Surah No. 49

Surah No. 49¹

Merits of the Surah

1. Asad sums up the contents of the chapter, although without being comprehensive: “.. this surah deals predominantly with social ethics. Beginning with the reverence to the Prophet (saws) and – by implication to the righteous leaders of the community after him, the discourse culminates in the principle of brotherhood of all believers (verse 10) and, in its widest sense, the brotherhood of all mankind (verse 13). The concluding passage (verses 14 ff.) points out the difference between true faith and a mere outward observance of religious formalities.”

Sayyid writes: “This chapter is no more than 18 verses, but, meaning wise, a long one. It consists of major truths concerning faith and practice, as well as aspects that concern life and existence. They are truths that open up distant horizons for the heart and mind and offer deep meanings and profound ideas to the inner self. It consists of methods of education and training, while it expounds basics of law and oneness of Divinity. In short, it carries such matter as would normally require a hundred verses.”

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ (1)

(49:1) O you who have believed, do not put forward before Allah and His Messenger;² and fear Allah, surely Allah is All-hearing, All-knowing.

2. The statement is: “Do not put forward.” But what is it that one may not put forward? The object is missing. It has been answered that if it has been kept open, it is to include everything, so that, one should not place one’s own interests before that of Allah and His Messenger, or one’s opinions, or interests, or anything else. In short, Allah and His Messenger should come first (Alusi and others).

Ibn `Abbas said in explanation, “Do not say anything against the Qur’an and the Sunnah.” Another opinion coming from Ibn `Abbas is that the Muslims were ordered not to speak when the Prophet (saws) was speaking. It also means to say, do not give preference to your opinion where Allah’s or His Messenger’s has been sounded. Qatadah said that (some of the Companions) used to say, “only if such and such commandment could be sent down ..” So Allah (swt) revealed this verse (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Alusi).

Hasan said that on the occasion of an `Eid, some people slaughtered their sacrificial animal before the Prophet (saws) could do. The Prophet ordered them a repeat (Ibn Jarir, Kashshaf, Qurtubi).

Thus, a general rule has been promulgated here: where there is an injunction from the Qur’an or Sunnah, there is no room for personal opinion.

Asad sums up: “This has both literal and a figurative meaning: literal in the case of the Prophet’s Companions, and figurative for them as well as for believers of later times – implying that one’s personal opinions and predilections must not be allowed to overrule the clear-cut legal ordinances and/or moral stipulations promulgated by the Prophet.”

Yusuf Ali sums up: “Several shades of meaning are implied: (1) do not make yourselves conspicuous in word or deed when in the presence of Allah (e.g. in a Mosque, or at Prayers or religious assemblies): (2) do not anticipate in word or deed what your Leader (Allah’s Messenger) may say or do; (3) do not be impatient, trying to hasten things before the time is ripe, of which the best Judge is Allah, Who speaks through His Messenger. Be reverent in all things, as in the presence of Allah: for He hears and sees all things. (4) Look to the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (saws) (peace be on him) for guidance and let nothing else take precedence of them.”

The following may be quoted to elucidate the issue:

It was reported by some of the companions of Mu`adh in Hims that when the Prophet was sending Mu`adh b. Jabal to Yemen he asked him, “How will you judge when you encounter an affair?” He answered, “I shall judge by Allah’s Book.” He asked, “But if you did not find it in Allah’s Book?” He replied, “Then by the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger.” The Prophet then asked, “But what if you did not find it in the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger, nor in Allah’s Book?” He answered, “Then I shall work out my personal opinion, without caring (for the people’s criticism).” The Prophet struck him on his chest and said, “Praise to Allah that He inspired the messenger of the Messenger of Allah with what has the approval of Allah’s Messenger” (Ibn Kathir, Sayyid).

The report is considered weak because of the unknown first narrator, but because of the implied support from the Qur’an, it has been accepted as a working principle by the Fuqaha’ (Au.).

The Companions received the message well enough. None of them offered his personal opinion to the Prophet in matters related to religion. None of them suggested anything unless the Prophet himself inquired; to the extent that even when they knew the answer, they would yet say that Allah and His Messenger knew better. We have a good example of this in the reports of the Prophet’s speech at the farewell pilgrimage. He asked the audience, “What month is this?” Now, everyone knew what month it was. But they answered, “Allah and His Messenger know better.” They did that because they thought he would give the month a new name. He went on asking questions, but, despite knowing the answers, they kept on saying, “Allah and His Messenger know better.” This was their reverence, the true face of piety (Sayyid, slightly reworded).

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَرْفَعُوا أَصْوَاتَكُمْ فَوْقَ صَوْتِ النَّبِيِّ وَلَا تَجْهَرُوا لَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ كَجَهْرِ بَعْضِكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ أَنْ تَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَ (2)

(49:2) O you who have believed, raise not your voices above the Prophet’s voice, nor speak aloud to him in talk,³ like the loudness of some of you to others⁴ – lest your deeds collapse while you perceive not.⁵

3. That is, do not shout out saying, “O Muhammad, O Muhammad,” or, “O Prophet of Allah, O Prophet of Allah,” or, “O Messenger of Allah, O Messenger of Allah” (Ibn Jarir).

It seems several events took place that could be connected to the revelation of this passage. (Bukhari for instance has the following: Qurtubi),

Ibn Abi Mulaykah says that the two good men Abu Bakr and `Umar were almost destroyed when they raised their voices in the presence of the Prophet at the time the Ban Tam im delegation arrived. One of them suggested Al-Aqra` b. H abis of Banu Muj ashe` as suitable for leadership, while the other suggested another man – N afe` said he could not remember his name. Abu Bakr told `Umar, ‘It seems you mean nothing but to oppose me.’ `Umar replied, ‘No, I didn’t mean that at all.’ They both raised their voices and Allah revealed, “Do not raise your voices above the Prophet’s voice..” Ibn Zubayr added that thereafter `Umar spoke to the Prophet in such low tones that he had to ask him to repeat (Ibn Jarir, Sayyid).

In this context there is another report which comes from ibn Shim as, he from his father. He said, “When this ayah was revealed Th abit b. Qays sat down in the street weeping. ` Asim b. `Adiyy happened to pass by and asked him why. Th abit said that perhaps the ayah about not raising voices above that of the Prophet was revealed to warn him, as he was a man of loud voice, and so, a man of the Fire. While ` Asim went to the Prophet, Th abit went home and said to his wife Jam ila, a daughter of `Abd Allah b. Ubayy b. Sallul to close the door of the stable behind him and nail it, which she did. He said he would not come out until the Prophet ordered him released. On the other side ` Asim reported to the Prophet that Thabit thought he was of the Fire. The Prophet told him to fetch him. ` Asim went to the same spot and not finding him there went to his house. There his wife Jam ila told him the story. ` Asim removed the nails and took him to the Prophet. He told him, ‘Are you not satisfied that you should live praised, die as a martyr and enter Paradise?’” Accordingly, reports says he died fighting the apostates in Yam amah (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi).

A shorter version of this report is in Bukhari, Muslim and others.

