Verse:156 Commentary The saying of the hypocrites in verse 156 here is an extension of what was cited in verse 154 earlier: لَوْ كَانَ لَنَا مِنَ الْأَمْرِ‌ شَيْءٌ مَّا قُتِلْنَا هَاهُنَا :"If we had any say in the matter, we would have not been killed here." Since there were chances that sincere Muslims may be affected by such doubt-creating devices used by hypocrites, Muslims were asked through these verses to remain unconcerned with such sayings and doings and adhere to the belief that the span of life and the time of death are ordained by Allah alone. Verse:157 Commentary - - - Verse:158 Commentary - - - Verse:159 Commentary Even though, the mistake made by Muslims and the abandonment of the battle front by them had caused grief to the Holy Prophet, he did not reproach them for this because of his high morals and his natural way of forgiving and forgetting. He did not even deal with them sternly as may have been in order. But, Allah Almighty willed to see that the Companions ؓ of His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم are comforted and the sense of shock and shame they had for their mistake is washed away. So, in this verse, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is being asked to deal with them more gently and affectionately and consult with them in matters of concern.

Commentary:

The traits of a patron

The Companions ؓ of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم loved him far beyond the concerns of their own lives and belongings. When they made a mistake acting against his express instructions, there were two dangers. Firstly, it could further increase their sense of shock and affect their normal emotional-rational response. They could even lose hope of mercy, especially when they realized what mistake they had made and how disobedient they had been to the command of their leader. This danger was already eliminated in the previous verse where 'We awarded you sorrow for sorrow' means that the return of this mistake has already been given right here in this mortal world and the account in the Hereafter lies clean.

Secondly, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was hurt as a result of this mistake, physically. The spiritual discomfort was already there. It was likely that these two factors may contribute to making the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم unhappy with his Companions which, in turn, may become a hindrance in his mission to teach and train them. In order to counter this likelihood, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was asked to forgo their mistake, forgive their shortcoming from the depth of his heart and deal with them gently and affectionately in the future as well.

The subject has been taken up with unusual delicacy of style in the Holy Qur'an which, as a corollary, covers some important points of guidance.

1. The diction used to convey the related command to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is eloquently suggestive of his personal praise, as well as that of his unique human majesty, that is, he has these attributes in him already built in.

2. The addition of فَبِمَا رَ‌حْمَة (So, it was through mercy from Allah) before the statement is there to affirm that the presence of such attributes of perfection in his person is but through Divine mercy. This is no personal perfection in its own right. Then, by placing the word, رَ‌حْمَة 'rahmah' (mercy) in an indefinite form, hint has been made towards the great and extensive spread of Allah's mercy which, in turn, makes it very obvious that this mercy is not restricted to the noble Compan-ions only, but extends in full to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم himself for Allah has made him identified with such perfect attributes.

3. The third point made here establishes that the presence of the qualities of gentle manners, good morals, forgiveness and generosity in him serve a purpose. Had these been not there in him, the mission of educating human beings with which he is charged would have never been accomplished as desired. Rather than seek to correct and raise the level of their morals in his company, people would have run away from him.

The Etiquette of دعوہ Da'wah:

By combining elements cited above, there emerges a set of distinct qualities necessary for preaching, no matter what form it takes. Anyone who embarks on the mission of inviting people to Allah, explaining His guidance and calling people towards the right conduct in their best interest, must first inculcate these qualities in him. The reason is obvious. When a possible 'rough' or 'hard-hearted' approach, even if it happens to come from the very dear Messenger of Allah Almighty, has not been considered fit, who else can dare to gather people created by Allah around him with hostility and negative morals and still hope to seek a change in their behaviour.

In this verse, Allah Almighty has said: 'Had you been rough and hard-hearted, they would have dispersed from around you.' This indicates that harshness, in conduct or language, is sheer poison for a da'wah worker or a leader conveying Allah's message to people. This is a sure way to undo what one intends to achieve.

Then, the verse says: 'So, pardon them'. This indicates that a da'wah worker or reformer of people should never punish them for their mistakes. Instead, he should forgive and forgo. It is important that he does not get excited or angry when his listeners speak ill of him. The truth is that he should rise higher and treat his tormentors with compassion and leniency.

Soon, after that, the verse says: 'And seek forgiveness for them'. This seeking of forgiveness for them from Allah Almighty points out to an unusual rule of behaviour. Not only that he should remain patient in what is painful, the Messenger is being asked not to forget seeking their good with utmost sincerity. The best that can be wished for them is their salvation in the life-to-come, the good that waits for them in Akhirah. So, the Messenger is being asked to pray for their forgiveness in order that Allah spares them from His punishment.

Finally, it has been said: وَشَاوِرْ‌هُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ‌ :'And consult them in the

matter' which means that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is to seek their advice in matters of concern so that they are fully satisfied and emotionally at peace, as the Messenger of Allah, by following this instruction, will be giving an external form to his intention of doing what is good for them. Thus, the act of his asking them to sit in consultations with him will become an act of mollifying grace.

After having asked the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to consult with his Companions ؓ ، the verse concludes with the instruction on final decision-making. As regards consultation, the Holy Qur'an has given clear injunctions at two places. The first one appears right here in the verse under commentation while the second one appears in a verse of Surah al-Shura (42:38) where one of the qualities of true Muslims has been identified وَأَمْرُ‌هُمْ شُورَ‌ىٰ بَيْنَهُمْ , ' (Every matter of theirs is settled by mutual consultation). There are places where the instruction to consult appears secondarily, for instance, under injunctions relating to suck-ling in Sarah al-Baqarah (2:233) where it is said: عَن تَرَ‌اضٍ مِّنْهُمَا وَتَشَاوُرٍ‌ (Now, if they want to wean, by mutual consent, and consultation, there is no sin on them). The matter of consultation involves some important problems and rulings, therefore, it needs to be explained in some detail which follows.

