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الصف As-Saf

The Ranks 14 verses · Madinah

Topics 3
  1. Being Steadfast in Faith
  2. The Status of the Prophet
  3. The Ultimate Deal

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Being Steadfast in Faith

61:1

سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ۝١

Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth glorify Allāh, and He is the Mighty, the Wise.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

61:2

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ ۝٢

O you who believe! Why do you say what you do not do? Especially when you pledge to fight till the end but flee from the battleground.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

61:3

كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَن تَقُولُوا۟ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ ۝٣

It is greatly hateful to Allāh that you should say what you do not do.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

61:4

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقَٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِهِۦ صَفًّۭا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَٰنٌۭ مَّرْصُوصٌۭ ۝٤

On the other hand, Allāh surely loves those who fight in His way in close ranks as if they were a compact wall.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

The Muslims fled from the battle field and abandoned the Prophet in the Battle of Uhud (3 AH) and Battle of Ḥunayn (8 AH). See 9:25

The Status of the Prophet

61:5

وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦ يَٰقَوْمِ لِمَ تُؤْذُونَنِى وَقَد تَّعْلَمُونَ أَنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَلَمَّا زَاغُوٓا۟ أَزَاغَ ٱللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْفَٰسِقِينَ ۝٥

Remember when Mūsā said to his people, “O my people! Why do you hurt me while you certainly know that I am the Messenger of Allāh to you?” So when they turned away from righteousness, consequently, Allāh turned their hearts away from any further guidance as Allāh does not guide the sinful people.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

Muslims should not disobey the Prophet or hurt him as the previous nations had done to their prophets.
Also see 33:69.

61:6

وَإِذْ قَالَ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ يَٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ إِنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيْكُم مُّصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَىَّ مِنَ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَمُبَشِّرًۢا بِرَسُولٍۢ يَأْتِى مِنۢ بَعْدِى ٱسْمُهُۥٓ أَحْمَدُ ۖ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ قَالُوا۟ هَٰذَا سِحْرٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ ۝٦

Also, remember when ‘Īsā, son of Maryam, said, “O Children of Israel! I am indeed a Messenger of Allāh to you as a verifier of the Tawrāt (revealed before me) and a bearer of good-tiding of a Messenger who shall come after me whose name is Aḥmad.” Yet when he, Aḥmad, came to them with clear signs, they said, “This is clear magic.”S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

61:7

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ وَهُوَ يُدْعَىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلْإِسْلَٰمِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ۝٧

Who is more unjust than the one who forges against Allāh a lie (by rejecting Muḥammad’s message) while he is being called to Islam? Allāh does not guide the unjust people.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

61:8

يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفُِٔوا۟ نُورَ ٱللَّهِ بِأَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَٱللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِۦ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْكَٰفِرُونَ ۝٨

They desire the means to put out the light of Allāh with the blowing of their mouths—but Allāh will perfect His light, though the unbelievers be averse to it.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

61:9

هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُۥ بِٱلْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ ٱلْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلدِّينِ كُلِّهِۦ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْمُشْرِكُونَ ۝٩

He is the One who sent His Messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth (i.e., Islam) so that He may grant victory to it over every religion, though the polytheists may be averse to its accomplishment.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

The Ultimate Deal

61:10

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ تِجَٰرَةٍۢ تُنجِيكُم مِّنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍۢ ۝١٠

O you who believe! Shall I guide you to a business deal that will deliver you from a painful chastisement?S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

61:11

تُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَتُجَٰهِدُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِأَمْوَٰلِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ۝١١

The ‘merchandise’ you would sell is that you shall believe in Allāh and His Messenger, and you shall do jihād in the way of Allāh with your wealth and your selves—that is better for you if you know.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

61:12

يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَيُدْخِلْكُمْ جَنَّٰتٍۢ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ وَمَسَٰكِنَ طَيِّبَةًۭ فِى جَنَّٰتِ عَدْنٍۢ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ۝١٢

And the ‘price’ you would receive is that He (Allāh) will forgive you your sins, admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow, and good dwellings in gardens of Paradise—that is a great achievement.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

61:13

وَأُخْرَىٰ تُحِبُّونَهَا ۖ نَصْرٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَفَتْحٌۭ قَرِيبٌۭ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۝١٣

And an extra ‘bonus’ that you will love: help from Allāh and a victory near at hand. So, O Muḥammad, give good news to the believers!S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

61:14

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوٓا۟ أَنصَارَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَا قَالَ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ لِلْحَوَارِيِّۧنَ مَنْ أَنصَارِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ قَالَ ٱلْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فََٔامَنَت طَّآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنۢ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَكَفَرَت طَّآئِفَةٌۭ ۖ فَأَيَّدْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ عَلَىٰ عَدُوِّهِمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ ظَٰهِرِينَ ۝١٤

O you who believe! Be Allāh’s helpers by helping the Prophet just as ‘Īsā, son of Maryam, said to his disciples, “Who will be my helpers towards Allāh?” The disciples replied, “We are the helpers of Allāh by helping you.” And so a group of the Children of Israel, like the disciples, believed in ‘Īsā while another group disbelieved him. So we supported those who believed against their enemies, and they became victorious.S. M. Rizvi (Explanatory)

Allāh ends by presenting the disciples of ‘Isa as role models for Muslims: