User:Graves/Sandbox 1: Difference between revisions

Not equal are those believers remaining [at home] - other than the disabled - and the mujāhideen, [who strive and fight] in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives. Allah has preferred the mujāhideen through their wealth and their lives over those who remain [behind], by degrees. And to all [i.e., both] Allah has promised the best [reward]. But Allah has preferred the mujāhideen over those who remain [behind] with a great reward -

(Those of the believers who sit still, other than those who have a (disabling) hurt, are not on an equality with those who strive in the way of Allah…) [4:95]. Abu ‘Uthman Sa‘id ibn Muhammad al-‘Adl informed us> his grandfather> Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Sarraj> Muhammad ibn Humayd al-Razi> Salamah ibn al-Fadl> Muhammad ibn Ishaq> al-Zuhri> Sahl ibn Sa‘d> Marwan ibn al-Hakam> Zayd ibn Thabit who said: “I was with the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, when the verse (Those of the believers who sit still are not on an equality with those who strive in the way of Allah) and did not mention (other than those who have a (disabling) hurt). Ibn Umm Maktum said: ‘How is this so when I am blind and unable to see?’ The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, was overwhelmed with revelation in this assembly and he leaned on my thigh. By Him in whose Hand is my soul, his weight grew so much on my thigh that I feared he would crush it. Then he was relieved, upon which he said: ‘Write: (Those of the believers who sit still, other than those who have a (disabling) hurt, are not on an equality with those who strive in the way of Allah)’, and I wrote it down”. This was narrated by Bukhari> Isma‘il ibn ‘Abd Allah> Ibrahim ibn Sa‘d> Salih> al-Zuhri. Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya informed us> Muhammad ibn Ja‘far ibn Matar> Abu Khalifah> Abu’l-Walid> Shu‘bah> Abu Ishaq> al-Bara’ who said: “When the verse (Those of the believers who sit still are not on an equality…), the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, called Zayd who went to him with a shoulder blade and wrote on it this verse. But Ibn Umm Maktum complained about the fact that he is blind, and so the verse (Those of the believers who sit still, other than those who have a (disabling) hurt, are not on an equality with those who strive in the way of Allah) was revealed”. This was narrated by Bukhari from Abu’l-Walid and by Muslim from Bundar from Ghundar, and both Abu’l-Walid and Ghundar related it from Shu‘bah. Isma'il ibn Abi al-Qasim al-Nasrabadhi informed us> Isma'il ibn Najid> Muhammad ibn 'Abdus> 'Ali ibn al-Ja'd> Zuhayr> Abu Ishaq> al-Bara' that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: “Call Zayd for me and ask him to bring with him a shoulder blade and an inkwell”, or he said: “a slate”. When he came, he said to him: “Write for me (Those of the believers who sit still are not on an equality)” I think he said: (with those who strive in the way of Allah). Ibn Umm Maktum said: “O Messenger of Allah, but I have hurt in my eyes, and before he left it was revealed (other than those who have a (disabling) hurt)”. This was narrated by Bukhari> Muhammad ibn Yusuf> Isra'il> Abu Ishaq.

