Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (191)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

His words, “And who is more truthful in speech than Allah?” and “And who is more truthful in word than Allah?” declare that His speech, reports, and words occupy the highest degree of truthfulness—indeed, the very highest. Therefore, whatever is said concerning beliefs [and the sciences] (1) or deeds that contradicts what Allah has declared is false, because it contradicts a report that is unquestionably true; it cannot possibly be the truth. ⦗192⦘

(88–91) “Why are you divided into two groups concerning the hypocrites, when Allah has cast them back because of what they earned? Do you wish to guide those whom Allah has led astray? Whoever Allah leads astray, you will never find a way for him. * They wish that you would disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so that you would all be alike. Therefore, do not take any of them as allies until they emigrate in the cause of Allah. But if they turn away, seize and kill them wherever you find them, and take none of them as an ally or helper, * except those who join a people with whom you have a treaty, or those who come to you with hearts shrinking from fighting either you or their own people. Had Allah willed, He could have empowered them against you, and they would have fought you. So if they withdraw from you, do not fight you, and offer you peace, then Allah has given you no grounds against them. * You will find others who wish to be secure from you and secure from their own people. Whenever they are returned to temptation, they plunge headlong into it. If they neither withdraw from you, nor offer you peace, nor restrain their hands, then seize and kill them wherever you encounter them. Against such people We have given you clear authority.”

(2) The hypocrites meant in these verses are those who outwardly professed Islam but did not emigrate and remained disbelievers. The Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—were uncertain about them: some felt scruples about fighting them and severing their allegiance to them because of the faith they professed, while others discerned their true condition from the evidence of their actions and judged them to be disbelievers. Allah Most High informed them that they should neither be uncertain nor doubtful about these people. Rather, their condition was clear and unambiguous: they were hypocrites who had repeatedly committed disbelief, and they also wished that the believers would disbelieve and become like them. Once this was established regarding them, “do not take any of them as allies.” This necessarily entails not loving them, since allegiance stems from love.

It also entails hating them and treating them as enemies, because prohibiting a thing constitutes a command to do its opposite. This command remained in force only until they emigrated. Once they emigrated, the same rulings applied to them as to the Muslims. The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—likewise applied the rulings of Islam to everyone who joined him and emigrated to him, whether he was truly a believer or merely professed faith outwardly.

If they did not emigrate and turned away from doing so, then “seize and kill them wherever you find them”—that is, at any time and in any place. This is among the evidence indicating that the prohibition against fighting during the sacred months was abrogated, as held by the majority of scholars. Those who disagree say that these are unrestricted texts that must be qualified by the prohibition applicable during the sacred months.

Allah then exempted three groups from fighting among these hypocrites.

As for two of them, He commanded that they be left alone and emphatically insisted [upon] this. One of them (3) consists of anyone who joins a people bound to the Muslims by a covenant and treaty to refrain from fighting. By joining them, he shares their ruling regarding the inviolability of life and property.

The second group consists of people whose “hearts shrink from fighting either you or their own people.” That is, they remained unwilling to fight you or their own people, and they preferred to refrain from fighting either side. These people, too, were to be left alone. Allah explains the wisdom behind this in His words, “Had Allah willed, He could have empowered them against you, and they would have fought you.” The possible situations fall into three categories:

They could be on your side and fight your enemies, but that was impossible for these people. The choice, therefore, lay between their fighting you alongside their people and their refraining from fighting either side, the latter being easier for you. Allah was fully able to empower them against you, so accept being spared and praise your Lord, who restrained their hands from you despite their ability to fight you.

“Thus,” regarding these people, “if they withdraw from you, do not fight you, and offer you peace, then Allah has given you no grounds against them.”

The third group consists of people who seek their own interests without any regard for respecting you. They are those of whom Allah says, “You will find others”—that is, others among these hypocrites—“who wish to be secure from you,” out of fear of you, “and secure from their own people. Whenever they are returned to temptation, they plunge headlong into it.” That is, they persist in their disbelief and hypocrisy. Whenever some occasion of temptation confronts them, it blinds them and sends them tumbling headlong, increasing them in disbelief and hypocrisy. Outwardly, these people resemble the second group, but in reality they differ from them.

The second group refrained from fighting the believers out of respect for them, not out of fear for themselves. This group, however, refrained out of fear, not respect. Indeed, if they found an opportunity to fight the believers, they would be ready (4) to exploit it. Therefore, unless their withdrawal from the believers and renunciation of fighting them is made plainly and unmistakably evident, they are to be fought. Hence Allah says, “If they neither withdraw from you, nor offer you peace”—meaning peaceful relations and a truce—“nor restrain their hands, then seize and kill them wherever you encounter them. Against such people We have given you clear authority.” That is, a plain and evident proof, because they are aggressors who wrong you and reject peace. Thus, let them blame no one but themselves.

(1) An addition from the margin of B. (2) In the margin of A: “It is established in the two Sahih collections, in the hadith of Zayd ibn Arqam, that the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—set out for Uhud. Some of those who had set out with him then turned back, and the Companions of the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—split into two groups concerning them: one group said, ‘We should kill them,’ while the other said, ‘No.’ Allah then revealed: ‘Why are you divided into two groups concerning the hypocrites?’ The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—said: ‘Indeed, it [Medina] is pure; it expels impurity just as fire removes the dross from iron.’” There is no mark indicating where this addition belongs. (3) This is the reading in B; A reads: “one of them.” (4) B reads: “they would proceed [to exploit it].”

