An-Nisa’ Section 17 - Secret Counsels Of The Hypocrites
Endeavours of the Hypocrites to destroy the Muslims, Secret plots of the Hypocrites, Plots against the Apostle doomed to failure.
An-Nisa’ Verses 113 – 115
وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَهَمَّتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يُضِلُّوكَ وَمَا يُضِلُّونَ إِلَّا أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَضُرُّونَكَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَكَ مَا لَمْ تَكُنْ تَعْلَمُ وَكَانَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ عَظِيمًا
“Had it not been God’s grace upon thee and His mercy, a party among them had certainly resolved to lead thee astray; but they shall not1lead thee astray but their own selves, and they shall, not harm thee of aught; and God hath sent down unto thee the Book2and Wisdom, and hath taught thee what thou didst not know; and God’s grace on thee is very great3.” (4:113)
لَا خَيْرَ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنْ نَجْوَاهُمْ إِلَّا مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوْ مَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ إِصْلَاحٍ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
“There is nothing good in most of their whisperings4except (in his) who bideth charity or goodness or peace among the people; And whoever doth this seeking the pleasure of God, anon We will give him a great recompense.” (4:114)
وَمَنْ يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَىٰ وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا
“And whosoever opposeth5the Apostle (Muhammad) after that guidance hath been manifest to him and followeth a way other than that of the believers, We will turn him to that to which he hath (himself) turned and will cast him into Hell; and Oh! what a bad destination it is6!” (4:115)
Commentary
Verse 113
The reference about a group trying to mislead the Holy Prophet is to Asid-Ibn Urwah’s pleading on behalf of the culprits7.
In Verse 93:7 the conjunctive ‘fa’ there is no interval or lapse of time between God’s finding and guiding and there is no interval or lapse of time in His giving existence to a being and Himself finding it. Hence the guidance of God, was always with him since the commencement of his existence wherever he may be.
It clearly asserts that the Holy Prophet had been saved by the grace and the mercy of God from getting astray throughout his life, by the attempt of any ungodly power, otherwise it affects the greatness of God’s grace mentioned here. This is in complete accordance with Verses 53:2 and 93:7. (A.P.)
Verse 114
The reference here is also to the event mentioned in the note on Verse 4:105. The Holy Prophet was in fact, conversant with the conduct and the character of the people he was surrounded with.
Verse 115
The return or the punishment for acting hostilely against the Holy Prophet and following a path other than that of the believer, is clearly given in this verse.
Acting hostilely against the Holy Prophet does not restrict the conduct to the life-time of the Holy Prophet. The hostility against the Holy Prophet means acting in any manner which displeases him. The question arises whether the Holy Prophet would have been pleased at the brutal conduct of the tyrants who teased, tortured and massacred the members of his holy family. Can at any stretch of imagination anyone sensibly say that the Holy Prophet was not hurt by the treatment meted out to his beloved daughter, and the Holy Imams, his grandsons who are known as his own issues? Does not everyone who displeases the Holy Prophet in any way, come under this ordinance? Can any such person at any time reasonably be respected in the least or even be acknowledged to be a Muslim in the true meaning of the term? The Shi’a School is criticised for not respecting such sinful characters and hating them.
Some take this verse in support of the validity of ‘Ijma’ in the sense to mean that none has the right to disassociate himself from any way adopted by the Muslims. This is a sheer misinterpretation of the passage. The verse clearly says that it is not for any Muslim to oppose what the Holy Prophet decides or to differ from him, and it never means that any way adopted by the Muslims in general is right. This indicates the way a Muslim should adopt in regard to the decision of the Holy Prophet, and it does not refer to the way, a Muslim adopts. This is in concord with Verse 4:65. (A.P.)
