CHAPTER 59: AL-HASHR (THE GATHERING / THE EXILE)

 

The Surah was revealed in the Medina period. It consists of 24 verses. Hashr means "gathering in one place for transportation/deportation." The Surah was given this name based on the incident of the expulsion of the Jewish tribe, Banu Nadir, mentioned in verses 2-17. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/544)

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

 

59/1-4 EVERYTHING GLORIFIES ALLAH

 

Translation

 

1- Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorifies Allah (exalts Him from any deficiency). And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise (He is Wise in every deed, command, and prohibition).

 

2- He is the One who expelled those who disbelieved among the People of the Book (who broke their covenant and plotted to assassinate the Prophet) from their homes at the first exile. (O believers!) You did not think they would leave. And they (the Jews of Banu Nadir) thought that their fortresses would protect them from (the punishment of) Allah. But (the punishment of) Allah came upon them from where they did not expect (their leaders were killed), and He cast terror into their hearts. So much so that they destroyed their houses with their own hands and by the hands of the believers. So take a lesson, O people of insight!

 

3- And if Allah had not decreed exile for them (the Jews of Banu Nadir), He would certainly have punished them in this world (in another way). And for them in the Hereafter is the punishment of the Fire.

 

4- That (expulsion) is because they opposed / acted in defiance of Allah and His Messenger (and showed enmity). And whoever opposes (the commands of) Allah—then indeed, Allah is severe in punishment.

 

Commentary

 

(1) ‘Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorifies Allah.’ Ibn Kesir says: ‘Allah the Exalted informs that every single thing found in the heavens and the earth glorifies the Exalted Allah, exalts His glory, sanctifies Him, prays to Him, and affirms His Oneness.’ (S. HAWWA, 14/521)

 

‘Subhanallah’ means ‘I exalt Allah from all deficient attributes.’ (Muslim, Salat 105, 106). Just as it is stated in the Quran that angels and believers glorify Allah, it is also stated that other living and non-living beings glorify Allah: ‘Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorifies Allah.’ (62/1). (See 24/41, 21/79, 38/8, 19; I. KARAGOZ, 7/657)

 

‘He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.’ That is, Allah is powerful. Just as He can help His friends, He is capable of crushing His enemies. He is skilled in His decree and planning. (S. KUTUB, 9/587)

 

(2) ‘He is the One who expelled those who disbelieved among the People of the Book from their homes at the first exile.’ Nesafi says: ‘The meaning of the first gathering place (awwalu’l hashr) is this: This is their first gathering in the region of Sham (Syria). Or this is their first being gathered (exiled). Their final gathering took place when Umar (ra) exiled them from Khaybar toward Sham.’ (S. HAWWA, 14/522)

 

The incident of the expulsion of Banu Nadir from Medina should be well understood at the beginning so that no gaps remain in the mind later. The Prophet (pbuh) made a written treaty with Banu Nadir. Although the Jews did not explicitly say that this treaty was invalid, they engaged in many behaviors and initiatives that would break the agreement. Finally, when they engaged in a behavior that was clearly contrary to the treaty, the Prophet declared war on them. The reason for this was their attempt to assassinate the Prophet (pbuh), who had made the treaty with them in his capacity as the head of the Medina State. When the Prophet, having learned of this plan beforehand, revealed this fact to the Jews, they could not deny it; upon this, the Prophet (pbuh) informed them that if they did not leave Medina within 10 days, war would be declared against them. This ultimatum is in accordance with the following ruling of Allah set forth in Enfal 58: ‘If you fear treachery from a people, dissolve the treaty with them in like manner. Indeed, Allah does not like the treacherous.’ (MAWDUDI, 6/182)

 

‘You did not think they would leave.’ Nesafi says: ‘That is, because of their great strength and power, their ability to protect themselves, the strength of their fortresses, and the abundance of their numbers and weapons, you did not think they would leave.’ (S. HAWWA, 14/522)

 

‘And they thought that their fortresses would protect them from Allah. But (the punishment of) Allah came upon them from where they did not expect and cast terror into their hearts.’ Ibn Kesir says: ‘He cast terror, impatience, and anxiety. And how could it be otherwise? For that Great Prophet, who was aided by the terror cast into the hearts of his enemies from a month's distance, had surrounded them.’ (S. HAWWA, 14/523)

 

‘So much so that they destroyed their houses with their own hands and by the hands of the believers. So take a lesson, O people of insight!’ Nesafi says: ‘That is, think deeply about what happened to these people. Think about the reason why they deserved to be subjected to such a punishment and refrain from doing anything similar to what they did. Otherwise, you too will be punished with a penalty similar to the one they encountered. At the same time, this command is evidence for the permissibility of analogy (qiyas).’ (S. HAWWA, 14/523)

 

A matter does not happen solely according to the wishes of people; alongside that, there is also the plan / decree of Allah, which is important and should not be forgotten, to which the expression "take a lesson" points. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/544)

 

According to the context of the verse, the subject to take a lesson from is the troubles that befell the Jews due to their beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. The Jews of Banu Nadir denied the Prophet and the Quran, did not comply with the contract they made, betrayed the Muslims by cooperating with the polytheists, and attempted to assassinate the Prophet. All of these are oppression (zulm). Those who disbelieve and oppress deserve punishment. Because disbelief and oppression are reasons for punishment. (I. KARAGOZ, 7/657, 660, 661)

 

(3) ‘If Allah had not decreed exile"’—that is, leaving their homeland and separating from their children—’for them (the Jews of Banu Nadir), He would have punished them in the world’ by killing and taking them prisoner, as He did to the Banu Qurayza. ‘And for them"’—whether they are exiled or killed—’in the Hereafter is the punishment of the Fire,’ than which there is no harsher punishment. (S. HAWWA, 14/523)

 

(4) ‘And whoever opposes / acts in defiance of (the commands of) Allah, then indeed, Allah is severe in punishment.’ He punishes very severely. If He does not do it in this world, He does it in the Hereafter. Even if the punishment in this world passes, the one in the Hereafter does not. (ELMALILI, 7/484)

 

