4-60 Hast thou not seen those who assert that they believe in that which has been revealed to thee and that which was revealed before thee? They desire to seek the judgment of the devil, though they have been commanded to deny him. And the devil desires to lead them far astray.a
أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَزۡعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمۡ ءَامَنُواْ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبۡلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ وَقَدۡ أُمِرُوٓاْ أَن يَكۡفُرُواْ بِهِۦ وَيُرِيدُ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ أَن يُضِلَّهُمۡ ضَلَـٰلاَۢ بَعِيدً۬ا (۶۰)
4-60a: يَزۡعُمُونَ – زعم is the making of a statement about which there is doubt about its veracity (R). Hence its use in the Quran is at places where the object is to censure the maker of the statement as in: زَعَمَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ أَن لَّن يُبۡعَثُواْ (Those who disbelieve think that they will not be raised) (64:7); بَلۡ زَعَمۡتُمۡ أَلَّن نَّجۡعَلَ لَكُم مَّوۡعِدً۬ا (Nay, you thought that We had not made an appointment for you (18:48); كُنتُمۡ تَزۡعُمُونَ (…you asserted) (6:22); زَعَمۡتُم مِّن دُونِهِ (…assert besides Him) (17:56).
In the previous section, Muslims were directed to take a lesson from the condition of the Jews and were counseled to discharge their trusts. A mention is now made of those who professed or profess belief with their mouths but are not satisfied with the decisions of the Holy Prophet. Commentators have mentioned here a dispute between a Muslim and a Jew in which the Muslim (who was a hidden hypocrite) did not accept the judgment of the Holy Prophet. Even though the sense of the verse can fit not one but hundreds of incidents, but it is not right to limit it to one specific incident. The words of the verse are general and describe the conduct generally of hypocrites. In the previous section, Muslims were commanded to obey Allah and His Messenger and, in this section, mention is made of those who called themselves Muslim but in their heart did not accept the commands of God. The words that they believed in what was revealed before does not mean that this refers to Jews because every Muslim believes in all previous prophets and in their revelation. The objective is also not that they took some of their disputes to the devil and made him the arbiter. The real purport is that in all religious matters instead of accepting the commands of Allah and His Messenger, they made others arbiters instead of Allah. By يَتَحَاكَمُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ is meant that they follow the devil and obey its command although as pointed out in: وَقَدۡ أُمِرُوٓاْ أَن يَكۡفُرُواْ بِهِۦ they were commanded not to listen to the devil. This is further explained in the next verse.
4-61 And when it is said to them, Come to that which Allah has revealed and to the Messenger, thou seest the hypocrites turning away from thee with aversion.
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ تَعَالَوۡاْ إِلَىٰ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ وَإِلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ رَأَيۡتَ ٱلۡمُنَـٰفِقِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَنكَ صُدُودً۬ا (٦١)
4-62 But how is it that when a misfortune befalls them on account of that which their hands have sent before, they come to thee swearing by Allah: We desired naught but good and concord?
فَكَيۡفَ إِذَآ أَصَـٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَةُۢ بِمَا قَدَّمَتۡ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ ثُمَّ جَآءُوكَ يَحۡلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ إِنۡ أَرَدۡنَآ إِلَّآ إِحۡسَـٰنً۬ا وَتَوۡفِيقًا (٦٢)
4-62a: يَحۡلِفُونَ – حَلِف is a covenant that is made with a nation and because such a covenant is made under oath, the word has come to be used for an oath that is taken for a covenant. Finally the meaning became generalized to include all oaths.
تَوۡفِيق – Conformity between two things is called وِفق and derived from it is تَوۡفِيق which has the same meaning as اتفاق (unity).
What is stated here is that the hypocrites will very soon be saying on oath that their relationship with the opponent party was not with the intention to harm the Muslims but to do the opponents a favor so that the two parties may reconcile. There is a frequent mention in the Quran of the falsity of these oaths as in: وَيَحۡلِفُونَ عَلَى ٱلۡكَذِبِ (…and they swear falsely) (58:14); ٱتَّخَذُوٓاْ أَيۡمَـٰنَہُمۡ جُنَّةً۬ (They take shelter under their oaths) (63:2). This is reiterated in the next verse. In another place in the Quran, they are reported as saying: إِنَّمَا نَحۡنُ مُصۡلِحُونَ (We are but peacemakers) (2:11).
