4-77 Hast thou not seen those to whom it was said: Withhold your hands, and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate.a But when fighting is prescribed for them, lo! a party of them fear men as they ought to fear Allah, or with a greater fear, and say: Our Lord, why hast Thou ordained fighting for us? Wouldst Thou not grant us respite to a near term?b Say: The enjoyment of this world is short, and the Hereafter is better for him who keeps his duty. And you shall not be wronged a whit.c
أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ قِيلَ لَهُمۡ كُفُّوٓاْ أَيۡدِيَكُمۡ وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُواْ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيۡہِمُ ٱلۡقِتَالُ إِذَا فَرِيقٌ۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ يَخۡشَوۡنَ ٱلنَّاسَ كَخَشۡيَةِ ٱللَّهِ أَوۡ أَشَدَّ خَشۡيَةً۬ۚ وَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَا لِمَ كَتَبۡتَ عَلَيۡنَا ٱلۡقِتَالَ لَوۡلَآ أَخَّرۡتَنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ۬ قَرِيبٍ۬ۗ قُلۡ مَتَـٰعُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا قَلِيلٌ۬ وَٱلۡأَخِرَةُ خَيۡرٌ۬ لِّمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ وَلَا تُظۡلَمُونَ فَتِيلاً (٧٧)
4-77a: Rectification of soul takes precedence over jihad: This section mentions that the hypocrites are afraid of participating in the war. The command regarding withholding hands and keeping up prayer is general and addressed to all the Muslims, but the party that is afraid and questions Allah’s command is not a party of Muslims but that of hypocrites. They are called فَرِيقٌ۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ (a party of them) because on the face of it, the hypocrites were mixed in with the Muslims. A group that fears men as they should fear God, who desire the provisions of this life, who are the holders of secret meetings as noted in 4:81 cannot be believers. The significance of the term withhold your hand is that the Holy Prophet had been commanded not to open any hostilities until the enemy initiated war. The instructions to the Holy Prophet were not to wage war unless the enemy initiated it first. The purpose of giving the command to keep up prayer and pay the poor rate with it is to show that the real objective of Islam is not to wage war, which is only a temporary necessity, but the real reason why prophets come is to perfect the human soul. Hence, those things that perfect the human soul should be adopted which include keeping up prayer and payment of the poor rate. By mentioning together withholding of hand in war, keeping up prayer and paying the poor rate, it is made clear that there are two jihads in a person’s life – one for the reformation of the soul and the other for the protection of religion. Out of the two, the reformation of the soul takes precedence. Hence Allah gave permission to the Muslims to fight and that too with conditions after they were first made successful in the jihad of reforming their soul. Prayer or worship creates humility and gentleness in a person’s disposition. The poor rate strengthens human sympathy.
Wars just breed harshness and severity in the character of those nations that go to war without reforming the human psyche first. Humility and gentleness in their manners is suppressed and the result is that cruelty, bloodshed, vengeance, and the desire to humiliate subjects takes over their character. One sees this condition in the superficially civilized nations of today who are deprived of true morality in their relationship with other nations. They can exploit these nations for worldly goods but cannot be torchbearers of morality and neither can they win their respect.
Because Allah wanted to keep the Muslim nation on the path of moderation and rectitude and to make them teachers of morality, He perfected their character with the attributes of gentleness and humility. When the traits of gentleness and love in their character reached perfection through bearing severe trials and tribulations, worshipping God excessively and showing kindness to humanity, they were given permission for defensive wars. Thus, in order to prepare the Muslim soldier for war, Allah has made prayer and poor rate essential in their training.
There is correct guidance in these words for those who wish to lead the Muslim nation out of their moral and temporal morass. The real objective of Islam is the perfection of the soul for which keeping up prayer and paying the poor rate are essential ingredients. The pursuit of governance, while ignoring even the mention of prayer and poor rate in speeches and lectures, is not the right strategy. The prevailing strategy unfortunately is to follow anything except the Quran. The remissness towards prayer and poor rate will prevent the Islamic nation from coming out of its present hypocritical state where its actions do not match what they profess.
