النص المفهرس

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Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 85-87
or to indulge in an act of sin is also a sin of equal gravity.
Towards the end of verse 85, it was said : وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَوْ مُقِعًا which
has been translated as: 'And Allah is powerful over everything'. Lexi-
cally, the word, co: 'muqit' means powerful as well as the observer and
the dispenser of sustenance. All these three meanings can be deduced
from this statement. In the first sense, the meaning would be that
Allah is powerful over everything. For Him the rewarding and
punishing of the one who makes a recommendation and the one who
executes it is not difficult. Taken in the second sense, the meaning
would be that Allah is ever-present observing everything. He knows
best who is making a recommendation with what intention, such as, is
it being done sincerely to help out some brother-in-faith just for the
sake of Allah and His pleasure, or the purpose is to make him a target
of self-interest and get some advantage out of him as a bribe. Taken in
the third sense, the meaning would be that Allah Almighty is Himself
responsible for the dispensation of sustenance; whatever He has
written for someone has got to reach him. A recommendation by
someone is not going to leave Him choiceless. In fact, He will bestow
on whomsoever He wills as much of sustenance as He wills. However,
the maker of a good recommendation gets a reward for free because he
has extended a helping hand to the helpless.
The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has said:
كان الله فى عون عبده ما دام فى عون أخيه
Allah keeps helping His servant as long as he keeps helping
his brother.
It is on this basis that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has said as
reported in a hadith of Şahin al-Bukhari:
اشفعوا فلتوجروا ويقضى اللّه على لسان نبيّه ماشاءَ
Recommend and be rewarded and then be pleased with what-
ever Allah decides through His prophet.
While this hadith declares recommendation as a source of Divine
reward, it also defines the limit of such recommendation. If a weak
person cannot carry his problem onward to a higher authority, or is
incapable of explaining correctly what he needs, then, you do it for
him. Further from that what happens is none of your business. The

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recommendation may be accepted or it may be rejected. What a person
needs to be done may be done, or it may remain undone. These are
possibilities and you should not interfere in the process of decision-
making in any manner whatsoever. Should the final outcome turn out
to be against the recommendation made, you should never end up
being displeased or disgusted. The last sentence of the hadith quoted
above: يقضى الله على لسان نبيّه ماشاء means just this. Also, due to this reason,
the words of the Holy Qur'an carry a hint in this direction, that is, the
reward or punishment on the making of a recommendation does not
depend on a successful recommendation. Such reward or punishment
relates to the initial act of making a recommendation in the absolute
sense. If you make a good recommendation, you become deserving of a
reward and if you make a bad recommendation, you become liable to
punishment - the approval or rejection of your recommendation does
not matter.
The commentators of Tafsir al-Bahr al-Muhit and Bayan al-Qur'an
and several others take the word 2: 'minha' in verse 85 as indicative of
cause and see a hint in this direction. Al-Tafsir al-Mazhari reports
from the great exegete Mujahid that one who makes a recommenda-
tion will get a reward for having made it, even though the recommen-
dation may not have been accepted. Then, this approach is not
specially related to the Holy Prophet .صلى الله عليه وسلم in person. Any
recommendation made to any other human being should be bound by
this principle - make the recommendation and be done with it. Moving
any further to compel the addressee of the recommendation to accept
it is not right and fair. This is illustrated by an incident in the blessed
life of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم . He made a recommendation to
Sayyidah Barirah, a bondwoman freed by Sayyidah 'A'ishah Qu ily,
that her husband Mughith from whom she had dissolved her marriage
was really disturbed emotionally because he loved her, so she may
think of remarrying him. Sayyidah Barirah LasUl,», said: 'Ya
Rasulallah, if this is your command, I am all for it; but, if this is a
recommendation, then, I just do not feel like accepting it at all.' The
Holy Prophet & said: 'Yes, this is a recommendation and not a
command.' Sayyidah Barirah Que A +), may Allah be pleased with her,
knew that the Holy Prophet & will not feel bad about what is against
the set rule. Therefore, in all frankness, she said: "Then I do not accept.

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this recommendation.' He took it very gracefully and let her stay the
way she was.
This was the whole reality behind the act of recommendation,
something which brought merit and reward under the legal code of
Islam. But, in our day, people have so mutilated the whole thing that
no 'shafa'ah' or recommendation remains what it was intended to be.
What we witness now is a pushy exercise of cashing on the basis of
connections, acquaintance and VIP influence for which relentless pres-
sure is exerted. This is why people become angry when their recom-
mendation is not accepted. Some would even stoop down to open
hostility, although pressurizing a person to a limit where he is
compelled to do something against his conscience and good discretion
is included under compulsion and coercion and is a grave sin. This is
just like someone forcibly usurping the claim, right or property
belonging to the other person. Wasn't that person free and indepen-
dent as established by the law of Islam? Here comes someone who
deprives him of his freedom of action by pressing him to do something
against his free will and conscience. This would be like stealing from
someone and giving it to a destitute in order to fulfil his need.
Receiving Payment against a Recommendation is Bribe and is
Absolutely Forbidden
A recommendation against which anything is taken in return
becomes a bribe. The hadith declares it to be an ill-gotten property
which is haram (forbidden). This includes all kinds of bribe whether
money-oriented or job-related, for instance, harnessing someone to do
a personal chore in return for having done something for him.
According to Tafsir al-Kashshaf, a good recommendation is that
which aims at fulfilling the right of a Muslim, or to bring some permis-
sible benefit to him, or to shield him from harm or loss. Furthermore,
this act of recommendation should not be for any worldly expediency.
It should be aimed at helping a weak person exclusively for seeking
the pleasure of Allah. Then no bribe, financial or physical, should be
taken against this recommendation and that this recommendation
should also not be about things not permissible. In addition to all that,
the purpose of this recommendation should not be to seek pardon for a
proven crime the punishment for which stands fixed in the Holy

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4:85-87
Qur'an.
It appears in Tafsir Al-Bahr Al-Muhit and al-Mazhari that praying
to Allah that the need of some Muslim be fulfilled is also included
under 'good recommendation', the reward for which reaches the maker
of the prayer as well. According to a hadith, when someone prays for
the good of his brother-in-faith, the angel says: Jer w, which means -
'may Allah fulfill your need as well.'
Salam and Islam : The Bliss of Muslim Greeting
,وَإِذَا مُحِيُهُمْ بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحِيُّوا بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا:In verse 86 which begins with the words
Allah Almighty tells us the etiquette of offering and returning greet-
ings known as Salam among Muslims.
Lexically, : "Tahiyyah' means saying ' Ju : Hayyakallah', that is,
'may Allah keep you alive'. In pre-Islam Arabia, when people met, they
used to greet each other by saying 'Hayyakallah' or 'An'amallahu bika
'aynan' or 'An'im sabahan' or other expression of this nature. When
Islam came, it changed this style of greeting and replaced it with a
standard form of greeting which is Se LJI: 'As-Salamu 'Alaikum'
Commonly, though incompletely, translated in English as 'peace be on
you', the greeting means: 'May you remain safe from every pain,
sorrow and distress.'
In Ahkam al-Qur'an, Ibn 'Arabi says: The word Salam is one of the
good names of Allah Almighty and 'As-Salamu Alaikum' means 2, auf
Gu that is, Allah Almighty is your guardian and caretaker.
The Islamic greeting is unique
All civilized people around the world have the custom of saying
something to express mutual familiarity or affection when they meet
each other. If compared with these broadmindedly, the Islamic form of
greeting will stand out significantly for its comprehensiveness because
it does not simply restrict itself to an expression of affection alone. It
rather combines it with the fulfillment of the demands of love and
affection. It means that we pray to Allah that He keep you safe against
all calamities and sorrows. Then, this is no bland prayer for long life
alone as was the way with pre-Islam Arabs. Instead of that, here we
have a prayer for good life, that is, a life which is secure against all
calamities and sorrows. Along with it, the Islamic salam is an expres-

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Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 85-87
sion of the reality of our relation with Allah Almighty - that we, the
greeter and the greeted, are all dependent on Allah Almighty needing
Him all the time and no one can bring any benefit to someone else
without His will and leave. Taken in this sense, this form of greeting is
an act of worship in its own right and, quite functionally indeed, a
medium of reminding a brother-in-faith of Allah Almighty, the object
of his obedience and love.
Staying with this line of presentation, let us imagine a person
praying to Allah that his acquaintance remain safe against all calami-
ties and sorrows. When doing so, is it not that he is sort of making a
promise as well that the person being greeted is safe against his own
hands and tongue. In other words, he is saying that he, in his place, is
the guardian and protector of the person's life, property and honour.
In Ahkam al-Qur'an, Ibn al-'Arabi has reported the following saying
of Imam Ibn 'Uyaynah:
أَتَدْرِىُ مَا السَّلَامُ؟ يَقُوُلُ أَنْتَ امِنٌ مِّنِّئْ
Do you know what salam is? The greeter by salam says: 'You
are safe from me.'
To sum up, it can be said that this Islamic form of greeting has a
universal comprehensiveness as it is a medium of the remembrance of
Allah while reminding the person greeted of Him. It is a vehicle of
expressing love and affection for a brother-in-faith and, in fact, a
wonderful prayer for him. Then, it also carries a commitment that the
greeted will in no way face harm or discomfort from the greeter as it
appears is a sound hadith where the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
اَلْعُلِمُ مَنْ سَلِمَ الْلِمُوُنَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَبَدِهٍ
A Muslim is the one from whom all Muslims remain safe -
(safe) from his tongue and (safe) from his hands. (Tirmidhi,
Kitabul-'Īman)
At this point one may fondly wish that Muslims would not utter
the words of this greeting as some sort of habitual custom which
commonly prevails among other people of the world. How beneficial it
would be if this greeting is offered out of a full understanding of its
reality which, perhaps, may turn out to be enough for the reform of

