| Chapter 4 : Surah An-Nisa |
(Revealed after Hijrah) Date of Revelation and Context The connection of the Surah with the previous Chapter consists in the fact that in the former Surah one of the principal subjects dealt with was the Battle of Uhud while this Surah deals with the various problems to which that battle gave rise. The Surah also sheds a flood of light on the evil designs and machinations of the Jews and the Hypocrites of Medina who, after the Battle of Uhud, seeing that Islam was gaining great power in the land, mustered all their resources to make a last effort to destroy it root and branch. In a way also the Surah constitutes an extension of the subject matter of the preceding Surah in that it demolishes the basic Christian doctrine of Atonement, and establishes that Jesus did not die on the Cross. Summary of Subject-Matter Women have not only been given all the rights to which they are legitimately entitled, particularly the right of inheritance, but have also been declared to be the sole masters and arbiters of their property. The second main topic dealt with in this Surah is that of hypocrisy. As in the Latter Days Christianity was to gain worldwide predominance and a large number of Muslims were to live under Christian Governments and, as a result of their subjugation by Christian rulers and their fear of Christian criticism of Islam they were to adopt hypocritical attitude towards their own Faith, the subject of hypocrisy has also been treated in this Surah along with that of women, and light is thrown on the depths to which a hypocrite can sink morally and spiritually. The hypocrites are warned that shame and abasement would seize them because they fear men more than their Creator. Towards its end the Surah sheds some light on the subject of Jesus's crucifixion and it is emphatically stated and convincingly established that the belief that Jesus died on the Cross is utterly false and unfounded. Like other human beings he died a natural death, and this false doctrine is belied by proven facts of history, and even the Gospels lend no support to it. The Surah closes with a brief reversion to the subject of Kalalah in order to draw attention to the spiritual heirlessness of Jesus who in a sense was a Kalalah in as much as he left no spiritual successor, Prophethood having been transferred from the House of Israel to that of Ishmae
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمْ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالاً كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَتَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالأَرْحَامَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا وَآتُوا الْيَتَامَى أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَلاَ تَتَبَدَّلُوا الْخَبِيثَ بِالطَّيِّبِ وَلاَ تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَهُمْ إِلَى أَمْوَالِكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حُوبًا كَبِيرًا وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلاَّ تُقْسِطُوا فِي الْيَتَامَى فَانكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَى وَثُلاَثَ وَرُبَاعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلاَّ تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَلاَّ تَعُولُوا
وَلاَ تُؤْتُوا السُّفَهَاءَ أَمْوَالَكُمْ الَّتِي جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ قِيَامًا وَارْزُقُوهُمْ فِيهَا وَاكْسُوهُمْ وَقُولُوا لَهُمْ قَوْلاً مَعْرُوفًا وَابْتَلُوا الْيَتَامَى حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغُوا النِّكَاحَ فَإِنْ آنَسْتُمْ مِنْهُمْ رُشْدًا فَادْفَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَلاَ تَأْكُلُوهَا إِسْرَافًا وَبِدَارًا أَنْ يَكْبَرُوا وَمَنْ كَانَ غَنِيًّا فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ وَمَنْ كَانَ فَقِيرًا فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ فَإِذَا دَفَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فَأَشْهِدُوا عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ حَسِيبًا لِلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَالِدَانِ وَالأَقْرَبُونَ وَلِلنِّسَاءِ نَصِيبٌ مِمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَالِدَانِ وَالأَقْرَبُونَ مِمَّا قَلَّ مِنْهُ أَوْ كَثُرَ نَصِيبًا مَفْرُوضًا وَإِذَا حَضَرَ الْقِسْمَةَ أُوْلُوا الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينُ فَارْزُقُوهُمْ مِنْهُ وَقُولُوا لَهُمْ قَوْلاً مَعْرُوفًا
يُوصِيكُمْ اللَّهُ فِي أَوْلاَدِكُمْ لِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الأُنثَيَيْنِ فَإِنْ كُنَّ نِسَاءً فَوْقَ اثْنَتَيْنِ فَلَهُنَّ ثُلُثَا مَا تَرَكَ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ وَاحِدَةً فَلَهَا النِّصْفُ وَلأَبَوَيْهِ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا السُّدُسُ مِمَّا تَرَكَ إِنْ كَانَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ وَلَدٌ وَوَرِثَهُ أَبَوَاهُ فَلأُمِّهِ الثُّلُثُ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَهُ إِخْوَةٌ فَلأُمِّهِ السُّدُسُ مِنْ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُوصِي بِهَا أَوْ دَيْنٍ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ لاَ تَدْرُونَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ لَكُمْ نَفْعًا فَرِيضَةً مِنْ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا وَلَكُمْ نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ أَزْوَاجُكُمْ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُنَّ وَلَدٌ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَهُنَّ وَلَدٌ فَلَكُمْ الرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكْنَ مِنْ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُوصِينَ بِهَا أَوْ دَيْنٍ وَلَهُنَّ الرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُمْ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَكُمْ وَلَدٌ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَكُمْ وَلَدٌ فَلَهُنَّ الثُّمُنُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ تُوصُونَ بِهَا أَوْ دَيْنٍ وَإِنْ كَانَ رَجُلٌ يُورَثُ كَلاَلَةً أَوْ امْرَأَةٌ وَلَهُ أَخٌ أَوْ أُخْتٌ فَلِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا السُّدُسُ فَإِنْ كَانُوا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ فِي الثُّلُثِ مِنْ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُوصَى بِهَا أَوْ دَيْنٍ غَيْرَ مُضَارٍّ وَصِيَّةً مِنْ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَلِيمٌ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ يُطِعْ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ
وَاللاَّتِي يَأْتِينَ الْفَاحِشَةَ مِنْ نِسَائِكُمْ فَاسْتَشْهِدُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةً مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ شَهِدُوا فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ فِي الْبُيُوتِ حَتَّى يَتَوَفَّاهُنَّ الْمَوْتُ أَوْ يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لَهُنَّ سَبِيلاً
إِنَّمَا التَّوْبَةُ عَلَى اللَّهِ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السُّوءَ بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُونَ مِنْ قَرِيبٍ فَأُوْلَئِكَ يَتُوبُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا وَلَيْسَتْ التَّوْبَةُ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ حَتَّى إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَهُمْ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ إِنِّي تُبْتُ الآنَ وَلاَ الَّذِينَ يَمُوتُونَ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ أُوْلَئِكَ أَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَرِثُوا النِّسَاءَ كَرْهًا وَلاَ تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ لِتَذْهَبُوا بِبَعْضِ مَا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَأْتِينَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُبَيِّنَةٍ وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ فَإِنْ كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّ فَعَسَى أَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَيَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا وَإِنْ أَرَدْتُمْ اسْتِبْدَالَ زَوْجٍ مَكَانَ زَوْجٍ وَآتَيْتُمْ إِحْدَاهُنَّ قِنطَارًا فَلاَ تَأْخُذُوا مِنْهُ شَيْئًا أَتَأْخُذُونَهُ بُهْتَانًا وَإِثْمًا مُبِينًا
حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أُمَّهَاتُكُمْ وَبَنَاتُكُمْ وَأَخَوَاتُكُمْ وَعَمَّاتُكُمْ وَخَالاَتُكُمْ وَبَنَاتُ الأَخِ وَبَنَاتُ الأُخْتِ وَأُمَّهَاتُكُمْ اللاَّتِي أَرْضَعْنَكُمْ وَأَخَوَاتُكُمْ مِنْ الرَّضَاعَةِ وَأُمَّهَاتُ نِسَائِكُمْ وَرَبَائِبُكُمْ اللاَّتِي فِي حُجُورِكُمْ مِنْ نِسَائِكُمْ اللاَّتِي دَخَلْتُمْ بِهِنَّ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُونُوا دَخَلْتُمْ بِهِنَّ فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَحَلاَئِلُ أَبْنَائِكُمْ الَّذِينَ مِنْ أَصْلاَبِكُمْ وَأَنْ تَجْمَعُوا بَيْنَ الأُخْتَيْنِ إِلاَّ مَا قَدْ سَلَفَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنْ النِّسَاءِ إِلاَّ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأُحِلَّ لَكُمْ مَا وَرَاءَ ذَلِكُمْ أَنْ تَبْتَغُوا بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ مُحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحِينَ فَمَا اسْتَمْتَعْتُمْ بِهِ مِنْهُنَّ فَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً وَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا تَرَاضَيْتُمْ بِهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ الْفَرِيضَةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ مِنْكُمْ طَوْلاً أَنْ يَنكِحَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ فَمِنْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ مِنْ فَتَيَاتِكُمْ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَانِكُمْ بَعْضُكُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ فَانكِحُوهُنَّ بِإِذْنِ أهْلِهِنَّ وَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ مُحْصَنَاتٍ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحَاتٍ وَلاَ مُتَّخِذَاتِ أَخْدَانٍ فَإِذَا أُحْصِنَّ فَإِنْ أَتَيْنَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ فَعَلَيْهِنَّ نِصْفُ مَا عَلَى الْمُحْصَنَاتِ مِنْ الْعَذَابِ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ الْعَنَتَ مِنْكُمْ وَأَنْ تَصْبِرُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ إِلاَّ أَنْ تَكُونَ تِجَارَةً عَنْ تَرَاضٍ مِنْكُمْ وَلاَ تَقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا
وَلاَ تَتَمَنَّوْا مَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ لِلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِمَّا اكْتَسَبُوا وَلِلنِّسَاءِ نَصِيبٌ مِمَّا اكْتَسَبْنَ وَاسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا وَلِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مَوَالِيَ مِمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَالِدَانِ وَالأَقْرَبُونَ وَالَّذِينَ عَقَدَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ فَآتُوهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدًا الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَبِمَا أَنفَقُوا مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ فَالصَّالِحَاتُ قَانِتَاتٌ حَافِظَاتٌ لِلْغَيْبِ بِمَا حَفِظَ اللَّهُ وَاللاَّتِي تَخَافُونَ نُشُوزَهُنَّ فَعِظُوهُنَّ وَاهْجُرُوهُنَّ فِي الْمَضَاجِعِ وَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ فَإِنْ أَطَعْنَكُمْ فَلاَ تَبْغُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ سَبِيلاً إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيًّا كَبِيرًا وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ شِقَاقَ بَيْنِهِمَا فَابْعَثُوا حَكَمًا مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَحَكَمًا مِنْ أَهْلِهَا إِنْ يُرِيدَا إِصْلاَحًا يُوَفِّقْ اللَّهُ بَيْنَهُمَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا خَبِيرًا وَاعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلاَ تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَبِذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْجَارِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْجَارِ الْجُنُبِ وَالصَّاحِبِ بِالْجَنْبِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ مَنْ كَانَ مُخْتَالاً فَخُورًا الَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبُخْلِ وَيَكْتُمُونَ مَا آتَاهُمْ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُهِينًا وَالَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ رِئَاءَ النَّاسِ وَلاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلاَ بِالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَمَنْ يَكُنْ الشَّيْطَانُ لَهُ قَرِينًا فَسَاءَ قَرِينًا
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلاَةَ وَأَنْتُمْ سُكَارَى حَتَّى تَعْلَمُوا مَا تَقُولُونَ وَلاَ جُنُبًا إِلاَّ عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ حَتَّى تَغْتَسِلُوا وَإِنْ كُنتُمْ مَرْضَى أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مِنْ الْغَائِطِ أَوْ لاَمَسْتُمْ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا
مِنْ الَّذِينَ هَادُوا يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَنْ مَوَاضِعِهِ وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَاسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ وَرَاعِنَا لَيًّا بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْنًا فِي الدِّينِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَاسْمَعْ وَانظُرْنَا لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ وَأَقْوَمَ وَلَكِنْ لَعَنَهُمْ اللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً ( يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ آمِنُوا بِمَا نَزَّلْنَا مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا مَعَكُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ نَطْمِسَ وُجُوهًا فَنَرُدَّهَا عَلَى أَدْبَارِهَا أَوْ نَلْعَنَهُمْ كَمَا لَعَنَّا أَصْحَابَ السَّبْتِ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ مَفْعُولاً إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ افْتَرَى إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا نَصِيبًا مِنْ الْكِتَابِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْجِبْتِ وَالطَّاغُوتِ وَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا هَؤُلاَءِ أَهْدَى مِنْ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا سَبِيلاً
أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَى مَا آتَاهُمْ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ فَقَدْ آتَيْنَا آلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَآتَيْنَاهُمْ مُلْكًا عَظِيمًا
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِنَا سَوْفَ نُصْلِيهِمْ نَارًا كُلَّمَا نَضِجَتْ جُلُودُهُمْ بَدَّلْنَاهُمْ جُلُودًا غَيْرَهَا لِيَذُوقُوا الْعَذَابَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا لَهُمْ فِيهَا أَزْوَاجٌ مُطَهَّرَةٌ وَنُدْخِلُهُمْ ظِلاَّ ظَلِيلاً إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الأَمَانَاتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُمْ بِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَتَحَاكَمُوا إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُوا أَنْ يَكْفُرُوا بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلاَلاً بَعِيدًا
فَكَيْفَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ جَاءُوكَ يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَا إِلاَّ إِحْسَانًا وَتَوْفِيقًا
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلاَّ لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمْ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَحِيمًا فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ يَجِدُوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ اقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ أَوْ اخْرُجُوا مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ مَا فَعَلُوهُ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ مِنْهُمْ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُوا مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتًا
وَمَنْ يُطِعْ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُوْلَئِكَ رَفِيقًا
وَلَئِنْ أَصَابَكُمْ فَضْلٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ لَيَقُولَنَّ كَأَنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُ مَوَدَّةٌ يَالَيْتَنِي كُنتُ مَعَهُمْ فَأَفُوزَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا فَلْيُقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ يَشْرُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا بالآخِرَةِ وَمَنْ يُقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَيُقْتَلْ أَوْ يَغْلِبْ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا وَمَا لَكُمْ لاَ تُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنْ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ الظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا وَاجْعَل لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ وَلِيًّا وَاجْعَل لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ نَصِيرًا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ الطَّاغُوتِ فَقَاتِلُوا أَوْلِيَاءَ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ قِيلَ لَهُمْ كُفُّوا أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلاَةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمْ الْقِتَالُ إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِنْهُمْ يَخْشَوْنَ النَّاسَ كَخَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ أَوْ أَشَدَّ خَشْيَةً وَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا لِمَ كَتَبْتَ عَلَيْنَا الْقِتَالَ لَوْلاَ أَخَّرْتَنَا إِلَى أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ قُلْ مَتَاعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَالآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِمَنْ اتَّقَى وَلاَ تُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلاً أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُوا يُدْرِكُّمْ الْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنتُمْ فِي بُرُوجٍ مُشَيَّدَةٍ وَإِنْ تُصِبْهُمْ حَسَنَةٌ يَقُولُوا هَذِهِ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ وَإِنْ تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَقُولُوا هَذِهِ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ قُلْ كُلٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ فَمَالِ هَؤُلاَءِ الْقَوْمِ لاَ يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ حَدِيثًا مَا أَصَابَكَ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ فَمِنْ اللَّهِ وَمَا أَصَابَكَ مِنْ سَيِّئَةٍ فَمِنْ نَفْسِكَ وَأَرْسَلْنَاكَ لِلنَّاسِ رَسُولاً وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا
وَيَقُولُونَ طَاعَةٌ فَإِذَا بَرَزُوا مِنْ عِنْدِكَ بَيَّتَ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ غَيْرَ الَّذِي تَقُولُ وَاللَّهُ يَكْتُبُ مَا يُبَيِّتُونَ فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلاً
وَإِذَا جَاءَهُمْ أَمْرٌ مِنَ الأَمْنِ أَوْ الْخَوْفِ أَذَاعُوا بِهِ وَلَوْ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَإِلَى أُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَنْبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُمْ وَلَوْلاَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لاَتَّبَعْتُمْ الشَّيْطَانَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً فَقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لاَ تُكَلَّفُ إِلاَّ نَفْسَكَ وَحَرِّضْ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَسَى اللَّهُ أَنْ يَكُفَّ بَأْسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَاللَّهُ أَشَدُّ بَأْسًا وَأَشَدُّ تَنكِيلاً مَنْ يَشْفَعْ شَفَاعَةً حَسَنَةً يَكُنْ لَهُ نَصِيبٌ مِنْهَا وَمَنْ يَشْفَعْ شَفَاعَةً سَيِّئَةً يَكُنْ لَهُ كِفْلٌ مِنْهَا وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُقِيتًا
فَمَا لَكُمْ فِي الْمُنَافِقِينَ فِئَتَيْنِ وَاللَّهُ أَرْكَسَهُمْ بِمَا كَسَبُوا أَتُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَهْدُوا مَنْ أَضَلَّ اللَّهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ اللَّهُ فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُ سَبِيلاً وَدُّوا لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ كَمَا كَفَرُوا فَتَكُونُونَ سَوَاءً فَلاَ تَتَّخِذُوا مِنْهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ حَتَّى يُهَاجِرُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَخُذُوهُمْ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ وَجَدْتُمُوهُمْ وَلاَ تَتَّخِذُوا مِنْهُمْ وَلِيًّا وَلاَ نَصِيرًا إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ إِلَى قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ مِيثَاقٌ أَوْ جَاءُوكُمْ حَصِرَتْ صُدُورُهُمْ أَنْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ أَوْ يُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمَهُمْ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَسَلَّطَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلَقَاتَلُوكُمْ فَإِنْ اعْتَزَلُوكُمْ فَلَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ وَأَلْقَوْا إِلَيْكُمْ السَّلَمَ فَمَا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سَبِيلاً سَتَجِدُونَ آخَرِينَ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَأْمَنُوكُمْ وَيَأْمَنُوا قَوْمَهُمْ كُلَّ مَا رُدُّوا إِلَى الْفِتْنَةِ أُرْكِسُوا فِيهَا فَإِنْ لَمْ يَعْتَزِلُوكُمْ وَيُلْقُوا إِلَيْكُمْ السَّلَمَ وَيَكُفُّوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ فَخُذُوهُمْ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأُوْلَئِكُمْ جَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَانًا مُبِينًا وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ أَنْ يَقْتُلَ مُؤْمِنًا إِلاَّ خَطَأً وَمَنْ قَتَلَ مُؤْمِنًا خَطَأً فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُؤْمِنَةٍ وَدِيَةٌ مُسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَصَّدَّقُوا فَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ قَوْمٍ عَدُوٍّ لَكُمْ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُؤْمِنَةٍ وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ مِيثَاقٌ فَدِيَةٌ مُسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ وَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُؤْمِنَةٍ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ تَوْبَةً مِنْ اللَّهِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا وَمَنْ يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَتَبَيَّنُوا وَلاَ تَقُولُوا لِمَنْ أَلْقَى إِلَيْكُمْ السَّلاَمَ لَسْتَ مُؤْمِنًا تَبْتَغُونَ عَرَضَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فَعِنْدَ اللَّهِ مَغَانِمُ كَثِيرَةٌ كَذَلِكَ كُنتُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَمَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَبَيَّنُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا لاَ يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنْ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُوْلِي الضَّرَرِ وَالْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ دَرَجَةً وَكُلاًّ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْحُسْنَى وَفَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمْ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا فِيمَ كُنتُمْ قَالُوا كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي الأَرْضِ قَالُوا أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ اللَّهِ وَاسِعَةً فَتُهَاجِرُوا فِيهَا فَأُوْلَئِكَ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا
وَمَنْ يُهَاجِرْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يَجِدْ فِي الأَرْضِ مُرَاغَمًا كَثِيرًا وَسَعَةً وَمَنْ يَخْرُجْ مِنْ بَيْتِهِ مُهَاجِرًا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ يُدْرِكْهُ الْمَوْتُ فَقَدْ وَقَعَ أَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ تَقْصُرُوا مِنْ الصَّلاَةِ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَنْ يَفْتِنَكُمْ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنَّ الْكَافِرِينَ كَانُوا لَكُمْ عَدُوًّا مُبِينًا وَإِذَا كُنتَ فِيهِمْ فَأَقَمْتَ لَهُمْ الصَّلاَةَ فَلْتَقُمْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا أَسْلِحَتَهُمْ فَإِذَا سَجَدُوا فَلْيَكُونُوا مِنْ وَرَائِكُمْ وَلْتَأْتِ طَائِفَةٌ أُخْرَى لَمْ يُصَلُّوا فَلْيُصَلُّوا مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا حِذْرَهُمْ وَأَسْلِحَتَهُمْ وَدَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْ تَغْفُلُونَ عَنْ أَسْلِحَتِكُمْ وَأَمْتِعَتِكُمْ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَيْلَةً وَاحِدَةً وَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِنْ كَانَ بِكُمْ أَذًى مِنْ مَطَرٍ أَوْ كُنتُمْ مَرْضَى أَنْ تَضَعُوا أَسْلِحَتَكُمْ وَخُذُوا حِذْرَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُهِينًا فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُمْ الصَّلاَةَ فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَى جُنُوبِكُمْ فَإِذَا اطْمَأْنَنتُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلاَةَ إِنَّ الصَّلاَةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَوْقُوتًا وَلاَ تَهِنُوا فِي ابْتِغَاءِ الْقَوْمِ إِنْ تَكُونُوا تَأْلَمُونَ فَإِنَّهُمْ يَأْلَمُونَ كَمَا تَأْلَمُونَ وَتَرْجُونَ مِنْ اللَّهِ مَا لاَ يَرْجُونَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنْ النَّاسِ وَلاَ يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنْ اللَّهِ وَهُوَ مَعَهُمْ إِذْ يُبَيِّتُونَ مَا لاَ يَرْضَى مِنْ الْقَوْلِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطًا هَاأَنْتُمْ هَؤُلاَءِ جَادَلْتُمْ عَنْهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فَمَنْ يُجَادِلُ اللَّهَ عَنْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَمْ مَنْ يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكِيلاً
وَلَوْلاَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَهَمَّتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يُضِلُّوكَ وَمَا يُضِلُّونَ إِلاَّ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَضُرُّونَكَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ وَأَنزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَكَ مَا لَمْ تَكُنْ تَعْلَمُ وَكَانَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ عَظِيمًا لاَ خَيْرَ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنْ نَجْوَاهُمْ إِلاَّ مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوْ مَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ إِصْلاَحٍ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاةِ اللَّهِ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا وَمَنْ يُشَاقِقْ الرَّسُولَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَى وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّى وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلاَلاً بَعِيدًا
وَلَأُضِلَّنَّهُمْ وَلَأُمَنِّيَنَّهُمْ وَلَآمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُبَتِّكُنَّ آذَانَ الأَنْعَامِ وَلَآمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلْقَ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ يَتَّخِذْ الشَّيْطَانَ وَلِيًّا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ خَسِرَ خُسْرَانًا مُبِينًا
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقًّا وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنْ اللَّهِ قِيلاً لَيْسَ بِأَمَانِيِّكُمْ وَلاَ أَمَانِيِّ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ مَنْ يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا يُجْزَ بِهِ وَلاَ يَجِدْ لَهُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَلاَ نَصِيرًا وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِنْ الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَى وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُوْلَئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ وَلاَ يُظْلَمُونَ نَقِيرًا وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ دِينًا مِمَّنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ وَاتَّبَعَ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَاتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلاً
