Indexed OCR Text

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Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 34-35
told: If you sense some lack of cooperation from women, the first thing
you should do is to talk to them explaining things in a way which
helps change their mind and attitude. If that works, the issue is
resolved right there. The woman is rescued from a permanent sin and
the man from an aching heart, and the two of them from some ever-
stinging anguish. Now, if this person-to-person talk fails to bring
results, the second stage is to sleep on a separate bed as an indicator
of your displeasure, and may be as a device to bring about a change of
attitude through the sending of a warning signal. This is ordinary
admonition but good enough for a warning. If the woman gets the
message, the dispute ends right there. But, if she ignores even this soft
measure of correction and persists with her crooked ways, there is the
third step in which token beating is also permitted, the extreme limit
of which is that it should produce no effect on the body. The use of this
method of admonition (beating of woman) was not liked by the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم who, quite on the contrary, said that gentlemen
would not do that. However, if this token reprimand as the last resort
does result in normalcy of relations, the main objective stands
achieved anyway. That men have been given three options to correct
فَإِنُ أَطَعْنَكُمْ فَلاَ تَبْغُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ سَبِيلًا women in this verse is coupled with the words
said at the end of it. It means that, should the women start listening
to you after these three-step ways of correction, do not go for hair-
splitting and start levelling more accusations. The better course is to
forgo, realizing that the measure of precedence over women given to
you by Allah Almighty is not absolute, for the precedence of Allah
Almighty hangs heavy over you. If you exceed the limits set for you, it
will be you who is going to take the punishment.
The role of the family arbitrator in disputes
The arrangement described so far was to help tempers cool off
within the privacy of the house keeping it restricted to the married
couple. But, there are times when the family feud becomes long-
drawn. It may be because the woman is temperamentally obstinate
and contumacious, or it may be the fault of the man who may have
been unjustly oppressive. Whatever it actually is, one thing is certain
that the unfortunate tussle will not remain restricted within the four
walls of the house; it will definitely spread out. Then, as usual,
supporters of one party will go about maligning the others with all sort

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Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 34-35
of accusations. This will cause tempers of parties to rise and what
started as the disagreement of two individuals will turn into a confron-
tation between two families.
It is to block the road to this terrible discord that, in the second
verse, the Holy Qur'an addresses government authorities of the time,
the guardians of the parties concerned and their supporters, and the
general body of Muslims, and suggests a decent method which would
cool down tempers, shut out avenues of accusations and make a
compromise between the affected parties possible, so that the dispute
which, no doubt, could not remain restricted to the couple's home,
would at least be settled within their families and not go to a court of
law to become public knowledge.
This particular method requires that concerned officials of the
government or the guardians of the parties or a body of Muslims which
has the necessary integrity, influence and authority should take
charge and appoint two arbitrators to hep bring about a compromise
between the parties concerned - taking one arbitrator from the man's
family and the other from that of the woman. At both these places, the
Holy Qur'an has used the word, "hakam" for these appointees whereby
it pin-points the necessary qualifications of these two persons, that is,
they should have the capability to decide the dispute between the two
parties; and this capability, as obvious, will be found in a person who
is both knowledgeable and trustworthy.
In short, the rule that emerges from here is that a "hakam" or arbi-
trator from the man's family and another from that of the woman
should be appointed and sent to the husband and wife. Now, as for
what they are going to do when they meet them and as to what rights
they have in this matter - this the Holy Qur'an does not determine.
However, it does add a remark at the end : إِنْ يَرِيداً إِصْلَاحًا تُوفّقٍ اللّهُ بينَهما which
means: If these two arbitrators desire to set things right, Allah
Almighty will help them bring about harmony between the husband
and the wife. So, two things emerge from this sentence:
1. If both arbitrators have good intentions and genuinely wish to
bring about peace between the dissenting couple, there will be unseen
help from Allah Almighty and they shall succeed in their mission, and
it will be through their efforts that Allah Almighty will create love and

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Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 34-35
harmony in the hearts of the couple. This leads to the conclusion that,
in cases where mutual rapport is not restored, it may be because one
of the arbitrators lacks perfect sincerity while pursuing the goal of
peace-making.
2. The purpose of appointing these two arbitrators, as also under-
stood from this sentence, is to bring about peace and amity between
the husband and the wife and does not include anything beyond that.
However, it would be something else if the parties affected by the
mutual dispute agree to appoint these two arbitrators as their repre-
sentatives and their attorneys in all respects in which case they would
be admitting that any decision given by the two arbitrators jointly will
be acceptable to and binding on both of them. Under this situation, the
two arbitrators shall have absolute authority to decide their case. If
both agree on divorce as the solution, they can effect a divorce. If they
both decide that the women should be released under khul', a form of
dissolution of marriage, the khul' shall come into effect, and their deci-
sion shall be binding on the parties. From among the pious elders, this
is the position held by Hasan al-Bari and Imam Abu Hanifah. (Rūp al-
Ma'ani, etc.)
Cited in this connection is an incident which occurred in the pres-
ence of Sayyidna 'Ali , Jul,S. There too, one finds the proof that the
two arbitrators referred to above do not have any intrinsic right other
than that of making peace between the husband and wife - unless, of
course, the parties concerned authorize them fully to decide as they
deem fit. This incident, as narrated by 'Ubaidah al-Salmani, appears in
the Sunnan of al-Baihaqi and is being reported below.
A man and a woman came to Sayyidna 'All , JIS along with
groups of people accompanying both. Sayyidna 'Ali asked them to
appoint an arbitrator, one from the man's family and another from the
woman's. When arbitrators were appointed, he addressed them both:
'Do you know your responsibility? Do you know what you have to do?
Hear me. If both of you agree to keep the husband and wife together
and make peace between them, then do it. And if you come to the
conclusion that matters cannot be set right between them or that they
will not stay right later on, and both of you concur with the option that
a separation between them is the expedient course, then do it.' When

