Women (Al-Nisa’)
Verses 58-63 GROUP_128 4.58-63
58
إِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تُؤدُّواْ الأَمَانَاتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُم بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَن تَحْكُمُواْ بِالْعَدْلِ إِنَّ اللّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُم بِهِ إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا
God commands you to hand back your trusts to their rightful owners, and when you judge between people, to judge with fairness. God’s instructions to you are excellent. God hears and sees all things.
59
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ أَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً
Believers, obey God and obey the Messenger and those who have been entrusted with authority among you. If you are in dispute over any matter, refer it to God and the Messenger, if you truly believe in God and the Last Day: this is best, and best in the end.
60
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُواْ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُواْ إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُواْ أَن يَكْفُرُواْ بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلاَلاً بَعِيدًا
Have you not seen those who profess to believe in what has been revealed to you and [to other prophets] before you? They seek the judgement of evil people, although they were commanded not to obey them. And Satan wants to lead them far astray.
61
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْاْ إِلَى مَا أَنزَلَ اللّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ رَأَيْتَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَنكَ صُدُودًا
When they are told, ‘Come to what God has sent down and to the Messenger,’ you see the hypocrites turn away from you.
62
فَكَيْفَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ جَآؤُوكَ يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللّهِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَا إِلاَّ إِحْسَانًا وَتَوْفِيقًا
How will it be when an affliction befalls them because of what they themselves have done? They will come to you, swearing by God, saying that they were seeking nothing but goodwill and conciliation.
63
أُولَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُ اللّهُ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَعِظْهُمْ وَقُل لَّهُمْ فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ قَوْلاً بَلِيغًا
But God knows all that is in their hearts; so ignore what they say, admonish them and speak to them in such terms as will address their minds.
No class discussions published for this verse group yet.
Commentary
(a) Every responsibility is a trust which must be properly discharged. Our dealings with everyone should be just and fair, no matter whether they be friend or foe. Even if the way of trustworthiness and justice appears to run counter to one’s interests and worldly considerations, one has to adhere to the path of justice and truth. Our gain lies in following not the dictates of the self, but the directives of God. If there are opportunities of forming the government, the Muslims must establish a proper Islamic government, but if such opportunities do not exist, they should concentrate on leading a religious life under the guidance of reliable persons selected from among themselves. Any differences between them should be resolved in the light of instructions given by God and the Prophet. Everyone does have the right to differ, but no one is permitted to defy a collective decision. Societal order and system are the primary needs of Muslim society. ( a) During the early period of Madinah there used to be two courts where judgement on controversial issues might be sought: one pre-dating Islam and controlled by the leaders of the Jews, and the other set up by the Prophet, established after the Migration. Those Muslims who were not ready to sacrifice their interests for the sake of religion and were aware that their cases were too flimsy to be awarded favourable decisions by the court of the Prophet, used to approach the court of Ka‘b ibn Ashraf, a leader of the Jews. Such an attitude is totally against the spirit of the faith. If an individual is unwilling to accept God’s judgement, and aspires to be favoured with a decision to his own liking, his claim to faith is false, whatever repertoire of beautiful words he may draw on to justify his stand. However, while avoiding confrontation with such people, efforts to reform them must be effectively continued.