Appearance
Verses 51–54
It is difficult to say anything about these verses’ connection with the preceding ones or the ones that follow, like: Only Allah is your Guardian then surely the party of Allah are they that shall be triumphant; and then its connection with that which follows: O you who believe! Do not take for guardians ..., and finally their connection with the verse: O Messenger! Deliver what has been revealed to you ...
But as for the four verses under discussion, they speak about the Jews and the Christians. The Qur’an had not talked about them in the Meccan verses, because there was no such need at that time. It however describes their maneuvers in the verses revealed at Medina. Even then, the ones revealed in the early Medinan period are not concerned with the Christians, because Muslims in those days were involved with the Jews. They had to mingle with them, live with them, keep good relations with them, or evert their deceit and neutralize their plot. They were entangled with the Christians in the later half of the Prophet’s stay at Medina. Therefore, probably these four verses were revealed in that period; and perhaps the ‘victory’ alludes to the conquest of Mecca.
But it has been mentioned earlier that more reliably the chapter of “The Table” was revealed in the year of the Last pilgrimage, when Mecca was already conquered. So, does this victory refer to some conquest other than that of Mecca? Or, were these four verses revealed before Meccan conquest, and before the complete chapter was revealed? Again, is the last verse: O you who believe! Whoever of you turns back from his religion, then soon Allah will bring a people ..., connected with the three preceding ones? Which was the group whose apostasy was expected? Who were those people whom God promised to bring in place of the apostates? All these unanswered questions have compounded the confusion. The narratives giving the reason of revelation are varied and conflicting; actually they are merely personal opinions of the ancient exegetes, as is the case with most of such traditions. This excessive contradiction perplexes the mind and it fails to understand the verses’ meaning. Add to it the intermingling of sectarian prejudice with personal interpretations, as you will see later in the traditions and exegetes’ writings—both ancient and modern.
Meditation on these verses proves that the four are interlinked and independent having no relation with the preceding and the following verses; and the fourth one completes the intended theme. However one must be wary, in looking for its meaning, of laxities and carelessness indulged in by exegetes who have based their interpretations on personal views, especially regarding the attributes mentioned in the verses.
In a nutshell, God warns the believers against taking the Jews and the Christians for friends, and threatens them most severely; then points in an apocalyptic way where such friendship was to take them and how it would turn into ruins the magnificent structure of religious character; then God will bring on scene a people who will manage the affairs and restore the religion’s structure to its original splendor.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَىٰ أَوْلِيَاءَ ۘ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّهُمْ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ٥١
(5:51) O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.
Majmaʾ al-bayān says:
“al-Ittikhādh means to rely on a thing in preparation for an affair; it is on the stem of iftiʾāl from the root, al-akhdh (to take); actually it was al-iʾtikhādh. al-Akhdh (to take) is used in various ways: You say, ‘He took the book (when he placed it in his hand)’, ‘He took the offering (when he accepted it)’, ‘God took him from his refuge (when He caused him to die);’ it originally means passing of a thing from one direction to another.”
al-Rāghib says:
“al-Wilāʾ and al-Tawāllī means two or more things appear together in such a way that nothing extraneous comes between them. As an extended metaphor, it is used for proximity and nearness—in place, in relationship, in religion, in friendship, belief and mutual helping.”
More will be explained later.
In short, al-wilāyah is a sort of proximity, which removes barriers and partitions between two things, keeping in view the purpose of that proximity. If the proximity is with respect to piety and help, then waliyy is the helper whom nothing can prevent from helping the person who is near him. If it is in respect of harmony and love (which is spiritual attraction) then waliyy is the beloved before whom man cannot keep his own will and gives him whatever he desires; and if it is in respect of relationship, the waliyy is the one who inherits him without any hindrance; and if it is with respect of obedience, then the waliyy is the one who controls his affairs in any way he pleases.
God, the Sublime, in His words: “do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends,” has not put any condition or speciality on friend-ship; it is unrestricted [and as such should be prohibiting any kind of nearness]. But the words in the next verse: But you will see those in whose hearts is a disease, hastening towards them, saying: “We fear lest a calamity should befall us,” show that wilāyah in this verse is a sort of proximity and joining which is in affinity with the excuse offered by them, “We fear lest a calamity should befall us.” As such it points to the turn of fortune, which alternates between the people. Such calamities could befall them through other than the Jews and Christians in which case these hypocrites hoped to get help from these two groups by taking them for awliyāʾ, in the meaning of helpers; in the same way they were afraid of calamities befalling them from these two groups, and hoped to avert it by taking them for awliyāʾ, in the meaning of nearness in love and friendship.
Wilāyah in the meaning of nearness in love and friendship gives both benefits of help and spiritual blending. Therefore, it is the meaning intended in the verse. We shall describe under the last verse, O you who believe! Whoever of you turns back from his religion, that wilāyah here means only friendship, nothing else.
An exegete has forcefully claimed that wilāyah in these verses means wilāyah of helping—two persons or two groups enter into alliance or covenant that when need arises each party would help the other. His argument runs as follows:
“The verses—as their apparent meaning shows—were revealed before the Last Pilgrimage, in the early days of hijrah, when the Prophet, and the Muslims were not finished with the affairs of the Jews in Medina and around it in Fadak and Khaybar, etc. and beyond them were the Christians. Those Jews and Christians had entered into pacts and covenants of mutual help with various Arab tribes.
“This statement might fit on what has been narrated (in reasons of revelation) that ʿUbādah b. al-Sāmit (from Banū ʿAwf b. al-Khazraj) disavowed Banū Qaynuqāʾ when they fought the Messenger of God, and up to that time there was a wilāyah of covenant between him and them; but ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy (the leader of the hypocrites) did not separate from them and hastened towards them, saying: ‘We fear lest a calamity should befall us.’
“Or, as has been narrated in the story of Abū Lubābah that when the Messenger of God, sent him to Banū Qurayzah, so that he should make them come out of their fortress and accept the Prophet’s judgement, he pointed with his hand to his throat, hinting to them that it meant slaughter.
“Or, as is narrated that some of them used to write the news of Medina to the Christians of Syria, and some were reporting to the Jews of Medina in order to benefit from their wealth, even if it be a loan.
“Or, as is reported that after the killings and defeat in the battle
of Uhud, some of them said that he would attach himself to so-and-so Jew or Christian.
“All these narratives almost unanimously claim that it were the hypocrites who had said: ‘We fear lest a calamity should befall us.’
“In short, the verses forbid entering into covenant and wilāyah of mutual help between the Muslims and the Jews and the Christians. “Some people have emphasized it, claiming that linguistically the words and context of the verse totally oppose taking wilāyah in it in the meaning of wilāyah of love and reliance; it is also opposed by the reason of revelation and the overall condition under which the Muslims and the People of the Book lived in the era of revelation.
“How can the verse be taken to prohibit living and mingling with them even if they were dhimmīs or had pact with Muslims? We know that the Jews lived with the Prophet and the Muslims in Medina, and the Muslims dealt with them with total equality.”