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Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 34-35
the woman heard this, she said: 'I accept this. Let these two arbitra-
tors act in accordance with Divine law and I shall accept any decision
they give whether it meets my wishes or goes against.' But, the
husband said: 'Separation and divorce are things I am not going to
accept under any condition. However, I authorize the arbitrators to
ask me to pay whatever financial penalty they impose and let my wife
return to me in peace.' Sayyidna 'Ali +, J1 , $ said: 'No. You too should
authorize the arbitrators in the same manner as was done by the
woman.'
From this incident, some mujtahid Imams deduced the principle
that these arbitrators have an inherent authority to divorce as was
done by Sayyidna 'Ali who asked the parties concerned to do that,
while the great Imam Abu Hanifah and Hasan al-Basri have taken the
position that, had it been an inherent power of the arbitrators to
divorce there was no need for Sayydina 'All to obtain the authorization
from the parties concerned. Here, the very effort to seek the agreement
of the parties is a proof of the fact that these arbitrators do not have
such an inherent power. Nevertheless, they do become authorized if
the husband and wife delegate the necessary authority to them.
This teaching of the Holy Qur'an opens a new outlet of resolving
mutual disputes, something which saves people from the botheration
of going to courts and government officials and gives them an opportu-
nity to iron out a good deal of their disputes and claims through
family-oriented arbitration.
Arbitration in other disputes as well
Muslim jurists say that the appointment of two arbitrators to make
peace between two parties in dispute, is not limited to the disputes
between a husband and a wife. It can be profitably used in other areas
of discord. In fact, it should be so used, specially when the parties
involved are related to each other, because a court decision is a short-
term solution of the basic problem. What happens after is that such
decisions leave the germs of hatred and hostility in the hearts of those
affected and which reapear after a passage of time in forms that are
much too unpleasant. Sayyidna 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with
him, had promulgated an order for his judges which said:

430
Surah Al-Nisa'
4:34-35
مُّوا القَضَاءَ بَيْنَ ذَوِى اُلْآَرُحَاِ حَتّى يَصْطَلِحُوا فَإِنَّ فَصْلَ الْقَضَاءِ يُؤُرِثُ
الضَّغَائِنَ (معين الحكام، ص ٢١٤)
"Send disputes between relatives back to them so that they
make peace with the help of each other, as a court decision
breeds heart burnings and hostility.
Although this Faruqi directive concerns disputes rising in between
relatives, yet, the reason given in this directive (that is, court decisions
tend to create hatred ad hostility in hearts) is a reason which covers
not only the relatives but non-relatives as well. Wisdom lies in saving
all Muslims from mutual hatred and hostility. Therefore, the Muslim
jurists are of the view that it is appropriate for officials and judges
that they, before hearing the cases formally, should make an effort to
find a way out whereby the disputing parties get together and agree
on mutual conciliation. (See al-Tarablusi, Mu'in al-hukkam p.214 and also Ibn al-
Shahnah: Lisan al-hukkam).
Though brief, yet these two verses present a comprehensive system
of family life which, if put into practice, could help eliminate a lot of
disputes, hatreds and hostilities from the world. Men and women
would live in peace among their families, secure against all those local
dissensions which turn into all sorts of tribal, racial, national, even.
international feuds.
In the end, let us recapitulate the great Qur'anic mechanism of
how to quash family feuds - a virtual gift to the whole world:
1. Resolve family disputes within the house using one method after
the other.
2. When this is not possible, government officials or the kinsfolk
make peace between the disputing parties through two arbitrators, so
that, the dispute does not go out of the larger family circle, even if it
goes out of the house itself.
3. When this too is not possible and the matter goes to the court
finally, it is the duty of the judicial authority to investigate into the
case background of both parties and come up with a decision which is
just.
It may be noted that by saying إِنَّ اللهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا خَيْرًا (Surely, Allah is All-

