i

SELECTED

KHUṬAB
XI
(SERMONS & WRITINGS)
23 September, 2016 – 3 March, 2017
*
BY
MUHAMMAD AMIN A. SAMAD
CANBERRA, MARCH, 2017
 ii

ِ ‫ِبسْ ِم ه‬
ِ ْ‫ّللا الرَّ ح‬
‫من الرَّ ِحيْم‬
‫َو ِب ِه َنسْ َت ِعيْن‬
‫فِي أم ْو ِر ال ُّد ْن َيا َو ال ِّديْن‬

***

For the collection of my Islamic speeches

and writings please visit:
independent.academia.edu/MuhammadAminSamad
http://issuu.com/muhammadaminsamad
http://muhamine.blogspot.com
 iii

CONTENTS

Contents ……………………………………………………………………. iii

Transliteration ……………………………………………………………. iv
Preface ………………………………………………………………………. v
A. Intrroduction to the Khuṭbah ………………………………… vii
B. Some examples of Du‘ā’ for the Second Khuṭbah ….. vii
1. The Rhetorical Expressions of the Qur’ān (3) …….. 1
2. Ghadīr (the Pond of) Khumm and Its Significance (1) 7
3. Ghadīr (the Pond of) Khumm and Its Significance (2) 13
4. Rhetorical Expressions of the Qur’ān (4) ……………. 19
5. Ghadīr (the Pond of) Khumm and Its Significance (3) 25
6. Rhetorical Expressions of the Qur’ān (5) ……………. 31
7. Ghadīr (the Pond of) Khumm and Its Significance (4) 37
8. The Position of the Ṣaḥābah (1) …………………………… 43
9. The Position of the Ṣaḥābah (2) …………………………… 49
10. The Position of the Ṣaḥābah (3) ……………………….. 55
11. The Position of the Ṣaḥābah (4) ……………………….. 61
12. The Position of the Ṣaḥābah (5) ………………………. 67
13. The Position of the Ṣaḥābah (6) ………………………. 73
14. The Position of the Ṣaḥābah (7) ………………………. 79
15. The Position of the Ṣaḥābah (8) ………………………. 85
16. The Christmas …………………………………………………. 91
17. Moderation …………………………………………………….. 97
18. The Meanings of Lahw )‫ (لَهْو‬in the Qur’ān ……….. 103
19. Fadlan Gramatan (1) ……………………………………… 109
20. Fadlan Gramatan (2) ……………………………………… 115
21. Fadlan Gramatan (3) ……………………………………… 121
22. Commentary of Sūrat al-‘Aṣr (Q. 103) …………….. 127
23. Commentary of Sūrat al-Mā‘ūn (Q. 107) ………… 133
24. Commentary of Q. 41:30-35 (1) ……………………… 139
25. Commentary of Q. 41:30-35 (2) …………………….. 145
 iv

TRANSLITERATION SYSTEM

The English transliteration for Arabic names and

terms followed in this booklet is as follows:
a. Consonants:
‫ = ا‬a or ’ ‫ = ب‬b ‫ = ت‬t ‫ = ث‬th ‫ = ج‬j ‫ = ح‬ḥ
‫ = خ‬kh ‫ = د‬d ‫ = ذ‬dh ‫ = ر‬r ‫ = ز‬z ‫ =س‬s
‫ = ش‬sh ‫ =ص‬ṣ ‫=ض‬ḍ ‫= ط‬ṭ ‫= ظ‬ẓ ‘ = ‫ع‬
‫ = غ‬gh ‫ =ف‬f ‫ = ق‬q ‫ = ك‬k ‫ = ل‬l ‫ = م‬m
‫ = ن‬n ‫ = هـ‬h ‫ = و‬w ‫ = ي‬y ‫( ’ = ء‬like alif)

b. Vowels:
Short: long:
Fatḥah --َ--- : = a ‫ = ـا‬ā
Kasrah --َ--- : = i ‫ = ـي‬ī
Ḍammah --َ--- : = u ‫ = ـو‬ū
c. Tā’ marbūṭah: ah, e.g., sūrah (‫)س ْو َرة‬
Tā’ marbūṭah in iḍāfah: at, e.g., sūrat al-Baqarah ( ‫س ْو َرة‬
‫) ْال َب َق َرة‬
َ ‫ ) َق‬and shūrá (‫)ش ْو َرى‬
d. Alif maqṣūrah: á, e.g., qaḍá (‫ضى‬
 v

PREFACE
This booklet is the eleventh part of my collection of
speeches and writings from 23 September, 2016 – 3 March,
2017, entitled Khutab XI. They were delivered as Friday
sermons at the muṣallā (place of prayer, prayer room) at the
Multi-Cultural Centre, Canberra Museum and Gallery
building, Civic Square, Canberra. As I am leaving for
Melbourne (to attend the wedding of the son of Thamin
Sannang’s family and the daughter of Juhana’s family), and
to Adelaide, the sermons will be continued after my return.
The abbreviations used in this booklet are: (1) s.a.w. (and
‫م‬.‫ص‬.) for ṣallállāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam ( ‫صلَّى ّللا َعلَ ْي ِه َو َسلَّ ْم‬
َ
and‫ ) ﷺ‬meaning “may Allah bless him and grant him
salvation”, sometimes translated as “peace be upon him”
an eulogy after the name of Prophet Muhammad, (2) a.s.
(and (‫س‬.‫ع‬. for ‘alayhis salām (and ‫ ) َعلَ ْي ِه السَّالم‬meaning
“upon him be peace” usually used after the names of angels
and prophets before Prophet Muhammad s.a.w., (3) r.a.
(and ‫ع‬.‫ر‬.) for raḍiyallāhu ‘anhu (and ‫ ) َرضِ َي ّللا َع ْنه‬meaning
“may Allah be please with him” usually used after the
names of the ṣaḥābah (companions of the Prophet).
It has been like an accident that before leaving a certain
place I left a booklet behind. The booklet Khutab I (the
collection of speeches and sermons at the Canadian Islamic
Centre, al-Rashid Mosque) before leaving Edmonton
(Canada) for Australia; Khutab II (the collection of sermons
at the Canberra Islamic Centre) at Monash, ACT, before
leaving for overseas (the longest and happiest travel I have
ever made); the Khutab III before leaving for Indonesia and
Malaysia in September 2007, Khutab IV was the collection of
my khuṭbahs at the ANUMA delivered until the first quarter
of the year 2011, and published later at the end of this year
after recovering from the operation of removing the aortic
aneurism of my stomach on 11 June; the Khutab V is the
 vi

collection of my khuṭbahs at the prayer room at the Multi-

Cultural Centre, Canberra Museum and Gallery building,
Civic Square, Canberra, from the end of December, 2012 till
the end of June, 2013 before leaving for Indonesia; the
Khutab VI is the continuation of my collection of my
khuṭbahs at the same location at Civic Square, Canberra,
before leaving for Melbourne visiting friends. This visit was
following the advice of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. ‫زرْ غِ ًّهبا‬
‫“ َت ْزد َْد ح ًّهبا‬Visit at intervals, so that you will increase love;” the
Khutab VII is the continuation of the collection of my
khuṭbahs at the same location at Civic Square, Canberra,
before leaving for Sydney and Melbourne visiting friends;
the Khutab VIII is the continuation of my collection of my
khuṭbahs at the same location at Civic Square, Canberra,
before leaving for Sydney. By this time I was very lucky to
reach the age of 79 AH/77 CE. Praise be to Allah the
Almighty Who has given me such a long life. I have
confidence in Him that He would give me more extra bonus
life; the Khutab IX is the continuation of my collection of my
khuṭbahs at the same location at Civic Square, Canberra;
this Khutab X which is in your hand is also the continuation
of my collection of my khuṭbahs at the same location at
Civic Square, Canberra, before leaving for Europe and
Canada to visit some friends, especially in Montreal
(Quebec), Ottawa (Ontario), Edmonton, and Lac la Biche
(Alberta). By this time I shall be approaching the age of 80
AH/78 CE. (Praise and glory be to You, O my Sustainer!). In
shā’ Allāh (God willing) I shall be back in mid-September,
and continue my humble contribution to Islam and the
Muslim community.
This booklet, like the booklets written before, is far from
perfect. May Allah accept this humble contribution to
Islam, and may He forgive any mistake in this booklet. Amin!
Canberra, March, 2017
M.A.S.
 ‫‪vii‬‬

‫‪A. INTRODUCTION FOR THE KHUṬBAH‬‬

‫‪This is an example for the introduction to the khuṭbah‬‬

‫‪as follows:‬‬

‫ِل مِنْ شر ْو ِر أَ ْنفسِ َنا‬ ‫ِل َنحْ َمده َو َنسْ َت ِعيْنه َو َنسْ َت ْغفِره َو َنسْ َت ْه ِد ْي ِه َو َنع ْوذ ِبا ِ‬ ‫أَ ْل َحمْد ِ ه ِ‬
‫ت أَعْ َمالِناَ‪َ ،‬منْ َي ْه ِد ّللا َفه َو ْالم ْه َت ِد َو َمنْ يضْ ِل ْل َفلَنْ َت ِج َد لَه َو ِل ًّهيا مرْ شِ ًّدا ‪،‬‬ ‫َو مِنْ َس ِّي َئا ِ‬
‫ك لَه‪ ،‬يبْدئ َو ي ِعيْد َو ه َو ْال َغف ْور ْال َود ْود ذو‬ ‫َو أَ ْش َهد أَنْ َل إِلَ َه إلَّ ّللا َوحْ َده َل َش ِر ْي َ‬
‫ار َك اسْ مه َو َعال َشأْنه سب َْحا َنه َو َت َع َ‬
‫الى‬ ‫ش ْال َم ِج ْي ِد‪َ ،‬فعَّال لِ َما ي ِريْد‪َ ،‬ع َّز َجاره َو َت َب َ‬ ‫ْال َعرْ ِ‬
‫شرك ْو َن‪َ .‬و أَ ْش َهد أَنَّ م َح َّم ًّدا َعبْده َو َرس ْوله‬ ‫َعمَّا َي ْف َت ِري ْالم ْف َتر ْو َن َو َي َت َق َّول ال ْم ِ‬
‫ص َح ْاأل َّم َة ‪ ،‬أَرْ َسلَه ّللا‬ ‫ص ِفيُّه َو َخلِيْله َو َكلِيْمه ‪َ ،‬س َّل الرِّ َسالَ َة َو أَ َّدى ْاألَ َما َن َة َو َن َ‬ ‫َو َ‬
‫ّللا َو َرس ْولَه َف َق ْد َر َش َد َو‬ ‫ّللا َو سِ َراجًّ ا م ِنيْرًّ ا َمنْ يطِ ِع َ‬ ‫لى ِ‬ ‫بَشِ يْراًّ َو َن ِذيْرًّ ا َو َداعِ يا ًّه إِ َ‬
‫اركْ‬‫ص ِّل َو َسلِّ ْم َو َب ِ‬ ‫ّللا َش ْي ًّئا‪ .‬أَللَّه َّم َ‬
‫َمنْ َيعْ صِ ِه َما َفإ َّنه ل َيضرُّ إل ه َن ْف َسه َول َيضرُّ َ‬
‫صحْ ِب ِه أَجْ َم ِعي َْن‪َ َ .‬م ِن اهْ َتدَ ى ِب َه ْد ِي ِه َو‬
‫لى آ ِل ِه َو َ‬ ‫ك َس ِّي ِد َنا م َحمَّد َو َع َ‬ ‫ك َو َرس ْو ِل َ‬ ‫لى َع ْب ِد َ‬ ‫َع َ‬
‫‪.‬‬ ‫ك ِبس َّن ِت ِه َو َسلِّ ْم َتسْ لِ ْيمًّا َك ِثيْرًّ ا‬ ‫اسْ َت ْم َس َ‬

‫از ْالم َّتق ْو َن‪ .‬قا َ َل‬

‫ّللا َف َق ْد َف َ‬ ‫أَمَّا َبعْ د ‪َ ،‬ف َيا أَ ُّي َها ْالم ْؤمِن ْو َن‪ ،‬أ ْوصِ يْك ْم َو إِيا َّ َ‬
‫ي ِب َت ْق َوى ِ‬
‫ِين آَ َمنوا ا َّتقوا َّ َ‬
‫ّللا َح َّق ت َقا ِت ِه َو َل َتموتنَّ إِ َّل‬ ‫َت َعالَى وهو أصدق القائلين‪َ ”:‬يا أَ ُّي َها الَّذ َ‬
‫صدَ َق ّللا ْال َعظِ يْم‪.‬‬ ‫ون“ ‪َ .‬‬ ‫َوأَ ْنت ْم مسْ لِم َ‬

‫)‪B. SOME EXAMPLES OF THE DU‘Ā’ (SUPPLICATION‬‬

‫‪AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE‬‬
‫‪SECOND KHUTBAH‬‬

‫‪Some examples of du‘ā’s and their meanings in the‬‬

‫‪second khuṭbah, are as follows:‬‬
‫ان أَنْ آَمِنوا ِب َربِّك ْم َفآ َ َم َّنا َر َّب َنا َف ْ‬
‫اغفِرْ لَ َنا‬ ‫َر َّب َنا إِ َّن َنا َسمِعْ َنا م َنا ِديًّا ي َنادِي ل ْ ِ‬
‫ِْلي َم ِ‬
‫ار‪َ .‬ر َّب َنا َوآَ ِت َنا َما َو َع ْد َت َنا َعلَى رسلِ َ‬ ‫َ‬
‫ك‬ ‫ذنو َب َنا َو َك ِّفرْ َع َّنا َس ِّي َئا ِت َنا َو َت َو َّف َنا َم َع ْاألب َْر ِ‬
‫ك َل ت ْخلِف ْالمِي َعا َد (آل عمران ‪٣٩١ :‬‬ ‫) َو َل ت ْخ ِز َنا َي ْو َم ْال ِق َيا َم ِة إِ َّن َ‬
‫‪Our Lord! We have heard someone calling to the true‬‬
‫!‪faith saying ‘Believe in your Lord!’ So we believed. Our Lord‬‬
‫‪Forgive us our sins, remove from us evil deeds and make us‬‬
 viii

die with the righteous. Our Lord! Give us what You have
promised through Your messengers and save us from
the shame on the Day of Resurrection; for You never
break Your promise. (Q. 3:193)
ِ ‫ت َو ْالم ْؤ ِم ِني َْن َو ْالم ْؤ ِم َنا‬
‫ت‬ ِ ‫اغفِرْ ل ِْلمسْ لِ ِمي َْن َو ْالمسْ لِ َما‬
ْ ‫اللَّه َّم‬
‫ك َيا َم ْول َنا َس ِميْع َق ِريْب‬ َ ‫ إ َّن‬،ِ‫ْاألَحْ َيا ِء ِم ْنه ْم َو ْاألَمْ َوات‬
‫ت َيا َربَّ ْال َعالَ ِمي َْن‬ ِ ‫اجا‬ َ ‫ت َو َقاضِ ي ْال َح‬ ِ ‫م ِجيْب ال َّد َع َوا‬
O Allah! Forgive the Muslims, males and females,
the believers, males and females, the living among
them as well as the dead! Verily, You are, O our
Lord, the All-Hearing and Near, Who answer (our)
prayers, and fulfil(our) needs, O the
Lord of all creatures.

‫اغفِرْ ل ِْْلَحْ َيا ِء َو َيسِّرْ لَه ْم أم ْو َره ْم‬

ْ ‫أَللَّه َّم َنوِّ رْ َعلَى أَهْ ِل ْالقب ْور قب ْو َره ْم؛ اَللَّه َّم‬.
O Allah! Lighten the graves of the dead, O Allah,
forgive the living and facilitate their affairs.
‫ضى ْالمسْ لِ ِمي َْن‬َ ْ‫ب ْالم ْذن ِِبي َْن َو ا ْشفِ َمر‬ َ ‫اغفِرْ ذن ْو‬ ْ ‫أَللَّه َّم تبْ َع َلى ال َّتائ ِِبي َْن َو‬
‫ب الصِّحَّ َة َو ْال َعا ِف َي َة َو ال َّت ْو ِفي َْق َو ْال ِه َدا َي َة لَ َنا َو لِ َكا َّف ِة أ َّم ِة م َحمَّد أَجْ َم ِعي َْن‬
ِ ‫ َو ا ْكت‬.
O Allah! Forgive the repentant, forgive the sins of the
sinners, heal the sick among the Muslims, prescribe
well-being, vitality, prosperity and guidance for us
and for the entire community of Muhammad.

‫اغفِرْ لَ َنا َو ل َِوالِ ِد ْي َنا َو ارْ َح ْمه َما َك َما َر َّب َيا َنا صِ َغارًّ ا‬
ْ ‫َر َّب َنا‬
O Lord! Forgive us as well as our parents
and bestow on them Your mercy as they did
bring us up when we were young.

‫اغفِرْ ل ِْْلَحْ َيا ِء َو َيسِّرْ لَه ْم أم ْو َره ْم‬

ْ ‫أَللَّه َّم َنوِّ رْ َعلَى أَهْ ِل ْالقب ْور قب ْو َره ْم؛ اَللَّه َّم‬.
O Allah! Lighten the graves of the dead, O Allah,
forgive the living and facilitate their affairs.
 ix

‫اغفِرْ لَ َنا َو ل َِوا ِل ِد ْي َنا َو ارْ َح ْمه َما َك َما َر َّب َيا َنا صِ َغارًّ ا‬
ْ ‫َر َّب َنا‬
O Lord! Forgive us as well as our parents and
bestow on them Your mercy as they did
bring us up when we were young.

،‫ َو اصْ لِحْ لَ َنا د ْن َيا َنا الَّتِيْ ِف ْي َها َم َعاش َنا‬،‫أَللَّه َّم ْاصْ لِح لَ َنا ِد ْي َن َنا الَّذِيْ ه َو عِ صْ َمة أَمْ ِر َنا‬
‫ َو اجْ َع ِل ْال َح َيا َة ِز َيا َد ًّة ل َنا َ فِيْ ك ِّل َخيْر‬،‫َو اصْ لِحْ لَ َنا آخ َِر َت َنا الَّتِيْ إِلَ ْي َها َم َعاد َنا‬
‫اح ًّة لَ َنا مِنْ ك ِّل َشر‬
َ ‫ت َر‬ َ ‫َو اجْ َع ِل ْال َم ْو‬
O Allah! Bring prosperity to our affairs in this world that is
the preservation of our lives, and in the next world to which
we shall return, and increase our good deeds in our lives,
and make our death repose from evil.

‫أَللَّه َّم أَ ِر َنا ْال َح َّق َح ًّهقا َوارْ ز ْق َنا ا ِّت َبا َعه َوأَ ِر َنا ْالبَاطِ َل بَاطِ الًّ َوارْ ز ْق َنا اجْ ِت َنا َبه‬
O Allah! Show us the truth as truth, and guide to
follow it, and show us the falsehood as falsehood,
and guide us to avoid it.

َ ‫َر َّب َنا َهبْ لَ َنا مِنْ أَ ْز َوا ِج َنا َوذرِّ يَّا ِت َنا قرَّ َة أَعْ ين َواجْ َع ْل َنا ل ِْلم َّتق‬
‫ِين إِ َمامًّا‬
Our Lord! Bestow on us, our spouses and our offspring the
comfort of our eyes and make us leaders of the pious.

َ ْ‫ك َو أَظِ لَ َنا َتح‬

‫ت‬ َ ‫ك مجْ َت ِم ِعي َْن َعلَى َكال ِم‬ َ ِ‫أللَّه َّم اجْ َع ْل َنا م َت َحا ِّبي َْن فِيْ َجالل‬
‫ك َي ْو َم ل ظِ َّل إل ه ظِ لُّه َو َت َو َّف َنا مسْ ِل ِمي َْن َو أَ ْل ِح ْق َنا ِبالصَّا ِل ِحي َْن‬ َ ِ‫ظِ ِّل َعرْ ش‬
َ ‫ َواجْ َع ْل َخي َْر أَعْ َمالِ َنا َخ َوا ِت ِم َها َو اجْ َع ْل َخي َْر أَيَّامْ َنا َي ْو َم لِ َقائ‬.
‫ِك‬
O Allah! Make us love each other in Your Majesty and agree
on Your sayings, and shade us with Your Throne on the day
there will be no shade except its shade, and make us die as
Muslims, and join us with pious people, and make our best
deed its last one, and our best day the day we meet You.

‫َر َّب َنا َل ت َؤاخ ِْذ َنا إِنْ َنسِ ي َنا أَ ْو أَ ْخ َطأْ َنا َر َّب َنا َو َل َتحْ ِم ْل َعلَ ْي َنا إِصْ رًّ ا َك َما َح َم ْل َته َعلَى‬
ْ ‫ِين مِنْ َق ْبلِ َنا َر َّب َنا َو َل ت َحم ِّْل َنا َما َل َطا َق َة لَ َنا ِب ِه َواعْ ف َع َّنا َو‬
‫اغفِرْ َل َنا َوارْ َحمْ َنا‬ َ ‫الَّذ‬
 x

َ ‫)أَ ْن‬
َ ‫ت َم ْو َل َنا َفا ْنصرْ َنا َعلَى ْال َق ْو ِم ْال َكاف ِِر‬
٦٨٢ : ‫ين (البقرة‬
Or Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake.
Our Lord! Do not lay on us such a burden as You placed on
those before us. Our Lord! Do not lay on us a burden that
which we have not the strength to bear! Forgive us, have
mercy on us. You are our protector, help us against the
unbelievers.(Q. 2:286)

ْ ‫ان أَنْ آَمِنوا ِب َربِّك ْم َفآ َ َم َّنا َر َّب َنا َف‬

‫اغفِرْ لَ َنا‬ ِ ْ ‫َر َّب َنا إِ َّن َنا َسمِعْ َنا م َنا ِديًّا ي َنادِي ل‬
ِ ‫ِْلي َم‬
َ ِ‫ َر َّب َنا َوآَ ِت َنا َما َو َع ْد َت َنا َعلَى رسل‬.‫ار‬ َ
‫ك‬ ِ ‫ذنو َب َنا َو َك ِّفرْ َع َّنا َس ِّي َئا ِت َنا َو َت َو َّف َنا َم َع ْاألب َْر‬
٣٩١ : ‫ك َل ت ْخلِف ْالمِي َعا َد (آل عمران‬ َ ‫) َو َل ت ْخ ِز َنا َي ْو َم ْال ِق َيا َم ِة إِ َّن‬
Our Lord! We have heard someone calling to the true
faith saying ‘Believe in your Lord!’ So we believed.
Our Lord! Forgive us our sins, remove from us evil
deeds and make us die with the righteous. Our Lord!
Give us what You have promised through Your
messengers and save us from the shame on
the Day of Resurrection; for You never
break Your promise. (Q. 3:193)

‫ف ْالمسْ ِل ِمي َْن َو َوحِّ د َكلِ َم َته ْم َوا ْنصرْ ه ْم َعلَى أَعْ َدائ ِِه ْم‬
َ ‫أَللَّه َّم َوحِّ ْد صف ْو‬
O Allah, unite the Muslims and assist them
against their enemies.

َ ‫َر َّب َنا آَ ِت َنا فِي ال ُّد ْن َيا َح َس َن ًّة َوفِي ْاْلَخ َِر ِة َح َس َن ًّة َو ِق َنا َع َذ‬
ِ ‫اب ال َّن‬
.‫ار‬
Our Lord! Give us the goodness, both in this
world and in the Hereafter and save us from the
torment of Hellfire. (Q. 2:201)
‫اللَّه َّم آ ِميْن َيا َربَّ ْال َعالَ ِميْن‬
‫ان َوإِي َتا ِء ذِي ْالقرْ َبى َو َي ْن َهى َع ِن ْال َفحْ َشا ِء‬ ْ َّ َّ‫ إن‬،‫عِ َبا َد ّللا‬
ِ ْ ‫ّللا َيأمر ِب ْال َع ْد ِل َو‬
ِ ‫اْلحْ َس‬ َ ِ
َ ‫ّللا َيذكرك ْم َو ا ْشكر ْوه َع‬
‫لى ن َِع ِم ِه‬ ْ َ ‫ اذكروا‬.‫ون‬ ْ َ ‫َو ْالم ْن َك ِر َو ْال َب ْغيِ َيعِظك ْم َل َعلك ْم َتذ َّكر‬
َ َّ
‫ أَق ِِم الصَّالة‬.‫ّللا أَ ْك َبر َو ّللا َيعْ لَم َما َتصْ َنع ْون‬ ِ ‫َي ِز ْدك ْم َو لَ ِذ ْكر‬
 1

1. THE RHETORICAL EXPRESSIONS OF THE QUR’ĀN (3)

There are many linguistic features other than jinas which
can be taken as evidence of its inimitable linguistic nature.
Among them are: Analogy (‫اظ ُر‬ ُ ‫ ال َّت َن‬,‫ ال ُم َما َثلة‬,‫)ال َّت َشا ُب ُه الج ُْزئِي‬,
Antiphrasis (‫) ال ُم َغا َير َة‬, Antithesis (‫( الطِ َباق‬Țibāq) and ‫)ال ُم َقا َبلَة‬ ْ ,
Parenthesis, (‫ضة‬ َ ‫)ال ُج ْملَ ُة المُعْ َت ِر‬, Hyperbole )‫(ال ُغلُو‬, iltifat (sudden
transition), Ellipsis, the disagreement of words with its literal
meaning, e.g., imperative, and specification.
ُ ‫ ال َّت َن‬,‫ ال ُم َما َثلة‬,‫(ال َّت َشا ُب ُه ال ُج ْز ِئي‬. Analogy is a comparison
1. Analogy )‫اظ ُر‬
of two things based on their being alike in some way
(Merriam-Webster). It is partial likeness or agreement.
Resemblance of properties or relations, similarity without
identity. For example:
)11-11:‫ َو َز َر ِابي َمب ُْثو َثة (الغاشية‬.‫ار ُق َمصْ فُو َفة‬
ِ ‫َو َن َم‬
And cushions set in rows. And rich carpets
spread out. (Q.88:15-16).
11(-9:‫ َوأَمَّا السَّا ِئ َل َف َل َت ْن َهرْ (الضحى‬. ْ‫َفأ َ َّما ْال َيتِي َم َف َل َت ْق َهر‬
Therefore, treat not the orphan with oppression.
And repulse not the beggar. (Q. 93: 9-10).
2. Antiphrasis ) ‫(ال ُم َغا َير َة‬
Antiphrasis is the usually ironic or humorous use of words in
senses opposite to the generally accepted meanings, as in
“this giant of 3 feet 4 inches” (Merriam-Webster). It is the
use of a term in a sense opposite to its usual meaning,
especially ironically. For example:
‫ت‬َ ‫ ُذ ْق إِ َّن َك أَ ْن‬.‫ِيم‬ ْ ِ ‫ُث َّم صُبوا َف ْو َق َر ْأسِ ِه مِنْ َع َذا‬
ِ ‫ب ال َحم‬
(49-44:‫ْال َع ِزي ُز ْال َك ِري ُم (الدخان‬
Then pour over his head the torment of boiling
water. Taste you (this)! Verily, you were (pretending
to be the mighty, the generous! (Q. 44: 48-49).
 2

It is said to a person who used to claim to be mighty and

generous in his world, when he was being punished in the
Hereafter and was reminded of his claim to be mighty and
generous; what he is suffering is the opposite of his
statement.
3. Antithesis, ‫( الطِ َباق‬Țibāq) and ‫( ْال ُم َقا َبلَة‬Muqābalah) or )‫ال َّت َقابُل‬
Taqābul) types.
Antithesis is the exact opposite of something or someone
(Merriam Webster). It is the balancing of contrasted words
or ideas against each other or the direct contrary, a strong
contrast. It is opposition of one thing to another, between
two things. This Antithes of Țibāq type is divided into two
types: Positive Antithesis )‫اق ْاإل ْي َجاب‬
ُ ‫ (طِ َب‬is when the two
words (nouns, verbs or prepositions) are positive, such as: “I
like honesty, and I hate tyranny” )‫ ;( أ ُ ِحب الص ْد َق َوأَ ْك َرهُ الظ ْل َم‬the
example in the Qur’ān is as follows:
ً ‫َو َتحْ َس ُب ُه ْم أَ ْي َق‬
)14 : ‫( سورة الكهف‬..... ‫اظا َو ُه ْم ُرقُود‬
And you would have thought them awake,
whereas they were asleep….” (Q. 18:18)
Negative Antithesis )‫ب‬ ِ ‫اق الس ْل‬ُ ‫ (طِ َب‬is when one of the word
negates the other, such as, “I like honesty, and I do not like
tyranny” )‫(أُحِب الص ْد َق َو َل أُحِب الظ ْلم‬. The example in the
Qur’ān is as follows:
)1:‫ُث َّم مِنْ مُضْ َغة م َُخلَّ َقة َو َغي ِْر م َُخلَّ َقة لِ ُن َبي َن لَ ُك ْم (الحج‬
… then from a little lump of flesh—some formed
and some unformed (as in the case of miscarriage—
that We may make (it) clear to you Our Power
and Our Ability to do what We will)…
This verse is about the creation of the baby in his mother’s
womb.
It could be between two negative verbs, such as the
following Qur’ānic verse:
 3

ُ ‫ُث َّم َل َيم‬

)13:‫ُوت فِي َها َو َل َيحْ َيى (سورة األعلى‬
There [i.e. in the Hellfire] he will neither die (to
be in rest) nor live (a good living) (Q. 78:13)
It could be between two verbs, one is commanding and
the other in prohibiting, such as:
ْ ‫اس َو‬
)44:‫ (المائدة‬...‫اخ َش ْو ِن‬ َ ‫… َف َل َت ْخ َشوُ ا ال َّن‬
Therefore, fear not men, but fear Me… (Q. 5:44)
It could be between two similar words, but with different
meanings, such as:
َ ‫َو َم َكرُوا َم ْكرً ا َو َم َكرْ َنا َم ْكرً ا َو ُه ْم َل َي ْش ُعر‬
)11:‫ُون (النمل‬
So, they plotted a plot, and We planned a plan,
while they perceived not. (Q. 27:50)
It could be between two prepositions, such as:
ِ ‫َولَهُنَّ م ِْث ُل الَّذِي َع َلي ِْهنَّ ِب ْال َمعْ رُوفِ َولِلر َج‬
‫ال‬
)224:‫َعلَي ِْهنَّ َد َر َجة (البقرة‬
And they (women) have rights (over their husbands)
as regards living expenses) similar (to those of their
husbands) to what is reasonable, but men have
a degree (of responsibility) over them… (Q. 2:228)
Here the two prepositions “for” in “for them” ) َّ‫(لَهُن‬
and “on” in “on them” ) َّ‫ ( َعلَي ِْهن‬are mentioned.
It could be between two different words, a verb and
a noun, such as:
َّ ‫َو َمن يُضْ ل ِِل‬
)31:‫ّللا ُ َف َما َل ُه مِنْ َهاد (الزمر‬
… And whom Allah sends astray, for him
there will be no guide. (Q. 39:36)
or between a noun and a verb, such as:
)122:‫(األنعام‬... ُ‫ان َم ْي ًتا َفأَحْ َي ْي َناه‬
َ ‫أَ َو َمن َك‬
Is he who was dead and We have
him life … (Q. 6:122)
 4

The above verse belongs to ‫ازي‬ ِ ‫اق ْال َم َج‬ ُ ‫( الط َب‬Metaphorical
Antithesis), namely,
ِ ‫ان َم ْي ًتا َفأَحْ َي ْي َناهُ َو َج َع ْل َنا لَ ُه ُنورً ا َي ْمشِ ي ِب ِه فِي ال َّن‬
‫اس‬ َ ‫أَ َو َمن َك‬
َ ‫ك ُزي َن ل ِْل َكاف ِِر‬
‫ين‬ َ ِ‫ارج م ْن َها َك َذل‬
ِ ‫ْس ِب َخ‬ َ ‫ت َلي‬ ِ ‫َك َمن َّم َثل ُ ُه فِي الظل ُ َما‬
)122:‫ون (األنعام‬ َ ُ ‫َما َكا ُنو ْا َيعْ َمل‬
Is he who was dead (without Faith by ignorance
and disbelief) and We have him life (by knowledge
and Faith) and set for him a light (of Belief) whereby
he can walk amongst them—like him who is in
the darkness (of disbelief, polytheism and hypocrisy)
from which he can never come out? Thus it is made
fair-seeming to the disbelievers that which
they used to do. (Q. 6:122).
Here death is the metaphor of ignorance and disbelief,
life is of knowledge and faith, whereas light is of belief, and
darkness of disbelief, polytheism and hypocrisy.
With regard to Antithesis of Muqābalah type, classical
Muslim scholar Badr al-Dīn al-Zarkashī (d. 794/ 1392) gave its
definition, as follows:
‫ َو ُي َخالِفُ ُه ِفي َبعْ ضها‬, ‫ض صِ َفا ِت ِه‬ ِ ‫ُه َو ِذ ْك ُر ال َّشيْ ِء َم َع َما ُي َو‬
ِ ْ‫از ُن ُه ِفيْ َبع‬
It is the mentioning of something with what is equal
to it in some of its qualities and their opposite in others.
In other words it is the mentioning of something with two
or more agreed meanings without contradiction, then it is
brought what is the opposite of it in order. For example,
ً ‫َف ْل َيضْ َح ُكوا َقل‬
َ ‫ِيل َو ْل َي ْب ُكوا َك ِثيرً ا َج َزا ًء ِب َما َكا ُنوا َي ْكسِ ب‬
42:‫ُون (التوبة‬
So let them laugh a little and (they will) cry much
as a recompense of what they used to earn
(by committing sins) (Q. 9:82)
The terms laugh and a little agree with each other
and without contradiction, then come cry and much as
 5

their opposite, i.e., laugh as the opposite of cry, and a little

as the opposite of much.
This muqabalah type of antithesis is divided into
three categories:
a. Two things compared with two others, such as the
example above. Other examples are:
َ ‫ك َمنْ َت َشا ُء َو َت ْن ِز ُع ْالم ُْل‬
)21:‫ك ِممَّنْ َت َشا ُء (آل عمران‬ َ ‫ُت ْؤتِي ْالم ُْل‬
You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take
the kingdom from whom You will…(Q. 3:26)
)22:‫ت م َِن ْال َحي (آل عمران‬َ ‫ت َو ُت ْخ ِر ُج ْال َمي‬ ِ ‫َو ُت ْخ ِر ُج ْال َحيَّ م َِن ْال َمي‬
…You bring the living out of the dead, and You
bring the dead out of the living… (Q. 3:27)
َ ‫ َو َج َع ْل َنا ال َّن َه‬.‫َو َج َع ْل َنا اللَّ ْي َل لِ َبا ًسا‬
)11-11:‫ار َم َعا ًشا (النبأ‬
And We have made the night as covering
(through its darkness), and We have made
the day for livelihood.(Q. 78:10-11)
َ ‫أَلَ ْم َي َر ْوا أَ َّنا َج َع ْل َنا اللَّ ْي َل لِ َيسْ ُك ُنوا فِي ِه َوال َّن َه‬
‫ار ُمبْصِ رً ا‬
)41:‫ون (النمل‬ َ ‫ك ََل َيات لِ َق ْوم ي ُْؤ ِم ُن‬ َ ِ‫إِنَّ فِي َذل‬
See they not that We have made the night for
them to rest therein, and the day sight-giving?
Verily, in this are āyāt (proofs, evidences,
verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)
for the people who believe (Q. 27:86)
b. Three things compared with three others, such as:
َ ‫ت َوي َُحر ُم َعلَي ِْه ُم ْال َخ َبائ‬
)112:‫ (األعراف‬...‫ِث‬ َّ ‫َو ُيحِل َل ُه ُم‬
ِ ‫الطي َبا‬
… he allows them as lawful at-tayyibat (i.e., all
good and lawful as regards things, deeds,
beliefs, persons and foods), and prohibits
them al-khabā’ith (i.e., all evil and unlawful
as regards things, deeds, beliefs,
persons and food) (Q. 7:157)
c. Four things compared with four others, such as:
 6

َ ‫ َو‬.‫َفأَمَّا َمنْ أَعْ َطى َوا َّت َقى‬

ُ‫ َف َس ُن َيس ُره‬. ‫ص َّد َق ِب ْالحُسْ َنى‬
‫ب‬َ ‫ َو َك َّذ‬. ‫ َوأَمَّا َمنْ َب ِخ َل َواسْ َت ْغ َنى‬. ‫ل ِْليُسْ َرى‬
)11-1 :‫ َف َس ُن َيس ُرهُ ل ِْلعُسْ َرى (الليل‬.‫ِب ْالحُسْ َنى‬
As for him who gives (in charity) and keeps his
duty to Allah and fears Him, and believes in the
best, We will make smooth for him the path of
ease (goodness). But he who is a greedy miser
and thinks himself self-sufficient. And denies
the best We will make smooth for him
the path for evil. (Q. 92:5-10)
The examples of Antithesis in the verses of the
Qur’ān are used very extensively. As a book of guidance
the Qur’ān mentions two contrasting things side by side,
namely, truth and falsehood, good and evil, belief and
disbelief, guidance and misguidance called juxtaposition
in order to highlight the difference between the two
sides. This is very evident with the Qur’ānic expression
‫ َفأَمَّا‬or ‫ أَ َّما‬followed by ‫ َوأَمَّا‬as in the above verse.1
Allah says in the Qur’ān,
)11:‫ْن (البلد‬ ِ ‫َو َه َد ْي َناهُ ال َّنجْ َدي‬
And shown him he two ways (good and evil) (Q. 90:10)
It is up to us, whether we choose guidance and the right
way or misguidance and the wrong way.
(CIVIC, 23 September, 2016)
Bibliography:
Al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah
https://islamwich.com/2013/04/03/quranic-challenge/
https://old.uqu.edu.sa/page/ar/43947
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/essays-articles/exploring-the-
quran/the-inim
https://sites.google.com/site/mihfadha/balagha/18
http://www.sunnti.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14313

1
See also Q. 2:26; 3:56-57; 4:173; 11:106-108; 30:15-16; 69: 19-25;
79:37-40; 84:7-10; and 101:6-9.
 7

2. GHADĪR (THE POND OF) KHUMM AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE (1)

The pool (ghadir) in the valley of Khumm known as
“Ghadīr Khumm” )‫ ( َغ ِديْر ُخ ّم‬is situated about 5 kms from al-
Jaḥfah (al-Juḥfah) between Makkah and Medinah. In this place
on the 18 of Dhul-Hijjah 10 AH (16 March 632 CE) the Prophet
was said to have given his well-known sermon which, according
to the Shi‘ah interpretation, he appointed ‘Ali as his successor.
This event is the strongest evidence of the appointment of Ali
as his successor, so that the appointment of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar,
and ‘Uthman by Muslims as his successors is considered the
usurpation of Allah’s divine decree and disobedience of the
Prophet’s command.
To commemorate this important event the Shi’is have a
yearly celebration called “Eid al-Ghadir” which is considered by
them “is one of the most important days of rejoicing for Shia
Muslims around the world as that was the day our beloved
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) declared Hazrat Ali’s vicegerency
at Ghadir e Khumm on his return from his last pilgrimage…” 1
According to the Shi’ah tradition the Prophet after
completing his pilgrimage he and the crowd of people reached
the valley of Khumm (‫) َغ ِديْر ُخ ّم‬. In this place people coming from
different provinces greeted each other then took different
routes for their homes. Here the Prophet said:
"It seems the time approached when I shall be called
away (by Allah) and I shall answer that call. I am leaving for you
two precious things and if you adhere to them both, you will
never go astray after me. They are the Book of Allah and my
Progeny, which is my Ahlul Bayt. The two shall never separate
from each other until they come to me by the Pool (of
Paradise)."
In a ḥadīth narrated by al-Barrā’ ibn ‘Āzib that he and
other people were travelling with the Prophet where they

1
http://www.amaana.org/gadhir/gadhir1.htm
 8

stopped at Ghadīr Khumm and prayed combined prayer. Then

he said:
‫ِين مِنْ أَ ْنفُسِ ِه ْم َقالُوا َب َلى َقا َل‬ َ ‫ُون أَ ِّني أَ ْولَى ِب ْالم ُْؤ ِمن‬ َ ‫أَلَسْ ُت ْم َتعْ لَم‬
‫ُون أَ ِّني أَ ْولَى ِب ُك ِّل م ُْؤمِن مِنْ َن ْفسِ ِه ؟ َقالُوا َبلَى َقا َل َفأ َ َخ َذ‬ َ ‫أَلَسْ ُت ْم َتعْ لَم‬
‫ال َمنْ َو َاَلهُ َو َعا ِد‬ ِ ‫ت َم ْو ََلهُ َف َعلِي َم ْو ََلهُ اللَّ ُه َّم َو‬ ُ ‫ِب َي ِد َعلِي َف َقا َل َمنْ ُك ْن‬
‫ك َف َقا َل َهنِي ًئا َيا اب َْن أَ ِبي َطالِب‬ َ ِ‫ َقا َل َفلَ ِق َي ُه ُع َم ُر َبعْ َد َذل‬.ُ‫َمنْ َعا َداه‬
َ ‫ت َوأَ ْم َسي‬
)‫ْت َم ْولَى ُك ِّل م ُْؤمِن َوم ُْؤ ِم َنة (رواه أحمد‬ َ ْ‫أَصْ َبح‬
“Don’t you know that I have more right (awlā) over
thebelievers than what they have over themselves?"2
"Yes, O Messenger of Allah," they replied. Then he
held up the hand of Ali, and said: “He of whomever
I am the Mawla (Master ), Ali is his Mawla (Master).
O Allah, love those who love him, and be hostile to
those who are hostile to him.” Then al-Barrā’ said
that ‘Umar met him later and said to him:
“Congratulation, O Ibn Abi Talib! Today you
have become the mawla (leader) of all
believing men and women."
(Reported by Ahmad)

In Shi’ah tradition the Prophet said that he was leaving

among them two things, that if they adhere to both of them,
they would never go astray after him: the Book of Allah and his
select progeny, namely his family (ahl al-bayt).3 It is also
mentioned that the Prophet told them to treat both of them
carefully, and they would perish if they stay away from them.
He also said that Ali was his brother, his waṣī (executor,
2
This is an echo of the following Qur’anic verse: ‫ِين مِنْ أَ ْنفُسِ ِه ْم‬ َ ‫ال َّن ِبي أَ ْولَى ِب ْالم ُْؤ ِمن‬
)6:‫ (األحزاب‬...‫“ َوأَ ْز َواجُ ُه أ ُ َّم َها ُت ُه ْم‬The Prophet is closer (awlā) to the believers
than their own selves, and his wives are their (believers’) mothers (as
rregards respect and marriage…” (Q. 33:6)
3
Similar ḥadīth was also reported by Aḥmad, but instead of ‘itraty (“my
selected progeny”) the Prophet mentioned his sunnah, namely, the
hadiths of the Prophet, in Sunni traditions.
 9

commissioner), his successor, and the imām (leader) after him.

