Overview (Verses 77 - 80)

A Very Strange Question
 
Are you not aware of those who have been told, “Hold back your hands [from fighting], and attend regularly to prayer, and pay your zakāt [i.e. the purifying dues]”? When, at length, the order for fighting was issued to them, some of them stood in awe of men as one should stand in awe of God— or in even greater awe — and said, “Our Lord! Why have You ordered us to fight? If only You had granted us a delay for a little while!” Say, “Brief is the enjoyment of this world, whereas the life to come is the best for all who are God- fearing. None of you shall be wronged by as much as a hair’s breadth. Wherever you may be death will overtake you, even though you be in towers built up strong and high.” (Verses 77-78)
 
God Almighty expresses surprise at those Muslims who, while still in Makkah facing persecution and abuse and were restrained from fighting, for reasons known to God Almighty, were enthusiastically vying for confrontation. Yet when the appropriate time, appointed by God, and the right circumstances arrived, and fighting was duly prescribed, some of them were so alarmed and terrified to the point of fearing the enemy they were ordered to fight. Heart-broken, shocked and terrified, all they could say was: “Our Lord! Why have You ordered us to fight?...” A strange question to come from a believer, but an indication of the confusion regarding the obligations required by Islam and regarding its role in life. The enquiry is followed by a pathetic and plaintive wish: “If only You had granted us a delay for a little while!” They would rather have had more time before taking up such a heavy and terrifying burden.
 
The most zealous and reckless of people can also be the most frightened and most easily overpowered when the situation becomes critical. This may, in fact, be the rule rather than the exception, because over-enthusiasm, recklessness and fanatic fervour are often motivated by a lack of judgement of the task ahead, rather than courage, patience or determination. Inspired by impetuosity and a lack of stamina some people are forced to move and seek action and victory in any way and by any means, regardless of the cost. However, once such people come face to face with the task in hand, it looks greater than they had anticipated and more demanding than they had thought. Thus, they become the first to lose heart, to panic and crumple. It is only those who are persevering and restrained, who patiently prepare for battle and who fully appreciate the weight of the task ahead, that endure, remain steadfast and prepare properly for the mission. Reckless zealots may take such people to be weak and sneer at their deliberation and consideration. The battle, however, will decide which of the two groups is the stronger and the more far-sighted.
 
Most probably, the sūrah is referring to that group of Muslims whose dignity did not allow them to tolerate harassment and humiliation in Makkah and who, thus, requested that the Prophet grant them permission to fight. The Prophet, in such matters, was complying with God’s instructions of restraint, patience, careful preparation and education, awaiting the right moment. But once they were safely settled in Madinah and securely living out of harm’s way, they no longer saw any justification or, at least, no great urgency to fight the enemy.

These people may have been sincere believers, as seen from their plaintive appeals. No wonder that underdeveloped faith, confusion and a lack of clear understanding of Islam’s true mission in the world, should result in such a wavering attitude. Islam’s mission is more than the mere preservation of individuals, nations or countries. It is, first and foremost, the firm establishment of God’s order and just system all over the world. It is the institution of a supreme authority that allows no impediments to the spread of God’s faith and which refuses to deprive people from receiving God’s call wherever they may be. It ensures that no one is persecuted in their livelihood or freedom of action, or indeed in any other way, as a result of the religious belief they have freely chosen. Safety and security at Madinah, even if one accepts these were fully guaranteed, did not, however, mean the Muslims’ mission was fulfilled and that jihād was no longer required.
 
It is not surprising that weak faith should produce such an attitude. Weak faith prevents a person from viewing matters objectively, listening only to God’s commands, considering them both cause and effect, reason and result, providing the ultimate authority, whether one understands their purpose or not. Nor is it surprising that blurred understanding should result in a stance that the Qur’ān firmly rejects. It is only a clear understanding of Islam that enables a believer to identify Islam’s mission in the world and his own role as God’s instrument to be used for whatever purpose He may think fit.
 
It is impossible to say why the Muslims in Makkah were not permitted the use of force to prevent or resist persecution and oppression, even though many of them could not be considered weak or powerless. In fact, some were quite able to defend themselves, despite their small number.
 
