Before coming to a close, the surah has one more topic to deal with concerning the force of brotherhood and fraternity that cement a Muslim community together, allowing it to act and grow as one whole. Such a bond is instigated by and devoted to the love of God and the advancement of His cause. Religious fraternity and ties bind people more strongly than any other, and Islam has made the Muslims, with all the numerous features and factors that discriminate and distinguish among them, into one unique entity, the like of which has not been seen throughout human history. God says in the closing verses:
Lo! those who believed and left their homes and strove with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah, and those who took them in and helped them: these are protecting friends one of another. And those who believed but did not leave their homes, ye have no duty to protect them till they leave their homes; but if they seek help from you in the matter of religion then it is your duty to help (them) except against a folk between whom and you there is a treaty. Allah is Seer of what ye do. (72)
It is because those Muslims had stayed behind in Makkah, at such a critical time in the history of Islam, that they forfeited any help or support that would otherwise have been due to them from their fellow Muslims. As for the unbelievers, they were also allies one to another, and were to be accorded the same treatment.
And those who disbelieve are protectors one of another - If ye do not so [ fail to distinguish ], there will be confusion in the land, and great corruption. (73)
The tragedy we face today is that the nation of Islam, which ought to be one and united, is in reality divided and fragmented into nations, nationalities, and states. At a body such as United Nations , Muslims have no unified voice. In fact, some so-called leaders of Muslim countries have said openly that they did not consider Islam as a significant factor with any influence on their relations and alliances with other countries. In the constitutions and policies of Muslim countries, nationalist and ethnic prejudices take precedence over the brotherhood and fraternity of Islam. Worst of all, "nationalism" such as Arab nationalism are championed and advocated by secularist groups such asthe Arab Ba'th Socialist party and others. However, the Arabs are not viable as a nation without Islam, to which they owe their glory and place in the history of human civilization. The only way for us to emerge safely out of our contemporary predicament is to open the way for Islam to resume its proper role in our thinking and behavior, shape our internal and external relations, and control all aspects of our life.
Excerpt from " A Thematic Commentary In The Qur'an "
Muhammad al-Ghazali
[ 1917 - 1996 ]
Reflection and commentary by Prof Quraish Shihab [ Malay/ Indonesian ]
[ verse 69 to verse 75 ]
Final part :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3p7gL3QWpM
....................................................................
From Pearls & Gem :
Hamka , a much underated Tafseer,
http://drnikisahak.blogspot.com/2010/01/under-construction-hamka-revisited.html
......................................................................................................................................
A non-Muslim Arab who lost his son in the battle at Badr was quoted to have said: "Were it not for Badr, these people [ the Muslims ] would have never prevailed." He was right. Badr marked a turning piont in the history of Islam and the Muslims. Their power and influence received a strong boost, whereas it was the beginning of the end of their enemies, whose power and influence retracted as they began to lose control over Arabia. The writing was on the wall for the non- Muslim Arabs, whereas all the signs pointed to a great future for Islam in Arabia and beyond. God says:
Allah coineth a similitude: a township that dwelt secure and well content, its provision coming to it in abundance from every side, but it disbelieved in Allah's favours, so Allah made it experience the garb of dearth and fear because of what they used to do. ( al-Nahl: 112 )
God would indeed deal with societies and nations according to the same criteria: "That is because Allah never changeth the grace He hath bestowed on any people until they first change that which is in their hearts, and (that is) because Allah is Hearer, Knower." (53) . Gratitude for and appreciation of God's favors are therefore essential and vital elements in ensuring the continuation and growth of divine favors. This was made very clear with respect to the Arabs taken prisoners by Muhammad by the Muslims at Badr. God says:
O Prophet! Say unto those captives who are in your hands: If Allah knoweth any good in your hearts He will give you better than that which hath been taken from you, and will forgive you. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (70) And if they would betray thee, they betrayed Allah before, and He gave (thee) power over them. Allah is Knower, Wise. (71)
The same goes for all who deny God's favors and spurn His commands and teaching. They will continue to be faithful as long as it serves their interests, otherwise they will just as easily and quickly renege and deny any obligation or responsibility. They are described thus: " Lo! the worst of beasts in Allah's sight are the ungrateful who will not believe. (55) Those of them with whom thou madest a treaty, and then at every opportunity they break their treaty, and they keep not duty (to Allah)," (56). Only the readiness to use force against force would make such people see sense. The Prophet was therefore instructed to hit hard at his belligerent enemies to deter those following them. God commanded the Prophet: "If thou comest on them in the war, deal with them so as to strike fear in those who are behind them, that haply they may remember, "(57) . If injustice and and aggression can only be stopped or deterred only by the use of force, then Muslims have no alternative but to resort to force. Muslims normally prefer peace and strive to preserve it, because it enables them to build and promote their Islamic way of life freely and openly. However, when they are prevented from pursuing their normal everyday Islamic obligations and duties, or subjected to suppression and persecution for their beliefs and opinions, then they have no alternative but to resist and fight back by all necessary and available means.
