Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
We ended our last Reading with the Qur’an commanding the Prophet, peace upon him, to incline to peace when the enemy so inclines. Our Reading today shows us beautiful characteristics of the earliest recipients of the Qur’an and delivers further details regarding their first battle, the Battle of Badr.
COMMENTS:
1. We find in Verses 62-64 two statements addressed to the Prophet Muhammad, peace upon him, both telling him: “…God suffices you… حسبك الله….”
This reminds us of two other verses (HQ 9:129; 39:38 also addressed to Prophet Muhammad) which taught us in times of need to say:
“God suffices me; upon Him do the reliant rely!”(حسبي الله عليه يتوكل المتوكلون)[1]
Verse 63 follows up on Verse 62, showing us that what faith can do, all the wealth on earth cannot do! This is very important to know at a time when materialism is on the rise around us and seemingly gaining control: It might conquer the weak-spirited, it might garner their service or ‘loyalty,’ but it will NOT bring anyone’s hearts and minds together in brotherhood, especially not those who compete against each other for material gain!
It is God Who brought together the hearts and minds of the Faithful; all the wealth in the world would not buy Faith or generate Trust. CONVICTION cannot be bought.
Remember Pharaoh’s Sorcerers (HQ 7: 120)? The instance in which they gained conviction is the very instance in which they sided with Moses and were ready to suffer the most horrible torture AND die for their faith.
Aside: Readers might be interested to know that the word ‘ghani- غني’ in Arabic (which we might understand as ‘wealthy’) actually means ‘satisfied, self-sufficient; requiring nothing of anyone/anything- –الكفاية /alkifaayah.’
One of God’s attributes is ‘The Ghani-الغني’ (put in Tanzil or see HQ 35:15).
Indeed, the more ‘satisfied, self-sufficient and need-free’ we feel, the more ‘ghani’ we actually are, and it is all in our heads! How many a wealthy person do we know who keeps ‘needing’ more? Such a person is not wealthy at all in the Arabi sense of the word ‘ghani.’
The ‘ghani’ person is one who feels self-sufficient and needs nothing, even if s/he is materially poor; he feels ‘need-less’ and is therefore much wealthier/ aghnaa/ أغنى than a so-called ‘wealthy’ person.
Let us post this on our doors (or on our smartphone screens) so that we rethink our ‘needs’ before we start purchasing. As long as one of us feels the need for something s/he is not ‘ghani.’
2. Verses 65-66 give the Prophet ﷺ commands specific to him at the time of this battle, both verses beginning with ‘O you Prophet/ ya ayyuhal Nabi/ يا أيها النبي’.
How do we know that these commands are specific to him as Prophet at the time, and not to be considered a general command to every leader after him?
Because of the address ‘O you Prophet.’
Let us try to understand this important point:
Muhammad ﷺ was both Prophet and Messenger; he was Prophet/ Nabi as relates to the people around him, and Messenger/ Rasool as relates to the Message he carried and to God Who made him His Messenger.
His prophethood/nubuwwah/نبوّة therefore related to his personal life, his personal actions and decisions, and of course his marriages, among other things. His wives were the wives of the Prophet, as you can see mentioned in these verses. They were not the wives of the ‘Messenger’ because neither they, nor anyone else, has anything to do with God’s Message: No one is party to the Messenger’s divine relationship with God!
Now, let us check all occurrences similar to the above in the Qur’an, where he was addressed “O you Prophet.” Notice verse 66:9, where he was asked why -seeking to please his wives- he had bound something which God had made unbound for him. Here he was addressed in his capacity as a husband, a human-being, which is also clear in verses 33:38 and 66:3. In verses 9:73 and 33:1 he was commanded to be tough on the Deniers and the Hypocrites whose truth he recognized as a Prophet, and not to do their bidding.
On the other hand, in his capacity as Messenger of God he delivers the Message in full perfection as God intends him to and would never ever do or say anything that might need to be corrected.
That is the main difference between his capacity as Prophet and as Messenger, peace upon him; two roles for the same person, each distinct in attribute.
