh, was also addressed by his people

(Nor do we see any follow you but t he meekest among us and t hey (t oo) followed you wit hout t hinking.) 11:27 KHeraclius, emperor of Rome, asked Abu Sufyan, "Do t he noblemen or t he weak among people follow him (Muhammad )'' Abu Sufyan replied, "Rat her t he weak among t hem.'' Heraclius comment ed, "Such is t he case wit h followers of t he Messengers.'' The idolat ors of Quraysh used t o mock t he weak among t hem who believed in t he Prophet and t hey even t ort ured some of t hem. They used t o say, "Are t hese t he ones whom Allah favored above us,'' meaning, Allah would not guide t hese people, inst ead of us, t o all t hat is good, if indeed what t hey embraced is good. Allah ment ioned similar st at ement s in t he Qur'an from t he disbelievers,

(Had it been a good t hing, t hey (weak and poor) would not have preceded us t o it !) 46:11 , and,

(And when Our clear verses are recit ed t o t hem, t hose who disbelieve say t o t hose who believe: "Which of t he t wo groups is best in posit ion and st at ion.'') 19:73 Allah said in reply,

(And how many a generat ion (past nat ions) have We dest royed before t hem, who were bet t er in wealt h, goods and out ward appearance) 19:74 . Here, Allah answered t he disbelievers when t hey said,

("Is it t hese (poor believers) t hat Allah has favored from amongst us'' Does not Allah know best t hose who are grat eful) Meaning is not Allah more knowledgeable of t hose who t hank and appreciat e Him in st at ement , act ion and heart Thus Allah direct s t hese believers t o t he ways of peace, t ransfers t hem from darkness t o light by His leave, and guides t hem t o t he st raight pat h. In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(As for t hose who st rive hard for Us (Our cause), We will surely guide t hem t o Our pat hs (i.e. Allah's religion). And verily, Allah is wit h t he doers of good'') 29:69 . An aut hent ic Hadit h st at es,

(Allah does not look at your shapes or colors, but He looks at your heart and act ions.) Allah's st at ement ,

(When t hose who believe in Our Ayat come t o you, say: "Salamun ` Alaykum'' (peace be on you);) means, honor t hem by ret urning t he Salam and give t hem t he good news of Allah's exclusive, encompassing mercy for t hem. So Allah said;

(your Lord has writ t en Mercy for Himself,) meaning, He has obliged His Most Honored Self t o grant mercy, as a favor, out of His compassion and beneficence,

(So t hat , if any of you does evil in ignorance...) as every person who disobeys Allah does it in ignorance,

(and t hereaft er repent s and does right eous good deeds,) by repent ing from t he sins t hat he commit t ed, int ending not t o repeat t he sin in t he fut ure, but t o perform right eous deeds,

(t hen surely, He is Oft -Forgiving Most Merciful.) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(When Allah finished wit h t he creat ion, He wrot e in a Book t hat He has wit h Him above t he Throne, ` My mercy prevails over My anger'.) This Hadit h was also recorded in t he The Two Sahihs.

 - - -
(55. And t hus do We explain t he Ayat in det ail, t hat t he way of t he criminals, may become manifest .) (56. Say: "I have been forbidden t o worship t hose whom you invoke (worship) besides Allah.'' Say: "I will not follow your vain desires. If I did, I would go ast ray, and I would not be one of t he right ly guided.'') (57. Say: "I am on clear proof from my Lord, but you deny it . I do not have what you are hast ily seeking (t he t orment ). The decision is only for Allah, He declares t he t rut h, and He is t he best of j udges.'') (58. Say: "If I had t hat which you are asking for impat ient ly (t he t orment ), t he mat t er would have been set t led at once bet ween you and I, but Allah knows best t he wrongdoers.'') (59. And wit h Him are t he keys of t he Ghayb (all t hat is hidden), none knows t hem but He. And He knows what ever t here is on t he land and in t he sea; not a leaf falls, but he knows it . There is not a grain in t he darkness of t he eart h nor anyt hing fresh or dry, but is writ t en in a Clear Record.)

The Prophet Understands What He Conveys; Torment is in Allah's Hands Not the Prophet's
Allah says, j ust as We ment ioned t he clear signs t hat t est ify and direct t o t he pat h of guidance, all t he while chast ising useless argument s and defiance,

(And t hus do We explain t he Ayat in det ail,) t hat is, what ever responsible adult s need explained t o t hem, in t he affairs of life and religion,


(That t he way of t he criminals may become manifest .) so t hat t he pat h of t he criminals who defy t he Prophet s is apparent and clear. This Ayah was also said t o mean, so t hat you, O Muhammad , are aware of t he pat h of t he criminals. Allah's st at ement ,

(Say: "I am on clear proof from my Lord...'') means: I have a clear underst anding of t he Law of Allah t hat He has revealed t o me,

(but you deny it .) meaning, but you disbelieve in t he t rut h t hat came t o me from Allah.

(I do not have what you are hast ily seeking) meaning, t he t orment ,

(The decision is only for Allah,) for t he ruling of t his is wit h Allah. If He wills, He will punish you soon in response t o your wish! If He wills, He will give you respit e, out of His great wisdom. This is why Allah said,

(He declares t he t rut h, and He is t he best of j udges.) and t he best in reckoning bet ween His servant s. Allah's st at ement ,

(Say: "If I had t hat which you are asking for impat ient ly (t he t orment ), t he mat t er would have been set t led at once bet ween you and I,'') means, if I have what you ask for, I will surely send down what you deserve of it ,


(but Allah knows best t he wrongdoers) Someone might ask about t he meaning of t his Ayah compared t o t he Hadit h in t he Two Sahihs, from ` A'ishah, may Allah be pleased wit h her, t hat she said t o t he Messenger, "O Allah's Messenger ! Have you encount ered a day harder t han t he day (of t he bat t le) of Uhud'' The Prophet replied,

: : :
:


(Your people have t roubled me alot and t he worst t rouble was on t he day of ` Aqabah when I present ed myself t o Ibn ` Abd Yalil bin ` Abd Kulal, who did not respond t o my call. So I depart ed, overwhelmed wit h severe sorrow, proceeded on and could not relax unt il I found myself at Qarn At h-Tha` alib where I raised my head t owards t he sky t o see a cloud unexpect edly shading me. I looked up and saw Jibril in it and he called me saying, ` Indeed Allah has heard what you said t o t he people and what t hey have responded t o you. Therefore, Allah has sent t he Angel of t he Mount ains t o you so t hat you may order him t o do what ever you wish t o t hese people.' The Angel of t he Mount ains called and greet ed me, and t hen said, ` O Muhammad! verily, Allah has heard how your people responded t o you and He has sent me t o you so t hat you could order me t o do what you wish. If you like, I will let Al-Akhshabayn (t wo mount ains t o t he nort h and sout h of Makkah) fall on t hem.' The Prophet said, No, but I hope t hat Allah will let t hem generat e offspring who will worship Allah Alone, and will worship none besides Him.) This is t he wording of Muslim. Torment ing t he disbelievers of Quraysh was offered t o t he Prophet , but he chose pat ience and asked Allah for respit e for t hem, so t hat Allah might let t hem generat e offspring who will not associat e anyt hing wit h Him in worship. Therefore, how can we combine t he meaning of t his Hadit h and t he honorable Ayah,

(Say: "If I had t hat which you are asking for impat ient ly (t he t orment ), t he mat t er would have been set t led at once bet ween you and I, but Allah knows best t he wrongdoers.'') The answer t o t his quest ion is, Allah knows t he best , t hat t he Ayah st at es t hat if t he punishment t hat t hey asked for was in t he Prophet 's hand at t he t ime, he would have sent it on t hem as t hey asked. As for t he Hadit h, t he disbelievers did not ask t he Prophet t o send t he t orment down on t hem. Rat her, t he angel responsible for t he mount ains offered him t he choice t o let t he t wo mount ains t o t he nort h and sout h of Makkah close in on t he disbelievers and crush t hem. The Prophet did not wish t hat and asked for respit e out of compassion for t hem.

Only Allah Knows the Unseen

Allah said next ,

(And wit h Him are t he keys of t he Ghayb (all t hat is hidden), none knows t hem but He.) AlBukhari recorded t hat Salim bin ` Abdullah said t hat his fat her said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(The keys of t he Unseen are five and none except Allah knows t hem:

(Verily, Allah! Wit h Him (Alone) is t he knowledge of t he Hour, He sends down t he rain, and knows t hat which is in t he wombs. No person knows what he will earn t omorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allah is All-Knower, All-Aware)'') 31:34 . Allah's st at ement ,

(And He knows what ever t here is on t he land and in t he sea;) means, Allah's honored knowledge encompasses everyt hing, including t he creat ures living in t he sea and on land, and none of it , not even t he weight of an at om on eart h or in heaven, ever escapes His knowledge. Allah's st at ement ,

(not a leaf falls, but He knows it .) means, He knows t he movement s of everyt hing including inanimat e t hings. Therefore, what about His knowledge of t he living creat ures, especially, t hose whom t he Divine laws have been imposed upon such as mankind and t he Jinns In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(Allah knows t he fraud of t he eyes, and all t hat t he breast s conceal.) 40:19

 -
(60. It is He, Who t akes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all t hat you have done by day, t hen he raises (wakes) you up again, t hat a t erm appoint ed be fulfilled, t hen (in t he end), unt o Him will be your ret urn. Then He will inform you of what you used t o do.) (61. He is t he Qahir over His servant s, and He sends guardians over you, unt il when deat h approaches one of you, Our messengers t ake his soul, and t hey never neglect t heir dut y.) (62. Then t hey are ret urned t o Allah, t heir Mast er, t he Just Lord. Surely, His is t he j udgment and He is t he swift est in t aking account .)

The Servants are in Allah's Hands Before and After Death

Allah st at es t hat He brings deat h t o His servant s in t heir sleep at night , for sleep is minor deat h. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And (remember) when Allah said: "O ` Isa! I will t ake you and raise you t o Myself...'') 3:55 , and,

(It is Allah Who t akes away t he souls at t he t ime of t heir deat h, and t hose t hat die not during t heir sleep. He keeps t hose (souls) for which He has ordained deat h and sends t he rest for a t erm appoint ed.) 39:42 , ,t hus ment ioning bot h minor and maj or deat h. Allah says,


(It is He, Who t akes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all t hat you have done by day,) meaning, He knows t he deeds and act ions t hat you perform during t he day. This Ayah demonst rat es Allah's perfect knowledge of His creat ion, by day and night , and in t heir movement s and idleness. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(It is t he same (t o Him) whet her any of you conceal his speech or declare it openly, whet her he be hid by night or go fort h freely by day.) 13:10 , and

(It is out of His mercy t hat He made night and day, so t hat you may rest t herein), by night ,

(and t hat you may seek of His bount y) by day. Allah said,

-
(And (We) have made t he night as a covering. And (We) have made t he day for livelihood.) 78:10-11 . Allah said here,

(It is He, Who t akes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all t hat you have done by day,) 6:60 , Then said,


(t hen he raises (wakes) you up again,) by day, according t o Muj ahid, Qat adah and As-Suddi. Allah's st at ement ,

(t hat a t erm appoint ed be fulfilled) refers t o t he life span of every person,

(t hen (in t he end), unt o Him will be your ret urn.) on t he Day of Resurrect ion,

(Then He will inform you of what you used t o do.) He will reward you, good for good, and evil for evil. Allah's st at ement ,

(He is t he Qahir over His servant s.) The Qahir means, t he one who cont rols everyt hing, all are subservient t o His supreme grace, great ness and maj est y,

(and He sends guardians over you,) angels who guard mankind. In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(For each (person), t here are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by t he command of Allah.) 13:11 , wat ching his deeds and recording t hem. Allah said,

(But verily, over you (are appoint ed angels in charge of mankind) t o wat ch you.) 82:10 , and,

((Remember!) t hat t he t wo receivers (recording angels) receive, one sit t ing on t he right and one on t he left . Not a word does he ut t er, but t here is a wat cher by him, ready.) 50:17-18 . Allah's st at ement ,

(unt il when deat h approaches one of you...) refers t o, when one's life span comes t o an end and he is dying,

(Our messengers t ake his soul...) meaning, t here are angels who are responsible for t his j ob. Ibn ` Abbas and several ot hers said t hat t he Angel of Deat h has angels who pull t he soul from it s body and when it reaches t he t hroat , t he Angel of Deat h capt ures it . Allah said;

(and t hey never neglect t heir dut y.) They guard t he soul of t he dead person and t ake it t o wherever Allah wills, t o ` Illiyyin if he was among t he right eous, and t o Sij j in if he was among t he wicked (disbelievers, sinners, et c.), we seek refuge wit h Allah from t his end. Allah said next ,

(Then t hey are ret urned t o Allah, t heir Mast er, t he Just Lord.) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Prophet said,

 : : : : : :


(The angels at t end t he dying person. If he is a right eous person, t he angels will say, ` O pure soul from a pure body! Come out wit h honor and receive t he good news of rest , sat isfact ion and a Lord Who is not angry.' The angels will keep saying t his unt il t he soul leaves it s body, and t hey will t hen raise it up t o heaven and will ask t hat t he door be opened for t he soul and it will be asked, ` Who is t his' It will be said, ` (The soul of) so-and-so.' It will be said, ` Welcome, t o t he pure soul t hat inhabit ed t he pure body. Ent er wit h honor and receive t he good news of rest , sat isfact ion and a Lord Who is not angry.' This st at ement will be repeat ed unt il t he soul reaches t he heaven above which t here is Allah. If t he dying person is evil, t he angels will say, ` Get out (of your body), O wicked soul from a wicked body! Get out in disgrace and receive t he news of boiling fluid, a fluid dark, murky, int ensely cold and ot her (t orment s) of similar kind all t oget her - t o mat ch t hem.' This st at ement will be said repeat edly unt il t he evil soul leaves it s body. The soul will be raised up t o heaven and a request will be made t hat t he door be opened for it . It will be asked, ` Who is t his' It will be said, ` (The soul of ) so and so.' It will be said, ` No welcome t o t he wicked soul from t he wicked body. Ret urn wit h disgrace, for t he doors of heaven will not be opened for you.' So it will be t hrown from heaven unt il it ret urns t o t he grave. So t he right eous person sit s and similar is said t o him as before. And t he evil person sit s and similar is said t o him as before.) It is also possible t hat t he meaning of,

(Then t hey are ret urned...) refers t o t he ret urn of all creat ion t o Allah on t he Day of Resurrect ion, when He will subj ect t hem t o His j ust decision. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

-
(Say: "(Yes) verily, t hose of old, and t hose of lat er t imes. All will surely be gat hered t oget her for an appoint ed meet ing of a known Day.'') 56:49-50 and,

(And We shall gat her t hem all t oget her so as t o leave not one of t hem behind...) 18:47 unt il,

(And your Lord t reat s no one wit h inj ust ice.) 18:49 Allah said here,


(t heir Mast er, t he Just Lord. Surely, His is t he j udgement and He is t he swift est in t aking account .) 6:62

- -
(63. Say: "Who rescues you from t he dark recesses of t he land and t he sea, when you call upon Him begging and in secret (saying): ` If He (Allah) only saves us from t hese (dangers), we shall t ruly be grat eful.'') (64. Say: "Allah rescues you from t hese (dangers) and from all dist ress, and yet you commit Shirk.'') (65. Say: "He has t he power t o send t orment on you from above or from under your feet , or t o Yalbisakum in part y st rife, and make you t ast e t he violence of one anot her.'' See how variously We explain t he Ayat , so t hat t hey may underst and.)

Allah's Compassion and Generosity, and His Power and Torment

Allah ment ions how He favors His servant s, saving t hem during t imes of need, in t he darkness of land and at sea, such as when st orms st rike. In such cases, t hey call on Allah alone, wit hout part ners, in supplicat ion. In ot her Ayat , Allah said,

(And when harm st rikes you at sea, t hose t hat you call upon besides Him vanish from you except Him.) 17:67 ,


(He it is Who enables you t o t ravel t hrough t he land and t he sea, t ill when you are in t he ships and t hey sail wit h t hem wit h a favorable wind, and t hey rej oice, t hen comes a st ormy wind and t he waves come t o t hem from all sides, and t hey t hink t hat t hey are encircled t herein, t hey invoke Allah, making t heir fait h pure for Him alone, saying: "If You deliver us from t his, we shall t ruly be of t he grat eful''.) 10:22 , and,

(Is not He (bet t er t han your gods) Who guides you in t he darkness of t he land and t he sea, and Who sends t he winds as heralds of glad t idings, going before His mercy Is t here any god wit h Allah High Exalt ed be Allah above all t hat t hey associat e as part ners (wit h Him)!) 27:63 . Allah said in t his honorable Ayah,

(Say: "Who rescues you from t he dark recesses of t he land and t he sea, when you call upon Him begging and in secret .'') i.e., in public and secret ,

((Saying): ` If He (Allah) only saves us...) from t his dist ress,

(we shall t ruly be grat eful.) t hereaft er. Allah said,

(Say: "Allah rescues you from t hese (dangers) and from all dist ress, and yet you commit Shirk.'') meaning, yet you call ot her gods besides Him in t imes of comfort . Allah said;

(Say: "He has t he power t o send t orment on you from above or from under your feet ,'') He said t his aft er His st at ement ,

(And yet you commit Shirk. ) Allah said next ,

(Say: "He has t he power t o send t orment on you..''), aft er He saves you. Allah said in Surah Subhan (chapt er 17),

- -

 -
(Your Lord is He Who drives t he ship for you t hrough t he sea, in order t hat you may seek of His bount y. Truly! He is Ever Merciful t owards you. And when harm st rikes you upon t he sea, t hose t hat you call upon besides Him vanish from you except Him. But when He brings you safely t o land, you t urn away (from Him). And man is ever ungrat eful. Do you t hen feel secure t hat He will not cause a side of t he land t o swallow you up, or t hat He will not send against you a st orm of st ones Then, you shall find no guardian. Or do you feel secure t hat He will not send you back a second t ime t o sea, and send against you a hurricane of wind and drown you because of your disbelief, t hen you will not find any avenger t herein against Us) 17:66-69 . Al-Bukhari, may Allah grant him His mercy, comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(Say: "He has t he power t o send t orment on you from above or from under your feet , or t o Yalbisakum in part y st rife, and make you t ast e t he violence of one anot her.'' See how variously We explain t he Ayat , so t hat t hey may underst and.) "Yalbisakum means, ` cover you wit h confusion', So it means t o, ` divide int o part ies and sect s'. Jabir bin ` Abdullah said, ` When t his Ayah was revealed,

(Say: "He has power t o send t orment on you from above'') Allah's Messenger said,


(I seek refuge wit h Your Face.)

(or from under your feet ,) he again said,

(I seek refuge wit h Your Face.)

(or t o cover you wit h confusion in part y st rife, and make you t o t ast e t he violence of one anot her.) he said,

(This is less burdensome or easier.)''' Al-Bukhari recorded t his Hadit h again in t he book of Tawhid (in his Sahih), and An-Nasa'i also recorded it in t he book of Tafsir.

Another Hadith
Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Sa` d bin Abi Waqqas said, We accompanied t he Messenger of Allah and passed by t he Masj id of Bani Mu` awiyah. The Prophet went in and offered a t wo Rak` ah prayer, and we prayed behind him. He supplicat ed t o his Lord for a long t ime and t hen said,

:
(I asked my Lord for t hree: I asked Him not t o dest roy my Ummah (Muslims) by drowning and He gave t hat t o me. I asked Him not t o dest roy my Ummah by famine and He gave t hat t o me.

And I asked Him not t o make t hem t ast e t he violence of one anot her, but He did not give t hat t o me.) Muslim, but not Al-Bukhari, recorded t his Hadit h in t he book on Fit an (t rials) (of his Sahih).

Another Hadith
Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Khabbab bin Al-Arat t , who at t ended t he bat t le of Badr wit h t he Messenger of Allah , said, "I met Allah's Messenger during a night in which he prayed t hroughout it , unt il dawn. When t he Messenger of Allah ended his prayer, I said, ` O Allah's Messenger! This night , you have performed a prayer t hat I never saw you perform before.' Allah's Messenger said,

(Yes, it was a prayer of eagerness and fear. During t his prayer, I asked my Lord for t hree t hings and He gave me t wo and refused t o give me t he t hird. I asked my Lord not t o dest roy us wit h what He dest royed t he nat ions before us and He gave me t hat . I asked my Lord not t o make our enemies prevail above us and He gave me t hat . I asked my Lord not t o cover us wit h confusion in part y st rife, but He refused.) An-Nasa'i, Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, and At -Tirmidhi also recorded it . In t he book on Fit an, in Al-Jami` , At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih''. Allah's st at ement ,

(or t o cover you wit h confusion in part y st rife, ) means, He causes you t o be in disarray and separat e int o opposing part ies and groups. Al-Walibi (` Ali bin Abi Talhah) report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t his Ayah refers t o desires. Muj ahid and several ot hers said similarly. A Hadit h from t he Prophet , collect ed from various chains of narrat ion, st at es,


(And t his Ummah (Muslims) will divide int o sevent y - t hree groups, all of t hem in t he Fire except one.) Allah said;

(and make you t ast e t he violence of one anot her.) meaning, some of you will esperience t ort ure and murder from one anot her, according t o Ibn ` Abbas and ot hers. Allah said next ,

(See how variously We explain t he Ayat ,) by making t hem clear, plain and duly explained,

(So t hat t hey may underst and.) and comprehend Allah's Ayat , proofs and evidences.

- - -
(66. But your people have denied it (t he Qur'an) t hough it is t he t rut h. Say: "I am not responsible for your affairs.'') (67. For every news t here is a realit y and you will come t o know.) (68. And when you see t hose who engage in false conversat ion about Our verses (of t he Qur'an)

by mocking at t hem, st ay away from t hem t ill t hey t urn t o anot her t opic. And if Shayt an causes you t o forget , t hen aft er t he remembrance, sit not you in t he company of t hose people who are t he wrongdoers.) (69. There is no responsibilit y for t hem upon t hose who have Taqwa, but (t heir dut y) is t o remind t hem, t hat t hey may (at t ain) Taqwa.)

The Invitation to the Truth is Guidance Without Coercion

Allah said,

(But have denied it ) denied t he Qur'an, guidance and clear explanat ion t hat you (O Muhammad ) have brought t hem,

(your people) meaning, Quraysh,

(t hough it is t he t rut h.) beyond which t here is no ot her t rut h.

(Say: "I am not responsible for your affairs.'') meaning, I have not been appoint ed a guardian or wat cher over you. Allah also said;

(And say: "The t rut h is from your Lord.'' Then whosoever wills, let him believe, and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve.) 18:29 , This means, my dut y is t o convey t he Message and your dut y is t o hear and obey. Those who follow me, will acquire happiness in t his life and t he Hereaft er. Those who defy me will become miserable in t his life and t he Hereaft er. So Allah said;

(For every news t here is a realit y...) meaning, for every news, t here is a realit y, in t hat , t his news will occur, perhaps aft er a while, according t o Ibn ` Abbas and ot hers. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And you shall cert ainly know t he t rut h of it aft er a while.) 38:88 and,

((For) each and every mat t er t here is a decree (from Allah).) warning and a promise t hat will surely occur, 13:38 . This, indeed, is a

(and you will come t o know.) Allah's st at ement ,

(And when you see t hose who engage in false conversat ion about Our verses (of t he Qur'an)), by denying and mocking t hem.

The Prohibition of Sitting with Those Who Deny and Mock Allah's Ayat

(st ay away from t hem t ill t hey t urn t o anot her t opic.) unt il t hey t alk about a subj ect ot her t han t he denial t hey were engaged in.

(And if Shayt an causes you t o forget ...) This command includes every member of t his Ummah. No one is t o sit wit h t hose who deny and dist ort Allah's Ayat and explain t hem incorrect ly. If one forget s and sit s wit h such people,


(t hen aft er t he remembrance sit not you) aft er you remember,

(in t he company of t hose people who are t he wrongdoers.). A Hadit h st at es,

(My Ummah was forgiven unint ent ional errors, forget fulness and what t hey are coerced t o do.) The Ayah above 6:68 is t he Ayah ment ioned in Allah's st at ement ,

(And it has already been revealed t o you in t he Book t hat when you hear t he Verses of Allah being denied and mocked at , t hen sit not wit h t hem, unt il t hey engage in a t alk ot her t han t hat ; (but if you st ayed wit h t hem) cert ainly in t hat case you would be like t hem.) 4:140 , for, if you st ill sit wit h t hem, agreeing t o what t hey say, you will be j ust like t hem. Allah's st at ement ,

(There is no responsibilit y for t hem upon t hose who have Taqwa,) means, when t he believers avoid sit t ing wit h wrongdoers in t his case, t hey will be innocent of t hem and t hey will have saved t hemselves from t heir sin. Allah's st at ement ,

(but (t heir dut y) is t o remind t hem, t hat t hey may avoid t hat .), means, We commanded you t o ignore and avoid t hem, so t hat t hey become aware of t he error t hey are indulging in, t hat t hey may avoid t his behavior and never repeat it again.


(70. And leave alone t hose who t ake t heir religion as play and amusement , and are deceived by t he life of t his world. But remind (t hem) wit h it (t he Qur'an) lest a soul Tubsal for t hat which one has earned, when he will find for himself no prot ect or or int ercessor besides Allah, and even if he offers every ransom, it will not be accept ed from him. Such are t hey who are given up t o dest ruct ion because of t hat which t hey have earned. For t hem will be a drink of boiling wat er and a painful t orment because t hey used t o disbelieve.) Allah said,

(And leave alone t hose who t ake t heir religion as play and amusement , and are deceived by t he life of t his world.) The Ayah commands t o leave such people, ignore t hem and give t hem respit e, for soon, t hey will t ast e a t remendous t orment . This is why Allah said,

(But remind wit h it ) meaning, remind t he people wit h t his Qur'an and warn t hem against Allah's revenge and painful t orment on t he Day of Resurrect ion. Allah said;

(lest a soul Tubsal for t hat which one has earned,) meaning, so t hat it is not Tubsal. Ad-Dahhak from Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Al-Hasan and As-Suddi said t hat Tubsal means, be submissive. Al-Walibi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Tubsal means, ` be exposed'. Qat adah said t hat Tubsal means, ` be prevent ed', Murrah and Ibn Zayd said t hat it means, ` be recompensed', Al-Kalbi said, ` be reckoned'. All t hese st at ement s and expressions are similar, for t hey all mean

exposure t o dest ruct ion, being kept away from all t hat is good, and being rest rained from at t aining what is desired. Allah also said;

-
(Every person is rest rained by what he has earned. Except t hose on t he Right .) 74:38-39 , and

(when he will find for himself no prot ect or or int ercessor besides Allah,) and,

(and even if he offers every ransom, it will not be accept ed from him.) meaning, what ever t he ransom such people offer, it will not be accept ed from t hem. Allah said in a similar st at ement ,

(Verily, t hose who disbelieved, and died while t hey were disbelievers, t he (whole) eart h full of gold will not be accept ed from anyone of t hem.) 3:91 Allah said here,

(Such are t hey who are given up t o dest ruct ion because of t hat which t hey have earned. For t hem will be a drink of boiling wat er and a painful t orment because t hey used t o disbelieve. )

 - -
(71. Say: "Shall we invoke ot hers besides Allah (false deit ies), t hat can do us neit her good nor harm, and shall we t urn on our heels aft er Allah has guided us -- Like one whom t he Shayat in (devils) have made t o go ast ray, confused (wandering) t hrough t he land, his companions calling him t o guidance (saying): ` Come t o us.''' Say: "Verily, Allah's guidance is t he only guidance, and we have been commanded t o submit (ourselves) t o t he Lord of all t hat exist s.) (72. And t o perform t he Salah, and have Taqwa of Him, and it is He t o Whom you shall be gat hered.) (73. It is He Who has creat ed t he heavens and t he eart h in t rut h, and on t he Day He will say: "Be!'' it shall become. His Word is t he t rut h. His will be t he dominion on t he Day when t he Sur will be blown. All-Knower of t he unseen and t he seen. He is t he All-Wise, Well-Aware.)

The Parable of Those Who Revert to Disbelief After Faith and Good Deeds
As-Suddi said, "Some idolat ors said t o some Muslims, ` Follow us and abandon t he religion of Muhammad.' Allah sent down t he revelat ion,

(Say: "Shall we invoke ot hers besides Allah, t hat can do us neit her good nor harm, and shall we t urn on our heels...'') by revert ing t o disbelief,

("...aft er Allah has guided us.'') for if we do t his, our example will be like he whom t he devils have caused t o wander in confusion t hroughout t he land. Allah says here, your example, if you revert t o disbelief aft er you believed, is t hat of a man who went wit h some people on a road, but he lost his way and t he devils led him t o wander in confusion over t he land. Meanwhile, his companions on t he road were calling him t o come t o t hem saying, ` Come back t o us, for we are on t he pat h.' But , he refused t o go back t o t hem. This is t he example of he who follows t he devil aft er recognizing Muhammad , and Muhammad is t he person who is calling t he people t o t he pat h, and t he pat h is Islam.'' Ibn Jarir recorded t his st at ement .Allah's st at ement , j

(Like one whom t he Shayat in (devils) have made t o go ast ray (wandering) t hrough t he land, ) refers t o ghouls,

(calling him) by his name, his fat her's and his grandfat her's names. So he follows t he devils' call t hinking t hat it is a pat h of guidance, but by t he morning he will find himself dest royed and perhaps t hey eat him. The Jinns will t hen let him wander in a wast eland where he will die of t hirst . This is t he example of t hose who follow t he false gods t hat are being worshipped inst ead of Allah, Most Honored. Ibn Jarir also recorded t his. Allah said,

(Say: "Verily, Allah's guidance is t he only guidance,'') Allah said in ot her inst ances,

(And whomsoever Allah guides, for him t here will be none t o misguide him.) 39:37 , and,

(If you covet for t heir guidance, t hen verily Allah guides not t hose whom He makes t o go ast ray. And t hey will have no helpers.) 17:37 Allah's st at ement ,

(and we have been commanded t o submit t o t he Lord of all t hat exist s.) means, we were commanded t o worship Allah in sincerit y t o Him alone, wit hout part ners.

(And t o perform t he Salah, and have Taqwa of Him.) meaning, we were commanded t o perform t he prayer and t o fear Allah in all circumst ances,

(and it is He t o Whom you shall be gat hered.) on t he Day of Resurrect ion.

(It is He Who has creat ed t he heavens and t he eart h in t rut h.) meaning, in j ust ice, and He is t heir Originat or and Owner Who governs t heir affairs and t he affairs of t heir inhabit ant s. Allah said,

(and on t he Day He will say: "Be!'' it shall become.) Referring t o t he Day of Resurrect ion, which will come fast er t han t he blink of an eye, when Allah says t o it , ` Be.'

As-Sur; The Trumpet

Allah's st at ement ,

(on t he Day when t he Sur will be blown...) refers t o His st at ement ,

(and on t he Day He will say: "Be!'' it shall become.) as we st at ed above. Or, it means,

(His will be t he dominion on t he Day when t he Sur will be blown.) Allah said in ot her Ayat ,


(Whose is t he kingdom t his Day It is Allah's, t he One, t he Irresist ible!) 40:16 , and,

(The sovereignt y on t hat Day will be t he t rue (sovereignt y), belonging t o t he Most Beneficent (Allah), and it will be a hard Day for t he disbelievers.) 25:26 The Sur is t he Trumpet int o which t he angel Israfil, peace be upon him, will blow. The Messenger of Allah said,

(Israfil has held t he Sur in his mout h and lowered his forehead, await ing t he command t o blow in it .) Muslim recorded t his Hadit h in his Sahih. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said, "A bedouin man said, ` O Allah's Messenger! What is t he Sur' He said,

(A Trumpet which will be blown.)''

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- -
(74. And (remember) when Ibrahim said t o his fat her Azar: "Do you t ake idols as gods Verily, I see you and your people in manifest error.'') (75. Thus did we show Ibrahim t he kingdom of t he heavens and t he eart h t hat he be one of t hose who have fait h wit h cert aint y. ) (76. When t he night overcame him he saw a Kawkab. He said: "This is my lord.'' But when it Afala, he said: "I like not t hose t hat set .'') (77. When he saw t he moon rising up, he said: "This is my lord.'' But when it set , he said: "Unless my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among t he misguided people.'') (78. When he saw t he sun rising up, he said: "This is my lord. This is great er.'' But when it Afalat , he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all t hat you j oin as part ners in worship wit h Allah.) (79. Verily, I have t urned my face t owards Him Who has creat ed t he heavens and t he eart h, Hanifan, and I am not of t he idolat ors.'')

Ibrahim Advises his Father

Ibrahim advised, discouraged and forbade his fat her from worshipping idols, j ust as Allah st at ed,

(And (remember) when Ibrahim said t o his fat her Azar: "Do you t ake idols as gods'') meaning, do you worship an idol inst ead of Allah

(Verily, I see you and your people...) who follow your pat h,


(in manifest error) wandering in confusion unaware of where t o go. Therefore, you are in disarray and ignorance, and t his fact is clear t o all t hose who have sound reason. Allah also said,

- - - - - - -
(And ment ion in t he Book (t he Qur'an, t he st ory of) Ibrahim. Verily! He was a man of t rut h, a Prophet . When he said t o his fat her: "O my fat her! Why do you worship t hat which hears not , sees not and cannot avail you in anyt hing O my fat her! Verily! There has come t o me of knowledge t hat which came not unt o you. So follow me. I will guide you t o a st raight pat h. O my fat her! Worship not Shayt an. Verily! Shayt an has been a rebel against t he Most Beneficent (Allah). O my fat her! Verily! I fear lest a t orment from t he Most Beneficent (Allah) overt akes you, so t hat you become a companion of Shayt an (in t he Hell-fire).'' He (t he fat her) said: "Do you rej ect my gods, O Ibrahim If you st op not (t his), I will indeed st one you. So get away from me safely before I punish you.'' Ibrahim said: "Peace be on you! I will ask forgiveness of my Lord for you. Verily! He is unt o me, Ever Most Gracious. And I shall t urn away from you and from

t hose whom you invoke besides Allah. And I shall call on my Lord; and I hope t hat I shall not be unanswered in my invocat ion t o my Lord.'') 19:41-48 Ibrahim cont inued asking for forgiveness for his fat her for t he rest of his fat her's life. When his fat her died an idolat or and Ibrahim realized t his fact , he st opped asking Allah for forgiveness for him and disassociat ed himself from him. Allah said,

(And invoking for his fat her's forgiveness was only because of a promise he had made t o him. But when it became clear t o him t hat he was an enemy t o Allah, he dissociat ed himself from him. Verily Ibrahim was pat ient in supplicat ion and forbearing.) 9:114 . It was recorded in t he Sahih t hat Ibrahim will meet his fat her Azar on t he Day of Resurrect ion and Azar will say t o him, "My son! This Day, I will not disobey you.'' Ibrahim will say, "O Lord! You promised me not t o disgrace me on t he Day t hey are resurrect ed; and what will be more disgraceful t o me t han cursing and dishonoring my fat her'' Then Allah will say, "O Ibrahim! Look behind you!'' He will look and t here he will see (t hat his fat her was changed int o) a male hyena covered in dung, which will be caught by t he legs and t hrown in t he (Hell) Fire.''

Tawhid Becomes Apparent to Ibrahim

Allah's st at ement ,

(Thus did We show Ibrahim t he kingdom of t he heavens and t he eart h...) 6:75 , means, when he cont emplat ed about t he creat ion of t he heaven and eart h, We showed Ibrahim t he proofs of Allah's Oneness over His dominion and His creat ion, which indicat e t hat t here is no god or Lord except Allah. Allah said in ot her Ayat ;

(Say: "Behold all t hat is in t he heavens and t he eart h.'') 10:101 , and,


(See t hey not what is before t hem and what is behind t hem, of t he heaven and t he eart h If We will, We sink t he eart h wit h t hem, or cause a piece of t he sky t o fall upon t hem. Verily, in t his is a sign for every servant who t urns t o Allah.) 34:9 Allah said next ,

(When t he night overcame him) covered him wit h darkness,

(He saw a Kawkab) a st ar.

(He said: "This is my lord.'' But when it Afala,) meaning, set , he said,

(I like not t hose t hat set .) Qat adah comment ed, "Ibrahim knew t hat his Lord is Et ernal and never ceases.''


(When he saw t he moon rising up, he said: "This is my lord.'' But when it set , he said: "Unless my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among t he misguided people.'' When he saw t he sun rising up, he said: "This is my lord.'') t his radiat ing, rising st ar is my lord,

(This is great er) bigger t han t he st ar and t he moon, and more radiant .

(But when it Afalat ) set ,

(he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all t hat you j oin as part ners in worship wit h Allah. Verily, I have t urned my face...''), meaning, I have purified my religion and made my worship sincere,

("t owards Him Who has creat ed t he heavens and t he eart h,'') Who originat ed t hem and shaped t hem wit hout precedence,

(Hanifan) avoiding Shirk and embracing Tawhid. This is why he said next ,

("and I am not of t he idolat ors.'')

Prophet Ibrahim Debates with his People

We should not e here t hat , in t hese Ayat , Ibrahim, peace be upon him, was debat ing wit h his people, explaining t o t hem t he error of t heir way in worshipping idols and images. In t he first case wit h his fat her, Ibrahim explained t o his people t heir error in worshipping t he idols of eart h, which t hey made in t he shape of heavenly angels, so t hat t hey int ercede on t heir behalf wit h t he Glorious Creat or. His people t hought t hat t hey are t oo insignificant t o worship Allah direct ly, and t his is why t hey t urned t o t he worship of angels as int ercessors wit h Allah for t heir provisions, gaining vict ory and at t aining t heir various needs. He t hen explained t o t hem t he error and deviat ion of worshipping t he seven planet s, which t hey said were t he Moon, Mercury, Venus, t he Sun, Mars, Jupit er and Sat urn. The bright est of t hese obj ect s and t he most honored t o t hem was t he Sun, t he Moon t hen Venus. Ibrahim, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him, first proved t hat Venus is not wort hy of being worshipped, for it is subservient t o a t erm and course appoint ed t hat it does not defy, nor swerving right or left . Venus does not have any say in it s affairs, for it is only a heavenly obj ect t hat Allah creat ed and made bright out of His wisdom. Venus rises from t he east and set s in t he west where it disappears from sight . This rot at ion is repeat ed t he next night , and so fort h. Such an obj ect is not wort hy of being a god. Ibrahim t hen went on t o ment ion t he Moon in t he same manner in which he ment ioned Venus, and t hen t he Sun. When he proved t hat t hese t hree obj ect s were not gods, alt hough t hey are t he bright est obj ect s t he eyes can see,

(he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all t hat you j oin as part ners in worship wit h Allah.'') meaning, I am free from worshipping t hese obj ect s and from t aking t hem as prot ect ors. Therefore, if t hey are indeed gods as you claim, t hen all of you bring your plot against me and do not give me respit e.

(Verily, I have t urned my face t owards Him Who has creat ed t he heavens and t he eart h, Hanifan, and I am not one of t he idolat ors.) meaning, I worship t he Creat or of t hese t hings, Who originat ed and decreed t hem, and Who governs t heir affairs and made t hem subservient . It is He in Whose Hand is t he dominion of all t hings, and He is t he Creat or, Lord, King and God of all t hings in exist ence. In anot her Ayah, Allah said


(Indeed your Lord is Allah, Who creat ed t he heavens and t he eart h in six Days, and t hen He Ist awa (rose over) t he Throne. He brings t he night as a cover over t he day, seeking it rapidly, and (He creat ed) t he sun, t he moon, t he st ars, subj ect ing t hem t o His command. Surely, His is t he creat ion and commandment . Blessed be Allah, t he Lord of all t hat exist s!) 7:54 . Allah described Prophet Ibrahim,

-
(And indeed We best owed aforet ime on Ibrahim his (port ion of) guidance, and We were wellacquaint ed wit h him. When he said t o his fat her and his people: "What are t hese images, t o which you are devot ed'') 21:51-52 . These Ayat indicat e t hat Ibrahim was debat ing wit h his people about t he Shirk t hey pract iced.

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(80. His people disput ed wit h him. He said: "Do you disput e wit h me about Allah while He has guided me, and I fear not t hose whom you associat e wit h Allah in worship. (Not hing can happen t o me) except when my Lord wills somet hing. My Lord comprehends in His knowledge all t hings. Will you not t hen remember) (81. And how should I fear t hose whom you associat e in worship wit h Allah, while you fear not t hat you have j oined in worship wit h Allah t hings for which He has not sent down t o you any Sult an.(So) which of t he t wo part ies has more right t o be in securit y If you but know.'') (82. It is t hose who believe and confuse not t heir belief wit h Zulm (wrong), for t hem (only) t here is securit y and t hey are t he guided.) (83. And t hat was Our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people. We in degrees raise whom We will. Cert ainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.) Allah st at es t hat His Khalil, Prophet Ibrahim, said when his people ment ioned various doubt s and disput ed wit h him about t he Tawhid t hat he called t o:

(Do you disput e wit h me about Allah while He has guided me). The Ayah means, do you argue wit h me about Allah, ot her t han Whom t here is no god wort hy of worship, while He has guided me t o t he Trut h and made me aware of it Therefore, how can I ever consider your misguided st at ement s and false doubt s Ibrahim said next ,

(and I fear not t hose whom you associat e wit h Allah in worship. (Not hing can happen t o me) except when my Lord wills somet hing.) Ibrahim said, among t he proofs t o t he falsehood of your creed, is t hat t hese false gods t hat you worship do not bring about any effect , and I do not fear t hem or care about t hem. Therefore, if t hese gods are able t o cause harm, t hen use t hem against me and do not give me respit e. Ibrahim's st at ement ,

(except when my Lord wills somet hing.) means, only Allah causes benefit or harm.

(My Lord comprehends in His knowledge all t hings. ) meaning, Allah's knowledge encompasses all t hings and not hing escapes His complet e observat ion,


(Will you not t hen remember) what I explained t o you, considering your idols as false gods and refraining from worshipping t hem This reasoning from Prophet Ibrahim is similar t o t he argument t hat Prophet Hud used against his people, ` Ad. Allah ment ioned t his incident in His Book, when He said,

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(They said: "O Hud! No evidence have you brought us, and we shall not leave our gods for your (mere) saying! And we are not believers in you. All t hat we say is t hat some of our gods have seized you wit h evil.'' He said: "I call Allah t o wit ness - and bear you wit ness - t hat I am free from t hat which you ascribe as part ners in worship wit h Him (Allah). So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respit e. I put my t rust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creat ure but He has grasp of it s forelock. Verily, my Lord is on t he st raight pat h (t he t rut h).'') 11:53-56 Ibrahim's st at ement ,

(And how should I fear t hose whom you associat e. ..) means, how should I fear t he idols t hat you worship inst ead of Allah,

(while you fear not t hat you have j oined in worship wit h Allah t hings for which He has not sent down t o you any Sult an.) meaning, proof, according t o Ibn ` Abbas and ot hers among t he Salaf. Allah said in similar Ayat ;

(Or have t hey part ners who have inst it ut ed for t hem a religion which Allah has not allowed) 42:21 , and,

(They are but names which you have named, you and your fat hers, for which Allah has sent down no aut horit y.) 53:21 His st at ement ,

((So) which of t he t wo part ies has more right t o be in securit y If you but know.) means, which of t he t wo part ies is on t he t rut h, t hose who worship Him in Whose Hand is harm and benefit , or t hose who worship what cannot bring harm or benefit , wit hout aut horit y t o j ust ify worshipping t hem Who among t hese t wo part ies has more right t o be saved from Allah's t orment on t he Day of Resurrect ion Allah said,

(It is t hose who believe and confuse not t heir belief wit h Zulm (wrong), for t hem (only) t here is securit y and t hey are t he guided.) Therefore, t hose who worship Allah alone wit hout part ners, will acquire safet y on t he Day of Resurrect ion, and t hey are t he guided ones in t his life and t he Hereaft er.

Shirk is the Greatest Zulm (Wrong)

Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` Abdullah said, "When t he Ayah,

(and confuse not t heir belief wit h Zulm (wrong).) was revealed, t he Companions of t he Prophet said, ` And who among us did not commit Zulm against himself' The Ayah,

(Verily! Joining ot hers in worship wit h Allah is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed.) 31:13 , was lat er revealed.'' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdullah said, "When t his Ayah was revealed,

(It is t hose who believe and confuse not t heir belief wit h Zulm (wrong),) it was hard on t he people. They said, ` O Allah's Messenger! Who among us did not commit Zulm against himself' He said,

(It is not what you underst ood from it . Did you not hear what t he right eous servant (Luqman) said,

(O my son! Join not in worship ot hers wit h Allah. Verily! Shirk is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed.)) 31:13 . Therefore, it is about Shirk. Allah's st at ement ,

(And t hat was Our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people.) means, We direct ed him t o proclaim Our proof against t hem. Muj ahid and ot hers said t hat ` Our proof' refers t o,

(And how should I fear t hose whom you associat e in worship wit h Allah (t hough t hey can neit her benefit nor harm), while you fear not t hat you have j oined in worship wit h Allah t hings for which He has not sent down t o you any Sult an. (So) which of t he t wo part ies has more right t o be in securit y) Allah has t est ified Ibrahim's st at ement and affirmed securit y and guidance, saying;

(It is t hose who believe and confuse not t heir belief wit h Zulm, for t hem t here is securit y and t hey are t he guided.) Allah said,

(And t hat was Our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people. We raise in degrees whom We will.) And;

(Cert ainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.) He is All-Wise in His st at ement s and act ions, AllKnower of t hose whom He guides or misguides, and whet her t he proof was est ablished against t hem or not . Allah also said,

-
(Truly! Those, against whom t he Word (wrat h) of your Lord has been j ust ified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come t o t hem -- unt il t hey see t he painful t orment .) 10:96-97 This is why Allah said here,

(Cert ainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.)

 - - - - - -
(84. And We best owed upon him Ishaq and Ya` qub, each of t hem We guided, and before him, We guided Nuh and among his progeny Dawud, Sulayman, Ayyub, Yusuf, Musa, and Harun. Thus do We reward t he good-doers.) (85. And Zakariyya, and Yahya and ` Isa and Iliyas, each one of t hem was of t he right eous.) (86. And Isma` il and Al-Yasa` , and Yunus and Lut , and each one of t hem We preferred above t he ` Alamin (mankind and Jinns, of t heir t imes).) (87. And also some of t heir fat hers and t heir progeny and t heir bret hren, We chose t hem, and We guided t hem t o a st raight pat h.) (88. This is t he guidance of Allah wit h which He guides whomsoever He wills of His servant s. But if t hey had j oined in worship ot hers wit h Allah, all t hat t hey used t o do would have been of no benefit t o t hem.) (89. They are t hose whom We gave t he Book, Al-Hukm, and prophet hood. But if t hey disbelieve t herein, t hen, indeed We have ent rust ed it t o a people who are not disbelievers t herein.) (90. They are t hose whom Allah had guided. So follow t heir guidance. Say: "No reward I ask of you for t his (t he Qur'an). It is only a reminder for t he ` Alamin (mankind and Jinns).''

Ibrahim Receives the News of Ishaq and Ya` qub During His Old Age
Allah st at es t hat aft er Ibrahim became old and he, and his wife, Sarah, lost hope of having children, He gave t hem Ishaq. The angels came t o Ibrahim on t heir way t o t he people of Prophet Lut (t o dest roy t hem) and t hey delivered t he good news of a child t o Ibrahim and his wife. Ibrahim's wife was amazed at t he news,

-
(She said (in ast onishment ): "Woe unt o me! Shall I bear a child while I am an old woman, and here is my husband, an old man Verily! This is a st range t hing!'' They said: "Do you wonder at t he decree of Allah The mercy of Allah and His blessings be on you, O t he family of Ibrahim . Surely, He (Allah) is All-Praisewort hy, All-Glorious.'') 11:72-73 The angels also gave t hem t he good news t hat Ishaq will be a Prophet and t hat he will have offspring of his own. In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(And We gave him t he good news of Ishaq a Prophet from t he right eous.) 37:112 , which perfect s t his good news and complet es t he favor. Allah said,

(of Ishaq, and aft er him, of Ya` qub...) 11:71 , meaning, t his child will have anot her child in your lifet ime, so t hat your eyes are comfort ed by him, j ust as your eyes will be comfort ed by his fat her. Cert ainly, one becomes j ubilant and j oyous when he becomes a grandfat her, because t his means t hat his offspring will cont inue t o exist . It was also expect ed t hat if an elderly couple had children, due t o t he child's weakness, he would have no offspring. This is why Allah delivered t he good news of Ishaq and of his son Ya` qub, whose name lit erally means ` mult iplying and having offspring'. This was a reward for Ibrahim who left his people and migrat ed from t heir land so t hat he could worship Allah alone. Allah compensat ed Ibrahim wit h bet t er t han his people and t ribe when He gave him right eous children of his own, who would follow his religion, so t hat his eyes would be comfort ed by t hem. In anot her Ayah, Allah said; a


(So when he t urned away from t hem and from t hose whom t hey worshipped besides Allah, We gave him Ishaq and Ya` qub, and each one of t hem We made a Prophet .) 19:49 Allah said here,

(And We best owed upon him Ishaq and Ya` qub, each of t hem We guided,) Allah said;

(and before him, We guided Nuh...) meaning, We guided Nuh before and gave him right eous offspring, j ust as We guided Ibrahim and gave him right eous children.

Qualities of Nuh and Ibrahim

Each of t hese t wo Prophet s had special qualit ies. When Allah caused t he people of t he eart h t o drown, except t hose who believed in Nuh and accompanied him in t he ark, Allah made t he offspring of Nuh t he dwellers of t he eart h t hereaft er. Ever since t hat occurred, t he people of t he eart h were and st ill are t he descendant s of Nuh. As for Ibrahim, Allah did not send a Prophet aft er him but from his descendant s. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And We ordained among his (Ibrahim's) offspring prophet hood and t he Book.) 29:27 ,

(And indeed, We sent Nuh and Ibrahim, and placed in t heir offspring Prophet hood and t he Book.) 57:26 , and,


(Those were t hey unt o whom Allah best owed His grace from among t he Prophet s, of t he offspring of Adam, and of t hose whom We carried (in t he ship) wit h Nuh, and of t he offspring of Ibrahim and Isra'il and from among t hose whom We guided and chose. When t he verses of t he Most Beneficent (Allah) were recit ed unt o t hem, t hey fell down prost rat ing and weeping.) 19:58 Allah said in t his honorable Ayah here,

(and among his progeny...) meaning, We guided from among his offspring,

(Dawud, Sulayman...) from t he offspring of Nuh, according t o Ibn Jarir. It is also possible t hat t he Ayah refers t o Ibrahim since it is about him t hat t he blessings were originally ment ioned here, alt hough Lut is not from his offspring, for he was Ibrahim's nephew, t he son of his brot her Maran, t he son of Azar. It is possible t o say t hat Lut was ment ioned in Ibrahim's offspring as a generalizat ion. As Allah said,

(Or were you wit nesses when deat h approached Ya` qub When he said unt o his sons, "What will you worship aft er me'' They said, "We shall worship your God, and t he God of your fat hers, Ibrahim, Isma` il, Ishaq, One God, and t o Him we submit .'') 2:133 . Here, Isma` il was ment ioned among t he ascendant s of Ya` qub, alt hough he was Ya` qub's uncle. Similarly Allah said,

 -
(So t he angels prost rat ed t hemselves, all of t hem t oget her. Except Iblis -- he refused t o be among t hose t o prost rat e.) 15:30-31 . Allah included Iblis in His order t o t he angels t o prost rat e, and chast ised him for his opposit ion, all because he was similar t o t hem in t hat (order), so he was considered among t hem in general, alt hough he was a Jinn. Iblis was creat ed from fire while t he angels were creat ed from light . Ment ioning ` Isa in t he offspring of Ibrahim, or Nuh as we st at ed above, is proof t hat t he grandchildren from a man's daught er's side are included among his offspring. ` Isa is included among Ibrahim's progeny t hrough his mot her, alt hough ` Isa did not have a fat her. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Abu Harb bin Abi Al-Aswad said, "Al-Haj j aj sent t o Yahya bin Ya` mar, saying, ` I was t old t hat you claim t hat Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn are from t he offspring of t he Prophet , did you find it in t he Book of Allah I read t he Qur'an from beginning t o end and did not find it .' Yahya said, ` Do you not read in Surat AlAn` am,

(and among his progeny Dawud, Sulayman...) unt il,

(and Yahya and ` Isa...) Al-Haj j aj said, ` Yes.' Yahya said, ` Is not ` Isa from t he offspring of Ibrahim, alt hough he did not have a fat her' Al-Haj j aj said, ` You have said t he t rut h.''' For example, when a man leaves behind a legacy, a t rust , or gift t o his "offspring'' t hen t he children of his daught ers are included. But if a man gives somet hing t o his "sons'', or he leaves a t rust behind for t hem, t hen t hat would be part icular t o his male children and t heir male children. Allah's st at ement ,

(And also some of t heir fat hers and t heir progeny and t heir bret hren,) 6:87 , ment ions t hat some of t hese Prophet s' ascendant s and descendant s were also guided and chosen. So Allah said,

(We chose t hem, and We guided t hem t o a st raight pat h.)

Shirk Eradicates the Deeds, Even the Deeds of the Messengers

Allah said next ,

(This is t he guidance of Allah wit h which He guides whomsoever He wills of His servant s.) meaning, t his occurred t o t hem by Allah's leave and because He direct ed t hem t o guidance. Allah said;

(But if t hey had j oined in worship ot hers wit h Allah, all t hat t hey used t o do would have been of no benefit t o t hem.) This magnifies t he serious danger of Shirk and t he gravit y of commit t ing it . In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(And indeed it has been revealed t o you, as it was t o t hose (Allah's Messengers) before you: "If you j oin ot hers in worship wit h Allah, surely your deeds will be in vain.'') 39:65 ` If' here does not mean t hat t his would ever occur, as is similar in Allah's st at ement ;

(Say: "If t he Most Beneficent had a son, t hen I am t he first of Allah's worshippers.'') 43:81 , and

(If We int ended t o t ake a past ime (a wife or a son, et c.) We could surely have t aken it from Us, if We were going t o do (t hat )) 21:17 , and,

(If Allah willed t o t ake a son, He could have chosen whom He pleased out of t hose whom He creat ed. But glory be t o Him! He is Allah, t he One, t he Compelling.) 39:4 Allah said,

(They are t hose whom We gave t he Book, Al-Hukm, and prophet hood.) We best owed t hese bount ies on t hem, as a mercy for t he servant s, and out of our kindness for creat ion.

(But if t hey disbelieve t herein...) in t he prophet hood, or t he t hree t hings; t he Book, t he Hukm and t he prophet hood,

(They...) refers t o t he people of Makkah, according t o Ibn ` Abbas, Sa` id bin Al-Musayyib, AdDahhak, Qat adah, As-Suddi, and ot hers.

(t hen, indeed We have ent rust ed it t o a people who are not disbelievers t herein.) This Ayah means, if t he Quraysh and t he rest of t he people of t he eart h - Arabs and non-Arabs, illit erat e and t he People of t he Script ure - disbelieve in t hese bount ies, t hen We have ent rust ed t hem t o anot her people, t he Muhaj irun and Ansar, and t hose who follow t heir lead unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion,

(who are not disbelievers t herein.) They will not deny any of t hese favors, not even one let t er. Rat her, t hey will believe in t hem t ot ally, even t he part s t hat are not so clear t o some of t hem. We ask Allah t o make us among t hem by His favor, generosit y and kindness. Addressing His servant and Messenger, Muhammad , Allah said;

(They are...) t he Prophet s ment ioned here, along wit h t heir right eous fat hers, offspring and bret heren,

(t hose whom Allah had guided.) meaning, t hey alone are t he people of guidance,

(So follow t heir guidance.) Imit at e t hem. This command t o t he Messenger cert ainly applies t o his Ummah, according t o what he legislat es and commands t hem. While ment ioning t his Ayah, Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Muj ahid asked Ibn ` Abbas, "Is t here an inst ance where prost rat ion is warrant ed in Surah Sad'' Ibn ` Abbas said, "Yes.'' He t hen recit ed,

(...And We best owed upon him Ishaq and Ya` qub...) unt il,

(...So follow t heir guidance.) He comment ed, "He (our Prophet , Muhammad ) was among t hem.'' In anot her narrat ion, Muj ahid added t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Your Prophet was among t hose whose guidance we were commanded t o follow.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(Say: "No reward I ask of you for t his.'') means, I do not ask you for any reward for delivering t he Qur'an t o you, nor anyt hing else,

("It is only a reminder for t he ` Alamin (mankind and Jinns).'') so t hey are reminded by it and guided from blindness t o clarit y, from misguidance t o guidance, and from disbelief t o fait h.

 -
(91. They did not est imat e Allah wit h an est imat ion due t o Him when t hey said: "Not hing did Allah send down t o any human being (by inspirat ion).'' Say : "Who t hen sent down t he Book which Musa brought , a light and a guidance t o mankind which you (t he Jews) have made int o (separat e) papersheet s, disclosing (some of it ) and concealing much. And you were t aught t hat which neit her you nor your fat hers knew.'' Say: "Allah (sent it down).'' Then leave t hem t o play in t heir vain discussions.) (92. And t his is a blessed Book which We have sent down, confirming what came before it , so t hat you may warn t he Mot her of Towns and all t hose around it . Those who believe in t he Hereaft er believe in it , and t hey are const ant in guarding t heir Salah.)

The Messenger is but a Human to Whom the Book was Revealed by Inspiration
Allah says t hat t hose who rej ect ed His Messengers did not give Allah due considerat ion. Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid and ` Abdullah bin Kat hir said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about t he Quraysh. It was also said t hat it was revealed about some Jews.

(They said: "Not hing did Allah send down t o any human being (by inspirat ion).'') Allah also, said,

(Is it a wonder for mankind t hat We have inspired t o a man from among t hemselves (saying): "Warn mankind.'') 10:2 , and,

 -
(And not hing prevent ed men from believing when t he guidance came t o t hem, except t hat t hey said: "Has Allah sent a man as Messenger'' Say: "If t here were on t he eart h, angels walking about in peace and securit y, We should cert ainly have sent down for t hem from t he heaven an angel as a Messenger.'') 17:94-95 . Allah said here,

(They did not est imat e Allah wit h an est imat ion due t o Him when t hey said: "Not hing did Allah send down t o any human being (by inspirat ion).'') Allah answered t hem,

(Say : "Who t hen sent down t he Book which Musa brought , a light and a guidance t o mankind'') meaning, say, O Muhammad , t o t hose who deny t he concept t hat Allah sent down Books by revelat ion, answering t hem specifically,

(Who t hen sent down t he Book which Musa brought ) in reference t o t he Tawrah t hat you and all ot hers know t hat Allah sent down t o Musa, son of ` Imran. Allah sent t he Tawrah as a light and a guidance for people, so t hat it could shed light on t he answers t o various disput es, and t o guide away from t he darkness of doubt s. Allah's st at ement , .

(which you have made int o (separat e) papersheet s, disclosing (some of it ) and concealing (much).) means, you made t he Tawrah int o separat e sheet s which you copied from t he original

and alt ered, changed and dist ort ed as you wished. You t hen said, "t his is from Allah,'' meaning it is in t he revealed Book of Allah, when in fact , it is not from Allah. This is why Allah said here,

(which you have made int o (separat e) papersheet s, disclosing (some of it ) and concealing (much).) Allah said;

(And you were t aught t hat which neit her you nor your fat hers knew.) meaning, Who sent down t he Qur'an in which Allah t aught you t he news of t hose who were before you and t he news of what will come aft er, t hat neit her you nor your fat hers had knowledge of. Allah's st at ement ,

(Say: "Allah.'') ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Meaning, ` Say, Allah sent it down.''' Allah said,

(Then leave t hem t o play in t heir vain discussions.) leave t hem t o play in ignorance and misguidance unt il t he t rue news comes t o t hem from Allah. Then, t hey will know whet her t he good end is t heirs or for t he fearful servant s of Allah. Allah said,

(And t his is a Book,) t he Qur'an,

(Blessed, which We have sent down, confirming which came before it , so t hat you may warn t he Mot her of Towns) t hat is, Makkah,

(and all t hose around it ...) refering t o t he Arabs and t he rest of t he children of Adam, Arabs and non-Arabs alike. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(Say: "O mankind! Verily, I am sent t o you all as t he Messenger of Allah.'') 7:158 , and

("t hat I may t herewit h warn you and whomsoever it may reach.'') 6:19 , and

(but t hose of t he sect s who rej ect it , t he Fire will be t heir promised meet ing place) 11:17 and,

(Blessed be He Who sent down t he crit erion t o His servant t hat he may be a warner t o t he ` Alamin (mankind and Jinn).) 25:1 , and,

(And say t o t hose who were given t he Script ure and t o t hose who are illit erat es: "Do you submit yourselves'' If t hey do, t hey are right ly guided; but if t hey t urn away, your dut y is only t o convey t he Message; and Allah is All-Seer of (His) servant s.) 3:20 . It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs, t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(I have been given five t hings which were not given t o any one else before me.) The Prophet ment ioned among t hese five t hings,

(Every Prophet was sent only t o his nat ion, but I have been sent t o all people.) This is why Allah said,

(Those who believe in t he Hereaft er believe in it ,) meaning, t hose who believe in Allah and t he Last Day, believe in t his blessed Book, t he Qur'an, which We revealed t o you, O Muhammad ,

(and t hey are const ant in guarding t heir Salah.) for t hey perform what Allah ordered t hem, offering t he prayers perfect ly and on t ime.


(93. And who can be more unj ust t han he who invent s a lie against Allah, or says: "I have received inspirat ion,'' whereas he is not inspired in anyt hing; and who says, "I will reveal t he like of what Allah has revealed.'' And if you could but see when t he wrongdoers are in t he agonies of deat h, while t he angels are st ret ching fort h t heir hands (saying): "Deliver your souls! This day you shall be recompensed wit h t he t orment of degradat ion because of what you used t o ut t er against Allah ot her t han t he t rut h. And you used t o rej ect His Ayat wit h disrespect !'') (94. And t ruly you have come unt o Us alone, as We creat ed you t he first t ime. You have left behind you all t hat which We had best owed on you. We see not wit h you your int ercessors whom you claimed t o be your part ners. Now you and t hey have been cut off, and all t hat you used t o claim has vanished from you.)

None is Worse Than One who Invents a Lie Against Allah and Claims
Allah said,

(And who can be more unj ust t han he who invent s a lie against Allah,) Therefore, none is more unj ust t han one who lies about Allah claiming t hat He has part ners or a son, or falsely claiming t hat Allah sent him as a Prophet ;

(or says: "I have received inspirat ion,'' whereas he is not inspired wit h anyt hing;) ` Ikrimah and Qat adah said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about Musaylimah Al-Kadhdhab.

(and who says, "I will reveal t he like of what Allah has revealed.'') This refers t o he, who claims t hat t he lies he invent s rival t he revelat ion t hat came from Allah. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(And when Our verses (of t he Qur'an) are recit ed t o t hem, t hey say: "We have heard t his (t he Qur'an); if we wish we can say t he like of t his.'')

None is Worse Than One who Invents a Lie Against Allah and Claims that Revelation Came to Him
Allah said,

(And who can be more unj ust t han he who invent s a lie against Allah,) Therefore, none is more unj ust t han one who lies about Allah claiming t hat He has part ners or a son, or falsely claiming t hat Allah sent him as a Prophet ;

(or says: "I have received inspirat ion,'' whereas he is not inspired wit h anyt hing;) ` Ikrimah and Qat adah said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about Musaylimah Al-Kadhdhab.

(and who says, "I will reveal t he like of what Allah has revealed.'') This refers t o he, who claims t hat t he lies he invent s rival t he revelat ion t hat came from Allah. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(And when Our verses (of t he Qur'an) are recit ed t o t hem, t hey say: "We have heard t his (t he Qur'an); if we wish we can say t he like of t his.'')

The Condition of These Unjust People Upon Death and on the Day of Resurrection
Allah, t he Most Honored, said,

(And if you could but see when t he wrongdoers are in t he agonies of deat h...) suffering from t he hardhips, agonies and afflict ions of deat h,

(while t he angels are st ret ching fort h t heir hands...) beat ing t hem. Allah said in ot her Ayat :

(If you do st ret ch your hand against me t o kill me..) 5:28 and,

(And st ret ch fort h t heir hands and t heir t ongues against you wit h evil.) 60:2 Ad-Dahhak and Abu Salih said t hat , ` st ret ch fort h t heir hands,' means, ` wit h t orment '. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(And if you could see when t he angels t ake away t he souls of t hose who disbelieve t hey smit e t heir faces and t heir backs. ) 8:50 Allah said,

(while t he angels are st ret ching fort h t heir hands) beat ing t hem, unt il t heir souls leave t heir bodies, saying,

("Deliver your souls!'') When t he disbeliever is near deat h, t he angels will convey t he ` good news' t o him of t orment , vengeance, chains, rest raint s, Hell, boiling wat er and t he anger of t he Most Beneficent , Most Merciful. The soul will t hen scat t er in t he body of t he disbeliever and refuse t o get out of it . The angels will keep beat ing t he disbeliever unt il his soul exit s from his body,


((Saying): "Deliver your souls! This day you shall be recompensed wit h t he t orment of degradat ion because of what you used t o say about Allah ot her t han t he t rut h.'') This Ayah means, t oday, you will be ut t erly humiliat ed because you used t o invent lies against Allah and arrogant ly refused t o follow His Ayat and obey His Mesengers. There are many Hadit hs, of Mut awat ir grade, t hat explain what occurs when t he believers and disbelievers die, and we will ment ion t hese Hadit hs when explaining Allah's st at ement ,

(Allah will keep firm t hose who believe, wit h t he word t hat st ands firm in t his world, and in t he Hereaft er.) 14:27 Allah said next ,

(And t ruly you have come unt o Us alone as We creat ed you t he first t ime.) 6:94 , and t his st at ement will be said on t he Day of Ret urn. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(And t hey will be set before your Lord in rows, (and Allah will say): "Now indeed, you have come t o Us as We creat ed you t he first t ime.') 18:48 , meaning, j ust as We st art ed your creat ion, We brought you back, alt hough you used t o deny Resurrect ion and rej ect it s possibilit y. Therefore, t his is t he Day of Resurrect ion! Allah said,

(You have left behind you all t hat which We had best owed on you.) 6:94 , The wealt h and t he money t hat you collect ed in t he life of t he world, you left all t his behind you. It is recorded in t he Sahih t hat Allah's Messenger said,


(The Son of Adam says, ` My money, my money!' But , what part of your money do you have, ot her t han what you eat of it and is t hus spent , what you wear and t ear and what you gave in chairt y and t hus remains (in t he record of good deeds) Ot her t han t hat , you will depart and leave it t o t he people.) Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "On t he Day of Resurrect ion, t he Son of Adam will be brought , as if he were a golden chariot and Allah, t he Most Honored, will ask, ` Where is what you collect ed' He will reply, ` O Lord! I collect ed it and left it as int act as ever.' Allah will say t o him, ` O Son of Adam! Where is what you sent fort h for yourself (of right eous, good deeds),' and he will realize t hat he did not send fort h anyt hing for himself.'' Al-Hasan t hen recit ed t he Ayah,

(And t ruly you have come unt o Us alone as We creat ed you t he first t ime. You have left behind you all t hat which We had best owed on you.) Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t his st at ement . Allah said;

(We see not wit h you your int ercessors whom you claimed t o be your part ners.) This chast ises and crit icizes t he disbelievers for t he rivals, idols and images t hat t hey worshipped in t his life, t hinking t hey will avail t hem in t his life and upon Resurrect ion, if t here is Resurrect ion, as t hey t hought . On t he Day of Resurrect ion, all relat ionships will be cut off, misguidance will be exposed, and t hose whom t hey used t o call upon as gods will disappear from t hem. Allah will t hen call t hem, while t he rest of creat ion is list ening,

(Where are My (so-called) part ners whom you used t o assert ) 28:62 And,

 -
(And it will be said t o t hem: "Where are t hose t hat you used t o worship. Inst ead of Allah Can t hey help you or help t hemselves'') 26:92-93 Allah said here,

(We see not wit h you your int ercessors whom you claimed were part ners.) meaning part ners in worship. That is, part ners in a share of your worship.

(Now you and t hey have been cut off) or, t he Ayah is recit ed wit h t he meaning: all connect ions, means, and t ies bet ween you and t hem have been severed.

(and vanished from you) you have lost ,

(all t hat you used t o claim) of hope in t he benefit of t he idols and rivals (you worshipped wit h Allah). Allah said in ot her Ayat ,


(When t hose who were followed, declare t hemselves innocent and t hey see t he t orment , t hen all t heir relat ions will be cut followed will say: "If only we had one more chance t o ret urn, have disowned us.'' Thus Allah will show t hem t heir deeds as never get out of t he Fire.) 2:166-167 , and of t hose who followed (t hem), off from t hem. And t hose who we would disown t hem as t hey regret for t hem. And t hey will

(Then, when t he Trumpet is blown, t here will be no kinship among t hem t hat Day, nor will t hey ask of one anot her.) 23:101 , and

a(You have t aken (for worship) idols inst ead of Allah, and t he love bet ween you is only in t he life of t his world, but on t he Day of Resurrect ion, you shall disown each ot her, and curse each ot her, and your abode will be t he Fire, and you shall have no helper.) 29:25 , and

(And it will be said (t o t hem): "Call upon your part ners'', and t hey will call upon t hem, but t hey will give no answer t o t hem.) 28:64 , and

(And t he Day whereon We shall gat her t hem all t oget her, t hen We shall say t o t hose who commit t ed Shirk...) 10:28 unt il,

(And t heir invent ed false deit ies will vanish from t hem.) 10:30

- -
(95. Verily! It is Allah Who causes t he seed grain and t he fruit st one t o split and sprout . He brings fort h t he living from t he dead, and it is He Who brings fort h t he dead from t he living. Such is Allah, t hen how are you deluded away from t he t rut h) (96. (He is t he) Cleaver of t he daybreak. He has appoint ed t he night for rest ing, and t he sun and t he moon for reckoning. Such is t he measuring of t he Almight y, t he All-Knowing.) (97. It is He Who has set t he st ars for you, so t hat you may guide your course wit h t heir help t hrough t he darkness of t he land and t he sea. We have (indeed) explained in det ail Our Ayat for people who know.)

Recognizing Allah Through Some of His Ayat

Allah st at es t hat He causes t he seed grain and t he fruit st one t o split and sprout in t he ground, producing various t ypes, colors, shapes, and t ast es of grains and produce. The Ayah,

(Who causes t he seed grain and t he fruit st one t o split and sprout .) is explained by t he next st at ement ,


(He brings fort h t he living from t he dead, and it is He Who brings fort h t he deed from t he living.) meaning, He brings t he living plant from t he seed grain and t he fruit st one, which is a lifless and inanimat e obj ect . Allah said,

(And a sign for t hem is t he dead land. We gave it life, and We brought fort h from it grains, so t hat t hey eat t hereof.) 36:33 unt il,

(as well as of t heir own (human) kind (male and female), and of t hat which t hey know not .) 36:36 Allah's st at ement ,

(and it is He Who brings fort h t he dead from t he living. ) There are similar expressions in meaning such as, He brings t he egg from t he chicken, and t he opposit e. Ot hers said t hat it means, He brings t he wicked offspring from t he right eous parent and t he opposit e, and t here are ot her possible meanings for t he Ayah. Allah said,

(Such is Allah,) meaning, He Who does all t his, is Allah, t he One and Only wit hout part ners,

(t hen how are you deluded away from t he t rut h) meaning, look how you are deluded from Trut h t o t he falsehood of worshipping ot hers besides Allah. Allah's st at ement ,

((He is t he) Cleaver of t he daybreak. He has appoint ed t he night for rest ing,) means, He is t he Creat or of light and darkness. Allah said in t he beginning of t he Surah,

(And originat ed t he darkness and t he light .) Indeed, Allah causes t he darkness of t he night t o disappear and brings fort h t he day, t hus bringing bright eness t o t he world and light t o t he horizon, while dissipat ing darkness and ending t he night wit h it s dept h of darkness and st art ing t he day wit h it s bright ness and light . Allah said,

(He brings t he night as a cover over t he day, seeking it rapidly.) 7:54 In t his Ayah, Allah reminds of His abilit y t o creat e diversified t hings in opposit es, t est ifying t o His perfect great ness and supreme power. Allah st at es t hat He is t he Cleaver of t he daybreak and ment ioned it s opposit e, when He said,

(He has appoint ed t he night for rest ing,) meaning, creat ed darkness, in order for t he creat ion t o become halt and rest during it . Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

-
(By t he forenoon. And by t he night when it is st ill.) 93:1-2 ,

-
(By t he night as it envelops. And by t he day as it appears in bright ness.) 92:1,2 and,

-
(And by t he day as it shows up (t he sun's) bright ness. And by t he night as it conceals it .) 91:34 Allah's st at ement ,

(...And t he sun and t he moon for reckoning.) means, t he sun and t he moon have specific orbit s, according t o a t erm appoint ed wit h magnificent precision t hat never changes or alt ers. Bot h

t he sun and t he moon have dist inct posit ions t hat t hey assume in summer and wint er, effect ing changes in t he lengt h of night and day. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(It is He Who made t he sun a shining t hing and t he Moon as a light and measured out st ages for it .) 10:5 ,

(It is not for t he sun t o overt ake t he moon, nor does t he night out st rip t he day. They all float , each in an orbit .) 36:40 , And,

(The sun and t he moon; and t he st ars are subj ect ed by His command.) st at ement , 16:12 Allah's

(Such is t he measuring of t he Almight y, t he All-Knowing.) means, all of t his occurs according t o t he decree and due measurement of t he Almight y Who is never resist ed or cont radict ed. He is t he Knower of all t hings and not hing ever escapes His knowledge, not even t he weight of an at om on eart h or in heavens. Allah oft en ment ions t he creat ion of t he night , t he day, t he sun and t he moon and t hen ends His Speech by ment ioning His at t ribut es of power and knowledge, as in t his Ayah above 6:96 , and in His st at ement ,

-
(And a sign for t hem is t he night , We wit hdraw t herefrom t he day, and behold, t hey are in darkness. And t he sun runs on it s fixed course for a t erm. That is t he decree of t he Almight y,

t he All-Knowing.) 36:37-38 In t he beginning of Surat Ha-Mim As-Saj dah, aft er ment ioning t he creat ion of t he heavens and eart h and all t hat is in t hem, Allah said:

(And We adorned t he nearest (lowest ) heaven wit h lamps (st ars) t o be an adornment as well as t o guard. Such is t he decree of Him, t he Almight y, t he All-Knower.) 41:12 Allah said next ,

(It is He Who has set t he st ars for you, so t hat you may guide your course wit h t heir help t hrough t he darkness of t he land and t he sea.) Some of t he Salaf said; Whoever believes in ot her t han t hree t hings about t hese st ars, t hen he has made a mist ake, and lied against Allah. Indeed Allah made t hem as decorat ions for t he heavens, and t o shoot at t he Shayat in, and for direct ions in t he dark recesses of t he land and sea. Then, Allah said,

(We have explained in det ail Our Ayat .) meaning, We made t hem clear and plain,

(for people who know. ) who have sound minds and are able t o recognize t he t rut h and avoid falsehood.


