An-Nisa': 102

Ayah

Word by Word

وَإِذَا

And when

كُنتَ

you are

فِيهِمۡ

among them

فَأَقَمۡتَ

and you lead

لَهُمُ

for them

ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ

the prayer

فَلۡتَقُمۡ

then let stand

طَآئِفَةٞ

a group

مِّنۡهُم

of them

مَّعَكَ

with you

وَلۡيَأۡخُذُوٓاْ

and let them take

أَسۡلِحَتَهُمۡۖ

their arms

فَإِذَا

Then when

سَجَدُواْ

they have prostrated

فَلۡيَكُونُواْ

then let them be

مِن

from

وَرَآئِكُمۡ

behind you

وَلۡتَأۡتِ

and let come (forward)

طَآئِفَةٌ

a group

أُخۡرَىٰ

other

لَمۡ

(which has) not

يُصَلُّواْ

prayed

فَلۡيُصَلُّواْ

and let them pray

مَعَكَ

with you

وَلۡيَأۡخُذُواْ

and let them take

حِذۡرَهُمۡ

their precautions

وَأَسۡلِحَتَهُمۡۗ

and their arms

وَدَّ

Wished

ٱلَّذِينَ

those who

كَفَرُواْ

disbelieved

لَوۡ

تَغۡفُلُونَ

you neglect

عَنۡ

[about]

أَسۡلِحَتِكُمۡ

your arms

وَأَمۡتِعَتِكُمۡ

and your baggage

فَيَمِيلُونَ

so (that) they (can) assault

عَلَيۡكُم

[upon] you

مَّيۡلَةٗ

(in) an attack

وَٰحِدَةٗۚ

single

وَلَا

But (there is) no

جُنَاحَ

blame

عَلَيۡكُمۡ

upon you

إِن

كَانَ

was

بِكُمۡ

with you

أَذٗى

any trouble

مِّن

(because) of

مَّطَرٍ

rain

أَوۡ

كُنتُم

you are

مَّرۡضَىٰٓ

sick

أَن

that

تَضَعُوٓاْ

you lay down

أَسۡلِحَتَكُمۡۖ

your arms

وَخُذُواْ

but take

حِذۡرَكُمۡۗ

your precautions

إِنَّ

Indeed

ٱللَّهَ

Allah

أَعَدَّ

has prepared

لِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ

for the disbelievers

عَذَابٗا

a punishment

مُّهِينٗا

humiliating

Translation

When thou (O Messenger) art with them, and standest to lead them in prayer, Let one party of them stand up (in prayer) with thee, Taking their arms with them: When they finish their prostrations, let them Take their position in the rear. And let the other party come up which hath not yet prayed - and let them pray with thee, Taking all precaution, and bearing arms: the Unbelievers wish, if ye were negligent of your arms and your baggage, to assault you in a single rush. But there is no blame on you if ye put away your arms because of the inconvenience of rain or because ye are ill; but take (every) precaution for yourselves. For the Unbelievers Allah hath prepared a humiliating punishment.

Tafsir

"The Description of The Fear Prayer

Allah says;

وَإِذَا كُنتَ فِيهِمۡ فَأَقَمۡتَ لَهُمُ الصَّلَةَ فَلۡتَقُمۡ طَأيِفَةٌ مِّنۡهُم مَّعَكَ وَلۡيَأۡخُذُواۡ أَسۡلِحَتَهُمۡ فَإِذَا سَجَدُواۡ فَلۡيَكُونُواۡ مِن وَرَايِكُمۡ وَلۡتَأۡتِ طَأيِفَةٌ أُخۡرَى لَمۡ يُصَلُّواۡ فَلۡيُصَلُّواۡ مَعَكَ وَلۡيَأۡخُذُواۡ حِذۡرَهُمۡ وَأَسۡلِحَتَهُمۡ وَدَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواۡ لَوۡ تَغۡفُلُونَ عَنۡ أَسۡلِحَتِكُمۡ وَأَمۡتِعَتِكُمۡ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيۡكُم مَّيۡلَةً وَاحِدَةً

When you (O Messenger Muhammad) are among them, and lead them in Salah, let one party of them stand up (in prayer) with you, taking their arms with them; when they finish their prostrations, let them take their positions in the rear and let the other party come up which have not yet prayed, and let them pray with you, taking all the precautions and bearing arms. Those who disbelieve wish, if you were negligent of your arms and your baggage, to attack you in a single rush,

The Fear prayer has different forms, for the enemy is sometimes in the direction of the Qiblah and sometimes in another direction.

