Tafsir Surah Al-Anfal ayah 21 | Learn Quran Tafsir

"The Command to obey Allah and His Messenger

Allah says;

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواۡ أَطِيعُواۡ اللّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ

O you who believe! Obey Allah and His Messenger,

Allah commands His believing servants to obey Him and His Messenger and warns them against defying him and imitating the disbelievers who reject him.

Allah said,

وَلَا تَوَلَّوۡا عَنۡهُ

and turn not away from him...,

neither refrain from obeying him or following his commands nor indulge in what he forbade,

وَأَنتُمۡ تَسۡمَعُونَ

while you are hearing.

after you gained knowledge of his Message,

وَلَا تَكُونُواۡ كَالَّذِينَ قَالُوا سَمِعۡنَا وَهُمۡ لَا يَسۡمَعُونَ

And be not like those who say:""We have heard,"" but they hear not.

Ibn Ishaq said that;

this Ayah refers to the hypocrites, who pretend to hear and obey, while in fact they do neither.

Allah declares that these are the most wicked creatures among the Children of Adam

إِنَّ شَرَّ الدَّوَابَّ عِندَ اللّهِ الصُّمُّ

Verily, the worst of living creatures with Allah are the deaf,

who do not hear the truth,

الۡبُكۡمُ

and the dumb,

who cannot comprehend it,

الَّذِينَ لَا يَعۡقِلُونَ

who understand not.

These indeed are the most wicked creatures, for every creature except them abide by the way that Allah created in them. These people were created to worship Allah, but instead disbelieved.

This is why Allah equated them to animals, when He said,

وَمَثَلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواۡ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِى يَنۡعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسۡمَعُ إِلاَّ دُعَأءً وَنِدَاءً

And the example of those who disbelieve is as that of him who shouts to those that hear nothing but calls and cries. (2:171)

and,

أُوۡلَـيِكَ كَالَانۡعَـمِ بَلۡ هُمۡ أَضَلُّ أُوۡلَـيِكَ هُمُ الۡغَـفِلُونَ

They are like cattle, nay even more astray; those! They are the heedless ones. (7:179)

It was also said that;

the Ayah (8:22) refers to some of the pagans of Quraysh from the tribe of Bani `Abd Ad-Dar, according to Ibn Abbas, Mujahid and Ibn Jarir.

Muhammad bin Ishaq said that;

this Ayah refers to hypocrites, as we stated.

There is no contradiction here, because both disbelievers and hypocrites are devoid of sound comprehension, in addition to having lost the intention to do good.

Allah states here that such are those who neither have sound understanding nor good intentions, even if they have some type of reason

وَلَوۡ عَلِمَ اللّهُ فِيهِمۡ خَيۡرًا لاَّسۡمَعَهُمۡ

Had Allah known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them listen.

He would have helped them understand. However, this did not happen because there is no goodness in such people, for Allah knows that,

وَلَوۡ أَسۡمَعَهُمۡ

even if He had made them listen...

and allowed them to understand,

لَتَوَلَّواۡ

they would but have turned...,

intentionally and out of stubbornness, even after they comprehend,

وَّهُم مُّعۡرِضُونَ

with aversion, (to the truth)

The Command to answer and obey Allah and His Messenger

Allah commands;

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواۡ اسۡتَجِيبُواۡ لِلّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُم لِمَا يُحۡيِيكُمۡ

O you who believe! Answer Allah and (His) Messenger when he (the Messenger) calls you to that which will give you life,

Al-Bukhari said,

""(

اسۡتَجِيبُواۡ

Answer), obey, (

لِمَا يُحۡيِيكُمۡ

that which will give you life) that which will make your affairs good.""

Al-Bukhari went on to narrate that Abu Sa`id bin Al-Mu`alla said,

""I was praying when the Prophet passed by and called me, but I did not answer him until I finished the prayer.

He said,

مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنۡ تَأۡتِيَنِي أَلَمۡ يَقُلِ اللَّهُ

What prevented you from answering me?