(98. It is He Who has creat ed you from a single person, and has given you a place of residing and a place of st orage. Indeed, We have explained in det ail Our revelat ions for people who underst and.) (99. It is He Who sends down wat er from t he sky, and wit h it We bring fort h veget at ion of all kinds, and out of it We bring fort h green st alks, from which We bring fort h t hick clust ered grain. And out of t he dat e-palm and it s sprout s come fort h clust ers of dat es hanging low and near, and gardens of grapes, olives and pomegranat es, each similar, yet different . Look at t heir fruit s when t hey begin t o bear, and Yan` ih. Verily! In t hese t hings t here are signs for people who believe.) Allah said,

(It is He Who has creat ed you from a single person,) 6:98 in reference t o Adam, peace be upon him. In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(O mankind! Have Taqwa of your Lord, Who creat ed you from a single person, and from him He creat ed his mat e, and from t hem bot h He creat ed many men and women.) 4:1 Allah said,

(Must aqar and Must awda` ) Ibn Mas` ud, Ibn ` Abbas, Abu ` Abdur-Rahman As-Sulami, Qays bin Abu Hazim, Muj ahid, ` At a', Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, Ad-Dahhak, Qat adah, As-Suddi and ` At a' AlKhurasani and ot hers said t hat ,

(Must aqar), ` in t he wombs'. They, or most of t hem, also said t hat ,

(And Must awda` ,) means, ` in your fat her's loins'. Ibn Mas` ud and several ot hers said t hat , Must aqar, means residence in t his life, while, Must awda` , means t he place of st orage aft er deat h (t he grave). Allah's st at ement ,

(Indeed, We have explained in det ail Our revelat ions for people who underst and.) refers t o t hose who comprehend and underst and Allah's Words and it s meanings. Allah said next ,

(It is He Who sends down wat er (rain) from t he sky) in due measure, as a blessing and provision for t he servant s, relief and means of survival for t he creat ures and mercy from Allah for His creat ion. Allah's st at ement ,

(And wit h it We bring fort h veget at ion of all kinds,) is similar t o,

(And We have made from wat er every living t hing.) 21:30

(and out of it We bring fort h green st alks,) green produce and t rees, on which We grow seeds and fruit s.

(from which We bring fort h t hick clust ered grain.) lined on t op of each ot her in clust ers, like an ear or spike of grain.


(And out of t he dat e-palm and it s sprout s come fort h clust ers) of dat es

(hanging low) Wit hin reach and easy t o pick. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah Al-Walibi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(clust ers hanging low) refers t o short dat e t rees whose branches hang low, close t o t he ground. This was recorded by Ibn Jarir. Allah's st at ement

(and gardens of grapes,) means, We bring fort h gardens of grapes. Grapes and dat es are t he most precious fruit s t o t he people of Al-Hij az (West ern Arabia), and perhaps bot h are t he best fruit s in t his world. Allah has reminded His servant s of His favor in making t hese t wo fruit s for t hem, when He said,

(And from t he fruit s of dat e-palms and grapes, you derive st rong drink and a goodly provision.) 16:67 before int oxicat ing drinks were prohibit ed, and;

(And We have made t herein gardens of dat e-palms and grapes.) 36:34 . Allah said,

(olives and pomegranat es, each similar yet different .) The leaves are similar in shape and appearence, yet different in t he shape, and t ast e. And t he kind of fruit each plant produces is different , according t o t he explanat ion of Qat adah and several ot hers. Allah's st at ement ,


(Look at t heir fruit s when t hey begin t o bear, and Yan` ih.) means, when t he fruit s become ripe, according t o Al-Bara' bin ` Azib, Ibn ` Abbas, Ad-Dahhak, ` At a' Al-Khurasani, As-Suddi, Qat adah and ot hers. This Ayah means, cont emplat e t he abilit y of t he Creat or of t hese fruit s, Who brought t hem int o exist ence aft er t hey were dry wood, and t hey lat er became grapes and dat es; and similar is t he case wit h t he various colors, shapes, t ast es and fragrance of what ever Allah creat ed. Allah said,

(And in t he eart h are neighbouring t ract s, and gardens of vines, and green crops, and dat epalms, growing out , t wo or t hree from a single st em root , or ot herwise, wat ered wit h t he same wat er, yet some of t hem We make bet t er t han ot hers t o eat .) 13:4 This is why Allah said here,

(In t hese t hings t here are...) O people,

(signs...) and proofs t hat t est ify t o t he perfect abilit y, wisdom and mercy of He Who creat ed t hese t hings,

(for people who believe. ) in Allah and obey His Messengers.


(100. Yet , t hey j oin t he Jinns as part ners in worship wit h Allah, t hough He has creat ed t hem, and t hey at t ribut e, falsely wit hout knowledge - sons and daught ers t o Him. Be He Glorified and Exalt ed above what t hat t hey at t ribut e t o Him.)

Rebuking the Idolators

This Ayah refut es t he idolat ors who worshipped ot hers besides Allah and associat ed t he Jinns wit h Him in worship. Glory be t o Allah above t his Shirk and Kufr. If someone asks, how did t he idolat ors worship t he Jinns, alt hough t hey only were idol worshippers The answer is t hat in fact , t hey worshipped t he idols by obeying t he Jinns who commanded t hem t o do so. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

- - -
(They invoke not hing but female deit ies besides Him, and t hey invoke not hing but Shayt an, a persist ent rebel! Allah cursed him. And he Shayt an said: "I will t ake an appoint ed port ion of your servant s. Verily, I will mislead t hem, and surely, I will arouse in t hem false desires; and cert ainly, I will order t hem t o slit t he ears of cat t le, and indeed I will order t hem t o change t he nat ure creat ed by Allah.'' And whoever t akes Shayt an as a prot ect or inst ead of Allah, has surely suffered a manifest loss. He Shayt an makes promises t o t hem, and arouses in t hem false desires; and Shayt an's promises are not hing but decept ions. ) 4:117-120 and,


(Will you t hen t ake him (Iblis) and his offspring as prot ect ors and helpers rat her t han Me) 18:50 Ibrahim said t o his fat her,

("O my fat her! Worship not Shayt an. Verily! Shayt an has been a rebel against t he Most Beneficent (Allah).'') 19:44 Allah said,

-
(Did I not ordain for you, O Children of Adam, t hat you should not worship Shayt an. Verily, he is a plain enemy t o you. And t hat you should worship Me. That is a st raight pat h.) 36:60-61 On t he Day of Resurrect ion, t he angels will proclaim,

(Glorified be You! You are our Prot ect or inst ead of t hem. Nay, but t hey used t o worship t he Jinn; most of t hem were believers in t hem.) 34:41 This is why Allah said here,

(Yet , t hey j oin t he Jinns as part ners in worship wit h Allah, t hough He has creat ed t hem.) 6:100 , Alone wit hout part ners. Consequent ly, how is it t hat anot her deit y is being worshipped along wit h Him As Ibrahim said,

 -
("Worship you t hat which you (yourselves) carve While Allah has creat ed you and what you make!'') 37:95-96 Allah alone is t he Creat or wit hout part ners. Therefore, He Alone deserves t o be worshipped wit hout part ners. Allah said next ,

(And t hey Kharaqu (at t ribut e falsely) wit hout knowledge, sons and daught ers t o Him.) Allah ment ions t he misguidance of t hose who were led ast ray and claimed a son or offspring for Him, as t he Jews did wit h ` Uzayr, t he Christ ians wit h ` Isa and t he Arab pagans wit h t he angels whom t hey claimed were Allah's daught ers. Allah is far holier t han what t he unj ust , polyt heist people associat e wit h Him. The word, Kharaqu, means ` falsely at t ribut ed, invent ed, claimed and lied', according t o t he scholars of t he Salaf. Allah's st at ement next ,

(Be He Glorified and Exalt ed above (all) t hat t hey at t ribut e t o Him.) means, He is holier t han, hallowed, and Exalt ed above t he sons, rivals, equals and part ners t hat t hese ignorant , misled people at t ribut e t o Him.

(101. He is t he Badi` (Originat or) of t he heavens and t he eart h. How can He have children when He has no wife He creat ed all t hings and He is t he All-Knower of everyt hing.)

Meaning of Badi`
(He is t he Badi` of t he heavens and t he eart h) Meaning He originat ed, creat ed, invent ed and brought t hem int o exist ence wit hout precedence, as Muj ahid and As-Suddi said. This is why t he word for innovat ion - Bid` ah - comes from it , because it is somet hing t hat did not have a precedence.

(How can He have children when He has no wife) for t he child is t he offspring of t wo compat ible spouses. Allah does not have an equal, none of His creat ures are similar t o Him, for He alone creat ed t he ent ire creat ion. Allah said;

-
(And t hey say: "The Most Beneficent (Allah) has begot t en a son.'' Indeed you have brought fort h (said) a t errible evil t hing.) 19:88-89 , unt il,

(And everyone of t hem will come t o Him alone on t he Day of Resurrect ion.) 19:95 .

(He creat ed all t hings and He is t he All-Knower of everyt hing.) He has creat ed everyt hing and He is All-Knower of all t hings. How can He have a wife from His creat ion who is suit able for His maj est y, when t here is none like Him How can He have a child t hen Verily, Allah is Glorified above having a son.

-
(102. Such is Allah, your Lord! None has t he right t o be worshipped but He, t he Creat or of all t hings. So worship Him (alone), and He is t he Guardian over all t hings.) (103. No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision. He is t he Most Subt le, Well-Acquaint ed (wit h all t hings).)

Allah is Your Lord

Allah said,

(Such is Allah, your Lord!) Who creat ed everyt hing and has neit her a son nor a wife,


(None has t he right t o be worshipped but He, t he Creat or of all t hings. So worship Him,) Alone wit hout part ners, and at t est t o His Oneness, affirming t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Him. Allah has neit her descendant s, nor acsendant s, wife, equal or rival,

(And He is t he Guardian over all t hings.) meaning, Trust ee, Wat cher and Disposer of affairs for all t hings in exist ence, giving t hem provisions and prot ect ion by day and night . Seeing Allah in t he Hereaft er Allah said,

(No vision can grasp Him) in t his life. The vision will be able t o look at Allah in t he Hereaft er, as affirmed and at t est ed t o by t he numerous Hadit hs from t he Prophet t hrough aut hent ic chains of narrat ion in t he collect ions of t he Sahihs, Musnad and Sunan collect ions. As for t his life, Masruq narrat ed t hat ` A'ishah said, "Whoever claims t hat Muhammad has seen his Lord, will have ut t ered a lie against Allah, for Allah t he Most Honored, says,

(No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision.)'' In t he Sahih (Muslim) it is recorded t hat Abu Musa Al-Ash` ari narrat ed from t he Prophet ,

(Verily, Allah does not sleep and it does not befit His maj est y t hat He should sleep. He lowers t he scale (of everyt hing) and raises it . The deeds of t he day are ascended t o Him before t he night , and t he deeds of t he night before t he day. His Veil is t he Light -- or Fire -- and if He removes it (t he veil), t he Light of His Face will burn every creat ed t hing t hat His sight reaches.) In t he previous revealed Books t here is t his st at ement , "When Musa request ed t o see Him,

Allah said t o Musa: ` O Musa! Verily, no living t hing sees Me, but it dies and no dried t hings sees me, but it rolls up.' '' Allah said,

(So when his Lord appeared t o t he mount ain, He made it collapse t o dust , and Musa fell down unconscious. Then when he recovered his senses he said: "Glory be t o You, I t urn t o You in repent ance and I am t he first of t he believers.'') 7:143 . These Ayat , Hadit hs and st at ement s do not negat e t he fact t hat Allah will be seen on t he Day of Resurrect ion by His believing servant s, in t he manner t hat He decides, all t he while preserving His might and grace as t hey are. The Mot her of t he Fait hful, ` A'ishah, used t o affirm t hat Allah will be seen in t he Hereaft er, but denied t hat it could occur in t his life, ment ioning t his Ayah as evidence,

(No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision.) Her denial was a denial of t he abilit y t o encompass Him, meaning t o perfect ly see His grace and magnificance as He is, for t hat is not possible for any human, angel or anyt hing creat ed. Allah's st at ement ,

(but His grasp is over all vision.) means, He encompasses all vision and He has full knowledge of t hem, for He creat ed t hem all. In anot her Ayah, Allah said;

(Should not He Who has creat ed know And He is t he Most Subt le, Well Acquaint ed (wit h all t hings).) 67:14 It is also possible t hat ` all vision' refers t o t hose who have t he vision. As-Suddi said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision.) means, "Not hing sees Him (in t his life), but He sees all creat ion.'' Abu Al-` Aliyah said t hat Allah's st at ement ,


(He is t he Most Subt le, Well-Acquaint ed (wit h all t hings).) means, "He is t he Most Subt le, bringing fort h all t hings, Well-Acquaint ed wit h t heir posit ion and place.'' Allah knows best . In anot her Ayah, Allah ment ions Luqman's advice t o his son,

(O my son! If it be (anyt hing) equal t o t he weight of grain of must ard seed, and t hough it be in a rock, or in t he heavens or in t he eart h, Allah will bring it fort h. Verily, Allah is Most Subt le, Well Acquaint ed) 31:16

-
(104. Verily, Basa'ir (proofs) have come t o you from your Lord, so whosoever sees, will do so for (t he good of) himself, and whosoever blinds himself, will do so against himself, and I am not a Hafiz over you.) (105. Thus We explain variously t he verses so t hat t hey (t he disbelievers) may say: "You have Darast a (st udied)'' and t hat We may make t he mat t er clear for t he people who have knowledge.)

The Meaning of Basa'ir

Basa'ir are t he proofs and evidences in t he Qur'an and t he Message of Allah's Messenger . The Ayah,

(so whosoever sees, will do so for (t he good of) himself.) is similar t o,


(So whosoever receives guidance, he does so for t he good of himself, and whosoever goes ast ray, he does so at his own loss.) 10:108 Aft er Allah ment ioned t he Basa'ir, He said,

(And whosoever blinds himself, will do so against himself,) meaning, he will only harm himself. Allah said,

(Verily, it is not t he eyes t hat grow blind, but it is t he heart s which are in t he breast s t hat grow blind.) 22:46

(And I (Muhammad) am not a Hafiz over you. ) neit her responsible, nor a wat cher over you. Rat her, I only convey, Allah guides whom He wills and misguides whom He wills. Allah said,

(Thus We explain variously t he verses...) 6:105 , meaning, j ust as We explained t he Ayat in t his Surah, such as explaining Tawhid and t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah. This is how We explain t he Ayat and make t hem plain and clear in all circumst ances, t o suffice t he ignorance of t he ignorant ; and so t hat t he idolat ors and disbelievers who deny you say, ` O Muhammad! You have Darast a wit h t hose who were before you from among t he People of t he Book and learned wit h t hem'. Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr and Ad-Dahhak said similarly. At -Tabarani narrat ed t hat ` Amr bin Kaysan said t hat he heard Ibn ` Abbas saying, "Darast a, means, ` recit ed, argued and debat ed.''' This is similar t o Allah's st at ement about t he denial and rebellion of t he disbelievers, e

 -
(Those who disbelieve say, "This (t he Qur'an) is not hing but a lie t hat he has invent ed, and ot hers have helped him at it , so t hat t hey have produced an unj ust wrong (t hing) and a lie.'' And t hey say, "Tales of t he ancient s, which he has writ t en down, and t hey are dict at ed t o him morning and aft ernoon.'') 25:4-5 Allah described t he chief liar of t he disbelievers Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah Al-Makhzumi ,

- - - - - - -
(Verily, he t hought and plot t ed. So let him be cursed! How he plot t ed! And once more let him be cursed, how he plot t ed! Then he t hought . Then he frowned and he looked in a bad t empered way. Then he t urned back and was proud. Then he said, "This is not hing but magic from t hat of old. This is not hing but t he word of a human being!'') 74:18-25 Allah said next ,

(And t hat We may make t he mat t er clear for t he people who have knowledge.) The Ayah means, so t hat We explain t he mat t er t o a people who know t rut h, and t hus follow it , and know falsehood, and t hus avoid it . Allah's wisdom is perfect , He allows t he disbelievers t o st ray, and He guides t he people who have knowledge. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(By it He misleads many, and many He guides t hereby.) 2:26 , and;

(That He (Allah) may make what is t hrown in by Shayt an a t rial for t hose in whose heart s is a disease and whose heart s are hardened. ) 22:53 and,

(And verily, Allah is t he Guide of t hose who believe, t o t he st raight pat h.) 22:54 ,

(And We have set none but angels as guardians of t he Fire, and We have fixed t heir number only as a t rial for t he disbelievers, in order t hat t he People of t he Script ure may arrive at a cert aint y and t he believers may increase in fait h, and t hat no doubt s may be left for t he People of t he Script ure and t he believers, and t hat t hose in whose heart s is a disease (of hypocrisy) and t he disbelievers may say, "What does Allah int end by t his example'' Thus Allah leads ast ray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And none can know t he host s of your Lord but He.) 74:31 , and;

(And We send down in t he Qur'an t hat which is a healing and a mercy t o t he believers, and it increases t he wrongdoers in not hing but loss.) 17:82 , and,


(Say, "It is for t hose who believe, a guide and a healing. And as for t hose who disbelieve, t here is heaviness in t heir ears, and it is blindness for t hem. They are t hose who are called from a place far away.'') 41:44 There are similar Ayat t hat t est ify t hat Allah sent down t he Qur'an as guidance t o t hose who fear Him and t hat He guides or misguides whom He wills by t he Qur'an.

-
(106. Follow what has been inspired (revealed) t o you from your Lord, none has t he right t o be worshipped but He, and t urn aside from t he idolat ors.) (107. Had Allah willed, t hey would not have t aken ot hers besides Him in worship. And We have not made you Hafiz over t hem nor are you set over t hem t o dispose of t heir affairs.)

The Command to Follow the Revelation

Allah commands His Messenger and t hose who followed his pat h,

(Follow what has been inspired t o you from your Lord,) meaning, follow it , obey it and act according t o it . What has been revealed t o you from your Lord is t he Trut h, no doubt , and t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Him,

(and t urn aside from t he idolat ors) meaning, forgive t hem, be forbearing and endure t heir harm unt il Allah brings relief t o you, support s you and makes you t riumphant over t hem. Know

-- O Muhammad -- t hat t here is a wisdom behind misleading t he idolat ors, and t hat had Allah willed, He would have direct ed all people t o guidance,

(Had Allah willed, t hey would not have t aken ot hers besides Him in worship.) Allah's is t he perfect will and wisdom in all decrees and decisions, and He is never quest ioned about what He does, while t hey all will be quest ioned. Allah's st at ement ,

(And We have not made you Hafiz over t hem.) means, a wat cher who observes t heir st at ement s and deeds,

(Nor are you set over t hem t o dispose of t heir affairs. ) or t o cont rol t heir provision. Rat her, your only j ob is t o convey, j ust as Allah said,

-
(So remind t hem, you are only one who reminds. You are not a dict at or over t hem.) 88:21-22 and,

(Your dut y is only t o convey and on Us is t he reckoning.) 13:40

(108. And insult not t hose whom t hey worship besides Allah, lest t hey insult Allah wrongfully wit hout knowledge. Thus We have made fair seeming t o each people it s own doings; t hen t o t heir Lord is t heir ret urn and He shall inform t hem of all t hat t hey used t o do.)

The Prohibition of Insulting the False gods of the Disbelievers, So that they Do not Insult Allah
Allah prohibit s His Messenger and t he believers from insult ing t he false deit ies of t he idolat ors, alt hough t here is a clear benefit in doing so. Insult ing t heir deit ies will lead t o a bigger evil t han it s benefit , for t he idolat ors might ret aliat e by insult ing t he God of t he believers, Allah, none has t he right t o be worshipped but He. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t his Ayah 6:108 ; "They (disbelievers) said, ` O Muhammad! You will st op insult ing our gods, or we will insult your Lord.' Thereaft er, Allah prohibit ed t he believers from insult ing t he disbelievers' idols,

(lest t hey insult Allah wrongfully wit hout knowledge.)'' ` Abdur-Razzaq narrat ed t hat Ma` mar said t hat Qat adah said, "Muslims used t o insult t he idols of t he disbelievers and t he disbelievers would ret aliat e by insult ing Allah wrongfully wit hout knowledge. Allah revealed,

(And insult not t hose whom t hey worship besides Allah.)'' On t his same subj ect -- abandoning what carries benefit t o avert a great er evil - it is recorded in t he Sahih t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Cursed is he who insult s his own parent s!) They said, "O Allah's Messenger! And how would a man insult his own parent s'' He said,

(He insult s a man's fat her, and t hat man insult s his fat her, and insult s his mot her and t hat man insult s his mot her.) Allah's st at ement ,

(Thus We have made fair seeming t o each people it s own doings;) means, as We made fair seeming t o t he idolat ors loving t heir idols and defending t hem, likewise We made fair seeming t o every previous nat ion t he misguidance t hey indulged in. Allah's is t he most perfect proof, and t he most complet e wisdom in all t hat He wills and chooses.

(t hen t o t heir Lord is t heir ret urn,) gat hering and final dest inat ion,

(and He shall t hen inform t hem of all t hat t hey used t o do.) He will compensat e t hem for t heir deeds, good for good and evil for evil.

-
(109. And t hey swear t heir st rongest oat hs by Allah, t hat if t here came t o t hem a sign, t hey would surely believe t herein. Say: "Signs are but wit h Allah and what will make you perceive t hat (even) if it came, t hey will not believe'') (110. And We shall t urn t heir heart s and t heir eyes away, as t hey refused t o believe t herein for t he first t ime, and We shall leave t hem in t heir t respass t o wander blindly.)

Asking for Miracles and Swearing to Believe if They Come

Allah st at es t hat t he idolat ors swore t heir st rongest oat hs by Allah,

(t hat if t here came t o t hem a sign...) a miracle or phenomenon,

(t hey would surely believe t herein.) affirming it s t rut h,

(Say: "Signs are but wit h Allah.'') 6:109 meaning: Say, O Muhammad - t o t hose who ask you for signs out of defiance, disbelief and rebellion, not out of t he desire for guidance and knowledge - "The mat t er of sending signs is for Allah. If He wills, He sends t hem t o you, and if He wills, He ignores your request .'' Allah said next ,

(And what will make you perceive t hat (even) if it came, t hey will not believe) It was said t hat ` you' in ` make you preceive' refers t o t he idolat ors, according t o Muj ahid. In t his case, t he Ayah would mean, what makes you -- you idolat ors -- preceive t hat you are t rut hful in t he vows t hat you swore Therefore, in t his recit at ion, t he Ayah means, t he idolat ors will st ill not believe if t he sign t hat t hey asked for came. It was also said t hat ` you' in, ` what will make you preceive', refers t o t he believers, meaning, what will make you preceive, O believers, t hat t he idolat ors will st ill not believe if t he signs come. Allah also said,

("What prevent ed you (O Iblis) t hat you did not prost rat e, when I commanded you'') 7:12 and,

(And a ban is laid on every t own (populat ion) which We have dest royed t hat t hey shall not ret urn (t o t his world again).) 21:95 These Ayat mean: ` What made you, O Iblis, refrain from prost rat ing, alt hough I commanded you t o do so, and, in t he second Ayah, t hat village shall not ret urn t o t his world again. In t he Ayah above 6:109 , t he meaning t hus becomes: What makes you perceive, O believers, who wish eagerly for t he disbelievers t o believe, t hat if t he Ayat came t o t hem t hey would believe Allah said next ,

(And We shall t urn t heir heart s and t heir eyes away, as t hey refused t o believe t herein for t he first t ime,) Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about t his Ayah, "When t he idolat ors rej ect ed what Allah sent down, t heir heart s did not set t le on any one t hing and t hey t urned away from every mat t er (of benefit ).'' Muj ahid said t hat Allah's st at ement ,


(and We shall t urn t heir heart s and t heir eyes away, ) means, We prevent t hem from t he fait h, and even if every sign came t o t hem, t hey will not believe, j ust as We prevent ed t hem from fait h t he first t ime. Similar was said by ` Ikrimah and ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Allah ment ions what t he servant s will say before t hey say it and what t hey will do before t hey do it . Allah said;

(And none can inform you like Him Who is t he All-Knower.) 35:14 and,

(Lest a person should say, "Alas, my grief t hat I was undut iful t o Allah.'') 39:56 unt il,

("If only I had anot her chance, t hen I should indeed be among t he doers of good.'') 39:58 . So Allah, glory be t o Him, st at es t hat if t hey were sent back t o life, t hey would not accept t he guidance,

(But if t hey were ret urned, t hey would cert ainly revert t o t hat which t hey were forbidden. And indeed t hey are liars.) 6:28 Allah said,

(And We shall t urn t heir heart s and t heir eyes away (from guidance), as t hey refused t o believe t herein for t he first t ime,) meaning: ` If t hey were sent back t o t his life, t hey would be prevent ed from embracing t he guidance, j ust as We prevent ed t hem from it t he first t ime, when t hey were in t he life of t his world.'' Allah said,


(and We shall leave t hem...) and abandon t hem,

(in t heir t respass...) meaning, disbelief, according t o Ibn ` Abbas and As-Suddi. Abu Al-` Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Qat adah said t hat ` t heir t respass' means, ` t heir misguidance'. m

(t o wander blindly) or playfully, according t o Al-A` mash. Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, Abu Al-` Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` , Abu Malik and ot hers comment ed, "t o wander in t heir disbelief.''

(111. And even if We had sent down unt o t hem angels, and t he dead had spoken unt o t hem, and We had gat hered t oget her all t hings before t hem, t hey would not have believed, unless Allah willed, but most of t hem behave ignorant ly.) Allah says: ` Had We accept ed what t he disbelievers asked for,' t hat is -- t hose who swore t heir st rongest oat hs by Allah t hat if a miracle came t o t hem t hey would believe in it -- ` had We sent down angels, ' t o convey t o t hem Allah's Message, in order t o support t he t rut h of t he Messengers, as t hey asked, when t hey said,

(or you bring Allah and t he angels before (us) face t o face.) 17:92

(They said: "We shall not believe unt il we receive t he like of t hat which t he Messengers of Allah had received.'') 6:124 and,


(And t hose who expect not a meet ing wit h Us said: "Why are not t he angels sent down t o us, or why do we not see our Lord" Indeed t hey t hink t oo highly of t hemselves, and are scornful wit h great pride.) 25:21 Allah said,

(and t he dead had spoken unt o t hem,) This is, t o inform t hem of t he t rut h of what t he Messengers brought t hem;

(and We had gat hered t oget her all t hings before t hem,) before t heir eyes, as ` Ali bin Abi Talhah and Al-` Awfi report ed from Ibn ` Abbas. This is t he view of Qat adah and ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. This Ayah means, if all nat ions were gat hered before t hem, one aft er t he ot her, and each one t est ifies t o t he t rut h of what t he Messengers came wit h,

(t hey would not have believed, unless Allah willed,) for guidance is wit h Allah not wit h t hem. Cert ainly, Allah guides whom He wills and misguides whom He wills, and He does what He wills,

(He cannot be quest ioned about what He does, while t hey will be quest ioned.) 21:23 , This is due t o His knowledge, wisdom, power, supreme aut horit y and irresist ibilit y. Similarly, Allah said,

(Truly, t hose, against whom t he Word (wrat h) of your Lord has been j ust ified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come t o t hem, unt il t hey see t he painful t orment .) 10:96-97

-
(112. And so We have appoint ed for every Prophet enemies -- Shayat in among mankind and Jinn, inspiring one anot her wit h adorned speech as a delusion. If your Lord had so willed, t hey would not have done it ; so leave t hem alone wit h t heir fabricat ions.) (113. And Tasgha t o it t hat t he heart s of t hose who do not believe in t he Hereaft er may incline t o such (deceit ), and t hat t hey may remain pleased wit h it , and t hat t hey may commit what t hey are commit t ing.)

Every Prophet Has Enemies

Allah says, j ust as We made enemies for you, O Muhammad, who will oppose and rebel against you and become your adversaries, We also made enemies for every Prophet who came before you. Therefore, do not be saddened by t his fact . Allah said in ot her Ayat :

(Verily, Messengers were denied before you, but wit h pat ience t hey bore t he denial, and t hey were hurt ...) 6:34 , and,

(Not hing is said t o you except what was said t o t he Messengers before you. Verily, your Lord is t he Possessor of forgiveness, and (also) t he Possessor of painful punishment .) 41:43 and,


(Thus have We made for every Prophet an enemy among t he criminals.) 25:31 . Waraqah bin Nawfal said t o Allah's Messenger , "None came wit h what you came wit h but he was t he subj ect of enmit y.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(Shayat in among mankind...) refers t o,

(enemies. ..) meaning, t he Prophet s have enemies among t he devils of mankind and t he devils of t he Jinns. The word, Shayt an, describes one who is dissimilar t o his kind due t o his or her wickedness. Indeed, only t he Shayat in, may Allah humiliat e and curse t hem, from among mankind and t he Jinns oppose t he Messengers. ` Abdur-Razzaq said t hat Ma` mar narrat ed t hat Qat adah comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(Shayat in (devils) among mankind and Jinn...) "There are devils among t he Jinns and devils among mankind who inspire each ot her.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(inspiring one anot her wit h adorned speech as a delusion.) means, t hey inspire each ot her wit h beaut ified, adorned speech t hat deceives t he ignorant who hear it ,

(If your Lord had so willed, t hey would not have done it ;) for all t his occurs by Allah's decree, will and decision, t hat every Prophet had enemies from t hese devils,

(so leave t hem alone wit h t heir fabricat ions.) and lies. This Ayah orders pat ience in t he face of t he harm of t he wicked and t o t rust in Allah against t heir enmit y, for, "Allah shall suffice for you (O Muhammad) and aid you against t hem.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(And Tasgha t o it .) means, according t o Ibn ` Abbas, "incline t o it .''

(t he heart s of t hose who do not believe in t he Hereaft er...) t heir heart s, mind and hearing. AsSuddi said t hat t his Ayah refers t o t he heart s of t he disbelievers.

(And t hat t hey may remain pleased wit h it .) t hey like and adore it . Only t hose who disbelieve in t he Hereaft er accept t his evil speech, being enemies of t he Prophet s, et c., j ust as Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

- -
(So, verily, you (pagans) and t hose whom you worship (idols). Cannot lead ast ray. Except t hose who are predest ined t o burn in Hell!) 37:161-163 and,

-
(Cert ainly, you have different ideas. Turned aside t herefrom is he who is t urned aside.) 51:89 Allah said;

(And t hat t hey may commit what t hey are commit t ing. ) meaning, "let t hem earn what ever t hey will earn'', according t o ` Ali bin Abi Talhah who report ed t his from Ibn ` Abbas. As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd also comment ed, "Let t hem do what ever t hey will do.''

 -
(114. Say: "Shall I seek a j udge ot her t han Allah while it is He Who has sent down unt o you t he Book, explained in det ail." Those unt o whom We gave t he Script ure know t hat it is revealed from your Lord in t rut h. So be not you of t hose who doubt .) (115. And t he Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in t rut h and in j ust ice. None can change His Words. And He is t he All-Hearer, t he All-Knower.) Allah t ells His Prophet t o say t o t hese polyt heist s who worship ot hers besides Allah,

(Shall I seek a j udge ot her t han Allah...) bet ween you and I,

(while it is He Who has sent down unt o you t he Book, explained...) in det ail,

(and t hose unt o whom We gave t he Script ure) t he Jews and t he Christ ians,

(know t hat it is revealed from your Lord in t rut h.) because t he previous Prophet s have conveyed t he good news of you coming t o t hem. Allah's st at ement ,

(So be not you of t hose who doubt .) is similar t o His ot her st at ement ,


(So if you are in doubt concerning t hat which We have revealed unt o you, t hen ask t hose who are reading t he Book before you. Verily, t he t rut h has come t o you from your Lord. So be not of t hose who doubt (it ).) 10:94 The condit ional ` if' in t his Ayah does not mean t hat ` doubt ' will ever occur t o t he Prophet . Allah said,

(And t he Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in t rut h and in j ust ice.) Qat adah comment ed, "In t rut h concerning what He st at ed and in j ust ice concerning what He decided.'' Surely, what ever Allah says is t he t rut h and He is Most Just in what He commands. All of Allah's st at ement s are t rue, t here is no doubt or cause for speculat ion about t his fact , and all His commandment s are pure j ust ice, besides which t here is no j ust ice. All t hat He forbade is evil, for He only forbids what brings about evil consequences. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(He commands t hem wit h good; and forbids t hem from evil...) 7:157 unt il t he end of t he Ayah.

(None can change His Words.) meaning, none can avert Allah's j udgment whet her in t his life or t he Hereaft er,

(And He is t he All-Hearer,) Hearing, His servant s' st at ement s,

(The All-Knower.) of t heir act ivit ies and lack of act ivit y, Who awards each according t o t heir deeds.

 -
(116. And if you obey most of t hose on t he eart h, t hey will mislead you far away from Allah's pat h. They follow not hing but conj ect ure, and t hey do not hing but lie.) (117. Verily, your Lord! It is He Who knows best who st rays from His way, and He knows best t he right ly guided.)

Most People are Misguided

Allah st at es t hat most of t he people of t he eart h, are misguided. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And indeed most of t he men of old went ast ray before t hem.) 37:71 and,

(And most of mankind will not believe even if you eagerly desire it .) 12:103 They are misguided, yet t hey have doubt s about t heir way, and t hey rely on wishful t hinking and delusions.

(They follow not hing but conj ect ure, and t hey do not hing but lie.) Thus, t hey fulfill Allah's decree and decision concerning t hem,

(It is He Who knows best who st rays from His way.) and facilit at es t hat for him,

(And He knows best t he right ly guided.) He facilit at es t hat for t hem, all of t hem are facilit at ed for what He creat ed t hem.

(118. So eat of t hat on which Allah's Name has been ment ioned, if you are believers in His Ayat .) (119. And why should you not eat of t hat on which Allah's Name has been ment ioned, while He has explained t o you in det ail what is forbidden t o you, except under compulsion of necessit y And surely, many do lead ast ray by t heir own desires t hrough lack of knowledge. Cert ainly your Lord knows best t he t ransgressors.)

Allowing What was Slaughtered in the Name of Allah

This is a st at ement of permission from Allah, for His servant s, allowing t hem t o eat t he slaught ered animals werein His Name was ment ioned when slaught ering t hem. It is underst ood from it t hat He has not allowed t hat over which Allah's Name was not ment ioned when slaught ering. This was t he pract ice of t he pagans of Quraysh who used t o eat dead animals and eat what was slaught ered for t he idols. Allah next encourages eat ing from t he meat of sacrificed animals on which His Name was ment ioned upon slaught ering,

(And why should you not eat of t hat on which Allah's Name has been ment ioned, while He has explained t o you what is forbidden t o you...) meaning, He has explained and made clear t o you what He has prohibit ed for you in det ail,

(except under compulsion of necessit y.) In which case, you are allowed t o eat what ever you can find. Allah next ment ions t he ignorance of t he idolat ors in t heir misguided ideas, such as eat ing dead animals and what was sacrificed while ot her t han Allah's Name was ment ioned when slaught ering t hem. Allah said,

(And surely, many do lead ast ray by t heir own desires t hrough lack of knowledge. Cert ainly your Lord knows best t he t ransgressors.) He has complet e knowledge of t heir t ransgression, lies and invent ions.

(120. Leave sin, open and secret . Verily, t hose who commit sin will get due recompense for t hat which t hey used t o commit .) Muj ahid said t hat ,

(Leave evil, open and secret ...) refers t o all kinds of sins commit t ed in public and secret . Qat adah said t hat ,

(Leave sin, open and secret ...) encompasses sins commit t ed in public and secret , whet her few or many. In anot her st at ement , Allah said,

(Say: "(But ) t he t hings t hat my Lord has indeed forbidden are Al-Fawahish (evil sins) whet her commit t ed openly or secret ly.) 7:33 This is why Allah said,


(Verily, t hose who commit sin will get due recompense for t hat which t hey used t o commit .) Whet her t he sins t hey commit t ed were public or secret , Allah will compensat e t hem for t hese sins. Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat An-Nawwas bin Sam` an said, "I asked Allah's Messenger about Al-It hm. He said,

(The sin is t hat which you find in your heart and you dislike t hat people become aware of it .)

(121. Eat not of t hat on which Allah's Name has not been pronounced, for surely it is disobedience. And cert ainly, t he Shayat in do inspire t heir friends t o disput e wit h you, and if you obey t hem, t hen you would indeed be polyt heist s.)

The Prohibition of what was Slaughtered in other than Allah's Name

This Ayah is used t o prove t hat slaught ered animals are not lawful when Allah's Name is not ment ioned over t hem -- even if slaught ered by a Muslim. The Ayah about hunt ing game,

(So eat of what t hey (t rained hunt ing dogs or birds of prey) cat ch for you, but pronounce t he Name of Allah over it .) 5:4 support s t his. The Ayah here emphasized t his ruling, when Allah said,


(for surely it is disobedience.) They say t hat "it '' refers t o eat ing it , and ot hers say t hat it refers t o t he sacrifice for ot her t han Allah. There are various Hadit hs t hat order ment ioning Allah's Name when slaught ering and hunt ing. The Hadit h narrat ed by ` Adi bin Hat im and Abu Tha` labah (t hat t he Prophet said);

(When you send your t rained hunt ing dog and ment ion Allah's Name on releasing it , t hen eat from what ever it cat ches for you.) This Hadit h was collect ed in t he Two Sahihs. The Rafi` bin Khadij narrat ed t hat t he Prophet said;

(You can use what would make blood flow (i. e., slaught er) and you can eat what is slaught ered and t he Name of Allah is ment ioned at t he t ime of slaught ering.) This Hadit h was also collect ed in t he Two Sahihs. Ibn Mas` ud narrat ed t hat Allah's Messenger said t o t he Jinns.

((For food) you have every bone on which Allah's Name was ment ioned on slaught ering.) Muslim collect ed t his Hadit h. Jundub bin Sufyan Al-Baj ali said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever slaught ered before he prayed (t he ` Id prayer), let him slaught er anot her sacrifice in it s place. Whoever did not offer t he sacrifice before we finished t he prayer, let him slaught er and ment ion Allah's Name.) The Two Sahihs recorded t his Hadit h.

The Devil's Inspiration

Allah said,


(And cert ainly, t he Shayat in do inspire t heir friends t o disput e wit h you,) Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Abu Ishaq said t hat a man said t o Ibn ` Umar t hat Al-Mukht ar claimed t hat he received revelat ion. So Ibn ` Umar said, "He has said t he t rut h,'' and recit ed t his Ayah,

(And cert ainly, t he Shayat in do inspire t heir friends...) Abu Zamil said, "I was sit t ing next t o Ibn ` Abbas at a t ime when Al-Mukht ar bin Abi ` Ubayd was performing Haj j . So a man came t o Ibn ` Abbas and said, ` O Ibn ` Abbas! Abu Ishaq (Al-Mukht ar) claimed t hat he received revelat ion t his night .' Ibn ` Abbas said, He has said t he t rut h.' I was upset and said, ` Ibn ` Abbas says t hat Al-Mukht ar has said t he t rut h' Ibn ` Abbas replied, ` There are t wo t ypes of revelat ion, one from Allah and one from t he devil. Allah's revelat ion came t o Muhammad , while t he Shayt an's revelat ion comes t o his friends.' He t hen recit ed,

(And cert ainly, t he Shayat in do inspire t heir friends...) We also ment ioned ` Ikrimah's comment ary on t he Ayah,

(Inspiring one anot her wit h adorned speech as a delusion.) Allah said next ,

(t o disput e wit h you,) Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed;

(Eat not of t hat on which Allah's Name has not been ment ioned...) unt il,

(...t o disput e wit h you,) "The devils inspire t heir loyal support ers, ` Do you eat from what you kill but not from what Allah causes t o die''' As-Suddi said; "Some idolat ors said t o t he Muslims, ` You claim t hat you seek Allah's pleasure. Yet , you do not eat what Allah causes t o die, but you eat what you slaught er' Allah said,

(and if you obey t hem...), and eat dead animals,

(t hen you would indeed be polyt heist s. ) Similar was said by Muj ahid, Ad-Dahhak and several ot hers among scholars of t he Salaf.

Giving Preference to Anyone's Saying Over the Legislation of Allah is Shirk

Allah's st at ement ,

(and if you obey t hem, t hen you would indeed be polyt heist s.) means, when you t urn away from Allah's command and Legislat ion t o t he saying of anyone else, preferring ot her t han what Allah has said, t hen t his const it ut es Shirk. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(They (Jews and Christ ians) t ook t heir rabbis and t heir monks t o be t heir lords besides Allah.) 9:31 In explanat ion of t his Ayah, At -Tirmidhi recorded t hat ` Adi bin Hat im said, "O Allah's Messenger! They did not worship t hem.'' The Prophet said,

(Yes t hey did. They (monks and rabbis) allowed t he impermissible for t hem and t hey prohibit ed t he lawful for t hem, and t hey followed t hem in t hat . That was t heir worship of t hem.)


(122. Is he who was dead, and We gave him life, and set for him a light , whereby he can walk among men -- like him who is in t he darkness from which he can never come out Thus it is made fair seeming t o t he disbelievers t hat which t hey used t o do.)

The Parable of the Disbeliever and the Believer

This is an example t hat Allah has given of t he believer who was dead, meaning, wandering in confusion and misguidance. Then, Allah brought life t o him, by bringing life t o his heart wit h fait h, guiding him t o it and guiding him t o obeying His Messengers,

(And set for him a light whereby he can walk amongst men.) for he became guided t o where he should go and how t o remain on t he correct pat h. The light ment ioned here is t he Qur'an, according t o Ibn ` Abbas, as Al-` Awfi and Ibn Abi Talhah report ed from him. As-Suddi said t hat t he light ment ioned here is Islam. Bot h meanings are correct .

(Like him who is in t he darkness) of ignorance, desires and various t ypes of deviat ion,

(From which he can never come out ) for he is unable t o find a way out from what he is in. In Musnad Ahmad, it is recorded t hat t he Prophet said;


(Allah creat ed creat ion in darkness, t hen He showered His Light upon t hem. Whoever was st ruck by t hat light is guided, whoever it missed is ast ray.) Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(Allah is t he Guardian of t hose who believe. He brings t hem out from darkness int o light . But as for t hose who disbelieve, t heir friends are Taghut , t hey bring t hem out from light int o darkness. Those are t he dwellers of t he Fire, and t hey will abide t herein forever.) 2:257 , and

(Is he who walks prone on his face, more right ly guided, or he who walks upright on t he st raight way) 67:22 , and

(The parable of t he t wo part ies is as t he blind and t he deaf and t he seer and t he hearer. Are t hey equal when compared Will you not t hen t ake heed) 11:24 , and,

 - - - -
(Not alike are t he blind and t he seeing. Nor are darkness and light . Nor are t he shade and t he sun's heat . Nor are t he living and t he dead. Verily, Allah makes whom He wills t o hear, but you cannot make hear t hose who are in t he graves. You are only a warner.) 35:19-23 There are many ot her Ayat on t his subj ect . We explained before why Allah ment ioned t he light in t he singular sense and t he darkness in t he plural sense when we explained t he Ayah at t he beginning of t he Surah,

(And originat ed t he darknesses and t he light .) 6:1 Allah's st at ement ,

(Thus it is made fair seeming t o t he disbelievers t hat which t hey used t o do.) means, We made t heir ignorance and misguidance appear fair t o t hem, as Allah decreed out of His wisdom, t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Him alone wit hout part ners.


(123. And t hus We have set up in every t own great ones of it s wicked people t o plot t herein. But t hey plot not except against t hemselves, and t hey perceive (it ) not .) (124. And when t here comes t o t hem a sign t hey say: "We shall not believe unt il we receive t he like of t hat which t he Messengers of Allah received." Allah knows best wit h whom t o ent rust His Message. Humiliat ion and disgrace from Allah and a severe t orment will overt ake t he criminals for t hat which t hey used t o plot .)

Evil Plots of the Leaders of the Criminals and their Subsequent Demise
Allah says: Just as We appoint ed chiefs and leaders for t he criminals who call t o disbelief, hinder from t he pat h of Allah, and oppose and defy you in your t own, O Muhammad. Such was also t he case wit h t he Messengers before you, who were t est ed wit h t he same. But t he good end was always t heirs.' Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(Thus have We made for every Prophet an enemy among t he criminals.) 25:31 Allah said,

(And when We decide t o dest roy a t own, We send a definit e order t o t hose among t hem who lead a life of luxury, and t hey t ransgress t herein.) 17:16 meaning, We command t hem t o obey Us, but t hey defy t he command and as a consequence, We dest roy t hem. It was also said t hat , "We send a definit e order'', in t he last Ayah means, "We decree for t hem,'' as Allah st at ed here

(t o plot t herein.) Ibn Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas explained t he Ayah

(. ..great ones of it s wicked people t o plot t herein.) "We give t he leadership t o t hese wicked ones and t hey commit evil in it . When t hey do t his, We dest roy t hem wit h Our t orment .'' Muj ahid and Qat adah said t hat in t he Ayah,

(great ones) refers t o leaders. I say t hat t his is also t he meaning of Allah's st at ement s,

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(And We did not send a warner t o a t ownship, but t hose who were given t he worldly wealt h and luxuries among t hem, said: "We believe not in what you have been sent wit h." And t hey say: "We have t oo much wealt h and t oo many children and we are not going t o suffer punishment .") 34:34-35 And,

(And similarly, We sent not a warner before you t o any t own but t he luxurious ones among t hem said: "We found our fat hers following a cert ain way and religion, and we will indeed follow t heir foot st eps.'') 43:23 ` Plot ' in t he Ayah 6:123 refers t o beaut ified speech and various act ions wit h which t he evil ones call t o misguidance. Allah said about t he people of Prophet Nuh, peace be upon him,

(And t hey have plot t ed a might y plot . ) 71:22 Allah said,

 -
(But if you could see when t he wrongdoers will be made t o st and before t heir Lord, how t hey will cast t he (blaming) word one t o anot her! Those who were deemed weak will say t o t hose who were arrogant : "Had it not been for you, we should cert ainly have been believers.'' And t hose who were arrogant will say t o t hose who were deemed weak: "Did we keep you back from guidance aft er it had come t o you Nay, but you were criminals." Those who were deemed weak will say t o t hose who were arrogant : "Nay, but it was your plot t ing by night and day, when you ordered us t o disbelieve in Allah and set up rivals for Him!") 34:31-33 . Ibn Abi Hat im report ed t hat Ibn Abi ` Umar said t hat Sufyan said, "Every ` plot ' ment ioned in t he Qur'an refers t o act ions.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(But t hey plot not except against t hemselves, and t hey perceive (it ) not .) means, t he harm of t heir wicked plot s, as well as misguiding t hose whom t hey lead ast ray, will only st rike t hem. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And verily, t hey shall bear t heir own loads, and ot her loads besides t heir own.) 29:13 and,

(And also of t he burdens of t hose whom t hey misled wit hout knowledge. Evil indeed is t hat which t hey shall bear!) 16:25 . Allah said;

(And when t here comes t o t hem a sign t hey say: "We shall not believe unt il we receive t he like of t hat which t he Messengers of Allah received.'') When t here comes t o t hem a sign t hey say,

("We shall not believe unt il we receive t he like of t hat which t he Messengers of Allah received.") unt il t he angels bring us t he Message from Allah, j ust as t hey brought it t o t he Messengers. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

(And t hose who expect not a meet ing wit h Us said: "Why are not t he angels sent down t o us, or why do we not see our Lord") 25:21 . Allah's st at ement ,

(Allah knows best wit h whom t o ent rust His Message.) means, He knows best wit h whom His Message should be given and which of His creat ures are suit able for it . Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And t hey say: "Why is not t his Qur'an sent down t o some great man of t he t wo t owns" Is it t hey who would port ion out t he mercy of your Lord) 43:31-32 . They said, why was not t his Qur'an revealed t o a might y, respect able leader, honored by us,

(...from one of t he t wo t owns) Of Makkah and At -Ta'if. This is because t hey, may Allah curse t hem, belit t led t he Messenger out of envy, t ransgression, rebellion and defiance. Allah described t hem,

(And when t hey see you, t hey only mock: "Is t his t he one whom Allah has sent as a Messenger") 25:41 and

(And when t hose who disbelieved see you, t hey only mock at you: "Is t his t he one who t alks about your gods" While t hey disbelieve at t he ment ion of t he Most Gracious (Allah).) 21:36 , and,

(Indeed Messengers were mocked before, but t he scoffers were surrounded by t hat , whereat t hey used t o mock.) 21:41

The Disbelievers Admit to the Prophet's Nobility of Lineage

The disbelievers did all of t his alt hough t hey admit t ed t o t he Prophet 's virt ue, honorable lineage, respect able ancest ry and purit y of household and upbringing, may Allah, His angels, and t he believers send blessings upon him. The disbelievers used t o call t he Prophet , before he received revelat ion, ` Al-Amin' -- t he Trut hful. The leader of t he Quraysh disbelievers, Abu Sufyan, had t o admit t o t his fact when Heraclius, emperor of Rome, asked him, "How honorable is his (t he Prophet 's) ancest ral lineage among you'' Abu Sufyan answered, "His ancest ry is highly regarded among us.'' Heraclius asked, "Do you find t hat he lied, before he st art ed his mission'' Abu Sufyan replied, "No.'' The emperor of Rome relied on t he honor and purit y of t he Prophet t o recognize t he t rut h of his prophet hood and what he came wit h. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Wat hilah bin Al-Asqa` said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(Verily, Allah has chosen Isma` il from t he offspring of Ibrahim, Bani Kinanah from t he offspring of Isma` il, Quraysh from Bani Kinanah, Bani Hashim from Quraysh and, He has chosen me from Bani Hashim.) Muslim recorded t his Hadit h. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(I was chosen from a succession of t he best generat ions of t he Children of Adam, unt il t he generat ion I was sent in.) Allah's said,

(Humiliat ion and disgrace from Allah and a severe t orment will overt ake t he criminals...) This is a st ern t hreat and sure promise from Allah for t hose who arrogant ly refrain from obeying His Messengers and adhering t o what t hey came wit h. On t he Day of Resurrect ion, t hey will suffer humiliat ion and et ernal disgrace before Allah, because t hey were arrogant in t he worldly life. This is why it is befit t ing t hat t hey earn disgrace on t he Day of Resurrect ion. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(Verily, t hose who scorn My worship, t hey will surely ent er Hell in humiliat ion!) disgrace and dishonor. Allah said next , 40:60


(and a severe t orment for t hat which t hey used t o plot .) Since plot t ing usually t akes place in secret and involves t reachery and deceit , t he disbelievers were recompensed wit h severe t orment from Allah on t he Day of Resurrect ion, as a j ust reckoning,

(And your Lord t reat s no one wit h inj ust ice) 18:49 Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(The Day when all t he secret s will be examined. ) 86:9 Meaning, t he secret s, hidden t hought s and int ent ions will be exposed. In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(A banner will be raised for every deceit ful person from his anus on t he Day of Resurrect ion, and it will say; ` This is t he t reacherous plot of so-and-so, son of so-and-so, son of so-and-so.,) The wisdom in t his is t hat since a plot occurs in secret , and people are usually unaware of it , t hen on t he Day of Resurrect ion t he plot it self will become public news t est ifying t o t he act ions of t hose who commit t ed it .

(125. And whomsoever Allah wills t o guide, He opens his breast t o Islam; and whomsoever He wills t o send ast ray, He makes his breast closed and const rict ed, as if he is climbing up t o t he sky. Thus Allah put s t he wrat h on t hose who believe not .) Allah said,


(And whomsoever Allah wills t o guide, He opens his breast t o Islam;) He makes Islam easy for him and st rengt hens his resolve t o embrace it , and t hese are good signs. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(Is he whose breast Allah has opened t o Islam, so t hat he is in light from His Lord (as he who is a non-Muslim)) 39:22 and,

(But Allah has endeared t he fait h t o you and has beaut ified it in your heart s, and has made disbelief, wickedness and disobedience hat ed by you. Such are t hey who are t he right ly guided.) 49:7 Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(And whomsoever Allah wills t o guide, He opens his breast t o Islam;), "Allah says t hat He will open his heart t o Tawhid and fait h in Him.'' This is t he same as was report ed from Abu Malik and several ot hers, and it is sound. Allah's st at ement ,

(and whomsoever He wills t o send ast ray, He makes his breast closed and const rict ed,) refers t o inabilit y t o accept guidance, t hus being deprived of beneficial fait h.

(. ..as if he is climbing up t o t he sky.) because of t he heaviness of fait h on him. Sa` id bin Jubayr comment ed t hat in t his case, "(Islam) finds every pat h in his heart impassable.'' AlHakam bin Aban said t hat ` Ikrimah narrat ed from Ibn ` Abbas t hat he comment ed on:

(...as if he is climbing up t o t he sky), "Just as t he Son of Adam cannot climb up t o t he sky, Tawhid and fait h will not be able t o ent er his heart , unt il Allah decides t o allow it int o his heart .'' Imam Abu Ja` far bin Jarir comment ed: "This is a parable t hat Allah has given for t he heart of t he disbeliever, which is complet ely impassable and closed t o fait h. Allah says, t he example of t he disbeliever's inabilit y t o accept fait h in his heart and t hat it is t oo small t o accommodat e it , is t he example of his inabilit y t o climb up t o t he sky, which is beyond his capabilit y and power.'' He also comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(Thus Allah put s t he Rij s (wrat h) on t hose who believe not .) "Allah says t hat j ust as He makes t he heart of whomever He decides t o misguide, closed and const rict ed, He also appoint s Shayt an for him and for his likes, t hose who refused t o believe in Allah and His Messenger. Consequent ly, Shayt an lures and hinders t hem from t he pat h of Allah.'' ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat , Rij s, refers t o Shayt an, while Muj ahid said t hat it refers t o all t hat does not cont ain goodness. ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said t hat , Rij s, means, ` t orment '.

-
(126. And t his is t he pat h of your Lord leading st raight . We have det ailed Our Ayat for a people who t ake heed.) (127. For t hem will be t he abode of peace wit h t heir Lord. And He will be t heir Wali because of what t hey used t o do.) Aft er Allah ment ioned t he way of t hose who were t hemselves led t o st ray from His pat h and who hindered ot hers from it , He emphasized t he honor of t he guidance and religion of t rut h t hat He sent His Messenger wit h. Allah said next ,

(And t his is t he pat h of your Lord leading st raight .) t hat is, Islam, t hat We have legislat ed for you, O Muhammad, by revealing t his Qur'an t o you, is Allah's st raight pat h.


(We have det ailed Our Ayat ...) We have explained t he Ayat and made t hem clear and plain,

(for a people who t ake heed) t hose who have sound comprehension and underst and what Allah and His Messenger convey t o t hem,

(For t hem will be t he abode of peace) Paradise,

(wit h t heir Lord.) on t he Day of Resurrect ion. Allah described Paradise as ` t he abode of peace', because it s resident s are safe due t o t heir access t o t he st raight pat h, which conforms t o t he way of t he Prophet s. And j ust as t heir way was not wicked, t hey earned t he abode of peace which is free from all wickedness .

(And He will be t heir Wali) Prot ect or, Support er and Helper,

(because of what t hey used t o do,) As reward for t heir good deeds, Allah has favored t hem and been generous wit h t hem, and awarded t hem Paradise.


(128. And on t he Day when He will gat her t hem t oget her (and say): "O you assembly of Jinn! Many did you mislead of men," and t heir friends among t he people will say: "Our Lord! We benefit ed one from t he ot her, but now we have reached our appoint ed t erm which You did appoint for us. " He will say: "The Fire be your dwelling place, you will dwell t herein forever, except as Allah may will. Cert ainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.") Allah says, ` Ment ion, O Muhammad, in what you convey and warn,' t hat ,

(on t he Day when He will gat her t hem (all) t oget her.) gat her t he Jinns and t heir loyal support ers from mankind who used t o worship t hem in t his life, seek refuge wit h t hem, obey t hem and inspire each ot her wit h adorned, deceit ful speech. Allah will proclaim t hen,

(O you assembly of Jinn! Many did you mislead of men,) So t he Ayah;

(Many did you mislead of men) refers t o t heir misguiding and leading t hem ast ray. Allah also said;

- -
(Did I not command you, O Children of Adam, t hat you should not worship Shayt an. Verily, he is a plain enemy t o you. And t hat you should worship Me. That is t he st raight pat h. And indeed he (Shayt an) did lead ast ray a great mult it ude of you. Did you not , t hen, underst and) 36:60-62 , and


(and t heir friends among t he people will say: "Our Lord! We benefit ed one from t he ot her...'') The friends of t he Jinns among humanit y will give t his answer t o Allah, aft er Allah chast ises t hem for being misguided by t he Jinns. Al-Hasan comment ed, "They benefit ed from each ot her when t he Jinns merely commanded and mankind obeyed.'' Ibn Jurayj said, "During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, a man would reach a land and proclaim, ` I seek refuge wit h t he mast er (Jinn) of t his valley,' and t his is how t hey benefit ed from each ot her. They used t his as an excuse for t hem on t he Day of Resurrect ion.'' Therefore, t he Jinns benefit from humans since humans revere t he Jinns by invoking t hem for help. The Jinns would t hen proclaim, "We became t he mast ers of bot h mankind and t he Jinns.''

(but now we have reached our appoint ed t erm which You did appoint for us.) meaning, deat h, according t o As-Suddi.

(He (Allah) will say: "The Fire be your dwelling place...'') where you will reside and live, you and your friends,

(you will dwell t herein forever. ) and will never depart except what Allah may will.

(129. And t hus We do make t he wrongdoers support ers of one anot her, because of t hat which t hey used t o earn.)

The Wrongdoers Are the Supporters of Each other

Ma` mar said t hat Qat adah comment ed on t his Ayah, "Allah makes t he wrongdoers support ers for each ot her in t he Fire by following one anot her int o it .'' ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,


(And t hus We do make t he wrongdoers support ers of one anot her.) "It refers t o t he wrongdoers of t he Jinns and mankind.'' He t hen recit ed,

(And whosoever t urns away blindly from t he remembrance of t he Most Gracious (Allah), We appoint for him Shayt an t o be a companion t o him.) 43:36 He said next -- concerning t he meaning of t he Ayah; "We appoint t he wrongdoer of t he Jinns over t he wrongdoer of mankind.'' A poet once said, "There is no hand, but Allah's Hand is above it , and no wrongdoer but will be t est ed by anot her wrongdoer.'' The meaning of t his honorable Ayah t hus becomes: ` Just as We made t his losing group of mankind support ers of t he Jinns t hat misguided t hem, We also appoint t he wrongdoers over one anot her, dest roy t hem by t he hands of one anot her, and t ake revenge from t hem wit h one anot her. This is t he j ust recompense for t heir inj ust ice and t ransgression.'

(130. O you assembly of Jinn and humans! "Did not t here come t o you Messengers from amongst you, recit ing unt o you My verses and warning you of t he meet ing of t his Day of yours'' They will say: "We bear wit ness against ourselves.'' It was t he life of t his world t hat deceived t hem. And t hey will bear wit ness against t hemselves t hat t hey were disbelievers.)

Chastising the Jinns and Humans after their Admission that Allah Sent Messengers to Them
Allah will chast ise t he disbelieving Jinns and humans on t he Day of Resurrect ion, when He asks t hem, while having bet t er knowledge, if t he Messengers delivered His Messages t o t hem,

("O you assembly of Jinn and humans! Did not t here come t o you Messengers from among you'') We should not e here t hat t he Messengers are from among mankind only, not vice versa, as Muj ahid, Ibn Jurayj and ot hers from t he Imams of Salaf and lat er generat ions have st at ed. The proof for t his is t hat Allah said,

(Verily, We have sent t he revelat ion t o you as We sent t he revelat ion t o Nuh and t he Prophet s aft er him.) 4:163 , unt il,

(Messengers as bearers of good news as well as of warning in order t hat mankind should have no plea against Allah aft er t he (coming of) Messengers.) 4:165 Allah said, concerning t he Prophet Ibrahim,

(And We ordained among his offspring prophet hood and t he Book) 29: 27 , t hus sending t he prophet hood and t he Book exclusively t hrough t he offspring of t he Prophet Ibrahim. No one has claimed t hat t here were Prophet s from among t he Jinns before t he t ime of Ibrahim, but not aft er t hat . Allah said,

(And We never sent before you any of t he Messengers but verily, t hey at e food and walked in t he market s.) 25:20 , and,

(And We sent not before you any but men unt o whom We revealed, from among t he people of t ownships.) 12:109 Therefore, concerning prophet hood, t he Jinns follow mankind in t his regard and t his is why Allah said about t hem,

- - -
(And (remember) when We sent t owards you a group of t he Jinn, list ening t o t he Qur'an. When t hey st ood in t he presence t hereof, t hey said: "List en in silence!" And when it was finished, t hey ret urned t o t heir people, as warners. They said: "O our people! Verily, we have heard a Book sent down aft er Musa, confirming what came before it , it guides t o t he t rut h and t o t he st raight way. O our people! Respond t o Allah's caller, and believe in him. He (Allah) will forgive you your sins, and will save you from a painful t orment (i.e. Hell-fire). And whosoever does not respond t o Allah's caller, he cannot escape on eart h, and t here will be no helpers for him besides Allah. Those are in manifest error.) 46:29-32 A Hadit h collect ed by At -Tirmidhi st at ed t hat t he Messenger of Allah recit ed Surat Ar-Rahman, t o t hese Jinns, in which Allah said,

(We shall at t end t o you, O you t wo classes (Jinn and men)! Then which of t he blessings of your Lord will you bot h (Jinn and men) deny) 55:31-32 Allah said in t his honorable Ayah,


(O you assembly of Jinn and humans! "Did not t here come t o you Messengers from amongst you, recit ing unt o you My verses and warning you of t he meet ing of t his Day of yours" They will say: "We bear wit ness against ourselves.'') meaning, we affirm t hat t he Messengers have conveyed Your Messages t o us and warned us about t he meet ing wit h You, and t hat t his Day will cert ainly occur. Allah said next ,

(It was t he life of t his world t hat deceived t hem.) and t hey wast ed t heir lives and brought dest ruct ion t o t hemselves by rej ect ing t he Messengers and denying t heir miracles. This is because t hey were deceived by t he beaut y, adornment and lust s of t his life.

(And t hey will bear wit ness against t hemselves) on t he Day of Resurrect ion,

(t hat t hey were disbelievers...) in t his worldly life, rej ect ing what t he Messengers, may Allah's peace and blessings be on t hem, brought t hem.

-
(131. This is because your Lord would not dest roy t he (populat ions of) t owns for t heir wrongdoing while t heir people were unaware.) (132. For all t here will be degrees according t o what t hey did. And your Lord is not unaware of what t hey do.) Allah said,


(This is because your Lord would not dest roy t he (populat ions of) t owns for t heir wrongdoing while t heir people were unaware. ) meaning: ` We sent t he Messengers and revealed t he Books t o t he Jinns and mankind, so t hat no one has an excuse t hat he is being punished for his wrongs alt hough he did not receive Allah's Message. Therefore, We did not punish any of t he nat ions, except aft er sending Messengers t o t hem, so t hat t hey have no excuse.' Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And t here never was a nat ion but a warner had passed among t hem.) 35:24 , and

(And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah, and st ay away from At -Taghut (all false deit ies).") 16:36 , and

(And We never punish unt il We have sent a Messenger.) 17:15 , and,

(Every t ime a group is cast t herein, it s keeper will ask: "Did no warner come t o you" They will say: "Yes, indeed a warner did come t o us, but we belied him.'') 67:8-9 There are many ot her Ayat on t his subj ect . At -Tabari said, "Allah's st at ement ,

(For all t here will be degrees according t o what t hey did.) means, every person who obeys Allah or behaves disobedient ly, has grades and ranks according t o t heir works, which Allah

gives t hem as recompense, good for good and evil for evil.'' I say, it is possible t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(For all t here will be degrees according t o what t hey did.) refers t o t he disbelievers of t he Jinns and mankind who will earn a place in t he Fire according t o t heir evil deeds. Allah said,

(He will say: "For each one t here is double (t orment ).'') 7:38 , and,

(Those who disbelieved and hinder (ot hers) from t he pat h of Allah, for t hem We will add t orment t o t he t orment because t hey used t o spread corrupt ion.) 16:88 Allah said next ,

(And your Lord is not unaware of what t hey do.) Ibn Jarir comment ed, "All t hese deeds t hat t hey did, O Muhammad, t hey did while your Lord is aware of t hem, and He collect s and records t hese deeds wit h Him, so t hat He recompenses t hem when t hey meet Him and ret urn t o Him.

- -

(133. And your Lord is Al-Ghani, full of mercy; if He wills, He can dest roy you; and in your place make whom He wills as your successors, as He raised you from t he seed of ot her people.) (134. Surely, t hat which you are promised, will verily come t o pass, and you cannot escape.) (135. Say: "O my people! Work according t o your way, surely, I t oo am working, and you will come t o know for which of us will be t he (happy) end in t he Hereaft er. Cert ainly t he wrongdoers will not be successful.")

If They Disobey, They Will Perish

Allah said,

(And your Lord...), O Muhammad,

(is Al-Ghani) Rich, free from needing His creat ures in any way or form, while t hey st and in need of Him in all sit uat ions,

(full of mercy;) t owards creat ion. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(Truly, Allah is full of kindness, t he Most Merciful t owards mankind.) 2:143

(if He wills, He can dest roy you.) if you defy His commandment s,

(And in your place make whom He wills as your successors,) who behave obedient ly,


(As He raised you from t he seed of ot her people.) and surely, He is able t o do t his, and it is easy for Him. And j ust as Allah has dest royed t he earlier nat ions and brought t heir successors, He is able t o do away wit h t hese generat ions and bring ot her people in t heir place. Allah has also said;

(If He wills, He can t ake you away, O people, and bring ot hers. And Allah is Ever Capable over t hat .) 4:133 ,

-
(O mankind! It is you who st and in need of Allah. But Allah is Rich (free of all needs), Wort hy of all praise. If He willed, He could dest roy you and bring about a new creat ion. And t hat is not hard for Allah.) 35:15-17 , and,

(But Allah is Rich (free of all needs), and you are poor. And if you t urn away, He will exchange you for some ot her people and t hey will not be your likes.) 47:38 . Muhammad bin Ishaq said t hat Ya` qub bin ` Ut bah said t hat he heard Aban bin ` Ut hman saying about t his Ayah,

(As He raised you from t he seed of ot her people. ) "` The seed' means t he offspring and t he children.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(Surely, t hat which you are promised, will verily, come t o pass and you cannot escape.) means, t ell t hem, O Muhammad, t hat what t hey have been promised of Resurrect ion will surely occur,

(and you cannot escape.) from Allah. Rat her, He is able t o resurrect you even aft er you become dust and bones. Cert ainly, Allah is able t o do all t hings and not hing ever escapes His power. Allah said;

(Say: "O my people! Work according t o your way, surely, I t oo am working and you will come t o know.'') This cont ains a st ern warning and a sure promise, saying; remain on your way, if you t hink t hat you are right ly guided, for I will remain on mine. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

-
(And say t o t hose who do not believe: "Act according t o Makanat ikum, We are act ing (in our way). And you wait ! We (t oo) are wait ing.'') 11:121-122 . ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(according t o Makanat ikum...) means, your way.

(And you will come t o know for which of us will be t he (happy) end in t he Hereaft er. Cert ainly t he wrongdoers will not be successful) 6:135 , You will come t o know if t he happy end will be mine (Muhammad's) or yours (t he disbelievers). Allah has indeed kept His promise and allowed Muhammad t o prevail in t he land and rise above t hose who defied him. He conquered Makkah for him and made him t riumphant over his people who rej ect ed and showed enmit y t owards him. The Prophet 's rule soon spread over t he Arabian Peninsula, Yemen and Bahrain, and all t his occurred during his lifet ime. Aft er his deat h, t he various lands and provinces were

conquered during t he t ime of his successors, may Allah be pleased wit h t hem all. Allah also said,

(Allah has decreed: "Verily, it is I and My Messengers who shall be t he vict orious." Verily, Allah is All-Powerful, Almight y.) 58:21

-
(Verily, We will indeed make vict orious Our Messengers and t hose who believe in t his world's life and on t he Day when t he wit nesses will st and fort h. The Day when t heir excuses will be of no profit t o t he wrongdoers. Theirs will be t he curse, and t heirs will be t he evil abode.) 40:5152 and,

(And indeed We have writ t en in t he Zabur aft er t he Dhikr t hat My right eous servant s shall inherit t he land.) 21:105

(136. And t hey assign t o Allah a share of t he t ilt h and cat t le which He has creat ed, and t hey say: "This is for Allah," according t o t heir claim, "and t his is for our part ners." But t he share of

t heir "part ners" reaches not Allah, while t he share of Allah reaches t heir "part ners"! Evil is t he way t hey j udge!)

Some Acts of Shirk

Allah chast ises and crit icizes t he idolat ors who invent ed innovat ions, Kufr and Shirk, and called on part ners and rivals wit h Allah among His creat ion, alt hough He creat ed every t hing, all praise is due t o Him. This is why Allah said,

(And t hey assign t o Allah from t hat which He has creat ed,)

(of t he t ilt h) meaning, fruit s and produce,

(and of t he cat t le a share) meaning a part and a sect ion.

(and t hey say: "This is for Allah,'' according t o t heir claim, "and t his is for our part ners.'') Allah said next ,

(But t he share of t heir "part ners" reaches not Allah, while t he share of Allah reaches t heir "part ners"!) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah and Al-` Awfi narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said; "When t hey, t he enemies of Allah, would cult ivat e t he land or collect produce, t hey would assign a part of it t o Allah and anot her part t o t he idol. They would keep t he share for t he idol, whet her land, produce or anyt hing else, and preserve it s division t o such an ext ent t hat t hey would collect anyt hing t hat accident ally falls from t he share t hey assigned t o Allah and add it t o t he share of t he idol. If t he wat er t hat t hey assigned for t he idol irrigat ed somet hing (a sect ion of land, for inst ance) t hat t hey assigned for Allah, t hey would add what ever t his wat er irrigat ed t o t he idol's share! If t he land or produce t hat t hey assigned for Allah was accident ally mixed wit h t he

share t hat t hey assigned for t he idol, t hey would say t hat t he idol is poor. Therefore, t hey would add it t o t he share t hey assigned for t he idol and would not ret urn it t o t he share t hey assigned for Allah. If t he wat er t hat t hey assigned for Allah irrigat ed what t hey assigned for t he idol t hey would leave it (t he produce) for t he idol. They also made some of t heir ot her propert y sacred, like t he Bahirah, Sa'ibah, Wasilah and Ham, assigning t hem t o t he idols, claiming t hat t hey do so as way of seeking a means of approach t o Allah. Allah said,

(And t hey assign t o Allah a share of t he t ilt h and cat t le which He has creat ed...).'' Similar was said by Muj ahid, Qat adah, As-Suddi and ot hers. ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam comment ed; "Every t ype of slaught er t hat t hey would assign for Allah, would never be eat en unless t hey ment ioned t he names of t heir idols when slaught ering it . Yet for what t hey sacrificed in t he names of t he idols, t hey would not ment ion Allah's Name when slaught ering it .'' He t hen recit ed t he Ayah (6:136) unt il he reached,

(Evil is t he way t hey j udge!) This Ayah means, evil is t hat which t hey det ermined, for t hey commit t ed error in t he division. Cert ainly, Allah is t he Lord, Owner and Creat or of all t hings and His is t he dominion. All t hings are His propert y and under His supreme cont rol, will and decree. There is no deit y wort hy of worship, or Lord, except Him. And even when t he polyt heist s made t his evil division, t hey did not preserve it , but cheat ed in it . Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And t hey assign daught ers unt o Allah -- glory be t o Him -- and unt o t hemselves what t hey desire.) 16:57 , and

(Yet , t hey assign t o some of His servant s a share wit h Him. Verily, man is indeed a manifest ingrat e!) 43:15 , and,

 -
(Is it for you t he males and for Him t he females That indeed is a division most unfair!) 53:2122 .

(137. And so t o many of t he idolat ors, t heir "part ners" have made fair seeming t he killing of t heir children, in order t o lead t hem t o t heir own dest ruct ion and cause confusion in t heir religion. And if Allah had willed, t hey would not have done so. So leave t hem alone wit h t heir fabricat ions.)

Shaytan Lured the Idolators to Kill Their Children

Allah says, j ust as t he Shayat in lured t he idolat ors t o assign a share for Allah from what He creat ed of agricult ure and cat t le - and a share for t he idols, t hey also made it seem fair for t hem t o kill t heir children, for fear of povert y, and burying t heir daught ers alive, for fear of dishonor. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed from Ibn ` Abbas t hat he comment ed;

(And so t o many of t he idolat ors, t heir "part ners" have made fair seeming t he killing of t heir children...) "They make killing t heir children at t ract ive t o t hem.'' Muj ahid said, "Idolat ors' part ners among t he devils ordered t hem t o bury t heir children for fear of povert y.'' As-Suddi said, "The devils commanded t hem t o kill t heir daught ers so t hat t hey,

(lead t hem t o t heir own dest ruct ion), and t o,

(cause confusion in t heir religion.)'' Allah said,

(And if Allah had willed, t hey would not have done so.) meaning, all t his occurred by Allah's leave, will and decree, but He dislikes t hese pract ices, and He has t he perfect wisdom in every decree. He is never quest ioned about what He does, but t hey all will be quest ioned.

(So leave t hem alone wit h t heir fabricat ions.) meaning, avoid and abandon t hem and what t hey do, for Allah will j udge bet ween you and t hem.

(138. And according t o t heir claim, t hey say t hat such and such cat t le and crops are Hij r (forbidden), and none should eat of t hem except t hose whom we allow. And (t hey say) t here are cat t le forbidden t o be used for burden, and cat t le on which (at slaught ering) t he Name of Allah is not pronounced; lying against Him (Allah). He will recompense t hem for what t hey used t o fabricat e.)

The Idolators Forbade Certain Types of Cattle

` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Hij r refers t o what t hey forbade, such as t he Wasilah, and t he like.'' Similar was said by Muj ahid, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi, Qat adah, ` AbdurRahman bin Zayd bin Aslam and ot hers. Qat adah comment ed on,

(They say t hat such and such cat t le and crops are Hij r,) "It is a prohibit ion t hat t he Shayat in appoint ed for t heir wealt h, and a t ype of exaggerat ion and ext remism t hat did not come from Allah.'' ` Abdur-Rahman Ibn Zayd bin Aslam said t hat , d


(Hij r,) refers t o what t he idolat ors designat ed for t heir deit ies. As-Suddi said t hat t he Ayah,

(And none should eat of t hem except t hose whom we allow, t hey claimed...) means, "They said, only t hose whom we choose can eat of t hem., and t he rest are prohibit ed from eat ing t hem.'' Similar t o t his honorable Ayah, Allah said,

(Say: "Tell me, what provision Allah has sent down t o you! And you have made of it lawful and unlawful." Say: "Has Allah permit t ed you (t o do so), or do you invent a lie against Allah") 10:59 , and,

(Allah has not inst it ut ed t hings like Bahirah or a Sa'ibah or a Wasilah or a Ham. But t hose who disbelieve invent lies against Allah, and most of t hem have no underst anding.) 5:103 As-Suddi said t hat cat t le forbidden t o be used for burden were t he Bahirah, Sa'ibah, Wasilah and Ham, as well as cat t le for which t he idolat ors did not ment ion Allah's Name when slaught ering t hem nor when t hey were born. Abu Bakr bin ` Ayyash said t hat ` Asim bin Abi An-Naj ud said, "Abu Wa'il said t o me, ` Do you know t he meaning of t he Ayah,

(And (t hey say) t here are cat t le forbidden t o be used for burden, and cat t le on which t he Name of Allah is not pronounced.) I said, ` No.' He said, ` It is t he Bahirah, which t hey would not use

t o for Haj j (eit her by riding it or carrying t hings on it ).''' Muj ahid also said t hat t hey were some of t he camels belonging t o idolat ors on which Allah's Name was not ment ioned when riding, milking, carrying t hings, copulat ion or any ot her act ion.

