strategy is weak.
(77) Have you not seen those who were told: “Restrain your hands, and establish the Prayer, and pay the Zakah”? ▶
58 This refers to those wronged and persecuted men, women and children of Makkah and of other tribes in Arabia who had embraced Islam but were unable either to emigrate or to protect themselves from the wrongs to which they were subjected. These helpless people suffered many kinds of persecution and prayed to God to deliver them from their miserable state.
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Al-Nisa’ 4: 78–9
But when fighting was enjoined upon them some of them feared men as one should fear Allah, or even more, and said: “Our Lord, why have You ordained fighting for us? Why did You not grant us a little more respite?” Say to them: “There is little enjoyment in this world. The World to Come is much better for the God-fearing, and you shall not be wronged even to the extent of the husk of a date- stone.” 59 (78) Wherever you might be, death will overtake you even though you be in massive towers.
And when some good happens to them, they say: “This is from Allah”; whereas when some misfortune befalls them, they say: “This is because of you.” Say: “All is from Allah.” What has happened to these people that they seem to understand nothing? (79) Whatever good happens to you is from Allah; and whatever misfortune smites you is because of your own action.
59 Were they to serve God’s religion and spend their energy in that cause, they would surely be rewarded by Him.
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Al-Nisa’ 4: 80–2
We have sent you to man- kind, (O Muhammad), as a Messenger, and Allah is suffi- cient as a witness. (80) He who obeys the Messenger thereby obeys Allah; as for he who turns away, We have not sent you as a keeper over them!
(81) They say (in your presence): “We obey,” but when they leave your presence a party of them meets by night to plan against what you have said. Allah takes note of all their plots. So, let them alone, and put your trust in Allah. Allah is sufficient as a Guard- ian. (82) Do they not ponder about the Qur’an? Had it been from any other than Allah, they would surely have found in it much inconsistency.60
60 The Qur’an itself is a strong, persuasive testimony to its Divine origin. It is inconceivable that any human being should compose discourses on different subjects under different circumstances and on different occasions and the collection of those discourses should then grow into a coherent, homogeneous and integrated work, no component of which is discordant with the rest. It is also inconceivable that such a work would be permeated throughout with a uniform outlook and attitude, a work manifesting remarkable consistency in the mood and spirit of its Author, a work so perfect that it would never require any change or revision.
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Al-Nisa’ 4: 83–4
(83) Whenever they come upon any news bearing upon either security or causing consternation they go about spreading it, whereas if they were to convey it to either the Messenger or to those from among them entrusted with authority, it would come to the knowledge of those who are competent to investigate it.61 But for Allah’s bounty and mercy upon you, (weak as you were), all but a few of you would surely have followed Satan.
(84) So, (O Messenger), fight in the Way of Allah. You are responsible only for yourself. And rouse the believers to fight, for Allah may well curb the might of the unbelievers. Indeed Allah is the Strongest in power and the Most Terrible in chastisement. ▶
61 This was a period of turbulence and upheaval and many rumours were rife in Madinah. Occasionally, baseless and exaggerated reports circulated and seized the whole city and its outlying areas with alarm and consternation. At other times some cunning enemy tried to conceal the dangers threatening the Muslims by spreading soothing reports. The common people were not aware of the far-reaching consequences of rumour-mongering. As soon as they heard something, they ran about spreading it everywhere. This rebuke is addressed to such people. They are warned against spreading rumours and are directed to convey every report they receive to responsible quarters.
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Al-Nisa’ 4: 85–9
(85) He who intercedes in a good cause shall have a share in its good result, and he who intercedes in an evil cause shall have a share in its burden. Allah watches over everything.
(86) When you are greeted with a salutation then return it with a better one, or at least the same. Surely Allah takes good count of everything. (87) There is no god but Allah. He will certainly gather you all together on the Day of Resurrection – the Day regarding which there can be no doubt. Whose word can be truer than Allah’s?
(88) What has happened to you that you have two minds about the hypocrites even though Allah has reverted them owing to the sins that they earned? Do you want to lead those to the Right Way whom Allah let go astray? And he whom Allah lets go astray, for him you can never find a way. (89) They wish that you should disbelieve just as they disbelieved so that you may all be alike. Do not, therefore, take allies from them until they emigrate in the Way of Allah; ▶
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Al-Nisa’ 4: 90–1
but if they turn their backs (on emigration), seize them and slay them wherever you come upon them.62 Take none of them for your ally or helper, (90) unless it be such of them who seek refuge with a people who are joined with you by a covenant,63 or those who come to you because their hearts shrink from fighting either against you or against their own people. Had Allah so willed, He would certainly have given them power over you and they would have fought against you. If they leave you alone and do not fight against you and offer you peace, then Allah does not permit you to harm them. (91) You will also find others who wish to be secure from you, and secure from their people, but who, whenever they have any opportunity to cause mischief, plunge into it head-long. ▶
62 This is the verdict on those hypocrites who claimed to be believers but also, in fact, had their affinities with a belligerent, non-Muslim nation; they were the ones who actually participated in acts of hostility against the Islamic state.
63 The exception here does not relate to the injunction that they should not be taken as friends and supporters; it rather relates to the injunction that the believers should seize and slay them. What is meant is that if a hypocrite takes shelter among an unbelieving people with whom the Muslims have an agreement he should not be pursued into that territory.
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