112. Ibn `Abbas is reported to have said that there are eight verses within this Surah which are better for this Ummah than everything upon which the sun rises or sets:

1- يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَكُمْ [النساء : 26]

1) Allah desires to make things clear for you (verse 26).

2 - وَاللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ [النساء : 27]

2) Allah desires to turn to you (verse 27).

3 - يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُخَفِّفَ عَنْكُمْ [النساء : 28]

3) Allah desires to lighten you (verse 28).

4 - إِنْ تَجْتَنِبُوا كَبَائِرَ مَا تُنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ نُكَفِّرْ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ [النساء : 31]

4) If you avoid major sins which you are being forbidden We shall expiate your sins (verse 31).

5 - إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَظْلِمُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ [النساء : 40]

5) Allah does not do wrong even by an atom (verse 40).

6 - إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ [النساء : 48]

6) Allah will not forgive that He be associated with, but will forgive whom He will, anything less than that (verse 48).

7 - وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ يَجِدِ اللَّهَ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا [النساء : 110]

7) Whoever wrongs or oppresses himself then seeks Allah’s forgiveness, will find Allah very forgiving, very kind (verse 110), and

8 - مَا يَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ بِعَذَابِكُمْ [النس

ء:147] 8) What will Allah gain by punishing you? (verse 148)? - Kashshaf, Razi, Shawkani.

113. This weakness is especially apparent in matters involving women. Sa`id b. al-Musayyib has said: “Shaytan never gives up the hope of destroying a man with the help of women. I am past eighty, blind of one eye and weak of another (‘and incapable of sex’: Qurtubi), yet it is women that I fear most” (Kashshaf). The Connection When Allah had spoken of matters pertaining to a physical need, i.e., marriage, He followed it up with matters pertaining to material needs, i.e., wealth and how it is used (Razi).

114. `Ikrimah and Hasan Busri have said that when this verse was revealed some of the Companions refused to eat in each other’s house when invited, on grounds that it was the right of the poor, until Allah revealed another verse which cleared the way for them. It said (24: 61):

ﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﮓ ﮔ ﮕ ﮖ ﮗ ﮘ ﮙ

“(There is no sin) upon you that you eat from your own house, from the house of your fathers, or the house of your mothers ... until the end of the verse (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir). Majid adds: “Every believer’s property is his own. Islam totally rejects the communistic doctrine of the state ownership of all property.”

115. That is, not by way of gambling, usury, theft, false testimony and the like but by trade, making, if one can, a thousand out of a single Dirham (Suddi: Ibn Jarir). It is reported that Ibn `Abbas heard a man say to another, “I buy this piece of cloth from you now. But if I do not like it, I shall return it along with one Dirham.” Ibn `Abbas responded, “This is the wrongful devouring of property that Allah has alluded to when He said: “Believers. Do not devour each other’s property wrongfully” (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). Qatadah said: “We used to hear (from our elders) that an honest trader will be one of the seven in the shade of the `Arsh on the Day of Judgment” (Ibn Jarir).

116. What is meant by the word taradin is that the exchange of money or goods should be by free consent in trade, gifts, etc. (Mujahid: Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). In trade taradin is generally understood as having been achieved, once, after the deal is discussed, accepted, and the two, buyer and seller, have parted company. So long as they are in the same assembly, they have the right to withdraw from the deal. The deal is “done” once they part company. Accordingly, it is reported that once in the presence of `Ali (ra) a girl bought a Dirham worth of grapes, but, after having received them, returned them saying, “I do not need them, give me back my Dirham.” The trader refused. `Ali intervened and compelled him to return the Dirham to her (Ibn Jarir). In fact, there is a hadith to this effect. It says: “The two have the choice so long as they do not part company” (Ibn Jarir). A similar hadith is in Bukhari (Ibn Kathir).

