24:55 An-Noor (The Light)

هذا من أوعاده الصادقة، التي شوهد تأويلها ومخبرها، فإنه وعد من قام بالإيمان والعمل الصالح من هذه الأمة، أن يستخلفهم في الأرض، يكونون هم الخلفاء فيها، المتصرفين في تدبيرها، وأنه يمكن لهم دينهم الذي ارتضى لهم، وهو دين الإسلام، الذي فاق الأديان كلها، ارتضاه لهذه الأمة، لفضلها وشرفها ونعمته عليها، بأن يتمكنوا من إقامته، وإقامة شرائعه الظاهرة والباطنة، في أنفسهم وفي غيرهم، لكون غيرهم من أهل الأديان وسائر الكفار مغلوبين ذليلين، وأنه يبدلهم من بعد خوفهم الذي كان الواحد منهم لا يتمكن من إظهار دينه، وما هو عليه إلا بأذى كثير من الكفار، وكون جماعة المسلمين قليلين جدا بالنسبة إلى غيرهم، وقد رماهم أهل الأرض عن قوس واحدة، وبغوا لهم الغوائل. فوعدهم الله هذه الأمور وقت نزول الآية، وهي لم تشاهد الاستخلاف في الأرض والتمكين فيها، والتمكين من إقامة الدين الإسلامي، والأمن التام، بحيث يعبدون الله ولا يشركون به شيئا، ولا يخافون أحدا إلا الله، فقام صدر هذه الأمة، من الإيمان والعمل الصالح بما يفوقون على غيرهم، فمكنهم من البلاد والعباد، وفتحت مشارق الأرض ومغاربها، وحصل الأمن التام والتمكين التام، فهذا من آيات الله العجيبة الباهرة، ولا يزال الأمر إلى قيام الساعة، مهما قاموا بالإيمان والعمل الصالح، فلا بد أن يوجد ما وعدهم الله، وإنما يسلط عليهم الكفار والمنافقين، ويديلهم في بعض الأحيان، بسبب إخلال المسلمين بالإيمان والعمل الصالح. { وَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ ْ} التمكين والسلطنة التامة لكم، يا معشر المسلمين، { فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ ْ} الذين خرجوا عن طاعة الله، وفسدوا، فلم يصلحوا لصالح، ولم يكن فيهم أهلية للخير، لأن الذي يترك الإيمان في حال عزه وقهره، وعدم وجود الأسباب المانعة منه، يدل على فساد نيته، وخبث طويته، لأنه لا داعي له لترك الدين إلا ذلك. ودلت هذه الآية، أن الله قد مكن من قبلنا، واستخلفهم في الأرض، كما قال موسى لقومه: { وَيَسْتَخْلِفَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ ْ} وقال تعالى: { وَنُرِيدُ أَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ * وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ }

هذا وعد من الله تعالى لرسوله صلوات الله وسلامه عليه بأنه سيجعل أمته خلفاء الأرض أي أئمة الناس والولاة عليهم وبهم تصلح البلاد وتخضع لهم العباد وليبدلنهم من بعد خوفهم أمنا وحكما فيهم وقد فعله تبارك وتعالى وله الحمد والمنة: فإنه صلى الله عليه وسلم لم يمت حتى فتح الله عليه مكة وخيبر والبحرين وسائر جزيرة العرب وأرض اليمن بكمالها وأخذ الجزية من مجوس هجر ومن بعض أطراف الشام وهاداه هرقل ملك الروم وصاحب مصر وإسكندرية وهو المقوقس وملوك عمان والنجاشي ملك الحبشة الذي تملك بعد أصحمة رحمه الله وأكرمه ثم لما مات رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأختار الله له ما عنده من الكرامة قام بالأمر بعده خليفته أبو بكر الصديق فلم شعث ما وهى بعد موته صلى الله عليه وسلم وأخذ جزيرة العرب ومهدها وبعث جيوش الإسلام إلى بلاد فارس صحبة خالد بن الوليد رضي الله عنه ففتحوا طرفا منها وقتلوا خلقا من أهلها وجيشا آخر صحبة أبي عبيدة رضي الله عنه ومن أتبعه من الأمراء إلى أرض الشام وثالثا صحبة عمرو بن العاص رضي الله عنه إلى بلاد مصر ففتح الله للجيش الشامي في أيامه بصري ودمشق ومخاليفهما من بلاد حوران وما والاها وتوفاه الله عز وجل واختار له ما عنده من الكرامة ومن على أهل الإسلام بأن ألهم الصديق أن يستخلف عمر الفاروق فقام بالأمر بعده قياما تاما لم يدر الفلك بعد الأنبياء على مثله في قوة سيرته وكمال عدله وتم في أيامه فتح البلاد الشامية بكمالها وديار مصر إلى آخرها وأكثر إقليم فارس وكسر كسرى وأهانه غاية الهوان وتقهقر إلى أقصى مملكته وقصر قيصر وانتزع يده عن بلاد الشام وأنحدر إلى القسطنطينية وأنفق أموالهما في سبيل الله كما أخبر بذلك ووعد به رسول الله; عليه من ربه أتم سلام وأزكى صلاة; ثم لما كانت الدولة العثمانية أمتدت الممالك الإسلامية إلى أقصى مشارق الأرض ومغاربها; ففتحت بلاد المغرب إلى أقصى ما هنالك الأندلس وقبرص; وبلاد القيروان وبلاد سبتة مما يلي البحر المحيط ومن ناحية المشرق إلى أقصى بلاد الصين; وقتل كسرى وباد ملكه بالكلية; وفتحت مدائن العراق وخراسان والأهواز وقتل المسلمون من الترك مقتلة عظيمة جدا; وخذل الله ملكهم الأعظم خاقان وجبي الخراج من المشارق والمغارب إلى حضرة أمير المؤمنين عثمان بن عفان رضي الله عنه وذلك ببركة تلاوته ودراسته وجمعه الأمة على حفظ القرآن ولهذا ثبت في الصحيح أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "إن الله زوى لى الأرض فرأيت مشارقها ومغاربها وسيبلغ ملك أمتي ما زوى لي منها" فها نحن نتقلب فيما وعدنا الله ورسوله وصدق الله ورسوله فنسأل الله الإيمان به وبرسوله والقيام بشكره على الوجه الذي يرضيه عنا. قال الإمام مسلم بن الحجاج فى صحيحه: حدثنا ابن أبي عمر حدثنا سفيان عن عبد الملك بن عمير عن جابر ابن سمرة قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "لا يزال أمر الناس ماضيا ما وليهم اثنا عشر رجلا" ثم تكلم النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بكلمة خفيت عني فسألت أبي ماذا قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ؟ فقال قال: "كلهم من قريش" ورواه البخاري من حديث شعبة عن عبد الملك بن عمير به وفي رواية لمسلم أنه قال ذلك عشية رجم ماعز بن مالك وذكر معه أحاديث أخر وفي هذا الحديث دلالة على أنه لابد من وجود اثني عشر خليفة عادل وليسوا هم بأئمة الشيعة الاثني عشر فإن كثيرا من أولئك لم يكن لهم من الأمر شيء فأما هؤلاء فإنهم يكونون من قريش يلون فيعدلون وقد وقعت البشارة بهم في الكتب المتقدمة ثم لا يشترط أن يكون متتابعين بل يكون وجودهم في الأمة متتابعا ومتفرقا وقد وجد منهم أربعة على الولاء وهم أبو بكر ثم عمر ثم عثمان ثم علي رضي الله عنهم ثم كانت بعدهم فترة ثم وجد منهم من شاء الله ثم قد يوجد منهم من بقي في الوقت الذي يعلمه الله تعالى ومنهم المهدي الذي أسمه يطابق أسم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وكنيته كنيته يملأ الأرض عدلا وقسطا كما ملئت جورا وظلما وقد روى الإمام أحمد وأبو داود والترمذي والنسائي من حديث سعيد بن جهمان عن سفينة مولى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "الخلافة بعدي ثلاثون سنة ثم تكون ملكا عضوضا" وقال الربيع بن أنس عن أبي العالية في قوله "وعد الله الذين آمنوا منكم وعملوا الصالحات ليستخلفنهم في الأرض كما استخلف الذين من قبلهم وليمكنن لهم دينهم الذين ارتضى لهم وليبدلنهم من بعد خوفهم أمنا" الآية قال كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وأصحابه بمكة نحوا من عشر سنين يدعون إلى الله وحده وإلى عبادته وحده لا شريك له سرا وهم خائفون لا يؤمرون بالقتال حتى أمروا بالهجرة إلى المدينة فقدموها فأمرهم الله بالقتال فكانوا بها خائفين يمسون في السلاح ويصبحون في السلاح فصبروا على ذلك ما شاء الله ثم إن رجلا من الصحابة قال يا رسول الله: أبد الدهر نحن خائفون هكذا؟ أما يأتي علينا يوم نأمن فيه ونضع عنا السلاح؟ فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "لن تصبروا إلا يسيرا حتى يجلس الرجل منكم في الملإ العظيم محتبيا ليست فيه حديدة" وأنزل الله هذه الآية فأظهر الله نبيه على جزيرة العرب فآمنوا ووضعوا السلاح ثم إن الله تعالى قبض نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم فكانوا كذلك آمنين في إمارة أبي بكر وعمر وعثمان حتى وقعوا فيما وقعوا فيه فأدخل عليهم الخوف فاتخذوا الحجزة والشرط وغيروا فغير بهم وقال بعض السلف: خلافة أبي بكر وعمر رضي الله عنه حق في كتاب الله ثم تلا هذه الآية وقال البراء بن عازب نزلت هذه الآية ونحن في خوف شديد وهذه الآية الكريمة كقوله تعالى "واذكروا إذ أنتم قليل مستضعفون في الأرض - إلى قوله - لعلكم تشكرون" وقوله تعالى: "كما استخلف الذين من قبلهم" كما قال تعالى عن موسى عليه السلام أنه قال لقومه: "عسى ربكم أن يهلك عدوكم ويستخلفكم في الأرض" الآية وقال تعالى "ونريد أن نمن على الذين استضعفوا في الأرض" الآيتين. وقوله: "وليمكنن لهم دينهم الذي ارتضى لهم" الآية كما قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لعدي بن حاتم حين وفد عليه "أتعرف الحيرة؟ قال: لم أعرفها ولكن قد سمعت بها قال: فوالذي نفسي بيده ليتمن الله هذا الأمر حتى تخرج الظعينة من الحيرة حتى تطوف بالبيت في غير جوار أحد ولتفتحن كنوز كسرى بن هرمز قلت: كسرى بن هرمز؟ قال: نعم كسرى بن هرمز وليبذلن المال حتى لا يقبله أحد". قال عدي بن حاتم: فهذه الظعينة تخرج من الحيرة فتطوف بالبيت في غير جوار أحد ولقد كنت فيمن فتح كنوز كسرى بن هرمز والذي نفسي بيده لتكونن الثالثة لأن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قد قالها. وقال الإمام أحمد حدثنا عبد الرزاق أخبرنا سفيان عن أبي سلمة عن الربيع بن أنس عن أبي العالية عن أبي بن كعب قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "بشر هذه الأمة بالسنا والرفعة والدين والنصر والتمكين في الأرض فمن عمل منهم عمل الآخرة للدنيا لم يكن له فى الآخرة نصيب" وقوله تعالى: "يعبدونني لا يشركون بي شيئا" قال الإمام أحمد حدثنا عفان حدثنا همام حدثنا قتادة عن أنس أن معاذ بن جبل حدثه قال: بينا أنا رديف النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على حمار ليس بيني وبينه إلا آخرة الرحل قال: "يا معاذ قلت لبيك يا رسول الله وسعديك قال: ثم سار ساعة ثم قال: يا معاذ بن جبل قلت: لبيك يا رسول الله وسعديك ثم سار ساعة ثم قال: يا معاذ بن جبل قلت: لبيك يا رسول الله وسعديك قال: هل تدري ما حق الله على العباد؟ قلت الله ورسوله أعلم قال: حق الله على العباد أن يعبدوه ولا يشركوا به شيئا قال ثم سار ساعة ثم قال: يا معاذ بن جبل قلت: لبيك يا رسول الله وسعديك قال: فهل تدري ما حق العباد على الله إذا فعلوا ذلك؟ قال قلت: الله ورسوله أعلم قال: فإن حق العباد على الله أن لا يعذبهم". أخرجاه في الصحيحين من حديث قتادة. وقوله تعالى: "ومن كفر بعد ذلك فأولئك هم الفاسقون" أي فمن خرج عن طاعتي بعد ذلك فقد خرج عن أمر ربه وكفى بذلك ذنبا عظيما فالصحابة رضي الله عنهم لما كانوا أقوم الناس بعد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بأوامر الله عز وجل وأطوعهم لله كان نصرهم بحسبهم أظهروا كلمة الله في المشارق والمغارب وأيدهم تأييدا عظيما وحكموا في سائر العباد والبلاد; ولما قصر الناس بعدهم في بعض الأوامر نقص ظهورهم بحسبهم ولكن قد ثبت فى الصحيحين من غير وجه عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال: "لا تزال طائفة من أمتي ظاهرين على الحق لا يضرهم من خذلهم ولا من خالفهم إلى يوم القيامة - وفي رواية - حتى يأتي أمر الله وهم على ذلك - وفي رواية - حتى يقاتلون الدجال - وفي رواية - حتى ينزل عيسى ابن مريم وهم ظاهرون". وكل هذه الروايات صحيحة ولا تعارض بينها.

