Verses 51–54

Meaning of ‘Disease of the Heart’

The phrase: in whose hearts is a disease, clearly says that hearts become diseased; conversely it shows that they also may be healthy, because health and disease are opposite each other; if one is found in a subject, inevitably that subject is capable of accepting its opposite, like blindness and eye-sight. Don’t you see that a wall is not called sick because it does not accept the attribute of healthiness?

In all places where God ascribes disease to hearts, He describes such conditions and attributes of hearts, which prove that they have gone out of straight nature and deviated from right path. For example: And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was a disease began to say: “Allah and His Messenger did not promise us (victory) but only to deceive” (33:12). When the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was disease said: “Their religion has deceived these (Muslims)” ... (8:49). So that He may make what the Satan casts a trial for those in whose hearts is disease and those whose hearts are hard; (22:53), apart from other verses.

10:229In short, heart’s disease means its involvement with a sort of suspicion and doubt that pollutes the faith in God and removes confidence in His signs; it blends faith with polytheism. That is why such a heart experiences such conditions, and such a man commits such deeds as have affinity with disbelief in God and rejection of his communications.

Conversely, heart’s health and freedom from disease means its being steadfast in straight nature and its adherence to the right path; it leads man to sincerity in monotheistic belief and reliance on God, discarding all things to which his low desires are attracted. God says: The day on which neither property will avail, nor sons, except him who comes to Allah with a heart free (from evil), (26:88–89).

It is evident from above that those in whose hearts is a disease, are other than the hypocrites, as the Qur’anic expression in so many places shows: the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease. It is because the hypocrites are those who believed with their tongues and their hearts did not believe, while total disbelief is the death of the heart, not a disease. God says: Is he who was dead then we raised him to life and made for him a light by which he walks among the people, (6:122). Only those accept who listen; and (as to) the dead Allah will raise them, ... (6:36).

Obviously, the heart’s disease, in Qur’anic expression, means the doubt and suspicion that overwhelms man’s perception regarding God and His signs, which makes the heart unable to adhere to a religious belief.

Thus, those in whose hearts is a disease are the people of weak faith who listen to every loud-mouthed person; and like a weather-cock turn with winds; this phrase does not refer to the hypocrites who pretended to believe and kept their disbelief hidden, caring for their worldly interests, is order that they might get benefits from the believers—through their manifested belief—and from the disbelievers through their hidden disbelief.

Of course, sometimes the Qur’an calls them hypocrites analytically, because both groups in their inner selves are devoid of faith. It is separate from using the phrase: those in whose hearts is a disease, for those whom are unbelievers pretending to believe. God says: Announce to the hypocrites that they shall have a painful chastisement, those who take the unbelievers for guardians rather than believers. Do they seek honor from them? Then surely all honor is for Allah. And indeed He has revealed to you in the Book that when you hear Allah’s communications disbelieved in and mocked at, do not sit with them until they enter into some other discourse; surely then you would be like them; surely Allah will gather together the hypocrites and the unbelievers all in Hell. (4:138–40)

10:230As for the words of God in the chapter of “The Cow”: And there are some people who say: “We believe in Allah and in the last day”; while they are not at all believers ... There is a disease in their hearts, so Allah added to their disease. And when it is said to them: “Believe as the people have believed,” they say: “Shall we believe as the fools have believed?” ... (2:8–13); it goes on describing their double faced up to verse 20; and it gives a picture of their hearts’ journey from doubt in truth to its denial; and declares that in the beginning they were diseased because they wrongfully claimed to be believers while they were in doubt and had not believed yet; so God added to their disease, until they perished because they disbelieved in truth and mocked it.

God has explained that the heart’s disease, like that of the body, sometimes goes on increasing until it becomes deep-rooted and chronic and ends in perdition; it happens when harmful things are taken or done— which in this case is disobedience of God. God says: There is a disease in their hearts, so Allah added to their disease ... (2:10). And whenever a chapter is revealed, ... And as for those in whose hearts is a disease, it adds uncleanness to their uncleanness and they die while they are unbelievers. Do they not see that they are tried once or twice in every year, yet they do not turn (to Allah) nor do they mind? (9:124–6). Then God comments in a general way: Then evil was the end of those who did evil, because they rejected the signs of Allah and used to mock them (30:10).

God then says that the cure of this disease is to believe in Him; as He says in a general way ... their Lord will guide them by their faith; ... (10:9). Also He says: To Him do ascend the good words; and the good deed, lifts them up; ... (35:10). Therefore, if a heart-patient wants to cure his disease, he must repent and return to God; in other words, he must believe in Him and must practise good thought and good deed, as the above-mentioned verse alludes to it: ... yet they do not turn (to Allah) nor do they mind (9:126).

God has revealed a comprehensive statement on this subject in the chapter of “Women”: O you who believe! Do not take the unbelievers for friends rather than the believers; do you desire that you should give to Allah a manifest proof against yourselves? Surely the hypocrites are in the lowest stage of the Fire, and you shall not find a helper for them; except those who repent and amend and hold fast to Allah and are sincere in their religion to Allah; these are with the believers, and Allah will grant the believers a mighty reward (4:144–6). It has been explained that it means returning to God with belief, remaining steadfast on it and adhering to the Book and the Sunnah, and being sincere in all this.

10:231Commentary continues:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِۦ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِى ٱللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُۥٓ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ يُجَـٰهِدُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَآئِمٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ۝٥٤

5:54 O you who believe! Whoever of you turns back from his religion, then soon Allah will bring a people that He shall love them and they shall love Him, lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers, they shall strive hard in Allah’s way and shall not fear the censure of any censurer; this is Allah’s grace, He gives it to whom He pleases, and Allah is Ample-giving, knowing.

al-Irtidād literally means to turn back. In Muslims’ terminology, turning back from religion means apostasy, forsaking belief for disbelief, no matter whether that belief was preceded by disbelief or not. If an unbeliever accepts Islam and then apostatizes, he is called murtadd millī; if a born Muslim turns back from Islam, he is called murtadd fitrī. This terminology is either laid down by the shariah or by the Muslims themselves.

It may appear at the first glance that the turning back in this verse denotes the terminological meaning in which the Muslims use this word. As such the verse will have no connection with the preceding verses. It would be an independent verse showing that God might dispense with belief of one people replacing it with that of the others. But this likelihood is removed, when one meditates on this and the preceding verses. The verse in fact makes the believers remember that God has power that He should be worshipped in His earth, and He will soon bring there a people who would not turn back from His religion; they would adhere to it to the end. He says: ... therefore if these disbelieve in it, We have (already) entrusted with it a people who are not disbelievers in it (6:89). ... and whoever disbelieves, then surely Allah is Self-sufficient (independent) of the worlds (3:97). ... If you disbelieved, you and those on earth all together, most surely Allah is Self-sufficient, Praised (14:8).

10:232Such a sublime position does not demand more than paying attention to the basic theme, that is, appraising them that God would bring a community of believers who would not turn back from His religion. The other attributes that they shall love God and He shall love them, and that they will be lowly before the believers and mighty against the unbelievers, etc. are additional characteristics that have been described here keeping in view additional requirements of context and condition.

Looking at it from another angle, we realize that the said attributes are not without some connection with the theme of the preceding verses regarding befriending the Jews and the Christians rather than the believers. Taking them as friends rather than the believers, shows a certain inclination of heart towards them, a connection of love and affinity; and how could such a polluted heart contain the love of God as God says: Allah has not made for any man two hearts within him; ... (33:4).

This friendship would lead the believer to become lowly before the disbelievers and mighty against the believers and show haughtiness before them, as God says: ... Do they seek honor from them? Then surely all honor is for Allah (4:139).

Another concomitant of this friendship is that they would show laxity in fighting against those disbelievers and would shrink from jihād; they would not have any patience if they were deprived of any comfort in the way of God, nor would they be ready to cut off all social contacts with them. But God says: O you who believe! Do not take My enemy and your enemy for friends: would you offer them love while they deny what has come to you of the truth, ... If you go forth fighting in My path and seeking My pleasure, would you manifest love to them? ... (60:1). Further God says: Indeed, there is for you a good example in Abraham and those with him when they said to their people: “Surely we dissociate from you and from what you worship other than Allah; we renounce you, and enmity and hatred have appeared between us and you for ever until you believe in Allah alone”; ... (60:4).

