In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Summary of Tafsir al-Tabari.
Abridged by Dr. Oqeel Ibn Salim al-Shammari.
Surah An-Nisa'.
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
“Lo! Allah commandeth you that ye restore deposits to their owners, and, if ye judge between mankind, that ye judge justly. Lo! comely is this which Allah admonisheth you. Lo! Allah is ever Hearer, Seer.” (4:58)
“Lo! Allah commandeth you that ye restore deposits to their owners, and, if ye judge between mankind, that ye judge justly. Lo! comely is this which Allah admonisheth you. Lo! Allah is ever Hearer, Seer.” (4:58)
Excellent indeed is that which Allah instructs you with.
“Lo! Allah commandeth you that ye restore deposits to their owners, and, if ye judge between mankind, that ye judge justly. Lo! comely is this which Allah admonisheth you. Lo! Allah is ever Hearer, Seer.” (4:58)
Allah commands you, O rulers and authorities of the Muslims,
to return to your subjects the trusts they have placed in your care—their rights, wealth, and dues of charity—just as Allah has commanded you,
by rendering every right to its rightful owner;
and He commands you, whenever you judge between them, to judge with absolute justice and equity.
Excellent indeed is that which Allah instructs and counsels you with.
Truly, Allah has ever been All-Hearing of whatever you say and utter,
All-Seeing of whatever you do regarding the rights and wealth entrusted to you by your subjects;
nothing of that is ever hidden from Him,
so that He may reward the doer of good for his righteousness and requite the wrongdoer for his wrongdoing.
“O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the messenger and those of you who are in authority; and if ye have a dispute concerning any matter, refer it to Allah and the messenger if ye are (in truth) believers in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and more seemly in the end.” (4:59)
“O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the messenger and those of you who are in authority; and if ye have a dispute concerning any matter, refer it to Allah and the messenger if ye are (in truth) believers in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and more seemly in the end.” (4:59)
That is best and most commendable in the final outcome.
O you who have believed, obey Allah, your Lord, in all that He commands you and in all that He forbids you from,
and obey His Messenger, Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and obey those in authority among you, namely the rulers and governors.
If you dispute over any matter of your religion, O believers,
then seek the knowledge of its ruling from the Book of Allah;
and if you do not find the definitive knowledge of it in the Book of Allah,
then seek its knowledge from the Messenger, peace be upon him, if he is alive,
and if he has passed away, then refer to his Sunnah.
Do this if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day, wherein lies ultimate reward and punishment.
For referring whatever you dispute about back to Allah and the Messenger
is better for you with Allah regarding your ultimate return, and far better in consequence and outcome.
“Hast thou not seen those who pretend that they believe in that which is revealed unto thee and that which was revealed before thee, how they would go for judgment (in their disputes) to false deities when they have been ordered to abjure them? Satan would mislead them far astray.” (4:60)
“Hast thou not seen those who pretend that they believe in that which is revealed unto thee and that which was revealed before thee, how they would go for judgment (in their disputes) to false deities when they have been ordered to abjure them? Satan would mislead them far astray.” (4:60)
“Hast thou not seen those who pretend that they believe in that which is revealed unto thee and that which was revealed before thee, how they would go for judgment (in their disputes) to false deities when they have been ordered to abjure them? Satan would mislead them far astray.” (4:60)
“Hast thou not seen those who pretend that they believe in that which is revealed unto thee and that which was revealed before thee, how they would go for judgment (in their disputes) to false deities when they have been ordered to abjure them? Satan would mislead them far astray.” (4:60)
And Satan desires to lead them far astray.
Have you not seen with insight, O Muhammad, those who claim that they have believed
in what has been revealed to you of the Book?
“Hast thou not seen those who pretend that they believe in that which is revealed unto thee and that which was revealed before thee, how they would go for judgment (in their disputes) to false deities when they have been ordered to abjure them? Satan would mislead them far astray.” (4:60)
They wish to take their disputes for judgment to those whom they revere,
abiding by their dictates and accepting their judgment instead of the judgment of Allah,
while Allah had already commanded them to reject and disbelieve in whatever the Taghut presents to them.