Comment: All this shows a laxity and carelessness in finding out the verse’s connotation: What has he said that the verses were revealed before the year of the Last Pilgrimage—and it was the year when the chapter of “The Table” was revealed—presents not much difficulty; but it does not prove that the wilāyah denotes entering into covenant and not wilāyah of love.
As for the narrated reasons of revelation that show that the verses were revealed particularly about the covenant and the wilāyah of mutual help between some Arab tribes and the Jews and the Christians, the following comments apply to them:
First: The said reasons of revelation are mutually contradictory and do not present a single connotation which could be relied upon;
Second: It does not cover the wilāyah of the Christians, even if it covers somehow that of the Jews, because the Arabs did not have any wilāyah of covenant with the Christians.
Third: We agree to the reasons of revelation in what they say; yet you have been told several times that most of those traditions, apart from being weak, are merely attempts to apply historic events on the Qur’anic verses which appear to have some relevance to them—although we find no difficulty in it.
However, the idea, that such narrated events particularize or restrict the generality of a Qur’anic verse, is not tenable, nor does its apparent meaning support it. If the apparent meanings of the verses were particularized or restricted because of some speciality of reasons of revelation, without taking it from the wordings of the verse, the Qur’an would have died with the death of those about whom such verses were revealed, and it could not be used in any argumentation related to any later event or incident; such an idea is not approved by the Book or the Sunnah nor by reason.
He has also claimed, “Linguistically the words, and context of the verse totally oppose taking wilāyah here in the meaning of wilāyah of love and reliance. It is also opposed by the reason of revelation and the overall condition under which the Muslims and the People of the Book lived in the era of revelation.” Ponder on it as much as you like but you cannot deduce any worthwhile meaning from it. When apparent meaning of a verse does not go against application of a theme to it, reason of its revelation and overall prevailing condition of the time become irrelevant. You have known that there is no justification in restricting the verse to its reason of revelation and to the overall condition of the era. Rather, the argument goes totally against it, because a verse in its unrestricted appearance is in itself an authentic proof. You have seen that this verse too is unrestricted (and nothing points to its being restricted); therefore, it is an authentic authority in its unrestricted meaning, that is, the wilāyah in the meaning of love.
The claim that meanings of single words used in the verse and its context disavow totally taking wilāyah in the meaning of love is really astonishing. Would that I knew what he has meant with this total disavowal, and more than that he has used the ‘context’ too in this argument!
How can the wording or context of the verse reject this meaning, when the clause: “do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends,” is followed by the clause: “they are friends of each other,” and doubtlessly wilāyah in this latter clause denotes love, unity and affection, and not wilāyah of covenant and pact. There is no sense in saying: ‘Do not make a covenant with the Jews and the Christians; they have covenant with each other.’ Whatever unity and relation there was among the Jews, it was the wilāyah of national love. The same was the case with the Christians; there was no pact or covenant made by them, it was only the love and unity based on religion.
Likewise, the words of God, coming after this clause, prove this meaning: and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them. The reason that turns a friend of a group into a member of it, is this: Love unites scattered things, unites different souls; because of love perceptions of the lovers become one, their characters mirror one another; their actions reflect each other’s. The two lovers, when love overwhelms them, become as if they are one person, having a single psyche, a single will, doing a single action; one does not go against the other in the passage of life and in social norms.
This is what makes a lover of a group a member of that group and unites him with it. It has been said: Whoever loves a people, he is one of them; also [it is said]: A man is with whom he loves. And God has said forbidding loving the polytheists: O you who believe! Do not take My enemy and your enemy for friends: would you offer them love while they deny what has come to you of the truth, ... (). The verses go on in the same vein, until it says: ... and whoever makes friends with them, these are the unjust (). Also He says: You shall not find a people who believe in Allah and the latter day befriending those who act in opposition to Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their kinsfolk; ... (). God has also said regarding the love of the unbelievers—and the wording is general which includes the Jews, the Christians and the polytheists—Let not the believers take the unbelievers for friends rather than the believers; and whoever does this, he shall have nothing (to do) with Allah, except (when) you guard yourselves against (them) for fear from them; and Allah cautions you of Himself; ... (). The verse clearly speaks about the wilāyah of love and affection rather than that of covenant and pact. Remember that when the third chapter, “The House of ʿImrān,” was revealed; the Prophet had already concluded pacts and truce with the Jews and the polytheists.
In short, the wilāyah that makes one people attached to another people is that of love and affection, and not that of covenant and help; and it is quite clear. If the clause: and whoever amongst you takes them as awliyāʾ, then surely he is one of them, is taken to mean, whoever among you entered into a pact of mutual help after this prohibition, then surely he because of his going against this prohibition would be unjust, and would be joined to those unjust people in injustice, then it would be a vulgar meaning and would need additional conditions to be attached to the speech.
If the Qur’an prohibits something which was hitherto lawful, it always points to its being lawful until then; it does so to preserve the honor of that order which is now being changed; and to keep the sanctity of the Prophetic tradition and practice. Ponder on these verses: O you who believe! The idolaters are nothing but unclean, so they shall not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year; ... (). ... Wherefore now be in contact with them and seek what Allah has written for you, and eat and drink until the white thread becomes distinct unto you from the black thread (of night) (). It is not allowed to you to take women afterwards, nor that you should change them for other wives, (); and many other such verses.
Now, it is clear that the language of the verse, in meanings of words and in context, does not disallow wilāyah to be taken for love and affection; if there is any rejection, it rejects other meanings.
As for their claim that clause: in whose hearts is a disease, refers to the hypocrites, you will soon see that the context does not support it.
Thus, the clause: “do not take the Jews and the Christians for awliyāʾ ” clearly forbids loving them or having any affection towards them; because such feelings pull the souls and spirits towards each other and it creates mutual moral effects on both sides; and if Muslims are influenced by un-Islamic behavior, their society will diverge from its religious way (which is based on the felicity of following the truth) to the way of unbelief (which is based on following the low desires and worshipping the Satan); and thus it will go astray from the path of the natural life.
God has used for them their names of Jews and Christians, instead of saying, the People of the Book; because the phrase: “People of the Book,” indicates that they are somewhat nearer to the Muslims, which in its turn gives rise to some affection and love which is opposite to what this verse orders that they should not be taken as friends. However, a coming verse mentions them as being given the Book: O you who believe! Do not take for guardians those who take your religion for a mockery and a joke, from among those who were given the Book before you and the unbelievers; ... (). They were given the Book and yet they take the divine religion for a mockery and a joke. This mockery and joke turns the good point of their being given the Book into utmost condemnation. When the people who were given the Book which invited to the truth and made it clear, began ridiculing the religion of truth and playing with it, they certainly deserved to be shunned and avoided; they should not be taken as friends; the believers must avoid living with them, mingling with them and having any soft feeling towards them.
