The Blog of aamsaafank

Maeda 51-53

51- YOU WHO BELIEVE DO NOT TAKE THE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS FOR FRIENDS AND ALLIES, THEY ARE FRIENDS AND ALLIES TO EACH OTHER, AND HE WHO TAKES THEM FOR FRIENDS AND ALLIES, HE IS ONE OF THEM, AND ALLAH DOES NOT GUIDE THE UNJUST.

52- YOU WILL FIND THOSE WITH A DISEASE IN THEIR HEARTS RUSH TO THEM, SAYING: WE FEAR TO SUFFER, THEN ALLAH MAY BRING A GREAT VICTORY OR SOMETHING ELSE FROM HIM, AND THEY WILL REGRET WHAT THEY THOUGHT TO THEMSELVES.

53- AND THOSE WHO BELIEVE WILL SAY: ARE THOSE WHO SWORE THE UTMOST BY ALLAH THAT THEY ARE WITH YOU?  THEIR DEEDS WILL BE RENDERED IN VAIN, AND THEY WILL BE THE LOSERS.

Historical back ground:

The Ansar of Medina used to have alliances with the Jews, which meant that they fought together is one of them is fighting with a third force.  Arab tribes relied on such alliances whenever there was a conflict with others.  These alliances also meant that when one Arab tribe fought another in Medina, Jewish tribes which were allied to Arab tribes fought with their allies, which mean that the Jewish tribes fought each other.

When Islam entered Medina and the Muslims of Makah and Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him migrated from Makah to Medina, a new situation was established.  The two Arab Tribes of Medina ceased to be enemies, but because allies because Islam united them.  The hearts of the Muslims in Medina had to be tested, and the test came with the first conflict between the Muslims and the Jews.

The conflict was with the Jewish tribe Bano Quinoqa, who were living in a fortified area of Medina.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him went to them and seized their village.  Allah’s messenger’s companion Obada Ibn El-Samet went to Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him and declared that he forgoes his alliance with the Jewish tribe.  In the mean time, Abd Ali Ibn Obi Ibn Salool went to Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him and asserted his alliance with the Jewish tribe and demanded that they leniency be used with them.

Allah the Highest is telling us in these Ayahs that we should never take the Jews or the Christians for close friends and allies, but only take the Muslims for allies and close friends.  There are reasons for this:

-         The Jews and Christians will never be sincere to the Muslims as the Muslims are to the Muslims.

-         The alliance of the Jews and Christians with the Muslims can only be tactical one, and will not hold once they have no benefits in this alliance.  However, the alliance of the Muslims to each other is a strategic and long term one, for we know that our destiny is together.

-         The alliance of the Muslims with the Muslims with the Jews and Christians may lead the Muslims to fight other Muslims when there is no conflict between the Muslim and each other, which is forbidden.

We should remember two things:

-         Not being allies with the Jews and Christians does not mean that the Jews and Christians living in Muslim states are our enemies, as long as they do not betray the Muslim and live in peace with them.  They were called the people entrusted to us.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Whoever kills a soul of the entrusted for no Halal cause, Allah will forbid his to smell the Paradise” (meaning he will not get even close to the Paradise).  (B:Jezya;5 & D:Jehad;153 & T:Dyat;11 & A:5;36)

-         We should be good to the Jews and Christians who did not fight us, or did not help to fight us, or to get the Muslims out of their homes.  Allah the Highest said: “ALLAH DOES NOT FORBID YOU FROM BEING GOOD AND JUST TO THOSE WHO DID NOT FIGHT YOU IN YOUR RELIGION OR GET YOU OUT OF YOUR HOMES, FOR ALLAH LOVES  THE JUST * BUT ALLAH FORBIDS YOU FROM BEING ALLIES TO THOSE WHO FOUGHT YOU IN YOUR RELIGION OR GOT YOU OUT OF YOUR HOMES OR HELPED TO GET YOU OUT, AS FOR THOSE WHO BECOME THEIR ALLIES, THEY ARE THE UNJUST”.  (S:60 A:8-9)

The Muslims should look at themselves very carefully, first as states, and second as people.  We see Muslim States which form alliances with non-Muslim states, who fight us in our religion and get Muslims out of their homes as well as kill them, in various parts of the world. 

