Ruku 154 ع
Section 154 of 556 • 5 Verses
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ حَرِّضِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى ٱلْقِتَالِ ۚ إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَٰبِرُونَ يَغْلِبُوا۟ مِا۟ئَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّا۟ئَةٌ يَغْلِبُوٓا۟ أَلْفًا مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ
4:85.
حَرِّضْ چونکہ باب تفعیل سے امر کا صیغہ ہے جو حَرَضَ سے زیادہ شدت کا پہلو اپنے اندر رکھتا ہے اس لئے حَرِّض کا ترجمہ ’’باربار زور سے تحریک کرتا رہ‘‘ کیا گیا ہے۔
فرماتا ہے کہ مومن دس گُنا کافروں پر غالب آئیں گے کیونکہ اس وقت تک ان کا ایمان بڑھ چکا ہوگا اور خداتعالیٰ کے وعدے بھی پورے ہو چکے ہوں گے۔ لیکن یہ بعد میں ہوگا سردست ان کے ایمان اور اللہ تعالیٰ کے وعدوں کے مدنظر ان کو دُگنے دشمنوں پر غلبہ ملے گا۔
4:85.
The verse seems to give 20 as the minimum number that makes a fighting party.
Because they are mercenaries, and do not realize the righteousness of the cause they fight for, they feel no real interest for it. Or the meaning may be that they have no higher ideals which they seek to pursue and serve.
4:85.
Commentary:
As disbelievers were not going to desist from fighting, as they were invited to do (8:23 & 8:39 above), but were determined to carry on war of aggression against Islam, therefore the Holy Prophet has been asked in this verse to urge Muslims also to fight in self-defence.
The verse promises victory to Muslims over an enemy ten times their number because they are a people who do not understand. Fighters should understand the purpose of their fighting. They should look upon the war, they are engaged in, as their own. They should know the advantage which will accrue to their community if they win, and they should also know the losses which they will have to suffer if they are defeated. Mere hirelings, or men, who are blindly led to war by their leaders but who do not understand its object and feel no personal interest in it, cannot win. The forces that fought against Islam were mostly composed of men, who took part in the war merely because they were called upon to do so by their mischievous leaders-the wicked and avowed enemies of Islam. They felt no personal interest in the war against the new religion.
Religiously speaking also, they were a people who did not "understand", whereas Muslims did understand what faith meant. They were moved by love for their God, their Prophet and their religion. Disbelievers, on the other hand, were not as devoted to their idols as the Faithful were to their God in Whom they had a living faith.
The verse gives the number twenty as the minimum number for Muslims to win sure victory over their enemy because that was the least number that made a regular fighting party. If the number of men was less than twenty, it was not to be regarded as a fighting force and the laws relating to war did not apply to them.
Thus, a party of twenty persons, the minimum comprising a fighting unit, was bound to fight if they met an enemy as many as ten times their strength, and they were forbidden to flee. The question of retiring before the enemy is not to be decided by the men but by their officers, who may act as they may think best in the interest of war. See also 8:16.
a
4:85.
1
حَرِّضْ چونکہ باب تفعیل سے امر کا صیغہ ہے جو حَرَضَ سے زیادہ شدت کا پہلو اپنے اندر رکھتا ہے اس لئے حَرِّض کا ترجمہ ’’باربار زور سے تحریک کرتا رہ‘‘ کیا گیا ہے۔
2
فرماتا ہے کہ مومن دس گُنا کافروں پر غالب آئیں گے کیونکہ اس وقت تک ان کا ایمان بڑھ چکا ہوگا اور خداتعالیٰ کے وعدے بھی پورے ہو چکے ہوں گے۔ لیکن یہ بعد میں ہوگا سردست ان کے ایمان اور اللہ تعالیٰ کے وعدوں کے مدنظر ان کو دُگنے دشمنوں پر غلبہ ملے گا۔
a
4:85.
