Tafseer Ibn Kathir of AL MUMTAHANAH [13]

13. O you who believe! Take not as friends the people who incurred the wrath of Allah. Surely, they have despaired of the Hereafter, just as the disbelievers have despaired of those (buried) in graves.) Just like in the beginning of the Surah, Allah the Exalted forbids taking the disbelievers as protecting friends at the end of the Surah, saying,

Allah said to His faithful servants, after ordering them to be enemies with the disbelievers,

(The just, who are fair in their decisions, families and those under their authority, will be on podiums made of light, to the right of the Throne.) Allah's statement,

(O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as protecting friends, they are but protecting friends of each other. And if any among you takes them (as protecting friends), then surely, he is one of them. Verily, Allah guides not those people who are the wrongdoers) (5:51) In Surat Al-Fath, we related the story of the treaty at Al-Hudaybiyyah that was conducted between the Messenger of Allah and the disbelievers of Quraysh. In that treaty, there were these words, ”Everyman (in another narration, every person) who reverts from our side to your side, should be returned to us, even if he is a follower of your religion.'' This was said by `Urwah, Ad-Dahhak, `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd, Az-Zuhri, Muqatil bin Hayyan and As-Suddi. So according to this narration, this Ayah specifies and explains the Sunnah. And this is the best case of understanding. Yet according to another view of some of the Salaf, it abrogates it. Allah the Exalted and Most High ordered His faithful servants to test the faith of women who emigrate to them. When they are sure that they are faithful, they should not send them back to the disbelievers, for the disbelievers are not allowed for them and they are not allowed for the disbelievers. In the biography of `Abdullah bin Abi Ahmad bin Jahsh in Al-Musnad Al-Kabir, we also mentioned that `Abdullah bin Abi Ahmad said, ”Umm Kulthum bint `Uqbah bin Abi Mu`ayt emigrated and her brothers, `Umarah and Al-Walid, went after her. They came to Allah's Messenger and talked to him about Umm Kulthum and asked that she be returned to them. Allah abolished the part of the treaty between the Prophet and the idolators about the women particularly. So He forbade returning Muslim women to the idolators and revealed the Ayah about testing them.'' Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas, about Allah's saying:

(O you who believe! When believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them;) ”Their examination was asking them to testify to La ilaha illallah, and that Muhammad is Allah's servant and His Messenger.'' Mujahid explained the Ayah,

(examine them) by saying, ”Ask them why they migrated. If they came because they were angry with their husbands, or for any other reason, and you realized that they did not embrace the faith, then send them back to their husbands.'' Allah's statement,

(then if you ascertain that they are true believers, send them not back to the disbelievers.) This Ayah indicates that faith can be recognized and affirmed.   Allah's statement,

(They are not lawful for the disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful for them.) This Ayah forbids Muslim women for idolators, which was a lawful marriage in the beginning of Islam. Abu Al-`As bin Ar-Rabi` was married to Zaynab, the Prophet's daughter. She was a Muslim, while Abu Al-`As was still an idolator like his people. When he was captured during the battle of Badr, his wife, Zaynab, sent his ransom, a necklace that belonged to the Prophet's first wife Khadijah. The Prophet became very emotional when he saw the necklace and said to the Companions,

(If you decide to set free the prisoner who belongs to her, then do so.) They did, and Allah's Messenger set him free. His ransom was that he send his wife to Allah's Messenger . Abu Al-`As fulfilled his promise and sent Zaynab to Allah's Messenger along with Zayd bin Harithah. Zaynab remained in Al-Madinah after the battle of Badr, which took place in the second year of Hijrah, until her husband Abu Al-`As bin Ar-Rahi` embraced Islam in the eighth year after the Hijrah. She returned to their marriage without renewing the dowery. Allah's statement,

(But give them that which they have spent. ) meaning, the husbands of the emigrant women who came from the idolators, return the dowery that they gave to their wives. This was said by Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Az-Zuhri and several others. Allah's statement,

(And there will be no sin on you to marry them if you have paid their due to them.) means, when you wish to marry them, then give them their dowery. That is, marry them under the condition that their `Iddah (waiting period) is finished and they have a legal guardian for their marriage etc. Allah said,

(Likewise do not keep disbelieving women,) thus forbidding His faithful servants from marrying idolator women or remaining married to them. In the Sahih, it is recorded that Al-Miswar and Marwan bin Al-Hakam said that after the Messenger of Allah conducted the treaty with the Quraysh idolators at Al-Hudaybiyyah, some Muslim women emigrated to him and Allah the Exalted sent down this Ayah about them,