Ali’s position to him was like that of Hārūn (Aaron) to Moses,
except that no prophet came after him, and that Ali was their
master after Allah and His Messenger.
The Prophet also told them to obey Ali as their imam, his
word was binding, his order was obligatory, and his command
should be obeyed, and curse would be the man who disobeyed
him.
These ḥadīths according to the Shi’is clearly indicate that
the Prophet had appointed Ali to be is successor in leading the
Muslim community. They say that the Prophet had been
ordered by Allah to announce his succession when He revealed
to him in this place, Ghadir Khumm, the following verse:
ُ َ
َ ‫ َوإِن لَّ ْم َت ْف َع ْل َف َما َبلَّ ْغ‬, ‫ك‬
, ‫ت ِر َسا َل َت ُه‬ َ ‫ك مِن رَّ ِّب‬ ِ ‫َيا أي َها الرَّ سُو ُل َبلِّ ْغ َما أ‬
َ ‫نز َل إِ َل ْي‬
)66:‫ين (المائدة‬ َ ‫ إِنَّ اللَّـ َه ََل َي ْهدِي ْال َق ْو َم ْال َكاف ِِر‬, ‫اس‬ ِ ‫ك م َِن ال َّن‬ َ ‫َواللَّـ ُه َيعْ صِ ُم‬
O Messenger! proclaim the (message) which hath been
sent to thee from thy Lord. If thou didst not, thou wouldst
not have fulfilled and proclaimed His mission. And Allah
will defend thee from men (who mean mischief). For
Allah guideth not those who reject Faith. (5:67(
The last sentence in the above verse indicates that the
Prophet s.a.w. was mindful of the reaction of his people in
delivering that message, but Allah informed him not to worry,
for He will protect His Messenger from people.
They claim that the intended message was the
proclamation of the appointment of Ali as his successor.
Moreover, immediately after doing it, Allah revealed to him this
verse:
ُ ‫ت لَ ُك ْم دِي َن ُك ْم َوأَ ْت َمم‬
ُ ِ‫ْت َعلَ ْي ُك ْم نِعْ َمتِي َو َرض‬
‫يت‬ ُ ‫ْال َي ْو َم أَ ْك َم ْل‬
)3:‫(المائدة‬... ‫اْلسْ ََل َم دِي ًنا‬ ِ ْ ‫لَ ُك ُم‬
"Today I have perfected your religion and completed
my favour upon you, and I was satisfied that Islam
be your religion." (Qur'an 5:3)
 10

This means, in their view, after proclaiming Ali to be his

immediate successor in leading the Muslim community, Islam
becomes perfect. When the Prophet was still in ‘Arafah, Islam
was not yet complete, because the Prophet had not announced
Ali his immediate successor there.
It is also mentioned in the Shi‘ah tradition that on the day
of Ghadir the Prophet summoned people toward 'Ali and said:
"Ali is the mawla of whom I am mawla." The news spread
quickly and reached Ḥārith Ibn Nu‘mān al-Fahrī (or Nadhr Ibn
Ḥārith according to another tradition). He rode his camel and
came to Madinah and went to the Prophet s.a.w. and said to
him: "You commanded us to testify that there is no deity but
Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah, and we obeyed
you. You ordered us to perform the prayers five times a day
and we obeyed. You ordered us to observe fasts during the
month of Ramadhan and we obeyed. Then you commanded us
to offer pilgrimage to Makkah and we obeyed. But you are not
satisfied with all this and you raised your cousin by your hand
and imposed him upon us as our master by saying `Ali is the
mawla of whom I am mawla.' Is this imposition from Allah or
from you?"
The Prophet s.a.w. said : "By Allah who is the only deity!
This is from Allah, the Mighty and the Glorious."
On hearing this Harith turned back and proceeded
towards his she-camel saying: "O Allah! If what Muhammad
said is correct then fling on us a stone from the sky and subject
us to severe pain and torture." He had not reached his she-
camel when Allah, who is above all defects, flung at him a stone
which struck him on his head, penetrated his body and passed
out through his lower body and left him dead. It was on this
occasion that Allah, the exalted, caused to descend the
following verses:
. ‫ْس َل ُه َدافِع‬ َ ‫ ل ِْل َكاف ِِر‬. ‫َسأ َ َل َسائِل ِب َع َذاب َواقِع‬
َ ‫ين َلي‬
)3-1:‫ار ِج‬ ِ ‫ار ِج ( ْال َم َع‬ ِ َّ ‫م َِن‬
ِ ‫ّللا ذِي ْال َم َع‬
 11

"A questioner questioned about the punishment

to fall. For the disbelievers there is nothing to avert
it, from Allah the Lord of the Ascent." (70:1-3)
Although the existence of the above ḥadīths and many
similar ones are acknowledged by some and not all Sunnī
scholars, such as Aḥmad Ibn Ḥanbal in his Musnad, they say
that they are only indicating the Prophet’s urging the audience
to hold his cousin Ali in high esteem and affection.
Among the Sunni arguments are as follows:
1. The term mawlā )‫ ( َم ْولى‬or walī )‫(ولِي‬َ has many meanings,
such as: master, lord, client, patron, friend, partner, ally,
associate, helper, benefactor, sponsor, close associate,
relative, protector, legal guardian, tutor, etc. It is said that
the term mawlā itself has 27 different meanings. Therefore,
the meaning intended in the ḥadīths mentioned above is
ambiguous. Had the Prophet meant it a successor in leading
the Muslim community immediately after him, he would
have used the clear term, such as: īmām (leader), amīr
(emir), khalīfah (caliph), sulṭān (sultan), and ulī’l-amr (rulers)
rather than mawla and wali which have many meanings.
2. According to Sunnī Qur’an commentators, the injunction to
convey and proclaim the message which has been revealed
to him by Allah in the above verse (Q. 5:67) is in general
term, namely, the whole message, not specified with the
proclamation of Ali as his successor claimed by the Shi‘is.
Not conveying a single message would mean that he had not
conveyed the whole message. Allah promised to protect him
from his enemy the non-believers who always wanted to
harm him. Before this verse was revealed the Prophet was
being guarded. Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal recorded that one night
the Prophet said to his wife ‘Ā’ishah:
“Would that a pious man from my companions guard me
tonight.”
 12

When she heard the clatter of arms, the Prophet

asked: “What is that?”
“I am Sa‘d ibn Mālik (Sa‘d ibn Abī Waqqāṣ),”
answered the man.
“What brought you here?,” asked the Prophet.
“I have come to guard you, O Messenger of Allah!”
answered the man.
When the verse “And Allah will defend thee from men
(who mean mischief)” was revealed to him he told his
companions to stop guarding him, as Allah had promised to
protect him. Among those who used to guard him at night
were his uncle al-‘Abbās, and ‘Iṣmah ibn Mālik al-Khaẓmī.
The verse was revealed when the Prophet arrived Madinah
when he needed protection from non-Muslims in it, not in
Gadīr Khumm when he needed protection from his
followers in proclaiming his cousin Ali as his immediate
successor. Further Sunnī arguments will be dealt with in the
next khuṭbah, in shā Allāh.
(CIVIC, 30 September, 2016)
:‫المكتبة الشاملة‬
(‫ هـ‬313 .‫تفسير الطبري )ت‬
(‫ هـ‬661 .‫تفسير القرطبى )ت‬
(‫ هـ‬667 .‫تفسير ابن كثير )ت‬
htps://www.al-islam.org/ghadir/incident.htm
htps://www.al-islam.org/ghadir/incident.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadith_of_the_pond_of_Khumm
http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-
9780195390155/obo-97801953
http://www.dd-sunnah.net/forum/showthread.php?p
=553768#post55376
https://gift2shias.com/2013/10/24/hadith-of-ghadir-khumm-a-
sunni-perspective/
http://www.amaana.org/gadhir/gadhir1.htm
 13

3. GHADĪR (THE POND OF) KHUMM AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE (2)

3. According to Sunni traditionists, such as al-Bukhārī, Muslim,
al-Tirmidhī, al-Ṭabrānī, al-Nasā’ī, and many others, the verse
‫ْال َي ْو َم أَ ْك َم ْلت لَك ْم دِي َنك ْم َوأَ ْت َممْت َعلَيْك ْم نِعْ َمتِي َو َرضِ يت‬
)3:‫(المائدة‬... ‫اْلسْ ََل َم دِي ًنا‬ ِ ْ ‫لَكم‬
Today I have perfected your religion and completed
my favour upon you, and I was satisfied that Islam
)be your religion) (Q. 5:3)
was revealed at ‘Arafah, and not at Ghadīr Khumm. When
this verse was revealed on the evening day of ‘Arafah (9th
of Dhu’l-Ḥijjah) ‘Umar cried. When the Prophet asked him
what made him cry he said that as the religion of Islam was
being perfected for them, and as nothing is perfect but
bound to deteriorate. The Prophet confirmed it, as he said:
)‫اْلسْ َلَم َغ ِريبًا َو َس َيعود َك َما َب َدأَ َغ ِريبًا َفطو َبى ل ِْلغ َر َبا ِء (رواه مسلم‬ َ
ِ ‫َب َدأ‬
Islam was strange in its beginning and will return
strange like in its beginning. Therefore, good news
for the strangers. (Reported by Muslim)
It was narrated by Ṭāriq ibn Shihāb that the Jews said to
‘Umar r.a.,
‘By Allah! There is a verse read by all of you
(Muslims), and had it been revealed to us, we
would have taken that that it was revealed a
a day of celebration.” ‘Umar r.a. said, “By Allah
I know when and where this verse was revealed
and where the Messenger of Allah was at that
time. It was the Friday evening of ‘Arafah, and
I was at ‘Arafah, by Allah”
(Reported by al-Bukhārī, Muslim,
al-Tirmidhī, and al-Nasā’ī)1

1
The report runs as follows: ‫ب‬ ِ ‫ْن ْال َخ َّطا‬ِ ‫ْن شِ َهاب َقا َل َقا َل َيهودِى لِع َم َر ب‬ ِ ‫ار ِق ب‬ ِ ‫َعنْ َط‬
‫ت َه ِذ ِه اآل َية ( ْال َي ْو َم أَ ْك َم ْلت لَك ْم دِي َنك ْم َوأَ ْت َممْت‬ ْ َ‫ أَ َما لَ ْو َعلَ ْي َنا َمعْ َش َر ْال َيهو ِد َن َزل‬: ‫ّللا َع ْنه‬
َّ ‫َرضِ َى‬
‫ َف َقا َل‬.‫ت فِي ِه الَ َّت َخ ْذ َنا َذل َِك ْال َي ْو َم عِ ًيدا‬
ْ َ‫اْلسْ َلَ َم دِي ًنا) َنعْ لَم ْال َي ْو َم الَّذِى َن َزل‬
ِ ‫َعلَيْك ْم نِعْ َمتِى َو َرضِ يت لَكم‬
 14

Asmā’ bint ‘Umays said:

I was performing the pilgrimage with the Messenger
of Allah s.a.w. at the pilgrimage. While we were walking
suddenly Gabriel appeared to him on his riding she-camel;
and as she could not bear the heaviness of the (verses of
the) Qur’an, she knelt down; so, I came to him and covered
him with the outer garment which was with me.2
4. Had the succession been a divine decree, Ali would not have
said the following statements:
a. In his speech in Nahj al-Balāghah 1/182, no. 92 ‘Ali said:
Leave me alone and ask other people [for leadership],
as we are facing a case which has various manifestations
and complexions, which hearts cannot bear and reason
cannot accept [namely, complicated]… and if you leave
me, as I am like any of you, I might be the one who
listen and obey the most among you to whom you
have chosen a ruler. For me, being a vizier of
you would be better than being a ruler.3
b. In his speech in Nahj al-Balāghah 2/184, no. 205 ‘Ali also
said:
By Allah, I have neither desire to be a caliph,
nor skill for ruling, but you are appealing to
me for it and imposing on me.4

‫ت َع َلى‬ْ َ‫ت فِي ِه َو ْال َي ْو َم َوالسَّا َع َة َن َزل‬

ْ َ‫ َق ْد َعلِمْت ْال َم ْوضِ َع الَّذِى َن َزل‬: ‫ّللا َع ْنه‬ ِ ‫ع َمر بْن ْال َخ َّطا‬
َّ ‫ب َرضِ َى‬
‫ ( َر َواه البخاري ومسْ لِم َوالترمذي‬.‫ َو َنحْ ن ِب َع َر َف َة عَشِ َّي َة جم َعة‬-‫صلى ّللا عليه وسلم‬- ‫ّللا‬ ِ َّ ‫ول‬
ِ ‫َرس‬
‫)والنسائي‬
2
‫ فبينما نحن‬،‫ حججت مع رسول ّللا صلى ّللا عليه وسلم تلك الحجة‬:‫فقالت أسماء بنت ع َميس‬
‫ فلم تطق الراحلة من ِث ْقل ما عليها‬،‫ إذ تجلّى له جبريل صلى ّللا عليه وسلم على الرَّ احلة‬،‫نسير‬
)‫ فأتيته فسجَّ يت عليه برداء كان علي (تفسير الطبري‬،‫ فبركت‬،‫من القرآن‬
3
‫ وال تثبت‬،‫ ال تقوم له القلوب‬،‫ فإنا مستقبلون أمرا له وجوه وألوان‬،‫دعوني والتمسوا غيري‬
،‫ ولعلي أسمعكم وأطوعكم لمن وليتموه أمركم‬، ‫ وإن تركتموني فأنا كأحدكم‬... ‫عليه العقول‬
) 92 ‫ خطبة‬،182\1 ‫وأنا لكم وزيرا خير لكم مني أميرا (نهج البَلغة‬
4
‫ ولكنكم دعوتموني إليها وحملتموني‬،‫ وال في الوالية إربة‬،‫وّللا ما كانت لي في الخَلفة رغبة‬
) 202 ‫ خطبة‬،181\ 2 ‫عليها (نهج البَلغة‬
 15

c. In his speech in Nahj al-Balāghah (“Peack of Eloquence”)

no. 202 ‘Ali also said:
In fact, people who pledged allegiance to me are those
who have pledged allegiance to Abū Bakr, ‘Umar, and
‘Uthmān on the [same] condition, so people who are
present have no choice, and those who are absent have
no objection; rather, it is shūrā (mutual consultation) for
the muhajirin (emigrants) and anṣār (people of Madinah).
If they agreed on a man and called him an imām, this
would by pleasing Allah, and if a man came out of their
order with impeachment or innovation, they would bring
him back, and if he rejected they would fight him for
his following other than the way of the believers, and
Allah would keep him in the path he has chosen.5
Here ‘Ali’s expression of “following other than the
way of the believers, and Allah would keep him in the path
he has chosen” he was quoting the following Qur’anic
verse:
َ ‫يل ْالم ْؤ ِمن‬
‫ِين‬ ِ ‫َمنْ ي َشاق ِِق الرَّ سو َل مِنْ َبعْ ِد َما َت َبي ََّن لَه ْالهدَى َو َي َّت ِبعْ َغي َْر َس ِب‬
)112:‫ت مَصِ يرً ا (النساء‬ ْ ‫ن َولِّ ِه َما َت َولَّى َونصْ لِ ِه َج َه َّن َم َو َسا َء‬
And whoever contradicts and opposes
the Messenger (Muhammad) after the
right path has been shown clearly to him,
and follows other than the believers’ way,
We shall keep him in the path he has
chosen, and burn him in Allah – what
an evil destination! (Q. 4:115)
Moreover, it was reported that he and his two sons al-
Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn (r.a.) had paid allegiance to Abū Bakr,

5
‫ َفلَم َيكن لِل َّشا ِه ِد أَن‬،ِ‫ثمان َعلَى َما َبا َيعوهم َعلَيه‬
َ ‫ِين َبا َيعوا أَ َبا َبكر َوع َم َر َوع‬ َ ‫إِ َّنه َبا َي َعنِي ال َقوم الَّذ‬
‫ َفإِ ِن اج َت َمعوا َعلَى َرجل َو َسمَّوه‬،‫ار‬ ِ ‫ص‬ َ ‫ين َواألَن‬
َ ‫ورى لِلم َها ِج ِر‬ َ ‫ َوإ َّن َما ال ُّش‬،‫ب أَن َير َّد‬ ِ ‫ َوالَ ل َِلغا ِئ‬،‫ار‬َ ‫َيخ َت‬
‫ َفإِن‬،‫اخ َر َج مِنه‬ َ ‫دعة َر ُّدوه إِلَى َم‬ِ َ‫ارج ِب َطعن أ‬
َ ‫وب‬ ِ ‫مرهِم َخ‬
َ
ِ ‫ َفإِن َخ َر َج َعن أ‬، ً‫لِل ِرضى‬ ِ َّ ِ ‫ان ذل َِك‬
َ ‫إِ َماما ً َك‬
) 6 ‫ باب كنيته‬7 /3‫ َو َوالَّه ّللا َما َت َولَّى (نهج البَلغة‬،‫ِين‬ َ ‫يل المؤ ِمن‬ِ ‫ير َس ِب‬ َ ‫أَ َبى َقا َتلوه َعلَى ا ِّتبَاعِ ِه َغ‬
 16

‘Umar, and ‘Uthmān. They would not have violated the

divine decree had the leadership been divinely decreed for
them, unless they were doing what is called taqiyyah,
prudence, namely, dissimilation of one’s religion or faith
under duress or in the face of threatening damage. This
also would be unlikely for a brave and upright man like ‘Ali
to conceal the truth about his right for leadership based on
divine decree.
However, the genuineness of Nahj al-Balāghah by
many Muslim scholars as the speeches of ‘Ali selected and
collected by al-Sharīf Muhammad al-Raḍī (359-406/970-
1016), or his elder brother ‘Ali al-Murtaḍā (355-426/966-
1036) was doubted and many of them were considered
forgery.6 Unlike the ḥadīths of the Prophet where we can
trace who said what and from whom until the report
reached the collectors of the ḥadīths, such as Bukhārī and
Muslim. The character of each narrator of the report was
evaluated to see whether he was trustworthy, pious and
had enough strong memory, or not. The chain of narrators
and transmitters is called isnād, and evaluating the
character of each of them is called al-jarḥ wa l’ta‘dīl (lit.
“injuring and straightening”). In modern time we have a
record called Wo’s Who where the identity of persons in it
are mentioned. In Nahj al-Balāghah we do not have isnād.
Dr. Ṣabrī Ibrāhīm al-Sayyid, the Emeritus Professor
of Arabic Language and Literature at Ain Shams University
in Cairo, Egypt, in his verification on the Nahj al-Balāghah
gives us some of his findings as follows: Many of the
scholars of the 6th century of Hijrah thought that most of
the contents of Nahj al-Balāghah were not originated from
‘Ali, but were composed by a group of eloquent Shi’is,

6
For example, see ‫ ط دار الثقافة – بيروت‬313/3 ،‫ وفيات‬: ‫ ميزان ;ابن خلكان‬: ‫الذهبي‬
121/3 ‫ ; االعتدال‬227/3 ‫ شذرات الذهب‬: ‫ ;ابن عماد الحنبلي‬22/3 ‫ مرآة الجنان‬: ‫; اليافعي‬
223/1 ‫ لسان الميزان‬: ‫ ; ابن حجر العسقَلني‬271/1 ‫ أمراء البيان‬: ‫كرد علي‬
 17

among whom was al-Sayyid al-Raḍī. He did no decide the

genuineness or falsehood of the contents of the book, but
he analysed them, and found that some parts of them
were originated from Greek orators and others from
Muslim scholars. He made his decision on 20% of them,
and said that they had been composed by al-Sharīf al-Raḍī,
and not his brother ‘Ali al-Murtaḍā.
Other irregularities of Nahj al-Balāghah are: too
many and too long speeches; too many sayings and
speeches from reliable sources attributed to other than
‘Ali, but attributed to him by the writer of Nahj al-
Balāghah; containing improper statements attributed to Ali
about the caliphs before him; containing the news of the
unseen, such as the case of al-Ḥajjāj ibn Yūsuf al-Thaqafī,
the Zinj civil strife, and the Tatar invasion; the spread of
rhymed prose in it; the use of elegant style in which literary
art appeared which was among the embellishment and
decoration of the Abbasī period; the existence in it
philosophical wordings and theological essays unknown by
Muslims except in the 3rd century of the Hijrah when
Greek, Persian and Indian books were translated into
Arabic.
2. According to the Shi’is after completing his farewell
pilgrimage the Prophet appointed Ali as his successor at
Ghadīr Khumm, a watering hole in the middle of the desert
not from the city of Juhfah, is approximately 250 km away
from Makkah in the south. We wonder why such an
important event, the appointment of Ali as the Prophet’s
successor was not announced at the Mount of Arafah where
the entire Muslim ummah was gathered, so that nobody
would deny or doubt it. After this pilgrimage the pilgrims
dispersed and returned to their respective homes, such as
Țā’if, Kūfah and Yemen, whereas the people of Makkah
remained in that city. None of these people went to
completely different and opposite direction towards Ghadīr
 18

Khumm in order to listen to the Prophet’s important

sermon. The Prophet had never told them to do so.
Therefore, those who were present with the Prophet at that
place were those who ived in cities in the North of the
Arabian Peninsula who were heading towards Madinah (or
passing through/near it) and other places such as Syria.
They were just a handful of Muslims, not a great number of
Muslims as claimed by the Shi’is to be over 100,000 people
(some said about 120,000 people). It is said that when the
Prophet passed away the number of Muslims was not even
half of it.
This event indicates that the Ghadīr Khumm episode
was not so significant as claimed by the Shi’is. The Prophet
said what he said was the answer of an issue, of a special
case arising at that time and at that place. This will be dealt
with in the next khutbah, in shā Allāh.
(CIVIC, 7 October, 2016)
:‫المراجع‬
‫المكتبة الشاملة‬
( ‫ هـ‬310 .‫تفسير الطبري)ت‬
( ‫ هـ‬671 .‫تفسير القرطبى)ت‬
(‫ هـ‬771 .‫تفسير ابن كثير)ت‬
htps://www.al-islam.org/ghadir/incident.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadith_of_the_pond_of_Khumm
http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-
9780195390155/obo-97801953
http://www.dd-sunnah.net/forum/showthread.php?p
=553768#post55376
https://gift2shias.com/2013/10/24/hadith-of-ghadir-khumm-a-
sunni-perspective/
http://www.utm.thaqalayn.org/files/ghadeer.pdf
http://www.discoveringislam.org/ghadir_khumm.htm
source: http://www.utm.thaqalayn.org/files/ghadeer.pdf”
http://www.aqaed.com/faq/4457/
 19

4. RHETORICAL EXPRESSSIONS OF THE QUR’AN (4)

4. Parenthesis, ‫ضة‬ َ ‫ُج ْملَ ُُةُمُعْ َت ِر‬
“Parenthesis is a word, phrase, or clause inserted in a
sentence that is grammatically complete without it, separated
usually by commas, dashes, or upright curves.”1 It is a word or
phrase inserted as an explanation or afterthought into a
passage which is grammatically complete without it, in writing
usually marked off by brackets, dashes, or commas.2 It is a
stylistic device that comes from a Greek word, meaning to
place or alongside. Parenthesis is a qualifying or explanatory
sentence, clause or word that writers insert into a paragraph or
passage. However, if they leave it out, even then grammatically
it does not affect the text that it is correct without it. Writers
mark them off by round and square brackets or by commas,
dashes, little lines and brackets. As far as its purpose is
concerned, this verbal unit provides extra information,
interrupts syntactic flow of words, and allows the readers to
pay attention on explanation. However, the overuse of
parenthesis may make sentences look ambiguous and poorly
structured.3 It is a sentence within another sentence, marked
off by comas, dashes or brackets. It is an explanatory or
qualifying word, clause or sentence inserted into a passage
with which it doesn’t necessarily have any grammatical
connection. For example:
ُ َّ ِ‫لُ ُن َكلِّفُُُ َن ْف ًساُإ‬
‫لُوُ سْ َع َها‬ ُ َ ُ‫ت‬ُِ ‫ِينُآ َم ُنواُ َو َع ِملُواُالصَّال َِحا‬ َُ ‫َوالَّذ‬
(44:‫ونُ(األعراف‬ َُ ‫خالِ ُد‬ َُ ‫أُولَ ِئ‬
َُ ُ‫كُأَصْ َحابُُُ ْال َج َّن ُِةُ ُه ُْمُفِي َها‬
But those who believed, and worked righteousness–
We tax not any person beyond his scope – such
are the dwellers of Paradise. They will abide
therein forever. (Q.7: 42).

1
Funk & Wagnall’s: Standard Dictionary of the English Language.
International Edition.
2
Oxford Dictionary.
3
http://literarydevices.net/parenthesis/
 20

Another example is as follows

َُّ ‫ضعْ ُت َهاُأ ُ ْن َثىُ َو‬
‫ّللا ُُأَعْ لَ ُُمُ ِب َما‬ َ ‫تُ َربُُِّإِ ِّنيُ َو‬ ُْ َ‫ض َع ْت َهاُ َقال‬ َ ‫َفلَمَّاُ َو‬
‫يذ َها‬ ُ ُ
ُ ِ‫الذ َك ُُرُ َك ْاأل ْن َثىُ َوإِ ِّنيُ َس َّم ْي ُت َهاُ َمرْ َي َُمُ َوإِ ِّنيُأع‬ َّ ُ‫ْس‬ َُ ‫تُ َولَي‬ ُْ ‫ض َع‬َ ‫َو‬
)63:‫يمُ(آلُعمران‬ ُِ ‫انُالرَّ ِج‬ ُِ ‫ِنُال َّش ْي َط‬ ُ
َُ ‫كُ َوذرِّ َّي َت َهاُم‬ َُ ‫ِب‬
Then when she gave birth to her [child Maryam
(Mary)], she said: “O my Lord! I have given birth to
a female child,”—And Allah knew better what she
brought forth,--“And the male is not like the female,
and I have named her Maryam (Mary), and I seek
refuge with You (Allah) for her and her offspring
from Satan, the outcast.” (Q. 6:63)
ُ ‫لُ َقالُواُإِ َّن َما‬ ُُ ‫ّللا ُُأَعْ لَ ُُمُ ِب َماُ ُي َن ِّز‬
َُّ ‫انُآ َيةُُ َو‬ َُ ‫َوإِ َذاُ َب َّد ْل َناُآ َي ًُةُ َم َك‬
ُ)101:‫ُونُ(النحل‬ َُ ‫لُ َيعْ لَم‬ ُ َ ُ‫لُأَ ْك َث ُر ُه ُْم‬ َُ ‫ُأَ ْن‬
ُْ ‫تُ ُم ْف َترُُ َب‬
And when We change a Verse (of the Qur’an)
in place of another – and Allah knows best what
He sends down – they (the disbelievers) say:
“You (O Muhammad) are but a Muftari!
(forger, liar)” nay, but most of them
know not. (Q. 16:101)
َُ ‫ُ َألَم ََْلَنَُُّ َج َه َّن َُمُ ِم ْن‬.‫ل‬
ُ ُ‫ك‬ ُُ ‫قُأَقُو‬
َُّ ‫لُ َف ْال َحقُُ َو ْال َح‬ َُ ‫َقا‬
ُُُ)48-44:‫ِينُ(ص‬ َُ ‫كُ ِم ْن ُه ُْمُأَجْ َمع‬
َُ ‫َو ِممَّنُُْ َت ِب َع‬
(Allah) said: “The truth is – and the truth I
say, - that I will fill Hell with you [Iblis (Satan)]
and those of them (mankind) that follow
you, together.” (Q. 38:84-85)
5. Saj‘ )‫(السَّجْ ع‬
The term saj‘ means “rhymed prose”; it is the voice of
man when he speaks rhymed prose with intermission, like the
coo of pigeons, namely, coo coo coo. It is the agreement the
last letters or last parts of two ends in two sections or more of
expression, such as the verses of the Qur’an, namely, rhyming
together. This rhyme in prose is called qāfiyah (rhyme) in
poetry. For example, the Prophet said:
 21

ُْ ‫ُ َو َثب‬،‫ُ َوأ ِجبُُْدَ عْ َوتي‬،‫لُ َح ْو َبتي‬

‫ِّتُحُجَّ تِي‬ ْ ‫ُ َو‬،‫لُ َت ْو َبتِي‬
ُْ ِ‫اغس‬ ُْ ‫َُربُُ َت َق َّب‬
)‫(رواهُأبوُداؤدُوُالنسائيُوُالترمذيُوُابنُماجهُوُأحمد‬
O my Lord, accept my repentance,
wash my sin, answer my invocation, and
strengthen my competent authority
(Reported by Abū Dā’ūd, al-Nasā’ī,
al-Tirmidhī, Ibn Mājah, and Aḥmad)
Here we see the rhyming together of atī in tawbatī,
ḥawbatī, da‘watī, and ḥujjatī.
Scholars of Arabic rhetoric divide saj into four categories:
1. muṭarraf )‫)ال ُمطَرَّف‬, 2. mutawāzī (‫)ال ُمتَ َوازي‬, 3. muraṣṣa'
(‫)ال ُم َرصَّع‬, 4. mutawāzin (‫ازن‬ ِ ‫)ال ُمتَ َو‬, and 5. mutamāthil (‫)ال ُمتَ َماثِل‬.
1. Muṭarraf )‫ ُ )ال ُم َطرَّ ف‬is when both agree in the letter of
rhyme, but different in their meters, such as waqārā and
aṭwārā in the following verses:
)14ُ،16ُ:ُ‫لِلُ َو َقارً اُ َو َق ُْدُ َخلَ َق ُك ُْمُأَ ْط َوارً اُ( ُنوح‬
َُِّ ِ ُ‫ُون‬ ُ َ ُ‫َماُلَ ُك ُْم‬
َُ ‫لُ َترْ ج‬
What is the matter with you, that [you fear
not Allah (His punishment), and] you hope not for
reward (from Allah or you believe not in His One-
ness) While He has created you in (different)
stages [i.e. nutfah, then ‘alaqah, then
muḍghah in Q. 23:13, 14] (Q. 71:13, 14)
Here the wazn (form, measure, meter) of waqārā is
totally different from that of aṭwārā but agree in the letter
of rhyme, namely, ārā.
2. Mutawāzī (‫ال ُم َت َوازي‬, namely, parallel, similar) is when both
have the same rhyme and meter, but their precedence are
not equivalent, such as:
ُ)ُ14،16ُ:‫فِي َهاُ ُسرُرُُ َمرْ فُو َعةُُ َوأَ ْك َوابُُ َم ْوضُو َعةُُ( ْال َغاشِ َية‬
Therein will be thrones raised high. And cups
set at hand (Q. 88. 13, 13)
 22

Here the term marfū‘ah and mawḍū‘ah have the same

rhyme and meter, but their precedence, namely, surur and
akwāb are not equivalent.
3. Muraṣṣa‘ (‫الم َُرصَّع‬, decorated), is when both have the same
rhyme and meter, and their precedence are also equivalent,
such as:
ُ)43ُ،48ُ:‫إِنَُُّإِلَ ْي َناُإِ َيا َب ُه ُْمُ ُث َُّمُإِنَُُّ َعلَ ْي َناُ ِح َسا َب ُه ُْمُ( ْال َغاشِ َية‬
Verily, to Us will be their return; Then verily,
for Us will be their reckoning (Q. 88: 25-26).
Here the term iyābahum and ḥisābahum have the same
rhyme and meter, and their precedence, ilaynā and ‘alaynā
are also equivalent.
Another example:
َُ ‫إِنَُُّ ْاألَب َْر‬
َُ َّ‫ارُلَفِيُ َنعِيمُُ َوإِنَُُّ ْالفُج‬
ُ)14ُ،16ُ:‫ارُلَفِيُ َجحِيمُُ( ِال ْن ِف َطار‬
Verily, the pious believers will be in Delight
(Paradise). And verily, the wicked will be in
the blazing Fire (Hell) (Q. 82:13, 14)
Here the term na‘īm and jaḥīm have the same
rhyme and meter, and their precedence, lafī and lafī are also
equivalent.
4. Mutawāzin (‫ازن‬ِ ‫ال ُم َت َو‬, having the same meter), is when they
have the same meter, but different rhyme, such as:
ُ)13ُ،18ُ:‫قُ َمصْ فُو َفةُُ َو َز َر ِابيُُ َمب ُْثو َثةُُُُ( ْال َغاشِ َية‬
ُُ ‫ار‬
ِ ‫َو َن َم‬
And cushions set in rows. And rich carpets
(all) spread out (Q. 88:15, 16)
Here the term maṣfūfah and mabthūthah have the same
meter, but are different in rhyme, namely, fah is different in
rhyme from thah.
Another example is:
ُِ ‫ُ َمالِكُُِ َي ْو ُِمُال ِّد‬.‫ِيم‬
ُ )4-6:‫ينُ(الفاتحة‬ ُِ ‫الرَّ حْ َم‬
ُِ ‫نُالرَّ ح‬
The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Only
Owner of the Day of Recompense (Q. 1:3-4)
 23

Here the term ḥīm in al-raḥīm and dīn in al-dīn have the
same meter, but are different in rhyme, namely, ḥīm (with m)
is different in rhyme from dīn (with n)
5. Mutamāthil (‫ال ُم َت َماثِل‬, being alike) is they have the same meter,
but not in rhyme; yet the precedence of the first is equivalent
with that of the second. For example:
َُ ‫ابُ ْالمُسْ َت ِب‬
َُ ‫ينُ َو َه َد ْي َنا ُه َماُالص َِّرا‬
ُ ُ‫ط‬ َُ ‫ُ َوآ َت ْي َنا ُه َماُ ْال ِك َت‬
ُ)114ُ،111ُ:‫ْالمُسْ َتقِي َُمُ(الصَّا َّفات‬
And We gave them the clear Scripture; and
guided them the Right Path (Q.37:117, 118)
Here the term al-kitāb and al-ṣirāṭ have the same meter, as
well as al-mustabīn and al-mustaqīm, but different in rhyme,
namely, the last letters, letter n )‫ (ن‬and mُ)‫ُ(م‬.
ُ In poetry we have what we call al-ḍarūrāt al-shi‘riyyah
)‫ات ُال ِّشعْ ِريَّة‬
ُ ‫ضرُور‬ َّ ‫(ال‬, namely poetical necessity where the poets
violate grammatical rules for the sake of rhyme though
addition, omission, alteration or inversion.4 ُ Similarly, we
have them in the Qur’an. The example of the addition is as
follows:
َُ ‫ُ َو َماُأَ ْد َرا‬.ُ‫او َية‬ ُ ُْ ‫َوأَمَّاُ َمنُُْ َخ َّف‬
ُ ُ.‫كُ َماُ ِه َي ُْه‬ ِ ‫ُ َفأم ُُهُ َه‬.ُ‫ازي ُن ُُه‬
ِ ‫تُ َم َو‬
ُ )11-4:‫َنارُُ َحا ِم َيةُُ(القارعة‬
But as for him whose Balance (of good deeds)
will be light, He will have his home in Hāwiyah
(pit, i.e. Hell). And what will make you know
what it is? It is a blazing Fire (Q. 101:9-11)

4
The addition is like ‫‘( ُع َني َْزَُة‬unayzata) becomes ُ‫‘( ُع َني َْزة‬unazatin), ‫يا ُ َم َط ُُر‬
(yā maṭaru) - ُ‫( َيا ُ َم َطر‬yā maṭarun), ‫(غِ َنى‬ghinā) - ‫) غِ َنا ُُء‬ghināu(, and
‫ارف‬ ِ ‫ص َي‬
َّ ‫( ال‬al-ṣayārif) – ‫اريْف‬ َّ ‫( ال‬al-ṣayārīf). The omission is like ‫ص ْن َعا َُء‬
ِ ‫ص َي‬ َ
(ṣan‘ā’) becomes ‫صن َعُا‬ َ ْ َ (ṣan‘ā) (omission of ‫(ْء‬, ُ‫( ُ َمالِك‬Mālikin) – ُ‫َمال‬
(Mālin), ‫( ُمِرْ دَ اسً ا‬mirdāsan) – ‫اس‬ َُ َ‫( مِرْ د‬mirdāsa), and ُ‫( أَفِر‬afirru) – ‫( أَفِر‬afir).
The alteration is like ‫ْن‬ ُِ ‫( أَ َرى ُ ْاث َني‬ara’thnayni) – ‫ْن‬ ُِ ‫( أَ َرى ُإِ ْث َني‬arā ithnayni), ُ‫َيا ُأ َبا‬
‫( المُغيرُِة‬yā abā’-mughīrati) - ‫( َيا ُا َبا ُالمُغيرُِة‬yā bā’-mughīrati), and ُ‫األجل‬ َ (al-
ajalli) – ‫ل‬ َ
ُِ ‫( األجْ ل‬al-ajlali). The inversion is like ‫ّللا‬ ُ
ُِ ُ ‫ السال ُُم ُعليكُِ ُورحم ُة‬and it
becomes ‫ّللاُالسال ُُم‬ ُ
ُِ ُ‫ عليكُُِورحم ُة‬.
 24

Here there is addition of ‫ هـ‬in ‫ِي‬ َُ ‫ ه‬meaning “she” to suit the

rhyme in ُ‫او َية‬
ِ ‫ َه‬and ُ‫حا ِم َية‬. َ
The addition of alif ُ)‫ (ا‬is common to suit the rhyme, such
as:ُ )10:‫الظ ُن ْو َنا ُ(األجزاب‬ ُ , )33:‫الرَّ سُول ُ(األجزاب‬, )31:‫الس َِّبيْال ُ(األجزاب‬,
andُ)18:‫يرا (اإلنسان‬ َُ ‫ار‬ِ ‫ُ َق َو‬.
The omission of yā’ )‫ ُ(ي‬is common, especially if it is a
personal pronoun meaning ‫“ نِي‬me”, ‫“ُي‬my” or ‫ك‬ َُ ُ“you” as an
object. It has to be mentioned in translation. For example,
the following verses where Prophet Ibrāhīm told his father
about the idols and about Allah, as follows:
.ُ‫ِين‬ َُ ‫لُ َربَُُّ ْال َعا َلم‬
ُِ ‫ُالَّذِيُ َخ َل َقنِيُ َفه َُُوُ َي ْهد‬.‫ِين‬ ُ َّ ِ‫َفإِ َّن ُه ُْمُ َع ُدوُُلِيُإ‬
ُِ ‫تُ َفه َُُوُ َي ْشف‬
.‫ِين‬ ُِ ‫َوالَّذِيُه َُُوُي ُْط ِع ُمنِيُ َو َيسْ ق‬
ُُ ْ‫ُ َوإِ َذاُ َم ِرض‬.ُ‫ِين‬
)41-11:‫ُ(الشعراء‬.‫ين‬ ُِ ‫َوالَّذِيُ ُيمِي ُتنِيُ ُث َُّمُيُحْ ِي‬
Verily, they are enemies to me, except the Lord
of the ‘ālamīn (mankind, jinn and all that exists),
Who had created me, and it is He Who guides me.
And it is He Who feeds me and gives me to drink.
And when I am ill, it is He Who cures me. And
Who will cause me to die, and then will bring
me to life (again) (Q. 26:77-81)
Before the omission the words are originally ‫ َي ْهدِيُِني‬, ِ‫ي‬
ُ ‫ َيسْ قِين‬,
‫ َي ْشفِيُِني‬, and ‫ يُحْ ِييُِني‬. (Turner, 10 October, 2016)
:‫المراجع‬
‫المكتبةُالشاملة‬
(‫ُهـ‬046ُ.‫تفسيرُالطبريُ(ت‬
(‫ُهـ‬334ُ.‫تفسيرُالقرطبىُ(ت‬
)‫ُهـ‬331ُ.‫تفسيرُابنُكثيرُ(ت‬
http://www.elibrary4arab.com/ebooks/arabic/arood-
qafeya/droorat.htm
http://www.iasj.net/iasj?func=fulltext&aId=78131
http://articles.islamweb.net/media/index.php?page=article&la
ng=A&id=174379
https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/‫سجع‬
http://www.alimam.ws/ref/168
 25

5. GHADĪR (THE POND OF) KHUMM AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE (3)

As we know in order to understand the Qur’ān properly
we have to know, among other things, the explanation of it
from the Qur’ān, namely, the Qur’ān explains itself. As one of
the duties of the Prophet (‫( )ﷺ‬s.a.w.) was to explain the
Qur’ān, we also have to know his explanation through the
ḥadīith as well as the occasion which led to the revelation of
the verses. In Qur’ānic science it is called asbāb al-nuzūl.
Similarly, in the science of Ḥadīth, not knowing the occasion
that made the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬say any statement would lead us
to misunderstanding what he had said. It is called asbāb al-
wurūd.
One example of misunderstanding the verse of the Qur’ān
for ignoring the ḥadīth of the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬is Dr. Rashad
Khalifa’s translation. As a person who claimed to be “God’s
Messenger of the Covenant” he denied the validity of the
Ḥadīth and translated the Qur’ān his own way, called Quran:
the Final Testament. Allah says in the Qur’ān:
َ ‫ك َح َّتى َيأْ ِت َي‬
)99:‫ك ْال َيقِينُ (الحجر‬ َ ‫َواعْ ب ُْد َر َّب‬
And worship your Lord until there comes to
you the certainty (i.e. death) (Q. 15:99)
Asad’s translation is: “and worship thy Sustainer till death
comes to thee.” His commentary of this verse is:
Lit., “till there comes unto thee that which is certain
(al-yaqīn)” – a term which in the Qur’ān is often used
as a metonymy for “death” (Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Tafsīr).
Pickthall’s translation is, “And serve thy Lord till the
inevitable cometh unto thee” where it could mean “death”
which is inevitable. A. Yusuf Ali’s translation starts becoming
ambiguous, namely, “And serve your Lord until there comes
unto you the Hour that is certain.” In Rodwel’s translation the
term “al-yaqīn” becomes more ambiguous, namely, “And serve
thy Lord till the certainty o’take thee.” Rashad Khalifa’s
 26

translation is totally different, as he translates ḥattā )‫(ح َّتى‬

َ as
“in order” which is one of its meanings, rather than “till,” as
follows: “And worship your Lord, in order to attain certainty.”1
He explained it and said: “The practices of worship are our
means of attaining certainty.”
The term al- yaqīn meaning “death which is certain” was
expressed by the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬when ‘Uthmān ibn Maẓ‘ūn
passed away. When Umm al-Ālā’ praised him and bore witness
that Allah had honoured him, the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬asked her
how she knew it. When she said she did not know it, the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said:
‫ّللا َما أَ ْد ِري َوأَ َنا‬ ِ َّ ْ‫أَمَّا ه َُو َف َق ْد َجا َءهُ ْال َيقِينُ إِ ِّني ََلَرْ جُو َل ُه ْال َخي َْر مِن‬
ِ َّ ‫ّللا َو‬
)‫(رواه البخاري و الطبراني و النسائي‬... ‫ّللا َما ُي ْف َع ُل ِبي َو َل ِب ُك ْم‬ ِ َّ ‫َرسُو ُل‬
As for him, death which is certain has come to him, and
wish him well from Allah; by Allah I do not know, even as
a Mesenger of Allah, what will be done to me or to you
(Reported by al-Bukhārī, al-Ṭabarī and al-Nasā’ī)
With regard to the ḥadīth of the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬at the
Ghadīr Khumm,
ِ ‫ اللَّ ُه َّم َو‬، ُ‫ت َم ْولهُ َف َعلِي َم ْوله‬
، ُ‫ َو َعا ِد َمنْ َعا َداه‬، ُ‫ال َمنْ َواله‬ ُ ‫َمنْ ُك ْن‬
Whomsoever I am Mawlā, Ali is also his Mawlā.
O Allah, befriend whosoever befriends him and be
the enemy of whomsoever is hostile to him.
The Arabic linguist Ibn Manẓūr in his Lisān al-‘Arab
dictionary mentioned the meanings of wali )‫(ال َولِي‬, ْ namely:
ْ
nearness )‫(القُرْ ب‬, closeness ) ّ‫(ال ُّد ُنو‬, then he mentioned the
ْ as follows:
meanings of mawlā )‫(الم ًْولَى‬
ُ ‫الما ِل‬, the owner (of a slave); ‫ال َع ْب ُد‬, the slave; ‫ المُعْ ت ُِق‬, the one who
‫ك‬
frees a slave; ‫ المُعْ َت ُق‬, the freed slave; ُ‫ الصاحِب‬, the companion;

1
In a similar verse, Rashad Khalifa also translate al-yaqīn as certainty,
namely, )44-46:‫ َح َّتى أَ َتا َنا ْال َيقِينُ (المدثر‬.‫ين‬
ِ ‫" َو ُك َّنا ُن َك ِّذبُ ِب َي ْو ِم ال ِّد‬We disbelieved in
the Day of Judgment. Until certainty came to us now” (Q.44:46-477)
 27

‫ونحوه‬ِ ‫كابن ال َع ِّم‬

ِ ُ‫ والقريب‬, the near one such as the paternal-cousin
and the like; ‫ الجار‬, the neighbor, ُ‫الحليف‬ َ , the ally; ُ‫ البن‬, , the son;
‫ ال َع ُّم‬, the paternal-uncle; ‫ ال َّنزي ُل‬, the guest (in the house); ‫ك‬ ُ ‫ ال َّشري‬,
the partner; ‫ت‬ ِ ‫ ابنُ اَل ُ ْخ‬, the son of one’s sister; ُّ‫الولِي‬
َ , the close
one; ُّ‫ الرَّ ب‬, lord; ‫ الناصِ ر‬, the supporter; ‫ ال ُم ْن ِع ُم‬, the one who
blesses; ‫ ال ُم ْن َع ُم عليه‬, the one who is blessed, ُّ‫ الم َُحب‬, the beloved;
‫التاب ُع‬, the follower; ‫صهْر‬ ِّ ‫ال‬, the husband of one’s daughter.
The meanings of mawlā in the above ḥadīth can be found
in the following Qur’ānic verse:
)47:‫ (التوبة‬...‫ض ُه ْم أَ ْولِ َيا ُء َبعْ ض‬ ُ ‫ون َو ْالم ُْؤ ِم َن‬
ُ ْ‫ات َبع‬ َ ‫َو ْالم ُْؤ ِم ُن‬
The believers, men and women are awliyā’
(helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of
one another… (Q. 9:71)
so that ‘Ali and the rest of the believers, are helpers,
protectors, friends and supporters of one another.
It is reported that Usāmah ibn Zayd said to ‘Ali: “You are
not my mawlā; it is the Messenger of Allah who is my mawlā.”
ُ
So, the Prophet said ‫كنت موله فعلي موله‬ ْ‫“ َمن‬Whomsoever I am
Mawlā, Ali is also his Mawlā.” It could also mean “whomever I
am his beloved one, then Ali also should be his beloved one.”
The Prophet (‫’)ﷺ‬s intention was to make the believers love
him more than their love for each other, like the Prophet
(‫ )ﷺ‬himself, as mentioned in the Qur’ān, that the Prophet
(‫ )ﷺ‬is nearer to the believers than to themselves, namely,
more worthy of being loved by them. The Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
wanted to make loving Ali obligatory for Muslims as they did to
him.
Translating mawlā as authority or leadership claimed by
the Shi’is is unacceptable by the Sunnis, as authority or
leadership belongs to the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬alone. The expression
“Whomever I am his leader, is also his leader,” as ‘Ali could not
be a leader alongside the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬, unless the Prophet
(‫ )ﷺ‬abdicated, which is impossible. The additional ‫َبعْ دي‬
 28

(“after me”) in some ḥadīth narrated by two Shi’ī narrators,

Ja‘far ibn Sulaymān and ‘Ajlah al-Kindī, are interpolations to
justify their claim for Ali’s succession.
6. In order to understand what the Prophet meant with his
statement about Ali in Ghadīr Khumm, we have to go back to
find out why he said what he said, as follows:
In the month of Ramadan before the Last Pilgrimage, the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬had sent a military expedition led by Ali with
about 300 horsemen to Yemen. After finishing the campaign
the army returned to Makkah and approached from the
South to join the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬in his Farewell pilgrimage. As
Ali was eager to meet the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬as soon as possible,
he rode on ahead of his men, and appointed a man to
replace him in leading his army and rushed to Makkah.
Amongst the state's fifth of the spoils there was enough linen
to clothe the whole army, but ‘Ali had decided that it must be
handed over to the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬untouched. But the new
leader was persuaded to lend each man a new change of
clothes out of the linen so that they would enter Makkah
with good and neat appearance.
When Ali came out to meet them he saw them with the
new dress from the clothing. “Wou unto you! What is this?”
He said: “I dressed them to make themselves neat and tidy
when they come to people.’ The men all knew that they
would be in Makkah on the Feast Day where everyone would
be wearing their best clothes, and they also would like to
look their best. But ‘Ali felt he could not accept this idea. So,
he ordered them to put on their old clothes again and return
the new ones to the spoils. They were unhappy with this
decision. When the Prophet heard of it he said: "O people,
blame not ‘Ali, for he is too scrupulous in the path of Allah to
be blamed." But resentment continued as they might not
have heard what the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬had said.
 29

Buraydah said: “We have carried out a military expedition

with Ali in Yemen and I saw something strange from him.
When I came to the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬I mentioned to him about
Ali’s shortcomings I saw the Prophet (‫’)ﷺ‬s face changed,
and said: ‘O Buraydah, am I not more deserved be the
believers than themselves?’ I said, “But certainly, O
Messenger of Allah!’ He said: “For whoever I am his mawlā,
‘Ali is also his mawlā.” (Reported by Ahmad and al-Nasā’ī)
Buraydah also narrated that the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬sent Alito
Khalid to bring the Khumus, (of the booty)2 and I hated `Ali,
and Ali had taken a bath. I said to Khalid, "Don't you see this
(i.e. Ali)?" When we reached the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬mentioned
that to him. He said,"O Buraydah! Do you hate Ali?" I said,
"Yes." He said, "Do not hate him, for he deserves more than
that from the Khumus." (Reported by Bukhari)
Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī narrated that he asked Ali to ride the
camels he had taken as booty, so that their camels could rest,
but Ali refused and said that they also had their share in the
booty, like the rest of the Muslims. When Ali left and
appointed a person to replace him in leading the army, the
new leader allowed them to ride the camels taken as booty.
When Ali found out that his deputy disobeyed him, he
blamed him. So, Abū Sa‘īd promised himself to complain to
the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬against him. While he was criticizing and
counting what he thought Ali’s shortcomings, the Prophet
(‫ )ﷺ‬patted him on his thigh and told him that he knew Ali
was too scrupulous in the path of Allah to be blamed. Since
then Abū Sa‘īd promised himself not to say anything bad
2
Khumus means “one-fifth”. The one-fifth of the booty is the share of
the Prophet and the Muslims, as mentioned in the Qur’an, as follows:
‫ْن‬ ِ ‫ُول َولِذِي ْالقُرْ َبى َو ْال َي َتا َمى َو ْال َم َساك‬
ِ ‫ِين َواب‬ ِ َّ ِ َّ‫َواعْ لَمُوا أَ َّن َما َغنِمْ ُت ْم مِنْ َشيْ ء َفأَن‬
ِ ‫لِل ُخم َُس ُه َولِلرَّ س‬
)47:‫“ الس َِّبيل (اَلنفال‬And know whatever of war-booty that you may gain,
verily one-fifth of it is assigned to Allah, and to the Messenger, and to
the near relatives [of the Messenger], (and also) the orphans, the needy
and the wayfarer,… (Q. 8:41)
 30

about Ali openly or secretly. (Reported by al-Bayhaqī and Ibn

‘Asākir)
In conclusion, the ḥadīth of Ghadīr Khumm was the
Prophet (‫’)ﷺ‬s response to the complains and criticism of his
companions against Ali’s behaviour as a leader of a military
expedition to Yemen where he was considered to be too
scrupulous in dealing with the spoils of war. He announced that
Muslims should love and support Ali like he did with him. The
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬did not appoint him as his successor, but
announced that he who loved him should also love Ali.
Suppose the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬did actually appoint Ali to be
his successor, but the Muslims are not aware of it, it would
mean that the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬failed in delivering the message
which is unlikely. If the Muslims are aware of the appointment
of Ali as his successor, but they reject it, then the Prophet
(‫ )ﷺ‬failed in his mission, as they had become hypocrites,
apostates after his death, because they disobeyed him.
Did the Prophet fail in his message? Did his followers
destroy Islam after him? On the contrary, after him people
elected the best man among them, Abū Bakr r.a.
(CIVIC, 14 October, 2016) :‫المراجع‬
(‫ هـ‬373 .‫تفسير الطبري )ت‬
(‫ هـ‬647 .‫تفسير القرطبى)ت‬
(‫ هـ‬444 .‫تفسير ابن كثير)ت‬
htps://www.al-islam.org/ghadir/incident.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadith_of_the_pond_of_Khumm
http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-
9780195390155/obo-97801953
http://www.dd-sunnah.net/forum/showthread.php?p
=553768#post55376
https://gift2shias.com/2013/10/24/hadith-of-ghadir-khumm-a-sunni-
perspective/
http://www.utm.thaqalayn.org/files/ghadeer.pdf”
http://www.discoveringislam.org/ghadir_khumm.htm
https://youpuncturedtheark.wordpress.com/p://sunnah.com/
bukhari/64/377
 31