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Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 36-38
Knowing, All-Aware) warning has been given to the two arbitrators as
well to the effect that they should keep in mind that no injustice or
crookedness from them will go unnoticed for they shall be appearing.
before the Being who knows all and is aware of everything.
Verses 36 - 38
وَاعْجُوا اللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوْا بِهِ شَيْئًا قَبِالُوَ الِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًّا ◌َيِّذِى
الْقُرْنِى وَالْيَتْمِى وَالْسَكِيْنِ وَالْجَارِ ذِى الْقُرْبَى وَالْجَارِ الْجُبِ
وَالصَّاحِبِ بِالْجَنْبِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيْلِ، وَمَا مَلَكَتْ آَيْمَانُكُمْ﴿ إِنَّ
اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَنْ كَانَ مُخْتَلًا فَخُورًا(٣٦) إِلَّذِيْنَ يَبْخَلُوُنَ وَ
يَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبُخُلِ وَيَكْتُمُونَ مَآَ اتُهُمَ اللهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ،
وَاَعْتَدُنَا لِلْكُفِرِيْنَ عَذَابًا تُهِنَّا (٣٧)﴾ وَالَّذِّيْنَ يُفِقُوْنَ آَمْوَالَهُمْ
رِئَّاءَ النَّاسِ وَلَا مُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِاللهِ وَلَا بِالْيَوْمِ الْأُخِ، وَمَن ◌َّكُنِ
الشَّيُطْنُ لَهْ قَرِيْنًا فَسَآءَ قَرِيْنَا ﴿٣٨)
And worship Allah and do not associate with Him
anything, and be good to parents and to kinsmen and
orphans and the needy and the close neighbour and the
distant neighbour and the companion at your side and
the wayfarer and to those owned by you. Surely, Allah
does not like those who are arrogant, proud, [36] those
who are miserly and bid people to be miserly, and
conceal what Allah has given them of His grace -- and
We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating
punishment [37] -- and (for) those who spend their
wealth to show off before people and do not believe in
Allah and the Last Day. And for whomsoever Satan is a
companion, then, evil he is as a companion. [38]
Sequence
It will be noticed that human rights have remained the main focus
of attention since the beginning of the present Surah upto this point.
These related to orphans, the women and inheritance. Taken up now
are rights of parents, relatives, neighbours and those of human beings
in general. Since a perfect fulfillment of these rights is possible only at

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Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 36-38
the hands of a person whose orientation to Allah, His Messenger and
to the answerability of the Last Day is correct and strong, and who
avoids miserliness, arrogance and affectation, being impediments to
all positive efforts, the text presents the need to believe in the Oneness
of Allah, to avoid any association with His pristine divinity, and to
stay away from the rejection of the meeting on the Last Day. Also
taken to task are ways of the disbelievers who disobey the Messenger
of Allah and revel in their miserliness.
Commentary
The reason why Tauhid precedes rights
There are many wise considerations in opening the roster of rights
with the exhortation to worship Allah alone and not to associate with
Him anything in that worship. One of these, and a basic one indeed, is
having the fear of Allah and the conscious concern to fulfill His rights.
A person who is neglectful on that score can hardly be expected to
remain particular about fulfilling the rights of anybody else. He will
find one or the other excuse to satisfy his immediate circle of relatives
and friends, to keep his prestige in the society or to escape the law of
the government. What really forces him to honour human rights,
watched or unwatched, is nothing but the fear of Allah and the sense
of responsibility before Him. This fear and this taqwa is achieved
through nothing but tauhid, the firm belief in the Oneness of Allah to
the total exclusion of everything else in that unicity. This is why it was
appropriate to remind man about the Oneness of Allah and the need to
worship Him before describing the rights of relatives and others.
The rights of parents come first after the message of Tauhid
By taking up the rights of parents immediately after the command
to worship Allah as is His due, it is being suggested that, no doubt all
blessings and favours are really from Allah Almighty, yet seen in
terms of worldly means, the frequency of favours received by man,
closest next to those of Allah Almighty, are those he receives from his
parents. This is because they are, given the chain of causation, the
very fountain-head of their being. And in all those stages of trial from
the birth of a child to his young age, the parents are the ones who take
care of the being, sustenance and growth of man to the best of their
ability and God-given means. This is why the command to worship and
.