Qurtubi adds: When the Muslims met Musaylimah the Liar’s men in battle, initially they faced defeat. Th abit and S alim (the freed slave of Abu Hudayfah) said, “This is not how we used to fight during the Prophet’s life.” Then they dug themselves into a pit and fought on until both were martyred. It was then that the famous incident of Abu Bakr acting upon a dream took place. What happened was that Thabit was wearing an expensive coat of mail. Someone passed by after his martyrdom and took it off. Th abit appeared in another Muslim’s dream and told him to inform Khalid about what had happened. He identified the person and the place where his coat of mail could be found. He also told this person in his dream not to dismiss it as a mere dream but rather to inform Abu Bakr to pay back such and such a loan that he had left behind him by disposing off the coat of mail. Khalid retrieved the coat of mail and Abu Bakr got the “testament after death” executed.

Scholars have said that raising voices near the Prophet’s grave is similar to raising voices in his presence when he was alive (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

Bukhari reports that `Umar ibn al-Khattab heard raised voices of two men in the Prophet’s mosque. He asked them, “Do you realize where you are?” Then he asked them where they were from. They said they were from Ta’if. He said, “If you had been an inhabitant of Madinah, I would have got you whipped” (Ibn Kathir, Sayyid).

4. Asad comments: “While this relates in the first instance to the Prophet (saws), it may also be taken to apply to any supreme leader of the community (amir al-mu’minin) who acts as the Prophet’s successor (khalifah) and rules in his name, i.e., under the aegis of Islamic Law.”

5. (A Muslim needs to be careful about what he utters speaking out only the truth. The dissolution of deeds can take place without a man realizing it).A hadith of Bukhari says,

The Prophet (saws) said, “A man speaks out a word of Allah’s approval without paying much attention to it, but Allah raises his ranks thereby. Conversely, a man speaks out a word of Allah’s disapproval without paying any attention to it but Allah sinks him into Hellfire because of it” (Ibn Kathir).

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَغُضُّونَ أَصْوَاتَهُمْ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ امْتَحَنَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۚ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ (3)

(49:3) Verily those who lower their voices in the presence of the Messenger of Allah⁶ are the ones whose hearts Allah has tested for piety.⁷ For them is forgiveness and a mighty reward.

6. The main point is reverence of the Prophet which scholars deserve after him. It is reported of Ibn `Abbas that he would go to Ubayy’s house for learning the Qur’an, but would not knock at his door; rather wait for him to emerge. When Ubayy asked him why he would not knock, Ibn `Abbas replied that a scholar among his people is like a Prophet was among his Companions (Alusi).

7. The meaning given by Mujahid and Qatadah is that Allah (swt) tried these people and purified their hearts, just like, Ibn Jarir adds, gold and silver are heated on the fire to remove impurities.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُنَادُونَكَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْحُجُرَاتِ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ (4)

(49:4) Surely those who shout out for you from without the apartments,⁸ most of them do not understand.⁹

8. The textual word “hujrah” is any piece of land that is surrounded by a wall or fence. (It may or may not have an apartment within: Au.). Accordingly, a walled land for keeping camels is also a “hujrah” (Qurtubi, Alusi).

Hujurat al-Nabiyy:

The Prophet (saws) had nine “hujurat” for his nine wives. `Ata al-Khurasani said that the “hujurat” were walled with frond (date-palm branches), and a thick-hair cloth-curtain hung on the doors. Reports in Bukhari’s Adab al-Mufrad, Ibn Abi Dunya and Bayhaqi tell us that the hujurat were also covered from outside with hair-cloth. The distance from the fence door to the door of the apartment was around 6-7 feet. The apartment itself was around 10 feet by 7-8 feet. Hasan said that he used to enter the apartments of the Prophet’s wife during the Khilafah of `Uthman, and could touch the roof. They were all included into the mosque of the Prophet (saws) by the order of Walid b. `Abdul Malik, while the people were weeping. Sa`id b. Musayyib said, “By Allah, it would have been better if they had left the ‘hujurat’ as they were in order to be a lesson for generation after generation of Muslims to impress on them the kind of life their Prophet led.” Abu Umamah Sahl b. Hunayf is also reported to have made the same remarks (Alusi).

Ibn Kathir writes in his “Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah”: Walid b. `Abd al-Malik – the Umayyad Khalifah (d. 131 A.H.: Au.) ordered `Umar b. `Abd al-`Aziz to pay the price and demolish the houses of the Prophet’s wives to widen the Prophet’s mosque. He gathered together the ten fuqaha of Madinah and other scholars for consultation. They disagreed with him saying that those were low-roof apartments made from very simple construction materials. So, they may be left as they are to be a lesson for the visitors, who might learn that palatial houses are for Pharaohs .. etc. `Abdul `Aziz wrote back the consensus of the ten fuqaha to Al-Walid but he insisted that they be demolished. So `Abdul `Aziz had no recourse but to demolish them. When the work was begun the Madinans and in particular Banu Hashim began to weep. The general public too wept the way they had wept at the Prophet’s death (Au.).

9. “To shout aloud to your Leader from outside his Apartments shows disrespect both for his person, his time, and his engagements. Only ignorant fools would be guilty of such unseemly behaviour. It is more seemly for them to wait and bide their time until he is free to come out and attend to them. But, with the Messenger of Allah, much is forgiven that is due to lack of knowledge and understanding. In an earthly Court, ignorance of the Law excuseth no man. If a man behaved in that way to the General of an army or the Governor of a Province, not to speak of an earthly King, he would be laid hands on by the Guard, and could never gain the access he desires” (Yusuf Ali).

وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ صَبَرُوا حَتَّىٰ تَخْرُجَ إِلَيْهِمْ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ ۚ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ (5)

(49:5) Had they observed patience until you came out to them,¹⁰ it would have been better for them.¹¹ And Allah is All-forgiving, All-kind.

10. It is widely reported that this verse was revealed in response to an incident involving Al-Aqra` b. Habis of the Tamim tribe. He stood outside the Prophet’s house and began shouting, “O Muhammad, O Muhammad.” (He had a few men with him and the Prophet (saws) was then in his noon siesta: Qurtubi). The Prophet (saws) came out and asked him what the matter was. Al-Aqra` said,

“Muhammad. My praise is good and my curse is evil.” The Prophet (saws) said, “Woe unto you man, that’s Allah,” and this verse was revealed (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi). That is, that kind of description befits Allah (Au.).

The above report is in Ahmed (Ibn Kathir), but in the opinion of Haythami it is quite likely to be Mursal (S ami). It is also in Tirmidhi who termed it Hasan Gharib (Au.).

11. It is said that the men so shouting impatiently, had gone to the Prophet (saws) to seek release of some of their men taken captive. The Prophet released half of them on ransom and the rest free of cost. But, had they been patient, as the Qur’an said, it would have been better for them, for, the Prophet was likely to have freed all of them without ransom (Qurtubi).

Alusi adds that subsequently the Tamimis and the Muslims gathered together in the mosque where a sort of competition took place between a poet (Zabarq an b. Badr) and an orator (`Utarid b. Hajib) from their side, while a poet (Hass an b. Th abit) and an orator (Th abit b. Qays) represented the Prophet’s side. When it concluded their chieftain Aqra` b. H abis admitted that the Muslim poet and orator had defeated their poet and orator, and, in consequence, he and his tribal representatives embraced Islam.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا أَنْ تُصِيبُوا قَوْمًا بِجَهَالَةٍ فَتُصْبِحُوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلْتُمْ نَادِمِينَ (6)

(49:6) O you who have believed, if there comes to you an ungodly (person)¹² with a piece of news, then investigate,¹³ lest you afflict a people unwittingly and then become, about what you did, remorseful.¹⁴

12. The textual word is “fasiq” which has been understood here as “liar.” That was the opinion of Ibn Zayd, Muq atil and Sahl b. `Abdullah. Abul Hasan al-Warr aq defined “fasiq” as someone who commits sins openly while Ibn T ahir thought that it is someone who is not mindful of Allah (and hence not ashamed of himself: Au.) – Qurtubi. R aghib has said that “fisq” can involve minor as well as major sins and hence there are grades of “fisq”, “kufr” being at its extreme end” (Alusi).