6. RHETORICAL EXPRESSSIONS OF THE QUR’ĀN (5)

6. ‫( إِ ْل ِت َفات‬iltifāt), sudden transition
Iltifāt literally means “turning away, inclination, a sudden
transition.” Technically, it means “turning the style of speech to
another,” or “the change of style from the form of the first
person (the speaker) or the second person (the person spoken
to, the listener), or the third person (who is not present, who is
the object of speaking) to another, then the pronoun returns to
its previous one.” This iltifāt is used extensively in the Qur’ān.
Al-Zarkashī in his al-Burhān says that the iltifāt is the
change from one style to another as a means to alert and
attract the listener, to renew his energy, and to protect his
mind from boredom and discontent caused by listening to an
incessant single style. He divides the advantages of the iltifāt
into general and particular. The general advantage is that it
gives an opportunity to use various styles and to shift from one
style to another which alert the listener and attract his interest,
to broaden the flow of the speech, and to facilitate the use of
poetic measure and rhyme. The particular advantages are: to
honour the position of the person who is spoken to (the second
person), to direct attention to the significance of the
statement, to complete the meaning intended by the speaker
and to indicate hyperbole, specification, significance and
reproach. Among the categories of iltifāt are as follows:
a. From the third person to the second person, such as:
ُِ ‫ِيم* َمالِكُُِ َي ْو ُِمُالد‬
ُ *‫ين‬ َُ ‫لِلُ َربُُ ْال َعالَم‬
ُِ ‫ِين*الرَ حْ َم‬
ُِ ‫نُالرَ ح‬ َُِ ِ ُُ‫ْال َحمْد‬
ُ ُ)4-1ُ:‫كُ َنسْ َتعِينُُ(الفاتحة‬ َُ ‫كُ َنعْ بدُُ َوإِيَا‬
َُ ‫ُإِيَا‬
All praise and thanks are Allah’s, the Lord of the ‘ālamīn
(mankind, jinn and all that exists). The Most Gracious,
the Merciful. The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge)
of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection).
You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone we ask for
help (for each and everything) (Q. 1:1-4) ُ
 32

When we start praying and recite the Fātiḥah we start

addressing Allah in the third person as “He”. We praise and
thank Him. Then we address Him directly as a second
person “You”. We say, “You Alone we worship, and You
Alone we ask help.” We do not say “He Alone we worship,
and He Alone we ask help.” In another word, we talk about
Allah praising Him and thanking Him, then we talk directly
to Him, telling Him, “You (Alone) we worship…”
Instead of ُِ‫( َمالِك‬māliki) there is a variant reading ‫ك‬ َُ ِ‫َمال‬
(mālika), so that the verse means “O the Only Owner…!”
which means that when we read this variant reading we
start talking directly to Allah in the second person “You.”
Al-Zarkashī gives the following example from the Qur’ān:
ُُُ)٨٨-٨٨ُ:ُ‫ُ َل َق ُْدُ ِج ْئت ُْمُ َش ْي ًئاُإِ ًدا (مريم‬.‫َو َقالواُا َت َخ َُذُالرَ حْ َمنُُ َو َل ًدا‬
And they say, “The Most Gracious (Allah) has
begotten a son”! Indeed, [by this assertion]
you have brought forth a terrible
evil thing. (Q.19:88-89).
َُ ("they brought forth") it is used ‫جُْئتُ ُْم‬
Instead of ‫جاؤُا‬ ُِ ("you
brought forth") to indicate that whoever makes a statement
like theirs he is to be reproached and rejected. Here Allah is
addressing them directly as if they were present.
b. From the second person o the third person, such as:
َُ ‫َح َتىُإِ َذاُك ْنت ُْمُُِفيُ ْالف ْلكُُِ َو َج َري‬
ُ )22:‫ْنُ ِب ِه ُْمُ ِب ِريحُُ َطي َبةُُ َو َف ِرحواُ ِب َهاُ(يونس‬
.... And [behold what happens] when you go to sea
in ships: [they go to sea in ships,] and they sailed on
in them in a favourable wind, and they rejoiced
thereat... (Q. 10:22, Asad).
َُ ‫"( َج َري‬they sail on in them") and ُ‫َف ِرحوا‬
Here the words ‫ْنُ ِب ِه ُْم‬
‫"( ِب َها‬they rejoiced thereat") is a sudden transition from ُ‫ْن‬ َُ ‫َج َري‬
‫"( ِبك ُْم‬you sail on in them") and ‫"( َف ِرحْ ت ُْم ُ ِب َها‬you rejoiced
thereat") respectively. We notice that in translating the
above verse Asad says "they go to sea in ships" between
 33

brackets to indicate the occurrence of the shift from the

direct address and the second person plural "you" to the
third person plural "they". The purpose of this shift, as he
stated it, is "to bring out the allegorical character of the
subsequent narrative and to turn it into a lesson of general
validity.”
Al-Zarkashī mentions three views concerning the purpose
of the iltifāt in this verse, as follows: (1) it is to indicate
wonder about people's deeds and disbeliefs; (2) it is to
single out the rebellious among the people; before the iltifāt
the address was to people in general, believers as well as
non-believers; then the iltifāt is used to indicate that the
reproof is exclusively for those who rebel wrongfully after
being delivered from danger, as mentioned in the above
verse and that which follows it (Q. 10:23); (3) it is to indicate
the two conditions of people: when they were on board a
ship they felt confined and feared perishing and changing
wind; in this case they were addressed the way people who
are present are addressed (in the second person); but when
the danger passed with a favourable wind, they were happy,
and their presence was no longer required in referring to
them; therefore, the iltifāt is used, the address was given
in the third person, and it was said ‫ْنُ ِب ِه ُْم‬
َُ ‫" َو َج َري‬and they sailed
on in them”
c. From the third person to the first person, such as:
ُِ ‫ْنُ ْاث َني‬
ُ ُُ‫ْنُإِ َن َماُه َُوُإِله‬ ُِ ‫لَُ َت َتخِذوُْاُإِلـ َهي‬ َُ ‫َو َقا‬
ُ ُُ‫لُللا‬
ُ )51ُ:‫ونُ(النحل‬ ُِ ‫َايُ َفارْ َهب‬
َُ ‫َواحِدُُ َفإي‬
And Allah said (O mankind!): “Take not two gods
in worship. Verily, He (Allah) is (the) only One God.
Then, fear Me much (Alone) (Q. 16:51)
In the beginning Allah said directly to mankind not to
worship two gods, as He is the Only God, and then He said,
“fear Me” which is stronger expression. Allah as the first
person talked to them directly, instead of “fear Him” in the
third person, as if He said, “If you fear something, fear Me.”
 34

ُ ُ)12:‫لُ َو َب َع ْث َناُ ِم ْنهمُُ ْاث َنيُُْ َع َش َُرُ َنقِيبُا ًُ(المائدة‬ َُ ُ‫َولَ َق ُْدُأَ َخ َُذ‬
َُ ‫للاُمِي َث‬
َُ ‫اقُ َبنِيُإِسْ رائي‬
Indeed, Allah took the covenant from the Children of
Israel (Jews), and We appointed twelve leaders
among them (Q. 5:12)
Here Allah talked as a third person (“He”), namely,
“Allah took”, then He changed into “We”, namely, “We
appointed.”
َُ ‫ِنُال َس َما ُِءُ َما ًُءُ َفأ َ ْخ َرجْ َناُ ِب ُِهُ َن َب‬
)99ُ:‫اتُكلُُ َشيْ ءُُ(األنعام‬ َُ ‫لُم‬ َ َ‫ِيُأ‬
َُ ‫نز‬ َُ ‫َوه َُوُالَذ‬
It is He Who sends down water (rain) from the sky, and
with it We bring forth vegetation of all kinds (Q. 6:99)ُ
In this verse Allah Who sends down rain, then He
brings forth vegetation using the first person “We” in “We
bring forth…” instead of “He brings forth” to indicate that
He takes care of the vegetation and the consequence of it.
An interesting example is the following verse:
ُ ‫صى‬َ ‫امُإِلَىُ ْال َمسْ ِج ُِدُ ْاألَ ْق‬
ُِ ‫ِنُ ْال َمسْ ِج ُِدُ ْال َح َر‬ ُ ً ‫انُالَذِيُأَسْ َرىُ ِب َع ْب ِدُِهُلَي‬
َُ ‫ْلُم‬ َُ ‫سب َْح‬
ُ )1:‫ار ْك َناُ َح ْولَهُُلِن ِر َيهُُمِنُُْآ َيا ِت َناُإِ َنهُُه َُوُال َسمِيعُُ ْالبَصِ يرُُ(اإلسراء‬ َ ‫ُالَذِيُ َب‬
Glorified (and Exalted) is He (Allah) [Above all that (evil)
they associate with Him] Who took His slave (Muhammad)
for a journey by night from al-Masjid al-Ḥarām (at
Makkah) to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā (in Jerusalem), the
neighbourhood whereof We have blessed, in order
that We might show him (Muhammad) of Our āyāt
(proof, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.). Verily,
He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer (Q. 17:1)
Here the verse starts with the third person “His” in “His
slave”, then turns into the first person “We” in “We have
blessed”, as well as is “in order that We might show him”
and “Our” in “Our ayat”, then the verse concludes with the
third person “He” in “He is the All-Hearer.”
Instead of ُ‫( لِن ِر َيه‬linuriyahu) “in order that We might show
him” another variant reading is ُ‫( لِي ِر َيه‬liyuriyahu) “in order
 35

that He might show him”, so that the iltifāt of the two

pronounces occurs alternately, namely, “His slave”, “We
have blessed”, “in order that He might show,” “Our āyāt,”
and “He is the All-Hearer.” We notice in this verse the use
of: His – We – He – Our – He.
d. From the first person to the third person, such as:
ُ )1،2ُ:‫كُُُ(الكوثر‬
َُ ‫صلُُل َِرب‬ َُ ‫ُإِ َناُأَعْ َط ْي َنا‬
َ ‫كُ ْال َك ْو َث َُرُ َف‬
Verily, We have granted you (O Muhammad)
al-Kawthar (a river in Paradise). Therefore, turn
your prayer to your Lord… (Q. 108:1-2)
In this verse Allah starts talking to the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬with
the first person “We” in “We have granted you”, then He
refers to Himself as “your Lord” in “turn your prayer to your
Lord” instead of “to Me”, and this is an iltifāt, a sudden
transition. Through this transition, the listener pays more
attention and to get more information that the speaker was
the Prophet’s Lord, Allah, Who gave him al-Kawthar.
If you want to advise your son, for example, it will be
stronger to say: “I want you to listen to your father.”, rather
than “I want you to listen to me”. Let him remember that
you are his father and he is your son, and he belongs to you.
e. From the first person to the second person, such as:
َُ ‫لَُأَعْ بدُُالَذِيُ َف َط َرنِيُ َوإِلَ ْي ُِهُترْ َجع‬
ُ )22ُ:‫ون (يس‬ ُ ُ‫َو َماُلِي‬
“And why should I not worship Him (Allah Alone)
Who has created me and to Whom you shall
be returned” (Q. 36:22)
As mentioned in the previous verse there was a person
who asked people to obey the messengers of Allah. In this
verse he said that he had to worship Allah Alone Who had
created him, and to Him “you shall be returned” ُ )‫ون‬ َُ ‫(ترْ َجع‬
instead of “I shall be returned” )‫(أرْ َجع‬. The speaker wanted
the listeners to know, that not only him who would be
returned, but also they would be returned to Allah, as well.
 36

So, the speaker shifted from the first person to the second
person.
f. From the second person to the first person, such as:
(21ُ:‫ون ُ)يونس‬ َُ ‫لُللاُُأَسْ َرعُُ َم ْكرُاًُإِنَُُرسلَ َناُ َي ْكتب‬
َُ ‫ونُ َماُ َت ْمكر‬ ُِ ‫ق‬
Say: “Allah is Swifter in planning!” Certainly
Our Messengers (angels) record of all that
which you plot. (Q. 10:21)
In this verse Allah addressed Himself when He said, “Say”
but shifted to the first person when He said “Our” in “Our
messengers.”
g. Addressing two persons and suddenly the address is
directed to one of them only, for example:
(٩٨ُ:ُ‫لُ َف َمنُُْ َربُّك َماُ َياُمو َسىُ(طه‬ َُ ‫َقا‬
He replied: 'Who, now, is this Sustainer of you
two, O Moses?'" (Q. 20:49, Asad).
Here Pharaoh spoke at first to both Moses and Aaron,
but later spoke to Moses alone, saying "O Moses.”
h. Addressing somebody, but the address is intended for
somebody else, for example:
ُ ِ ْ‫ِنُ ْاألَر‬
ُ)ُ22:ُ‫ضُ(النجم‬ َُ ‫إِ ُْذُأَ ْن َشأَك ُْمُم‬
... , and when He brings you into being
out of dust. (Q. 53:32, Asad).
Here Allah means Adam himself, not his descendants.
(Turner, 20 October, 2016)
ُ :‫المراجع‬
‫المكتبةُالشاملة‬
ُ ( ‫ُهـ‬213ُ.‫تفسيرُالطبريُ(ت‬
ُ (‫ُهـ‬671ُ.‫تفسيرُالقرطبىُ(ت‬
)‫ُهـ‬774ُ.‫تفسيرُابنُكثيرُ(ت‬
Muhammad Asad. The Message of the Qur’ān.
M.A. Samad. Ibn Quraybah’s Contribution to Qur’ānic Exegesis.
http://www.jameataleman.org/main/articles.aspx?article_no=
1826
 37

7. GHADĪR (THE POND OF) KHUMM AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE (4)

Among the arguments of the Shi’is in supporting the
ḥadīth of the Ghadīr Khumm, namely,
ِ ‫ اللَّ ُه َّم َو‬، ُ‫ت َموالهُ َف َعلِي َمواله‬
، ُ‫ال َمن َوااله‬ ُ ‫َمن ُكن‬
)‫َو َعا ِد َمن َعا َداهُ (رواه أحمد‬
Whosoever’s mawlā I am, this is Ali also his mawlā.
O Allah, befriend whosoever befriends him and be the
enemy of whosoever is hostile to him
According to the Shi’a tradition Ḥārith ibn Nu‘mān al-Fihrī
on hearing the succession of Ali he came to Madinah and
asked the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬. When the Prophet confirmed it
saying that it was an imposition from Allah Ḥārith returned
to his camel, saying, “O Allah, if what Muhammad has said is
correct, then fling on us a stone from the sky and subject us
to severed pain and torture.” For this, Allah punished him,
and revealed to the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬the following verse:
‫س َل ُه َدافِع‬َ ‫ين َلي‬َ ‫ لِل َكاف ِِر‬. ‫ َسأ َ َل َسائِل ِب َع َذاب َواقِع‬.
)3-1:‫ار ِج‬ ِ ‫ار ِج (ال َم َع‬ ِ َّ ‫م َِن‬
ِ ‫ّللا ذِي ال َم َع‬
"A questioner asked concerning a torment about to
befall. Upon the disbelievers which none can avert,
From Allah the Lord of the ways of ascent." (70:1-3)
The term ‫ين‬ َ ‫“( لِل َكاف ِِر‬for the believers”) means ‫َع َلى ال َكاف ِِرين‬
(“on disbelievers”). This means that a person asked concerning
a torment about to befall on disbelievers. Who was this
questioner?
(a) He could be a disbeliever asking concerning a torment that
would befall on him and disbelievers like him in (either in
this world or in the Hereafter), because he knew that this
would not happen, as he did not believe what the Qur’ān
and the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said.
Although al-Țabarī and Ibn Kathīr do not mention who the
questioner was, al-Qurṭubī gives us some names, but
without isnad, namely: (1) al-Naḍr ibn al-Ḥārith ibn Kaladah,
 38

according to Ibn ‘Abbās and Mujāhid. He was the person

who asked concerning a torment from Allah that would
occur in the Hereafter on him and on disbelievers, as they
said that the Qur’ān was just tales of the ancients, he said,
as quoted by the Qur’ān, as follows:
‫ك َفأَمطِ ر َعلَي َنا‬
َ ‫ان َه َذا ه َُو ال َح َّق مِن عِ ن ِد‬َ ‫َوإِذ َقالُوا اللَّ ُه َّم إِن َك‬
)33:‫ارة م َِن ال َّس َما ِء أَ ِو ائ ِت َنا ِب َع َذاب أَلِيم (األنفال‬َ ‫ح َِج‬
And (remember) when they said: “O Allah,
if this is indeed the truth from you, then rain
down stones on us from the sky or bring on
us a painful torment” (Q. 8:33)
At the battle of Badr he (al-Naḍr ibn al-Ḥārith) and ‘Uqbah
ibn Abī Mu‘ayṭ were killed in cold blood; (2) Abū Jahl
according to al-Rabī‘; (3) a group of disbelievers among
the Quraysh tribe.
(b) He could be a believer who turned to be a disbeliever.
He was al-Ḥārith ibn al-Nu‘mān al-Fihrī. When the news
reached him that the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬had appointed Ali
his mawlā he rode his camel until he reached al-Abṭaḥ (a
place between Makkah and Mina, but closer to Mina)
where he made his camel keel down, came to the Prophet
(‫ )ﷺ‬asking his confirmation. He said he had obeyed the
Prophet (‫’)ﷺ‬s command in testifying that there is no
deity but Allah, in performing the five-daily prayers,
fasting in Ramadan, offering pilgrimage to Makkah. When
the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬confirmed that he had raised his
cousin Ali to be the mawlā of whom he was mawlā, that
was too much for him. He turned back and proceeded
towards his she-camel saying: "O Allah! If what
Muhammad said is correct then fling on us a stone from
the sky and subject us to severe pain and torture." He had
not reached his she-camel when Allah, who is above all
defects, flung at him a stone which struck him on his
head, penetrated his body and passed out through his
lower body and left him dead. Then it was revealed ‫َسأ َ َل‬
 39

‫“ َسائِل ِب َع َذاب َواقِع‬A questioner asked concerning a torment…”

mentioned above.
© The believers, namely, (1) the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬himself, and
(2) Prophet Noah.
Instead of al-Ḥārith ibn al-Nu‘mān al-Fihrī, the name
according to Abū ‘Ubayd al-Harawī (d. 223/836) was Jābir
ibn al-Naḍr ibn al-Ḥārith whose father was the leader of Banī
‘Abd al-Dār clan, and the carrier of the Quraysh flag in the
battle of Badr. Muslim scholars say that it was al-Naḍr ibn
al-Ḥārith who questioned the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬according to
Ibn ‘Abbās and Mujāhid, not his son Jābir or al-Ḥārith for the
following reasons:
a. The verses above are in surah ‫ارج‬ ِ ‫( ال َم َع‬chapter 70) which
are Makkiyyah (Makkan chapter), revealed to the Prophet
(‫ )ﷺ‬before his migration to Madinah, and therefore,
not after the Prophet (‫’)ﷺ‬s migration to Madinah, and
not after his declaration of appointing Ali as his mawlā in
Ghadīr Khumm. This is the opposite view of the Shi’is
who said that the above verses were revealed in
Madinah. They say that a Makkan chapter could contain
Madinan verses, and verse 1 and 2 of chapter 70 could be
revealed in Madinah. Moreover, a verse or verses could
be revealed more than once, once in Makkah and again in
Madinah, such as sūrat al-Fātiḥah which was revealed
twice, once in Makkah when the prayer was prescribed,
and once again in Madinah when the qiblah (direction in
prayer) from Bayt al-Maqdis in Jerusalem was changed to
the Ka‘bah in Makkah. But Ibn ‘Abbās or any other
mufassirīn did not mention that the first two verses of
chapter 70 were revealed in Madinah, unlike any other
chapter of the Qur’ān where the Madinan verses in the
Makkan chapter, or vice-versa were mentioned.
b. Who were the persons who asked Allah to rain them
down stones on them from the sky if what the Prophet
(‫ )ﷺ‬claimed was true, as mentioned in sūrat al-Anfāl
 40

verse 32 (chapter 8:32) above? According to the Shi’is, it

was al-Ḥārith ibn al-Nu‘mān al-Fihrī as mentioned above,
if it was true that the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬had appointed Ali as
his successor. Another view said that it was al-Naḍr ibn
al-Ḥārith’s son called Jābir. The verse was found in sūrat
al-Anfāl (“the Spoils”) which is sūrah Madaniyyah
(Madinan chapter), namely, revealed after the Prophet
(‫’)ﷺ‬s migration to Madinah. However, Ibn ‘Abbās said
that seven verses starting from verse ...‫ك‬ َ ‫( َوإِذ َيم ُك ُر ِب‬verse
30) till (verse 33( ‫ُون‬ َ ‫ إِلَى َج َه َّن َم يُح َشر‬were excluded, not
revealed after the Prophet (‫’)ﷺ‬s migration, but before.
They are Makkan verses inside Madinan chapter. This
includes verse 32 above. Therefore the persons who
asked Allah’s punishment were non-believers who did
not believe in the Prophet (‫’)ﷺ‬s message in general,
before the Prophet (‫’)ﷺ‬s migration, not those who did
not believe in Ali’s succession, after his migration.
c. It was either al-Ḥārith or Jābir who made his camel keel
down at al-Abṭaḥ (a place between Makkah and Mina) to
meet the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬there, not at Ghadīr Khumm, and
not in Madīnah. But the Shi’is argue that al-Abṭaḥ or al-
Baṭḥā’ which literally means “the flat land, basin-shaped
valley” is any masīl (river bed, drain place) containing
small pebbles, not only the one near Makkah, but also at
Dhū ‘l-Ḥulayfah near Madinah and other places.
As a matter of fact, there is not a single Qur’ānic verse
saying explicitly the appointment of Ali as the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
’s successor. All are hints interpreted to be so. Therefore,
Muslims are not to believe in it, as it is not stated clearly in the
Qur’ān, such as the injunction of prayers, fasting, etc. which are
clearly stated. The Shi‘ah mentioned the ḥadīth where the
Prophet said to Ali that he was like Hārūn to Mūsā, except
there was no prophet after him. The ḥadīth runs as follows:
-‫صلى ّللا عليه وسلم‬- ‫ّللا‬ ِ َّ ‫ف َرسُو ُل‬ َ َّ‫َعن َسع ِد ب ِن أَ ِبى َو َّقاص َقا َل َخل‬
َ ‫َعلِىَّ ب َن أَ ِبى َطالِب فِى َغز َو ِة َتبُو‬
ِ َّ ‫ك َف َقا َل َيا َرسُو َل‬
‫ّللا ُت َخلِّفُنِى فِى ال ِّن َسا ِء‬
 41

َ ‫ضى أَن َت ُك‬

َ ‫ون ِم ِّنى ِب َمن ِزلَ ِة َهار‬
‫ُون مِن‬ َ ‫ " أَ َما َتر‬: ‫ان َف َقا َل‬
ِ ‫َوالصِّب َي‬
.)‫مُو َسى َغي َر أَ َّن ُه الَ َن ِبىَّ َبعدِى" (رواه البخاري و مسلم وأحمد‬
Sa‘d ibn Abī Waqqāṣ narrated that the Messenger of
Allah left Ali behind him in the battle of Tabūk. So,
he said: “O Messenger of Allah, are you going to leave
me behind with women and children?” So, he said:
“Are you not going to be content to have position
to me like that Aaron was to Moses, except
that there is no Prophet after me?"
(Reported by al-Bukhārī, Muslim and Aḥmad)
They say that this ḥadīth indicates that the Prophet had
appointed Ali to be his successor. Similarly, Prophet Mūsā left
behind Hārūn with his people the children of Israel in Sinai
when he went to the Mount to receive the tablet containing
Allah’s command.
When we refer to the Qur’ān we find that what Prophet
Mūsā wanted and asked Allah not a successor, but a helper, a
wazīr from his family, so that they could convey the message to
Pharaoh, as mentioned in the Qur’ān as follows:
)33-32:‫ُون أَخِي (طه‬
َ ‫ َهار‬.‫َواج َعل لِي َو ِزيرا مِن أَهلِي‬
And appoint for me a helper from my family,
Harun, my brother (Q. 20:29-30)
The verses that follow indicate the reason for his need of
assistance, and Allah’s grant of his request, as follows:
َ ‫ َكي ُن َسب َِّح‬.‫ َوأَش ِرك ُه فِي أَم ِري‬.‫اش ُدد ِب ِه أَز ِري‬
َ ‫ َو َنذ ُك َر‬.‫ك َكثِيرا‬
.‫ك َكثِيرا‬
)36-31:‫ُوسى (طه‬ َ ‫ك َيا م‬ َ ‫ َقا َل َقد أُوت‬.‫ت ِب َنا بَصِ يرا‬
َ َ‫ِيت سُؤل‬ َ ‫ك ُكن‬
َ ‫إِ َّن‬
Increase my strength with him. And let him share my
task. That we may glorify You much, and remember
You much. Verily, you are ever seeing us (Q. 20:31-36)
This means that Hārūn as his assistance would make his
back strong, would make him his consultant, and together they
would glorify and remember Him much, and Allah would ever
see them in choosing them and giving them prophethood and
 42

sending them to Pharaoh. Then Allah told him his request had
been granted.
It was said that Prophet Mūsā had suffered from
stammering, so that people could not understand what he
intended in his speech. When he spoke to Pharaoh, he
(Pharaoh) said of him as mentioned in the Qur’ān:
)23:‫أَم أَ َنا َخير مِن َه َذا الَّذِي ه َُو َم ِهين َو َال َي َكا ُد ي ُِبينُ (الزخرف‬
Am I not better than this one who is despicable and
can scarcely express himself clearly? (Q. 43:52)
As Prophet Hārūn passed away earlier than his younger
brother Mūsā, he could not continue to be his wazīr, let alone
his successor. Similarly, Ali as the Prophet’s vizier he remained
so until the Prophet’s death. When he was succeeded by the
caliphs after him, Ali also remained to be their vizier, assistance
and consultant, until he himself was appointed as caliph
succeeding ‘Uthmān. He had expressed his reluctance to this
office when they offered him the pledge of allegiance, and said:
‫الَ َتف َعل ُوا َفإِ ِّني أَ ُكونُ َو ِزيرا َخير ِمن أَن أَكو َن أَ ِميرا‬
Do not do [the pledge], as I prefer to be
a vizier rather than to be an emir.
‫ َولَم أ ُ َب ِايع ُهم َح َّتى أَك َر ُهو ِني‬،‫اس َح َّتى أَ َرا ُدو ِني‬
َ ‫لَم أ ُ ِر ِد ال َّن‬
I do not want people until they want me, and I will
not pledge allegiance to them until they force me.
(CIVIC, 21 October, 2016)
:‫المراجع‬
‫المكتبة الشاملة‬
)‫ هـ‬313 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬
)‫ هـ‬671 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬
)‫ هـ‬774 .‫تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬
http://www.anwar5.net/albatoul/?id=4095.
http://www.aqaed.com/faq/2451
http://www.haydarya.com/maktaba_moktasah/14/book_00/part1/13.h
tm
http://www.arabtimes.com/portal/article_display.cfm?ArticleID=18373
http://www.mezan.net/sayed_ameli/books/s_imamali/19/04.html
 43

8. THE POSITION OF THE ṢAḤĀBAH (1)

The term ṣaḥābah )‫ص َحابة‬ َ ( is derived from ṣaḥiba )‫ِب‬ َ ‫صح‬ َ (
“to associate, to accompany, to escort, to make or become
friends, to be closely associated (with someone), to keep
(someone’s) company.” Its verbal noun are ṣuḥbah, ṣaḥabah,
and ṣiḥabah )‫ صِ َحا َبة‬,‫ص َحا َبة‬َ ,‫ (صُحْ َبة‬meaning “friendship,
companionship, association.” The term ṣāḥib )‫صاحِب‬ َ ( means:
“companion, associate, comrade, friend, adherent, follower;”
its plural are: aṣḥāb )‫(أَصْ َحاب‬, ṣaḥb )‫صحْ ب‬ َ (, and ṣaḥābah (‫ص َحابة‬َ )
When we say “the ṣaḥābah” (‫ )الص َحابة‬it is meant “the
Companions of the Prophet,” and for a singular person he is
called “the ṣaḥābī” (‫)الص َحا ِبي‬, “the companion of the Prophet.”
As the term “the ṣaḥābah” (‫ )الص َحابة‬means “the
Companions of the Prophet (‫”)ﷺ‬, then who are they?
Muslim scholars have different views, as follows:
The ṣaḥābah according to the jumhūr al-‘ulamā’ (Muslim
scholars in the mass) including IbnḤazm, Taymiyyah, Aḥmad ibn
Ḥanbal, and Mālik ibn Anas are: the Prophet’s contemporaries
who saw him once or more than once, also any of those who
heard him saying something, and neither opposing him nor
rejecting his prophethood. They assert that the ṣaḥābah are
those who believe in the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬and met him, and died
as believers, even though the meeting may have lasted only for
a short time. Whether they report about him or not is not a
condition. Here are some views about the ṣaḥābah:
a. Anyone who have lived with the Prophet for at least one
year or joined him in one of his campaigns he is considered
a ṣaḥābī. This is the view of Sa‘īd ibn al-Musayyib, who was
one of the the tābi‘īn (the generation following that of the
ṣaḥābah) who lived in Madīnah. This view is rejected
especially by Ibn Ḥazm who maintains that there would be
no limit of time and number in seeing the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
and being in company with him to qualify as a ṣaḥābī.
 44

b. The view of the historian and the qāḍī of Baghdad al-Wāqidī

(d. 206/822) excluded children from being ṣaḥābah, but this
opinion was rejected by the jumhūr al-‘ulamā’ (Muslim
scholars in the mass). Therefore, the ṣaḥābah include free
people as well as slaves, even children, like the Prophet’s
grand-son al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn. The hypocrites of
Madīnah, and those whose conditions are unfavourable, like
Hīt the effeminate, whom the Prophet ordered to be
banished, and the expelled al-Ḥakam and excluded from
being among the ṣaḥābah.
Followers of previous prophets were their ṣaḥābah
(companions). The Prophet said there are 124 000 prophets
sent by Allah to human beings. Abū Dharr asked the Prophet:
َ ‫ مِا َئ ُة أَ ْلف َوأَرْ َب َعة َوعِ ْشر‬:‫ َك ْم َو َفا ُء عِ د ِة األَ ْن ِب َيا ِء؟ َقا َل‬,‫َّللا‬
‫ُون‬ ِ ‫َيا َن ِبي‬
‫الث مِا َئة َو َخ ْم َس َة َع َش َر َج ًما َغ ِفيرً ا‬ ُ ‫ك َث‬ َ ِ‫ الرُّ ُس ُل مِنْ َذل‬,‫أَ ْل ًفا‬
)‫(مشكاة المصابيح‬
O Prophet of Allah, how many is the total number of
prophets?” He said: “One hundred and twenty
thousands, numerously among them three
hundred and thirteen messengers”
(Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ)
Out of this great number, only twenty-five of them are
mentioned in the Qur’ān, and out of this number, five of them
are called ūlū ’l-‘azm )‫(أ ُ ْول ُوا ْال َع ْزم‬, lit. “those who have strong
will”), as mentioned in the following verse:
‫ك َومِنْ ُنوح َوإِب َْراهِي َم َومُو َسى‬ َ ‫َوإِ ْذ أَ َخ ْذ َنا م َِن الن ِبي‬
َ ‫ِّين مِي َثا َق ُه ْم َو ِم ْن‬
)7:‫ِيظا (األحزاب‬ ً ‫يسى ابْن َمرْ َي َم َوأَ َخ ْذ َنا ِم ْن ُه ْم مِي َثا ًقا َغل‬ َ ِ‫َوع‬
ِ
And (remember) when We took from the Prophets
their covenant, and from you (O Muhammad), and
from Nūḥ (Noah), Ibrāhīm (Abaham), Mūsā (Moses),
and ‘Īsā (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary). We took
from them a strong covenant. (Q. 33:7)
These five prophets had worked hard in calling their
respective people to follow them as mentioned in the Qur’ān,
but their response to their call varied. Prophet Noah, despite
 45

spending 950 years of calling his people only few people

followed him. The Qur’ān said,
)04:‫ َو َما آ َم َن َم َع ُه إِّل َقلِيل (هود‬...
…And none believed with him, except a few (Q. 11:40)
Prophet Abraham did not have any follower, but he was
called in the Qur’ān, an ummah, representing a nation, as he
was the father of prophets (Ismā‘īl and Isḥāq), as mentioned in
the Qur’ān,
َ ‫ك م َِن ْال ُم ْش ِرك‬
)024:‫ِين (النحل‬ ِ ِ ‫ان أُم ًة َقا ِن ًتا‬
ُ ‫لِل َحنِي ًفا َولَ ْم َي‬ َ ‫إِن إِب َْراهِي َم َك‬
Verily, Ibrāhīm (Abraham) was an Ummah (a leader
having all the good righteous qualities, or a nation)
obedient to Allah, Ḥanīf (i.e. to worship none but Allah),
and he was not one of those who were al-Mushrikūn
(polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of
Allah and those who joined partners
with Allah (Q. 16:120)
Prophet Mūsā (Moses), his people (the children of Israel)
had seen with their own eyes miracles bestowed on him by
Allah, yet they blamed him for their suffering which they
thought caused by him. They did not have strong faith, as they
worshiped the calf (Q. 2:54) when he went to Mt. Sinai to
receive the tablet containing Allah commandments, and they
did not want to join him in fighting and told him, “… So, go you
and your Lord and fight you two, we are sitting right here.” (Q.
5:24). Prophet ‘Īsā (Jesus) had followers called in the Qur’ān al-
awāriyyūn )‫اريُّون‬ ْ meaning “helpers in Allah’s cause.” They
ِ ‫(ال َح َو‬,
were his companions and disciples.1 Allah says in the Qur’ān,
1
Muhammad Asad gives his commentary on this term. He said: “Al-
ḥawāriyyūn (sing. ḥawarī) is the designation applied in the Qur’ān to the
disciples of Jesus. Many interpretation of this term (derived from ḥawar,
“witeness”) are given by the commentators, ranging from “one who
whitens clothes by washing them” (because this was allegedly the
occupation of some of Jesus’ disciples) to “one who wear white
garments”, or one whose heart white”, pure (cf. Ṭabarī, Rāzī, Ibn Kathīr).
 46

‫ُّون‬
َ ‫اري‬ ِ ‫َّللا َقا َل ْال َح َو‬
ِ ‫اري إِلَى‬ َ ‫َفلَما أَ َحس عِ ي َسى ِم ْن ُه ُم ْال ُك ْف َر َقا َل َمنْ أَ ْن‬
ِ ‫ص‬
)22 :‫ُون (آل عمران‬ َ ‫الِل َوا ْش َه ْد ِبأَنا مُسْ لِم‬ِ ‫َّللا آ َمنا ِب‬
ِ ‫صا ُر‬ َ ‫َنحْ نُ أَ ْن‬
Then when ‘Īsā (Jesus) came to know of their
disbelief, he said: “Who will be my helpers in
Allah’s Cause?” Ḥawāriyyūn (the disciples) said:
“We are the helpers of Allah (i.e., we will strive
in His Cause!); we believe in Allah, and bear
witness that we are Muslims (i.e.
we submit to Allah).” (Q. 3:52(

When the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬assigned al-Zubayr for a task in

the Battle of the Trench, also called the battle of the
Confederates (or al-Aḥzāb, “the Clans”) which took place in
Shawwāl 5 AH he said, as narrated by Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah,
ُّ ‫اري‬
)‫الز َب ْي ُر (رواه البخاري‬ ِ ‫إِن لِ ُك ِّل َن ِبي َح َو‬
ِ ‫ار ًيا َو َح َو‬
Verily, every Prophet has a helper, and my
helper is al-Zubayr (Reported by Bukhārī)

It is, however most probable – and the evidence provided by the

recently discovered Dead Sea Scrolls, strongly supports this view – that
the term ḥawarī was popularly used to denote a member of the Essene
Brotherhood, a Jewish religious group which existed in Palestine at the
time of Jesus, and to which, possibly, he himself belonged. The Essenes
were distinguished by their strong insistence on moral purity and
unselfish conduct, and always wore white garments as the outward
mark of their convictions; and this would satisfactorily explain the name
given to them. The fact that the Prophet once said, ‘Every prophet has
his ḥawarī ‘ (Bukhārī and Muslim) does not conflict with the above view,
since he obviously used this term figuratively, recalling thereby Jesus’
‘helpers in God cause.’” Muhamad Asad, The Message of the Qur’ān, p.
75, n. 42 (commentary on Q. 3:52). It is said that the women of Paradise
are called ‫“( الحُ ْو ُر ْا َلعيْن‬those who have eyes with a marked contrast of
white and black, the white of cornea and the black of the iris.”)
 47

The ṣaḥābah of the Prophet never asked any miracle from

him as their belief had been strong; it was non-believers who
asked for it. These al-ḥawāriyyūn were not strong believers, as
they still requested miracle from Prophet ‘Īsā. Allah said:
ْ‫ك أَن‬ ْ
َ ‫ُّون َيا عِ ي َسى اب َْن َمرْ َي َم َه ْل َيسْ َتطِ ي ُع َر ُّب‬ َ ‫اري‬ ِ ‫إِذ َقا َل ْال َح َو‬
.‫ِين‬ َ ‫َّللا إِنْ ُك ْن ُت ْم م ُْؤ ِمن‬ َ ‫ُي َن ِّز َل َعلَ ْي َنا َما ِئ َد ًة م َِن الس َما ِء َقا َل اتقُوا‬
‫ص َد ْق َت َنا‬ َ ‫َقالُوا ُن ِري ُد أَنْ َنأْ ُك َل ِم ْن َها َو َت ْط َمئِن قُلُو ُب َنا َو َنعْ لَ َم أَنْ َق ْد‬
)001-002:‫ِين (المائدة‬ َ ‫ون َعلَ ْي َها م َِن الشا ِهد‬ َ ‫َو َن ُك‬
(Remember) when al-Ḥawāriyyūn (the disciples) said:
“O ‘Īsā (Jesus) son of Mayam (Mary)! Can your Lord
send down to us a table spread (with food) from heaven?”
‘Īsā (Jesus) said: “Fear Allah, if you are indeed believers.”
They said: “We wish to eat thereof and to satisfy our
hearts (to be stronger in Faith), and to know that
you have indeed told us the truth, and that we
ourselves be its witnesses.” (Q. 5: 112-113)
There are many verses of the Qur’ān stating the virtues of
the ṣaḥābah, among which are as follows:
َ
ِ ‫ِين َم َع ُه أشِ دا ُء َعلَى ْال ُكف‬
‫ارر َُح َما ُء َب ْي َن ُه ْم‬ َ ‫َّللا َوالذ‬ ِ ‫م َُحمد َرسُو ُل‬
‫َّللا َو ِرضْ َوا ًناسِ ي َما ُه ْم فِي‬ ِ ‫ون َفضْ ًال م َِن‬ َ ‫َت َرا ُه ْم رُك ًعا سُج ًدا َي ْب َت ُغ‬
ِ ‫اْل ْن ِج‬
‫يل‬ َ ِ‫وُ جُوه ِِه ْم مِنْ أَ َث ِر ال ُّسجُو ِد َذل‬
ِ ْ ‫ك َم َثل ُ ُه ْم فِي الت ْو َرا ِة َو َم َثل ُ ُه ْم فِي‬
‫اع‬
َ ‫الزر‬ ُّ ُ‫آز َرهُ َفاسْ َت ْغلَ َظ َفاسْ َت َوى َعلَى سُو ِق ِه يُعْ ِجب‬ َ ‫َك َزرْ ع أَ ْخ َر َج َش ْطأَهُ َف‬
‫ت ِم ْن ُه ْم‬ ِ ‫واو َع ِملُوا الصال َِحا‬ َ ‫ِين آ َم ُن‬
َ ‫ار َو َع َد َّللا ُ الذ‬ َ ‫لِ َيغِي َظ ِب ِه ُم ْال ُكف‬
)٩٢ : ‫َم ْغف َِر ًة َوأَجْ رً ا َعظِ يمًا (الفتح‬
Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with
him [i.e., the ṣaḥābah] are hard against disbelievers and
merciful among themselves. Thou (O Muhammad) seest
them bowing and falling prostrate (in worship), seeking
bounty from Allah and (His) acceptance. The mark of
them is on their foreheads from the traces of prostration.
Such is their likeness in the Torah and and their likeness
in the Gospel—like as sown corn that riseth firm upon its
stalk, delighting the sowers—that He may enrage the
disbelievers with (the sight of) them. Allah has promised,
those among them who believe and do good works,
 48

forgiveness and immense reward.”(Q. 48:29)

َ ‫ َّل َيسْ َمع‬.‫ون‬
‫ُون‬ َ ‫ك َع ْن َها ُم ْب َع ُد‬َ ‫ت لَ ُه ْم مِنا ْالحُسْ َنى أُولَ ِئ‬ ْ ‫ِين َس َب َق‬
َ ‫إِن الذ‬
‫ َّل َيحْ ُز ُن ُه ُم ْال َف َز ُع ْاألَ ْك َب ُر‬.‫ون‬ َ ‫ت أَ ْنفُ ُس ُه ْم َخالِ ُد‬
ْ ‫َحسِ ي َس َها َو ُه ْم فِي َما ا ْش َت َه‬
‫ون‬َ ‫َو َت َتلَقا ُه ُم ْال َم َال ِئ َك ُة َه َذا َي ْو ُم ُك ُم الذِي ُك ْن ُت ْم ُتو َع ُد‬
(٢٠١-٢٠٢ : ٩٢ ‫)األنبياء‬
Lo! Those unto whom kindness hath gone
forth before from Us, they will be far removed
from thence. They will not hear the slightest
sound thereof, while they abode in that which
their souls desire. The Supreme Horror will
not grieve them, and the angels will welcome
them, (saying): This is your day which
ye were promised. (Q. 21:101-3)
The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬himself praised his ṣaḥābah and said:
‫ان ِألَ َح ِد ُك ْم م ِْث َل أُحُد َذ َهبًا‬ َ ‫ َفلَ ْو َك‬,‫َدعُوا لِي أَصْ َح ِابي‬
‫َفأ َ ْن َف َق ُه فِيْ َس ِبي ِْل َّللا َما َب َل َغ مُد أَ َح ِد ِه ْم َو َّل َنصِ ْي َف ُه‬
Leave for me my ṣaḥābah. For if any of you
had gold as big as Mt. Uḥud and you spent it in
the path of Allah, it would not reach [the reward
or the merit of] one mudd (about 1.053 liter)
[of barley or dates] or a half of it [spent
by them in the path of Allah].
Al Imān al-Nawawī said that the term (“Leave for me my
ṣaḥābah”) means ‫“) ّلَ َت ُسب ُّْوهُم‬do not insult them”) which is one
of major sins. CIVIC, 28 October, 2016)
:‫المراجع‬
‫المكتبة الشاملة‬
( ‫ هـ‬104 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬
(‫ هـ‬170 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬
)‫ هـ‬770 .‫تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬
Muhammad Asad. The Message of the Qur’ān
M.A. Samad. Ibn Ḥazm’s Concept of Ijmā‘
https://islamqa.info/ar/181943
http://www.d1g.com/qna/show/3894722
 49

