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Draft:Verse 54 of Sura al-Ma'ida

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Template:Infobox Verse Verse 54 of Sura al-Ma'ida (Arabic: آیه ۵۴ سوره مائده) is a verse about the characteristics of the helpers of God's religion, among which being loved by God and loving Him, humility towards believers, and sternness towards disbelievers are counted. Constant Jihad against God's enemies and not fearing the blame of blamers are considered other characteristics of this group.

Verse 54 of Sura al-Ma'ida is regarded as containing a general law and a warning for Muslims: if any of you turns away from God's religion, it brings no harm to God, His religion, or the Islamic society; because God will bring forth a people in the future to support this religion. These people are a group with specific characteristics who are considered the true instance of Hezbollah (Party of God). Possessors of these characteristics are deemed worthy of Wilaya (leadership) over the Islamic society and creators of a human utopia.

Under verse 54 of Sura al-Ma'ida, relying on narrations, exegetes have expressed various opinions regarding the instance of the helpers of God's religion; Salman al-Farsi and Iranians, Imam Ali (a) and his companions, and Imam al-Mahdi (a) and his companions are among these opinions. Some exegetes have rejected the opinions that consider the instance to be in the era of the verse's revelation. Allameh Tabataba'i believes that the instance of the verse has not yet been realized.

A Verse about Helpers of God's Religion

Nasir Makarim Shirazi considers verse 54 of Sura al-Ma'ida to be about apostates who, according to the Qur'an's prediction, would turn away from Islam in the future.[1] According to Allameh Tabataba'i, the meaning of apostasy, based on the three preceding verses, is friendship with Jews and Christians.[2] In Makarim Shirazi's view, this verse seeks to state a general law as a warning to Muslims: if any of you turns away from your religion, it brings no harm to God, His religion, or the Islamic society; because God will bring forth a people in the future to support this religion.[3]

These people, referred to as "qawm" (people) in verse 54 of Sura al-Ma'ida, are a group[4] with specific characteristics who are considered the true instance of Hezbollah.[5] Possessors of these characteristics are deemed worthy of Wilaya over the Islamic society[6] and creators of a human utopia.[7] It is said that attaining these characteristics and being placed in the group of helpers of God's religion is a divine favor granted to whomever He wishes and is worthy.[8] The source of this gift and the identification of the worthy ones are also considered to be from two names of God: Wāsiʿ (All-Embracing) and ʿAlīm (All-Knowing).[9] According to Tabataba'i, verse 54 of Sura al-Ma'ida is regarded by many exegetes as an instance of foretelling the Ghayb (Unseen) in the Qur'an.[10] He has considered this verse as one of the instances of the Qur'an's Tahaddi (challenge) regarding unseen news.[11]

O you who have faith! Should any of you desert his religion, Allah will soon bring a people whom He loves and who love Him, [who will be] humble towards the faithful, stern towards the faithless, waging jihad in the way of Allah, not fearing the blame of any blamer. That is Allah’s grace, which He grants to whomever He wishes, and Allah is all-bounteous, all-knowing.

— يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللَّـهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَائِمٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّـهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

Characteristics of Helpers of God's Religion

According to some exegetes, characteristics for the helpers of God's religion have been enumerated in verse 54 of Sura al-Ma'ida:[12]

