An-Nahl (The Bees): Verses 106–109

Know that after the Almighty detailed the threat against the disbelievers, He clarified in this verse the distinction between one who disbelieves only with the tongue but not the heart, and one who disbelieves with both the tongue and the heart. There are several issues concerning this verse:

Issue 1: The grammatical status of {Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his faith...}

The predicate (khabar) for the subject (mubtada') {Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his faith} is not explicitly mentioned, leading to differing interpretations among the exegetes:

1. It is an appositive (badal) for {those who do not believe in the signs of Allah}. The meaning would be: "Only those who disbelieve in Allah after their faith fabricate [lies]." The exception {except for one who is forced} is then excluded from the ruling of fabrication. In this case, the statement {And those, they are the liars} acts as an interjection placed between the appositive and the original subject.
2. It is an appositive for the predicate, which is {the liars}. The meaning would be: "And those, they are the ones who disbelieve in Allah after their faith."
3. It is in the accusative case (nasb) indicating censure (dhamm). The meaning would be: "And those, they are the liars—meaning, those who disbelieve in Allah after their faith." This is the most sound view in my opinion, as it avoids forced interpretations.
4. It is a conditional clause (shart) acting as the subject, with its response (jawab) omitted. The response is implied by the subsequent mention of the condition. It is as if the verse means: "Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his faith, upon them is the wrath of Allah—except for one who is forced. But as for one whose breast is opened to disbelief, upon them is the wrath of Allah."

Issue 2: Consensus on the obligation to speak the words of disbelief

There is a consensus that one is not obligated to utter the words of disbelief. Evidence for this includes:

1. It is narrated that Bilal persevered under torture, repeatedly saying, "Ahad! Ahad!" (One! One!).
2. Many people in Mecca were tested (fitna) and apostatized after entering Islam. Among them were those who were forced and uttered the word of disbelief on their tongues while remaining firm in faith in their hearts. Examples include Ammar, his parents Yasir and Sumayyah, Suhayb, Bilal, Khabbab, and Salim.
   • Sumayyah was tied between two camels and pierced in her private parts with a spear. They said, "You embraced Islam for the sake of men," and she was killed. Yasir was also killed, and they were the first two martyrs in Islam.
   • Ammar yielded what they wanted with his tongue under duress. When the Prophet (PBUH) heard that Ammar had disbelieved, he said, "No, Ammar's faith is full from his head to his feet; faith has mixed with his flesh and blood." Ammar came to the Prophet (PBUH) weeping, and the Prophet wiped his eyes and said, "If they return to you, then say to them what you said [to them]."
   • Jabr, the freed slave of the Hadrami tribe, was forced by his master to disbelieve. Later, his master embraced Islam, and they both improved their Islam and emigrated.

Issue 3: The status of {except for one who is forced}

This phrase is not a true exception (istithna'). This is because the one who is forced is not considered a disbeliever, so it is not correct to except him from the category of disbelievers. However, since the forced person exhibits an outward action similar to that of a willing disbeliever after having faith, this exception is valid due to this outward similarity (mushakalah).

Issue 4: Defining the level of duress (Ikrah) permitting the utterance of disbelief

It is necessary here to explain the type of duress that permits uttering the word of disbelief: it must be torture that one cannot bear, such as the threat of death, severe beating, or intense pain.

Mujahid said that the first seven to openly profess Islam were: the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), Abu Bakr, Khabbab, Suhayb, Bilal, Ammar, and Sumayyah.

• The Prophet (PBUH) was protected by Abu Talib.
• Abu Bakr was protected by his people.
• The others were seized, clothed in iron armor, and seated in the sun until the heat of the iron and the sun became unbearable. Abu Jahl came to insult and reproach them, insulting Sumayyah before piercing her with a spear in her private parts.
• Regarding the others, it is said that only Bilal was not spared their torment. They tortured him, and he kept saying, "Ahad! Ahad!" until they grew tired, shackled him, put a rope of palm fiber around his neck, and handed him over to their boys to play with until they tired of him and left him.
• Ammar said: "All of us uttered what they wanted except Bilal, who held his life cheap, so they left him."
• Khabbab said: "They lit a fire for me, and nothing extinguished it except the fat dripping from my back."