117. Some scholars have understood this verse as saying: “Do not kill yourselves.” (That is, do not commit suicide). An incident is quoted in this connection:

عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ قَالَ احْتَلَمْتُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ بَارِدَةٍ فِي غَزْوَةِ ذَاتِ السُّلَاسِلِ فَأَشْفَقْتُ إِنْ اغْتَسَلْتُ أَنْ أَهْلِكَ فَتَيَمَّمْتُ ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ بِأَصْحَابِي الصُّبْحَ فَذَكَرُوا ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ يَا عَمْرُو صَلَّيْتَ بِأَصْحَابِكَ وَأَنْتَ جُنُبٌ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ بِالَّذِي مَنَعَنِي مِنْ الِاغْتِسَالِ وَقُلْتُ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ { وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا } فَضَحِكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَلَمْ يَقُلْ شَيْئًا .سنن ابي داؤد

It is reported of `Amr b. al-`As that one night, when he was leading a group of people during the Dhat al-Sulasil campaign, he experienced a wet dream. It was a bitterly cold night. He was afraid that he would harm himself if he bathed. So he wiped himself with dust and led the people in the fajr Prayers. The next day he reported the matter to the Prophet. He asked, “`Amr, did you lead them in Prayers while you were in the state of major impurity?” `Amr replied, “Messenger of Allah, I was afraid I would kill myself in that cold night. Has not Allah said: ‘Do not kill yourselves?’” At that the Prophet smiled (and did not pursue the matter any further) - Razi, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Alusi. The report is classified as authentic by Albani (S. Ibrahim). Accordingly, the commentators have quoted from the Prophet a hadith of the Sahihayn which says:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ بِحَدِيدَةٍ فَحَدِيدَتُهُ فِي يَدِهِ يَتَوَجَّأُ بِهَا فِي بَطْنِهِ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدًا مُخَلَّدًا فِيهَا أَبَدًا وَمَنْ شَرِبَ سَمًّا فَقَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ فَهُوَ يَتَحَسَّاهُ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدًا مُخَلَّدًا فِيهَا أَبَدًا وَمَنْ تَرَدَّى مِنْ جَبَلٍ فَقَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ فَهُوَ يَتَرَدَّى فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدًا مُخَلَّدًا فِيهَا أَبَدًا. صحيح مسلم

“Whoever killed himself with steel will have that steel in his hand piercing his stomach with it in the Fire of Hell, for ever and ever, abiding therein. He who drank poison and killed himself will be drinking it in the Fire of Hell, for ever and ever, abiding therein. Whoever threw himself from a cliff and died, will be falling (from a cliff) in the Fire of Hell, for ever and ever, abiding therein.” (Ibn Kathir).

118. To what is the allusion by the word “that?” Ibn Jarir says it refers to all that has been prohibited verse 19 onwards: “Believers, it is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will....”

119. It is reported that in Egypt some people asked `Abdullah ibn `Amr: “We find things ordered in the Qur’an but people not practicing them?! (`Abdullah did not have an answer), so they (along with `Abdullah) decided they would ask `Umar (and came down to Madinah). While in Madinah they were chanced upon by `Umar himself. He asked `Abdullah: “When did you come?" He gave him the answer. He asked: “Had you permission to come here?” He did not know how to answer that question. He said: “O Leader of the believers. Some people came to me in Egypt and wanted explanation for things ordered by the Qur’an but people not practicing them. So we came here to consult you.” He said: “Assemble your men.” He gathered his companions. `Umar picked up the least prominent of them and said: “Tell me, have you read the whole of the Qur’an?” He said: “Yes.” He asked him: “Did you let your inner self live by it?” The man said: “Had I said yes, surely `Umar would have cross-questioned me. So I said, no.” `Umar then asked: “Did you make your sight live by it? Did you live by it in your spoken word? Did you live by it in other affairs? and so on.” Then he went on to the next man until he reached the last and repeated his questions. Then he said to himself: “May your mother lose you `Umar? Do you believe you can make people live entirely by the Qur’an? Surely Allah had in His knowledge that there would be sins.” Then he recited: “If you avoid major (sins) that you are being forbidden, We will acquit you of your (minor) sins.” Then he asked: “Do the Madinans know what you have come here for?” They said, “No.” He said: “Had they known, surely I would have admonished them with you as an example” (Ibn Jarir). The report is sahih and its contents sound (Ibn Kathir). Major Sins `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud has been widely reported as saying that the reference by “major sins” at this point is to verses from 1 to 30 of this Surah. However, others, such as `Ali, `Ubaydah ibn Numayr and Mujahid have said that the great (or major) sins are seven: Associating partners with Allah, devouring orphans’ property, consuming usury, slandering chaste women, running away from the battle-field, renouncing hijrah and committing murder. Yet, it is also reported of Ibn Mas`ud that the major sins are four: “Associating partners with Allah, to be unmindful of Allah’s makr, to despair of Allah’s mercy and, to lose hope of Allah’s clemency” (The report is trustworthy: Ibn Kathir). But Ibn `Abbas has said that major sins are all those that Allah has forbidden: close to seventy (according to another version ‘seven hundred:’ Shawkani); and the general rule that he applied is: it is every sin after which a threat of punishment was added, or disapproval expressed in strong terms. Mujahid, Sa`id ibn Jubayr, Hasan and Dahhak are with him. The Prophet himself answered variously on various occasions when asked about major sins (Ibn Jarir). Ibn Kathir adds: A hadith that is in Nasa’i, Ibn Hibban and Hakim (who said it met with the authentication requirements of Bukhari and Muslim) reports Abu Hurayrah and Abu Sa`id as saying:

خَطَبَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمًا فَقَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ أَكَبَّ فَأَكَبَّ كُلُّ رَجُلٍ مِنَّا يَبْكِي لَا نَدْرِي عَلَى مَاذَا حَلَفَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فِي وَجْهِهِ الْبُشْرَى فَكَانَتْ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْنَا مِنْ حُمْرِ النَّعَمِ ثُمَّ قَالَ مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ يُصَلِّي الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسَ وَيَصُومُ رَمَضَانَ وَيُخْرِجُ الزَّكَاةَ وَيَجْتَنِبُ الْكَبَائِرَ السَّبْعَ إِلَّا فُتِّحَتْ لَهُ أَبْوَابُ الْجَنَّةِ فَقِيلَ لَهُ ادْخُلْ بِسَلَامٍ

“One day the Prophet stood up for a sermon. He began by saying, ‘By Him in whose hands is my soul.’ He said that three times. Then he bent forward and we all bent forward weeping, not knowing what it was that he had sworn for. Then he raised his head and his face was bright. That face was dearer to us than red camels. He said, ‘There is no one who Prayed five times, fasted in Ramadan, paid the Zakah and abstained from the seven major ones but the gates of Paradise will be opened for him and he will be told, ‘Enter in peace.’” The Sahihayn have another hadith that has Abu Hurayrah reporting him:

عن أبي هريرة؛ أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "اجْتَنِبُوا السبعَ المُوبِقَاتِ" قيل: يا رسول الله، وما هُنَّ؟ قال: "الشِّركُ بالله، وقَتْلُ النَّفْس التي حَرَّمَ الله إلا بالحق، والسِّحرُ، وأكْلُ الربا، وأكل مال اليتيم، والتَّوَلِّي يوم الزَّحْف، وقَذْفُ المحصنَات المؤمنات الغافلات" بخاري و مسلم

”Stay away from the seven destructive ones." It was asked: “What are they, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “To associate partners with Allah, killing of a person save by law, magic, partaking of usury, devouring the orphan’s property, running away from the battle-field and slandering chaste women.” Another hadith in Ibn Marduwayh has “misbehavior with the parents” in place of “magic.” The Sahihayn have another hadith which reports the Prophet as having said:

قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "ألا أنبئكم بأكبر الكبائر ؟ قلنا: بلى يا رسول الله. قال "الإشراك بالله، وعقوق الوالدين" وكان متكئاً، فجلس فقال "ألا وشهادة الزور، ألا وقول الزور" فمازال يكررها حتى قلنا: ليته سكت.