The Jews of Banu Nadir denied and belied Muhammad (pbuh), the 'last prophet' (33/40), even though they recognized him as they recognized their own sons because he was written in the Torah (2/146, 6/20). Their failure to comply with the contract made with the Prophet, their cooperation with the Meccan polytheists, their aid to the polytheists in the Battle of Uhud, and their planning of an assassination against the Prophet constitute opposition and enmity toward Allah and His prophet. For this reason, they were punished and exiled from their homelands. (I. KARAGOZ, 7/662)

 

‘Severe punishment"’: What is meant by this is the punishment of Hell. Opposing and showing enmity toward Allah and His prophet is disbelief. The destination of those who disbelieve is Hell. In Hell, there is severe punishment such as burning in fire and being made to drink boiling water. (I. KARAGOZ, 7/662)

 

59/5-6 THE BOUNTIES GIVEN TO HIS PROPHET

 

Translation

 

5- (O believers! During the siege) whatever palm tree you cut down or (did not cut and) left standing on its roots, it was all by Allah’s permission and (this permission) was so that He might disgrace the defiantly disobedient.

 

6- (O believers!) As for what Allah gave to His Messenger from them (the Banu Nadir) as booty easily, you did not spur any horse or camel for it. (You did not raid or fight.) But Allah gives His messengers authority over whom He wills. And Allah is Competent over all things.

 

Commentary

 

(5) ‘Whatever palm tree you cut down or left standing upright on its trunks is by Allah’s permission.’ This points to the cutting and burning of some palm trees that obstructed military movement around the settlement of Banu Nadir at the beginning of the siege. Trees that did not obstruct military movement were not touched. (...) From this noble verse, a legal ruling is derived that some necessary destruction during war does not constitute spreading corruption on earth. Spreading corruption on earth is for an army to burn down and destroy fields, vineyards, and houses when entering an enemy's country. In this regard, the orders given by Abu Bakr (ra) to the army he sent to Damascus are in the nature of general rules: ‘Do not cut down fruit-bearing trees, do not ruin fields, and do not turn residential areas into ruins.’ (MAWDUDI, 6/186)

 

‘And also so that He might disgrace the defiantly disobedient.’ Nesafi says: ‘That is, the permission to cut them down was to humiliate the Jews and to anger them.’ It should be noted that the presence of the letter 'vav' (and) before this reasoning expresses that there are other benefits in this permission to cut. One of them is to humiliate the enemies of Allah. The fact that not all of the trees were destroyed indicates that the purpose was not the cutting or destruction of the trees themselves. (S. HAWWA, 14/525)

 

(6) ‘As for what Allah gave to His Messenger from them as booty easily, you did not spur any horse or camel for it.’ All movable and immovable properties in the enemy country captured through war are called ‘ganimet’ (booty). The rulings on booty are generally regulated in Surah al-Anfal verses 8/1 and 41. Accordingly, one-fifth of the booty belongs to Allah, His Messenger, the relatives of the Messenger, orphans, the poor, and travelers. Four-fifths are distributed among the soldiers who participated in the war according to whether they were mounted or on foot. (See also Al-i Imran 3/161; Nisa 4/94; Ahzab 33/50; Fatih 48/15, 19, 20. H. DONDUREN, 2/880)

 

Fai is a type of booty obtained without hardship in places captured without war. (...) The place mentioned in the 6th verse was the homeland of the Banu Nadir, which was about two miles (one hour) away from Medina. It was reached on foot, and the enemy was exiled without a significant conflict. The booty of Banu Nadir was left to the disposal of the Prophet; he distributed it among the Muhajireen and gave shares to only three poor people among the Ansar. Since one-fifth of the share is not mentioned here, it is understood that the immovables were left to the disposal of the Head of State. (H. DONDUREN, 2/881)

 

Ibn Kesir says the following about this noble verse: Allah the Exalted declares what fai is, its characteristics, and its wisdom as follows: Fai is all kinds of property taken from the disbelievers without war, without spurring a horse or a camel. What is mentioned here is the property of the Banu Nadir. The Muslims neither spurred a horse nor a camel to seize the property of the Banu Nadir. That is, they did not fight the enemy one-on-one, nor did they launch a mutual attack. On the contrary, the Banu Nadir came down from their fortresses because of the fear that settled in their hearts as a result of Allah the Exalted instilling awe for His Messenger, and Allah bestowed these properties on His Messenger as fai. Therefore, he disposed of these properties as he wished. (S. HAWWA, 14/525, 526)

 

According to the Hanafi and Hanbali schools, the Head of the Islamic State has the authority to distribute conquered lands among the veterans or turn them into a waqf (endowment) according to the war conjuncture. Indeed, Umar (ra) applied the rulings of fai on the conquered lands of Syria, Iraq, and Egypt during his caliphate. Here, the bare ownership of the land (raqaba) belongs to the state, and the right to cultivate belongs to the non-Muslims who were the former owners. In return for this benefit, they pay a ‘harac’ tax, and for every sane and adult male, they pay ‘jizya’ as a head tax. These revenues are an important source of income for public expenditures. (H. DONDUREN, 2/881)

 

‘But Allah gives His messengers authority over whom He wills.’ Nesafi says: ‘That is, the opportunity that Allah the Exalted bestowed upon His Messenger regarding the properties belonging to the Banu Nadir is not something you obtained through fighting and gaining superiority. However, the Exalted Allah gave His prophet superiority over them and what was in their hands, just as He had previously set His other prophets over their enemies. Therefore, the application in this regard is left to him. He uses this property as he wishes, and it is not distributed like booty taken by force from the enemy through war.’ (S. HAWWA, 14/525)

 

59/7-10 TAKE WHAT THE MESSENGER GIVES YOU

 

Translation

 

7- (O believers!) Whatever Allah has restored to His Messenger from the people of the (other conquered) towns without fighting belongs to Allah, to the Messenger, and to his kindred, and to orphans, the needy, and the traveler. This is so that it (these properties) may not become a wealth circulated only among the rich among you. And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and what he forbids you, refrain from it. And fear Allah and live in accordance with His commands. Indeed, Allah is severe in punishment.