... they are friends of each other: As explained earlier, wilāyah here means friendship, because their hearts are nearer to each other and their souls have mutual attraction. Consequently, they think in similar way; they join hands in following their low desires, and their haughtiness leads them to reject the truth; they strive together to extinguish the light of God, and help each other in fighting against the Prophet and the Muslims. It seems, as all of them are one person of one religion. Although actually they are not of one religion, yet they have joined their forces and have become one power against the Muslims, simply because Islam calls them to truth and opposes what in their eyes is the greatest goal: To follow their low desires and licentiousness in objects of desire and enjoyment of worldly attractions.
It is this factor that has made the Jews and the Christians—in spite of their mutual discord and enmity—into one society; they come near each other and return to one another; the Jews love the Christians and the Christians love the Jews; Jewish groups love each other, and the Christian nations are attracted to one another. That is why the clause: “they are friends of each other,” has been left vague [so that it may cover all situations]. This clause explains the reason of the foregoing one: “do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends.” It means as follows: ‘Do not take them for friends because, in spite of their internal discord and mutual enmity, they are fully united against you; you will not get any benefit from going near them with love and affection.’
It is possible to infer another meaning from this clause: “they are friends of each other.” Do not take them for friends; because with this friendship, you expect the group, which you have befriended to help you against another group, which is not your friends; but your expectation can never materialize, because they are friends of each other, so naturally they will not help you against their own people.
... and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people: al-Tawallī (to take as friend); min (from, part).
The meaning is as follows: Whoever from amongst you takes them for friend; he is a part of them. This is an attachment brought into effect by revelation and it makes some believers members of Jewish and Christian groups. It shows that faith is a reality which has different stages, some blemished, some pure; some adulterated, some clean. This is inferred from Qur’anic verses like: And most of them do not believe in Allah without associating others (with Him) (). This blemish and turbidity is what God describes as the disease of hearts: So you will see those in whose hearts is a disease, hastening in them, ...
Thus, those who love the Jews and the Christians, God has counted them as belonging to the Jewish and Christian communities, although apparently they were believers. It shows at least that they were proceeding, not on the path of guidance (that is, belief), but on a way used by the said communities, it leads them where they are being led and takes them where they are taken.
That is why God has explained the reason of their adherence to them by the clause: “surely God does not guide the unjust people.” The meaning: A man from amongst you who takes them as a friend, then surely he is one of them, and he is proceeding on a path other than yours, because the path of belief is the path of divine guidance; this man who befriends them is unjust like them, and God does not guide the unjust people.
As you see, the verse just shows that the position of the believers who befriend the Jews and the Christians is the same as theirs; but it does not go ahead, that is, does not describe the effects branching from it. The wording is unrestricted; yet because it describes a fundamental reality (like the clauses: ... and that you fast is better for you ... []; ... surely prayer keeps [one] away from indecency and evil ... [], etc.). It is inevitably vague, and if one wants to prove from it a subsidiary law, one should refer to the sunnah; and it is fiqh that looks into such orders.
فَتَرَى الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ يُسَارِعُونَ فِيهِمْ يَقُولُونَ نَخْشَىٰ أَنْ تُصِيبَنَا دَائِرَةٌ ۚ فَعَسَى اللَّهُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ بِالْفَتْحِ أَوْ أَمْرٍ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ فَيُصْبِحُوا عَلَىٰ مَا أَسَرُّوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ نَادِمِينَ ٥٢
(5:52) So you will see those in whose hearts is a disease, hastening in them, saying: “We fear lest a calamity should befall us;” but it may be that Allah will bring the victory or a thing from Himself, so that they shall be regretting on account of what they hid in their souls.
It sprouts from the preceding statement: surely Allah does not guide the unjust people. As the divine guidance does not cover them, so they are in error, they do hasten in them and offer an excuse that does not deserve attention. God has said, “hastening in them,” instead of ‘towards them’; so they are a part of them, occupying their place in error. They hasten in them not because they are afraid of befalling a calamity over them; actually they had no such fear; it was an excuse they had contrived for averting the admonition and blame they expected from the Prophet and the Muslims. In fact, this hastening emanated from their friendship with, and love of those Jews and Christians.
Every injustice and falsity is bound to vanish and disappear any day; its ignominy becomes exposed before public eyes; and anyone who seeks to attain unlawful objects through wrongful means disguised as truthful, has to be bitterly disappointed; as God has said: surely Allah does not guide the unjust people. Consequently, it was definitely expected that God would bring a victory or a thing from Himself, then they would be regretting on account of what they were doing, and the believers would clearly see through their falsehood and pretence.
The above talk makes it clear how the clause: “So you will see those in whose hearts is a disease,” branches from the preceding: surely Allah does not guide the unjust people. We have somewhere earlier have written the meaning of the unjust people not getting any guidance in their injustice.
The group mentioned in these verses was hypocrites, because they showed to the Prophet and the believers what was not in their hearts. They claimed that they hastened in the Jews and the Christians, lest a calamity should befall them, while the real cause (which conformed to what was in their hearts) was their love of, and inclination towards God’s enemies. This was the aspect of their hypocrisy. But they were not hypocrites, in the meaning of unbelievers pretending to be believers, because the context does not agree with it.
Some exegetes have written that the verses refer to the hypocrites, in the latter meaning, like ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy and his companions, as appears from the traditions giving reason of revelations. Those hypocrites participated with the believers in their gatherings and dealt with them in an amicable way; on the other hand they had made with the Jews and the Christians covenants and pacts of mutual help. This double-dealing was done in the hope of getting benefits from both sides, and as a matter of precaution to safeguard their personal interests. In this way, they hoped to triumph either way; they would be safe from calamity on whichever side it befell.
But this interpretation of theirs is not in agreement with the context, because it contains a hope that they shall be regretting because of the victory or a thing from God. The victory may refer to the conquest of Mecca or taking the fortresses of the Jews and the Christians’ towns, or so on. But in all these situations there was no reason why they should be regretting, as they had taken the precaution to protect their both flanks, and there is no regret in precaution. Their regret could be in place if they had totally separated from the believers and joined the Jews and the Christians, and then calamity had befallen on their group. Likewise, the forfeiture of their deeds and the loss mentioned in the next verse, (their deeds shall go for nothing, so they shall became losers), have no relevance with their hypocrisy, as the hypocrites practised precaution to safeguard their interests; and if someone does so for fear of some untoward happening, and perchance that happening does not take place, he suffers no loss and won’t be called a loser. In fact, precaution is a wise method in practice and does not entail any blame or condemnation.
It could be claimed that they became liable to condemnation because they went against divine prohibition and had no faith in the divine promise of victory. There is nothing wrong in this idea in itself, but the verse’s wording does not support it.
... but it may be that Allah will bring the victory or a thing from Himself, so that they shall be regretting on account of what they hid in their souls: ʿAsā (may be), in divine speech, like other talks, denotes a hope, an expectation—as we have already explained that the said expectation relates to the listener, or to the situation. But this verse contains a definite association that shows that the expected event must certainly take place. The clause aims at confirming the truth of the preceding one: surely Allah does not guide the unjust people; as such what it says must happen without fail.