The interesting point here is that in the struggle between right and wrong, between Muslims and their enemies, numbers, size, and material force do not matter because the Muslims have God on their side. This si endorsed by the following verse:
O Prophet! Exhort the believers to fight. If there be of you twenty steadfast they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a hundred steadfast they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are a folk without intelligence. (65
This has, understandably, given rise to some debate among Muslim scholars and disagreement over which of the two ratio is the rule and which is the exception. My personal view is that the higher one is the rule, because the lower ratio applies at times of temporary weakness or in exceptional circumstances in which a Muslim fighting force is disadvantaged for reasons beyond its control. In modern warfare it is perfectly possible for one foot soldier to hold up one battalion, or a few highly motivated, well-trained , well-equipped fighters to play havoc with an armoured division. Examples of this have been witnessed in all recant wars. As God says elsewhere in the Qur'an: ".... How many a little company hath overcome a mighty host by Allah's leave! Allah is with the steadfast. "( al- baqarah :249 )
Before coming to a close, the surah has one more topic to deal with concerning the force of brotherhood and fraternity that cement a Muslim community together, allowing it to act and grow as one whole. Such a bond is instigated by and devoted to the love of God and the advancement of His cause. Religious fraternity and ties bind people more strongly than any other, and Islam has made the Muslims, with all the numerous features and factors that discriminate and distinguish among them, into one unique entity, the like of which has not been seen throughout human history. God says in the closing verses:
Lo! those who believed and left their homes and strove with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah, and those who took them in and helped them: these are protecting friends one of another. And those who believed but did not leave their homes, ye have no duty to protect them till they leave their homes; but if they seek help from you in the matter of religion then it is your duty to help (them) except against a folk between whom and you there is a treaty. Allah is Seer of what ye do. (72)
It is because those Muslims had stayed behind in Makkah, at such a critical time in the history of Islam, that they forfeited any help or support that would otherwise have been due to them from their fellow Muslims. As for the unbelievers, they were also allies one to another, and were to be accorded the same treatment.
And those who disbelieve are protectors one of another - If ye do not so [ fail to distinguish ], there will be confusion in the land, and great corruption. (73)
The tragedy we face today is that the nation of Islam, which ought to be one and united, is in reality divided and fragmented into nations, nationalities, and states. At a body such as United Nations , Muslims have no unified voice. In fact, some so-called leaders of Muslim countries have said openly that they did not consider Islam as a significant factor with any influence on their relations and alliances with other countries. In the constitutions and policies of Muslim countries, nationalist and ethnic prejudices take precedence over the brotherhood and fraternity of Islam. Worst of all, "nationalism" such as Arab nationalism are championed and advocated by secularist groups such asthe Arab Ba'th Socialist party and others. However, the Arabs are not viable as a nation without Islam, to which they owe their glory and place in the history of human civilization. The only way for us to emerge safely out of our contemporary predicament is to open the way for Islam to resume its proper role in our thinking and behavior, shape our internal and external relations, and control all aspects of our life.
Excerpt from " A Thematic Commentary In The Qur'an "
Muhammad al-Ghazali
[ 1917 - 1996 ]
Reflection and commentary by Prof Quraish Shihab [ Malay/ Indonesian ]
[ verse 50 to verse 59 ]
Part 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KF_TVdlW6c
Part 2 :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAuOyrF-VtY
[ Allah would change position of a society unless they change their 'hearts' ]
Part 3 :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tDW0oFKHsA
[ the worst 'animals'.....]
Part 4 :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTGNGIMSABY
[ verse 60 to verse 68 ]
Part 1 :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsyuMbWPdrg
[ Power, respect and fear stems from the barrel of the 'gun'..during Nabi's time and now; but religion is about peace ]
[ verse 69 to verse 75 ]
Final part :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3p7gL3QWpM
....................................................................
From Pearls & Gem :
Hamka , a much underated Tafseer,
http://drnikisahak.blogspot.com/2010/01/under-construction-hamka-revisited.html