Nor is it possible to be completely certain why the Muslims were instructed to observe their prayers and to give alms and be patient, rather than resort to force, even though some of them were subjected to unbearable forms of persecution. Indeed, some died under torture while others could only escape torture by retracting their faith, either in pretence or in the face of force.
 
Possible Reasons for Restraint
 
It would be presumptuous to state what the exact reasons behind God’s enforced order to the Muslims to restrain themselves and not resort to armed conflict might have been. If we were to offer certain reasons and say that these were real ones, there being no other purpose, then we would be placing ourselves in an untenable position in relation to God. Analysis or conjecture may help reveal the real reasons or it may not, but believers must refrain from such guesswork regarding any instructions or rulings the reasons or justifications for which have not been expressly given. God knows they are for the good of mankind. No matter how much speculation the human mind may make regarding the reasons behind certain Divine rulings or the way in which they ought to be implemented or exercised, it all remains speculative. No matter how confident, incisive or knowledgeable one is, one can never state with certainty what the Divine reason or wisdom might be. This deference to God Almighty is imperative. It is an essential element in differentiating between the reality and the nature of knowledge that is God-given and that which is the result of human analysis or understanding.
 
It is from this perspective of reverence that one considers the reasons and the wisdom behind the fact that jihād had to wait until the Muslims were settled in Madinah before it was made obligatory. The views advanced here are mere suggestions. The full and real reasons are known only to God who has chosen not to give us a clear statement in this respect.
 
The following are some personal views which may be right or wrong, open to discussion and revision, and are intended only as reflections on God’s rulings as provided and assisted by events and developments.
 
1. One reason could be that the Makkan period was one of training, educating and preparing a particular group of people under certain conditions. One of the aims of such a programme is to discipline the Arab mind to persevere and endure personal and collective hardship as a means to transcend personal egos. One’s own self and immediate community should no longer be the focus and prime movers in one’s life. People needed to be taught restraint and self-control and how not to react with immediate rage and anger, as was their nature. They needed to learn to behave as members of an organised society with a central leadership to be consulted and obeyed in all matters, regardless of how different that was from their customs and traditions. This was the cornerstone in remodelling the Arab character to establish a civilised, orderly, non-tribal Muslim society that recognises a governing leadership.
 
2. Another possible reason is that peaceful action was more effective in that particular Arab society of the Quraysh, which attached much importance to self- image and honour. The use of force in such a situation could only harden attitudes and result in fresh bloody grudges, reminiscent of the famous inter- Arab feuds of Dāĥis and al-Ghabrā’, and of al-Basūs which raged for many years, wiping out complete tribes. Such a new conflict would always be associated in the Arab memory with Islam as the cause of vengeance and bloodshed rather than Islam as a universal Divine mission. The basic essence of Islam would, in that case, be forever obscured and obliterated.
 
3. There was also the need to avoid a bloodbath within every Arab household in Makkah since there was no organised authority perpetrating the persecution of Muslim converts. The harassment was unsystematic, following no specific order. Every household dealt with their converts as they saw fit. Prescription of armed confrontation in such circumstances would mean battles and massacres in every home for which Islam would be blamed. In fact, the Quraysh propaganda, spread during the pilgrimage and trading seasons, was already blaming Islam for family splits, feuds and divisions among the Arabs even before the use of force was eventually permitted.
 
4. Another reason for the delay in prescribing jihād by force of arms could be God’s prior knowledge that many of the tormentors and perpetrators of maltreatment against the Muslims would, one day soon, themselves be converts and ardent defenders, indeed leaders, of Islam. Was not `Umar ibn al-Khaţţāb one such person?
 
5. Another reason could be that Arab tribal chivalry was known to provoke sympathy with the weak and the oppressed when they persevere in the face of adversity, especially if some of these hailed from the noble sections of society. This is borne out in several incidents including that whereby Ibn al-Dughunnah tried to persuade Abū Bakr, a noble man, not to leave Makkah and offered him protection, seeing it as a shame on all the Arabs that he should have to emigrate. Another incident was the repeal of the boycott on Hāshim, Muĥammad’s clan, and the ending of their siege in the Hāshimite quarters in Makkah, after an extended period of starvation and hardship. In other ancient civilisations, persecution might have led to the adulation of the oppressor and further humiliation for the oppressed, but not in Arab society.
 