Issue 5: The obligation regarding the heart when uttering the word of disbelief

There is a consensus that when uttering the word of disbelief under duress, one must clear one's heart of any satisfaction with it and limit oneself to ambiguous statements (ta'rīḍāt). For example, saying, "Muhammad is a liar," while intending it for a different Muhammad, or intending it for the Prophet Muhammad but with the intention of questioning or denial.

There are two points of discussion here:

1. If the duress prevents the person from bringing the intention (of denial) to mind, or if the intensity of fear causes this intention to leave the heart, is the person blameworthy? The expectation is that Allah’s pardon is anticipated.
2. If the coercer tightens the situation and explains all forms of ambiguity, demanding that the person explicitly state that he intended none of them and only meant the intended meaning (i.e., demanding a clear statement of disbelief), then the person faces a choice: either commit to lying or expose himself to death. Some scholars permit lying in this extreme case. Others forbid it, which is the position chosen by the Judge (Al-Qadi). The Judge argues that lying is inherently reprehensible because it is a lie. If it were permissible to set aside reprehensibility for the sake of certain benefits, then Allah Himself might be permitted to lie for certain benefits, which would undermine trust in Allah's promises and threats, as one might assume His actions are for hidden benefits unknown to us.

Issue 6: Consensus on the non-obligation to speak the word of disbelief

There is a consensus that one is not obligated to speak the word of disbelief. Evidence includes:

1. Bilal persevered under torture, saying, "Ahad! Ahad!" The Prophet (PBUH) did not rebuke him but praised him, indicating that uttering the word of disbelief is not obligatory.
2. The narration concerning Musaylimah the Liar who captured two men. When asked about Muhammad, one man replied, "The Messenger of Allah," and when asked about Musaylimah, he replied, "You too." Musaylimah let him go. He asked the second man about Muhammad, who replied, "The Messenger of Allah." When asked about Musaylimah, the man said, "I am deaf," repeating this three times. Musaylimah killed him. When this reached the Prophet (PBUH), he said: "As for the first, he took the concession granted by Allah. As for the second, he spoke the truth, so congratulations to him!"
   • The evidence from this narration is twofold: First, the Prophet (PBUH) termed uttering the word of disbelief a concession (rukhsah). Second, he praised the one who refrained from it until he was killed.
3. Sacrificing one's life to uphold the truth is more arduous, so it must carry a greater reward, based on the saying: "The best acts of worship are the most difficult (aḥmazuhā)."
4. The one who refrained from the word of disbelief purified both his heart and tongue from disbelief. As for the one who uttered it, even if his heart remained pure, his tongue was outwardly stained by that wicked word. Therefore, the state of the former must be superior.

Issue 7: The levels of duress (Ikrah)

Know that duress has ranks:

1. The compelled act becomes obligatory. This applies when one is forced to consume alcohol, pork, or carrion. If forced at the point of a sword, eating becomes obligatory because preserving life is mandatory, and there is no other way in this scenario. This act causes no harm to an animal nor dishonors a right of Allah. It becomes obligatory based on the verse: {And do not throw yourselves with your own hands into destruction} (Al-Baqarah: 195).
2. The compelled act becomes permissible but not obligatory. This is the case with uttering the word of disbelief, which is permissible but not obligatory, as established earlier.
3. The compelled act is neither obligatory nor permissible, but remains forbidden (ḥarām). This applies if someone forces another to kill a person or cut off one of their limbs. In this case, the act retains its original prohibition. The question arises: Is the penalty (qiṣāṣ) waived for the coercer?
   • Imam Ash-Shafi'i, in one of his two opinions, holds that qiṣāṣ is obligatory. Evidence: First, he committed intentional aggression in killing, so qiṣāṣ is due based on the verse concerning retaliation in murder (Al-Baqarah: 178). Second, there is consensus that if a coerced person anticipates being killed, it is permissible for him to defend himself, even by killing the aggressor. Since the anticipation of being killed justifies taking the life of the aggressor, it is more fitting that when the killing actually occurs by the coerced person, his own life becomes forfeit.

Issue 8: Acts that accept or reject duress

Some actions accept duress, such as killing and uttering the word of disbelief. Others do not accept duress, such as adultery (zinā). It is argued that duress necessitates intense fear, which prevents the physical mechanism required for zinā. Therefore, if zinā occurs, it is known that it happened by choice, not under duress.

Issue 9: The ruling on divorce under duress

Imam Ash-Shafi'i ruled that divorce pronounced under duress is void. Imam Abu Hanifa ruled that it takes effect.