9. THE POSITION OF THE ṢAḤĀBAH (2)

The exact number of the ṣaḥābah is unknown due to their
scattering in countries, cities, and villages. Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal
said that he went to Tabūk expedition with over thirty-
thousand people. Abū Zur‘ah said that there were people who
accompanied the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬in his Tabūk campaign, and
the total number of Muslim was 120,000. Al-Shāfi‘ī said that
the number of ṣaḥābah is sixty-thousands, half of them lived in
cities, others were among tribes. Ibn Ḥajar in his al-Iṣābah
(‫صا َبةُ ُفِي ُ َمعْ ِر َف ُِة ُالصَّحا َبة‬ َ ‫ )اإل‬recorded 12,297 names men and
women. They did not belong to the same level of piety, virtue
and eminence, as mentioned in the Qur’ān as follows:
َُ ‫لُأو َلئ‬
ُ ‫ِك‬ َُ ‫حُ َو َقا َت‬ُِ ‫ْلُ ْال َف ْت‬
ُِ ‫قُمِنُُْ َقب‬َُ ‫لُ َيسْ َت ِويُ ِم ْنك ُْمُ َمنُُْأَ ْن َف‬
ُ َ ...
َُّ ُ‫لُ َو َع َُد‬
ُ ‫ّللا‬ ُّ ‫ِينُأَ ْن َفقواُمِنُُْ َبعْ دُُ َو َقا َتلواُ َوك‬ َُ ‫ِنُالَّذ‬ َُ ‫أَعْ َظمُُد ََر َجةُُم‬
ُ (٠١ُ:ُ٧٥ُ‫ونُ َخ ِبيرُ(الحديد‬ َُ ‫ّللاُُ ِب َماُ َتعْ َمل‬ َُّ ‫ْالحسْ َنىُ َو‬
… Those who spend and fought before the victory
are not upon a level (with the rest of you). Such are
greater in rank than those who spent and fought
afterwards. Unto each hath Allah promised good.
And Allah is Informed of what you do. (Q., 57:10).
ُ ُ‫ِينُا َّت َبعوه ُْمُ ِبإِحْ َسان‬َُ ‫ارُ َوالَّذ‬ ُِ ‫ص‬ َ ‫اْلَ ْن‬
ُ ْ ‫ينُ َو‬
َُ ‫ِنُ ْالم َها ِج ِر‬ َُ ‫ونُم‬َُ ‫ونُ ْاْلَ َّول‬ َُ ‫َّابق‬
ِ ‫َوالس‬
َ ْ َ
ُ ُ‫ّللاُ َع ْنه ُْمُ َو َرضواُ َع ْنهُُ َوأ َع َُّدُلَه ُْمُ َج َّناتُُ َتجْ ِريُ َتحْ َت َهاُاْل ْن َهار‬ َّ
ُ ُ‫ي‬ َُ ِ‫َرض‬
(100:‫كُ ْال َف ْوزُُ ْالعَظِ يمُُ(التوبة‬ َُ ِ‫ِينُفِي َهاُأَ َبداُ َذل‬
َُ ‫َخالِد‬
And the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhājirūn
(those who migrated from Makkah to al-Madinah) and
the Anṣar (the citizens of al-Madinah who helped and
gave aid to the Muhajirūn) and also those who followed
them exactly (in Faith). Allah is well-pleased with them as
they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for
them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell
therein forever. That is the supreme success. (Q. 9:100)
Although all of the ṣaḥābah have their own virtues and
honour which are above those of any pious, ascetic, humble
and devout non-ṣaḥābī, they do not have the same level in
 50

their status. Muslim traditionist Ibn Ḥibbān and al-Ḥākim

divided them into twelve levels, as follows:
1. Earlier converts in Makkah. Among them were: The
Prophet (‫’)ﷺ‬s wife Khadījah who was the first convert, his
freed slave Zayd ibn Ḥārithah, his cousin ‘Ali ibn Abī Ṭālib
who had lived with him since his early childhood, his
intimate friend Abū Bakr who was wealthy, obliging, mild,
and upright. They were converts on the first day of the call.
Through Abu Bakr’s effort a number of people converted to
Islam, such as: ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Āffān, al-Zabayr ibn ‘Awwām,
‘Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ‘Awf, Sa‘d ibn Abī Waqqāṣ, and Ṭalḥah
ibn ‘Ubayd Allāh. Among the early converts were: Bilāl ibn
Rabāh the Abyssinian, Abū ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrāḥ, Abū
Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Asad, al-Arqam ibn Abī ’l-Arqam,
‘Uthmān ibn Maz‘ūn and his two brothers Qudāmah and
‘Abd Allāh, Sa‘īd ibn Zayd al- ‘Adawī and his wife Fāṭimah
(sister of ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb), Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt, ‘Abd
Allah ibn Mas‘ūd and others, more than forty of them all.
2. Those who had embraced Islamُ at Dār al-Nadwah (al-
Nadwah Council, Assembly House, the Parliament of the
Quraysh). When ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb converted to Islam he
took the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬to this place, where some people
converted by him. But taking the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬to this
place claimed by al-Ḥākim was doubted, as at that time he
was hiding at Dār al-Arqam between al-Ṣafā and al-Marwah.
3. Refugees to Ethiopia. When the condition of Muslims in
Makkah was getting worse and worse Allah revealed to the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬that the world was spacious enough to take
refuge. Allah revealed:
َُ ‫ِينُأَحْ َسنواُفِيُ َه ِذُِهُال ُّد ْن َياُ َح‬
ُُ‫س َنة‬ َُ ‫ِينُآ َمنواُا َّتقواُ َربَّك ُْمُلِلَّذ‬
َُ ‫لُ َياُعِ َبا ُِدُالَّذ‬
ُْ ‫ق‬
)01:‫ْرُ ِح َسابُُ(الزمر‬ ُِ ‫ونُأَجْ َره ُْمُ ِب َغي‬
َُ ‫َّابر‬ َُِّ ُُ‫َوأَرْ ض‬
ِ ‫ّللاُ َواسِ َعةُُإِ َّن َماُي َو َّفىُالص‬
Say O Muhammad): “O My slaves who believe (in the
Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism), be afraid of
your Lord (Allah) and keep your duty to Him. Good is
(the reward) for those who doُgood in his world,
 51

and Allah’s earth is spacious (so if you cannot

worship Allah a a lace, then go to another)! Only
those who are patient shall receive their reward
in full, without reckoning. (Q. 39:10
The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬learned that Ashamah whose title
was Negus, king of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) was a fair ruler. In
Rajab of the fifth year of prophethood he sent 12 man and 4
women to take refuge there, including ‘Uthmān and his wife
Ruqayyah (the’s daughter), and Abū ‘Ubaydah.
In Shawwāl the same year they returned to Makkah for
having misinformation that the situation there had been
improved, and therefore, some of them returned to
Ethiopia. The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬sent again his followers to
Ethiopia for the second time, consisting of 83 men and 13
(some said 18) women.
4. Those who participated at the first ‘Aqabah Pledge in the
12th year of the prophethood. They were twelve people:
As‘ad ibn Zurārah, ‘Awf ibn Ḥārith, Rāfi‘ ibn Mālik, Quṭbah
ibn ‘Āmir, ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir, Mu‘ādh ibn al-Ḥārith, Dhakwān
ibn ‘Abd al-Qays, ‘Ubādah ibn al-Ṣāmit, Yazīd ibn Tha‘labah,
al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Ubādah, Abū ‘l-Haytham ibn al-Tayhān, and
‘Uwaym ibn Sā‘idah. The last two were from Aws tribe, and
the remaining ten were from Khazraj tribe. The wording of
the pledge as narrated by ‘Ubādah ibn al-Ṣāmit, and
recorded by al-Bukhārī, the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said as follows:
Come here and pledge that you will not associate any with
Allah, that you will not steal, nor commit unlawful sexual
intercourse, nor kill your children, not utter slander inten-
tionally forging falsehood, nor disobey me in any good. He
who fulfils this, Allah will reward him; and who neglects
anything and is afflicted in this world, it may prove redemp-
tion for him in the Hereafter; and if the sin remains hidden
from the eyes of the men and no grief comes to him, then his
affair is with Allah. He may forgive him or He may not.
 52

5. Those who participated in the second ‘Aqabah Pledge. In

the thirteenth year of Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬hood (June, 622 CE)
during the pilgrimage season over 70 converts came from
Madinah and made a secret meeting with the Prophet
(‫ )ﷺ‬at the night in a small hill at al-‘Aqabah during the
night of tashrīq days (11th, 12th and 13th of Dhū’l-Ḥijjah).
They consisted of 73 men, including Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, and
two women (Nuṣaybah bint Ka‘b from Banī Māzin, and
Asmā’ bint ‘Amr from Banī Salamah), led by Ka‘b ibn Mālik.
When they asked what should they pledge, the Prophet
(‫ )ﷺ‬answered, as narrated by Jābir and recorded by al-
Imām Aḥmad, as follows:
- to listen and obey in all difficulty and ease.
- to spend in plenty as well as in scarcity
- to enjoin good and forbid evil
- in Allah’s service, you will fear the censure of none
- to aid me when I come to you, and protect me from
anything you protect yourself, your spouses and
children from. Then Paradise is in store for you.
When they asked assurance from the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬that
he would not leave them when Allah granted him victory
and power, he said:
Nay, it would never be; your blood will be my
blood. In life and death I will be with you and you
with me. I will fight whom you fight and I will make
peace with those with whom you make peace.
Then they extended their hands, shook hand with the
Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬. The two women just took the pledge orally
without shaking hands with the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬.
6. Emigrants who arrived at Qubā’ before the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
entered Madinah and before the building of the mosque of
Madinah. Abū Salamah was the first one to migrate, a year
before the second Aqabah Pledge. Then he was followed by
his wife and son. Suhayb ib Sinān al-Rūmī was release only
 53

and allowed to leave for Madinah after he offered them to

give away all his wealth. The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬after hearing
this story said: “Suhayb has profited, Suhayb has profited.”
Then ‘Umar migrated and arrived with 20 of the ṣaḥābah.
7. Those who joined the battle of Badr, called Ahl Badr (lit.
“people of Badr”). For this battle the Makkan army prepared
1300 soldiers, 600 of them in mail armour, and 100
horsemen and many camels. Every day they slaughtered
between 9 and 10 camels for food, and they planned to stay
3 days. As the caravans led by Abū Sufyān escaped the
ambush of the Muslim army, Banū Zahrah broke away and
returned to Makkah. Banū Hāshim could not break away
because of Abū Jahl’s threats. So, there remained 0111
soldiers proceeding to Badr to fight the Muslim army
consisting of between 300 and 317 soldiers, with 12 horses
and 70 camels. There were between 82 and 86 of them
were Muhājirīn (emigrants), and the remaining were Anṣār
(the Helpers, the Madinians) 61 from Aws tribe, and 170
from Khazraj tribe. Facing the army threefold the size of that
of his army the Prophet’s prayer was answered. Allah said:
ُ ُ‫ابُلَك ُْمُأَ ِّنيُم ِم ُّدك ُْمُ ِبأ َ ْلف‬
َُ ‫ونُ َربَّك ُْمُ َفاسْ َت َج‬َُ ‫إِ ُْذُ َتسْ َتغِيث‬
ُ )9:‫ِينُ(اْلنفال‬ َُ ‫ِنُ ْال َم َل ِئ َك ُِةُمرْ ِدف‬
َُ ‫ُم‬
(Remember) when you sought help of your Lord
and He answered you (saying): “I will help you
with a thousand of angels each behind the other
(following one another) in succession” (Q. 8:9)
Ibn ‘Abbās narrated reported by Muslim:ُ “While on that
day a Muslim was chasing a disbeliever and he heard over
him the swashing of a whip and the voice of the rider
saying: ‘Go ahead Hayzun’. He glanced and the polytheist
who had (now) fallen down on his back. When he asked the
Prophet about the event, the Prophet replied: ‘You have
told the truth. This was the help from the third heaven.’”
The Prophet (‫’)ﷺ‬s uncle ‘Abbās ibn ‘Abd al-Muṭṭalib
who was forced to join the Makkan army was captured by
 54

one of the Anṣār. He said to the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬: “O

Messenger of Allah, by Allah, this man did not capture me. I
was captured by a man who was bald and had the most
handsome face, and who was riding a piebald horse. I
cannot see him here among the people.” The man
interrupted: “O Messenger of Allah, I captured him.” The
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬replied: “Be quiet, Allah the Almighty
strengthened you with the help of a noble angel.”
There were 14 martyrs in this battle, 6 among them were
Muhājirīn, and 8 were the Anṣār, whereas the Makkan
casualties: the loss of 71 men including Abū Jahl, and several
were taken prisoners.
Ahl Badr had special status. Ḥāṭib ibn Abī Balta‘ah in order
to save his disbelieving relative in Makkah informed them of
the Prophet’s plan to conquer Makkah. When it was
discovered through revelation, ‘Umar wanted to kill him as a
hypocrite. But the Prophet said: “He is one of those who
fought in the battle of Badr. What do you know, ‘Umar?
Perhaps Allah has looked at the people of Badr, and said:
‘Do as you please, for I have forgiven you’” ‘Umar released
him, and said: “Allah and His Messenger know better. Then
it was revealed:
َُ ‫لُ َت َّتخِذواُ َعدوِّ يُ َو َعد َّوك ُْمُأَ ْولِ َيا َُءُت ْلق‬
)0:‫ونُإِلَي ِْه ُْمُ ِب ْال َم َو َّدُِةُ(الممتحنة‬ َُ ‫َياُأَ ُّي َهاُالَّذ‬
ُ َ ُ‫ِينُآ َمنوا‬
O you who believe! Take not my enemies and your
enemies (i.e. disbelievers and polytheists) as friends,
showing affection towards them… (Q. 60:1)
(CIVIC, 4 November. 2016:‫المراجع‬
)‫ُهـ‬001ُ.‫تفسيرُالطبريُ(ت‬
)‫ُهـ‬170ُ.‫تفسيرُالقرطبى(ت‬
)‫ُهـ‬777ُ.‫تفسيرُابنُكثير(ت‬
Safi-ur-Rahman Al-Mubakafrakpuri. The Sealed Nectar.
https://islamqa.info/ar/181943
http://www.d1g.com/qna/show/3894722
http://www.darululoom-deoband.com/arabic/magazine/
tmp/1326694209fix3su
http://www.iasj.net/iasj?func=fulltext&aId=76555
 55

10. THE POSITION OF THE ṢAḤĀBAH (3)

8. Those who emigrated in the period between the battle of
Badr and the Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah, namely, between 17
Ramaḍān 2 AH/13 March 624 AH, and Dhū ‘l-Qi‘dah 6
AH/March 628 CE.
9. The participants of the Pledge of Riḍwān )‫(أهل بيعة الرضوان‬. In
the month of Dhū ‘l-Qi‘dah 6 AH/March 628 CE the Prophet
(‫ )ﷺ‬accompanied by 1400 Muslims including his wife
Ummu Salamah went to Makkah for ‘umrah (minor
pilgrimage). They did not carry weapons for fighting, except
knives and swords needed and carried by travellers. When
they reached Dhū ’l-Ḥulayfah they changed their dress with
pilgrims ones to indicate that they were being in the state of
iḥrām to let others know that they were coming for ‘umrah,
not to fight. But the Makkan Quraysh and many other tribes
opposed their coming and completely blocked the road to
Makkah. Two hundred horsemen tried to take the Muslims
by surprise, but missed them, as they followed a rocky way.
As several negotiations failed the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬sent
‘Uthman ibn ‘Affān who belonged to one of most powerful
families in Makkah who would be expected to protect him.
He told Abū Sufyān and other chiefs that they only wanted
to perform ‘umrah and go back to Madinah. He also invited
them to Islam and told them that Islam would prevail, but
they were inflexible, that only ‘Uthman was allowed to
perform the ‘umrah which he rejected.
As there was rumour of the death of ‘Uthmān the
Muslims took a solemn pledge that they would stand firm to
the death in the cause of Truth, started by Abū Sinān al-
Asadī and Salamah ibn al-Akwa’. All of them pledged except
Jad ibn Qays who was of the hypocrites. When ‘Uthmān
arrived, he also made the pledge. For this occasion Allah
revealed:
‫ت ال َش َج َر ِة َف َعلِ َم َما‬
َ ‫ك َتح‬
َ ‫ِين إِذ هي َب ِايعهو َن‬ َ ‫لَ َقد َرضِ َي‬
َ ‫ّللا ه َع ِن المهؤ ِمن‬
 56

)18( ‫وب ِهم َفأَن َز َل ال َسكِي َن َة َعلَي ِهم َوأَ َثا َبههم َفتحً ا َق ِريبًا‬
ِ ‫فِي قهل ه‬
Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers
when they gave their bay‘ah (pledge) to you
(O Muhammad) under the tree (Q. 48:18)
Eventually, a treaty was made, called “The Treaty of
Hudaybiyyah” (‫ )صلح الحديبية‬where the Muslims postponed
their pilgrimage to next year and would stay for three days
only, and peace for the two parties for ten years. Whoever
wanted to join any of the two parties was free to do so. Any
figutive from the Quraysh to Muhammad (‫ )ﷺ‬he should
be sent back to the Quraysh, but not vice versa. Despite this
double standard, this treaty was called by Allah “a manifest
victory”, and history proved it to be true.
10. Those who emigrated to Madinah after the Treaty of
Ḥudaybiyyah and before the conquest of Makkah. In this
period Amr Ibn al-‘Āṣ and Khālid ibn al-Walīd came to
Madinah to convert to Islam. Khālid’s brother al-Walīd had
invited him to Islam in his letter when he was doing the
pilgrimage. Abū Hurayrah (603–681 CE) migrated to
Madinah with his mother. He had converted to Islam in
Makkah at the hand of al- Ṭufayl ibn ‘Amr before coming to
Madinah when the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬was in the conquest of
Khaybar in 7 AH. Amr Ibn al-‘Āṣ and Khālid ibn al-Walīd were
welcomed by the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬who told them that by
embracing Islam all previous sins were forgiven. These two
warriors later become the Prophet’s generals.
The increase number of converts in this period can be
seen by comparing those joined the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬in the
Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah, and the conquest of Makkah,
namely, from 1,400 to 10,000 men with about 8,600 men,
over six times increase within two years.
11. Those who converts to Islam at the conquest of Makkah in
20 Ramaḍān 8 AH. Banū Bakr the ally of the Quraysh
attacked the Khuzā‘ah tribe who was the ally of the Prophet.
Nawfal, the chief of Banū Bakr chased and killed them, even
 57

in the sanctuary when blood should not be shed. The

Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬demanded the Quraysh to pay blood money
for the victims of Khuzā‘ah, to terminate their alliance with
Banū Bakr, or to consider the truce to have been
terminated. Abū Sufyān was sent to Madinah to renew the
treaty, but failed.
With 10,000 fighters the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬marched towards
Makkah on 10th of Ramaḍān 8 AH. During his absence Abū
Ruḥm al-Ghifārī was to dispose the affairs of the Muslims in
Madinah. Accompanied by the Prophet’s uncle al-‘Abbās,
Abū Sufyān came to the Prophet. The Prophet told him that
it was time for him to bear witness to the Oneness of Allah
and his being His prophet. Abū Sufyān begged him for
pardon and forgiveness, and would convert to Islam. At al-
‘Abbās’s suggestion, the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬proclaimed that
whoever entered Abū Sufyān’s house, beside entering the
Holy Sanctuary and his own house, would be safe.
Several archenemies of Islam at the conquest of Makkah
were forgiven: Waḥshī who had killed the Prophet’s uncle
Ḥamzah and Hind who had chewed his liver; Habbār who
had attacked and killed the Prophet’s daughter when she
was on her way to Makkah to Madinah; Ṣafwān ibn
Umayyah who had plotted to kill him, as well as Fūḍālah
who had also attempted to kill him while he was doing
ṭawāf in the Holy Sanctuary.
Ummu Ḥakīm bint al-Ḥārith, the wife of ‘Ikrimah accepted
Islam. She told the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬that her husband ‘Ikrimah
had run away to Yemen, fearing his persecution, and asked
him to grant him amnesty. When he did, she looked for
him until she reached one of the coasts of Tihāmah, but he
had already boarded a ship. As one of the sailors said to him
to say “there is none worthy of worship but Allah,” he
replied, "It is from this that I am fleeing." As they spoke,
Ummu Ḥakīm arrived started waving a cloth and shouted
that the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬had forgiven him. So, they came to
 58

the Prophet. Before they arrived, the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬had

advised his people that ‘Ikrimah was coming, and not to
curse his father, Abū Jahl, as cursing would only hurt the
living, and would not reach the dead. His conversion to
Islam pleased the Prophet. He promised that every expense
he bore opposing the Islam, he would spend double that
amount in the path of Allah, and every battle he fought
opposing it, he would fight double the number of battles in
Islam. He participated in all the battles after his conversion
to Islam. He was sent by Abū Bakr to lead an army in Yemen,
then he was sent to Syria. In the battle Yarmūk in 15/636
70,000 fighters of the enemy were killed, whereas among
Muslims, there were 3,000 fighters fell martyrs. In this
battlefield Ḥārith ibn Hishām, ‘Ayyāsh bin Abī Rabī‘ah
(cousin of Khālid ibn al-Walīd) and ‘Ikrimah were wounded.
Ḥārith cried for water. When it was brought to him, he saw
‘Ikrimah looking at it. He asked the person to give water first
to ‘Ikrimah, but when it was brought to ‘Ikrimah, he saw
‘Ayyāsh looking at it. He told him to give it first to ‘Ayyāsh.
But when the water was brought to Ayyāsh, he had died
before drinking it. Then the person turned toward ‘Ikrimah
and Ḥarith to give them water, but both of them had passed
away.
12. Those who convert to Islam after the conquest of Makkah.
With the conquest of Makkah, the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬became
the de facto ruler of Arabia. Many people embraced Islam,
even from distant places came to the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
proclaiming their conversion to Islam. They were all
considered ṣaḥābah, including children, and those who saw
him and in one occasion or another. Allah refers to it as
follows:
.‫ّللا أَف َواجً ا‬
ِ َ ‫ِين‬ َ ‫اس َيد هخله‬
ِ ‫ون فِي د‬ َ ‫ َو َرأَي‬.‫ّللا َوال َفت هح‬
َ ‫ت ال َن‬ ِ َ ‫إِ َذا َجا َء َنص هر‬
َ ‫ك َواس َتغفِرهه إِ َن هه َك‬
)3-1:‫ان َت َوابًا (النصر‬ َ ‫َف َسبِّح ِب َحم ِد َر ِّب‬
When there comes to Help of Allah (to you, O
 59

Muhammad against your enemies) and the Conquest

(of Makkah). And you see the people enter Allah’s
religion (Islam) in crowds. So, glorify the Praises of
your Lord, and ask His forgiveness. Verily, He is
the One Who Ever accepts repentance
and Who forgives (Q. 110:1-3)
At this time more delegations came to the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
in Madinah. For example: Bali Delegation came in Rabī‘ al-
Awwal 9 AH. They embraced Islam and stayed in Madinah.
Their leader Abū ‘l-Dubayb asked the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
whether hospitality was rewarded by Allah. When the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬confirmed it, he asked about the stray ewe.
The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬answered: “It is either yours or your
brother’s: otherwise it goes to the wolf.” When he asked
about the stray camel, he answered: “It is none of your
business. Leave it alone until its owner finds it.”
The Thaqīf delegation consisting of six people came to
Madinah. They would make a treaty between him and the
Thaqīf, that they would be allowed to commit fornication,
drink wine, and deal with usury. They asked him not to
injure their idol al-Lāt or to perform the prayer. As the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬rejected all of their requests, they asked him
that the destruction of al-Lāt not to be done by them, but by
the Prophet, which he accepted. The delegation of Banī
Fazārah consisting of over ten men came to embrace Islam
and complain about the drought. To this the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
prayed for rain.
Five days before the Prophet’s death he praised his
companions (ṣaḥābah) the Helper (al-Anṣār), the people o
Madīnah, reminding people of their favour. He said,
‫ضوه ا الَذِى َعلَي ِهم َو َبق َِى‬ َ ‫ار َفإِ َنههم َك ِرشِ ى َو َعي َبتِى َو َقد َق‬
ِ ‫ص‬َ ‫أهوصِ ي هكم ِباألَن‬
)‫ارى‬ ِ ‫الَذِى لَههم َفاق َبلهوا مِن مهحسِ ن ِِهم َو َت َج َاو هزوا َعن مهسِ يئ ِِهم ( َر َواهه الب َهخ‬
I admonish you to be good to Al-Anṣār (the Helpers).
They are my family and with them I found shelter.
 60

They have acquitted themselves credibly of the

responsibility that fell upon them and now there
remains what you have to do. You should fully
acknowledge and appreciate the favor that they
have shown and should overlook their
faults. (reported by al-Bukhārī)
The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬knew that by the lapse of time the
number of the Anṣār would decrease, and again he
wanted people to recognise and appreciate their
contribution to Islam. He said:
َ ‫صا هر َح َتى َي هكو هنوا َكالمِلح فِي‬
،‫الط َع ِام‬ ِ َ ‫هون َو َتقِل األَن‬
َ ‫اس َيك هثر‬ َ ‫إِنَ ال َن‬
‫َف َمن َول َِي مِن هكم أَمرً ا َيضهر فِي ِه أَ َح ًدا أَو َين َف هع هه َفل َيق َبل مِن مهحسِ ن ِِهم‬
.)‫َو َي َت َج َاوز َعن مهسِ يئ ِِهم» (رواه البخاري‬
The number of believers would increase, but the
number of Helpers (al-Anṣār) would decrease to
the extent that they would be among man as salt
in the food. So, he who among you occupies a position
of responsibility and is powerful enough to do harm
or good to the people, he should fully acknowledge
and appreciate the favor that these benefactors
have shown, and overlook their faults.
(Reported by al-Bukhārī)
(CIVIC, 11 November, 2016)
:‫المراجع‬
‫المكتبة الشاملة‬
( ‫ هـ‬310 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬
( ‫ هـ‬671 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬
(‫ هـ‬774 .‫تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬
Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri. The Sealed Nectar
Dr. Shauqi Abu Khalil. Atlas of the Qur’ān.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Hudaybiyyah
http://www.islamicweb.com/history/sahaba/bio.
ABU_HURAYRAH.htm
http://sohabih.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/ikramah-ra-bin-abi-
jahal-accepts-islam.html
 61

11. THE POSITION OF THE ṢAḤĀBAH (4)

The ṣaḥābah (companions of the Prophet) based on
Islamic law, reason and reality do not belong to the same
degree. Muslim scholars among ahl al-sunnah wa ’l-jamā‘ah
)‫(أَهْ ُل ال ُّس َّن ِة َو ْال َج َما َعة‬, namely, “the upholder of the Sunnah of the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬and the Muslim community” believe that
individually, the best person after the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬are: Abū
Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmān, ‘Ali, then the remaining of the ten
persons promised with Paradise, namely, al-Zubayr ibn al-
‘Awwām, Ṭalḥah ibn ‘Ubayd Allāh, Sa‘d ibn Abī Waqqāṣ, Abū
‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrāḥ, ‘Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ‘Awf, and Sa‘īd ibn
Zayd. The names of these ten persons promised with Paradise
were mentioned by the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬as narrated by Sa‘īd ibn
Zayd and reported by Abū Dā’ūd and others. Next, the
participants in the battle of Badr and the Pledge of Riḍwān, as
the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said narrated by Jābir:
)‫ار َرجُل َش ِهدَ َب ْدرً ا َو ْال ُح َدي ِْب َي َة (رواه أحمد وأصحاب السّنن‬ َ ‫َلنْ َي ْد ُخ َل ال َّن‬
A person who participated in the battle of
Badr and the Ḥudaybiyyah Treaty will never enter
Hellfire. (Reported by Ahmad and others)
َ ْ‫ار أَ َحد ِممَّنْ َبا َي َع َتح‬
)‫ت ال َّش َج َرة (رواه أحمد‬ َ ‫َل َي ْد ُخ ُل ال َّن‬
A person who made allegiance under the tree
would not enter Hell (Reported by Ahmad)
In general the muhājirūn who migrated to Madinah to
escape the Quraysh persecution and the anṣār who helped
them are among the people who were promised with Paradise,
as mentioned in Qur’ān 9:100.
The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬besides stating the virtues of his
ṣaḥābah he also warned people from hurting them. He said:
،‫صارً ا‬َ ‫ َوأَ ْن‬،‫ َف َج َع َل لِي َب ْي َن ُه ْم وُ َز َرا َء‬،‫ار لِي أَصْ َحابًا‬ َ ‫اخ َت‬ ْ ‫ َو‬،‫ارنِي‬ َ َّ َّ‫إِن‬
ْ ‫ّللا‬
َ ‫اخ َت‬
َ ‫اس أَجْ َمع‬
...‫ِين‬ ِ َّ ‫ َف َمنْ َس َّب ُه ْم َف َع َل ْي ِه لَعْ َن ُة‬،‫َوأَصْ َهارً ا‬
ِ ‫ّللا َو ْال َمال ِئ َك ِة َوال َّن‬
.)‫صرْ ف َول َع ْدل (رواه الطبراني‬ َ ‫ل ُي ْق َب ُل ِم ْن ُه َي ْو َم ْال ِق َيا َم ِة‬
Verily, Allah has chosen me, and has chosen fo me
 62

companions, then He made among them viziers, helpers

and relatives in marriage for me. So, whoever abuses
them, upon them is the curse of Allah, the angels and
all the people (Reported by al-Țabrānī)
The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬also said:
َ ‫ِين َيلُو َن ُه ْم ُث َّم الَّذ‬
... ‫ِين َيلُو َن ُه ْم‬ َ ‫اس َقرْ نِي ُث َّم الَّذ‬
ِ ‫َخ ْي ُر ال َّن‬
)‫)رواه البخاري و مسلم‬
The best of the people are in my generation, then
those after them, then those after them…
(Reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
It is through the ṣaḥābah we learn our religion, from one
generation to another until it reaches us. Without their
sincerity, honesty, and truthfulness we will not have the true
Islam and the genuine Qur’ān. Their sincerity and truthfulness
are mentioned in the Qur’ān, as follows:
‫ضى‬ َ َّ ‫ص َدقُوا َما َعا َه ُدوا‬
َ ‫ّللا َع َل ْي ِه َف ِم ْن ُه ْم َمنْ َق‬ َ ‫ِين ِر َجال‬ َ ‫م َِن ْالم ُْؤ ِمن‬
)32:‫ِيال (األحزاب‬ ً ‫َنحْ َب ُه َو ِم ْن ُه ْم َمنْ َي ْن َتظِ ُر َو َما َب َّدلُوا َت ْبد‬
Among the believers are men who have been true to their
covenant with Allah and showed not their backs to the
disbelievers, of them some have fulfilled their obligations
and some of them are still waiting, but they never changed
(i.e. they never proved treacherous to their covenant which
they concluded with Allah) in the least (Q. 33:23)
The piety, perseverance and steadfastness of the ṣaḥābah
in Islam are mentioned in the Qur’ān, as follows:
َ ِ َّ ‫م َُحمَّد َرسُو ُل‬
ِ ‫ِين َم َع ُه أشِ َّدا ُء َع َلى ْال ُك َّف‬
‫ار ر َُح َما ُء َب ْي َن ُه ْم‬ َ ‫ّللا َوالَّذ‬
ِ َّ ‫ون َفضْ ًال م َِن‬
‫ّللا َو ِرضْ َوا ًنا‬ َ ‫َت َرا ُه ْم ُر َّك ًعا سُجَّ ًدا َي ْب َت ُغ‬
)32:‫سِ ي َما ُه ْم فِي وُ جُوه ِِه ْم مِنْ أَ َث ِر ال ُّسجُو ِد (الفتح‬
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who
are with him (the Companions) are severe against
disbelievers, and merciful among themselves. You see
them bowing and falling down prostrate (in prayer),
seeking Bounty from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure.
 63

The mark of them (i.e. of their faith) is on their

faces (foreheads) from the traces of (their)
prostration (during prayers)." (Q. 48:29)
Although it is said that based on the definition of the
ṣaḥābah those who saw him even once or including children
are among them, disbelievers, hypocrites, and those who were
known for their misbehave are excluded from being among the
ṣaḥābah. Although there were many hypocrites in Madinah,
their identities were known through their behaviour. Although
they were enemy from within, the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬did not kill
them, or people would accuse him of killing his own followers.
There was no danger of their being included among the
ṣaḥābah by mistake. When revelation came about them, their
identity had been known. Some examples are as follows:
ِ ‫ون َومِنْ أَهْ ِل ْال َمدِي َن ِة َم َر ُدوا َعلَى ال ِّن َف‬
‫اق َل‬ ِ ‫َو ِممَّنْ َح ْولَ ُك ْم م َِن ْاألَعْ َرا‬
َ ُ‫ب ُم َنا ِفق‬
)101:‫ون إِلَى َع َذاب عَظِ يم (التوبة‬ َ ‫ْن ُث َّم ي َُر ُّد‬
ِ ‫َتعْ لَ ُم ُه ْم َنحْ نُ َنعْ َل ُم ُه ْم َس ُن َع ِّذ ُب ُه ْم َمرَّ َتي‬
Among the bedouins around you, there are hypocrites,
and so are some among the people of Madinah, who
persist in hypocrisy; you (O Muhammad) know them
not, We know them. We shall punish them twice, and
thereafter they shall be brought back to a great
(horrible) torment. (Q. 9:101)
Ibn ‘Abbās narrated that while the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬was
standing and delivering his Friday sermon, he said: “Get out, O
So-and-So, as you are a hypocrite, get out O So-and-so, as you
are a hypocrite.” So, he expelled some people from the mosque
and exposed them. While they were walking out of the mosque
‘Umar who saw them felt embarrassed and kept himself out of
their sight.
‫َولَ ْو َن َشا ُء َألَ َر ْي َنا َك ُه ْم َفلَ َع َر ْف َت ُه ْم ِبسِ ي َما ُه ْم َولَ َتعْ ِر َف َّن ُه ْم فِي‬
)20:‫ّللا ُ َيعْ لَ ُم أَعْ َمالَ ُك ْم (محمد‬ َّ ‫لَحْ ِن ْال َق ْو ِل َو‬
Had We willed, We could have shown them to you, and
you should have known them by their marks; but surely, you
will know them by the tone of their speech! (Q. 47:30)
 64

Although the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬did not know all hypocrites

by name, but he knew them through their characteristics, “the
tone of their speech,” and thay Allah informed him fourteen or
fifteen of them. The Prophet, in turn, told Ḥudhayfah their
names. When one of them passed away, ‘Umar waited for
Ḥudhayfah; if the dead person was a hypocrite he would not
stand up to perform funeral prayer for him.
According to Zayd ibn Aslam there were eight people
who did not join the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬in the Tabuk campaign.
They were: Jadd ibn Qays, Abū Lubābah, Ḥarām, Aws, Hilāl,
Kardam, Mirdās, and Abū Qays.
In the next verse Allah said that some of them repented
for staying away from jihad out of laziness, and their names
were also recorded. Allah said:
‫آخ َر َس ِّي ًئا‬ َ ‫طوا َع َم ًال‬
َ ‫صالِحً ا َو‬ ُ َ‫وب ِه ْم َخل‬
ِ ‫ُون اعْ َت َرفُوا ِب ُذ ُن‬
َ ‫آخر‬َ ‫َو‬
)103:‫ّللا َغفُور َرحِيم (التوبة‬ َ َّ َّ‫وب َعلَي ِْه ْم إِن‬َ ‫ّللا ُ أَنْ َي ُت‬
َّ ‫َع َسى‬
And (there are) others who have acknowledged their sins,
they have mixed a deed that was righteous with another
that was evil. Perhaps Allah will turn to them in forgiveness.
Surely, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Q. 9:102)
Who were they? They were: Jadd ibn Qays, Abū Lubābah,
Ḥarām, and Aws )‫ وأوس‬،‫ وحرام‬،‫ وأبو لبابة‬،‫(ج ُّد بن قيس‬. They were all
inhabitants of Madinah.
A man called al-Julās ibn Suwayd ibn al-Ṣāmit: “If what
Muhammad has brought were true, we would then become
worse than donkeys. If he were not true, we would not need
this campaign.” ‘Āmir ibn Qays told the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬what he
had heard from him. Then the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬called him and
asked him whether he had said such-and-such. He swore that
he never did it. So, the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬let him go, but ‘Āmir ibn
Qays prayed to Allah to confirm what he had said, and the
Prophet said, “āmīn”. Then Allah revealed the following verse:
 65

‫اّلل َما قالُوا َولَ َق ْد قالُوا َكلِ َم َة ْال ُك ْف ِر َو َك َفرُوا َبعْ َد إِسْ الم ِِه ْم َو َهمُّوا‬ ِ َّ ‫ون ِب‬
َ ُ‫َيحْ لِف‬
‫ّللا ُ َو َرسُول ُ ُه مِنْ َفضْ لِ ِه َفإِنْ َي ُتوبُوا‬ َّ ‫ِبما لَ ْم َينالُوا َوما َن َقمُوا إِلَّ أَنْ أَ ْغنا ُه ُم‬
‫ّللا ُ َعذابا ً أَلِيما ً فِي ال ُّد ْنيا َو ْاْلخ َِر ِة‬
َّ ‫ك َخيْراً لَ ُه ْم َوإِنْ َي َت َولَّ ْوا ُي َع ِّذ ْب ُه ُم‬ُ ‫َي‬
)47:‫ض مِنْ َولِي َول َنصِ ير (التوبة‬ ِ ْ‫َوما لَ ُه ْم فِي ْاألَر‬
They swear by Allah that they said nothing (bad), but they
really said the word of disbelief, and they disbelieved after
accepting Islam, and they resolved that (plot to murder
Prophet Muhammad) which they were unable to carry out,
and they could not find any cause to do so except Allah and
His Messenger had enriched them of His bounty. If then they
repent, it will be better for them, but if they turn away, Allah
will punish them with a painful torment in this worldly life
and in the Hereafter. And there is none for them on earth
as a wali (supporter, protector) or a helper. (Q. 9:74)
Al-Julās repented, and the Prophet accepted his repentance.
The characteristics of hypocrites were mentioned in 13
verses, (Qurān 2:8-20), i.e., pretending to believe, deceiving
themselves, pretending to do good, etc., according to al-Ṭabarī,
their names had been recorded by Ibn Ḥishām’s and Ibn Isḥāq’s
Sīrah. Mujāhid also said that he knew them, but did not want to
mention them and their lineages in his Tafsīr. In general, they
did not want to sacrifice his wealth and their souls for the sake
of Islam, and therefore, invented excuses.
With regard to children, we have some examples: (1)
‘Abd Allāh ibn ‘Abbās;1 he was born 3 years before Hijrah, and
when the Prophet passed away he was 13 years old. In spite of
his young age he was the fifth among the seven people who
reported most of the ḥadīths. They are: Abū Huryrah (5847
ḥadīths), Ibn ‘Umar (2630 ḥadīths), Anas ibn Mālik (2286
ḥadīths), ‘Ā’shah (2210 ḥadīths), Ibn ‘Abbās (1660 ḥadīths),
Jābir ibn ‘Abd Allāh (1540 ḥadīths), and Abū Sa‘īd al-Khuḍrī
1
I have dealt with Ibn ‘Abbās in details four times here in the khutbah; in
26.4.2013, 31.05,2013, 14.06.2013 and 28.06.2013. You can find them in
my Selected Khutab vol. 5, no. 14, pp. 79-84, no. 17, pp. 101-106, no. 18,
pp. 107-112, and no. 19, pp. 113-124.
 66

(1170 ḥadīths). (2) Al-Nu‘mān ibn Bashīr; he was born in 3 AH,

and was just a boy of nine years old when the Prophet passed
away. Among the ḥadīths narrated by him, is as follows:
ِ ‫ْال َح َال ُل َبيِّن َو ْال َح َرا ُم َبيِّن َو َب ْي َن ُه َما ُم َش َّب َهات َل َيعْ َل ُم َها َكثِير مِنْ ال َّن‬
)‫اس…(متفق عليه‬
That which is lawful is plain and that which is unlawful is plain,
and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which
not many people know ...(Reported by Bukhārī and Muslim)
Al-Nu‘mān ibn Bashīr was well-known for his fatwās and
his qaḍā’ (legal judgments). In the time of Mu‘āwiyah he
became wālī (mayor) of Kūfah flor nine months, then became
qāḍī (judge) in Syria. He was also well-known for his generosity
to the poor. He died in 65 AH. (3) ’Abd Allāh ibn Ja‘far ibn Abī
Ṭālib; he was born in 1 AH in Ethiopia where his parents took
refuge. He narrated many ḥadīth of the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬despite
his young age, and therefore he was considered among young
companions. He was the youngest of Banī Hāshim clan. He and
‘Abd Allāh ibn al-Zubayr pledged the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬in 8 AH
despite their young age of seven years old. He received ḥadīths
from the Prophet, his uncle ‘Ali ibn Abī Ṭālib, his mother Asmā’
bint ‘Umays, Abū Bakr, ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān, and ‘Ammār ibn
Yāsir. He passed away in Madinah in 80 AH.
(CIVIC, 18 November, 2016)
:‫المراجع‬
‫المكتبة الشاملة‬
(‫ هـ‬210 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬
(‫ هـ‬141 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬
‫ هـ‬447 .‫(تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬
M.M. Azami. Studies in Hadīth Methodology and Literature.
http://fatwa.islamweb.net/fatwa/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=
FatwaId&Id=47533
http://mawdoo3.com‫ من_هم_العشرة_المبشرين_بالجنة‬/
http://submission.org/Prophets_Sahaba.html
http://www.nabulsi.com/blue/ar/te.php?art=11176
http://ar.islamway.net/article/18537
https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki‫عبد_ّللا_بن_جعفر_بن_أبي_طالب‬/
 67

12. THE POSITION OF THE ṢAḤĀBAH (5)

How do scholars know whether a person is a ṣaḥabī (a
companion of the Prophet ‫ ?)ﷺ‬It is either through khabar
mutawātir (reports handed down in uninterrupted sequence),
such as, Abū Bakr and ‘Umar; khabar mashhūr (well-known
reports), less known than the previous one; the statement of
some ṣaḥābah of his being a ṣaḥabī; the witness of reliable
tābi‘īn (the following generation of the ṣaḥābah) that he was a
ṣaḥābī; the person himself claimed to have accompanied the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬after verifying and clarifying his identity, and
passing the evaluation test called ‫( الجرح والتعديل‬lit. “injuring and
straightening”), i.e. evaluating his deficiency and truthfulness.
The ‘adālah (honesty, honourable record) of the ṣaḥābah
is known through the Qur’ān, the Sunnah of the Prophet
(‫)ﷺ‬, the statements of al-salaf al-ṣāliḥ (“the pious
predecessors,” i.e., the first three generations of Muslims: of
the Prophet, the ṣaḥābah, and the tābi‘īn), their conditions,
and their biographies. Although there are many definitions of
‘adālah given by scholars, the most accepted one by scholars of
ḥadīth might be the one given by Ibn Ḥajar, as follows: “It is a
trait of character related to preserving taqwā (piety).” What is
meant by taqwā is avoiding bad deeds, among which are shirk
(idolatry), fisq (sinfulness, moral depravity), and bid‘ah
(innovation). It does not mean that they are ma‘ṣūm (infallible),
as prophets are the only people who have this peculiar feature.
Ibn Ḥazm mentions seven aspects which make a person
better than the other, as follows:
ْ quality, essence, nature) of the deed,
1. Māhiyah, (‫ال َما ِه َية‬,
whether the whole obligation is done completely, or not,
but added with recommended deed.
2. Kammiyyah ( ‫ ْال َكم ية‬, magnitude), namely, the presentation
of the deed, whether it is done purely for the sake of Allah,
which is better, or it is mixed with the intention of having
 68

progress in worldly matters, and of preventing any harm

which might occur to him.
3. Kayfiyyah (‫ ْال َك ْي ِفية‬, manner, mode, condition, particular
circumstance), either by simply performing the required
obligatory duty, or it is added with performing
recommended deeds, which is better.
4. Kamm (‫ َكم‬, quantity), for example, doing an obligatory deed
would be better when it is accompanied by extra
recommended deeds, rather than without them.
5. Zamān (‫الز َمان‬, time), for example, doing good deed at the
early period of Islam where Muslims were having hard time
and desperately in need of help, is better than doing it when
the Muslims are at the later period where they become
strong and prosper.
6. Makān (‫ال َم َكان‬, ْ place, location), such as praying in Masjid al-
Ḥarām in Makkah is one hundred thousand times better
than praying in any other place, except in the Prophet(‫)ﷺ‬
mosque in Madinah (one thousand times better) and Masjid
al-Aqṣā in Jerusalem (one hundred times better).
7. Iḍāfah (‫ضا فة‬ َ ‫ ْال‬, attribution), for example, the prayer of the
Prophet(‫)ﷺ‬, or praying behind him, charity given by the
Prophet(‫)ﷺ‬, or given by another person with him, and
the deed of the Prophet(‫)ﷺ‬, or of another with him, is
much better than that without him, such as done by people
in later generations.
The ṣaḥābah exclusively have the advantage regarding
zamān and iḍāfah. They lived in the time of the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬,
believed him when others disbelieved him, spent generously
when others were stingy and fought defending Islam despite
their lack in number. In the battle of the Confederates
(Khandaq, of the Trench) in Shawwāl, 5 AH Allah said:
َّ ‫اب َقالُوا َه َذا َما َو َع َد َنا‬
َ ‫ّللا ُ َو َرسُول ُ ُه َو‬
‫صدَ َق‬ َ ‫ون ْاْلَحْ َز‬ َ ‫َولَمَّا َرأَى ْالم ُْؤ ِم ُن‬
َّ )
22( ‫ّللا ُ َو َرسُول ُ ُه َو َما َزا َد ُه ْم إِ َّل إِي َما ًنا َو َتسْ لِيمًا‬
And the believers saw al-Aḥzāb (the Confederates), they said:
“This is what Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad‫ ) ﷺ‬had
 69

promised us; and Allahand His Messenger (Muhammad‫) ﷺ‬

hadspoken the truth.” And it only added totheir Faith and
their submissiveness (to Allah) (Q. 33:22)
Here Allah states that these companions of the Prophet
(‫ )ﷺ‬facing the huge enemy would not deter them from
fighting. Instead, they became firmer, and stronger in faith.
The same ṣaḥābah would not have the same status and
reward between those spent and fought for Islam when they
were still under the Quraysh persecution, and those who spent
and fought after the conquest of Makkah where there was no
longer any threat from the enemy. Allah says:
‫ِين أَ ْن َفقُوا‬
َ ‫ك أَعْ َظ ُم د ََر َج ًة م َِن الَّذ‬ َ ‫َل َيسْ َت ِوي ِم ْن ُك ْم َمنْ أَ ْن َف َق مِنْ َقب ِْل ْال َف ْت ِح َو َقا َت َل أُولَ ِئ‬
)01:‫ون َخ ِبير (الحديد‬ َّ ‫ّللا ُ ْالحُسْ َنى َو‬
َ ُ ‫ّللا ُ ِب َما َتعْ َمل‬ َّ ‫مِنْ َبعْ ُد َو َقا َتلُوا َو ُك ًّل َو َع َد‬
… Not equal among you are those who spent and fought
before the conquering (of Makkah, with those among you
who did so later). Such are higher in degree than those
who spent and fought afterwards. But to all Allah has
promised the best (reward). And Allah is Well-
Acquainted with what you do (Q. 57:10)
The ṣaḥābah themselves have different levels of prominence
among themselves, let alone people who came after them.
The ṣaḥābah also have the privilege of their being with
the Prophet(‫ )ﷺ‬, performing Islamic obligations with him,
such as praying, fasting, and fighting with him for Islam. People
who came after them would not have such privilege. According
to ‘Abd Allāh ibn al-Mubārak and Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal every
individual of the ṣaḥābah is more prominent than any
individual after them. This view is in line with the statement of
the Prophet(‫ )ﷺ‬that a person who spent gold as big as Mt.
Uhud for Islam would not reach the merit of one mudd (1.053
litre) of barley or wheat spent for Islam by the ṣaḥābah.
Another privilege of the ṣaḥābah is that they were
conveyors of the Prophet’s message to us. Without them we
 70

would not have known properly anything about Islam. The

Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬urged them to convey and tell people what they
had learned from him. He said,
)‫ (رواه البخاري و أحمد‬... ‫َبل ُغوا َعني َولَ ْو آ َي ًة‬
Report from me even one ayah…
(Reported by al-Bukhārī and Ahmad).

