5:54 Al-Maaida (The Table)

يخبر تعالى أنه الغني عن العالمين، وأنه من يرتد عن دينه فلن يضر الله شيئا، وإنما يضر نفسه. وأن لله عبادا مخلصين، ورجالا صادقين، قد تكفل الرحمن الرحيم بهدايتهم، ووعد بالإتيان بهم، وأنهم أكمل الخلق أوصافا، وأقواهم نفوسا، وأحسنهم أخلاقا، أجلُّ صفاتهم أن الله { يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ ْ} فإن محبة الله للعبد هي أجل نعمة أنعم بها عليه، وأفضل فضيلة، تفضل الله بها عليه، وإذا أحب الله عبدا يسر له الأسباب، وهون عليه كل عسير، ووفقه لفعل الخيرات وترك المنكرات، وأقبل بقلوب عباده إليه بالمحبة والوداد. ومن لوازم محبة العبد لربه، أنه لابد أن يتصف بمتابعة الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم ظاهرا وباطنا، في أقواله وأعماله وجميع أحواله، كما قال تعالى: { قُلْ إِن كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ ْ} كما أن من لازم محبة الله للعبد، أن يكثر العبد من التقرب إلى الله بالفرائض والنوافل، كما قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في الحديث الصحيح عن الله: \"وما تقرب إليَّ عبدي بشيء أحب إليَّ مما افترضت عليه، ولا يزال [عبدي] يتقرب إليَّ بالنوافل حتى أُحبه، فإذا أحببتُه كنتُ سمعه الذي يسمع به، وبصره الذي يبصر به، ويده التي يبطش بها، ورجله التي يمشي بها، ولئن سألني لأعطينه، ولئن استعاذني لأعيذنه\". ومن لوازم محبة الله معرفته تعالى، والإكثار من ذكره، فإن المحبة بدون معرفة بالله ناقصة جدا، بل غير موجودة وإن وجدت دعواها، ومن أحب الله أكثر من ذكره، وإذا أحب الله عبدا قبل منه اليسير من العمل، وغفر له الكثير من الزلل. ومن صفاتهم أنهم { أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ ْ} فهم للمؤمنين أذلة من محبتهم لهم، ونصحهم لهم، ولينهم ورفقهم ورأفتهم، ورحمتهم بهم وسهولة جانبهم، وقرب الشيء الذي يطلب منهم وعلى الكافرين بالله، المعاندين لآياته، المكذبين لرسله - أعزة، قد اجتمعت هممهم وعزائمهم على معاداتهم، وبذلوا جهدهم في كل سبب يحصل به الانتصار عليهم، قال تعالى: { وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُم مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِن قُوَّةٍ وَمِن رِبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ تُرْهِبُونَ بِهِ عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ ْ} وقال تعالى: { أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ ْ} فالغلظة والشدة على أعداء الله مما يقرب العبد إلى الله، ويوافق العبد ربه في سخطه عليهم، ولا تمنع الغلظة عليهم والشدة دعوتهم إلى الدين الإسلامي بالتي هي أحسن. فتجتمع الغلظة عليهم، واللين في دعوتهم، وكلا الأمرين من مصلحتهم ونفعه عائد إليهم. { يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ْ} بأموالهم وأنفسهم، بأقوالهم وأفعالهم. { وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَائِمٍ ْ} بل يقدمون رضا ربهم والخوف من لومه على لوم المخلوقين، وهذا يدل على قوة هممهم وعزائمهم، فإن ضعيف القلب ضعيف الهمة، تنتقض عزيمته عند لوم اللائمين، وتفتر قوته عند عذل العاذلين. وفي قلوبهم تعبد لغير الله، بحسب ما فيها من مراعاة الخلق وتقديم رضاهم ولومهم على أمر الله، فلا يسلم القلب من التعبد لغير الله، حتى لا يخاف في الله لومة لائم. ولما مدحهم تعالى بما من به عليهم منَّ الصفات الجليلة والمناقب العالية، المستلزمة لما لم يذكر من أفعال الخير -أخبر أن هذا من فضله عليهم وإحسانه لئلا يعجبوا بأنفسهم، وليشكروا الذي مَنَّ عليهم بذلك ليزيدهم من فضله، وليعلم غيرُهم أن فضل الله تعالى ليس عليه حجاب، فقال: { ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ْ} أي: واسع الفضل والإحسان، جزيل المنن، قد عمت رحمته كل شيء، ويوسع على أوليائه من فضله، ما لا يكون لغيرهم، ولكنه عليم بمن يستحق الفضل فيعطيه، فالله أعلم حيث يجعل رسالته أصلا وفرعا.

