Transliteration:( Wa yaqoolul lazeena aamanoo law laa nuzzilat Sooratun fa izaaa unzilat Sooratum Muhkamatunw wa zukira feehal qitaalu ra aytal lazeena fee quloobihim maraduny yanzuroona ilaika nazaral maghshiyyi 'alaihi minal mawti fa'awlaa lahum )
56. Before the order for Jihad (Holy War) had been revealed, a few of the believers desirous of Jihad had been saying why does the order for Jihad not come so that we would be able to display our fervour for faith. At that point in time this verse was revealed. This tells us that the verses of Jihad are firm.
57. The disease of enmity. From this we learn that the desire for Jihad is the duty of the believer and to fear it is the practice of the hypocrites. The seekers of this desire have been called "those who believe", while the others are called diseased.
58. This means on hearing the command for Jihad the eyes of the hypocrites begin to stagger and move, just as a person's eyes begin to waver at the time of death on seeing the angel of death. This tells us that the hypocrite is less courageous, while the believer is full boldness.
20. Those who believe say: “Why is not a Surah sent down (for us)” But now that a decisive Surah is sent down mentioning fighting, you can see those in whose hearts is disease (of hypocrisy) looking at you with the look of one who is about to faint for fear of death. But it was better for them. 21. Obedience and good words. And when the matter is resolved, then if they had been true to Allah, it would have been better for them. 22. So would you perhaps, if you turned away, spread corruption on earth, and sever your ties of kinship 23. Such are the ones whom Allah has cursed, so that He has made them deaf and blinded their vision.
Allah mentions that the believers were hoping that Jihad would be legislated. But when Allah ordained it, many of the people turned back, as Allah says,
(Have you not seen those who were told: “Restrain your hands (from fighting), establish the Salah, and give Zakah.” But then when fighting was ordained for them, you find a party of them fearing the people as they fear Allah or more. They said: “Our Lord! Why have You decreed fighting upon us If only You have postponed us for a short period.” Say: “The enjoyment of this world is little. The Hereafter is far better for him who had Taqwa of (Allah), and you will not be dealt with unjustly, even as much as a thin thread (inside a date’s pit).”)(4:77) Similarly, Allah says here,
(Those who believe say: “Why is not a Surah sent down (for us)”) means, a Surah containing an order to fight. Then He says,
(But now that a decisive Surah is sent down mentioning fighting, you can see those in whose hearts is disease looking at you with the look of one who is about to faint for fear of death.) meaning, due to their fear, terror, and cowardice concerning meeting the enemies. Allah then encourages them by saying,
(But it was better for them, obedience and good words.) which means that it would have been better for them to listen and obey in that present situation.
(When the matter (of fighting) is resolved.) which means when the situation becomes serious and the time of fighting truly arrives.
(if they had been true to Allah,) meaning, by making their intentions sincerely for Him.
(it would have been better for them) Allah then says,
(So would you perhaps, if you turned away) meaning, from Jihad and you withdrew from it.
(spread corruption on earth, and sever your ties of kinship) which means, would you then go back to your old practices of the time of ignorance: shedding blood and severing kinship ties Allah then says,
(Such are the ones whom Allah has cursed, so He has made them deaf and blinded their vision.) This involves a general prohibition of spreading corruption on earth, and a specific prohibition of severing the ties of kinship. In fact, Allah has commanded the people to establish righteousness on earth, as well as to join the ties of kinship by treating the relatives well in speech, actions, and spending wealth in charity. Many authentic and sound Hadiths have been reported through numerous routes of transmission from Allah’s Messenger in this regard. Al-Bukhari recorded from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that Allah’s Messenger said,
(After Allah completed creating the creation, the womb stood up and pulled at the lower garment of the Most Merciful. He said, ‘Stop that!’ It replied, ‘My stand here is the stand of one seeking refuge in you from severance of ties.’ Allah said, ‘Would it not please you that I join whoever joins you and sever whoever severs you’ It replied, ‘Yes indeed!’ He said, ‘You are granted that!’) Abu Hurayrah then added, “Read if you wish:
(So would you perhaps, if you turned away, spread corruption on earth, and sever your ties of kinship)” Then Al-Bukhari recorded it with another wording which states that the Messenger of Allah said,
(Read if you wish: (So would you perhaps, if you turned away, spread corruption on earth, and sever your ties of kinship)) Muslim also recorded it. Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Bakrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that Allah’s Messenger said:
(No sin deserves that Allah hasten its punishment in the worldly life, in addition to what He reserves in the Hereafter for those who commit it, more than injustice and severance of the ties of kinship.) This was also recorded by Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah. At-Tirmidhi said, “This Hadith is Sahih.” Imam Ahmad recorded from Thawban, may Allah be pleased with him, that Allah’s Messenger said,
(Whoever likes for his life to be extended, and his provision increased, let him connect his ties of kinship.) Ahmad was alone in recording this narration, but it has a supporting narration in the Sahih. Imam Ahmad recorded from `Abdullah bin `Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, that Allah’s Messenger said,
(Verily, the womb is attached to the Throne. And connecting its ties does not mean dealing evenly (with the kinsfolk), but it rather means that if one’s kinsfolk sever the ties, he connects them.) This Hadith was also recorded by Al-Bukhari. Ahmad also recorded from `Abdullah bin `Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, that Allah’s Messenger said,
(The womb will be placed on the Day of Resurrection, curved like a spinning wheel, speaking with an eloquent fluent tongue, calling to severing whoever had severed it, and joining whoever had joined it.) Imam Ahmad recorded from `Abdullah bin `Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, that Allah’s Messenger said,
(The merciful ones will be granted mercy from the Most Merciful. Have mercy on those on earth — the One above the heavens will then have mercy on you. And Ar-Rahim (the womb) is from Ar-Rahman, so whoever joins it, it joins him; and whoever severs it, it severs him.) Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi both recorded this Hadith and it has been reported with continuous chains of transmission. At-Trimidhi said, “Hasan Sahih.” There are numerous other Hadiths in this regard.
(47:20) The believers used to say: “Why is a surah (that would ordain fighting) not revealed?” But when a definitive surah was revealed wherein fighting was mentioned, you saw that those in whose hearts there was a sickness looked at you as though they were about to faint at the approach of death.[32] Pity on them!
32. That is, in view of the conditions through which the Muslims were passing and the attitude that the disbelievers had adopted towards Islam and the Muslims at that time, the believers were generally of the opinion that they should be permitted to fight even before fighting was actually enjoined by Allah. Rather they were asking Allah’s command in this regard impatiently and were asking again and again: Why are we not permitted to fight these wicked people? But the condition of the people who had joined the ranks of the Muslims hypocritically was quite different from that of the believers. They held their lives and their properties as dearer to themselves than Allah and His religion, and were not prepared to risk them at any cost. Therefore, as soon as fighting was enjoined, they were clearly sorted out from the true believers. Until the time when fighting had not been enjoined, the hypocrites and the common believers could not be distinguished one from the other. The hypocrites offered the Prayer just as the true believers did, they observed the Fast just like them, and practiced every article of the faith as made no demand of a sacrifice on them. But when the time came for making the supreme sacrifice of life for the sake of Islam, their hypocrisy was exposed and their veil of false display of the faith was rent asunder. In Surah An-Nisa, their this state has been described thus: Have you marked those to whom it was said: Withhold your hands a while and establish the salat and pay the zakat? Now that the fighting has been enjoined for them, some of them fear the people as they should fear Allah, or even more than that. They say: Our Lord, why have You enjoined fighting for us? Why have You not given us a brief respite? (Surah Muhammad, ayat 77)
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