(10–14) “O you who believe, shall I direct you to a trade that will save you from a painful punishment? * It is to believe in Allah and His Messenger and to strive in Allah’s cause with your wealth and your lives. That is better for you, if only you knew. * He will forgive your sins and admit you into Gardens beneath which rivers flow, and into pleasant dwellings in Gardens of Eden. That is the supreme triumph. * And another blessing you love: victory from Allah and a conquest near at hand. Give glad tidings to the believers. * O you who believe, be supporters of Allah, as Jesus, son of Mary, said to the disciples, ‘Who will be my helpers in Allah’s cause?’ The disciples said, ‘We are Allah’s supporters.’ Then a group of the Children of Israel believed and a group disbelieved, so We strengthened those who believed against their enemy, and they became triumphant.”
This is counsel, direction, and guidance from the Most Merciful of the merciful to His believing servants, directing them to the greatest trade, the noblest objective, and the highest aspiration—a trade through which they may be saved from painful punishment and attain everlasting bliss.
He presents it in the form of an invitation, indicating that this is something every discerning person desires and every intelligent person aspires to. It is as though the question were asked: What is this trade whose worth is so great? He answers: “You believe in Allah and His Messenger.”
It is well known that complete faith consists of firm assent to everything Allah has commanded one to believe, and that this necessarily entails bodily actions. Among the noblest bodily actions is striving in Allah’s cause (1). He therefore says: “And you strive in Allah’s cause with your wealth and your lives”—by sacrificing yourselves and your very lifeblood to confront the enemies of Islam, with the aim of supporting Allah’s religion and exalting His word, and by spending whatever you can of your wealth toward that objective. Although (2) this may be distasteful and difficult for the soul, it is nevertheless “better for you, if only you knew.” It contains worldly good: victory over enemies, honor that precludes humiliation, abundant provision, and ease and openness of heart.
In the Hereafter, there is the attainment (3) of Allah’s reward and salvation from His punishment. He therefore mentions the reward in the Hereafter, saying: “He will forgive your sins.” This includes both minor and major sins, for faith in Allah and striving in His cause expiate sins, even if they are major.
“And admit you into Gardens beneath which rivers flow”—that is, beneath their dwellings [and palaces], chambers, and trees flow rivers of water that never spoils, rivers of milk whose taste never changes, rivers of wine delightful to those who drink, and rivers of purified honey. There they will have every kind of fruit.
“And into pleasant dwellings in Gardens of Eden”—that is, dwellings combining everything delightful: lofty elevation, beautiful construction, and splendid adornment. The inhabitants of the lofty chambers among those in the highest ranks ⦗861⦘ will be visible to the people of Paradise just as a shining star is seen on the eastern or western horizon. Some of Paradise’s buildings are made of bricks of gold [and some are made of] bricks of silver. Its tents are of pearls and coral, while some of its dwellings are fashioned from emeralds and jewels of the finest colors. So pure are they that their exterior can be seen from within and their interior from without.
They contain such delight and beauty that no description can encompass them and nothing like them has ever occurred to the heart of anyone in all creation. They cannot truly comprehend them until they see them, enjoy their beauty, and find delight in beholding them. At that moment, were it not that Allah created the people of Paradise in a perfect state that cannot perish, they would almost die of joy.
Glory be to Him whom none of His creatures can praise fully! Rather, He is as He has praised Himself and beyond the praise His servants offer Him (4). Blessed is the Majestic, the Beautiful, who created the abode of bliss and placed within it such grandeur and beauty as dazzle the minds of creation and captivate their hearts.
Exalted is He who possesses perfect wisdom. Part of that wisdom is that, had Allah shown all creatures Paradise when He created it (5), and had they seen the bliss it contains, no one would have held back from seeking it, nor would life in this troubled abode—where every pleasure is mingled with pain and every joy (6) with sorrow—have brought them any satisfaction.
Paradise is called the Gardens of Eden because its inhabitants will remain there forever. They will never leave and will never desire to exchange it for another abode. That immense reward and splendid recompense is the supreme triumph, beyond which there is no triumph. This is the reward of the Hereafter.
As for the worldly reward of this trade, He mentions it in the words: “And another blessing you love.” That is, you will receive another blessing that you love: “victory from Allah” [for you] over your enemies, through which you will attain honor and joy, “and a conquest near at hand,” through which the domain of Islam will expand and abundant provision will be obtained. This is the reward of the believers who strive. As for those believers who do not take part in the fighting [when others undertake it] (7), Allah Most High has not caused them to despair of His bounty and beneficence. Rather, He says: “Give glad tidings to the believers”—that is, of reward both immediate and deferred, each according to the measure of his faith, even though they do not attain the same station as those who strive in Allah’s cause. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “In Paradise are one hundred levels, between any two of which is a distance like that between heaven and earth. Allah has prepared them for those who strive in His cause.” (8)
Then the Most High says: “O you who believe, be supporters of Allah”—[that is,] through words and deeds. This is done by upholding Allah’s religion, striving diligently to establish it among others (9), and striving with body and wealth against those who oppose and resist it. It also entails confronting anyone who supports falsehood with what he claims to be knowledge and rejects the truth, demolishing his argument, establishing the proof against him, and warning others against him.
Supporting Allah’s religion also includes learning the Book of Allah and the sunnah of His Messenger, encouraging others to do so, [enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong].
Allah then stirred the believers to emulate the righteous who preceded them, saying: “As Jesus, son of Mary, said to the disciples, ‘Who will be my helpers in Allah’s cause?’” That is, he asked them by way of invitation and exhortation (10): Who will assist me, stand beside me in supporting Allah’s religion, and follow the same course as I do in all my undertakings?
The disciples hastened to answer: “We are Allah’s supporters.” Jesus—peace be upon him—then proceeded in obedience to Allah’s command and supported His religion, together with the disciples who accompanied him. “Then a group of the Children of Israel believed” because of the call of Jesus and the disciples, “and a group disbelieved.” They did not submit to their call, so the believers fought the disbelievers. “Thus We strengthened those who believed against their enemy”—that is, We empowered them and granted them victory over their enemies.
“And they became triumphant”—dominant over [and vanquishing] them. Therefore, O nation of Muhammad, ⦗862⦘ be supporters of Allah and callers to His religion. Allah will grant you victory just as He granted victory to those before you, and He will give you ascendancy over your enemy.
Its commentary is complete, and all praise belongs to Allah (11).