يقول تعالى مخبرا عن قدرته العظيمة أن من تولى عن نصرة دينه وإقامة شريعته فإن الله يستبدل به من هو خيرا لها منه وأشد منعة وأقوم سبيلا كما قال تعالى" وإن تتولوا يستبدل قوما غيركم ثم لا يكونوا أمثالكم" وقال تعالى" إن يشأ يذهبكم ويأت بخلق جديد وما ذلك على الله بعزيز" أي بممتنع ولا صعب وقال تعالى ههنا" يا أيها الذين آمنوا من يرتد منكم عن دينه" أي يرجع عن الحق إلى الباطل قال محمد بن كعب نزلت في الولاة من قريش وقال الحسن البصري نزلت في أهل الردة أيام أبي بكر" فسوف يأتي الله بقوم يحبهم ويحبونه" قال الحسن هو والله أبو بكر وأصحابه رواه ابن أبي حاتم وقال أبو بكر بن أبي شيبة سمعت أبا بكر بن عياش يقول: في قوله" فسوف يأتي الله بقوم يحبهم ويحبونه" هم أهل القادسية وقال ليث بن أبي سليم عن مجاهد هم قوم من سبأ وقال ابن أبي حاتم: حدثنا أبن سعيد الأشج حدثنا عبد الله بن الأجلح عن محمد بن عمرو عن سالم عن سعيد بن جبير عن ابن عباس قوله" فسوف يأتي الله بقوم يحبهم ويحبونه" قال ناس من أهل اليمن ثم من كندة من السكون. وحدثنا أبي حدثنا محمد بن المصفى حدثنا معاوية يعني ابن حفص عن أبي زياد الحلفاني عن محمد بن المنكدر عن جابر بن عبد الله قال سئل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن قوله" فسوف يأتي الله بقوم يحبهم ويحبونه" قال هؤلاء قوم من أهل اليمن ثم من كندة ثم من السكون ثم من تجيب وهذا حديث غريب جدا وقال ابن أبى حاتم حدثنا عمر بن شبة حدثنا عبد الصمد يعني ابن عبد الوارث حدثنا شعبة عن سماك سمعت عياضا يحدث عن أبي موسى الأشعري قال لما نزلت " فسوف يأتي الله بقوم يحبهم ويحبونه" قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم:" هم قوم هذا" ورواه ابن جرير من حديث شعبة بحوه وقوله تعالى" أذلة على المؤمنين أعزة على الكافرين" هذه صفات المؤمنين الكمل أن يكون أحدهم متواضعا لأخيه ووليه متعززا على خصمه وعدوه كما قال تعالى" محمد رسول الله والذين معه أشداء على الكفار رحماء بينهم" وفي صفة رسول الله- صلى الله عليه وسلم- أنه الضحوك القتال فهو ضحوك لأوليائه قتال لأعدائه وقوله" عز وجل يجاهدون في سبيل الله ولا يخافون لومة لائم" أي لا يردهم عما هم فيه من طاعة الله وإقامة الحدود وقتال أعدائه والأمر بالمعروف والنهي عن المنكر لا يردهم عن ذلك راد ولا يصدهم عنه صاد ولا يحيك فيهم لوم لائم ولا عذل عاذل قال الإمام أحمد حدثنا عفان حدثنا سلام أبو المنذر عن محمد بن واسع عن عبد الله بن الصامت عن أبي ذر قال أمرنى خليلي- صلى الله عليه وسلم- بسبع: أمرنى بحب المساكين والدنو منهم وأمرني أن أنظر إلى من هو دوني ولا أنظر إلى من هو فوقي وأمرني أن أصل الرحم وإن أدبرت وأمرني أن لا أسأل أحدا شيئا وأمرني أن أقول الحق وإن كان مرا وأمرني أن لا أخاف في الله لومة لائم وأمرني أن أكثر من قول لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله فإنهن من كنز تحت العرش وقال الإمام أحمد أيضا حدثنا أبو المغيرة حدثنا صفوان عن أبي المثنى أن أبا ذر- رضي الله عنه- قال بايعني رسول الله- صلى الله عليه وسلم- خمسا وواثقني سبعا وأشهد الله على سبعا أني لا أخاف في الله لومة لائم قال أبو ذر فدعاني رسول الله- صلى الله عليه وسلم- فقال هل لك إلى بيعة ولك الجنة قلت نعم وبسطت يدي فقال النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - وهو يشترط علي أن لا تسأل الناس شيئا قلت نعم قال ولا سوطك وإن سقط منك يعني تنزل إليه فتأخذه وقال الإمام أحمد أيضا حدثنا محمد بن الحسن حدثنا جعفر عن المعلي الفردوسي عن الحصن عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله تعالى عليه وآله وسلم - ألا لا يمنعن أحدكم رهبة الناس أن يقول بحق إذا رآه أو شهده فإنه لا يقرب منه أجل ولا يباعد من رزق أن يقول بحق أو أن يذكر بعظيم تفرد" أحمد وقال أحمد حدثنا عبد الرزاق أنا سفيان عن زبيد عن عمرو بن مرة عن أبي البختري عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال: قال رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - لا يحقرن أحدكم نفسه أن يرى أمر الله فيه مقال فلا يقول فيه فيقال له يوم القيامة: ما منعك أن تكون قلت في كذا وكذا؟ فيقول مخافة الناس فيقول إياي أحق أن تخاف. ورواه ابن ماجه من حديث الأعمش عن عمرو بن مرة به وروى أحمد وابن ماجه من حديث عبد الله بن عبد الرحمن أبي طوالة عن بهار بن عبد الله العبدي المدني عن أبي سعيد الخدري عن النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - قال": إن الله ليسأل العبد يوم القيامة حتى إنه ليسأله يقول له أي عبدي أرأيت منكرا فلم تنكره ؟ فإذا لقن الله عبدا حجته قال أي رب وثقت بك وخفت الناس" وثبت في الصحيح ما ينبغي للمؤمن أن يذل نفسه قالوا وكيف يذل نفسه يا رسول الله قال:" يتحمل من البلاء ما لا يطيق" " ذلك فضل الله يؤتيه من يشاء" أي من اتصف بهذه الصفات فإنما هو من فضل الله عليه وتوفيقه له" والله واسع عليم" أي واسع الفضل عليم بمن يستحق ذلك ممن يحرمه إياه.

