Al-Isra: (73-75) And they almost tempted you away...

Know that when the Almighty enumerated His favors upon His creation in the preceding verses, and followed that by mentioning the degrees of creation in the Hereafter and explaining the states of the fortunate ones, He then appended what serves as a warning to the fortunate against being deceived by the whispers of the misguided and deluded by their speech, which contains cunning and deception. He said: {And indeed, they almost tempted you away from what We revealed to you}.

There are several issues concerning this verse:

Issue 1: The Occasion of Revelation

Ibn Abbas, in a narration from 'Ata, stated that this verse was revealed concerning the delegation of Thaqif who came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). They asked him excessive things, saying: "Allow us to worship al-Lat for a year, and make our valley sacred just as you made Mecca sacred for its trees, birds, and wild game." The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) refused this request and did not grant it. They repeated their plea, saying: "We wish for the Arabs to know our distinction over them. If you dislike what we say and fear that the Arabs might say, 'You gave them what you did not give us,' then say, 'Allah commanded me to do so.'" The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) fell silent concerning them, and hope entered their hearts. 'Umar then shouted at them, saying: "Do you not see that the Messenger of Allah has refrained from speaking because he dislikes what you mention?" Then Allah revealed this verse.

The author of Al-Kashshaf narrated that they brought their scribe and wrote: "In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This is a letter from Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Thaqif: they shall not pay zakat (tithes) nor shall they be resurrected." They then said: "And they shall not be compelled [to accept Islam]." The Messenger of Allah remained silent. Then they told the scribe: "Write: 'And they shall not be compelled.'" The scribe looked at the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), whereupon 'Umar ibn al-Khattab stood up, drew his sword, and said: "Have you inflamed the heart of our Prophet, O assembly of Quraysh? May Allah inflame your hearts with fire!" They replied: "We are not speaking to you; we are only speaking to Muhammad." Then this verse was revealed. Know that this story occurred in Medina, which is why some say these verses are Medinan.

It is also narrated that Quraysh said to him: "Make a verse of mercy a verse of punishment, and a verse of punishment a verse of mercy, so that we may believe in you." Then this verse was revealed.

Al-Hasan said: The disbelievers seized the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) one night in Mecca before the Hijra and said: "Stop, O Muhammad, insulting our gods and reviling them. If this were true, then so-and-so and so-and-so would be more deserving of this matter than you." It then occurred to the heart of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) to refrain from insulting their gods. Under this interpretation, this verse is Meccan.

Sa'id ibn Jubayr narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) was circumambulating the Ka'bah (performing tawaf), and Quraysh prevented him, saying: "We will not let you proceed until you venerate our gods." It occurred to his heart to do so, despite his aversion, and then this verse was revealed.

Issue 2: Interpretation of the Verse

Al-Zajjaj said that the meaning of the statement is: "They almost tempted you away." The particle inna (إن) and the lam (ل) are added for emphasis. Inna is the lightened form of the heavy inna, and the lam distinguishes it from the negative particle. The meaning is: "The situation is that they nearly deceived you, tempting you."

The root of fitnah (فتنة) is testing. It is said that the goldsmith fatana the gold when he puts it in the fire and melts it to distinguish the good from the bad. Then, this term was used for anything that removes something from its limit or direction, so they said fatana (temptation/trial).

Thus, His saying: {And indeed, they almost tempted you away from what We revealed to you} means: they almost removed you and diverted you from what We revealed to you, meaning the Qur'an. The meaning is diversion from wisdom (hikmah), because granting them what they asked would contradict the wisdom of the Qur'an.

His saying: {to fabricate against Us something other than it} means something other than what We revealed to you, which is their saying: "Say, 'Allah commanded me to do so.'"

{And then indeed, they would have taken you as a close friend} means: if you had done what they wanted, they would have taken you as a close friend and shown the people that you agreed with them and were pleased with their polytheism.

Then He said: {And had it not been that We had strengthened you} meaning: upon the truth with Our protection of you, {you would have almost inclined toward them} meaning: you would have leaned toward them a little.

His saying: {a little} (shay'an) is an expression referring to the verbal noun (masdar), meaning a slight inclination. Ibn Abbas meant: "at the time he remained silent in response to them." Qatadah said that when this verse was revealed, the Prophet (PBUH) said: "O Allah, do not entrust me to myself even for the blink of an eye!"

Then He threatened him severely for that: {In that case, We would have made you taste double [the punishment] in life and double [the punishment] in death}. This means double the punishment of life (this world) and double the punishment of death (the Hereafter).

The term double (dhi'f) is an expression meaning to add its like to something. If a man says to his agent: "Give so-and-so something," and the agent gives him one dirham, and the man says: "Double it," it means adding another dirham to that one.

Once you understand this, we say that the beautiful implication of the punishment in {double the punishment in life and double the punishment in death} is due to what has preceded in the Qur'an describing punishment as being doubled, such as in His saying: {Our Lord, whoever advanced this for us, then increase him in punishment twofold in the Fire} (Al-Furqan: 61) and He said: {For each is double [the reward], but you do not know} (Al-A'raf: 38).

The essence of the matter is that if you had allowed the whispers of Satan to enter your heart and resolved to incline toward him, you would have deserved the doubling of punishment upon you in this world and the Hereafter. Your punishment would have been like the punishment of the polytheist in this world, and like his punishment in the Hereafter. The reason for doubling this punishment is that the types of Allah's favors upon the Prophets (peace be upon them) are greater, so their sins would have been greater, and thus the deserved retribution would be greater. This is analogous to His saying: {O wives of the Prophet, whoever of you should commit a clear immorality, the punishment will be doubled for her} (Al-Ahzab: 30).