Likewise, irtidād, in its literal meaning, or by analytical process, is applicable to befriending the disbelievers, as God has said in the preceding verse: and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them. Also He has said [in this context]: ... and whoever does this, he shall have nothing (to do) with Allah, ... (3:28); ... surely then you would be like them; ... (4:140).

The above discussion shows that the verse has some connection with the preceding ones; and it makes it clear that God’s religion does not need such people who are prone to fall into the pit of disobedience and befriend the Jews and the Christians, because hypocrisy has crept into their community, and now it contains a lot of people with diseased hearts. They sell religion for worldly benefits, and covet the fallacious honor and transient influence rather than the honor and power, which are reserved for God, His Messenger, and the believers. They do not care for the real felicity, which covers life of this world as well as that of the next.

10:233The verse expounds it by giving information about a future upheaval: If religion suffers from unsteady capricious behavior of these people of weak faith who prefer love of other than God over that of God, seek honor near enemies of God, show laxity in fighting in His way and fear blames and admonition of His enemies, then certainly soon God will bring a people who shall love Him and He shall love them; who shall be lowly before the believers, mighty before the unbelievers, and who shall fight in the way of God and shall not fear the censure of any censurer.

Although many exegetes were aware that the verse contains information of a future cataclysm, and spent much time on deciding whom the verse should be applied to; yet they did not take trouble to properly explain its wordings. As a result, they failed to correctly interpret the attributes mentioned in it. Consequently, they treated the divine speech just like a human talk which includes many a loop-holes and inaccuracies.

No doubt, the Qur’an uses the same words, which the Arabs did, and construction of its sentences is not different from the usual Arab style—in short, its oratorical system is the same as the Arabs of the time of revelation were familiar with. Yet it totally differs from other speeches in one aspect: When we speak, no matter whether we are eloquent or not, we base our talk on the meanings we understand, and our understanding is drawn from the social life which we have created through our human social nature. This nature usually passes a judgement in accordance with analogy. This opens before us the door of inexactitude and inaccuracy. We start saying ‘all’ in place of ‘most’, and ‘everlasting’ instead of ‘long lasting’. We take an analogical statement as unconditional truth; we confuse ‘rare’ with ‘non-existent’, and ‘a little’ with ‘extinct’. We unreservedly say: This is good, that is bad; this is liked, that is disliked; this is praiseworthy, that is condemnable; this is beneficial, that is harmful; this man is noble, that one is evil, and so on. We give unconditional judgement. But in reality it is correct only in some conditions, with some assumptions, in view of a few people, in comparison to some things only—but not unreservedly. However, we treat a few contrary situations as non-existent, thus showing a laxity in its perception and the judgement. This concerns those items, which actually exist independently. As for those things of which man is oblivious because of his limited perception of related matters, they are even more numerous. Therefore, whatever man speaks about and about which he assumes some knowledge and perception, is all based on inexactitude in some aspects, and ignorance of others. If we could comprehend the reality and then tried to apply that speech on it, we would find that it was merely a joke. Ponder on it.

10:234This is the condition of human speech, which is based on the knowledge acquired by man. As for the divine speech, it must be above such shortcomings, because God encompasses all things in His knowledge; and He says about His speech: Most surely it is a decisive word, and it is not a jest (86:13–14).

And it guides us how we should explain the divine words without attaching to it any condition when the said words are unrestricted and are not followed by any joint or separate condition; and this is how we should look at the attributes mentioned therein as they point to the underlying reason of the statement. When God says: He shall love them, then He shall not dislike them in anything and in any manner—otherwise He would have attached an exception. And when He praises them as being lowly before the believers, it implies that they would be lowly before them because of their belief in God, and they would remain lowly in all conditions and in all situations; otherwise it would not be a decisive word.

Of course, there are some attributes ascribed to a large group while in reality it applies to a select band from among them—when both groups are united in a way that justifies such usage. God says: And certainly We gave the Book and the Wisdom and the Prophecy to the Children of Israel, and We gave them of the goodly things, and We made them excel the nations (45:16). ... He has chosen you and has not laid upon you any hardship in religion; ... (22:78); You are the best of the nations raised up for the (benefit of) men; you enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong ... (3:110); ... that you may be witnesses for the people and the Messenger may be a witness for you ... (2:143); And the Messenger cried out: “O my Lord! Surely my people have treated this Qur’an as a forsaken thing. (25:30), apart from other verses which describe sociological attributes which are found in individuals and society. Such expressions are not based on any laxity; they are attributes ascribed to a part and the whole, to the society as well as to an individual, because of some relevance. For example, we have a handful of earth containing a gem; now we may say, there is earth in our hand; and equally truthfully it may be said that there is a gem in our hand, and the real purpose is to take that gem.

10:235Now, let us return to our original topic:

. . . O you who believe! Whoever of you turns back from his religion: As explained earlier, turning back from religion here means taking the Jews and the Christians for a friend. The verse, like the preceding one, is addressed to the believers. The main theme is to declare that the true religion does not need such people’s belief, which is polluted with love of the enemies of God. God has counted such friendship as disbelief and polytheism, as He has said: and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them. It is because God is the Guardian and Helper of His religion, and as an aspect of His help to His religion, He will certainly bring a people who will renounce the enemies of God, and love His friends and will not love any except Him.

. . . then soon Allah will bring a people: God has ascribed the bringing to Himself to confirm the meaning of His help to His religion. The context makes it clear that this religion has got a Helper, besides Whom it does not need any helper—and that is God Himself. The speech puts the help to religion given by these people vis-à-vis the national help sought by those who love God’s enemies. Likewise, the word, “people,” and mention of their attributes and related verbs in plural show that the people whose appearance is promised, will be a community not one or two individuals. In other words, it does not say that God will bring in every period a person who will love God and whom God will love, and who will be lowly before believers and mighty before disbelievers, and who will fight in the way of God and will not be afraid of the censure of any censurer.

Bringing of these people is attributed to God. It does not mean that He will create them, because there is no creator except God. He has said: Allah is the Creator of everything ... (39:62). Rather this bringing connotes that it is He Who shall arouse them to take the opportunity to help the religion; and shall enhance their honor by loving them and being loved by them; He will help them in being lowly before His friends and mighty against His enemies, and in fighting in His way and ignoring every censurer’s comments. Therefore, their help to the religion is God’s help to it through them and by means of them. Whether this promise is implemented at once or after sometime is all the same for God, although our mind because of its limitation differentiates between nearness and remoteness.

10:236He shall love them and they shall love Him: Love is unrestricted with any attribute or adjective; thus this mutual love is for ‘person’ only without any condition. They love God; it follows that they give preference to their Lord over anything else, be it wealth, honor, family, or other such things. They do not love anyone among the enemies of God; if they love any one, it is reserved for the friends of God because of the love of God.

As for His love to them, it means that they are free from every injustice, clean of every spiritual uncleanness, be it disbelief or sin. They attain this cleanness through divine protection, or through divine forgiveness resulting from repentance. It is because God does not love any injustice or sin as He says: ... then surely Allah does not love the unbelievers (3:32); ... and Allah does not love the unjust (3:57); ... surely He does not love the extravagant (6:141); ... and Allah does not love the mischief-makers (5:64); ... Surely Allah does not love those who exceed the limits (2:190); ... surely He does not love the proud (16:23); ... surely Allah does not love the treacherous (8:58); apart from other such verses.

These verses condemn all evils. When these evils are removed from man, as God’s love to him testifies, he will acquire their opposite virtues. After all man cannot be devoid of both characteristics; he must compulsorily adhere to this side or that.

In short, they are the true believers whose belief is not tainted with injustice, and God has said: Those who believe and do not mix up their faith with injustice, those are they who shall have the security and they are those who go aright (6:82). So, they are protected from going astray; and God has said: ... surely Allah does not guide him who leads astray, ... (16:37). Thus, they are under divine protection against every straying and are led by divine guidance onto His straight path. They because of their faith—confirmed by God—are guided to following the Messenger and total submission to him, as they have surrendered totally to God. God says: But no! By your Lord! They do not believe until they make you a judge of that which has become a matter of disagreement among them, and then do not find any straitness in their hearts as to what you have decided and submit with total submission (4:65).

