Surah 8. Al-Anfal

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Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-19 [2], 20-28 [3], 29-37 [4], 38-44 [5], 45-48 [6], 49-58 [7], 59-64 [8], 65-69 [9], 70-75 [10]

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Quran Text of Verse 20-28یٰۤاَیُّهَاO youالَّذِیْنَwhoاٰمَنُوْۤاbelieveاَطِیْعُواObeyاللّٰهَAllahوَ رَسُوْلَهٗand His Messengerوَ لَاAnd (do) notتَوَلَّوْاturn awayعَنْهُfrom himوَ اَنْتُمْwhile youتَسْمَعُوْنَۚۖhear وَ لَاAnd (do) notتَكُوْنُوْاbeكَالَّذِیْنَlike those whoقَالُوْاsayسَمِعْنَاWe heardوَ هُمْwhile theyلَاdo notیَسْمَعُوْنَ hear اِنَّIndeedشَرَّworstالدَّوَآبِّ(of) the living creaturesعِنْدَnearاللّٰهِAllahالصُّمُّ(are) the deafالْبُكْمُthe dumbالَّذِیْنَthose whoلَا(do) notیَعْقِلُوْنَ use their intellect وَ لَوْAnd ifعَلِمَ(had) knownاللّٰهُAllahفِیْهِمْin themخَیْرًاany goodلَّاَسْمَعَهُمْ ؕsurely, He (would) have made them hearوَ لَوْAnd ifاَسْمَعَهُمْHe had made them hearلَتَوَلَّوْاsurely they would have turned awayوَّ هُمْwhile theyمُّعْرِضُوْنَ (were) averse یٰۤاَیُّهَاO youالَّذِیْنَwhoاٰمَنُواbelieveاسْتَجِیْبُوْاRespondلِلّٰهِto Allahوَ لِلرَّسُوْلِand His Messengerاِذَاwhenدَعَاكُمْhe calls youلِمَاto whatیُحْیِیْكُمْ ۚgives you lifeوَ اعْلَمُوْۤاAnd knowاَنَّthatاللّٰهَAllahیَحُوْلُcomesبَیْنَ(in) betweenالْمَرْءِa manوَ قَلْبِهٖand his heartوَ اَنَّهٗۤand thatاِلَیْهِto Himتُحْشَرُوْنَ you will be gathered وَ اتَّقُوْاAnd fearفِتْنَةًa trialلَّاnotتُصِیْبَنَّwhich will afflictالَّذِیْنَthose whoظَلَمُوْاdo wrongمِنْكُمْamong youخَآصَّةً ۚexclusivelyوَ اعْلَمُوْۤاAnd knowاَنَّthatاللّٰهَAllahشَدِیْدُ(is) severeالْعِقَابِ (in) the penalty 8. Al-Anfal Page 180وَ اذْكُرُوْۤاAnd rememberاِذْwhenاَنْتُمْyouقَلِیْلٌ(were) fewمُّسْتَضْعَفُوْنَ(and) deemed weakفِیinالْاَرْضِthe earthتَخَافُوْنَfearingاَنْthatیَّتَخَطَّفَكُمُmight do away with youالنَّاسُthe menفَاٰوٰىكُمْthen He sheltered youوَ اَیَّدَكُمْand strengthened youبِنَصْرِهٖwith His helpوَ رَزَقَكُمْand provided youمِّنَofالطَّیِّبٰتِthe good thingsلَعَلَّكُمْso that you mayتَشْكُرُوْنَ (be) thankful یٰۤاَیُّهَاO youالَّذِیْنَwhoاٰمَنُوْاbelieveلَا(Do) notتَخُوْنُواbetrayاللّٰهَAllahوَ الرَّسُوْلَand the Messengerوَ تَخُوْنُوْۤاor betrayاَمٰنٰتِكُمْyour trustsوَ اَنْتُمْwhile youتَعْلَمُوْنَ know وَ اعْلَمُوْۤاAnd knowاَنَّمَاۤthatاَمْوَالُكُمْyour wealthوَ اَوْلَادُكُمْand your childrenفِتْنَةٌ ۙ(are) a trialوَّ اَنَّAnd thatاللّٰهَAllahعِنْدَهٗۤwith Himاَجْرٌ(is) a rewardعَظِیْمٌ۠great

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Translation of Verse 20-28

(8:20) Believers! Obey Allah and His Messenger. Do not turn away from him⁴⁰ even as you hear.⁴¹

(8:21) And be not like those who said, ‘We heard;' but they hear not.⁴²

(8:22) Surely, the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are the deaf and the dumb - those who do not use reason.⁴³

(8:23) Had Allah known any good in them, He would have made them hear.⁴⁴ But, if He made them hear, they would turn away in declination.