4-77b: كَخَشۡيَةِ ٱللَّهِ – The adjunct reference in the verbal noun is towards the subject, that is just as a believer is afraid of God because his end will be destruction if he commits sin and does not repent, these hypocrites have the same degree of fear of people. The hypocrites’ fear is perhaps even greater (اَؤ is sometimes used in the sense of بَلۡ ) because for a believer there is both fear and hope. Fear of being destroyed for committing sin and hope because of harboring great expectations from the grace and mercy of Allah. For the hypocrites, however, there is nothing but fear, and so their fear keeps on becoming stronger leading them to think that they would be killed today or tomorrow. This same state of mind is indicated in: يَحۡسَبُونَ كُلَّ صَيۡحَةٍ عَلَيۡہِمۡ (They think every cry to be against them) (63:4).
When the attributes of gentleness and love had become firmly ingrained in the disposition of Muslims and trials and tribulations had honed them into perfect humans, the time had come to make fighting a necessity because the unbelievers had now taken to the sword to exterminate Islam. However, there was a group among them who were cowed by the sheer strength of the enemy, and scared to the extent that they thought that the enemy would annihilate them. This goes to show the strength of the enemy and gives the lie to the story that the Muslims fought out of greed for spoils of war. Leave alone spoils of war, the Muslim force appeared to be on a suicidal mission from which none would come out alive.
4-77c: It is stated in this section that to die while fighting for the protection and support of the truth is better than a debased life whose objective is to earn some worldly wealth. Protection of rights is more respectable than some worldly wealth. It is stated next that there will be no injustice, that is whatever one sacrifices of his ease, wealth and benefits will not be wasted.
4-78 Wherever you are, death will overtake you, though you are in towers, raised high.a And if good befalls them, they say: This is from Allah; and if a misfortune befalls them, they say: This is from thee. Say: All is from Allah. But what is the matter with these people that they make no effort to understand anything?b
أَيۡنَمَا تَكُونُواْ يُدۡرِككُّمُ ٱلۡمَوۡتُ وَلَوۡ كُنتُمۡ فِى بُرُوجٍ۬ مُّشَيَّدَةٍ۬ۗ وَإِن تُصِبۡهُمۡ حَسَنَةٌ۬ يَقُولُواْ هَـٰذِهِۦ مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِۖ وَإِن تُصِبۡهُمۡ حَسَنَةٌ۬ يَقُولُواْ هَـٰذِهِۦ مِنۡ عِندِكَۚ قُلۡ كُلٌّ۬ مِّنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِۖ فَمَالِ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ لَا يَكَادُونَ يَفۡقَهُونَ حَدِيثً۬ا (٧٨)
4-78a: بُرُوج – It is the plural of بُرۡج and literally it is said of anything that appears elevated. The elevated places of a city are the towers which are part of the fortification around the city. The reference to بُرُوج in the sky as in: وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلۡبُرُوجِ (By the heaven full of stars) (85:1); جَعَلَ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ بُرُوجً۬ا (…made the stars in the heaven) (25:61) is to stars. A place is also called بُرُوج (IK). From the same root is تبّرج used for a woman who shows up her charm. The meaning of بُرُوج here is tower or fortresses.
مُّشَيَّدَةٍ- It is derived from شِیۡد which is everything with which a wall is decorated whether it is lime or stone. تشیید النباء means to strengthen a building and to make it higher (LA). In another place the term قَصۡرٍ۬ مَّشِيدٍ (palace raised high) (22:45) occurs in the Quran and this is a use in the singular tense (LA).