When they shall reach that stage, then the words of God shall be truly applicable to them: Say: “If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you” (3:31) It also clearly proves that following the Prophet and being loved by God are concomitants and inseparable; whoever follows the Prophet, God loves him; and God does not love anyone unless he is a follower of His Prophet.

10:237When they shall follow the Messenger, they will acquire every good, which God loves and is pleased with, like piety, justice, magnanimity, patience, reliance on God, repentance, cleanness, and other such virtues. God says: ... then surely Allah love the pious (3:76); ... surely Allah loves the doers of good (2:195); ... and Allah loves the patient (3:146); surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in ranks as if they were a firm and compact wall (61:4); ... surely Allah loves those who trust (in Him) (3:159); ... surely Allah loves those who turn much (to Him), and He loves those who purify themselves (2:222), apart from other such verses.

If you search and ponder on the verses which expound the effects of these qualities and their concomitant virtues, you will come upon a great many good characteristics; and you will find that all lead to the conclusion that the people having those virtues are the heirs who shall inherit the earth, and for them will be the good end of the abode, as the verse under discussion (O you who believe! Whoever of you turns back ...) points to it; and God has stated it in a short but comprehensive sentence: ... and the (good) end is for piety (20:132).

We shall explain the underlying theme of this verse in another relevant place, God willing.

. . . lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers: al-Adhillah and al-Aizzah are plurals of al-dhalīl (lowly) and al-ʾazīz (mighty) respectively. It is an allusion that they should be gentle to the believers in respect to God Who is their friend and they are His friend; and should not pay any attention to the false honor which the unbelievers manifest and to which the divine religion does not attach any importance. God has guided His Prophet to this reality when He has said: Do not strain your eyes after what We have given certain classes of them to enjoy, and do not grieve for them, and make yourself gentle to the believers (15:88). Probably, the preposition ʿalā (on, over) has been used for adhillah (lowly) because it contains the meaning of love and compassion or of bending down, as has been claimed.

. . . they shall strive hard in Allah’s way and shall not fear the censure of any censurer: Fighting in the way of God has been especially singled out from among their numerous virtues because the context demanded it, as God has declared that He will raise them for helping His religion. The phrase: “and shall not fear the censure of any censurer,” is apparently a conditional clause related to all preceding sentences and not with the immediately preceding one (they shall fight in Allah’s way), although it is the safest interpretation in such constructions. No doubt, fighting in the way of God is often faced by censurers’ censure who warns the believers that if they went for jihād, they would be in danger of losing their wealth, lives, and would have to bear untold hardships and difficulties. But the same is the case of being lowly before the believers and mighty against the unbelievers. After all, the latter have, in their hands, worldly embellishments, desirable luxuries, and necessities of life, which the believers do not have. And if one turns away from those unbelievers, he invites censure of the censurers. Yet the true believers do not fear such things.

10:238The verse contains a prophecy of undesirable unseen events that were to appear in future, and we shall discuss them, God willing, under “A Qur’anic and Traditional Discourse and Discussion.”

Examining Narrations

(17) al-Suyūti writes under the verse: O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends: Ibn Ishāq, Ibn Jarīr, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abī Hātim, Abu al-Shaykh, Ibn Marduwayh, al-Bayhaqī (in his al-Dalāil) and Ibn ʿAsākir have narrated from ʿUbādah b. al-Walīd that ʿUbādah b. al-Sāmit said, “When Banū Qaynuqā’ fought the Messenger of God, ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy b. Salūl held fast to them and stood by them, while ʿUbādah b. al-Sāmit went to the Messenger of God, and renounced their covenant before God and His Messenger, he was from Banū ʿAwf b. al-Khazraj, and he had got a covenant with them just as they had got a covenant with ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy; so [ʿUbādah b. al-Sāmit] renounced them before the Messenger of God and said, ‘I love God and His Messenger and the believers, and renounce before God and His Messenger the covenant of these unbelievers and their friendship.’” (al-Durr al-manthūr)

(18) The same book says that it was about ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy that these verses were revealed: O you who believe! Do not take the Jews ... then surely the party of Allah are they that shall be triumphant (5:51 & 56).

(19) The same book says: Ibn Abī Shaybah and Ibn Jarīr have narrated from ʿAtiyyah b. Saʾd that he said, “ ʿUbādah b. al-Sāmit (from Banu al-Hārith b. al-Khazraj) came to the Messenger of God, and said, ‘O Messenger of God! I have numerous friends among the Jews and I adhere to God and His Messenger getting clear of the friendship of the Jews, and I love God and His Messenger.’ Then ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy said, ‘I am a man who fears lest a calamity should befall me, I shall not renounce the friendship of my guardians.’ So the Messenger of God said to ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy, ‘O Abu al-Hubāb! Do you think that what you have spoken of the Jews’ friendship is for you against ʿUbādah?’ He said, ‘Then I’ll accept.’ So God revealed [the following] verses: O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and Christians for friends ... and Allah will protect you from the people; ... [5:51–67].”

10:239(20) Again the same book narrates: Ibn Marduwayh narrates from Ibn ʿAbbās that he said, “ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy b. Salūl accepted Islam; then he said, ‘Surely there is a pact between me and Banū Qurayzah and Banu al-Nadīr, and I fear calamities;’ so he turned back and became an unbeliever. And ʿUbādah b. al-Sāmit said, ‘I renounce the pact of Qurayzah and al-Nadīr turning towards God, and I love God and His Messenger.’ Then God revealed: O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; So you will see those in whose hearts is a disease, hastening in them, [that is, ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy] ... Only Allah is your Guardian and His Messenger and those who believe, those who keep up prayers and pay the zakāt while they bow [that is, ʿUbādah b. al-Sāmit and the companions of the Messenger of God]. He [Ibn ʿAbbās] said [reciting the verse]: “And had they believed in Allah and the Prophet and what was revealed to him, they would not have taken them for friends, but most of them are transgressors [5:81].”

Author’s comments: This story has been narrated through other chains too. However, we have repeatedly explained that such “reasons of revelation” are merely the personal opinions of exegetes who have applied the stories to the verses that seemed somehow relevant. There are other signs in them that point to this fact. How could these stories have caused revelation of these verses, when they mention the Christians with the Jews, and there was no trace of Christians in the events of Banū Qaynuqāʾ nor in the affairs of Banū Qurayzah or Banu al-Nadīr? The Muslims had no dealing with the Christians in all those happenings. And there is no reason justifying their uncalled for inclusion in divine speech. There are many verses in the Qur’an describing the Jews’ condition in the happenings that had taken place between them and the Muslims. Also where it deals with the hypocrites’ meddling, it particularly mentions the Jews, and has not said anything about the Christians, as for example in the chapter of “The Mustering” and others. So how can we treat the mention of the Christians in these verses as uncalled for?

10:240Moreover, the tradition says that not less then 17 verses (5:51–67) were revealed about ʿUbādah b. al-Sāmit and ʿAbdullāh b. Ubayy. However, first of all, these verses are not inter-connected, so that it may be claimed that they were revealed at one go.

Second: There is among them the verse [of wilāyah]: Only Allah is your Guardian ... [5:55], and there are mutawātir traditions narrated by the Shīʾahs and Sunnīs that it was revealed about ʿAlī.

Third: There is also the verse [of balligh]: O Messenger! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord ... [5:67], and it has no connection with the narrated stories.

Apparently, the narrator looked at the story of ʿUbādah and ʿAbdullāh, and then found that some of the above verses have some relevance to it; so he applied the story to the verses. There can be no other explanation. However, the application was not done properly, as he put seventeen verses in place of three, just because they all speak about the People of the Book. (21) al-Suyūtī narrates, through Ibn Jarīr and Ibn al-Mundhir, from ʿIkrimah that [he said], “The verse: O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other, was revealed about Banū Qurayzah; when they committed treachery and broke the pact they had made with the Messenger of God, by writing to Abū Sufyān b. Harb, calling them and the Quraysh to enter into their fortresses. So the Prophet sent Abū Lubābah b. Abdu al-Mundhir to them in order that he might urge them to come down from their fortresses. When they agreed to come down, he pointed to his throat—meaning slaughter. At the same time, Talhah and al-Zubayr were corresponding with the Christians and the Syrians. And I have been told that some companions of the Prophet were afraid of being afflicted with poverty and indigence, so they corresponded with the Jews of Banū Qurayzah and Banu al-Nadīr, giving them news about the Prophet , [expecting] to seek from them loan and (other) benefits [afterwards]. So they were forbidden it.” (al-Durr al-manthūr)

10:241Author’s comments: There is no difficulty in (accepting) this tradition. It explains the wilāyah in the verse as love and affinity, and the preceding discourse supports it. If that was really the reason of revelation, then the verses are unrestricted and will also apply to other similar situations; and if the tradition is merely an application, then the case is clear.