We also do the same on individual basis.  The Muslim has a right on the other Muslims, and if a Muslim is doing wrong, his right upon the others is to be told and corrected, not to leave him astray, or to help others against him.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Support your brother, whether he is unjust or suffer injustice”.  The Muslims said: “We support his having suffered injustice, but how do we support him when unjust?”  He said: “By restraining his hand”.

This is because the Muslims are like one body, whenever an organ suffers the rest of the body suffers.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “The Parable of the believers in the love, compassion and sympathy for each other is that of the body, whenever an organ suffers, the rest of the body suffers loss of sleep and fever”.  (M: Ber; 66)

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him also said: “A believer is to another believer like a building, parts of which support the other part”.  (M: Ber; 65)

This is how the Muslims should be to each other, no less.

B: Bukhari    M: Muslim     Mal: Malek    A: Ahmed   D: Abu Dawood     

Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah            N: Nesae          T: Termezi  

Maeda 48-50

48- AND WE SENT UPON YOU THE BOOK CONFIRMING THE BOOKS SENT BEFOREHAND, AND SUPERSEDING THEM, THEREFORE JUDGE BETWEEN USING WHAT ALLAH SENT DOWN AND DO NOT FOLLOW THEIR DESIRES INSTEAD OF THE TRUTH THAT CAME TO YOU.  SUCH ALLAH MADE A LAW AND WAY FOR EACH OF YOU, AND IF ALLAH WILLED, HE WOULD HAVE MADE YOU ONE NATION, BUT TO TEST YOU WITH WHAT HE GAVE YOU, SO COMPETE FOR DOING THE GOOD DEEDS, TO ALLAH YOU WILL RETURN AND HE WILL INFORM YOU THE TRUTH CONCERNING WHAT YOU DIFFERED ABOUT.

49- AND JUDGE BETWEEN THEM WITH WHAT ALLAH SENT DOWN TO YOU, AND DO NOT FOLLOW THEIR DESIRES, AND DO NOT LET THEM TEMPT YOU AWAY FROM SOME OF WHAT ALLAH SENT DOWN TO YOU, BUT IF THEY TURN AWAY FROM YOU, THEN KNOW THAT ALLAH WANTS TO AFFLICTED THEM BECAUSE OF SOME OF THEIR SINS, FOR MANY OF THE PEOPLE ARE WICKED INDEED.

50- DO THEY SEEK THE RULE OF THE TIMES OF IGNORANCE, AND IS THERE ANY RULES BETTER THAN ALLAH’S RULES FOR THOSE WHO ARE CERTAIN.

Allah the Highest tells us about the status of the Quran in relation to the other books sent before hand “CONFIRMING THE BOOKS SENT BEFOREHAND, AND SUPERSEDING THEM”.  One will not find principle differences between the Quran and the Engeel, Torah or Zabor.  However with the Quran and Allah’s messenger’s teachings, they supersede the other books.  This is because they are the last and final complete message.  It is not a coincidence that very little is left of the other books.

The Quran is also the reference book.  As other books have been perverted, therefore what we find in other books agreeing with the Quran we accept, otherwise we do not.

“THEREFORE JUDGE BETWEEN USING WHAT ALLAH SENT DOWN AND DO NOT FOLLOW THEIR DESIRES INSTEAD OF THE TRUTH THAT CAME TO YOU”.  Here, Allah the Highest commands His prophet and commands us that should we deal with the People of the Book, judging for them or deal with them in any way, we should use and adhere to what Allah the Highest sent us of the Quran, and the Teachings of His messenger prayer and peace upon him. 