Do not fear death in the discharge of duty: Here a reply is given to لَوۡلَآ أَخَّرۡتَنَآ (grant us respite) (4:77) and it is in general words, that is even if one escapes death by not participating in the war, one cannot escape death eventually. It will overtake one regardless of the precautions one takes, even if one closets oneself in a strong and elevated fort. The purport here is not that precautions should not be taken to protect life. Life is a blessing from Allah and it should be appreciated, but righteousness demands that one should sacrifice even the greatest blessing in order to fulfill the duties that Allah has imposed on a person. Being afraid of death in the discharge of one’s duty is faintheartedness and cowardice.
4-78b: حَسَنَةٌ۬ – It is everything that makes a person happy and this word is used both for earthly and spiritual beneficence. سیئة is its opposite and is everything that makes one sorrowful whether in matters of this world or next. See 2-82a; and 3-120a.
The significance of good fortune and misfortune from Allah: When Muslims suffered a reverse in the Battle of Uhad, the hypocrites started saying that this was because of Holy Prophet’s bad policy of engaging the enemy in the open. The real reason for the reverse was disobedience of orders and dereliction of duty. Thus, the hypocrites created an excuse to be disobedient themselves. This remained their approach in all battles and whenever they saw that the enemy was stronger and mightier, they would retreat and when they saw the enemy was weak they were in the vanguard of the advance. When the battle was won and they got a share of the spoils, they would say: هَـٰذِهِۦ مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِۖ (this is from Allah). In another place in the Quran during a narration about Moses, it is stated that when some good would befall his followers, they said: لَنَا هَـٰذِهِ (this is due to us) (7:131), that is we are entitled to this. The meaning in this verse is the same. When some misfortune befalls them, they attribute it to the Holy Prophet, just as Pharoah and his followers attributed their misfortunes to Moses: يَطَّيَّرُواْ بِمُوسَىٰ وَمَن مَّعَهُ (…they attributed it to the ill-luck of Moses) (7:131). So, it is stated that whether success or misfortune occurs it is all from Allah, that is it is part of the decree of Allah. A similar answer is given in the case of Moses as well: إِنَّمَا طَـٰٓٮِٕرُهُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ (…their evil fortune is only from Allah) (7:131), and the purport is that it is because of their good or bad deeds. The misfortunes that befall a person are also decreed by Allah, which is explained further in the next verse.
4-79 Whatever good befalls thee (O man), it is from Allah, and whatever misfortune befalls thee, it is from thyself.a And We have sent thee (O Prophet) to mankind as a Messenger. And Allah is sufficient as a witness.b
مَّآ أَصَابَكَ مِنۡ حَسَنَةٍ۬ فَمِنَ ٱللَّهِۖ وَمَآ أَصَابَكَ مِن سَيِّئَةٍ۬ فَمِن نَّفۡسِكَۚ وَأَرۡسَلۡنَـٰكَ لِلنَّاسِ رَسُولاً۬ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَہِيدً۬ا (٧٩)
4-79a: مِنَ ٱللَّه and مِنۡ عِنۡدِ ٱللَّه : The difference made between them is that مِنَ ٱللَّه is spoken about those matters which take place with Allah’s pleasure and at His command while مِنۡ عِنۡدِ ٱللَّه is general and includes things which are fated whether by Allah’s pleasure or His anger, whether Allah has commanded their doing or has commanded abstaining from them. In the last verse, it is stated كُلٌّ۬ مِّنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ (All is from Allah) that is by His decree, although it is not at His pleasure or as He would wish. Hence, here it is stated: أَصَابَكَ مِنۡ حَسَنَةٍ۬ فَمِنَ ٱللَّه (Whatever good befalls thee, it is from Allah) because Allah’s pleasure or desire is that good things should befall people, but whatever misfortunes befall are because of people’s own actions. In another place in the Quran, it is stated: وَمَآ أَصَـٰبَڪُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ۬ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتۡ أَيۡدِيكُمۡ (And whatever misfortune befalls you, it is on account of what your hands have wrought) (42:30); and وَلَا يَرۡضَىٰ لِعِبَادِهِ ٱلۡكُفۡرَۖ (And He likes not ungratefulness in His servants) (39:7) although it is decreed that some will be ungrateful. So, the path which Allah wants people to pursue is one destined for a good end and it follows that one can suffer no misfortune by following the Prophet. The tribulations that one undertakes for achieving an objective or those that a believer happily bears in treading the path of Allah are not included in سیئة , just as the hard work that a student puts in to pass the exam or a person puts in to earn a living is not misfortune.