1. The Meaning of أَمْر : Matter and شُورَ‌ى: Consultation.

The word اَمَر amr is applied for several shades of meaning in the Arabic language. In common usage, it refers to any saying or doing which is of great importance. It is also used to mean an injunction, order, command, rule or authority, the last one being what is meant in the Qur'anic expression اُولی المر ' (uli l'amr). Then, the word is also applied to mean a particular attribute of Allah Almighty which finds mention in several verses of the Holy Qur'an, such as: أَلَا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالْأَمْرُ‌ (Beware, for Him alone is the creation and the command - 7:54); إِلَيْهِ يُرْ‌جَعُ الْأَمْرُ‌ كُلُّهُ (To Him the whole matter shall be returned - 11:123), إِنَّ الْأَمْرَ‌ كُلَّهُ لِلَّـهِ (The whole thing belongs to Allah - 3:154); أَمْرُ‌هُ إِلَى اللَّـهِ (His matter is upto Allah - 2:275) and according to authentic scholars, the use of the word, amr, in قُلِ الرُّ‌وحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ‌ رَ‌بِّي (Say: The spirit is by a command of my Lord' ) (17:85) carries the same meaning as identified in the verses appearing immediately above.

As far as the meaning of the word امر amr, in the Qur'anic verses: وشَاوِرْ‌هُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ‌ (And consult them in the matter -3:159) and وَأَمْرُ‌هُمْ شُورَ‌ىٰ بَيْنَهُمْ (And a matter of theirs is (settled) by a consultation between themselves -42:38) is concerned, it can be said that there is the possibility to assign both the first as well as the second. If it is said that the word has been used here in the first sense while the second meaning is inclusive therein, that would not be something far-fetched since affairs relating to command and authority are all very important. Therefore, the word, امر amr as used in the verses quoted immediately above means every matter or affair which is particularly important irrespective of whether it belongs to the area of authority or mutual dealings.

The Arabic words, شُورَ‌ىٰ shura (counsel), مشورہ mashwarah (consultation) and مشاورت Mushawarat (mutual consultation) mean the soliciting of advice and counsel in something that needs deliberation. Therefore, the expression وشَاوِرْ‌هُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ‌ in the present verse means that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has been commanded here to consult with or seek the advice of his noble Companions in matters that need deliberation, which include those of authority and government.

Similarly, the verse from Surah a1-Shura cited above - - means that in every important matter (which) needs deliberation, whether it belongs to the field of authority and government or to some-thing important other than these, the customary practice of true Muslims is that they work through mutual consultation.

2. The Status of Consultation in Islamic Law

From the statements of the Holy Qur'an cited above and from related ahadith of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ، it becomes clear that mutual consultation in a matter likely to have more than one opinion, whether it be related to the concerns of authority or to an issue other than that, is a sunnah of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and the noble Companions ؓ and is a source of blessings in the mortal world and in the eternal life of the Hereafter. This view has the support of the Holy Qur'an and the Hadith. As far as matters which relate to people, such as the affairs of authority and government, are concerned seeking consultation in them is obligatory. (Ibn Kathir)

In his Shu` bul-'Iman, al-Baihaqi (رح) has reported from Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Umar ؓ that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has said: 'A person who intends to do something, then goes in consultation and comes up with a decision to do or not to do that, he gets from Allah Almighty guidance towards an option which is correct and beneficial.'

It appears in ahadith: 'When your rulers are from the best among you and your rich people are generous and your affairs are decided through mutual consultation, then, to live on the surface of the earth is better for you. And should your rulers be the worst among you and your rich people be close-fisted and your affairs be entrusted to women, then, to be buried under the earth shall be better than your continuing to live.'

It means that, when the worship of desires overpowers you, so much so that you, ignoring all concerns of the good and the bad, the harmful and the beneficial, simply to seek the goodwill of a woman, entrust your affairs in her hands, then, for you, death is better than living through those times. Otherwise, seeking the opinion of a woman as well while making consultations is no taboo, and certainly not prohibited. This is proved by the consistent practice of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and his blessed Companions ؓ . In the verse from Sarah al-Baqarah (2:233) cited a little earlier, the Holy Qur'an has said: 'Now, if they want to wean, by mutual consent, and consultation, there is no sin on them.' Since this matter here concerns the woman, there-fore, consultation with the woman has been specially made binding on the man.

In a hadith, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has been reported to have said: المستشار مؤتمن اذا استشیرفلیشرہ بما ھو صانع لنفسہ :'The person whose counsel is sought is a trustee. When he counsels, then, he must counsel with what he would propose to his ownself (to do otherwise is a breach of trust) '. This hadith has been reported with good authority from Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ by al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat (see a1-Mazhari).

At this point, it is necessary to bear in mind that consultation is an act of Sunnah only in situations where some clear and categorical injunction from the Qur'an or Hadith does not exist. Otherwise, in the presence of a clear and categorical injunction of the Shari'ah, no consultation with anybody is needed. This is not permissible either. For example, if somebody went about consulting in - 'should I make my salah or should I not?' 'Should I pay my zakah or should I not?' or 'Should I perform my Hajj or should I not?' - then, this would be absurd. These are not things you consult about. They are absolutely mandatory under the Shari'ah of Islam. However, the option of making consultation about how to go for Hajj is open and one can seek advice on questions like - should he go this year, or next; should he go by sea, or by air; should he go by land, or by some other method.

The same holds true about zakah. One can consult about where and on whom it has to be spent, for the Shari' ah has left these on the choice of the payer.

In a hadith, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has been reported to have explained this himself. Sayyidna ` Ali رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ says that he asked the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم : 'If, after you, we are confronted by a situation the injunction for which has not been explicitly revealed in the Qur'an, and about which we have heard nothing from you as well, what are we supposed to do?' The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: 'For a matter like this, get together from among you pious men who are consistently devoted to the worship of their Lord and who have deep and extensive understanding of the Faith (fuqaha' ) and decide the matter following their mutual counsel. Do not decide on the basis of someone's solitary opinion.'

The first, out of the two things that we learn from this hadith is that consultation is not restricted to worldly affairs. Instead, the fact is that mutual consultation in situations where clear نصوص nu' sus (plural of نص nass meaning textual authority) from the Qur'an and Hadith in matters governed by the injunctions of Shari' ah do not exist is an act of Sunnah. We can say that mutual consultation will be an act of Sunnah if made in situations where textual authority from the Qur'an and Sunnah is not available. The second rule we learn is that advice should be taken from people who are known for their understanding of the' Faith and devotion to their obligations to Allah (Ruh al-Ma` ani) Al Khatib al-Baghdadi, to whom the deduction given above is credited, has reported another hadith from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ which says: استرشدوا العاقل ولا تعصوہ فتندموا (Seek counsel from the wise person and do not act against it, otherwise you will regret.).