The victory which God has mentioned—and has presented it as an alternative to a thing which is unknown to us—probably supports the view that “the” in “the victory” denotes generic noun, not a particular victory. As such it does not point to the victory of Mecca, which the Prophet was promised in verses like: Most surely He Who has made the Qur’an binding on you will bring you back to the destination ... (); ... you shall most certainly enter the Sacred Mosque, if Allah pleases ... (), and others.
Although the word, “victory” when used in the Qur’an, refers in most of the places to the conquest of Mecca, yet in some places it is not possible to apply it on that usual theme. For example: And they say: “When will this victory take place, if you are truthful?” Say: “On the day of victory the faith of those who (now) disbelieve will not profit them, nor will they be respited.” Therefore, turn away from them and wait, surely they too are waiting (). God declares here that when this victory gained the faith of those who had hitherto disbelieved will not profit them and that the unbelievers were waiting for it. Obviously, these two attributes do not apply to the Meccan conquest, nor to any other victory which Muslims have achieved up to this time. [For this reason the word, al-fath is rendered in many Qur’anic translations as “judgement.”]
We can think of only two situations where the faith, repentance, will not be of any profit, as we have described when writing about Repentance. One: With change of this world with the next world when there will remain no free will and power. Two: If a man acquires such characteristics and traits that his heart becomes stone hard, and every hope of repentance and returning to God is lost. God says: ... On the day when some of the signs of your Lord shall come, its faith shall not profit a soul, which did not believe before, or earn good through its faith ... (). And repentance is not for those who go on doing evil deeds, until when death comes to one of them, he says: “Surely, now I repent;” nor (for) those who die while they are unbelievers ()
In any case, if the victory refers to the conquest of Mecca or victory over the Jewish fortresses or Christian towns, so be it; but there is a vagueness in application of the clauses: “they shall be regretting ...” and the verse: And those who believe will say ..., on this meaning.
And if the victory denotes victory of Islam over disbelief and clear judgement between the Messenger of God and his people, then it is a Qur’anic apocalyptic text which points to the happenings which this ummah is to face in future; and it fits what has been stated in the chapter of “Jonah”: And every nation had a messenger; so when their messenger came, the matter was decided between them with justice and they shall not be dealt with unjustly. And they say: “When will this threat come about, if you are truthful?” ... every nation has a term; when their term comes, they shall not remain behind for an hour, nor can they go before (their time). Say: “Tell me if ... What! Now (you believe)! And already you wished to have it hastened on.” ... And they ask you: “Is that true?” Say: Aye! By my Lord! It is most surely the truth, and you will not escape.” ... and they will manifest regret when they see the chastisement. ().
... so that they shall be regretting on account of what they hid in their souls: One happens to regret when one does what should not have been done or neglects what should not have been neglected; and those people had done some undesirable thing; and God describes in the next verse, that their deeds were forfeited and they had incurred loss. It was because they had hid in their hearts love of the Jews and the Christians, in order to accomplish through it and by hastening in them what those enemies of Islam had wanted, that is, to extinguish the light of God and acquire the worldly objects of desire—without there being any hindrance from religion. Probably, this was what they hid in their hearts and for this purpose hastened in them; and they soon shall be regretting when their endeavours shall come to naught when God will grant victory to the truth.
وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَهَٰؤُلَاءِ الَّذِينَ أَقْسَمُوا بِاللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ ۙ إِنَّهُمْ لَمَعَكُمْ ۚ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا خَاسِرِينَ ٥٣
(5:53) And those who believe will say: “Are these they who swore by Allah with the most forcible of their oaths that they were most surely with you? Their deeds shall go for nothing, so they shall become losers.”
Yaqūlu (will say) has also been recited yaqūla in which case it will be in conjunction with: so that they shall be regretting; and then the meaning will be, they shall be regretting while the believers will be saying ... This recital is preferable because it is more in conformity with the context. Their regretting on account of what they hid in their souls, and the believers’ statement all are a rebuke to them because of their love of, and hastening in the Jews and the Christians. The demonstrative pronoun, in “Are these they” points to the Jews and the Christians; while the second person plural pronoun in “with you” addresses those in whose hearts there is a disease; also it may be vice versa; likewise, the pronouns in the clauses: “Their deeds shall go for nothing, so they shall become losers,” may point to the Jews and the Christians or to those in whose hearts there is a disease.
However, the context shows that “with you” refers to those in whose hearts there is a disease, and the demonstrative pronoun points to the Jews and the Christians; while the clauses: “Their deeds shall go for nothing ...,” are a reply to an unasked question. The meaning: It may be that God will bring the victory or a thing from Himself, then those who believe will say to those of weak faith when the wrath of God will overtake them, ‘Are these Jews and Christians they who swore by God so forcefully, with the most forcible of their oaths that they were most surely with you? So why they are not doing something to benefit you?’ Then arose in minds the unspoken question: ‘So what was the ultimate result of those who loved these Jews and Christians?’ And the reply came: ‘Their deeds were forfeited and they became losers.’
Discourse
The discussion “Meaning of ‘Disease of the Heart’” appears here in the printed volume. Read it in the Al-Mizan App.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَنْ يَرْتَدَّ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَائِمٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ٥٤
(5:54) O you who believe! Whoever of you turns back from his religion, then soon Allah will bring a people that He shall love them and they shall love Him, lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers, they shall strive hard in Allah’s way and shall not fear the censure of any censurer; this is Allah’s grace, He gives it to whom He pleases, and Allah is Ample-giving, knowing.
al-Irtidād literally means to turn back. In Muslims’ terminology, turning back from religion means apostasy, forsaking belief for disbelief, no matter whether that belief was preceded by disbelief or not. If an unbeliever accepts Islam and then apostatizes, he is called murtadd millī; if a born Muslim turns back from Islam, he is called murtadd fitrī. This terminology is either laid down by the shariah or by the Muslims themselves.
It may appear at the first glance that the turning back in this verse denotes the terminological meaning in which the Muslims use this word. As such the verse will have no connection with the preceding verses. It would be an independent verse showing that God might dispense with belief of one people replacing it with that of the others. But this likelihood is removed, when one meditates on this and the preceding verses. The verse in fact makes the believers remember that God has power that He should be worshipped in His earth, and He will soon bring there a people who would not turn back from His religion; they would adhere to it to the end. He says: ... therefore if these disbelieve in it, We have (already) entrusted with it a people who are not disbelievers in it (). ... and whoever disbelieves, then surely Allah is Self-sufficient (independent) of the worlds (). ... If you disbelieved, you and those on earth all together, most surely Allah is Self-sufficient, Praised ().
Such a sublime position does not demand more than paying attention to the basic theme, that is, appraising them that God would bring a community of believers who would not turn back from His religion. The other attributes that they shall love God and He shall love them, and that they will be lowly before the believers and mighty against the unbelievers, etc. are additional characteristics that have been described here keeping in view additional requirements of context and condition.
