178. A report in Hakim with the approval of Dhahabi says that Abu Hurayrah said:

كنتم خير أمة أخرجت للناس" قال: تجرون الناس بالسلاسل إلى الإسلام

"You re the best of nations who bring people bound in chains and make them enter into Islam." (That is you engage in jihad, subdue the people, who, ultimately, exposed to Islam, embrace the faith: Au.). This is also the opinion of Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Atiyyah, Al `Awfi, `Ikrimah, `Ata' and Rabi` b. Anas (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

Khayr 'l Umam

According to `Umar ibn al Khattab, Ibn `Abbas, and Suddi, the verse is applicable, specifically, to the earliest of the believers in Islam, that is, the earliest Companions, and then, generally, to whomsoever of the later generations that met with the conditions stated herein and dealt with life and situations in the manner they dealt with. Hasan has said however, and he seems to be right, that the entire Muslim Ummah is covered by the statement. This is based on a hadith of the Prophet in which he said:

إِنَّكُمْ تُوَفُّونَ سَبْعِينَ أُمَّةً أَنْتُمْ خَيْرُهَا وَأَكْرَمُهَا عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ

"You are the seventieth community, the last, the best, and the most honorable of them in the sight of Allah" (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

The above report has been declared Hasan (Au.).

According to a hadith in Musnad of Hasan isnad the Prophet said as reported by `Ali ibn Abi Talib,

« أُعْطِيتُ مَا لَمْ يُعْطَ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ ». فَقُلْنَا : مَا هُوَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ فَقَالَ :« نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ ، وَأُعْطِيتُ مَفَاتِيحَ الأَرْضِ ، وَسُمِّيْتُ أَحْمَدَ ، وَجُعِلَ لِى التُّرَابُ طَهُورًا ، وَجُعِلَتْ أُمَّتِى خَيْرَ الأُمَمِ »

"I have been granted certain things that no Prophet was granted earlier: I have been aided by fright (ru`b), I have been given the keys of the earth, I've been named Ahmad, dust has been declared pure for me and my Ummah has been declared the best of the Umam."

According to another hadith of Ahmad, of trustworthy narrators, reported by Shurayh b. `Abidah, Thawban,

قال شريح بن عبيد مرض ثوبان بحمص وعليها عبد الله بن قرط الأزدي فلم يعده فدخل على ثوبان رجل من الكلاعيين عائداً فقال له ثوبان: أتكتب فقال: نعم فقال: اكتب فكتب للأمين عبد الله بن قرط من ثوبان مولى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أما بعد فإنه لو كان لموسى وعيسى مولى بحضرتك لعدته ثم طوى الكتاب وقال له: أتبلغه إياه فقال: نعم فانطلق الرجل بكتابه فدفعه إلى ابن قرط فلما قرأه قام فزعاً فقال الناس ما شأنه أحدث أمر فأتى ثوبان حتى دخل عليه فعاده وجلس عنده ساعة ثم قام فأخذ ثوبان بردائه وقال: اجلس حتى أحدثك حديثاً سمعته من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم سمعته يقول: ليدخلن الجنة من أمتي سبعون ألفاً لا حساب عليهم ولا عذاب مع كل ألف سبعون ألفا

The Prophet's attendant Thawban fell ill in Hims those days when `Abdullah b. Qurt al Azdi was its Governor. When someone visited Thawban, he asked him whether he knew how to write. When he said yes, he dictated him a letter for Ibn Qurt in which he said: 'Were a man who had served Musa and `Isa to be with you, surely you would have visited him.' When Ibn Qurt received that letter, he jumped to the fright of the people around him. He went straight to Thawban and sat with him for an hour. When he rose up to leave, Thawban pulled him by his clothes saying, 'Sit down. I've a hadith to narrate.' Then he said, 'I have heard the Prophet say: "Seventy thousand of my people shall enter Paradise without going through the reckoning, with every thousand of them accompanied by seventy thousand."'

The above report is termed Sahih li Ghayrihi by Shu`ayb al-Arna’ut (Au.).