(lying against Him.) against Allah. The idolat ors indeed lied when t hey at t ribut ed t his evil t o Allah's religion and Law; He did not allow t hem t o do t hat nor did He approve of it ,

(He will recompense t hem for what t hey used t o fabricat e.) against Him, and falsely at t ribut e t o Him.

(139. And t hey say: "What is in t he bellies of such and such cat t le is for our males alone, and forbidden t o our females, but if it is born dead, t hen all have shares t herein." He will punish t hem for t heir at t ribut ion (of such false orders t o Allah). Verily, He is All-Wise, All-Knower.) Abu Ishaq As-Subay` i narrat ed t hat ` Abdullah bin Abi Al-Hudhayl report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(And t hey say: "What is in t he bellies of such and such cat t le is for our males alone...") refers t o milk. ` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about t his Ayah,

(And t hey say: "What is in t he bellies of such and such cat t le is for our males alone...") "It is about milk, which t hey prohibit ed for t heir females and allowed only t heir males t o drink. When a sheep would give birt h t o a male sheep, t hey would slaught er it and feed it t o t heir

males, but not t o t heir females. If t he newly born lamb was a female, t hey would not slaught er it , but if it was st illborn, t hey would share in it (wit h t heir females)! Allah forbade t his pract ice.'' Similar was said by As-Suddi. Ash-Sha` bi said, "The Bahirah's milk was only given t o t he men. But if any cat t le from t he Bahirah died, bot h men and women would share in eat ing it .'' Similar was said by ` Ikrimah, Qat adah and ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. Muj ahid comment ed;

(And t hey say: "What is in t he bellies of such and such cat t le is for our males alone, and forbidden t o our females...'') "It refers t o t he Sa'ibah and t he Bahirah.'' Abu Al-` Aliyah, Muj ahid and Qat adah said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(He will punish t hem for t heir at t ribut ion. ) means, ut t ering such falsehood. This is explained by Allah's st at ement ,

(And say not concerning t hat which your t ongues falsely ut t er: "This is lawful and t his is forbidden." so as t o invent lies against Allah. Verily, t hose who invent lies against Allah will never prosper.) 16:116 Allah said,

(Verily, He is All-Wise.) in His act ions, st at ement s, Law and decree,

(All-Knower), in t he act ions of His servant s, whet her good or evil, and He will recompense t hem for t hese deeds complet ely.


(140. Indeed lost are t hey who have killed t heir children, foolishly, wit hout knowledge, and (t hey) have forbidden t hat which Allah has provided for t hem, invent ing a lie against Allah. They have indeed gone ast ray and were not guided.)

Allah says that those who committed these evil acts have earned the loss of this life and the Hereafter.
As for t his life, t hey lost when t hey killed t heir children and made it difficult for t hemselves by prohibit ing some t ypes of t heir wealt h, as an act of innovat ion t hat t hey invent ed on t heir own. As for t he Hereaft er, t hey will end up in t he worst dwellings, because t hey used t o lie about Allah and invent falsehood about Him. Allah also said,

-
(Say: "Verily, t hose who invent a lie against Allah will never be successful." (A brief) enj oyment in t his world! And t hen unt o Us will be t heir ret urn, t hen We shall make t hem t ast e t he severest t orment because t hey used t o disbelieve.) 10:69-70 Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr bin Marduwyah recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "If it pleases you t o know how ignorant t he Arabs used t o be, t hen recit e t he Ayat beyond Ayah one hundred and t hirt y in Surat Al-An` am,

(Indeed lost are t hey who have killed t heir children, foolishly, wit hout knowledge, and t hey have forbidden t hat which Allah has provided for t hem, invent ing a lie against Allah. They have indeed gone ast ray and were not guided.)'' Al-Bukhari also recorded t his in t he sect ion of his Sahih on t he virt ues of t he Quraysh.

 -
(141. And it is He Who produces gardens Ma` rushat and not Ma` rushat , and dat e palms, and crops of different shape and t ast e, and olives, and pomegranat es, similar, and different . Eat of t heir fruit when t hey ripen, but pay t he due t hereof on t he day of t heir harvest , and wast e not by ext ravagance. Verily, He likes not t he wast eful.) (142. And of t he cat t le (are some) for burden and (some smaller) for Farsh. Eat of what Allah has provided for you, and follow not t he foot st eps of Shayt an. Surely, he is t o you an open enemy.)

Allah Created the Produce, Seed Grains and Cattle

Allah st at es t hat He creat ed everyt hing, including t he produce, fruit s and cat t le t hat t he idolat ors mishandled by t heir misguided ideas, dividing t hem int o various designat ed part s, allowing some and prohibit ing some. Allah said,

(And it is He Who produces gardens Ma` rushat and not Ma` rushat ,) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "Ma` rushat refers t o what t he people t rellise, while ` not Ma` rushat ' refers t o fruit s (and produce) t hat grow wild inland and on mount ains.'' ` At a' AlKhurasani said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Ma` rushat are t he grapevines t hat are t rellised, while ` not Ma` rushat ' refers t o grapevines t hat are not t rellised.'' As-Suddi said similarly. As for t hese fruit s being similar, yet different , Ibn Jurayj said, "They are similar in shape, but different in t ast e.'' Muhammad bin Ka` b said t hat t he Ayah,


(Eat of t heir fruit when t hey ripen,) means, "(Eat ) from t he dat es and grapes t hey produce.'' Allah said next ,

(but pay t he due t hereof on t he day of t heir harvest , ) Muj ahid comment ed, "When t he poor people are present (on t he day of harvest ), give t hem some of t he produce.'' ` Abdur-Razzaq recorded t hat Muj ahid comment ed on t he Ayah,

(but pay t he due t hereof on t he day of t heir harvest .) "When plant ing, one gives away handfuls (of seed grains) and on harvest , he gives away handfuls and allows t hem t o pick what ever is left on t he ground of t he harvest .'' At h-Thawri said t hat Hammad narrat ed t hat Ibrahim AnNakha` i said, "One gives away some of t he hay.'' Ibn Al-Mubarak said t hat Shurayk said t hat Salim said t hat Sa` id bin Jubayr comment ed;

(but pay t he due t hereof on t he day of t heir harvest ,) "This ruling, giving t he poor t he handfuls (of seed grains) and some of t he hay as food for t heir animals, was before Zakah became obligat ory.'' Allah has chast ised t hose who harvest , wit hout giving away a part of it as charit y. Allah ment ioned t he st ory of t he owners of t he garden in Surat Nun,

- - - - - - - -

 -
(When t hey swore t o pluck t he fruit s of t he (garden) in t he morning. Wit hout saying: "If Allah wills." Then t here passed by on t he (garden) a visit at ion (fire) from your Lord at night , burning it while t hey were asleep. So t he (garden) became black by t he morning, like a pit ch dark night (in complet e ruins). Then t hey called out one t o anot her as soon as t he morning broke. Saying: "Go t o your t ilt h in t he morning, if you would pluck t he fruit s." So t hey depart ed, conversing in secret low t ones (saying). "No poor person shall ent er upon you int o it t oday." And t hey went in t he morning wit h st rong int ent ion, t hinking t hat t hey have power (t o prevent t he poor t aking anyt hing of t he fruit s t herefrom). But when t hey saw t he (garden), t hey said: "Verily, we have gone ast ray." (Then t hey said): "Nay! Indeed we are deprived of (t he fruit s)!" The best among t hem said: "Did I not t ell you, why say you not : ` If Allah wills'." They said: "Glory t o Our Lord! Verily, we have been wrongdoers.'' Then t hey t urned one against anot her, blaming. They said: "Woe t o us! We have t ransgressed. We hope t hat our Lord will give us in exchange a bet t er (garden) t han t his. Truly, we t urn t o our Lord." Such is t he punishment (in t his life), but t ruly, t he punishment of t he Hereaft er is great er if t hey but knew.) 68:18-33 .

Prohibiting Extravagance
Allah said,

(And wast e not by ext ravagance. Verily, He likes not t he wast eful.) It was said t hat t he ext ravagance prohibit ed here refers t o excessive charit y beyond normal amount s. Ibn Jurayj said, "This Ayah was revealed concerning Thabit bin Qays bin Shammas, who plucked t he fruit s of his dat e palms. Then he said t o himself, ` This day, every person who comes t o me, I will feed him from it .' So he kept feeding (t hem) unt il t he evening came and he ended up wit h no dat es. Allah sent down,


(And wast e not by ext ravagance. Verily, He likes not t he wast eful.)'' Ibn Jarir recorded t his st at ement from Ibn Jurayj . However, t hhe apparent meaning of t his Ayah, and Allah knows best , is t hat ;

(Eat of t heir fruit when t hey ripen, but pay t he due t hereof on t he day of t heir harvest , and wast e not ...) refers t o eat ing, meaning, do not wast e in eat ing because t his spoils t he mind and t he body. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And eat and drink but wast e not by ext ravagance.) 7: 31 In his Sahih, Al-Bukhari recorded a Hadit h wit hout a chain of narrat ion; a

(Eat , drink and clot he yourselves wit hout ext ravagance or arrogance.) Therefore, t hese Ayat have t he same meaning as t his Hadit h. and Allah knows best .

Benefits of Cattle
Allah's st at ement ,

(And of t he cat t le (are some) for burden and (some smaller) for Farsh.) means, He creat ed cat t le for you, some of which are suit able for burden, such as camels, and some are Farsh. At hThawri narrat ed t hat Abu Ishaq said t hat Abu Al-Ahwas said t hat ` Abdullah said t hat ` animals for burden' are t he camels t hat are used for carrying t hings, while, ` Farsh', refers t o small camels. Al-Hakim recorded it and said, "It s chain is Sahih and t hey did not record it .'' ` AbdurRahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said t hat ` animals for burden' refers t o t he animals t hat people ride, while, ` Farsh' is t hat t hey eat (it s meat ) and milk it . The sheep is not able t o carry t hings, so you eat it s meat and use it s wool for covers and mat s (or clot hes). This st at ement of ` AbdurRahman is sound, and t he following Ayat t est ify t o it ,

 -
(Do t hey not see t hat We have creat ed for t hem of what Our Hands have creat ed, t he cat t le, so t hat t hey are t heir owners. And We have subdued t hem unt o t hem so t hat some of t hem t hey have for riding and some t hey eat .) 36:71-72 , and,

(And verily, in t he cat t le, t here is a lesson for you. We give you t o drink of t hat which is in t heir bellies, from bet ween excret ions and blood, pure milk; palat able t o t he drinkers.) 16:66 , unt il,

(And of t heir wool, fur and hair, furnishings and art icles of convenience, comfort for a while.) 16:80 .

Eat the Meat of These Cattle, But Do Not Follow Shaytan's Law Concerning Them
Allah said,

(Eat of what Allah has provided for you,) of fruit s, produce and cat t le. Allah creat ed all t hese and provided you wit h t hem as provision.

(and follow not t he foot st eps of Shayt an.) meaning, his way and orders, j ust as t he idolat ors followed him and prohibit ed fruit s and produce t hat Allah provided for t hem, claiming t hat t his falsehood came from Allah.

(Surely, he is t o you) meaning; Shayt an, O people, is t o you,

(an open enemy) and his enmit y t o you is clear and apparent . Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(Surely, Shayt an is an enemy t o you, so t ake (t reat ) him as an enemy. He only invit es his Hizb (followers) t hat t hey may become t he dwellers of t he blazing Fire. ) 35:6 and,

(O Children of Adam! Let not Shayt an deceive you, as he got your parent s out of Paradise, st ripping t hem of t heir raiment , t o show t hem t heir privat e part s.) 7:27 and,

(Will you t hen t ake him (Iblis) and his offspring as prot ect ors and helpers rat her t han Me while t hey are enemies t o you What an evil is t he exchange for t he wrongdoers.) 18:50 There are many ot her Ayat on t his subj ect .

 -
(143. Eight pairs: of t he sheep t wo (male and female), and of t he goat s t wo (male and female). Say: "Has He forbidden t he t wo males or t he t wo females, or (t he young) which t he wombs of t he t wo females enclose Inform me wit h knowledge if you are t rut hful. ") (144. And of t he camels t wo, and of oxen t wo. Say: "Has He forbidden t he t wo males or t he t wo females or (t he young) which t he wombs of t he t wo females enclose Or were you present when Allah ordered you such a t hing Then who does more wrong t han one who invent s a lie against Allah, t o lead mankind ast ray wit hout knowledge. Cert ainly Allah guides not t he people who are wrongdoers.")

These Ayat demonstrate the ignorance of the Arabs before Islam.

They used t o prohibit t he usage of some of t heir cat t le and designat e t hem as Bahirah, Sa'ibah, Wasilah and Ham et c. These were some of t he innovat ions t hey invent ed for cat t le, fruit s and produce. Allah st at ed t hat He has creat ed gardens, t rellised and unt rellised, and cat t le, as animals of burden and as Farsh. Allah next ment ioned various kinds of cat t le, male and female, such as sheep and goat s. He also creat ed male and female camels and t he same wit h cows. Allah did not prohibit any of t hese cat t le or t heir offspring. Rat her, t hey all were creat ed for t he sons of Adam as a source for food, t ransport at ion, work, milk, and ot her benefit s, which are many. Allah said,

(And He has sent down for you of cat t le eight pairs...) 39:6 Allah said;


(...or (t he young) which t he wombs of t he t wo females enclose...) This refut es t he idolat ors' st at ement ,

(What is in t he bellies of such and such cat t le is for our males alone, and forbidden t o our females.) 6:139 Allah said,

(Inform me wit h knowledge if you are t rut hful.) meaning, t ell me wit h sure knowledge, how and when did Allah prohibit what you claimed is prohibit ed, such as t he Bahirah, Sa'ibah, Wasilah and Ham et c. Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Allah's st at ement ,

(Eight pairs: of t he sheep t wo, and of t he goat s t wo...) t hese are four pairs,

(Say: "Has He forbidden t he t wo males or t he t wo females...'') I (Allah) did not prohibit any of t hese.

(or (t he young) which t he wombs of t he t wo females enclose) and does t he womb produce but males and females So why do you prohibit some and allow some ot hers

(Inform me wit h knowledge if you are t rut hful. ) Allah is saying t hat all of t his is allowed.'' Allah said,

(Or, were you present when Allah ordered you such a t hing) mocking t he idolat ors' innovat ions, and t heir lies t hat Allah made sacred what t hey have prohibit ed.

(Then who does more wrong t han one who invent s a lie against Allah, t o lead mankind ast ray wit hout knowledge.) Therefore, no one is more unj ust t han t he people described here and

(Cert ainly, Allah guides not t he people who are wrongdoers.) The person most wort hy of t his condemnat ion is ` Amr bin Luhay bin Qum` ah. He was t he first person t o change t he religion of t he Prophet s and designat e t he Sa'ibah, Wasilah and Ham, as ment ioned in t he Sahih.

(145. Say: "I find not in t hat which has been revealed t o me anyt hing forbidden t o be eat en by one who wishes t o eat it , unless it be Mayt ah (a dead animal) or blood poured fort h, or t he flesh of swine; for t hat surely, is unclean (Rij s), or immorally slaught ered in t he name of ot her t han Allah. But whosoever is forced by necessit y wit hout willful disobedience, nor t ransgressing due limit s; (for him) cert ainly, your Lord is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.")

Forbidden Things
Allah commands His servant and Messenger, Muhammad ,


(Say) O Muhammad t o t hose who prohibit ed what Allah has provided t hem, claiming t his falsehood t o be from Allah,

(I find not in t hat which has been revealed t o me anyt hing forbidden t o be eat en by one who wishes t o eat it ,) This Ayah means, I do not find any animals t hat are prohibit ed, except t hese ment ioned here. We should ment ion here t hat t he prohibit ed t hings ment ioned in Surat AlMa'idah and t he Hadit hs on t his subj ect amend t he meaning of t his Ayah.

(or blood poured.) Qat adah comment ed, "Poured blood was prohibit ed, but t he meat t hat st ill has some blood in it is allowed.'' Al-Humaydi said t hat Sufyan narrat ed t o us t hat ` Amr bin Dinar narrat ed t o us, "I said t o Jabir bin ` Abdullah, ` They claim t hat t he Messenger of Allah prohibit ed t he meat of donkeys during (t he day of) Khaybar.' He said, ` Al-Hakam bin ` Amr narrat ed t hat from t he Messenger of Allah . That scholar - refering t o Ibn ` Abbas - denied it , recit ing t he Ayah;

(Say: "I find not in t hat which has been revealed t o me anyt hing forbidden t o be eat en by one who wishes t o eat it ...")''' Al-Bukhari and Abu Dawud collect ed it . Abu Bakr bin Marduwyah and Al-Hakim, in his Must adrak, recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "During t he t ime of Jahiliyyah, t he people used t o eat some t hings and avoid some ot her t hings, because t hey disliked t hem. Lat er on, Allah sent His Prophet , revealed His Book, allowed what He allowed, and prohibit ed what He prohibit ed. Therefore, what ever Allah allowed is lawful and what ever He prohibit ed is unlawful. What ever He did not ment ion, t here is no sin in it .'' He t hen recit ed t he Ayah,

(Say: "I find not in t hat which has been revealed t o me anyt hing forbidden t o be eat en by one who wishes t o eat it ...") This is t he wording wit h Ibn Marduwyah. Abu Dawud also recorded t his

st at ement , and Al-Hakim said, "It s chain is Sahih and t hey did not record it .'' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "A sheep belonging t o Sawdah bint Zam` ah died and she said, ` O Allah's Messenger! So-and-so (sheep) has died.' He said,

(Why did you not use it s skin) She said, ` Should we use t he skin of a sheep t hat has died' Allah's Messenger said,

:
(Allah only said, (Say: "I find not in t hat which has been revealed t o me anyt hing forbidden t o be eat en by one who wishes t o eat it , except Mayt ah (a dead animal) or blood poured fort h, or t he flesh of swine....) You will not be eat ing it if you t an it s skin and benefit from it .) So she had t he sheep skinned, t he skin was t anned and made int o a wat er skin t hat she kept unt il it wore out .'' Al-Bukhari and an-Nasa'i collect ed a similar Hadit h. Allah said,

(But whosoever is forced by necessit y wit hout willful disobedience, nor t ransgressing due limit s;) Therefore, whoever is forced by necessit y t o eat anyt hing t hat Allah has forbidden in t his honorable Ayah, wit hout t ransgressing his limit s, t hen for him,

(cert ainly, your Lord is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) We ment ioned t he explanat ion of t his Ayah in Surat Al-Baqarah. This honorable Ayah cont radict s t he idolat ors' innovat ed prohibit ions for cert ain kinds of wealt h, relying merely on t heir misguided ideas, such as t he Bahirah, Sa'ibah, Wasilah and Ham. Allah commanded His Messenger t o inform t hem t hat he does not find t hat such t ypes of animals are prohibit ed in what Allah revealed t o him. In t his Ayah, Allah only prohibit ed dead animals, poured blood, t he flesh of swine and what has been slaught ered

for somet hing ot her t han Allah. Ot her t hings were not prohibit ed here, but rat her t reat ed as t hat which does not have a ruling, i.e., permissible. Therefore, how do you -- idolat ors -- claim t hat such it ems are prohibit ed, and why did you prohibit t hem when Allah did not prohibit t hem

(146. And unt o t hose who are Jews, We forbade every (animal) wit h undivided hoof, and We forbade t hem t he fat of t he ox and t he sheep except what adheres t o t heir backs or t heir Hawaya, or is mixed up wit h a bone. Thus We recompensed t hem for t heir rebellion. And verily, We are Trut hful.)

Foods that were Prohibited for the Jews Because of their Transgression
Allah says, We forbade for t he Jews every bird and animal wit h undivided hoof, such as t he camel, ost rich, duck and goose. Allah said here,

(and We forbade t hem t he fat of t he ox and t he sheep...) The Jews used t o forbid t hese t ypes of foods saying t hat Isra'il, or Ya` qub, used t o forbid t hem for himself so t hey t oo forbid t hem. This was ment ioned by As-Suddi. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(except what adheres t o t heir backs) refers t o t he fat t hat clings t o t heir backs. Allah said next ,

(or t heir Hawaya) t hat is, t he ent rails, according t o Abu Ja` far bin Jarir. He also said, "The meaning here is, ` And from ox and sheep, We forbade t heir fat for t he Jews, except t he fat on t heir backs and what t he ent rails carry.'' ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat , Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he, Hawaya, are t he ent rails. Similar was report ed from Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr and Ad-Dahhak. Allah's st at ement ,


(....or is mixed up wit h a bone.) means, We allowed t he Jews t he fat t hat is mixed wit h bones. Ibn Jurayj comment ed, "The fat on t he rump t hat is mixed wit h t he t ailbone was allowed for t hem, and also t he fat on t he legs, head, eyes and what adheres t o t he bones.'' As-Suddi said similarly. Allah said,

(Thus We recompensed t hem for t heir rebellion.) meaning, We imposed t his rest rict ion on t hem as recompense for t heir rebellion and defying Our commandment s. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(For t he wrongdoing of t he Jews, We made unlawful for t hem cert ain good foods which had been lawful for t hem -- and for t heir hindering many from Allah's way) 4:160 . Allah's st at ement ,

(And verily, We are Trut hful.) means, We were j ust ified in t he penalt y We gave t hem. Ibn Jarir comment ed, "We are Trut hful in what We informed you of, O Muhammad; Our forbidding t hese foods for t hem, not as t hey claimed, t hat Israel merely forbade t hese t hings for himself (so t hey imit at ed him, t hey claimed).''

The Tricks of the Jews, and Allah's Curse

Abdullah bin ` Abbas narrat ed, "When ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab was t old t hat Samurah sold liquor, he comment ed, ` May Allah fight Samurah! Did he not know t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(May Allah curse t he Jews! The fat s were forbidden for t hem, so t hey melt ed t he fat and sold it .)'' This Hadit h is recorded in t he Two Sahihs. Jabir bin ` Abdullah said, "In t he year of t he vict ory of Makkah, I heard Allah's Messenger saying;


(Allah and His Messenger have forbidden selling alcoholic drinks (int oxicant s), dead animals, swine and idols.) He was asked, ` What about t he fat of dead animals They are used t o dye skins, paint ships and are used as light by t he people.' He said,

(No, it is st ill unlawful.) He t hen said,

(May Allah fight t he Jews! When Allah forbade t hem t he fat s of animals, t hey melt ed t he fat , sold it and at e it s price.)'' The Group recorded t his Hadit h.

(147. If t hey deny you say: "Your Lord is t he Owner of vast mercy, and never will His wrat h be t urned back from t he people who are criminals.") Allah says, if your opponent s among t he idolat ors, Jews and t heir likes rej ect you, O Muhammad,

(Say: "Your Lord is t he Owner of vast mercy...") encouraging t hem t o seek Allah's vast mercy and follow His Messenger ,

(and never will His wrat h be t urned back from t he people who are criminals.) discouraging t hem from defying t he Messenger, t he Final Prophet , Muhammad . Allah oft en j oins encouragement wit h t hreat s in t he Qur'an. Allah said at t he end of t his Surah:


(Surely, your Lord is swift in ret ribut ion, and cert ainly He is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) 6:165 Allah also said,

(But verily, your Lord is full of forgiveness for mankind in spit e of t heir wrongdoing. And verily, your Lord is (also) severe in punishment .) 13:6 , and

-
(Declare unt o My servant s, t hat t ruly, I am t he Oft -Forgiving, t he Most Merciful. And t hat My t orment is indeed t he most painful t orment .) 15:49-50 , and

(The Forgiver of sin, t he Accept or of repent ance, t he Severe in punishment .) 40:3 and,

- -
(Verily, t he punishment of your Lord is severe and painful. Verily, He it is Who begins and repeat s. And He is Oft -Forgiving, full of love.) 85:12-14 . There are many ot her Ayat on t his subj ect .

 - -
(148. Those who commit t ed Shirk say: "If Allah had willed, we would not have commit ed Shirk, nor would our fat hers, and we would not have forbidden anyt hing (against His will)." Likewise belied t hose who were before t hem, t ill t hey t ast ed Our wrat h. Say: "Have you any knowledge (proof) t hat you can produce before us Verily, you follow t he Zann and you do not hing but lie.") (149. Say: "Wit h Allah is t he perfect proof and argument ; had He so willed, He would indeed have guided you all.") (150. Say: "Bring forward your wit nesses, who can t est ify t hat Allah has forbidden t his." Then if t hey t est ify, do not t est ify wit h t hem. And do not follow t he vain desires of t hose who belie Our Ayat , and such as believe not in t he Hereaft er, and t hey hold ot hers as equal wit h t heir Lord.)

A False Notion and its Rebuttal

Here Allah ment ioned a debat e wit h t he idolat ors, refut ing a false not ion t hey have over t heir Shirk and t he t hings t hat t hey prohibit ed. They said, surely, Allah has full knowledge of t he Shirk we indulge in, and t hat we forbid some kinds of wealt h. Allah is able t o change t his Shirk by direct ing us t o t he fait h, - t hey claimed - and prevent us from falling int o disbelief, but He did not do t hat . Therefore - t hey said Allah indicat ed t hat He willed, decided and agreed t hat we do all t his. They said,

("If Allah had willed, we would not have t aken part ners (in worship) wit h Him, nor would our fat hers, and we would not have forbidden anyt hing.") Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And t hey said: "If it had been t he will of t he Most Gracious (Allah), we should not have worshipped t hem (false deit ies)") 43:20 . Similar is ment ioned in Surat An-Nahl. Allah said next ,


(Likewise belied t hose who were before t hem,) for by using and relying on t his underst anding, t he misguided ones before t hem were led ast ray. This not ion is false and ungrounded, for had it been t rue, Allah would not have harmed t hem, dest royed t hem, aided His honorable Messengers over t hem, and made t hem t ast e His painful punishment .

(Say: "Have you any knowledge...") t hat Allah is pleased wit h you and wit h your ways,

(t hat you can produce before us.) and make it plain, apparent and clear for us. However,

(Verily, you only follow t he Zann) doubt s and wishful t hinking,

(and you do not hing but lie) about Allah in t he false claims t hat you ut t er. Allah said next ,

(Say: "Wit h Allah is t he perfect proof and argument ; had He so willed, He would indeed have guided you all.") Allah said t o His Prophet

(Say) O Muhammad, t o t hem,

("Wit h Allah is t he perfect proof and argument . ..") t he perfect wisdom and unequivocal proof t o guide whom He wills and misguide whom He wills.

(had He so willed, He would indeed have guided you all.) All of t his happens accordng t o His decree, His will, and His choice. So in t his way, He is pleased wit h t he believers, and angry wit h t he disbelievers. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And had Allah willed, He could have gat hered t hem t oget her (all) on t rue guidance,) 6:35 and

(And had your Lord willed, t hose on eart h would have believed, all of t hem t oget her.) 10:99 and,

-
(And if your Lord had so willed, He could surely have made mankind one Ummah, but t hey will not cease t o disagree. Except him on whom your Lord has best owed His mercy and for t hat did He creat e t hem. And t he Word of your Lord has been fulfilled: "Surely, I shall fill Hell wit h Jinns and men all t oget her.") 11:118-119 Ad-Dahhak said, "No one has an excuse if he disobeys Allah. Surely, Allah has t he perfect proof est ablished against His servant s.'' Allah said,

(Bring forward your wit nesses,) produce your wit nesses,


(who can t est ify t hat Allah has forbidden t his.) which you have forbidden and lied and invent ed about Allah in t his regard,

(Then if t hey t est ify, do not t est ify wit h t hem.) because in t his case, t heir t est imony is false and unt rue,

(And do not follow t he vain desires of t hose who belie Our Ayat , and such as believe not in t he Hereaft er, and t hey hold ot hers as equal wit h t heir Lord.) by associat ing ot hers wit h Allah in worship and t reat ing t hem as equals t o Him.

(151. Say: "Come, I will recit e what your Lord has prohibit ed you from: Join not anyt hing in worship wit h Him; be kind and dut iful t o your parent s; kill not your children because of povert y -- We provide sust enance for you and for t hem. Come not near t o Al-Fawahish (immoral sins) whet her commit t ed openly or secret ly; and kill not anyone whom Allah has forbidden, except for a j ust cause. This He has commanded you t hat you may underst and.")

Ten Commandments

Dawud Al-Awdy narrat ed t hat , Ash-Sha` bi said t hat , ` Alqamah said t hat Ibn Mas` ud said, "Whoever wishes t o read t he will and t est ament of t he Messenger of Allah on which he placed his seal, let him read t hese Ayat ,

(Say: "Come, I will recit e what your Lord has prohibit ed you from: Join not anyt hing in worship wit h Him...'') unt il,

(...so t hat you may have Taqwa) 6:153 .'' In his Must adrak, Al-Hakim recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "In Surah Al-An` am 6 , t here are clear Ayat , and t hey are t he Mot her of t he Book (t he Qur'an).'' He t hen recit ed,

(Say: "Come, I will recit e what your Lord has prohibit ed you from...") Al-Hakim said, "It s chain is Sahih, and t hey did not record it .'' In his Must adrak Al-Hakim also recorded t hat ` Ubadah bin As-Samit said, "The Messenger of Allah said,

(Who among you will give me his pledge t o do t hree t hings) He t hen recit ed t he Ayah,

(Say: "Come, I will recit e what your Lord has prohibit ed you from...") unt il t he end of t he Ayat . He t hen said,


(Whoever fulfills (t his pledge), t hen his reward will be wit h Allah, but whoever fell int o short comings and Allah punishes him for it in t his life, t hen t hat will be his recompense. Whoever Allah delays (his reckoning) unt il t he Hereaft er, t hen his mat t er is wit h Allah. If He wills, He will punish him, and if He wills, He will forgive him.)'' Al-Hakim said, "It s chain is Sahih and t hey did not record it .'' As for t he explanat ion of t his Ayah, Allah said t o His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad : Say, O Muhammad, t o t hose idolat ors who worshipped ot her t han Allah, forbade what Allah provided t hem wit h and killed t heir children, following t heir opinions and t he lures of t he devils,'

(Say) t o t hem

(Come) come here, come close

(I will recit e what your Lord has prohibit ed you from. ) meaning, I will inform you about what your Lord has forbidden for you in t rut h, not guessing or wishful t hinking. Rat her, it is revelat ion and an order from Him.

Shirk is Forbidden

(Join not anyt hing in worship wit h Him;) t his Allah has ordained, for He said at t he end of t he Ayah,

(This He has commanded you t hat you may underst and.) In t he t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat Abu Dharr said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: : : : :
(Jibril came t o me and conveyed t he good news t hat , "Whoever among your followers dies, worshipping none along wit h Allah, will ent er Paradise." I said, "Even if he st ole or commit t ed illegal sexual int ercourse'' He said, "Even if he st ole or commit t ed illegal sexual int ercourse." I said, "Even if he st ole or commit t ed illegal sexual int ercourse" He said, "Even if he st ole or commit t ed illegal sexual int ercourse." I said, "Even if he st ole or commit t ed illegal sexual int ercourse" He said, "Even if he st ole or commit t ed illegal sexual int ercourse or even if drank alcohol.") Some of t he Musnad and Sunan compilers recorded t hat Abu Dharr said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(Allah said, ` O Son of Adam! As long as you supplicat e t o Me and hope of Me, I will forgive what ever you commit t ed, and it will be easy for Me t o do t hat . And even if you brought t he eart h's fill of sins t o Me, I will bring fort h it s fill of forgiveness, as long as you do not associat e anyt hing or anyone in worship wit h Me. And even if you err and your errors accumulat e unt il

t hey reach t he boundaries of t he sky and you t hen ask Me for forgiveness, I will forgive you.') This subj ect is also ment ioned in t he Qur'an, for Allah said,

(Verily, Allah forgives not (t he sin of) set t ing up part ners (in worship) wit h Him, but He forgives whom He wills, sins ot her t han t hat .) 4:116 Muslim recorded a Hadit h in t he Sahih t hat reads,

(Whoever dies associat ing none wit h Allah will ent er Paradise.) There are many Ayat and Hadit hs on t his subj ect .

The Order for Kindness to Parents

Allah said next ,

(be kind and dut iful t o your parent s;) meaning, Allah has commanded and ordered you t o be kind t o your parent s. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And your Lord has decreed t hat you worship none but Him. And t hat you be dut iful t o your parent s.) 17:23 Allah oft en ment ions obeying Him and being dut iful t o parent s t oget her. Allah said,


(Give t hanks t o Me and t o your parent s. Unt o Me is t he final dest inat ion. But if t hey (bot h) st rive wit h you t o make you j oin in worship wit h Me ot hers t hat of which you have no knowledge, t hen obey t hem not ; but behave wit h t hem in t his world kindly, and follow t he pat h of him who t urns t o Me in repent ance and in obedience. Then t o Me will be your ret urn, and I shall t ell you what you used t o do.) 31:14-15 Therefore, Allah ordered children t o be dut iful and kind t o t heir parent s, even if t hey were idolat ors. Allah also said,

(And (remember) when We t ook a covenant from t he Children of Israel, (saying): Worship none but Allah and be dut iful and kind t o parent s.) 2:83 There are several Ayat on t his subj ect . It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat Ibn Mas` ud said, "I asked Allah's Messenger about which deed is t he best . He said,

(The prayer, when it is performed on t ime.) I said, ` Then' He said,

(Being dut iful t o parent s.) I asked, ` Then' He said,

(Jihad in Allah's cause.) Ibn Mas` ud said, "The Messenger of Allah said t hese words t o me, and had I asked him for more, he would have said more.''

Killing Children is Forbidden

Allah said,


(Kill not your children because of povert y, We shall provide sust enance for you and for t hem.) Aft er Allah commanded kindness t o parent s and grandparent s, He next ordered kindness t o children and grandchildren. Allah said,

(kill not your children because of povert y,) because t he idolat ors used t o kill t heir children, obeying t he lures of t he devils. They used t o bury t heir daught ers alive for fear of shame, and somet imes kill t heir sons for fear of povert y. It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said, "I asked t he Messenger of Allah , ` Which sin is t he biggest ' He said,

(To call a rival for Allah, while He Alone creat ed you.) I said, ` Then what ' He said,

(To kill your son for fear t hat he might share your food.') I said, ` Then what ' He said,

(To commit adult ery wit h your neighbor's wife.) Then t he Messenger of Allah recit ed t he Ayah,

(And t hose who invoke not any ot her god along wit h Allah, nor kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except for j ust cause, nor commit illegal sexual int ercourse...) 25:68 .'' Allah's st at ement ,


(Because of Imlaq) refers t o povert y, according t o Ibn ` Abbas, Qat adah, As-Suddi and ot hers. The Ayah means, do not kill your children because you are poor. Allah said in Surat Al-Isra',

(And do not kill your children for fear from Imlaq.) 17:31 , t hat is, do not kill your children for fear t hat you might become poor in t he fut ure. This is why Allah said,

(We shall provide sust enance for t hem and for you) 17:31 , t hus ment ioning t he provision of t he children first , meaning, do not fear povert y because of feeding your children. Cert ainly, t heir provision is provided by Allah. Allah said,

(We provide sust enance for you and for t hem,) t hus st art ing wit h parent s, because t his is t he appropriat e subj ect here and Allah knows. Allah said next ,

(Come not near Al-Fawahish (immoral sins) whet her commit t ed openly or secret ly) Allah said in a similar Ayah,

(Say: "(But ) t he t hings t hat my Lord has indeed forbidden are Al-Fawahish (immoral sins) whet her commit t ed openly or secret ly, sins (of all kinds), unright eous oppression, j oining part ners (in worship) wit h Allah for which He has given no aut horit y, and saying t hings about

Allah of which you have no knowledge.") explanat ion of t he Ayah,

7:33

We also explained t his meaning in t he

(Leave sin, open and secret ) 6:120 . The Two Sahihs recorded t hat Ibn Mas` ud said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(None is more j ealous t han Allah. This is why He has forbidden t he immoral sins commit t ed openly or secret ly.) ` Abdul-Malik bin ` Umayr said t hat Warrad narrat ed t hat Al-Mughirah said t hat Sa` d bin ` Ubadah said, "If I see a man wit h my wife (commit t ing adult ery), I will kill him wit h t he sword." When t he mat t er came t o t he Messenger of Allah , he said,

(Do you wonder at Sa` d's j ealousy By Allah, I am more j ealous t han Sa` d, and Allah is more j ealous t han I. This is why He has forbidden t he immoral sins commit t ed openly and in secret .) This Hadit h is in t he Two Sahihs).

The Prohibition of Unjustified Killing

Allah said,

(And kill not anyone whom Allah has forbidden, except for a j ust cause (according t o Islamic law).) This part of t he Ayah emphasizes t his prohibit ion in specific, alt hough it is included in t he immoral sins commit t ed openly and in secret . In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat Ibn Mas` ud said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

 :
(The blood of a Muslim person who t est ifies t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah and t hat I am t he Messenger of Allah is prohibit ed, except for t hree offenses: a married person who commit s illegal sexual int ercourse, life for life, and whoever revert s from t he religion and abandons t he Jama` ah (t he communit y of fait hful believers).) There is a prohibit ion, a warning and a t hreat against killing t he Mu` ahid, i.e., non-Muslims who have a t reat y of peace wit h Muslims. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr said t hat t he Prophet said,

(Whoever killed a person having a t reat y of prot ect ion wit h Muslims, shall not smell t he scent of Paradise, t hough it s scent is perceived from a dist ance of fort y years. ) Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat t he Prophet said,

(Whoever killed a person having a t reat y of prot ect ion wit h t he Muslims, and who enj oys t he guarant ee of Allah and His Messenger, he will have spoiled t he guarant ee of Allah for him . He shall not smell t he scent of Paradise t hough it s smell is perceived from a dist ance of sevent y years.) Ibn Maj ah and At -Tirmidhi recorded t his Hadit h, and At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(This He has commanded you t hat you may underst and.) means, t his is what He has commanded you t hat you may comprehend His commandment s and prohibit ions.


(152. "And come not near t o t he orphan's propert y, except t o improve it , unt il he (or she) at t ains t he age of full st rengt h; and give full measure and full weight wit h j ust ice." -- We burden not any person, but t hat which he can bear -- "And whenever you speak, say t he t rut h even if a near relat ive is concerned, and fulfill t he covenant of Allah. This He commands you, t hat you may remember.")

The Prohibition of Consuming the Orphan's Property

At a' bin As-Sa'ib said t hat Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "When Allah revealed,

(And come not near t o t he orphan's propert y, except t o improve it .) and,

(Verily, t hose who unj ust ly eat up t he propert y of orphans.) t hose who were guardians of orphans separat ed t heir food from t he orphans' food and t heir drink from t heir drink. When any of t hat food or drink remained, t hey used t o keep it for t he orphan unt il he or she at e it or it spoiled. This became difficult for t he companions and t hey t alked about it t o t he Messenger of Allah , and Allah sent down t he Ayah,

(And t hey ask you about orphans. Say: "The best t hing is t o work honest ly in t heir propert y, and if you mix your affairs wit h t heirs, t hen t hey are your brot hers.") 2:220 Thereaft er, t hey mixed t heir food and drink wit h food and drink of t he orphans.'' Abu Dawud collect ed t his st at ement . Allah's st at ement ,


(unt il he (or she) at t ains t he age of full st rengt h;), refers t o reaching t he age of adolescence, according t o Ash-Sha` bi, Malik and several ot hers among t he Salaf.

The Command to Give Full Measure and Full Weight with Justice
Allah's st at ement ,

(and give full measure and full weight wit h j ust ice.) is a command t o est ablish j ust ice while giving and t aking. Allah has also warned against abandoning t his commandment , when He said,

- - - - -
(Woe t o Al-Mut affifin. Those who, when t hey have t o receive by measure from men, demand full measure. And when t hey have t o give by measure or weight t o (ot her) men, give less t han due. Do t hey not t hink t hat t hey will be resurrect ed (for reckoning). On a Great Day The Day when (all) mankind will st and before t he Lord of all t hat exist s) 83:1-6 . Allah dest royed an ent ire nat ion t hat was accust omed t o giving less in weight s and measures. Allah said next ,

(We burden not any person, but t hat which he can bear.) t hat is, whoever st rives while pursuing his right s and giving ot her peoples' full right s, t hen t here is no sin on him if he commit s an honest mist ake aft er t rying his best and st riving t o do what is right .

The Order for Just Testimony

Allah said;


(And whenever you give your word, say t he t rut h even if a near relat ive is concerned.) This is similar t o His st at ement ,

(O you who believe! St and out firmly for Allah as j ust wit nesses.) 5:8 And t here is a similar Ayah in Surat An-Nisa'. So Allah commands j ust ice in act ion and st at ement , wit h bot h near relat ives and dist ant relat ives. Indeed, Allah orders j ust ice for everyone at all t imes and in all sit uat ions.

Fulfilling the Covenant of Allah is an Obligation

Allah said next ,

(and fulfill t he Covenant of Allah.) Ibn Jarir comment ed, "Allah commands: Fulfill Allah's commandment s t hat He has ordered you. You will do so when you obey Him in what He commanded, refrain from what He prohibit ed and abide by His Book and t he Sunnah of His Messenger . This const it ut es fulfilling t he covenant of Allah,

(...This He commands you, t hat you may remember.) Allah says here, t hat t his is what He has ordered and commanded, and He st ressed it s import ance for you,

(...t hat you may remember.), t hat you may be advised and t hus refrain from what you used t o do before t his.''


(153. "And verily, t his is My st raight pat h, so follow it , and follow not (ot her) pat hs, for t hey will separat e you away from His pat h. This He has ordained for you t hat you may have Taqwa.")

The Command to Follow Allah's Straight Path and to Avoid All Other Paths
Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on Allah's st at ement s,

(And follow not (ot her) pat hs, for t hey will separat e you away from His pat h.), and,

((Saying) t hat you should est ablish religion and make no divisions in it .) 42:13 , and similar Ayat in t he Qur'an, "Allah commanded t he believers t o adhere t o t he Jama` ah and forbade t hem from causing divisions and disput es. He informed t hem t hat t hose before t hem were dest royed because of divisions and disput es in t he religion of Allah.'' Similar was said by Muj ahid and several ot hers. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said, "The Messenger of Allah drew a line wit h his hand (in t he sand) and said,

(This is Allah's pat h, leading st raight .) He t hen drew lines t o t he right and left of t hat line and said,

(These are t he ot her pat hs, on each pat h t here is a devil who calls t o it .) He t hen recit ed,


(And verily, t his is My st raight pat h, so follow it , and follow not (ot her) pat hs, for t hey will separat e you away from His pat h.) 6:153 '' Al-Hakim also recorded t his Hadit h and said; "It s chain is Sahih, but t hey did not record it .'' Imam Ahmad and ` Abd bin Humayd recorded (and t his is t he wording of Ahmad) t hat Jabir said; "We were sit t ing wit h t he Prophet when he drew a line in front of him and said,

(This is Allah's pat h.) He also drew t wo lines t o it s right and t wo lines t o it s left and said,

(These are t he pat hs of Shayt an.) He t hen placed his hand on t he middle pat h and recit ed t his Ayah;

(And verily, t his is My st raight pat h, so follow it , and follow not (ot her) pat hs, for t hey will separat e you away from His pat h. This He has ordained for you t hat you may have Taqwa.) Imam Ahmad, Ibn Maj ah, in t he Book of t he Sunnah in his Sunan, and Al-Bazzar collect ed t his Hadit h. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat a man asked Ibn Mas` ud, "What is As-Sirat Al-Must aqim (t he st raight pat h)'' Ibn Mas` ud replied, "Muhammad left us at it s lower end and it s ot her end is in Paradise. To t he right of t his Pat h are ot her pat hs, and t o t he left of it are ot her pat hs, and t here are men (on t hese pat hs) calling t hose who pass by t hem. Whoever goes on t he ot her pat hs will end up in t he Fire. Whoever t akes t he St raight Pat h, will end up in Paradise.'' Ibn Mas` ud t hen recit ed t he Ayah;

(And verily, t his is My st raight pat h, so follow it , and follow not (ot her) pat hs, for t hey will separat e you away from His pat h.)'" Imam Ahmad recorded t hat , An-Nawwas bin Sam` an said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(Allah has given a parable of t he st raight pat h, and on t he t wo sides of t his pat h, t here are t wo walls cont aining door ways. On t hese door ways, t here are curt ains t hat are lowered down. on t he gat e of t his pat h t here is a caller heralding, ` O people! come and ent er t he st raight pat h all t oget her and do not divide. ' There is also anot her caller t hat heralds from above t he pat h, who says when a person want s t o remove t he curt ain on any of t hese doors, ` Woe t o you! Do not open t his door, for if you open it , you will ent er it . The (st raight ) pat h is Islam, t he t wo walls are Allah's set limit s, t he open doors lead t o Allah's prohibit ions, t he caller on t he gat e of t he pat h is Allah's Book (t he Qur'an), while t he caller from above t he pat h is Allah's admonit ion in t he heart of every Muslim.) At -Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i also recorded t his Hadit h, and At Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Gharib.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(so follow it , and follow not (ot her) pat hs...) describes Allah's pat h in t he singular sense, because t rut h is one. Allah describes t he ot her pat hs in t he plural, because t hey are many and are divided. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(Allah is t he Wali (Prot ect or or Guardian) of t hose who believe. He brings t hem out from darknesses int o light . But as for t hose who disbelieve, t heir support ers are Taghut (false deit ies), t hey bring t hem out from light int o darknesses. Those are t he dwellers of t he Fire, and t hey will abide t herein forever.) 2:257

-
(154. Then, We gave Musa t he Book t he Tawrah , complet e for t hat which is best , and explaining all t hings in det ail and a guidance and a mercy t hat t hey might believe in t he meet ing wit h t heir Lord.) (155. And t his is a blessed Book (t he Qur'an) which We have sent down, so follow it and have Taqwa, so t hat you may receive mercy.)

Praising the Tawrah and the Qur'an

Aft er Allah described t he Qur'an by saying,

(And verily, t his is My st raight pat h, so follow it ...) He t hen praised t he Tawrah and it s Messenger,


(Then, We gave Musa t he Book...) Allah oft en ment ions t he Qur'an and t he Tawrah t oget her. Allah said,

(And before t his was t he Script ure of Musa as a guide and a mercy. And t his is a confirming Book in t he Arabic language.) 46:12 . Allah said in t he beginning of t his Surah,

(Say: "Who t hen sent down t he Book which Musa brought , a light and a guidance t o mankind which you have made int o paper sheet s, disclosing (some of it ) and concealing (much)") 6:91 , and

(And t his is a blessed Book which we have sent down. ..) 6:92 Allah said about t he idolat ors,

(But when t he t rut h has come t o t hem from Us, t hey say: "Why is he not given t he like of what was given t o Musa") 28:48 . Allah replied,

("Did t hey not disbelieve in t hat which was given t o Musa of old" They say: "Two kinds of magic t he Tawrah and t he Qur'an , each helping t he ot her!" And t hey say: "Verily, in bot h we are disbelievers.") 28:48 Allah said about t he Jinns t hat t hey said,

("O our people! Verily, we have heard a Book sent down aft er Musa, confirming what came before it , it guides t o t he t rut h.") 46:30 Allah's st at ement ,

(...complet e for t hat which is best , and explaining all t hings in det ail...") means; ` We made t he Book t hat We revealed t o Musa, a complet e and comprehensive Book, sufficient for what he needs t o complet e his Law.' Similarly, Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And We wrot e for him on t he Tablet s t he lesson t o be drawn from all t hings. ) 7:145 Allah's st at ement ,

(for t hat which is best ,) means: ` as a reward for his doing right and obeying Our commands and orders.' Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(Is t here any reward for good ot her t han what is best ) 55:60 ,

(And (remember) when t he Lord of Ibrahim t ried him wit h (cert ain) commands, which he fulfilled. He (Allah) said (t o him), "Verily, I am going t o make you an Imam for mankind.") 2:124 and,


y(And We made from among t hem (Children of Israel), leaders, giving guidance under Our command, when t hey were pat ient and believed wit h cert aint y in Our Ayat .) 32:24 Allah said;

(and explaining all t hings in det ail and a guidance and a mercy) praising t he Book t hat Allah sent down t o Musa, while,

-
(. ..t hat t hey might believe in t he meet ing wit h t heir Lord. And t his is a blessed Book (t he Qur'an) which We have sent down, so follow it and have Taqwa so t hat you may receive mercy.) This calls t o following t he Qur'an. Allah encourages His servant s t o follow His Book (t he Qur'an) and orders t hem t o underst and it , adhere t o it and call t o it . He also describes it as being blessed, for t hose who follow and implement it in t his life and t he Hereaft er, because it is t he Firm Rope of Allah.


(156. Lest you should say: "The Book was sent down only t o t wo sect s before us, and for our part , we were in fact unaware of what t hey st udied.") (157. Or lest you should say: "If only t he Book had been sent down t o us, we would surely have been bet t er guided t han t hey." So now has come unt o you a clear proof from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy. Who t hen does more wrong t han one who rej ect s t he Ayat of Allah and Sadafa away t herefrom We shall requit e t hose who t urn away from Our Ayat wit h an evil t orment , because of t heir t urning away.)

The Qur'an is Allah's Proof Against His Creation

Ibn Jarir comment ed on t he Ayah, "The Ayah means, t his is a Book t hat We sent down, so t hat you do not say,

("The Book was sent down only t o t wo sect s before us.") This way, you will have no excuse. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(Ot herwise, t hey would have suffered a calamit y because of what t heir hands sent fort h, and said: "Our Lord! Why did You not send us a Messenger We would t hen have followed Your Ayat .'') 28:47 .'' The Ayah,

(t o t wo sect s before us) refers t o t he Jews and Christ ians, according t o ` Ali bin Abi Talhah who narrat ed it from Ibn ` Abbas. Similar was report ed from Muj ahid, As-Suddi, Qat adah and several ot hers. Allah's st at ement ,


("...and for our part , we were in fact unaware of what t hey st udied.") meaning: ` we did not underst and what t hey said because t he revelat ion was not in our t ongue. We, indeed, were busy and unaware of t heir message,' so t hey said. Allah said next ,

(Or lest you should say: "If only t he Book had been sent down t o us, we would surely, have been bet t er guided t han t hey.") meaning: We also refut ed t his excuse, had you used it , lest you say, "If a Book was revealed t o us, j ust as t hey received a Book, we would have been bet t er guided t han t hey are.'' Allah also said.

(And t hey swore by Allah t heir most binding oat h t hat if a warner came t o t hem, t hey would be more guided t han any of t he nat ions (before t hem).) 35:42 Allah replied here,

(So now has come unt o you a clear proof from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy.) Allah says, t here has come t o you from Allah a Glorious Qur'an revealed t o Muhammad , t he Arab Prophet . In it is t he explanat ion of t he lawful and unlawful mat t ers, guidance for t he heart s and mercy from Allah t o His servant s who follow and implement it . Allah said;

(Who t hen does more wrong t han one who rej ect s t he Ayat of Allah and Sadafa away t herefrom) This refers t o t he one who neit her benefit ed from what t he Messenger brought , nor followed what he was sent wit h by abandoning all ot her ways. Rat her, he Sadafa from following t he Ayat of Allah, meaning, he discouraged and hindered people from following it . This is t he explanat ion of As-Suddi for Sadafa, while Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid and Qat adah said t hat Sadafa means, he t urned away from it .


(158. Do t hey t hen wait for anyt hing ot her t han t hat t he angels should come t o t hem, or t hat your Lord should come, or t hat some of t he Signs of your Lord should come! The day t hat some of t he signs of your Lord do come, no good will it do t o a person t o believe t hen, if he believed not before, nor earned good wit h his fait h. Say: "Wait you! We (t oo) are wait ing.")

The Disbelievers Await the Commencement of the Hereafter, or Some of its Portents
Allah st ernly t hreat ens t he disbelievers, t hose who defy His Messengers, deny His Ayat and hinder from His pat h,

(Do t hey t hen wait for anyt hing ot her t han t hat t he angels should come t o t hem, or t hat your Lord (Allah) should come...) on t he Day of Resurrect ion,

(or t hat some of t he signs of your Lord should come! The day t hat some of t he signs of your Lord do come no good will it do t o a person t o believe t hen.) Before t he commencement of t he Day of Resurrect ion, t here will come signs and port ent s of t he Last Hour t hat will be wit nessed by t he people living at t hat t ime. In a sect ion explaining t his Ayah, Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(The Last Hour will not commence unt il t he sun rises from t he west . When t he people wit ness t hat , t hey will all believe. This is when.

(no good will it do t o a person t o believe t hen, if he believed not before.)) Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Three, if t hey appear, t hen a soul will not benefit from it s fait h, if it had not believed before or earned good in it s fait h: when t he sun rises from t he west , Ad-Daj j al and t he Beast of t he eart h.) Ahmad also recorded t his Hadit h, and in his narrat ion, t he Prophet ment ioned t he Smoke. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Amr bin Jarir said, "Three Muslim men sat wit h Marwan in Al-Madinah and t hey heard him t alking about t he signs (of t he Last Hour). He said t hat t he first sign will be t he appearance of Ad-Daj j al. So t hese men went t o ` Abdullah bin ` Amr and t old him what t hey heard from Marwan about t he signs. Ibn ` Amr said, Marwan said not hing. I remember t hat I heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

(The first of t he signs t o appear are t he sun rising from t he west and t he Beast t hat appears in t he early morning. Whichever comes before t he ot her, t hen t he second sign will appear soon aft er it .'') Then ` Abdullah said - and he used t o read t he Script ures - "And I t hink t he first of t hem is t he sun rising from t he west . That is because when it set s it comes under t he Throne, prost rat es and seeks permission t o ret urn. So it is permit t ed t o ret urn unt il Allah want s it t o rise from t he west . So it does as it normally would, it comes beneat h t he Throne, it prost rat es and seeks permission t o ret urn. But it will get no response. Then it will seek permission t o ret urn again , but it will get no response, unt il what Allah wills of t he night t o pass goes by,

and it realizes t hat if it is permit t ed t o ret urn it would not be able t o reach t he east . It says; ` My Lord! The east is so far, what good would I be t o t he people' Unt il t he horizons appear as a light less ring, it seeks permission t o ret urn and is t old; ` Rise from your place,' so it rises upon t he people from where it set .'' Then he recit ed,

(no good will it do t o a person t o believe t hen, if he believed not before,) This was also recorded by Muslim in his Sahih, and Abu Dawud and Ibn Maj ah in t heir Sunans. Allah's st at ement ,

(no good will it do t o a person t o believe t hen, if he believed not before,) means, when t he disbeliever believes t hen, it will not be accept ed from him. As for t hose who were believers before, if t hey earned right eous deeds, t hey will have earned a great deal of good. If t hey had not done good nor repent ed before t hen, it will not be accept ed from t hem, according t o t he Hadit hs t hat we ment ioned. This is also t he meaning of Allah's st at ement ,

(...nor earned good t hrough his fait h. ) meaning, one's good deeds will not be accept ed from him unless he performed good deeds before. Allah said next ,

(Say: "Wait you! We (t oo) are wait ing.") This is a st ern t hreat t o t he disbelievers and a sure promise for t hose who delay embracing t he fait h and repent ing unt il a t ime when fait h or repent ance shall not avail. This will occur when t he sun rises from t he west because t he Last Hour will t hen be imminent and it s maj or signs will have begun t o appear. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(Do t hey t hen await (anyt hing) ot her t han t he Hour, t hat it should come upon t hem suddenly But some of it s port ent s have already come; and when it is upon t hem, how can t hey benefit t hen by t heir reminder) 47:18 , and,


(So when t hey saw Our punishment , t hey said: "We believe in Allah alone and rej ect (all) t hat we used t o associat e wit h Him as part ners." Then t heir fait h could not avail t hem when t hey saw Our punishment .) 40:84-85

(159. Verily, t hose who divide t heir religion and break up int o sect s, you have no concern wit h t hem in t he least . Their affair is only wit h Allah, Who t hen will t ell t hem what t hey used t o do.)

Criticizing Division in the Religion

Muj ahid, Qat adah, Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about t he Jews and Christ ians. Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed,

(Verily, t hose who divide t heir religion and break up int o sect s...) "Before Muhammad was sent , t he Jews and Christ ians disput ed and divided int o sect s. When Muhammad was sent , Allah revealed t o him,

(Verily, t hose who divide t heir religion and break up int o sect s, you have no concern wit h t hem in t he least .) It is apparent t hat t his Ayah refers t o all t hose who defy t he religion of Allah, or revert from it . Allah sent His Messenger wit h guidance and t he religion of t rut h so t hat He makes it vict orious and dominant above all religions. His Law is one and does not cont ain any cont radict ion or incongruit y. Therefore, t hose who disput e in t he religion,


(...and break up int o sect s,) religious sect s, j ust like t hose who follow t he various sect s, desires and misguidance - t hen Allah has purified His Messenger from t heir ways. In a similar Ayah, Allah said,

(He (Allah) has ordained for you t he same religion which He ordained for Nuh, and t hat which We have revealed t o you.) 42:13 A Hadit h reads,

(We, t he Prophet s, are half brot hers but have one religion.) This, indeed, is t he st raight pat h which t he Messengers have brought and which commands worshipping Allah alone wit hout part ners and adhering t o t he Law of t he last Messenger whom Allah sent . All ot her pat hs are t ypes of misguidance, ignorance, sheer opinion and desires; and as such, t he Messengers are free from t hem. Allah said here,

(You have no concern wit h t hem in t he least ...) 6:159 . Allah's st at ement ,

(Their affair is only wit h Allah, Who t hen will t ell t hem what t hey used t o do.) is similar t o His st at ement ,

(Verily, t hose who believe, and t hose who are Jews, and t he Sabians, and t he Christ ians, and t he Maj us, and t hose who worship ot hers besides Allah; t ruly, Allah will j udge bet ween t hem on

t he Day of Resurrect ion.) 22:17 eAllah t hen ment ioned His kindness in His decisions and His j ust ice on t he Day of Resurrect ion, when He said,

(160. Whoever brings a good deed shall have t en t imes t he like t hereof t o his credit , and whoever brings an evil deed shall have only t he recompense of t he like t hereof, and t hey will not be wronged.)

The Good Deed is Multiplied Tenfold, While the Sin is Recompensed with the Same
This Ayah explains t he general Ayah;

(Whoever comes wit h good, t hen he will receive bet t er t han t hat .) 28:84 There are several Hadit hs t hat are in agreement wit h t he apparent wording of t his honorable Ayah. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said about his Lord,

.
(Your Lord is Most Merciful. Whoever int ends t o perform a good deed and does not do it , it will be writ t en for him as a good deed. If he performs it , it will be writ t en for him as t en deeds, t o seven hundred, t o mult ifold. Whoever int ends t o commit an evil deed, but does not do it , it will be writ t en for him as a good deed. If he commit s it , it will be writ t en for him as a sin, unless Allah erases it . Only t hose who deserve dest ruct ion will be dest royed by Allah.) AlBukhari, Muslim and An-Nasa'i also recorded t his Hadit h. Ahmad also recorded t hat Abu Dharr said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

 :
(Allah says, ` Whoever performs a good deed, will have t enfold for it and more. Whoever commit s a sin, t hen his recompense will be t he same, unless I forgive. Whoever commit s t he eart h's fill of sins and t hen meet s Me while associat ing none wit h Me, I will give him it s fill of forgiveness. Whoever draws closer t o Me by a hand's span, I will draw closer t o him by a forearm's lengt h. Whoever draws closer t o Me by a forearm's lengt h, I will draw closer t o him by an arm's lengt h. And whoever comes t o Me walking, I will come t o him running.') Muslim also collect ed t his Hadit h. Know t hat t here are t hree t ypes of people who refrain from commit t ing a sin t hat t hey int ended. There are t hose who refrain from commit t ing t he sin because t hey fear Allah, and t hus will have writ t en for t hem a good deed as a reward. This t ype cont ains bot h a good int ent ion and a good deed. In some narrat ions of t he Sahih, Allah says about t his t ype, "He has left t he sin for My sake.'' Anot her t ype does not commit t he sin because of forget fulness or being busy at t ending t o ot her affairs. This t ype of person will neit her earn a sin, nor a reward. The reason being t hat , t his person did not int end t o do good, nor commit evil. Some people abandon t he sin because t hey were unable t o commit it or due t o laziness, aft er t rying t o commit it and seeking t he means t hat help commit it . This person is j ust like t he person who commit s t he sin. There is an aut hent ic Hadit h t hat st at es,

(When t wo Muslims meet wit h t heir swords, t hen t he killer and t he killed will be in t he Fire.) They said, "O Allah's Messenger! We know about t he killer, so what about t he killed'' He said,

(He was eager t o kill his companion.) Al-Hafiz Abu Al-Qasim At -Tabarani said t hat Abu Malik AlAsh` ari said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

 :
(Friday (prayer) t o t he next Friday (preayer), plus t hree more days, erase what ever was commit t ed (of sins) bet ween t hem. This is because Allah says: Whoever brings a good deed shall have t en t imes t he like t hereof t o his credit ) Abu Dharr narrat ed t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever fast s t hree days every mont h, will have fast ed all t he t ime.) Ahmad, An-Nasa'i, and Ibn Maj ah recorded t his Hadit h, and t his is Ahmad's wording. At -Tirmidhi also recorded it wit h t his addit ion;

(So Allah sent down affirmat ion of t his st at ement in His Book, )

(Whoever brings a good deed shall have t en t imes t he like t hereof t o his credit ,)

(Therefore, a day earns t en days.) At -Tirmidhi said; "This Hadit h is Hasan''. There are many ot her Hadit hs and st at ement s on t his subj ect , but what we ment ioned should be sufficient , Allah willing, and our t rust is in Him.

 - -
(161. Say: "Truly, my Lord has guided me t o a st raight pat h, a right religion, t he religion of Ibrahim, Hanifan (monot heism) and he was not of t he Mushrikin.") (162. Say: "Verily, my Salah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, t he Lord of all t hat exist s.'') (163. "He has no part ner. And of t his I have been commanded, and I am t he first of t he Muslims.")

Islam is the Straight Path

Allah commands His Prophet , t he chief of t he Messengers, t o convey t he news of being guided t o Allah's st raight pat h. This pat h is neit her wicked, nor deviant ,

(a right religion...) t hat is, est ablished on firm grounds,

(The religion of Ibrahim, Hanifan and he was not of t he Mushrikin.) Allah said in similar Ayat ,

(And who t urns away from t he religion of Ibrahim except him who deludes himself) 2:130 , and,


(And st rive hard in Allah's cause as you ought t o st rive. He has chosen you, and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship: it is t he religion of your fat her Ibrahim.) 22:78 , and,

- - -
(Verily, Ibrahim was an Ummah (or a nat ion), obedient t o Allah, a Hanif, and he was not one of t he Mushrikin. (He was) t hankful for His (Allah's) favors. He (Allah) chose him (as an int imat e friend) and guided him t o a st raight pat h. And We gave him good in t his world, and in t he Hereaft er he shall be of t he right eous. Then, We have sent t he revelat ion t o you (saying): "Follow t he religion of Ibrahim, (he was a) Hanif, and he was not of t he Mushrikin'') 16:120123 . Ordering t he Prophet t o follow t he religion of Ibrahim, t he Hanifiyyah, does not mean t hat Prophet Ibrahim reached more perfect ion in it t han our Prophet . Rat her, our Prophet perfect ly est ablished t he religion and it was complet ed for him; and none before him reached t his level of perfect ion. This is why he is t he Final Prophet , t he chief of all t he Children of Adam who holds t he st at ion of praise and glory, t he honor of int ercession on t he Day of Resurrect ion. All creat ion (on t hat Day) will seek him, even Ibrahim t he friend of Allah, peace be upon him t o request t he beginning of Judgement . Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The Messenger of Allah was asked, ` Which religion is t he best wit h Allah, t he Exalt ed' He said,

(Al-Hanifiyyah As-Samhah (t he easy monot heism))''

The Command for Sincerity in Worship

Allah said next ,


(Say: "Verily, my Salah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, t he Lord of t he all t hat exist s.") Allah commands t he Prophet t o inform t he idolat ors who worship ot her t han Allah and sacrifice t o somet hing ot her t han Him, t hat he opposes t hem in all t his, for his prayer is for Allah, and his rit uals are in His Name alone, wit hout part ners. Allah said in a similar st at ement ,

(Therefore t urn in prayer t o your Lord and sacrifice.) 108:2 , meaning, make your prayer and sacrifice for Allah alone. As for t he idolat ors, t hey used t o worship t he idols and sacrifice t o t hem, so Allah commanded t he Prophet t o defy t hem and cont radict t heir pract ices. Allah, t he Exalt ed, commanded him t o dedicat e his int ent ion and heart t o being sincere for Him alone. Muj ahid comment ed,

(Verily, my prayer and my Nusuk...) refers t o sacrificing during Haj j and ` Umrah.

Islam is the Religion of all Prophets

The Ayah,

(and I am t he first of t he Muslims.) means, from t his Ummah, according t o Qat adah. This is a sound meaning, because all Prophet s before our Prophet were calling t o Islam, which commands worshipping Allah alone wit hout part ners. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And We did not send any Messenger before you but We revealed t o him (saying): "None has t he right t o be worshipped but I, so worship Me.'') 21:25 Allah informed us t hat Nuh said t o his people,


(But if you t urn away, t hen no reward have I asked of you, my reward is only from Allah, and I have been commanded t o be of t he Muslims.) 10:72 Allah said,

- -
(And who t urns away from t he religion of Ibrahim except him who deludes himself Truly, We chose him in t his world and verily, in t he Hereaft er he will be among t he right eous. When his Lord said t o him, "Submit (i.e. be a Muslim)!'' He said, "I have submit t ed myself (as a Muslim) t o t he Lord of t he all t hat exist s.'' And t his was enj oined by Ibrahim upon his sons and by Ya` qub (saying), "O my sons! Allah has chosen for you t he (t rue) religion, t hen die not except as Muslims.") 2:130-132 . Yusuf, peace be upon him, said,

(My Lord! You have indeed best owed on me of t he sovereignt y, and t aught me somet hing of t he int erpret at ion of dreams -- t he (Only) Creat or of t he heavens and t he eart h! You are my Wali (Prot ect or) in t his world and in t he Hereaft er. Cause me t o die as a Muslim, and j oin me wit h t he right eous.) 12:101 Musa said,

 - -
(And Musa said: "O my people! If you have believed in Allah, t hen put your t rust in Him if you are Muslims." They said: "In Allah we put our t rust . Our Lord! Make us not a t rial for t he folk who are wrongdoers. And save us by your mercy from t he disbelieving folk'') 10:84-86 Allah said,

(Verily, We did send down t he Tawrah, t herein was guidance and light , by which t he Prophet s, who submit t ed t hemselves t o Allah's will, j udged for t he Jews. And t he rabbis and t he priest s did also .) 5:44 , and,

(And when I (Allah) inspired Al-Hawariyyun (t he disciples) of ` Isa t o believe in Me and My Messenger, t hey said: "We believe. And bear wit ness t hat we are Muslims.") 5:111 Therefore, Allah st at es t hat He sent all His Messengers wit h t he religion of Islam, alt hough t heir respect ive laws differed from each ot her, and some of t hem abrogat ed ot hers. Lat er on, t he Law sent wit h Muhammad abrogat ed all previous laws and not hing will ever abrogat e it , forever. Cert ainly, Muhammad's Law will always be apparent and it s flags raised high, unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion. The Prophet said, C

(We, t he Prophet s, are half brot hers, but our religion is one.) Half brot hers, ment ioned in t he Hadit h, refers t o t he brot hers t o one fat her, but different mot hers. Therefore, t he religion, represent ing t he one fat her, is one; worshipping Allah alone wit hout part ners, even t hough t he

laws which are like t he different mot hers in t his parable, are different . Allah t he Most High knows best . Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Ali said t hat when t he Messenger of Allah used t o st art t he prayer wit h Takbir saying, "Allahu Akbar'' (Allah is t he Great ) he would t hen supplicat e,

(I have direct ed my face t owards He Who has creat ed t he heavens and eart h, Hanifan and I am not among t he Mushrikin. Cert ainly, my prayer, sacrifice, living and dying are all for Allah, Lord of t he worlds.)

(O Allah! You are t he King, t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except You. You are my Lord and I am Your servant . I have commit t ed wrong against myself and admit t ed t o my error, so forgive me all my sins. Verily, You, only You forgive t he sins. (O Allah!) Direct me t o t he best conduct , for none except You direct s t o t he best conduct . Divert me from t he worst conduct , for only You divert from t he worst conduct . Glorified and Exalt ed You are. I seek Your forgiveness and repent t o You.) This Hadit h, which was also recorded by Muslim in t he Sahih, cont inues and ment ions t he Prophet 's supplicat ion in his bowing, prost rat ing and final sit t ing posit ions.


(164. Say: "Shall I seek a lord ot her t han Allah, while He is t he Lord of all t hings No person earns any (sin) except against himself (only), and no bearer of burdens shall bear t he burden of anot her. Then unt o your Lord is your ret urn, so He will t ell you t hat wherein you have been differing.")

The Command to Sincerely Trust in Allah

Allah said,

(Say), O Muhammad , t o t hose idolat ors, about worshipping Allah alone and t rust ing in Him,

(Shall I seek a lord ot her t han Allah...) 6:164 ,

(while He is t he Lord of all t hings ) and Who prot ect s and saves me and governs all my affairs But , I only t rust in Him and go back t o Him, because He is t he Lord of everyt hing, Owner of all t hings and His is t he creat ion and t he decision. This Ayah commands sincerely t rust ing Allah, while t he Ayah before it commands sincerely worshipping Allah alone wit hout part ners. These t wo meanings are oft en ment ioned t oget her in t he Qur'an. Allah direct s His servant s t o proclaim,

(You (alone) we worship, and You (alone) we ask for help (for each and every t hing).) 1:5 Allah said,

(So worship Him and put your t rust in Him.) 11:123 , and


(Say: "He is t he Most Gracious (Allah), in Him we believe, and in Him we put our t rust ''.) 67:29 , and,

(Lord of t he east and t he west ; none has t he right t o be worshipped but He. So t ake Him a guardian.) 73:9 There are similar Ayat on t his subj ect .

Every Person Carries His Own Burden

Allah said,

(No person earns any (sin) except against himself (only), and no bearer of burdens shall bear t he burden of anot her.) t hus emphasizing Allah's reckoning, decision and j ust ice t hat will occur on t he Day of Resurrect ion. The souls will only be recompensed for t heir deeds, good for good and evil for evil. No person shall carry t he burden of anot her person, a fact t hat indicat es Allah's perfect j ust ice. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And if one heavily laden calls anot her t o (bear) his load, not hing of it will be lift ed even t hough he be near of kin.) 35:18 , and,

(Then he will have no fear of inj ust ice, nor of any curt ailment (of his reward).) 20:112 Scholars of Tafsir comment ed, "No person will be wronged by carrying t he evil deeds of anot her person, nor will his own good deeds be curt ailed or decreased.'' Allah also said;

 -
(Every person is a pledge for what he has earned. Except t hose on t he Right .) 74:38-39 , meaning, every person will be t ied t o his evil deeds. But , for t hose on t he right -- t he believers -- t he blessing of t heir good works will benefit t heir offspring and relat ives, as well. Allah said in Surat At -Tur,

(And t hose who believe and whose offspring follow t hem in fait h, t o t hem shall We j oin t heir offspring, and We shall not decrease t he reward of t heir deeds in anyt hing.) 52:21 , meaning, We shall elevat e t heir offspring t o t heir high grades in Paradise, even t hough t he deeds of t he offspring were less right eous, since t hey shared fait h wit h t hem in it s general form. Allah says, We did not decrease t he grades of t hese right eous believers so t hat t hose (t heir offspring and relat ives) who have lesser grades, can share t he same grades as t hem. Rat her Allah elevat ed t he lesser believers t o t he grades of t heir parent s by t he blessing of t heir parent s' good works, by His favor and bount y. Allah said next (in Surat At -Tur),

(Every person is a pledge for t hat which he has earned.) st at ement here, 52:21 , meaning, of evil. Allah's

(Then unt o your Lord is your ret urn, so He will t ell you t hat wherein you have been differing.) means, work you (disbelievers), and we will also work. Surely, bot h you and us will be gat hered t o Allah and He will inform us of our deeds and your deeds and t he decision on what we used t o disput e about in t he life of t his world. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

 -
(Say: "You will not be asked about our sins, nor shall we be asked of what you do." Say: "Our Lord will assemble us all t oget her, t hen He will j udge bet ween us wit h t rut h. And He is t he Just Judge, t he All-Knower of t he t rue st at e of affairs.") 34:25-26 .

(165. And it is He Who has made you generat ions coming aft er generat ions, replacing each ot her on t he eart h. And He has raised you in ranks, some above ot hers t hat He may t ry you in t hat which He has best owed on you. Surely, your Lord is Swift in ret ribut ion, and cert ainly He is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

Allah Made Mankind Dwellers on the earth, Generation After Generation, of Various Grades, in order to Test Them
Allah said,

(And it is He Who has made you generat ions coming aft er generat ions, replacing each ot her on t he eart h.) meaning, He made you dwell on t he eart h generat ion aft er generat ion, cent ury aft er cent ury and offspring aft er forefat hers, according t o Ibn Zayd and ot hers. Allah also said,

(And if it were Our will, We would have made angels t o replace you on t he eart h) 43:60 , and,


(And makes you inherit ors of t he Eart h, generat ions aft er generat ions.) 27:62 , and

(Verily, I am going t o place (mankind) generat ions aft er generat ions on eart h.) 2:30 , and,

(It may be t hat your Lord will dest roy your enemy and make you successors on t he eart h, so t hat He may see how you act .) 7:129 Allah's st at ement ,

(And He has raised you in ranks, some above ot hers,) means, He has made you different from each ot her wit h regards t o provision, conduct , qualit ies, evilness, shapes, color of skin, and so fort h, and He has t he perfect wisdom in all t his. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(It is We Who port ion out bet ween t hem t heir livelihood in t his world, and We raised some of t hem above ot hers in ranks, so t hat some may employ ot hers in t heir work.) 43:32 , and,

(See how We prefer one above anot her (in t his world), and verily, t he Hereaft er will be great er in degrees and great er in preferment .) 17:21 Allah's st at ement ,


(t hat He may t ry you in t hat which He has best owed on you.) means, so t hat He t est s you in what He has grant ed you, for Allah t ries t he rich concerning his wealt h and will ask him about how he appreciat ed it . He also t ries t he poor concerning his povert y and will ask him about his pat ience wit h it . Muslim recorded t hat Abu Sa` id Al-Khudri said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Verily, t his life is beaut iful and green, and Allah made you dwell in it generat ion aft er generat ion so t hat He sees what you will do. Therefore, beware of t his life and beware of women, for t he first t rial t hat t he Children of Israel suffered from was wit h women.) Allah's st at ement ,

(Surely, your Lord is swift in ret ribut ion, and cert ainly He is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) t his is bot h discouragement and encouragement , by reminding t he believers t hat Allah is swift in reckoning and punishment wit h t hose who disobey Him and defy His Messengers,

(And cert ainly He is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) for t hose who t ake Him as prot ect or and follow His Messengers in t he news and commandment s t hey conveyed. Allah oft en ment ions t hese t wo at t ribut es t oget her in t he Qur'an. Allah said,

(But verily, your Lord is full of forgiveness for mankind in spit e of t heir wrongdoing. And verily, your Lord is (also) severe in punishment ) 13:6 , and,

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(Declare unt o My servant s, t hat t ruly, I am t he Oft -Forgiving, t he Most Merciful. And t hat My t orment is indeed t he most painful t orment .) 15:49-50 There are similar Ayat t hat cont ain encouragement and discouragement . Somet imes Allah calls His servant s t o Him wit h encouragement , describing Paradise and making t hem eager for what He has wit h Him. Somet imes, He calls His servant s wit h discouragement , ment ioning t he Fire and it s t orment and punishment , as well as, t he Day of Resurrect ion and it s horrors. Somet imes Allah ment ions bot h so t hat each person is affect ed by it according t o his or her qualit ies. We ask Allah t hat He makes us among t hose who obey what He has commanded, avoid what He has prohibit ed, and believe in Him as He has informed. Cert ainly, He is Near, hears and answers t he supplicat ion, and He is t he Most Kind, Generous and Best owing. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(If t he believer knew Allah's punishment , no one will hope in ent ering His Paradise. And if t he disbeliever knew Allah's mercy, no one will feel hopeless of acquiring Paradise. Allah creat ed a hundred kinds of mercy. He sent down one of t hem t o His creat ion, and t hey are merciful t o each ot her on t hat account . Wit h Allah, t here remains ninet y-nine kinds of mercy.) Muslim and At -Tirmidhi also recorded t his Hadit h, At -Tirmidhi said "Hasan''. Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(When Allah creat ed t he creat ion, He wrot e in a Book, and t his Book is wit h Him above t he Throne: ` My mercy overcomes My anger.') This is t he end of t he Tafsir of Surat Al-An` am, all t he t hanks and appreciat ion for Allah.