Looking at it from another angle, we realize that the said attributes are not without some connection with the theme of the preceding verses regarding befriending the Jews and the Christians rather than the believers. Taking them as friends rather than the believers, shows a certain inclination of heart towards them, a connection of love and affinity; and how could such a polluted heart contain the love of God as God says: Allah has not made for any man two hearts within him; ... ().
This friendship would lead the believer to become lowly before the disbelievers and mighty against the believers and show haughtiness before them, as God says: ... Do they seek honor from them? Then surely all honor is for Allah ().
Another concomitant of this friendship is that they would show laxity in fighting against those disbelievers and would shrink from jihād; they would not have any patience if they were deprived of any comfort in the way of God, nor would they be ready to cut off all social contacts with them. But God says: O you who believe! Do not take My enemy and your enemy for friends: would you offer them love while they deny what has come to you of the truth, ... If you go forth fighting in My path and seeking My pleasure, would you manifest love to them? ... (). Further God says: Indeed, there is for you a good example in Abraham and those with him when they said to their people: “Surely we dissociate from you and from what you worship other than Allah; we renounce you, and enmity and hatred have appeared between us and you for ever until you believe in Allah alone”; ... ().
Likewise, irtidād, in its literal meaning, or by analytical process, is applicable to befriending the disbelievers, as God has said in the preceding verse: and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them. Also He has said [in this context]: ... and whoever does this, he shall have nothing (to do) with Allah, ... (); ... surely then you would be like them; ... ().
The above discussion shows that the verse has some connection with the preceding ones; and it makes it clear that God’s religion does not need such people who are prone to fall into the pit of disobedience and befriend the Jews and the Christians, because hypocrisy has crept into their community, and now it contains a lot of people with diseased hearts. They sell religion for worldly benefits, and covet the fallacious honor and transient influence rather than the honor and power, which are reserved for God, His Messenger, and the believers. They do not care for the real felicity, which covers life of this world as well as that of the next.
The verse expounds it by giving information about a future upheaval: If religion suffers from unsteady capricious behavior of these people of weak faith who prefer love of other than God over that of God, seek honor near enemies of God, show laxity in fighting in His way and fear blames and admonition of His enemies, then certainly soon God will bring a people who shall love Him and He shall love them; who shall be lowly before the believers, mighty before the unbelievers, and who shall fight in the way of God and shall not fear the censure of any censurer.
Although many exegetes were aware that the verse contains information of a future cataclysm, and spent much time on deciding whom the verse should be applied to; yet they did not take trouble to properly explain its wordings. As a result, they failed to correctly interpret the attributes mentioned in it. Consequently, they treated the divine speech just like a human talk which includes many a loop-holes and inaccuracies.
No doubt, the Qur’an uses the same words, which the Arabs did, and construction of its sentences is not different from the usual Arab style—in short, its oratorical system is the same as the Arabs of the time of revelation were familiar with. Yet it totally differs from other speeches in one aspect: When we speak, no matter whether we are eloquent or not, we base our talk on the meanings we understand, and our understanding is drawn from the social life which we have created through our human social nature. This nature usually passes a judgement in accordance with analogy. This opens before us the door of inexactitude and inaccuracy. We start saying ‘all’ in place of ‘most’, and ‘everlasting’ instead of ‘long lasting’. We take an analogical statement as unconditional truth; we confuse ‘rare’ with ‘non-existent’, and ‘a little’ with ‘extinct’. We unreservedly say: This is good, that is bad; this is liked, that is disliked; this is praiseworthy, that is condemnable; this is beneficial, that is harmful; this man is noble, that one is evil, and so on. We give unconditional judgement. But in reality it is correct only in some conditions, with some assumptions, in view of a few people, in comparison to some things only—but not unreservedly. However, we treat a few contrary situations as non-existent, thus showing a laxity in its perception and the judgement. This concerns those items, which actually exist independently. As for those things of which man is oblivious because of his limited perception of related matters, they are even more numerous. Therefore, whatever man speaks about and about which he assumes some knowledge and perception, is all based on inexactitude in some aspects, and ignorance of others. If we could comprehend the reality and then tried to apply that speech on it, we would find that it was merely a joke. Ponder on it.
This is the condition of human speech, which is based on the knowledge acquired by man. As for the divine speech, it must be above such shortcomings, because God encompasses all things in His knowledge; and He says about His speech: Most surely it is a decisive word, and it is not a jest ().
And it guides us how we should explain the divine words without attaching to it any condition when the said words are unrestricted and are not followed by any joint or separate condition; and this is how we should look at the attributes mentioned therein as they point to the underlying reason of the statement. When God says: He shall love them, then He shall not dislike them in anything and in any manner—otherwise He would have attached an exception. And when He praises them as being lowly before the believers, it implies that they would be lowly before them because of their belief in God, and they would remain lowly in all conditions and in all situations; otherwise it would not be a decisive word.
Of course, there are some attributes ascribed to a large group while in reality it applies to a select band from among them—when both groups are united in a way that justifies such usage. God says: And certainly We gave the Book and the Wisdom and the Prophecy to the Children of Israel, and We gave them of the goodly things, and We made them excel the nations (). ... He has chosen you and has not laid upon you any hardship in religion; ... (); You are the best of the nations raised up for the (benefit of) men; you enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong ... (); ... that you may be witnesses for the people and the Messenger may be a witness for you ... (); And the Messenger cried out: “O my Lord! Surely my people have treated this Qur’an as a forsaken thing. (), apart from other verses which describe sociological attributes which are found in individuals and society. Such expressions are not based on any laxity; they are attributes ascribed to a part and the whole, to the society as well as to an individual, because of some relevance. For example, we have a handful of earth containing a gem; now we may say, there is earth in our hand; and equally truthfully it may be said that there is a gem in our hand, and the real purpose is to take that gem.
Now, let us return to our original topic:
... O you who believe! Whoever of you turns back from his religion: As explained earlier, turning back from religion here means taking the Jews and the Christians for a friend. The verse, like the preceding one, is addressed to the believers. The main theme is to declare that the true religion does not need such people’s belief, which is polluted with love of the enemies of God. God has counted such friendship as disbelief and polytheism, as He has said: and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them. It is because God is the Guardian and Helper of His religion, and as an aspect of His help to His religion, He will certainly bring a people who will renounce the enemies of God, and love His friends and will not love any except Him.
... then soon Allah will bring a people: God has ascribed the bringing to Himself to confirm the meaning of His help to His religion. The context makes it clear that this religion has got a Helper, besides Whom it does not need any helper—and that is God Himself. The speech puts the help to religion given by these people vis-à-vis the national help sought by those who love God’s enemies. Likewise, the word, “people,” and mention of their attributes and related verbs in plural show that the people whose appearance is promised, will be a community not one or two individuals. In other words, it does not say that God will bring in every period a person who will love God and whom God will love, and who will be lowly before believers and mighty before disbelievers, and who will fight in the way of God and will not be afraid of the censure of any censurer.
