Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “Did you fear that you would offer alms before your private conversations?”
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Exegesis of His saying, the Exalted: “Did you fear that you would offer alms before your private conversations”
Then He, the Exalted, said: [Surat al-Mujadilah: 13] “Did you fear” means: Did you fear hardship if you offered alms before your private conversations? And this is the reality; it was difficult for the Companions, and you know that most of the Companions were poor, and this was difficult for them.So Allah the Exalted said: [Surat al-Mujadilah: 13] The meaning is: We have removed the obligation from you. “So when you did not do it and Allah turned to you in mercy” by removing this obligation, “then establish prayer” meaning: Do not neglect what Allah has made obligatory upon you of other matters, such as establishing prayer, giving zakah, and obeying Allah and His Messenger.
[Surat al-Mujadilah: 13] Meaning: He is All-Aware of all that we do of good and evil, and we will meet Him, if Allah wills, and He will judge between us according to what His wisdom and mercy require.
In this verse, as you have seen, there is abrogation. So what is the abrogating and what is the abrogated? The abrogating is this last verse, and the abrogated is the verse before it. Allah made alms obligatory and then removed it. This is abrogation from obligation to permissibility.And Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) abrogates what He wills, as He said: [Surat al-Baqarah: 106] .
Among the abrogated things: Regarding facing the qiblah: When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) first arrived in Madinah, he faced the Sacred Mosque in Jerusalem. Then this was abrogated to the obligation of facing the first house established for people, the Ka'bah.
And among the abrogated: Regarding fasting: At first, when fasting became obligatory, a person was given the choice between fasting or breaking the fast.It is said to the person: If you wished, you would fast; if you wished, you would feed a poor person for every day. Then this was abrogated to the individual obligation of fasting.
And among what was also abrogated: Regarding the obligation of jihad in the path of Allah: That Muslims should not flee from ten times their number.Meaning: Meaning: If they were one hundred, they should not flee from a thousand; and if they were two hundred, they should not flee from two thousand.So Allah the Exalted said: [Surat al-Anfal: 66] .
And abrogation does not mean that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) did not know the benefit and then it became apparent to Him. The abrogating follows the state of the servants. It may be that what is best for them is making this thing obligatory at one time and abrogating it at another time; because rulings follow benefits, and benefits differ in every time, place, and nation. For this reason, you will find that tawhid (the oneness of Allah) was made obligatory from the beginning of the message, while the obligation of prayer was delayed ten years after the revelation, and zakah was delayed until the Hijrah, and fasting likewise until the Hijrah, and Hajj until the ninth year. All of this became a follow-up to what the benefit requires and the gradualness in Islamic legislation.
Then He, the Exalted, said:
Have you feared to present before your consultation charities
أَأَشْفَقْتُمْ أَنْ تُقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ نَجْوَاكُمْ صَدَقَاتٍHave you feared to present before your consultation charities? Then when you do not and Allah has forgiven you, then [at least] establish prayer
أَأَشْفَقْتُمْ أَنْ تُقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ نَجْوَاكُمْ صَدَقَاتٍ فَإِذْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا وَتَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلاةَthen [at least] establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do.
فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَاللَّهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَIn this verse, as you have seen, there is abrogation. So what is the abrogating and what is the abrogated? The abrogating is this last verse, and the abrogated is the verse before it. Allah made alms obligatory and then removed it. This is abrogation from obligation to permissibility.And Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) abrogates what He wills, as He said:
We do not abrogate a verse or cause it to be forgotten except that We bring forth [one] better than it or similar to it
مَا نَنْسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نُنْسِهَا نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْهَا أَوْ مِثْلِهَاAmong the abrogated things: Regarding facing the qiblah: When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) first arrived in Madinah, he faced the Sacred Mosque in Jerusalem. Then this was abrogated to the obligation of facing the first house established for people, the Ka'bah.
And among the abrogated: Regarding fasting: At first, when fasting became obligatory, a person was given the choice between fasting or breaking the fast.It is said to the person: If you wished, you would fast; if you wished, you would feed a poor person for every day. Then this was abrogated to the individual obligation of fasting.
And among what was also abrogated: Regarding the obligation of jihad in the path of Allah: That Muslims should not flee from ten times their number.Meaning: Meaning: If they were one hundred, they should not flee from a thousand; and if they were two hundred, they should not flee from two thousand.So Allah the Exalted said:
Now, Allah has lightened [the hardship] for you, and He knows that among you is weakness. So if there are from you one hundred [who are] steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are among you a thousand, they will overcome two thousand by permission of Allah. And Allah is with the steadfast.
الْآنَ خَفَّفَ اللَّهُ عَنْكُمْ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيكُمْ ضَعْفاً فَإِنْ يَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ مِائَةٌ صَابِرَةٌ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ وَإِنْ يَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أَلْفٌ يَغْلِبُوا أَلْفَيْنِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَAnd abrogation does not mean that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) did not know the benefit and then it became apparent to Him. The abrogating follows the state of the servants. It may be that what is best for them is making this thing obligatory at one time and abrogating it at another time; because rulings follow benefits, and benefits differ in every time, place, and nation. For this reason, you will find that tawhid (the oneness of Allah) was made obligatory from the beginning of the message, while the obligation of prayer was delayed ten years after the revelation, and zakah was delayed until the Hijrah, and fasting likewise until the Hijrah, and Hajj until the ninth year. All of this became a follow-up to what the benefit requires and the gradualness in Islamic legislation.