By putting the above two ahadith together, we learn that two qualities are necessary for the members of the consultative council. Firstly, they should be wise, perceptive and advice-worthy, and secondly, they should be pious and devoted to ` ibadah. In other words, they should be deserving of giving advice and should be God-fearing in their conduct. If the matter to be discussed involves problems relating to Islamic Law, it is incumbent that they be faqih (juriconsult: expert in Islamic Law and Jurisprudence) as well.

Consultation of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم with his Companions

The verse under discussion here orders the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to consult his Companions ؓ . This raises a certain difficulty here. Isn' t it that he is the Messenger of Allah and the blessed recipient of revelation? Why, then, should he need to consult anyone? Since, every-thing can come to his knowledge through the medium of revelation from Allah Almighty, some scholars interpret this command to consult by saying that the Messenger of Allah was neither in need to be counselled, nor anything he did depended on such counsel. The command to consult given to him is simply to honour the blessed Companions and mollify their broken hearts. But, Imam Abu Bakr al-Jassas (رح) does not agree with this view. According to him this is not correct, for being involved in consultation - while knowing that one's counsel will not be acted upon, nor would it affect any proceedings of the agenda - will make the whole thing ineffectual. If so, no heart will be mollified and no honour will be sustained. Instead, the truth of the matter is that a course of action to be taken by the Messenger of Allah is identified through revelation directly by Allah Almighty. This holds good in all general matters. But, there are certain matters which, under the dictates of the wisdom and mercy of Allah Almighty, are left to the opinion and discretion of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم . It is in such matters alone where consultation is needed, and these are the kind of matters in which he has been commanded to seek consultation. The history of the consultative sittings of the Messenger of Allah confirms this view.

When the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم consulted with the Companions ؓ about the battle of Badr, they said that should he ask them to jump into a river, they would do just that; and if he commanded them to march to a far out place such as Bark al-Ghamad, they will be with him; and they would never act like the companions of Musa (علیہ السلام) who said: فَاذْهَبْ أَنتَ وَرَ‌بُّكَ فَقَاتِلَا 'Go, you and your Lord, and fight the disbelievers' - 5:24; on the contrary, we shall fondly submit: 'You lead the way, we shall fight the enemy with you, in front of you and in the rear and the right and the left.'

Similarly, he consulted them about the battle of Uhud asking them if they should defend Madinah by staying inside the city limits or should they go out of the city limits and confront the enemy in the open. The general opinion of the Companions was that they should do the latter and this was what he accepted to do. In the battle of خندق Khandaq, the question of accepting peace under the terms of a particular treaty came up for discussion. Sayyidna Sa'd ibn Mu' adh and Sa'd ibn ` Ubadah ؓ opposed the proposed treaty on the grounds that it was inappropriate. It was the opinion of these two Companions that he finally accepted. When he went into consultations on a matter pertaining to Hudaybiyah, the opinion of Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ was the basis of his final decision. The Companions were also consulted following the incident of Ifk (false imputation against Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ but this and all other matters pointed out were those in which no particular position to be taken by the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was determined through revelation.

To sum up, being a prophet, a messenger and a recipient of revelation is not a bar against consultation. Moreover, in the case of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم it cannot be said that his seeking of counsel from the Companions was ever designed to please them artificially, or that it was virtually ineffectual in the conduct of affairs. On the contrary, the truth is that there were many occasions when he accepted the opinion of those present during consultation even if it happened to be against his own. In fact, in some situations where a particular line of action had not been determined for the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم through revelation, and in its absence he had worked through consultation, there is great divine wisdom. The objective is that the practice of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم comes to be established for all future generations of Muslims. Thus, the seeking of consultation as a Sunnah shall become binding on the whole ummah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم Imagine when he himself has not been left free of the need of consultation who else can claim to be free of such need? For this reason, the method of mutual consultation always continued to be operative during the blessed times of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and his noble Companions ؓ particularly in matters where there was no clear injunction in the Qur'an and Sunnah. When the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم passed away from this mortal world, the noble Companions continued following his practice. Still later, mutual consultation was resorted to as the modality to deduce rulings of Islamic Law in matters where clear injunction was not found in the Qur'an and Sunnah. This was actually the method taught by the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in answer to a question put by Sayyidna Ali ؓ .

4. The Status of Consultation in an Islamic State:

As stated earlier, the Holy Qur'an has given clear instructions about مشورہ mashwarah or consultation at two places. One appears right here in the verse under study; the other one comes up in verse 42:38 of Sarah al-Shura where one of the many qualities of true Muslims has been mentioned وَأَمْرُ‌هُمْ شُورَ‌ىٰ which means that their affairs are settled by mutual consultation. At both these places the word, امر amr (matter) has been mentioned along with مشورہ mashwarah (consultation). Discussed in detail earlier, the word, امر amr, signifies any important saying or doing, while at the same time, it is applied to injunction, rule or authority or government. No matter which of the two meanings is taken, consultation in the affairs of the government emerges as invariably necessary, based on these verses. If one elects to take this to mean the affairs of the government, then, the necessity is all the more obvious. In case, the word is taken in its general sense, the affairs of a government being important and far-reaching in effect, would still be considered as affairs in which consultation will be inevitable. There-fore, it is one of the duties of the Muslim امر Amir, the chief executive of the community, that he should seek the counsel of those responsible for the affairs of the government in matters that are important. The verses of the Qur'an quoted above and the consistent practice of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and of the rightly-guided Caliphs is a clear proof of this requirement.

These two verses not only highlight the need for consultation very clearly, they also point out to some basic principles of Islam's system of government, and its constitution. The Islamic government is a government by consultation in which the امر amir or chief executive is chosen , by consultation and definitely not as a matter of family inheritance. It is a بر کہ barakah of Islamic teachings that this principle is recognized all over the world, in one or the other form, so much so that hereditary monarchies too are moving towards this arrangement, willingly or unwillingly.