The term āyah in this verse is anything said by the

Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬, even very little, either Qur’ānic verses, his
sayings, or his practicing Islam. He said further,
(‫ (رواه البخاري و مسلم‬...‫ ُرب ُم َبلغ أَ ْو َعى مِنْ َسامِع‬...
… as the person who receives the message might
understand it more than the person who heard it
(from the Prophet )‫)ﷺ‬
(Reported by BukhārĪ and Muslim)
There are many Qur’ānic verses mentioning the merits of
the ṣaḥābah indicating their ‘adālah, among which are:
‫ك فِي َما َش َج َر َب ْي َن ُه ْم ُثم ل َي ِج ُدوا‬ َ ‫ون َحتى ي َُحكمُو‬ َ ‫ك َّل ي ُْؤ ِم ُن‬
َ ‫َف َل َو َرب‬
) 55:‫ْت َو ُي َسلمُوا َتسْ لِيمًا (النساء‬ َ ‫ضي‬ َ ‫فِي أَ ْنفُسِ ِه ْم َح َرجً ا ِمما َق‬
But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make
you (O Muhammad) judge in all disputes between them, and
find in themselves no resistance against your decisions and
accept (them) with full submission (Q. 4:65)
َ ‫ِلناس َتأْ ُمر‬
‫ُون ِب ْال َمعْ رُوفِ َو َت ْن َه ْو َن َع ِن ْال ُم ْن َك ِر‬ ِ ‫تل‬ ْ ‫ُك ْن ُت ْم َخي َْرأ ُمة أ ُ ْخ ِر َج‬
َ ‫ان َخيْرً ا لَ ُه ْم ِم ْن ُه ُم ْالم ُْؤ ِم ُن‬
‫ون‬ َ ‫ب لَ َك‬ ِ ‫ون ِبا ّلل َولَ ْو آ َم َن أَهْ ُل ْال ِك َتا‬َ ‫َو ُت ْؤ ِم ُن‬
)011 :‫ون (آل عمران‬ َ ُ‫َوأَ ْك َث ُر ُه ُم ْال َفاسِ ق‬
You (true believers in Islamic Monotheism, and real
followers of Muhammad and his Sunnah) are the best
of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin al-
ma‘rūf (i.e., Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam has
ordained) and forbid al-Munkar (polytheism, disbelief and
all that Islam has forbidden), and you believe in Allah.
And had the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)
believed, it would have been better for them; among
 71

them are some who have Faith, but most of them are
al-Fāsiqūn (disobedient to Allah and rebellious
against Allah’s Command) (Q. 3:110)
The majority of ‘ulamā’ said that this verse was primarily
directed to the companions of the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬when it was
revealed to him.
‫ِين ا َّت َبعُو ُه ْم ِبإِحْ َسان‬ َ ‫ار َوالَّذ‬ ِ ‫ص‬ َ ‫ين َو ْاْلَ ْن‬ َ ‫ون م َِن ْال ُم َها ِج ِر‬ َ ُ‫ون ْاْلَ َّول‬َ ُ‫َّابق‬
ِ ‫َوالس‬
‫ّللا ُ َع ْن ُه ْم َو َرضُوا َع ْن ُه َوأَ َع َّد لَ ُه ْم َج َّنات َتجْ ِري َتحْ َت َها ْاْلَ ْن َها ُر‬ َّ ‫َرضِ َي‬
011)( ‫ك ْال َف ْو ُز ْال َعظِ ي ُم‬ َ ِ‫ِين فِي َها أَ َب ًدا َذل‬ َ ‫) َخالِد‬
And the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhājirūn
(those who migrated from Makkah to al-Madinah) and
the Anṣār (the citizens of al-Madinah who helped and
gave aide to the Muhājirūn) and also those who followed
them exactly (in Faith). Allah is well-pleased with them
as they are well-leased with Him. He has prepared for
them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise),
to dwell therein forever. That is the
supreme success (Q. 9:100)
‫وذوا فِي َس ِبيلِي َو َقا َتلُوا َوقُ ِتلُوا‬ ُ ُ ‫اجرُوا َوأ ُ ْخرجُوا مِنْ ِد َيار ِه ْم َوأ‬ َ ‫ِين َه‬ َ ‫ َفالَّذ‬...
ِ ِ
‫َْل ُ َكف َرنَّ َع ْن ُه ْم َسي َئات ِِه ْم َو َْل ُ ْد ِخلَ َّن ُه ْم َج َّنات َتجْ ِري مِنْ َتحْ ِت َها ْاْلَ ْن َها ُر‬
)095:‫ب (ال عمران‬ َّ ُ‫ّللا ُ عِ ْن َدهُ حُسْ ن‬
ِ ‫الث َوا‬ َّ ‫ّللا َو‬ ِ َّ ‫َث َوابًا مِنْ عِ ْن ِد‬
…, so those who emigrated and were driven out from
their homes, and suffered harm in My Cause, and who
fight, and were killed in My Case), verily, I will expiate
from them their evil deeds and admit them into Gardens
under which rivers flow (in Paradise); a reward from
Allah, and with Allah is the best of rewards (Q. 3:195)
َ ‫ِين آ َم ُنوا َم َع ُه َجا َه ُدوا ِبأَمْ َوال ِِه ْم َوأَ ْنفُسِ ِه ْم َوأُو َلئ‬
‫ِك‬ َ ‫ِن الرسُو ُل َوالذ‬ ِ ‫لَك‬
ْ‫ّللا َل ُه ْم َجنا ت َتجْ ِري مِن‬ ّ ‫ أَ َعد‬. ‫ُون‬ َ ‫ك ُه ُم ْال ُم ْفلِح‬ َ ‫ات َوأُو َل ِئ‬ُ ‫لَ ُه ُم ْال َخي َْر‬
)89-88:‫ك ْال َف ْو ُز ْالعَظِ ي ُم ) التوبة‬ َ ِ‫ِين فِي َها َذل‬ َ ‫تحْ ِت َها ا َل ْن َها ُر َخالِد‬
But the Messenger (Muhammad ‫ )ﷺ‬and those who
believed with him (in Islamic Monotheism) strove hard
and fought with their wealth and their lives (in Allah’s
Cause). Such are they for whom are the good things, and
it is they who will be successful. For them Allah has got
 72

ready Gardens (Paradise) under which rivers flow, to dwell

therein forever. That is supreme success. (Q. 9:88-89)
َ ‫ار ِه ْم َوأَمْ َوال ِِه ْم َي ْب َت ُغ‬ ُ َ ‫ين الذ‬ َ ‫ل ِْلفُ َق َرا ِء ْال ُم َها ِج ِر‬
‫ون َفضْ ًل م َِن‬ ِ ‫ِين أ ْخ ِرجُوا مِنْ ِد َي‬
‫ِين َت َبوءُوا‬ َ ‫ َوالذ‬. ‫ون‬ َ ُ‫ك ُه ُم الصا ِدق‬ َ ‫ّللا َو َرسُولَ ُه أُولَ ِئ‬
ّ ‫ُون‬ َ ‫صر‬ ُ ‫ّللا َو ِرضْ َوا ًنا َو َي ْن‬
‫ور ِه ْم‬ ِ ‫ص ُد‬ُ ‫ون فِي‬ َ ‫اج َر إ لَي ِْه ْم َو َّل َي ِج ُد‬ َ ‫ُّون َمنْ َه‬ َ ‫ان مِنْ َق ْبل ِِه ْم ُي ِحب‬ َ ‫الدار َو ْالي َم‬ َ
َ ‫صة َو َمنْ ي‬
‫ُوق‬ َ ‫صا‬ َ ‫ان ِب ِه ْم َخ‬ َ
َ ‫ون َعلَى أ ْنفُسِ ِه ْم َولَ ْو َك‬ ُ
َ ‫اجة مِما أو ُتوا َوي ُْؤ ِث ُر‬ ً َ ‫َح‬
‫ون َر ب َنا‬ َ ُ‫ِين َجاءُوا مِنْ َبعْ ِد ِه ْم َيقُول‬ َ ‫ َوالذ‬. ‫ُون‬ َ ‫ك ُه ُم ْال ُم ْفلِح‬ َ ‫شح َن ْفسِ ِه َفأوُ لَ ِئ‬ ُ
‫وب َنا غِ ًّل‬
ِ ُ ‫ان َو َّل َتجْ َع ْل فِي قُل‬ ِ ‫ِين َس َبقُو َنا ِب ْالي َم‬
َ ‫اغفِرْ لَ َنا َو ِل ْخ َوا ِن َنا الذ‬ ْ
)01-8:‫ك َرءُو ف َرحِيم (الحشر‬ َ ‫ِين آ َم ُنوا َر ب َنا إِ ن‬ َ ‫لِلذ‬
(And there is also a share in this booty) for the poor emigrants,
who were expelled from their homes and their property, seeking
bounties from Allah and to please Him, and helping Allah (i.e.
helping His religion—Islamic Monotheism) and His Messenger
(Muhammad ‫)صلى ّللا عليه وسلم‬. Such are indeed the truthful (to
what they say). And those who, before them, had homes (in al-
Madinah) and had adopted the Faith, love those who emigrate
to them, and have no jealousy in their breasts for that which
they have been given (from the booty of Banū an Nadīr), and
give them (emigrants) preference over themselves even though
they were in need of that. And whosoever is saved from his own
covetous-ness, such are they who will be the successful. And
those who came after them say: “Our Lord! Forgive us and our
brethren who have preceded us in Faith, and put not in our
hearts any hatred against those who have believed. Our Lord!
You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful (Q. 59:8-10).
These are some Qur’ānic verses praising the ṣaḥābah. The
generation of tābi‘īn that followed, also prayed to Allah to
forgive them, and not to put in their heart any hatred against
them. (CIVIC, 25 November, 2016)
:‫المراجع‬
‫المكتبة الشاملة‬
)‫ ه‬110 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬
(‫ ه‬571 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬
(‫ ه‬777 .‫تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬
http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vb/showthread.php?t=99747
 73

13. THE POSITION OF THE ṢAḤĀBAH (6)

Besides the Qur’ān, the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬also mentioned
the merits of his ṣaḥābah, the muhājirīn and the anṣār. Among
them are as follows:
ِ ‫لَِّم ْؤم‬
‫ن‬ ِ ‫لَِيحبُّه ِْمِإ‬ ِ ِِ‫صار‬ َ ‫ِ َقالِال َّنبيِِﷺِاأل ْن‬,ِ‫ل‬ َِ ‫َعنِِ ْال َب َرا َِءِ َقا‬
َ ‫ضه ِْمِأَ ْب َغ‬
َِّ ِِ‫ضه‬
‫ّللا‬ َ ‫ّللاِ َو َمنِِْأَ ْب َغ‬
َِّ ِِ‫ِِ َمنِِْأَ َحبَّه ِْمِأَ َحبَّه‬,ِ‫لَِّم َنافق‬
ِ ‫لَِيبْغضه ِْمِإ‬ ِ ‫َو‬
(‫)رواهِالبخاريِوِمسلمِوِالترمذيِوِأحمد‬
(Narrated al-Barrā’ r.a., the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said, “None
loves the Anṣār (Supporters) but a believer, and none
hates them but a hypocrite. So Allah will love him who
loves them, and He will hate him who hates them
Reported by al-Bukhārī, Muslim,
al-Tirmidhī, and Aḥmad)
‫ّللاِلكلِِ َنبيِِأَ ْت َباعِِ َوإ َّنا‬
َِّ ِ‫ل‬
َِ ‫صارِِ َياِ َرسو‬ َ ‫األَ ْن‬
ِ ْ ِ‫ت‬ِْ َ‫َعنِِْ َزيْدِِبْنِِأَرْ َق َِمِ َقال‬
(‫اع َناِم َّناِ َف َد َعاِبهِِ(رواهِالبخاري‬ َ ‫لِأَ ْت َب‬
َِ ‫ّللاِأَنِِْ َيجْ َع‬
ََِّ ِِ‫كِ َف ْادع‬ َِ ‫َق ِْدِا َّت َبعْ َنا‬
Narrated Zayd ibn Arqam: The Anṣār said, "Every nation
has his followers and we have followed you, so invoke
Allah to let our followers be considered from us (as
Ansar like ourselves)." So the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬invoked
Allah accordingly (Reported by al-Bukhārī)
‫ض ْواِالَّذيِ َع َليْه ِْم‬ َ ‫لِأوصيك ِْمِب ْاألَ ْن‬
َ ‫صارِِ َفإ َّنه ِْمِ َكرشيِ َو َع ْي َبتيِ َو َق ِْدِ َق‬ َِ ‫َعنِِْأَ َنسِ َقا‬
‫يِالَّذيِلَه ِْمِ َفا ْق َبلواِمنِِْمحْ سنه ِْمِ َو َت َج َاوزواِ َعنِِْمسيئه ِْمِ(رواهِالبخاري‬ َِ ‫) َو َبق‬
Narrated Anas that the Messenger of Allah said: “I request you
to take care of the Anṣār, as they are my near companions to
whom I confided my private secrets. They have fulfilled their
obligations and rights which were enjoined on them but there
remains what is for them. So, accept the good (deeds) of the
good-doers amongst them and excuse the wrong-doers
amongst them. (Reported by al-Bukhārī)
ِ‫صار‬ َ ‫ْرِدورِِ ْاألَ ْن‬ َِ ‫لِإنَِِّ َخي‬ َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬
َِ ‫ّللاِ َعلَيْهِِ َو َسلَّ َِمِ َقا‬ َ ِِ‫َعنِِْأَبيِحميدِ َعنِِْال َّنبي‬
‫َدارِِ َبنيِال َّنجَّ ارِِث َِّمِ َعبْدِِ ْاألَ ْش َهلِِث َِّمِ َدارِِ َبنيِ ْال َحارثِِث َِّمِ َبنيِ َساع َدَِةِ َوفي‬
َِّ‫لِأَ َباِأ َسيْدِِأَلَ ِْمِ َت َِرِأَن‬َِ ‫صارِِ َخيْرِِ َفلَح َق َناِ َسعْ دِِبْنِِع َبا َدَِةِ َف َقا‬ َ ‫كلِِدورِِ ْاألَ ْن‬
ِ‫كِ َسعْ د‬ َِ ‫ارِ َف َج َعلَ َناِأَخيرً اِ َفأ َ ْد َر‬ َِ ‫ص‬ َ ‫َّرِ ْاألَ ْن‬ َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬
َِ ‫ّللاِ َعلَيْهِِ َو َسلَّ َِمِ َخي‬ َ ِ‫ّللا‬َِّ ِ‫ل‬
َِ ‫َرسو‬
 74

َ ‫ّللاِخي َِرِدورِِ ْاألَ ْن‬

‫صارِِ َفجع ْل َنا‬ َِّ ِ‫ل‬ َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬
َِ ‫ّللاِ َعلَيْهِِ َو َسلَّ َِمِ َف َقا‬
َِ ‫لِ َياِ َرسو‬ َ َِِّ‫ال َّنبي‬
(‫ْسِب َحسْ بك ِْمِأَنِِْ َتكونواِمنِِْ ْالخ َيارِِ(رواهِالبخاري‬ َِ ‫لِأَ َولَي‬َِ ‫آخرً اِ َف َقا‬
Narrated Abu Ḥumayd:The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said, "The best
of the Ansar's families (homes) are those of Banu An-Najjar
and then (those of) Banu 'Abdul Ashhal, then (those of) Banu al-
Ḥārith bin Al-Khazraj and then (those of) Banū Sā‘idah;
nevertheless, there is good in all the families (houses) of the
Anṣār." On this, Sa‘d (bin ‘Ubādah) followed us and said, "O
Abū Usayd! Don’t youI see that the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬compared
the Anṣār and made us the last of them in ssuperiority?” Then
Sa‘d met the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬and said: “O Messenger of Allah!
In comparing the Anṣar families as to the degree of superiority,
you have made us the last of them.” Then he replied: “Isn’t
it sufficient that you are regarded amongst the best?”
(Reported by al-Bukhārī)
The above ḥadīths indicate that the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬loved
the ṣaḥābah in general, and the Anṣār in particular.
ِ‫ّللاِ َع َليْهِِ َو َسلَّ َِمِأَ َّنه‬
َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬ َِّ ِ‫ي‬
َ ِِ‫ّللاِ َع ْنه َماِانَِِّال َّنبي‬ َِ ‫َعنِِْأ َسا َم َِةِبْنِِ َزيْدِِ َرض‬
(‫نِ َف َيقولِِاللَّه َِّمِأَحِبَّه َماِ َفإنيِأحبُّه َماِ(رواهِالبخاري‬ َِ ‫انِ َيأْخذهِِ َو ْال َح َس‬
َِ ‫َك‬
Narrated Usāmah ibn Zayd r.a. that the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
used to take him (i.e., Usāmah) and al-Ḥasan (in his lap)
and say: “O Allah! Love them, as I love them.”
(Reported by al-Bukhārī)
The above ḥadīth indicates that the Prophet (‫’)ﷺ‬s love
for these young ṣaḥābah.
َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬
َ ‫ّللاِ َعلَيْهِِ َو َسلَّ َِمِالن َسا َِءِ َوالص ْب َي‬
ِ‫ان‬ َ ُِِّ‫لِ َرأَىِال َّنبي‬ َِ ‫َعنِِْأَ َنسِِ َرض‬
َِّ ِ‫ي‬
َِ ‫ّللاِ َع ْنهِِ َقا‬
‫ل‬ َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬
ِ ً ‫ّللاِ َعلَيْهِِ َو َسلَّ َِمِممْ ث‬ َ ُِِّ‫لِمنِِْعرسِِ َف َقا َِمِال َّنبي‬ َِ ‫لِ َحسبْتِِأَ َّنهِِ َقا‬ َِ ‫م ْقبل‬
َِ ‫ينِ َقا‬
‫ثِم َرارِ(رواهِالبخاري‬ َِ ‫لِاللَّه َِّمِأَ ْنت ِْمِمنِِْأَ َحبِِال َّناسِِإلَيَِِّ َقالَ َهاِ َث َل‬َِ ‫) َف َقا‬
Narrated Anas r.a. the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬saw the women and
children (of the Anṣār) coming forward (the sub-narrator)
said, I think that Anas said, “They were returning from a
wedding party”) the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬stood up and said
 75

thrice, “By Allah! You are from the most beloved

people to mel” (Reported by al-Bukhārī)
َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬
‫ّللاِ َع َليْهِِ َو َسلَّ َِم‬ َ َِِّ‫ّللاِ َع ْنهِِأَنَِِّال َّنبي‬
َِّ ِ‫ي‬ َِ ‫َعنِِْ َع ْمروِبْنِِ ْال َعاصِِ َرض‬
َِ ‫كِ َقا‬
‫ل‬ َِ ‫َب َع َثهِِ َعلَىِ َجيْشِِ َذاتِِالس َُّلسلِِ َفأ َ َتيْتهِِ َفق ْلتِِأَيُِِّال َّناسِِأَ َحبُِِّإلَ ْي‬
ِ‫لِث َِّمِع َمرِِبْن‬ َِ ‫لِأَبو َهاِق ْلتِِث َِّمِ َمنِِْ َقا‬ َِ ‫َعائ َشةِِ َفق ْلتِِمنِِْالر َجالِِ َف َقا‬
‫الِ(رواهِالبخاريِومسلم‬ ِ ً ‫) ِْال َخ َّطابِِ َف َع َِّدِر َج‬
Narrated ‘Amr ibn al-‘Āṣ r.a. the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬deputed
me to lead the army of Dhāt al-Salāsil. I came to him and
said, “Who is the most beloved person to you?” He said,
“’Ā’ishah,” I Asked, “Among the men?” He said, “Her
father.” I said, “Who then?” He said, ‘’Umar ibn
al-Khaṭṭāb,” He then names other men.
(Reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
This ḥadīth indicates the high position of Abū Bakr, then
‘Umar among the ṣaḥābah, and among women, Ā’ishah.
َ ِ‫ّللاِ َع َليْهِِ َو َسلَّ َِم‬
‫صع َِدِأح ًدا‬ َ َِِّ‫ّللاِ َع ْنهِِأَنَِِّال َّنبي‬
َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬ َِّ ِ‫ي‬ َِ ‫ْنِ َمالكِِ َرض‬ َِ ‫َعنِِْأَ َن‬
َِ ‫سِب‬
ِِ‫كِ َنبيِِ َوصديق‬ ِْ ‫لِ ْاثب‬
َِ ‫تِأحدِِ َفإ َّن َماِِ َعلَ ْي‬ َِ ‫َوأَبوِ َب ْكرِِ َوع َمرِِ َوع ْث َمانِِ َف َر َج‬
َِ ‫فِبه ِْمِ َف َقا‬
(‫َو َشهي َدانِِ(رواهِالبخاريِوأبوِداؤدِوالترمذيِوالنسائي‬
Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬ascended
the mountain of Uhud and he was accompanied by Abu
Bakr, 'Umar and 'Uthman. The mountain shook beneath
them. The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬hit it with his foot and said,
"O Uḥud! Be firm, for on you there is none but a prophet,
a Siddiq and two martyrs. (Reported by al-Bukhārī,
Abū Dā’ūd, al-Tirmidhī, and al-Nasā’ī)
This ḥadīth indicates the high position of Abū Bakr, ‘Umar
and ‘Uthmān, whereas the last two would be martyrs, among
the ṣaḥābah.
ِ‫لِلَوِِْك ْنت‬ َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬
َِ ‫ّللاِ َع َليْهِِ َو َسلَّ َِمِ َقا‬ َِّ ِ‫ي‬
َ ِِ‫ّللاِ َع ْنه َماِ َعنِِْال َّنبي‬ َِ ‫َعنِِْابْنِِ َعبَّاسِِ َرض‬
ِ )‫صاحبيِ(رواهِالبخاري‬ ِ ً ‫م َّتخ ًذاِمنِِْأمَّتيِ َخل‬
َ ‫يلِ َل َّت َخ ْذتِِأَ َباِ َب ْكرِِ َولَكنِِْأَخيِ َو‬
Narrated ibn ‘Abbās r.a. the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said:
If I were to take a khalīl (a bosom friend) among
my followers I would have taken Abū Bakr, but
 76

he is my brother and my companion (in

Islam) (Reported by al-Bukhārī)
‫ّللاِ َع َليْهِِ َو َسلَّ َِمِ َفأ َ َم َر َها‬ َ َِِّ‫تِام َْرأَةِِال َّنبي‬
َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬ َِ ‫َعنِِْج َبيْرِِبْنِِم ْطعمِِ َقا‬
ِْ ‫لِأَ َت‬
َِ ‫تِ َقا‬
‫ل‬ َِ ‫كِ َكأ َ َّن َهاِ َتقولِِ ْال َم ْو‬َِ ‫ْتِإنِِْج ْئتِِ َولَ ِْمِأَج ْد‬
َِ ‫تِأَ َرأَي‬ ِْ َ‫أَنِِْ َترْ ج َِعِإلَيْهِِ َقال‬
(‫ّللاِ َعلَيْهِِ َو َسلَّ َِمِإنِِْلَ ِْمِ َتجدينيِ َفأْتيِأَ َباِ َب ْكرِِ(رواهِالبخاري‬ َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬ َ
Narrated Jubayr ibn Muṭ‘im: A woman came to the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬who ordered her to return to him again.
She said, "What if I came and did not find you?" as if she
wanted to say, "If I found you dead?" The Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
said, "If you should not find me, go to Abu Bakr."
(Reported by al-Bukhārī)
The above two ḥadīths indicate the special position of Abū
Bakr.
‫ّللاِ َعلَيْهِِ َو َسلَّ َِمِفيِ َخ ْي َب َِر‬ َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬ َ ِِ‫فِ َعنِِْال َّنبي‬ َِ َّ‫انِ َعليِِ َق ِْدِ َت َخل‬ َِ ‫لِ َك‬ َِ ‫َعنِِْ َسلَ َم َِةِ َقا‬
‫ج‬ َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬
َِ ‫ّللاِ َع َليْهِِ َو َسلَّ َِمِ َف َخ َر‬ َ ِ‫ّللا‬َِّ ِِ‫لِأَ َناِأَ َت َخلَّفِِ َعنِِْ َرسول‬ َِ ‫انِبهِِ َر َمدِِ َف َقا‬ َِ ‫َو َك‬
‫انِ َم َساءِِاللَّ ْيلَةِِالَّتيِ َف َت َح َها‬ َِ ‫ّللاِ َعلَيْهِِ َو َسلَّ َِمِ َفلَمَّاِ َك‬ َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬ َ ِِ‫قِبال َّنبي‬ َِ ‫َعليِِ َفلَح‬
ِْ‫ّللاِ َعلَيْهِِ َو َسلَّ َِمِ َألعْ ط َينَِِّالرَّ ا َي َِةِأَو‬
َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬ َ ِ‫ّللا‬ َِّ ِِ‫لِ َرسول‬ َِ ‫ص َباح َهاِ َقا‬ َ ِ‫ّللاِفي‬ َِّ
ِ‫ّللاِ َو َرسولَهِِ َي ْف َتح‬ ََِّ ُِِّ‫لِيحب‬ َِ ‫ّللاِ َو َرسولهِِأَوِِْ َقا‬ َِّ ِِ‫لِيحبُّه‬ ِ ً ‫لَ َيأْخ َذنَِِّالرَّ ا َي َِةِ َغ ًداِ َرج‬
ِ‫ّللاِ َعلَيْهِِ َفإ َذاِ َنحْ نِِب َعليِِ َو َماِ َنرْ جوهِِ َف َقالواِ َه َذاِ َعليِِ َفأَعْ َطاهِِ َرسول‬ َِّ
‫ّللاِ َعلَيْهِِ(رواهِالبخاري‬ َِّ ِ‫ح‬ َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬
َِ ‫ّللاِ َعلَيْهِِ َو َسلَّ َِمِالرَّ ا َي َِةِ َف َف َت‬ َِّ )
َ ِ‫ّللا‬
Narrated Salamah: Ali happened to stay behind the Prophet
(‫ )ﷺ‬and (did not join him) during the battle of Khaybar for
he was having eye trouble. Then he said, "How could I remain
behind Allah's Messenger?" So 'Ali set out following the Prophet
(‫)ﷺ‬. When it was the eve of the day in the morning of whichِ
Allah helped (the Muslims) to conquer it, Allah's Messenger
said, "I will give the flag (to a man), or tomorrow a manِwhom
Allah and His Messenger love will take the flag," or said,
"A man who loves Allah and His Messenger; and Allah
will grant victory under his leadership. "Suddenly came
'Ali whom we did not expect. The people said, "This
is 'Ali." Allah's Messenger gave him the flag and
Allah granted victory under his leadership.
(Reported by al-Bukhārī)
 77

The above ḥadīth indicates the special position of ‘Ali.

َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬
ِ ‫ّللا‬ َِّ ِِ‫لِ َرسول‬
َ ِ‫ّللا‬ َِ ‫لِ َقا‬ َِّ ِ‫ي‬
َِ ‫ّللاِ َع ْنهِِ َقا‬ َِ ‫َعنِِْأَبيِه َري َْرَِةِ َرض‬
َِ ‫انِ في َماِ َق ْبلَك ِْمِمنِِْ ْاأل َممِِم َح َّدث‬
ِ ‫ونِ َفإنِِْ َيكِِفي‬ َِ ‫َعلَيْهِِ َو َسلَّ َِمِلَ َق ِْدِ َك‬
)‫أمَّتيِأَ َحدِِ َفإ َّنهِِع َمرِِ(رواهِالبخاري‬
Narrated Abū Hurayrah r.a.: The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said,
“Among the nation of Banī Isrā’īl who lived before you,
there were men who used to be inspired with guidance,
and if there is any of such persons amongst my
followers, it is ‘Umar (Reported by al-Bukhārī)
The above ḥadīth indicates that ‘Umar was inspired with
guidance, as said by the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬.
‫ّللاِ َلوِِْا َّت َخ ْذ َنا‬
َِّ ِ‫ل‬َِ ‫لِع َمرِِ َوا َف ْقتِِ َربيِفيِ َث َلثِِ َفق ْلتِِ َياِ َرسو‬ َِ ‫َعنِِْأَ َنسِِ َقا‬
َِ ‫لِ َقا‬
… "‫صلًى‬ َ ‫ت”ِ َوا َّتخذواِمنِِْ َم َقامِِإب َْراهي َِمِم‬ ِْ َ‫صلًىِ َف َن َزل‬ َ ‫منِِْ َم َقامِِإب َْراهي َِمِم‬
َِّ‫ْنِ َفإ َّنهِِي َكلمهن‬ َِ ‫كِأَنِِْ َيحْ َتجب‬
َِ ‫تِن َسا َء‬ َِ ْ‫ّللاِلَوِِْأَ َمر‬
َِّ ِ‫ل‬َِ ‫َوآ َيةِِاِ ْلح َجابِِق ْلتِِ َياِ َرسو‬
َِّ ِ‫صلَّى‬
ِ‫ّللاِ َع َليْه‬ َ ِِ‫ِ َواجْ َت َم َِعِن َساءِِال َّنبي‬,ِ‫تِآ َيةِِ ْالح َجاب‬ ِْ َ‫ْال َبرُِِّ َو ْال َفاجرِِ َف َن َزل‬
‫َو َسلَّ َِمِفيِ ْال َغي َْرةِِ َعلَيْهِِ َفق ْلتِِلَهنَِِّ َع َسىِ َرُِّب ِهِإنِِْ َطلَّ َقكنَِِّأَنِِْي َبدلَهِِأَ ْز َواجً ا‬
(‫تِ َهذهِِ ْاْل َيةِِ(رواهِالبخاريِوِأحمد‬ ِْ َ‫َخيْرً اِم ْنكنَِِّ َف َن َزل‬
Narrated Anas that ‘Umar said, “I have agreed with my
Lordin three things: I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I wish
we tookthe maqān Ibrahim as muṣallā,’ then it was
revealed “and take you the maqam of Ibrāhīm as a place
of prayer”[Q. 2:125] and the verse dealing with ḥijāb, I said,
‘O Messsenger of Allah, I wish you ordered your wives to
wear ḥijāb, as good and bad people talked to them,’ then
the verse about the ḥijāb was revealed, and the wives of
the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬agreed in their solicitude for him, so
I said to them, ‘It may be if he divorced you [all] that
his Lord would give him instead of you, wives better
than you,’ then the verse about it was revealed
(Reported by al-Bukhārī and Aḥmad).1

1
There is a story that a man in pre-Islamic Arabia had a son who was
slow in speaking in poetry, even when he had reached the age of 12. His
father wanted him to start talking in poetry. So, he made him very
 78

These are some ḥadīths indicating the high position of the

Prophet’s ṣaḥābah, either the Muhājirīn or the Anṣār, with or
without mentioning them by names or tribes.
(CIVIC, 2 December, 2016)
:‫المراجع‬
‫المكتبةِالشاملة‬
(‫ِهـ‬013ِ.‫تفسيرِالطبريِ(ت‬
(‫ِهـ‬171ِ.‫تفسيرِالقرطبىِ(ت‬
(‫ِهـ‬777ِ.‫تفسيرِابنِكثيرِ(ت‬
Dr. Muhammad M. Khan. Summarized Sahīh Al-Bukhārī
http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vb/showthread.php?t=220909
http://www.alaalsayid.com/index.php?artid=2644
http://montada.echoroukonline.com/archive/index.php/t-
280449.html
http://i-cias.com/textarchive/bukhari/058.htm

thirsty and sent him to the desert accompanied by a young man carrying
a jar of water. When they reached the desert the young man broke the
jar in front of the boy, and the water ran to the earth. Seeing it, the boy
start saying in poetry: ِ ‫كسر ِالجرة ِعمدا ِوسقا ِاألرض ِشرابا ِ*ِقلت ِواألصنام ِدين ِيا‬
‫“ ليتنيِكنتِترابا‬He broke the jar on purpose and he watered the earth as a
drink. I said while [worshiping] idols is [my] religion, I wish I would have
been dust.” The term ‫“ َياِلَ ْي َتنيِك ْنتِِت َرابًا‬I wish I would have been dust” was
found in Q. 78:40. He was then the first one who cited this verse before
it was revealed. See http://www.alaalsayid.com/index. php?artid=2644.
In another story, Abū Nuwās when he met suddenly the Caliph Hārūn al-
Rashīd he threw the jar of wine he had to the ground and became
broken. The Caliph would forgive him if he cited poetry about it. Then he
cited: ‫“ كسر ِالجرة ِعمدا ِوسقا ِاألرض ِشرابا ِ*ِقلت ِواإلسلم ِديني ِيا ِليتني ِكنت ِترابا‬He
broke the jar on purpose and he watered the earth as a drink. I said while
Islam is my religion, I wish I would have been dust.” See, http://montada.
echoroukonline.com/archive/index.php/t-280449.html. Another view is
that Ibn al-Damāmīnī saw a broken jar, then cited: ِ ‫كسروا ِالجرة ِعمدا ِملؤوا‬
‫“ األرض ِشرابا ِ* ِقلت ِواإلسلم ِديني ِيا ِليتني ِكنت ِترابا‬They broke the jar on
purpose and they filled the earth as a drink. I said while Islam is my
religion, I wish I would have been dust.” See, http://al-hakawati.
net/arabic/ Civilizations/ book292a7. asp
 79

14. THE POSITION OF THE ṢAḤĀBAH (7)

Besides the Qur’ānic verses and the ḥadīths of the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬here are some statements of the ‘ulamā’ about
the position of the ṣaḥābah, as follows:
a. ‘Abd al-Raḥmān al-Ījī (700-756/1301-1355): “It is necessary
to honor all of the ṣaḥābah, and refrain from defaming
them, because Allah has honored and praised them in many
verses of the Qur’ān, and the Prophet has loved them and
praised them in many ḥadīths.”
b. His student Sa‘d al-Dīn al-Taftāzānī (722-792/1322-1390):
“Adherents of the truth have agreed on honoring the
ṣaḥābah, and refraining from defaming them, especially the
Muhājirīn and the Anṣār, because praising them has been
mentioned in the Qur’ān and the Sunnah.”
As mentioned earlier the number of the ṣaḥābah of the
Prophet was about 120 thousands. According to al-Ṣadūq Ibn
Bābawayh al-Qummī (305-381/923-991) of the Twelver Shī‘ah
the number of the ṣaḥābah was twelve thousands, eight
thousands were in al-Madīnah, two thousands were in Makkah,
whereas the remaining two thousands lived in other places. He
said further that none of them were followers of Qadariyyah,
Murji‘ah, Khawārij, Mu‘tazilah, nor adherents of personal
opinions )‫(أَصْ َحابُ الرَّ أي‬.1 According to al-Shāfi‘ī their number
was about sixty thousands. Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-‘Asqalānī (733-
852/1372-1448) recorded 12,297 names of men and women
among the ṣaḥābah in his Iṣābah )‫صا َب ُة فِي َمعْ ِر َف ِة الص َّحابة‬
َ ‫(اإل‬,
whereas those who narrated hadiths from the Prophet were
about three thousands, and about 90% of the ḥadīths were
transmitted by only twenty people among them. Ibn al-Jawzī
(d. 597/1201) mentioned that there were only 1,858 ṣaḥābah
who transmitted ḥadīths, while other scholars say that they
were 1,500 of them.

1
See .51 ‫ الحديث رقم‬,046 .‫ابن بابويه القمي في كتابه الخصال ص‬
 80

According to Baqī ibn Makhlad al-Qurṭubī (265-276/816-

889) that the number of ḥadīths transmitted by Abū Hurayrah
was 5,874, but actually it was the number of channels through
which the ḥadīths were transmitted. Recent research shows
that the actual number of ḥadīths transmitted by him was
1,236 only. If one ḥadīth, for example, is transmitted by Abū
Hurayrah through five channels, then the ḥadīth is considered
five ḥadīths, some are strong, others are weak, depending on
the ‘adālah (honesty, honourable record) and ḍabṭ (accuracy,
precision) of the transmitters. In other words, one matn (text)
of a ḥadīth consists of five isnāds (chains of transmitters on
which a ḥadīth is based), in the above example, are five
ḥadīths. Abū Hurayrah had at least nine students who wrote
ḥadīths from him.
Ibn ‘Umar who was said to have transmitted 2,630
ḥadīths and had written a collection of ḥadīths had at least
eight students who wrote ḥadīths from him. Anas ibn Mālik
who transmitted 2,286 ḥadīths had at least sixteen persons had
ḥadīths from him in written form. ‘Āishah who transmitted
2,210 ḥadīths had at least three persons wrote ḥadīths from
her, including her nephew, ‘Urwah. Ibn ‘Abbās who transmitted
1660 ḥadīths had at least nine students who wrote ḥadīths
from him. Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah who transmitted 5,540 ḥadīths
had at least fourteen students who wrote ḥadīths from him.
‘Umar the second caliph had transmitted 137 ḥadīths, and he
used to quote them in his official letters, so that many of them
were recorded by him. ‘Ali the fourth caliph had transmitted
536 ḥadīths had at least eight students who had them in
written form. These collections of ḥadīths are extremely
important to learn as our guidance after the Holy Qur’ān.
The ‘adālah (honesty, honourable record) of the Ṣaḥābah
ْ of the ṣaḥābah according to Ahl
The term ‘adālah )‫(ال َع َدا َلة‬
al-Sunnah wa ’l-jamā‘ah (“the Upholder of the Sunnah of the
Prophet and Muslim community”, i.e., Sunni Muslims) means
 81

that they do not lie intentionally about the Prophet due to their
strong faith, and their preserving their piety, virtues, eminent
morality, and being away from inferior stuffs. Their ‘adālah
does not mean that they are infallible from sin, forgetting or
mistake, as no one among scholars say that. Therefore, we
should know that those among them, who had committed sin,
were punished as expiation for their sins and repented
sincerely, and were a very small minority; their case should not
be taken predominant over the vast majority of the eminent
ṣaḥābah who were upright, and avoid minor or major sin and
disobedience, either apparent or hidden. Al-Imām Abū’l-Ḥasan
al-Abyārī (d. 616/1219) confirmed this view and said that their
‘adālah does not mean that they are infallible from sin, and
that they are free from disobedience; it means that their
reports are accepted without endeavor to find the reasons of
their ‘adālah or requiring their credibility…2
There are many different views concerning the ‘adālah of
the ṣaḥābah, among which are as follows:
1. According to many ‘ulamā’, such as Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ (d.643/
1245), Ibn Ḥazm and Ibn al-Ḥājib (570-646/1174-1249) from
the Mālikī school, as the ṣaḥābah are the only people
whose salvation was guaranteed by Allah—as mentioned in
many Qur’ānic verses and ḥadīths-- they are reliable people.
Their ‘adālah does not need investigation, and their reports
should be accepted without any condition. Unlike the
ṣaḥābah, people of the following generation (tābi‘īn) and of
further generations do not have such a guarantee of
salvation, and therefore, in Ibn Ḥazm’s view, their ‘adālah
should be investigated. According to the Shāfi‘ī qāḍī Abū
Bakr al-Bāqillānī (338-402/950-1013), this is also the view of
the ṣaḥābah and the tābi‘īn. According to the Shāfi‘ī jurist
al-Imām al-Ḥaramayn al-Juwaynī (d. 478/5681), the ‘adālah

2
278/5 ‫ وإرشاد الفحول‬60 /3 ‫فتح المغيث للسخاوي‬
 82

of the ṣaḥābah is ijmā‘ based on certain Qur’ānic verses

and ḥadīths mentioned earlier.
2. The view of Abū ’l- Ḥusayn ibn al-Qaṭṭān (d. 316/676), the
Mu‘tazilī Ibrāhīm al-Naẓẓām (185-231/791-845), and the
Shī‘ah Rāfiḍah is that the ‘adālah of the ṣaḥābah, like that of
other people, should be investigated. Ibn al-Qaṭṭān gives the
examples of the ṣaḥābah whose ‘adālah was rejected, like
al-Wahshī who killed Ḥamzah, and al-Walīd who drank
intoxicants (khamr). Al-Naẓẓām among the Mu‘tazilīs gave
the example of a ṣaḥābī who slandered another ṣaḥābī. If
the slanderer was right, al-Naẓẓām contends, the slandered
would not be ‘adl. Yet, if the slanderer was wrong, he would
not be ‘adl. Muḥammad Bāqir al-Majlisī (428-504/1037-
1111), the shaykh of Ṣafawī dynasty and the resource and
authority of contemporary Twelver Shī‘ah, said that like the
rest of the people, some of the ṣaḥābah were ‘udūl, others
were hypocrites, and misguided godless which were the
majority.3 Contemporary scholars of Shī‘ah Imāmiyyah
Muḥammad Jawād Mughanniyyah (1322-1400/1904-1979)
and ‘Abd al-Karīm al-Zanjānī (1304-1388/1887-1968) held
the same view that some ṣaḥābah were good and others
were godless.
3. The view of the Mu‘tazilī ‘Amr ibn ‘Ubayd (d. 542/706) who
maintains that the ṣaḥābah were all ‘udūl, before the fitan
(sing. fitnah, dissentions), i.e., the civil wars, e.g., the battles
of Ṣiffīn and al-Jamal. After these fitan, the ‘adālah of the
ṣaḥābah should be investigated.
4. The view of a group among the Mu‘tazilīs and the Shī‘īs who
maintain that all of the ṣaḥābah were ‘udūl.
5. The view of al-Māwardī (d. 450/1058) who maintains that a
ṣaḥābī who was known for his keeping company with the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬was ‘adl; otherwise, his ‘adālah should be
investigated.
3
‫ وعلى‬46 ‫ ونقله عنه المعلق على كتاب اإليضاح البن شاذان ص‬8/8 ‫بحار األنوار للمجلسي‬
‫ على حد قوله‬- ‫ أي كان أكثر الصحابة منافقا وفاسقا وضاال‬38 ‫كتاب أمالي المفيد ص‬
 83

Ibn Ḥazm (d. 456/1064) and al-Shawkānī (d. 5211/5836)

accept the first view and reject the four others. Ibn Ḥazm
asserts that the ṣaḥābah include the infidel who heard the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬and later became Muslims. He was then also
‘adl. According to Ibn Ḥazm the ‘adālah of a person in the time
of the ṣaḥābah became a condition only during the time he was
giving the warning and the report, not when he was witnessing
what he had reported. This is because there were hypocrites in
Madīnah during the time of the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬, as well as
people whose conditions were unfavorable. There were also an
unidentified man who falsely claimed to have been sent and
authorized by the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬to rule the people of an area
at Banī ’l-Layth, two miles outside of Madīnah. With his trick he
intended to marry a girl who had rejected him in the time of
the Jāhilīyah (pre-Islamic paganism). But his scheme was
discovered when people came to the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬. This man,
and any person who deceived the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬, was not
considered a ṣaḥābī. He contends further that reports are
accepted only from respectable persons whose merit is known.
This statement seems to contradict the previous one where Ibn
Ḥazm maintained that all the ṣaḥābah were ‘udūl. What he
meant was that if a person is known to be a ṣaḥābī he is ‘adl.
There are many ways to know whether a person is a ṣaḥābī,
among which are: his participation in one of the Prophet’s
campaigns and battles, e.g., the battles of Badr, Uḥud, Ḥunayn,
etc., his participation in one of the two pledges of ‘Aqabah, and
his participation as a member of the envoys from the Arab
tribes which visited the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬. On the other hand,
there were only 130 and some ṣaḥābah who reported fatāwá
(formal legal opinions) in matters of ‘ibādāt (acts of devotion)
and aḥkām (legal judgments).
According to Shi‘ah’s understanding the term ṣaḥābah is
in its linguistic term, not in its technical term. Therefore, some
of them are praised in the Qur’ān, such as those early coverts
 84

(Q. 9:100), who pledged allegiance under the tree (Q. 48:18),
the Muhājirīn (Emigrants), and the Anṣār (Helpers) (Q. 59:8-10).
Others are blameworthy, such as the hypocrites, the sinners,
and doubters. According to the Sunni view, they are still
considered ṣaḥābah with the exception of the hypocrites,
unless the repented and became Muslims. The sinners if they
were punished for their sins and earnestly repented, and the
doubters when they became convinced, they were all included
among the ṣaḥābah. Otherwise, they would not be considered
ṣaḥābah. If they conceal their sin Allah would either punish
them in the Hereafter or forgive them. Worldly punishment is
atonement for sin, so that no more punishment would await
for the sinners in the Hereafter. The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said:
,‫ك‬َ ِ‫اب َش ْي ًئا مِنْ َذل‬
َ ‫ص‬َ َ‫ َو َمنْ أ‬,.‫ار ُت ُه‬
َ ‫ِب ِب ِه َفه َُو َك َّف‬َ ‫ك َش ْي ًئا َفعُوق‬َ ِ‫اب مِنْ َذل‬َ ‫ص‬ َ َ‫ َو َمنْ أ‬...
)‫ َوإِنْ َشا َء َغ َف َر لَ ُه (رواه البخاري‬, ‫ّللا ُ َع َّذ َب ُه‬ َّ ‫ّللا إِنْ َشا َء‬
ِ َّ ‫ َفه َُو إِلَى‬, ُ ‫ّللا‬
َّ ُ‫َف َس َت َره‬
…and whoever committed any of them (i.e., stealing
and adultery) and was punished for it, then it became his
atonement [for his sin], and whoever committed any of
them, and Allah concealed it, then if Allah wills, He
would punish or forgive him. (Reported by al-Bukhārī)
)‫ب َل ُه (رواه الطبراني و ابن ماجة‬ َ ‫ب َك َمنْ َال َذ ْن‬ َّ ْ‫ال َّتائِبُ مِن‬
ِ ‫الذ ْن‬
The person who repents is like the one who has
no sin (Reported by al-Ṭabrānī and Ibn Mājah)
(CIVIC, 9 December, 2016)
:‫المراجع‬
‫المكتبة الشاملة‬
(‫ هـ‬356 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬
( ‫ هـ‬075 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬
(‫ هـ‬774 .‫تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬
M.A. Samad. Ibn Ḥazm’s Concept of Ijmā‘. M.A. Thesis
M.M. Azami. Studies in Hadīth Methodology and Literature
http://www.dd-sunnah.net/forum/showthread.php?t=136726.
http://shiaweb.org/books/adalat_alsahaba/pa3a.htm
http://alburhan.com/Article/index/8627
http://al-imamia.blogfa.com/page/3aidsa.aspx
 85