Allah's Promise to the Believers that He would grant them Succession

This is a promise from Allah to His Messenger that He would cause his Ummah to become successors on earth, i.e., they would become the leaders and rulers of mankind, through whom He would reform the world and to whom people would submit, so that they would have in exchange a safe security after their fear. This is what Allah did indeed do, may He be glorified and exalted, and to Him be praise and blessings. For He did not cause His Messenger to die until He had given him victory over Makkah, Khaybar, Bahrayn, all of the Arabian Peninsula and Yemen; and he took Jizyah from the Zoroastrians of Hajar and from some of the border lands of Syria; and he exchanged gifts with Heraclius the ruler of Byzantium, the ruler of Egypt and Alexandria, the Muqawqis, the kings of Oman and An-Najashi of Abyssinia, who had become king after Ashamah, may Allah have mercy on him and grant him honor. Then when the Messenger died, his successor (Khalifah) Abu Bakr As-Siddiq took over the reins of power and united the Ummah, preventing its disintegration. He took control of the entire Arabian Peninsula, and he sent the Islamic armies to the land of Persia, under the leadership of Khalid bin Al-Walid, may Allah be pleased with him, who conquered a part of it and killed some of its people. He sent another army under the leadership of Abu `Ubaydah, may Allah be pleased with him, and the other commanders who came after him in the lands of Syria. He sent a third army under the leadership of `Amr bin Al-`As, may Allah be pleased with him, to Egypt. Allah enabled the army sent to Syria to conquer Busra and Damascus and their provinces the land of Hawran and its environs. Then Allah chose for Abu Bakr to honor him with Him and he died. The people of Islam were blessed that As-Siddiq was inspired to appoint `Umar Al-Faruq as his successor, so he took the reins of power after him and did a perfect job. After the Prophets, the world never saw anyone like `Umar in excellence of conduct and perfect justice. During his time, the rest of Syria and Egypt, and most of Persia, was conquered. Kisra was defeated and utterly humiliated, and he retreated to the furthest point of his kingdom. Mighty Caesar was brought low, his rule over Syria was overthrown, and he retreated to Constantinople. Their wealth was spent for the sake of Allah, as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had foretold and promised. May Allah's perfect peace and purest blessing be upon him. During the rule of `Uthman, the Islamic domains spread to the furthest points of the earth, east and west. The lands of the west were conquered as far as Cyprus and Andalusia, Kairouan and Sebta which adjoins the Atlantic Ocean. Towards the east, the conquests extended as far as China. Kisra was killed, his kingdom was utterly destroyed and the cities of Iraq, Khurasan and Al-Ahwaz were conquered. The Muslims killed a great number of Turks and Allah humiliated their great king Khaqan. Taxes were collected from the east and the west, and brought to the Commander of the faithful `Uthman bin `Affan, may Allah be pleased with him. This was a blessing brought by his recitation and study of the Qur'an, and his bringing the Ummah together to preserve and protect it. In the Sahih it was recorded that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«إِنَّ اللهَ زَوَى لِيَ الْأَرْضَ فَرَأَيْتُ مَشَارِقَهَا وَمَغَارِبَهَا، وَسَيَبْلُغُ مُلْكُ أُمَّتِي مَا زُوِيَ لِي مِنْهَا»

(Allah showed me the earth and I looked at the east and the west. The dominion of my Ummah will reach everywhere I was shown.) And now we are enjoying that which Allah and His Messenger promised us, for Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth. We ask Allah to give us faith in Him and His Messenger, and to help us to give thanks to Him in a manner that will earn us His pleasure.

وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِى الاْرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِى ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدّلَنَّهُمْ مّن بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْناً

(Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession in the land, as He granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the authority to practise their religion which He has chosen for them. And He will surely, give them in exchange a safe security after their fear...) Ar-Rabi` bin Anas narrated that Abu Al-`Aliyah said, "The Prophet and his Companions were in Makkah for nearly ten years, calling people in secret to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate. They were in a state of fear and were not instructed to fight until after they were commanded to migrate to Al-Madinah. When they came to Al-Madinah, then Allah instructed them to fight. In Al-Madinah they were afraid and they carried their weapons morning and evening. This is how they remained for as long as Allah willed..." Then Allah revealed this Ayah. He caused His Prophet to prevail over the Arabian Peninsula, and then they felt safe and put down their weapons. Then Allah took His Prophet and they remained safe throughout the time of Abu Bakr, `Umar and `Uthman, until what happened happened, and fear again prevailed over them, so they instituted a police force and guards. They changed, so their situation changed. One of the Salaf said, "The Khilafah of Abu Bakr and `Umar was true and adhered to the Book of Allah. Then he recited this Ayah." Al-Bara' bin `Azib said, "This Ayah was revealed when we were in a state of extreme fear." This Ayah is like the Ayah:

وَاذْكُرُواْ إِذْ أَنتُمْ قَلِيلٌ مُّسْتَضْعَفُونَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ

(And remember when you were few and were reckoned weak in the land) Until His statement:

لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

(so that you might be grateful) 8:26.

كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ

(as He granted succession to those before them,) This is like the Ayah where Allah tells us that Musa said to his people:

عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُهْلِكَ عَدُوَّكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفَكُمْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ

("It may be that your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you successors on the earth...") 7:129 And Allah says:

وَنُرِيدُ أَن نَّمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ

(And We wished to do a favor to those who were weak in the land,) until the two Ayat there after. 28: 5-6

وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِى ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ

(and that He will grant them the authority to practise their religion which He has chosen for them...) As the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to `Adiyy bin Hatim when he came to him in a delegation:

«أَتَعْرِفُ الْحِيرَةَ؟»

(Do you know Al-Hirah) He said, "I do not know it, but I have heard of it." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَيُتِمَّنَّ اللهُ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ حَتَّى تَخْرُجَ الظَّعِينَةُ مِنَ الْحِيرَةِ حَتَّى تَطُوفَ بِالْبَيْتِ فِي غَيْرِ جِوَارِ أَحَدٍ، وَلَتَفْتَحُنَّ كُنُوزَ كِسْرَى بْنِ هُرْمُزَ»

(By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, Allah will make this matter i.e., Islam prevail until a woman riding a camel will come from Al-Hirah and perform Tawaf around the House without needing the protection of anybody, and the treasures of Kisra the son of Hurmuz will be opened.) He said, "Kisra the son of Hurmuz" He said,

«نَعَمْ، كِسْرَى بْنُ هُرْمُزَ، وَلَيُبْذَلَنَّ الْمَالُ حَتَّى لَا يَقْبَلَهُ أَحَدٌ»

(Yes, Kisra the son of Hurmuz, and wealth will be given until there will be no one who will accept it.) `Adiyy bin Hatim said: "Now it is happening that a woman riding a camel comes from Al-Hirah and performs Tawaf around the House without needing the protection of anybody, and I was among those who opened the treasure of Kisra the son of Hurmuz. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, the third thing will also come to pass, because the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said it."

يَعْبُدُونَنِى لاَ يُشْرِكُونَ بِى شَيْئاً

(if they worship Me and do not associate anything with Me.) Imam Ahmad recorded from Anas that Mu`adh bin Jabal told him, "While I was riding behind the Prophet on a donkey, with nothing between me and him but the back of his saddle, he said,

«يَا مُعَاذُ بْنَ جَبَلٍ»

(O Mu`adh bin Jabal.) I said, `Here I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah.' Then a while passed, then he said,

«يَا مُعَاذُ بْنَ جَبَلٍ»

(O Mu`adh bin Jabal.) I said, `Here I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah.' Then a while passed, then he said,

«يَا مُعَاذُ بْنَ جَبَلٍ»

(O Mu`adh bin Jabal.) I said, `Here I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah.' He said,

«هَلْ تَدْرِي مَا حَقُّ اللهِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ؟»

