(Revealed after Hijrah)
Date of Revelation and Context
The Surah was revealed at Medina, probably in the third or fourth year of the Hijrah, after the Battle of Uhud, as v. 5 seems to possess an implied reference to the lack of discipline or unquestioning obedience to the Holy Prophet of which some of the Muslims were guilty in that battle. The preceding two Chapters had dealt with the subject of war against disbelievers, and with social and political problems arising out of it. The present Surah emphasizes the importance of giving unqualified and unquestioning obedience to the Leader, and of presenting, under his guidance, a solid, compact and united front to disbelievers.
Subject-Matter
The Surah opens with the glorification of God's wisdom and might, and proceeds to admonish believers that when they glorify God and extol His Holiness with their tongues, they should give a practical proof of their profession with their actions, thus making their actions harmonize with their verbal declarations. And when they are called upon to fight in the cause of Truth, they should present a firm and solid front to disbelievers, and should give unqualified obedience to their Leader. The Surah then makes a brief reference to the misbehaviour of the followers of Moses who, by maligning and defying him, caused him much vexation and mental anguish, and, by implication, warns Muslims never to behave like them.
Next, mention is made of the prophecy of Jesus about the advent of the Prophet Ahmad, followed by a firm declaration that all the attempts of the votaries of darkness to extinguish the Light of Allah will come to naught. The Light will continue to shine in all its glory and effulgence and Islam will prevail over all religions. But before this eventually comes to pass, the Muslims will have to 'strive with their wealth and persons in the cause of Allah.' Only then will they deserve to be blessed with God's pleasure and material glory, “with gardens through which streams flow.” The Surah closes with exhorting Muslims to help God's cause, as did the disciples of Jesus by undergoing all manner of sacrifice and suffering for it.
 بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم
[61:1] In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
 سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
[61:2] Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth glorifies Allah; and He is the Mighty, the Wise.
 يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لاَ تَفْعَلُونَ
[61:3] O ye who believe! why do you say what you do not do?[3034]
 كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَنْ تَقُولُوا مَا لاَ تَفْعَلُونَ
[61:4] Most hateful is it in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do.
 إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُمْ بُنيَانٌ مَرْصُوصٌ
[61:5] Verily, Allah loves those who fight in His cause arrayed in solid ranks, as though they were a strong structure[3035] cemented with molten lead.
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ لِمَ تُؤْذُونَنِي وَقَدْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ فَلَمَّا زَاغُوا أَزَاغَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ
[61:6] And remember when Moses said to his people, ‘O my people, why do you vex and slander me[3036] and you know that I am Allah’s Messenger unto you?’ So when they deviated from the right course, Allah caused their hearts to deviate, for Allah guides not the rebellious people.
وَإِذْ قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَمُبَشِّرًا بِرَسُولٍ يَأْتِي مِنْ بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ قَالُوا هَذَا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ
[61:7] And remember when Jesus, son of Mary, said, ‘O children of Israel, surely I am Allah’s Messenger unto you, fulfilling that which is before me of the Torah, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger who will come after me. His name will be Ahmad.[3037]’ And when he came to them with clear proofs, they said, ‘This is clear enchantment.’
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَهُوَ يُدْعَى إِلَى الإِسْلاَمِ وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ
[61:8] But who could do greater wrong than one who forges the lie against Allah while he is called to Islam?[3038] Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.
 يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِئُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَاللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ
[61:9] They desire to extinguish the light of Allah[3039] with the breath of their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light, even if the disbelievers hate it.
 هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ
[61:10] He it is Who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the Religion of truth, that He may cause it to prevail over all religions[3040], even if those who associate partners with God hate it.
 يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى تِجَارَةٍ تُنجِيكُمْ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
[61:11] O ye who believe! shall I point out to you a bargain[3041] that will save you from a painful punishment?
تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
[61:12] That you believe in Allah and His Messenger, and strive in the cause of Allah with your wealth and your persons. That is better for you, if you did but know.
يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَيُدْخِلْكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ وَمَسَاكِنَ طَيِّبَةً فِي جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ
[61:13] He will forgive you your sins, and make you enter the Gardens through which streams flow, and pure and pleasant dwellings in Gardens of Eternity. That is the supreme triumph.
 وَأُخْرَى تُحِبُّونَهَا نَصْرٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَفَتْحٌ قَرِيبٌ وَبَشِّرْ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
[61:14] And He will bestow another favour which you love: help from Allah and a near victory. So give glad tidings to the believers.
يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا كُونوا أَنصَارَ اللَّهِ كَمَا قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ لِلْحَوَارِيِّينَ مَنْ أَنصَارِي إِلَى اللَّهِ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ اللَّهِ فَآَمَنَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَكَفَرَتْ طَائِفَةٌ فَأَيَّدْنَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا عَلَى عَدُوِّهِمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا ظَاهِرِينَ
[61:15] O ye who believe! be helpers of Allah, as said Jesus, son of Mary, to his disciples, ‘Who are my helpers in the cause of Allah.’ The disciples said, ‘We are helpers of Allah.’ So a party of the children of Israel believed, while a party disbelieved. Then We gave power to those who believed against their enemy, and they became victorious.[3042]
3034. The action of a Muslim should correspond to his professions. Boastful, empty talk carries one nowhere and verbal professions not accompanied by actual deeds smack of hypocrisy and insincerity.
3035. Muslims are expected to present a firm, compact and solid front to the forces of evil, under the command of their Leader whom they should give full and unqualified obedience. But a people who seek to become united into a solid and strong community, must possess one code of life, one ideal, one objective and one goal and one program to achieve that objective.