But, let us go back 1400 years in history when the super-powers were Cyrus and Ceaser. The common factor between them was that they both headed hereditary empires and the authority of government was vested in their own persons. Thus, one man ruled millions, not on the basis of ability or capacity, but on the strength of the cruel principle of hereditary possession of sovereignty. This form of government, an insult to all human beings, was the way all over the world except Greece where the early teachings of a democratic order of life had yet to translate into principles that would go on to establish a stable government. Instead of that, these ideas relegated into a branch of Aristotelian philosophy. As opposed to this, Islam demolished the unnatural principle of government through heredity and gave the choice of appointing and dismissing the chief executive to the people - a power they could use through their representatives shouldering the responsibilities of the affairs of the state. The world, once stuck in the quagmire of traditional monarchy, came to know about this natural and just system through Islamic teachings and this happens to be the spirit of a system of government we now know as democracy.

But, modern democracies, since they appeared as a reaction to cruel monarchies, came out with an equal lack of moderation. They went on to give the masses the sense of being the absolute, the ultimate entity, an unbridled sovereign of the system of government and the law of state, to the extent that their minds and hearts became alienated from the very concept of God, the Creator of the earth and the heavens and of all human beings, not to say much about the concept of His real Sovereignty and Rule, which comes as a result of that cardinal belief. Now the situation has reached a stage where their 'democracy' has started taking the restrictions imposed by Allah Almighty on public choice - which in itself was conferred on human beings by Him - as something of a burden, contrary to justice and equity (of their brand).

The way Islamic Law liberated the whole world from Cyruses, Ceasers and other despotic monarchies, it has also shown the way of God to western democracies trying to hide from Him behind secular curtains. Islam's way is no more a secret. Its teachings clearly say that the rulers and the ruled, the governments and their peoples are all subject to the Law given by Allah Almighty. The masses, their representative assemblies, law-making, appointment and removal of office-holders must operate within the parameters set by Allah Almighty. It is their duty to see that full consideration is given to ability and merit, in the choice of the chief executive, holders of offices and responsible positions. In addition to that, their honesty and trustworthiness should be weighed and tested. When it comes to selecting the chief executive of their government, they must select the one who is the best of all in knowledge, fear of Allah, honesty, trustworthiness, ability and political experience. Even this chief executive, elected though he may be, is not totally free, unchecked and despotic. He has to seek counsel from those who are capable of giving such counsel. The Holy Qur'an bears witness to this and so does the constant practice of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and of the great rightly-guided Caliphs, may Allah be pleased with them all. Who, else can claim to be more just than them?

Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ has said:

لا خلافہ الا عن مشورہ

There is no Khilafah (Caliphate) unless it be with consulta

tion. (Kanzul-'ummal vide Ibn Abi Shaybah)

Government by consultation is a basic Islamic requirement so much so that a chief executive .or head of the state, if he ever unfetters himself from the need for consultation or takes counsel from those who are not fit to give counsel from the point of view of the Shari'ah of Islam, has to be removed of necessity.

ذکر ابن عطیۃ ان الشوری من قواعد الشریعۃ و عزامٔ الاحکام ومن لا یستشیر الاھل العلم والذین فعزلہ واجب، ھذا مالا خلاف لہ (البر المحیط لابی حیان)

It appears in al-Bahr al-Muhit of Abi Hayyan: Ibn ` Atiyyah (رح) said that Consultation is one of the basic principles of Islamic Law and Faith. He who does not consult with those who know must be removed as a matter of obligation. This is what nobody differs about.

By making consultation mandatory, the blessings that would benefit the Islamic state and its citizens could be measured by what the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said about consultation. Ibn 'Adi and al Baihaqi have reported from Sayyidna ibn ` Abbas ؓ that when this verse was revealed, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: 'Allah and His Messenger do not need this consultation, but Allah Almighty has certainly made it a source of mercy for my community' (Bayan al-Qur'an).

The purport is, if Allah Almighty had so willed, He would have conveyed everything to His Messenger through revelation. It was within His power not to leave any need for consultation in anything. But, it was in the best interest of the Muslim community that Allah Almighty helped establish the practice of consultation through His Messenger. This is why many matters were left without any mention and about which no particular revelation was sent down. About these, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was instructed to seek consultation.

5. Consultation: Decision-Making after a difference of opinion:

What happens when opinions differ on a certain matter? Would it be decided on the contemporary parliamentary principle? Would the chief executive be compelled to enforce the decision of the majority? Or, would he have the right to take a course of action on the basis of powerful arguments and obvious welfare of the state, coming from any side, no matter whether in a majority or a minority? From the Holy Qur'an and Hadith and from the constant practice of the noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and his Companions, it cannot be proved that the امیر amir of Muslims, their head of the state is helplessly bound-by the decision of the majority. On the contrary, some hints from the Qur'an and clarifications from the Hadith and the practice of the Companions make it very evident that the امیر Amir can, in the event of a difference of opinion, use his discretion and go by any of the several courses of action, irrespective of the fact that it comes from the majority or the minority. There is no doubt that the امیر Amir will do his best to look into other opinions as well to satisfy himself fully, but should the majority come to agree, on one opinion, this could, at times, become a source of satisfaction to him.

A close look at this verse would show that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ، after he has been commanded to seek counsel, is being told: فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّـه ...and once you have taken a decision, place your trust in Allah'. Here, the word عظم ، ` azm in عظمتَ "azamta' meaning a firm decision, one way or the other, has been ascribed to the Holy Prophet . The text does not say عظمتم ، ` azamtum, a second person plural, which would have suggested the participation of the Companions in the final making and enforcing of the decision. This hint proves that, once the process of consultation has been completed, the decision and its enforcement is the valid prerogative of the chief executive. There were times when Sayyidna ` Umar ibn al-Khattab ؓ would give his decision based on the opinion of Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، if his opinion was weightier argument-wise, something done even when present there would be Companions more senior than Sayyidna ibn ` Abbas ؓ in age, learning and seniority. There were many occasions when the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has preferred the opinions of the revered شیخین Shaykhayn Abu-Bakr and ` Umar رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہما ، against the majority of other Companions to the limit that people thought this verse was revealed for consultation with these two only. Hakim reports from Sayyidna ibn ` Abbas in his Mustadrak:

عن ابن عباس فی قولہ تعالیٰ (وشاورھم فی الامر) قال ابوبکر و عمر ؓ

Ibn ` Abbas says, that the pronoun in وشاورھم 'shawirhum' (consult them) refers to Abu Bakr and ` Umar ؓ (Ibn Kathir)

The narration of Kalbi is clearer than this:

عن ابن عباس قال نزلت فی ابی بکر و عمر و کانا حواریی رسول اللہ صلى الله عليه وسلم و وزیریہ و ابوی المسلمین

Ibn ` Abbas says that this verse has been revealed for consulting with Abu Bakr and ` Umar. These two were special Companions of the Messenger of Allah and his Ministers and the patrons of Muslims. (Ibn Kathir)

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him, had once addressed Sayyidna Abu Bakr and ` Umar ؓ in the following words:

لو اجتمعتما فی مشورۃ ما خلفتکما

When you agree on an opinion, I do not decide against you.