(Do you know the rights that Allah has over His servants) I said, `Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said,

«فَإِنَّ حَقَّ اللهِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ أَنْ يَعْبُدُوهُ وَلَا يُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا»

(The rights that Allah has over His servants are that they should worship Him and not associate anything with Him.) Then a while passed, then he said,

«يَا مُعَاذُ بْنَ جَبَلٍ»

(O Mu`adh bin Jabal.) I said, `Here I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah.' He said,

«فَهَلْ تَدْرِي مَا حَقُّ الْعِبَادِ عَلَى اللهِ إِذَا فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ؟»

(Do you know the rights that people have over Allah if they do that) I said, `Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said,

«فَإِنَّ حَقَّ الْعِبَادِ عَلَى اللهِ أَنْ لَا يُعَذِّبَهُمْ»

(The rights that people have over Allah is that He will not punish them.)" This was also recorded in the Two Sahihs.

وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذلِكَ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْفَـسِقُونَ

(But whoever disbelieved after this, they are the rebellious.) means, `whoever then stops obeying Me after that, has stopped obeying the command of his Lord, and that is a great sin.' The Companions -- may Allah be pleased with them -- were the most committed of people after the Prophet to the commands of Allah and the most obedient to Allah. Their victories were in accordance with their level of commitment. They caused the Word of Allah to prevail in the east and the west, and Allah supported them so much that they governed all the people and all the lands. When the people subsequently fell short in their commitment to some of the commandments, their strength and victory fell short accordingly, but it is confirmed through more than one route in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«لَا تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ، لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ مَنْ خَذَلَهُمْ وَلَا مَنْ خَالَفَهُمْ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ»

(There will remain a group of my Ummah adhering to the truth, and those who forsake them or oppose them will not harm them until the Day of Resurrection. ) According to another report:

«حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللهِ وَهُمْ كَذَلِكَ»

(.. until the command of Allah comes to pass and they are like that.) According to another report:

«حَتَّى يُقَاتِلُوا الدَّجَّالَ»

(... until they fight the Dajjal.) According to another report:

«حَتَّى يَنْزِلَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَهُمْ ظَاهِرُونَ»

(... until `Isa bin Maryam comes down and they are prevailing.) All of these reports are Sahih, and there is no contradiction between them.

God has promised those of you who believe and perform righteous deeds that He will surely make them successors in the earth in place of the disbelievers just as He made those Children of Israel who were before them successors in place of the ruling tyrants the verb may be read as active istakhlafa ‘He made them successors’ or as passive istukhlifa ‘were made successors’ and He will surely establish for them their religion which He has approved for them namely the religion of Islam by making it prevail over all religions and enrich them throughout the land so that they become masters thereof and that He will give them in exchange read wa-la-yubdilannahum or wa-la-yubaddilannahum after their fear of disbelievers security. And God fulfilled His promise to them in the way mentioned and He praises them with His words ‘They worship Me without associating anything with Me’ ya‘budūnanī lā yushrikūna bī shay’an is an independent new sentence standing as a justification for His promise. And whoever is ungrateful after that bestowal of grace from among them whoever is ungrateful for it those they are the immoral. The first to show ingratitude for that grace of God were the murderers of ‘Uthmān b. ‘Affān may God be pleased with him and they began to kill one another henceforth after having been brothers.

Commentary

Background of Revelation

Qurtubi has reported on authority of Abul ` Aliyah that the Holy Prophet ﷺ stayed in Makkah for ten years after commencement of revelation and declaration of prophethood, during which time there was a constant fear of the infidels and disbelievers. Then after the Hijrah to Madina also there was a ceaseless danger of attacks from the disbelievers. So, someone asked the Holy Prophet ﷺ "Would a time come to us when we will be able to live in peace without wearing our weaponry?' The Holy Prophet ﷺ replied ` Yes, the time is coming very soon'. On that occasion these verses were revealed. (Qurtubi and Bahr). Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas ؓ ، has said that these verses relate the promise of Allah Ta’ ala, which He had made with the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ before their creation in the Torah and the Injil. (Bahr Muhit)

Allah Ta’ ala had made three promises to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، that his Ummah will be made His vicegerent on earth and will rule over it, and His favourite religion Islam will be made victorious, and Muslims will be given so much power and grandeur that they will have no fear of any one. Allah Ta’ ala fulfilled His promise by conferring conquest over Makkah, Khaibar, Bahrain, and the whole of Yemen and the entire peninsula of Arabia even during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Also he received jizyah, (capitation tax) from the Zoroastrians of Hajar and some Syrian territories. The kings and rulers of Rome, Egypt, Iskandria, Oman and Ethiopia sent gifts to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، and gave him honour and respect. Then during his caliphate Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ crushed all the menacing uprisings. He also sent out Islamic armies to Persia, Syria and Egypt. Busra and Damascus also fell to Islamic State during this time.

