Chapter 33, Verse 7

8:76.

Commentary:

This verse clears a possible ambiguity that might have arisen from misunderstanding the injunction contained in v. 6 above. While in that verse the believers were enjoined to "call them by the names of their fathers," in the present verse the Holy Prophet by implication has been called the father of the Faithful. In fact, the preceding verse speaks of blood-relationship and the verse under comment speaks of the spiritual relationship that subsists between the Holy Prophet and the Faithful. It purports to say that in his capacity as their spiritual father, the Holy Prophet stands closer to them than even their own selves and that his wives being their spiritual mothers ought to be treated by them with greater regard and respect than the mothers who gave them birth, because spiritual relationship stands on a much higher plane than physical relationship. It is to this supreme reality that the Holy Prophet has drawn attention in a well-known saying of his, viz. "the faith of a believer does not become perfect unless the love he bears to me transcends all worldly connections and relationships" (Bukhari, Kitabul-Iman).

The verse removes another possible misunderstanding. The Islamic brotherhood which had come into being through the spiritual fatherhood of the Holy Prophet might have led to the misconception that Muslims could inherit each other’s property. It is this misconception that the verse under comment seeks to remove. It purports to say that (1) only blood relations can inherit each other and (2) that from among the blood relations only the believers can inherit, the disbelievers having been debarred from inheriting their believing relatives.

The verse also abolished that form of brotherhood which was established between the Migrants of Mecca and the Helpers of Medina, on the former’s arrival in Medina, according to which a مھاجر (Migrants) would even inherit the property left by an انصاری (Helper). After this verse was revealed that form of brotherhood which was but a temporary measure, adopted to rehabilitate the Migrants from Mecca, ceased to exist, and blood relationship and not faith alone, became the decisive factor in determining inheritance and other kindred matters. But the wider brotherhood of Islam continued and Muslims were expected to treat one another like brothers.

8:76.

The verse clears a possible ambiguity that might have arisen from misunderstanding the injunction contained in v.6 above. While in that verse the believers were enjoined to call them after their fathers, in the present verse the Holy Prophet, by implication, has been called the father of the Faithful. The preceding verse speaks of blood-relationship but the verse under comment speaks of the spiritual relationship that subsists between the Holy Prophet and the Faithful.

The Islamic Brotherhood which had come into being through the spiritual fatherhood of the Holy Prophet might have led to the misconception that Muslims could inherit each other’s property. The verse seeks to remove this misconception by laying down that only blood-relations can inherit each other and that from among the blood-relation only the believers can inherit, the disbelievers having been debarred from inheriting their believing relatives. The verse also abolishes that form of brotherhood which was established between the Emigrants of Mecca and the Helpers of Medina on the former’s arrival in Medina, according to which an "Emigrant" would even inherit the property left by an "Helper." That brotherhood, which was but a temporary measure and was adopted to rehabilitate the Emigrants from Mecca, ceased to exist, and blood-relationship, and not faith alone, became the decisive factor in determining inheritance and other kindred matters. But the wider Brotherhood of Islam continued and Muslims were ex