Threatening to Replace the Believers With Another People if They Revert from Islam

Allah emphasizes His mighty ability and states that whoever reverts from supporting His religion and establishing His Law, then Allah will replace them with whomever is better, mightier and more righteous in Allah's religion and Law. Allah said in other Ayat,

الْفُقَرَآءُ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْاْ يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْماً غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ يَكُونُواْ

(And if you turn away, He will exchange you for some other people and they will not be your likes.) and,

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالأَرْضَ بِالْحقِّ إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ وَيَأْتِ بِخَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ - وَمَا ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ بِعَزِيزٍ

(Do you not see that Allah has created the heavens and the earth with truth If He will, He can remove you and bring (in your place) a new creation! And for Allah that is not hard or difficult.)14:19-20. Verily this is not difficult or hard on Allah. Allah said here,

يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ

(O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion...) and turns back from the truth to falsehood, from now until the commencement of the Last Hour. Allah said next,

أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَـفِرِينَ

(humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers.) These are the qualities of perfect believers, as they are humble with their believing brothers and allies, stern with their enemies and adversaries. In another Ayah, Allah said,

مُّحَمَّدٌ رَّسُولُ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّآءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَآءُ بَيْنَهُمْ

(Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. And those who are with him are severe against disbelievers, and merciful among themselves.) The Prophet is described as the smiling fighter, smiling to his allies and fighting his enemies. Allah's statement,

يُجَـهِدُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلاَ يَخَـفُونَ لَوْمَةَ لائِمٍ

