123. In the trusts are included ordinary trusts like deposits, payable dues of loans. etc. and also the offices of responsibility, whether they pertain to leadership or government. Besides, for the office of responsibility the word, ‘Amanat’ or trust has been used in the hadith also. Accordingly in reply to a question as to when the Doomsday will occur the Prophet said:

“When the trust would be wasted, wait for the Doomsday. When asked: What is meant by wasting of the trust, he replied ‘When the affairs (of government) are placed in the hands of unworthy persons, then wait for the Doomsday,”- (Bukhari).

It shows that to place leadership, guidance. politics and government’s responsible posts in the hands of incapable, characterless, oppressive, dishonest and unrighteous persons is equal to inviting great disaster and ruin. (This is a point of principle. As for being compelled by the needs of the time, it pertains to ijtihad.)

The word’ Amanat’ (Trust) is used here to convey the fact that these responsibilities are entrusted by Allah about which people are answerable to Him.

124. Refers to the responsibility of power or government. Here the guidance is being given that after coming into power, the first responsibility would be to judge between the people justly and impartially.

125. Olil–Amr’ means men of authority, belonging to any section or department of government. The Prophet used to appoint an Amir (chief) over the military or army squads which he used to send for jihad. The word ‘Minkum’ (from yourselves) shows that here only those men in authority are meant who may be from among the Muslims. The purpose of obeying them is to ensure that the social commands of Islam are being obeyed, its laws are being enforced, the society is being helped to become righteous, and a just system is put into practice, and the most important of all points is that: the word of Truth may be raised high. The following points should be kept in mind in the matter of obeying the men of authority:

1. In this verse the command is given to obey Allah, and the messenger and the men of authority. In this command, the word ‘obey’ has been used twice, with Allah and with the messenger, while it has not been used with the men in authority. The idea is to show that the main obedience and loyalty are to Allah and thereafter to the messenger of Allah. As for the obedience to the men of authority, it is subservient to the obedience to these two and it is not independent at all.

2. It is not proper to apply the command of obeying the (men) authority in the case of those rulers who have thrown away the yoke of the obedience of Allah and his messenger from their necks, or whose mission is to encourage men to rebel against Allah or who represent secular governments or who have themselves become false gods, like Pharaoh.

3. The command of the obedience to the men of authority will hold good till they do not give any orders against the command of Allah and His messenger. However, if they give any order, which is contrary to the orders of Allah and His messenger, then the question of obeying them does not arise at all. There is a tradition of the Prophet:

“No obedience of creatures in disobeying the Creator is permissible.”

4. The meaning of the positive command of obeying the men of authority that is given in this verse is what has been stated above. It is not correct to derive the negative meaning from this command that it would be proper for Muslims under non–Islamic government to create anarchy there. In the modern systems of government, the administration is conducted by law. Therefore, regardless of the fact as to who has made those laws and what kind of persons they are, if the law itself does not clash with the commands of Allah and His messenger or if it comes under the wide sphere of permissibles that Islam has allowed, then obeying such laws is not against the intention of Islam. In other circumstances, they can be tolerated to the extent of helplessness and compulsion.

126. To refer to Allah and messenger means to refer to Quran and Sunnah. The above command to obey the men of authority are given with the direction that in the case of disputes, orders should be taken from Quran and Sunnah: These directions are for both those who are to obey the men of authority and also those who themselves are men in authority These are comprehensive directions which throw light on the following points:

I. Muslims have a right to differ with the men in power, and in the event of a dispute the decisive factor will be the holy Book and Sunnah.

II. This right demands that the generality of Muslims should have the freedom of criticising the men in power.

III. Differences, either they may be among the Ummah or between the government and the public or among the men of authority, for their decision reference should be made to Quran and Sunnah, and whatever decision is received from there, all should accept it obediently and willingly.

IV. The criterion of truth is Allah’s Book and His messenger’s Sunnah (traditions). Therefore, the sayings of all the ulema, respected persons’ imams, theologians and jurists and leaders. should be examined in the light of this criterion. None of these persons is a criterion of truth that his saying or his act must essentially be right or correct or must be considered as a last word on any subject.

V. The concept of an imam being totally innocent of all kinds of sins, big or small as is believed by some sects among Muslims is absolutely false If it were so then the generality of Muslims would not have been given the right to differ from their views and the general Muslims would have been asked, in the case of their disputes, to refer to imams, while this verse rejects both these points. There is no concept like the innocence of the church in Islam.

VI. A reference to the holy Book and Sunnah means that in matters in which there are clearcut commands in the Quran and Sunnah, they should be obeyed scrupulously, and if the circumstances create a new problem, then the reasoning (command) of the Quran and Sunnah should be accepted as a decisive judgment in the said matter. And keeping the pointers and requirements in view, it should be found out which point and decision is nearer to the teachings of the Book and Sunnah and which is more compatible with them This method is called ‘Qiyas. and ‘Ijtihad’.

127. To refer to Qur’an and Sunnah in every kind of dispute, whether political or religious, is the clear demand of Faith. This results in good dividend in the world and best fruits in the Hereafter.