13. Two verses later, the question of how to deal with warring Muslim factions is dealt with. At this point Allah impresses on us that most troubles start because of rumors. Hence this present verse (Shabbir, reworded).

14. The following is reported as the context of revelation. The Prophet (saws) sent Wal id b. `Uqbah b. Abi Mu`ayt to Banu Mustaliq for collection of zakah. He went up to them but when they came out to receive him, almost in joy, he thought that they were going to attack him and so retreated hastily. (It is said that his tribe and Banu Mustaliq had some quarrels between them before Islam: Au.). Wal id returned to the Prophet (saws) and told him that they seem to have become apostates, had refused zakah, and had tried to kill him. On the other side Banu Mustaliq feared that there was something wrong in the man’s hasty retreat and sent a delegate on his heels. The Prophet (saws) asked them whether they had become apostates. They denied and explained what had happened, and Allah (swt) revealed this verse (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi).

Mujahid and Qatadah add (as in Ibn Jarir: Au.) that the Prophet (saws) had actually sent Khalid ibn Wal id after Wal id b. `Uqbah’s return who reported back that he had witnessed their adhan and salah (Ibn Kathir).

The report about Wal id is in Ahmed (Ibn Kathir). The narrative is in Tabarani while the narrators of Ahmed are trustworthy (Haythami). It was this Wal id, writes Zamakhshari, who when appointed as governor of Kufa, led in Fajr Prayers and did four raka`ah. Then he turned to the congregation and asked, “Shall I do more for you?” He was drunk and `Uthman removed him from the governorship.

There are one or two other unpleasant stories about him, but some scholars have contended the reports, and since his name has not appeared in the Qur’an, nor in the hadith in deprecatory terms, Thanwi points out that it is not allowable to think of Wal id as a fasiq (Au.).

The ayah tells us by implication, Razi, Qurtubi and Alusi write, that a single person’s report (khabr al-wahid) is enough for acceptance of the news or a piece of information so long as he is not a fasiq (This establishes the strength of akhbar al-ahad of the hadith literature: Au.).

وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ فِيكُمْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ۚ لَوْ يُطِيعُكُمْ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ لَعَنِتُّمْ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ حَبَّبَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْإِيمَانَ وَزَيَّنَهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوقَ وَالْعِصْيَانَ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الرَّاشِدُونَ (7)

(49:7) And be mindful that you have Allah’s Messenger amongst you. If he were to obey you in much of the affairs, you would surely suffer,¹⁵ but Allah has endeared to you the Faith,¹⁶ decking it fair in your hearts, and has made detestable to you unbelief, ungodliness and disobedience¹⁷: they indeed, they are the rightly guided.¹⁸

15. As Allah said elsewhere (23: 71),

“If the Truth were to follow their vain desires, surely the heavens and the earth and all there are within them would be corrupted” (Ibn Kathir, Shabbir).

Qatadah is reported to have recited this verse and said, “Look, it were none but the Companions of the Prophet (saws); yet Allah (swt) said that if the Messenger followed their opinions they would be put to difficulties. As for you, By Allah, you are worse than them in opinion, and less intelligent than them. Therefore, consult Allah’s Book for it is the only trustworthy source (Ibn Jarir, shortened).

16. Hence the Prophetic statement,

i.e., “He who is delighted with his good deeds and is distressed by his evil deeds is a believer.” (The report is in Tirmidhi who rated it Hasan Sahih Gharib (Au.).

17. The disobedience here is in particular reference to the disobedience of the Prophet (Ibn Jarir).

18. “Fortunate indeed was the generation among whom the Prophet of Allah walked in his daily life. His example was inspiring. Their inner Faith was dear to them; it was a thing to be proud of in their innermost hearts; and they loved discipline, obedience, and righteousness. No wonder all their other disadvantages were neutralised, and they went from strength to strength. Nothing but the Grace of Allah could have brought about such a result” (Yusuf Ali).

It is reported by Imam Ahmed and Nas a’i, (in his Al-Kabir) that after the pagans had withdrawn on the day of Uhud (another version says, the day of Hudaybiyyah: S ami), the Prophet (saws) said, “Line up so that I may praise my Lord.” So they fell in rows behind him and he made the following supplication,

“O Allah, all praise belongs to You. O Allah there is no withholder of what You extend, nor an extender of what You withhold; no guide to him whom You sent astray and no one to send astray him whom You guided; no bestower of what You deny and no denier of what You bestow; no one to bring nearer what You send away and no one to send away what You draw close. O Allah, extend to us Your blessings, mercy, grace and provision. O Allah I ask You the lasting delight: those that do not shift, nor move away. O Allah, I ask You for blessings on a day of want, peace on a day of fear. O Allah, I seek Your protection against what you have bestowed on us and the evil of what you have denied. O Allah, endear the Faith to us, deck it fair in our hearts and make unbelief, impiety and disobedience detestable to us and make us of the rightly guided. O Allah, allow us die as Muslims, live as Muslims, and join us with the righteous ones: dishonored, and untried. O Allah, fight the unbelievers: those who cry lies to Your Messengers and prevent from Your path, and, place upon them Your abomination and Your torment. O Allah, fight the unbelievers from among those who were given the Book .. O the True God” (Ibn Kathir).

فَضْلًا مِنَ اللَّهِ وَنِعْمَةً ۚ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ (8)

(49:8) A favor from Allah and a bounty.¹⁹ And Allah is All-knowing, All-wise.

19. If it is asked: this endearing of the faith, the detestation of unbelief, ungodliness and disobedience .. how did this all happen? The answer is: this is a favor from Allah and His bounty (Ibn Jarir).

وَإِنْ طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ فَإِنْ بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَىٰ فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِي تَبْغِي حَتَّىٰ تَفِيءَ إِلَىٰ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ ۚ فَإِنْ فَاءَتْ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا بِالْعَدْلِ وَأَقْسِطُوا ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ (9)

(49:9) And if two factions of the believers fight (among themselves), then make peace between them. Thereafter, if one of them rebels against the other,²⁰ then fight the faction that rebels until it reverts to the ordinance of Allah.²¹ But if it reverts, then make peace between the two equitably.²² And be just, surely Allah loves the just.²³

20. What does rebellion against the other faction constitute? Ibn Jarir says it consists in refusing to accept the judgment by the Book while the other faction accepts it.

And Ibn `Abbas has said that if the mainstream believers are to fight a rebelling party, it can only be done under the leadership of the Imam (the man heading the Muslim government) – Ibn Jarir.