(Ibn Kathir with reference to the Musnad of Ahmad)

A doubt and its answer:

It is not likely that someone objects to this procedure of decision-making saying that all this is against democracy, a model of one-man rule and that this system might hurt the rights of the masses.

The answer is that the Islamic system of government has already taken care of this problem, for it has not given the masses the absolute right to make anyone they wish the امیر amir of an Islamic state. On the contrary, the mandate given to them requires that they must select a person they think is the best of all in knowledge, conduct, functional ability, Godliness and honesty, and then elect him to be the امیر amir. Now a person who has been elected in view of such elegant qualities and attributes should certainly not be subjected to restrictions usually placed on the dishonest, the sinful and the debauch. Doing this would be against reason and justice, an act of discouragement to the genuine servant of people and a hindrance in the promotion of community-oriented action.

6. Do what you can, then place your trust in Allah:

At this point, especially at the conclusion of the verse, it is very important to bear in mind that this instruction has been given after having prescribed consultation in all important affairs including those of government. The crucial guideline given here is: Even after having made all preparations, when you finally decide to go ahead and do what has to be done, then that is the time when you do not simply (place your) trust in your reason, opinion, plans or preparedness but, instead of that, you should place your trust in Allah alone, for all these considered plans are in the direct control of the supreme Planner of all affairs and matters. With this in view, the less is said about human beings and their plans is better. Man himself is witness to the futility of his plans in the thousands of events in his life-time.

The statement, 'And once you have taken a decision, place your trust in Allah' also clarifies that placing one's trust in Allah does not mean that the efforts to provide means and make plans should be abandoned. The fact is that placing one's trust in Allah while leaving off means near at hand is contrary to the blessed practice of prophets, and against the teachings of the Holy Qur'an. However, if one sits idle dreaming about distant means and irrelevant concerns, or if one relies solely on means and plans as effective agents and ignores the Prime Causer of means and the Planner-par-Excellence of all affairs and plans, then this would certainly be against توکل tawakkul, the placing of trust in Allah. Verse:160 Commentary In the first verse (16o) here, the recurring sense of grief that gripped the noble Companions after what happened at the battle of Uhud is being removed through elegant counsel. Verses 161-164 declare that the station of Allah's messenger is free of failings, that he exhibits the highest standard of trustworthiness, and that the very presence of his on the face of the earth is a great blessing and a favour shown to the people of the world.

Verses 165-167 explain the reason why Muslims faced hardships at Uhud, while refuting the view of the hypocrites alongwith it in verse 168.

Towards the end, in verses 169-171, it has been said that those who lay down their lives in the way of Allah achieve the ultimate success, real, permanent and full. Details follow. Verse:161 Commentary Commentary:

The verse مَا كَانَ لِنَبِيٍّ أَن يَغُلَّ translated as, 'And it is not (conceivable) for a prophet to misappropriate the spoils - 161', has a particular back-ground of its revelation. As a corollary, the problem of 'Ghulul', that is, misappropriation in the spoils, comes into focus.

Misappropriation in the spoils: A sin which cannot be ascribed to any prophet by any stretch of imagination:

The background, as narrated by al-Tirmidhi, is that a sheet was found missing from the spoils collected in the battle of Badr. Some people said that the sheet may have been, perhaps, taken by the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم . If those who said that were hypocrites, the source speaks for itself. May be, this came from a less-initiated

Muslim thinking that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had the right to do that. Thereupon, this verse was revealed which said that ghulul is a great sin to be punished severely on Doomsday and that the very thought of linking this sin to a prophet is an ugly audacity, .for prophets are free of all sins (: معصوم ma` sum).

The word, ghulul غُلُل is also used in the absolute sense for خیانہ khiyanah, a breach of trust, (misappropriation, pilferage and stealing). This is also applied particularly to misappropriation in the spoils as the crime of stealing from the spoils is far more serious as compared to common thefts and filching since spoils belong to the whole Muslim army as a matter of right. So, whoever steals from it steals from hundreds and thousands of people. Even if there comes the thought of making amends at some later stage, it would be very difficult to give back to everyone what was due to be given, or seek their forgiveness for the injustice done. This is contrary to other types of thefts where the owner of the stolen property is known. In this case, there is the chance that one may repent, if Allah gives the ability to do so, and that which was stolen could be returned back to the owner, or one could, at the least, exonerate himself from the blame by seeking forgiveness from him. This is illustrated by what happened at one of the battles fought by Muslims. Someone who had secretly withheld a portion of wool from the spoils thought about it after the distribution of the spoils was over. He brought it before the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم hoping to return it. But he, inspite of being 'mercy for the worlds' and far more generous to his community than fathers and mothers could ever dream to be for their children, he returned it back to him saying: How can I distribute it over the whole army now? Now it is you who would present yourself with it on the Day of Doom.

Therefore, the punishment for ghulul or misappropriation is more severe as compared to common thefts. What else could be more severe for the misappropriator when he, before the eyes of the whole creation on the plains of resurrection and retribution, will find himself disgraced with what he had stolen all stacked on his neck? A narration from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ appearing in Al-Bukhari and Muslim reports that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: 'Watch out, lest I see one of you with a camel loaded round his neck (and the announcement being made that this person had stolen a camel from the spoils). If this person asks me to intercede on his behalf, I shall tell him frankly that I had conveyed what Allah had commanded, now I cannot do anything about it.'

May Allah protect us from this disgrace of the Day we rise again which, according to some narrations, will be so hard on those who face it that they would wish to be sent to the fires of جھنم Jahannam in lieu of this terrible disgrace.