1153
Commentary:
As disbelievers were not going to desist from fighting, as they were invited to do (8:23 & 8:39 above), but were determined to carry on war of aggression against Islam, therefore the Holy Prophet has been asked in this verse to urge Muslims also to fight in self-defence.
The verse promises victory to Muslims over an enemy ten times their number because they are a people who do not understand. Fighters should understand the purpose of their fighting. They should look upon the war, they are engaged in, as their own. They should know the advantage which will accrue to their community if they win, and they should also know the losses which they will have to suffer if they are defeated. Mere hirelings, or men, who are blindly led to war by their leaders but who do not understand its object and feel no personal interest in it, cannot win. The forces that fought against Islam were mostly composed of men, who took part in the war merely because they were called upon to do so by their mischievous leaders-the wicked and avowed enemies of Islam. They felt no personal interest in the war against the new religion.
Religiously speaking also, they were a people who did not "understand", whereas Muslims did understand what faith meant. They were moved by love for their God, their Prophet and their religion. Disbelievers, on the other hand, were not as devoted to their idols as the Faithful were to their God in Whom they had a living faith.
The verse gives the number twenty as the minimum number for Muslims to win sure victory over their enemy because that was the least number that made a regular fighting party. If the number of men was less than twenty, it was not to be regarded as a fighting force and the laws relating to war did not apply to them.
Thus, a party of twenty persons, the minimum comprising a fighting unit, was bound to fight if they met an enemy as many as ten times their strength, and they were forbidden to flee. The question of retiring before the enemy is not to be decided by the men but by their officers, who may act as they may think best in the interest of war. See also 8:16.
b
4:85.
1141
The verse seems to give 20 as the minimum number that makes a fighting party.
1142
Because they are mercenaries, and do not realize the righteousness of the cause they fight for, they feel no real interest for it. Or the meaning may be that they have no higher ideals which they seek to pursue and serve.
ٱلْـَٰٔنَ خَفَّفَ ٱللَّهُ عَنكُمْ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيكُمْ ضَعْفًا ۚ فَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّا۟ئَةٌ صَابِرَةٌ يَغْلِبُوا۟ مِا۟ئَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ أَلْفٌ يَغْلِبُوٓا۟ أَلْفَيْنِ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ
这节经文不能理解为取消前一节经文。这两节经文述及穆斯林社会的两种不同状态。开始时他们是薄弱的, 装备很差, 在作战技术上是训练不足的。在那种薄弱的状态下, 他们只能战胜两倍的敌人。可是, 随着时间的转移, 他们全面的情况、作战经验和军事资源都大大地改进了, 他们能打败十倍於他们的敌人。在白德尔、吴候德和壕沟 (Trench) 等战役中, 双方部队数目的不平衡不断增加, 可是穆斯林十分成功地保持了自己的阵地, 到雅尔姆克 (يَرْمُوْك, Yarmuk) 战役时, 只有六万人的穆斯林击败了百万人以上的一支军队。
یہ حکم ایمان پر مبنی ہے اس لئے ایمان کے ساتھ بڑھتا رہتا ہے۔ قیصر و کسریٰ کی جنگوں میں مسلمانوں نے دس گُنے چھوڑ اسّی اور سو گُنے دشمن کو شکست دی تھی۔ اس لئے کہ انہوں نے صحابہؓ کا زمانہ بھی دیکھا تھا اور رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کی وفات کے بعدنئے نئے نشان بھی دیکھے تھے۔
The verse should not be understood to abrogate the preceding one. The two verses refer to two different states of the Muslim Community. In the beginning they were weak, ill-equipped and ill-trained in the art of war. In that state of weakness they could successfully fight against only their double number. But as with the passage of time their all-round condition, fighting experience and military resources had very much improved they could defeat an enemy ten times their number. In the battles of Badr, Uhud and of the Trench, the disparity between the number of forces of both sides progressively increased, yet the Muslims quite successfully held their own, till at the Battle of Yarmuk, mere 60,000 Muslims defeated an army of more than a million strong.
