Maarif-ul-Quran — Al-Hadid 57:1 – As-Saff 61:14

Some of the Merits of Surah Al-Hadid It is recorded in Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa'i that Sayyidna ` Irbad Ibn Sariyah ؓ said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to recite Al-Musabbihat before he went to sleep and said: "In them there is a verse that is more meritorious than a thousand verses." The collective name of the series Al-Musabbihat refers to the following five Surahs: [ 1] Al-Hadid; [ 2] Al-Hashar; [ 3] As-Saff; [ 4] Jumu'ah; and [ 5] At-Taghabun. Having cited this Hadith, Ibn Kathir says that the best verse referred to in Surah Al-Hadid is verse [ 3] هُوَ الْأَوَّلُ وَالْآخِرُ‌ وَالظَّاهِرُ‌ وَالْبَاطِنُ ۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ (He is the First and the Last, and the Manifest and the Hidden, and He is All-Knowing about everything....57:3] Among the five Surahs, the first three, namely Al-Hadid, Al-Hashr and As-Saff commence with the past perfect tense 'sabbaha' [ purity has been proclaimed ] whilst the last two, namely Al-Jumu` ah and Al-Taghabun commence with the imperfect tense yusabbihu [ purity is proclaimed ]. This implies that the purity of Allah should be declared at all times, the past, the present and the future. [ Mazhari ]

Some of the Merits of Surah Al-Hadid It is recorded in Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa'i that Sayyidna ` Irbad Ibn Sariyah ؓ said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to recite Al-Musabbihat before he went to sleep and said: "In them there is a verse that is more meritorious than a thousand verses." The collective name of the series Al-Musabbihat refers to the following five Surahs: [ 1] Al-Hadid; [ 2] Al-Hashar; [ 3] As-Saff; [ 4] Jumu'ah; and [ 5] At-Taghabun. Having cited this Hadith, Ibn Kathir says that the best verse referred to in Surah Al-Hadid is verse [ 3] هُوَ الْأَوَّلُ وَالْآخِرُ‌ وَالظَّاهِرُ‌ وَالْبَاطِنُ ۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ (He is the First and the Last, and the Manifest and the Hidden, and He is All-Knowing about everything....57:3] Among the five Surahs, the first three, namely Al-Hadid, Al-Hashr and As-Saff commence with the past perfect tense 'sabbaha' [ purity has been proclaimed ] whilst the last two, namely Al-Jumu` ah and Al-Taghabun commence with the imperfect tense yusabbihu [ purity is proclaimed ]. This implies that the purity of Allah should be declared at all times, the past, the present and the future. [ Mazhari ]

Remedy for Diabolical Whisperings Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ said that if the Shaitan casts an evil scruple in anyone's heart, and thus causes skepticism about Allah and the religion of truth, he should softly recite the following verse [ 3]: هُوَ الْأَوَّلُ وَالْآخِرُ‌ وَالظَّاهِرُ‌ وَالْبَاطِنُ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ (He is the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden and He is All-Knowing about everything.) What is meant by Allah's being First and Last, and Manifest and Hidden? There are more than ten different interpretations of these attributes, and they are not contradictory. The scope is wide enough to accommodate all interpretations. The meaning of the attribute al-awwal [ the First ] is more or less fixed, signifying that ontologically there was nothing before Allah, and that He created everything and He is the First Cause of all existent things. The attribute Al-'akhir [ the Last ] means that He will exist even after everything will perish, as the following verse testifies: كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ (Everything has to perish except His Countenance... [ 28:88]. It should be noted that death or perishing covers two possibilities, either actual death or potential death. Therefore the verse means that all existent creatures will either actually perish on the Day of Judgment, or they may not actually perish, but potentially they could perish. They have the inherent capacity for death and destruction. Thus despite their being existent they may still be described as halik or fani [ perishing ]. As for instance, Paradise and Hell, and the righteous or unrighteous inmates entering them will not actually perish, but potentially they have the inherent capacity to perish. Only the Supreme Being of Allah is such that neither non-existence has ever occurred to Him, nor can death overtake Him. Thus Allah is Al-'Akhir [ the Last ]. Imam Ghazali (رح) has another explanation. He interprets the attribute 'Akhir [ the Last ] from the point of view of ma'rifah [ Knowledge ] in the sense that knowing Allah Ta’ ala is the ultimate goal which man hopes to achieve. He moves in the direction of this goal, passing on the way through all the different stages and stations until he attains the Divine Knowledge. [ Ruh ul Ma’ ani ] The attribute Az-zahir [ the Manifest ] signifies a Being whose manifestation is superior to everything. Since 'manifestation' is an offshoot of 'existence', and the Existence of Allah is First and superior to all existent entities, the Divine Manifestation surpasses the manifestation of all other beings. Nothing in this universe is more manifest than Him. The manifestation of His wisdom and His power is visible in every particle of this world. The attribute Al-batin [ the Hidden ] means that the accurate nature and essence of Allah's Being is hidden in the sense that the Divine Essence [ dhat ] is beyond human perception. No intellect or thought can ever reach the accurate and Intrinsic Essence of Allah. اے برتراز قیاس و گمان و خیال و وھم و زھرچہ دیدہ ایم شنیدہ ایم وخواندہ ایم He is far beyond any hypothesis, any guess, any assumption, any imagination, And who is far beyond whatever we have ever seen, heard or read about. اے بروں از جملہ قال و قیلِ من خاک بر فرق من و تمثیل من He is beyond all our discussions and debates. Whatever example I cite to explain Him is no more than a sheer failure.

وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ (...And He is with you wherever you are, ...57:4) No man is able to comprehend the essential nature of Allah's company or His being with us, though it is absolutely true that He is with us, because no man can exist or do any work without it. The Divine Will [ mashiyyah ] and power is necessary for everything. Therefore, Allah is with every human being in every situation, at every place. Allah knows best!

وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ (...And He is with you wherever you are, ...57:4) No man is able to comprehend the essential nature of Allah's company or His being with us, though it is absolutely true that He is with us, because no man can exist or do any work without it. The Divine Will [ mashiyyah ] and power is necessary for everything. Therefore, Allah is with every human being in every situation, at every place. Allah knows best!

وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ (...And He is with you wherever you are, ...57:4) No man is able to comprehend the essential nature of Allah's company or His being with us, though it is absolutely true that He is with us, because no man can exist or do any work without it. The Divine Will [ mashiyyah ] and power is necessary for everything. Therefore, Allah is with every human being in every situation, at every place. Allah knows best!

[ 1] The original word used in the text is 'mustakhlafin' which has two meanings: 'deputies' and 'successors'. Taken in the first meaning, the verse indicates that the wealth held by human beings originally belongs to Allah, but He has made them His deputies or representatives to use it according to His directions. Although He has allowed them to use it for their own benefit, it should always be subject to the rules prescribed by Him in Shari'ah. Once it is believed that one is not the absolute owner of this wealth, it should not be difficult for him to spend according to the command of its absolute Owner. This is the interpretation of the verse according to the majority of commentators. However, some other exegetes have taken the word 'mustakhlafin' in the sense of 'successors'. In this case the verse reminds us that whatever wealth we have in our hands today has reached us from other people who owned it before us. We have succeeded them in its ownership, and ultimately it will be passed on to some others through any mode of transfer including inheritance. All kinds of wealth are thus in transit, moving from one person to another. Therefore, one should not hesitate in spending it in Allah's way, because it has to be passed on to some others in any case. (Muhammad Taqi Usmani)

Ordering Faith وَقَدْ أَخَذَ مِيثَاقَكُمْ (...and He has taken your covenant ....57:8) This could refer to the covenant taken in ` anal' (pre-eternity). According to verses 172-174 of Surah Al-A'raf, Allah gathered all the souls even before they took the form of their existence, and took the covenant of 'alast' [ the pre-eternal covenant ]. He asked them: اَلَستُ بِرَبِّکُم ("Am I not your Lord?" ) They replied: بَلیٰ (Of course You are, we affirm). Another possibility is that this covenant could refer to the pledge taken from the previous prophets and their followers to believe in the final Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and support him. This covenant is mentioned by the Holy Qur'an in the following words: ثُمَّ جَاءَكُمْ رَ‌سُولٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنصُرُ‌نَّهُ ۚ قَالَ أَأَقْرَ‌رْ‌تُمْ وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكُمْ إِصْرِ‌ي ۖ قَالُوا أَقْرَ‌رْ‌نَا ۚ قَالَ فَاشْهَدُوا وَأَنَا مَعَكُم مِّنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ "...then comes to you a messenger verifying what is with you; you shall have to believe in him and you shall have to support him. He said: 'Do you affirm and accept my covenant in this respect?' They said: 'We affirm.' He said: 'Then, bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses." (3:81) إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ (...if you are believers - 57:8). A question may arise here: In the earlier part of this very verse [ 8], the infidels and idolaters were reprimanded in the following words, "And what is wrong with you that you do not believe in Allah" This goes to show that the addressees of this phrase are 'non-believers', then how is it appropriate to say 'if you are believers'? The answer to this question is that the unbelievers did not deny the existence of the Creator. In point of fact, they claimed to believe in God, and thus they used to say مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّ‌بُونَا إِلَى اللَّـهِ زُلْفَىٰ (We only worship them [ the idols ] that they may bring us nearer to Allah in position....39:3) In this context, the concluding phrase of verse [ 8] implies that 'If your claim [ that you believe in God ] is true, then go about the perfect and right way in "believing in God" which is not only to believe in God but also to believe in His Messenger ﷺ .

Ordering Faith وَقَدْ أَخَذَ مِيثَاقَكُمْ (...and He has taken your covenant ....57:8) This could refer to the covenant taken in ` anal' (pre-eternity). According to verses 172-174 of Surah Al-A'raf, Allah gathered all the souls even before they took the form of their existence, and took the covenant of 'alast' [ the pre-eternal covenant ]. He asked them: اَلَستُ بِرَبِّکُم ("Am I not your Lord?" ) They replied: بَلیٰ (Of course You are, we affirm). Another possibility is that this covenant could refer to the pledge taken from the previous prophets and their followers to believe in the final Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and support him. This covenant is mentioned by the Holy Qur'an in the following words: ثُمَّ جَاءَكُمْ رَ‌سُولٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنصُرُ‌نَّهُ ۚ قَالَ أَأَقْرَ‌رْ‌تُمْ وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكُمْ إِصْرِ‌ي ۖ قَالُوا أَقْرَ‌رْ‌نَا ۚ قَالَ فَاشْهَدُوا وَأَنَا مَعَكُم مِّنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ "...then comes to you a messenger verifying what is with you; you shall have to believe in him and you shall have to support him. He said: 'Do you affirm and accept my covenant in this respect?' They said: 'We affirm.' He said: 'Then, bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses." (3:81) إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ (...if you are believers - 57:8). A question may arise here: In the earlier part of this very verse [ 8], the infidels and idolaters were reprimanded in the following words, "And what is wrong with you that you do not believe in Allah" This goes to show that the addressees of this phrase are 'non-believers', then how is it appropriate to say 'if you are believers'? The answer to this question is that the unbelievers did not deny the existence of the Creator. In point of fact, they claimed to believe in God, and thus they used to say مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّ‌بُونَا إِلَى اللَّـهِ زُلْفَىٰ (We only worship them [ the idols ] that they may bring us nearer to Allah in position....39:3) In this context, the concluding phrase of verse [ 8] implies that 'If your claim [ that you believe in God ] is true, then go about the perfect and right way in "believing in God" which is not only to believe in God but also to believe in His Messenger ﷺ .

وَلِلَّـهِ مِيرَ‌اثُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْ‌ضِ (...while to Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth?....57:10) The word mirath [ inheritance, heritage ] is the process by which the assets of a deceased person pass to the living heirs and beneficiaries. This transfer of ownership takes place automatically by virtue of the law of Shari` ah; the deceased has no choice in the matter. On this occasion, Allah has described the ownership of heaven and earth by the expression mirath [ inheritance, heritage ] presumably because all those assets deemed to be owned by men will ultimately return to Allah, no matter whether men like it or not. Although the Real Owner and Master of the heavens and the earth is Allah, He transferred part-ownership of things to man by His grace, but on the Day of Judgment, even this outward and partial ownership will no longer remain in the hands of anyone. At that stage, all sorts of ownership, apparent and real, outward and inward, will belong to none but Allah. Therefore, if those who are apparently owners of some wealth today spend it in Allah's way, they will receive its compensation in the Hereafter, and thus anything spent in the way of Allah will become the eternal property of the spender. It is recorded in Tirmidhi on the authority of Sayyidah 'A'ishah ؓ that one day a goat was slaughtered. Most of it was distributed among other people, except for a foreleg. The Holy Prophet ﷺ wanted to know from her whether any part of it was spared from distribution. She said 'yes, a foreleg'. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "The entire goat is spared, except this foreleg." He meant that the entire goat was spent in the way of Allah and thus it was spared for their benefit in the Hereafter, because it would remain with Allah for compensation. On the contrary, there would be no compensation for the foreleg that had been kept for later use, because that would perish here. [ Mazhari ] لَا يَسْتَوِي مِنكُم مَّنْ أَنفَقَ مِن قَبْلِ الْفَتْحِ وَقَاتَلَ (...Those who spent before the Conquest [ of Makkah ], and fought [ in Allah's way ], are not at par [ with others ]…10) It means that there are two types of people who spend wealth in the way of Allah: [ 1] those who embraced Islam before the victory of Makkah and, being believers, spent their wealth in the cause of Allah; [ 2] those who participated in jihad after the conquest of Makkah and spent their wealth in Allah's way. The two types are not equal in the sight of Allah. They differ in status and reward. The first category is described as higher in status and reward than the second category who will receive reward commensurate with their status. Conquest of Makkah: The Dividing Line in Determining the Status of the noble Companions ؓ The verse declares the Conquest of Makkah as the dividing line in determining the status of the two categories of the noble Companions ؓ ، presumably because the political conditions of Makkah before the Conquest were very bleak and difficult for Muslims. In terms of extrinsic causes, the survival of Muslims was threatened and their progress was doubted. The people at large could not rule out the possibility that, like other movements, Islam would soon erode and suffer a natural attrition or death. Wise men of the world would not join a movement where there was a fear of defeat or annihilation. They wait for results. When the movement shows signs of success, they join it. Some people, though think that it is the truth, do not pluck courage to join it for fear of persecution and on account of their own weaknesses. But when the courageous and determined people are convinced about the veracity of a theory or belief system, they accept it instantly. They do not bother about victory or defeat, and smaller or larger membership of the movement does not concern them. The people, who embraced Islam before conquest of Makkah, were witnessing the small number and political weakness of the Muslims and the consequent hardships. Muslims were very small in number and they were weak, on account of which the pagans persecuted them. Especially in the early days of Islam, disclosing one's faith in Islam would amount to losing his life, hearth and home. It is obvious that those who put their lives at stake by embracing Islam in such circumstances, and offered their lives and wealth for the help of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and for the service of Islam had such a high level of sincerity in their faith and practice that no other people can be compared to them. Gradually, conditions changed. Muslims grew in power, so much so that eventually Makkah was conquered, after which Islam spread tremendously throughout the Arab world, people embraced the religion of Allah en masse [ as the Qur'an says: يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّـهِ أَفْوَاجًا (...people entering Allah's [ approved ] religion in multitudes) [ 110:2] This happened because many people were convinced of the veracity of Islam, but reluctant to embrace it publicly on account of their own weaknesses, owing to the might and power of the opposition and for fear of their persecution. These hurdles were now out of their way, and they started entering the fold of Islam in multitudes. Although such people too are shown respect and honour by this verse, and forgiveness and mercy is promised to them, it has been made clear that their status cannot be equal to those who, due to their unshaken faith and resolute courage, declared their Islam despite all apprehensions of extreme hardships and persecution, and offered themselves to Islam in very difficult times. Allah promises Paradise and Forgiveness to all Noble Sahabah ؓ In the current set of verses, a distinction is drawn between the different categories of the noble Sahabah (Companions ؓ of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، but towards the end of verse 10 it is declared that وَكُلًّا وَعَدَ اللَّـهُ الْحُسْنَىٰ (...though Allah has promised the good [ reward ] for each ....57:10). The word husna [ good reward ] means that the promise of Paradise and forgiveness extends to all the noble Companions ؓ ، whether they spent and fought before or after the Conquest. This includes almost the entire concourse of Companions ؓ ، because it is hardly conceivable that, despite being Muslims, some of them might have not spent anything in Allah's way or not participated against the hostile foes of Islam. Thus the Qur'anic proclamation of Paradise and forgiveness is for the general body of Companions ؓ . Ibn Hazm (رح) says that the meaning of verse [ 10] becomes even clearer when we append to it verses [ 101-102] of Surah Al-Anbiya': إِنَّ الَّذِينَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُم مِّنَّا الْحُسْنَىٰ أُولَـٰئِكَ عَنْهَا مُبْعَدُونَ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ حَسِيسَهَا ۖ وَهُمْ فِي مَا اشْتَهَتْ أَنفُسُهُمْ خَالِدُونَ (Surely, those for whom the good (news) from Us has come earlier shall be kept far away from it (i.e. from the Hell). They will not hear the slightest of its sound, and they will remain forever in what their selves desire.) [ 21:101-102]. The verses under comment contain the phrase كُلًّا وَعَدَ اللَّـهُ الْحُسْنَىٰ (..though Allah has promised the good (reward) for each ...[ 57:10] In verses [ 21:101-102], Allah Ta’ ala proclaims that those who have received the good news of reward [ al-husna ] will be kept far away from Hell. The Qur'an thus guarantees that all the Companions ؓ ، whether from the first category or from the second one, are immune from Hell. Even if someone from them would commit a sin, he will not persist in it, but he will either repent from it, or will be forgiven for it because of the blessed company of the Holy Prophet ﷺ he enjoyed, his help offered to him, the good deeds he performed and many services he rendered to Islam. Therefore, he would not leave this world unless his sins would be forgiven and his account of deeds would have been clear. It is also possible that worldly calamities would serve as an expiation to wipe out his shortcomings or painful experience in the grave or ` Alam-ul-barzakh will expiate his faults. There are Traditions that report torment for some of the noble Companions, but that does not refer to the torture of the Hereafter or punishment of the Hell. It refers to the chastisement of the grave or ` Alam-ul-barzakh. It would not be far-fetched to assume that if a Companion committed a sin and did not find an opportunity to repent and cleanse himself, he would be purified by infliction of the grave, so that no chastisement will be inflicted on him in the Hereafter. The Status of the Noble Sahabah ؓ in the light of Qur’ an and Sunnah, not in terms of Historical Narratives The Noble Sahabah are not like the general body of the Muslim Community. They are a medium between the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the general body of the Muslim Community. Without them neither the Qur'an nor its meaning or the teachings of the Holy Prophet ﷺ can reach the Ummah. Therefore, they enjoy a special status in Islam. The status of the blessed Companions ؓ cannot be recognized by the historical narrations that are a mixture of right and wrong. It is rather recognized in the light of Qur'an and Sunnah. If any of them slips up, in most cases it would not exceed a khata' ijtihadi or error in judgment, not a sin or willful transgression of law. In fact, according to the clear text of a Prophetic Tradition, if a mujtahid were to slip up or err in his judgment, he still receives one reward. Even if they committed a sin, it would be counted as nil in view of their life-long righteous deeds, and supporting the Holy Prophet ﷺ and Islam. The reverence and awe of Allah was engrossed in their hearts to such a high degree that they would shudder at the very thought of ordinary sins and would repent forthwith. As a result, they would inflict punishment on themselves. Some would tie themselves to the column of the mosque, and as long as they are not certain that their sins would be forgiven they would remain tied. In addition, each one of them performed so many righteous deeds that they could expiate for their sins. Moreover, Allah has announced a general amnesty for their sins in this and other verses. He not only pardoned their sins, but also proclaimed رَّ‌ضِيَ اللَّـهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَ‌ضُوا عَنْهُ (Allah is well-pleased with them, and they are well-pleased with Him. 98:8). It is absolutely forbidden to speak ill of them or taunt them or revile them because of their mutual differences and disagreements. According to a Prophetic Tradition, doing so is incurring Allah's curse and putting one's own faith in jeopardy. Nowadays, on the basis of false and weak historical narratives some writers have made the noble and blessed Companions the target of taunts and reproach. First of all, the basis on which the historical narratives are founded are unreliable and questionable. Even if it is taken for granted that they have some historical substance, they are clearly in conflict with Qur'an and Sunnah. Hence, they must be refuted in the strongest terms possible. The original statement stands: The noble and blessed Companions ؓ are forgiven and pardoned. Unanimous Belief of the Ummah regarding the Noble Sahabah ؓ It is obligatory on Muslims to show respect and honour to all the Companions ؓ ، to love them and praise them. It is likewise imperative to observe silence regarding their mutual differences and disagreements. It is compulsory to abstain from making any of them the target of accusations and reproach. All texts of Islamic beliefs make plain this consensual belief of the Ummah. Imam Ahmad (رح) has written a monograph on the subject which reached us on the authority of Istakhri. A section of it partly reads: لَا یَجُوزُ لِاَحَدٍ ان یَّذکُرَ شَیٔاً مِّن مَّسَاویھم وَلَا یَطعَنُ عَلٰی اَحَدٍ مَّنھُم بِعَیبٍ وَلَا نَقصٍ فَمَن فَعَلَ ذٰلِکَ وَجَبَ تَادِیبُہ،۔ "It is not lawful for anyone to speak ill of the Companions, or cast aspersions against them, or find fault with them. Whoever does so should be punished." [ Shark-ul-` Aqidah Al-Wasitiyyah, known as Ad-Durrah A1-Mudi'ah ] Ibn Taimiyyah in his As-Sam-ul-Maslul has cited many verses of the Qur'an and Prophetic Traditions regarding the virtues and characteristics of the noble Companions ؓ ، after which he concludes: وَھٰذَا مِمَّا لَا نَعلَمُ فِیہِ خِلَافاً بَینَ اَھلِ الفِقہِ وَالعِلمِ مِن اَصحَابِ رَسُولِ اللہ ﷺ وَالتَّابِعِینَ لَھُم بِاِحسَانٍ وَسَایٔرِ اَھلِ السُّنَّۃِ وِالجَمَاعَۃِ فَاِنَّھُم مُجمِعُون عَلٰی اَنَّ الوَاجِبَ الثَّنَاُء علَیھِم وَالاِستِغفَار لَھُم وَ التَّرحُّمُ عَلَیھِم وَ التَّرَتضِّی عَنھُم وَ اعتِقَادُ مَحَبَتَّھِم وَ مَوالَاتِھِم وَ عَقُوبَۃُ مَن اَسَاَء فِیھِمُ القُول۔ "As far as we know, there is no difference of opinion in this issue among the scholars and the jurists from Companions and their followers, and the Ahl-us-sunnah wal-jama'ah. There is consensus of the Ummah that it is imperative to praise the Companions, to seek forgiveness for them, to remember them with compassion and pleasure, and to express love and friendship for them. Anyone who dishonours them should be punished." Ibn Taimiyyah confirms, in Sharh-ul-` Aqidah Al-Wasitiyyah, the consensual belief of the Ahl-us-sunnah wal-jama'ah of the entire Ummah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ relating to the mutual disagreement of the Companions ؓ : وَیُمسِکُونَ عَمَّا شَجَرَ بَینَ الصَّحَابَۃِ وَیَقُولُونَ ھٰذِہِ الاٰثَارُ المَروِیَّۃُ فِی مَسَاوِیھِم مَنھَا مَا ھُوَ کِذبٌ وَّ مَنھِا مَازِیدَ فِیھَا وَ نُقِصَ وَغُیِّرَ وَجھُہ وَ الصَّحِیحُ مِنہُ ھُم فِیہِ مَعذورُونَ اَمَّا مُجتَھِدُونَ مُصِیبُونَ وَ اما مُجتَھِدُونَ مُخَطِٔؤنَ ، وَھُم مَعَ ذلِکَ لَا یَعتَقِدُونَ اَنَّ کُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مَّنَ الصَّحَابَۃِ مَعصُومٌ مِّن کَبَایٔرِ الاِثمِ وَصَغَایٔرِہٖ بَل یَجُوزُ عَلَیھِمُ الذُّنُوبُ فِی الجُملَۃِ وَلَھُم مِّنَ الفَضَایٔلِ وَالسَّوَابِقِ مَا یُوجِبُ مَغفِرَۃً مَا یَصدُرُ مِنھُم حَتّٰی اَنَّھُم یُغفَرُلَھُم مِّنَ السَّیِّٔاتِ مَالَا یُغفِرُ لِمَن م بَعدَھُم۔ 'Ahl-us-sunnah wal jama` ah observe silence relating to matters in which the noble Companions ؓ mutually disagreed. According to them, the position of the narratives that find fault with them may be summarized as follows: Some of them are absolutely false whilst others have been distorted or perverted. Reports that are authentic have a plausible explanation, (because they did what they did on the basis of 'ijtihad' which Shari'ah recognizes). If they reached the right conclusion (by exercising reasoning), they would be rewarded doubly; and if they arrived at an incorrect conclusion (by exerting effort to derive the law on an issue by expending all the available means of interpreting at the jurist's disposal and by taking into account all the legal evidences related to the issue,) they are still excused (and deserve a single reward). Despite this situation, the Ummah does not believe that every Companion is innocent, infallible or sinless. In fact, it is possible for them to commit sins - major or minor, but their virtues and great services to Islam are such that they demand forgiveness. The scope of their forgiveness and pardon would be so wide that the later members of the Ummah would not have such a wide scope." A detailed account of the status of the sahabah is given in Surah Al-Fath under verse [ 29]. I have written a book entitled maqam-e-sahabah in which I have collected relevant Qur'anic verses and Prophetic Traditions pertaining to the status of the Companions. This book has already been published. The Ummah is unanimous on the point that all the blessed Companions ؓ are impartial, unbiased, reliable and worthy of confidence. The book deals elaborately with their disagreements and the civil wars that took place among them. It deals with the status of the historical narratives and their true place in critical study. Some of these issues to the degree necessary have been included in the commentary of Surah Muhammad and Surah Al-Fath. Please refer to the relevant sections there. Allah's help is sought and on Him is our reliance!

وَلِلَّـهِ مِيرَ‌اثُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْ‌ضِ (...while to Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth?....57:10) The word mirath [ inheritance, heritage ] is the process by which the assets of a deceased person pass to the living heirs and beneficiaries. This transfer of ownership takes place automatically by virtue of the law of Shari` ah; the deceased has no choice in the matter. On this occasion, Allah has described the ownership of heaven and earth by the expression mirath [ inheritance, heritage ] presumably because all those assets deemed to be owned by men will ultimately return to Allah, no matter whether men like it or not. Although the Real Owner and Master of the heavens and the earth is Allah, He transferred part-ownership of things to man by His grace, but on the Day of Judgment, even this outward and partial ownership will no longer remain in the hands of anyone. At that stage, all sorts of ownership, apparent and real, outward and inward, will belong to none but Allah. Therefore, if those who are apparently owners of some wealth today spend it in Allah's way, they will receive its compensation in the Hereafter, and thus anything spent in the way of Allah will become the eternal property of the spender. It is recorded in Tirmidhi on the authority of Sayyidah 'A'ishah ؓ that one day a goat was slaughtered. Most of it was distributed among other people, except for a foreleg. The Holy Prophet ﷺ wanted to know from her whether any part of it was spared from distribution. She said 'yes, a foreleg'. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "The entire goat is spared, except this foreleg." He meant that the entire goat was spent in the way of Allah and thus it was spared for their benefit in the Hereafter, because it would remain with Allah for compensation. On the contrary, there would be no compensation for the foreleg that had been kept for later use, because that would perish here. [ Mazhari ] لَا يَسْتَوِي مِنكُم مَّنْ أَنفَقَ مِن قَبْلِ الْفَتْحِ وَقَاتَلَ (...Those who spent before the Conquest [ of Makkah ], and fought [ in Allah's way ], are not at par [ with others ]…10) It means that there are two types of people who spend wealth in the way of Allah: [ 1] those who embraced Islam before the victory of Makkah and, being believers, spent their wealth in the cause of Allah; [ 2] those who participated in jihad after the conquest of Makkah and spent their wealth in Allah's way. The two types are not equal in the sight of Allah. They differ in status and reward. The first category is described as higher in status and reward than the second category who will receive reward commensurate with their status. Conquest of Makkah: The Dividing Line in Determining the Status of the noble Companions ؓ The verse declares the Conquest of Makkah as the dividing line in determining the status of the two categories of the noble Companions ؓ ، presumably because the political conditions of Makkah before the Conquest were very bleak and difficult for Muslims. In terms of extrinsic causes, the survival of Muslims was threatened and their progress was doubted. The people at large could not rule out the possibility that, like other movements, Islam would soon erode and suffer a natural attrition or death. Wise men of the world would not join a movement where there was a fear of defeat or annihilation. They wait for results. When the movement shows signs of success, they join it. Some people, though think that it is the truth, do not pluck courage to join it for fear of persecution and on account of their own weaknesses. But when the courageous and determined people are convinced about the veracity of a theory or belief system, they accept it instantly. They do not bother about victory or defeat, and smaller or larger membership of the movement does not concern them. The people, who embraced Islam before conquest of Makkah, were witnessing the small number and political weakness of the Muslims and the consequent hardships. Muslims were very small in number and they were weak, on account of which the pagans persecuted them. Especially in the early days of Islam, disclosing one's faith in Islam would amount to losing his life, hearth and home. It is obvious that those who put their lives at stake by embracing Islam in such circumstances, and offered their lives and wealth for the help of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and for the service of Islam had such a high level of sincerity in their faith and practice that no other people can be compared to them. Gradually, conditions changed. Muslims grew in power, so much so that eventually Makkah was conquered, after which Islam spread tremendously throughout the Arab world, people embraced the religion of Allah en masse [ as the Qur'an says: يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّـهِ أَفْوَاجًا (...people entering Allah's [ approved ] religion in multitudes) [ 110:2] This happened because many people were convinced of the veracity of Islam, but reluctant to embrace it publicly on account of their own weaknesses, owing to the might and power of the opposition and for fear of their persecution. These hurdles were now out of their way, and they started entering the fold of Islam in multitudes. Although such people too are shown respect and honour by this verse, and forgiveness and mercy is promised to them, it has been made clear that their status cannot be equal to those who, due to their unshaken faith and resolute courage, declared their Islam despite all apprehensions of extreme hardships and persecution, and offered themselves to Islam in very difficult times. Allah promises Paradise and Forgiveness to all Noble Sahabah ؓ In the current set of verses, a distinction is drawn between the different categories of the noble Sahabah (Companions ؓ of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، but towards the end of verse 10 it is declared that وَكُلًّا وَعَدَ اللَّـهُ الْحُسْنَىٰ (...though Allah has promised the good [ reward ] for each ....57:10). The word husna [ good reward ] means that the promise of Paradise and forgiveness extends to all the noble Companions ؓ ، whether they spent and fought before or after the Conquest. This includes almost the entire concourse of Companions ؓ ، because it is hardly conceivable that, despite being Muslims, some of them might have not spent anything in Allah's way or not participated against the hostile foes of Islam. Thus the Qur'anic proclamation of Paradise and forgiveness is for the general body of Companions ؓ . Ibn Hazm (رح) says that the meaning of verse [ 10] becomes even clearer when we append to it verses [ 101-102] of Surah Al-Anbiya': إِنَّ الَّذِينَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُم مِّنَّا الْحُسْنَىٰ أُولَـٰئِكَ عَنْهَا مُبْعَدُونَ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ حَسِيسَهَا ۖ وَهُمْ فِي مَا اشْتَهَتْ أَنفُسُهُمْ خَالِدُونَ (Surely, those for whom the good (news) from Us has come earlier shall be kept far away from it (i.e. from the Hell). They will not hear the slightest of its sound, and they will remain forever in what their selves desire.) [ 21:101-102]. The verses under comment contain the phrase كُلًّا وَعَدَ اللَّـهُ الْحُسْنَىٰ (..though Allah has promised the good (reward) for each ...[ 57:10] In verses [ 21:101-102], Allah Ta’ ala proclaims that those who have received the good news of reward [ al-husna ] will be kept far away from Hell. The Qur'an thus guarantees that all the Companions ؓ ، whether from the first category or from the second one, are immune from Hell. Even if someone from them would commit a sin, he will not persist in it, but he will either repent from it, or will be forgiven for it because of the blessed company of the Holy Prophet ﷺ he enjoyed, his help offered to him, the good deeds he performed and many services he rendered to Islam. Therefore, he would not leave this world unless his sins would be forgiven and his account of deeds would have been clear. It is also possible that worldly calamities would serve as an expiation to wipe out his shortcomings or painful experience in the grave or ` Alam-ul-barzakh will expiate his faults. There are Traditions that report torment for some of the noble Companions, but that does not refer to the torture of the Hereafter or punishment of the Hell. It refers to the chastisement of the grave or ` Alam-ul-barzakh. It would not be far-fetched to assume that if a Companion committed a sin and did not find an opportunity to repent and cleanse himself, he would be purified by infliction of the grave, so that no chastisement will be inflicted on him in the Hereafter. The Status of the Noble Sahabah ؓ in the light of Qur’ an and Sunnah, not in terms of Historical Narratives The Noble Sahabah are not like the general body of the Muslim Community. They are a medium between the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the general body of the Muslim Community. Without them neither the Qur'an nor its meaning or the teachings of the Holy Prophet ﷺ can reach the Ummah. Therefore, they enjoy a special status in Islam. The status of the blessed Companions ؓ cannot be recognized by the historical narrations that are a mixture of right and wrong. It is rather recognized in the light of Qur'an and Sunnah. If any of them slips up, in most cases it would not exceed a khata' ijtihadi or error in judgment, not a sin or willful transgression of law. In fact, according to the clear text of a Prophetic Tradition, if a mujtahid were to slip up or err in his judgment, he still receives one reward. Even if they committed a sin, it would be counted as nil in view of their life-long righteous deeds, and supporting the Holy Prophet ﷺ and Islam. The reverence and awe of Allah was engrossed in their hearts to such a high degree that they would shudder at the very thought of ordinary sins and would repent forthwith. As a result, they would inflict punishment on themselves. Some would tie themselves to the column of the mosque, and as long as they are not certain that their sins would be forgiven they would remain tied. In addition, each one of them performed so many righteous deeds that they could expiate for their sins. Moreover, Allah has announced a general amnesty for their sins in this and other verses. He not only pardoned their sins, but also proclaimed رَّ‌ضِيَ اللَّـهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَ‌ضُوا عَنْهُ (Allah is well-pleased with them, and they are well-pleased with Him. 98:8). It is absolutely forbidden to speak ill of them or taunt them or revile them because of their mutual differences and disagreements. According to a Prophetic Tradition, doing so is incurring Allah's curse and putting one's own faith in jeopardy. Nowadays, on the basis of false and weak historical narratives some writers have made the noble and blessed Companions the target of taunts and reproach. First of all, the basis on which the historical narratives are founded are unreliable and questionable. Even if it is taken for granted that they have some historical substance, they are clearly in conflict with Qur'an and Sunnah. Hence, they must be refuted in the strongest terms possible. The original statement stands: The noble and blessed Companions ؓ are forgiven and pardoned. Unanimous Belief of the Ummah regarding the Noble Sahabah ؓ It is obligatory on Muslims to show respect and honour to all the Companions ؓ ، to love them and praise them. It is likewise imperative to observe silence regarding their mutual differences and disagreements. It is compulsory to abstain from making any of them the target of accusations and reproach. All texts of Islamic beliefs make plain this consensual belief of the Ummah. Imam Ahmad (رح) has written a monograph on the subject which reached us on the authority of Istakhri. A section of it partly reads: لَا یَجُوزُ لِاَحَدٍ ان یَّذکُرَ شَیٔاً مِّن مَّسَاویھم وَلَا یَطعَنُ عَلٰی اَحَدٍ مَّنھُم بِعَیبٍ وَلَا نَقصٍ فَمَن فَعَلَ ذٰلِکَ وَجَبَ تَادِیبُہ،۔ "It is not lawful for anyone to speak ill of the Companions, or cast aspersions against them, or find fault with them. Whoever does so should be punished." [ Shark-ul-` Aqidah Al-Wasitiyyah, known as Ad-Durrah A1-Mudi'ah ] Ibn Taimiyyah in his As-Sam-ul-Maslul has cited many verses of the Qur'an and Prophetic Traditions regarding the virtues and characteristics of the noble Companions ؓ ، after which he concludes: وَھٰذَا مِمَّا لَا نَعلَمُ فِیہِ خِلَافاً بَینَ اَھلِ الفِقہِ وَالعِلمِ مِن اَصحَابِ رَسُولِ اللہ ﷺ وَالتَّابِعِینَ لَھُم بِاِحسَانٍ وَسَایٔرِ اَھلِ السُّنَّۃِ وِالجَمَاعَۃِ فَاِنَّھُم مُجمِعُون عَلٰی اَنَّ الوَاجِبَ الثَّنَاُء علَیھِم وَالاِستِغفَار لَھُم وَ التَّرحُّمُ عَلَیھِم وَ التَّرَتضِّی عَنھُم وَ اعتِقَادُ مَحَبَتَّھِم وَ مَوالَاتِھِم وَ عَقُوبَۃُ مَن اَسَاَء فِیھِمُ القُول۔ "As far as we know, there is no difference of opinion in this issue among the scholars and the jurists from Companions and their followers, and the Ahl-us-sunnah wal-jama'ah. There is consensus of the Ummah that it is imperative to praise the Companions, to seek forgiveness for them, to remember them with compassion and pleasure, and to express love and friendship for them. Anyone who dishonours them should be punished." Ibn Taimiyyah confirms, in Sharh-ul-` Aqidah Al-Wasitiyyah, the consensual belief of the Ahl-us-sunnah wal-jama'ah of the entire Ummah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ relating to the mutual disagreement of the Companions ؓ : وَیُمسِکُونَ عَمَّا شَجَرَ بَینَ الصَّحَابَۃِ وَیَقُولُونَ ھٰذِہِ الاٰثَارُ المَروِیَّۃُ فِی مَسَاوِیھِم مَنھَا مَا ھُوَ کِذبٌ وَّ مَنھِا مَازِیدَ فِیھَا وَ نُقِصَ وَغُیِّرَ وَجھُہ وَ الصَّحِیحُ مِنہُ ھُم فِیہِ مَعذورُونَ اَمَّا مُجتَھِدُونَ مُصِیبُونَ وَ اما مُجتَھِدُونَ مُخَطِٔؤنَ ، وَھُم مَعَ ذلِکَ لَا یَعتَقِدُونَ اَنَّ کُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مَّنَ الصَّحَابَۃِ مَعصُومٌ مِّن کَبَایٔرِ الاِثمِ وَصَغَایٔرِہٖ بَل یَجُوزُ عَلَیھِمُ الذُّنُوبُ فِی الجُملَۃِ وَلَھُم مِّنَ الفَضَایٔلِ وَالسَّوَابِقِ مَا یُوجِبُ مَغفِرَۃً مَا یَصدُرُ مِنھُم حَتّٰی اَنَّھُم یُغفَرُلَھُم مِّنَ السَّیِّٔاتِ مَالَا یُغفِرُ لِمَن م بَعدَھُم۔ 'Ahl-us-sunnah wal jama` ah observe silence relating to matters in which the noble Companions ؓ mutually disagreed. According to them, the position of the narratives that find fault with them may be summarized as follows: Some of them are absolutely false whilst others have been distorted or perverted. Reports that are authentic have a plausible explanation, (because they did what they did on the basis of 'ijtihad' which Shari'ah recognizes). If they reached the right conclusion (by exercising reasoning), they would be rewarded doubly; and if they arrived at an incorrect conclusion (by exerting effort to derive the law on an issue by expending all the available means of interpreting at the jurist's disposal and by taking into account all the legal evidences related to the issue,) they are still excused (and deserve a single reward). Despite this situation, the Ummah does not believe that every Companion is innocent, infallible or sinless. In fact, it is possible for them to commit sins - major or minor, but their virtues and great services to Islam are such that they demand forgiveness. The scope of their forgiveness and pardon would be so wide that the later members of the Ummah would not have such a wide scope." A detailed account of the status of the sahabah is given in Surah Al-Fath under verse [ 29]. I have written a book entitled maqam-e-sahabah in which I have collected relevant Qur'anic verses and Prophetic Traditions pertaining to the status of the Companions. This book has already been published. The Ummah is unanimous on the point that all the blessed Companions ؓ are impartial, unbiased, reliable and worthy of confidence. The book deals elaborately with their disagreements and the civil wars that took place among them. It deals with the status of the historical narratives and their true place in critical study. Some of these issues to the degree necessary have been included in the commentary of Surah Muhammad and Surah Al-Fath. Please refer to the relevant sections there. Allah's help is sought and on Him is our reliance!