(22) Majmaʾ al-bayān writes under the verse: O you who believe! Whoever of you turns back from his religion, then soon Allah will bring a people He shall love them and they shall love Him. And it has been said, ‘They are: the Leader of the faithful ʿAlī and his companions, when he fought those who fought against him— the nākithīn (pledge-breakers), the qāsitīn (deviators from the truth), the māriqīn (heretics).¹ It has been narrated from ʿAmmār, Hudhayfah and Ibn ʿAbbās; and it is also narrated from Abū Jaʾfar and Abū ʿAbdillāh.

Author’s comments: [al-Tabrisī] has written in Majmaʾ al-bayān after quoting the above tradition, “This statement is supported by the fact that the Prophet had praised ʿAlī, with the very attributes mentioned in the verse. He said about him when he called him to conquer Khaybar (after dismissing previous standard-bearers one after the other when they came back accusing the people of cowardice while the people accused them of the same), ‘Surely, tomorrow I will give the standard to a man who loves God and His Messenger, and God and His Messenger love him; repeatedly attacking, never fleeing; he will not return until God gives victory on his hand;’ and then he gave the standard to him.

“As for the attributes of being gentle with the believers and hard against the unbelievers, and waging war in the way of God, without being afraid of a censure of any censurer, nobody can deny that ʿAlī, fully deserved these virtues. His jihād against polytheists and unbelievers is well known, and everyone is aware of his striving in strengthening of Islam and helping the religion, as well as his gentleness before the believers.

“It is also supported by the warning given by the Messenger of God, to the Quraysh that ʿAlī might fight them after him. Ith appened when Suhayl b. ʿAmr came to him with a group; they said: ‘O Muḥammad! Our slaves have come to you and you return them to us.’ Thereupon, the Messenger of God, said, ‘You should desist (from such behavior), O people of Quraysh! Otherwise, God will certainly raise over you a man who will beat you on the interpretation of the Qur’an as I had beaten you on its revelation.’ Some of his companions said, ‘who it is, O Messenger of God? Abū Bakr?’ He said, ‘No; rather it is the repairer of shoes inside the room.’ And ʿAlī was (then) repairing the shoes of the Messenger of God.

10:242“It has been narrated from ʿAlī, that he said on the day of Basrah, ‘By God! The people of this verse were not fought against till today;’ then he recited this verse.

“And Abū Ishāq al-Thaʾlabī has narrated in his al-Tafsīr through his chain from al-Zuhrī from Saʾīd b. al-Musayyab from Abū Hurayrah that the Messenger of God, said, ‘Will come to me on the Day of Resurrection a group of my companions, and they will be removed from the hawd; so I will say, “O my Lord! My companions, my companions”; and it will be said, “Surely you do not know what they did after you, surely they fell back (from religion).”’”

What al-Tabrisī has written fits on ʿAlī. There is no doubt that he is the best example of the attributes mentioned in the verse; but there is a question about its application on the whole group who were with him in the battles of the Camel and Siffīn, because many of them had changed after that, while the words in the verse: He shall love them and they shall love Him, have come without any exception, and you have known its meaning. (23) Also al-Thaʾlabī says, “And it has been narrated that the Prophet, was asked about this verse, and he tapped his hand on Salmān’s shoulder and said, ‘He and his people.’ Then he said, ‘If the religion were fastened to the Milky Way, certainly some people from Persia would have got it.’”

Author’s comments: The comment mentioned above applies here also, except if it is taken to mean that they would be raised from his people. (24) al-Thaʾlabī goes on to record, “And it has been said that they are the people of Yemen. They are most gentle-hearted, mildest in temper; the faith is Yemenite, and the wisdom is Yemenite. ʿAyād b. Ghanam al-Ashʾarī said, ‘When this verse was revealed, the Messenger of God pointed to Abū Musā al-Ashʾarī and said, “They are his people.”’”

Author’s comments: This theme has been narrated in al-Durr al-manthūr, through several chains; and the preceding comment applies here too.

(25) al-Tabarī narrates through his chain from Qatādah that he said, “God revealed this verse and He certainly knew that a group of 10:243people would soon apostatize; when God took away His Prophet Muḥammad, most of the Arabs turned back from Islam except three mosques: people of Medina, people of Mecca and people of Bahrain. They (that is, the others) said, ‘We shall pray but we shall not pay zakāt, and our wealth shall not be taken by force.’ So Abū Bakr talked (with companions) about it, and it was said to him, ‘Surely if they had its knowledge they would pay it and increased over it.’ But he said, ‘No, by God! I will not separate a thing which God has joined; and if they refused (to give) a cord which God and His Messenger have made compulsory, we should fight them for it.’ Then God raised a group with Abū Bakr, and he fought on what the Prophet of God had fought on, until he captured, killed and burned into fire many people who had turned back from Islam and had refused zakāt; and he fought them until they agreed to pay zakāt, with humility and inferiority. “

Author’s comments: al-Suyūtī has narrated it in al-Durr al-manthūr through ʿAbd b. Hamīd, Ibn Jarīr, Ibn al-Mundhir, Abu al-Shaykh, al-Bayhaqī and Ibn ʿAsākir from Qatādah; and also from al-Dahhāk and al-Hasan.

The wording of the narrative clearly testifies that it is merely an application based on personal opinion. Therefore, the objections against previous narratives would also apply in this case. These battles contain many happenings and affairs, and among the fighters were people like Khālid b. al-Walīd, Mughīrah b. Shuʾbah, Busr b. al-Artāh, and Sumrah b. Jundab. History records about them in these battles and in later days such injustice and sins which do not leave any chance to apply to them the verse: He shall love them and they shall love Him. You should study history books and then ponder on the verse’s meaning, which we have given.

An exegete has indulged in such an exaggeration in this idea that he shows his astonishment on someone’s saying: ‘The verse is more clearly applicable to the Ashʾarites from Yemen than to those who had fought the apostates.’ We append below a gist of his comments:

“The verse is general and covers all those who helped the religion from among those good Muslims who had got the virtues mentioned in it; right from the believers during the time of the Prophet, to those who came after him; and it fits on all the previously mentioned traditions, like the one saying that it is about Salmān and his people (in spite of its weakness), and the one that it concerns Abū Musā Ashʾarī and his people, and the one that it is about Abū Bakr and his companions. However, it does not fit on the tradition which says that the verse is about ʿAlī, because the verse contains the word, people, and it is not used for one person, as it is made for a group.”

10:244This is the gist of his opinion. It only shows that he has treated the divine speech with its praising phrases, just like poetry in which the praise of the subjects is entirely based on imagination. Whatever the poet can imagine, he applies it to his praised one, without caring whether it was true or false, but God says: and who is truer of word than Allah? (4:122) Or he has taken it as our usual talk, which is generally based on laxity and carelessness; and whenever somebody objects on any such expression, we offer the excuse of indulgence. But God says: Most surely it is a decisive word, and it is not a jest (86:13–14). You have understood from the preceding explanation that if the verse is taken in its proper meaning with all the attributes that it contains, it will be clear that its application has not appeared yet. Read that part again, think over it, and then decide for yourself.

Even more astonishing is his comment at the end [that it does not fit on ʿAlī because the word people is not used for one person]: Whoever has mentioned ʿAlī, has said, “ʿAlī and his companions”; just as others have mentioned: Salmān and his people, Abū Musā and his people, and Abū Bakr and his companions. Likewise, the traditions about ʿAlī—and some have been mentioned earlier—speak about ʿAlī and his companions. No one has said that it was revealed for ʿAlī alone, so that it could be said that the verse’s wordings fit on a group, not on an individual.

Of course al-Thaʾlabī has written in his al-Tafsīr that it was revealed about ʿAlī. Also it is narrated in Nahj al-bayān (of al-Shaybānī) from al-Bāqir and al-Ṣādiq that it was revealed about ʿAlī. But looking at them in conjunction with other traditions, it becomes clear that these too mean ʿAlī and his companions who stood with him to help the religion in the battles of the Camel, Siffīn and the Khawārij.

