58:16 Al-Mujaadila (The Pleading Woman)

{ اتَّخَذُوا أَيْمَانَهُمْ جُنَّةً } أي: ترسا ووقاية، يتقون بها من لوم الله ورسوله والمؤمنين، فبسبب ذلك صدوا أنفسهم وغيرهم عن سبيل الله، وهي الصراط الذي من سلكه أفضى به إلى جنات النعيم. ومن صد عنه فليس إلا الصراط الموصل إلى الجحيم، { فَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُهِينٌ } حيث استكبروا عن الإيمان بالله والانقياد لآياته، أهانهم بالعذاب السرمدي، الذي لا يفتر عنهم ساعة ولا هم ينظرون.

أى أظهروا الإيمان وأبطنوا الكفر واتقوا بالأيمان الكاذبة فظن كثير ممن لا يعرف حقيقة أمرهم صدقهم فاغتربهم فحصل بهذا صد عن سبيل الله لبعض الناس "فلهم عذاب مهين" أى في مقابلة ما امتهنوا من الحلف باسم الله العظيم في الأيمان الكاذبة الحانثة.

Chastising the Hypocrites

Allah chastises the hypocrites for secretly aiding and supporting the disbelievers even though, in reality, they were neither with the disbelievers nor with the Muslims. Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah,

مُّذَبْذَبِينَ بَيْنَ ذلِكَ لاَ إِلَى هَـؤُلاءِ وَلاَ إِلَى هَـؤُلاءِ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ سَبِيلاً

((They are) swaying between this and that, belonging neither to these nor to those; and he whom Allah sends astray, you will not find for him a way.)(4:143) Allah said here,

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْاْ قَوْماً غَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم

(Have you not seen those who take as friends a people upon whom is the wrath of Allah) referring to the Jews with whom the hypocrites were allies in secret. Allah said,

مَّا هُم مِّنكُمْ وَلاَ مِنْهُمْ

(They are neither of you nor of them,) meaning, that these hypocrites are neither with the believers, nor with their allies the Jews,

وَيَحْلِفُونَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

(and they swear to a lie while they know.) meaning, the hypocrites lie when they vow, knowing that they are lying, which is called the vow of Al-Ghamus. We seek refuge with Allah from their ways. When the hypocrites met the believers they said that they believed and when they went to the Messenger, they swore to him by Allah that they were believers. They knew that they were lying in their vow, and they knew that they did not declare their true creed. This is why Allah witnessed here that they lie in their vows and know that they are lying, even though their statement (about the Prophet being Allah's Prophet) is true in essence. Allah the Exalted said,

أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ عَذَاباً شَدِيداً إِنَّهُمْ سَآءَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ

(Allah has prepared for them a severe torment. Evil indeed is that which they used to do.) meaning, Allah has prepared a painful torment for the hypocrites on account of their evil deeds, their aid and support of the disbelievers and their deceit and betrayal of the believers. The statement of Allah the Exalted,

اتَّخَذْواْ أَيْمَـنَهُمْ جُنَّةً فَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ

(They have made their oaths a screen. Thus they hinder (others) from the path of Allah,) meaning, the hypocrites pretended to be believers and concealed disbelief under the shield of their false oaths. Many were unaware of their true stance and were thus deceived by their oaths. Because of this, some people were hindered from the Path of Allah

فَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ

(so they shall have a humiliating torment.) meaning, as recompense for belittling the significance of swearing by the Mighty Name of Allah, while lying and concealing betrayal. Allah the Exalted said,

لَن تُغْنِىَ عَنْهُمْ أَمْوَلُهُمْ وَلاَ أَوْلـدُهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا

(Their children and their wealth will avail them nothing against Allah.) meaning, none of their possessions can avert the affliction when it is sent their way,

أُولَـئِكَ أَصْحَـبُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـلِدُونَ

(They will be the dwellers of the Fire to dwell therein forever.) Allah the Exalted said,

يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهِ جَمِيعاً

(On the Day when Allah will resurrect them all together;) referring to the Day of Resurrection when He will gather them all together and leave none of them out,

فَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ كَمَا يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ عَلَى شَىْءٍ

(then they will swear to Him as they swear to you. And they think that they have something.) meaning, they will swear to Allah the Exalted and Most Honored that they were following the guidance and the correct path, just as they used to swear to the believers in this worldly life. Verily, those who live following on a certain path will most likely die while on it. Thus, they will be resurrected upon their path. The hypocrites will think that their vows will help them with Allah, just as they helped with the people, who were obliged to treat them as they pretended to be, Muslim. This is why Allah said,

وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ عَلَى شَىْءٍ

(And they think that they have something) meaning, on account of swearing to their Lord (that they used to be believers). Allah rebukes this idea of theirs;

أَلاَ إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْكَـذِبُونَ

(Verily, they are liars!) stressing that they are lying, Allah then said;

اسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الشَّيْطَـنُ فَأَنسَـهُمْ ذِكْرَ اللَّهِ

(The Shaytan has overpowered them. So he has made them forget the remembrance of Allah.) meaning, Shaytan has taken over their hearts to the point that he made them forget Allah the Exalted and Most Honored. This is what the devil does to those whom he controls. Abu Dawud recorded that Abu Ad-Darda' said that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say,

«مَا مِنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ فِي قَرْيَةٍ وَلَا بَدْوٍ، لَا تُقَامُ فِيهِمُ الصَّلَاةُ إِلَّا قَدِ اسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الشَّيْطَانُ، فَعَلَيْكَ بِالْجَمَاعَةِ، فَإِنَّمَا يَأْكُلُ الذِّئْبُ الْقَاصِيَة»

(Any three in a village or desert among whom the Salah is not called for, will have the Shaytan control them. Therefore, adhere to the Jama`ah, for the wolf eats from the strayed sheep.) Za'idah added that As-Sa'ib said that Jama`ah, refers to, "Praying in congregation." Allah the Exalted said,

أُوْلَـئِكَ حِزْبُ الشَّيْطَـنِ

(They are the party of Shaytan.) referring to those who are controlled by the devil and, as a result, forgot the remembrance of Allah,

أَلاَ إِنَّ حِزْبَ الشَّيْطَـنِ هُمُ الخَـسِرُونَ

(Verily, it is the party of Shaytan that will be the losers!)