The Believers will be awarded Light on the Day of Resurrection يَوْمَ تَرَ‌ى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَسْعَىٰ نُورُ‌هُم بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَانِهِم (On the Day when you will see the believing men and the believing women, their light proceeding in front of them and to their right hands,....57:12) 'The day' refers to the 'Day of Resurrection'. The fact of 'light running before them' will take place just prior to people's passing over the bridge of sirat. The details are given in a Tradition reported by Sayyidna Abu Umamah Bahili ؓ Ibn Kathir has cited it on the authority of Ibn Abi Hatim (رح) . The Tradition is lengthy. It recounts that Sayyidna Abu Umamah Bahili ؓ attended a funeral in Damascus. When it was over, he reminded people about death, the grave, the Resurrection and the Hereafter. A few of the statements are reproduced below in translation: "Then you will be transferred from the graves to the plane of gathering where there will be different stages and spots to stand or wait. Then there will come a stage when some faces will brighten up and others will be darkened by the Divine command. Then there will come a stage when people - believers and non-believers - all will assemble on the Plane of Gathering. An intense darkness will prevail and nobody will be able to see anything. Thereafter light will be distributed. (Another report of Ibn Abi Hatim (رح) ، reported by Ibn Kathir, which he narrates on the authority of Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ says that each believer will receive the light commensurate with his deeds; some will have light as large as a mountain, some as a date tree, some as big as the height of a man. The least among them will have a light as big as his index finger; it will lit at times and extinguished at other times.) Sayyidna Abu Umamah Bahili ؓ then went on to say that the hypocrites and the infidels would not receive any light. The Holy Qur'an exemplifies it thus: أَوْ كَظُلُمَاتٍ فِي بَحْرٍ‌ لُّجِّيٍّ يَغْشَاهُ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ ۚ ظُلُمَاتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ إِذَا أَخْرَ‌جَ يَدَهُ لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَ‌اهَا ۗ وَمَن لَّمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّـهُ لَهُ نُورً‌ا فَمَا لَهُ مِن نُّورٍ‌ 'or their deeds are like layers of darkness in a vast deep sea overwhelmed by a wave, above which there is another wave-layers of darkness, one above the other. When one puts forth his hand, he can hardly see it. And the one to whom Allah does not give light can have no light at all." (24:40) From this narration, it is learnt that the infidels and the hypocrites will be deprived of the light from the very beginning point where Allah will distribute light to the believing men and women after the intensely dark spot. But Tabrani reports a Tradition on the authority of Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ عنہما that the Messenger of Allah said: "Allah will send light to every believer at the bridge, and also to every hypocrite, but when the hypocrites reach the bridge, their light will be snatched away." (Ibn Kathir) This shows that the hypocrites will initially receive light, but when they reach the bridge, they will be deprived of it. Be that as it may, whether they will be deprived of light initially or it will be extinguished later on after receiving it at an earlier stage, they will plead to the believers: 'Please wait for us! Let us take advantage of your light, because we were with you in the world when we performed salah, paid zakah, performed Hajj and even participated in jihad expeditions?' The request will be declined. The rejoinder to this plea is forthcoming in full details. It is in keeping with the characteristic of the hypocrites that they should first be shown the light, then it should be extinguished to leave them in total darkness, just as they behaved deceitfully in the world, as the Qur'an states: يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّـهَ وَهُوَ خَادِعُهُمْ Surely, the hypocrites [ try to ] deceive Allah while He is the One who leaves them in deception ... [ 4:142] Imam Baghawi says that 'deception' here means that first the light will be sent to them, but it will be snatched away from them just in the nick of time when they will be needing it most crucially. At that crucial moment, the believers too will fear lest their light should be snatched away. As a result, they would implore thus: يَوْمَ لَا يُخْزِي اللَّـهُ النَّبِيَّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ ۖ نُورُ‌هُمْ يَسْعَىٰ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَانِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَ‌بَّنَا أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَ‌نَا وَاغْفِرْ‌ لَنَا ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ‌ "...on the Day when Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believed with him. Their light will run before them and to their right hands. They will say, "Our Lord, perfect for us our light, and forgive us. Indeed you are powerful over everything." [ 66:8] (Mazhari) Muslim, Ahmad and Darqutni record on the authority of Sayyidna Jabir Ibn ` Abdullah the Prophetic Hadith that at first, light will be given to both believers and hypocrites, but when the latter would reach the bridge, it will be snatched away from the hypocrites. Mazhari reconciles the two versions thus: There are two types of hypocrites, one of whom appeared in the time of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . This type will be treated like the infidels. The non-believers will not receive light from the very outset. Likewise, the hypocrites of the time of the Holy Prophet ﷺ will be deprived of the light from the very outset. The second type of hypocrites appeared after the time of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، but they cannot be so called in the true sense of the word because revelation ended with the departure of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and without definitive evidence on the basis of revelation no one can be labeled, identified or classified as a munafiq [ hypocrite ]. The munafiq manifests the form of a man of faith in his outward practice, but his inner dimension is completely devoid of faith and belief. There is no way of knowing this for common people. However, Allah is fully aware of his inner and outer dimensions. He will treat each one accordingly. The munafiqs will be shown the light in the beginning, but when they would arrive at the bridge, their light will be put out and they will be groping in total darkness. In this category of munafiqs fall those people of this Ummah who distort the Qur'an and Hadith twisting their meanings to suit their own purposes. We seek Allah's refuge from it. Causes of Light and Darkness on the Plane of Gathering Tafsir Mazhari, on this occasion, has, on the basis of Qur'an and Hadith, described the causes of light and darkness on the Plane of Gathering. Below, we reproduce those causes the knowledge of which is more important than pure academic research, in the hope that Allah will grant us light: [ 1] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Give glad tidings to those who go to the mosque in the darkness of night that they will receive perfect light on the Day of Judgment." (Reported by Abu Dad and Tirmidhi from Buraidah, and Ibn Majah from Anas ؓ . This Hadith is also reported by Sahl Ibn Sa'd, Zaid Ibn Harithah, Ibn ` Abbas, Ibn 'Umar, Harithah Ibn Wahb, Abu 'Umamah, Abu-ad-Darda, Abu Musa, Abu Hurairah, ` A'ishah ؓ [ 2] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: مَن حَافَظَ عَلَی الصَّلَوَاتِ کَانَت لَہُ ، نُوراً وَّ بُرھَاناً وَّ نَجَاۃً یَّومَ القِیٰمۃِ وَمَن لَّم یُحافِظُ عَلیِھَا لَم یَکُن لَّہُ ، نُوراً وَّ لَا بُرھَاناً وَّلَا نَجَاۃً کَانَ یَومَ القِیامَۃِ مَعَ قَارُون وَ ھَامَانَ وَ فِرعَونَ ۔ "He who takes care of his five daily prayers [ that is, performs them regularly fulfilling all their essentials ], it will serve as light, proof and salvation for him on the Day of Judgment. He who fails to take care of it, there will be no light, nor proof or salvation for him on the Day of Judgment. The latter will be in the company of Qarun, Haman and Fir'aun." (Reported by Ahmad and Tabarani from Ibn Umar ؓ [ 3] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Whoever recites Surah Al-Kahf, there will be so much of light for him on the Day of Judgment that it will spread from his place to Makkah." In another narration, "Whoever recites Surah Al-Kahf on a Friday, light will extend from his feet to the heights of the heaven on the Day of Judgment." (Reported by Tabaram from Abu Said ؓ [ 4] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Whoever recites just a single verse of the Qur'an, it will be a light for him on the Day of Judgment." (Reported by Ahmad from Abu Hurairah ؓ [ 5] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Whoever sends salah (durud) to me, it shall be the cause of light on the Bridge of Sirat." (Reported by Dailami from Abu Hurairah ؓ [ 6] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said when detailing the rules of Hajj: "The hair, that falls on the ground at the time of shaving it when coming out of the state of ihram, will be a light for him on the Day of Judgment" (Tabarani from Ubadah Ibn Samit ؓ [ 7] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Stoning the jamarat in Mina will be a light on the Day of Judgment." (Musnad of Bazzar from Ibn Masud ؓ [ 8] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "He whose hair turns gray in Islam, it will be a light for him on the Day of Judgment." (Tabarani, with a good chain, from Abu Hurairah ؓ [ 9] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "He who shoots even one arrow in Allah's way while fighting in jihad, it will be a light for him on the Day of Judgment." (Bazzar with a good chain from Abu Hurairah ؓ [ 10] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "He who remembers Allah in the marketplace will receive light for every strand of hair on the Day of Judgment." (Baihaqi in Shu` ab-ul-'Iman with an interrupted chain from Ibn Umar ؓ [ 11] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "He who alleviates the calamity of a Muslim, Allah will create two compartments of light for him at the bridge which will brighten up a whole world. No one besides Allah knows its number." (Tabarani from Abu Hurairah ؓ [ 12] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: اِیَّاکُم وَ الظُلمَ فَاِنَّہ، ھُوَ الظُلُمٰتُ یَوم القِیامَۃِ "Beware of zulm [ injustice ] because that will yield zulumat [ layers of darkness ] on the Day of Judgment." (Bukhari and Muslim from Ibn Umar ؓ ، Muslim from Jabir ؓ and Hakim from Abu Hurairah and Ibn ` Umar ؓ ، and Tabarani from Ibn Ziyad ؓ .

يَوْمَ يَقُولُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالْمُنَافِقَاتُ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا انظُرُ‌ونَا نَقْتَبِسْ مِن نُّورِ‌كُمْ (...the Day when the hypocrite men and hypocrite women will say to those who believe, "Wait for us, so that we may have a share from your light...(57:13) The meaning is self-evident. قِيلَ ارْ‌جِعُوا وَرَ‌اءَكُمْ فَالْتَمِسُوا نُورً‌ا (...it will be said [ to them ], "Go back to your rear, and search for light ....57:13) This reply will be given by either the believers, or by the angels. [ Ibn ` Abbas ؓ and Qatadah (رح) ] فَضُرِ‌بَ بَيْنَهُم بِسُورٍ‌ لَّهُ بَابٌ بَاطِنُهُ فِيهِ الرَّ‌حْمَةُ وَظَاهِرُ‌هُ مِن قِبَلِهِ الْعَذَابُ (...Then a wall will be placed between them, which will have a gate. In its inner side, there will be the Divine mercy, while towards its outer side, there will be the Divine punishment...57:13). Having received the reply from either the believers or the angels, the hypocrites will return to the place where the light was distributed. They will find nothing there, so they will attempt to go back to the believers but in the meantime a wall will be set up between the hypocrites and the believers. As a result, the hypocrites will be separated from the believers and will not be able to reach them. They will be left in complete darkness. On the side of the believers there will be Allah's mercy while on the side of the hypocrites there will be chastisement. Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani cites Ibn Zaid's view that this wall refers to A` raf, which will be a barrier between the believers and the hypocrites. Other commentators express the view that the wall is not the barrier of A'raf, but it is some other wall or barrier. The door in the wall could serve one of two purposes: [ 1] It will be a way through which the believers and the hypocrites will communicate with one another; or [ 2] all the believers will pass through this door and then sealed off permanently. Special Note In the matter of light, the infidels are not mentioned anywhere, because in their case there is no question of having such a light. The hypocrites are, however, mentioned and there are two narrations concerning them: [ 1] That they will not receive light at all from the outset; or [ 2] They will receive it at first, but when they arrive at the Bridge of Sirat, it will be extinguished. A wall will be erected as a barrier between them and the believers. This goes to show that only the believers will cross the Bridge of Sirat from above the Hell. The infidels and pagans will not pass through the Bridge. They will be pushed into the Fire direct through the doors of Hell. The sinful believers, who will be kept in the Hell for a while to be cleansed of their sins, will fall into the Hell while crossing the Bridge. The rest of the believers will cross the bridge safely and enter Paradise, as explicitly stated by Shah ` Abdul-Qadir Dehlawi (رح) and supported by Durr. Allah knows best!

يَوْمَ يَقُولُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالْمُنَافِقَاتُ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا انظُرُ‌ونَا نَقْتَبِسْ مِن نُّورِ‌كُمْ (...the Day when the hypocrite men and hypocrite women will say to those who believe, "Wait for us, so that we may have a share from your light...(57:13) The meaning is self-evident. قِيلَ ارْ‌جِعُوا وَرَ‌اءَكُمْ فَالْتَمِسُوا نُورً‌ا (...it will be said [ to them ], "Go back to your rear, and search for light ....57:13) This reply will be given by either the believers, or by the angels. [ Ibn ` Abbas ؓ and Qatadah (رح) ] فَضُرِ‌بَ بَيْنَهُم بِسُورٍ‌ لَّهُ بَابٌ بَاطِنُهُ فِيهِ الرَّ‌حْمَةُ وَظَاهِرُ‌هُ مِن قِبَلِهِ الْعَذَابُ (...Then a wall will be placed between them, which will have a gate. In its inner side, there will be the Divine mercy, while towards its outer side, there will be the Divine punishment...57:13). Having received the reply from either the believers or the angels, the hypocrites will return to the place where the light was distributed. They will find nothing there, so they will attempt to go back to the believers but in the meantime a wall will be set up between the hypocrites and the believers. As a result, the hypocrites will be separated from the believers and will not be able to reach them. They will be left in complete darkness. On the side of the believers there will be Allah's mercy while on the side of the hypocrites there will be chastisement. Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani cites Ibn Zaid's view that this wall refers to A` raf, which will be a barrier between the believers and the hypocrites. Other commentators express the view that the wall is not the barrier of A'raf, but it is some other wall or barrier. The door in the wall could serve one of two purposes: [ 1] It will be a way through which the believers and the hypocrites will communicate with one another; or [ 2] all the believers will pass through this door and then sealed off permanently. Special Note In the matter of light, the infidels are not mentioned anywhere, because in their case there is no question of having such a light. The hypocrites are, however, mentioned and there are two narrations concerning them: [ 1] That they will not receive light at all from the outset; or [ 2] They will receive it at first, but when they arrive at the Bridge of Sirat, it will be extinguished. A wall will be erected as a barrier between them and the believers. This goes to show that only the believers will cross the Bridge of Sirat from above the Hell. The infidels and pagans will not pass through the Bridge. They will be pushed into the Fire direct through the doors of Hell. The sinful believers, who will be kept in the Hell for a while to be cleansed of their sins, will fall into the Hell while crossing the Bridge. The rest of the believers will cross the bridge safely and enter Paradise, as explicitly stated by Shah ` Abdul-Qadir Dehlawi (رح) and supported by Durr. Allah knows best!

يَوْمَ يَقُولُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالْمُنَافِقَاتُ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا انظُرُ‌ونَا نَقْتَبِسْ مِن نُّورِ‌كُمْ (...the Day when the hypocrite men and hypocrite women will say to those who believe, "Wait for us, so that we may have a share from your light...(57:13) The meaning is self-evident. قِيلَ ارْ‌جِعُوا وَرَ‌اءَكُمْ فَالْتَمِسُوا نُورً‌ا (...it will be said [ to them ], "Go back to your rear, and search for light ....57:13) This reply will be given by either the believers, or by the angels. [ Ibn ` Abbas ؓ and Qatadah (رح) ] فَضُرِ‌بَ بَيْنَهُم بِسُورٍ‌ لَّهُ بَابٌ بَاطِنُهُ فِيهِ الرَّ‌حْمَةُ وَظَاهِرُ‌هُ مِن قِبَلِهِ الْعَذَابُ (...Then a wall will be placed between them, which will have a gate. In its inner side, there will be the Divine mercy, while towards its outer side, there will be the Divine punishment...57:13). Having received the reply from either the believers or the angels, the hypocrites will return to the place where the light was distributed. They will find nothing there, so they will attempt to go back to the believers but in the meantime a wall will be set up between the hypocrites and the believers. As a result, the hypocrites will be separated from the believers and will not be able to reach them. They will be left in complete darkness. On the side of the believers there will be Allah's mercy while on the side of the hypocrites there will be chastisement. Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani cites Ibn Zaid's view that this wall refers to A` raf, which will be a barrier between the believers and the hypocrites. Other commentators express the view that the wall is not the barrier of A'raf, but it is some other wall or barrier. The door in the wall could serve one of two purposes: [ 1] It will be a way through which the believers and the hypocrites will communicate with one another; or [ 2] all the believers will pass through this door and then sealed off permanently. Special Note In the matter of light, the infidels are not mentioned anywhere, because in their case there is no question of having such a light. The hypocrites are, however, mentioned and there are two narrations concerning them: [ 1] That they will not receive light at all from the outset; or [ 2] They will receive it at first, but when they arrive at the Bridge of Sirat, it will be extinguished. A wall will be erected as a barrier between them and the believers. This goes to show that only the believers will cross the Bridge of Sirat from above the Hell. The infidels and pagans will not pass through the Bridge. They will be pushed into the Fire direct through the doors of Hell. The sinful believers, who will be kept in the Hell for a while to be cleansed of their sins, will fall into the Hell while crossing the Bridge. The rest of the believers will cross the bridge safely and enter Paradise, as explicitly stated by Shah ` Abdul-Qadir Dehlawi (رح) and supported by Durr. Allah knows best!

أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ‌ اللَّـهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ (Has the time not yet come for those who believe that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and for the truth that has descended [ through revelation ]?...57:16) The phrase khushu'-ul-qalb means 'for the heart to soften; to be receptive to advice; to be obedient; to submit'. [ Ibn Kathir ] In the Qur'anic context, it implies 'a complete willingness to yield to the Divine injunctions, or the Divine imperatives and prohibitions without allowing any laxity in following them. [ Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani ] This verse admonishes the believers. Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ reports that some of the believers were found to be lacking in firmness, and somewhat laziness was felt in their practices. So this verse was revealed. Imam A'mash (رح) said: After settling down in Madinah, the blessed Companions ؓ experienced socio-economic comfort and prosperity; as a result some of them relaxed in exerting their efforts to do good works as they used to do previously. Thus this verse was revealed. [ Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani ] Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas ؓ is narration also carries the additional information that this admonitory verse was revealed thirteen years after the revelation had started. [ Recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim (رح) ] Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ narrates that this admonitory verse was revealed four years after they had embraced Islam to administer this mild reproof. Allah knows best! In any case, the Muslims are cautioned in this verse that they should prepare themselves to turn to Allah totally and completely, and act upon the teachings of their religion. All actions revolve around khushu`-ul-qalb Sayyidna Shaddad Ibn Aws ؓ narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The first thing that will be taken away from the people will be their humility or humbleness [ khushu']." [ Ibn Kathir ]

أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ‌ اللَّـهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ (Has the time not yet come for those who believe that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and for the truth that has descended [ through revelation ]?...57:16) The phrase khushu'-ul-qalb means 'for the heart to soften; to be receptive to advice; to be obedient; to submit'. [ Ibn Kathir ] In the Qur'anic context, it implies 'a complete willingness to yield to the Divine injunctions, or the Divine imperatives and prohibitions without allowing any laxity in following them. [ Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani ] This verse admonishes the believers. Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ reports that some of the believers were found to be lacking in firmness, and somewhat laziness was felt in their practices. So this verse was revealed. Imam A'mash (رح) said: After settling down in Madinah, the blessed Companions ؓ experienced socio-economic comfort and prosperity; as a result some of them relaxed in exerting their efforts to do good works as they used to do previously. Thus this verse was revealed. [ Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani ] Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas ؓ is narration also carries the additional information that this admonitory verse was revealed thirteen years after the revelation had started. [ Recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim (رح) ] Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ narrates that this admonitory verse was revealed four years after they had embraced Islam to administer this mild reproof. Allah knows best! In any case, the Muslims are cautioned in this verse that they should prepare themselves to turn to Allah totally and completely, and act upon the teachings of their religion. All actions revolve around khushu`-ul-qalb Sayyidna Shaddad Ibn Aws ؓ narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The first thing that will be taken away from the people will be their humility or humbleness [ khushu']." [ Ibn Kathir ]

أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ‌ اللَّـهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ (Has the time not yet come for those who believe that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and for the truth that has descended [ through revelation ]?...57:16) The phrase khushu'-ul-qalb means 'for the heart to soften; to be receptive to advice; to be obedient; to submit'. [ Ibn Kathir ] In the Qur'anic context, it implies 'a complete willingness to yield to the Divine injunctions, or the Divine imperatives and prohibitions without allowing any laxity in following them. [ Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani ] This verse admonishes the believers. Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ reports that some of the believers were found to be lacking in firmness, and somewhat laziness was felt in their practices. So this verse was revealed. Imam A'mash (رح) said: After settling down in Madinah, the blessed Companions ؓ experienced socio-economic comfort and prosperity; as a result some of them relaxed in exerting their efforts to do good works as they used to do previously. Thus this verse was revealed. [ Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani ] Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas ؓ is narration also carries the additional information that this admonitory verse was revealed thirteen years after the revelation had started. [ Recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim (رح) ] Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ narrates that this admonitory verse was revealed four years after they had embraced Islam to administer this mild reproof. Allah knows best! In any case, the Muslims are cautioned in this verse that they should prepare themselves to turn to Allah totally and completely, and act upon the teachings of their religion. All actions revolve around khushu`-ul-qalb Sayyidna Shaddad Ibn Aws ؓ narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The first thing that will be taken away from the people will be their humility or humbleness [ khushu']." [ Ibn Kathir ]

Is every Believer a 'Siddiq' and a 'Shahid'? " وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّـهِ وَرُ‌سُلِهِ أُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الصِّدِّيقُونَ وَالشُّهَدَاءُ عِندَ رَ‌بِّهِمْ "And those who believed in Allah and His messengers, it is they who are the siddiqs [ the most righteous ] and the shuhada' (martyrs) in the sight of your Lord. ...57:19) This verse indicates that every 'believer' is a 'Siddiq' and a 'Shahid'. On the basis of this verse Qatadah and 'Amr Ibn Maimun maintain that anyone who believes in Allah and His Messenger ﷺ is a 'Siddiq' and a 'Shahid'. Ibn Jarir reports that Sayyidna Bara' Ibn ` Azib ؓ narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: مَؤمِنُوا اُمَّتِی شُھَدَآُء "The believers of my Ummah are all Shahids (martyrs)." In support of this, he recited the current verse. Ibn Abi Hatim reports that Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ narrates that one day some of the Companions ؓ had gathered around him, and he stated کُلُّکُم صِدِّیقُ وَّ شَھِیدُ Each one of you is a 'Siddiq' and a 'Shahid'. This startled them and they exclaimed: "What are you saying, Abu Hurairah?" He replied: "If you do not believe me, then read the present verse [ 19] وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّـهِ وَرُ‌سُلِهِ أُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الصِّدِّيقُونَ ۖ وَالشُّهَدَاءُ. However, another verse of the Qur'an seems to be against this concept. It is the verse [ 4:69]: فَأُولَـٰئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ (And those who obey Allah and the Messenger are with those whom Allah has blessed, namely, the Prophets, the Siddiqin, the Shuhada' and the righteous...) This indicates that not every believer is a 'Siddiq' and a 'Shahid' because in addition to the Prophets, the general body of Muslims comprise three categories of believers who are specially mentioned: [ 1] the Siddiqin; [ 2] the Shuhada ; and [ 3] the righteous. It would appear that the three categories are distinctly different. Otherwise, there would have been no need to mention them separately. Therefore, some scholars believe that the 'Siddiqin' and the 'Shuhada' in fact constitute the highest and most sublime categories bearing the supreme attributes. Here all believers are referred to as 'Siddiq' and 'Shahid' in the sense that every believer is in some degree included in the group of 'Siddiqin' and 'Shuhada'. Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani states that it is appropriate to believe that the verse under comment refers to people who have perfect faith and perform deeds of righteousness. Otherwise, people who are believers but indulge in deeds that are not in keeping with the dictates of their faith can hardly be called 'Siddiq' or 'Shahid'. The Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said: اَللَّعَّانُونَ لَا یَکُونُونَ شُھَدَاَء (The cursers cannot be 'Shuhada"." This Tradition supports the notion. Sayyidna ` Umar Al-Faruq ؓ once said to the people: "What is the matter with you? You see someone defaming people, you neither stop him nor do you raise your eyebrows about it! They replied: 'We are afraid of his violent tongue. If we tell him something, he will also attack our honour.' Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ made a rejoinder 'if that is the case, then you cannot be 'Shuhada"'. Ibn Athir cited this narration and said: 'This means that such coward people will not be among the 'Shuhada' who will bear witness against the communities of the previous Prophets.' [ Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani ]. Mazhari states that the word الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا 'believers' in verse [ 19] refers only to the Companions ؓ of the Holy Prophet ﷺ who reposed their faith in Allah and His Messenger ﷺ ، saw him and had the pleasure of his company. As such, the restrictive phrase, هُمُ الصِّدِّيقُونَ 'it is they who are the Siddiqs..' in Verse [ 19] indicate that the status of Siddiq is limited or restricted to the noble Companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Mujaddid Alf Thani states that all the noble Companions ؓ had a share in the noble qualities of prophet-hood. Any Companion who saw him in a state of faith even for a short time is absorbed and drowned in such qualities of perfection. Allah, the Pure and Exalted, knows best!

The Life of this World is Fleeting Enjoyment The preceding verses described the conditions of the inmates of Paradise and those of the inhabitants of Hell, which will materialize in the Hereafter and will be permanent and eternal. Since the basic cause for one's deprivation of the bounties of the Hereafter and his being seized by the divine punishment is his involvement in the temporary pleasures of this worldly life that tempt him to forget the life to come, the verse under comment describes the reality of the worldly life and its being unreliable. The verse depicts the involvements of a human being that he cheerfully enjoys from the inception of his life up to its end. The verse summarizes these involvements in the same order in which they occur. From the inception to the end of his life, man leads his life in the following order: la'ib [ play ], lahw [ amusement ], zinah [ show of beauty ], tarakhur [ exchange of boastful claims ] and takathur [ competition of increase in riches and children ]. The word la'ib (play) refers to a play that has no purpose at all, like the movements of little children. The lahw [ amusement or pastime ] is a game or sport meant initially for amusement and enjoyment, but it may serve also some other subsidiary purpose like physical exercise. It includes all the sports of the bigger children such as playing with a ball or swimming or target-shooting. Prophetic Traditions have termed swimming and target-shooting as good sports. The early stage of one's life is spent in play and amusement. Then comes a stage in his youth when man wants to adorn his body and dress and to show their beauty, which is described in the verse as 'zinah'. Then comes a stage in which man is tempted to prove his superiority over his mates and to make boastful claims. In old age, a keen competition and rivalry sets in to amass wealth and multiply children. When man goes through a particular phase of life, he feels satisfied with it. But when that phase is over, he realizes its absurdity and hollowness and takes to the next phase of life. For example, a child is most fascinated with his phase of life and regards the stage of la'ib (play) the goal of his life. Should someone snatch one of his toys, he feels as much aggrieved as a big man is grieved by his valuable wealth and property being usurped. However, when he grows a little bigger, he realizes the things he deemed to be the goal of his life were nothing but some useless and absurd activities. The same thing happens in one's youth when he is attracted by adorned beauties. In old age, man gathers wealth and multiplies children. Power, prestige, pride and position are his capital goods and investments to wield dominance in life. The Qur'an reminds him that this phase too will pass away. The next stage is barzakh [ grave ] followed by the Day of Resurrection. Man needs to think about those stages or phases of life because they are really eternal without an end. Allah has described the fleeting enjoyment of this world in such an order that the appropriate parable given in verse [ 20] follows naturally. کمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ‌ نَبَاتُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَ‌اهُ مُصْفَرًّ‌ا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَامًا (...[ All this is ] like a rain, the vegetation of which attracts the farmers, then it withers, and you see it turning yellow, then it becomes straw....57:20) The word ghaith means 'rain'. The word kuffar, being the plural of kafir, is generally used as opposed to mu'minin [ believers ], in the sense of non-believers, but its literal sense carries the meaning of 'farmers' also. Some scholars have taken the word here in this literal sense, explicating that the farmers are happy to see the vegetation that grows in the aftermath of rain. Other commentators have taken the word kuffar in its popular sense of non-believers, explaining the verse to mean that the non-believers are attracted by the greenery. This explanation may be criticized on the ground that being happy with the greenery is not confined to non-believers, but also the believers admire the lush vegetation when it abounds in vigorous growth. The commentators have appraised the criticism thus: There is a world of difference between the happiness and admiration of a believer and that of a non-believer. A believer's pleasure is directed towards Allah. He believes that everything is the outcome of Allah's power, wisdom and mercy. He does not make it the goal of his life; he gives up the cherished and precious things of this mortal world in consideration for the higher, eternal things of the life yet to come in the Hereafter. That is the goal of his life he worries about. Therefore, any believer who fulfills the requirements of his faith is not attracted, even by the biggest wealth in this world as a kafir does. That is why the attraction by the vegetation is attributed to a non-believer. In short, the parable means that in the wake of rain vegetation of all sorts grows, and it pleases the farmers, especially the non-believers. But the vegetation soon turns yellow in colour, after being fresh and green. After that, the green fades away and become scattered particles of dust. This is example of mankind in this life. They are young and strong in the beginning. In this stage of life, they look youthful and handsome. Gradually, old age overcomes them which does away with all their beauty and freshness until they die and become dust. This parable indicates the end of this life, while in contrast, the Hereafter is surely coming, the significance of which is given in the following words: وَفِي الْآخِرَ‌ةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَ‌ةٌ مِّنَ اللَّـهِ وَرِ‌ضْوَانٌ(...And in the Hereafter there is a [ Allah's ] pleasure [ for the believers and the righteous ] ...57:20). In the Hereafter the people will certainly have to face one of two things: [ 1] severe punishment for the non-believers; and [ 2] forgiveness of Allah, His mercy and His good pleasure. Punishment has been mentioned here first, because the preceding verses described the behavior of the infidels that they are over-absorbed in worldly pleasures, the outcome of which is also severe chastisement. As opposed to this outcome, two things have been laid down for the believers: [ 1] Divine forgiveness; and [ 2] Divine pleasure. This indicates that forgiveness of sins is though a boon that saves one from the punishment, yet in addition to being saved from the punishment, he will attain Paradise and its eternal favors. This will be the manifestation of Divine pleasure. وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُ‌ورِ‌ (And the worldly life is nothing but a material of delusion....57:20) The current phrase states concisely the reality of this world. Having seen and understood all that has been explained in the foregoing verses about the transitory nature of this world, sound and intelligent people can come to only one conclusion: that is, the life of this world is a material of delusion; it is not a capital that may be useful in odd times. Therefore, after knowing the reality of the worldly life and the punishment of the Hereafter, a reasonable man should not be over-involved in worldly pleasures, and should be eager to obtain the bounties of the Hereafter. This is what the next verses say.

سَابِقُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَ‌ةٍ مِّن رَّ‌بِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْ‌ضُهَا كَعَرْ‌ضِ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْ‌ضِ (Compete each other in proceeding towards forgiveness from your Lord and to Paradise, the width of which is like the width of the sky and the earth ...57:21) The competition or race referred to in this verse may have either of the two meanings: [ 1] No one has a guarantee for the continuance of his life, health and strength. One should not procrastinate, delay, defer, or put off performing righteous deeds for future, because the time might not come on account of illness, any inability or even death. One should race against inability, weakness and death, so that one may accumulate the treasure of good deeds that may lead one to Paradise before such inabilities may arrive and stop one from the good deeds. [ 2] Another meaning may be to compete with one another in good deeds, as Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ advises: "Be among the first ones to go to the mosque and the last ones to come out." Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ advises: "Go forward to be in the first line of jihad." Sayyidna Anas ؓ states: "Try to be present for the first takbir of the congregational prayer." [ Ruh ] The verse under comment defines that Paradise will be as wide as the heaven and the earth. A similar verse occurs in Surah Al-` Imran [ 3:133] where the word 'skies' is plural, whereas here the word sama' (sky) is singular, from which we gather that both the words, the singular as well as the plural, refer to all the seven heavens, meaning if the vastness of the seven heavens and the earth are put together, that will be the width of Paradise. Obviously, the length of anything is greater than its breadth. This shows that the length of Paradise is greater than the length of the seven heavens and earth. Sometimes the word width or breadth is used in the general sense of 'vastness' irrespective of its length. In both cases, the purport of the verse is to describe that Paradise is very vast, so vast that it can accommodate the entire heavens and the earth in its vastness. ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّـهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ وَاللَّـهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ (That is the bounty of Allah that He gives to whomever He wills, and Allah is the Lord of the great bounty...57:21) The foregoing verse enjoined upon us to march forth and compete each other in marching to Paradise and its bounties. This could give rise to the thought that Paradise and its eternal pleasures and delights are the direct result of our actions. This verse clarifies the point that good actions are not necessarily the sufficient cause for the attainment of Paradise. Man's life-long actions cannot be an adequate price even for the bounties he has received in this world, let alone the everlasting bounties of Paradise and its eternal blessings. Anyone who enters Paradise will do so out of Allah's grace and mercy, as is mentioned in a Prophetic Hadith, recorded in Sahilhain on the authority of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ who reports that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has said: "No one will attain salvation by means of his actions only." The Companions enquired: "Not even you, 0 Messenger of Allah?" He replied: "No, not even I will attain Paradise because of my actions, unless Allah bestows His grace and compassion on me." [ Mazhari ]

Factors affecting Mankind are duly measured and destined There are two sets of factors that make man unmindful of Allah and the Hereafter: [ 1] wealth, comfort and other luxuries of this world; one's over-involvement in such luxuries makes him neglectful of Allah. The previous verses have warned against it. [ 2] calamities, problems and other hardships that cause one to be hopeless and in turn neglectful towards Allah. The current set of verses deal with this second cause of negligence. مَا أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ وَلَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّبْرَ‌أَهَا (No calamity befalls the earth or your own selves, but it is [ pre-destined ] in a Book before We bring it into being ....57:22) The expression 'Book' refers to 'Preserved Tablet [ lawh mahfuz ] and the verse means that Allah had measured and decided the destiny of all things even before He created them. The expression 'No affliction befalls in the earth' refers to famine, earthquake, destruction of crops, loss in business, loss of wealth and property and loss of friends and loved ones. The expression 'in yourselves' refers to illnesses of all sorts, all kinds of wounds, hurt and injury.

Patience and Gratitude لِّكَيْلَا تَأْسَوْا عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا تَفْرَ‌حُوا بِمَا آتَاكُمْ (...so that you may neither grieve on what has escaped you, nor over-exult on what He has given you ...57:23) This means that Allah has informed us of His encompassing knowledge, recording all things before they occur and creating all things in due measure known to Him, so that we may know that what has met us would never have missed us, and what has missed us would never have met us. Therefore, we are commanded not to over-grieve on the good things we have missed, nor to over-exult on the comforts or wealth we enjoyed in this life, and in turn be neglectful about Allah and the Hereafter. Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ says that it is man's natural disposition that certain things cheer him up and other things make him miserable, whereas the true position should have been as follows: When any misery befalls him, he should endure it with patience and earn reward in the Hereafter, and when he experiences joy, he should experience it with gratitude to Allah and earn reward in the Hereafter. [ Reported by Hakim who rates it as sahib. See Ruh ] وَاللَّـهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ‌ (...And Allah does not love any self-admirer, over-proud...57:23) The expression "does not love" in fact implies that Allah 'hates' those who become proud of the bounties they enjoy in this world. But instead of using the word 'hates' the expression 'does not love' is perhaps an indication that an intelligent person should consider about all his actions whether or not the intended act is dear to Allah. This is the reason why the verse uses the phrase 'does not love'.

Patience and Gratitude لِّكَيْلَا تَأْسَوْا عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا تَفْرَ‌حُوا بِمَا آتَاكُمْ (...so that you may neither grieve on what has escaped you, nor over-exult on what He has given you ...57:23) This means that Allah has informed us of His encompassing knowledge, recording all things before they occur and creating all things in due measure known to Him, so that we may know that what has met us would never have missed us, and what has missed us would never have met us. Therefore, we are commanded not to over-grieve on the good things we have missed, nor to over-exult on the comforts or wealth we enjoyed in this life, and in turn be neglectful about Allah and the Hereafter. Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ says that it is man's natural disposition that certain things cheer him up and other things make him miserable, whereas the true position should have been as follows: When any misery befalls him, he should endure it with patience and earn reward in the Hereafter, and when he experiences joy, he should experience it with gratitude to Allah and earn reward in the Hereafter. [ Reported by Hakim who rates it as sahib. See Ruh ] وَاللَّـهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ‌ (...And Allah does not love any self-admirer, over-proud...57:23) The expression "does not love" in fact implies that Allah 'hates' those who become proud of the bounties they enjoy in this world. But instead of using the word 'hates' the expression 'does not love' is perhaps an indication that an intelligent person should consider about all his actions whether or not the intended act is dear to Allah. This is the reason why the verse uses the phrase 'does not love'.

Establishing Justice: The Real Purpose of sending Prophets and Divine Books لَقَدْ أَرْ‌سَلْنَا رُ‌سُلَنَا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَنزَلْنَا مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْمِيزَانَ لِيَقُومَ النَّاسُ بِالْقِسْطِ ۖ وَأَنزَلْنَا الْحَدِيدَ فِيهِ بَأْسٌ شَدِيدٌ We have indeed sent Our messengers with clear proofs, and sent down with them the Book and the Balance, so that people may uphold justice. And We sent down iron in which there is strong power, and benefits for the people; and [ We did it ] so that Allah knows the one who helps Him and His messengers without seeing [ Him ]. Surely Allah is Strong, Mighty (57:25) The word bayyinat means 'clear' or 'evident' things. It could also mean 'clear injunctions'. It may refer to 'miracles, clear proofs and evidences of Prophet-hood and Messenger-ship. [ Ibn Kathir and Ibn Hayyan ]. After bayyinat, the mention sending down the Book supports the last interpretation, that is, bayyinat refers to 'miracles and proofs' and that 'the Book' sets out details of injunctions. In addition to the Book, another thing has been mentioned, which is mizan [ Balance or Scale ]. Originally, this word refers to an instrument of weighing. Besides the customary balance, there are other kinds of instruments that are invented from time to time to weigh and measure other things. For example, nowadays we have instruments with which to weigh and measure 'light', 'wind' and other things. All these instruments will fall under the category of 'mizan [ Balance ]. This verse speaks of sending down 'the Balance' like 'the Book'. The notion of the Book coming down from the heaven and reaching the prophets through the agency of the angels is quite understandable. But it is not clear what it means for the Balance to come down. Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani, Mazhari and others have explained that 'the coming down of Balance' refers to the Divine laws that were revealed pertaining to the use of the Balance and administration of justice. Qurtubi explains that it was the Book that was sent down, the Balance has been merely appended to the same verb but connoting the sense of inventing and placing. This is quite common in Arabic language and literature. Thus this sentence in full will read as follows: انزَلنَا الکِتاب وَ وَضَعنَا المِیزَان (We sent down the Book and placed the Scale.) The readers may compare this verse with verse [ 7] of Surah Ar-Rahman وَالسَّمَاءَ رَ‌فَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ الْمِيزَانَ (And He raised the sky high, and placed the scale...55:7) where Scale is said to have been set up or placed. Some Traditions narrate that a balance was actually sent down from the heavens to Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) and he was enjoined to weigh with it and fulfill the rights of people. Allah knows best! Alongside 'the Book ' and 'the Balance', a third thing was sent down, that is, 'the iron'. The verb 'sent down' in relation to the iron stands for 'created' because it was not sent down from the heaven. There are other occasions where the verb anzala [ He sent down ] is used in the sense of khalaqa [ He created ], as for instance in this وَأَنزَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ الْأَنْعَامِ ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ (He sent down to you of the cattle eight couples...39:6) In this verse, the verb anzala [ He sent down ] is unanimously used in the sense of khalaqa [ He created ]. This expression is adopted to indicate that everything in this world is 'sent down from the heaven' in the sense that everything that exists in the world was recorded in the Preserved Tablet long before it came into existence. [ Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani ] According to the verse, 'iron' serves two purposes: [ 1] it represents power and holds the hostile opponents in great awe, and may compel the rebellious people to abide by Divine laws and system of justice. [ 2] it also holds great benefits for man. In other words, iron is a thing of common utility as it is used on a large scale in various industries. It is indispensable for the invention of every device, machine, mechanical apparatus, contrivance, and there is some iron in almost everything man innovates. No contrivance is possible without iron. Special Note [ 1] The fundamental purpose of sending the Prophets, revealing the divine books and erecting the Balance is mentioned as follows: لِيَقُومَ النَّاسُ بِالْقِسْطِ (so that people may uphold justice...57:25) After that a third element is introduced: the creation of 'iron'. This, in fact, complements the same basic purpose of 'administration of justice' because the Prophets and the Divine Books set forth clear and sound arguments to establish justice. If the defiant group fails to establish it, it is warned about punishment in the Hereafter. The 'Balance' sets up the parameters within which justice should operate. If the defiant group obdurately refuses to accept the parameters of justice and is left free to go about violating them, he will not allow justice to be established. In this case, the higher authority of the state will have no choice but to take up arms against them. Special Note [ 2] Another point of consideration here is that the Holy Qur'an has set forth two factors as fundamental to the establishment of justice: [ 1] the Book; and [ 2] the Balance. The Book sets forth the Divine rights and the human rights, and the need to fulfill them; it prohibits their violation. The Balance lays down the system which maintains just equilibrium in human social relations. The purpose of revealing these two factors is لِيَقُومَ النَّاسُ بِالْقِسْطِ (so that people may uphold justice...57:25). The factor of 'iron' has been mentioned last. This indicates that in the establishment of justice iron may be used only as a last resort, not as the first step. The real purpose of improving human society and establishing justice among them is to improve them in intellectual development and growth. The government may not exert its might and power to achieve the purpose of developing them intellectually. It may use it, only as the ultimate option, if they stand in the way of justice. The main thing is to cultivate the minds of the people by educating them. وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللَّـهُ مَن يَنصُرُ‌هُ وَرُ‌سُلَهُ بِالْغَيْبِ (...and [ We did it ] so that Allah knows the one who helps Him and His messengers without seeing ....57:25) Here the conjunction 'and', according to Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani, explains that this subjunctive phrase is conjoined to another subjunctive phrase that is understood in the context: لِيَعْلَمَ (so that it may benefit them) in their trade and industry; so that Allah may legally and outwardly know who will assist Him and His Messenger ﷺ by carrying weapons of war made of iron and fight jihad in defence of His religion'. The restrictive adverbs 'legally and outwardly' have been added because Allah knows everything pre-eternally as He pre-recorded them in the Book of Decrees, and when man performs the action, it is recorded in his Account Book by the angels. In this way, its legal manifestation becomes plainly apparent.

