Āl 'Imrān: (104 - 109) And let there be [arising] out of you a community...

Know that in the preceding verses, Allah criticized the People of the Book for two things:

1. He criticized them for disbelief, saying: {Say, "O People of the Scripture, why do you disbelieve in the verses of Allah?"} (Āl 'Imrān: 70).
2. Then, He criticized them for striving to lead others into disbelief, saying: {Say, "O People of the Scripture, why do you turn away from the way of Allah those who believe?"} (Āl 'Imrān: 99).

After this, He turned to address the believers, first commanding them to have piety and faith: {O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him]. And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.} (Āl 'Imrān: 102, 103). Then, He commanded them to strive to lead others to faith and obedience: {And let there be [arising] out of you a community inviting to all that is good...}. This is the sound, rational sequence.

In this verse, there are two issues:

Issue 1: Regarding the phrase {out of you} (min kum)

There are two opinions regarding the word min (من) here:

Opinion 1: Min is not for partiality (tab'īḍ). This is supported by two points:

1. Allah obligated enjoining good and forbidding evil upon the entire community in: {You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong...} (Āl 'Imrān: 110).
2. Every accountable person is obligated to enjoin good and forbid evil, either by hand, tongue, or heart. Everyone must repel harm from themselves. Therefore, the meaning of this verse is: "Be a community of callers to good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong." The word min here is for specification (tabyīn), not partiality, like in {So shun the impurity of idols} (Al-Hajj: 30). It can also mean the entirety, as when one says, "So-and-so has soldiers from his sons," meaning all of them.

Furthermore, they said that even though this obligation is upon everyone, if a group fulfills it, the obligation is lifted from the rest. This is analogous to: {Go forth, whether light or heavy} (At-Tawbah: 41) and {If you do not go forth, He will punish you with a painful punishment} (At-Tawbah: 39). The command is general, but if a faction undertakes it, sufficiency is achieved, and the obligation ceases for the rest.

Opinion 2: Min is for partiality (tab'īḍ). Those who hold this opinion differ:

1. The benefit of min is that some people are incapable of calling to good, enjoining good, or forbidding evil, such as women, the sick, and the disabled.
2. This obligation is specific to the scholars ('ulamā'). This is supported by two points: a. This verse includes commanding three things: calling to good, enjoining good, and forbidding evil. Calling to good requires knowledge of what is good, right, and wrong. An ignorant person might command evil or forbid good, or be harsh where gentleness is needed, or vice versa. Thus, this obligation is directed toward scholars, who are certainly part of the community. This is similar to: {And it is not for the believers to go forth [to battle] all at once. So why would not a contingent from every division of them go forth to gain understanding in religion...} (At-Tawbah: 122). b. It is agreed that this is an obligation of sufficiency (kifāyah); if some perform it, it is lifted from the rest. If so, the meaning is, "Let some of you do this," making it an obligation on a part, not the whole.

Opinion 3 (Fourth Opinion): This is the view of Al-Ḍaḥḥāk: The intended meaning is the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), as they learned from the Prophet and taught the people. The interpretation is: "Be a community united in preserving the Sunnah of the Prophet and learning the religion."

Issue 2: The three obligations mentioned

This verse includes commanding three things: calling to good, enjoining good, and forbidding evil. Due to the conjunction (wa), these three must be distinct.

1. Calling to Good (Da'wah ilā al-Khayr): The best form of this is calling to the affirmation of Allah's Essence, His Attributes, and His transcendence above resemblance to contingent beings. We say this because Allah commanded: {Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom} (An-Naḥl: 125) and {Say, "This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight, I and whoever follows me"} (Yūsuf: 108).

2. Calling to good is a general category (jins) encompassing two types: a. Encouraging the performance of what is proper (which is enjoining good). b. Encouraging the abandonment of what is improper (which is forbidding evil). The general term is mentioned first, followed by its two specific types, for emphasis in clarification. The conditions for enjoining good and forbidding evil are mentioned in the books of Kalām (theology).

