تتحدث السورة عن الذين يزعمون أنهم مؤمنون، لكنهم يخالفون عمدًا الشرط الأساسي للإيمان، إذ يحاولون تحكيم الطواغيت في خصوماتهم، مع أنهم أُمروا بالكفر بها. وتعجب السورة من موقفهم، وتحذّرهم من وسوسة الشيطان الذي يريد أن يضلّهم ضلالًا بعيدًا. كما تصف ردّ فعلهم حين يُدعَون إلى الالتزام بما أنزل الله والاتباع لرسوله ﷺ، إذ يُظهرون النفور والإعراض. وتعدّ السورة ذلك نفاقًا، وتستنكر تحاكمهم إلى الطواغيت بوصفه كفرًا بالإيمان. وإذا وقعوا في البلاء بسبب مكائدهم السيئة، اعتذروا وبرّروا فعلهم، غير أن تبريرهم يتبيّن أنه واهٍ وكاذب. ومع ذلك يأمر الله رسوله ﷺ أن ينصحهم ويعظهم ويُذكّرهم. وتختم الفقرة ببيان واضح لمقصد الله من إرسال الرسل، وأنه يجب طاعتهم.
Now the sūrah refers to those who claim to be believers but who deliberately violate the central condition of faith, trying to refer their disputes to false gods for arbitration, when they have been commanded to reject such false gods. The sūrah wonders at their attitude and warns them against Satan’s attempts to lead them far astray. It describes their reaction when they show their aversion to being called upon to adhere to what God has revealed and to follow His Messenger. The sūrah considers this an act of hypocrisy, and denounces their reference to false gods as a rejection of faith. When their wicked plans end up in misery they try to justify themselves, but their justification is shown to be hollow and false. Nevertheless, God directs His Messenger (peace be upon him) to give them good counsel and to admonish them. The paragraph concludes with a clear statement of God’s purpose in sending Messengers, which shows that they must be obeyed.
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ؟
Are you not aware of those who claim that they believe in what has been bestowed from on high upon you, as well as in what was bestowed from on high before you?
يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُوا إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُوا أَن يَكْفُرُوا بِهِ ۖ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا. وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ رَأَيْتَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَنكَ صُدُودًا. فَكَيْفَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ جَاءُوكَ يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَا إِلَّا إِحْسَانًا وَتَوْفِيقًا. أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ ۖ فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَعِظْهُمْ وَقُل لَّهُمْ فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ قَوْلًا بَلِيغًا. وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۚ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِيمًا. فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا.
They seek the judgement of false gods, although they are bidden to deny them. But Satan wants to lead them far astray. When it is said to them, “Come to that which God has bestowed from on high, and to the Messenger,” you see the hypocrites turn away from you with aversion. But how will it be when calamity befalls them [on the Day of Judgement! because of what their hands have done in this world? They would then come to you, swearing by God, “Our aim was but to do good, and to bring about harmony.” As for them — God knows all that is in their hearts. So leave them alone, and admonish them, and speak to them a word to reach their very souls. We have sent every messenger so that he should be obeyed by God’s leave. If when they have wronged themselves, they would but come to you and pray to God to forgive them, and the Messenger prayed for their forgiveness, they would surely find that God is the One who accepts repentance, Merciful. But no, by your Lord. They do not really believe unless they make you judge in all disputes between them, and then find in their hearts no bar to an acceptance of your decisions and give themselves up in total submission.
(الآيات ٦٠-٦٥)
(Verses 60-65)
يُوحي هذا الوصف بأن ذلك كان في المراحل الأولى، بعد أن استقرّ الإسلام في المدينة لأول مرة. وفي تلك الفترة، حشد المنافقون قوة لا يُستهان بها، وكان لليهود، الذين تعاونوا مع المنافقين، قوةٌ حقيقية. والذين أبَوا أن يحتكموا إلى شرع الله، وفضّلوا أن يحتكموا إلى الطواغيت، قد يكونون جماعةً من المنافقين، كما وُصفوا بوضوح في الآية الثانية من هذه الفقرة. وقد يكونون اليهودَ الذين، حين احتاجوا إلى التحكيم في معاملاتهم مع أهل المدينة، دُعوا إلى التحاكم إلى كتاب الله، أي التوراة، في بعض الحالات، أو إلى رسول الله ﷺ في حالات أخرى، فأبَوا وفضّلوا أن يحتكموا إلى الأعراف المحلية السائدة في الجاهلية العربية. وبعد التأمل، نرى أن الرأي الأول أدقّ، لا سيما في ضوء ادعائهم {أنهم يؤمنون بما أُنزل إليك وما أُنزل من قبلك} (الآية 60). فاليهود لم يدّعوا قبول الإسلام أو الإيمان بما أُنزل على النبي ﷺ. وإنما كان المنافقون هم من أدّعى ذلك في الفترة المبكرة من الإسلام، أي قبل أن تُضعف قوتهم إضعافاً شديداً بالانتصارات التي تحققت على يهود بني قريظة وخيبر. وقد أدّى ذلك لاحقاً إلى الإضعاف المطّرد لقوة المنافقين في المدينة.