In Allah’s book, there is what Allah the Highest desires for us, and in we used otherwise, we have what we or some of us desire for ourselves.  Believers should never choose man made Laws instead of Allah Law. 

However many Muslims live in non Muslin countries where the Law of the land is not Islamic.  Indeed the law of the land is not Islamic in most Muslim countries.  We should obey the laws of the land in, if we can not apply Islamic Law.  However, when we can apply Islamic Laws in our lives, we should do so, without getting into serious conflict with the land.  Examples of these are Laws of inheritance, marriage, trading, etc. where we may apply Islamic Law without getting into conflict with the local laws. 

“SUCH ALLAH MADE A LAW AND WAY FOR EACH OF YOU” there are Laws in the Torah and in the Engeel.  These laws regulate our life on Earth.  They also show those who obey Allah the Highest from those who do not, for Allah the Highest said: “BUT TO TEST YOU WITH WHAT HE GAVE YOU”

“SO COMPETE FOR DOING THE GOOD DEEDS, TO ALLAH YOU WILL RETURN AND HE WILL INFORM YOU THE TRUTH CONCERNING WHAT YOU DIFFERED ABOUT”. 

Allah the Highest invites and commands us not to do good only, but to compete with each other in doing what is good and righteous.  This is because the result of this competition decides our rank and status in the Hereafter.  Allah the Highest said about the Day of Resurrection “THE PEOPLE OF THE RIGHT, WHO ARE THE PEOPLE OF THE RIGHT * AND THE PEOPLE OF THE LEFT, WHO ARE THE PEOPLE OF THE LEFT * AND THE FOREMOST, THE FOREMOST * THEY ARE THOSE DRAWN NEARER * IN THE GARDENS OF DELIGHT * A GROUP OF THE EARLY ONES * AND A FEW OF THE LATER ONES”.  (S:56 A:8-14)

These are the ranks of people in the Hereafter, which Allah the Highest will reveal for us then.

We are commanded whenever we can to use Allah’s Law, and rule in disputes using Allah’s Law.  We should not use other laws if we can, unless we live in a non-Muslim country, and we have to obey their Laws.  Those who do not want to use Allah’s Laws, are doing themselves injustice, and they will know that on the Day of Resurrection.  Allah the Highest lets them go astray, and have their way out of anger with them, Allah the Highest lets them continue on the wrong path.

Allah the Highest considers using laws other than His to be using the laws of Ignorance, while there are the laws of God, which provide the supreme justice.  This is particularly bad for those who say that they are Muslims.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Of people the ones Allah hates most are those who seek the ways of ignorant times, and he seeks the blood of another without a just cause to shed his blood”.  (Tabrani & Bukhari)

Maeda 46-47

46- AND FOLLOW THEM WITH JESUS THE SON OF MARY, CONFIRMING THE TORAH BEFORE HIM, AND WE GAVE HIM THE ENGEEL, IN WHICH THERE IS GUIDANCE AND LIGHT, AND CONFIRMING WHAT CAME BEFORE IT OR THE TORAH, AND GUIDANCE AND GOOD ADVISE FOR THE PIOUS.

47- THE PEOPLE OF THE ENGEEL SHOULD MAKE JUDGEMENT USING WHAT ALLAH SENT DOWN IN IT, AND THOSE WHO DO NOT JUDGE USING WHAT ALLAH SENT DOWN, THEY ARE THE WICKED ONES.

Allah the Highest followed the prophets of the Children of Israel with Jesus the son of Mary, peace upon him.  The Engeel was sent down on Jesus the Son of Mary, confirming and approving the Torah sent before.  However, the Engeel permitted some of the prohibitions which were in the Torah.  “AND CONFIRMING THE TORAH REVEALED BEFOREHAND, AND TO MAKE LAWFUL FOR YOU SOME OF WHAT WAS MADE UNLAWFUL FOR YOU”.  (S:3 A:50)

The Engeel has light which show us the way to Allah, as all Allah’s books do.  They are guidance to mankind and advising them as to the lawful and the unlawful.

