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Tafsir Ishraq al-Ma'ani

Quran Translation & Commentary by Syed Iqbal Zaheer
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Introduction | Wiki
1. Al-Fatihah
2. Al-Baqarah
3. Al-Imran
4. Al-Nisa
5. Al-Maidah
6. Al-Anam
7. Al-Araf
8. Al-Anfal
9. Al-Taubah
10. Yunus
11. Hud
12. Yusuf
13. Al-Rad
14. Ibrahim
15. Al-Hijr
16. Al-Nahl
17. Bani Israil
18. Al-Kahf
19. Maryam
20. Ta-Ha
21. Al-Anbiya
22. Al-Hajj
23. Al-Muminun
24. An-Nur
25. Al-Furqan
26. Ash-Shuara
27. An-Naml
28. Al-Qasas
29. Al-Ankabut
30. Ar-Rum
31. Luqman
32. As-Sajdah
33. Al-Ahzab
34. Saba
35. Fatir
36. Yasin
37. As-Saffat
38. Saad
39. Az-Zumar
40. Al-Mumin
41. Ha-Meem-As-Sajdah
42. AShura
43. Az-Zukhruf
44. Ad-Dukhan
45. Al-Jathiyah
46. Al-Ahqaf
47. Muhammad
48. Al-Fath
49. Al-Hujurat
50. Al-Qaf
51. Adh-Dhariyat
52. At-Tur
53. An-Najm
54. Al-Qamar
55. Al-Rahman
56. Al-Waqiah
57. Al-Hadid
58. Al-Mujadalah
59. Al-Hashr
60. Al-Mumtahinah
61. As-Saff
62. Al-Jumuah
63. Al-Munafiqun
64. Al-Taghabun
65. At-Talaq
66. At-Tahrim
67. Al-Mulk
68. Al-Qalam
69. Al-Haqqah
70. Al-Maarij
71. Nuh
72. Al-Jinn
73. Al-Muzzammil
74. Al-Muddhththir
75. Al-Qiyamah
76. Ad-Dahr
77. Al-Mursalat
78. An-Naba
79. An-Naziat
80. Abas
81. At-Takwir
82. Al-Infitar
83. At-Tatfif
84. Al-Inshiqaq
85. Al-Buruj
86. At-Tariq
87. Al-Ala
88. Al-Ghashiyah
89. Al-Fajr
90. Al-Balad
91. Ash-Shams
92. Al-Lail
93. Ad-Duha
94. Al-Inshirah
95. At-Tin
96. Al-Alaq
97. Al-Qadr
98. Al-Bayyinah
99. Az-Zilzal
100. Al-Adiyat
101. Al-Qariah
102. At-Takathur
103. Al-Asr
104. Al-Humazah
105. Al-Fil
106. Al-Quraish
107. Al-Maun
108. Al-Kauthar
109. Al-Kafirun
110. An-Nasr
111. Al-Lahab
112. Al-Ikhlas
113. Al-Falaq
114. An-Nas
Surah 4. An-Nisa
Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-14 [2], 15-22 [3], 23-25 [4], 26-33 [5], 34-42 [6], 43-50 [7], 51-56 [8], 57-70 [9], 71-76 [10], 77-87 [11], 88-91 [12], 92-96 [13], 97-100 [14], 101-104 [15], 105-112 [16], 113-115 [17], 116-126 [18], 127-134 [19], 135-141 [20], 142-152 [21], 153-162 [22], 163-171 [23], 172-176 [24]