Has not Allah said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواۡ اسۡتَجِيبُواۡ لِلّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُم لِمَا يُحۡيِيكُمۡ

(O you who believe! Answer Allah and (His) Messenger when he calls you to that which will give you life).'

He then said:

لَاأُعَلِّمَنَّكَ أَعۡظَمَ سُورَةٍ فِي الۡقُرانِ قَبۡلَ أَنۡ أَخۡرُج

I will teach you the greatest Surah in the Qur'an before I leave.

When he was about to leave, I mentioned what he said to me. He said,

الۡحَمۡدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الۡعَـلَمِينَ

All the praises and thanks are to Allah, the Lord of all that exists... (1:1-6)

هِيَ السَّبۡعُ الۡمَثَانِي

Surely, it is the seven oft-repeated verses.""'

Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated that Muhammad bin Jafar bin Az-Zubayr said that Urwah bin Az-Zubayr explained this Ayah,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواۡ اسۡتَجِيبُواۡ لِلّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُم لِمَا يُحۡيِيكُمۡ

(O you who believe! Answer Allah and (His) Messenger when he calls you to that which will give you life),

""Answer when called to war (Jihad) with which Allah gives you might after meekness, and strength after weakness, and shields you from the enemy who oppressed you.""

Allah comes in between a Person and His Heart

Allah said,

وَاعۡلَمُواۡ أَنَّ اللّهَ يَحُولُ بَيۡنَ الۡمَرۡءِ وَقَلۡبِهِ

and know that Allah comes in between a person and his heart.

Ibn Abbas commented,

""Allah prevents the believer from disbelief and the disbeliever from faith.""

Al-Hakim recorded this in his Mustadrak and said, ""It is Sahih and they did not record it.""

Similar was said by Mujahid, Sa`id, Ikrimah, Ad-Dahhak, Abu Salih Atiyyah, Muqatil bin Hayyan and As-Suddi.

In another report from Mujahid, he commented;

يَحُولُ بَيۡنَ الۡمَرۡءِ وَقَلۡبِهِ

(...comes in between a person and his heart).

""Leaves him without comprehension,""

As-Suddi said,

""Prevents one self from his own heart, so he will neither believe nor disbelieve except by His leave.""

There are several Hadiths that conform with the meaning of this Ayah. For instance, Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Malik said,

""The Prophet used to often say these words,

يَا مُقَلِّبَ الۡقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتۡ قَلۡبِي عَلَى دِينِك

O You Who changes the hearts, make my heart firm on Your religion.

We said, `O Allah's Messenger! We believed in you and in what you brought us. Are you afraid for us?'

He said,

نَعَمۡ إِنَّ الۡقُلُوبَ بَيۡنَ إِصۡبَعَيۡنِ مِنۡ أَصَابِعِ اللهِ تَعَالَى يُقَلِّبُهَا

Yes, for the hearts are between two of Allah's Fingers, He changes them (as He wills).""

This is the same narration recorded by At-Tirmidhi in the Book of Qadar in his Jami (Sunan), and he said, ""Hasan.""

Imam Ahmad recorded that An-Nawwas bin Sam`an Al-Kilabi said that he heard the Prophet saying,

مَا مِنۡ قَلۡبٍ إِلاَّ وَهُوَ بَيۡنَ أُصۡبُعَيۡنِ مِنۡ أَصَابِعِ الرَّحۡمَنِ رَبِّ الۡعَالَمِينَ إِذَا شَاءَ أَنۡ يُقِيمَهُ أَقَامَهُ وَإِذَا شَاءَ أَنۡ يُزِيغَهُ أَزَاغَه

Every heart is between two of the Fingers of the Most Beneficent (Allah), Lord of all that exists, if He wills, He makes it straight, and if He wills, He makes it stray.

And he said:

يَا مُقَلِّبَ الۡقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتۡ قَلۡبِي عَلَى دِينِك

O You Who changes the hearts! keep my heart firm on Your religion!