If one asks: The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Whoever establishes a bad precedent bears its sin and the sin of everyone who acts upon it until the Day of Resurrection." According to this Hadith, if he had agreed with what they said, his sin would be like the sin of every one of those disbelievers. In that case, his punishment would exceed double. We reply: Affirming "double" does not negate the addition of more, except by relying on dalil al-khitab (argument from silence), which is a weak proof.

Then the Almighty said: {And then you would find for yourself no helper against Us}, meaning: if We made you taste the doubled punishment, you would find no one to save you from Our punishment and retribution. And Allah knows best.

Issue 3: The Infallibility of Prophets

Those who challenge the infallibility of the Prophets (peace be upon them) use this verse as proof, arguing that it indicates the commission of a grave sin by them, based on three points:

1. The verse indicates that the Prophet (PBUH) almost fabricated against Allah, and fabrication against Allah is one of the greatest sins.
2. It indicates that had Allah not strengthened and protected him, he would have almost inclined toward their religion and leaned toward their doctrine.
3. If there had not been a prior offense or transgression, there would have been no need to mention this severe threat.

The response to the first point: The word kāda (كاد - almost) means proximity. So the meaning of the verse is that he approached the commission of the temptation, but this proximity does not imply the actual commission of that temptation. For if we say, "The prince almost struck so-and-so," it is not understood that he struck him.

The response to the second point: The particle lawlā (لولا - had it not been for) implies the negation of one thing due to the affirmation of another. You say: "Had it not been for 'Ali, 'Umar would have perished," meaning the existence of 'Ali prevented 'Umar's perishing. Similarly here, His saying: {And had it not been that We had strengthened you, you would have almost inclined toward them} means that the strengthening by Allah occurred for Muhammad (PBUH), and the occurrence of that strengthening prevented the occurrence of that inclination.

The response to the third point: This threat concerning a sin does not indicate the actual commission of that sin. Proof for this is found in verses such as: {And if he had fabricated against Us some sayings, We would have seized him by the right hand, then We would have cut from him the aorta} (Al-Haqqah: 44-46); and His saying: {If you should associate [anything] with Allah, then surely your work will be nullified} (Az-Zumar: 65); and His saying: {And do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites} (Al-Ahzab: 48). And Allah knows best.

Issue 4: Divine Support and Free Will

Our companions (the Ash'arites) use this verse to support their view that infallibility from sins is only achieved through the success (tawfiq) granted by Allah, based on His saying: {And had it not been that We had strengthened you, you would have almost inclined toward them a little}. They argue that the Almighty clarified that had it not been for Allah's strengthening, he would have inclined toward the path of the disbelievers. There is no doubt that Muhammad (PBUH) was the strongest among people in religious fortitude and purity of certainty. Since Allah clarified that his remaining protected from disbelief and error was only achieved through Allah's aid and succor, this meaning is even more applicable to others.

The Mu'tazila say that this strengthening refers to the subtle graces (al-luta'if) that diverted him from that, which are the thoughts that crossed his mind regarding the promise and threat, and the remembrance that his status as a Prophet from Allah prevents such an act.

The response: There is no doubt that this strengthening refers to an action performed by Allah that prevents the Messenger from falling into that prohibited act. We say: If the necessary prerequisite (muqtadī) for proceeding with that prohibited act had not existed in the case of the Messenger, there would have been no need for the creation of this preventing factor (māni'). Since the need arose to establish this preventing factor, we know that the prerequisite had indeed occurred in the case of the Messenger (PBUH), and this preventing factor established by Allah prevented that prerequisite from taking effect. This is only fully realized if we maintain that power combined with the motive (dā'ī) necessitates the action. If another motive opposing the first motive occurs, the effective cause is disrupted, and the action is prevented. We only seek to establish this meaning. And Allah knows best.

Issue 5: General Application of the Verse

Al-Qaffal, may Allah have mercy on him, said: We have mentioned the aforementioned views regarding the occasion of revelation for this verse. It is also possible to interpret it without restricting it to a specific occasion, because it is known that the polytheists constantly strove to nullify the mission of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) to the utmost of their ability. At times they would say: "If you worship our gods, we will worship your God." In response, Allah revealed: {Say, "O disbelievers, I do not worship what you worship"} (Al-Kafirun: 1-2). And His saying: {They wish that you would compromise [in religion] and compromise with them} (Al-Qalam: 9). They offered him vast wealth and beautiful women to abandon his claim to prophethood, so Allah revealed: {And do not extend your eyes toward} (Taha: 131). They invited him to expel the believers from his presence, so Allah revealed: {And do not drive away those who call upon their Lord} (Al-An'am: 52).

It is possible that these verses were revealed concerning this general matter: that they intended to tempt him away from his religion and divert him from his path. Thus, the Almighty clarified that He would establish him upon the upright religion and the straight path. Following this line of reasoning, there is no need for any of those narrations in the exegesis of these verses. And Allah knows best.

7 < {And indeed, they almost provoked you into driving [the people] out of the land so that you might expel them from it, and then they would not remain after you except for a little while. [This was] the established way of those whom We had sent before you of Our messengers, and you will not find any alteration in Our way.} > 7

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