  • **First Characteristic:** God loves them.[13] Muhammad Taqi al-Mudarrisi believes that God's criterion for loving the helpers of His religion is the perfection of good qualities in them in the form of faith and righteous deeds.[14] In his view, the result of this love is being loved by other divine creatures and their obedience; because he is a true obeyer of God.[15] Relying on verses such as Qur'an 3:57 and Qur'an 3:32, Allameh Tabataba'i considers the requirement for being loved by God to be that this group is free from any injustice and spiritual filth, such as Kufr and Fisq.[16]
  • **Second Characteristic:** They also love God.[17] In Mudarrisi's view, the root of this love is that they know they must be grateful for the grace of their Lord.[18] In his opinion, they perform this gratitude through obedience to God and with willingness and choice; because their action stems from their love for God.[19]
  • **Third Characteristic:** They are humble towards believers.[20] The root of this humility towards believers is sought in the second characteristic: since believers are loved by God, they are also loved by the helpers of God's religion.[21]
  • **Fourth Characteristic:** They are stern towards disbelievers.[22] Allameh Tabataba'i considered the reason for this characteristic to be that the helpers of God's religion consider themselves too great to pay attention to the false glory of disbelievers.[23]
  • **Fifth Characteristic:** They constantly wage Jihad in the way of God.[24] In Mudarrisi's view, the Islamic society has internal problems and external enemies that must be fought against.[25] In his view, the helpers of God's religion are those who constantly fight against these problems and enemies.[26] regarding why Jihad is mentioned among various characteristics, it is said that the helpers of God's religion are in the position of defending God's religion, and Jihad is a characteristic appropriate to this position.[27]
  • **Sixth Characteristic:** They do not fear the blame of any blamer.[28] Allameh Tabataba'i considered this characteristic as an attachment to all the previous five characteristics and said that helping the religion will be accompanied by the opposition of the enemies of religion who seek to weaken the helpers of religion on this path by intimidation and blaming.[29]

Instance of Helpers of God's Religion

Under verse 54 of Sura al-Ma'ida, relying on narrations, exegetes have expressed various opinions regarding the instance of the helpers of God's religion. The author of Majma' al-bayan has formulated these opinions as follows:[30]

  • It is narrated from some such as al-Dahhak (d. 105/723-4), one of the Tabi'un exegetes, that it refers to Abu Bakr and his companions in the Ridda wars.[31]
  • Al-Suddi (d. 128/745-6), one of the Tabi'un exegetes, believes that it refers to the Ansar.[32]
  • It is narrated from Mujahid that it refers to the people of Yemen;[33] because the Prophet (s) said: "The people of Yemen have come to you with softer hearts, and faith and wisdom are from Yemen."[34] It is said that when this verse was revealed, the Prophet (s) pointed to Abu Musa al-Ash'ari and said: "They are the people of this man."[35]
  • Some have said that it refers to Iranians.[36] In a narration, the Prophet (s) was asked about this verse, and he put his hand on the shoulder of Salman and said: "It refers to this man and his compatriots."[37] Then he continued that if religion were hung from the Pleiades, Iranians would attain it.[38]
  • It is narrated from 'Ammar and Ibn Abbas that it refers to Ali (a) and his companions[39] who fought the Nakithun, Qasitun, and Mariqun after the Prophet (s).[40] It is said that this meaning has also been narrated from Imam al-Baqir (a)[41] and Imam al-Sadiq (a).[42] To consolidate this meaning, al-Tabrisi has brought corroborations from narrations (including the Hadith Khasif al-Na'l) and shown that at times Imam Ali (a) was described by the Prophet (s) with some of the qualities present in this verse.[43]
  • Ali b. Ibrahim al-Qummi considered this verse to be about the Qa'im (a) and his companions.[44] Narrations confirming this opinion have also been narrated in Shi'a hadith books.[45] Explaining al-Qummi's opinion, al-Tabrisi said: The first part of the verse is addressed to those who oppressed the Ahl al-Bayt (a), killed them, and usurped their right.[46] He continued to speak of the possibility of confirming this view; because the people whom God promises to bring must not exist at the time of the verse's revelation.[47]
  • That this verse has no specific instance and includes all those who possess these qualities until the Day of Judgment.[48]
  • Allameh Tabataba'i believes that the instance of the verse has not yet been realized.[49]

Criticism of Opinions regarding Instances

The opinions of exegetes regarding the instances of the helpers of God's religion in verse 54 of Sura al-Ma'ida have been criticized by some exegetes:

  • Allameh Tabataba'i believes that exegetes have spent lengthy discussions on this matter which distracted them from paying attention to the main teachings of this verse about the qualities of the helpers of God's religion.[50] In his view, the result of this negligence has been that they treated God's speech like the speech of others.[51] Despite this view, Tabataba'i accepts al-Tabrisi's opinion that the perfect instance of the helpers of God's religion is Imam Ali (a), but considering that he regards the description in the verse for a group not in the time of revelation, he does not see the qualities present in the verse matching Imam Ali's (a) companions.[52] He considers this mismatch applicable to other mentioned instances (instances related to the time of revelation) as well.[53]
  • Allameh Tabataba'i also does not accept the view based on the verse having no specific instance and believes that this meaning does not correspond to the appearance of the verse and is a kind of poetic and tolerant interpretation of the Qur'an.[54]
  • Nasir Makarim Shirazi accepts Imam Ali (a) and Salman al-Farsi being instances for this verse, but believes that tribal prejudices have influenced other instances related to early Islam;[55] an influence that causes individuals who have no merit and lack the qualities present in the verse to be counted as instances of the verse; he has mentioned Abu Musa al-Ash'ari as an example.[56]

Notes

  1. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 4, p. 415.
  2. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1393 AH, vol. 5, p. 382.
  3. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 4, p. 415.
  4. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1393 AH, vol. 5, p. 383.
  5. ↑ Mudarrisī, Min hudā l-Qurʾān, 1419 AH, vol. 2, p. 404.
  6. ↑ Mudarrisī, Min hudā l-Qurʾān, 1419 AH, vol. 2, p. 404.
  7. ↑ Mudarrisī, Min hudā l-Qurʾān, 1419 AH, vol. 2, p. 405.
  8. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 4, p. 415.
  9. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 4, p. 415.
  10. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1393 AH, vol. 5, p. 381.
  11. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1393 AH, vol. 1, p. 65.
  12. ↑ For example see: Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 4, pp. 415-416.
  13. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 3, p. 321; Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 4, p. 416.
  14. ↑ Mudarrisī, Min hudā l-Qurʾān, 1419 AH, vol. 2, p. 405.
  15. ↑ Mudarrisī, Min hudā l-Qurʾān, 1419 AH, vol. 2, p. 405.
  16. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1393 AH, vol. 5, p. 383.
  17. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 3, p. 321; Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 4, p. 416.
  18. ↑ Mudarrisī, Min hudā l-Qurʾān, 1419 AH, vol. 2, p. 406.
  19. ↑ Mudarrisī, Min hudā l-Qurʾān, 1419 AH, vol. 2, p. 406.
  20. ↑ Ṭūsī, Al-Tibyān, vol. 3, p. 556; Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 4, p. 416.
  21. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1393 AH, vol. 5, p. 384.
  22. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 3, p. 321.
  23. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1393 AH, vol. 5, p. 384.
  24. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 4, p. 416.
  25. ↑ Mudarrisī, Min hudā l-Qurʾān, 1419 AH, vol. 2, p. 406.
  26. ↑ Mudarrisī, Min hudā l-Qurʾān, 1419 AH, vol. 2, p. 406.
  27. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1393 AH, vol. 5, p. 385.
  28. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 4, p. 416.
  29. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1393 AH, vol. 5, p. 385; Faḍlallāh, Min waḥy al-Qurʾān, 1419 AH, vol. 8, p. 223.
  30. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 3, pp. 321-322.
  31. ↑ Ḍaḥḥāk b. Muzāḥim, Tafsīr al-Ḍaḥḥāk, 1419 AH, vol. 1, p. 331.
  32. ↑ Suddī, Tafsīr al-Suddī al-kabīr, 1414 AH, p. 231.
  33. ↑ Mujāhid, Tafsīr Mujāhid, 1410 AH, p. 311.
  34. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 3, p. 321.
  35. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 3, p. 321.
  36. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 3, p. 321.
  37. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 3, p. 321.
  38. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 3, p. 321.
  39. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 3, p. 321; Shaybānī, Nahj al-bayān, 1419 AH, vol. 2, p. 229.
  40. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 3, p. 321.
  41. ↑ For example see: Furāt al-Kūfī, Tafsīr Furāt al-Kūfī, 1410 AH, p. 123.
  42. ↑ For example see: Shaybānī, Nahj al-bayān, 1419 AH, vol. 2, p. 229.
  43. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 3, pp. 321-322.
  44. ↑ Qummī, Tafsīr al-Qummī, 1363 Sh, vol. 1, p. 170.
  45. ↑ For example see: ʿAyyāshī, Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, 1380 AH, vol. 1, p. 326.
  46. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 3, p. 322.
  47. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 3, p. 322.
  48. ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 3, p. 322.
  49. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1393 AH, vol. 5, p. 389.
  50. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1393 AH, vol. 5, p. 381.
  51. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1393 AH, vol. 5, p. 381.
  52. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1393 AH, vol. 5, p. 390.
  53. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1393 AH, vol. 5, p. 390.
  54. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1393 AH, vol. 5, p. 389.
  55. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 4, p. 418.
  56. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, pp. 418-419.