Bringing of these people is attributed to God. It does not mean that He will create them, because there is no creator except God. He has said: Allah is the Creator of everything ... (). Rather this bringing connotes that it is He Who shall arouse them to take the opportunity to help the religion; and shall enhance their honor by loving them and being loved by them; He will help them in being lowly before His friends and mighty against His enemies, and in fighting in His way and ignoring every censurer’s comments. Therefore, their help to the religion is God’s help to it through them and by means of them. Whether this promise is implemented at once or after sometime is all the same for God, although our mind because of its limitation differentiates between nearness and remoteness.
He shall love them and they shall love Him: Love is unrestricted with any attribute or adjective; thus this mutual love is for ‘person’ only without any condition. They love God; it follows that they give preference to their Lord over anything else, be it wealth, honor, family, or other such things. They do not love anyone among the enemies of God; if they love any one, it is reserved for the friends of God because of the love of God.
As for His love to them, it means that they are free from every injustice, clean of every spiritual uncleanness, be it disbelief or sin. They attain this cleanness through divine protection, or through divine forgiveness resulting from repentance. It is because God does not love any injustice or sin as He says: ... then surely Allah does not love the unbelievers (); ... and Allah does not love the unjust (); ... surely He does not love the extravagant (); ... and Allah does not love the mischief-makers (); ... Surely Allah does not love those who exceed the limits (); ... surely He does not love the proud (); ... surely Allah does not love the treacherous (); apart from other such verses.
These verses condemn all evils. When these evils are removed from man, as God’s love to him testifies, he will acquire their opposite virtues. After all man cannot be devoid of both characteristics; he must compulsorily adhere to this side or that.
In short, they are the true believers whose belief is not tainted with injustice, and God has said: Those who believe and do not mix up their faith with injustice, those are they who shall have the security and they are those who go aright (). So, they are protected from going astray; and God has said: ... surely Allah does not guide him who leads astray, ... (). Thus, they are under divine protection against every straying and are led by divine guidance onto His straight path. They because of their faith—confirmed by God—are guided to following the Messenger and total submission to him, as they have surrendered totally to God. God says: But no! By your Lord! They do not believe until they make you a judge of that which has become a matter of disagreement among them, and then do not find any straitness in their hearts as to what you have decided and submit with total submission ().
When they shall reach that stage, then the words of God shall be truly applicable to them: Say: “If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you” () It also clearly proves that following the Prophet and being loved by God are concomitants and inseparable; whoever follows the Prophet, God loves him; and God does not love anyone unless he is a follower of His Prophet.
When they shall follow the Messenger, they will acquire every good, which God loves and is pleased with, like piety, justice, magnanimity, patience, reliance on God, repentance, cleanness, and other such virtues. God says: ... then surely Allah love the pious (); ... surely Allah loves the doers of good (); ... and Allah loves the patient (); surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in ranks as if they were a firm and compact wall (); ... surely Allah loves those who trust (in Him) (); ... surely Allah loves those who turn much (to Him), and He loves those who purify themselves (), apart from other such verses.
If you search and ponder on the verses which expound the effects of these qualities and their concomitant virtues, you will come upon a great many good characteristics; and you will find that all lead to the conclusion that the people having those virtues are the heirs who shall inherit the earth, and for them will be the good end of the abode, as the verse under discussion (O you who believe! Whoever of you turns back ...) points to it; and God has stated it in a short but comprehensive sentence: ... and the (good) end is for piety ().
We shall explain the underlying theme of this verse in another relevant place, God willing.
... lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers: al-Adhillah and al-Aizzah are plurals of al-dhalīl (lowly) and al-ʾazīz (mighty) respectively. It is an allusion that they should be gentle to the believers in respect to God Who is their friend and they are His friend; and should not pay any attention to the false honor which the unbelievers manifest and to which the divine religion does not attach any importance. God has guided His Prophet to this reality when He has said: Do not strain your eyes after what We have given certain classes of them to enjoy, and do not grieve for them, and make yourself gentle to the believers (). Probably, the preposition ʿalā (on, over) has been used for adhillah (lowly) because it contains the meaning of love and compassion or of bending down, as has been claimed.
... they shall strive hard in Allah’s way and shall not fear the censure of any censurer: Fighting in the way of God has been especially singled out from among their numerous virtues because the context demanded it, as God has declared that He will raise them for helping His religion. The phrase: “and shall not fear the censure of any censurer,” is apparently a conditional clause related to all preceding sentences and not with the immediately preceding one (they shall fight in Allah’s way), although it is the safest interpretation in such constructions. No doubt, fighting in the way of God is often faced by censurers’ censure who warns the believers that if they went for jihād, they would be in danger of losing their wealth, lives, and would have to bear untold hardships and difficulties. But the same is the case of being lowly before the believers and mighty against the unbelievers. After all, the latter have, in their hands, worldly embellishments, desirable luxuries, and necessities of life, which the believers do not have. And if one turns away from those unbelievers, he invites censure of the censurers. Yet the true believers do not fear such things.
The verse contains a prophecy of undesirable unseen events that were to appear in future, and we shall discuss them, God willing, under “A Qur’anic and Traditional Discourse and Discussion.”
Examining Narrations
- al-Suyūti writes under the verse: O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends: Ibn Ishāq, Ibn Jarīr, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abī Hātim, Abu al-Shaykh, Ibn Marduwayh, al-Bayhaqī (in his al-Dalāil) and Ibn ʿAsākir have narrated from ʿUbādah b. al-Walīd that ʿUbādah b. al-Sāmit said, “When Banū Qaynuqā’ fought the Messenger of God, ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy b. Salūl held fast to them and stood by them, while ʿUbādah b. al-Sāmit went to the Messenger of God, and renounced their covenant before God and His Messenger, he was from Banū ʿAwf b. al-Khazraj, and he had got a covenant with them just as they had got a covenant with ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy; so [ʿUbādah b. al-Sāmit] renounced them before the Messenger of God and said, ‘I love God and His Messenger and the believers, and renounce before God and His Messenger the covenant of these unbelievers and their friendship.’” (al-Durr al-manthūr)
- The same book says that it was about ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy that these verses were revealed: O you who believe! Do not take the Jews ... then surely the party of Allah are they that shall be triumphant ( & 56).
- The same book says: Ibn Abī Shaybah and Ibn Jarīr have narrated from ʿAtiyyah b. Saʾd that he said, “ ʿUbādah b. al-Sāmit (from Banu al-Hārith b. al-Khazraj) came to the Messenger of God, and said, ‘O Messenger of God! I have numerous friends among the Jews and I adhere to God and His Messenger getting clear of the friendship of the Jews, and I love God and His Messenger.’ Then ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy said, ‘I am a man who fears lest a calamity should befall me, I shall not renounce the friendship of my guardians.’ So the Messenger of God said to ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy, ‘O Abu al-Hubāb! Do you think that what you have spoken of the Jews’ friendship is for you against ʿUbādah?’ He said, ‘Then I’ll accept.’ So God revealed [the following] verses: O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and Christians for friends ... and Allah will protect you from the people; ... [].”