وَيَسْتَفْتُونَكَ فِي النِّسَاءِ قُلْ اللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِيهِنَّ وَمَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ فِي يَتَامَى النِّسَاءِ اللاَّتِي لاَ تُؤْتُونَهُنَّ مَا كُتِبَ لَهُنَّ وَتَرْغَبُونَ أَنْ تَنكِحُوهُنَّ وَالْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنْ الْوِلْدَانِ وَأَنْ تَقُومُوا لِلْيَتَامَى بِالْقِسْطِ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِهِ عَلِيمًا وَإِنْ امْرَأَةٌ خَافَتْ مِنْ بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوْ إِعْرَاضًا فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا أَنْ يُصْلِحَا بَيْنَهُمَا صُلْحًا وَالصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ وَأُحْضِرَتْ الأَنفُسُ الشُّحَّ وَإِنْ تُحْسِنُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا وَلَنْ تَسْتَطِيعُوا أَنْ تَعْدِلُوا بَيْنَ النِّسَاءِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتُمْ فَلاَ تَمِيلُوا كُلَّ الْمَيْلِ فَتَذَرُوهَا كَالْمُعَلَّقَةِ وَإِنْ تُصْلِحُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا
وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ وَلَقَدْ وَصَّيْنَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنْ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَإِنْ تَكْفُرُوا فَإِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَنِيًّا حَمِيدًا
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَى أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوْ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالأَقْرَبِينَ إِنْ يَكُنْ غَنِيًّا أَوْ فَقِيرًا فَاللَّهُ أَوْلَى بِهِمَا فَلاَ تَتَّبِعُوا الْهَوَى أَنْ تَعْدِلُوا وَإِنْ تَلْوُوا أَوْ تُعْرِضُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا آمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلاَئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلاَلاً بَعِيدًا إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا ثُمَّ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا ثُمَّ ازْدَادُوا كُفْرًا لَمْ يَكُنْ اللَّهُ لِيَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ وَلاَ لِيَهْدِيَهُمْ سَبِيلاً
وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَنْ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ يُكْفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسْتَهْزَأُ بِهَا فَلاَ تَقْعُدُوا مَعَهُمْ حَتَّى يَخُوضُوا فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِثْلُهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَامِعُ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَالْكَافِرِينَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ جَمِيعًا الَّذِينَ يَتَرَبَّصُونَ بِكُمْ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فَتْحٌ مِنْ اللَّهِ قَالُوا أَلَمْ نَكُنْ مَعَكُمْ وَإِنْ كَانَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ نَصِيبٌ قَالُوا أَلَمْ نَسْتَحْوِذْ عَلَيْكُمْ وَنَمْنَعْكُمْ مِنْ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَاللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلَنْ يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلاً إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَهُوَ خَادِعُهُمْ وَإِذَا قَامُوا إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ قَامُوا كُسَالَى يُرَاءُونَ النَّاسَ وَلاَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَتَّخِذُوا الْكَافِرِينَ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِنْ دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَتُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَجْعَلُوا لِلَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَانًا مُبِينًا
إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَأَصْلَحُوا وَاعْتَصَمُوا بِاللَّهِ وَأَخْلَصُوا دِينَهُمْ لِلَّهِ فَأُوْلَئِكَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَسَوْفَ يُؤْتِ اللَّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَ اللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيَقُولُونَ نُؤْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍ وَنَكْفُرُ بِبَعْضٍ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَتَّخِذُوا بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلاً
يَسْأَلُكَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ أَنْ تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَابًا مِنْ السَّمَاءِ فَقَدْ سَأَلُوا مُوسَى أَكْبَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالُوا أَرِنَا اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ الصَّاعِقَةُ بِظُلْمِهِمْ ثُمَّ اتَّخَذُوا الْعِجْلَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمْ الْبَيِّنَاتُ فَعَفَوْنَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَآتَيْنَا مُوسَى سُلْطَانًا مُبِينًا وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَهُمْ الطُّورَ بِمِيثَاقِهِمْ وَقُلْنَا لَهُمْ ادْخُلُوا الْبَابَ سُجَّدًا وَقُلْنَا لَهُمْ لاَ تَعْدُوا فِي السَّبْتِ وَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُمْ مِيثَاقًا غَلِيظًا فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِمْ مِيثَاقَهُمْ وَكُفْرِهِمْ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَقَتْلِهِمْ الأَنْبِيَاءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ وَقَوْلِهِمْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ بَلْ طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهَا بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً
وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا الْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَكِنْ شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِنْهُ مَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلاَّ اتِّبَاعَ الظَّنِّ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًا
لَكِنْ الرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ مِنْهُمْ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ وَالْمُقِيمِينَ الصَّلاَةَ وَالْمُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ أُوْلَئِكَ سَنُؤْتِيهِمْ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا إِنَّا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ كَمَا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى نُوحٍ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالأَسْبَاطِ وَعِيسَى وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ وَهَارُونَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ وَآتَيْنَا دَاوُودَ زَبُورًا
رُسُلاً مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ ِلأَلاَّ يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى اللَّهِ حُجَّةٌ بَعْدَ الرُّسُلِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ الرَّسُولُ بِالْحَقِّ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ فَآمِنُوا خَيْرًا لَكُمْ وَإِنْ تَكْفُرُوا فَإِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لاَ تَغْلُوا فِي دِينِكُمْ وَلاَ تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلاَّ الْحَقَّ إِنَّمَا الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَاهَا إِلَى مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِنْهُ فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَلاَ تَقُولُوا ثَلاَثَةٌ انتَهُوا خَيْرًا لَكُمْ إِنَّمَا اللَّهُ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ سُبْحَانَهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلاً لَنْ يَسْتَنكِفَ الْمَسِيحُ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَبْدًا لِلَّهِ وَلاَ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ وَمَنْ يَسْتَنكِفْ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَيَسْتَكْبِرْ فَسَيَحْشُرُهُمْ إِلَيْهِ جَمِيعًا فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَيُوَفِّيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَيَزِيدُهُمْ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ اسْتَنكَفُوا وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا فَيُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا وَلاَ يَجِدُونَ لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَلاَ نَصِيرًا
فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَاعْتَصَمُوا بِهِ فَسَيُدْخِلُهُمْ فِي رَحْمَةٍ مِنْهُ وَفَضْلٍ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَيْهِ صِرَاطًا مُسْتَقِيمًا يَسْتَفْتُونَكَ قُلْ اللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِي الْكَلاَلَةِ إِنْ امْرُؤٌ هَلَكَ لَيْسَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ وَلَهُ أُخْتٌ فَلَهَا نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ وَهُوَ يَرِثُهَا إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهَا وَلَدٌ فَإِنْ كَانَتَا اثْنَتَيْنِ فَلَهُمَا الثُّلُثَانِ مِمَّا تَرَكَ وَإِنْ كَانُوا إِخْوَةً رِجَالاً وَنِسَاءً فَلِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الأُنثَيَيْنِ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَضِلُّوا وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
556. "Single soul" may signify: (1) Adam; (2) man and woman taken together, because when two things jointly perform one function, they may be spoken of as one; (3) man and woman taken separately, because mankind may be said to have been created from one "single soul" in the sense that each and every individual is created from the seed of man who is "one soul" and is also born of woman who is likewise "one soul." 557. The words do not mean that woman was created out of the body of man but that she belonged to the same species as man, possessing identical aptitudes and propensities. The idea that Eve had been created out of the rib of Adam seems to have arisen from a saying of the Holy Prophet, viz., "Women have been created from a rib, and surely, the most crooked part of a rib is the highest part thereof. If you set yourself to straighten it, you will break it" (Bukhari; ch. on Nikah). This saying, if anything, constitutes an argument against the above view rather than being in its favor, for it makes no mention of Eve, but only speaks of all women, and it is clear that every woman has not been created from a rib. The word Dil' used in the above saying of the Prophet signifies a certain crookedness of manners, the word itself meaning crookedness (Bihar & Muhit). In fact, it refers to a certain peculiarity of woman, viz., her affectation of displeasure and coquetry. This "crookedness" has been spoken of in this saying as the highest or the best trait in her character, and those who take affectation of anger on woman's part as an expression of her real anger and begin to deal harshly with her for that reason, in fact, destroy the most attractive and winning aspect of her personality. 558. The verse places "the fear of God;" side by side with "respect for the ties of kinship," thus emphasizing the importance of good treatment of relatives, on which the Qur'an has laid so much stress. The Holy Prophet used to recite this verse when delivering a marriage sermon in order to remind both the parties of their duties to each other. 559. After mentioning the two favors of God in the previous verse, viz., the multiplication of many men and women from a "single soul," and their preservation from destruction by instituting ties of relationship, the Qur'an proceeds to emphasize the need of protecting posterity by safeguarding the rights and interests of orphans. 560. The verse is important inasmuch as it permits polygamy under certain circumstances. Islam allows (though it certainly does not enjoin or encourage) a man to have more than one wife up to four at a time. As this permission has been given in connection with the subject of orphans, it should be taken primarily to be based on the question of the care of that much neglected class of society. There are cases when the interests of orphans can only be protected by marrying one or more wives from among the female wards or from other women as the exigencies of circumstances may require. Though the verse mentions polygamy in connection with the subject of orphans, yet other situations may arise when it may become a necessary remedy for some social or moral evils. If only the objects of marriage itself are considered, the permission appears to be not only justifiable but in some cases desirable and even necessary; nay, in such cases it may become positively injurious to the best interests of individuals and of the community not to take advantage of this permission. According to the Qur'an the objects of marriage are four, viz., (1) protection against physical, moral and spiritual maladies (2:188; 4:25); (2) peace of mind and the availability of a loving companion (30:22); There are, however, other reasons also which may sometimes render it necessary for a person to have one or more wives in addition to the one whom he dearly loves and who also fulfils the objects of marriage. Those reasons are: (a) to protect orphans; (b) to provide husbands for marriageable widows and (c) to supplement the depleted manhood of a family or community. It is clear from the verse under comment that polygamy is resorted to particularly with a view to taking under one's protection orphans left unprotected. The verse implies that the mother of such orphans as are left in the guardianship of a person should preferably be married by him so that he should become directly related to, and more intimately connected with, them and thus may become more interested in their welfare than he otherwise would be. To provide husbands for widows (24:33) is another object which the institution of polygamy fulfils. Muslims were perpetually engaged in fighting in the time of the Holy Prophet. Many fell in wars and left behind widows and orphans without near relatives to look after them. The preponderance of women over men and an exceptionally large number of orphans with no one to look after them, which is the inevitable result of wars, necessitated that in order to save Muslim society from moral degeneration, polygamous marriages should have been encouraged. The last two World Wars have vindicated this useful institution of Islam. They have left an abnormally large number of young women without husbands. Indeed; the great preponderance of females over males in the West, due to the appalling loss of manhood caused by these Wars, is responsible for the present laxity of morals which is eating into the vitals of Western society. Besides this contingency of providing husbands for young widows the institution of polygamy is also intended to meet the serious situation that follows in the wake of a war, when, besides other aspects of decline, the manhood of a nation becomes so depleted as to threaten national destruction. The fall of birthrate, which is a potent cause of the decay of a people can be effectively remedied only by resorting to polygamy. Polygamous marriages, instead of being an outlet for the gratification of sexual passions as is mistakenly understood, constitute a sacrifice demanded of men and women alike-a sacrifice in which personal and passing sentiments are required to be subordinated to the wider communal or national interests. 