Tafsir of An-Nur 24:61

Surah An-Nur (The Light): Verse 61

"It is not upon the blind..."

Issue 1: The Meaning of Removing Hardship (Hرج) from the Blind, Lame, and Sick

There are differing opinions on what "removing hardship" means for the blind, the lame, and the sick:

1. No Sin in Abandoning Jihad: Ibn Zayd stated that it means there is no sin or blame upon them for abandoning military service (Jihad).
2. Specific Exemption for Ibn Um Maktum: Al-Hasan said the verse was revealed concerning Ibn Um Maktum, whom Allah exempted from Jihad because he was blind. This view is considered weak because Allah followed it by saying, "...nor upon yourselves that you eat from your own houses...", indicating the exemption was related to eating/social interaction, not just Jihad.
3. Lifting Prohibition on Eating Together (Majority View): The majority held that people used to forbid eating with these three categories (blind, lame, sick). Allah removed this prohibition.

• Reasons for the Initial Prohibition (Regarding Eating): * Inability to Select Good Food: They would not eat with the blind because he could not see the good food to take it. * Slowness in Eating: They would not eat with the lame because he could not sit properly, and while he ate one morsel, others would eat two. * Inability to Eat Properly: The sick person could not eat as a healthy person does. Al-Farra' interpreted "upon" (على) here as "concerning" (في), meaning there is no hardship concerning eating with them. * Self-Restraint by the Disabled: The blind feared taking the best food while leaving the inferior. The lame and sick feared spoiling the food for the healthy, or they refrained because the healthy felt uncomfortable eating with them. Furthermore, the sick person might be overcome by appetite and stare longingly at another's morsel, which is disliked. Allah permitted eating with them despite these concerns. * Permission for Those Left Behind (Ruwaya from Al-Zuhri): When Muslims went to war, they left their dependents in charge of their homes and gave them keys, saying, "We permit you to eat from what is in our houses." However, the caretakers felt hesitant to enter while the owners were absent. This verse was revealed as a concession for them (This aligns with the view of Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her). * Specific Incident (Ibn Abbas and Muqatil): The verse was revealed concerning Al-Harith ibn Amr, who went on a campaign with the Prophet (PBUH) and left Ibn Malik ibn Zayd in charge of his family. Upon returning, Al-Harith was struggling (financially/with food). When asked, he said he hesitated to eat his food without explicit permission.

• Reasons for the Prohibition Regarding Others (Non-Disabled): * Fear of Violating Property Rights: Believers used to take food from the houses of relatives, spouses, and friends of those who went to war. When the verse {Do not consume your wealth among yourselves unjustly, except by trade...} (An-Nisa: 29) was revealed, people stopped eating each other's food. This verse then provided the concession. * Ansar's Custom (Qatadah): The Ansar had a custom of being reserved (قزازة) and would not eat from these houses if they were self-sufficient. Al-Saddi mentioned that a man entering his father's, brother's, or sister's house would be offered food by the wife but would hesitate because the master of the house was absent. Allah revealed this permission.

Issue 2: Definition of Hرج

Al-Zajjaj stated that Hرج (hardship/constraint) in the Arabic language means narrowness (ضيق), and in religious context, it means sin (إثم).

Issue 3: The Scope of Permissibility (Eating without Permission)

The verse appears to indicate that permission to eat from these houses is granted without requiring prior explicit permission (استئذان). Scholars differed on this:

1. Permitted but Not Ideal (Qatadah): Qatadah said eating is permitted, but it is not best (لا يجمل). The majority rejected this view.
2. Abrogation (First View): This permission was specific to the early days of Islam and was later abrogated by the Prophet's saying: "The property of a Muslim is not lawful except by his willing consent." Evidence for abrogation is the verse {O you who believe! Do not enter the Prophet's houses unless permission is given to you for a meal...} (Al-Ahzab: 53). This verse generally forbade entering the Prophet's wives' houses without permission, even for relatives who were mentioned in the concession verse.
   • Rebuttal: If the reason for the concession was that these relatives never prevented others from eating, then singling them out would be meaningless, as others were the same.
3. The Relatives Were Non-Believers (Abu Muslim Al-Isfahani): The permission applied only if these relatives were not believers. This is because Allah previously forbade befriending those who oppose Allah and His Messenger. Yet, here Allah permits eating from their houses. Evidence: In this Surah, permission is given to greet the inhabitants of houses (حتى تستأنسوا وتسلموا على أهلها), but for these specific relatives, one was commanded only to greet themselves (implying they might not be Muslim). The conclusion is that the verse establishes general permission, not permission at all times.
4. Custom Implies Consent (Third View): Since it was customary that these people willingly allowed others to eat from their food, custom itself acts as implied permission (العادة كالإذن). Allah singled them out because this custom was most prevalent among them, which is why friends (الصديق) were also included. Since the permission stems from the presence of consent, there is no need to argue for abrogation.

Issue 4: The Eleven Categories Mentioned

Allah mentioned eleven categories:

1. "From your own houses" (من بيوتكم): A question arises: What benefit is there in permitting a man to eat from his own house?
   • Answer 1 (Al-Farra'): It refers to the houses of your spouses and dependents, as the wife's house is like the husband's.
   • Answer 2 (Ibn Qutaybah): It refers to the houses of their children. The children's houses are attributed to the fathers because the child is considered the father's earning/property. The Prophet (PBUH) said, "The best thing a man eats is from his own earnings, and his child is from his earnings." The evidence is that Allah listed other relatives but omitted children, because if the basis for the concession is kinship, the closest kin (children) are most deserving.
2. Houses of Fathers.
3. Houses of Mothers.
4. Houses of Brothers.
5. Houses of Sisters.
6. Houses of Paternal Uncles (الأعمام).
7. Houses of Paternal Aunts (العمات).
8. Houses of Maternal Uncles (الأخوال).
9. Houses of Maternal Aunts (الخالات).
10. "Or what you possess the keys to" (أو ما ملكتم مفاتحه): (Read also as singular مفتاحه).
    • View 1 (Ibn Abbas): The agent or trustee of a man's estate or livestock. It is permissible for him to eat from the estate's fruit and drink from its milk, as possession of the keys signifies custody.
    • View 2 (Al-Dahhak): Refers to the dependents (الزمنى) who guarded the homes of those who went to war.
    • View 3 (Al-Fadl): Refers to the houses of slaves, because the slave's property belongs to the master. (Note: مفتح is the singular of مفاتح with a fathah, and مفتح with a kasrah is the singular of مفاتيح).
11. "Or your friend" (أو صديقكم): Meaning, the houses of your friends. "Friend" (الصديق) can be singular or plural. Al-Hasan entered his house and found friends eating food they had brought out from under his bed, and he rejoiced, saying, "This is how we found them," referring to the great Companions. Ibn Abbas said a friend is more significant than parents, because when the people of Paradise sought help, they did not seek their fathers or mothers, but their friends, saying, "We have no intercessor, nor a close friend." (A story is related about Al-Rabi' ibn Khaythum whose brother entered his house while he was away and enjoyed the hospitality; when Al-Rabi' returned and heard, he freed the slave girl if she spoke the truth).

Issue 5: Legal Implication (Hanafi View)

Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy on him, used this verse as evidence that if someone steals from a close relative (ذي رحم محرم), the hand should not be cut off. This is because Allah permitted eating from their houses and entering without permission, meaning their property is not considered securely guarded (محرز) by them.

• Counter-argument: If this logic holds, then stealing from a friend's property should also not result in amputation.
• Rebuttal: Whoever intends to steal from someone is not truly their friend.

"...it is not upon you [a fault] that you eat together or separately..."

Most commentators stated this verse was revealed concerning the tribe of Banu Layth ibn Amr (a branch of Kinanah). A man among them would not eat alone; if he couldn't find someone to eat with him, he wouldn't eat at all, even if he had camels full of milk, he wouldn't drink until he found someone to share it with. Allah informed them that there is no fault if a man eats alone. (This is the view of Ibn Abbas).

