Surah an-Nisa' (Women ) 4 : 30

وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ عُدْوَٰنًا وَظُلْمًا فَسَوْفَ نُصْلِيهِ نَارًا ۚ وَكَانَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرًا

Translations

 
 Muhsin Khan
 Pickthall
 Yusuf Ali
Quran Project
And whoever does that in aggression and injustice - then We will drive him into a Fire. And that, for Allāh, is [always] easy.

1. Lessons/Guidance/Reflections/Gems

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Explanatory Note

This first of these two verses warns those who unjustly and illegally devour each other’s money that they will suffer the punishment of the hereafter after having destroyed themselves in this life. This applies to them all, since responsibility in such matters is a collective one. Any community which allows such injustice to spread is doomed in this life as well as in the life to come: “Whoever does this with malicious intent and by way of willful wrongdoing, We shall make to suffer the Fire. That is very easy for God.”

As Islam makes its legislation known to people, it appoints everyone a watchful guard to ensure its implementation. It also makes the whole community watchful over one another, since the whole community shares in the responsibility to implement these legal provisions and the destruction which attends upon its failure to do so. Such destruction is bound to engulf the whole community. The punishment in the hereafter for allowing injustice to spread will apply to everyone in the community. That is certainly easy for God since nothing stands in His way. His law never fails when the conditions for its operation exist.

This religion of Islam is satisfied that a person turns to God with sincerity and does his best to obey Him and win His pleasure. He will then find God’s mercy and compassion, which overlook weakness, forgive slips, accept repentance and receive warmly those who turn back after having gone astray.

2. Linguistic Analysis

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Frequency of Root words in this Ayat used in this Surah *


3. Surah Overview

4. Miscellaneous Information

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5. Connected/Related Ayat

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6. Frequency of the word

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7. Period of Revelation

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This Surah comprises several discourses which were revealed on different occasions during the period ranging probably between the end of year 3 A.H. and the end of 4 A.H. or the beginning of 5 A.H. Although it is difficult to determine the exact dates of their revelations it is possible to assign to them a fairly correct period with the help of the Commandments and the events mentioned therein. A few instances are given below by way of illustration:

1. We know that the inheritance law for those martyred and protection for the rights of the orphans was sent down after the Battle of Uhud (in which 70 Muslims were martyred). From this we conclude that v. 1 -28 were revealed on that occasion.

2. We learn from the traditions that the ruling regarding the prayer (Salah) during war time was given on the occasion of the Zat-ur-Riqa’aan expedition. This took place in 4 A.H. From this we conclude that the discourse containing v. 102 was revealed on that occasion.

3. The last warning to the Jews was given before the Banu-Nadheer were exiled from Madinah in Rabi’-ulAwwal 4 A.H. It may therefore be assumed that the discourse containing v. 47 was revealed before that date.

4. The permission about performing ablution with dust in the event of no water (tayammum) verse 43, was given during the Bani-al-Mustaliq expedition which took place in 5 A.H. [REF: Mawdudi]

8. Reasons for Revelation

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Let us now consider the social and historical considerations of the period in order to understand the Surah. All the discourses in this Surah deal with three main problems which confronted the Prophet at the time. First of all he was engaged in bringing about an all round development of the islamic Community that had been formed at the time of his migration to Madinah. For this purpose he was introducing new moral cultural social economic and political ways in place of the old ones of the pre-islamic period. The second thing that occupied his attention and efforts was the bitter struggle that was going on with the polytheist Arabs, the Jewish clans and the hypocrites who were opposing tooth and nail his mission of reform. Above all, he had to propagate Islam in the face of the bitter opposition of these powers of evil with a view to capturing more and more minds and hearts.

Accordingly detailed instructions have been given for the consolidation and strengthening of the islamic Community in continuation of those given in Surah 2: Al-Baqarah (The Cow). Principles for the smooth running of family life have been laid down and ways of settling family disputes have been taught. Rules have been prescribed for marriage and rights of wife and husband have been apportioned fairly and equitably. The status of women in the society has been determined and the declaration of the rights of orphans has been made. Laws and regulations have been laid down for the division of inheritance and instructions have been given to reform economic affairs. The foundation of the penal code has been laid down, drinking has been prohibited and instructions have been given for cleanliness and purity. The Muslims have been taught the kind of relations good men should have with their God and fellow men. Instructions have been given for the maintenance of discipline in the Muslim Community.