6. It could have been due to the small number of Muslims at the time and their confinement in Makkah when Islam had not spread widely in Arabia, and the neutral stand that other Arab tribes would take in an internal conflict within Makkah. Confrontation could very well lead to the annihilation of the small band of Muslim converts, even, if they were to kill twice as many as their own number, and the infidels would thus prevail. In this case, the religion of Islam, which was meant to be a universal way of life and a practical and realistic system, would no longer exist.
 
7. In the meantime, there was no great urgency to ignore all these factors and prescribe resistance and the use of force because the main objective of Islam at that time had been achieved. It was the very existence of Islam as represented by the person of the Prophet Muĥammad and the protection he enjoyed from the Hāshim clan. His antagonists would be hit hard. The existing tribal system encouraged other tribes, who might contemplate attacking Muĥammad, to avoid a clash with the Hāshim clan. Thus, Muĥammad, personally, was able, under the protection of the Hāshim clan, to speak and spread his ideas and beliefs openly. He did not have to hide them and no one dared prevent him from talking to people at the Ka`bah or al-Safā or at their public meetings and gatherings. No one would dare stop him speak, or kidnap, incarcerate or eliminate him. Nor could any one restrict or dictate what he could or could not say in public. His opponents asked him to desist from attacking and defaming their gods, but he refused; they appealed to him not to criticise or condemn the religion of their forefathers and again he refused. He rejected the various compromises they offered him. All in all, the foundations and existence of Islam, as represented by the Prophet himself and his active advocacy of Islam, in various ways and places, were taking full root under the protection of the Hāshim clan. These positive factors which were generally conducive to the spread of the call of Islam, could not be readily ignored, and they provided the environment in which there was no immediate urgency for all-out confrontation.
 
Taken together, the above facts represent, in the present author’s view, some of the reasons why God instructed the Muslims in Makkah to refrain from the use of force and instead to concentrate on establishing prayer and paying zakāt as a way of perfecting their education, enlightenment and preparation. This also provided the Muslims with the opportunity to benefit from all the resources available in that environment while awaiting the Divine instruction to fight when the right moment presented itself. Furthermore, it enabled them to extricate themselves from any hint of seeking personal profit in going for all-out confrontation; this so that the whole matter would be devoted to God and His noble cause. Meanwhile, Islam had become “a reality” and it was being preserved and protected.
 
Be that as it may, there were restless Muslims in Makkah urging for a fight, awaiting the moment they were given the go-ahead.
 
What Does Death Signify?

The mere existence of this group created disruption and discord within the Muslim community as some became fearful and dismayed at the prospect of having to fight their enemy, while others remained calm and confident. The latter received the imposition, of jihād duty with poise, serenity, determination and even enthusiasm. Their enthusiasm was well placed because it was necessary for the proper execution of their obligation. It was not mere recklessness that evaporated immediately on coming face to face with danger.
 
The Qur’ān deals with these phenomena in its own inimitable style: “Say, ‘Brief is the enjoyment of this world, whereas the life to come is the best for all who are God-fearing. None of you small be wronged by as much as a hair’s breadth. Wherever you may be death will overtake you, even though you be in towers built up strong and high.’“ (Verses 77-78)
 
They fear death and love life, pathetically pressing their desire that God should give them more time and allow them more of this world’s enjoyments. Hence, the Qur’ān goes to the root of the problem, revealing the true understanding of life and death: “Say, ‘Brief is the enjoyment of this world....”
 
All worldly enjoyments, and the world as a whole, are ephemeral, let alone a period of days, weeks, months or years. What good is there, in granting a short while longer in life if all the pleasures of human life throughout the world and throughout all ages are worthless? What can these people hope to achieve in such a short time when, in reality all life in this world is short?
 
“Whereas the life to come is the best for all who are God-fearing.” (Verse 77) This life is not the be-all and end-all. It is merely a stage of existence beyond which there is a life hereafter full of boundless and endless delights that are “best for all who are God- fearing” The reference here to consciousness and fear of God is quite appropriate because it is God, not men, who should be respected and feared. Those whose hearts are filled with fear of God shall have no fear of anyone else; no one can harm them if God wishes them no harm.
 