15. THE POSITION OF THE ṢAḤĀBAH (8)

According to the Twelver Shi‘ah the vast majority of
Muslims turned into apostasy after the death of the Prophet
(‫)ﷺ‬. They disobeyed the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬who had appointed
‘Ali as his mawlā in Ghadīr Khumm. Instead, they appointed
Abū Bakr, then ‘Umar, then ‘Uthmān as his successors. Al-
Kulaynī reported from Abū Ja‘far that people after the death of
the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬became apostates except three people: al-
Miqdād ibn al-Aswad, Abū Dharr al-Ghifārī, and Salmān al-
Fārisī. In another report it said that they were seventeen, some
of them were: ‘Ammār ibn Yāsir, Jābir ibn ‘Abd Allāh, Ḥajar ibn
‘Adī, Hāshim ibn ‘Utbah, and Khuzaymah ibn Thābit. Moreover,
there are many Qur’ānic verses mentioning the hypocrites,
indicating their existences in great numbers, among them are:
ِ ‫ّللا ُ َوإِلَى الرَ س‬
‫ُول‬ َ ‫َوإِ َذا قِي َل لَهُم َت َعالَوا إِلَى َما أَن َز َل‬
)16:‫ص ُدو ًدا (النساء‬ ُ ‫ك‬ َ ‫ون َعن‬ َ ‫ص ُّد‬ َ ‫ت ال ُم َنا ِفق‬
ُ ‫ِين َي‬ َ ‫َرأَي‬
And when it is said to them: “Come to what Allah has sent
down and to the Messenger (Muhammad s.a.w.),” you see
the hypocrites turn away from you with aversion (Q. 4:61)
َ ‫وب ِهم َم َرض َما َو َع َد َنا‬
‫ّللا ُ َو َرسُول ُ ُه إِ َّل‬ ِ ُ ‫ِين فِي قُل‬َ ‫ون َوالَذ‬ َ ُ‫َوإِذ َيقُو ُل ال ُم َنا ِفق‬
ُ‫ب َّل ُم َقا َم لَ ُكم َفار ِجعُوا َو َيس َتأذِن‬ َ ‫ َوإِذ َقالَت َطا ِئ َفة مِنهُم َيا أَه َل َيث ِر‬.‫ُغرُورً ا‬
َ ‫ون إِنَ ُبيُو َت َنا َعو َرة َو َما ه‬
‫ِي ِب َعو َرة إِن‬ َ ُ ‫َف ِريق مِن ُه ُم ال َن ِبيَ َيقُول‬
)61-61:‫ون إِ َّل ف َِرارً ا (األحزاب‬ َ ‫ي ُِري ُد‬
And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is
a disease (of doubts) said: “Allah and His Messenger
promised us nothing but delusion. And when a party of
them said: “O people of Yathrib (al-Madinah)! There is
no stand (possible) for you (against the enemy attack!)
Therefore, go back!” And a band of them ask for
permission of the Prophet saying: “Truly, our homes
lie open (to the enemy).” And they lay not open.
They but wished to flee. (Q. 33:12-13)
ِ ‫ِين َك َفرُوا مِن أَه ِل ال ِك َتا‬
‫ب‬ َ ‫ِلخ َوان ِِه ُم الَذ‬
ِ ِ ‫ون‬َ ُ ‫ِين َنا َفقُوا َيقُول‬َ ‫أَلَم َت َر إِلَى الَذ‬
‫ُجنَ َم َع ُكم َو َّل ُنطِ ي ُع فِي ُكم أَ َح ًدا أَ َب ًدا َوإِن قُوتِل ُتم‬ َ ‫لَئِن أُخ ِرج ُتم لَ َنخر‬
 86

)66:‫ُون (الحشر‬ َ ‫لَ َننص َُر َن ُكم َو‬

َ ‫ّللا ُ َيش َه ُد إِ َنهُم لَ َكا ِذب‬
Have you (O Muhammad) not observed the hypocrites
who say to their friends among the people of the Scripture
who disbelieve: (By Allah) if you are expelled, we (too)
indeed will go out with you, and we shall never obey any
one against you; and if you area attacked (in fight), we
shall indeed help you.” But Allah is Witness that
they verily are liars (Q. 59:11)
‫ون‬َ ُ‫وب ِهم َم َرض َوالمُر ِجف‬ ِ ُ ‫ِين فِي قُل‬ َ ‫ون َوالَذ‬ َ ُ‫لَئِن لَم َين َت ِه ال ُم َنا ِفق‬
‫ِين‬
َ ‫ َملعُون‬.‫ِيل‬ ً ‫ك فِي َها إِ َّل َقل‬ َ ‫اورُو َن‬ِ ‫ك ِب ِهم ُث َم َّل ي َُج‬ َ ‫فِي ال َمدِي َن ِة لَ ُنغ ِر َي َن‬
)16-16 :‫ِيل (األحزاب‬ ً ‫أَي َن َما ُث ِقفُوا أُخ ُِذوا َوقُ ِّتلُوا َتقت‬
If the hypocrites, and those whose hearts is a disease
(evil desire for illegal sex),and those who spread false
news among the people in al-Madinah stop not, We shall
certainly let you overpower them, then they will not be
able to stay in it as your neighbors but a little while.
Accursed, they shall be seized wherever found, and
killed with a (terrible) slaughter (Q. 33:60-61)
ِ ُ ‫ُورة ُت َن ِّب ُئهُم ِب َما فِي قُل‬
‫وب ِهم‬ َ ‫ون أَن ُت َن َز َل َعلَي ِهم س‬ َ ُ‫َيح َذ ُر ال ُم َنا ِفق‬
)16:‫ُون (التوبة‬ َ ‫ّللا مُخ ِرج َما َتح َذر‬ َ َ َ‫قُ ِل اس َته ِز ُئوا إِن‬
The hypocrites fear lest a surah (chapter of the Qur’ān)
should be revealed about them, showing them what is in
their hearts. Say: “(Go ahead and) mock! But certainly
Allah will bring to light all that you fear.” (Q. 9:64)
Allah mentioned the existence of hypocrites in Madinah
(Q. 9:101), but it was after praising the muhājirīn and the anṣār
and those who followed them in their path, and promising
them with Paradise, as mentioned earlier (Q. 9:100). He
compared the two parties, the believers and the non-believers,
the right path and the straying path.
ِ ‫ون َومِن أَه ِل ال َمدِي َن ِة َم َر ُدوا َعلَى ال ِّن َف‬
‫اق‬ َ ُ‫ب ُم َنا ِفق‬ ِ ‫َو ِممَن َحولَ ُكم م َِن األَع َرا‬
.‫ون إِلَى َع َذاب عَظِ يم‬ َ ‫َّل َتعلَ ُمهُم َنحنُ َنعلَ ُمهُم َس ُن َع ِّذ ُبهُم َمرَ َتي ِن ُث َم ي َُر ُّد‬
َ ‫آخ َر َس ِّي ًئا َع َسى‬
ُ ‫ّللا‬ َ ‫صالِحً ا َو‬ َ ‫طوا َع َم ًل‬ ُ َ‫وب ِهم َخل‬ ِ ‫ُون اع َت َرفُوا ِب ُذ ُن‬
َ ‫آخر‬َ ‫َو‬
)661-666:‫ّللا َغفُور َرحِيم (التوبة‬ َ َ َ‫وب َعلَي ِهم إِن‬ َ ‫أَن َي ُت‬
 87

And among the bedouins around you, some are hypocrites,

and so are some among the people of al-Madinah who persist
in hypocrisy; you (O Muhammad) know them not, We know
them. We shall punish them twice, and thereafter they shall
be brought back to a great (horrible) torment. And (there
are) others who have acknowledged their sins, they have
mixed a deed that was righteous with another that was
evil. Perhaps Allah will turn them in forgiveness. Surely,
Allah is Of-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Q. 9:101-102)
Here Allah mentioned that some who were not
hypocrites, but sinful, acknowledged their sins and mixed their
good deeds with bad ones, and Allah would forgive them. Allah
also accepted the repentance of the ṣaḥābah in the time of
distress (Tabūk) campaign mentioned in Q. 9:117. Starting from
verse 38 till the end of the surah the verses mostly dealt with
hypocrites and their characters and behaviors.
As a matter of fact, Allah revealed to the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
one chapter of the Qur’ān called sūrat al-Munāfiqūn
(hypocrites, chapter 63) mentioning their characteristics, and
exposing their disgracefulness. It contains eleven verses,
starting with the hypocrites’ pretending shahādah, falsely
bearing witness and acknowledging that the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
was the Messenger of Allah. Its last three verses were directed
to the believers to be mindful of their wealth and children
while they were still alive, lest they should neglect their duty
towards Allah in spending their wealth and educating their
children in Islamic way.
But Allah also revealed one chapter of the Qur’ān called
sūrat al-Mu’minūn (the believers, chapter 23) containing 118
verses—the number of its verses is over ten times its number
in chapter 63 of the hypocrites--where the characteristics of
true believers are mentioned, such as performing prayers,
avoiding evil vain talk, paying charity, etc. The last verse in it is
 88

Allah’s advice to the Prophet and the Muslims to ask His

forgiveness. He said:
َ ‫َوقُل َربِّ اغفِر َوار َحم َوأَن‬
َ ‫ت َخي ُر الرَ ا ِحم‬
)661:‫ِين (المؤمنون‬
And say (O Muhammad): “My Lord! Forgive and have mercy,
for You are the Best of those who show mercy” (Q. 23:118)
Allah mentioned the hypocrites along with their
characteristics to make them distinctive from the real believers
among the ṣaḥābah, such as their unwillingness to join the
Muslim army in their campaigns. But they were the minority.
The majority were true believers, joined the army, spending
their wealth for the sake of Islam, and were praised in many
verses of the Qur’ān.
It is unlikely that those praised by Allah in the Qur’ān and
given good tidings and promise with Paradise, suddenly turned
into apostasy after the death of the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬, as his
struggle in converting people to Islam in 23 years had ended up
with failure. Since no Qur’ānic verse abrogating Allah’s
statement in praising the ṣaḥābah in the Qur’ān their good
reputation remained till the Judgment day.
According to the Shi’ah’s view what they mean with
apostasy, returning to infidelity, is rejecting the imāmah and
the wilāyah of ‘Ali after the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬had announced it at
Ghadīr Khumm; it is denying or covering the truth--which was
the literal meaning of kufr--, and therefore it does not mean
that the majority of the ṣaḥābah have left Islam and became
infidels. It is like the Prophet’s ḥadīths when he said:
َ ‫ض ُكم ِر َق‬
)‫اب َبعض (رواه البخاري و مسلم‬ ُ ‫َّل َتر ِجعُوا َبعدِي ُك َفارً ا َيض ِربُ َبع‬
“Do not turnback after me, becoming infidels, hitting each
other’s neck (Reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
It means: “after me do not kill each other like the infidels
do.” It is also like the Prophet’s statement when he said:
(‫سِ َبابُ المُسل ِِم فُسُوق َو ِق َتال ُ ُه ُكفر (رواه البخاري و مسلم‬
Abusing Muslims is an iniquity, and fighting him is
 89

an infidelity (Reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim)

It is unlikely that the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬meant that Ṭalḥah,
al-Zubayr, ‘Ā’ishah, Mu‘āwiyah, and ‘Ali had abandoned Islam
for their fighting each other. Therefore, the term kufr which
literally means “covering” in the ḥadīths means “denying the
truth, and not denying the two shahādah, namely, belief in
Allah and His Messenger” (‫)الكفر بالحق ّل الكفر بالشهادتين‬.
The term kufr )‫ ( ُكفر‬literally means: “cover, hide”.
Technically, it means disbelieving in Allah and His Messenger: it
could be accompanied with denial or not, with doubt or
aversion, envy, arrogance, or following some inclination
preventing from following the Message of Islam.
There are two types of kufr (disbelief): major kufr and
minor kufr. Major kufr is when a person is no longer considered
a Muslim, has left Islam and becomes an apostate. Minor kufr is
when a person commits a grave sin, but still remains Muslim,
like neglecting the obligatory prayers, and swearing with other
than Allah. Major kufr is divided into five categories, as follows:
1. Disbelief with denial (‫)كفر التكذيب‬, as in the following verse:
‫ب ِبال َح ِّق لَمَا‬َ ‫ّللا َك ِذبًا أَو َك َذ‬
ِ َ ‫َن اف َت َرى َعلَى‬ ِ ‫َو َمن أَظلَ ُم ِمم‬
)11 :‫ين (العنكبوت‬ َ ‫س فِي َج َه َن َم َمث ًوى لِل َكاف ِِر‬ َ ‫َجا َءهُ أَلَي‬
And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie
against Allah or denies the truth (Muhammad and his
doctrine of Islamic Monotheism and this Qur’ān), when
it comes to him? Is there not a dwelling in Hell for the
disbelievers (in the Oneness of Allah and in His
Messenger Muhammad?) (Q. 29:68)
2. Disbelief with rejection and pride, (‫)كفر اِلباء واّلستكبار‬, such
as the disbelief of Iblīs, as mentioned in the following verse:
َ ‫َوإِذ قُل َنا لِل َم َل ِئ َك ِة اس ُج ُدوا ِِل َد َم َف َس َج ُدوا إِ َّل إِبل‬
‫ِيس‬
)16 :‫ين (البقرة‬ َ ‫ان م َِن ال َكاف ِِر‬ َ ‫أَ َبى َواس َتك َب َر َو َك‬
And (remember) when We said to the angels:
“Prostrate yourselves before Adam.” And they
prostrated except Iblīs (Satan), he refused and
was proud and was one of the disbelievers
 90

(disobedient to Allah) (Q. 2:34)

3. Disbelief in assumption )‫ (كفرالظن‬, as mentioned in the
Qur’ān as follows:
ُ َ‫ َو َما أ‬.‫ظنُّ أَن َت ِبي َد َه ِذ ِه أَ َب ًدا‬
‫ظنُّ السَا َع َة‬ ُ َ‫َو َد َخ َل َج َن َت ُه َوه َُو َظالِم لِ َنفسِ ِه َقا َل َما أ‬
)11 -13:‫ت إِلَى َربِّي َألَ ِجدَنَ َخيرً ا مِن َها مُن َق َلبًا (الكهف‬ ُ ‫َقا ِئ َم ًة َولَئِن ُردِد‬
And he went to his garden while in a state (of pride and
disbelief), unjust to himself. He said: “I think not that this
will ever perish. And I think not the Hour will ever come,
and if indeed I am brought back to my Lord (on the Day
of Resurrection), I surely shall find better than this
when I return to Him.” (Q. 18:35-36)
4. Disbelief with aversion )‫ (كفر اِلعراض‬, as in this verse:
)1:‫ُون (األحقاف‬ َ ‫ِين َك َفرُوا َعمَا أُن ِذرُوا مُع ِرض‬ َ ‫ َوالَذ‬...
... But those who disbelieve, turn away from
that whereof they are warned (Q. 46:3)
5. Disbelief with hypocrisy (‫)كفر النفاق‬, as in the following verse:
َ ‫وب ِهم َفهُم َّل َيف َقه‬
)1 :‫ُون (المنافقون‬ ُ ‫ك ِبأ َ َنهُم آ َم ُنوا ُث َم َك َفرُوا َف‬
ِ ُ ‫ط ِب َع َعلَى قُل‬ َ ِ‫َذل‬
That is because they believed, and then disbelieved; therefore
their hearts are sealed, so they understand not. (Q. 63:3)
Minor kufr is a practical disbelief, where a man remains
Muslim, despite committing grave sin, such as denying Allah’s
blessings (kufral-ni‘mah), fighting Muslim brothers mentioned
in the ḥadīths above, and denying the imāmah of ‘Ali, claimed
by the Shi’is, who claimed themselves to be “true believers.”
(CIVIC, 16 December, 2016)
:‫المراجع‬
‫المكتبة الشاملة‬
(‫ هـ‬166 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬
( ‫ هـ‬176 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬
)‫ هـ‬776 .‫تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬
http://www.aqaed.com/faq/641/
http://madrasato-mohammed.com/mawsoaat_tawheed_03/
pg_011_0004.htm
http://www.shiaweb.org/v2/news/article_87.html
 91

16. THE CHRISTMAS

On the 25th of December every year most of the Christians
celebrate the Christmas day, the birth day of Jesus Christ.
Christian scholars know that that date was not the real birthday
of Jesus Christ, but the birthday of the god man Attis and the
sun god called Mithra, (Mitra in India Vedic religion, Mihr in
Persian, Ra, or Re in ancient Egypt, and in Babylon he was
identified with Shamash; shams in Arabic means “sun”).
The ancient Phrygo-Roman god Attis, was parallel to
Jesus, such as: Attis was born on December 25th of the Virgin
Nana, was a shepherd, (like Jesus the "Good Shepherd"), was
considered the "only begotten son," and the saviour slain for
the salvation of mankind. He served as both the Divine Son and
the Father. He was "crucified" on a tree on "Black Friday.” He
descended into the underworld, and after three days, he was
resurrected on March 25th as the "Most High God."
Mithra has some characters in common with those of
Jesus, such as: Mithra was born on December 25th of the virgin
Anahita. As a baby he was placed in a manger and attended by
shepherds. He had twelve companions or disciples, performed
miracles, and sacrificed himself for world peace. He ascended
to heaven in his solar cart. Like Jesus he was also viewed as the
Good Shepherd, the "Way, the Truth and the Light," the
Redeemer, the Saviour, and the Messiah. He is omniscient, he
sees all, hears all, and knows all. His sacred day was Sunday. His
birth date coincided with a pre-existent Pagan Roman holiday,
Saturnalia (an ancient Roman festival in honour of deity Saturn,
held from 17 to 23 December).
The Roman emperor realized Christianity could unite the
Romans and strengthen the empire. In the Church Council of
Nicaea (on the site of modern Turkey Iznik) which took place in
325 CE where 2.048 bishops with various views about the
personality of Jesus, the Emperor Constantine interfered and
 92

supported the view of 318 bishops in the Trinity and the

divinity of Jesus against the views of about 1.700 bishops.
In order to encourage the Romans to embrace
Christianity, Emperor Constantine adopted it as the official
religion of the empire, and he himself embraced Christianity. In
336 he adopted and Christianised the festival as the birthday of
Jesus as “the sun of Righteousness” so that the Romans could
continue celebrating on the 25th of December, singing and
dancing the whole night.
What we have is Biblical Jesus, not the historical Jesus.
According to Rev. Dr. Charles Anderson Scott there was no
material available for the life of historical Jesus. However,
Christian scholars generally regarded as having been born
between 7 and 4 BCE.
Out of the four gospels, only Matthew and Luke
mentioned the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem; it was in the time of
King Herod according to Matthew (Matthew 2:1), whereas
according to Luke he was born in the time of Caesar Augustus
(Luke 2:1). Luke did mention that it was John the Baptist rather
than Jesus who was born in the time of King Herod (Luke 1:5).
Luke said when Jesus was born: “And there were
shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch their
flocks at night.” (Luke 2:8). The wise men saw a star and said:
“We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
(Matthew 2:2). So, according to the Bible, Jesus was born at
night with a clear sky and where shepherds tended their sheep
at night, rather in the day time. These indicated that it was not
in winter (December), but most probably in summer where it
was very hot in the day time to tend sheep, so that the
shepherds tended their sheep at night with a clear sky.
According to Jewish tradition Jesus was born in Aylūl
(between July and September). The Qur’an mentioned that
Mary heard a voice telling her not to grieve as Allah had
provided a water stream under her, and to shake the trunk of
 93

date palm towards her, so that fresh ripe dates would fall down
upon her (Q. 19:24-25). This would not have been in Winter,
but in Spring or Summer. Many believed that he had been born
in about the month of August between 7 and 4 BCE.
Shaykh Muhammad Abū Zahrah (1316-4931/1898-1974)
mentions 44 parallels between Krishna and Jesus in his book
Comparative Religions, both were considered son of God by
their respective followers. Nine of them are as follows:
People knew the birth of Krishna through a star appearing
in the sky (‫ار ْي ُخ ْال ْه ْند‬
ِ ‫ َت‬, vol. 2, pp. 37, 367) After Jesus was born in
Bethlehem, the wise men saw a star in the East, and came to
Jerusalem to find and worship him (Matthew 2:1-2).
When Krishna was born the earth glorified God, the moon
illuminated the earth, spirits chanted, the angels dozed off in
happiness, and the clouds sang with melodious tone happily.
(Vishnu Purana, p. 502). (When Jesus was born) “Suddenly a
great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel,
praising God and telling them that “… a Saviour has been born
to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)
Nanda, the suitor of Devaki, Krishna’s mother, heard a
voice from the sky telling him to take the baby and his mother
to take refuge to Kakoli and to cross the river Jumna, as the
king wanted to kill him (Vishnu Purana, 3). An angel appeared
to Joseph in a dream telling him to take the child Jesus and his
mother Mary to Egypt, for king Herod wanted to kill him
(Matthew 2:13)
When the king heard the birth of a divinely baby Krishna,
he ordered to kill every male baby born on the same night he
was born (‫دوان‬, p. 280). King Herod wanted to kill the baby
Jesus, asked the wise men his location, so that “I too may go
and worship him.” As the Magi (wise men) did not tell him, he
ordered to kill every boy born in Bethlehem and its vicinity who
were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he
had learned from the Magi (wise men) (Matthew 2:8, 13, 16)
 94

Krishna was the beginning, the middle and the end of

everything. (‫دوان‬, p. 282). Jesus said: “I am the Alpha and the
Omega, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the
Almighty” (Revelation, 4:8)
Krishna said: “I am the light of the sun and the moon, I am
the light in the flame, and I am the light of everything that
shines and the light of the lights will not be in the darkness.’
(M. Williams. The Religions of the Pagan Indians, p. 213).
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said: ‘I am the light
of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.’” (John 8:12).
Krishna said: “I am the one who sustains the world, its
place of refuge, and its way (‫دوان‬, p. 283). Jesus answered
[Thomas]. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me.” (John 41:6)
Krishna said: “I am the right of the right, I am the
Beginning, the Middle, the End, the Eternal, the Creator of
everything, and I am [the cause of] its annihilation and
destruction.” (M. Williams. The Religions of the Pagan Indians,
p. 213). [John said: ] “When I saw him [Jesus] I fell at his feet as
though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do
not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One. I
was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever. And I hold
the keys of death and Hades.’”(Revelation 1:17-18)
Krishna will come in the Last Day. He will appear as a
knight equipped with weapon riding on a grey horse. When he
came the sun and the moon would become dark, the earth
would shake and the stars would fall down from the sky (‫دوان‬,
282). When Jesus will come, “the sun will be darkened, and the
moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and
the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Matthew 21:23)
Shaykh Muhammad Abū Zahrah mentions 16 parallels
between Buddha and Jesus in his book ‫ار َنات األَ ْد َيان‬ ٌ ‫ض َر‬
َ ‫ات فِيْ ُم َق‬ َ ‫م َُحا‬
 95

(Comparative Study of Religions)1 both of them were

considered son of God by their respective followers. We
mention here ten only of them, as follows:
When the wise men knew the secret of Buddha’s divinity
they greeted him and called him god (‫دوان‬, p. 290). When the
wise men saw the baby Jesus they greeted him and called him
god (Matthew 2:1-11)
When Buddha felt the difficulty of travelling he decided to
worship and to lead a devout life, Mara the Satan appeared to
test him. (‫دوان‬, p. 292) When Jesus started preaching Satan
appeared to him to test him (Matthew 4:1-8)
Mara the Satan told Krishna: “Do not spend your live in
religious deeds, as you would be the king of the world within
seven days.” (‫دوان‬, p. 292). Satan said: “All this [the kingdoms
of the world and their splendour] I will give you, if you will bow
down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:1-9)
Buddha did not care what Mara said. Instead, he said to
him: “Go away from me!.” (‫دوان‬, p. 292). “Jesus said to him,
Away from me, Satan! For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your
God, and serve him only.’” (Matthew 4:10).
When Mara the Satan stopped testing Buddha the sky
rained with flowers and perfumes filling the air with their
fragrance (‫دوان‬, p. 292) “Then the devil left him, and angels
came and attended him.” (Matthew 1:44)
And Buddha ascended to heaven with his body after he
has finished his work on the earth (‫دوان‬, p. 293). “…, he was
taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud had him from their
sight.” (Acts 4:3)
Buddha will come again to the earth, and will bring back
peace and blessing on it (‫دوان‬, p. 293). “Men of Galilee,” they
(the two men dressed in white) said, “Why do you stand here
looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from

1
The book was the collection of his lectures at the Institute of Islamic
Studies in Cairo in early 60s and was published in 1965.
 96

you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen
him go into heaven” (Acts 1:10)
Buddha is the Alpha and the Omega; he has no end, the
great being, the eternal. (‫دوان‬, p. 293). “In the beginning was
the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was
God.” (John 1:1)
Buddha said to his beloved disciple Ananda: “There is no
doubt that my words will never disappear at all, even if the
heavens fell into the earth, and the world was swallowed, the
ocean became dry, and the Soumer )‫ (سومر‬mountain crashed
and cut into pieces (Bill, History of Buddhdism, p. 11) Jesus said:
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass
away.” (Matthew 21:95)
When Buddha insisted in leading a devout life while he
was riding on his horse Kamthaka the angels spread his way
with flowers. ([R. Spence] Hardy, The Legends and Theories of
the Buddhists, p. 13). When Jesus entered Jerusalem some
people spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut
branches from the trees and spread them on the road
(Matthew 2:18).
The main similarities among the three (Krishna, Buddha,
and Jesus) are: They all ascended to heaven seen by many
people. They will return to the earth. They all claimed to be the
Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of everything.
(CIVIC, 23 December, 2016)
:‫المصادر‬
‫المكتبة الشاملة‬
ُ ‫ ال ِّد َيا َنا‬,‫ ْالقِسْ ُم األَ َّول‬:‫ت األَ ْد َيان‬
‫ت ْال َق ِد ْي َمة‬ ِ ‫ار َنا‬ ٌ ‫ض َر‬
َ ‫ات فِيْ ُم َق‬ َ ‫ م َُحا‬:‫محمد أبو زهرة‬
Holy Bible: New International Version
Collier’s Encyclopaedia, “Christmas”
http://www.hope-of-israel.org/cmas1.htm
http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jckr1.htm
http://www.truthbeknown.com/attis.html
http://www.truthbeknown.com/mithra.htm
 97

17. MODERATION
Many people in the past were either negligent or extreme
in their behavior and actions. Scholars of moral science said
that the virtue was in being between two extremes,
moderation. “Extremes are dangerous,” and “in excess even
nectar is poison,” the proverbs say. Allah says in the Qur’ān.
ْ ‫لا َت ْبس‬
‫ُط َهاا ُكلاا ْال َبسْ طِا ا‬ ‫كا َم ْغلُولَةااإِلَىا ُع ُن ِق َا‬
‫كا َو َ ا‬ ‫َو َ ا‬
‫لا َتجْ َع ْا‬
‫لا َي َد َا‬
‫) ا‬92:‫ا َف َت ْق ُع َادا َملُوماا َمحْ سُوراا(اإلسراء‬
And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your
neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach (like
a spendthrift), so that you become blameworthy
and in severe poverty (Q. 17:29)
It means that we Muslims should neither be stingy like the Jews
who said that Allah did not give and spend of His bounty,1 nor
extravagant and giving more than we can afford,or paying more
than what we earn, lest we become blameworthy and become
in severe poverty. People will condemn and blame us for being
miser, and having nothing left to spend. In another verse Allah
mentions that good Muslims spend in moderation, as follows:
َ ‫ِيناإِ َذااأَن َفقُواالَ ْامايُسْ ِرفُواا َولَ ْاما َي ْق ُت ُرواا َو َك‬
‫انا‬ ‫َوالذ َا‬
(76:‫ِكا َق َواما ا)الفرقان‬ ‫ْنا َذل َا‬
‫َبي َا‬
And [faithful slaves of Allah] those who, when they
spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly, but hold
a medium (way) between those (extremes) (Q. 25:67)
They spend in moderation, neither extravagant, nor
miserly. Moderation is not only in spending, but also in other
characters, such as bravery. Cowardice and weakness are

1
It is mentioned in the Qur’an the following verse: ‫ّللا ا َم ْغلُولَةا ا‬ ‫ت ا ْال َيهُو ُاد ا َي ُادا ِا‬
‫َو َقالَ ِا‬
‫)ا‬76:‫(المائدة‬...‫ْف ا َي َشا ُاء‬ ‫ان ا ُي ْنف ُا‬
‫ِق ا َكي َا‬ َ ‫ل ا َيدَ اهُ ا َم ْبس‬
‫ُوط َت ِا‬ ِ ‫ت اأَ ْيد‬
‫ِيه ْام ا َولُ ِع ُنوا ا ِب َما ا َقالُوا ا َب ْا‬ ‫“ ُغل ْا‬The Jews
say: ‘Allah’s Hand is tied up (i.e., He does not give and spend of His
bounty.)’ Be their hands tided up and be they accursed for what they
uttered. Nay, both His Hands are widely outstretched. He spends (of His
bounty) as He wills…” (Q. 5:64)
 98

blameworthy, so is recklessness. Moderation is also in

speaking. When the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬heard Abū Bakr praying in a
low voice he asked him the reason. He said that as he was
talking to Allah he did it in a low voice as He heard what he
said. The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬asked him to raise his voice. When the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬heard ‘Umar praying in loud voice he asked him
the reason. He said that he wanted to wake up the sleepers and
to scare away Satan. The Prophet asked him to low his voice.
As human beings consist of body and soul, both of them
have their own needs. In order to survive, the body needs food,
water, etc., and the soul needs its spiritual food, such as dhikr
(remembering Allah), reading the Qur’ān, contemplation,
fearing and desiring Allah. It is said that the Jews and the
Christians were in excess in one side and negligent on the
other. The Jews were in extreme in material side,‫ ا‬such as
fishing on Friday and Sunday instead of Saturday which was
prohibited from fishing, and were negligent in spiritual side. On
the contrary, the Christians especially in the past were
negligent on material side, but extreme in satisfying the
spiritual side, such as inventing monasticism and other kinds of
worship, as mentioned in the Qur’ān, as follows:
‫ّللاا ا‬ ‫ا َو َرهْ َبانِيةااا ْب َت َدعُو َهاا َماا َك َت ْب َنا َهاا َع َلي ِْه ْاماإِلااا ْب ِت َغا َاءا ِرضْ َو ِا‬...
‫انا ِا‬
‫) ا‬96:‫َف َماا َر َع ْو َهاا َحقاا ِر َعا َي ِت َهااا(الحديد‬
… But the monasticism which they invented for themselves,
We did not prescribe for them, but (they thought it) only
to please Allah therewith, but they did not observe
it with the right observant (Q. 57:27)
Muhammad Asad comments on the term rahbāniyyah in
the above verse. He says, “The term rahbāniyyah ombines the
concepts of monastic life with an exaggerated asceticism, often
amounting to a denial of any value in the live of this world—an
attitude characteristic of early Christianity but disapproved of
in Islam. (M. Asad, The Message of the Qur’ān, p. 30, n. 118).
Anas ibn Mālik narrated that the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said:
 99

‫الِ ُكلاا َن ِبياا َرهْ َبانِيةاا ا‬:‫ل‬

‫ّللا ُا َعلَ ْي ِاها َو َسل َاما َقا َا‬
‫صلىا ا‬ َ ‫ْنا َمالِكاا َعنْااالن ِبياا‬ ‫ساب ِا‬ ‫َعنْااأَ َن ِا‬
‫ّللاا َعزاا َو َجلاا(رواهاأحمد) ا‬ ‫يلا ِا‬ ‫َو َرهْ َبانِي ُاةا َه ِذِاها ْاْلُم ِاةا ْال ِج َها ُادافِيا َس ِب ِا‬
Every Prophet has Rahbāniyyah(monasticism); Jihād
in the cause of Allah is the Rahbāniyyah of this
Ummah (Reported by Ahmad)
Then Islam comes to go between the two extremes. One
example is in the following Qur’ānic verses:
‫ِيالِلص ََلِاةامِنْاا َي ْو ِاما ْال ُج ُم َع ِاةا َفاسْ َع ْوا ا‬ ‫ِيناآ َم ُنوااإِ َذاا ُنود َا‬‫َيااأَ ُّي َهااالذ َا‬
‫ا َفإِ َذاا ا‬.‫ُون‬ ‫ّللاا َو َذرُواا ْال َبي َا‬
َ ‫ْعا َذلِ ُك ْاما َخيْراالَ ُك ْاماإِنْاا ُك ْن ُت ْاما َتعْ لَم‬ ‫اإِلَىا ِذ ْك ِارا ِا‬
‫لا ا‬ ‫ضا َوا ْب َت ُغواامِنْاا َفضْ ِا‬ ‫تاالص ََلاةُا َفا ْن َتشِ رُواافِيا ْاْلَرْ ِ ا‬ ‫قُضِ َي ِا‬
)01-2:‫ُونا(الجمعة‬ ‫ّللاا َكثِيراالَ َعل ُك ْاما ُت ْفلِح َا‬ ‫ّللاا َو ْاذ ُكرُواا َا‬
‫ِا‬
O you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is
proclaimed for the Salat (prayer) on Friday (Jumu‘ah
prayer), come to the remembrance of Allah [Jumu‘ah
religious talk (Khutbah) and Salat (prayer)] and leave
off business (and every other thing). That is better for
you if you did but know! Then when the (Jumu ‘ah)
Salat (prayer) ended, you may disperse through the
land, and seek the bounty of Allah (by working),
and remember Allah much, that you may
be successful (Q. 62:9-10)
Here we see that calling for prayer, coming to remember
Allah and leaving off business are spiritual matters, whereas
dispersing through the land and seeking Allah’s bounty after
the prayer are material and worldly matters., and yet, to be
successful it has to be accompanied with remembering Allah
much. This is an indication of balance betwee religious and
worldly matters, and no one is required to stay in the mosque
for further spiritual matter asfter performing the obligatory
Friday prayer. This reminds us of the Arabic proverb: ‫ُور ا‬ ‫َخ ْي ُار ا ْاْلُم ِا‬
ُ ‫ أَ ْو َس‬which means “Following the middle path is a virtue.”
‫ط َهاا‬
The term ‫ أُمةا ا َو َسطا‬mentioned in the Qur’ān is sometimes
cited to indicate that Muslim community is “a middlemost
nation.” The term is in the Qur’ānic verse as follows:
 100

ُ ‫كا َج َاع ْل َنا ُك ْاماأُمةاا َو َسطاالِ َت ُكو ُنواا‬

‫ش َه َدا َاءا َعلَىاالن ِا‬
‫اسا ا‬ ‫َو َك َذلِ َا‬
‫) ا‬061:‫لا َعلَ ْي ُك ْاما َش ِهيداا(البقرة‬ ‫وناالرسُو ُا‬ ‫َو َي ُك َا‬
Thus We have made you a waṣaṭ (middle, justly
balanced, just, best) nation, that you be witnesses
over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad)
be a witness over you (Q. 2:143).
Muhammad Asad translates the term waṣaṭ as “a
community of the middle way,” keeping an equitable balance
between two extremes, namely, moderation. He said:
In tune with its oft-repeated call to moderation in every
aspect of life the Qur’ān exorts the believers not to place
too great an emphasis on the physical and material aspects
of their lives, but postulates, at the same time, that man’s
urges and desires relating to this “life of the flesh”
are God-willed and therefore, legitimate.2
Al-Ṭabarī holds the same view when he said that Allah
called the Muslim community waṣaṭ (“middle”) because of
their being moderate in practicing religion (Islam), neither the
extreme of the Christians in asceticism and in exaggerating the
position of Jesus, nor the negligence of the Jews who replaced
the book of Allah, killed their Prophets, and denied their Lord,
as the best thing according to Allah is in its moderation.
M.M. Pickthall translates ummatan waṣaṭan as “a middle
nation,” whereas A.Yusuf Ali translates it as “an Ummah justly
balanced.” The Qur’ān translation published in Saudi Arabia
translates it as “a just (and the best) nation.” This translation is
based on many traditions from the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬and
interpretations of earlier commentators. Among the traditions
of the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬are narrated by Abū Hurayrah and Abū
Sa‘īd al-Khudrī and reported by Bukhārī, Muslim, al-Tirmidhī
and others, that the term ‫( أُمةا ا َو َسطا‬ummatan waṣaṭan) means‫ا‬
‫( أُمة ا ُع ُدول ا‬honest people), and the term ‫ َو َسط‬means‫ َع ْدل ا‬, (just,

2
M. Asad, The Message of the Qur’an, p. 30, n. 118.
 101

honest). This is also the view of classical Qur’ān commentators,

such as: Mujāhid, Qatādah, ‘Aṭā’ and Ibn ‘Abbās. Eplaining the
above verse the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said:
The Prophet would come on the Dahy of Resurrection with
two or more people (his only following!), and his people
would also be summoned and asked, “Has he (their
Prophet) conveyed (the Message) to you?” They would say,
‘No.’ He would be asked, ‘Have you conveyed (the Message)
to your people?’ He would say, ‘Yes.’ He would be asked,
‘Who testifies for you?’ He would say, ‘Muhammad and his
Ummah.’ Muhammad and his Ummah would be then
summoned and asked, ‘Has he conveyed (the Message)
to his people?’ They would say, ‘Yes.’ They would be
asked,’Who told you that?’ They would say, ‘Our Prophet
(Muhammad) came to us and told us that the Messengers
have conveyed (their Messages.’ Hence Allah’s statement:
‫كا َج َع ْل َنا ُك ْاما ُأمةاا َو َسطا‬
‫ َو َك َذلِ َا‬meaning the ‘adl (just people)
(Reported by Ahmad)
According to modern standard Arabic there is no
difference between the term ‫( َوسْ ط‬wasṭ), ‫( َو َسط‬wasaṭ), and ‫أَ ْو َسط‬
(awsaṭ) meaning “middle”. The term ‫ ْالشرْ ُق ااْلَ ْو َسط ا‬means “the
Middle East.” But in classical Arabic which is the language of
the Qur’ān, according to the linguist Abū Naṣr Ismā‘īl al-Jawharī
(d.393/1003) who was the first person who had tried to fly but
failed, there is distinction between the term ‫( َوسْ ط‬wasṭ) and ‫َو َسط‬
(wasaṭ); the former means “middle”, and the latter has another
meaning, namely, "just" and "best". However, there is‫ا‬
relationship between the two words, as being‫“ ا‬in the middle”
means not taking sides, being just, which is the best.
The term ‫ َو َسط‬in the expression of the Arabs has two
meanings: (a) just, honest, such as the expression, ‫اس ا‬ ‫ُكنْا ام َا‬
‫ِن االن ِا‬
‫ َجمِيعا ا َو َس َطا‬meaning “Be just among all people.” (b) the best, as
in the expression ‫ فُ ََلنا امِنْا اأَ ْو َسطِا ا َق ْو ِم ِاه‬meaning “So-and-so is one of
the best among his people,” or ‫ط ا َق ْو ِم ِاه ا‬ ‫ فُ ََلنا ا َاو َس ُا‬meaning “So-and-
 102

so is the best among his people” ‫ب ا ِم ْنهُم) ا‬ ‫ل ا ْال َح َس ِا‬ ‫ار ِه ْام ا َوأَهْ ُا‬ َ
ِ ‫(أيْا امِنْا ا ِخ َي‬.‫ا‬
These two meanings are used in translating ‫ أُمةا ا َو َسطا‬as “a just
(and the best) nation” mentioned above. These two meanings
are also used in the following verse:
‫لا ُت َسبح َا‬
‫) ا‬92:‫ُونا(القلم‬ ‫ط ُه ْاماأَ َل ْاماأَقُ ْا‬
‫لا َل ُك ْاما َل ْو َ ا‬ ُ ‫لاأَ ْو َس‬
‫َقا َا‬
The best among them said: “Did I not tell you,
why do you not say “If Allah wills”?3 (Q. 68:28)
According to Ibn ‘Abbās, Mujāhid, Ibn Jubayr, ‘Ikrimah,
Muḥammad ibn Ka‘b, al-Rabī‘ ibn Anas, al-Ḍaḥḥāk, and
Qatādah, the term ‫ط ُه ْام‬ ُ ‫ أَ ْو َس‬in the verse means “the most just of
them and the best of them” )‫(أعدلهم اوخيرهم‬. Al-Qurṭubī put it‫ا‬
“the ideal, the most just and the most intelligent among them.”
)‫(أَ ْم َثل ُ ُه ْاما َوأَعْ َدل ُ ُه ْاما َوأَعْ َقل ُ ُه ْام‬. ‫ا‬
(CIVIC, 6 January, 2017)
‫المراجع‬:
‫المكتبةاالشاملة ا‬
‫اهـ( ا‬101‫ا‬.‫تفسيراالطبريا(ت‬
‫ا‬ ( ‫اهـ‬760‫ا‬.‫تفسيراالقرطبىا(ت‬
)‫اهـ‬666‫ا‬.‫تفسيراابناكثيرا(ت‬
The Noble Qur’ān.(Ministry of Islamic Affairs) Riyad.
M. Asad, The Message of the Qur’ān
M.M. Pickthall. The Glorious Qur’ān
A.Y. Ali. The Meaning of the Holy Qur’ān.
https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/‫اإسماعيل_بن_حماد_الجوهري‬

3
‫ل ا ُت َسب َا‬
The term ‫حُون‬ ‫ َل ْو َا‬in the above verse means “why don’t you glorify
Allah and thank Him for what He has given you and favoured you with?”
but in this context it means “why don’t you say ‘if Allah wills’(‫)نْاا َشا َاءاّللا‬.” ‫ا‬
It is about persons who swore to pluck the fruits of their garden in the
morning, so that poor and beggars would not know, and would keep its
fruit for themselves, and would not give anything of it in charity.
Because they did not say “if Allah wills (‫ ”)انْا ا َشا َاء اّللا‬their crops were
destroyed. Then they repented to Allah and acknowledged their
mistake. (See Q. 68:17-32).
 103

18. THE MEANINGS OF LAHW )‫ (لَهْو‬IN THE QUR’ĀN

The term lahw has many meanings, such as: amusement,
entertainment, diversion, distraction, pastime, pleasure, sport,
fun, and play. Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) mentions six meanings
of this term in the Qur’ān in his Nuzhatu ’l-A‘yun, as well as al-
Dāmaghānī (d. 478/1085-6) in his Qāmūs al-Qur’ān, as follows:
1. ‫( اإلسْ ِته َْزاء‬mockery, ridicule, derision, scorn), such as:
)70:‫ِين ا َّت َخ ُذوا دِي َن ُه ْم لَ ِعبًا َو َله ًْوا َو َغرَّ ْت ُه ُم ْال َح َياةُ ال ُّد ْن َيا (األنعام‬
َ ‫َو َذ ِرالَّذ‬
And leave alone those who take their religion as play
and amusement [namely, as mockery], and whom the
life of this world has deceived (Q. 6:70).
The term “their religion” here means “Islam.”
According to al-Qurṭubī, the expression “take their religion
as play and amusement” means, “They mocked those who
follow Islam, mocked its followers, and went into it as a
play and mockering the truth."
Muhammad Asad translates the above verse as follows:
And leave to themselves all those who, beguiled
by the life of this world, have made play and
passing delights their religion (Q. 6:670)
Then he says that it could be understood in two
ways: (1) they have made their religion [an object of] play
and fun, or (2) they have made play and fun [or “passing
delights”] their religion, namely, the main goal of their
lives. He prefers the latter, and says, “many of those who
are ‘beguiled by the life of the world’ devote themselves to
the pursuit of what the Qur’ān describes as ‘passing
delights’—including the pleasures which money and power
can provide—with something akin the religious fervour: an
attitude of mind which causes them to lose sight of all
spiritual and moral values.”
2. ‫( ْال َولَد‬son), as in the following verse:
َ ‫لَ ْو أَ َر ْد َنا أَنْ َن َّت ِخ َذ لَه ًْوا ََل َّت َخ ْذ َناهُ مِنْ لَ ُد َّنا إِنْ ُك َّنا َفاعِ ل‬
)17:‫ِين (األنبياء‬
Had We intended to take a pastime (i.e. a son),
 104

We would surely have taken in from Us, if We

were going to do (that) (Q. 21:17).
This is the interpretation of ‘Ikrimah and al-Suddī,
that the term lahw the above verse means walad
(son).According to al-Ḥasan and Qatādah, the term lahw
here means, “a wife.” According to Qatādah, al-Suddī,
Ibrāhīm al-Nakhā‘ī, and al-Mughīrah ibn Miqsam the verse
َ ‫ إِنْ ُك َّنا َفاعِ ل‬means, “We will not do that,” instead of “if We
‫ِين‬
were going to do that,” as Mujāhid says that every ْ‫“( إِن‬if”)
used in the Qur’ān is negation.
ُ ‫( ال‬occupancy, prevention, distraction), such as:
3. ‫ش ْغل‬
)3:‫ُون (الحجر‬ َ ‫ف َيعْ لَم‬َ ‫َذرْ ُه ْم َيأْ ُكلُوا َو َي َت َم َّتعُوا َوي ُْل ِه ِه ُم ْاألَ َم ُل َف َس ْو‬
Leave them to eat and enjoy, and let them be
preoccupied [namely, distracted] with (false) hope.
They will come to know [the truth]. (Q. 15:3)
This is a definite threat for disbelievers.
)1:‫أَ ْل َها ُك ُم ال َّت َك ُاث ُر (التكاثر‬
The mutual rivalry (for piling up worldly
things) diverts you (Q. 102:1)
You are obsessed by greed for more and
more … (Asad’s translation)
There are various interpretations of this verse:
According to Ibn ‘Abbās and al-Ḥasan: mutual rivalry
(greed for more) in wealth and children; according to
Qatādah: mutual rivalry (greed for more) in boasting of
tribes and clans; according to al-Ḍaḥḥāk: distraction with
livelihood and merchandise.
There are many ḥadīths dealing with man’s
covetousness of worldly things, such as:
‫صلى ّللا‬- ‫ّللا‬ ِ َّ ‫ُول‬ِ ‫ْن َمالِك َعنْ َرس‬ ِ ‫سب‬ ِ ‫َعنْ أَ َن‬
‫ْن آ َد َم َواد مِنْ َذ َهب‬ ِ ‫َلب‬ِ ‫ان‬ َ ‫لَ ْو َك‬: ‫ أَ َّن ُه َقا َل‬-‫عليه وسلم‬
)‫ (رواه مسلم‬...‫آخر‬ َ ‫أَ َحبَّ أَنَّ لَ ُه َوا ِديًا‬
Anas ibn Mālik narrated that the Messenger of Allah
said: “If the Son of Adam had a valley of gold, he
would desire another ...” (Reported by Muslim)
 105

-‫صلى ّللا عليه وسلم‬- ‫ّللا‬ ِ َّ ‫َعنْ أَ ِبى ه َُري َْر َة أَنَّ َرسُو َل‬
‫ َيقُو ُل ْال َع ْب ُد َمالِى َمالِى إِ َّن َما لَ ُه مِنْ َمالِ ِه َثالَث َما‬: ‫َقا َل‬
َ ِ‫س َفأ َ ْبلَى أَ ْو أَعْ َطى َفا ْق َت َنى َو َما سِ َوى َذل‬
‫ك‬ َ ‫أَ َك َل َفأ َ ْف َنى أَ ْو لَ ِب‬
)‫ (رواه مسلم‬.‫اس‬ ِ ‫ار ُك ُه لِل َّن‬ ِ ‫َفه َُو َذاهِب َو َت‬
Abū Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of
Allah said: “The servant says ‘My wealth, my wealth.
’Yet he only gets three (benefits) from his wealth:
that which he eats and finishes, that which he wears
until it is worn out, or that which he gives in charity
and it is spent. Everything else other than that will
go away and leave him for the people
(Reported by Muslim)
‫ِين آ َم ُنوا ََل ُت ْل ِه ُك ْم أَم َْوال ُ ُك ْم َو ََل أَ ْو ََل ُد ُك ْم َعنْ ِذ ْك ِر‬ َ ‫َيا أَ ُّي َها الَّذ‬
)9:‫ُون (المنافقون‬ َ ‫ك ُه ُم ْال َخاسِ ر‬ َ ‫ك َفأُولَ ِئ‬ ِ َّ
َ ِ‫ّللا َو َمنْ َي ْف َع ْل َذل‬
O you who believe! Let not your properties or your
children divert [namely, distract] you from the
remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that,
then they are the losers. (Q. 63:9)
There are various interpretations of the term ‫ّللا‬ ِ َّ ‫ِذ ْك ِر‬
(“the remembrance of Allah”) in the above verse: ḥajj
(pilgrimage) and zakāt; reading the Qur’ān; continuation
of remembering Allah; five-daily payers (according to al-
Ḍaḥḥāk); all religious obligation (according to al-Ḥasan);
and that it is directed to the hypocrites who believed with
their tongues, and now they were asked to believe with
their hearts.
4. ‫( ْال ِغ َناء‬singing, song), such as:
ِ َّ ‫يل‬
‫ّللا ِب َغي ِْر‬ ِ ‫ث لِيُضِ َّل َعنْ َس ِب‬ ِ ‫اس َمنْ َي ْش َت ِري َله َْو ا ْل َحدِي‬ ِ ‫َوم َِن ال َّن‬
)6:‫ك لَ ُه ْم َع َذاب م ُِهين (لقمان‬ َ ‫عِ ْلم َو َي َّت ِخ َذ َها ُه ُز ًوا أُولَ ِئ‬
And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks
[namely, singing] to mislead (men) from the path
of Allah without knowledge, and takes it (the path
of Allah, or the Verses of the Qur’ān) by way of
mockery. For such there will be a humiliating
torment (in the Hell-fire) (Q. 31:6)
 106