And he would say;

وَالۡمِيزَانُ بِيَدِ الرَّحۡمنِ يَخۡفِضُهُ وَيَرۡفَعُه

The Balance is in the Hand of Ar-Rahman, He raises and lowers it.

This was also recorded by An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.

وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيۡهِ تُحۡشَرُونَ

And verily to Him you shall (all) be gathered

Warning against an encompassing Fitnah

Allah warns;

وَاتَّقُواۡ فِتۡنَةً لاَّ تُصِيبَنَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواۡ مِنكُمۡ خَأصَّةً وَاعۡلَمُواۡ أَنَّ اللّهَ شَدِيدُ الۡعِقَابِ

And fear the Fitnah (affliction and trial) which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong, and know that Allah is severe in punishment.

Allah warns His believing servants of a Fitnah, trial and test, that encompasses the wicked and those around them. Therefore, such Fitnah will not be restricted to the sinners and evildoers. Rather, it will reach the others if the sins are not stopped and prevented.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Mutarrif said,

""We asked Az-Zubayr, `O Abu Abdullah! What brought you here (for the battle of Al-Jamal)! You abandoned the Khalifah who was assassinated (Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him) and then came asking for revenge for his blood!'

He said, `We recited at the time of the Messenger of Allah, and Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman,

وَاتَّقُواۡ فِتۡنَةً لاَّ تُصِيبَنَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواۡ مِنكُمۡ خَأصَّةً

And fear the Fitnah (affliction and trial) which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong,

We did not think that this Ayah was about us too, until it reached us as it did.""'

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said that;

the Ayah,

وَاتَّقُواۡ فِتۡنَةً لاَّ تُصِيبَنَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواۡ مِنكُمۡ خَأصَّةً

(And fear the Fitnah (affliction and trial) which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong), refers to the Companions of the Prophet in particular.

In another narration from Ibn Abbas, he said,

""Allah commanded the believers to stop evil from flourishing among them, so that Allah does not encompass them all in the torment (Fitnah).""

This, indeed, is a very good explanation, prompting Mujahid to comment about Allah's statement,

وَاتَّقُواۡ فِتۡنَةً لاَّ تُصِيبَنَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواۡ مِنكُمۡ خَأصَّةً

(And fear the Fitnah (affliction and trial) which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong),

""Is for you too!""

Several said similarly, such as Ad-Dahhak and Yazid bin Abi Habib and several others.

Ibn Mas`ud said,

""There is none among you but there is something that represents a Fitnah for him, for Allah said,

إِنَّمَأ أَمۡوَلُكُمۡ وَأَوۡلَـدُكُمۡ فِتۡنَةٌ

Your wealth and your children are only a trial (Fitnah)... (64:15)

Therefore, when you seek refuge, seek it with Allah from the Fitnah that causes misguidance.""

Ibn Jarir collected this Hadith.

The view that the warning in this Ayah addresses the Companions and all others is true, even though the speech in the Ayah was directed at the Companions.

There are Hadiths that warn against Fitnah in general, thus providing the correctness of this explanation. Similarly there will be a separate book in which this subject will be discussed, Allah willing, as also is the case with the Imams, there being a number of writings about this.

Of the most precise things that have been mentioned under this topic, is what was recorded by Imam Ahmad from Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman that the Messenger of Allah said,

وَالَّذِي نَفۡسِي بِيَدِهِ لَتَأۡمُرُنَّ بِالۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَلَتَنۡهَوُنَّ عَنِ الۡمُنۡكَرِ أَوۡ لَيُوشِكَنَّ اللهُ أَنۡ يَبۡعَثَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ عِقَابًا مِنۡ عِنۡدِهِ ثُمَّ لَتَدۡعُنَّهُ فَلَا يَسۡتَجِيبُ لَكُم

By He in Whose Hand is my soul! You will enjoin righteousness and forbid evil, or Allah will send a punishment upon you from Him; you will supplicate then to Him, but He will not answer your supplication.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Ar-Riqad said,

""I heard Hudhayfah saying,

`A person used to utter one word during the time of the Messenger of Allah and become a hypocrite on account of it. I now hear such words from one of you four times in the same sitting. Surely, you will enjoin good, forbid evil and encourage each other to do good or Allah will surround you all with torment, or make the wicked among you become your leaders. The righteous among you will then supplicate, but their supplication will not be accepted.""'