561. The expression, Ma Malakat Aimanukum, generally signifies, women prisoners of war who are not ransomed and who are in the custody and control of their Muslim captors because they had taken part in a war which was waged to destroy Islam and thus had legitimately deprived themselves of their freedom. The term has been used in the Qur'an in preference to 'Ibad and Ima' (slaves and bondwomen) to point to a just and rightful possession, the expression Milk Yamin signifying full and rightful possession (Lisan). It includes both slaves and bondwomen, and it is only the context which determines what the expression signifies in a particular place. Much misunderstanding prevails as to what the expression "their right hands possess" signifies, and what are the rights and status of the persons to whom it applies. Islam has condemned slavery in unequivocal terms. According to it, it is a mortal sin to deprive a person of his or her liberty, unless, of course, he or she renders himself or herself liable to deprivation of it by taking part in a war waged to destroy Islam or an Islamic State. It is also a grievous sin to buy or sell slaves. Islamic teaching on this point is quite clear, unequivocal and emphatic. According to it a person who makes another person his slave commits a grave sin against God and man (Bukhari, Kitab al-Bai' & Dawud as quoted by Fath al-Bari). It is worthy of note that when Islam came into the world, slavery was an integral part of the human social system and there existed a large number of slaves in every country. It was; therefore, not feasible, nor even wise; to abolish with a stroke of the pen, an institution which had become so inextricably interwoven into the whole texture of human society, without doing serious injury to its moral tone. Islam, therefore, sought to abolish it gradually but effectively and surely. The Qur'an has laid down the following very sound rules for the speedy and complete abolition of slavery: (1) Prisoners can only be taken after a regular battle. (2) They cannot be retained after the war is over, but (3) are to be set free either as a mark of favor or by exchange of prisoners (47:5). Those unfortunate persons; however, who, may fail to gain their freedom through any of these means, or should choose to remain with their Muslim masters, can purchase their emancipation by entering into a contract called Mukatabah with them (24:34). Now, if a woman is taken prisoner in a war of the nature mentioned above and thus loses her liberty and becomes Milk Yamin, and she fails to get her release by the exchange of prisoners of war, and the exigencies of government also do not justify her immediate release as a mark of favor, nor do her own people or government get her ransomed and she does not even seek to buy her freedom by entering into Mukatabah, and her master, in the interest of morality, marries her without her prior consent, in what way can this arrangement be regarded as objectionable? As regards establishing sexual relations with a female prisoner of war or a slave-wife without marrying her, neither this nor any other verse of the Qur'an lends any support to it whatever. Not only does the Qur'an not give any sanction for the treatment of female prisoners of war as wives without taking them into proper wedlock but there are clear and positive injunctions to the effect that these prisoners of war; like free women, should be married if they are to be treated as wives, the only difference between the two being a temporary difference of social status, inasmuch as prior consent of prisoners of war to their marriage which they forfeit by taking part in a war against Islam is not considered necessary as in the case of free women. Thus the expression Ma Malakat Aimanukum, signifying female prisoners, according to the Qur'an, lends no support whatsoever to the view that Islam has upheld concubinage. Besides the present verse, at least in as many as three ther verses; the injunction has been laid down in clear and unambiguous terms that female prisoners of war should not remain unmarried (2:222; 4:26; 24:33). The Holy Prophet is also very explicit on this point. He is reported to have said, "He who has a slave girl, and gives her proper education and brings her up in a becoming manner and then frees and marries her, for him is double reward." (Bukhari; Kitab al-'llm). This saying of the Holy Prophet implies that if a Muslim wishes to have a slave girl as wife, he should first set her free and then marry her. The Holy Prophet's own practice was quite in harmony with his precept. Two of the Holy Prophet's wives, Juwairiyah and Safiyyah, came to him as prisoners of war. They were his Milk Yamin. But he married them according to Islamic Law. He also married Mariyah who was sent to him by the King of Egypt, and she enjoyed the status of a free wife like the Prophet's other wives. She observed Purdah and was included among "The Mothers of the Faithful." The Qur'an makes it clear that the commandment regarding marriage applies to "whom your right hands possess" as much as it does to "the daughters of the Holy Prophet's paternal and maternal uncles and aunts." Both are to be wedded before they are treated as wives. All the three categories mentioned above were made lawful to the Holy Prophet through marriage (33:51). Further, the verse "And forbidden to you are married women; except such as your right hands possess" (4:25) along with its preceding one deals with women whom it is unlawful for a man to marry and among It may also be noted in passing that it is not permitted to take in marriage such female relations of a bondwoman as correspond to the relations of a free woman within the prohibited degree. For instance, the mothers, sisters, daughters, etc., of a slave wife cannot be taken in marriage. It may further be stated that in view of the circumstances obtaining at the time of its revelation the Qur'an had to make a distinction between the social status of two classes of women. That distinction was expressed by the word Zauj (a free woman taken in marriage) and Milk Yamin (bondwoman taken in marriage). The former word connotes a sense of equality between husband and wife while the latter implies a somewhat inferior status of the wife. That was, however, a temporary phase. The Qur'an and the Holy Prophet had strongly recommended that bondwomen should first be given full freedom and full status and then married as the Holy Prophet himself had done. Besides, Islam does not allow women taken prisoner in ordinary wars to be treated as bondwomen. The permission about marrying a bondwoman without her prior consent comes into operation only when a hostile nation first wages a religious war against Islam in order to extirpate it and to compel Muslims to abandon their religion at the point of the sword and then treats their prisoners-men and women-as slaves, as was done in the time of the Holy Prophet. At that time the enemy took away Muslim women as prisoners and treated them as bondwomen. The Islamic injunction was only a retaliatory measure and was in its very nature temporary. It also served the additional purpose of protecting the morals of captive women. Those conditions have ceased to exist now. There are no religious wars now and hence no prisoners of war to be treated as slaves or bondwomen. 562. Ta'ulu (do injustice) is derived from 'AIa which means; (1) he had a large family; (2) he supported the family; (3) he was or became poor; (4) he acted wrongfully; or deviated from the right course (Lane). 563. Saduqat is the plural of Saduqah which means, dowry or a gift which is given to or for a bride (Lane). 564. The verse may be taken to be addressed to both the husband and the relations of the wife. In the latter case, it would mean that the relations of a woman should not spend her dowry to meet their own needs, but should faithfully hand it over to her. Primarily, however, the verse is addressed to the husband whom it requires to pay the agreed dowry to his wife willingly, cheerfully and without demur. The words "giving the dowry willingly and cheerfully" also imply that the amount of the dowry should be well within the means of the husband so that its payment may not be a burden to him. He should be in a position to pay it willingly and cheerfully. 565. The words, "who are weak of understanding" have been substituted for "orphans" in the present verse to supply the required reason for the injunction, as well as to make it one of general application, including in its scope all such persons as are unable to take care of their property. In the case of grown-up imbeciles, the verse would be taken to be addressed to the State which should take effective steps to set up institutions like Courts of Wards to look after the property of persons who cannot manage it themselves. 566. The verse speaks of the property of orphans as "your property," hinting thereby that the guardians of orphans should be very careful about spending their property and should treat it as their own. The expression "your property" may also signify "the property of the orphans which are in your custody." It is also possible that the expression has been used here to include all property whether belonging to the orphans or to their guardians. 567. Under no circumstances should the property of the orphans be made over to them before they attain puberty and are so mature of intellect as to take care of and properly manage it. 568. The verse also warns guardians not to squander away in haste the money of their wards before they are old enough to take charge of it. The guardian, if he is poor, is, however, allowed a reasonable wage, which should be in proportion to the amount of work he does and to the value of the ward's property. 569. The property should be handed over to the wards in the presence of reliable witnesses as the word "presence" hints. 570. This verse forms the basis of the Islamic Law of Inheritance. It lays down the general principle of the social equality of man and woman. Both are entitled to a suitable share in the property. Detailed rules are given in the verses that follow. 571. By the words, other relations and orphans and the poor, are here meant those distant relatives and orphans and poor persons; who, being not included among the deceased's legal heirs, are not entitled to receive any part of his property as of right. The verse, though not giving a legal right of inheritance to them, exhorts Muslims, while making a will about the division of their property, to set apart a portion of it for them. 571A. La-hum may also mean, in their favor. 572. The verse contains a strong and highly forceful appeal in favor of the orphans. 573. Father and mother both (Lane). 574. Walad means; (1) a child, son, daughter or a young one; (2) children, sons, daughters; offspring or young ones. The word is used both as singular and plural, feminine and masculine (Lane). 