The Fear prayer consists sometimes of four Rak`ahs, three Rak`ahs, as for Maghrib, and sometimes two Rak`ah like Fajr and prayer during travel.

The Fear prayer is sometimes prayed in congregation, but when the battle is raging, congregational prayer may not be possible. In this case, they pray each by himself, facing the Qiblah or otherwise, riding or on foot. In this situation, they are allowed to walk and fight, all the while performing the acts of the prayer.

Some scholars said that in the latter case, they pray only one Rak`ah, for Ibn Abbas narrated,

""By the words of your Prophet, Allah has ordained the prayer of four Rak`ah while residing, two Rak`ah during travel, and one Rak`ah during fear.""

Muslim, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah recorded it.

This is also the view of Ahmad bin Hanbal.

Al-Mundhiri said,

""This is the saying of Ata, Jabir, Al-Hasan, Mujahid, Al-Hakam, Qatadah and Hammad; and Tawus and Ad-Dahhak also preferred it.""

Abu Asim Al-Abadi mentioned that Muhammad bin Nasr Al-Marwazi said,

the Fajr prayer also becomes one Rak`ah during fear.

This is also the opinion of Ibn Hazm.

Ishaq bin Rahwayh said,

""When a battle is raging, one Rak`ah during which you nod your head is sufficient for you. If you are unable, then one prostration is sufficient, because the prostration is remembrance of Allah.""

The Reason behind Revealing this Ayah

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Ayyash Az-Zuraqi said,

""We were with the Messenger of Allah in the area of Usfan (a well known place near Makkah), when the idolators met us under the command of Khalid bin Al-Walid, and they were between us and the Qiblah. The Messenger of Allah led us in Zuhr prayer, and the idolators said, `They were busy with something during which we had a chance to attack them.'

They then said, `Next, there will come a prayer (`Asr) that is dearer to them than their children and themselves.'

However, Jibril came down with these Ayat between the prayers of Zuhr and `Asr,

وَإِذَا كُنتَ فِيهِمۡ فَأَقَمۡتَ لَهُمُ الصَّلَةَ

(When you (O Messenger Muhammad) are among them, and lead them in Salah (prayer)).

When the time for prayer came, the Messenger of Allah commanded Muslims to hold their weapons and he made us stand in two lines behind him. When he bowed, we all bowed behind him. When he raised his head, we all raised our heads.

The Prophet then prostrated with the line that was behind him while the rest stood in guard. When they finished with the prostration and stood up, the rest sat and performed prostration, while those who performed it stood up in guard after the two lines exchanged position.

The Prophet then bowed and they all bowed after him, then raised their heads after he raised his head. Then the Prophet performed prostration with the line that was behind him, while the rest stood in guard. When those who made prostration sat, the rest prostrated.

The Prophet then performed the Taslim and ended the prayer.

The Messenger of Allah performed this prayer twice, once in Usfan and once in the land of Banu Sulaym.""'

This is the narration recorded by Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i, and it has an authentic chain of narration and many other texts to support it.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn Abbas said,

""Once the Prophet led the Fear prayer and the people stood behind him. He said Allahu-Akbar and the people said the same. He bowed and some of them bowed. Then he prostrated and they also prostrated. Then he stood for the second Rak`ah and those who had prayed the first Rak`ah left and guarded their brothers. The second party joined him and performed bowing and prostration with him. All the people were in prayer, but they were guarding one another during the prayer.""

Imam Ahmad recorded that Jabir bin Abdullah said that;

the Messenger of Allah led them in the Fear prayer. A group of them stood before him and a group behind him. The Prophet led those who were behind him with one Rak`ah and two prostrations. They then moved to the position of those who did not pray, while the others stood in their place, and the Messenger of Allah performed one Rak`ah and two prostrations and then said the Salam. Therefore, the Prophet prayed two Rak`ah while they prayed one.

An-Nasa'i recorded this Hadith, while Muslim collected other wordings for it.

Collectors of the Sahih, Sunan and Musnad collections recorded this in a Hadith from Jabir.

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Salim said that;

his father said,

وَإِذَا كُنتَ فِيهِمۡ فَأَقَمۡتَ لَهُمُ الصَّلَةَ

(When you (O Messenger Muhammad) are among them, and lead them in Salah (prayer)) refers to the Fear prayer.

The Messenger of Allah led one group and prayed one Rak`ah, while the second group faced the enemy. Then the second group that faced the enemy came and Allah's Messenger led them, praying one Rak`ah, and then said the Salam. Each of the two groups then stood up and prayed one more Rak`ah each (while the other group stood in guard).""

The Group collected this Hadith with Ma`mar in its chain of narrators.