Many of the Nations of the Prophets (علیہم السلام) were Rebellious In the preceding verses it was mentioned that in order to give guidance to the world and to establish justice therein, Allah sent His Messengers and revealed to them the divine books and set up Balance. The current verses give specific names of some of those Divine Messengers. Among them, Prophet Nuh (علیہ السلام) stands first in the list, because he is second 'Adam (علیہ السلام) in the sense that all human beings after the Deluge were from his progeny. Then the Prophet Ibrahim Khalil-ullah (علیہ السلام) is mentioned as he is the father of the prophets and recognized as an ideal for all the divine religions. It has been made plain here that all the Prophets and Messengers (علیہ السلام) sent after these two prophets were from their offspring. Out of many branches of the progeny of Nuh (علیہ السلام) ، the branch singled out for prophet-hood was that of Prophet Ibrahim Khalil-ullah (علیہ السلام)

. After specific mention of these two Prophets, the whole chain of prophets is referred to by the words, ثُمَّ قَفَّيْنَا عَلَىٰ آثَارِ‌هِم بِرُ‌سُلِنَا "Then We made Our messengers follow them one after the other". Lastly ` Isa (علیہ السلام) has been specifically mentioned, as he was the last among the Israelite prophets. Then the Last of all prophets Sayyidna Muhammad ﷺ and his Shari'ah has a pointed reference in the next verse. The special characteristics of the disciples of Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) are given in part of verse 27 as follows: وَجَعَلْنَا فِي قُلُوبِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ رَ‌أْفَةً وَرَ‌حْمَةً (...and placed tenderness and mercy in the hearts of his followers) In other words, Allah inculcated two qualities in the hearts of the followers of Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) and his Divine Book Injil [ Gospel ]: [ 1] tenderness and [ 2] mercy. As a result, they showed tenderness and compassion to one another. Or it could mean that they showed tenderness and kindness to the entire creation of Allah. Generally, the two words ra'fah (tenderness) and rahmah (mercy) are treated as synonyms or near-synonyms, but since they are employed here in opposition to each other, some lexicologists explained that the word ra'fah is stronger in degree than the word rahmah. Others have explained that there are two requirements of tenderness and mercy. The word ra'fah means to alleviate the calamity of someone, while the word rahmah means to give to someone what he needs. In short, ra'fah is concerned with repelling harm and rahmah is concerned with deriving benefit. As 'repelling harm' is normally prior to 'deriving benefit', ra'fah takes precedence over rahmah when the two words are expressed simultaneously. On this occasion, 'tenderness' and 'mercy' are mentioned as the special characteristics of the disciples [ Howariyyun ] of the Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) . Similarly, some characteristics of the blessed Companions ؓ of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ are given in Surah Al-Fath, one of which is رُ‌حَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ (...compassionate among themselves....48:29). But another characteristic of them is given before this as: أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ‌ (...hard against the disbelievers ....48:29). The reason for this difference seems to be that there were no laws pertaining to jihad against the non-believers in the Shari'ah of the Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) . Therefore, there was no occasion for them to be hard against the disbelievers. Allah knows best! Monasticism: An Analysis وَرَ‌هْبَانِيَّةً ابْتَدَعُوهَا (...As for monasticism, it was invented by them; ). The word rahbaniyyah (monasticism) is attributed to ruhban. The words rahib (singular) and ruhban (plural) mean 'the one who fears'. After Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) ، transgression became common. In particular, the kings and the leaders publicly defied the laws of the Gospel. When the scholars and the righteous people among them attempted to stop them from doing evil deeds, they were put to death. Those that remained, felt that they would not be able to stop them, nor did they have the power of resistance. If they lived in society, there was every likelihood that their religion too would be destroyed. Therefore, they took upon themselves in earnest that they would give up all pleasures and comforts of this life including the legitimate ones. Thus they avoided marriage, abandoned any activity to earn livelihood and any effort to build homes, and took to jungles, mountains and caves, or took to nomadic life in order to protect their religion and follow their religious duties freely and completely. They did all this out of fear of God. Therefore, they were referred to as rahib or ruhban. Their practice is referred to as rahbaniyyah. As the Christians introduced monasticism under forced circumstances in order to protect their faith, it was not reproachable in its origin. But once anyone has imposed anything on himself, it becomes binding on him, and its violation is a sin. For example, making a vow for an act of worship is not obligatory. But if a person were to vow to do an act of worship or abstain from a lawful thing, it becomes binding on him in Shari'ah to maintain the vow; its violation becomes a sin. Some of the Christian monks invented monasticism with the best of intentions, but there were others who could not endure the hardships of monastic life and soon succumbed to the pursuit of material gains and physical pleasures when the general body of people believed in them, offered them gifts and oblations. History bears ample testimony to the fact that the monks who detested the system of marriage indulged in indecent acts and fornication. (The free intermingling of men and women in monasteries turned those places into centers of evil). The current verse denounces the practice of the monks who imposed monasticism upon themselves, and once they had imposed it, they should have observed its requirements which they did not. That there was nothing wrong originally in what they had introduced as rahbaniyyah is proved by a Hadith narrated by Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ and recorded by Ibn Kathir with reference to Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir رحمۃ اللہ علیہما who have cited a lengthy narration in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is reported to have said: "Allah has split the Children of Israel into seventy-two sects. Only three of them were saved from punishment. These are groups who, after Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) ، stopped the oppressive kings and affluent and powerful transgressors from violating the Divine laws. Among those who raised the voice of Truth against them and invited them to the religion of Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) ، the first group faced the oppressors with whatever power they had at their command, but they were defeated and killed. Then after them a second group stood against the tyrants and aggressors who did not have even that much fighting strength as the first group had. However they conveyed the Truth without caring for their lives. This group too was killed. Some of them were ripped apart with saws and others were burnt alive. But they, for the sake of Allah's pleasure, bore all pains and attained salvation. Then a third group stood against them. But this group was weak: They had no resources to fight the tyrants nor could they live in that corrupt society and follow their religion. Therefore, they took to the jungles and mountains, and became monks. It is to this third group that Allah refers in the current verse وَرَ‌هْبَانِيَّةً ابْتَدَعُوهَا مَا كَتَبْنَاهَا عَلَيْهِمْ ; 'As for monasticism, it was invented by them; We did not ordain it for them, ...'." This narration indicates that the people who originally adopted monasticism from among the Israelites and took care of its essentials and endured its hardships were among those who attained salvation. According to this interpretation, the present verse shows that the monasticism initially adopted by such people was not bad or evil in itself, though it was not a religious obligation either. They had made it obligatory on themselves at their own will and wish. The element of evil starts from the fact that after making it binding on themselves, most of them were not able to keep to its essentials. As a result, in keeping with the adage لِلاَکثرِ حُکمُ الکُلّ (Majority takes the status of all), the Qur'an attributed this evil aspect to the entire Israelites in that they invented it and could not practice it and did not take care of its requirements: حَقَّ رِ‌عَايَتِهَا (...but [ they adopted it ] to seek Allah's pleasure, then could not observe it as was due 57:27). It is also learnt from the above discussion that the word ibtida', derived from bid'ah, used in ابْتَدَعُوهَا (...it was invented by them ...) is used in its literal sense of invention, and not in its technical or religious sense of heresy. The religious concept of bid'ah (which refers to a baseless faith or practice that is made part of the religion) has been denounced in the following narration of the Holy Prophet ﷺ (Every religious innovation is deviation). The context of the verse is very clear about it. Let us first study the following sentence: وَجَعَلْنَا فِي قُلُوبِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ رَ‌أْفَةً وَرَ‌حْمَةً وَرَ‌هْبَانِيَّةً (And We placed in the hearts of his followers tenderness and mercy and the monasticism they had invented; We did not prescribe it for them, except to seek Allah's pleasure. Then they did not observe it as was due...57:27) (l) The context indicates that just as 'tenderness and mercy' are not evil qualities, likewise 'monasticism' which they adopted is not an evil quality in itself. Otherwise Allah would not have listed it alongside the favorable qualities of 'tenderness and mercy'. Scholars, like Qurtubi, who held monasticism as absolutely prohibited, had to face grammatical difficulties. They had to go out of their way to show that rahbaniyyah is not a part of the conjunctive expression joined together by the conjunction 'waw' [ and ] They treated the sentence starting with "...and monasticism..." as a separate sentence, and understood the verb ibtada' as omittted. The interpretation adopted above renders this construction unnecessary. That is why the Holy Qur'an does not reject their adoption of monasticism in principle, but their failure to keep it up, and take care of its rights and obligations. This interpretation is possible only if the word ibtida' (invention) is taken in its literal sense. Had it been employed in its religious or technical sense, the Qur'an would have denounced adoption of monasticism in itself, because bid'ah (innovation in religion) in its technical sense is deviation. (1) It should be noted that according to the grammatical construction of this verse, it can be translated in two ways. One translation is given above in the text. The second possible translation is that which is given here. Since the following discussion is based on this second translation, we have adpted it here instead of the translation given in the text. Mu hammadTaqi Usmani Sayyidna ` Abdullan Ibn Mas` ud's ؓ foregoing narration makes it clear that the groups that adopted monastic life attained salvation. If they were guilty of committing religious innovation, they would never have been counted among the saved ones, but rather among the deviant ones. Is rahbaniyyah (Monasticism) absolutely Prohibited or is it a relative Concept? The fact is that rahbaniyyah (translated as monasticism) generally means to give up some lawful things and pleasures. It has several stages, one of which is to treat a permissible thing as impermissible doctrinally or practically. This is distortion of religion. From this point of view, monasticism is absolutely prohibited as declared by the Holy Qur'an at several places, like verse [ 87] of Surah Al-Ma'idah that lays down the principle يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُحَرِّ‌مُوا طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّـهُ لَكُمْ. (0 believers, do not prohibit the good things which Allah has made lawful to you...) The prohibitive verb ('do not prohibit' ) in this verse indicates that it relates to a situation where a person holds unlawful what Allah has made lawful, either in his belief or in practice, and as such it will amount to distortion or perversion of the Divine laws. The second stage is when a person does not, dogmatically or practically, turn a lawful thing into unlawful, but gives it up for some mundane or religious reason. In mundane affairs, a person might give up eating a lawful thing on account of some disease. In religious matters, a person might give up the company of people and mixing with them, lest he should commit moral sins like lying and backbiting, or he might abandon some permissible things temporarily in order to suppress his base desires. This restriction is no more than a treatment of a spiritual disease. When the treatment is over, the restriction is no longer observed. Some Sufi adepts require a novice in the initial stages of his spiritual journey to exercise ascetic discipline, such as eating little, sleeping little and mixing little with people. This brings him to a state of greater harmony and balance [ I` tidal ]. This ascetic discipline is a 'means' and not an 'end' in itself. When the perfect balance is attained and the nafs (inner-self) is brought under control, and there is no longer the danger of committing sins, they are asked to give up the exercise. This in fact is not monasticism but taqwa or righteousness which the religion requires and was practiced by our predecessors, the blessed Companions, their followers and the leaders in religion. The third stage is when a person does not turn a permissible thing into unlawful. However, he abstains from its use under the belief that its giving up has more virtue and carries more reward, while such use is proved through Sunnah (the practice of the Holy Prophet ﷺ) This is in fact ghuluww (over-indulgence). Many of the Prophetic Traditions prohibit ghuluww. The Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said: لَا رَھبَانِیُّۃَ فَہ الاِسلَامِ (There is no monasticism in Islam.) This relates to a situation where someone abandons permissible things with the mistaken notion that it will bring him reward. If the Children of Israel initiated monasticism for the protection of their religion, it will fall under the second category of righteousness. But the people of the book were given to ghuluww or practicing religious fanaticism. If they turned lawful into unlawful, they fell under the first category and are guilty of committing haram. If they fall under the third category, then too they are guilty of committing something that is condemned. Allah, the Pure and Exalted, knows best!

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَآمِنُوا بِرَ‌سُولِهِ يُؤْتِكُمْ كِفْلَيْنِ مِن رَّ‌حْمَتِهِ (0 those who believe, fear Allah, and believe in His Messenger, and He will give you two shares [ of reward ] out of His mercy,..28) The vocative expression يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا "O those who believe..." in this verse refers to the People of the Book who believed in Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) . As a general rule, the Qur'an uses this vocative expression for Muslims only, not for Jews or Christians. The expression used for them is ahlul-kitab [ People of the Book ] because their believing in Prophets Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) is not tantamount to being 'believers'. They need to believe in the Holy Prophet Muliammad ﷺ . Only in that case can they be called الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا "0 those who believe". But here the Qur'an deviates from the general rule, and addresses them by the words, "0 those who believe" presumably because the concluding verse reminds the Christians that believing in Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) is not sufficient: the true meaning of believing in Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) dictates that they should believe in the Last Prophet ﷺ . If they do, then they deserve to be called as الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا 'those who believe'. Then the verse promises the People of the Book that believe in the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، their reward will be doubled. The first reward is on account of their believing in Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) or Musa (علیہ السلام) and following their Shari’ ah, and the second reward is for their believing in the Holy Prophet ﷺ and acting upon his Shari’ ah. The reason for their double reward is that Jews and Christians were unbelievers until they believed in the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، and no worship of an unbeliever is acceptable. It required that any action they had performed according to a previous Shari` ah would go waste. But the present verse clarifies that when an unbeliever embraces Islam, all his good actions are restored, hence he is doubly rewarded.

لِّئَلَّا يَعْلَمَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ (so that the People of the Book may know ....57:29) The negative particle la [ no ] is grammatically redundant [ but rhetorically it serves to emphasise the expression ]. This final verse states that the People of the Book need to know that faith in Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) is not necessarily faith in the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ . In the circumstances, they do not deserve any Divine grace unless they embrace faith in the Last Prophet t. Allah, the Pure and Exalted, knows best! Alhamdulillah The Commentary on Surah Al-Hadid Ends here

(1) Zihar is a term denoting a custom of the Arabs in the days of Ignorance. In case of disagreement with their wives they used to say to them, "You are for me like the back of my mother." After saying this, they used to take their wives as their real mothers in being prohibited for them, and the ties of marriage were held to have been broken for good, with no possibility of their restoration. These verses have been revealed in a similar case where a husband (Aus ibn. Samit) had declared ?ihar against his wife (Khawlah) who approached the Holy Prophet and complained about her husband. The custom of the days of Ignorance was condemned, and the rules of Shari'ah about zihar were laid down by these verses. (Muhammad Taqi Usmani) Commentary Cause of Revelation The initial verses of this Surah refer to a particular incident: Sayyidna Aus Ibn Samit ؓ said to his wife Sayyidah Khaulah bint Tha'labah ؓ which, literally, means 'You are to me like the back of my mother.' Its underlying meaning is 'You are unlawful to me for cohabitation just like my mother.' Such an utterance, in the days of ignorance, amounted to divorce - even worse because it was taken to imply that the husband is rescinding all marital ties with his wife and, in addition, he is classifying her within the prohibited degree or permanently forbidden women like his mother. According to pre-Islamic custom, reunion with the wife was possible after divorce, but not after zihar, as she became permanently and absolutely forbidden. When this incident took place, the aggrieved lady went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ complaining about her husband and seeking redress for her problem according to Shari'ah. Up to that point in time the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had not received any revelation concerning that legal issue. Therefore, he pleaded his inability to do anything to help her in the absence of a revealed ordinance and said to her: مَٓا اُمِرتُ فِی شَانکِ بِشَیءِ حَتّی الاٰنِ "I have not yet received any ordinance regarding your matter." However he expressed his opinion according to common custom and said: مَا اَرَاکِ اِلَّا قَد حُرمتِ عَلَیہِ "In my opinion, you have become forbidden to him." Having heard this ruling, she pleaded: "0 Allah's Messenger! He spent my wealth, exhausted my youth and my womb bore abundantly for him. When I became old, unable to bear children, he pronounced the zihar formula on me. Where shall I go and how will my children do their living?" According to another version, she said: مَا ذَکَرَ طَلَاقاً "My husband did not mention the word 'divorce', so how can this be counted as 'divorce'?" According to another version, she pleaded to Allah: اَللَّھُمَّ اِنِّی اَشکُوا الیکَ "0 Allah! I direct my complaint to You . This was the cause of the revelation of verses [ 1-6] (Al-Durarul Manthur and Ibn Kathir) which clearly state that Allah heard Sayyidah Khaulah's ؓ complaint and revealed the rule of Shari'ah to redress her grievances. Allah not only made matters easy for her, but the rule has been eternally enshrined in the Holy Qur'an for all sensible people to follow. The noble Companions ؓ greatly respected Sayyidah Khaulah ؓ because her case has been the cause of the revelation of the current set of verses, which abolished once and for all the long-standing social evil that was practiced in Arabia. Once Sayyidna ` Umar Faruq ؓ ، the Great, was on his way with some of the blessed Companions when he came across a woman who stopped him. He instantly stopped and listened attentively to her with his head bent down. He did not move till she completed what she wanted to say. Some of the noble Companions ؓ said: "0 Commander of the Faithful! You have held back such a large group of people for such a long time on account of this old lady!" Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ said: "Do you know who this lady is? She is Sayyidah Khaulah ؓ the lady whose complaint was heard in the seventh heaven. So, how can ` Umar not listen to her? She should be heard for a longer period of time and with greater attention. By Allah! If she did not take leave of her own accord, I would have stood with her here till the nightfall." [ Ibn Kathir ] قَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّـهُ (Allah has heard....1) The reference in the verse is to Sayyidah Khaulah ؓ the wife of Sayyidna Aus Ibn Samit ؓ ، as mentioned above. Thus this verse and the rest of the verses lay down not only the rule of Shari` ah pertaining to zihar and redress the grievances of women placed in such awkward situation, but the first verse also is in honour of the pleading lady which consoles her, in that it says that Allah was listening to her words when she was pleading her case. The word mujadalah means 'to plead, argue or dispute consistently and convincingly about one's problem or case'. According to some narratives, when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ pleaded his inability to do anything for her, as noted above, the aggrieved lady uttered spontaneously that 'you receive ordinances in all matters, then how is it that no ordinance was revealed to you in my case?' Thus the verse was revealed: وَتَشْتَكِي إِلَى اللَّـهِ "...and was complaining to Allah...[ 1] ". [ Qurtubi ] Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ is reported to have said: " Pure is He, Whose hearing encompasses all things. I heard what Khaulah bint Tha'labah ؓ said about her husband while some of it I could not hear despite being so close to her in the same room, but Allah heard all her conversation and said : قَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّـهُ 'Allah has heard...'." [ Bukhari, Ibn Kathir ]

Zihar الَّذِينَ يُظَاهِرُ‌ونَ مِنكُم مِّن نِّسَائِهِم (Those of you who declare zihar against their wives...58:2) The aorist yuzahiruna is derived from zihar. There was a cruel custom in pre-Islamic Arabia; as pointed out earlier, where the husband would utter the zihar formula اَنتِ عَلَیِّ کَظَھرِ اُمِّی 'You are to me as my mother's back', and thus she would become permanently and absolutely unlawful to him for cohabitation like the mother. Here the word zahr (back) metonymically refers to bath 'stomach or womb'. [ Qurtubi ] Definition of zihar and its effect in Shari’ ah In order to understand the definition of zihar in terms of Shari’ ah, it should be noted first that there are some women who are permanently forbidden for a man, such as mother, sister, daughter and others in the prohibited degree. Although looking at such women is permissible in general, yet looking at some parts of their body is not permissible, (like abdomen, back etc.) Now the definition of zihar is 'to compare one's wife with any of such parts of the body of such prohibited women'. According to the old Arab custom all conjugal relations ceased permanently between a man and his wife when he would use these words; rather it was worse than divorce. In the case of divorce, it was possible to retract and take back the wife. But in the case of zihar, according to the old Arab custom, it was not at all possible to restore the conjugal rights. The current set of verses brought about reform in the custom in two ways: [ 1] zihar has been declared a sinful act. If a person is placed in a situation where he needs to separate from his wife, he must choose the method of 'divorce'. Zihar should not be resorted to for this purpose, because the utterance of zihar formula is absurd, nonsense and false. Obviously, their wives are not their mothers, the Qur’ an reads thus: مَّا هُنَّ أُمَّهَاتِهِمْ إِنْ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ إِلَّا اللَّائِي وَلَدْنَهُمْ "...Their mothers are but only those who have given birth to them …58:2] ". The وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَقُولُونَ مُنكَرً‌ا مِّنَ الْقَوْلِ وَزُورً‌ا further says: "...and undoubtedly they utter an evil word and a lie...[ 58:2] " In other words, their utterance is false, meaning 'calling one's wife mother' is contrary to truth and fact, and also a heinous sin. [ 2] The second reform the Qur'an brought about is as follows: If an ignorant person or a person unacquainted with the legal formalities of Islam were to utter the zihar formula, his wife does not become permanently unlawful to him, nor does he have an open licence to do as he wishes - like enjoying intimacy with her. The guilty person will have to pay a penalty for uttering such evil, false and obnoxious words. He cannot take back his wife without first paying the prescribed expiation. The following verse prescribes this expiation.

The Expiation for Zihar وَالَّذِينَ يُظَاهِرُ‌ونَ مِن نِّسَائِهِمْ ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا قَالُوا (And those who declare zihar against their wives, then retract what they said, ...58:3). The preposition lam in the phrase يَعُودُونَ لِمَا قَالُوا "...retract what they said..." is used in the sense of ` an [ from ]. Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ interprets 'retract' in the sense of 'regret': 'they regret what they said and wish to be intimate or cohabit with their wives'. [ Mazhari ] The verse shows that the penalty has been imposed on the husband for the purpose of making the wife lawful - without it she cannot become lawful to him. zihar per se is not the cause of the expiation. In fact, zihar is a heinous sin for which repentance and seeking pardon and forgiveness is absolutely necessary. The concluding part of verse [ 2] وَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ‌ "...Allah is surely Most-forgiving, Very-Merciful." points to this fact. In other words, Allah in His great mercy has made allowance for man's weaknesses and He is always ready to forgive his lapses, provided he comes to Allah with a penitent heart and makes amends. However, if a person did commit zihar and does not wish to take back his wife and enjoy intimacy with her, expiation is not obligatory on him. However, destroying a wife's conjugal rights is unlawful. If she demands, it is obligatory for him to pay the expiation and take her back, should he wish to do so; or if she demands, he must divorce her and set her free from the bond of marriage. If he does not divorce her and set her free, then she has the right to apply to a Qadi or an Islamic court to compel him to either pay the expiation and take her back or to divorce her and set her free so that she could contract a second marriage. Islamic works on jurisprudence set down details of the laws pertaining to zihar. The penalty for zihar is obligatory, which is given in this and the next verse. There are three options: [ 1] فَتَحْرِ‌يرُ‌ رَ‌قَبَةٍ (...obligated on them is to free the neck [ of a slave ]...) [ 2] If a person cannot afford to do that, he must keep fast for two consecutive months; and [ 3] if he is so weak or ill that he cannot fast, then he must feed sixty poor people. The expiation will be fulfilled if one poor person is given two meals for sixty days. Alternatively, it is possible to give two meals to sixty poor persons on a single day. In each case, the poor should be fed to their fill. Another possible alternative is to give to a poor person about 1.6 kg wheat or 2.12 kg dates or barley for sixty days or the equivalent price of these food items may be given. The details of the law appertaining to zihar and its expiation are available in the texts of Islamic jurisprudence. It is recorded in Traditions that when Sayyidah Khaulah ؓ complained to Allah's Messenger ﷺ about her husband and pleaded her case to Allah, verses relating to zihar and its expiation were revealed. So, Allah's Messenger ﷺ called for the husband. When he came, the Holy Prophet ﷺ noticed that he was a weak-sighted old man. He recited to him the verses resolving his case, and commanded him to emancipate a slave, he said that he does not have the means to do that. The Holy Prophet ﷺ then asked him to fast two successive months, to which he replied: "By Him Who has sent you as the true Messenger, if I do not have two or three meals a day, I lose my sight completely." The Holy Prophet ﷺ said 'Then feed sixty poor people'. He said 'I do not have the ability for that either, unless you help me'. The Holy Prophet ﷺ gave him some food grain, and also other people gathered more food grain for him, which amounted to the measure of sadaqatul-fitr for sixty poor men, and in this way the expiation was made. [ Ibn Kathir ]

ذَٰلِكَ لِتُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّـهِ وَرَ‌سُولِهِ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّـهِ وَلِلْكَافِرِ‌ينَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (...This is [ laid down ] so that you believe in Allah and His Messenger. And these are the limits set by Allah. And for the disbelievers there is a painful chastisement. 58:4) This part of the verse contains the phrase 'so that you believe'. Belief here implies 'to act upon the sacred laws, ordinances and injunctions or obey the commandments of Allah and His Messenger'. Then the verse says that the laws of expiation are limits set by Allah. It is prohibited to exceed them. It indicates that in matters of marriage, divorce, incestuous comparison and so on, Islam has abolished all traces of pre-Islamic pagan elements of customs and practices, and set down the just and approved code of conduct. Man is required to stick strictly to the parameters of Islam. Those who oppose and deny the Divine limits will be tormented most severely.

The Fate of those who Challenge Allah and His Apostle إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحَادُّونَ اللَّـهَ وَرَ‌سُولَهُ كُبِتُوا كَمَا كُبِتَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ (Surely those who oppose Allah and His Messenger shall be disgraced, just as those before them were disgraced....58:5). In the preceding verse, stress was laid on keeping to Divine limits and to the sacred laws of Islam. The current verse warns those who oppose or reject them. Their profane designs shall be foiled and they shall be humiliated in this world and a condign torment shall be inflicted on them in the Hereafter.

أَحْصَاهُ اللَّـهُ وَنَسُوهُ (...Allah has its full account, while they have forgotten transgressions, but because he treats them as trivial and insignificant, he is unable to remember and recall them. However, they are all recorded and kept safely with Allah, even though the humans have done the actions and forgotten them. Allah will call them to give an account of them on the Day of Resurrection and chastise them.

أَحْصَاهُ اللَّـهُ وَنَسُوهُ (...Allah has its full account, while they have forgotten transgressions, but because he treats them as trivial and insignificant, he is unable to remember and recall them. However, they are all recorded and kept safely with Allah, even though the humans have done the actions and forgotten them. Allah will call them to give an account of them on the Day of Resurrection and chastise them.

Commentary Circumstances of Revelation There are several incidents related to the revelation of the current set of verses. [ 1] there was a peace agreement between the Jews and Muslims. But when one of the Holy Prophet's ﷺ Companions would pass by a gathering of Jews, they would speak among themselves in secret, prompting the believer to think that they were plotting to harm or hurt him. The Holy Prophet ﷺ advised them to give up their secret plots and conspiracies but they did not heed. As a result, verse أَلَمْ تَرَ‌ إِلَى الَّذِينَ نُهُوا عَنِ النَّجْوَىٰ was revealed. [ 2] Likewise, the hypocrites used to hold secret counsels or conferences, in consequence of which verses: إِذَا تَنَاجَيْتُمْ فَلَا تَتَنَاجَوْا and إِنَّمَا النَّجْوَىٰ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ were revealed. [ 3] When the Jews came to see the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، they, with a little twist of the tongue, would invoke curses upon him by greeting him mischievously ` As-Samu ` alaykum' اَلسَّم ُ عَلَیکُم [ death to you!] instead of saluting him with the usual اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیکُم ` As Salamu ` alaykum' [ peace be upon you ]. On this occasion, verse وَإِذَا جَاءُوكَ حَيَّوْكَ was revealed.. [ 4] Ibn Kathir cites Imam Ahmad's narration in which it is reported that the Jews used to greet in this way, changing the meaning of Islamic greeting into an abusive statement, and then say, لَوْلَا يُعَذِّبُنَا اللَّـهُ بِمَا نَقُولُ Had he been a Prophet, Allah would have punished us for the sin we committed - why did He not punish us?'. [ 5] Once the Holy Prophet ﷺ was sitting in the suffah of the mosque. The congregation was large in the mosque. Some of the participants of the battle of Badr arrived late and they could not find place to sit, nor did the people sitting in the mosque make room for the late-comers. The Holy Prophet ﷺ asked some of the people to stand up and leave. The hypocrites, however, found this objectionable. He also asked the people to spread out and make room for their fellow-believers and he prayed Allah for such people to show His mercy them. Verse يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمْ تَفَسَّحُوا فِي الْمَجَالِسِ فَافْسَحُوا was revealed on that occasion. [ Transmitted by Abu Haim ]. Piecing all the elements of the narrations together, it is possible that at first the Holy Prophet ﷺ might have asked the Companions ؓ to spread out and make room for their companions. Some of them might have complied and others probably did not. So, the Holy Prophet might have admonished them to stand up and leave as the students of seminaries are admonished to do in a similar situation. Probably, the hypocrites objected to this. [ 6] Some wealthy people used to come to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and consult him in private for a long time which inconvenienced him and the poor people would not get much time to consult him. For this reason, verse إِذَا نَاجَيْتُمُ الرَّ‌سُولَ was revealed. It is cited in Fathul Bayan from Zaid Ibn Aslam, without any authoritative source, that the Jews and hypocrites used to hold unnecessary private conferences with the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The Muslims were perturbed by this because they gained the impression that this type of consultation might be harmful. As a result verse نُهُوا عَنِ النَّجْوَىٰ was revealed. When they did not heed, verse 12 إِذَا نَاجَيْتُمُ الرَّ‌سُولَ was revealed which required them to spend something in charity before their holding a private conference. At this point the fallacious people stopped from consulting the Holy Prophet ﷺٍ , because their greed for wealth did not allow them to do so. [ 7] When verse إِذَا نَاجَيْتُمُ الرَّ‌سُولَ was revealed requiring people to give alms before private conferences with the Holy Prophet M, many people stopped even the necessary private consultation with him. So, verse [ 13] أَأَشْفَقْتُمْ أَن تُقَدِّمُوا was revealed. Maulana Ashraf ` Ali Thanawi رحمۃ اللہ علیہ says that the concluding part of verse [ 12] (...but if you find nothing [ to offer ], then Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful...58:12) had already given a concession to poor people from the requirement of charity before consultation with the Holy Prophet ﷺ . However some people are neither completely destitute nor are they completely wealthy, even though they might have the minimum zakatable wealth. Probably, people in this category might have felt it difficult to advance freewill alms, because on the one hand, their means were limited, and on the other hand, they were unsure whether they were indigent. As a result, they could neither pay the charity, nor could they deem themselves exempt from the requirement of the verse. They felt that consultation was not an act of worship or devotion; and if they abandoned it, it could not be the cause of reproach. Therefore, they stopped consulting altogether. [ All narratives are from Ad-Durr-ul-Manthur ]. These causes of revelation will help and facilitate the comprehension of this passage. [ Bayan-ul-Qur’ an ]. Ethics and Etiquette of Secret Consultation Although the present verses were revealed in some particular events, as detailed above, the rules laid down by them are of general application, regardless of their cause of revelation. Thus the present verses contain instructions about secret or private consultations. They are explained below. Secret conferences are normally convened with special confidants to whom secrets are imparted trustingly. Members of the secret society are satisfied that they will not be betrayed. It is on the basis of this confidence that evil people design plots to oppress someone, or to kill him, or to usurp his wealth and property, and so on. In verse [ 7], Allah mentions that His knowledge is All-encompassing - it encompasses the entire creation. He is observing or watching them, perfectly hearing their speech and seeing them - whether in public or private, wherever and in whatever condition they may be. No plots or conspiracies of any kind are hidden from Him. If they commit any sin, they will not be able to escape the Divine chastisement. Allah is present in all their secret meetings or conferences - no matter how few or many people constitute their assembly. For example, if there are three people in the assembly, Allah will be the fourth one; and if there are five people in the gathering, Allah will be the sixth one - nor numerically less or numerically more but He is with them wheresoever they may be. Verse 7 specifies 'three' and 'five' numbers probably because Allah prefers that an assembly or congregation should comprise an odd number of members. This is the essence of verse [ 7]. Mischief of the Jews It was narrated earlier that there was a peace treaty between the Holy Prophet and the Jews. During this period, if one of the noble Companions passed by an assembly of the Jews, they would confer secretly among themselves in such a manner as to arouse suspicion and anxiety in the mind of the believer making him think that they were conspiring to injure or hurt him. Verse [ 8] أَلَمْ تَرَ‌ إِلَى الَّذِينَ نُهُوا عَنِ النَّجْوَىٰ (Did you not see those who were forbidden to hold secret counsels,....58:8) prohibits the holding of such secret conferences. This rule applies not only to the enemies but also to the Muslims, in that they should not hold secret conference to harm or hurt another Muslim. However, the Muslims and others are allowed to hold secret conferences to promote good and righteous causes. A narration of Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas is recorded in Bukhari, Muslim and other authentic collections, according to which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has stated اِذَا کُنتُم ثلٰثۃً فَلَا یَتَنَاجَا رَجُلَانِ دُونَ الاٰخَرِ حَتّٰی یَختَلِطُوا بِالنَّاسِ فَاِنَّ ذٰلِکَ یَحزُنُہُ , (If you were three, then two of you should not hold secret conference leaving aside the third person [ in another narration of Muslim: 'except with his permission'] because this bad manners would cause him anxiety and wound his feelings", [ i.e. because he will feel estranged or alienated and possibly suspicions may arise that the two are plotting something against him and keeping it as a secret.] [ Mazhari ]

Manners of the Secret Conference يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا تَنَاجَيْتُمْ فَلَا تَتَنَاجَوْا بِالْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَمَعْصِيَتِ الرَّ‌سُولِ وَتَنَاجَوْا بِالْبِرِّ‌ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ (0 those who believe, when you hold secret counsel, do not whisper for sinful act and wrongdoing and disobedience of the Messenger, and do whisper for righteousness and taqwa [ God-fearing ]... 58:9) In this and the preceding verses secret societies of the unbelievers have been condemned, but the condemnation is not unreserved or unqualified. The current verse guides the Muslims to be conscious of the fact that Allah is fully aware of their conversation and all of their conditions. Therefore, all their secret conferences must be held for good purposes. It is the object or motive of a particular conference that determines its nature. Thus in the present verse, as indicated earlier, the believers have been allowed to hold secret conferences only to promote good and righteous causes. Return Good for Evil It was narrated earlier that one of the evil practices of some of the Jews of Madinah was that when they came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، they greeted him by invoking curses upon him, thus: اَلسَّام عَلَیکُم As-Samu` alaykum' [ death to you!] instead of saluting him with the usual اَلسَّلَام عَلَیکُم 'As-Salamu ` alaykum' [ peace be upon you ]. The word 'As-Sam' means 'death' instead of 'As-Salam' which means 'peace'. The latter word was distorted and pronounced with a little twist of the tongue, which sounded like the former word, but the difference between the two words was so subtle that the Companions ؓ could hardly detect the difference. One day, however, Sayyidah Siddiqah 'A'ishah ؓ detected that the Jews were invoking curses upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ by saying 'As-Samu ` alaykum' [ death to you!], so she replied: اَلسَّام عَلَیکُم وَ لَعَنَکُمُ اللہُ وَ غَضِبَ عَلَیکُم As-Samu ` alaykum wa la` anakumullah wa ghadiba ` alaykum' [ death to you, and the curse of Allah be on you, and His wrath!]. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prevented her from this and said: "0 ` A'ishah , Allah does not like rudeness and foul speech." Sayyidah Siddiqah ` A'ishah ؓ said: "0 Messenger of Allah, did you not hear what they said." He said to her: "Did you not hear my answering them back by saying وَعَلَیکُم 'wa ` alaykum' [ same to you ]?" He further said to her 'Allah accepts our supplication against them, but not theirs against us'. This event tells us that even in response to the mischievous words of the infidels, the Muslims should always adopt a soft and noble way.

Manners of the Secret Conference يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا تَنَاجَيْتُمْ فَلَا تَتَنَاجَوْا بِالْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَمَعْصِيَتِ الرَّ‌سُولِ وَتَنَاجَوْا بِالْبِرِّ‌ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ (0 those who believe, when you hold secret counsel, do not whisper for sinful act and wrongdoing and disobedience of the Messenger, and do whisper for righteousness and taqwa [ God-fearing ]... 58:9) In this and the preceding verses secret societies of the unbelievers have been condemned, but the condemnation is not unreserved or unqualified. The current verse guides the Muslims to be conscious of the fact that Allah is fully aware of their conversation and all of their conditions. Therefore, all their secret conferences must be held for good purposes. It is the object or motive of a particular conference that determines its nature. Thus in the present verse, as indicated earlier, the believers have been allowed to hold secret conferences only to promote good and righteous causes. Return Good for Evil It was narrated earlier that one of the evil practices of some of the Jews of Madinah was that when they came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، they greeted him by invoking curses upon him, thus: اَلسَّام عَلَیکُم As-Samu` alaykum' [ death to you!] instead of saluting him with the usual اَلسَّلَام عَلَیکُم 'As-Salamu ` alaykum' [ peace be upon you ]. The word 'As-Sam' means 'death' instead of 'As-Salam' which means 'peace'. The latter word was distorted and pronounced with a little twist of the tongue, which sounded like the former word, but the difference between the two words was so subtle that the Companions ؓ could hardly detect the difference. One day, however, Sayyidah Siddiqah 'A'ishah ؓ detected that the Jews were invoking curses upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ by saying 'As-Samu ` alaykum' [ death to you!], so she replied: اَلسَّام عَلَیکُم وَ لَعَنَکُمُ اللہُ وَ غَضِبَ عَلَیکُم As-Samu ` alaykum wa la` anakumullah wa ghadiba ` alaykum' [ death to you, and the curse of Allah be on you, and His wrath!]. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prevented her from this and said: "0 ` A'ishah , Allah does not like rudeness and foul speech." Sayyidah Siddiqah ` A'ishah ؓ said: "0 Messenger of Allah, did you not hear what they said." He said to her: "Did you not hear my answering them back by saying وَعَلَیکُم 'wa ` alaykum' [ same to you ]?" He further said to her 'Allah accepts our supplication against them, but not theirs against us'. This event tells us that even in response to the mischievous words of the infidels, the Muslims should always adopt a soft and noble way.

Manners for Assemblies يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمْ تَفَسَّحُوا فِي الْمَجَالِسِ فَافْسَحُوا (0 those who believe, when it is said to you 'Make room [ for others ] in the sittings', then make room, ...58:11) Allah teaches His servants good manners and enjoins upon them to be kind to each other when they are sitting together. There are two main rules of assemblies: The first rule states that people sitting in an assembly should make space for those who came late. They should sit together in such a way that there is enough room for others. If this is done, Allah promises that He will widen their scope in the Hereafter. However, it is not inconceivable that this space or room might be created for them in the life of this world as well. The second rule states: وَإِذَا قِيلَ انشُزُوا فَانشُزُوا ('When it is said to you, 'Rise up', then rise up...58:11) This means when people sitting in an assembly are told to stand up and leave, they should stand up and leave. This verse uses the passive voice [ it is said ] but it is not mentioned who says it or who should say it. Authentic traditions make it plain that the late comer himself cannot move somebody out of his place and use it for himself, nor force his way into a gathering. Thus it is recorded in the Sahihain and in the Musnad of Ahmad on the authority of ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: لَا یُقِیمُ الرَّجُلُ الرَّجُلَ مِن مَّجلِسِہٖ فَیَجلِسُ فِیہِ وَ لٰکِن تَفَسَّحُوا وَتَوَسَّعُوا "One of you should not move some other person up from his place and sit in it, but instead, spread out and make space for the comer." This explicitly shows that it is not possible for the late-comer to tell anyone to move out of his place and take his place. Therefore, it would appear that the rule would apply to the master of ceremony or the organisers of the assembly or the host. Hence, the meaning of the verse is: When the host or his representative requests a member of the audience to stand up and leave for a legitimate reason, they should comply and avoid clash with the host. There are several reasons why this might become necessary. [ 1] Occasionally, the host himself might need privacy for his own reason. [ 2] He might need privacy to share confidential information with special guests. [ 3] The capacity of the room cannot accommodate the late comers, and no alternative arrangement can be made. So, the host is allowed to courteously request some of the familiar guests to leave the room to make space for the late-comers, provided it is certain that the leaving guests will not suffer any loss. They will be able to benefit in another session. However, the host or his representative must ensure that the guests do not feel belittled or hurt in the process. It was alluded earlier that this verse was revealed when the Holy Prophet ﷺ was sitting in the suffah of the mosque. The congregation had filled up the suffah. Some of the participants of the battle of Badr arrived late and they could not find place to sit, and remained standing. As a mark of respect for them, the Holy Prophet ﷺ gave a general order to the entire congregation to spread out and make room for their fellow-believers, and prayed to Allah to make room for such people. Some of them might have complied and there was no problem with them; and probably others did not comply. So, the Holy Prophet ﷺ might have admonished them to rise up and leave. At any rate, this verse and Traditions related to the verse yield several rules: [ 1] The members of a conference must spread out and make space for the late comers. [ 2] The late comers should not remove other members of the conference and make room for themselves. [ 3] At times of need, the host or the master of ceremony may courteously request some of the members of the audience to leave. Late comers may not force their way into a congested congregation, but take their position in a corner or a side as recorded in Bukhari: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was once sitting in the mosque and the people with him, when three persons arrived, one of them could not find space in the congregation but found some space on one side or in a corner and sat there. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ lauded him or praised him highly. Ruling Another etiquette of an assembly is that if two persons are sitting closely, a new comer should not intrude between them. In a hadith, Holy Prophet ﷺ has explained this etiquette in the following words: لَا یَحِلُّ لِرَجُلِ اَن یُّفَرِّقَ بَینَ اَثنِینِ اِلَّا بِاِذنِھِمَا . It is not permissible for any man to break up the meeting of two persons, who are sitting together, unless they themselves permit him." [ Ibn Kathir cited this Tradition and said that Abu Dad and Tirmidhi transmitted it on the authority of Usamah Ibn Laithiy ]. The reasoning behind the ruling is that sometimes two persons sit together for some specific purpose, and breaking them up might defeat that purpose.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نَاجَيْتُمُ الرَّ‌سُولَ (0 those who believe, when you consult the Messenger of Allah, ...58:12) The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was preoccupied day and night with educating the people and improving their quality of life. In his general assemblies, all the members of the audience benefited from his teachings. However, there were people who wanted private meetings with the Holy Prophet ﷺ and he would grant them that. Obviously, it was not possible to grant everyone's request as it required time and effort, and that was difficult. The hypocrites made matters worse when they asked for private audiences with the Holy Prophet ﷺ in order to hurt the sincere Muslims. Besides, the hypocrites held protracted conferences with him. Some of the illiterate Muslims also held private audiences with him for a longer time than normal or necessary. This made things difficult for him. Allah provided a way to stop their irksome behaviour by this verse which lightened the burden of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Initially, the verse provided that anyone who wishes to hold a private conference with him must advance a freewill charity, the amount or measure of which is not specified in the Qur'an. However, when this verse was revealed Sayyidna ` Ali رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ was the first Companion to act upon it: He offered one Dinar in charity and requested a private audience with the Prophet ﷺ . Only Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ Acted upon the verse It is a remarkable co-incidence that most of the blessed Companions ؓ ، because of financial constraints, were unable to act upon this verse. Its provision was repealed. Sayyidna Ali ؓ used to say that there is a verse in the Qur'an that none before me and none after me has ever acted upon it. The meaning of the phrase 'none before me' is obvious. The phrase 'none after me' means 'none after me will practise it' because the verse is abrogated. Although the ordinance is repealed, it achieved its basic purpose. The Muslims, because of the dictates of their sincere love, avoided their protracted audiences with the Prophet ﷺ so that he is not inconvenienced in any way. The hypocrites avoided protracted audiences with him because they feared that they would be recognized for what they are and their hypocrisy would be exposed. Allah knows best!

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نَاجَيْتُمُ الرَّ‌سُولَ (0 those who believe, when you consult the Messenger of Allah, ...58:12) The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was preoccupied day and night with educating the people and improving their quality of life. In his general assemblies, all the members of the audience benefited from his teachings. However, there were people who wanted private meetings with the Holy Prophet ﷺ and he would grant them that. Obviously, it was not possible to grant everyone's request as it required time and effort, and that was difficult. The hypocrites made matters worse when they asked for private audiences with the Holy Prophet ﷺ in order to hurt the sincere Muslims. Besides, the hypocrites held protracted conferences with him. Some of the illiterate Muslims also held private audiences with him for a longer time than normal or necessary. This made things difficult for him. Allah provided a way to stop their irksome behaviour by this verse which lightened the burden of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Initially, the verse provided that anyone who wishes to hold a private conference with him must advance a freewill charity, the amount or measure of which is not specified in the Qur'an. However, when this verse was revealed Sayyidna ` Ali رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ was the first Companion to act upon it: He offered one Dinar in charity and requested a private audience with the Prophet ﷺ . Only Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ Acted upon the verse It is a remarkable co-incidence that most of the blessed Companions ؓ ، because of financial constraints, were unable to act upon this verse. Its provision was repealed. Sayyidna Ali ؓ used to say that there is a verse in the Qur'an that none before me and none after me has ever acted upon it. The meaning of the phrase 'none before me' is obvious. The phrase 'none after me' means 'none after me will practise it' because the verse is abrogated. Although the ordinance is repealed, it achieved its basic purpose. The Muslims, because of the dictates of their sincere love, avoided their protracted audiences with the Prophet ﷺ so that he is not inconvenienced in any way. The hypocrites avoided protracted audiences with him because they feared that they would be recognized for what they are and their hypocrisy would be exposed. Allah knows best!