This is the interpretation of the term ‫ث‬ ِ ‫( َله َْو ْال َحدِي‬idle talk)
according to Ibn ‘Abbās, Ibn Mas‘ūd, Ibn ‘Umar ‘Ikrimah,
Maymūn ibn Mihrān, Mujāhid, and Makḥūl, namely, ‫ْال ِغ َناء‬
(singing, song). According to Qatādah, “purchases idle talks”
is “buying singing servant girls.” In a ḥadīth narrated by Abū
Umāmah, the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said:
، َّ‫ِيهن‬
ِ ‫ارة ف‬ َ ‫ َوَل ت َِج‬، َّ‫ت َوَل شِ َراؤُ هُن‬ ِ ‫َل َي ِح ُّل َب ْي ُع ْال ُم َغ ِّن َيا‬
)‫َوأَ ْك ُل أَ ْث َمان ِِهنَّ َح َرام (رواه الطبراني‬
It is not permitted to sell singing servant girls,
neither buying them, nor doing business in
them, and taking their prices is prohibited
(Reported by al-Ṭabrānī)
Ibn Jarīr al-Ṭabarī gives general interpretation of the idle
talks and says, “it means all speech that hinders people
from seeing the signs of Allah and following His path.” The
definition of ‫ث‬ ِ ‫( لَه َْو ْال َحدِي‬idle talk) is as follows:
ً‫ت َو َلَ ي ُْث ِم ُر خيْرا‬ َ ‫ب َو َيأ ُك ُل ْال َو ْق‬ َ ‫ُك ُّل َكألم ي ْل ِهى ْال َق ْل‬
It is every statement which amuses the heart,
consumes time, and does not give benefit.
Muhammad Asad said that the above verse “describes a
type of mentality and has, therefore, a general import.”
(M. Asad, The Message of the Qur’ān, p. 627, n. 4).
َّ
5. ‫الطبْل‬ ُ‫ضرْ ب‬ َ (beating of drum); Ibn al-Jawzī added with ‫َو‬
ْ‫( ْال َمالهِي‬and entertainment), such as:
ِ َّ ‫ك َقا ِئمًا قُ ْل َما عِ ْن َد‬
‫ّللا‬ َ ‫ار ًة أَ ْو لَه ًْوا ا ْن َفضُّوا إِلَ ْي َها َو َت َر ُكو‬ َ ‫َوإِ َذا َرأَ ْوا ت َِج‬
)11:‫ِين (الجمعة‬ َ ‫ازق‬ َّ ‫ار ِة َو‬
ِ َّ‫ّللا ُ َخ ْي ُر الر‬ َ ‫َخيْر م َِن اللَّه ِْو َوم َِن ال ِّت َج‬
And when they see some merchandise or some
amusement [namely, beating of drum] they disperse
headlong to it, and leave you (Muhammad) standing
[while delivering Jumu‘ah religious talk (Khutbah).
Say: “That which Allah has is better than any
amusement or merchandise! And Allah is
the Best f providers.” (Q. 62:11)
What really happened was that, like ‘Īd prayers
where the khuṭbah/sermon was delivered after performing
 107

the prayer, Jumu‘ah prayer was performed before the

khuṭbah. While the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬was delivering his Friday
sermon, the long expected trade caravan carrying food and
others belonging to Dīḥyah ibn Khalīfah before he became a
Muslim, had arrived from Syria where he was welcomed
with rums and tambourines. A man came forward to tell the
congregation of his arrival. It was the time where food was
scarce. Thinking that it was alright to leave the khuṭbah
many people among the congregation rushed out of the
mosque, leaving the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬standing on the pulpit.
Only about twelve or fourteen of them stayed. They were:
Abū Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmān, ‘Ali, Ṭalḥah, al-Zubayr, Sa‘d ibn
Abī Waqqāṣ, ‘Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ‘Awf, Abū ‘Ubaydah ibn al-
Jarrāḥ, Sa‘īd ibn Zayd, Bilāl, ‘Abd Allāh ibn Mas‘ūd, ‘Ammār
ibn Yāsir, and Jābir ibn ‘Abd Allāh.
Then the above verse was revealed, and the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬delivered the khuṭbah first then followed by
the prayer like what we are doing now. Since then, nobody
was allowed to leave the congregation unless he was
permitted by the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬. When he was about to
leave the hypocrite who could not stay long for the khuṭbah
and the prayer stood up behind him hiding himself then
together they came out, expecting to be unnoticed by the
Prophet. But the hypocrite’s sneaking out was made known,
as Allah revealed:
)63:‫ (النور‬... ‫ون ِم ْن ُك ْم ل َِو ًاذ‬
َ ُ ‫ِين َي َت َسلَّل‬ َّ ‫ َق ْد َيعْ لَ ُم‬...
َ ‫ّللا ُ الَّذ‬
Allah knows those who slip away under shelter
(of some excuse without taking the permission to
leave, from the Messenger)…(Q. 24:63)
Based on this episode it is incorrect to assume that the
majority of the ṣaḥābah had turned into apostasy or had
been lack in faith.
6. ‫( ْالبَاطِ ل‬futile, false, baseless, void, deception) according to al-
Ḍāmaghānī, and according to Ibn al-Jawzī it is ‫ْال ُسرُو ُر ْال َفا ِني‬
 108

(perishable joy). The example given by al-Ḍāmaghānī is as

follows:
‫إِ َّن َما ْال َح َياةُ ال ُّد ْن َيا لَعِب َو َلهْو َوإِنْ ُت ْؤ ِم ُنوا َو َت َّتقُوا ي ُْؤ ِت ُك ْم‬
)36:‫ُور ُك ْم َو ََل َيسْ أ َ ْل ُك ْم أَمْ َوالَ ُك ْم (محمد‬ َ ‫أُج‬
The life of this world is but play and pastime [namely,
deception]; but if you believe (in Oneness of Allah—
Islamic Monotheism), and fear Allah, and avoid evil,
He will grant you your wages, and will not ask
you your wealth (Q. 47:36)
The example given by Ibn al-Jawzī is as follows:
‫اعْ لَمُوا أَ َّن َما ْال َح َياةُ ال ُّد ْن َيا لَعِب َولَهْو َو ِزي َنة َو َت َفا ُخر‬
)20:‫ (الحديد‬...‫ال َو ْاألَ ْو ََل ِد‬ ِ ‫َب ْي َن ُك ْم َو َت َك ُاثر فِي ْاألَمْ َو‬
Know that the life of this world is only play and
amusement [namely, perishable joy], pomp and
mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in
respect of wealth and children… (Q. 57:20)
There are various interpretations on the term ‫لَعِب َولَهْو‬
(play and amusement( in the above verse, among which
are: eating and drinking (Qatādah’s view); what we desire
for in this world, and what distracts us from the Hereafter;
and acquisition and women.
These two verses above tell us how insignificant and
transient life in this world is, that it is only play and
amusement, and that the Hereafter is the real and the
eternal life.
(CIVIC, 13 January, 2017)
:‫المراجع‬
(‫ هـ‬310 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬
(‫ هـ‬671 .‫تفسير القرطبى(ت‬
)‫ هـ‬774 .‫تفسير ابن كثير(ت‬
‫ قاموس القرآن أو إصالح الوجوه والنظائر‬.)‫ هـ‬478 .‫محمد الدامغاني (ت‬
‫ نزهة األعين النواظر‬. )‫ هـ‬597 .‫عبد الرحمن ابن الجوزي (ت‬
Muhammad Asad. The Message of the Qur’ān
http://library.islamweb.net/newlibrary/display_book.php
=?idfrom=101&idto
 109

19. FADLAN GRAMATAN (1)

The Lebanese scholar Shaykh Muṣṭafā al-Ghalāyayn (d.
1944) was a journalist, a writer, and a teacher of Arabic and
Islamic law; in his book ‘Iẓatu ’l-Nāshi’īn (“Moral Lessons for the
Youth”) he stressed the importance of reading and learning
biographies of heroes )‫ْطال‬ َ ‫(ق َِرا َءةُ سِ َيراألب‬. He said that through
learning their lives the youth could obtain examples of their
noble characters, such as: piety, patience, honesty, bravery,
dedication, etc. Therefore we learn biographies of prophets
especially Prophet Muhammad (‫)ﷺ‬, his ṣaḥābah, scholars in
later generations, and many honourable people.
One of the prominent dā‘īs (Islamic propagators) in West
Papua, Indonesia, is Fadlan Gramatan. He was born in a Muslim
family in Fak-fak on 17 May, 1969, the third son of seven
children. His father was a teacher at an elementary school and
in the evening he taught reading the Qur’ān in his village. As a
da’ī he established Yayasan al-Fatih al-Kaaffah Nusantara, a
social foundation for spreading Islam.
Br. Fadlan Gramatan was admitted to the Faculty of
Economics at Hasanudddin University in Makassar in late 80s. It
happened that when he attended the class on Islam, the
lecturer said that those who were not Muslims had to leave the
class. Since he was Muslim he did not move, but the lecturer
said loudly to him to get out, thinking that being black with
curly hair from West Papua he was not a Muslim. He came
forward and said:
“Before leaving the class, I ask you and the students to
answer my two questions and one request: Is Islam only for the
Buginese- Makassarese people or the Arabs, or as blessings for
the whole world? Who was the companion of Prophet
Muhammad (‫ )ﷺ‬who had black skin and curly hair with
sweet voice? I beg you and my colleagues in the class to bring
the Qur’ān as I wish to hear how they read the Qur’ān properly,
and then I shall leave.” The lecturer did not answer the first and
 110

the second questions, but he brought the Qur’ān and asked

every student to read it.
After the 46 students had read the Qur’ān, Fadlan
Gramatan grasped it himself and read it, as he was not given a
chance to do so. The lecturer said that out that out of 47
students only 7 of them could read the Qur’ān properly
including Fadlan Gramatan himself. The lecturer allowed him
to give a lecture in his class for two hours. He talked about the
significance of the Qur’ān as guidance for the Muslims to make
distinction between what is right (ḥaqq) and what is wrong
(bāṭil), what is permitted (ḥalāl) and what is prohibited
(ḥarām). After delivering his speech in about two hours the
lecturer said: “To-day the lecture on Islam has been given by a
lecturer from West Irian (West Papua).” Fadlan Gramattan did
not blame anybody, neither the lecturer nor the students,
because of public opinion about the people of Irian that they
fought among themselves and that they were not Muslims.
Islam was recorded to have been the oldest and the first
religion that came to Papua. It was under the propagation of
Isdandar Shah under the command of Iskandar Muda II of Pasai
in Sumatra, so that they propagated, starting from Perlis in
Malaysia, to Philippine then down to Tidore, and finally to Irian.
Christianity came later, on 5th February 1885, with the service
of the Sultan of Tidore. This information had been unknown for
many years, as if there was no Islam in Irian.
Irian itself has three names: (1) its original name was “Nu
waar,” (the country which has kept mystical light; the word
“nūr” means “light”). (2) This name was changed by the
Portuguese with “Papua” with bad connotation, namely, black
skin, curly hair, robbers, rapists and cannibals. The people of
Tidore had called the people of “Nu waar” with respect as
“Papaua” meaning ”saudara tua, elder brothers”.
This attitude of the Portuguese to isolate the people of
Irian was continued by the Dutch convincing them that they
 111

were black with curly hair were different from people in

Moluccas islands, Sulawesi, and Java, and therefore were not
allowed to enter their land, but this effort failed as Islam had
penetrated Irian. Many Muslim scholars in Irian were killed to
reduce Muslim population and to erase the traces of their
crime. Some of them were arrested and were exiled in Digul
were they met Kyai Agus Salim, Muhmmad Roem and Sukarno.
They discussed and made effort to bring Nu waar (Irian) back to
the Indonesian fold. After the Indonesian independence the
name Nu waar and Papua were replaced with Nawairian.
The term Irian was derived from three languages, marien
in Biak language meaning “hot powder” (bubuk yang panas),
and iriano in Irarutu langauge meaning big land (daratan yang
besar). In 1517 Ibn Batutah reached Nu waar and when he saw
some naked people he called them ‘uriyān )‫( َعرْ َيان‬. In Malino
conference in 1963 it was decided to call it Irian, then it was
added with Barat (West), so that it became Irian Barat (West
Irian), then the name was changed again with Irian Jaya.
Politically, it was made the abbreviation of Ikut Republik
Indonesia Anti Nederland (Joining the Republic of Indonesia and
Anti Netherlands).
After finishing his study and returned home, Br. Fadlan
was offered a job as a government employee, but after nine
months he quitted the job to avoid being involved in
corruption. He returned the keys of the office house he was
living, and the office car, the office uniform, as well as office
envelopes. Instead, he wanted to be what he called "the
employee of the Messenger of Allah …” to be dā‘ī .
Br. Fadlan’s first duty as a dā‘ī was to conduct a dialogue
with a clergyman called Alfonse, the person who hated his
presence in Jayapura. That clergyman did not want Br. Fadlan
to lead the prayer and to talk about Islam, let alone public
preaching, and attempted to expel him. After performing the
ḍuḥā prayer (midmorning recommended prayer), he went to
 112

visit the clergyman to create good relationship with him. The

first day he knocked at his door, he had seen him standing at
his door, but he entered his room when he saw him coming.
When Br. Fadlan said selamat pagi (good morning), it was his
wife who came out to greet him, and said that her husband was
not in. The next morning he came again, and was told by his
daughter that he was not in. He kept visiting the clergyman
every morning for two months receiving the same answer that
her husband or her father was not at home. On the 15th day of
the second month he was abused by the wife and the daughter:
“You have never been bored knocking at our door; we have
told you many times that the clergyman was not at home, and
yet, you keep coming.” The next morning, he came again and
knocked at his door as usual.
On the first and the second days of the third month Br.
Fadlan came again, and got the same response. But on the third
day, he got a different response. His daughter told him: “Excuse
us, last night my dad was sick, and we have taken him to the
hospital.”
Br. Fadlan went directly to the hospital, bought some fruit
and asked the receptionist where he could find the clergyman.
He was told, he was in room no. 48. Before entering the room
he showed the parcel containing the fruit, and the moment he
heard Silakan masuk! (“Please, come in!”) he rushed into the
room, and the clergyman could not lie and avoid him any
longer. This is what Brother Fadlan said to him after shaking his
hands:
“Today, I thank Allah that I receive His blessings, as I have
tried to see you for two months and three days but failed.
Actually, you are not sick, but after lying to me for two months
and three days, Allah makes you sick, so that I could see you
here. You have kept talking everyday about love and
compassion, and at the same time you lied, you should then
speak honestly.
 113

Five days later the clergyman healed, and Br. Fadlan came
to visit him again, and the whole family (including seven
children) welcomed him. Br. Fadlan started talking about the
beauty of Islam for the whole inhabitants of this world. The
visit started at 9 a.m. till afternoon, and when Br. Fadlan was
about to say farewell to the host, they asked him to come
earlier the next day.
The next day Br. Fadlan came at 7 o’clock in the morning,
and the discussion was suspended before noon, and started
again in the afternoon till evening. He did this for four days in
succession. On the fifth day his host said that they did not want
to wait any longer, as they wanted to embrace Islam.
Eventually, in the third month, they received guidance from
Allah, became Muslims, and were ready to learn about Islam
seriously. Br. Fadlan rented a bigger house from his savings
where they could learn about the Qur’ān and Islam, as they
were living in an official house belonging to the ministry. They
learned reading the Qur’ān starting with Iqra’ (a booklet used
as a basic teaching to read the Qur’ān starting from the Arabic
alphabet to reading the Qur’ān), the ṭahārah (cleanness), and
how to perform wuḍū’ (ablution).
On Friday in the 80s Mr. Alfonse, the former clergyman
came to the mosque to pray Friday prayer, but on Sunday his
congregation was waiting for him. As he did not show up, they
wanted to know who had introduced Islam to him. They made
a fuss of him, and their last decision was that Br. Fadlan was to
be arrested and to be imprisoned for three months without
any proper court proceeding.
After three months of imprisonment Br. Fadlan started
propagating again, and this time around the city of Jayapura.
Fifteen heads of families converted to Islam. People made a
fuss of him again, and this time Br. Fadlan was arrested and
was put in jail for six months. But after six months of
imprisonment, Br. Fadlan propagated again, and was successful
 114

in converting thirty heads of families into Islam. Again, people

made a fuss of him, and this time he was imprisoned for nine
months. Every time he was put in jail he said alḥamdu lillah
(“praise be to Allah”) for letting him enjoy life in jail.
When Br. Fadlan was out of jail, the person who had
arrested him approached the door of the jail and said to him:
“There is nobody else in this room. Every day, every week,
every month, every year you are the only person who had
occupied this room. Aren’t you afraid of this jail?”
“My dear brother,” answered Br. Fadlan, “a man like
Fadlan would never be afraid of jail made by human beings,
because I am not a thief, I am not a rebel, I am not a killer, and I
am not a corrupt man. I only want to develop the mind and
mentality of the inhabitants of this country, so that they would
obey Allah with full confidence, and would follow the
Messenger of Allah sincerely. Today you arrest me and put me
in this jail, but you have to remember that later on Allah would
arrest and punish you mercilessly.”
This statement of Br. Fadlan scared him, and said to Br.
Fadlan not to do so. He invited Br. Fadlan right away to his
house where he met his wife and their five children. After
several hours of discussion the whole family converted to
Islam. Br. Fadlan made his conclusion that apparently by
propagating seriously and sincerely Allah will give the result
faster than the blowing wind. He decided to go to farther areas,
walking from Jayapura to Weimena. His long journey and
farther will be dealt with in the next khuṭbah, in shā’ Allah.

(CIVIC, 20 January, 2017)

Sources:
Dakwah di Bumi Papua, a video lecture published on July 4,
2013
5/inspiration-day-berdakwah-lewat-sabun-mandi
 115

20. FADLAN GRAMATAN (2)

After his release from nine months prison, Br. Fadlan
wanted to go from Jayapura to Weimena to spread Islam in
that area. As he had no money and could not affort to pay
plane ticket, he decided to go there on foot. It would take him
three months walking to reach that town. After one month
walking with his nineteen friends they became tired and
returned. But they did not lose hope.
There was a plane belonging to missionaries that would
fly to Weimena, and they tried to go with it. In order to be
allowed to board they changed their names. They went to the
village office bringing their photos. Zainuddin changed his name
with Marcus, and Fadlan himself changed it with Leo Gramatan.
They bought tickets and were allowed to board the plane. It
took only 45 minutes to get to Weimena by plane. They took
with them seven cartons of bath soaps, seven cartons of
toothpastes, seven cartons of shampos, and seven sacks of
clothes to be distributed among people there.
In Weimena they were welcomed by the locals who had
never used soap or shampoo, and they only used lard. They
taught their tribal leader to take a bath in the river using soap
and shampoo that he felt very fresh and went to sleep from 3
o’clock in the evening and woke up at 9 o’clock the next
morning. Br. Fadlan with his team came to teach them how to
take bath using soap and shampoo. There were 3,217 people
from 28 villages came to bathe in the river. The soaps were
divided into four, and they took turns bathing, starting at early
morning till noon, continued after Br. Fadlan and his team had
finished their ẓuhr (afternoon) prayer on a stage they had built
earlier by the river.
While praying the locals walked around them to see what
they were doing. After prayer the tribal chief jumped onto the
stage and asked questions. Br. Fadlan explained that in Islam a
Muslim had to pray five times a day, and he and his team had
 116

just finished praying. He gave acceptable answers to his

questions. He said:
“Raising hands indicates our total surrender to God the
Creator. We talked to Him acknowleging that He is extremely
great, and we are extremely small, we put our left hand on our
chest, and our right hand on our left hand indicating our
shame, and honestly accepting whatever He wants with us, as
we have surrendered ourselves to Him, body and soul.”
“Oooooh, this is the right religion,” said the tribal chief.
When he asked why they bowed down, Br. Fadlan said:
“We bow down so that we can see the sand, the stone,
the plants, and the animals, all are created by God for the
benefit of human beings.”
“Aaaaah, you are right,” said the tribal chief.
When he asked why they kissed the board when they
prostrated, Br. Fadlan answered:
“We kissed the board as we were weeping for all bad
deeds and sins whe have committed, so that we lowered our
head asking for His forgiveness. When we die our body will
decay, and before it happens we weep asking for His
forgiveness.”
When he asked why they looked to the right and to the
left while they were talking, Br. Fadlan said:
“We looked to the right side to see if any of our brothers
and sisters have not taken their baths yet, so that we can teach
him or her to do so, and we looked to the left side to see if any
of them is still without clothes so that we could clothe him, or
is sick so that we can treat him, or is hungry so that we can feed
him, and in this way our relation with our Creator will continue,
as well as our relation with our fellow creatures, so that we
keep this world in peace to worship God, Allah the Almighty.”
The tribal chief asked Br. Fadlan and his team to go down
the stage and six chiefs of the tribe went to the stage. They
made a traditional meeting to discuss Br. Fadlan’s presence and
 117

his team. One hour and a half later the tribal chief gave
announcement to his people with their tribal language
unknown to Br. Fadlan. The translation of this announcement is
as follows: “Today we are happy that they have come to teach
us the right religion.” On hearing this good news Br. Fadlan and
his team prostrated themselves thanking Allah for their
conversion, and 3,217 people pronounced the shahādah.
One week after pronouncing the shahādah their names
were changed, such as Paulus became Ibrahim, and Wilhelmus
became Abu Bakar. Next, mass circumscision between the age
of seven months to sixty-three years old. There was a physician
called dr Mulia Tirmidhi who was a commander of Lantamal
(Main Base of Indonesian Navy) at Jayapura, assited them in
mass circumcision and propagating Islam in that area. Then he
gave a written recommendation to meet President Suharto in
Jakarta. Beforen traveling these tribal chiefs were wearing long
pants with shirts and suits, but were unable to have shoes, as
the size of their feet was too big ( size 47, about 12 inch), so
that they wore sandals with thongs, and off they flied to
Makassar. They witnessed the construction development in
that city, and then they flied further to Jakarta, where they
arrived at night. When they saw the flashing lights they started
blaming President Suharto for neglecting them. Br. Fadlan told
them to complain to the President when they meet him, and no
need to be fussy inside the car.
The next day President Suharto welcomed them, not in
the Presidential Palace, but in his house. He smiled, hugged
them and welcomed them, and gave them some advice. He
asked them to deliver a speech in return. One of them said in
his local language:
“You are not suitable to be president. What kind of
president are you? You only develop Makassar and Jakarta. In
the coming election I shall speak out to people, so that you Haji
Suharto will not be elected any longer to be president.”
 118

Suharto asked Br. Fadlan to translate the speech. Here is

his translation: “Today, the tribal chiefs are happy to meet you.
They said that you are suitable to be Bapak Pembanguan (‘the
Father of National Development).’”
With this strategy, President Suharto called directly the
Minister of Religious Affairs to arrange ḥajj (pilgrimage to
Makkah) for the tribal chiefs. He also called the Minister of
Social Affairs to build 412 units of houses for them, to give
them 1000 sacks of new clothes, as well as 600 cartons of
shampoo, tooth past, and tooth brushes. He also
recommended them to use the Hercules planes from Halim
Perdanakusuma airport in Jakarta to Weimena. With his own
Yayasan (social foundation) he donated 28 mosques for the
Muslims there. Its location is two days walk from Weimena. He
had also donated 400 mosques in Nu waar (Irian, West Papua).
Br. Fadlan continued his propagation journey to Biak.
After five days preaching he met a clergyman, who told him not
to talk about Islam in that area. But Br. Fadlan told him that
Islam had come first to this land, and he had no right to
prohibit him from preaching. He said that Irian (West Papua)
had been bought by Jesus Christ. When Br. Fadlan asked him,
“Then where is the receipt from Jesus?” he was ashamed and
went away.
After three months propagating there a celebration of
isrā-mi‘rāj (the Prophet’s ascention) was held and Br. Fadlan
was invited to deliver a speech on that occasion at Dharma
Wanita building, Biak Lumpur regency. One of the invited
guests was the clergyman Alexander. When Br. Fadlan saw him
sitting at the front raw, he changed the topic of his speech. The
original topic of his speech was the significance of prayer for
human beings, and he changed it with that there was no
religion with special privilege by Allah for people except Islam.
Then Br. Fadlan stressed the importance of prayer. He
said that a person who missed the fajr (dawn) prayer, the ẓuhr
 119

(early afternoon) prayer, ‘āṣr (early evening) prayer, maghrib

(early evening) prayer, and ‘ishā’ (night) prayer, would be in a
grave loss, worse than losing his home, or his wealth being
stolen, and this is found only in Islam. Our brother belonging to
another religion said that the duty of God was only to create
the world and its contents, and then He took rest in Heaven.
After that, God did not have anything to do with the affairs of
the world.
After delivering the speech the glergyman approached
him telling him that he was also invited, and that he was
offended wih his speech. Br. Fadlan told him that he was
invited to give a speech for Muslims, not for non Muslims, and
did not know he was there. The clergyman offered him to
conduct an interreligious dialogue, but Br. Fadlan rejected it,
because he said that the followers of each party might create
conflict. If the dialogue has to be done, it should be with two
conditions: (1) between the two persons only, in a rented
room with AC and two beds, and at the clergyman’s expense;
(2) the dialogue will be exclusively on the Bible and Christianity,
not on the Qur’ān and Islam. If the Bible indicates that
Christianity is the right religion, Br. Fadlan will agree be taken
to the Church to be baptised, and then it will be announced
that Ustadh1 Fadlan has become Christian. But if the Bible and
the Christianity indicate that Islam is the right religion, the
clergyman Alexander will become Muslim, not at Biak, but in
Jakarta, and Br. Fadlan will give him the facility needed for his
conversion to Islam in Jakarta. That night the dialoge started
after ‘ishā prayer.
The clergyman Alexander came to pick up Br. Fadlan with
a car where it was written Laskar Kristus (“Christ’s paramilitary
1
The term ustadh is originally from Arabic ‫أُسْ َتاذ‬, meaning “master; high
school teacher; a form of address to intellectuals (lawyers, journalists,
officials, writers, and poets)”; it also means “full professor, professor
(academic title).” It is commonly used in English like “Mr, and sir,” so
that “Ustadh Fadlan” here corresponds to English “Mr. Fadlan.”
 120

unit”). Br. Fadlan got into the car citing Bismillāh majrehā wa
ِ َ ‫( ِبسْ ِم‬, meaning “In the name of Allah
mursāhā )‫ّللا َمجْ َرا َها َومُرْ َسا َها‬
will be its (moving) course, and its (resting) anchorage,” (Q.
11:41). He was referring to Prophet Noah’s supplication when
he boarded his ship. With this supplication Br. Fadlan expected
to collapse “the Christ’s paramilitary unit” that night.
When they reached the hotel they started the dialogue.
Following Br. Fadlan’s suggestion, as a host the clergyman
Alexander started his prayer, as follows: “Our Father who art in
Heaven, hallowed be thy name, on earth as it is in heaven [See
Matthew 6: 9-10]. Thank you for introducing me to a lost sheep,
which I wish to convert in your name Jesus the Saviour the
everlasting.”
Br. Fadlan made his ḍu‘ā which was a ruqyah2
(supplication for the purpose of self-protection against magic,
etc) by citing sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ (Q. 112:1-4), sūrat al-Falaq (Q.
113:1-5), concluded with sūrat al-Fātiḥah (Q. 1:1-7). Then he
said: “Please explain to me what date and where the Bible was
revealed and what did Jesus say when he received the Bible,
and I want to know where it is written in Paul, Mark, John,
Isaiah, and Deuteronomy.” After opening the Bible the
clergyman Alexander said that he could not find it.
(CIVIC, 27 January, 2017)
Sources:
Dakwah di Bumi Papua, a video lecture published on July 4,
2013
5/inspiration-day-berdakwah-lewat-sabun-mandi

2
It is the recitation of the Qur’an, seeking of refuge, remembrance and
supplications that are used as a means of treating magic, sicknesses and
other problems.
 121

21. FADLAN GRAMATAN (3)

Br. Fadlan said: “If you read the whole Bible carefully, you
will find information there that a prophet would come who
would be taught a book and would be asked to read, but he
would say ‘I cannot read.’1 He then asked him to open Proverbs
15:29, and it said: “The Lord is far from the wicked but he hears
the prayer of the righteous.” So, the Lord hears the prayer,
whereas Jesus prayed when he was on the cross, saying, "Eloi,
Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, “My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me?”2 This indicates that as he prayed
he was not God, as God accepts prayers, and He does not pray.
The dialogue lasted till 2.00 a.m. and the glergyman
suggested to end the dialogue, as he had to go the Church the
morning of the next day. They went to bed. Apparently, the
clergyman did not sleep, but was trying to hypnotise Br. Fadlan,
praying while moving his hands towards him. Br. Fadlan did not
keep silent under his bed cover; he cited āyat al-kursī and then
blew towards him. Br. Fadlan woke up for fajr (dawn) prayer,
whereas the clergyman overslept.
After performing the fajr prayer Br. Fadlan woke him up.
He woke up, took a bath, got dressed, but with normal clothes,
not ministry gown with long sleves, and went to the church. In
1
He was referring to Isaiah 29:12 which reads, “Or of you give the scroll
to someone who cannot read, and say, ‘Read this, please,’ he will
answer, ‘I don’t know how to read.’” (Holy Bible, New International
Version). This was what Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. said ( ‫ َما‬, ‫ارئ‬ ِ ‫َما أ َنا ِب َق‬
‫)أَ ْق َرأ‬when he was told by the archangel Gibrael to read when he was in
the cave of Ḥirā’. Then it was revealed to him, ‫ َخلَ َق‬. ‫ِّك الَّذِي َخلَ َق‬ َ ‫ا ْق َر ْأ ِباسْ ِم َرب‬
5-1:‫ان َما لَ ْم َيعْ لَ ْم (العلق‬ َ ‫ ا ْق َر ْأ َو َرب‬.‫ان مِنْ َعلَق‬
َ ‫ َعلَّ َم ْاْلِ ْن َس‬. ‫ الَّذِي َعلَّ َم ِب ْال َقلَ ِم‬.‫ُّك ْاْلَ ْك َرم‬ ِْ )
َ ‫اْل ْن َس‬
“Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists). He has
created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulagted blood). Read! And
your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught (the writin) by the pen.
He has taught man that which he knew not.” (Q. 96:1-5)
2
Jesus said this after his being 9 hours on the cross. See Matthew 27:46
and Mark 15:34.
 122

the church he said: “Brothers, servants of God, this is the last

time you will see me standing in this place,” then he ran away.
Br. Fadlan contacted his friends, took every precaution to
protect him and his family, and then they fled from Biak to
Jayapura, and then they flied to Jakarta. From there they went
to the Islamic Village at Tangerang where they pronounced the
shahādah3 before Br. Yunan Nasution. Then he was sent to
Egypt to study for six years. When he returned he and his wife
performed the ḥajj (pilgrimage to Makkah). Upon his return Br.
Fadlan took him to Makassar for sight-seeing. From there they
board on ship to Biak.
When they arrive at Biak, the former clergyman
Alexander, endowed 2 hectars of his land where a mosque to
be built. After the completion of the mosque, he said that along
the road, a gate should be made to stop all vehicles from
passing when the adhān was being called until it was over.
Br. Alesander passed away while prostrating in the fajr
prayer. It was the time he closer to Allah. The Prophet said:
‫أَ ْق َرب َما َيكون ْال َعبْد مِنْ َر ِّب ِه َوه َو َسا ِجد َفأ َ ْكثِروا‬
)‫ال ُّد َعا َء (رواه مسلم و أبو داؤد و النسائي‬
The servant is closest to his Lord when he is
prostrating (in prayer). So, make more supplications in
it. (Reported by Muslim, Abū Dā’ūd and al-Nasā’ī)
After the prayer, he was buried through funeral
procedure. Three of his children were being sent to Sudan and
Baḥrayn to learn about Islam there. After their return they
would assist Br. Fadlan propagating Islam in West Papua.
In propagating Islam in West Papua Br. Fadlan faced many
problems and dangers, among which is as follows: In 1994
between Mapenduma and Timika he came with eight da’is
(Islamic propagators) to a village for propagation. Suddenly an
3
The testimony that “there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah” pronounced by the person who converts to Islam.
 123

arrow hit his hand, without knowing why he was shot with an
arrow. He removed the arrow, burned a knife and applied it to
the wound to neutralize the poison from the arrow. Then he
went to the doctor in Timika, four days away on foot. The man
who shot him with his arrow eventually became Muslim.
Besides local da’is, some of them come from Garut,
Tasikmalaya (West Java), Lamongan, Gresik (East Java),
Makassar, and other places. About 220 tribes there have
converted to Islam. The language of communication was
Indonesian, although it would be better to communite with
local languages, but there are 234 languages in West Papua. Br.
Fadlan himself miraculously can communicate in 49 languages,
including the languages of Kokoda, Kaimana, Waimena, Asmat,
Babo, and Irarutu. This apparently hard to believe, but unlike
Western languages which have complicated grammar, these
languages like Indonesian and other tribal languages they have
simple grammar, so that they can be learned easily.
An Islamic propagator from East Java would like to join Br.
Fadlan in his da‘wah (call to Islam) in Wes Papua. After walking
12 days they reached their destination. But after three months,
nobody converted to Islam. Br. Fadlan told him, that it might be
because he did not have right intention when he started the
journey. He admitted and tried to improve his intention. Br.
Fadlan suggested him to marry a local girl. He said that first he
would make salat istikhārah4. After one week of praying

4
It is a kind of prayer where we ask Allah to guide us on something we
are not sure in our choice. The Prophet said: , “If anyone of you thinks of
doing any job he should offer a two raka‘ats prayer other then the
compulsory ones and say (after the prayer): ‫ِك َوأَسْ َت ْقدِر َك‬ َ ‫اللَّه َّم إِ ِّني أَسْ َتخِير َك ِبع ِْلم‬
ِ ‫ت َع ََّّلم ْالغيو‬
‫ب اللَّه َّم‬ َ ‫ك َت ْقدِر َو َل أَ ْقدِر َو َتعْ لَم َو َل أَعْ لَم َوأَ ْن‬ َ ‫ك مِنْ َفضْ ل َِك ْال َعظِ ِيم َفإِ َّن‬ َ ‫ك َوأَسْ أَل‬َ ‫ِبق ْد َر ِت‬
‫مْري َفا ْقدرْ ه لِي َو َيسِّرْ ه لِي ث َّم‬ َ َ َ
َ ‫ت َتعْ لَم أنَّ َه َذا ْاْل‬ َ ‫إِنْ ك ْن‬
ِ ‫مْر َخيْر لِي فِي دِينِي َو َم َعاشِ ي َو َعا ِق َب ِة أ‬
َ َ َ
‫مْري َفاصْ ِر ْفه َع ِّني‬ ِ ‫ت َتعْ لَم أنَّ َه َذا ْاْلمْ َر َشر فِي دِينِي َومَعَاشِ ي َو َعا ِق َب ِة أ‬ َ ‫اركْ لِي فِي ِه َوإِنْ ك ْن‬ ِ ‫َب‬
َ ‫‘ َواصْ ِر ْفنِي َع ْنه َوا ْقدرْ ل َِي ْال َخي َْر َحيْث َك‬O Allah! I ask guidance from
‫ان ث َّم ارْ ضِ نِي بِ ِه‬
Your knowledge, And Power from Your Might and I ask for Your great
blessings. You are capable and I am not. You know and I do not and You
 124

istikhārah, he said that he got guidance through a white light.

Br. Fadlan said that it was an indication that he had to marry a
local girl. He found a girl, took her to Java, where she learned
about Islam, got married there and returned to West Papua.
Br. Fadlan established a social-propagation institution
called Al Fatih Kaafah Nusantara (AFKN) at Bekasi, Jakarta.
Among its program in the field of propagation are:
- Constructing Muslim settlements where Islamic shari’ah
would be implemented at Kaimanja, South Sorong, Teluk
Bintuni and Teluk Wondama. Suitable houses, bridges,
mosques, electricity, clean water, and toilets will be
provided, as well as free health services, and means for
economic activity.
- Building mosques in the hinterlands of Nu waar (West
Papua). Until now, more than 300 mosques have been built
from dontions of Muslims through AFKN.
Among AFKN’s programs in the field of education are:
– Sending children of poor people and converts to educational
institutions outside West Papua, so that they would get rid
of their old bad habits.
– Giving routine guidance to children sent to school by AFKN.
There are now 2200 of them, from elementary schools to
universities.
- Giving scholarship from donations by Muslims though AFKN.

know the unseen. O Allah! If You know that this job [i.e., the marriage] is
good for my religion and my subsistence and in my Hereafter–(or said: If
it is better for my present and later needs)–Then You ordain it for me and
make it easy for me to get, And then bless me in it, and if You know that
this job [i.e., the marriage] is harmful to me In my religion and
subsistence and in the Hereafter–(or said: If it is worse for my present
and later needs)–Then keep it away from me and let me be away from it.
And ordain for me whatever is good for me, And make me satisfied with
it.The Prophet added that then the person should name (mention) his
need.
 125

- Giving opportunity to study abroad, such as in the

MiddleEast and Asia. There are now 24 students from West
Papua who are studying in Makkah and Madinah.
In the field of Social Welfare the AFKN’s programs are:
- Sending every three months: usable clothes, the Qur’ān,
Iqra’ booklets (for learning to read the Qur’ān), books on
Islam, bulletins, bath soaps, Islamic propagation,
toothpastes, toothbrushes, shampoos, sewing machines,
domes for mosques, water pumping machines, pipes, etc.
They are all sent to Muslim comumities in West Papua who
live in hinterlands through the representatives of the AFKN
in these areas.
- Providing facility in building houses, having clean water and
electricity for Muslim settlements left behind.
- Working side by side with Waqf al-Qur’ān body in building a
microhydroelectric generator for settlements which have no
electricity.
Among the donations received by AFKN are: A ship from
Jakarta, a ship bought from donations in Tangerang, a ship from
Malaysia, a ship from the Netherlands, a plane from Qatar, and
in 2009 there were 6 million jilbabs (long, flowing outer
garments) to be distributed among people in the hinterlands.
Among the achievements of Br. Fadlan and his AFKN are:
- Teaching tibb nabawi (Medicine of the Prophet) in the
hinterlands, so that malaria infection became decreased.
- Building boats in Tangerang and sending them to West
Papua for fishing.
- A leader of the separative movement PM (Papua Merdeka)
after listening to the da’wah became Muslim.
- After 19 years of preaching many people of West Papua
converted to Islam, 45 % of its local population, and 65 % if
new comers are included.
- There are over nine hundred mosques in West Papua.
 126

- Br. Fadlan sent soaps, sarongs, mukena (white cloak

covering a woman’s head and worn at prayer), copies of the
Qur’ān, prayer rugs, and clothes to West Papua. There are
about 29 tons of clothes sent to West Papua in a year.
- Sending over 1,400 children from West Papua to schools
free of charge. They were sent to pesantrens (Islamic
religious institutions) in Java, Sumatra, and Sulawesi. They
continued their studies in universities in the country as well
as abroad, and 29 of them have obtained masters degree.
- The Depatment of Religious Affairs has appointed
personnels to give information about Islam in West Papua.
- In February 2012, a tribal chief of Asmat village and his wife
embraced Islam; 1800 heads of family in his village also
become Muslims. Br. Fadlan went there with his team to
conduct mass circumsicion for about 8 000 people.
- In 2010 Br. Fadlan walked from Weimena to a hinterland to
bring clothes which takes ten days to reach it.
It is Br. Fadlan Gramatan’s wishes that by 2020 the vast
majority of the inhabitants of West Papua become Muslims,
so that the area would be nicknamed “serambi Madinah”
(“the veranda of Madinah”) competing Acheh in North
Sumatra nicknamed by the Indonesians “serambi Makkah”
(“the Veranda of Makkah”).
(CIVIC, 3 February, 2017)
Sources:
Dakwah di Bumi Papua, a video lecture published on July 4,
2013
5/inspiration-day-berdakwah-lewat-sabun-mandi
https://dakwahafkn.wordpress.com/tentang-kami/program-
kerja-afkn/
http://www.santripos.com/2014/03/ust-fadlan-garamatan-
berdakwah-ke.html
https://jejakrina.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/berdakwah-di-
papua-luaarr-biasa-nikmatnya/
 127

22. COMMENTARY OF SŪRAT AL-‘AṢR (Q. 103)

This sūrat al-‘Aṣr (chapter 103) was a Makkan one,
revealed at Makkah, namely, before the Prophet’s migration to
Madīnah. It consists of three verses, and has been explained
briefly here in my khuṭbah on 11th of March, 2016. A
comprehensive interpretation of it is given here, as follows:
‫ينِآ َم ُنواِ َو َعملُوا‬
َِ ‫ِإّلِِالذ‬.ِ‫انِلَفيِ ُخسْ ر‬ َِ ‫ِإنِِ ْاْل ْن َس‬.ِ‫َو ْال َعصْ ر‬
ِ )3-1‫ص ْواِبالصبْرِِ(العصر‬ َ ‫اص ْواِب ْال َحقِِ َو َت َوا‬
َ ‫الصال َحاتِِ َو َت َو‬
By al-‘asr (the time) Verily, man is in loss. Except
those who believe and do righteous good deeds,
and recommend one another to the truth and
recommend one another to patience (Q. 103:1-3)
M. Pickthall’s translation:
By the declining day, Lo! man is in a state of loss, Save
those who believe and do good works, and exhort one
another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
A.Y. Ali’s translation:
By (the token of) Time (through the Ages), Verily Man is
in loss, Except such as have Faith, and do righteous
deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of
Truth, and of Patience and Constancy.
His introduction to this early Makkah sūrah, is that it
“refers to the testimony of Time through the Ages. All history
shows that Evil came to an evil end. But Time is always in
favour of those who have Faith, live clean and pure lives, and
knows how to wait, in patience and constancy.”
Muhammad Asad’s translation:
Consider the flight of time! Verily, man is bound to lose
himself unless he be of those who attain to faith and do
good works, and enjoin upon one another the keeping
of the truth, and enjoin upon one another patience in
adversity.
 128

The commentary:
ِ‫َو ْال َعصْ ر‬
“By the (token of) time”; “by the declining day”
Asad’s commentary of the term ‘aṣr is as follows: “The
term ‘aṣr denotes ‘time’ that is measurable, consisting of a
succession of periods (in distinction from dahr, which signifies
‘unlimited time’, without beginning or end: i.e., ‘time
absolute’). Hence, ‘aṣr bears the connotation of the passing or
the flight of time—time which can never be recaptured.” The
right view according to al-Țabarī is that Allah swore with al-‘aṣr,
namely, the passage of time, whether the evening, the night or
the day, and it included any of these times.
Al-Qurṭubī and others mention various and different
opinions of early Qur’ān commentators on the meanings of the
term ‘aṣr and the above verses, as follows:
1. Ibn ‘Abbās and others: it is like ‫( الدهْر‬al-dahr), namely,
unlimited time, eternity, such as in the following poetryِ of
al-Wa’wā’ al-Diqshī (‫)الوأواءِالدقشي‬:
‫لِ ْال َه َوى َوعْ ر ٌَو َبحْ ر ُْال َه َوى َغ ْم ُِر* َو َي ْو ُِمِا ْل َه َوىِ َش ْه ٌِرِ َو َش ْهر ُْال َه َوىِدَهْ ُِر‬
ُِ ‫َسبي‬
The path of love is rough, the sea of love is overflowing, the
day of love is a month, and the month of love is eternity.
Ibn ‘Abbās says further that Allah swore by time because
there were many warning examples and wonders in it. The
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬saidِon the authority of Abū Hurayrah:
ُِ ‫ّللا ُِ َيسُبِِ َب ُنوِآ َد َِمِالدهْ َِرِ َوأَ َناِالدهْ ُِرِب َيديِالل ْي‬
)‫لِ َوالن َها ُِرِ(رواهِالبخاري‬ ِ ِ‫ل‬ َِ ‫َقا‬
Allah said: “The sons of Adam curse Time, for
I am [the Creator of] Time, night and day are
in My Hands.” (Reported by al-Bukhārī)
In another ḥadīth the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬also said:
ِ )‫ّلَِ َتسُبواِالدهْ َِرِ َفإنِِّللاَِِه َُِوِالدهْ ُِرِ(رواهِمسلم‬
ِ
Do not curse Time, for verily, Allah is [the
Creator of] Time (Reported by Muslim)
 129

This is because people in pre-Islamic Arabia were used to

associate calamity and accidents with Time, as if it was the
cause of these calamities, whereas in fact they are all Allah’s
divine decrees. It is like saying, “His suffering will be cured
by the passing of time.” It is Allah Who cured, not time.
However, it is also reported that, according to Ibn ‘Abbās,
it also means “a part of the times of the day” (ِ‫ساعةِمنِساعات‬
‫)النهار‬. Therefore, the oath of Allah with time, means a
warning with the vicissitude of time indicating the existence
of the creator, Allah.
2. Al-Ḥasan, Mālik, and Qatādah: It is ِ‫ال َعشي‬, ْ namely, between
noon and sunset. It is also reported that according to
Qatādah it is the last part of the day-time. Here Allah swore
by the evening, as He swore by the forenoon, when He said:
ِ)1:‫“ َوالضّحىِ(الضّحى‬By the forenoon” (Q. 93:1).
3. The term ‘aṣr is applied to the day time as well as the night
time, the morning as well as the evening.
4. Muqātil: it means the ‘aṣr (evening) prayer. Allah swears by
it, because of its merit. Allah says in the Qur’an:
ُ ‫َحاف‬
ِِ)832:‫ِ(البقرة‬...ِ‫ظواِ َعلَىِالصلَ َواتِِ َوالص ََلةِِ ْالوُ سْ َطى‬
Guard strictly (five obligatory) prayers especially the
middle prayer (i.e., the best prayer – ‘asr)…(Q. 2:238)
In a ḥadīth narrated by Abū Hurayrah that the Prophet
(‫ )ﷺ‬said:
ِ‫صَلَِةُِ ْال َعصْ ر‬
َ ِ‫الصَلَِةُِالوُ سْ َطى‬
The middle prayer is the ‘asr prayer.1
‘Ali said that the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬missed the ‘asr prayer on
the day of the Khandaq campaign until after sunset; then the
Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said:

1
There are seven views about what is meant by ‫( الصَلَةِِ ْالوُ سْ َطى‬the middle
prayer): ‘asr (evening) prayer; ẓuhr (afternoon) prayer; maghrib (after
sunset) prayer; fajr (dawn) prayer; one of the five-daily prayers; Jum ‘ah
(Friday) prayer; and congregational prayer of any obligatory prayer.
 130

‫ُورهُمِ َناراِِ َش َغلُو َنا‬ ِ َِ ‫ل‬

َ ‫ّللا ُِقُلُو َبهُمِ َوقُب‬ ِ ‫َماِلَهُمِ َم‬
ُِ‫َعنِِالصَلَةِِ ْالوُ سْ َطىِ َحتىِ َغا َبتِِالش ْمس‬
Why Allah has fill their hearts and their graves
with fire, they have distracted us from performing
the middle prayer until the sun sets.
5. The term ‘aṣr is applied to the time of the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬.
Allah swore by the Prophet’s time for its merit wherein
prophethood was revived, and swore by his place in the
Qur’ān, as follows:
)8-1:‫تِحلِِبه َذاِ ْال َبلَدِِ(البلد‬ َِ ‫ّلِأ ُ ْقس ُِمِبه َذاِ ْال َبلَدِِ َوأَ ْن‬
I swear by this city (Makkah), and you are free (from
sin, and to punish the enemies of Islam on the day of
the Conquest) in this city (Makkah). (Q. 90:1-2)2
6. The term ‫"( َو ْال َعصْ ر‬By the time") means ِ‫“( ِِ َو َربِِ ْال َعصْ ر‬By the
Lord of time”)
7. Mālik ibn Sa‘d: The term ‘aṣr means one year. He said that if
someone swore not to talk to a man for an ‘aṣr he would
not talk to him for a year.
َّ‫انَّلَفِيِ ُخ إسر‬
ََّ ‫س‬ َ ‫إِنََّّ إاْلِ إن‬
“Verily, man is in loss; Lo! man is in a state of loss”
1. Ibn ‘Abbās: it means that non-believers are in loss. It was
specially directed to a group of idolaters: al-Walīd in
Mughīrah, al-‘Āṣ ibn Wā’il, al-Aswad ibn ‘Abd Al-Muṭṭalib ibn
Asad ibn ‘Abd al-‘Uzzā, and al-Asad ibn ‘Abd Yaghūth. Then
the meaning becomes man in general, especially non-
believers
These non-believers will be in a state of loss with
punishment for losing their family and place in Paradise, or

2
After the conquest of Makkah it became a sanctuary. Ibn ‘Abbās
narrated that the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said on the day of the conquest of
Makkah: “Allah has made this town a sanctuary. Its thorny bushes should
not be cut, its game should not be chased, and its fallen things should
not be picked up except by one who would announce it publicly.”
(Reported by al-Bukhārī)
 131

the decrease of man’s good deeds after becoming old and

dead.
2. It means that man in general, namely, mankind is ‫( لَفيِ َغبْن‬in
a state of being fraudulent, deceived, in error).
3. Al-Akhfash: man is in a state of being in ‫( َهلَ َكة‬total loss, ruin,
disaster, danger)
4. Al-Farrā’: man is in a state of being punished )‫(لَفيْ ِ ُعقُ ْو َبة‬.
There a verse in the Qur’ān where the term ‫( ُخسْ ر‬loss)
means ‫( ُعقُ ْو َبة‬punishment), namely,
ِ )9:‫كانِعاق َب ُِةِأَمْرهاِ ُخسْ راِِ)الطَلق‬ َِ ‫ِ َو‬...
…, and the consequence of its affair (disbelief)
was loss [destruction in this life and an eternal punishment
in the Hereafter] (Q. 65:9)
5. Ibn Yazīd: man is ِ‫( لَفي ِ َشر‬in a state of being in mischief,
calamity, disaster; harm, damage; wickedness; vice, sin).
6. (Unknown): man is ِ‫( لَفي ِ َن ْقص‬in a state of loss, diminution,
deficit, shortage, blemish, deficiency, imperfection).
Al-Qurṭubī says that all these interpretations are close to
each other.
َِّ ‫ِينَّآ َم ُنواَّ َو َع ِملُوا الصال َِحا‬
‫ت‬ ََّ ‫إِّلََّّالذ‬
“Except those who believe and do
righteous deeds (good works)”
1. Ibn ‘Abbās: except those who believe in Muhammad s.a.w.
and the Qur’ān, and obey their Lord.
2. Mujāhid: except those who believe in Allah and declare Him
to be one, and obey Him, do good deeds, carry out what He
enjoins, and avoid what He prohibits.
َّ‫ص إواِ ِبا إل َحق‬
َ ‫َو َت َوا‬
“and recommend one another to the truth”
1. Qatādah and al-Ḥasan: they recommend one another to
the necessity of applying what Allah revealed in His Book,
obeying His command and avoiding what He prohibited.
So, “the truth” here is “the Book of Allah”.
 132

2. Ibn ‘Abbās: the term “the truth” here means ‫( الت ْوحِْيد‬belief
in the oneness of Allah).
3. Al-Suddī: the term “the truth” is Allah the Almighty.
َ ‫َو َت َوا‬
‫ص إواَّ ِبالص إب َِّر‬
and recommend one another to patience
1. Qatādah and al-Ḥasan: the term “patience” means “obeying
Allah.”
2. Ibn ‘Abbās: it means recommend one another to patience in
carrying out Allah’s ordinance and avoiding disobedience
against Him, and be patient in facing calamities and
disasters.
In conclusion, here is al-Khāzin’s commentary in his tafsir:
Human beings are always in loss, and waste their times, as
every time passed would be either in obeying or disobeying
Allah. In disobeying Allah the loss is clear and self-evident,
while in obeying Allah they are also in loss compared to those
who obeyed Allah more and better. Moreover, it is said that
men’s love for worldly matters instead of seeking salvation in
the Hereafter would render them in loss by wasting their lives.
If men here are the non-believers, the believers would not be in
loss, as their lives spent in obeying Allah, they would get
reward for it. If men in general become old, their condition
would deteriorate, except believers and do good deeds, as they
would get the rewards of their deeds in the Hereafter.
(CIVIC, 10 February, 2017)ِ
:‫المراجع‬
‫المكتبةِالشاملة‬
(‫ِهـ‬313ِ.‫تفسيرِالطبريِ(ت‬
( ‫ِهـ‬171ِ.‫تفسيرِالقرطبىِ(ت‬
َّ (‫ِهـ‬777ِ.‫تفسيرِابنِكثيرِ(ت‬
ِ )‫ِم‬127ِ-ِ119ِ/ِ‫ِهـ‬12ِ-ِ‫ِقِهـ‬3(ِ‫تفسيرِابنِعباس‬
ِ )‫م‬1371-1823ِ/ِ‫ِهـ‬771-172(ِ‫تفسير الخازن‬
Muhammad Asad. The Message of Islam.
Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall. The Glorious Qur’an.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali. The Meaning of the Holy Qur’an. ِ ِ
 133

23. COMMENTARY OF SŪRAT AL-MĀ‘ŪN (Q. 107)

This sūrat al-Mā‘ūn (Qur’ān, chapter 107) was a Makkan
one, revealed in in Makkah, before the Prophet’s migration to
Madinah. It consists of seven verses. The commentary of this
chapter is as follows:
َ َ‫لَ َي ُحض‬ َ َ ‫َ َو‬.َ‫كَالَّذِيَ َي ُدعََ ْال َيتِي ََم‬ َِ ‫ْتَالَّذِيَ ُي َك ِّذبََُ ِبال ِّد‬
ََ ِ‫َ َف َذل‬.َ‫ين‬ ََ ‫أَ َرأَي‬
ََ ‫ص ََلت ِِه َْمَ َساه‬
َ .‫ُون‬ َ ََْ‫ِينَ ُه َْمَ َعن‬ ََ ِّ‫صل‬
ََ ‫َالَّذ‬.‫ين‬ َ ‫َََ َف َويْلََل ِْل ُم‬.‫ِين‬ َِ ‫امَ ْالمِسْ ك‬َِ ‫َعلَىَ َط َع‬
َ )7-1:‫ُون‬ ََ ‫ُونَ( ْال َماع‬ ََ ‫ُونَ ْال َماع‬ ََ ‫َ َو َيمْ َنع‬.‫ُون‬ََ ‫ِينَ ُه َْمَي َُراء‬ََ ‫الَّذ‬
Have you seen him who denies the Recompense? That is
he who repulses the orphan (harshly), And urges not on the
feeding of the needy, So, woe to those performers of Ṣalāt
(prayers) (hypocrites), Those who delay their Ṣalāt, Those
who do good deeds only to be seen (of men), And
withhold al-Mā‘ūn (small kindness like
salt, sugar, water) (Q. 107:1-7)
(The Noble Qur’ān: Ministry of Islamic Affairs,
Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
The name of the surah, namely al-Mā‘ūn, is translated by
Pickthall, Ali, and Asad as “small kindness,” “the neighbourly
needs,” and “assistance” respectively.
The commentary:
َِ ‫ْتَالَّذِيَ ُي َك ِّذبََُ ِبال ِّد‬
‫ين‬ ََ ‫أَ َرأَي‬
Have you seen him who denies the Recompense?
M.M. Pickthall: “Hast thou observed him who belieth religion?”
A.Y. Ali: “See you one who denies the Judgment (to come)?”
M. Asad: “Hast thou ever considered [the kind of man] who
gives the lie to all moral law?”
As the term dīn means “religion, recompense and
judgment” each of the above translators used one of them,
except Asad, who translates it “all moral law” and explains his
reason, namely, “that there is any objective validity in religion
as such and, thus in the concept of moral law (which is one of
the primary connotation of the term dīn…. Some commentators
 134

are of the opinion that in the above context dīn signifies

‘judgement’, i.e. the Day of Judgment, and interpret this
phrase as meaning ‘who calls the Day of Judgment a lie.’” (M.
Asad, The Message of the Qur’ān, p. 979, n.1)
Who were they who denied the Recompense or
Judgement intended in this surah? (1) al-‘Āṣ ibn Wā’il al-Sahmī,
according to Ibn ‘Abbās, al-Kalbī, and Muqātil; (2) al-Walīd ibn
al-Mughīrah, according to al-Suddī; (3) ‘Amr ibn ‘Ā’id, according
to al-Ḍaḥḥāk; (4) an unidentified hypocrite, also according to
al-Ḍaḥḥāk, and Ibn ‘Abbās (5) Abū Sufyān, according to Ibn
Jurayj; he slaughtered a camel every week (?), and one day an
orphan begged him for meat, but Abū Sufyān hit him with his
stick, so, the above surah (chapter) was revealed; (6) Abū Jahl,
according to unidentified mufassir (Qur’an commentator).
َ‫كَالَّذِيَ َي ُدعََ ْال َيتِي َم‬
ََ ِ‫َف َذل‬
That is he who repulses the orphan (harshly)
M.M. Pickthall: “That is he who repelleth the orphan”
A.Y. Ali: “Then such is the (man) who repulses the orphan (with
harshness)”
M. Asad: Behold, it is this [kind of man] that thrusts the orphan
away,”
Al-Ḍaḥḥāk reported from Ibn ‘Abbās: he is the one who neglects
the orphan and deprives him from his right.
Qatādah: he is the one who subjugates and wrongs him.
They said that the Arabs in pre-Islamic Arabia did not give
share of inheritance. They said inheritance was only for
persons “who stab with spearheads and strike with swords”,
namely, for males only, not for females and children. The
Prophet mentions the merit of taking care of the orphans. He
said:
َ‫ْنَإِلَىَ َط َعا ِم َِهَ َو َش َر ِاب َِهَ َح َّتى‬
َِ ‫ْنَمُسْ لِ َمي‬ ََ ‫ض ََّمَ َيتِيمًاَ َبي‬َ ََْ‫َمن‬
)‫تَلَ َُهَ ْال َج َّن َُةَ ْال َب َّت ََةَ(رواهَالطبراني‬ َْ ‫َ َو َج َب‬،ُ‫ِيَ َع ْنه‬ ََ ‫َيسْ َت ْغن‬
Whoever takes care of an orphan of Muslim parents
with his foods and drinks until he satisfies with it
 135

Allah would definitely make Paradise

indispensable for him. (Reported by al-Ṭabrānī)
A similar ḥadīth was also reported by Imām Aḥmad.
َِ ‫امَ ْالمِسْ ك‬
‫ِين‬ َِ ‫لَ َي ُحضَ َعلَىَ َط َع‬
َ َ ‫َو‬
And urges not on the feeding of the needyَ
M.M. Pickthall: “And urgeth not the feeding of the needy”
A.Y. Ali: “And encourages not the feeding of the indigent”
M. Asad: “and feels no urge to feed the needy”
This verse means that the person does not urge people on
feeding the poor because he himself is miser and does not
believe in recompense, that good and evil deeds will be
rewarded and punished respectively. People will enter Hell
because, among other things, as mentioned in the Qur’ān,
َِ ‫عامَ ْالمِسْ ك‬
)33:‫ِينَ(الحاقة‬ َِ ‫َولَ َيحُضََ َعلىَ َط‬
… and he urged not on the feeding of the needy (Q. 69:34)
Those stingy people who ignored the poor, when they
were asked the motive of ignoring them, their answer would be
َ)37:‫ّللا َُأَ ْط َع َم َُهَ(يس‬ ََّ َ‫أَ ُن ْط ِع َُمَ َمنََْلَوََْ َيشا َُء‬
… Shall we feed those whom, if Allah willed, He
(Himself) would have fed...َ(Q. 36:47) َ
ََ ‫ص ََلت ِِه َْمَ َساه‬
‫ُون‬ ََ ‫َالَّذ‬.‫ين‬
َ ََْ‫ِينَ ُه َْمَ َعن‬ ََ ِّ‫صل‬َ ‫ َف َويْلََل ِْل ُم‬.
So, woe to those performers of Ṣalāt (prayers)
(hypocrites), Those who delay their Ṣalāt
M.M. Pickthall: “Ah, woe unto worshippers, Who are heedless of
their prayer”
A.Y. Ali: “So woe to the worshippers, Who are neglectful of their
prayer ”
M. Asad: “Woe, then, unto those praying ones, whose hearts
from their prayer are remote”
Ibn ‘Abbās reported by al-Ḍaḥḥāk -: They are people who pray
without expecting reward from their prayer, and do not
fear of any punishment by neglecting it. They are people
who delay the time of prayer. They are hypocrites who
 136

pray just to be seen. Ibn ‘Abbās says further that the term
wayl (woe) here means “a severe punishment in Hell.” َ
Al-Ḍaḥḥāk also as well as Ibrāhīm reported by al-Mughīrah:
they delay the times of prayers, they neglect them.
Ibrāhīm also: those who prostrate in prayer but they raise their
heads and turned them.
Abū ‘l-Āliyah: they do not pray on time, and they do not
perform bowing and prostration completely in their
prayer.
Quṭrub: They neither read the Qur’ān, nor remember Allah.
ََ ‫الَّذ‬
ََ ‫ِينَ ُه َْمَي َُراء‬
‫ُون‬
Those who do good deeds only to be seen (of men)
M.M. Pickthall: “Who would be seen (at worship)”
A.Y. Ali: “Those who (want but) to be seen (of men)”
M. Asad: “those who want only to be seen and praised”
The showing off is either orally or by action. Orally by
showing resentment against people whose concern is on
worldly matters (‫)أهل َالدنيا‬, and showing admonition and regret
of missing good deeds and obedience. Showing off by action is
in performing the prayer and in giving charity, or praying better
to be seen by people. A man was said to have performed a long
grateful prostration in the mosque, and it was said to him that
performing this long prostration at home would have been
better to avoid showing off.
ََ ‫ُونَ ْال َماع‬
‫ُون‬ ََ ‫َو َي ْم َنع‬
And withhold al-Mā‘ūn (small kindness
like salt, sugar, water)
M.M. Pickthall: “Yet refuse small kindness!”
A.Y. Ali: “But refuse (to supply (even) neighbourly needs.”
M. Asad: “and, withal, deny all assistance [to their fellowmen].
Asad explains the meaning of the term al-mā‘ūn as
follows: “The term al-mā‘ūn comprises the many small items
needed for one’s daily use, as well as the occasional acts of
kindness consisting in helping out one’s fellow-men with such
 137

items. In its wider sense, it denotes “aid“ or “assistance” to

people who need help.
Al-Qurṭubī mentions twelve views on this last verse, as
follows:
1. Al-mā‘ūn is the zakat of wealth, according to ‘Ali, and Ibn
‘Abbās according to al-Ḍaḥḥāk. They are the hypocrites.
The hypocrites pray in hypocrisy. Mālik said that if they
miss the prayer they would not regret for it. They refuse
to pay the zakat (the obligatory charity). Zayd ibn Aslam
said that if the prayer could be performed secretly like
paying zakat, those hypocrites would not have done it. Al-
Ṭabarī included those who said that al-mā‘ūn was the
zakat Ibn ‘Umar, Qatādah, al-Ḥasan, and Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr.
2. Al-mā‘ūn is the wealth in the Quraysh language, according
to Ibn Shihāb and Sa‘īd ibn al-Musayyab.
3. Al-mā‘ūn is household utensils, such as axes, the cooking
pots, fire, etc., according Ibn Mas‘ūd and Ibn ‘Abbās
4. Al-mā‘ūn in pre-Islamic Arabia is any useful thing, such as
an axe, a cooking pot, a leather bucket, a flint, anything
big or small.
5. Al-mā‘ūn is something borrowed, according to Mujāhid,
and reported from Ibn ‘Abbās.
6. Al-mā‘ūn is anything people are occupied with among
themselves (‫) ْال َمعْ رُوفَُ َ ُكل َُه َالَّذِي َ َي َت َعا َطاَهُ َال َّناسَُ َفِي َما َ َب ْي َنهُم‬, according
to Muḥammad ibn Ka‘b and al-Kalbī.
7. Al-mā‘ūn is water and pastureََ)ُ ‫ل‬ َ َ ‫َ( ْال َما َُءَ َو ْال َك‬
8. Al-mā‘ūn is water only.
9. Al-mā‘ūnَ is the truth, the right thing ( ‫ق‬ َِّ ‫)َ ْال َح‬
11. Al-mā‘ūn is using the benefit of wealthَ ‫َ( ْالمُسْ َت َغلَ َمِنَْ َ َم َناف َِِع‬
َِ ‫ْاْلَم َْو‬
َََََ)‫ال‬
11. Al-mā‘ūn is obedience
12. Al-mā‘ūn is probably something light and easy but made
heavy and difficult by Allah, according to al-Māwardī.
Another view is that al-mā‘ūn are three things which have
to be shared with people, namely: water, salt, fire, including
 138

(water of) the well. Ibn ‘Abbās mentioned the different views of
people about the meaning of al-mā‘ūn: zakat, obedience, and
borrowed objects.
‘Ikrimah the mawlā (freed slave) of Ibn ‘Abbās said that
the maximum of al-mā‘ūn is the zakat, and its minimum are
borrowed objects. He was asked whether the woe was to any
person who withholds (refuses) al-mā‘ūn. He replied that he
was, if he combined the three things mentioned in this sūrah,
namely, he neglected the prayer, he was a hypocrite, and was
stingy with his wealth. The following Qur’ānic verses
mentioned these qualities of the hypocrites:
ََ ُ‫َوإِذاَقامُواَإِ َلىَالصََّلَِةَقامُواَ ُكسالىَيُراؤ‬
ََ ‫نَال َّن‬
َ َ‫اس‬
َ )132:‫ِيَل َ(النساء‬ َ ً ‫لَ َقل‬ َََّ َ‫ُون‬
َ َّ ِ‫ّللاَإ‬ ََ ‫َولَ َي ْذ ُكر‬
And when they stand up for the prayer, they stand
with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not
remember Allah but little (Q. 4:142)
(43َ:‫ُون َ)التوبة‬ ََ ‫كاره‬ ِ َ‫لَ َو ُه َْم‬ َ َّ ِ‫ونَإ‬
ََ ‫َولَ ُي ْن ِف ُق‬
… and that they offer not contributions
but unwillingly (Q. 9:54)
We have seen how mufassirīn (Qur’ān commentators)
give deeper and boarder meanings of the above verses.
(CIVIC, 17 February, 2017)
:‫المراجع‬
‫َالمكتبةَالشاملة‬
)‫َهـ‬311َ.‫تفسيرَالطبريَ(ت‬
َ َ َ َ َ َ َ )َ‫َهـ‬671َ.‫تفسيرَالقرطبىَ(ت‬
)‫َهـ‬773َ.‫تفسيرَابنَكثيرَ(ت‬
َ)‫َم‬667َ-َ616َ/َ‫َهـ‬66َ-َ‫َقَهـ‬3(َ‫تفسيرَابنَعباس‬
)‫م‬1331-1261َ/َ‫َهـ‬731-676(َ‫تفسيرَالخازن‬
The Noble Qur’ān: Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia
Muhammad Asad. The Message of Islam.
Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall. The Glorious Qur’ān.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali. The Meaning of the Holy Qur’ān.َََََ
 139

24. COMMENTARY OF Q. 41:30-35 (1)

َّ‫لَّعلي ِْه َُّمَّ ْالمَلئِك َُّةَّأّلََّّتخافُواَّوّلََّّتحْ ز ُنوا‬ َُّ ‫ّللا َُّ ُثمََّّاسْ تقامُواَّتتنز‬
َّ َّ‫إِنََّّالذِينََّّقالُواَّربُّنا‬
َّ‫نَّأ ْولِياؤُ ُك َّْمَّفِيَّ ْالحياَِّةَّال ُّد ْنياَّوفِيَّ ْاْلخِرَِّةَّول ُك َّْم‬ َُّ ْ‫َّنح‬.َّ‫وأبْشِ رُواَّ ِب ْالجن َِّةَّالتِيَّ ُك ْن ُت َّْمَّ ُتوع ُدون‬
َّ ً ‫نَّق ْو‬
َّ‫ّل‬ َُّ ‫نَّأحْ س‬َّْ ‫َّوم‬.ََّّ‫ِنَّغفُورََّّرحِيم‬ َّْ ‫ّلَّم‬ َّ ً ‫َّ ُن ُز‬.َّ‫فِيهاَّماَّت ْشت ِهيَّأ ْنفُ ُس ُك َّْمَّول ُك َّْمَّفِيهاَّماَّتدعُون‬
ََّّ‫َّوّلََّّتسْ ت ِويَّ ْالحسن َُّةَّوّل‬.َّ‫ّللاَّوعمِلََّّصالِحً اَّوقالََّّإِننِيَّمِنََّّ ْالمُسْ لِمِين‬ َِّ َّ‫نَّدعاَّإِلى‬ َّْ ‫مِم‬
َّ‫َّوماَّيُلقاها‬.ََّّ‫نَّفإِذاَّالذِيَّبيْنكََّّوبيْن َُّهَّعداوةََّّكأن َُّهَّولِيََّّحمِيم‬ َُّ ‫السيِّئ َُّةَّ ْادف َّْعَّ ِبالتِيَّهِيََّّأحْ س‬
َّ)03-03:‫إِّلََّّالذِينََّّصبرُواَّوماَّيُلقاهاَّإِّلََّّ ُذوَّحظََّّعظِ يمََّّ(فصلت‬

َُّ ‫ّللا َُّ ُثمََّّاسْ تقامُواَّتتنز‬

َّ َّ‫لَّعلي ِْه َُّمَّ ْالمَلئِك َُّة‬ َّ َّ‫إِنََّّالذِينََّّقالُواَّربُّنا‬
َّ َّ‫أّلََّّتخافُواَّوّلََّّتحْ ز ُنواَّوأبْشِ رُواَّ ِب ْالجن َِّةَّالتِيَّ ُك ْن ُت َّْمَّ ُتوع ُدون‬
Verily, those who say: “Our Lord is Allah (Alone),” and then
they stand firm, on them the angels will descend (at the time
of their death) (saying): “Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the
glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised!”
M.M. Pickthall: “Lo! Those who say: Our Lord is Allah, and
afterwards are upright, the angles descent upon them,
saying: Fear not nor grieve, but hear good tidings of the
paradise which ye are promised.”
A.Y. Ali: “In the case of those who say, ‘Our Lord is God’, and,
further, stand straight and steadfast, the angels descend
on them (from time to time): ‘Fear you not!” (they
suggest), nor grieve But receive the Glad Tidings of the
Garden (of Bliss), that which you were promised.”
M. Asad: “[But,] behold, as for those who say, ‘Our Sustainer is
God,’ and then steadfastly pursue the right way-upon
them do angels often descend, [saying:] ‘Fear not and
grieve not, but receive the glad tidings of that paradise
which has been promised to you!’”
Commentary:
‘Aṭā’ reported from Ibn ‘Abbās that the verse was
revealed in the case of Abū Bakr r.a. The idolaters said, “Our
Lord was Allah and the angels are His daughters which are our
intercessors to Allah,” but they were not firm. Then Abū Bakr
 140

r.a. told them: “Our Lord is Allah Alone, no partner with Him,
and Muhammad, may Allah bless him, is His servant and His
Messenger,” then he stood firm.
The meanings of istiqāmah (being steadfast, standing firm)
are as follows:
1. Abū Bakr and Mujāhid: It is not taking partner with Allah
2. ‘Umar: It is standing firm in what is enjoined and what is
prohibited without turning away like the trick of the fox.
3. ‘Uthmān: It is standing firm in working for Allah’s sake.
4. ‘Ali, al-Ḥasan, Qatādah, Ibn Zayd and ibn ‘Abbās: It is
performing the duty, obeying Allah in His injunction and His
prohibition.
5. Ibn ‘Abbās, Mujāhid, and ‘Ikrimah: It is sticking to the
shahādah, that there is no god but Allah until death
6. Abū ‘l-‘Āliyah and al-Suddī: It is sincerity in religion and in
practicing it till death.
7. Anas reporting from the Prophet: It is sincerity and stick to it
until death.
8. It is standing firm in words and action.
9. It is standing firm secretly and openly
10. Ibn Sīrīn: It is not deviating.
11. Sufyān al-Thawrī: It is standing firm in practicing what َّ َّ
they say.
12. Muqātil ibn Sulaymān: It is standing firm in believing in
Allah as their Lord.
13. Al-Rabī‘: It is turning away from other than Allah.
14. Al-Qutabī: It is standing firm in obeying Allah.
15. Muqātil ibn Ḥayyān: It is standing firm in what they know
as the truth )‫(المعْ ِرفة‬, and do not retrieve from it.
16. Fuḍayl ibn ‘Iyāḍ: They forsake the transient, namely,
worldly things, and desire the eternal, namely, the
Hereafter.
The meanings of “the angels descend on them …etc.”
1. Ibn ‘Abbās, Zayd ibn Aslam, and Mujāhid: The angels will
descend on them after their death. This is also the view of
 141

the vast majority of Muslim scholars. They say that the

angels will descend on dying people, while they are leaving
the world and facing the Hereafter. They become extremely
fearful of what they will be facing, and extremely sad of
what they are leaving. The angels will comfort them not to
fear of the future, because they have been upright and
stood straight. They told them not to grieve over the past,
as nobody who leaves the world but feels sorry for not
doing more good deeds.
2. Muqātil and Qatādah: This will happen were they are raised
from their graves.
3. Wakī‘ ibn al-Jarrāḥ, and Zayd ibn Aslam: The angels will
descend on them and give good tidings in three places:
when they die, when they are in their graves, and when
there are raised on the Judgment day.
4. Al-Kalbī: “When they die, the angels descend on them and
give them good news, saying “do not be afraid of
punishment in front of you, and do not be sad of what you
have left behind in the world.”
5. Muqātil ibn Sulaymān: The angels who record man’s actions
will come to them (after their death), introducing
themselves that they are the keeper of men’s deeds, and
gave them the good-tiding that they will enter Paradise.
6. ‘Aṭā’ ibn Abī Rabāḥ: The angels will tell them not to fear that
their good deeds will not be rewarded, and not to grief for
their sins, as Allah will forgive them.
7. Mujāhid: The angels will tell them not to fear death, and
what they have done for the Hereafter, and not to grieve
their families and children they have left behind, for they
will have substitute them all for you َّ)‫(فإناَّنخلفكمَّفيَّذلكَّكله‬.
8. ‘Ikrimah: The angels with tell them not to fear what they are
facing and not to grieve for those whom they left behind,
such as their families and their children.
َّ َّ‫نَّأ ْولِياؤُ ُك َّْمَّفِيَّ ْالحياَِّةَّال ُّد ْنياَّوفِيَّ ْاْلخِرَِّةََّّول ُك َّْمََّّفِيهاَّماَّت ْشت ِهي‬
َُّ ْ‫نح‬
َّ‫ِنَّغفُورََّّرحِيم‬ َّْ ‫ّلَّم‬َّ ً ‫َّ ُن ُز‬.َّ‫أ ْنفُ ُس ُك َّْمَّول ُك َّْمَّفِيهاَّماَّتدعُون‬
 142

We have been your friends in the life of this world

and are (so) in the Hereafter. Therein you shall have
(all) that your inner selves desire, and herein you
shall have (all) for which you ask. An entertainment
(from Allah), the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
M.M. Pickthall: We are your protecting friends in the life on the
world and in the Hereafter. There ye will have (all) that
your souls desire, and there ye will have (all) for which ye
pray. A gift of welcome from the Forgiving, the Merciful.
A.Y. Ali: We are your protectors in this life and in the Hereafter:
therein shall you have all that your souls shall desire;
therein shall you have all that you ask for--! A hospitable
gift from One Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful!
M. Asad: We are close unto you in the life of this world and [will
be so] in the life to come; and in that [life to come] you
shall have all that your souls may desire, and in it you
shall have all that you ever prayed for, as a ready
welcome from Him who is much-forgiving, a dispenser of
grace!
Commentary:
Mujāhid: It means, the angels say, “We are your associates who
have been with you in the world,” and in the Hereafter
they will say, “We shall not leave you until we take you to
Paradise.”
Al-Suddī: It means, the angels say, “We are the keepers of your
deeds in the world, and your sponsors in the Hereafter.”
(Unidentified): It means, the angels say, “We are the keepers of
your deeds in the world, and we shall not leave you in
the Hereafter until you enter Paradise.
(Unidentified): It means, the angels say, “We are your sponsors
in the world with guidance, and in the Hereafter with
honor (generosity).
 143

Ibn Zayd: “There ye will have (all) that your souls desire” means
the eternity, as they wished it when they were in the
world.
Abū Umāmah: “There ye will have (all) that your souls desire”
means the blessings (of Allah).
Ibn Kathir: The angels will say to believers when they are dying,
“We have been your companions in the lives of the world,
we have shown you the right way, we have made you
successful, and we have protected you with Allah’s decree.
Likewise, we shall be with you in the Hereafter, we shall
entertain you in your loneliness in the graves, when the
trumpet is blown, warrant you on the Day of Resurrection,
and pass over the straight path with you, and will take you
to Paradise. In Paradise you can get whatever you like, as
hospitality, gift, and a favor from the Most Forgiving Who
has forgiven your sins, and the Most Merciful Who has
mercy on you.
َّ َّ‫ّللاَّوعمِلََّّصالِحَّا ًَّوقالََّّإِننِيَّمِنََّّ ْالمُسْ لِمِين‬ َّْ ‫ّلًَّمِم‬
َِّ َّ‫نَّدعاَّإِلى‬ َّ ‫نَّق ْو‬
َُّ ‫نَّأحْ س‬
َّْ ‫وم‬
And who is better in speech than he who invited
(men) to Allah, and does righteous deeds, and says:
َّ I am one of the Muslims”
M.M. Pickthall: And who is better in speech than him who
prayeth unto his Lord and doeth right, and saith: Lo! I am
of those who surrender (unto him).
A.Y. Ali: Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to
God, works righteousness, and says “I am of those who
bow in Islam”?
M. Asad: And who could be better of speech than he who calls
[his fellow-men] unto God, and does what is just and right,
and says: “Verily, I am of those who have surrendered
themselves to God”?
Commentary:
 144

The best discourse is the Qur’ān, and the person intended

in the above verse is Prophet Muhammad s.a.w., according to
Ibn Sīrīn, al-Suddī, Ibn Zayd, and al-Ḥasan. When al-Ḥasan read
this verse he said, “This is the Messenger of Allah, this is Allah’s
beloved, this is Allah’s friend, this is Allah’s best friend, this is
Allah’s best choice, by Allah, he is the person among the people
of the earth whom Allah loves most; Allah answered his call,
and he called people to what Allah answered.
According to ‘Āishah r.a., ‘Ikrimah, Qays ibn Abī Ḥāzim,
and Mujāhid, the above verse was reveal upon mu’adhdhinīn
(callers for prayers). Abū Bakr ibn al-‘Arabī says that the above
verse was a Makkan (revealed in Makkah), whereas the adhān
(calling for prayer) was a Madinian, namely, instituted in
Madinah. However, they are included in the meaning of the
verse, although they are not included when the verse was just
revealed. Any good speech containing tawḥīd (the Oneness of
Allah), and faith is included in the above verse, such as the
statement of Abū Bakr to a person strangling the Prophet, “Are
you going to kill a person just because he said that Allah is His
Lord?”
(CIVIC, 24 February, 2017)
:‫المراجع‬
‫المكتبةَّالشاملة‬
(992/013َّ.‫تفسيرَّالطبريَّ(ت‬
(‫َّم‬1170َّ-َّ1111َّ/َّ‫َّهـ‬171َّ-َّ111(َّ‫تفسيرَّالقرطبى‬
(1373/ 771َّ.‫تفسيرَّابنَّكثيرَّ(ت‬
(‫َّم‬167َّ-َّ116َّ/َّ‫َّهـ‬16َّ-َّ‫َّقَّهـ‬0(َّ‫تفسيرَّابنَّعباس‬
(‫م‬1011-1163َّ/َّ‫َّهـ‬711-176(َّ‫تفسيرَّالخازن‬
(‫َّم‬1336َّ-َّ671َّ/َّ‫َّهـ‬133َّ-َّ011(َّ‫تفسيرَّالماوردي‬
‫المسالكَّفيَّشرحَّمؤطأَّمالك‬
The Noble Qur’ān: Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia
Muhammad Asad. The Message of Islam.
Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall. The Glorious Qur’ān.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali. The Meaning of the Holy Qur’ān.
 145

25. COMMENTARY OF Q. 41:30-35 (2)

The third view is that of al-Ḥasan and Qays ibn Abī Ḥāzim.
They say that the above verse was revealed upon every
believer who calls people to Allah.
There are many interpretations of “doing righteous deed”
in the above verse: it is praying two rak‘ahs between ādhān
and iqāmah according to Abū Umāmah; it is praying and
fasting, according to ‘Ikrimah; and it is performing the religious
duties according to al-Kalbī. This last interpretation is the best
one according to al-Qurṭubī, adding with “avoiding prohibited
things and doing many recommended things.”
َُّ ‫وّلََّّتسْ ت ِويَّ ْالحسن َُّةَّوّلََّّالسيِّئ َُّةَّ ْادف َّْعَّ ِبالتِيَّهِيََّّأحْ س‬
‫ن‬
َّ ‫ َّفإِذاَّالذِيَّبيْنكََّّوبيْن َُّهَّعداوةََّّكأن َُّهَّولِيََّّحم‬.
‫ِيم‬
The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal.
Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allah
orders the faithful believers to be patient at the
time of anger, and to excuse those who treat them
badly) then verily he, between whom and you
there was enmity, (will become) as though
he was a close friend.
(The Noble Qur’ān, Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Riyadh)
M.M. Pickthall: The good deed and the evil deed are not alike.
Repel the evil deed with one which is better, then lo! he,
between whom and thee there was enmity (will become)
as though he was a bosom friend.
A.Y. Ali: Nor can Goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with
what is better: then will be better whom and you was
hatred become as it were your friend and intimate!
M. Asad: But [since] good and evil cannot be equal, repel thou
[evil] with something that is better—and lo! he between
whom and thyself was enmity [may then become] as
though he had [always] been close [unto thee], a true
friend!
 146

“The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal”

means that the condition of the believers is not equal to that of
idolaters, as the former believe in the Oneness of Allah,
whereas the latter is idolatry. Al-Māwardī mentions six
interpretations of the good deed and the bad deed, as follows:
1. amiable behavior - rudeness (reported by Ibn ‘Īsā)
2. patience - aversion
3. īmān (belief) - idolatry (according to Ibn ‘Abbās)
4. forgiveness - revenge (according to Ibn ‘Umayr)
5. ḥilm (gentleness, forbearance, understanding) – indecency,
abominableness (according to al-Daḥḥāk)
6. loving the Prophet’s family – disliking them (according ‘Ali)
“Repel (the evil) with one which is better” has many
interpretations, as follows:
Ibn ‘Abbās: Repel with your ḥilm (gentleness, forbearance,
understanding) the jahl (stupidity, foolish act)1 of the
person who behave foolishly towards you. If someone
abuses you, you tell him, “if you are right, may Allah
forgive me, but if you are wrong, may Allah forgive you.”
It was reported that Abū Bakr had said the same thing
when someone wronged him.
(Unknown): repel offense of the offender with disregarding it.

1
The termَّ‫( َّجهْل‬jahl) means: to be ignorant, to be irrational, to behave
foolishly. The pre-Islamic era is also called َّ ‫َّالجا ِهلِي‬ ْ ُ‫العصْ ر‬, ْ the era of
ignorance, whereas “the Golden Age” is called ‫العصْ رُ َّالذه ِبي‬. ْ This “era of
ignorance” could also mean “the era of irrationality,” as it was the era
where people behaved irrationally, such as their delight in war, their
strong passion, and fiery in temper, ardent in love, bitter in hate. The
pre-Islamic poet ‫‘( عمْ رُوَّبنَّك ْل ُثومَّالت ْغلبي‬Amr ibn Kalthūm al-Taghlibī) َّin his
َِّ ‫ن ََّّأحـدَّ ََّّعليْنا ََّّ* َََّّّفنجْ هلَّ ََّّف ْوقَّ ََّّجه‬
poem said: َّ ‫ْل ََّّالجا ِهلِينا‬ َّْ ‫“ أّلَّ َّّلَّ َّيجْ هل‬Know that
never anyone shall behave foolishly against us, otherwise we shall
behave foolishly against him more than the foolish behavior of the fool.”
In Indonesia we say that a person who like to do bad things, as having
tangan jahil, (“mischievous hands”).
 147

Mujāhid and ‘Aṭā’: Repel hostility from someone who is hostile

against him with greeting with peace, namely, ‫السَل ُم َّعليْك‬
(“Peace be upon you!”).
Bakr ibn al-‘Arabī: Repel evil with shaking hands.َّ Narrated by
‘Aṭā’ al-Khurasānī narrated that the Prophet said:
َِّ ‫َّوت ْذه‬،‫َّوتهاد ْواَّتحابُّوا‬،ُّ‫َّتصافحُواَّيذهبَّال ِغل‬
‫بَّالشحنا َُّء‬
Shake hands, the hatred will go away, be gentle, so
you will love each other, and enmity will go away.
Imām Mālik says that this ḥadīth is mursal (its chain of
transmitter is not connected with the Prophet), so that he does
not see the necessity of shaking hands, although he said it was
permissible. He recommended it after he had said that he
disliked it. This is the opinion of group of Muslim scholars.
Sufyān al-Thawrī convinced him, saying to him that the Prophet
had shaken hands with Ja‘far when he returned from his refuge
in Ethiopia. Mālik told him that it was special for him. Sufyān
said, “what is special for the Prophet is also special for us, and
what is general for him is also general for us,” and therefore,
shaking hands is acceptable, and cannot be denied. Moreover,
Qatādah asked Anas whether the companions of the Prophet
did shake hands, and he answered, “yes”.
Narrated by al-Barrā’ ibn ‘Āzib that the Prophet said:
َّْ ‫انَّإِّلََّّ ُغفِرََّّلهُماَّقبْلَّأ‬
َّ ‫نَّيتفرَّقا‬ َِّ ‫ْنَّي ْلتقِي‬
َِّ ‫انَّفيتصافح‬ َِّ ‫ِنَّمُسْ لِمي‬
َّْ ‫ََّّماَّم‬
َّ )‫(رواهَّأحمدَّوَّأبوَّداؤدوَّوالترمذي‬
َّWhenever two Muslims metَّeach other and
shook hands their sins will be forgiven before
they departed (Reported by Aḥmad,
Abū Dā’ūd and al-Tirmidhī)
There are many ḥadīths and statements of Qur’ān
commentators dealing with the legality and the validity of
shaking hands, among which are as follows:
.َّ‫نَّأنسَّقِيلََّّياَّرسُولَّّللاََّّالرجُلَّي ْلقىَّأخاَّهَُّأي ْنحنِيَّلهُ؟َّقالََّّّل‬
َّْ ‫ع‬
 148

)َّ‫َّنع َّْمَّ(أ ْخرج َُّهَّال ِّترْ ِمذِي‬:ََّّ‫َّفيأْ ُخذَّ ِبي ِدَِّهَّويُصافِح َُّهَّ؟َّقال‬:ََّّ‫َّقال‬
Narrated by Anas that it was said to the Prophet,
“O, Messenger of Allah, if a man meets his (Muslim)
brother, should he bow to him?” He said, “No.” He
asked, ”Should he take his hand and shake
hands with him?” He sad, “Yes.”
(Reported by al-Tirmidhī)
َّ‫نَّ ْالبراءََّّلقِيتَّرسُولَّّللاََّّصلىَّّللاََّّعل ْي َِّهَّوسلم‬ َّْ ‫ع‬
ْ
‫َّياَّرسُولَّّللاََّّ ُك ْنتَّأحْ سِ بَّأنََّّهذا‬:َّ‫َّفقُلت‬،َّ‫فصافحَِّني‬
‫نَّأحقََّّ ِب ْالمُصافح َِّة‬ َُّ ْ‫َّنح‬:ََّّ‫ََّّفقال‬،َّ‫ِنَّ ِزيََّّ ْالعجم‬ َّْ ‫م‬
)‫(أ ْخرج َُّهَّأبُوَّب ْكرَّالرُّ ْويانِيََّّفِيَّمُسْ نده‬
Al-Barrā’ narrated, “I met the Messenger of
Allah s.a.w., then he shook hands with me; so,
I said to him, ‘O, Messenger of Allah, I thought
that this practice was among the customs of
non-Arabs;’ then he said: ‘It is more appropriate
for us.’” (Reported by Abū Bakr al-Ru’yānī)

Ibn Baṭṭāl says that shaking hands according to the

‘ulamā’ (Muslim scholars) is a good practice. Al-Nawawī says
that it has been agreed upon that shaking hands at the moment
of meeting is recommended. Al-Nawawī says further that
shaking hands in basically recommended, and keeping it in
some cases remains recommended. As regards to shaking
hands after every fajr and evening prayers is considered
permitted innovation.
“… then verily he, between whom and you there was
enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend” was
revealed, according to Muqātil, in the case of Abū Sufyān who
annoyed, irritated, and hostile to the Prophet; but he became
the Prophet’s walī (helper, friend, relative, helper, protector)
through marriage (his sister married the Prophet), especially
after he converted to Islam. This view was mentioned by al-
Tha‘labī and al-Qushayrī.
 149

Another view was mentioned by al-Māwardī that the

verse was revealed on the case of Abū Jahl ibn Hishām who
annoyed the Prophet, then Allah ordered him to be patient and
to forgive him. It was said that this verse was revealed before
the injunction of fighting for self-defence was revealed.
Ibn ‘Abbās said that in this verse Allah ordered the
Prophet to be patient when he became angry, to be gentle
when he was foolishly treated, and forgive when he was
wronged. If people did all these, Allah would protect them from
Satan, and their enemy would surrender to them. It is reported
that when a man abused Qanbar, ‘Ali’s freed-slave, ‘Ali told him
to leave the abuser and ignore him, so that he would please
Allah the Merciful and displease Satan, and the abuser would
be punished.
َّ‫وماَّيُلقاهاَّإِّلََّّالذِينََّّصبرُواَّوماَّيُلقاهاَّإِّلََّّ ُذوَّحظََّّعظِ يم‬
But none is granted it (the above quality) except
those who are patient – and none is granted it except
the owner of the great portion (of happiness in the
Hereafter, i.e., Paradise, and of a high moral
character) in this world.
M.M. Pickthall: But none is granted it save those who are
steadfast, and none is granted it save the owner of great
happiness.
A.Y. Ali: And no one will be granted such goodness except those
who exercise patience and self-restraint, - none but
persons of the greatest good fortune.
M. Asad: Yet [to achieve] this is not given to any but those who
are wont to be patient in adversity: it is not given to any
but those endowed with the greatest good fortune.
Commentary:
“But none is granted it except those who are patient”
means: (1) none is granted with repelling badness with
goodness, except those who are patient with forbearance; (2)
 150

none is granted with Paradise except those who are patient in

obeying (Allah).
“…and none is granted it except those endowed with the
greatest good fortune” means (1) those who have good fortune
according to al-Suddī; (1) those who have good luck, according
to Ibn ‘Abbās; (0 those who have good luck which is Paradise,
according to al-Ḥasan. It is said that Qatādah and ibn ‘Abbās
held the same view.
One example of the significance of patience is that one
day Abū Bakr was abused by someone while the Prophet was
present. Abū Bakr forgave him for a while, but later he became
angry and abused the abuser as revenge, and the Prophet
stood up and left. Abū Bakr followed him and said, “O
Messenger of Allah, he abused me and I forgave him, and you
remained sitting; but when I abused him back for revenge, you
left.” The Prophet said to him: “Actually, an angel was replying
on your behalf. But when you took revenge, the angel started
leaving, and Satan came. By Allah, I did not like to sit with
Satan, O Abū Bakr!”
(CIVIC, 3 March, 2017)
:‫المراجع‬
‫المكتبةَّالشاملة‬
(َّ922/013َّ.‫تفسيرَّالطبريَّ(ت‬
)‫َّم‬1170َّ-َّ1111َّ/ََّّ‫َّهـ‬171َّ-َّ611(َّ‫تفسيرَّالقرطبى‬
(1070َّ/771َّ.‫تفسيرَّابنَّكثيرَّ(ت‬
( ‫َّم‬167َّ-َّ116َّ/َّ‫َّهـ‬16َّ-َّ‫َّقَّهـ‬0(َّ‫تفسيرَّابنَّعباس‬
(‫م‬1011-1163َّ/َّ‫َّهـ‬711-176(َّ‫تفسيرَّالخازن‬
)‫َّم‬1336َّ-َّ671َّ/َّ‫َّهـ‬133َّ-َّ011(َّ‫تفسيرَّالماوردي‬
َّ ‫المسالكَّفيَّشرحَّمؤطأَّمالك‬
The Noble Qur’ān: Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia
Muhammad Asad. The Message of Islam.
Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall. The Glorious Qur’ān.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali. The Meaning of the Holy Qur’ān.