They have taken their oaths as a shield a means of protection for themselves and their possessions and so they bar thereby the believers from the way of God that is from engaging in a struggle against them thereby slaying them and seizing their possessions. So for them there will be a humiliating chastisement.

Commentary

Chastising the Hypocrites for their Secret Alliance with the Jews

أَلَمْ تَرَ‌ إِلَى الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْا قَوْمًا غَضِبَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِم (Have you not seen those who have friendship with a people with whom Allah is angry? ....58:14) Allah condemns the hypocrites who secretly formed an alliance with the Jews who challenge Allah and His Apostle, while in effect they belong neither to the Muslims nor to the Jews. Consequently, Allah has prepared for them a humiliating and condign chastisement. It is not permissible to have a friendly intimacy with the enemies of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ - whether the unbelievers are Jews, or Christians, or pagans or of any other creed. Even rationally this is not possible, because the capital asset of a believer is the love of Allah, while a non-believer relishes in opposing and challenging Him. It is not possible for a person to have sincere love and affection for someone and to love and have intimacy with the latter's enemy. Here 'love', 'affection' or 'intimacy' refers to the one coming from the heart involving intense emotional commitment (which necessarily includes having love with his way of life. Ed.). This is called Muwalah or 'intimate friendship'. This type of friendship is limited to sincere Muslims. Therefore, the Qur'anic verses on many occasions strictly prohibit Muslims from having this sort of relationship with non-Muslims. Any Muslim who has such intimate friendship with non-Muslims will be seen to fall in the circle of unbelievers.

In contra-distinction to Muwalah [ intimate friendship ], there is a concept of Muwalah which refers to the relationship based on sympathy, kindness and concern. It includes charitable assistance and support, business, commercial, trade dealings and economic cooperation, condolence and consolation and any well-meaning attitude of well-being and welfare. Barring unbelievers who are at war with the believers, this kind of relationship is permissible with all other non-Muslims. The paradigm of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the noble Companions ؓ in this direction is ample testimony to this practice. However, it is necessary to ensure that the relationship of Muwalah is not harmful to the cause of religion; it should not create laxity in 'faith and practice' of Islam nor should it 'harm, hurt or injure' other Muslims. Please see Ma` ariful Qur'an, Vol. 2/ pp 54-61: under Surah Al-` Imran: v.28-30 for a detailed account of the distinction between Muwalat [ intimate friendship ], Muwasat [ sympathy ] and Muamalat [ dealings ] or Mudarah [ cordiality ].

وَيَحْلِفُونَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ (and they swear false oaths ...58:14). It means they swear oaths profanely. According to some reports, this verse was revealed in connection with ` Abdullah Ibn 'Ubayy and ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal: One day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting with his noble Companions ؓ and said to them: "Soon a person will come to you whose heart will be the heart of a tyrant and who sees through the Shaitan's eyes." Soon afterwards ` Abdullah Ibn Nabtal, the hypocrite, entered. He was blue-eyed, wheat-coloured, short-statured and skimpy-bearded. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him: "Why do you and your comrades use obscene words against me?" He swore that he did not do that. Then he called his comrades and they too took this false oath. Allah told the Holy Prophet ﷺ ; about their lie and profane oath. [ Qurtubi ]

(Hast thou not seen those who take for friends a folk with whom Allah is wroth?� and they will fancy that they have some standing. Lo! is it not they who are the liars?) [58:14-18]. Al-Suddi and Muqatil said: �This was revealed about �Abd Allah ibn Nabtal, the hypocrite who used to keep the company of the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, and then report what he heard from him to the Jews. As the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, was sitting one day in one of his rooms he said: �Now shall enter on you a man who has the heart of a tyrant and who looks through the eyes of the devil�. At that point �Abd Allah ibn Nabtal who was blue of complexion came in. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said to him: �Why do you, and your friends, insult me?� He swore by Allah that he did not, but the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said that he did. The man went and brought his friends who then swore by Allah that they did not insult him. Allah, exalted is He, then revealed these verses�. Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya informed us> Muhammad ibn Ja�far ibn Matar> Ja�far ibn Muhammad al-Firyabi> Abu Ja�far al-Nufayli> Zuhayr ibn Mu�awiyah> Simak ibn Harb> Sa�id ibn Jubayr> Ibn �Abbas who related to him that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, was sitting under the shade of one of his rooms with a group of Muslims from whom the shade was slowly receding. He said to them: �A man will come to you and look at you with the eyes of the devil. When he comes do not speak with him!� A man of blue complexion then came. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, called him and addressed him: �Why do you and so-and-so and so-and-so (he named a group of people) insult me?� The man left and brought all those named and they swore by Allah and apologized. Allah, exalted is He, revealed (On the day when Allah will raise them all together, then will they swear unto Him as they (now) swear unto you, and they will fancy that they have some standing. Lo! is it not they who are the liars?). This was narrated by al-Hakim in his Sahih> al-Asamm> Ibn �Affan> �Amr al-�Anqari> Isra�il> Simak.