4-63 These are they, the secrets of whose hearts Allah knows; so turn aside from them and admonish them and speak to them effective words concerning themselves.a
أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعۡلَمُ ٱللَّهُ مَا فِى قُلُوبِہِمۡ فَأَعۡرِضۡ عَنۡہُمۡ وَعِظۡهُمۡ وَقُل لَّهُمۡ فِىٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ قَوۡلاَۢ بَلِيغً۬ا (٦٣)
4-63a: فِىٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ – There are three ways in which فِىٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ can be translated. The first is: قولا بلیغا فی انفسہم that is: قولًا مؤثرا فی قلوبہم (Words that will have an impact on their heart). The second is: فی شان انفسہم (Tell them about themselves or words that will manifest their condition). Third خالیا بھم لا یکون معھم احد (speak to them separately or in private).
بَلِيغً۬ا – بَلِيغ is derived from بلغ which means to achieve the purpose of an objective (R). بَلِيغ or effective speech can be of two types as Imam Raghib has explained. The first is that it is eloquent by itself. There are three things necessary for this, namely that it is grammatically correct, the words used convey the intended meaning and the conveyed subject or idea is true. Secondly the speech should be effective from the point of view of the speaker and the one spoken to, that is the speaker speaks to the spoken in a way that the purpose he is trying to achieve is accepted by the addressee. The indication here is to both these aspects of بَلِيغ .
4-64 And We sent no messenger but that he should be obeyed by Allah’s command.a And had they, when they wronged themselves, come to thee and asked forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger had (also) asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-returning (to mercy), Merciful.b
وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۚ وَلَوۡ أَنَّهُمۡ إِذ ظَّلَمُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡ جَآءُوكَ فَٱسۡتَغۡفَرُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱسۡتَغۡفَرَ لَهُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُواْ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابً۬ا رَّحِيمً۬ا (٦٤)
4-64a: The real subject of this section is that the Holy Prophet should be obeyed. Those who do not obey him even though they may profess obedience with their mouths have even been called hypocrites. In this verse, it is stated openly that the purpose of sending a messenger is that he should be obeyed but because the real right to be obeyed belongs to Allah, hence it is added that this is by Allah’s command. Thus, this authority that the messenger must be obeyed is granted to him by Allah because it is through a messenger that Allah’s orders are conveyed.
Every messenger is مطاع (One to be followed and obeyed) and not مطیع (One who follows): This verse is decisive about one of the distinctive attributes of prophets. Imam Razi while commentating on this verse writes that this verse testifies that no one can be a messenger unless there is with him a shariah and he is the one to be followed and obeyed in that shariah. If he only calls to follow the shariah of a previous messenger, then he is not in reality the one to be followed because the one to be followed is that previous messenger whose shariah it is. Further, Allah has ordained that every messenger must be followed and obeyed. This verse imposes a necessary condition from which there is no exception. It is necessary for every messenger that he must be the one to be followed and obeyed. As the Quran has decided that the one to be followed and obeyed forever in the Muslim nation will be Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, as is clear from: فَإِن تَنَـٰزَعۡتُمۡ فِى شَىۡءٍ۬ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِ (if you quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger) (4:59) there can be no messenger in the Muslim nation after the Holy Prophet. If there is a messenger after the Holy Prophet then he would have to be followed and obeyed and the requirement to obey the Holy Prophet will cease and this is against the Quran. This verse is decisive about the finality of prophethood when it is read with the above cited verse فَإِن تَنَـٰزَعۡتُمۡ . No messenger can come now till end time whether a new one or one that has sojourned on this earth before because whoever comes as a messenger will be the one to be obeyed and followed and this cannot be so.
The second coming of Jesus: Those who await the second coming of Jesus and those who after thirteen centuries have accepted the coming of another messenger need to reflect on this verse. The former should consider that if Jesus returns, he should come with the mantle of prophethood because a messenger cannot be stripped of his office, as it would be against: ٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ حَيۡثُ يَجۡعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُ (Allah best knows where to place His message) (6:124). If Jesus comes without the mantle of messengership, then it will have to be conceded that he was stripped of his office because of some incompetence. However, if Jesus returns with the mantle of messengership, then he becomes the one to be obeyed and followed and not the Holy Prophet. This would mean that the period of the Holy Prophet’s ministry would be over and such a creed is heresy. Those who make Mirza Ghulam Ahmad into a messenger should consider that the person they make into a messenger repeatedly announced that the yoke of obedience to the Holy Prophet is around his neck, just as it is around the neck of every Muslim. Further he states that whatever he has achieved is because of following and obeying the Holy Prophet. He repeatedly called the Holy Prophet as his religious mentor and that of all the Muslims.
