Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

CHAPTER 4, VERSES 148-149

لَّا يُحِبُّ اللَّـهُ الْجَهْرَ بِالسُّوءِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ إِلَّا مَن ظُلِمَۚ وَكَانَ اللَّـهُ سَمِيعًا عَلِيمًا ﴿١٤٨﴾ إِن تُبْدُوا خَيْرًا أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ أَوْ تَعْفُوا عَن سُوءٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا قَدِيرًا ﴿١٤٩﴾

Allãh does not love open utterance of evil in speech except (by) one to whom injustice has been done; and Allãh is Hearing, Knowing (148). If you dogood openly or do it in secret or pardon an evil, then surely Allãh is Pardoning, Powerful (149).

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COMMENTARY

QUR’ÃN: Allãh does not love open utterance of evil in speech except (by) one to whom injustice has been done; . : [al-Jahr (اَلْجَهْرُ = loudly speaking; translated here as 'open utterance')].ar-Rãghib has said under the root j-h-r [جهر ]: “It is used for excessive manifestation of a thing before the sense of sight or hearing. As for the sight, it is said: 'I saw him openly'; Allãh, the Sublime, says: 'O Mūsã! We will not believe in you until we see Allãh manifestly' (2:55);They said:

'Show us Allãh manifestly' (4:153) . As for hearing, Allãh says:

Alike (to Him) among you is he who conceals (his) words and he who speaks openly” (13:10).

as-Sū’ (اَلسُّوْء ~ = evil); evil speech - every talk which hurts the feeling of the person about who it is said; for example, cursing him and abusing him and accusing him of some bad characteristics, no matter whether those defects are really found in him or not. Allãh does not love that these things should be loudly announced and spoken. It is known that Allãh is free from love and hate, which is found in human beings and many animals; however, as our commandments and prohibitions naturally emanate from love and hate, Allãh metaphorically uses the words, love and hate, to describe His pleasure and displeasure, His commandment and prohibition.

Therefore, the words, “Allãh does not love open utterance of evil in speech”, metaphorically show legislation covering both prohibition and dislike.

The phrase, “except (by) one to whom injustice has been done”, is isolated exception. It means that it is alright for the one who is oppressed and to whom injustice has been done, to loudly speak evil about the opressor regarding the injustice done to him. This context shows that he is allowed to utter evil publicly to describe the injustice done to him and to expose the bad character of the oppressor which led him to that injustice. However, there is no indication here that he can speak loudly about other things which are not found in the oppressor or which have no connection with this praticular oppression.

The exegetes have differed in explanation of “evil in speech”; some say that it means cursing; others say that it is a description of his oppression and injustice, etc.; the fact is that all these things are included in this phrase which is unrestricted. Therefore, there is no reason why it should be restricted to certain types of evil talk.

The words, “and Allãh is Hearing, Knowing”, emphasize the prohibition understood from “Allãh does not love open utterance of evil in speech”. In other words, it is not allowed for the one to whom injustice has not been done to speak loudly evil words about someone because Allãh is the Hearing Who hears every word, and Knowing Who knows what one is doing.

QUR’ÃN: If you do good openly or do it in secret or pardon an evil, then surely Allãh is Pardoning,Powerful : The verse has some relation with the preceding one because it implies manifestation of good words showing gratitude for a favour which someone has done to you, and also shows merit of forgiveness of an evil, so that you should not utter evil words against your oppressor.

Doing good openly means manifesting it clearly whether it is manifested in deed - for example, showing that one is spending on some deserving person; likewise, other good deeds; as this showing arouses in other people the desire to do good and strengthens the religion - or in words, like openly thanking the benefactor and mentioning him with good attributes, as it would incite other well to do persons to follow the suit.

Keeping the good work secret is also commendable, because it keeps one away from dissimulation and nearer to sincerity, as Allãh has said: If you give alms openly, it is well, and if you hide it and give it to poor, it is better for you; and this will remove from you some of your sins (2:271).

Pardoning an avil is to cover it in words - that he does not describe his oppressor for his oppression, does not disgrace him before the people and does not speak openly against him - and in deed, that he should not confront him with similar mistreatment for retribution, even when sharī‘ah allows him to do so. Allãh has said: whoever then acts aggressively against you, inflict the like aggression on him as he has inflicted on you; and fear Allãh (2:194).

If you pardon an evil, you will acquire an attribute from the Divine attributes of perfection - He pardons His servants although He has power to punish them. Doing good deed openly or in secret, that is, doing favour to the needy in all conditions is also among the Divine attributes because He is Allãh.

TRADITIONS

at-Tabrisī has said: “Allãh does not like abusing while seeking someone's aid except the one to whom injustice has been done; he is allowed to seek help against the oppressor in the matters in which seeking help is allowed by religion.” He says that it is narrated from AbūJa‘far (a.s.). (Majma‘u 'l-bayãn)

Abu 'l-Jãrūd narrates from Abū ‘Abdillãh (a.s .) that he said: “Open utterance of evil in speech means describing a man with the defects which are found in him.” (at-Tafsīr , al-‘Ayyãshī)

Another hadīth explains this verse in this way: If a man came to you and he spoke ascribing to you such merit, praise and good deeds which you do not have, then do not accept it from him and refute him; because he has done injustice to you. (at-Tafsīr , al-Qummī)

al-Fadl ibn Abī Qurrah narrates from Abū ‘Abdillãh (a.s.) about the words of Allãh: Allãh does not love open utterance of evil in speech except (by) one to whom injustice has been done, that he said, “Whoever invited some people for feast and did not serve them properly, he is among those who do injustice; and there is no blame on them in whatever they say about him.” (at-Tafsīr , al-‘Ayyãshī)

The author says: It has been narrated in Majma‘u 'l-bayãn from Abū ‘Abdillãh (a.s .) as a mursal hadīth; also it has been narrated through Sunnī chains from Mujãhid. However, these traditions clearly show that the verse is general and not restricted, as we have shown earlier.

