Surah Al-Mujadila, Ayah 22

The Opponents of Allah and His Messenger are the Losers

Allah and His Messenger shall prevail Allah the Exalted asserts that the rebellious and stubborn disbelievers who defy Him and His Messenger , those who do not embrace the religion and stay away from Truth, are in one area, while the guidance is in another area,

أُوْلَـئِكَ فِى الاٌّذَلِّينَ

(They will be among those most humiliated.) they are among the miserable, the cast out, banished from goodness; they are the humiliated ones in this life and the Hereafter. Allah said,

كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لاّغْلِبَنَّ أَنَاْ وَرُسُلِى

(Allah has decreed: "Verily, I and My Messengers shall be the victorious.") meaning, He has decreed, written in the First Book, and decided in the decree that He has willed -- which can never be resisted, changed or prevented -- that final victory is for Him, His Book, His Messengers and the faithful believers, in this life and the Hereafter:

Believers cannot entertain intimacy with non-Believers

لَّا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ‌ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّـهَ وَرَ‌سُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءَهُمْ (You shall not find those who believe in Allah and in the Hereafter having friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers....58:22). The preceding verses showed that those [ hypocrites ] who are in intimate friendship with unbelievers and pagans shall incur Allah's wrath, indignation and severe torment. This verse describes the condition of sincere believers who would not take an enemy of Faith, the opponents of Allah, for intimacy and friendship, even though such people are their own fathers, children, brothers or any other blood relatives. The bond of belief transcends all other bonds, even the close ties of blood. This description fits all noble Companions ؓ . Commentators on this occasion have cited a number of incidents of the blessed Companions which describe how, when they heard their fathers, sons and brothers or other blood relations utter blasphemy against Islam or the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، they left all ties aside and punished them or even killed them.

` Abdullah, the son of ` Abdullah Ibn 'Ubayy, the leader of the hypocrites in Madinah, heard his father make some blasphemous remarks against the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The son came up to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and sought his permission to kill his father. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stopped him. Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ heard his father, Abu Quhafah, uttering some insulting words against the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The most compassionate Siddiq ؓ became indignant and unexpectedly gave him such a hard slap that he fell down. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard about it, he advised Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ not do it again. In the battle of Uhud, Sayyidna Abu ` Ubaidah's father, Jarrah, was fighting on the side of the unbelievers against the Muslims. In the battlefield, while the battle was on, he purposely came time and again face to face with Sayyidna Abu ` Ubaidah ؓ and pursued him. Every time his father came in front of him, Sayyidna Abu ` Ubaidah ؓ would, as a mark of respect, move out. But when he persisted, Sayyidna Abu ` Ubaidah ؓ had no choice but to kill him. The biography of the blessed Companions is replete with similar incidents. The present set of verses was revealed to laud them. [ Qurtubi ]

Ruling

Many jurists have ruled that this rule applies equally to all Muslims who transgress or violate the sacred laws of Shari’ ah or in their practical life turn away from them, in that the sincere Muslims should not maintain an intimate friendship or relationship with such transgressors. As explained earlier, Muwalah [ intimate friendship ] with a fasiq [ transgressors ] is not possible because intimacy with them is possible if and only if the germs of fisq [ transgression ] are lurking in the people befriending them. Muwasah [ sympathy ] and Mu'amalat [ dealings ] or Mudarah [ cordiality ] are, however, a different matter to the degree of necessity. This is the reason why the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray: اَللَّھُمَّ لَا تَجعَلَ لِفَاجِرِ عَلَیَّ یَداً "0 Allah, do not give any transgressor the upper hand over me." The Messenger of Allah prayed thus because if anyone has the upper hand in a situation, he is most likely to get his own way. He will, for instance, show kindness to people and thus gain the upper hand; and the noble persons, on account of the kindness, will feel obliged or duty-bound to return his kindness with love. Thus the Messenger of Allah sought refuge with Allah from this situation. [ Qurtubi ]

وَأَيَّدَهُم بِرُ‌وحٍ مِّنْهُ (...and has helped them with a Spirit from Him....58:22) The word ruh, according to some authorities on Tafsir, stands for 'light', which radiates or emanates from Allah and enters the heart of a believer which urges him to perform righteous deeds, and is the source of peace and contentment of the heart. This tranquility and satisfaction is the source of great strength and power. Other authorities say that this word stands for the Holy Qur'an and the arguments of the Holy Qur'an. This is the real strength and power of a believer. [ Qurtubi ] Allah, the Pure and Exalted, knows best!

Alhamdulillah

The Commentary on

Surah A1-Mujadalah

Ends here.

In this world success is for the believers (God’s party). Who are the ones who comprise this group of people devoted to God? They are those in whose hearts Faith is firmly embedded as the greatest reality. They should have such a strong relationship with God that they receive spiritual light from Him. Then, their attachment to Divine Realities should be so deep that their friendships and enmities should be based only on that. They should be nearest to those who have adopted the Divine Truth, and they should remain far away from those who have distanced themselves from the Divine Truth, even if they are their nearest and dearest ones or closest relatives.