Regarding {And those are the successful ones} (Wa ulā'ika hum al-mufliḥūn)

This has been explained previously. There are issues here:

Some use this verse to argue that a sinner (fāsiq) cannot enjoin good or forbid evil, because the verse states that those who do so are the successful ones, and the sinner is not successful. The response: This statement is generally true, as one usually begins reforming oneself before reforming others, since a rational person prioritizes their own affairs over those of others. They support this with: {Do you order righteousness in the people and forget yourselves?} (At-Tawbah: 44) and {Why do you say that which you do not do? Great is the hatred of Allah that you say that which you do not do} (As-Ṣaff: 2-3). If it were permissible, a fornicator could command his partner not to uncover her face, which is clearly abhorrent.

The scholars say that a sinner can enjoin good and forbid evil because abandoning one obligation (refraining from sin) does not necessitate abandoning another obligation (forbidding evil). Some predecessors said: "Command good even if you do not practice it." Al-Ḥasan heard Muṭarrif ibn ‘Abdillāh say, "I do not say what I do not do," to which he replied, "And who among us does what he says?" Satan would rejoice if this statement were adopted, as then no one would enjoin good or forbid evil.

The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Whoever enjoins good and forbids evil is Allah's vicegerent on His earth, the vicegerent of His Messenger, and the vicegerent of His Book." 'Ali (RA) said: "The best jihād is enjoining good and forbidding evil." He also said: "Whoever does not recognize good in his heart and does not forbid evil, his inside will be turned outside." Al-Ḥasan narrated from Abū Bakr Al-Ṣiddīq (RA) that he said: "O people, enjoin good and forbid evil so that you may live well." Al-Thawrī said: "If a man is beloved by his neighbors and praised by his brothers, know that he is insincere (mudāhin)."

Allah says: {And if two factions of believers fight, then make peace between them. But if one of them aggresses against the other, then fight the one that aggresses until it complies with the command of Allah} (Al-Ḥujurāt: 9). He prioritized reconciliation over fighting, which implies that one must begin with gentleness in enjoining good and forbidding evil, escalating gradually. Similarly, {and [if necessary] boycott them in [their] beds and strike them} (An-Nisā’: 34) indicates this progression. If the command is not fulfilled through severity, one must use force (qahr) by hand, then by tongue if unable, and then by heart if unable. People's situations vary in this regard.

Regarding {And do not be like those who became divided and disagreed after the clear proofs had come to them}

There are issues here:

There are two views:

1. Allah mentioned that the Torah and Gospel contained proofs for the truth of Islam and the prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH). Then, He mentioned that the People of the Book envied the Prophet (PBUH) and plotted to cast doubts upon these clear texts. Since Allah commanded the believers to have faith and call to Allah, He concluded by warning the believers against acting like the People of the Book—casting doubts and extracting corrupt interpretations that negate the texts' meaning. Thus: {And do not be} (O believers), upon hearing these clear proofs, {like those who became divided and disagreed} (the People of the Book) {after the clear proofs had come to them} in the Torah and Gospel. In this view, the verse is a continuation of the preceding verses.
2. Since Allah commanded enjoining good and forbidding evil, which requires the ability to enforce this command against the oppressors and transgressors, and this ability is only achieved through affection and love among the people of truth, Allah warned them against division and disagreement so that it would not hinder their ability to fulfill this command. In this view, the verse only relates to the preceding one.

There are several interpretations:

1. They became divided and disagreed due to following desires, obeying the self, and envy, just as Iblīs abandoned Allah's command due to envy of Adam.
2. They became divided so that each faction believed in some prophets but not others, leading to enmity and division.
3. They became like the innovators (mubtadi'ah) of this Ummah, such as the Anthropomorphists (Mushabbihah), the Determinists (Qadariyyah), and the Literalists (Ḥashawiyyah).