(8:24) Believers! Respond to the call of Allah and His Messenger when He calls you to that which will give you life.⁴⁵ Be aware that Allah comes in between a man and his heart,⁴⁶ and that to Him you shall be mustered.

(8:25) And, beware of a tribulation⁴⁷ that will not touch exclusively those among you who transgressed.⁴⁸ And beware, that Allah is severe in chastisement.

(8:26) Recall when you were few, oppressed in the land, fearful that people might abduct you.⁴⁹ Then He sheltered you, supported you with His help, and provided you with the good things, haply that you will give thanks.

(8:27) Believers!⁵⁰ Betray not Allah and the Messenger,⁵¹ nor betray your trusts, while you know.

(8:28) And be aware that your wealth and your children are but a trial,⁵² and that, Allah - with Him is a great reward.

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Commentary

40. The personal pronoun as used here in singular form, alludes to the Prophet, since Allah's obedience is included by default. Other explanations have also been suggested (Alusi).

41. What kind of listening it is if it is not followed by acts of obedience? Is it the kind of listening that the Jews were used to who said (2: 93),

سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا [البقرة : 93]

"We have heard, but shall not obey."

Or, was it the kind of listening that the unbelievers did who said, as in the following verse (no. 31),

قَدْ سَمِعْنَا لَوْ نَشَاءُ لَقُلْنَا مِثْلَ [الأنفال : 31]

"We have heard. If we wished we could say something similar to it" (Shabbir).

Rashid Rida noted: Rather, you ought to be like those who said (2: 285):

سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا [البقرة : 285]

"We heard and obeyed, therefore, (we seek) Your forgiveness and to You is the return;" and be among them about whom Allah said (39: 17, 18):

فَبَشِّرْ عِبَادِ (17) الَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقَوْلَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُ أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَاهُمُ اللَّهُ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمْ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ [الزمر : 17 ، 18]

"Therefore, give glad tidings to My slaves who listen to the word and then follow it in a goodly manner. They are the ones whom Allah has guided and they are the men of understanding."

Alusi comments that speaking out (the truth) has been preceded by hearing since, one can only speak out the truth if he listens to it.

To the above we might add that this pattern is noticeable elsewhere in the Qur'an. Whenever it mentioned man's inability to speak, it preceded it by expressing his inability to hear. This is in agreement with the biological phenomenon that a man only learns to speak if he is capable of hearing. If he cannot hear, he cannot recognize voices and, consequently, cannot imitate them. No deaf can ever be made to speak. It must be concluded therefore, that had this been the Prophet's own writing, he could not have been careful enough to maintain a scientific point that a deaf is necessarily dumb, repeating it four times, in statements made over a period of 23 years. A sole exception is in surah al-Isra', where the Qur'an reversed the order of the three faculties: speech, hearing, and sight, perhaps for reasons of eloquence (Au.).

42. Ibn Is-haq has said: O Muslims, do not be like the hypocrites who put up a show of obedience but they conceal disobedience (Ibn Jarir). Allah said about them (47: 16):

وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْكَ حَتَّى إِذَا خَرَجُوا مِنْ عِنْدِكَ قَالُوا لِلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ مَاذَا قَالَ آنِفًا [محمد : 16]

"And, among them are some who listen to you, until, when they go away from you they ask those of knowledge, ‘What did he say just now?'" (Manar).

43. `Ikrimah has said that the allusion in this context was to the chiefs of the Quraysh who were deaf to the Prophetic message and, even if they heard, were dumb to acknowledge it as true. They were the standard bearers of the unbelievers on the day of Badr (Ibn Jarir). A report in Bukhari has ibn `Abbas saying that the allusion was to some of the men of `Abd al-Daar tribe (Qurtubi).