Quran Text of Verse 105-112
اِنَّاۤIndeedاَنْزَلْنَاۤWe (have) sent downاِلَیْكَto youالْكِتٰبَthe Bookبِالْحَقِّwith the truthلِتَحْكُمَso that you may judgeبَیْنَbetweenالنَّاسِthe peopleبِمَاۤwith whatاَرٰىكَhas shown youاللّٰهُ ؕAllahوَ لَاAnd (do) notتَكُنْbeلِّلْخَآىِٕنِیْنَfor the deceitfulخَصِیْمًاۙa pleader 4. An-Nisa Page 96وَّ اسْتَغْفِرِAnd seek forgivenessاللّٰهَ ؕ(of) AllahاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahكَانَisغَفُوْرًاOft-ForgivingرَّحِیْمًاۚMost Merciful وَ لَاAnd (do) notتُجَادِلْargueعَنِforالَّذِیْنَthose whoیَخْتَانُوْنَdeceiveاَنْفُسَهُمْ ؕthemselvesاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahلَا(does) notیُحِبُّloveمَنْ(the one) whoكَانَisخَوَّانًاtreacherousاَثِیْمًاۚۙ(and) sinful یَّسْتَخْفُوْنَThey seek to hideمِنَfromالنَّاسِthe peopleوَ لَاbut notیَسْتَخْفُوْنَ(can) they hideمِنَfromاللّٰهِAllahوَ هُوَand Heمَعَهُمْ(is) with themاِذْwhenیُبَیِّتُوْنَthey plot by nightمَاwhatلَاnotیَرْضٰی(does) he approveمِنَofالْقَوْلِ ؕthe wordوَ كَانَAnd isاللّٰهُAllahبِمَاof whatیَعْمَلُوْنَthey doمُحِیْطًا All-Encompassing هٰۤاَنْتُمْHere you areهٰۤؤُلَآءِthose whoجٰدَلْتُمْ[you] argueعَنْهُمْfor themفِیinالْحَیٰوةِthe lifeالدُّنْیَا ۫(of) the worldفَمَنْbut whoیُّجَادِلُwill argueاللّٰهَ(with) Allahعَنْهُمْfor themیَوْمَ(on the) Dayالْقِیٰمَةِ(of) [the] Resurrectionاَمْorمَّنْwhoیَّكُوْنُwill beعَلَیْهِمْ[over them]وَكِیْلًا (their) defender وَ مَنْAnd whoeverیَّعْمَلْdoesسُوْٓءًاevilاَوْorیَظْلِمْwrongsنَفْسَهٗhis soulثُمَّthenیَسْتَغْفِرِseeks forgivenessاللّٰهَ(of) Allahیَجِدِhe will findاللّٰهَAllahغَفُوْرًاOft-Forgivingرَّحِیْمًا Most Merciful وَ مَنْAnd whoeverیَّكْسِبْearnsاِثْمًاsinفَاِنَّمَاthen onlyیَكْسِبُهٗhe earns itعَلٰیagainstنَفْسِهٖ ؕhis soulوَ كَانَAnd isاللّٰهُAllahعَلِیْمًاAll-Knowingحَكِیْمًا All-Wise وَ مَنْAnd whoeverیَّكْسِبْearnsخَطِیْٓئَةًa faultاَوْorاِثْمًاa sinثُمَّthenیَرْمِthrowsبِهٖitبَرِیْٓـًٔا(on) an innocentفَقَدِthen surelyاحْتَمَلَhe (has) burdened (himself)بُهْتَانًا(with) a slanderوَّ اِثْمًاand a sinمُّبِیْنًا۠manifest
Translation of Verse 105-112

(4:105) Verily, We have sent down the Book to you with the truth so that you might judge between the people by what Allah has shown you.278 Therefore, plead not in favor of those who betray.279

(4:106) Implore Allah’s forgiveness, surely Allah is All-forgiving, All-kind.280

(4:107) And dispute not on behalf of those who are dishonest to their own souls.281 Surely, Allah does not approve of one given to dishonesty and sins.282

(4:108) They hide (their crime) from the people, but cannot hide (them) from Allah. He is with them when they plot at nights in words He does not approve of.283 Allah is ever encompassing the things they do.

(4:109) Here you are, disputing on behalf of them in the life of this world, but who will dispute with Allah on their behalf on the Day of Judgment? Or, who will be their defender (that Day)?284

(4:110) Yet, whoever does an evil, or wrongs himself, but seeks Allah’s forgiveness, he shall find Allah ever Forgiving, Merciful.285

(4:111) Whoever earns an evil, earns it only against himself. Allah is ever Knowing, Wise.

(4:112) And, whoever earns an error, or a sin,286 and then casts it upon an innocent one, thereby burdens (himself) with a slander and a manifest sin.


Commentary

278. With reference to the words: “By what Allah has shown you,” (i.e., “of the truth,”) `Umar has said: “Let none of you say, I did this or that by what Allah showed me (as the right thing). Because such a ”showing" by Allah was only to his Prophet. As for us, our opinions can both be right as well as wrong" (Razi). In fact, when someone told `Umar in a case that he judge by what “Allah shows him,” `Umar reprimanded him and said that that was the prerogative of the Prophet (Shafi`). Mufti Shafi` adds: The verse proves that the Prophet had Allah’s permission for ijtihad and that his ijtihadat (legal rulings) had the status of Shar`i law, since, if he erred Allah corrected him, even if it was a minor issue, as in the case discussed in the following verses. Again, the verse also implies that the Prophet did not have knowledge of all things: he knew only what “Allah showed him.”