Imam Ash-Shafi'i's evidence:

1. The verse: {There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion} (Al-Baqarah: 256). Since the existence of duress is undeniable, the verse must negate its effects or validity.
2. The Hadith: "My Ummah is excused from error, forgetfulness, and what they are forced to do."
3. The Hadith: "There is no divorce in ighlāq (obstruction/duress)." If they argue that divorce falls under the verse {But if he divorces her, then she is not lawful to him afterward} (Al-Baqarah: 230), the response is that when evidence conflicts, the original state must remain as it was—which supports our position.

Issue 10: The location of faith

The statement {while his heart is tranquil with faith} indicates that the locus of faith is the heart. That which resides in the heart is either belief (i'tiqād) or self-talk (kalām an-nafs). Therefore, faith must be either knowledge or affirmation through self-talk.

Exegesis of the Remainder of the Verses

Then Allah Almighty said: {But as for one whose breast is opened to disbelief} (i.e., expanded and widened to accept disbelief). The word ṣadran (breast) is in the accusative case as the object of sharaḥa (opened). The structure implies: "But as for one whose breast Allah opened to disbelief." The pronoun is omitted because the breast is not specified, as no human can open another's breast; thus, the indefinite noun implies definiteness.

Then He said: {upon them is the wrath of Allah}. This means Allah has decreed punishment for them. He then described that punishment: {and for them is a great punishment}.

Then Allah Almighty said: {That is because they preferred the life of this world over the Hereafter}. This means they prioritized the world over the Hereafter. The meaning is that this apostasy and this venture into disbelief occurred because Allah did not guide them to faith and did not protect them from disbelief.

Al-Qadi suggested that this means Allah will not guide them to Paradise. This is weak because the statement {and that Allah does not guide the disbelieving people} is connected to {That is because they preferred the life of this world over the Hereafter}. Thus, {and that Allah does not guide the disbelieving people} must be a cause leading to their apostasy. Lack of guidance on the Day of Judgment to Paradise is not a cause for that apostasy; rather, it is a consequence of it. Thus, this interpretation is invalidated.

Then He confirmed the explanation that Allah turned them away from faith: {Those are the ones whom Allah has set a seal upon their hearts, their hearing, and their sight}. Al-Qadi stated that the seal does not prevent faith, evidenced by three points:

1. Allah mentioned this in the context of blaming them. If they were incapable of believing, they would not deserve blame for abandoning it.
2. Allah associated the hearing and sight with the heart in this sealing. It is known that one can be a believer even if hearing and sight are absent, let alone if a seal afflicts them in the heart.
3. He described them as heedless (ghāfilūn). One who is prevented from something is not described as heedless of it. Thus, the meaning of this "sealing" is the mark or sign that Allah creates upon the heart. We have already discussed the meaning of sealing and stamping in Surah Al-Baqarah, along with many supporting arguments and strong rebuttals. There is no benefit in repetition here.

Then Allah Almighty said: {And those, they are the heedless}. Ibn Abbas said: Meaning, heedless of what is intended for them in the Hereafter.

Then He said: {Undoubtedly, they in the Hereafter will be the losers}. Know that the cause of this loss is that Allah described them in the preceding verses with six characteristics:

1. They earned the wrath of Allah.
2. They deserved the painful punishment.
3. They preferred the life of this world over the Hereafter.
4. Allah deprived them of guidance.
5. Allah set a seal upon their hearts, their hearing, and their sight.
6. He made them heedless of the severe punishment intended for them on the Day of Resurrection, so they naturally do not strive to avert it.

Thus, these six characteristics are established for them, each one being a major impediment to attaining good fortune and happiness. Since Allah created man in this world to be like a merchant who buys the happiness of the Hereafter with his obedience, when these great impediments occur, their loss becomes immense. For this reason, He said: {Undoubtedly, they in the Hereafter will be the losers}—meaning, they are the losers, and no one else. The purpose is to emphasize the magnitude of their loss.

Verses 107–108

{Then indeed, your Lord, for those who emigrated after they were persecuted, then strove hard [in Allah's cause] and were patient, indeed, your Lord, after that, is Forgiving and Merciful.}

{The Day every soul will come up arguing for itself, and every soul will be fully compensated for what it did, and they will not be wronged.}