(O you who believe! When believing women come to you as emigrants) until,

(Likewise do not keep disbelieving women,) Then `Umar bin Al-Khattab divorced two of his wives, who were idolatresses, and one of them got married to Mu`awiyah bin Abi Sufyan, while the other got married to Safwan bin Umayyah. Ibn Thawr narrated that Ma`mar said that Az-Zuhri said, ”This Ayah was revealed to Allah's Messenger while he was in the area of Al-Hudaybiyyah, after making peace. He agreed that whoever comes from the Quraysh to his side, will be returned to Makkah. When some women came, this Ayah was revealed. Allah commanded that the dowery that was paid to these women be returned to their husbands. Allah also ordered that if some Muslim women revert to the side of the idolators, the idolators should return their dowery to their Muslim husbands. Allah said,

(Likewise do not keep disbelieving women).'' Allah's statement,

(and ask for that which you have spent and let them ask for that which they have spent.) means, ask them for what you have paid to your wives who reverted to the side of the idolators, and they are entitled to get back the dowery that they gave their wives who emigrated to the Muslims. Allah's statement,

(That is the judgement of Allah, He judges between you.) means, this judgement about the treaty and excluding women from its clauses, is a decision that Allah made for His creatures,

(And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.) meaning, He knows what benefits His servants and is the Most Wise about that. Allah the Exalted said,

(And if any of your wives have gone from you to the disbelievers -- then you succeeded (gained victory) over them; then pay those whose wives have gone, the equivalent of what they had spent.) Mujahid and Qatadah explained this Ayah, by saying, ”This is about the disbelievers who did not have a treaty of peace. If a woman flees to the disbelievers and they do not give back what that her husband spent on her, then if a women comes to them (the Muslims) they are not to return to her husband anything until they pay the Muslim whose wife went to them the equivalent of what he spent. '' Ibn Jarir recorded that Az-Zuhri said, ”The believers abided by Allah's decree and paid what they owed the idolators to compensate for the dowery the idolators gave to the women (who emigrated). However, the idolators refused to accept Allah's judgement for what they owed the Muslims. Allah said to the faithful believers,

(And if any of your wives have gone from you to the disbelievers -- then you succeeded (gained victory) over them; then pay those whose wives have gone, the equivalent of what they had spent. And have Taqwa of Allah, the One in Whom your are believers.) Therefore, if a Muslim woman reverts to the idolators, the believers should give back the dowery her Muslim husband paid her, from whatever money is left with them from the dowery of women who migrated to the Muslims. They were supposed to return this wealth to the idolator husbands of these emigrant women. If they still have anything they owed the idolators, then they should return it to them.''

(And if any of your wives have gone from you to the disbelievers -- then you succeeded (gained victory) over them; then pay those whose wives have gone, the equivalent of what they had spent. And have Taqwa of Allah, the One in Whom your are believers.) Therefore, if a Muslim woman reverts to the idolators, the believers should give back the dowery her Muslim husband paid her, from whatever money is left with them from the dowery of women who migrated to the Muslims. They were supposed to return this wealth to the idolator husbands of these emigrant women. If they still have anything they owed the idolators, then they should return it to them.'' Al-Bukhari recorded that `A'ishah the wife of the Prophet said, ”Allah's Messenger used to examine women who migrated to his side according to this Ayah,

(O Prophet! When believing women come to you pledging to you...) until,

(Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.)'' `Urwah said, ”`A'ishah said, `When any believing woman agreed to these conditions, Allah's Messenger would say to her,

(I have accepted your pledge.) but, by Allah, he never touched the hand of any women at all while taking the pledge from them. He only took their pledge of allegiance by saying,

(I have accepted your pledge.)'' This is the wording of Al-Bukhari. Imam Ahmad recorded that Umaymah bint Ruqayqah said, ”I came to Allah's Messenger with some women to give him our pledge and he took the pledge from us that is mentioned in the Qur'an, that we associate none with Allah, etc; as in the Ayah. Then he said,

(As much as you can bear to implement.) We said, `Surely, Allah and His Messenger are more merciful with us than we are with ourselves.' We then said, `O Allah's Messenger, should you not shake hands with us' He said,

(I do not shake hands with women, for my statement to one woman is as sufficient as my statement to a hundred women.)'' This Hadith has an authentic chain of narration; At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah collected it. Al-Bukhari also recorded that Umm `Atiyah said, ”The Messenger of Allah took our pledge and recited to us the Ayah,

(...that they will not associate anything with Allah,) and forbade us to wail for the dead. Thereupon, a lady withdrew her hand saying, `But such and such lady shared with me in lamenting (over one of my relatives), so I must reward hers.' The Prophet did not object to that, so she went there and returned to the Prophet and he accepted her pledge of allegiance.'' Muslim also collected this Hadith. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Ubadah bin As-Samit said, ”While we were with the Prophet , he said,

(Pledge to me in that you will not associate any with Allah, nor steal, nor commit Zina, nor kill your children.) Then he recited the Ayah that begins;

(when the believing women come to you. ..) and took the pledge of allegiance from the women. He then added,