Apart from that, there are a lot of traditions narrated through Sunnī chains that the verse: Only Allah is your Guardian and His Messenger and those who believe, those who keep up prayers, was revealed for ʿAlī although it uses plurals.

Moreover, there is another objection on the traditions of Qatādah, al-Dahhāk and al-Hasan: The verse: O you who believe! Whoever of you turns back from his religion, then soon Allah will bring a people He shall love them and they shall love Him ..., very clearly shows that there shall be an exchange and that God does not need these people who are present now; no matter whether the verse is addressed to those who were present at the time of its revelation, or to the combined group of those present and those not yet born. The aim is to declare to a group of believers that if they all or some of them turned away from the religion, God shall soon bring in their place a people He shall love them and they shall love Him—and obviously neither He does love apostates nor they do love Him—and who shall have such and such good characteristics and they shall help His religion.

10:245It is clear that the promised group shall be different from the people who were present at the time of revelation. But those who fought against the apostates so soon after the Prophet’s death were present at the time of revelation and it is they who were addressed with the clause: O you who believe! Therefore, the promise: soon Allah will bring a people He shall love them and they shall love Him, cannot be applied to them.

The verse runs on the line of the verse: ... and if you turn back He will bring in your place another people, then they will not be like you (47:38). (26) al-Nuʾmānī narrates in his al-Tafsīr, through his chain from Sulaymān b. Harūn al-ʾIjillī that he said, “I heard Abū ʿAbdillāh, saying, ‘Surely, the master of this matter has (companions) reserved for him; if all the people went away, God would bring his companions; and it is they about whom God, the Mighty, the Great, has said: ... therefore if these disbelieve in it, We have already entrusted with it a people who are not disbelievers in it (6:89); and about them He has said: then soon Allah will bring a people He shall love them and they shall love Him, lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers.

Author’s comments: This connotation has been narrated by al-ʿAyyāshī and al-Qummī in their books of tafsīr.

A Qur’anic and Traditional Discourse and Discussion

We have repeatedly hinted previously that when Qur’an puts too much emphasis on a certain topic, and imperatively asserts and goes to the utmost limit in affirming it, it gives an indication that the causes and factors that were then present would surely join forces to push man to the pitfalls of perdition and make him liable to the wrath of God. Look, for example, at the verses of interest and of the love of the kindred, etc.

This inference springs from the nature of speech. When a wise speaker gives a simple and easy to comply with order, and then goes to the extreme in emphasizing it; or when he addresses a respected personality in a way that such people are not talked to in that manner (for example, a divine scholar, deep rooted in self-denial and worship is openly admonished not to commit heinous debauchery), it shows that there is some hidden reason behind it, and that there lies ahead a great dangerous situation and an imminent perdition.

10:246The Qur’anic talks of this style were certainly followed by such events and happenings that confirmed that allusion, or let us say, prophecy; although those who heard the verse on the day of revelation probably were not aware of the hints and allusions it contained.

Look at how the Qur’an ordered people to love the Prophet’s kindred, and how it emphasized it until it was counted as the wage of messengership, and then see how the Muslims inflicted calamitous oppressions and massacres on his family members, to such an extent that if they were ordered to do such things they could not do more.

The Qur’an forbade discord and disagreement, and emphasized this prohibition to the utmost degree; and then the ummah was disunited and divided into so many sects that exceeded the disunity of the Jews and the Christians. The Jews had divided into seventy one sects and the Christians into seventy two, but the Muslim went to seventy three sects. This was only in matters of belief and theology; as for their divisions in social orders and political systems, etc., nobody can fully compute it.

The Qur’an forbids judging by what God has not revealed. It prohibited creating discord between various classes, and clearly told the ummah not to transgress the boundary or to follow their low desires, etc. In spite of all this emphasis there happened what we all are aware of.

This prohibition of taking the unbelievers and the People of the Book as friends did not fare any differently from other forcefully emphasized Qur’anic prohibitions. It may rather be said that no other prohibition in the circle of the branches of religion reaches near this forbiddance. Its importance was raised to such a level that God counted the friends of the People of the Book and the unbelievers as being one of them: and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; He declared that they are not from God: ... and whoever does this, he shall have nothing (to do) with Allah, ... (3:28); He warned them most forcefully, and said time and again: ... and Allah cautions you of Himself; ... (3:30); and we have explained under the verse that it indicates that what they had been warned of, was bound to happen without any change.

10:247If you want more clarification then think over the verses 111 and 113 of chapter 11 (Hūd): God has before that given the stories of the peoples of Noah, Hūd, Sālih and others and described the discord of the Jews in their books. Then He says: And your Lord will most surely pay back to all their deeds in full; surely He is aware of what they do. Stand fast then (in the right path) as you are commanded, as also he who has turned (to Allah)—Note that the address is to the community—and be not inordinate (O men!), surely He sees what you do. Now, ponder on the next verse: And do not incline to those who are unjust, lest the Fire touch you, and you have no guardians besides Allah, then you shall not be helped.

The verse is unrestricted and, therefore, the fire shall touch them in this world too before the next; and He has threatened them by the clause: and Allah cautions you of Himself; this touching of the Fire is explained in the verse: ... This day have those who disbelieve despaired of your religion, so fear them not, and fear Me ... (5:3). It makes it clear that what the believers were afraid of regarding their religion, until this verse was revealed, from the disbelievers, that is, the polytheists and the People of the Book, now they are safe from it; therefore, they should not fear them about their religion; rather they should fear their Lord. What were they afraid of regarding their religion from the disbelievers? It was because they were aware that the only goal that the disbelievers had before their eyes was to extinguish the light of religion, and to snatch away this precious commodity from their hands by any means available. They were under this apprehension before today; but revelation of the chapter of “The Table” brought a feeling of security to them, and their hearts became tranquil. Even so, they should fear their Lord, lest He takes away their light and deprives them of their religion.

It is known that God does not inflict any misfortune or punishment on any people unless they fully deserve it. He says: This is because Allah never change a bounty which He has conferred upon a people until they change their own condition; ... (8:53). Thus, He made it clear that His changing of bounty does not take place unless the people concerned deserve it, which is then followed by change of bounty. God has called religion or religious guardianship a favor or bounty, as He says soon after it: This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as religion.

If this favor is changed it is through their own agency. It is expected that they would go out of divine protection by cutting relation from Him, inclining towards the unjust people and taking the disbelievers and the People of the Book for friends. It is incumbent on them to fear God concerning their selves, —fearing His wrath which nobody can avert; He has threatened them of it in these words: and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people (5:51). God in these words has declared that He will not guide them to their felicity; and it is this felicity with which guidance is connected. Their felicity in the world means that they would live on religious tradition and general Islamic custom in their society.

10:248When the structure of this system comes down, its manifest bearings are disrupted, like enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, which had preserved its real meaning; general Islamic practices give way to disbelievers’ traditions; this un-Islamic behavior gradually takes firm roots and is permanently established—and this is the situation of Muslims’ society in these days.

Ponder on general Islamic behavior arranged by the Book and the Sunnah, which they try to establish among the Muslims. Then look at this corrupt behavior burdened over the Muslims’ shoulders today. Lastly think over the divine words: then soon Allah will bring a people He shall love them and they shall love Him, lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers, they shall fight in Allah’s way and shall not fear the censure of any censurer (5:54). Then you will realize that all the evils which have today encompassed our Muslim society, and have taken deep roots—that we had borrowed from the unbelievers and then it has grown and generated—are the opposites of what God has mentioned as the attributes of the people whose appearance He has promised. In other words, all our bad characteristics are encapsuled in the fact that our people today do not love God, nor does He love them, they are lowly before the unbelievers, haughty against the believers; they do not fight in God’s way and fear the censure of every censurer.

It was this degeneration that the Qur’an had read in those people’s faces. You may say that it was a news of the unseen which the knowing God had given the Prophet: That the Islamic society will turn back from the religion; it would not be the terminological apostasy; rather it would be a degradation for which God says: and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people (5:51); And had they believed in Allah and the Prophet and what was revealed to him, they would not have taken them for friends, but most of them are transgressors (5:81).