Rashid Rida comments: These people lack the faculties which helps distinguish between right and wrong, between vice and virtue. Had they possessed the faculty of reason, they would have conducted an enquiry. Had they enquired, they would have heard and known the difference. Had they heard, they would have spoken it out and proclaimed it. Had they proclaimed it, they would have received admonition and would have admonished others. But now the situation with them is, as if they lack all these faculties. Not because they did not receive them. Rather, because they corrupted them.

44. "The meaning is: these infidels are totally wanting in the will to believe; had there been any such will in them, God was sure to have led them to the right path" (Majid).

Rashid Rida further clarifies: This, and along with some other texts, such as (10: 44),

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَظْلِمُ النَّاسَ شَيْئًا وَلَكِنَّ النَّاسَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ [يونس : 44]

‘Allah does no injustice to the people, rather, the people themselves do injustice to themselves,' throws dust into the mouth of those who claim that the verse confirms that some people are forced into disbelief by the Divine Decree and that man has no say in the choice of belief or disbelief. How many people have not been there who listened, and the listening profited them indeed? We have the example of a French physician who, upon reading what the Qur'an has to say on hygiene, moderation and avoiding wastage, acknowledged that it confirmed with the latest scientific ideas and so embraced Islam. Or another man called Brown who read Sale's translation of the Qur'an and concluded that Muhammad must have been a great sea-explorer. But, when he learned that Muhammad had not even seen an ocean in his life and that he was unlettered who had read no book, concluded that this book could not have been written by him. He too embraced Islam.

But the situation with the Muslims of today is that many of them hear the reciter recite the Qur'an, wherewith they intend to draw no more than blessings and mental pleasure. Some of the recitals are of the musical kind: accompanied by swaying, repetition of the verses, occasional loss of the self-control or falling into trance and so forth. But they do not listen to the Qur'an in the true manner of listening.

45. While several of the Salaf have said that by the words "what will give you life," the allusion is either to the Qur'an or Islam (Ibn Jarir), `Urwah ibn Zubayr has said that the allusion is to jihad (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir). Whatever the choice, this Ummah's existence depends on its following the call of Allah and His Messenger. Accordingly, when the Prophet called Abu Sa`id but he did not answer immediately on the grounds that he was in the Prayers, the Prophet asked him, "Has not Allah said, ‘Believers! Respond to the call of Allah and His Messenger when He calls you to what will give you life?'" (Ibn Kathir, Shawkani).

A similar incident took place in which Ubayy b. Ka`b was involved as in Tirmidhi and Hakim (Rashid Rida).

Going by this verse Imam Shafe`i has ruled that a believer should not delay attending to a call of Islam; a rule which is applicable to its injunctions too (Qurtubi).

Ibn al-Qayyim writes: "This verse carries a few implications. One of them is that a fruitful life results from a positive response to Allah and His Messenger. He who does not respond positively, does not posses life: although biologically he is alive. The true, good life, is of those alone who respond to the call both outwardly (with actions) and inwardly (with proper attention and intention). They are truly alive, even after death. Others are dead, even if they are physically alive. And, all that Allah and His Messenger call to, generates life in a man. Whoever missed a part of it missed that part of life, being alive in the same ratio in which he responded...

"As there is no life in a man in whom the angel of life did not blow in the spirit sent by Allah, in a similar fashion there is no life in the soul of a man in whom the Messenger of Allah did not blow the Message that Allah bestowed on him. Allah said (16: 2):

يُنَزِّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ بِالرُّوحِ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ عَلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ [النحل : 2]

‘He sends down angles with the Spirit by His order upon whomsoever of His slaves He will.'

He also said (40: 15):

يُلْقِي الرُّوحَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ عَلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ [غافر : 15]

‘He casts the Spirit by His order on whomsoever of His slaves He will.'

He also said (42: 52):

وَكَذَلِكَ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ رُوحًا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا مَا كُنْتَ تَدْرِي مَا الْكِتَابُ وَلَا الْإِيمَانُ وَلَكِنْ جَعَلْنَاهُ نُورًا نَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ نَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا [الشورى : 52]

‘And that is how We have revealed unto you a Spirit by Our command. You did not know what is a Book nor what is faith, but We made it a Light by which We guide whom We will of Our slaves.'