The Tafsir of Surat Al-A` raf

(Chapter - 7) Which was revealed in Makkah

In t he Name of Allah, t he Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful.

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(1. Alif-Lam-Mim-Sad.) (2. (This is t he) Book (t he Qur'an) sent down unt o you, so let not your breast be narrow t herefrom, t hat you warn t hereby; and a reminder unt o t he believers.) (3. Follow what has been sent down unt o you from your Lord, and follow not any Awliya' (prot ect ors), besides Him (Allah). Lit t le do you remember!) We ment ioned before t he explanat ion of t he let t ers such as, Alif-Lam, t hat are in t he beginning of some Surahs in t he Qur'an .

((This is t he) Book (t he Qur'an) sent down unt o you (O Muhammad)), from your Lord,

(so let not your breast be narrow t herefrom,) meaning, having doubt about it according t o Muj ahid, Qat adah and As-Suddi. It was also said t hat t he meaning here is: ` do not hesit at e t o convey t he Qur'an and warn wit h it ,'

(Therefore be pat ient as did t he Messengers of st rong will) 46:35 . Allah said here,

(t hat you warn t hereby) meaning, ` We sent down t he Qur'an so t hat you may warn t he disbelievers wit h it ,'


(and a reminder unt o t he believers). Allah t hen said t o t he world,

(Follow what has been sent down unt o you from your Lord) meaning, follow and imit at e t he unlet t ered Prophet , who brought you a Book t hat was revealed for you, from t he Lord and mast er of everyt hing.

(and follow not any Awliya', besides Him (Allah)) meaning, do not disregard what t he Messenger brought you and follow somet hing else, for in t his case, you will be deviat ing from Allah's j udgment t o t he decision of someone else. Allah's st at ement ,

(Lit t le do you remember!) is similar t o,

(And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly) 12:103 , and;

(And if you obey most of t hose on t he eart h, t hey will mislead you far away from Allah's pat h) 6:116 , and,

(And most of t hem believe not in Allah except t hat t hey at t ribut e part ners unt o Him) 12:106 .

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(4. And a great number of t owns We dest royed. Our t orment came upon t hem by night or while t hey were t aking t heir midday nap.) (5. No cry did t hey ut t er when Our t orment came upon t hem but t his: "Verily, we were wrongdoers.'') (6. Then surely, We shall quest ion t hose (people) t o whom it was sent and verily, We shall quest ion t he Messengers.) (7. Then surely, We shall narrat e unt o t hem (t heir whole st ory) wit h knowledge, and indeed We have not been absent .)

Nations that were destroyed

Allah said,

(And a great number of t owns We dest royed.) for defying Our Messengers and rej ect ing t hem. This behavior led t hem t o earn disgrace in t his life, which led t hem t o disgrace in t he Hereaft er. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And indeed (many) Messengers before you were mocked at , but t heir scoffers were surrounded by t he very t hing t hat t hey used t o mock at ) 6:10 , and

(And many a t ownship did We dest roy while t hey were given t o wrongdoing, so t hat it lie in ruins (up t o t his day), and (many) a desert ed well and loft y cast le!) 22:45 , and,

(And how many a t own have We dest royed, which was t hankless for it s means of livelihood And t hose are t heir dwellings, which have not been inhabit ed aft er t hem except a lit t le. And verily, We have been t he heirs) 28:58 . Allah's saying,

(Our t orment came upon t hem by night or while t hey were t aking t heir midday nap. ) means, Allah's command, t orment and vengeance came over t hem at night or while t aking a nap in t he middle of t he day. Bot h of t hese t imes are periods of rest and leisure or heedlessness and amusement . Allah also said

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(Did t he people of t he t owns t hen feel secure against t he coming of Our punishment by night while t hey were asleep Or, did t he people of t he t owns t hen feel secure against t he coming of Our punishment in t he forenoon while t hey were playing) 7:97-98 and,

(Do t hen t hose who devise evil plot s feel secure t hat Allah will not sink t hem int o t he eart h, or t hat t he t orment will not seize t hem from direct ions t hey perceive not Or t hat He may cat ch t hem in t he midst of t heir going t o and from, so t hat t here be no escape for t hem Or t hat He may cat ch t hem wit h gradual wast age. Truly, Your Lord is indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful) 16:45-47 . Allah's saying;

(No cry did t hey ut t er when Our t orment came upon t hem but t his: "Verily, we were wrongdoers.'') This means, when t he t orment came t o t hem, t heir cry was t hat t hey admit t ed t heir sins and t hat t hey deserved t o be punished. Allah said in a similar Ayah,

(How many a t own given t o wrongdoing, have We dest royed) 21:11 , unt il,

(Ext inct ) 21:15 . Allah's saying.

(Then surely, We shall quest ion t hose (people) t o whom it (t he Book) was sent ) is similar t o t he Ayat ,

(And (remember) t he Day (Allah) will call t hem, and say: "What answer gave you t o t he Messengers'') 28:65 , and,

(On t he Day when Allah will gat her t he Messengers t oget her and say t o t hem: "What was t he response you received'' They will say: "We have no knowledge, verily, only You are t he Knower of all t hat is unseen.'') 5:109 . Allah will quest ion t he nat ions, on t he Day of Resurrect ion, how

t hey responded t o His Messengers and t he Messages He sent t hem wit h. He will also quest ion t he Messengers if t hey conveyed His Messages. So, ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed from Ibn ` Abbas, who said comment ing on t he Ayah:

(Then surely, We shall quest ion t hose (people) t o whom it (t he Book) was sent and verily, We shall quest ion t he Messengers.) He said; "About what t hey conveyed.'' Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(Then surely, We shall narrat e unt o t hem (t heir whole st ory) wit h knowledge, and indeed We have not been absent .) "The Book will be brought fort h on t he Day of Resurrect ion and it will speak, disclosing what t hey used t o do.''

(and indeed We have not been absent ) meaning, On t he Day of Resurrect ion, Allah will inform His servant s about what t hey said and did, whet her subst ant ial or minor. Cert ainly, He wit nesses t o everyt hing, not hing escapes His observat ion, and He is never unaware of anyt hing. Rat her, He has perfect knowledge of what t he eyes are deluded by and what t he heart s conceal,

(Not a leaf falls, but He knows it . There is not a grain in t he darkness of t he eart h nor anyt hing fresh or dry, but is writ t en in a Clear Record.) 6:59

(8. And t he weighing on t hat Day will be t he t rue (weighing). So, as for t hose whose scale (of good deeds) will be heavy, t hey will be t he successful (by ent ering Paradise).) (9. And as for t hose whose scale will be light , t hey are t hose who will lose t hemselves for t heir wrongful behavior wit h Our Ayat .)

The Meaning of weighing the Deeds

Allah said,

(And t he weighing), of deeds on t he Day of Resurrect ion,

(will be t he t rue (weighing)), for Allah will not wrong anyone. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And We shall set up t he Balances of j ust ice on t he Day of Resurrect ion, t hen none will be dealt wit h unj ust ly in anyt hing. And if t here be t he weight of a must ard seed, We will bring it . And Sufficient are We t o t ake account .) 21:47 ,

(Surely, Allah wrongs not even t he weight of a speck of dust , but if t here is any good (done), He doubles it , and gives from Him a great reward.) 4:40 ,


(Then as for him whose scale (of good deeds) will be heavy. He will live a pleasant life (in Paradise). But as for him whose scale (of good deeds) will be light . He will have his home in Hawiyah (pit , Hell). And what will make you know what it is (It is) a fiercely blazing Fire!) 101:6-11 and,

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(Then, when t he Trumpet is blown, t here will be no kinship among t hem t hat Day, nor will t hey ask of one anot her. Then, t hose whose scales (of good deeds) are heavy, t hey are t he successful. And t hose whose scales (of good deeds) are light , t hey are t hose who lose t hemselves, in Hell will t hey abide) 23:101-103 . As for what will be placed on t he Balance on t he Day of Resurrect ion, it has been said t hat t he deeds will be placed on it , even t hough t hey are not mat erial obj ect s. Allah will give t hese deeds physical weight on t he Day of Resurrect ion. Al-Baghawi said t hat t his was report ed from Ibn ` Abbas. It is recorded in t he Sahih t hat Al-Baqarah (chapt er 2) and Al ` Imran (chapt er 3) will come on t he Day of Resurrect ion in t he shape of t wo clouds, or t wo obj ect s t hat provide shade, or t wo lined groups of birds. It is also recorded in t he Sahih t hat t he Qur'an will come t o it s companion (who used t o recit e and preserve it ) in t he shape of a pale-faced young man. He will ask (t he young man), "Who are you'' He will reply, "I am t he Qur'an, who made you st ay up sleeplessly at night and caused you t hirst in t he day. '' The Hadit h t hat Al-Bara' narrat ed about t he quest ioning in t he grave st at es,

: :
(A young man wit h fair color and good scent will come t o t he believer, who will ask, ` Who are you' He will reply, ` I am your good deeds'). The Prophet ment ioned t he opposit e in t he case of t he disbeliever and t he hypocrit e. It was also said t hat t he Book of Records t hat cont ains t he deeds will be weighed. A Hadit h st at es t hat a man will be brought fort h and ninet y-nine scrolls cont aining errors and sins will be placed on one side of t he balance each as long as t he sight

can reach. He will t hen be brought a card on which ` La ilaha illallah' will be writ t en. He will say, "O Lord! What would t his card weigh against t hese scrolls'' Allah will say, "You will not be wronged.'' So t he card will be placed on t he ot her side of t he Balance, and as t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Behold! The (ninet y-nine) scrolls will go up, as t he card becomes heavier.) At -Tirmidhi recorded similar wording for t his Hadit h and said t hat it is aut hent ic. It was also said t hat t he person who performed t he deed will be weighed. A Hadit h st at es,

(On t he Day of Resurrect ion, a fat man will be brought fort h, but he will not weigh wit h Allah equal t o t he wing of a mosquit o). He t hen recit ed t he Ayah,

(And on t he Day of Resurrect ion, We shall assign no weight for t hem) Prophet said about ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud, 18:105 . Also, t he

(Do you wonder at t he t hinness of his legs By He in Whose Hand is my soul! They are heavier on t he Balance t han (Mount ) Uhud.) It is also possible t o combine t he meanings of t hese Ayat and Hadit hs by st at ing t hat all t his will t ruly occur, for somet imes t he deeds will be weighed, somet imes t he scrolls where t hey are recorded will be weighed, and somet imes t hose who performed t he deeds will be weighed. Allah knows best .

(10. And surely, We gave you aut horit y on t he eart h and appoint ed for you t herein livelihoods. Lit t le t hanks do you give.)

All Bounties in the Heavens and Earth are for the Benefit of Mankind
Allah reminds of His favor on His servant s in t hat He made t he eart h a fixed place for dwelling, placed firm mount ains and rivers on it and made homes and allowed t hem t o ut ilize it s benefit s. Allah made t he clouds work for t hem (bringing rain) so t hat t hey may produce t heir sust enance from t hem. He also creat ed t he ways and means of earnings, commercial act ivit ies and ot her professions. Yet , most of t hem give lilt le t hanks for t his. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And if you count t he blessings of Allah,never will you be able t o count t hem. Verily, man is indeed a wrongdoer, an ingrat e.) 14:34

(11. And surely, We creat ed you and t hen gave you shape; t hen We t old t he angels, "Prost rat e yourselves t o Adam,'' and t hey prost rat ed, except Iblis (Shayt an), he refused t o be of t hose who prost rat ed.)

Prostration of the Angels to Adam and Shaytan's Arrogance

Allah informs t he Children of Adam about t he honor of t heir fat her and t he enmit y of Shayt an, who st ill has envy for t hem and for t heir fat her Adam. So t hey should beware of him and not follow in his foot st eps. Allah said,

(And surely, We creat ed you and t hen gave you shape; t hen We t old t he angels, "Prost rat e yourselves t o Adam,'' and t hey prost rat ed,) This is like His saying,

 -
(And (remember) when your Lord said t o t he angels: "I am going t o creat e a man from dried (sounding) clay of alt ered mud. So, when I have fashioned him complet ely and breat hed int o him t he soul (which I creat ed for him), t hen fall (you) down prost rat ing yourselves unt o him.'') 15:28-29 . Aft er Allah creat ed Adam wit h His Hands from dried clay of alt ered mud and made him in t he shape of a human being, He blew life int o him and ordered t he angels t o prost rat e before him, honoring Allah's glory and magnificence. The angels all heard, obeyed and prost rat ed, but Iblis did not prost rat e. We explained t his subj ect in t he beginning of Surat AlBaqarah. Therefore, t he Ayah (7:11) refers t o Adam, alt hough Allah used t he plural in t his case, because Adam is t he fat her of all mankind. Similarly, Allah said t o t he Children of Israel who lived during t he t ime of t he Prophet ,

(And We shaded you wit h clouds and sent down on you manna and t he quail,) 2:57 This refers t o t heir forefat hers who lived during t he t ime of Moses. But , since t hat was a favor given t o t he forefat hers, and t hey are t heir very source, t hen t he offspring have also been favored by it . This is not t he case in:

(And indeed We creat ed man out of an ext ract of clay (wat er and eart h.)) 23:12 For t his merely means t hat Adam was creat ed from clay. His children were creat ed from Nut fah (mixed male and female sexual discharge). This last Ayah is t hus t alking about t he origin of mankind, not t hat t hey were all creat ed from clay, and Allah knows best .

(12. (Allah) said: "What prevent ed you (O Iblis) t hat you did not prost rat e, when I commanded you'' Iblis said: "I am bet t er t han him (Adam), You creat ed me from fire, and him You creat ed from clay.'') Allah said,


(What prevent ed you (O Iblis) t hat you did not prost rat e) 7: 12 meaning, what st opped and hindered you from prost rat ing aft er I ordered you t o do so, according t o Ibn Jarir. This meaning is sound, and Allah knows best . Iblis, may Allah curse him, said,

(I am bet t er t han him (Adam)), and t his excuse is worse t han t he crime it self! Shayt an said t hat he did not obey Allah because he who is bet t er cannot prost rat e t o he who is less. Shayt an, may Allah curse him, meant t hat he is bet t er t han Adam, "So how can You order me t o prost rat e before him'' Shayt an said t hat he is bet t er t han Adam because he was creat ed from fire while, "You creat ed him from clay, and fire is bet t er.'' The cursed one looked at t he origin of creat ion not at t he honor best owed, t hat is, Allah creat ing Adam wit h His Hand and blowing life int o him. Shayt an made a false comparison when confront ed by Allah's command,

("Then you fall down prost rat e t o him'') 38:72 . Therefore, Shayt an alone cont radict ed t he angels, because he refused t o prost rat e. He, t hus, became ` Ablasa' from t he mercy, meaning, lost hope in acquiring Allah's mercy. He commit t ed t his error, may Allah curse him, due t o his false comparison. His claim t hat t he fire is more honored t han mud was also false, because mud has t he qualit ies of wisdom, for - bearance, pat ience and assurance, mud is where plant s grow, flourish, increase, and provide good. To t he cont rary, fire has t he qualit ies of burning, recklessness and hast iness. Therefore, t he origin of creat ion direct ed Shayt an t o failure, while t he origin of Adam led him t o ret urn t o Allah wit h repent ance, humbleness, obedience and submission t o His command, admit t ing his error and seeking Allah's forgiveness and pardon for it . Muslim recorded t hat ` Aishah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The angels were creat ed from light , Shayt an from a smokeless flame of fire, while Adam was creat ed from what was described t o you).

Iblis was the First to use Qiyas (Analogical Comparison)

Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Al-Hasan comment ed on Shayt an's st at ement ,

("You creat ed me from fire, and him You creat ed from clay.'') "Iblis used Qiyas analogy , and he was t he first one t o do so.'' This st at ement has an aut hent ic chain of narrat ion. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Ibn Sirin said, "The first t o use Qiyas was Iblis, and would t he sun and moon be worshipped if it was not for Qiyas'' This st at ement also has an aut hent ic chain of narrat ion.

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(13. (Allah) said: "(O Iblis) get down from t his (Paradise), it is not for you t o be arrogant here. Get out , for you are of t hose humiliat ed and disgraced.'') (14. (Iblis) said: "Allow me respit e t ill t he Day t hey are raised up (t he Day of Resurrect ion).'') (15. (Allah) said: "You are of t hose respit ed.'') Allah ordered Iblis;

(Get down from t his) "because you defied My command and disobeyed Me. Get out , it is not for you t o be arrogant here,'' in Paradise, according t o t he scholars of Tafsir. It could also refer t o part icular st at us which he held in t he ut most highs. Allah said t o Iblis,

(Get out , for you are of t hose humiliat ed and disgraced.) as j ust recompense for his ill int ent ions, by giving him t he opposit e of what he int ended (arrogance). This is when t he cursed one remembered and asked for respit e unt il t he Day of Judgment ,

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(Then allow me respit e t ill t he Day t hey are raised up. (Allah) said: "Then you are of t hose respit ed.'') 15: 36-37 Allah gave Shayt an what he asked for out of His wisdom, being His decision and decree, t hat is never prevent ed or resist ed. Surely, none can avert His decision, and He is swift in reckoning.


(16. (Iblis) said: "Because You have ` Aghwayt ni', surely, I will sit in wait against t hem (human beings) on Your st raight pat h. (17. "Then I will come t o t hem from before t hem and behind t hem, from t heir right and from t heir left , and You will not find most of t hem t o be t hankful.'') Allah said t hat aft er He gave respit e t o Shayt an,

(t ill t he Day t hey are raised up (resurrect ed)) and Iblis was sure t hat he got what he want ed, he went on in defiance and rebellion. He said,

("Because You have ` Aghwayt ani', surely, I will sit in wait against t hem (human beings) on Your st raight pat h.'') meaning, as You have sent me ast ray. Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ` Aghwayt ani' means, "Misguided me.'' Ot hers said, "As You caused my ruin, I will sit in wait for Your servant s whom You will creat e from t he offspring of t he one you expelled me for.'' He went on,

(Your st raight pat h), t he pat h of t rut h and t he way of safet y. I (Iblis) will misguide t hem from t his pat h so t hat t hey do not worship You Alone, because You sent me ast ray. Muj ahid said t hat t he ` st raight pat h', refers t o t he t rut h. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Saburah bin Abi Al-Fakih said t hat he heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

: :
:

 : : :
:

(Shayt an sat in wait for t he Son of Adam in all his pat hs. He sat in t he pat h of Islam, saying, ` Would you embrace Islam and abandon your religion and t he religion of your forefat hers' However, t he Son of Adam disobeyed Shayt an and embraced Islam. So Shayt an sat in t he pat h of Hij rah (migrat ion in t he cause of Allah), saying, ` Would you migrat e and leave your land and sky' But t he parable of t he Muhaj ir is t hat of a horse in his st amina So, he disobeyed Shayt an and migrat ed. So Shayt an sat in t he pat h of Jihad, against one's self and wit h his wealt h, saying, ` If you fight , you will be killed, your wife will be married and your wealt h divided.' So he disobeyed him and performed Jihad. Therefore, whoever among t hem (Children of Adam) does t his and dies, it will be a promise from Allah t hat He admit s him int o Paradise. If he is killed, it will be a promise from Allah t hat He admit s him int o Paradise. If he drowns, it will be a promise from Allah t hat He admit s him int o Paradise. If t he animal breaks his neck, it will be a promise from Allah t hat He admit s him int o Paradise.) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on:

(Then I will come t o t hem from before t hem) Raising doubt s in t hem concerning t heir Hereaft er,

(and (from) behind t hem), making t hem more eager for t his life,

(from t heir right ), causing t hem confusion in t he religion,

(and from t heir left ) luring t hem t o commit sins.'' This is meant t o cover all pat hs of good and evil. Shayt an discourages t he people from t he pat h of good and lures t hem t o t he pat h of evil. Al-Hakam bin Abban said t hat ` Ikrimah narrat ed from Ibn ` Abbas concerning t he Ayah,

(Then I will come t o t hem from before t hem and behind t hem, from t heir right and from t heir left ,) "He did not say t hat he will come from above t hem, because t he mercy descends from above.'' ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said,

(and You will not find most of t hem t o be t hankful.) "means, t hose who single Him out in worship .'' When Shayt an said t his, it was a guess and an assumpt ion on his part . Yet , t he t rut h t urned out t o be t he same, for Allah said,


(And indeed Iblis (Shayt an) did prove t rue his t hought about t hem, and t hey followed him, all except a group of t rue believers. And he had no aut horit y over t hem, except t hat We might t est him who believes in t he Hereaft er, from him who is in doubt about it . And your Lord is Wat chful over everyt hing.) 34:20-21 . t This is why t here is a Hadit h t hat encourages seeking refuge wit h Allah from t he lures of Shayt an from all direct ions. Imam Ahmad narrat ed t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Umar said, "The Messenger of Allah used t o oft en recit e t his supplicat ion in t he morning and when t he night falls,

(O Allah! I ask You for well-being in t his life and t he Hereaft er. O Allah! I ask You for pardon and well-being in my religion, life, family and wealt h. O Allah! Cover my errors and reassure me in t imes of difficult y. O Allah! Prot ect me from before me, from behind me, from my right , from my left and from above me. I seek refuge wit h Your great ness from being killed from below me.)'' Waki` comment ed (about being killed from below), "This refers t o eart hquakes.'' Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i, Ibn Maj ah, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim collect ed t his Hadit h, and Al-Hakim said, "It s chain is Sahih. ''

(18. (Allah) said (t o Iblis): "Get out from t his (Paradise), Madh'uman Madhura. Whoever of t hem (mankind) will follow you, t hen surely, I will fill Hell wit h you all.'') Allah emphasized His cursing, expelling, banishing and t urning Shayt an away from t he uppermost height s, saying; Ibn Jarir said, "As for Madh'um, it is disgraced.'' And he said, "Madhur is t he dist anced, t hat is, he is banished and expelled.'' ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "We do not know of any who

is Madh'uh and Madhmum except for one.'' Sufyan At h-Thawri narrat ed from Abu Ishaq from At Tamimi from Ibn ` Abbas,

(Get out from t his (Paradise), Madh'uman Madhura) "despised.'' ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on,

(Get out from t his (Paradise), Madh'uman Madhura) 7:18 "Belit t led and despised'', while AsSuddi comment ed, "Hat eful and expelled.'' Qat adah comment ed, "Cursed and despised'', while Muj ahid said, "Expelled and banished.'' Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said t hat ` Madh'um' means banished, while, ` Madhura' means belit t led. Allah said,

(Whoever of t hem (mankind) will follow you, t hen surely, I will fill Hell wit h you all.) This is similar t o

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((Allah) said: "Go, and whosoever of t hem follows you, surely, Hell will be t he recompense of you (all) an ample recompense. And gradually delude t hose whom you can among t hem wit h your voice, make assault s on t hem wit h your cavalry and your infant ry, share wit h t hem wealt h and children, and make promises t o t hem.'' But Shayt an promises t hem not hing but deceit . "Verily, My servant s -- you have no aut horit y over t hem. And All-Sufficient is your Lord as a Guardian.'') 17:63-65

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(19. "And O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in Paradise, and eat t hereof as you bot h wish, but approach not t his t ree ot herwise you bot h will be of t he wrongdoers.) (20. Then Shayt an whispered suggest ions t o t hem bot h in order t o uncover t hat which was hidden from t hem of t heir privat e part s (before); he said: "Your Lord did not forbid you t his t ree save you should become angels or become of t he immort als.'') (21. And he Qasamahuma: "Verily, I am one of t he sincere well-wishers for you bot h.'')

Shaytan's Deceit with Adam and Hawwa' and Their eating from the Forbidden Tree
Allah st at es t hat He allowed Adam and his wife t o dwell in Paradise and t o eat from all of it s fruit s, except one t ree. We have already discussed t his in Surat Al-Baqarah. Thus, Shayt an envied t hem and plot t ed deceit fully, whispering and suggest ing t reachery. He wished t o rid t hem of t he various favors and nice clot hes t hat t hey were enj oying.

(He (Shayt an) said) ut t ering lies and falsehood,

("Your Lord did not forbid you t his t ree save you should become angels...'') meaning, so t hat you do not become angels or dwell here for et ernit y. Surely, if you eat from t his t ree, you will at t ain bot h, he said. In anot her Ayah,


(Shayt an whispered t o him, saying: "O Adam! Shall I lead you t o t he Tree of Et ernit y and t o a kingdom t hat will never wast e away'') 20:120 . Here, t he wording is similar, so it means, ` so t hat you do not become angels' as in;

((Thus) does Allah make clear t o you (His Law) lest you go ast ray. ) 4:176 meaning, so t hat you do not go ast ray, and,

(And He has affixed int o t he eart h mount ains st anding firm, lest it should shake wit h you;) 16:15 t hat is, so t hat t he eart h does not shake wit h you.

(And he Qasamahuma), swore t o t hem bot h by Allah, saying,

("Verily, I am one of t he sincere well-wishers for you bot h.'') for I was here before you and t hus have bet t er knowledge of t his place. It is a fact t hat t he believer in Allah might somet imes become t he vict im of deceit . Qat adah comment ed on t his Ayah, "Shayt an swore by Allah, saying, ` I was creat ed before you, and I have bet t er knowledge t han you. Therefore, follow me and I will direct you.'''


(22. So he misled t hem wit h decept ion. Then when t hey t ast ed of t he t ree, t hat which was hidden from t hem of t heir shame (privat e part s) became manifest t o t hem and t hey began t o cover t hemselves wit h t he leaves of Paradise. And t heir Lord called out t o t hem (saying): "Did I not forbid you t hat t ree and t ell you: Verily, Shayt an is an open enemy unt o you'') (23. They said: "Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not , and best ow not upon us Your mercy, we shall cert ainly be of t he losers.'') Ubayy bin Ka` b said, "Adam was a t all man, about t he height of a palm t ree, and he had t hick hair on his head. When he commit t ed t he error t hat he commit t ed, his privat e part appeared t o him while before, he did not see it . So he st art ed running in fright t hrough Paradise, but a t ree in Paradise t ook him by t he head. He said t o it , ` Release me,' but it said, ` No, I will not release you.' So his Lord called him, ` O Adam! Do you run away from Me' He said, ` O Lord! I felt ashamed before You.''' Ibn Jarir and Ibn Marduwyah collect ed t his st at ement using several chains of narrat ion from Al-Hasan from Ubayy bin Ka` b who narrat ed it from t he Prophet . However, relat ing t he Hadit h t o Ubayy is more correct . Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah,

(And t hey began t o cover t hemselves wit h t he leaves of Paradise.) "Using fig leaves.'' This st at ement has an aut hent ic chain of narrat ion leading t o Ibn ` Abbas. Muj ahid said t hat t hey began t o cover t hemselves wit h t he leaves of Paradise, "Making t hem as a dress (or garment ).'' Comment ing on Allah's st at ement ,

(St ripping t hem of t heir raiment ) 7:27 Wahb bin Munabbih said, "The privat e part s of Adam and Hawwa' had a light covering t hem which prevent ed t hem from seeing t he privat e part s of each ot her. When t hey at e from t he t ree, t heir privat e part s appeared t o t hem.'' Ibn Jarir report ed t his st at ement wit h an aut hent ic chain of narrat ion. Abdur-Razzaq report ed from Qat adah, "Adam said, ` O Lord! What if I repent ed and sought forgiveness' Allah said, ` Then, I will admit you int o Paradise.' As for Shayt an, he did not ask for forgiveness, but for respit e. Each one of t hem was given what he asked for.'' Ad-Dahhak bin Muzahim comment ed,

("Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not , and best ow not upon us Your mercy, we shall cert ainly be of t he losers.'') "These are t he words t hat Adam received from his Lord.''

 -
(24. (Allah) said: "Get down, one of you an enemy t o t he ot her. On eart h will be a dwelling place for you and an enj oyment for a t ime.'') (25. He said: "Therein you shall live, and t herein you shall die, and from it you shall be brought out (resurrect ed).'')

Sending Them All Down to Earth

It was said t hat ,

(Get down), was addressed t o Adam, Hawwa', Iblis and t he snake. Some scholars did not ment ion t he snake, and Allah knows best . The enmit y is primarily bet ween Adam and Iblis, and Hawwa' follows Adam in t his regard. Allah said in Surah Ta Ha,

("Get you down (from t he Paradise t o t he eart h), bot h of you, t oget her...'') 20:123 . If t he st ory about t he snake is t rue, t hen it is a follower of Iblis. Some scholars ment ioned t he locat ion on eart h t hey were sent down, but t hese account s are t aken from t he Israelit e t ales, and only Allah knows if t hey are t rue. If having known t hese areas was useful for t he people in mat t ers of religion or life, Allah would have ment ioned t hem in His Book, and His Messenger would have ment ioned t hem t oo. Allah's st at ement ,

(On eart h will be a dwelling place for you and an enj oyment for a t ime.) means, on eart h you will have dwellings and known, designat ed, appoint ed t erms t hat have been recorded by t he Pen, count ed by Predest inat ion and writ t en in t he First Record.

(He (Allah) said: "Therein you shall live, and t herein you shall die, and from it you shall be brought out (resurrect ed).'') This Ayah is similar t o Allah's ot her st at ement ,

(Thereof (t he eart h) We creat ed you, and int o it We shall ret urn you, and from it We shall bring you out once again.) 20:55 . Allah st at es t hat He has made t he eart h a dwelling place for t he Children of Adam, for t he remainder of t his eart hly life. On it , t hey will live, die and be buried in t heir graves; and from it , t hey will be resurrect ed for t he Day of Resurrect ion. On t hat Day, Allah will gat her t he first and last of creat ures and reward or punish each according t o his or her deeds.

(26. O Children of Adam! We have best owed Libas (raiment ) upon you t o cover yourselves wit h, and as Rish (adornment ); and t he Libas (raiment ) of Taqwa, t hat is bet t er. Such are among t he Ayat of Allah, t hat t hey may remember.)

Bestowing Raiment and Adornment on Mankind

Allah reminds His servant s t hat He has given t hem Libas and Rish. Libas refers t o t he clot hes t hat are used t o cover t he privat e part s, while Rish refers t o t he out er adornment s used for purposes of beaut ificat ion. Therefore, t he first t ype is essent ial while t he second t ype is compliment ary. Ibn Jarir said t hat Rish includes furnit ure and out er clot hes. ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam comment ed on t he Ayah,

(and t he Libas (raiment ) of Taqwa...) "When one fears Allah, Allah covers his errors. Hence t he ` Libas of Taqwa' (t hat t he Ayah ment ions).''


(27. O Children of Adam! Let not Shayt an deceive you, as he got your parent s out of Paradise, st ripping t hem of t heir raiment , t o show t hem t heir privat e part s. Verily, he and his t ribe see you from where you cannot see t hem. Verily, We made t he Shayat in friends of t hose who believe not .)

Warning against the Lures of Shaytan

Allah warns t he Children of Adam against Iblis and his followers, by explaining about his ancient enmit y for t he fat her of mankind, Adam peace be upon him. Iblis plot t ed t o have Adam expelled from Paradise, which is t he dwelling of comfort , t o t he dwelling of hardship and fat igue (t his life) and caused him t o have his privat e part uncovered, aft er it had been hidden from him. This, indeed, is indicat ive of deep hat red (from Shayt an t owards Adam and mankind). Allah said in a similar Ayah,

(Will you t hen t ake him (Iblis) and his offspring as prot ect ors and helpers rat her t han Me, while t hey are enemies t o you What an evil is t he exchange for t he wrongdoers.) 18:50 .

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(28. And when t hey commit a Fahishah, t hey say: "We found our fat hers doing it , and Allah has commanded it for us.'' Say: "Nay, Allah never commands Fahishah. Do you say about Allah what you know not '') (29. Say: "My Lord has commanded j ust ice and t hat you should face Him only, in every Masj id and invoke Him only, making your religion sincere t o Him. As He brought you (int o being) in t he beginning, so shall you be brought int o being again.'') (30. A group He has guided, and a group deserved t o be in error; (because) surely, t hey t ook t he Shayat in as support ers inst ead of Allah, and t hink t hat t hey are guided.)

Disbelievers commit Sins and claim that Allah commanded Them to do so!
Muj ahid said, "The idolat ors used t o go around t he House (Ka` bah) in Tawaf while naked, saying, ` We perform Tawaf as our mot hers gave birt h t o us.' The woman would cover her sexual organ wit h somet hing saying, ` Today, some or all of it will appear, but what ever appears from it , I do not allow it (it is not for adult ery or for men t o enj oy looking at !).''' Allah sent down t he Ayah,

(And when t hey commit a Fahishah (sin), t hey say: "We found our fat hers doing it , and Allah has commanded it for us.'') 7:28 I say, t he Arabs, wit h t he except ion of t he Quraysh, used t o perform Tawaf naked. They claimed t hey would not make Tawaf while wearing t he clot hes t hat t hey disobeyed Allah in. As for t he Quraysh, known as Al-Hums, t hey used t o perform Tawaf in t heir regular clot hes. Whoever among t he Arabs borrowed a garment from one of Al-Hums, he would wear it while in Tawaf. And whoever wore a new garment , would discard it and none would wear it aft er him on complet ion of Tawaf. Those who did not have a new garment , or were not given one by Al-Hums, t hen t hey would perform Tawaf while naked. Even women would go around in Tawaf while naked, and one of t hem would cover her sexual organ wit h somet hing and proclaim, "Today, a part or all of it will appear, but what ever appears from it I do not allow it .'' Women used t o perform Tawaf while naked usually at night . This was a pract ice t hat t he idolat ors invent ed on t heir own, following only t heir forefat hers in t his regard. They falsely claimed t hat what t heir forefat hers did was in fact following t he order and legislat ion of Allah. Allah t hen refut ed t hem, Allah said,


(And when t hey commit a Fahishah, t hey say: "We found our fat hers doing it , and Allah has commanded it for us.'')

Allah does not order Fahsha', but orders Justice and Sincerity
Allah replied t o t his false claim,

(Say), O Muhammad, t o t hose who claimed t his,

("Nay, Allah never commands Fahsha'...'') meaning, t he pract ice you indulge in is a despicable sin, and Allah does not command such a t hing.

("Do you say about Allah what you know not '') t hat is, do you at t ribut e t o Allah st at ement s t hat you are not cert ain are t rue Allah said next ,

(Say: "My Lord has commanded j ust ice, (fairness and honest y)''),

("And t hat you should face Him only, in every Masj id, and invoke Him only making your religion sincere t o Him...'') This Ayah means, Allah commands you t o be st raight forward in worshipping Him, by following t he Messengers who were support ed wit h miracles and obeying what t hey

conveyed from Allah and t he Law t hat t hey brought . He also commands sincerit y in worshipping Him, for He, Exalt ed He is, does not accept a good deed unt il it sat isfies t hese t wo condit ions: being correct and in conformit y wit h His Law, and being free of Shirk.

The Meaning of being brought into Being in the Beginning and brought back again
Allah's saying

(As He brought you in t he beginning, so shall you be brought int o being again) 7:29 . Unt il;

(error.) There is some difference over t he meaning of:

(As He brought you in t he beginning, so shall you be brought int o being again.) Ibn Abi Naj ih said t hat Muj ahid said t hat it means, "He will bring you back t o life aft er you die.'' Al-Hasan AlBasri comment ed, "As He made you begin in t his life, He will bring you back t o life on t he Day of Resurrect ion.'' Qat adah comment ed on:

(As He brought you in t he beginning, so shall you be brought int o being again.) "He st art ed t heir creat ion aft er t hey were not hing, and t hey perished lat er on, and He shall bring t hem back again.'' ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "As He creat ed you in t he beginning, He will bring you back in t he end.'' This last explanat ion was preferred by Abu Ja` far Ibn Jarir and he support ed it wit h what he report ed from Ibn ` Abbas, "The Messenger of Allah st ood up and gave us a speech, saying,


(O people! You will be gat hered t o Allah while barefoot ed, naked and uncircumcised, (As We began t he first creat ion, We shall repeat it . (It is) a promise binding upon Us. Truly, We shall do it )). 21:104 This Hadit h was collect ed in t he Two Sahihs. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah,

(As He brought you in t he beginning, so shall you be brought int o being again. A group He has guided, and a group deserved t o be in error;) "Allah, t he Exalt ed, began t he creat ion of t he Sons of Adam, some believers and some disbelievers, j ust as He said,

(He it is Who creat ed you, t hen some of you are disbelievers and some of you are believers) 64:2 . He will t hen ret urn t hem on t he Day of Resurrect ion as He st art ed t hem, some believers and some disbelievers. I say, what support s t his meaning, is t he Hadit h from Ibn Mas` ud t hat Al-Bukhari recorded, (t hat t he Prophet said:)

(By He, ot her t han Whom t here is no god, one of you might perform t he deeds of t he people of Paradise unt il only t he lengt h of an arm or a forearm would separat e him from it . However, t hat which was writ t en in t he Book t akes precedence, and he commit s t he work of t he people of t he Fire and t hus ent ers it . And one of you might perform t he deeds of t he people of t he Fire unt il only t he lengt h of an arm or a forearm separat es bet ween him and t he Fire. However, t hat which was writ t en in t he Book t akes precedence, and he performs t he work of t he people of Paradise and t hus ent ers Paradise.) We should combine t his meaning -- if it is held t o be t he correct meaning for t he Ayah -- wit h Allah's st at ement :

(So set you your face t owards t he religion, Hanifan. Allah's Fit rah wit h which He has creat ed mankind) 30:30 , and what is recorded in t he Two Sahihs from Abu Hurayrah who said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said:

(Every child is born upon t he Fit rah, it is only his parent s who t urn him int o a Jew, a Christ ian or a Zoroast rian.) Muslim recorded t hat ` Iyad bin Himar said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

:
(Allah said, ` I creat ed My servant s Hunafa' (monot heist s), but t he devils came t o t hem and deviat ed t hem from t heir religion.) The collect ive meaning here is, Allah creat ed His creat ures so t hat some of t hem lat er t urn believers and some t urn disbelievers. Allah has originally creat ed all of His servant s able t o recognize Him, t o single Him out in worship, and know t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Him. He also t ook t heir covenant t o fulfill t he implicat ions of t his knowledge, which He placed in t heir consciousness and souls. He has decided t hat some of t hem will be miserable and some will be happy,

(He it is Who creat ed you, t hen some of you are disbelievers and some of you are believers) 64:2 . Also, a Hadit h st at es,


(All people go out in t he morning and sell t hemselves, and some of t hem free t hemselves while some ot hers dest roy t hemselves.) Allah's decree will cert ainly come t o pass in His creat ion. Verily, He it is

(Who has measured (everyt hing); and t hen guided) 87: 3 , and,

(He Who gave t o each t hing it s form and nat ure, t hen guided it aright ) 20:50 . And in t he Two Sahihs:

(As for t hose among you who are among t he people of happiness, t hey will be facilit at ed t o perform t he deeds of t he people of happiness. As for t hose who are among t he miserable, t hey will be facilit at ed t o commit t he deeds of t he miserable). This is why Allah said here,

(A group He has guided, and a group deserved t o be in error;) Allah t hen explained why,

(because) surely, t hey t ook t he Shayat in as support ers inst ead of Allah). Ibn Jarir said, "This is one of t he clearest argument s proving t he mist ake of t hose who claim t hat Allah does not punish anyone for disobedient act s he commit s of deviat ions he believes in unt il aft er knowledge of what is correct reaches him, t hen he were t o obst inat ely avoid it anyway. If t his were t rue, t hen t here would be no difference bet ween t he deviat ions of t he misguided group t heir belief t hat t hey are guided - and t he group t hat is in fact guided. Yet Allah has different iat ed bet ween t he t wo in t his noble Ayah, doing so in bot h name and j udgement .''


(31. O Children of Adam! Take your adornment t o every Masj id, and eat and drink, but wast e not by ext ravagance, cert ainly He (Allah) likes not t he wast eful.)

Allah commands taking Adornment when going to the Masjid

This honorable Ayah refut es t he idolat ors' pract ice of performing Tawaf around t he Sacred House while naked. Muslim, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Jarir, (t he following wording is t hat of Ibn Jarir) recorded t hat Shu` bah said t hat Salamah bin Kuhayl said t hat Muslim Al-Bat in said t hat Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The idolat ors used t o go around t he House while naked, bot h men and women, men in t he day and women by night . The woman would say, "Today, a part or all of it will be unveiled, but what ever is exposed of it , I do not allow.'' Allah said in reply,

(Take your adornment t o every Masj id,) Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on:

(Take your adornment t o every Masj id) o"There were people who used t o perform Tawaf around t he House while naked, and Allah ordered t hem t o t ake adornment , meaning, wear clean, proper clot hes t hat cover t he privat e part s. people were commanded t o wear t heir best clot hes when performing every prayer.'' Muj ahid, ` At a', Ibrahim An-Nakha` i, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Qat adah, As-Suddi, Ad-Dahhak and Malik narrat ed a similar saying from Az-Zuhri, and from several of t he Salaf. They said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about t he idolat ors who used t o perform Tawaf around t he House while naked. This Ayah (7:31), as well as t he Sunnah, encourage wearing t he best clot hes when praying, especially for Friday and ` Id prayers. It is also recommended for men t o wear perfume for prayer, because it is adornment , and t o use Siwak for it is part of what complet es adornment . The best color for clot hes is whit e, for Imam Ahmad narrat ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Wear whit e clot hes, for it is among your best clot hes, and also wrap your dead wit h it . And It hmid (ant imony) is among t he best of your Kuhl, for it clears t he sight and helps t he hair grow.) This Hadit h has a sound chain of narrat ion, consist ing of narrat ors who conform t o t he condit ions and guidelines of Imam Muslim. Abu Dawud, At -Tirmidhi and Ibn Maj ah also recorded it , and At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih.''

Prohibiting Extravagance
Allah said,

(And eat and drink..). Al-Bukhari said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Eat what you wish and wear what you wish, as long as you avoid t wo t hings: ext ravagance and arrogance.'' Ibn Jarir said t hat Muhammad bin ` Abdul-A` la narrat ed t o us t hat Muhammad bin Thawr narrat ed t o us from Ma` mar from Ibn Tawus from his fat her who said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Allah has allowed eat ing and drinking, as long as it does not cont ain ext ravagance or arrogance.'' This chain is Sahih. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Al-Miqdam bin Ma` dikarib Al-Kindi said t hat he heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

(The Son of Adam will not fill a pot worse for himself t han his st omach. It is enough for t he Son of Adam t o eat a few bit es t hat st rengt hens his spine. If he likes t o have more, t hen let him fill a t hird wit h food, a t hird wit h drink and leave a t hird for his breat hing.) An-Nasa'i and At Tirmidhi collect ed t his Hadit h, At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan'' or "Hasan Sahih'' according t o anot her manuscript . ` At a' Al-Khurasani said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah,

(And eat and drink but wast e not by ext ravagance, cert ainly He (Allah) likes not t he wast eful.) "Wit h food and drink.'' Ibn Jarir comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(Cert ainly He (Allah) likes not t he wast eful.) "Allah t he Exalt ed says t hat He does not like t hose who t respass t he limit s on an allowed mat t er or a prohibit ed mat t er, t hose who go t o t he ext reme over what He has allowed, allow what He has prohibit ed, or prohibit what He has allowed. But , He likes t hat what He has allowed be considered as such (wit hout ext ravagance) and what He has prohibit ed be considered as such. This is t he j ust ice t hat He has commanded.''

(32. Say: "Who has forbidden t he adornment wit h clot hes given by Allah, which He has produced for His servant s, and At -Tayyibat (good t hings) of sust enance'' Say: "They are, in t he life of t his world, for t hose who believe, (and) exclusively for t hem (believers) on t he Day of Resurrect ion.'' Thus We explain t he Ayat in det ail for people who have knowledge. )

Allah refutes those who prohibit any type of food, drink or clothes according to their own understanding, without relying on what Allah has legislated,

(Say) O Muhammad, t o t he idolat ors who prohibit some t hings out of false opinion and fabricat ion,

(Who has forbidden t he adornment wit h clot hes given by Allah, which He has produced for His servant s) meaning, t hese t hings were creat ed for t hose who believe in Allah and worship Him in t his life, even t hough t he disbelievers share in t hese bount ies in t his life. In t he Hereaft er, t he believers will have all t his t o t hemselves and none of t he disbelievers will have a share in it , for Paradise is prohibit ed for t he disbelievers.


(33. Say: "(But ) t he t hings t hat my Lord has indeed forbidden are t he Fawahish (immoral deeds) whet her commit t ed openly or secret ly, and It hm, and t ransgression wit hout right , and j oining part ners wit h Allah for which He has given no aut horit y, and saying t hings about Allah of which you have no knowledge.'')

Fahishah, Sin, Transgression, Shirk and Lying about Allah are prohibited
Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdullah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(None is more j ealous t han Allah, and t his is why He prohibit ed Fawahish, commit t ed openly or in secret . And none likes praise more t han Allah). This was also recorded in t he Two Sahihs. In t he explanat ion of Surat Al-An` am, we explained t he Fahishah t hat is commit t ed openly and in secret . Allah said next ,

(and It hm, and t ransgression wit hout right ,) 7:33 . As-Suddi comment ed, "Al-It hm means, ` disobedience'. As for unright eous oppression, it occurs when you t ransgress against people wit hout j ust ificat ion.'' Muj ahid said, "It hm includes all t ypes of disobedience. Allah said t hat t he oppressor commit s oppression against himself.'' Therefore, t he meaning of, It hm is t he sin t hat one commit s against himself, while ` oppression' pert ains t o t ransgression against ot her people, and Allah prohibit ed bot h. Allah's st at ement ,

(and j oining part ners wit h Allah for which He has given no aut horit y, ) prohibit s calling part ners wit h Allah in worship.


(and saying t hings about Allah of which you have no knowledge.) such as lies and invent ions, like claiming t hat Allah has a son, and ot her evil creeds t hat you -- O idolat ors -- have no knowledge of. This is similar t o His saying:

(So shun t he abominat ion (worshipping) of t he idols) 22:30 .

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(34. And every Ummah has it s appoint ed t erm; when t heir t erm comes, neit her can t hey delay it nor can t hey advance it an hour (or a moment ).) (35. O Children of Adam! If t here come t o you Messengers from among you, recit ing t o you My Ayat , t hen whosoever has Taqwa and becomes right eous, on t hem shall be no fear nor shall t hey grieve.) (36. But t hose who rej ect Our Ayat and t reat t hem wit h arrogance, t hey are t he dwellers of t he Fire, t hey will abide t herein forever.) Allah said,

(And every Ummah has), meaning, each generat ion and nat ion,

(it s appoint ed t erm; when t heir t erm comes) which t hey were dest ined for,


(neit her can t hey delay it nor can t hey advance it an hour (or a moment )). Allah t hen warned t he Children of Adam t hat He sent t o t hem Messengers who conveyed t o t hem His Ayat . Allah also conveyed good news, as well as warning,

(t hen whosoever has Taqwa and becomes right eous) by abandoning t he prohibit ions and performing act s of obedience,

(on t hem shall be no fear nor shall t hey grieve. But t hose who rej ect Our Ayat and t reat t hem wit h arrogance,) meaning, t heir heart s denied t he Ayat and t hey were t oo arrogant t o abide by t hem,

(t hey are t he dwellers of t he Fire, t hey will abide t herein forever.) wit hout end t o t heir dwelling in it .

(37. Who is more unj ust t han one who invent s a lie against Allah or rej ect s His Ayat For such t heir appoint ed port ion will reach t hem from t he Book (of Decrees) unt il Our messengers (t he angel of deat h and his assist ant s) come t o t hem t o t ake t heir souls, t hey (t he angels) will say: "Where are t hose whom you used t o invoke and worship besides Allah,'' t hey will reply, "They

have vanished and desert ed us.'' And t hey will bear wit ness against t hemselves, t hat t hey were disbelievers.)

Idolators enjoy Their destined Share in This Life, but will lose Their Supporters upon Death
Allah said,

(Who is more unj ust t han one who invent s a lie against Allah or rej ect s His Ayat ) meaning, none is more unj ust t han whoever invent s a lie about Allah or rej ect s t he Ayat t hat He has revealed. Muhammad bin Ka` b Al-Qurazi said t hat ,

(For such t heir appoint ed port ion will reach t hem from t he Book) refers t o each person's deeds, allot ed provisions and age. Similar was said by Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. Allah said in similar st at ement s,

-
(Verily, t hose who invent a lie against Allah, will never be successful. (A brief) enj oyment in t his world! And t hen unt o Us will be t heir ret urn, t hen We shall make t hem t ast e t he severest t orment because t hey used t o disbelieve.) 10:69-70 and,

(And whoever disbelieves, let not his disbelief grieve you. To Us is t heir ret urn, and We shall inform t hem what t hey have done. Verily, Allah is t he All-Knower of what is in t he breast s (of men). We let t hem enj oy for a lit t le while.) 31:23-24 . Allah said next ,

(unt il when Our messengers come t o t hem t o t ake t heir souls.) Allah st at es t hat when deat h comes t o t he idolat ors and t he angels come t o capt ure t heir souls t o t ake t hem t o Hellfire, t he angels horrify t hem, saying, "Where are t he so-called part ners (of Allah) whom you used t o call in t he life of t his world, invoking and worshipping t hem inst ead of Allah Call t hem so t hat t hey save you from what you are suffering.'' However, t he idolat ors will reply,

("They have vanished and desert ed us'') meaning, we have lost t hem and t hus, we do not hope in t heir benefit or aid,

(And t hey will bear wit ness against t hemselves) t hey will admit and proclaim against t hemselves,

(t hat t hey were disbelievers.)


(38. (Allah) will say: "Ent er you in t he company of nat ions who passed away before you, of men and Jinn, int o t he Fire.'' Every t ime a new nat ion ent ers, it curses it s sist er nat ion (t hat went before) unt il t hey are all t oget her in t he Fire. The last of t hem will say t o t he first of t hem: "Our Lord! These misled us, so give t hem a double t orment of t he Fire.'' He will say: "For each one t here is double (t orment ), but you know not .'') (39. The first of t hem will say t o t he last of t hem: "You were not bet t er t han us, so t ast e t he t orment for what you used t o earn.'')

People of the Fire will dispute and curse Each Other Allah mentioned what He will say to those who associate others with Him, invent lies about Him, and reject His Ayat,

(Ent er you in t he company of nat ions), who are your likes and similar t o you in conduct ,

(Who passed away before you) from t he earlier disbelieving nat ions,

(Of men and Jinn, int o t he Fire.) Allah said next ,

(Every t ime a new nat ion ent ers, it curses it s sist er nat ion (t hat went before)) Al-Khalil (Prophet Ibrahim), peace be upon him, said,

("But on t he Day of Resurrect ion, you shall deny each ot her) 29:25 . Also, Allah said,

 -
(When t hose who were followed declare t hemselves innocent of t hose who followed (t hem), and t hey see t he t orment , t hen all t heir relat ions will be cut off from t hem. And t hose who followed will say: "If only we had one more chance t o ret urn (t o t he worldly life), we would declare ourselves as innocent from t hem as t hey have declared t hemselves as innocent from us.'' Thus Allah will show t hem t heir deeds as regret s for t hem. And t hey will never get out of t he Fire) 2:166-167 . Allah's st at ement ,

(unt il t hey are all t oget her in t he Fire) means, t hey are all gat hered in t he Fire,

(The last of t hem will say t o t he first of t hem) t hat is, t he nat ion of followers t hat ent er last will say t his t o t he first nat ions t o ent er. This is because t he earlier nat ions were worse criminals t han t hose who followed t hem, and t his is why t hey ent ered t he Fire first . For t his reason, t heir followers will complain against t hem t o Allah, because t hey were t he ones who misguided t hem from t he correct pat h, saying,

("Our Lord! These misled us, so give t hem a double t orment of t he Fire.'') mult iply t heir share of t he t orment . Allah said in anot her inst ance,

 -
(On t he Day when t heir faces will be t urned over in t he Fire, t hey will say: "Oh! Would t hat we had obeyed Allah and obeyed t he Messenger.'' And t hey will say: "Our Lord! Verily, we obeyed our chiefs and our great ones, and t hey misled us from t he (right ) way. Our Lord! Give t hem a double t orment .'') 33:66-68 . Allah said in reply,

(He will say: "For each one t here is double (t orment )...''), We did what you asked, and recompensed each according t o t heir deeds.' Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(Those who disbelieved and hinder (men) from t he pat h of Allah, for t hem We will add t orment ) 16:88 . Furt hermore, Allah said,

(And verily, t hey shall bear t heir own loads, and ot her loads besides t heir own) 29:13 and,

(And also (some t hing) of t he burdens of t hose whom t hey misled wit hout knowledge) 16:25 .

(The first of t hem will say t o t he last of t hem) meaning, t he followed will say t o t he followers,


("You were not bet t er t han us. ..'') meaning, you were led ast ray as we were led ast ray, according t o As-Suddi.

("So t ast e t he t orment for what you used t o earn.'') Allah again described t he condit ion of t he idolat ors during t he gat hering (of Resurrect ion), when He said;

-
(And t hose who were arrogant will say t o t hose who were deemed weak: "Did we keep you back from guidance aft er it come t o you Nay, but you were criminals.'' Those who were deemed weak will say t o t hose who were arrogant : "Nay, but it was your plot t ing by night and day, when you ordered us t o disbelieve in Allah and set up rivals t o Him!'' And each of t hem (part ies) will conceal t heir own regret s, when t hey behold t he t orment . And We shall put iron collars round t he necks of t hose who disbelieved. Are t hey requit ed aught except what t hey used t o do) 34:32-33


(40. Verily, t hose who belie Our Ayat and t reat t hem wit h arrogance, for t hem t he gat es of t he heavens will not be opened, and t hey will not ent er Paradise unt il t he Jamal goes t hrough t he eye of t he needle. Thus do We recompense t he criminals.) (41. Theirs will be Mihad from t he Fire, and over t hem Ghawash. Thus do We recompense t he wrongdoers.)

Doors of Heaven shall not open for Those Who deny Allah's Ayat, and They shall never enter Paradise
Allah said,

(for t hem t he gat es of t he heavens will not be opened,) meaning, t heir good deeds and supplicat ion will not ascend t hrough it , according t o Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr and Ibn ` Abbas, as Al-` Awfi and ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed from him. At h-Thawri narrat ed t hat , Layt h said t hat ` At a' narrat ed t his from Ibn ` Abbas. It was also said t hat t he meaning here is t hat t he doors of t he heavens will not be opened for t he disbelievers' souls, according t o Ad-Dahhak who report ed t his from Ibn ` Abbas. As-Suddi and several ot hers ment ioned t his meaning. What furt her support s t his meaning, is t he report from Ibn Jarir t hat Al-Bara' said t hat t he Messenger of Allah ment ioned capt uring t he soul of t he ` Faj ir' (wicked sinner or disbeliever), and t hat his or her soul will be ascended t o heaven. The Prophet said,

:
(So t hey (angels) ascend it and it will not pass by a gat hering of t he angels, but t hey will ask, who's wicked soul is t his' They will reply, ` The soul of so-and-so,' calling him by t he worst names he was called in t his life. When t hey reach t he (lower) heaven, t hey will ask t hat it s door be opened for t he soul, but it will not be opened for it .) The Prophet t hen recit ed,


(For t hem t he gat es of heaven will not be opened). This is a part of a long Hadit h which was also recorded by Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Maj ah. Ibn Jurayj comment ed on t he Ayah,

(for t hem t he gat es of heaven will not be opened,) "(The gat es of heaven) will not be opened for t heir deeds or souls.'' This explanat ion combines t he t wo meanings we gave above, and Allah knows best . Allah's st at ement ,

(and t hey will not ent er Paradise unt il t he Jamal goes t hrough t he eye of t he needle.) refers t o t he male camel. Ibn Mas` ud said it is a male camel from t he she camel. In anot her narrat ion it refers t o t he spouse of t he she camel. Muj ahid and ` Ikrimah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas used t o recit e t his Ayah t his way, "Unt il t he Jummal goes t hrough t he eye of t he needle'', whereas ` Jummal' is a t hick rope. Allah's st at ement ,

(Theirs will be Mihad from t he Fire) means, beds, while;

(and over t hem Ghawash), means, coverings, according t o Muhammad bin Ka` b Al-Qurazi. Similar was said by Ad-Dahhak bin Muzahim and As-Suddi. Allah said next ,

(Thus do We recompense t he wrongdoers.)

 -
(42. But t hose who believed, and worked right eousness -- We burden not any person beyond his scope -- such are t he dwellers of Paradise. They will abide t herein.) (43. And We shall remove from t heir breast s any Ghill; rivers flowing under t hem, and t hey will say: "All t he praises and t hanks be t o Allah, Who has guided us t o t his, and never could we have found guidance, were it not t hat Allah had guided us! Indeed, t he Messengers of our Lord did come wit h t he t rut h.'' And it will be cried out t o t hem: "This is t he Paradise which you have inherit ed for what you used t o do.'')

Destination of Righteous Believers

Aft er Allah ment ioned t he condit ion of t he miserable ones, He t hen ment ioned t he condit ion of t he happy ones, saying,

(But t hose who believed, and worked right eousness) Their heart s have believed and t hey performed good deeds wit h t heir limbs and senses, as compared t o t hose who disbelieved in t he Ayat of Allah and were arrogant wit h t hem. Allah also said t hat embracing fait h and implement ing it are easy, when He said,

(But t hose who believed, and worked right eousness -- We burden not any person beyond his scope -- such are t he dwellers of Paradise. They will abide t herein. And We shall remove from t heir breast s any Ghill;) meaning, envy and hat red. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu Sa` id AlKhudri said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(Aft er t he believers are saved from ent ering t he Fire, t hey will be kept in wait by a bridge bet ween Paradise and Hellfire. Then, t ransgression t hat occurred bet ween t hem in t he life of t his world will be j udged. Unt il, when t hey are purified and cleansed, t hey will be given permission t o ent er Paradise. By He in Whose Hand is my soul! One of t hem will be able t o find his dwelling in Paradise more so t han he did in t he life of t his world.) As-Suddi said about Allah's st at ement ,

(And We shall remove from t heir breast s any Ghill; rivers flowing under t hem,) "When t he people of Paradise are t aken t o it , t hey will find a t ree close t o it s door, and t wo springs from under t he t runk of t hat t ree. They will drink from one of t hem, and all hat red will be removed from t heir heart s, for it is t he cleansing drink. They will t ake a bat h in t he ot her, and t he bright ness of delight will radiat e from t heir faces. Ever aft er, t hey will never have messy hair or become dirt y.'' An-Nasa'i and Ibn Marduwyah (t his being his wording) recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

: :

(Each of t he people of Paradise will see his seat in t he Fire and he will say, ` Had not Allah guided me! And t his will cause him t o be grat eful. Each of t he people of t he Fire will see his seat in Paradise, and he will say, ` Might t hat Allah had guided me!' So it will be a cause of anguish for him.) This is why when t he believers are awarded seat s in Paradise t hat belonged t o t he people of t he Fire, t hey will be t old, "This is t he Paradise t hat you inherit ed because of what you used t o do. '' This means, because of your good deeds, you earned Allah's mercy and t hus ent ered Paradise and t ook your designat ed dwellings in it , comparable t o your deeds. This is t he proper meaning here, for it is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat t he Prophet said,

(And know t hat t he good deeds of one of you will not admit him int o Paradise.) They said, "Not even you, O Allah's Messenger'' He said,

(Not even I, unless Allah grant s it t o me out of His mercy and favor.)

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(44. And t he dwellers of Paradise will call out t o t he dwellers of t he Fire (saying): "We have indeed found t rue what our Lord had promised us; have you also found t rue what your Lord promised (warned)'' They shall say: "Yes.'' Then a crier will proclaim bet ween t hem: "The curse of Allah is on t he wrongdoers.'') (45. Those who hindered (men) from t he pat h of Allah, and would seek t o make it crooked, and t hey were disbelievers in t he Hereaft er.)

People of Hellfire will feel Anguish upon Anguish

Allah ment ioned how t he people of t he Fire will be addressed, chast ised and admonished when t hey t ake t heir places in t he Fire,


("We (dwellers of Paradise) have indeed found t rue what our Lord had promised us; have you (dwellers of Hell) also found t rue what your Lord promised (warned)'' They shall say: "Yes.'') In Surat As-Saffat , Allah ment ioned t he one who had a disbelieving companion,

- - - -
(So he looked down and saw him in t he midst of t he Fire. He said: "By Allah! You have nearly ruined me. Had it not been for t he grace of my Lord, I would cert ainly have been among t hose brought fort h (t o Hell).'' (The dwellers of Paradise will say!) "Are we t hen not t o die (any more) Except our first deat h, and we shall not be punished'') 37:55-59 . Allah will punish t he disbeliever for t he claims he used t o ut t er in t his life. The angels will also admonish t he disbelievers, saying,

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(This is t he Fire which you used t o belie. Is t his magic or do you not see Tast e you t herein it s heat and whet her you are pat ient of it or impat ient of it , it is all t he same. You are only being requit ed for what you used t o do) 52:14-16 . The Messenger of Allah admonished t he inhabit ant s of t he well at Badr:


(O Abu Jahl bin Hisham! O ` Ut bah bin Rabi` ah! O Shaybah bin Rabi` ah (and he called t heir leaders by name)! Have you found what your Lord promised t o be t rue (t he Fire) I cert ainly found what my Lord has promised me t o be t rue (vict ory).) ` Umar said, "O Allah's Messenger! Do you address a people who have become rot t en carrion'' He said,

(By He in Whose Hand is my soul! You do not hear what I am saying bet t er t han t hey do, but t hey cannot reply.) Allah's st at ement ,

(Then a crier will proclaim bet ween t hem) will herald and announce,

(The curse of Allah is on t he wrongdoers) meaning, t he curse will reside wit h t he wrongdoers. Allah t hen described t hem by saying,

(Those who hindered (men) from t he pat h of Allah, and would seek t o make it crooked) meaning, t hey hindered t he people from following Allah's pat h, His Law, and what t he Prophet s brought . They sought t o make Allah's pat h appear crooked and winding, so t hat no one would follow it . Allah said,

(and t hey were disbelievers in t he Hereaft er) They disbelieved in t he Meet ing wit h Allah in t he Hereaft er, They used t o deny t his will ever occur, not accept ing it nor believing in it . This is why t hey used t o discount t he seriousness of t he evil deeds and st at ement s t hat t hey commit t ed, because t hey did not fear any reckoning or punishment . Therefore, t hey were and are indeed t he worst people in st at ement and act ion.

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(46. And bet ween t hem will be a (barrier) screen and on Al-A` raf will be men, who would recognize all, by t heir marks. And t hey will call out t o t he dwellers of Paradise, "Peace be on you'' and at t hat t ime t hey will not yet have ent ered it (Paradise), but t hey will hope t o ent er (it ).) (47. And when t heir eyes will be t urned t owards t he dwellers of t he Fire, t hey will say: "Our Lord! Place us not wit h t he people who are wrongdoers.'')

The People of Al-A` raf

Aft er Allah ment ioned t hat t he people of Paradise will address t he people of t he Fire, He st at ed t hat t here is a barrier bet ween Paradise and t he Fire, which prevent s t he people of t he Fire from reaching Paradise. Ibn Jarir said, "It is t he wall t hat Allah described,

(So a wall will be put up bet ween t hem, wit h a gat e t herein. Inside it will be mercy, and out side it will be t orment .) 57:13 It is also about Al-A` raf t hat Allah said,

(and on Al-A` raf will be men).'' Ibn Jarir recorded t hat As-Suddi said about Allah's st at ement ,

(And bet ween t hem will be a screen) "It is t he wall, it is Al-A` raf.'' Muj ahid said, "Al-A` raf is a barrier bet ween Paradise and t he Fire, a wall t hat has a gat e.'' Ibn Jarir said, "Al-A` raf is plural for ` Urf, where every elevat ed piece of land is known as ` Urf t o t he Arabs.'' As-Suddi said, "AlA` raf is so named because it s resident s recognize (Ya` rifun) t he people. Al-A` raf's resident s are t hose whose good and bad deeds are equal, as Hudhayfah, Ibn ` Abbas, Ibn Mas` ud and several of t he Salaf and lat er generat ions said.'' Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Hudhayfah was asked about t he people of Al-A` raf and he said, "A people whose good and bad deeds are equal. Their evil deeds prevent ed t hem from qualifying t o ent er Paradise, and t heir good deeds qualified t hem t o avoid t he Fire. Therefore, t hey are st opped t here on t he wall unt il Allah j udges t hem.'' Ma` mar said t hat Al-Hasan recit ed t his Ayah,

(and at t hat t ime t hey will not yet have ent ered it (Paradise), but t hey will hope t o ent er (it ).) Then he said, "By Allah! Allah did not put t his hope in t heir heart s, except for an honor t hat He int ends t o best ow on t hem.'' Qat adah said; "Those who hope are t hose among you whom Allah informed of t heir places.'' Allah said next ,

(And when t heir eyes will be t urned t owards t he dwellers of t he Fire, t hey will say: "Our Lord! Place us not wit h t he people who are wrongdoers.'') Ad-Dahhak report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "When t he people of Al-A` raf look at t he people of t he Fire and recognize t hem, t hey will supplicat e, ` O Lord! Do not place us wit h t he people who are wrongdoers.'''

(48. And t he men on Al-A` raf will call unt o t he men whom t hey would recognize by t heir marks, saying: "Of what benefit t o you was your gat hering, and your arrogance'') (49. "Are t hey t hose, of whom you swore t hat Allah would never show t hem mercy (Behold! It has been said t o t hem): ` Ent er Paradise, no fear shall be on you, nor shall you grieve.''') Allah st at es t hat t he

people of Al-A` raf will admonish some of t he chiefs of t he idolat ors whom t hey recognize by t heir marks in t he Fire, saying,

("Of what benefit t o you was your gat hering...'') meaning, your great numbers,

("...and your arrogance'') This Ayah means, your great numbers and wealt h did not save you from Allah's t orment . Rat her, you are dwelling in His t orment and punishment . ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed from Ibn ` Abbas,

(Are t hey t hose, of whom you swore t hat Allah would never show t hem mercy) refers t o t he people of Al-A` raf who will be t old when Allah decrees:

((Behold! It has been said t o t hem): "Ent er Paradise, no fear shall be on you, nor shall you grieve.'')

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(50. And t he dwellers of t he Fire will call t o t he dwellers of Paradise: "Pour on us some wat er or anyt hing t hat Allah has provided you wit h.'' They will say: "Bot h (wat er and provision) Allah has forbidden for t he disbelievers.) (51. "Who t ook t heir religion as amusement and play, and

t he life of t he world deceived t hem.'' So t his Day We shall forget t hem as t hey forgot t heir meet ing of t his Day, and as t hey used t o rej ect Our Ayat .)

The Favors of paradise are Prohibited for the People of the Fire
Allah emphasizes t he disgrace of t he people of t he Fire. They will ask t he people of Paradise for some of t heir drink and food, but t hey will not be given any of t hat . As-Suddi said,

(And t he dwellers of t he Fire will call t o t he dwellers of Paradise: "Pour on us some wat er or anyt hing t hat Allah has provided you wit h.'') "That is food''. At h-Thawri said t hat ` Ut hman At hThaqafi said t hat Sa` id bin Jubayr comment ed on t his Ayah, "One of t hem will call his fat her or brot her, ` I have been burned, so pour some wat er on me.' The believers will be asked t o reply, and t hey will reply,

("Bot h Allah has forbidden t o t he disbelievers.'')'' ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said t hat ,

("Bot h Allah has forbidden t o t he disbelievers.'') "Refers t o t he food and drink of Paradise.'' Allah describes t he disbelievers by what t hey used t o do in t his life, t aking t he religion as amusement and play, and being deceived by t his life and it s adornment , rat her t han working for t he Hereaft er as Allah commanded,

(So t his Day We shall forget t hem as t hey forgot t heir meet ing of t his Day) meaning, Allah will t reat t hem as if He has forgot t en t hem. Cert ainly, not hing escapes Allah's perfect wat ch and He never forget s anyt hing. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(In a Record. My Lord neit her errs nor forget s) 20:52 Allah said -- t hat He will forget t hem on t hat Day -- as j ust recompense for t hem, because,


(They have forgot t en Allah, so He has forgot t en t hem) 9:67

(Like t his: Our Ayat came unt o you, but you disregarded t hem, and so t his Day, you will be neglect ed) 20:126 and,

(And it will be said: "This Day We will forget you as you forgot t he meet ing of t his Day of yours.'') 45:34 Al-` Awfi report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on,

(So t his Day We shall forget t hem as t hey forgot t heir meet ing of t his Day) "Allah will forget t he good about t hem, but not t heir evil.'' And ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "We shall forsake t hem as t hey have forsaken t he meet ing of t his Day of t heirs.'' Muj ahid said, "We shall leave t hem in t he Fire.'' As-Suddi said, "We shall leave t hem from any mercy, j ust as t hey left any act ion on behalf of t he meet ing on t his Day of t heirs.'' It is recorded in t he Sahih t hat Allah will say t o t he servant on t he Day of Resurrect ion:

: : : :
("Have I not got t en you married Have I not honored you Have I not made horses and camels subservient for you and allowed you t o become a leader and a mast er'' He will say, "Yes.'' Allah will say, "Did you t hink t hat you will meet Me'' He will say, "No.'' Allah t he Exalt ed will say, ` Then t his Day, I will forget you as you have forgot t en Me.'')

 -
(52. Cert ainly, We have brought t o t hem a Book (t he Qur'an) which We have explained in det ail wit h knowledge, a guidance and a mercy t o a people who believe.) (53. Await t hey j ust for t he final fulfillment of t he event On t he Day t he event is finally fulfilled, t hose who neglect ed it before will say: "Verily, t he Messengers of our Lord did come wit h t he t rut h, now are t here any int ercessors for us t hat t hey might int ercede on our behalf Or could we be sent back (t o t he first life of t he world) so t hat we might do (good) deeds ot her t han t hose (evil) deeds which we used t o do'' Verily, t hey have lost t hemselves and t hat which t hey used t o fabricat e has gone away from t hem.)

The Idolators have no Excuse

Allah st at es t hat He has left no excuse for t he idolat ors, for He has sent t o t hem t he Book t hat t he Messenger came wit h, and which is explained in det ail,

((This is) a Book, t he Ayat whereof are perfect ed (in every sphere of knowledge), and t hen explained in det ail ) 11:1 Allah said next ,

(We have explained in det ail wit h knowledge) meaning, ` We have perfect knowledge of what We explained in it '. Allah said in anot her Ayah,


(He has sent it down wit h His Knowledge,) 4:166 The meaning here is t hat aft er Allah ment ioned t he loss t he idolat ors end up wit h in t he Hereaft er, He st at ed t hat He has indeed sent Prophet s and revealed Books in t his life, t hus leaving no excuse for t hem. Allah also said;

(And We never punish unt il We have sent a Messenger (t o give warning).) 17:15 This is why Allah said here,

(Await t hey j ust for t he final fulfillment of t he event ) in reference t o what t hey were promised of t orment , punishment , t he Fire; or Paradise, according t o Muj ahid and several ot hers.

(On t he Day t he event is finally fulfilled,) on t he Day of Resurrect ion, according t o Ibn ` Abbas,

(t hose who neglect ed it before will say) t hose who ignored it in t his life and neglect ed abiding by it s implicat ions will say,

("Verily, t he Messengers of our Lord did come wit h t he t rut h, now are t here any int ercessors for us t hat t hey might int ercede on our behalf'') so t hat we are saved from what we ended up in.

("Or could we be sent back''), t o t he first life,


("So t hat we might do (good) deeds ot her t han t hose (evil) deeds which we used t o do''). This part of t he Ayah is similar t o Allah's st at ement ,

-
(If you could but see when t hey will be held over t he (Hell) Fire! They will say: "Would t hat we were but sent back! Then we would not deny t he Ayat of our Lord, and we would be of t he believers!'' Nay, it has become manifest t o t hem what t hey had been concealing before. But if t hey were ret urned (t o t he world), t hey would cert ainly revert t o t hat which t hey were forbidden. And indeed t hey are liars) 6:27-28 Allah said here,

(Verily, t hey have lost t hemselves and t hat which t hey used t o fabricat e has gone away from t hem.) meaning, t hey dest royed t hemselves by ent ering t he Fire for et ernit y,

(And t hat which t hey used t o fabricat e has gone away from t hem.) What t hey used t o worship inst ead of Allah abandoned t hem and will not int ercede on t heir behalf, aid t hem or save t hem from t heir fat e.


(54. Indeed, your Lord is Allah, Who creat ed t he heavens and t he eart h in Six Days, and t hen He rose over (Ist awa) t he Throne. He brings t he night as a cover over t he day, seeking it rapidly, and (He creat ed) t he sun, t he moon, t he st ars subj ect ed t o His command. Surely, His is t he creat ion and commandment . Blessed is Allah, t he Lord of all t hat exist s!)

The Universe was created in Six Days

Allah st at es t hat He creat ed t he universe, t he heavens and eart h and all t hat is in, on and bet ween t hem in six days, as He has st at ed in several Ayat in t he Qur'an. These six days are: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On Friday, t he ent ire creat ion was assembled and on t hat day, Adam was creat ed. There is a difference of opinion whet her t hese days were t he same as our st andard days as suddenly comes t o t he mind, or each day const it ut es one t housand years, as report ed from Muj ahid, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, and from Ibn ` Abbas according t o Ad-Dahhak's narrat ion from him. As for Sat urday, no creat ion t ook place in it since it is t he sevent h day of (of t he week). The word ` As-Sabt ' means st oppage, or break. Imam Ahmad recorded Abu Hurayrah saying: ` Allah's Messenger t old me:

( )
. (Allah creat ed t he dust on Sat urday, and He creat ed t he mount ains on Sunday, and He creat ed t he t rees on Monday, and He creat ed t he unpleasant t hings on Tuesday and He creat ed t he light on Wednesday and He spread t he creat ures t hrough out it on Thursday and He creat ed Adam aft er ` Asr on Friday. He was t he last creat ed during t he last hour of Friday, bet ween ` Asr and t he night .)

Meaning of Istawa
As for Allah's st at ement ,

(and t hen He rose over (Ist awa) t he Throne) t he people had several conflict ing opinions over it s meaning. However, we follow t he way t hat our right eous predecessors t ook in t his regard, such as Malik, Al-Awza` i, At h-Thawri, Al-Layt h bin Sa` d, Ash-Shafi` i, Ahmad, Ishaq bin Rahwayh and t he rest of t he scholars of Islam, in past and present t imes. Surely, we accept t he apparent meaning of, Al-Ist awa, wit hout discussing it s t rue essence, equat ing it (wit h t he at t ribut es of t he creat ion), or alt ering or denying it (in any way or form). We also believe t hat t he meaning t hat comes t o t hose who equat e Allah wit h t he creat ion is t o be rej ect ed, for not hing is similar t o Allah,

(There is not hing like Him, and He is t he All-Hearer, t he All-Seer.) 42:11 Indeed, we assert and affirm what t he Imams said, such as Nu` aym bin Hammad Al-Khuza'i, t he t eacher of Imam Al-Bukhari, who said, "Whoever likens Allah wit h His creat ion, will have commit t ed Kufr. Whoever denies what Allah has described Himself wit h, will have commit t ed Kufr. Cert ainly, t here is no resemblance (of Allah wit h t he creat ion) in what Allah and His Messenger have described Him wit h. Whoever at t est s t o Allah's at t ribut es t hat t he plain Ayat and aut hent ic Hadit hs have ment ioned, in t he manner t hat suit s Allah's maj est y, all t he while rej ect ing all short comings from Him, will have t aken t he pat h of guidance.''