The moral and religious condition of The People of the Book (Jews and Christians) has been reviewed to teach lessons to the Muslims and to forewarn them to refrain from following in their footsteps. The conduct of the hypocrites has been criticized and the distinctive features of hypocrisy and true faith have been clearly marked off to enable the Muslims to distinguish between the two. In order to cope with the aftermath of the Battle of Uhud, Inspiring discourses were sent down to urge the Muslims to face the enemy bravely, for defeat in the Battle had so emboldened the polytheist Arab clans and the neighbouring Jews and the hypocrites at home, that they were threatening the Muslims on all sides. At this critical juncture God filled the Muslims with courage and gave them such instructions as were needed during that period of war clouds. In order to counteract the fearful rumours that were being spread by the hypocrites and the Muslims of weak faith they were asked to make a thorough enquiry into them and to inform the responsible people about them. Then they were experiencing some difficulties in offering their prayer during the expeditions to some places where no water was available for performing their ablutions etc. In such cases they were allowed to cleanse themselves with pure earth and to shorten the prayer or to offer the “Prayer of Fear” when they were faced with danger. Instructions were also given for the solution of the puzzling problem of those Muslims who were scattered among the unbelieving Arab clans and were often involved in war. They were asked to migrate to Madinah the abode of Islam.

This Surah also deals with the case of Banu nadir who were showing a hostile and menacing attitude in spite of the peace treaties they had made with the Muslims. They were openly siding with the enemies of Islam and hatching plots against the Prophet and the Muslim Community even at Madinah itself. They were taken to task for their inimical behaviour and given a final warning to change their attitude and were at last exiled from Madinah on account of their misconduct.

The problem of the hypocrites, who had become very troublesome at that time, was involving the Believers in difficulties. Therefore, they were divided into different categories to enable the Muslims to deal with them appropriately. Clear instructions were also given regarding the attitude they should adopt towards the non-belligerent clans. The most important thing needed at that time was to prepare the Muslims for the bitter struggle with the opponents of Islam. For this purpose greatest importance was attached to their character building, for it was obvious that the small Muslim Community could only come out successful, nay, survive, if the Muslims possessed high moral character. They were, therefore, enjoined to adopt the highest moral qualities and were severely criticized whenever any moral weakness was detected in them.

Though this Surah mainly deals with the moral and social reforms, yet due attention has been paid to propagation of Islam. On the one hand, the superiority of the islamic morality and culture has been established over that of the Jews, Christians and polytheists; on the other hand, their wrong religious conceptions, their wrong morality and their evil acts have been criticized to prepare the ground for inviting them to the way of the Truth. 

9. Relevant Hadith

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10. Wiki Forum

Comments in this section are statements made by general users – these are not necessarily explanations of the Ayah – rather a place to share personal thoughts and stories…

11. Tafsir Zone

 

Overview (Verses 30 - 31)

Conditions for Forgiveness
 
Whoever does this with malicious intent and by way of willful wrongdoing, We shall make to suffer the Fire. That is very easy for God. (Verse 30) If you avoid the most serious of what you are forbidden, We will erase your bad deeds, and shall cause you to enter an abode of glory. (Verse 31)

 
This first of these two verses warns those who unjustly and illegally devour each other’s money that they will suffer the punishment of the hereafter after having destroyed themselves in this life. This applies to them all, since responsibility in such matters is a collective one. Any community which allows such injustice to spread is doomed in this life as well as in the life to come: “Whoever does this with malicious intent and by way of willful wrongdoing, We shall make to suffer the Fire. That is very easy for God.” (Verse 30)
 
As Islam makes its legislation known to people, it appoints everyone a watchful guard to ensure its implementation. It also makes the whole community watchful over one another, since the whole community shares in the responsibility to implement these legal provisions and the destruction which attends upon its failure to do so. Such destruction is bound to engulf the whole community. The punishment in the hereafter for allowing injustice to spread will apply to everyone in the community. That is certainly easy for God since nothing stands in His way. His law never fails when the conditions for its operation exist.
 