279. Although the application is common, a widely quoted incident was the initial cause of revelation of this verse. Qatadah bin Nu`man is the narrator. He says: “Dates and barley were staple food of the Madinans in pre-Islamic times. The richer ones among them bought refined flour, breads made of which would only be eaten by the head of the family to the exclusion of others. It so happened that my uncle bought a sack of it from the Syrian markets and stored it along with some weapons. Now, there was a hypocrite named Bashir among the Banu Ubayraq. One night he tunnelled into the house and stole the sack along with the weapons. My uncle Rifa`ah reported to me and we began to spy around. We were led to this family which was reported to be eating out of refined flour. I reported to the Prophet, informing him about the person we suspected. We also told him that we did not care for the flour but wanted the weapons back. When Banu Ubayraq came to know that they were being suspected, they came to the Prophet and complained that I was slandering a people whose Islam and uprightness nobody could doubt. They laid the blame for the theft upon others. The Prophet repeated to me what they had said, ending, ‘Do you slander a people whose Islam and uprightness is beyond suspicion?’ I regretted that I had brought the affair to his notice. When I told my uncle of the outcome he said: ‘Allah is the Helper.’ Then came down these verses which told the Prophet not to side with those who betray the trust. They said: ‘Therefore, be not an advocate for those that betray (the trust).’ The allusion was to his defense of Banu Ubayraq. The weapons were also returned in response to these verses. The Prophet got them delivered to my uncle Rifa`ah.” Qatadah b. Nu`man added: “My uncle was blind and somehow I had all along suspected that he was also not sincere in his faith. However, when the weapons were returned to him he said: ‘O my nephew. Give away (these weapons) as charity in the way of Allah.’ Then I knew that he was a true Muslim.” It is also reported that after that incident Bashir went and joined the Makkan pagans. Several other versions of the story have been reported, according to some of which Bashir had placed the blame on a Jew as the one who had stolen the weapons (Ibn Jarir). The incident is widely reported, including one by Hakim who has said that it meets with the critical requirements of Muslim (Ibn Kathir, Shawkani). There are reports that suggest that another incident involving a man called To`mah b. Ubayraq also took place around that time. He had stolen a coat of mail and tried to lay the blame on others (Au.).

280. The forgiveness that the Prophet was asked to implore was the istighfar by way of dhikr which does not necessarily presume the occurrence of a sin (Qurtubi). Thanwi states: Because of the high status of the Prophet, his saying to Qatadah b. Nu`man that he ought not to suspect practicing good Muslims, amounted to an error for which he was asked to implore Allah’s forgiveness. It has also been suggested that the Prophet was being asked to implore forgiveness on behalf of others (Au.).

281. The verse refers to those who sided with or spoke on behalf of Banu Ubayraq (Ibn Jarir).

282. The word in the original, “khawwan,” is in its intensive form. It refers to Bashir’s unremitting dishonesty. It is reported of the man that he had a long history of dishonest acts behind him. In Madinah he used to utter scandalous poetry against Muslims and when questioned, attribute them to other poets. In keeping with his character, when he joined up with the Makkans after his exposure by the Qur’an, he committed several thefts there also. In fact, he died when a wall under which he was digging a tunnel to enter a house caved in on him.

283. It is said that when Bashir (or To`mah) felt sure of being exposed, he plotted with some people that he would conceal it in the yard of a Jew and then lead the people to it to shift the blame to him. This verse refers to his plotting in the night (Zamakhshari). According to some versions in Ibn Jarir and others, Bashir (or To`mah) actually accomplished what he had plotted.

284. The reference is to Banu Ubayraq who had sided with their man although they knew that he was guilty. Sayyid comments: The verses in question speak of an incident which has no parallel in human history and is a proof by itself that this Qur’an is a revelation of Allah. Humans, however lofty their thoughts might be, and however purified their souls, could not have risen to these heights. These verses rise to a level that is like a line drawn in the horizon that humans have never and will never aspire to reach. It happened at a time when the Jews were up against Islam leaving no poisoned arrow in their quill un-shot toward Islam and Muslims. This chapter, as well as the previous two chapters of the Qur’an, speak in detail of their machinations and conspiracies. Nonetheless, during those very days when they were spreading lies, joining hands with the pagans, encouraging the hypocrites, charting out attack plans for them, spreading rumours, puzzling the minds, ridiculing the Prophet’s leadership, planting doubts about the revelation and messengership and attempting to disintegrate the Muslim society from within - during those very days of constriction and danger, these verses came down, absolving a Jew of a false allegation of theft, while the conspirers were no less than a family of the Ansar: those Ansar who were the very backbone of the Prophet’s strength in Madinah. What human discourse could have reached this height? It could only be Allah’s revelation.

285. It is said that a woman came to `Abdullah b. Mughaffal and asked: “What do you have to say of a woman who committed obscenity, became pregnant and killed the child when she gave birth?” Ibn Mughaffal told her: “She shall be in the Fire.” The woman retreated weeping. At that Ibn Mughaffal called her back and said: “I think your case cannot be different from the two kinds (mentioned in this verse): ‘Whoever does an evil, or wrongs himself, but seeks Allah’s forgiveness, he shall find Allah Forgiving, Kind.’” At that the woman wiped her tears and went away (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

286. The words in the original for “error” and “sin” are “khati’atan” and “ithman.” The former alludes to an inadvertent sin while the latter to a deliberate one (Ibn Jarir).