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Draft:Verse 7 of Sura Muhammad

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Verse 7 of Sura Muhammad
Verse's Information
SuraMuhammad (Qur'an 47)
Verse7
Juz'26
Content Information
Place of
Revelation		Medina
TopicJihad
AboutMutual assistance between God and the believers
Related VersesQur'an 22:40


Qur'an 47:7 assures the believers that if they aid God, God will, in turn, aid them. While this verse was revealed specifically in the context of Jihad (holy struggle) in the path of God, some exegetes have extended its application to encompass other endeavors, such as the spiritual struggle against the self, the striving to attain true faith, and the defense of divine values. Although God is inherently self-sufficient and independent of human assistance, "helping God" in this context is interpreted as supporting His religion, assisting Prophet Muhammad (s), upholding the Wilaya of Imam Ali (a), and striving to propagate the truth. In reciprocation for this support, God bestows victory in various forms, including the fortification of faith, steadfastness of will, the descent of angels, and the provision of both spiritual and material sustenance. Certain exegetes view this verse as a testament to the divine law of reward and punishment—proportionate to human action—and present it as a profound manifestation of divine justice.

Furthermore, Ali b. Ibrahim al-Qummi, a prominent Shi'a exegete, posits in his interpretation that this verse specifically addresses Imam Ali (a), asserting that God's victory is inherently realized through the Imam's (a) triumphs and his Wilaya.

General Content

Exegetes regard this verse as a continuation of the opening themes found in Sura Muhammad. It was revealed to encourage believers toward Jihad in the path of God[1] and contains an explicit divine promise of both victory and steadfastness.[2]

In Al-Tafsir al-kashif, Muhammad Jawad Mughniyya interprets this verse as an indication of divine support for seekers of truth and justice, emphasizing that God perpetually accompanies those who tread the path of righteousness.[3] This divine assistance operates as a sunna—an immutable law of God contingent upon human behavior: if humanity aids God's cause, God responds in kind with His assistance.[4]

Qur'an 22:40 conveys a similar message, affirming the absolute certainty of God's aid for those who embark upon His path.[5] Specific applications of this verse frequently appear in Shi'a narrations and exegesis. Al-Qummi notes in his exegesis that this verse was revealed specifically concerning Imam Ali (a).[6] According to another tradition, Imam Ali (a), citing this very verse, equated the abandonment of Jihad with the forfeiture of divine victory, regarding it as a transgression that provokes God's wrath.[7]

Helping God

The initial segment of the verse addresses the concept of believers offering their assistance to God.[8] Given that God is entirely free from any need of His servants and creation,[9] Qur'anic exegetes have interpreted "helping God" metaphorically, viewing it as the support of divine manifestations and paths. These include:

Furthermore, some exegetes have proposed mystical and esoteric interpretations. These include helping the intellect to perceive God, assisting the heart in accepting the Qur'anic verses, and enabling human thought to attain a deeper, more profound knowledge of the Divine. Strengthening oneself in the struggle against the carnal soul and its base whims is equally considered a vital instance of helping God.[14]

In a notable sermon from Nahj al-Balagha, Imam Ali (a) explicitly refers to God's absolute independence from the help of His servants. He states that the Qur'anic command to "help God" serves fundamentally as a trial to test the sincerity, faith, and readiness of believers, examining their willingness to translate inner conviction into decisive, outward action.[15]

God's Help to Servants

Qur'an 47:7 emphasizes that God's assistance to believers is inextricably linked to their willingness to assist Him.[16] This reciprocal principle operates as a fixed divine law, wherein the righteous conduct of the servants effectively paves the way for ultimate divine victory. Exegetes have enumerated various manifestations of this divine aid. The most significant among them include:

  • Increasing faith and piety (Taqwa) within the hearts of believers.
  • Strengthening the human will while instilling tranquility, courage, and fortitude.
  • Casting fear and apprehension into the hearts of the disbelievers.
  • Dispatching angels to provide support on the battlefield.
  • Orchestrating events in favor of the believers during Jihad.
  • Inclining the hearts of the populace toward the believers, thereby enhancing their social standing and popularity.
  • Elevating the impact of their words and profoundly blessing their efforts.[17]

Additional forms of God's support encompass punishing disbelievers through natural disasters, granting believers victory in theological debates, establishing a commendable reputation for the faithful within society, ensuring their ultimate triumph in the Afterlife, and assisting them in conquering their baser desires.[18]

Citing this verse, Sayyid Muhammad Taqi Modarresi asserts that the extent and quality of God's assistance depend directly on the magnitude of the servants' efforts in supporting the divine path. He argues that this reciprocal relationship profoundly reflects God's just and pedagogical interaction with humanity.[19]