Misappropriation in Waqf properties and government Treasuries comes under Ghulul: غلول

The same rule applies to mosques, religious schools and institu-tions, khanqahs and properties of اوقاف awqaf (endowments) since they represent the contribution of millions of Muslims. If an unfortunate misappropriator was to go about seeking to be forgiven for his evil act, how could he possibly go to each one of those millions. The same rule holds good for public or government treasury بیت المال (Bayt al-Mal) because all citizens of a country have a right in it. One who steals from it steals from everyone. But, the problem is that these very holdings are such that a single owner does not sit over them. The caretakers become negligent. Avenues of pilferage abound. It is in such moneys and properties that a lot of thefts and misappropriations have become rampant all over the world with most people heedless to the evil end that awaits them. They do not realize that this is a terrible burden to haul onto the plains of Resurrection, not to speak of the punishment of Hell that is bound to come as a result of this crime. Then, last but not the least, comes the sad deprivation from the promised intercession of the Messenger of Allah. Let us all seek refuge from such a fate! Verse:162 Commentary - - - Verse:163 Commentary - - - Verse:164 Commentary The Prophet of Islam: a great blessing for the Humanity

Verse 164 speaks of the great favour Allah has shown to the Muslims by sending the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم towards them. The basic functions assigned to him are also mentioned in the same verse. These are the same functions which were attributed to him in the prayer of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) as referred to by the Holy Qur'an in Surah al-Baqarah. The details of these functions have already been discussed in the first volume of this book under the said verse (2:129).

What is new in the present verse is the statement: 'And Allah has surely conferred favour on the believers'. Two points about this statement are worth mentioning here:

(1) The words on the believers' in this verse apparently mean that the advent of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was a favour conferred on the Muslims only while at another place the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has been held as رَ‌حْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ :'the Mercy for all the worlds' which includes both Muslims and non-Muslims. In order to resolve this apparent contradiction one must understand that the particularization of this quality with 'believers' in the present verse is very much like saying that the Holy Qur'an is 'guidance for the God-fearing هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ while the fact that the Holy Qur'an is a guidance for the whole humanity is clearly proved by other verses of the Qur'an. However, there are places where this universal status of the Qur'an has been particularized to the God-fearing. There is a common reason operating at both places, that is, the beneficial coming of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is a great blessing and a great favour for the Muslim and the non-Muslim alike, just as the Qur'an is a Book of Guidance for the entire humanity. But the true Muslims and the God-fearing are the only ones who derived the fullest benefit out of these. At some places, therefore, the blessing and the guidance were particularized with them.

(2) In order to explain the primary statement in the verse which declares that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is the greatest possible blessing and favour for the believers or for the whole humanity, it can be said that the statement hardly needed any explanation. only if modern man was not all that blind to the spiritual side of life and, at the same time, was sacrificing every good thing for the sake of naked material gains. Had this not been so, every reasonable person would have found out the reality of this great blessing all by himself without anybody having to tell him about it. But, the problem is that modern man has turned out to be no more than the smartest animal among the animals of the world. Tell him about 'favour' and 'blessing' and he would immediately start seeing what fills his stomach and whets his desires. He has practically stopped thinking about the basic reality of his being which is رُوح ruh, his spirit. That something good should happen to it and that something can go wrong with it are concerns he pays no heed to, not in the least. Therefore, there is the need to explain that man is not simply a being of bones and flesh. That is certainly not his reality. The reality of man is his رُوح ruh, the spirit which is contained within him. So far as this رُوح ruh is there in his body, man is what man is. His claims to humanity stand proved. He may be weak or he may be dying, nobody can dare usurp his property or take his rights away from him. But, once this رُوح ruh leaves his body, he ceases to be man, no matter how strong and well-built he may be with all parts of his body in their ideal form and shape. His ceasing to be what he was means that he now has no personal right in his own property and possessions. Prophets (علیہم السلام) come into the world to nurture the human spirit correctly, to make human beings out of men so that actions which issue forth from their bodies turn out to be beneficial to humanity and that they do not go about the world hurting other human beings like beasts and snakes. Instead of that, they should also think about their end and start working for the everlasting life of the Hereafter. Our blessed Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم who leads the way among the great company of prophets has a unique majesty when it comes to the mission of making men real human beings. This was exactly what he did during his Makkan life. The men he turned out formed a society of human beings which stands way ahead of even the angels. Never had the earth, nor the heavens, seen such men, each one of them, a living miracle of the Messenger of Allah, may the blessings of Allah be upon him. What happens after them? The answer is that he left behind his own footprints, and theirs, as well as teachings and the methods to institute and promote, which can be followed and acted upon. Those who do so sincerely and honestly can still reach the stations that were reached by the noble Companions. These teachings are there for the entire humanity to benefit from. Therefore, his having graced this world and his being born generous is a great favour shown to the universal kingdom of human beings, though true Muslims are the ones who have reaped the fullest benefit from these blessings Verse:165 Commentary The Wisdom behind the hardships of the Muslims at Uhud

The subject of verse 165, أَوَلَمَّا أَصَابَتْكُم translated as, And how is it that, when you suffered a hardship the twice of which you had inflicted upon them...° has appeared in several previous verses. Here, it comes for the sake of emphasis and further clarification because Muslims were very much disturbed as a result of this incident, so much so that some of them could not resist wondering why should they be suffering in that manner (أَنَّىٰ هَـٰذَا) while they were in the company of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ، doing Jihad.

In this verse, Muslims are being reminded that the hardship they were facing that day was only half of what they had already inflicted earlier at the battle of Badr, for seventy Muslims were martyred at اُحُد Uhud while seventy disbelievers were killed at بدر Badr and seventy others from them were taken prisoners by Muslims. The purpose behind this reminder is that Muslims should think positively in their present state of depression in view of the fact that they had already won a battle, inflicting a loss on the enemy twice as much as they had themselves suffered at their hands. Now, a winner-like this need not surrender to sorrow and grief in the event defeat comes once, or less.

