Sura 4, al-Nissa, Median 92
The Quranic text and Ali’s version
فَمَا
لَكُمْ
فِي
الْمُنَافِقِينَ
فِئَتَيْنِ
...
4:88. Why should ye be divided into two parties about the hypocrites?
[[ Ali’s notes - C606. When the desertion of the Hypocrites at Uhud nearly caused a disaster to the Muslim cause there was great feeling among the Muslims of Madinah against them. One party wanted to put them to the sword: another to leave them alone.
The actual policy pursued avoided both extremes, and was determined by these verses. It was clear that they were a danger to the Muslim community if they were admitted into its counsels, and in any case they were a source of demoralization.
But while every caution was used, no extreme measures were taken against them. On the contrary, they were given a chance of making good. If they made a sacrifice for the cause ("flee from what is forbidden," see next verse), their conduct purged their previous cowardice, and their sincerity entitled them to be taken back.
But if they deserted the Muslim community again, they were treated as enemies, with the additional penalty of desertion which is enforced by all nations actually at war. Even so, a humane exception was made in the two cases specified in 4:90.]]
... وَاللّهُ أَرْكَسَهُم بِمَا كَسَبُواْ...
Allah hath upset them for their (evil) deeds.
... أَتُرِيدُونَ أَن تَهْدُواْ مَنْ أَضَلَّ اللّهُ...
Would ye guide those whom Allah hath thrown out of the way?
... وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ سَبِيلاً ﴿٨٨﴾
For those whom Allah hath thrown out of the way, never shalt thou find the way.
وَدُّواْ
لَوْ
تَكْفُرُونَ
كَمَا
كَفَرُواْ
فَتَكُونُونَ
سَوَاء...
4: 89. They but wish that ye should reject faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing (as they):
... فَلاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ مِنْهُمْ أَوْلِيَاء حَتَّىَ يُهَاجِرُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ...
but take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah (from what is forbidden).
C607. Flee: the verbal form which the noun Hijrah is derived. Bukhari interprets this rightly as fleeing from all that is forbidden. This would include Hijrah in the technical sense of leaving a place in which the practice of religion is not allowed.
But it is more general. In time of war, if a man is willing to submit to discipline and refrain from infringing orders issued, he has proved his fidelity and may be treated as a member of the community at war.
On the other hand if he by false pretences comes into the inner counsels merely to betray them, he may rightly be treated as a traitor or deserter and be punished for his treason or desertion; or
if he escapes, he can be treated as an enemy and is entitled to no mercy. He is worse than an enemy: he has claimed to be of you in order to spy on you, and been all the time helping the enemy.
... فَإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ فَخُذُوهُمْ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ وَجَدتَّمُوهُمْ...
But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them?
... وَلاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ مِنْهُمْ وَلِيًّا وَلاَ نَصِيرًا ﴿٨٩﴾
and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks.
إِلاَّ
الَّذِينَ
يَصِلُونَ
إِلَىَ
قَوْمٍ
بَيْنَكُمْ
وَبَيْنَهُم
مِّيثَاقٌ...
4: 90. Except those who join a group between whom and you there is a treaty (of peace),
C608. Except: the exception refers to "seize them and slay them", the death penalty for repeated desertion.
Even after such desertion, exemption is granted in two cases.
- One is where the deserter took asylum with a tribe with whom there was a treaty of peace and amity.
Presumably such a tribe (even though outside the pale of Islam) might be trusted to keep the man from fighting against the forces of Islam -in the modern phrase, to disarm him and render him harmless.
- The second case for exemption is where the man from his own heart desires never to take up arms against Islam, though he does not wish to join the forces of Islam, to fight against a hostile tribe (perhaps his own) fighting against Islam.
But he must make a real approach, giving guarantees of his sincerity. In the modern phrase he would be "on parole".
But this provision is much milder than that in modern military codes, which grant the privilege only to enemy prisoners, not to those who have deserted from the army granting them parole.
The Hypocrites were in that position, but humanity as well as policy treated them with great leniency.
... أَوْ جَآؤُوكُمْ حَصِرَتْ صُدُورُهُمْ أَن يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ أَوْ يُقَاتِلُواْ قَوْمَهُمْ...
or those who approach you with hearts restraining them from fighting you as well as fighting their own people.
C609. Approach or come: refers not to the physical act coming, but to the mental attitude; the heart is mentioned for sincerity.
When they sincerely promise not to fight against you, do not pursue them. remember that if they had fought against you, your difficulties would have been increased. their neutrality itself may be a great advantage to you.
So long as you are satisfied that they are sincere and their acts support their declarations of peace with you, you should not consider yourself justified in pursuing them and warning against them.
... وَلَوْ شَاء اللّهُ لَسَلَّطَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلَقَاتَلُوكُمْ...
If Allah had pleased, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you:
... فَإِنِ اعْتَزَلُوكُمْ فَلَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ وَأَلْقَوْاْ إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَمَ فَمَا جَعَلَ اللّهُ لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سَبِيلاً ﴿٩٠﴾
therefore if they withdraw from you but fight you not, and (instead) send you (guarantees of) peace, then Allah hath opened no way for you (to war against them).
Asad’s version
(4:89) They would love to see you deny the truth even as they have denied it, so that you should be like them. Do not, therefore, take them for your allies until they forsake the domain of evil 108 for the sake of God; and if they revert to [open] enmity, seize them and slay them wherever you may find them. And do not take any of them 109 for your ally or giver of succour,
(4:90) unless it be such [of them] as have ties with people to whom you yourselves are bound by a covenant, or such as come unto you because their hearts shrink from [the thought of] making war either on you or on their own folk - although, if God had willed to make them stronger than you, they would certainly have made war on you. 110 Thus, if they let you be, and do not make war on you, and offer you peace, God does not allow you to harm them. 111
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[[Asad’s notes –
108 See surah 2, verse 218, as well as note on verse 97 of this surah.
109 I.e., any of those who have not "forsaken the domain of evil" and are wavering between belief and disbelief.
110 Lit., "if God had so willed, He would indeed have given them power over you, whereupon...", etc.- implying that only the lack of requisite power, and not true good will, causes them to refrain from making war on the believers.
111 Lit., "God has given you no way against them" : a reference to the ordinance laid down in verse 86 above. ]]