4. Sura an-Nisa
Medina 92 [Hijra 4]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
لاَّ
يَسْتَوِي
الْقَاعِدُونَ
مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
غَيْرُ أُوْلِي
الضَّرَرِ ...
4: 95. Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt,
... وَالْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ...
and those who strive and fight in the Cause of Allah with their goods and their persons.
... فَضَّلَ اللّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ دَرَجَةً...
Allah hath granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and persons than to those who sit (at home):
... وَكُـلاًّ وَعَدَ اللّهُ الْحُسْنَى ...
unto all (in faith) hath Allah promised good:
C614. Allah's goodness is promised to all people of Faith. But there are degrees among men and women of Faith.
- There are people with natural inertia: they do the minimum that is required of them, but no more.
- There are people who are weak in will: they are easily frightened.
- There are people who are so strong in will and so firm in faith that they are determined to conquer every obstacle, whether in their own physical or other infirmities or in the external world around them.
In a time of jihad, when people give their all, and even their lives, for the common cause, they must be accounted more glorious than those who sit at home, even though they have good will to the cause and carry out minor duties in aid.
The special reward of such self-sacrifice is special forgiveness and mercy, as proceeding from the direct approbation and love of Allah.
... وَفَضَّلَ اللّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا ﴿٩٥﴾
but those who strive and fight hath He distinguished above those who sit (at home) by a special reward.
دَرَجَاتٍ
مِّنْهُ وَمَغْفِرَةً
وَرَحْمَةً...
4: 96. Ranks specially bestowed by Him, and Forgiveness and Mercy.
... وَكَانَ اللّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا ﴿٩٦﴾
For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
4: 95
Asad Such of the believers as remain passive [note 121 – other than the disabled – cannot be deemed equal to those who strive hard in God’s cause with their possessions and their lives [note 122]: God has exalted those who strive hard with their possessions and their lives far above those who remain passive. ………….mighty reward-
Pickthall Those of the believers who sit still, other than those who have a (disabling) hurt, are not on an equality with those who strive in the way of Allah with their wealth and lives. Allah hath conferred on those who strive with their wealth and lives a rank above the sedentary. Unto each Allah hath promised good, but He hath bestowed on those who strive a great reward above the sedentary;
Transliteration La_yastawil qa_'idu_na minal mu'minina gairu ulid darari wal muja_hidu_na fi sabililla_hi bi amwa_lihim wa anfusihim, faddalalla_hul muja_hidina bi amwa_lihim wa anfusihim 'alal qa_'idina darajah(tan), wa kullaw wa'adalla_hul husna_, wa faddalalla_hul muja_hidina'alal qa_'idina ajran'azima_(n).
4: 96
Asad [many] degrees thereof – and forgiveness of sins, and His grace; for God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
Pickthall Daraja_tim minhu wa magfirataw wa rahmah(tan), wa ka_nalla_hu gafu_rar rahima_(n).
[[ Asad’s note 122 – The term ‘mujahid’ is derived from the verb ‘jahada’, which means ‘he struggled’ or ‘strove hard’ or ‘exerted himself’, namely, in a good cause and against evil………….thus, for instance, the Prophet described man’s struggle against his own passions and weaknesses (jihad an-nafs) as the “greatest jihad” Bayhaqi, on the authority of Jabir ibn Abd Allah).]]
[[ Ali’s note - 614 Allah's goodness is promised to all people of Faith. But there are degrees among men and women of Faith. There are people with natural inertia: they do the minimum that is required of them, but no more. There are people who are weak in will: they are easily frightened. There are people who are so strong in will and so firm in faith that they are determined to conquer every obstacle, whether in their own physical or other infirmities or in the external world around them. In a time of jihad, when people give their all, and even their lives, for the common cause, they must be accounted more glorious than those who sit at home, even though they have good will to the cause and carry out minor duties in aid. The special reward of such self-sacrifice is special forgiveness and mercy, as proceeding from the direct approbation and love of Allah. (4.95) ]]