574A. The verse prescribes suitable shares for all near relatives in the property of a deceased person without distinction of sex or order of birth. Children, parents, husbands and wives are the principal heirs who, if alive, get suitable shares in all circumstances, other relations having a title only in special cases. A male has been given double the share of a female because he has been made responsible for the maintenance of his family (Ma'ani, ii.p.32). The verse begins by laying down a general rule as to the proportion of shares between sons and daughters. A son is to have as much as two daughters. So, wherever there are both sons and daughters, this rule will come in force. When, however; there are only daughters and no son, the verse allots two-thirds of the legacy to the daughters, if there are more than two of them; and one-half if there is only one. The share of daughters in case there are two is not expressly stated. But the use of the conjunction fi' (but) in the clause, but if there be females only, numbering more than two, clearly points to the fact that the share of two females has been referred to in the preceding words "two females." Moreover, the share of two females can be gathered from what has already been said in the beginning of the verse about the ratio between the shares of the males and the females. According to that ratio, a son is to have as much as two daughters. Thus, if there be one son and one daughter, the son will have two third. But as the share of one son has been made equal to that of "two daughters," the latter, in case there is no son, will have two-thirds, viz., the same share as has been expressly fixed for three daughters. Thus, the very construction of the verse shows that if there be two daughters and no son, they, too, as in the case of three daughters; will get two-thirds. If it had not been the object of the Qur'an to point to the share of two daughters in the clause, the words would have been something like this, "a male shall have twice as much as a female," and not as it is now. The verse speaks of three cases as regards the share of the parents: (1) If a person dies leaving one or more children, then each of his parents shall have one-sixth. (2) If a person dies issueless and his parents are the sole heirs (there being no wife or husband of the deceased person), then the mother will have one-third of the property and the remaining two-thirds will go to the father. (3) There is a third case, which is really an exception to the second case. A man dies without issue and his parents are his sole heirs, but he has brothers or sisters. Then, although his brothers or sisters will not inherit from him, yet their presence will affect the share of the parents, for, in this case, the mother will have one-sixth (instead of one-third, as in the second case) and the remaining five-sixths will go to the father. The reason why the father is awarded a larger share in this case is that the father has also to support the brothers or sisters of the deceased. The subject of inheritance is continued in the succeeding verse. 575. Kalalah is (1) a person who leaves behind neither parent nor child, male or female; (2) a person who leaves behind neither father nor son. According to Ibn 'Abbas he is a person who leaves no son irrespective of the fact whether his father is living or not. This would thus be the third meaning of the word (Lane & Mufradat). The brothers and sisters of a Kalalah fall under three heads: first, real brothers or sisters-offspring of the same parents (such brothers or sisters are technically known as A'yani); secondly, brothers and sisters on the side of the father only (these are technically known as 'Allati); thirdly, brothers and sisters on the side of the mother only, their father being not the same as that of the deceased (such brothers and sisters are technically called Akhyafi. It is to the last mentioned class that the commandment given in the present verse pertains; the law with regard to the first two classes of brothers and sisters having been given in the last verse of this Surah. The shares allotted to the brothers and sisters of the last-mentioned class are smaller than those allotted to the brothers and sisters of the first two classes, the reason being that the brothers and sisters of this class are on the side of the mother only, while the brothers and the sisters of the other two classes are the children of the same father as the deceased. In the property of a person who died as a Kalalah both brothers and sisters have equal shares. the usual ratio of two to one being not observed in their case. 575A. The words, "without intent to cause injury to any one" are important. They mean that the payment of debts should not suffer by the payment of bequests. In other words, debts are to be paid prior to the payment of bequests. 576. Fahishah as used in the Qur'an (7:29; 33:31; 65:2) does not necessarily mean fornication or adultery for which punishment is prescribed in 24:3. The word refers to any glaringly improper conduct which may disturb social relations and may lead to breaches of the peace. The women referred to in this verse, as the men in the next in which similar offence with an undefined punishment is mentioned, are those guilty of foul or immoral conduct short of fornication or adultery. This is the view also of Abu Muslim and Mujahid. Such women should be prevented from mixing with other women until they reform themselves or get married, marriage being the way opened for them by Allah. As the offence mentioned is a serious one, four witnesses are considered necessary lest injustice be done to women reported against. 577. The word Alladhani does not necessarily imply two males. What particular form the punishment mentioned here should take is left to the discretion of the authorities concerned. Both this and the preceding verse refer to offences for which no punishment has been fixed by the Law, the matter having been left to the discretion of the authorities to be decided according to the circumstances then obtaining. The verse may also refer to two males being guilty of an unnatural offence or something approaching it. 578. The words "in ignorance" do not mean that the offenders do evil without knowing that it is evil. In fact, every evil deed which a man does is an act done in ignorance, born of lack of proper and adequate knowledge. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said. "There are some kinds of knowledge which are really ignorance," i.e., the learning of which is injurious to man (Bihar). So the words "in ignorance" have been added to point to the nature and philosophy of sin and to exhort people to acquire useful knowledge with a view to avoiding sin. 579. The words "soon after” here mean "before death." The next verse which says "who continue to do evil until when death faces one of them." supports this meaning. 580. The deceased person's relatives cannot prevent his widow from contracting a new marriage so that they may get hold of her property; but they can prevent her from doing so if she intends to marry a person of manifestly objectionable character. If the address is to the husbands. the verse would mean that if the wives do not want to live with their husbands and seek separation from them, which they can do by means of Khula’, the husbands should not prevent them from doing so out of greed for their money. But they can do so, if the wives are going to be guilty of a manifestly foul act. 581. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said, 'The best among you is he who treats his wife best' (Bukhari). The expression 'Ashiruhunna being of the measure Mufa'alah denotes reciprocity; husbands and wives are both enjoined to live amicably with each other and reciprocate each other's love. 582. If for some special reason a man wishes to divorce one wife and marry another, he is not allowed to take back from the former what he has already given her, no matter how big the sum may be. 583. These words do not necessarily imply sexual intercourse. They mean living with each other and meeting each other in private on terms of extreme intimacy. According to this verse, a man cannot take back from his wife any property or money he may have given her, even though he may not have gone in unto her. 584. Women are not slaves of the whims or caprices of men. Both are bound by a sacred contract and men owe to their wives obligations which they must respect because, as regards their social rights, both are on much the same level. Men are warned here not to treat lightheartedly the covenant-the tie of marriage-they have made with their wives. 585. The words do not mean that stepmothers taken as wives or two sisters taken in marriage together before this verse was revealed could be retained. What they mean is simply this that if such men repent and make amends, no harm will come to them for what unlawful acts they might have committed in the past. The past will be forgiven but the women whom it is unlawful to marry are to be divorced at once. 586. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said that the relatives of foster-mothers are as forbidden as those within the prohibited degrees of relationship of real mothers. It is not lawful to marry foster-sisters and foster-daughters and so on. 587. Theologians differ as to what number of sucks makes the marriage of foster-mothers and foster-sisters and their relations (within prohibited degrees of marriage) unlawful. 588. Muhsanat is the plural of Muhsanah which means, a married woman; a free woman; a chaste woman (Lane). 589. This means that whereas a woman who is already married to a man cannot be taken in marriage by another person, an exception is made here in case of women who are taken prisoner in a war waged by a non-Muslim State against an Islamic State. This is the significance of the words Ma Malakat Aimanukum. Such married women, if they become converted to Islam and therefore could not be sent back to their non-Muslim husbands, may be married to Muslim husbands. For a detailed note on "What your right hands possess" see 561. 590. Tamatta'a bi'l Mar'ati means, he benefited by the woman temporarily. Istamta'a bi Kadha means, he benefited by it for a long time. The Arabic idiom does not countenance theuse of Istimta' with regard to a woman in the sense of temporary connection (Lisan). It mayalso be noted that whenever the noun Tamattu' is used to denote temporary connection with awoman, it is followed by the preposition ba' put before the word standing for the woman, as inthe above example. An Arab poet says, Tamatta' biha ma Sa'afatka wa la Takun 'alaika Shajan fi'l Halqi hina Tabinu (Hamasah), i.e. be benefited by her as long as she is agreeableto you, but when she gets separated from you, do not let her be a source of constant trouble foryou like a piece of bone which remains stuck in the throat. But in this verse the pronoun Hunna referring to women is preceded by the preposition min. Misunderstanding about Mut'ah seems to have arisen from the failure to understand the difference between the words Tamattu' and Istimta'. The author of Lisan quotes Zajjaj as saying: "Owing to their ignoranceof the Arabic language, some persons have inferred from this verse the legality of Mut'ah which, by the consensus of opinion among Muslim theologians, has been declared to beunlawful, the words Fa-mastamta'tum bihi Minhunna simply meaning marriage, performed inaccordance with the conditions mentioned above." If there had been any reference to Mut'ah here, the preposition used ought to have been ba' and not min. Moreover, the word used is Istamta'a and not Tamatta'a which possesses a sense different from that of the former word.Nor can any inference in favor of Mut'ah be drawn from the word Ujurahunna which means"their dowries," the sense in which it has also been used in the Qur'an (3351). Thus theQur'an positively forbids Mut'ah and regards all sexual relations outside proper wedlock(Ihsan) as adultery. 591. In Islam no stigma attaches to the status of a handmaid as such; but owing to her relationships and associations she may not prove such a perfect companion as a free believing woman. 591A. This means that only such of them may be married as are chaste and virtuous. Once they are married their dowries must be paid just as in the case of free women. 592. The verse has laid down three vital principles: (a) Bondwomen should be properly married before conjugal relations are had with them. This is also clear from 2:222; 4:4; and 24:33. Thus Islam has cut at the root of concubinage which was so prevalent in Arab society before its advent. (b) If they commit adultery, bondwomen are to have half the punishment which is 100 stripes for free women for the same offence which shows that stoning to death is not the punishment for adultery, as mistakenly understood, because stoning to death cannot be halved. (c) Incidentally, the verse seems to indicate that a bondwoman taken in marriage had a lower social status in Arab society than a free woman taken in marriage, perhaps because of her having taken part in a war waged to destroy an Islamic State. 593. The reason why God has revealed the Law is that man is by nature weak and cannot himself find out the ways of spiritual advancement. God has taken away this burden from him. The verse also constitutes a refutation of the Christian doctrine of Atonement which rejects the Law (Shari'ah) on the ground of human weakness. As a matter of fact, Islam declares human weakness to be the very reason for the revelation of the Law, so that it may help man to fulfill his high destiny. The Law, therefore, is not a curse but a help and a blessing. 594. There is no classification of less or more grievous sins in the Qur'an. The term is rather a relative one. The commission of anything forbidden by God is a sin and the commission of all sins which one finds difficult to avoid is grievous. The meaning of the verse seems to be that if a person avoids doing those things the giving up of which seems difficult and burdensome to him, he will be enabled to get rid of other sins as well. Some scholars interpret the word Kaba'ir (grievous sins) as signifying the last stage of each act of sin. If one restrains oneself from committing the final act, the preliminary ones will be forgiven him. 595. The verse establishes the equality of men and women so far as their works and rewards are concerned. 