It might also be noted that despite two Muslim factions coming to armed conflict with each other, Allah (swt) referred to them as believers, as against the Khaw arij for instance, who believed that a sinner involved in major sins is out of the boundary of Islam. This is confirmed by a hadith also. Once the Prophet (saws) addressed from the pulpit while Hasan b. `Ali (a child) was with him. He pointed to Hasan and said,

“This my son is a true leader. Perhaps Allah will make peace between two huge Muslim factions through him” (Ibn Kathir). The report is in Bukhari and the point is, despite the two factions, Iraqis and Syrians, who had earlier met in the battlefields several times, the Prophet (saws) referred to them as Muslims in his prediction (Au.).

21. (This interference indeed is a religious duty: Au.). The Prophet (saws) has said,

“Help your brother, whether an oppressor or oppressed.” A man inquired, “Messenger of Allah, I could help him if he was oppressed. But what do you say if he happens to be the oppressor? How could I help him?” He answered, “Restrain him, or prevent him from oppression. That would be helping him” (Ibn Kathir).

22. Although several minor incidents took place, the major event to which the reference seems to be is as follows: Someone suggested to the Prophet (saws) that he should visit `Abdullah b. Ubayy. (This was previous to the battle of Badr: Au.). He started off (on a donkey, with a group of believers on foot: Qurtubi). As he approached him he found him sitting with a group of people (from Aws, Khazraj and Jews: Au.), Ibn Ubayy remarked, “Keep a distance from me. Your donkey’s smell is offensive.” (According to another report: “Don’t blow dust into our faces”: Au.). At that one of the Ansar said, “By Allah, the smell of the Prophet’s donkey is better than your smell.” That angered some of Ibn Ubayy’s friends and they got divided into two groups (according to some reports, into Awsis and Khazrajis: Au.). Heated words led to blows and slippers into the hands. (The Prophet) prevented further violence by cooling down the several factions and left: Au.). Allah (swt) revealed this verse. It was of course a fight without arms (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

Muslim has a longer version containing other details (Au.).

A few rules that are applicable to the situations where the mainstream Muslims fight a rebellious faction are as follows: No prisoners are to be taken from either side, women are not captured, booty cannot be seized, those fleeing cannot be chased, neither blood wit nor retaliation can be demanded (because the aim of the war is not to annihilate the other party, but to bring it back to the mainstream: Sayyid). It is also agreed by consensus that the battles between the Companions (Jamal, Siffin or others), were either accidental, or results of ijtihad. Therefore, criticism of either those who participated, or of those who refused to participate, is disallowed. Muslims cannot hold any grudge against any of the Companions because of the role he played in one of the battles between themselves because, although Talha and Zubayr were on the side opposing `Ali, the Prophet (saws) had said about Talha that he is one of the inhabitants of Paradise. Similarly, `Ali said about the murderer of Zubayr that he was in the Fire. One of the scholars of the past generation was asked to give his opinion about the battles that the Companions fought between themselves. He replied, “My hands are free of their blood, why should I color my tongue with it?” When Hasan al-Busri was asked, he said, “The Companions of Muhammad were present, while we were absent, they knew while we are ignorant; when they arrive at a consensus, we follow them; and when they differ, we desist” (Qurtubi).

Another incident is reported in this context. It seems there was an Ansari called `Imran with a wife called Umm Zayd. She wished to visit her folks but he prevented her by locking her in an upper chamber. She sent word to her folks. They brought her down to take her with them. The husband showed up and sought the help of his own folks. The two groups came to blows and this verse was revealed. The Prophet (saws) made peace between them and the two agreed to accept Allah’s judgment (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

Yusuf Ali comments: “Individual quarrels are easier to compose than group quarrels, or, in the modern world, national quarrels. But the collective community of Islam should be supreme over groups or nations. It would be expected to act justly and try to compose the quarrel, for peace is better than fighting. But if one party is determined to be the aggressor, the whole force of the community is brought to bear on it. The essential condition of course is that there should be perfect fairness and justice and respect for the highest principles; for Islam takes account of every just and legitimate interest without separating spiritual from temporal matters. The League of Nations failed because these essentials were absent and today the United Nations fails for the same reason.” (They make peace, but - being dishonest - without justice, and so the quarrels linger on: Au.).

Although in practice the issue can be quite complicated, the following fiqh points may help understand a few situations:

Ahl al-Hall wa al-`Aqd

There can be no rebellion against an Islamic government established by consensus of the “ahl al-hull wa al-`aqd” (the releasing and binding authorities).

The “ahl al-hull wa al-`aqd” nominate the head of the state: the “amir al-mu’minin.” The qualifications are: he should be a Muslim, knowledgeable of state affairs, sagacious, a man of courage and character, and loyal to the Ummah. (Although desirable, he need not be a scholar, nor pious; enough if he is not a fasiq).

Anyone who nominates himself, or is desirable of the post is disqualified by default unless nominated by the “ahl al-hull wa al-`aqd” (whatever his sentiments vis a vis the post).

The “ahl al-hull wa al-`aqd” have the authority to remove the head of state and replace, by consensus, whenever they feel things are going awry. No one else nor any Body can remove a head of state, except those who have the appointing authority.

Removal of the “amirul mu’minin” does not necessarily mean dismissal of ministers and high officials. The state keeps functioning and the transition is smooth: only the top position undergoes replacement, (just like a multinational corporate business, which changes its CEO without disturbing any sector of the company).

He in turn forms a “Shoura” (Advisory Council) to help him appoint officials to run the affairs (but in practice to fill in new posts, or remove a few erring ones hear and there).

The Shoura may include such members of the “ahl al-hull wa al-`aqd” who are ready to devote their time, whether on voluntary basis or at cost, to help the “amir al-mu’minin” in the affairs of the state: creating departments, department heads, replacement of some, and so on whenever the need arises. In other words, the head of state has the authority to make his own choice on the basis of personal knowledge and that of the advisory council, where the posts involve national interests.

Since the governing authorities in Islam do no more than implement the directives of the Qur’an and Sunnah, every department acts more or less autonomously, so long as instructions contrary to the practice do not arrive from the top, i.e., from the “amir” (and not from the Shoura whose range of power does not go downwards, but only acts upwards).

The “ahl al-hull wa al-`aqd” are Muslim leaders of the community and include: prominent scholars, tribal chiefs, social leaders, wealthy merchants, high-ranking officials, think-tanks, and other influential persons, but not artists, sportsmen and their like. They must necessary be “`adl” that is, endowed with moral and religious uprightness, honesty and trustworthiness. Their job is to appoint an “amir” and help him in state affairs, when requested, but not to run the state. No one but the “amir” reports to them. In short, the Shoura is the Advisory Council and not the Governing Council.

The “ahl al-hull wa al-`aqd” (the Advisory body) need not necessarily consist of such individuals alone as described above, but may be comprised of those who take active interest in community affairs, although the doors are open for anyone who qualifies.

The “ahl al-hull wa al-`aqd” cannot be elected by popular vote. They are the people who are there in the community, as a matter of fact and existence; such individuals who play their prominent role whether recognized by the common public or not.

It is also not necessary, though desirable, that every leading personality of the far-flung Islamic state should be consulted. If the local members of the “ahl al-hull wa al-`aqd” should choose someone, the choice is binding on all, unless there is protest, disagreement, and rejection by members of this class from other quarters of the state; in which case the body of the “ahl al-hull wa al-`aqd” will have to be expanded to include all who qualify and are desirable of participation.

