Topic: Repel Evil With Good

2:138.

Commentary:

This verse tells us that though man can sacrifice his worldly interests for the sake of others, yet he cannot so sacrifice his beliefs and religious principles. In religious matters our duty is only to show people the right path and exhort them to follow it; but we should not ruin or wrong our souls for their sake. It cannot profit mankind nor ourselves if we lose our own soul in trying to save others. The body may be sacrificed but not the soul. Christians abandoned some of the fundamental principles of their religion, hoping to win over certain heathen nations to Christianity. But in doing so they lost the truth and struck a very bad bargain.

The verse, however, should not be understood to mean that we should not preach the truth to others, and should confine our attention to saving our own souls only and have no thought for others. In fact, the Quran enjoins upon every Muslim to try his utmost to make others see truth, because firstly, it is our duty to propagate truth; and secondly, placed as we are, we cannot properly save ourselves unless we also save those among whom we live. What the verse, therefore, means is that our duty is only to preach truth to others. If they accept it, well and good; but if, in spite of our efforts, they refuse to be weaned from their evil course, their rejection of the truth will do us no harm. But in no circumstances should we compromise our principles in order to win others over to our way of thinking. That would be ruining our own souls to save others.

There is a hadith to the effect that once the Holy Prophet explained this verse as meaning that you should preach truth under all circumstances but when you see that the person to whom you preach truth persists in following his own evil inclinations and does not listen to you, then your duty will have ended by your having preached to him the truth, and in this case his evil practices would do you no harm, if only you yourselves scrupulously follow the truth (Tirmidhi, ch. on Tafsir).

The words, He who goes astray cannot harm you when you yourselves are rightly guided, may also mean that if you do the right sort of preaching and try to find the right way of approach to a person and even then he does not accept the truth, then his going astray will not harm you and you will not be held responsible for it. In this case, the words, when you yourselves are rightly guided, would mean, "if you succeed in finding out the right way of preaching and put in the right sort of effort".

2:4; 8:4; 14:32; 27:4.

41:35.

Important Words:

وجه (favour). See 2:113, 116 & 6:53.

عقبی الدار (reward of the final abode). عقبی is derived from عقب for which see v. 7. عقبی means, end; the last or latter part or state; consequence, result or issue; recompense or requital or reward; that which is given in exchange for something (Lane).

Commentary:

The verse gives four more signs of the men endowed with understanding referred to in v. 20: (1) They observe صبر i.e. they abstain from sin, are steadfast in virtue and do not give way to impatience and wailing, which, as explained under 2:156, is the meaning of this word. They do all this with a view to winning the favour and pleasure of God, and not in the pursuit of any selfish or sectional interest, or from natural weakness i.e. their patience is not born of cowardice, but is due to a desire to please God even when they have the power to take revenge. (2) They observe Prayers regularly and with all the necessary conditions, which means that their connection with God does not lack permanence and constancy. (3) They spend out of what God has given them openly and in secret to meet the needs of the poor and the destitute. (4) They repel evil with good, which means that they do good deeds so that others may imitate their example and forsake evil. They are not content with the mere preaching of good, but themselves set a good example and thus seek to undermine evil. An alternative meaning is that they preach the doing of good, and in this way make evil die and disappear.

The words, repel evil with good, also mean that men of understanding do "good" deeds with the object of removing "evil" i.e. they neither insist on retaliation regardless of the nature of the offence or the suitability of the punishment nor do they persist in unqualified forgiveness but follow the course best suited for the eradication of evil. They resort to retaliation if it serves the purpose and to forgiveness if forgiveness is calculated to bring about the desired result. In short, they cut at the very root of "evil" by whatever method is "good" in the circumstances. The words repel evil with good, may also mean that they do not meet "evil" with "evil," but always observe justice and never forsake the path of equity and justice in dealing with evil.

The word عقبی (reward) is generally used in a good sense. The word الدار (the abode) refers to the next world; for it is the next world that is the real abode of man, the present world being only a temporary place of residence. Hence the expression لھم عقبی الدار means, "they shall have a good end in the life to come."