4-79b: Further support is lent to the first thing here. So, when mention is made of sending Messengers, the term الی الناس is not used and instead لِلنَّاسِ is used meaning Messengers are sent for the benefit of people. So, there is benefit for the people in obeying the Messenger. Allah is sufficient as a witness means that He will manifest the result, namely that they will see benefits accruing to the people who obey the commands of the Messenger.
4-80 Whoever obeys the Messenger, he indeed obeys Allah. And whoever turns away, We have not sent thee as a keeper over them.a
مَّن يُطِعِ ٱلرَّسُولَ فَقَدۡ أَطَاعَ ٱللَّهَۖ وَمَن تَوَلَّىٰ فَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَـٰكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ حَفِيظً۬ا (٨٠)
4-80a: حَفِيظً۬ – حِفۡظ is the opposite of نسیان (forgetful or oblivious). It is also used to signify the power that enables a person to exercise this attribute, and hence its meanings have also embraced promise, assurance and indulgence (R). The Messenger not being a keeper means that it is not his job to make people obey or to force them not to commit sins or to save them from misfortunes.
Obeying the Prophet is obeying Allah: This verse declares very clearly that obeying the Messenger is obeying Allah. By stating in the previous verse: وَأَرۡسَلۡنَـٰكَ لِلنَّاسِ رَسُولاً۬ (We have sent thee as a Messenger) and by saying in this verse: مَّن يُطِعِ ٱلرَّسُولَ (Whoever obeys the Messenger), it is made vey clear that by Messenger is meant Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah. This negates the interpretation of the Ahle Quran that by Messenger is meant Messengership. Obedience of the Messenger is a requirement and it is this obedience that is the mentioned in this section. Although the topic under discussion is that of war in which the hypocrites were reluctant to participate but the command to obey the messenger is general. By stating that the obedience to the Holy Prophet is obedience to Allah, it is made known that whatever command the Holy Prophet gives, it is by the order of Allah whether Allah reveals His Will through Gabriel to the heart of the Holy Prophet, that is by وحی متلو (revelation that is recited) or by inspiration into the Prophet’s heart, that is وحی خفی .
4-81 And they say: Obedience. But when they go out from thy presence, a party of them plan by night doing otherwise than what thou sayest. And Allah writes down what they plan by night, so turn aside from them and trust in Allah. And Allah is sufficient as having charge of affairs.a
وَيَقُولُونَ طَاعَةٌ۬ فَإِذَا بَرَزُواْ مِنۡ عِندِكَ بَيَّتَ طَآٮِٕفَةٌ۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ غَيۡرَ ٱلَّذِى تَقُولُۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَكۡتُبُ مَا يُبَيِّتُونَۖ فَأَعۡرِضۡ عَنۡہُمۡ وَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلاً (٨١)
4-81a: بَيَّتَ – The meaning of بات is to spend the night, and for بَيۡت see 2-125a, and the meaning of بَيَت is to contrive or scheme at night. As in: يَأۡتِيَہُم بَأۡسُنَا بَيَـٰتً۬ا (Our punishment coming to them by night) (7:97). Every act that is deliberated at night can be spoken of as بُيِّتَ (R) as in: يَأۡتِيَہُم بَأۡسُنَا بَيَـٰتً۬ا (Our punishment coming to them by night) (7:97).
The mention here continues to be of hypocrites because the believers did not consult at night against the Prophet. Allah writing down their plans means that they will definitely be punished for their intrigues, and by trusting in Allah is meant that no harm will befall the Prophet as a result of their intrigues.