(Fighting in the way of Allah, and never fearing the blame of the blamers.) Nothing prevents them from obeying Allah, establishing His Law, fighting His enemies, enjoining righteousness and forbidding evil. Certainly, nothing prevents them from taking this path, neither someone who seeks to hinder them, nor one who blames or chastises them. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Dharr said, "My Khalil (intimate friend, the Messenger) has commanded me to do seven deeds. He commanded me to love the poor and to be close to them. He commanded me to look at those who are less than me and not those who are above me. He commanded me to keep the relations of the womb, even if they cut it. He commanded me not to ask anyone for anything, to say the truth even if it was bitter, and to not fear the blame of anyone for the sake of Allah. He commanded me to often repeat, `La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (There is no strength or power except from Allah)', for these words are from a treasure under the Throne (of Allah)." It is confirmed in the Sahih;

«مَا يَنْبَغِي لِلْمُؤْمِنِ أَنْ يُذِلَّ نَفْسَه»

(The believer is not required to humiliate himself.) He was asked; "How does one humiliate himself, O Messenger of Allah" So he replied;

«يَتَحَمَّلُ مِنَ الْبَلَاءِ مَا لَا يُطِيق»

(He takes on tests that he cannot bear.)

ذلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ

(That is the grace of Allah which He bestows on whom He wills.) meaning, those who have these qualities, acquired it by Allah's bounty and favor and because He granted them these qualities.

وَاللَّهُ وَسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

(And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower,) His favor is ever extending, and He has perfect knowledge of those who deserve or do not deserve His favor and bounty. Allah's statement,

إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ

(Verily, your Protector is Allah, His Messenger, and the believers...) means, the Jews are not your friends. Rather, your allegiance is to Allah, His Messenger and the faithful believers.

الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلوةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَوةَ

(those who perform the Salah, and give the Zakah...) referring to the believers who have these qualities and establish the prayer, which is one of the most important pillars of Islam, for it includes worshipping Allah alone without partners. They pay Zakah, which is the right of the creation and a type of help extended to the needy and the poor. As for Allah's statement,

وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ

(and they bow down,) some people thought that they give the Zakah while bowing down. If this were the case, then paying the Zakah while bowing would be the best form of giving Zakah. No scholar from whom religious rulings are taken says this, as much as we know. Therefore,

وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ

(and they bow down,) means, they attend the prayer in congregation in Allah's Masjids and spend by way of charity on the various needs of Muslims. Allah said;

وَمَن يَتَوَلَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فَإِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْغَـلِبُونَ

(And whosoever takes Allah, His Messenger, and those who have believed, as protectors, then the party of Allah will be the victorious.) similarly Allah said;

كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لاّغْلِبَنَّ أَنَاْ وَرُسُلِى إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ - لاَّ تَجِدُ قَوْماً يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ يُوَآدُّونَ مَنْ حَآدَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُواْ ءَابَآءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَنَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ أُوْلَـئِكَ كَتَبَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ الإِيمَـنَ وَأَيَّدَهُمْ بِرُوحٍ مِّنْهُ وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَا رَضِىَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُواْ عَنْهُ أُوْلَـئِكَ حِزْبُ اللَّهِ أَلاَ إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

(Allah has decreed: "Verily, it is I and My Messengers who shall be the victorious." Verily, Allah is All-Powerful, Almighty. You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred (people). For such He has written faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a Ruh (proof) from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens (Paradise) under which rivers flow to dwell therein (forever). Allah is pleased with them, and they with Him. They are the party of Allah. Verily, it is the party of Allah that will be the successful.) Therefore, those who accept the allegiance of Allah - His Messenger and the faithful believers - will gain success in this life and the Hereafter. Hence Allah's statement here,

وَمَن يَتَوَلَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فَإِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْغَـلِبُونَ

(And whosoever takes Allah, His Messenger, and those who have believed, as protectors, then the party of Allah will be the victorious.)

O you who believe whoever of you apostatises read either yartadid with separation of the two dāl letters or yartadd with assimilation of one of the dāl letters with the other turns back from his religion to disbelief — this is a notification of what God knew would happen for some of them apostatised upon the death of the Prophet s — God will assuredly bring in their place a people whom He loves and who love Him the Prophet s said ‘They are people like him’ and he pointed to Abū Mūsā al-Ash‘arī as reported by al-Hākim al-Naysābūrī in his Sahīh; humble sympathetic towards believers stern severe towards disbelievers struggling in the way of God and fearing not the reproach of any reproacher therein in the way that the hypocrites fear the reproach of the disbelievers. That description mentioned is God’s bounty; He gives it to whom He will; and God is Embracing of abundant bounty Knowing of those who deserve it.