Commentary Chastising the Hypocrites for their Secret Alliance with the Jews أَلَمْ تَرَ‌ إِلَى الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْا قَوْمًا غَضِبَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِم (Have you not seen those who have friendship with a people with whom Allah is angry? ....58:14) Allah condemns the hypocrites who secretly formed an alliance with the Jews who challenge Allah and His Apostle, while in effect they belong neither to the Muslims nor to the Jews. Consequently, Allah has prepared for them a humiliating and condign chastisement. It is not permissible to have a friendly intimacy with the enemies of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ - whether the unbelievers are Jews, or Christians, or pagans or of any other creed. Even rationally this is not possible, because the capital asset of a believer is the love of Allah, while a non-believer relishes in opposing and challenging Him. It is not possible for a person to have sincere love and affection for someone and to love and have intimacy with the latter's enemy. Here 'love', 'affection' or 'intimacy' refers to the one coming from the heart involving intense emotional commitment (which necessarily includes having love with his way of life. Ed.). This is called Muwalah or 'intimate friendship'. This type of friendship is limited to sincere Muslims. Therefore, the Qur'anic verses on many occasions strictly prohibit Muslims from having this sort of relationship with non-Muslims. Any Muslim who has such intimate friendship with non-Muslims will be seen to fall in the circle of unbelievers. In contra-distinction to Muwalah [ intimate friendship ], there is a concept of Muwalah which refers to the relationship based on sympathy, kindness and concern. It includes charitable assistance and support, business, commercial, trade dealings and economic cooperation, condolence and consolation and any well-meaning attitude of well-being and welfare. Barring unbelievers who are at war with the believers, this kind of relationship is permissible with all other non-Muslims. The paradigm of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the noble Companions ؓ in this direction is ample testimony to this practice. However, it is necessary to ensure that the relationship of Muwalah is not harmful to the cause of religion; it should not create laxity in 'faith and practice' of Islam nor should it 'harm, hurt or injure' other Muslims. Please see Ma` ariful Qur'an, Vol. 2/ pp 54-61: under Surah Al-` Imran: v.28-30 for a detailed account of the distinction between Muwalat [ intimate friendship ], Muwasat [ sympathy ] and Muamalat [ dealings ] or Mudarah [ cordiality ]. وَيَحْلِفُونَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ (and they swear false oaths ...58:14). It means they swear oaths profanely. According to some reports, this verse was revealed in connection with ` Abdullah Ibn 'Ubayy and ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal: One day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting with his noble Companions ؓ and said to them: "Soon a person will come to you whose heart will be the heart of a tyrant and who sees through the Shaitan's eyes." Soon afterwards ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal, the hypocrite, entered. He was blue-eyed, wheat-coloured, short-statured and skimpy-bearded. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him: "Why do you and your comrades use obscene words against me?" He swore that he did not do that. Then he called his comrades and they too took this false oath. Allah told the Holy Prophet ﷺ ; about their lie and profane oath. [ Qurtubi ]

Commentary Chastising the Hypocrites for their Secret Alliance with the Jews أَلَمْ تَرَ‌ إِلَى الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْا قَوْمًا غَضِبَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِم (Have you not seen those who have friendship with a people with whom Allah is angry? ....58:14) Allah condemns the hypocrites who secretly formed an alliance with the Jews who challenge Allah and His Apostle, while in effect they belong neither to the Muslims nor to the Jews. Consequently, Allah has prepared for them a humiliating and condign chastisement. It is not permissible to have a friendly intimacy with the enemies of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ - whether the unbelievers are Jews, or Christians, or pagans or of any other creed. Even rationally this is not possible, because the capital asset of a believer is the love of Allah, while a non-believer relishes in opposing and challenging Him. It is not possible for a person to have sincere love and affection for someone and to love and have intimacy with the latter's enemy. Here 'love', 'affection' or 'intimacy' refers to the one coming from the heart involving intense emotional commitment (which necessarily includes having love with his way of life. Ed.). This is called Muwalah or 'intimate friendship'. This type of friendship is limited to sincere Muslims. Therefore, the Qur'anic verses on many occasions strictly prohibit Muslims from having this sort of relationship with non-Muslims. Any Muslim who has such intimate friendship with non-Muslims will be seen to fall in the circle of unbelievers. In contra-distinction to Muwalah [ intimate friendship ], there is a concept of Muwalah which refers to the relationship based on sympathy, kindness and concern. It includes charitable assistance and support, business, commercial, trade dealings and economic cooperation, condolence and consolation and any well-meaning attitude of well-being and welfare. Barring unbelievers who are at war with the believers, this kind of relationship is permissible with all other non-Muslims. The paradigm of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the noble Companions ؓ in this direction is ample testimony to this practice. However, it is necessary to ensure that the relationship of Muwalah is not harmful to the cause of religion; it should not create laxity in 'faith and practice' of Islam nor should it 'harm, hurt or injure' other Muslims. Please see Ma` ariful Qur'an, Vol. 2/ pp 54-61: under Surah Al-` Imran: v.28-30 for a detailed account of the distinction between Muwalat [ intimate friendship ], Muwasat [ sympathy ] and Muamalat [ dealings ] or Mudarah [ cordiality ]. وَيَحْلِفُونَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ (and they swear false oaths ...58:14). It means they swear oaths profanely. According to some reports, this verse was revealed in connection with ` Abdullah Ibn 'Ubayy and ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal: One day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting with his noble Companions ؓ and said to them: "Soon a person will come to you whose heart will be the heart of a tyrant and who sees through the Shaitan's eyes." Soon afterwards ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal, the hypocrite, entered. He was blue-eyed, wheat-coloured, short-statured and skimpy-bearded. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him: "Why do you and your comrades use obscene words against me?" He swore that he did not do that. Then he called his comrades and they too took this false oath. Allah told the Holy Prophet ﷺ ; about their lie and profane oath. [ Qurtubi ]

Commentary Chastising the Hypocrites for their Secret Alliance with the Jews أَلَمْ تَرَ‌ إِلَى الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْا قَوْمًا غَضِبَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِم (Have you not seen those who have friendship with a people with whom Allah is angry? ....58:14) Allah condemns the hypocrites who secretly formed an alliance with the Jews who challenge Allah and His Apostle, while in effect they belong neither to the Muslims nor to the Jews. Consequently, Allah has prepared for them a humiliating and condign chastisement. It is not permissible to have a friendly intimacy with the enemies of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ - whether the unbelievers are Jews, or Christians, or pagans or of any other creed. Even rationally this is not possible, because the capital asset of a believer is the love of Allah, while a non-believer relishes in opposing and challenging Him. It is not possible for a person to have sincere love and affection for someone and to love and have intimacy with the latter's enemy. Here 'love', 'affection' or 'intimacy' refers to the one coming from the heart involving intense emotional commitment (which necessarily includes having love with his way of life. Ed.). This is called Muwalah or 'intimate friendship'. This type of friendship is limited to sincere Muslims. Therefore, the Qur'anic verses on many occasions strictly prohibit Muslims from having this sort of relationship with non-Muslims. Any Muslim who has such intimate friendship with non-Muslims will be seen to fall in the circle of unbelievers. In contra-distinction to Muwalah [ intimate friendship ], there is a concept of Muwalah which refers to the relationship based on sympathy, kindness and concern. It includes charitable assistance and support, business, commercial, trade dealings and economic cooperation, condolence and consolation and any well-meaning attitude of well-being and welfare. Barring unbelievers who are at war with the believers, this kind of relationship is permissible with all other non-Muslims. The paradigm of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the noble Companions ؓ in this direction is ample testimony to this practice. However, it is necessary to ensure that the relationship of Muwalah is not harmful to the cause of religion; it should not create laxity in 'faith and practice' of Islam nor should it 'harm, hurt or injure' other Muslims. Please see Ma` ariful Qur'an, Vol. 2/ pp 54-61: under Surah Al-` Imran: v.28-30 for a detailed account of the distinction between Muwalat [ intimate friendship ], Muwasat [ sympathy ] and Muamalat [ dealings ] or Mudarah [ cordiality ]. وَيَحْلِفُونَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ (and they swear false oaths ...58:14). It means they swear oaths profanely. According to some reports, this verse was revealed in connection with ` Abdullah Ibn 'Ubayy and ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal: One day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting with his noble Companions ؓ and said to them: "Soon a person will come to you whose heart will be the heart of a tyrant and who sees through the Shaitan's eyes." Soon afterwards ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal, the hypocrite, entered. He was blue-eyed, wheat-coloured, short-statured and skimpy-bearded. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him: "Why do you and your comrades use obscene words against me?" He swore that he did not do that. Then he called his comrades and they too took this false oath. Allah told the Holy Prophet ﷺ ; about their lie and profane oath. [ Qurtubi ]

Commentary Chastising the Hypocrites for their Secret Alliance with the Jews أَلَمْ تَرَ‌ إِلَى الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْا قَوْمًا غَضِبَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِم (Have you not seen those who have friendship with a people with whom Allah is angry? ....58:14) Allah condemns the hypocrites who secretly formed an alliance with the Jews who challenge Allah and His Apostle, while in effect they belong neither to the Muslims nor to the Jews. Consequently, Allah has prepared for them a humiliating and condign chastisement. It is not permissible to have a friendly intimacy with the enemies of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ - whether the unbelievers are Jews, or Christians, or pagans or of any other creed. Even rationally this is not possible, because the capital asset of a believer is the love of Allah, while a non-believer relishes in opposing and challenging Him. It is not possible for a person to have sincere love and affection for someone and to love and have intimacy with the latter's enemy. Here 'love', 'affection' or 'intimacy' refers to the one coming from the heart involving intense emotional commitment (which necessarily includes having love with his way of life. Ed.). This is called Muwalah or 'intimate friendship'. This type of friendship is limited to sincere Muslims. Therefore, the Qur'anic verses on many occasions strictly prohibit Muslims from having this sort of relationship with non-Muslims. Any Muslim who has such intimate friendship with non-Muslims will be seen to fall in the circle of unbelievers. In contra-distinction to Muwalah [ intimate friendship ], there is a concept of Muwalah which refers to the relationship based on sympathy, kindness and concern. It includes charitable assistance and support, business, commercial, trade dealings and economic cooperation, condolence and consolation and any well-meaning attitude of well-being and welfare. Barring unbelievers who are at war with the believers, this kind of relationship is permissible with all other non-Muslims. The paradigm of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the noble Companions ؓ in this direction is ample testimony to this practice. However, it is necessary to ensure that the relationship of Muwalah is not harmful to the cause of religion; it should not create laxity in 'faith and practice' of Islam nor should it 'harm, hurt or injure' other Muslims. Please see Ma` ariful Qur'an, Vol. 2/ pp 54-61: under Surah Al-` Imran: v.28-30 for a detailed account of the distinction between Muwalat [ intimate friendship ], Muwasat [ sympathy ] and Muamalat [ dealings ] or Mudarah [ cordiality ]. وَيَحْلِفُونَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ (and they swear false oaths ...58:14). It means they swear oaths profanely. According to some reports, this verse was revealed in connection with ` Abdullah Ibn 'Ubayy and ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal: One day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting with his noble Companions ؓ and said to them: "Soon a person will come to you whose heart will be the heart of a tyrant and who sees through the Shaitan's eyes." Soon afterwards ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal, the hypocrite, entered. He was blue-eyed, wheat-coloured, short-statured and skimpy-bearded. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him: "Why do you and your comrades use obscene words against me?" He swore that he did not do that. Then he called his comrades and they too took this false oath. Allah told the Holy Prophet ﷺ ; about their lie and profane oath. [ Qurtubi ]

Commentary Chastising the Hypocrites for their Secret Alliance with the Jews أَلَمْ تَرَ‌ إِلَى الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْا قَوْمًا غَضِبَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِم (Have you not seen those who have friendship with a people with whom Allah is angry? ....58:14) Allah condemns the hypocrites who secretly formed an alliance with the Jews who challenge Allah and His Apostle, while in effect they belong neither to the Muslims nor to the Jews. Consequently, Allah has prepared for them a humiliating and condign chastisement. It is not permissible to have a friendly intimacy with the enemies of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ - whether the unbelievers are Jews, or Christians, or pagans or of any other creed. Even rationally this is not possible, because the capital asset of a believer is the love of Allah, while a non-believer relishes in opposing and challenging Him. It is not possible for a person to have sincere love and affection for someone and to love and have intimacy with the latter's enemy. Here 'love', 'affection' or 'intimacy' refers to the one coming from the heart involving intense emotional commitment (which necessarily includes having love with his way of life. Ed.). This is called Muwalah or 'intimate friendship'. This type of friendship is limited to sincere Muslims. Therefore, the Qur'anic verses on many occasions strictly prohibit Muslims from having this sort of relationship with non-Muslims. Any Muslim who has such intimate friendship with non-Muslims will be seen to fall in the circle of unbelievers. In contra-distinction to Muwalah [ intimate friendship ], there is a concept of Muwalah which refers to the relationship based on sympathy, kindness and concern. It includes charitable assistance and support, business, commercial, trade dealings and economic cooperation, condolence and consolation and any well-meaning attitude of well-being and welfare. Barring unbelievers who are at war with the believers, this kind of relationship is permissible with all other non-Muslims. The paradigm of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the noble Companions ؓ in this direction is ample testimony to this practice. However, it is necessary to ensure that the relationship of Muwalah is not harmful to the cause of religion; it should not create laxity in 'faith and practice' of Islam nor should it 'harm, hurt or injure' other Muslims. Please see Ma` ariful Qur'an, Vol. 2/ pp 54-61: under Surah Al-` Imran: v.28-30 for a detailed account of the distinction between Muwalat [ intimate friendship ], Muwasat [ sympathy ] and Muamalat [ dealings ] or Mudarah [ cordiality ]. وَيَحْلِفُونَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ (and they swear false oaths ...58:14). It means they swear oaths profanely. According to some reports, this verse was revealed in connection with ` Abdullah Ibn 'Ubayy and ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal: One day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting with his noble Companions ؓ and said to them: "Soon a person will come to you whose heart will be the heart of a tyrant and who sees through the Shaitan's eyes." Soon afterwards ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal, the hypocrite, entered. He was blue-eyed, wheat-coloured, short-statured and skimpy-bearded. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him: "Why do you and your comrades use obscene words against me?" He swore that he did not do that. Then he called his comrades and they too took this false oath. Allah told the Holy Prophet ﷺ ; about their lie and profane oath. [ Qurtubi ]

Commentary Chastising the Hypocrites for their Secret Alliance with the Jews أَلَمْ تَرَ‌ إِلَى الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْا قَوْمًا غَضِبَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِم (Have you not seen those who have friendship with a people with whom Allah is angry? ....58:14) Allah condemns the hypocrites who secretly formed an alliance with the Jews who challenge Allah and His Apostle, while in effect they belong neither to the Muslims nor to the Jews. Consequently, Allah has prepared for them a humiliating and condign chastisement. It is not permissible to have a friendly intimacy with the enemies of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ - whether the unbelievers are Jews, or Christians, or pagans or of any other creed. Even rationally this is not possible, because the capital asset of a believer is the love of Allah, while a non-believer relishes in opposing and challenging Him. It is not possible for a person to have sincere love and affection for someone and to love and have intimacy with the latter's enemy. Here 'love', 'affection' or 'intimacy' refers to the one coming from the heart involving intense emotional commitment (which necessarily includes having love with his way of life. Ed.). This is called Muwalah or 'intimate friendship'. This type of friendship is limited to sincere Muslims. Therefore, the Qur'anic verses on many occasions strictly prohibit Muslims from having this sort of relationship with non-Muslims. Any Muslim who has such intimate friendship with non-Muslims will be seen to fall in the circle of unbelievers. In contra-distinction to Muwalah [ intimate friendship ], there is a concept of Muwalah which refers to the relationship based on sympathy, kindness and concern. It includes charitable assistance and support, business, commercial, trade dealings and economic cooperation, condolence and consolation and any well-meaning attitude of well-being and welfare. Barring unbelievers who are at war with the believers, this kind of relationship is permissible with all other non-Muslims. The paradigm of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the noble Companions ؓ in this direction is ample testimony to this practice. However, it is necessary to ensure that the relationship of Muwalah is not harmful to the cause of religion; it should not create laxity in 'faith and practice' of Islam nor should it 'harm, hurt or injure' other Muslims. Please see Ma` ariful Qur'an, Vol. 2/ pp 54-61: under Surah Al-` Imran: v.28-30 for a detailed account of the distinction between Muwalat [ intimate friendship ], Muwasat [ sympathy ] and Muamalat [ dealings ] or Mudarah [ cordiality ]. وَيَحْلِفُونَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ (and they swear false oaths ...58:14). It means they swear oaths profanely. According to some reports, this verse was revealed in connection with ` Abdullah Ibn 'Ubayy and ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal: One day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting with his noble Companions ؓ and said to them: "Soon a person will come to you whose heart will be the heart of a tyrant and who sees through the Shaitan's eyes." Soon afterwards ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal, the hypocrite, entered. He was blue-eyed, wheat-coloured, short-statured and skimpy-bearded. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him: "Why do you and your comrades use obscene words against me?" He swore that he did not do that. Then he called his comrades and they too took this false oath. Allah told the Holy Prophet ﷺ ; about their lie and profane oath. [ Qurtubi ]

Commentary Chastising the Hypocrites for their Secret Alliance with the Jews أَلَمْ تَرَ‌ إِلَى الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْا قَوْمًا غَضِبَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِم (Have you not seen those who have friendship with a people with whom Allah is angry? ....58:14) Allah condemns the hypocrites who secretly formed an alliance with the Jews who challenge Allah and His Apostle, while in effect they belong neither to the Muslims nor to the Jews. Consequently, Allah has prepared for them a humiliating and condign chastisement. It is not permissible to have a friendly intimacy with the enemies of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ - whether the unbelievers are Jews, or Christians, or pagans or of any other creed. Even rationally this is not possible, because the capital asset of a believer is the love of Allah, while a non-believer relishes in opposing and challenging Him. It is not possible for a person to have sincere love and affection for someone and to love and have intimacy with the latter's enemy. Here 'love', 'affection' or 'intimacy' refers to the one coming from the heart involving intense emotional commitment (which necessarily includes having love with his way of life. Ed.). This is called Muwalah or 'intimate friendship'. This type of friendship is limited to sincere Muslims. Therefore, the Qur'anic verses on many occasions strictly prohibit Muslims from having this sort of relationship with non-Muslims. Any Muslim who has such intimate friendship with non-Muslims will be seen to fall in the circle of unbelievers. In contra-distinction to Muwalah [ intimate friendship ], there is a concept of Muwalah which refers to the relationship based on sympathy, kindness and concern. It includes charitable assistance and support, business, commercial, trade dealings and economic cooperation, condolence and consolation and any well-meaning attitude of well-being and welfare. Barring unbelievers who are at war with the believers, this kind of relationship is permissible with all other non-Muslims. The paradigm of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the noble Companions ؓ in this direction is ample testimony to this practice. However, it is necessary to ensure that the relationship of Muwalah is not harmful to the cause of religion; it should not create laxity in 'faith and practice' of Islam nor should it 'harm, hurt or injure' other Muslims. Please see Ma` ariful Qur'an, Vol. 2/ pp 54-61: under Surah Al-` Imran: v.28-30 for a detailed account of the distinction between Muwalat [ intimate friendship ], Muwasat [ sympathy ] and Muamalat [ dealings ] or Mudarah [ cordiality ]. وَيَحْلِفُونَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ (and they swear false oaths ...58:14). It means they swear oaths profanely. According to some reports, this verse was revealed in connection with ` Abdullah Ibn 'Ubayy and ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal: One day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting with his noble Companions ؓ and said to them: "Soon a person will come to you whose heart will be the heart of a tyrant and who sees through the Shaitan's eyes." Soon afterwards ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal, the hypocrite, entered. He was blue-eyed, wheat-coloured, short-statured and skimpy-bearded. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him: "Why do you and your comrades use obscene words against me?" He swore that he did not do that. Then he called his comrades and they too took this false oath. Allah told the Holy Prophet ﷺ ; about their lie and profane oath. [ Qurtubi ]

Commentary Chastising the Hypocrites for their Secret Alliance with the Jews أَلَمْ تَرَ‌ إِلَى الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْا قَوْمًا غَضِبَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِم (Have you not seen those who have friendship with a people with whom Allah is angry? ....58:14) Allah condemns the hypocrites who secretly formed an alliance with the Jews who challenge Allah and His Apostle, while in effect they belong neither to the Muslims nor to the Jews. Consequently, Allah has prepared for them a humiliating and condign chastisement. It is not permissible to have a friendly intimacy with the enemies of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ - whether the unbelievers are Jews, or Christians, or pagans or of any other creed. Even rationally this is not possible, because the capital asset of a believer is the love of Allah, while a non-believer relishes in opposing and challenging Him. It is not possible for a person to have sincere love and affection for someone and to love and have intimacy with the latter's enemy. Here 'love', 'affection' or 'intimacy' refers to the one coming from the heart involving intense emotional commitment (which necessarily includes having love with his way of life. Ed.). This is called Muwalah or 'intimate friendship'. This type of friendship is limited to sincere Muslims. Therefore, the Qur'anic verses on many occasions strictly prohibit Muslims from having this sort of relationship with non-Muslims. Any Muslim who has such intimate friendship with non-Muslims will be seen to fall in the circle of unbelievers. In contra-distinction to Muwalah [ intimate friendship ], there is a concept of Muwalah which refers to the relationship based on sympathy, kindness and concern. It includes charitable assistance and support, business, commercial, trade dealings and economic cooperation, condolence and consolation and any well-meaning attitude of well-being and welfare. Barring unbelievers who are at war with the believers, this kind of relationship is permissible with all other non-Muslims. The paradigm of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the noble Companions ؓ in this direction is ample testimony to this practice. However, it is necessary to ensure that the relationship of Muwalah is not harmful to the cause of religion; it should not create laxity in 'faith and practice' of Islam nor should it 'harm, hurt or injure' other Muslims. Please see Ma` ariful Qur'an, Vol. 2/ pp 54-61: under Surah Al-` Imran: v.28-30 for a detailed account of the distinction between Muwalat [ intimate friendship ], Muwasat [ sympathy ] and Muamalat [ dealings ] or Mudarah [ cordiality ]. وَيَحْلِفُونَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ (and they swear false oaths ...58:14). It means they swear oaths profanely. According to some reports, this verse was revealed in connection with ` Abdullah Ibn 'Ubayy and ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal: One day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting with his noble Companions ؓ and said to them: "Soon a person will come to you whose heart will be the heart of a tyrant and who sees through the Shaitan's eyes." Soon afterwards ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal, the hypocrite, entered. He was blue-eyed, wheat-coloured, short-statured and skimpy-bearded. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him: "Why do you and your comrades use obscene words against me?" He swore that he did not do that. Then he called his comrades and they too took this false oath. Allah told the Holy Prophet ﷺ ; about their lie and profane oath. [ Qurtubi ]

Believers cannot entertain intimacy with non-Believers لَّا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ‌ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّـهَ وَرَ‌سُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءَهُمْ (You shall not find those who believe in Allah and in the Hereafter having friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers....58:22). The preceding verses showed that those [ hypocrites ] who are in intimate friendship with unbelievers and pagans shall incur Allah's wrath, indignation and severe torment. This verse describes the condition of sincere believers who would not take an enemy of Faith, the opponents of Allah, for intimacy and friendship, even though such people are their own fathers, children, brothers or any other blood relatives. The bond of belief transcends all other bonds, even the close ties of blood. This description fits all noble Companions ؓ . Commentators on this occasion have cited a number of incidents of the blessed Companions which describe how, when they heard their fathers, sons and brothers or other blood relations utter blasphemy against Islam or the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، they left all ties aside and punished them or even killed them. ` Abdullah, the son of ` Abdullah Ibn 'Ubayy, the leader of the hypocrites in Madinah, heard his father make some blasphemous remarks against the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The son came up to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and sought his permission to kill his father. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stopped him. Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ heard his father, Abu Quhafah, uttering some insulting words against the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The most compassionate Siddiq ؓ became indignant and unexpectedly gave him such a hard slap that he fell down. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard about it, he advised Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ not do it again. In the battle of Uhud, Sayyidna Abu ` Ubaidah's father, Jarrah, was fighting on the side of the unbelievers against the Muslims. In the battlefield, while the battle was on, he purposely came time and again face to face with Sayyidna Abu ` Ubaidah ؓ and pursued him. Every time his father came in front of him, Sayyidna Abu ` Ubaidah ؓ would, as a mark of respect, move out. But when he persisted, Sayyidna Abu ` Ubaidah ؓ had no choice but to kill him. The biography of the blessed Companions is replete with similar incidents. The present set of verses was revealed to laud them. [ Qurtubi ] Ruling Many jurists have ruled that this rule applies equally to all Muslims who transgress or violate the sacred laws of Shari’ ah or in their practical life turn away from them, in that the sincere Muslims should not maintain an intimate friendship or relationship with such transgressors. As explained earlier, Muwalah [ intimate friendship ] with a fasiq [ transgressors ] is not possible because intimacy with them is possible if and only if the germs of fisq [ transgression ] are lurking in the people befriending them. Muwasah [ sympathy ] and Mu'amalat [ dealings ] or Mudarah [ cordiality ] are, however, a different matter to the degree of necessity. This is the reason why the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray: اَللَّھُمَّ لَا تَجعَلَ لِفَاجِرِ عَلَیَّ یَداً "0 Allah, do not give any transgressor the upper hand over me." The Messenger of Allah prayed thus because if anyone has the upper hand in a situation, he is most likely to get his own way. He will, for instance, show kindness to people and thus gain the upper hand; and the noble persons, on account of the kindness, will feel obliged or duty-bound to return his kindness with love. Thus the Messenger of Allah sought refuge with Allah from this situation. [ Qurtubi ] وَأَيَّدَهُم بِرُ‌وحٍ مِّنْهُ (...and has helped them with a Spirit from Him....58:22) The word ruh, according to some authorities on Tafsir, stands for 'light', which radiates or emanates from Allah and enters the heart of a believer which urges him to perform righteous deeds, and is the source of peace and contentment of the heart. This tranquility and satisfaction is the source of great strength and power. Other authorities say that this word stands for the Holy Qur'an and the arguments of the Holy Qur'an. This is the real strength and power of a believer. [ Qurtubi ] Allah, the Pure and Exalted, knows best! Alhamdulillah The Commentary on Surah A1-Mujadalah Ends here.

Commentary Sequencing of Surahs The preceding Surah had condemned the close friendship developed by the hypocrites with the Jews. The present Surah describes the punishment faced by the Jews in this world in the form of exile and in the Hereafter in the form of grievous torment. Cause of Revelation The story of their banishment from Madinah is that when the Messeger of Allah ﷺ migrated to Madinah, he concluded a peace treaty with the Jews. Banu Nadir, one of the Jew tribes living around Madinah, were one of the three signatories. The latter tribe lived about two miles away from Madinah. Once it happened that ` Amr Ibn 'Umayyah Damuri killed two persons by mistake. According to Law, the Muslims jointly had to settle the blood-wit. The Holy Prophet ﷺ first collected money from the Muslims for this purpose. Then he decided to collect money from the Jews as well in terms of the treaty he already had with them. The Holy Prophet ﷺ visited the tribe of Banu Nadir for this purpose. Before his arrival, they conspired to put an end to his life. When he reached there, they made him sit against a wall and said to him that they were going to gather the blood money. In the meanwhile, they secretly plotted that someone should climb the particular wall in the shade of which the Holy Prophet ﷺ was sitting and drop a rock on him and kill him. But before the Jews could execute their sinister plan, Allah revealed to him in time about their plot and conspiracy. The Holy Prophet ﷺ instantly left the place, returned to Madinah and sent a message to Banu Nadir that they have betrayed the treaty. Therefore, they are given ten days in which to leave the town and go into exile, and were warned that if they would not meet the deadline, they might be killed at sight. They decided to leave, but ` Abdullah Ibn 'Ubayy prevented them. He said that they did not have to leave because he had an army of two thousand men who were willing to lay down their lives to protect the Jewish lives. It is stated in Ruh-ul-Ma` ani on the authority of Ibn Ishaq that along with ` Abdullah were Wadi'ah Ibn Malik, Suwaid and Ra'ish. The Jews fell into the trap of the three and sent a message to the Holy Prophet that they would not leave. As a result, he together with the noble Companions ؓ marched on that tribe. The Jews locked themselves up in the fortresses, but the hypocrites, being essentially cowards, hid themselves. The Holy Prophet ﷺ laid a siege to the Jewish fortresses. Some of their date palms were felled and others were burnt down. Eventually, they agreed to go into exile. So, the Holy Prophet ﷺ forced them to evacuate and abandon their fortresses and, in kindness, allowed to take with them enough provisions, whatever their cavalry and camelry could carry except arms and weapons, which, they were told, would be confiscated. Some of them went to Syria, while others went to Khaibar. On account of their greed, they carried with them even beams, rafters, woods and the doors of their houses. This incident took place after the battle of Badr in RabI'-ul Awwal 4 AH. Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ ، during his caliphate, sent them away to Syria to live with the rest of the Jews. The two banishments go under the names of the 'first banishment' and the 'second banishment'. [ Zad-ul-Ma’ ad ]. The Characteristics of Surah AI-Hashr and the History of Banu Nadir The entire Surah Al-Hashr was revealed in connection with Bani Nadir [ Ibn Ishaq ]. Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ used to call this Surah, Surah Banff Nadir. [ Ibn Kathir ]. Bani Nadir were the descendents of the Holy Prophet Harun ﷺ . Their forefathers were scholars of Torah, which contained a full description of the Last Prophet ﷺ such as his physical features, his signs of Prophet-hood and his migration to Yathrib (Madinah). This tribe was under the impression that the Last Prophet ﷺ would be one of the descendents of Holy Prophet Harun (علیہ السلام) and they would have the pleasure of being in his company. For this reason, they migrated from Syria and settled in Yathrib. Some of the contemporaries of the Holy Prophet ﷺ were also scholars of the Torah, who saw his physical features and other signs of Prophet-hood and recognized him as the Final Messenger but, as they thought that he would be one of the descendents of Harun they were disappointed when he was raised among the descendents of Ismail (علیہ السلام) . They were jealous and, on account of their jealousy, they were inhibited from embracing the Faith. But in their heart of hearts they knew that Sayyidna Muhammad ﷺ was the Final Messenger of Allah. When, in the battle of Badr, they saw the amazing victory of the Muslims and the humiliating defeat of the pagan Quraish, their degree of certainty was somewhat augmented. They even expressed their amazement. But distinguishing between truth and falsehood on the basis, measurement, or standard of the apparent victory and defeat is a weak yardstick. As a result, when in the battle of Uhud, Muslims initially suffered a temporary setback and some of the Companions ؓ were martyred, their certainty was shaken. After that they started conspiring with the pagan Arabs. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ migrated to Madinah, as stated earlier, he with his political sagacity felt his first task was to enter into a peace treaty with the Jews of Madinah and other neighbouring Jewish tribes, stipulating that he would not fight them and they would not fight him, nor would they aid and abet those who take up arms against the Muslims, and if the Jews were attacked, the Muslims would assist them. There were many other clauses in the peace accord, the details of which are available in 'Sirah of Ibn Hisham'. All the Jewish tribes, including Banu Nadir, had their area, strong fortresses and orchards at a distance of 3.2 kilometers from Madinah. Up to the point of the battle of 'Uhud, they apparently kept to the terms of the treaty. But after that battle, they betrayed the treaty and started conspiring secretly, in that a leader of Banu Nadir, Ka'b Ibn Ashraf, went to Makkah with a caravan of forty Jewish members to curry favour with the pagan Quraish who were anxious to avenge the defeat of the battle of Badr, and had gone to the battle of 'Uhud for that reason but were eventually defeated in the latter battle as well. The defeated men returned and the Jews met them. They conspired and agreed to wage a war against the Messenger of Allah and the Muslims. Ka'b Ibn Ashraf with his forty Jewish members and Abu Sufyan with his forty members of pagan Quraish entered the Sacred Mosque and, holding on the curtain of the House of Allah, pledged that they would jointly fight the Muslims and annihilate them. When, after this pledge, Ka'b Ibn Ashraf returned to Madinah, Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) descended and informed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about the entire episode and the details of the pledge. In the meantime, the Holy Prophet ﷺ issued the command to kill Ka'b Ibn Ashraf. A noble Companion Muhammad Ibn Maslamah killed him. Subsequently, Banu Nadir hatched many different plots to harm the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، one of which was, as reported earlier, their plot to kill him. The Holy Prophet ﷺ ، after collecting blood money from the Muslims in a particular case of murder, decided to collect money from the Jews in terms of the treaty that was concluded between himself ﷺ ، the tribes of Banu Nadir, Banu Qainuqa` and Banu Quraizah. Before his arrival, they planned to kill him, as detailed above. The person who was entrusted with the task of throwing a rock on the head of the Holy Prophet ﷺ was a Jew ` Umar Ibn Jahhash by name who had volunteered himself for the task. Had it not been for the revelatory information the Holy Prophet ﷺ ; received from Allah, their plot would have worked. But Allah protected His Messenger ﷺ and the conspiracy was thus thwarted and their plan failed. A Lesson It is a remarkable co-incidence that subsequently the entire Banu Nadir clan was expelled from Madinah except for two persons who embraced the Islamic Faith and were spared: One of them was ` Umar Ibn Jahhash and the other was his paternal uncle Yamin Ibn ` Amr Ibn Ka'b. [ Ibn Kathir ]. The Story of ` Amr Ibn Umayyah Damuri Under the rubric of 'cause of revelation' above, reference was made to the incident that ` Amr Ibn Umayyah Damuri accidentally killed two men. The Muslims as well as the Jews had to jointly settle the blood-wit in terms of the treaty existing between them. The Holy Prophet ﷺ collected money from the Muslims for this purpose. Then he decided to collect money from the Jews. The Holy Prophet ﷺ visited the tribe of Banu Nadir in their area for this purpose. Ibn Kathir writes that the enemy plans to harm the Muslims are many and long-drawn-out. One famous incident in Islamic history is that of Bi'r Ma` unah: Some of the hypocrites and the non-believers requested the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to send a band of the noble Companions ؓ to preach the religion of Islam. He dispatched about seventy Companions ؓ for the purpose. Later on it was discovered that this was a mere conspiracy. The plan was to surround them and kill them, in which they succeeded. Of the seventy Muslims, only ` Amr Ibn Umayyah Damuri managed to escape. He had seen and experienced the dishonesty and treachery of the non-believers, and how they mercilessly massacred sixty-nine of his brethren. In the circumstances, one can imagine how his emotions would have been against the enemies. Co-incidentally, when he was returning to Madinah he encountered two non-believers and killed them. Later on it was discovered that the two men killed were members of Bani ` Amir, a tribe which was an ally of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Banu Nadir was also an ally of Bani ` Amir tribe. The agreements of Muslim politicians were not like the political agreements of today in which every effort is made at the very beginning to find out ways to escape or violate it. In the case of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the early sincere Muslims, whatever the tongue uttered or the pen wrote was treated as part of religion and Divine law and binding. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ learnt about ` Amr Ibn 'Umayyah Damrui's error of judgment, he decided to pay the blood-wit, in terms of the sacred law of Shari’ ah, for the two men killed. In this matter, he first collected money from the Muslims and then he had to go to Banu Nadir for collection. [ Ibn Kathir ] Tolerance and Human Rights in Islam: A Model for Present-day Politicians There are many lessons in the incidents cited above for the heralds of human rights, and for the political leaders and the big powers who talk highly about them and are deemed as 'Champions of Human Rights'. Let us look at the case of Banu Nadir: They unceasingly were involved in conspiracies, endlessly behaved treacherously and continuously plotted to kill the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . Would the present-day political leaders or heads of governments tolerate all this? How would they treat them? Nowadays, the opponents are killed even by sprinkling petrol on them or in some other execution style. There is no need for political leadership or government for that purpose. A few wicked hooligans gather together and carry out the executions. The official wrath and anger manifest itself much more grievously. But here we are describing the government of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ : Even when the enemy conspiracies and treacheries reached the peak, no massacre was contemplated. No thought of usurping their property and wealth was ever considered. In fact, the following humane punitive measures were taken: [ 1] They were allowed to take all their wealth with them, and were ordered only to evacuate the town. [ 2] To do this, they were given ten days, so that they might be able to take their things comfortably and transfer themselves to some other place. When they did not comply, it became necessary to take a sterner measure at national level. [ 3] Some trees were though cut down and others were burned down, but even at that stage, no edict was issued to burn down their fortresses or attack them and kill them on a large scale. [ 4] When they expressed that it was in their best interests to go into exile, they were given the choice that each man could take with him as much provisions as his camel could carry. As a result, they carried their hooks, latches, doors, planks, beams and rafters. [ 5] No Muslim ever frowned upon any of the persons transferring his stuff. They took their things and moved out peacefully and safely. The Holy Prophet ﷺ showed this kindness to them when they were completely subdued and he was in complete command of the situation. He had the power to fully avenge their treachery, dishonesty and conspiracy. But he did not do it. This behavior of the Holy Prophet ﷺ corresponds to his behavior with the pagans of Makkah when he entered the city after the triumph. Let us now explain some expressions of these verses in the background of these events.

(1) The original word used in the text is 'hashr' which means 'gathering' or 'mustering' and after which this Surah is named. In the present context, it may be interpreted in two different ways. One, that it refers to the gathering of the Muslims who ordered the Jews to leave Madinah due to their constant conspiracies and breaches of the treaty they had with the Muslims. According to this interpretation, the verse means that the Jews of Bani Nadir were made to leave the city at the first gathering of the Muslims without fighting and without any further attempt to attack them. The second interpretation is that it refers to the gathering of the Jews for the purpose of emigration. In this case the verse indicates that it was their first exile before which they did not face such a situation. It has another subtle indication to the fact that this was their first exile which will be followed by another one, i.e. the exile faced by the Jews in the days of Sayyidna ` Umar . (Muhammad Taqi Usmani) لِأَوَّلِ الْحَشْرِ‌ (...at the time of the first gathering...59:2). The word hashr means 'to rise'. One reason for referring to it as the 'first mustering' is given by Maulana Thanawi (رح) in his Tafsir. They were settled at one place since ancient times. This event of banishment took place for the first time in their life. The second reason could be that all the non-Muslims of the Arabian peninsula would have to be evacuated in future, so that the peninsula might become a strong fortress of Islam. As a result, a second banishment was to take place at some later time. This happened during the caliphate of ` Umar ؓ ، the Holy Prophet's Second Successor. He banished all the Jews who had settled in Khaibar. He ordered all the Jews to leave the Arabian peninsula. From this point of view, Banu Nadir's banishment is the 'first banishment' and the 'second banishment' took place in the time of Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ . فَأَتَاهُمُ اللَّـهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَمْ يَحْتَسِبُوا (...But Allah came to them from where they did not expect... 59:2). The phrase 'Allah came' means 'the command of Allah and His obedient angels came'. يُخْرِ‌بُونَ بُيُوتَهُم بِأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَيْدِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (...they were spoiling their homes with their own hands and with the hands of the believers....59:2) Banu Nadir had spoiled their houses by removing their doors and shutters. 'Spoiling their homes with the hands of the believers' means that when the Jews locked themselves up in their fortresses, the Muslims destroyed the trees and homes outside the fortresses to make them surrender.

(1) The original word used in the text is 'hashr' which means 'gathering' or 'mustering' and after which this Surah is named. In the present context, it may be interpreted in two different ways. One, that it refers to the gathering of the Muslims who ordered the Jews to leave Madinah due to their constant conspiracies and breaches of the treaty they had with the Muslims. According to this interpretation, the verse means that the Jews of Bani Nadir were made to leave the city at the first gathering of the Muslims without fighting and without any further attempt to attack them. The second interpretation is that it refers to the gathering of the Jews for the purpose of emigration. In this case the verse indicates that it was their first exile before which they did not face such a situation. It has another subtle indication to the fact that this was their first exile which will be followed by another one, i.e. the exile faced by the Jews in the days of Sayyidna ` Umar . (Muhammad Taqi Usmani) لِأَوَّلِ الْحَشْرِ‌ (...at the time of the first gathering...59:2). The word hashr means 'to rise'. One reason for referring to it as the 'first mustering' is given by Maulana Thanawi (رح) in his Tafsir. They were settled at one place since ancient times. This event of banishment took place for the first time in their life. The second reason could be that all the non-Muslims of the Arabian peninsula would have to be evacuated in future, so that the peninsula might become a strong fortress of Islam. As a result, a second banishment was to take place at some later time. This happened during the caliphate of ` Umar ؓ ، the Holy Prophet's Second Successor. He banished all the Jews who had settled in Khaibar. He ordered all the Jews to leave the Arabian peninsula. From this point of view, Banu Nadir's banishment is the 'first banishment' and the 'second banishment' took place in the time of Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ . فَأَتَاهُمُ اللَّـهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَمْ يَحْتَسِبُوا (...But Allah came to them from where they did not expect... 59:2). The phrase 'Allah came' means 'the command of Allah and His obedient angels came'. يُخْرِ‌بُونَ بُيُوتَهُم بِأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَيْدِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (...they were spoiling their homes with their own hands and with the hands of the believers....59:2) Banu Nadir had spoiled their houses by removing their doors and shutters. 'Spoiling their homes with the hands of the believers' means that when the Jews locked themselves up in their fortresses, the Muslims destroyed the trees and homes outside the fortresses to make them surrender.

(1) The original word used in the text is 'hashr' which means 'gathering' or 'mustering' and after which this Surah is named. In the present context, it may be interpreted in two different ways. One, that it refers to the gathering of the Muslims who ordered the Jews to leave Madinah due to their constant conspiracies and breaches of the treaty they had with the Muslims. According to this interpretation, the verse means that the Jews of Bani Nadir were made to leave the city at the first gathering of the Muslims without fighting and without any further attempt to attack them. The second interpretation is that it refers to the gathering of the Jews for the purpose of emigration. In this case the verse indicates that it was their first exile before which they did not face such a situation. It has another subtle indication to the fact that this was their first exile which will be followed by another one, i.e. the exile faced by the Jews in the days of Sayyidna ` Umar . (Muhammad Taqi Usmani) لِأَوَّلِ الْحَشْرِ‌ (...at the time of the first gathering...59:2). The word hashr means 'to rise'. One reason for referring to it as the 'first mustering' is given by Maulana Thanawi (رح) in his Tafsir. They were settled at one place since ancient times. This event of banishment took place for the first time in their life. The second reason could be that all the non-Muslims of the Arabian peninsula would have to be evacuated in future, so that the peninsula might become a strong fortress of Islam. As a result, a second banishment was to take place at some later time. This happened during the caliphate of ` Umar ؓ ، the Holy Prophet's Second Successor. He banished all the Jews who had settled in Khaibar. He ordered all the Jews to leave the Arabian peninsula. From this point of view, Banu Nadir's banishment is the 'first banishment' and the 'second banishment' took place in the time of Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ . فَأَتَاهُمُ اللَّـهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَمْ يَحْتَسِبُوا (...But Allah came to them from where they did not expect... 59:2). The phrase 'Allah came' means 'the command of Allah and His obedient angels came'. يُخْرِ‌بُونَ بُيُوتَهُم بِأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَيْدِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (...they were spoiling their homes with their own hands and with the hands of the believers....59:2) Banu Nadir had spoiled their houses by removing their doors and shutters. 'Spoiling their homes with the hands of the believers' means that when the Jews locked themselves up in their fortresses, the Muslims destroyed the trees and homes outside the fortresses to make them surrender.

