Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (857)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(12) “O Prophet, when believing women come to you to pledge that they will not associate anything with Allah, steal, commit adultery, kill their children, bring a slander they have fabricated between their hands and feet, or disobey you in anything right, then accept their pledge and ask Allah to forgive them. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

The conditions mentioned in this verse are known as “the women’s pledge,” under which women [would] pledge to uphold the duties shared by men and women at all times.

⦗858⦘ As for men, what is required of them varies according to their circumstances, ranks, and individual obligations. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would carry out Allah’s command: whenever women came to pledge to him and committed themselves to these conditions, he accepted their pledge, reassured their hearts, asked Allah to forgive whatever shortcomings they might display (1), and counted them among the believers on condition that they “associate nothing with Allah”—that is, by (2) singling out Allah [alone] in worship.

“And they will not commit adultery,” as this was widespread among prostitutes and women who took secret lovers; “nor kill their children,” as was practiced by the ignorant women of the Age of Ignorance.

“Nor bring a slander they have fabricated between their hands and feet.” Slander means fabricating lies against others. That is, they must not fabricate lies under any circumstances, whether concerning themselves and their husbands (3) or anyone else. “Nor disobey you in anything right”: that is, they must not disobey you in anything you command them, for your commands can only be right. This includes obeying [you] when forbidden to wail over the dead, tear their garments, scratch their faces, or utter the cries (4) of the Age of Ignorance.

“Then accept their pledge” when they commit themselves to everything mentioned.

“And ask Allah to forgive them” for their shortcomings and to console their hearts. “Surely Allah is All-Forgiving”—that is, He abundantly forgives the disobedient and shows kindness to repentant sinners—“Most Merciful”: His mercy encompasses all things, and His beneficence extends to all creatures.

(1) Thus in B; in A: “whatever shortcomings arise from them.” (2) In B: “rather.” (3) In B: “with their husbands.” (4) In B: “with the call.”

﴿١٢﴾ ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ يُبَايِعْنَكَ عَلَى أَنْ لا يُشْرِكْنَ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا وَلا يَسْرِقْنَ وَلا يَزْنِينَ وَلا يَقْتُلْنَ أَوْلادَهُنَّ وَلا يَأْتِينَ بِبُهْتَانٍ يَفْتَرِينَهُ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِنَّ وَأَرْجُلِهِنَّ وَلا يَعْصِينَكَ فِي مَعْرُوفٍ فَبَايِعْهُنَّ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُنَّ اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ﴾ . هذه الشروط المذكورة في هذه الآية، تسمى "مبايعة النساء" اللاتي [كن] يبايعن على إقامة الواجبات المشتركة، التي تجب على الذكور والنساء في جميع الأوقات. ⦗٨٥٨⦘ وأما الرجال، فيتفاوت ما يلزمهم بحسب أحوالهم ومراتبهم وما يتعين عليهم، فكان النبي ﷺ يمتثل ما أمره الله به، فكان إذا جاءته النساء يبايعنه، والتزمن بهذه الشروط بايعهن، وجبر قلوبهن، واستغفر لهن الله، فيما يحصل منهن من التقصير (١) وأدخلهن في جملة المؤمنين بأن ﴿لا يُشْرِكْنَ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا﴾ بأن (٢) يفردن الله [وحده] بالعبادة. ﴿وَلا يَزْنِينَ﴾ كما كان ذلك موجودا كثيرا في البغايا وذوات الأخدان، ﴿وَلا يَقْتُلْنَ أَوْلادَهُنَّ﴾ كما يجري لنساء الجاهلية الجهلاء. ﴿وَلا يَأْتِينَ بِبُهْتَانٍ يَفْتَرِينَهُ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِنَّ وَأَرْجُلِهِنَّ﴾ والبهتان: الافتراء على الغير أي: لا يفترين بكل حالة، سواء تعلقت بهن وأزواجهن (٣) أو سواء تعلق ذلك بغيرهم، ﴿وَلا يَعْصِينَكَ فِي مَعْرُوفٍ﴾ أي: لا يعصينك في كل أمر تأمرهن به، لأن أمرك لا يكون إلا بمعروف، ومن ذلك طاعتهن [لك] في النهي عن النياحة، وشق الثياب، وخمش الوجوه، والدعاء بدعاء (٤) الجاهلية. ﴿فَبَايِعْهُنَّ﴾ إذا التزمن بجميع ما ذكر. ﴿وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُنَّ اللَّهَ﴾ عن تقصيرهن، وتطييبا لخواطرهن، ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ﴾ أي: كثير المغفرة للعاصين، والإحسان إلى المذنبين التائبين، ﴿رَحِيمٌ﴾ وسعت رحمته كل شيء، وعم إحسانه البرايا.

(١) كذا في ب، وفي أ: يحصل من التقصير منهن. (٢) في ب: بل. (٣) في ب: مع أزواجهن. (٤) في ب: بدعوى.