This description suggests that all this was in the early stages, after Islam first settled in Madinah. At the time, the hypocrites mustered a substantial force and the Jews, who co-operated with the hypocrites, commanded real strength. Those who did not wish to refer their disputes to God’s law, preferring to refer them to false gods instead, might have been a group of hypocrites, as they are clearly described in the second verse in this paragraph. Alternatively, they might have been Jews who, when they needed arbitration in their dealings with the people of Madinah, were invited to refer them to God’s Book, i.e. the Torah, in some cases, or to God’s Messenger in others. They declined and preferred to refer them to the local traditions that prevailed in pre-Islamic Arabia. After consideration, we feel that the first view is more accurate, especially in light of their claims “that they believe in what has been bestowed from on high upon you, as well as in what was bestowed from on high before you.” (Verse 60) The Jews did not claim to have accepted Islam or to have believed in what was revealed to the Prophet. It was the hypocrites who made such claims in the early period of Islam, i.e. before their power was severely curtailed with the victories achieved against the Jews of Quraiżah and Khaybar. This subsequently led to the steady weakening of the hypocrites’ power in Madinah.
وعلى كل حال، فإن فهمنا لهذه الآيات أنها توضح بجلاء شروط الإيمان، كما تحدد معنى الإسلام. ونرى فيها إعلاناً واضحاً بأن كل من يريد التحاكم إلى الطاغوت فهو كافر، لأن الله قد أمر الناس أن يكفروا بهذه الآلهة الباطلة. ونقرأ فيها كذلك قسماً بالله بأن أولئك لن ينالوا الإيمان ولن يُعدّوا من المؤمنين حتى يحكّموا النبي ﷺ فيما شجر بينهم، ويقبلوا حكمه، وينفذوه. ولا بد أن يكون هذا الخضوع نابعاً من رضا وقبول تام بأحكامه ﷺ.
Whatever the case, our understanding of these verses is that they make absolutely clear the conditions for faith just as they define the meaning of Islam. We see in them a clear declaration that any one who wishes to refer to false gods is a non-believer, because God has ordained that people should disbelieve in such false gods. We also read in them an oath, by God, that such people will not attain to faith and will not be included among the believers until they refer their disputes to the Prophet for arbitration, accept his judgement and put it into force. This must be an obedience inspired by contented acceptance of his rulings.
"أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُوا إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُوا أَن يَكْفُرُوا بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا" (الآية ٦٠)
أَلَا تَرَى إِلَى هَذَا الْوَضْعِ الْمُدْهِشِ حَقًّا؟ هَا هُنَا فِئَةٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ تَدَّعِي الْإِيمَانَ، ثُمَّ تَنْقُضُ دَعْواها فَوْرًا. إِنَّهُمْ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ وَبِالْوَحْيِ السَّابِقِ أَيْضًا، لَكِنَّهُمْ لَا يَرْفَعُونَ خِلَافَاتِهِمْ إِلَى التَّحْكِيمِ عَلَى أَسَاسِ مِثْلِ هَذَا الْوَحْيِ. بَلْ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُحِيلُوهَا إِلَى نِظَامٍ آخَرَ، يَلْتَمِسُونَ أَحْكَامًا مُخْتَلِفَةً لَا تَسْتَنِدُ إِلَى شَيْءٍ مِمَّا تَتَضَمَّنُهُ وَحْيُ اللَّهِ. مَعْنَى ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحِيلُونَهَا إِلَى «الطَّوَاغِيتِ»، وَهِيَ مَا تَدَّعِي لِنَفْسِهَا صِفَةً جَوْهَرِيَّةً مِنْ صِفَاتِ الْأُلُوهِيَّةِ، وَمِنْ ثَمَّ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْتَمِدُونَ مِعْيَارًا وَاضِحًا وَدَقِيقًا.