مَا قَطَعْتُم مِّن لِّينَةٍ أَوْ تَرَ‌كْتُمُوهَا قَائِمَةً عَلَىٰ أُصُولِهَا فَبِإِذْنِ اللَّـهِ وَلِيُخْزِيَ الْفَاسِقِينَ (Whatever palm-trees you have cut down, or have left them standing on their roots, it was with Allah's permission, and so that He might disgrace the transgressors....59:5). The word linah refers to a 'palm-tree'. Another opinion states that besides ` ajwah, all other palm trees are referred to as linah. Banu Nadir's orchards were comprised of palm trees. The reference in the verse is to the cutting, by the orders of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، of the palm trees of Banu Nadir who had shut themselves in their fortresses in defiance of the Holy Prophet's ﷺ orders to surrender. So, some of the blessed Companions, in order to anger them or cast terror into their hearts, cut and burned down some of their date trees. Other Companions felt that the palm-trees should not be destroyed because soon, God willing, the Muslims will be victorious and the orchards will fall to their lot as booty. Thus they did not participate in the destruction of the trees. This was a difference of opinion. Later on when this disagreement was discussed, the Companions who participated in the destruction of the trees or orchards felt guilty. They asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ whether they were really guilty of a sin, in that they destroyed the property that was going to fall to the lot of the Muslims. Verse [ 5] was revealed on that occasion to assuage the guilt-feeling of the Muslims that whatever they have done, whether they cut the trees or left them uncut, was by Allah's leave and it was done to degrade the ungodly Jews. Commandment of the Holy Prophet ﷺ is in fact the Commandment of Allah: A Warning for those who Refute the authority of the Ahadith In verse [ 5], the cutting down of the trees or leaving them uncut is called bi-idhni-llah [ with Allah's permission ] whereas neither of the actions was the explicit command of Allah. Apparently, whatever each group did was on the basis of independent reasoning [ Ijtihad ]. At most, it is possible that they might have sought the permission of the Holy Prophet ﷺ which is a Hadith. The 'Prophet's ﷺ permission' is referred to as 'Allah's permission' in the Qur'an. Thus the Qur'an makes plain that Allah has given His Messenger ﷺ the right to legislate laws. The forthcoming verse [ 7] of this Surah puts it that believers need to hold fast to what the Messenger ﷺ bids them and abstain from what he forbids them. This shows conclusively that the Sunnah is an independent source of the Islamic Law. Disagreement in ijtihad is not a sin Another important principle derived from this verse is that if those who are competent to undertake ijtihad disagree with another on a particular issue, so as one of them holds something as permissible, while the other takes it as impermissible, neither of them would be counted as sinners, nor will the principle of nahy ` anil-munkar (forbidding evil) be applied to this situation, because none of the two rulings is an 'evil' in the sight of Allah. Under the concluding phrase of verse [ 5] لِيُخْزِيَ الْفَاسِقِينَ (...and that he might disgrace the transgressors) it was explained that the act of cutting or burning down the trees cannot be construed as disorderliness. But it was done to degrade the unbelievers, and therefore it carries reward in the Hereafter. Ruling Is it legitimate to demolish or burn down the homes of the infidels, or cut or burn down their trees, or destroy their fields and farms? The leading authorities on Islamic Jurisprudence are not unanimous on this question. Imam A'zam Abu Hanifah (رح) rules that all of these actions are permitted. Shaikh Ibn Humam (رح) ، however, qualifies the ruling and restricts it. He rules that all of the above are permitted if and only if the enemies cannot be vanquished or overpowered without resorting to the above measures, or if the victory of Muslims is not probable or likely. The whole purpose of this ruling is to break the might and power of the enemy. In the case where Muslims do not win the struggle, destruction of their moveable and immovable properties may be included in weakening their might and main. [ Mazhari ]

[ 1] fai' is a term for the properties left over by the non-Muslims and possessed by a Muslim state without fighting. As opposed to this, ghanimah (booty) is a property taken over by fighting. The properties of Bani Nadir were taken over without fighting, hence the word fai'. That is why we did not translate fai' as 'booty'. (Muhammad Taqi Usmani)

Commentary The Concept of Fai' and its Law of Distribution وَمَا أَفَاءَ اللَّـهُ عَلَىٰ رَ‌سُولِهِ مِنْهُمْ (And whatever fai' [ left over property ] Allah has passed on to His Messenger from them, ...59:6). The word afa'a is derived from fai'un which means 'to return'. Thus the time of the afternoon when the shade of things returns to the east is referred to as fai'. The real ownership of the entire universe belongs to Allah. The ownership of things can be ascribed to human beings when Allah Himself declares them, through His Law, to be under the ownership of a human being. However, when people rebel against Allah, indulging in disbelief and shirk, their lives and properties are confiscated through properly constituted Authority and their ownership return to the Real Owner, Allah. From this point of view, all properties acquired from the unbelievers should be called fai'. However, the sacred Law of Shari` ah draws a distinction between the terms ghanimah [ spoils ] and fai'. The former refers to a property which is acquired from non-Muslims through active armed struggle, as in [ 8:41] وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُم مِّن شَيْءٍ (And know that whatever spoils you receive...). However, the word 'fai' refers to a property acquired without resorting to an actual fight, (like in a state of peaceful surrender.) These two terms have been used to set down rules of these two types in the Holy Qur'an. Surah Al-Anfal dealt with injunctions relating to ghanimah or spoils, which is acquired from non-Muslims in the wake of armed struggle. The present Surah takes up the subject of fai' and the law of its distribution. The term fai' includes any property or wealth which the non-Muslims might leave behind and run away, or make over to the Muslim Authority willingly or with consent like Khiraj, jizyah or commercial duty. مَّا أَفَاءَ اللَّـهُ عَلَىٰ رَ‌سُولِهِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَ‌ىٰ (Whatever fai' Allah has passed on to His Messenger ﷺ from the people of the towns... 59:7). The phrase ahl ul-qura or 'the people of the towns' refers to the Jewish tribes like Banu Nadir and Banu Quraizah whose wealth and property were obtained without armed struggle. The laws pertaining to the distribution of the two types of spoils are different. Unlike ghanimah [ spoils of war ], fai' is not distributed among the mujahidin (participants in fighting). The Holy Prophet ﷺ is granted full authority to give as much as he likes to whomsoever he likes or to retain for himself at his discretion. However, a few classes of beneficiaries have been clearly defined. The fai' must be distributed among the defined five classes. The foregoing verses set down the rules pertaining to fai', its beneficiaries and its method of distribution. Some details are available at the beginning of Surah Al-Anfal in Volume 4 of Ma` ariful Qur'an, pages 148-151 and more details of the injunctions are available in the same volume on pages 221-229, under verse 41. It needs to be borne in mind that the wordings of Surah Al-Anfal regarding Khums [ 1/5th ] of ghanimah is almost identical to the wordings of fai' mentioned in the present verse. Let us compare: 8:41 reads: وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُم مِّن شَيْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلَّـهِ خُمُسَهُ وَلِلرَّ‌سُولِ وَلِذِي الْقُرْ‌بَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ (And know that whatever spoils you receive, its one-fifth is for Allah and His Messenger and for kinsmen and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer... 8:41). Verse [ 7] of the present Surah reads as above which means: "Whatever fai' Allah has passed on to His Messenger from the people of the towns is for Allah and for His Messenger ﷺ ، and for kinsmen and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer....59:7). In both these verses, six classes of beneficiaries are mentioned: Allah, the Messenger, kinsmen, orphans, the needy and the wayfarer. It is all too clear that Allah is the Real Owner and Master of this world, the next world and the entire creation. The name of Allah in relation to the shares has been mentioned by way of blessing or benediction, because the wealth or property thus associated with Allah's name attains honour and distinction. It also points to the permissibility and purity of the wealth. This is the view of Sayyidna Hasan Al-Basri, Qatadah, ` Ata', Ibrahim, Sha'bi رحمۃ اللہ علیہم and the commentators in general. [ Mazhari ] In the commentary of Surah Al-Anfal, it was fully and exhaustively explained how wealth attains honour and distinction by the mention of Allah's name which, in brief, amounts to the following: The prophets are not allowed to avail of Sadaqat or charities, even though they are derived from the pure wealth of the Muslims. The question might arise how the ghanimah and fai' are made lawful for the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، while they are derived from the infidels? By mentioning Allah's name at the beginning of the verse, this doubt has been removed. The point is that Allah is the real owner of the entire universe. Human beings come to own certain things when Allah by His own grace declares for them to pass into human ownership. However, when a certain segment of human beings rebels against Allah, Jihad is waged against them by Allah's command, which means that, during the war, their lives and properties are no longer sacred. In this way, all their wealth is confiscated in the name of the Authority in command. The confiscated properties are named ghanimah, spoils or war booty - which goes out of the ownership of disbelievers and gets itself deposited separately as being under the ownership of Allah alone. And as stated earlier, the word fai' contains the meaning of 'return' and the wealth is so called because its ownership is restored to the original owner, Allah. No human being has any entitlement to it. The beneficiaries who will receive a share of it will receive it direct from Allah, and therefore it will be lawful and pure like water and self-growing grass which are direct Divine gift, lawful and pure. In short, the mention of Allah's name in this context points to the fact that the entire wealth belongs to Allah, and it is granted to the beneficiaries on His behalf. It is no sadaqah or khairat [ charity ]. This leaves us with five classes of beneficiaries: [ 1] The Messenger ﷺ ; [ 2] kinsmen; [ 3] orphans; [ 4] the needy; and [ 5] the wayfarer. The same five classes of beneficiaries of khums [ 1/5th ] were determined in [ 8:41] and now the same classes of beneficiaries are determined for fai' property. The rules relating to both ghanimah and fai' properties are identical: They are in full authority of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، and after him in the authority of the Caliphs. The Authority may retain them for the benefit of Muslims in general, or they may deposit them in bait-ul-mal [ public treasury ] and do not grant anything to anyone, or they may distribute them. If it is decided to be distributed, it must be done within the five classes defined. [ Qurtubi ] Companions shows that fai' property was in the Authority of the Holy Prophet ﷺ during his time, and was left to his discretion. He may disburse it as he deemed fit. After him, his Caliphs controlled it and disbursed it according to their best judgment. After the demise of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، his share of the booty fell into disuse. The word 'Kinsmen' in the verse means the kinsmen of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . There were two reasons why they were granted a share from this booty: Firstly, because they helped the Holy Messenger ﷺ and supported him in his Islamic activities. Therefore, even the rich kinsmen of the Holy Prophet ﷺ used to be granted a share from the booty. [ 2] Sadaqah [ charity ] was unlawful for the Holy Prophet's ﷺ kinsmen. Therefore, the poor and needy relatives of the Holy Prophet ﷺ used to be granted a share from the fai' rather than from the Sadaqah [ charity ]. After the demise of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، helping and supporting him came to an end. The first reason no longer existed. Therefore, the share from the fai' of the rich relatives fell into disuse like that of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . However, the poor and the needy relatives continued to receive their share from the fai' on account of poverty and need. Priority was given to the poor and needy relatives of Allah's Messenger ﷺ over other poor and needy people. [ Hidayah ]. See Ma’ ariful Qur’ an, Vol. 4/pp 228-229. كَيْ لَا يَكُونَ دُولَةً بَيْنَ الْأَغْنِيَاءِ مِنكُمْ (...so that it may not circulate only between the rich among you 59:7). The word dulatah refers to the 'wealth or good fortune that exchange hands'. [ Qurtubi ] The verse means that Allah has determined the heads of expenditure for the fai' in this way so that the wealth does not circulate among the wealthy, who would spend it as they wish and desire and give none of it to the poor. The verse is aimed at abolishing an old practice of the Days of Ignorance where the circulation of such wealth used to remain confined to the privileged and propertied class or caste. The poorer segment of the society had no entitlement to the wealth of the nation. Effective Measures taken by Islam against concentration of wealth Allah is the creator, cherisher and sustainer of the universe. He knows the human needs. All human beings, whether believers or non-believers, whether lineally rich or poor, are equal in the sight of Allah. Allah has to a very large extent kept the distribution of man's natural and basic needs in His own Hands, so that every class, every region, every weak and strong people might be able to benefit equally. Allah has, through His consummate wisdom, kept all such needs beyond man's personal domination. No human being dare take possession of these things personally. Air, wind, atmosphere, the Sun, the Moon, the light of the stars and planets, the rain-laden clouds - all these things are such without which no human can survive for a moment. Allah, the Almighty, has declared all natural resources a public endowment for all. Not even the greatest of sovereign authorities, by virtue of their ruling powers, can ever monopolize or take possession of them. Allah's creation avails of them equally everywhere. The second category of necessities of life is what the earth produces, as for instance water and other food-stuff. This is not commonly available. However, Islamic law has declared hills and mountains, unpopulated jungles and natural springs as public endowments. However, legitimate right of ownership of some parts of the earth are allowed under special laws to specific human beings. Some people illegitimately grab the land, but naturally even the greatest capitalist cannot derive benefit from the land without the help of the poor, the farmers or the laborers. Thus despite a sort of ownership of it, he is forced to give shares to other powerless and the indigent. The third category is gold, silver and money, which do not fall under the basic and natural necessities of life. But Allah has made them the means of acquiring all essentials of life. People who mine gold and silver from the ground become their owners subject to certain rules. The right of their ownership is transferred in various ways to other people. If they are widely distributed and are in easy circulation in human society, no individual will go without food and clothing. But what happens in our days is that the greedy people want to benefit from the wealth to the exclusion of others. This led to miserliness and greed which, in turn, led to some old and some new systems of monopolization and concentration of wealth. As a result, people's wealth concentrated in the hands of a few capitalists and people at the helm of affairs. The rest of the population who were poor and indigent had to suffer, because they were deprived of their share in the nation's wealth. This economic situation, as a reaction, gave birth to such unreasonable economic systems as communism and socialism. Islamic economic system, on the one hand, shows the highest respect to individual property rights, in that an individual's lawful property is as sacred and inviolable as human life itself, and human life is as sacred and inviolable as the House of Allah. Its violation has been most strongly prohibited. On the other hand, if a hand filches or steals it, it is, under penal law, amputated. In the third place, all such doors have been shut, through which a particular individual or group of individuals might monopolize it and deprive the general public. The unjust and unbalanced way of acquisition of wealth, such as by usury, speculation, gambling and betting, allows wealth to concentrate and circulate in the hands of a few individuals. Islam has declared all such gains as unlawful and cut at the root of all such transactions in trade and tenancy that are based on unlawful practices. Wealth that is gained through lawful means has specific ways of spending: The needy and the indigent are shareholders in the wealth in the form of Zakah, ` Ushr, Sadaqat-ul-Fitr [ Id charity ], various forms of expiation and so on. The surplus wealth may be given away in voluntary charity. If a man leaves behind assets at the time of his death, Divine wisdom has set down specific rules according to which it must be distributed. The shareholders in the assets are the relatives of the deceased, the principle in this case being al-'aqrab- fal-'aqrab, that is 'relatives in order of relationship'. In other words, Islamic law of succession is based on blood relationship; the nearer in degree to the deceased excludes the more remote. The needy in general have not been made the shareholders, because if that were the case, the dying person would have felt the need to spend his assets anyhow, rightly or wrongly, before his death. When he sees only his near and dear ones receiving, this urge does not develop in his heart. This means of acquiring wealth blocks the way to monopolization. The second means of acquiring wealth is war and jihad. The gains made in this way are distributed according to the Islamic rules. Some of them have been set down in Surah Al-Anfal and others in this Surah. How unwise and short-sighted are those people who give up Islam's balanced system of economics based on justice, fair-play and compassion, and innovate new systems of wealth distribution, which are unjust and unbalanced, and disturb world peace? وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّ‌سُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ (...Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever thing he forbids you, abstain [ from it ]. And fear Allah....59:7). This verse is in connection with fai' property, and it purports to say that Allah has set down the beneficiaries of this property. However, the question which beneficiary will receive how much have been left to the discretion of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Therefore, the Muslims are advised to happily accept the amount the Holy Prophet ﷺ grants them, and they should not be anxious to receive what he has not given to them. This has been further emphasized by the injunction all (Fear Allah). If anyone collects under false pretext more than what he is granted, Allah is fully aware and will punish him. The Messenger's Command is Binding like the Qur’ anic Command Although the verse was revealed in connection with fai', its words are general. They are not specific to wealth. They cover all the commands as well. Hence, the generalized meaning of the verse is that whatever the Holy Prophet ﷺ gives to a person, be it wealth, any other grant or any command, the people must show their willingness to accept it. And whatever he forbids them, they should stay away from it. Many of the Companions took the generalized sense of the verse, and on the basis of it, they took the Holy Prophet's ﷺ commandment as binding as the Qur'anic commandment. Qurtubi said that in this verse the antonym of ata [ gives ] is naha [ forbids ]. This shows that the verb ata [ gives ] is used in the sense of amara [ commands ] which is the direct antonym of naha [ forbids ]. The Qur'an, instead of using the direct opposite of naha [ forbids ] which is amara [ commands ], employed the verb ` ata [ gives ] presumably to embrace the context of the subject-matter where the verse occurs, that is, the disbursement of fai' property. Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ once saw a person in the state of ihram wearing sewn clothes (which is impermissible in that state). He asked him to take off the clothes. The person asked him to recite a Qur'anic verse in support of his claim that a pilgrim is prohibited to put on a sewn garb. Sayyidna ` Abdullan Ibn Masud ؓ recited this very verse آتَاكُمُ الرَّ‌سُولُ فَخُذُوهُ (Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it....". Imam Shafi` i (رح) once said to his congregation: (Ask whatever question you wish, and I will answer from the Qur'an.) A person said that a pilgrim killed a wasp in the state of ihram and asked: "What is the rule about it?" Imam Shafi` i (رح) recited this verse of the Qur'an مَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّ‌سُولُ فَخُذُوهُ. (Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it...." and coupled it with a Tradition which gives the injunction relating to the killing of a wasp. [ Qurtubi ]. لِلْفُقَرَ‌اءِ الْمُهَاجِرِ‌ينَ ([ And fai' is especially ] for the poor emigrants...[ 59:8] ". The few verses from here till the end of the section describe the poor emigrants (muhajirin), helpers (Ansar) and the general members of Ummah that were yet to come in this world. Grammatically, the prepositional phrase 'for the emigrants' is a complement to the prepositional phrase 'for the kinsmen' occurring in verse [ 7] [ Mazhari ]. What this verse purports to say is that although the beneficiaries of fai' are orphans, the needy and the wayfarers as mentioned in the preceding verse, priority and precedence will be given to those whose service to religion, personal qualities and religious perfection are well- known. Priority should be given to the Indigent Righteous and Religious Scholars serving the Cause of Islam when distributing Charity This shows that although charities, especially fai' are meant to fulfill the needs of the indigent Muslims in general, the righteous, especially students and learned scholars serving the cause of religion should be given priority over all others. This is the reason why Islamic governments gave allowance from the fai' fund to learned scholars, muftis and judges for serving the cause of education, propagation of Islam and reform of human beings, because these verses establish two categories of the noble Companions. Under the first category fall the emigrants who in the very first instance made great sacrifices for Islam and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . They endured great hardships, and eventually bid farewell to their wealth and property, to their land and country, and to their relatives and the near and dear ones, and emigrated to Madinah. Under the second category fall the Ansar, the natives of Madinah who helped the emigrants and cooperated with them. They invited the Messenger of Allah and with him the emigrants and thus caused the whole world around them to stand in their opposition. Their hospitality is unparalleled in the annals of the nations of the world. After these two major categories, comes a third category which comprises those people who embraced Islam after the blessed Companions and followed their footsteps closely. The last category embraces all Muslims who will follow until the Last Hour. The three categories are discussed below, in succession.

The Merits of al-Muhajirin [ The Emigrants ] لِلْفُقَرَ‌اءِ الْمُهَاجِرِ‌ينَ الَّذِينَ أُخْرِ‌جُوا مِن دِيَارِ‌هِمْ وَأَمْوَالِهِمْ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ اللَّـهِ وَرِ‌ضْوَانًا وَيَنصُرُ‌ونَ اللَّـهَ وَرَ‌سُولَهُ ۚ أُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الصَّادِقُونَ ([ And fai' is especially ] for the poor emigrants who were expelled from their homes and properties, while they were seeking the grace of Allah and (His) pleasure, and were helping Allah and His Messenger. They are the truthful.... 59:8) This verse describes all the characteristics of the emigrants. The first of them is that they were driven from their homes and wealth, that is to say, their only crime was that they had embraced Islam and supported the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، as a result of which the pagans of Makkah persecuted them, so much so that they had to abandon their hearths and homes and emigrate to Madinah. Some of them had to tie stones to their stomach on account of unbearable hunger, and others used to protect themselves against cold by digging holes in the ground, because they did not have clothes to save them from the chill of winter. [ Mazhari, Qurtubi ] An Important Issue: The rule about the control of unbelievers over the wealth and property of the Muslims This verse describes the emigrants as poor, whereas a faqir [ poor ] in Islamic law refers to a person who has no property whatever, or a person who possesses a little property, but is poor because he does not possess the minimum amount of property constituting nisab of Zakah. However, most of the emigrants were rich, wealthy and affluent while they were in Makkah. Even after migration, if the wealth had remained in their ownership, it would be inappropriate to refer to them as 'poor' because they had nisab of Zakah. But the Qur'an refers to them as 'poor' and thus points out that the wealth and property which they had left behind in Makkah, and the pagans subsequently took possession of them, became the property of the pagans and the Muslims lost its ownership. Therefore, Imams Abu Hanifah and Malik رحمۃ اللہ علیہما ruled that if Muslims abandon their homes and possessions and migrate to some other land, and the non-believers take control of their abandoned homes and property, the ownership passes into their hands and Muslims lose ownership. Similarly, if - God forbid! - the unbelievers conquer an Islamic country, usurping Muslim property and wealth, then after having full control over it, they are deemed as owners of that property. Consequently, their transactions of sale and purchase of such properties are recognized in Shari` ah. Mazhari has, on this occasion in his commentary, cited all the relevant Traditions supporting this view. The second characteristic of the emigrants is described thus: يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ اللَّـهِ وَرِ‌ضْوَانًا (...seeking the grace of Allah and [ His ] pleasure...59:8). When they embraced Islam, abandoned their country and wealth and migrated, they did not have any ulterior motive. They did all this only to seek Divine favour and gain His good pleasure. This indicates their perfect sincerity. The word fadl [ bounty, grace ] is normally used for worldly blessings and ridwan [ good pleasure ] for blessings of the Hereafter. From this viewpoint, the verse purports to describe that the emigrants gave up all their previous means of luxury, such as their hearths and homes, and now they were in quest of their worldly needs and the blessings of the Hereafter in the shade of Islam. Their objective was to seek the necessities of worldly life under the banner of Allah's and His Messenger's efficacious grace. The third characteristic of the emigrants is described thus: وَيَنصُرُ‌ونَ اللَّـهَ وَرَ‌سُولَهُ (...and were helping Allah and His Messenger...59:8). The phrase 'help Allah' means to help His religion, for which they made tremendous and amazing self-sacrifices. The fourth characteristic of the emigrants is described thus: أُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الصَّادِقُونَ (... They are the truthful...59:8). That is, such people are sincerely true in words and deeds. The covenant they made with Allah and His Messenger by reciting the kalimah, they duly fulfilled it and proved themselves to be true about it. This verse candidly testifies to the truthfulness of all emigrant Companions. Anyone calling any of them a 'liar' cannot be a Muslim, because he is rejecting this verse. God forbid! Rawafid call these Companions 'hypocrites'. This is a clear rejection of the verse. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ held the emigrant Companions ؓ in such high esteem that when he prayed to Allah, he would supplicate through their wasilah. [ as transmitted by Al-Baghawi and Mazhari ].

The Merits of Ansar [ The Helpers ] وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُوا الدَّارَ‌ وَالْإِيمَانَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ( And [ fai' is also for ] those who established themselves in the homeland [ of Madinah ] and in faith before the former ones [ arrived in Madinah ] ...59:9). The word tabawwu' means 'to make dwelling in the abode'. The word dar refers to Madinah which has a special distinction. Therefore, Imam Malik (رح) ، from one point of view, regarded Madinah Tayyibah as the most distinguishable of all the cities in the world. He used to say that wherever Islam reached and any city that was conquered, it was conquered by means of jihad - including Makkah Mukarramah. Madinah Tayyibah is the only exception. It was conquered by means of 'Iman. [ Qurtubi ]. In this verse, under the word tabawwu' [ to settle in an abode ] the words dar [ home ] and 'iman [ faith ] are coupled. It could be objected that a 'home' can be found in a place where a person might settle in, but 'faith' is not an 'abode' where a person might find a place to settle in. Some of the scholars take the position that in this context the following verbs اَخلَصُوا or تَمَکَّنُوا to be understood and they mean "These are the people who settled in their abode and became sincere and strong in their faith". It is possible to take the word 'faith' in its metaphorical sense, that is in the sense that 'it is a fortified house' where refuge is taken. The phrase min qablihim [ before them ] describes another characteristic of Ansar, which means that they had settled in Madinah before the Emigrants, while Madinah was so important a city that all the Muslims living in Makkah were ordered to emigrate to it and it became the center of Islam. The second characteristic of the Helpers is described in يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ‌ إِلَيْهِمْ (...have love for those who emigrated to them...59:9) The Emigrants from Makkah came to the Helpers, deprived and denuded of all their possessions. Normally, no community is willing to allow such a large number of distressed people to settle in their city. Instead, the quarrels between natives and emigrants are found everywhere. But the Ansar received them with open arms and made them equal partners in their belongings. The bond of love and brotherhood which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ established between the Emigrants and the Helpers, and to which this verse bears an eloquent testimony, stands unrivalled in the whole history of human relationships. There was no dearth of the Helpers who were eager to take on the Emigrants. In fact, for each Emigrant there were several applications to take him on. There were many instances in which lots had to be cast. When the lot of a particular Helper fell in favour of a particular Emigrant, he was handed to him. [ Mazhari ] The third characteristic of the Helpers is described in وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِ‌هِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّا أُوتُوا (...and do not feel in their hearts any need for what is given to the former ones [ from fai'], ...[ 59:9] ". This statement is concerned with the banishment of Banu Nadir and their orchards and homes falling into Muslim hands. Distribution of Banu Nadir's properties As stated earlier, the relevant verse has given discretionary powers to the Holy Prophet ﷺ in matters of distributing the fai' property. It was a time when the Muhajirin (Emigrants) had neither homes of their own nor any property. They lived in the homes of the Ansar, and worked on their farms to earn their livelihood. When the wealth of Banu Nadir and Banu Qainuqa` were obtained as fai', the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called the leader of the Ansar, Sayyidna Thabit Ibn Qais Ibn Shammas ؓ ، and asked him to bring his people to him. He asked: "O Messenger of Allah, should I call my tribe of the Ansar, Banu Khazraj, or all of the tribes of the Ansar?" He replied: "All of them." They all gathered. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ delivered a sermon in which he spoke highly of the Ansar as to the manner in which they accommodated the Refugee brethren. He said it was a work of great determination and courage. After that he said: 'Allah has granted you the wealth of Banu Nadir. If you wish, I will divide the wealth between the Muhajirin and the Ansar; and the Refugees will remain as usual in the homes of the Ansar. Or if you wish, the wealth may be distributed among the homeless Refugees; and they may move out of your homes and settle in their own homes.' Having heard this sermon, two of the great chiefs of the Ansar, Sayyidna Sa'd Ibn ` Ubadah and Sa'd Ibn Mu` adh ؓ - stood and said: "0 Messenger of Allah, we are of the view that the entire wealth of fai' be distributed among the Refugee brethren, and in addition they may continue to reside in our homes as usual." At this all the Ansar unanimously said, "We concur with this decision and are happy with it." On that occasion, the Holy Prophet ﷺ supplicated for the Ansar and their children. He then distributed the entire fai' among the Muhajirin. Only two of the Ansar received a grant from the fai' , because they were very poor. Their names are Sayyidna Sahl Ibn Hunaif ؓ and Abu Dujanah ؓ . Sayyidna Sa'd Ibn Mu` adh ؓ was given a sword which was a distinguished sword of Ibn Abil-Huqaiq. [ Mazharl with reference to Sabi-ur-Rashad by Muhammad Ibn Yusuf As-Salihi ] The present verse admires the Ansar on this attitude by saying, وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِ‌هِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّا أُوتُوا (...and do not feel in their hearts any need for what is given to the former ones [ from fai'], ....59:9). The word 'need' means 'any item of need'. The verse means 'Whatever the Muhajirin were granted in this distribution, the Ansar happily accepted it as if they had no need for any of those items. It was inconceivable that they would complain about it enviously.' When Bahrain was conquered, the same spirit of self-sacrifice was displayed again by the Ansr. The Holy Prophet ﷺ expressed his intention to distribute the entire conquered lands of that territory among the Ansar, but they courteously refused to accept any share of it unless a similar share was granted to the Muhajirin. The fourth characteristic of the Ansar is described in the verse is: وَيُؤْثِرُ‌ونَ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ (...and give preference (to them) over themselves, even though they are in poverty ....59:9). The word khasasah means 'poverty' and the word ` ithar means 'to prefer the wish, need and desire of others above those of oneself. The meaning of the verse is that the Ansar used to prefer the needs of others (i.e. the Muhajirin,) to their own needs. That is, the former used to fulfill the needs of the latter first, then they would fulfill their own needs, even though they themselves were poor and needy. For the interpretation of the Qur'anic verses, there is no need to recount incidents. But because they develop in human beings the highest degree of human qualities and bring about a reform in their lives, the commentators have recounted these events in detail on this occasion, especially Qurtubi. We cite below a few of them from his commentary. It is recorded in Tirmidhi on the authority of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ that one night a guest came to ansari's house. The latter had only as much food as he and his children could eat. He said to his wife: 'Put the children off to sleep somehow, and put out the lamp. Then place the food in front of the guest, and sit next to him so that he may be under the impression that we too are eating, but we will not eat so that the guest may be able to eat comfortably.' At this, the present verse was revealed. [ At-Tirmidhi has rated this hadith as 'hasan, sahih']. Tirmidhi records another narration on the authority of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ that a person came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: "I am hungry and distressed." The Holy Prophet ﷺ sent a message to one of his blessed wives, but she replied: "We do not have anything except water." Then he sent a message to his another wife, and she made the same reply. Then to a third one and then to a fourth one until the message went to all the mothers of the faithful, and they all replied that they had nothing besides water. Then he addressed the congregation and asked if any of them would be willing to entertain the guest, in response to which a venerable Ansari said: "0 Messenger of Allah, I will entertain him." So he took him with and asked his wife whether there was anything to eat. She replied: "Only as much as our children could eat." He asked his wife to put the children to sleep and then said: "Place the food in front of the guest, sit and then get up and put out the lamp. The guest should not feel that we are not eating." The guest ate the food. In the morning, the Companion went to the Holy Prophet ﷺ who informed him that Allah was very pleased with the way he handled the situation the previous night. Mahdawi narrates a similar incident of Sayyidna Thabit Ibn Qais ؓ ، a venerable Ansari who entertained his guest one night by putting the light off. There is a common statement appended to all these incidents: 'The above verse was revealed in connection with this event.' Qushairi cites a story on the authority of Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ﷺ who reports that a person sent the head of a goat as a gift to a venerable personality from among the blessed Companions. He thought that about a Muslim brother that he and his family are more in need of this, so he sent the head to him. When the second venerable Companion received it, he sent it to a third person who in turn sent it to a fourth person. In this way it circulated in seven houses and eventually it returned to the first venerable personality. On this occasion, the verse was revealed. Tha'labi has also recorded this narration on the authority of Sayyidna Anas ؓ . It is recorded in Muwaatta' of Imam Malik (رح) on the authority of Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ that a poor person wanted something to eat. She had only one bread, and she was fasting that day. She asked her maid to give him the bread. The maid said that if it was given away, there would be nothing left for her to break her fast in the evening. Sayyidnh ` A'ishah ؓ insisted and gave the bread to the poor person. The maid says: "It so happened after this that a person, who was not accustomed to send any gift, sent a whole roasted goat which was completely covered with batter on the outside, which is thought to be the best Arab dish." Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ called the maid and said: "Come, eat this. This is better than that bread of yours." Nasa'i has recorded that once Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ fell sick and he felt like eating grapes. A bunch of grapes was bought for him for a dirham. Co-incidentally, a poor person came begging. Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ said that the bunch be given to him. One of the Companions furtively followed him, and bought off the bunch from the beggar and gave it back to Sayyidna Ibn ` Umar ؓ ، but the beggar came again and begged, Sayyidna Ibn ` Umar ؓ gave it to him again. Again someone went behind the beggar secretly and bought off the bunch from him for a dirham and gave it to Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ . The beggar wanted to turn up the third time and beg, but the people stopped him. If Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ knew that the bunch is the same one that he gave out in sadaqah, he would never have accepted it and eaten it. He probably thought that someone had brought it for him from the market-place, and therefore he had eaten it. Sayyidna Ibn Mubarak reports on the authority of his chain of transmitters that once Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ sent four thousand Dinars in a moneybag to Sayyidna Abu ` Ubaidah ؓ with his servant, with the message that the money was being sent as a gift. He should use it as he deemed fit. The servant was instructed to remain for a while in the house to see what he would do with the money. The servant, accordingly, gave the moneybag to him and waited for a while. Sayyidna Abu 'Ubaidah ؓ took the bag full of money and supplicated for Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ that Allah may reward him and shower his mercy upon him. Instantly, he called his slave-girl and instructed her to give seven Dinars to so-and-so, five Dinars to so-and-so until all four thousand Dinars were distributed then and there. The servant came back and narrated the story. Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ filled another moneybag with four thousand Dinars and sent it with the servant to Sayyidna Mu` adh Ibn Jabal ؓ ، with the same message to him and with the same instruction to the servant. The servant followed the instruction. Sayyidna Mu'dh Ibn Jabal ؓ took the bag of money and supplicated to Allah for Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ ، thus: رَحِمَہُ اللہ وَ وَصلہ May Allah shower His mercy upon him and reward him." Then he too immediately sat down to distribute the money. He divided the money into many portions and sent them to different houses. His wife was watching all that was happening. She could not hold herself and eventually spoke out: "By Allah! We too are poor and we should also receive something." At that time only two Dinars had remained in the bag, and he gave them to her. The servant saw all this, returned to Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ ، and reported to him all that he saw. He said: "They are all brothers, and they all have the same disposition." Sayyidna Hudhaifah ` Adawi ؓ narrates: "During the battle of Yarmak, I went out in search of my paternal uncle's son [ cousin ] among the martyrs, and took with me some water just in case there was the last breath of life left in him, so I would give him a sip of water. When I reached him, there was the last spark of life left in him. I asked him whether he would like to have a sip of water, and he nodded 'yes'. Just as I was going to pour the water into his mouth, another martyr next to him heaved a sigh. My cousin indicated to give him the water. When I reached him and was about to give him the water, I heard the voice of a third martyr. The second martyr indicated to give the water to the third one. This series of events continued up to seven martyrs. When I reached the seventh martyr to give water, he had already breathed his last. From there I went back to my cousin, he had also met his end." These are a few events, some of which relate to the Ansar, and others to the Muhajirin. About a number of these incidents, it is said that the verse under comment was revealed regarding them. In fact, there is no contradiction in these narrations, because it is a well-known habit of narrators that if a verse was revealed under a certain circumstance, and a similar incident took place on another occasion, they mention the second incident as a cause of revelation of that verse as well. In fact, all similar incidents can be said to be the cause of revelation of the verse or, at least, included in its purport. Disposing of a Possible Doubt Here we need to dispose of a possible doubt that might arise from the noble Companions' narratives of self-sacrifice that were recounted above. The Holy Prophet ﷺ has prohibited for a Muslims to give away all his wealth in charity. For instance, it is reported in a Tradition that a person came with a piece of gold, about the size of an egg, so that it may be given in charity. The Holy Prophet ﷺ threw it towards himself and said: Some of you bring all your wealth to be given away in charity, then they become poor and go around begging." The question is how and why did the Companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ give away whatever they had in the incidents cited above despite the prohibition of such an act? Answer to this question can be inferred from these very narratives. In fact, people's conditions are different. Accordingly, the rulings differ from condition to condition. The ruling of prohibition applies to those people who, after giving away all their wealth in charity, regret, and cannot endure their poverty but go around begging. But those people who, after giving away all their wealth in charity, do not regret or feel distressed or agitated, they in fact face the situation with calm courage and resolute endurance. For such people, it is permitted to spend all their wealth in Allah's way. Let us take the case of Sayyidna Siddiq Akbar ؓ who donated all his belongings when fund was being collected for a jihad. The stories narrated above belong to this category. Such people trained and developed their families also to face the ordeals of life with the same calm courage and resolute endurance. Therefore, their rights were not usurped or destroyed either. If the wealth were in the control of their families, they too would have done the same thing. Muhajirin [ The Refugees ] Reciprocate the Ansars' Self-Sacrifice No social activities or self-sacrifice is possible unilaterally. It has to be bilateral. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has urged the Muslims to exchange gifts with each other and thus enhance their mutual love. So likewise, if a Muslim has given a gift to another, he should repay the gift as a gesture of goodwill. If Allah has granted him abundant wealth, then he should use the wealth to reciprocate. Otherwise, supplication should be enough to reciprocate. It is not in keeping with the principles of ethics or good manners to owe a debt of gratitude to people. The Ansar displayed a great deal of self-sacrifice in the matter of the Muhajirin. The former made the latter partners in their homes, their shops, their businesses, their land and their agriculture. When Allah gave the Muhajirin affluence, they did not fall short in doing a good turn in return for their favours. Qurtubi cites a narration of the two Sahihs on the authority of Sayyidna Anas Ibn Malik ؓ that when the Muhajirin arrived in Madinah from Makkah, they were absolutely empty-handed. The Ansar, on the other hand, had properties and lands, and they shared half-and-half of all their holdings with the Muhajirin. The former gave half of their fruits to the latter annually. Umm Sulaim ؓ the mother of Sayyidna Anas ؓ ، gave a few of her palm trees to the Holy Prophet ﷺ which he granted to Usamah Ibn Zaid's mother, Umm 'Aiman ؓ . Imam Zuhri says that Sayyidna Anas Ibn Malik ؓ reports that when the Holy Prophet ﷺ returned successfully from the expedition of Khaibar to Madinah, the Refugees - all of them - calculated all the gifts of the Ansar and returned them. The Holy Prophet ﷺ took back the trees that were granted to 'Umm ` Aiman and returned them to 'Umm Sulaim ؓ and granted trees to 'Umm 'Aiman from his own orchard. وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ (... And whoever is saved from the greed of his soul, then such people are the successful....59:9) After the mention of the Ansar's selflessness and self-sacrifice, a general rule of law or a universal principle is being laid down in the concluding part of verse [ 9]. The words shuhh [ avarice ] and bukhl [ greed, miserliness ] are near synonyms. The word shuhh, however, yields the sense of intensive greed for money and possessions. Shuhh [ avarice ] and bukhl [ greed, miserliness ] are absolutely forbidden when a person fails to fulfill obligatory rights, which might be Divine rights, such as Zakah, sadaqat-ul-fitr, ` Ushr, oblation and so on, or they might be human rights, such as the maintenance of the family, needy parents and relatives. It is repugnant and reprehensible if shuhh [ avarice ] and bukhl [ greed, miserliness ] prevent one from spending for laudable and rewardable acts. If one does not spend on customary things, it is not shuhh [ avarice ] and bukhl in terms of the sacred laws of Shari` ah. Avarice, niggardliness and jealousy are such evil qualities as the Qur'an and Prophetic Traditions have severely denounced. There are glad tidings for those who avoid them. The Ansar have many good qualities, among which is their immunity from avarice and jealousy.Being free of Malice and Jealousy is a sign of one's being in Paradise Ibn Kathir, with reference to Imam Ahmad (رح) ، cites the following narration on the authority of Sayyidna Anas ؓ ، who says: "We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when he said, 'A man is about to arrive who is from among the inmates of Paradise'. One of the Ansars arrived, from whose beard dripped fresh water of minor ablution [ wudu ] and in his left hand were his shoes. The same incident occurred the following day. The same person came in front in the same condition. The same incident happened the third day. The same person entered in the condition described above. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ dissolved the assembly, Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Amr Ibn-ul-` As ؓ followed the Ansari [ so as to find out the secret of his being an inmate of Paradise ] and said to him: 'I had a quarrel in some matter and took an oath that I would not go home for three days. If possible, please accommodate me for three days at your home.' He agreed. Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn 'Amr ؓ spent the three nights with him. But he noticed that he did not wake up for 'tahajjud' (voluntary nightly prayers) at night. However, when he lied on bed, he recited some 'dhikr of Allah'. Then he would wake up for Fajr salah. In the course of three days, he did not hear him utter a single word but that of good. ` Abdullah says, 'When three nights were over, and I almost thought his actions were insignificant, I gave up my secret that I had no domestic quarrel. But I continuously heard for three days the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying a man is about to arrive who is from among the inmates of Paradise'. And for three days you arrived. Therefore, I was curious to stay with you and find out your secret act, on account of which you have attained this high status. But strangely enough I did not see you do any extraordinary deed.' Then I asked him: 'What gave you this high status?' He said, 'I have no deed more than what you have seen.' I heard this and was about to return. He called me back and said: '0 Yes, there is something. I do not harbour in my heart any malice or evil against any Muslim, I am not jealous or envious of any Muslim, if Allah has given him anything good.' Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Amr Ibn-ul-` As ؓ said: 'That exactly is the quality that has taken you to the lofty status.' Having cited this narration, Ibn Kathir says that Nasa'i has also cited this narration in his ` Amal-ul-Yawm wal-Laylah' and its chain of narrators is authentic according to the standard of Bukhari and Muslim.

All Muslims after the Muhajirin and the Ansar are entitled to fai' وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ "And [ fai' is also ] for those who came after them ....59:10) This verse lays down that all Muslims until the Last Hour, after the noble Companions from amongst the Muhajirin and Ansar, are entitled to a share in the fai' property. This was the reason why Sayyidna ` Umar Al-Faruq ؓ conquered great territories like ` Iraq, Syria, Egypt and so on, but did not distribute them among the fighters. He retained them as public endowment for next generations, so that the income might accrue to the Islamic public treasury and the Muslims till the Last Hour may benefit from it. When some of the blessed Companions enquired about the distribution of the conquered territories, he referred to this verse and said: Had it not been for the future generations of Muslims, I would have distributed all the conquered territories among the fighters as they were captured, following the example of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . When Khaibar was conquered, the Holy Prophet ﷺ distributed all its lands. If all the lands are distributed among the present Muslim generation, nothing will be left for future generations." [ Transmitted by Malik and Qurtubi ]. Love for the Blessed Companions ؓ is a sign that the Ummah is on Truth On this occasion, Allah has put the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ into three different categories: [ 1] Muhajirin; [ 2] Ansar; and [ 3] the general body of the Ummah. The special characteristics of the Muhajirin and the sterling qualities of the Ansars are described in the relevant verses above. As for the merits of the rest of the Ummah, the verse merely mentions one quality of theirs that they recognize the high status of Muhajirin and the Ansar in that they had preceded them in faith and were means of communicating it to us. Further, they pray for forgiveness of all, and also pray that their own hearts be completely cleansed of all bitterness and spite towards true and sincere Muslims. This shows that for the validity and acceptance of faith and Islam of all the coming generations of Muslims, after the blessed Companions, it is a necessary condition that they have love and respect for the Companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، and pray for their brethren in Faith of earlier generations. Where this necessary condition is lacking, such people are not worthy of being called Muslims. Therefore, Sayyidna Mus'ab Ibn Sa'd ؓ says that the Muslims of this Ummah are divided into three categories, of which two categories [ those of Muhajirin and Ansar ] have already been mentioned. The third category remains. If anyone wishes to have a place in the Ummah, he should join the third category by showing love, respect and honour to the blessed Companions. Someone approached Sayyidna Husain ؓ and inquired about Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ [ who had by then been martyred ], the former asked the inquirer: "Are you one of the Muhajirin?" He replied: "No". Then he asked him: "Are you one of the Ansar?" He replied: "No." He then said: 'There remains only the third verse وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ "And... those who came after them...[ 59:10] ": If you wish to create doubt about Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ ، then you will have to leave this category as well.' Qurtubi says that this verse is a proof that love of the blessed Companions is obligatory. Sayyidna Imam Malik (رح) says that any person who reviles a Companion or holds a grudge against him, will not have a share in the fai' property of the Muslims. Then he argues, on the basis of this verse, that every Muslim has a share in the fai' property, and anyone who has no share, his faith in Islam is doubtul. Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ has stated that Allah has commanded all Muslims to pray for the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ and for their forgiveness, whereas Allah knew that there would be conflicts and civil wars between them. Therefore, it is not permissible for any Muslim to hold evil thoughts about them on account of their conflicts. Sayyidah ` A'shah Siddiqah ؓ says, "I have heard your Holy Prophet ﷺ say that this community will not perish unless the later generations curse the earlier generations." Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ says: "When you hear anyone reviling a Companion, tell him, 'May the curse of Allah be upon the one who is the worst of you'." Obviously, no Companion can ever be worse. The one who is cursing would be the worst one. In a word, it is a cause of curse to revile a Companion. ` Amr Ibn Haushab (رح) says: "I have found the earlier generations of this Ummah uniformly and strongly advise people to describe the merits of the noble Companions ؓ and their good qualities, so that they may develop love for them. Do not ever talk about their conflicts and disagreements, so that people may become bold and show disrespect to them." [ All these narratives have been adapted from Qurtubi ].