The Mujahid and those Who Do not Join Jihad are Not the Same, [and Jihad is Fard Kifayah] Al-Bukhari recorded that Al-Bara' said, "When the Ayah, لاَّ يَسْتَوِى الْقَـعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home),) was revealed, the Messenger of Allah called Zayd and commanded him to write it. Then, Ibn Umm Maktum came and mentioned that he was blind. Allah revealed, غَيْرُ أُوْلِى الضَّرَرِ (except those who are disabled (by injury or are blind or lame)). Al-Bukhari recorded that Sahl bin Saʿd As-Saʿdi said, "I saw Marwan bin Al-Hakam sitting in the Masjid. I came and sat by his side. He told us that Zayd bin Thabit told him that Allah's Messenger dictated this Ayah to him, لاَّ يَسْتَوِى الْقَـعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُوْلِى الضَّرَرِ وَالْمُجَـهِدُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ (Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home), except those who are disabled, and those who strive hard and fight in the cause of Allah) Ibn Umm Maktum came to the Prophet as he was dictating that very Ayah to me. Ibn Umm Maktum said, ʿO Allah's Messenger! By Allah, if I had power, I would surely take part in Jihad.' He was a blind man. So Allah sent down revelation to His Messenger while his thigh was on mine and it became so heavy for me that I feared that my thigh would be broken. That ended after Allah revealed, غَيْرُ أُوْلِى الضَّرَرِ (except those who are disabled). This was recorded by Al-Bukhari. At-Tirmidhi recorded that Ibn ʿAbbas said, لاَّ يَسْتَوِى الْقَـعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُوْلِى الضَّرَرِ (Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home), except those who are disabled), refers to those who did not go to the battle of Badr and those who went to Badr. When the battle of Badr was about to occur, Abu Ahmad bin Jahsh and Ibn Umm Maktum said, ʿWe are blind, O Messenger of Allah! Do we have an excuse' The Ayah, لاَّ يَسْتَوِى الْقَـعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُوْلِى الضَّرَرِ (Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home), except those who are disabled) was revealed. Allah made those who fight, above those who sit in their homes not hindered by disability. وَفَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجَـهِدِينَ عَلَى الْقَـعِدِينَ أَجْراً عَظِيماًدَرَجَـتٍ مِّنْهُ (but Allah has preferred those who strive hard and fight, above those who sit (at home), by a huge reward. Degrees of (higher) grades from Him), above the believers who sit at home without a disability hindering them. This is the wording recorded by At-Tirmidhi, who said, "Hasan Gharib. Allah's statement, لاَّ يَسْتَوِى الْقَـعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home),) this is general. Soon after, the revelation came down with, غَيْرُ أُوْلِى الضَّرَرِ (except those who are disabled). So whoever has a disability, such as blindness, a limp, or an illness that prevents them from joining Jihad, they were not compared to the Mujahidin who strive in Allah's cause with their selves and wealth, as those who are not disabled and did not join the Jihad were. In his Sahih, Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah said, «إِنَّ بِالْمَدِينَةِ أَقْوَامًا مَا سِرْتُمْ مِنْ مَسِيرٍ، وَلَا قَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ وَادٍ، إِلَّا وَهُمْ مَعَكُمْ فِيه» قالوا: وهم بالمدينة يا رسول الله؟ (There are people who remained in Al-Madinah, who were with you in every march you marched and every valley you crossed.) They said, "While they are still in Al-Madinah, O Messenger of Allah He said, «نَعَمْ حَبَسَهُمُ الْعُذْر» (Yes. Only their disability hindered them (from joining you).) Allah said, وَكُلاًّ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْحُسْنَى (Unto each, Allah has promised good) meaning, Paradise and tremendous rewards. This Ayah indicates that Jihad is not Fard on each and every individual, but it is Fard Kifayah (which is a collective duty). Allah then said, وَفَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجَـهِدِينَ عَلى القـعدين أجرا عظيما (but Allah has preferred those who strive hard and fight, above those who sit (at home), by a huge reward). Allah mentions what He has given them rooms in Paradise, along with His forgiveness and the descent of mercy and blessing on them, as a favor and honor from Him. So He said; دَرَجَـتٍ مِّنْهُ وَمَغْفِرَةً وَرَحْمَةً وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً (Degrees of (higher) grades from Him, and forgiveness and mercy. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.). In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Abu Saʿid Al-Khudri said that the Messenger of Allah said, «إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مِائَةَ دَرَجَةٍ، أَعَدَّهَا اللهُ لِلْمُجَاهِدِينَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ، مَا بَيْنَ كُلِّ دَرَجَتَيْنِ كَمَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْض» (There are a hundred grades in Paradise that Allah has prepared for the Mujahidin in His cause, between each two grades is the distance between heaven and Earth.)

"Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home)..." (V.4:95)

Narrated Al-Bara:

When the Verse:-- "Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home)" (4.95) was revealed, Allah Apostle called for Zaid who wrote it. In the meantime Ibn Um Maktum came and complained of his blindness, so Allah revealed: "Except those who are disabled (by injury or are blind or lame..." etc.) (4.95)

Narrated 'Aisha: The wives of the Prophet used to go to Al-Manasi, a vast open place (near Baqia at Medina) to answer the call of nature at night. 'Umar used to say to the Prophet "Let your wives be veiled," but Allah's Apostle did not do so. One night Sauda bint Zam'a the wife of the Prophet went out at 'Isha' time and she was a tall lady. 'Umar addressed her and said, "I have recognized you, O Sauda." He said so, as he desired eagerly that the verses of Al-Hijab (the observing of veils by the Muslim women) may be revealed. So Allah revealed the verses of "Al-Hijab" (A complete body cover excluding the eyes).