However, those who are supposed to follow the Torah for being Jews, or follow the Engeel for being Christian, should follow their own books and their teachings before arguing with people from other faiths and criticize them.  They disobey Allah the Highest twice, once by not following their own books and second by not following the last messenger prayer and peace upon him.  In fact if they truly follow their own books, they would have followed Mohamed prayer and peace upon him.

It is a wicked act to not to let Allah’s rules rule our lives and to replace it with man made rules.  It is wicked to them first of all, for it ruins their life on Earth and in the Hereafter.

The Torah is the book sent down to the Jew and the book the Jews are supposed to follow.  They can be just if they do not follow their book, not among themselves or to other, whether this was before of after Mohamed prayer and peace upon him.  The same applies to the Christians and their Engeel.  They have to apply the rules of Justice Allah the Highest sent them in their books, otherwise they are unjust which Allah the Highest called them wicked.  This is the least people should do to show sincerity to in their faith, otherwise it is empty claims.

Maeda 45

45- AND WE ORDAINED FOR THEM THEREIN (THE TORAH) THAT A SOUL IS FOR A SOUL, AND AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A NOSE FOR A NOSE, AND AN EAR FOR AN EAR, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH AND THERE IS RETRIBUTION FOR THE WOUND, HOWEVER WHOEVER IS CHARITABLE WITH IT, IT WILL BE A RANSOM FOR HIM, AND THOSE WHO DO NOT JUDGE WITH WHAT ALLAH SENT DOWN, THOSE ARE THE UNJUST.

In this Ayah there is some the law of Islam regarding retribution for injuries which lead to loss of life and those leading to loss of life.

“A SOUL IS FOR A SOUL” Meaning that if one person kills another, the offender is to be killed.  There is no difference between a man and a woman, or a rich and a poor, or a free man and a slave (there is no slavery now) Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “The blood of the Muslims are equal”.  (Nesaey)

The retribution for wounds is to inflict a similar wound in the same organ, whether it is an eye, or nose, or ear or a tooth.  Other wounds in other parts like an arm or a leg, is to inflict a similar wound on the offender, but short of cutting the limb, or to take the ransom.

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him forbad the retribution for a wound by inflicting another, until the wound of the victim heals.  In fact
Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him used to encourage the victim to accept the Dya (ransom) for his wounds.  The victim Pardoning the offender, Allah the Highest will pardon the victim for pardoning the offender. 

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Whoever is wounded in his body and he leaves (the retribution) for Allah’s sake, it will ransom him (his sins)” (Ahmed)

And he said prayer and peace upon him also said: “Any man wounded in his body, and he is charitable (concerning retribution) Allah will pardon him by as much” (Ahmed & Nesae)

“AND THOSE WHO DO NOT JUDGE WITH WHAT ALLAH SENT DOWN, THOSE ARE THE UNJUST”

Judging between people according to one’s own or others law, is committing injustice.  This is because the basis of the judgement, which is the law, is unjust.

Judging is something we do every day, not only in court.  It is in all the dealings between people, we should observe Allah’s Law, the Sharea, particularly if there is conflict.   It is very bad to replace it with other laws, or customs.  This does not mean that our customs are bad, but if they are in conflict with the Allah’s Law, then it is unjust. 

Maeda 41-44

41- O MESSENGER, DO NOT BE SADDENED BECAUSE OF THOSE WHO RUSH TO DISBELIEVE, OF THOSE WHO SAID: WE BELIEVE WITH THEIR MOUTHS WHILE THEIR HEARTS DID NOT, AND THOSE WHO ARE JEWS, THEY LISTEN TO LIES, AND LISTEN TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN TO YOU.  THEY PERVERT WORDS OUT OF ITS PLACES, THEY SAY: IF YOU ARE GIVEN THIS, TAKE IT AND IF YOU DID NOT BE WEARY.  THOSE ALLAH WISHES TO TEMPT, YOU CAN NOT DO ANY THING WITH ALLAH ABOUT THEM, THEY ARE THOSE ALLAH DID NOT WISH TO PURIFY THEIR HEARTS, THEY WILL BE HUMILIATED IN THIS LIFE AND IN THE HEREAFTER, THEY WILL HAVE SEVERE PUNISHMENT.