All Muslims after the Muhajirin and the Ansar are entitled to fai' وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ "And [ fai' is also ] for those who came after them ....59:10) This verse lays down that all Muslims until the Last Hour, after the noble Companions from amongst the Muhajirin and Ansar, are entitled to a share in the fai' property. This was the reason why Sayyidna ` Umar Al-Faruq ؓ conquered great territories like ` Iraq, Syria, Egypt and so on, but did not distribute them among the fighters. He retained them as public endowment for next generations, so that the income might accrue to the Islamic public treasury and the Muslims till the Last Hour may benefit from it. When some of the blessed Companions enquired about the distribution of the conquered territories, he referred to this verse and said: Had it not been for the future generations of Muslims, I would have distributed all the conquered territories among the fighters as they were captured, following the example of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . When Khaibar was conquered, the Holy Prophet ﷺ distributed all its lands. If all the lands are distributed among the present Muslim generation, nothing will be left for future generations." [ Transmitted by Malik and Qurtubi ]. Love for the Blessed Companions ؓ is a sign that the Ummah is on Truth On this occasion, Allah has put the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ into three different categories: [ 1] Muhajirin; [ 2] Ansar; and [ 3] the general body of the Ummah. The special characteristics of the Muhajirin and the sterling qualities of the Ansars are described in the relevant verses above. As for the merits of the rest of the Ummah, the verse merely mentions one quality of theirs that they recognize the high status of Muhajirin and the Ansar in that they had preceded them in faith and were means of communicating it to us. Further, they pray for forgiveness of all, and also pray that their own hearts be completely cleansed of all bitterness and spite towards true and sincere Muslims. This shows that for the validity and acceptance of faith and Islam of all the coming generations of Muslims, after the blessed Companions, it is a necessary condition that they have love and respect for the Companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، and pray for their brethren in Faith of earlier generations. Where this necessary condition is lacking, such people are not worthy of being called Muslims. Therefore, Sayyidna Mus'ab Ibn Sa'd ؓ says that the Muslims of this Ummah are divided into three categories, of which two categories [ those of Muhajirin and Ansar ] have already been mentioned. The third category remains. If anyone wishes to have a place in the Ummah, he should join the third category by showing love, respect and honour to the blessed Companions. Someone approached Sayyidna Husain ؓ and inquired about Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ [ who had by then been martyred ], the former asked the inquirer: "Are you one of the Muhajirin?" He replied: "No". Then he asked him: "Are you one of the Ansar?" He replied: "No." He then said: 'There remains only the third verse وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ "And... those who came after them...[ 59:10] ": If you wish to create doubt about Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ ، then you will have to leave this category as well.' Qurtubi says that this verse is a proof that love of the blessed Companions is obligatory. Sayyidna Imam Malik (رح) says that any person who reviles a Companion or holds a grudge against him, will not have a share in the fai' property of the Muslims. Then he argues, on the basis of this verse, that every Muslim has a share in the fai' property, and anyone who has no share, his faith in Islam is doubtul. Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ has stated that Allah has commanded all Muslims to pray for the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ and for their forgiveness, whereas Allah knew that there would be conflicts and civil wars between them. Therefore, it is not permissible for any Muslim to hold evil thoughts about them on account of their conflicts. Sayyidah ` A'shah Siddiqah ؓ says, "I have heard your Holy Prophet ﷺ say that this community will not perish unless the later generations curse the earlier generations." Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ says: "When you hear anyone reviling a Companion, tell him, 'May the curse of Allah be upon the one who is the worst of you'." Obviously, no Companion can ever be worse. The one who is cursing would be the worst one. In a word, it is a cause of curse to revile a Companion. ` Amr Ibn Haushab (رح) says: "I have found the earlier generations of this Ummah uniformly and strongly advise people to describe the merits of the noble Companions ؓ and their good qualities, so that they may develop love for them. Do not ever talk about their conflicts and disagreements, so that people may become bold and show disrespect to them." [ All these narratives have been adapted from Qurtubi ].

All Muslims after the Muhajirin and the Ansar are entitled to fai' وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ "And [ fai' is also ] for those who came after them ....59:10) This verse lays down that all Muslims until the Last Hour, after the noble Companions from amongst the Muhajirin and Ansar, are entitled to a share in the fai' property. This was the reason why Sayyidna ` Umar Al-Faruq ؓ conquered great territories like ` Iraq, Syria, Egypt and so on, but did not distribute them among the fighters. He retained them as public endowment for next generations, so that the income might accrue to the Islamic public treasury and the Muslims till the Last Hour may benefit from it. When some of the blessed Companions enquired about the distribution of the conquered territories, he referred to this verse and said: Had it not been for the future generations of Muslims, I would have distributed all the conquered territories among the fighters as they were captured, following the example of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . When Khaibar was conquered, the Holy Prophet ﷺ distributed all its lands. If all the lands are distributed among the present Muslim generation, nothing will be left for future generations." [ Transmitted by Malik and Qurtubi ]. Love for the Blessed Companions ؓ is a sign that the Ummah is on Truth On this occasion, Allah has put the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ into three different categories: [ 1] Muhajirin; [ 2] Ansar; and [ 3] the general body of the Ummah. The special characteristics of the Muhajirin and the sterling qualities of the Ansars are described in the relevant verses above. As for the merits of the rest of the Ummah, the verse merely mentions one quality of theirs that they recognize the high status of Muhajirin and the Ansar in that they had preceded them in faith and were means of communicating it to us. Further, they pray for forgiveness of all, and also pray that their own hearts be completely cleansed of all bitterness and spite towards true and sincere Muslims. This shows that for the validity and acceptance of faith and Islam of all the coming generations of Muslims, after the blessed Companions, it is a necessary condition that they have love and respect for the Companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، and pray for their brethren in Faith of earlier generations. Where this necessary condition is lacking, such people are not worthy of being called Muslims. Therefore, Sayyidna Mus'ab Ibn Sa'd ؓ says that the Muslims of this Ummah are divided into three categories, of which two categories [ those of Muhajirin and Ansar ] have already been mentioned. The third category remains. If anyone wishes to have a place in the Ummah, he should join the third category by showing love, respect and honour to the blessed Companions. Someone approached Sayyidna Husain ؓ and inquired about Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ [ who had by then been martyred ], the former asked the inquirer: "Are you one of the Muhajirin?" He replied: "No". Then he asked him: "Are you one of the Ansar?" He replied: "No." He then said: 'There remains only the third verse وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ "And... those who came after them...[ 59:10] ": If you wish to create doubt about Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ ، then you will have to leave this category as well.' Qurtubi says that this verse is a proof that love of the blessed Companions is obligatory. Sayyidna Imam Malik (رح) says that any person who reviles a Companion or holds a grudge against him, will not have a share in the fai' property of the Muslims. Then he argues, on the basis of this verse, that every Muslim has a share in the fai' property, and anyone who has no share, his faith in Islam is doubtul. Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ has stated that Allah has commanded all Muslims to pray for the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ and for their forgiveness, whereas Allah knew that there would be conflicts and civil wars between them. Therefore, it is not permissible for any Muslim to hold evil thoughts about them on account of their conflicts. Sayyidah ` A'shah Siddiqah ؓ says, "I have heard your Holy Prophet ﷺ say that this community will not perish unless the later generations curse the earlier generations." Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ says: "When you hear anyone reviling a Companion, tell him, 'May the curse of Allah be upon the one who is the worst of you'." Obviously, no Companion can ever be worse. The one who is cursing would be the worst one. In a word, it is a cause of curse to revile a Companion. ` Amr Ibn Haushab (رح) says: "I have found the earlier generations of this Ummah uniformly and strongly advise people to describe the merits of the noble Companions ؓ and their good qualities, so that they may develop love for them. Do not ever talk about their conflicts and disagreements, so that people may become bold and show disrespect to them." [ All these narratives have been adapted from Qurtubi ].

All Muslims after the Muhajirin and the Ansar are entitled to fai' وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ "And [ fai' is also ] for those who came after them ....59:10) This verse lays down that all Muslims until the Last Hour, after the noble Companions from amongst the Muhajirin and Ansar, are entitled to a share in the fai' property. This was the reason why Sayyidna ` Umar Al-Faruq ؓ conquered great territories like ` Iraq, Syria, Egypt and so on, but did not distribute them among the fighters. He retained them as public endowment for next generations, so that the income might accrue to the Islamic public treasury and the Muslims till the Last Hour may benefit from it. When some of the blessed Companions enquired about the distribution of the conquered territories, he referred to this verse and said: Had it not been for the future generations of Muslims, I would have distributed all the conquered territories among the fighters as they were captured, following the example of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . When Khaibar was conquered, the Holy Prophet ﷺ distributed all its lands. If all the lands are distributed among the present Muslim generation, nothing will be left for future generations." [ Transmitted by Malik and Qurtubi ]. Love for the Blessed Companions ؓ is a sign that the Ummah is on Truth On this occasion, Allah has put the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ into three different categories: [ 1] Muhajirin; [ 2] Ansar; and [ 3] the general body of the Ummah. The special characteristics of the Muhajirin and the sterling qualities of the Ansars are described in the relevant verses above. As for the merits of the rest of the Ummah, the verse merely mentions one quality of theirs that they recognize the high status of Muhajirin and the Ansar in that they had preceded them in faith and were means of communicating it to us. Further, they pray for forgiveness of all, and also pray that their own hearts be completely cleansed of all bitterness and spite towards true and sincere Muslims. This shows that for the validity and acceptance of faith and Islam of all the coming generations of Muslims, after the blessed Companions, it is a necessary condition that they have love and respect for the Companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، and pray for their brethren in Faith of earlier generations. Where this necessary condition is lacking, such people are not worthy of being called Muslims. Therefore, Sayyidna Mus'ab Ibn Sa'd ؓ says that the Muslims of this Ummah are divided into three categories, of which two categories [ those of Muhajirin and Ansar ] have already been mentioned. The third category remains. If anyone wishes to have a place in the Ummah, he should join the third category by showing love, respect and honour to the blessed Companions. Someone approached Sayyidna Husain ؓ and inquired about Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ [ who had by then been martyred ], the former asked the inquirer: "Are you one of the Muhajirin?" He replied: "No". Then he asked him: "Are you one of the Ansar?" He replied: "No." He then said: 'There remains only the third verse وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ "And... those who came after them...[ 59:10] ": If you wish to create doubt about Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ ، then you will have to leave this category as well.' Qurtubi says that this verse is a proof that love of the blessed Companions is obligatory. Sayyidna Imam Malik (رح) says that any person who reviles a Companion or holds a grudge against him, will not have a share in the fai' property of the Muslims. Then he argues, on the basis of this verse, that every Muslim has a share in the fai' property, and anyone who has no share, his faith in Islam is doubtul. Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ has stated that Allah has commanded all Muslims to pray for the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ and for their forgiveness, whereas Allah knew that there would be conflicts and civil wars between them. Therefore, it is not permissible for any Muslim to hold evil thoughts about them on account of their conflicts. Sayyidah ` A'shah Siddiqah ؓ says, "I have heard your Holy Prophet ﷺ say that this community will not perish unless the later generations curse the earlier generations." Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ says: "When you hear anyone reviling a Companion, tell him, 'May the curse of Allah be upon the one who is the worst of you'." Obviously, no Companion can ever be worse. The one who is cursing would be the worst one. In a word, it is a cause of curse to revile a Companion. ` Amr Ibn Haushab (رح) says: "I have found the earlier generations of this Ummah uniformly and strongly advise people to describe the merits of the noble Companions ؓ and their good qualities, so that they may develop love for them. Do not ever talk about their conflicts and disagreements, so that people may become bold and show disrespect to them." [ All these narratives have been adapted from Qurtubi ].

All Muslims after the Muhajirin and the Ansar are entitled to fai' وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ "And [ fai' is also ] for those who came after them ....59:10) This verse lays down that all Muslims until the Last Hour, after the noble Companions from amongst the Muhajirin and Ansar, are entitled to a share in the fai' property. This was the reason why Sayyidna ` Umar Al-Faruq ؓ conquered great territories like ` Iraq, Syria, Egypt and so on, but did not distribute them among the fighters. He retained them as public endowment for next generations, so that the income might accrue to the Islamic public treasury and the Muslims till the Last Hour may benefit from it. When some of the blessed Companions enquired about the distribution of the conquered territories, he referred to this verse and said: Had it not been for the future generations of Muslims, I would have distributed all the conquered territories among the fighters as they were captured, following the example of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . When Khaibar was conquered, the Holy Prophet ﷺ distributed all its lands. If all the lands are distributed among the present Muslim generation, nothing will be left for future generations." [ Transmitted by Malik and Qurtubi ]. Love for the Blessed Companions ؓ is a sign that the Ummah is on Truth On this occasion, Allah has put the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ into three different categories: [ 1] Muhajirin; [ 2] Ansar; and [ 3] the general body of the Ummah. The special characteristics of the Muhajirin and the sterling qualities of the Ansars are described in the relevant verses above. As for the merits of the rest of the Ummah, the verse merely mentions one quality of theirs that they recognize the high status of Muhajirin and the Ansar in that they had preceded them in faith and were means of communicating it to us. Further, they pray for forgiveness of all, and also pray that their own hearts be completely cleansed of all bitterness and spite towards true and sincere Muslims. This shows that for the validity and acceptance of faith and Islam of all the coming generations of Muslims, after the blessed Companions, it is a necessary condition that they have love and respect for the Companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، and pray for their brethren in Faith of earlier generations. Where this necessary condition is lacking, such people are not worthy of being called Muslims. Therefore, Sayyidna Mus'ab Ibn Sa'd ؓ says that the Muslims of this Ummah are divided into three categories, of which two categories [ those of Muhajirin and Ansar ] have already been mentioned. The third category remains. If anyone wishes to have a place in the Ummah, he should join the third category by showing love, respect and honour to the blessed Companions. Someone approached Sayyidna Husain ؓ and inquired about Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ [ who had by then been martyred ], the former asked the inquirer: "Are you one of the Muhajirin?" He replied: "No". Then he asked him: "Are you one of the Ansar?" He replied: "No." He then said: 'There remains only the third verse وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ "And... those who came after them...[ 59:10] ": If you wish to create doubt about Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ ، then you will have to leave this category as well.' Qurtubi says that this verse is a proof that love of the blessed Companions is obligatory. Sayyidna Imam Malik (رح) says that any person who reviles a Companion or holds a grudge against him, will not have a share in the fai' property of the Muslims. Then he argues, on the basis of this verse, that every Muslim has a share in the fai' property, and anyone who has no share, his faith in Islam is doubtul. Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ has stated that Allah has commanded all Muslims to pray for the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ and for their forgiveness, whereas Allah knew that there would be conflicts and civil wars between them. Therefore, it is not permissible for any Muslim to hold evil thoughts about them on account of their conflicts. Sayyidah ` A'shah Siddiqah ؓ says, "I have heard your Holy Prophet ﷺ say that this community will not perish unless the later generations curse the earlier generations." Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ says: "When you hear anyone reviling a Companion, tell him, 'May the curse of Allah be upon the one who is the worst of you'." Obviously, no Companion can ever be worse. The one who is cursing would be the worst one. In a word, it is a cause of curse to revile a Companion. ` Amr Ibn Haushab (رح) says: "I have found the earlier generations of this Ummah uniformly and strongly advise people to describe the merits of the noble Companions ؓ and their good qualities, so that they may develop love for them. Do not ever talk about their conflicts and disagreements, so that people may become bold and show disrespect to them." [ All these narratives have been adapted from Qurtubi ].

Commentary كَمَثَلِ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ قَرِ‌يبًا (...like those who were before them in near past ....59:15) This refers to the case of Banu Nadir, and Mujahid (رح) says that the phrase الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ قَرِ‌يبًا "those who were before them in near past " refers to the Quraish of Makkah who sustained an ignominious defeat at Badr. According to Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ it refers to Banu Qainuqa', a Jewish tribe, who were punished for their mischief and machinations after Badr. Banu Nadir were banished after the battles of Badr and 'Uhud, and Banu Qainuqa' had been banished after Badr. At Badr seventy thousand pagan Arabs were killed, and the survivors returned home disgracefully. Since pagans of Makkah and Banu qainuqa', both of them faced a deterrent punishment after Badr, both can be the purport of the words, who were before them in the past, and of: ذَاقُوا وَبَالَ أَمْرِ‌هِمْ...tasted the evil consequence of their conduct...[ 59:15] " The Expulsion of Banu Qainuqa' As stated earlier, when the Holy Prophet migrated from Makkah and settled in Madinah, he concluded a peace treaty with the Jewish tribes of Madinah, and of its neighbourhood. One of its conditions stipulated that they would not fight the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the Muslims, or assist their enemies. Banu Qainuqa' was a party to this peace agreement and was the first one to break the pledged word, within a few months. On the occasion of the battle of Badr, they connived with the Quraish of Makkah, and some incidents of their connivance came out in the open. On that occasion, the following verse was revealed وَإِمَّا تَخَافَنَّ مِن قَوْمٍ خِيَانَةً فَانبِذْ إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَىٰ سَوَاءٍ (And if you apprehend a breach from a people, then, throw [ the treaty ] towards them being right forward...[ 8:58] ". Banu Qainuqa`, through their treachery, had already broken the treaty. Therefore, The Holy Prophet ﷺ declared war against them and the banner of jihad was given in the hands of Sayyidna Hamzah ؓ and appointing Sayyidna Abu Lubabah ؓ his deputy in the city of Madinah, the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself joined the fighting force. Having seeing the Muslim army, the Jews shut themselves up in the fortress. The Holy Prophet ﷺ laid a siege to it for fifteen days, and the Jews had no choice but to surrender. Eventually, Allah cast terror into their hearts and they realized that fighting would not pay off. So, they opened the gate of the fortress and expressed their willingness to abide by the decision of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The Holy Prophet's ﷺ decision was to have the Jewish men executed. But ` Abdullah Ibn 'Ubayy, the hypocrite, intervened and pleaded to the Holy Prophet ﷺ to pardon them. In the end, it was decided that they should leave the area and go into exile and their belongings would be the spoils falling to the lot of the Muslims. Accordingly, they left Madinah and proceeded to settle in an area called Adhra` at in Syria. In compliance with the law of spoils, one-fifth was retained for Bait-ul-mal [ public treasury ] and the rest of the spoils was disbursed among the fighters. After the battle of Badr, this was the first one-fifth of the booties that was retained for the public treasury. This incident took place on Monday, 15th Shawwal, in the 2nd year of Hijrah - twenty months after the migration.

كَمَثَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِذْ قَالَ لِلْإِنسَانِ اكْفُرْ‌ (The example [ of the hypocrites ] is like the Shaitan when he says to a human being, "Become a disbeliever" then once he disbelieves, he says, "I disown you; I fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds."....59:16) This is another example of the hypocrites who made false promises of solidarity and support to the Banu Nadir, and provoked the latter to fight against the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . But when the Muslims besieged them, not a single hypocrite came forward to assist. The Qur'an here uses a simile to illustrate the similarity between a hypocrite and the Shaitan. The Shaitan incited man to disbelieve and promised him the world, but when he was seriously involved in disbelief, he said that he has nothing to do with him. Only Allah knows how many such episodes the devil must have been involved in, textually, however, we find one such episode narrated in the Qur'an in Surah Anfal, verse [ 48]: وَإِذْ زَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ وَقَالَ لَا غَالِبَ لَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَإِنِّي جَارٌ‌ لَّكُمْ ۖ فَلَمَّا تَرَ‌اءَتِ الْفِئَتَانِ نَكَصَ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ وَقَالَ إِنِّي بَرِ‌يءٌ مِّنكُمْ إِنِّي أَرَ‌ىٰ مَا لَا تَرَ‌وْنَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّـهَ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ "And when the Shaitan beautified their deeds for them and said, 'None of the people is to overpower you today, and I am a protector for you.' But, when the two groups saw each other, he turned back on his heels and said, 'I have nothing to do with you. I am seeing what you do not see. I am scared of Allah, and Allah is severe in punishment.' This incident occurred on the occasion of the battle of Badr when the Shaitan misled the pagan Quraish, urged them to wage a war against Muslims, and then he withdrew, and left them in the lurch when they were in the middle of a pitched-battle. It is not clear how the Shaitan did all this, whether he cast suggestions into their minds or whether he came to them in human shape and spoke to them face to face. A full explanation is available in Volume [ 4] of Ma’ ariful Qur’ an, pages 242-247. If the verse refers to this incident, in which the Shaitan provokes man to disbelieve and when he does that, he washes his hands of them, it does not seem that the Shaitan asked them to commit kufr, because they were already kafirs. He asked them to be firm in opposing the Messenger ﷺ . The answer is all too obvious, in that it is all the same whether he asked them to commit kufr, or bids them to remain firm in their kufr or fight the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، because it is also tantamount to kufr. Tafsir Mazhari, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir and others have cited several incidents where monks and devotees were deceived into kufr. For example, one of the Israeli monks devoted himself to Allah in his synagogue, and fasted consecutively and broke his fast only once in ten days. In this way, he spent seventy years of his life. The accursed Shaitan pursued him. He sent after him the most cunning devil in the shape of a monk, a devotee of God. He went up to him and exerted himself in the worship of God and thus built up confidence in the genuine monk. Eventually, the impostor succeeded in teaching the monk a few of the prayers that are efficacious in curing the sickly people. Then the former exerted his influence on many people to fall sick, and gave them the monk's address. When the latter recited the prayers, the devil would remove his influence and thus they would feel cured. He kept up this process for a long period of time, until one day he performed his exertion on the beautiful daughter of an Israeli leader. He sent her also to the monk. He succeeded in getting her into his synagogue and gradually he succeeded in getting him to commit fornication with the girl who, as a result, fell pregnant. He suggested that the girl be killed to save face. After the killing, the devil himself went around telling the story of the killing and put up the people against the monk. They, in their fury, demolished the synagogue and decided to kill him and crucify him. Then the Shaitan went back to the monk and said to him that there is no way out to save his life. 'Of course', he said to him, 'there is one way of saving your life, in that you prostrate to me and I will save your life.' The monk had already committed all the sins. The way to commit kufr was paved. So, he prostrated. At that juncture, the Shaitan said to him plainly, 'You were not falling into my trap. I adopted all these guiles for you to commit kufr. I cannot assist you in any way.' This story is recounted fully in Tafsir Mazhari and Qurtubi. Allah, the Pure and Exalted, knows best!

كَمَثَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِذْ قَالَ لِلْإِنسَانِ اكْفُرْ‌ (The example [ of the hypocrites ] is like the Shaitan when he says to a human being, "Become a disbeliever" then once he disbelieves, he says, "I disown you; I fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds."....59:16) This is another example of the hypocrites who made false promises of solidarity and support to the Banu Nadir, and provoked the latter to fight against the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . But when the Muslims besieged them, not a single hypocrite came forward to assist. The Qur'an here uses a simile to illustrate the similarity between a hypocrite and the Shaitan. The Shaitan incited man to disbelieve and promised him the world, but when he was seriously involved in disbelief, he said that he has nothing to do with him. Only Allah knows how many such episodes the devil must have been involved in, textually, however, we find one such episode narrated in the Qur'an in Surah Anfal, verse [ 48]: وَإِذْ زَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ وَقَالَ لَا غَالِبَ لَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَإِنِّي جَارٌ‌ لَّكُمْ ۖ فَلَمَّا تَرَ‌اءَتِ الْفِئَتَانِ نَكَصَ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ وَقَالَ إِنِّي بَرِ‌يءٌ مِّنكُمْ إِنِّي أَرَ‌ىٰ مَا لَا تَرَ‌وْنَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّـهَ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ "And when the Shaitan beautified their deeds for them and said, 'None of the people is to overpower you today, and I am a protector for you.' But, when the two groups saw each other, he turned back on his heels and said, 'I have nothing to do with you. I am seeing what you do not see. I am scared of Allah, and Allah is severe in punishment.' This incident occurred on the occasion of the battle of Badr when the Shaitan misled the pagan Quraish, urged them to wage a war against Muslims, and then he withdrew, and left them in the lurch when they were in the middle of a pitched-battle. It is not clear how the Shaitan did all this, whether he cast suggestions into their minds or whether he came to them in human shape and spoke to them face to face. A full explanation is available in Volume [ 4] of Ma’ ariful Qur’ an, pages 242-247. If the verse refers to this incident, in which the Shaitan provokes man to disbelieve and when he does that, he washes his hands of them, it does not seem that the Shaitan asked them to commit kufr, because they were already kafirs. He asked them to be firm in opposing the Messenger ﷺ . The answer is all too obvious, in that it is all the same whether he asked them to commit kufr, or bids them to remain firm in their kufr or fight the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، because it is also tantamount to kufr. Tafsir Mazhari, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir and others have cited several incidents where monks and devotees were deceived into kufr. For example, one of the Israeli monks devoted himself to Allah in his synagogue, and fasted consecutively and broke his fast only once in ten days. In this way, he spent seventy years of his life. The accursed Shaitan pursued him. He sent after him the most cunning devil in the shape of a monk, a devotee of God. He went up to him and exerted himself in the worship of God and thus built up confidence in the genuine monk. Eventually, the impostor succeeded in teaching the monk a few of the prayers that are efficacious in curing the sickly people. Then the former exerted his influence on many people to fall sick, and gave them the monk's address. When the latter recited the prayers, the devil would remove his influence and thus they would feel cured. He kept up this process for a long period of time, until one day he performed his exertion on the beautiful daughter of an Israeli leader. He sent her also to the monk. He succeeded in getting her into his synagogue and gradually he succeeded in getting him to commit fornication with the girl who, as a result, fell pregnant. He suggested that the girl be killed to save face. After the killing, the devil himself went around telling the story of the killing and put up the people against the monk. They, in their fury, demolished the synagogue and decided to kill him and crucify him. Then the Shaitan went back to the monk and said to him that there is no way out to save his life. 'Of course', he said to him, 'there is one way of saving your life, in that you prostrate to me and I will save your life.' The monk had already committed all the sins. The way to commit kufr was paved. So, he prostrated. At that juncture, the Shaitan said to him plainly, 'You were not falling into my trap. I adopted all these guiles for you to commit kufr. I cannot assist you in any way.' This story is recounted fully in Tafsir Mazhari and Qurtubi. Allah, the Pure and Exalted, knows best!

Commentary The Command to Taqwa and to prepare for the Day of Resurrection The earlier parts of Surah Al-Hashr has described different events relating to the Jews, the pagans and the hypocrites and their punishments in this world and in the next. Now the concluding part of the Surah makes the believers conscious of their duty towards Allah and advises them to perform the righteous deeds regularly. The first verse in this set reads يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَلْتَنظُرْ‌ نَفْسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ those who believe, fear Allah, and everybody must consider what he [ or she ] has sent ahead for tomorrow 59:18) In an eloquent style, the verse enjoins upon the believers to take care of the Hereafter and commands them to prepare for it. Here a few points need to be considered: First: In this verse, the Hereafter is described as ghad [ tomorrow ], which means the 'day after today'. This points to two things. First of all, it means that the entire period of this world, compared to the Hereafter, is very short. That is, this entire world, in relation to the Hereafter, is like one day. In fact, in terms of pure calculation, this comparison too is difficult to imagine, because the Hereafter is eternal which will exist without an end. The age of human world is said to be a few thousand years old. If this is calculated with the creation of the heaven and the earth, it will extend to a few million years, which in any case will be a limited period. This is no comparison to an unlimited or infinite period of time. Some Traditions state' اَلدُّنیَا یَومُ وَ لَنَا فِیہِ صَومُ (The entire world is a day and on that day we fast.) Whether we calculate from human creation or from the creation of the heaven and the earth, it does not matter, because neither of these factors is important for a human individual. In fact, every individual's world is made up of the days and years of his age. Every person should be able to realize how short a period that is in relation to the eternity of the Hereafter. Second of all, this verse shows that the Day of Resurrection is as certain as the arrival of tomorrow after today which is a stark reality, and no one doubts it. Likewise the Hereafter is beyond any reasonable doubt. Thirdly, the Day of Resurrection will happen very shortly. Just as tomorrow is not very far away from today, it is thought to be very near, likewise, the Day of Resurrection will happen very soon after this world. The first phase of the Hour is when an individual dies, his Hour is already established as stated in a Tradition: مَن مَّاتَ فَقَد قَامَت قِیَامَتُہ "He who dies, his Day of Judgment has been established" because the signs of the next world start from the grave and examples of reward and punishment come forward. The world of grave or the world of barzakh is like a waiting room in this world which accommodates all types of people, ranging from the first class to the third class. The waiting room of the criminals is the prison house. A person should be able to determine his position and status in the waiting room. Therefore, every person's Judgment Day starts with his death. Man's death has been made such a puzzling phenomenon that not even the greatest philosopher or scientist can with any degree of certainty determine the exact time of its occurrence. In fact, every coming moment is fraught with the danger that one may not live to see it, especially in this time and age when it is moving at the pace of lightning and heart-failure is the order of the day. The second phase of the Hour is when the entire world, the heaven and earth and everything else, will perish, though this might take place after hundreds of thousands of years, it is very close in relation to the eternity of the Hereafter. In short, this verse by describing qiyamah [ Doomsday ] as ghad [ tomorrow ] made man conscious of the fact that the Doomsday is not very far off; it is very close like tomorrow. It is also possible that it might come even before tomorrow. The second point put by this verse for consideration is that the arrival of Doomsday being certain and also near, everyone is invited to think what he has prepared for the Day of Resurrection. This shows that his original abode is the Hereafter. His residence in this world is like a wayfarer. It is necessary to send something from here for the eternal abode. The main purpose of man's residence is to live here, acquire and accumulate things and send them forward to the eternal abode of the Hereafter. It is quite obvious that no material wealth or property can be taken with from this world. There is only one way of transferring wealth [ gold, silver, money and so on ] from one country to another, that is to deposit it into the bank from where the currency of another country is obtained. In exactly the same manner, wealth is spent in the way of Allah and the sacred laws of Allah are implemented and deposited in the Divinely celestial bank, where the currency of reward is recorded in the celestial Account-Book. When a believer reaches the eternal abode, it is handed over to him without claim or demand. The phrase مَّا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ 'what he (or she) has sent ahead' carries the general sense of the good, as well as, the bad deeds. He who sends forth good deeds will obtain the currency of reward in the Hereafter; and he who sends forth evil deeds will be indicted in the Hereafter. The command of "...fear Allah...[ 18] " has been repeated. It could be for emphasis, or the first of such command is for man to fulfill the obligatory and imperative duties, and the repetition of the command is to abstain from sins. The second explanation is given by Maulana Ashraf Thanawi (رح) . Also, it is possible that the first command to fear Allah is to send forth good deeds for the Hereafter by acting upon imperatives set by Allah, and the second command to fear is to ensure that what is being sent is not fake or counterfeit. Fake or counterfeit deeds, in relation to the Hereafter, would imply the deeds done seem to be genuinely righteous deeds, but they lack sincerity of purpose and the good pleasure of Allah. What was done ostentatiously or for ulterior motive or an ostensible action that seems like an act of worship, but having no base in religion, it is tantamount to innovation (Bid'ah). Thus the second command to fear Allah implies that for the Hereafter it is not sufficient to merely accumulate ostensible actions, but to send forth genuine deeds performed with sincerity according to the rules set in religion. Spurious actions will not be acceptable there.

فَأَنسَاهُمْ أَنفُسَهُمْ He made them forget their own selves....59:19) It means they did not forget Allah but themselves, because they are unaware of their own loss and gain.

فَأَنسَاهُمْ أَنفُسَهُمْ He made them forget their own selves....59:19) It means they did not forget Allah but themselves, because they are unaware of their own loss and gain.

لَوْ أَنزَلْنَا هَـٰذَا الْقُرْ‌آنَ عَلَىٰ جَبَلٍ (Had We sent down this Qur'an to a mountain, ....59:21) This is a parable that Allah is using to illustrate the fact that if the Holy Qur'an were to be revealed on such strong, firm and unmovable mountain and endowed with intelligence like man, it would have submitted to the greatness of the Qur'an, nay, it would have crushed to pieces. But man is too selfish and proud. As a result, he has lost his natural intelligence and remains unaffected by the powerful message of the Qur'an. This, it would appear, is a hypothetical example, that is 'if mountains had sense or intelligence. Some scholars have stated that reason and revelation both bear testimony to the fact that everything in nature has sense, perception and intelligence, be it a mountain or a tree. Therefore, this is not a hypothetical example. It is a stark reality. [ Mazhari ]. And Allah knows best!

A Few of Allah's Attributes of Perfection Having urged the people to be concerned about the Hereafter and having asserted the greatness of the Qur'an, this Surah is concluded with a few of Allah's attributes of perfection, as follows: الِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ (...the Knower of the unseen and the seen - 22). The attribute 'the Knower of the Unseen and the seen' means that Allah knows all things, visible or invisible.

الْقُدُّوسُ The attribute Al-Quddus means 'the Most Pure from all defects', that is, Allah is the Being Who is free from all kinds of defect, deficiency and imperfection which are not in conformity to His Supreme status. الْمُؤْمِنُ The word mu'min, when applied to a human being, means a believer, but when this attribute is applied to Allah, it means the one who provides peace and safety, as explained by Ibn ` Abbas ؓ . It means that He provides safety and perfect peace to those who believe in Allah and His Messengers. الْمُهَيْمِنُ The attribute Al-Muhaimin, according to Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، Mujhid and Qatadah means 'Guardian'. The Arabic lexicon Al-Qamus has explained that its route is 'hamn' which means to look after or take care of or watch over'. [ Mazhari ]. الْعَزِيزُ The attribute Al-` Aziz means 'the Almighty'. الْجَبَّارُ‌ The attribute Al-Jabbar means the One who is dominant. It could also be derived from the word jabr, meaning to 'join broken bones' and thus we have the word jabirah, which refers to the bandage or plaster that is used in binding the broken bones. From this point of view, the attribute would mean that Allah is the Being Who sets aright every broken and useless things, matters or restores all losses and rectifies situations or mends every breakage. الْمُتَكَبِّرُ‌ The attribute Al-Mutakabbir [ the Lord of Greatness ] is derived from takabbur and that from kibriya' meaning 'greatness' which is one of the peculiar characteristics of Allah. It implies that every greatness is attributable only to Allah who is not in need of anyone. Whoever is in need cannot be great. Therefore, if this word is used for a person other than Allah, it is a defect and sin, because the claim of greatness by a person who is not actually great is false and tantamount to a claim of being a partner of Allah, the Besought of all, in one of His exclusive attributes. That is why the word Al-Mutakabbir, when attributed to Allah is an attribute of perfection, but in respect of others it is no more than a false claim.

الْمُصَوِّرُ‌ (...the Originator of all Shapes....59:24) In other words, He gives shape to everything He creates. He has given particular shapes to all creatures whereby they are distinguished from one another. Every species has a shape distinguishable from all other species. Within one species too, there are differences in shape between males and females. Then there are uncountable differences between the shapes of the individuals of even one sex. The excellence of shaping or fashioning is of such high degree that the shapes of zillions of men and women are different from one another in a way that no face is an absolute copy of some other face. Had it not been so, no one could be distinguished from the other. This excellence and perfection of creative power belongs to none but Allah. Just as takabbur (show of greatness) is not permissible for anyone other than Allah [ as kibriya' is His exclusive attribute'], likewise no one, besides Allah, is permitted to do picture-making, because that too is the exclusive characteristic of Allah, and picture-making is an implied claim of being associate with Allah in this attribute. لَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ (... His are the Most Beautiful Names ....59:24). The Holy Qur'an has not given the exact number of these Most Beautiful Names of Allah. Authentic Prophetic ahadith have counted them ninety-nine. Tirmidhi has collected all the ninety-nine names in one Tradition. Many scholars have written full books on the subject of Asma ul-Husna or 'Most Beautiful Names of Allah'. The present writer has also compiled a concise monograph on the subject of 'Most Beautiful Names of Allah' published as an annexure to Munajat-i-Maqbul (by Maulana Ashraf Thanawi (رح)). يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْ‌ضِ (...His purity is proclaimed by all that is in the heavens and the earth ....59:24). That all creatures in the heavens and the earth declare the purity of Allah in unuttered language is self-evident: The wonderful, marvelous and amazing things created by Allah, and the awe-inspiring and staggering shapes fashioned by Him proclaim the praises of their Creator in unuttered language. However, it is possible too that the word 'tasbih' is used here in its real and literal sense, because according to the authentic view everything in this universe has some kind of sense that accords to its ability. Now, the foremost and primary requirement of this sense is to recognize one's Creator and paying gratitude to Him. Based on this premise, it is not far-fetched to conceive that everything in nature really declares the purity of Allah in articulate language, though human ears might not be able to hear it. Thus the Qur'an on one occasion says وَلَـٰكِن لَّا تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ (...but you do not understand their extolling.) (17:44) Benefits and Blessings of the Concluding Verses of Surah Al-Hashr It is recorded in Tirmidhi on the authority of Sayyidna Ma'qil Ibn Yasar ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has stated that Allah appoints 70, 000 angels who pray for Divine mercy for anyone who recites the following three times: اَعُوذُ بِاللہِ اَلسَّمِیعِ اَلعَلِیمِ مِنَ اَلشَّیطَانِ الرَّجِیمِ and the last three verses of Surah Al-Hashr هُوَ اللَّـهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ. If he dies the same day, he will attain the status of a martyr. If a person recites the same solemn words in the evening, he will attain the same status. [ Mazhari ]. Al-Hamdulillah The Commentary on Surah Al-Hashr Ends here

Commentary The Surah opens with a prohibitory injunction to Muslims against having close and intimate friendship with disbelievers and those who associate partners with Allah. This injunction was revealed in the context of a particular incident which is mentioned below: Background of Revelation The tafsir of Qurtubi, with reference to Qushairi and Tha'labi, records that after the battle of Badr, before the Conquest of Makkah, a Makkan female vocalist whose name was Sarah, first arrived in Madinah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked her whether she had migrated to Madinah. She replied in the negative. Then he asked her whether she had embraced Islam. Again her reply was in the negative. Then he asked her to explain the reason why she arrived in Madinah. She explained, 'You belong to the high society of Makkah and I used to do my living amongst you. The great leaders of Makkah were killed in the battle of Badr, and you have moved here. My living has become impossible. I am down-and-out and hard-pressed. I have come to you for help.' The Holy Prophet ﷺ said to her, 'You are a professional female singer of Makkah and where are the Makkan youngsters who used to shower money on you?' She said that after the battle of Badr all her functions and singing sessions had come to an end. "Since that time", she said, "nobody has invited me." The Holy Prophet ﷺ encouraged Banu ` Abd-ul-Muttalib to assist her. They helped her with money, clothing and other things and sent her off. This happened at a time when the pagans of Makkah had failed to honour the treaty of Hudaibiyah, and the Holy Prophet ﷺ was making secret preparations to march on Makkah. He had also prayed to Allah that his secret plan must not be prematurely divulged to the people of Makkah. However, from amongst the foremost Muhajirin (Refugees) there was a Companion Sayyidna Hatib Ibn Abi Balta` ah ؓ . He was originally from Yemen, who had settled in Makkah where he had no relatives and had embraced Islam. After migration, he settled in Madinah, but his family was still in Makkah. The pagans of Makkah used to persecute the Muslims tortuously who had remained in Makkah after the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، and his blessed Companions migrated to Madinah. The Refugees who had relatives in Makkah had some degree of protection. But Sayyidna Hatib Ibn Abi Balta'ah ؓ was worried that he had no relatives to protect his family from the persecution. He seized this opportunity to have his family protected from Makkan persecution. So, he thought if he did a favor to the Makkans, they would feel obliged to him, and in return they will take care of his family and protect them. Sayyidna Hatib Ibn Abi Balta'ah ؓ was sure that Allah would grant victory to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، and leaking the secret information would not harm the Holy Prophet ﷺ or Islam. He thought if he were to write a letter and inform the Makkans that the Holy Prophet ﷺ intends to attack them, his children would be safe. He thus committed the mistake of writing a letter to the people of Makkah telling them the intention of the Holy Prophet ﷺ to invade upon Makkah. He dispatched the letter with the singing woman, Sarah, who was on her way to Makkah. [ Qurtubi and Mazhari ]. Allah Ta` ala informed the Holy Prophet ﷺ about it through revelation, and he was also informed that the bearer of the letter, a woman, has reached the place known as Raudah Khakh. According to a narration in the two Sahibs on the authority of Sayyidna Ali ؓ ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ called for him, Abu Marthad and Zubair Ibn ` Awwam ؓ and commanded them to ride their horses and pursue the woman who would be found in Raudah Khakh. He said: "There you will find a pagan woman bearing a letter from Sayyidna Hatib Ibn Abi Balta'ah addressed to the pagans of Makkah. Overtake her and bring back the letter." The Companions, in pursuance of the command, galloped on their horses and went after the woman and found her in the place where the Holy Prophet ﷺ had named. She was seen there riding a camel. They made the camel sit and searched for the letter, but to no avail. They said to themselves that she must have the letter with her because the information of the Holy Prophet ﷺ could never be wrong. She must have hidden it somewhere. They asked her to produce the letter, but she denied any knowledge of it. They then had to adopt a sterner attitude and threatened to remove all her clothes, if she did not surrender the letter. When she saw their determination, she produced it from her loincloth. The letter was brought back to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . When Sayyidna ` Umar Al-Faruq ؓ heard the story, he exclaimed seeking the Holy Prophet's ﷺ permission to behead the one who betrayed Allah, His Messenger ﷺ and all the Muslims. The Holy Prophet ﷺ asked Sayyidna Hatib Ibn Abi Balta'ah ؓ : '0 Hatib! What has prompted you to do this?' Sayyidna Hatib Ibn Abi Balta'ah ؓ replied that his faith was not shaken in the least. He explained that he intended to do a favor to the residents of Makkah, so that they might not harm his family. He pleaded that all other muhajirin (Emigrants) had their clans in Makkah, while his family had no one to take care of them. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said to his Companions: "He has told you the truth." Sayyidna ` Umar Al-Faruq رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ was not convinced on account of his zeal of faith, and repeated his request to kill him. The Holy Prophet ﷺ put forward more compelling arguments. He said: 'He attended Badr. What can I tell you, perhaps Allah looked at those who attended Badr and said, "0 People of Badr, do what you like, for I have forgiven you.' Having heard this, tears rolled down from Sayyidna ` Umar's ؓ eyes and he said: "Allah and His Messenger ﷺ alone has the knowledge of reality." [ This narration of Bukhari is recorded in the Book of Mghazi: The Battle of Badr, as quoted by Ibn Kathir ]. Some of the versions also have the additional statement of Sayyidna Hatib Ibn Abi Balta` ah ضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ : "I never did this to harm Islam or the Muslims because I knew for sure that Allah will grant victory to the Holy Prophet ﷺ irrespective of whether or not the Makkans came to know about the impending attack." It was with reference to this incident that Allah revealed the opening verses of Surah Al-Mumtahinah forbidding the Muslims vehemently to have friendly relations with the infidels. يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا عَدُوِّي وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ تُلْقُونَ إِلَيْهِم بِالْمَوَدَّةِ (0 you who believe, do not take My enemies and your enemies for friends, expressing love with them...60:1). The immediate occasion of the revelation of the verse under comment was the incident stated earlier. Such a letter written to the disbelievers amounted to having friendly intimacy with them. This verse uses the expression عَدُوِّی وَ عَدُوَّکُم "My enemy and your enemy" instead of kuffar [ infidels ] presumably to indicate the underlying cause of the injunction, in that hopes of friendship from your enemy and Allah's enemy are illusory. It needs to be avoided. Furthermore, this expression is an indication that an infidel, as long as he is an infidel, can never be a friend of a Muslim as long as he is a Muslim. An infidel is the enemy of Allah, whereas a Muslim loves Allah. How can there be an intimate friendship between the two? وَقَدْ كَفَرُ‌وا بِمَا جَاءَكُم مِّنَ الْحَقِّ يُخْرِ‌جُونَ الرَّ‌سُولَ وَإِيَّاكُمْ ۙ أَن تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّـهِ رَ‌بِّكُمْ (...while they have rejected the Truth that has come to you, expelling the Messenger and your selves [ from Makkah ], merely because you have faith in Allah, your Lord...60:1). The word haqq [ truth ] refers either to the Qur'an or to Islam. This part of the verse refers to their kufr (rejection of Truth) as the real reason of their enmity. Then it points out even to their hostile attitude, proved on the ground, that they drove the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his followers out of their dear homes, not for any worldly grudge, but for one and only one reason, that is, their faith. Thus it becomes clear that believers as long as they are believers, the non-believers cannot be their intimate friends. This also clarifies that the position Hatib ؓ had taken was inappropriate. He was wrong in his thinking that if he did them a favor, they would be obliged to him and take care of his family, because they were enemies of the faith. Unless [ God forbid!] one loses one's faith, the hope of friendly intimacy with the enemies of Allah is illusory and virtually impossible. إِن كُنتُمْ خَرَ‌جْتُمْ جِهَادًا فِي سَبِيلِي وَابْتِغَاءَ مَرْ‌ضَاتِي (...if you have set out to do jihad (struggle) in My way, and to seek My pleasure...60:1). This statement also points out that if the migration was indeed for the sake of Allah and His good pleasure, it is impossible for an infidel, the enemy of Allah, to take care of Allah's friend. تُسِرُّ‌ونَ إِلَيْهِم بِالْمَوَدَّةِ وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ بِمَا أَخْفَيْتُمْ وَمَا أَعْلَنتُمْ (...You express love with them secretly, while I know what you have concealed and what you have revealed ....60:1). This statement makes it clear that anyone who secretly maintains a friendly intimacy with the unbelievers should not think that it will remain secret. Allah is fully aware of what people do secretly and openly, as it happened in the story recounted above. Allah informed the Holy Prophet ﷺ by revelation and had the secret plot thwarted.