Commentary:
This verse does not abrogate the previous verse, but only temporarily relieves Muslims in view of the then existing condition of their faith. Their faith, though sincere and true, was "weak" as compared with its future condition when it was to grow stronger by their witnessing more and more heavenly signs and by their becoming more and more organized.
The words, For the present Allah has lightened your burden, show that the previous verse contains not a prophecy, but a commandment. It does not announce by way of prophecy that Muslims will prevail over an enemy ten times their number; it simply gives the injunction that if twenty believers have to face 200 disbelievers, they must fight them, and that if they turn their backs, they will be sinners. In the present verse, however, in view of the then weak condition of Muslims, the limit of disparity has been reduced to twice the number of the believers.
History tells us that in later times, Muslims had sometimes to fight an enemy even more than ten times their number and still they were victorious. Thus, at the Battle of Yarmuk the Muslim army numbered 30,000, according to the lowest calculation, while the enemy numbered at least 600,000 (the highest figures being respectively 60,000 and 1,000,000) and the battle ended in a decisive victory for the Muslims.
551
这节经文不能理解为取消前一节经文。这两节经文述及穆斯林社会的两种不同状态。开始时他们是薄弱的, 装备很差, 在作战技术上是训练不足的。在那种薄弱的状态下, 他们只能战胜两倍的敌人。可是, 随着时间的转移, 他们全面的情况、作战经验和军事资源都大大地改进了, 他们能打败十倍於他们的敌人。在白德尔、吴候德和壕沟 (Trench) 等战役中, 双方部队数目的不平衡不断增加, 可是穆斯林十分成功地保持了自己的阵地, 到雅尔姆克 (يَرْمُوْك, Yarmuk) 战役时, 只有六万人的穆斯林击败了百万人以上的一支军队。
3
یہ حکم ایمان پر مبنی ہے اس لئے ایمان کے ساتھ بڑھتا رہتا ہے۔ قیصر و کسریٰ کی جنگوں میں مسلمانوں نے دس گُنے چھوڑ اسّی اور سو گُنے دشمن کو شکست دی تھی۔ اس لئے کہ انہوں نے صحابہؓ کا زمانہ بھی دیکھا تھا اور رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کی وفات کے بعدنئے نئے نشان بھی دیکھے تھے۔
1154
Commentary:
This verse does not abrogate the previous verse, but only temporarily relieves Muslims in view of the then existing condition of their faith. Their faith, though sincere and true, was "weak" as compared with its future condition when it was to grow stronger by their witnessing more and more heavenly signs and by their becoming more and more organized.
The words, For the present Allah has lightened your burden, show that the previous verse contains not a prophecy, but a commandment. It does not announce by way of prophecy that Muslims will prevail over an enemy ten times their number; it simply gives the injunction that if twenty believers have to face 200 disbelievers, they must fight them, and that if they turn their backs, they will be sinners. In the present verse, however, in view of the then weak condition of Muslims, the limit of disparity has been reduced to twice the number of the believers.
History tells us that in later times, Muslims had sometimes to fight an enemy even more than ten times their number and still they were victorious. Thus, at the Battle of Yarmuk the Muslim army numbered 30,000, according to the lowest calculation, while the enemy numbered at least 600,000 (the highest figures being respectively 60,000 and 1,000,000) and the battle ended in a decisive victory for the Muslims.
1143
The verse should not be understood to abrogate the preceding one. The two verses refer to two different states of the Muslim Community. In the beginning they were weak, ill-equipped and ill-trained in the art of war. In that state of weakness they could successfully fight against only their double number. But as with the passage of time their all-round condition, fighting experience and military resources had very much improved they could defeat an enemy ten times their number. In the battles of Badr, Uhud and of the Trench, the disparity between the number of forces of both sides progressively increased, yet the Muslims quite successfully held their own, till at the Battle of Yarmuk, mere 60,000 Muslims defeated an army of more than a million strong.