42- THEY LISTEN TO LIES, AND TAKE ILL-GOTTEN MONEY.  IF THEY COME TO YOU, YOU MAY RULE OUT FOR THEM OR TURN AWAY FROM THEM, SHOULD YOU TURN AWAY, THEY WILL DO YOU NO HARM, AND IF YOU JUDGE, JUDGE BETWEEN THEM JUSTLY, FOR ALLAH LOVES THE JUST.

43- AND WHY DO THEY SEEK YOU TO JUDGE WHEN THEY HAVE THE TORAH CONTAINING ALLAH’S LAW, AND THEY TURN AWAY AFTER THAT, THOSE ARE NOT BELIEVERS.

44- WE SENT THE TORAH DOWN CONTAINING GUIDANCE AND LIGHT, THE PROPHETS WHO SUBMITTED USE IT TO JUDGE WITH FOR THE JEWS, SO DOES THE GODLY ONES AND THE SCHOLARS, BY WHAT THEY LEARNED AND MEMORIZED OF ALLAH’S BOOK, UPON WHICH THEY BEAR WITNESS.  SO DO NOT FEAR PEOPLE, BUT FEAR ME, AND DO NOT SELL MY AYAHS FOR A MISERLY PRICE, AND INDEED THOSE WHO DO NOT JUDGE BETWEEN PEOPLE USING WHAT ALLAH SENT DOWN, THEY ARE THE DISBELIEVERS.

Allah the Highest is telling His messenger prayer and peace upon him not to grief for the lack of faith of the hypocrites, for their belief was no more than words to be said.  The same applied to the Jews who condition their belief on certain things, such as Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him telling them what they want to hear.

The Jews of Medina at the time of Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him has a case of adultery, committed by two married people.  They had the penalty of the stoning to death in the Torah, however they changed the penalty to make it hundred lashes, blackening the face and riding a donkey back to front and being taken around with the black face, as a sort of public disgrace.  The Jews decided to seek Allah’s messenger’s opinion concerning this, as a test, if he agrees with what they doing then, they would follow him.

Malek, Bukhari and Muslim reported: “Some Jews went to Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him and told him one of their men committed adultery with a woman, he said to them: “What do you find in Torah concerning stoning?”  They said: “We disgrace them and flog them”.  Abd Allah Ibn Salam (was a Jewish scholar embraced Islam) said: “You lie, the rule concerning stoning is there”.  They brought the Torah and opened it, but one of them put his hand on the verse containing stoning, and read what is written before and after that verse.  Abd Allah Ibn Salam said to him: “Take your hand off” and he did, and there was the verse concerning stoning. Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him ordered them to be stoned.

It is reported that long before this incident, a man who was a relation to one of their kings committed adultery, and he was not stoned.  Soon after, an ordinary man committed adultery and his people would not have him stoned unless the king’s relation is stone.  They stopped the penalty of stoning altogether.

If they follow their own book, they would not have had to seek the judgement from anyone else.  Them seeking Allah’s messenger’s judgement was testing him, and not really seeking his judgement.  However, when we have to judge between people, whether they are Muslims or Jews or Christians, we should judge using Allah’s rules which are in the Quran.  Does not matter if this means that the Judgement is going to be for us or against us, Allah’s rules has to apply, for Allah’s Law should not used for our convenience. 