4-82 Will they not then meditate on the Qur’an? And if it were from any other than Allah, they would have found in it many a discrepancy.a
أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَۚ وَلَوۡ كَانَ مِنۡ عِندِ غَيۡرِ ٱللَّهِ لَوَجَدُواْ فِيهِ ٱخۡتِلَـٰفً۬ا ڪَثِيرً۬ا (٨٢)
4-82a: يَتَدَبَّرُونَ – دُبُر is the back or hinder part and اِدبار is to turn one’s back, as in: مَنۡ أَدۡبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ (…who retreats and turns his back) (70:17). The meaning of تدبیر is التفکیر فی دُبُرِ الامور (To think about the consequences of an affair).
Proof that Quran is from Allah: The fact that there is no inconsistency in the Quran despite the great disparity in the conditions through which the Holy Prophet’s life passed is proof that the Quran is from Allah. The reason for the intrigues that the hypocrites hatched against the Holy Prophet was that they did not believe in the prophethood of the Holy Prophet and thought that he was manufacturing things himself and presenting them to the people. Hence, they were asked to reflect on the Quran because if the Quran was not from Allah, they would find many inconsistencies in it. Why? Because the Holy Prophet had to go through so many disparate conditions in his life that it would be inconceivable for a charlatan to remain consistent. Such a person would conceive one plan for his success today and another one on the morrow, and if one idea had permeated his mind today, another one would take its place the next day. In this way, the attention of the hypocrites is drawn to their own thinking how it keeps on changing from day to day and this is a necessary outcome of pretension.
They are asked to reflect on the changes in the Holy Prophet’s life. There was a time when the Holy Prophet was meditating alone in cave Hira and seeking redemption for a fallen humanity. Then there is a time when he is the ruler of a small kingdom in Madinah. There was a time when his fame for truthfulness and righteousness was all around and then there is a time when everyone calls him a fabricator, and none is willing to hear what he has to say. There was a time when he was surrounded on all sides with trials and tribulations and then there is a time when he is surrounded by people willing to give their life for him. There was a time when the enemy inflicted loss on him and then there is a time when he overcomes and is victorious. At times as the prayer leader, he takes his followers and travels with them to the highest spiritual realms and at other times as a general he extricates his force from the most difficult situations and leads them to victory on the battleground. Sometimes he is the judge and sometimes he has to legislate himself. At one moment, he is governing with the powers of a ruler and at the next moment he is sitting in the company of his friends with so much humility that no one can even tell him apart. One moment he is busy in sermonizing and advising and the next moment he is helping his wife in some domestic chores. In all these diverse conditions, the Quran was being revealed to him. The condition of a charlatan would of necessity keep on changing under these conditions and his thinking also would keep on altering but one can read the Quran from the beginning to the end and it will be seen that it is colored with the same coloring in it entirety. It is effected by the same influence throughout, the same ideas can be seen streaking through all the diverse topics, there is no contradiction in the narration of the historical events, there is no change in its structure, there is no contradiction in its commands, and there is no variation in its literary excellence.
This verse is not only a convincing argument against the hypocrites but also against all the opponents of the Quran because the absence of any contradiction in the Quran is a definite testimony to its Divine origin. This absence of contradiction is a distinction not only because of the diverse conditions through which the Holy Prophet’s life passed in the twenty three years of his ministry but also from the fact that the Holy Prophet was unlettered. There is a discussion in the Quran of all the religions of the world and whatever stance was taken about a religion in the Quran, it remained unchanged even though the followers of that religion sometimes expressed great friendship with him and sometimes were his bitter enemies. The Holy Prophet never studied their scriptures but nevertheless both in the Makkan and Medinan surahs there are extensive references to their histories. It is a great wonder that in their narration there is neither any internal contradiction nor any contradiction with history.