The fourth verse (54) tells us that the prohibition of intimate friend-ship and intermingling with non-Muslims is for the good of Muslims themselves. Otherwise, Islam is the particular religion the responsibility to protect which has been taken by Almighty Allah Himself. The crookedness or disobedience of an individual or group is self-destruct in its place. However, should some individual or group from among Muslims were to really abandon Islam itself, turn into an apostate (Murtadd) totally and become a part of non-Muslims, even that too could bring no harm to Islam because Allah who is Absolutely Powerful is responsible for its protection and He will immediately bring in some other nation into action which will carry out the duties of protecting and spreading the Din of Allah. Things He must do depend neither on an individual nor on the largest of the large party or institution. When He so wishes, He can make straws work for beams and logs, otherwise beams and logs sit in forests turning into compost any-way. As referred to elsewhere in this Commentary, how well this was put in an Arabic couplet:

اِنَ المقادیر اذاساعدَت

اَلحَقَتِ العَاجِزَ بالقادرِ

When Divine decree helps - it can make the weak overtake the mighty.

When it was said in this verse that should Muslims become apostates, it does not matter, for Allah will make another set of people rise to take their place, then, right there, some virtues of this set of people have also been enumerated saying clearly that they can be marked out by such and such distinguishable qualities. Those engaged in the service of their religion should keep these qualities foremost in their minds because these verses tell us that people who have such quality and character are welcome and dear in the sight of Almighty Allah.

1. Their first quality identified by the Holy Qur'an is that Allah will love them and they will love Allah. There are two parts to this quality. The first one is the love of these people for Almighty Allah. This could be taken, in one or the other degree, within one's control since one can, even if one does not love someone emotionally or naturally, at least make his intention and determination to work for him in loving intellectually. And even emotional or natural love is though not in one's control, yet its causes are, for instance, the meditation of the greatness and majesty of Almighty Allah, the conception of His most perfect power and the recapitulative survey of His authorities and blessings over human beings. This would definitely generate even natural love for Almighty Allah in the heart of a man or woman.

But, as far as the other part is concerned, that is, the love of Allah will be with these people, it obviously seems to indicate that this is a matter where human choice and action play no role. So, what is beyond our control and choice hardly warrants a description and is obviously fruitless - one may be tempted to wonder.

But, by pondering over some other verses of the Holy Qur'an, one will discover that the causes of this part of love too are within human control. If someone uses these means, the love of Allah will necessarily be with him or her. Those means of achieving this end have been mentioned in the verse of the Qur'an which appears in Surah 'Al-` Imran قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّـهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّـهُ (Say [ 0 Prophet ], "If you do love Allah, follow me; Allah shall love you" ... 3:31).

This verse tells us that one who wishes to have Allah love him or her should make the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ the very pivot of life and develop a committed habit of following Sunnah in whatever one does in each and every department of one's life. If so, the promise of Allah is there - He will love that person. And this very verse also tells us that the only group of people which can stand up and meet the challenge of Disbelief and Apostasy (Kufr and Irtidad) shall be the group of people which follows the Sunnah conscientiously and habitually - neither falling short in obedience to the injunctions of the Shari` ah, nor initiating and introducing on their own, deeds contrary to the Sunnah.

2. The second quality of this group has been identified as: أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِ‌ينَ (...soft on the believers, hard on the disbelievers ...). Here, the word: ` adhillah' could be, as explained in Qamus, the plural of both dhalil or dhalul. Dhalil means low or despicable while dhalul means soft and tractable, that is, easily controlled, docile. According to the majority of commentators, this is the meaning of ` adhillah' at this place, that is, these people will be soft with Muslims. Even in matters of dispute, they can be controlled and mollified easily. They would set the dispute aside, even if they are right in it - as said by the Holy Prophet ﷺ in an authentic hadith: اَناَ زعیم ببیت فی رَبصِ الجنۃِ لِمَن تَرَکَ المراَء و ھو مُ حِقُ ;that is, ` I am the guarantor of a home in the middle of Paradise for one who abandons dispute despite being in the right.' Thus, the essential meaning of this word comes to be that these people will have no dispute with Muslims in matters relating to their rights and dealings.