A third hadith is also from Ahmad, and also of good isnad, of Ibn Mas`ud. It says:

عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ أَكْثَرْنَا الْحَدِيثَ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ ثُمَّ غَدَوْنَا إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ عُرِضَتْ عَلَيَّ الْأَنْبِيَاءُ اللَّيْلَةَ بِأُمَمِهَا فَجَعَلَ النَّبِيُّ يَمُرُّ وَمَعَهُ الثَّلَاثَةُ وَالنَّبِيُّ وَمَعَهُ الْعِصَابَةُ وَالنَّبِيُّ وَمَعَهُ النَّفَرُ وَالنَّبِيُّ لَيْسَ مَعَهُ أَحَدٌ حَتَّى مَرَّ عَلَيَّ مُوسَى مَعَهُ كَبْكَبَةٌ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَأَعْجَبُونِي فَقُلْتُ مَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ فَقِيلَ لِي هَذَا أَخُوكَ مُوسَى مَعَهُ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ قَالَ قُلْتُ فَأَيْنَ أُمَّتِي فَقِيلَ لِيَ انْظُرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ فَنَظَرْتُ فَإِذَا الظِّرَابُ قَدْ سُدَّ بِوُجُوهِ الرِّجَالِ ثُمَّ قِيلَ لِيَ انْظُرْ عَنْ يَسَارِكَ فَنَظَرْتُ فَإِذَا الْأُفُقُ قَدْ سُدَّ بِوُجُوهِ الرِّجَالِ فَقِيلَ لِي أَرَضِيتَ فَقُلْتُ رَضِيتُ يَا رَبِّ رَضِيتُ يَا رَبِّ قَالَ فَقِيلَ لِي إِنَّ مَعَ هَؤُلَاءِ سَبْعِينَ أَلْفًا يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِدًا لَكُمْ أَبِي وَأُمِّي إِنْ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَنْ تَكُونُوا مِنْ السَّبْعِينَ الْأَلْفِ فَافْعَلُوا فَإِنْ قَصَّرْتُمْ فَكُونُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الظِّرَابِ فَإِنْ قَصَّرْتُمْ فَكُونُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْأُفُقِ فَإِنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُ ثَمَّ نَاسًا يَتَهَاوَشُونَ فَقَامَ عُكَّاشَةُ بْنُ مِحْصَنٍ فَقَالَ ادْعُ اللَّهَ لِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنْ يَجْعَلَنِي مِنْ السَّبْعِينَ فَدَعَا لَهُ فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَقَالَ ادْعُ اللَّهَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنْ يَجْعَلَنِي مِنْهُمْ فَقَالَ قَدْ سَبَقَكَ بِهَاعُكَّاشَةُ قَالَ ثُمَّ تَحَدَّثْنَا فَقُلْنَا مَنْ تَرَوْنَ هَؤُلَاءِ السَّبْعُونَ الْأَلْفُ قَوْمٌ وُلِدُوا فِي الْإِسْلَامِ لَمْ يُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا حَتَّى مَاتُوا فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ هُمْ الَّذِينَ لَا يَكْتَوُونَ وَلَا يَسْتَرْقُونَ وَلَا يَتَطَيَّرُونَ وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

One evening the Companions prolonged their conversation with the Prophet, and then went up to him again (probably the next day). He said, "Last night Prophets were shown to me. I saw a Prophet with three followers, another with a group and another with just one follower. Then I saw Musa. With him were a large number of Israelites. I was impressed. I asked: 'Who is this?' It was said: 'This is your brother Musa and with him were the Israelites.' I asked: 'Where are my people?' It was told: 'Look to your right.' And I saw a valley overflowing with people. I was asked: 'Are you satisfied?' I said: 'I'm satisfied O my Lord.' It was said: 'Along with them shall enter into Paradise another seventy thousand without reckoning.' Then the Prophet said: 'May my parents be sacrificed for you, if you can manage, then be of these seventy thousand. If you cannot, then be of those of the valley. And if you cannot, then try and be of the people at the horizon, for I saw people jostling up there.' Upon this `Ukkasha got up and said, 'Pray for me O Messenger of Allah that I be of them.' The Prophet prayed for him. Then another man got up and said, 'Pray for me O Messenger of Allah that I be of them.' The Prophet told him, '`Ukkasha outstripped you.' At this we talked to ourselves saying, 'Who do you think those seventy thousand could be? Perhaps those who were born in Islam and did not associate others with Allah until their death.' The Prophet overheard our conversation and remarked: 'They are those who do not use (forbidden: Au.) charms, do not get tattooed, and who have trust in Allah.'

