Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah Al-Ma'idah -> 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, ﴿ط§ظ„ظ’ظپظڈظ‚ظژط±ظژط¢ط،ظڈ ظˆظژط¥ظگظ† طھظژطھظژظˆظژظ„ظ‘ظژظˆظ’ط§ظ’ ظٹظژط³ظ’طھظژط¨ظ’ط¯ظگظ„ظ’ ظ‚ظژظˆظ’ظ…ط§ظ‹ ط؛ظژظٹظ’ط±ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ط«ظڈظ…ظ‘ظژ ظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژظƒظڈظˆظ†ظڈظˆط§ظ’﴾ (And if you turn away, He will exchange you for some other people and they will not be your likes.) and, ﴿ط£ظژظ„ظژظ…ظ’ طھظژط±ظژ ط£ظژظ†ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ط®ظژظ„ظژظ‚ظژ ط§ظ„ط³ظ‘ظژظ…ظژظ€ظˆظژطھظگ ظˆظژط§ظ„ط£ظژط±ظ’ط¶ظژ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ’طظ‚ظ‘ظگ ط¥ظگظ† ظٹظژط´ظژط£ظ’ ظٹظڈط°ظ’ظ‡ظگط¨ظ’ظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژظٹظژط£ظ’طھظگ ط¨ظگط®ظژظ„ظ’ظ‚ظچ ط¬ظژط¯ظگظٹط¯ظچ - ظˆظژظ…ظژط§ ط°ظژظ„ظگظƒظژ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ط¨ظگط¹ظژط²ظگظٹط²ظچ ﴾ (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, ﴿ظٹط£ظژظٹظ‘ظڈظ‡ظژط§ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط،ظژط§ظ…ظژظ†ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظ…ظژظ† ظٹظژط±ظ’طھظژط¯ظ‘ظژ ظ…ظگظ†ظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ط¹ظژظ† ط¯ظگظٹظ†ظگظ‡ظگ﴾ (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, ﴿ط£ظژط°ظگظ„ظ‘ظژط©ظچ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ…ظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط£ظژط¹ظگط²ظ‘ظژط©ظچ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظژظ€ظپظگط±ظگظٹظ†ظژ﴾ (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, ﴿ظ…ظ‘ظڈطظژظ…ظ‘ظژط¯ظŒ ط±ظ‘ظژط³ظڈظˆظ„ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظ…ظژط¹ظژظ‡ظڈ ط£ظژط´ظگط¯ظ‘ظژط¢ط،ظڈ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظڈظپظ‘ظژط§ط±ظگ ط±ظڈطظژظ…ظژط¢ط،ظڈ ط¨ظژظٹظ’ظ†ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’﴾ (Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. 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, ﴿ظٹظڈط¬ظژظ€ظ‡ظگط¯ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظپظگظ‰ ط³ظژط¨ظگظٹظ„ظگ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژط®ظژظ€ظپظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظ„ظژظˆظ’ظ…ظژط©ظژ ظ„ط§ط¦ظگظ…ظچ﴾ (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; آ«ظ…ظژط§ ظٹظژظ†ظ’ط¨ظژط؛ظگظٹ ظ„ظگظ„ظ’ظ…ظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظگ ط£ظژظ†ظ’ ظٹظڈط°ظگظ„ظ‘ظژ ظ†ظژظپظ’ط³ظژظ‡آ» (The believer is not required to humiliate himself.) He was asked; "How does one humiliate himself, O Messenger of Allah'' So he replied; آ«ظٹظژطھظژطظژظ…ظ‘ظژظ„ظڈ ظ…ظگظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¨ظژظ„ظژط§ط،ظگ ظ…ظژط§ ظ„ظژط§ ظٹظڈط·ظگظٹظ‚آ» (He takes on tests that he cannot bear.) ﴿ط°ظ„ظگظƒظژ ظپظژط¶ظ’ظ„ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظٹظڈط¤ظ’طھظگظٹظ‡ظگ ظ…ظژظ† ظٹظژط´ظژط¢ط،ظڈ﴾ (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. ﴿ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ظˆظژط³ظگط¹ظŒ ط¹ظژظ„ظگظٹظ…ظŒ﴾ (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, ﴿ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژظ…ظژط§ ظˆظژظ„ظگظٹظ‘ظڈظƒظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ظˆظژط±ظژط³ظڈظˆظ„ظڈظ‡ظڈ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط،ظژط§ظ…ظژظ†ظڈظˆط§ظ’﴾ (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. ﴿ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظٹظڈظ‚ظگظٹظ…ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط§ظ„طµظ‘ظژظ„ظˆط©ظژ ظˆظژظٹظڈط¤ظ’طھظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ط²ظ‘ظژظƒظژظˆط©ظژ﴾ (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, ﴿ظˆظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط±ظژط§ظƒظگط¹ظڈظˆظ†ظژ﴾ (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, ﴿ظˆظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط±ظژط§ظƒظگط¹ظڈظˆظ†ظژ﴾ (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; ﴿ظˆظژظ…ظژظ† ظٹظژطھظژظˆظژظ„ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ظˆظژط±ظژط³ظڈظˆظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط،ظژط§ظ…ظژظ†ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظپظژط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ طظگط²ظ’ط¨ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظ‡ظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ط؛ظژظ€ظ„ظگط¨ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾ (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; ﴿ظƒظژطھظژط¨ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ظ„ط§ظ‘ط؛ظ’ظ„ظگط¨ظژظ†ظ‘ظژ ط£ظژظ†ظژط§ظ’ ظˆظژط±ظڈط³ظڈظ„ظگظ‰ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ظ‚ظژظˆظگظ‰ظ‘ظŒ ط¹ظژط²ظگظٹط²ظŒ - ظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ طھظژط¬ظگط¯ظڈ ظ‚ظژظˆظ’ظ…ط§ظ‹ ظٹظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ’ظٹظژظˆظ’ظ…ظگ ط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒط®ظگط±ظگ ظٹظڈظˆظژط¢ط¯ظ‘ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظ…ظژظ†ظ’ طظژط¢ط¯ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ظˆظژط±ظژط³ظڈظˆظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ ظˆظژظ„ظژظˆظ’ ظƒظژط§ظ†ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط،ظژط§ط¨ظژط¢ط،ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظژظˆظ’ ط£ظژط¨ظ’ظ†ظژط¢ط،ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظژظˆظ’ ط¥ظگط®ظ’ظˆظژظ†ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظژظˆظ’ ط¹ظژط´ظگظٹط±ظژطھظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظڈظˆظ’ظ„ظژظ€ط¦ظگظƒظژ ظƒظژطھظژط¨ظژ ظپظگظ‰ ظ‚ظڈظ„ظڈظˆط¨ظگظ‡ظگظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ط¥ظگظٹظ…ظژظ€ظ†ظژ ظˆظژط£ظژظٹظ‘ظژط¯ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط¨ظگط±ظڈظˆطظچ ظ…ظ‘ظگظ†ظ’ظ‡ظڈ ظˆظژظٹظڈط¯ظ’ط®ظگظ„ظڈظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط¬ظژظ†ظ‘ظژظ€طھظچ طھظژط¬ظ’ط±ظگظ‰ ظ…ظگظ† طھظژطظ’طھظگظ‡ظژط§ ط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒظ†ظ’ظ‡ظژظ€ط±ظڈ ط®ظژظ€ظ„ظگط¯ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظپظگظٹظ‡ظژط§ ط±ظژط¶ظگظ‰ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ط¹ظژظ†ظ’ظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژط±ظژط¶ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط¹ظژظ†ظ’ظ‡ظڈ ط£ظڈظˆظ’ظ„ظژظ€ط¦ظگظƒظژ طظگط²ظ’ط¨ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ط£ظژظ„ط§ظژ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ طظگط²ظ’ط¨ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظ‡ظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ…ظڈظپظ’ظ„ظگطظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾ (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, ﴿ظˆظژظ…ظژظ† ظٹظژطھظژظˆظژظ„ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ظˆظژط±ظژط³ظڈظˆظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط،ظژط§ظ…ظژظ†ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظپظژط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ طظگط²ظ’ط¨ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظ‡ظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ط؛ظژظ€ظ„ظگط¨ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾ (And whosoever takes Allah, His Messenger, and those who have believed, as protectors, then the party of Allah will be the victorious.) ﴿ظٹظژظ€ط£ظژظٹظ‘ظڈظ‡ظژط§ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط،ظژط§ظ…ظژظ†ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظ„ط§ظژ طھظژطھظ‘ظژط®ظگط°ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط§طھظ‘ظژط®ظژط°ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط¯ظگظٹظ†ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظ‡ظڈط²ظڈظˆط§ظ‹ ظˆظژظ„ظژط¹ظگط¨ط§ظ‹ ظ…ظ‘ظگظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط£ظڈظˆطھظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظگطھظژظ€ط¨ظژ ظ…ظگظ† ظ‚ظژط¨ظ’ظ„ظگظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظڈظپظ‘ظژط§ط±ظژ ط£ظژظˆظ’ظ„ظگظٹظژط¢ط،ظژ ظˆظژط§طھظ‘ظژظ‚ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ط¥ظگظ† ظƒظڈظ†طھظڈظ… ظ…ظ‘ظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظگظٹظ†ظژ - ظˆظژط¥ظگط°ظژط§ ظ†ظژظ€ط¯ظژظٹظ’طھظڈظ…ظ’ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ ط§ظ„طµظ‘ظژظ„ظژظˆط©ظگ ط§طھظ‘ظژط®ظژط°ظڈظˆظ‡ظژط§ ظ‡ظڈط²ظڈظˆط§ظ‹ ظˆظژظ„ظژط¹ظگط¨ط§ظ‹ ط°ظ„ظگظƒظژ ط¨ظگط£ظژظ†ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ‚ظژظˆظ’ظ…ظŒ ظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ظٹظژط¹ظ’ظ‚ظگظ„ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾ (57. O you who believe! Do not take as friends those who take your religion for a mockery and fun from those who received the Scriptures before you, and (nor) the disbelievers; and have Taqwa of Allah if you indeed are true believers. ) (58. And when you proclaim the call for the Salah, they take it (but) as a mockery and fun; that is because they are a people who understand not.)
|