“Are you not aware of those who claim that they believe in what has been bestowed from on high upon you, as well as in what was bestowed from on high before you? They seek the judgement of false gods, although they are bidden to deny them. But Satan wants to lead them far astray.” (Verse 60) Have you seen this most amazing situation? Here are a group of people who profess to believe, but immediately negate their own assertions. They claim to believe in what has been revealed to Muĥammad and in earlier revelations as well, but they will not refer their disputes for arbitration on the basis of such revelations. Instead, they want to refer them to a different system, seeking different rulings based on nothing that is contained in God’s revelations. That means that they refer them to “false gods”, which claim for themselves an essential attribute of Godhead, and, hence, they apply no clear and accurate criteria.
علاوہ ازیں، وہ یہ کام جہالت یا شک کی وجہ سے نہیں کرتے۔ وہ یقینی طور پر جانتے ہیں کہ ایسے جھوٹے معبودوں کی طرف رجوع کرنا ان کے لیے حرام ہے، جیسا کہ یہ آیت واضح کرتی ہے: ﴿یُرِیدُونَ أَن یَتَحَاكَمُوا إِلَى ٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُوا أَن یَكْفُرُوا بِهِۦ﴾۔ (آیت 60) لہٰذا ان کا یہ دعویٰ کہ وہ اللہ کی نازل کردہ کتابوں پر ایمان رکھتے ہیں، درست نہیں ہو سکتا۔ حقیقت یہ ہے کہ شیطان انہیں اللہ کی ہدایت سے دور لے جانا چاہتا ہے، تاکہ وہ کسی بھی وقت اس کی طرف واپس نہ آ سکیں:
Moreover, they do not do so out of ignorance or doubt. They know for certain that they are forbidden to refer to such false gods, as the verse makes clear: “They seek the judgement of false gods, although they are bidden to deny them.” (Verse 60) Hence, their claims to believe in God’s revelations cannot be true. The fact is that Satan tries to steer them far away from God’s guidance, so that they cannot return to it at any time:
"But Satan wants to lead them far astray." (الآية 60) فهذا هو السبب وراء إشارتهم إلى الآلهة الباطلة، وعلة انتهاكهم لأصول الإيمان. وقد بُيّن لهم ذلك بوضوح ليتعظوا ويصلحوا أحوالهم. وهو أيضاً بيان للأمة المسلمة ليعلم من الذي يوحي لأمثال هؤلاء ويؤيدهم.
“But Satan wants to lead them far astray.” (Verse 60) This is, then, the cause behind their reference to false gods and the reason for their violation of the essentials of faith. It is all stated clearly for them so that they may take heed and mend their ways. It is also made clear to the Muslim community so that it realises who inspires and supports such people.
تُواصِلُ السورةُ بيانَ موقفِهم عندما يُدْعَوْنَ إلى الرجوعِ إلى ما يزعمون الإيمانَ به من الوحيِ الإلهيِّ الذي أُنزِلَ على محمدٍ ﷺ وعلى الأنبياءِ من قبلِه، فيقولُ تعالى: ﴿وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ رَأَيْتَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَنكَ صُدُودًا﴾ ﷺ (الآية 61)
The sūrah continues to illustrate their reaction when they are called upon to refer co what they profess to believe of Divine revelations given to Muĥammad and earlier prophets: “When it is said to them, ‘Come to that which God has bestowed from on high, and to the Messenger,’ you see the hypocrites turn away from you with aversion.” (Verse 61)
لا شكّ أن النفاق سينكشف، وهو حتماً يناقض المنطق الفطري الواضح، وإلا لما كان نفاقاً. ومن النتيجة الطبيعية الظاهرة للإيمان أن يحتكم الإنسان إلى ما يؤمن به ومن يؤمن به. ولهذا، فإذا ادّعى الإنسان أنه يؤمن بالله وبما أنزله، وبالنبي ﷺ وبما أُوحي إليه، فإنه يُدعى إلى أن يرد كل خلاف إليهم. فإذا أبى وأعرض، فقد ناقض المنطق الفطري الواضح، وكشف عن نفاقه، وكذّب بدعواه أنه يؤمن بالله وبوحيه ورسوله.
