Tafseer Ibn Kathir of ALI 'IMRAN [77]

77. Verily, those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's covenant and their oaths, they shall have no portion in the Hereafter (Paradise). Neither will Allah speak to them nor look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and they shall have a painful torment. Allah states that whoever prefers the small things of this short, soon to end life, instead of fulfilling what they have promised Allah by following Muhammad , announcing his description ï´¿from their booksï´¾ to people and affirming his truth, then,

(they shall have no portion in the Hereafter.) They will not have a share or part in the Hereafter's rewards,

(Neither will Allah speak to them nor look at them on the Day of Resurrection) with His mercy. This Ayah indicates that Allah will not speak words of kindness nor look at them with any mercy,

(nor will He purify them) from sins and impurities. Rather, He will order them to the Fire,

(and they shall have a painful torment.) There are several Hadiths on the subject of this Ayah, some of which follow. The First Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Dharr said, ”The Messenger of Allah said, c

قلت: يا رسول الله، من هم؟ خابوا وخسروا قال: وأعاده رسول اللهصلى الله عليه وسلّم ثلاث مرات، قال:

(There are three persons whom Allah will not speak to, look at on the Day of Resurrection or purify, and they shall taste a painful torment. I said, `O Messenger of Allah! Who are they, may they gain failure and loss' He said, repeating this statement thrice, `The Musbil (man whose clothes reach below the ankles), he who swears while lying so as to sell his merchandize and the one who gives charity and reminds people of it).')'' This was also recorded by Muslim, and the collectors of the Sunan. Another Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded that `Adi bin `Amirah Al-Kindi said, ”Imru' Al-Qays bin `Abis, a man from Kindah, disputed with a man from Hadramut in front of the Messenger of Allah concerning a piece of land. The Prophet required the man from Hadramut to present his evidence, but he did not have any. The Prophet required Imru' Al-Qays to swear to his truthfulness, but the man from Hadramut said, `O Messenger of Allah! If you only require him to swear, then by the Lord of the Ka`bah (Allah), my land is lost.' The Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever swears while lying to acquire the property of others, will meet Allah while He is angry with him.)'' Raja' one of the narrators of the Hadith, said that the Messenger of Allah then recited,

(Verily, those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's covenant and their oaths...) Imru' Al-Qays said, `What if one forfeits this dispute, what will he gain, O Messenger of Allah' The Prophet answered, `Paradise.' Imru' Al-Qays said, `Bear witness that I forfeit all the land for him.''' An-Nasa'i also recorded this Hadith. Another Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever takes a false oath to deprive a Muslim of his property will meet Allah while He is angry with him.) Al-Ash`ath said, ”By Allah! This verse was revealed concerning me. I owned some land with a Jewish man who denied my right, and I complained against him to the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet asked me, `Do you have evidence' I said, `I don't have evidence.' He said to the Jew, `Take an oath then.' I said, `O Allah's Messenger! He will take a (false) oath immediately, and I will lose my property.' Allah revealed the verse,

(Verily, those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's covenant and their oaths...)'' The Two Sahihs recorded this Hadith. Another Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

(Three persons whom Allah shall not speak to on the Day of Resurrection, or look at, or purify them, and they shall taste a painful torment. (They are) a man who does not give the wayfarer some of the water that he has; a man who swears, while lying, in order to complete a sales transaction after the `Asr prayer; and a man who gives his pledge of allegiance to an Imam (Muslim Ruler), and if the Imam gives him (something), he fulfills the pledge, but if the Imam does not give him, he does not fulfill the pledge). Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi also recorded this Hadith, and At-Tirmidhi graded it Hasan Sahih.