Narrated Umar: I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Good and bad persons enter upon you, so I suggest that you order the mothers of the Believers (i.e. your wives) to observe veils." Then Allah revealed the Verses of Al-Hijab.

(O Ye who believe! Enter not the dwellings of the Prophet…) [33:53]. Most of the commentators of the Qur’an said: “When the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, married Zaynab bint Jahsh, he organised a wedding feast in which was offered dates and a mush of wheat and he slaughtered a sheep. Anas said: ‘My mother Umm Sulaym sent him a container made of stone. The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, then commanded me to invite his Companions to eat and so I did. Groups of people came, ate and then left. I said: ‘O Prophet of Allah, I have invited everybody and there is no one else to invite’. He said: ‘Take away your food’. They took away the food and people left, except for three people who stayed in the room talking among themselves. They stayed so long that they annoyed the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, who was extremely bashful [such that he could not ask them to leave]. And so this verse was revealed, and the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, drew a veil between him and me’ ”. Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Faqih informed us> Abu Umar Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Hiri> ‘Imran ibn Musa ibn Mujashi‘> ‘Abd al-A‘la ibn Hammad al-Nursi> al-Mu‘tamir ibn Sulayman> his father> Abu Majlaz> Anas ibn Malik who said: “When the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, married Zaynab ibn Jahsh, he invited people to a wedding ceremony. People ate and then remained in their seats talking to each other. The Prophet made as if he was preparing himself to leave but people did not get the hint. He then left the room and people left with him, except for three people who remained sitting. When the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, returned and found them still sitting, he went out again. When they saw this, the three men left. I went and informed the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, that they had left. He returned and entered his room. I wanted to enter with him but he drew the curtain between him and me. Allah, exalted is He, then revealed (O Ye who believe! Enter not the dwellings of the Prophet for a meal without waiting for the proper time…) up to His words (Lo! that in Allah’s sight would be an enormity)”. This was narrated by Bukhari from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Riqashi and also by Muslim from Yahya ibn Habib al-Harithi; both al-Riqashi and al-Harithi related it from al-Mu‘tamir. Isma‘il ibn Ibrahim al-Wa‘iz informed us> Abu ‘Amr ibn Nujayd> Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Khalil> Hisham ibn ‘Ammar> al-Khalil ibn Musa> ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Awn> ‘Amr ibn Shu‘ayb> Anas ibn Malik who said: “I was with the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, when he passed by one of his rooms and saw people there sitting and talking. He then returned and entered the room and drew the curtain in my face. I went to Abu Talhah and related to him what had happened. He said: ‘If what you say is true, Allah, exalted is He, will reveal some Qur’an about it’. Allah, exalted is He, then revealed (O Ye who believe! Enter not the dwellings of the Prophet for a meal without waiting for the proper time)”. Ahmad ibn al-Hasan al-Hiri informed us> Hajib ibn Ahmad> ‘Abd al-Rahim ibn Munib> Yazid ibn Harun> Humayd> Anas who said: “‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be well pleased with him, said: ‘I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, the righteous and the corrupt enter in on you, why do you not command the mothers of the believers to be out of the sight of men’, and so Allah, exalted is He, revealed the verse of segregation (Ayat al-Hijab)’ ”. This was narrated by Bukhari> Musaddid> Yahya ibn Abi Za’idah> Humayd. Abu Hakim al-Jurjani informed us through verbal authorisation> Abu’l-Faraj al-Qadi> Muhammad ibn Jarir> Ya‘qub ibn Ibrahim> Hushaym> Layth> Mujahid who related that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, was once eating with his Companions when the hand of one of them touched the hand of ‘A’ishah who was with them. The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, was upset because of this, and the verse of segregation was revealed. (… nor that ye should marry his wives after him…) [33:53]. ‘Ata’ related that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “One of the nobles of Quraysh said: ‘I would marry ‘A’ishah if the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, were to die’, and so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse”.

O you who have believed, do not ask about things which, if they are shown to you, will distress you. But if you ask about them while the Qur’ān is being revealed, they will be shown to you. Allah has pardoned it [i.e., that which is past]; and Allah is Forgiving and Forbearing.