“SO DO NOT FEAR PEOPLE, BUT FEAR ME, AND DO NOT SELL MY AYAHS FOR A MISERLY PRICE”.   This verse applies to us more than any other Muslims before us.  Using Allah’s Law is not called fundamental and Fanatic.  Applying Allah’s Law is almost synonymous with terrorism to some people.  We should worry about our relationship with Allah, more than our relationship with other people.  Allah the Highest describes those who rule by other than Allah’s Law, when they have Allah’s Law to be disbelievers.

They might be people who pray regularly, and fast, do Hajj and give Zakah; yet they are called disbelievers.  Their rejection of an important of the faith, which regulates our lives on Earth and establishes how we should relate to each other, is almost a rejection of the Faith; hence Allah the Highest is calling them disbelievers.

Maeda 38-40

38- THE MAN AND WOMAN THIEVES; CUT THEIR HANDS, A RECOMPENSE FOR WHAT THEY EARNED AND A PUNISHMENT FROM ALLAH, FOR ALLAH IS EXALTED IN POWER AND WISE.

39- WHOEVER REPENTS AFTER THEIR TRANSGRESSION AND PUT TO RIGHT THE WRONG THEY DID, ALLAH PARDONS HIM, FOR ALLAH IS MOST FORGIVING AND MOST MERCIFUL.

40- DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT TO ALLAH BELONGS THE KINGDOM OF THE HEAVENS AND EARTH, PUNISHES WHOM HE WILLS AND FORGIVES WHOM HE WILLS, FOR ALLAH IS ABLE OVER ALL THINGS.

This is a clear command from Allah the Highest as to the punishment for stealing.  It is generally agreed to be the right hand.

The penalty for many crimes is meant to deter people from doing the crime, to have a safe society.  To be deeply rooted in people’s minds and conscious that this particular crime is very much looked down upon.  This certainly applies to theft.

This penalty of cutting the right hand of the thief is applied only in few places, mostly in Saudi Arabia.  I had the opportunity to visit Saudi Arabia Twice, each occasion for about 20 days.  I must say, that one does not worry about his belongings there, you leave your items in a place and come back to find it in its place.  What is more, people do not expect others to steal.  I remember an occasion when I went into a large Jeweler shop looking for things to by for my wife and daughters.  The man serving me, took out a number of trays of Jewelry, left them with me and went to serve another customer.  He was too far to see what I am doing with the jewelry, which was all of 18 and 21 ct gold.

Waiting for coaches to pick us up from one place to another, we would leave our luggage on the pavement where the coach is expected to come for us, and no one will stand guarding, and nothing was lost.  In fact the luggage might be left on the pavement unattended for 2-3 hours. 

The Penalty for stealing is very severe; however there is a minimum amount for applying this penalty.  Cutting the right hand of the thief should be for stealing no less than 3 silver pieces or its value.  Some Scholars consider it to be 10 silver pieces, which is just 2 silver pieces short of one gold coin, for the gold piece (Dinar) used to have 12 silver pieces (Dirham).  Allah’s messenger prayer and piece upon him did not cut a hand for anything worth less than three Dirhams.  Also Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “A hand should not be cut except for the value of a quarter of a dinar upwards”.  (Muslim)

And he said also: “Cut (the hand) for the value of a quarter of a dinar and do not cut for less than that”.  (Ahmed)

Abu Hanifa considers 10 Dirham to be the minimum value as Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “The hand of the thief should not be cut for less than the value of the Magen”.  The Magen used to cost 10 Dirham at the time. 

People may pardon each other to avoid apply the penalty of theft before the case reaches the ruler or the judge, for once the case reaches one of them, he has to proceed.