10:249God had promised to help them if they would help Him, and to weaken their enemies if the Muslim themselves did not strengthen and help them. He says: ... If you help Allah, He will help you (47:7); ... and if the People of the Book had believed, it would have been better for them; of them (some) are believers and most of them are transgressors. They shall by no means harm you but with a slight distress; and if they fight you they shall turn (their) backs to you, then they shall not be helped. Abasement is brought down upon them wherever they are found, except under a protection from Allah and a protection from men, ... (3:110–12). It is not far fetched to infer from the words: except under a protection from Allah and a protection from men, that they could come out of that abasement if they established friendship with people or if God gave them mastery over people.

Then God promised the Muslim society—and we have seen its condition—that He shall bring a people that He shall love them and they shall love Him, lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers, they shall fight in Allah’s way and shall not fear the censure of any censurer.

These attributes, which God has ascribed to them, are the very characteristics that the today’s Islamic society does not have. If you ponder on them, you may infer the detail of the evils, which the verse alludes, shall soon afflict the Islamic society.

Those evils are enumerated in a lot of traditions giving the news of the upheavals of the last days; they are narrated from the Prophet and the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt. Despite their great numbers, on the whole they are not free from the defects of interpolation and alteration; yet among them are traditions whose authenticity is confirmed by subsequent events and happenings. Those traditions are recorded in the books compiled by ancient scholars a thousand years or more before our time. Their authorship is established and people have been quoting from them during all that period.

Moreover, those traditions spoke about such events and happenings that had not taken place at that time, nor had the people in those days ever expected such things to happen. Therefore, we have no option but to admit their authenticity and accept that they have come from the fountainhead of revelation.

For example, al-Qummī has narrated in his al-Tafsīr, from his father, from Sulaymān b. Muslim al-Khashshāb, from ʿAbdullāh b. Jarīh al-Makkī, from ʿAtāʾ b. Abī Riyāh, from ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAbbās that he said: “We performed hajj—the Last Pilgrimage—with the Messenger of God, and then he took hold of the door of Kaʾbah, thereupon he (stood) facing us said, ‘May I inform you of the Signs of the Day of Resurrection?’ Salmān al-Fārisī, who was the nearest of all there, replied, ‘Surely, O Messenger of God!’

10:250“The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Verily, amongst the Sings of the Hour is that people will neglect the prayer (that is, will not pray at all, or will pray without fulfilling its conditions, or will not pray in the preferred time), and will follow their own desires (that is, desires will supersede the commands of God, they will follow only those rules which will appeal to them, and will leave other rules), and will incline towards their own preferences, and will respect the wealthy people (forgetting the Islamic criterion of honor, that is, piety), and will sell the religion for worldly benefits (for example, the greed of worldly riches will instigate them to go to such places where, they very well know, it would be difficult to observe religious commands); at that time the heart and soul of the believer will melt (from grief) as salt melts in water, because he will see the unlawful things (and actions) and will not be able to change them.’

“Salmān said, ‘And is this to happen, O Messenger of God?’”The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Yes, By (God) in Whose hand is my soul, O Salmān! At that time their rulers will be tyrant, the ministers transgressors, the leaders unjust and the trustees embezzlers.’”Salmān said: ‘And is this to happen, O Messenger of God?’”The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Yes, By (God) in Whose hand is my soul, O Salmān! Verily at that time evil will become virtue, and virtue will become evil; embezzlers will be trusted, and trustworthy people will be thought untrustworthy; and the liars will be authenticated, and the truthful one will be considered a liar.’

“Salmān said, ‘And is this to happen, O Messenger of God?’”The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Yes, By (God) in Whose hand is my soul, O Salmān! At that time, women will be rulers and concubines will be consulted; (it may mean the governments of the women and/or the domination of women over their husbands—so much so that the husbands will not, or cannot, ask them to remain within the limits of the shariah, leaving them free to go wherever they want in whatever clothes they like) and the children will sit upon minbars (pulpits). (It may mean that children will sit upon pulpit of the Prophet even though they cannot appreciate the sanctity of the minbar. Or it may mean that such people will ascend the pulpit who will not deserve such honor. The minbar was created for delivering the commands of God to His servants. Its only purpose was to enjoin good and to forbid evil, and later on the narration of the tragedy of Karbalā’ was included in it, because the fadīlah [superiority] and sufferings of the Ahl al-Bayt are important parts of religion. If someone wants to exhort others to do good, he must sincerely follow the shariah himself; and if he wants to forbid others from doing evil, he, first of all, must abstain from the sins himself. Unfortunately, nowadays anyone who can recite a few poems of Iqbāl or Rumī, and who is unrestrained enough to invent fadāil and masāib of the Ahl al-Bayt on the spur of the moment, is given the titles al-ʾallāmah, mawlānā and dhākir and is offered heavy fee to demonstrate his oratorical power, even if he shaves his beard, even if he knows nothing about Qur’an and Hadīth, even if he expresses his own opinions against the sayings of the Holy Prophet and the Imams [peace be on them all], even if he uses the pulpit to mislead the masses); and the lie will be considered as cleverness; and zakat will be (disliked) as fines; and the booty of war will be like personal property (or in present days’ context, public property will be squandered as personal property); and man will be tyrant to his parents and generous to his friend; and at that time comets will appear.’

10:251“Salmān said, ‘And is this to happen, O Messenger of God?’” The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Yes, By (God) in Whose hand is my soul, O Salmān! At that time woman will become a partner of her husband in trade; (it means, more probably, that she will help her husband in the shop, acting as salesgirl, accountant and what not); and the rain will be very hot; (its meaning is not clear yet. Does it mean radioactive rain?), and virtuous people will remain very sorrowful; and the poor person will be humiliated; at that time, the markets will come nearer; (it has already happened, thanks to the fantastic developments in the means of communications, like teleprinters, fax and internet. A man sitting in New York buys and sells in Tokyo). Then this will say. “I did not sell anything” and that will say, “I did not get any profit.” Thus, you will see none who is not complaining against God.’

“Salmān said, ‘And is this to happen, O Messenger of God?’”The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Yes; By (God) in Whose hand is my soul, O Salmān! And then it will happen that their rulers will be such people that if they talked, they would kill them and if they remained silent, they would confiscate their wealth, would put their honor under their feet and would shed their blood—and the people’s hearts will fill with fear; then you will not find anyone but that he would be afraid, fearful, awed and in terror.’

10:252“Salmān said, ‘And is this to happen, O Messenger of God?’”The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Yes, By (God) in Whose hand is my soul, O Salmān! Verily at that time some things will be brought from the East, and some things from the West, and my ummah (Muslims) will be dyed in them. [It means that un-Islamic behavior and character will be imported from the East and the West and Muslims will imitate those things and will be dyed in un-Islamic color.] Then woe be unto the weaker people of my ummah from them; and woe be unto those (un-Islamic agents) from God. They will not have mercy upon the little ones and will not respect the old ones; and will not pardon anyone who committed a mistake. Their bodies will be of human beings, and their hearts will be of Satans.’” Salmān said, ‘And is this to happen, O Messenger of God?’”The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Yes, By (God) in Whose hand is my soul, O Salmān! And at that time males will satisfy their lust with males; and females will satisfy their lust with females; and minor boys will be mounted upon like the women; and the males will liken themselves to females [that is, will look like females]; and females will look like males. [The clean-shaved faces and long hair on one side, and pants and bell-bottoms on the other are proof of the fulfilment of this forecast], and females will ride the saddles (that is, horses, cycles, scooters and motorcycles). So there will be curse of God upon those women of my ummah.’

“Salmān said, ‘And is this to happen, O Messenger of God?’”The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Yes, By (God) in Whose hand is my soul, O Salmān! Verily, at that time mosques will be decorated (by gold, etc.) as are synagogues and cathedrals; and the (copies of the) Qur’an will be beautified (with designs and golden colors, etc.); and the minarets (of the mosques) will be high, and the lines of the people standing in prayers will increase but their hearts will be hating each other and their talks will be different from each other, [that is, though the external show of religion will be on the increase, the spirit of religion will disappear. Even when they will pray together, the Islamic brotherhood and unity will be absent. They will hate each other; they will not speak with one voice.]’

