Fassarar Ma'anonin Alqura'ni - Fassarar Turancin Ingilishi - Dr. Walid Balhish al-Umary - ana kan aiki a kanta.
ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ زِدۡنَٰهُمۡ عَذَابٗا فَوۡقَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ بِمَا كَانُواْ يُفۡسِدُونَ
[3400] Yet a third incriminating description. This is so that they may consider and desist and whereby it justifies this kind of Punishment.
وَيَوۡمَ نَبۡعَثُ فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٖ شَهِيدًا عَلَيۡهِم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِهِمۡۖ وَجِئۡنَا بِكَ شَهِيدًا عَلَىٰ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِۚ وَنَزَّلۡنَا عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ تِبۡيَٰنٗا لِّكُلِّ شَيۡءٖ وَهُدٗى وَرَحۡمَةٗ وَبُشۡرَىٰ لِلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ
[3401] This is a repetition of the future projected promise mentioned in Aya 84 above which is meant to ascertain the threat that it includes (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). It adds that the ‘witness’ is min anfusihim (of their own) because such a witness would know more about his people than anyone else (cf. al-Saʿdī) and so they cannot discredit his testimony (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr); thus, making it binding.
[3402] The witness Messenger was given a very detailed Message, the Qur’an, explaining everything to people (as enumerated here in this sura and throughout the Qur’an) and he delivered it clearly (cf. Ayas 35, 82), hence undermining any excuse they might have (cf. Abū Ḥayyān): “It ˹the Qur’an˺ has never been fabricated speech, but a confirmation of what came before it, a detailing of everything and a guide and mercy to Believing folks” (12: 111).
[3403] al-Muslimūn (lit. the submitters) are the ones who have contemplated their Lord’s Qur’anic and cosmic Signs, Believed in Him, and submitted themselves to God’s Judgement and humbled themselves in obedience to His Commands (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr). These are the willing ones who will truly find the Book “a guidance and mercy, and glad tidings”: “O people! There has come to you an admonition from your Lord and a healing for what is in the chests; a guidance and mercy for the Believers. *Say ˹Muhammad˺: “In the Grace of Allah and in His Mercy, in that let them then rejoice; it is ˹immeasurably˺ better than what they hoard!” (10: 57-58).
۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأۡمُرُ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِ وَٱلۡإِحۡسَٰنِ وَإِيتَآيِٕ ذِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَيَنۡهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَٱلۡمُنكَرِ وَٱلۡبَغۡيِۚ يَعِظُكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ
[3404] This section provides samples of the detailing of guidance found in this Glorious Book (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar, Ibn ʿĀshūr); all are indeed perfectors of a strong moral character. al-ʿIzz Ibn ʿAbdu-l-Salām (Qawāʿid al-Aḥkām fī Maṣāliḥ al-Anām, 2: 189) and al-Suyūṭī (al-Iklīl: 164) have it that this aya is the most comprehensive of all Qur’anic ayas as to what is commanded and forbidden, in general terms.
“Perfect ˹your deeds˺—surely Allah likes those who perfect!” (2: 195); “Worship Allah ˹alone˺ and Associate none with Him, and be beneficent to your parents, to relatives, to orphans, to the needy, to the close ˹relative˺ neighbour, to the adjoining neighbour, to the companion at your side, the stranded and those whom your right hands possess—verily Allah does not like any who is proud and boastful” (4: 36); “Indeed Allah commands you that you should hand over trusts to their ˹rightful˺ owners and should you judge among people, judge fairly. Exalted indeed is what Allah exhorts you to—verily Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing” (4: 58); “You who Believe, be firmly upright for Allah, witnesses of justice, and do not let your resentment for ˹some˺ people hold you back from being just; be just, that is closer to Mindfulness. Be Mindful of Allah—Allah is indeed Knowledgeable of what you do” (5: 8); “When you say ˹something˺ say it fairly, even against a next of kin” (6: 152).
[3405] “Do not come near vices, both open and secret” (6: 151); “Say ˹Muhammad˺: “My Lord only forbade vices, both open and secret, sinning, aggressing unrightfully, that you Associate with Him that for which He sent down no authority, and that you say about Allah what you have no knowledge of”” (7: 33).
وَأَوۡفُواْ بِعَهۡدِ ٱللَّهِ إِذَا عَٰهَدتُّمۡ وَلَا تَنقُضُواْ ٱلۡأَيۡمَٰنَ بَعۡدَ تَوۡكِيدِهَا وَقَدۡ جَعَلۡتُمُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ كَفِيلًاۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعۡلَمُ مَا تَفۡعَلُونَ
[3406] While virtue and vices have been dealt with, what follows specifically enjoins honouring pledges in the strongest of terms. Honouring one’s pledges is the truest translation of morality.