Some people opine that some prophets of Bani Israel were followers of the shariah of Moses. However, it is important to remember that although they may not have been given a new shariah, but they could add, delete or change the previous shariah according to the needs of the time. For this reason, the shariah they presented was under their own seal of approval. It was necessary to accept what they said was correct, as correct and what they said was false, as false. Hence they were the مطاع , the one to be obeyed and followed, even though Divine revelation instructed them to follow the Mosaic shariah. In the Muslim nation though, no one can have the authority to alter the shariah by a whit, and so this nation can have only one person who must be obeyed and followed and that is Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah.
4-64b: After giving the categorical order to obey the Messenger, it is stated that sometimes humans err. So, if these people had erred, its remedy was to ask for God’s protection and if the Messenger had also asked for their protection, Allah would have forgiven them. This shows that the Holy Prophet’s asking for protection was not just for himself but for the whole Muslim nation which included even the hypocrites.
وَٱسۡتَغۡفَرَ لَهُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ – Maulvi Abdullah Chakralwi gives the meaning of وَٱسۡتَغۡفَرَ لَهُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ as: “Then the glorious Book of Allah will forgive them”. The interesting thing is that the forgiveness of the glorious Book of Allah is followed by لَوَجَدُواْ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابً۬ا رَّحِيمً۬ا which is perforce translated by the said Maulvi as: “they will certainly find Allah, the Most High, forgiving and in every way considerate”. It is amazing that first the Book of Allah forgives them and then Allah forgives them when, in fact, the forgiveness of the Book of Allah and that of Allah is one and the same thing. I have not found the meaning of وَٱسۡتَغۡفَار as forgiveness in any book of lexicon and neither has Maulvi Chakralvi cited any source for this unusual meaning.
4-65 But no, by thy Lord! they believe not until they make thee a judge of what is in dispute between them, then find not any straitness in their hearts as to that which thou decidest and submit with full submission.a
فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُواْ فِىٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ حَرَجً۬ا مِّمَّا قَضَيۡتَ وَيُسَلِّمُواْ تَسۡلِيمً۬ا (٦٥)
4-65a: فَلَا – Some have taken لَا here to stand for emphasis and accept it as a relative pronoun for oath, thus rendering it superfluous. In fact, in such places, لَا is used to negate and the negation is of something that has preceded it even if it negates the sense or meaning. This is the case here: لیس الامر کما یزعمون (It is not what they assert) because there is a mention at the start of the section: أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَزۡعُمُونَ (Hast thou not seen those who assert …).
وَرَبِّكَ – واؤ is for an oath. What is the purpose of oaths in the Quran is a subject that will be discussed in detail later on where the oath is taken on things other than God. Here the oath is taken “by thy Lord” and hence the objection that is made for oaths that are taken on other things does not apply here. It is, however, necessary to clarify here that the words used to describe the affairs of the Lord are the same as those used to describe human events although there is a world of difference in the two uses. See 2-15a. The case of oaths is similar. When a person takes an oath, he presents strong evidence and swearing by God is calling God to witness the testimony and hence it is extraordinarily strong evidence. Wherever and on whatever thing an oath is taken in the Quran, that thing is called to witness the truth of the statement made. The witness that is indicated here is رَبِّكَ that is, the entity that nurtures the Holy Prophet. The God who nurtured the Holy Prophet and elevated him to a high status and sent him as a Messenger after training him with His own hands did not do so as a useless exercise. He trained Him with His own hands so that he may train humanity. Hence unless he is accepted as the one to be followed and obeyed, he will not be able to train the people. Hence the imperative of training the Holy Prophet is that he should be obeyed and followed.
حَرَج – The meaning of حَرَج stated in Al-Nihayah is ضیق , that is strait and there is a saying cited in it: حَرَج اضیق الضیق , that is حَرَج is even more intense than ضیق and means not even the slightest straitness and from this, the meaning has become sin. According to Mufradat حَرَج is the name for مجتمع الشئ , (the gathering place) and since there is a connotation of tightness or ضیق in such a place, tightness and sin are also called حَرَج. Mujahid has taken حَرَج to mean suspicion, and some commentators have said that حَرَج means that even the slightest suspicion or doubt is abhorrent (RM).