The following was revealed when they began to ask the Prophet (ﷺ) too many questions: O you who believe, do not ask about things which, if disclosed to you, [if] revealed, would trouble you, because of the hardship that would ensue from them; yet if you ask about them while the Qur’ān is being revealed, during the time of the Prophet (ﷺ), they will be disclosed to you: meaning that if you ask about certain things during his lifetime, the Qur’ān will reveal them, but once these things are disclosed, it will grieve you. So do not ask about them; indeed: God has pardoned those things, you asked about, so do not ask again; for God is Forgiving, Forbearing.

(O ye who believe! Ask not of things which, if they were made unto you, would trouble you…) [5:101]. 'Amr ibn 'Amr al-Muzakki informed us> Muhammad ibn Makki> Muhammad ibn Yusuf> Muhammad ibn Isma'il Bukhari> al-Fadl ibn Sahl> Abu'l-Nadr> Abu Khaythamah> Abu Juwayriyyah> Ibn 'Abbas who said: “Some people used to put questions to the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, to mock him. One would ask him: 'Who is my father?' and another who has lost his camel: 'Where is my camel?' And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed about them this verse (O ye who believe! Ask not of things which, if they were made unto you, would trouble you) up to the end of the verse”. Abu Sa'id al-Nasruyiyy informed us> Abu Bakr al-Qati'i> 'Abd Allah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal> Ahmad ibn Hanbal> Mansur ibn Wardan al-Asdi> 'Ali ibn 'Abd al-A'la> his father> Abu'l-Bukhturi> 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be well pleased with him, who said: “When the verse (And pilgrimage to the House is a duty unto Allah for mankind) [3:97], people asked: 'O Messenger of Allah, is it every year?' He did not answer but they asked him again: 'Is it every year?' He kept silent. When they asked him the fourth time he said: 'No! But if I had said 'yes!' it would have been incumbent upon you to go to pilgrimage every year'. Following this, Allah, exalted is He, revealed (O ye who believe! Ask not of things which, if they were made unto you, would trouble you)”.

(O ye who believe!) this was revealed about Harith Ibn Yazid who asked the Prophet (pbuh)-when the verse (And pilgrimage to the House is a duty unto Allah for mankind) was revealed: “Is it once every year, O Messenger of Allah?” So Allah forbade him from asking such questions, and started by addressing him with (O ye who believe!), (Ask not) your Prophet (of things) that Allah has relieved you of (which, if they were made known unto you) if they were made obligatory upon you, (would trouble you; but if you ask of them) if you ask of the things that you were relieved of (when the Qur'an is being revealed) when Gabriel brings down the Qur'an, (they will be made known unto you) they will be made obligatory upon you. (Allah pardoneth this) this questioning, (for Allah is Forgiving) of the one who repents, (Clement) vis-à-vis your ignorance.

O you who have faith in Allah, follow His Messenger and practise His laws, do not ask your Messenger about things which you do not in need, and which will not be of any help to you in your religion. If you were told of such things, they would upset you because of the difficulty in them. If, despite the prohibition, you ask about these things, then know that revelation is coming down to the Prophet and they will be made clear to you. That is easy for Allah. Allah has not said certain things in the Qur’ān, so do not ask about them. If you ask about them, you will have to follow the law that is then revealed.