3036. Perhaps no Prophet of God suffered so much mental agony at the hands of his followers as did Moses. Moses's people had seen the mighty hosts of Pharaoh drown before their very eyes and yet they had hardly crossed the sea when they sought to revert to idolatry, and seeing some people worshipping idols asked Moses to set up one such idol for them also (7:139). When asked to march into Canaan which God had promised to give them, they scornfully and brazen-facedly told Moses to go with his Lord upon Whom he had relied so much; they were not going to budge an inch from the place where they had settled (5:25).
Thus Moses was repeatedly insulted by, and baulked in his efforts to reclaim from idolatry,
the very people whom he had delivered from the crushing bondage of Pharoah. They even
slandered and defamed him.
3037. For the prophecy of Jesus about the coming of Paraclete or the Comforter or the Spirit of Truth see John, 12:13; 14:16, 17; 15:26; 16:7, from which the following inferences are clearly deducible:-
(a) Paraclete or the Comforter or the Spirit of Truth could not come unless Jesus should have departed from the world. (b) He was to abide in the world for ever; and was to say many things which Jesus himself could not say because the world could not then bear them. (c) He would guide men unto all truth. (d) He would not speak of himself, but whatever he would hear that would he speak. (e) He would glorify Jesus and testify to his truth. This description of Paraclete or the Comforter or the Spirit of Truth is in complete harmony with the status and mission of the Holy Prophet as given in the Qur'an. The Holy Prophet appeared after Jesus had departed from this world; he was the last Law-giving Prophet and the Qur'an the last revealed Divine Law for the whole of mankind till the end of time (5:4). He did not speak of himself but whatever he heard from God that did he spake (53:4). He glorified Jesus (2:254;356). The above prophecy in the Gospel of John closely resembles the prophecy mentioned in the verse under comment except that instead of a m a d the name stated therein is Paraclete. Christian writers challenge the correctness of the Quranic version of the prophecy, basing their contention on this difference of the two names, irrespective of the otherwise identical features of the biblical and Quranic versions. In fact, Jesus spoke both Aramaic and Hebrew. Aramaic was his mother tongue and Hebrew his religious language. The present biblical version is the translation of Aramaic and Hebrew into Greek. A translation naturally cannot fully convey the beauty of the original text. Languages have their limitations. The same is true of the people who speak them. Their limitations are reflected in their works. The Greek language has another word, i.e., Periklutos, with a similar meaning as Ahmad in Arabic. Jack Finegan, the renowned Christian theologian, in his book, "The Archaeology of World Religions," says: 'Where in Greek the word Parakletos (Comforter) is very similar to Periklutos (renowned), the latter word being the meaning of the names Ahmad and Muhammad.' Moreover, "The Damascus Document," a scripture discovered towards the end of the nineteenth century in Ezra synagogue; Old Cairo (p. 2); describes Jesus as having foretold the advent of a "Holy Spirit," named Emeth: And by His Messiah, He has made them know His Holy Spirit. For it is he who is Emeth, i.e., the Truthful One, and in accordance with His name are also theirs ... "Emeth" in Hebrew means "the Truth," or "the Truthful One and a person of constant goodness" (Strachan's Fourth Gospel, p. 141). This word was interpreted by the Jews as "God's Seal." Naturally, though Jesus must have used the name a m a d , the phonetic resemblance between the two words (Ahmad and Emeth) led later writers to substitute "Emeth" for Ahmad; its Hebrew synonym. Thus the prophecy mentioned in the verse applies to the Holy Prophet, but as a corollary it may also apply to the Promised Messiah, Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, because he has also been called Ahmad in Divine revelation (Barahin Ahmadiyya) and because also in his person the Second Manifestation or Second Advent of the Holy Prophet took place. To this Second Manifestation of the Holy Prophet, the third verse of Surah Al-Jumu'ah pointedly refers. It may be mentioned in passing that a prophecy about the Holy Prophet is also clearly stated in the Gospel of Barnabas which is treated by the Church as apocryphal, but which has as much claim to be accepted as authentic as any of the four Gospels.
3038. The verse refers to disbelievers to whom the Holy Prophet addressed his Message, since he was the inviter and they the invitees (20:109 & 33:47). Moreover, they have been stigmatized in the Qur'an as forgers of lies against God (6:138, 141). But if the prophecy be taken to apply to the Promised Messiah the expression, 'he is invited to Islam,' would signify that the Promised Messiah would be invited by the so-called defenders of Islam to recant, repent and be a Muslim like them, for; according to them, by his claim to be the Promised Messiah and Mahdi he would cease to be one.
3039. The Holy Prophet has been repeatedly called the "Light of Allah ," in the Qur'an (4: 175; 5:17; 64:9).
3040. Most Commentators of the Qur'an are agreed that this verse applies to the Promised Messiah, because in his time all religions will have made their appearance and the superiority of lslam over all of them will become established.
3041. This verse also seems to refer to the time of the Promised Messiah when trade and commerce were to flourish and there was to be a mad rush for striking profitable bargains.
3042. Of the three religious groups among the Jews to whom Jesus preached his Message-the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the Essenes-Jesus belonged to the last, while he had not yet been commissioned as a Divine Preacher. The Essenes were a highly righteous people who lived away from the world's hustle and bustle, passing their time in meditation and prayer and in the service of humanity. It was from these people that most of Jesus's early followers came ("The Dead Sea Community" by Kurt Schubert & "The Crucifixion by An Eye-Witness"). They have been called "Helpers" by Eusephus. The concluding words of the Surah are indeed very prophetic. Throughout the ages the followers of Jesus have enjoyed power and predominance over their eternal enemies-the Jews. They have founded and ruled over vast and powerful empires while the Jews have remained a dispersed people so much so that "The Wandering Jew" has become a byword.
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