Four Gospel writers who are accepted as inspired sat down to write the events of Jesus’ life but ended up with so many contradictions. They do not even agree about his pedigree and there are clear contradictions in the events they narrate. This is the situation with these educated and inspired writers. Despite the Holy Prophet being unlettered, there are numerous references to the Torah and Gospel in the Quran and there is no contradiction in them. In fact, where there are differences between the Biblical and Quranic version, the testimony of events when uncovered supports the Quranic version. Examples of this have been given in their appropriate places in this commentary. The famous German critic of the Quran Hartwig Hirschfeld who has made a thorough study of the Quran, has noted the extensive references in the Quran of the Torah and Gospel and is of the opinion that the Holy Prophet had studied these scriptures in depth and made notes from them in a book and imported extracts in the Quran at relevant places. Besides the Biblical prophets, there is also a reference to non-Bibilical prophets and these references too are free of any flaw. In short, this is an unrivalled distinction of the Quran.
The absence of contradictions in the Quran negates the existence of abrogation: This verse rebuts the thinking of those who believe in abrogation of some Quranic verses because to accept abrogation means that there is non conformity in some verses of the Quran which means that there are contradictions in the Quran, but Allah states that there is no discrepancy. The acceptance of abrogation is against this clear claim of the Quran that is made here. There is also another fine point in this verse. Along with the claim that there is no contradictions in the Quran, it is stated that why do they not mediate on the Quran because if they did so, they will find that there is no discrepancy. This is absolutely correct. There is not a single verse that a particular group claims to be abrogated for which there is not another group which claims that it is not because this second group mediated on the matter and is able to reconcile the two verses, that is the abrogating verse and the abrogated verse. So, the claim of the Quran is proven and wherever there appears to be an apparent contradiction, a little reflection is able to show that the two verses can be reconciled.
4-83 But if any news of security or fear comes to them, they spread it abroad. And if they had referred it to the Messenger and to those in authority among them, those of them who can search out knowledge of it would have known it.a And were it not for the grace of Allah upon you and His mercy, you would certainly have followed the devil save a few.b
وَإِذَا جَآءَهُمۡ أَمۡرٌ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡنِ أَوِ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ أَذَاعُواْ بِهِۦۖ وَلَوۡ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ وَإِلَىٰٓ أُوْلِى ٱلۡأَمۡرِ مِنۡہُمۡ لَعَلِمَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسۡتَنۢبِطُونَهُ ۥ مِنۡہُمۡۗ وَلَوۡلَا فَضۡلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡڪُمۡ وَرَحۡمَتُهُ ۥ لَٱتَّبَعۡتُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنَ إِلَّا قَلِيلاً۬ (٨٣)
4-83a: يَسۡتَنۢبِطُونَ – The root of استنباط is نبط and the meaning of نَبَط البئرَ is dug a well and took out water from it. The derivation of an Islamic jurist when he uses his intelligence and reasoning to extract hidden meanings is called استنباط . Hence the meaning of استنباط is deduction or deductive logic (T) or to get to the bottom of a thing and arrive at the right result. By pairing the word أُوْلِى ٱلۡأَمۡرِ with استنباط it has been made known that in the terminology of the Quran those in authority include jurists, religious leaders and thinkers.
The last verse was like a parenthetical sentence. The topic reverts to expounding the condition of the hypocrites and states that they give a lot of air to any information about general conditions or any matter that frightens people such as attacks by the enemy etcetera to create a commotion. What they should have done was to report the matter to those in authority who could properly investigate the matter. It also follows from this that only such people are qualified to be in positions of authority who can properly analyze and get to the bottom of matters, that is they can deduce the right result from the situation.
Deductive reasoning in matters of shariah: This verse also lends support to the use of deductive reasoning in matters of shariah, because the استنباط of a problem is that there is no specific ruling on a matter and so the need is to gauge the various issues that arise in the matter in the light of the Quran and Sunnah and deduce the right answer.