Verses 65-66 also show us the power of Faith and Trust/ Eman when coupled with patient perseverance/ Sabr. If people of faith, trust, and patient perseverance faced an opponent they should ideally be able to overpower ten times their number, or at the very least, twice their number.
3. Verse 67 was explained in an interesting way by Muhammad Asad, who read it to indicate “ a prohibition of slavery as a ‘social institution.’ Yusuf Ali’s interpretation is also very interesting.
Reading both would give us a good idea what the taking of captives meant prior to the early time of revelation.
In fact, we should envisage that period to understand the meaning of “…..you look for the temporal goods of this world…/ …you may desire the fleeting gains of this world…” (Ali/ Asad)
Similar to all primitive tribes, tribal wealth for the early Arabs was related to the number of animals they possessed, and some tribes gained wealth by travelling to faraway lands for trade. The status of such a tribe would be assessed by the size of its trading caravan and the alliances it forges with other tribes for protection along the way. Naturally, there would be lingering feuds and vendettas and battles fought, sometimes over the goods in these caravans, and sometimes to seize captives for ransom or as slaves, or to bring back women and children who had been taken by another tribe.
That is one reason why taking captives -and desiring their ransom- was considered a means for material, worldly gain.
At any rate, Verses 67, 68 relate to a narrative that assigns blame upon the fighters of Badr for taking captives for ransom rather than fighting on until the entire land is subdued. The ‘you’ here is plural, which indicates that the entire group was charged, and not the Prophet himself, with grievous suffering that could have befallen them for so doing.
They were all forgiven after that in Verse 69 and told to enjoy what material gain they had incurred, and to be aware of God. Awareness, THE best provision for all time!
Read about the captives of the Battle of Badr from the Prophet’s Seerah here.
Save this link which contains the entire Seerah by Martin Lings.
4. Verse 70 shows us how beautifully the captives were addressed in hopes of their seeking God’s forgiveness. Verse 71 divulges what some of them might secretly feel, but what should never affect how they are treated. Read it in Asad’s explanation.
5. Verse 72 speaks of the Emigrants (from Mecca) and the Helpers/Supporters (of Medina) being Protectors of each other and seems to subtly urge those remaining in Mecca Who had Attained Faith to emigrate since no one is responsible for their protection, although one must go to their aid when asked.
6. Verse 73 shows us that those who Deny –whatever other labels they may have- will always be intimate friends/ protectors of each other, and that YOU, recipients of this message, should be the same for each other, failing which there would be trial by fire/fitnah upon the earth and great corruption/fasaad.
That should be a statement for all time to be remembered by us, if we are of Those who have Attained Faith!
7. Verse 74 seems to continue what was started in Verse 72, but here it ends by clearly defining the two groups (‘Those Who Attained Faith/وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟’ and emigrated and exerted themselves in God’s Way, as well as Those Who gave shelter and relief) as them being THE Truly Faithful/ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقًّۭا’.
See Muhammad Asad’s notes relating to Verse 75 which is traditionally taken to relate to inheritance, explained as such by Yusuf Ali. (When the Faithful from Qureish first emigrated to Medina with the Messenger, they were actually fleeing death and persecution, with nothing but the skins on their backs. All their belongings were left behind and confiscated, and they were left destitute. Thereupon, they were made actual ‘brethren’ of the Medinites, to the extent of living in their homes and inheriting their wealth. This verse is considered- by some commentators – to bring back the blood-ties of true kinship as grounds of inheritance.) Asad’s interpretation:
[8:75]
And as for those who henceforth come to believe, and who forsake the domain of evil and strive hard [in God’s cause] together with you – these [too] shall belong to you; and they who are [thus] closely related have the highest claim on one another in [accordance with] God’s decree. Verily, God has full knowledge of everything.
Enough said!
Our next Reading is from HQ 9: 1-13; a NEW Sura/Chapter!
Peace unto all!
[1] We find similar expression also in 3:173; 5:104; 9:59.