Thus, Allah informed us that His revelation is the Spirit and the Light. True life is the outcome of two blows: one of the angelic-messenger and the other of the human-messenger. Whoever received the two blows received the two lives. Whoever received one, missed the other. Allah said (6: 122),

أَوَمَنْ كَانَ مَيْتًا فَأَحْيَيْنَاهُ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُ نُورًا يَمْشِي بِهِ فِي النَّاسِ كَمَنْ مَثَلُهُ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ لَيْسَ بِخَارِجٍ مِنْهَا [الأنعام : 122]

‘What? Can one who was dead, then We gave him life and appointed a Light whereby he strides among the people, be like him who is in darknesses out of which he cannot emerge?'"

Sayyid is close to these sentiments but is also closer to the earthly realities. He writes: "The Messenger calls the Muslims to a faith that will quicken their hearts and minds, release them off the lassoes of ignorance and superstition, of the pressures of delusions and myths of the past, of weakness before the means and rigid rules, from obedience unto other than Allah, and from bending down before the humans or to one's own base desires.

"The Messenger calls them to the way of life coming from Allah, that frees Man and appoints him to a high status that he enjoys before his Lord, and places the entire mankind in one row, on equal footing, in which no man rules over others, nor a class over the nation, nor a people over other people. All of them march into the future, as equals, under the banner of the Shari`ah sent down by their Lord.

"He calls them to a way of life, to a way of thought, and to a set of concepts, seeking to free them of all bonds of slavery, except the natural bonds, and to ties that help restore and preserve the constructive and creative power of man. It does not suppress these powers in any way, nor comes in the way of any constructive activity.

"He calls them to strength and honor and an ascent by means of faiths and ways, trust in their religion and in their Lord, and by directing their efforts to the world, together as one people, for the purposes of freeing men from the yoke of other men, and win back for the humans the humanness that they have been robbed off.

"He also calls them to jihad in the way of Allah, in order to establish the Oneness of Allah on the earth and in the life of the people, and for the destruction of those that are worshiped besides Allah and pursuit of the oppressors until they bend down to the rule of Allah.

"It is with the accomplishment of these objectives that the Religion will finally become Allah's."

46. After reporting several interpretations of the Salaf, Ibn Jarir reconciles them by saying that the meaning is that, Allah is the One who holds sway over a man's inner self - whether a believer or unbeliever - and not the man himself, so that he cannot make any decision about himself without His leave. It was perhaps keeping in with this meaning, Ibn Kathir adds, that the Prophet used to pray in words:

اللَّهُمَّ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ

"O My Lord! Make my heart firm in my religion."

When he was asked why he prayed in those words he replied,

إِنَّ الْقُلُوبَ بَيْنَ إِصْبَعَيْنِ مِنْ أَصَابِعِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُقَلِّبُهَا

"Because people's hearts are between two fingers of the Merciful. He turns them (how He will)." Reports of this nature are also in the Sihah books. Zamakhshari is also close to adopting this meaning.

Rashid Rida reproduces the personal experience of someone he knew, who was soaked in vice. One day he went boating in the river Dijlah, along with his friends, singing on the tambour and drinking wine. It should so happen, that another boat passed by. Someone was reciting the Qur'an as it sailed by. When he recited the Surah (no. 81),

إِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ [التكوير : 1]

"When the Sun will be darkened," the man was struck by the awesome note and began to listen attentively. When the reciter reached (v. 10),

وَإِذَا الصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْ [التكوير : 10]

"When the scrolls (of deeds) will be spread," the man's heart was filled with remorse and fear over what his Scroll was filled with. He poured his wine into the river, broke the musical instruments, and returned home repentant.

47. "Fitnah has many meanings: (1) the root meaning is trial or temptation, as in ii. 102 and vii. 28; (2) an analogous meaning is trial or punishment, as in v. 71; (3) tumult or oppression, as in ii. 193, and here, and in viii. 39 (4) there is here (viii. 25) the further shade of meaning suggested: discord, sedition, civil war" (Yusuf Ali).

