Not to take up the cause of the dishonest, The Apostle may pray for his followers, Forgiveness of God always there for those who seek it after doing any evil (with the necessary amendment)

An-Nisa’ Verses 105 – 112

إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِتَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِمَا أَرَاكَ اللَّهُ وَلَا تَكُنْ لِلْخَائِنِينَ خَصِيمًا

“Verily We have sent down unto thee the Book (The Qur’an) with the Truth that thou mayest judge between people by what God showeth thee1; and be not thou a pleader for the treacherous2.” (4:105)

وَاسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا

“And pray for the Pardon of God (for thy followers), Verily, God is Oft-Forgiving, Merciful3.” (4:106)

وَلَا تُجَادِلْ عَنِ الَّذِينَ يَخْتَانُونَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَنْ كَانَ خَوَّانًا أَثِيمًا

“And plead not on behalf of those who deceive their own selves; Verily God loveth not any who is treacherous, sinful.” (4:107)

يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلَا يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَهُوَ مَعَهُمْ إِذْ يُبَيِّتُونَ مَا لَا يَرْضَىٰ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطًا

“They hide4from people but they hide not from God and He is with them when they hold nightly discourses which He is not pleased with; And God doth compass round what all they do.” (4:108)

هَا أَنْتُمْ هَٰؤُلَاءِ جَادَلْتُمْ عَنْهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فَمَنْ يُجَادِلُ اللَّهَ عَنْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَمْ مَنْ يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكِيلًا

“Behold! ye pleaded for these5in this worldly life; hut who shall plead6with God for them on the Day of Resurrection? or who shall be their defender?” (4:109)

وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ يَجِدِ اللَّهَ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا

“And whoever doth evil, or wrongeth his own self and thereafter seeketh pardon of God, shall find God Oft-Forgiving, Merciful7.” (4:110)

وَمَنْ يَكْسِبْ إِثْمًا فَإِنَّمَا يَكْسِبُهُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا

“Whoever comitteth a sin8, verily, he committeth it against his own self; And God is All Knowing, All-Wise.” (4:111)

وَمَنْ يَكْسِبْ خَطِيئَةً أَوْ إِثْمًا ثُمَّ يَرْمِ بِهِ بَرِيئًا فَقَدِ احْتَمَلَ بُهْتَانًا وَإِثْمًا مُبِينًا

“And whoever committeth a fault or a sin and throweth it on one innocent he indeed burdeneth (himself) with the calumny and a manifest sin.” (4:112)

Commentary

Verse 105

Commentators relate that this verse was revealed on the occasion of a dispute between a Muslim tribe and a Jew. Three brothers Busheer, Mubashir and Bashr, sons of Ta’ma of the Ubairaq tribe stole some property from the house of the uncle of Qatada and concealed it in the house of a Jew and when the theft was revealed, they threw the whole blame on the Jew. Notwithstanding the open enmity of the Jews the Holy Prophet gave the verdict against the Muslims, acquitting the Jew of the charge. This verse lays the strictness with which justice has to be meted out, deciding every case on its own merits, punishing dishonesty notwithstanding even if the party guilty of it be a Muslim and those wronged be even non-Muslims. The balance of justice shall always be held with strict equity between Muslims and Non-Muslims and between friends and foes.

There is no room left in Islam to make light of the consideration of justice out of communal bias or prejudice.

The important factor to be noted in this incident is that it was a time when every Muslim individual was sorely needed for the defence of the faith and the security of the faithful and such a verdict against a party supported by a big tribe would have needed a very careful consideration against the liability of the loss of the support of a huge body against the small community of the believers. But Islam holds aloft justice high above even the exigencies of the situation.

Commentators give different stories, but the fact is that it relates to a theft, i.e., a breach of trust in which a non-Muslim and a Muslim were involved. The case was referred to the Holy Prophet and the expectation was that the Holy Prophet will favour the Muslim. Though the address is to the Holy Prophet but those actually meant are the Muslims who expected favouritism from the Holy Prophet.

The plural pronoun in the subsequent verses 1-9 supports the fact that the real addressees were the people and not the Holy Prophet.

This style is usual in the Arabic literature particularly in Qur’an to address one who actually is unconcerned but those meant will be the others. (A.P.)

Verse 106

In many places when the people are to be enjoined upon about any good deed or to be warned against, the address had been to the Holy Prophet. For instance:

The injunction to seek protection of God-addressed to the Holy Prophet is to every Muslim who is to act as a judge. The injunction to seek pardon or the protection of God against the consequences plead on behalf of the unjust ones. And Verse 63:6 clarifies the position once for all declaring it in clear cut words that even if the Holy Prophet with his natural mercifulness prays for any hypocrites or he prays not, never, never will God forgive them. Thus, to imagine about tyrants and the unjust one’s ever being pardoned by God is against the expressed decree of the Almighty Lord.

Verse 108

The reference is to the secret consultations that were held by the hypocrites of the tribe of Ubairaq and Asid Ibn Urwah who went to the Holy Prophet pleading for the three culprits hiding their crime.9

Verse 109

People may defend any unjust one or a criminal in this world but on the Day of Judgment they shall have no pleaders on their behalf.

Here Qur’an aims at developing an inner preventive force against all individual and social crimes by diverting the attention of man towards God, in all circumstances of shame, fear, hope etc., so that the individual should feel ashamed, be hopeful, be afraid of God and of none eke and be mindful of the eternal pleasure and pain, not that of this transitory life. With this force developed, man is safe from all vices and if this is absent, nothing in the world can stop him from committing any heinous crimes. (A.P.)

Verse 110

The door of pardon is always open for those who commit sins affecting their own self, i.e., not affecting the interest of the others.

Verse 111

Everyone, man or woman, is personally responsible for his or her sins and none else shall bear the burden of the others.

Verse 112

False accusation against any innocent person is calumny and is a declared punishable sin.

This is the unique and an exclusive characteristic of Islam. No other religion lays so much stress upon an unbiased and strict administration of justice.

• 1. Refer to Verse 4:109. To be always just according to God’s decree and not at any individual’s opinion.
• 2. A Muslim or a non-Muslim.
• 3. Refer to Verse 2:255.
• 4. Their Crimes for shame.
• 5. The Criminals.
• 6. For the Criminals.
• 7. This merciful assurance is after the severe warning given above
• 8. Refer to Verses 4:109; 4:110.
• 9. Vide Verse 4:105