The second word is 'a'izzah' in: أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِ‌ينَ , it Ai (hard on the disbelievers). Here too, 'a'izzah' is the plural of ` Aziz which means dominant, strong and hard. So, the sense is that these people are hard and strong against the enemies of Allah and His Din who would be unable to control or manipulate them. Now, by combining both sentences we can arrive at the essence of the statement - that this will be a set of people whose love and hate, friendship and enmity will be, not for their person or their rights and dealings, but only for Allah, His Messenger and His Din. Therefore, when comes the time to fight, it will not be against the obedient servants of Allah and His Messenger, instead of that, it would be against those who are hostile and disobedient to Allah and His Messenger. The same subject appears in a verse of Surah Al-Fath where the words are: أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ‌ رُ‌حَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ (severe against disbelievers, merciful between themselves - 48:29).

3. The essence of the first quality was the most perfect fulfillment of the rights of Allah, and the essence of the second quality was moderation in the fulfillment of the rights of the servants of Allah by remaining accommodating in dealings. Now, the third quality of these people mentioned here is: يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ that is, they shall keep carrying out Jihad to spread and establish the True Faith. In essence, it means that fighting against forces of disbelief and apostasy is no easy task. In this confrontation, traditionally known devotion to worship in seclusion or a simple softness or hardness of attitude is not enough. Also necessary here is a feeling and fervour for the mission of establishing Din دین .

4. To ensure that this feeling and fervor achieves its desired perfection, the fourth quality of these people has been identified as: وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَائِمٍ that is, they will not care for any blame, censure or derogatory criticism directed against them while they are engaged in their efforts to upraise the true word of Allah and establish His Din. A little reflection will show that the leader of a movement usually faces two types of impediments in his efforts which are the power of the adversary and the vilification of his own people. Experience bears out that people who lead a movement resolutely would stand firm against any adversary, even go through arrests, jail sentences, beatings and tortures, yet, when it comes to facing blames and vilifications from their own people, even the most determined leaders tend to falter. Perhaps, it is to stress the importance of this trying situation at this place, that Allah Almighty has considered it sufficient to say that these people go on with their Jihad without taking notice of any blames directed against them.

Finally, towards the end of the verse (54), it was added that these good qualities of character are nothing but rewards from Almighty Allah. It is He who gives them to whom He wills. A human being can-not acquire these by dint of his own effort and deed without Divine grace.

The Fitnah of Apostasy

Through the explanation of the words of this verse, it has already been clarified that the incidence of some from among Muslims turning into apostates will not harm Islam as a religion because Allah will raise a set of people with high morals and superior deeds who would defend and support it. However, the majority of commentators have dwelt further on the Fitnah (trial) of Apostasy (Irtidad). According to them, this verse is actually a prophecy of this Trial and at the same time a good news for the group of people who will fight against it and eliminate it successfully. This coming Fitnah of Apostasy was a serious problem the germs of which had already started spreading to-wards the lattermost period of Prophethood. But, after the departure of the Holy Prophet ﷺ from this mortal world, this became an epidemic spreading all over the Arabian Peninsula. The group blessed with the good news was that of the noble Companions ؓ who confronted this onslaught of Apostasy under the command of the first Khalifah of Islam, Sayyidna Abu Bakr As-Siddiq ؓ .

Chronologically, Musaylimah al-Kadhdhab (the Liar) was the first to claim prophethood along with the Holy Prophet ﷺ and was so audacious that he returned his emissaries back with the threat that he would have killed them had it not been for the protocol which prohibited killing of envoys and emissaries. Musaylimah was a liar in his claim. The Holy Prophet ﷺ did not get the time to wage Jihad against him and he left this mortal world.

Similarly, Aswad al-` Ansi, the chief of the tribe of Mudhhaj in Yaman announced his prophethood. The Holy Prophet ﷺ ordered the Governor of Yaman appointed by him to fight against him. But, the very next day after the night he was killed, the Holy Prophet ﷺ departed from this mortal world. The news about his being killed reached the noble Companions ؓ at the end of Rabi' al-Awwal. Another event like this was reported concerning the tribe of Banu Asad whose chief, Tulayhah ibn Khuwaylid laid a claim to his own prophethood.

Groups from these three tribes had turned Apostates during the last sickness of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The news of his passing away took the lid out of this storm of Apostasy. Seven tribes of Arabia from different places turned against Islam and its legal authority.

