The Spoils of War (Al-Anfal)
Verses 74-75 GROUP_326 8.74-75
74
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَهَاجَرُواْ وَجَاهَدُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَالَّذِينَ آوَواْ وَّنَصَرُواْ أُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقًّا لَّهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ
Those who have believed and migrated and striven for the cause of God, as well as those who have given them refuge and support, are the true believers; they shall have forgiveness and an honourable provision.
75
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ مِن بَعْدُ وَهَاجَرُواْ وَجَاهَدُواْ مَعَكُمْ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ مِنكُمْ وَأُوْلُواْ الأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَى بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتَابِ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
And those who have believed later on, and emigrated and struggled for God’s sake alongside you are also a part of you. But as to blood relations, they are nearer one to another in the Book of God. God has full knowledge of all things.
No class discussions published for this verse group yet.
Commentary
(a) Having faith in God means deciding to lead one’s life purely for His sake. People who do so, frequently become strangers among those who live for things other than God. This alienation sometimes leads to the decision to migrate due to a wholly inimical atmosphere; one’s whole life thus becomes one of struggle and sacrifice. These migrants are the true believers in the eyes of God—their faith being of the highest order. Next come those who support these migrants in God’s cause. In order to become a real Muslim, at least one of the following courses of action should be entered upon. Either the potential devotee should attach himself to Islam to such an extent that, if required, he will forsake his well-established life. Or he should loosen his purse strings in order to come to the aid of those who choose to migrate. If necessary he should even invite them to share in his earnings and property. True faith will thus become a reality for people on their becoming either muhajirs (migrants in God’s cause) or ansars (helpers or supporters). These are the two kinds of people for whom, before God, there is pardon or forgiveness (maghfirah) and respectable sustenance (rizq karim). The Paradise of the Hereafter is an extremely refined world; it is a perfect world; and the people eligible to be settled in a perfect world should also be perfect. No human being can attain such perfection in view of human weaknesses. However, God has promised that one who fulfils one test out of the two tests mentioned above shall have allowances made for his shortcomings and, by His grace, will be sent to Paradise. Helping and supporting those who become brothers through religion is very important. However, this will not affect the rights of blood relations and the distribution of inheritance among them. Under the influence of personal desire, a man may treat some things as essential for his family members, but this has no importance in the eyes of God. However, God himself has laid down in His Book laws regarding the rights of family members and rules of inheritance applicable to them. These will in any case hold good, and nothing can become an excuse for violating them.