5. ALLAH IS TALKING TO US THROUGH THE QUR’ᾹN (5)

5. ALLAH  IS TALKING TO US THROUGH THE QUR’ᾹN (5)

       In the tenth year of the Prophet’s messengership, two persons who were very dear to the Prophet passed away: his uncle Abū Ṭālib and his wife Khadījah. That year in Islamic history was known as ām al-ḥuzn (“the Year of Mourning”). These two persons had supported and protected the Prophet in delivering his message from the harassment of the Quraysh tribe.

           The Prophet s.a.w. and his servant Zayd bin Hārithah went secretly to Ṭā’if, about 90 km (60 miles) south-east of Makah. After four days walking they finally reached to town. He hoped that its inhabitants might accept Islam, since the majority of the inhabitants of Makkah rejected Islam. The Prophet stayed in Ṭā’if 15 nights calling them to Islam, but to no avail. They even threw stones at him and Zayd. They returned to Makkah.

          After this year of mourning and terrible condition, Allah wanted to show the Prophet’s noble position not only to human beings, but also to the angels, that He ordered the arch-angel Jibrīl (Gabriel) to accompany the Prophet in his isrā’ (“night journey from Makkah to Jerusalem”) and mī‘rāj (“ascension to heaven”). This took place before the Prophet’s migration to Madinah.

         Allah says in the Qur’an,

فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْراً. إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْراً (الشرح:5-6)

 Verily along with every hardship is relief. Verily

 along with every hardship is relief. (Q. 94:5-6).[1]

          It means that with difficulty there is ease, and Allah reaffirms this information by repeating it. The Prophet commenting on this verse said,

 أبْشِرُوا أتاكُمُ اليُسْرُ، لَنْ يَغْلِبَ عُسْرٌ يُسْرَيْنِ 

Have a good news, ease has come to you; a difficulty

 would never defeat two eases.

          After over ten years calling people to Islam to people of Makkah with difficulty and minimum result, on the contrary, the people of Madinah had already accepted him and his message before he immigrated to this city. Here the Prophet established an Islamic city-state making peace between the two tribes, Aws and Khazraj. He also made an agreement with the Jewish tribes in a constitution called Madinan Charter, where they agreed to join the Muslims in defending the city from external attack.

          This was the Madinan phase which lasted about ten years, starting from the hijrah (migration) of the Prophet until his death. Verses revealed in this phase are different from those revealed in Makkah in length, themes, and forms of address. Madinan verses are longer than the Makkan. The new themes are of social and legal, such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, punishment, etc. The forms of address are: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا “O you who believe”, and يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ “O people of the Scripture”.

  D. As Muslims Allah talked directly to the Muslims in Madinah in the time of the Prophet, and is still talking to us with His injunction, prohibition and direction when He says يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا “O you who believe!” It is mentioned 11 time in chapter 2 ; 7 times in chap. 3; 10 times in chap. 4; 15 times in chap. 5; 6 times in chap. 8; 6 times in chap. 9; 3 times in chap. 24; 7  times in chap. 33; twice in chap. 47;  5 times in chap. 49; once in chap. 57; 3  times in chap. 58; once in chap. 59; 3 times in chap. 60;  3 times in chap. 61; once in chap. 62; once in chap. 63; once in chap. 64; twice in chap. 66. Total: 86 times.[2]

          One example to indicate that Allah is still talking to us through the Qur’an is the following verse:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ. فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا

فَأْذَنُوا بِحَرْبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَإِنْ تُبْتُمْ فَلَكُمْ رُءُوسُ أَمْوَالِكُمْ لَا تَظْلِمُونَ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ.

 وَإِنْ كَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَى مَيْسَرَةٍ وَأَنْ تَصَدَّقُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ.

 وَاتَّقُوا يَوْمًا تُرْجَعُونَ فِيهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ ثُمَّ تُوَفَّى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَا كَسَبَتْ

وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ (البقرة:281-278)

O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah and give up what

 remains (due to you) from ribā (usury) (from now onward),

 if you are (really) believers. And if you do not do it, then take

 a note of war from Allah, and His Messenger, but if you repent,

 you shall have your capital sums. Deal not unjustly (by asking

 more than your capital sums), and you shall not be dealt

 with unjustly (by receiving less than your capital sums).