They refused to pay Zakah as required by Islamic law to the Khalifah of the time, Sayyidna Abu Bakr As-Siddiq ؓ .

After the passing away of the Holy Prophet ﷺ the responsibility of the country and the community fell on the shoulders of Sayyidna Abu Bakr As-Siddiq ؓ . There was the great shock on the one hand, and the flood of trials and rebellions on the other. Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ says that the shock faced by her father, Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ ، after the passing away of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، was so great that had it fallen on high mountains they would have been reduced to powder. But, Almighty Allah had blessed him with the high station of patience and fortitude by virtue of which he fought against all odds with full determination and courage, and did succeed finally.

Rebellion, as obvious, can be quashed by use of force only. But, conditions had reached a point of danger and Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ went into consultation with the noble Companions. None of them approved of a hard-line against rebellions. The danger was: If the Companions ؓ were to be committed to internal warfare, foreign powers would run over their new Islamic country. But, Allah Almighty made the heart of His ` True one' strong and settled for Jihad. He gave an eloquent Khutbah before the Companions ؓ of the Holy Prophet ﷺ which opened up their hearts too in favour of Jihad. The power and perfection of his determination and fortitude is reflected through his words:

"People who, after they have become Muslims, turn back and reject the injunctions given by the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، and the Law of Islam, then, it is my duty that I should wage a Jihad against them. If, against me, they decide to bring along the combined force of all Jinns and human beings, and all trees and rocks of the world, all together, and I have no comrade in arms to support me, even then, I would, all by myself, put my neck on the stake and carry out this Jihad."

After having said this, he mounted his horse and started moving ahead. Then, the noble Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, came forward and made Sayyidna Siddiq al-Akbar ؓ sit at his place. In no time, a battle plan was drawn with fronts assigned to different people and the time of their departure set for action.

Therefore, Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ ، Hasan al-Basri, Dahhak, Qatadah and other Imams of Tafsir have said that this verse has been revealed about Sayyidna Abu Bakr As-Siddiq ؓ . He was the first one of the promised people about whom it was said in this verse that they will appear to defend Islam at the command of Allah.

But, not contrary to this, is the possibility that some other group could also be included in the sense of this verse. Therefore, respected elders who have pointed out to Sayyidna Abu Musa al-Ash` ari ؓ or other noble Companions ؓ as being included in the sense of this verse cannot be really taken as contrary to this suggestion. In fact, the most sound and safe position is to believe that all these blessed people, rather every single Muslim due to come right upto the Last Day of Qiymah, who will keep confronting disbelief and apostasy in accordance with the commands of the Qur'an - they all shall be considered as included under the purview of this verse.

Let us now resume our description of how the moving exhortation of Sayyidna Siddiq Alkbar made a group of Sahabah rise to the occasion and meet the challenge of this trial of Apostasy under the leadership of the first Khalifah of Islam. Assigning an army of fighting men, he sent Sayyidna Khalid ibn Walid ؓ to Yamamah to fight against Mu-saylimah the Liar who had become very poweful in his area. The encounters were tough, but Musaylimah the Liar was ultimately killed at the hands of Sayyidna Wahshi, may Allah be pleased with him. His group repented and returned to the fold of Islam. Again, it was Sayyidna Khalid ؓ who went to fight against Tulayhah ibn Khuwaylid. He escaped and went out to some other area. Then, Allah gave him the ability to repent and return to Islam once again. He came back as a Muslim.

The news that Aswad al-'Ansi had been killed and his group had surrendered had reached Madinah toward the end of the month of Rabi' al-Awwal, the first month of the Siddiqi Caliphate. This was the very first news of victory which reached Sayyidna Siddiq al-Akbar ؓ under such trying circumstances. So, from this point onwards, the noble Companions ؓ of the Prophet ﷺ were also blessed with more clear victories on every front against other tribes which had refused to pay Zakah.