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whole community. This is the reason why the Holy Prophet @ laid
great emphasis on popularizing the practice of Muslims in greeting
each other with salam, and he identified it as the best of deeds and
took time to explain its merits, graces, blessings and rewards. In a
hadith of Sahih Muslim narrated by Sayyidna Abu Hurairah &e dil , ,
the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has been reported to have said:
"You cannot enter Paradise until you are a believer and your belief
cannot be complete until you love each other. I tell you something
which, if you put it in practice, will establish bonds of love among you
all, and that is: Make salam a common practice among you which
should include every Muslim, whether an acquaintance or a stranger."
Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar at All , says that someone asked
the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم :'Out of the practices of Islam which is
the worthiest?' He said: 'Feed people and spread the practice of salam,
whether you know or do not know a person.' (Bukhari and Muslim)
The Musnad of Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud report from Sayy-
idna Abu Umamah as Ul , that the Holy Prophet a said: 'Nearest to
Allah is the person who is the first one to offer salam.'
A hadith from Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud e M +, appearing in
Musnad al-Bazzar and al-Mu'jim al-Kabir of al-Tabarani reports that
the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: 'Salam is one of the names of Allah
Almighty with which He has blessed the people of the earth. So, make
salam a common practice among you because, when a Muslim goes to a
gathering of people and offers his salam to them, he is blessed with a
station of distinction in the sight of Allah Almighty as he reminded
everyone of Salam, that is, reminded everyone of Allah Almighty. If
people in the gathering do not return his greeting, others will respond
who are better than the people of this gathering, that is, the angels of
Allah Almighty.'
In another hadith from Sayyidna Abu Hurairahas Ul +, the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is reported to have said: 'A big miser is the man
who acts miserly in offering salam. (Țabaranī, al-Mu'jim al-Kabir)
The effect that those teachings of the Holy Prophet had on his
noble Companions can be gauged from a narration about Sayyidna
'Abdullah ibn 'Umar _ All _», who would frequently go to the bazar

532
Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 85-87
just for the single purpose of having a chance to meet any Muslim
there in the hope of offering salam to him and thus become deserving
of the reward of an act of worship. Incidentally, he never intended to
buy or sell anything while there. This narration from Sayyidna Țufayl
ibn Ubayy ibn Ka'b au Ml +, appears in Mu'atta' of Imam Malik.
Verse 4:86 of the Holy Qur'an which says: 'And when you are
greeted with a salutation, greet with one better than it, or return the
same', was explained by the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم through his
own action in the following manner. Once someone came to the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and said: 'As-Salamu 'Alaikum Ya Rasulallah'
(peace be on you, O Messenger of Allah). While returning the greeting,
he added a word and said: 'Wa 'Alaikumus-Salam wa Rahmatullah
(And peace be on you, and the mercy of Allah). Then someone else
came and offered his salam using the following words: 'As-Salamu
'Alaika Ya Rasulallah wa Rahmatullah.' In response, he added yet
another word and said: 'Wa 'Alaikumus-Salam wa Rahmatullahi wa
Barakatuh (And peace be on you too, and the mercy of Allah, and His
blessings). Then came a third person. He combined all three saluta-
tions in his initial salam and greeted him by saying the whole thing,
that is: 'As-Salamu 'Alaik Ya Rasulallah wa Rahmatullahi wa Barak-
atuh.' In response, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said only one word
'Wa 'Alaik' (and on you). Disappointed in his heart, he said: 'Ya Rasu-
lallah, ransomed be my parents for you, you said many words of prayer
while returning the greeting of those who came before me. But, when I
greeted you with all those words, you limited your response to 'wa
"alaik' (and on you).' He said: 'You left nothing for me to add in the
response! Since you used up all those words in your initial salam, I
found it sufficient to return your greeting on the principle of like for
like in accordance with the teaching of the Qur'an.' This narration has
been reported by Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim with different chains of
authorities.
There are three things we find out from this hadith: Words
appearing in the verse under comment mean that a salam offered
should be returned by adding more words to it. If someone says As-
salamu 'Alaikum (peace be on you), you respond by saying Wa
'Alaikumus-Salam wa Rahmatullah (And peace be on you, and the

533
Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 85-87
mercy of Allah). If he says As-Salamu 'Alaikum wa Rahmatullah
(peace be on you, and the mercy of Allah), then, in response, you say
Wa 'Alaikumus-Salam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh (And peace be
on you, and the mercy of Allah, and His blessings).
2. This addition of words is restricted to three words only as a
masnun act, that is, conforming to the blessed practice of the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم .Going beyond that is not masnun. The logic
behind it is obvious. The occasion for salam requires that the verbal
exchange be brief. Any excess in this connection which interferes with
ongoing business or which becomes heavy on the listener is not appro-
priate. Therefore, when the person visiting the Holy Prophet
combined all three words in his very initial salam, he elected to
abstain from any further addition of words. This was further explained
by Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas at Ulu», by saying that the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم stopped the man who went beyond the limit of
إِنَّ السَّلَامَ قَدِ انْتَهَى إِلَى الْبَرَكَةِ : the three words with the following statement
(Mazhari from al-Baghawi). It means that salam ends at the word, barakah.
Saying anything beyond that was not the practice of the blessed
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم .(Ibn Kathir)
3. If someone makes his salam with three words spoken at the
same time, returning it with only one word will be correct. That too
· comes under the principle of like for like and is sufficient in obedience
to the Qur'anic command us'gi (or return the same) as the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has, in this hadith, considered a one-word
response as sufficient. (Tafsir Mazhari)
In summation, we can say that it is obligatory on a Muslim to
return the salam offered to him. If he fails to do so without any valid
excuse admitted by the Shari'ah of Islam, he will become a sinner.
However, he has the option to choose the mode. He can either respond
with words better than those used in offering the salam; or, the
response could be in identical words.
It will be noticed that this verse very clearly states that returning
a salam is obligatory but it is not explicit on the nature of offering a
salam initially. However, in the Qur'anic expression +2= Ist (And when
you are greeted .. ) there does lie a hint pointing towards this rule of
conduct. That this statement is in the passive voice without identi-