The Day and the Night are among the Signs of Allah
Allah said,

(He brings t he night as a cover over t he day, seeking it rapidly,) meaning, t he darkness goes away wit h t he light , and t he light goes away wit h t he darkness. Each of t hem seeks t he ot her rapidly, and does not come lat e, for when t his vanishes, t he ot her comes, and vice versa. Allah also said;

 - - -
(And a sign for t hem is t he night . We wit hdraw t herefrom t he day, and behold, t hey are in darkness. And t he sun runs on it s fixed course for a t erm (appoint ed). That is t he decree of t he All-Might y, t he All-Knowing. And t he moon, We have measured for it mansions (t o t raverse) t ill it ret urns like t he old dried curved dat e st alk. It is not for t he sun t o overt ake t he moon, nor does t he night out st rip t he day. They all float , each in an orbit .) 36:37-40 Allah's st at ement ,

(Nor does t he night out st rip t he day) 36:40 means, t he night follows t he day in succession and does not come lat er or earlier t han it should be. This is why Allah said here,

(seeking it rapidly, and (He creat ed) t he sun, t he moon, t he st ars subj ect ed t o His command.) meaning, all are under His command, will and dominion. Allah alert ed us aft erwards,

(Surely, His is t he creat ion and commandment ) t he dominion and t he decision. Allah said next ,

(Blessed is Allah, t he Lord of t he all t hat exist s!) which is similar t o t he Ayah,


(Blessed be He Who has placed in t he heaven big st ars) supplicat ion, t hat was also at t ribut ed t o t he Prophet , 25:61 Abu Ad-Darda' said a

(O Allah! Yours is all t he kingdom, all t he praise, and Yours is t he ownership of all affairs. I ask You for all t ypes of good and seek refuge wit h You from all t ypes of evil.)

-
(55. Invoke your Lord Tadarru` an and Khufyah. He likes not t he aggressors.) (56. And do not do mischief on t he eart h, aft er it has been set in order, and invoke Him wit h fear and hope. Surely, Allah's mercy is (ever) near unt o t he good-doers.)

Encouraging supplicating to Allah

Allah commands His servant s t o supplicat e t o Him, for t his will ensure t heir welfare in t his life and t he Hereaft er. Allah said,

(Invoke your Lord Tadarru` an and Khufyah) meaning, in humbleness and humilit y. Allah said in a similar Ayah,


(And remember your Lord wit hin yourself) 7:205 It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat Abu Musa Al-Ash` ari said, "The people raised t heir voices wit h supplicat ions but t he Messenger of Allah said,

(O people! Take it easy on yourselves. Verily, you are not calling one who is deaf or absent , rat her, t he One you are calling is All-Hearer, Near (t o His servant s by His knowledge).) Ibn Jarir said t hat ,

(Tadarru` an), means obeying Him in humilit y and humbleness,

(and Khufyah), wit h t he humbleness in your heart s and cert aint y of His Oneness and Lordship not supplicat ing loudly t o show off.

Forbidding Aggression in Supplications

It was report ed t hat ` At a' Al-Khurasani narrat ed from Ibn ` Abbas, who said about Allah's st at ement ,

(He likes not t he aggressors) "In t he Du` a' and ot herwise.'' Abu Mij laz comment ed on,

(He likes not t he aggressors), "Such (aggression) as asking t o reach t he grade of t he Prophet s.'' Imam Ahmad narrat ed t hat Abu Ni` amah said t hat ` Abdullah bin Mughaffal heard his son supplicat ing, "O Allah! I ask you for t he whit e cast le on t he right side of Paradise, if I ent er it .''

So ` Abdullah said, "O my son! Ask Allah for Paradise and seek refuge wit h Him from t he Fire, for I heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

(There will come some people who t ransgress in supplicat ion and purificat ion)'' Ibn Maj ah and Abu Dawud recorded t his Hadit h wit h a good chain t hat t here is no harm in, and Allah knows best .

The Prohibition of causing Mischief in the Land

Allah said next ,

(And do not do mischief on t he eart h, aft er it has been set in order) 5:56 . Allah prohibit s causing mischief on t he eart h, especially aft er it has been set in order. When t he affairs are in order and t hen mischief occurs, it will cause maximum harm t o t he people; t hus Allah forbids causing mischief and ordained worshipping Him, supplicat ing t o Him, begging Him and being humble t o Him. Allah said,

(and invoke Him wit h fear and hope) fearing what He has of severe t orment and hoping in what He has of t remendous reward. Allah t hen said,

(Surely, Allah's mercy is (ever) near unt o t he good-doers) meaning, His mercy is for t he gooddoers who obey His commands and avoid what He prohibit ed. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And My mercy envelopes all t hings. That (mercy) I shall ordain for t hose who who have Taqwa.) 7:156 . Mat ar Al-Warraq said, "Earn Allah's promise by obeying Him, for He ordained t hat His mercy is near t o t he good-doers. '' Ibn Abi Hat im collect ed t his st at ement .

 -
(57. And it is He Who sends t he winds as heralds of glad t idings, going before His mercy (rain). Till when t hey have carried a heavy-laden cloud, We drive it t o a land t hat is dead, t hen We cause wat er (rain) t o descend t hereon. Then We produce every kind of fruit t herewit h. Similarly, We shall raise up t he dead, so t hat you may remember or t ake heed.) (58. The veget at ion of a good land comes fort h (easily) by t he permission of it s Lord; and t hat which is bad, brings fort h not hing but (a lit t le) wit h difficult y. Thus do We explain variously t he Ayat for a people who give t hanks.)

Among Allah's Signs, He sends down the Rain and brings forth the Produce
Aft er Allah st at ed t hat He creat ed t he heavens and eart h and t hat He is t he Owner and Possessor of t he affairs Who makes t hings subservient (for mankind), He ordained t hat He be invoked in Du` a', for He is able t o do all t hings. Allah also st at ed t hat He is t he Sust ainer and He resurrect s t he dead on t he Day of Resurrect ion. Here, Allah said t hat He sends t he wind t hat spreads t he clouds t hat are laden wit h rain. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And among His signs is t his, t hat He sends t he winds wit h glad t idings) st at ement , 30:46 . Allah's

(going before His mercy) means, before t he rain. Allah also said;


(And He it is Who sends down t he rain aft er t hey have despaired, and spreads His mercy. And He is Al-Wali (t he Guardian), Al-Hamid (t he praisewort hy) 42:28 and,

(Look t hen at t he result s of Allah's mercy, how He revives t he eart h aft er it s deat h. Verily, t hat is t he one Who shall indeed raise t he dead, and He is able t o do all t hings) 30:50 . Allah said next ,

(Till when t hey have carried a heavy-laden cloud) when t he wind carries clouds t hat are heavy wit h rain, and t his is why t hese clouds are heavy, close t o t he eart h, and t heir color is dark. Allah's st at ement ,

(We drive it t o a land t hat is dead) t hat is, a dry land t hat does not have any veget at ion. This Ayah is similar t o anot her Ayah,

(And a sign for t hem is t he dead land. We give it life) 36:33 . This is why Allah said here,

(Then We produce every kind of fruit t herewit h. Similarly, We shall raise up t he dead.) meaning, j ust as We bring life t o dead land, We shall raise up t he dead on t he Day of Resurrect ion, aft er t hey have disint egrat ed. Allah will send down rain from t he sky and t he rain will pour on t he eart h for fort y days. The corpses will t hen be brought up in t heir graves, j ust as t he seeds become grow in t he ground (on receiving rain). Allah oft en ment ions t his similarit y in t he Qur'an when He gives t he example of what will happen on t he Day of Resurrect ion, and bringing life t o dead land,

(so t hat you may remember or t ake heed.) Allah's st at ement ,

(The veget at ion of a good land comes fort h (easily) by t he permission of it s Lord;) meaning, t he good land produces it s veget at ion rapidly and proficient ly. Allah said in anot her Ayah (about Maryam, mot her of ` Isa, peace be upon him);

(He made her grow in a good manner.) 3:37 The Ayah cont inues,

(and t hat which is bad, brings fort h not hing but wit h difficult y.) Muj ahid, and ot hers such as As-Sibakh, et c. also said t his. Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu Musa said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(The parable of t he guidance and knowledge wit h which Allah has sent me is t hat of an abundant rain falling on a land, some of which was fert ile soil t hat absorbed rain wat er and brought fort h veget at ion and grass in abundance. And anot her port ion of it was hard and held t he rain wat er; and Allah benefit ed t he people wit h it , t hey ut ilized it for drinking, making t heir animals drink from it , and for irrigat ion of t he land for cult ivat ion. And a port ion of it was barren which could neit her hold t he wat er nor bring fort h veget at ion. The first is t he example of t he person who comprehends Allah's religion and get s benefit which Allah sent me wit h, by learnign and t eaching ot hers. The last example is t hat of a person who does not care for it and does not accept t he guidance Allah sent me wit h.)

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(59. Indeed, We sent Nuh t o his people and he said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no ot her god but Him. Cert ainly, I fear for you t he t orment of a Great Day!'') (60. The leaders of his people said: "Verily, we see you in plain error.'') (61. Nuh said: "O my people! There is no error in me, but I am a Messenger from t he Lord of all t hat exist s!) (62. I convey unt o you t he Messages of my Lord and give sincere advice t o you. And I know from Allah what you know not .'')

The Story of Nuh and His People

Aft er Allah ment ioned t he st ory of Adam in t he beginning of t his Surah, He st art ed ment ioning t he st ories of t he Prophet s, t he first t hen t he lat t er of t hem. Allah ment ioned t he st ory of Nuh, because he was t he first Messenger Allah sent t o t he people of t he eart h aft er Adam. His name

was Nuh bin Lamak bin Mat ushalakh bin Khanukh. And Khanukh was, as t hey claim, t he Prophet Idris. And Idris was t he first person t o writ e let t ers using pen, and he was t he son of Barad bin Mahlil, bin Qanin bin Yanish bin Shit h bin Adam, upon t hem all be peace. This lineage is ment ioned by Muhammad bin Ishaq and ot her Imams who document lineage. ` Abdullah bin ` Abbas and several ot her scholars of Tafsir said t hat t he first idol worship began when some right eous people died and t heir people built places of worship over t heir graves. They made images of t hem so t hat t hey could remember t heir right eousness and devot ion, and t hus, imit at e t hem. When t ime passed, t hey made st at ues of t hem and lat er on worshipped t hese idols, naming t hem aft er t he right eous people: Wadd, Suwa` , Yaghut h, Ya` uq and Nasr. Aft er t his pract ice became popular, Allah sent Nuh as a Messenger, all t hanks are due t o Him. Nuh commanded his people t o worship Allah alone wit hout part ners, saying,

("O my people! Worship Allah! You have no ot her god but Him. Cert ainly, I fear for you t he t orment of a Great Day!'') t he t orment of t he Day of Resurrect ion, if you meet Allah while associat ing ot hers wit h Him.

(The leaders of his people said) meaning, t he general public, chiefs, commanders and great ones of his people said,

("Verily, we see you in plain error'') because of your calling us t o abandon t he worship of t hese idols t hat we found our forefat hers worshipping. This, indeed, is t he at t it ude of evil people, for t hey consider t he right eous people t o be following misguidance. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And when t hey saw t hem, t hey said: "Verily, t hese have indeed gone ast ray!'') 83:32 and,

(And t hose who disbelieve say of t hose who believe: "Had it been a good t hing, t hey (t he weak and poor) would not have preceded us t heret o!'' And when t hey have not let t hemselves be guided by it (t his Qur'an), t hey say: "This is an ancient lie!'') 46:11 There are several ot her Ayat on t his subj ect .

( Nuh said: "O my people! There is no error in me, but I am a Messenger from t he Lord of all t hat exist s!'') meaning, t here is not hing wrong wit h me, but I am a Messenger from t he Lord of all t hat exist s, Lord and King of all t hings,

("I convey unt o you t he Messages of my Lord and give sincere advice t o you. And I know from Allah what you know not .'') This is t he at t ribut e of a Messenger, t hat he conveys using plain, yet eloquent words, offers sincere advice and is knowledgeable about Allah; indeed, no ot her people can compet e wit h t he Prophet s in t his regard. In his Sahih, Muslim recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said t o his Companions on t he Day of ` Arafah, when t heir gat hering was as large as it ever was,

(O people! You will be asked about me, so what will you say) They said, "We t est ify t hat you have conveyed and delivered (t he Message) and offered sincere advice.'' So he kept raising his finger t o t he sky and lowering it t owards t hem, saying,

(O Allah! Bear wit ness, O Allah! Bear wit ness.)


(63. "Do you wonder t hat t here has come t o you a Reminder from your Lord t hrough a man from among you, t hat he may warn you, so t hat you may fear Allah and t hat you may receive (His) mercy'') (64. But t hey belied him, so We saved him and t hose along wit h him in t he Fulk, and We drowned t hose who belied Our Ayat . They were indeed a blind people.) Allah said t hat Nuh proclaimed t o his people,

("Do you wonder...''), do not wonder because of t his. Surely, it is not st range t hat Allah sends down revelat ion t o a man among you as mercy, kindness and compassion for you, so t hat he warns you t hat you may avoid Allah's t orment by associat ing none wit h Him,

("and t hat you may receive (His) mercy.'') Allah said,

(But t hey belied him) but t hey insist ed on rej ect ing and opposing him, and only a few of t hem believed in him, as Allah st at ed in anot her Ayah. Allah said next ,

(So We saved him and t hose along wit h him in t he Fulk) t he ark,

(And We drowned t hose who belied Our Ayat . ) Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(Because of t heir sins t hey were drowned, t hen t hey were admit t ed int o t he Fire. And t hey found none t o help t hem inst ead of Allah.) 71:25 Allah said,

(They were indeed a blind people.) meaning, blind from t he Trut h, unable t o recognize it or find t heir way t o it . Here, Allah said t hat He has t aken revenge from His enemies and saved His Messenger and t hose who believed in him, while dest roying t heir disbelieving enemies. Allah said in a anot her Ayah,

(Verily, We will indeed make vict orious Our Messengers) 40:51 . This is Allah's Sunnah (way) wit h His servant s, in t his life and t he Hereaft er, t hat t he good end, vict ory and t riumph is for t hose who fear Him. For example, Allah dest royed t he people of Nuh, and saved Nuh and his believing followers. Ibn Wahb said t hat he was t old t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat eight y men were saved wit h Nuh in t he ship, one of t hem was Jurhum, who spoke Arabic. Ibn Abi Hat im collect ed t his st at ement , which was also narrat ed wit h a cont inuous chain of narrat ion from Ibn ` Abbas.

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(65. And t o ` Ad (t he people, We sent ) t heir brot her Hud. He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no ot her god but Him. Will you t hen not have Taqwa'') (66. The leaders of t hose who

disbelieved among his people said: "Verily, we see you in foolishness, and verily, we t hink you are one of t he liars.'') (67. (Hud) said: "O my people! There is no foolishness in me, but (I am) a Messenger from t he Lord of all t hat exist s!) (68. "I convey unt o you t he Messages of my Lord, and I am a t rust wort hy adviser (or well-wisher) for you.) (69. "Do you wonder t hat t here has come t o you a Reminder (and an advice) from your Lord t hrough a man from among you t o warn you And remember t hat He made you successors (generat ions aft er generat ions) aft er t he people of Nuh and increased you amply in st at ure. So remember t he graces (best owed upon you) from Allah so t hat you may be successful.'')

The Story of Hud, Peace be upon Him, and the Lineage of the People of ` Ad
Allah says, j ust as We sent Nuh t o his people, similarly, t o t he ` Ad people, We sent Hud one of t heir own bret hren. Muhammad bin Ishaq said t hat t he t ribe of ` Ad were t he descendant s of ` Ad, son of Iram, son of ` Aws, son of Sam, son of Nuh. I say, t hese are indeed t he ancient people of ` Ad whom Allah ment ioned, t he children of ` Ad, son of Iram who were living in t he desert s wit h loft y pillars or st at ues. Allah said,

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(Have you not seen how your Lord dealt wit h ` Ad (people). Of Iram like (loft y) pillars. The like of which were not creat ed in t he land) 89:6-8 because of t heir might and st rengt h. Allah said in anot her inst ance,

(As for ` Ad, t hey were arrogant in t he land wit hout right , and t hey said: "Who is might ier t han us in st rengt h'' See t hey not t hat Allah Who creat ed t hem was might ier in st rengt h t han t hem. And t hey used t o deny Our Ayat !) 41:15 .

The Land of ` Ad
The people of ` Ad lived in Yemen, in t he area of Ahqaf, which means sand mounds. Muhammad bin Ishaq narrat ed t hat Abu At -Tufayl ` Amir bin Wat hilah said t hat he heard ` Ali (bin Abi Talib) saying t o a man from Hadramawt (in Yemen), "Have you seen a red sand mound, where t here are a lot of Arak and Lot e t rees in t he area of so-and-so in Hadramawt Have you seen it '' He said, "Yes, O Commander of t he fait hful! By Allah, you described it as if you have seen it

before.'' ` Ali said, ` I have not seen it , but it was described t o me.'' The man asked, "What about it , O Commander of t he fait hful'' ` Ali said, "There is t he grave of Hud, peace be upon him, in it s vicinit y.'' Ibn Jarir recorded t his st at ement , which gives t he benefit of indicat ing t hat ` Ad used t o live in Yemen, since Prophet Hud was buried t here. Prophet Hud was among t he noble men and chiefs of ` Ad, for Allah chose t he Messengers from among t he best , most honorable families and t ribes. Hud's people were might y and st rong, but t heir heart s were might y and hard, for t hey were among t he most denying of Trut h among t he nat ions. Prophet Hud called ` Ad t o worship Allah alone wit hout part ners, and t o obey and fear Him.

Debate between Hud and his People

(The leaders of t hose who disbelieved among his people said...) meaning, t he general public, chiefs, mast ers and commanders of his people said,

("Verily, we see you in foolishness, and verily, we t hink you are one of t he liars'') meaning, you are misguided because you call us t o abandon worshipping t he idols in order t o worship Allah Alone. Similarly, t he chiefs of Quraysh wondered at t he call t o worship One God, saying,

("Has he (Muhammad) made t he gods (all) int o One God'') 38:5 .

((Hud) said: "O my people! There is no foolishness in me, but (I am) a Messenger from t he Lord of all t hat exist s!'') Hud said, I am not as you claim. Rat her, I brought you t he Trut h from Allah, Who creat ed everyt hing, and He is t he Lord and King of all t hings,

("I convey unt o you t he Messages of my Lord, and I am a t rust wort hy adviser for you. '') These, indeed, are t he qualit ies of t he Prophet s: conveying, sincerit y and honest y,


("Do you wonder t hat t here has come t o you a Reminder from your Lord t hrough a man from among you t o warn you'') Prophet Hud said, do not wonder because Allah sent a Messenger t o you from among yourselves t o warn you about Allah's Days (His t orment ) and meet ing wit h Him. Rat her t han wondering, you should t hank Allah for t his bount y.

("And remember t hat He made you successors (generat ions aft er generat ions) aft er t he people of Nuh...'') meaning, remember Allah's favor on you in t hat He made you among t he offspring of Nuh, because of whose supplicat ion Allah dest royed t he people of t he eart h aft er t hey defied and opposed him.

("and increased you amply in st at ure.'') making you t aller t han ot her people. Similarly, Allah said in t he descript ion of Talut (Saul),

(And has increased him abundant ly in knowledge and st at ure.) 2:247 Hud cont inued,

("So remember t he graces (best owed upon you) from Allah. '') in reference t o Allah's favors and blessings

("so t hat you may be successful.'')

 -
(70. They said: "You have come t o us t hat we should worship Allah Alone and forsake t hat which our fat hers used t o worship. So bring us t hat wherewit h you have t hreat ened us if you are of t he t rut hful.'') (71. (Hud) said: "Rij s (t orment ) and wrat h have already fallen on you from your Lord. Disput e you wit h me over names which you have named -- you and your fat hers -wit h no aut horit y from Allah Then wait , I am wit h you among t hose who wait .'') (72. So We saved him and t hose who were wit h him out of mercy from Us, and We severed t he root s of t hose who belied Our Ayat ; and t hey were not believers.)

Allah mentions the rebellion, defiance and stubbornness of Hud's people, and their opposition to him, peace be upon him,

(They said: "You have come t o us t hat we should worship Allah Alone'') Lat er on, t he disbelievers of Quraysh said,

(And (remember) when t hey said: "O Allah! If t his (t he Qur'an) is indeed t he t rut h (revealed) from You, t hen rain down st ones on us from t he sky or bring on us a painful t orment .'') Muhammad bin Ishaq said t hat t he people of Hud used t o worship several idols, such as Suda', Samud and Al-Haba'. This is why Hud, peace be upon him, said t o t hem,


("Rij s and wrat h have already fallen on you from your Lord.'') you deserve ` Rij s' from your Lord because of what you said. Ibn ` Abbas said t hat , ` Rij s', means scorn and anger.

("Disput e you wit h me over names which you have named -- you and your fat hers'') 7:71 . Hud said, do you disput e wit h me over t hese idols t hat you and your fat hers made gods, even t hough t hey do not bring harm or benefit ; did Allah give you aut horit y or proof allowing you t o worship t hem Hud furt her said,

("wit h no aut horit y from Allah Then wait , I am wit h you among t hose who wait .'') t his is a t hreat and warning from t he Messenger t o his people.

The End of ` Ad
So Allah said;

(So We saved him and t hose who were wit h him out of mercy from Us, and We severed t he root s of t hose who belied Our Ayat ; and t hey were not believers.) Allah ment ioned several t imes in t he Qur'an, t he way t he people of ` Ad were dest royed st at ing t hat He sent a barren wind t hat dest royed everyt hing it passed by. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

 -
(And as for ` Ad, t hey were dest royed by a furious violent wind! They were subj ect ed t o it for seven night s and eight days in succession, so t hat you could see men lying overt hrown (dest royed), as if t hey were hollow t runks of dat e palms! Do you see any remnant s of t hem) 69:6-8 When ` Ad rebelled and t ransgressed, Allah dest royed t hem wit h a st rong wind t hat carried t hem, one by one, up in t he air and brought each one of t hem down on his head, t hus smashing his head and severing it from it s body. This is why Allah said,

(as if t hey were hollow t runks of dat e palms!) 69:7 Muhammad bin Ishaq said t hat ` Ad used t o live in Yemen bet ween Oman and Hadramawt . They also spread t hroughout t he land and defeat ed various peoples, because of t he st rengt h t hat Allah gave t hem. They used t o worship idols inst ead of Allah, and Allah sent t o t hem Prophet Hud, peace be upon him. He was from t heir most common lineage and was t he best among t hem in st at us. Hud commanded t hem t o worship Allah Alone and associat e none wit h him. He also ordered t hem t o st op commit t ing inj ust ice against t he people. But t hey rej ect ed him and ignored his call. They said, ` Who is st ronger t han us' Some of t hem, however, followed Hud, alt hough t hey were few and had t o conceal t heir fait h. When ` Ad defied t he command of Allah, rej ect ed His Prophet , commit t ed mischief in t he eart h, became arrogant and built high palaces on every high place -- wit hout real benefit t o t hem -- Hud spoke t o t hem, saying,

-
("Do you build high palaces on every high place, while you do not live in t hem And do you get for yourselves palaces (fine buildings) as if you will live t herein forever. And when you seize (somebody), seize you (him) as t yrant s Have Taqwa of Allah, and obey me.'') 26:128-131 However,


(They said: "O Hud! No evidence have you brought us, and we shall not leave our gods for your (mere) saying! And we are not believers in you. All t hat we say is t hat some of our gods have seized you wit h evil.'') meaning, madness,

-
(He said: "I call Allah t o wit ness, and bear you wit ness t hat I am free from t hat which you associat e wit h Him. So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respit e. I put my t rust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creat ure but He has t he grasp of it s forelock. Verily, my Lord is on t he st raight pat h (t he t rut h).'') 11:53-56 .''

Story of the Emissary of ` Ad

Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Al-Harit h Al-Bakri said: "I went t o t he Messenger of Allah t o complain t o him about Al-` Ala bin Al-Hadrami. When I passed by t he area of Ar-Rabdhah, I found an old woman from Bani Tamim who was alone in t hat area. She said t o me, "O servant of Allah! I need t o reach t he Messenger of Allah t o ask him for some of my needs, will you t ake me t o him'' So I t ook her along wit h me t o Al-Madinah and found t he Masj id full of people. I also found a black flag raised high, while Bilal was holding a sword before t he Messenger of Allah . I asked, "What is t he mat t er wit h t he people'' They said, "The Prophet int ends t o send ` Amr bin Al-` As (on a milit ary expedit ion) somewhere.'' So I sat down. When t he Prophet went t o his house, I asked for permission t o see him, and he gave me permission. I ent ered and greet ed him. He said, "Was t here a disput e bet ween you and Bani Tamim'' I said, "Yes. And we had been vict orious over t hem. I passed by an old woman from Bani Tamim, who was alone, and she asked me t o bring her t o you, and she is at t he door''. So he allowed her in and I said, "O Allah's Messenger! What if you make a barrier bet ween us and (t he t ribe of) Bani Tamim, such as AdDahna' (Desert )'' The old woman became angry and opposed me. So I said, "My example is t he example of a sheep t hat carried it s own dest ruct ion. I carried t his woman and did not know

t hat she was an opponent . I seek refuge wit h Allah and His Messenger t hat I become like t he emissary of ` Ad.' So t he Prophet asked me about t he emissary of ` Ad, having bet t er knowledge in it , but he liked t o hear t he st ory again. I said, "Once, ` Ad suffered from a famine and t hey sent an emissary t o get relief , whose name was Qayl. Qayl passed by Mu` awiyah bin Bakr and st ayed wit h him for a mont h. Mu` awiyah supplied him wit h alcoholic drinks, and t wo female singers were singing for him. When a mont h ended, Qayl went t o t he mount ains of Muhrah and said, ` O Allah! You know t hat I did not come here t o cure an ill person or t o ransom a prisoner. O Allah! Give ` Ad wat er as You used t o.' So black clouds came and he was called, ` Choose which one of t hem you wish (t o go t o ` Ad)!' So he point ed t o one of t he black clouds and he heard someone proclaiming from it , ` Take it , as ashes t hat will leave none in ` Ad.' And it has been conveyed t o me t hat t he wind sent t o t hem was no more t han what would pass t hrough t his ring of mine, but it dest royed t hem.'' Abu Wa'il said, "That is t rue. When a man or a woman would send an emissary, t hey would t ell him, ` Do not be like t he emissary of ` Ad (bringing disast er and ut t er dest ruct ion t o t hem inst ead of relief).,'' Imam Ahmad collect ed t his st ory in t he Musnad. At -Tirmidhi recorded similar wording for it , as did An-Nasa'i and Ibn Maj ah.

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(73. And t o Thamud (people, We sent ) t heir brot her Salih. He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no ot her god but Him. Indeed t here has come t o you a clear sign from your Lord. This she-camel of Allah is a sign unt o you; so you leave her t o graze in Allah's eart h, and t ouch her not wit h harm, lest a painful t orment should seize you.) (74. And remember when He made you successors (generat ions) aft er ` Ad and gave you habit at ions in t he land, you build for yourselves palaces in plains, and carve out homes in t he mount ains. So remember t he graces (best owed upon you) from Allah, and do not go about making mischief on t he eart h.) (75. The leaders of t hose who were arrogant among his people said t o t hose who were count ed weak -t o such of t hem as believed: "Know you t hat Salih is one sent from his Lord.'' They said: "We indeed believe in t hat wit h which he has been sent .'') (76. Those who were arrogant said: "Verily, we disbelieve in t hat which you believe in.'') (77. So t hey killed t he she-camel and insolent ly defied t he commandment of t heir Lord, and said: "O Salih! Bring about your t hreat s if you are indeed one of t he Messengers (of Allah).'') (78. So t he eart hquake seized t hem, and t hey lay (dead), prost rat e in t heir homes.)

Thamud: Their Land and Their Lineage

Scholars of Tafsir and genealogy say t hat (t he t ribe of Thamud descended from) Thamud bin ` At hir bin Iram bin Sam bin Nuh, and he is brot her of Jadis son of ` At hir, similarly t he t ribe of Tasm, and t hey were from t he ancient Arabs, Al-` Aribah, before t he t ime of Ibrahim, Thamud came aft er ` Ad. They dwelled bet ween t he area of t he Hij az (West ern Arabia) and Ash-Sham (Great er Syria). The Messenger of Allah passed by t he area and ruins of Thamud when he went t o Tabuk (in nort hern Arabia) during t he nint h year of Hij rah. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar said, "When t he Messenger of Allah went t o t he area of Al-Hij r in Tabuk wit h t he people, he camped near t he homes of Thamud, in Al-Hij r and t he people brought wat er from t he wells t hat Thamud used before. They used t hat wat er t o make dough and placed t he pot s (on fire) for cooking. However, t he Prophet commanded t hem t o spill t he cont ent s of t he pot s and t o give t he dough t o t heir camels. He t hen marched fort h wit h t hem from t hat area t o anot her area, near t he well t hat t he camel (as will follow) used t o drink from. He forbade t he Companions from ent ering t he area where people were t orment ed, saying,

(I fear t hat what befell t hem might befall you as well. Therefore, do not ent er on t hem.)'' Ahmad narrat ed t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Umar said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said while in t he Hij r area,


(Do not ent er on t hese who were t orment ed, unless you do so while crying. If you are not crying, t hen do not ent er on t hem, so t hat what befell t hem does not befall you, as well.) The basis of t his Hadit h is ment ioned in Two Sahihs.

The Story of Prophet Salih and Thamud

Allah said,

(And t o Thamud), meaning, t o t he t ribe of Thamud, We sent t heir brot her Salih,

(He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no ot her god but Him.'') All Allah's Messengers called t o t he worship of Allah alone wit hout part ners. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And We did not send any Messenger before you but We revealed t o him (saying): "None has t he right t o be worshipped but I, so worship Me.'') 21:25 and,

(And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid Taghut (all false deit ies)'') 16:36 .

Thamud asked that a Camel appear from a Stone, and it did

Prophet Salih said,

("Indeed t here has come t o you a clear sign from your Lord. This she-camel of Allah is a sign unt o you;'') meaning, a miracle has come t o you from Allah t est ifying t o t he t rut h of what I came t o you wit h. Salih's people asked him t o produce a miracle and suggest ed a cert ain solid rock t hat t hey chose, which st ood lonely in t he area of Hij r, and which was called Al-Kat ibah. They asked him t o bring a pregnant camel out of t hat st one. Salih t ook t heir covenant and promises t hat if Allah answers t heir challenge, t hey would believe and follow him. When t hey gave him t heir oat hs and promises t o t hat , Salih st art ed praying and invoked Allah (t o produce t hat miracle). All of a sudden, t he st one moved and broke apart , producing a she-camel wit h t hick wool. It was pregnant and it s fet us was visibly moving in it s belly, exact ly as Salih's people asked. This is when t heir chief, Jundu` bin ` Amr, and several who followed him believed. The rest of t he noblemen of Thamud want ed t o believe as well, but Dhu'ab bin ` Amr bin Labid, Al-Habbab, who t ended t heir idols, and Rabbab bin Sum` ar bin Jilhis st opped t hem. One of t he cousins of Jundu` bin ` Amr, whose name was Shihab bin Khalifah bin Mikhlat bin Labid bin Jawwas, was one of t he leaders of Thamud, and he also want ed t o accept t he message. However, t he chiefs whom we ment ioned prevent ed him, and he conceded t o t heir prompt ings. The camel remained in Thamud, as well as, it s offspring aft er she delivered it before t hem. The camel used t o drink from it s well on one day and leave t he well for Thamud t he next day. They also used t o drink it s milk, for on t he days she drank wat er, t hey used t o milk her and fill t heir cont ainers from it s milk. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And inform t hem t hat t he wat er is t o be shared bet ween (her and) t hem, each one's right t o drink being est ablished (by t urns)) 54:28 and,

(Here is a she-camel: it has a right t o drink (wat er), and you have a right t o drink (wat er) (each) on a day, known) 26:155 The camel used t o graze in some of t heir valleys, going t hrough a pass and coming out t hrough anot her pass. She did t hat so as t o be able t o move easily, because she used t o drink a lot of wat er. She was a t remendous animal t hat had a st rikingly beaut iful appearance. When she used t o pass by t heir cat t le, t he cat t le would be afraid of her. When t his mat t er cont inued for a long t ime and Thamud's rej ect ion of Salih became int ense, t hey int ended t o kill her so t hat t hey could t ake t he wat er for t hemselves every day. It was said t hat all of t hem (t he disbelievers of Thamud) conspired t o kill t he camel. Qat adah said t hat he was t old t hat , "The designat ed killer of t he camel approached t hem all,

including women in t heir rooms and children, and found out t hat all of t hem agreed t o kill her.'' This fact is apparent from t he wording of t he Ayat ,

(Then t hey denied him and t hey killed it . So t heir Lord dest royed t hem because of t heir sin, and made t hem equal in dest ruct ion!) 91:14 , and,

(And We sent t he she-camel t o Thamud as a clear sign, but t hey did her wrong.) 17:59 Allah said here,

(So t hey killed t he she-camel) Therefore, t hese Ayat st at ed t hat t he ent ire t ribe shared in agreeing t o t his crime, and Allah knows best .

Thamud kills the She-Camel

Imam Abu Ja` far Ibn Jarir and ot her scholars of Tafsir said t hat t he reason behind killing t he camel was t hat a disbelieving old woman among t hem named Umm Ghanm ` Unayzah, t he daught er of Ghanm bin Mij laz, had t he severest enmit y among Thamud t owards Salih, peace be upon him. She had beaut iful daught ers and she was wealt hy, and Dhu'ab bin ` Amr, one of t he leaders of Thamud, was her husband. There was anot her noblewoman whose name was Saduf bint Al-Muhayya bin Dahr bin Al-Muhayya, who was of noble family, wealt hy and beaut iful. She was married t o a Muslim man from Thamud, but she left him. These t wo women offered a prize for t hose who swore t o t hem t hat t hey would kill t he camel. Once, Saduf summoned a man called Al-Habbab and offered herself t o him if he would kill t he camel, but he refused. So she called a cousin of hers whose name was Musaddi` bin Mihraj bin Al-Muhayya, and he agreed. As for ` Unayzah bint Ghanm, she called Qudar bin Salif bin Jundu` , a short person wit h red-blue skin, a bast ard, according t o t hem. Qudar was not t he son of his claimed fat her, Salif, but t he son of anot her man called, Suhyad. However, he was born on Salif's bed (and t hus named aft er him). ` Unayzah said t o Qudar, "I will give you any of my daught ers you wish, if you kill t he camel.'' Qudar bin Salif and Musaddi` bin Mihraj went along and recruit ed several mischievous persons from Thamud t o kill t he camel. Seven more from Thamud agreed, and t he group became nine, as Allah described, when He said,


(And t here were in t he cit y nine men, who made mischief in t he land, and would not reform.) These nine men were chiefs of t heir people, and t hey lured t he ent ire t ribe int o agreeing t o kill t he camel. So t hey wait ed unt il t he camel left t he wat er well, where Qudar wait ed beside a rock on it s pat h, while Musaddi` wait ed at anot her rock. When t he camel passed by Musaddi` he shot an arrow at her and t he arrow pierced her leg. At t hat t ime, ` Unayzah came out and ordered her daught er, who was among t he most beaut iful women, t o uncover her face for Qudar, encouraging Qudar t o swing his sword, hit t ing t he camel on her knee. So she fell t o t he ground and screamed once t o warn her offspring. Qudar st abbed her in her neck and slaught ered her. Her offspring went up a high rock and screamed. ` Abdur-Razzaq recorded from Ma` mar t hat someone report ed from Al-Hasan Al-Basari t hat t he offspring said, "O my Lord! Where is my mot her'' It was said t hat her offspring screamed t hrice and ent ered a rock and vanished in it , or, t hey followed it and killed it t oget her wit h it s mot her. Allah knows best . When t hey finished t he camel off and t he news reached Prophet Salih, he came t o t hem while t hey were gat hered. When he saw t he camel, he cried and proclaimed,

("Enj oy yourselves in your homes for t hree days.'') 11:65

The Wicked Ones Plot to Kill Prophet Salih, But the Torment descended on Them
The nine wicked persons killed t he camel on a Wednesday, and t hat night , t hey conspired t o kill Salih. They said, "If he is t rut hful, we should finish him before we are finished. If he is a liar, we will make him follow his camel.''

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(They said: "Swear one t o anot her by Allah t hat we shall make a secret night at t ack on him and his household, and t hereaft er we will surely say t o his near relat ives: ` We wit nessed not t he dest ruct ion of his household, and verily, we are t elling t he t rut h.''' So t hey plot t ed a plot , and We planned a plan, while t hey perceived not .) 27:49-50 When t hey conspired t o kill Salih and gat hered at night t o carry out t heir plot , Allah, t o Whom belongs all might and Who prot ect s His Messengers, rained down st ones t hat smashed t he heads of t hese nine people before t he

rest of t he t ribe. On Thursday, t he first of t he t hree days of respit e, t he people woke up and t heir faces were pale (yellow), j ust as Prophet Salih had promised t hem. On t he second day of respit e, Friday, t hey woke up and found t heir faces had t urned red. On t he t hird day of t he respit e, Sat urday, t hey woke up wit h t heir faces black. On Sunday, t hey wore t he fragrance of Hanut t he perfume for enshrouding t he dead before burial and await ed Allah's t orment and revenge, we seek refuge wit h Allah from it . They did not know what will be done t o t hem or how and from where t he t orment would come. When t he sun rose, t he Sayhah (loud cry) came from t he sky and a severe t remor overt ook t hem from below; t he souls were capt ured and t he bodies became lifeless, all in an hour.

(And t hey lay (dead), prost rat e in t heir homes.) They became dead and lifeless and none among t hem, whet her young, old, male or female, escaped t he t orment . The scholars of Tafsir said t hat none from t he offspring of Thamud remained, except Prophet Salih and t hose who believed in him. A disbelieving man called Abu Righal was in t he Sacred Area at t he t ime and t he t orment t hat befell his people did not t ouch him. When he went out of t he Sacred Area one day, a st one fell from t he sky and killed him. ` Abdur-Razzaq narrat ed t hat Ma` mar said t hat Isma` il bin Umayyah said t hat t he Prophet passed by t he gravesit e of Abu Righal and asked t he Companions if t hey knew whose grave it was. They said, "Allah and His Messenger know bet t er.'' He said,

(This is t he grave of Abu Righal, a man from Thamud. He was in t he Sacred Area of Allah and t his fact saved him from receiving Allah's t orment . When he went out of t he Sacred Area, what befell his people also befell him. He was buried here along wit h a branch made from gold.) So t he people used t heir swords and looked for t he golden branch and found it . ` Abdur-Razzaq narrat ed t hat Ma` mar said t hat Az-Zuhri said t hat Abu Righal is t he fat her of t he t ribe of Thaqif.


(79. Then he Salih t urned from t hem, and said: "O my people! I have indeed conveyed t o you t he Message of my Lord, and have given you good advice, but you like not good advisers.'') These are t he words of admonishment t hat Salih conveyed t o his people aft er Allah dest royed t hem for defying Him, rebelling against Him, refusing t o accept t he t rut h, avoiding guidance, and preferring misguidance inst ead. Salih said t hese words of admonishment and crit icism t o t hem aft er t hey perished, and t hey heard him (as a miracle for Prophet Salih from Allah). Similarly, it is recorded in t he Two Sahihs t hat aft er t he Messenger of Allah defeat ed t he disbelievers in t he bat t le of Badr, he remained in t hat area for t hree days, and t hen rode his camel, which was prepared for him during t he lat t er part of t he night . He went on unt il he st ood by t he well of Badr (where t he corpses of t he disbelievers were t hrown) and said,

(O Abu Jahl bin Hisham! O ` Ut bah bin Rabi` ah! O Shaybah bin Rabi` ah! Did you find what your Lord has promised you (of t orment ) t o be t rue, for I found what my Lord promised me (of vict ory) t o be t rue.) ` Umar said t o him, "O Allah's Messenger! Why do you speak t o a people who have rot t ed'' He said,

(By He in Whose Hand is my soul! You do not hear what I am saying bet t er t han t hey, but t hey cannot reply.) Similarly, Prophet Salih, peace be upon him, said t o his people,

("I have indeed conveyed t o you t he Message of my Lord, and have given you good advice,'') but you did not benefit from it because you do not like t he Trut h and do not follow t hose who give you sincere advice,

("but you like not good advisers.'')

(80. And (remember) Lut , when he said t o his people: "Do you commit lewdness such as none preceding you has commit t ed in all of t he nat ions) (81. "Verily, you pract ice your lust s on men inst ead of women. Nay, but you are a people t ransgressing beyond bounds.'')

The Story of Prophet Lut, upon Him be Peace, and His People
Allah said, We sent ,

(And)

(Lut , when he said t o his people..) Lut (Lot ) is t he son of Haran t he son of Azar (Terah), and he was t he nephew of Ibrahim, peace be upon t hem bot h. Lut had believed in Ibrahim and migrat ed wit h him t o t he Sham area. Allah t hen sent Lut t o t he people of Sadum (Sodom) and t he surrounding villages, t o call t hem t o Allah, enj oin right eousness and forbid t hem from t heir evil pract ices, t heir sin, and wickedness. It t his area, t hey did t hings t hat none of t he children of Adam or any ot her creat ures ever did before t hem. They used t o have sexual int ercourse wit h males inst ead of females. This evil pract ice was not known among t he Children of Adam before, nor did it even cross t heir minds, so t hey were unfamiliar wit h it before t he people of Sodom invent ed it , may Allah's curse be on t hem. ` Amr bin Dinar conment ed on;

("...as none preceding you has commit t ed in all of t he nat ions.'') "Never before t he people of Lut did a male have sex wit h anot her male.'' This is why Lut said t o t hem,


("Do you commit lewdness such as none preceding you has commit t ed in all of t he nat ions Verily, you pract ice your lust s on men inst ead of women.'') meaning, you left women whom Allah creat ed for you and inst ead had sex wit h men Indeed, t his behavior is evil and ignorant because you have placed t hings in t heir improper places. Lut , peace be upon him, said t o t hem:

("t hese (t he girls of t he nat ion) are my daught ers (t o marry lawfully), if you must act (so).'') 15:71 So he reminded t hem of t heir women, and t hey replied t hat t hey do not desire women!,

(They said: "Surely, you know t hat we have neit her any desire nor need of your daught ers, and indeed you know well what we want !'' ) 11:79 meaning, you know t hat we have no desire for women and you know what we desire wit h your guest s.

(82. And t he answer of his people was only t hat t hey said: "Drive t hem out of your t own, t hese are indeed men who want t o be pure (from sins)!'') So t hey answered Prophet Lut by t rying t o expel and banish him from t heir village, along wit h t hose who believed wit h him. Allah indeed removed Prophet Lut safely from among t hem, and He dest royed t hem in t heir land in disgrace and humiliat ion. They said (about Lut and t he believers):

("These are indeed men who want t o be pure (from sins)!'') Qat adah comment ed, "They shamed t hem (Lut and t he believers) wit h what is not a shame at all.'' Muj ahid comment ed, "(Lut 's people said about Lut and t he believers,) They are a people who want t o be pure from men's anuses and women's anuses!'' Similar was narrat ed from Ibn ` Abbas.

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(83. Then We saved him and his family, except his wife; she was of t he Ghabirin (t hose who lagged behind).) (84. And We rained down on t hem a rain (of st ones). Then see what was t he end of t he criminals.)

Allah says, We saved Lut and his family, for only his household believed in him.
Allah said in anot her Ayah,

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(So We brought out from t herein t he believers. But We found not t here any household of t he Muslims except one of Lut and his daught ers ) 51: 35-36 . Only his wife (from his family) did not believe, remaining on t he religion of her people. She used t o conspire wit h t hem against Lut and inform t hem of who came t o visit him, using cert ain signals t hat t hey agreed on. This is why when Lut was commanded t o leave by night wit h his family, he was ordered not t o inform his wife or t ake her wit h him. Some said t hat she followed t hem, and when t he t orment st ruck her people, she looked back and suffered t he same punishment as t hem. However, it appears t hat she did not leave t he t own and t hat Lut did not t ell her t hat t hey would depart . So she remained wit h her people, as apparent from Allah's st at ement ,

(except his wife; she was of t he Ghabirin) meaning, of t hose who remained, or t hey say: of t hose who were dest royed, and t his is t he more obvious explanat ion. Allah's st at ement ,

(And We rained down on t hem a rain) is explained by His ot her st at ement ,

 -
(And rained on t hem st ones of baked clay, in a well-arranged manner one aft er anot her. Marked from your Lord; and t hey are not ever far from t he wrongdoers.) 11:82-83 . Allah said here,

(Then see what was t he end of t he criminals. ) This Ayah means: ` See, O Muhammad, t he end of t hose who dared t o disobey Allah and rej ect His Messengers.' Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, At Tirmidhi, Ibn Maj ah, all recorded a Hadit h from Ibn ` Abbas who said t hat Allah's Messenger said;

(Whoever is found doing t he act of t he people of Lut , t hen kill t hem; t he doer and t he one it is done t o.)

(85. And t o (t he people of) Madyan, (We sent ) t heir brot her Shu` ayb. He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no ot her God but Him. Verily, a clear proof (sign) from your Lord has come unt o you; so give full measure and full weight and wrong not men in t heir t hings, and do not do mischief on t he eart h aft er it has been set in order, t hat will be bet t er for you, if you are believers.)

Story of Shu` ayb, upon him be Peace, and the Land of Madyan
Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "They (t he people of Madyan) are t he descendent s of Madyan, son of Midyan, son of Ibrahim. Shu` ayb was t he son of Mikil bin Yashj ur. And in t he Syrian language, his name was Yat hrun (Jet hro)''. I (Ibn Kat hir) say, Madyan was t he name of t he t ribe and also a cit y t hat is close t o Ma` an on rout e t o t he Hij az (from Ash-Sham). Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And when he arrived at t he wat er (a well) of Madyan he found t here a group of men wat ering (t heir flocks).) 28:23 They are also t he people of Al-Aykah (t he Woods), as we will ment ion lat er on, Allah willing, and our t rust is in Him.

(He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no ot her God but Him'') and t his is t he call of all Messengers,

("Verily, a clear proof (sign) from your Lord has come unt o you;'') meaning, ` Allah has present ed t he proof and evidences of t he t rut h of what I brought you.' He t hen advised t hem and commanded t hem t o give full measure and full weight and not t o wrong men in t heir dealings, meaning, t o refrain from cheat ing people in buying and selling. They used t o t reacherously avoid giving full weight and measure. Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(Woe t o Al-Mut affifin (t hose who give less in measure and weight )...) 83:1 unt il He said,

(before t he Lord of all t hat exist s) 83:6 . These Ayat cont ain a st ern warning and sure promise t hat we ask Allah t o save us from. Shu` ayb was called ` Speaker of t he Prophet s', because of his eloquent words and eloquent advice, and Allah st at ed t hat Shu` ayb said:

 -
(86. "And sit not on every road, t hreat ening, and hindering from t he pat h of Allah t hose who believe in Him, and seeking t o make it crooked. And remember when you were but few, and He mult iplied you. And see what was t he end of t he mischief-makers.) (87. "And if t here is a part y of you who believes in t hat wit h which I have been sent and a part y who does not believe, so be pat ient unt il Allah j udges bet ween us, and He is t he best of j udges.'')

Prophet Shu` ayb forbade his people from setting up blockades on the roads, saying,

("And sit not on every road, t hreat ening,'') t hreat ening people wit h deat h if t hey do not give up t heir money, as t hey were bandit s, according t o As-Suddi. Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid and several ot hers comment ed:

("And sit not on every road, t hreat ening.'') t he believers who come t o Shu` ayb t o follow him.'' The first meaning is bet t er, because Prophet Shu` ayb first said t o t hem,

("on every road...'') He t hen ment ioned t he second meaning,


("and hindering from t he pat h of Allah t hose who believe in Him, and seeking t o make it crooked.'') meaning, you seek t o make t he pat h of Allah crooked and deviat ed,

("And remember when you were but few, and He mult iplied you.'') meaning, you were weak because you were few. But you lat er on became might y because of your large numbers. Therefore, remember Allah's favor.

("And see what was t he end of t he mischief-makers. '') from t he previous nat ions and earlier generat ions. See t he t orment and punishment t hey suffered, because t hey disobeyed Allah and rej ect ed His Messengers. Shu` ayb cont inued;

("And if t here is a part y of you who believes in t hat wit h which I have been sent and a part y who does not believe,'') t hat is, if you divided concerning me,

("so be pat ient '') t hat is, t hen wait and see,

("unt il Allah j udges bet ween us,''), and you,

("and He is t he best of j udges.'') Surely, Allah will award t he best end t o t hose who fear and obey Him and He will dest roy t he disbelievers.

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(88. The chiefs of t hose who were arrogant among his people said: "We shall cert ainly drive you out , O Shu` ayb and t hose who have believed wit h you from our t own, or else you (all) shall ret urn t o our religion.'' He said: "Even t hough we hat e it '') (89. "We should have invent ed a lie against Allah if we ret urned t o your religion, aft er Allah has rescued us from it . And it is not for us t o ret urn t o it unless Allah, our Lord, should will. Our Lord comprehends all t hings in His knowledge. In Allah (Alone) we put our t rust . Our Lord! Judge bet ween us and our people in t rut h, for You are t he best of t hose who give j udgment .'')

Allah describes the way the disbelievers answered His Prophet Shu` ayb and those who believed in him, by threatening them with expulsion from their village, or with forceful reversion to the disbeliever's religion.
The chiefs spoke t he words ment ioned here t o t he Messenger Shu` ayb, but int ended it for t hose who followed his religion t oo. The st at ement ,

("Even t hough we hat e it ''), means, would you force us t o do t hat , even t hough we hat e what you are calling us t o Cert ainly if we revert t o your religion and accept your ways, we will have ut t ered a t remendous lie against Allah by calling part ners as rivals t o Him,


(And it is not for us t o ret urn t o it unless Allah, our Lord, should will.) This part of t he Ayah refers all mat t ers t o Allah's will, and cert ainly, He has perfect knowledge of all mat t ers and His observat ion encompasses all t hings,

(In Allah (Alone) we put our t rust . ), concerning all our affairs, what we pract ice of t hem and what we ignore,

(Our Lord! Judge bet ween us and our people in t rut h) j udge bet ween us and our people and give us vict ory over t hem,

(for You are t he best of t hose who give j udgment ) and You are t he Most Just Who never wrongs any in His j udgment .

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(90. The chiefs of t hose who disbelieved among his people said (t o t heir people): "If you follow Shu` ayb, be sure t hen you will be t he losers!'') (91. So t he eart hquake seized t hem and t hey lay (dead), prost rat e in t heir homes.) (92. Those who belied Shu` ayb, became as if t hey had never dwelt t here (in t heir homes). Those who belied Shu` ayb, t hey were t he losers.) Allah describes t he enormit y of disbelief, rebellion, t ransgression and misguidance (of Shu` ayb's people) and t he defiance of t rut h encrypt ed in t heir heart s. They vowed, saying,


("If you follow Shu` ayb, be sure t hen you will be t he losers!'') Allah answered t hem,

(So t he eart hquake seized t hem and t hey lay (dead), prost rat e in t heir homes) Allah said t hat t he eart hquake shook t hem, as punishment for t hreat ening t o expel Shu` ayb and his followers. Allah ment ioned t heir end again in Suah Hud,

(And when Our commandment came, We saved Shu` ayb and t hose who believed wit h him by a mercy from Us. And t he Sayhah (loud cry) seized t he wrongdoers, and t hey lay (dead) prost rat e in t heir homes.) 11:94 This Ayah ment ions t he Sayhah (cry) t hat st ruck t hem aft er t hey mocked Shu` ayb, saying,

(Does your Salah (prayer) command you...) so it was befit t ing t o ment ion here t he cry t hat made t hem silence. In Surat Ash-Shu` ara', Allah said,

(But t hey belied him, so t he t orment of t he Day of Shadow (a gloomy cloud) seized t hem. Indeed t hat was t he t orment of a Great Day) 26:189 because t hey challenged Shu` ayb,

("So cause a piece of t he heaven t o fall on us, if you are of t he t rut hful!'') 26:187 . Therefore, Allah st at ed t hat each of t hese forms of punishment st ruck t hem on t he Day of t he Shadow. First ,


(So t he t orment of t he Day of Shadow (a gloomy cloud) seized t hem) 26:189 when a gloomy cloud came over t hem (cont aining) fire, flames and a t remendous light . Next , a cry from t he sky descended on t hem and a t remor shook t hem from beneat h. Consequent ly, t heir souls were capt ured, t heir lives were t aken and t heir bodies became idle,

(and t hey lay (dead), prost rat e in t heir homes). Allah said next ,

(They became as if t hey had never dwelt t here) meaning, aft er t he t orment seized t hem, it looked as if t hey never dwelled in t he land from which t hey want ed t o expel t heir Messenger Shu` ayb and his followers. Here, Allah refut ed t heir earlier st at ement ,

(Those who belied Shu` ayb, t hey were t he losers.)

(93. Then he (Shu` ayb) t urned from t hem and said: "O my people! I have indeed conveyed my Lord's Messages unt o you and I have given you good advice. Then how can I grieve over people who are disbelievers.'') Prophet Shu` ayb, peace be upon him, t urned away from his people aft er t he t orment , punishment and dest ruct ion st ruck t hem, admonishing and censuring t hem by saying t o t hem,

("O my people! I have indeed conveyed my Lord's Messages unt o you and I have given you good advice.'') Shu` ayb said, I have conveyed t o you what I was sent wit h, so I will not feel any sorrow for you since you disbelieved in what I brought you,


("Then how can I grieve over pepple who are disbelievers'')

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(94. And We sent no Prophet unt o any t own (and t hey denied him), but We seized it s people wit h Ba'sa' and Darra', so t hat t hey might humble t hemselves (t o Allah).) (95. Then We changed t he evil for t he good, unt il t hey ` Afaw (increased), and said: "Our fat hers were t ouched wit h evil and wit h good.'' So We seized t hem all of a sudden while t hey were unaware.)

Afflictions that struck Earlier Nations

Allah ment ions t he Ba'sa' and Darra' t hat st ruck t he earlier nat ions t o whom He sent Prophet s. Ba'sa', refers t o t he physical sicknesses and ailment s t hat t hey suffered, while Darra', refers t o t he povert y and humiliat ion t hat t hey experienced,

(so t hat t hey might humble t hemselves) supplicat e, humble t hemselves and invoke Allah, t hat He might remove t he afflict ions t hat t hey suffered from. This Ayah indicat es t hat Allah sent down severe afflict ions t o t hem so t hat t hey might invoke Him, but t hey did not do what He ordered t hem. Therefore, He changed t he afflict ion int o prosperit y t o t est t hem,

(Then We changed t he evil for t he good,) Therefore, Allah changed t he hardship int o prosperit y, disease and sickness int o healt h and well-being, and povert y int o richness in provision, so t hat t hey might be t hankful t o Allah for t his, but t hey did none of t hat . Allah's st at ement ,


(unt il t hey ` Afaw) refers t o increase in numbers, wealt h and offspring. Allah said next ,

(. . and t hey said: "Our fat hers were t ouched wit h evil and wit h good.'' So We seized t hem all of a sudden while t hey were unaware.) He t est ed t hem wit h t his (afflict ions) and t hat (ease and abundance) so t hat t hey may humble t hemselves and repent t o Him. However, t hey failed bot h t est s, for neit her t his nor t hat compelled t hem t o change t heir ways. They said, "We suffered Ba'sa' and Darra', but prosperit y came aft erwards, j ust as like our forefat hers in earlier t imes.'' "Therefore,'' t hey said, "it is a cycle where we somet imes suffer a hardship and at ot her t imes, we enj oy a bount y.'' However, t hey did not comprehend Allah's wisdom, nor t he fact t hat He is t est ing t hem in bot h cases. To t he cont rary, t he believers are grat eful t o Allah in good t imes and pract ice pat ience in hard t imes. In t he Sahih, t here is a Hadit h t hat says;

(The mat t er of t he believer is amazing, for not hing t hat Allah decrees for him, but it is bet t er for him. If a Darra' (harm) st rikes him, he is pat ient , and t his is bet t er for him, if he is given Sarra' (prosperit y), he t hanks (Allah) for it and t his is bet t er for him.) The believer, t herefore, is aware of t he t est behind t he afflict ions whet her it may be prosperit y or adversit y t hat Allah sends t o him, as well as t he blessings. Similarly, in anot her Hadit h,

(The believer will cont inue t o be t est ed by afflict ions unt il he ends up pure from sin. And t he parable of t he hypocrit e is t hat of a donkey, it does not know why it s owners t ied it or released it .) Allah said next ,


(So We seized t hem all of a sudden while t hey were unaware.) meaning, We st ruck t hem wit h punishment all of a sudden, while t hey were unaware. A Hadit h describes sudden deat h,

(Sudden deat h is a mercy for t he believer, but a sorrowful punishment for t he disbeliever.)

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(96. And if t he people of t he t owns had believed and had Taqwa, cert ainly, We should have opened for t hem blessings from t he heaven and t he eart h, but t hey belied (t he Messengers). So We t ook t hem (wit h punishment ) for what t hey used t o earn.) (97. Did t he people of t he t owns t hen feel secure against t he coming of Our punishment by night while t hey were asleep) (98. Or, did t he people of t he t owns t hen feel secure against t he coming of Our punishment in t he forenoon while t hey were playing) (99. Did t hey t hen feel secure against Allah's plan None feels secure from Allah's plan except t he people who are t he losers.)

Blessings come with Faith, while Kufr brings Torment

Allah ment ions here t he lit t le fait h of t he people of t he t owns t o whom He sent Messengers. In anot her inst ance, Allah said,


(Was t here any t own (communit y) t hat believed (aft er seeing t he punishment ), and it s fait h (at t hat moment ) saved it (from t he punishment ) -- Except t he people of Yunus; when t hey believed, We removed from t hem t he t orment of disgrace in t he life of t he (present ) world, and permit t ed t hem t o enj oy for a while.) 10:98 This Ayah indicat es t hat no cit y believed in it s ent iret y, except t he cit y of Prophet Yunus, for t hey all believed aft er t hey were st ricken by punishment . Allah said (about Prophet Yunus),

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(And We sent him t o a hundred t housand (people) or even more. And t hey believed; so We gave t hem enj oyment for a while.) 37:147-148 Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And We did not send a warner t o a t ownship....) 34:34 Allah said here,

(And if t he people of t he t owns had believed and had Taqwa. ..) meaning t heir heart s had fait h in what t he Messenger brought t hem, believed and obeyed him, and had Taqwa by performing t he act s of obedience and abst aining from t he prohibit ions,

(We should have opened for t hem blessings from t he heaven and t he eart h,) in reference t o t he rain t hat falls from t he sky and t he veget at ion of t he eart h. Allah said,

(but t hey belied (t he Messengers). So We t ook t hem (wit h punishment ) for what t hey used t o earn.) They denied t heir Messengers, so t hat We punished t hem and sent dest ruct ion on t hem as a result of t he sins and wickedness t hat t hey earned. Allah t hen said, while warning and t hreat ening against defying His orders and daring t o commit His prohibit ions,

(Did t he people of t he t owns t hen feel secure),meaning t he disbelievers among t hem,

(t hat should come t o t hem our punishment ), Our t orment and punishing example,

(Bayat an) during t he night ,

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(while t hey were asleep Or, did t he people of t he t owns t hen feel secure against t he coming of Our punishment in t he forenoon while t hey were playing) while t hey are busy in t heir affairs and unaware.

(Did t hey t hen feel secure against Allah's plan) His t orment , vengeance, and His power t o dest roy t hem while t hey are inat t ent ive and heedless,

(None feels secure from Allah's plan except t he people who are t he losers.) Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "The believer performs t he act s of worship, all t he while feeling fear, in fright and anxiet y. The Faj ir (wicked sinner, or disbeliever) commit s t he act s of disobedience while feeling safe (from Allah's t orment )!''


(100. Is it not a guidance for t hose who inherit t he eart h from it s previons inhabit ant s t hat had We willed, We would have punished t hem for t heir sins. And We seal up t heir heart s so t hat t hey hear not )

Ibn ` Abbas commented on Allah's statement,

(Is it not a guidance for t hose who inherit t he eart h from it s previous inhabit ant s. ..) "(Allah says,) did We not make clear t o t hem t hat had We willed, We would have punished t hem because of t heir sins'' Muj ahid and several ot hers said similarly. Abu Ja` far bin Jarir At -Tabari explained t his Ayah, "Allah says, ` Did We not make clear t o t hose who succeeded on t he eart h aft er dest roying t he previous nat ions who used t o dwell in t hat land. Then t hey followed t heir own ways, and behaved as t hey did and were unruly wit h t heir Lord. Did We not make clear t o t hem t hat ,

(t hat had We willed, We would have punished t hem for t heir sins.) by bringing t hem t he same end t hat was decreed for t hose before t hem,

(And We seal up t heir heart s), We place a cover over t heir heart ,

(so t hat t hey hear not ), words of advice or reminding''' I say t hat similarly, Allah said,


(Is it not a guidance for t hem: how many generat ions We have dest royed before t hem, in whose dwellings t hey walk Verily, in t his are signs indeed for men of underst anding.) 20:128

(Is it not a guidance for t hem: how many generat ions We have dest royed before t hem in whose dwellings t hey do walk about Verily, t herein indeed are signs. Would t hey not t hen list en) 32:26 and,

(Had you not sworn aforet ime t hat you would not leave (t he world for t he Hereaft er). And you dwelt in t he dwellings of men who wronged t hemselves) 14:44-45 Also, Allah said,

(And how many a generat ion before t hem have We dest royed! Can you find a single one of t hem or hear even a whisper of t hem) 19:98 meaning, do you see any of t hem or hear t heir voices There are many ot her Ayat t hat t est ify t hat Allah's t orment st rikes His enemies, while His bount y reaches His fait hful believers. Thereaft er comes Allah's st at ement , and He is t he Most Trut hful, t he Lord of all t hat exist s,

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(101. Those were t he t owns whose st ory We relat e unt o you. And t here came indeed t o t hem t heir Messengers wit h clear proofs, but t hey were not such who would believe in what t hey rej ect ed before. Thus Allah does seal up t he heart s of t he disbelievers.) (102. And most of t hem We found not t rue t o t heir covenant , but most of t hem We found indeed rebellious.) Aft er narrat ing t he st ories of t he people of Prophet s Nuh, Hud, Salih, Lut and Shu` ayb, dest roying t he disbelievers, saving t he believers, warning t hese nat ions by explaining t he t rut h t o t hem wit h t he evidence sent in t he words of His Messengers, may Allah's peace and blessings be on t hem all, Allah said;

(Those were t he t owns t hat We relat e t o you) O Muhammad,

(t heir st ory), and news,

(And t here came indeed t o t hem t heir Messengers wit h clear proofs,) and evidences of t he t rut h of what t hey brought t hem. Allah said in ot her Ayah,

(And We never punish unt il We have sent a Messenger (t o give warning).) 17:15 , and,

(That is some of t he news of t he t owns which We relat e unt o you; of t hem, some are st anding, and some have been reaped. We wronged t hem not , but t hey wronged t hemselves.) 11:100101 Allah said

(but t hey were not such who would believe in what t hey had rej ect ed before.) meaning t hey would not have lat er on believed in what t he Messengers brought t hem, because t hey denied t he t rut h when it first came t o t hem (alt hough t hey recognized it ), according t o t he Tafsir of Ibn ` At iyyah. This explanat ion is sound, and is support ed by Allah's st at ement ,

(And what will make you perceive t hat if it came, t hey will not believe And We shall t urn t heir heart s and t heir eyes away (from guidance), as t hey refused t o believe t herein for t he first t ime.) 6:109-110 This is why Allah said here,

(Thus Allah does seal up t he heart s of t he disbelievers. And most of t hem We found not ...) meaning, We did not find most of t he previous nat ions,

(t rue t o t heir covenant , but most of t hem We found t o indeed be rebellious.) This Ayah means, We found most of t hem t o be rebellious, deviat ing away from obedience and compliance. The covenant ment ioned here is t he Fit rah t hat Allah inst illed in t hem while st ill in t heir fat hers' loins, and t aking t heir covenant , t hat He is t heir Lord, King, and t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Him,. They affirmed t his covenant and t est ified against t hemselves t o t his fact . However, t hey defied t his covenant , t hrew it behind t heir backs and worshipped ot hers besides Allah, having no proof or plea, nor support from rat ionalit y or by divine law. Surely, t he pure Fit rah defies t hese act ions, while all t he honorable Messengers, from beginning t o end, forbade t hem. Muslim collect ed t he Hadit h,


(Allah said, "I creat ed My servant s Hunafa' (monot heist s), but t he devils came t o t hem and deviat ed t hem from t heir religion and prohibit ed t hem what I allowed t hem.'') It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs,

(Every child is born upon t he Fit rah, it is only his parent s who t urn him int o a Jew, a Christ ian or a Zoroast rian.)

(103. Then aft er t hem We sent Musa wit h Our signs t o Fir` awn and his chiefs, but t hey wrongfully rej ect ed t hem. So see how was t he end of t he mischief-makers)

Story of Prophet Musa, upon him be Peace, and Fir` awn

Allah said,

(Then aft er t hem We sent ), aft er t he Messengers whom We ment ioned, such as Nuh, Hud, Salih Lut and Shu` ayb (may Allah's peace and blessings be on t hem and t he rest of Allah's Prophet s), We sent ,


(Musa wit h Our signs) proofs and clear evidences, t o Fir` awn, who was ruler of Egypt during t he t ime of Musa,

(and his chiefs) t he people of Fir` awn,

(but t hey wrongfully rej ect ed t hem), t hey denied and disbelieved in t he signs, out of inj ust ice and st ubbornness on t heir part . Allah said about t hem in anot her Ayah,

(And t hey belied t hem (t hose Ayat ) wrongfully and arrogant ly, t hough t hey were t hemselves convinced t hereof. So see what was t he end of t he evildoers.) 27:14 The Ayah says, ` t hose who hindered from t he pat h of Allah and belied in His Messengers, look how We punished t hem, We caused t hem t o drown, all of t hem, while Musa and his people were wat ching.' Public drowning added disgrace t o t he punishment t hat Fir` awn and his people suffered, while adding comfort t o t he heart s of Allah's part y, Musa and t hose people who believed in him.

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(104. And Musa said: "O Fir` awn! Verily, I am a Messenger from t he Lord of all t hat exist s.'') (105. "Proper it is for me t hat I say not hing concerning Allah but t he t rut h. Indeed I have come unt o you from your Lord wit h a clear proof. So let t he Children of Israel depart along wit h me.'') (106. Fir` awn said: "If you have come wit h a sign, show it fort h, if you are one of t hose

who t ell t he t rut h.'') Allah ment ions a debat e t hat t ook place bet ween Musa and Fir` awn, and Musa's refut ing Fir` awn wit h t he unequivocal proof and clear miracles, in t he presence of Fir` awn and his people, t he Copt s of Egypt . Allah said,

(And Musa said: "O Fir` awn! Verily, I am a Messenger from t he Lord of all t hat exist s''.) meaning Musa said, ` t he one Who sent me is t he Creat or, Lord and King of all t hings,'

("Proper it is for me t hat I say not hing concerning Allah but t he t rut h. '') ` It is incumbent and a dut y for me t o convey only t he Trut h from Him, because of what I know of His might and power.'

("Indeed I have come unt o you from your Lord wit h a clear proof.'') ` I brought unequivocal evidence t hat Allah gave me t o prove t hat I am conveying t he t rut h t o you,'

("So let t he Children of Israel depart along wit h me.'') means, release t hem from your slavery and subj ugat ion. Let t hem worship your Lord and t heir Lord. They are from t he offspring of an honorable Prophet , Isra'il, who is Ya` qub son of Ishaq son of Ibrahim, t he Khalil (int imat e friend) of Allah.

( Fir` awn said: "If you have come wit h a sign, show it fort h, if you are one of t hose who t ell t he t rut h.'') Fir` awn said, ` I will not believe in what you have said nor ent ert ain your request '. Therefore, he said, ` if you have proof, t hen produce it for us t o see, so t hat we know if your claim is t rue.'

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(107. Then Musa t hrew his st aff and behold! it was a Thu` ban serpent , manifest !) (108. And he drew out his hand, and behold! it was whit e (wit h radiance) for t he beholders.) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(a Thu` ban serpent , manifest ), refers t o "The male snake.'' As-Suddi and Ad-Dahhak said similarly. A report from Ibn ` Abbas said,

"(Then (Musa) t hrew his st aff), and it t urned int o a huge snake t hat opened it s mout h and rushed t owards Fir` awn. When Fir` awn saw t he snake rushing t owards him, he j umped from his t hrone and cried t o Musa for help, so t hat Musa would remove t he snake from his way. Musa did t hat .'' As-Suddi comment ed,

(and behold! It was a Thu` ban serpent , manifest !) "This Thu` ban refers t o male snakes. The snake opened it s mout h and headed t owards Fir` awn t o swallow him, placing it s lower j aw on t he ground and it s upper j aw reaching t he (t op of t he) wall of t he palace. When Fir` awn saw t he snake, he was fright ened, so he j umped and wet himself and he never wet himself before t his incident . He cried, ` O Musa! Take it away and I will believe in you and release t he Children of Israel t o you.' So Musa, peace be on him, t ook it , and it became a st aff again. ''

(And he drew out his hand, and behold! it was whit e (wit h radiance) for t he beholders.) Musa t ook his hand out of his cloak aft er he insert ed his hand in it and it was shining, not because of leprosy or sickness. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And put your hand int o your bosom, it will come fort h whit e wit hout hurt .) 27:12 Ibn ` Abbas said, "wit hout hurt ', means, ` not because of leprosy'. Musa insert ed his hand again in his sleeve and it ret urned back t o it s normal color.'' Muj ahid and several ot hers said similarly.

(109. The chiefs of t he people of Fir` awn said: "This is indeed a well-versed sorcerer.'') (110. "He want s t o get you out of your land, so what do you advise'')

Fir` awn's People say that Musa is a Magician!

The chiefs and noblemen of t he people of Fir` awn agreed wit h Fir` awn's st at ement about Musa. Aft er Fir` awn felt safe and ret urned t o his t hrone, he said t o t he chiefs of his people,

(This is indeed a well-versed sorcerer) and t hey agreed. They held counsel t o decide what t hey should do about Musa. They conspired t o ext inguish t he light t hat he brought and bring down his word. They plot t ed t o port ray Musa as a liar and fake. They feared t hat he might lure people t o his side by his magic, t hey claimed, and t hus prevail over t hem and drive t hem away from t heir land. What t hey feared occured, j ust as Allah said,

(And We let Fir` awn and Haman and t heir host s receive from t hem t hat which t hey feared.) 28:6 Aft er t hey conferred about Musa, t hey agreed on a plot , as Allah said about t hem,

(111. They said: "Put him and his brot her off (for a t ime), and send callers t o t he cit ies t o collect '') (112. "That t hey bring t o you all well-versed sorcerers.'') Ibn ` Abbas comment ed,

("Put him off''), means, "delay him (for a t ime).''

("and send t o t he cit ies''), areas and provinces of your kingdom -- O Fir` awn,

("t o collect '') t o gat her magicians from various lands. At t his t ime, magic was t he t rade of t he day and it was widespread and popular. They had t he idea t hat what Musa brought was a t ype of magic similar t o t he magic t hat t he sorcerers of t heir t ime pract iced. Because of t his incorrect assumpt ion, t hey brought all t he magicians in order t o defeat t he miracles t hat he showed t hem. Allah said about Fir` awn,

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(Then verily, we can produce magic t he like t hereof; so appoint a meet ing bet ween us and you, which neit her we nor you shall fail t o keep, in an open place where bot h shall have a j ust and equal chance.'' Musa said: "Your appoint ed meet ing is t he day of t he fest ival, and let t he people assemble when t he sun has risen (forenoon).'' So Fir` awn wit hdrew, devised his plot and t hen came back.) 20:58-60 . Allah said,

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(113. And so t he sorcerers came t o Fir` awn. They said: "Indeed t here will be a (good) reward for us if we are t he vict ors.'') (114. He said: "Yes, and moreover you will (in t hat case) be of t he nearest (t o me).'')

The Magicians convene and change Their Ropes into Snakes before Musa
Allah describes t he conversat ion t hat t ook place bet ween Fir` awn and t he magicians he collect ed t o defeat Musa, peace be upon him. Fir` awn t old t hem t hat he will reward t hem and give t hem t remendous provisions. He made t hem hope in acquiring what t hey wished for and t o make t hem among his privat e audience and best associat es. When t hey were assured of t he cursed Fir` awn's promises,

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(115. They said: "O Musa! Eit her you t hrow (first ), or shall we have t he (first ) t hrow'') (116. He Musa said: "Throw you (first ).'' So when t hey t hrew, t hey bewit ched t he eyes of t he people, and st ruck t error int o t hem, and t hey displayed a great t rick.) The magicians challenged Musa, when t hey said,

(Eit her you t hrow (first ), or shall we have t he (f irst ) t hrow) before you. In anot her Ayah, t hey said,

(Or we be t he first t o t hrow) 20:65 . Musa said t o t hem, you t hrow first . It was said t hat t he wisdom behind asking t hem t o t hrow first , is t hat - Allah knows best - t he people might wit ness t he magicians' sorcery first . When t he magicians had cast t heir spell and capt ured t he eyes, t he clear and unequivocal t rut h came, at a t ime when t hey all ant icipat ed and wait ed for it t o come, t hus making t he t rut h even more impressive t o t heir heart s. This is what happened. Allah said,

(So when t hey t hrew, t hey bewit ched t he eyes of t he people, and st ruck t error int o t hem,) meaning, t hey deceived t he eyes and made t hem t hink t hat t het t rick was real, when it was only an illusion, j ust as Allah said,

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(So Musa conceived fear in himself. We (Allah) said: "Fear not ! Surely, you will have t he upper hand. And t hrow t hat which is in your right hand! It will swallow up t hat which t hey have made. That which t hey have made is only a magician's t rick, and t he magician will never be successful, t o what ever amount (of skill) he may at t ain'') 20:67-69 . Ibn ` Abbas comment ed t hat t he magicians t hrew, "Thick ropes and long st icks, and t hey appeared t o be crawling, an illusion t hat t hey creat ed wit h t heir magic.''

- - - - -
(117. And We revealed t o Musa (saying): "Throw your st ick,'' and behold! It swallowed up st raight away all t he falsehood which t hey showed.) (118. Thus t rut h was confirmed, and all t hat t hey did was made of no effect .) (119. So t hey were defeat ed t here and ret urned disgraced.) (120. And t he sorcerers fell down prost rat e.) (121. They said: "We believe in t he Lord of all t hat exist s.) (122. "The Lord of Musa and Harun.'')