The modern democratic system of election by popular vote does not meet with the Islamic requirement of nomination by the “ahl al-hull wa ahl al-`aqd” although its legality is established by another route as a tolerated evil. (It is another thing that it is not adequate. Democracy today is the elitist means of robbing a country’s resources. Like any other crime, Islam has no solution for political crimes).

No rebellion is allowable against an Islamic government that is established by the above process. Obedience is binding on all. Bay`ah (oath of allegiance) of the amir by the common folk or the elite, is not an absolute necessity (Au.).

23. Muslim has a hadith on the topic of justice. The Prophet (saws) said,

“Surely, those who render justice will be on rostrums of Light, near Allah, on the right side of the Compassionate, the Most honored, the Exalted - and both His hands are right; those who are just when they judge while dealing with their homefolk, and while dealing with what they are given charge of” (Ibn Kathir).

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ (10)

(49:10) The believers are but brothers,²⁴ so make peace between your two (factional) brothers.²⁵ And fear Allah haply that you may be shown mercy.

24. The tie of brotherhood in Islam is stronger than the tie of brotherhood by lineage. This is because brotherhood by lineage is broken if religions are different while brotherhood of Islam remains even if the tie of lineage is broken.

This was further emphasized by the Prophet (saws). He said, as in a tradition preserved by Muslim:

The Prophet (saws) said, “Do not envy each other, do not help raise prices up, do not carry ill will for each other, do not boycott each other, and let not some of you bid over (a commodity) already traded off to another; but rather, be Allah’s slaves, brothers unto each other. A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim. He does not wrong him, does not humiliate him, and does not look down upon him. Piety is here – pointing to his chest, three times. It is enough of evil for a man that he should look down upon his brother Muslim. Everything of a Muslim is unlawful unto another Muslim: whether it is his blood, property or honor” (Qurtubi).

Ibn Kathir adds the following:

“A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim. He does not wrong him nor forsake him.”

Another report says,

“Allah is in the aid of a slave so long as he is in the aid of his brother.” A third report says,

“Whoever supplicated for his brother in his absence, has the guardian angel say, ‘Amin! And may you have similar (to it).’”

But of course, ahadith on this topic are pretty many. We have presented here a few as a sample (Ibn Kathir).

The above three ahadith are from Muslim’s collection (Au.).

25. Yet another proof that factional Muslims fighting each other remain Muslims is in the following. `Ali was asked about those who fought against him, “Were they polytheists?” He replied, “No. It is polytheism from which they had fled.” It was asked, “Were they hypocrites?” He answered, “No, because hypocrites do not remember Allah but little.” He was asked, “Then, how are they to be identified?” He answered, “Our brothers who rebelled against us” (Qurtubi).

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِنْ قَوْمٍ عَسَىٰ أَنْ يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِنْهُمْ وَلَا نِسَاءٌ مِنْ نِسَاءٍ عَسَىٰ أَنْ يَكُنَّ خَيْرًا مِنْهُنَّ ۖ وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقَابِ ۖ بِئْسَ الِاسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الْإِيمَانِ ۚ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَتُبْ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ (11)

(49:11) O you who have believed,²⁶ let not a people scoff at another;²⁷ may be they are better than themselves, nor should women (scoff) at other women; may be they are better than themselves.²⁸ Neither defame one another nor insult one another by (offensive) nicknames.²⁹ Evil is the ungodly name after faith. And, whoso repents not, those .. they are the evildoers.

26. In the following few verses directions are being given over the kind of interpersonal and social relationship that should be generated. Ibn Kathir has the following from Ibn Majah, though he places it elsewhere in the Surah:

`Abdullah ibn `Umar reports: “I saw the Prophet (saws) going round the Ka`bah and saying, ‘How good you and your smell! How great you and greatness of your sacredness! But, by Him in whose hand is Muhammad’s life, surely the sacredness of a believer is greater with Allah than your sacredness, his property and his life; and that we are not to think of him but in good terms.”

Bus iri has said that the chain of narration has been questioned. One of the narrators was distrusted by one, although trusted by another Hadith Doctor (Sami).

27. It seems there were several incidents that provoked the revelation of this verse. One was that of Th abit b. Qays who had some hearing problem so that when he came he would try and sit close to the Prophet (saws) to be able to hear him. Once he came late, but saying, “Open up, open up,” moved forward until someone refused to move saying, “You have found a place to sit, so why don’t you take your position there?” Thabit felt irritated and asked him who he was. The man identified himself saying that he was so and so, naming his father. Thabit said, “But you are the son of so and so,” naming his mother. The man felt embarrassed and this verse was revealed. (Thabit said, “Hereafter I shall never pride on ancestry: Alusi). Dahh ak said it came down when the Banu Tamim delegate made fun of some of the poor Companions. Some say it was revealed when some people referred to `Ikrimah b. Abu Jahl as “the son of the Pharaoh of this Ummah.” Other reasons have also been put forward (Qurtubi).

Mawdudi elucidates: “Mocking does not only imply mocking with the tongue but such things are also includes as mimicking someone, making pointed references to him, laughing out at his words, or his works, or his appearance, or his dress, or calling the people’s attention to a defect in him so that others may also laugh at him. All these forms of behavior are forbidden.”

28. It is said that the verse was revealed because two of the Prophet’s wives made fun of Umm Salamah. On another occasion some other wives made fun of her height. Yet others say that the context of revelation is `A’isha pointing to Safiyyah’s short height. Some others referred to her as the daughter of a Jew which brought down this verse (Qurtubi).

29. Dahhak said that the Banu Salamah complained to the Prophet (saws) saying, “Messenger of Allah. You arrived in a situation when there was none among us but was given two or three nicknames. Now, when one of them was referred by a certain nickname, he felt insulted.” So Allah revealed this verse. Other reports suggest that this was a common practice among the pre-Islamic Arabs. Nevertheless, the allusion here is not merely to nicknames. `Ikrimah, Mujahid and others have said that using such appellations as, “O Fasiq,” or, “O hypocrite,” or addressing a former Jew or Christian as “O Jew,” or “O Christian,” or referring to someone’s past after his repentance, etc., is also included (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi). The report is in Ahmed, Abu Da’ud and Tirmidhi who termed it Hasan Sahih.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا يَغْتَبْ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَحِيمٌ (12)

(49:12) O you who have believed, avoid much suspicion,³⁰ verily some suspicion is sin. And, do not spy,³¹ neither backbite one another.³² Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother?³³ So you abhor it. Therefore, fear Allah, surely Allah is Oft-turning, All-kind.³⁴

30. (A Muslim needs to be constantly on the guard lest he should fall into suspecting those who do not deserve to be suspected: Au.). `Umar is reported to have said, “Do not fall into suspicion on the basis of a word that comes out of a man’s mouth (errantly) except for giving him the benefit of doubt. You will discover that the uttered word is possible of a good interpretation.” However, when all evidences are there, wisdom requires that they be taken at face value as it happened during the governorship of Walid b. `Uqbah, when `Uthman (ra) was the Caliph. At that time of the incident, Ibn Mas`ud was the Exchequer under Walid b. `Uqbah himself. He (Walid) was brought to Ibn Mas`ud with his beard dripping wine. Ibn Mas`ud remarked, “We have been forbidden to spy. But if something appears right before us, then we go by it.” (Walid was called back to Madinah and given lashes on the order of `Uthman. Subsequently, after `Uthman’s death, Waleed retreated to Al-Jazirah [Iraq], refusing to take part in the political struggle that ensued: Au.) – Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Alusi.