مَا كَانَ لِنَبِىٍّ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥٓ أَسْرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ يُثْخِنَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ تُرِيدُونَ عَرَضَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
اس سے یہ مرادنہیں کہ نبی خون ریزی کرے۔ کیوں کہ اس کے خلاف قرآن میں تعلیم پائی جاتی ہے اس آیت کاصرف یہ مطلب ہے کہ دشمنوں کے حملوں کے نتیجہ میں وہ خونریزی پر مجبور ہو جائے۔ تو پھر قیدی بنائے۔ ورنہ نہیں غرض زیادہ زور اس بات پر ہے کہ بغیر خون ریز جنگ کے قیدی پکڑنے ناجائز ہیں دو قوموں میں شدید جنگ ہو تو اس کے بعد قیدی پکڑنے جائز ہو سکتے ہیں۔
47:5.
4:95.
The verse lays down the general rule that captives should not be taken unless there is regular fighting and the enemy is completely overpowered. It cuts at the root of slavery. Only those, who take part in war in order to destroy Islam and are defeated, can be made prisoner. See also {2739}.
47:5.
4:95.
Important Words:
اسری (captives) is the plural of اسیر (a captive) which is derived from اسر. They say اسره i.e. he bound or tied him, or he made him a captive or took him a prisoner. اسیر means, one shackled or imprisoned; a captive (Lane).
یثخن (he engages in a regular fighting) is derived from ثخن (thakhuna) or ثخن (thakhana) which means, it was thick or coarse or hard. اثخنه means, he rendered it thick; or he rendered him heavy or languid or enervated; or he overcame him and inflicted many wounds on him. اثخن فی العدو means, he made a great slaughter or a great wounding among the enemy. اثخن فی الارض means, he made much slaughter in the earth or the land; or he fought vehemently in the earth (Lane). The expression حتی یثخن فی الارض would thus mean, till he (the Prophet) has had a regular fighting in the land, inflicting wounds on the enemy.
Commentary:
It was a practice among pre-Islamic Arabs (and it is regrettable that the practice still continues in some parts of the world) to take men captives even if there was no war and no fighting, and then to make them slaves. The verse abolishes this evil custom and lays down in clear words that it is only in war and after regular fighting that enemy combatants can be taken prisoner and that it is not lawful to take any person captive when there is no war and there has been no fighting.
The verse has been very wrongly interpreted. It is said that when the Muslims took some men of the Meccan army captives at Badr, the Holy Prophet took counsel with his Companions as to what should be done with them. ‘Umar suggested that they should be put to death, while Abu Bakr proposed that they should be released after accepting ransom from them. The Holy
Prophet accepted the suggestion of Abu Bakr and the prisoners were released for ransom. But it is alleged that by revealing this verse, God expressed His disapproval of the Holy Prophet’s action, declaring that the captives ought to have been put to death and no ransom should have been taken for them. This interpretation, however, is obviously wrong; firstly, because God had so far sent down no commandment forbidding the release of prisoners for ransom, and, therefore, He could not reprove the Holy Prophet for accepting ransom; secondly, because the Holy Prophet had already accepted ransom for two persons taken captive at Nakhlah prior to the Battle of Badr, and God had not disapproved of this action of his; thirdly, because only two verses later God permits Muslims to eat of that which you have won in war as lawful and good (8:70). It is simply inconceivable that God should have reproved the Holy Prophet for having accepted ransom and then at the same time declared the money so taken to be lawful and good. This interpretation is, therefore, obviously wrong and the verse is only intended to lay down a general rule that captives should not be taken until there has been regular fighting and the enemy has been overpowered by the infliction of wounds.
b
47:5.
c
4:95.
