4:90 An-Nisaa (The Women)

فأخبرهم الله تعالى أنه لا ينبغي لكم أن تشتبهوا فيهم ولا تشكوا، بل أمرهم واضح غير مشكل، إنهم منافقون قد تكرر كفرهم، وودوا مع ذلك كفركم وأن تكونوا مثلهم. فإذا تحققتم ذلك منهم { فَلَا تَتَّخِذُوا مِنْهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ } وهذا يستلزم عدم محبتهم لأن الولاية فرع المحبة. ويستلزم أيضا بغضهم وعداوتهم لأن النهي عن الشيء أمر بضده، وهذا الأمر موقت بهجرتهم فإذا هاجروا جرى عليهم ما جرى على المسلمين، كما كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يجري أحكام الإسلام لكل مَنْ كان معه وهاجر إليه، وسواء كان مؤمنا حقيقة أو ظاهر الإيمان. وأنهم إن لم يهاجروا وتولوا عنها { فَخُذُوهُمْ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ وَجَدْتُمُوهُمْ } أي: في أي وقت وأي محل كان، وهذا من جملة الأدلة الدالة على نسخ القتال في الأشهر الحرم، كما هو قول جمهور العلماء، والمنازعون يقولون: هذه نصوص مطلقة، محمولة على تقييد التحريم في الأشهر الحرم. ثم إن الله استثنى من قتال هؤلاء المنافقين ثلاث فِرَق: فرقتين أمر بتركهم وحتَّم [على] ذلك، إحداهما من يصل إلى قوم بينهم وبين المسلمين عهد وميثاق بترك القتال فينضم إليهم، فيكون له حكمهم في حقن الدم والمال. والفرقة الثانية قوم { حَصِرَتْ صُدُورُهُمْ أَنْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ أَوْ يُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمَهُمْ } أي: بقوا، لا تسمح أنفسهم بقتالكم، ولا بقتال قومهم، وأحبوا ترك قتال الفريقين، فهؤلاء أيضا أمر بتركهم، وذكر الحكمة في ذلك في قوله: { وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَسَلَّطَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلَقَاتَلُوكُمْ } فإن الأمور الممكنة ثلاثة أقسام: إما أن يكونوا معكم ويقاتلوا أعداءكم، وهذا متعذر من هؤلاء، فدار الأمر بين قتالكم مع قومهم وبين ترك قتال الفريقين، وهو أهون الأمرين عليكم، والله قادر على تسليطهم عليكم، فاقبلوا العافية، واحمدوا ربكم الذي كف أيديهم عنكم مع التمكن من ذلك. فـهؤلاء { إن اعْتَزَلُوكُمْ فَلَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ وَأَلْقَوْا إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَمَ فَمَا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سَبِيلًا } الفرقة الثالثة: قوم يريدون مصلحة أنفسهم بقطع النظر عن احترامكم، وهم الذين قال الله فيهم: { سَتَجِدُونَ آخَرِينَ } أي: من هؤلاء المنافقين. { يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَأْمَنُوكُمْ } أي: خوفا منكم { وَيَأْمَنُوا قَوْمَهُمْ كُلَّمَا رُدُّوا إِلَى الْفِتْنَةِ أُرْكِسُوا فِيهَا } أي: لا يزالون مقيمين على كفرهم ونفاقهم، وكلما عرض لهم عارض من عوارض الفتن أعماهم ونكسهم على رءوسهم، وازداد كفرهم ونفاقهم، وهؤلاء في الصورة كالفرقة الثانية، وفي الحقيقة مخالفة لها. فإن الفرقة الثانية تركوا قتال المؤمنين احترامًا لهم لا خوفا على أنفسهم، وأما هذه الفرقة فتركوه خوفا لا احتراما، بل لو وجدوا فرصة في قتال المؤمنين، فإنهم مستعدون لانتهازها، فهؤلاء إن لم يتبين منهم ويتضح اتضاحًا عظيمًا اعتزال المؤمنين وترك قتالهم، فإنهم يقاتلون، ولهذا قال: { فَإِنْ لَمْ يَعْتَزِلُوكُمْ وَيُلْقُوا إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَمَ } أي: المسالمة والموادعة { وَيَكُفُّوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ فَخُذُوهُمْ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأُولَئِكُمْ جَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَانًا مُبِينًا } أي: حجة بينة واضحة، لكونهم معتدين ظالمين لكم تاركين للمسالمة، فلا يلوموا إلا أنفسهم.