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Surah Al-Nisa'
4 :36-38
obey Allah has also been supplemented with the mention of the rights
of parents at other places in the Holy Qur'an. At one place it is said:
Be grateful to Me, and to your parents.) (31:14). At) آنِ اشْكُرْلِيُ وَلِوَ الِدَيْنَ
another place, it is said : وَإِذْ آَخَذُنَا مِيْنَاقَ بُنِىُ إِسْرَائِيلَ لَا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّ اللّهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا (And
when We made the children of Isra'il take a pledge: You shall not
worship anyone but Allah; and to parents you shall be good ... ) (2:83).
In the verses quoted above, the text does not say that one should
fulfil the rights of parents or serve them. The word used here is Ihsan
(doing good) which, being far more comprehensive, includes spending
to support them as needed, to be of service to them physically when so
required, not to talk to them in a voice too sharp or too loud causing
disrespect, not to say anything to them which may break their heart,
and not to treat their friends and well-wishers in any manner which
hurts them. On the contrary, one should do everything possible to
comfort and please them. Even if the parents have fallen short in
fulfilling the due rights of children, the children should never take it
as an excuse for their own ill-treatment.
Sayyidna Mu'adh ibn Jabal as Al., says that, out of the ten
things the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had asked me to be particular
about, one was: 'do not associate anyone with Allah even if you are
killed or burnt alive'; and the second was: 'Do not disobey or hurt your
parents even if they ask you to leave your children and family."(Musnad
Ahmad)
Besides the great emphasis laid on obedience to parents and on
صلى الله عليه وسلم treating them well as in the sayings of the Holy Prophet
there are countless merits and grades of reward promised for those
who do so. A hadith in al-Bukhari and Muslim reports that the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: 'One who wishes to have his earnings and
life increased by the blessing of Allah should fulfill the rights of his
relatives.' A narration in Tirmidhi says: "The pleasure of Allah lies in
the pleasure of the father and the displeasure of Allah, in the
displeasure of the father.' Al-Baihaqi reports in Shu'ab al-'Iman that
the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: 'When a son who is obedient to his
parents looks at them with love and regard, every glance of his brings
forth for him the reward of an accepted Hajj.' According to another
narration from al-Baihaqi, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: 'Allah

434
Surah Al-Nisa'
4:36-38
Almighty forgives most sins but one who disobeys and hurts his
parents is condemned to face all sorts of unforeseen troubles right here
in this mortal world, much before the ultimate reckoning of the Here-
after.'
The emphasis on treating relatives well
After having mentioned parents, the verse emphasizes the good
. treatment of all relatives. A very comprehensive and well-known verse
of the Qur'an which the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم very often used to
recite at the end of his sermons, presents the same subject in this
manner:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدُلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِبْتَآْءٍ ذِى الْقُرْنِى
Still recited in the Khutbah during Friday prayers all over the
world, the verse means: 'Allah commands you to do justice and be good
to all and to fulfill the rights of the relatives. (16:90)' This includes
serving relatives to the best of one's ability, as well as keeping in touch
with them. Sayyidna Salman ibn 'Amir as Ul y., reports that the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: 'Sadaqah, when given to the poor and
needy, surely brings the reward reserved for such charity, but, when
given to a kinsman, it brings a twofold reward - one for the charitable
giving and the other for having fulfilled the rights imposed by kinship.
(Musnad Ahmad, Nasai, & Tirmidhi)
Let us keep in mind that the need to fulfill the rights of parents is
the first priority followed by that of relatives in general.
The rights of the orphans and the needy
The third group mentioned in the verse is that of 'the orphans and
the needy' whose rights were already taken up in some detail earlier
in the Surah. But, by recalling it under the general head of relatives,
the hint given is that one should consider helping orphaned children
and helpless people as necessary as one would do for his or her own
relatives.
The rights of the neighbour
Then appears 'the close neighbour' at number four, and the distant
neighbour,' at five. The Arabic word, 'al-jar' means 'the neighbour'. The
verse describes its two kinds - the close and the distant. These two
kinds have been explained variously by the noble Companions may

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Surah Al-Nisa'
4:36-38
Allah be pleased with them all.
Generally, commentators say that 'a close neighbour' is one who
lives next to your house, and 'the distant neighbour' is one who lives at
some distance from it.
Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas Lat Ul .», said that 'a close relative'
means one who is a neighbour and a relative at the same time which
makes him the holder of two rights; and 'the distant neighbour' means
one who is simply a neighbour and is no relative and who has, there-
fore, been mentioned later.
Some commentators have said that 'a close neighbour' is one who is
part of the Muslim community and is a Muslim while 'a distant neigh-
bour' refers to a non-Muslim neighbour.
The truth of the matter is that the words of the Holy Qur'an lend to
all these probable meanings. It is no doubt reasonable and lawful to
have a difference in degrees between different neighbours, either on
the basis of their being relative or non-relative, or on the basis of their
being Muslim or non-Muslim. However, it is agreed upon that a
neighbour, close or distant, related or unrelated, Muslim or non-
Muslim, has the essential right that he be helped and cared for to the
best of one's ability.
However, a person who has some other right as well, besides his
right as a neighbour, he will have a degree of precedence as compared
to others. The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has himself explained this
when he said: 'Some neighbours have one right, some others have two,
still some others have three. The neighbour with one right is a non-
Muslim with no bond of kinship; the neighbour with two rights is not
only a neighbour but a Muslim too; the neighbour with three rights is
a neighbour, a Muslim and a relative, all in one. (Ibn Kathir)
The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: 'Jibra'll has always been
telling me to be helpful and caring with one's neighbour, so much so
that I started thinking that may be the neighbours will also be
included as sharers in inheritance. (al-Bukhari and Muslim)
According to a narration in al-Tirmidhi and the Musnad of Ahmad,
the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: "The best and the most superior is
the best in relationship with his neighbours'. And a hadith in the