“Salmān said, ‘And is this to happen, O Messenger of God?’”The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Yes, By (God) in Whose hand is my soul, O Salmān! At that time males will use golden ornaments. [In many marriages, bridegroom wears golden ring. I wonder why it is thought necessary to start the married life by defying the command of God. Will such wilful affront to religion bring the blessings of God and the Fourteen infallible, upon the newlyweds?]; and they (the males) will wear silk and (people) will use cheetah-skins.’

10:253“Salmān said, ‘And is this to happen, O Messenger of God?’”The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Yes, By (God) in Whose hand is my soul, O Salmān! And at that time “interest” will appear (everywhere), and people will deal with (the help of) backbiting and bribe; and the Religion will be suppressed, and the world (worldly affairs) will be raised (in importance).’

“Salmān said, ‘And is this to happen, O Messenger of God?’”The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Yes, By (God) in Whose hand is my soul, O Salmān! At that time, divorce will increase. And the hudūd (punishments of various crimes and sins prescribed in Islam) of God will not be established [that is, the penal code given by God will not be followed, as is the case nowadays]. But it will not do any harm to God. [It will harm them only; they will suffer.]’

“Salmān said, ‘And is this to happen, O Messenger of God?’”The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Yes, By (God) in Whose hand is my soul, O Salmān! And at that time will appear female singers and musical instruments [“will appear” means “will be openly used”]; and will rule upon them most evil of my ummah (worst people will rule upon the Muslims).’

“Salmān said, ‘And is this to happen, O Messenger of God?’”The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Yes, By (God) in Whose hand is my soul, O Salmān! And at that time the rich of my ummah will go to pilgrimage for recreation, and the middle class for trade [What about foreign exchange, gold, watches and radios?], and the poor to show off. Thus, at that time, there will be people who will learn the Qur’an for other than God [that is, for earning worldly benefits] and will treat the Qur’an as musical instrument [as is happening today in Islamic countries where the Qur’an is recited on the radios, not to make people follow the religious commands, but just to entertain the listeners].’

“‘And there will be people who will study religion for other than God [that is, for earning prestige or wealth, as is happening today when the main purpose of religious studies in many circles is to become a good orator, so that higher and higher fees may be demanded from the audience] and the number of illegitimate children will increase; and people will sing the Qur’an, and will fall upon one another in greed of the worldly (riches).’

“Salmān said, ‘And is this to happen, O Messenger of God?’”The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Yes, By (God) in Whose hand is my soul, O Salmān! This will happen when honors will be defiled, and sins will be committed, and the evil people will have authority upon good people, and falsehood will be prevalent, and disputes will appear [talks will be full of obstinacy], and poverty will be wide-spread and people will be proud of their clothes [fine clothes will be the criterion of greatness], and there will be rains at wrong times; and they will like chess and gambling apparatus and musical instruments; and will dislike enjoining the good and forbidding the evil; so much so that the (true) believer will, at that time have less respect than a slave-girl; and the reciters (of the Qur’an) and those who spend their time in worshipping God will blame each other.

10:254[Mudslinging amongst apparently religious people is not an uncommon sight nowadays.] Those are the people who will be called unclean and filthy in the kingdom of heavens.’

“Salmān said, ‘And is this to happen, O Messenger of God?’” The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Yes, By (God) in Whose hand is my soul, O Salmān! At that time the rich will not fear (anything) except the poor so much so that a beggar will continue begging between two Fridays and will not find anyone putting anything in his hands.’

“Salmān said, ‘And is this to happen, O Messenger of God?’” The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Yes, By (God) in Whose hand is my soul, O Salmān! At that time will talk Ruwaybidah.’” Salman asked, ‘And what is Ruwaybidah? O Messenger of God, may my father and mother be made your ransom!’

“The Holy Prophet, said, ‘Such persons will talk about public affairs who had not talked in such matter before. Then in a short time chaos will appear upon earth, and every nation will think that chaos was only in their land [but it will cover the whole world].

“‘They will remain in that condition so long as God would wish them to remain; then the earth will throw out the pieces of its heart—gold, silver and other minerals’—(Then the Holy Prophet pointed towards the pillars, and said) ‘like these (in size), but on that day neither gold nor silver will be of any benefit to anyone. And this is the meaning of the words of God: So surely did come its (that is, qiyāmah’s) Signs [47:18].’” (Bihār al-anwār, vol.3). (27) [al-Kulaynī] narrates in al-Rawdat al-Kāfī, from Muḥammad b. Yahyā, from Ahmad b. Muḥammad, from some of his companions. Also ʿAlī b. Ibraḥīm narrates from his father, from Ibn Abī ʿUmayr; both from Muḥammad b. Abī Hamzah, from Humrān that he said: “Abū ʿAbdillāh, said—when it was mentioned before him about those (in power), and the bad condition of the Shīʾahs near them—‘I (once) went with Abū Jaʾfar al-Mansūr, and he was in his procession. He was on a horse, and before him and behind him were many horses [that is, riders]; and I was at his side on a donkey. So he said to me, “O Abū ʿAbdillāh! It were proper if you had been glad at the power God had given us and the honor He had opened to us; and you should not tell people that you and your family have more right for this affair [that is, caliphate] than we have—thus inciting us against yourself and them.”’”He (the Imam), said, ‘So I told him, “Whoever has brought it to you from me is a liar.” He said to me, “Do you swear [by God] for what you have said?” ‘ He (the Imam) said, ‘I said, “Surely the people are enchanters, that is, they desire to turn your heart against me, therefore you should not listen to them, because we have more need of you than you have of us.” Then he (al-Mansūr) said, “Do you remember the day I asked you, ‘Is there any kingdom (decreed) for us?’ And you said, ‘Yes. Long, wide, strong; you will continue in respite in your affair and spaciousness in your world, until you afflict us with a sacred blood in a sacred month in a sacred town?’” ‘ He [the Imam) said, ‘So I knew that he has memorized the hadīth, and I said, “May be God will suffice you, because I had not said it particularly for you, it was only a hadīth which I had narrated, then may be some other person from your family would do it.” So he became silent.

10:255“‘When I returned to my residence, one of our followers came to me and said, “May I be made your ransom! By God! I saw you in the procession of Abū Jaʾfar; you rode a donkey and he was on a horse, and he talked to you looking down on you as you were under him. So I thought in my mind: ‘He is the God’s proof on the creation, and the master of this authority who is followed, while this other one commits oppression, murders the children of the prophets and indulges in bloodshed in the earth which God does not love; and yet he is in his procession and you are on a donkey.’ This created such a doubt in my heart that I was afraid about my religion and my life.”

“The Imam, said, ‘I said to him, “Had you seen the angels who were around me, before and behind me, and on my right and left, you would have looked at him and his splendor with disdain.” Then (the follower) said, “Now I am satisfied.”

“‘Then he asked, “Up to how long will they continue to rule? When will release from them come?” I said, “Don’t you know that there is a (fixed) term for everything?” He said, “Yes.” Then I said, “Will it benefit you to know that when this thing came it would be quicker than the twinkling of an eye? If you were to know what and how was their condition before God, the Mighty the Great, you would most forcefully hate them; and if you and all the inhabitants of the earth were to strive to make them enter into the most serious sin they do, they would not be able to do so. So the Satan should not unsettle you, because honor is only for Allah, and His Messenger, and the believers, but the hypocrites do not know. Don’t you know that whoever waits for our affair (power), and remains patient on what he experiences of harm and fear, he will be tomorrow in our group?’’’”