Some say they mean the same thing, mentioned for emphasis. Others say they are different:

• They became divided by enmity and disagreed in religion.
• They became divided by extracting corrupt interpretations from those texts, and then disagreed by each trying to support his own view.
• They became divided physically, with each scholar becoming a leader in a region, and then disagreed by each claiming to be on the truth while his counterpart was on falsehood. (I say: If you are just, you will realize that most scholars of this time are described by this characteristic. We ask Allah for pardon, mercy, and forgiveness.)

He said {had come to them} (jā'athum) and not {had come to them} (jā'at-hum) because the feminine marker (tā') can be omitted when the feminine verb precedes the subject.

Regarding {And those will have a great punishment}

Meaning: Those who became divided will have a great punishment in the Hereafter because of their division, serving as a deterrent to the believers against division.

Regarding {The Day when some faces will turn white and some faces will turn black}

When Allah commanded the Jews regarding certain things and forbade others, and then commanded the Muslims regarding certain things and forbade others, He followed this by mentioning the states of the Hereafter to emphasize the commands. There are issues here:

There are two views:

1. It is in the accusative case as an adverb of time (ẓarf). The implied meaning is: "And they will have a great punishment on this Day." This has two benefits: (a) The punishment occurs on that Day, and (b) it is a characteristic of that Day that faces will turn white and faces will turn black.
2. It is in the accusative case by omitting the verb udhkur (mention): "Mention the Day..."

This verse has parallels, such as: {And you will see those who lied about Allah, their faces turned black} (Az-Zumar: 60); {And no darkness will cover their faces, nor will humiliation} (Yūnus: 26); {Some faces that Day will be bright, laughing, rejoicing; And some faces that Day will be covered with dust, darkness covering them} (ʿAbasa: 38-41); {Some faces that Day will be radiant, looking at their Lord; And some faces that Day will be gloomy, expecting that a calamity will befall them} (Al-Qiyāmah: 22-25); {You will recognize in their faces the brightness of pleasure} (Al-Muṭaffifīn: 24); {The criminals will be recognized by their marks} (Ar-Raḥmān: 41).

There are two opinions among the exegetes:

1. Metaphorical: Whiteness is a metaphor for joy and happiness, and blackness for grief. This metaphor is commonly used, as in: {And when one of them is given news of a female [birth], his face becomes darkened, and he suppresses his anger} (An-Naḥl: 58). Arabs say, "So-and-so has a white hand toward me," meaning a clear favor. When Al-Ḥasan ibn 'Ali (RA) yielded leadership to Mu'āwiyah, someone said to him, "O one who blackened the faces of the believers!" (Poetry follows regarding whiteness/blackness of age/face). Arabs say, "His face turned white" when someone achieves their goal, meaning rejoicing. When congratulating someone on joy, they say, "Praise be to Allah who whitened your face." When someone suffers misfortune, they say, "His face became dusty/grayed." Thus, the meaning is that the believer's face will turn white, meaning rejoicing in Allah's favor, while the disbeliever's face will turn black, meaning intense sorrow and grief. This is the view of Abū Muslim Al-Iṣfahānī.
2. Literal: This whiteness and blackness actually occur on the faces of believers and disbelievers, as there is no evidence to abandon the literal meaning. The proponents of this view argue that the contrast with {bright, laughing, rejoicing} and {covered with dust, darkness covering them} implies that darkness and dust mean grief and sorrow, making the contrast valid. Furthermore, the wisdom is that when people see whiteness, they honor that person more, increasing their joy (as the happy person rejoices that others know his happiness, citing {He said, "Oh, I wish my people knew / Of the forgiveness my Lord has granted me and that He has made me among the honored"} [Yā-Sīn: 26-27]). Similarly, blackness increases the disbeliever's grief. In this life, knowing this outcome encourages obedience to avoid blackness and seek whiteness.

Our scholars used this verse to argue that a person is either a believer or a disbeliever; there is no intermediate station (manzilah bayna al-manzilatayn), contrary to the Mu'tazilah view. They argue that Allah divided people into two groups: those whose faces turn white (believers) and those whose faces turn black (disbelievers), omitting a third group. If a third group existed, Allah would have mentioned it, supported by: {Some faces that Day will be bright... These are the disbelievers, the wicked ones} (ʿAbasa: 38-42).