There are, of course, several ahadith about entertaining good opinion of one another. One is from Bukhari (which Ibn Kathir quotes partially but we do it in full: Au.). It says,

Abu Hurayrah reports the Prophet (saws) as having said, “Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales. Do not spy, do not be inquisitive, do not carry mutual hatred, but rather, be brothers and let not a man propose after the proposal of a brother until he either marries or gives up” (Ibn Kathir).

Another version includes a few other things as in Muslim and Tirmidhi,

“Do not boycott each other, do not shun each other, do not bear hatred for each other, do not envy each other, but rather be slaves of Allah, brothers (unto each other); and, it is not lawful for a Muslim to shun his brother for more than three days” (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

31. To be sure, annuls of history record that once when `Umar and `Abd al-Rahman b. `Awf were patrolling the town, they passed by a house with lights on and emitting noises. `Umar suspected that they were drinking wine and asked ibn `Awf what should be their course of action. Ibn `Awf said they had good reason for punitive action. `Umar said, “But Allah has said, ‘Do not spy,’” and moved on (Ibn Kathir, Alusi).

(The following tradition recorded by Ahmed, Abu D a’ud and Nas a’i throws light on the topic of spying: Au.):

Dukhayn told `Uqbah b. ` Amir, “We have neighbors who drink wine. I intend to call the police to arrest them.” He replied, “Do not do it. But, at best, admonish them and threaten them.” Dukhayn did it to no avail. So he went to `Uqbah to say, “I tried to prevent them, but no use. So, I think I’ll call the police now.” `Uqbah said, “Woe unto you man, don’t do it. I have heard the Prophet (saws) say, ‘He who concealed a believer’s hidden weakness, is like he who gave new life to an infant buried alive in her grave.’” (Ibn Kathir).

Another report, preserved by Abu Da’ud has Mu` awiyyah saying,

I heard the Prophet (saws) say, “If you pursued the people’s hidden affairs you will corrupt them, or, almost so.” Finally, Abu Umamah has a very pertinent report, also preserved by Abu D a’ud. It says,

“If a ruler pursues doubtful affairs of the people, he will corrupt them” (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

32. Ibn Jarir presents a hadith in this context in words slightly different from what they are in Tirmidhi from which we reproduce here,

The Prophet (saws) was asked, “What is backbiting?” He answered, “That you should say something about your brother what he dislikes (to hear).” He asked, “What about when what I say is there in him?” He answered, “If what you say is there in him then you have done backbiting. But if it is not in him then you have slandered him.”

It is also reported that a woman entered upon ` A’isha. When she rose up to go, she signaled with her hand to indicate how short she was. The Prophet (saws) told her, “You committed backbiting against her.” (Ibn Jarir, Kashsh af, Ibn Kathir, Alusi). On another occasion when a man got up from the Prophet’s company, he evinced weakness. They said (after he was gone), “Messenger of Allah, how weak he is.” He replied, “You ate your brother’s flesh and have done him backbiting” (Ibn Jarir).

Another report has ‘ A’isha reporting about herself in a hadith Sahih documented by Tirmidhi:

“I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, Safiyyah is a woman .. (pointing with her hand that she was so short).’ He answered, ‘You have adulterated (your talk) with a word (of such class) that had you adulterated it with sea water, it would have adulterated it.’”

However, there are situations in which making an unsalutary remark about a person is not counted as “ghibah” (backbiting). We have the example of the Prophet (saws) speaking of Mu`awiyyah as poor, or Abu Jahm as violent, before Fatimah bint Qays when she consulted him after the two had proposed to her (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir). Hasan (al-Busri) said that to mention someone given to innovations (bid`ah) unapprovingly, is not backbiting (That is, mentioning his bid`ah: Alusi). Hasan also said that of three there is no backbiting: He who is given to following his base desires, he who commits major sins openly, and a tyrant ruler (Qurtubi).

Otherwise, the sanctity of a Muslim remains as said the Prophet (saws) in a hadith of Muslim:

“Your lives, your wealth, your honor are all as sacred between yourselves, as this day of yours is (9th of Dhu al-Hijjah) in this month of yours (Dhu al-Hijjah) in this land of yours (Makkah)” – Ibn Kathir.

33. (Herewith a few ahadith on the ill effects of backbiting. One is in Ahmed. `Ubayd, the freed-slave of the Prophet (saws) reported that,

Two women fasted. A man came to the Prophet (saws) and said that there were two women who were fasting and that they were about to die from thirst. The Prophet (saws) ignored him, or perhaps remained silent. But he repeated, and I think said somewhat loudly, “Messenger of Allah, the two are dead or very near to dying.” He asked them to be brought. They came, and he asked for a goblet – or maybe a vessel. Then he said to one of them, “Vomit.” She vomited blood, puss, flesh until she had filled half the goblet. Then he asked the other to vomit and she vomited, blood, puss and blood-like flesh until she filled the goblet. Then he said, “These two abstained against what Allah has otherwise made lawful but fed themselves on what Allah has made unlawful to them. One of them sat down with the other and the two began to eat people’s flesh.”

Albani declared the above report weak (Au.).

(A report informs us that there were physical effects of sins that the Prophet (saws) and his men were able to sense: Au.). It is in Ahmed:

Jabir b. `Abdullah said, “Once we were with the Prophet (saws) when a stinking smell arose. The Prophet (saws) asked, ‘Do you know what smell is this? It is the smell of those who backbite the Muslims.’”

(Indeed, it is clear that no one’s, and not the slightest of backbiting is acceptable in Islam, including any slip of the tongue: Au.). An incident recorded by Hafiz Diy auddin al-Maqdisi in his “Al-Mukhtarah” runs as follows:

On the authority of Anas b. Malik: The Arabs were used to serving each other during journeys. (According to another report: on hire). Abu Bakr and `Umar had a man to serve them. The two slept. When they woke up they found that he had not prepared any food for them. They said, “This is a sleeper,” and woke him up. They told him to go to the Prophet (saws), say salam, and tell him that the two seek some dish (to eat bread with). He answered, “They have already had the dish.” So the two went up to him and asked what dish was it that they had. He answered, “The flesh of your brother’s flesh. By Him in whose hand is my life, I can see his flesh between your teeth.” They said, “Seek forgiveness for us Messenger of Allah.” He said, “Ask him to seek forgiveness for you” (Ibn Kathir, Alusi).

(How serious this moral failure is can be judged from the unusually harsh words that the Prophet (saws) employed while warning of the consequences of backbiting: Au.). Abu Barzah al-Aslami reports as documented by Abu D a’ud,

He said, “O those who have believed with the tongue but in whose heart faith did not enter, do not backbite the Muslims, nor try to discover their hidden weaknesses, for whoever tried to discover their hidden weaknesses, will have Allah uncover his hidden weaknesses. And, whosoever Allah began to uncover his hidden weaknesses, will disgrace him in his own house” (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

(Another report evinces the Prophet’s impatience: Au.). It says, (as in a trusted report of Hafiz Abu Ya`l a):

Bara’ b. ` Azib said, “The Prophet (saws) addressed us in (such a loud voice as to make) hear the virgins in their homes – or maybe he said, (from behind) their curtains – saying, ‘O those whose tongue has believed, do not backbite the Muslims nor try to discover their hidden weaknesses, for whoever tried to discover their hidden weaknesses, will have Allah uncover his hidden weaknesses. And, whosoever Allah began to uncover his hidden weaknesses, will be disgraced in the depth of his home’” (Kashshaf, Ibn Kathir, Alusi).