Secondly, and primarily too, the purpose of saying, قُلْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ أَنفُسِكُمْ 'This is from your ownselves' at the end of this verse, is to tell Muslims that the hardship they have faced is not because the enemy is stronger or his forces overwhelming, but all that has been caused by some of their own shortcomings, that is, they fell short in obeying the command of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم . Verse:166 Commentary Immediately later, in verse 166, the words fa bi idhnillahi: فَبِإِذْنِ اللَّـه indicate that whatever happened there was with the leave and will of Allah Almighty operating behind which are many wise divine arrangements, some of them having been explained earlier. One such wise arrangement is that Allah will 'see' His true believers, and the hypocrites too, that is, the sincerity of Muslims and the hypocrisy of the hypocrites will become so clear that everybody could see it for himself. Here, the reference to Allah's knowing or seeing means seeing in the perspective of our own sense-experience in the mortal world. Otherwise, as far as Allah is concerned, He knows and sees everything, all the time. So, the wise arrangement became all the more clear when, at the time of the trial, the hypocrites bowed out of the harm's way while true Muslims stood undaunted' in the middle of the battle front. Verse:167 Commentary - - - Verse:168 Commentary - - - Verse:169 Commentary Inci-dentally, there is another cause of comfort here in the martyrdom of Muslims in the battle, for Allah has conferred such rewards on them so that others should envy them. So, very appropriately, in وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ the special merits of martyrs have been taken up in the verse that follows (169).

The special merits and ranks of those who sacrifice their lives in the way of Allah

In addition to this statement of the Holy Qur'an, the merits of the martyrs have been taken up in great detail in sound ahadith. According to Imam Al-Qurtubi (رح) ، the shuhada' (martyrs) have different ranks and states of being which should be taken into consideration while looking at descriptions in Hadith narrations.

The very first distinction of martyrs mentioned here is that they have not died; rather, they have begun to live eternally. At this point, it is worth noticing that their death and burial in a grave is something physically witnessed and realized by many, yet the Qur'an has, in several verses, clearly instructed that they should not be addressed or taken as dead. What does this mean? If this was supposed to be an interim state of life, after death and before resurrection, referred to as the state of برزخ Barzakh in Islamic terminology, that would not take us very far, for that is something commonly experienced by believers and disbelievers both, when the spirit continues to live after physical death and goes through a question-answer situation following which the true and the righteous among Muslims are welcomed to comfort and the disbelievers and the sinners are consigned to the punishment of the grave. This is proved by the Qur'an and Sunnah. Now, that the interim life of برزخ Barzakh is established as common to all, what is so special about شُھَدا shuhada' (martyrs)?

The answer is given by this very verse where it is said that the شُھَدا shuhada', i.e., those killed in the way of Allah, are blessed with provisions of Paradise from Him, and it is obvious that رزق 'rizq' (provision or sustenance) is needed by and given to the living. From here we know that sustenance starts reaching the شھید shahid (martyr) immediately after the شھید shahid leaves the frame of his life in the mortal world. In this manner, the شھید shahid enters into a special type of life right away from that point of time, something which has a status distinct from that of 'the dead' of our common experience (Qurtubi).

There are no easy answers to questions such as - what is that distinct status and what is the nature of that life? The only answer is that its reality remains unknown to all except to the Creator of the universe; nobody has the power to know what is it - nor is there, for that matter, any need to know. Nevertheless, there are times when the effect of their special life does show up on their bodies buried in this world, that is, the earth they rest in does not eat them up but leaves them good and intact (Qurtubi). There have been many incidents where this phenomena has been physically witnessed. Verse:170 Commentary So, in summation, their first merit as pointed out in this verse is their distinct perennial life; the second is their being well-provided from Allah and the third (فَرِ‌حِينَ بِمَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّـهُ ) is that they shall always be happy with Allah's blessings and grace. The fourth (وَيَسْتَبْشِرُ‌ونَ بِالَّذِينَ لَمْ يَلْحَقُوا بِهِم) merit is the good news given to them about their relatives and circle of friends they left behind in the mortal world that they too shall deserve the same blessings and ranks with their Lord if they remain good in deeds and are active in Jihad (170-171).

Al-Suddi says that a شھید shahld is informed beforehand when one of his close friend or relative is about to die. The news that a certain person was coming to them makes them as happy as one would usually be when an old friend, long separated by time and distance, comes to meet him.

The background of the revelation of this verse as narrated by Abu Dawud on sound authorities from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas is as follows. The Holy Prophet said to the noble Companions: 'When your brothers-in-faith fell martyrs at the battle of Uhud, Allah Almighty placed their spirits in the bodies of green birds and set them free. They get their sustenance from the streams and fruit-trees of the Paradise following which they return to special candelabrums held suspending for them underneath the عرش 'throne' ('arsh) of the All-Merciful. When they noticed the luxury of their life there, they said, 'Can anyone tell them (their grieving friends and relatives in the world) about how we live here so that they stop grieving about us and go about striving in Jihad as we did.' Allah Almighty said, 'We shall let them know about this state of yours.' Thereupon, this verse was revealed (Qurtubi). Verse:171 Commentary - - - Verse:172 Commentary Commentary:

The subject of the previous verse was the battle of Uhud connected with which is the battle of Hamra' al-Asad which forms the subject of the present verse. Hamra' al-Asad is a place eight miles away from Madinah.

The background of this event, mentioned briefly under introductory remarks about verse 151, is that the disbelievers of Makkah left the battlefield of Uhud, reached a certain distance where they realized that they had made a mistake by retreating. Since they had almost won the battle, they should have gone for the final assault and finished off the Muslim forces. The thought so gripped them that they started getting ready to march back to Madinah. But, Allah Almighty cast such awe and fear in their hearts that they found it more convenient to march back home to Makkah. They still left a message with a passing group of travellers to Madinah asking them to give a warning to Muslims that they were coming back after them with all their awesome strength. The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم found this out through a revelation and he reached Hamra' al-Asad in hot pursuit (Ibn Jarir, cited by Ruh al-Ma'ani).

It appears in Tafsir al-Qurtubi that, on the second day of Uhud, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم made an announcement before his mujahidin that they have to pursue the disbelievers but the attacking company will be composed of those who were active participants in yesterday's battle. Two hundred مجاھدین mujahidin rose following this announcement.