The same tradition has come through Ibn Mas`ud in the collection of Diya' al Maqdisi who said that it meets with the isnad requirements of Muslim. In fact Muslim himself has reported through `Imran b. Husayn that the Prophet said:

"يَدْخُلُ الْجَنّةَ مِنْ أُمّتِي سَبْعُونَ أَلْفاً بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ" قَالُوا: وَمَنْ هُمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللّهِ؟ قَالَ: "هُمُ الّذِينَ لاَ يَكْتَوُونَ وَلاَ يَسْتَرْقُونَ. وَعَلَى رَبّهِمْ يَتَوَكّلُونَ"

"Seventy thousand of my Ummah will enter Paradise.” They asked, “Who are they, Messenger of Allah?” He answered, “Those who do not use (forbidden: Au.) charms, do not get tattooed, and have trust in Allah."

Bukhari, Muslim and others have several ahadith to this effect, including the one in the Sahihayn which reports Ibn Mas`ud narrating the Prophet:

"أَمَا تَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبُعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنّةِ؟" قَالَ فَكَبّرْنَا. ثُمّ قَالَ: "أَمَا تَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنّةِ؟" قَالَ: فَكَبّرْنَا. ثُمّ قَالَ: "إِنّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا شَطْرَ أَهْلِ الْجَنّةِ".

"Are you not satisfied that you be one fourth of the people of Paradise?" We said, "Allahu Akbar." He said, "Are you not satisfied that you be one third of the people of Paradise?" We said, "Allahu Akbar." He said, "Indeed, I hope that you'll be one half of the people of Paradise."

In yet another hadith which proves that this Ummah has an edge over others, the Prophet is reported by Abu Hurayrah in a transmission of Muslim as saying:

نحن الآخرون الأولون يوم القيامة، نحن أول الناس دخولاً الجنة

“We are the last to come, but shall be the first to arrive at the site on the Day of Judgment, and the first to enter Paradise" (Ibn Kathir).

Imam Razi reports Qaffal as having said that although other communities have also enjoined what is good, forbidden what is evil, and have believed in Allah, this Ummah has been ranked as the best because it goes a step further and conducts jihad in its efforts to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil. Jihad is the most virtuous of deeds, and has received greater emphasis in our religion (shara`) than in previous religions. Hence this Ummah has an edge over other Umam. Accordingly, we find Ibn `Abbas explaining the term "you are the best of communities," in words: "Because you enjoin the people to believe in Allah, and to accept what He has revealed (as the only accessible truth). Further, if there be the need, you fight against them over the issue of Allah's oneness."

To the above, Qurtubi adds that of this Ummah too, the first generation is superior to the later ones in view of the hadith:

خير أمتي القرن الذين يلوني ثم الذين يلونهم ثم الذين يلونهم

"The best of my Ummah are the people of my age, then those who follow and then those who follow."

It is also agreed that he who was a Companion of the Prophet, or even saw him once, is better than he who came after him, and that the virtue of Companionship will never be equaled by deeds alone. This is the opinion of the great majority of scholars. Nonetheless, another opinion is that the possibility of one of the later generations being equal to those of the first generation exists in view of several ahadith. One of them reported by Ibn `Umar says:

"أي المؤمنين أعجب إليكم إيماناً؟" قالوا: الملائكة، قال: "وما لهم لا يؤمنون وهم عند ربهم؟" قالوا: فالأنبياء، قال: "وما لهم لا يؤمنون والوحي ينزل عليهم؟" قالوا: فنحن، قال: "وما لكم لا تؤمنون وأنا بين أظهركم؟ ولكن أعجب المؤمنين إيماناً قوم يجيئون بعدكم يجدون صحفاً يؤمنون بما فيها"

"(We were with the Prophet when he asked), 'Who do you think of the creations is the best in faith?' They said, 'Angels.' He said, 'Why should they not believe when they are with their Lord?” So they said, 'Then Prophets.' He said, 'Why should they not believe when revelations come to them?” They said, “Then, us.” He said, “Why should you not believe when I am in your midst? But rather it is those who will come after you, find the Scriptures and believe in them.'"

