4. Sura an-Nisa

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَمَن يُطِعِ اللّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِم ...  

4: 69.  All who obey Allah and the Messenger are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah,

... مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاء وَالصَّالِحِينَ ...

of the Prophets (who teach), the sincere (lovers of truth), the witnesses (who testify), and the righteous (who do good):

... وَحَسُنَ أُولَـئِكَ رَفِيقًا ﴿٦٩﴾

ah! what a beautiful fellowship!

C586. A passage of the deepest devotional meaning. Even the humblest man who accepts Faith and does good becomes an accepted member of a great and beautiful company in the Hereafter. It is a company which lives perpetually in the sunshine of Allah's Grace. (This passage partly illustrates 1:5).

It is a glorious hierarchy, of which four grades are specified:

1.     The highest is that of the Prophets or Apostles, who get plenary inspiration from Allah, and who teach mankind by example and precept. That rank in Islam is held by Muhammad Al-Mustafa.

2.     The next are those whose badge is sincerity and truth: they love and support the truth with their person, their means, their influence, and all that is theirs.

That rank was held by the special Companions of Muhammad, among whom the type was that of Hadhrat Abu Bakr Siddiq.

3.     The next are the noble army of Witnesses, who testify to the truth.

The testimony may be by martyrdom, Or

it may be by the tongue of the true Preacher or

the pen of the devoted scholar, or

the life of the man devoted to service,

4.     Lastly, there is the large company of Righteous people, the ordinary folk who do their ordinary business, but always in a righteous Way. They are the rank and file of the beautiful Fellowship, in which each has his place and yet all feel that they derive glory from the common association. (R).

ذَلِكَ الْفَضْلُ مِنَ اللّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللّهِ عَلِيمًا ﴿٧٠﴾

4: 70.  O ye who believe! take your precautions, and either go forth in parties or go forth all together.

C587. If a generous General gives the private soldier the privilege of sitting with his comrades and officers, high and low, in one common Brotherhood, people may perhaps wonder: how may this be?

If we are admitted to that Company, we want to know no more. It is enough to us that Allah knows our humility and our unworthiness, and with His full knowledge admits us to that glorious Fellowship!

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ...   

4: 122. But those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, We shall soon admit them to gardens,

... تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا...  

with rivers flowing beneath, to dwell therein for ever.

... وَعْدَ اللّهِ حَقًّا ...

Allah's promise is the truth,

... وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنَ اللّهِ قِيلاً ﴿١٢٢﴾

and whose word can be truer than Allah's?

Asad’s Version:

4:69 For all who pay heed unto God and the apostle shall be among those upon whom God has bestowed His Blessings : the prophets and those who never deviated from the truth, and those who bore witness to the truth, and the righteous ones: and how goodly a company are these!

4: 70 Such is the bounty of God - and none has the knowledge which God has.

4: 122 Yet those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds We shall bring into gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide beyond the count of time: this, is in truth, God’s promise – and whose word could be truer than God’s?