4-83b: The grace of Allah and His mercy: The grace of Allah and His mercy is the coming of the Holy Prophet. The vile character of the hypocrites could never have been rectified if Allah had not raised His Messenger with the noblest character to treat them. This could also be an indication of the final outcome of the hypocrites that Allah will favor them and save many of them from being the followers of Satan. The hypocrites were treading on such a dangerous path that it would have been very difficult for them to avoid their doom but Allah out of His Grace guided most of them out of their original condition. The meaning of إِلَّا قَلِيلاً۬ can be interpreted in two ways, namely except for a few you would have continued following Satan and also except for a few conditions you would have kept following Satan.
4-84 Fight then in Allah’s way — thou art not responsible except for thyself; and urge on the believers. It may be that Allah will restrain the fighting of those who disbelieve. And Allah is stronger in prowess and stronger to give exemplary punishment.a
فَقَـٰتِلۡ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُكَلَّفُ إِلَّا نَفۡسَكَۚ وَحَرِّضِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَۖ عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَكُفَّ بَأۡسَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْۚ وَٱللَّهُ أَشَدُّ بَأۡسً۬ا وَأَشَدُّ تَنكِيلاً۬ (٨٤)
4-84a: حَرِّضِ – حَرَض is a thing which is useless and there is no benefit in it. Hence this word is used for someone who is near demise, as in: حَتَّىٰ تَكُونَ حَرَضًا (…till thou art prey to disease) (12:85). The meaning of تحریض is to entice by embellishing the qualities of a thing extensively, thus it is the negation of حرض (R).
تَنكِيل – It is derived from نکل which means incarceration, and the meanings of تنکیل and نکال are the same, that is giving a punishment that will stop a person from doing a particular act again or an exemplary punishment. See 2-66a.
Holy Prophet only responsible for himself in the fighting: There was mention of the hypocrites staying behind when the Muslims went out to fight, hence it is stated that the Prophet’s fighting is to safeguard Islam and that he should fight alone, if necessary, whether others fight or not. The believers should be encouraged to participate but he is only responsible for himself and not for others. The command to fight even if alone goes to show that the Holy Prophet did not depend on numbers but on the help of Allah. It is recorded that after the Battle of Uhad when the people were dead tired and hurting from the tribulations of the battle, the Holy Prophet said that he would go alone in the pursuit of the enemy. This determination testifies to his bravery and shows his great will power. However, his dedicated followers could not bear to let him go alone. There is another prophecy here that the unbelievers will not be able to carry on with this war which they have started against Islam and Allah will in the end cause them to be defeated and the wars will come to an end.
4-85 Whoever intercedes in a good cause has a share of it, and whoever intercedes in an evil cause has a portion of it. And Allah is ever Keeper over all things.a
مَّن يَشۡفَعۡ شَفَـٰعَةً حَسَنَةً۬ يَكُن لَّهُ ۥ نَصِيبٌ۬ مِّنۡہَاۖ وَمَن يَشۡفَعۡ شَفَـٰعَةً۬ سَيِّئَةً۬ يَكُن لَّهُ ۥ كِفۡلٌ۬ مِّنۡهَاۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ مُّقِيتً۬ا (٨٥)
4-85a: يَشۡفَعۡ – For شفع and شفاعت see 2-48a. What is meant here is that a person meets another person who is like him and assists him in his affairs good or bad (R). Imam Raghib has copied another meaning as well, which is that by شفاعت is meant that a person chalks out a good or bad path for another on which the latter walks and in this way becomes his شفیع . Accordingly, the Holy Prophet said: من سَنَّ سُنَّة حَسة فله‘ اجرھا و اجر من عمل بہا و من سَنَّ سُنَّة سیئَة فعلیه وزرُ ھا و وِزرُ من عمل بھا (Whoever chalks a path of goodness, he has his reward for it plus reward from someone who acts on it and anyone who chalks out an evil path has to bear the burden for it plus the burden of someone who acts on it) (R).