552
这节经文制定了一个总的规则: 只能在正式战争中, 在敌人彻底打垮时, 才能俘虏敌人。这根除了奴隶制。只有参加意欲消灭伊斯兰教的战争而被打败的那些人可作战俘。读注释1258。
1
اس سے یہ مرادنہیں کہ نبی خون ریزی کرے۔ کیوں کہ اس کے خلاف قرآن میں تعلیم پائی جاتی ہے اس آیت کاصرف یہ مطلب ہے کہ دشمنوں کے حملوں کے نتیجہ میں وہ خونریزی پر مجبور ہو جائے۔ تو پھر قیدی بنائے۔ ورنہ نہیں غرض زیادہ زور اس بات پر ہے کہ بغیر خون ریز جنگ کے قیدی پکڑنے ناجائز ہیں دو قوموں میں شدید جنگ ہو تو اس کے بعد قیدی پکڑنے جائز ہو سکتے ہیں۔
a
47:5.
b
4:95.
1155
Important Words:
اسری (captives) is the plural of اسیر (a captive) which is derived from اسر. They say اسره i.e. he bound or tied him, or he made him a captive or took him a prisoner. اسیر means, one shackled or imprisoned; a captive (Lane).
یثخن (he engages in a regular fighting) is derived from ثخن (thakhuna) or ثخن (thakhana) which means, it was thick or coarse or hard. اثخنه means, he rendered it thick; or he rendered him heavy or languid or enervated; or he overcame him and inflicted many wounds on him. اثخن فی العدو means, he made a great slaughter or a great wounding among the enemy. اثخن فی الارض means, he made much slaughter in the earth or the land; or he fought vehemently in the earth (Lane). The expression حتی یثخن فی الارض would thus mean, till he (the Prophet) has had a regular fighting in the land, inflicting wounds on the enemy.
Commentary:
It was a practice among pre-Islamic Arabs (and it is regrettable that the practice still continues in some parts of the world) to take men captives even if there was no war and no fighting, and then to make them slaves. The verse abolishes this evil custom and lays down in clear words that it is only in war and after regular fighting that enemy combatants can be taken prisoner and that it is not lawful to take any person captive when there is no war and there has been no fighting.
The verse has been very wrongly interpreted. It is said that when the Muslims took some men of the Meccan army captives at Badr, the Holy Prophet took counsel with his Companions as to what should be done with them. ‘Umar suggested that they should be put to death, while Abu Bakr proposed that they should be released after accepting ransom from them. The Holy
Prophet accepted the suggestion of Abu Bakr and the prisoners were released for ransom. But it is alleged that by revealing this verse, God expressed His disapproval of the Holy Prophet’s action, declaring that the captives ought to have been put to death and no ransom should have been taken for them. This interpretation, however, is obviously wrong; firstly, because God had so far sent down no commandment forbidding the release of prisoners for ransom, and, therefore, He could not reprove the Holy Prophet for accepting ransom; secondly, because the Holy Prophet had already accepted ransom for two persons taken captive at Nakhlah prior to the Battle of Badr, and God had not disapproved of this action of his; thirdly, because only two verses later God permits Muslims to eat of that which you have won in war as lawful and good (8:70). It is simply inconceivable that God should have reproved the Holy Prophet for having accepted ransom and then at the same time declared the money so taken to be lawful and good. This interpretation is, therefore, obviously wrong and the verse is only intended to lay down a general rule that captives should not be taken until there has been regular fighting and the enemy has been overpowered by the infliction of wounds.
a
47:5.
b
4:95.
1144
The verse lays down the general rule that captives should not be taken unless there is regular fighting and the enemy is completely overpowered. It cuts at the root of slavery. Only those, who take part in war in order to destroy Islam and are defeated, can be made prisoner. See also {2739}.