• Al-'Ikrimah and Abu Salih: The Ansar, when a guest visited one of them, would not eat unless the guest ate with him. Allah permitted them to eat as they wished, gathered or dispersed.
• Al-Kalbī: When they gathered to eat, they would set aside separate food for the blind, the sick, and the lame. Allah clarified that this separation was not obligatory.
• Another View: They used to eat separately for fear that gathering might cause something offensive or bothersome. Allah clarified that this separation was not obligatory.

Grammar:

• جميعا (together) is in the accusative case (نصب) as a circumstantial adverb (حال).
• أشتاتا (separately/dispersed) is the plural of شَتّ (dispersed). شتى is the plural of شتيت, and شتان is the dual of شتّ. Alternatively, شتّ is a verbal noun (مصدر) meaning dispersion, which is then used as an adjective and pluralized.

"...But when you enter houses, greet yourselves with a greeting blessed and good from Allah."

This means Allah made the Muslims' selves like a single self, similar to His saying: {And do not kill yourselves} (An-Nisa: 29).

• Ibn Abbas: If no one is present, one should say: "Peace be upon us from our Lord." When entering the Mosque, one should say: "Peace be upon the Messenger of Allah and upon us from our Lord."
• Qatadah: Angels respond to the greeting.
• Al-Qaffal: If people of Dhimma (non-Muslim citizens) are in the house, one should say: "Peace be upon those who follow the guidance."

Grammar and Meaning:

• تحية (greeting) is in the accusative case (نصب) as a verbal noun (مصدر), as if He said: "So greet with a greeting from Allah," meaning, what Allah has commanded you.
• Ibn Abbas: Whoever says As-salamu 'alaykum means "The name of Allah is upon you."
• مباركة طيبة (blessed and good):
  • Al-Dahhak: The blessing (البركة) in it means the multiplication of reward.
  • Al-Zajjaj: Allah informed us that the greeting is blessed and established because of the reward and recompense it contains. If one obeys Allah in it, His goodness and reward increase.

"Thus does Allah make clear to you the verses, that you may understand." This means Allah clarifies His laws (شرائعه) for you so that you may comprehend His commands and prohibitions.

• Narration from Humayd on Anas: Anas said: "I served the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) for ten years. He never asked me why I did something I did, nor why I left something I left. One day, I stood by the Prophet (PBUH) while he was pouring water over his hands. He raised his head to me and said: 'Shall I teach you three characteristics by which you will benefit?' I replied: 'Yes, my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah!' He said: 'Whoever you meet from my Ummah, greet them with Salam, and your life will be long. When you enter a house, greet its inhabitants, and the goodness of your house will increase. And pray the Duha prayer, for it is the prayer of the repentant ones (Al-Awwabin).'"

**{7 < {The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger and, when they are with him on an affair of common interest, they do not depart until they ask his leave. Indeed, those who ask your leave are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger. So when they ask your leave for some matter of theirs, then give leave to whom you will of them and ask forgiveness for them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. * Do not make the calling of the Messenger among you like the calling of one of you to another. Allah certainly knows those of you who slip away, hiding themselves. So let those who oppose His command beware, lest there strike them a trial or there strike them a painful punishment. * Indeed, to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. He certainly knows what state you are upon, and the Day they return to Him, He will inform them of what they did. And Allah is, of all things, Knowing.} > 7

<}**

Translation:

{The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger, and when they are with him on an affair of common interest, they do not depart until they ask his leave. Indeed, those who ask your leave are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger. So when they ask your leave for some matter of theirs, then give leave to whom you will of them and ask forgiveness for them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

Do not make the calling of the Messenger among you like the calling of one of you to another. Allah certainly knows those of you who slip away, hiding themselves. So let those who oppose His command beware, lest there strike them a trial or there strike them a painful punishment.

Indeed, to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. He certainly knows what state you are upon, and the Day they return to Him, He will inform them of what they did. And Allah is, of all things, Knowing.}