Choose No Friend from among Enemies

Lesson # 539 From Holy Qur’an

Choose No Friend from among Enemies

Surah Nisaaa’ (Women) – Chapter – 4)

Verses –89b, 90 & 91 of 176, Section – 12/24 (Part – 5)

89b.  if they turn back (to enmity) then take them and kill them wherever ye find them, and choose no friend nor helper from among them- 90.  Except those who seek refuge with a people between whom and you there is a covenant, or (those who) come unto you because their hearts forbid them to make war on you or make war on their own folk. Had Allah Willed He would have given them power over you so that assuredly they would have fought you. So, if they hold aloof from you and wage not war against you and offer you peace, then Allah has alloweth you no way against them. 91.  Ye will find others who desire that they should have security from you, and security from their own folk. So often as they are returned to hostility they are plunged therein. If they keep not aloof from you nor offer you peace nor hold their hands, then take them and kill them wherever ye find them. And against them We have given you clear warrant.

89b.  Fa-‘in- tawallaw  fa-khuzuuhum  waq-tuluuhum  haysu  wajattu-muuhum  wa  laa  tatta-khizuu  minhum  waliy-yanw-wa  laa  nasiiraa.   90.  ‘Illal-laziina  yasi-luuna  ‘ilaa  qawmim-  bay-nakum  wa  bay-nahum-miisaaqun  ‘aw  jaaa-‘uukum  hasirat  suduuruhum  ‘any-yuqaa-tiluukum  ‘aw  yuqaatiluu  qaw-mahum.  Wa  law  shaaa-‘Allaahu  lasallatahum  ‘alaykum  falaqaa-taluukum.  Fa-‘ini’-taza-luukum  falam  yuqaa-tiluukum  wa  ‘al-qaw-  ‘ilay-ku-mus-salama,  famaa  ja-‘alAllaahu  lakum  ‘alay-him  sabiilaa.   91.  Sataji-duuna  ‘aakhariina  yuriiduuna  ‘any-ya’-manuukum  wa  ya’-manuu  qawmahum.  Kullamaa  rudduuu  ‘ilal-fitnati  ‘urkisuu  fiihaa.  Fa-‘illam  ya’-taziluukum  wa  yulquuu  ‘ilay-kumus-salama  wa  yakuffuuu  ‘ay-diyahum  fakhuzuuhum  waq-tuluuhum  haysu  saqif-tumuuhum.  Wa  ‘ulaaa-‘ikum  ja-‘alNaa  lakum  ‘alay-him  sultaanam-mubiinaa.

Lesson

Khuzuu – its origin is ‘akhaza, which is used for three purposes; to make, to choose or adopt and to hold. Base of Laa  tattakhizuu (do not choose) is also the same. Miisaaqun – (covenant), it is from wasuuq, which means “to trust, faith and confidence”. Miisaaq is the thing, from which trust and faith is produced. It can also be aimed as mutual agreement. Sallata – this word is from tasliit, which means “to give control, to allow one to prevail (over or against) and to empower someone. This order is regarding those people, who were mentioned in the above lesson. ‘I’-taza-luukum –  (they hold aloof from you). It is from ‘i’-tizaal, which is again from ‘azala that means ‘to hold aloof, to remain separate, to avoid from troubling someone’. Ma’-zuul has also derived from it. ‘As-salama – (peace, truce), Islam, tasliim and many other words have come out from it. It means ‘to wish safety (for self and others), to give shelter’. Here the word ‘As-salama has been used also for friendship and union besides the word peace. saqif-tumuuhum – (you find them). The substance of this word is saqiif, which means ‘to find, to acquire’. Its aim is that whenever the war is proclaimed, then kill the enemy wherever you find him. Mind it that this order is not for the common days of peace, but only in the condition of war. It is desired that the people who are squeezed in the infidelity, they will not become Muslims. But they will use to tempt others that they should become infidels too. However, you should say them continuously to embrace Islam and sacrifice in such a way, as you have sacrificed. If they do not believe, then you should not think for them in war, take them after overcoming and kill them. Their mixing up is useless in war because these people are your fast enemies and bad-wishers. They will not shun from wickedness, whenever they will find any chance. In the situation of war, kill these selfish people, wherever you find them. But there are two forms for their safety:

• They have deep association and covenant of peace with them, who have a treaty of alliance with you, because in this condition, they have entered in that covenant of peace too.

• If they want to make a truce with you due to vexation of war, with the condition that neither they will fight with you themselves, nor they will support their nation against you.

It has been described in this verse, that if these people remain bound after the treaty of truce, give up fighting and remain in peace, then you are not permitted to narrow them. Then another group of hypocrite infidels have been discussed. These are the people, who neither want to fight against you, nor against their own nation. They make a covenant with you that they will not make a war on you. But when they observe that your enemies have been increasing, then they do not regard your articles of agreement and join your enemies. If such people come to break the covenant and begin rigidity, then you should also fight against them and destroy them, wherever you find them, because you have a perfect reason against them that they have become faithless to their covenant. Transliterated Holy Qur’an in Roman Script & Translated from Arabic to English by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore, Lesson collected from Dars e Qur’an published By Idara Islaah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated Urdu to English  by Muhammad Sharif).