لَّوْلَا كِتَٰبٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ سَبَقَ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِيمَآ أَخَذْتُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
یعنی پہلے سے فدیہ لینا جائز قرار دیا جا چکا ہے اس لئے جو مفسر لکھتے ہیں کہ فدیہ لینے کی وجہ سے اللہ تعالیٰ رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم پر خفا ہوا‘ وہ سخت غلطی پر ہیں۔ رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے وہی کام کیا جس کا خداتعالیٰ نے آپ کو حکم دیا تھا۔
The words refer to the Divine promise of help (8:8-10).
Ransoming of captives was already in vogue. What is emphasized here is that prisoners could only be taken in regular fighting in the course of war.
Commentary:
In the previous verse it was said that Muslims should not be hasty in taking captives from among the enemy. The verse under comment hints that kindness should be shown to prisoners and that they should be treated with mercy. The verse says that it is only through the assistance of God, which He had ordained for Muslims, that they have gained an easy victory and obtained much booty, and that if it had not been for the help which God had promised them beforehand, they would not have obtained the booty without being severely handled by the enemy and suffering great loss at his hands. The words, a decree from Allah which had gone before, obviously refer to the Word of God which had already conveyed the promise of help to the Holy Prophet (see 8:6 above). The words "great distress" thus signify distress caused by the enemy and not affliction from God. The verse purports to say that when by the help of God the Muslims have gained so easy a victory, they should feel grateful for it and should show kindness to the prisoners who have fallen into their hands.
2
یعنی پہلے سے فدیہ لینا جائز قرار دیا جا چکا ہے اس لئے جو مفسر لکھتے ہیں کہ فدیہ لینے کی وجہ سے اللہ تعالیٰ رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم پر خفا ہوا‘ وہ سخت غلطی پر ہیں۔ رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے وہی کام کیا جس کا خداتعالیٰ نے آپ کو حکم دیا تھا۔
1156
Commentary:
In the previous verse it was said that Muslims should not be hasty in taking captives from among the enemy. The verse under comment hints that kindness should be shown to prisoners and that they should be treated with mercy. The verse says that it is only through the assistance of God, which He had ordained for Muslims, that they have gained an easy victory and obtained much booty, and that if it had not been for the help which God had promised them beforehand, they would not have obtained the booty without being severely handled by the enemy and suffering great loss at his hands. The words, a decree from Allah which had gone before, obviously refer to the Word of God which had already conveyed the promise of help to the Holy Prophet (see 8:6 above). The words "great distress" thus signify distress caused by the enemy and not affliction from God. The verse purports to say that when by the help of God the Muslims have gained so easy a victory, they should feel grateful for it and should show kindness to the prisoners who have fallen into their hands.
1145
The words refer to the Divine promise of help (8:8-10).
1145A
Ransoming of captives was already in vogue. What is emphasized here is that prisoners could only be taken in regular fighting in the course of war.
فَكُلُوا۟ مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ حَلَٰلًا طَيِّبًا ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
8:42.
8:42.
8:42.
Commentary:
The conjunction "so", placed in the beginning of the verse, indicates that the commandment, that follows it, is connected with, and is the result of, what has been said in the previous verses. As the booty taken was obtained after regular fighting and the victory came as a result of God’s help, so the booty taken in the battle and the ransom-money realized from the enemy-prisoners are both "lawful and good". God has been here spoken of as "Forgiving" because He covered up the weaknesses of Muslims and made them appear strong in the sight of the enemy; and He has been spoken of as "Merciful" because He granted Muslims a decisive victory against overwhelming odds.
a
8:42.
a
8:42.
1157
Commentary:
The conjunction "so", placed in the beginning of the verse, indicates that the commandment, that follows it, is connected with, and is the result of, what has been said in the previous verses. As the booty taken was obtained after regular fighting and the victory came as a result of God’s help, so the booty taken in the battle and the ransom-money realized from the enemy-prisoners are both "lawful and good". God has been here spoken of as "Forgiving" because He covered up the weaknesses of Muslims and made them appear strong in the sight of the enemy; and He has been spoken of as "Merciful" because He granted Muslims a decisive victory against overwhelming odds.
a
8:42.