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Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 85-87
fying the subject precisely could be suggestive of salam being some-
thing all Muslims already do habitually and commonly.
The Musnad of Ahmad, al-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud report that the
Holy Prophet of said: 'Nearest to Allah is the person who is the first to
offer salam.' So, from the emphasis on salam and its many merits you
have learnt from the teachings of the Holy Prophet & cited earlier, we
get to understand that offering the initial salam has also been empha-
sized as part of the practice of the Holy Prophet &. According to Tafsir
al-Bahr al-Muhit, the initial salam is actually a sunnah mu'akkadah
(emphasized practice of the Prophet of Islam) as held by the majority
of Ulama. And Hasan al-Basri رحمه الله said :السلام تطوع والرد فريضة , that is, 'the
initial salam is voluntary while returning it is an obligation.'
Some more detailed explanations of this Qur'anic injunctions about
salam and its answer have been given by the Holy Prophet @ which
the reader may wish to know briefly. According to a hadith in al-
Bukhari and Muslim, the person riding should himself offer salam to
the person walking; and the person walking should offer salam to the
person sitting; and a small group of persons walking near a larger
group should be the first to offer salam.
According to a hadith in Tirmidhi, when a person enters his house,
he should offer salam to the members of his family as this act of grace
will bring blessings for him as well as for his family.
According to a hadith in Abu Dawud, when one meets a Muslim
more than once, he should offer salam every time; and the way offering
salam is masnun (a requirement of sunnah) at the time of the initial
meeting, so it is at the time of seeking leave when offering salam is in
line with the practice of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم , and a source of
reward as well. This rule of guidance appears in Tirmidhi and Abu
Dawud as narrated by Sayyidna Qatadah and Abu Hurairah e di », .
Now a note of caution about the rule: It is obligatory to answer
salam - however, there are certain exceptions to it. For instance, if
someone says salam to a person who is offering salah, an answer is not
obligatory. Indeed, it is a spoiler of salah. Similarly, a person may be
delivering a religious sermon, or is busy in reciting the Holy Qur'an, or
is calling the adhan or iqamah, or is teaching religious texts, or is busy

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Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 88-91
with his human compulsions - in all such conditions, even offering the
initial salam is not permissible, and he is not responsible for
answering it as a matter of obligation either.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَرٌ حَسِيْبًا : Towards the end of verse 86, it was said
(Surely, Allah is the Reckoner over everything). It means that with
Allah rests the reckoning of everything which includes all human and
Islamic rights such as salam and its answer. These too will have to be
accounted for before Allah Almighty:
After that comes verse 87 ◌ِاللّهُ لا إِلهَ إِلَّ مُوَ لَيَجْمَعَلَّكُمْ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيْمَةِ لَأَرَبُبَ فِيه which
means that there is no object worthy of worship other than Allah. So,
it exhorts: Believe in Him as the only object of your worship and what-
ever you do let that be with the intention of an act of worship or
'ibadah before Him. He will gather everyone on the Day of Qiyamah,
the fateful Day of Doom, in which there is no doubt. That will be the
Day when He will give everyone the return for whatever deeds he will
come up with the promise that Qiyamah will come and the news that
there will be reward and punishment at that time is all true. This is
true because this 'news' of what will happen is given by Allah, 3335
Le wie - and whose word can be more true than that of Allah?
Verses 88 - 91
قَمَا لَكُمْ فِى الْنُفِقِيْنَ فِتَتَيْنِ وَاللّهُ آَرْكَسَهُمْ بِمَا كَسَبُواء
أَبُّرِيُدُوْنَ أَنْ تَهْدُوا مَنْ آَضَلَّ اللّهُ، وَمَنْ تُضُلِلِ اللَّهُ قَلَنْ تَجِدَلَهُ
سَبِيْلًا (٨٨)﴾ وَكُوا لَوْ تَكْفُرُوْنَ كَمَا كَفَرُّرًا فَتَكُّؤُنُوْنَ سَوَاءً فَلَاَ
تَّخِذُوا مِنْهُمْ آَوْلِيَاءَ حَتْى ◌ُهَاجِرُوا فِئْ سَبِئْلِ اللَّهِ فَإِنٌ
تَوَلًَّا فَخُذُوُهُمْ وَاقْتُلُؤُهُمْ حَيْتُ وَجَدُّتُهُمْ وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوا مِنْهُمُ
وَلِيَّا وَ لَا نَصِيْرًا (٨٩) إِلَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَصِلُونَ إِلى قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمُ
وَبَيْنَهُمْ ◌ِبْنَانٌ أَوْجَاءُوُكُمُ حَصِرِتُ صُدُوُرُهُمْ آَنُ ◌ُقَاتِلُؤُكُمُ اَوْ
مُقَاتِلُوا قَوُّمَهُمْ ، وَلَوْشَاءَ اللَّهُ لَسَلَّطَهُمْ عَلَيُكُمْ فَلَقْتَلُؤُكُمْ، فَإِ
اعْتَزَلُؤُكُمْ فَلَمْ يُقَاتِلُؤْكُمْ وَالْقُوًّا إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَمَ فَمَا جَعَلَ اللهُ