No intercession should take place over a penalty ordained by Allah.  Meaning that once the thief is found guilty, no one should intercede for him or her.  A woman from a tribe called Makhzoom stole at the time of Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him.  Her family asked Osama Ibn Zeid to intercede for her with Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him.  When he did, Allah’s messenger face changed, and he said to Osama sternly: “are you interceding in one of penalties of Allah the Exalted, the Majestic?’  Osama said: “Ask Allah to forgive me Allah’s messenger”.  In the evening Allah’s messenger preached and said after praising Allah: “It made people before you perish that when one of their nobles steals, they would leave him, and when a weak person steals, they will apply the penalty.  By Him who has my soul in his hand, if Fatima the daughter of Mohamed steals, I will cut her hand”.  Then he ordered this woman to have her right hand cut off. (Bukhari & Muslim)

The thief should be found guilty without the shadow of doubt.  For there is a rule in Islam that the Hodoud (penalties) are not to be applied if there is any doubt.

Once a penalty is applied in this life, it purifies the offender from the guilt and sin and therefore will not be punished for it in the Hereafter.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said to a woman who had her hand after stealing jewellery: “You are just as the day you were born as far as your sin is concerned”.  (Ahmed)

Nesae 35-37

35- YOU WHO BELIEVE; BE PIOUS AND GUARD YOURSELVES FROM ALLAH’S DISPLEASURE, AND SEEK THE WAY (WASELA) TO HIM, AND STRUGGLE IN HIS CAUSE, SO THAT YOU MAY SUCCEED. 

36- THOSE WHO DISBELIEVE; IF THEY HAVE ALL THERE IS IN THE EARTH AND AS MUCH AGAIN, TO RANSOM THEM FROM THE PUNISHMENT OF THE RESURRECTION DAY, IT WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FROM THEM, AND THEY WILL HAVE PAINFUL PUNISHMENT.

37- THEY WANT TO GET OUT OF THE FIRE, BUT THEY WILL NEVER GET OUT OF IT, AND THEY WILL HAVE ONGOING PUNISHMENT.

Another reminder and command for the Muslims to be pious, and to guard ourselves from Allah’s displeasure by obeying Allah. The word Wasela means the method used to achieve or reach a goal.  This is done via the accepted ways to reach that goal.  To achieve Allah’s pleasure, there are ways to do so, which are;

A: through worshiping sincerely. 

B: through dealing with others in the way Allah the Highest likes and commands. 

There is another meaning to the word “Wasela”.  It is a status in Paradise which is granted for one person only.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “When you hear the Azan, say as he says, then say prayer upon me, for he who prays upon me once, Allah will pray upon him ten times, then ask for the Wasela for me, for it is a status in Paradise to be granted to one of Allah, I hope to be him; he who asks the Wasela for my, will have the intercession”.  (Muslim & Abu Dawood & Termezi)

(The Intercession is Allah’s messenger’s intercession for us on the Day of Resurrection)

In another Hadith narrated by Jabir Ibn Abd Allah, Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Whoever says when he hears the call for prayer; Allah, you are the Lord of this complete call and the Salah we are rising for, give Mohamed Al-Wasela and the honour and resurrect him to the glorified status you promised him” he will have my intercession on the Day of Resurrection.  (Bukhari, Abu Dawood, Termezi)

Struggling in the cause of Allah is a duty upon the Muslims every where and at all times.  Struggling in the cause of Allah is not just in the battle field, but it can through many other ways:

Looking after elderly parents

Looking after orphans

Speaking out to an unjust ruler

Fighting against bad things in the society

And many other

After the end of our life on Earth, the role and value of money, gold and silver will end.  There will be no currency, only our deeds, good and bad will give us a credit or otherwise with Allah the Highest.  Therefore there will be no value to money, gold and silver between people, neither with Allah the Highest who has every thing. Therefore, even if someone has as much gold as the whole earth, it will not be of any help to him.

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “A man will be brought from the Hell-Fire and told: Son of Adam, how did you find your resting place?  He will say: “The worst place” He will be told: “Will you ransom yourself with gold that fills the whole earth?”  He will say: “Yes my Lord”, then it will be said to him: “You lie, I asked you for less than that but you did not do it” Then he will be taken to the Fire”.  (Muslim & Nesaee & Bukhari)

For then we will no money and no power.