596. Mawali is the plural of Maula which among other things means; an heir. 597. Besides the meaning given in the text the words may mean: "To every one We have appointed heirs to what he leaves, they are the parents, the relations and those, with whom your oaths have ratified contracts. So give them their portion." The words may also be rendered as, "to everything which parents and relations leave We have appointed heirs, etc." 598. Qawwamun is derived from Qama and Qama 'Alal-Mar'ati means, he undertook the maintenance of the woman; he protected her. Qawwfimun, therefore, means, maintainers, managers of affairs; protectors (Lisan). The verse gives two reasons why man has been made the head of the family, (a) his superior mental and physical faculties; and (b) his being the bread-earner and maintainer of the family. It is, therefore, natural and fair that he, who earns and supplies the money for the maintenance of the family, should enjoy a supervisory status in the disposal of its affairs. 599. Nashazat al-Mar'atu 'ala Zauji-ha means, the woman rose against her husband; resisted him; deserted him (Lane & Taj). 600. The clause may signify, (a) abstention from conjugal relations; (b) sleeping in separate beds; (c) ceasing to talk to them. These measures are not to remain in force for an indefinite period, for wives are not to be left like a thing suspended (4:130). Four months, according to the Qur'an; is the maximum limit for abstention from conjugal relations, i.e., practical separation (2:227). If the husband deems the affair to be sufficiently grave, he will have to observe the conditions mentioned in 4:16. 601. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said that if at all a Muslim has to beat his wife, the beating should not be such as to leave any mark on her body (Tirmidhi & Muslim) but the husbands who beat their wives are not the best among men (Kathir, iii). 602. The pronoun, "you" in the expression, "if you fear" refers to the Muslim State or to the whole community collectively or the people generally. 603. The arbiters should preferably be chosen from the relations of the contending parties, because they are expected to be acquainted with the real causes of differences and because also it is easier for both parties to put their differences before them. 604. After having enjoined in the preceding verses that one should be kind to one's wife, in the present verse the Qur'an directs a Muslim to make his kindness so comprehensive as to include in its scope the whole of mankind, from parents, who are the nearest, to strangers who are the farthest removed. 605. Slaves, bondwomen, servants, subordinates. 606. No action of man goes unrequited. Wherever the Qur’an says that the deeds of disbelievers will not avail them, it only means that they will not succeed in their designs and efforts against Islam. 607. Every Prophet will bear witness on the Day of Judgment concerning those to whom he was sent as a Messenger. The word "these" includes both believers and disbelievers, the nature of evidence being different in different cases. 608. Hadith means, a piece of information; an announcement; news or tidings (Lane). 609. Sukara is the plural of Sakaran which means, a person who is drunk; or is in a fit of anger; in raptures of love; is stricken with fear; or is overpowered by sleep or some other disturbing element which may distract his attention or obscure his reason, etc. (Lane). 610. The expression, "nor when you are unclean," means that just as a man cannot perform Prayers when he is not in full possession of his senses, similarly he cannot perform Prayers when he is unclean until he performs total ablution by bathing. Sexual intercourse creates a sort of uncleanness in the body which must be removed by bathing in order to ensure proper state of purity, cheerfulness, and vivacity necessary for worship. 611. The clause; except when you are travelling along a way, means that though ordinarily a person who is in a state of "uncleanness" cannot perform his Prayers except after proper bathing, yet if he becomes "unclean" when he is actually travelling on the way, bathing is not obligatory for him. He can in this case perform Tayammum as ordered in the concluding part of the verse. 612. Of the four classes, viz., the sick; those on a journey; those coming from the privy; and those having gone in unto their wives, only the last two, being in a state of uncleanness, need ablution or washing as the case may be, and if they do not find water, they can perform Tayammum. For the former two classes no condition as to water is necessary. They may resort to Tayammum even if they find water. This is why the words "while unclean" have been added after the words if you are ill or you are on a journey. It must be noted that the expression "on a journey" is the same as the expression "travelling along a way," both signifying the state of actual travelling when one is, as it were, on the wing. Dust has been chosen as a substitute for water because, just as water reminds a person of his origin (77:21), thus creating in him a sense of humility; similarly dust calls to his mind the other humble substance from which he is created (30:21). 613. The expression Ghaira Musma'in means; (1) mayest thou not hear by reason of deafness; (2) mayest thou not hear what may please thee; (3) mayest thou not be obeyed. 614. The words signify that (1) either of the two punishments would befall the Jews; (2) some of them would be visited with one kind of punishment and others with the other. 615. Shirk which is tantamount to treason in spiritual terminology extends to loving or trusting a thing or a being as one should love or trust God. The verse only relates to the time after death, i.e., one who dies in a state of Shirk will not be forgiven. 616. It was tantamount to forging a lie on the part of the Jews to say that God would raise no more Prophets because they needed none. If the people had become corrupt, a Prophet was sure to appear and he did appear in the person of the Holy Prophet of Islam. 617. Al-jibt means, an idol or idols; that wherein there is no good; a diviner; the Devil (Lane). 618. The Muslims believed in all the Prophets mentioned in the Bible and also in the Divine origin of the Law that was given to Moses, yet so great was the hatred of the Jews for them that they declared the idol-worshippers of Arabia, who rejected their Prophets as well as their Scriptures, to be better guided than the Muslims. 619. Medical science has now established the fact that the skin is much more sensitive to pain than the flesh, there being a larger number of nerves in the former. The Qur’an revealed this great truth about fourteen hundred years ago by saying that the skin and not the flesh of the inmates of Hell will be renewed after being burnt up. 620. The expression, plenteous shade, signifies an atmosphere of peace and calm, free from all pain-giving elements. 621. Authority or power to rule has been here described as a "trust" of the people in order to point out that it belongs to the people and is not the birthright of any individual or dynasty. The Qur'an disapproves of dynastic or hereditary rule and institutes instead a representative form of government. The Chief is to be elected; and in electing him the people are bidden to vote for one best fitted for the office. 622. The Head of the Muslim State and all those persons who are entrusted with the duty of administration are enjoined to use their authority equitably and well. 623. The word "obey" which has been repeated before the words "Allah" and "Messenger' has been omitted before the words, those who are in authority, in order to point out that obedience to the authority properly constituted by Law amounts to obedience to God and His Messenger. The injunction embodied in the words, "refer it to Allah and His Messenger" may either relate to differences between the rulers and the ruled or to those among the ruled themselves. In the former case the significance is that if there is a matter on which disagreement arises between the rulers and the ruled, it should be decided in the light of the Quranic teaching, or failing that, in that of the Sunnah and the Hadith. If, however, the Qur'an, the Sunnah and the Hadith are silent on the question, it should be left to those in whom is vested the authority to manage the affairs of Muslims. The verse seems to refer to matters concerning particularly the affairs of the State. The basic commandment in this respect is that all obedience to authority is subject to the obedience to God and His Messenger. In case, however, of differences and disputes regarding social matters, etc., to which the words if you differ seem to refer, the Muslims should be guided by Islamic Law and not by any other law. 624. The Prophet was enjoined to deal kindly with the Hypocrites. They were not yet beyond redemption. It was possible that they might one day see the error of their ways and become sincere and true Muslims. War was never waged against them. 625. It is sometimes sought to be inferred from these words that though a Prophet is to be always obeyed by the people to whom he preaches his Message, yet he himself does not give allegiance to any other Prophet. This is evidently a wrong inference. The fact that a Prophet is the object of other people's obedience does not preclude the possibility of his being himself subordinate to, and a follower of, another Prophet. Aaron was a subordinate Prophet to Moses (20:94). 626. The commandment pertains to the Holy Prophet as Head of the Muslim State and may, therefore, apply also to his Rightly-guided Successors. 627. The words, Uqtulu Anfusakum, do not mean "slay yourselves" but "slay your people" (2:55), or "lay down your lives in the cause of God." 628. The particle ma' denotes concomitance of two or more persons in one place or at one time; or in position, rank or status. It also implies the sense of assistance as in 9:40 (Mufradat). The particle has been used at several places in the Qur’an in the sense of fi meaning "among" (3: 194 - & 4:147). 629. The verse is important as it describes all the avenues of spiritual progress open to Muslims. All the four spiritual ranks-the Prophets; the Truthful; the Martyrs and the Righteous-can now be attained only by following the Holy Prophet. This is an honor reserved for the Holy Prophet alone. No other Prophet shares it with him. The inference is further supported by the verse which speaks of Prophets generally and says: And those who believe in Allah and His Messengers, they are the Truthful and the Martyrs in the presence of their Lord (57:20). When read together these two verses signify that, whereas the followers of other Prophets could only attain the rank of the Truthful, the Martyrs, and the Righteous and no higher, the followers of the Holy Prophet can rise to the rank of a Prophet also. The Bahr al-Muhit (vol. iii, p. 287) quotes Al-Raghib as saying: "God has divided the believers into four classes in this verse, and has appointed for them four stages, some of which are lower than the others, and He has exhorted true believers not to remain behind any of these stages." And adds that "Prophet hood is of two kinds, general, and special. The special Prophet hood, viz., the Law-bearing Prophet hood, is now unattainable; but the general Prophet hood continues to be attained." 630. Hidhr means, caution or precaution; vigilance; guard; state of preparation; or of fear (Lane). The word extends to all kinds of precautions and preparations necessary for defense, and has been understood to include the putting on of weapons of defense. 631. Al-Thubah means, a company or body of men; a distinct body or company of men; a troop of horsemen (Lane). 632. The verse refers to Hypocrites or the internal enemies of Islam and mentions their two prominent traits. 632A. The words also mean, what is the matter with you that you fight not. 633. The verse is a clear proof of the fact that Muslims never started hostilities. They only fought in self-defense in order to protect their religion and save their weaker co-religionists. 634. The verse refers to a class of men who show eagerness to fight when they are told not to fight, but when the actual time for fighting arrives, they refuse to fight or try to avoid it by various pretexts, thus showing that their former eagerness for fighting was either insincere or was due to temporary excitement. 635. The words either refer to the general physical law about the inevitability of death, or they may be taken as particularly addressed to the Hypocrites, who disobeyed the Divine command to fight, thinking that in this way they could avoid death. 636. The expression, All is from Allah, is true in this sense that God is the Final Controlling Power in the universe and whatever good or evil befalls man is attributable either to a general law of nature or to one or other of His special decrees. 637. God has endowed man with natural powers and faculties by making right use of which he can achieve success in life and by making wrong use of them involves himself in trouble. Thus all good is here attributed to God and all evil to man. 638. The reference is to secret plotting, whether by night or during the day. As generally secret plotting is done at night, the word Bayyata has been used here, the night time affording a sort of cover and secrecy. 639. "Discrepancy" may either refer to contradictions in the text of the Qur'an and the teachings contained therein; or to lack of agreement between the Quranic announcements in the form of prophecies and their result or fulfillment. 