48. The Companions said that they realized the true meaning of the verse after `Uthman, the third caliph was murdered.

Majid explains: "The Divine chastisement visits not only those who are the actual perpetrators of crime but it falls on those also who keep indifferent to the sin and vice around them, and do not admonish the wicked. Islam does not expect of its followers to be passive spectators of guilt and crime; it requires them to be active opponents, so far as in their power, to all forms of irreligion and impiety."

What exactly does "transgression" imply here? The answer is, several. It could be the refusal to stand for the truth when falsehood is being perpetrated, neglect of the task of enjoining the truth and preventing vice, silence in the face of innovations, fighting shy of jihad, or other acts of this nature (Alusi).

Ibn `Abbas has said that Allah has warned the believers against being complacent with the wicked ones living among them (Ibn Jarir).

Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir support this latter meaning with several ahadith of the same content from Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Majah and Abu Da'ud. One of them says,

إِذَا ظَهَرَتِ الْمَعَاصِي فِي أُمَّتِي عَمَّهُمُ اللَّهُ بِعَذَابٍ، قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَمَا فِي النَّاسِ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَاسٌ صَالِحُونَ، قَالَ:بَلَى، قُلْتُ: فَكَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ أُولَئِكَ؟، قَالَ: يُصِيبُهُمْ مَا أَصَابَ النَّاسَ، ثُمَّ يَصِيرُونَ إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانٍ (رواه أحمد بإسنادين رجال أحدهما رجال الصحيح (الهيثمي)

"When sins appear in my Ummah, Allah will send down punishment covering them all.” (Umm Salamah, the narrator) said: “I asked, Messenger of Allah, will there be pious ones among them at that time?” He said, “Indeed, yes.” I asked, “So, what about them?” He answered, They will be struck by what strikes the people, but (the pious ones) will be taken away to the Mercy of Allah and His good pleasure."

The above is from Ahmad, which Haythami recorded as coming through narrators of Sahih works (Au.).

Another hadith says:

وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَتَأْمُرُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَلَتَنْهَوُنَّ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ أَوْ لَيُوشِكَنَّ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عِقَابًا مِنْ عِنْدِهِ ثُمَّ لَتَدْعُوُنَّهُ فَلاَ يَسْتَجِيبُ لَكُمْ

"By Him in whose hands is my soul, you will enjoin the virtuous and prohibit the vice or it is feared that Allah will send down one of His chastisement on you so that you supplicate to him but you are not be answered."

The above report has been variously graded, but others of similar meaning have been treated trustworthy by Haythamiyy (Au.).

Bukhari has a very pertinent report. Nu`man b. Bashir reports the Prophet as once delivering a sermon in which he said:

مَثَلُ الْقَائِمِ عَلَى حُدُودِ اللَّهِ وَالْوَاقِعِ فِيهَا كَمَثَلِ قَوْمٍ اسْتَهَمُوا عَلَى سَفِينَةٍ فَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَعْلَاهَا وَبَعْضُهُمْ أَسْفَلَهَا فَكَانَ الَّذِينَ فِي أَسْفَلِهَا إِذَا اسْتَقَوْا مِنْ الْمَاءِ مَرُّوا عَلَى مَنْ فَوْقَهُمْ فَقَالُوا لَوْ أَنَّا خَرَقْنَا فِي نَصِيبِنَا خَرْقًا وَلَمْ نُؤْذِ مَنْ فَوْقَنَا فَإِنْ يَتْرُكُوهُمْ وَمَا أَرَادُوا هَلَكُوا جَمِيعًا وَإِنْ أَخَذُوا عَلَى أَيْدِيهِمْ نَجَوْا وَنَجَوْا جَمِيعًا

"The example of one who is mindful of Allah's prohibitions and one who intends to disregard them or actually does that, is like a people in a boat. Some of them were in the upper deck while others in the lower. Now, whenever those at the bottom felt thirsty they went up to those in the upper deck inconveniencing them. So they said to themselves, ‘If we drilled a hole in the bottom, we will save those in the upper deck from annoyance.' Now, if those of the upper deck let them do what they intend, they would all drown. But if they prevent them, they would all be rescued."