Have you not seen those who declare that they believe in the Books that have been sent down to you and that which had been sent down before you desire to go for judgement (in their disputes) to the “Taghoot”, (the rebel), though they were commanded to reject him, and Satan desires to lead them astray, far away (from the right). (Al-Quran)

128. The word used in the text is ‘Taghut’ which has been explained before:( Note No.418, Surah Baqarah and Note No.116, Surah Nisa). Here the word Taghut has been used in opposition to the Quran and Sunnah, as is clear from the following verse. Therefore, here it means that ruler or judge who is opposed to Allah and His messenger, and who gives judgment contrary to the teachings of the holy Book and Sunnah.

129. Here the thing which has been considered as opposed to Faith is that man should be displeased with the decision of the Quran and Sunnah and take his case to the court of the Rebel (Taghut), so that the decision may go in his favour, even if that decision may be against the Shariah. It may be noted that here those hypocrites are mentioned who were the people of the Book. They claimed to be men of faith and yet they wanted to take their cases to the courts of the Jews instead of presenting them before the prophet. In the narratives of the time the name of Ka’ab bin Ashraf is mentioned, who was a chieftain of the Jews and who used to deliver judgments. The hypocrites used to refer their cases to him. It is obvious that this action of theirs was contrary to faith, but they wanted to have faith as well as infidelity. Here it should also be understood that at the time of the revelation of these verses the sphere of the lslamic state of Madina was not very wide and there were tribal colonies of the Jews around Madina. Thus there were two parallel courts at that time, one was that of Islam and the other one of the Taghut.

130. That is: When the power of the enemies of Islam will fade and the Muslims will gain supremacy and become strong, these hypocrites would find themselves helpless and without friends, and they would come to you with excuses and they would be trying to explain away their previous attitude by saying that they only wanted to bring harmony and friendship among the Muslims and the Jews. Accordingly, only a few years after the revelation of this verse this very thing happened as was foreseen here.

131. Those who were suffering from the disease of hypocrisy, for their cure a correct method has been shown here, which provides a hint for the workers in the field of dawah and reform that they should, for their work, adopt an effec- Dawatul Qur’an 267 S.4 tive style of speech and address and their approach should be such that it should touch the hearts of their listeners and shake them to their very souls.

132. That is: the prophet should be obeyed not merely out of regard and respect, but also because he brings commands and laws from Allah (god).

133. In the presence of The Prophet to take one’s matters to the court of the’Taghoot’(rebels against Allah) for decision, was a painful matter for the Prophet and it amounted to contempt of the court of the Prophet. To undo this wrong, it was considered necessary that they should go to the Prophet and admit their error and ask for Allah’s forgiveness, and also desire that the Prophet should also pray for their forgiveness.

134. This verse clarifies that the obedience of the Prophet without any reservation and unhesitatingly is the obvious demand of faith. A Muslim should never feel even the slightest twinge in his heart about any decision given by the Prophet let alone his open display of his displeasure or anger against the Prophet’s decision which may be against his wishes or not in accordance with the tendencies of the time.

Allama Jussas writes:

“This verse shows that any person who rejects any command of Allah or His messenger (p.b.u.h.) is to be considered as expelled from Islam. whether he has rejected it on account of some doubt or he has refused to accept it.” (Ahkamul Quran, Vol. 2, page 260).

135. Allah has the authority to give whatever command He wills to His slaves. When the life in this world is a test, then Allah could have given the command of killing oneself or leaving the home, but the gracious God did not subject man to such a gruelling test, and ordained an easier Shariah. If even after this, people do not follow His commands of Shariah, then it is their misfortune. This verse makes it abundantly clear that the real spirit of Islam is that loyalty to Allah should come first and should take precedence over everything, even over one’s own life. Every thing can be sacrificed for Him, even one’s home, family and native land, if demanded by Him. Real religiosity and faith is to meet the demand of the religion as and when, required by it.

136. That is: If they would have given up the hypocritical attitude and would have adopted the course of obeying the Prophet, they would have been able to see the path of truth and reality in every affair of life and they would have received the right guidance for the right course of action.

137. By blessing here is meant to be blessed by the gift of faith and guidance. (Please see Note No.10, Surah Fatiha).

138. There are four groups of people on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace: The Prophets, Siddiqeen (truthful), martyrs, and the righteous.

In the group of the prophets are included all those prophets who were sent down by Allah at different times to different nations with the religion of Truth.

By Siddiqeen are meant those persons who were truthful to the degree of perfection. From the standpoint of faith and acts, they are deemed as the persons of first rank after the prophets.

Martyrs are those who laid down their lives in giving witness for truth.

And by Saleheen (the righteous) are meant those who believed in Islam and lived a life of righteousness and virtue.

In the Paradise the society will consist of these people only. In other words, the very essence of the best of humanity will be found there. To be fortunate enough to gain the companionship and fellowship of these best of the people is a great reward from Allah. A virtuous man in this world too selects other virtuous persons for companionship, and wants to be in the company of the virtuous even after death.