Musa defeats the Magicians, Who believe in Him

Allah st at es t hat at t hat t remendous moment , in which Allah different iat ed bet ween Trut h and Falsehood, He sent a revelat ion t o His servant and Messenger Musa, peace be upon him, ordering him t o t hrow t he st ick t hat he held in his right hand,

(It swallowed st raight away) and devoured,

(all t he falsehood which t hey showed.) t he magic t hat t hey caused t he illusion wit h, of magic wit h which t hey caused making it appear real, whereas it was not real at all. Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Musa's st ick swallowed all t he ropes and st icks t hat t he magicians t hrew. The magicians realized t hat t his was from heaven and was by no means magic. They fell in prost rat ion and proclaimed,

-
("We believe in t he Lord of all t hat exist s. The Lord of Musa and Harun ). Muhammad bin Ishaq comment ed, "It followed t he ropes and st icks one aft er anot her, unt il not hing t hat t he sorcerers t hrew remained. Musa t hen held it in his hand, and it became a st ick again j ust as it was before. The magicians fell in prost rat ion and proclaimed, ` We believe in t he Lord of all t hat exist s, t he Lord of Musa and Harun. Had Musa been a magician, he would not have prevailed over us. ''' Al-Qasim bin Abi Bazzah comment ed, "Allah revealed t o Musa t o t hrow his st ick. When he t hrew his st ick, it became a huge, manifest snake t hat opened it s mout h and swallowed t he magicians' ropes and st icks. On t hat , t he magicians fell in prost rat ion. They did not raise t heir heads before seeing t he Paradise, t he Fire, and t he recompense of t heir inhabit ant s.''

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(123. Fir` awn said: "You have believed in him Musa before I gave you permission. Surely, t his is a plot which you have plot t ed in t he cit y t o drive out it s people, but you shall come t o

know.'') (124. "Surely, I will cut off your hands and your feet from opposit e sides, t hen I will crucify you all.'') (125. They said: "Verily, we are ret urning t o our Lord.'') (126. "And you t ake vengeance on us only because we believed in t he Ayat of our Lord when t hey reached us! Our Lord! pour out on us pat ience, and cause us t o die as Muslims.'')

Fir` awn threatens the Magicians after They believed in Musa and Their Response to Him
Allah ment ions t he t hreat s t hat t he Fir` awn - may Allah curse him - made t o t he magicians aft er t hey believed Musa, peace be upon him, and t he deceit and cunning t hat Fir` awn showed t he people. Fir` awn said,

(Surely, t his is a plot which you have plot t ed in t he cit y t o drive out it s people,) meaning Fir` awn proclaimed, ` Musa's defeat ing you t oday was because you plot t ed wit h him and agreed t o t hat .' Fir` awn also said,

(He (Musa) is your chief who has t aught you magic.) 20:71 However, Fir` awn and all t hose who had any sense of reason knew for sure t hat what Fir` awn said was ut t erly false. As soon as Musa came from Madyan, he called Fir` awn t o Allah and demonst rat ed t remendous miracles and clear proofs for t he Trut h t hat he brought . Fir` awn t hen sent emissaries t o various cit ies of his kingdom and collect ed magicians who were scat t ered t hroughout Egypt . Fir` awn and his people chose from t hem, summoned t hem, and Fir` awn promised t hem great rewards. These magicians were very eager t o prevail over Musa in front of Fir` awn, so t hat t hey might become closer t o him. Musa neit her knew any of t hem nor saw or met t hem before. Fir` awn knew t hat , but he claimed ot herwise t o deceive t he ignorant masses of his kingdom, j ust as Allah described t hem,

(Thus he Fir` awn fooled his people, and t hey obeyed him.) 43:54 Cert ainly, a people who believed Fir` awn in his st at ement ,

("I am your lord, most high.'') 79:24 , are among t he most ignorant and misguided creat ures of Allah. In his Tafsir, As-Suddi report ed t hat Ibn Mas` ud, Ibn ` Abbas, and several ot her Companions, comment ed,

("Surely, t his is a plot which you have plot t ed in t he cit y...'') "Musa met t he leader of t he magicians and said t o him, ` If I defeat you, will you believe in me and bear wit ness t hat what I brought is t he t rut h' The magician said, ` Tomorrow, I will produce a t ype of magic t hat cannot be defeat ed by anot her magic. By Allah! If you defeat me, I will believe in you and t est ify t o your t rut h.' Fir` awn was wat ching t hem, and t his is why he said what he said.'' His st at ement ,

("t o drive out it s people''), means, so t hat you all cooperat e t o gain influence and power, replacing t he chiefs and mast ers of t his land. In t his case, power in t he st at e will be yours,

("but you shall come t o know''), what I will do t o you. He t hen explained his t hreat ,

("Surely, I will cut off your hands and your feet from opposit e sides.'') by cut t ing t he right hand and t he left leg or t he opposit e,

("t hen I will crucify you all.'') j ust as he said in anot her Ayah,

("Fi t he t runks of dat e palms'') 20:71 , Fi in t his Ayah means "on''. Ibn ` Abbas said t hat Fir` awn was t he first t o crucify and cut off hands and legs on opposit e sides. The magicians said,

("Verily, we are ret urning t o our Lord.'') They said, ` We are now sure t hat we will go back t o Allah. Cert ainly, Allah's punishment is more severe t han your punishment and His t orment for

what you are calling us t o, t his day, and t he magic you forced us t o pract ice, is great er t han your t orment . Therefore, we will observe pat ience in t he face of your punishment t oday, so t hat we are saved from Allah's t orment .' They cont inued,

("Our Lord! pour out on us pat ience''), wit h your religion and being firm in it ,

("and cause us t o die as Muslims.''), as followers of Your Prophet Musa, peace be upon him. They also said t o Fir` awn,

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("So decide what ever you desire t o decree, for you can only decide for t he life of t his world. Verily, we have believed in our Lord, t hat He may forgive us our fault s, and t he magic t o which you did compel us. And Allah is bet t er t o reward and more last ing in punishment . Verily, whoever comes t o his Lord as a criminal, t hen surely, for him is Hell, wherein he will neit her die nor live. But whoever comes t o Him (Allah) as a believer, and has done right eous good deeds, for such are t he high ranks (in t he Hereaft er).) 20:72-75 . The magicians st art ed t he day as sorcerers and ended as honorable mart yrs! Ibn ` Abbas, ` Ubayd bin ` Umayr, Qat adah and Ibn Jurayj comment ed, "They st art ed t he day as sorcerers and ended it as mart yrs.''

-
(127. The chiefs of Fir` awn's people said: "Will you leave Musa and his people t o spread mischief in t he land, and t o abandon you and your gods'' He said: "We will kill t heir sons, and let t heir women live, and we have indeed irresist ible power over t hem.'') (128. Musa said t o his people: "Seek help in Allah and be pat ient . Verily, t he eart h is Allah's. He gives it as a herit age t o whom He wills of His servant s; and t he (blessed) end is for t he pious and right eous persons.'') (129. They said: "We suffered t roubles before you came t o us, and since you have come t o us.'' He said: "It may be t hat your Lord will dest roy your enemy and make you successors on t he eart h, so t hat He may see how you act '')

Fir` awn vows to kill the Children of Israel, Who complain to Musa; Allah promises Them Victory
Allah ment ions t he conspiracy of Fir` awn and his people, t heir ill int ent ions and t heir hat red for Musa and his people.

(The chiefs of Fir` awn's people said), t o Fir` awn,

("Will you leave Musa and his people''), will you let t hem be free,

("t o spread mischief in t he land''), spreading unrest among your subj ect s and calling t hem t o worship t heir Lord inst ead of you Amazingly, t hese people were worried t hat Musa and his people would cause mischief! Rat her, Fir` awn and his people are t he mischief-makers, but t hey did not realize it . They said,

("and t o abandon you and your gods'') ` Your gods', according t o Ibn ` Abbas, as As-Suddi narrat ed from him, "Were cows. Whenever t hey saw a beaut iful cow, Fir` awn would command t hem t o worship it . This is why As-Samiri, made t he st at ue of a calf t hat seemed t o moo for t he Children of Israel.'' Fir` awn accept ed his people's recommendat ion, saying,

("We will kill t heir sons, and let t heir women live'') t hus reit erat ing his previous order concerning t he Children of Israel. He had t orment ed t hem killing every newly born male before Musa was born, so t hat Musa would not live. However, t he opposit e of what Fir` awn sought and int ended occurred. The same end st ruck Fir` awn t hat he int ended t o subj ugat e and humiliat e t he Children of Israel wit h. Allah gave vict ory t o t he Children of Israel, humiliat ed and disgraced Fir` awn, and caused him t o drown along wit h his soldiers. When Fir` awn insist ed on his evil plot against t he Children of Israel,

(Musa said t o his people: "Seek help in Allah and be pat ient '') and promised t hem t hat t he good end will be t heirs and t hat t hey will prevail, saying,

("Verily, t he eart h is Allah's. He gives it as a herit age t o whom He wills of His servant s; and t he (blessed) end is for t he pious and right eous persons.'' They said: "We suffered t roubles before you came t o us, and since you have come t o us.'') The Children of Israel replied t o Musa, ` t hey (Fir` awn and his people) inflict ed humiliat ion and disgrace on us, some you wit nessed, bot h before and aft er you came t o us, O Musa'! Musa replied, reminding t hem of t heir present sit uat ion and how it will change in t he fut ure,


("It may be t hat your Lord will dest roy your enemy. ..'') encouraging t hem t o appreciat e Allah when t he afflict ions are removed and replaced by a bount y.

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(130. And indeed We punished t he people of Fir` awn wit h years of drought and lack of fruit s (crops), t hat t hey might remember (t ake heed).) (131. But whenever good came t o t hem, t hey said: "This is for us.'' And if evil afflict ed t hem, t hey considered it an omen about Musa and t hose wit h him. Be informed! Verily, t heir omens are wit h Allah but most of t hem know not .)

Fir` awn and His People suffer Years of Drought

Allah said,

(And indeed We punished t he people of Fir` awn) We t est ed and t ried t hem,

(wit h years of drought ) of famine due t o lit t le produce,

(and lack of fruit s), which is less severe, according t o Muj ahid. Abu Ishaq narrat ed t hat Raj a' bin Haywah said, "The dat e t ree used t o produce only one dat e!''


(That t hey might remember (t ake heed). But whenever good came t o t hem) such as a fert ile season and provisions,

(t hey said, "This is for us.''), because we deserve it ,

(and if evil afflict ed t hem) drought and famine,

(t hey considered it an omen Musa and t hose wit h him. ) saying t hat t his hardship is because of t hem and what t hey have done.

(Verily, t heir omens are wit h Allah) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah,

(Verily, t heir omens are wit h Allah) "Allah says t hat t heir afflict ions are wit h and from Him,

(but most of t hem know not .)''

 - -
(132. They said t o Musa : "What ever Ayat you may bring t o us, t o work t herewit h your sorcery on us, we shall never believe in you.'') (133. So We sent on t hem: t he Tuwfan, t he locust s, t he Qummal, t he frogs, and t he blood (as a succession of) manifest signs, yet t hey remained arrogant , and t hey were of t hose people who were criminals.) (134. And when t he punishment st ruck t hem, t hey said: "O Musa! Invoke your Lord for us because of His promise t o you. If you remove t he punishment from us, we indeed shall believe in you, and we shall let t he Children of Israel go wit h you.'') (135. But when We removed t he punishment from t hem for a fixed t erm, which t hey had t o reach, behold! They broke t heir word!)

Allah punishes the People of Fir` awn because of Their Rebellion

Allah describes t he rebellion, t yranny, defiance of t he t rut h and insist ence on falsehood of t he people of Fir` awn, prompt ing t hem t o proclaim,

("What ever Ayat you may bring t o us, t o work t herewit h your sorcery on us, we shall never believe in you.'') They said, ` what ever miracle, proof and evidence you bring us, we will neit her accept it from you nor believe in you or what you came wit h.' Allah said,

(So We sent on t hem t he Tufan) Ibn ` Abbas comment ed; "It was a heavy rain t hat ruined t he produce and fruit s.'' He is also report ed t o have said t hat Tuwfan refers t o mass deat h. Muj ahid said it is wat er t hat carries t he plague every where. As for t he locust , it is t he well-known

insect , which is permissible t o eat . It is recorded in t he Two Sahihs, t hat Abu Ya` fur said t hat he asked ` Abdullah bin Abi Awfa about locust . He said, "We part icipat ed in seven bat t les wit h t he Messenger of Allah , and we used t o eat locust s.'' Ash-Shafi` i, Ahmad bin Hanbal and Ibn Maj ah recorded from ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam t hat his fat her narrat ed from Ibn ` Umar t hat t he Prophet said,

:
(We were allowed t wo dead animals and t wo kinds of blood: fish and locust , and kidney and spleen.) Ibn Abi Naj ih narrat ed from Muj ahid about Allah's st at ement ,

(So We sent on t hem: t he flood, t he locust s ...) "Eat ing t he nails on t heir doors and leaving t he wood.'' As for t he Qummal, Ibn ` Abbas said t hat it is t he grain bug, or, according t o anot her view; small locust s t hat do not have wings. Similar was report ed from Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah and Qat adah. Al-Hasan and Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat ` Qummal' are small black insect s. Abu Ja` far bin Jarir recorded t hat Sa` id bin Jubayr said, "When Musa came t o Fir` awn, he demanded, ` Release t he Children of Israel t o me.' But , Fir` awn did not comply; and Allah sent t he Tuwfan, and t hat is a rain which cont inued unt il t hey feared t hat it was a form of t orment . They said t o Musa, ` Invoke your Lord t o release us from t his rain, and we will believe in you and send t he Children of Israel wit h you.' Musa invoked his Lord and He removed t he afflict ion from t hem. However, t hey did not believe, nor did t hey send t he Children of Israel wit h him. In t hat year, Allah allowed (t he eart h) t o grow various t ypes of produce, fruit s and grass for t hem as never before. They said, ` This is what we hoped for.' So Allah sent t he locust s, and t he locust s st art ed t o feed on t he grass. When t hey saw t he effect t he locust s had on t he grass, t hey knew t hat no veget at ion would be saved from devast at ion. They said, ` O Musa! Invoke your Lord so t hat He will remove t he locust s from us, and we will believe in you and release t he Children of Israel t o you.' Musa invoked his Lord, and He removed t he locust s. St ill, t hey did not believe and did not send t he Children of Israel wit h him. They collect ed grains and kept t hem in t heir homes. They said, ` We saved our crops.' However, Allah sent t he Qummal, grain bugs, and one of t hem would t ake t en bags of grains t o t he mill, but only reap t hree small bags of grain. They said, ` O Musa! Ask your Lord t o remove t he Qummal (weevil) from us and we will believe in you and send t he Children of Israel wit h you.' Musa invoked his Lord, and Allah removed t he Qummal from t hem. However, t hey did not send t he Children of Israel wit h him. Once, when he was wit h Fir` awn, Musa heard t he sound of a frog and said t o Fir` awn, ` What will you and your people suffer from t his (t he frogs)' Fir` awn said, ` What can frogs do' Yet , by t he t ime t hat night arrived a person would be sit t ing in a crowd of frogs t hat reached up t o his chin and could not open his mout h t o speak wit hout a frog j umping in it . They said t o Musa, ` Invoke your Lord t o remove t hese frogs from us, and we will believe in you and send t he Children of Israel wit h you.' Musa invoked his Lord, but t hey did not believe. Allah t hen sent blood t hat filled t he rivers, wells and t he wat er cont ainers t hey had. They complained t o Fir` awn, saying, ` We are inflict ed wit h blood and do not have anyt hing t o drink.' He said, ` Musa has bewit ched you.' They said, ` How could he do t hat when whenever we look

for wat er in our cont ainers we found t hat it has t urned int o blood' They came t o Musa and said, ` Invoke your Lord t o save us from t his blood, and we will believe in you and send t he Children of Israel wit h you.' Musa invoked his Lord and t he blood st opped, but t hey did not believe nor send t he Children of Israel wit h him.'' A similar account was at t ribut ed t o Ibn ` Abbas, As-Suddi, Qat adah and several ot hers among t he Salaf. Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar said, "The enemy of Allah, Fir` awn, went back defeat ed and humiliat ed, aft er t he sorcerers believed (in Musa). He insist ed on remaining in disbelief and persist ed in wickedness. Allah sent down t he signs t o him, and he (and his people) were first inflict ed by famine. Allah t hen sent t he flood, t he locust s, t he Qummal, t he frogs t hen blood, as consecut ive signs. When Allah sent t he flood, it filled t he surface of t he eart h wit h wat er. But t he wat er level receded, and t hey could not make use of it t o t ill t he land or do anyt hing else. They became hungry. This is when,

(They said: "O Musa! Invoke your Lord for us because of His promise t o you. If you remove t he punishment from us, we indeed shall believe in you, and we shall let t he Children of Israel go wit h you.'') Musa invoked his Lord and He removed t he afflict ion from t hem, but t hey did not keep t heir promises. So Allah sent locust s t hat at e t he t rees and consumed t he nails on t heir doors, unt il t he doors fell from t heir homes and residences. They again said what t hey said t o Musa before, and he called on his Lord and He removed t he afflict ion. St ill, t hey did not keep t heir promises, and Allah sent t he Qummal. Musa, peace be upon him, was commanded t o go t o a mound and st rike it wit h his st aff. So Musa went t o a huge mound, st ruck it wit h his st aff and t he Qummal fell out of it in t remendous numbers, unt il t hey overwhelmed t he houses and food reserves, ult imat ely depriving t hem of sleep and rest . When t hey suffered under t his afflict ion, t hey said similar t o what t hey said before, and Musa invoked his Lord and He removed t he afflict ion. They did not keep t heir promise and Allah sent t he frogs t o t hem, and t hey filled t he houses, foods and pot s. One of t hem would not pick up a piece of clot hing, or uncover some food, wit hout finding frogs in it . When t his afflict ion became hard on t hem, t hey made similar promises as before, Musa supplicat ed t o his Lord and Allah removed t he afflict ion. They did not keep any of t he promises t hey made, and Allah sent t he blood, and t he wat ers of t he people of Fir` awn t urned t o blood. Any wat er t hey collect ed from a well, a river, or a cont ainer, t urned t o blood.''


(136. So We t ook ret ribut ion from t hem. We drowned t hem in t he sea, because t hey belied Our Ayat and were heedless wit h t hem.) (137. And We made t he people who were considered weak t o inherit t he east ern part s of t he land and t he west ern part s t hereof which We have blessed. And t he fair Word of your Lord was fulfilled for t he Children of Israel, because of t heir endurance. And We dest royed what Fir` awn and his people produced, and what t hey erect ed.)

The People of Fir` awn drown in the Sea; the Children of Israel inherit the Holy Land
Allah st at es t hat when t he people of Fir` awn rebelled and t ransgressed, even t hough He inflict ed t hem wit h consecut ive signs, one aft er anot her, He t ook ret ribut ion from t hem by drowning t hem in t he sea t hat Musa part ed by Allah's power, and he and t he Children of Israel passed t hrough. In t heir pursuit , Fir` awn and his soldiers went in t he sea chasing Musa and his people. When t hey all had gone inside t he wat er, t he sea closed in on t hem and t hey all drowned, because t hey belied t he Ayat of Allah and were heedless of t hem. Allah said t hat He has grant ed t he people who were considered weak, t he Children of Israel, t o inherit t he east ern and west ern part s of t he land. Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Qat adah comment ed t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(...t he east ern part s of t he land and t he west ern part s t hereof which We have blessed.) refers t o t he Sham area (Great er Syria). Also, Muj ahid and Ibn Jarir said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(And t he fair Word of your Lord was fulfilled for t he Children of Israel, because of t heir endurance.) is explained by Allah's ot her st at ement ,


(And We wished t o do a favor t o t hose who were weak (and oppressed) in t he land, and t o make t hem rulers and t o make t hem t he inherit ors. And t o est ablish t hem in t he land, and We let Fir` awn and Haman and t heir host s receive from t hem t hat which t hey feared) 28:5-6 . Furt her, Allah's st at ement ,

(And We dest royed what Fir` awn and his people produced,) meaning, We dest royed what Fir` awn and his people produced, such as agricult ure and buildings.

(and what t hey erect ed.) Ibn ` Abbas and Muj ahid said t hat

(t hey erect ed) means, t hey built .

(138. And We brought t he Children of Israel (wit h safet y) across t he sea, and t hey came upon a people devot ed t o some of t heir idols (in worship). They said: "O Musa! Make for us a god as t hey have gods.'' He said: "Verily, you are an ignorant people.'') (139. Musa added: "Verily, t hese people will be dest royed for t hat which t hey are engaged in (idols' worship). And all t hat t hey are doing is in vain.'')

The Children of Israel safely cross the Sea, but still held on to the Idea of Idol Worshipping
Allah ment ions t he words t hat t he ignorant ones among t he Children of Israel ut t ered t o Musa aft er t hey crossed t he sea and wit nessed Allah's Ayat and great power.

(And t hey came upon a people devot ed t o some of t heir idols (in worship).) Some scholars of Tafsir said t hat t he people ment ioned here were from Canaan, or from t he t ribe of Lakhm. Ibn Jarir comment ed, "They were worshipping idols t hat t hey made in t he shape of cows, and t his influenced t he Children of Israel lat er when t hey worshipped t he calf. They said here,

("O Musa! Make for us a god as t hey have gods.'' He said: "Verily, you are an ignorant people.'') Musa replied, you are ignorant of Allah's great ness and maj est y and His purit y from any part ners or anyt hing resembling Him.

("Verily, t hese people will be dest royed for t hat which t hey are engaged in) t hey will perish,

("and all t hat t hey are doing is in vain.'') Comment ing on t his Ayah, Imam Abu Ja` far bin Jarir report ed from Abu Waqid Al-Layt hi t hat t hey (t he Companions) went out from Makkah wit h t he Messenger of Allah for (t he bat t le of) Hunayn. Abu Waqid said, "Some of t he disbelievers had a lot e t ree whose vicinit y t hey used t o remain in, and upon which t hey would hang t heir weapons on. That t ree was called ` Dhat Al-Anwat '. So when we passed by a huge, green lot e t ree, we said, ` O Messenger of Allah! Appoint for us a Dhat Al-Anwat as t hey have.' He said,

:
(by He in Whose Hand is my soul! You said j ust as what t he people of Musa said t o him:

 -
( ("Make for us a god as t hey have gods.'' He said: "Verily, you are an ignorant people. Verily, t hese people will be dest royed for t hat which t hey are engaged in, and all t hat t hey are doing is in vain.''))''

-
(140. He said: "Shall I seek for you an ilah (a god) ot her t han Allah, while He has given you superiorit y over t he nat ions.'') (141. And (remember) when We rescued you from Fir` awn's people, who were afflict ing you wit h t he worst t orment , killing your sons and let t ing your women live. And in t hat was a great t rial from your Lord.)

Reminding the Children of Israel of Allah's Blessings for Them

Musa reminded t he Children of Israel of Allah's blessings, such as saving t hem from Fir` awn, his t yranny and t he humiliat ion and disgrace t hey suffered. He reminded t hem of t he glory and revenge against t heir enemy, when t hey wat ched t hem suffering in disgrace, dest royed by drowning and meet ing ut t er demise. We ment ioned t his subj ect in t he Tafsir of Surat AlBaqarah.


(142. And We appoint ed for Musa t hirt y night s and added t en, and he complet ed t he t erm, appoint ed by his Lord, of fort y night s. And Musa said t o his brot her Harun: "Replace me among my people, act in t he right way and follow not t he way of t he mischief-makers.'')

Musa fasts and worships Allah for Forty Days

Allah reminds t he Children of Israel of t he guidance t hat He sent t o t hem by speaking direct ly t o Musa and revealing t he Tawrah t o him. In it , was t heir law and t he det ails of t heir legislat ion. Allah st at ed here t hat He appoint ed t hirt y night s for Musa. The scholars of Tafsir said t hat Musa fast ed t his period, and when t hey ended, Musa cleaned his t eet h wit h a t wig. Allah commanded him t o complet e t he t erm adding t en more days, making t he t ot al fort y. When t he appoint ed t erm finished, Musa was about t o ret urn t o Mount Tur, as Allah said,

(O Children of Israel! We delivered you from your enemy, and We made a covenant wit h you on t he right side of t he Mount ) 20:80 . Musa left his brot her Harun wit h t he Children of Israel and commanded him t o use wisdom and refrain from mischief. This was only a reminder, for Harun was an honorable and noble Prophet who had grace and exalt ed st andard wit h Allah, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him and t he rest of t he Prophet s.


(143. And when Musa came at t he t ime and place appoint ed by Us, and his Lord (Allah) spoke t o him; he said: "O my Lord! Show me (Yourself), t hat I may look upon You.'' Allah said: "You cannot see Me, but look upon t he mount ain; if it st ands st ill in it s place t hen you shall see Me.'' So when his Lord appeared t o t he mount ain, He made it collapse t o dust , and Musa fell down unconscious. Then when he recovered his senses he said: "Glory be t o You, I t urn t o You in repent ance and I am t he first of t he believers.'')

Musa asks to see Allah

Allah said t hat when Musa came for His appoint ment and spoke t o Him direct ly, he asked t o see Him,

("O my Lord! Show me (Yourself), t hat I may look upon You.'' Allah said: "You cannot see Me,'') ` You cannot ' (Lan) by no means indicat es t hat seeing Allah will never occur, as (t he misguided sect of) Al-Mu` t azilah claimed. The Hadit hs of Mut awat ir grade narrat ed from t he Messenger of Allah, affirm t hat t he believers will see Allah in t he Hereaft er. We will ment ion t hese Hadit hs under t he explanat ion of Allah's st at ement ,

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(Some faces t hat Day shall be radiant . Looking at t heir Lord.) 75:22-23 In earlier Script ures, it was report ed t hat Allah said t o Musa, "O Musa! No living soul sees Me, but will perish, and no solid but will be demolished.'' Allah said here,

(So when his Lord appeared t o t he mount ain, He made it collapse t o dust , and Musa fell down unconscious.) In his Musnad Imam Ahmad recorded from Anas bin Malik t hat t he Prophet said about Allah's saying;

(And when his Lord appeared t o t he mount ain, )


(Like t his) t hen he held out t he t ip of his lit t le finger. At -Tirmidhi recorded t his in t he chapt er of Tafsir for t his Ayah, t hen he said; "This Hadit h is Hasan Sahih Gharib.'' This was also recorded by Al-Hakim in his Must adrak t hrough t he rout e of Hamad bin Salamah, and he said; "This Hadit h is Sahih according t o t he crit eria of Muslim and t hey did not record it .'' And As-Suddi report ed t hat ` Ikrimah report ed from Ibn ` Abbas about Allah's saying,

(And when his Lord appeared t o t he mount ain,) Only t he ext ent of t he lit t le finger appeared from Him,

(He made it collapse) as dust ;

(And Musa fell down unconscious) faint ing from it . Ibn Jarir recorded t hese because of t he relat ion t o t he word Al-Ghashi.

(Then when he (Musa) recovered his senses) aft er he lost consciousness,

(he said: "Glory be t o You,'') t hus, praising, glorifying and honoring Allah since no living soul could see Him in t his life and remain alive. Musa' st at ement ,

("I t urn t o You in repent ance'') means, according t o Muj ahid, t hat from asking you t o look at you,

("and I am t he first of t he believers.''), among t he Children of Israel, according t o Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, and Ibn Jarir preferred t his view. Or, according t o anot her narrat ion from Ibn ` Abbas, t he meaning of,

("and I am t he first of t he believers.''), is t hat ` none shall see You (in t his life).' Allah said,

(And Musa fell down unconscious.) Abu Sa` id Al-Khudri and Abu Hurayrah narrat ed a Hadit h from t he Prophet t hat is suit able t o ment ion here. As for t he Hadit h from Abu Sa` id, Al-Bukhari recorded in his Sahih t hat he said: A Jew came t o t he Prophet aft er his face was smacked, and said, "O Muhammad! One of your companions from Al-Ansar smacked me on t he face.'' The Prophet said,

(Summon him) and he was summoned. The Prophet asked him,

(Why did you smack his face) He said, "O Allah's Messenger! I passed by t hat Jew and heard him swearing, ` No, by He Who has chosen Musa over mankind!' I said, ` Over Muhammad t oo', and I became angry and st ruck his face.'' The Prophet said,

(Do not prefer me above t he Prophet s. Verily, on t he Day of Resurrect ion, people will be st ruck unconscious, and I (feel t hat I) am t he first t o wake up. Thereupon I will find t hat Musa is holding ont o a pillar of t he Throne (` Arsh of Allah). I will not know if he woke up before me or he received his due (because of his) unconsciousness on (Mount ) At -Tur.) Al-Bukhari recorded t his Hadit h in many locat ions of his Sahih, as did Muslim and Abu Dawud. As for t he Hadit h from

Abu Hurayrah, Imam Ahmad and t he Two Shaykhs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) collect ed his narrat ion.

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(144. (Allah) said: "O Musa I have chosen you above men by My Messages, and by My speaking (t o you). So hold t hat which I have given you and be of t he grat eful.'') (145. And We wrot e for him on t he Tablet s t he exhort at ion all t hings and t he explanat ion for all t hings (and said): Hold unt o t hese wit h firmness, and enj oin your people t o t ake t he bet t er t herein. I shall show you t he home of t he rebellious.)

Allah chooses Musa and gives Him the Tablets

Allah st at es t hat He spoke t o Musa direct ly and informed him t hat He has chosen him above t he people of his t ime, by His Message and by speaking t o him. Here we should ment ion t hat t here is no doubt t hat Muhammad is t he chief of all t he Children of Adam, t he earlier and lat er ones among t hem. This is why Allah has chosen him t o be t he Final and Last Prophet and Messenger, whose Law shall remain dominant and valid unt il t he commencement of t he Last Hour. Muhammad's followers are more numerous t han t he followers of all Prophet s and Messengers. Aft er Muhammad , t he next in rank of honor and virt ue is Ibrahim upon him be peace,, t hen Musa, son of ` Imran, who spoke t o t he Most Beneficent direct ly. Allah commanded Musa, saying,

(So hold t o t hat which I have given you), of My Speech and conversat ion wit h you,

(and be of t he grat eful) , for it and do not ask for what is beyond your capacit y t o bear. Allah st at ed t hat He has writ t en lessons and exhort at ion for all t hings and explanat ions for all t hings on t he Tablet s. It was said t hat in t he Tablet s, Allah wrot e advice and t he det ails of t he commandment s for lawful and prohibit ed mat t ers. The Tablet s cont ained t he Tawrah, t hat Allah described;


(And indeed We gave Musa -- aft er We had dest royed t he generat ions of old -- t he Script ure as an enlight enment for mankind) 28: 43 . It was also said t hat Allah gave Musa t he Tablet s before t he Tawrah, and Allah knows best . Allah said next ,

(Hold unt o t hese wit h firmness), be firm on t he obedience,

(and enj oin your people t o t ake t he bet t er t herein.) Sufyan bin ` Uyaynah said, "Abu Sa` d narrat ed t o us from ` Ikrimah from Ibn ` Abbas t hat "Musa, peace be upon him, was commanded t o adhere t o t he t oughest of what was ordained on his people.'' Allah's st at ement ,

(I shall show you t he home of t he rebellious), means, you will wit ness t he recompense of t hose who defy My order and deviat e from My obedience, t he dest ruct ion, demise and ut t er loss t hey will suffer.

(146. I shall t urn away from My Ayat t hose who behave arrogant ly on t he eart h, wit hout a right , and (even) if t hey see all t he Ayat , t hey will not believe in t hem. And if t hey see t he way of right eousness, t hey will not adopt it as t he way, but if t hey see t he way of error, t hey will adopt t hat way, t hat is because t hey have rej ect ed Our Ayat and were heedless of t hem.) (147. Those who deny Our Ayat and t he meet ing in t he Hereaft er, vain are t heir deeds. Are t hey requit ed wit h anyt hing except what t hey used t o do)

Arrogant People will be deprived of Allah's Ayat

Allah said,

(I shall t urn away from My Ayat t hose who behave arrogant ly on t he eart h, wit hout a right ). Allah says, "I shall deprive t he heart s of t hose who are t oo proud t o obey Me, and arrogant wit h people wit hout right , from underst anding t he signs and proofs t hat t est ify t o My Might , Law and Commandment s.'' And j ust as t hey act ed arrogant ly wit hout j ust ificat ion, Allah has disgraced t hem wit h ignorance. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And We shall t urn t heir heart s and t heir eyes away (from guidance), as t hey refused t o believe t herein for t he first t ime) 6:110 , and,

(So when t hey t urned away (from t he pat h of Allah), Allah t urned t heir heart s away (from t he right pat h).) 61:5 Sufyan bin ` Uyaynah comment ed on t his Ayah,

(I shall t urn away from My Ayat t hose who behave arrogant ly on t he eart h, wit hout a right ), "(Allah says) I shall snat ch away comprehension of t he Qur'an from t hem and t urn t hem away from My Ayat . '' Ibn Jarir comment ed on Sufyan's st at ement t hat , "This indicat es t hat t his part of t he Ayah is addressed t o t his Ummah.'' This is not necessarily t rue, for Ibn ` Uyaynah act ually

meant t hat t his occurs in every Ummah and t hat t here is no difference bet ween one Ummah and anot her Ummah in t his regard. Allah knows best . Allah said next ,

(and (even) if t hey see all t he Ayat , t hey will not believe in t hem). Allah said in a similar Ayah,

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(Truly, t hose, against whom t he Word (wrat h) of your Lord has been j ust ified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come t o t hem, unt il t hey see t he painful t orment .) 10:96-97 Allah's st at ement ,

(And if t hey see t he way of right eousness, t hey will not adopt it as t he way,) means, even if t he way of guidance and safet y appears before t hem, t hey will not t ake it , but if t he way t hat leads t o dest ruct ion and misguidance appears t o t hem, t hey adopt t hat way. Allah explains why t hey do t his,

(t hat is because t hey have rej ect ed Our Ayat ), in t heir heart s,

(and were heedless of t hem.), gaining no lessons from t he Ayat . Allah's st at ement ,

(Those who deny Our Ayat and t he meet ing in t he Hereaft er, vain are t heir deeds.) indicat es t hat whoever among t hem does t his, remaining on t his pat h unt il deat h, t hen all his deeds will be in vain. Allah said next ,


(Are t hey requit ed wit h anyt hing except what t hey used t o do) meaning, ` We only recompense t hem according t o t he deeds t hat t hey performed, good for good and evil for evil. Surely, as you bring fort h, you reap t he harvest t hereof.'

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(148. And t he people of Musa made in his absence, out of t heir ornament s, t he image of a calf (for worship). It had a sound. Did t hey not see t hat it could neit her speak t o t hem nor guide t hem t o t he way They t ook it (for worship) and t hey were wrongdoers.) (149. And when t hey regret t ed and saw t hat t hey had gone ast ray, t hey said: "If our Lord have not mercy upon us and forgive us, we shall cert ainly be of t he losers'')

Story of worshipping the Calf

Allah describes t he misguidance of t hose who worshipped t he calf t hat As-Samiri made for t hem from t he ornament s t hey borrowed from t he Copt s. He made t he shape of a calf wit h t hese ornament s and t hrew in it a handful of dust from t he t race of t he horse t hat t he Angel Jibril was riding, and t he calf seemed t o moo. This occurred aft er Musa went for t he appoint ed t erm wit h his Lord, where Allah t old him about what happened when he was on Mount Tur. Allah said about His Honorable Self,

((Allah) said: "Verily, We have t ried your people in your absence, and As-Samiri has led t hem ast ray'') 20:85 . The scholars of Tafsir have different views over t he calf, whet her it act ually became alive and mooing, or if it remained made of gold, but t he air ent ering it made it appear t o be mooing. These are t wo opinions. Allah knows best . It was report ed t hat when t he st at ue mooed, t he Jews st art ed dancing around it and fell int o misguidance because t hey adored it . They said t hat t his, t he calf, is your god and t he god of Musa, but Musa forgot it ! Allah answered t hem,


(Did t hey not see t hat it could not ret urn t hem a word (for answer), and t hat it had neit her power t o harm t hem nor t o do t hem good) 20:89 . Allah said here,

(Did t hey not see t hat it could neit her speak t o t hem nor guide t hem t o t he way) Allah condemned t he Jews for falling int o misguidance, worshipping t he calf and ignoring t he Creat or of t he heavens and eart h, t he Lord and King of all t hings. They worshipped besides Him a st at ue made in t he shape of a calf, t hat seemed t o moo, but it neit her spoke t o t hem nor brought t hem any benefit . Rat her, t heir very sense of reason was blinded because of ignorance and misguidance. Allah's st at ement ,

(And when t hey regret t ed), and felt sorrow for t heir act ion,

(and saw t hat t hey had gone ast ray, t hey said: "If our Lord have not mercy upon us and forgive us, we will cert ainly become among t he losers.'') or among t he dest royed ones. This was t heir recognit ion of t heir sin and t heir way of seeking salvat ion from Allah t he Most Might y and Maj est ic.

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(150. And when Musa ret urned t o his people, angry and grieved, he said: "What an evil t hing is t hat which you have done during my absence. Did you hast en in mat t er of your Lord'' And he t hrew down t he Tablet s and seized his brot her by (t he hair of) his head and dragged him t owards him. He (Harun) said: "O son of my mot her! Indeed t he people j udged me weak and were about t o kill me, so make not t he enemies rej oice over me, nor put me among t he people who are wrongdoers.'') (151. He (Musa) said: "O my Lord! Forgive me and my brot her, and admit us int o Your mercy, for You are t he Most Merciful of t hose who show mercy.'') Allah st at es t hat when Musa ret urned t o his people aft er conversat ion wit h his Lord, he became angry and full of regret . Abu Ad-Darda' said t hat Asif, or regret , is t he severest t ype of anger.

(He (Musa) said: "What an evil t hing is t hat which you have done during my absence.'') evil it is t hat which you commit t ed aft er I depart ed and left you, by worshiping t he calf,

(Did you hast en in t he mat t er of your Lord) Musa said, ` You want ed me t o rush back t o you, even t hough being t here t his was Allah's decision' Allah said next ,

(And he t hrew down t he Tablet s and seized his brot her by his head and dragged him t owards him.) This Ayah demonst rat es t he meaning of t he Hadit h,

(Informat ion is not t he same as observat ion.) It indicat es t hat Musa t hrew down t he Tablet s because he was angry at his people, according t o t he maj orit y of scholars of early and lat t er t imes. Allah said,

(and seized his brot her by (t he hair of) his head and dragged him t owards him.) for Musa feared t hat Harun might have not t ried hard enough t o forbid t hem from t heir evil act ion. In anot her Ayah, Allah said,

 - -
.(He Musa said: "O Harun ! What prevent ed you when you saw t hem going ast ray. That you followed me not (according t o my advice t o you) Have you t hen disobeyed my order'' He Harun said: "O son of my mot her! Seize (me) not by my beard, nor by my head! Verily, I feared lest you should say: ` You have caused a division among t he Children of Israel, and you have not respect ed (wait ed or observed) my word!''') 20:92-94 . Here, Allah said t hat Harun said,

("O son of my mot her! Indeed t he people j udged me weak and were about t o kill me, so make not t he enemies rej oice over me, nor put me among t he people who are wrongdoers.'') Harun said, ` Do not place me on t he same level as t hey are, as if I was one of t hem.' Furt her, Harun said, ` O son of my mot her', so t hat Musa would feel more mercy and leniency t owards him, even t hough Harun was also t he son of Musa's fat her. When Musa was sat isfied t hat his brot her was innocent ,

(And Harun indeed had said t o t hem beforehand: "O my people! You are being t ried in t his, and verily, your Lord is (Allah) t he Most Gracious, so follow me and obey my order.'') 20:90 , t his is when,

(he said) Musa,


("O my Lord! Forgive me and my brot her, and admit us int o Your mercy, for you are t he Most Merciful of t hose who show mercy.'') Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(May Allah grant His mercy t o Musa! Surely, he who observes somet hing is not hing like he who is informed about it . His Lord, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored, t old him t hat his people were t est ed aft er him, but he did not t hrow t he Tablet s. When he saw t hem wit h his eyes, t hen he t hrew t he Tablet s.)

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(152. Cert ainly, t hose who t ook t he calf (for worship), wrat h from t heir Lord and humiliat ion will come upon t hem in t he life of t his world. Thus do We recompense t hose who invent lies.) (153. But t hose who commit t ed evil deeds and t hen repent ed aft erwards and believed, verily, your Lord aft er (all) t hat is indeed Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) The ` wrat h' ment ioned here t hat st ruck t he Children of Israel because of t heir worshipping t he calf , means, Allah did not accept t heir repent ance unt il some of t hem who did not worship t he calf killed ot hers who worshipped t he calf . We ment ioned t his st ory in Surat Al-Baqarah,

(So t urn in repent ance t o your Creat or and kill yourselves (t he guilt y), t hat will be bet t er for you before your Creat or.'' Then He accept ed your repent ance. Truly, He is t he One Who accept s repent ance, t he Most Merciful.) 2:54 As for t he humiliat ion ment ioned in t he Ayah, it pert ains t o t he disgrace and humiliat ion t hat t he Jews suffered in t he life of t his world. Allah's st at ement ,

(Thus do We recompense t hose who invent lies) is for all t hose who invent an innovat ion (in religion). Surely, t he disgrace result ing from invent ing an innovat ion (in religion) and defying Allah's Message, will be placed in t he heart and from t here on t o t he shoulders. Al-Hasan AlBasri said; "The disgrace of innovat ion will weigh on t heir shoulders even if t hey were t o gallop on t heir mules or t rot on t heir work horses.'' Ayyub As-Sakht iyani narrat ed from Abu Qilabah AlJarmi t hat he comment ed on t his Ayah,

(Thus do We recompense t hose who invent lies.) "By Allah! This Ayah is for all t hose who invent a lie, unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion.'' Also, Sufyan bin ` Uyaynah said, "Every person who invent s a Bid` ah (innovat ion in t he religion) will t ast e disgrace.''Allah t ells His servant s t hat He accept s repent ance from His servant s for any sin, even Shirk, Kufr, hypocrisy and disobedience. Allah said:

(But t hose who commit t ed evil deeds and t hen repent ed aft erwards and believed, verily, your Lord) O Muhammad, Messenger of Repent ance and Prophet of Mercy,

(aft er t hat ) aft er commit t ing t hat evil act ion,

(is indeed Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) Ibn Abi Hat im report ed t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud was asked about a man commit t ing fornicat ion wit h a woman and t hen marrying her, and Ibn Mas` ud recit ed t his Ayah,


(But t hose who commit t ed evil deeds and t hen repent ed aft erwards and believed, verily, your Lord aft er (all) t hat is indeed Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) ` Abdullah recit ed t his Ayah t en t imes, neit her allowing nor disallowing it .

(154. And when t he anger of Musa calmed, he t ook up t he Tablet s; and in t heir inscript ion was guidance and mercy for t hose who fear t heir Lord.)

Musa picked up the Tablets when His Anger subsided

Allah said next ,

(And when calmed) and subsided,

(t he anger of Musa) wit h his people,

(he t ook up t he Tablet s), which he had t hrown out of j ealousy for Allah and anger for His sake, because of his people worshipping t he calf,

(and in t heir inscript ion was guidance and mercy for t hose who fear t heir Lord.) Several scholars of Tafsir said t hat when Musa t hrew t he Tablet s on t he ground t hey were shat t ered and he collect ed t he pieces aft erwards. Musa found in it s inscript ion guidance and mercy, but t he specific det ails of t he Law was lost , so t hey said. They also claimed t hat t he shat t ered pieces of t he Tablet s st ill remained in t he t reasury safes of some Israelit e kings unt il t he Islamic St at e came int o exist ence. Only Allah knows if t hese st at ement s are t rue.

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(155. And Musa chose out of his people sevent y (of t he best ) men for Our appoint ed t ime and place of meet ing, and when t hey were seized wit h a violent eart hquake, he said: "O my Lord, if it had been Your Will, You could have dest royed t hem and me before; would You dest roy us for t he deeds of t he foolish among us It is only Your t rial by which You lead ast ray whom You will, and keep guided whom You will. You are our prot ect or, so forgive us and have mercy on us: for You are t he best of t hose who forgive.) (156. "And ordain for us good in t his world, and in t he Hereaft er. Cert ainly we have Hudna unt o You.'' He said: (As t o) My punishment I afflict t herewit h whom I will and My mercy embraces all t hings. That (mercy) I shall ordain for t hose who have Taqwa, and give Zakah; and t hose who believe in Our Ayat .)

Seventy Men from the Children of Israel go for the appointed Meeting Place that Allah designated, Allah later on destroys Them
Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed; "Allah commanded Musa t o choose sevent y men. So he chose t hem and proceeded wit h t hem in order t hat t hey supplicat e t o t heir Lord. Their supplicat ion included asking Allah, ` O Allah! Give us what you have never given

anyone before us and will never give anyone aft er us!' Allah disliked t his supplicat ion and t hey were seized wit h a violent eart hquake, Musa said:

("O my Lord, if it had been Your will, You could have dest royed t hem and me before.)''' AsSuddi said, "Allah commanded Musa t o come wit h t hirt y men from t he Children of Israel, apologizing for worshipping t he calf; and He gave t hem an appoint ed t ime and place.

(And Musa chose out of his people sevent y (of t he best ) men.) He chose t hese men and went along wit h t hem so t hat t hey could apologize. When t hey reached t he appoint ed place, t hey said,

(We shall never believe in you), 2:55 ` O Musa,

(unt il we see Allah plainly, ) for you spoke t o Him,' t hey said, ` t herefore, show Him t o us,'

(but t hey were st ruck wit h a bolt of light ning) 4:153 and t hey died. Musa st ood up crying, invoking Allah, ` O Lord! What should I t ell t he Children of Israel, when I go back t o t hem aft er You dest royed t heir best men'

("O my Lord, if it had been Your will, You could have dest royed t hem and me before'').''' Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "Musa chose sevent y of t he best men from t he Children of Israel. He said t o t hem, ` Go t o t he meet ing wit h Allah and repent for what you commit t ed. Beg His forgiveness for t hose of your people whom you left behind. Fast , purify yourselves and clean your clot hes.' So, he went wit h t hem t o Mount Tur in Sinai for t he meet ing place and t ime designat ed by his Lord. He went t here only wit h t he leave and knowledge of Allah. According t o what has been ment ioned t o me, when t he sevent y did what he ordered t hem t o do, and went wit h him t o t he meet ing of Musa wit h his Lord, t hey said, ` Request t hat we may also hear t he words of our Lord.' So he replied, ` I shall.' When Musa approached t he mount ain it became complet ely covered wit h columns of clouds, Musa approached it and ent ered in t hem. He said

t o t he people, ` Approach.' But when Allah spoke t o Musa, his cloak was surrounded by a brilliant light which no human could bear t o look at , so below him a barrier was placed and t he people approached. When t hey ent ered t he cloud t hey fell prost rat e and t hey heard Him while he was speaking t o Musa, commanding him and forbidding him, saying what t o do and what not t o do. When He complet ed commanding him, and removed t he cloud from Musa, he faced t he people and t hey said, ` O Musa! We will not believe in you unless we see Allah direct ly.' So t he t hunder shook t hem, t heir souls were capt ured and t hey all died. Musa st ood up invoking, begging and supplicat ing t o his Lord,

("O my Lord, if it had been Your will, You could have dest royed t hem and me before.'')' meaning, ` They were foolish. Would You dest roy anyone who comes aft er me from t he Children of Israel' Ibn ` Abbas, Qat adah, Muj ahid and Ibn Jarir At -Tabari said, "They were seized by t he t remor or light ning, because t hey neit her shunned nor forbade t heir people who worshipped t he calf.'' This is support ed by Musa's st at ement ,

("would You dest roy us for t he deeds of t he fools among us'') He said next ,

("It is only Your Fit nah'') afflict ion, t est and t rial, according t o Ibn ` Abbas, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Abu Al-` Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and several among t he Salaf and lat t er scholars. This is t he only plausible meaning, in which Musa says, "The decision is Yours (O Allah), and t he j udgment , and what ever You will occurs. You misguide whom You will, guide whom You will, and none can guide whom You misguide or misguide whom You guide. There is none who can give what You deprive or avert what You give. The sovereignt y is all Yours, and Yours is t he j udgment , t he creat ion and t he decision.'' The Ayah,

("You are our prot ect or, so forgive us and have mercy on us: for You are t he best of t hose who forgive.''), pert ains t o (Allah's) covering t he mist ake and not punishing for t he sin. Whenever mercy is ment ioned along wit h forgiveness such as in Musa's supplicat ion t o Allah , it includes t he hope t hat Allah does not permit one t o fall int o t hat act again.

("for You are t he best of t hose who forgive,'') for none except You can forgive t he sin.

("And ordain for us good in t his world, and in t he Hereaft er.'') The first part of Musa's supplicat ion was t o fend off what should be avoided, while t his part is a request for what is sought . The meaning of,

("And ordain for us good in t his world, and in t he Hereaft er. '') is, ` ordain for us and grant us all t hat is good in bot h lives. We ment ioned t he meaning of ` good' before in Surat Al-Baqarah.

("We have Hudna unt o You'') ` we repent , go back and ret urn unt o You,' according t o t he meaning of, ` Hudna', given by Ibn ` Abbas, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Muj ahid, Abu Al-` Aliyah, AdDahhak, Ibrahim At -Taymi, As-Suddi, Qat adah and several ot hers.

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(He said: (As t o) My punishment I afflict t herewit h whom I will and My mercy embraces all t hings. That (mercy) I shall ordain for t hose who have Taqwa, and give Zakah; and t hose who believe in Our Ayat .) 7:156 j

Allah's Mercy is for Those Who have Taqwa and believe in Allah's Ayat and His Messenger
Allah answers t he st at ement ,

("It is only Your t rial...'') 7:155 , by saying,

((As t o) My punishment I afflict t herewit h whom I will and My mercy embraces all t hings.) Allah says here, ` I do what I will, decide what I will and I have wisdom and j ust ice in all mat t ers.' Cert ainly, t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah. Allah's st at ement ,

(and My mercy embraces all t hings) t est ifies t o His encompassing mercy. Allah said t hat t he angels who carry His Throne and t hose around t he Throne supplicat e,

("Our Lord! You comprehend all t hings in mercy and knowledge.'') 40:7 Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Jundub bin ` Abdullah Al-Baj ali said, "A bedouin man came, he made his camel kneel and he t ied it . Then he prayed behind t he Messenger of Allah . When t he Messenger of Allah finished t he prayer, t hat man unt ied his camel mount ed it and supplicat ed aloud, ` O Allah! Grant Your mercy t o me and t o Muhammad, and do not give a share in it t o anyone else.' The Messenger of Allah comment ed (t o his Companions),

(Do you t hink t hat t his man is more misguided or his camel Did you not hear what t his man has said) They said, ` Yes.' He said,

(You (t he bedouin man) have rest rict ed a vast mercy! Allah, t he Exalt ed, t he most Honored has creat ed a hundred mercies and sent down one of t hem by which t he creat ion, men, Jinn and animals, show mercy t o each ot her. He left wit h Him ninet y-nine mercies, so do you say t hat t his man is more misguided or his camel) Ahmad and Abu Dawud collect ed t his Hadit h. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Salman narrat ed t hat t he Prophet said,


(Allah, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored, has a hundred mercies. Wit h one of t hem, t he creat ions show mercy t o each ot her, and even t he beast s show kindness t o t heir offspring. He has kept ninet y-nine mercies wit h Him for t he Day of Resurrect ion.) Muslim recorded it . Allah said next ,

(That (mercy) I shall ordain for t hose who have Taqwa, ) meaning, I will ordain My mercy for t hem, as a favor and kindness from Me t o t hem. Allah said in a similar Ayah,

(He has prescribed mercy for Himself) 6:12 Allah's st at ement ,

(for t hose who have Taqwa), means, ` I will ordain My mercy for t hose who possess t hese qualit ies, and t hey are t he Ummah of Muhammad,'

(for t hose who have Taqwa), who avoid Shirk and maj or sins,

(and give t he Zakah), purify t hemselves, according t o one opinion. It was also said t hat , ` t he Zakah', here pert ains t o wealt h. It is possible t hat bot h meanings are included here, for t his Ayah was revealed in Makkah before Zakah in fixed shares was ordained ,

(and t hose who believe in Our Ayat .), t hose who have fait h in t hem.


(157. Those who follow t he Messenger, t he Prophet who can neit her read nor writ e whom t hey find writ t en of wit h t hem in t he Tawrah and t he Inj il, -- he commands t hem t o do good; and forbids t hem from evil; he makes lawful for t hem t he good t hings, and forbids t hem from t he evil t hings, he releases t hem from t heir heavy burdens and from t he fet t ers t hat were upon t hem. So t hose who believe in him, honor him, help him, and follow t he light which has been sent down wit h him, it is t hey who will be successful.)

The Description of that Messenger

(Those who follow t he Messenger, t he Prophet who can neit her read nor writ e whom t hey find writ t en wit h t hem in t he Tawrah and t he Inj il,) This is t he descript ion of t he Prophet Muhammad in t he Books of t he Prophet s. They delivered t he good news of his advent t o t heir nat ions and commanded t hem t o follow him. His descript ions were st ill apparent in t heir Books, as t he rabbis and t he priest s well know. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Sakhr Al-` Uqayli said t hat a bedouin man said t o him, "I brought a milk-producing camel t o Al-Madinah during t he life t ime of Allah's Messenger. Aft er I sold it , I said t o myself, ` I will meet t hat man (Muhammad) and hear from him.' So I passed by him while he was walking bet ween Abu Bakr and ` Umar, and I followed t hem unt il t hey went by a Jewish man, who was reading from an open copy of t he Tawrah. He was mourning a son of his who was dying and who was one of t he most handsome boys. The Messenger of Allah asked him (t he fat her),


(I ask you by He Who has sent down t he Tawrah, do you not find t he descript ion of me and my advent in your Book) He nodded his head in t he negat ive. His son said, ` Rat her, yes, by He Who has sent down t he Tawrah! We find t he descript ion of you and your advent in our Book. I bear wit ness t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah and t hat you are t he Messenger of Allah. ' The Prophet said (t o t he Companions),

(St op t he Jew (t he fat her) from (t aking care of) your brot her (in Islam).) The Prophet t hen personally t ook care of t he son's funeral and led t he funeral prayer on him.''' This Hadit h is sound and is support ed by a similar Hadit h in t he Sahih narrat ed from Anas. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Al-Mut hanna said t hat ` At a' bin Yasar said, "I met ` Abdullah bin ` Amr and asked him, ` Tell me about t he descript ion of Allah's Messenger in t he Tawrah.' He said, ` Yes, by Allah! He is described in t he Tawrah, j ust as he is described in t he Qur'an,

(O Prophet ! Verily, We have sent you as a wit ness, and a bearer of glad t idings, and a warner.) 33:45 as a safe refuge for t he unlet t ered ones. ` You are My servant and Messenger. I have called you ` Al-Mut awakkil' (who t rust s in Allah), not hard or harsh.' Neit her ut t ering foul speech in t he market s nor ret urning evil deed wit h one in kind. Rat her, he forgives and forgoes. Allah will not end his life unt il He st raight ens t hrough him t he crooked religion, so t hat t hey might proclaim, ` There is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah.' He will open t hrough him sealed heart s, deaf ears and blind eyes.''' ` At a' t hen said, "I also met Ka` b and asked him t he same quest ion, and his answer did not differ from ` Abdullah's answer, even concerning one let t er. '' Al-Bukhari recorded it from ` Abdullah bin ` Amr. It was also recorded by Al-Bukhari up t o t he word forgoes. And he ment ioned t he narrat ion of ` Abdullah bin ` Amr t hen he said; "It was common in t he speech of our Salaf t hat t hey describe t he Books of t he People of t he Two Script ures as t he Tawrah, as some Hadit hs concur. Allah knows best .'' Allah's st at ement ,

(He commands t hem t o do good; and forbids t hem from evil;) This is t he descript ion of t he Messenger of Allah in previous Books. These were t he t rue qualit ies of our Messenger , as well, for he only ordained good and forbade evil. We should ment ion here t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said, "When you hear Allah's st at ement ,

(O you who believe!), t hen pay it your full at t ent ion, for it is a good t hat you are being commanded, or an evil t hat you are being forbidden.'' And t he most import ant and great est of t hese commands and prohibit ions, is t hat Allah has sent t he Messenger t o order worshipping Him Alone wit hout part ners and forbid worshipping ot hers besides Him. This is t he Message t hat Allah has sent all Messengers wit h before Muhammad , j ust as Allah said,

(And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah, and avoid t he Taghut (false deit ies)'') 16:36 . Allah's st at ement ,

(He makes lawful for t hem t he good t hings, and forbids t hem from t he evil t hings,) meaning, he makes t he Bahirah, Sa'ibah, Wasilah and Ham, et c., lawful. They were prohibit ions t hat t hey invent ed which were only hard for t hemselves. He also forbids t hem from evil t hings, such as t he flesh of t he pig, Riba, and foods t hat were t reat ed as lawful alt hough Allah t he Exalt ed had forbidden t hem. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t his from Ibn ` Abbas. Allah's st at ement ,

(He (Muhammad) releases t hem from t heir heavy burdens, and from t he fet t ers t hat were upon t hem.) indicat es t hat Muhammad came wit h leniency and an easy religion. As ment ioned in t he Hadit h recorded from many rout es t hat Allah's Messenger said,

(I was sent wit h t he easy way of Hanifiyyah monot heism ) The Prophet said t o t he t wo Commanders he appoint ed, Mu` adh and Abu Musa Al-Ash` ari, when he sent t hem t o Yemen,

(Bring glad t idings and do not drive people away, make t hings easy and do not make t hem difficult , obey each ot her and do not differ among yourselves). Abu Barzah Al-Aslami, t he

Prophet 's Companion, said, "I accompanied t he Messenger of Allah and saw how easy he was. The nat ions t hat were before us had t hings made difficult for t hem in t heir laws. Allah made t he law encompassing and easy for t his Ummah. Hence t he st at ement of t he Messenger of Allah,

(Allah has forgiven my Ummah for what occurs in t hemselves, as long as t hey do not ut t er it or act upon it .) The Prophet said,

(My Ummah was forgiven (by Allah) unint ent ional errors, forget fulness and what t hey are forced t o do.)'' This is why Allah has guided t his Ummah t o proclaim,

("Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall int o error, our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like t hat which You did lay on t hose before us (Jews and Christ ians); our Lord! Put not on us a burden great er t han we have st rengt h t o bear. Pardon us and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Mawla (Pat ron, Support er and Prot ect or) and give us vict ory over t he disbelieving people.) 2:286 It is recorded in Sahih Muslim t hat t he Prophet said t hat Allah t he Exalt ed said aft er every one of t hese supplicat ions, "I shall accept (your supplicat ion).'' Allah's st at ement ,

(So t hose who believe in him, honor him, help him.) refers t o respect ing and honoring Muhammad ,

(and follow t he light which has been sent down wit h him,) t he Qur'an and t he revelat ion Sunnah t hat t he Prophet delivered t o mankind,

(it is t hey who will be successful.) in t his life and t he Hereaft er.

(158. Say: "O mankind! Verily, I am sent t o you all as t he Messenger of Allah -- t o Whom belongs t he dominion of t he heavens and t he eart h. None has t he right t o be worshipped but He. It is He Who gives life and causes deat h. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, t he Prophet who can neit her read nor writ e, who believes in Allah and His Words, and follow him so t hat you may be guided.'')

Muhammad's Message is Universal

Allah says t o His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad ,

(Say), O Muhammad,

(O mankind!), t his is direct ed t o mankind red and black, and t he Arabs and non-Arabs alike,

(I am sent t o you all as t he Messenger of Allah,) This Ayah ment ions t he Prophet 's honor and great ness, for he is t he Final Prophet who was sent t o all mankind and t he Jinns . Allah said,

(Say, "Allah is Wit ness bet ween you and I; t his Qur'an has been revealed t o me t hat I may t herewit h warn you and whomsoever it may reach.'') 6:19 ,

(but t hose of t he sect s t hat rej ect it , t he Fire will be t heir promised meet ing place) 11:17 , and,

(And say t o t hose who were given t he Script ure and t o t he illit erat es (Arab pagans): "Do you (also) submit yourselves (t o Allah in Islam)'' If t hey do, t hey are right ly guided; but if t hey t urn away, your dut y is only t o convey t he Message.) 3:20 There are many ot her Ayat and more Hadit hs t han can be count ed on t his subj ect . It is also well-known in our religion t hat t he Messenger of Allah was sent t o all mankind and t he Jinns . Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu AdDarda' said, "Abu Bakr and ` Umar had an argument in which Abu Bakr made ` Umar angry. So ` Umar went away while angry and Abu Bakr followed him asking him t o forgive him, but ` Umar refused. ` Umar shut his door closed in Abu Bakr's face and Abu Bakr went t o t he Messenger of Allah while we were wit h him. The Messenger of Allah said,

(This fellow of yours (Abu Bakr) has made someone angry! ` Umar became sorry for what he did, went t o t he Prophet and greet ed him wit h t he Salam and sat next t o him, t elling him what had happened. The Messenger of Allah became angry (at ` Umar), and realizing t hat , Abu Bakr said, ` O Allah's Messenger! It was me who was unj ust .' The Messenger of Allah said,

 : : :
(Will you leave my Companion (Abu Bakr) alone! I said, ` O People! I am t he Messenger of Allah t o you all,' and you said, ` You lie,' but Abu Bakr declared, ` You said t he t rut h.')'' Al-Bukhari recorded it . Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(I have been given five t hings which were not given t o any Prophet before me, and I do not say it out of pride. I was sent t o all mankind (t heir) black and whit e alike. Allah made me vict orious by fright , (by His fright ening my enemies) for a dist ance of one mont h's j ourney. The spoils of war are lawful for me, yet it was not lawful for anyone else before me. The eart h has been made for me (and for my followers) a place for praying and a t hing t o perform purificat ion wit h. I have been given t he Shafa'ah (right of int ercession), and I saved it for my Ummah on t he Day of Resurrect ion. Therefore, t he Shafa'ah will reach t hose who associat e none wit h Allah in worship.) This Hadit h's chain of narrat ion is suit able, but t he Two Sahihs did not record it . Allah's st at ement ,

(t o Whom belongs t he dominion of t he heavens and t he eart h. None has t he right t o be worshipped but He. It is He Who gives life and causes deat h.) describes Allah by t he words of t he Messenger t hat He Who has sent him is t he Creat or, Lord and King of all t hings and in His Hand is t he cont rol, life, deat h and t he decision. Just as Allah said


(So believe in Allah and His Messenger, t he Prophet who can neit her read nor writ e,) Allah proclaims here t hat Muhammad is His Messenger and reit erat es t his fact by commanding t hat he be believed in and followed. Allah said,

(The Prophet who can neit her read nor writ e) who you were promised and given t he good news of in previous revealed books. Cert ainly, Muhammad was amply described in t he previous books, including his descript ion as being t he unlet t ered Prophet . Allah's st at ement ,

(who believes in Allah and His Words), means, his act ions conform wit h his words and he believes in what he was given from his Lord.

(And follow him), embrace his pat h and guidance,

(so t hat you may be guided) t o t he St raight Pat h.

(159. And of t he people of Musa t here is a communit y who lead (t he men) wit h t rut h and est ablish j ust ice t herewit h.) Allah st at ed t hat of t he Children of Israel t here are some who follow t he t rut h and j udge by it , j ust as He said in anot her Ayah,

(A part y of t he people of t he Script ure st and for t he right , t hey recit e t he verses of Allah during t he hours of t he night , prost rat ing t hemselves in prayer) 3:113 ,

(And t here are, cert ainly, among t he People of t he Script ure, t hose who believe in Allah and in t hat which has been revealed t o you, and in t hat which has been revealed t o t hem, humbling t hemselves before Allah. They do not sell t he verses of Allah for a small price, for t hem is a reward wit h t heir Lord. Surely, Allah is Swift in account .) 3:199

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(Those t o whom We gave t he Script ure before it , t hey believe in it (t he Qur'an). And when it is recit ed t o t hem, t hey say: "We believe in it . Verily, it is t he t rut h from our Lord. Indeed even before it we have been from t hose who submit t hemselves. These will be given t heir reward t wice over, because t hey are pat ient .) 28:52-54 , and,

-
(Verily, t hose who were given knowledge before it , when it (t his Qur'an) is recit ed t o t hem, fall down on t heir faces in humble prost rat ion. And t hey say: "Glory be t o our Lord! Truly, t he

promise of our Lord must be fulfilled.'' And t hey fall down on t heir faces weeping and it increases t heir humilit y.) 17:107-109

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(160. And We divided t hem int o t welve t ribes (as dist inct ) nat ions. We revealed t o Musa when his people asked him for wat er (saying): "St rike t he st one wit h your st ick,'' and t here gushed fort h out of it t welve springs, each group knew it s own place for wat er. We shaded t hem wit h t he clouds and sent down upon t hem t he manna and t he quail (saying): "Eat of t he good t hings wit h which We have provided you.'' They harmed Us not but t hey used t o harm t hemselves.) (161. And (remember) when it was said t o t hem: "Dwell in t his t own (Jerusalem) and eat t herefrom wherever you wish, and say, ` (O Allah) forgive our sins'; and ent er t he gat e prost rat ing (bowing wit h humilit y). We shall forgive you your wrongdoings. We shall increase (t he reward) for t he good-doers.'') (162. But t hose among t hem who did wrong, changed t he word t hat had been t old t o t hem. So We sent on t hem a t orment from t he heaven in ret urn for t heir wrongdoings.) We discussed t hese Ayat in Surat Al-Baqarah, which was revealed in AlMadinah, while t hese Ayat were revealed in Makkah. We also ment ioned t he difference bet ween t he t wo narrat ions, and t hus we do not need t o repeat it here, all t hanks are due t o Allah and all t he favors are from Him.


(163. And ask t hem about t he t own t hat was by t he sea; when t hey t ransgressed in t he mat t er of t he Sabbat h: when t heir fish came t o t hem openly on t he Sabbat h day, and did not come t o t hem on t he day t hey had no Sabbat h. Thus We made a t rial for t hem, for t hey used t o rebel against Allah's command.)

The Jews transgress the Sanctity of the Sabbath

This Ayah explains Allah's st at ement ,

(And indeed you knew t hose among you who t ransgressed in t he mat t er of t he Sabbat h..) 2:65 Allah says t o His Prophet here,

(And ask t hem) ask t he Jews who are wit h you, about t he st ory of t heir fellow Jews who defied Allah's command, so t hat His punishment overt ook t hem all of a sudden for t heir evil act ions, t ransgression and defiance by way of deceit . Also, warn t he Jews (O Muhammad) against hiding your descript ion t hat t hey find in t heir books, so t hat t hey do not suffer what t heir forefat hers suffered. The village ment ioned here is Aylah, on t he shore of t he Qulzum (Red) Sea. Muhammad bin Ishaq recorded from Dawud bin Al-Husayn from ` Ikrimah t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(And ask t hem about t he t own t hat was by t he sea...) "A village called Aylah bet ween Madyan and At -Tur (which is in Sinai). ` Ikrimah, Muj ahid, Qat adah and As-Suddi said similarly. Allah's st at ement ,

(when t hey t ransgressed in t he mat t er of t he Sabbat h;) means, t hey t ransgressed in t he Sabbat h and defied Allah's command t o t hem t o keep it sanct ified,

(when t heir fish came t o t hem openly on t he Sabbat h day,) visible on t op of t he wat er, according t o Ad-Dahhak who report ed it from Ibn ` Abbas. Ibn Jarir said, "Allah's st at ement ,

(and did not come t o t hem on t he day t hey had no Sabbat h. Thus We made a t rial of t hem,) means, t his is how We t est ed t hem by making t he fish swim close t o t he surface of t he wat er , on t he day which t hey were prohibit ed t o fish. The fish would be hidden from t hem on t he day when t hey were allowed t o fish,

(Thus We made a t rial for t hem,) so t hat We t est t hem,

(for t hey used t o rebel against Allah's command) by defying His obedience and rebelling against it .'' Therefore, t hese were a people who used a t rick t o violat e Allah's prohibit ions, t aking an act ion t hat seemed legal on t he surface. However, in realit y, t his act ion was meant t o t ransgress t he prohibit ion. Imam and scholar Abu ` Abdullah Ibn Bat t ah report ed t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Do not repeat what t he Jews commit t ed, and violat e Allah's prohibit ions using deceit ful t ricks.) This Hadit h has a reasonable chain.

 - -
(164. And when a communit y among t hem said: "Why do you preach t o a people whom Allah is about t o dest roy or t o punish wit h a severe t orment '' (The preachers) said: "In order t o be free from guilt before your Lord (Allah), and perhaps t hey may fear Allah.'') (165. So when t hey forgot t he reminder t hat had been given t o t hem, We rescued t hose who forbade evil, but wit h a severe t orment We seized t hose who did wrong, because t hey used t o rebel against Allah's command.) (166. So when t hey exceeded t he limit s of what t hey were prohibit ed, We said t o t hem: "Be you monkeys, despised.'')

Those Who breached the Sabbath were turned into Monkeys, but Those Who prohibited Their Actions were saved
Allah said t hat t he people of t his village were divided int o t hree groups, a group t hat commit t ed t he prohibit ion, cat ching fish on t he Sabbat h, as we described in t he Tafsir of Surat Al-Baqarah. Anot her group prohibit ed t hem from t ransgression and avoided t hem. A t hird group neit her prohibit ed t hem, nor part icipat ed in t heir act ion. The t hird group said t o t he preachers,

("Why do you preach t o a people whom Allah is about t o dest roy or t o punish wit h a severe t orment ''). They said, ` why do you forbid t hese people from evil, when you know t hat t hey are dest royed and have earned Allah's punishment ' Therefore, t hey said, t here is no benefit in forbidding t hem. The preachers replied,

("In order t o be free from guilt before your Lord (Allah),'') ` for we were commanded t o enj oin right eousness and forbid evil,' r


("and perhaps t hey may fear Allah'') for on account of our advice, t hey might st op t his evil and repent t o Allah. Cert ainly, if t hey repent t o Allah, Allah will accept t heir repent ance and grant t hem His mercy.' Allah said,

(So when t hey forgot t he reminder t hat had been given t o t hem, ) when t he evil doers refused t he advice,

(We rescued t hose who forbade evil, but We seized who did wrong,) who commit t ed t he t ransgression,

(wit h a severe t orment ). Allah st at ed t hat t hose who enj oined good were saved, while t hose who commit t ed t he t ransgression were dest royed, but He did not ment ion t he end of t hose who were passive (t he t hird group), for t he compensat ion is comparable t o t he deed. This t ype did not do what would warrant praise, nor commit wrong so t hat t hey are admonished. ` Ikrimah said, "Ibn ` Abbas said about t he Ayah: ` I do not know whet her or not t he people were saved who said;

("Why do you preach t o a people whom Allah is about t o dest roy...'') So I cont inued discussing it wit h him unt il I convinced him t hat t hey were. Then he gave me t he gift of a garment .'' Allah said,

(and We seized t hose who did wrong wit h a Ba'is t orment ) indicat ing t hat t hose who remained were saved. As for ` Ba'is', it means ` severe', according t o Muj ahid, or ` painful', according t o Qat adah. These meanings are synonymous, and Allah knows best . Allah said next ,


(despised), humiliat ed, disgraced and rej ect ed.

(167. And (remember) when your Lord declared t hat He would cert ainly keep on sending against t hem, t ill t he Day of Resurrect ion, t hose who would afflict t hem wit h a humiliat ing t orment . Verily, your Lord is quick in ret ribut ion and cert ainly He is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

Eternal Humiliation placed on the Jews

(Ta'dhdhana) means ` declared', according t o Muj ahid, or ` ordained', according t o ot hers. This part of t he Ayah indicat es a vow,

(t hat He will keep on sending against t hem) against t he Jews,

(t ill t he Day of Resurrect ion, t hose who would afflict t hem wit h a humiliat ing t orment .) on account of t heir disobedience, defying Allah's orders and Law and using t ricks t o t ransgress t he prohibit ions. It was report ed t hat Musa required t he Jews t o pay t he product ion t ax for seven or t hirt een years, and he was t he first t o do so. Also, t he Jews fell under t he humiliat ing rule of t he Greek Kushdanin, Chaldeans and lat er on t he Christ ians, who subj ugat ed and disgraced t hem, and required t hem t o pay t he Jizyah (t ribut e t ax). When Islam came and Muhammad was sent , t hey became under his power and had t o pay t he Jizyah, as well. Therefore, t he humiliat ing t orment ment ioned here includes disgrace and paying t he Jizyah, as Al-` Awfi narrat ed from Ibn ` Abbas. In t he fut ure, t he Jews will support t he Daj j al (False Messiah); and t he Muslims, along wit h ` Isa, son of Mary, will kill t he Jews. This will occur j ust before t he end of t his world. Allah said next ,


(Verily, your Lord is quick in ret ribut ion), wit h t hose who disobey Him and defy His Law,

(and cert ainly He is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) for t hose who repent and go back t o Him. This Ayah ment ions bot h t he mercy, as well as, t he punishment , so t hat no despair is felt . Allah oft en ment ions encouragement and warning t oget her, so t hat heart s always have a sense of hope and fear.

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(168. And We have broken t hem (t he Jews) up int o various separat e groups on t he eart h: some of t hem are right eous and some are away from t hat . And We t ried t hem wit h good (blessings) and evil (calamit ies) in order t hat t hey might t urn (t o Allah).) (169. Then aft er t hem succeeded an (evil) generat ion, which inherit ed t he Book, but t hey chose (for t hemselves) t he goods of t his low life saying: "(Everyt hing) will be forgiven t o us.'' And if (again) t he offer of t he like (evil pleasures of t his world) came t heir way, t hey would (again) seize t hem (would commit t hose sins). Was not t he covenant of t he Book t aken from t hem t hat t hey would not say about Allah

anyt hing but t he t rut h And t hey have st udied what is in it (t he Book). And t he home in t he Hereaft er is bet t er for t hose who have Taqwa. Do not you t hen underst and) (170. And as t o t hose who hold fast t o t he Book (act on it s t eachings) and perform t he Salah, cert ainly We shall never wast e t he reward of t hose who do right eous deeds.)