وفي قوله: ﴿وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنَ اللَّهِ حَدِيثًا﴾ ﴿وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنَ اللَّهِ قِيلا﴾ إخبار بأن حديثه وأخباره وأقواله في أعلى مراتب الصدق، بل أعلاها. فكل ما قيل في العقائد [والعلوم] (١) والأعمال مما يناقض ما أخبر الله به، فهو باطل لمناقضته للخبر الصادق اليقين، فلا يمكن أن يكون حقًّا. ⦗١٩٢⦘ ﴿٨٨ - ٩١﴾ ﴿فَمَا لَكُمْ فِي الْمُنَافِقِينَ فِئَتَيْنِ وَاللَّهُ أَرْكَسَهُمْ بِمَا كَسَبُوا أَتُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَهْدُوا مَنْ أَضَلَّ اللَّهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُ سَبِيلا * وَدُّوا لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ كَمَا كَفَرُوا فَتَكُونُونَ سَوَاءً فَلا تَتَّخِذُوا مِنْهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ حَتَّى يُهَاجِرُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَخُذُوهُمْ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ وَجَدْتُمُوهُمْ وَلا تَتَّخِذُوا مِنْهُمْ وَلِيًّا وَلا نَصِيرًا * إِلا الَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ إِلَى قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ مِيثَاقٌ أَوْ جَاءُوكُمْ حَصِرَتْ صُدُورُهُمْ أَنْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ أَوْ يُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمَهُمْ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَسَلَّطَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلَقَاتَلُوكُمْ فَإِنِ اعْتَزَلُوكُمْ فَلَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ وَأَلْقَوْا إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَمَ فَمَا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سَبِيلا * سَتَجِدُونَ آخَرِينَ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَأْمَنُوكُمْ وَيَأْمَنُوا قَوْمَهُمْ كُلَّمَا رُدُّوا إِلَى الْفِتْنَةِ أُرْكِسُوا فِيهَا فَإِنْ لَمْ يَعْتَزِلُوكُمْ وَيُلْقُوا إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَمَ وَيَكُفُّوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ فَخُذُوهُمْ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأُولَئِكُمْ جَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَانًا مُبِينًا﴾ . (٢) المراد بالمنافقين المذكورين في هذه الآيات: المنافقون المظهرون إسلامهم، ولم يهاجروا مع كفرهم، وكان قد وقع بين الصحابة رضوان الله عليهم فيهم اشتباه، فبعضهم تحرج عن قتالهم، وقطع موالاتهم بسبب ما أظهروه من الإيمان، وبعضهم علم أحوالهم بقرائن أفعالهم فحكم بكفرهم. فأخبرهم الله تعالى أنه لا ينبغي لكم أن تشتبهوا فيهم ولا تشكوا، بل أمرهم واضح غير مشكل، إنهم منافقون قد تكرر كفرهم، وودوا مع ذلك كفركم وأن تكونوا مثلهم. فإذا تحققتم ذلك منهم ﴿فَلا تَتَّخِذُوا مِنْهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ﴾ وهذا يستلزم عدم محبتهم لأن الولاية فرع المحبة. ويستلزم أيضا بغضهم وعداوتهم لأن النهي عن الشيء أمر بضده، وهذا الأمر موقت بهجرتهم فإذا هاجروا جرى عليهم ما جرى على المسلمين، كما كان النبي ﷺ يجري أحكام الإسلام لكل مَنْ كان معه وهاجر إليه، وسواء كان مؤمنا حقيقة أو ظاهر الإيمان. وأنهم إن لم يهاجروا وتولوا عنها ﴿فَخُذُوهُمْ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ وَجَدْتُمُوهُمْ﴾ أي: في أي وقت وأي محل كان، وهذا من جملة الأدلة الدالة على نسخ القتال في الأشهر الحرم، كما هو قول جمهور العلماء، والمنازعون يقولون: هذه نصوص مطلقة، محمولة على تقييد التحريم في الأشهر الحرم. ثم إن الله استثنى من قتال هؤلاء المنافقين ثلاث فِرَق: فرقتين أمر بتركهم وحتَّم [على] ذلك، إحداهما (٣) : من يصل إلى قوم بينهم وبين المسلمين عهد وميثاق بترك القتال فينضم إليهم، فيكون له حكمهم في حقن الدم والمال. والفرقة الثانية: قوم ﴿حَصِرَتْ صُدُورُهُمْ أَنْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ أَوْ يُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمَهُمْ﴾ أي: بقوا، لا تسمح أنفسهم بقتالكم، ولا بقتال قومهم، وأحبوا ترك قتال الفريقين، فهؤلاء أيضا أمر بتركهم، وذكر الحكمة في ذلك في قوله: ﴿وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَسَلَّطَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلَقَاتَلُوكُمْ﴾ فإن الأمور الممكنة ثلاثة أقسام: إما أن يكونوا معكم ويقاتلوا أعداءكم، وهذا متعذر من هؤلاء، فدار الأمر بين قتالكم مع قومهم وبين ترك قتال الفريقين، وهو أهون الأمرين عليكم، والله قادر على تسليطهم عليكم، فاقبلوا العافية، واحمدوا ربكم الذي كف أيديهم عنكم مع التمكن من ذلك. ﴿فَـ﴾ هؤلاء ﴿إن اعْتَزَلُوكُمْ فَلَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ وَأَلْقَوْا إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَمَ فَمَا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سَبِيلا﴾ . الفرقة الثالثة: قوم يريدون مصلحة أنفسهم بقطع النظر عن احترامكم، وهم الذين قال الله فيهم: ﴿سَتَجِدُونَ آخَرِينَ﴾ أي: من هؤلاء المنافقين. ﴿يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَأْمَنُوكُمْ﴾ أي: خوفا منكم ﴿وَيَأْمَنُوا قَوْمَهُمْ كُلَّمَا رُدُّوا إِلَى الْفِتْنَةِ أُرْكِسُوا فِيهَا﴾ أي: لا يزالون مقيمين على كفرهم ونفاقهم، وكلما عرض لهم عارض من عوارض الفتن أعماهم ونكسهم على رءوسهم، وازداد كفرهم ونفاقهم، وهؤلاء في الصورة كالفرقة الثانية، وفي الحقيقة مخالفة لها. فإن الفرقة الثانية تركوا قتال المؤمنين احترامًا لهم لا خوفا على أنفسهم، وأما هذه الفرقة فتركوه خوفا لا احتراما، بل لو وجدوا فرصة في قتال المؤمنين، فإنهم مستعدون (٤) لانتهازها، فهؤلاء إن لم يتبين منهم ويتضح اتضاحًا عظيمًا اعتزال المؤمنين وترك قتالهم، فإنهم يقاتلون، ولهذا قال: ﴿فَإِنْ لَمْ يَعْتَزِلُوكُمْ وَيُلْقُوا إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَمَ﴾ أي: المسالمة والموادعة ﴿وَيَكُفُّوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ فَخُذُوهُمْ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأُولَئِكُمْ جَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَانًا مُبِينًا﴾ أي: حجة بينة واضحة، لكونهم معتدين ظالمين لكم تاركين للمسالمة، فلا يلوموا إلا أنفسهم.

(١) زيادة من هامش ب. (٢) في هامش أ: (وقد ثبت في الصحيحين من حديث زيد بن أرقم أن رسول الله ﷺ خرج إلى أحد، فرجع ناس خرجوا معه، فكان أصحاب رسول الله ﷺ فيهم فرقتين: فرقة تقول: نقتلهم، وفرقة تقول: لا، فأنزل الله: "فما لكم في المنافقين فئتين" فقال رسول الله ﷺ: "إنها طيبة، وإنها تنفي الخبث كما تنفي النار خبث الحديد". وليس هناك علامة تدل على محل هذه الزيادة. (٣) كذا في ب، وفي أ: أحدها. (٤) في ب: سيقدمون.