Thus, the practical demonstration of the truth of the word of Allah mentioned towards the end of the fifth verse (56): فَإِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّـهِ هُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ (then, the people of Allah are the ones to prevail) was seen by the whole world. Speaking historically and objectively, it is a proven fact that the problem of Apostasy did affect some tribes of the Arabian Peninsula after the passing away of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Then, the group that Allah made to rise and fight against the challenge was that of Sayyidna Siddiq al-Akbar ؓ and his colleagues among the Sahabah ؓ . So, it also stands proved from this very verse that the qualities of the promised set of people given in the Qur'an were all present in Sayyidna Siddiq al-Akbar and the Sahabah with him. To restate these, we can say:

1. Allah loves them.

2. They love Allah.

3. They are soft with Muslims and hard against disbelievers.

4. Their Jihad was in the way of Allah in which they were not afraid of any blame.

Pointing out to the reality of realities, it was clearly stressed that all these high qualities of character, their timely use and the ultimate success in the Islamic expedition through them were things which are not achieved by simple reliance on planning or power or numbers. This is nothing but the grace of Allah. It is He who bestows this blessing upon whom He wills.

O you who have faith, if any of you turn back on your religion, God will bring a people whom He loves, and who love Him. This verse contains an allusion for the knowers and good news for the faithful. The allusion is that God is the guardian and defender of the creed of submission, the unswerving religion, the Muhammadan Shariah, and that it will always remain. What will this religion lose if some people turn away? If some people turn back, the Lord of Mightiness will bring others who embrace this religion with spirit and heart and nurture it joyfully. With them God will preserve the signposts of His commands and the foundations of His prohibitions. With their places He will decorate the carpet of the Shariah. Upon them He has inscribed the letters of love, for He says, “whom He loves, and who love Him.” Upon the page of their hearts He has written with the divine script: He wrote faith in their hearts [58:22]. He has illuminated their inmost eye with the lamp of recognition: So he is upon a light from his Lord [39:22]. The Divinity is their nurturer, the lap of prophethood their cradle, beginninglessness and endlessless their warders, the playing field of gentleness the lodge of their gaze, and the carpet of awe the resting place of their aspiration. This is just what God says in another place: “So if they disbelieve, we have already entrusted it to a people who do not disbe- lieve” [6:89]. The Prophet said, “A group among my people will never cease supporting the Real. None who oppose them will harm them, and then God's command will come.” The good news is that whoever does not turn back is counted among the friends, the folk of love and faith. Those who do not fall into the abyss of turning back have the good news that the name of love will fall upon them. God says, “If any of you turn back on your religion, God will bring a people whom He loves, and who love Him.” First He affirms His love, then the servants' love. Thus you know that so long as God does not love the servant, the servant will not love. WāsiṬī said, “Gehenna was nullified when He mentioned His love for them with His words, 'Whom He loves, and who love Him. ' What do defective attributes have to do with beginningless and endless attributes?” Ibn ʿAṬāÌ was asked what love is. He said, “Branches that grow in the heart and give fruit in the measure of intellect.” The Pir of the Tariqah said, “The sign of finding friendship's response is approval, the water of friendship increases through loyalty, the basis of friendship's treasure is light, the fruit of friend- ship's tree is joy. Whoever fails to keep away from the two worlds is excused from friendship. Whoever seeks from the Friend something other than the Friend is ungrateful. Friendship is friend- ship for God, all the rest disquiet.” Whom He loves, and who love Him. A great work and a magnificent bazaar rose up in water and clay and became the kiblah of the Real's friendship and the target of union's arrow. How could the traveler not be delighted that friendship is the nearest way station to the Protector? The tree that produces only the fruit of joy is friendship, the soil that grows nothing but the flowers of intimacy is friendship, the cloud that rains nothing but light is friendship, the drink whose poison turns into honey is friendship, the road whose dust is musk and ambergris is friendship. Friendship's inscrip- tion is beginningless, and friendship's burning brand endless. When the Friend's friendship is my habit and disposition, I am all from the Friend, and all of me is the Friend. Behold how long friendship's good fortune lasts! Listen how fitting is the tale of the friends! The field of friendship is a vast heart, and the kingdom of paradise is one branch of friendship's tree. He who drinks friendship's wine is promised vision. Whoever is truthful will one day reach his desire. God revealed to David, “O David, he who seeks Me will in truth find Me, but how can those who seek others find Me? “O David, tell the people of the earth, 'Turn toward companionship and intimacy with Me! Become intimate with My remembrance! Then I will be your heart's intimate.' “I have created the clay of my friends from the clay of My bosom friend Abraham, from the clay of My speaking companion Moses, and from the clay of My beloved MuḤammad. “O David, I have created the hearts of those who yearn for Me from My light and nurtured them with My majesty.