In another report given us by Abu Jumu`ah, whom Abu `Amr has declared trustworthy, when the Prophet was asked by the Companions if there was someone better than they, he said,

قوم يكونون من بعدي، يؤمنون بي ولم يروني، يجدون كتابا بين لوحين فيؤمنون به ويصدقون به، فهم خير منكم.

"Yes. A people who will be after you. They will find the Book between two hard covers, will believe in it, and testify to its truth, although they would not have seen me."

Another report of Abu Tha`labah al Khashani says:

قال: (إن أمامكم أياما الصابر فيها على دينه كالقابض على الجمر للعامل فيها أجر خمسين رجلا يعمل مثله عمله) قيل: يا رسول الله، منهم؟ قال: (بل منكم).

"Ahead of you are days in which one who holds fast unto the religion will be like one holding a piece of burning coal in his hand. In those days the worker of a good deed shall have the reward of fifty of workers of the same deed." He was asked, “(Fifty) of them?" He replied, “But rather, "fifty of you."

The statements then, for and against, have been reconciled in this fashion. He who came after the Companions and faced the same situations as they faced, and remained as true as they remained, would be considered as of the same level as they. This is based on the hadith which says,

بدأ الإسلام غريبا وسيعود كما بدأ فطوبى للغرباء

"Islam has started as a stranger and will end up as a stranger. Glad tidings then to the strangers (or, 'be the strangers blessed': Au.)."

The above hadith is supported by another of Abu Tha`labah, about which Abu `Umar has expressed satisfaction, which reports the Prophet (saws) as having said:

أمتي كالمطر لا يُدْرَى أوله خير أم آخره

"My Ummah is like rain water about which it cannot be said as to which is more beneficial, the earlier or the later." But an exception still remains. It is that of those who participated at Badr and Bay` al Ridwan, for they can never be equaled.

(Qurtubi's quotation ends here).

The above exception has also the support of the Qur'an by implication, which says in surah 57, al Hadid, verse 10:

لَا يَسْتَوِي مِنْكُمْ مَنْ أَنْفَقَ مِنْ قَبْلِ الْفَتْحِ وَقَاتَلَ أُولَئِكَ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً مِنَ الَّذِينَ أَنْفَقُوا مِنْ بَعْدُ وَقَاتَلُوا وَكُلًّا وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْحُسْنَى وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ [الحديد : 10]

"Not equal among you are those who spent (in the way of Allah) and fought before the Victory (the fall of Makkah, and those who did not). They are of higher rank than those who spent and fought later, although Allah has promised good rewards for both. Allah is aware of what you do" (Au.).

179. That is, a harm that will mostly remain verbal, such as their attacks on Islam, its Prophet, or their claim that Jesus was the son of God, etc. (Razi, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

180. The verse is a proof of the Prophet's authenticity. The Jews did not fight with the Prophet but suffered defeat (Qurtubi).

181. As it happened with Banu Nadir, Banu Quraydah, Banu Qaynuqah, those who took shelter in Khayber, and as it happened with the Christians in Syria (Ibn Kathir).

Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, `Ikrimah, Suddi and Rabi` are of the opinion that they shall never be in peace save as dhimmis, which is the covenant of Allah (or shelter: Au.) referred to in the text, or by a peace treaty with the Muslims which is the covenant of the people (or shelter: Au.) referred to above (Ibn Jarir).

Imam Razi, Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir have adopted the same interpretation without naming the authorities.

And, according to Ibn Zayd it is primarily the Jews who are meant by the verse in question, as they were also the subject of verse 55 of this surah, which said:

وَجَاعِلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوكَ فَوْقَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ [آل عمران : 55]

"(We) will set those who follow you above those who have rejected (you, O Jesus) till the Resurrection Day."