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Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 36-38
Musnad of Ahmad reports: 'It is not permissible for a neighbour to eat
his fill while his next door neighbour is hungry.'
The right of the Companion at your side
Mentioned at number six is 'the companion at your side'. Trans-
lated literally, it includes a travel companion sitting by your side in a
rail compartment, an aeroplane, a bus or a car. It also includes a
person who is sitting with you in any common meeting.
The way the Shari'ah of Islam has made the rights of regular
neighbours, close or distant, a matter of obligation, it has likewise
made equally obligatory the right of good company enjoyed by a person
who sits next to somebody for a little while in some meeting or journey
- which includes everyone, Muslim or non-Muslim, related or unre-
lated, as equals. The instruction to treat such a person nicely is signifi-
cant, the lowest degree of which is that you cause no pain to anyone
with your word or deed, you say nothing which may hurt the feelings
of the other person, you do nothing which embarrasses, annoys or
troubles him, such as, a puff of cigarette blown towards his face, or a
spit of things chewed deposited by his side, or a style of sitting which
leaves very little space for the other person to sit.
No wonder, if people started following this instruction of the Holy
Qur'an, the common disputes between passengers of trains, particu-
larly in countries with overcrowded modes of transportation, would be
all over - if everyone were to think that he needs just about enough
space to seat one person. This much is his right, but he does not have
the right to occupy anymore space beyond that. The person sitting
next to him has as much right to sit in that train as he does.
Some commentators have said that 'a distant neighbour' includes
everyone who works by your side in some job or vocation, in industry
or wage-earning, in office work, whether on the station of duty, or in
travel. (Ruh al-Ma'ani)
The right of the wayfarer
This appears at number seven. A wayfarer is a person who, during
your tavel status, comes to you, or becomes your guest. Since this
stranger Muslim or non-Muslim has no relative or friend around in the
given situation, the Holy Qur'an by considering his predicament as a

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Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 36-38
human being - has made the fulfillment of his right too as something
obligatory. It means that one should treat him well, as much as
possible and convenient.
The rights of bondmen, bondwomen, servants and employees
Concluding the list at number eight, it is said: i&i uf (and
those owned by you) which means bondmen and bondwomen owned.
Their right too - that they be treated well - has been made equally
obligatory. It means that one should not fall short in making sure that
they have food to eat and dress to wear, and also that they are not
burdened with jobs beyond their ability to handle.
Though, given the lexical meaning of the verse which is clearly
referring to 'the owned', that is, the bondmen and bondwomen, but as
based on the same analogy and on the sayings of the Holy Prophet
these rules cover servants and employees as well, for they too have the
same right. There should be no niggardliness or delay in giving them
their due salary, meals and so forth, and also that they are not
burdened with jobs beyond their ability.
Arrogance hinders the fulfillment of rights
The last sentence of verse 36:إِنَّ اللّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَنْ كَانَ مُخْتَالًا فَخُورًا (Surely , Allah
does not like those who are arrogant, proud) is really a unifying
complement of what has been said immediately earlier. In other
words, anyone falling short of fulfilling the rights of the eight kinds of
people serially mentioned earlier, must be none else but the arrogant
and the proud - those who have an offensively heightened sense of
superiority and those who love lording over others to exact esteem
from them. May Allah keep all Muslims safe from it.
There are many ahadith carrying stern warnings against arrogance
and pre-Islamic vainglory:
عن ابن مسعود رضى الله عنه قال قال رسول اللّه ◌َامٍ لا يدخل النار احد
فى قلبه مثقال حبّة من خردل من ايمان ولا يدخل الجنة احد فى قلبه مثقال
حبّة من خردل من كبر (مشكوة ص ٤٣٣ بحواله مسلم)
Sayyidna Ibn Mas'ud _ All _>, has narrated that the Holy
Prophet @ said: 'A person who has in his heart faith worth
the weight of a mustard seed will not go to the Hell; and a
person who has in his heart arrogance worth the weight of a

438
Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 36-38
mustard seed will not go to Paradise.' (Mishkat, p. 433, vide
Muslim)
Quoted here is another hadith which also carries a definition of
arrogance:
عن ابن مسعود رضى الله عنه قال قال رسول اللّه ◌َبغيرٍ لا يدخل الجنة من
کان فى قلبه مثقال ذرة من کبر فقال رجل ان الرجل يحب ان يكون ثوبه
حسنا ونعله حسنا، قال إن اللّه تعالى جميل يحب الجمال، الكبر بطر الحق
وغمط الناس (مشكوة ص ٤٣٣ بحواله مسلم)
Sayyidna Ibn Mas'ud s Jl +, has narrated that the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: 'Whoever has in his heart arro-
gance worth the weight of a particle will not go to Paradise.
Then, someone asked: 'How about people who like that their
clothes be good, and their shoes too ... (Is this arrogance?)' He
said: 'Allah is beautiful; He likes beauty. Arrogance is wanton
disregard of the (other person's) right and the holding of
people in contempt.' (Mishkat, p. 433,vide Muslim)
Then begins verse 37 with suses auf which describes the nature of
the arrogant who are stingy in giving rights which it is obligatory to
give, fail to understand their responsibilities and go on to the negative
extreme of persuading others to take to this bad habit through their
word and deed.
The verse has used the word, 'bukhl' (niggardliness) to describe
this trait of character, a word which, in the generally approved sense,
is applied for shortcoming in giving financial rights. But, looking at
the background of the verse's revelation, it becomes obvious that the
word, 'bukhl' has been used here in its general sense which includes
close-fistedness in money and knowledge both.
A narration from Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas _ Algo, tells us that this
verse was revealed about the Jews of Madinah. They were very arro-
gant, and extremely miserly. When it came to spending money, they
were miserably miserly. They also concealed the knowledge they
received through their Scriptures which carried the prophecies about
the coming of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم . These also included clear
signs of his appearance. But, the Jews, despite being convinced of
these prophecies, acted niggardly. They never acted to fulfill the