The Judge's response: The absence of mentioning a third group does not prove its non-existence. Allah mentioned them vaguely (nakirah), which does not imply totality. Moreover, the verse mentions believers and those who disbelieved after believing. The original disbeliever is not covered by these two categories, and the same applies to the sinner.

The argument's strength: The preceding verses concerned encouraging belief in Monotheism and Prophethood and warning against disbelief. Therefore, the whiteness of the face belongs to those who believed in the Oneness and Prophethood, and blackness belongs to those who denied them. Since the verses following this one indicate that the white-faced are in Paradise and the black-faced are in Hellfire, the intermediate station must be negated. As for the original disbeliever, the response is twofold: (1) Perhaps it means everyone believed when the progeny was extracted from Adam's loins, thus including everyone. (2) The verse concludes: {So taste the punishment for what you used to disbelieve}, attributing the cause of punishment to disbelief in general, not just disbelief after faith.

Regarding {But as for those whose faces turned black, [it will be said], "Have you disbelieved after your faith?}

There are questions here:

Allah mentioned whiteness before blackness in the initial statement, but when detailing the consequences, He mentioned the consequence of blackness first. Shouldn't the consequence of whiteness have been mentioned first?

Responses:

1. The conjunction wāw (and) does not imply sequence.
2. The purpose of creation is conveying mercy, not conveying punishment. Allah said, "I created them so they may profit from Me, not that I may profit from them." Therefore, He began with the people of reward (white faces) because mentioning the nobler first is better. He concluded with them to indicate that the will for mercy predominates over the will for wrath (as in, "My Mercy preceded My Wrath").
3. Eloquent speakers and poets state that the beginning and end of speech should be something pleasing to the nature. Mentioning Allah's mercy achieves this, hence the start and end with the people of reward.

The response is omitted, implied as: "It will be said to them: Have you disbelieved after your faith?" Omission is acceptable when the context makes it clear, as in many verses, such as: {And the angels will enter upon them from every gate, [Saying], "Peace be upon you"} (Ar-Ra'd: 23-24).

There are several opinions:

1. Ubayy ibn Ka'b: Everyone believed when their progeny was extracted from Adam's loins; thus, everyone who disbelieves in this world has disbelieved after believing. This is narrated from the Prophet (PBUH).
2. The meaning is: Have you disbelieved after the evidence necessitating faith became clear (i.e., the signs Allah established for Monotheism and Prophethood)? This is supported by the preceding verses where they were blamed for disbelief after clear signs: {Say, "O People of the Scripture, why do you disbelieve in the verses of Allah while Allah is a witness over what you do?"} (Āl 'Imrān: 70) and warning the believers against division after clear proofs came to them. Thus, this verse confirms what preceded it, and it is general for all disbelievers.
3. Specific interpretations:
   • 'Ikrimah, Al-Aṣamm, and Al-Zajjāj: The People of the Book, who believed before the Prophet's mission but disbelieved after he was sent.
   • Qatādah: Those who disbelieved after faith through apostasy (irtidād).
   • Al-Ḥasan: Those who disbelieved after faith through hypocrisy (nifāq).
   • Some: The innovators (ahl al-bida') and those following whims in this Ummah.
   • Some: The Khawārij, because the Prophet (PBUH) said they would pass through religion like an arrow passes through its target. (The last two views are considered very weak as they do not fit the context and lack evidence, and rebellion against a ruler does not necessarily constitute disbelief.)

This is a rhetorical question expressing strong rebuke, confirming what preceded it, such as: {Say, "O People of the Scripture, why do you disbelieve in the verses of Allah... Say, 'O People of the Scripture, why do you turn away from the way of Allah...'} (Āl 'Imrān: 98-99).