 

8- (And a portion of these properties) is for the poor emigrants who were expelled from their homes and their properties, seeking favor from Allah and [His] pleasure and supporting Allah and His Messenger (with their wealth and lives). Those are the truthful ones (in their faith and struggle).

 

9- And those who entered the city (Medina) and the faith (Islam) before them, love those who emigrated to them and find not any need (or jealousy) in their hearts for what the emigrants were given. They prefer [them] over their own selves, even though they are in need. And whoever is protected from the greed and stinginess of his soul—it is those who will be the successful.

 

10- And those who came after the Muhajireen and the Ansar (all other believers) say, "Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts any resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful."

 

Commentary

 

(7) ‘Whatever Allah has restored to His Messenger from the people of the (other conquered) towns without fighting; (1) belongs to Allah and the Messenger.’ Here, it is first emphasized that the first share belongs to Allah and His Messenger. Malik bin Aws bin al-Hadsan narrated from Umar (ra) regarding how the Prophet (pbuh) acted in this matter: "The Prophet would set aside the maintenance for himself and his family from the fai, and spend the remainder on weapons and riding animals." (From Bukhari, Muslim, Musnad Ahmad, Nasai, Tirmidhi; MAWDUDI, 6/189)

 

‘(2) to his kindred,’ The second share is for the relatives. That is, it belongs to the relatives of the Prophet (Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib). This share was allocated because the Prophet was responsible for providing for both his family and his relatives and had to help the needy. However, after the Prophet, this did not remain as a separate share. The Bayt al-Mal and the Islamic State became responsible for the poor, orphans, travelers, as well as the needy among Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib. (MAWDUDI, 6/189)

 

‘(3) to orphans, (4) to the needy, (5) to the traveler.’ There is no dispute among Islamic jurists regarding the remaining three shares. However, Imam Shafi'i differs from the other three imams and says that fai should be divided into 5 equal parts. According to his order, one-fifth should be given for the general benefit of Muslims, one-fifth to Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib, one-fifth to orphans, one-fifth to the poor, and one-fifth to travelers. The other three imams, contrary to this distribution, are of the opinion that all of the fai should be used for the general benefit of the Muslims. (From Mughni al-Muhtaj; MAWDUDI, 6/190)

 

‘This is so that it (these properties) may not become a wealth circulated only among the rich among you.’ Ibn Kesir says: "Our determination of the places of expenditure for fai in this way is so that it is prevented from being used only by the rich for their own benefit, where they dispose of it only according to their own desires and views without spending anything from it for the poor." This explanation is proof that ensuring wealth is not accumulated only in the hands of the rich in the distribution system is among the goals that must be observed in Islam. It is for this reason that Allah the Exalted has forbidden interest and black-marketing. (S. HAWWA, 14/526, 527)

 

According to the Hanafi school, the head of state has broad discretionary power over immovable properties obtained through war. If the head of state deems it appropriate according to the situation and conditions, he distributes the land among the veterans—after setting aside one-fifth—in line with the provisions of verse 41 of Surah al-Anfal. In this case, the land becomes ushr land. If he does not deem it appropriate, he leaves it in the hands of the local people and imposes a haraj tax on it, as Umar (ra) did regarding the Sawad lands. In this case, the land becomes haraj land. (QUR’AN WAY 5/290)

 

‘Take what the Messenger gives you,’ that is, take whatever share he gives from the booty and keep whatever command he gives. ‘And what he forbids you, refrain from it,’ do not take what he says not to take, do not do what he says not to do. ‘And fear Allah’ to be protected from opposing the commands of Allah and the Prophet, from encroaching on each other's rights, from committing treason against the state, and to spend the booty with piety (taqwa) to be protected materially and spiritually, in this world and the hereafter, from waste and from falling into Allah's punishment. ‘For Allah is severe in punishment.’ When He punishes, He punishes very severely. Indeed, there is an example to take a lesson from in the gathering and expulsion of the ungrateful disbelievers of Banu Nadir from their homes. (ELMALILI, 7/497)

 

The sentence translated as ‘Take whatever the Prophet has given you and avoid whatever he has forbidden you’ is explained as requiring respect for the discretionary authority used by the Prophet in the distribution of things like fai and booty, considering the context. Due to its comprehensive nature, it is generally mentioned among the foundations in the Quran for the Sunnah of the Prophet being a binding source for Muslims. (QUR’AN WAY 5/291)

 

It expresses a fundamental principle of the social and economic order of the Islamic society: ‘Thus those properties do not become a privilege circulating among the rich.’ In addition, it expresses a rooted principle in the constitution of the Islamic society as follows: ‘Take what the Prophet gave you, avoid what he forbade you.’ Although these two principles were determined in relation to the booty obtained without fighting and its distribution, their ruling far exceeds the event in question and has a guiding effect on the basic principles of Islam's social order. (S. KUTUB, 9/592)

 

(1). The first principle is the principle of the economic order. It determines one of the important and comprehensive principles of the Islamic economic order. Individual ownership is an accepted phenomenon in the Islamic order. However, this phenomenon is limited by the principle mentioned here. That is, any arrangement that leads to wealth circulating only among the rich, according to the principle that properties should not turn into a privilege circulating among the rich with no benefit for the poor, is contrary to the economic doctrine of Islam. It also contradicts the fundamental goals of the social structure. (S. KUTUB, 9/592)

 

Islam established its order on the basis of this fundamental principle in its practical application. Accordingly, it made zakat obligatory. It determined a zakat amount of 2.5% per year on the capital of monetary goods, and 10% or 5% on other products. It also determined a zakat amount at a rate equivalent to this in animals. In underground wealth resources, it determined a rate of application to money. These rates determined for zakat amount to a significant sum. While allocating four-fifths of the booty to those who fight, whether rich or poor, it allocated all of the booty obtained without fighting to the poor. (S. KUTUB, 9/593)

 

(2). The second principle is the principle of taking law and legislation from a single source. ‘Take what the Prophet gave you, avoid what he forbade you.’ This principle also reveals the Islamic Constitutional Order. The sovereignty of law in Islam stems from this law coming from the Prophet as the Quran and Sunnah. (S. KUTUB, 9/593)