The disbelievers will try their best to get out of the Fire but they will not get out of the fire, for their punishment is continuous, everlasting and eternal.

Not every one in the Hell-Fire will be there eternally, for some of the believers will have a taste of the Hell-Fire as a punishment for their sins on earth, then they will be taken out.  Some will be taking out of the Hell-Fire, out of Allah’s bounty and grace.  The disbelievers however will have no reprieve.

Maeda 32-34

32- BECAUSE OF THAT, WE ORDAINED FOR THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THAT WHOEVER KILLS A SOUL NOT FOR ANOTHER SOUL OR CAUSING MISCHIEF ON EARTH; IT IS AS IF HE KILLED ALL PEOPLE AND WHOEVER CAUSED IT TO LIVE, IT IS AS IF HE CAUSED ALL PEOPLE TO LIVE.  INDEED, THEIR MESSENGERS CAME TO THEM WITH THE CLEAR SIGN, YET MANY OF THEM COMMIT EXCESSES ON EARTH.

33- INDEED THE RECOMPENSE OF THOSE WHO FIGHT ALLAH AND HIS MESSENGER AND CAUSE MISCHIEF THROUGHOUT THE EARTH; IS TO BE KILLED, CRUCIFIED, OR FOR THEIR HANDS AND FEET ON OPPOSITE SIDES TO BE CUT OF, OR TO BE EXILED FROM THE LAND.  THIS IS HUMILIATION FOR THEM IN THIS LOWER LIFE AND IN THE HEREAFTER THEY WILL HAVE GREAT PUNISHMENT.

34- EXCEPT FOR THOSE WHO REPENT BEFORE YOU WERE ABLE TO GET THEM, AND THEN KNOW THAT ALLAH IS MOST FORGIVING AND MOST MERCIFUL.

There are a number of points in these Ayahs:

First: The crime of killing one soul is like killing a number of souls, just as sinful.  Also a number of people killing one person, is not different from one person killing another. 

A number of men went to Medina during the life of Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him declaring their Islam.  They were all sick, and therefore he advised them to stay out of Medina with the camels grassing and to drink its milk which was believed to have healing properties.  Their health improved and then they killed the camel herder and put spikes in his eyes. 

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him sent a group of horsemen after them, and they brought them back.  They were killed, their hands and feet severed in opposite sides, and their eyes spiked.  This was the only time ever that He has done such thing to any one.

On another occasion, during the rule of Omar Ibn El-Khatab as second Khalifa, a number of men killed one man, and Omar ruled that they should all be killed.  Some one asked if he was going to kill so many men for one man, and Omar said: “By Allah, if the whole population of Sanae (capital of Yemen) killed him, I would kill them”.

Therefore, a crime is not diluted for being committed by a number of people, particularly when it is killing.  On the other hand if a person kills a number of people, it is as if he killed each of them individually.

Second: Fighting Allah and His messenger means fighting their faith and fighting the Muslims because of their faith, is certainly a serious sin, worse than killing  “FOR PERSECUTION IS WORSE THAN KILLING” (S:2 A:191)

Third: “EXCEPT FOR THOSE WHO REPENT BEFORE YOU WERE ABLE TO GET THEM, AND THEN KNOW THAT ALLAH IS MOST FORGIVING AND MOST MERCIFUL”

Those who repent after sinning and declare their repentance before the authorities manage to get them; they are not to be punished.  This is what Allah’s messenger’s companions did. 

Abu Musa Al-Ashari who was governor of Kofa, a man who was causing a great deal of mischief and then went to Abu Musa and declared his repentance.  Abu Musa rose and told every one not to do him any harm.

Similar thing happened when Ali Ibn Abi Taleb was Khalifa, and a man called Haretha Ibn Badr went to Ali confessing that he fought Allah and His messenger and cause mischief on earth, but he repented and declared his repentance.  Ali gave him a decree of pardoning and safety.