 And if the debtor is in a hard time (has no money),

 then grant him time till it is easy for him to repay,

 but if you remit it by way of charity, that is

 better for you if you did but know.

 (Q. 2:278-281)

          If we Muslims do not stop taking usury, interest (ribā), then both Allah and His Messenger will declare war against us, the Muslims of the past, of the present, and of the future. Practicing ribā is a grave sin.

          Allah prohibits us from deserting the battlefield in defending Islam. He says: 

 يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا لَقِيتُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا زَحْفًا فَلَا تُوَلُّوهُمُ الْأَدْبَارَ. وَمَنْ يُوَلِّهِمْ

يَوْمَئِذٍ دُبُرَهُ إِلَّا مُتَحَرِّفًا لِقِتَالٍ أَوْ مُتَحَيِّزًا إِلَى فِئَةٍ فَقَدْ بَاءَ بِغَضَبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ

وَمَأْوَاهُ جَهَنَّمُ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ (الأنفال:15-16)



 O you who believe! When you meet those who disbelieve, in a battlefield, never turn your back to them. And whoever turns his back to them on such a day—unless it be a stratagem of war, or to retreat to a troop (of his own—he indeed has drawn upon himself wrath from Allah. And his abode is Hell, and worst indeed is that destination! (Q. 8:15-16)

          According to the Old Testament, King Solomon who was said to be the wisest man ever to live in his time warned people about seven deadly sins, detestable to God: 1. haughty eyes, 2. a lying tongue, 3. hands that shed innocent blood, 4. a heart that devises wicked schemes, 5. feet that are quick to rush into evil, 6. a false witness who pours out lies, 7. and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. (Proverbs 6:16-19)

          In Islam we have what the Prophet s.a.w. called السَّبعُ المُوبِقَات “the seven great destructive sins” which are:

الشِّرْكُ بِاللَّهِ، وَالسِّحْرُ، وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالحَقِّ، وَأَكْلُ الرِّبَا، وَأَكْلُ مَالِ اليَتِيمِ، وَالتَّوَلِّي يَوْمَ الزَّحْفِ، وَقَذْفُ المُحْصَنَاتِ المُؤْمِنَاتِ الغَافِلاَتِ (رواه البخاري ومسلم)

To join others in worship along with Allah, to kill the life

 which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause, magic, to

 consume riba, to consume an orphan’s wealth, to turn away

 from the enemy and flee from the battlefield when the battle

 begins, and to accuse chaste women,  who never ever think

 of anything that would tarnish their chastity and are

 good believers. (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim)

          We see that riba (usury, interest) and deserting the battlefield are included in the seven great destructive sins. However, in another hadith the Prophet s.a.w. said:

"أَلاَ أُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِأَكْبَرِ الكَبَائِر؟» قُلْنَا: بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، قَالَ: " الإِشْرَاكُ بِاللَّهِ،

وَعُقُوقُ الوَالِدَيْنِ، وَكَانَ مُتَّكِئًا فَجَلَسَ فَقَالَ: أَلاَ وَقَوْلُ الزُّورِ" فَمَا زَالَ  

  يُكَرِّرُهَا حَتَّى قُلْنَا: لَيْتَهُ سَكَتَ (رواه البخاري ومسلم)

“Should I inform you about the greatest of the great sins?” We

 [the narrator] said, “Yes, O Allah’s Messenger! He said, “To join others in worship with Allah and to be undutiful to one’s parents.”

 He was reclining, then he sat up and said, “And I warn you against false speech,” and he continued repeating it until we wished

  that he would stop. (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim)

          Allah talks to us and reminds us to remain believers, fearing Him (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden), and to die as Muslims. He says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ (102)

O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared.

 [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him

always], and die not except in a state of

 Islam (as Muslims) (Q. 3:102)

          This verse continues with His advising us to hold fast to the Qur’an, not to be divided among ourselves, and remember His favour in uniting us as brothers in faith, and in saving us from the Hellfire (verse 103). He then advises us that a group of people among us should invite people to all that is right (ma‘rūf) and forbid all that is wrong (munkar) (verse 104).

