or their brothers or their kindred. Those are the ones in whose hearts He has inscribed faith and whom He has strengthened with a spirit from Him”—the verse continues.
Many people—indeed, most—dislike striving against wrongdoing more than they dislike wrongdoing itself, especially when it becomes widespread and is reinforced by doubts and desires. They may incline towards it at times and turn away from it at others, so that a person’s soul becomes self-reproaching after having been one that urged him to evil. Then, if he advances to a higher state in forsaking evil deeds and his soul becomes tranquil, abandoning wrong and reprehensible deeds, it still has no desire to strive, to persevere against the enemy in that cause, or to endure hurtful words and deeds. This is a separate matter, addressed in His words:
“Have you not seen those who were told, ‘Restrain your hands, establish prayer, and give zakah’? But when fighting was prescribed for them, a group of them feared people as they feared Allah, or even more.”
The verses continue as far as His words:
“And Allah is ever a Keeper over all things.”
Intercession means assistance, for the one who assists becomes a second alongside the one assisted. Whoever assists in righteousness or piety has a share in it, and whoever assists in sin and aggression bears a share of it. This applies to what people do with their hearts, tongues, and hands to assist in righteousness and piety or to assist in sin and aggression. It includes striving with one’s life and wealth for either of these two causes, as Allah Most High says earlier:
“O you who believe, take your precautions, then go forth in groups or go forth all together,”
through to His words:
“Indeed, Satan’s plotting is ever weak.”