4. An-Nisa (94-176) – Decoding The Quran – Ahmed Hulusi

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“4. An-Nisa (94-176) – Decoding The Quran – Ahmed Hulusi”

“Audhu billahi minash shaytanirrajeem”

Bismi Llaahi l-raḥmaani l-raḥeem

94. O believers… When you go to war in the way of Allah, investigate well, and if one gives you a greeting (wants to make peace) do not say, “You are not a believer” aspiring for the goods of the worldly life… There are many spoils in the sight of Allah… You were like that yourself before, then Allah conferred His favor upon you… So research well… Indeed, Allah, as the creator of what you do, is the Habir.

95. Not equal are those who stay behind from war without a valid reason and those who fight in the way of Allah with their possessions and their lives (their sense of self)… Allah has raised the degree of those who struggle with their possessions and their lives over those who stay behind. Allah has given the best to all of them. But Allah has preferred those who strive in His cause over those who stay back, with a great reward.

96. Degrees, forgiveness and grace (He has given). Allah is the Ghafur and the Rahim.

97. Indeed, the angels told those who are in a state of doing wrong to themselves while they are taken by death, “In what condition were you? (Why were you in a state of doing wrong to yourselves?)”… They said, “We were weak and helpless on earth”… (The angels) said, “Was Allah’s earth not vast enough for you to migrate therein?”… Their refuge will be hell… What a wretched end!

98. Except those who do not have the means to migrate – helpless men, women and children.

99. It is expected that Allah will pardon them. Allah is the Afuw, the Ghafur.

100. Whoever migrates (from a land in which he is oppressed) in the way of Allah (based on the verse ‘flee to Allah’; migrate to your essential reality) will find immense vastness on earth… Whoever leaves his home as a migrant to Allah and His Rasul (with the reality disclosed by them) and then dies on this way, his reward will be from Allah… Allah is the Ghafur, the Rahim. (We have tried to highlight an inner meaning here alongside the obvious physical connotation of this verse.)

101. And when you are traveling throughout the land, there is no harm in shortening your salat (prayers) if you fear the deniers of the reality may harm you. Indeed, those deniers or concealers of the reality are clear enemies to you.

102. (My Rasul) when you are among them (but in an unsafe state) and you lead them in prayer (salat), let a group of them stand in salat next to you while armed with their weapons… When they prostrate let the others stand in guard behind you… Then have the others come forward, who have not yet prayed, and let them pray with you… Let them take precautions and arms… The deniers of the reality wish for you to be negligent of your weapons and possessions so they may attack you suddenly. But if you are overtaken by rain or illness, there is no harm in leaving your arms… (Though) you should still take precautions… Indeed, Allah has prepared a degrading suffering for the deniers of the reality.

103. When you have finished your salat (in an unsafe environment), remember Allah while standing, sitting, or (lying) on your sides (i.e. experience Him in your being at all times)… When you feel satiated with the remembrance (dhikr), perform your salat (duly experience the essence of salat with the sensitivity and receptivity incited by dhikr). Indeed, the experience of salat at specific times has been inscribed upon the believers.

104. Do not relent in the pursuit of the enemy… If you are suffering, they too are suffering just the same… Yet you can wish from Allah things that they cannot hope for… Allah is the Aleem, the Hakim.