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Surah al-Nisaa'
The Women (4) - Ayah 77
In the name of Allah, the
Beneficent, the Merciful
"Have
you not seen those who were told: 'Restrain your hands, and establish the
Prayer, and pay the Zakah'?
But when
fighting (Qital) was enjoined upon them, some of them feared men (i.e. the
enemies) as one should fear Allah, or even more, and said: 'Our Lord, why
have You ordained fighting for us? Why did You not grant us a little more
respite?'
Say to them:
'There is little enjoyment in this world. The World to Come is much better
for the God-conscious. And you shall not be wronged even to the extent of
the husk of date-stone (on the Day of Judgment).' "
Commentary:
First
Interpretation
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That those who now
hesitated to fight in the cause of God were themselves initially willing to
fight. They often approached the Prophet (peace be upon him), saying that
they were being wronged, beaten, persecuted and abused, that their patience
was exhausted, and that they wanted the permission to fight.
-
They had been told
to be patient and continue to purify their souls by observing Prayers and
dispensing Zakah. But at that time they had felt discontented by this advice
of patience. Later on, some of those very same people began to tremble at
the first sight of the enemy and the dangers of warfare.
Second
Interpretation
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That they remained highly
'religious' as long as they were asked simply to pray and pay Zakah, which
involved no risk to their lives. But as soon as that phase was over and
they were asked to expose themselves to struggle and danger, they began to
shiver with fear. Isn't this exactly the case with most of us Muslims
today?
Third
Interpretation
-
That in the former
times, the same people had taken out their swords for trivial causes. They
had fought for loot and plunder, and engaged in feuds motivated by animal
impulses, so much so that fighting had almost become their national pastime.
-
At the same 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 in order
to establish Justice and Peace, those who had shown themselves to be lions
while fighting for their own selfish and nationalistic causes, turned out to
be as week as lambs.
-
Each of these three meanings are
applicable to a different kind of person, but the actual words of the verse
seem to apply to all who abandon fighting in the cause of God and confine
themselves to 'private Islam'. This verse indicates that if Muslims begin to
fear, love, and obey Allah, instead of fearing the men and other creatures
of this world, they would not possess such a hypocritical attitude.
[compiled from "Towards Understanding the
Qur'an", by Sayyid Abul A'la Mawdudi, Vol. II, p. 60-61]
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