536
Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 88-91
لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سَبِيْلَا﴿٩) سَتَجِدُوُنَ اخَرِيْنَ ◌ُِيُدُوُنَ آَنْ يَأْمَنُؤُكُمُ
وَيَامَنُوا قَوْمَهُمْ، كُلَّمَا ◌ُدُّؤْاْ إِلَى الْفِتْنَةِ مُرُكِسُوا فِيُهَا، فَإِنُ لِّمُ
يَعْتَزِلُؤْكُمْ وَيُلْقُوَا ◌ِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَمَ وَبَكْفُّوُّاَ آَيْدِيَهُمْ فَخُذُهُمْ
وَاقْتُلُؤُهُمْ حَيْثُ تَفِفْتُمُؤُهُمْ، وَ أُوْلَئِكُمْ جَعَلْنَا لَكُمُ عَلَيْهِمْ
9
سُلُطْنًا مُبَيْنًا.
So, what is the matter with you that you have become
two groups about the hypocrites, while Allah has
upturned them because of what they did. Do you want
to guide the one whom Allah has let go astray? And the
one whom Allah lets go astray, for him you shall never
find a way. [88]
They wish that you should disbelieve, as they have
disbelieved, and thus you become all alike. So, do not
take friends from among them unless they migrate in
the way of Allah. Then, if they turn away, sieze them,
and kill them wherever you find them, and do not take
from among them a friend or a helper. [89] Except those
who join a group between whom and you there is a
treaty, or who come to you their hearts declining to
fight you or to fight their people -- And if Allah had so
willed, He would have given them power over you,
then they would have fought you -- so, if they stay away
from you and do not fight you and offer you peace, then
Allah has not given you a way against them. [90]
You will find others who want to be secure from you,
and secure from their own people. Whenever they are
called back to the mischief, they are thrown into it. So,
if they do not stay away from you and do not offer
peace to you, and do not restrain their hands, then
seize them, and kill them wherever you find them, and.
against these we have given you an open authority. [91]
Commentary
The verses quoted above describe three groups of people about
whom two injunctions have been given. The following narrations
clarify events surrounding these groups:
1. 'Abdullah ibn Hamid has narrated from. Mujahid that some

537
Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 88-91
disbelievers of Makkah came to Madinah. They pretended to have
become Muslims and claimed to have come there as emigrants. Later,
they turned into apostates. They went to the Holy Prophet @ , told
him about their plan to go to Makkah to buy merchandise from there.
Having made their false excuse, they departed for Makkah and never
returned. There arose a difference of opinion about their behaviour
among the Muslims of Madinah. Some said that they were believers. It
was in verse 88:فَمَالَكُمْ فِى المُنفِقِينَ فِنَتَيْن (So what is the matter with you that
you have become two groups about the hypocrites) where Allah
Almighty declared that they were disbelievers and should be killed.
Maulana Ashraf 'Ali Thanavi has explained the Qur'anic word,
'munafiq' (hypocrite) by saying that they were hypocrites when they
claimed to have become Muslims - they had never believed in their
hearts. The fact was that hypocrites were not killed because they
concealed their inner disbelief. But, the case of these people was
different as their apostacy had come out in the open. As for those who
took them to be Muslims, they may have, perhaps, taken a benign
view of their action under some interpretation. However, this interpre-
tation was based on sheer opinion not supported by any proof from the
Shari ah. That is why no reliance was placed on it.
2. Ibn Abi Shaybah has narrated from Hasan that Suraqah ibn
Malik al-Mudlaji visited the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم after the events
of Badr and Uhud and requested him to make peace with his tribe,
Bani Mudlaj. Thereupon, he sent Sayyidna Khalid as dil go, to them to
conclude a peace treaty. The terms of the treaty were as follows:
"We will not support anyone against the Holy Prophet @ . If
the Quraysh become Muslims, We too shall become Muslims.
All tribes who enter into alliance with us, they too shall
become a party with us in this treaty."
Thereupon, this verse : وَُّوا لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ (إلى قوله) إِلَّ الَّذِينَ يَصِلُوُنَ الخ -- (They wish that
you disbelieve like they have disbelieved) was revealed.
3. It has been narrated from Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas &e Jn ye, that the
people mentioned in the verse: 3 3r5;RE: (You will find others who
want to be secure from you) are those belonging to the tribes of Asad
and Ghitfan who, when they came to Madinah, professed Islam
outwardly, but to their own people they would confide that they had

538
Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 88-91
really believed in monkeys and scorpions while before Muslims they
would piously declare that they were followers of their faith.
However, Dahak ascribes this conduct to the tribe of 'Abd al-Dar
according to a report from Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas. The first and the
second narration appears in Ruh al-Ma'ani, while the third narration
can be seen in Ma'alim.
Maulana Ashraf 'Ali Thanavi likens the state of those mentioned in
the third narration as that of the first one since it proves that they
were no Muslims to begin with, therefore, they fall under the injunc-
tion governing disbelievers in general, that is, 'do not fight them in the
presence of a peace treaty - otherwise, do.' Thus, regarding those
mentioned in the first narration, the second verse (89): 28;15 ppsu
perl, (then if they turn away, sieze them and kill them) carries the
injunction that they be arrested and killed, while the statement in the
third verse (90): 31 gui f) (except those who join a group with whom
you have a treaty) gives them a clear exemption in the event of peace,
a situation which finds mention in the second narration. This exemp-
tion has been emphasised once again in 'prasy (if they stay away
from you) later in the same verse (90).
Regarding those mentioned in the third narration, it has been said
in the fourth verse (91): 32ar5,5 (you will find others .... ) which means
that should these people refuse to leave you alone and insist on
fighting, then do fight against them. From this, it can be deduced that
in the event they make peace, there should be no fighting against
them. (Bayan al-Qur'an)
In short, the three groups mentioned here are:
1. Those who do not emigrate despite their ability to do so in a
period of time when emigration was a pre-requisite of faith in Islam.
Or, after having emigrated, they go out of the new abode of Islam (Dar
al-Islam) and return to the abode of disbelief (Dar al-Kufr).
2. Those who themselves enter a no-war pact with Muslims or
those who join hands with those entering into such a pact.
3. Those who make peace to buy time and once there comes an
occasion to fight a war against Muslims, they would readily join the
enemy camp throwing all treaty obligations to winds.

539
Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 88-91
The injunction governing the first group is similar to that which
governs the disbelievers in general. The second groups is exempted
from being arrested and killed. The third group deserves the same
punishment as fixed for the first. These verses yield a total of two
injunctions, that is, fighting in the absence of peace; and not fighting
in the event of peace.
Different forms of Emigration and their Rules
Hijrah (Emigration) mentioned in verse 89 has been taken up in
detail under the commentary on verse 100 of Surah al-Nisa' which
appears a little later. At this point, it is sufficient to know that
Emigration from the homeland of Disbelief (Darul-kufr) was enjoined
on all Muslims during the early period of Islam. It is for this reason
that Allah Almighty has prohibited treating those who fail to carry out
this obligation as Muslims. Consequently, when Makkah was
conquered, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم declared:
There) لاَ هِجْرَةَ بَعْدَ الَفَتُح
is no Hijrah after the Victory). It means: 'Now that the Conquest of
Makkah has made it the Abode of Islam, emigration from there was no
more obligatory.' This rule related to the period of time when Emigra-
tion was considered to be a pre-condition of anyone's faith. During
those days, anyone who did not emigrate despite having the ability to
do so was not taken to be a Muslim. But, later on, this injunction was
abrogated 1 and now this mode of Emigration has ceased to exist.
There remains, however, another form of Hijrah which has been
identified in a hadith of Sahih al-Bukhari where it was said:
It means that Hijrah (not in the sense of abandoning one's. حَتَّى تَنْقُطِعَ التَّوْبَةُ
homeland, but in the sense of abandoning one's sins) will continue to
exist until there remains the time to repent.
'Allamah 'Ayni, the commentator of al-Bukhari has said about this
Hijrah : ◌ِأنَّ المُرادَ بِالْهِجْرَةِ الْبَاقِيَةِ هِىَ مَجْرُ السَّيِّئَات (This later Hijrah means the aban-
donment of sins). This subject also finds elucidation in a hadith of the
المُهَاجِرْ مَن :where he is reported to have said صلى الله عليه وسلم Holy Prophet
20 4 . It means that a Muhajir (Emigrant) is one who emigrates
('hajara': abandon, leave) from everything prohibited by Allah
1. It means that emigration no longer remained a pre-requisite for his being
Muslim. However, if a Muslim lives in a non-Muslim country where he
cannot fulfill his religious obligations, it is incumbent on him to emigrate
if he has the means to do so. (Muhammad Taqi Usmani)

540
Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 92-93
Almighty (al-Mirqat, v.1)
The discussion appearing above tells us that, technically, the word,
Hijrah is applied in a dual sense:
1. To leave one's homeland in order to save one's faith as was done
by the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all - they left
their homeland of Makkah and emigrated to Madinah and Ethiopia.
2. To leave one's sins.
The words of the verse 89 :وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوا مِنْهُمْ وَلِيًّا وَّلَا نَصِهْرًا (and do not take
from them a friend or a helper) tell us that seeking help from disbe-
lievers is forbidden (Haram). Pursuant to this, it appears in a narra-
tion that the Ansars of Madinah sought the permission of the Holy
Prophet & to seek help from the Jews to offset disbelievers whereupon
he said: ¿ WEG i call (The bad ones! We do not need them). (Mazhari, v.2)
Verses 92 - 93
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنِ آَنْ يَقْتُلَ مُؤْمِنًا إِلَّ خَطَأَ وَمَنْ قَتَلَ مُزُّمِنًا
خَطَأَ فَتَحْرِئُ رَقَبَةٍ مُؤْمِنَةٍ وَّدِيَةٌ مُسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَلَى أَهْلِةٍ إِلَّ أَنُّ
بَصَّدَّفُؤَاء فَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ قَوْمٍ عَدٍُّ لَّكُمُ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَتَحْرِئُ
رَقَّبَةٍ تُؤْمِنَةٍ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمُ تِبِغَاقٌّ فَدِيَةٌ
مُسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ وَحُرِتُ رَقَبَةٍ تُؤْمِنَةٍ، فَمَنُ لَمْ يَجِدُ فَصِيَامُ
شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنٍ: تَوْبَةً مِّنَ اللَّهِ، وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا
حَكِيْمًا (٩٢) وَمَنْ تَّقُبُلْ مُؤْمِنًا تُتَعَقِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهْ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِدًا
فِيْهَا وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ لَعَنَهُ وَاَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا (٩٣)
It is not for a believer to kill any believer, except by
mistake. And whoever kills a believer by mistake, then,
a believing slave has to be freed and the blood money
paid to his family, unless they forgo it.
And if he (the victim) belongs to a people hostile to you
and is a believer, then, a believing slave has to be freed.
And if he (the victim) belongs to a people between
whom and you there is treaty, then, blood money is to

541
Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 92-93
be paid to his family, and a believing slave to be freed.
And whoever does not find one has to fast for two
consecutive months. This is a relenting from Allah. And
Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. [92]
And whoever kills a believer deliberately, his reward is
Jahannam where he shall remain for ever and Allah
shall be angry with him and shall cast curse upon him
and he has prepared for him a mighty punishment. [93]
Commentary
Sequence of Verses
Linked with earlier verses dealing with fighting and killing, all
forms of killing, in the first instance, are eight in number because the
person killed is covered by one of the four conditions which follow.
Either, he is a Muslim; or, he is a Dhimmi (a free, protected, non-
Muslim resident of a Muslim state); or, he is beneficiary of a peace
pact and has been assured of the protection of his life, property,
honour and religion; or, he is a belligerent disbeliever. Then, killing is
of two types: intentional, or accidental. Thus, we see that there are
only eight possible forms of killing:
1. The intentional killing of a Muslim.
2. The accidental killing of a Muslim.
3. The intentional killing of a Dhimmi.
4. The accidental killing of a Dhimmi.
5. The intentional killing of a person with whom there was a pact
of peace.
6. The accidental killing of a peace pact beneficiary.
7. The intentional killing of a belligerent disbeliever.
?
8. The accidental killing of a belligerent disbeliever.
Injunctions covering some of these situations have appeared
earlier; some find mention later, and some others are contained in
Hadith. Thus, the injunction relating to the first situation enforceable
in this life, that is, the obligatory duty of taking 'even retaliation'
(gişaș) from him finds mention in Surh al-Baqarah and the injunction
applicable to the Hereafter follows a little later in verse 93 beginning

542
Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 92-93
with: 3434; (And whoever kills .... ). The second situation appears in
Verse 92 from4 56 ; (It is not for a believer to kill any believer) to ;;
;333333 (and if he i.e., victim was a believer ... ). The injunction
covering the third situation appears in a hadith from Darqutni where
the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has been reported to have subjected a
Muslim to 'even retaliation' (qisas) to compensate a Dhimmi (non-
Muslim resident of a Muslim state) (اخرجه الزيلعى فى تخريج الهداية) The injunc-
tion for the fourth situation appears also in verse 92: 45, 5935 338 35
"; (and if he is from the people with whom you have a peace treaty).
The fifth situation has already been taken up in verse 90 of the
previous section under: ◌ًفَمَا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمٌ عَلَيْهِمْ سَبِيلا (then Allah has not made it
permissible for you). The injunction governing the sixth situation has
been mentioned alongwith the one relating to the fourth situation
because the peace covenant is general and covers the permanent and
the temporary both. Thus, it includes Dhimmi and Musta'min both,1
irrespective of their permanent or time-bound guarantee of peace and
·protection. (Al-durr-al-Mukhtar Kitab al-diyat)
The injunction relating to situations 7 and 8 is already evident
from the very legalization of Jihad itself which has appeared earlier
(86) because belligerent disbelievers are killed intentionally. If killed
accidentally, its justification will stand proved in a higher degree.
(Bayan al-Qur'an)
Three kinds of homicide and their respective injunctions
1. Qatl al-'Amad (Intentional Killing) which is done with obvious
intention by a weapon made from iron or is like a steel weapon in its
ability to cut off parts, such as, a sharp-edged bamboo or a sharp-
edged piece of rock and things like that.
2. Qatl Shibh al-'Amad (Quasi-Intentional Killing) which is, no
doubt, done intentionally - but, not with a weapon which could cut off
parts.
3. Qatl al-Khata' (Accidental Killing). It can happen under inten-
tion and conjecture when someone aims at a man taking him to be
1. Dhimmi is a non-Muslim person permanently and legally living in an
Islamic state while Musta'min is a non-Muslim who lawfully enters an
Islamic state for temporary stay (Muhammad Taqi Usmani)

543
Surah Al-Nisa'
4:92-93
land game or belligerent disbeliever. Or, it can happen actually when
one did aim at land game but ended up striking a man down. Here,
Khata' or accident means intentional. So, this covers the second and
the third kind both. Both entail the obligation to pay diyah (blood
money), and sin as well. But, the two kinds do differ in the later two
consequences. The diyah in the second kind of killing is 100 camels of
four types, that is, 25 of each type. The diyah of the third kind of
killing is also 100 camels, but it has to be of five types, that is, 20 of
each type. However, if diyah is paid in cash, the amount to be realized
is ten thousand dirham or one thousand dinar. This holds good for both
kinds. However, the second kind is more sinful because of the inten-
tion of killing while it is lesser in the third kind because it is the result
of simple heedlessness (as in Hidayah). As such, the obligatory nature
of :"225 (to free a slave) and the word, taubah (repentance) in the
verse 92 support this position. The fact is that the ground reality of
these three kinds is conditioned by Islamic laws as promulgated in the
mortal world. As for their being intentional or non-intentional in
terms of their being sinful, it depends on the volition of the heart and
the intention to commit the act. The punishment due against such sin
is known to Allah alone. According to His knowledge these terms, the
first kind may become non-intentional; and the second, intentional.
Rulings
1. The amount of diyah (blood money) mentioned above applies to a
male homicide victim. In case of a woman, it is half of it. (as in
Hidayah).
2. The diyah of a Muslim and Dhimmi is equal. The Holy Prophet
Marasil of Abu Dawud, as) دية كل ذى عهد فى عهده ألف دينار : has said صلى الله عليه وسلم
quoted by Hidayah).
3. Kaffarah (expiation) in the form of freeing a slave or fasting has
to come from the killer himself. As for diyah (blood money), it is the
responsibility of those who are his caretakers. In the terminology of
the Shari'ah, they are known as IGN : al-Aqilah, those responsible for
paying blood money.
Let there be no doubt at this point as to why the burden of a crime
committed by the killer should be transferred to his guardians and
supporters while they are innocent. The reason is that the guardians