Therefore, there is no land in which there are Jews and Christians living together but the Christians have an upper hand and authority over the Jews. And Allah has said about them in 7: 168:

وَقَطَّعْنَاهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ أُمَمًا [الأعراف : 168]

"And we dispersed them in the earth in small bands" (Ibn Jarir).

The present state of Israel, adds Mufti Shafi`, proves the statement of the Qur'an. If it were not to be the unconditional, blind and massive support of the West, the state would not have lasted for a single day.

182. It is reported of Ibn Mas`ud that he said: "In their heyday the Israelites would slaughter 300 prophets during the day, and by the evening conduct business in the vegetable market as usual" (Ibn Kathir).

Also see note 41 above.

183. This is to warn the believers of this Ummah that this is how the earlier nations have been destroyed. If they also behave in the like manner, and follow them in their footsteps, then, the same treatment would be meted out to them as well (Ibn Jarir).

184. It is reported by Ibn Mas`ud that once the Prophet came out for `Isha Prayers late. He found us waiting. He said: "There is no one in prayers on this earth except you" and Allah revealed this verse (Ibn Jarir, Razi, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

185. That is, if, in their praying and prostrating themselves in the depth of the nights is an indication of their strength in the field of action, then their belief in Allah and the Last Day is indicative of their insight into the field of theories and concepts. Having attained these two, a man is at a level which is the highest level of the human order (darajat al insaniyyah) and the first stage of the angelic order (darajat al malakiyyah) Razi.

186. The allusion is to those Jews and Christians who embraced Islam (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

A contemporary commentary, however, tends to state that the allusion could be to those of the people of the Book of our times who can distinguish themselves from the banal rest with the qualities stated. According to him piety is not the prerogative of Muslims. This is a conceptual error of immense proportion. There is no piety in him who rebels against his Lord, ascribes partners to Him and denies a Prophet whose denial assumes some amount of intellectual dishonesty and, hence, moral perversion. Further, ignorance of Islam can be no excuse, for to believe in the Bible, while it is splashed with stories of Prophets getting drunk, their daughters molesting them, or holy men lying down with prostitutes ... to believe in such a work as the Holy word of God and seek piety through whatever guidance it can provide, is, to say the least, scandalous. If some of the followers of such books are, to all appearances pious, then it is piety of human definition. It is not a piety of Islamic definition which demands honesty to God and honesty to oneself (Au.).

187. 'In a marginal note connected with his commentary on this verse, Zamakhshari explains this parable thus: “If the 'tilth' [i.e., the gainful achievements] of those who deny the truth is lost, it is lost in its entirety, with nothing remaining to them in this world and in the life to come; while, on the other hand, the 'tilth' of a believer is never lost in its entirety: for even if it is seemingly lost, there remains to him the expectation of a reward, in the life to come, for his patience in adversity" (Asad).

188. The word in the original is bitanah which is used for a very close, very intimate friend. The word has been used in this sense in a hadith reported by Bukhari and Nasa'i according to which the Prophet said:

مَا بَعَثَ اللّهُ مِنْ نَبِيَ وَلاَ اسْتَخْلَفَ مِنْ خَلِيفَةٍ إلاّ كَانَتْ لَهُ بِطَانَتَانِ بِطَانَةٌ تَأْمُرُهُ بِالْخَيْرِ وَبِطَانَةٌ تَأْمُرُهُ بِالشّرّ وَتَحُضّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَالْمَعْصُومُ مَنْ عَصَمَ اللّهُ عَزّ وَجَلّ

"Allah did not send a Prophet nor did He leave behind him a successor but he was given two intimate (bitanah) advisors. One of them bids him do good and the other bids him do evil. And saved is only he, who is saved by Allah."

Abu Da'ud has preserved a hadith in which the Prophet said:

الرّجُلُ عَلَى دِينِ خَلِيلِهِ فَلْيَنْظُرْ أَحَدُكُمْ مَنْ يُخَالِلُ

"A man is on the religion of his friend. So let him look at whom he befriends" (Qurtubi).

