Tafsir of As-Saff 61:4

As-Saff: (4) "Indeed, Allah loves..."

"Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in a row as though they are a [single] structure joined firmly." (4)

This is an exposition of what is pleasing to Him, the Exalted and Most High, after having stated what is detestable to Him, the Majestic and Supreme.

Its literal sense suggests that what they said was a promise to fight, rather than what is necessitated by what has been narrated from al-Dahhak or Ibn Zayd regarding the reason for revelation—which implies that the basis of the reproach was their breaking of the promise.

"Row" (Saff) is an infinitive used in the position of an active participle or a passive participle, and it is in the accusative case as a state (hal) from the pronoun in "they fight" (yuqatilun), meaning: "aligning themselves" or "being aligned."

"As though they are..." (Ka-annahum), etc., is a second state (hal) from the implicit pronoun in the first state, meaning: "being likened in their cohesiveness to a structure," etc. This is what al-Zamakhshari meant by his statement: "Both 'row' and 'as though they are,' etc., are overlapping states." Regarding the statement of Ibn al-Munir: "The meaning of overlapping is that the first state contains the second state, for the manner of being aligned is the manner of being joined firmly," this differs from the well-known understanding of "overlapping" (tadakhul) in the terminology of grammarians. It is also permitted that it be a second state from the pronoun. Al-Hawfi said: "It is in the position of an adjective for 'row'," and it is as you see [i.e., questionable].

"Joined firmly" (al-marsus), according to al-Farra’ and Mundhir ibn Sa’id, is that which is fastened with lead (rasas), and it is intended to mean the well-fortified. Al-Mubarrad said: "I built a wall firmly (rasastu al-bina’)" means I joined its parts together and brought them close until it becomes like a single piece. From this comes "rasis," which is the closeness of people to one another. The apparent meaning is that they are likened in their adhesion to one another to a "structure joined firmly," in that there is no gap or flaw between them. It has been said: The meaning is the consistency of their intentions in steadfastness, so that they are, in the unity of their word, like a structure joined firmly. The majority hold the first view.

In Ahkam al-Qur'an, it is stated that there is a recommendation for mujahideen to stand and fight in rows like the rows of prayer, that it is recommended to close the gaps and flaws in the rows, to complete the first row, then the next, and to align the rows so that no one precedes another. Ibn al-Faras said: Some have used this as evidence that fighting on foot is superior to fighting on horseback, because the pressing together (tarras) is only possible for the former. He then said: "And this is prevented [from being a definitive proof]."

Furthermore, fighting in this formation today is one of the principles of the regular Muhammadan armies, which remain victorious and supported by divine assistance. You know that the means have the same status as the ends; therefore, that which leads to the attainment of being characterized by this is something in which one should not be lazy in acquiring.

Zayd ibn Ali read "yuqatilun" with a fatha on the 'ta' (i.e., you fight). It has also been read "yuqtalun" (i.e., they are killed). And His statement, the Exalted...