فقال "إلا الذين يصلون إلى قوم بينكم وبينهم ميثاق" أي إلا الذين لجأوا وتحيزوا إلى قوم بينكم وبينهم مهادنه أو عقد ذمة فاجعلوا حكمهم كحكمهم وهذا قول السدي وابن زيد وابن جرير. وقد روى ابن أبي حاتم حدثنا أبي حدثنا أبو سلمة حدثنا حماد بن سلمة عن علي بن زيد بن جدعان عن الحسن أن سراقة بن مالك المدلجي حدثهم قال: لما ظهر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على أهل بدو وأحد وأسلم من حولهم قال سراقة بلغني أنه يريد أن يبعث خالد بن الوليد إلى قومي بني مدلج فأتيته فقلت أنشدك النعمة فقالوا صه فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم "دعوه ما تريد؟" قال بلغني أنك تريد أن تبعث إلى قومي وأنا أريد أن توادعهم فإن أسلم قومك أسلموا ودخلوا في الإسلام وإن لم يسلموا لم تخشن قلوب قومك عليهم فأخذ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بيد خالد بن الوليد فقال اذهب معه فافعل ما يريد فصالحهم خالد على أن لا يعينوا على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وإن أسلمت قريش أسلموا معهم فأنزل الله ودوا لو تكفرون كما كفروا فتكونون سواء فلا تتخذوا منهم أولياء" ورواه ابن مردوية من طريق حماد بن سلمة وقال فأنزل الله "إلا الذين يصلون إلى قوم بينكم وبينهم ميثاق" فكان من وصل إليهم كان معهم على عهدهم وهذا أنسب لسياق الكلام. وفي صحيح البخاري في قصة صلح الحديبية فكان من أحب أن يدخل في صلح قريش وعهدهم ومن أحب أن يدخل في صلح محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم وأصحابه وعهدهم. وقد روى عن ابن عباس أنه قال نسخها قوله "فإذا انسلخ الأشهر الحرم فاقتلوا المشركين حيث وجدتموهم" الآية. وقوله "أو جاءوكم حصرت صدورهم" الآية. هؤلاء قوم آخرون من المستثنين من الأمر بقتالهم وهم الذين يجيؤن إلى المصاف وهم حصرت صدورهم أي ضيقة صدورهم مبغضين أن يقاتلوكم ولا يهون عليهم أيضا أن يقاتلوا قومهم معكم بل هم لا لكم ولا عليكم "ولو شاء الله لسلطهم عليكم فلقاتلوكم" أي من لطفه بكم أن كفهم عنكم "فإن اعتزلوكم فلم يقاتلوكم وألقوا إليكم السلم" أي المسالمة"فما جعل الله لكم عليهم سبيلا" أي فليس لكم أن تقاتلوهم ما دامت حالهم كذلك وهؤلاء كالجماعة الذين خرجوا يوم بدر من بني هاشم مع المشركين فحضروا القتال وهم كارهون كالعباس ونحوه ولهذا نهى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يومئذ عن قتل العباس وأمر بأسره.

Censuring the Companions for Disagreeing over the Hypocrites who Returned to Al-Madinah Before Uhud

Allah criticizes the believers for disagreeing over the hypocrites. There are conflicting opinions over the reason behind revealing this Ayah. Imam Ahmad recorded that Zayd bin Thabit said that Messenger of Allah ﷺ marched towards Uhud. However, some people who accompanied him went back to Al-Madinah, and the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ divided into two groups concerning them, one saying they should be killed and the other objecting. Allah sent down,

فَمَا لَكُمْ فِى الْمُنَـفِقِينَ فِئَتَيْنِ

(Then what is the matter with you that you are divided into two parties about the hypocrites) The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«إِنَّهَا طَيْبَةُ، وَإِنَّهَا تَنْفِي الْخَبَثَ، كَمَا يَنْفِي الْكِيرُ خَبَثَ الْحَدِيد»

(She (Al-Madinah) is Taybah, and she expels filth, just as the billow expels rust from iron.) The Two Sahihs also recorded this Hadith. Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah was revealed about some people in Makkah who said they embraced Islam, yet they gave their support to the idolators. One time, theses people went out of Makkah to fulfill some needs and said to each other, "If we meet the Companions of Muhammad, there will be no harm for us from their side." When the believers got news that these people went out of Makkah, some of them said, "Let us march to these cowards and kill them, because they support your enemy against you." However, another group from the believers said, "Glory be to Allah! Do you kill a people who say as you have said, just because they did not perform Hijrah or leave their land Is it allowed to shed their blood and confiscate their money in this case" So they divided to two groups, while the Messenger ﷺ was with them, and did not prohibit either group from reiterating their argument. Thereafter, Allah revealed,

فَمَا لَكُمْ فِى الْمُنَـفِقِينَ فِئَتَيْنِ

(Then what is the matter with you that you are divided into two parties about the hypocrites) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded this Hadith. Allah said,

وَاللَّهُ أَرْكَسَهُمْ بِمَا كَسَبُواْ

(Allah has cast them back because of what they have earned.) meaning, He made them revert to, and fall into error. Ibn `Abbas said that,

أَرْكَسَهُمْ

(Arkasahum) means, `cast them' . Allah's statement,

بِمَا كَسَبُواْ

(because of what they have earned) means, because of their defiance and disobedience to the Messenger ﷺ and following falsehood.