“None of you shall be wronged by as much as a hair’s breadth.” (Verse 77) There shall be no injustice, prejudice or unfair treatment. Whatever is lost in this life shall be generously compensated for in the final account in the life to come with full justice and appreciation.
 
Nevertheless, some people wish for longer life, even though they believe in the life to come and look forward to its precious rewards. This is more so during the early days of one’s commitment to Islam, as was the case for those Muslims.
 
At this point, a final touch gives the true understanding of the nature of life, death, destiny and fate, and relates all this to the obligation to fight. “Wherever you may be death will overtake you, even though you be in towers built up strong and high.” Death is inevitable, and certain to come at its appointed moment. It is not affected by war or peace, or the security of one’s position, nor is its timing affected by whether Muslims are ordered to fight or not. The two events are separate and unrelated. Death is only dependent on its appointed time as determined by God Almighty. Any wish to defer jihād, as also fear of other people have no significance in this regard. With this, the Qur’ān takes care of all the suspicions that may linger on in our minds regarding this matter, and removes all the fear that results from misunderstanding this basic concept.
 
This does not mean that people should not take precautions, as best as they can. God has already urged the Muslims to beware of their enemies, and elsewhere in this sūrah, He advised specific precautions while praying in the battlefield, and instructed the Muslims to equip and prepare themselves for fighting. But this is quite unrelated to the predetermination and timing of death. Taking precautions and preparing adequately for battle is an order to be executed and has its own obvious and hidden purposes as determined by God’s will. Likewise, formulating a proper concept of death and the fact that it occurs at its appointed time, regardless of whatever steps one may take to prevent it, is also an instruction that must be obeyed. It has its own clear and implicit purposes. All this is characteristic of the Islamic system which is moderate and well balanced. It takes all factors into account, ensuring harmony between them all. This is true Islam and this is how it educates and enlightens its followers, individually and collectively.
 
A Highly Prejudiced Attitude
 
At this point, attention turns to another of the many different groups making up the Muslim community, without any obvious break in the flow of the text or in the arguments.
 
Yet, when a good thing happens to them, some [people] say, “This is from God,” whereas when evil befalls them, they say, “This is from you!” Say, All is from God. “What is amiss with these people that they are in no wise near to grasping the truth of what they are told? Whatever good happens to you is from God; and whatever evil befalls you is from yourself. We have sent you as a Messenger to all mankind. Enough is God for a witness. He who obeys the Messenger obeys God thereby. As for those who turn away — We have not sent you to be their keeper. (Verses 78-80)
 
The attitude of these people can be understood in a number of different ways:
 
1. They considered the Prophet himself an evil portent who brought them hardship and misfortune. Whenever they suffered a drought or a bad harvest or were defeated in battle, they would attribute the causes to the Prophet. But they attributed good fortunes to God.
 
2. They deliberately set out to vilify the Prophet in order to criticise his leadership and undermine, in particular, his instructions to the Muslims to go and fight. Instead of admitting to their weakness and lack of courage, they took a perverse approach by pretending to credit God with their fortunes and blaming their difficulties and setbacks on the Prophet and his instructions. Needless to say, all the fortune and the hardship they mean are of the immediate, short-term type.
 
3. They entertained a real misconception of what happens to them and to other people in this life, and how this relates to the will of God. This makes for a further lack of understanding of the nature and status of the Prophet’s commands and the nature of his relationship with God.
 
The third explanation, if correct, may apply to that group of Makkan immigrants whose misunderstanding of the reality of death and fate had led them to fear other people as much as they feared God, or even more. It prompted them to cry out: “Our Lord! Why have You ordered us to fight? If only You had granted us a delay for a little while!” (Verse 77) Nevertheless, it may be more accurate to say that the reference here is to another group which satisfies all three criteria.
 
The issue being discussed here represents part of a larger one, referred to in the history of polemics and philosophy worldwide under the heading: “Fate and Predestination” or “Predetermination and Free Will”. It is mentioned in the context of correcting certain misconceptions, in a straightforward, unambiguous and clear way. Let us look at it as presented in the Qur’ān.
 