يُسَلِّمُواْ تَسۡلِيمً۬ا – There is an indication in تَسۡلِيم of manifest submission, just as in لَا يَجِدُواْ فِىٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ حَرَجً۬ا there is an indication that they should consider the decision as just in their hearts. Thus, along with the statement that when the Holy Prophet decides a matter there should be a satisfaction in the person internally that it is just, there is a parallel statement that manifestly too they should adhere and be committed to it. Some commentators have opined that the necessity for this statement is that sometimes a person knows in his heart that the decision is just but out of enmity does not accepts it. In my opinion, تَسۡلِيم has been mentioned later as a progression because there are many who consider the decisions of the Holy Prophet as true in their hearts but there are only a few who submit themselves to these decisions overtly. Hence it is stated that it is not enough just to say that we whole heartedly consider the decisions to be true but also to overtly obey those decisions.
There is an incident related in Bukhari about this verse. The incident narrates a dispute about water between Zubair and an Ansaar (Helper) in which the decision was given in favor of Zubair. In the end of the hadith narration, it is stated that Zubair said: احسِبُ ھٰذہ الایات اِلَّا نَزَلَتۡ فی ذٰلك (I think that this verse was revealed about this affair). This statement does not necessarily mean that these verses were revealed because of this dispute, but the meaning could be that these verses are applicable to this dispute. This is probably what is meant by Zubair’s statement because the obedience that is mentioned here is in ordinary matters and not in respect of a particular quarrel. Accordingly, the last but one verse of this section provides a definite answer to this where it is stated: وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡہِم (And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, they are with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favors …) (4:69). It is obvious that what is meant here is obedience in matters of religion, that is walking on the path that Allah and His Messenger have ordained. The words of the verse under discussion too indicate the same thing because it is stated here that if there is any dispute among the Muslims, the Holy Prophet must be made the adjudicator and it is only then that a person stands firmly on his faith. A person who partially follows the Holy Prophet and partially his own desires is not true in his faith. Further a person must be fully satisfied with the reasonableness of the Prophet’s judgment and have no doubts in his heart and fully obey the verdict. The reason for mentioning mutual disagreements is that only the person who accepts the decision in a dispute and finds no rancor in his heart can truly implement the dictates of the decision and be fully obedient. Even if ordinary worldly disputes are taken to be meant here, the essential conclusion does not change because even in worldly disputes, it is only if the plaintiff and defendant have a great deal of respect for the adjudicator that they would be satisfied with his decision and have no rancor in their heart. Thus, what is stated is that it is in any case required that one obeys the Holy Prophet in all matters of religion but there is a need to take this obedience to a level where if the Holy Prophet renders a judgment in one of the worldly disputes, one should not only accept it but even the thought should not creep into one’s mind that some injustice was done. This verse also shows that the decisions of the Holy Prophet were not based only on analogy and exercise of judgment otherwise there would not have been a demand that there should be complete satisfaction internally and full submission externally. This verse is not about disputes related to estate or wealth but about religious commands.
The role of وحی خفی (Divine inspiration to the heart) in the Prophet’s اجتہاد (Exercise of judgment): It is clearly proven that the Holy Prophet’s judgment was not based merely on human intuition but there was a Divine inspiration with it (which is known as وحی خفی (because there was no overt revelation in the matter). As a result, the Holy Prophet could not make an incorrect decision. If this was not the case then لَا يَجِدُواْ فِىٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ حَرَجً۬ا (find no straitness in their hearts) would not hold.