(Those among you who fulfill this pledge, will receive their reward from Allah. Those who deviate from any of it and receive the legal punishment (in this life), the punishment will be expiation for that sin. Whoever deviates from any of it and Allah screens him, then it is up to Allah to punish or forgive if He wills.) The Two Sahihs recorded this Hadith. Allah's statement,

(O Prophet! When the believing women come to you pledging to you) means, `if any woman comes to you to give you the pledge and she accepts these conditions, then accept the pledge from her,'

(that they will not associate anything with Allah, that they will not steal,) meaning, the property of other people. In the case where a husband is not fulfilling his duty of spending on his wife, then she is allowed to use a part of his wealth, what is reasonable, to spend on herself. This is the case regardless of whether the husband knows about his wife's actions or not, because of the Hadith in which Hind bint `Utbah said, ”O Allah's Messenger! Abu Sufyan is a miser! He does not give me sufficient money for the living expense of our family and myself. Am I allowed to secretly take from his money without his knowledge'' Allah's Messenger said to her,

(You may take from what is reasonable and appropriate for you and your children) This Hadith was recorded in the two Sahihs. Allah's statement,

(they will not commit Zina,) is similar to His other statement,

(And come not near to Az-Zina. Verily, it is a Fahishah (immoral act) and an evil way.) (17:32) A Hadith collected from Samurah mentions that for the adulterers and fornicators there is a painful torment in the fire of Hell. Imam Ahmad recorded that `A'ishah said, ”Fatimah bint `Utbah came to give her pledge to Allah's Messenger , who took the pledge from her,

(that they will not associate anything with Allah, they will not steal, that they will not commit Zina (fornication and adultery),) Fatimah bashfully placed her hand on her head in shyness. The Prophet liked what she did. `A'ishah said, `O woman! Accept the pledge, because by Allah, we all gave the pledge to the same.' She said, `Yes then,' and she gave her pledge to the same things mentioned in the Ayah.''' Allah's statement,

(that they will not kill their children,) includes killing children after they are born. The people of Jahiliyyah used to kill their children because they feared poverty. The Ayah includes killing the fetus, just as some ignorant women do for various evil reasons. Allah's statement,

(and that they will not utter slander, fabricating from between their hands and their feet,) Ibn `Abbas said, ”It means that they not to attribute to their husbands other than their legitimate children.'' Muqatil said similarly. Allah's statement,

(and that they will not disobey you in Ma`ruf (good),) means, `that they will obey you when you order them to do good and forbid them from evil.' Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said about Allah's statement,

(and that they will not disobey you in any Ma`ruf (good), ) ”This was one of the conditions which Allah imposed on the women.'' Maymun bin Mihran said, ”Allah did not order obedience to His Prophet for other than Ma`ruf, and Ma`ruf is itself obedience.'' Ibn Zayd said, ”Allah commanded that His Messenger, the best of His creation, be obeyed in that which is Ma`ruf.'' Ibn Jarir recorded that Umm `Atiyah Al-Ansariyah said, ”Among the conditions included in our pledge to Allah's Messenger to good was not to wail. A woman said, `So-and-so family brought comfort to me (by wailing over my dead relative), so I will first pay them back.' So she went and paid them back in the same (wailed for their dead), and then came and gave her pledge. Only she and Umm Sulaym bint Milhan, the mother of Anas bin Malik, did so.'' Al-Bukhari collected this Hadith from the way of Hafsah bint Sirin from Umm `Atiyah Nusaybah Al-Ansariyah, may Allah be pleased with her. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Asid bin Abi Asid Al-Barrad said that one of the women who gave the pledge to Allah's Messenger said, ”Among the conditions included in the pledge that the Messenger took from us, is that we do not disobey any act of Ma`ruf (good) that he ordains. We should neither scratch our faces, pull our hair (in grief), tear our clothes nor wail.''

(O you who believe! Take not as friends the people who incurred the wrath of Allah.) referring to the Jews, Christians and the rest of the disbelievers whom Allah became angry with and cursed. Those who deserved being rejected and banished by Him. (Allah says here), `how can you become their allies, friends and companions, after Allah decided that they earn the despair of receiving any good or delights in the Hereafter' Allah's statement,

(just as the disbelievers have despaired of those (buried) in graves.) This has two possible meanings. First, the disbelievers despair of ever again meeting their relatives buried in graves, because they do not believe in Resurrection or being brought back to life. Therefore, they have no hope that they will meet them again, according to their creed. Secondly, just as the disbelievers who are buried in graves have lost hope in receiving any kind of goodness (i.e., after seeing the punishment and knowing that Resurrection is true). Al-A`mash reported from Abu Ad-Duha from Masruq that Ibn Mas`ud said,

(just as the disbelievers have despaired of those (buried) in graves.) ”Just as the disbeliever despairs when he dies and realizes and knows his (evil) recompense.'' This is the saying of Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Muqatil, Ibn Zayd, Al-Kalbi and Mansur; Ibn Jarir preferred this explanation. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Mumtahanah, all praise and thanks be to Allah.