It is a certainty that hypocrisy will out. It will inevitably contradict obvious natural logic. Otherwise it would not be hypocrisy. An obvious and natural result of belief is that a person should refer for arbitration to what and whom he believes in. Hence, when a person professes to believe in God and what He has revealed, and in the Prophet and the revelations he has received, then he is called upon to refer any dispute to them. When he declines and turns away, he contradicts obvious natural logic and reveals his hypocrisy. He belies his own claims of believing in God, His revelations and Messenger.
ثم تصوّر السورة جانباً واحداً محدداً من النفاق في سلوكهم، وهو ما يحدث حين يصيبهم المكروه أو المصيبة نتيجةَ رفضهم تحكيمَ آيات الله ورسوله ﷺ، أو لجوئهم إلى الطواغيت وآلهة الباطل.
The sūrah then portrays one specific aspect of hypocrisy in their behaviour. That is when they encounter misfortune or calamity as a result of their refusal to refer matters to God’s revelations and to His Messenger, or their reference to false gods.
سَيَأْتُونَكَ يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ: "إِنْ أَرَدْنَا إِلَّا الْإِحْسَانَ وَالتَّوْفِيقَا"، وَمَا أَعْذَارُهُمْ إِلَّا أَعْذَارُ النِّفَاقِ.
ثم قال تعالى: {فَكَيْفَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ جَاءُوكَ يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَا إِلَّا إِحْسَانًا وَتَوْفِيقًا} [النساء: 62]
They are certain to come up with excuses, but these are only the excuses of hypocrisy: “But how will it be when calamity befalls them [on the Day of Judgement! because of what their hands have done in this world? They would then come to you, swearing by God, ‘Our aim was but to do good, and to bring about harmony.’” (Verse 62)
ومثل هذه الكارثة كان يمكن أن تقع في ذلك الوقت، نتيجةً لانكشاف حقيقتهم. وكان ذلك سيؤدي إلى نبذهم ومقاطعتهم من قبل المجتمع المسلم. ولن يتسامح ذلك المجتمع مع وجود أناس بين ظهرانيه يزعمون الإيمان بالله ورسوله والوحي، ثم يُعرضون عن ذلك كله حين يُدعون للتحاكم إلى رسول الله ﷺ.
Such a calamity could have occurred at the time, as a result of their reality being exposed. This would have seen them outcast and boycotted by the Muslim community. That community would not have tolerated having in its midst people asserting to believe in God, the Messenger and revelation, yet who turn away from the same when they are invited to have their disputes adjudged by God’s Messenger.
لا يمكن أن يُقبل مثل هذا الموقف إلا في مجتمع لا وجود فيه للإيمان: مجتمع لا يكون نصيبه من الإيمان سوى الادعاءات التي يرفعها أولئك الناس، ولا يكون نصيبه من الإسلام سوى أسماءٍ ودعاوى.
Such an attitude would only be accepted in a society where faith does not exist: a society whose share of faith is nothing more than the claims asserted by such people and whose share of Islam is no more than names and allegations.
وقد يقع عليهم بلاء آخر، في صورة أي ظلم يلحقهم نتيجة لجوئهم في خصوماتهم إلى نظام غير النظام الذي شرعه الله ليضمن العدل الكامل للجميع. وهكذا تنتهي جهودهم في طلب الإنصاف إلى فشل مؤلم. أو قد يقع عليهم بلاء يبتليهم به الله، ليتأملوا من جديد ويقبلوا هداه. ومهما كان سبب البلاء، فإن السورة تعجب من موقفهم عند وقوعه. فإنهم يدركون أنهم مضطرون إلى الاعتذار للنبي ﷺ: ﴿ثُمَّ جَاءُوكَ يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَا إِلَّا إِحْسَانًا وَتَوْفِيقًا﴾ (الآية ٦٢).
