Cleanliness and purity essential preliminary to prayer, Jews exhorted to obey Polytheism the gravest the unpardonable sin.

An-Nisa’ Verses 43 – 50

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنْتُمْ سُكَارَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَعْلَمُوا مَا تَقُولُونَ وَلَا جُنُبًا إِلَّا عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ حَتَّىٰ تَغْتَسِلُوا وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ مَرْضَىٰ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مِنَ الْغَائِطِ أَوْ لَامَسْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا

“O’ ye who believe! approach1not prayer when ye are intoxicated2, until ye know (well) what ye say, nor when ye are polluted3, unless ye be passing4through, until ye wash yourself and if ye be sick, or on a journey, or one of you come from the privy or ye have touched5the women and ye find not water then betake, yourself to clean (pure) earth and wipe (with it) a part of your6faces and your hands; Verily God is Pardoning, Forgiving.” (4:43)

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا نَصِيبًا مِنَ الْكِتَابِ يَشْتَرُونَ الضَّلَالَةَ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَضِلُّوا السَّبِيلَ

“Hast thou not seen those to whom is given a part of the scripture? They buy error and wish that ye too go astray from the (right) way.” (4:44)

وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِأَعْدَائِكُمْ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ نَصِيرًا

“But God best knoweth your enemies; and suffices God as a protector and suffices God as a Helper.” (4:45)

مِنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُوا يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَنْ مَوَاضِعِهِ وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَاسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ وَرَاعِنَا لَيًّا بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْنًا فِي الدِّينِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَاسْمَعْ وَانْظُرْنَا لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ وَأَقْوَمَ وَلَٰكِنْ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

“Of the Jews are those who (purposely) change the words from their places (to alter the meaning) and say “We have heard, and we have not obeyed,” and hear, but as one that heareth not and ‘‘Raina’ look at us, distorting7(the word) with their tongues and taunting about the religion; But (instead) if they had said ‘We have heard, and we have obeyed, and (if they had said) ‘Isma’ (hearken) and ‘Unzurna’ (look at us) it were better8for them, and more upright, but God hath cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not, but only a few9.” (4:46)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ آمِنُوا بِمَا نَزَّلْنَا مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا مَعَكُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ نَطْمِسَ وُجُوهًا فَنَرُدَّهَا عَلَىٰ أَدْبَارِهَا أَوْ نَلْعَنَهُمْ كَمَا لَعَنَّا أَصْحَابَ السَّبْتِ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ مَفْعُولًا

“O’ ye, whom the Scripture hath been given! believe in what We have sent down confirming what is (already) with you, ere We change their faces (features) and turn them towards their backs, or as We cursed the people of Sabath; and (know ye, that) the Command of God is ever executed.10” (4:47)

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَىٰ إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا

“Verily God for giveth not (anything) be associated with Him, but He forgiveth what is besides that whomsoever he pleaseth; and whoever associateth (aught) with God, hath indeed devised11a great sin12.” (4:48)

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يُزَكُّونَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ بَلِ اللَّهُ يُزَكِّي مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا

“Hast thou not seen13those who consider themselves pure? Nay: it is God who purifieth whomsoever14He pleaseth, and they shall not be wronged (even) the husk of a date-stone15.” (4:49)

انْظُرْ كَيْفَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَكَفَىٰ بِهِ إِثْمًا مُبِينًا

“Behold how they forge a lie against God! and that (itself) is sufficient as a manifest sin.” (4:50)

Commentary

Verse 43

‘Sukara’ may mean intoxicated with drink or with sleep. Majority of the commentators mean here intoxicated with drink. The word here in this verse includes both.

The pollution referred to here is that which is due to sexual intercourse.

Not getting water includes the occasion on which water might be injurious to the health of the individual. This indicates the significance or importance given to prayer in Islam. Under any circumstances prayer ‘salat’ is not to be given up.

Verse 44

‘A portion of the Book’ indicates that which was given to the Israelites, i.e., the Jews and Christians, i.e., the Torah and Evangel, were not the whole Book. It was only a part of the Book of God that was given to them for the people could not bear the whole of the Word of God. This fact is borne out by the declaration by Jesus when he said to his people:

‘I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.’

“How be it when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” John 16/12-13.

When the Book was not complete, it can never be the final authority on any question and can never be current for all times. Similarly, the Apostles who were given such partial revelations of the Word of God cannot be the final authority for all times and for all peoples. Jesus has already vouched his position as such in Math. 15/22-26.

“And behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David: my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.”

“But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.”

“But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the House of Israel.”

“Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.”

“But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” (Math. 15/22-26).

Jesus had accordingly commanded his disciples to go and preach the Gospel not to one and all in the world but only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. (Math. 10/5, 6).