And Satan desires to avert these litigants away from the truth,
thereby leading them grossly and grievously astray.
And when it is said to them, "Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger,"
“And when it is said unto them: Come unto that which Allah hath revealed and unto the messenger, thou seest the hypocrites turn from thee with aversion.” (4:61)
and when it is said to them, "Come to the judgment of Allah which He revealed in His Book,
and to the Messenger so that he may judge between us,"
you see the hypocrites turning away with utter refusal to come to you for judgment between them,
and actively hindering others from coming to you, in complete aversion.
“How would it be if a misfortune smote them because of that which their own hands have sent before (them)? Then would they come unto thee, swearing by Allah that they were seeking naught but harmony and kindness.” (4:62)
“How would it be if a misfortune smote them because of that which their own hands have sent before (them)? Then would they come unto thee, swearing by Allah that they were seeking naught but harmony and kindness.” (4:62)
How then will it be for those who wish to resort to the Taghut for judgment,
when a affliction from Allah befalls them because of the sins their hands have sent forth,
and then they come to you swearing falsely by Allah:
"We intended nothing by seeking his arbitration except goodwill toward one another,
and arriving at what was right in the matter we submitted to him"?
“Those are they, the secrets of whose hearts Allah knoweth. So oppose them and admonish them, and address them in plain terms about their souls.” (4:63)
These hypocrites whom I have described to you, O Muhammad—
Allah knows full well the hypocrisy and deviation concealed within their hearts.
So turn away from them, and do not punish them physically,
but admonish them by warning them of the wrath and punishment of Allah that may descend upon them,
and command them to fear Allah, to believe in Him, in His Messenger, and in His promise and warning.
“We sent no messenger save that he should be obeyed by Allah's leave. And if, when they had wronged themselves, they had but come unto thee and asked forgiveness of Allah, and asked forgiveness of the messenger, they would have found Allah Forgiving, Merciful.” (4:64)
“We sent no messenger save that he should be obeyed by Allah's leave. And if, when they had wronged themselves, they had but come unto thee and asked forgiveness of Allah, and asked forgiveness of the messenger, they would have found Allah Forgiving, Merciful.” (4:64)
“We sent no messenger save that he should be obeyed by Allah's leave. And if, when they had wronged themselves, they had but come unto thee and asked forgiveness of Allah, and asked forgiveness of the messenger, they would have found Allah Forgiving, Merciful.” (4:64)
And We did not send any messenger, O Muhammad, except that his obedience was made obligatory upon those to whom he was sent.
If only these hypocrites, when they wronged themselves by committing this enormous sin,
had come to you, O Muhammad, repenting and turning back to Allah,
and asked Allah to forgive them and pardon the punishment for their sin,
and the Messenger, peace be upon him, had likewise asked forgiveness for them,
they would surely have found Allah accepting of their repentance, turning to them with what they desire,
and Ever-Merciful toward them by withholding His punishment for the sin of which they repented.
“But nay, by thy Lord, they will not believe (in truth) until they make thee judge of what is in dispute between them and find within themselves no dislike of that which thou decidest, and submit with full submission.” (4:65)
“But nay, by thy Lord, they will not believe (in truth) until they make thee judge of what is in dispute between them and find within themselves no dislike of that which thou decidest, and submit with full submission.” (4:65)
The reality is not as they claim—that they believe in what was revealed to you—
while they still seek judgment from the Taghut.
No, by your Lord, O Muhammad, they do not truly believe in Me, nor in you, nor in what was revealed to you,
until they make you the judge in all disputes that arise among them,
“But nay, by thy Lord, they will not believe (in truth) until they make thee judge of what is in dispute between them and find within themselves no dislike of that which thou decidest, and submit with full submission.” (4:65)
and submit entirely to your decree and judgment out of willful obedience,
fully acknowledging your prophethood in complete and total submission.