This Hadith also has many other chains of narration from several Companions, and Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Ibn Marduwyah collected these various narrations, as did Ibn Jarir.

As for the command to hold the weapons during the Fear prayer,

a group of scholars said that it is obligatory according to the Ayah. What testifies to this is that Allah said;

وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِن كَانَ بِكُمۡ أَذًى مِّن مَّطَرٍ أَوۡ كُنتُم مَّرۡضَى أَن تَضَعُواۡ أَسۡلِحَتَكُمۡ وَخُذُواۡ حِذۡرَكُمۡ

But there is no sin on you if you put away your arms because of the inconvenience of rain or because you are ill, but take every precaution for yourselves,

meaning, so that when necessary, you will be able to get to your weapons easily.

إِنَّ اللّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلۡكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا

Verily, Allah has prepared a humiliating torment for the disbelievers.

The Order for Ample Remembrance After the Fear Prayer

Allah says;

فَإِذَا قَضَيۡتُمُ الصَّلَةَ فَاذۡكُرُواۡ اللّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَى جُنُوبِكُمۡ

When you have finished the Salah, remember Allah standing, sitting down, and on your sides,

Allah commands Dhikr after finishing the Fear prayer, in particular, even though such Dhikr is encouraged after finishing other types of prayer in general. In the case of Fear prayer, Dhikr is encouraged even more because the pillars of the prayer are diminished since they move about while performing it, etc., unlike other prayers.

Allah said about the Sacred Months,

فَلَ تَظۡلِمُواۡ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمۡ

(so wrong not yourselves therein), (9:36) even though injustice is prohibited all year long. However, injustice is particularly outlawed during the Sacred Months due to their sanctity and honor.

So Allah's statement,

فَإِذَا قَضَيۡتُمُ الصَّلَةَ فَاذۡكُرُواۡ اللّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَى جُنُوبِكُمۡ

(When you have finished Salah, remember Allah standing, sitting down, and on your sides), means, in all conditions,

فَإِذَا اطۡمَأۡنَنتُمۡ فَأَقِيمُواۡ الصَّلَةَ

But when you are free from danger perform the Salah.

when you are safe, tranquil and fear subsides,

فَأَقِيمُواۡ الصَّلَةَ

(perform the Salah),

by performing it as you were commanded; fulfilling its obligations, with humbleness, completing the bowing and prostration positions etc.

Allah's statement,

إِنَّ الصَّلَةَ كَانَتۡ عَلَى الۡمُوۡمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَّوۡقُوتًا

Verily, the Salah is Kitaban on the believers at fixed hours.

means, enjoined, as Ibn Abbas stated.

Ibn Abbas also said,

""The prayer has a fixed time, just as the case with Hajj.""

Similar is reported from Mujahid, Salim bin Abdullah, Ali bin Al-Husayn, Muhammad bin Ali, Al-Hasan, Muqatil. As-Suddi and Atiyah Al-Awfi.

The Encouragement to Pursue the Enemy Despite Injuries

Allah's statement

وَلَا تَهِنُواۡ فِي ابۡتِغَاء الۡقَوۡمِ

And don't be weak in the pursuit of the enemy;

means, do not weaken your resolve in pursuit of your enemy. Rather, pursue them vigorously, fight them and be wary of them.

إِن تَكُونُواۡ تَأۡلَمُونَ فَإِنَّهُمۡ يَأۡلَمُونَ كَمَا تَأۡلَمونَ

if you are suffering then surely they are suffering as you are suffering,

meaning, just as you suffer from injuries and death, the same happens to the enemy.

In another Ayah, Allah said,

إِن يَمۡسَسۡكُمۡ قَرۡحٌ فَقَدۡ مَسَّ الۡقَوۡمَ قَرۡحٌ مِّثۡلُهُ

If you suffer a harm, be sure a similar harm has struck the others. (3:140)

Allah then said,

وَتَرۡجُونَ مِنَ اللّهِ مَا لَا يَرۡجُونَ

but you have a hope from Allah that for which they hope not;

meaning, you and they are equal regarding the injuries and pain that you suffer from. However, you hope for Allah's reward, victory and aid, just as He has promised you in His Book and by the words of his Messenger. Surely, Allah's promise is true. On the other hand, your enemies do not have hope for any of this. So, it is you, not they, who should be eager to fight so that you establish the Word of Allah and raise it high.

وَكَانَ اللّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا

And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.

means, He is most knowledgeable and wise in all what He decides, decrees, wills and acts on concerning various worldly and religious ordainments, and He is worthy of praise in all conditions."