 

(8) ‘They were expelled from their homes and properties.’ Upon the pressure of the polytheists, they left their houses, homes, goods, and properties for the sake of religion; they were subjected to poverty later although they were not poor before. Their status and goals are as follows: ‘They seek favor and pleasure from Allah.’ Favor means provision in this world and the reward of paradise in the hereafter. Pleasure refers to the pleasure of Allah, which is greater than everything, as expressed in the verse ‘But the pleasure of Allah is greatest’ (Tawbah 9/72). ‘And they help Allah and His Messenger,’ that is, they help by serving His religion. ‘Those,’ that is, those endowed with such beautiful qualities, ‘are the truthful ones.’ They are truthful and loyal people who prove their words with their deeds, who are masters of honesty and loyalty. They have practically proven their faith and their loyalty to Allah and His Messenger with their jihad. (ELMALILI, 7/501)

 

(9) ‘And those who entered the city and the faith before them love those who emigrated to them.’ So much so that they shared their properties with them half and half and settled them in their homes. Those who had two wives even made an offer to divorce one of them for the emigrant brother if he wished to marry her after her waiting period (iddah) ended. (S. HAWWA, 14/527)

 

‘They find no need (no jealousy) in their hearts for what was given to them. They prefer [them] over their own selves, even though they are in need.’ Ithar: It is the virtue of a person preferring his believing brother over himself and meeting his need, even though he himself is in need. There are many examples of this among the companions. The Ansar, the locals of Medina, made the Muhajireen partners in their wealth and shared their homes with them by making a brotherhood agreement. When the booty of Banu Nadir was given to the disposal of the Prophet, he consulted with the Ansar. He would either distribute it among the Ansar and Muhajireen, and the Muhajireen would stay in the homes of their brothers from the Ansar for a while longer, or he would distribute it only to the Muhajireen, and they would leave the side of their Muhajireen brothers and stand on their own feet. Hearing this proposal, the Ansar wanted all of the booty to be distributed to the Muhajireen, but for them to continue staying with them. Thus, they gained the pleasure of Allah and His Messenger. (see Tawbah 9/100, 117; H. DONDUREN, 2/882)

 

Human history has not witnessed a social event like the Ansar welcoming the Muhajireen until today. No community has welcomed another community with such a rich heart, such abundant and generous help, and such heartfelt sharing. No community has embraced another community so much and taken on all its burden. We see in the records of history that every man who emigrated definitely settled in the house of an Ansar through drawing lots. For the number of those who wanted to house a migrant was always greater than the number of those who migrated! (S. KUTUB, 9/596)

 

‘Whoever is protected from the greed and stinginess of his soul—it is those who will be the successful.’ The stinginess (shuh) in the verse is stinginess accompanied by greed, and it becoming a habit. The middle path is recommended in this regard. ‘Do not let your hand be tied to your neck (as a miser), nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach, so that you become blameworthy and destitute.’ (Isra 17/29; H. DONDUREN, 2/882)

 

Hadith: "Beware of oppression, for oppression consists of darkness on the Day of Resurrection. Beware of stinginess, for stinginess, greed, and jealousy destroyed those before you. They shed each other's blood and considered forbidden things as permissible." (From Muslim, Birr 56; I. H. BURSEVI, 21/133)

 

Hadith: "Two traits do not coexist in a Muslim: Stinginess and bad character." (From Bukhari; Tirmidhi, Birr wa Sila 410; Abu Dawood; MAWDUDI, 6/194)

 

(10) ‘Those who came after the Muhajireen and the Ansar say: 'Our Lord! Forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and leave not in our hearts any resentment toward those who have believed! Our Lord! Indeed, You are Kind, Merciful'.’ These are the third part of the poor who have rights in the fai properties. These three parts are the Muhajireen, the Ansar, and those who follow them in a good way. Indeed, Allah the Exalted says in the noble verse in Surah al-Tawbah: ‘The first to embrace Islam among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and also those who followed them in goodness—Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him.’ (al-Tawbah 9/100). Those who follow them in a good way are those who follow their beautiful traces, who possess their beautiful qualities, and who pray for them in private and in public. (From Ibn Kesir; S. HAWWA, 14/542)

 

This noble verse draws attention to the duties we and the believers who will come after us must perform regarding our believing brothers who have passed away to the hereafter. Not forgetting them, not lacking in our prayers, mentioning them with goodness, and continuing all kinds of prayers, seeking forgiveness, charity, and good deeds that will serve their forgiveness and make their souls happy are at the top of these duties. (see Najm 53/38-41; O. CELIK, 5/82)

 

59/11-17 THE STATE OF THE HYPOCRITES IS JUST LIKE THE STATE OF SATAN

 

Translation

 

11- (O My Prophet!) Have you not seen those who are hypocrites? They say to their brothers among the People of the Book who have disbelieved, "If you are expelled (from your home Medina), we will surely leave with you, and we will never obey anyone against you. And if you are fought, we will surely help you." But Allah bears witness that they are certainly liars.

 

12- I swear that if they (the tribe of Banu Nadir) are expelled, they (the hypocrites) will not leave with them. And if they are fought, they will not help them. And even if they were to help them, they would surely turn their backs (and flee); then they (those they tried to help) would not be aided (as Allah will destroy them).

 

13- (O believers!) You are a greater cause of fear in their hearts than Allah. That is because they are a people who do not understand (the greatness of Allah).

 

14- They (the hypocrites and the Jews) will not fight you all together except within fortified cities or from behind walls. Their fighting (strife) among themselves is severe. (O My Prophet!) You think they are together (united), but their hearts are diverse. That is because they are a people who do not use their reason.

 

15- (The state of those Jews) is like the state of those shortly before them (the Meccan polytheists and the Jews of Banu Kaynuqa). They tasted the consequence of their (evil) affair (in this world), and for them (in the Hereafter) is a painful punishment.

