This passage tells of a story which is unparalleled in the history of mankind. It is a story that proves, on its own, that the Qur’ān and this religion of Islam must, by necessity, originate with God. Human beings, no matter how sublime or idealistic they may be and how high the standard of purity and morality they may achieve, cannot on their own raise themselves to the standard drawn in these verses without being inspired by God Himself. The standard is as high as a line drawn over the horizon which people can only attain under Islam. They will never be able to achieve it except through the implementation of Islam.

It has to be remembered that the Jews in Madinah aimed all their vicious attacks against Islam and the Muslim community. This sūrah and the preceding two sūrahs give an account of only some of these attacks and their effect on the Muslim rank and file. They spread false rumours, fed the idolators’ hatred of the Muslim community, encouraged the hypocrites and assisted their efforts to undermine the Muslims’ unity, thereby confusing people. They even attacked the Prophet’s leadership, spreading doubts about his revelations and the message of Islam, trying to sow discord within the Muslim society. Their aim has always been to weaken it internally while at the same time encouraging its external enemies. All this took place at a time when Islam was still new, a young shoot forcing itself out in the midst of persistent weeds remaining from the old days of ignorance. Moreover, bonds of kinship and common interests uniting some Muslims with some of the idolaters, hypocrites and Jews were still strong. All this represented a real danger threatening the cohesion and unity of the new Muslim community.

At that highly critical juncture in the life of the new Muslim community in Madinah, this whole passage was revealed from on high giving instructions to God’s Messenger and the Muslim community to ensure that justice was done to a Jewish person who was wrongly accused of theft. The passage also condemns the actions of a particular household among the Anşār, who were at the time the main supporters and defenders of the Prophet’s message and faith.

What standard of purity, justice and morality is this? Indeed, what words could justly describe this standard? For a certainty, whatever we say by way of comment or explanation is dwarfed by the sublime standards Islam sets and which human beings cannot attain on their own. Only when they give and work hard under the leadership of the Islamic code can they aspire to such heights.

Various reports mention the details of the story leading to the revelation of this passage. A group of the Anşār, including Qatādah ibn al-Nu`mān and his uncle Rifā`ah, joined the Prophet on one of his military expeditions. A shield belonging to Rifā`ah was stolen and suspicions were raised about a man from the Anşārī clan of Ubayriq. The shield owner reported this to the Prophet, saying that Ţu`mah ibn Ubayriq had stolen his shield. [One report suggests that the man who stole it was Bashīr ibn Ubayriq, a hypocrite writing poetry denouncing the Prophet’s Companions, but who always attributed his poetry to some bedouins.] When the real thief realised what was happening, he took the shield and put it in the home of a Jew called Zayd ibn al-Samīn. He then informed some people of his clan of what he had done, confirming that if a search was mounted, the shield would be found in the Jew’s home. They immediately went to the Prophet and said, “Messenger of God, our kinsman is innocent, and we have ascertained that the one who stole the shield is a person called —. We request you to declare our kinsman’s innocence in public and to defend him. Unless God protects him by your kindness, he will be ruined.” When the Prophet realised that the stolen article was found in the Jewish man’s home, he declared Ibn Ubayriq’s innocence in public, showing his sympathy for him.

We have bestowed this book on you from on high, setting forth the truth, so that you may judge between people in accordance with what God has taught you. Hence, do not contend with those who betray their trust. Seek God’s forgiveness, for God is indeed Much-Forgiving, Merciful. And do not argue on behalf of those who are false to their own selves. Indeed God does not love those who betray their trust and persist in sinful action. They conceal their doings from men, but they cannot conceal them from God; for He is present with them when, in the darkness of the night, they agree all manner of sayings which displease Him. God certainly encompasses [with His knowledge] whatever they do. You may well argue on their behalf in the life of this world, but who is there to argue on their behalf with God on the Day of Resurrection, or who will be their advocate? (Verses 105-109)

The style here is very firm, smacking of anger in support of the truth. Real concern for justice is felt throughout the passage. The first aspect of this is the reminder to God’s Messenger of the fact that God’s book was, in truth, bestowed on him from on high so that he may arbitrate between people in accordance with what God imparted to him of true knowledge. This reminder is followed by an order requiring him never to defend those who betray their trust. He must not contend for them or argue on their behalf. He is further directed to seek God’s forgiveness for such arguments in their defence: “We have bestowed this book on you from on high, setting forth the truth, so that you may judge between people in accordance with what God has taught you. Hence, do not contend with those who betray their trust. Seek God’s forgiveness, for God is indeed Much-Forgiving, Merciful.” (Verses 105-6)

This command is then repeated once more. Those who are untrue to their trust on whose behalf the Prophet spoke out are further described as false even to themselves.

The logic behind this order is the fact that God does not love people who engage in sinful practices and who betray their trust. “And do not argue on behalf of those who are false to their own selves. Indeed God does not love those who betray their trust and persist in sinful action.” (Verse 107)

To all appearances, these people betrayed others, but in truth they have been false to themselves when they betrayed their community and the system and principles that make it unique among human communities. They also betrayed the trust given to the whole community, of which they themselves are a part. They betrayed themselves in another way, when they exposed themselves to sin and for which they incur severe punishment. Indeed, they incur God’s displeasure and render themselves liable to His punishment. This is indeed a case of being false to oneself. A third aspect is that they stained themselves when they conspired against someone, for their conspiracy involved telling lies and playing false.