The Children of Israel scatter throughout the Land

Allah st at es t hat He divided t he Jews int o various nat ions, sect s and groups,

(And We said t o t he Children of Israel aft er him (aft er Musa died): "Dwell in t he land, t hen, when t he final and t he last promise comes near, We shall bring you alt oget her as a mixed crowd (gat hered out of various nat ions).'') 17:104

(some of t hem are right eous and some are away from t hat ), some of t hem are led aright and some are not right eous, j ust as t he Jinns declared,

("There are among us some t hat are right eous, and some t he cont rary; we are groups having different ways (religious sect s).'') 72:11 Allah said here,

(And We t ried t hem), and t est ed t hem,

(wit h good and evil), wit h t imes of ease, difficult y, eagerness, fear, well-being and afflict ion,


(in order t hat t hey might t urn (t o Allah)) Allah said next ,

(Then aft er t hem succeeded an (evil) generat ion, which inherit ed t he Book, but t hey chose (for t hemselves) t he goods of t his low life) This Ayah means, aft er t he generat ion made up of right eous and unright eous people, anot her generat ion came t hat did not have goodness in t hem, and t hey inherit ed t he Tawrah and st udied it . Muj ahid comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(They chose (for t hemselves) t he goods of t his low life) "They will consume anyt hing t hey can consume in t his life, whet her legally or illegally. Yet , t hey wish for forgiveness,

(Saying: "(Everyt hing) will be forgiven for us.'' And if (again) t he offer of t he like came t heir way, t hey would (again) seize t hem.)'' Qat adah comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(t hey chose (for t hemselves) t he goods of t his low life) "This, by Allah, is an evil generat ion,

(which inherit ed t he Book) aft er t heir Prophet s and Messengers, for t hey were ent rust ed wit h t his j ob by Allah's command t o t hem. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(Then, t here has succeeded t hem a post erit y who neglect t he Salah (t he prayers).) 19:59 Allah said next ,

(They chose t he goods of t his low life saying: "(Everyt hing) will be forgiven t o us.'') They wish and hope from Allah, while deceiving t hemselves,

(And if (again) t he offer of t he like came t heir way, t hey would (again) seize t hem.) Not hing st ops t hem from t his behavior, for whenever t hey are given an opport unit y in t his life, t hey will consume regardless of it being allowed or not .'' As-Suddi said about Allah's st at ement ,

(Then aft er t hem succeeded an (evil) generat ion) unt il,

(and t hey have st udied what is in it (t he Book).) "Every t ime t he Children of Israel appoint ed a j udge, he used t o t ake bribes. The best ones among t hem held a counsel and t ook covenant s from each t hat t hey would not t ake bribes. However, when one of t hem would t ake bribes in ret urn for j udgment and was asked, ` What is t he mat t er wit h you; you t ake a bribe t o grant j udgment ', he replied, ` I will be forgiven.' So t he rest of his people would admonish him for what he did. But when he died, or was replaced, t he one who replaced him would t ake bribes t oo. Therefore, Allah says, if t he ot hers (who admonished him) would have a chance t o loot t his world, t hey will t ake it .''' Allah said,

(Was not t he covenant of t he Book t aken from t hem t hat t hey would not say about Allah anyt hing but t he t rut h) t hus, admonishing t hem for t his behavior. Allah t ook a pledge from t hem t hat t hey would declare t he t rut h t o people and not hide it . Allah said in anot her Ayah,


((And remember) when Allah t ook a covenant from t hose who were given t he Script ure t o make it known and clear t o mankind, and not t o hide it , but t hey t hrew it away behind t heir backs, and purchased wit h it some miserable gain! And indeed worst is t hat which t hey bought ) 3:187 . Ibn Jurayj said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about t he Ayah,

(Was not t he covenant of t he Book t aken from t hem t hat t hey would not say about Allah anyt hing but t he t rut h), "Their claim t hat Allah will forgive t he sins t hey keep commit t ing wit hout repent ing from t hem.'' Allah said,

(And t he home in t he Hereaft er is bet t er for t hose who have Taqwa Do not you t hen underst and) Encouraging t hem t o seek Allah's t remendous reward and warning t hem against His severe t orment . Allah says here, ` My reward and what I have are bet t er for t hose who avoid prohibit ions, abandon lust s and become act ive in t he obedience of t heir Lord.'

(Do not you t hen underst and) Allah says' Do not t hese people, who preferred t his life inst ead of what is wit h Me, have any sense t o prohibit t hem from t heir foolish and ext ravagant ways' Allah t hen praises t hose who adhere t o His Book, which direct s t hem t o follow His Messenger Muhammad ,

(And as t o t hose who hold fast t o t he Book) adhere t o it , implement it s commands and refrain from it s prohibit ions,

(and perform t he Salah, cert ainly We shall never wast e t he reward of t hose who do right eous deeds.)

(171. And (remember) when We Nat aqna t he mount ain over t hem as if it had been a canopy, and t hey t hought t hat it was going t o fall on t hem. (We said): "Hold firmly t o what We have given you t he Tawrah , and remember t hat which is t herein (act on it s commandment s), so t hat you may fear Allah and obey Him.'')

Raising Mount Tur over the Jews, because of Their Rebellion

Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah,

(And (remember) when We Nat aqna t he mount ain over t hem), "We raised t he mount ain, as Allah's ot her st at ement t est ifies,

(And for t heir covenant , We raised over t hem t he mount ain) 4:154 .'' Also, Sufyan At h-Thawri narrat ed t hat Al-A` mash said t hat , Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The angels raised t he Mount over t heir heads, as reit erat ed by Allah's st at ement ,

(We raised over t hem t he mount ain) 4:154 .'' Al-Qasim bin Abi Ayyub narrat ed t hat Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Musa lat er on proceeded wit h t hem t o t he Sacred Land. He t ook along t he Tablet s, aft er his anger subsided, and commanded t hem t o adhere t o t he orders t hat Allah ordained t o be delivered t o t hem. But t hese orders became heavy on t hem and t hey did not want t o implement t hem unt il Allah raised t he mount ain over t hem,

(as if it had been a canopy), t hat is, when t he angels raised t he mount ain over t heir heads.'' An-Nasa'i collect ed it .

-
(172. And (remember) when your Lord brought fort h from t he Children of Adam, from t heir loins, t heir seed and made t hem t est ify as t o t hemselves (saying): "Am I not your Lord'' They said: "Yes! We t est ify,'' lest you should say on t he Day of Resurrect ion: "Verily, we were unaware of t his.'') (173. Or lest you should say: "It was only our fat hers aforet ime who t ook ot hers as part ners in worship along wit h Allah, and we were (merely t heir) descendant s aft er t hem; will You t hen dest roy us because of t he deeds of men who pract iced falsehood'') (174. Thus do We explain t he Ayat in det ail, so t hat t hey may t urn (unt o t he t rut h).)

The Covenant taken from the Descendants of Adam

Allah st at ed t hat He brought t he descendant s of Adam out of t heir fat hers' loins, and t hey t est ified against t hemselves t hat Allah is t heir Lord and King and t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Him. Allah creat ed t hem on t his Fit rah, or way, j ust as He said,

(So set you (O Muhammad) your face t ruly t owards t he religion, Hanifan. Allah's Fit rah wit h which He has creat ed mankind. No change let t here be in Khalqillah.) 30:30 And it is recorded in t he Two Sahihs from Abu Hurayrah who said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(Every child is born upon t he Fit rah, it is only his parent s who t urn him int o a Jew, a Christ ian or a Zoroast rian. Just as animals are born having full bodies, do you see any of t hem having a cut off nose (when t hey are born)) . Muslim recorded t hat ` Iyad bin ` Himar said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said;

:
(Allah said, ` I creat ed My servant s Hunafa' (monot heist s), but t he devils came t o t hem and deviat ed t hem from t heir religion, prohibit ing what I allowed.) There are Hadit hs t hat ment ion t hat Allah t ook Adam's offspring from his loins and divided t hem int o t hose on t he right and t hose on t he left . Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Anas bin Malik said t hat t he Prophet said,

: : :
(It will be said t o a man from t he people of t he Fire on t he Day of Resurrect ion, ` If you owned all t hat is on t he eart h, would you pay it as ransom' He will reply, ` Yes.' Allah will say, ` I ordered you wit h what is less t han t hat , when you were st ill in Adam's loins, t hat is, associat e none wit h Me (in worship). You insist ed t hat you associat e wit h Me (in worship).') This was recorded in t he Two Sahihs Comment ing on t his Ayah (7:172), At -Tirmidhi recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

 : : : : : : : : : :
(When Allah creat ed Adam, He wiped Adam's back and every person t hat He will creat e from him unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion fell out from his back. Allah placed a glimmering light bet ween t he eyes of each one of t hem. Allah showed t hem t o Adam and Adam asked, ` O Lord! Who are t hey' Allah said, ` These are your offspring.' Adam saw a man from among t hem whose light he liked. He asked, ` O Lord! Who is t his man' Allah said, ` This is a man from t he lat t er generat ions of your offspring. His name is Dawud.' Adam said, ` O Lord! How many years would he live' Allah said, ` Sixt y years.' Adam said, ` O Lord! I have forfeit ed fort y years from my life for him.' When Adam's life came t o an end, t he angel of deat h came t o him (t o t ake his soul). Adam said, ` I st ill have fort y years from my life t erm, don't I' He said, ` Have you not given it t o your son Dawud' So Adam denied t hat and his offspring followed suit (denying Allah's covenant ), Adam forgot and his offspring forgot , Adam made a mist ake and his offspring made mist akes.) At -Tirmidhi said, "This Hadit h is Hasan Sahih, and it was report ed from various chains of narrat ion t hrough Abu Hurayrah from t he Prophet ''. Al-Hakim also recorded it in his Must adrak,

and said; "Sahih according t o t he crit eria of Muslim, and t hey did not record it .'' These and similar Hadit hs t est ify t hat Allah, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored, brought fort h Adam's offspring from his loins and separat ed bet ween t he inhabit ant s of Paradise and t hose of t he Fire. Allah t hen said,

(and made t hem t est ify as t o t hemselves (saying): "Am I not your Lord'' They said: "Yes!'') Therefore, Allah made t hem t est ify wit h t hemselves by circumst ance and words. Test imony is somet imes given in words, such as,

(They will say: "We bear wit ness against ourselves.'') 6:130 At ot her t imes, t est imony is given by t he people t hemselves, such as Allah's st at ement ,

(It is not for t he Mushrikin, (polyt heist s) t o maint ain t he mosques of Allah, while t hey t est ify against t heir own selves of disbelief.) 9:17 This Ayah means t hat t heir disbelief t est ifies against t hem, not t hat t hey act ually t est ify against t hemselves here. Anot her Ayah of t his t ype is Allah's st at ement ,

(And t o t hat he bears wit ness (by his deeds). ) 100:7 The same is t he case wit h asking, somet imes t akes t he form of words and somet imes a sit uat ion or circumst ance. For inst ance, Allah said,

(And He gave you of all t hat you asked for.) 14:34 Allah said here,

(lest you should say), on t he Day of Resurrect ion


(we were of t his) of Tawhid

(unaware. Or lest you should say: "It was only our fat hers aforet ime who t ook ot hers as part ners in worship along wit h Allah,'') 7:172-173

- -
(175. And recit e t o t hem t he st ory of him t o whom We gave Our Ayat , but he t hrew t hem away; so Shayt an followed him up, and he became of t hose who went ast ray.) (176. And had We willed, We would surely have elevat ed him t herewit h, but he clung t o t he eart h and followed his own vain desires. So his parable is t he parable of a dog: if you drive him away, he pant s, or if you leave him alone, he (st ill) pant s. Such is t he parable of t he people who rej ect Our Ayat . So relat e t he st ories, perhaps t hey may reflect .) (177. Evil is t he parable of t he people who rej ect ed Our Ayat , and used t o wrong t hemselves.)

Story Bal` am bin Ba` ura

` Abdur-Razzaq recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said t hat Allah's st at ement ,


(And recit e t o t hem t he st ory of him t o whom We gave Our Ayat , but he t hrew t hem away) "Is about Bal` am bin Ba` ura' a man from t he Children of Israel.'' Shu` bah and several ot her narrat ors narrat ed t his st at ement from Mansur who got it from Ibn Mas` ud. Sa` id bin Abi ` Arubah narrat ed t hat Qat adah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "He is Sayfi, son of Ar-Rahib.'' Qat adah comment ed t hat Ka` b said, "He was a man from Al-Balqla' (a province of Jordan) who knew Allah's Great est Name. He used t o live in Bayt Al-Maqdis wit h t he t yrant s.'' Al-` Awfi report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "He is Bal` am bin Ba` ura', a man from Yemen whom Allah had given t he knowledge of His Ayat , but he abandoned t hem.'' Malik bin Dinar said, "He was one of t he scholars of t he Children of Israel whose supplicat ion was accept able. They used t o seek his lead in suplicat ion in t imes of difficult y. Allah's Prophet Musa sent him t o t he King of Madyan t o call him t o Allah. That king appeased him and gave him land and gift s, and he revert ed from t he religion of Musa and followed t he king's religion.'' ` Imran bin ` Uyaynah narrat ed t hat ` Husayn said t hat ` Imran bin Al-Harit h said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "He is Bal` am son of Ba` ura'.'' Similar was said by Muj ahid and ` Ikrimah. Therefore, it is well-known t hat t his honorable Ayah was revealed about a man from t he Children of Israel in ancient t imes, according t o Ibn Mas` ud and several ot hers among t he Salaf. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "He is a man from t he cit y of t he t yrant s (Jerusalem) whose name was Bal` am and who knew Allah's Great est Name.'' ` Ali bin Abi Talhah also report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas t hat he said, "When Musa and t hose wit h him went t o t he cit y of t he t yrant s (Jerusalem), t he cousins of Bal` am and his people came t o him and said, ` Musa is a st rong man, and he has many soldiers. If he gains t he upper hand over us, we will be dest royed. Therefore, supplicat e t o Allah t hat He prevent s Musa and t hose wit h him from prevailing over us.' Bal` am said, ` If I supplicat e t o Allah t hat He t urns back Musa and t hose wit h him, I will lose in t his life and t he Hereaft er.' They kept luring him unt il he supplicat ed against Musa and his people, and Allah t ook away what he best owed on him (of knowledge). Hence Allah's st at ement ,

(but he t hrew t hem away; so Shayt an followed him up).''' Allah said next ,

(And had We willed, We would surely have elevat ed him t herewit h but he clung t o t he eart h and followed his own vain desires.) Allah said,

(And had We willed, We would surely have elevat ed him t herewit h) from t he filt h of t his eart hly life t hrough t he Ayat t hat We gave him knowledge of,

(but he clung t o t he eart h), he became int erest ed in t he adornment of t his life and it s delight s. He indulged in t he lust s of life and it s j oys and was deceived by it , j ust as life deceived ot hers like him, wit hout sound comprehension or a good mind. Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar narrat ed from Salim, from Abu An-Nadr t hat when Musa ent ered t he land of Bani Canaan in t he area of Ash-Sham (Great er Syria), t he people of Bal` am came t o him, saying, "This is Musa, son of ` Imran wit h t he Children of Israel. He want s t o drive us out from our land, kill us and replace us wit h t he Children of Israel. We are your people and have no ot her dwelling area. You are a person whose supplicat ion is accept able (t o Allah), so go out and supplicat e t o Allah against t hem.'' He said, "Woe t o you! Here is Allah's Prophet (Musa) wit h whom t he angels and believers are! How can I supplicat e against t hem when I know from Allah what I know'' They said, "We have no ot her dwelling area.'' So t hey kept luring and begging him unt il he was t empt ed by t he t rial and went on his donkey t owards Mount Husban, which was behind t he Israelit e milit ary barracks. When he proceeded on t he Mount for a while, t he donkey sat down and refused t o proceed. He got off t he donkey and st ruck it unt il it st ood up again and he rode it . The donkey did t he same aft er a lit t le while, and he st ruck it again unt il it st ood up... So he proceeded and t ried t o supplicat e against Musa and his people. However, Allah made his t ongue ment ion his people wit h evil and t he Children of Israel wit h good inst ead of his people, who prot est ed, "O Bal` am! What are you doing You are supplicat ing for t hem and against us!'' He said, "It is against my will. This is a mat t er t hat Allah has decided.'' He t hen said t o t hem, as his t ongue was made t o loll out of his mout h, "Now I have lost t his life and t he Hereaft er.'' This Ayah was revealed about t he st ory of Bal` am son of Ba` ura'

(And recit e t o t hem t he st ory of him t o whom We gave Our Ayat , but he t hrew t hem away.), unt il,

(perhaps t hey may reflect .) Allah said next ,

(So his parable is t he parable of a dog: if you drive him away, he pant s, or if you leave him alone, he (st ill) pant s.) Scholars of Tafsir have conflict ing opinions regarding t he meaning of

t his Ayah. Some scholars said t hat it refers t o t he end of Bal` am's t ongue which flickered out of his mout h, as in t he st ory narrat ed from Ibn Ishaq, from Salim, from Abu An-Nadr. Therefore, his example is t he example of t he dog, it s t ongue pant s regardless of whet her it is driven away or not . It was also said t hat t he meaning here is a parable of t his man -- and his like -concerning t heir misguidance, persist ing t he wrong pat h and not being able t o benefit from fait h or comprehend what t hey are being called t o. So his example is t hat of a dog which pant s whet her it was driven away or left alone. The person described here does not benefit from t he advice or t he call t o fait h, j ust as if t he advice and call never occurred. Allah said in anot her Ayah, k

(It is t he same t o t hem (disbelievers) whet her you warn t hem or do not warn t hem, t hey will not believe.) 2:6 and,

(Whet her you ask forgiveness for t hem (hypocrit es) or ask not forgiveness for t hem -- (and even) if you ask sevent y t imes for t heir forgiveness -- Allah will not forgive t hem.) 9:80 and similar Ayat . It was also said t hat t he meaning here, is t hat t he heart of t he disbeliever, t he hypocrit e and t he wicked is weak and devoid of guidance. Therefore, it keeps falt ering. Similar was narrat ed from Al-Hasan Al-Basri.

(So relat e t he st ories, perhaps t hey may reflect ) Allah said next t o His Prophet Muhammad ,

(So relat e t he st ories, perhaps t hey may) t he Children of Israel, who have knowledge ot t he st ory of Bal` am and what happened t o him when Allah allowed him t o st ray and expelled him from His mercy. Allah favored him by t eaching him His Great est Name, by which, if He is asked, He will grant , and if He is called upon, He answers. But Bal` am used it in disobedience t o Allah and invoked Him against His own part y of t he people of fait h, followers of His servant and Messenger during t hat t ime, Musa, t he son of ` Imran, peace be upon him, whom Allah spoke t o direct ly,

(perhaps t hey may reflect .) and avoid Bal` am's behavior, for Allah has given t he Jews knowledge and made t hem superior t o t he bedouins surrounding t hem. He gave t hem t he descript ion of Muhammad which would allow t hem t o recognize him, as t hey recognize t heir own children. They, among people, have t he most right t o follow, aid and support Muhammad , in obedience t o t heir Prophet s who informed t hem of him and commanded t hem t o follow him. Therefore, whoever among t hem defies t he knowledge in t heir Books or hides it from t he servant s, Allah will place disgrace on him in t his life, followed by humiliat ion in t he Hereaft er. Allah said,

(Evil is t he parable of t he people who rej ect ed Our Ayat .) Allah says, evil is t he example of t he people who deny Our Ayat in t hat t hey are equat ed wit h dogs t hat have no int erest but t o collect food and sat isfy lust s.' Therefore, whoever goes out of t he area of knowledge and guidance, and seeks sat isfact ion for his lust s and vain desires, is j ust like a dog; what an evil example. The Sahih recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The evil example is not suit able for us: he who goes back on his gift is j ust like t he dog t hat eat s it s vomit .) Allah's st at ement ,

(and t hey used t o wrong t hemselves.) means, Allah did not wrong t hem, but t hey wronged t hemselves by rej ect ing guidance, not obeying t he Lord, being cont ent wit h t his life t hat will soon end, all t he while seeking t o fulfill desires and obey lust s.

(178. Whomsoever Allah guides, he is t he guided one, and whomsoever He sends ast ray, -- t hen t hose! They are t he losers.) Allah says, whomever He leads aright , t hen none can lead him t o misguidance, and whomever He leads ast ray, will have acquired failure, loss and sure misguidance. Verily, what ever Allah wills occurs; and what ever He does not will, does not occur. A Hadit h narrat ed from ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud reads,


(All praise is due t o Allah, Whom we praise and seek help, guidance and forgiveness from. We seek refuge wit h Allah from t he evils wit hin ourselves and from t he burden of our evil deeds. He whom Allah guides, will never be misled; and he whom He misguides, will never have one who will guide him. I bear wit ness t hat t here is no deit y wort hy of worship except Allah wit hout part ners and t hat Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.) The complet e Hadit h was collect ed by Imam Ahmad and t he collect ors of Sunan and ot hers.

(179. And surely, We have creat ed many of t he Jinn and mankind for Hell. They have heart s wherewit h t hey underst and not , and t hey have eyes wherewit h t hey see not , and t hey have ears wherewit h t hey hear not (t he t rut h). They are like cat t le, nay even more ast ray; t hose! They are t he heedless ones.)

Disbelief and the Divine Decree

Allah said,

(And surely, We have creat ed for Hell) We made a share in t he Fire for,


(many of t he Jinn and mankind) We prepared t hem for it by t heir performance of t he deeds of it s people. When Allah int ended t o creat e t he creat ion, He knew what t heir work will be before t hey exist ed. He wrot e all t his in a Book, kept wit h Him, fift y t housand years before He creat ed t he heavens and eart h. Muslim recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Amr narrat ed t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Verily, Allah decided t he dest inat ion and due measurement of t he creat ion fift y t housand years before He creat ed t he heavens and eart h, and His Throne was over t he wat er.) There are many Hadit hs on t his subj ect , and cert ainly, t he mat t er of Al-Qadar is of ut most import ance, yet t his is not where we should discuss it . Allah said,

(They have heart s wherewit h t hey underst and not , and t hey have eyes wherewit h t hey see not , and t hey have ears wherewit h t hey hear not .) meaning, t hey do not benefit from t hese senses t hat Allah made for t hem as a means of gaining guidance. Similarly, Allah said,

(And We had assigned t hem t he (facult ies of) hearing, seeing, and heart s; but t heir hearing, seeing, and t heir heart s availed t hem not hing since t hey used t o deny t he Ayat .) 46:26 . Allah also said about t he hypocrit es,

((They are) deaf, dumb, and blind, so t hey ret urn not (t o t he right pat h)) 2:18 , and about t he disbelievers,

((They are) deaf, dumb and blind. So t hey do not underst and.) 2:171 However, t hey are not deaf, dumb or blind, except relat ion t o t he guidance. Allah said;

(Had Allah known of any good in t hem, He would indeed have made t hem list en; and even if He had made t hem list en, t hey would but have t urned away wit h aversion (t o t he t rut h).) 8:23 ,

(Verily, it is not t he eyes t hat grow blind, but it is t he heart s which are in t he breast s t hat grow blind.) 22:46 , and,

-
(And whosoever t urns away blindly from t he remembrance of t he Most Gracious (Allah), We appoint for him Shayt an t o be an int imat e companion t o him. And verily, t hey hinder t hem from t he pat h, but t hey t hink t hat t hey are guided aright !) 43:36-37 Allah's st at ement ,

(They are like cat t le), means, t hose who neit her hear t he t rut h, nor underst and it , nor see t he guidance, are j ust like grazing cat t le t hat do not benefit from t hese senses, except for what sust ains t heir life in t his world. Allah said in a similar Ayah,


(And t he example of t hose who disbelieve is as t hat of one who shout s t o t hose who hear not hing but calls and cries.) 2:171 meaning, t heir example, when t hey are called t o t he fait h, is t he example of cat t le t hat hear only t he voice of t heir shepherd, but cannot underst and what he is saying. Allah furt her described t hem

(nay even more ast ray), t han cat t le, because cat t le st ill respond t o t he call of t heir shepherd, even t hough t hey do not underst and what he is saying. As for t he people described here, t hey are unlike cat t le, which fulfill t he purpose and service t hey were creat ed for. The disbeliever was creat ed t o worship Allah alone in Tawhid, but he disbelieved in Allah and associat ed ot hers in His worship. Therefore, t hose people who obey Allah are more honorable t han some angels, while cat t le are bet t er t han t hose who disbelieve in Him. So Allah said;

(They are like cat t le, nay even more ast ray; t hose! They are t he heedless ones.)

(180. And (all) t he Most Beaut iful Names belong t o Allah, so call on Him by t hem, and leave t he company of t hose who belie His Names. They will be requit ed for what t hey used t o do.)

Allah's Most Beautiful Names

Abu Hurayrah narrat ed t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(Verily, Allah has ninet y-nine Names, a hundred less one; whoever count s (and preserves) t hem, will ent er Paradise. Allah is Wit r (One) and loves Al-Wit r (t he odd numbered t hings),) The Two Sahihs collect ed t his Hadit h. We should st at e t hat Allah's Names are not rest rict ed t o only ninet y-nine. For inst ance, in his Musnad, Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said;

:
(Any person who is overcome by sadness or grief and supplicat es, ` O Allah! I am Your servant , son of Your female servant . My forelock is in Your Hand. Your decision concerning me shall cert ainly come t o pass. Just is Your Judgement about me. I invoke You by every Name t hat You have and t hat You called Yourself by, sent down in Your Book, t aught t o any of Your creat ures, or kept wit h You in t he knowledge of t he Unseen t hat is wit h You. Make t he Glorious Qur'an t he spring of my heart , t he light of my chest , t he remover of my grief and t he dissipat er of my concern.' Surely, Allah will remove his grief and sadness and exchange t hem for delight .) The Prophet was asked "O Messenger of Allah! Should we learn t hese words'' He said,

(Yes. It is an obligat ion on all t hose who hear t his supplicat ion t o learn it .) Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about Allah's st at ement ,

(and leave t he company of t hose who belie His Names) "To belie Allah's Names includes saying t hat Al-Lat (an idol) derived from Allah's Name.'' Ibn Jurayj narrat ed from Muj ahid t hat he comment ed,

(and leave t he company of t hose who belie His Names) "They derived Al-Lat (an idol's name) from Allah, and Al-` Uzza (anot her idol) from Al-` Aziz (t he All-Might y).'' Qat adah st at ed t hat Ilhad refers t o associat ing ot hers wit h Allah in His Names (such as calling an idol Al-` Uzza). The word Ilhad used in t he Ayah in anot her from means deviat ion, wickedness, inj ust ice and st raying. The hole in t he grave is called Lahd, because it is a hole wit hin a hole, t hat is t urned t owards t he Qiblah (t he direct ion of t he prayer).

(181. And of t hose whom We have creat ed, t here is a communit y who guides (ot hers) wit h t he t rut h, and est ablishes j ust ice t herewit h.) Allah said,

(And of t hose whom We have creat ed), in reference t o some nat ions,

(a communit y), t hat st ands in t rut h, in words and act ion,

(who guides (ot hers) wit h t he t rut h), t hey proclaim it and call t o it ,

(and est ablishes j ust ice t herewit h), adhere t o it t hemselves and j udge by it . It was report ed t hat t his Ayah refers t o t he Ummah of Muhammad . In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat Mu` awiyah bin Abi Sufyan said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(There will always be a group of my Ummah who are apparent on t he Trut h, unabat ed by t hose who fail or oppose t hem, unt il t he (Last ) Hour commences.) rIn anot her narrat ion, t he Messenger said,

(Unt il Allah's command (t he Last Hour) comes while t hey are st ill like t his. ) and in yet anot her narrat ion,

(And t hey will dwell in Ash-Sham (Great er Syria).)

(182. Those who rej ect Our Ayat , We shall gradually seize t hem wit h punishment in ways t hey perceive not .) (183. And I respit e t hem; cert ainly My plan is st rong.) Allah said,

(Those who rej ect Our Ayat , We shall gradually seize t hem in ways t hey perceive not ) meaning, t he doors of provisions will be opened for t hem and also t he means of livelihood, in t his life. They will be deceived by all t his and t hink t hat t hey are on t he correct pat h. Allah said in anot her inst ance,

-
(So, when t hey forgot (t he warning) wit h which t hey had been reminded, We opened for t hem t he gat es of every (pleasant ) t hing, unt il in t he midst of t heir enj oyment in t hat which t hey were given, all of a sudden, We t ook t hem (in punishment ), and lo! They were plunged int o dest ruct ion wit h deep regret s and sorrow. So t he root of t he people who did wrong was cut off. And all t he praises and t hanks are t o Allah, t he Lord of all t hat exist s.) 6:44-45 . Allah said here,

(And I respit e t hem) prolong what t hey are in,

(cert ainly My plan is st rong) and perfect .

(184. Do t hey not reflect There is no madness in t heir companion. He is but a plain warner.) Allah said,

(Do t hey not reflect ) ` t hose who deny Our Ayat ,'


(t here is not in t heir companion), Muhammad ,

(madness) Muhammad is not mad, rat her, he is t ruly t he Messenger of Allah, calling t o Trut h,

(but he is a plain warner), and t his is clear for t hose who have a mind and a heart by which t hey underst and and comprehend. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And (O people) your companion is not a madman.) 81:22 Allah also said,

(Say: "I exhort you t o one (t hing) only, t hat you st and up for Allah's sake in pairs and singly, and reflect , t here is no madness in your companion. He is only a warner t o you in face of a severe t orment .'') 34:46 meaning, ` I ask you t o st and for Allah in sincerit y wit hout st ubbornness or bias,'

(in pairs and singly) 34:46 individuals and in groups,

(and reflect ) 34:46 , about t his man who brought t he Message from Allah, is he mad If you do t his, it will become clear t o you t hat he is t he Messenger of Allah in t rut h and j ust ice. Qat adah

bin Di'amah said, "We were informed t hat t he Prophet of Allah once was on (Mount ) As-Safa and called t he Quraysh, subt ribe by subt ribe, proclaiming,

(O Children of so-and-so, O Children of so-and-so! He warned t hem against Allah's might and what He has done (such as revenge from His enemies).) Some of t hem comment ed, ` This companion of yours (Prophet Muhammad) is mad; he kept shout ing unt il t he morning' Allah sent down t his Ayah,

(Do t hey not reflect There is no madness in t heir companion. He is but a plain warner) 7:184 .'''

(185. Do t hey not look in t he dominion of t he heavens and t he eart h and all t hings t hat Allah has creat ed; and t hat it may be t hat t he end of t heir lives is near. In what message aft er t his will t hey t hen believe) Allah asks, t hose who denied fait h, did t hey not cont emplat e about Our Ayat in t he kingdom of t he heavens and eart h and what was creat ed in t hem Do t hey not cont emplat e about all t his and learn lessons from it , so t hat t hey are cert ain t hat He Who has all t his, has no equal or rival All t his was made by He Who Alone deserves t he worship and sincere religion, so t hat t hey might have fait h in Him and believe in His Messenger, all t he while t urning t o Allah's obedience, rej ect ing any rivals t o Him, and rej ect ing idols. They should be warned t hat t heir lifes may have reached t heir end, and t hey, t hus, face t heir demise while disbelievers, ending up in Allah's t orment and severe punishment . Allah said,

(In what message aft er t his will t hey t hen believe) Allah says, what more warnings, and discouragement s should compel t hem t o believe, if t he warnings and t hreat s t hat Muhammad brought t hem from Allah in His Book do not compel t hem t o do so Allah said next ,


(186. Whomsoever Allah sends ast ray, none can guide him; and He let s t hem wander blindly in t heir t ransgressions.) Allah says, t hose who were dest ined t o be misguided, t hen none can lead t hem t o guidance, and even if t hey t ry t heir best effort t o gain such guidance, t his will not avail t hem,

(And whomsoever Allah want s t o put in Fit nah (error, because of his rej ect ing of Fait h, or t rial), you can do not hing for him against Allah) 5:41 , and,

(Say: "Behold all t hat is in t he heavens and t he eart h,'' but neit her Ayat nor warners benefit t hose who believe not ) 10:101 .

(187. They ask you about t he Hour (Day of Resurrect ion): "When will be it s appoint ed t ime'' Say: "The knowledge t hereof is wit h my Lord (Alone). None can reveal it s t ime but He. Heavy is it s burden t hrough t he heavens and t he eart h. It shall not come upon you except all of a sudden.'' They ask you as if you have a good knowledge of it . Say: "The knowledge t hereof is wit h Allah (Alone), but most of mankind know not .'')

The Last Hour and its Portents

Allah said here,

(They ask you about t he Hour), j ust as He said in anot her Ayah,

(People ask you concerning t he Hour) 33:63 . It was said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about t he Quraysh or t he Jews, alt hough it appears t hat it was about t he Quraysh, because t his Ayah was revealed in Makkah. The Quraysh used t o ask about t he Last Hour, because t hey used t o deny it and discount it s coming. For inst ance, Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(And t hey say: "When will be t his promise (t he t orment or t he Day of Resurrect ion), if you speak t he t rut h'') 10:48 , and,

(Those who believe not t herein seek t o hast en it , while t hose who believe are fearful of it , and know t hat it is t he very t rut h. Verily, t hose who disput e concerning t he Hour are cert ainly in error far away) 42:18 . Allah said here (t hat t he Quraysh asked),

("When will be it s appoint ed t ime'') in reference t o it s commencement , according t o ` Ali bin Abi Talhah who report ed t his from Ibn ` Abbas. They asked about t he Hour's appoint ed t erm and when t he end of t his world will begin;


(Say: "The knowledge t hereof is wit h my Lord (Alone). None can reveal it s t ime but He.'') Allah commanded His Messenger t hat when asked about t he appoint ed t erm of t he Last Hour, he referred it s knowledge t o Allah, t he Exalt ed. Only Allah knows t he Last Hour's appoint ed t erm and when it will cert ainly occur, and none besides Him has t his knowledge,

(Heavy is it s burden t hrough t he heavens and t he eart h) ` Abdur-Razzaq narrat ed t hat Ma` mar said t hat Qat adah comment ed on t his Ayah,

(Heavy is it s burden t hrough t he heavens and t he eart h) "It s knowledge is heavy on t he resident s of t he heavens and eart h, t hey do not have knowledge in it .'' Also, Ma` mar said t hat Al-Hasan comment ed on t his Ayah, "When t he Last Hour comes, it will be heavy on t he resident s of t he heavens and eart h.'' Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas explained t his Ayah,

(Heavy is it s burden t hrough t he heavens and t he eart h, ) saying, "All creat ures will suffer it s heaviness on t he Day of Resurrect ion.'' Ibn Jurayj also said about t his Ayah,

(Heavy is it s burden t hrough t he heavens and t he eart h.) "When it commences, t he heavens will be t orn, t he st ars will scat t er all over, t he sun will be wound round (t hus losing it s light ), t he mount ains will be made t o pass away and all of which Allah spoke of will occur. This is t he meaning of it s burden being heavy.'' As-Suddi said t hat ,

(Heavy is it s burden t hrough t he heavens and t he eart h) means, it s knowledge is hidden in t he heavens and eart h, and none, not even a close angel or a sent Messenger has knowledge of it s appoint ed t ime.


(It shall not come upon you except all of a sudden) indicat ing t hat t he Hour will st art all of a sudden, while t hey are unaware. Qat adah said, "Allah has decided t hat ,

(It shall not come upon you except all of a sudden.) He t hen said, "We were informed t hat Allah's Prophet said,

The Hour will st art (suddenly) for t he people while one is mending his wat ering hole, giving wat er t o his cat t le, set t ing his goods in t he market or lowering his scale and raising it (selling and buying).''' Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,


(The Hour will not commence unt il t he sun rises from t he west . When it rises (from t he west ) and t he people see it , t hen, all people will believe. However, t his is when fait h does not benefit a soul t hat did not believe beforehand nor earned good in fait h. The Hour will (all of a sudden) commence while t wo men have spread a garment bet ween t hem, and t hey will neit her have t ime t o conclude t he t ransact ion nor t o fold t he garment . The Hour will commence aft er a man milked his animal, but he will not have t ime t o drink it . The Hour will st art when a man is making his wat ering hole (for his animals), but will not have t ime t o make use of t he pool. And t he Hour will commence while a man has raised his hand wit h a bit e t o his mout h, but will not eat it .) Al-` Awfi said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah,

(They ask you as if you have good knowledge of it .) "As if you have good relat ions and friendship wit h t hem!'' Ibn ` Abbas said, "When t he people (pagans of Quraysh) asked t he Prophet about t he Last Hour, t hey did so in a way as if Muhammad was t heir friend! Allah revealed t o him t hat it s knowledge is wit h Him Alone and He did not inform a close angel or Messenger of it .'' The correct explanat ion for t his Ayah is, as narrat ed from Muj ahid, t hrough Ibn Abi Naj ih,

(They ask you as if you have Hafi of it .) means, ` as if you had asked about it s t ime and so it s knowledge is wit h you.' Allah said,

(Say: "The knowledge t hereof is wit h Allah (Alone), but most of mankind know not .'') When Jibril came in t he shape of a bedouin man t o t each t he people mat t ers of t heir religion, he sat next t o t he Messenger of Allah asking him as if t o learn. Jibril asked t he Messenger about Islam, t hen about Iman (fait h) t hen about Ihsan (Excellence in t he religion). He asked next , "When will t he Hour st art '' Allah's Messenger said,

(He who is asked about it has no more knowledge of it t han t he quest ioner.) Therefore, t he Prophet was saying, ` I have no more knowledge in it t han you (O Jibril), nor does anyone have more knowledge in it t han anyone else.' The Prophet t hen recit ed t he Ayah,

(Verily, Allah, wit h Him (Alone) is t he knowledge of t he Hour.) 31:34 In anot her narrat ion, Jibril asked t he Prophet about t he port ent s of t he Hour, and t he Prophet ment ioned t hem. The Prophet also said in t his narrat ion,

(Five, t heir knowledge is only wit h Allah) t hen recit ed t his Ayah (31:34). In response t o t he Prophet 's answers aft er each quest ion, Jibril would say, "You have said t he t rut h.'' This made t he Companions wonder about t his quest ioner who would ask a quest ion and at t est t o every answer he was given. When Jibril went away, t he Messenger of Allah said t o t he Companions,

(This is Jibril, he came t o t each you mat t ers of your religion.) In yet anot her narrat ion, t he Prophet comment ed,

(I recognized him (Jibril) in every shape he came t o me in, except t his one.) Muslim recorded t hat ` Aishah, may Allah be pleased wit h her, said; "When t he bedouins used t o come t o t he Prophet , t hey used t o ask him about t he Hour. The Prophet would answer t hem, while point ing at t he youngest person among t hem,

(If t his (young man) lives, he will not become old before your Hour st art s.) The Prophet meant t he end of t heir life t hat int roduces t hem t o t he life in Barzakh, which is bet ween t his life and t he Hereaft er. Muslim recorded t hat Anas said t hat a man asked Allah's Messenger about t he Hour, and t he Messenger answered,


(If t his young boy lives, it might be t hat he will not become old before t he Hour st art s.) Only Muslim collect ed t his Hadit h. Jabir bin ` Abdullah said, "I heard t he Messenger of Allah saying, one mont h before he died,

(You keep asking me about t he Hour, when it s knowledge is wit h Allah. I swear by Allah t hat t here is no living soul on t he face of t he eart h now will be alive a hundred years from now.) Muslim collect ed t his Hadit h. A similar Hadit h is recorded in Two Sahihs from Ibn ` Umar, but he comment ed, "The Messenger of Allah meant t hat his generat ion will be finished by t hat t ime reach it s appoint ed t erm.'' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Ibn Mas` ud said t hat t he Prophet said,

: : : :

 : : : : : : : . :
(During t he night of Isra', I met Ibrahim, Musa and ` Isa. They ment ioned t he mat t er of t he Last Hour, and t hey asked Ibrahim about it , who said, ` I do not have knowledge of it .' They asked Musa about it and he said, ` I have no knowledge of it .' They t hen asked ` Isa about it , and he said, ` As for when it will occur, only Allah, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored, knows t hat . My Lord has conveyed t o me t hat t he Daj j al (False Messiah) will appear, and I will have t wo st affs (spears) wit h me. When he sees me, he will dissolve j ust as lead is dissolved. Allah will dest roy him when he sees me, and t he t ree and t he st one will say, ` O Muslim! There is a disbeliever under (behind) me, so come and kill him.' Allah will dest roy t hem (t he Daj j al and his army), and t he people will safely go back t o t heir lands and areas. Thereaft er, Gog and Magog will appear, and t hey will be swarming from every mound, sweeping over t he eart h and dest roying

everyt hing t hey pass by. They will drink every wat er source t hey pass. The people will come t o me complaining about Gog and Magog and will invoke Allah, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored, against t hem, and Allah will bring deat h t o all of t hem unt il t he eart h rot s wit h t heir st inking odor. Allah will send down rain on t hem and t he rain will carry t heir corpses, unt il it t hrows t hem in t he sea... My Lord, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored has conveyed t o me t hat when t his occurs, t he Hour will be j ust like t he pregnant women when t he t erm of pregnancy is full, her family does not know when she will surprise t hem and give birt h, whet her by night or by day.) Ibn Maj ah also collect ed a similar Hadit h Therefore t hese are t he great est of t he Messengers but t hey did not have knowledge of t he appoint ed t erm of t he Hour. They asked ` Isa about it and he spoke about it s Signs, since he will descend in t he last generat ions of t his Ummah, implement ing t he Law of Allah's Messenger , killing t he Daj j al and dest roying Gog and Magog people by t he blessing of his supplicat ion. ` Isa merely informed t hem of t he knowledge Allah gave him on t his subj ect . Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Hudhayfah said, "The Messenger of Allah was asked about t he Hour and he said,

(It s knowledge is wit h my Lord, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored, none can reveal it s t ime except Him. However, I will t ell you about it s port ent s and t he signs t hat precede it . Before it commences, t here will be Fit nah (t rials) and Harj .) They asked, ` O Allah's Messenger! We know t he meaning of t he Fit nah, so what is t he Harj ' He said,

(It means killing, in t he Language of t he Et hiopians. ) He t hen said,

(Isolat ion and loneliness will be common bet ween people, and t herefore, almost no one will be able t o recognize any ot her.)'' None among t he collect ors of t he six Sunan collect ed t his Hadit h using t his chain of narrat ion. Tariq bin Shihab said t hat t he Messenger of Allah kept ment ioning t he Last Hour for people kept asking about it , unt il t his Ayah was revealed,

(They ask you about t he Hour (Day of Resurrect ion): "When will be it s appoint ed t ime''). AnNasa'i collect ed t his Hadit h, which has a st rong chain. Therefore, t his unlet t ered Prophet , t he

chief of t he Messengers and t heir Seal, Muhammad, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him, Muhammad, t he Prophet of mercy, repent ance, Al-Malhmah (great demise of t he disbelievers), Al-` Aqib (who came aft er many Prophet s), Al-Muqaffi (t he last of a succession) and Al-Hashir (below whom will all people be gat hered on t he Day of Gat hering ) Muhammad who said, as collect ed in t he Sahih from Anas and Sahl bin Sa` d,

(My sending and t he Hour are like t his,) and he j oined his index and middle fingers. Yet , he was commanded t o defer knowledge of t he Last Hour t o Allah if he was asked about it ,

(Say: "The knowledge t hereof is wit h Allah (alone), but most of mankind know not .'')

(188. Say : "I possess no power over benefit or harm t o myself except as Allah wills. If I had t he knowledge of t he Ghayb (Unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealt h, and no evil should have t ouched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad t idings unt o people who believe.'')

The Messenger does not know the Unseen, and He cannot bring Benefit or Harm even to Himself
Allah commanded His Prophet t o ent rust all mat t ers t o Him and t o inform, about himself, t hat he does not know t he unseen fut ure, but he knows of it only what Allah informs him. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

((He Alone is) t he All-Knower of t he Ghayb (Unseen), and He reveals t o none His Ghayb.) 72:26 Ad-Dahhak report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ,

(If I had t he knowledge of t he Ghayb (Unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealt h.) refers t o money. In anot her narrat ion, Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "I would have knowledge of how much profit I would make wit h what I buy, and I would always sell what I would make profit from,

("and no evil should have t ouched me.'') and povert y would never t ouch me.'' Ibn Jarir said, "And ot hers said, ` This means t hat if I know t he Unseen t hen I would prepare for t he years of famine during t he prosperous years, and in t he t ime of high cost , I would have prepared for it .''' ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam also comment ed on t his Ayah;

("and no evil should have t ouched me. ''), "I would have avoided and saved myself from any t ype of harm before it comes.'' Allah t hen st at ed t hat t he Prophet is a warner and bearer of good news. He warns against t he t orment and brings good news of Paradise for t he believers,

(So We have made t his (t he Qur'an) easy on your t ongue, only t hat you may give glad t idings t o t he pious, and warn wit h it t he most quarrelsome of people.) 19:97

 -
(189. It is He Who has creat ed you from a single person, and (t hen) He has creat ed from him his wife, in order t hat he might enj oy t he pleasure of living wit h her. When he covered had sexual relat ion wit h her, she became pregnant and she carried it about (light ly). Then when it became heavy, t hey bot h invoked Allah, t heir Lord (saying): "If You give us a Salih (good in every aspect ) child, we shall indeed be among t he grat eful.'') (190. But when He gave t hem a Salih child, t hey ascribed part ners t o Him (Allah) in t hat which He has given t o t hem. High be Allah, Exalt ed above all t hat t hey ascribe as part ners t o Him.)

All Mankind are the Offspring of Adam

Allah st at es t hat He has creat ed all mankind from Adam, peace be upon him, and from Adam, He creat ed his wife, Hawwa' and from t hem, people st art ed t o spread. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(O mankind! We have creat ed you from a male and a female, and made you int o nat ions and t ribes, t hat you may know one anot her. Verily, t he most honorable of you wit h Allah is t hat (believer) who has Taqwa) 49:13 , and,

(O mankind! Have Taqwa of your Lord, Who creat ed you from a single person, and from him He creat ed his wife.) 4:1 In t his honorable Ayah, Allah said;

(And (t hen) He has creat ed from him his wife, in order t hat he might enj oy t he pleasure of living wit h her.) so t hat he is int imat e and compassionat e wit h her. Allah said in anot her Ayah,


(And among His Signs is t his, t hat He creat ed for you wives (spouses) from among yourselves, t hat you may find repose in t hem, and He has put bet ween you affect ion and mercy.) 30:21 Indeed, t here is no int imacy bet ween t wo souls like t hat bet ween t he spouses. This is why Allah ment ioned t hat t he sorcerer might be able wit h his t rick t o separat e bet ween a man and his wife t hus indicat ing t he difficult y of separat ing t hem in normal circumst ances . Allah said next ,

(When he covered her) meaning had sexual int ercourses wit h her.

(she became pregnant and she carried it about light ly) in reference t o t he first st age of pregnancy when t he woman does not feel pain, for at t hat t ime, t he fet us will be j ust a Nut fah (t he mixt ure of t he male and female discharge), t hen becomes an ` Alaqah (a piece of t hick coagulat ed blood) and t hen a Mudghah (a small lump of flesh). Allah said next ,

(and she carried it about ), she cont inued t he pregnancy, according t o Muj ahid. It was report ed t hat Al-Hasan, Ibrahim An-Nakha` i and As-Suddi said similarly. Maymun bin Mahran report ed t hat his fat her said, "She found t he pregnancy unnot iceable.'' Ayyub said, "I asked Al-Hasan about t he Ayah,

(and she carried it about ) and he said, ` Had you been an Arab, you would know what it means! It means t hat she cont inued t he pregnancy t hrough it s various st ages .''' Qat adah said,

(and she carried it about (light ly).), means, it became clear t hat she was pregnant . Ibn Jarir comment ed, "This Ayah means t hat t he liquid remained, whet her she st ood up or sat down.'' Al` Awfi recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "The semen remained in, but she was unsure if she became pregnant or not ,


(Then when it became heavy), she became heavier wit h t he fet us'', As-Suddi said, "The fet us grew in her womb.''

(t hey bot h invoked Allah, t heir Lord (saying): "If You give us a Salih child,) if he is born human in every respect . Ad-Dahhak said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "They feared t hat t heir child might be born in t he shape of an animal!'' while Abu Al-Bakht ri and Abu Malik comment ed, "They feared t hat t heir newborn might not be human.'' Al-Hasan Al-Basri also comment ed, "If You (Allah) give us a boy.''

(we shall indeed be among t he grat eful. But when He gave t hem a Salih child, t hey ascribed part ners t o Him (Allah) in t hat which He has given t o t hem. High be Allah, Exalt ed above all t hat t hey ascribe as part ners t o Him.) 7:189-190 Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Al-Hasan comment ed on t his part of t he Ayah,

(t hey ascribed part ners t o Him (Allah) in t hat which He has given t o t hem) "This occurred by followers of some religion, not from Adam or Hawwa' .'' Al-Hasan also said, "This Ayah refers t o t hose among t he offspring of Adam who fell int o Shirk,

(t hey ascribed part ners t o Him (Allah) in t hat which He has given t o t hem.)'' Qat adah said, "AlHasan used t o say t hat it refers t o t he Jews and Christ ians. Allah gave t hem children, and t hey t urned t hem int o Jews and Christ ians.'' The explanat ions from Al-Hasan have aut hent ic chains of narrat ion leading t o him, and cert ainly, it is one of t he best int erpret at ions. This Ayah should t herefore be underst ood t his way, for it is apparent t hat it does not refer t o Adam and Hawa', but about t he idolat ors among t heir offspring. Allah ment ioned t he person first Adam and Hawwa' and t hen cont inued t o ment ion t he species mankind, many of whom commit t ed Shirk . There are similar cases in t he Qur'an. For cases, Allah said


(And indeed We have adorned t he nearest heaven wit h lamps) It is well-known t hat t he st ars t hat were made as lamps in t he sky are not t he same as t he shoot ing missiles t hat are t hrown at t he devils ment ioned lat er in t he Ayah . There are similar inst ances in t he Qur'an. Allah knows best .

- - - - - - -
(191. Do t hey at t ribut e as part ners t o Allah t hose who creat ed not hing but t hey t hemselves are creat ed) (192. No help can t hey give t hem, nor can t hey help t hemselves.) (193. And if you call t hem t o guidance, t hey follow you not . It is t he same for you whet her you call t hem or you keep silent .) (194. Verily, t hose whom you call upon besides Allah are servant s like you. So call upon t hem and let t hem answer you if you are t rut hful.) (195. Have t hey feet wherewit h t hey walk Or have t hey hands wherewit h t hey hold Or have t hey eyes wherewit h t hey see Or have

t hey ears wherewit h t hey hear Say: "Call your (so-called) part ners (of Allah) and t hen plot against me, and give me no respit e!) (196. Verily, my prot ect or is Allah Who has revealed t he Book (t he Qur'an), and He prot ect s t he right eous.) (197. And t hose whom you call upon besides Him (Allah) cannot help you nor can t hey help t hemselves.) (198. And if you call t hem t o guidance, t hey hear not and you will see t hem looking at you, yet t hey see not .'')

Idols do not create, help, or have Power over Anything

Allah admonishes t he idolat ors who worshipped idols, rivals and images besides Him, alt hough t hese obj ect s were creat ed by Allah, and neit her own anyt hing nor can t hey bring harm or benefit . These obj ect s do not see or give aid t o t hose who worship t hem. They are inanimat e obj ect s t hat neit her move, hear, or see. Those who worship t hese obj ect s are bet t er t han t hey are, for t hey hear see and have st rengt h of t heir own. Allah said,

(Do t hey at t ribut e as part ners t o Allah t hose who creat ed not hing but t hey t hemselves are creat ed) meaning, ` Do you associat e wit h Allah ot hers t hat neit her creat e, nor have power t o creat e anyt hing' Allah said in anot her Ayah,

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(O mankind! A similit ude has been coined, so list en t o it (carefully): Verily, t hose on whom you call besides Allah, cannot creat e (even) a fly, even t hough t hey combine t oget her for t he purpose. And if t he fly snat ches away a t hing from t hem, t hey will have no power t o release it from t he fly. So weak are (bot h) t he seeker and t he sought . They have not est imat ed Allah His right ful est imat e. Verily, Allah is All-St rong, Almight y) 22:73-74 . Allah st at es t hat if all false gods of t he disbelievers gat her t heir st rengt h, t hey would not be able t o creat e a fly. Rat her, if t he fly st eals anyt hing from t hem, no mat t er how insignificant , and flew away, t hey would not be able t o ret rieve it . Therefore, if an obj ect is t his weak, how can it be worshipped and invoked for provisions and aid This is why Allah said,

(... who creat ed not hing but t hey t hemselves are creat ed) t hese worshipped obj ect s t hemselves were creat ed and made. Prophet Ibrahim Al-Khalil proclaimed,

("Worship you t hat which you (yourselves) carve'') 37:95 Allah said next ,

(No help can t hey give t hem) t hose who worship t hem,

(nor can t hey help t hemselves) nor are t hey able t o aid t hemselves against t hose who seek t o harm t hem. For inst ance, Allah's Khalil, peace be upon him, broke and disgraced t he idols of his people, j ust as Allah said he did,

(Then he t urned upon t hem, st riking (t hem) wit h (his) right hand,) 37:93 and,

(So he broke t hem t o pieces, (all) except t he biggest of t hem, t hat t hey might t urn t o it .) 21:58 Mu` adh bin ` Amr ibn Al-Jamuh and Mu` adh bin Jabal, may Allah be pleased wit h bot h of t hem, were st ill young when t hey embraced Islam aft er t he Messenger of Allah came t o AlMadinah. So t hey were at t acking t he idols of t he idolat ors at night , breaking, disfiguring t hem and using t hem as fuel for needy widows. They sought t o give a lesson t o t heir people t o make t hem aware of t heir error. ` Amr bin Al-Jamuh, who was one of t he chiefs of his people, had an idol t hat he used t o worship and perfume. The t wo Mu` adhs used t o go t o t hat idol, t urn it on it s head and t arnish it wit h animal wast e. When ` Amr bin Al-Jamuh would see what happened t o his idol, he would clean it , perfume it and leave a sword next t o it , saying, "Defend yourself.'' However, t he t wo young men would repeat t heir act ions, and he would do t he same as before. Once, t hey t ook t he idol, t ied it t o a dead dog and t hrew it in a well while t ied t o a rope! When ` Amr bin Al-Jamuh saw t his, he knew t hat his religion was false and said, "By Allah! Had you been a god who has might , you would not end up t ied t o a dog on a rope!'' ` Amr bin AlJamuh embraced Islam, and he was st rong in his Islam. He was lat er mart yred during t he bat t le of Uhud, may Allah be pleased wit h him, give him pleasure. and grant him Paradise as his dwelling. Allah said,


(And if you call t hem t o guidance, t hey follow you not .) Allah says, t hese idols do not hear t he calls of t hose who worship t hem. Therefore, t he result is t he same, whet her calling t he idols or shunning t hem. Ibrahim, peace be upon said,

("O my fat her! Why do you worship t hat which hears not , sees not and cannot avail you in anyt hing'') 19:42 Next , Allah st at es t hat t he idols were creat ed, j ust as t hose who worship t hem. Rat her, t he people are bet t er t han t he idols, because t hey are able t o hear, see and exert harm. The idols, on t he ot her hand, have no such powers. Allah said next ,

(Say: "Call your (so-called) part ners (of Allah)) invoke t he idols for aid against me and do not give me respit e, even for an inst ant , and give it your best effort ,

(Verily, my prot ect or is Allah Who has revealed t he Book (t he Qur'an), and He prot ect s t he right eous.) Allah's support is sufficient and He will suffice for me, He is My support er, I t rust in Him and t ake refuge wit h Him. He is my prot ect or, in t his life and t he Hereaft er, and t he prot ect or of every right eous believer aft er me. Similarly, t he people of Hud said,

("All t hat we say is t hat some of our gods have seized you wit h evil (madness). '' Hud replied: "I call Allah t o wit ness, and bear you wit ness t hat I am free from t hat which you ascribe as part ners in worship, wit h Him (Allah) . So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respit e. I put my t rust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving (living) creat ure but He has t he grasp of it s forelock. Verily, my Lord is on a pat h t hat is st raight ) 11:54-56 . Ibrahim AlKhalil proclaimed (t o his people),

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(Do you observe t hat which you have been wershipping, You and your ancient fat hers. Verily, t hey are enemies t o me, save t he Lord of all t hat exist s. Who has creat ed me, and it is He Who guides me.'') 26:75-78 He also said t o his fat her and his people,

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("Verily, I am innocent of what you warship. Except Him Who did creat e me; and verily, He will guide me.'' And he made it a legacy last ing among his offspring, t hat t hey may t urn back (t o Allah).) 43:26-28 Allah said here,

(Verily, t hose whom you call upon besides Allah) unt il t he end of t he Ayah, reit erat ing what has been said earlier, but He uses direct speech t his t ime,

(cannot help you nor can t hey help t hemselves.) The Ayah,

(And if you call t hem t o guidance, t hey hear not and you will see t hem looking at you, yet t hey see not .) is similar t o anot her Ayah,

(If you invoke (or call upon) t hem, t hey hear not your call.) 35:14 . Allah said next ,

(and you will see t hem looking at you, yet t hey see not .) meaning, t hey have eyes t hat st are as if t hey see, alt hough t hey are solid. Therefore, t he Ayah t reat ed t hem as if t hey had a mind saying, Tarahum, inst ead of Taraha , since t hey are made in t he shape of humans wit h eyes drawn on t hem.

(199. Show forgiveness, enj oin Al-'Urf (t he good), and t urn away from t he foolish (don't punish t hem). ) (200. And if an evil whisper comes t o you from Shayt an, t hen seek refuge wit h Allah. Verily, He is All-Hearer, All-Knower.)

Showing Forgiveness
Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(Show forgiveness) "Allah commanded Prophet Muhammad t o show forgiveness and t urn away from t he idolat ors for t en years. Aft erwards Allah ordered him t o be harsh wit h t hem.'' And more t han one narrat ion from Muj ahid says, "From t he bad behavior and act ions of t he people, of t hose who have not commit t ed espionage.'' And Hashim bin ` Urwah said t hat his fat her said, "Allah ordered Allah's Messenger t o pardon t he people for t heir behavior.'' And in one narrat ion, "pardon what I have allowed you of t heir behavior. In Sahih Al-Bukhari it is recorded t hat Hisham report ed from his fat her ` Urwah from his brot her ` Abdullah bin AzZubayr who said; " The Ayah ;

(Show forgiveness) was only revealed about t he peoples bad charact er.'' There is a narrat ion from Mughirah from Hisham from his fat her from Ibn ` Umar; and anot her from Hisham from his fat her from ` A'ishah, bot h of whom said similarly. And Allah knows best . Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Yunus said t hat Sufyan bin ` Uyaynah narrat ed t hat Umay said, "When Allah, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored, revealed t his Ayah,

(Show forgiveness, enj oin Al-` Urf (what is good), and t urn away from t he foolish) t o His Prophet , t he Messenger of Allah asked,

(` What does it mean, O Jibril) Jibril said, ` Allah commands you t o forgive t hose who wronged you, give t o t hose who deprived you, and keep relat ions wit h t hose who cut t heirs wit h you.''' Al-Bukhari said, "Allah said,

(Show forgiveness, enj oin Al-` Urf and t urn away from t he ignorant ). ` Al-` Urf', means, right eousness.'' Al-Bukhari next recorded from Ibn ` Abbas t hat he said, "` Uyaynah bin Hisn bin Hudhayfah st ayed wit h his nephew Al-Hur bin Qays, who was among t he people whom ` Umar used t o have near him, for ` Umar used t o like t o have t he recit ers of t he Qur'an (who memorized it ) near him and would list en t o t heir opinion, regardless of whet her t hey were old or young men. ` Uyaynah said t o his nephew, ` O my nephew! You are close t o t his chief (` Umar), so ask for permission for me t o see him.' Al-Hur said ` I will ask him for you,' and he asked ` Umar for permission for ` Uyaynah t o meet him, and ` Umar gave him permission. When ` Uyaynah ent ered on ` Umar, he said, ` O Ibn Al-Khat t ab! You neit her give t o us sufficient ly nor rule wit h j ust ice bet ween us.' ` Umar became so angry t hat he almost punished ` Uyaynah. However, Al-Hur said, ` O Chief of he Fait hful! Allah, t he Exalt ed, said t o His Prophet ,

(Show forgiveness, enj oin Al-` Urf, and t urn away from t he foolish) Verily t his man (` Uyaynah) is one of t he fools!' By Allah, ` Umar did not do anyt hing aft er he heard t hat Ayah being recit ed, and indeed, he was one who adhered t o t he Book of Allah, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored.'' AlBukhari recorded t his Hadit h. Some scholars said t hat people are of t wo kinds, a good-doer, so

accept his good doing and neit her ask him more t han he can bear nor what causes him hardship. The ot her kind is t he one who falls in short comings, so enj oin right eousness on him. If he st ill insist s on evil, becomes difficult and cont inues in his ignorance, t hen t urn away from him, so t hat your ignoring him might avert his evilness. Allah said in ot her inst ances,

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(Repel evil wit h t hat which is bet t er. We are best -acquaint ed wit h t he t hings t hey ut t er. And say: "My Lord! I seek refuge wit h You from t he whisperings (suggest ions) of t he Shayat in (devils). And I seek refuge wit h You, My Lord! lest t hey should come near me.'') 23:96-98 and,

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(The good deed and t he evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (t he evil) wit h one which is bet t er, t hen verily he, bet ween whom and you t here was enmit y, (will become) as t hough he was a close friend. But none is grant ed it (t he above qualit y) except t hose who are pat ient -- and none is grant ed it except t he owner of t he great port ion in t his world.) 41:34-35 in reference t o t he advice cont ained in t hese Ayat ,

(And if an evil whisper from Shayt an t ries t o t urn you away (from doing good), t hen seek refuge in Allah. Verily, He is t he All-Hearer, t he All-Knower) 41:36 . Allah said in t his honorable Suah,


(And if an evil whisper comes t o you from Shayt an, t hen seek refuge wit h Allah. Verily, He is All-Hearer, All-Knower.) 7:200 These t hree inst ances in t he Qur'an, in Surahs Al-A` raf, AlMu'minun and As-Saj dah, are uinque in t he Qur'an. Allah encourages lenient t reat ment of evil doers, for t his might det er t hem from persist ence in t heir evil, Allah willing,

(t hen verily he, bet ween whom and you t here was enmit y, (will become) as t hough he was a close friend) 41:34 . Allah also encourages seeking refuge wit h Him from t he devils of t he Jinns. The devil will not be det erred if one is lenient wit h him, because he seeks your dest ruct ion and t ot al demise. The devil t o you, O mankind, is an open enemy, j ust as he was for your fat her before you. Ibn Jarir said, while explaining Allah's st at ement ,

(And if an evil whisper comes t o you from Shayt an), "If t he devil lures you t o get angry, t hus direct ing you away from forgiving t he ignorant and t owards punishing him

(t hen seek refuge wit h Allah.) Allah commands here t o seek refuge wit h Him from t he devil's whispers,

(Verily, He is All-Hearer, All-Knower.) Allah hears t he ignorance t hat t he fools subj ect you t o, your seeking refuge wit h Him from t he devil's whispers, and t he rest of t he speech of His creat ion; none of it escapes His knowledge. He knows what drives t he lures of t he devil away from you, as well as, t he rest of what His creat ures do.'' We ment ioned t he Hadit hs concerning Ist i` adhah (seeking refuge wit h Allah) in t he beginning of t his Tafsir, so we do not need t o repeat t hem here.

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(201. Verily, t hose who have Taqwa, when an evil t hought comes t o t hem from Shayt an, t hey remember (Allah), and (indeed) t hey t hen see (aright ).) (202. But (as for) t heir brot hers (t he devils' brot hers) t hey (t he devils) plunge t hem deeper int o error, and t hey never st op short .)

The Whispering of Shaytan and the People of Taqwa

Allah ment ions His servant s who have Taqwa, obeying His orders, and avoid what He forbade:

(when comes t o t hem) an evil t hought , or anger, or t he whispers of Shayt an cross t heir mind, or int end t o err, or commit an error,

(t hey remember) Allah's punishment , as well as, His t remendous reward. They remember Allah's promises and t hreat s, t hen repent , go back t o Him, seek refuge wit h Him and ask for forgiveness before deat h,

(and (indeed) t hey t hen see (aright )) t hey become aright and aware of t he error of t heir ways.

A Brethren of Devils among Mankind lure to Falsehood

Allah said next ,

(But (as for) t heir brot hers t hey plunge t hem deeper) in reference t o t he devils' brot hers among mankind. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(Verily, t he spendt hrift s are brot hers of t he Shayat in) 17:27 for t hey are followers of t he Shayat in, who list en t o t hem and obey t heir orders.

(They plunge t hem deeper int o error) t he devils help t hem commit sins, making t his pat h easy and appealing t o t hem

(and t hey never st op short ) for t he devils never cease incit ing mankind t o commit errors. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(But (as for) t heir brot hers t hey plunge t hem deeper int o error, and t hey never st op short .) "Neit her mankind st op short of t he evil t hat t hey are doing nor t he devils st op short of luring t hem. '' Therefore,

(t hey never st op short ) refers t o t he devils get t ing t ired or st opping t heir whispering. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(See you not t hat We have sent Shayat in against t he disbelievers t o push t hem t o do evil) 19:83 persist ent ly luring t he disbelievers t o commit evil, according t o Ibn ` Abbas and ot hers.


(203. And if you do not bring t hem a miracle, t hey say: "Why have you not brought it '' Say: "I but follow what is revealed t o me from my Lord. This (t he Qur'an) is not hing but evidences from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe.'')

Idolators ask to witness Miracles

Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(t hey say, "Why have you not brought it '') "They say, ` Why have you not received a miracle''', or, "Why have you not init iat ed or made it '' Ibn Jarir report ed t hat , ` Abdullah bin Kat hir said t hat Muj ahid said about Allah's st at ement ,

(And if you do not bring t hem a miracle, t hey say: "Why have you not brought it '') "They say, ` Produce a miracle of your own.''' Qat adah, As-Suddi, ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam and Ibn Jarir agreed wit h t his. Allah said next ,

(And if you do not bring t hem an Ayah) a miracle or a sign. Similarly, Allah said,

(If We will, We could send down t o t hem from t he heaven a sign, t o which t hey would bend t heir necks in humilit y.) 26:4 The pagans asked t he Prophet , why did you not st rive hard t o bring us an Ayah (miracle) from Allah so t hat we wit ness it and believe in it . Allah said t o him,


(Say: "I but follow what is revealed t o me from my Lord.'') I do not ask such t hings of my Lord. I only follow what He reveals and commands me. Therefore, if Allah sends a miracle, I will accept it . Ot herwise, I will not ask for it unless He allows me. Cert ainly, Allah is Most Wise, t he All-Knower. Allah next direct s t he servant s t o t he fact t hat t his Qur'an is t he most powerful miracle, clearest evidence and most t rue proof and explanat ion, saying,

(This (t he Qur'an) is not hing but evidences from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe.)

(204. So, when t he Qur'an is recit ed, list en t o it , and be silent t hat you may receive mercy.)

The Order to listen to the Qur'an

Aft er Allah ment ioned t hat t his Qur'an is a clear evidence, guidance and mercy for mankind, He commanded t hat one list en t o t he Qur'an when it is recit ed, in respect and honor of t he Qur'an. This is t o t he cont rary of t he pract ice of t he pagans of Quraysh, who said,

("List en not t o t his Qur'an, and make noise in t he midst of it s (recit at ion)'') 41:26 . Ibn Jarir report ed t hat Ibn Mas` ud said; "We would give Salams t o each ot her during Salah. So t he Ayah of Qur'an was revealed;

(When t he Qur'an is recit ed, t hen list en t o it .)

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(205. And remember your Lord wit hin yourself, humbly and wit h fear and wit hout loudness in words in t he mornings and in t he aft ernoons, and be not of t hose who are neglect ful). (206. Surely, t hose who are wit h your Lord (angels) are never t oo proud t o perform act s of worship t o Him, but t hey glorify His praise and prost rat e t hemselves before Him.)

Remembering Allah in the Mornings and Afternoons

Allah ordains t hat He be remembered more oft en in t he mornings and t he aft ernoons. Just as He ordered t hat He be worshipped during t hese t wo t imes when He said,

(And glorify t he praises of your Lord, before t he rising of t he sun and before (it s) set t ing.) 50:39 Before t he night of Isra', when t he five daily prayers were ordained, t his Ayah was revealed in Makkah ordering t hat Allah be worshipped at t hese t imes, Allah said next ,

(humbly and wit h fear) meaning, remember your Lord in secret , not loudly, wit h eagerness and fear. This is why Allah said next ,

(and wit hout loudness in words). Therefore, it is recommended t hat remembering Allah in Dhikr is not performed in a loud voice. When t he Companions asked t he Messenger of Allah, "Is our Lord close, so t hat we call Him in secret , or far, so t hat we raise our voices'' Allah sent down t he verse,


h(And when My servant s ask you concerning Me, t hen (answer t hem), I am indeed near (t o t hem by My knowledge). I respond t o t he invocat ions of t he supplicant when he calls on Me (wit hout any mediat or or int ercessor).) 2:186 In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat Abu Musa AlAsh` ari said, "The people raised t heir voices wit h Du` a' (invoking Allah) while t ravelling. The Prophet said t o t hem,

(O people! Take it easy on yourselves, for He Whom you are calling is not deaf or absent . Verily, He Whom you are calling is t he All-Hearer, close (by His knowledge), closer t o one of you t han t he neck of his animal.)'' These t ext s encourage t he servant s t o invoke Allah in Dhikr oft en, especially in t he mornings and aft ernoons, so t hat t hey are not among t hose who neglect remembering Him. This is why Allah praised t he angels who praise Him night and day wit hout t iring,

(Surely, t hose who are wit h your Lord (i.e., angels) are never t oo proud t o perform act s of worship t o Him) Allah reminded t he servant s of t his fact so t hat t hey imit at e t he angels in t heir t ireless worship and obedience of Allah. Prost rat ion, here, upon t he ment ion t hat t he angels prost rat e t o Allah is legit imat e. A Hadit h reads;

(Why not you st and in line (for t he prayer) like t he angels st and in line before t heir Lord They cont inue t he first t hen t he next lines and t hey st and close t o each ot her in line. ) This is t he first place in t he Qur'an where it has been legit imized -- according t o t he agreement of t he scholars -- for t he readers of t he Qur'an, and t hose list ening t o it s recit at ion, t o perform prost rat ion.

The Tafsir of Surat Al-Anfal (Chapter - 8) Which was revealed in Al-Madinah

There are sevent y-five Ayat in t his Surah. The word count of t his Surah is one t housand, six hundred and t hirt y-one words and it s let t ers number five t housand, t wo hundred and ninet yfour.

In t he Name of Allah t he Most Gracious, t he Most Merciful

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(1. They ask you about Al-Anfal (t he spoils of war). Say: "Al-Anfal are for Allah and t he Messenger.'' So have Taqwa of Allah and set t le all mat t ers of difference among you, and obey Allah and His Messenger, if you are believers.)

Meaning of Anfal
Al-Bukhari recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Al-Anfal are t he spoils of war.'' Al-Bukhari also recorded t hat Sa` id bin Jubayr said, "I said t o Ibn ` Abbas, ` Surat Al-Anfal' He said, ` It was revealed concerning (t he bat t le of) Badr.''' ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed, as Al-Bukhari recorded from Ibn ` Abbas wit hout a chain of narrat ion, t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Al-Anfal are t he spoils of war; t hey were for t he Messenger of Allah , and none had a share in t hem.'' Similar was said by Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, ` At a', Ad-Dahhak, Qat adah, ` At a' Al-Khurasani, Muqat il bin Hayyan, ` AbdurRahman bin Zayd bin Aslam and several ot hers. It was also said t hat t he Nafl (singular for Anfal) refers t o t he port ion of t he spoils of war t hat t he commander gives t o some of t he fight ers aft er dividing t he bulk of t he spoils. It was also said t hat Anfal refers t o t he Khumus; one-fift h of t he capt ured goods aft er four-fift hs are divided bet ween t he fight ers . It was also said t hat t he Anfal refers t o t he Fay', t he possessions t aken from t he disbelievers wit hout fight ing, and t he animals, servant s or what ever ot her possessions escape from t he disbelievers t o Muslims. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat ` Ali bin Salih bin Hay said: "It has reached me t hat ,

(They ask you about Al-Anfal) is about t he divisions. This refer t o what t he Imam gives t o some squads in addit ion t o what is divided among t he rest of t he soldiers.''

The Reason behind revealing Ayah 8:1

Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Sa` d bin Malik said, "I said, ` O Allah's Messenger, Allah has brought comfort t o me t oday over t he idolat ors, so grant me t his sword.' He said,

(This sword is neit her yours nor mine; put it down.) So I put it down, but said t o myself, ` The Prophet might give t his sword t o anot her man who did not fight as fiercely as I did.' I heard a man calling me from behind and I said, ` Has Allah revealed somet hing in my case' The Prophet said,

(You asked me t o give you t he sword, but it is not for me t o decide about . However, it has been grant ed t o me (by Allah), and I give it t o you.) So Allah sent down t his Ayah,

(They ask you about Al-Anfal. Say: "Al-Anfal are for Allah and t he Messenger''). Abu Dawud, At -Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i collect ed t his Hadit h, At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih''.

Another Reason behind revealing the Ayah 8:1

Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Umamah said, "I asked ` Ubadah about Al-Anfal and he said, ` It was revealed about us, t hose who part icipat ed in (t he bat t le of) Badr, when we disput ed about An-Nafl and our disput e was not appealing. So Allah t ook Al-Anfal from us and gave it t o t he Messenger of Allah . The Messenger divided it equally among Muslims.''' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Umamah said t hat ` Ubadah bin As-Samit said, "We went wit h t he Messenger of Allah t o t he bat t le of Badr. When t he t wo armies met , Allah defeat ed t he enemy and some of us pursued t hem inflict ing ut t er defeat and casualt ies. Anot her group of us came t o t he bat t lefield collect ing t he spoils of war. Anot her group surrounded t he Messenger of Allah , so t hat t he enemy could not at t ack him suddenly. When it was night and t he various army groups went back t o our camp, some of t hose who collect ed t he spoils said, ` We collect ed it , so none else will have a share in it .' Those who went in pursuit of t he enemy said, ` No, you have no more right t o it t han us. We kept t he enemy away from t he war spoils and

defeat ed t hem.' Those who surrounded t he Messenger of Allah t o prot ect him said, ` You have no more right t o it t han us, we surrounded t he Messenger of Allah for fear t hat t he enemy might conduct a surprise at t ack against him, so we were busy.' The Ayah,

(They ask you about Al-Anfal (t he spoils of war). Say: "Al-Anfal are for Allah and t he Messenger.'' So fear Allah and set t le all mat t ers of difference among you.) was revealed and t he Messenger of Allah divided t he Anfal equally bet ween Muslims.'''

(And Allah's Messenger would give a fourt h for Anfal when t here was a surprise at t ack in t he land of t he enemy, and when t here was a confront at ion t hen a t hird t o t he people who ret urned). The Prophet used t o dislike t he Anfal and encouraged st rong fight ers t o give some of t heir share t o weak Muslim fight ers. At -Tirmidhi and Ibn Maj ah collect ed a similar narrat ion for t his Hadit h, and At -Tirmidhi said, "Hasan''. Allah said,

(So have Taqwa of Allah and set t le all mat t ers of difference among you,) The Ayah commands, have Taqwa of Allah in all your affairs, set t le mat t ers of differences bet ween you, do not wrong each ot her, do not disput e, and do not differ. Cert ainly, t he guidance and knowledge t hat Allah has grant ed you is bet t er t han what you are disput ing about such as Al-Anfal ,

(and obey Allah and His Messenger,) in t he division t hat t he Messenger makes according t o Allah's order. The Prophet only divided according t o what Allah ordained, which is perfect ly j ust and fair. Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t his Ayah, "This is a command from Allah and His

Messenger t o t he believers, t hat t hey should have Taqwa of Allah and set t le all mat t ers of differences bet ween t hem.'' A similar st at ement was report ed from Muj ahid. As-Suddi also comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(So have Taqwa of Allah and set t le all mat t ers of difference among you), meaning "Do not curse each ot her.''

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(2. The believers are only t hose who, when Allah is ment ioned, feel a fear in t heir heart s and when His Ayat are recit ed unt o t hem, t hey increase t heir fait h; and t hey put t heir t rust in t heir Lord;) (3. Who perform t he Salah and spend out of what We have provided t hem.) (4. It is t hey who are t he believers in t rut h. For t hem are grades of dignit y wit h t heir Lord, and forgiveness and a generous provision (Paradise).)