إِن يَثْقَفُوكُمْ يَكُونُوا لَكُمْ أَعْدَاءً وَيَبْسُطُوا إِلَيْكُمْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ وَأَلْسِنَتَهُم بِالسُّوءِ (Should they have access to you, they will become your enemies, and will stretch their hands and tongues towards you with evil;...60:2). The verse indicates how bitter are the feelings of disbelievers towards Muslims. They would use all means, their hands and their tongues, and would spare no effort to harm the Muslims. Therefore, it is impossible that when they find an opportunity in their favor and overpower Muslims, they will ever exercise tolerance towards them. وَوَدُّوا لَوْ تَكْفُرُ‌ونَ (...and they desire that you should reject the (true) faith...60:2). The greatest desire of the non-believers' hearts is to see the Muslims revert to disbelief. Thus when the Muslims stretch their hand of friendship towards them, it will be at the cost of their belief. They will never be happy with the Muslims unless they give up their faith.

لَن تَنفَعَكُمْ أَرْ‌حَامُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ ۚ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَكُمْ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ‌ (Neither your womb-relations nor your children will avail you on the Day of Judgment. He will decide between you, and Allah is watchful of what you do...60:3). The verse refutes the plea of Sayyidna Hatib ؓ . He did what he did for the love of his children, but they will be of no help on the Day of Resurrection. All relations on that day will come to an end. Parents will flee from their children, and children from their parents, and no secret will ever remain hidden from Allah.

قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِي إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ ۔ ۔ ۔ حَتَّىٰ تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّـهِ وَحْدَهُ (Indeed, there is an excellent example for you in Ibrahim and those with him, when they said to their people, "We disown you and what you worship instead of Allah. We disbelieve in you. Enmity and hatred has arisen between us and you forever, unless you believe in Allah alone",....60:4). This verse supports and emphasizes the abstaining from maintaining close friendly relations with non-believers. This rule of law is illustrated by the excellent example of Holy Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) whose entire family worshipped idols, but he not only washed his hands of them and disowned them, but also announced, and erected a wall of, enmity and hatred with them forever, unless and until they give up idol-worship and have belief in Allah alone. Allaying a Doubt The current verse emphasizes that Muslims should follow the excellent model of Holy Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) and, it is established in Surah Taubah and in other places in the Qur'an that, he prayed for the forgiveness of his father who was an idol-worshipper. This could create doubt that, in pursuance of the command of Allah to follow the example of Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) is permitted to pray for the forgiveness of one's parents or other relatives who are idol-worshippers. But the later part of Verse [ 4] makes an exception to the command of following Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . إِلَّا قَوْلَ إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ لَأَسْتَغْفِرَ‌نَّ لَكَ (...but [ his example is ] not [ to be followed ] in what Ibrahim said to his father, "I will pray to my Lord for your forgiveness... 60:4). This implies that it is imperative to follow the model of Holy Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) in all respects, except in the case of prayer for his father's forgiveness. It is not permitted to emulate his sunnah in this respect. His reason for praying for his father's forgiveness has been explained in Surah Taubah. He prayed for his father's forgiveness before the prohibitory injunction was ordained, or probably when he felt that faith has entered into his father's heart, but when it became plain to him that he was Allah's enemy he washed his hands of him and disowned him, thus فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِّلَّـهِ تَبَرَّ‌أَ مِنْهُ (...and when it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah, he renounced him....9:114) Some of the scholars analyze the phrase اِلَّا قَولَ اِبرٰھِیمَ (but not in what Ibrahim said ...) grammatically as istithna' munqati`, that is, exceptive sentence in which the exception is severed from, or wholly different in kind from, the general term. In terms of this grammatical analysis, praying for his father's forgiveness is not contrary to Abrahamic model. Holy Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) was under the impression that his father had become a Muslim, so he prayed for the forgiveness of his Muslim father. Later when he learnt the truth, he gave up praying for him and renounced him. If anyone believes, even today, that a particular unbeliever has most probably embraced Islam, there is no harm in praying for his pardon. [ Qurtubi ]. Allah knows best!

قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِي إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ ۔ ۔ ۔ حَتَّىٰ تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّـهِ وَحْدَهُ (Indeed, there is an excellent example for you in Ibrahim and those with him, when they said to their people, "We disown you and what you worship instead of Allah. We disbelieve in you. Enmity and hatred has arisen between us and you forever, unless you believe in Allah alone",....60:4). This verse supports and emphasizes the abstaining from maintaining close friendly relations with non-believers. This rule of law is illustrated by the excellent example of Holy Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) whose entire family worshipped idols, but he not only washed his hands of them and disowned them, but also announced, and erected a wall of, enmity and hatred with them forever, unless and until they give up idol-worship and have belief in Allah alone. Allaying a Doubt The current verse emphasizes that Muslims should follow the excellent model of Holy Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) and, it is established in Surah Taubah and in other places in the Qur'an that, he prayed for the forgiveness of his father who was an idol-worshipper. This could create doubt that, in pursuance of the command of Allah to follow the example of Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) is permitted to pray for the forgiveness of one's parents or other relatives who are idol-worshippers. But the later part of Verse [ 4] makes an exception to the command of following Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . إِلَّا قَوْلَ إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ لَأَسْتَغْفِرَ‌نَّ لَكَ (...but [ his example is ] not [ to be followed ] in what Ibrahim said to his father, "I will pray to my Lord for your forgiveness... 60:4). This implies that it is imperative to follow the model of Holy Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) in all respects, except in the case of prayer for his father's forgiveness. It is not permitted to emulate his sunnah in this respect. His reason for praying for his father's forgiveness has been explained in Surah Taubah. He prayed for his father's forgiveness before the prohibitory injunction was ordained, or probably when he felt that faith has entered into his father's heart, but when it became plain to him that he was Allah's enemy he washed his hands of him and disowned him, thus فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِّلَّـهِ تَبَرَّ‌أَ مِنْهُ (...and when it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah, he renounced him....9:114) Some of the scholars analyze the phrase اِلَّا قَولَ اِبرٰھِیمَ (but not in what Ibrahim said ...) grammatically as istithna' munqati`, that is, exceptive sentence in which the exception is severed from, or wholly different in kind from, the general term. In terms of this grammatical analysis, praying for his father's forgiveness is not contrary to Abrahamic model. Holy Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) was under the impression that his father had become a Muslim, so he prayed for the forgiveness of his Muslim father. Later when he learnt the truth, he gave up praying for him and renounced him. If anyone believes, even today, that a particular unbeliever has most probably embraced Islam, there is no harm in praying for his pardon. [ Qurtubi ]. Allah knows best!

قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِي إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ ۔ ۔ ۔ حَتَّىٰ تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّـهِ وَحْدَهُ (Indeed, there is an excellent example for you in Ibrahim and those with him, when they said to their people, "We disown you and what you worship instead of Allah. We disbelieve in you. Enmity and hatred has arisen between us and you forever, unless you believe in Allah alone",....60:4). This verse supports and emphasizes the abstaining from maintaining close friendly relations with non-believers. This rule of law is illustrated by the excellent example of Holy Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) whose entire family worshipped idols, but he not only washed his hands of them and disowned them, but also announced, and erected a wall of, enmity and hatred with them forever, unless and until they give up idol-worship and have belief in Allah alone. Allaying a Doubt The current verse emphasizes that Muslims should follow the excellent model of Holy Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) and, it is established in Surah Taubah and in other places in the Qur'an that, he prayed for the forgiveness of his father who was an idol-worshipper. This could create doubt that, in pursuance of the command of Allah to follow the example of Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) is permitted to pray for the forgiveness of one's parents or other relatives who are idol-worshippers. But the later part of Verse [ 4] makes an exception to the command of following Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . إِلَّا قَوْلَ إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ لَأَسْتَغْفِرَ‌نَّ لَكَ (...but [ his example is ] not [ to be followed ] in what Ibrahim said to his father, "I will pray to my Lord for your forgiveness... 60:4). This implies that it is imperative to follow the model of Holy Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) in all respects, except in the case of prayer for his father's forgiveness. It is not permitted to emulate his sunnah in this respect. His reason for praying for his father's forgiveness has been explained in Surah Taubah. He prayed for his father's forgiveness before the prohibitory injunction was ordained, or probably when he felt that faith has entered into his father's heart, but when it became plain to him that he was Allah's enemy he washed his hands of him and disowned him, thus فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِّلَّـهِ تَبَرَّ‌أَ مِنْهُ (...and when it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah, he renounced him....9:114) Some of the scholars analyze the phrase اِلَّا قَولَ اِبرٰھِیمَ (but not in what Ibrahim said ...) grammatically as istithna' munqati`, that is, exceptive sentence in which the exception is severed from, or wholly different in kind from, the general term. In terms of this grammatical analysis, praying for his father's forgiveness is not contrary to Abrahamic model. Holy Prophet Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) was under the impression that his father had become a Muslim, so he prayed for the forgiveness of his Muslim father. Later when he learnt the truth, he gave up praying for him and renounced him. If anyone believes, even today, that a particular unbeliever has most probably embraced Islam, there is no harm in praying for his pardon. [ Qurtubi ]. Allah knows best!

Commentary The preceding verses vehemently prohibited Muslims to maintain any friendly intimacy with non-believers, even though they had very near blood relationships with them. The noble Companions used to carry out the commands of Allah and His Messenger in letter and spirit. In this matter, they did not care about their personal desires, or about their near and dear ones. This command was also carried out with the result that in some homes the father was a Muslim and the son was an unbeliever or vice versa. Friendly relations were severed. Obviously, this situation was not easy for their human nature. That is why Allah gives them the assurance that soon the hardship will be over. According to some ahadith, when a servant of Allah gives up his favorite thing for the sake of Allah, Allah delivers it to him in a lawful manner, and at times he is granted something better than it. The present verses give an indication that those who are implacable enemies of Muslims because of their disbelief would soon become their friends. In other words, Allah will grant the enemies the ability to embrace the Faith and thus restore the mutual relationships. This prophecy was fulfilled on the occasion of the Conquest of Makkah when, besides the unbelievers who were killed, the rest of the people became Muslims. [ Mazhari ]. The Holy Qur'an describes it thus يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّـهِ أَفْوَاجًا (...and you see people entering Allah's [ approved ] religion in multitudes..) [ 110:2] It is recorded in Sahih of Bukhari, on the authority of Sayyidah Asma' bint Abu Bakr ؓ ، that her mother arrived in Madinah from Makkah in the state of disbelief. According to a narration in Musnad of Ahmad, this incident occurred when peace treaty of Hudaibiyah with the Makkan Quraish had been concluded and was in force. Her mother's name was Qutailah. She brought gifts for her daughter Sayyidah Asma' ؓ but she refused to accept them. She did not even allow her to enter her house unless she sought the permission of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Sayyidah Asma' ؓ asked the Holy Prophet ﷺ how to treat her mother who came to her while still disbeliever. The Holy Prophet ﷺ advised her to treat her kindly, politely and courteously. On that occasion, the following verse was revealed لَّا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّـهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ. (Allah does not forbid you from doing good and justice to those who did not fight you because of faith ....60:8)

Some reports indicate that Sayyidah Asma’ s ؓ mother Qutailah was divorced by Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ in the Days of Ignorance. Sayyidah Asma’ s sister, Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ was born of the second wife of Abu Bakr ؓ ، namely, Umm Raman, who had embraced Islam. [ Ibn Kathir and Mazhari ]. The verse directs that justice and good behavior should be maintained with those unbelievers who did not fight the Muslims. As for justice, it is obligatory to maintain with every non-Muslim, whether he is a citizen of an Islamic State, or the Muslims have peace agreement with him, or a citizen of an un-Islamic State, even though he is at war with Muslims. Rather, Islam enjoins upon Muslims to do justice even to animals. We are not allowed to lay a burden on them more than they can bear. We need to take care of their fodder and comfort. The focus of the verse, therefore, is upon the direction that they should be treated, not only with justice, but also in good and courteous manner. Ruling This verse proves that optional charities may be spent on non-Muslim citizens of an Islamic State and on non-Muslims with whom the Muslims have a peace pact. It is, however, forbidden to spend on non-believers who are at war with Muslims.

إِنَّمَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّـهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَأَخْرَ‌جُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِ‌كُمْ وَظَاهَرُ‌وا عَلَىٰ إِخْرَ‌اجِكُمْ أَن تَوَلَّوْهُمْ (Allah forbids you only from having friendship with those who fought you on account of faith, and expelled you from your homes, and helped (others) in expelling you....60:9) This verse speaks of those unbelievers who fought the Muslims in the matter of religion, drove them from their homes or supported their expulsion. These are hostile disbelievers and the Divine injunction in connection with them is abstain from having friendly or cordial intimacy with them. This verse does not forbid just and friendly or cordial intimacy with them. It merely forbids friendly intimacy and relations. Prohibition of having such friendly intimacy is not restricted only to those enemies who actively wage war against Muslims, but it is extended to ahludh- dhimmah [ non-Muslim citizens of an Islamic State ] and to اَھلُ الصُّلح ahlus-sulh [ non-Muslims with whom there is a peace pact ]. Intimate and heart-felt friendship is not allowed with them too. On the basis of this juristic principle, Mazhari has ruled that justice, equity and fairness are necessary even with the hostile disbelievers who are at war with Muslims. Prohibition applies only in the case of cordial and friendly intimacy, not in the case of courteous attitude and kindness. This shows that it is permissible to be police and courteous to those hostile enemies who are at war with Muslims. However, treating them with tenderness and courtesy should not cause danger, threat, or loss to Muslims. Wherever courtesy or tenderness might pose such a danger, it is not permitted to be tender or courteous towards them. Of course, justice and equity in all cases and under all circumstances are necessary and imperative. Allah, the Pure and Exalted, knows best!]

Commentary Cause of Revelation Peace Treaty of Hudaibiyah and an Analysis of some of its Clauses These verses are related to the event of the treaty of Hudaibiyah which was discussed at legnth in Surah Al-Fath. After protracted negotiation, a treaty was concluded between the Quraish of Makkah and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for ten years. Some of the terms of the treaty were accepted only under pressure and the Muslims apparently felt subdued and thus were greatly disturbed. Therefore, the noble Companions expressed extreme grief and indignation but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was working under Divine direction, in that the temporary feeling of defeat is actually a prelude to 'a clear victory', so he conceded to the fragile terms and conditions of the treaty, and eventually the blessed Companions also accepted. One of the terms of the treaty was that if any person goes away to Madinah from Makkah, the Holy Prophet ﷺ will send him back to Makkah, but if any person goes away to Makkah from Madinah, he will not be returned. The wordings of this clause are general, apparently covering both men and women. In other words, if a Muslim man or woman goes to the Holy Prophet ﷺ from Makkah, he shall send him or her back. The treaty had hardly been concluded while the Holy Prophet ﷺ was still in Hudaibiyah, several incidents occurred that were trying for the Muslims. One such incident was that of Sayyidna Abu Jandal ؓ who was imprisoned and held captive by the pagan Quraish in Makkah. Somehow he managed to escape and appeared before the Holy Prophet ﷺ in the Muslim camp with his feet in fetters. When the blessed Companions saw him, they were totally puzzled. They felt that he should be returned in terms of the treaty but, on the other hand, they thought it would be improper for them to hand their oppressed brother back to the oppressive enemies. But the Holy Prophet ﷺ had already concluded the treaty and the protection and firmness of the principles of Shari` ah could not be sacrificed on account of an individual. The Holy Prophet ﷺ was, at the same time, foresighted and farsighted. He could foresee the victory of the oppressed Muslims and their salvage very soon. The Holy Prophet ﷺ for sure must have felt natural grief about returning Sayyidna Abu Jandal ؓ ، but as he was bound by the terms of the treaty, he explained to him the situation and sent him off. A similar incident was that of Sayyidah Sa'idah bint al-Harith al-Aslamiyyah ؓ ، a Muslim lady. She was married to Saifi Ibn Ansab who was a non-believer. Some reports give his name as Musafir al-Makhzumi. Up to this point, marriage relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims was not forbidden. This Muslim lady escaped from Makkah and went to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The husband followed her and demanded that the Holy Prophet ﷺ should restore his wife to him because he [ the Holy Prophet ﷺ ] has accepted this condition and the seal of the treaty is still fresh. On that occasion, the above verses were revealed, which declare that marriage tie between Muslims and idol-worshippers is forbidden. Consequently, if a Muslim lady, whether her Islam was known from beforehand, as in the case of Sayyidah Sa` idah bint al-Harith ؓ ، or her Islam is verified at the time of migration, emigrates and joins the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، she will not be returned to her non-Muslim husband, because she is forbidden to him. [ Qurtubi cited this incident in his commentary on the authority of Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ]. Hence, these verses clarify that the assumption that the general sense of the wordings of the treaty cover both genders, males as well as females, is incorrect. This condition is acceptable in the case of men, and not in the case of women. The best that can be done in their case is as follows: If a lady becomes Muslim and emigrates to the Muslim land, her mahr [ dower ] should be returned to her non-Muslim husband which he had spent on her. On the basis of these verses, the Holy Prophet ﷺ clarified the meaning of the clause. Hence, he did not restore the aforementioned Sa'idah ؓ to her non-Muslim husband. According to some reports, Umm Kulthum, the daughter of the notorious ` Utbah Ibn Abi Mu` ait, emigrated from Makkah and came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The disbelievers- invoked the treaty and demanded her return. Some reports also indicate that she was married to ` Amr Ibn al-` As [ who had not become a Muslim until then ]. Her two brothers along with her escaped from Makkah and reached the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Her husband ` Amr Ibn al-'As ؓ came to Madinah to take her back. In compliance with the terms of the treaty, the two brothers, ` Umarah and Walid, were sent back, but the Holy Prophet ﷺ did not send Sayyidah Umm Kulthum ؓ and said that the clause applied to men, not to women. At this, the verses were revealed and confirmed the Holy Prophet's ﷺ interpretation. Besides, several other reports relate similar incidents of other women who reached the Holy Prophet after embracing Islam. Obviously, there is no contradiction in these narratives. Possibly all these incidents have taken place. Exemption of Women from the Terms of the Treaty is not a Breach of Treaty. It is a clarification by Mutual Agreement of Parties Concerned. Qurtubi's above narration indicates that the wordings of the relevant clause were, though general, did not, according to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، cover women. Therefore, he clarified this position in Hudaibiyah, and these verses were revealed to confirm it. According to other versions, it seems that the Holy Prophet ﷺ went along with the general import of the clause, which covered women as well as men. These verses abrogated the general meaning of it, and the Holy Prophet ﷺ made it clear to the Quraish of Makkah, then and there, that the women are exempted from the clause. Consequently, he did not send them back. This shows that this exception was neither a breach of the treaty, which was highly unlikely from the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، nor was it the case of ending the treaty. It was, in fact, a case of clarifying the true import of the clause. It does not matter whether this was the Holy Prophet's ﷺ understanding from the outset or whether he restricted the generality of the clause to men, to the exclusion of women, after the revelation of the verse. At any rate, even after the clarification, both parties confirmed the peace treaty and acted upon it for a period of time. As a result of the peace pact, roads were safe and secure. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ wrote letters to the kings and emperors of the world. Abu Sufyan's trading caravan freely went into the Syrian territory where Heraclius invited him to his royal court and investigated about the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . In short, even after the clarification both parties took the treaty as a valid document and acted upon it for a period of time. Therefore, it is not true to construe the clarification of the clause as a breach or termination of the treaty. Allah knows best! Let us now study the meaning of the verses: Testing the Believing Emigrant Women يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا جَاءَكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ مُهَاجِرَ‌اتٍ فَامْتَحِنُوهُنَّ ۖ اللَّـهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَانِهِنَّ (0 you who believe, when the believing women come to you as emigrants, put them to a test, Allah knows best about their faith...60:10). The verse purports to say that women are exempted from the relevant clause of the treaty because of their being Muslims. Since it was possible that a woman had fled from Makkah, not because of her faith, but on account of displeasure with her husband or being in love with some person in Madinah or for some other mundane motive. Such women are not exempted from the terms of the treaty, but it is incumbent to send her back. Therefore the Muslims were ordered by this verse that they should put such a woman to a test to discover whether she was sincere and honest in her faith. Allah further states: اللَّـهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَانِهِنَّ (Allah knows best about their faith... 60:10) It indicates that real faith belongs to human heart which none besides Allah knows. It is possible to estimate a man's faith by his verbal confession and circumstantial evidence. Muslims are legally obliged to do just this much. Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ has explained the method of their testing as follows: An oath used to be taken from an emigrant woman to assert that she had not come because of hatred for her husband, or for the love of any man in Madinah, or for any mundane reason, but purely and solely for the sake of Allah and for the love and pleasure of His Messenger ﷺ . When she swore an oath to this effect, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would permit her to reside in Madinah and would return to her disbelieving husband the dower [ mahr ] etc., that he might have spent on the believing emigrant wife. [ Qurtubi ] Sayyidah Siddiqah ؓ reports, as recorded in Tirmidhi [ and he grades it as 'hasan sahih'], that the method of testing them was the pledge of allegiance as in the forthcoming verse: إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ يُبَايِعْنَكَ (... when the believing women come to you, seeking bai'ah [ a pledge of allegiance ] with you ....60:12). In other words, the methodology of testing the faith of the emigrant women was the pledge the women swore on the blessed hands of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as set out in this verse. It is not inconceivable that they had first to take an oath as mentioned in the narration of Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ and then they had to accomplish it by giving an oath of loyalty as mentioned in the verse 12. And Allah knows best! فَإِنْ عَلِمْتُمُوهُنَّ مُؤْمِنَاتٍ فَلَا تَرْ‌جِعُوهُنَّ إِلَى الْكُفَّارِ‌ (...So, if you find them faithful, do not send them back to the disbelievers. . .60:10). In other words, when you have tested the emigrant women according to the above method and ascertained to your satisfaction that they were sincere and honest in their faith, then it is not permissible to send them back to the unbelievers. لَا هُنَّ حِلٌّ لَّهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحِلُّونَ لَهُنَّ (...Neither these [ women ] are lawful for them, nor are those [ disbelievers)] lawful for these [ women ]. _60:10). That is to say, neither the believing women are permitted to remain in marriage with the unbelieving men nor are the unbelieving men permitted to marry them again. Ruling The verse states that any woman who was married to an unbeliever, but later she embraced Islam while her husband did not, the marriage tie between a believing woman and her disbelieving husband was ipso facto dissolved. This is the reason why women were exempted from the relevant clause of the treaty, as she was no longer permitted to her disbelieving husband. وَآتُوهُم مَّا أَنفَقُوا (...And give them [ the disbelievers ] that [ dower ] which they had paid [ to these women ]....60:10) In other words, the emigrant believing woman's unbelieving husband should be refunded the dower etc. that he spent on her at the time of marriage. The relevant clause of treaty merely exempted women from being returned to their disbelieving husbands, because the relationship is not permitted, but the wealth or money the latter had spent on the former should be paid back. The verse does not address the emigrant women to refund what their former husbands have spent on them. It addresses the Muslim Community as a whole to return the wealth or money, because it was possible, rather most likely that the wealth that was given to her might have finished or might have been depleted and they might be left with nothing to return. Hence, the Muslim Community as a whole was entrusted with the responsibility of paying back on her behalf to fulfill the terms of the treaty. If this responsibility could be carried out by the State from its public treasury [ bait-ul-mal ], it would be so much the better, or it should have been paid by contributions of the Muslims. [ Qurtubi ] وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَن تَنكِحُوهُنَّ إِذَا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَ‌هُنَّ (...And there is no sin for you if you marry them, when you give them their dowers....60:10) The previous verse made it clear that the marriage tie between the emigrant believing woman and her disbelieving husband dissolves, and thus she is forbidden to him. The current verse clarifies that it is possible for a Muslim man to marry this emigrant lady, although her former husband is still alive and did not divorce her, but in terms of the sacred law of Shari’ ah, the marriage with him stands dissolved. Marriage, therefore, with another Muslim is permitted. It is clear from the above verse that if an unbeliever's wife becomes Muslim, the marriage tie is automatically broken. The question now is when will it be possible for her to marry another Muslim man. According to Imam Abu Hanifah (رح) the basic principle is as follows: When the wife becomes a convert to the Islamic faith and her husband remains an infidel, the Muslim ruler should call upon the husband to embrace the faith also. If he accepts, the woman continues to be his wife; but if he refuses, the Muslim ruler must separate them. Thus separation is completed between them. She may then marry any Muslim man of her choice. But obviously, a Muslim ruler can approach the husband only in an Islamic country. It is not possible to approach him, if he is in a non-Muslim country, to make any such requisition and decide on separation in case of refusal. In such an instance, the way out is for the woman to migrate to the Islamic State or join the Muslim army base, in which case the separation will be accomplished. This situation, in the legal parlance of the jurists, is referred to اِختِلَافُ الدَّارین as ikhtilaf-ud-darain or difference of states. It means that if there is a difference of states between an unbelieving husband and a believing wife, the former being in un-Islamic State and the latter in the Islamic state, the separation is accomplished, and the wife is free to marry someone else. [ Hidayah and others ] The verse, while permitting the Muslims to marry such women, has added: إِذَا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَ‌هُنَّ "when you give them their dowers". This in fact is not a condition of marriage, because the jurists unanimously agree that the validity of marriage is not conditional upon payment of dower [ mahr ], though its payment is compulsory on or after marriage. It has been mentioned here as a condition presumably because one mahr has already been returned to the unbelieving husband, and the Muslim who wished to marry her might think that there was no need for him to pay another mahr, since her mahr has already been paid. Hence, the verse clarifies that the previous mahr was in lieu of the previous marriage. When the next marriage would take place, another mahr would be compulsory. وَلَا تُمْسِكُوا بِعِصَمِ الْكَوَافِرِ‌ (...And do not hold on to the ties of marriage with the disbelieving women....60:10) The word ` isam is the plural of ` ismah, which originally means 'protection/bond' and it refers to the marriage bond that is protected. The word kawafir is the plural of kafirah and it refers to a 'pagan woman'. It cannot refer to an unbelieving woman who is a kitabiyyah [ a follower of a previously revealed scripture, like a Jew or a Christian ], because it is permitted to marry her by the express text of the Qur'an. The purport of the verse is to explain that the marriage between the Muslims and the pagans that was allowed so far is now repealed. It is forbidden for a Muslim now to marry a pagan woman. Such marriages that had been contracted previously have also been cancelled. It is not lawful for any Muslim man to carry on marriage ties with women who are polytheists. When this verse was revealed, the blessed Companions gave up their wives who were polytheists. Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ had two pagan wives who were with him until the migration, but when the migration took place, they remained in Makkah. When this verse was revealed, Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ divorced them. [ Transmitted by al-Baghawi from Zuhri, as quoted by Mazhari ]. The word talaq (divorce) used in this narration means to 'sever relationship'. Talaq in its technical sense was not needed here, because by virtue of this verse the marriage tie or bond has already been broken. وَاسْأَلُوا مَا أَنفَقْتُمْ وَلْيَسْأَلُوا مَا أَنفَقُوا (..., and ask that which you had paid, and they should ask to pay that which they had paid ....60:10). It was stated previously that when a woman converts to Islam and emigrates to Madinah, she is not sent back to Makkah, but becomes part of the Muslim Community, and the marriage tie between an emigrant believing woman and her disbelieving husband becomes dissolved in this way. However, it is necessary to give back the mahr (dower) of the disbelieving husband that he paid to her. Similarly, if [ God forbid!] a Muslim woman becomes an apostate and absconds to Makkah, or if she was an infidel from beforehand and flees from her Muslim husband, the pagans of Makkah will not send her back, but they would be legally responsible to return the mahr that the Muslim husband had paid to her. Therefore, the amounts thus obligated should be determined by mutual understanding of the accounts. The Muslims acted upon this law willingly, because they sincerely believed that adherence to the command of the Qur'an is binding. Thus they paid back the mahr to all unbelieving husbands who had paid it to their women. The pagans of Makkah, however, did not believe in the Qur'an. Therefore, they did not act upon it, on which occasion the following verse was revealed. [ Mentioned by al-Baghawi on the authority of Zuhri, as quoted by Mazhari ]

وَإِن فَاتَكُمْ شَيْءٌ مِّنْ أَزْوَاجِكُمْ إِلَى الْكُفَّارِ‌ فَعَاقَبْتُمْ فَآتُوا الَّذِينَ ذَهَبَتْ أَزْوَاجُهُم مِّثْلَ مَا أَنفَقُوا ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ الَّذِي أَنتُم بِهِ مُؤْمِنُونَ And if some of your [ non-Muslim ] wives have slipped from you, [ and their present non-Muslim husbands do not pay to you the dower as aforesaid,] and you have your turn [ of paying dower to the previous non-Muslim husbands of your present wives ], then [ instead of paying dower to them,] give those whose wives have slipped the like amount of what they had paid [ to them ]. And fear Allah, the One in whom you believe. (60:11) The verb ` aqabtum is derived from mu ` aqabah. It means 'to retaliate'. This meaning is possible here [ as reported by Qatadah, Mujahid and Qurtubi ]. In this case, it implies that if some of the wives of the Muslims desert to disbelievers, it was legally binding on them in terms of the treaty to pay back the dowers given to them by the Muslim husbands, just as the Muslims gave them back the dowers given by the pagan husbands to the emigrant Muslim women. But since the pagans failed to reciprocate, and did not pay the dower money, the believing husbands are entitled to retaliate by withholding an amount equal to what was due on the disbelieving husbands who married the deserting wives of the Muslims, and did not pay it. How this withheld amount will be spent is mentioned in the following sentence: فَآتُوا الَّذِينَ ذَهَبَتْ أَزْوَاجُهُم مِّثْلَ مَا أَنفَقُوا (... then [ instead of paying dower to them,] give those whose wives have slipped the like amount of what they had paid.) This means that the amounts withheld as aforesaid shall be given to the Muslims whose wives had gone to the pagans, and they did not pay back their dowers to their Muslim husbands. Another sense of the verb ` aqabtum, aqqabtum and a'qabtum in its variant form is 'to acquire spoils of war'. The verb ` aqabtum is read in these variant forms (qira’ at) by various master readers of the Qur'an. Authorities like Qatadah and Mujahid have said that all these three forms of the verb mean to 'acquire spoils of war'. In this case the verse means: if the Muslim husbands' wives fled to the unbelievers and, in terms of the treaty, they did not return the dowers to the Muslim husbands, they would be compensated from the booty acquired in war.1 (1) A third interpretation of the word is that it is derived from 'aqibah' which means 'turn', and the infinitive mu'aqabah means 'to take turn in riding a horse etc.' In this case the verb aqabtum in the verse would mean: 'you have your turn', and the sense would be that when it is your turn to pay the dowers to the unbelievers, you should, instead of paying it to them, pay it to those Muslims whose wives have deserted them and joined the unbelievers who did not return to their husbands the dower they had paid to deserting wives and were entitled, by virtue of the treaty, to take it back from the unbelievers. This interpretation is adopted by 'Alusi in R4-ul-Ma’ ani, and by Maulana Ashraf Thanawi (رح) . The translation in the text is based on it. (Mulammad Taqi Usmani) Did some of the Muslim Women become Apostates and flee to Makkah? Some of the authorities believe that the situation mentioned in this verse arose only in one incident. The wife of Sayyidna ` Iyad Ibn Ghanam Quraishi, Umm-ul-Hakam bint Abi Sufyan, abandoned the Islamic Faith and fled to Makkah. However, later on she reverted to Islam. Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ reports that about six women altogether abandoned Islam and deserted to the unbelievers, one of whom is the woman whose name has been given in the previous paragraph. The other five of them were infidels from outset and remained in Makkah at the time of migration. When this verse was revealed dissolving the marriage between Muslims and pagans, they stubbornly clung to their disbelief and were not willing to embrace the Faith. As a result, these women were also counted among those whose dowers should be paid to their Muslim husbands by the pagans of Makkah. But they did not pay, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ compensated for the loss of their dowers from the spoils of war. This indicates that there is only one incident where a woman actually became an apostate and fled to Makkah from Madinah. The rest of the five women were unbelievers from beginning. As reported earlier, even the woman who abandoned Islam and fled to Makkah later on reverted to Islam. [ Qurtubi ]. Baghawi cites, on the authority of Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، that all five women who are counted as apostates reverted to Islam later on. [ Mazhari ].

Bai'ah of Women ا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ يُبَايِعْنَكَ عَلَىٰ أَن لَّا يُشْرِ‌كْنَ بِاللَّـهِ شَيْئًا (0 Prophet, when the believing women come to you, seeking bai'ah [ a pledge of allegiance ] with you that they will not ascribe anything as a partner to Allah, ....60:12). This verse requires the Holy Prophet k to take a pledge from the Muslim women not only to adhere to Islamic articles of faith, but also to all the Islamic precepts. Previously, in verse [ 10] Allah had directed that when the emigrant women come to the believers, they should be tested and examined. The pledge of allegiance in the present verse is a complement to this test of the faith. But the words of the verse are general, and not confined to new Muslim emigrants. In fact, it covers all Muslim women. Accordingly, when the pledge was actually taken, it was not restricted to the emigrant new Muslim women, but the earlier Muslim women joined it as well, as is recorded in Sahih of Bukhari, on the authority of Sayyidah Umm ` Atiyyah ؓ . It is also recorded by Baghawi from Sayyidah Umaimah bint Ruqaiqah ؓ who adds that in the company of a few other women she gave bai'ah (pledge) to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . The Holy Prophet ﷺ added the following over-rider فِیمَا استَطَعتُنَّ وَاَطَقتُنَّ (In as much as you have the ability and strength to carry them out.) Sayyidah Umaimah ؓ says: "This shows that the Holy Prophet ﷺ had more mercy and compassion for us than ourselves, as we wanted to pledge without any restriction or condition, but by utterance of this sentence he reduced the burden and tension of the terms of the loyalty, so that we may not be held guilty for any violation under compelled circumstances." [ Mazhari ]. Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ says, as recorded in Bukhari, that the loyalty of women was their verbal pledge of allegiance, not by touching the hand of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، as was the custom in the case of men's loyalty. The Holy Prophet's ﷺ blessed hand never touched the hand of any non-mahram. [ Mazhari ] Reports indicate that the bai'ah (pledge of allegiance) of women took place not only on this occasion after Hudaibiyah, but several times later as well. Such a pledge was taken on the day of the Conquest of Makkah. At first, the Holy Prophet ﷺ took pledge of loyalty from men, then he took it from women at mount Safa. Sayyidna ` Umar Ibn Khattab ؓ used to relay the words of loyalty, on behalf of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، to the women gathering at the foot of the mountain, who participated in this pledge. Abu Sufyan's wife, Hind, also participated in this pledge. At first, she felt embarrassed and wanted to hide herself. But the pledge contained some injunctions of Shari’ ah, and she was forced to speak and asked several questions. Mazhari sets out a detailed account of this incident. Men's bai'ah was Concise and Women's bai'ah Elaborate Generally, the bai'ah taken from men was about Faith and Islam. Their pledge did not contain the details of injunctions of Shari'ah, unlike the pledge of women, which contained the details that are forthcoming. The difference between the two pledge is that men's pledging for faith and obedience secures an undertaking to practice the entire system of Shari` ah and religion, and therefore there was no need for details. Women, on the other hand, are generally less intelligent than men. Therefore, details were thought to be necessary. This is the bai'ah that started with women, but later on was not confined to them. As time went on, the same detailed bai'ah was taken from men as well. Prophetic Traditions confirm this [ as transmitted by Sayyidna ` Ubadah Ibn Samit ؓ ] [ Qurtubi ]. Furthermore, the injunctions mentioned in the bai'ah of women in this verse are those regarding which they are normally lax. That is another reason why the following details had to be setry out. There are six injunctions mentioned in the verse; يُبَايِعْنَكَ عَلَىٰ أَن لَّا يُشْرِ‌كْنَ بِاللَّـهِ شَيْئًا seeking bai'ah (pledge of allegiance) with you that they will not ascribe anything as a partner to Allah,....60:12) The first is that they will not ascribe any partner to Allah. Affirmation of faith and avoidance of shirk are vows common to men as well as women. The second pledge is that they shall not commit theft. Many women are wont to stealing from their husband's possessions. Therefore, this vow has been taken. The third vow is that they shall avoid committing adultery. If the women are firm in this, it shall make men's salvation from this sin easier. The fourth vow is that they shall not kill their children. In the Days of Ignorance, it was a common practice to bury infant girls alive and destroy their lives. This clause of the vow is a bar to it. The fifth vow is that they shall not bring calumny against anyone. While referring to this injunction, following words are added: بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِنَّ وَأَرْ‌جُلِهِنَّ (...that they falsely attribute between their hands and their feet" ) This phrase has been added in order to indicate that on the Day of Resurrection man's hands and feet will bear witness against his actions. The verse thus warns that he is committing such sins in the presence of four witnesses who will bear witness against him. The word buhtan [ calumny ] is used in its general sense and it is totally forbidden, whether against the husband or any other person or even against a non-believer. Buhtan is even more severe interpreted that sin if it is clause of against the husband. Commentators have buhtan may take place in the following ways: [ 1] a woman may claim that a child born to her from another man is her husband's; [ 2] a woman may take custody of another child and claim that it is her husband's; and [ 3] God forbid! a woman may commit adultery and conceive, and when the child is born, she may impute it to her husband. In short, it is prohibited to give a false ascription of paternity in anyway whatsoever. The sixth vow is a general rule: وَلَا يَعْصِينَكَ فِي مَعْرُ‌وفٍ (...and will not disobey you in what is recognized [ in Shari` ah ]....60:12) This vow means that they shall obey Allah's Messenger ﷺ and will not disobey him. But the obedience is qualified by the words, "in what is recognized in Shari` ah" that is, the right and good things, although we know for that Allah's Messenger ﷺ will only command people to do right and good. This is because the Muslims in general are made to understand clearly that obedience to any creation in disobedience to Allah is absolutely forbidden, so much so that even obedience to the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been qualified by this condition. Another reason for adding this phrase may be that since this pledge of obedience was taken from women, the Shaitan could whisper evil thoughts into their minds and create deviant ways for them to go awry. The restriction blocked the way. Allah, the Pure and Exalted, knows best! Alliamdulillah The Commentary on Surah Al-Mumtahinah Ends here

Bai'ah of Women ا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ يُبَايِعْنَكَ عَلَىٰ أَن لَّا يُشْرِ‌كْنَ بِاللَّـهِ شَيْئًا (0 Prophet, when the believing women come to you, seeking bai'ah [ a pledge of allegiance ] with you that they will not ascribe anything as a partner to Allah, ....60:12). This verse requires the Holy Prophet k to take a pledge from the Muslim women not only to adhere to Islamic articles of faith, but also to all the Islamic precepts. Previously, in verse [ 10] Allah had directed that when the emigrant women come to the believers, they should be tested and examined. The pledge of allegiance in the present verse is a complement to this test of the faith. But the words of the verse are general, and not confined to new Muslim emigrants. In fact, it covers all Muslim women. Accordingly, when the pledge was actually taken, it was not restricted to the emigrant new Muslim women, but the earlier Muslim women joined it as well, as is recorded in Sahih of Bukhari, on the authority of Sayyidah Umm ` Atiyyah ؓ . It is also recorded by Baghawi from Sayyidah Umaimah bint Ruqaiqah ؓ who adds that in the company of a few other women she gave bai'ah (pledge) to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . The Holy Prophet ﷺ added the following over-rider فِیمَا استَطَعتُنَّ وَاَطَقتُنَّ (In as much as you have the ability and strength to carry them out.) Sayyidah Umaimah ؓ says: "This shows that the Holy Prophet ﷺ had more mercy and compassion for us than ourselves, as we wanted to pledge without any restriction or condition, but by utterance of this sentence he reduced the burden and tension of the terms of the loyalty, so that we may not be held guilty for any violation under compelled circumstances." [ Mazhari ]. Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ says, as recorded in Bukhari, that the loyalty of women was their verbal pledge of allegiance, not by touching the hand of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، as was the custom in the case of men's loyalty. The Holy Prophet's ﷺ blessed hand never touched the hand of any non-mahram. [ Mazhari ] Reports indicate that the bai'ah (pledge of allegiance) of women took place not only on this occasion after Hudaibiyah, but several times later as well. Such a pledge was taken on the day of the Conquest of Makkah. At first, the Holy Prophet ﷺ took pledge of loyalty from men, then he took it from women at mount Safa. Sayyidna ` Umar Ibn Khattab ؓ used to relay the words of loyalty, on behalf of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، to the women gathering at the foot of the mountain, who participated in this pledge. Abu Sufyan's wife, Hind, also participated in this pledge. At first, she felt embarrassed and wanted to hide herself. But the pledge contained some injunctions of Shari’ ah, and she was forced to speak and asked several questions. Mazhari sets out a detailed account of this incident. Men's bai'ah was Concise and Women's bai'ah Elaborate Generally, the bai'ah taken from men was about Faith and Islam. Their pledge did not contain the details of injunctions of Shari'ah, unlike the pledge of women, which contained the details that are forthcoming. The difference between the two pledge is that men's pledging for faith and obedience secures an undertaking to practice the entire system of Shari` ah and religion, and therefore there was no need for details. Women, on the other hand, are generally less intelligent than men. Therefore, details were thought to be necessary. This is the bai'ah that started with women, but later on was not confined to them. As time went on, the same detailed bai'ah was taken from men as well. Prophetic Traditions confirm this [ as transmitted by Sayyidna ` Ubadah Ibn Samit ؓ ] [ Qurtubi ]. Furthermore, the injunctions mentioned in the bai'ah of women in this verse are those regarding which they are normally lax. That is another reason why the following details had to be setry out. There are six injunctions mentioned in the verse; يُبَايِعْنَكَ عَلَىٰ أَن لَّا يُشْرِ‌كْنَ بِاللَّـهِ شَيْئًا seeking bai'ah (pledge of allegiance) with you that they will not ascribe anything as a partner to Allah,....60:12) The first is that they will not ascribe any partner to Allah. Affirmation of faith and avoidance of shirk are vows common to men as well as women. The second pledge is that they shall not commit theft. Many women are wont to stealing from their husband's possessions. Therefore, this vow has been taken. The third vow is that they shall avoid committing adultery. If the women are firm in this, it shall make men's salvation from this sin easier. The fourth vow is that they shall not kill their children. In the Days of Ignorance, it was a common practice to bury infant girls alive and destroy their lives. This clause of the vow is a bar to it. The fifth vow is that they shall not bring calumny against anyone. While referring to this injunction, following words are added: بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِنَّ وَأَرْ‌جُلِهِنَّ (...that they falsely attribute between their hands and their feet" ) This phrase has been added in order to indicate that on the Day of Resurrection man's hands and feet will bear witness against his actions. The verse thus warns that he is committing such sins in the presence of four witnesses who will bear witness against him. The word buhtan [ calumny ] is used in its general sense and it is totally forbidden, whether against the husband or any other person or even against a non-believer. Buhtan is even more severe interpreted that sin if it is clause of against the husband. Commentators have buhtan may take place in the following ways: [ 1] a woman may claim that a child born to her from another man is her husband's; [ 2] a woman may take custody of another child and claim that it is her husband's; and [ 3] God forbid! a woman may commit adultery and conceive, and when the child is born, she may impute it to her husband. In short, it is prohibited to give a false ascription of paternity in anyway whatsoever. The sixth vow is a general rule: وَلَا يَعْصِينَكَ فِي مَعْرُ‌وفٍ (...and will not disobey you in what is recognized [ in Shari` ah ]....60:12) This vow means that they shall obey Allah's Messenger ﷺ and will not disobey him. But the obedience is qualified by the words, "in what is recognized in Shari` ah" that is, the right and good things, although we know for that Allah's Messenger ﷺ will only command people to do right and good. This is because the Muslims in general are made to understand clearly that obedience to any creation in disobedience to Allah is absolutely forbidden, so much so that even obedience to the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been qualified by this condition. Another reason for adding this phrase may be that since this pledge of obedience was taken from women, the Shaitan could whisper evil thoughts into their minds and create deviant ways for them to go awry. The restriction blocked the way. Allah, the Pure and Exalted, knows best! Alliamdulillah The Commentary on Surah Al-Mumtahinah Ends here