10:256So when you see:

• that truth has died and truthful people have gone;that oppression has encompassed towns;

• that the Qur’an has become old and such things have been innovated in it, which were not therein, and it is interpreted according to desires;

• that religion has retreated as water goes back in its hole;

• that people of falsity tower over people of truth;

• that evil is manifested, and not forbidden; and evil men are absolved from guilt;

• that sin is wide-spread;

• that men content themselves with men, and women with women; - that the believer is silent, his words are not accepted;

• that the sinner speaks untruth and his falsity and lie is not rebutted;

• that the younger looks at the elder with disdain;

• that relationships are cut off;

• that the one who is praised for sin, laughs at it and does not refute it;

• that a boy offers what a woman offers;

• that women marry women;

• that praise has increased;

• that man spends wealth in other than God’s obedience and he is not forbidden nor his hand caught;

• that an onlooker seeks protection of God from the endeavours of a believer;

• that neighbor troubles his neighbor and nobody stops him; - that the unbeliever is glad with the condition he sees the believer in, happy on the mischief he sees in the earth;

• that intoxicants are drunk openly and gather on it those who do not fear God, the Mighty the Great;

• that enjoiner of good is humiliated;

• that sinner (committing) what God does not like, is powerful, praised;

• that people of Qur’an and hadīth are disdained, and so is the one who loves them;

• that the path of good is closed; and the path of evil well-trodden; - that the House of God is abandoned and order is given to leave it;

• that man says what he does not do;

• that man are desirous of men and women of women;

• that a man lives on the earning of his posterior, and a woman on - that of her vulva;

• that women hold gatherings [of amusements] like men;

• that femininity has appeared in the Children of ʿAbbās, they use hair-dye and comb (their hair) as a woman combs [that is, makes herself up] for her husband;

• that men are given wealth for their genitals, people vie with each other for a man, and jealousy is shown about men;

• that a wealthy person is more honored than a believer;

• that interest is openly [taken and given], without any shame; - that women get praised for fornication;

• that woman cajoles her husband to establish sexual relations with men;

• that most of the people—and the best household—are those who help (their) women in their sins;

• that the believer is sorrowful, humiliated and disdained;

• that innovations and fornication are wide-spread;

• that people give credence to false witnesses;

• that unlawful is made lawful, and lawful is made unlawful; - that religion is [explained] by opinion, and the Book and its laws are suspended;

• that people do not wait for night [to commit their debaucheries] because of their boldness against God;

• that a believer has no power to negate (an evil) except in his heart;

• that a great many wealth is used in [things that bring] the wrath of God, the Sublime, the Mighty;

• that the rulers bring the disbelievers nearer to themselves and keep the good people at distance;

• that the (rulers and) judges take bribe for judgement;

• that rulership is given to whoever increases his bid;

• that women of prohibited degrees are married, and are thought sufficient;

• that man is killed on suspicion and on insinuation;

• that man shows jealousy for man and spends his soul and wealth on him;

• that man is put to shame for his going to the women;

• that man eats from his wife’s earning through debauchery—he knows it and stands for it;

• that a woman subdues her husband, and does what he does not want, and spends on her husband;

• that a man leases his wife or maid on hire, and is pleased with food and drink of inferior quality;

• that too much of false oaths are sworn in the name of God, the Sublime, the Mighty;

• that gambling is widespread, and intoxicant is openly sold, without any hindrance;

• that women offer themselves to the unbelievers;

• that (instruments of) amusements have spread, people pass by them but no one stops anyone, nor anyone dares to stop them; - that a noble person is humiliated by someone whose power people are afraid of;

• that nearest person to the rulers is the one who is praised for abusing us, the Ahl al-Bayt;

• that the one who loves us is accused of lying and his evidence is rejected;

• that people compete with one another in falsehood;

• that listening to the Qur’an has become a burden for the people; while listening to falsehood is (considered) refreshing;

• that a neighbor shows respect to his neighbor for fear of his tongue;

• that the divinely prescribed punishments are suspended; and deeds are (done) according to desires;

• that mosques are embellished;

• that the most truthful man in the eyes of the people is the onew ho is a liar, calumniator;

• that evil has gained ground as well as hastening with slander; - that wrong has spread;

• that backbiting is enjoyed and people greet each other with it; - that hajj and jihād are sought for other than God;

• that the sultān humiliates a believer to please a disbeliever; - that ruin is changed to structure;

• that man earns his livelihood by giving short measure and weight;

• that bloodshed is considered unimportant;

• that man seeks leadership for the sake of the world; and makes himself notorious for evil tongue in order that he is feared and entrusted with the affairs;

• that prayer is disdained;

• that man has a lot of wealth, which he has not paid zakāt of since he became its owner;

• that dead body is exhumed from its grave, is troubled and its shroud is sold;

• that disturbance has increased;

• that a man remains intoxicated in evenings and mornings, without caring for the people’s condition;

• that cattle are abused sexually;

• that cattle gore one another;

• that man goes to his place of prayer and returns without any of his clothes on him;

• that people’s hearts have become hard and their eyes are dry, and remembrance (of God) weights heavily on them;

• that unlawful earning is spread and vied for;

• that one prays to show the people;

• that a faqīh learns jurisprudence for other than religion, seeking the world and leadership;

• that people attach themselves to whoever gains ascendancy; - that one who seeks his livelihood through lawful means is criticized and put to shame; and one who seeks it through unlawful means is praised and respected;

• that in Mecca and Medina things are done which God does not like [but] no one stops them nor anyone puts obstacles between those evils and their doers;

• that instruments of amusements are openly used in Mecca and Medina;

• that if a man speaks some truth, enjoins good, and forbids evil, someone stands up to admonish him and says: ‘It is no concern of yours’;

• that people look at each other and follow the people of evil; - that the path of good and its way is empty, nobody uses it;

• that a dead body is shaken and nobody feels pity for it;

• that every year innovation and evil takes place more than it was before;

• that people and gatherings do not follow except rich ones;

• that a needy person is paid for being laughed at, and is shown mercy for other than God’s sake;

• that nobody is afraid of the heavenly signs;

• that people cohabit together like cattle; nobody forbids a bad thing for fear of people;

• that man spends a lot in other than God’s obedience, and refuses a small amount in God’s obedience;

• that disobedience of parents is wide-spread and parents are disdained; they (live) with the child in the most wretched condition, and he is glad if they are slandered;

• that women have taken possession of the kingdom and gained ascendancy over everything, nothing is done except what they desire;

• that a son slanders his father and invokes God against his parents and becomes happy on their death;

• that if a day passes for a man in which he did not commit a great sin—debauchery, giving short weight or measure, fornication, or drinking intoxicants—he would remain depressed and melancholy, thinking that, that day of his life was a loss;

• that the sultān hoards food stuff [with intention of increasing the price];

• that the money [God has given to the Prophet’s] kindred is distributed in wrong ways, and used in gambling and drinking intoxicants;

• that intoxicants are used for medicine, and are prescribed to patients and cure is sought in them;

• that all people are equally guilty of abandoning enjoining of good and forbiddance of evil; they do not consider it a part of religion;

• that hypocrites live in clover and the people of truth are in oblivion;

• that ādhān is given on wages, and prayer is led on wages;

• that the mosque is full of people who do not fear God, and have gathered there for backbiting and eating the flesh of the people of truth, and describe to one another [various kinds of] intoxicants; - that an intoxicated person leads the people in prayer without understanding anything;

• that intoxication is not disgraced, and when a man is drunk, he is accorded respect and is feared, he is left without punishment and excuse is found for his intoxication;

• that the one who eats orphans’ property is praised for his goodness;

• that the judges judge contrary to what God has ordered;

• that the rulers have trust in embezzlers for greed;

• that the rulers have allotted the inheritance to sinners who are audacious against God; they take [something] from them and leave them to do whatever they like;

• that the pulpits are used to enjoin piety, but the speaker himself does not do what he enjoins;

• that prayer’s times are given no importance;

• that sadaqah is (given) on recommendation, not for the sake of God, and is paid in pursuit of people;

• that people’s only concern is their stomachs and their genitals, they do not care what they eat and with whom they cohabit; - that the world is advancing towards them;

• that the standards of truth have become faded;

10:25710:25810:25910:26010:261Then be on guard, and seek deliverance from God, the Sublime, the Mighty; and be sure that the people are under the wrath of God, the Sublime, the Mighty, and He is giving them respite only for something intended for them; so remain anticipating 10:262and strive hard that God should see you in a condition contrary to theirs. Then if chastisement is sent down to them and you are among them, you will hasten to the mercy of God; and if you are delayed, they shall be put on trial and you shall be out and away from the insolence against God, the Mighty, the Great, in which they are entangled. And know that surely Allah does not waste the reward of the doers of good, and surely Allah’s mercy is near to the doers of good [9:120 & 7:56].”’”

Author’s comments: There are numerous traditions narrated from the Prophet and the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt of these connotations. The two ahādīth we have quoted above are most comprehensive of all. Those traditions expounding the condition of the last days give a sort of detail of what is contained in the noble verse: O you who believe! Whoever of you turns back from his religion, then soon Allah will bring a people He shall love them and they shall love Him, lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers, they shall fight in Allah’s way and shall not fear the censure of any censurer ... (5:54).

And God Knows better.

(Chapter 5 continues in Eng. Vol. 11)