“There will be turmoil in the land and great corruption.” This would give rise to incalculable evil: truth would become confused with falsehood, believers with disbelievers, and many great acts of worship—such as jihad and emigration—would cease to be performed, along with other objectives of the divine law and religion that would be lost if the believers did not take one another—and no others—as allies.
⦗328⦘
(74–75) “Those who believed, emigrated, and strove in the cause of Allah, and those who gave shelter and support—it is they who are truly the believers. They shall have forgiveness and a generous provision. * As for those who subsequently believed, emigrated, and strove alongside you, they are of you. Blood relatives have a greater claim upon one another according to the Book of Allah. Indeed, Allah knows all things.”
The preceding verses discussed the bond of allegiance between the believing Emigrants and Helpers.
These verses explain their praise and reward. He says: “Those who believed, emigrated, and strove in the cause of Allah, and those who gave shelter and support—it is they”—meaning the believers among the Emigrants and Helpers—“who are truly the believers,” for they proved the sincerity of their faith through their emigration, their support, their allegiance to one another, and their struggle against their enemies among the disbelievers and hypocrites.
“They shall have forgiveness” from Allah, by which their misdeeds are erased and their lapses effaced, “and a generous provision”—that is, abundant good from the Generous Lord in the Gardens of Bliss.
They may also receive an immediate reward that brings delight to their eyes and reassurance to their hearts. The same applies to those who came after these Emigrants and Helpers and followed their example with excellence by believing, emigrating, and striving in the cause of Allah. “They are of you”: they have the same rights as you and bear the same obligations as you (1).
In the early days of Islam, this bond of allegiance grounded in faith carried great weight and immense importance. So much so that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) established a special bond of brotherhood between the Emigrants and Helpers, distinct from the general brotherhood of faith, and they would even inherit from one another by virtue of it. Allah then revealed: “Blood relatives have a greater claim upon one another according to the Book of Allah.” Thus, none inherits from a person except his relatives who are residuary heirs or prescribed-share heirs. If there are none, then his nearest relatives among the distant kindred inherit, as indicated by the general wording of this noble verse. His words, “according to the Book of Allah,” mean: according to His ruling and His law.
“Indeed, Allah knows all things.” This includes His knowledge of your circumstances, in accordance with which He ordains for you such religious laws as are appropriate to them. The commentary on Surah al-Anfāl is complete. All praise belongs to Allah.