Imam Ahmad recorded that An-Nu`man bin Bashir said that the Prophet gave a speech in which he said, while pointing to his ears with two of his fingers,

مَثَلُ الۡقَايِمِ عَلَى حُدُودِ اللهِ وَالۡوَاقِعِ فِيهَا وَالۡمُدَاهِنِ فِيهَا كَمَثَلِ قَوۡمٍ رَكِبُوا سَفِينَةً فَأَصَابَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ أَسۡفَلَهَا وَأَوۡعَرَهَا وَشَرَّهَا وَأَصَابَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ أَعۡلَهَا فَكَانَ الَّذِينَ فِي أَسۡفَلِهَا إِذَا اسۡتَقَوُا الۡمَاءَ مَرُّوا عَلَى مَنۡ فَوقَهُمۡ فَأذُوۡهُمۡ فَقَالُوا لَوۡ خَرَقۡنَا فِي نَصِيبِنَا خَرۡقًا فَاسۡتَقَيۡنَا مِنۡهُ وَلَمۡ نُوۡذِ مَنۡ فَوۡقَنَا فَإِنۡ تَرَكُوهُمۡ وَأَمۡرَهُمۡ هَلَكُوا جَمِيعًا وَإِنۡ أَخَذُوا عَلَى أَيۡدِيهِمۡ نَجَوۡا جَمِيعًا

The parable of the person abiding by Allah's order and restrictions in comparison to those who violate them, or sit idle while they are being violated, is that of those who drew lots for their seats in a boat. Some of them got seats in the lower part, which is the most rough and worst part, and the others in the upper. When the former needed water, they had to go up to bring water and that troubled the others, so they said, `Let us make a hole in our share of the ship and get water, saving those who are above us from troubling them, so, if the people in the upper part let the others do what they suggested, all the people of the ship would be destroyed, but if they prevented them, both parties would be safe.

This was recorded by Al-Bukhari, but not Muslim, in the Book of Partnerships and the Book of Witnesses.

It was also recorded by At-Tirmidhi through a different route of narration.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Umm Salamah, the Prophet's wife, said,

""I heard the Messenger of Allah saying,

إِذَا ظَهَرَتِ الۡمَعَاصِي فِي أُمَّتِي عَمَّهُمُ اللهُ بِعَذَابٍ مِنۡ عِنۡدِه

If sins become apparent in my Ummah, Allah will surround them with punishment from Him.

I said, `O Allah's Messenger! Will they have righteous people among them then?'

He said,

بَلَى

Yes.

I asked, `What will happen to them?'

He said,

يُصِيبُهُمۡ مَا أَصَابَ النَّاسَ ثُمَّ يَصِيرُونَ إِلَى مَغۡفِرَةٍ مِنَ اللهِ وَرِضۡوَان

They will be stricken as the people, but they will end up with Allah's forgiveness and pleasure.""

Imam Ahmad recorded that Jarir said that the Messenger of Allah said,

مَا مِنۡ قَوۡمٍ يُعۡمَلُ فِيهِمۡ بِالۡمَعَاصِي هُمۡ أَعَزُّ وَأَكۡثَرُ مِمَّنۡ يَعۡمَلُونَ ثُمَّ لَمۡ يُغَيِّرُوهُ إِلاَّ عَمَّهُمُ اللهُ بِعِقَاب

Every people among whom sins are being committed, while they are mightier and more numerous than those who do wrong, yet they did nothing to stop them, then Allah will surround them all with punishment.

Ibn Majah collected this Hadith."

Al-Anfal: 21

Ayah

Translation

Tafsir

Al-Anfal: 21