4. Sura an-Nisa, Medina 92
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِنَّا
أَنزَلْنَا
إِلَيْكَ
الْكِتَابَ
بِالْحَقِّ
لِتَحْكُمَ
بَيْنَ
النَّاسِ
بِمَا
أَرَاكَ
اللّهُ
...
4: 105. We have sent down to thee the Book in truth, that thou mightest judge between men, as guided by Allah:
... وَلاَ تَكُن لِّلْخَآئِنِينَ خَصِيمًا ﴿١٠٥﴾
so be not (used) as an advocate by those who betray their trust.
C621. The Commentators explain this passage with reference to the case of Taima ibn Ubairaq, who was nominally a Muslim but really a Hypocrite, and given to all sorts of wicked deeds.
He was suspected of having stolen a set of armour, and when the trial was hot, he planted the stolen property into the house of a Jew, where it was found. The Jew denied the charge and accused Taima, but the sympathies of the Muslim community were with Taima on account of his nominal profession of Islam.
The case was brought to the Prophet, who acquitted the Jew according to the strict principle of justice, as "guided by Allah."
Attempts were made to prejudice him and deceive him into using his authority to favour Taima. When Taima realized that his punishment was imminent he fled and turned apostate. (R).
The general lesson is that the righteous man is faced with all sorts of subtle wiles; the wicked will try to appeal to his highest sympathies and most honourable motives to deceive him and use him as an instrument for defeating justice. He should be careful and cautious, and seek the help of Allah for protection against deception and for firmness in dealing the strictest justice without fear or favour.
To do otherwise is to betray a sacred trust; the trustee must defeat all attempts made to mislead him.
وَاسْتَغْفِرِ
اللّهِ
إِنَّ
اللّهَ
كَانَ
غَفُورًا
رَّحِيمًا
﴿١٠٦﴾
4: 106. But seek the forgiveness of Allah; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
وَلاَ
تُجَادِلْ
عَنِ
الَّذِينَ
يَخْتَانُونَ
أَنفُسَهُمْ...
4: 107. Contend not on behalf of such as betray their own souls:
C622. Own souls are a sort of trust with us. We have to guard them against all temptation. Those who surrender to crime or evil, betray that trust.
We are warned against being deceived into taking their part, induced either by plausible appearances, or by such incentives to partiality as that they belong to our own people or that some link connects them with us, whereas when we are out to do justice, we must not allow any irrelevant considerations to sway us.
... إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ خَوَّانًا أَثِيمًا ﴿١٠٧﴾
for Allah loveth not one given to perfidy and crime.
يَسْتَخْفُونَ
مِنَ
النَّاسِ
وَلاَ
يَسْتَخْفُونَ
مِنَ
اللّهِ...
4: 108. They may hide (their crimes) from men, but they cannot hide (them) from Allah,
... وَهُوَ مَعَهُمْ إِذْ يُبَيِّتُونَ مَا لاَ يَرْضَى مِنَ الْقَوْلِ...
seeing that He is in their midst when they plot by night, in words that He cannot approve:
... وَكَانَ اللّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطًا ﴿١٠٨﴾
and Allah doth compass round all that they do.
C623. The plots of sinners are known fully to Allah, and He can fully circumvent them if necessary, according to the fullness of His wisdom.
The word used is: Compass them round.- Muhit: not only does Allah know all about it, but He is all round it: if in His wisdom He allows it, it is not because He has not complete control over it, but because, having it as it were enclosed in a complete circle. He can use it to further His own Plan. Even out of evil He can bring good.
هَاأَنتُمْ
هَـؤُلاء
جَادَلْتُمْ
عَنْهُمْ
فِي
الْحَيَاةِ
الدُّنْيَا...
4: 109. Ah! these are the sort of men on whose behalf ye may contend in this world;
... فَمَن يُجَادِلُ اللّهَ عَنْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَم مَّن يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكِيلاً ﴿١٠٩﴾
but who will contend with Allah on their behalf on the Day of Judgment, or who will carry their affairs through?
وَمَن
يَعْمَلْ
سُوءًا
أَوْ
يَظْلِمْ
نَفْسَهُ
ثُمَّ
يَسْتَغْفِرِ
اللّهَ
يَجِدِ
اللّهَ
غَفُورًا
رَّحِيمًا
﴿١١٠﴾
4: 110. If anyone does evil or wrongs his own soul, but afterwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
وَمَن
يَكْسِبْ
إِثْمًا
فَإِنَّمَا
يَكْسِبُهُ
عَلَى
نَفْسِهِ...
4: 111. And if anyone earns sin, he earns it against his own soul:
C624. Kasaba: to earn, to gain, to work for something valuable, to lay up a provision for the future life.
We do a day's labour to earn our livelihood: so in a spiritual sense, whatever good or evil we do in this life, earns us good or evil in the life to come.
In verses 110-112 three cases are considered:
1. if we do ill and repent, Allah will forgive;
2. if we do ill and do not repent: thinking that we can hide it, we are wrong; nothing is hidden from Allah, and we shall suffer the full consequences in the life to come, for we can never evade our personal responsibility:
3. if we do ill, great or small, and impute it to another, our original responsibility for the ill remains, but we add to it something else; for we tie round our necks the guilt of falsehood, which converts even our minor fault into a great sin, and in any case brands us even in this life with shame and ignominy.