Another calamity may also befall them, in the form of any injustice they suffer as a result of putting their disputes to a system other than that ordained by God to ensure full justice to all. Thus, their efforts to ensure fair treatment end up in miserable failure. Or they may suffer a calamity as a test to which they are put by God, so that they may once again reflect upon and accept His guidance. ‘Whatever the cause of the calamity, the sūrah wonders at their attitude when it occurs. They realise that they have to make their excuses to the Prophet: “They would then come to you, swearing by God, `Our aim was but to do good, and to bring about harmony.’” (Verse 62)
هذه حالٌ مُحزِنة. يعودون وهم يعلمون عِظَمَ فعلتهم، لا يستطيعون مواجهة النبي ﷺ بالحقيقة الكاملة لدوافعهم، ومع ذلك يتأهبون بأيمانهم الكاذبة بأن فعلهم، الذي قد يكون تحكيمًا وفق أعراف الجاهلية، لم يقصد إلا تحقيق الوئام في المجتمع وخدمة مصالحه. هذه دعاوى كل من يأبى الرجوع إلى الشريعة الإلهية ونهجها في الحياة. إنهم يزعمون أنهم لا يريدون إلا تجنّب المشكلات والصعوبات، وتحقيق الوفاق بين الطوائف والمعتقدات المختلفة. وتلك حجج المنافقين والذين يدّعون الإيمان زورًا.
This is a sorrowful state of affairs. They return, aware of the enormity of their action, unable to face the Prophet with the true nature of their motives, yet ready with their false oaths that their action, which may have been arbitration according to pre-Islamic traditions, only aimed at achieving harmony in society and serving its interests. These are the claims of all people who refuse to refer to Divine law and its way of life. They assert that they only want to avoid problems and difficulties and to achieve harmony between different groups and beliefs. Such are the arguments of the hypocrites and those who falsely assert to be believers.
منزَّهٌ في جلاله، يكشف اللهُ حقيقتهم، ويخبرُ رسولَه ﷺ أنه يعلم حقيقةَ ما تُخفيه قلوبُهم. ومع ذلك يأمره أن يتلطّف بهم، وأن يعظهم حتى يكفّوا عن ازدواجيتهم: ﴿أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَعِظْهُمْ وَقُل لَّهُمْ فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ قَوْلًا بَلِيغًا﴾ (الآية 63). ولا شكَّ أنّ اللهَ يعلم عقائدهم الحقيقية ودوافعهم ونواياهم، ويعلم مدى زيف أعذارهم. ومع ذلك فإنّ السياسة التي يأمر بها رسولَه ﷺ أن يتغاضى عن موقفهم الحقيقي، وأن يواصل معاملتهم باللين، فيسعى إلى تعليمهم ووعظهم.
Limitless in His glory, God exposes their reality, and tells His Messenger that He knows the reality of what they harbour in their hearts. He, nevertheless, directs him to be gentle with them and to admonish them so that they may stop their double dealings: “As for them — God knows all that is in their hearts. So leave them alone, and admonish them, and speak to them a word to reach their very souls.” (Verse 63) There is no doubt that God knows their real beliefs, motives and intentions, and how false their excuses are. Yet the policy He tells His Messenger to follow is to overlook their real attitude and to continue to treat them gently, so trying to teach and admonish them.
هنا تستخدم الآية تعبيراً لافتاً: «وَقُل لَّهُمْ فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ قَوْلاً بَلِيغاً». (الآية 63) والترجمة الحرفية للجملة: «قُلْ لهم في أنفسهم قولاً بليغاً مؤثراً». وهذا يصوّر فعلاً قوياً جداً، إذ تُوجَّه الكلمات إلى قلوبهم وأنفسهم عينها.
Here the verse uses a remarkable expression: “Speak to them a word to reach their very souls.” (Verse 63) A literal translation would render the sentence: “Tell them, in their very souls, something highly effective.” This portrays a very powerful action, showing the words as being directed to their very hearts and souls.
ومع ذلك، وعلى الرغم من فعلهم المرفوض وإعراضهم عن آيات الله، فإنهم مدعوون إلى التوبة والرجوع، وإلى طلب حياة هانئة مستقرة، يتمتعون فيها برعاية الله ورعاية رسوله ﷺ. إن باب التوبة مفتوح دائمًا، ولم يفت الأوان بعدُ على الرجوع إلى الله وطلب مغفرته. وإذا طلب النبي ﷺ نفسه من الله أن يغفر لهم، فإنهم على يقين من المغفرة بإذن الله.
Yet in spite of their unacceptable action and their turning away from God’s revelations, they are invited to turn back in repentance and to seek a comfortable and stable life, enjoying the care of God and His Messenger. The door is always open for repentance. It is certainly not too late for turning back to God, seeking His forgiveness. When the Prophet himself requests God to forgive them, they are certain to be forgiven, by God’s leave.