Tafsir of As-Saff 61:14

It has been said: "unto" (ilā) here means "with" (ma‘a). The phrase "We are the supporters of Allah" is understood as "We are the supporters of the Prophet of Allah," thus achieving correspondence. The first view is more appropriate. The annexation in "my supporters" is the annexation of one of two partners to the other; because they shared in the support of Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, there existed between them a connection justifying the annexation of one to the other. The annexation in "supporters of Allah" is the annexation of the doer to the object. The simile is considered with regard to the meaning, for the intent is: "Say to them that, just as ‘Isa said." Abu Hayyan said: It carries the meaning of "We said to you, just as ‘Isa said." Al-Zamakhshari said: It carries the meaning of "Be supporters of Allah, just as the disciples were supporters of ‘Isa when he said to them: 'Who are my supporters unto Allah?'"

Its essence, according to what has been stated, is that the particle mā is an infinitive (maṣdariyyah), and it—along with its clause—is an adverb of time. That is: "Be supporters of Allah at the time of My saying to you, as the disciples were His supporters at the time of ‘Isa’s saying." Then, it is said: "Be His supporters at the time of ‘Isa’s saying this statement," followed by the narrative of his questioning them about the supporters and their answer. It is analogous to the expression "He is like the day" (ka-al-yawmi rajul), meaning "like a man I saw today," where the described noun and its descriptor were omitted, and the temporal adverb sufficed for them due to its indication of the action which points to its described noun. This is among their linguistic expansions regarding adverbial expressions.

The verse has been classified as iḥtibāk (a rhetorical technique of mutual omission). The original structure is: "Be supporters of Allah when the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said to you, 'Who are my supporters unto Allah?' just as the disciples were supporters of Allah when ‘Isa—peace be upon him—said to them, 'Who are my supporters unto Allah?'" Thus, from each of the two, that which the other mentioned indicated was omitted; this is not devoid of elegance.

Al-Ḥawāriyyūn (the disciples) are his elite followers—peace be upon him. Turning from the pronoun to the noun serves to emphasize their status. They were the first to believe in him and were twelve men whom ‘Isa—peace be upon him—scattered throughout the lands, according to al-Baḥr. Some he sent to Rome, some to Babylon, some to Africa, some to Ephesus, some to Jerusalem, some to the Hijaz, and some to the land of the Berbers and its surroundings. The designation of who was sent where exists, but I am not confident in its authenticity, nor in the accuracy of their names. Al-Suyuti also mentioned them in al-Itqān, so the verification of that should be sought from its proper sources.

The derivation of Ḥawāriyyūn comes from ḥawar, which is whiteness. They were named this because they were fullers (bleachers of cloth); it is also said: because of their white garments; or because of the purity of their outward and inward states. Some have claimed that their being fullers is an indication that they cleansed the souls of people by imparting religion and knowledge to them. It is also said that their being fishermen is an indication that they hunted the souls of people from confusion and led them to the Truth.

It is also said: the Ḥawāriyyūn are the strugglers (mujāhidūn). In the Hadith: "Every prophet has a disciple, and my disciple is al-Zubayr." It has been interpreted as the special ones among the companions and the supporters. Al-Azhari said: "The one who is purified and refined from every flaw." From Qatadah, there is an application of the term Ḥawāri to others—may Allah, the Exalted, be pleased with them as well—for he said: "The disciples are all from Quraysh: Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Ali, Ḥamzah, Ja‘far, Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarraḥ, ‘Uthman ibn Maẓ‘ūn, ‘Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ‘Awf, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqāṣ, ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān, Ṭalḥah ibn ‘Ubayd Allāh, and al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwām—may Allah be pleased with them all."

"So a party from the Children of Israel believed"—meaning in ‘Isa—peace be upon him—"and a party disbelieved; so We supported those who believed against their enemy"—who are those who disbelieved—"and they became dominant."

"And they became victorious." Zayd ibn ‘Ali and Qatadah said: "By way of argument and proof." It is said that when ‘Isa—peace be upon him—was raised to heaven, a party of his people said, "He is Allah the Exalted," and another said, "He is the Son of Allah"—Allah is far exalted above that with great exaltation—while Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, raised him to Himself. A party said, "He is the servant of Allah and His Messenger." They fought one another, and the two disbelieving factions prevailed over the believing faction until the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was sent, and the believers prevailed over the two disbelieving groups. This is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas. It is also said: the believers and the disbelievers fought after he was raised—peace be upon him—and the believers prevailed over the disbelievers by the sword. It is well known that fighting was not part of his law—peace be upon him. It is also said: the meaning is, "A party from the Children of Israel believed" in Muhammad—peace be upon him—"and another disbelieved" in him—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—"so We supported the believers against the disbelievers, and they became victorious." This, however, contradicts the apparent meaning, and Allah, the Exalted, knows best.