“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying. Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not”

“But go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.” (Math. 10/5, 6).

Whereas the declaration of God about the Holy Qur’an is:

يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ كَثِيرًا مِمَّا كُنْتُمْ تُخْفُونَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَعْفُو عَنْ كَثِيرٍ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ نُورٌ وَكِتَابٌ مُبِينٌ

“O People of the Scripture! Now hath our Messenger come unto you, expounding unto you much of that which ye used to hide in the Scripture, and forgiving much. Now hath come unto you light from God and a plain Scripture.” (5:15)

And about the position of the Holy Prophet as a Reformer for all and for all times is set out in, refer to Verses 21:107; 34:28; 4:79.

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ

“We sent thee not save as a Mercy for the worlds.” (21:107)

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

“And We have not sent thee (O Muhammad) save as a Bearer of Good Tidings and a Warner unto all mankind; but most of mankind know not.” (34:28)

وَأَرْسَلْنَاكَ لِلنَّاسِ رَسُولًا وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا

“We have sent thee (Muhammad) as a Messenger unto Mankind and God is sufficient as Witness.” (4:79)

Verse 45

It is an exhortation to the believers, the Muslims, to trust none but God as their guardian or protector and to depend upon none but God alone.

Verse 46

Alteration of the words from their original place-Ibn Abbas reports that the Jews who, hearing something from the Holy Prophet about the Holy Qur’an and its teachings used to distort it when they reported the matter to the others with the intention to excite disgust and hatred against the Holy Prophet among the people (Sirai) (B.H.). The corruption the Jews and the Christians effected in their own scriptures is too apparent and even proved to their own people to be contested or discussed here in details.16.

The corruption of the previous scriptures has been repeatedly referred to in the Holy Qur’an, clearly stating the corruption of the text as well as its wrong interpretation. This is as well a warning also to the Muslims against misinterpreting the Holy Qur’an to suit any purpose of their selfish motive17.

Verse 47

Two kinds of punishment have been mentioned in this verse which are promised to the Jews. The first is the obliteration or the change in the facial features and the other is turning them to their backs. The fifth Holy Imam Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali Al-Baqir said that turning them to their backs means reverting them to their past disgraceful position, shutting their minds against the Divine Guidance. (U.B.)

It is reported that some Jews like Abdullah Ibn Salam and Kaa’bul Akbar who were convinced at their hearts about Islam and the Holy Prophet being the true faith and a truthful apostle of God, but owing to the false pride and the tribal prejudice had not embraced the truth in open, on hearing of this revelation rushed to the Holy Prophet to make an open avowal of the truth in Islam. It is but natural that the Divine Mercy should show some consideration of indulgence to such men. (B.H.)

Verse 48

This verse openly and in clearest words, definitely establishes the gravity with which Islam abhors ‘shirk’ polytheism.

It was asked of the Sixth Holy Imam Ja’far Ibn Muhammad As-Sadiq as to the minimum extent of ‘Shirk.’ The Holy Imam said: “Starting a new custom and loving those who perform it and hating those who do not observe it.”18 (U.B.)

Verse 49

Mere claim to the purity of one’s self does not mean that such claimants are also actually pure but only those whom God Himself has purified are the genuinely pure ones19.

This verse is a clear warning against blindly accepting anyone and everyone as essentially pure, merely guided by the claim of such individuals or their devotees advertising such a position of their leaders. Actually, and genuinely pure are only those whom God Himself has purified. Thus, none other than those referred to in 33:33 are pure (Ma’soom).

Verse 50

Any false claim about self or about the others in matters religious, is forging lies against God.

• 1. Go not near even the places of prayer or worship.
• 2. ‘Sukr’ does not mean complete intoxication by the use of any liquid or solid, but it should be taken as not being in full senses be that a slumber or napping (5th Holy Imam) (AP). Refer to Verses 2:219; 5:90.
• 3. Ar. Janabat requiting the detailed ablution ‘ghusl’.
• 4. A place of prayer ‘Mosque’.
• 5. Cohabit.
• 6. Unavailability of water or the person being unable to use water for reasons of health.
• 7. As to sound another word which means a fool.
• 8. Discouraging the use of ambiguous abusing and equivocal words in discussions.
• 9. Refer to Verse 4:52.
• 10. Refer to Verse 2:101.
• 11. Committed.
• 12. Refer to Verse 4:116.
• 13. Consider.
• 14. Refer to Verse 33:33.
• 15. i.e. even in the least.
• 16. Refer to Diaglot of the Watch Tower Society on p. 3 about the interpretation of the Bible by the Catholics and the Protestants.
• 17. Refer to Verses 2:75-79; 5:13; 5:41.
• 18. Refer to Verse 4:116.
• 19. See Verse 33:33.