          In Q. 5:35 Allah told us believers to fear Him, to seek the means of approach to Him, and to strive hard to His Cause. In Q. 9:119 and 33:70 He told us to fear Him and tell the truth.  In Q. 57:28 Allah told us to fear Him and to believe in His Messenger.

          Allah orders us to obey Him and to obey His Messenger. He says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ

تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ

 وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا  (النساء:59)

 O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger,

 and those of you who are in authority. And if you differ in

anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His

 Messenger if you believe in Allah and the Last

Day. That is better and more suitable

for final determination. (Q. 4:59)

          Obedience to Allah and His Messenger is unconditional, whereas obedience to those who are in authority is conditional, that it does not constitute disobedience to Allah, as the Prophet said:

إِنَّمَا الطَّاعَةُ فِي الْمَعْرُوفِ (رواه البخاري ومسلم(

Obedience is only in righteousness

(Reported by Bukhari and Muslim)

          Obedience to Allah and His Messenger is Allah enjoined by Allah, and not to turn away from him, and not to be like those who say “we have heard”, but they do not hear (Q. 8:20-21), and  in order that we would not make vain our deeds (Q. 47:33)

          Allah reminds us from rendering in vain our deeds of charity by reminders of our generosity, injury, showing off (Q. 2:264). He prohibits us from laughing at each other, from suspecting each other, and from spying each other (Q. 49:11-12). He reminds us not to let our wealth and children divert us from remembering Allah. (Q. 63:9)

         There are two verses only in the Qur’an where Allah told us directly to spend our wealth in charity for His sake while we are still alive, as our wealth would not avail in the Hereafter (Q. 2:254). He told us to spend from the purest and best money/income, as Allah accepts only that which is pure and good. (Q. 2:267). However, there any many verses dealing with spending our wealth, either for voluntary charity called ṣadaqah, or obligatory one called zakāt. He said that we would never attain. He said that we would not attain   birr (piety, righteousness, devoutness, kindness), unless we spend of that which we love (Q. 4:42)

          Giving charity to the needy, whether they are believers or non-believers, as long as it is for seeking Allah’s pleasure, it will be for our own benefit, as Allah will reward it (Q. 2:272). The reward for every good deed is between tenfold and seven hundred fold, and the reward of spending in the way of Allah, is seven hundred fold. (Q. 2:261). Allah in the Qur’an encourages us to give charity to help our fellow human beings, even our fellow creatures. (ANUMA, 30.05.140

المراجع:

المكتبة الشاملة

تفسير الطبري (ت. 310 هـ

تفسير القرطبى (ت. 671 هـ (

تفسير ابن كثير (ت. 774 هـ (

Abu Khalil, Dr. Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’an. Riyadh, Darussalam, 2003

Hatta, Ahmad, dkk. The Great Story of Muhammad s.a.w. Jakarta: Maghfirah Pustaka, 2013.                  
islam.aljayyash.net/encyclopedia/book-8-9   

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[1] Mujāhid’s interpretation of مَعَ (“along with”) in the above verse is بَعْدَ  (“after”), so that the verse means “after difficulty there is ease.”

[2] For details: Q. 2:104, 153, 173, 178, 183, 208, 254, 264, 276, 278, 282; Q. 3:100, 102, 118, 130, 149, 156, 200; Q. 4:1, 19, 29, 43, 59, 71, 94, 135, 136, 144; Q. 5:1, 2,6, 8, 11, 35, 51, 57, 87, 90, 94, 95, 101, 105, 106; Q. 8:15, 20, 24, 27, 29, 45;  Q. 9:23, 28, 34, 38, 119, 123; Q. 22:77; Q. 24:21, 27, 58; Q. 33:9, 41, 49, 53, 56, 69, 70; Q. 47:7, 33; Q. 49:1, 2, 6, 11, 12; Q. 57:28; Q. 58:9, 11, 12; Q. 59:18; Q. 60:1, 10, 13; Q. 61:2, 10, 14; Q. 62:9; Q. 63:9; Q. 64:14; Q. 66:6, 8.