Yet, when a good thing happens to them, some [people] say, “This is from God,” whereas when evil befalls them, they say, “This is from you!” Say, “All is from God.” What is amiss with these people that they are in no wise near to grasping the truth of what they are told? (Verse 78)
 
God Almighty is the original and sole cause of world events affecting the universe and humankind, and He is the cause of people’s actions. People have the power to intend and try but actions only take place with the will of God Almighty. Hence, to ascribe the instigation of fortune or misfortune, or their occurrence, to the Prophet, who is human after all, is erroneous and a sign of complete ignorance.
 
Humans may wish and seek, by all the means God has put at their disposal, to bring about goodness and good fortune, but the achievement of such wishes only takes place by God’s will. In reality, there is no other will capable of making things and events happen or bringing things about in the world. Thus, goodness and good fortune are acts of Divine will, brought about through human means and inclinations.
 
The same applies to evil or misfortune. It is God’s will and power that make them happen. The Qur’ānic statement affirms that God is the ultimate origin of all that happens.
 
The next statement affirms another truth, quite independent of the previous one, viewed from a completely different perspective: “Whatever good happens to you is from God; and whatever evil befalls you is from yourself.” (Verse 79)
 
God has ordained a system and laid down a way of life, indicating the means of good and the means of evil. He has shown people the good, encouraging them to take it up, and warned against evil. When man adheres to this system, seeking the good and avoiding evil, God will help and guide him. God says: “Those who exert themselves for Our cause We will guide to Our ways.” (29: 69) In this process man is given a real reward, regardless of whether people see this as gain or loss. It is a reward from God who has laid down the rules, concepts and laws of good and evil. When man refuses to adhere to God’s guidance and does not seek the good or keep away from evil, misfortune is inflicted upon him, in this life or in the life to come, or both, and he only has himself to blame for not heeding God’s guidance.
 
It is quite clear that this is yet another interpretation, one quite different from the preceding one. However, this does not affect the original assertion that good and evil only happen by God’s will and power, as He is the origin and creator of all things, regardless of the human contribution or role in what actually takes place.
 
The Limits of the Prophet’s Role
 
The sūrah goes on to explain the nature of the Prophet’s mission and its limitations. It also accounts for his actions and attitude towards people, and their’s to him. Ultimately, it refers the whole matter to God Almighty. It says: “We have sent you as a Messenger to all mankind. Enough is God for a witness. (Verse 79) He who obeys the Messenger obeys God thereby. As for those who turn away —We have not sent you to be their keeper.” (Verse 80)
 
The Messenger’s duty is to deliver the message and not to bring about fortune or misfortune. That is a matter for God to decide and He is witness, and a sufficient witness at that, to the fact that He sent the Messenger to carry out that mission.
 
Those who obey the Messenger obey God; there is no distinction, in this context, between God and His Messenger or between what God says and what the Messenger says. Those who reject the Messenger and walk away from him will be referred to God for punishment. The Messenger is not commissioned to compel people to believe or accept the faith, or to prevent them from committing errors or disobedience. To do so is not part of his brief nor is it within his power.
 
Thus, the Qur’ān corrects the Muslims’ concept, affirming that everything happens by God’s will and predestination. All good and evil, viewed by whatever means, originate with God, because nothing happens, occurs or is created by anyone else but God. All the good that comes people’s way originates with God because it is a consequence of His order and guidance, and the evil that befalls them is due to their own departure from God’s guidance.
 
The Messenger’s sole status is that of Messenger. He neither creates nor initiates things and events. He does not vie with God for a share of Godhead, His sovereignty or His essential attribute of creating and causing things and events. He delivers what God reveals to Him, which makes obeying him tantamount to obeying God. In reality, there is no way of obeying God other than by obeying His Messenger who has delivered his message fully and clearly. He is not obliged to cause infidels to follow God’s guidance or to protect them against deviation.
 
Thus, facts are stated simply, clearly and unequivocally to articulate the concepts and reassure the mind. This process of teaching and enlightening the Muslim community was part of the necessary preparation for the great role it was required to play.