Verses 106–113
4. An-Nisaa · The Women
Madinan176 verses
وَٱسْتَغْفِرِ ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًۭا رَّحِيمًۭا
4:106and plead to Allah for forgiveness; indeed Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.
وَلَا تُجَٰدِلْ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخْتَانُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ خَوَّانًا أَثِيمًۭا
4:107And do not plead for those who betray themselves; indeed Allah does not like someone who is treacherous and sinful.1
يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَا يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ وَهُوَ مَعَهُمْ إِذْ يُبَيِّتُونَ مَا لَا يَرْضَىٰ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطًا
4:108They try to hide [their real character] from people, but they do not try to hide from Allah, though He is with them when they conspire overnight with a discourse that He does not approve of. And Allah comprehends whatever they do.2
هَٰٓأَنتُمْ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ جَٰدَلْتُمْ عَنْهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا فَمَن يُجَٰدِلُ ٱللَّهَ عَنْهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ أَم مَّن يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكِيلًۭا
4:109Aha! There you are, pleading for them in the life of this world! But who will plead for them with Allah on the Day of Resurrection, or will be their defender?
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ سُوٓءًا أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُۥ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ ٱللَّهَ يَجِدِ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورًۭا رَّحِيمًۭا
4:110Whoever commits evil or wrongs himself and then pleads to Allah for forgiveness, will find Allah all-forgiving, all-merciful.3
وَمَن يَكْسِبْ إِثْمًۭا فَإِنَّمَا يَكْسِبُهُۥ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِۦ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًۭا
4:111Whoever commits a sin, commits it only against himself; and Allah is all-knowing, all-wise.
وَمَن يَكْسِبْ خَطِيٓـَٔةً أَوْ إِثْمًۭا ثُمَّ يَرْمِ بِهِۦ بَرِيٓـًۭٔا فَقَدِ ٱحْتَمَلَ بُهْتَٰنًۭا وَإِثْمًۭا مُّبِينًۭا
4:112But someone who commits an iniquity or sin and then accuses an innocent person of it, is indeed guilty of calumny and a flagrant sin.
وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَتُهُۥ لَهَمَّت طَّآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنْهُمْ أَن يُضِلُّوكَ وَمَا يُضِلُّونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۖ وَمَا يَضُرُّونَكَ مِن شَىْءٍۢ ۚ وَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَكَ مَا لَمْ تَكُن تَعْلَمُ ۚ وَكَانَ فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ عَظِيمًۭا
4:113Were it not for Allah’s grace and His mercy on you, a group of them were bent on leading you astray; but they do not mislead anyone except themselves, and they cannot do you any harm. Allah has sent down to you the Book and wisdom, and He has taught you what you did not know, and great is Allah’s grace upon you.4
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 107
1.Three brothers of Ansar from Bano-Bariq had stolen goods from someone’s house and had hidden it in the house of Jews. After that one of them complained to Prophet (s.a.) and gathered many witnesses and with the help of them declared the Jew a thief and apparently convinced the Prophet (5.a.). Allah pointed out at this incident and warned the Muslims: Be careful! Do not support the criminals. You are doing injustice to your soul by putting blame on others and you cannot conceal your offence from Allah as Allah is All-Knowing. The commentators has added the words that the supporters of culprits had convinced the Prophet (5.a.) and he had also warned the innocent man. So Allah ordered His Prophet (s.a.) to beg pardon of Allah, because having a Holy book, he should not give his own decision. It is against the command of Allah. But this conjecture is based on the premise of the status of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) being that of an ordinary human and it has ignored the aspect of infallibility. Otherwise this incident proof that Islam does not care for companionship and refugee status. Except for faith and character nothing is of any value in the view of Islam. A person is valued only if he has faith and good character; if it is not so, it is a great offence to give him support or encouragement.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
- 1
One should be aware that whenever he deceives anyone else, one is actually deceiving his own self.
- 2
If man intends to deceive he should hide his defects from Allah because it is He who is going to punish him. When this is not possible, what is the use of hiding ones defects from the creatures? What punishment can the creatures give? Except words (of rebuke) and words are prone to get dispersed in the air.
- 3
Soo: is the evil which is done to others Zulme-Nafs: It is the injustice to ones own self. Ithm: A sin committed knowingly. Khatiya. A mistake that can be forgiven and it is done in ignorance.
- 4
These words are clear proof that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has not advocated on behalf of a criminal. And neither can he do it. The commentators wrongly interpret this ayat to be scolding the Holy Prophet (s.a.). This is just an allegation.
Benefit: In ayat no. 113 the words Fazl, Rahmat etc are pointing towards infallibility. The doctor who understands germs does not drink dirty water, but a foolish person does.