Qualities of the Faithful and Truthful Believers

` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about t he Ayah,

(The believers are only t hose who, when Allah is ment ioned, feel a fear in t heir heart s) "None of Allah's remembrance ent ers t he heart s of t he hypocrit es upon performing what He has ordained. They neit her believe in any of Allah's Ayat nor t rust (in Allah) nor pray if t hey are alone nor pay t he Zakah due on t heir wealt h. Allah st at ed t hat t hey are not believers. He t hen described t he believers by saying,


(The believers are only t hose who, when Allah is ment ioned, feel a fear in t heir heart s) and t hey perform what He has ordained,

(and when His Ayat are recit ed unt o t hem, t hey increase t heir fait h) and convict ion,

(and t hey put t heir t rust in t heir Lord), having hope in none except Him. '' Muj ahid comment ed on,

(t heir heart s Waj ilat ), "Their heart s become afraid and fearful.'' Similar was said by As-Suddi and several ot hers. The qualit y of a t rue believer is t hat when Allah is ment ioned, he feels a fear in his heart , and t hus implement s His orders and abst ains from His prohibit ions. Allah said in a similar Ayah,

(And t hose who, when t hey have commit t ed Fahishah (immoral sin) or wronged t hemselves wit h evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for t heir sins; -- and none can forgive sins but Allah -- and do not persist in what (wrong) t hey have done, while t hey know) 3:135 , and,

 -
(But as for him who feared st anding before his Lord, and rest rained himself from vain desires. Verily, Paradise will be his abode.) 79:40-41 Sufyan At h-Thawri narrat ed t hat As-Suddi comment ed,

(The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts)
A man might be t hinking of commit t ing inj ust ice or a sin. But he abst ains when he is t old, ` Have Taqwa of Allah', and his heart becomes fearful.'''

Faith increases when the Qur'an is recited

Allah's st at ement ,

(And when His Ayat are recit ed unt o t hem, t hey increase t heir fait h;) is similar t o His st at ement ,

(And whenever t here comes down a Surah, some of t hem (hypocrit es) say: "Which of you has had his fait h increased by it '' As for t hose who believe, it has increased t heir fait h, and t hey rej oice) 9:124 . Al-Bukhari and ot her scholars relied on t his Ayah (8:2) and t hose similar, as evidence t hat fait h increases and varies in st rengt h from heart t o heart . This is also t he view of t he maj orit y of t he scholars of Islam, prompt ing some scholars, such as Ash-Shafi` i, Ahmad bin Hanbal and Abu ` Ubayd t o declare t hat t his is t he consensus of t he Ummah, as we ment ioned in t he beginning of t he explanat ion of Sahih Al-Bukhari. All t he t hanks and praises are due t o Allah.

The Reality of Tawakkul

Allah said,

(And t hey put t heir t rust in t heir Lord.) Therefore, t he believers hope in none except Allah, direct t heir dedicat ion t o Him alone, seek refuge wit h Him alone, invoke Him alone for t heir various needs and supplicat e t o Him alone. They know t hat what ever He wills, occurs and t hat what ever He does not will never occurs, t hat He alone is t he One Who has t he decision in His kingdom, wit hout part ners; none can avert t he decision of Allah and He is swift in reckoning. Hence t he st at ement of Sa` id bin Jubayr, "Tawakkul of Allah is t he essence of fait h.

Deeds of Faithful Believers

Allah said next ,

(Who perform t he Salah and spend out of what We have provided t hem.) Allah describes t he act ions of t he believers aft er He ment ioned t heir fait h. The act s ment ioned here include all t ypes of right eous act s, such as est ablishing prayer, which is Allah's right . Qat adah said, "Est ablishing t he prayer requires preserving it s t imes, making ablut ion for it , bowing down and prost rat ing.'' Muqat il bin Hayyan said, "Est ablishing t he prayer means t o preserve it s t imes, perform perfect purit y for it , perform perfect bowings and prost rat ions, recit e t he Qur'an during it , sit t ing for Tashahhud and recit ing t he Salah (invoking Allah's blessings) for t he benefit of t he Prophet .'' Spending from what Allah has grant ed includes giving t he Zakah and t he rest of t he what is due from t he servant , eit her what is obligat ory or recommended. All of t he servant s are Allah's dependent s, and t he most beloved among t hem t o Him are t he most beneficial t o His creat ion.

The Reality of Faith

Allah's st at ement ,

(It is t hey who are t he believers in t rut h.) means, t hose who have t hese qualit ies are t he believers wit h t rue fait h.

The Fruits of Perfect Faith

Allah said,

(For t hem are grades of dignit y wit h t heir Lord) meaning, t hey have different grades, ranks and st at us in Paradise,

(They are in varying grades wit h Allah, and Allah is All-Seer of what t hey do.) 3:163 Next , Allah said,

(and forgiveness), t herefore, Allah will forgive t hem t heir sins and reward t hem for t heir good deeds. In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(The resident s of ` Illiyyin (in Paradise) are seen from t hose below t hem, j ust as you see t he dist ant planet in t he horizon of t he sky.) They said, "O Allah's Messenger! They are t he grades of t he Prophet s t hat none except t hem would at t ain.'' The Prophet said,


(Rat her, by He in Whose Hand is my soul! They are for men who have fait h in Allah and believed in t he Messengers.) In a Hadit h recorded by Imam Ahmad and t he collect ors of Sunan, Abu ` At iyyah said t hat Ibn Abu Sa` id said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Resident s of Paradise see t he resident s of t he highest grades j ust as you see t he dist ant planet in t he horizon of t he sky. Verily, Abu Bakr and ` Umar are among t hem (in t he highest grades), and how excellent t hey are.)

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(5. As your Lord caused you t o go out from your home wit h t he t rut h; and verily, a part y among t he believers disliked it .) (6. Disput ing wit h you concerning t he t rut h aft er it was made

manifest , as if t hey were being driven t o deat h, while t hey were looking (at it ).) (7. And (remember) when Allah promised you (Muslims) one of t he t wo part ies, t hat it should be yours; you wished t hat t he one not armed should be yours, but Allah willed t o j ust ify t he t rut h by His Words and t o cut off t he root s of t he disbelievers.) (8. That He might cause t he t rut h t o t riumph and bring falsehood t o not hing, even t hough t he criminals hat e it .)

Following the Messenger is Better for the Believers

Allah said,

(As your Lord caused you t o go out ...) Aft er Allah described t he believers as fearing t heir Lord, resolving mat t ers of disput e bet ween t hemselves and obeying Allah and His Messenger , He t hen said here, "since you disput ed about dividing war spoils and differed wit h each ot her about t hem, Allah t ook t hem away from you. He and His Messenger t hen divided t hem in t rut h and j ust ice, t hus ensuring cont inued benefit for all of you. Similarly, you disliked meet ing t he armed enemy in bat t le, who marched in support of t heir religion and t o prot ect t heir caravan. You disliked fight ing, so Allah decided t hat bat t le should occur and made you meet your enemy, wit hout planning t o do so on your part .' This incident carried guidance, light , vict ory and t riumph. Allah said;

(Jihad is ordained for you t hough you dislike it , and it may be t hat you dislike a t hing which is good for you, and t hat you like a t hing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.) 2:216 As-Suddi comment ed,

(And verily, a part y among t he believers disliked) t o meet t he armed idolat ors. ''

(Disput ing wit h you concerning t he t rut h aft er it was made manifest ,)

Some have comment ed, "(Allah says:) t hey ask and argue wit h you about Al-Anfal j ust as t hey argued wit h you when you went out for t he bat t le of Badr, saying, ` You marched wit h us t o confiscat e t he caravan. You did not inform us t hat t here will be fight ing and t hat we should prepare for it .'''

(but Allah willed t o j ust ify t he t rut h by His Words) Allah says, ` He willed for you t o meet t he armed enemy rat her t han t he caravan so t hat He makes you prevail above t hem and gain vict ory over t hem, making His religion apparent and Islam vict orious and dominant above all religions. He has perfect knowledge of t he consequences of all t hings, you are surrounded by His wise planning, alt hough people only like what appears favorable t o t hem,'

(Jihad (fight ing in Allah's cause) is ordained for you (Muslims) t hough you dislike it , and it may be t hat you dislike a t hing which is good for you and t hat you like a t hing which is bad for you) 2:216 . Muhammad bin Ishaq report ed t hat ` Abdullah bin ` Abbas said, "When t he Messenger of Allah heard t hat Abu Sufyan had left t he Sham area (headed t owards Makkah wit h Quraysh's caravan), he encouraged t he Muslims t o march fort h t o int ercept t hem, saying,

(This is t he caravan of Quraysh carrying t heir propert y, so march fort h t o int ercept it , Allah might make it as war spoils for you.) The people st art ed mobilizing Muslims, alt hough some of t hem did not mobilize, t hinking t hat t he Prophet would not have t o fight . Abu Sufyan was caut iously gat hering informat ion on t he lat est news spying on t ravelers he met , out of fear for t he caravan, especially upon ent ering t he area of Hij az (West ern Arabia). Some t ravelers t old him t hat Muhammad had mobilized his companions for his caravan. He was anxious and hired Damdam bin ` Amr Al-Ghifari t o go t o Makkah and mobilize t he Quraysh t o prot ect t heir caravan, informing t hem t hat Muhammad had mobilized his Companions t o int ercept t he caravan. Damdam bin ` Amr went in a hurry t o Makkah. Meanwhile, t he Messenger of Allah marched wit h his companions unt il he reached a valley called Dhafiran. When he left t he valley, he camped and was informed t hat t he Quraysh

had marched t o prot ect t heir caravan. The Messenger of Allah consult ed t he people for advice and conveyed t he news about Quraysh t o t hem. Abu Bakr st ood up and said somet hing good, and so did ` Umar. Al-Miqdad bin ` Amr st ood up and said, ` O Allah's Messenger! March t o what Allah has commanded you, for we are wit h you. By Allah! We will not say t o you what t he Children of Israel said t o Musa,

("So go you and your Lord and fight you t wo, we are sit t ing right here'') 5:24 . Rat her, go you and Your Lord and fight , we will be fight ing along wit h you bot h. By He Who has sent you wit h Trut h! If you decide t o t ake us t o Birk-ul-Ghimad, we will fight along wit h you unt il you reach it .' The Messenger of Allah said good words t o Al-Miqdad and invoked Allah for his benefit . The Messenger of Allah again said,

(Give me your opinion, O people! want ing t o hear from t he Ansar. This is because t he maj orit y of t he people wit h him t hen were t he Ansar. When t he Ansar gave t he Prophet t heir pledge of obedience at Al-` Aqabah, t hey proclaimed, ` O Allah's Messenger! We are not bound by t his pledge unless, and unt il, you arrive in our land. When you have arrived in our area, you are under our prot ect ion, and we shall prot ect you in t he same manner we prot ect our children and wives.' The Messenger of Allah feared t hat t he Ansar might t hink t hat t hey are not obliged t o support him except from his enemies who at t ack Al-Madinah, not t o march wit h him t o an enemy in ot her areas. When t he Prophet said t his, Sa` d bin Mu` adh asked him, ` O Allah's Messenger! Is it us whom you meant ' The Prophet answered in t he posit ive. Sa` d said, ` We have fait h and believed in you, t est ified t hat what you brought is t he t rut h, and gave you our pledges and promises of allegiance and obedience. Therefore, march, O Allah's Messenger, for what Allah has commanded you. Verily, by He Who has sent you in Trut h, if you decided t o cross t his sea (t he Red Sea), we will follow you in it , and none among us would st ay behind. We do not dislike t hat we meet our enemy t omorrow. Verily, we are pat ient in war, fierce in bat t le. May Allah make you wit ness what makes your eyes pleased wit h us. Therefore, march wit h us wit h t he blessing of Allah.' The Messenger of Allah was pleased wit h what Sa` d said and was encouraged by it . He proclaimed,

(March wit h t he blessing of Allah and receive t he good news. For Allah has indeed promised me one of t he t wo camps (confiscat ing t he caravan or defeat ing t he Quraysh army). By Allah! It is as if I am now looking at t he demise of t he people (t he Quraysh).)''

Al-` Awfi report ed similar from Ibn ` Abbas. As-Suddi, Qat adah, ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam; and several ot hers among t he Salaf and lat er generat ions ment ioned similarly, We have j ust summarized t he st ory as Muhammad bin Ishaq briefed it .

-
(9. (Remember) when you sought help of your Lord and He answered you (saying): "I will help you wit h a t housand of t he angels Murdifin.'') (10. Allah made it only as glad t idings, and t hat your heart s be at rest t herewit h. And t here is no vict ory except from Allah. Verily, Allah is Almight y, All-Wise.)

Muslims invoke Allah for Help, Allah sends the Angels to help Them
Al-Bukhari wrot e in t he book of bat t les (in his Sahih) under "Chapt er; Allah's st at ement ,

((Remember) when you sought help of your Lord and He answered you) unt il,

(t hen verily, Allah is severe in punishment )'' t hat Ibn Mas` ud said, "I was a wit ness t o somet hing t hat Al-Miqdad bin Al-Aswad did, t hat I would like more t han almost anyt hing else t o have been t he one who did it . Al-Miqdad came t o t he Prophet while he was invoking Allah against t he idolat ors and proclaimed, ` We will not say as t he people of Musa said, "So go you and your Lord and fight you t wo.'' Rat her, we will fight t o your right , t o your left , before you and behind you.' I saw t he Prophet 's face beaming wit h pleasure because of what Al-Miqdad said t o him.'' Al-Bukhari next narrat ed from Ibn ` Abbas t hat on t he day of Badr, t he Prophet said,

(O Allah! I invoke You for Your covenant and promise (vict ory). O Allah! If You decide so (cause our defeat ), You will not be worshipped.) Abu Bakr held t he Prophet 's hand and said, "Enough.'' The Prophet went out proclaiming,

(Their mult it ude will be put t o flight , and t hey will show t heir backs.) An-Nasa'i also collect ed t his Hadit h. Allah's st at ement ,

(wit h a t housand of t he angels Murdifin) means, t hey follow each ot her in succession, according t o Harun bin Hubayrah who narrat ed t his from Ibn ` Abbas about ,

(Murdifin), meaning each behind t he ot her in succession. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah Al-Walibi report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Allah support ed His Prophet and t he believers wit h a t housand angels, five hundred under t he leadership of Jibril on one side and five hundred under t he leadership of Mika'il on anot her side.'' Imams Abu Ja` far bin Jarir At -Tabari and Muslim recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat ` Umar said, "While a Muslim man was pursuing an idolat or (during t he bat t le of Badr), he heard t he sound of a whip above him and a rider saying, ` Come, O Hayzum!' Then he looked at t he idolat or, who fell t o t he ground. When he invest igat ed, he found t hat t he idolat or's nose had wound and his face t orn apart , j ust as if he received a st rike from a whip on it , and t he ent ire face had t urned green. The Ansari man came t o t he Messenger of Allah and t old him what had happened and t he Messenger replied,

(You have said t he t rut h, t hat was from t he reinforcement s from t he t hird heaven.) The Muslims killed sevent y (pagans) in t hat bat t le and capt ured anot her sevent y. Al-Bukhari also wrot e a chapt er in his Sahih about t he part icipat ion of t he angels in Badr. He collect ed a Hadit h from Rifa` h bin Rafi ` Az-Zuraqi, who part icipat ed in Badr, Jibril came t o t he Prophet and asked him, "How honored are t hose who part icipat ed in Badr among you'' The Prophet said,

(Among t he best Muslims.) Jibril said, "This is t he case wit h t he angels who part icipat ed in Badr.'' Al-Bukhari recorded t his Hadit h. At -Tabarani also collect ed it in Al-Mu` j am Al-Kabir, but from Rafi` bin Khadij , which is an apparent mist ake. The correct narrat ion is from Rifa` h, as Al-Bukhari recorded it . In t he Two Sahihs, it is recorded t hat t he Messenger of Allah said t o ` Umar, when ` Umar suggest ed t hat t he Prophet have Hat ib bin Abi Balt a` ah execut ed,

:
(He Hat ib part icipat ed in Badr. How do you know t hat Allah has not looked at t he people of Badr and proclaimed, ` Do what ever you want , for I have forgiven you.') Allah said next ,

(Allah made it only as glad t idings. ..) Allah made sending down t he angels and informing you of t his fact as glad t idings,

(and t hat your heart s be at rest t herewit h.) Surely, Allah is able t o give you (O Muslims) vict ory over your enemies, and vict ory only comes from Him, wit hout need t o send t he angels,

(And t here is no vict ory except from Allah.) Allah said in anot her Ayah,

 - -
(So, when you meet (in fight in Allah's cause) t hose who disbelieve, smit e (t heir) necks t ill when you have killed and wounded many of t hem, t hen bind a bond firmly (on t hem, t ake t hem as capt ives). Thereaft er (is t he t ime) eit her for generosit y (free t hem wit hout ransom), or ransom (according t o what benefit s Islam), unt il war lays down it s burden. Thus, but if it had been Allah's will, He Himself could cert ainly have punished t hem (wit hout you). But (He let s you fight ) in order t o t est some of you wit h ot hers. But t hose who are killed in t he way of Allah, He will never let t heir deeds be lost . He will guide t hem and set right t heir st at e. And admit t hem t o Paradise which He has made known t o t hem.) 47:4-6 and,

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(And so are t he days (good and not so good), t hat We give t o men by t urns, t hat Allah may t est t hose who believe, and t hat He may t ake mart yrs from among you. And Allah likes not t he wrongdoers. And t hat Allah may t est (or purify) t he believers (from sins) and dest roy t he disbelievers.) 3:140-141 These are point s of wisdom for which Allah has legislat ed performing Jihad, by t he hands of t he believers against t he disbelievers. Allah used t o dest roy t he previous nat ions t hat denied t he Prophet s, using various disast ers t hat encompassed t hese rebellious nat ions. For inst ance, Allah dest royed t he people of Nuh wit h t he flood, ` Ad wit h t he wind, Thamud wit h t he scream, t he people of Lut wit h an eart hquake and t he people of Shu` ayb by t he Day of t he Shadow. Aft er Allah sent Musa and dest royed his enemy Fir` awn and his soldiers by drowning, He sent down t he Tawrah t o him in which He legislat ed fight ing against t he disbelievers, and t his legislat ion remained in t he successive Laws. Allah said,


(And indeed We gave Musa -- aft er We had dest royed t he generat ions of old -- t he Script ure as an enlight enment . ) 28:43 It is more humiliat ing for t he disbeliever and more comfort ing t o t he heart s of t he fait hful t hat t he believers kill t he disbelievers by t heir own hands. Allah said t o t he believers of t his Ummah,

(Fight against t hem so t hat Allah will punish t hem by your hands, and disgrace t hem, and give you vict ory over t hem, and heal t he breast s of a believing people.) 9:14 This is why killing t he disbelievers of Quraysh by t he hand of t heir enemies, whom t hey used t o despise, was more humiliat ing t o t he disbelievers and comfort ing t o t he heart s of t he part y of fait h. Abu Jahl, for inst ance, was killed in bat t le and t his was more humiliat ing for him t han dying in his bed, or from light ening, wind, or similar afflict ions. Also, Abu Lahab died from a t errible disease t hat caused him t o st ink and none of his relat ives could bear approaching him. They had t o wash him wit h wat er by sprinkling it from a dist ance, t hen t hrew st ones over his corpse, unt il it was buried under t hem! Allah said next ,

(Verily, Allah is All-Might y,), t he might is His, His Messengers and t he believers, bot h in t his life and t he Hereaft er. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(We will indeed make vict orious Our Messengers and t hose who believe, in t his world's life and on t he Day when t he wit nesses will st and fort h (Day of Resurrect ion). ) 40:51 Allah said next ,


(All-Wise.), in t hat He legislat ed fight ing t he disbeliever, even t hough He is able t o dest roy t hem and bring t heir demise by His will and power, all praise and honor is due t o Him.

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(11. (Remember) when He covered you wit h a slumber as a securit y from Him, and He caused wat er (rain) t o descend on you from t he sky, t o clean you t hereby and t o remove from you t he Rij z (whispering or dirt ) of Shayt an, and t o st rengt hen your heart s, and make your feet firm t hereby.) (12. (Remember) when your Lord revealed t o t he angels, "Verily, I am wit h you, so keep firm t hose who have believed. I will cast t error int o t he heart s of t hose who have disbelieved, so st rike t hem over t he necks, and smit e over all t heir fingers and t oes.'') (13. This is because t hey defied and disobeyed Allah and His Messenger. And whoever defies and disobeys Allah and His Messenger, t hen verily, Allah is severe in punishment . ) (14. This is (t he t orment ), so t ast e it ; and surely, for t he disbelievers is t he t orment of t he Fire.)

Slumber overcomes Muslims

Allah reminds t he believers of t he slumber t hat He sent down on t hem as securit y from t he fear t hey suffered from, because of t he mult it ude of t heir enemy and t he sparseness of t heir forces. They were given t he same favor during t he bat t le of Uhud, which Allah described,


(Then aft er t he dist ress, He sent down securit y for you. Slumber overt ook a part y of you, while anot her part y was t hinking about t hemselves. ) 3:154 Abu Talhah said, "I was among t hose who were overcome by slumber during (t he bat t le of) Uhud. The sword fell from my hand several t imes, and I kept picking it up again, several t imes. I also saw t he Companions' heads nodding while in t he rear guard.'' Al-Hafiz Abu Ya` la narrat ed t hat ` Ali said, "Only Al-Miqdad had a horse during Badr, and at some point , I found t hat all of us fell asleep, except t he Messenger of Allah . He was praying under a t ree and crying unt il dawn.'' ` Abdullah bin Mas` ud said, "Slumber during bat t le is securit y from Allah, but during prayer, it is from Shayt an.'' Qat adah said, "Slumber affect s t he head, while sleep affect s t he heart .'' Slumber overcame t he believers on t he day of Uhud, and t his incident is very well-known. As for t his Ayah (8:11), it is describing t he bat t le of Badr, indicat ing t hat slumber also overcame t he believers during Badr. Therefore, it appears t hat t his will occur for t he believers, whenever t hey are in dist ress, so t hat t heir heart s feel safe and sure of Allah's aid, rewards, favor and mercy from Allah wit h t hem. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

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(Verily, along wit h every hardship is relief. Verily, along wit h every hardship is relief.) 94:5-6 In t he Sahih, it is recorded t hat on t he day of Badr, while he was in t he bunker wit h Abu Bakr, t he Messenger and Abu Bakr were invoking Allah. Suddenly, slumber overcame t he Messenger and he woke up smiling and declared,

("Good news, O Abu Bakr! This is Jibril wit h dust on his shoulders.'' He left t he shade while recit ing Allah's st at ement ,

(Their mult it ude will be put t o flight , and t hey will show t heir backs.) 54:45

Rain falls on the Eve of Badr

Allah said next ,

(and He caused rain t o descend on you from t he sky.) ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "When t he Prophet arrived at Badr, he made camp. At t he t ime, t here was a sandy piece of land bet ween t he idolat ors and t he wat er (t he wells at Badr). Muslims felt weak and t he Shayt an cast frust rat ion int o t heir heart s. He whispered t o t hem, ` You claim t hat you are Allah's support ers and t hat His Messenger is among you! However, t he idolat ors have t aken over t he wat er resource from you, while you pray needing purit y.' Allah sent down heavy rain, allowing t he Muslims t o drink and use it for purit y. Allah also removed Shayt an's whisper and made t he sand firm when rain fell on it , and t he Muslims walked on t he sand along wit h t heir animals, unt il t hey reached t he enemy. Allah support ed His Prophet and t he believers wit h a t housand angels on one side, five hundred under t he command of Jibril and anot her five hundred under t he command of Mika'il on anot her side.'' An even a bet t er narrat ion is t hat collect ed by Imam Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar, aut hor of Al-Maghazi, may Allah have mercy upon him. Ibn Ishaq narrat ed t hat , Yazid bin Ruwman narrat ed t o him t hat , ` Urwah bin Az-Zubayr said, "Allah sent rain down from t he sky on a sandy valley. That rain made t he area where t he Messenger of Allah and his Companions camped firmer so t hat it did not hinder t heir movement . Meanwhile, t he part t hat t he Quraysh were camping on became difficult t o move in.'' Muj ahid said, "Allah sent down t he rain on t he believers before slumber overt ook t hem, and t he rain set t led t he dust , made t he ground firmer, made t hem feel at ease and t heir feet firmer.'' Allah said next ,

(t o clean you t hereby) using it aft er answering t he call of nat ure or needing t o wash oneself, and t his involves cleansing what is on t he out side,

(and t o remove from you t he Rij z of Shayt an,) such as his whispers and evil t hought s, t his involves sinner purificat ion, whereas Allah's st at ement about t he resident s of Paradise,

(Their garment s will be of fine green silk, and gold embroidery. They will be adorned wit h bracelet s of silver) 76:21 involves out er appearance,


(and t heir Lord will give t hem a pure drink.) 76:21 t hat purifies t he anger, envy and hat red t hat t hey might have felt . This is t he inner purit y. Next , Allah said,

(and t o st rengt hen your heart s, ) wit h pat ience and t o encourage you t o fight t he enemies, and t his is inner courage,

(and make your feet firm t hereby). t his involves out er courage. Allah know best .

Allah commands the Angels to fight and support the Believers

Allah said next ,

((Remember) when your Lord revealed t o t he angels, "Verily, I am wit h you, so keep firm t hose who have believed.'') This is a hidden favor t hat Allah has made known t o t he believers, so t hat t hey t hank Him and are grat eful t o Him for it . Allah, glorified, exalt ed, blessed and praised be He, has revealed t o t he angels -- whom He sent t o support His Prophet , religion and believing group -- t o make t he believers firmer. Allah's st at ement ,

(I will cast t error int o t he heart s of t hose who have disbelieved.) means, ` you -- angels -support t he believers, st rengt hen t heir (bat t le) front against t heir enemies, t hus, implement ing My command t o you. I will cast fear, disgrace and humiliat ion over t hose who defied My command and denied My Messenger, f


(so st rike t hem over t he necks, and smit e over all t heir fingers and t oes.) st rike t hem on t heir foreheads t o t ear t hem apart and over t he necks t o cut t hem off, and cut off t heir limbs, hands and feet . It was said t hat ,

(over t he necks) refers t o st riking t he forehead, or t he neck, according t o Ad-Dahhak and ` At iyyah Al-` Awfi. In support of t he lat t er, Allah commanded t he believers,

(So, when you meet (in fight Jihad in Allah's cause) t hose who disbelieve, smit e (t heir) necks t ill when you have killed and wounded many of t hem, t hen bind a bond firmly (on t hem, t ake t hem as capt ives).) 47:4 Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said, "In t he aft ermat h of Badr, t he people used t o recognize whomever t he angels killed from t hose whom t hey killed, by t he wounds over t heir necks, fingers and t oes, because t hose part s had a mark as if t hey were branded by fire.'' Allah said,

(and smit e over all t heir fingers and t oes.) Ibn Jarir comment ed t hat t his Ayah commands, "O believers! St rike every limb and finger on t he hands and feet of your (disbelieving) enemies.'' Al-` Awfi report ed, t hat Ibn ` Abbas said about t he bat t le of Badr t hat Abu Jahl said, "Do not kill t hem (t he Muslims), but capt ure t hem so t hat you make known t o t hem what t hey did, t heir ridiculing your religion and shunning AlLat and Al-` Uzza (t wo idols).'' Allah t han sent down t o t he angels,

(Verily, I am wit h you, so keep firm t hose who have believed. I will cast t error int o t he heart s of t hose who have disbelieved, so st rike t hem over t he necks, and smit e over all t heir fingers and t oes.) In t hat bat t le, Abu Jahl (may Allah curse him) was killed along wit h sixt y-nine men. ` Uqbah bin Abu Mua` it was capt ured and t hen killed, t hus bring t he deat h t oll of t he pagans t o sevent y,

(This is because t hey defied and disobeyed Allah and His Messenger.) j oining t he camp t hat defied Allah and His Messenger not including t hemselves in t he camp of Allah's Law and fait h in Him. Allah said,

(And whoever defies and disobeys Allah and His Messenger, t hen verily, Allah is severe in punishment .) for He will crush whoever defies and disobeys Him. Not hing ever escapes Allah's grasp nor can anyt hing ever st and against His anger. Blessed and exalt ed He is, t here is no t rue deit y or Lord except Him.

(This is (t he t orment ), so t ast e it ; and surely, for t he disbelievers is t he t orment of t he Fire.) This Ayah addresses t he disbeliever, saying, t ast e t his t orment and punishment in t his life and know t hat t he t orment of t he Fire in t he Hereaft er is for t he disbelievers.

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(15. O you who believe! When you meet t hose who disbelieve, in a bat t lefield, never t urn your backs t o t hem.) (16. And whoever t urns his back t o t hem on such a day -- unless it be a st rat agem of war, or t o ret reat t o a t roop (of his own) -- he indeed has drawn upon himself wrat h from Allah. And his abode is Hell, and worst indeed is t hat dest inat ion!)

Fleeing from Battle is prohibited, and its Punishment

Allah said, while warning against fleeing from t he bat t lefield and t hreat ening t hose who do it wit h t he Fire,

(O you who believe! When you meet t hose who disbelieve, in a bat t lefield,) when you get near t he enemy and march t owards t hem,

(never t urn your backs t o t hem.) do not run away from bat t le and leave your fellow Muslims behind,

(And whoever t urns his back t o t hem on such a day -- unless it be a st rat agem of war...) The Ayah says, whoever flees from t he enemy by way of planning t o pret end t hat he is afraid of t he enemy, so t hat t hey follow him and he t akes t he chance and ret urns t o kill t he enemy, t hen t here is no sin on him. This is t he explanat ion of Sa` id bin Jubayr and As-Suddi. Ad-Dahhak also comment ed, "Whoever went ahead of his fellow Muslims t o invest igat e t he st rengt h of t he enemy and make use of it ,

(or t o ret reat t o a t roop (of his own)), meaning he leaves from here t o anot her t roop of Muslims t o assist t hem or be assist ed by t hem. So t hat is allowed for him, or even during t he bat t le if he flees from his brigade t o t he commander. Or going t o t he grand Imam, would also fall under t his permission.'' ` Umar bin Al-Khat t ab, may Allah be pleased wit h him, said about Abu ` Ubayd when he was fight ing on t he bridge in t he land of t he Persians, because of t he many Zoroast rian soldiers, "If he ret reat ed t o me t hen I would be as a t roop for him.'' This is how it was report ed by Muhammad bin Sirin from ` Umar. In t he report of Abu ` Ut hman An-Nahdi from ` Umar, he said: When Abu ` Ubayd was fight ing, ` Umar said, "O people! We are your t roop.'' Muj ahid said t hat ` Umar said, "We are t he t roop of every Muslim.'' Abdul-Malik bin ` Umayr report ed from ` Umar, "O people! Don't be confused over t his Ayah, it was only about t he day of Badr, and we are a t roop for every Muslim.'' Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Nafi` quest ioned Ibn ` Umar, "We are people who are not st at ionary when fight ing our enemy, and we may not know where our t roop is, be it t hat of our Imam or our army.''

So he replied, "The t roop is Allah's Messenger .'' I said but Allah said,

(when you meet t hose who disbelieve in t he bat t lefield) t o t he end of t he Ayah . So he said; "This Ayah was about Badr, not before it nor aft er it .'' Ad-Dahhak comment ed t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(or t o ret reat t o a t roop), refers t o "Those who ret reat t o t he Messenger of Allah and his Companions (when t he Messenger was alive), and t hose who ret reat in t he present t ime t o his commander or companions.'' However, if one flees for any ot her reason t han t hose ment ioned here, t hen it is prohibit ed and considered a maj or sin. Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded t hat Abu Hurayrah said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

("Shun t he seven great dest ruct ive sins.'') The people inquired, "O Allah's Messenger! What are t hey'' He said,

((They are:) Joining ot hers in worship wit h Allah, magic t aking life which Allah has forbidden, except for a j ust cause (according t o Islamic law), consuming Riba, consuming an orphan's wealt h, fleeing t he bat t lefield at t he t ime of fight ing, and false accusat ion t o chast e women, who never even t hink of anyt hing t ouching chast it y and are good believers.) This is why Allah said here,

(he indeed has drawn upon himself...), and ret urned wit h,

(wrat h from Allah. And his abode...), dest inat ion, and dwelling place on t he Day of Ret urn,

(is Hell, and worst indeed is t hat dest inat ion!)

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(17. You killed t hem not , but Allah killed t hem. And you t hrew not when you did t hrow, but Allah t hrew, t hat He might t est t he believers by a fair t rial from Him. Verily, Allah is AllHearer, All-Knower). (18. This (is t he fact ) and surely Allah weakens t he deceit ful plot s of t he disbelievers.)

Allah's Signs displayed during Badr, And throwing Sand in the Eyes of the Disbelievers
Allah st at es t hat He creat es t he act ions t hat t he servant s perform and t hat what ever good act ions t hey t ake, it is He Who should be praised for t hem, for He direct ed and helped t hem perform t hese act ions. Allah said,

(You killed t hem not , but Allah killed t hem.) meaning, it is not because of your power and st rengt h t hat you killed t he pagans, who were many while you were few. Rat her, it is He Who gave you vict ory over t hem, j ust as He said in anot her Ayah,

(And Allah has already made you vict orious at Badr, when you were a weak lit t le force.) 3:123 , and,

(Truly, Allah has given you vict ory on many bat t lefields, and on t he day of Hunayn when you rej oiced at your great number, but it availed you naught and t he eart h, vast as it is, was st rait ened for you, t hen you t urned back in flight .) 9:25 Allah, t he Exalt ed and Ever High, st at es t hat vict ory does not depend on numbers or collect ing weapons and shields. Rat her, vict ory is from Him, Exalt ed He is.

(How oft en has a small group overcome a might y host by Allah's leave'' And Allah is wit h t he pat ient .) 2:249 Allah t hen ment ioned t he handful of sand t hat His Prophet t hrew at t he disbelievers during t he day of Badr, when he went out of his bunker. While in t he bunker, t he Prophet invoked Allah humbly and expressing his neediness before Allah. He t hen t hrew a handful of sand at t he disbelievers and said,

(Humiliat ed be t heir faces.) He t hen commanded his Companions t o st art fight ing wit h sincerit y and t hey did. Allah made t his handful of sand ent er t he eyes of t he idolat ors, each one of t hem were st ruck by some of it and it dist ract ed t hem making each of t hem busy. Allah said,

(And you t hrew not when you did t hrow, but Allah t hrew.) Therefore, it is Allah Who made t he sand reach t heir eyes and busied t hem wit h it , not you (O Muhammad) .

Muhammad bin Ishaq said t hat Muhammad bin Ja` far bin Az-Zubayr narrat ed t o him t hat ` Urwah bin Az-Zubayr said about Allah's st at ement ,

(t hat He might t est t he believers by a fair t rial from Him. ) "So t hat t he believers know Allah's favor for t hem by giving t hem vict ory over t heir enemy, even t hough t heir enemy was numerous, while t hey were few. They should t hus know His right and express grat it ude for His favor on t hem.'' Similar was said by Ibn Jarir. It is st at ed in a Hadit h,

(Every t rail (from Allah) is a favor for us.) Allah said next ,

(Verily, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.) Allah hears t he supplicat ion and knows t hose who deserve help and t riumph. Allah said,

(This (is t he fact ) and surely Allah weakens t he deceit ful plot s of t he disbelievers.) This is more good news, aside from t he vict ory t hat t he believers gained. Allah informed t hem t hat He will weaken t he plot s of t he disbelievers in t he fut ure, degrade t hem and make everyt hing t hey have perish and be dest royed, all praise and t hanks are due t o Allah.

(19. (O disbelievers) if you ask for a j udgement , now has t he j udgement come unt o you; and if you cease (t o do wrong), it will be bet t er for you, and if you ret urn (t o t he at t ack), so shall We ret urn, and your forces will be of no avail t o you, however numerous t hey be; and verily, Allah is wit h t he believers.)

The Response to the Disbelievers Who ask for a Judgement

Allah says t o t he disbeliever,

(If you ask for a j udgement ), you invoked Allah for vict ory, j udgement and a decision bet ween you and your believing nemesis, and you got what you asked for. Muhammad bin Ishaq and several ot hers report ed from Az-Zuhri from ` Abdullah bin Tha` labah bin Su` ayr who said t hat Abu Jahl said on t he day of Badr, "O Allah! Whichever of t he t wo camps (pagans and Muslims) severed t he relat ion of t he womb and brought us what is not familiar, t hen dest roy him t his day.'' This Ayah was lat er on revealed,

(If you ask for a j udgement , t hen now has t he j udgement come unt o you,) unt il t he end of t he Ayah. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat ` Abdullah bin Tha` labah said, "Abu Jahl asked for (Allah's j udgment ) when he said upon facing t he Muslims, ` O Allah! Those among us who severed t he relat ions of t he womb and brought fort h what we do not recognize, t hen dest roy him t his day.''' This was also recorded by An-Nasa'i in t he Book of Tafsir (of his Sunan) and Al-Hakim in his Must adrak, and he said, "It is Sahih according t o t he crit eria of t he Two Shaykhs, and t hey did not record it . ''. Similar st at ement s were report ed from Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, Ad-Dahhak, Qat adah, Yazid bin Ruwman and several ot hers. As-Suddi comment ed, "Before t he idolat ors left Makkah for Badr, t hey clung t o t he curt ains covering t he Ka` bah and supplicat ed t o Allah for vict ory, ` O Allah! Give vict ory t o t he exalt ed among t he t wo armies, t he most honored among t he t wo groups, and t he most right eous among t he t wo t ribes.' Allah revealed t he Ayah, F

(If you ask for a j udgement , t hen now has t he j udgement come unt o you.) Allah says here, ` I accept ed your supplicat ion and Muhammad gained t he vict ory.''' ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said; "This is Allah t he Most High's answer t o t heir supplicat ion;

(And (remember) when t hey said: "O Allah! If t his is indeed t he t rut h from you..)'' 8:32 Allah said next ,


(and if you cease...) from your disbelief and rej ect ion of Allah and His Messenger ,

(it will be bet t er for you), in t his life and t he Hereaft er. Allah said,

(and if you ret urn, so shall We ret urn...) This is similar t o anot her Ayah,

(but if you ret urn (t o sins), We shall ret urn (t o Our punishment ).) 17:8 meaning, ` if you persist in your disbelief and misguidance, We shall repeat t he defeat t hat you suffered,'

(and your forces will be of no avail t o you, however numerous t hey be...) for even if you gat her what ever forces you can, t hen know t hat t hose whom Allah is wit h cannot be defeat ed,

(and verily, Allah is wit h t he believers.) in reference t o t he Prophet 's group, t he side of t he chosen Messenger .

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(20. O you who believe! Obey Allah and His Messenger, and t urn not away from him while you are hearing. ) (21. And be not like t hose who say: "We have heard,'' but t hey hear not .) (22. Verily, t he worst of living creat ures wit h Allah are t he deaf and t he dumb (t he disbelievers), who underst and not .) (23. Had Allah known of any good in t hem, He would indeed have made t hem list en; and even if He had made t hem list en, t hey would but have t urned away wit h aversion.)

The Command to obey Allah and His Messenger

Allah commands His believing servant s t o obey Him and His Messenger and warns t hem against defying him and imit at ing t he disbelievers who rej ect him. Allah said,

(and t urn not away from him...), neit her refrain from obeying him or following his commands nor indulge in what he forbade,

(while you are hearing.) aft er you gained knowledge of his Message,

(And be not like t hose who say: "We have heard,'' but t hey hear not .) Ibn Ishaq said t hat t his Ayah refers t o t he hypocrit es, who pret end t o hear and obey, while in fact t hey do neit her. Allah declares t hat t hese are t he most wicked creat ures among t he Children of Adam,

(Verily, t he worst of living creat ures wit h Allah are t he deaf) who do not hear t he t rut h,


(and t he dumb) who cannot comprehend it ,

(who underst and not . ) These indeed are t he most wicked creat ures, for every creat ure except t hem abide by t he way t hat Allah creat ed in t hem. These people were creat ed t o worship Allah, but inst ead disbelieved. This is why Allah equat ed t hem t o animals, when He said,

(And t he example of t hose who disbelieve is as t hat of him who shout s t o t hose t hat hear not hing but calls and cries.) 2:171 , and,

(They are like cat t le, nay even more ast ray; t hose! They are t he heedless ones.) 7:179 It was also said t hat t he Ayah (8:22) refers t o some of t he pagans of Quraysh from t he t ribe of Bani ` Abd Ad-Dar, according t o Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid and Ibn Jarir. Muhammad bin Ishaq said t hat t his Ayah refers t o hypocrit es, as we st at ed. There is no cont radict ion here, because bot h disbelievers and hypocrit es are devoid of sound comprehension, in addit ion t o having lost t he int ent ion t o do good. Allah st at es here t hat such are t hose who neit her have sound underst anding nor good int ent ions, even if t hey have some t ype of reason,

(Had Allah known of any good in t hem, He would indeed have made t hem list en.) He would have helped t hem underst and. However, t his did not happen because t here is no goodness in such people, for Allah knows t hat ,

(even if He had made t hem list en...) and allowed t hem t o underst and,

(t hey would but have t urned...), int ent ionally and out of st ubbornness, even aft er t hey comprehend,

(wit h aversion.), t o t he t rut h.

(24. O you who believe! Answer Allah and (His) Messenger when he (t he Messenger) calls you t o t hat which will give you life, and know t hat Allah comes bet ween a person and his heart . And verily t o Him you shall (all) be gat hered.)

The Command to answer and obey Allah and His Messenger

Al-Bukhari said,

"(Answer), obey,

(t hat which will give you life) t hat which will make your affairs good.'' Al-Bukhari went on t o narrat e t hat Abu Sa` id bin Al-Mu` alla said, "I was praying when t he Prophet passed by and called me, but I did not answer him unt il I finished t he prayer. He said,

:
(What prevent ed you from answering me Has not Allah said:


(O you who believe! Answer Allah and (His) Messenger when he calls you t o t hat which will give you life)' He t hen said:

(I will t each you t he great est Suah in t he Qur'an before I leave.) When he was about t o leave, I ment ioned what he said t o me. He said,

(All t he praises and t hanks are t o Allah, t he Lord of all t hat exist s...) 1:1-6 .

(Surely, it is t he seven oft -repeat ed verses.)''' Muhammad bin Ishaq narrat ed t hat Muhammad bin Ja` far bin Az-Zubayr said t hat ` Urwah bin Az-Zubayr explained t his Ayah,

(O you who believe! Answer Allah and (His) Messenger when he calls you t o t hat which will give you life,) "Answer when called t o war (Jihad) wit h which Allah gives you might aft er meekness, and st rengt h aft er weakness, and shields you from t he enemy who oppressed you.''

Allah comes in between a Person and His Heart

Allah said,

(and know t hat Allah comes in bet ween a person and his heart .)

Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "Allah prevent s t he believer from disbelief and t he disbeliever from fait h.'' Al-Hakim recorded t his in his Must adrak and said, "It is Sahih and t hey did not record it .'' . Similar was said by Muj ahid, Sa` id, ` Ikrimah, Ad-Dahhak, Abu Salih ` At iyyah, Muqat il bin Hayyan and As-Suddi. In anot her report from Muj ahid, he comment ed;

(...comes in bet ween a person and his heart .) "Leaves him wit hout comprehension,'' As-Suddi said, "Prevent s one self from his own heart , so he will neit her believe nor disbelieve except by His leave.'' There are several Hadit hs t hat conform wit h t he meaning of t his Ayah. For inst ance, Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Anas bin Malik said, "The Prophet used t o oft en say t hese words,

(O You Who changes t he heart s, make my heart firm on Your religion.) We said, ` O Allah's Messenger! We believed in you and in what you brought us. Are you afraid for us' He said,

(Yes, for t he heart s are bet ween t wo of Allah's Fingers, He changes t hem (as He wills).)'' This is t he same narrat ion recorded by At -Tirmidhi in t he Book of Qadar in his Jami' Sunan , and he said, "Hasan.'' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat An-Nawwas bin Sam` an Al-Kilabi said t hat he heard t he Prophet saying,

(Every heart is bet ween t wo of t he Fingers of t he Most Beneficent (Allah), Lord of all t hat exist s, if He wills, He makes it st raight , and if He wills, He makes it st ray.) And he said:

(O You Who changes t he heart s! keep my heart firm on Your religion) And he would say;

(The Balance is in t he Hand of Ar-Rahman, He raises and lowers it .) This was also recorded by An-Nasai and Ibn Maj ah.

(25. And fear t he Fit nah (afflict ion and t rial) which affect s not in part icular (only) t hose of you who do wrong, and know t hat Allah is severe in punishment .)

Warning against an encompassing Fitnah

Allah warns His believing servant s of a Fit nah, t rial and t est , t hat encompasses t he wicked and t hose around t hem. Therefore, such Fit nah will not be rest rict ed t o t he sinners and evildoers. Rat her, it will reach t he ot hers if t he sins are not st opped and prevent ed. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Mut arrif said, "We asked Az-Zubayr, ` O Abu ` Abdullah! What brought you here (for t he bat t le of Al-Jamal) You abandoned t he Khalifah who was assassinat ed (` Ut hman, may Allah be pleased wit h him) and t hen came asking for revenge for his blood' He said, ` We recit ed at t he t ime of t he Messenger of Allah , and Abu Bakr, ` Umar and ` Ut hman,

(And fear t he Fit nah (afflict ion and t rial) which affect s not in part icular (only) t hose of you who do wrong,) We did not t hink t hat t his Ayah was about us t oo, unt il it reached us as it did.''' ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed t hat Ibn ` Abbas said t hat t he Ayah,

(And fear t he Fit nah (afflict ion and t rial) which affect s not in part icular (only) t hose of you who do wrong,) refers t o t he Companions of t he Prophet in part icular. In anot her narrat ion from Ibn ` Abbas, he said, "Allah commanded t he believers t o st op evil from flourishing among t hem, so

t hat Allah does not encompass t hem all in t he t orment (Fit nah). '' This, indeed, is a very good explanat ion, prompt ing Muj ahid t o comment about Allah's st at ement ,

(And fear t he Fit nah (afflict ion and t rial) which affect s not in part icular (only) t hose of you who do wrong,) "Is for you t oo!'' Several said similarly, such as Ad-Dahhak and Yazid bin Abi Habib and several ot hers. Ibn Mas` ud said, "There is none among you but t here is somet hing t hat represent s a Fit nah for him, for Allah said,

(Your wealt h and your children are only a t rial (Fit nah)...) 64:15 . Therefore, when you seek refuge, seek it wit h Allah from t he Fit nah t hat causes misguidance.'' Ibn Jarir collect ed t his Hadit h. The view t hat t he warning in t his Ayah addresses t he Companions and all ot hers is t rue, even t hough t he speech in t he Ayah was direct ed at t he Companions. There are Hadit hs t hat warn against Fit nah in general, t hus providing t he correct ness of t his explanat ion. Similarly t here will be a separat e book in which t his subj ect will be discussed, Allah willing, as also is t he case wit h t he Imams, t here being a number of writ ings about t his. Of t he most precise t hings t hat have been ment ioned under t his t opic, is what was recorded by Imam Ahmad from Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(By He in Whose Hand is my soul! You will enj oin right eousness and forbid evil, or Allah will send a punishment upon you from Him; you will supplicat e t hen t o Him, but He will not answer your supplicat ion.) Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Abu Ar-Riqad said, "I heard Hudhayfah saying, ` A person used t o ut t er one word during t he t ime of t he Messenger of Allah and become a hypocrit e on account of it . I now hear such words from one of you four t imes in t he same sit t ing. Surely, you will enj oin good, forbid evil and encourage each ot her t o do good or Allah will surround you all wit h t orment , or make t he wicked among you become your leaders. The right eous among you will t hen supplicat e, but t heir supplicat ion will not be accept ed.''' sImam Ahmad recorded t hat AnNu` man bin Bashir said t hat t he Prophet gave a speech in which he said, while point ing t o his ears wit h t wo of his fingers,

 : :
(The parable of t he person abiding by Allah's order and rest rict ions in comparison t o t hose who violat e t hem, or sit idle while t hey are being violat ed, is t hat of t hose who drew lot s for t heir seat s in a boat . Some of t hem got seat s in t he lower part , which is t he most rough and worst part , and t he ot hers in t he upper. When t he former needed wat er, t hey had t o go up t o bring wat er and t hat t roubled t he ot hers, so t hey said, ` Let us make a hole in our share of t he ship and get wat er, saving t hose who are above us from t roubling t hem, so, if t he people in t he upper part let t he ot hers do what t hey suggest ed, all t he people of t he ship would be dest royed, but if t hey prevent ed t hem, bot h part ies would be safe.) This was recorded by Al-Bukhari, but not Muslim, in t he Book of Part nerships and t he Book of Wit nesses. It was also recorded by At -Tirmidhi t hrough a different rout e of narrat ion. Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Umm Salamah, t he Prophet 's wife, said, "I heard t he Messenger of Allah saying,

(If sins become apparent in my Ummah, Allah will surround t hem wit h punishment from Him.) I said, ` O Allah's Messenger! Will t hey have right eous people among t hem t hen' He said,

(Yes.) I asked, ` What will happen t o t hem' He said,

(They will be st riken as t he people, but t hey will end up wit h Allah's forgiveness and pleasure.)'' Imam Ahmad recorded t hat Jarir said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

(Every people among whom sins are being commit t ed, while t hey are might ier and more numerous t han t hose who do wrong, yet t hey did not hing t o st op t hem, t hen Allah will surround t hem all wit h punishment .) Ibn Maj ah collect ed t his Hadit h.

(26. And remember when you were few and were reckoned weak in t he land, and were afraid t hat men might kidnap you, but He provided a safe place for you, st rengt hened you wit h His help, and provided you wit h good t hings (for livelihood) so t hat you might be grat eful.)

Reminding Muslims of Their previous State of Weakness and Subjugation which changed into Might and Triumph
Allah, t he Exalt ed, reminds His believing servant s of His blessings and favors on t hem. They were few and He made t hem many, weak and fearful and He provided t hem wit h st rengt h and vict ory. They were meek and poor, and He grant ed t hem sust enance and livelihood. He ordered t hem t o be grat eful t o Him, and t hey obeyed Him and implement ed what He commanded. When t he believers were st ill in Makkah t hey were few, pract icing t heir religion in secret , oppressed, fearing t hat pagans, fire worshippers or Romans might kidnap t hem from t he various

part s of Allah's eart h, for t hey were all enemies of t he Muslims, especially since Muslims were few and weak. Lat er on, Allah permit t ed t he believers t o migrat e t o Al-Madinah, where He allowed t hem t o set t le in a safe resort . Allah made t he people of Al-Madinah t heir allies, giving t hem refuge and support during Badr and ot her bat t les. They helped t he Migrant s wit h t heir wealt h and gave up t heir lives in obedience of Allah and His Messenger . Qat adah bin Di` amah As-Sadusi comment ed,

(And remember when you were few and were reckoned weak in t he land,) "Arabs were t he weakest of t he weak, had t he t oughest life, t he empt iest st omachs, t he barest skin and t he most obvious misguidance. Those who lived among t hem lived in misery; t hose who died went t o t he Fire. They were being eat en up, but unable t o eat up ot hers! By Allah! We do not know of a people on t he face of t he eart h at t hat t ime who had a worse life t han t hem. When Allah brought Islam, He made it dominant on t he eart h, t hus bringing provisions and leadership for t hem over t he necks of people. It is t hrough Islam t hat Allah grant ed all what you see, so t hank Him for His favors, for your Lord is One Who best ows favors and likes praise. Verily, t hose who t hank Allah enj oy even more bount ies from Him.''

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(27. O you who believe! Bet ray not Allah and His Messenger, nor bet ray knowingly your Amanat (t hings ent rust ed t o you)). (28. And know t hat your possessions and your children are but a t rial and t hat surely, wit h Allah is a might y reward.)

Reason behind revealing This Ayah, and the prohibition of Betrayal

The Two Sahihs ment ion t he st ory of Hat ib bin Abi Balt a` ah. In t he year of t he vict ory of Makkah he wrot e t o t he Quraysh alert ing t hem t hat t he Messenger of Allah int ended t o march t owards t hem. Allah informed His Messenger of t his, and he sent a Companion t o ret rieve t he let t er t hat Hat ib sent , and t hen he summoned him. He admit t ed t o what he did. ` Umar bin AlKhat t ab st ood up and said, "O Allah's Messenger! Should I cut off his head, for he has bet rayed Allah, His Messenger and t he believers'' The Prophet said,

 :
(Leave him! He part icipat ed in Badr. How do you know t hat Allah has not looked at t hose who part icipat ed in Badr and said, Do what ever you want , for I have forgiven you.) However, it appears t hat t his Ayah is more general, even if it was revealed about a specific incident . Such rulings are dealt wit h by t heir indicat ions, not t he specific reasons behind revealing t hem, according t o t he maj orit y of scholars. Bet rayal includes bot h minor and maj or sins, as well t hose t hat affect ot hers. ` Ali bin Abi Talhah said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on t he Ayah,

(nor bet ray your Amanat ) "The Amanah refers t o t he act ions t hat Allah has ent rust ed t he servant s wit h, such as and including what He ordained. Therefore, Allah says here,

(nor bet ray...), ` do not abandon t he obligat ions.''' ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd comment ed, "Allah forbade you from bet raying Him and His Messenger, as hypocrit es do.'' Allah said,

(And know t hat your possessions and your children are but a t rial.) from Him t o you. He grant s t hese t o you so t hat He knows which of you will be grat eful and obedient t o Him, or become busy wit h and dedicat ed t o t hem inst ead of Him. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(Your wealt h and your children are only a t rial, whereas Allah! Wit h Him is a great reward.) 64:15 ,


(And We shall make a t rial of you wit h evil and wit h good.) 21:35 ,

(O you who believe! Let not your propert ies or your children divert you from t he remembrance of Allah. And whosoever does t hat , t hen t hey are t he losers.) 63:9 , and,

(O you who believe! Verily, among your wives and your children t here are enemies for you (who may st op you from t he obedience of Allah); t herefore beware of t hem!) 64:14 Allah said next ,

(And t hat surely wit h Allah is a might y reward.) Therefore, Allah's reward, favor and Paradise are bet t er for you t han wealt h and children. Cert ainly, among t he wealt h and children t here might be enemies for you and much of t hem avail not hing. Wit h Allah alone is t he decision and sovereignt y in t his life and t he Hereaft er, and He gives t remendous rewards on t he Day of Resurrect ion. In t he Sahih, t here is a Hadit h in which t he Messenger of Allah said,


(There are t hree qualit ies for which whomever has t hem, he will have t ast ed t he sweet ness of fait h. (They are:) whoever Allah and His Messenger are dearer t o him t han anyone else, whoever loves a person for Allah's sake alone, and whoever prefers t o be t hrown in fire rat her t han revert t o disbelief, aft er Allah has saved him from it .) Therefore, loving t he Messenger of Allah comes before loving children, wealt h and oneself. In t he Sahih, it is confirmed t hat he said,

(By He in Whose Hand is my soul! None of you will have fait h unless I become dearer t o him t han himself, his family, his wealt h and all people.)

(29. O you who believe! If you obey and fear Allah, He will grant you Furqan, and will expiat e for you your sins, and forgive you; and Allah is t he Owner of t he great bount y.) Ibn ` Abbas, As-Suddi, Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Ad-Dahhak, Qat adah, Muqat il bin Hayyan and several ot hers said t hat ,

(Furqan), means, ` a way out '; Muj ahid added, "In t his life and t he Hereaft er.'' In anot her narrat ion, Ibn ` Abbas is report ed t o have said, ` Furqan' means ` salvat ion' or -- according t o anot her narrat ion -- ` aid'. Muhammad bin Ishaq said t hat ` Furqan' means ` crit erion bet ween t rut h and falsehood'. This last explanat ion from Ibn Ishaq is more general t han t he rest t hat we ment ioned, and it also includes t he ot her meanings. Cert ainly, t hose who have Taqwa of Allah by obeying what He ordained and abst aining from what he forbade, will be guided t o

different iat e bet ween t he t rut h and t he falsehood. This will be a t riumph, safet y and a way out for t hem from t he affairs of t his life, all t he while acquiring happiness in t he Hereaft er. They will also gain forgiveness, t hus having t heir sins erased, and pardon, t hus having t heir sins covered from ot her people, as well as, being direct ed t o a way t o gain Allah's t remendous rewards,

(O you who believe! Have Taqwa of Allah, and believe in His Messenger, He will give you a double port ion of His mercy, and He will give you a light by which you shall walk (st raight ). And He will forgive you. And Allah is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.) 57:28 .

(30. And (remember) when t he disbelievers plot t ed against you t o imprison you, or t o kill you, or t o expel you (from your home, Makkah); t hey were plot t ing and Allah t oo was plot t ing; and Allah is t he best of plot t ers.)

The Makkans plot to kill the Prophet , imprison Him or expel Him from Makkah
Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid and Qat adah said,

(Liyut hbit uka) means "t o imprison you.'' As-Suddi said, "It hbat is t o confine or t o shackle.'' Imam Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar, t he aut hor of Al-Maghazi, report ed from ` Abdullah bin Abi Naj ih, from Muj ahid, from Ibn ` Abbas, "Some of t he chiefs of t he various t ribes of Quraysh gat hered in Dar An-Nadwah (t heir conference area) and Iblis (Shayt an) met t hem in t he shape of an eminent old man. When t hey saw him, t hey asked, ` Who are you' He said, ` An old man from Naj d. I heard t hat you are having a meet ing, and I wished t o at t end your meet ing. You will benefit from my opinion and advice.' They said, ` Agreed, come in.' He ent ered wit h t hem.

Iblis said, ` You have t o t hink about t his man (Muhammad)! By Allah, he will soon overwhelm you wit h his mat t er (religion).' One of t hem said, ` Imprison him, rest rained in chains, unt il he dies j ust like t he poet s before him all died, such as Zuhayr and An-Nabighah! Verily, he is a poet like t hey were.' The old man from Naj d, t he enemy of Allah, comment ed, ` By Allah! This is not a good idea. His Lord will release him from his prison t o his companions, who will liberat e him from your hands. They will prot ect him from you and t hey might expel you from your land.' They said, ` This old man said t he t rut h. Therefore, seek an opinion ot her t han t his one.' Anot her one of t hem said, ` Expel him from your land, so t hat you are free from his t rouble! If he leaves your land, you will not be bot hered by what he does or where he goes, as long as he is not among you t o bring you t roubles, he will be wit h someone else.' The old man from Naj d replied, ` By Allah! This is not a good opinion. Have you forgot t en his sweet t alk and eloquency, as well as, how his speech capt ures t he heart s By Allah! This way, he will collect even more followers among Arabs, who will gat her against you and at t ack you in your own land, expel you and kill your chiefs.' They said, ` He has said t he t rut h, by Allah! Therefore, seek an opinion ot her t han t his one.' hAbu Jahl, may Allah curse him, spoke next , ` By Allah! I have an idea t hat no one else has suggest ed yet , and I see no bet t er opinion for you. Choose a st rong, socially elevat ed young man from each t ribe, and give each one of t hem a sharp sword. Then t hey would all st rike Muhammad at t he same t ime wit h t heir swords and kill him. Hence, his blood would be shed by all t ribes. This way, his t ribe, Banu Hashim, would realize t hat t hey cannot wage war against all of t he Quraysh t ribes and would be forced t o agree t o accept t he blood money; we would have brought comfort t o ourselves and st opped him from bot hering us.' The old man from Naj d comment ed, ` By Allah! This man has expressed t he best opinion, and I do not support any ot her opinion.' They quickly ended t heir meet ing and st art ed preparing for t he implement at ion of t his plan. Jibril came t o t he Prophet and commanded him not t o sleep in his bed t hat night and conveyed t o him t he news of t heir plot . The Messenger of Allah did not sleep in his house t hat night , and Allah gave him permission t o migrat e. Aft er t he Messenger migrat ed t o Al-Madinah, Allah revealed t o him Suat Al-Anfal reminding him of His favors and t he bount ies He gave him,

(And (remember) when t he disbelievers plot t ed against you t o imprison you, or t o kill you, or t o expel you (from Makkah); t hey were plot t ing and Allah t oo was plot t ing; and Allah is t he best of plot t ers.) Allah replied t o t he pagans' st at ement t hat t hey should await t he deat h of t he Prophet , j ust as t he poet s before him perished, as t hey claimed,

(Or do t hey say: "He is a poet ! We await for him some calamit y by t ime!'') 52:30 As-Suddi narrat ed a similar st ory. Muhammad bin Ishaq report ed from Muhammad bin Ja` far bin Az-Zubayr, from ` Urwah bin AzZubayr who comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(...t hey were plot t ing and Allah t oo was plot t ing, and Allah is t he best of plot t ers.) "I (Allah) plot t ed against t hem wit h My sure planning, and I saved you (O Muhammad) from t hem.''

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(31. And when Our Ayat are recit ed t o t hem, t hey say: "We have heard (t he Qur'an); if we wish we can say t he like of t his. This is not hing but t he t ales of t he ancient s.'') (32. And (remember) when t hey said: "O Allah! If t his (t he Qur'an) is indeed t he t rut h (revealed) from You, t hen rain down st ones on us from t he sky or bring on us a painful t orment .'') (33. And Allah would not punish t hem while you (Muhammad ) are among t hem, nor will He punish t hem while t hey seek (Allah's) forgiveness.)

The Quraysh claimed They can produce Something similar to the Qur'an
Allah describes t he disbelief, t ransgression, rebellion, as well as misguided st at ement s t hat t he pagans of Quraysh used t o ut t er when t hey heard Allah's Ayat being recit ed t o t hem,

("We have heard (t he Qur'an); if we wish we can say t he like of t his.'')

They boast ed wit h t heir words, but not wit h t heir act ions. They were challenged several t imes t o bring even one chapt er like t he Qur'an, and t hey had no way t o meet t his challenge. They only boast ed in order t o deceive t hemselves and t hose who followed t heir falsehood. It was said t hat An-Nadr bin Al-Harit h, may Allah curse him, was t he one who said t his, according t o Sa` id bin Jubayr, As-Suddi, Ibn Jurayj and ot hers. An-Nadr visit ed Persia and learned t he st ories of some Persian kings, such as Rust um and Isphandiyar. When he went back t o Makkah, He found t hat t he Prophet was sent from Allah and recit ing t he Qur'an t o t he people. Whenever t he Prophet would leave an audience in which An-Nadr was sit t ing, An-Nadr began narrat ing t o t hem t he st ories t hat he learned in Persia, proclaiming aft erwards, "Who, by Allah, has bet t er t ales t o narrat e, I or Muhammad'' When Allah allowed t he Muslims t o capt ure An-Nadr in Badr, t he Messenger of Allah commanded t hat his head be cut off before him, and t hat was done, all t hanks are due t o Allah. The meaning of,

(. ..t ales of t he ancient s) meaning t hat t he Prophet has plagiarized and learned books of ancient people, and t his is what he narrat ed t o people, as t hey claimed. This is t he pure falsehood t hat Allah ment ioned in anot her Ayah,

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(And t hey say: "Tales of t he ancient s, which he has writ t en down:, and t hey are dict at ed t o him morning and aft ernoon.'' Say: "It (t his Qur'an) has been sent down by Him (Allah) Who knows t he secret of t he heavens and t he eart h. Truly, He is Oft -Forgiving, Most Merciful.'') 25:5-6 for t hose who repent and ret urn t o Him, He accept s repent ance from t hem and forgives t hem.

The Idolators ask for Allah's Judgment and Torment!

Allah said,

(And (remember) when t hey said: "O Allah! If t his (t he Qur'an) is indeed t he t rut h (revealed) from You, t hen rain down st ones on us from t he sky or bring on us a painful t orment .'') This is indicat ive of t he pagans' enormous ignorance, denial, st ubbornness and t ransgression. They should have said, "O Allah! If t his is t he t rut h from You, t hen guide us t o it and help us follow it .'' However, t hey brought Allah's j udgment on t hemselves and asked for His punishment . Allah said in ot her Ayat ,

(And t hey ask you t o hast en on t he t orment (for t hem), and had it not been for a t erm appoint ed, t he t orment would cert ainly have come t o t hem. And surely, it will come upon t hem suddenly while t hey perceive not !) 29:53 ,

(They say: "Our Lord! Hast en t o us Qit t ana (our record of good and bad deeds so t hat we may see it ) before t he Day of Reckoning!'') 38:16 , and,

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(A quest ioner asked concerning a t orment about t o befall. Upon t he disbelievers, which none can avert . From Allah, t he Lord of t he ways of ascent .) 70:1-3 The ignorant ones in ancient t imes said similar t hings. The people of Shu` ayb said t o him,

("So cause a piece of t he heaven t o fall on us, if you are of t he t rut hful!'') 26:187 while t he pagans of Quraysh said,


("O Allah! If t his (t he Qur'an) is indeed t he t rut h (revealed) from You, t hen rain down st ones on us from t he sky or bring on us a painful t orment .'') Shu` bah said from ` Abdul-Hamid t hat Anas bin Malik said t hat it was Abu Jahl bin Hisham who ut t ered t his st at ement ,

("O Allah! If t his (t he Qur'an) is indeed t he t rut h (revealed) from You, t hen rain down st ones on us from t he sky or bring on us a painful t orment .'') So Allah revealed t his Ayah,

(And Allah would not punish t hem while you are among t hem, nor will He punish t hem while t hey seek (Allah's) forgiveness.) Al-Bukhari recorded it .

The Presence of the Prophet , and the Idolators' asking For forgiveness, were the Shelters against receiving Allah's immediate Torment
Allah said,

(And Allah would not punish t hem while you are among t hem, nor will He punish t hem while t hey seek (Allah's) forgiveness.) Ibn Abi Hat im recorded t hat Ibn ` Abbas said, "Pagans used t o go around t he House in Tawaf and proclaim, ` We rush t o Your obedience, O Allah, t here is no part ner wit h You,' and t he Prophet would t ell t hem,

(Enough, enough.) But t hey would go on, ` We rush t o Your obedience, O Allah, t here is no part ner wit h You except a part ner who is wit h You, You own Him but he does not own! They also used t o say, ` O Allah, Your forgiveness, Your forgiveness.' Allah revealed t his verse;

(And Allah would not punish t hem while you are among t hem...)''' Ibn ` Abbas comment ed, "They had t wo safet y shelt ers: t he Prophet , and t heir seeking forgiveness (from Allah). The Prophet went away, and only seeking forgiveness remained.'' At Tirmidhi recorded t hat Abu Musa said t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

("Allah sent down t o me t wo safe shelt ers for t he benefit of my Ummah)

(And Allah would not punish t hem while you are among t hem, nor will He punish t hem while t hey seek (Allah's) forgiveness.)

(When I die, I will leave t he seeking of forgiveness wit h t hem, unt il t he Day of Resurrect ion.) What t est ifies t o t his Hadit h, is t he Hadit h t hat Ahmad recorded in his Musnad and Al-Hakim in his Must adrak, t hat Abu Sa` id narrat ed t hat t he Messenger of Allah said,

 : . :
(Shayt an said, ` By Your might , O Lord! I will go on luring Your servant s as long as t heir souls are st ill in t heir bodies.' The Lord said, ` By My might and maj est y! I will keep forgiving t hem, as long as t hey keep invoking Me for forgiveness.') Al-Hakim, "It s chain is Sahih and t hey did not record it .''

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(34. And why should not Allah punish t hem while t hey hinder (men) from Al-Masj id Al-Haram, and t hey are not it s guardians None can be it s guardians except t hose who have Taqwa, but most of t hem know not .) (35. Their Salah at t he House was not hing but Muka' and Tasdiyah. Therefore t ast e t he punishment because you used t o disbelieve.)

The Idolators deserved Allah's Torment after Their Atrocities

Allah st at es t hat t he idolat ors deserved t he t orment , but He did not t orment t hem in honor of t he Prophet residing among t hem. Aft er Allah allowed t he Prophet t o migrat e away from t hem, He sent His t orment upon t hem on t he day of Badr. During t hat bat t le, t he chief pagans were killed, or capt ured. Allah also direct ed t hem t o seek forgiveness for t he sins, Shirk and wickedness t hey indulged in. If it was not for t he fact t hat t here were some weak Muslims living among t he Makkan pagans, t hose Muslims who invoked Allah for His forgiveness, Allah would have sent down t o t hem t he t orment t hat could never be avert ed. Allah did not do t hat on account of t he weak, ill-t reat ed, and oppressed believers living among t hem, as He reit erat ed about t he day at Al-Hudaybiyyah,


(They are t he ones who disbelieved and hindered you from Al-Masj id Al-Haram (at Makkah) and det ained t he sacrificial animals from reaching t heir place of sacrifice. Had t here not been believing men and believing women whom you did not know, t hat you may kill t hem and on whose account a sin would have been commit t ed by you wit hout (your) knowledge, t hat Allah might bring int o His mercy whom He wills if t hey (t he believers and t he disbelievers) had been apart , We verily, would have punished t hose of t hem who disbelieved wit h painful t orment .) 48:25 Allah said here,

(And why should not Allah punish t hem while t hey hinder (men) from Al-Masj id Al-Haram, and t hey are not it s guardians None can be it s guardians except t hose who have Taqwa, but most of t hem know not .) Allah asks, ` why would not He t orment t hem while t hey are st opping Muslims from going t o AlMasj id Al-Haram, t hus hindering t he believers, it s own people, from praying and performing Tawaf in it ' Allah said,

T(And t hey are not it s guardians None can be it s guardians except t hose who have Taqwa,) meaning, t he Prophet and his Companions are t he t rue dwellers (or wort hy maint ainers) of AlMasj id Al-Haram, not t he pagans. Allah said in ot her Ayah,

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(It is not for t he polyt heist s, t o maint ain t he Masj ids of Allah, while t hey wit ness disbelief against t hemselves. The works of such are in vain and in t he Fire shall t hey abide. The Masj ids of Allah shall be maint ained only by t hose who believe in Allah and t he Last Day; perform t he Salah, and give t he Zakah and fear none but Allah. It is t hey who are on t rue guidance.) 9:1718 , and,

(But a great er (t ransgression) wit h Allah is t o prevent mankind from following t he way of Allah, t o disbelieve in Him, t o prevent access t o Al-Masj id Al-Haram (at Makkah), and t o drive out it s inhabit ant s,) 2:217 . ` Urwah, As-Suddi and Muhammad bin Ishaq said t hat Allah's st at ement ,

(None can be it s guardians except t hose who have Taqwa,) refers t o Muhammad and his Companions, may Allah be pleased wit h t hem all. Muj ahid explained t hat t his Ayah is about t he Muj ahidin in Allah's cause , whomever and wherever t hey may be. Allah t hen ment ioned t he pract ice of t he pagans next t o Al-Masj id Al-Haram and t he respect t hey observed in it s vicinit y,

(Their Salah (prayer) at t he House was not hing but Muka' and Tasdiyah. )

` Abdullah bin ` Umar, Ibn ` Abbas, Muj ahid, ` Ikrimah, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Abu Raj a' Al-Ut ardi, Muhammad bin Ka` b Al-Qurazi, Huj r bin ` Anbas, Nubayt bin Sharit , Qat adah and ` AbdurRahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said t hat t his part of t he Ayah refers t o whist ling. Muj ahid added t hat t he pagans used t o place t heir fingers in t heir mout h (while whist ling). Sa` id bin Jubayr said t hat Ibn ` Abbas comment ed on Allah's st at ement ,

(Their Salat at t he House was not hing but Muka' and Tasdiyah.) "The Quraysh used t o perform Tawaf (encircling t he Ka` bah) while naked, whist ling and clapping t heir hands, for Muka' means ` whist ling', while, Tasdiyah means ` clapping t he hands.''' This meaning was also report ed from Ibn ` Abbas, by ` Ali bin Abi Talhah and Al-` Awfi. Similar was recorded from Ibn ` Umar, Muj ahid, Muhammad bin Ka` b, Abu Salamah bin ` AbdurRahman, Ad-Dahhak, Qat adah, ` At iyyah Al-` Awfi, Huj r bin ` Anbas and Ibn Abza. Ibn Jarir recorded t hat Ibn ` Umar explained t he Ayah,

(Their Salat at t he House was not hing but Muka' and Tasdiyah.) "Muka' means ` whist ling', while, ` Tasdiyah' means ` clapping t he hands.''' Sa` id bin Jubayr and ` Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd said t hat ,

(and Tasdiyah), means, t hey hindered from t he pat h of Allah, t he Exalt ed and Most Honored. Allah said,

(Therefore t ast e t he punishment because you used t o disbelieve.) This refers t o t he deat h and capt ure t hat t hey suffered during t he bat t le of Badr, according t o Ad-Dahhak, Ibn Jurayj and Muhammad bin Ishaq.


(36. Verily, t hose who disbelieve spend t heir wealt h t o hinder (men) from t he pat h of Allah, and so will t hey cont inue t o spend it ; but in t he end it will become an anguish for t hem. Then t hey will be overcome. And t hose who disbelieve will be gat hered unt o Hell.) (37. In order t hat Allah may dist inguish t he wicked from t he good, and put t he wicked one over anot her, heap t hem t oget her and cast t hem int o Hell. Those! it is t hey who are t he losers.)

The Disbelievers spend Their Wealth to hinder Others from Allah's Path, but this will only cause Them Grief

Muhammad bin Ishaq narrat ed t hat Az-Zuhri, Muhammad bin Yahya bin Hibban, ` Asim bin ` Umar bin Qat adah, and Al-Husayn bin ` Abdur-Rahman bin ` Amr bin Sa` id bin Mu` adh said, "The Quraysh suffered defeat at Badr and t heir forces went back t o Makkah, while Abu Sufyan went back wit h t he caravan int act . This is when ` Abdullah bin Abi Rabi` ah, ` Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl, Safwan bin Umayyah and ot her men from Quraysh who lost t heir fat hers, sons or brot hers in Badr, went t o Abu Sufyan bin Harb. They said t o him, and t o t hose among t he Quraysh who had wealt h in t hat caravan, ` O people of Quraysh! Muhammad has grieved you and killed t he chiefs among you. Therefore, help us wit h t his wealt h so t hat we can fight him, it may be t hat we will avenge our losses.' They agreed.'' Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "This Ayah was revealed about t hem, according t o Ibn ` Abbas,

(Verily, t hose who disbelieve spend t heir wealt h...) unt il,

(t hey who are t he losers. )'' Muj ahid, Sa` id bin Jubayr, Al-Hakam bin ` Uyaynah, Qat adah, AsSuddi and Ibn Abza said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about Abu Sufyan and his spending money in Uhud t o fight t he Messenger of Allah . Ad-Dahhak said t hat t his Ayah was revealed about t he idolat ors of Badr. In any case, t he Ayah is general, even t hough t here was a specific incident t hat accompanied it s revelat ion. Allah st at es here t hat t he disbelievers spend t heir wealt h t o hinder from t he pat h of t rut h. However, by doing t hat , t heir money will be spent and t hen will become a source of grief and anguish for t hem, availing t hem not hing in t he least . They seek t o ext inguish t he Light of Allah and make t heir word higher t han t he word of t rut h. However,

Allah will complet e His Light , even t hough t he disbelievers hat e it . He will give aid t o His religion, make His Word dominant , and His religion will prevail above all religions. This is t he disgrace t hat t he disbelievers will t ast e in t his life; and in t he Hereaft er, t hey will t ast e t he t orment of t he Fire. Whoever among t hem lives long, will wit ness wit h his eyes and hear wit h his ears what causes grief t o him. Those among t hem who are killed or die will be ret urned t o et ernal disgrace and t he everlast ing punishment . This is why Allah said,

(And so will t hey cont inue t o spend it ; but in t he end it will become an anguish for t hem. Then t hey will be overcome. And t hose who disbelieve will be gat hered unt o Hell. ) Allah said,

(In order t hat Allah may dist inguish t he wicked from t he good.), meaning recognize t he difference bet ween t he people of happiness and t he people of misery, according t o Ibn ` Abbas, as ` Ali bin Abi Talhah report ed from him. Allah dist inguishes bet ween t hose believers who obey Him and fight His disbelieving enemies and t hose who disobey Him. Allah said in anot her Ayah,

(Allah will not leave t he believers in t he st at e in which you are now, unt il He dist inguishes t he wicked from t he good. Nor will Allah disclose t o you t he secret s of t he Ghayb (Unseen).) 3:179 , and,