أَتُرِيدُونَ أَن تَهْدُواْ مَنْ أَضَلَّ اللَّهُ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ سَبِيلاً

(Do you want to guide him whom Allah has made to go astray And he whom Allah has made to go astray, you will never find for him a way.) meaning, there will be no path for him, or way to guidance. Allah's statement,

وَدُّواْ لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ كَمَا كَفَرُواْ فَتَكُونُونَ سَوَآءً

(They wish that you reject faith, as they have rejected, and thus that you all become equal.) means, they wish that you fall into misguidance, so that you and they are equal in that regard. This is because of their extreme enmity and hatred for you. Therefore, Allah said,

فَلاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ مِنْهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ حَتَّى يُهَاجِرُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْاْ

(So take not Awliya' from them, till they emigrate in the way of Allah. But if they turn back,) if they abandon Hijrah, as Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas. As-Suddi said that this part of the Ayah means, "If they make their disbelief public."

Combatants and Noncombatants

Allah excluded some people;

إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ إِلَى قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ مِّيثَـقٌ

(Except those who join a group, between you and whom there is a treaty (of peace),) meaning, except those who join and take refuge with a people with whom you have a pact of peace, or people of Dhimmah, then treat them as you treat the people with whom you have peace. This is the saying of As-Suddi, Ibn Zayd and Ibn Jarir. In his Sahih, Al-Bukhari recorded the story of the treaty of Al-Hudaybiyyah, where it was mentioned that whoever liked to have peace with Quraysh and conduct a pact with them, then they were allowed. Those who liked to have peace with Muhammad and his Companions and enter a pact with them were allowed. It was reported that Ibn `Abbas said that this Ayah was later abrogated by Allah's statement,

فَإِذَا انسَلَخَ الأَشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ فَاقْتُلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ

(Then when the Sacred Months have passed, kill the idolators wherever you find them) Allah said,

أَوْ جَآءُوكُمْ حَصِرَتْ صُدُورُهُمْ

(or those who approach you with their breasts restraining) referring to another type of people covered by the exclusion from fighting. They are those who approach the Muslims with hesitation in their hearts because of their aversion to fighting the Muslims. They do not have the heart to fight with the Muslims against their own people. Therefore, they are neither with nor against Muslims.

وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ لَسَلَّطَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلَقَـتَلُوكُمْ

(Had Allah willed, indeed He would have given them power over you, and they would have fought you.) meaning, it is from Allah's mercy that He has stopped them from fighting you.

فَإِنِ اعْتَزَلُوكُمْ فَلَمْ يُقَـتِلُوكُمْ وَأَلْقَوْاْ إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَمَ

(So, if they withdraw from you, and fight not against you, and offer you peace,) meaning, they revert to peace,

فَمَا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سَبِيلاً

(then Allah has opened no way for you against them), you do not have the right to kill them, as long as they take this position. This was the position of Banu Hashim (the tribe of the Prophet ), such as Al-`Abbas, who accompanied the idolators in the battle of Badr, for they joined the battle with great hesitation. This is why the Prophet commanded that Al-`Abbas not be killed, but only captured. Allah's statement, d

سَتَجِدُونَ ءَاخَرِينَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَأْمَنُوكُمْ وَيَأْمَنُواْ قَوْمَهُمْ

(You will find others that wish to have security from you and security from their people.) refers to a type of people who on the surface appear to be like the type we just mentioned. However, the intention of each type is different, for the latter are hypocrites. They pretend to be Muslims with the Prophet and his Companions, so that they could attain safety with the Muslims for their blood, property and families. However, they support the idolators in secret and worship what they worship, so that they are at peace with them also. These people have secretly sided with the idolators, just as Allah described them,

وَإِذَا خَلَوْاْ إِلَى شَيَـطِينِهِمْ قَالُواْ إِنَّا مَعَكُمْ

(But when they are alone with their Shayatin, they say: "Truly, we are with you."). In this Ayah, Allah said,