439
Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 36-38
dictates of this knowledge, neither did they pass on the message to
others who could act in accordance with it.
Based on this, it is then said that people who are miserly with
wealth given by Allah - in matters of knowledge and faith - are
ungrateful to Allah and fail to acknowledge His blessings. For them
Allah has prepared a humiliating punishment which they cannot
escape.
About the merit of giving and the demerit of miserliness, the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has said:
ما من يوم يصبح العباد فيه الا ملكان ينزلان فيقول احدهما اللهم اعط
منفقًا خلفا ويقول الاخر اللهم اعط ممسكا تلفًا (بخارى ومسلم)
"Every morning two angels descend. One of them says: 'O
Allah, bless him who spends in the way of good'; and the other
says: 'O Allah, send destruction on (the wealth of) the miser."
.(رضى الله عنه al-Bukhari & Muslim, from Abu Hurairah)
عن اسماء رضى اللّه عنها قالت قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
انفقى ولا تحصى فيحصى الله عليك ولا توعى فيوعى الله عليك
وارضخى ما استطعت ط (بخارى ومسلم)
'Give. Do not calculate, for Allah will then calculate in your
case. And do not withhold, for Allah will then withhold in your
case. And give whatever you can." (al-Bukhari & Muslim from
.(رضى الله عنها 'Sayyidah Asma
Sayyidna Abu Hurairah رضى الله عنه narrates that the Holy Prophet
said:
السخىُّ قريب من الله، قريب من الجنة، قريب من الناس، والبخيل بعيد
من الله، بعيد من الجنة بعيد من الناس قريب من النار+ والجاهل سخى
احب الى الله من عابد بخيل. (ترمذی)
"The generous person is close to Allah, close to Paradise, close
to people; while the miser is far from Allah, far from Paradise,
far from people - close to the fire; and the generous ignor-
amus is dearer to Allah than a miserly devotee. (a person who
has devoted himself for worship)" (Tirmidhi)
Sayyidna Abu Said رضى الله عنه narrates that the Holy Prophet
جّاله

440
Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 36-38
said:
وعن أبى سعيد قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خصلتان لا
تجتمعان فى مؤمن، البخل وسوء الخلق (ترمذی)
"Two traits cannot get combined in a true Muslim: miserliness
and bad morals." (Tirmidhi)
In verse 38, beginning with the words, sem'asul, another trait in the
character of the arrogant has been described. Ordinarily they them-
selves hold back any spending in the way of Allah and persuade others
to do the same. Nevertheless, when they wish to show off before
people, they do spend. Since these people do not believe in Allah and
the Last Day, the question of spending their wealth for the good
pleasure of Allah and with the intention of earning rewards in the life-
to-come just does not arise. Such people are the accomplices of Satan,
therefore, the end of it all will be no different than the end of their
comrade Satan.
This verse tells us that the way it is disgraceful to be niggardly and
tardy in fulfilling due rights, very similarly, it is also extremely bad to
spend to show off or to spend on heads which are purposeless. A good
deed aimed at drawing applause from people - and which is not for
Allah exclusively - is a deed not acceptable in the sight of Allah. In
hadith, it has been declared as shirk (associating others in the divinity
of Allah).
Sayyidna Abu Hurairah &e Il , narrates that the Holy Prophet
said:
قال الله تعالى انا أغنى الشركاء عن الشرك من عمل عملا أشرك فيه
معی غیری تركته وشركه
"Allah Almighty says: I am absolutely free of any need to have
partners. Whoever does a (good) deed and associates in it
someone else with Me, I leave him (unhelped) with this deed
(of associating partners with Me)".
Sayyidna Shaddad ibn Aws Ul .», narrates that he heard the
Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم say:
وعن شداد بن أوس قال سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من صلى