41:35.

6:118.

Important Words:

The word حکمة translated as wisdom in the text among other things means, (1) knowledge or science; (2) equity or justice; (3) forbearance or clemency; (4) firmness; (5) any saying or discourse conforming or agreeable to truth and in accordance with the exigencies of the occasion; (6) gift of prophecy; and (7) what prevents or restrains from ignorant behaviour (Aqrab & Lane).

Commentary:

The word may be used in all these senses in the verse under comment. Taking it in the sense of "knowledge" or "science", the verse would mean that Muslims should invite others to Islam by arguments based on knowledge and reason and should not confine themselves merely to making appeals to sentiments and emotions. Using it in the sense of "equity" or "justice", the injunction embodied would be that, when arguing with the followers of other Faiths, Muslim preachers and missionaries should not bring forward such objections against those Faiths as can be advanced against Islam itself for such a course is not only inconsistent with justice, but is also unsound. If حکمة be understood to mean "forbearance" or "clemency", the verse would mean that Muslims should explain the beauties of their religion with patience. Taking the word in the sense of "a saying or discourse conforming or agreeable to the truth, and in accordance with the exigencies of the occasion", the verse would mean, that while inviting other people to Islam Muslims should not say anything which is not true and is not in accordance with facts, for if they resorted to falsehood while preaching truth they would be ruining their own souls in order to save those of others. Moreover, their discourse should be conformable to the exigencies of the occasion and should not wound other people’s susceptibilities. Taking the word in the sense of "gift of prophecy", the verse would mean that Muslims should invite men to Islam by using arguments contained in the Quran and not arguments which are the creation of their own fancy. Lastly, taking the word in the sense of "what restrains from ignorant behaviour" the verse would mean that the talk of Muslims should not be beyond the comprehension of those to whom the appeal is made. They should say things which may help to resolve the doubts of others and not display or demonstrate their own talents and learning.

The words, "goodly exhortation" mean "a discourse which softens the hearts of the hearers and makes a deep impression on them." Thus the Quran exhorts its followers not to content themselves with mere cold and dry reasoning but to reinforce and support philosophical dissertations with an appeal to sentiments. This appeal, however, should be "goodly exhortation" i.e. it should be based on pure truth and there should be no prevarication or tampering with facts.

The words, and argue with them in a way that is best, mean that while arguing we should make the most solid and unassailable argument we possess as the pivot round which all other arguments should revolve and which they should support.

The expression, Thy Lord best knows those who have strayed from...who are rightly-guided, contains a word of encouragement and good cheer for the Muslim evangelist. He is told that if in spite of his best efforts he finds that his preaching has not had the desired effect, he should not get discouraged and think that his preaching was defective, but should continue his noble work without slackening, leaving the result to God, because He alone knows who is deserving and destined to be guided to the right path.

As Islam was to spread abroad and was to be preached to the people who claimed to possess revealed Scriptures, Muslims have been told in this verse that a much more difficult task lay ahead of them. While dealing with idolaters it was easy enough to refute idolatry, but with respect to the "People of the Book" the excellence and superiority of Islamic teachings will have to be proved regarding details and auxiliary matters also. Hence the admonition given above.

13:23; 16:126; 41:35.

Commentary:

In the preceding two verses we were told that punishment was about to overtake disbelievers and that at the time of that punishment the Holy Prophet would be far away from the scene of punishment. In the present verse, however, the Prophet is enjoined that as long as he is with disbelievers he should patiently bear up with all the abuse and persecution to which he is subjected and should return good for evil.