4-66 And if We had enjoined them, Lay down your lives or go forth from your homes, they would not have done it except a few of them. And if they had done what they are exhorted to do, it would certainly have been better for them and more strengthening:a
وَلَوۡ أَنَّا كَتَبۡنَا عَلَيۡہِمۡ أَنِ ٱقۡتُلُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡ أَوِ ٱخۡرُجُواْ مِن دِيَـٰرِكُم مَّا فَعَلُوهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ۬ مِّنۡہُمۡۖ وَلَوۡ أَنَّہُمۡ فَعَلُواْ مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِۦ لَكَانَ خَيۡرً۬ا لَّهُمۡ وَأَشَدَّ تَثۡبِيتً۬ا (٦٦)
4-66a: What is meant by the statement lay down your lives? It is stated in a hadith that when this verse was revealed, some of the companions said that if there is such a command then they would obey it. To which the Holy Prophet replied: للایمان اثبت فی قلوب اھله من الجبال الرواسی (Faith is enshrined in the hearts of their families which is stronger than the strong mountains) (IK). On the other hand, Allah Himself testifies that a few would have done so and the statementوَقَلِيلٌ۬ مِّنۡ عِبَادِىَ ٱلشَّكُورُ (And very few of My servants are grateful) (34:13) shows that only a few achieve the highest spiritual status. The third thing to consider is the statement that if they had been enjoined to lay down their lives or go forth from their homes. In fact, those who had to leave their homes were the companions. So, what is the meaning of putting these two commands together. The first command is to kill yourself, which nobody did, and the second is to leave your homes which all the emigrants from Makkah did. The actuality is that by ٱقۡتُلُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡ is meant an affair that like ٱخۡرُجُواْ مِن دِيَـٰرِكُم is doable, and that affair is sacrificing so much for religion that you proverbially work yourself to death. To present yourself to be killed or not to care for your life is tantamount to killing yourself. The relationship of this verse to the previous verse is that in the previous verse a command is given, which on the face of it is a very strict command, namely, to accept the judgments of the Holy Prophet and to obey them fully. This implies that for all times to come, it is the duty of all people who believe in the Holy Prophet to accept his decisions in all affairs of religion without any kind of rancor creeping into their hearts and to embrace and obey those decisions wholeheartedly.
It is now stated that this command is not, in fact, harsh. A person can stay in his house, go about his business and also be obedient to the commands of the Holy Prophet. A more difficult station than this is when a person regardless of dangers to his life performs such tasks for religion that are tantamount to killing oneself. For example, to stand firm before the enemies of religion. This is no less than killing yourself. Another difficult station is to abandon your home for the sake of religion as the Companions did. Allah says that He has not made these difficult tasks obligatory for the entire Muslim nation for all times because there are only a few who have the ability to do this. However, what He has made obligatory for all times is that in matters of religion they should not step outside the decisions of the Holy Prophet and the boundaries that he has set. People should look after their worldly businesses, stay in their homes but also keep an eye on the limits that religion has established.
لَوۡ أَنَّہُمۡ فَعَلُواْ مَا يُوعَظُونَ (If they had done what they are exhorted to do): It is conveyed in this that if people are fully obedient to the Holy Prophet then this will be doubly to their benefit. This will be better for them in this world, and they will become stronger in their faith and increase in steadfastness. Thus, this will be a benefit for them in the Hereafter and be a source of steadfastness in this world. This is not to say that it is not obligatory to present oneself to be sacrificed for religion or to abandon one’s home when required. There is actually a prediction in this that the conditions in which it is necessary to abandon homes or to give up one’s life for the sake of religion will no longer prevail except under unusual circumstances which will be almost non-existent. This is the reason why there is a hadith that states: لا ھجرۃ بعد الفتح (there is no immigration after victory).
4-67 And then We would certainly have given them from Ourselves a great reward,
وَإِذً۬ا لَّأَتَيۡنَـٰهُم مِّن لَّدُنَّآ أَجۡرًا عَظِيمً۬ا (٦٧)
4-68 And We would certainly have guided them in the right path.
وَلَهَدَيۡنَـٰهُمۡ صِرَٲطً۬ا مُّسۡتَقِيمً۬ا (٦٨)
4-69 And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, they are with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favors from among the prophets and the truthful and the faithful and the righteous, and a goodly company are they!a
وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡہِم مِّنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ وَٱلشُّہَدَآءِ وَٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَۚ وَحَسُنَ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ رَفِيقً۬ا (٦٩)
4-69a: صِّدِّيقِينَ – It is the intensive form of صِّدِّيقِ and it’s meaning accordingly is one who is at the highest level of truthfulness (LA). Imam Raghib says that صِّدِّيقِ is one whose truthfulness manifests itself excessively, and it has been said that صِّدِّيقِ is one who never lies and in fact who has such a habit of telling the truth that he can never lie. Some have said that صِّدِّيقِ is one who is true both in his speech and in his beliefs and who has proven his truthfulness by his actions. This is its meaning in common parlance but in the terminology of the shariah صِّدِّيقِ is one who accepts every command of Allah to be true and finds no doubt in his heart about the veracity of any command and testifies to the truthfulness of the Holy Prophet (LA). This transference from the ordinary meaning to its technical meaning took place as follows: A person is so habituated to tell the truth that not only does he never lies in his personal life but when he comes face to face with something that is the truth, he recognizes it immediately because he has a natural connection with truth and does not stand in need of any convincing. In the language of the shariah, it can be said that the light of faith is so dominant in him or that he has reached such a stage of perfection that he has a natural connection with truth. So, the status of صِّدِّيقت is in fact the pinnacle of the perfection in belief.