- Again the same book narrates: Ibn Marduwayh narrates from Ibn ʿAbbās that he said, “ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy b. Salūl accepted Islam; then he said, ‘Surely there is a pact between me and Banū Qurayzah and Banu al-Nadīr, and I fear calamities;’ so he turned back and became an unbeliever. And ʿUbādah b. al-Sāmit said, ‘I renounce the pact of Qurayzah and al-Nadīr turning towards God, and I love God and His Messenger.’ Then God revealed: O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; So you will see those in whose hearts is a disease, hastening in them, [that is, ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy] ... Only Allah is your Guardian and His Messenger and those who believe, those who keep up prayers and pay the zakāt while they bow [that is, ʿUbādah b. al-Sāmit and the companions of the Messenger of God]. He [Ibn ʿAbbās] said [reciting the verse]: “And had they believed in Allah and the Prophet and what was revealed to him, they would not have taken them for friends, but most of them are transgressors [].”
Author’s comments: This story has been narrated through other chains too. However, we have repeatedly explained that such “reasons of revelation” are merely the personal opinions of exegetes who have applied the stories to the verses that seemed somehow relevant. There are other signs in them that point to this fact. How could these stories have caused revelation of these verses, when they mention the Christians with the Jews, and there was no trace of Christians in the events of Banū Qaynuqāʾ nor in the affairs of Banū Qurayzah or Banu al-Nadīr? The Muslims had no dealing with the Christians in all those happenings. And there is no reason justifying their uncalled for inclusion in divine speech. There are many verses in the Qur’an describing the Jews’ condition in the happenings that had taken place between them and the Muslims. Also where it deals with the hypocrites’ meddling, it particularly mentions the Jews, and has not said anything about the Christians, as for example in the chapter of “The Mustering” and others. So how can we treat the mention of the Christians in these verses as uncalled for?
Moreover, the tradition says that not less then 17 verses () were revealed about ʿUbādah b. al-Sāmit and ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy. However, first of all, these verses are not inter-connected, so that it may be claimed that they were revealed at one go.
Second: There is among them the verse [of wilāyah]: Only Allah is your Guardian ... [], and there are mutawātir traditions narrated by the Shīʾahs and Sunnīs that it was revealed about ʿAlī.
Third: There is also the verse [of balligh]: O Messenger! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord ... [], and it has no connection with the narrated stories.
Apparently, the narrator looked at the story of ʿUbādah and ʿAbdullāh, and then found that some of the above verses have some relevance to it; so he applied the story to the verses. There can be no other explanation. However, the application was not done properly, as he put seventeen verses in place of three, just because they all speak about the People of the Book.
- al-Suyūtī narrates, through Ibn Jarīr and Ibn al-Mundhir, from ʿIkrimah that [he said], “The verse: O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other, was revealed about Banū Qurayzah; when they committed treachery and broke the pact they had made with the Messenger of God, by writing to Abū Sufyān b. Harb, calling them and the Quraysh to enter into their fortresses. So the Prophet sent Abū Lubābah b. Abdu al-Mundhir to them in order that he might urge them to come down from their fortresses. When they agreed to come down, he pointed to his throat—meaning slaughter. At the same time, Talhah and al-Zubayr were corresponding with the Christians and the Syrians. And I have been told that some companions of the Prophet were afraid of being afflicted with poverty and indigence, so they corresponded with the Jews of Banū Qurayzah and Banu al-Nadīr, giving them news about the Prophet , [expecting] to seek from them loan and (other) benefits [afterwards]. So they were forbidden it.” (al-Durr al-manthūr)
Author’s comments: There is no difficulty in (accepting) this tradition. It explains the wilāyah in the verse as love and affinity, and the preceding discourse supports it. If that was really the reason of revelation, then the verses are unrestricted and will also apply to other similar situations; and if the tradition is merely an application, then the case is clear.
- Majmaʾ al-bayān writes under the verse: O you who believe! Whoever of you turns back from his religion, then soon Allah will bring a people He shall love them and they shall love Him. And it has been said, ‘They are: the Leader of the faithful ʿAlī and his companions, when he fought those who fought against him—the nākithīn (pledge-breakers), the qāsitīn (deviators from the truth), the māriqīn (heretics). It has been narrated from ʿAmmār, Hudhayfah and Ibn ʿAbbās; and it is also narrated from Abū Jaʾfar and Abū ʿAbdillāh.
Author’s comments: [al-Tabrisī] has written in Majmaʾ al-bayān after quoting the above tradition, “This statement is supported by the fact that the Prophet had praised ʿAlī, with the very attributes mentioned in the verse. He said about him when he called him to conquer Khaybar (after dismissing previous standard-bearers one after the other when they came back accusing the people of cowardice while the people accused them of the same), ‘Surely, tomorrow I will give the standard to a man who loves God and His Messenger, and God and His Messenger love him; repeatedly attacking, never fleeing; he will not return until God gives victory on his hand;’ and then he gave the standard to him.
“As for the attributes of being gentle with the believers and hard against the unbelievers, and waging war in the way of God, without being afraid of a censure of any censurer, nobody can deny that ʿAlī, fully deserved these virtues. His jihād against polytheists and unbelievers is well known, and everyone is aware of his striving in strengthening of Islam and helping the religion, as well as his gentleness before the believers.
“It is also supported by the warning given by the Messenger of God, to the Quraysh that ʿAlī might fight them after him. It happened when Suhayl b. ʿAmr came to him with a group; they said: ‘O Muḥammad! Our slaves have come to you and you return them to us.’ Thereupon, the Messenger of God, said, ‘You should desist (from such behavior), O people of Quraysh! Otherwise, God will certainly raise over you a man who will beat you on the interpretation of the Qur’an as I had beaten you on its revelation.’ Some of his companions said, ‘who it is, O Messenger of God? Abū Bakr?’ He said, ‘No; rather it is the repairer of shoes inside the room.’ And ʿAlī was (then) repairing the shoes of the Messenger of God.
“It has been narrated from ʿAlī, that he said on the day of Basrah, ‘By God! The people of this verse were not fought against till today;’ then he recited this verse.
“And Abū Ishāq al-Thaʾlabī has narrated in his al-Tafsīr through his chain from al-Zuhrī from Saʾīd b. al-Musayyab from Abū Hurayrah that the Messenger of God, said, ‘Will come to me on the Day of Resurrection a group of my companions, and they will be removed from the hawd; so I will say, “O my Lord! My companions, my companions”; and it will be said, “Surely you do not know what they did after you, surely they fell back (from religion).”’”
What al-Tabrisī has written fits on ʿAlī. There is no doubt that he is the best example of the attributes mentioned in the verse; but there is a question about its application on the whole group who were with him in the battles of the Camel and Siffīn, because many of them had changed after that, while the words in the verse: He shall love them and they shall love Him, have come without any exception, and you have known its meaning.