441
Surah Al-Nisa'
4 : 39-42
يرائى فقد اشرك، ومن صَام يرائى فقد أشرك، ومن تصدّق يرائى فقد اشرك
(احمد بحواله مشكوة)
"Whoever performed salah to show off, committed shirk; and
whoever fasted to show off, committed shirk; and whoever
gave in charity to show off, committed shirk." (Ahmad, as cited
by Mishkat).
Sayyidna Mahmoud ibn Labid رضى الله عنه narrates that the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
عن محمود بن لبيد انّ النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال ان اخوف ما أخاف
عليكم الشرك الأصغر، قالوا يا رسول اللّه وَمَا الشرك الأصغر؟ قال الرّياء
(احمد بحواله مشكوة)
'What fills me with grave apprehensions about you is the
minor shirk." The Companions asked: "O Messenger of Allah,
what is the minor shirk?" He said: "riya' (i.e. to do a good deed
just to show off"). (Ahmad, as cited by Mishkat)
Here, a narration from al-Baihaqi adds that, on the Day of Doom,
when the reward for good deeds will be given out, Allah Almighty will
say to the persons committing riya' i.e. the persons who did good deed
just to earn the applause of the people:
"Go to those you wanted to see you doing good deeds in the
mortal world and then find out for yourself if they have the
reward for your deeds."
Verses 39 - 42
وَمَا ذَا عَلَيْهِمْ لَوْ امَنُوْا بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْعِ الْآخِرِ وَأَنْفَقُوْا ◌َِّّا رَزَقَهُمُ
اللَّهُ، وَكَانَ اللّهُ بِهِمْ عَلِيمًا (٣٩) إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَظْلِمُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ
وَإِنْ تَكُ حَسَنَةً تُضُعِفُهَا وَيُؤْتٍ مِنْ لَّدُنْهُ أَجُرًا عَظِيْمَا﴿٤﴾
فَكَيْفَ إِذَا ◌ِبْنَا مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بِشَهِيْدٍ وَجِتْنَا بِكَ عَلَى لَهُلَاءِ
شَهِيُدًا (٤١) يَوْمَئِذٍ يَّوَدَّ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوا وَعَصَُوا الرَّسُولَ لَوْ
تُسَوِّى بِهِمُ الْأَرْضُ، وَلَا يَكْتُمُوْنَ اللّهَ حَدِيْنًا.
١٤٢
What harm was there for them if they had believed in

442
Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 39-42
Allah and the Last Day and spent out of what Allah had
given them. And Allah knows all about them. [39]
Surely, Allah does not wrong even to the measure of a
particle. And if it be a good deed, He multiplies it and
gives a great reward out of His Own pleasure. [40]
How would it, then, be when We shall bring a witness
from every community and shall bring you over them
as a witness. [41] On that Day, those who have
disbelieved and disobeyed the Messenger shall wish
that the earth be levelled with them. And they shall not
conceal anything from Allah. [42]
Previous verses carried the condemnation of those who refused to
believe in Allah and in the Akhirah and were miserly. The present
verses persuade people to believe in Allah and the Akhirah and engage
in the gainful activity of spending in the way of Allah. Then, towards
the end (41-42), a description of the trying situations prevailing on the
plains of Resurrection appears to warn people, who refuse to believe
and refuse to do what is good, of their evil end.
Commentary
In the first verse (39): Ju Mars zeit ist), it is said: What conceivable
harm could have affected them if they had believed in Allah and the
Last Day and spent out of what Allah had given them? What is so
tough, difficult or frightening about it? All these are as easy as they
come. Going by them, taking to them and believing in them does not
hurt or harm or cause any inconvenience. Why then, would someone
elect to be disobedient, the certain outcome of which is nothing but
disaster in the Akhirah?
The text, then, says: $5JULY1 5) (40), that is, Allah Almighty
does not allow the reward of good deeds from anyone be reduced in any
manner or quantity whatsoever. In fact, He adds extra rewards, in
multiples, in special Divine favours, and the life of Akhirah will
witness this supreme mercy of the Lord."
With Allah, the least human measure of thawab or reward is that
one good deed gets recorded as ten. Then, this does not stop at that;
through sheer mercy and grace, Allah bestows manifold increase into
this treasure of good deeds. Some hadith narrations tell us that there

443
Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 39-42
are deeds the reward for which rises as high as two million times. The
truth of the matter is that Allah is al-Karim, the most-noble, the most-
generous - He Himself, in His limitless mercy and grace, so increases
the quantum of his blessing on His servants that it simply cannot be
counted or measured in our human terms. The extents of His gene-
rosity and the dimensions of His very Being are beyond human concep-
tualization - who can dare calculate the uncalculable?
Incidentally, the word, ">5 : dharrah" appearing in this verse has
been translated here as 'particle' following the generally recognized
meaning it carries. However, some commentators have pointed out
that 'dharrah' is the name of the smallest kind of red ant which the
people of Arabia used to cite as an example of something very light
and insignificantly small.
In the verse (41) beginning with : ◌ٍّفَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّة ,there is an invi-
tation to visualize, in range and depth, the gravity of what will happen
on the site of the Last Day. Also intended is an admonition to the
disbelievers from the tribe of Quraysh. Their anxiety would know no
bounds when every prophet of every community would appear as a
witness to the good or bad deeds of his respective community on the
Last Day - and Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم too, the last of the prophets,
will appear as a witness over his community - and he would give
witness in the Divine Court particularly about such disbelievers and
polytheists declaring that these people saw open signs and miracles,
yet they belied and rejected them and ultimately refused to believe in
"The Divinity and my Prophethood'.
According to a narration in al-Bukhari, the Holy Prophet g asked
Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud ue All _+, to recite the Qur'an to him.
Sayyidna 'Abdullah said: 'You want to hear it from me, although the
Qur'an was revealed to you?' He said: 'Yes. Recite.' Sayyidna 'Abdullah
ibn Mas'ud says: 'I started reciting Suratun-Nisa' and when I reached
the verse : ◌ٍ41) فَكَيُفَ إِذَا جِئُنَا مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بِشَهِيُد), he said: "Enough for now;" and
when I raised my eyes to look at him, I saw tears trickling from his
blessed eyes.'
'Allama al-Qastalani writes: This verse caused a full view of the
Akhirah to be present before his eyes and he thought about the people
of his community who were short on or lacking in good deeds and that