كِفۡل and کفیل – Both mean the same, that is a frugal pleasure as if that guarantees the act, as in: يُؤۡتِكُمۡ كِفۡلَيۡنِ مِن رَّحۡمَتِهِ (He will give you two portions from His mercy) (57:28). However, Imam Raghib says that this is not the meaning of كِفۡل here. Instead it is borrowed from کفِل which is used for a thing that is inferior and the word has gained usage to mean intensity or severity. Thus, the purport is that he who helps another in an evil act and chalks out a way for the other will also have to face the severity of the evil consequence done by the other.
مُّقِيت – it is derived from قوت (strength) which is the source of a person’s continuance. It’s plural is اقوات as in: وَقَدَّرَ فِيہَآ أَقۡوَٲتَہَا (…and ordained therein its foods) (41:10). By مُّقِيت is meant that which gives strength to everything and protects it. Hence its meaning is مقتدر (Powerful; strong) or حافظ (protector) .
It is stated that the Prophet is responsible only for himself in fighting. If safeguarding the religion of Islam is endangered, then the Prophet’s actions chalks out a way which, if current and future generations follow, will not only benefit them but the Holy Prophet too would be a beneficiary of the reward they earn. Similarly, the hypocrites who chalk out evil ways will not only have to bear the burden of punishment for their own evil actions but will also bear the burden of others following their way even though these others will individually be responsible and liable for their actions.
4-86 And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet with one better than it, or return it. Surely Allah ever takes account of all things.a
وَاِذَا حُيِّيۡتُمۡ بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّوۡا بِاَحۡسَنَ مِنۡهَاۤ اَوۡ رُدُّوۡهَا ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ كَانَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ حَسِيۡبًا ﴿۸۶﴾
4-86a: تَحِيَّةٍ – Its root is حیّ or حیاۃ which means life, and تَحیَّة is in reality to say to another حَیَّاك اللّٰه that is to pray for the other’s life. The word then became generalized to include all prayer. The greetings that is given on meeting people is also called تَحِيَّةٍ and the تَحِيَّةٍ of Islam is اسلام علیکم (R), which has a prayer in it. Jesus too greeted his disciples with the same greeting, “Peace be unto you” (Luke 24:36). All attempts of Muslims to come up with an alternate form of greeting by abandoning اسلام علیکم are against the Quran and Sunnah.
The sunnah of اسلام علیکم : In the last verse, it is stated that the person who provides right guidance receives an everlasting reward. The prayer embedded in the mutual greetings when people meet is mentioned to show that even in small matters a person can be the means of establishing a good way for others. So, it is stated that even in the prayer with which one greets one another in one’s daily interactions, one should adopt a better way of goodness by returning a better greeting than the one received. As mentioned in the hadith, if someone greets with اسلام علیکم , the greetings should be returned with وعلیکم السلام و رحمة اللّٰه و برکاته . It is also stated that the young should wish their elders اسلام علیکم first, and there is an indication in this that the young greeter will then be deserving of the elder’s prayers even to a greater extent. In the end it is stated that Allah takes account of all things, and the purport is that Allah keeps a record of even the minutest good deed and does not allow it to go waste. Another lesson is that sometimes small things produce great results. So, these small things should not be considered insignificant. اسلام علیکم is the basis of increasing mutual love among Muslims. There is a hadith that commands that a Muslim should greet his brother Muslim with the salutation of سلام regardless of whether one knows him or not. This sunnah is also being forsaken and both old- and new-fashioned individuals are equally responsible for its abandonment.
4-87 Allah, there is no god but He — He will certainly gather you together on the Resurrection day, there is no doubt in it. And who is more true in word than Allah?
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ لَيَجۡمَعَنَّكُمۡ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ لَا رَيۡبَ فِيهِۗ وَمَنۡ أَصۡدَقُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ حَدِيثً۬ا (٨٧)
Bayan-ul-Quran 