With kind permission: Islamic Foundation UK
Introduction to Tafheem | Glossary | Verbs
Tafsirs: Maarif | Dawat | Ishraq | Clear
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- Cro Magnon Man
107. This verse .can be interpreted in three ways, and each meaning is equally
valid: First, that those who now shirked to fight in the cause of God were themselves
initially eager to fight. They often approached the Prophet (peace be on him),
saying that they were being wronged, beaten, persecuted and abused, that' their
patience was exhausted, and that they wanted permission to fight. They had then
been told to be patient and continue to purify their souls by observing Prayers
and dispensing Zakah. At that time they had felt disconcerted by this counsel
of patience. Later on, some of those very same people were to tremble at the
first sight of the enemy and the dangers of warfare.
Second, that they remained highly 'religious' as long as they were asked merely
to pray and pay Zakah, which entailed no risk to their lives. But as soon as
that phase was over and they were asked to expose themselves to danger, they
began to shiver with fear.
Third, that in the former times the same people had unsheathed their swords
for trivial causes. They had fought for loot and plunder, and engaged in feuds
motivated by animal impulses, so much so that feuding had almost become their
national pastime. At that time they had been told to abstain from bloodshed
and to reform themselves by observing Prayers and dispensing Zakah. When, later
on, the same people were told that the time had come for them to fight in the
cause of God, those who had shown themselves to be lions while fighting for
their own selfish causes turned out to be as meek as lambs. The strong hands
which had wielded the sword so firmly, and had used it so fiercely for the sake
of either personal or tribal honour, or for Satan's sake, became almost paralysed.
Each of these three meanings applies to a different kind of person, but the
actual words of the verse seem to apply equally to all who shirked fighting
in the cause of God.
108. Were they to serve the religion of God and spend their energy in that cause, they would surely be rewarded by Him.
109. When such people encounter success and victory, they attribute it to the grace of God. They allow themselves to forget that this grace came to them through no one but the Prophet (peace be on him). When they are either beaten or face setbacks because of their own faults and weaknesses they gratuitously exonerate themselves and place the blame squarely on the Prophet (peace be on him).
110. Such people are responsible for their own conduct. It is they rather than the Prophet (peace be on him) who will be censured. The task entrusted to the Prophet (peace be on him) was merely to communicate to them the ordinances and directives of God and he acquitted himself of it very well. It was not his duty to compel them to follow the right way, so that if they failed to follow the teachings communicated to them by the Prophet (peace be on him) the responsibility was entirely theirs. The Prophet (peace be on him) would not be questioned as to why they disobeyed.
111. The main reason for the attitude of the hypocrites and lukewarm believers was their lack of conviction that the Qur'an came from God. They did not believe that the Prophet (peace be on him) had received the messages and directives that he preached from God Himself. Hence, when they are censured for their hypocritical conduct, they are told that they do not reflect upon the Qur'an. For the Qur'an itself is a strong, persuasive testimony to its divine origin. It is inconceivable that any human being should compose discourses on different subjects under different circumstances and on different occasions, and that the collection of those discourses should then grow into a coherent, homogeneous and integrated work, no component of which is discordant with the others. It is also inconceivable that such a work would be permeated through and through with a uniform outlook and attitude, a work reflecting a remarkable consistency in the mood and spirit of its Author, and a work too mature ever to need revision.
112. This was a period of turbulence and upheaval and rumour was rife. Occasionally, baseless and exaggerated reports circulated and seized the whole of Madina and its outlying areas with alarm and consternation. At other times some cunning enemy tried to conceal the dangers threatening the Muslims by spreading soothing reports. A specially keen interest in rumours was taken by those who simply relished anything out of the ordinary, and who did not consider this life-and-death struggle between Islam and Ignorance to be a matter of crucial importance, and who were not aware of the far-reaching consequences of rumour-mongering. As soon as they heard something, they ran about spreading it everywhere. This rebuke is addressed to such people. They are warned against spreading rumours and are directed to convey every report they receive to responsible quarters.