Surah 4. An-Nisa

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Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-14 [2], 15-22 [3], 23-25 [4], 26-33 [5], 34-42 [6], 43-50 [7], 51-56 [8], 57-70 [9], 71-76 [10], 77-87 [11], 88-91 [12], 92-96 [13], 97-100 [14], 101-104 [15], 105-112 [16], 113-115 [17], 116-126 [18], 127-134 [19], 135-141 [20], 142-152 [21], 153-162 [22], 163-171 [23], 172-176 [24]

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Quran Text of Verse 101-104وَ اِذَاAnd whenضَرَبْتُمْyou travelفِیinالْاَرْضِthe earthفَلَیْسَthen notعَلَیْكُمْupon youجُنَاحٌ(is) any blameاَنْthatتَقْصُرُوْاyou shortenمِنَ[of]الصَّلٰوةِ ۖۗthe prayerاِنْifخِفْتُمْyou fearاَنْthatیَّفْتِنَكُمُ(may) harm youالَّذِیْنَthose whoكَفَرُوْۤا ؕdisbelievedاِنَّIndeedالْكٰفِرِیْنَthe disbelieversكَانُوْاareلَكُمْfor youعَدُوًّاan enemyمُّبِیْنًا open 4. An-Nisa Page 95وَ اِذَاAnd whenكُنْتَyou areفِیْهِمْamong themفَاَقَمْتَand you leadلَهُمُfor themالصَّلٰوةَthe prayerفَلْتَقُمْthen let standطَآىِٕفَةٌa groupمِّنْهُمْof themمَّعَكَwith youوَ لْیَاْخُذُوْۤاand let them takeاَسْلِحَتَهُمْ ۫their armsفَاِذَاThen whenسَجَدُوْاthey have prostratedفَلْیَكُوْنُوْاthen let them beمِنْfromوَّرَآىِٕكُمْ ۪behind youوَ لْتَاْتِand let come (forward)طَآىِٕفَةٌa groupاُخْرٰیotherلَمْ(which has) notیُصَلُّوْاprayedفَلْیُصَلُّوْاand let them prayمَعَكَwith youوَ لْیَاْخُذُوْاand let them takeحِذْرَهُمْtheir precautionsوَ اَسْلِحَتَهُمْ ۚand their armsوَدَّWishedالَّذِیْنَthose whoكَفَرُوْاdisbelievedلَوْifتَغْفُلُوْنَyou neglectعَنْ[about]اَسْلِحَتِكُمْyour armsوَ اَمْتِعَتِكُمْand your baggageفَیَمِیْلُوْنَso (that) they (can) assaultعَلَیْكُمْ[upon] youمَّیْلَةً(in) an attackوَّاحِدَةً ؕsingleوَ لَاBut (there is) noجُنَاحَblameعَلَیْكُمْupon youاِنْifكَانَwasبِكُمْwith youاَذًیany troubleمِّنْ(because) ofمَّطَرٍrainاَوْorكُنْتُمْyou areمَّرْضٰۤیsickاَنْthatتَضَعُوْۤاyou lay downاَسْلِحَتَكُمْ ۚyour armsوَ خُذُوْاbut takeحِذْرَكُمْ ؕyour precautionsاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahاَعَدَّhas preparedلِلْكٰفِرِیْنَfor the disbelieversعَذَابًاa punishmentمُّهِیْنًا humiliating فَاِذَاThen whenقَضَیْتُمُyou (have) finishedالصَّلٰوةَthe prayerفَاذْكُرُواthen rememberاللّٰهَAllahقِیٰمًاstandingوَّ قُعُوْدًاand sittingوَّ عَلٰیand (lying) onجُنُوْبِكُمْ ۚyour sidesفَاِذَاBut whenاطْمَاْنَنْتُمْyou are secureفَاَقِیْمُواthen establishالصَّلٰوةَ ۚthe (regular) prayerاِنَّIndeedالصَّلٰوةَthe prayerكَانَتْisعَلَیonالْمُؤْمِنِیْنَthe believersكِتٰبًاprescribedمَّوْقُوْتًا (at) fixed times وَ لَاAnd (do) notتَهِنُوْاbe weakفِیinابْتِغَآءِpursuitالْقَوْمِ ؕ(of) the peopleاِنْIfتَكُوْنُوْاyou areتَاْلَمُوْنَsufferingفَاِنَّهُمْthen indeed, theyیَاْلَمُوْنَare (also) sufferingكَمَاlike whatتَاْلَمُوْنَ ۚyou are sufferingوَ تَرْجُوْنَwhile you (have) hopeمِنَfromاللّٰهِAllahمَاwhatلَاnotیَرْجُوْنَ ؕthey hopeوَ كَانَAnd isاللّٰهُAllahعَلِیْمًاAll-Knowingحَكِیْمًا۠All-Wise

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Translation of Verse 101-104

101. And when you travel through the earth, there is no sin on you if you shorten the prayers, for fear that the unbelievers may trouble you¹⁸⁰; in truth the unbelievers are to you open enemies.