Commentary The Prohibition of Asking Unnecessary Questions These verses warn people who keep investigating unnecessarily into Divine injunctions. So fond and bent are they in this exercise that they would go to the outer limit of asking questions even about in-junctions which have not been prescribed at all and for which there is really no genuine need that they be asked. In this verse, such people have been instructed not to ask questions lest they are subjected to some trial, or they have to face disgrace as a result of the disclosure of their secrets. The Background of the Revelation As narrated in Sahib Muslim, the background or the cause of the revelation of these verses is as follows. When the verse concerning the obligation of Hajj was revealed, Sayyidna Al-Aqraʿ ibn Habis ؓ asked: ʿ Have we been obligated with Hajj every year?' The Holy Prophet ﷺ did not answer that question. He asked again. The Holy Prophet still remained silent. When he asked a third time, the Holy Prophet ﷺ reprimanded him by saying: If, in answer to your question, I had said, ʿ Yes, the Hajj is obligatory every year' - so it would have become, and you would have been unable to do it. After that, he added: Things about which I give you no command, leave them as they are. Do not ask questions by digging and prying into them. Communities before you have been damned eternally through this very proliferation of questioning because they, questions after questions about what Allah and His Messenger did not make obligatory on them, and in consequence of their unnecessary enquiry, these optional things were made obligatory - and then, they got involved in the unfortunate practice of disobeying these. Your estab-lished routine should be: Do what I order you to do, with the best of your ability, and leave what I order you not to do (that is, do not dig and pry into things about which no injunctions are given). There is No Nubuwwah (Prophethood) and Wahy (Revelation) after the Holy Prophet ﷺ It has also been tacitly said in this verse: وَإِن تَسْأَلُوا عَنْهَا حِينَ يُنَزَّلُ الْقُرْ‌آنُ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ : ʿ and if you ask about them while the Qur'an is being revealed, they will be disclosed to you (through revelation).' Here, by restricting it with the time duration of the revelation of the Qur'an, the indication given is that it will be after the completion of the revelation of the Qur'an, that the process of Prophethood (Nubuwwah) and Revelation (Wahy) will be discontinued. Though, after the discontinuation of this process of Prophethood and Revelation, the consequences that new injunctions may come, things not obligatory may become obligatory or someone's secret may be disclosed through revelation are not likely to take effect - but, minting unnecessary questions, falling for investigations into them or asking about things for which there is no need, shall still remain prohibited, even after the discontinuation of the process of Prophethood. The reason is simple. This is a waste of time - your own and that of others. The Holy Prophet ﷺ has said: مِن حُسنِ اِسلامِ المرَءِ تَرکُہ مَالَایَعنِیہِ One of the qualities making someone a good Muslim is that one leaves what is unnecessary. This tells us that many of our brother Muslims who keep investigating into unnecessary subjects, such as, the name of the mother of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) or the precise length and breadth of the Ark of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) ، indulge in what has no effect on one's conduct in life. Therefore, asking such questions is blameworthy - especially when it is already known that people who tend to ask such questions are mostly unaware of the basics of their religion. The problem is that falling for what is wasteful invariably results in making one stay deprived of doing what is necessary. As for the large body of work left by Muslim jurists in which they have answered assumed religious problems and questions, it was not something unnecessary. Later events proved that they were needed by future generations. Therefore, they do not fall under the purview of wasteful or meaningless questions. It is also a part of Islamic teachings that one should not indulge in any activity, whether intellectual or practical, a task or a conversation, and waste precious time through it, unless there is some gain to be made from it in terms of the worldly or other-wordly life.

If there were only some Quran by which the mountains would travel away or the earth would crack open, or the dead would speak out! Rather command is wholly Allah (God)'s. Do not those who believe despair, because Allah (God) might have guided all mankind had He so wished? Disaster will continually afflict those who disbelieve because of what they produce, or it will settle down close to their home until Allah (God)'s promise comes true. Allah (God) does not break any promise.

- عن ابنِ عباسٍ أنه كان يقرؤها : أَفَلَمْ يَتَبَيَّنِ [ يعني أَفَلَمْ يَيْأَسِ ] ويقول : كتبها الكاتبُ وهو ناعسٌ

الراوي : -

“Ibn Abbas recited this verse [Q. 13:31] as ‘AFALAM YATBAIN ALLATHEENA’. He was told that it is ‘AFALAM YAY-ASI ALLATHEENA’ to which Ibn Abbas replied: “The writer has written YAY-ASI but I think that he may not have been wakeful at that time of writing this word.”

“And Tabari and Abd bin Hamid narrated with a Sahih chain containing all the narrators from the rijal of Bukhari, from Ibn Abbas that he recited “AFALAM YATBAIN” and said that the writer had written it [YAY-ASI] when he was drowsy.”

وأخرج أبو عبيد وسعيد بن منصور وابن المنذر، عن ابن عباس - رضي الله عنهما - أنه كان يقرأ { أفلم ييأس الذين آمنوا }.

وأخرج ابن جرير وابن الأنباري في المصاحف، عن ابن عباس - رضي الله عنهما - أنه قرأ [أفلم يتبين الذين آمنوا] فقيل له: إنها في المصحف { أفلم ييأس } فقال: أظن الكاتب كتبها وهو ناعس.

وأخرج ابن جرير عن علي - رضي الله عنه - أنه كان يقرأ [أفلم يتبين الذين آمنوا].

وأخرج ابن جرير وابن المنذر وابن أبي حاتم، عن ابن عباس - رضي الله عنهما - { أفلم ييأس } يقول: يعلم.