 

16- (The state of the hypocrites and disbelievers in not believing) is like the state of Satan when he says to man, "Disbelieve." But when he disbelieves, he says, "Indeed, I am disassociated from you. Indeed, I fear Allah, Lord of the worlds."

 

17- So the outcome for both (Satan and the disbelievers) is that they will be in the Fire, abiding eternally therein. And that is the recompense of the wrongdoers.

 

Commentary

 

(11) ‘Have you not seen those who are hypocrites?’ Referring to Abdullah b. Ubayy and his likes, who sent word to the Jews of Banu Nadir promising that they would help them. (S. HAWWA, 14/529)

 

‘They say to their brothers among the People of the Book who have disbelieved:’ They say to those disbelievers who are their brothers in disbelief and ingratitude or their close-talking friends: "If you are expelled (from your home Medina), we will surely leave with you," meaning we will also leave our homes and properties and go with you. "And we will never obey anyone regarding you." That is, we will risk every kind of disobedience and rebellion to prevent you from being expelled. If we cannot prevent your expulsion, we will surely leave with you and never listen to those who would prevent our leaving. (ELMALILI, 7/513)

 

‘They say: 'If you are fought, we will surely help you'.’ They were giving their word by swearing that they would side with them against their enemies in war and fight alongside them. (ELMALILI, 7/513) Hypocrites have, at every opportunity, established friendship and unity with those who are enemies to Islam and Muslims. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/546)

 

‘But Allah bears witness that they are certainly liars.’ Those hypocrites are definitely telling lies. Even if these words they speak and the promises they give are in line with their thoughts, they will not be in line with the truth. They will not stand by their oaths and will do none of what they said. (ELMALILI, 7/513)

 

(12) That is: ‘I swear that if those brothers are expelled, the hypocrites will not leave with them.’ First, even their saying "If you are expelled, we will leave with you" is a lie. Then, ‘again I swear, if they are fought, they will not help them.’ Their saying "If you are fought, we will surely help you" is also a lie. Indeed, this is what happened. They neither left with them nor fought. Through the witness of Allah the Exalted, it was revealed that they were liars. ‘And suppose they were to help, they would surely turn their backs.’ They would not be able to stand against the believers. ‘Then those hypocrites who turned back"’—or the Jews they wanted to help—’will not be helped from any side.’ They will not be saved from destruction and the punishment of Allah. (ELMALILI, 7/513, 514)

 

(13) ‘Certainly, in their chests—that is, in their hearts—there is more fear of you than of Allah.’ They do not refrain from Allah the Exalted, who knows what is hidden and open, who sees everything and whose punishment is severe; they do not fear His punishment and they engage in secret hypocrisy. Saying "We will not obey anyone," they are wary of you and claim to be Muslims to your faces. ‘This"’—that is, their fearing you more than Allah—’is because they are a people who do not understand,’ because they do not know the greatness of Allah and the vastness of His knowledge and power. (ELMALILI, 7/514)

 

(14) ‘They will not fight you all together except within fortified cities or from behind walls.’ Therefore, when there is war, one should not fear them; rather, according to the command: "Prepare against them whatever force you can" (Anfal 8/60), one should prepare strength, tools, and means to remove them from there or capture them within. Along with this, as mentioned at the beginning of the Surah, one should not rely on those tools and means but should bind the heart only to Allah. (ELMALILI, 7/514)

 

‘Their fighting among themselves is severe.’ They possess severe enmity among themselves. That is, the severe conflict seen as their characteristic only applies among themselves when Jews fight Jews or when Jews and hypocrites fight each other. If they were to fight you, this severe power of theirs would cease to exist. Because a person who appears as a hero falls into fear when he declares war against Allah and His Messenger. (S. HAWWA, 14/530, 531)

 

‘You think they are together (united), but their hearts are diverse.’ Nesafi says: That is, there are jealousies, grudges, and enmities among them. They cannot support each other as they should. With these expressions, believers are given courage and encouraged to fight against them. (S. HAWWA, 14/531)

 

Here, the second weakness of the hypocrites is declared. Their first weakness is fearing others instead of Allah and not possessing a sublime goal for which they could make a sacrifice like the believers. Their second weakness is not having a positive thought that would bring the hypocrites together and make them a disciplined community. What brings them together is nothing but the envy they harbor toward Muhammad (pbuh). Because of this envy, they established contact with the enemies of Islam around Medina, and all the enemies of Islam came together wanting to destroy the power of the Muhajireen and Ansar under the leadership of the Prophet. They came together for this reason. Otherwise, there is nothing else to unite them. Each is in love with leadership and they are not sincere toward one another. (MAWDUDI, 6/203)

 

‘That is because they are a people who do not use their reason.’ Since they follow the lusts, desires, and emotions of their souls purely out of worldly love, they lack reason; they do not act rationally and do not recognize the truth. Thus, they possess attributes such as discord, diversity of hearts, fearing others besides Allah, and failing to show loyalty and sacrifice. Even if they knew intellectually that this would make them weak and ruin their strength, they still could not act in the manner it requires. Because they do not love the truth, and for that, they suffer the penalty. (ELMALILI, 7/515)

 

(15) ‘The state (of the Jews of Banu Nadir) is like the state of those shortly before them (the Polytheists and the Jews of Banu Kaynuqa). They tasted the consequence of their (evil) affair (in this world), and for them (in the Hereafter) is a painful punishment.’ (...) The group intended in the verse is the Banu Kaynuqa Jews, who were sent into exile to Medina because they broke their covenant after the Battle of Badr. For it is said that this Jewish community showed jealousy and made speeches violating the treaty they had made with the Prophet. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) actually warned them because of this attitude. However, referring to the Battle of Badr, they arrogantly challenged him, saying: "O Muhammad! Let not the fact that you killed a group of Quraishis who do not know war deceive you. If you come face to face with us, you will see what fighting means" (from Abu Dawood). But essentially, the last straw was the harassment of a Muslim woman who went to the Banu Kaynuqa market in Medina and the mutual bloodshed in the resulting incident (cf. Anfal 8/58). Thereupon, the Banu Kaynuqa Jews withdrew to their fortresses and took refuge behind their fortified walls. However, twenty months after the Hijra, in the middle of the month of Shawwal, the Prophet besieged the fortress where the Banu Kaynuqa had taken refuge, and after 15 days, he took the whole group prisoner and sent them into exile toward Syria. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/333)

