Editing Screen: Surah an-Nisa' 4 : 62

Editing: an-Nisa'

Description <p><strong>Explanatory Note</strong></p> <p>The sūrah then portrays one specific aspect of hypocrisy in their behaviour. That is when they encounter misfortune or calamity as a result of their refusal to refer matters to God’s revelations and to His Messenger, or their reference to false gods. They are certain to come up with excuses, but these are only the excuses of hypocrisy: <strong>“But how will it be when calamity befalls them [on the Day of Judgement! because of what their hands have done in this world? They would then come to you, swearing by God, ‘Our aim was but to do good, and to bring about harmony.’”</strong> (Verse 62)</p> <p>Such a calamity could have occurred at the time, as a result of their reality being exposed. This would have seen them outcast and boycotted by the Muslim community. That community would not have tolerated having in its midst people asserting to believe in God, the Messenger and revelation, yet who turn away from the same when they are invited to have their disputes adjudged by God’s Messenger. Such an attitude would only be accepted in a society where faith does not exist: a society whose share of faith is nothing more than the claims asserted by such people and whose share of Islam is no more than names and allegations.</p> <p>Another calamity may also befall them, in the form of any injustice they suffer as a result of putting their disputes to a system other than that ordained by God to ensure full justice to all. Thus, their efforts to ensure fair treatment end up in miserable failure. Or they may suffer a calamity as a test to which they are put by God, so that they may once again reflect upon and accept His guidance. ‘Whatever the cause of the calamity, the sūrah wonders at their attitude when it occurs. They realise that they have to make their excuses to the Prophet: <strong>“They would then come to you, swearing by God, `Our aim was but to do good, and to bring about harmony.’”</strong> (Verse 62)</p> <p>This is a sorrowful state of affairs. They return, aware of the enormity of their action, unable to face the Prophet with the true nature of their motives, yet ready with their false oaths that their action, which may have been arbitration according to pre-Islamic traditions, only aimed at achieving harmony in society and serving its interests. These are the claims of all people who refuse to refer to Divine law and its way of life. They assert that they only want to avoid problems and difficulties and to achieve harmony between different groups and beliefs. Such are the arguments of the hypocrites and those who falsely assert to be believers.</p>

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