“Indeed God does not love those who betray their trust and persist in sinful action.” (Verse 107) This is indeed a punishment far greater than any other punishment. It also gives a further impression whereby those whom God does not love cannot be defended by anyone. No one can take up their case when God dislikes them for their sin and treachery.

Having stated its angry case against individuals who betray their trust, coupled with its strong censure of those who argue on their behalf, the sūrah states the general principles applicable to this deed, its effects, reckoning and reward, as well as the overall principle of just reward. It is with absolute justice that God deals with all His servants. He requires them to try their best to implement the same rule in their dealings and transactions. They should endeavour as hard as they can to adopt these standards of perfect justice: “He who does evil or wrongs his own soul, and then prays to God to forgive him, shall find God Much-Forgiving, Merciful. For he who commits a sin, does so to his own hurt. God is indeed All-Knowing, Wise. But he who commits a fault or a sin and then throws the blame therefore on an innocent person, burdens himself with both falsehood and a flagrant sin.” (Verses 110-112)

These three verses lay down the general principles that God applies in the treatment of His servants. People are well able to implement these in dealing with one another and with God. If they do, they spare themselves much harm.

The first verse leaves the door for repentance wide open for anyone who seeks God’s forgiveness and acceptance. “He who does evil or wrongs his own soul, and then prays to God to forgive him, shall find God Much-Forgiving, Merciful.” (Verse 110) God is there, ready to forgive and bestow His abundant grace on anyone who turns to Him in repentance. Anyone who does evil wrongs himself and others. He may wrong only himself if his sinful action affects only his own person. In any case, God, the Merciful, the Beneficent, receives those who seek His forgiveness at all times, and extends to them His forgiveness and mercy. There is simply no condition, no intercession and no barrier between them and Him. Whenever they turn to Him in repentance, He turns to them in acceptance and bestows on them His grace.

The second verse establishes personal responsibility as the basis of the Islamic principle of requital for actions. This principle arouses in every heart a sense of reassurance mixed with a sense of fear. The fear is a result of what one may do and earn, and the reassurance is based on the fact that no one will bear responsibility for anyone else’s actions. “For he who commits a sin, does so to his own hurt. God is indeed All- Knowing, Wise.” (Verse 111)

There is no inherited sin in Islam, such as that which the Church speaks about. No atonement is needed except that done by every individual for his or her own actions.

Hence why everyone should be cautious lest they fall into sin. But at the same time, everyone is certain not to answer for others. This is the right balance established by a unique concept, based on absolute Divine justice which human beings are required to strive to emulate.

The third verse speaks of the crime of one who commits something sinful and who tries to put the blame for it on someone else. This is the situation that applies to the case in hand: “But he who commits a fault or a sin and then throws the blame therefore on an innocent person, burdens himself with both falsehood and a flagrant sin.” (Verse 112) The falsehood is that of knowingly accusing an innocent person and the sin is trying to put the blame for it at someone else’s door. Both crimes now become his own burden.

Finally, God tells His Messenger of the favour He gave him when He protected him from deception by the conspirators. He, thus, exposed their plot by which they tried to conceal matters so that people would not know what they had plotted. Yet they do not hide themselves from God Who is aware of all their plotting. God also reminds His Messenger of His favours by which He gave him revelations and wisdom, as well as knowledge of what he did not know. This is a favour to all mankind represented by the noblest and most honourable one in God’s sight: “But for God’s grace to you and His mercy, some of them would indeed endeavour to lead you astray.

Yet none but themselves do they lead astray. Nor can they harm you in any way. It is God who has bestowed this book on you from on high and given you wisdom, and has taught you what you did not know. God’s favour on you is great indeed.” (Verse 113)

This was but one of the numerous and diverse attempts which the enemies of Muĥammad, God’s noble Messenger, tried in order to divert him away from the path of truth and justice. Each time, however, God bestowed on him grace in abundance, leaving the schemers to rue their actions and sink into error. The history of the Prophet Muĥammad, (peace be upon him), is full of such attempts, the failure of his enemies and his own success when God guided him every time to the right way. In this verse, God reminds him of His grace and favours, reassuring him at the same time that such people will not harm him in the least. That in itself is an act of Divine grace.

Just as this particular favour is mentioned, with all its aspects of revealing the truth to the Prophet, so the greatest favour of all is also identified. That is, the favour of choosing him to be God’s Messenger: “It is God who has bestowed this book on you from on high and given you wisdom, and has taught you what you did not know. God’s favour on you is great indeed.” (Verse 113)

It is a favour God has granted to all mankind, heralding a re-birth of man so that he may have a new upbringing similar to that he enjoyed when God’s spirit was first breathed into him. It is the favour that picked humanity up from the depths of ignorance, helping it rise to the highest zenith attainable by man through the Divine constitution and the system it lays down for human life. It is a favour that cannot be truly appreciated except by one who knows what it means to live under ignorant systems, past or present, and under Islam, or one who has experienced both.

It is because God’s Messenger was the first to realise this favour and the noblest and wisest person ever to experience it, that the reminder is given to him personally:

“It is God who ... has taught you what you did not know. God’s favour on you is great indeed.” (Verse 113)