Regarding {So taste the punishment for what you used to disbelieve}

There are benefits here:

1. If this were not mentioned, the threat would be restricted only to those who disbelieved after faith. Mentioning this confirms the threat for both those who disbelieved after faith and those who were originally disbelievers.
2. Al-Qāḍī said: {Have you disbelieved after your faith?} indicates that disbelief originates from them, not from Allah. The same applies to {So taste the punishment for what you used to disbelieve}.
3. The Murji'ah argued that this verse indicates that every type of punishment is attributed to disbelief, negating punishment for anyone other than the disbeliever.

Regarding {But as for those whose faces turned white, they will be in the mercy of Allah, abiding therein forever}

There are questions here:

Ibn 'Abbās said: It means Paradise. The sound scholars among our colleagues say this indicates that even if a servant performs many acts of obedience, he enters Paradise only by Allah's Mercy. How could it be otherwise, when a servant's inclination toward action and restraint are balanced, making action impossible unless the inclination toward obedience is favored? This favoring can only be created by Allah. Thus, the servant's obedience is a grace from Allah, so how can it obligate Allah? Therefore, entering Paradise is only by Allah's grace, bounty, and generosity, not by our deserving it.

It is as if it were asked: How will they be in it? The answer is: {abiding therein forever}, never departing or dying.

Disbelievers are eternal in Hellfire, just as believers are eternal in Paradise. Why did Allah explicitly mention eternity for the people of Paradise but not for the people of Hellfire in this verse?

The answer: All of this signals that the side of Mercy predominates. He began by mentioning the people of mercy and concluded by mentioning them. When mentioning punishment, He did not attribute it to Himself but said, {So taste the punishment}, whereas He attributed Mercy to Himself: {in the mercy of Allah}. When mentioning punishment, He did not state eternity, though He stated it for reward. When mentioning punishment, He attributed it to their actions: {for what you used to disbelieve}. When mentioning reward, He attributed it to His Mercy: {in the mercy of Allah}. Then He concluded: {And Allah does not intend injustice to the worlds}. This serves as an apology for the threat of punishment, all indicating that the side of Mercy prevails. O Most Merciful of the merciful, do not deprive us of the coolness of Your Mercy, the honor of Your forgiveness, and Your favor.

Regarding {These are the verses of Allah which We recite to you with truth}

There are two views regarding {These} (Tilka):

1. These mentioned verses are Allah's proofs. It is permissible to use Tilka (that/those, distant) instead of Hādhihi (this/these, near) because the mentioned verses have concluded after being recited, making them seem distant.
2. Allah promised to reveal a Book containing everything necessary for religion. When these verses were revealed, He said: These promised verses are what We recite to you with truth. The full discussion on this point was covered in Sūrat Al-Baqarah regarding {That is the Book} (Al-Baqarah: 2).

Regarding {with truth} (bi-l-ḥaqq):

1. Meaning: Intertwined with truth and justice in recompensing the doer of good and the doer of evil according to what they deserve.
2. Meaning: With the true meaning, because the meaning of recitation is truth.

Regarding {And Allah does not intend injustice to the worlds}

There are issues here:

It was appropriate to mention injustice here because severe punishment was previously mentioned. Since Allah is the Most Generous of the generous, it is as if He is apologizing, saying that they only incurred it due to their reprehensible actions, as the welfare of the world cannot be maintained without threatening sinners. If this threat exists, it must be realized to avoid falsehood, making this apology one of the strongest proofs that the side of Mercy prevails. This is analogous to what He said in Sūrat 'Amma after mentioning the threat to disbelievers: {Indeed, they were not expecting an account, / And they denied Our verses with strong denial} (An-Naba': 27-28), meaning this severe threat occurred because of those reprehensible actions.