640. The reason why tidings relating to peace have been mentioned before those relating to fear is that the Qur'an is here speaking of war, and during war it is sometimes more dangerous to give publicity to matters likely to lead to happy results than to matters of fear. Under normal conditions, too, the injunction mentioned is very important, exercising direct influence on the discipline and well-being of society. The words, those in authority, refer to the Holy Prophet or his Successors or to the Chiefs appointed by them. 641. The command to fight does not relate to the Holy Prophet alone. If that had been the case, the second clause in the verse would have read as Illa Nafsuka, i.e., none is made responsible except thyself, and not as illa Nafsaka, i.e., thou art not made responsible except for thyself, as in the verse. What the verse means is that every Muslim, not excluding the Holy Prophet, was individually answerable to God. But the duty of the Holy Prophet was twofold, (1) to fight himself, and (2) to urge his followers to fight, though he was not responsible for them. 642. The verse signifies that the act of intercession or recommendation should not be treated lightly; for the person who intercedes on behalf of another is answerable for his act. If the intercession or recommendation is right and just, he will have a suitable reward; otherwise he will be held responsible for the evil consequences thereof. It is further noteworthy that in connection with "righteous intercession" the word used is Nasab (share or fixed share) whereas in connection with "evil intercession" the word is KiJl (like portion). This is to point out that whereas the punishment of an evil intercession will only be the like thereof, the good reward of a righteous intercession will have no such restriction but will be as large as God has fixed it; i.e., ten times greater. 643. The verse points to a social duty. 644. Believers disagreed among themselves as to how the Hypocrites living in the suburbs of Medina, i.e., the Bedouin tribes of the countryside, should be treated. Some sympathized with them and recommended leniency towards them, hoping that in this way they might gradually reform themselves, while others looked upon them as a serious menace to Islam and advocated strict measures. Muslims are here told that these Hypocrites are the enemies of God and that they should not allow themselves to be divided on their account. 645. The reference is to the Bedouin tribes of the desert. The Qur'an forbids Muslims to have anything to do with them, or make friends with them or seek their help. 646. As Qatl is also used in the sense of severing all social contacts (2:62), the expression Uqtuluhum may also mean, "have nothing to do with them." This meaning of the expression finds support from the words, take no friend nor helper from among them. 647. The reference seems to be to the two tribes, Asad and Ghatfan who had no treaty of alliance with the Muslims. They played a double game and awaited their opportunity. When invited by their people to join them in fighting against the Muslims, they readily accepted the invitation. The directions contained in these verses come into operation when a virtual state of war exists and danger stalks along the land. 648. By Fitnah is here meant, war with the Muslims. 649. As when actual or virtual state of war exists there is the likelihood that a Muslim may be killed by another Muslim by mistake, the present verse gives a timely warning to Muslims to be always on their guard against such an eventuality. 650. In case the slain person is a believer but happens to belong to a hostile people, then the offender shall only free a believing slave and no blood-money shall be levied on him, because money paid to a hostile people would go to strengthen their military power against Islam. In the expression, and if be of a people between whom and you is a pact, the words, and he be a believer, have not been repeated, in order to point out that the law with regard to the Dhimmis (disbelievers under the protection of Muslims), or Mu'ahids (disbelievers belonging to a people in alliance with Muslims) is the same as for the Muslims. 651. It is worthy of note that disbelievers who are in alliance with Muslims have not only been placed on a par with the latter, but even a distinction has been made in their favor. In case a Muslim is slain, the command relating to the payment of penalty has been placed after the injunction to free a slave; while in case one belonging to a people in alliance with Muslims is slain, the order has been reversed; the injunction to pay the penalty to his heirs having been put before the injunction to free a slave. This has been done to impress upon Muslims the need of showing special regard for treaties and pacts. The payment of penalty was an obligation which Muslims owed to disbelievers with whom they had made a pact, and it is in order to bring home to them the lesson that they should have particular regard for their pacts and treaties, that the injunction to pay the penalty has in their case been placed before the injunction to free a slave. 652. When a people offers peace or shows a peaceful attitude towards Muslims, the latter are enjoined to respect that attitude and refrain from hostilities. Moreover, as the Muslim Community at Medina was surrounded by hostile tribes, they were enjoined to presume a person who greeted them with Islamic salutation, to be a Muslim unless proved otherwise by investigation. 653. That is to say, if you hold such a person to be a disbeliever without proper investigation, this would mean that you desire to kill him and take possession of his goods. Such conduct would show that you prefer worldly goods to God's pleasure. 654. The verse sneaks of two classes of believers: (1) Those who sincerely accent Islam and then try to live up to its teachings but take no part in the struggle to defend and propagate the Faith. These are, as it were, passive believers-"sitters" as the verse calls them. (2) Those who not only live up to the teachings of Islam but also vigorously participate in the work of its propagation. These are active believers-the "strivers" or Mujahids as they are called. There is, however, a third class of believers who, even though they do not join their brethren in actually fighting disbelievers get an equal reward with those who take part in the actual struggle. They are heart and soul with the Muslims who are Mujahids, wherever the latter go to fight in the cause of God; but their particular circumstances-disease, poverty, etc., do not allow them to join the expeditions in person. 655. Islam would not be satisfied with a weak or passive belief. If the environments of a believer are not congenial to the Faith he must shift to a more congenial place and if he does not do so he will not be regarded as sincere in his Faith. u 656. Those believers, who are unable to emigrate, are excepted from the class mentioned in the preceding verse. 657. The particle 'asa does not indicate doubt on the part of God but is used to keep the believers referred to here in a state of suspense-between hope and fear-so that they may not become lax in Prayer and good deeds. The expression is designed to hold out hope without creating a false sense of security or a state of complacency. 658. Islam accepts no excuse from believers to stay in environments hostile to their Faith if they can afford to leave such localities. 659. The subject of Prayers in time of fear has been dealt with in the Qur'an in three separate verses, viz., (1) in 2:240 which deals with Prayers performed in time of extreme fear when no formal Prayer is possible; (2) in the present verse which deals with Prayers performed individually in time of ordinary fear; and (3) in the following verse which deals with Prayers performed in congregation in time of fear. The "shortening of Prayer' as mentioned in the present verse, which relates to the saying of Prayers individually, does not here signify the lessening of the number of Rak'ats which has from the very beginning been fixed at two in a state of journey. It only signifies the saying of the prescribed Prayers quickly when there is danger of an attack from the enemy. The number of Rak'ats to be said when a 660. Whereas the preceding verse spoke of Prayer in time of fear in the case of individuals, the present one gives the details of the manner of its performance when the Faithful are in the form of a company or group and the Prayer is to be performed in congregation. As many as eleven different forms in which the Prayer was said on different occasions are described in the Hadith (Muhit). 661. The verse observes a difference between Aslihah (arms) and Hidhr (precautions). Whereas the former may be put aside in moments of comparative security, the latter should never be neglected. See also 4:72. 662. As in the midst of a battle formal Prayers are either said in haste, or performed in the form of one Rak'at, Muslims are enjoined in this verse, that in order to make up the deficiency, they should remember God and pray to Him in an informal manner after the obligatory service is over. This is to compensate for the shortening of Prayer. 663. The address is to every Muslim. 664. Istighfar constitutes the keystone of all spiritual progress. It does not merely mean verbal asking for forgiveness but extends to such acts as lead to the covering up of one's sins and shortcomings. 665. The word Anfusahum may also mean "their brethren" (2:85,86; 4:67). The address is general as in the preceding verses. 666. The word Antum (you) shows that in the previous verses it was not the Holy Prophet but Muslims in general who were addressed. The Holy Prophet could not be expected to dispute on behalf of dishonest people. The Qur’an addresses him because he was the recipient of Divine commandment for the believers. 667. The difference between Khati'ah (fault) and Ithm (sin) mentioned side by side in this verse is that the former can be both intentional and unintentional and is often confined to the doer, while the latter is intentional and its scope may extend to other people as well. Moreover, the former may signify a dereliction of duty due to God, but the latter is often an offence against both God and man and is, therefore, more serious and is deserving of greater punishment than the former. See also 2:82 and 2:174. The commission of a fault or a sin makes it doubly grave, if the offender tries to shift the blame to an innocent person. This is why such an attempt has been termed not only as Buhtan (calumny) but also as Ithm Mubin (manifest sin). 668. The words Fadl (grace) and Rahmah (mercy). though general in their significance. sometimes denote, "worldly goods" and "spiritual blessings" respectively (2:65). Thus the verse would mean that the Holy Prophet enjoyed God's protection in temporal as well as in spiritual matters. 669. The Hypocrites adopted various ways to bring the Holy Prophet to grief. They would try to mislead him into coming to a wrong decision in matters of vital importance. But their evil designs were always frustrated because he was invariably led by God to the right course concerning matters affecting the future of Islam. 670. Najwa means, a secret talk between two or more persons or telling secrets to another person or holding secret conferences. The word is not restricted to secret conferences but applies to all sorts of conferences whether secret or otherwise in which specially invited people meet to discuss vital matters (Lisan & Muhit). 671. The word lnath includes all false deities, whether living or dead. The word has been used to point to the utter weakness and helplessness of false deities. 672. As a mark of their devotion to false deities, the Arabs used to cut the ears of dedicated animals in order to distinguish them from other animals. This foolish practice persists even to this day in some countries. 673. The 'alteration of Allah's creation' is done by (1) deifying God's creation; (2) by changing and corrupting the religion of God; (3) by deforming or disfiguring the body of a newborn child; and (4) by turning to evil use that which Allah has created for good use. 674. The verse places men and women on the same level so far as their works and rewards are concerned. Both are equally entitled to good reward if they do good works. 675. This verse gives the essence of Islam which is complete submission to the will of God and the complete devotion of all one's faculties and powers to His service and holds out Abraham as true model for a Muslim to imitate and follow. 676. The "decision" is referred to in the following three verses. 677. The allusion in the words, that which is recited to you in the Book, is to the 4th verse of the present Surah. It was prohibited to Muslims to marry those orphan girls whose rights they could not adequately safeguard. 'Umar, the Second Caliph would not allow the guardians of wealthy and handsome orphan girls to marry them and would insist on other and better husbands being found for them. The verse signifies that some instructions about women have already been given in the Qur’an and that other instructions follow. 