(No wonder then that the punishment should be severe: Au.). The Prophet (saws) said as in a report of Ahmed, Abu D a’ud and others,

On the authority of Anas b. Malik, the Prophet (saws) said, “When I was taken up (during the Night Ascent), I passed by a people who had nails of copper. They were deep-scratching their faces and breasts. I asked,‘Who are these people, O Jibra’il?’ He answered, ‘These are a people who eat other people’s flesh and indulge in their honor’” (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

Another incident brings out the heinousness of backbiting more tellingly. It says,

Ma`iz went up to the Prophet (saws) and said, “Messenger of Allah! I have committed fornication.” He ignored him until he repeated four times. When it was the fifth time he asked, “Did you fornicate?” He said, “Yes.” He asked, “Do you know what fornication is?” He answered, “Yes. I went into her unlawfully the way a man goes into his wife lawfully.” He asked, “What exactly do you mean by saying this?” He answered, “I want you to cleanse me.” The Prophet (saws) asked him, “Did you insert your that into hers it until it disappeared like a needle in a Kohl bottle?” He answered, “Yes.” So the Prophet ordered him stoned to death. Then the Prophet heard one of his Companions saying to another, “Look at this man. Allah covered him but he would not spare himself until he had to be stoned to death like a dog.” The Prophet (saws) stayed quiet. Then he walked by until he came across the carcass of a donkey with its legs up. He inquired, “Where is so and so?” The two said, “Here we are O Messenger of Allah.” He said, “Get down and feast upon this donkey.” They said, “Messenger of Allah! May Allah forgive you, who will eat from this?” He said, “What you indulged in of your brother’s honor just now was worse than eating from a carcass. And, by Him in whose hands is my life, just now he is taking a dip in the springs of Paradise” (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

(That the Prophet was terribly upset with the two is apparent. But how hurt the two felt may be gathered from their words to him, “May Allah forgive you!” To this writer there is not a second occasion when somebody told the Prophet (saws), “May Allah forgive you.” Nonetheless, Islam remained and the relationship of love and trust between the Prophet and his Companions remained: despite things coming to such a pass, despite the Prophet’s application of the strictest standards of morality, and despite such harsh treatment he meted out to his Companions, who had the option of splitting away from him, to give us some idea of the true nature of this religion and the absolute sincerity of relationship between him and his followers, who, thus trained, then proceeded to establish the Kingdom of God never established before or after: Au.).

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ مِنْ ذَكَرٍ وَأُنْثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ (13)

(49:13) O mankind, We have created you out of a male and female³⁵ and made you tribes³⁶ and clans so that you may identify each other.³⁷ Surely, the noblest among you in the sight of Allah is the most godfearing of you.³⁸ Verily, Allah is All-knowing, All-aware.

34. Ibn Kathir writes: The question is, what should one do who did some backbiting? Should he seek the victim’s forgiveness? The answer is, no. Perhaps telling him will cause him pain. But instead, it is advisable to speak well of the victim in the same assemblies where he spoke against him, to nullify the backbiting to the extent possible. Imam Ahmed has a hadith (both promising, as well as threatening, although the topic is not exactly the same: Au.),

The Prophet (saws) said, “Whoever defended a believer from a hypocrite, will have (Allah) raising an angel to protect his flesh on the Day of Standing in Hellfire. On the other hand, whoever slandered a Muslim wishing him ill, will be held on the Bridge on Hell until he reproduces what he said.”

The authenticity of this report could not be traced (Au.).

Alusi adds that according to a hadith in Sahih of Ibn Hibban, it is not allowed to backbite an unbeliever. It runs as follows:

“Whoever made a Jew or a Christian hear (what he does not like) will be in the Fire.”

It appears that the above hadith is speaking of Dhimmis. Nonetheless, it does not apply to an unbeliever at war with Muslims. Imam Ghazali also wrote that it is not right to speak ill of an unbeliever in his absence.

Another report, that of Abu D a’ud is on the authority of J abir b. `Abdullah and Abu Talha Ansari.

The Prophet (saws) said, “No Muslim will insult a Muslim, in a situation where he is being insulted and his honor is being attacked, but Allah will humiliate him in a situation where he would love to receive His help. And no Muslim will help another Muslim, in a situation where his honor is being attacked and he is being insulted, but Allah will help him in a situation where he would love to receive His help” (Ibn Kathir).

The Muslims of the past were quite careful about falling into this heinous sin. I (Qurtubi) heard Abu al-` Asim say, “I never did any backbiting since the time I came to know its seriousness.” Maym un b. Siy ah would not listen to anyone backbiting before him. He would forbid it or leave the place. `Umar is reported to have said, “Beware that you mention the people (in your assemblies), for it is a sickness. But make it a practice to mention Allah, for it is a cure.” Sufyan Thawri has said that the least of backbiting is to use words of double meaning. `Amr b. `Ubayd was told by some people, “So and so did your backbiting to the extent that we began to feel sorry for you.” He answered, “Let you feel sorry for him instead.” Someone told Hasan, “I hear that you have done my backbiting.” He answered, “You are not important enough for me to allow your person destroy my good deeds” (Qurtubi).

35. Thus, men and women are treated equal. Majid quotes a Western Christian woman writer: “Muhammad is supposed to have inspired her docile acquiesce to faith to have denied her self-expression in competition with men, and to have closed for her all doors which made spiritual and mental development possible. But this idea is contrary to fact … On the advent of Mohammad the position of woman was not enviable. He found her to be little more than a chattel – a condition which was due in large part to the teaching of the Hebrew rabbis. The Hebrew religion, which was practiced throughout the area into which Mohammad carried his teaching, had placed a decided stamp of inferiority upon her. She was inherited like any piece of furniture, and the heir could do with her as he pleased. She had no protection, no recourse to law, no right of inheritance. That to the Prophet (saws) was a state of affairs no longer to be tolerated. He believed woman was to be the ‘equal sister of man,’ and determined to strengthen the Moslem state by forcing a recognition of her equality … He limited polygamy and abolished infanticide. He instituted the marriage contract, inheritance right, and the privilege of divorce for women, while he discouraged divorce as the behest of one or the other where difference could reasonably be dissolved. He established the principles of dowry and provided for the inviolable maintenance of part of it for the woman’s protection. He safeguarded her further by decreeing religious favor to those who would assist in the support of widows and orphans. He recognized woman’s earlier as well as contemporary contribution to civilization, and urged her highest development spiritually and morally as an asset to the State. This was indeed a single advance in the thinking of that period, and a transformation in social custom which would be remarkable in any age.” (Miss Flory. The Muslim World, New York, January 1940, pp. 16-17).

36. Qurtubi writes: “Sha`b” (pl. shu`ub) is the great mass of people of an area who trace their origin to a single man. Within it there can be several tribes. The structure is something like this, with some differences over the arrangement, ‘ashirah being the lowest and smallest denomination:

Thus, writes Alusi, Khuzaymah were sha`b, Kinanah were qabilah, Quraysh were ‘imarah, Qusayy were batn, Hashim were fakhidh, and `Abbas was fasilah.

