people, judge with justice.53 Excellent is the admonition Allah gives you. Allah is All-Hearing, All- Seeing.
53 Here the Muslims are forewarned against the evils which had afflicted the Israelites. One of the fundamental mistakes committed by the Israelites was that in the time of their decadence they had handed over positions of trust, (i.e. religious and political leadership), to incompetent, mean, immoral, dishonest and corrupt persons. The result was that corruption spread throughout the nation. The Muslims are being directed to take heed of this, and to entrust positions of responsibility only to those who are capable of shouldering the burden of such positions. The major weakness of the Israelites was that they had completely lost their sense of justice. They pursued either personal or national interests at the cost of honesty, equity, reasonableness and good faith. After informing the Muslims of the iniquity of the Jews, God now warns them against committing similar injustices. They should rather declare what is right in the face of friend and foe alike, and judge between people with justice and equity.
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(59) Believers! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and those invested with authority among you; and then if you were to dispute among your- selves about anything refer it to Allah and the Messenger54 if you indeed believe in Allah and the Last Day; that is better and more commendable in the end.
(60) (O Messenger), have you not seen those who claim to believe in the Book which has been revealed to you and in the Books revealed before you, ▶
54 This verse is the cornerstone of the entire religious, social and political structure of Islam and the very first clause of the constitution of an Islamic state. It lays down the following principles as permanent guidelines:
(1) In the Islamic order of life, God alone is the focus of loyalty and obedience. A Muslim is the servant of God before anything else.
(2) Another basic principle of the Islamic order of life is obedience to the Prophet (peace be on him).
(3) In the Islamic order of life the Muslims are further required to obey their fellow Muslims invested with authority (ulu al-amr). These include all those entrusted with directing Muslims in matters of common concern. Hence, persons “invested with authority” include the intellectual and political leaders of the community, as well as administrative officials, judges of the courts, tribal chiefs and regional leaders.
(4) In an Islamic order the injunctions of God and the way of the Prophet (peace be on him) constitute the basic law and paramount authority in all matters. Whenever there is any dispute among Muslims or between the rulers and the ruled the matter should be referred to the Qur’an and the Sunnah and all concerned should faithfully accept the judgement that is thus arrived at.
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and yet desire to submit their disputes to the judgement of taghut (the Satanic authorities who decide independently of the law of Allah), whereas they had been asked to reject it.55 Satan seeks to make them drift far away from the Right Path. (61) When they are told: “Come to that which Allah has revealed, and come to the Messenger,” you will notice the hypocrites turning away from you in aversion. (62) But what happens when some misfortune visits them because of their own misdeeds? Then they come to you swearing by Allah, saying: “We wanted nothing but to do good and to create harmony (between the two parties).” (63) As for them, Allah knows what is in their hearts. Leave them alone, admonish them, and say to them penetrating words about themselves. (64) (And tell them that) We never sent a Messenger but that he should be obeyed by the leave of Allah. ▶
55 Taghut clearly signifies here a sovereign who judges things according to criteria other than the Law of God. It also stands for a legal and judicial system which acknowledges neither the sovereignty of God nor the paramount authority of God’s Book.
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If whenever they wronged themselves they had come to you praying to Allah for forgiveness, and had the Messenger prayed for their forgiveness, they would indeed have found Allah All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate. (65) But no, by your Lord, they cannot become true believers until they seek your arbitration in all matters on which they disagree among themselves, and then do not find the least vexation in their hearts over your judgement, and accept it in willing submission. (66) Had We enjoined upon them: “Slay yourselves,” or “Leave your habitations,” very few of them would have done it; yet if they had done as they were admonished, it would have been better for them and would have strengthened them; (67) whereupon We would indeed grant them from Us a mighty reward, and (68) guide them to a Straight Way. (69) He who obeys Allah and the Messenger – such shall be with those whom Allah has favoured – the Prophets, those steadfast in truthfulness, ▶
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the martyrs, and the right- eous. 56 How excellent will they be for companions! (70) That is a bounty from Allah, and Allah suffices to know the truth.
(71) Believers! Be ever prepared to encounter (the enemy); either advance in detachments or advance in one body (as the circumstance demands).57 (72) Among you there is such who lags behind, then if some affliction strikes you, he says: “Indeed Allah bestowed His favour upon me that I was not present with them.” (73) And if a bounty from Allah is given you, he says – and says as if there never was any affection between you and him – “Oh, would that I had been with them, I would have come by a great gain.” (74) Let those who seek the life of the Next World in exchange for the life of this world fight in the Way of Allah. ▶
56 This means that in the Hereafter they will be in the company of those blessed people. It does not mean, however, that any of them can ever attain the office of a Prophet by virtue of his righteous deeds.
57 This discourse was revealed after the Battle of Uhud when the tribes living around Madinah had been greatly emboldened by the defeat of the Muslims.
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We shall grant a mighty reward to whoever fights in the way of Allah, whether he is slain or comes out victorious. (75) How is it that you do not fight in the way of Allah and in support of the helpless – men, women and children – who pray: “Our Lord, bring us out of this land whose people are oppressors and appoint for us from Yourself, a protector, and appoint for us from Yourself a helper”?58 (76) Those who have faith fight in the Way of Allah, while those who disbelieve fight in the way of