Commentary Background of the revelation Tirmidhi has recorded, on the authority of Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Salam ؓ ، that a group of Companions discussed among themselves that if we come to know which is the dearest of actions in the sight of Allah, we shall act upon it. Hakim reported this Tradition and graded its chain as sahib'. Baghawi in his citation added the following words: "If we come to know which is the dearest of actions in the sight of Allah, we shall dedicate our lives and wealth to it." [ Mazhari ]. Ibn Kathir, with reference to Musnad of Ahmad, reports that some of the Companions gathered and wanted someone to go to Allah's Messenger ﷺ and ask him about the action that is dearest to Allah, but no one dared to do so. Whilst this discussion was going on, the Holy Messenger ﷺ sent a man to call each one of them by name. When they all arrived, the Holy Prophet ﷺ recited the entire Surah As-Saff which had been revealed just then. This Surah shows that the 'dearest action' they were looking for was jihad in the cause of Allah' and their statement that 'if we come to know about it, we shall dedicate our lives in acting upon it' was a sort of claim of having ability to do it. At this, they are admonished that it is not proper for any believer to make such a claim, because no one can for sure know whether he will be able to implement his intentions when the time arrives. It is not in his power that all the causes of action are made effective and all impediments are removed. Nor are the abilities and strengths of his hands or arms or limbs or organs altogether in his power. Nor is his determination or intention completely in his control. Therefore, even the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been instructed in the Qur'an, thus: وَلَا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَيْءٍ إِنِّي فَاعِلٌ ذَٰلِكَ غَدًا إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّـهُ "And never say about anything, 'I am going to do this tomorrow, unless [ you say - 'if ] Allah wills.) [ 18: 23-24] Although the intention of the blessed Companions was not to make a boastful claim, it did seem apparently as a claim, which Allah dislikes. If a person makes a commitment to do something in the future, he needs to surrender it to the Divine will and affirm it by saying 'If Allah wills'. The following verses are revealed to admonish the believers.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴿2﴾ كَبُرَ‌ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّـهِ أَن تَقُولُوا مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴿3﴾ (0 those who believe, why do you say what you do not do? It is severely hateful in Allah's sight that you say what you do not do...61:2-3) Apparently, the phrase 'what you do not do' implies that one should not claim to do something he does not intend to do. From this it may be deduced that it is prohibited to make a commitment to do a work while a person does not have the genuine intention to really do it, because this would be ostentation and a false commitment. Obviously, the blessed Companions, in the story of the background of revelation, were not making such promises without having intention to fulfill them. Instead, their intention was genuine. From this we learn that the verse includes a situation where a person commits to do something with true intention to do it, but relies solely on his own strength, it is not in keeping with his station of ` abdiyyah or 'servitude'. First of all, there is no need to make such a claim. If the occasion does arise to do something, he may go ahead and do it. If, for some reason or the other, a person has to make a promise or claim, he may affirm it by saying 'If Allah wills'. In this way, it would not be a boastful claim. Ruling It follows from the above discussion that if a person claims that he will do something in future but has no intention to do it, it is a major sin (kabirah) and a cause of incurring Allah's wrath. The sentence: كَبُرَ‌ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّـهِ "It is severely hateful in Allah's sight that you say what you do not do....[ 61:3] " applies to this situation. However, in a situation where one makes a claim to do something in future with real intention to do it, it is makruh [ reprehensible ] and forbidden only if he makes the claim relying on his own strength and ability. Difference between a Claim (Da` wa) and Preaching (Da'wah) It is learnt from the foregoing discussion that these verses are related to false claims (Da` wa) to do something in future without intention to do it, which incurs Divine displeasure and indignation. This verse is not related to a situation where a preacher invites others to do something, while he himself does not do it. The rules of this situation are mentioned in other verses and Ahadith. For example: أَتَأْمُرُ‌ونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ‌ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ , (Do you bid others to righteousness while you ignore your own selves) [ 2:44] This verse puts to shame such preachers who do not practice what they preach. The import of this verse is that when they are preaching to others, they should preach to themselves with greater force, and if they are calling other people to do good deeds, they too should practice them. All this does not imply that if a person has been lax in the performance of good deeds, he should abandon preaching to others. Or if he has been indulging in any kind of sin, he should not forbid others from indulging in such sins. It needs to be borne in mind that the performance of a righteous deed is one form of virtue, and urging others to perform this righteous deed is another form of virtue in its own right. Obviously, if one has abandoned one form of virtue, it does not necessarily follow that he should abandon the other form as well. It is possible that through the blessing of the preachment, the preacher might develop the ability to perform the righteous deed. This has been experienced widely and on a large scale. However, if the deed belongs to the category of wajib or sunnah mu'akkadah, it is obligatory, in the light of the verses, to continuously show remorse and regret on one's not practicing it. And if the action belongs to the category of mustahabbat, it is mustahab [ rewardable ] to show remorse and regret.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴿2﴾ كَبُرَ‌ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّـهِ أَن تَقُولُوا مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴿3﴾ (0 those who believe, why do you say what you do not do? It is severely hateful in Allah's sight that you say what you do not do...61:2-3) Apparently, the phrase 'what you do not do' implies that one should not claim to do something he does not intend to do. From this it may be deduced that it is prohibited to make a commitment to do a work while a person does not have the genuine intention to really do it, because this would be ostentation and a false commitment. Obviously, the blessed Companions, in the story of the background of revelation, were not making such promises without having intention to fulfill them. Instead, their intention was genuine. From this we learn that the verse includes a situation where a person commits to do something with true intention to do it, but relies solely on his own strength, it is not in keeping with his station of ` abdiyyah or 'servitude'. First of all, there is no need to make such a claim. If the occasion does arise to do something, he may go ahead and do it. If, for some reason or the other, a person has to make a promise or claim, he may affirm it by saying 'If Allah wills'. In this way, it would not be a boastful claim. Ruling It follows from the above discussion that if a person claims that he will do something in future but has no intention to do it, it is a major sin (kabirah) and a cause of incurring Allah's wrath. The sentence: كَبُرَ‌ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّـهِ "It is severely hateful in Allah's sight that you say what you do not do....[ 61:3] " applies to this situation. However, in a situation where one makes a claim to do something in future with real intention to do it, it is makruh [ reprehensible ] and forbidden only if he makes the claim relying on his own strength and ability. Difference between a Claim (Da` wa) and Preaching (Da'wah) It is learnt from the foregoing discussion that these verses are related to false claims (Da` wa) to do something in future without intention to do it, which incurs Divine displeasure and indignation. This verse is not related to a situation where a preacher invites others to do something, while he himself does not do it. The rules of this situation are mentioned in other verses and Ahadith. For example: أَتَأْمُرُ‌ونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ‌ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ , (Do you bid others to righteousness while you ignore your own selves) [ 2:44] This verse puts to shame such preachers who do not practice what they preach. The import of this verse is that when they are preaching to others, they should preach to themselves with greater force, and if they are calling other people to do good deeds, they too should practice them. All this does not imply that if a person has been lax in the performance of good deeds, he should abandon preaching to others. Or if he has been indulging in any kind of sin, he should not forbid others from indulging in such sins. It needs to be borne in mind that the performance of a righteous deed is one form of virtue, and urging others to perform this righteous deed is another form of virtue in its own right. Obviously, if one has abandoned one form of virtue, it does not necessarily follow that he should abandon the other form as well. It is possible that through the blessing of the preachment, the preacher might develop the ability to perform the righteous deed. This has been experienced widely and on a large scale. However, if the deed belongs to the category of wajib or sunnah mu'akkadah, it is obligatory, in the light of the verses, to continuously show remorse and regret on one's not practicing it. And if the action belongs to the category of mustahabbat, it is mustahab [ rewardable ] to show remorse and regret.

إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَانٌ مَّرْ‌صُوصٌ (Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in firm rows, as if they were a solid edifice...61:4) The main subject of this Surah for which it was revealed is to mention the dearest action in the sight of Allah. This verse states that it is jihad in Allah's way, and that the best row of battle in the sight of Allah is the one firmly established against Allah's enemies to make Allah's word prevail, and which, on account of the valor and unshaken determination of Mujahidin, looks like a strong structure cemented with molten lead. This is followed by a description of the Jihads which Prophets Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) fought in Allah's Cause, and how they suffered at the hands of the enemies. After this description, the Muslims are directed to undertake jihad. The stories of Prophets Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) have many academic and practical lessons and guidance to offer. For instance, it is described in the story of ` Isa (علیہ السلام) that when he invited the Children of Israel to accept his prophethood and obey him, he mentioned two things in particular. First, he said that he was not a unique Prophet who came with unique teachings. In fact, his teachings were the same as those of the previous prophets. They are mentioned in the earlier celestial scriptures, and the same teachings will be imparted later by the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . From among the earlier Scriptures, Torah is specially mentioned in this context, probably because that was the latest Scripture that was revealed to the Children of Israel. Otherwise belief in the Prophets embraces all the previous Scriptures of Allah. This also points out that the Shari’ ah of ` Isa (علیہ السلام) was, though an independent Shari’ ah, its most rules conformed to the sacred laws of Musa (علیہ السلام) and the Torah. Only a few laws had been changed. This theme covered the subject of belief in the previous Prophets and their Books. The second thing ` Isa (علیہ السلام) mentioned in particular was the good news of the advent of the Final Messenger ﷺ . This too points out that his teachings will also be the same as those of the previous Prophets (علیہم السلام) ، and therefore it is the demand of reason and honesty to believe in him. Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) foretold the Children of Israel that a Final Messenger ﷺ will come after him by the name of Ahmad. When he appears, it would be obligatory for them to embrace faith in him and obey him مُبَشِّرً‌ا بِرَ‌سُولٍ يَأْتِي مِن بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ (…and giving you the good news of a messenger who will come after me, whose name is Ahmad."...6) The name of the Final Messenger ﷺ is given here as Ahmad. The name of the Final Messenger ﷺ was Muhammad and Ahmad. He had some other names as well. However, the name given in Injil is Ahmad rather than Muhammad, perhaps because Muhammad was a common name in Arabia since time immemorial. There was a possibility that the people might take the reference to some other person, rather than the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . The name Ahmad, on the other hand, was an uncommon name in Arabia, and was exclusive to the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . Prophecy of The Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Injil It is a known fact that the previously revealed Divine scriptures have been changed and distorted. The Jews and the Christians themselves had to admit that Torah and Injil have been subjected to changes and distortion. As a matter of fact, the distortions made in these scriptures are so drastic that it is hardly possible to make out the original texts of the scriptures. Based on the distorted version of Injil, the Christians today challenge the correctness of the Qur'anic version of the prophecy, asserting that no prophecy in the name of Ahmad is found in the Injil. An elaborate response to Christian challenge has been prepared by Maulana Rahmatullah Kairanwi (رح) . The name of his book is Izhar-ul -Haqq. He has thoroughly analyzed Christianity and changes made in the Bible. He concludes that despite drastic changes in the present Biblical version the prophecy about the Prophet Ahmad ﷺ is still available. This book was originally written in Arabic, later its translations appeared in Turkish and English. Christian missionaries attempted their utmost to destroy it. Its Urdu translation was not available until recently. A little while back, Maulana Akbar ` Ali, a lecturer at Darul Uloom Karachi, translated it into Urdu, with in-depth research into current versions of the Bible by Maulana Muhammad Taqi, lecturer at Darul Uloom, and published in three volumes. Volume [ 3] from pages 182 to 362 elaborates on the prophecies pertaining to the Holy Prophet ﷺ with reference to the currently published Bibles, and rebuts their doubts and allays their suspicions.

إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَانٌ مَّرْ‌صُوصٌ (Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in firm rows, as if they were a solid edifice...61:4) The main subject of this Surah for which it was revealed is to mention the dearest action in the sight of Allah. This verse states that it is jihad in Allah's way, and that the best row of battle in the sight of Allah is the one firmly established against Allah's enemies to make Allah's word prevail, and which, on account of the valor and unshaken determination of Mujahidin, looks like a strong structure cemented with molten lead. This is followed by a description of the Jihads which Prophets Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) fought in Allah's Cause, and how they suffered at the hands of the enemies. After this description, the Muslims are directed to undertake jihad. The stories of Prophets Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) have many academic and practical lessons and guidance to offer. For instance, it is described in the story of ` Isa (علیہ السلام) that when he invited the Children of Israel to accept his prophethood and obey him, he mentioned two things in particular. First, he said that he was not a unique Prophet who came with unique teachings. In fact, his teachings were the same as those of the previous prophets. They are mentioned in the earlier celestial scriptures, and the same teachings will be imparted later by the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . From among the earlier Scriptures, Torah is specially mentioned in this context, probably because that was the latest Scripture that was revealed to the Children of Israel. Otherwise belief in the Prophets embraces all the previous Scriptures of Allah. This also points out that the Shari’ ah of ` Isa (علیہ السلام) was, though an independent Shari’ ah, its most rules conformed to the sacred laws of Musa (علیہ السلام) and the Torah. Only a few laws had been changed. This theme covered the subject of belief in the previous Prophets and their Books. The second thing ` Isa (علیہ السلام) mentioned in particular was the good news of the advent of the Final Messenger ﷺ . This too points out that his teachings will also be the same as those of the previous Prophets (علیہم السلام) ، and therefore it is the demand of reason and honesty to believe in him. Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) foretold the Children of Israel that a Final Messenger ﷺ will come after him by the name of Ahmad. When he appears, it would be obligatory for them to embrace faith in him and obey him مُبَشِّرً‌ا بِرَ‌سُولٍ يَأْتِي مِن بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ (…and giving you the good news of a messenger who will come after me, whose name is Ahmad."...6) The name of the Final Messenger ﷺ is given here as Ahmad. The name of the Final Messenger ﷺ was Muhammad and Ahmad. He had some other names as well. However, the name given in Injil is Ahmad rather than Muhammad, perhaps because Muhammad was a common name in Arabia since time immemorial. There was a possibility that the people might take the reference to some other person, rather than the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . The name Ahmad, on the other hand, was an uncommon name in Arabia, and was exclusive to the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . Prophecy of The Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Injil It is a known fact that the previously revealed Divine scriptures have been changed and distorted. The Jews and the Christians themselves had to admit that Torah and Injil have been subjected to changes and distortion. As a matter of fact, the distortions made in these scriptures are so drastic that it is hardly possible to make out the original texts of the scriptures. Based on the distorted version of Injil, the Christians today challenge the correctness of the Qur'anic version of the prophecy, asserting that no prophecy in the name of Ahmad is found in the Injil. An elaborate response to Christian challenge has been prepared by Maulana Rahmatullah Kairanwi (رح) . The name of his book is Izhar-ul -Haqq. He has thoroughly analyzed Christianity and changes made in the Bible. He concludes that despite drastic changes in the present Biblical version the prophecy about the Prophet Ahmad ﷺ is still available. This book was originally written in Arabic, later its translations appeared in Turkish and English. Christian missionaries attempted their utmost to destroy it. Its Urdu translation was not available until recently. A little while back, Maulana Akbar ` Ali, a lecturer at Darul Uloom Karachi, translated it into Urdu, with in-depth research into current versions of the Bible by Maulana Muhammad Taqi, lecturer at Darul Uloom, and published in three volumes. Volume [ 3] from pages 182 to 362 elaborates on the prophecies pertaining to the Holy Prophet ﷺ with reference to the currently published Bibles, and rebuts their doubts and allays their suspicions.

إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَانٌ مَّرْ‌صُوصٌ (Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in firm rows, as if they were a solid edifice...61:4) The main subject of this Surah for which it was revealed is to mention the dearest action in the sight of Allah. This verse states that it is jihad in Allah's way, and that the best row of battle in the sight of Allah is the one firmly established against Allah's enemies to make Allah's word prevail, and which, on account of the valor and unshaken determination of Mujahidin, looks like a strong structure cemented with molten lead. This is followed by a description of the Jihads which Prophets Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) fought in Allah's Cause, and how they suffered at the hands of the enemies. After this description, the Muslims are directed to undertake jihad. The stories of Prophets Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) have many academic and practical lessons and guidance to offer. For instance, it is described in the story of ` Isa (علیہ السلام) that when he invited the Children of Israel to accept his prophethood and obey him, he mentioned two things in particular. First, he said that he was not a unique Prophet who came with unique teachings. In fact, his teachings were the same as those of the previous prophets. They are mentioned in the earlier celestial scriptures, and the same teachings will be imparted later by the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . From among the earlier Scriptures, Torah is specially mentioned in this context, probably because that was the latest Scripture that was revealed to the Children of Israel. Otherwise belief in the Prophets embraces all the previous Scriptures of Allah. This also points out that the Shari’ ah of ` Isa (علیہ السلام) was, though an independent Shari’ ah, its most rules conformed to the sacred laws of Musa (علیہ السلام) and the Torah. Only a few laws had been changed. This theme covered the subject of belief in the previous Prophets and their Books. The second thing ` Isa (علیہ السلام) mentioned in particular was the good news of the advent of the Final Messenger ﷺ . This too points out that his teachings will also be the same as those of the previous Prophets (علیہم السلام) ، and therefore it is the demand of reason and honesty to believe in him. Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) foretold the Children of Israel that a Final Messenger ﷺ will come after him by the name of Ahmad. When he appears, it would be obligatory for them to embrace faith in him and obey him مُبَشِّرً‌ا بِرَ‌سُولٍ يَأْتِي مِن بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ (…and giving you the good news of a messenger who will come after me, whose name is Ahmad."...6) The name of the Final Messenger ﷺ is given here as Ahmad. The name of the Final Messenger ﷺ was Muhammad and Ahmad. He had some other names as well. However, the name given in Injil is Ahmad rather than Muhammad, perhaps because Muhammad was a common name in Arabia since time immemorial. There was a possibility that the people might take the reference to some other person, rather than the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . The name Ahmad, on the other hand, was an uncommon name in Arabia, and was exclusive to the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . Prophecy of The Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Injil It is a known fact that the previously revealed Divine scriptures have been changed and distorted. The Jews and the Christians themselves had to admit that Torah and Injil have been subjected to changes and distortion. As a matter of fact, the distortions made in these scriptures are so drastic that it is hardly possible to make out the original texts of the scriptures. Based on the distorted version of Injil, the Christians today challenge the correctness of the Qur'anic version of the prophecy, asserting that no prophecy in the name of Ahmad is found in the Injil. An elaborate response to Christian challenge has been prepared by Maulana Rahmatullah Kairanwi (رح) . The name of his book is Izhar-ul -Haqq. He has thoroughly analyzed Christianity and changes made in the Bible. He concludes that despite drastic changes in the present Biblical version the prophecy about the Prophet Ahmad ﷺ is still available. This book was originally written in Arabic, later its translations appeared in Turkish and English. Christian missionaries attempted their utmost to destroy it. Its Urdu translation was not available until recently. A little while back, Maulana Akbar ` Ali, a lecturer at Darul Uloom Karachi, translated it into Urdu, with in-depth research into current versions of the Bible by Maulana Muhammad Taqi, lecturer at Darul Uloom, and published in three volumes. Volume [ 3] from pages 182 to 362 elaborates on the prophecies pertaining to the Holy Prophet ﷺ with reference to the currently published Bibles, and rebuts their doubts and allays their suspicions.

إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَانٌ مَّرْ‌صُوصٌ (Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in firm rows, as if they were a solid edifice...61:4) The main subject of this Surah for which it was revealed is to mention the dearest action in the sight of Allah. This verse states that it is jihad in Allah's way, and that the best row of battle in the sight of Allah is the one firmly established against Allah's enemies to make Allah's word prevail, and which, on account of the valor and unshaken determination of Mujahidin, looks like a strong structure cemented with molten lead. This is followed by a description of the Jihads which Prophets Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) fought in Allah's Cause, and how they suffered at the hands of the enemies. After this description, the Muslims are directed to undertake jihad. The stories of Prophets Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) have many academic and practical lessons and guidance to offer. For instance, it is described in the story of ` Isa (علیہ السلام) that when he invited the Children of Israel to accept his prophethood and obey him, he mentioned two things in particular. First, he said that he was not a unique Prophet who came with unique teachings. In fact, his teachings were the same as those of the previous prophets. They are mentioned in the earlier celestial scriptures, and the same teachings will be imparted later by the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . From among the earlier Scriptures, Torah is specially mentioned in this context, probably because that was the latest Scripture that was revealed to the Children of Israel. Otherwise belief in the Prophets embraces all the previous Scriptures of Allah. This also points out that the Shari’ ah of ` Isa (علیہ السلام) was, though an independent Shari’ ah, its most rules conformed to the sacred laws of Musa (علیہ السلام) and the Torah. Only a few laws had been changed. This theme covered the subject of belief in the previous Prophets and their Books. The second thing ` Isa (علیہ السلام) mentioned in particular was the good news of the advent of the Final Messenger ﷺ . This too points out that his teachings will also be the same as those of the previous Prophets (علیہم السلام) ، and therefore it is the demand of reason and honesty to believe in him. Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) foretold the Children of Israel that a Final Messenger ﷺ will come after him by the name of Ahmad. When he appears, it would be obligatory for them to embrace faith in him and obey him مُبَشِّرً‌ا بِرَ‌سُولٍ يَأْتِي مِن بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ (…and giving you the good news of a messenger who will come after me, whose name is Ahmad."...6) The name of the Final Messenger ﷺ is given here as Ahmad. The name of the Final Messenger ﷺ was Muhammad and Ahmad. He had some other names as well. However, the name given in Injil is Ahmad rather than Muhammad, perhaps because Muhammad was a common name in Arabia since time immemorial. There was a possibility that the people might take the reference to some other person, rather than the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . The name Ahmad, on the other hand, was an uncommon name in Arabia, and was exclusive to the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . Prophecy of The Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Injil It is a known fact that the previously revealed Divine scriptures have been changed and distorted. The Jews and the Christians themselves had to admit that Torah and Injil have been subjected to changes and distortion. As a matter of fact, the distortions made in these scriptures are so drastic that it is hardly possible to make out the original texts of the scriptures. Based on the distorted version of Injil, the Christians today challenge the correctness of the Qur'anic version of the prophecy, asserting that no prophecy in the name of Ahmad is found in the Injil. An elaborate response to Christian challenge has been prepared by Maulana Rahmatullah Kairanwi (رح) . The name of his book is Izhar-ul -Haqq. He has thoroughly analyzed Christianity and changes made in the Bible. He concludes that despite drastic changes in the present Biblical version the prophecy about the Prophet Ahmad ﷺ is still available. This book was originally written in Arabic, later its translations appeared in Turkish and English. Christian missionaries attempted their utmost to destroy it. Its Urdu translation was not available until recently. A little while back, Maulana Akbar ` Ali, a lecturer at Darul Uloom Karachi, translated it into Urdu, with in-depth research into current versions of the Bible by Maulana Muhammad Taqi, lecturer at Darul Uloom, and published in three volumes. Volume [ 3] from pages 182 to 362 elaborates on the prophecies pertaining to the Holy Prophet ﷺ with reference to the currently published Bibles, and rebuts their doubts and allays their suspicions.

إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَانٌ مَّرْ‌صُوصٌ (Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in firm rows, as if they were a solid edifice...61:4) The main subject of this Surah for which it was revealed is to mention the dearest action in the sight of Allah. This verse states that it is jihad in Allah's way, and that the best row of battle in the sight of Allah is the one firmly established against Allah's enemies to make Allah's word prevail, and which, on account of the valor and unshaken determination of Mujahidin, looks like a strong structure cemented with molten lead. This is followed by a description of the Jihads which Prophets Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) fought in Allah's Cause, and how they suffered at the hands of the enemies. After this description, the Muslims are directed to undertake jihad. The stories of Prophets Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) have many academic and practical lessons and guidance to offer. For instance, it is described in the story of ` Isa (علیہ السلام) that when he invited the Children of Israel to accept his prophethood and obey him, he mentioned two things in particular. First, he said that he was not a unique Prophet who came with unique teachings. In fact, his teachings were the same as those of the previous prophets. They are mentioned in the earlier celestial scriptures, and the same teachings will be imparted later by the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . From among the earlier Scriptures, Torah is specially mentioned in this context, probably because that was the latest Scripture that was revealed to the Children of Israel. Otherwise belief in the Prophets embraces all the previous Scriptures of Allah. This also points out that the Shari’ ah of ` Isa (علیہ السلام) was, though an independent Shari’ ah, its most rules conformed to the sacred laws of Musa (علیہ السلام) and the Torah. Only a few laws had been changed. This theme covered the subject of belief in the previous Prophets and their Books. The second thing ` Isa (علیہ السلام) mentioned in particular was the good news of the advent of the Final Messenger ﷺ . This too points out that his teachings will also be the same as those of the previous Prophets (علیہم السلام) ، and therefore it is the demand of reason and honesty to believe in him. Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) foretold the Children of Israel that a Final Messenger ﷺ will come after him by the name of Ahmad. When he appears, it would be obligatory for them to embrace faith in him and obey him مُبَشِّرً‌ا بِرَ‌سُولٍ يَأْتِي مِن بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ (…and giving you the good news of a messenger who will come after me, whose name is Ahmad."...6) The name of the Final Messenger ﷺ is given here as Ahmad. The name of the Final Messenger ﷺ was Muhammad and Ahmad. He had some other names as well. However, the name given in Injil is Ahmad rather than Muhammad, perhaps because Muhammad was a common name in Arabia since time immemorial. There was a possibility that the people might take the reference to some other person, rather than the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . The name Ahmad, on the other hand, was an uncommon name in Arabia, and was exclusive to the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . Prophecy of The Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Injil It is a known fact that the previously revealed Divine scriptures have been changed and distorted. The Jews and the Christians themselves had to admit that Torah and Injil have been subjected to changes and distortion. As a matter of fact, the distortions made in these scriptures are so drastic that it is hardly possible to make out the original texts of the scriptures. Based on the distorted version of Injil, the Christians today challenge the correctness of the Qur'anic version of the prophecy, asserting that no prophecy in the name of Ahmad is found in the Injil. An elaborate response to Christian challenge has been prepared by Maulana Rahmatullah Kairanwi (رح) . The name of his book is Izhar-ul -Haqq. He has thoroughly analyzed Christianity and changes made in the Bible. He concludes that despite drastic changes in the present Biblical version the prophecy about the Prophet Ahmad ﷺ is still available. This book was originally written in Arabic, later its translations appeared in Turkish and English. Christian missionaries attempted their utmost to destroy it. Its Urdu translation was not available until recently. A little while back, Maulana Akbar ` Ali, a lecturer at Darul Uloom Karachi, translated it into Urdu, with in-depth research into current versions of the Bible by Maulana Muhammad Taqi, lecturer at Darul Uloom, and published in three volumes. Volume [ 3] from pages 182 to 362 elaborates on the prophecies pertaining to the Holy Prophet ﷺ with reference to the currently published Bibles, and rebuts their doubts and allays their suspicions.

إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَانٌ مَّرْ‌صُوصٌ (Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in firm rows, as if they were a solid edifice...61:4) The main subject of this Surah for which it was revealed is to mention the dearest action in the sight of Allah. This verse states that it is jihad in Allah's way, and that the best row of battle in the sight of Allah is the one firmly established against Allah's enemies to make Allah's word prevail, and which, on account of the valor and unshaken determination of Mujahidin, looks like a strong structure cemented with molten lead. This is followed by a description of the Jihads which Prophets Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) fought in Allah's Cause, and how they suffered at the hands of the enemies. After this description, the Muslims are directed to undertake jihad. The stories of Prophets Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) have many academic and practical lessons and guidance to offer. For instance, it is described in the story of ` Isa (علیہ السلام) that when he invited the Children of Israel to accept his prophethood and obey him, he mentioned two things in particular. First, he said that he was not a unique Prophet who came with unique teachings. In fact, his teachings were the same as those of the previous prophets. They are mentioned in the earlier celestial scriptures, and the same teachings will be imparted later by the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . From among the earlier Scriptures, Torah is specially mentioned in this context, probably because that was the latest Scripture that was revealed to the Children of Israel. Otherwise belief in the Prophets embraces all the previous Scriptures of Allah. This also points out that the Shari’ ah of ` Isa (علیہ السلام) was, though an independent Shari’ ah, its most rules conformed to the sacred laws of Musa (علیہ السلام) and the Torah. Only a few laws had been changed. This theme covered the subject of belief in the previous Prophets and their Books. The second thing ` Isa (علیہ السلام) mentioned in particular was the good news of the advent of the Final Messenger ﷺ . This too points out that his teachings will also be the same as those of the previous Prophets (علیہم السلام) ، and therefore it is the demand of reason and honesty to believe in him. Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) foretold the Children of Israel that a Final Messenger ﷺ will come after him by the name of Ahmad. When he appears, it would be obligatory for them to embrace faith in him and obey him مُبَشِّرً‌ا بِرَ‌سُولٍ يَأْتِي مِن بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ (…and giving you the good news of a messenger who will come after me, whose name is Ahmad."...6) The name of the Final Messenger ﷺ is given here as Ahmad. The name of the Final Messenger ﷺ was Muhammad and Ahmad. He had some other names as well. However, the name given in Injil is Ahmad rather than Muhammad, perhaps because Muhammad was a common name in Arabia since time immemorial. There was a possibility that the people might take the reference to some other person, rather than the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . The name Ahmad, on the other hand, was an uncommon name in Arabia, and was exclusive to the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . Prophecy of The Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Injil It is a known fact that the previously revealed Divine scriptures have been changed and distorted. The Jews and the Christians themselves had to admit that Torah and Injil have been subjected to changes and distortion. As a matter of fact, the distortions made in these scriptures are so drastic that it is hardly possible to make out the original texts of the scriptures. Based on the distorted version of Injil, the Christians today challenge the correctness of the Qur'anic version of the prophecy, asserting that no prophecy in the name of Ahmad is found in the Injil. An elaborate response to Christian challenge has been prepared by Maulana Rahmatullah Kairanwi (رح) . The name of his book is Izhar-ul -Haqq. He has thoroughly analyzed Christianity and changes made in the Bible. He concludes that despite drastic changes in the present Biblical version the prophecy about the Prophet Ahmad ﷺ is still available. This book was originally written in Arabic, later its translations appeared in Turkish and English. Christian missionaries attempted their utmost to destroy it. Its Urdu translation was not available until recently. A little while back, Maulana Akbar ` Ali, a lecturer at Darul Uloom Karachi, translated it into Urdu, with in-depth research into current versions of the Bible by Maulana Muhammad Taqi, lecturer at Darul Uloom, and published in three volumes. Volume [ 3] from pages 182 to 362 elaborates on the prophecies pertaining to the Holy Prophet ﷺ with reference to the currently published Bibles, and rebuts their doubts and allays their suspicions.

إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَانٌ مَّرْ‌صُوصٌ (Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in firm rows, as if they were a solid edifice...61:4) The main subject of this Surah for which it was revealed is to mention the dearest action in the sight of Allah. This verse states that it is jihad in Allah's way, and that the best row of battle in the sight of Allah is the one firmly established against Allah's enemies to make Allah's word prevail, and which, on account of the valor and unshaken determination of Mujahidin, looks like a strong structure cemented with molten lead. This is followed by a description of the Jihads which Prophets Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) fought in Allah's Cause, and how they suffered at the hands of the enemies. After this description, the Muslims are directed to undertake jihad. The stories of Prophets Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) have many academic and practical lessons and guidance to offer. For instance, it is described in the story of ` Isa (علیہ السلام) that when he invited the Children of Israel to accept his prophethood and obey him, he mentioned two things in particular. First, he said that he was not a unique Prophet who came with unique teachings. In fact, his teachings were the same as those of the previous prophets. They are mentioned in the earlier celestial scriptures, and the same teachings will be imparted later by the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . From among the earlier Scriptures, Torah is specially mentioned in this context, probably because that was the latest Scripture that was revealed to the Children of Israel. Otherwise belief in the Prophets embraces all the previous Scriptures of Allah. This also points out that the Shari’ ah of ` Isa (علیہ السلام) was, though an independent Shari’ ah, its most rules conformed to the sacred laws of Musa (علیہ السلام) and the Torah. Only a few laws had been changed. This theme covered the subject of belief in the previous Prophets and their Books. The second thing ` Isa (علیہ السلام) mentioned in particular was the good news of the advent of the Final Messenger ﷺ . This too points out that his teachings will also be the same as those of the previous Prophets (علیہم السلام) ، and therefore it is the demand of reason and honesty to believe in him. Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) foretold the Children of Israel that a Final Messenger ﷺ will come after him by the name of Ahmad. When he appears, it would be obligatory for them to embrace faith in him and obey him مُبَشِّرً‌ا بِرَ‌سُولٍ يَأْتِي مِن بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ (…and giving you the good news of a messenger who will come after me, whose name is Ahmad."...6) The name of the Final Messenger ﷺ is given here as Ahmad. The name of the Final Messenger ﷺ was Muhammad and Ahmad. He had some other names as well. However, the name given in Injil is Ahmad rather than Muhammad, perhaps because Muhammad was a common name in Arabia since time immemorial. There was a possibility that the people might take the reference to some other person, rather than the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . The name Ahmad, on the other hand, was an uncommon name in Arabia, and was exclusive to the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . Prophecy of The Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Injil It is a known fact that the previously revealed Divine scriptures have been changed and distorted. The Jews and the Christians themselves had to admit that Torah and Injil have been subjected to changes and distortion. As a matter of fact, the distortions made in these scriptures are so drastic that it is hardly possible to make out the original texts of the scriptures. Based on the distorted version of Injil, the Christians today challenge the correctness of the Qur'anic version of the prophecy, asserting that no prophecy in the name of Ahmad is found in the Injil. An elaborate response to Christian challenge has been prepared by Maulana Rahmatullah Kairanwi (رح) . The name of his book is Izhar-ul -Haqq. He has thoroughly analyzed Christianity and changes made in the Bible. He concludes that despite drastic changes in the present Biblical version the prophecy about the Prophet Ahmad ﷺ is still available. This book was originally written in Arabic, later its translations appeared in Turkish and English. Christian missionaries attempted their utmost to destroy it. Its Urdu translation was not available until recently. A little while back, Maulana Akbar ` Ali, a lecturer at Darul Uloom Karachi, translated it into Urdu, with in-depth research into current versions of the Bible by Maulana Muhammad Taqi, lecturer at Darul Uloom, and published in three volumes. Volume [ 3] from pages 182 to 362 elaborates on the prophecies pertaining to the Holy Prophet ﷺ with reference to the currently published Bibles, and rebuts their doubts and allays their suspicions.

Commentary تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ وَرَ‌سُولِهِ وَتُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ ( ...you believe in Allah and His Messenger, and carry out jihad in His way with your riches and your lives....61:11) This verse refers to 'faith and jihad (struggle) in Allah's way with one's wealth and life' as a trade, because when man invests wealth in trade and works hard, he gains profit. Likewise, when man believes in Allah and invests his life and wealth in His cause, he incurs Allah's pleasure and attains the eternal blessings of the Hereafter, which is mentioned in the forthcoming verse that whoever carries out this trade, Allah will forgive his sins and provide him with dwellings in the Gardens of Eternity with all sorts of luxuries and comforts, as is mentioned by the Holy Prophet in explanation of 'pleasant dwellings'. Alongside the blessings of the Hereafter, the next verse promises some blessings of this world too:

Commentary تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ وَرَ‌سُولِهِ وَتُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ ( ...you believe in Allah and His Messenger, and carry out jihad in His way with your riches and your lives....61:11) This verse refers to 'faith and jihad (struggle) in Allah's way with one's wealth and life' as a trade, because when man invests wealth in trade and works hard, he gains profit. Likewise, when man believes in Allah and invests his life and wealth in His cause, he incurs Allah's pleasure and attains the eternal blessings of the Hereafter, which is mentioned in the forthcoming verse that whoever carries out this trade, Allah will forgive his sins and provide him with dwellings in the Gardens of Eternity with all sorts of luxuries and comforts, as is mentioned by the Holy Prophet in explanation of 'pleasant dwellings'. Alongside the blessings of the Hereafter, the next verse promises some blessings of this world too:

وَأُخْرَ‌ىٰ تُحِبُّونَهَا ۖ نَصْرٌ‌ مِّنَ اللَّـهِ وَفَتْحٌ قَرِ‌يبٌ (And [ He will give you ] another thing that you love: Help from Allah, and a victory, near at hand ...61:13) This verse adds that the blessings of this trade are not restricted to the Hereafter. There is one blessing that will be granted right here in this world, which is the Divine help and an imminent victory, that is, conquests of enemy territories. If the word qarib (near) is taken as the opposite of Hereafter, it would include all later Islamic conquests of Arab and non-Arab territories. And if the word qarib (near) is taken in its normal sense, it would, in the first instance, apply to the conquest of Khaibar, and in the second instance it would apply to the Conquest of Makkah. This 'near victory' is referred to as تُحِبُّونَهَا "that you love". It implies that this worldly blessing is dear to man, because he is by nature haste-prone as the Qur'an says وَكَانَ الْإِنسَانُ عَجُولًا "...and man is prone to haste. [ 17:11] This, however, does not imply that the blessings of the Hereafter are not dear to him. It simply means that the love of seeking the blessings of the Hereafter is quite obvious, but he naturally would love to have the blessings of this world as well. They too will be granted to him.

کمَا قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْ‌يَمَ لِلْحَوَارِ‌يِّينَ مَنْ أَنصَارِ‌ي إِلَى اللَّـهِ (...just as ` Isa, son of Maryam, said to the Disciples, "Who are my supporters towards Allah?" ...[ 61:14] " The word حَوَارِ‌يُّونَ hawariyyin is the plural of hawariyy which connotes a 'sincere friend who is free from any kind of adulteration' [ Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani, referring to Azhari ]. This is the reason why people who believed in Prophet Jesus (علیہ السلام) are called hawariyy. They were twelve in number, as is already discussed in Surah 'Al-` Imran. This verse refers to an incident of Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) and urges the Muslims to gird up their loins to unselfishly help and support the religion of Allah, as when Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) was hurt by the enemies, he asked his disciples مَنْ أَنصَارِ‌ي إِلَى اللَّـهِ "Who are my supporters towards Allah?"...[ 14] In other words, 'who will help and support me in propagating the religion of Allah?' Twelve people volunteered and pledged to his loyalty and helped him in preaching the religion. Following this example, the Muslims ought to help and support Allah's religion. The blessed Companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ followed this example to the fullest extent, and acted upon this command to the highest degree, so much so that the example of the Holy Prophets' Companions stands unparalleled in the history of other ummahs. They helped the Holy Prophet ﷺ and, in the process, incurred the wrath and enmity of Arab and non-Arab communities for the sake of Allah's religion. They bore their tortures and persecution. They dedicated their lives, wealth and children to the cause. Eventually, Allah granted them help and victory. He granted them triumph and mastery of the world, and the territories of the enemies fell into their hands. Three Groups of Christians فَآمَنَت طَّائِفَةٌ مِّن بَنِي إِسْرَ‌ائِيلَ وَكَفَرَ‌ت طَّائِفَةٌ ۖ فَأَيَّدْنَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَىٰ عَدُوِّهِمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا ظَاهِرِ‌ينَ (So, a group from the children of Isra'il believed, and another group disbelieved. Then We supported those who believed against their enemy, and they became victorious...61:14) Baghawi interprets this verse in the light of a narration of Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ that when Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) was raised to the heaven, his followers disagreed and became three groups. A group claimed that He was Himself God who went back to the heaven. The second group claimed that He Himself was not God, but God's son. God lifted him up and salvaged him from the enemies and granted him superiority. The third group proclaimed the truth and said that he was neither god nor the son of god, but he was Allah's servant and His Messenger. Allah took him away to the heaven to protect him from the enemies, and to raise his status. These people were the true believers. Different sectors of the general public attached themselves to each one of these groups. The groups clashed with one another. The two of the non-believing groups overpowered the third group, which was a group of true believers. Eventually, Allah raised the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ who supported the group of the true believers. This group thus dominated the others because of their correct belief and its solid proofs confirmed by the Qur'an. [ Mazhari ] In this interpretation, the phrase الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا "those who believed [ 14] " would refer to the believers of the Ummah of the Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) who would triumph against the unbelievers with the help and support of the Final Messenger ﷺ . [ Mazhari ]. Some scholars hold that when Prophet Isa (علیہ السلام) was raised to the heaven, his followers were divided into two groups. One of them believed that he was God or God's son and thus they became polytheists. The other group believed that he was the servant of Allah and His Messenger, and thus they stuck to the right religion. Then there was a war between the believers and the unbelievers. Allah granted victory to the believing faction of Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) against the unbelieving faction. But it is popularly understood that in the religion of Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) the institution of jihad did not exist. Therefore, it is inconceivable that believers would have waged a war. [ Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani ]. However, it is possible that the unbelieving Christians might have started the war and the believing Christians were forced to defend themselves. This will not fall under the category of war. Al-hamdulillah The Commentary on Surah As-Saff Ends here