[3407] The ‘pledge of Allah’ is that where God’s Name is involved; it is the most deserving of fulfillment (cf. al-Rāzī). Although of a general nature applying to all pledges (cf. al-Qurṭubī, al-Saʿdī, al-Shawkānī, al-Shinqīṭī) some exegetes deem the ‘pledge’ mentioned here to be specific to the pledge of allegiance that one gives to God’s Messenger (ﷺ) upon becoming Muslim (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Baghawī, al-Alūsī, al-Zamakhsharī, al-Rāzī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
As we will now see all the way through up to Aya 111 this issue was of the greatest importance at the time of revelation. Those who joined the ranks of the Believers, seeing how poor and persecuted they were and how affluent and mighty their enemies were, are vehemently admonished against temptation to break away from them and join the other party. Al-Zamakhsharī states: “Some among those who Believed in Makkah were tempted by Satan as they were greatly alarmed when they saw that the Quraysh had the upper hand and how they persecuted the Muslims and harmed them. They were also promised to be rewarded ˹by the Qurayshites˺ should they renege on their oaths and break their pledge of allegiance with Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), but Allah made them steadfast”. That is through strongly warning them against such a course of action, and paying heed to the whisperings of the devils; “Allah brought this to their attention, warned them against it, and so they were delivered” (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
This, at this juncture of the Call of Faith, would have dealt a painful blow, and made the situation even more unbearable. Thus is it being told against in the strongest and most affirmative of terms.
وَلَا تَكُونُواْ كَٱلَّتِي نَقَضَتۡ غَزۡلَهَا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ قُوَّةٍ أَنكَٰثٗا تَتَّخِذُونَ أَيۡمَٰنَكُمۡ دَخَلَۢا بَيۡنَكُمۡ أَن تَكُونَ أُمَّةٌ هِيَ أَرۡبَىٰ مِنۡ أُمَّةٍۚ إِنَّمَا يَبۡلُوكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦۚ وَلَيُبَيِّنَنَّ لَكُمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ مَا كُنتُمۡ فِيهِ تَخۡتَلِفُونَ
[3408] This is an illustrative example highlighting through imagery how one unravels one’s work by reneging on a pledge and how wasting this kind of behaviour is. The woman who ‘unknits her weaving, after its strength, into shreds’ posed as the example here, is well-known among the Makkans of the time, whom they jeered for her folly in so doing (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3409] They are warned against the treacherous action of entering into treaties with other parties through solemn oaths, while intending all along to break them should the opportunity of forging another with a stronger party present itself even if it were in conflict with the earlier one, and would require betraying the party signatory to it (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[3410] The binding pledge and the alluring pact with a stronger party is but a test that separates those who follow God’s Commands and those who flout them (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn al-Jawzī, al-Saʿdī). Both Ibn Juzayy and Ibn ʿĀshūr interpret this taking the ‘greater’ party as the Qurayshite idolaters and the ones addressed here as those who might be tempted to break away from the Muslim community, for the reason explained.
[3411] Those who violate such treaties will naturally convince themselves of the morality and/or pragmatism of their action by finding some ‘convincing evidence’ to this effect. But on the Day of Judgement, when all falsehoods are unmasked, people will realize that Islam is pure good and Denial is sheer evil (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “To each of you ˹nations˺ we have given a ˹different˺ law and way ˹of life˺; had Allah wished, He could have made you into one nation but He wants to test you by what He gave you. Then vie in a race to good deeds, to Allah you shall all return and then He will tell you ˹the Truth˺ of what you used to differ over!” (5: 48)
وَلَوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمۡ أُمَّةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗ وَلَٰكِن يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهۡدِي مَن يَشَآءُۚ وَلَتُسۡـَٔلُنَّ عَمَّا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ
[3412] God, through His Boundless Power and Infinite Wisdom, could have made all people Believers, but then how would their Faith be tested and they be held accountable for their deeds (cf. al-Rāzī): “Had your Lord wished, the dwellers of Earth, all of them together, would Believe; do you force people ˹in spite of themselves˺ till they become Believers! *It is not for a soul to Believe except by Allah’s permission; and He places blight over those who mind not!” (10: 99-100); “He is the One Who created you; among you are Deniers and among you are Believers—Allah is All-Seeing of what you do!” (64: 2).
[3413] God Almighty in His Infinite Wisdom has already destined some people for Hellfire, but as long as they live, being none the wiser of their own fate, they are free to ponder over and reconsider their position (cf. al-Suyūṭī, al-Iklīl, p. 152) being innately fitted with enough intellectual ability to do so: “They will shriek screechingly therein ˹Hellfire˺: “Our Lord, let us out, and we will do righteous deeds, not what we did before!” ˹Their answer from Allah will be:˺ “Did We not give you a life long enough to have heeded if you were going to? The Warner ˹Messenger˺ came to you, now taste ˹the Punishment˺.” The evildoers will have nobody to help them” (35: 37).
[3414] But those who might feel tempted are yet again reminded and warned against God’s Reckoning, on the Day of Judgement.