A report in Sahih al-Bukhari states that seventy people stood up following the announcement by the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم as to who was ready to go after the disbelievers. Among those were people who had been severely wounded in the battle a day earlier, some even had to be helped in walking. This blessed company marched to apprehend the disbelievers. When they reached Hamra' al-Asad, they met Nu'aym ibn Masud who told them that Abu Sufyan has assembled together a much larger force once again and he is all set to invade Madinah and eliminate its people. Injury-ridden and much weakened Companions ؓ heard this disturbing news yet it was in one voice that they said: We do not know him حَسْبُنَا اللَّـهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ (Allah is sufficient for us and He is the best caretaker.)

On the one hand there was this news broken to Muslims so they get terrorized, but nothing of this sort happened to them. On the other hand, there was the instance of Ma'bad al-Khuza` i, a man from the tribe of Bahl Khuza` ah. He was on his way to Makkah. Though not a Muslim, he was a well-wisher of Muslims - his tribe was an ally of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم . So, when he saw Abu Sufyan repenting his retreat from Madinah and all too resolved to go back and fight, he told Abu Sufyan: 'You are making a mistake by thinking that Muslim forces have become weak. I have just passed by a huge army of theirs camped at Hamra' al-Asad. Armed with an array of men and materials, they are about to set out in hot pursuit against you.' This report from him put the awe of Muslim forces in his (Abu Sufyan) heart.

This event has been related in three verses (172-174) given above. It has been said in the first verse (172) that despite injuries and hardships from the Battle of Uhud, when Allah and His Messenger called them up for another Jihad, they were ready for that too. Worth noticing at this point is the fact that the Muslims being praised here had two distinguishing features. The first one appears in مِن بَعْدِ مَا أَصَابَهُمُ الْقَرْ‌حُ (even after they had received the wound) which means that those who responded to the call of Allah and His Messenger were people wounded at the Battle of Badr. Seventy of their brave companions had met their martyrdom on the battlefield while they themselves were riddled with injuries all over their bodies, yet when they were called to serve again, they immediately agreed to join the Jihad.

The second distinctive feature has been mentioned in the words: them who did good and feared Allah) which established that these people were not simply some great achievers on the battlefield striving incessantly and staking their lives for a noble cause, but they also imbibed in their person the highest virtues of Ihsan (righteous conduct) and Taqwa (fear of Allah). Thus, this very blessed combination of virtues is the cause of their great reward.

Removing a doubt

Let there be no doubt about the word: مِنْهُمْ (literally of them' ) used here. It should not be taken to mean that all these people were not armed with the virtues of Ihsan and Taqwa - only some of them were. The simple reason is that the preposition: مِن min (of, some of) used here is not divisive or partitive. It is, rather, doubtlessly narrative which is confirmed by the very opening words of this very verse: الَّذِينَ اسْتَجَابُوا (Those who responded to the call). From this, it is clear that such response and submission simply cannot materialize without having the qualities of Ihsan and Taqwa ingrained in one's personality. That is why most commentators have declared that the preposition: مِن min (of, some of) has been used here in the narrative sense. In short, the essential meaning of the verse is that all these people had rewards waiting for them.

Striving to achieve something good even at the cost of one's life is not enough unless there is total sincerity behind it

Anyway, this particular mode of address leads us to an essential rule of conduct which is: No matter how good is an effort made and no matter how many sacrifices of wealth and life one makes to achieve that end, it can be reward-worthy in the sight of Allah only when it is simultaneously backed by Ihsan and Taqwa. Therefore, the essence of the observation is that the deed undertaken must be for the good pleasure of Allah alone. Otherwise simple feats of bravery, some of which come even at the cost of one's dear life, are just about no lesser among disbelievers as well.

In its ultimate reality, the command of the Messenger of Allah is the command of Allah.

In this event, it will be recalled that the command to pursue the disbelievers was given by the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم . This does not find mention in any verse of the Holy Qur'an. But, in this particular verse, when the obedience of those people is praised, the command was attributed to both Allah and His Messenger as evident from the words of the text: الَّذِينَ اسْتَجَابُوا لِلَّـهِ وَالرَّ‌سُولِ (172): 'Those who responded to the call of Allah and the Messenger. This proves very clearly that the command which the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم gives is also the command of Allah even though it has not been mentioned in the Book of Allah.

As for those irreligious deviants who reject Hadith and belittle the status of the Messenger of Allah by restricting it to that of a courier (God forbid), a simple statement, that Allah Almighty has openly declared the command of the Messenger as His own, should be enough to understand the truth - if understanding is what they seek. This statement, moreover, also makes it clear that the Messenger can also by himself and at his discretion, set up rules in accordance with expedient considerations, and all such rules have the same status as that enjoyed by the commandments of Allah.

The Definition of Ihsan

Mentioned several times during the comments given above, the word Ihsan generally means the performance of good deeds with the best of effort and discretion. However, the basic definition of Ihsan was given by the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم himself as reported in the well-known 'hadith of Jibra'il'. The actual words are:

اَن تَعبُد اللہ کاَنَّکَ تَرَاہُ فانِ لَّم تکُن تَرَاہُ فَاِنَّہُ یَرَاک

That is, worship Allah as if you are seeing Him; and if it is not possible for you to (imagine that you) see Him, then, (imagine that) He sees you anyway.

The Definition of Taqwa

The word, Taqwa, has been interpreted variously but the most comprehensive definition is what was given by the blessed Companion Ubayy ibn Ka'b ؓ when Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ asked him as to what Taqwa really was. Sayyidna Ubayy ibn Ka'b ؓ said: '0 Commander of the Faithful, you may have certainly passed by pathways full of thorns, have you not?' Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ said, 'Several times, of course.' Sayyidna Ubayy ibn Ka'b ؓ asked, 'What did you do at that time?' Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ said, 'I folded the hang of my dress and walked carefully.' Sayyidna Ubayy ibn Ka'b ؓ said, 'Enough. You said it. This is what Taqwa means. This mortal world of ours is a bed of thorns, full of the thorns of sins, therefore, one should live in this world in a way that one does not get entangled in the thorns of sin. The name of this attitude to life is Taqwa, the highest capital gain one can dream of.' The blessed Companion, Sayyidna Abu al-Darda' ؓ used to recite the following verse quite often:

یقولُ المَرُٔ فایٔدَتی ، و تقوَی اللہِ اَفضَلُ ما استَفَادا

"People say, ` my gain' and 'my money' while, really, the fear of Allah (Taqwa) is the best of what is gained."