102. And when you (O Prophet !) are with them (Muslims), and stand to lead them in salat (prayers ), let one group of them stand up (in prayer) with you, and take their arms with them; when they have prostrated themseleves, let them take their position behind you, and let the other group come up-which has not prayed-and let them pray with you, taking security measures and their arms ¹⁸¹.The infidels wish, if you were negligent of your arms and your(war) materials, to attack you in a single rush. But there is no harm for you if you put away your arms because of the inconvenience of rain or because you are ill. But take security measures for yourselves¹⁸². Verily for the infidels Allah has prepared a humiliating punishment.

103. When you have finished the prayer remember Allah, standing and sitting and reclining ¹⁸³. And when you are in safety, offer the (prayers) Salat properly¹⁸⁴. Salat (prayers) at fixed hours has been enjoined on the believers¹⁸⁵.

104. And relent not in pursuit of the enemy. If you are suffering hardships, they are also suffering as you are suffering, and you hope from Allah that for which they cannot hope.¹⁸⁶Allah is ever knowing, Wise.

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Commentary

180. This is the description of ‘Salatul-Khauf.’ (Prayer in case of danger), that is: the method of offering prayer in the battlefield, which is termed as ‘Qasr’(shortened) prayer. The form of shortened prayer as established by Prophet’s Sunnah is like this instead of four Rakaat of the Farz prayer of Zuhar, Asr. and Isha two Rakaat should be performed; there is no shortening in the prayers of Fajr and Maghrib. Therefore, for Fajr two and for Maghrib three Rakaat are to be performed, while on a journey or in residence.

The command of shortening the prayers (Qasr) was given because of jihad. but subsequently it was made common for all kinds of travel. During travels there is generally a sort of discomfort and uncertainty, therefore, the Prophet declared it proper to take advantage of the concession given by Allah for the travels during the peace time also :

“The permission for shortening the prayers is Allah’s favour, therefore, accept this favour.” - (Muslim-Kitabul Musafireen). And it is also a confirmed tradition that the prophet used to shorten the prayer while on a journey and on account of fear of the enemy during war.

181. Here a method of offering a particular kind of ‘Salat’ (prayer) on the battlefield has been shown, which was necessary to be followed in the presence of the prophet. It was quite proper that when the prophet was leading the prayers, the entire army should participate in the prayer under his leadership – there should not be different leaders (Imams)and different congregations (Jamaats). It was also unpalatable for his companions that he should lead the prayers and some of them should be deprived of participating in the congregations. So a special method of performing “Salatul-Khauf’’ in his presence was shown. Its details are like this : one group should offer prayers behind him. with their arms and equipment. while another group should act as guards. When the first group has performed one rakaat under his leadership then it should perform the second rakaat by itself, and thereafter should go behind to act as guard. Then the second group should come up with its arms and join the prophet in the prayer. When they perform one rakaat under his leadership, they should perform the other by themselves.

These instructions show the importance of prayers that even in the battlefield it is considered necessary to be offered. The fact is that the real spirit of Jihad is prayer only. Moreover this also throws light on the importance of offering prayers in congregation. If it is not possible to offer prayers in congregation during a battle. then it should be offered individually; if it is not possible to turn the face towards Qibla, then it should be turned ‘to any side; and if it is not possible to perform Ruku (bending) and Sajda (prostration), then the prayer may be offered by merely nods of heads and other signs.

However, if there is such a condition that it is not at all possible to offer prayers, then it may be delayed and, offered later on. At the time of the Ghazwatul-Khandaq (Battle of the Pit) when the fighting was going on, the prophet delayed the prayer and offered it later on.

182. That is: If on account of rain, it became necessary to put away arms, then some thing that may come handy for protection should be kept with oneself. At that time the equipment used for ,protection consisted of coat of arms, helmet, shield, etc. It also shows how much importance Quran has given to the defence arrangements.

183. That is: Remember Allah in every circumstance. Remembering Allah gives hope and boosts morale, therefore people should not be negligent of remembering Allah even in the battlefield.

184. That is when the conditions creating fear and terror pass away, and when there is peace and tranquility, then the prayers (salat) should be offered in its full form.

185. It shows that the timings of the prayer (salat) are fixed and that they should be followed scrupulously, as it has been prescribed as farz on the faithful. During the day and night, five prayers are compulsory (farz): Fajr, Zuhr , Asr, Maghrib, Isha.The details about their timings have been given by the Prophet.

186. That is: You hope to get help and success in the Hereafter from Allah, therefore, your morale should be high and you should be patient.