When the time of death of Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ approached nearer, Allah Ta’ ala put an inspiration in his heart to nominate Sayyidna ` Umar Ibn Khattab ؓ as his successor. When Sayyidna ` Umar Ibn Khattab ؓ took charge of the caliphate, it was so wonderful that the heavens had not witnessed such grand governance after the governance of the messengers. During his caliphate the entire land of Syria and Egypt and major part of Persia were overpowered. It was during his time that the grandeur of Caesar and Chosroes were vanished. After that period, during the caliphate of Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ the Islamic victories extended from the East to the West. In the west up to Cyprus and Andalucia, and in the east up to China. Besides, ` Iraq, Khorasan and Ahwaz all fell to Islamic State during the time of third Caliph. What the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said according to a Sahih Hadith that he was shown the entire east and west of the earth by bringing them together, and that the rule of his Ummah will extend up to all those places which have been shown to him; this promise was fulfilled by Allah Ta’ ala even during the time of caliphate Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ . (Ibn Kathir)

According to another hadith the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said that caliphate will last for thirty years after him. Here, the word caliphate means the Rightly Guided Caliphate (Al-Khilafah-ar-Rashidah), which was run exactly on the footsteps of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . It lasted up to the time of Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ ، because this period of thirty years was finished after him.

At this point Ibn Kathir has also reported a hadith from Sahih Muslim, that Sayyidna Jabir Ibn Samurah ؓ has said that he had heard the Holy Prophet ﷺ saying that his Ummah will continue ruling until the twelve caliphs last. After narrating this Ibn Kathir has commented that this hadith is pointing that there will be twelve upright caliphs in the Muslim Ummah, which is bound to happen. However, it is not necessary that all twelve come one after the other and there is no gap in between, rather it is more likely that they turn up with an interval of time. Out of this lot, four Rightly Guided Khulafa' had appeared one after the other immediately after the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The next was Sayyidna ` Umar Ibn ` Abdul ` Aziz (رح) who came after a gap of some time. A few others also appeared in different times after him and will continue to come until the last caliph Sayyidna Mahdiyy comes. There is no mention in the hadith of those twelve caliphs which the Shiites have determined. Rather some of them are those who have no connection with the caliphate at all. It is also not necessary that all of them would be of the same status, and during their time there would be complete peace and tranquility. This promise is related to rectitude and firmness of faith, the righteous deeds and total obedience, and any difference in their degree will naturally make difference in the power and control of authority. Islamic history spread over a period of 1400 years is a witness that in different times and different , countries whenever and wherever there was a just and righteous ruler, he has received his share from this promise of Allah based on the extent of righteous deeds he has performed. At another place, the Qur'an says إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّـهِ هُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ that is ` The people of Allah are the ones to prevail.'

This verse is a proof of approval and esteem in the sight of Allah of the four rightly guided Khulafa'

This verse is also a proof of the prophethood of the Holy Prophet ﷺ because the forecast he had made came true exactly in the manner he had predicted. The same way it is also a proof of acceptance and approval of the caliphate of AI-Khulafa' ar-Rashidin in the sight of Allah. It is for the simple reason that the promise Allah Ta’ ala had made with His Messenger and his Ummah was completely fulfilled during the lifetime of the four Sahabah. If the caliphate of the earlier caliphs is not regarded legitimate and true, as claimed by some Rawafd, then the Qur'anic promise has not been fulfilled as yet. Then the argument put forward by Rawafid that the Qur'anic promise will be fulfilled during the life of Sayyidna Mahdiyy is but ridiculous, as it will amount to saying that for full 1400 years the ` Ummah will live in disgrace and misery, and nearing the Dooms Day when he will get the rule, only that period is referred by this promise. The fact of the matter is that the conditions of faith and righteous deeds, on which this promise was made by Allah Ta’ ala, were present in these Sahabah to the perfection and in totality. In reality Allah's promise was fulfilled in totality in their lifetime only. After that neither the degree of faith and deeds was maintained at that level, nor the dignity of caliphate and governance could be retained.