Incidentally, the verse points to a very noble principle inculcated by Islam for the moral progress of a Muslim and also for the establishment and preservation of peace and harmony among individuals and nations. The subject has been dealt with at some length in 16:91 and 42:41 where light is shed on all the different stages of the moral development of man. Briefly, there are three stages of man’s moral development, viz. of عدلi.e. doing good to others to the extent or measure of the good received from them; of إحسان which means the doing of more good than the good received or doing good without receiving any good; and of إیتاء ذی القربی which consists in doing good not in return of any good received, but as prompted by natural impulse. This is one aspect of moral development of man which the Quran has dealt with in 16:91. But there is another equally important aspect and the Quran has not omitted to deal with it also. Compared to the above-mentioned three different ways in which a Muslim is enjoined to conduct himself when he does good to other people, the Quran enjoins upon him a parallel conduct when he receives an injury. He may return evil to the extent and measure of the injury he has received or he may punish the evil-doer if he is in a position to do so but the punishment should, under no circumstances, exceed legitimate bounds. Moreover, the punishment is to be resorted to only if this course is calculated to produce wholesome effect upon the aggressor party. This is the significance of the words, the recompense of evil is evil like it (42:41). The Quran, however, prefers and recommends that forgiveness should be shown to the evil-doer. This is the meaning of the words, but whoever forgives and amends, his reward is with Allah (42:41). But a Muslim who has attained to a very high moral standard is enjoined not only to forgive the person who has done him some wrong but also to do him a good turn in addition. This is the significance of the verse under comment and this is the high moral standard of conduct expected of a Muslim by Islam. Islam enjoins the repelling of evil with evil or with forgiveness or with a kind return, which of the three courses is calculated to conduce to the moral good of the wrong-doer, or the good of the injured person or to the good of human society at large.

13:23; 23:97; 41:35.

Commentary:

The verse means to say that such persons from among the "People of the Book" as believe in the Quran will have double reward for the belief both in the Torah and the Quran and also for suffering patiently for the cause of truth and for their perseverance and steadfastness under trials and tribulations.

13:23; 16:126; 17:54; 28:55; 29:47.

Commentary:

As the preaching of truth inevitably brings in its wake hardships for the preacher, the verse enjoins upon him to bear them patiently and with fortitude, and even to return good for the evil he receives at the hands of his persecutors.

90:18.

Important Words:

الصبر (to be steadfast) is inf. noun from صبر (sabara) which means, he was or became patient or enduring; he endured trial or affliction with dignity or he was contented in affliction or trial without complaining; he was steadfast amid trials; he made no difference between a state of ease and comfort and a state of affliction, preserving calmness of mind in both states (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

It is history’s infallible testimony that those individuals or nations who do not make full use of their God-given powers and faculties and of the opportunities that come to them in this life, and who defy the eternal natural laws which determine the destiny of man inevitably come to grief. It is such individuals and nations who are the losers in the race against time and it is to these that the word الانسان in the Surah refers. Divine laws cannot be defied with impunity and the Quran repeatedly draws pointed attention to the sad fate of those people who have the audacity to do so, in the words: "Have they not travelled in the earth and seen what was the end of those before them?" (40:22).

Firm faith in eternal truths and the practical carrying out of them in our dealings in everyday life constitutes a sure guarantee for a happy, contented, prosperous and progressive life; and this is the meaning of the words "such as have faith and do righteous deeds." Man cannot escape "loss" which is the purpose or object of his life without possessing true and real faith in Divinely-revealed truths and adjusting his conduct in harmony with them. Human reason without the assistance of a revealed guidance cannot be a safe guide. It is Divine guidance received through God’s great Messengers that can lead safely to the desired goal. But a person, however, good and great, cannot bring about any real and permanent reformation single-handed unless the whole environment is changed, because man is strongly influenced by his environment. In this Surah and at several other places in the Quran, believers have been enjoined not only to adopt right and good principles and ideals themselves but to preach them to others and thus help in the creation of a healthy atmosphere around them. They are further enjoined not to be discouraged or dismayed by opposition and persecution they might have to face in the discharge of their very difficult task but to bear it with patience and fortitude. Thus the Surah, in one brief verse, has laid down the golden rules by observing which one can lead a successful and happy life. Taking the word العصر to mean the time of the Holy Prophet (Bukhari) or taking it as applying to the latter days, the Surah emphatically declares that the disbelieving nations, with all their material resources and great power and prestige will suffer loss; only the righteous believers will achieve the noble goal they desire and pursue.