Steadfastness

Following the explicit promise of divine aid, Qur'an 47:7 identifies "steadfastness" (thibat al-aqdam) as the secondary outcome of this divine victory.[20] Qur'anic exegetes offer diverse interpretations of this concept. One group views it as keeping believers resolute on the path of faith and Jihad—a vital form of inner strength and endurance against enemy threats that ultimately ensures stability on the battlefield.[21]

Other scholars interpret this segment on two distinct levels: in this world, it signifies steadfastness in strictly adhering to religious commands, while in the hereafter, it denotes the successful and secure crossing of the Bridge of Sirat.[22]

In his exegesis, Muhammad Sadiqi Tehrani defines steadfastness as the active preservation of achievements gained through victory against enemies—striving to sustain success and proactively prevent the resurgence of danger.[23] Alternatively, Sultan Muhammad Gunabadi, in Bayan al-sa'ada, regards steadfastness as remaining unwaveringly firm in the religion of Islam through the wholehearted acceptance of the Wilaya of Imam Ali (a). This interpretation implies that the fundamental prerequisite for standing firm and persisting on the path of truth is adherence to true Wilaya.[24]

Notes

  1. ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 21, p. 425.
  2. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 18, p. 229.
  3. ↑ Mughniyya, Al-Tafsīr al-kāshif, 1424 AH, vol. 7, p. 63.
  4. ↑ Qarāʾatī, Tafsīr-i nūr, 1388 Sh, vol. 7, p. 212.
  5. ↑ Mughniyya, Al-Tafsīr al-kāshif, 1424 AH, vol. 7, pp. 63–64; Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 14, p. 117.
  6. ↑ Al-Qummī, Tafsīr al-Qummī, 1363 Sh, vol. 2, p. 302.
  7. ↑ Al-Baḥrānī, Al-Burhān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān, 1415 AH, vol. 5, p. 57.
  8. ↑ Faḍlallāh, Min waḥy al-Qurʾān, 1419 AH, vol. 17, p. 188.
  9. ↑ Al-Yaʿqūbī, Min nūr al-Qurʾān, 1442 AH, vol. 4, p. 337.
  10. ↑ Al-Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 9, p. 149; Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 21, p. 425.
  11. ↑ Fayḍ Kāshānī, Al-Tafsīr al-ṣāfī, 1415 AH, vol. 5, p. 22.
  12. ↑ Faḍlallāh, Min waḥy al-Qurʾān, 1419 AH, vol. 21, p. 56; Bānū Amīn, Makhzan al-ʿirfān, vol. 12, p. 163.
  13. ↑ Ṭayyib, Aṭyab al-bayān, 1378 Sh, vol. 12, p. 169; Ṣādiqī Tihrānī, Al-Furqān, 1406 AH, vol. 27, p. 91.
  14. ↑ Ṣādiqī Tihrānī, Al-Furqān, 1406 AH, vol. 27, p. 91; Al-Sulamī, Ḥaqāʾiq al-tafsīr, 1369 Sh, vol. 1, p. 185.
  15. ↑ Al-Sharīf al-Raḍī, Nahj al-balāgha, Sermon 183, p. 268.
  16. ↑ Qarāʾatī, Tafsīr-i nūr, 1388 Sh, vol. 9, p. 67.
  17. ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 18, p. 229; Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 21, p. 426.
  18. ↑ Mughniyya, Al-Tafsīr al-kāshif, 1424 AH, vol. 7, pp. 63–64; Al-Sulamī, Ḥaqāʾiq al-tafsīr, 1369 Sh, vol. 1, p. 185.
  19. ↑ Al-Mudarrisī, Min hudā al-Qurʾān, 1419 AH, vol. 13, p. 217.
  20. ↑ Ṣādiqī Tihrānī, Al-Furqān, 1406 AH, vol. 27, p. 93.
  21. ↑ Ṣādiqī Tihrānī, Al-Furqān, vol. 27, p. 92; Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 18, p. 229; Faḍlallāh, Min waḥy al-Qurʾān, 1419 AH, vol. 21, p. 56.
  22. ↑ Al-Kāshānī, Manhaj al-ṣādiqīn, 1336 Sh, vol. 8, p. 333; Al-Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 9, p. 149.
  23. ↑ Ṣādiqī Tihrānī, Al-Furqān, 1406 AH, vol. 27, p. 93.
  24. ↑ Sulṭān ʿAlī Shāh, Bayān al-saʿāda, 1408 AH, vol. 4, p. 83.

References

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