And had We prescribed upon them, "Kill yourselves,"
“And if We had decreed for them: Lay down your lives or go forth from your dwellings, but few of them would have done it; though if they did what they are exhorted to do it would be better for them, and more strengthening;” (4:66)
“And if We had decreed for them: Lay down your lives or go forth from your dwellings, but few of them would have done it; though if they did what they are exhorted to do it would be better for them, and more strengthening;” (4:66)
and had We ordained upon those who claim to believe in what was revealed to you
that they should kill themselves,
or depart from their homelands, emigrating from them to another land,
they would not have killed themselves with their own hands,
nor would they have migrated from their homes in obedience to Allah and His Messenger,
except a very few of them.
Yet if these hypocrites had done what they were reminded to do in obedience to Allah,
it would have been better for them in this worldly life and their ultimate return, and firmer in strengthening their faith.
“And then We should bestow upon them from Our presence an immense reward,” (4:67)
And We would have surely guided them to a straight path.
If they had acted upon what they were admonished with, it would have been best for them;
and then We would have granted them from Our presence a tremendous reward,
and guided them along a path without crookedness, which is the upright religion of Allah.
“Whoso obeyeth Allah and the messenger, they are with those unto whom Allah hath shown favour, of the prophets and the saints and the martyrs and the righteous. The best of company are they!” (4:69)
“Whoso obeyeth Allah and the messenger, they are with those unto whom Allah hath shown favour, of the prophets and the saints and the martyrs and the righteous. The best of company are they!” (4:69)
And excellent are those as companions; that is the bounty from Allah, and sufficient is Allah as All-Knowing.
And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger by submitting to their command
will be among those upon whom Allah has bestowed His favor through His guidance: the prophets, the truthful saints—
who are all those whose actions confirm their words—the martyrs who were slain in the cause of Allah, and the righteous,
who are all those whose inner and outer states are sound and upright.
How excellent are these as companions in Paradise; that is the gift of Allah to them and His grace upon them.
And sufficient for the servants is Allah, who created them, as All-Knowing of the obedience of the obedient and the disobedience of the sinner,
for nothing of that is ever concealed from Him.
“O ye who believe! Take your precautions, then advance the proven ones, or advance all together.” (4:71)
O you who have believed in Allah and His Messenger,
take your precautions and bear your arms,
and advance toward your enemy in detachments, fully armed,
or advance all together alongside your Prophet, peace be upon him, to fight them.
“Lo! among you there is he who loitereth; and if disaster overtook you, he would say: Allah hath been gracious unto me since I was not present with them.” (4:72)
“Lo! among you there is he who loitereth; and if disaster overtook you, he would say: Allah hath been gracious unto me since I was not present with them.” (4:72)
And indeed, among you, O believers,
there are those who resemble you and feign to be from the people of your faith,
yet they are hypocrites who discourage and hold back whoever obeys them from striving against your enemy,
“Lo! among you there is he who loitereth; and if disaster overtook you, he would say: Allah hath been gracious unto me since I was not present with them.” (4:72)
saying: "Lest wounds, pain, or death should afflict me,"
having no hope for divine reward nor any fear of divine punishment.
“And if a bounty from Allah befell you, he would surely cry, as if there had been no love between you and him: Oh, would that I had been with them, then should I have achieved a great success!” (4:73)
“And if a bounty from Allah befell you, he would surely cry, as if there had been no love between you and him: Oh, would that I had been with them, then should I have achieved a great success!” (4:73)
But if Allah grants you victory over your enemy and you attain spoils of war from them,
this lagging hypocrite will surely say, as if there had never been any bond of affection between you and him:
"Oh, I wish I had been with them so I could have attained a share of that spoil, achieving a tremendous triumph!"
He says this purely out of envy toward them;
for their attending the battle is only for the sake of seeking war booty,
having no hope for divine reward and fearing no divine punishment for holding back.