شُّہَدَآءِ – شھید is an intensive form, that is one who has perfect knowledge and can explain that knowledge or manifest it. The perfection of شھید is in the field of knowledge just as the perfection of صِّدِّيقِ is in the field of belief. Thus, it has been said that شھید takes precedence in knowledge but follows in belief while صِّدِّيقِ takes precedence in belief and follows in knowledge. It is on this basis that Caliph Abu Bakr Siddiq is considered as the chief of the believers because from the point of belief, his status is higher than all others and Caliph Umar is called شھید because from the point of knowledge, his status is higher than the others.
صَّـٰلِحِينَ – The root of صالح is صلح and صلاح is the opposite of conflict. In its most common use, it is specific to deeds (R). The repeated use in the Quran of امَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ has connected صلاح with deeds. In other words, it can be said that the excellence of صالح is dependent on deeds. For this reason, some have given sainthood the status of صالحیت and claimed that Caliph Ali is the chief of this station.
رَفِيق – It is derived from رِفق meaning kindness, leniency. In particular from a person who is one’s companion on a journey (LA).
Obedience to the Holy Prophet results in companionship of those on whom Allah has granted favors. The emphasis throughout this section is on the obedience of the Holy Prophet. Those who are not obedient have been termed as hypocrites and the section is ended by mentioning the reward of those who are obedient. It is stated that those who are obedient to the Holy Prophet will be in the company of those who are inheritors of great favors from Allah. Who are these people who earned great rewards from Allah? These are those who are elevated to the station of prophethood, who achieve perfection in belief, attain excellence in knowledge and great accomplishment in deeds. Thus, obedience to the Holy Prophet allows a person companionship with men who have achieved perfection even though the person may or may not have achieved perfection himself. There is no denying that those who have achieved excellence in belief, knowledge and deeds are few and a majority of people do not achieve this excellence because of other interests, impurities or other conditions. It is only the grace of Allah that he grants the companionship of these perfect persons to those who tried their level best to be obedient to the Holy Prophet although they did not reach perfection. The words of the Quran bear testimony to this. First the company of these perfect people is mentioned and then by stating: حَسُنَ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ رَفِيقً۬ا it is conveyed that they will have their companionship. Then in the last verse it is stated: ذَٲلِكَ ٱلۡفَضۡلُ مِنَ ٱللَّه (Such is the grace of Allah). It is only the grace of Allah that such a great reward is bestowed just for obedience. The subject of the previous verse also requires this to be the case.
Testimony of the Hadith: When the ahadith are examined, they support this subject. Thus, Nadi has narrated that the Holy Prophet said: التاجر الصدوق الامین مع ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ وَٱلشُّہَدَآءِ (The truthful and honest merchant is with the prophets, the truthful and the faithful). This does not mean that he becomes a prophet but that he is in the company of prophets. According to another hadith, the prophet was asked about a person who loves a people but is not one of them, that is he has not reached their status and he replied: المرٔ مع من احب (A man is with those whom he loves) (IK). A narration from Anas states: انی لاحب رسول اللّٰه صلعم و احب ابابکر و عمر رضی اللّٰه عنہما و ارجوا ان اللّٰه یبعثنی معھم و ان لم اعمل کعملھم (I love the Messenger of Allah and I love Abu Bakr and Umar and I hope that Allah will raise me with them, though I have not done the deeds which they did) (IK). It is stated in one hadith that the Holy Prophet mentioned some of the grand scenes of Paradise and the Companions enquired: O the Messenger of Allah! These are the scenes of the station of prophets where others cannot reach? Holy Prophet replied: والّذی نفسی بیدہ رجال اٰمنوا باللّٰه و صدقوا المرسلین (By Allah in whose hands is my life, those people (will also attain it) who believe in Allah and who testify to the truth of the Messenger) (IK). In another hadith, it is narrated that the Holy Prophet saw a person looking sad and enquired the reason. He said: Now we are with you morning and evening and see your face and sit with you, but after death, you will be at a very elevated station where we will not be able to reach. It was then that this verse was revealed.