 

(16) ‘(The state of the hypocrites and disbelievers in not believing) is like the state of Satan when he says to man, 'Disbelieve.' But when he disbelieves, he says, 'Indeed, I am disassociated from you. Indeed, I fear Allah, Lord of the worlds'.’ That is, their situation resembles the situation of Satan, who deceives man with the trap he sets and finally distances himself and cuts off his relationship with him. Ibn Kesir says: "That is, the example of these Jews—who were deceived by the words of the hypocrites promising to help them, and by the hypocrites' promise 'If you are fought, we will surely help you,' yet when the matter became real and they were condemned to famine due to siege and war, the hypocrites left them alone and abandoned them to the danger of destruction—yes, in all these matters, it is like the case of Satan making disbelief look beautiful to man. We seek refuge in Allah from this. When man enters into the situation that Satan made look beautiful, Satan then distances himself, leaves, and says: 'Indeed, I fear Allah, Lord of the worlds'." (S. HAWWA, 14/531-2)

 

(17) ‘Then the outcome for both (Satan and the disbelievers) was that they will be in the Fire, abiding eternally therein.’ Because one encouraged disbelief with a commanding attitude, and the other took it up and did it. This means that a superior's command to rebel against Allah cannot save the one commanded from responsibility after it is done. If this rebellion is disbelief, its punishment is hell eternally. ‘And that"’—meaning abiding eternally in the fire of hell—is not exclusive to those two, ‘is the recompense of all wrongdoers.’ The punishment for all those who act unjustly, whether superior or subordinate, who see oppression as good or permissible, is to stay in hell forever. Because considering oppression as permissible is also disbelief. (ELMALILI, 7/517, 518)

 

‘That is the recompense of the wrongdoers.’ With this sentence, the goal is the casting of Satan and the disbelievers into the fire of hell. By ‘wrongdoers,’ the disbelievers are meant. Every person who disbelieves is a wrongdoer, for they have condemned themselves to hell. (2/254, I. KARAGOZ, 7/684)

 

59/18-20 LET EVERYONE LOOK TO WHAT THEY HAVE PREPARED FOR TOMORROW

 

Translation

 

18- O you who have believed! Live in accordance with the commands and prohibitions of Allah, and let every soul look to what it has put forth (done and sent) for tomorrow. And fear Allah / be mindful of your duty to Him. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.

 

19- (O believers!) And be not like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves. Those are the defiantly disobedient.

 

20- Not equal are the companions of the Fire and the companions of Paradise. The companions of Paradise are the attainers of success (salvation and happiness).

 

Commentary

 

(18) ‘O you who have believed! Always fear Allah.’ Take refuge in Allah's protection by avoiding hypocrisy, hypocrites, disbelief, disbelievers, oppression, oppressors, and falling into that evil end through the devilry of Satan; thus, protect yourselves from His punishment by observing His commands and prohibitions in all your affairs. ‘And let every soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow,’ that is, for the Day of Resurrection. Let it take itself to account and look at its own record before being called to account. (ELMALILI, 7/519)

 

Although the word ‘ghad’ (tomorrow) used in the 18th verse has adverbial uses in the Quran, this is the only verse where it is used in this specific way (meaning 'for tomorrow'). On one hand, attention is drawn to the fact that the Day of Judgment is very near through a metaphorical narrative; on the other hand, by using the word in an indefinite (nakrah) form, an allusion is made to the importance, horror, and the unknowability of that day's nature by humans. (QUR’AN WAY, 5/301)

 

‘And fear Allah.’ He repeats the command to be mindful (taqwa) once more for the purpose of emphasis. ‘Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.’ That is, know that He knows all your states; even your most secret thing is not hidden from Him. Nothing of yours, whether important or unimportant, remains hidden from Him. Nesafi says: This command encourages muraqabah (the consciousness of being under Allah's supervision). Because when one does an evil deed, if they know that Allah the Exalted knows it, they will refrain from it. (S. HAWWA, 14/533)

 

(19) ‘And be not like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves.’ To forget the Supreme Creator means, primarily, not recognizing His commands, violating Allah's rights, not being grateful for all the blessings He has given, failing in respect and reverence, and not bringing Him to mind while committing sins—in short, acting far from the consciousness of servanthood. It is for this reason that Allah the Exalted says: ‘The hypocrites, men and women, are all alike. They enjoin what is wrong and forbid what is right, and they withhold their hands (from spending). They forgot Allah, so He has forgotten them! Indeed, the hypocrites are the defiantly disobedient.’ (Tawbah 9/67). By using the verb ‘nasiya’ (to forget) in this verse, He informs us that He has left the hypocritical community, which did not care about Him, to their own devices. Thus, as a requirement of Sunnatullah, the Almighty Allah forgets those who forget Him. However, what is meant by Allah's "forgetting" is His cutting off His help, guidance, and mercy from people and leaving them in a forgotten and abandoned state. Accordingly, Allah's forgetting is metaphorical, for Allah is far from forgetting in the literal sense. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/335)

 

‘And be not like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves.’ That is, do not forget to mention and remember Allah the Exalted. If you forget, He will make you forget to perform deeds that would be beneficial for you and in your own interest in your hereafter. For the punishment and reward are of the same type as the deed performed. (S. HAWWA, 14/533)

 

Those who forget the Almighty Allah and do not involve His commands and prohibitions in their lives are distorted individuals whose connections between their hearts and minds have been severed. Those who become alienated from Allah and break their bond with Him will become slaves to their own souls and technology, becoming attached to things other than Allah as if worshipping them, taking pleasure from them, and continuing in a sea of sin. Furthermore, it is very grave that the Almighty Allah makes them forget themselves. Because the person and society that forget themselves will turn toward animalistic feelings, thus seeing things that lead to hell as attractive, and will become alienated from themselves by forgetting their own essence, personality, and spiritual values. Such an individual or society is now one that has gone astray, committed spiritual suicide, fallen into humiliation and captivity, become spiritually enslaved, or is doomed to disappear. It is against these two dangers that the Almighty Allah warns. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/547)

