Towards Understanding the Quran
With kind permission of Islamic Foundation UK
Introduction | About | Glossary | Verbs
Tafsirs: Maarif | Dawat | Ishraq | Clear
Surah An-Nisa 4:113-115   Chapters ↕   Word for Word
Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-14 [2], 15-22 [3], 23-25 [4], 26-33 [5], 34-42 [6], 43-50 [7], 51-56 [8], 57-70 [9], 71-76 [10], 77-87 [11], 88-91 [12], 92-96 [13], 97-100 [14], 101-104 [15], 105-112 [16], 113-115 [17], 116-126 [18], 127-134 [19], 135-141 [20], 142-152 [21], 153-162 [22], 163-171 [23], 172-176 [24]
وَ لَوْ لَاAnd if notفَضْلُ(for the) Graceاللّٰهِ(of) Allahعَلَیْكَupon youوَ رَحْمَتُهٗand His Mercyلَهَمَّتْsurely (had) resolvedطَّآىِٕفَةٌa groupمِّنْهُمْof themاَنْtoیُّضِلُّوْكَ ؕmislead youوَ مَاBut notیُضِلُّوْنَthey misleadاِلَّاۤexceptاَنْفُسَهُمْthemselvesوَ مَاand notیَضُرُّوْنَكَthey will harm youمِنْinشَیْءٍ ؕanythingوَ اَنْزَلَAnd has sent downاللّٰهُAllahعَلَیْكَto youالْكِتٰبَthe Bookوَ الْحِكْمَةَand [the] Wisdomوَ عَلَّمَكَand taught youمَاwhatلَمْnotتَكُنْyou didتَعْلَمُ ؕknowوَ كَانَAnd isفَضْلُ(the) Graceاللّٰهِ(of) Allahعَلَیْكَupon youعَظِیْمًا great 4. An-Nisa Page 97لَا(There is) noخَیْرَgoodفِیْinكَثِیْرٍmuchمِّنْofنَّجْوٰىهُمْtheir secret talkاِلَّاexceptمَنْ(he) whoاَمَرَordersبِصَدَقَةٍcharityاَوْorمَعْرُوْفٍkindnessاَوْorاِصْلَاحٍۭconciliationبَیْنَbetweenالنَّاسِ ؕthe peopleوَ مَنْAnd whoیَّفْعَلْdoesذٰلِكَthatابْتِغَآءَseekingمَرْضَاتِpleasureاللّٰهِ(of) Allahفَسَوْفَthen soonنُؤْتِیْهِWe will give himاَجْرًاa rewardعَظِیْمًا great وَ مَنْAnd whoeverیُّشَاقِقِopposesالرَّسُوْلَthe Messengerمِنْۢfromبَعْدِafterمَاwhatتَبَیَّنَ(has) become clearلَهُto himالْهُدٰی(of) the guidanceوَ یَتَّبِعْand he followsغَیْرَother thanسَبِیْلِ(the) wayالْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ(of) the believersنُوَلِّهٖWe will turn himمَا(to) whatتَوَلّٰیhe (has) turnedوَ نُصْلِهٖand We will burn himجَهَنَّمَ ؕ(in) Hellوَ سَآءَتْand evil it isمَصِیْرًا۠(as) a destination

Translation

(4:113) (O Messenger!) But for Allah's favour and mercy upon you, a party of them had resolved to mislead you,yet they only misled them selves, and could not have harmed you in any way.142 Allah revealed to you the Book and Wisdom, and He taught you what you knew not. Great indeed has been Allah's favour upon you.

(4:114) Most of their secret conferrings are devoid of good, unless one secretly enjoins in charity, good deeds, and setting the affairs of men right. We shall grant who ever does that seeking to please Allah a great reward.

(4:115) As for him who sets himself against the Messenger and follows a path other than that of the believers even after true guidance had become clear to him, We will let him go to the way he has turned to,143 and We will cast him into Hell - an evil destination.

Commentary

142. Even if some people succeeded in their design to obtain from the Prophet (peace be on him) a wrong judgement in their favour by presenting a false account of events, the real loss would have been theirs rather than the Prophet's (peace be on him). For the real criminals in the sight of God are the perpetrators of that fraud and not the Prophet (peace be on him) who might in good faith have delivered a verdict that actually did not conform to the facts. Whoever obtains a judgement in his favour by tricking the courts deludes himself into believing that by such tricks he can bring right to his side; right remains with its true claimant regardless of judgements obtained by fraud and deception. (See also Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. I, (Surah 2, n. 197.)

143. When, after revelation from God, the Prophet (peace be on him) delivered his verdict in favour of the innocent Jew rather than the dishonest Muslim, the latter was so seized by un-Islamic, egotistic and chauvinistic considerations that he left Madina, went straight to Makka to join the ranks of the enemies of Islam and of the Prophet (peace be on him), and undertook open opposition. The verse alludes to that incident.