- Also al-Thaʾlabī says, “And it has been narrated that the Prophet, was asked about this verse, and he tapped his hand on Salmān’s shoulder and said, ‘He and his people.’ Then he said, ‘If the religion were fastened to the Milky Way, certainly some people from Persia would have got it.’”
Author’s comments: The comment mentioned above applies here also, except if it is taken to mean that they would be raised from his people.
- al-Thaʾlabī goes on to record, “And it has been said that they are the people of Yemen. They are most gentle-hearted, mildest in temper; the faith is Yemenite, and the wisdom is Yemenite. ʿAyād b. Ghanam al-Ashʾarī said, ‘When this verse was revealed, the Messenger of God pointed to Abū Musā al-Ashʾarī and said, “They are his people.”’”
Author’s comments: This theme has been narrated in al-Durr al-manthūr, through several chains; and the preceding comment applies here too.
- al-Tabarī narrates through his chain from Qatādah that he said, “God revealed this verse and He certainly knew that a group of people would soon apostatize; when God took away His Prophet Muḥammad, most of the Arabs turned back from Islam except three mosques: people of Medina, people of Mecca and people of Bahrain. They (that is, the others) said, ‘We shall pray but we shall not pay zakāt, and our wealth shall not be taken by force.’ So Abū Bakr talked (with companions) about it, and it was said to him, ‘Surely if they had its knowledge they would pay it and increased over it.’ But he said, ‘No, by God! I will not separate a thing which God has joined; and if they refused (to give) a cord which God and His Messenger have made compulsory, we should fight them for it.’ Then God raised a group with Abū Bakr, and he fought on what the Prophet of God had fought on, until he captured, killed and burned into fire many people who had turned back from Islam and had refused zakāt; and he fought them until they agreed to pay zakāt, with humility and inferiority. “
Author’s comments: al-Suyūtī has narrated it in al-Durr al-manthūr through ʿAbd b. Hamīd, Ibn Jarīr, Ibn al-Mundhir, Abu al-Shaykh, al-Bayhaqī and Ibn ʿAsākir from Qatādah; and also from al-Dahhāk and al-Hasan.
The wording of the narrative clearly testifies that it is merely an application based on personal opinion. Therefore, the objections against previous narratives would also apply in this case. These battles contain many happenings and affairs, and among the fighters were people like Khālid b. al-Walīd, Mughīrah b. Shuʾbah, Busr b. al-Artāh, and Sumrah b. Jundab. History records about them in these battles and in later days such injustice and sins which do not leave any chance to apply to them the verse: He shall love them and they shall love Him. You should study history books and then ponder on the verse’s meaning, which we have given.
An exegete has indulged in such an exaggeration in this idea that he shows his astonishment on someone’s saying: ‘The verse is more clearly applicable to the Ashʾarites from Yemen than to those who had fought the apostates.’ We append below a gist of his comments:
“The verse is general and covers all those who helped the religion from among those good Muslims who had got the virtues mentioned in it; right from the believers during the time of the Prophet, to those who came after him; and it fits on all the previously mentioned traditions, like the one saying that it is about Salmān and his people (in spite of its weakness), and the one that it concerns Abū Musā Ashʾarī and his people, and the one that it is about Abū Bakr and his companions. However, it does not fit on the tradition which says that the verse is about ʿAlī, because the verse contains the word, people, and it is not used for one person, as it is made for a group.”
This is the gist of his opinion. It only shows that he has treated the divine speech with its praising phrases, just like poetry in which the praise of the subjects is entirely based on imagination. Whatever the poet can imagine, he applies it to his praised one, without caring whether it was true or false, but God says: and who is truer of word than Allah? () Or he has taken it as our usual talk, which is generally based on laxity and carelessness; and whenever somebody objects on any such expression, we offer the excuse of indulgence. But God says: Most surely it is a decisive word, and it is not a jest (). You have understood from the preceding explanation that if the verse is taken in its proper meaning with all the attributes that it contains, it will be clear that its application has not appeared yet. Read that part again, think over it, and then decide for yourself.
Even more astonishing is his comment at the end [that it does not fit on ʿAlī because the word people is not used for one person]: Whoever has mentioned ʿAlī, has said, “ʿAlī and his companions”; just as others have mentioned: Salmān and his people, Abū Musā and his people, and Abū Bakr and his companions. Likewise, the traditions about ʿAlī—and some have been mentioned earlier—speak about ʿAlī and his companions. No one has said that it was revealed for ʿAlī alone, so that it could be said that the verse’s wordings fit on a group, not on an individual.
Of course al-Thaʾlabī has written in his al-Tafsīr that it was revealed about ʿAlī. Also it is narrated in Nahj al-bayān (of al-Shaybānī) from al-Bāqir and al-Ṣādiq that it was revealed about ʿAlī. But looking at them in conjunction with other traditions, it becomes clear that these too mean ʿAlī and his companions who stood with him to help the religion in the battles of the Camel, Siffīn and the Khawārij.
Apart from that, there are a lot of traditions narrated through Sunnī chains that the verse: Only Allah is your Guardian and His Messenger and those who believe, those who keep up prayers, was revealed for ʿAlī although it uses plurals.
Moreover, there is another objection on the traditions of Qatādah, al-Dahhāk and al-Hasan: The verse: O you who believe! Whoever of you turns back from his religion, then soon Allah will bring a people He shall love them and they shall love Him ..., very clearly shows that there shall be an exchange and that God does not need these people who are present now; no matter whether the verse is addressed to those who were present at the time of its revelation, or to the combined group of those present and those not yet born. The aim is to declare to a group of believers that if they all or some of them turned away from the religion, God shall soon bring in their place a people He shall love them and they shall love Him—and obviously neither He does love apostates nor they do love Him—and who shall have such and such good characteristics and they shall help His religion.
It is clear that the promised group shall be different from the people who were present at the time of revelation. But those who fought against the apostates so soon after the Prophet’s death were present at the time of revelation and it is they who were addressed with the clause: O you who believe! Therefore, the promise: soon Allah will bring a people He shall love them and they shall love Him, cannot be applied to them.
The verse runs on the line of the verse: ... and if you turn back He will bring in your place another people, then they will not be like you ().
- al-Nuʾmānī narrates in his al-Tafsīr, through his chain from Sulaymān b. Harūn al-ʾIjillī that he said, “I heard Abū ʿAbdillāh, saying, ‘Surely, the master of this matter has (companions) reserved for him; if all the people went away, God would bring his companions; and it is they about whom God, the Mighty, the Great, has said: ... therefore if these disbelieve in it, We have already entrusted with it a people who are not disbelievers in it (); and about them He has said: then soon Allah will bring a people He shall love them and they shall love Him, lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers.
Author’s comments: This connotation has been narrated by al-ʿAyyāshī and al-Qummī in their books of tafsīr.
Discourse
The discussion “A Qur’anic and Traditional Discourse and Discussion” appears here in the printed volume. Read it in the Al-Mizan App.