Alusi does not mention `ashirah, as the word suggests, is perhaps for a family of around ten twenty people.

Today, sha`b is used in the sense of nation, e.g., sha`b masri, meaning, the Egyptian people, but this was not the original meaning. Originally it belonged to an organized system as against today’s disorganized and chaotic societies organized on the basis of wealth, race, language, color and region. Naturally, it remains incoherent so that an individual cannot bank upon anyone but himself. Modern nationalistic societal organizations are disintegrative systems (Au.).

37. That is, know each other as to who belongs to whom and how they are related to each other.

قَالَتِ الْأَعْرَابُ آمَنَّا ۖ قُلْ لَمْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَلَٰكِنْ قُولُوا أَسْلَمْنَا وَلَمَّا يَدْخُلِ الْإِيمَانُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ ۖ وَإِنْ تُطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ لَا يَلِتْكُمْ مِنْ أَعْمَالِكُمْ شَيْئًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ (14)

(49:14) The Bedouins say,³⁹ ‘We have believed.’ Say, ‘You have not yet believed; but rather say, “We have surrendered.⁴⁰ Faith has not yet entered your hearts.⁴¹ If you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will diminish not aught of your deeds. Verily, Allah is the All-forgiving, All-kind.”

38. Majid quotes a Western scholar: “No consideration of birth, or race, or color, or money, have prevented a man from rising to the post for which it had been recognized that he was fit. Zaid, the Prophet’s freedman, led his armies in war … A dynasty of Circassian slaves ruled Egypt for a century before its conquest by the Ottoman Turks, and it is said that Christians from the Caucasus were glad to be carried off as slaves to Egypt because each one felt that he might rise to be sultan.” (Bosworth Smith, p. 250).

Bukhari preserved a hadith in this context. It is on the authority of Abu Hurayrah,

The Prophet (saws) was asked, “Who is the most honorable among the people?” He answered, “The most pious of them is the most honorable of them.” They said, “O Prophet, we are not asking about such a man.” He said, “Then the most honorable of the people was Yusuf, a Prophet of Allah, son of a Prophet, son of a Prophet, son of Allah’s Friend (Ibrahim).” They said, “It is not about him that we ask.” He said, “Then perhaps it is about the Arab roots that you are asking.” They said, “Yes.” He answered, “Those of you who were good in the pre-Islamic times are good in Islam, if they acquire understanding” (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Alusi).

(A man’s worth is not by any physical property, but by the moral and spiritual condition: Au.). Says a hadith in Muslim,

The Prophet (saws) said, “Verily, Allah does not look at your faces, nor at your wealth but looks at your hearts and deeds.” He advised Abu Dharr in words,

“Beware. You are no better than a white or a black man unless you are better than him in godliness” (Qurtubi).

Another report is from Bazzar:

The Prophet (saws) said, “All of you are from Adam and Adam was created out of dust. People should desist from priding by their forefathers or they will be more dishonorable in the sight of Allah than dung beetles” (Ibn Kathir, Alusi).

The above report has been thought weak, but a longer report in Abu Da’ud has been treated as trustworthy (Au.).

Another report comes to us from no less than Abu Lahab’s daughter Durrah. It says, as in Ahmed with a good chain of transmission,

A man got up and asked the Prophet (saws), “Who is the best of the people?” He answered, “The best of the people is the most learned, the most godfearing, the most to be enjoining virtue, the most to be prohibiting vice and the most to be joining the kin.”

Finally, we have the Prophet’s own preference. `A’isha reports,

“Nothing ever of this world pleased the Prophet (saws), nor did anyone please him ever, except a man of piety” (Ibn Kathir).

Haythami remarked about the above report that except for Ibn Lehi`yah, (whom some thought as weak) the rest of the chain is of trustworthy narrators (Au.).

Hence we find, continues Ibn Kathir, that when `Abdul Rahman heard one of the Banu Hashim say, “I am closer to the Prophet (saws),” he remarked, “You might be closer to him by blood ties, but there are others who are closer than you.”

Yet another narrative from Abu D a’ud is brought to us by Abu Hurayrah:

The Prophet (saws) said, “Surely Allah has removed from you the divisions of the times of Ignorance, and priding over the origins. (Now it is either) a believing pious man, or a corrupt wretched person. You are from Adam and Adam was from dust. Men should give up priding by people of the past - who are indeed coals upon coals in Jahannum – or they will be more odious in the sight of Allah than a dung-beetle that pushes the stinky-filth with its nose” (Au.).

The above statement also speaks of the Prophet’s keen observational habit. It is not a common sight in the field to spot a tiny beetle pushing a ball of dung (Au.).

39. Qatadah explained that the reference is not to the Bedouins in general, but to a few tribes in particular. Indeed, Allah Himself said about some of the Bedouins (9: 99),

i.e., “And of the Bedouins are some who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and treats what he spends as a means of nearness to Allah” (Ibn Jarir).

40. In this context we have a report (in Bukhari: Ibn Kathir) which recorded Sa`d as saying,

“The Prophet (saws) gave to a few people [while Sa`d was sitting by] but not to a particular man whom I thought was better than the rest. I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, what about so and so? By Allah, I think he is a believer (mu’min).’ He answered, ‘Or perhaps a Muslim.’ So I stayed quiet for a while but what I knew about him got the better of me. So I repeated, ‘Messenger of Allah, what about so and so? By Allah, I think he is a believer.’ He answered, ‘Or perhaps a Muslim.’ So I stayed quiet for a while but what I knew about him got the better of me. So I repeated, ‘Messenger of Allah, what about so and so? By Allah, I think he is a believer.’ The Prophet (saws) repeated his reply. Then he added, ‘Sa`d. I give to a man despite another being dearer to me in fear that Allah will thrust him into the Fire.’” (That is, if not given, he might fall into kufr: Au.).

The above report is in the Sahihayn (Ibn Kathir).

41. That is, you have sought to save your skins and your properties by declaring Islam, although faith did not enter your hearts. This is because nothing less than Islam was acceptable of the Arabs of the Peninsula. Says a report,

“I have been ordered to fight the people until they say, ‘There is no deity save Allah.’ Once they have said, ‘There is no deity save Allah, they will save their lives and their properties from me, except for their rights, while their reckoning is with Allah (Ibn Jarir). The report is in Bukhari (Au.).

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتَابُوا وَجَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الصَّادِقُونَ (15)

(49:15) Only those are believers who believed in Allah and His Messenger, then did not fall into doubts, and fought with their possessions and their persons in Allah’s path. Those, they are the truthful ones.

قُلْ أَتُعَلِّمُونَ اللَّهَ بِدِينِكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ (16)

(49:16) Say, ‘Will you inform Allah of your religion, while Allah knows whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth? And Allah is knowing of all things.’

يَمُنُّونَ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ أَسْلَمُوا ۖ قُلْ لَا تَمُنُّوا عَلَيَّ إِسْلَامَكُمْ ۖ بَلِ اللَّهُ يَمُنُّ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ هَدَاكُمْ لِلْإِيمَانِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ (17)

(49:17) They mention it as a favor on you that they have embraced Islam.⁴² Say, ‘Count not your Islam as a favor on me. But rather, Allah counts it as a favor on you that He led you to belief, if you are truthful.’

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ (18)

(49:18) Knower of the Unseen and the visible, the All-mighty, the All-wise.