677A. Walad which is singular of Wildan is used both for a boy and a girl, but here Wildan signifies girls, marriage with whom is mentioned here. 678. The words, it shall be no sin for them that they be suitably reconciled to each other, constitute a peculiar Quranic expression denoting both exhortation and rebuke. They may be interpreted as something like this: "Do the contending parties think that they would be committing a sin if they became reconciled to each other? It is no sin to do so. On the contrary, it is a commendable thing." 679. These words give the real cause that often leads to estrangement between husband and wife. It is niggardliness on the part of the husband and covetousness on the part of the wife. 680. It is humanly impossible for a man to keep perfect balance between his wives in all respects; for instance love being an affair of the heart over which man has no control, a husband cannot be expected to have equal love for all his wives. But he can certainly deal by them with equity in other respects, and this he must do. So acting equitably between one's wives pertains only to such acts over which one has control. This is the interpretation the Holy Prophet himself put upon this verse. 681. If, in spite of the husband and the wife having done their utmost to live amicably, they find that they cannot pull on together, and separation takes place, then God promises to provide for both parties more suitable matches. But according to Islam divorce is "Of all permissible things most hateful in the eyes of God" (Dawud, ch. on Talaq). 682. The expression, "against yourselves" may also signify "against your people or kith and kin." The words "parents and kindred" have been added to emphasize the force of the injunction. 682A. The words also mean, lest you deviate. 683. 0 ye who profess to be believers show by your deeds and actions that your faith is genuine and firmly founded. 684. The verse incidentally refutes the baseless allegation that apostasy in Islam is punishable with death. 685. The reference in the words, He has already revealed to you in the Book, is to 6:69 which was revealed at Mecca prior to the verse under comment; yet 6:69 has been placed after it in the existing arrangement of the Qur'an which shows that the present arrangement of the Quranic verses is not the same in which they were revealed. 686. The underlying principle in the injunction contained in the present verse is threefold: (1) To emphasize the seriousness and importance of religious matters; (2) to protect the believers against the demoralizing influences of the disbelievers' company and (3) to engender and promote feelings of pious jealousy for religion in the hearts of Muslims. 687. It is not God but the Holy Prophet whom, in reality, the hypocrites seek to deceive because the Prophet is an agent of God and all plots hatched against him are really so many plots hatched to frustrate the purpose of God. Therefore God Himself will punish them for their deceitful conduct. See also 2:16. 688. The expression means, "between belief and disbelief' or "between believers and disbelievers." 689. The Qur'an's strong denunciation of the hypocrites is a clear refutation of the charge that it exhorts its followers to spread Islam by means of the sword. If a man is forced to accept Islam against his will, he will never make a sincere believer. 690. Shukr on the part of God consists in forgiving a person or commending him or regarding him with satisfaction, goodwill or favor and hence necessarily recompensing him or rewarding him (Lane). 691. Islam does not allow Muslims to speak ill of other people in public, but he who is wronged may cry aloud when he is actually being transgressed against, so that other men may come to his help. He may as well seek redress in a law court, but should not go about complaining to all and sundry. 692. The verse means that they accept God and reject His Prophets; or accept some Prophets and reject others; or accept some claims of a Prophet and reject other claims. True faith lies in total submission, accepting God and all His Messengers with all their claims. No middle course is permissible. 696. The Jewish accused Mary of fornication (“Jewish Life of Jesus” by Panther). The fact that the Jews uttered “a calumny” against Mary constitutes clear evidence of the fatherless birth of Jesus. For, if Jesus had a father, what “calumny” was it that the Jews uttered against Mary? Merely taunting her for the claims made by Jesus could in no sense be called a calumny. Elsewhere, the Qur’an refutes this charge by saying that the mother of Jesus was a righteous woman (3:43; 5:76). 697. Ma Salabu-hu means; they did not cause his death on the cross. Salab being a well known manner of killing. They say Salaba al-Lissa, i.e., he put the thief to death by putting him on the cross. The verse does not deny the fact of Jesus's being nailed to the cross but denies his having died on it. 698. The words Shubbiha La-hum mean, Jesus was made to appear to the Jews like one crucified; or the matter of the death of Jesus became obscure or dubious to them. Shubbiha 'Alaihi al-Amru means, the matter was rendered confused, obscure or dubious to him (Lane). 699. The expression, Ma Qatalu-hu Yaqinan, means; (1) they did not kill him for certain; (2) they did not convert it (their conjecture) into certainty, i.e., their knowledge about the death of Jesus on the cross was not so certain as to have left no doubt in their minds that they had really killed him. In this case the pronoun hu in Qatalu-hu would refer to the noun Zann (conjecture). The Arabs say Qatala al-Shai'a Khubran, i.e., he acquired full and certain knowledge of the thing so as to dispel all possibility of doubt about it (Lane, Lisan & Mufradat). That Jesus did not die on the cross but died a natural death is clear from the Qur'an. The following facts, as narrated in the Gospels themselves lend powerful support to 11. "The Crucifixion by an Eye Witness," a book, which was at first published in 1873 in U.S.A. and which is an English translation of an ancient Latin copy of a letter written seven years after the Crucifixion by an Essene Brother in Jerusalem to a member of this Brotherhood in Alexandria, lends powerful support to the view that Jesus had been taken down from the cross alive. The book narrates in detail all the events leading to the Crucifixion, the scenes at the Calvary and also the incidents that took place afterwards. Two different views prevail among the Jews regarding Jesus's alleged death by Crucifixion. Some of them hold that he was first killed and then his dead body was hung on the cross, while others are of the view that he was put to death by being fixed to the cross. The former view is reflected in The Acts 5:30 where we read "which ye slew and hanged on a tree." The Qur'an refutes both these views by saying, they slew him not, nor did they bring about his death on the cross. The Qur'an first rejects the slaying of Jesus in any form, and then proceeds to deny the particular way of killing by hanging on the cross. It does not deny that Jesus was hung on the cross; it only denies his death on it. 700. The Jews exultingly claimed to have killed Jesus on the cross and thus to have proved that his claim to be a Divine Prophet was not true. The verse along with the preceding one contains a strong refutation of the charge and clears him of the insinuated blemish and speaks of his spiritual elevation and of his having been honored in the presence of God. There is absolutely no reference in the verse to his physical ascension to heavens. It only says that God exalted him towards Himself which clearly signifies a spiritual exaltation, because no fixed abode can be assigned to God. 701. The pronoun "his" in the expression "before his death" stands for the noun "none," meaning every one among the People of the Book before his own death ... ... This meaning is supported by the second reading of Mautihl which is Mautihim (their death) as reported by Ubayy (Jarir, vi. 13). The Jews believe that they killed Jesus on the cross because they seek to prove that he was not a true Prophet. The Christians believe that he had died on the cross, and this is because they have adopted the doctrine of Atonement. 702. The verse does not refer to any material thing which was forbidden to the Jews after having been allowed before, because no Law-giving Prophet had appeared among them after Moses to forbid them things that had been allowed to them by the Torah. It refers to the spiritual Divine favors of which they had become deprived. It was also to the spiritual blessings the Jews had lost that Jesus referred when he said, I come to allow you some of that which had been forbidden to you (3:51), i.e., I come to restore to you some of the Divine blessings of which you have been deprived on account of your misdeeds. 703. The Jews were forbidden to lend money on interest to other Jews, but they were permitted to take interest from non-Jews (Exod. 22:25; Lev. 25:36;37; Deut. 23:19,20). But they broke the Law and began to take interest even from Jews (Neh. 5:7). Later they promised Nehemiah to give up this evil practice (Neh. 5: 12). But they again broke their word; and so, in accordance with the prophecy of Ezekiel (Ezek. 18: 13); they, as a nation, suffered death and were scattered over the earth to be persecuted at the hands of their enemies. 704. This means those learned men among the Jews who embraced Islam. The word "believers" has been added to indicate that only those Jews are meant here who became Muslims. 705. The variation in the vowel-points of Muqimin is permissible according to rules of Arabic grammar. It is resorted to for the purpose of emphasis (Kashshaf, i. 336). 706. Some Prophets have been mentioned here, and in the succeeding verse, to point out that the mission of the Prophet of Islam was not a new thing. The specific mention of Zabur, the Book of Wisdom given to David in the present verse and of the Law-bearing revelation vouchsafed to Moses in the succeeding one, is made to hint that the Qur’an combines in itself both " Law and wisdom." 707. The Qur’an mentions by name only 24 Prophets whereas according to a saying of the Holy Prophet as many as 1.24,000 Prophets appeared in the world (Musnad. v. 266). Elsewhere, the Qur’an says: There IS not a people to whom a Warner has not been sent (35:25). 707A. Besides the translation given in the text. the clause also means. "to Moses Allah spoke particularly or directly." 708. The words, bearers of glad tidings and Warners, point to two essential functions of God's Messengers. They are bearers of glad tidings for those who accept them, promising them prosperity in this world and blissful felicity in the life to come, and are warners of impending misery and afflictions for those who reject them. 709. God sends His Messengers so that the people, on being punished, should have no excuse to say that no Warner was sent to them to point to their evil deeds and to warn them (20:135). 710. God has placed in the Qur'an vast treasures of eternal truth and spiritual knowledge that bear witness to its being the Word of God. The manifold qualities of the Qur'an furnish irrefutable evidence of its Divine origin for those who ponder over it. 712. Ruh means, soul or spirit; the breath which pervades the whole body after the exit of which man dies; Divine revelation or inspiration; the Qur’an; angel; joy and happiness; mercy (Lane). From the above-mentioned different meanings of Ruh and Kalimah it becomes clear-that no special spiritual status attaches to Jesus. These and similar expressions have been used in the Qur’an about other Prophets and also about other righteous persons such as Mary (15:30; 32:10: 58:23). They have been used to clear Jesus and Mary of the foul charges that were brought against them by the Jews and not to assign to them any special spiritual status. 713. "Manifest proof' may either refer to the Qur’an which contains great and manifest Signs and proofs; or to the Holy Prophet who, by his personal example, demonstrated that the Quranic teachings are a great blessing for mankind. 714. "A clear Light" may also either refer to the Holy Prophet or to the Qur'an 715. In 4: 13 mention was made of one kind of Kalalah who leaves behind neither a parent nor an offspring and who has brothers and sisters from the side of mother only. The present verse refers to a Kalalah who has brothers and sisters from both his parents, or from the side of his father only. By comparing the verse under comment with 4:13 it becomes clear that for obvious reasons the share allotted to the former class of brothers and sisters is less than that allotted to those of the latter class. This part of the law of inheritance has been purposely treated separately from the law dealt with in 4:12,13. After dealing at some length with the charges leveled against Jesus by the Jews, the Qur'an reverts to the subject of Kalalah at the end of the Surah; thus seeking (beside completing the law relating to Kalalah) to draw attention to the spiritual heirlessness of Jesus who in a sense was also a Kalalah. Jesus was born without the agency of a father, and he left behind no spiritual successor. Ibn 'Abbas defines a Kalalah as one who leaves no child and Jesus was spiritually a Kalalah since he left behind him no spiritual successor.
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