544
Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 92-93
of the killer are not totally faultless in this case. Their shortcoming is
that they did not take necessary steps to stop him from venturing into
such gross heedlessness against human life. Moreover, the fear of
having to pay blood money, it is likely, will make them take all neces-
sary precautions in the future so that such recklessness does not
repeat itself.
4. In the act of freeing a slave (Kaffarah: Expiation), a bondman
and a bondwoman are equal. The Qur'anic word Raqabah, denoting a
slave, is general. However, their physique should be sound and they
should not be deformed in any way.
5. The diyah of the person killed shall be distributed as part of the
inheritance determined by the Shari'ah. A legal heir who forgives his
share will cause the diyah to be forgiven upto the limit of his share. If
all legal heirs forgive it, the whole diyah will stand forgiven.
6. The diyah of a person killed who has no legal heir as recognized
by the Shari'ah will be retired to the Bayt al-Mal (State Treasury)
because diyah is inheritance and inheritance is governed by this very
ruling. (Bayan al-Qur'an)
7. As for people bound by a mutual covenant, be they Dhimmis,
free non-Muslim citizens of a Muslim country; or, the Musta'min,
(those given guarantee of peace for a temporary period of time) the
diyah obligatory in their case is valid only when people belonging to
that Dhimmi or Musta'min are present. If they have no such people, or
such people be Muslims, then, given the fact that a Muslim cannot
inherit from a disbeliever, this diyah, therefore, shall be deemed as
non-existant. Thus, should he be a Dhimmi, his diyah shall be reitred
into the Bayt al-Mal because the inheritance of a heirless Dhimmi -
which includes diyah - goes to the Bayt al-Mal (as in al-Durr al-Mukhtar);
otherwise, it will not be obligatory (Bayan al-Qur'an).
8. If continuity is broken in fasting due to sickness or some other
reason, then, one will have to fast afresh. But, for a woman, this conti-
nuity will not be deemed as broken because of her menstruation.
9. If, for some valid excuse, one does not have the strength to fast,
then, he should keep repenting until his strength returns.
10. In intentional killing, there is no provision for this Kaffarah

545
Surah Al-Nisa'
4 :94-96
(expiation); one should repent. (Bayan al-Qur'an)
Verse 94 - 96
◌َيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ ا مَنُوا إِذَا ضَرَيْهُمْ فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللَّهِ فَتَبَتَّهُوْا وَلَا
تَقُوُلُوا لِنُ اَلْنَى إِلَيْكُمُ الَّلَمَ لَسْتَ مُؤْمِنَّا تَبْتَغُونَ عَرَضَ
الْحُوةِ الدُّنْيَاء فَعِنْدَ اللَّهِ مَغَانِمُ كَثِيْرَةٌ كَذَلِكَ كُنْهُمُ ◌ِّنُ قَبُّلُ
فَمَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَبَيّنُوُاءُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
خَبِيْرًا(٩٤) لَا يَسْتَوِى الْقُعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيُمْ أُولِى
الضَّرَرِ وَالْجْهِدُوُنَ فِى سَبِيْلِ اللَّهِ بِاَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ، فَضَّلَ
اللَّهُ المَجْهِدِيْنَ بِآَمْوَالِهِمْ وَ أَنْفُسِهِمْ عَلَى الْقُعِدِيْنَ دَرَجَةً،
وَكُلَا تَعْدَ اللّهُ الْمُنَى، وَ فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجْهِدِيْنَ عَلَى
الْقُعِدِيْنَ آَجْرًا عَظِيمًا (٩٥) دَرَجُتِ ◌ِنْهُ وَمَغْفِرَةً وَّرَحْمَةً، وَكَانَ
اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيُّمَا(١٦)
O those who believe, when you go out in the way of
Allah, be careful, and do not say, to the one who offers
you the salam" "You are not a believer" seeking goods of
the worldly life. So, with Allah there are spoils in abun-
dance. In the same state you were before; then Allah
favoured you. So, be careful. Surely, Allah is all-aware
of what you do. [94]
Those among the believers who sit back, except the
handicapped, are not equal to those who fight in the
way of Allah with their riches and their lives. Allah has
raised the rank of those, who fight with their riches
and their lives over those who sit; and to each Allah
has promised good. And Allah has given precedence to
those who fight over those who sit in giving them a
great reward [95] -- high ranks from Him and forgive-
ness and mercy. And Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-
Merciful. [96]
-
1. Salam: the word prescribed by Islam for greeting, i.e. Assalamu
‘alaiykum ...