References

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  • Ḍaḥḥāk b. Muzāḥim, al-. Tafsīr al-Ḍaḥḥāk. Edited by Muḥammad Shukrī Aḥmad Zāwītī. Cairo, Markaz al-Turāth wa l-Buḥūth al-Yamanī, 1419 AH.
  • Faḍlallāh, Muḥammad Ḥusayn. Min waḥy al-Qurʾān. Beirut, Dār al-Malāk, 1419 AH.
  • Furāt al-Kūfī, Furāt b. Ibrāhīm. Tafsīr Furāt al-Kūfī. Edited by Muḥammad Kāẓim. Tehran, Wizārat al-Thaqāfa wa l-Irshād al-Islāmī (Muʾassasat al-Ṭabʿ wa l-Nashr), 1410 AH.
  • Makārim Shīrāzī, Nāṣir. Tafsīr-i nimūna. Tehran, Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyya, 1371 Sh.
  • Makārim Shīrāzī, Nāṣir. Tafsīr-i nimūna. Tehran, Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyya, 1374 Sh.
  • Mudarrisī, Muḥammad Taqī. Min hudā l-Qurʾān. Tehran, Dār Muḥibbī al-Ḥusayn, 1419 AH.
  • Mujāhid b. Jabr al-Makhzūmī. Tafsīr Mujāhid. Edited by Muḥammad ʿAbd al-Salām Abū l-Nīl. Egypt, Dār al-Fikr al-Islāmī al-Ḥadītha, 1410 AH.
  • Qummī, ʿAlī b. Ibrāhīm al-. Tafsīr al-Qummī. Edited by Ṭayyib Mūsawī Jazāyirī. Qom, Dār al-Kitāb, 1363 Sh.
  • Shaybānī, Muḥammad b. Ḥasan al-. Nahj al-bayān ʿan kashf maʿānī l-Qurʾān. Edited by Ḥusayn Dargāhī. Qom, Nashr-i Al-Hādī, 1419 AH.
  • Suddī, Ismāʿīl b. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-. Tafsīr al-Suddī al-kabīr. Edited by Muḥammad ʿAṭā Yūsuf. Mansoura (Egypt), Dār al-Wafāʾ, 1414 AH.
  • Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Sayyid Muḥammad Ḥusayn. Al-Mīzān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān. Beirut, Muʾassasat al-Aʿlamī li-l-Maṭbūʿāt, 1392 AH.
  • Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Sayyid Muḥammad Ḥusayn. Al-Mīzān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān. Beirut, Muʾassasat al-Aʿlamī li-l-Maṭbūʿāt, 1393 AH.
  • Ṭabrisī, Faḍl b. al-Ḥasan al-. Majmaʿ al-bayān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān. Edited by Sayyid Hāshim Rasūlī Maḥallātī & Sayyid Faḍl Allāh Yazdī Ṭabāṭabāʾī. Tehran, Intishārāt-i Nāṣir Khusraw, 1372 Sh.
  • Ṭūsī, Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan al-. Al-Tibyān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān. Edited by Aḥmad Ḥabīb al-ʿĀmilī. Beirut, Dār Iḥyāʾ al-Turāth al-ʿArabī, n.d.

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