... وَكَانَ اللّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا ﴿١١١﴾
for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.
وَمَن
يَكْسِبْ
خَطِيئَةً
أَوْ
إِثْمًا
ثُمَّ
يَرْمِ
بِهِ
بَرِيئًا
فَقَدِ
احْتَمَلَ
بُهْتَانًا
وَإِثْمًا
مُّبِينًا
﴿١١٢﴾
4: 112. But if anyone earns a fault or a sin and throws it on to one that is innocent, He carries (on himself) (both) a falsehood and a flagrant sin.
Other versions:
4: 105
Asad Behold, We have bestowed upon thee from on high this divine writ, setting forth the truth, so that you may judge between people in accordance with what God has taught you [note 133]. Hence, do not contend with those who are false to their trust,
Pickthall Lo! We reveal unto thee the Scripture with the truth, that thou mayst judge between mankind by that which Allah showeth thee. And be not thou a pleader for the treacherous;
Transliteration Inna_ anzalna_ ilaikal kita_ba bil haqqi litahkuma bainan na_si bima_ ara_kalla_h(u), wa laa_ takul lil kha_'inina khasima_(w),
4: 106
Asad but pray God to forgive [them] [note 134]: behold, God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
Pickthall And seek forgiveness of Allah. Lo! Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.
Transliteration Wastagfirilla_h(a), innalla_ha ka_na gafu_rar rahima_(n).
[[Asad’s note 133 The “you” in this and the following two verses - ………refers, on the face of it, to the Prophet; by implication, however, it is addressed to everyone who has accepted the guidance of the Quran: this is evident from the plural “you” in verse 109…………..
134 – This is obviously refers to the hypocrites as well as to the half-hearted followers of the Quran spoken of earlier in this surah:………..]]
[[ Ali’s note - 621 The Commentators explain this passage with reference to the case of Taima ibn Ubairaq, who was nominally a Muslim but really a Hypocrite, and given to all sorts of wicked deeds. He was suspected of having stolen a set of armor, and when the trial was hot, he planted the stolen property into the house of a Jew, where it was found. The Jew denied the charge and accused Taima, but the sympathies of the Muslim community were with Taima on account of his nominal profession of Islam. The case was brought to the Prophet, who acquitted the Jew according to the strict principle of justice, as "guided by Allah." Attempts were made to prejudice him and deceive him into using his authority to favour Taima. When Taima realized that his punishment was imminent he fled and turned apostate. ………(4.105) ]]
4: 107
Pickthall And plead not on behalf of (people) who deceive themselves. Lo! Allah loveth not one who is treacherous and sinful.
Transliteration Wa la_ tuja_dil 'anil lazina yakhta_nu_na anfusahum, innalla_ha la_ yuhibbu man ka_na khawwa_nan asima_(y),
4: 108
Pickthall They seek to hide from men and seek not to hide from Allah. He is with them when by night they hold discourse displeasing unto Him. Allah ever surroundeth what they do.
Transliteration Yastakhfu_na minan na_si wa la_ yastakhfu_na minalla_hi wa huwa ma'ahum iz yubayyitu_na ma_ la_ yarda_ minal qaul(i), wa ka_nalla_hu bima_ ya'malu_na muhita_(n).
Ha_ antum ha_ ula_'i ja_daltum 'anhum fil haya_tid dunya_, famay yuja_dilulla_ha 'anhum yaumal qiya_mati am may yaku_nu 'alaihum wakila_(n).
4: 109
Pickthall Lo! ye are they who pleaded for them in the life of the world. But who will plead with Allah for them on the Day of Resurrection, or who will then be their defender?
Transliteration Wa may ya'mal su_'an au yazlim nafsahu_ summa yastagfirilla_ha yajidilla_ha gafu_rar rahima_(n).
4: 110
Pickthall Yet whoso doeth evil or wrongeth his own soul, then seeketh pardon of Allah, will find Allah Forgiving, Merciful.
Transliteration Wa may yaksib isman fa innama_ yaksibuhu_ 'ala_ nafsih(i), wa ka_nalla_hu 'aliman hakima_(n).
4: 111
Pickthall Whoso committeth sin committeth it only against himself. Allah is ever Knower, Wise.
Transliteration Wa may yaksib khati'atan au isman summa yarmi bihi bari'an fa qadihtamala buhta_naw wa ismam mubina_(n).
4:112
Pickthall And whoso committeth a delinquency or crime, then throweth (the blame) thereof upon the innocent, hath burdened himself with falsehood and a flagrant crime.
Transliteration Wa lau la_ fadlulla_hi 'alaika wa rahmatuhu_ lahammat taa_'ifatum minhum ay yudillu_k(a), wa ma_ yudilla_na illa_ anfusahum wa ma_ yadurru_naka min syai'(in), wa anzalalla_hu 'alaikan kita_ba wal hikmata wa 'allamaka ma_ lam takun ta'lam, wa ka_na fadlulla_hi 'alaika 'azima_(n).