 

(20) ‘The companions of the Fire and the companions of Paradise are not equal. The companions of Paradise are the attainers of success.’ That is, as declared, those transgressors who left Allah and dived into sin have deserved to stay in the fire of hell. Those who fear Allah and protect themselves are worthy of Paradise. The people of Hell and the people of Paradise are not equal. (ELMALILI, 7/520)

 

‘Only the companions of Paradise are the winners.’ They have escaped danger and reached the great goal. Believers should work by protecting themselves from sins and avoiding punishment in order to escape such a danger, reach that great goal, and gain that virtue. Furthermore, every day, they should look at and account for what they have prepared for tomorrow, and they should not be like the transgressors and wrongdoers who will stay in the fire by forgetting Allah and doing wrong to themselves. Therefore, they should pay good attention to these advices and the commands and prohibitions of Allah. (ELMALILI, 7/520, 521)

 

59/21 IF WE HAD SENT DOWN THIS QURAN UPON A MOUNTAIN

 

Translation

 

21- (O My Prophet!) If We had sent down this Quran upon a mountain, you would have surely seen it humbled and coming apart from the fear of Allah. And these examples We present to the people that perhaps they will give thought.

 

Commentary

 

(21) ‘If We had sent down this Quran upon a mountain, you would have surely seen it humbled and coming apart from the fear of Allah. And these examples We present to the people that perhaps they will give thought.’ If a mountain had been given consciousness as it was given to man, even that mountain—the symbol of majesty and unyielding strength—would have bowed with infinite respect before Allah's greatness, power, and absolute sovereignty in the universe as a result of knowing His attributes and the sense of responsibility; but it would not stop there, it would tear itself apart to serve Him. Humans, however, generally resist feeling the weight on their shoulders and consume their lives in heedlessness. A noteworthy point here, as expressed at the end of the verse, is that drawing a conclusion from this example depends on the person—specifically, on their use of the faculty of reasoning. (QUR’AN WAY, 5/303)

 

59/22-24 THE MOST BEAUTIFUL NAMES BELONG TO HIM

 

Translation

 

22- He is Allah, besides whom there is no other deity. He is the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed. He is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

 

23- He is Allah, besides whom there is no other deity. He is the Sovereign, the Holy, the Giver of Peace, the Giver of Security, the Guardian, the Almighty, the Compeller, the Superior. Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him.

 

24- He is Allah, the Creator, the Originator, the Fashioner. To Him belong the most beautiful names. Whatever is in the heavens and the earth exalts Him. And He is the Almighty, the Wise.

 

Commentary

 

(22) (1) ‘He’ (2) ‘is Allah’ the Supreme Being who gathers all the attributes of perfection in His essence, whose existence is necessary, and to whom divinity rightfully belongs, so that ‘there is no deity"’—that is, no god to be worshipped—’except Him.’ That Allah (3) ‘knows both the unseen (ghayb) and the witnessed (shuhadah).’ Ghayb is used in two different senses. The first is the absolute unseen, and the other is the relative unseen. Absolute unseen refers to the unseen that no creature, neither through senses nor through knowledge, can reach. Relative unseen is the unseen that is impossible for some creatures to know, which means it is unseen according to them. What comes to mind first here is the absolute unseen. (...) What is meant by ‘witnessed’ in the verse is the realm that creatures can observe with their eyes or intuition. Without doubt, it is primarily possible for the Knower of the unseen to know the witnessed. (ELMALILI, 7/522)

 

‘He is (4) the Most Gracious (Rahmân), (5) the Most Merciful (Rahîm).’ That is, His mercy is limitless. His mercy is so vast that everything in the universe benefits from it. There is no one who possesses as much mercy as He does. The compassion found in creatures is a partial and limited part of Allah's mercy. Allah gave this as a requirement for the welfare of the world, so that one creature may show mercy to another. This compassion is clear evidence that Allah is the possessor of vast and limitless mercy. (MAWDUDI, 6/205)

 

These two attributes indicate two types of mercy. One is the Rahmaniyah Mercy, and the other is the Rahimiyah Mercy. Rahmaniyah Mercy is the divine mercy bestowed at the beginning without any action being made a condition or being left for later; it encompasses the believer and the disbeliever, the worker and the non-worker. For example, being brought into existence at the beginning is an effect of this mercy. Indeed, fetuses in wombs and all animals are nourished by this mercy. Again, with this mercy, Allah the Exalted gives blessings such as provision, reason, and so on to disbelievers in the world. Rahimiyah Mercy is the mercy given to those who work by using the Rahmaniyah Mercy well, and for which working is a condition for its attainment; its lowest level is not below a right earned through deeds. There is no limit or end to its high degree, which is pure virtue. This is the reason for the importance of religion, piety, work, and effort. Therefore, it has been said that ‘Rahman relates to the world and Rahim relates to the hereafter.’ (ELMALILI, 7/523)

 

‘He is Allah, besides whom there is no other deity.’ Yes, that Allah, before whom even mountains would humble themselves and crack out of fear, is such an Allah that, in reality, there is no being to be worshipped other than Him. (6) ‘The Sovereign (al-Malik)"’—the ownership and kingship of all things belong to Him; He is the sole possessor of sovereignty who has command and prohibition, management and disposal, dismissing and hiring, making mighty and making low, reward and punishment, and judgment in public and in secret over all creatures. (ELMALILI, 7/524)

 