Accordingly, when `Umar was advised to appoint a Christian as one of his secretaries, he said: "If I do that I would be taking an intimate one (bitanah) apart from the believers (Razi, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir). According to another report once Abu Musa al Ash`ari presented his accounts to `Umar ibn al Khattab in a format that pleased him. He enquired about who had made it up that nice way and was told that it was a Christian. `Umar expressed disapproval of Abu Musa for hiring a non Muslim and recited this verse. According to another report he advised him to seek the help of only godfearing Muslims in state affairs (Qurtubi).

However, adds Mufti Shafi`, the verse restricts us only from treating them as our confidants. As individuals they are to be treated with compassion. This was the practice of the Prophet himself apart from various precepts that he has left behind to this effect. In one hadith he said:

ألاَ مَنْ ظَلَمَ مُعَاهِداً أوْ انْتَقَصَهُ أوْ كَلّفَهُ فَوْقَ طَاقَتِهِ أوْ أخَذَ مِنْهُ شَيْئاً بِغَيْرِ طِيبِ نَفْسٍ فَأنَا حَجِيجُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

"Whoever wronged a dhimmi, or paid him less, or overloaded him beyond his capacity, or took away from him anything without his consents, will have me as his pleader on the Day of Judgment."

Sayyid writes: "With regard to not taking the unbelievers as intimate confidants, there is another aspect that ought not to be neglected: viz. lofty ideals offered by Islam. Muslims may not take them as intimate friends while they bear grudge and hatred against Islam. But their hatred, deceit, and machinations are not to be returned with hatred, deceit and machinations by the Muslims. The injunctions here are merely safety measures. A Muslim individual therefore, confronts machinations but does not reciprocate with machinations ... meets with hatred but does not hate in return. He does nothing of that sort until he is forced to fight for his religion and for the way of life it dictates. He fights, but not to avenge himself. He fights for his faith, in love of the good and virtuous, and not in hatred of those who hate him. He fights to destroy those obstacles that are placed in the path of Islam, and not for subjugation of a people. He fights to establish the way of life from which all, believers and unbelievers alike, would benefit, and not for addition of territories or for setting up of an empire."

189. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah and Rabi` have said that some Muslims, (following past contacts, relationships of various sorts, and pacts), continued to be friendly with the Jews and the hypocrites. Allah revealed this verse (Ibn Jarir).

However, Ibn Abi Hatim has reported a hadith, (which, in the opinion of Suyuti, is of good isnad), that it is the Khawarij who have been alluded to by the verse (Shawkani).

Obviously, even if the verse originally referred to the Khawarij, the rule remains general. Hence the statement of `Umar above and the following: It is reported that some people attending Malik b. Anas's classes could not at times understand the hadith he was transmitting. They would then go to Hasan (al Basri) who would offer the explanation. Once they heard him reporting the Prophet as having said:

لا تستضيؤوا بنار المشركين ولا تنقشوا في خواتيمكم غريبا

"Do not light your fire with that of the fire of the idolaters and do not engrave Arabic on your rings."

They could not understand what it meant and asked Hasan (al Basri) to explain. He said: "Yes. What it means is 'Do not seek advice of the idolaters in your affairs and do not engrave the name Muhammad on your rings.' Then he added, 'Read in the Qur'an if you like: "Believers! Do not take as intimates those not of your ranks'" (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi). Ibn Kathir, however, after reporting this hadith says that he believes the right meaning of the earlier part of the above hadith is, 'Do not take up residence in the neighborhood of idolaters.'

190. Their hatred is of such order that they lose control of their tongues and speak out (their anger, frustration and: Au.) hatred (Alusi).

191. The verse is applicable both to the hypocrites as well as to unbelievers. However, when applied to the hypocrites, it would mean those who, by virtue of their birth, live among the Muslims, but hate Islam and Muslims. But, because of their circumstances of birth and perforce belonging to a particular social group, they have to put up appearances of Islam. When they are among the believers they assure them that they are fully committed Muslims.

If applied to the unbelievers, the verse would mean that although hatred wells up in their eyes, whenever they see something good happening to the Muslims, yet they make hypocritical gestures, and assure the believers that they believe there is "a lot of good in Islam," for the sake of maintaining courteous relationship, and draw material benefits (Au.).

192. These words indicate that if one decides to sever relationships completely with someone, there is no harm in using such harsh terms (Thanwi).