Another report in Musnad Ahmad says that Abu al-Riqad once chanced upon the assembly around Hudhayfah b. al-Yaman. He was saying: "A man could utter a single word during the Prophet's life and be counted a hypocrite because of it. Today, I hear a man using the same word four times in a single sitting. It appears to me, that very soon you will have the worst of you as your rulers, when the best of you may make supplications but will not be answered." Accordingly, Qurtubi adds, Malik has ruled that one might not reside in an area in which vices are openly committed and people do nothing about their prevention. When that becomes common, one might emigrate. Abu Darda', as in a Sahih report, left the lands ruled by Mu`awiyyah when he allowed the sale of a golden goblet in exchange of gold more than its weight, which Abu Darda' considered a kind of riba'.

Alusi adds: Another hadith of Tirmidhi says,

إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا دَخَلَ النَّقْصُ عَلَى بَنِى إِسْرَائِيلَ كَانَ الرَّجُلُ يَلْقَى الرَّجُلَ فَيَقُولُ يَا هَذَا اتَّقِ اللَّهِ وَدَعْ مَا تَصْنَعُ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَحِلُّ لَكَ ثُمَّ يَلْقَاهُ مِنَ الْغَدِ فَلاَ يَمْنَعُهُ ذَلِكَ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَكِيلَهُ وَشَرِيبَهُ وَقَعِيدَهُ فَلَمَّا فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَ بَعْضِهِمْ بِبَعْضٍ

"The first corruption that entered into the polity of the Israelites is that a man would meet another and say, ‘Man. Give this up, because it is not lawful for you. But when he met him the next day he would not prevent him. That was because he was his companion in food, drink and assembly. When they did that, Allah turned some of their hearts as similar to the hearts of the others.”

Other reports add that they were cursed by the tongue of Da'ud and `Isa ibn Maryam. That is because they sinned and because they transgressed (Au.).

The above report also occurs in Tirmidhi who classified it as Hasan (Au.).

Mawdudi elaborates: "What is true of unsanitary conditions in a physical sense, also holds true for filth and uncleanliness in a moral sense. If immoral practices remain confined to a few people here and there but the overall moral concern of the society prevents those practices from becoming widespread and public, their harmful effects remain limited. But when the collective conscience of the society is weakened to a point whereby immoral practices are not suppressed, when people indulge in evils without any sense of shame and even go around vaunting their immoral deeds, when good people adopt a passive attitude and are content with being righteous merely in their own lives and are unconcerned with or silent about collective evils, then the entire society invites its doom. Such a society then becomes the victim of a scourge that does not distinguish between the grain and the chaff."

Although the application is general, when Zubayr b. al-`Awwam was asked: "O Abu `Abdullah! You allowed a Khalifah (`Uthman) to be killed! And now you have come seeking justice?!" He replied: "During the time of the Prophet and his three successors, we used to recite the verse, ‘And beware of a tribulation that will not touch exclusively those among you who transgressed,' but it never occurred to us that it was we who could be meant until we fell in the trap of the battle of Jamal." Suddi has said that the first to whom the verse would apply is those participants of the battle of Badr who later fell in the battle of Jamal" (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Alusi and others).

49. Although Ibn Jarir disagrees that this is the right interpretation of the verse, we reproduce Qatadah's words from him, Zamakhshari, Ibn Kathir and Manar, to portray the Arab situation before Islam. These words still have a meaning for those who think over these issues: "(Before the advent of Islam) The Arabs were the most wretched of people, toiling under the worst living conditions, the hungriest, dressed in tatters, and most misguided. Whoever of them lived, led a wretched life, and whoever died was sent to the Fire. They were eaten and not given to eat. By God, we do not know of any other people as wretched as the Arabs were until Allah sent Islam to them. Then on, He established them in the land by its virtue, fed them thereby, and made them rulers over the people. It was by the grace of Islam that Allah bestowed on them what He bestowed. Therefore, be grateful to Allah for His bestowals, for your Lord is the Bestower who is pleased with the grateful and, remember, those who give thanks, receive more from their Lord."

50. The textual term in its root is "khawn" which is to give back less than the due. In contrast, "wafa" is to give back in full (Zamakhshari, Shawkani).