(7) ‘The Holy (al-Quddûs)’ means extremely sacred, free (far) from all kinds of defects, perfect in every attribute, beyond limitation and description, accepting no stain, and pure. (...) So much so that (8) ‘The Giver of Peace (as-Salâm)’ is the source of all peace; just as He is free from any flaw, defect, deficiency, non-existence—in short, every danger—He is also the one from whom peace is hoped and who will bring those seeking peace to safety. (9) ‘The Giver of Security (al-Mu'min)"’—He is the one who gives faith, safety, and security, who removes doubts and hesitations, and who gives and will give faith to those who want it and security to those in fear. (...) (10) ‘The Guardian (al-Muhaymin)"’—He is the one who sees and watches over, who witnesses everything, who protects and keeps watch. (...) (11) ‘The Almighty (al-Azîz)"’—that is, He is extremely mighty, honorable, and glorious. He can never be defeated; He is victorious in every matter. Or He has no equal or peer and is extremely high. That is, as expressed in the verse: ‘Nor is there to Him any equivalent’ (Ikhlas 112/4). Or the one who does what He wills—that is, ‘doer of what He intends’ (Hud 11/108). Along with this, He does not love lowliness, immorality, disbelief, oppression, corruption, rebellion, and ingratitude. (...) (12) ‘The Compeller (al-Cebbâr)’ (...) That is, there are mainly two meanings in the attribute Cebbâr, which expresses a very compelling sense. First, cebr essentially means to set a broken bone and wrap it tightly, to reform and complete a deficiency. (...) In this sense, the name Cebbâr expresses the meaning of a judge who is very powerful in completing the deficiencies of the people, meeting their needs, correcting their affairs, and doing what is necessary in this regard as it should be. Most commentators have said that giving the name Cebbâr to Allah the Exalted is in this sense. According to this, Allah the Exalted is the supreme being who provides remedies for troubles, repairs the broken, makes the poor rich, and puts things in order. Secondly, cebr also comes in the sense of compelling—that is, making one do what He wills by force. In this sense, Cebbâr means powerful. Its attribution to Allah the Exalted, like the name Kahhar, means the possessor of power and greatness who compels creatures to His will, who is capable of making what He wills happen by force whether they like it or not, and whose judgment and influence cannot be opposed. Along with this, one should not understand from this that He gives no will to servants at all, as the Jabriyya say, and that He carries out every command by compulsion and humans have no right to choose. (ELMALILI, 7/524, 525) (...) (13) ‘The Superior (al-Mutakabbir)"’—He is the very Great, the one who shows His greatness in every respect; it means greatness, majesty, Kibriyâ, and loftiness are unique to Him and are His right. To be arrogant and to put on airs of greatness is not an attribute deserved by creatures. Therefore, the use of the attribute mutakabbir for humans has not been welcomed. For mutakabbir means one who shows pride, one who acts great. However, in creatures, there is essentially no greatness or majesty; on the contrary, there is meanness, contempt, poverty, and need. (ELMALILI, 7/526)

 

‘Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him.’ That is, some creatures associate partners with the mentioned attributes of Allah by becoming arrogant, wanting to act as tyrants, or by forming excessive love for those who want to act that way. However, Allah is far above such associations. Those associated things are very far from Allah. His loftiness and greatness do not resemble theirs. (ELMALILI, 7/526, 527)

 

(1) ‘He’ (Hüve, Hu), (2) ‘Allah’ the special name of our Lord; it is His greatest name that gathers all His names and attributes in itself. (14) ‘The Creator (al-Hâlik)"’—the one who creates from nothing as He decreed. (15) ‘The Originator (al-Bâriü)"’—the one who creates without a model, who makes His creatures regular and harmonious, and the main source of the subtleties in all stages of creation. (16) ‘The Fashioner (al-Musavvir)"’—the one who gives shape, form, and characteristics, who determines all the shapes and characteristics of beings that are perceived or not perceived by material and spiritual senses. (17) ‘The Wise (al-Hakîm)"’—the one whose all judgments and works are in their proper place and solid; the possessor of judgment and wisdom. (O. CELIK, 5/92)

 

The attributes and names of Allah the Exalted are not limited to these. ‘To Him belong the most beautiful names (al-Asma al-Husna).’ That is, the names expressing the attributes of Allah the Exalted are not only those counted here. The most beautiful names indicating the highest meanings always belong to Him. Indeed, verses such as: ‘And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them’ (A'raf 7/180) and ‘Allah—there is no deity except Him. To Him belong the best names’ (Taha 20/8) also point to this meaning. The term ‘Asma al-Husna"’, meaning the most beautiful names, is especially used for the names of Allah the Exalted in the language of the Sharia. Some of these names are names of the Essence, and some are names of attributes. (2) The name Allah is the name of the Essence that gathers all of them; the others are names of attributes. (ELMALILI, 7/528)

 

Hadith: "Allah the Exalted has ninety-nine (99) names. Whoever counts them enters Paradise." (From Bukhari and Muslim; ELMALILI, 7/529)

 

The essential (zâti), affirmative (sübûti), and active (fiili) attributes of Allah the Almighty are within this scope. However, His names are not limited to 99. Accordingly, Allah has names that He has not mentioned in His book and has not informed anyone about. Indeed, when Aisha (ra) said, "Teach me the name that the Exalted Allah accepts when He is invoked with it," the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Get up, take ablution, pray two cycles of prayer in the mosque, then pray, and I will listen." Aisha prayed as follows: "O Allah! I ask You by all of Your beautiful names, those we know and those we do not know, and by Your greatest name (ism-i âzam) with which You are pleased when someone prays to You with it and with which You give when asked with it." Thereupon, the Prophet (pbuh) said: "You have hit the mark, you have hit the mark." (Bayhaqi; H. DONDUREN, 2/883)

 

A person should not enter into discussions regarding the essence and attributes of Allah the Exalted, who is high and free from doubts, from resembling anything, and from being compared to anything. In a noble hadith, it is stated: "The destruction of this ummah is in their talking back and forth regarding their Lord. This is from the signs of the Hour." (From Tirmidhi; I. H. BURSEVI, 21/221)

 

Hadith: "Whoever says three times in the morning: 'I seek refuge in Allah, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, from the accursed Satan' and reads the last three verses of Surah al-Hashr, Allah sends seventy thousand angels to pray for him until evening. If he dies that day, he dies as a martyr. Whoever reads this in the evening, the same applies to him." (From Tirmidhi, Thawab al-Quran 22; O. CELIK, 5/92)