Verses 54–58
24. An-Noor · The Light
Madinan64 verses
قُلْ أَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ ۖ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِ مَا حُمِّلَ وَعَلَيْكُم مَّا حُمِّلْتُمْ ۖ وَإِن تُطِيعُوهُ تَهْتَدُوا۟ ۚ وَمَا عَلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ إِلَّا ٱلْبَلَٰغُ ٱلْمُبِينُ
24:54Say, ‘Obey Allah, and obey the Apostle.’ But if you turn your backs, [you should know that] he is only responsible for his burden and you are responsible for your own burden, and if you obey him, you will be guided, and the Apostle’s duty is only to communicate in clear terms.1
وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ كَمَا ٱسْتَخْلَفَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى ٱرْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًۭا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِى لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِى شَيْـًۭٔا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَٰسِقُونَ
24:55Allah has promised those of you who have faith and do righteous deeds that He will surely make them successors in the earth, just as He made those who were before them successors, and He will surely establish for them their religion which He has approved for them, and that He will surely change their state to security after their fear, while they worship Me, not ascribing any partners to Me. Whoever is ungrateful after that—it is they who are the transgressors.2
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
24:56Maintain the prayer and give the zakat, and obey the Apostle so that you may receive [Allah’s] mercy.
لَا تَحْسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مُعْجِزِينَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَمَأْوَىٰهُمُ ٱلنَّارُ ۖ وَلَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
24:57Do not suppose that those who are faithless can frustrate [Allah] on the earth. Their refuge shall be the Fire, and it is surely an evil destination.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لِيَسْتَـْٔذِنكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُكُمْ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يَبْلُغُوا۟ ٱلْحُلُمَ مِنكُمْ ثَلَٰثَ مَرَّٰتٍۢ ۚ مِّن قَبْلِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلْفَجْرِ وَحِينَ تَضَعُونَ ثِيَابَكُم مِّنَ ٱلظَّهِيرَةِ وَمِنۢ بَعْدِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلْعِشَآءِ ۚ ثَلَٰثُ عَوْرَٰتٍۢ لَّكُمْ ۚ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَا عَلَيْهِمْ جُنَاحٌۢ بَعْدَهُنَّ ۚ طَوَّٰفُونَ عَلَيْكُم بَعْضُكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌۭ
24:58O you who have faith! Your slaves and any of you who have not yet reached puberty should seek your permission three times: before the dawn prayer, and when you put off your garments at noon, and after the night prayer. These are three times of privacy for you. Apart from these, it is not sinful of you or them to frequent one another [freely]. Thus does Allah clarify the signs for you, and Allah is all-knowing, all-wise.3
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 55
1.However some commentators say that in the time of the Prophet (s.a.) or in the time of his believers, this promise of Allah had been fulfilled and great power had been accrued to Muslims when religion of Islam had overwhelming influence and fear was substituted by peace, the Unity of Allah held sway and there was no sign of polytheism, but the fact remains, further investigation of this promise is left outstanding and the time has not come yet that complete proof of this ayat can be settled. As an example, the Holy Quran has mentioned in this Ayat about the overwhelming influence of religion. which Allah likes and announces that the choice ofreligion is decided in Ghadeer. Hence, until the overwhelming of the world by the announcement of Ghadeer and the seal of Ali (a.s.) on every flag, there is no question of fulfillment of the promise. Then imagination of change of fear into peace in the time of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) or his believers is only a biased view. Otherwise fear and uneasiness is present in every era and justice and equity has never held complete sway. That is why the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has said. This work will be completed by my successor and then the whole world would be filled with justice and fair play while tyranny and oppression would come to an end
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
- 1
Please note that no prophet is responsible for the words or actions of his people. He is only responsible for delivering the divine message. After this to act upon it or not is the duty of the people. The prophet is answerable for his propagation work. He cannot be held responsible for the obedience of the people.
- 2
Sometimes polytheism is from the aspect of belief and sometimes from the aspect or action where he continues reciting the Kalima but there is no sign of Islam in his practical life. However, those from whom Allah has taken oath of divine vicegerancy are pure from every type of polytheism.
Benefit: The 55th ayat proves that the aim of Islamic government is the supremacy of Allah’s religion, the replacement of fear with peace and security and the establishment of such a worship that is not a bit tainted with polytheism. This implies the government of Imam Mahdi (a.s.) and none else.
- 3
It becomes clear from here that the Islam which is so cautious about slaves, slave girls and children, how thoughtful would it be for other people. How refined would be its ethics and how exalted its morals. The word forebearance is used to mean maturity in this ayat because when a person becomes mature his intellect reaches its perfection. It is also possible that it is in the meaning of dream. Because the beginning of maturity is with a particular dream that results in nocturnal discharge of semen.