God, however, promises the believers to bestow His mercy on them and to forgive them their sins if they avoid cardinal sins. He, thus, takes into account their weaknesses and reassures them of their destiny once they refrain from the gravest of sins: “If you avoid the most serious of what you are forbidden, We will erase your bad deeds, and shall cause you to enter an abode of glory.” (Verse 31)
 
This religion of ours is indeed very tolerant and its method easy to implement. These qualities go hand in hand with its appeal to man’s sense of nobility, purity, cleanliness and willingness to obey God. Its commandments, as well as its legal provisions and punishments, work for the same aim of refining people’s characters and the establishment of a pure and healthy society. It does not ignore human weakness and does not charge man with what is beyond his ability. It is not unaware of the complexity of factors working on man’s mind and does not ignore human nature and motivation. It strikes the right balance between duty and ability, motives and restraints, ideals and necessities, orders and prohibitions, forgiveness of sin and fearful punishment for it.
 
This religion of Islam is satisfied that a person turns to God with sincerity and does his best to obey Him and win His pleasure. He will then find God’s mercy and compassion, which overlook weakness, forgive slips, accept repentance and receive warmly those who turn back after having gone astray.
 
What signifies that a certain person does his best to seek God’s pleasure is that he avoids the cardinal sins God has forbidden. Such sins, all of them well known, cannot be committed unwittingly or through lack of knowledge. Their commitment by anyone signifies that they have not made the required effort to resist temptation. Nevertheless, when a person who has committed such cardinal sins turns to God in genuine and sincere repentance, God, Who is committed to showing mercy to His servants, accepts his repentance. It is He who describes the God- fearing as those who “when they commit a gross indecency or wrong themselves, remember God and pray for the forgiveness of their sins — for who but God forgives sins? — and do not knowingly persist in doing the wrong they may have done.” (3: 135)
 
What we have here, however, is an assurance that God straightaway forgives the offences and effaces the errors of those of His servants who avoid cardinal sin. God here gives this promise and happy news to the believers.
 
Now, what constitutes these cardinal sins? Several aĥādīth speak of certain types of cardinal sin. We do not, however, have a full list of them all in any one ĥadīth. Each mentions some, which suggests that these aĥādīth addressed certain situations, mentioning the cardinal sins relevant to each situation. It is not difficult for a Muslim to identify these cardinal sins, although they may differ in number and gravity according to situations and generations.
 
It is useful to mention here a story demonstrating how Islam refined the sensitivity of `Umar ibn al-Khaţţāb, a man well known for his great piety and an ever-present consciousness of the need to avoid all sin. Islam gave `Umar a well- balanced insight that helped him show the moderation required of a leader when he shouldered the responsibility of running the affairs of the Muslim state. The story, reported by al-Ĥasan, mentions that some Egyptians spoke with `Abdullāh ibn `Amr, a Companion of the Prophet and the son of the governor of Egypt at the time of `Umar. In essence, they said: “We have observed that there are certain things mentioned in God’s Book that are not enforced, although He has ordered these to be implemented. We thought that we should speak to the Caliph about them.” Hence they, accompanied by `Abdullāh ibn `Amr, went to Madīnah. `Umar met with Abdullāh ibn `Amr and enquired as to the purpose of his journey. When `Abdullāh answered him, `Umar asked whether he had obtained the permission of his father. The reporter of the story does not actually say what `Abdullāh’s answer was but that nonetheless `Abdullāh explained why he had come and that this pertained to the Eygptians’ queries. `Umar, therefore, asked him to call them all to a meeting with him.
 
When they met, `Umar spoke to the first man and put to him the following question: “I ask you by God and by what you owe to Islam, have you read the whole of the Qur’ān?” He answered in the affirmative. `Umar asked whether he had implemented God’s Book fully in his own life. He replied that he had not. The reporter comments that had the man answered in the affirmative, `Umar would have challenged him on this. `Umar continued his questioning and asked whether the man had implemented Islam fully with regard to what he saw or what he spoke or what he did. He asked everyone of the group the same questions. ‘When he had finished, he said: “Are you asking `Umar to force people to implement God’s Book? Our Lord knows that we will be committing errors.” He than read this verse: “If you avoid the most serious of what you are forbidden, We will erase your bad deeds.” (Verse 31) He then asked those Egyptians whether the people in Madinah were aware of the purpose of their visit. When they answered in the negative, he said that had they known, he would have used their visit for admonition.
 
We observe from this story how `Umar, who was exemplary in his piety and fear of God, showed his refined sense and realism: “Our Lord knows that we will be committing errors.” Indeed, we cannot be otherwise. What matters, however, is the willingness and determination to do one’s duty, and to try one’s level best to do it well. Thus, serious effort is balanced with moderation.


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