كُلَّ مَا رُدُّواْ إِلَى الْفِتْنِةِ أُرْكِسُواْ فِيِهَا

(Every time they are sent back to Fitnah, they yield thereto.) meaning, they dwell in Fitnah. As-Suddi said that the Fitnah mentioned here refers to Shirk. Ibn Jarir recorded that Mujahid said that the Ayah was revealed about a group from Makkah who used to go to the Prophet in Al-Madinah pretending to be Muslims. However, when they went back to Quraysh, they reverted to worshipping idols. They wanted to be at peace with both sides. Allah commanded they should be fought against, unless they withdraw from combat and resort to peace. This is why Allah said,

فَإِن لَّمْ يَعْتَزِلُوكُمْ وَيُلْقُواْ إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَمَ

(If they withdraw not from you, nor offer you peace) meaning, revert to peaceful and complacent behavior,

وَيَكُفُّواْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ

(nor restrain their hands) refrain from fighting you,

فَخُذُوهُمْ

(take (hold of) them), capture them,

وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ

(and kill them wherever you Thaqiftumuhum.), wherever you find them,

وَأُوْلَـئِكُمْ جَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَـناً مُّبِيناً

(In their case, We have provided you with a clear warrant against them), meaning an unequivocal and plain warrant.

Except those who attach themselves to who seek refuge with a people between whom and you there is a covenant a pledge of security for them and for whoever attaches himself to them in the manner of the Prophet’s s covenant with Hilāl b. ‘Uwaymir al-Aslamī; or those who come to you with their breasts constricted dejected about the prospect of fighting you being on the side of their people or fighting their people siding with you in other words those who come to you refraining from fighting either you or them then do not interfere with them neither taking them as captives nor slaying them this statement and what follows was abrogated by the ‘sword’ verse. Had God willed to give them sway over you He would have given them sway over you by strengthening their hearts so that assuredly they would have fought you but God did not will it and so He cast terror into their hearts. And so if they stay away from you and do not fight you and offer you peace reconciliation that is if they submit then God does not allow you any way against them He does not allow you a means to take them captive or to slay them.

Different forms of Emigration and their Rules

Hijrah (Emigration) mentioned in verse 89 has been taken up in detail under the commentary on verse 100 of Surah al-Nis-a' which appears a little later. At this point, it is sufficient to know that Emigration from the homeland of Disbelief (Darul-kufr) was enjoined on all Muslims during the early period of Islam. It is for this reason that Allah Almighty has prohibited treating those who fail to carry out this obligation as Muslims. Consequently, when Makkah was conquered, the Holy Prophet declared: ھِجرَۃَ بَعدَ الفَتح لَا (There is no Hijrah after the Victory). It means: ‘Now that the Conquest of Makkah has made it the Abode of Islam, emigration from there was no more obligatory.' This rule related to the period of time when Emigration was considered to be a pre-condition of anyone's faith. During those days, anyone who did not emigrate despite having the ability to do so was not taken to be a Muslim. But, later on, this injunction was abrogated1 and now this mode of Emigration has ceased to exist.

1. It means that emigration no longer remained a pre-requisite for his being Muslim. However, if a Muslim lives in a non-Muslim country where he cannot fulfill his religious obligations, it is incumbent on him to emigrate if he has the means to do so. (Muhammad Taqi Usmani)

There remains, however, another form of Hijrah which has been identified in a hadith of Sahib al-Bukhari where it was said: لَا تَنقَطِعُ الھِجرَۃُ حَتَّی تَنقَطِعَ التَوبَۃ . It means that Hijrah (not in the sense of abandoning one's homeland, but in the sense of abandoning one's sins) will continue to exist until there remains the time to repent.

` Allamah ` Ayni, the commentator of al-Bukhari has said about this Hijrah: اَنَ المرَادَ بِالھجِرَۃِ البَاقِیۃِ ھِیَ ھَجرُ اَلسَّیِّاتِ (This later Hijrah means the abandonment of sins). This subject also finds elucidation in a hadith of the Holy Prophet ﷺ where he is reported to have said: اَلمُھَجرُ مَن ھَجَرَمَا نَھَی اللہُ عَنہُ. It means that a Muhajir (Emigrant) is one who emigrates ('hajara': abandon, leave) from everything prohibited by Allah Almighty (al-Mirqat, v.1)

The discussion appearing above tells us that, technically, the word, Hijrah is applied in a dual sense:

1. To leave one's homeland in order to save one's faith as was done by the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all - they left their homeland of Makkah and emigrated to Madinah and Ethiopia.

2. To leave one's sins.

The words of the verse 89: وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوا مِنْهُمْ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرً‌ا (and do not take from them a friend or a helper) tell us that seeking help from disbelievers is forbidden (Haram). Pursuant to this, it appears in a narration that the Ansars of Madinah sought the permission of the Holy Prophet $ to seek help from the Jews to offset disbelievers whereupon

he said: v 'I (The bad ones! We do not need them). (Mazhari, v.2