وَمَن كَفَرَ‌ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ

And whoever turns infidel after that, then such people are the transgressors - 24:55.

The literal meaning of the word Kufr is thanklessness and in conventional sense it is the antonym of faith. In this verse there is room for taking either of the two meanings. Thus the meaning of the verse is that when Allah Ta’ ala fulfills His promise and bestows power, authority, peace and satisfaction to the Muslims, and stability to Islam, and after that someone turns apostate or avoids obeying the rules of the Islamic State, then such a person is a transgressor. In the first place he has lost the faith, and secondly, stopped obeying the rules and regulations of the Islamic State. Kufr and ingratitude are great sins in any situation, but after the establishment of Islamic rule, authority and grandeur the intensity of these sins is doubled. That is why it is emphasized by the words بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ (after that). Imam Baghawi (رح) has said that the scholars of Tafsir have explained that this Qur'anic sentence came true for the first time on those who assassinated the ruling caliph Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ . When they committed this great sin, the referred graces of Allah Ta’ ala were reduced, and they were afflicted with fear and fright because of mutual killings and massacre. Despite the fact that they were like brothers to each other, they got involved in mutual killing. Baghawi has related on his own authority an address by Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Salam ؓ ، which he delivered at the time of commotion against Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ . The wordings of the address are as follows:

"The angels of Allah had cordoned your city for security ever since the Holy Prophet ﷺ had come to Madinah, and this measure was continuing until today. By God, if you assassinate ` Uthman, these angels will go back, and will never return again. By god, whoever from you will kill him will present himself before Allah with his hands cut. He will be without his hands. And know that Allah's sword was in its sheath so far. By God, if this sword comes out of its sheath, it shall never go back in sheath again, because whenever a messenger is assassinated, seventy thousand people are killed in return and when a caliph is assassinated, then thirty five thousand persons are killed" (Mazhari).

Hence, the sequence of mutual killing which had commenced with the Shahadah (martyrdom) of Sayyidna ` Uthman' ؓ has continued in the Ummah throughout. Similarly, the way assassins of ` Uthman ؓ acted against the blessings of Allah Ta’ ala and solidarity of Islam and were ungrateful to Him, the Rawafid and Khawarij did the same after that by grouping against the Guided Khulafa'. The incident of great sacrifice of Sayyidna Husain Ibn Ali ؓ also happened under the same sequence نسال اللہ الھدایہ و شکر نعمتۃ

God promises those of you who have faith and do wholesome deeds that He will surely make you vicegerents in the earth. The verse makes an allusion to leaders, those who are the pillars of the creed, the props of the sub- mission, and the counselors of God's religion. They are three sorts: One sort are the ulama and the jurists, those to whom reference is made in the sciences of the Shariah, such as acts of worship, transactions, and so on. They stand with the Real in their tawḤīd through the marks giving witness to their souls and their shares. They intervene in the secondary causes through the Real, but their souls, their shares, and their love for this world veil them from the realities of tawḤīd. The second sort are the folk of recognition and the companions of the realities. In the religion they are like the elect of a king. They are described by purity of desire, beauty of aim, and truthful- ness in intention. They stand with the Real along with what gives witness to their states and their desire. They act freely in all the secondary causes through the Real, but they are veiled from the disengagement of tawḤīd by seeing their own states and desires and the marks giving witness to their aims. The third sort are the elect of the elect because of their recognition. They stand with the Real contemplating the Real in the manner of the disengagement of tawḤīd and the realization of soli- tariness. Thus the religion is kept flourishing with these sorts, despite all their disagreement, until the Day of Resurrection. Know that the vicegerents in the earth to whom the Exalted Lord alludes in this verse are three groups. Each group has a known station in tawḤīd and a defined limit in making servanthood manifest. The first are the ulama of the religion of submission and the jurists of the Shariah, the guard- ians of the creed and the counselors of the community. Their limit in making servanthood manifest goes no further than hoping to recognize the Real and fearing punishment. The fruit of their tawḤīd is confined to safety in this world and well-being in that world. Their submission and faith are the Real's gentle favors and succor, but these are mixed with the contaminants of personal motives and the marks bearing witness to the soul's own shares.