Al-Jubbā'ī argued that this verse proves Allah does not will any evil, neither His own actions nor the actions of His servants, nor does He perform any of them. The proof: Injustice (ẓulm) can be attributed to Allah, or to the servant (either harming himself or others). The verse states: {And Allah does not intend injustice to the worlds} (using the indefinite ẓulm in a negative context), meaning He does not will any form of injustice, whether originating from Him or others. Thus, He does not will any of these three categories. If He does not will them, He cannot be the doer of any of them, including the actions of the servants, as their injustice to themselves and each other is part of their actions. If He were the doer of any injustice, He would will it, which is negated. Therefore, this verse proves He is not the doer of injustice, nor the doer of the servants' actions, nor the willer of reprehensible acts by the servants. They further argued that since He praised Himself for not willing this, it implies He is capable of doing it, thus establishing all their principles of Justice.

They then noted that after stating He does not will injustice, He said: {And to Allah belong whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth, and to Allah all matters are returned}. They cite two reasons for this sequence:

1. Since He does not will injustice, the reason must be that the doer of evil acts out of ignorance, inability, or need, all of which are impossible for Allah, as He owns everything in the heavens and earth. This ownership negates ignorance, inability, and need. If these attributes are negated, His being the doer of evil is negated.
2. Since He does not will injustice, one might ask: We see injustice in the world. If it is not by His will, it must be against His will, implying weakness and subjugation, which is impossible.

Allah's response (according to the orthodox view): {And to Allah belong whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth} means He is capable of preventing wrongdoers by compulsion and force. Since He is capable of this, He is not weak or incapable. However, He wills that they refrain from sin by choice and willingness so they deserve reward; if He compelled them, this benefit would be lost.

The Mu'tazilah offer another argument: The meaning is either He does not intend to wrong them (which is invalid on your view, as you say punishing the innocent is not injustice but justice since He acts in His own property), or He does not intend for them to wrong each other (which is also invalid on your view, as all this is by His will and creation). Thus, on your view, the verse cannot be soundly interpreted.

The orthodox response: Why can it not mean He does not intend to wrong anyone? They say praising oneself for not doing something impossible (like injustice, which is impossible for you) is invalid. Response: (1) Allah praised Himself for things He does not possess, like saying {No drowsiness overtakes Him, nor sleep} (Al-Baqarah: 255), which does not imply sleep is possible for Him. (2) If He punishes someone undeserving, even if not ẓulm in essence, it resembles injustice, and names are often used for similar concepts, as in {And the recompense of a bad deed is its like} (Ash-Shūrā: 40).

Our scholars used {And to Allah belong whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth} to prove He is the Creator of the servants' actions. Since servants' actions are part of what is in the heavens and earth, they must belong to Him. This ownership is only valid if they are created by Him.

Al-Jubbā'ī's response: This is an attribution of ownership (milkiyyah), not an attribution of action (fi'liyyah). One says, "This building belongs to so-and-so," meaning it is his property, not his creation. Furthermore, the verse aims to glorify Allah's divinity, and He would not attribute reprehensible acts to Himself. Also, {what is in the heavens and what is on earth} refers to things contained therein, which are attributes of bodies, not attributes of actions (which are accidents).

The orthodox response: This is an attribution of action, evidenced by the fact that one capable of good and evil only favors good if a motive (dā'iyah) toward good arises in his heart, and this motive is created by Allah to avoid infinite regress. Since the effective cause of the servant's action is the combination of power and motive, and this combination is created by Allah, the servant's action is ultimately traced back to Allah through creation and origination via the cause.

The philosophers claimed that mentioning the heavens before the earth indicates that heavenly states are causes for earthly states, thus prioritizing the cause over the effect. This implies all earthly states depend on heavenly states, which in turn depend on Allah's creation, leading to determinism (jabr).

Allah repeated His name in {And to Allah belong...} and {And to Allah all matters are returned} to emphasize glorification. He is the origin of creation (First) and their return (Last), indicating His encompassing judgment, disposition, and management over their beginning and end, and that all needs terminate with Him.

The word ilā in {And to Allah all matters are returned} does not imply Allah is in a location or direction, but rather that the return is to a place where no judgment but His prevails.

[Verse 106] {You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. And if the People of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient.}

[Verse 107] {They will not harm you except [with] minor annoyance, and if they fight you, they will turn their backs [in flight]; then they will not be aided.}