51. Ibn `Abbas, Ibn Is-haq, Suddi and others expressed the same meaning differently, viz., "Do not fall short on the commandments of Islam, showing two faces, doing one thing before the Prophet and another behind him" (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

The Prophet has said:

أَرْبَعٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ كَانَ مُنَافِقًا خَالِصًا وَمَنْ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَلَّةٌ مِنْهُنَّ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَلَّةٌ مِنْ نِفَاقٍ حَتَّى يَدَعَهَا إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ وَإِذَا عَاهَدَ غَدَرَ وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ وَإِذَا خَاصَمَ فَجَرَ

"There are four qualities that, whoever has, is a pure hypocrite, and if one of them is there in a man, he has one quality of hypocrisy until he gives up: when he speaks, he lies; when he gives his word, he betrays, when he promises, he breaks the promise; and when he quarrels, he takes to speaking foul." According to another version, the Prophet added the following words:

"Even if he fasted, Prayed and assumed that he is a believer" (Manar).

Rashid Rida used another version, but we chose to present the version as in the Sahihayn (Au.).

Sayyid points out that the refusal on the part of the Muslims to bear the burden of Islam, bearing testimony to the Oneness of Allah, and the refusal to work to establish His total sovereignty over every affair of human life and activity, is to betray the trust. This Ummah pledged to the Prophet to defend and establish Islam. And Islam is not the name of testimony with the tongue, or of a few rituals, or the name of a few claims. It is the complete way of life that touches upon its every aspect. It is the way to build life on the principle embodied in the words, "there is no deity worthy of worship save Allah." It is to turn the people to the worship of one Lord alone, to make the society accept the sovereignty of its Lord, to bend the tyrants to Allah's Lordship and His Command. It is a promise to secure justice for all, to judge between the people by the standards of justice alone, and to construct and develop the earth acting by the requirements of the vicegerency. All these are trusts. Whoever did not work on them, betrayed his trust. These things of course mean sacrifices and demand that one place the wealth and dear ones on the anvil. Hence Allah followed it up by saying, "know that your wealth and progeny are a (means of) trial."

Apart from the general meaning, several incidents have been narrated as the context of revelation of this verse. One is that of a hypocrite who sent a message to Abu Sufyan, informing him of the likely attack by the Prophet. Another is that of Abu Lubabah. He was sent as a messenger to the Banu Qurayzah for negotiations. They asked him in apprehension what treatment could they expect (from Sa`d b. Mu`adh: Qurtubi), for their treachery. Abu Lubabah - a bit kind on them because his wife and children lived among them - pointed to his throat, but in seconds realized that he had betrayed the Prophet. In great remorse he went into the Prophet's mosque and tied himself to a post saying he would not eat and drink until he was forgiven or died in that state. A week passed and he had all but fainted on the post before the news of the acceptance of his repentance was revealed to the Prophet. But he vowed that he would not untie himself. So the Prophet untied him. He declared that by way of expiation he would give away all his wealth in the way of Allah. The Prophet prevented him, telling him to spend only one-third (Zamakhshari, Ibn Kathir, Alusi).

It is said that (while Abu Lubabah was tied up in the mosque) the Prophet asked his wife: "Does the man Pray, fast and bathe after intercourse?" She replied, "He Prays, fasts and bathes after intercourse. And he loves Allah and His Messenger." The Prophet perhaps make that enquiry to confirm that Abu Lubabah was not a hypocrite, leading different lives in private and public (Manar).

52. Majid comments: "I.e., a trial, a test, to find out who mishandles these gifts of God and who uses them in a proper legitimate way. Note that ‘temptation' (or trial: Au.) is not synonymous with sin, nor is the love of children or fondness for wealth in itself sinful. Such emotions, appetites, instincts, etc., are part of man, as it has pleased God to make him. It is only the human will that can shape them into sins."

Ibn Mas`ud has said: "There is not one amongst you but is to face trials. So whenever you seek refuge, seek refuge from a trial of faith" (Ibn Jarir).

The report is also in Ibn Abi Hatim and Abu Al-Sheikh (Shawkani).

Ibn Kathir writes: Rather than the love of wealth and children, it is the love of the Messenger that should precede all other love. A hadith of Muslim says:

لَا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى أَكُونَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ وَالِدِهِ وَوَلَدِهِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ

"One of you cannot be a believer until I am dearer to him than himself, his parents, his children, and all mankind."