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CHAPTER 4, VERSES 150-152

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّـهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَ اللَّـهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيَقُولُونَ نُؤْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍ وَنَكْفُرُ بِبَعْضٍ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَّخِذُوا بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ سَبِيلًا ﴿١٥٠﴾ أُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ حَقًّاۚ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا ﴿١٥١﴾ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّـهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَلَمْ يُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ أُولَـٰئِكَ سَوْفَ يُؤْتِيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْۗ وَكَانَ اللَّـهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا ﴿١٥٢﴾

Surely those who disbelieve in Allãh and His messengers and desire to differentiate between Allãh and His messengers, and say: “We believe in some and disbelieve in others”; and desire to take a way between (this and) that (150). These it is that are truly unbelievers, andWe have prepared for the unbelievers a disgraceful chastisement (151). And those who believe in Allãh and His messengers and do not differentiate between any of them; they (are those whom) He will grant them their recompense; and Allãh is Forgiving, Merciful (152).

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COMMENTARY

Now, the talk turns to the People of the Book describing the reality of their disbelief and explaining some of their injustices, sins and scandalous talks.

QUR’ÃN: Surely those who disbelieve in Allãh and His messengers . We have prepared for the unbelievers a disgracefulchastisement : These are the People of the Book, the Jews and the Christians; the Jews believe in Mūsã and disbelieve in ‘Īsã and Muhammad while the Christians believe in Mūsã and ‘Īsã and disbelieve in Muhammad - Allãh's mercy be on all of them. These people think that they believe in Allãh and in some of His messengers and disbelieve in only a few of them; but Allãh has clearly stated that they are disbelievers in Allãh and all His messengers. Therefore, it was necessary to explain the all-encompassing sentence, “Surely those who disbelieve in Allãh and His messengers”. This explanation is given in the next phrase which is given as explicative apposition, “and desire to differentiate between Allãh and His messengers, and say: “We believe in some and disbelieve in others”. This phrase is self-explanatory. They are disbelievers in Allãh and His Messengers because when they say: “We believe in some and disbelieve in others”, they actually want to diffentiate between Allãh and His messengers; when they disbelieve in some of His messengers although he has been sent by Allãh, they are rejecting the Divine choice; thus rejection of any messenger is rejection of Allãh's Divinity.

Again it is explained with another explanatory conjuctive, “and desire to take a way between (this and) that”. They want to chart out a way between two opposites: believing in Allãh and all His messengers and disbelieving in Allãh and all His messengers; and that middle way isbelieving in some and rejecting some others. However, the only way to Allãh is to believe in Him and all His messengers together. A messenger in his capacity of messengership has no authority over his ownself or on his mission; everthing is done under Divine guidance. To believe in him is to believe in Allãh and to reject him is to reject Allãh.

Disbeliving in some and believing in others together with Allãh is an attempt to differentiate between Allãh and His messengers. In this way, they want to make the messenger indifendent, unrelated to Allãh. According to the, belief in the prophet has no connection with the belief in Allãh and rejection of a prophet is unconnected with disbelief in Allãh; the messenger is accordingly marginalised and removed from his central position. How can one be called a messenger if believing or disbelieving in him is unrelated to belief or disbelief in Allãh Now, it is clear without any doubt that believing in such a messenger is tantamount to ascribing someone to Allãh, the great, the High. That is whyAllãh, after describing their attempt to believe in some and disbelieve in others, in order to differentiate between Allãh and His messengers and to find a via media, says that, “These it is that are truly unbelievers”, and then threatens them saying, “and We have prepared for the unbelievers a disgraceful chastisement”.

QUR’ÃN: And those who believe in Allãh and His messengers and do not differentiate between any of them; they (are those whom) He will grant them their recompense; and Allãh is Forgiving, Merciful : After exposing the disbelief of those who differentiate between Allãh and His messengers, ans stating that they were disbelievers in Allãh and all His messengers, now Allãh describes those who stand opposite to them, that is, those who believe in Allãh and all His messengers without any differentiation. This completes the division of the people in two groups. We find in the second and third verses that the pronouns describing Allãh have been changed from first person plural to third person singular; first it was said: and We have prepared for the unbelievers a disgraceful chastisement, and now it says, “they (are those whom) He will grant them their recompense”. Probably, ascribing award of punishment to first person shows that it would surely happen; this certainty is not so clear in third person pronoun; and the same reason justifies the change of pronoun in the second verse. The verse is addressed to the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and contains good tidings. The Prophet knows that Allãh would surely fulfil His promise and this recompense is certain to be awarded.

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