What remains in the Muslim nation is mubashirat (good news) or prophethood in its literal sense: If prophethood had been a station of the perfection of belief, there would have been some mention of it in the Quran or in the Hadith. Neither has the Quran mentioned anywhere that when a believer progresses in faith, he is made a prophet, nor does this appear from Hadith. Quran, however, does state: لَهُمُ ٱلۡبُشۡرَىٰ فِى ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا (For them is good news in this world’s life) (10:64) and also states: تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮٕ ی (…the angels descend upon them…) (41:30). Further, it is stated in an authentic hadith: لم یبق من النبّوۃ الّا المبشرات (There is nothing left of prophethood except mubashirat (good news). In another authentic hadith, it is narrated: لقد کان فی من کان قبلکم رجال یُکلمون من غیران یکونوا انبیاء فان یکن فی امتی احد نعمر (There were in the people before you persons with whom Allah, the Most High, communicated although they were not prophets. If there is such a person in my followers, it is Umar). It follows that a part of prophethood, or one can say a coloring of it, namely that Allah speaks with His servants is proven from the Quran and Hadith. This is the reason that there is a near consensus in the Muslim Ummah that prophethood in its literary meaning, that is only in the sense of a discourse with God, is prevalent in this Ummah but prophethood in its real or technical sense has terminated. Accordingly, it is stated in Ruh al-Maani: ان النبوّۃ عامة و خاصة و التی لا ذوق لھم فیھا ھی الخاصة اعنی نبوۃ التشریع و ھی مقام خاص فی الولایة و اما النبوۃ العامة فھی مستمرۃ ساریة فی اکابر الرجال غیر منقطعة دنیا و اخری (Prophethood is ordinary and special. The one that this Ummah does not relish is the special prophethood, that is prophethood according to the shariah and that is a special station in saintliness. As for the ordinary prophethood, it continues in the great people of the Ummah and is non terminable in this world and the next.
Saintliness or محدثیت : Thus ordinary prophethood is another name for saintliness and hence it has also been called محدثیت because the only eminence in it is the ability to discourse with Allah and this will persist in this world and the next. However, the special prophethood which is called prophethood in the terminology of the shariah or نبوت تشریعی because the person appointed to this office brings a code or shariah or has the authority to change an existing shariah by increasing or decreasing it or adding or deleting parts of it has been terminated because the Holy Prophet took the shariah to perfection.
We now diverge from the verse to actual events. The Quran is full of verses that narrate the complete obedience to the Holy Prophet of the Companions to the extent that the Quran testifies: رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَرَضُواْ عَنۡهُ (Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him) (9:100). A greater testimonial of obedience is inconceivable. If on the one hand, the complete obedience of the Companions stands proven so clearly, on the other hand, it is equally clear that none of the Companions was bestowed prophethood and made a prophet. Instead, the Holy Prophet stated: لو کان بعدی نبی لکان عمر (If there was a prophet after me, it would have been Umar). In other words, Caliph Umar had the qualities of a prophet but no one becomes a prophet by their effort and Allah in His wisdom has shut the door of prophethood after the Holy Prophet. Now prophethood cannot be bestowed on anybody. Those who say that for thirteen hundred years nobody became a prophet because they were not fully obedient to the Holy Prophet are the enemies of Islam and bring a bad name to Islam throughout the world. If even the Companions were not fully obedient, then did Allah mistakenly give them the testimonial that Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him. In short, if it was possible to become a prophet merely by being fully obedient, there was none more deserving for this than the Companions and there should have been hundreds of prophets among them. However, this did not happen. Hence the idea that prophethood can be obtained through obedience is an erroneous belief which is contradicted by the Quran, Hadith and actual events. It is true though that a coloring of prophethood is imparted to the perfect persons of this Ummah and this coloring was given to the Companions as well. For this reason, it is mentioned in the Hadith that the Holy Prophet likened his Companions to prophets they resembled. Abu Zar Ghaffari, for example, was stated to have a resemblance with Jesus.
4-70 Such is the grace from Allah, and Allah is sufficient as Knower.
ذَٲلِكَ ٱلۡفَضۡلُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ عَلِيمً۬ا (٧٠)
Bayan-ul-Quran 