444
Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 39-42
was why tears started flowing from his eyes.
Special Note:
Some commentators have said that the word, ;
(them), in this
verse (41) points to the disbelievers and hypocrites present during the
age of prophethood. Some others say that it refers to the entire
community right through the Day of Doom. This is so because, as indi-
cated in some hadith narrations, the deeds of his community are being
continuously presented before him. Nevertheless, from here we know
that the prophets of past communities will appear as witnesses over
their respective communities and that the Holy Prophet y too will
testify to the deeds of his community. This textual style of the noble
Qur'an tells us that there is to be no prophet after him who could
appear as a witness over a possible community of his - otherwise, the
Qur'an would have mentioned him and his community and the testi-
mony he would give. Seen from this angle, this verse is a proof of the
finality of prophethood as well.
In His Qui sá tur, the text mentions the state of utter despair faced
by disbelievers on the Last Day. That day they would wish to go
extinct rather than face its ordeal, to become a patch of the earth
underneath, or wish that the earth would crack open, suck them in
leaving nothing on top but dust mingled with dust, so that they would
be delivered of the scrutiny and retribution of that fateful time. (The
statement: ◌ُ42) لَرْتُسَوَى بِهِمْ الْأَرْض) has been translated here literally to
express, in some measure at least, the power and poignancy of the
original Qur'anic expression, as: 'shall wish that the earth be levelled
with them.)
The same wish appears in Suratun-Nisa' where it was said:
'&& (. This will be on the plains of Resurrection when the disbe-
lievers will see that all animals have been turned into dust after
having exchanged the retribution of each other's excesses. They too,
would pine for an end like this wishing to have become all dust.
Finally, the verse says: 25; (And they shall not conceal
anything from Allah - 42). It means that these disbelievers will be
unable to keep anything about their beliefs and deeds concealed from
Allah. Their own hands and feet will confess. The prophets will testify
and, of course, present there will be everything on record in their

445
Surah Al-Nisa' 4 : 43
Books of Deeds.
Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas as Jul , was asked: "At one place, the Holy
Qur'an says: 'And they shall not conceal anything from Allah' (4:42);
while, at another place, it says: 'By Allah, Our Lord, we were no mush-
riks' (6:23) - Is there, as it seems, any contradiction between the two
verses?" To this he replied: What will happen is that when the disbe-
lievers will begin to see that nobody except true Muslims is being
admitted into the Paradise they would decide to refuse point-blank
that they had ever committed shirk or any other evil deed, in the hope
that the plan works and results in their salvation. But, soon after this
refusal of theirs, the very parts of their body would testify against
them, which would totally frustrate their plan to conceal the truth
about their deeds. That will be the time when they will confess every-
thing. Hence: "They shall not conceal anything from Allah".
Verse 43
◌َيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ امَنُوا لَا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلُوَةَ وَأَنْهُمُ سُكُرَى حَتّى
تَعْلَمُوا مَا تَقُلُونَ وَلَا مُبًّا إِلَّ عَابِرِىُ سَبِيْلٍ حَتّى تَغْتَسِلُوْا،
وَإِنُّ كُمُ مَرُضَى آوُ عَلى سَفَرٍ أَوْجَاءَ آَخَدٌ قِنْكُمُ مِنَ الْغَائِطِ
أَوْ لُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَآءٌ فَتَيَمَّهُوْا صَعِيْدًا طَيِّبًا
فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوُهِكُمْ وَآَيْدِيُكُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَهُوًّا غَفُورًا ﴿٤٣﴾
O those who believe do not go near Salah when you are
intoxicated until you know what you say, nor in a state
of 'major impurity'' - save when you are traversing a
way - until you take a bath. And if you are sick, or in
travel, or one of you has come after easing himself, or
you have touched women, and you find no water, go for
some clean dust and wipe your faces and hands (with
it). Surely, Allah is most-pardoning, most-forgiving. [431
The Background of this Revelation
This is about an incident relating to Sayyidna 'Ali Le JI yo, which
1.Stands for Janabah which signifies a ritual impurity caused by sexual
intercourse or seminal discharge, in passion or dream, after which it
becomes obligatory to take a bath.