“May I not tell you about the greatest of the great sins?” We said, “Why not, O Messenger of Allah.” He said, “They are: associating partners with Allah, mistreating the parents, and ... he straightened up from the reclining position to say ... and false testimony.” He kept repeating the words until the narrator, Abu Bakr, says, “I wished he would stop.” Imam Ahmad has recorded `Abdullah ibn `Amr b. al-`As as including intoxicant drinks. Bukhari has another hadith which reports the Prophet as having said: إن أكبر الكبائر أن يسب الرجل والديه قالوا يا رسول الله وكيف يسب الرجل والديه قال يسب الرجل الرجل فيسب أباه فيسب أباه ويسب أمه فيسب أمه “The greatest of the major sins is to curse one’s parents.” He was asked: “How could a man curse his parents?” He replied: “A man curses another’s father. In retaliation the other man curses his father. He curses his mother and the other man curses his mother.” A sahih report in Ibn Abi Hatim comes from `Umar. He said that to combine two Prayers is one of the major sins. (That is, not to do a particular Prayer on time, intentionally, and then combine it with the following one: Au.). In one sahih report Ibn `Abbas has also reckoned harming someone by one’s will as one of the major sins. `Ali has included parting away from the community and breaking allegiance as also of major sins. Accordingly, there were many among the Companions such as Ibn `Abbas, who felt that major sins are not seven, rather, more than seventy. Dhahabi has also listed more than seventy in his book on this subject. Imam Malik b. Anas has even been reported as saying that denigrating the Companions is kufr. Finally, it might be noted that there is no major sin with repentance and a minor sin is major if repeatedly indulged in. And, before we end, we might quote that hadith of the Prophet which is in Abdul Razzaq and Tirmidhi, who grades it hasan sahih, in which he said:

شَفَاعَتِى لأَهْلِ الْكَبَائِرِ مِنْ أُمَّتِى

“My intercession will be for those of my Ummah who committed major sins.” The import of this hadith has the support of other sahih ahadith on this topic. Ibn Kathir’s quotation ends here.

120. Such acquitting however is conditional to performing the obligations of Islam, as says a hadith of Muslim:

عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- كَانَ يَقُولُ: الصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ وَالْجُمُعَةُ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ وَرَمَضَانُ إِلَى رَمَضَانَ مُكَفِّرَاتٌ مَا بَيْنَهُنَّ إِذَا اجْتَنَبَ الْكَبَائِرَ

. “Five time Prayers, Friday to Friday, and Ramadan to Ramadan acquit one of what is between them provided the major sins are avoided” (Qurtubi). In fact, adds Thanwi, to neglect the obligations, such as, for example, not to Pray, is itself a major sin. And the opinion of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama`ah with regard to major and minor sins is as follows: “An off-chance of punishment exists for minor sins (although threats have not been explicitly stated), and an off-chance of forgiveness exists for major sins (although punishment has been explicitly promised).” It might also be noted, as Ibn Hajr has pointed out, that although the ancients have divided sins into major and minor ones, they have not listed the minor ones. This is because no sin is minor in comparison to Allah’s greatness. His disobedience, however minor, is a great sin. Further, the fact of a sin being major or minor will depend on the sinner’s condition, his intention etc. Hence some have said - such as Abu Ishaq Al-Isfara’ini, Qadi Abu Bakr al-Baqilani and Imam al-Haramayn - that in reality there are no major or minor sins. They are major and minor only in comparison with each other. Otherwise, by itself, every sin is a major sin (Alusi, Shawkani). Nevertheless, most scholars recognize some sins as Major. Accordingly, Mufti Shafi` has added the note that while minor sins are acquitted by good deeds, major sins have to be repented for. In fact, someone who does not repent his major sins, is likely to be questioned for his minor sins also.

121. Qaffal has said that when Allah forbade the taking of life and property of the people wrongfully in the previous verses, He followed it up by showing the way in which it will become easy to live by the rule as follows: it is by not coveting what others have been given. It can also be said that while the previous verse forbids coveting other’s wealth or property physically, the following verses forbid the heart and soul to attempt it, so that both, the open and the concealed deeds, could be reformed (Razi, Alusi). Tamanni (coveting) in the Islamic sense is to wish that one be given what another has in his possession (in the sense of the ownership being transferred: Au.), such as, wealth, a house, a beautiful wife and so on. (In other words it is hasad: Alusi). Rather, one may pray to Allah in words: “O Lord, grant me what will be of benefit to me in both the worlds,” (Razi), or “Grant me the like of what another man has got” (Alusi). It is reported that Umm Salamah complained to the Prophet in words: “O Messenger of Allah, we do not take part in jihad to attain martyrdom, and get only half of the male’s share in inheritance.” In response, Allah revealed this verse (Ibn Jarir, Kashshaf, Razi, Qurtubi). The report is in Ahmad (Ibn Kathir). The report is also in Tirmidhi, Hakim, Ibn Abi Hatim, Bayhaqi and others (Shawkani). Further, that hadith of Bukhari does not contradict this verse which reports the Prophet as having said:

عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ قَال َقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَا حَسَدَ إِلَّا فِي اثْنَتَيْنِ رَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ مَالًا فَسُلِّطَ عَلَى هَلَكَتِهِ فِي الْحَقِّ وَرَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ الْحِكْمَةَ فَهُوَ يَقْضِي بِهَا وَيُعَلِّمُهَا

“Envy is not (allowed) save of two. One, of a man whom Allah gave wealth and he is bent upon destroying it for good purposes, and a man whom Allah gave wisdom so that he judges by it and teaches it.” In this hadith hasad (envy) has actually been used in the sense of ghibtah, which is to wish for what another has, without wishing that the other person be deprived of the thing (Ibn Kathir, Shawkani). Majid comments: (The allusion in this verse seems to be to women coveting equality with men). “That in the scheme of life the role of the male is different in many fundamentals from that of the female is recognized by the modern science of Biology and Psychology alike. ‘The desires and conduct of the two sexes are not similar, but are complementary and reciprocal. In courtship the male is active; his role is to court, to pursue, to possess, to control, to protect, to love. The role of the female is passive ... Consequent on this fundamental difference are certain others. For pursuit, greater ardor is necessary than for mere reception; and the courting activity of the male is throughout the animal kingdom, more ardent than that of the female; and this greater ardor is connected with certain other differences.’ (Mercier, Conduct and Disorders Biologically Considered, pp. 289-290). ‘It is generally true that the males are more active, energetic, eager, passionate, and variable; the female more passive, conservative, sluggish, and stable’ (Thompson and Geddes, Evolution and Sex, p. 289). ‘Man perhaps even down to the protein molecules of his tissue cells, is biologically different from women. From the very moment of sex formation in the embryo, the biological dusting of the sexes develops along entirely divergent paths ... We must recognize the unquestionable existence of the biological inequality of the sexes. It goes deeper and is of far greater import than it would appear to those not familiar with natural sciences’ (Nemilove, Biological Tragedy of Women, pp. 75-78).” A recent research conducted in the United States shows that while answering certain questions men used only one side of the brain, women used both the sides of their brain to answer the same set of questions, although the answers did not always vary (Au.).

122. It is reported of the Prophet that he said:

سَلُوا اللَّهَ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُسْأَلَ وَأَفْضَلُ الْعِبَادَةِ انْتِظَارُ الْفَرَجِ

“Seek Allah’s bounty. He loves that He be asked. And, the best of devotions is to wait for an opening” (Ibn Jarir). The hadith is in Tirmidhi, (Qurtubi) and other books and is of good status (Ibn Kathir). Although Albani has classified it da`if, (no. 492) Shawkani has stated that one version is near to being trustworthy (Au.).

123. Therefore, following His complete knowledge of everything, He has bestowed upon people abilities and propensities, in different measures, in accordance with their needs (Alusi).

124. Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Hasan al-Busri and Qatadah have said that in pre-Islamic days some people who were not related to each other by blood struck a deal with each other that they would inherit each other. This verse initially approved of the practice, and instructed that they be given their share in accordance with their compact. However, the permission was later revoked by the verse (33: 6):

وَأُولُو الْأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَى بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ [الأحزاب : 6]

“And those related by womb are closer to each other than others by the decree of Allah.” Therefore, inheritance is now only possible by way of kinship as confirmed by several ahadith (such as in Muslim: Ibn Kathir) that after Islam there is no inheritance by way of compact. Others have said that it refers to the “brotherhood” ties that the Prophet had instituted early in Madinah. In those days they inherited each other. This verse approved of the early practice, but later it was abrogated by verse 6 of chapter 33 quoted above (Ibn Jarir). This last statement is that of Ibn `Abbas and is in Bukhari. Nevertheless, it is still valid for other compacts that the people strike between themselves. They should keep them. In this sense the verse is not abrogated (Ibn Kathir).